Torin Halsey/Times Record News United Regional Health Care System is feeling the pinch after a new TRICARE reimbursement methodology that began Jan. 1, 2014, resulted in a more than 60-percent reduction from $11.6 million in 2013 to $4.6 million in 2014.
By John Ingle of the Times Record News The Wichita Falls Family Practice Residency Program is receiving support from near and far after United Regional Health Care System leadership announced they are cutting ties with the program. In particular, those with connections to the program have specific issues with the quality of the program and its graduates. In a letter to Dr. David Whittiker from United Regional system President and CEO Phyllis Cowling, she informed the North Central Texas Medical Foundation board president that, " ... United Regional is committed to ensuring the availability of high-quality graduate medical education which provides consistent, sustainable educational and clinical quality, recruitment of exceptional medical students, and recruitment/retention of high-caliber physicians for our community and region." Dr. Ahmed Mattar, director ofthe residency program, said the endeavor has produced physicians who have gone on to bigger and better things since graduating from the program "Whose opinion is that?" he said. "The opinion of the (Wichita County) Medical Society, which represents the overwhelming majority of physicians people who know about medicine think we are exceptional; think the program is exceptional and is worth saving." During a June 9 meeting, about 125 members of the medical society chose, in a vote of solidarity, to unanimously support the program. Dr. Megumi Maguchi, a geriatrics physician in Pensacola, Florida, and 2011 graduate of the residency program, said she continued her education with a Geriatric Fellowship at Harvard Medical School upon graduation from the program. She had this to say in a recent letter to the editor: "I am personally offended by the innuendo that this program has not produced high quality physicians," she wrote. "Not a day goes by that I am not grateful for the equality of the program I was trained under and the guidance of the director, Dr. Ahmed Mattar and the faculty. United Regional could not have asked for a better program to partner with than the current Wichita Falls Family (Practice) Residency Program." Former Wichita Falls Mayor Gary Cook also weighed in on the issue. "My family has received excellent medical care from the residency program for many years, as have yours," he wrote. "Texas has a shortage of residency programs, causing Texas medical students to leave the state for residency training, and consequently, too often remaining in those locations, costing Texas taxpayers millions of dollars." Dr. Richard Sutton, a board member of the North Central Texas Medical Foundation when the residency program was founded, said in a letter to the editor in the Times Record News that the program was established to address the need for well-trained physicians with hopes that they would remain locally. He said labeling the program as less than exceptional is "unfair." "History has proved that the program has been uniquely successful. Forty-four family practice doctors currently living and working in our area are former residents who have chosen to stay here," he said. "Where would we be today without those doctors? In a much worse, short-handed situation for sure." Dr. Sampath Medepalli, a resident in the program now, wrote that physicians and their families are being affected by the decision of the United Regional board of directors and leadership. It will also affect patients seen by those physicians in the program. "I prevented the suicide of my 49-year-old patient because I was the only person in his life who cared, when the system and his family failed him. He came to the ER and refused to speak to anyone because he trusted no one except me," she wrote. "I told him that my training will be over next year and promised to hand pick the resident who will take care of him; a strong tradition in our residency. "It is a promise that I now have to break." Vote SHARE Marilyn Meador, Wichita Falls Judith McGinnis did an excellent job explaining the history and requirements of the Texas voter ID law (SB14). She thoroughly covered all the ways a person wishing to vote in elections in Texas can meet the requirements. In the interest of further educating the voting public, it would be helpful if you could publish information on how a voter can exercise the right to write in a candidate name if none of the candidates on the ballot are acceptable to the voter. How can this be done with the new electronic touch screen voting system? SHARE Help wanted: Seasoned Republican politician with Washington experience. Must have high energy, conservative credentials and a strong stomach. Job requires working for mercurial boss who provokes needless crises without warning. On paper, you'll be his deputy, but this chief executive prides himself on ignoring others' advice. The successful candidate will roll with the punches and subordinate his/her public image to the boss's whims. Four-year, no-exit contract; once you're in, you're in. Would anybody want this job? As Donald Trump's scorched-earth style has driven his poll numbers downward, the question isn't only whom he'll pick as his running mate; it's also whether leading Republicans are willing to shackle their futures to his. "If you take the job, you're betting your reputation and your career on Donald Trump," said Vin Weber, a former Republican congressman from Minnesota who, it must be noted, is not a fan. The presumptive nominee has "an albatross around his neck," agreed David Winston, a longtime GOP pollster. "The share of voters who have an unfavorable opinion of Trump is higher than we've ever seen for a presidential candidate. That means he isn't just vetting potential running mates; he's going to have to recruit them." If Trump loses the general election, his No. 2 risks collecting a share of the blame. If Trump wins, the new vice president gets to spend four years contending with a boss whose reality TV catchphrase was: "You're fired." Small wonder that the list of prominent Republicans who don't want to be considered is as long as those who are signaling interest. Nominees often find their running mates among the rivals they defeated in the primaries, but Sen. Ted Cruz, Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. John Kasich are all in the "not me" camp. Trump has said he would like a vice president with experience in Congress, "somebody that can help me with legislation." But some of his party's top figures on Capitol Hill don't appear interested, either. House Speaker Paul Ryan would be a logical candidate; he was Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012, and he's beloved by many conservatives. But while Ryan has formally endorsed Trump, he has repeatedly criticized the real estate mogul, slamming his criticism of a Mexican-American federal judge as "the textbook definition of a racist comment." Besides, Ryan is passionate about cutting future spending on Social Security and Medicare; Trump disagrees. That marriage isn't going to happen. Contrary to popular belief, it's not unprecedented for politicians to decline an offer to run for vice president. It's not even unusual. The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Sen. Bob Corker, has traveled to Trump Tower in New York to offer foreign policy advice. But if Corker was initially interested, he's sounding less enthusiastic now. Last week, the senator said he was disappointed by Trump's statements after the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., in which the presumptive nominee accused U.S. Muslims of harboring terrorists and suggested that President Obama might secretly sympathize with extremists. "In an effort to be constructive, I have offered public encouragement (to Trump), but I must admit that I am personally discouraged by the results," Corker told me. Who would take the job? Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House, has been virtually campaigning for the role. "Trump was right" about Orlando, he told conservative columnist Byron York. "Trump has been warning again and again that this has been getting more dangerous." Trump and Gingrich are also in broad agreement on domestic policy; like Trump, Gingrich criticized Romney and Ryan for proposing cuts to Medicare spending in 2012. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, one of the first primary candidates to endorse Trump, seems eager too all too eager. He's become a fixture on Trump's campaign, to the extent that The New Yorker reported that he "has transformed himself into a sort of manservant," delivering the candidate's lunch from McDonald's. (The governor's office issued an indignant denial, at least about the lunch.) Christie's term as governor ends in January 2018, and he can't run again. But it's not clear what he'd bring to the ticket; his job approval in New Jersey has plummeted and he has no Washington experience. Trump has said he would consider Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, the first member of the Senate to endorse him. But Sessions has pointed out that he'd be a bad strategic choice, since the GOP shouldn't need extra help in the Deep South. Doyle McManus is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. Readers may send him email at doyle.mcmanus@latimes.com Correction: Jonah Bruno is a spokesman for the state's Empire State Development Corporation. An earlier version of this article misstated his title. Albany Could Gov. Andrew Cuomo have a Brexit problem? New York state exported $5.78 billion to the United Kingdom in 2015, more than any other state in the country. The United Kingdom is New York state's fourth-largest export destination, behind Canada, Hong Kong and Switzerland, making it a key trade partner. But the Brexit referendum last Thursday, in which Britons voted to leave the European Union, may change all that. On Friday, the British pound fell 12 percent against the dollar and analysts are predicting that it could fall even more, perhaps reaching parity by the end of the year. That could lead to a significant rise in the effective prices that British companies and consumers pay for U.S. goods. That's a bad thing for companies in New York and the Capital Region that sell their goods in the United Kingdom. But New York state's problems don't end there, says Yuri Yatsynovich, a professor of economics at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy. He notes that if New York exports to Britain were to fall by 50 percent, that would decrease the gross domestic product in New York by 0.2 percent a major blow to the Empire State's economy. And that doesn't even take into account a second compounding effect of the fall of the pound against the dollar. That would make products made by British companies cheaper as compared to those made in the United States, giving U.K. exporters an edge when going head to head against their competitors here in New York state. That's especially a problem because New York state and the United Kingdom have a similar focus on exporting precious metals, pharmaceuticals and aircraft parts, according to U.S trade data. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "This mechanism can have a more significant impact on the New York economy than a direct decrease in U.K. demand for New York goods, especially if we take into account that New York and the United Kingdom export very similar goods," Yatsynovich said. The Cuomo administration, which has been making international trade a major focus of its economic development efforts, says it is watching to see how the Brexit vote will affect the export market. "We are closely monitoring this historic event, and its impact on the global market," said Empire State Development Corportion spokesman Jonah Bruno. "And we are confident that New York state businesses will continue their record of strong export sales to the U.K." New York state's strongest export partner is Canada, although exports fell nearly 30 percent in 2015 from the previous year. New York exports to the United Kingdom have also been falling in recent years. New York state has been increasing exports to countries like India, where 2015 exports grew 16 percent to nearly $3 billion. Taiwan is the fastest-growing New York state export destination, with a 24 percent increase in 2015, from $844 million to $1.04 billion. Capital Region companies that do a lot of exporting say they just have to focus on diversifying their markets, including silicones maker Momentive Performance Materials in Waterford. "Momentive serves over 4,000 customers in over 100 countries," Momentive spokeswoman Tina Reiber said in response to questions about Brexit. "We have a balanced geographic footprint and a diversified customer base. We continue to focus on growing our business globally." lrulison@timesunion.com 518-454-5504 @larryrulison Albany Three members of Congress from New York are calling on federal health agencies to "help educate and assist" residents in eastern Rensselaer County who were exposed to a hazardous man-made chemical in their drinking water dating back years. U.S. senators Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, both Democrats, and U.S. Rep. Chris Gibson, a Republican, signed a letter that was sent Friday to the directors of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health, calling on the agencies to provide educational resources to state and local officials. The chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, was found in private and public water supplies in the village of Hoosick Falls and the towns of Hoosick and Petersburgh. "As you can imagine, there is profound concern in these communities regarding the potential health effects caused by exposure to this chemical, as well as considerable need to provide thorough information about what steps individuals should take if they are exposed to high levels of PFOA," the letter states. "These victims are justifiably concerned, but not enough information has been disseminated to put this severe level of PFOA into context." Schumer, Gillibrand and Gibson all have said they support holding a congressional hearing that would examine how both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and state and local officials handled the public health crisis. For more than a year, residents in Hoosick Falls, where the contamination of their public water supply was discovered in the fall of 2014, were told by state and local officials that the water was safe to drink. In December, the EPA's regional administrator, Judith Enck, wrote a letter to Hoosick Falls' village leaders demanding they warn people to stop consuming the water. In the last month, the state Health Department has sent the results of blood tests to hundreds of people in those communities whose blood-serum showed elevated levels of PFOA. "As you know, 2.08 parts per billion of PFOA in blood is considered the safe limit, but in these communities many people, including children, have levels as much as 200 times that safe limit," the letter from Gibson, Gillibrand and Schumer states. The 2.08-ppb figure is actually the average level of PFOA in people in the United States. The letter added "it is important that the CDC and the NIH, our pre-eminent federal agencies with the resources and expertise to help in situations like this, do all they can including public meetings in the community, providing public health experts and scientists to assist the state, and creating relevant online information sources ... with the best, most up-to-date information on what this means to them and their families, as well as guidance on best practices to protect their health." In Petersburgh, a plastics company, Taconic, first alerted the state Department of Environmental Conservation in 2005 about its discovery of the toxic chemical in the groundwater around its plant off Route 22. Taconic's plant on Route 22 near the Little Hoosic River makes specialty products, including silicone-coated fabrics and tapes. PFOA is a toxic chemical that has been used since the 1940s to make industrial and household products such as nonstick coatings, specialty tapes and heat-resistant wiring. Multiple specialty manufacturing plants in eastern Rensselaer County and North Bennington, Vt., used the chemical for decades before studies emerged more than a decade ago linking the substance to cancer and other serious diseases. The industry that uses PFOA reached an agreement with the EPA more than a decade ago to phase out the use of the chemical, but it's still used by some manufacturers. "Ensuring the public has accurate information about exposure to PFOA and other unregulated contaminants is critically important," said James Plastiras, a state Health Department spokesman. "The best available science does not provide a clear answer to many of the questions surrounding the effects of PFOA on health, which is why we support any efforts by NIH and CDC to offer more clarity on this emerging issue." PFOA contamination first sparked widespread public concern in Rensselaer County when a Hoosick Falls resident, Michael Hickey, launched his own investigation and had samples of village water tested for the chemical in 2014. Hickey, an insurance underwriter, began researching contaminants in the village's water because he was concerned about what he believed was a high rate of cancer in the community. His father, John, died of kidney cancer in 2013 after working at a manufacturing plant operated by Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics on McCaffrey Street. The site has been the focus of the village's water contamination. The plant is a few hundred yards from the wells that supply the village's water treatment plant. Saint-Gobain tested the groundwater under its plant last year and found levels as high as 18,000 parts per trillion, which is much higher than the recommended short-term exposure level of 400 parts per trillion that was set by the EPA. The federal agency last month set a long-term exposure limit of 100 ppt that applies to regular residential water use. Traces of the chemical were later found in private wells and public water supplies in the town of Hoosick and in North Bennington, Vt., where Saint-Gobain also had a manufacturing plant that closed in 2002. The company stopped using PFOA at its Hoosick Falls plant in December 2014, the same month it was notified that the chemical had been found in the village's water system. State officials did not treat the water contamination with urgency for more than a year. In January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered his state agencies to declare PFOA "hazardous" under state regulations that previously classified it as an unregulated organic compound. On Monday in Albany the first of three hearings took place on the DEC's proposal to formally classify PFOA a hazardous substance. The DEC has declared the Saint-Gobain site in Hoosick Falls a state Superfund site, and the agency has called on Saint-Gobain and a predecessor owner of the facility, Honeywell International, to agree to a consent order to clean up the pollution. Company officials have responded that there was no determination whether the Saint-Gobain facility is directly responsible for the groundwater contamination. blyons@timesunion.com 518-454-5547 @brendan_lyonstu Albany At 17 years old, Ar Kee has lived two very different lives. In the first, he bathed in polluted rivers on the Thailand-Burma border and collected leaves for his family to thatch into a roof. He stalked the woods for bamboo shoots and baby ferns to eat with dinner, while the adults hunted birds and fish. In the other, he lived in a home with electricity and running water. He walked outside without worrying about land mines, and slept without fear of bombs and fire. He went to a school that gave him a diploma, and got into a college that would give him opportunity. That second life was made possible thanks to the United Nations' refugee resettlement programs, the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants, the city of Albany and the Albany City School District. On Sunday, Kee joined 480 of his peers to become an Albany High graduate, ready for a new chapter in an already eventful life. "The city of Albany has been very, very supportive and I'm very glad, because seriously without them I would not be able to be here," Kee said. "I listened to the adults. They guided me. They told me if you want a future here, you need an education. So I'm very humbled and thankful." Like a number of refugees and immigrants who've come to the school district in recent years, Kee's family are members of the ethnic Karen minority who fled abuse and persecution in Burma for a better life. If they had stayed at Mae La, a Burmese refugee camp in Thailand, the family's four children would have had little chance at a decent education, job or life. Kee was 9 years old when his family was resettled in Albany. It was 2008, and the district had established English-as-a-second-language classes and afterschool programs to accommodate the growing number of immigrants and refugees arriving in the capital. In the past decade, the district has seen its English language learner population surge from roughly 300 students to nearly 1,000. That number is only expected to grow, as the city prepares to take in refugees fleeing civil war, poverty and terrorism in Syria. "It was difficult at first," Kee said. "The language was definitely a barrier. I did not know any word in English except for 'thank you' and 'hello,' so it was very hard for me to transition to the way of life. But I think because I was younger, I had more time to grow and get used to it. For refugees who make this transition when they're older, it's going to be hard." His older brother, who was in middle school when the family moved, eventually dropped out for this reason. Kee is the first in his family to earn a high school diploma. And his was certainly earned. After gaining command of the language, Kee's grades proved enough to get him into the school's International Baccalaureate Program an international education program recognized worldwide for its rigorous academic, social and emotional expectations. In addition to completing self-guided research projects and additional assessments, Kee was expected to pursue creativity, activity and service as part of the program. So he began taking dance, participating in theater and tutoring students after school. Kee is just one of six Albany High students who graduated Sunday as an International Baccalaureate candidate. He was accepted into the University of Buffalo, where he will pursue a pre-med track with hopes of eventually becoming a doctor or some other medical professional. The field was not a random choice for Kee, who never forgot where he came from. "Someday, I want to use the opportunity I have in America to go back to the refugee camp and help those people out," he said. "I can bring equipment. I can teach them how to be healthy and to heal in dirty conditions. I can show them how to protect against virus and diseases. Health care is not very well there, but maybe I can help." bbump@timesunion.com 518-454-5387 @bethanybump Police detain man who threw bottle at Hrant Bagratyan (video) 18.00 The citizen, who threw a bottle at lawmaker Hrant Bagratyan during the protest near the parliament building, has been detained. The protesters said they did not know the man well enough, they only knew that he was a freedom fighter. The protest ended after the group learnt that the legislature will not discuss the agreement today. Protesters to Republican lawmakers: Traitors! 14.22 Citizens demanding the legislature to reject an agreement between Russia and Armenia on creating a united regional air defense system in the Caucasian collective security region are now heading to the other entrance of the National Assembly. On the way they met a group of Republican MPs who they welcomed shouting, Traitors! A woman protester told lawmaker Lernik Alexanyan that lawmakers have no right to make a decision without considering the opinion of citizens. Legislators receive salaries from the payments of citizens and they are obliged to take into account our opinion, she said. Khosrov harutyunyan, another Republican lawmaker, had to stop and answer the protesters questions but his answers and explanations did not sound convincing for the group. Plainclothes police officers as well as those in police uniforms are guarding the area. 13.25 Around 100 people representing different initiatives have gathered outside the parliament building in Armenia demanding the legislature to reject an agreement between Russia and Armenia on creating a united regional air defense system in the Caucasian collective security region They are carrying posters that read We do not have airspace to place under Russian control, This is another act of treason! Earlier, the group said they would hold sit-in protest at the beginning of Baghramyan Avenue if the NA approves the agreement. Two Christian Brothers Academy graduates are worthy of recognition in a national military Hall of Fame. Retired Army Brig Gen. Thomas F. Quinlan of Mechanicville and the late retired Army Col. Raymond F. Joyce Jr., of Albany, both Christian Brothers Academy graduates, were inducted into U.S. Army Cadet Command Reserve Officer Training Corps 100th Anniversary Hall of Fame at Fort Knox, Ky., on June 10. Army Maj. Gen. Christopher Hughes, commander of the U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox, inducted Quinlan and Joyce into the hall. "We are proud to have such an impressive amount of outstanding alumni to choose from," said James Schlegel, head of CBA, Colonie, after the ceremony. "These individuals, our Brothers, have served their country, church, and community with dignity and honor. These two men are just the first of many from CBA who belong in the ROTC Hall of Fame." After Quinlan graduated from CBA, Albany, in 1959, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in education from College of Saint Rose in Albany and a master's degree from the University at Albany. He served in the military from 1960 to 1995. Quinlan earned a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars with Valor device, a Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, a Purple Heart, a Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, a New York Conspicuous Service Cross, a New York Conspicuous Service Medal and a Combat Infantryman's Badge. While commanding his infantry rifle company in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam during the TET Offensive in 1968, his company was awarded five President Unit Citations as part of the elite Mobile Riverine Force. After his military retirement, he has served on the board of directors of a National Veterans Organization including serving as the regional vice president for the National Association for Uniformed Services. Joyce graduated from CBA in 1940 and attended Siena College. He served as a company commander with the 83rd Infantry Division in Europe in World War II. After the war ended, he served as military governor of five German towns and five displaced persons camps. He served as public affairs director for the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs. As a civilian, he served as treasurer of the city of Albany for more than 13 years and chairman of the Albany City Planning Board for almost 30 years. Joyce was also on the faculty at CBA for many years. Joyce died in 2014. Joyce served in World War II in Europe as rifle company commander with the 83rd Division. He earned two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star Medal and a Combat Infantry Badge. Joyce is also a recipient of a Four Chaplains Award. Joyce served as treasurer of the New York Military Heritage Museum and Research Center, the City of Albany Tricentennial Commission and the Albany-Tula (Russia) Alliance. He was on the executive committee of the Albany All-America City Commission, founding treasurer of the Center Art Gallery, and a board member of the Father Peter Young Center. He was a past commander of Albany County American Legion. He was a member of the Joint Veterans Committee, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was past president of many organizations including Albany Kiwanis Club, St. Vincent de Paul Society, Blessed Sacrament and St. Vincent de Paul Church Parish councils, Camp Thatcher Opportunities, Retired Men's Fraternity and St. Catherine's Center for Children. He was a member of the USS Albany Commissioning. Korean War veterans The Adirondack Chapter 60 of Korean war Veterans Association will meet at noon Tuesday, July 12 at Hildreth's Restaurant, North Main Street, Mechanicville. Veterans who served anywhere during the Korean War or in Korea at any time, spouses, widows and friends are invited to attend. Call 423-3990 or 580-1436 for reservations. For chapter information, call Roger Calkins at 584-3037. News of your troops and units can be sent to Duty Calls, Terry Brown, Times Union, Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212 or brownt@timesunion.com. Albany Some New York communities are changing the way their residents buy electricity under an initiative designed to save people money while promoting renewable and locally produced energy. New York is the seventh state to allow community choice aggregation, which lets cities, towns and villages form energy-buying groups that automatically enroll all residents and small businesses. Instead of buying electricity individually from a utility, consumers pay a fixed price for energy under a contract negotiated by the local buying group. Contract terms may require all or most of the energy to come from wind, solar, hydroelectric and other renewable sources. A contract may also specify reimbursing consumers for reducing energy use. Consumers have the power to opt out and switch back to the local utility if they want to. "We're getting calls from municipalities and grass-roots activists throughout New York," said Mike Gordon, coordinator of Westchester Smart Power, launched as a pilot project in 2015 as the first community choice energy program in the state. "We are transforming the way we buy, consume and generate energy." Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for the development of community choice programs in 2014 as part of sweeping energy reforms intended to support renewable energy development, energy efficiency and a switch from large-scale centralized power plants to a network of local generators. Westchester Smart Power, which includes 112,000 homes in 20 communities in Westchester County, solicited bids from energy service companies to supply electricity for two utility territories in the region. ConEdison Solutions, sister company to utility Consolidated Edison, and Constellation Energy won the contracts. Each agreed to rates below last year's utility price for either 100 percent renewable energy or a mix of fossil fuels, nuclear and some renewables. Sustainable Westchester, the nonprofit community group that launched the local energy program, said consumers are expected to save $4 million to $5 million a year in a region with some of the highest energy prices in the country. Fourteen of the 20 communities opted for 100 percent renewable energy. About 7,000 customers, or 6.3 percent, opted to switch back to buying energy through the local utility. All consumers still get their bills from the utilities, which collect a separate charge for maintaining the distribution system. Electricity makes up about half the typical bill. "As an energy delivery company, we aren't affected by our customers' choice of energy supplier," said Clay Ellis, a spokesman for the utility NYSEG, which serves part of Westchester. "We do buy energy since we're also the default supplier for many customers, but the energy supply costs we pay are passed directly through to the customer with no markup." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate New York Gov. Cuomo will ride alongside music icon Billy Joel in a statewide motorcycle ride to raise awareness about breast cancer before signing legislation that expands access to screenings for the disease. The governor will begin his ride Monday morning at Sunken Meadow Park on Long Island. From there, he will ride alongside his girlfriend, Food Network star and breast cancer survivor Sandra Lee, and the Piano Man himself. The trio will join hundreds of motorcycle riders as they travel into New York City, stopping at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan before heading upstate. The ride will end Monday evening in New Paltz. Cuomo is also poised to sign legislation along the ride that would compel 210 hospitals to expand hours when mammograms are offered and require insurance companies to eliminate deductibles and copays for the screening and other diagnostic tests. "Early detection is the best possible treatment for breast cancer, but far too many women face burdensome scheduling and insurance barriers that prevent them from gaining access to the diagnostic services they need and deserve," Cuomo said in a statement. "This ride is about spreading awareness and sending that message loud and clear, because when it comes to getting screened for cancer, waiting is simply not worth the risk." Some 15,000 women across the state are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, and 2,640 die from the disease. Harley Davidson is donating a custom motorcycle for the governor to ride. It will later be auctioned off by the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. A second ride is planned for next month. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate New York Rainbow flags were held high along with portraits of the dead as thousands of people marched Sunday in gay pride parades tempered by this month's massacre at a Florida gay nightclub. Crowds of onlookers stood a dozen deep along Fifth Avenue for New York City's parade. Some spectators held up orange "We are Orlando" signs, and indications of increased security were everywhere, with armed officers standing by. An announcer introducing state officials and guests also shouted out, "Love is love! New York is Orlando!" in memory of the 49 people killed in Florida. Elected officials turned out in force, as did presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Authorities had expected a larger-than-usual crowd, and 15-year-old Chelsea Restrepo, of Staten Island, was among the onlookers. She had brushed aside her father's concerns about security to attend the march for the first time. "What happened in Orlando made me want to come more," said Restrepo, swathed in a multicolored scarf. She said she wanted to show her support. New York's parade was one of several being held Sunday across the country, along with San Francisco and Chicago. They came two weeks after the nation's deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Sunday's parades did have a new milestone to mark: President Barack Obama on Friday designated the site around New York City's Stonewall Inn as the first national monument to gay rights. A 1969 police raid on the bar helped catalyze the gay rights movement. Security was ramped up at the events. New York police deployed roving counterterrorism units and used bomb-sniffing dogs, rooftop observation posts, police helicopters and thousands of officers to provide extra layers of security at Sunday's parade. Thousands of uniformed officers lined the route, supplemented by plainclothes officers in the crowd. Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed an executive order launching a new LGBT Memorial Commission to provide recommendations on the establishment of a new monument in New York City honoring the LGBT community, those lost in Orlando and all victims of hate, intolerance and violence, according to a press release. He also designated the Stonewall Inn as New York state historic site. The governor also unveiled the "Open Doors Campaign," a new promotional effort highlighting New York's longstanding role as a national leader in the fight for LGBT rights, freedom and social justice, a press release said. The campaign, which includes three digital and broadcast advertisements, will begin airing this Sunday and run in New York, North Carolina, Mississippi and Texas throughout the summer. At a gay street parade in Turkey, a prominent German lawmaker and outspoken gay rights advocate was temporarily detained Sunday when he wanted to speak publicly at the end of Pride Week. Turkish police have repeatedly in recent days prevented activists from participating in LGBT rallies. For all the security and solemnity, some spectators at pride parades this month have made a point of making merry. "We had fun. That is what gay people do," comedian Guy Branum wrote in a New York Times essay after attending the West Hollywood parade. "Our answer to loss and indignity, it seems, is to give a party, have a parade and celebrate bits of happiness." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The summer of bad tourist behavior continues. National Geographic reports that an endangered loggerhead sea turtle in Lebanon is recovering after taking a battering at the hands of selfie-seeking tourists. The disrespectful tourists allegedly "stepped on it to take selfies, and then beat it with sticks." The incident reportedly started when a beach-goer pulled the turtle out of the waters at Havana Beach in Beirut. Witnesses say that a child was placed on the turtle's back for photos, and that after the picture-taking ordeal was over, the turtle was subjected to further cruelty when it was hit with a stick. Happily, the turtle has been taken in by Animals Lebanon, an animal rescue group, which is helping the turtle recover from its extensive injuries. MORE: Man who put Yellowstone bison calf in SUV pleads guilty "The damage is visible and evidentthe blows and trauma she suffered have broken through the top of her head, and water from the sea has reached her sinus cavities," the group said on their website. Without their attention, it's likely the turtle would have died. I received a letter from a 71-year-old reader who had about $30,000 of outstanding student loans. This reader, whom I'll call "Jeff," described himself as "a little older than the typical college loan holder." Only 5 percent of total outstanding student loans are held by borrowers above the age of 60, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York study titled "Student Loan Borrowing and Repayment Trends" (April 2015). Outstanding loan balances are trending higher, however. Balances for borrowers older than 60 grew from $6.1 billion in 2004 to $58 billion in 2014, an increase of more than 800 percent. Most outstanding loan balances are held by borrowers in their 30s. After the financial crisis, Jeff ran into some financial trouble and filed for bankruptcy. Later, he developed a disability. As he explained in his letter to me: "I can't walk, stand, drive and just about everything else I used to do. I am now disabled. Even though I have medical insurance, it doesn't come close to paying for everything. I simply cannot continue to afford to pay my college loan. I can't even work now." Normally, student-loan debt is not forgiven. But because Jeff's case was so dire,. I turned to a lawyer who specializes in student debt for help. Attorney Adam S. Minsky of Boston gave this advice: Jeff, who has a federal student loan, could have a legitimate reason to ask that his student loan be forgiven. According to Minsky, "borrowers who are unable to work because of a long-term and/or terminal disability can apply for a Total and Permanent Disability discharge to have their federal loans canceled." That's good news. The question is, how hard is it to apply and receive a discharge? To apply for a TPD, a doctor must provide certification that the borrower is totally and permanently disabled under the U.S. Department of Education's definition: "Your physician must certify that you are unable to engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of a medically determinable physical or mental impairment that: Can be expected to result in death; Has lasted for a continuous period of not less than 60 months; Or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not less than 60 months." Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. If you fall within this definition, you'll fill out and return a "discharge application" to the U.S. Department of Education online or by mail. The short, four-section application is simple to complete. The first three sections are identifying information and a simple check-the-box request for discharge. The fourth section is completed by the physician, who is certifying that you are disabled. The application is available online at http://tinyurl.com/jrf27ja For information, call the Department of Education TPD Discharge Servicer at 888-303-7818, or email disabilityinformation@nelnet.net. readers@juliejason.com More Information Hot spots What to watch for this week: Interstate 787, Albany: Single-lane and shoulder closures during off-peak hours near Exit 2. Off-peak lane closures and paving between McCarty Avenue and Pearl Street. Route 85, Albany: One lane in each direction between Interstate 90 and Western Avenue. Ramps closed onto eastbound Route 85 from Lincoln Avenue and Western Avenue at Cortland and Ormond streets. Quay Street, Albany: Road closed from Broadway north from 6 a.m. Monday until 3 p.m. Thursday. South Mall Expressway, Albany: Lane shifts as drivers head over Dunn Memorial Bridge onto South Mall Expressway into downtown Albany. Rexford Bridge, Clifton Park and Niskayuna: Construction activities and shoulder closures between Riverview Road in Rexford and Aqueduct Road in Niskayuna. Route 50, Glenville: Daytime lane closures and shifts near Target and Hannaford for sidewalk ramp work. Route 9 over Kayaderosseras Creek, between Malta and Saratoga Springs: Two southbound lanes open (one using crossover, the other on the southbound bridge) during work on southbound bridge. Prepare to reduce speed. Route 20, Nassau: Single alternating lanes controlled by signals on two bridges over Kinderhook Creek. Burdeck Street (Route 337), Rotterdam: Night paving begins Wednesday; weeknights from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. for approximately two weeks between Mariaville Road (Route 159) and Duanesburg Road (Route 7). Watch for flaggers and alternating one lane of traffic. Interstate 890, Exit 4 interchange, Schenectady: Watch for new traffic pattern and on-ramp following closure of inner loop underneath I-890. Route 9 and 20, Schodack Center: One of two lanes in each direction closed on the bridge over Moordener Kill near Exit 11 over I-90. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Waterford As middle-age crises go, Richard Manack's fixation came late in life and his obsession took an unusual form: a century-old, 70-foot Dutch sailing barge. On Wednesday, Manack and two pals who share a love of old boats grinded off pockets of rust, filled the indentations with a putty compound and repainted the white steel hull of the Golden Re-al. "We call it the clubhouse," said Manack, 70, of Torrington, Conn. "It's amazing how much help you can get when you offer cold beer." He likens it to car hobbyists who enjoy restoring old cars and talking about the work as much as doing it. "I guess I could have chosen an old Corvette instead," he said. Manack drives up to where the barge is docked in Waterford one or two days a week, when he's not caring for a disabled son. He and the other old salts toil to restore the luster of a ship that transformed Manack's life and the lives of starving Dutch citizens during the German occupation of World War II. The barge played a noble role during the war-inflicted famine known as Hongerwinter, or the "hunger winter" of 1944-45 in the German-occupied provinces in the western part of Holland. German troops blocked food and fuel shipments, slowly starving millions of Dutch residents. Flouting the blockade and risking enemy fire, the barge, which was then known as the Wilhelmina, carried a full load of sugar beets and root crops from farms beyond the occupied areas and delivered it to Amsterdam. Manack discovered black-and-white images in an archive of Amsterdam of the Wilhelmina arriving in the spring of 1945 at a wharf in Amsterdam, with a large crowd of desperate people waiting for the food. "That history is very moving to me," said Manack, who first laid eyes on the Dutch sailing barge when he lived in the Netherlands in 1970. He grew up in Connecticut, attended art school for a while and lighted out for the bohemia of Amsterdam the first chance he got. "I was part of the great hippie exodus during the Vietnam War," Manack said. Short of cash, the cheapest lodging he could find was aboard the old barge, which had been retrofitted into a floating bar and overflow space for the Hotel Pulitzer. The boutique hotel was created from a series of restored 17th- and 18th-century canal houses that line a canal in the heart of the historic city. Hotel Pulitzer is still in business. Manack lived on the barge and worked for its owner, skippering the single-engine, flat-bottomed barge on day trips along canals and rivers in the Netherlands. He also helped the owner transform the cargo hold into a luxurious, wood-panelled bar and restaurant with master bedroom that was rented out for weddings and parties. During the late-1970s, the Hotel Pulitzer and the barge were a popular party spot for celebrities, particularly rock musicians. Manack rubbed shoulders on board with Tina Turner, Elvis Costello, Ry Cooder and the Rolling Stones. "Those were incredible years," he said, lost in reverie. "It was a magical time. Out of this world." Luckily for Manack, the barge survived two sinkings by a previous owner who tried to overstuff 120 tons into the 96-ton capacity hold and along its deck. In the early part of the 20th century, barges like the Golden Re-al (Manack named it for islands on the outskirts of Amsterdam) were the workhorses of the country of canals. "They were the tractor-trailers of that era," he said. The flat-bottomed design the Golden Re-al draws just two feet of water allowed them to navigate shallow inlets and canals. The heavy steel hull made them fairly indestructible. Eventually, sailing barges were eclipsed and fell into disfavor and disrepair. The owner sold the Golden Re-al to Manack for a few thousand bucks. "I paid him in guilders," Manack said. He had it shipped across the Atlantic aboard a large cargo ship since the barge is not built to handle heavy seas and is not nimble. Since he's been restoring it in Waterford the last few years, Manack has attracted helpers. "I find it a really interesting vessel," said Fred Wagner, 61, of Albany. His interest was further piqued by the fact that he's made several trips to the Netherlands as a service technician of medical imaging equipment for the Dutch technology company Philips, which is headquartered in Eindhoven. He's been invited on a few trips along the Hudson River with Manack. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. "Richard's real good behind the wheel and it moves nicely on flat water," Wagner said. The single-propeller, six-cylinder DAF diesel engine pushes the barge along at a steady 10 to 12 knots. The barge has fore and aft masts, but Manack rarely raises the sails because it is clumsy to steer, even with the added stability of leeboards, which are similar to two extra centerboards on the ship's sides. Manack has made peace with the endless work required of an old barge. "It's never really over. We just keep chipping away," he said. He's fortunate to have the skills of Dan Biringer, 74, a Navy veteran who also lives in Torrington, Conn. Biringer worked on a lot of ships and made six Atlantic crossings. In recent years, he's started a business restoring and reselling steamer trunks and antique furniture. "I like to take old junk and make it look like something special," he said as he sanded rust off the barge's hull. "This is enjoyment for me. Plus, I've met a lot of great people working on ships." Manack hopes to use the Golden Re-al to help tell the story of the rich Dutch heritage of the Capital Region. He's still figuring out how he'll make that happen, but he'll start by taking the Golden Re-al to this year's Waterford Tugboat Roundup on Sept. 9-11. In the meantime, he'll keep flying an orange flag to denote the ship's Dutch heritage. Orange boven is a Dutch term that means "orange above." There's another meaning known to ancient mariners with large boat mortgages. "It means the boat is paid for," Manack said. "I'm proud to say we're orange boven." pgrondahl@timesunion.com 518-454-5623 @PaulGrondahl THE ISSUE: Legislation allowing app-based ride services like Uber and Lyft has been delayed for at least a year. THE STAKES: An alternative plan could provide a path for traditional taxi companies to compete. More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse The state Legislature left town without allowing ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft to operate outside New York City. But lawmakers' last-minute approval of another bill could enable existing taxi services in the Capital Region to up their own game and compete. Under this creative plan, area taxi services would essentially be regionalized under the Capital District Transportation Authority, a respected and long successful public transit operation. Sponsored by Assemblyman John McDonald of Cohoes and Sen. Neil Breslin of Albany, the measure won wide bipartisan support from the region's other state lawmakers, most of whom signed on as co-sponsors in their respective chambers. If Gov. Andrew Cuomo signs it into law, it will give local cab companies and the communities they serve a way to come together and achieve many of the benefits of ride sharing that supporters of Uber and Lyft say are sorely lacking here consistent, clean, timely, affordable and dependable service that utilizes contemporary technology when it comes to hailing rides and paying for them. Uber and Lyft proponents in the Capital Region say the new services are needed to fill the many gaps in local taxi companies operating in Albany, Schenectady and Troy. Many have been criticized for having dirty, poorly-maintained vehicles, unpredictable fares and practices that force passengers to ride with strangers and go to different, out-of-the-way addresses. Supporters of the new ride-hailing services also say competition might be healthy, forcing taxi companies to improve service, as traditional livery outfits have done elsewhere when they faced new competitors. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. A Siena Research Institute poll in May showed 70 percent support for the new ride-hailing services. To fight back, traditional cab firms from here and across the state waged an aggressive lobbying campaign to convince legislators that Uber and Lyft would be unfair competition and risky for consumers. It fueled a dispute over how much liability insurance the new independent drivers, using their own vehicles, should be required to have. This delayed for at least a year any green light for ride sharing in local markets. The McDonald-Breslin legislation, if signed by Cuomo, would offer local companies and communities a way to benefit from the success of CDTA. The authority would be able to oversee local taxi services, maintain standards and end the parochial fragmentation that now exists with cab service and regulation. Existing software can offer many of the smartphone options that have made the newer services so popular. We still think the ride-hailing services in the new "gig economy" are the future, and that the Legislature erred in not allowing them upstate. But at least until the lawmakers return next year, the Capital Region cab companies have the road to themselves. Whether they survive is up to them. One need not ask God to send him a lot of money - Nikolay Tsaturyan (video) Armenian film director Nikolay Tsaturyan says Pope Francis visit to Armenia was a lesson of morality. One need not have respect for Bentley lovers and ask God to send him a lot of money. Nothing will change in that case, the director said on Monday during a meeting with journalists. He says the Pope is implementing a more intelligent and far-sighted policy than we can imagine: he has sent a very important message to the Christian world, i.e. to unite and become a fist. During his homily at an open air Holy Mass in the north eastern Armenian city of Gyumri Pope Francis highlighted the figure of St. Gregory of Narek. This was an equally important fact. We always think that we are a small nation, and no one knows Gregory of Narek. The Pope dispelled these fears, Mr Tsaturyan added. Linguist David Gyurjinyan added in turn that Pope Francis is loved by everyone because he helps the needy and children, sympathizes with the ill. They say he went and took the light with him. But this is not true. The Pope returned to the Vatican leaving his share of light and kindness in Armenia, he said. THE ISSUE: The U.S. Supreme Court deadlocks on the president's immigration reform plan. THE STAKES: Will America solve the problem thoughtfully, or adopt an indecent alternative?Republicans who have stymied immigration reform were no doubt gratified last week when the U.S. Supreme Court effectively killed President Barack Obama's attempt to deal with this unending problem. They may, however, want to hold the champagne. More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse The court's failure to overturn a lower court ruling does constitute a check on what the president's critics maintained was an unconstitutional exercise of executive power. But it also leaves the nation without a coherent plan for immigration reform. It cedes the Republican side of the debate to the party's presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump, whose plan consists of a ludicrously simplistic, expensive border wall and an abhorrent, probably unrealistic call for mass deportation. In the absence of a thoughtful alternative, the GOP owns Mr. Trump's notions, complete with his openly bigoted remarks on Mexicans over the past year. The high court, which has a vacancy that U.S. Senate Republicans have refused to fill since the death of Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, deadlocked 4-4 on an appeal of a 2015 lower court ruling that found Mr. Obama had exceeded his authority in creating his own immigration reform program without Congress' consent. The president planned to allow roughly 4 million of the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in this country to remain, provided they have no criminal record and have children who are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents. They would also be eligible for work permits. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Mr. Obama had sought to address Congress' failure to agree on comprehensive immigration reform after the failure of a 2013 bipartisan plan, sponsored by Sen. Charles Schumer, D-New York. It would have allowed eligible non-citizens and their immediate families to remain if they registered, passed a background check, demonstrated they had stable employment and paid a $500 fine. They would have had to pay back taxes and continue to pay taxes going forward, and would be ineligible for entitlements. They could apply for citizenship, but most would have to wait at least a decade at the end of the line of applicants. Some of the estimated $200 billion in revenue this would bring over a decade would be used to increase border security. The plan was as good a compromise on immigration as we've seen. But the tea party and many others on the right would have none of it. House Republicans instead said they wanted to see how the 2014 mid-term elections went. And here we are on the verge of the 2016 elections with no hope of a solution in sight. And so, in lieu of a plan that might have ended a debate that does little more than fill campaign coffers and speeches, this Republican intransigence has left millions of people living in the shadows. The dreams of millions of immigrants are put on hold for the sake of the GOP's dream of power, while Mr. Trump touts a fantasy that has all the makings of an American nightmare. A Tipperary woman who has experienced severe depression and come out the other side is kick starting a campaign to encourage mental health discussion by organising whats been dubbed The Happiest 5k on the Planet near her home next month. A Tipperary woman who has experienced severe depression and come out the other side is kick starting a campaign to encourage mental health discussion by organising whats been dubbed The Happiest 5k on the Planet near her home next month. Ciara McCullough, from Ballinahinch, is hosting a Colour Run in Newport on Sunday, May 25, when hundreds of runners will be doused from head to toe in paint to celebrate healthiness, happiness and individuality. The Colour Run is an untimed race in which participants, or Colour Runners, are doused from head to toe in different colours at each kilometre. The event is being organised by Ciara to spark open discussion of mental health and break the silence of stigma as part of the National Green Ribbon campaign. For people who have never experienced depression, there are no words imaginable to describe exactly what it does to you, but for people who are and who have experienced it, no words are needed, Ciara explained. It wore me down, mentally, physically and emotionally to a point where I didnt know who I was. My recovery was a slow road of progression that didnt happen overnight but now my life has never been better. Im really excited about the Colour Run to raise awareness about mental health and raise funds for Pieta House, a suicide and self-harm crisis centre that does tremendous work, she said As well as the run, which starts at 3pm, there will also be free workshops from Laughter Yoga to Reiki, followed by live music. Ciara is involved in the organisation, See Change, an alliance of organisations working together through the National Stigma Reduction Partnership to bring about positive change in public attitudes and behaviour towards people with mental health problems. Registration is 10 online at www.eventbrite.ie or 15 on the day. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. There have been calls to protect Tipperary famers from the worst of the fallout from last week's UK Brexit referendum. With Sterling plummeting, there are fears that farmers could bear the brunt of any down side to the UK's decision to quit the EU. Ireland exports almost 5bn in farm produce to Britaineach year, with a sizeable amount of that coming from Tipperary farmers. Plans need to be put in place to protect farmers, said Tipperary ICMSA chair Seamus Troy. While the short term focus in likely to be on exchange rates, he said: The reality is that, in the past, food processors have simply passed back the impact of negative exchange rate movements and we now need to see our Farm Council take measures to protect farmers rather than food processors, who have well insulated themselves in the past. Farmers are already in a prolonged income crisis and cannot be expected to take additional punishment. Meanwhile, IFA President Joe Healy has said that the market uncertainty arising from the UK vote to leave the EU must be met by a strong commitment from Government to support farm incomes in Budget 2017. Speaking in advance of the National Economic Dialogue at Dublin Castle this Monday, he said: 2016 is already an extremely difficult year for farm incomes. With low product prices across many sectors, the fall in the value of sterling against the euro is a further blow for exporting sectors. For Irish agriculture and the agri-food sector, with 40% of our agri-food exports going to the UK, and a shared land border, the implications of the decisions to leave will be significant. It is critical that steps are taken by Governments and institutions within Ireland, the UK and the EU to provide the reassurances that will minimise uncertainty and stabilise exchange rates. [June 27, 2016] $2 Million to Be Distributed to Three Major Causes from Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company wants consumers to help decide how to spend a record-breaking $2 million it will donate to three important causes this summer: health, home and hunger. As part of its "Band Together" campaign, Jewelers Mutual - the leading company solely dedicated to insuring jewelry and the jewelry industry - is inviting the public to help by voting online for their nonprofit of choice. From July 11-31, voters may cast daily ballots at JewelersMutual.com/BandTogether for Habitat for Humanity, Feeding America and Food Banks Canada or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Each nonprofit will receive a portion of the $2 million donation based on the number of votes it receives. "Jewelers Mutual has a long legacy of supporting organizations that make lasting and positive changes in their communities," said Scott Murphy, president and CEO at Jewelers Mutual. "But this year, we are pulling out all the stops and donating the biggest one-time gift in our history. Our business is thriving, and we're committed to helping people in need thrive, as well." For everyone who casts votes, this campaign offers more than the chance to help their favorite nonprofits. Every individual who answers the call to "Band Together" online will be eligible to win a set of three stacking bands from Stacked New York. Jewelers Mutual is giving away three of their exquisite sets during the campaign. Winning participants will be randomly selected each week of voting. The cause that receives the most votes by the end of July will receive the $1 million grand prize from Jewelers Mutual. The runner-up will get $700,000 and $300,000 will go to the third-place winner. Jewelers Mutual will announce the winners and the vote totals on August 1. In the meantime, each organization is rallying their supporters, urging them to vote once each day of the campaign. Fans can go online daily and cast ballots each time they visit the campaign website, JewelersMutual.com/BandTogether. "We want to make the world a better place, and each of us can have a part in helping people attain the essentials of life: food, shelter and medical care," Murphy said. "Our organizations participating in this competition work tirelessly to provide these critical services, so we're standing with them and asking everyone to voice their support." ABOUT JEWELERS MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company, the only insurer dedicated solely to serving the jewelry industry in the United States and Canada, was founded in 1913 by a group of Wisconsin jewelers to meet their unique insurance needs. Tday, Jewelers Mutual remains the trusted insurance advisor and loss-prevention expert for jewelry businesses including retailers large and small, wholesalers, manufacturers, custom designers and appraisers. Consumers also put their trust in Jewelers Mutual to protect their personal jewelry and the special memories it represents. The company's strong financial position is reflected in its 29 consecutive ratings of "A+ Superior" from A.M. Best Company and more than $14 billion of jewelry coverage in force. To learn more, visit JewelersMutual.com. ABOUT FEEDING AMERICA Feeding America is a nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. Together, we provide food to more than 46 million people through 60,000 food pantries and meal programs in communities across America. Feeding America also supports programs that improve food security among the people we serve; educates the public about the problem of hunger; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Individuals, charities, businesses and government all have a role in ending hunger. Donate. Volunteer. Advocate. Educate. Together we can solve hunger. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. ABOUT FOOD BANKS CANADA Food Banks Canada supports a unique network of over 3,000 food-related organizations in every province and territory that assists close to 850,000 Canadians each month. Together our network shares over 200 million pounds of essential safe quality food annually, provides social programs that help to foster self-sufficiency, and advocates for policy change that will help create a Canada where no one goes hungry. Visit FoodBanksCanada.ca for more information. ABOUT HABITAT FOR HUMANITY INTERNATIONAL Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity has grown from a grassroots effort that began on a community farm in southern Georgia in 1976 to a global nonprofit housing organization in nearly 1,400 communities across the U.S. and in over 70 countries. People partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Habitat homeowners help build their own homes alongside volunteers and pay an affordable mortgage. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. To learn more, visit habitat.org. ABOUT ST. JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to 80 percent since the hospital opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food - because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Join the St. Jude mission by visiting stjude.org, liking St. Jude on Facebook (News - Alert) (facebook.com/stjude) and following us on Twitter (News - Alert) (@stjude). ABOUT STACKED NEW YORK All Stacked New York jewelry is proudly made in New York, harnessing the city's energy to create luxe accessories that are both street smart and spiritually connected to the universe. Our handmade jewelry is custom made to order and can be personalized for you or someone you love. For more information, visit StackedNewYork.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627006205/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] Ameriprise Financial Announces Schedule for Second Quarter 2016 Investor Conference Call Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) plans to announce its second quarter 2016 financial results on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 after the close of the New York Stock Exchange. The company will host a conference call to discuss the results on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at approximately 9:00 a.m. (ET). The live audio webcast of the investor call, as well as the earnings release, quarterly statistical supplement and presentation slides, will be accessible to the general public on the company's website at ir.ameriprise.com. At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for 120 years. With a nationwide network of 10,000 financial advisors and extensive asset management, advisory and insurance capabilities, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors' financial needs. For more information, visit ameriprise.com. 2016 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627006280/en/ [June 27, 2016] Farmers Edge Awarded as Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum Farmers Edge, a global leader in precision agriculture and independent data management solutions, was today awarded as one of the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers, a selection of the world's most innovative companies. Easily integrated with growers' existing equipment and programs, the Farmers Edge Precision Solutions package provides a comprehensive turnkey system that includes: Variable Rate Technology, soil sampling and analysis, field-centric weather, in-field telematics and data transfer, high-resolution satellite imagery, field-centric data analytics, access to FarmCommand - an integrated farm management platform - and a network of highly experienced, trusted advisors to ensure growers have the data they need to make informed on-farm decisions for maximizing sustainable yields. Farmers Edge was chosen by a professional jury among hundreds of candidates as one of the 30 selected companies. Thanks to its selection, it will have access to an influential and sought-after business and political network worldwide. Wade Barnes, President and CEO of Farmers Edge, is participating in the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, and many Technology Pioneers will also participate in the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. "We welcome Farmers Edge in this group of extraordinary pioneers," said Fulvia Montresor, Head of Technology Pioneers at the World Economic Forum. "Farmers Edge is among those companies that is shaping the Fourth Industrial Revolution (News - Alert), a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another. Through the platform of the World Economic Forum, it will be able to scale and share its technology and achieve a larger impact." "We're proud to be recognized by the World Economic Forum for our leadership in the next generation of precision agriculture innovation," said Wade Barnes, President and CEO of Farmers Edge. "Our data-driven approach to sustainable agriculture will continue to be a key tool for gowers needing to improve productivity without deteriorating environmental conditions. Ultimately, as these conditions change and the population grows, our approach to farming represents a replicable, scalable model for the world's largest and most important agricultural regions. We're honored to be a part of the global food security solution." As in previous years, American-based entrepreneurs continue to dominate the list of Technology Pioneers, with 22 out of 30 recipients. Other selected pioneers come from France (2), Luxembourg (2), and Canada, Israel, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The Technology Pioneers are mostly active in IT, health (medtech), food, energy, environment, financial services (fintech) and production. The Technology Pioneers were selected from among hundreds of applicants by a selection committee of 68 academics, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and corporate executives. Notable members of the committee include Jeffrey M. Drazen (Editor-in-Chief, The New England Journal of Medicine) and Sang Yup Lee (Distinguished Professor and Director, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). The committee based its decisions on criteria including innovation, potential impact, working prototype, viability and leadership. Past recipients include Google (News - Alert) (2001), Wikimedia (2007), Mozilla (2007), Kickstarter (2011) and Airbnb (2013). More information on past winners can be found here. All information on this year's Technology Pioneers can be found here: http://wef.ch/techpioneers About Farmers Edge Farmers Edge is a global leader in precision agriculture and independent data management solutions. Leading the development and application of new technologies on the farm since 2005, Farmers Edge is defining the future of agriculture through innovation. For more information on Farmers Edge, please visit: http://www.farmersedge.ca About the World Economic Forum: The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org). View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627005465/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Indiana and Kentucky Battle It Out in Borderline Step Challenge Aaron Nobbe, a field examiner for the State of Indiana Board of Accounts, gets in his steps by walking from barn to barn to check his animals instead of taking an ATV while Sara Duke, a special education teacher in Daviess County, Kentucky, is on the treadmill so frequently that her daughter noted on her Mother's Day card that running on it is Sara's favorite thing to do. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627006057/en/ Aaron Nobbe makes sure to get his steps in during breaks while working as a field examiner for the Indiana State Board of Accounts. (Photo: Business Wire) Both Sara and Aaron stepped up their game in May for the Border Battle Step Challenge, which pitted Kentucky and Indiana health plan members against each other to see which group could walk the most throughout the month. The battle was open to all employees who participate in HumanaVitality, a wellness rewards program offered by Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM). Steps are tracked by a pedometer or other wearable device, and for many people - like Aaron and Sara - monitoring daily activity has become a new healthy routine. More than 13,000 Indiana and Kentucky health plan members took over 3.3 billion steps combined. At the end of the month, less than 600 average daily steps separated the two teams with Kentucky taking the honors. Each state earned $2,500 contributions from HumanaVitality to charitable organizations selected by the two teams. "I'm proud of our Kentucky team for wining this challenge - but in reality, both teams are winners," said Kentucky Personnel Cabinet Secretary Thomas B. Stephens. "Each team embraced the challenge as a way to exceed their wellness goals while working to out-step the competition. I'm certain that the camaraderie that has been created throughout the Border Battle will continue." "It is amazing to see the culture change around the state since we introduced the Invest in Your Health program four years ago," said Indiana State Personnel Department Director Denny Darrow. "With the addition of HumanaVitality and engaging programs like the Border Battle, we continue to see employees from Evansville to Elkhart taking daily steps to improve their overall well-being." About Kentucky Employees' Health Plan The Kentucky Employees' Health Plan (KEHP) is a self-insured health insurance plan delivering wellness, health and pharmacy benefits to approximately 260.000 Kentucky teachers, state employees, retirees and quasi-governmental employees. KEHP's LivingWell program focuses on providing wellness initiatives aimed at improving members' overall quality of life. In January 2012 KEHP launched the fully-incentivized HumanaVitality program for health plan members and dependents. For more information on KEHP's LivingWell programs, visit LivingWell.ky.gov. About State of Indiana Invest in Your Health Program Invest in Your Health is the State of Indiana employee health and wellness program providing benefits to more than 27,000 plan members and their dependents. Taking a holistic approach to health and wellness, the State provides meaningful programs focused on five pillars; medical, fitness, finance, nutrition and well-being. To learn more, visit www.InvestInYourHealthIndiana.com. About Humana Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is a leading health and well-being company focused on making it easy for people to achieve their best health with clinical excellence through coordinated care. The company's strategy integrates care delivery, the member experience, and clinical and consumer insights to encourage engagement, behavior change, proactive clinical outreach and wellness for the millions of people we serve across the country. More information regarding Humana is available to investors via the Investor Relations page of the company's web site at www.humana.com, including copies of: Annual reports to stockholders Securities and Exchange Commission filings Most recent investor conference presentations Quarterly earnings news releases Replays of most recent earnings release conference calls Calendar of events Corporate Governance information View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627006057/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] KMG Names Marcelino Rodriguez Chief Financial Officer KMG Chemicals, Inc. (NYSE: KMG), a global provider of specialty chemicals, today announced that Marcelino Rodriguez, KMG's Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, has been named Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Rodriguez replaces Mindy Passmore, who has resigned to pursue other opportunities. As CFO, Rodriguez will oversee corporate finance, accounting, treasury, reporting and information systems technology. "Mindy's financial expertise and experience in information technology and enterprise resource planning systems were important to KMG's successful growth over the past two and a half years. On behalf of the board and management team, I thank Mindy for her many contributions and wish her the best in her future endeavors," said Chris Fraser, KMG Chairman and CEO. "We are pleased to announce that Marcelino Rodriguez has accepted the position of Chief Financial Officer," Fraser continued. "Marcelino has been instrumental in building and strengthening KMG's finance and accounting organization since he joined the company more than two years ago. His extensive financial and operational leadership experience from companies such as Paul Mueller and Lhoist North America, where he previously served as Chief Financial Officer, will add significant value to our global finance organization. I am confident Marcelino brings the right blend of disciplined financial management, business acumen and IT systems eperience to help KMG continue to deliver on our financial and strategic objectives." Rodriguez is a Certified Public Accountant and has more than 27 years of domestic and international experience in accounting, financial reporting, operating processes and systems and information technology. Since February 2014, Rodriguez has served as KMG's Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer and oversaw the Company's corporate accounting and financial reporting. Before joining KMG in 2014, Rodriguez served as Chief Financial Officer of Paul Mueller Company, a Springfield, Missouri-based manufacturer of industrial stainless steel tanks and equipment, where he was responsible for accounting, finance, IT, treasury, reporting, legal and investor relations. Prior to that role, Rodriguez was Chief Financial Officer of Lhoist North America, a leading producer of lime-based products and services. Mr. Rodriguez holds a BBA in Accounting from the University of Texas at San Antonio and earned his MBA from St. Mary's University. About KMG KMG Chemicals, Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces and distributes specialty chemicals to select markets. The Company grows by acquiring and optimizing stable chemical product lines and businesses with established production processes. For more information, visit the Company's website at http://kmgchemicals.com. The information in this news release includes certain forward-looking statements that are based upon assumptions that in the future may prove not to have been accurate and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties, including statements as to the future performance of the company. Although the company believes that the expectations reflected in its forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations or any of its forward-looking statements will prove to be correct. Factors that could cause results to differ include, but are not limited to, successful performance of internal plans, product development acceptance, the impact of competitive services and pricing and general economic risks and uncertainties. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627005732/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Leading Social Trading Platform ZuluTrade Now Available to AETOS - Capital Group (UK)'s Traders ZuluTrade.com, the leading social Forex auto-trading platform that revolutionized the Forex industry by introducing the following of algorithmically ranked Forex experts` performance, announced the newest addition to its collaborating brokers`: AETOS Capital Group (UK). AETOS Capital Group (UK) Limited, or AETOS UK, is a wholly owned subsidiary of AETOS Capital Group, providing fast access to the financial markets. This includes dealing on Forex, stocks, indices and commodities. The group has a global presence with 25 offices, including in the economic powerhouses of London, Sydney and Shanghai. It is trusted and respected in these key financial cities, providing clients from over 100 countries with an excellent service and trading environment. AETOS Capital Group (UK) Limited is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) in the UK. ZuluTrade is a pioneer of social Forex auto-trading as the first platform to combine the knowledge of the trading community with algorithmic performance ranking, and to translate trading signals into realtime executable trades. ZuluTrade users can use sophisticated filters and ZuluTrade`s algorithmic anking to select which traders to follow. Additionally, with ZuluTrade`s numerous customization settings, users can modify their auto-trading, ensuring maximum efficiency and risk management. "ZuluTrade welcomes AETOS, the newest member in our list of collaborating brokers", said Leon Yohai, Founder and CEO of ZuluTrade. "Both ZuluTrade and AETOS are dedicated in offering an exceptional forex trading experience by putting the customer first and by investing heavily in technology. We are certain that our common goals and ambitions will result in a long and prosperous partnership" concluded Mr. Yohai. About ZuluTrade: Founded in 2007 by Leon Yohai, ZuluTrade is headquartered in Athens, Greece, and has a young and progressive team of 120 people and growing. With a network of over 1.2 million registered users from 241 countries, ZuluTrade is the world's primary online and mobile Forex and Binary Options auto-trading platform. For more information, visit: https://www.zulutrade.com About AETOS UK: AETOS Capital Group (UK) Ltd. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AETOS Capital Group registered in UK, which is licensed and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), UK since 2013 (FCA No.:592778). For more information visit http://www.aetoscg.com/uk View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627005610/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Nebraska Book Company and Sidewalk Announce Partnership Nebraska Book Holdings, Inc. (NBC)* (OTC Pink: NEEB), a leading source of textbooks, rental program options and digital content delivery to over 2,000 independent college retailers across the country, and Sidewalk, a top provider of technology-enabled solutions within the same niche industry, today announced a new strategic partnership that will not only increase the affordability of course materials but also significantly improve the adoptions experience for independent college bookstores and campus faculty. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627006039/en/ "Unification in our industry for the betterment of technology, quality and awareness of customer needs will improve the ecosystem for all independent college retailers," said NBC's Vice President of Product Management Pete Grenier. "Because Sidewalk shares our belief in the power of independent bookstores and shares our mission to support their success, it made sense to combine forces to ensure we provide only the highest-quality products and services available in the market." The partnership will allow both companies to focus their resources on what they each do best. Sidewalk will reduce their efforts toward the development and sale of Pro, its cloud-based point-of-sale (POS) system, in support of NBC's complete multi-store inventory control and POS software, WinPRISM and PRISM360 products, which combine traditional and digital retail with mobile capabilities and touch-screen features. In kind, NBC will be scaling back the development of its textbook requisitions technology and plans to fully integrateSidewalk's adoption tool, Hero, into its industry-leading POS systems, resulting in an all-around improved experience for stores, faculty and students. Sidewalk's Chief Executive Officer Alan Martin said, "Hero brings a fresh and practical approach to the course materials selection process and addresses the rising cost of content head-on, answering some of the biggest questions and challenges facing college stores and the future of content in higher ed today. When coupled with the sophistication and capabilities of Nebraska Book's POS suite, stores will have the best of both technologies in one unified solution." Grenier added, "We're making significant headway toward a promising and sustainable future for independent college retailers. In partnership with other industry experts like Sidewalk and by listening to our customers, we're identifying gaps and addressing needs by finding workable, affordable solutions to ensure success in an ever-changing, challenging marketplace." More information about product availability will be provided later this year. About Nebraska Book Holdings, Inc. Nebraska Book Holdings, Inc., more commonly known as Nebraska Book Company, began in 1915 as an independent college bookstore and is now a key resources partner to over 2,000 independent college retailers nationwide. With its strategic business services and technology offerings, including localized e-commerce capabilities, back-end system access and support as well as textbook solutions, Nebraska Book Company is devoted to supporting and strengthening independent higher education retailers across the United States. For more information about Nebraska Book Company, visit www.nebook.com. *Nebraska Book Holdings, Inc. common stock is not listed, traded or quoted on any U.S. stock exchange but is quoted on the OTC Pink Market under the symbol NEEB. About Sidewalk Sidewalk is a leading provider of technology-enabled content solutions for college stores and faculty. The company's mission is to change the way content works in higher education, forever, by fundamentally changing the way it is discovered and distributed. Founded in 2007 by CEO Alan Martin under the name CampusBookRentals, the company quickly grew into a leading independent provider of textbook rentals-providing a flexible, convenient and economical alternative to buying textbooks for price-conscious students. Today, over 400 college stores (representing over 2 million students) nationwide have benefited from Sidewalk's expanded in-store technologies. For more information, please visit www.gosidewalk.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627006039/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Quid Named Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum TIANJIN, China, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Quid, headquartered in San Francisco, was today awarded as one of the World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers, a selection of the world's most innovative companies. Quid is software that searches, analyzes and visualizes the world's collective intelligence to help answer strategic questions. Quid was chosen by a professional jury among hundreds of candidates as one of the 30 selected companies. Bob Goodson, Quid's founder, is participating in the Annual Meeting of the New Champions, and he World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2017 in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland. "We welcome Quid in this group of extraordinary pioneers," said Fulvia Montresor, Head of Technology Pioneers at the World Economic Forum. "Quid is among those companies that help shape the Fourth Industrial Revolution, a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work and relate to one another. Through the platform of the World Economic Forum, it will be able to scale and share its technology and achieve a larger impact." "The whole team at Quid is honored to be granted this prestigious award by the World Economic Forum," said Goodson. "It acknowledges the unique technical breakthroughs that we have been able to achieve, and their potential to improve the state of the world." The Technology Pioneers were selected from among hundreds of applicants by a selection committee of 68 academics, entrepreneurs, venture capitalists and corporate executives. Notable members of the committee include Jeffrey M. Drazen (Editor-in-Chief, The New England Journal of Medicine) and Sang Yup Lee (Distinguished Professor and Director, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). The committee based its decisions on criteria including innovation, potential impact, working prototype, viability and leadership. Past recipients include Google (2001), Wikimedia (2007), Mozilla (2007), Kickstarter (2011) and Airbnb (2013). More information on past winners can be found here. All information on this year's Technology Pioneers can be found here: http://wef.ch/techpioneers About Quid: Quid analyzes the world's content. Its software can read millions of news articles, blog posts, company profiles, and patents, and it offers immediate insight by organizing that content visually. Quid has offices in San Francisco, New York and London, and is active in 11 countries.(www.quid.com) About the World Economic Forum: The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org). Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160616/380515LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quid-named-technology-pioneer-by-world-economic-forum-300290140.html SOURCE Quid [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Web Werks Installs Google Cache Servers to Improve Internet Experience for Indian Customers MUMBAI, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Web Werks Announced its Alliance With Google to Deploying Google Cache Servers Within its State-of-the-art Infrastructures Web Werks, Tier III and Tier IV data center service provider in India, have installed Google Cache Servers aimed at revamping its network infrastructure and improving Internet experience for its Indian audience. "Web Werks is among the few IT organizations that has set up Google Cache Servers in India and we take immense pride in it. As we have collaborated with the market giant, we anticipate to delivering additional technical solutions for our local customers. We seek to make content readily accessible for usage purpose to our vast Internet user base," said Nikhil Rathi, CEO, Web Werks. Web Werks and Google in sync will erase the constraints of network, enabling the Internetgiant to lower latency issue and provide content faster than usual, which is being pushed through data being closer to the user. India is the 2nd largest Internet consumer in the world after China, and the wide access to broadband and rich, multimedia content persist to demand more from the networking sources. This is further building financial pressure on Internet Service Providers, associated with upgrading and configuration cost. Google Global Cache servers are installed within the environments of regional ISPs that functions to respond to the inbound content requests right from the convenience of proponent's network infrastructure. The technique eases content delivery procedure (including YouTube) by responding to the customers quickly, which additionally cut-down cost and enrich end-user experience accessing Google services. Web Werks has setup the caching servers in its TIER IV data center facility, which will turn out extremely constructive for the new-age internet users, as they can access content rather swiftly over the large networks. About Web Werks: Web Werks is an India-based Data Center Service Provider with multiple Tier III and Tier IV data centers in India and the USA. Web Werks, started in 1996 has successfully delivered numerous projects in the areas of Web Hosting, Data Center Services, Disaster Recovery Services, Web Designing, Online Application Development, E-commerce Solutions, and Mobile Application Development. Media Contact: Priti Shetti [email protected] +91-8828335555 Marketing Head Web Werks India Pvt. Ltd. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Serendipity Labs Coworking Redefining Dallas Fort Worth Worklife RYE, N.Y., June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- New York based Serendipity Labs Coworking is today announcing that Worth Coworking, LLC., an affiliate of Worth Hotels, LLC, a franchisee of Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) and Marriott Hotels, has become the exclusive Serendipity Labs franchise development partner for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex (DFW). Plans include opening nine upscale coworking locations in urban and suburban markets. An early 2017 opening is planned for the first location. Serendipity Labs members represent a cross section of industries and include entrepreneurs, independent workers, and employees of established companies who are looking for inspirational and flexible workspace as a way to cut down on commuting, to reduce long term office lease obligations or just to escape a home office. They are also attracted by the many opportunities to collaborate with other professionals and build their networks. "Coworking is the next great hospitality industry category," says Doug Denman, President of Worth Coworking. "Serendipity Labs members will appreciate the upscale experience and unmatched hospitality from every location, urban or suburban. Being able to trust the technology and service level makes it possible for our members to unlock their full potential," said Denman. Each location will be managed by Worth Coworking, LLC to Serendipity Labs' upscale brand standards, and will offer memberships for coworking access, day passes, dedicated workstations, private offices and team rooms. Members will be able to use the event space, worklounge, labcafe and meetup rooms, and participate in a full schedule of day-time and evening programming, meetups, and seminars. Members can easily reserve workspace or meeting rooms at any Serendipity Labs location across the country via the Serendipity Labs mobile app and website, including the ten Labs throughout the Greater Houston Area which were announced June 13. "Serendipity Labs supports the way people want to work today. Thirty percent of the U.S. workforce now chooses where and when they work. Companies are supporting this mobility and choice with coworking memberships," says John Arenas, CEO of Serendipity Labs Coworking. "About 45percent of our members are employees of established companies who have their monthly membership paid by their organization, 20 percent are start-ups, and 35 percent are independent professionals. More than 40 percent of our members are women which is double the industry average." Serendipity Labs is one of the fastest growing coworking networks in the country with over 100 locations now in its development pipeline nationwide. Worth Coworking, LLC was selected because of its commitment to excellence and quality. The parent company, Worth Hotels, LLC, has won three consecutive Quality Awards, including the IHG Torchbearer Award in 2015 for superior service for Candlewood Suites Fort Worth West. "Serendipity Labs Coworking is all about delivering a better way to work, that helps our members maintain business momentum and balance their worklife," says Doug Denman, CEO of Worth Coworking. "The DFW market is underserved. The workforce here and the companies they work for, could use more flexibility. Companies are looking to extend their corporate real estate footprint without long term obligations. The time is right for a coworking network that helps members and their organizations redefine worklife." Serendipity Labs CEO, John Arenas agrees. "Our data shows tremendous potential demand for a network of upscale coworking locations throughout the Metroplex. Doug Denman and his team at Worth Coworking have the local knowledge and depth of experience developing and operating hotels that will drive our success across the Metroplex. We look forward to serving the DFW community together." About Serendipity Labs, Inc. Headquartered in Rye, NY, Serendipity Labs, Inc., was established in 2013 by industry leader John Arenas. (www.serendipitylabs.com). Serendipity Labs Coworking delivers an upscale experience for mobile professionals, independent workers and project teams. It offers day passes, part-time and full-time coworking memberships, dedicated private offices and team rooms in its exclusive network across the U.S. Corporate membership, with central billing and reporting are available. The Serendipity Labs mobile app for iPhone and Android means making reservations is quick and easy. Its cloud-based, proprietary OASIS technology platform is enterprise-class and meets the highest security standards. Serendipity Labs is growing through owned, managed and franchised locations in office buildings, high-rise residential projects, hotels and retail properties throughout the U.S. About Worth Coworking, LLC Worth Coworking, LLC was created to develop and operate Serendipity Labs locations. As the exclusive franchisee for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Worth Coworking will roll out a development plan that will total at least nine locations. Worth Coworking is actively engaged in analyzing additional markets in Texas and beyond. Doug Denman, CEO, Worth Coworking, LLC., is a board member of Serendipity Labs, Inc. Worth Coworking, LLC is an affiliate of Worth Hotels, LLC, a hotel development and management company with the mission to provide ridiculously clean hotel facilities and team members that are passionate about hospitality. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160623/383060 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160623/383059 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141119/159812LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/serendipity-labs-coworking-redefining-dallas-fort-worth-worklife-300289793.html SOURCE Serendipity Labs, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] ProLabs Partners with Intec Microsystems CIRENCESTER, England, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Prolabs, a leading, global manufacturer of compatible networking and connectivity products, announces a new distribution agreement with Intec Microsystems Ltd, to supply its extensive range of copper & optical transceivers, dacs, aocs, media converters and fibre cabling throughout the UK and Europe. As the UK's leading Independent IT distributor, Intec Microsystems supply over 3000 customers across UK and Europe with value added benefits on branded IT hardware and IT support services. ProLabs specialise in high-quality compatible cables and optical transceivers that allow users of multiple systems to combine previously incompatible products with relative ease; liberating it's customers from single vendor lock-in. "This is a hugely significant new partnership" said ProLabs VP Sales EMEA & Asia Stephen Burke. "Intec's extensive network and industry wide connections will help ProLabs continue to reach and support more customers. Our high quality products offer resellers and end users more choice; and significant TCO benefits when measured against vendor supplied parts. Thi new partnership extends ProLabs benefits to more customers, and enhances the challenge to vendor lock-in for transceivers and cables." "We are constantly looking to innovate. Our aim is to gain access to the very best products within the market and provide options to help drive our customers' businesses forward," said Stuart Hall, Intec's Marketing and Communications Director. "ProLabs offers an outstanding, high-quality product range that we are delighted to add to our Portfolio." For more information http://www.ProLabs.com About ProLabs ProLabs is transforming network connectivity. As a leading global independent provider of optical network infrastructure products, the company offers an extensive range of high-quality products including optical and copper transceivers, direct attach cables, media converters, active optical cables, and fibre cabling. With an unrelenting commitment to quality, service and support, ProLabs is the only mid-tier provider offering customisation and lifetime product warranties. The company's global headquarters are located in Cirencester, UK, with offices in Minneapolis, MN USA and San Francisco, CA USA. About Intec Microsystems Intec Microsystems Ltd are a dynamic, independent I.T distributor specialising in the global distribution of branded I.T hardware, I.T services and maintenance contracts. Founded in 2003, Intec Microsystems has grown rapidly over its 13 years of business to become one of Europe's leading Independent IT Hardware Distributors. Now in their 13th year of trading Intec Micros have grown their turnover year on year to 57m, a result of delivering exceptional business benefits to its 3000 strong loyal customer base. Through the new distribution partnership with Prolabs they are confident they can add to their consistent year on year growth and exceed 60m turnover this year. Contact: Melanie Horsford - Marketing Manager +44-(0)1285-719-606 [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] iPoint-systems Once Again Crowned "Innovator of the Year" REUTLINGEN, Germany, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - Reutlingen-based firm once again takes top spot in TOP 100 innovation competition For the 23rd time, the names of Germany's TOP 100 most innovative SMEs have been announced. And iPoint-systems gmbh is celebrating big time after being crowned overall winner in its size category (companies with between 51 and 250 employees). The Reutlingen-based company took part in an exacting selection process founded on scientific evaluation criteria and fielded questions from the TOP 100 jury. The competition's mentor, Ranga Yogeshwar, paid tribute to the company during the Deutscher Mittelstands-Summit (German SME Summit) on June 24 in Essen, Germany. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160626/383427 ) iPoint-systems has already been awarded the TOP 100 seal of approval on five occasions and has worked consistently to develop and improve since the first time it participated in 2005. And this year saw iPoint once again succeed in making it onto the podium, being crowned overall winner in size category B for companies with between 51 and 250 employees. It was in 2012 that the firm first took top spot as "Innovator of the Year" in category A (up to 50 employees). This renewed success makes iPoint-systems the very first company to be victorious in two different TOP 100 size categories. The owner-managed software and consulting enterprise is the world's leading provider of process management software for product compliance and sustainability. The software enables companies to manage, control, and check compliance with product-related, regulatory, and customer-specific requirements applicable to substances, materials, and processes. The company's product portfolio includes an cloud-based platform for collecting, analyzing, and reporting on data concerning so-called Conflict Minerals. In the space of just three and a half years, the company won over more than 39,000 clients from 90 countries thanks to this software. The organizational structures of the company allow iPoint-systems to identify market opportunities, develop innovation strategies, and integrate them into development projects. "For us, 'innovation' is all about developing new, surprising, and meaningful ideas and putting them into practice," explains CEO Joerg Walden. Above all, te TOP 100 jury praised the "Agile Sustainable Open Innovation" approach, in which not only the approximately 75 employees, but also external partners are actively involved in innovation projects. In its statement, the jury writes: "The approach combines a number of the latest methods of innovation management in a highly exemplary manner. It focuses on the innovative capability of the entire company, the opening of innovation processes, and the development of an innovation-encouraging culture as the goals of all activities." This year, more than 4,000 companies were interested in participating in TOP 100 competition. 366 of them applied to take part in the qualification round, with 284 of them reaching the final round. In the end, 238 were able to claim a place among the TOP 100 (a maximum of 100 in each of the three size categories). Once again, the competitors were assessed by Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU) and his team, who posed questions relating to 100 parameters in five different evaluation categories. The three best entrants in each category were then selected to take part in the elimination round to find the overall winner in their respective TOP 100 size category. The decision by which the companies were crowned "Innovator of the Year" was made by the TOP 100 jury - comprising experts from the worlds of economics, science, and politics - on the basis of all the information gathered. Those companies who qualify for the TOP 100 competition belong to the absolute pacesetters in their respective industry sector. This is substantiated by the data gleaned during the evaluation process: Among the TOP 100 businesses are 97 national market leaders and 32 global market leaders. On average, each of them accrued 40 percent of their sales from new products and services and from product improvements they brought to market before their competitors did. Their sales growth was 28 percentage points higher than the respective industry sector average. Together, the SMEs in the TOP 100 have registered 2,292 national and international patents over the past three years. This innovative capacity is also having a hugely positive effect on jobs at these companies. The TOP 100 are planning to take on some 9,500 new staff during the coming three years. TOP 100 mentor, science journalist and TV presenter, Ranga Yogeshwar, is highly impressed by the quality of the enterprises and hopes that their efforts and achievements send out an important message to others: "The way in which the TOP 100 generate new ideas and develop pioneering products and services from these ideas is truly remarkable. And I'm happy that this award honors and highlights these very qualities. Let's hope that the success of these companies encourages others to follow them. This culture of innovation will in the future be of greater and greater importance to all businesses." TOP 100: The competition Since 1993, compamedia has been awarding the TOP 100 seal of approval to small and medium-sized enterprises that demonstrate extraordinary levels of innovation and above-average success based on their innovativeness. Since 2002, scientific and academic leadership of the competition has been in the hands of Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation of Vienna University of Economics and Business (WU). The mentor of TOP 100 is the science journalist and TV presenter Ranga Yogeshwar. Project partners are the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur FArderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. and the Bundesverband mittelstAndische Wirtschaft (BVMW - German Association for Small and Medium-sized Businesses). Germany's manager magazin accompanies the benchmarking process as its media partner. For more information, visit http://www.top100.de About iPoint iPoint is a leading provider of software and consulting for environmental and social product compliance, and sustainability. Tens of thousands of companies around the globe rely on iPoint for managing, tracking, analyzing, and reporting data across the whole value creation network. iPoint's software and consulting services support you in meeting and staying one step ahead of regulations and requirements such as REACH, RoHS, WEEE, ELV, Conflict Minerals- and Modern Slavery-related laws, as well as other trending developments in the compliance and sustainability arena. http://www.ipoint-systems.com Press Contact Dr. Katie Boehme, iPoint-systems gmbh, Global Marketing & Communications +49(0)7121-1-44-89-60, katie.boehme(at)ipoint-systems.de [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] OmniEarth and Nearmap Announce Teaming Arrangement OmniEarth, an emerging leader in the Earth observation and geoanalytics industry, announced a partnership with Nearmap for nationwide high-resolution aerial imagery in support of their planned analytics products expansion. Nearmap, who has increased American coverage over the past two years, captures imagery for nearly 70% of the US population at 2.8-inch GSD - far better than satellite imagery providing unrivaled clarity, precision and detail. The Nearmap agreement provides a crucial component of OmniEarth's expansion strategy. OmniEarth is expanding their core OmniParcel knowledge base nationwide and integrating OmniParcels into products beyond water management, such as the insurance and asset monitoring industries. OmniParcels contains the core data behind the company's extremely successful water resource management analytics. Proprietary machine-learning algorithms and artificial intelligence techniques allow OmniEarth to quickly and very accurately analyze imagery over large areas on a parcel-by-parcel basis, but lack of high-resolution imagery was limiting their ability to scale nationwide. Before the agreement, OmniEarth was chartering aerial imagery on an as-needed basis - which is impractical for nationwide coverage. According to company president and CEO, Lars Dyrud, "The Nearmap agreement gives our subscribers unprecedented insight and clarity. Our land classification accuracy averages between 95-99%, but requires extremely high-resolution imagery to highlight property details." Commenting on the new teaming arrangement, Patrick Quigley, SV and GM for Nearmap US said, "The agreement with OmniEarth not only validates our expansion into the US market, it also reinforces the need for current, clear imagery by decision makers. AI solutions, like OmniEarth's water management tools, give organizations new insights." For example, incorporation of imagery that is updated frequently and within days of capture allows OmniEarth's water management users to identify and audit conservation efforts, such as turf removal and changes in irrigation. OmniEarth's water resource products, launched last year, are already being used throughout California, including the City of Folsom and the East Bay Municipal Water District. About OmniEarth OmniEarth improves our subscribers' ability to visualize the world around them by enhancing their ability to see, analyze, and react to change in real time. Through a constant stream of geoinformatics, OmniEarth subscribers always have access to imagery and derived information products from any location on Earth - on demand and over time. Our desire to investigate unanswered questions about our changing planet has led us to produce a reliable, constant data stream and enhanced decision-making tools for subscribers in the agriculture, energy, civil and military markets and everyone else who wants to better understand Earth. www.omniearth.net About Nearmap Nearmap empowers both government agencies and commercial businesses with spectacular, high-resolution, frequently updated aerial imagery. Nearmap's breakthrough technology creates PhotoMaps of unparalleled quality. Frequent updates to imagery delivered within days of capture show changes over time by comparing current and historical imagery. This helps businesses make decisions quickly and with confidence. Nearmap users save time and money with reduced site visits, efficient planning and improved access. For more information, visit http://www.nearmap.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627005625/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Raytheon completes milestone for next-generation GPS controls AURORA, Colo., June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Raytheon (NYSE: RTN) has achieved another test milestone in its development of the U.S. Air Force's Global Positioning System Next Generation Operational Control System, or GPS OCX. This new system offers significant improvements to the GPS on which the U.S. military and millions of civilians rely, including enhanced availability, accuracy and security. OCX's development is delivered in "blocks," with Block 0 comprising the Launch and Checkout System to take GPS III satellites into early orbit. Block 1 builds on Block 0 to deliver the full OCX capability, which allows the Air Force to transition from its current GPS ground controls to the modernized and secure GPS OCX. Block 2 delivers concurrently with Block 1 and includes GPS Navigation Warfare enhancements. Raytheon recently completed its "Run For Record" test of the OCX Black Wide Area Network, or B-WAN, which provides network connectivity to unclassified external interfaces for GPS OCX. The component-level testing included mission capability and cyber controls, and was completed with a 100 percent requirements pass rate. The B-WAN will be deployed as part of OCX Block 1 and Block 0, with the first use of B-WAN in 2017, with the delivery of the Block 0 Launch andCheckout System. "This latest milestone shows that OCX will function securely with external interfaces to GPS, demonstrating the maturity of this critical development program," said Bill Sullivan, GPS OCX vice president and program manager for Raytheon. The U.S. Air Force-led GPS Modernization Program will yield new positioning, navigation and timing capabilities for both the U.S. military and civilian users across the globe. GPS OCX is being developed by Raytheon under contract to the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center, which is replacing the current GPS operational control system. GPS OCX provides a number of significant modernized capabilities for GPS users, including robust cybersecurity and deployment of jam-resistant, operational military code, or M-code. The OCX Launch and Checkout System provides an early delivery of much of the overall OCX capability, and will support the GPS III satellite launches. About Raytheon Raytheon Company, with 2015 sales of $23 billion and 61,000 employees, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, civil government and cybersecurity solutions. With a history of innovation spanning 94 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration, C5ITM products and services, sensing, effects, and mission support for customers in more than 80 countries. Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. Follow us on Twitter @Raytheon. www.raytheon.com Media Contacts Raytheon Michelle Lammers +1.720.858.5777 [email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-completes-milestone-for-next-generation-gps-controls-300289854.html SOURCE Raytheon Company [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) Market Worth 8.43 Billion USD by 2022 PUNE, India, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the new market research report "Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) Market by Type (Unit Load, Mini Load, VLM, Carousel, Autostore, & Mid Load), Function (Assembly, Storage, Order Picking, Kitting, & Distribution), Industry, and Geography- Global forecast to 2022", published by MarketsandMarkets, the ASRS market, in terms of value, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1% between 2016 and 2022 to reach USD 8.43 Billion by 2022. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302) Browse 80 market data Tables and 81 Figures spread through 203 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automated-storage-retrieval-system-market-195267987.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization o n this report . The ASRS market is expected to grow rapidly owing to proper optimization of floor-space utilization, increased safety and stock rotation, improved accuracy, and reduced mishandling of goods used in manufacturing plants, warehouses, and distribution centers. Unit load is expected to hold the largest share of the ASRS market by 2022 Players in the ASRS Market focus on manufacturing unit-load ASRS, that is, high-density storage and retrieval systems that enable highly efficient, accurate, safe, and stable handling of full pallets, roll cages, containerized loads, and large items. Unit-load ASRS is being widely used in industries such as aviation, automotive, e-commerce, distribution, food & beverage, pharmaceuticals & medical supplies, 3PL, and retail & apparel. While unit load held the largest market share in 2015, autostore automated storage and retrieval system market is expected to grow at a high CAGR between 2016 and 2022. An autostore is an advanced enterprise warehouse management system that allows complete configurability and flexibility. The system can be easily expanded and modified because of its design. Players in the ASRS markt are concentrating on manufacturing autostore ASRS designed to manage material flow strategies, raise goods throughput, reduce paperwork, and deliver real-time management information. APAC expected to witness the highest growth during the forecast period The market in APAC is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2016 and 2022 owing to the increasing investments by manufacturers and suppliers for installing automated material handling systems at warehouses and distribution centers. The market in APAC is expected to grow because of the technological advancements and increased awareness among people. Inquiry Before Buying: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=195267987 The report also profiles the most promising players in the ASRS market, namely, Daifuku Co., Ltd. (Japan), Kardex Group (Switzerland), Murata Machinery, Ltd. (Japan), Swisslog Holding AG (Switzerland), Mecalux S.A. (Spain), SSI Schaefer Group (Germany), Vanderlande Industries B.V. (Netherlands), Dematic GmbH & Co. Kg, (Germany), and Bastian Solutions, LLC (U.S.). Browse Related Reports Material Handling Equipment Market by Product Type (AGV, ASRS, Automated Crane, Robotic System, Automated Conveyor and Sortation System), System Type, Software and Service, Operation, Application, and Geography - Global Forecast to 2022 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automated-material-handling-manufacturing-market-92483121.html Automated Guided Vehicle Market by Type (Unit Load Carrier, Tow Vehicle, Pallet Truck, Assembly Line Vehicle), Navigation Technology (Laser, Magnetic, Inductive, Optical Tape), Battery Type, Industry, Application, & Region - Global Forecast to 2022 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/automated-guided-vehicle-market-27462395.html About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is the world's No. 2 firms in terms of annual published premium market research reports. Serving 1700 global fortune enterprises with more than 1200 premium studies in a year, M&M is catering to a multitude of clients across 8 different industrial verticals. We specialize in consulting assignments and business research across high growth markets, cutting edge technologies and newer applications. Our 850 fulltime analyst and SMEs at MarketsandMarkets are tracking global high growth markets following the "Growth Engagement Model - GEM". The GEM aims at proactive collaboration with the clients to identify new opportunities, identify most important customers, write "Attack, avoid and defend" strategies, identify sources of incremental revenues for both the company and its competitors. M&M's flagship competitive intelligence and market research platform, "RT" connects over 200,000 markets and entire value chains for deeper understanding of the unmet insights along with market sizing and forecasts of niche markets. The new included chapters on Methodology and Benchmarking presented with high quality analytical info graphics in our reports gives complete visibility of how the numbers have been arrived and defend the accuracy of the numbers. We at MarketsandMarkets are inspired to help our clients grow by providing apt business insight with our huge market intelligence repository. Visit MarketsandMarkets [email protected] http://www.marketsandmarketsblog.com/market-reports/electronics-and-semiconductors Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets Contact: Mr. Rohan Markets and Markets UNIT no 802, Tower no. 7, SEZ Magarpatta City, Hadapsar Pune, Maharashtra 411013, India Tel: + 1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Huawei India Renews its CSR Focus, Signs MoU With Akshaya Patra Foundation NEW DELHI, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- - Huawei's CSR programme in India to Promote Sustainable Social Development - CSR Programme to Focus on Education and Child Healthcare Huawei India today renewed its CSR focus and vision for supporting education and child healthcare by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with Akshaya Patra Foundation at the Huawei R&D Center, Bengaluru. With this MoU, Huawei will support Akshaya Patra with their mid-day meal programme for over 15,000 children. Apart from this, Huawei India will also support Akshaya Patra with food distribution vehicles and a kitchen upgrade programme. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160627/10149319 ) Mr. Jay Chen, CEO Huawei India said, "With this MoU, we strive to align ourselves with the Government of India's vision. We believe that an enterprise can survive, sustain its growth, and contribute to society only if it consistently aligns its core values and operational responsibilities with its social responsibilities. Along with financial support, we also aim to encourage our employees to be a part of this programme." "At Huawei India, we strive to bridge gaps, both in the regions where we operate and within the organization, thereby establishing ourselves as a responsive organization, besides being a responsible one." Shri N Sivasailam, Additional Secretary, Department of Telecommunications, said, "This partnership reflects the commitment of Huawei as a global corporate citizen, to support the Government's initiative. We look forward to creating a win-win industry ecosystem that promotes the sustainable development of the economy, society and environment." Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa, Chairman, Akshaya Patra who signed the MoU on Akshaya Patra's behalf said, "The Akshaya Patra Foundation is pleased to partner with Huawei in this endeavor. We fel that this collaboration will add huge impetus in our effort to feed five million children by 2020. Such partnerships enable us to progress in our initiative to end classroom hunger." Huawei is a proud member of the UN Global Compact and is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities as a good corporate citizen. The company is actively involved with trying to promote equal access to telecommunications and in helping to bridge the 'Digital Divide' between developing and developed nations. In addition, Huawei continues to implement its flagship CSR program, 'Seeds for the Future,' to facilitate global knowledge transfer, support local training, and increase digital inclusion. Thus far, Huawei has partnered with more than 150 universities to implement the program in 67 countries. About 15,000 students from five different continents have benefited from the program, including more than 1,700 who studied at Huawei's headquarters in China. The most outstanding participants have since joined the ICT industry, and are actively contributing to its development. About Huawei Huawei is a leading global Information and Communications Technology (ICT) solutions provider. Our aim is to enrich life and improve efficiency through a better connected world, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, innovative enabler for the information society, and collaborative contributor to the industry. Driven by customer-centric innovation and open partnerships, Huawei has established an end-to-end ICT solutions portfolio that gives customers competitive advantages in telecom and enterprise networks, devices and cloud computing. Huawei's 170,000 employees worldwide are committed to creating maximum value for telecom operators, enterprises and consumers. Our innovative ICT solutions, products and services are used in more than 170 countries and regions, serving over one-third of the world's population. Founded in 1987, Huawei is a private company fully owned by its employees. For more information, please visit Huawei online at www.huawei.com or follow us on: http://www.linkedin.com/company/Huawei http://www.twitter.com/Huawei http://www.facebook.com/Huawei http://www.google.com/+Huawei http://www.youtube.com/Huawei About The Akshaya Patra Foundation The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organization headquartered in Bengaluru, India. The organization strives to fight issues like hunger and malnutrition in India. By implementing the mid-day meal scheme in Government schools and Government aided schools, The Akshaya Patra Foundation aims not only to fight hunger but also to bring children to school. Since 2000, the organization has worked towards reaching more children with wholesome food on every single school day. Akshaya Patra Foundation is continuously leveraging technology to cater to millions of children. Its state-of-the-art kitchens have become a subject of study and they attract curious visitors from around the world. In partnership with the Government of India and various State Governments and inestimable support from many philanthropic donors and well-wishers; Akshaya Patra has grown from humble beginnings serving just 1,500 school children across five schools. Today, Akshaya Patra Foundation is the world's largest (not-for-profit run) mid-day meal programme serving wholesome food to over 1.5 million children from 11,360 schools across 10 states in India. Media Contact: Manav Sud [email protected] +91-8130248958 FleishmanHillard [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 27, 2016] Research and Markets - Global Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis - Trends, Technologies & Opportunities Report 2016-2026 - Key Vendors: Medtronic, Smiths Medical, Rest Devices DUBLIN, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Wearable Medical Devices Market: Global Industry Analysis and Opportunity Assessment 2016-2026" report to their offering. This report provides an in-depth analysis for the wearable medical device market during the period 2016-2026. Based on product segment, the market has been segmented into wearable therapeutic medical device, (further sub-segmented into hearing aid, insulin pump and respiratory therapy devices (respiratory therapy devices is further sub segmented into sleep apnea devices and non-invasive ventilation)), wearable monitoring and diagnostic devices, (further sub-segmented into fetal and obstetric devices (fetal and obstetric devices is further sub-segmented into wearable fetal monitors and infant motion sensing monitors), continuous glucose monitoring devices and cardiac monitoring devices (cardiac monitoring devices is further sub-segmented into wearable heart rate monitors, wearable pulse oximeters, wearable blood pressure monitors) and health and fitness devices. A detailed analysis of each segment has been provided in terms of market size, Y-o-Y growth rate, absolute $ opportunity and BPS analysis. The report has been segmented based on distribution channels ino hospital pharmacies, clinics, online channel and hypermarkets. In countries such as U.S., Canada, U.K, Japan etc. physician recommend wearable devices to patients through clinics, hospitals pharmacies as these devices are used for monitoring purpose. Apart from this few wearable medical devices such blood glucose monitors etc. are available in hypermarkets, few manufacturers use go-to-market strategy by supplying their products through online channel distribution mode by reaching out to the customers. Companies Mentioned: A Smiths Group Company Animas Corporation Bayer AG Fitbit Inc. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd Johnson and Johnson Koninklijke Philips N.V. Medtronic plc OMRON Corporation Owlet Baby Care Panasonic Corporation Rest Devices Inc Siemens AG Smiths Medical Report Structure: 1. Executive Summary 2. Assumptions and Acronyms 3. Research Methodology 4. Wearable Medical Devices Market Overview 5. Global Wearable Medical Devices Market Forecast 6. Global Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis, By Product 7. Global Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis, By Application 8. Global Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis, By Distribution Channel 9. Global Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis, By Region 10. North America Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis 11. Latin America Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis 12. Western Europe Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis 13. Eastern Europe Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis 14. Asia Pacific Excl. Japan Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis 15. Japan Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis 16. MEA Wearable Medical Devices Market Analysis 17. Competition Landscape For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lvtxhg/wearable_medical Media Contact: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager [email protected] For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] What you need to know about Colts starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger Popes visit will bring a message of tolerance and peace to the whole region - Shavarsh Kocharyan Interview of Shavarsh Kocharyan, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia to German newspaper Die Tagespost Question: Armenia accepted Christianity just in the year of 301 as the official religion of the kingdom and its people. How would you describe the role of Christian faith for the identity of Armenia today? Shavarsh Kocharyan: Christianity should be viewed as a system of values, which forms the basis of modern-day democracy, rather than a mere religion. The fact of being the first to adopt the Christianity as its state religion back in 301 played a crucial role in the history of the Armenian people. As history testified, the Christian system of values became an integral part of the Armenian identity, and, amid suppression of external powers, the fight for preserving identity became a fight for the system of values and the Christian faith. Question: During the history, Armenia has been threatened by superior adjacent powers most of the time. How has the Armenian national identity been able to survive? Shavarsh Kocharyan: It will not be an exaggeration to compare all the nations of the world with the tip of iceberg. Numerous nations have become extinct, and first of all we mean not a physical extinction as itself, but rather the loss of identity and assimilation with other nations. Despite numerous destructive campaigns and yoke of major powers, the Armenian people survived due to its struggle for the preservation of its identity based on Christian system of values. Question: Is Armenia today again in a struggle of survival, provoked by Turkey and Azerbaijan in the case of Nagorno-Karabakh? Shavarsh Kocharyan: Different Armenian states existed throughout its millennia-old history. However, for centuries the Armenians lacked statehood. In the 20th century, the Armenians were twice blessed with a unique opportunity to regain independence. The First Republic of Armenia, established in 1918, lasted just under 3 years and was then forcibly integrated into the Bolshevik Russia, as a federative unit. Nagorno-Karabakh or Artsakh, mentioned as part of historic Armenia by ancient authors including Strabo, Plutarch, Pliny, Claudius Ptolemy, Dion Cassius and others, had all the attributes of sovereignty in 1918-1921 and was recognized by the League of Nations as a disputed territory. In 1921, by the decision of Bolshevik Communist Party's Bureau, Nagorno-Karabakh was incorporated into the newly Sovietized Azerbaijan, in stark contrast to the will of the people of Artsakh. In 1991, both Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh held independence referendums in full compliance with the International Law and the Constitution of the still existing Soviet Union, which served as the bases for the establishment of modern-day Republic of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Following the collapse of the USSR, the two Armenian states have pursued a democratic path of developing their societies. Nagorno-Karabakh faces additional challenges of overcoming the consequences of Azerbaijani aggression unleashed against the self-determined Nagorno-Karabakh at the beginning of 1990s, the constant tensions maintained by Azerbaijan along the Line of Contact with Nagorno-Karabakh and the threat of resumption of military actions, as witnessed in early April this year. Armenia will guarantee the security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh within its full capabilities in case of any military aggressive action against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic strives for international recognition, however, as of now, not a single state, including Armenia, de jure recognizes the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, not to undermine the ongoing negotiation process, mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. One of the key elements of the process is the determination of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will of its people. The barbaric acts committed by the detachments of the Azerbaijan Army during the recent aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh, i.e. the shelling of schools resulting in innocent children being killed and wounded, brutal torture, mutilation and murder of three elderly persons, including a 92 year old woman, the ISIL-style beheading of three captive soldiers of the Nagorno-Karabakh armed forces, as well as the awarding on the Presidential level of the perpetrators of such war crimes reveal the very fact why Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan. The President of Azerbaijan has started to present territorial claims to the Republic of Armenia, declaring that the territory of Armenia separates Turkey and Azerbaijan, and that the affiliation of those territories to Armenia is a historical injustice. And when it comes to Turkey, it fully supports Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Question: How contaminated is the relation between Armenia and Turkey: due to history and due to the partnership of Turkey and Azerbaijan? Shavarsh Kocharyan: Two factors hinder the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia. The first is Turkeys denial of the Armenian Genocide, committed by the Ottoman Empire in 1915, and secondly, Turkey unilaterally closed the border with Armenia in support for Azerbaijans policy of blockading Armenia. Thus the Turkish-Armenian border is the only closed border in Europe. By the initiative of Armenia and support of mediator states, Protocols on the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey were drafted and signed in Zurich in 2009. The Protocols were aimed at a step-by-step normalization of relations between the two states without any preconditions. However, the Turkish authorities undermined the process of ratification of the Protocols, by putting forward preconditions related to the denial of Armenian Genocide and presenting pro-Azerbaijani claims with regard to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. As a result, Turkey, in support for Azerbaijan, continues the blockade of Armenia and by its statements encourages Azerbaijan to further toughen its already destructive position in the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process. In its turn Azerbaijan more fiercely denies the reality of Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman Empire. This is caused by the fact, that Azerbaijan is the inheritor of the Ottoman Empires genocidal policy against the Armenians, which was proven by the pogroms and ethnic cleansings against the Armenian population in Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and in other places, committed in response to the will of Nagorno-Karabakh people to exercise their right to self-determination. Within this context, it is not a coincidence that the Head of Azerbaijan declares the Armenians of the world as his countrys number one enemy, and glorifies and rewards the criminals who killed Armenians, as was the case with murderers who axed an Armenian officer in his sleep during NATO-sponsored training seminar in Budapest and beheaded captive Armenian soldiers during the April aggression. The ratification of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols, along with the refusal to deny the Armenian Genocide was testing Turkeys actual readiness to integrate into Europe and adopt the European system of values. It is not a coincidence that failure in this test overlapped with Turkeys backtracking from the European path. Question: What does the Genocide mean for the identity of Armenians (in Armenia as well as in the diaspora) today? Shavarsh Kocharyan: One and a half million Armenians became victims of the Armenian Genocide and hundred thousands of Armenians lost their homeland, spreading all over the world. And there is almost no Armenian who has not been affected by the Genocide. And the pain of Genocide grows deeper as we are still facing its denial. The Armenian people, the survivor of the first Genocide of the 21st century, believes that the recognition and condemnation of genocides is not only an issue of restoration of justice towards the peoples who have undergone it, but also a necessity for the whole humanity, aimed at the prevention of possible genocides in the future. It is not a coincidence, that Armenia initiated the Genocide Prevention Resolution adopted by consensus in the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, co-sponsored by more than seven dozen states, and on the proposals of which the UNGA declared December 9 as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. The Resolution considers attempts of denial and justification of the crime of genocide as major obstacle to the steps on genocide prevention. The Global Forum Against the Crime of Genocide, launched within the framework of the commemoration of the Centenary of the Armenian Genocide and held on a regular basis in Yerevan, serves the same purpose and has transformed into a platform for exchanging views on the issue between genocide scholars and representatives of different states. The Armenian nation, a survivor of genocide, and a witness of new attempts to commit genocide, as well as of new strategies of its denial, is confident that today, just like a century ago, the issue of prevention of crimes against humanity remains an imperative. Question: Russia seems to be the protective power of Armenia. But at the same time Moscow promotes the armament of Azerbaijan. What role does Russia play concerning peace and stability in this area? Shavarsh Kocharyan: Lets emphasize that Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh first and foremost rely on their own abilities in defense and security issues. At the same time, Armenia considers the deepening cooperation with various countries and international institutions as a restraining factor against the attempts to undermine the regional stability. Armenias military-political cooperation with Russia servers the same purpose. Russia traditionally considers the South Caucasus as a zone of its influence and tries to pursue a balanced policy with other regional states, stemming from its own interests. Its balanced policy is also rooted in its involvement in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process as one of the three OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. It was the mediation of Russia that produced the trilateral agreement on armistice between Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia, signed in May, 1994, which serves as a basis for peaceful negotiation process under the aegis of OSCE Minsk Group. The ceasefire was violated this April by the aggression unleashed against Nagorno-Karabakh by Azerbaijan. And again, with the mediation of Russia a verbal agreement was reached on April 5 to restore the ceasefire regime of 1994. Question: What do you expect Europe to do for stability and self-determination of the Armenians? Shavarsh Kocharyan: The Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, two Armenian states self- determined in 1991, highly value the stance of European countries on settling the Nagorno-Karabakh issue exclusively through peaceful means, and on preserving peace and stability in our region. At the same time it is important for the international community to make targeted statements on the escalation of the situation in the region, considering that Azerbaijan perceives the tolerant statements based on European system of values as a carte blanche for its intolerant politics. This perception was behind the recent large-scale aggression against Nagorno-Karabakh with the use of heavy weaponry, artillery and air force. Europe can have its input in preventing Azerbaijan from withholding the agreements reached on May 16 in Vienna between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Those agreements propose the implementation of OSCE supported mechanism for investigating ceasefire violations along the Line of Contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan and Armenian-Azerbaijani border, which will provide an opportunity to identify the initiator of each incident of ceasefire violation. The implementation of this mechanism, as well as the expansion of the monitoring team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-In-Office and enhancement of its capacities will contribute to the strengthening of the ceasefire and prevention of new hostilities, which can create necessary conditions for the effective implementation of the negotiation process. Question: What do you wish and hope for Pope Francis visit to Armenia? Shavarsh Kocharyan: The visit of Pope Francis to Armenia has a pan-Christian importance, as it is the visit to the first Christian country. The enthusiasm with which Armenian people expect the visit of the Pontifex is caused by the fact that on April 12, last year, during the Mass in St. Peters Basilica dedicated to the 100th Anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the Catholic leader shared the pain of the Armenian nation and urged Turkey to face its history and pay tribute to the descendants of the Armenian Genocide. This visit also creates an opportunity for our people in Armenia and Diaspora to express gratitude to Pope Francis for his principled stance on the Armenian Genocide, which was demonstrated before his election as a Pope. At the same time, I avail myself of this opportunity to thank all the countries that recognized the Armenian Genocide and, specifically, Austria, the Parliament of which adopted a statement recognizing the Genocide on April 22, 2015, ahead of the Centenary. Question: Could Pope, who will visit also Georgia and Azerbaijan in September, contribute to reconciliation between the neighboring powers? Shavarsh Kocharyan: Despite all the attempts of Azerbaijan to add religious dimension to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the escalation of Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, it is not the case. The essence of the issue is rooted in the right of the Nagorno-Karabakh people to self-determinate and decide their own destiny and future, and in the response of Azerbaijan manifested in violence, ethnic cleansings and large-scale war. We believe that the Popes visit to Armenia and the upcoming visits to Georgia and Azerbaijan in September symbolize a message of tolerance and peace to the whole region. Tom's Guide is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Lockout laws, whether in Sydney or in Queensland, have become the go-to boogeyman for governmental overreach as far as Australias live music scene is concerned. It stands to reason as such laws are the reason words like draconian were invented. But as Kerri Glasscock, chief executive of the Sydney Fringe Festival, can tell you, the ways in which the government manages to get in the way of people just trying to put on a gig stretches far beyond the late-night lockouts. I travel to other festivals a lot and am always amazed by the freedom many of them have in being able to activate their city, Glasscock tells Fairfax. It is much more difficult here in Sydney to do so This is exacerbated tenfold when youre on a shoestring budget, as the Sydney Fringe, which receives no state or federal government funding, is. Prohibitive regulatory costs can add more than $30,000 to an organisers budget. The cost of compliance and regulation can be so exorbitant that it can prohibit the event taking place, Glasscock says. Things like additional security, fencing, waste, portable toilets, etc. can often increase an event budget by over $30,000. We run on the smell of an oily rag and compared to other fringe festivals around we receive about a 10th of their funding. According to a City of Sydney spokeswoman, outrage should be directed at the state government. These regulations, largely contained in state planning legislation, make it difficult for new small venues to open, and for the sector to grow with demand or replace venues that have closed over time, she said. We got a peek into the red tape-strewn reality of running a live music venue back in May when several Sydney venues, including iconic Kings Cross haunt World Bar, made submissions to a review of the citys controversial lockout laws. According to the owners, overall revenue is down 25 percent in just two years and its not just due to the drop in foot traffic and dip in overall attendance. The laws have brought on all sorts of new and often exorbitant costs. The cost of compliance and regulation can be so exorbitant that it can prohibit the event taking place. According to World Bars own balance sheet, management are forking out an extra $224,900 per year due to the implementation of ID scanners as well as their regular maintenance, RSA officers, upgrades to their CCTV equipment, and a spike in insurance costs due to their classification as a high risk venue. The venue is also required to submit data about their alcohol sales, costing them $3,000 annually. This has been done for two years now with no explanation as to why. Surely whoever has the data has enough now. It is a timely and costly exercise for venues to do, management wrote. Many have pointed to Victoria as a place thats doing things the right way, praising the states famous Agent of Change laws, which put the onus of soundproofing live music venues on any developer looking to move into an area with established venues. However, whilst this is certainly an example of government legislation that aids the live music sector instead of hindering it, less touted aspects of the Agent of Change laws included the removal of prohibitive red tape in the states legislation. [include_post id=465053] As part of a global study on the worlds most vibrant live music cities, the IFPI and Music Canada identified seven strategic areas as an effective means to grow and strengthen a citys music economy, which included musician-friendly government policies. A vibrant music sector delivers an extensive array of social, cultural and economic benefits to its community; from job creation and retention to city identity and music tourism, to social cohesion, music can play an essential role, wrote Graham Henderson, President and CEO, Music Canada. According to their study, in 2012 Melbournes live music scene generated more than A$1bn in spending at small venues, concerts and festivals, supported 116,000 annual full-time equivalent jobs, and produced significant spin-off benefits to restaurants, hotels, transportation companies and other providers. What this suggests is that if we want to see Australias live music sector flourish and provide jobs, it all starts at the polling booths. Missouri primary mail lists a great deal of Kansas City support for this upstart politico seeking statewide office and touting many local endorsements from Mayor & Council.Click this images for a bigger, better view.Here's the pitch against longtime contender Judy Baker.If he can make it past the primary he'll face MO GOP State Senators Dan W. Brown or Eric Schmit.Developing . . . Northeast Kansas City Culture Calendar Golden Ghetto Burns JoCo Weekend Tragedy The Good News Over The Weekend Kansas City Fanboy Love Goes Deep begins the very early Kansas City morning as this Brit ginger hottiewith her own special brand of newsmaker hotness. And here are just a few local links to start the day and remind us that it's a somewhat small world after all. Take a peek:And this is thefor right now . . . Motor Oil announced on Monday that MV Upstream Tanzania Limited has reached an agreement in principle with Otto Energy (Tanzania) Pty Limited for the acquisition of a 25% participating interest in the Kilosa-Kilombero License, onshore Tanzania Motor Oil announced on Monday that MV Upstream Tanzania Limited has reached an agreement in principle with Otto Energy (Tanzania) Pty Limited for the acquisition of a 25% participating interest in the Kilosa-Kilombero License, onshore Tanzania. MV Upstream Tanzania Limited (MV Upstream registered in Cyprus) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Motor Oil Vegas Upstream Limited (registered in Cyprus). MOTOR OIL (HELLAS) S.A. holds 65% of the share capital of Motor Oil Vegas Upstream Limited with the remainder 35% belonging to Vegas Oil and Gas Limited. For the participation of MOTOR OIL (HELLAS) S.A. in the share capital of Motor Oil Vegas Upstream Ltd. the Annual General Meeting of June 8, 2016 granted special permission pursuant to article 23a of the CL 2190 / 1920. Otto Energy (Tanzania) Pty Limited ( Otto registered in Australia) is a subsidiary of Otto Energy Limited, a company the shares of which are listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Kilosa-Kilombero is an onshore block of 17,625 square kilometers for oil & gas exploration. The companies which participate as Joint Venture partners to this Exploration License are: Otto (currently 50%), Swala Oil and Gas (Tanzania) plc, (a company listed on the Dar es Salaam Exchange - 25%), Tata Petrodyne (a member of the Indian Tata Group - 25%). Swala Oil and Gas (Tanzania) plc is the operator. In consideration for the above MV Upstream will pay to Otto USD 2.3 million as past costs contribution and will carry Otto in respect of well costs up to the amount of USD 2 million. In addition, if there is a discovery necessitating drilling an appraisal well MV Upstream will carry Otto in respect of well costs up to USD 1 million. The transaction is subject to the approval of Tanzanian authorities and joint venture partners (SWALA Energy and Tata Petrodyne) approvals. In case of further developments in respect of the above, MOTOR OIL (HELLAS) S.A. will inform the investment community with subsequent announcements. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report The normalisation of ties between Turkey and Israel might complicate the balance of power in the wider eastern Mediterranean basin, given that Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel have tightened diplomatic and military ties over the past years Turkey and Israel are set to normalize diplomatic relations, after Israeli forces killed 8 Turks in an incident during a Gaza-bound boat from Turkey 6 years ago. A ccording to Israeli officials, the full details, expected to be announced Monday morning, will include 20mln dollars in compensation to the Turkish families of the 8 dead and the return of Ambassadors to Ankara and Tel Aviv. Furthermore, Turkey has reportedly agreed to end claims against Israeli military personnel and the State of Israel. The two countries sealed the agreement in Rome after a series of meetings over the past year. The agreement provides that Turkey will offer non-military humanitarian aid to Gaza and invest in infrastructure projects, according to a Turkish official. The normalisation of ties between the two countries might complicate the balance of power in the wider eastern Mediterranean basin, given that Greece, Cyprus, Egypt and Israel have tightened diplomatic and military ties over the past years. Source:protothema.gr RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report TourMaG.com: What is Paris Helpline? Laure Boerio: The concept is to enable tourists to fully experience Paris by making the local know-how and expertise directly available to them, in a highly personalized manner. Behaviors have changed and tourists strongly prepare and anticipate they trip in terms of planning, activities, outings etc. But the in-between (all the daily and practical trivial and major questions) was never offered in a professional manner. Once visitors exit their accommodations, there are lots of barriers and many unanswered questions. Even though all of the information is out there, it needs to be personalized, translated, explained to those who are not familiar with the environment (and who often dont understand it) by those who immediately master it. Giving a map to a tourist does not necessarily mean that she will be able to get around at ease! Which is why I decided to create a tool that can make this local expertise accessible to tourists in realtime and that meets their needs in a humane and compassionate manner. Paris Helpline is a service that makes local, multilingual experts available to tourists in realtime, everywhere in Paris, via its interactive application: it's like having a local bilingual advisor right in the tourists pocket in Paris. TourMaG.com: How did the idea of creating this service come about? L.B.: This project originated from the deep love I have for my city: Paris. After traveling for three year in Australia, I came back to Paris and one day, when sitting at a terrace, I noticed a Japanese couple who is struggling, map in hand, and they are arguing. I realize the absurdity of the situation: I am less than a meter away from them and I can solve their problem in just a few seconds, bring a solution that will prevent this moment from ruining their vacation. Their problem was not one for me since I know the city perfectly. Geographically I immediately get my bearings: I could have solved their problem in a few seconds and consequently avoid this type of situation. Furthermore, I could have added lots of information for their comfort and enjoyment. Sprouting from this observation, I decided to create a system that can respond in realtime to the needs of tourists and that can meet all of their practical and daily issues. TourMaG.com: How can this service reassure tourists? L.B.: First of all, because we are the only ones, today, to offer a priority phone number with an Emergency-Safe check link. A simple click on this link leads to a priority phone line with: identification of the tourist, geolocation, direct relation, immediate assistance, first prevention actions, contact with entities in charge of addressing the specific emergency. Secondly, because we are not machines, we are human to human: we are here to look after them. We are with them, at every instant. They have zero obligations and can get lost strolling around as much as they wish, but when in need: we are here, with them. Our voice, compassion, and the service quality of our advisors are a prerequisite to ensure the hospitality and reassurance of tourists in the current context. As of now, there is no other system that enables them this freedom and independence while being completely safe at the same time. The UAE government has signed an agreement with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to host the next four editions of the annual meeting for Shaping the Future. The first of these meetings will be hosted in Dubai, UAE on November 13 and 14, featuring 50 specialized councils and more than 700 experts with the aim of preparing a clear future agenda to tackle the many challenges the world faces today. The UAE-WEF partnership will aim to boost efforts of studying and foreseeing the future in a number of vital sectors related to sustainable development, improving life standards, and finding effective solutions to anticipated challenges. The partnership will also help create platforms for the experts of the Global Future Councils to facilitate communication between government organizations, private enterprises, expert houses and consulting firms. These platforms will enable collaboration in building capacity through training courses, workshop, papers and publications related to vital sectors. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Future, said: Foreseeing and mapping the future is one of the UAEs major contributions to international society. The future is interlinked and connected, challenges are shared and common. In this context, it is important that we work with global councils to foresee the future and support governments around the world in formulating their strategies and preparing for the future. Our nation is extremely active in playing a key role in foreseeing the future. The UAE is well positioned to help shape many of the vital sectors in the short and medium terms, led by a leadership that is continuously driving us forward to explore new development areas and build new economic sectors. The agreement that we have signed today with the World Economic Forum will help us build on our past partnership with WEF to forge new synergies, Al-Gergawi added. As part of its agenda, the annual meeting for Shaping the Future will set the fourth industrial revolution as a key topic of discussion. In addition, the sessions will examine challenges in energy, food security, transport, infrastructure, artificial intelligence and other vital sectors. Furthermore, the councils will discuss the future of economic, social and political systems in light of technology integration in human lives and changes in traditional geographical borders. The outcomes of the Annual Meeting for Shaping the Future in November 2016 will set the agenda for the upcoming WEF annual meeting in Davos, which will bring together 2,000 international leaders. The UAE will choose the councils for education, health, energy, cities of the future, and artificial intelligence. Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, said: The fourth industrial revolution indicates the convergence of technologies, especially in the digital sphere. This is anticipated to have a major impact on the future of political, economic and social systems. This revolution will not just change what we do but will also change what we are. We have to be ready for the change, governments need to be prepared and willing to keep up with and adopt technological innovation. They need to get outside their comfort zone and their bureaucratic hierarchal structures and adopt new solutions to interact with their people. Schwab added that the UAEs long term vision and ability to foresee the future qualifies the nation to lead the mandate of future innovation. Al-Gergawi said: The UAE government aims through this partnership to develop a global platform that brings together the best experts and minds in the domain of foreseeing and shaping the future. They will share ideas, possible scenarios and solutions that will lead to future models capable of dealing with future trends, challenges and opportunities such as the fourth industrial revolution. Al-Gergawi said the agreement will also support the nations strategic future projects such as the World Government Summit and Dubai Future Foundation. TradeArabia News Service Hospitality chain Hilton Worldwide has signed a contract with Saudi-Egyptian Construction Company (Secon) for a new property in New Damietta, Egypt, said a report. The four-star hotel will be part of Secons tourism residential project which holds investments of EGP120 million ($13.3 million), the Daily News Egypt reported. The project will be implemented on an area of 17.7 acres, of which the hotel covers 8,800 sq m, with a capacity of 130 rooms and suites. The company plans to inaugurate the hotel in mid-2018, and we selected Hilton to ensure the management of the project in accordance with international hotel standards, Secons CEO Darwish Hassanain said. The Egyptian unit of Nestle has reached a partnership deal with online retailer Souq.com for sale of its food and beverage products online, said a report. As per the deal, Nestle will be selling its wide range of products in addition to exclusive products only available on Souq.com, reported Daily News Egypt. The venture represents Souq.coms first step into the e-grocery market. According to research conducted by Nielsen, 55 per cent of those surveyed are willing to start ordering grocery products online, it said. Omar El-Sahy, general manager of Souq.comEgypt, said that partnering with Nestle will provide them with the opportunity to enter a market where 35.6 per cent of household budgets are spent on groceries. Both Nestle and Souq.com have prioritised e-commerce in order to take advantage of this new niche in the Egyptian market, added the report. Omans gypsum exports are projected to surpass 10 million tonnes per annum in 2018, up from 5.85 million tonnes at the end of 2015, a major increase which will position the sultanate as a global supplier, said a report. The countrys growing reputation as an exporter of gypsum - a basic raw material for cement and gypsum board manufacturing - comes against a backdrop of soaring demand from a number of Asian, African and Far Eastern nations, according to the Oman Daily Observer. The sultanate is on track to being crowned as the worlds largest exporter of gypsum by 2018 on the back of surging output that highlights the potential of the sultanates mining sector to fuel the nations long-term economic development, it stated. The export projections are ground-breaking for Omans mining sector, Ramachandran, director of Oman-based USG Boral Zawawi joint venture, a major producer and exporter of Omani gypsum, was quoted as saying in the report. These gypsum exports have the potential to drive the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) growth through non-oil exports, create employment opportunities, enhance revenue growth for the government through royalties, and as well as to ports and the future railway network, he added. The Mohammad bin Salman Foundation (MISK) Charitable Foundation and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) have signed a cooperation deal with US-based Babson College and Lockheed Martin to start the Prince Mohammad bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship in KAEC, Saudi Arabia. The deal took place under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud, Second Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence. Badr Al Asaker, secretary general of the MISK; Fahd Al Rasheed, group CEO and managing director of KAEC and vice president of the board of trustees of the college; and Dr Kerry Healey, president of Babson College, signed the deal in Washington, US, said a statement from KAEC. This college is the first outcome of the fruitful partnership between MISK and KAEC, and sits in line with Crown Prince Mohammads vision for the development of education and knowledge for the young of Saudi Arabia, it said. The college also is in line with the Kingdoms 2030 Vision, especially concerning qualitative education, which will help bolster the economy, bridge the gap between the outcomes of higher education and the requirements of the job market, support small and medium businesses as major enablers of economic growth, job creation and innovation, and unleash the creativity of the young so they can develop their own ideas and ventures, it added. Al Rasheed, on behalf of the colleges staff and partners, thanked Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman for his unwavering confidence in, and support of, the qualitative education sector, said a statement. He said: We are proud to have launched this leading educational institution which will play a key role in supporting and developing business sectors that encourage initiatives in education and other sectors that help young Saudis. The partnership between MISK and KAEC is an important contributor to the development of the business sector, thanks to its role in supporting and recruiting major institutions that help young Saudis hone their professional skills, he added. Prince Mohammad bin Salman College of Business and Entrepreneurship is the first to offer Bachelor of Arts (BA) and postgraduate degrees in entrepreneurship in the kingdom, it said. Babson College, the leading entrepreneurship college in the US, and Lockheed Martin, a leading business conglomerate, will present their vast expertise in higher education through an innovative applied education system, it stated. Dr Healey said: Our decision to work with MISK and KAEC on this great educational institution comes out of our desire to expand and offer a true model of entrepreneurship. We felt that MISKs vision and attention to education is in line with our own, and so is that of the economic city, which enjoys great vision, strategic location, a world-class infrastructure, and the ingredients of rapid growth all of which made it the ideal place for us to realise our educational vision. The outcomes of the college will play a great role in pushing the Kingdoms economy forward, he added. The college will include the kingdoms first entrepreneurial research and development centre, which will conduct administrative and strategic studies on business development, allowing students to interact with and contribute their ideas to both the public and private sectors, it said. Alan Shenouda, executive manager of Lockheed Martin Saudi Arabia, said: We are committed to supporting economic development in the kingdom through an innovative programme that guarantees sustainable revenues. We are proud to be partners in implementing this incredible initiative, he added. TradeArabia News Service Israel and Turkey on Sunday reached agreement to normalise ties, senior officials from both countries said, to end a rift over the Israeli navy's killing of 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to sail to the blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010. A formal announcement on the restoration of ties and the details of the agreement were expected on Monday at 1000 GMT by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu in Rome, and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim in Ankara. "We reached an agreement with Israel to normalise bilateral relations on Sunday in Rome," a senior Turkish official said, describing the agreement as a "diplomatic victory" for Turkey, although Israel has not accepted to lift the Gaza blockade, one of Ankara's three conditions for an agreement. The once-firm allies had been quietly mending fences in trade and tourism since their leaders held a conciliatory telephone call in 2013 and negotiations have intensified over the past six months to pave the way for a mutual return of ambassadors. Netanyahu travelled to Rome on Sunday to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry and Israeli and Turkish officials were also in the Italian capital to finalise the deal. Israel, which had already offered its apologies - one of Ankara's three conditions for a deal - for its lethal raid on the Mavi Marmara activist ship, agreed to pay out $20 million to the bereaved and injured, the Israeli official said in a briefing to Israeli reporters travelling with Netanyahu. Under the deal, Turkey will deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products to Gaza and carry out infrastructure projects including residential buildings and a hospital in the area, the senior Turkish official said. Concrete steps will be taken to address the water and power crisis in the city. A senior Israeli official said senior foreign ministry diplomats from both countries would separately sign parallel agreements on Tuesday. The deal, politically touchy for both countries, could pave the way for lucrative Mediterranean gas deals and a diplomatic reprieve from Turkish troubles with next-door Syria and Europe. The rare rapprochement in the Middle East, bitterly divided over Syria's civil war, has been largely driven by increasing security risks with the rise of Islamic State and as both countries seek new alliances amid a polarised region. Israel demanded that its military officers and government officials be indemnified against prosecution on war crimes allegations. The Israeli official said the money would be paid after Turkey's parliament passed legislation on the issue. Turkey's Islamist-rooted President Tayyip Erdogan had cast himself as guardian of Palestinian interests and engaged Hamas, the faction that controls Gaza and is on the terrorist blacklists of Israel and Western powers. A 2011 report commissioned by UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon upheld the legality of the Gaza blockade, which Israel says is needed to stem Hamas arms smuggling. The UN inquiry also faulted Israel for its marines' use of lethal force as they stormed the Mavi Marmara and brawled with activists on the deck. Separate to the agreement, the Israeli official said Erdogan would instruct relevant Turkish agencies to resolve the issue of missing Israelis in the Gaza Strip. Israel says Hamas is holding the bodies of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza War and believes two civilians are also missing.-Reuters Bahrain Duty Free Shop Complex plans to make an investment of BD6 million ($15.8 million) for a nearly three-fold expansion of its footprint at Bahrain International Airport (BIA), reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication. To read further, please visit GDNonline. Majid Al Futtaim, a leading shopping mall, retail and leisure business across the Middle East and North Africa, is encouraging visitors to donate a selection of items at its locations as part of its annual Make a Difference campaign. During Ramadan, the company has placed special donation boxes at all its destinations across Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Oman and the UAE. It is asking for donations of books, clothes and toys to help families in need. Alain Bejjani, CEO of Majid Al Futtaim Holding, said: In line with our vision to Create Great Moments for Everyone, Everyday, the Make a Difference Ramadan Campaign brings us together with local communities to support those in need during the holy month. For ten years, we have seen the campaign help capture the true spirit of Ramadan amongst communities, and motivate individuals and families to make a difference by helping those less fortunate. The campaign continues to be one of our most successful annual charity activations and we hope to increase donations once again this year, he added. Across the region, Majid Al Futtaim partners with charitable organisations such as the Islamic Association in Bahrain, Life Makers in Egypt, Bassma in Lebanon, Dar Al-Atta in Oman, and Red Crescent in the UAE, ensuring timely and appropriate distribution of all donated goods through their humanitarian network during Ramadan, said the company. Last year, the company collected more than 36 tonnes of donated items, which were distributed to families in need across the region through its humanitarian aid partners, according to a press release. TradeArabia News Service The St. Regis Abu Dhabi adds a twist to the Ramadan Buffet this year as they welcome Chef Reda Helmy, all the way from his home country Egypt, to join them at The Terrace on The Corniche. Chef Helmy will be working alongside the current management to bring his specialties to the spread. Chef Helmy has over 30 years of experience and builds on this to create some new and flavorsome additions to the Iftar menu. He specialises in Arabic cuisine and with his new menu, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi aims at providing a great dining experience for Arab guests from Abu Dhabi and beyond. Chef Helmy is currently working at the Sheraton Cairo Hotel but will be cooking fantastic Arab Cuisine at The St. Regis Abu Dhabi during the holy month of Ramadan. I see that this holy month of Ramadan will be wonderful and successful because of a combined vision to embrace tradition while using creative cooking methods. I am a part of a great team and will do my best with every dish that will be served throughout this month, said Chef Helmy. Guests can enjoy an extravagant Iftar buffet at The Terrace on The Corniche Restaurant from sunset until 9:30 pm starting from Dh175 ($47.6) per person and children under the age of 12 dine for free. In addition, Suhoor is served from 10:00pm-2:00am and guests will have a sumptuous variety to choose from their a la carte menu. The Terrace on The Corniche restaurant has the finest selection of freshly prepared food for their guests. It has live culinary stations serving signature Middle Eastern delicacies with locally inspired Modern-Arabic music in the background. - TradeArabia News Service Hospitality chain Hilton Worldwide has signed a contract with Saudi-Egyptian Construction Company (Secon) for a hotel in New Damietta, Egypt, said a report. The four-star hotel will be part of Secons tourism residential project which holds investments of EGP120 million ($13.3 million), the Daily News Egypt reported. The project will be implemented on an area of 17.7 acres, of which the hotel covers 8,800-sq-m, with a capacity of 130 rooms and suites. The company plans to inaugurate the hotel in mid-2018, and we selected Hilton to ensure the management of the project in accordance with international hotel standards, Secons CEO Darwish Hassanain said. Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) recently hosted a ghabga at the Ramadan tent in the Gulf Hotel for its partners in the private and public sectors, airlines that operate from Bahrain International Airport (BIA) and the media. The event came as a token of appreciation for the continuous support of BAC partners in ensuring efficient and secure passenger and cargo movements at Bahrain International Airport and to the media for their devoted year-round coverage of the company's events and activities. The event also reflected the companys commitment to improve partnership with the airlines operating at BIA. Mohamed Yousif Al- Binfalah, chief executive officer of BAC, received the guests including the Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, senior officials from organisations in the private and public sectors, country and airport managers of airlines operating at BIA and local and international media. This is in addition to representatives from cargo entities and other airport tenants, as well as members of the Board of Directors and the executive management at BAC. "Ramadan is the month of giving and social solidarity and it provides the perfect opportunity to socialise and meet our partners in a personal setting away from the work environment," said Al-Binfalah. "It has been our pleasure to host this ghabga which is a great opportunity for us to extend our thanks and appreciation to airlines, stakeholders and media members and we hope they found it to be an entertaining evening," he added. BAC is the authority responsible for operating and managing Bahrain International Airport as a world-class airport. As part of its operator role, BAC is responsible for elevating the airports infrastructure and services. This set to improve the kingdoms aviation capabilities; and to cater for the growing number of passengers as well as the changing demands of the airports stakeholders. - TradeArabia News Service Qatar Airways has announced that it will be showcasing two luxurious aircraft from its Qatar Executive fleet at the Farnborough International Airshow in the UK, which will take place from July 11 to 17. Qatar Airways Group chief executive Akbar Al Baker said: Qatar Airways is delighted to be participating once again in this years Farnborough International Airshow. Visitors will be able to experience the exceptional quality provided by Qatar Executive on board both the latest Gulfstream G650ER and the all-Business Class Airbus A319. As the worlds furthest range private jet, the G650ER, the first of 30 Gulfstreams on order, was welcomed into the Qatar Executive fleet in December 2015 and is one of the most sought-after business jets thanks to its phenomenal range, industry-leading cabin technology and unparalleled cabin comfort. The Qatar Executive G650ER aircraft can fly non-stop from the Middle East to North America or from destinations in Asia to Africa further, faster than any other jet of its kind and is perfectly suited for those whose travel needs include flying halfway around the globe. Featuring the largest panoramic windows of any aircraft in the world of business aviation, the industrys lowest cabin noise levels and excellent payload-carrying capability, customers will receive a premium charter experience, while they immerse themselves in the understated luxury of the aircrafts cabin interior. Qatar Executives ultra-long range G650ER has a two-cabin configuration and a capacity for up to 13 passengers. Seats convert into fully-flat beds so that seven guests can easily sleep on board. Also taking centre stage at the show, the Qatar Executive all-Business Class Airbus A319 aircraft can comfortably accommodate 40 passengers in lie-flat 180 degree Business Class seats configured in a generous 2-2 configuration. The luxurious cabin provides a truly premium environment with unique levels of comfort and privacy. Inspired by luxury automotive seating design, each of the 40 Business Class seats is tailored in sumptuous black leather with white stitching, while on board connectivity allows passengers to continue working throughout the flight without interruption. Qatar Executive is the private jet division of the Qatar Airways Group, and is the leading provider of jet aircraft charter services together with premier aircraft management, maintenance and handling services in the Middle East and around the world. Qatar Airways is one of the fastest growing airlines operating one of the youngest fleets in the world. Now in its 19th year of operations, the airline operates a modern fleet of 186 aircraft flying to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across six continents. - TradeArabia News Service You can opt out of certain types of cookies (e.g. those used in social media sharing) by choosing "I do not accept". The website will still largely function well, but with slightly less functionality in places. To manage your cookie preferences in future, visit the "Cookie Statement" link at the bottom of any page. Tribune news service Amritsar, June 27 A student of the Department of Physics of Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Nehpreet Kaur Walia, has got admission in masters degree at Imperial College, London, and University of Tokyo, Japan, along with full scholarships. Head of the department, Dr Ravi Chand Singh, said both the universities were amongst the top 10 institutions in the field of physics. He said, Nehpreet has bagged a golden opportunity to work with leading scientists of the world. She will do cutting-edge research on the magnetospheric multiscale mission of NASA to explore the fundamental process of magnetic reconnection. She will get financial support through the Imperial College India Foundation Scholarship, which is given to only two students from the country. It will cover 25,000 tuition fee and 16, 296 living expenses along with to and fro airfare, he added. Nehpreet has also been awarded the Japanese government MEXT Scholarship for pursuing her masters at the University of Tokyo. Last year also, she was the only Indian among the 23 students selected from all over the world for the fully-funded University of Tokyo research internship programme. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 27 Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday took proactive measures to the threat of a strike given by the Unions of Haryana Power Utilities on June 29 and 30. He directed the officers of the Power Department to ensure that all possible measures were taken to avoid inconvenience to the public and that disruption in supply of power did not occur. He also constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Krishan Lal Panwar, Transport Minister, with Chief Secretary and Additional Chief Secretary (Power) as members for discussions with the representatives of agitating employees. The Chief Minister also issued an appeal to the agitating employees for withdrawing the call for strike. He further stated that the government was determined to ensure that disruption in the supply of power did not occur and miscreants who might try to disrupt the power system would be dealt with sternly. Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 26 A series of attacks that follow a repeating pattern targeting of convoys of security agencies has made the busy highway connecting the Valley with rest of the country a death trap for security personnel. The attacks on the Highway 1A that moves through Kashmir valley have sent shock waves through the security apparatus as despite counter-measures and a rigid deployment to protect the highway, the militants have proven their ability to strike hard and at will. In the latest attack along the highway, a two-member militant squad ambushed a convoy of the CRPF on Saturday and pinned at least one vehicle with heavy fire. Eight paramilitary personnel were killed in the ambush, 20 were injured, and the two militants were killed in a retaliatory fire. The ambush, carried out near Pampore town outside Srinagar city, is the deadliest militant attack in recent years. The last time militants had managed to kill this many number of security personnel in a single strike was in June 2013 when an Army convoy was ambushed along the highway in the city here. A police officer, who is part of the team probing the Pampore ambush, said the two militants are believed to be fidayeen, a specialised unit of militants trained to carry out sophisticated and brazen attacks in which chances of survival are bleak. The official said the attack had signature of Lashkar-e-Toiba. Abu Dujana, who replaced Abu Qasim as the militant outfits in charge in south Kashmir districts, is believed to have either masterminded or been part in the planning of the attack. The security agencies, the official said, had a prior intelligence about an attack coinciding with the counting of votes in Anantnag bypoll. There was a general input about possible fidayeen attack coinciding with the outcome of election. It was specific to the extent that we were expecting an attack along the highway anywhere between Jawahar Tunnel and Srinagar bypass, the officer said. The 100-km stretch of highway between Jawahar tunnel, on the most southern tip of the Kashmir valley, and Srinagar bypass, which criss-crosses through three volatile south Kashmir districts has become a haunt for militants to lay deadly ambushes in recent years. Getting onto and getting out of highway is very easy compared to other roads. And national highway is the primary line of communication in Kashmir, so at any given moment there is always some dignitary or some security forces vehicle on the move. That is why the highway, said IG of CRPF Nalin Prabhat. Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 27 The National Conference (NC) led by its working president Omar Abdullah staged a walkout from the Assembly here today over the alleged discrimination against Kashmir in sanctioning of an IIT and IIM. Senior NC leader Ali Mohammad Sagar criticised the PDP-BJP government for adopting a discriminatory approach towards Kashmir, particularly in the case of sanctioning an IIM last year, while referring to the earlier case of central universities in both Kashmir and Jammu regions. The governments replies on these issues are unfortunately casual, he said. He claimed that there was no seriousness on various issues, describing it as unfortunate. He said this while raising a supplementary question during the Question Hour after the government gave a written reply to the question of Independent MLA Engineer Rashid. The Langate MLA questioned the governments approach over the issue and went to the well of the House. He later walked out of the House as noisy scenes were witnessed over the issue. In its written reply, Education Minister Naeem Akhter said the Government of India had announced setting up of IITs in Jammu, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala and an IIM in Jammu and Kashmir. He stated that there was a mention of establishing an IIM in Jammu in the Prime Ministers Reconstruction Plan with the possibility of camps in the Kashmir valley. The minister stated that the state government would take up the matter with the Centre while it would take up the issue of establishing an IIT in the Kashmir valley at an appropriate time. Protest over Auqaf land The National Conference (NC) twice walked out from the Legislative Council over non-tabling of the probe report into the Handwara incident and encroachment of Auqaf land in Jammu. The NC members staged the first walkout from the Council when their demand for a constitution of a House committee to probe encroachment of Auqaf land was not accepted. During the Question Hour, NC lawmaker Bashir Veeri raised the issue of Auqaf land encroachment in Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar. He wanted constitution of a House committee to probe the whole matter. Other NC lawmakers supported his demand. While intervening, Minister for Public Works and Parliamentary Affairs Abdul Rehman Veeri said that there was no need for forming a committee. I assure the land would be retrieved, said Veeri. Hitting out at the NC, he said that what they couldnt do in 40 years, they should not expect the minister to do it now. However, the Opposition members were dissatisfied with the assurance of the minister and they staged a walkout from House. They returned after some time. After the Question Hour ended, NC lawmaker, Qaiser Jamsheed Lone raised the issue of Handwara killings, saying the government had not tabled the report about the incident. He said the government had assured the House that the probe report would be tabled, but it had not done it yet. As there was no reply from the government, the NC lawmakers again staged a walkout from the House. Probe Pampore attack: BJP The BJP sought an inquiry into the militants attack on a CRPF bus in which eight jawans were killed and 22 injured at Pampore near here on Saturday. State BJP president and MLA Sat Paul Sharma raised the issue and demanded that the House pay tributes to the jawans killed in the attack. The issue was also raised by Ravinder Raina and other members. Srinagar, June 27 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLAs staged a protest in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday in the wake of the killing of eight CRPF troopers in an ambush in Pampore on Saturday. The BJP MLAs raised anti-Pakistan slogans while demanding strict action against the neighbouring country. BJP leader, Ravinder Raina, said for the first time anti-Pakistan slogans have been raised in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly. This is very unfortunate. Pakistani militants are continuously attacking our jawans. Our jawans are getting sacrificed. Air strikes on terrorist camps in PoK should be made so that this does not happen again. The nation will not accept further sacrifices. The assembly has condemned the attacks on jawans, he said. He also added that the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force should be allowed to enter the areas where militants are hiding. Eight CRPF personnel were martyred and 24 injured in the major ambush by two terrorists on Saturday, who were neutralised in the encounter in Pampore. Security personnel recovered arms and ammunition, including two AK-47 rifles, 11 hand grenades from the killed terrorists. Saturdays attack was the fourth one on the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir this month. At least 17 security personnel were killed and several others injured in the last three major strikes along the Jammu-Srinagar Highway during the period. Officials say infiltration has dramatically gone up compared to the previous year with more than 50 terrorists crossing the border in the last five months. Last year, there was zero infiltration in the first four months. ANI Tribune News Service Ludhiana, June 26 The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab Youth wing conducted its first meeting after the announcement of new office-bearers, at Circuit House here today. The meeting was presided over by the youth wing state president, Harjot Singh Bains. Bains congratulated the new office-bearers and assigned them the duties for achieving mission 2017. Bains told the office-bearers to put in all their energies to make the upcoming event of July 3 at Amritsar a success. During this event, Delhi Chief Minister and National Convener Arvind Kejriwal will launch the youth manifesto for elections. Amandeep Singh Mohie, state vice-president, also addressed the meeting and give assurance to Bains for maximum mobilisation of volunteers and general public on July 3. The meeting was also addressed by the state joint secretaries. All Block presidents were present in this meeting and they shared their views and assured full support to Zone president Balbir Choudhary. Beijing, June 27 Days after India blamed one country for blocking its entry into NSG, China on Monday said many countries had expressed their views on the accession of non-NPT countries into the nuclear trading club as it harped on the need for forging consensus over the issue. As we have learnt, the plenary meeting issued a news release that the meeting held discussions on technical, legal and political issues regarding the accession of non-NPT members and agreed to continue with such discussions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei told a media briefing. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Asked about India blaming one country of blocking the entry of new members into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) by raising procedural objections, Hong said that at the plenary meeting in Seoul many countries had expressed their views on the accession of non-NPT countries into the group. We believe that they should forge a consensus and then make a decision based on consultations and thorough discussions regarding the entry of the specific country, he said, without directly referring to India. Responding to reports about the appointment of Argentine Ambassador Rafael Grossi as the facilitator for informal consultations on Indias admission into NSG, Hong said, We have never heard of any follow-up steps. Hong also did not respond to a question on reports that NSG is expected to meet again later this year after Mexicos initiative to discuss the entry of non-NPT members into the grouping. This is what we know about this plenary meeting. I also want to point out that for quite a long time, including in plenary in Seoul, China has been prompting the NSG to have thorough discussions on accession of non-NPT countries, Hong said. India and Pakistan, who applied for membership of the 48-member NSG, have not signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which China insists is a must for joining the grouping. China was unrelenting in thwarting Indias NSG bid last week despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Tashkent on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit to support Indias case on its merits. An upset India later accused one country, a clear reference to China, of persistently creating procedural hurdles during the discussions on its application. PTI New Delhi, June 27 India on Monday joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member and said its entry would be mutually beneficial to enhance global non-proliferation norms. Marking Indias first entry into any multilateral export control regime, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to MTCR in the presence of Frances Ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, The Netherlands Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourgs Charge dAffaires Laure Huberty. India has joined the MTCR this morning...Indias entry into the regime as its 35th member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives, the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) India would like to thank each of the 34 MTCR partners for their support for Indias membership. We would also like to thank Ambassador Pieter de Klerk of the Netherlands and Robert Steinmetz of Luxembourg, co-Chairs of the MTCR, the statement said. The MTCR Point of Contact in Paris has conveyed the decision regarding Indias accession to the regime through the French Embassy in New Delhi as well as the Embassies of the Netherlands and Luxembourg, it said. Indias entry into MTCR comes days after it failed to get NSG membership due to stiff opposition from China and a few other countries. China, which stonewalled Indias entry into the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the just- concluded Seoul plenary, is not a member of MTCR. Since its civil nuclear deal with the US, India has been trying to get into export control regimes like NSG, MTCR, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement that regulate the conventional, nuclear, biological and chemicals weapons and technologies. The MTCR membership will now enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia. The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kilogramme payload for at least 300 kilometres, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction. PTI Beijing, June 27 China has said that the vexed border dispute with India and some emerging new issues pose a major challenge to the development of bilateral ties. As the neighbouring countries, China and India have historical issues such as the border dispute and also some emerging new issues with the development of the relations between the two countries. How to deal with these issues is a major challenge for the relationship between the two countries, Chinese Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Li Huilai said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) The two sides have agreed to strengthen communication and dialogue, and to seek a fair, reasonable and mutually acceptable solution through friendly consultations, and to manage and control these issues so that the overall development of the relationship between the two countries is not affected, he told PTI. The minister, however, did not specify what are the emerging new issues faced by the two countries. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was on a five-day visit to China last week, had said on Friday that the differences between India and China on the boundary issue and other matters might have some marginal effect on bilateral trade but businesses between the two sides had been expanding. The two countries held talks in April this year to resolve the vexed border dispute. While China claims the border dispute is confined to 2,000 kilometres, mainly Arunachal Pradesh in eastern sector, which it claims as part of southern Tibet, India asserts the dispute covered the whole of the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including the Aksai Chin occupied by China during the 1962 war. The Chinese Assistant Minister also said that the main task that lay ahead for both China and India was to implement the consensus between leaders of both countries and strengthen the good momentum of the development in their ties. Over the past years, China and India have kept their relationship developing in a sound and steady manner. The leaders of the two countries have successfully exchanged visits and met repeatedly, reaching an important consensus on deepening the strategic partnership between China and India and building a closer partnership for development, said Li. Asked why Beijing blocked Indias bid to get Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar banned by the UN, he said, China supports the fight against terrorism in all forms and advocates strengthening international counter-terrorism cooperation. We support the UN in playing a central coordinating role in the international counter-terrorism campaign. The Chinese side always follows facts and fairly handles the listing matter of the 1267 Committee in accordance with the Security Council resolutions and rules of procedure. China is in sound communication with all parties, including India, on this matter. We also encourage direct communication of the parties concerned and enhancing mutual understanding, and work to resolve differences through dialogue and consultation, Li said. Replying to a question on Chinas opposition to Indias entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), when most of its members, including the US, are in its favour, he said, NSG members remain divided on the NSG membership of non-NPT countries. Therefore, we call for further and thorough discussions within the group in order to make decisions based on consultation. Chinas position applies to all non-NPT countries and targets no one in particular. The fact is that many countries within the group also share Chinas stance, he said. PTI Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 27 Ending a 32-year wait for an indigenous fighter jet, the first squadron of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Tejas, is scheduled to be inducted into the Air Force on July 1. This will be the first version of the jets. Two successive improved versions, having better radars, missiles and greater war-fighting abilities, are slated to be inducted by 2019. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in its report in May 2015 said Rs 10,397.11 crore had been spent on the development of the plane that was originally scheduled to be inducted around 15 years ago. The final operation clearance (FOC) of the jet is expected by December this year. The plane, powered by US engines GE 404, will carry air-to-air missiles, precision guided ammunition, but will not carry a beyond visual range (BVR) missile for at least one year. A BVR missile (a key weapon on modern-day fighter jets) and the mid-air refuelling facility are still being tested and will be incorporated later, IAF sources said today. Having a BVR was one of the requirements for the FOC, but it would be added soon after tests were over. The first squadron will be raised at Bangalore with two planes, six more will be added by December this year while another six will come by the end of 2017. IAF officials explained the raising of the squadron with only two planes saying we have to start with some number. Technically, only a squadron can own planes and no squadron can be raised with a full complement (of around 18 planes) or else we will have to wait till all 18 planes are produced. It will be squadron number 45 called the flying daggers which earlier flew the MiG-21 jets. For the next 18 months, it will be based at Bangalore to sort out initial issues with plane-maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) following which it will be stationed at Sulur, near Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu. Very soon a small unit of Tejas will be based in an operational area to test its abilities, IAF officials said, adding that the plane had undertaken 3,000 sorties without an accident. It is a very capable flying machine and any comparison with contemporary jets can be made only after the IAF flies it over the next few months. The first batch of 20 Tejas jets will be produced by 2018. It will be followed by 20 jets of an improved version. The second improvement will have 80 jets with production to start in 2019. This will be equipped with better radars (AESA), greater ranger of BVR missiles and advanced short-range missiles. Off the 43 improvements suggested to HAL, all those related to flight safety have already been sorted out, an IAF official said. Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 27 India today formally joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as the 35th member of the international grouping. This may come as a relief to the Modi government, reeling under the rejection of its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the Seoul conclave. In 2015, Indias membership to the MTCR was blocked by Italy, which was upset with India over the detention of its two marines. The path was cleared when the second marine, Salvatore Girone, was allowed to return to Italy in May this year. During a brief ceremony this morning, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to the MTCR in the presence of Frances Ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, the Netherlands Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourgs Charge dAffaires Laure Huberty. India had recently joined The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCoC) which brought it closer to the MTRC membership. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Since 2008, when India signed the historic Indo-US civil nuclear deal, it has been trying to get a berth in international groupings such as the NSG, MTCR and Wassenaar Arrangement. The MTCR membership is especially sweet to India since China is not yet a member of this group. India, pointing an accusing finger at China, has said that one country raised procedural issues and blocked Indias membership of the NSG. The MTCR membership is expected to give a boost to the NDA governments Make in India project. It will enable India to buy high-end missile technology. France welcomed India into the MTCR, saying, France welcomes Indias commitment to combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. As of June 27, India is participating in the Missile Technology Control Regime. It went on to state that Indias adherence would contribute to better regulating the proliferation of equipment that could be used in missiles or drones capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. France has been very supportive of Indias bid to join the NSG. [Photo provided to China Daily] Thomas Oberender, artistic director of the Berliner Festspiele, an arts center that brings together a variety of arts and culture events under one roof each year in the German capital, made his first trip to China in 2014, and he says the visit was beyond his expectations. He went to Wuzhen, a small town in Zhejiang province, which is about a two-hour drive from Shanghai, to attend the Wuzhen Theater Festival, a 10-day event showcasing international theater works and original Chinese dramas from young talents. Impressed by the old houses and warehouses, which were renovated and turned into performance venues, Oberender was also surprised to see how Chinese audiences embraced the theater works and how passionate the young Chinese theater talents were. Six months later, Oberender was invited by Wu Promotion, a private Chinese event promotion agency for the performing arts, to bring the Berliner Theatertreffen, one of the festivals under Berliner Festspiele, to China. Oberender was excited and agreed. In 2015, Wu Promotion reached a five-year partnership agreement with Berliner Theatertreffen to bring productions from the famous theater festival to China from 2016 to 2020. From June 20 to July 9 this year, three selected Theatertreffen productions are being staged for the first time in Beijing and Shanghai. The productions are Deutsches Theater Berlin's version of Waiting for Godot, Maxim Gorki Theater Berlin's Common Ground and Deutsches Schauspielhaus Hamburg's John Gabriel Borkman. "Personally, I am very interested in Chinese culture, especially after I visited Wuzhen and learned how alive the Chinese theater scene is," Oberender said during his recent visit to Beijing. "We take this opportunity not just to stage theater works from Germany but also to communicate with Chinese audiences and Chinese theater talent." According to Oberender, who has been working at Berliner Festspiele since 2012, the three works being staged in China deal with problems such as the economic crisis, the migrant crisis and the refugee crisis. "With globalization and urbanization, these issues exist not just in Europe but worldwide. Like many places in the world, Berlin as a diverse European metropolis is experiencing a social transition. We have many diverse cultures joining in, which inevitably causes severe social and cultural conflicts in our societies," he says. Islamabad, June 27 The Pakistan government has said that it will decide whether or not to allow Indian investigators to visit the country in connection with their probe into a deadly terror attack on an Indian airbase, after Eid-ul-Fitr. On January 2, a heavily armed group attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) New Delhi has blamed Pakistan-based jihadi group Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) for orchestrating the brutal assault. A high-level meeting to be attended by top civil and military officials will be convened by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after he returns from London to discuss Indias request for a visit by its investigators and issues related to bilateral dialogue between the neighbours, reports the Express Tribune. The Express Tribune has quoted a senior official, who is part of the governments core team dealing with India, that the meeting would decide whether to allow a team from Indias National Investigation Agency (NIA) to travel to Pakistan for carrying forward the probe into the Pathankot attack. A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan had visited India between March 27 and 31 to collect evidence with regard to the attack. The team comprising officials from police and intelligence agencies had met officials from NIA in New Delhi and had also been given access to the Pathankot airbase where the attack took place. Islamabad, however, contended that its investigators were given limited access as they were not allowed to meet eyewitnesses. New Delhi in return requested Pakistan to allow its investigators to visit the country to question alleged masterminds of the attack, including JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar and his brother. So far, Pakistan has not officially responded to the Indian request. One of the reasons behind the governments reluctance has been reported that it thinks India may use the visit to ridicule Pakistan. We will take the final decision after Eid, the Express Tribune quoted an official as saying. The official on being asked about the prospects of resumption of the bilateral dialogue said India appeared to be hiding behind the Pathankot incident. The Pathankot attack led to the cancellation of crucial foreign secretary-level talks, which were to take place in mid-January. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj last week at a news conference in New Delhi said that foreign secretary-level talks were not cancelled but New Delhi is only awaiting probe from the Pakistan side on the Pathankot attack. Though the prospects of resumption of talks at present are grim, officials hope both nations will eventually return to the negotiating table before the next Saarc summit scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan in November this year. ANI Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 26 Prime Minister Narendra Modi today warned people with undisclosed incomes to come clean by paying taxes and penalties by September 30 or they would be liable to face action. In his radio address Mann ki Baat this morning, the PM issued a clear direction that September 30 was the last date of the scheme announced by the income tax department. I have already told BJP MPs (who are possibly expected to spread the word) that any citizen who does not want to come under the ambit of tax laws will not be helped in any manner after September 30, he said. Modi questioned the contradictions of the countrys wealth and its tax payers. How is it possible that out of a population of 125 crore only 1.5 lakh have an income of more than Rs50 lakh? We see people with houses worth Rs1-2 crore but their declared income will be lesser. This needs to be changed before September 30, he said, adding: Treat this as the last chance. If a declaration is made before the deadline, the government would not enquire about the source of funds, Modi said. The declaration can be filed online or in print form to the jurisdictional Commissioner of Income Tax. The scheme promises immunity by exempting declared assets from Wealth Tax, scrutiny/enquiry and prosecution under Income Tax Act/Wealth Tax Act, and immunity from the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988. Modi went on to dwell on the Emergency imposed in the country on June 25, 1975, terming it a dark night for democracy when leaders and common people were put behind bars. He said: Our democracy is our biggest strength and peoples participation will take the country forward. This comes just a day after Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal accused Modi of imposing an Emergency in Delhi. The BJP has been targeting the Congress on Emergency. Today, 49 union ministers are campaigning to remind against Emergency across the nation. Jitendra K Shrivastava Tribune News Service Ranchi, June 27 The Eastern Zonal Council meeting is likely to be held in Ranchi, the state capital of Jharkhand, on Monday. The meet is expected to be attended by chief ministers of Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will chair the meeting. During the meeting acrimonious exchanges between Bihar and Jharkhand are expected to take place. After the blanket ban on liquor in Bihar, both states are not on good terms. From Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav have already arrived in Ranchi to attend the meeting. Bihar might raise the contentious issue of pension liabilities before Jharkhand, while the latter might press for the handover of revenue maps. Reacting to the merit muddle of Bihar, Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das had slammed his Bihar counterpart and appealed Bihar parents to send their wards to Jharkhand for studies. Rajmeet Singh Tribune News Service Fatehgarh Sahib, June 26 Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today said the BJP-led NDA government would deliver justice to the victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. He said a special investigating team (SIT) had recommended that 22 cases pertaining to the riots be reopened. He was here to attend a function on the 300th martyrdom anniversary of legendary Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur. On AAP convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Keriwal's allegation that the SIT was a mere eyewash, he said, I want to assure you that we have initiated effective measures. Whenever I come to Punjab, I get the feeling that the issue is still simmering." He said the Sikh community should place its trust in the Modi government for justice. Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal heaped praise on Rajnath for enhancing compensation for the riot-hit. Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 27 Newly appointed Congress incharge for Punjab Asha Kumari on Monday said she is here to stay and that all land-grab charges against her were baseless and the rivals were making the most of a non-issue. This is a non-issue. Im here to stay. We will see the Congress win Punjab. Im not going to oblige the opponents but Im glad they are displaying fear of me, Asha Kumari told The Tribune after meeting Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the morning. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Kumari was sentenced to one-year imprisonment by a Chamba court this February in an alleged land-grab case. The five-time Himachal MLA trashed the land-grab charges as fashionable and said the Himachal Pradesh High Court had suspended the sentence of the lower court. Read more: HP MLA Asha Kumari Punjab Cong incharge The High Court has admitted our appeal accepting that many points in the case are arguable. So where is the case? In any case the matter pertains to the inheritance of my father-in-laws properties and transactions happened in 1975 when I was not even married. I married only in 1979. My father-in-laws properties went to my husband and then to me and my daughter after his death. Revenue authorities have ruled all property papers to be true and proper. Its absurd to say Ive grabbed my father-in-laws properties. If inheriting in-laws property is land grab, all of India is grabbing land, Asha Kumari said, adding that Sonia Gandhi didnt discuss this matter and they focused only on Punjab. Asha, currently AICC secretary, Haryana, asked why rivals didnt raise the case when she was handling Jharkhand as AICC secretary and other organisational roles. Asked if she would be on the defensive on the issue in poll-bound Punjab, Asha said, Not at all, Im clear. The BJP government in Himachal had flagged this criminal case against me 11 years ago. I then resigned as state minister on my own. After that Ive repeatedly won elections from Dalhousie. Im not facing any corruption case. This is just a case of lower courts adverse order suspended by the HC. As of today Im not a convict, Asha Kumari said the BJP and AAP were not to decide who would handle what organisational role. Meanwhile, PCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh today defended Kumaris appointment as Congress Punjab incharge. I was taken into confidence by Congress president Sonia Gandhi a week ago before her appointment. She is hard working and an able politician and we will work as a team, the former Chief Minister said, adding that the role of the new appointee would be to assist the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president. Capt Amarinder also lashed out at Opposition parties for criticising Kumaris appointment, saying they should better introspect and look within before pointing fingers at the Congress Party. It is a classic case of the pot calling the kettle black", he remarked, while lambasting Akalis, BJP and Aam Aadmi Party leaders for their "double standards". Neeraj Bagga Tribune News Service Attari (Amritsar), June 27 Hundreds of trucks drivers and cleaners are in lurch for the past six days, following strike by porters engaged for loading and unloading of cargo at the Integrated Check Post (ICP). Awaiting resumption of trade, they are living under the open sky and unhygienic conditions at this border village. Truck driver Sahib Ali of Gujarat said his seven-member team of truck drivers and cleaners brought four trucks of carbon dioxide from Baroda, after travelling for four days. Another truck driver from Himachal Pradesh, Tilak Raj, said about 30 trucks, loaded with cement bags, from a Bilaspur-based transport company were stranded at the ICP. He claimed that each of them was shelling out at least Rs 300 daily on meals and other expenses. He added that a water bottle costs them Rs 20. Another truck driver from Sirhind said his group of eight drivers and cleaners came here to load gypsum arriving from Pakistan. He said they were to deliver this consignment in four trucks at Bhairwa town in Nepal. He added that the journey required four days to complete while they have been waiting here for the past five days. He rued that the cost of diesel increased by nearly Rs 5 per liter in the past four weeks. Now, it would cost over Rs 6,000 per truck for return journey. The bilateral trade between India-Pakistan through the Attari-Wagah route came to a halt with as porters went on strike on June 22. Porters have been demanding adequate labour charges and fixed working hours. On the other hand, the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) and traders refused to oblige the porters, claiming that loading and unloading charges were already high. Traders maintained that Rs 22-crore business did not take place in the past six days. A leader of the striking porters, Buta Singh, said all porters daily visit the ICP to express their protest. He claimed that porters were losing their daily earning due to the protest. He said no offer for talks had come from any side so far. A visit to the ICP revealed that tea stalls and dhabas outside the ICP were doing brisk business due to the strike. Tribune News Service Fatehgarh Sahib, June 26 Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today drew a parallel between Baba Banda Singh Bahadurs crusade against tyranny and the sacrifices made by the security forces in their battle against cross-border terrorism. Rajnath, who was here to take part in a function to mark the 300th anniversary of the Sikh warriors martyrdom, said the country needed brave youths to face various challenges. He said history bore testimony to the fact that the Khalsa Panth was like a security shield for the nation. Rajnath called upon historians to highlight the life and times of Banda Bahadur. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said Banda Bahadurs sacrifice had laid the foundation of the Indian freedom movement. He said Punjab had not only preserved the legacy of the Sikh Panth but also of other religions and communities, referring to the existing or upcoming memorials such as the Virasat-e-Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib, Jang-e-Azadi monument at Kartarpur (Jalandhar), Bhagwan Valmiki Tirath Sathal at Amritsar and Guru Ravidass Memorial at Khuralgarh (Hoshiarpur). Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the state government was planning to launch a bus scheme to enable village youths to visit various monuments. Moscow, June 27 Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has apologised to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over Ankaras downing of a Russian military jet last year that shattered ties, the Kremlin said today. The head of the Turkish state in his message expressed his sympathy and deepest condolences to the family of the dead Russian pilot and said sorry, Kremlin spokesman said. He added that Erdogan said he wanted to do everything possible for the restoration of the traditionally friendly relations between Turkey and Russia. Turkeys downing in November of the warplane on its border with Syria sparked an unprecedented crisis in their relations. AFP Singapore, June 27 Over 240 people on board a Singapore Airlines flight on Monday had a narrow escape as their jet caught fire while making an emergency landing at Changi Airport here after it turned back en route to Milan following an engine oil warning message but they were safely evacuated. The Singapore Airlines (SIA) Flight SQ368 departed from Changi Airport for Milan at 2.05 am on Monday but about two hours into the flight, the pilot announced that there was a problem in the engine and the flight had to turn back to Singapore. The SIA said in a statement that an engine oil warning message forced the flight to turn back. The aircrafts right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi Airport at around 6.50 am, the statement said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) The fire was put out by airport emergency services and there were no injuries to the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board. Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus, it said. Changi Airport also issued a statement saying the fire was extinguished within minutes by the Airport Emergency Service team, which was already on standby. According to Mamta Jain, whose husband was on board the flight, the planes engine exploded and the right wing was burning while it was landing. The pilot announced during the flight there was a problem with one of the engines that they would turn back. When they landed he said the engine was on fire, he could see flames. They were all inside the plane and they could see the right wing burning, Jain was quoted as saying by Channel News Asia. The plane landed in Singapore at about 7am and the fire was extinguished. One passenger posted a harrowing account and a video of the engine fire on Facebook. The video clip, apparently shot from a window seat, showed huge flames and smoke engulfing the right engine. I just escaped death! Facebook user Lee Bee Yee said in a post that accompanied the video clip. Lee, who was onboard the flight with her husband, said there was a strong smell of fuel on the plane. The pilot said he was going to turn back because the engine is leaking oil on the right side. The captain said that they could not turn on that side of the engine or else the plane would be vibrating. And they could not fly like this to Milan...Thats why they turned back, she said. We were sleeping and didnt think too much about it, she said. It was an agonising five-minute wait for the firefighters to arrive after we landed and the fire erupted, Lee said. After they arrived, firefighters sprayed foam and water on the plane and the fire was put out in about five to 10 minutes, she said. PTI Beirut, June 27 Four suicide bombers killed at least five persons and wounded 19 more in a series of attacks in a Lebanese Christian village at the border with Syria on Monday, security sources said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack at 4 am in the village of Qaa. Security sources said they believed Islamic State was responsible. The mayor of Qaa, Bashir Matar, told Voice of Lebanon radio that all those killed were civilians. The Lebanese army said four soldiers were among the wounded. They were part of a patrol that had headed to the location of the first blast. The first of the bombers had blown himself up outside a house, followed by the others in an adjoining street. The army had imposed a security cordon in the area and was searching the village and nearby areas for suspects. Lebanon has been repeatedly jolted by militant attacks linked to the five-year-long war in neighbouring Syria, where the powerful Shi'ite group Hezbollah is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad. Security sources had earlier put the death toll at six. Reuters Rome, June 27 Pope Francis has said Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should apologise to gay people and seek their forgiveness for the way they have been treated. Speaking to reporters yesterday as he flew back to Rome from Armenia, the Pope was asked if he agreed with comments of German Cardinal Reinhard Marx that the Church needed to say sorry for the way it had treated the gay community. We Christians have to apologise for so many things, not just for this (treatment of gay people), but we must ask for forgiveness. Not just apologise forgiveness, he said. The question is: if a person who has that condition, who has goodwill, and who looks for God, who are we to judge? the Pope added, repeating his famous Who am I to judge? remark about homosexuality made early in his papacy. That comment was one of the first indications that the Vatican under Pope Francis leadership would take a more conciliatory approach to the gay community, but also prompted criticism from the Churchs more conservative members. Francis expanded his apology to also include other people who have faced discrimination. I think that the Church not only should apologise...to a gay person whom it offended but it must also apologise to the poor, to the women who have been exploited, to children who have been forced to work. The comments come just two weeks after the Orlando massacre at a gay nightclub in which 49 people were killed. At the time the Holy See condemned the attack as a homicidal folly and senseless hatred. AFP The container vessel COSCO Shipping Panama made the inaugural transit of the expanded Panama Canal on Sunday, June 26, after a 14-day journey. It has a container carrying capacity of 9,472 TEUs. Photo: Panama Canal After many delays, the larger locks of the Panama Canal opened this weekend, allowing larger ships carrying intermodal shipping containers coming from Asia to access East Coast and Southeast ports. While there has been much speculation that this could shift cargo traffic away from the busy West Coast ports, how exactly things will play out is yet to be seen. The new locks can handle container ships that carry up to about 13,000 twenty-foot-equvalent units, or TEUs, depending on the design nearly three times the 4,500-to-5,000-TEU capacity of Panamax vessels previously using the canal. That means more cargo containers from Asia filled with consumer goods will be able to take a direct, all-water route to East Coast and southern ports. Some believe this will push growth of more regional trucking on both coasts, rather than the long-haul trucking of containers, or goods that have been trucked to distribution centers and offloaded into trailers. The canals online booking system already shows 155 slots booked for the larger post-Panamax ships through the year, about 60% heading to the Atlantic, according to a report released by CBRE, a commercial real estate services company. On the East and Gulf Coasts, ports have been making huge investments in dredging and other improvements so they can handle the larger ships. However, even before the availability of the larger canal, these ports already have been pulling some traffic away from the West Coast, reports the Journal of Commerce, as contract disputes and labor uncertainty have made the congested West Coast ports less attractive to shippers. During the nine months ending in March 2016, their market share inched up to nearly 34%, up from 29% two years earlier, according to PIERS, a sister product of JOC.com within IHS. Currently, about 63% of container ships docking at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the post-Panamax vessels that can carry up to 14,000 TEUs, reports the LA Press Telegram. However, many analysts are predicting a milder impact for the West Coast than previously was thought would happen. For one thing, there have been delays in some of those East Coast/Gulf Coast port improvements. Gerry Wang, chief executive of Seaspan Corp., which charters large container ships to shipping lines, told the Wall Street Journal earlier this year that cargo shipping carriers are wary about the ability of the ports to handle the vessels. In addition, weve seen the introduction of megaships that wont fit through even the larger Panama Canal. Last December, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, the largest container ship ever to call at a North American port with a capacity of 18,000 TEUs, docked at the Port of Los Angeles. And actually, there's already been a shift over the past several years. CBRE notes that the major East and Gulf Coast ports accounted for nearly all of North Americas cargo volume growth last year. The West Coasts market share dropped to 52% of all TEU volume last year, down from 54% in 2014 and 57% in 2010. This shifting preference means that the opening of the widened Panama Canal likely wont have as large an impact on cargo destinations as previously thought," says a CBRE announcement of the report. "Much of the cargo that could be transferred from West to East Coast delivery has already shifted. In order to fully take advantage of the cost and time savings of sending cargo via larger ships through the canal directly to the East Coast, businesses will have to reinvent their supply chain networks, not something that gets undertaken quickly. However, longer-term factors could make the East Coast more compelling with or without the larger canal. Still, other long term factors will slowly make the East Coast more compelling, David Egan, head of industrial research in the Americas for CBRE, told the WSJ. East Coast ports will eventually catch up in terms of infrastructure, as costs in China rise, low-cost manufacturing may move to places such as India and Africa, where going through the Pacific may not make sense anyway. Within 10 days. That was the answer last month when Richard Fulton wanted to know how long it would take to get started on the work. But you cant blame him for doubting it. The problem first appeared more than 10 years ago January 2006 when a routine inspection of gas lines in the neighborhood discovered a mysterious yard gas seeping out of the ground around Fultons house near 81st Street and Harvard Avenue. He couldnt see it or smell it, but officials assured him it was there and it posed a mortal danger. A spark or pilot light from a gas appliance inside the house might ignite the gas outside, and the explosion would take out his home and probably the one next door. So they disconnected his gas line, just to be safe. Without heat or hot water, Fulton lost track of how many letters he wrote, how many phone calls he made and how many people promised him that they were doing everything possible to help. He talked to local officials. To company officials. To state officials. To the press. To anybody who would listen. They keep telling me any day now, any day now. Theyre working on it, Fulton complained at the time. The problem is any day now is never today. Nobody even knew what was causing the yard gas. After tests ruled out the possibility of a leaky Oklahoma Natural Gas line, the state Geological Survey suggested that his house might have been built on top of an old landfill where rotting debris could have been releasing methane that was slowly leaking to the surface. But that was only a theory, and frankly, Fulton didnt care where it was coming from. He just wanted his heat turned back on. It was the worst year of my life, he said. And Im sure it was the start of the decline for my wife, who died in 2010. The state Legislature eventually stepped in with a bill that authorized the Corporation Commission to spend up to $20,000 to install a ventilation system in Fultons yard, preventing a build-up of the dangerous gas. And after 293 days without service, Fulton could finally set his thermostat again. For a while. Unfortunately, the problem came back in 2014, when officials determined that his yards ventilation system would need a $2,000 blower to really solve the problem once and for all. But Fulton couldnt afford it, and the Corporation Commission wasnt authorized to spend it. So Fulton and his adult daughter set out to conquer the bureaucracy once again writing letters, making phones calls, pleading with politicians. The yard gas would come and go. Fulton would have his service restored, then disconnected again. And the cycle went on and on. Its nobodys fault, Fulton told me once. Its just the way things are. But he was tired of it. I dont have any idea what to do, Fulton told me the last time I talked to him. And I dont have the energy that I used to have to deal with it. His gas service was cut off again in March, but the Legislature agreed to let the Corporation Commission use money from an oil-well plugging program to pay for additional work on Fultons yard. By the middle of May, plans had been drawn up and orders approved and he was told the work would be done before June 1. Then he was told it might take until the end of June. And then he was told it was scheduled to start in July, probably. Fulton died last week at the age of 87. Dear Amy: At a play group recently with my toddler son, another mother with whom I am acquainted (but not close to) mentioned in the course of conversation that she washed her 5-year-olds mouth out with soap to curb his lying. She obviously thought it was no big deal. I was so shocked I didnt know how to respond. While I agree its necessary to teach young children how to be truthful, I neither believe a 5-year-old is old enough to grasp fully the consequences of dishonesty, nor do I think the lies could be of such an extreme nature to warrant a severe punishment. I believe that washing a childs mouth out with soap is tantamount to child abuse. What can I do in the future to share my perspective with a parent who divulges such behavior? I realize its not my child and the parents actions do not affect me or my child directly, but its challenging to not take action when a child is treated in such a way. Wondering parent Dear Parent: First of all, washing a mouth out with soap to curb a 5-year-olds lying? This particular punishment has traditionally been used to try to curb a young childs potty mouth. The effort to wash bad words from a childs mouth at least makes sense symbolically, using (childish) logic that children can perhaps understand on some level. Forcing anything certainly anything toxic, such as soap into the mouth of a child is abuse. Would the mother think it was no big deal if someone else (say, a teacher) did this to her child? Children do survive this awful brand of parenting, and sometimes they go on to laugh about it with their parents later. Sometimes, not especially if the terrible judgment leads to other abusive punishments. My own mother, who was a caring and compassionate parent, admitted to using this soap technique one time. But she said more than once during my childhood that she felt terrible and foolish doing it, and that it had been a mistake, and that she would never do it again. Having a parent admit to such a mistake when I was a child was a powerful lesson. Parents make dumb mistakes, just as children do. All children lie. Parents should make sure the child knows not only that lying is wrong, but that the truth will set them free. Young children frequently lie about mistakes they have made. A parent needs to convey, It is OK for you to tell me about bad things you have done. I trust you to tell me the truth, and you can trust me to help you deal with your own mistakes. When a parent admits to you that she has done something abusive, you should respond, Wow I find that shocking. That is abusive. I hope you dont ever do that again. If the parent doesnt take this feedback well, then so be it. At least you have told the truth, and she cant shove soap into your mouth to punish you for it. Dear Amy: Im a grown woman with children. I come from a family I would consider to be close. We have shared lots of occasions together with our children. I have one sibling who is hard to be around. He is so condescending and rude. He likes to talk about himself and shows little interest in me, my kids, or what I do every day. How I can disengage and not let this bother me? Upset Sibling Dear Sibling: Disengaging from someone who doesnt demonstrate that he cares about you should not bother you. It should feel good. If it doesnt feel like a relief, then dont do it. With adult siblings, a level of acceptance should accompany this disengagement. You tell yourself, My sibling is like this. I cant change him. But I dont need to welcome it into my own life. Accept this unfortunate reality. And then withdraw. Dear Amy: Frustrated Driver was furious that a teenage neighbor girl who rode in his car to school would not say hello to him. Your response was spot on. As the parent of a now 17-year-old high school girl, I can tell you my daughter is painfully awkward. She wont answer the house phone, either, for fear of having to converse with someone. Its not that shes shy, but she has yet to feel confident and comfortable in her own skin. So lighten up Dad; its not about you. Understanding Parent Dear Parent: Exactly. In this episode of Morning Edition, we discuss the award of 7.5 million dollars by the court SKY News coverage of the 2016 Federal Election day begins at 5am on SKY News Live. Political Editor David Speers will anchor Election 2016: The Verdict from the SKY News Election Centre from 6:00pm. The SKY News Election Channel will feature a rolling display of election results from each seat from 6pm Saturday. Heres a full rundown of SKY News coverage. Australians will head to the polls this Saturday and SKY News will deliver the most comprehensive multi-channel and multi-platform Live coverage and analysis of Election 2016. SKY News Political Editor David Speers and Chief Political Reporter Kieran Gilbert will spearhead coverage which will feature an unmatched line-up of political insiders and the biggest names on the Australian political landscape. Paul Murray, Peta Credlin, Peter Beattie, Laura Jayes, Peter van Onselen, Kristina Keneally and Peter Reith will offer unprecedented insight this Election Day as Australia decides and the verdict is revealed. SKY News Election Day 2016 begins at 5:00am on SKY News Live (Channel 601) and continues throughout the day with Live coverage as the leaders vote, along with the latest breaking news, commentary and analysis as Australians have their say. From 7:00am Kieran Gilbert and his First Edition co-anchor Brooke Corte will lead the morning coverage as both leaders campaign up to the last minute. SKY News non-stop election coverage continues at 4:00pm anchored by Kieran Gilbert and PVO NewsDayanchor Peter van Onselen. As the polls close, Political Editor David Speers will anchor Election 2016: The Verdict from the SKY News Election Centre from 6:00pm AEST. David will be joined by a panel of expert guests and SKY News political commentators to help crunch the numbers on election night including Peta Credlin, Michael Kroger, Kristina Keneally, Alan Jones and Bruce Hawker. The panel will also be joined by Attorney-General George Brandis and Shadow Immigration Minister, Richard Marles. Kieran Gilbert, Laura Jayes, SKY News anchor Patricia Karvelas, SKY News Political Reporters Tom Connell and Dan Bourchier and SKY News anchor Ashleigh Gillon will bring viewers Live reports from Liberal, Labor and Green party headquarters throughout the evening. Coverage will also feature an exclusive SKY News Exit Poll conducted by Newspoll examining the issues that affected how people voted. After the dust has settled, a special Election 2016 edition of Paul Murray Live will take a fresh look at what it all means from midnight to 2:00am. David Speers, Kieran Gilbert and Laura Jayes will be back on Sunday July 3 from 5:00am to guide us through inElection 2016: The Morning After, followed by Australian Agenda with Peter van Onselen at 8:30am. At 9:00am David Speers, Kieran Gilbert and Laura Jayes return for Election 2016: The Morning After together with an expert SKY News line-up including Paul Murray, Kristina Keneally, Peter van Onselen and Chris Kenny to recap the highs and lows of the campaign. Sunday nights prime time programming will include special editions of Karvelas with Patricia Karvelas at 7:00pm, Viewpoint with Chris Kenny at 8:00pm and Paul Murray Live with Paul Murray at 9:00pm. As Australians cast their votes on Saturday July 2, the SKY News Election Channel 606 will replay the election campaign Leaders Debates, reliving every moment as it happened. Then from 6:00pm, the SKY News Election Channel will feature a rolling display of election results from each seat as they come in live across the country. SKY News online will provide unparalleled choices for people to access its premium online coverage with more opportunity to interact with Election 2016 coverage on social media platforms than ever before. Expert views, breaking news and in-depth analysis from SKY News are available anytime and anywhere atSkyNews.com.au/Election2016. On Election Day the powerhouse line-up of SKY News political experts will come together at SkyNews.com.auwith minute-by-minute updates as the votes come in throughout the day and night. A live-stream of SKY News Live will be made available online at SkyNews.com.au and highlights from the day will be available in a live blog. Predictions and comments from the expert SKY News political team, including content produced exclusively for social media, will feature across social platforms Sky News Australia (Facebook), @SkyNewsAust,@SkyNewsAusPol and @SkyBusiness. The international community can watch the SKY News election coverage live and on demand and also access leading SKY News political and opinion programs across five different channels on Australia Channel. To subscribe visit www.australiachannel.com.au and follow Australia Channel at AustChannel (Facebook) and @AustChannel. *All times are AEST Following on from news that new scripts were in development, SBS has now officially confirmed a second season of The Family Law. In season two, Benjamin and the Laws will explore fresh careers, fresh ambitions, even fresh romances. Written and created by Benjamin Law, the coming-of-age story is produced by Matchbox Pictures in association with Screen Queensland, Screen Australia and SBS. Filming will begin in Queensland later this year, to air in 2017. Marshall Heald, SBS Director of Television and Online Content, said: As well as being laugh-out-loud hilarious, season one of The Family Law was also poignant and heartfelt. On one level it appeared the story of a family who was different an Asian-Australian family but at its heart its a universal story of any normal Australian family grappling with the everyday challenges of life, love, friendships and teenage angst universally relatable themes. I cant wait to see what Benjamin Law and the talented team at Matchbox Pictures have in store for the Laws in season two. Benjamin Law, series creator, said: One of the most satisfying things about season one of The Family Law was seeing how many audience members Asian and non-Asian Australian alike felt their own families were finally reflected back at them. Were excited to be putting a 90% Asian-Australian cast on TV again, and picking right up from where we left the Laws. Once again, were looking forward to making people laugh as much as they cry from their hearts breaking partly, because were mean, but ultimately because thats what familys about, really. Tony Ayres, Executive Producer, Matchbox Pictures said: Matchbox was thrilled to bring season one of this exuberant and heartfelt comedy to audiences both here and internationally. So were (more than) doubly thrilled to be back for season two, which will be funnier, ruder and even more poignant. Sally Caplan, Head of Production at Screen Australia said: Screen Australia is delighted to work with this team again on the second season of The Family Law. Season one was the perfect balance of laughs and heart. It really resonated with audiences and we hope that its popularity will encourage more diverse stories on our screens. The Family Law season two is executive produced by SBSs Sue Masters, and for Matchbox Pictures, executive produced by Tony Ayres and Debbie Lee, produced by Julie Eckersley and Sophie Miller, and co-produced by Andy Walker. Introducing Ben Chessell (Offspring, Rush, Dance Academy) directing alongside Sophie Miller. Written by Benjamin Law, Kirsty Fisher and Lawrence Leung. Script producer Kirsty Fisher, series designer Jo Briscoe. Hi, my name is Scott C. Waring and I wrote a few books and am currently a ESL School Owner in Taiwan. I have had my own UFO sighting up close and personal, but that's how it works right? A non believer becomes a believer when they experience their first sighting. You witnessed it, your perceptual field changes, so now you need to share it. I created this site to help the UFO community get a little bit organized. I noticed that there was a lot of chaos when searching for UFO sighting reports, so I hope this site helps. I wanted to support those eyewitnesses who have tried to tell others about what they have seen, yet were laughed at by even closest of friends. More and more each day the governments of the world leak bits and pieces of UFO information to the public. They have a trickle down theory in hopes of slowly getting citizens use to the idea that we are not alone in universe and never have been. The truth is being leaked drop by drop until one day we look around and find ourselves neck high in it. The discovery of alien species in existence is the most monumental scientific event in human history, suppression of that information is a crime against humanity. About me: I live in Taiwan. I OWN MY OWN ENGLISH SCHOOL, AND ONCE HAD 5 SCHOOLS. Am Former USAF at SAC base (flight line). Age: 42 Educ: BA in Elem ed. Masters in Counseling ed. I had two UFO sightings, (30+bus size orbs) in military and in 2012 personally saw the UFO over Taipei 101 building on New Years Day (and recored it). One Ukrainian serviceman was killed, and four soldiers were wounded in ATO area in eastern Ukraine over the past day. Spokesman for the Presidential Administration on the ATO, Colonel Andriy Lysenko said this at a briefing in Kyiv, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. One Ukrainian serviceman was killed, but four soldiers were wounded as a result of military operations over the past day, Lysenko said. ish After signing the agreement on free trade area between Canada and Ukraine, Kyiv intends to continue liberalization of bilateral economic relations. Ukraines Ambassador to Canada Andriy Shevchenko said this to an Ukrinform correspondent. "It is clear that this free trade agreement is not the end point," Shevchenko commented on the possibility of expanding the current agreement. However, he said that after signing the agreement in Kyiv in July, two countries will still need to implement it. He added that the creation of the free trade area between Canada and Ukraine demonstrated the willingness of both countries to enhance cooperation in various fields. ish On Monday, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko will make a working visit to Brussels. According to the agenda, the Head of State will meet with President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz and will hold talks with President of the European Council Donald Tusk and President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker in the format of a working dinner, an Ukrinform correspondent reported from Brussels. The Presidents of Ukraine and the European Parliament will make statements to the press at 18.30 Kyiv time. During Poroshenko's visit to Brussels, Ukraine and the EU will sign two bilateral documents - Agreement on Cooperation with the European Organization for Justice and Association Agreement on Ukraine's participation in Euratom Research and Training Programme. ish Speech made by Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau at the Canadian-Ukrainian business forum, which was held in Toronto last week, demonstrates Ukraine's priority in foreign policy of Ottawa. Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada Roman Vashchuk said this to an Ukrinform correspondent. "It [Presence of Trudeau] clearly shows the importance of the Ukrainian issue for the Canadian political leadership, in particular for the Prime Minister," the ambassador said. He added that the Prime Minister announced about the visit to Ukraine at the forum, paving a "logical chain" between the forum and his trip. As it was reported, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau announced his first official visit to Ukraine, which will be held on July 11-12. ish Isra and her family have been displaced twice first from their home in Damascus, then from the Syrian town of Hasakah. Now settled in a village on the outskirts of Erbil in Iraqs Kurdistan region, she is restarting her education at a local school, with the help of a UNICEF-supported cash grant programme. ERBIL, Iraq, 27 June 2016 Isra had missed out on a year of her education by the time she arrived here, says Sirwan, deputy principal of Tarin School. But shes a very good student. Its good that shes back in class. Isra, 8, is in the third grade. She lives with her mother, older sister and two brothers. Originally from Damascus, the family has been displaced twice, first to the Syrian town of Hasakah and then to the Kurdistan region of Iraq where they now live in a village on the outskirts of Erbil. The locals in their new community have gone out of their way to help make them feel welcome. There are many Syrian families in serious situations, Sirwan says. We dont let them feel like strangers. We work together to help them. After the death of Black Cannary (portrayed by Katie Cassidy), the DC TV drama series "Arrow" will introduce a familar character. With the death of Black Canary in Season 4 of CW's Arrow, it would come as no surprise that they would want to fill that void. Throw another vigilante in the Arrow Cave this Season 5, but it will be someone you have met before. The DC drama will officially introduce a new spin on female archer vigilante Artemis, although filling the role with the same mysterious Evelyn Sharp character, portrayed by Madison McLaughlin, has already appeared in the last season. McLaughlin previously appeared in "Arrow" Season 4 as a troubled teen who stole the Black Canary mantle in order to seek vengeance against Damien Darhk. Season 5 will reintroduce the character under a different vigilante moniker, Variety reported. Evelyn Sharp will appear in several episodes, which starts with 502, as masked archer Artemis. For those unfamiliar the female Archer, comics introduced Artemis Crock as the daughter of villains Tigress and Sportsmaster, and a sister of another villain Cheshire, which was delved more into by the animated series, Young Justice. In the Young Justice storyline, her mother is The Huntress. The Cartoon Network show fleshed out her personality and backstory, and gave more notable profile to the character as an archer under Green Arrow's guidance. Wayward vigilantism appears to be a major theme for "Arrow" Season 5, following the additions of the Rick Gonzalez's Wild Dog, and Josh Segarra's "Vigilante." In the last episode of Season 4, Oliver swore as a mayor of Starling City, so in Season 5, being tenured as Star City mayor will pit him against an "apex predator" crime boss influenced by The Wire villain Stringer Bell, which reported that there is a hint of Jason Momoa. Stephen Amell, the actor who plays the role of Oliver Queen, has also downplayed the likelihood of The Flash's time-turning twist affecting any Arrow chronology. Colton Haynes, the actor portrayed the role of Roy Harper, was reported will come back and play the same role for a number of episodes, Screen Crush reported. Although, the total number of anti-Jewish hate crimes remained comparatively low last year, anti-Semitic incidents on U.S. university and college campuses have nearly doubled, the Anti-Defamation League watchdog divulged on Wednesday. Moreover, there was a 60 percent hike recorded in the number of anti-Semitic assaults across the United States. In 2015, a total of 90 anti-Semitic incidents were reported on 60 college campuses, as opposed to 47 incidents on 43 campuses recorded in 2014. Anti-Semitic incidents on campus accounted for 10 percent of the total, Haaretz reported. In one such episode, swastikas were spray-painted on the outer wall of a Jewish fraternity at the University of California in Davis. This incident occurred on the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz from the Nazis. In another similar incident in November, students carried on a protest at Hunter College in Manhattan, chanting anti-Semitic slogans. The protest was reportedly initiated by organizers on Facebook who invited participants to protest the "Zionist administration" of the school. Protesters assembled to fight for a slew of benefits including free tuitions, shouting "Zionists out of CUNY." According to the ADL report, a total of 941 anti-Semitic incidents were recorded last year, which encompassed assaults, threats, harassment as well as vandalism. Chances are that the aforementioned figures may not comprise of episodes of assaults that were not reported by victims. The figures are based on reports accumulated by the group at their regional offices and inputs from law enforcement agencies, IsraelHayom reported. Anti-Semitism on college campuses in the United States - the on-campus anti-Israel protests and appeal to ban the Jewish state, led by on-campus activists - have been a matter of concern for many in the Jewish community. In March, the University of California's regents made it clear that the institute would not put up with anti-Semitism on campus; however they shunned the idea of citing anti-Zionism and religious bigotry on equal grounds, in a bid to smooth over tensions between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli students. Onslaughts on Jews have accounted for a large share of hate crimes in the U.S. More than 56% of the anti-religion crimes in the U.S. were sparked by anti-Jewish bias, according to FBI's latest hate crime statistics issued in November. University of Northern Colorado is being slammed with a pile of complaints after the institution created a Bias Response Team to take part with behavior considered to be offensive, which include issues involving sexual orientation, religion, race and national origin. The complaints to the University of Northern Colorado range from in-class assignments to the strongly stated political views of the students. And the university even included cooking competitions that created difficult situations for students with eating disorders, Gazette reported. There are more than 240 documents that were obtained through an online publication. When the documents were reviewed, it appeared that members of the Bias Response Team sought to censor what a professor can handle in class, and the team offered suggestions to another professor not to talk about sensitive issues to everyone to avoid offending students, Greeley Tribune reported. The officials of the University of Northern Colorado stated that they just want to give intellectual, moral, and social instruction to students about offensive rhetoric. Adam Steinbaugh, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education's lawyer, stated that the institution is encouraging students to report on what students feel sure of the truth that are hostile environments. Steinbaugh has been tracking Bias Response Teams around the nation. As stated in the documents, a professor brought up debate topics during a discussion of an Atlantic article dubbed as "The Coddling of the American Mind" - which includes transgender issues. And the Bias Response Team stepped in and advised the professor not to do it again. Katrina Rodriguez, Dean of Students and in charge of the Bias Response Team, stated that there is room for improvement in the way the Bias Response Team handled protests. However, University of Northern Colorado spokesman - Nate Haas, stated that the institution obscured the information as an act in accordance with the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - which protects the privacy of the students. The investigators from the University of Texas System made a number of groundbreaking discoveries and advancements in Zika virus research. The Latin American countries that are infested with the Zika virus are turning to the expertise of researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in their battle against the widespread occurrence of the contagious disease, Healio reported. The researchers at the UTMB alongside colleagues from the Brazilian Ministry of Health are developing a Zika vaccine. The University of Texas Medical Branch is also working together with Cuban scientists at the Instituto Pedro Kouri in Havana, a 2-year research development program to fight against Zika and other contagious diseases. University of Texas System's chief medical officer - David Lakey, MD, said in a statement that the institution is leading the way on multiple fronts to technically kill Zika virus. Lakey also said that they should act urgently as the mosquitoes that are the carriers of Zika are most active during the summer. As mosquito season is fast approaching, among other UTMB facilities like the World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, and the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, increased their efforts to research and conquer the Zika virus. William H. McRaven, University of Texas System Chancellor and the person who launched last year the Quantum Leaps strategic initiatives, stated that they are leveraging their size and expertise to understand Zika at its fundamental level and spread over a wide area the best and most timely information to help local, federal agencies and state to fight the infectious virus, Bionews Texas reported. However, the UT Southwestern scientists' second landmark discovery found out that the Zika virus directly contaminates human brain cells and dodge immune system detection. As stated by John Schoggins, Ph.D - UTSW microbiologist, when Zika virus infects brain cells, it intends to become neurons. According to a study which was collaborated by Princeton University researchers, after pregnant women in Latin American countries received health alerts about Zika virus, they were believed to seek an abortion, Science Daily reported. PM Nguyen Xuan Phuc and World Bank Regional Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific Victoria Kwakwa (Source: VNA) He made the request on June 27th while attending the second Mekong Delta Forum, which was jointly held in Ho Chi Minh City by the World Bank, the Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Natural Resources and Environment, and Planning and Investment, the Embassies of the Netherlands and Australia in Vietnam and several international organisations. The PM pointed out several shortcomings, including the lack of effective connectivity among regional localities and an appropriate industrial development strategy, and the lack of creativeness in seafood processing although the region accounts for nearly 70 percent of the countrys seafood export turnover. These shortcomings cause locals living standards to be not as good as expected, he added. According to him, the Mekong Delta region plays a vital role in Vietnams development and the regions food security, as it is considered Vietnams largest rice granary, accounting for 90 percent of the nations exported rice volume and one fifth of the global rice consumption. The reduction of the regions agricultural output not only affects Vietnam but also weakens the worlds food security. Therefore, the Vietnamese leader asked financial institutions and foreign development partners to work with the Vietnamese Government and Mekong Delta localities to help the region overcome challenges caused by climate change, drought and disasters. The Government leader also urged the Steering Committee for the Southwestern Region and regional localities to improve regional connectivity, promote the strengths of each locality, develop Can Tho city to a centre linking other Mekong Delta localities. It is also necessary for the region to integrate in value chains in the country, the region and the world, especially after important free trade agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) come into effect, and apply technologies in aquatic and rice farming and fruit planting. He urged the localities to build a set of new-style rural area criteria for the region in the third quarter of 2016, which are suitable for their characteristics in the context of abnormal drought and saline intrusion, in order to improve the regions resilience to climate change. The PM also suggested the WB expand the provision of preferential credits with quicker disbursement time, and send experienced experts to help Vietnam increase its forecast capacity, and improve supervision over climate change and rising sea-levels. Speaking of the support from major financial institutions, particularly the WB, and foreign Governments, the leader affirmed that Vietnam will coordinate well with them to handle issues facing the Mekong Delta. World Bank Regional Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific Victoria Kwakwa agreed that challenges facing the region, including drought and saline intrusion, need the involvement of numerous partners and international organisations along with Vietnamese ministries and localities. Therefore, the forum was a good chance for international development partners and Vietnamese offices to seek measures to help the region gain sustainable growth. During the two-day forum, participants are expected to discuss measures to respond to climate change and this phenomenons risks, as well as sustainable models that are resilient to climate change, and the role of related parties like private businesses, research centres, civil organisations, and non-governmental organisations to increase the efficiency of these models. The Mekong Delta region comprises of 12 provinces and one centrally-run city with a total area of 40,000 square kilometres and a combined population of 18 million./. Purdue University launched its program set to combat student debt, and it's expecting to enroll the first batch of students along with the program called "Back-a-Boiler." The program aims to counter student debt by reducing the fees for the initial enrollment, in exchange to an agreement between the school and the student. Students enrolled in the program agrees to participate in an income-share system, CBS Indianapolis reported. "Back-a-Boiler" enlists the students to promise to pay a share from their future earnings for a set of years, which comes after the student's graduation. It is reported that the university based the amount of which to be repaid by the student to the anticipated earnings from the student's chosen field. The student's monthly dues to be paid back to the university would decrease in amount if the student's earnings are below the anticipated earnings, or if the student was unsuccessful in the career chosen altogether. Mitch Daniels, university president, is adamant that the program could be beneficial for the university and the student, as well. Daniels believes that "Back-a-Boiler" could potentially be a national alternative to counter student loan debt. Purdue University is already set to carry out the program, which makes the university as the frontrunner for the whole country to attempt the relatively bold concept, according to The Indianapolis Star. Students enrolled in the program would enter an agreement with the university, that binds the student to pay for their degree using parts of their future earnings for a set number of years after graduation. The monthly fee would be based on the graduate's performance in the chosen field of study, as well. The dynamic rate could easily accommodate the student's performance, reducing the burden of a large debt altogether. There are already 120 students enrolled in the programs, which could potentially result in a $2.2 million aid for the 2016-17 academic year. It is estimated that the average student loan debt in Indiana is about $29,000 per pupil. For information only - not an official document UNIS/OS/471 27 June 2016 United Nations/Kenya Conference on Space Technology and Wildlife Management opens in Nairobi VIENNA/NAIROBI, 27 June - More than 250 actors from around the world involved in biodiversity and wildlife management are gathering in Nairobi this week to consider how space technology can be used to protect the planet's wildlife and biodiversity. The United Nations/Kenya Conference on Space Technology and Applications for Wildlife Management and Protecting Biodiversity opened today and runs until 30 June. The conference is an initiative of the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), which has organized it in conjunction with the Government of the Republic of Kenya. Pressures from climate change, ecosystem loss and wildlife crime are threatening biodiversity and wildlife around the globe. In response to this a wide range of applications, initiatives and projects have been developed, all of which use space-based technologies - such as imagery collected by Earth Observation satellites and satellite-derived geospatial data, satellite-communications and global navigation satellite systems - to monitor, assess and manage biodiversity and ecosystems in support of sustainable environmental development. The conference has brought together actors from around the world involved in biodiversity and wildlife management, including representatives of space industry, governmental and non-governmental organizations, technology experts, national park authorities and rangers, and wildlife managers, to share their experiences and requirements, build cooperation and develop recommendations. The programme consists of key note and expert talks, panel discussions, and poster presentations. The results of this conference will feed into UNOOSA's preparatory process for UNISPACE+50, a special segment of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 2018 to mark the 50th anniversary of the first United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space. The conference is co-hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and co-sponsored by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Space Agency (ESA). "Biodiversity monitoring and protection is a new thematic priority for UNOOSA's Programme on Space Applications. I am pleased that we have brought together other UN entities, as well as governmental and non-governmental partners, to promote such an important and impactful use of space technology," said UNOOSA Director Simonetta Di Pippo. *** Further information about the conference, including full agenda, can be found here: http://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/psa/schedule/2016/conference_kenya_biodiversity.html * *** * Media representatives who wish to attend or would like to request interviews should contact: Michal Szymanski United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Telephone: +254 20 762 3326 Email: michal.szymanski[at]unep.org For further information on UNOOSA, please contact: Daria Brankin United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) Telephone: +43 1 26060 8718 Email: daria.brankin[at]unoosa.org Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi (Photo: VNA) The event was co-chaired by Vietnamese Politburo member and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi. They said both Vietnam and China need to work harder to develop their friendship and comprehensive cooperation in a healthy and stable fashion, as it is in accordance with the two peoples wish and fundamental interests and benefits peace, stability and development in the region. They agreed to seriously implement the agreements reached and common perceptions shared between leaders of the countries Parties and States, especially those agreed during the China visit by Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in April 2015 and the State visit to Vietnam by Party General Secretary and President of China Xi Jinping in November that year. The officials highlighted the progress in bilateral cooperation since the steering committees eighth meeting in June 2015. They concurred in working together to effectively carry out the two Parties cooperation plan for the 2016 - 2020 period, increase collaboration between their local Party organisations, and successfully hold people-to-people exchanges. At the meeting, the two sides decided on cooperation priorities in order to boost ties between Vietnamese and Chinese ministries and localities, particularly in diplomacy, defence, security, and law enforcement. While the two neighbours will bolster economic, trade and investment partnerships in a stable, balanced and healthy manner, they will also expand connections in infrastructure building, finance currency, agriculture, environment, transport, health care, science technology, culture, education and tourism. The localities along the Vietnam China border will receive favourable conditions to strengthen win-win cooperation, the officials said. Basing on the outcomes of the recent conference reviewing the five-year implementation of the three Vietnam - China documents on land border management, both countries were unanimous in tightening management and security, while timely settling issues arising along their shared border, helping to ensure stable, healthy and sustainable economic links in border areas. During the meeting, the officials stressed the need for seriously realising the agreements and common perceptions between their Party and State leaders, including the agreement on basic principles guiding the settlement of sea-related issues. Both Vietnam and China must well control disagreements, maximising negotiation mechanisms to attain substantive progress, strive to carry out agreed joint projects at sea, and discuss the establishment of a cooperation mechanism for search and rescue at sea. They should persistently use discussions and negotiations to seek basic and long-term solutions acceptable to both sides, the officials noted. The two sides also mulled over other important matters such as refraining from acts that can complicate the situation or expanding disputes, fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), working towards the early formulation of a code of conduct (COC) in the waters, and resolving disputes by peaceful measures in conformity with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. At the end of the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh and State Councilor Yang Jiechi witnessed the signing of the events minutes, and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Vietnam Coast Guard and the China Coast Guard. The sides also exchanged an official letter between the Vietnamese and Chinese Governments on the Chinese Governments provision of an additional non-refundable aid worth CNY129.5 million (USD19.5 million) funding the construction of the Vietnam - China Friendship Palace. On this occasion, the two sides confirmed that all procedures for setting up a Chinese Consulate General in Vietnams Da Nang city had been completed./. All the latest Uttoxeter news Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. By Amber Luckett University of Stevens Point Political Science professor John Blakeman sat down with NewsChannel 7, to talk about the potential economic and policy changes the "Brexit" could have on America. Blakeman said the British joined the European economic community back in the 1970's, and has been economically prosperous during that time. Blakeman then explained that because Britain is leaving Europe, the pound has hit its lowest value against the American dollar since the 1980's, which could mean positive things for the average American. "If you are trying to buy a home, mortgage rates in the United States may go down because mortgage back security in the U.S. will attract a lot of investment -- it will be considered very safe," said Blakeman. MORE Daniel Bryans early retirement was heartbreaking for fans and himself, but doing it in front of his home crowd in Seattle, Washington put a positive spin on the saddening moment. Bryan never wanted to retire, it seemed like he was doing all he could to return to performing for the WWE. He was making all the noises on social media about getting the WWE to clear and even going for a number of tests with concussion and brain specialists to prove to the WWE that he was ready to return. There had even been reports that Bryan had attempted to hand in his notice to the WWE so he could be freed from his contract, allowing him to go and work on the independent circuit for companies like Ring of Honor and New Japan. The WWE just would not allow it. In parts of his WWE Network special, Bryan notes that the WWE were doing the right thing and that it was Vince McMahons idea to retire in front of the Seattle crowd. Bryan spoke about that further this week. The thought process of retiring Speaking to The Daily World, Bryan described the process to retiring and how his decision came to be. He said that Vince called him up on a Saturday and told him he wanted him to retire on Monday Night Raw, in Seattle. Bryan said that he didnt know if he was ready. After going about his day and speaking to his wife, former WWE Diva Brie Bella, Bryan said he realised the WWE is never going to allow me to wrestle again. Bryan then made the decision that would allow his family and friends to attend his retirement in his home state. Bryan during his retirement speech. Photo: TVLine What is Bryan up to post-wrestling? Much was made of what Bryan was going to do when he moved on from the WWE. Initial thoughts suggested that he could become a trainer at the WWE Performance Centre, and while that hasnt happened yet, it could be a possibility for the future. Bryan has been working with Nikki Bella, Bries sister, ahead of her return to the WWE from injury. Bryan is also a part of the WWEs broadcast team for the Cruiserweight Classic tournament. Bryan has wrestled a number of superstars involved and will bring a different and much more up to date insight on the tournament. He will be joined by SmackDown lead commentator, Mauro Ranallo. Arrest made in 2021 Oxnard crash that killed deaf man More than a year after a deaf and mute Oxnard man was fatally struck in a crosswalk, police have arrested the driver in a felony case. VENTURA COUNTY AVIATION UNIT/CONTRIBUTED A motorcyclist was airlifted by the Ventura County Aviation Unit Sunday near Lockwood Valley Road on Highway 33. SHARE The Ventura County Aviation Unit airlifted an injured motorcyclist Sunday afternoon, officials said. The air unit responded to a call of a single motorcyclist down at about 5:40 p.m. near Lockwood Valley Road on Highway 33, county fire officials said. The individual was transported to a local hospital, authorities said. The extent of his injuries were unknown, authorities said. KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR M.J. Lallo (left) and Terra Belicha, both veteran participants in the Ojai Lesbian Gay Pride Walk, join in Sunday's 25th anniversary event. Approximately 80 people joined in the walk started by Helen Allen, Lynne Doherty and Jane Peterson 25 years ago in Ojai. SHARE KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR Andy Greene (left) and Liz Galvan take advantage of a shady spot at Libbey Park as they participate in the 25th annual Ojai Lesbian Gay Pride Walk on Sunday. Approximately 80 were in attendance for the short walk through downtown Ojai. KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR Lynne Doherty photographs the 25th annual the Ojai Lesbian Gay Pride Walk on Sunday that she, her partner Helen Allen, and friend Jane Peterson started 25 years ago. KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR Julianne Davis carries the gay flag being cheered on as the 25th annual Ojai Lesbian Gay Pride Walk is underway passing the Ojai Farmers Market on Sunday. KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR M.J. Lallo participates in her 12th Ojai Lesbian Gay Pride Walk on Sunday. Approximately 80 people joined in the walk generated by Helen Allen, Lynne Doherty and Jane Peterson 25 years ago in Ojai. By Claudia-Boyd Barrett, Special to The Star As millions of people marched in big-city LGBT pride parades across the country Sunday, a smaller crowd celebrated in Ojai with their own gay pride walk. About 80 people walked through the streets of Ojai's downtown, waving rainbow flags, blowing whistles and cheering. A colorful, festive entourage of LGBTQ community members and supporters, marched from Libbey Park, through the arcade, past shops, art galleries and the weekly farmers market, as passing cars honked in support. Sunday marked the 25th year of the Ojai Lesbian Gay Pride Walk. Lynne Doherty, who cofounded the event with her partner Helen Allen and some friends, said the first event had just six participants. Since then, it's grown every year, she said. "We just wanted to do it. Today's the official gay pride day all over the world so we just thought we'd silently walk and show our pride by ourselves," she said of the first event. "We've just been doing it ever since and we've kind of doubled in size each year." Among those at the walk for the first time was Debbie Wales, who moved to the area late last year. She said she'd attended the gay pride parade in San Francisco, but going to the Ojai version was a very different experience. "It's pretty awesome," Wales said. "I like the friendliness of a small town compared to a big town. There's a different feel. Look at everybody supporting it." Despite the celebratory atmosphere, the recent shooting of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando weighed heavily on some participants. Joanne Mackell, who organized a vigil in honor of the victims earlier this month, said the attack was a reminder of why gay pride parades are still necessary. "Last year I was thinking oh, you know, we don't really need to keep doing this," Mackell said. "And this year everything's changed. After Orlando it just shows us that there's probably still an underbelly of homophobia and it's important that they see that we're just their neighbors, nothing to be afraid of here. And also to show them we're not afraid." Ojai councilman and former mayor, Severo Lara, attended the walk with his two daughters, Chloe, 10, and Elise, 7. He said the Orlando shootings also moved him to participate and show his support for the LGBTQ community. He said he also wanted his daughters to experience what it's like to fight for a cause. "It's extremely important to support any group like this, just for equality and freedom," Lara said. "This is why we live in America. I'm proud and I'm so grateful that (the parade) is here in Ojai. Look at it. It's great. It's empowering." A lot of progress has been made in the area of LGBTQ rights since the first Ojai Gay Pride Walk, some longtime participants noted. "It's much easier to be out now," said Doherty. Before "a lot of people were closeted, they didn't want to walk because they didn't want to be seen in public. Now, today we have a lot of straight people out here joining us. This is wonderful." MEGAN DISKIN/THE STAR Glass is shattered on a bus stop in front of Chicago Deli & Mini Mart, in the 1900 block of North Ventura Road in Oxnard, on Saturday night after Christopher Camper, 32, of Oxnard, was fatally shot. SHARE MANUEL ARAUJO/ THE STAR Family and friends of Christopher Camper left candles and flowers after visiting the site of the shooting on Sunday morning. MANUEL ARAUJO/ THE STAR Glass in the bus shelter was shattered after assailants fired multiple rounds Saturday evening. MANUEL ARAUJO/ THE STAR A stray bullet pierced the windshield of a minivan parked in the Chicago Deli & Mini Mart after shooters fired multiple rounds. By Manuel Araujo, manuel.araujo@vcstar.com The mother of a man who was shot and killed standing at a bus stop in Oxnard said Sunday that her son was a student interested in the world of music and radio who, earlier that day, was outside walking with his 13-year-old daughter. Christoper Camper, 32, of Oxnard, who was identified by his mother Rene Camper was shot multiple times at a bus stop Saturday evening. He was pronounced dead at the Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, according to detectives with the Oxnard Police Department. "It was done with such hate," said Rene Camper. "They said they shot him five times." The shooting happened about 5 p.m. at the bus stop in front of Chicago Deli & Mini Mart in the 1900 block of North Ventura Road, according to police. Detectives said the motive for the city's seventh homicide this year was unknown. The department's Violent Crimes Unit and Major Crimes Unit were looking into all possible avenues, police said. Responding officers closed the street down to traffic and then parked a mobile command post in the middle of Ventura Avenue on Saturday evening. Meanwhile, scores of people watched the investigation from the parking lot of a fast-food business and a neighboring apartment complex as police meticulously photographed the scene covered with yellow evidence markers and shattered glass from the bus shelter. A bullet hole left by a stray gunshot could be seen in the windshield of a minivan belonging to a deli employee. It wasn't long before authorities had to respond to another shooting less than 4 miles away. There, they found another man, said to be in his early 20s, shot multiple times in the 1300 block of South C Street in Oxnard, just southwest of the Five Points area. Witnesses reported at least nine gunshots from two weapons about 10:50 p.m. Officers said they found 12-gauge shotgun casings as well as 9-mm rounds. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. "It's normal here," Mark A, who has owned the Chicago Deli & Mini Mart since the'90s, said of the shootings. "I've seen this happen before out here," gesturing toward the street where Christopher Camper was shot. Rene Camper said she was still waiting to learn anything she could about the events surrounding her son's killing. She said her two other sons visited the site of the shooting Sunday morning and left flowers and candles. "I'm just in shock right now," she said. "He was with his 13-year-old daughter that day." She said Christopher Camper was enrolled at Oxnard Community College and planned to study communications. Recently, he landed an internship with a radio station in hopes of pursuing an interest in music, she said. "He was trying to learn the ins and outs of that world," she said. Christopher was the grandson of the NAACP-awarded educator John Camper. Staff report Megan Diskin contributed to this report. STAR FILE PHOTO Simi Valley's four neighborhood councils on June 16 gave the City Council mixed recommendations on the Ventura County Transportation Commission's proposed transit sales tax measure. SHARE By Mike Harris of the Ventura County Star The Ventura County Transportation Commission no longer needs the support of the Simi Valley City Council to place a proposed half-cent sales tax measure on the county's November ballot. Even so, it would still like it. "It is certainly desirable to have all 10 local jurisdictions supporting the (measure's) expenditure plan," said commission Executive Director Darren Kettle. "That would show countywide support for how transportation funds would be distributed and that would be a real positive overall." The council will consider endorsing the plan at its meeting Monday night. At least six of the county's 10 cities and the county Board of Supervisors representing a majority of the county's population need to formally support the plan for the measure to be placed on the ballot. Nine city councils and the board have done so since the commission decided in April to try to put the proposed tax in front of voters. The Simi Valley council will be the last one in the county to consider doing so. The 30-year measure is projected to raise $70 million a year in revenue for transit infrastructure that supporters say is not being maintained because of a lack of funds. Cities and the county would get 50 percent of the revenue for their local transportation priorities, including streets and roads, Kettle said. The other 50 percent would remain with the commission for regional transportation priorities, he said. The Simi Valley council initially had been scheduled to consider supporting the spending plan at its June 6 meeting. But Mayor Bob Huber said he first wanted feedback from the council's four neighborhood advisory councils. At a June 16 meeting, the neighborhood councils' executive boards gave mixed advice. The only one of the four council boards to have a quorum, Neighborhood Council No. 3, recommended that the City Council support the expenditure plan. Neighborhood Council No. 4 also made that recommendation, but because it did not have a quorum, its advice carried less weight. Neighborhood Councils No. 1 and No. 2 voted against the recommendation, but also did not have quorums. The City Council is also getting mixed advice from city administrators. Public Works Director Ron Fuchiwaki recommended in a memo to the City Council that it adopt a resolution supporting the spending plan. But in the same memo, Assistant City Manager Brian Gabler recommended that the council "take no action on the plan as the outcome for cities to approve the plan has already been determined." The memo emphasized that the transportation commission is asking the City Council only "to approve the expenditure plan. The City Council is not being asked to take a position on the sales tax measure, nor ... to vote whether to place the measure on the ballot." The commission's board is scheduled on July 8 to consider asking county supervisors to take the final administrative step of placing the measure on the ballot, a formality, Kettle said. The supervisors would so at their July 19 meeting. The measure would need to be approved by at least two-thirds of voters. The county's voters rejected a similar measure in 2004, 59 percent to 41 percent. Nineteen of California's 58 counties have a transit sales tax. The City Council meets at 6:30 p.m. in its City Hall chambers, 2929 Tapo Canyon Road. The meeting agenda can be found online at http://www.simivalley.org DAVID YAMAMOTO/SPECIAL TO THE STAR K-9 Officer Tim Wedemeyer is tackled by police dog, Titan, demonstrating the K-9's ability to stop attackers Sunday during the 7th Annual Cops N' Cruisers Hot Rod and 4x4 Car Show at the Simi Valley Police Department in Simi Valley.. SHARE DAVID YAMAMOTO/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Visitors look at various vintage cars on display Sunday during the 7th Annual Cops N' Cruisers Hot Rod and 4x4 Car Show at the Simi Valley Police Department in Simi Valley. DAVID YAMAMOTO/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Dressed in his SWAT team uniform, Juan Zendejas, 5, throws the ball to dunk Police Explorer Capt. Kyle Hunter in the water tank Sunday during the 7th Annual Cops N' Cruisers Hot Rod and 4x4 Car Show at the Simi Valley Police Department in Simi Valley. By Robyn Flans, Special to The Star On a scorcher of a day, the 150 classic cars on display in the Simi Valley Police Department parking lot Sunday were a cool attraction for the supporters of the 7th annual Cops N' Cruisers Hot Rod and 4x4 Car Show. Robert Rosenberg, a Simi Valley Police Department dispatcher and show coordinator, said 100 percent of the proceeds will go to the Simi Valley Explorers program, designed for youth, ages 14-20 interested in a career in law enforcement. "They meet once a week and they donate their time thousands of hours back to the community each year at various events," Rosenberg said. Evan Eisenhour, 17, has been in the Explorer program for a year and a half. This year he has become a senior Explorer. His father is a police officer and he plans on following in his footsteps. "With the Explorer program you learn leadership," Eisenhour said. He said there is a lot of teamwork. "We need to be on our A -game and put 100 percent into everything," Eisenhour said. "That's one thing I admire about our program and especially my squad. Everyone is very driven to be the best they can all the time. No one hesitates to do anything, no matter how difficult. It's wonderful to have colleagues willing to do that." Simi Valley's Andrew Schmidt and his 7-year-old son Ben were enjoying some father-son time, "hanging out, looking at the cars," Andrew Schmidt said. Ben liked the Dodge Challenger. "The one that lights up with different lights, it changes different colors," Ben said. A big attraction for the kids was the large SWAT vehicle they could get into. Gianluca Ramirez, 4, came last year with his grandmother and wanted to see the van again this year. "I want to be a policeman," Gianluca said. "I want to drive a car like this." Juan Zendejas, 5, of Simi Valley, who was wearing a police costume, said he also wants to be a policeman. His uncle, a Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective, is his hero, he said. "He is inspired by the police department because they help out people and they save people's lives," said his mother, Taina Zendejas. From the SWAT car, Juan ran over to the dunking booth where he was given many opportunities to sink Explorer Captain Kyle Hunter. They even allowed him to finally push the button that dunked Hunter. "That was fun," Juan said. Rosenberg said last year they raised over $20,000. This year an engine was donated to the event at a cost valued at $6,000 to be raffled off as an additional incentive. They will also donate some of the silent auction proceeds to Sgt. Tom Carney, a motorcycle police officer who was recently injured in the line of duty. "It's very personal for everyone here at the station," said Robert Arabian, commander with the Simi Police Department. "We're a very close family. There are only 125 of us. He lives three houses from me and our families are very close." The heat was of some concern, Arabian said. "But our hope is that people will realize it's for such a good cause and come out and support us," Rosenberg said. VENTURA COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT Clean up efforts continue at the site of an oil spill in Ventura, where 30,000 gallons of oil were spilled. SHARE By Alysson Aredas, alysson.aredas@vcstar.com Investigators Monday were still looking for the cause of an oil spill that filled a dry gorge in Ventura on Thursday, as well as working to determine whether or not that crude oil contributed to the deaths of wildlife found in the area, officials said. The spill from a pipeline operated by Crimson Pipeline originated near Grove Lane and Grove Street in the northwestern part of the city, with nearly 30,000 gallons of unrefined oil traveling about half a mile down the Prince Barranca and Hall Canyon, where it was stopped before it could advance closer to the Pacific Ocean. Officials said Monday afternoon that nearly 100 workers have used vacuum trucks to recover a significant amount of oil from the gorge. There still was no indication of how long the cleanup would take. Two wood rats, a gopher snake, a raccoon and a rabbit were found dead in the area of the spill and transported to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network for confirmation and identification, officials said. Investigators were working Monday to determine whether or not their deaths were linked to the spill. Trained wildlife personnel are working to prevent wildlife from entering the affected area, as well as continuing to search for more oiled wildlife. Residents can report oiled wildlife by calling 877-823-6926. Officials said residents should not attempt to rescue any oiled wildlife. Crimson Pipeline has taken responsibility of the incident and the cause of the spill is still under investigation, officials said Monday. Hall Canyon Road at Fairview Drive remains open only to residents and emergency responders. City of Ventura spokeswoman Lysa Urban said the city joined a unified command with Crimson Pipeline, California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Office of Spill Prevention and Response and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency by reaching out to the affected community Sunday. "We canvassed the neighborhoods that are the most impacted right around the spill area," said Urban. "We went door to door and provided important information and addressed any concerns they had." While officials with the unified command assured everyone that air quality is continually being monitored to assure the safety of residents and responders in the area, Ventura resident Jon Wallace said he and his neighbors still had their concerns. "In the afternoon when the sun comes up and it heats up the oil, you can really smell it," said Wallace, who said he lives on the edge of Hall Canyon. "And if you're smelling it, you're breathing noxious chemicals." Wallace said that as temperatures heat up, the quality of the air surrounding the spill is a cause of concern to him and his neighbors, some of whom have small children. "I had three years of college chemistry and the thing that I do know is crude oil is basically a toxic stew of chemicals most of which are bad for human health especially if you breathe them or ingest them," said Wallace. "I'm looking at a place where my neighbor has three little girls and I see them playing outside in the bad air near the spill." Wallace said that he has placed calls to Ventura Mayor Erik Nasarenko's Office, Ventura County Supervisor Steve Bennett's Office, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office, as well as local fire departments and police departments in hopes of finding out who is monitoring air quality to make sure it is safe for him and his neighbors. Despite his efforts, however, Wallace still doesn't have any answers. "I'm trying to find out if someone is really paying attention to the effects this has on the health of the people living near the spill," said Wallace. "I have to say at this point I have no confidence that anyone is doing anything because nobody can give me coherent information. I don't understand that." People wishing to file a claim can do so via email at claims@crimsonpl.com or by calling 562-285-4128. SHARE Gudeman had two patients who died of drug intoxication, according to records. Doctor says errors made during inquiry By Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star A Simi Valley psychiatrist facing discipline over allegations he negligently prescribed painkillers to patients with addictions is challenging a regulatory board's decision to take away his license. An administrative law judge ruled in October in a case brought by the Medical Board of California that Dr. David M. Gudeman wrongly prescribed opiates and other powerful medications. Two patients died of drug intoxication, according to board records. But the decision to revoke Gudeman's license ? once scheduled to become official the day before Thanksgiving ? has been put on hold at the doctor's request until the case can be reviewed. Gudeman said he's falsely accused, claiming mistakes were made in the investigation, including what he said are attempts to link him to a death involving drugs he did not prescribe. Gudeman, who claims to be the only private psychiatrist in Simi Valley, said the Medical Board of California is overreacting to criticism its leaders have not done enough to stop doctors who operate so-called pill mills. "I think there's a witch hunt," he said. Gudeman is a UCLA Medical School graduate trained in psychiatry and internal medicine. Also an addiction specialist, he's been in medical practice since 1989. He has led inpatient psychiatry units and served three years as director of the Ventura County Behavioral Health Department. Gudeman was fired in 2002 after criticism for embroiling the department in governmental disputes about mental health treatment in juvenile hall. He started his private practice two years later and sees about 1,200 patients. The Medical Board case, filed two years ago, involves seven patients named only by their initials in the ruling and accusations. In his ruling, Judge Daniel Juarez said Gudeman treated patients with addictive drugs such as OxyContin and Norco knowing they were fighting drug dependency problems. He said Gudeman did not obtain lab tests, perform physical examinations, contact patients' former doctors or ask for second opinions. One patient died Jan. 12, 2009, of morphine, oxycodone and oxymorphone intoxication, according to Medical Board documents. Juarez said Gudeman prescribed addictive drugs including an opioid, or opiumlike drug, several months before the suicide and noted the patient's suicidal nature but took no other therapeutic action. In its accusation, the Medical Board alleged Gudeman did not question his continued prescription of opiates to the patient or act on the potentially lethal affects of providing multiple medications to what the accusation called a depressed, suicidal, alcohol-abusing patient. But Gudeman said he never prescribed opiates or opioids to the patient, noting that another doctor dealt with the patient's pain issues. "I was being blamed for another doctor's prescription," he said in a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown, defending his care of all seven patients. Read Medical Board of California's decision | Dr. Gudeman's letter to Gov. Jerry Brown Another patient died of methadone intoxication on Aug. 3, 2010, according to Medical Board records. Juarez said Gudeman continued to prescribe addictive substances while acknowledging concern the patient was misusing them. Gudeman said he prescribed a modest refill of methadone for the patient before he died out of concern that withholding the drug could send the patient into withdrawal that would strain his heart. He said the patient had suffered chest pain that had brought a recent hospitalization. "He clearly had a heart attack," Gudeman said of the patient's death. He noted the patient was once homeless and that he treated him for free. "I must be the world's worst opiate mill if I'm not charging," Gudeman said. In his ruling, Juarez described Gudeman as inflexible. He said his prescriptions and increased dosages for patients he knew overused medication or other drugs represented "extreme departures" from the standard of care." Gudeman said he no longer accepts cases that involve addiction and that they always made up a small portion of his cases. He said he used painkillers carefully, and with monitoring, to deal with pain and push patients battling a combination of pain, addiction and psychiatric issues away from other drugs, including heroin. Supporters include members of National Alliance on Mental Illness in Ventura County with which Gudeman serves on an advisory board. They say he's thorough, focused on his patients and doesn't fit the profile of a doctor who carelessly prescribes pills. "I support him wholeheartedly," said Duane Bentzen, president of the group. Gudeman contends the Medical Board's vigilance in pursuing cases involving painkillers stems from a Los Angeles Times series that said the board often failed to stop doctors who recklessly prescribed painkillers. Cassandra Hockenson, a spokeswoman for the Medical Board, said she couldn't respond to Gudeman's accusations or comment on his case because the case against him is ongoing. But she noted that Juarez, in his ruling, referenced Gudeman's apparent unwillingness to change. The judge wrote that there was little chance probation "would be fruitful in modifying (Gudeman's) seemingly immovable mindset with regard to the proper care and treatment of patients in his practice. Revocation is, thus, the appropriate discipline." Juarez also ruled Gudeman kept incomplete records, failing to document when he started or increased powerful drugs. He didn't note when he suspected patients were overusing medications or illegal drugs, the judge said. The doctor said he will file an action in Ventura County Superior Court if his Medical Board challenge isn't successful. Others focus on the affects of a revocation that they said could leave Simi Valley without a private psychiatrist. Gudeman's patients write letters to politicians and praise the doctor for what they say is attentive and careful care. They fear what could happen. "I need my doctor," said Fran Cohn, of Simi Valley. "This man has just been wonderful. ... That I could lose that support is frightening, absolutely terrifying." KAREN QUINCY LOBERG/THE STAR Hans Cardenas, of Sherman Oaks, navigates the new pay-to-park kiosk at Sycamore Cove on Wednesday. Visitors to some state beaches and parks now can pay for parking by the hour rather than buying an all-day pass. SHARE TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Chelsea Preston and Michael McQueen walk to Mugu Beach after paying for an hour for parking at the new pay machine located at Point Mugu State Park Monday. TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR A sign indicating new hourly rates is seen at the entrance of the Point Mugu State Park located along the Pacific Coast Highway Monday. TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR Hourly rates are seen on the screen of a pay machine at Jolla Canyon located in Point Mugu State Park along the Pacific Coast Highway Monday. TROY HARVEY/SPECIAL TO THE STAR A new pay machine is seen at beach entrance of Mugu Beach located in Point Mugu State Park along the Pacific Coast Highway Monday. By Cheri Carlson, ccarlson@vcstar.com Jenna Shabel sometimes heads to Mugu Beach as often as four times a week. The Thousand Oaks mother of a 3- and 5-year-old said the seldom-packed beach along Pacific Coast Highway is her favorite spot. Parking along the winding coastal highway is not. It's free, as opposed to paying a day-use fee in the California State Parks lot. But, she said, "I don't know if someone is going to break into my car or if someone is going to be reckless and hit my car." Now, people like Shabel have a new option. California State Parks has added the option to pay an hourly rate in lots, instead of purchasing a full-day pass. "I like the hourly," Shabel said, sitting on the sandy beach next to Mugu Rock last week. But at $3 an hour, it doesn't save much money. A day pass costs $8. "I sometimes just pay for the whole day," she said. Earlier this month, state parks installed the new machines at several locations, offering an all-day fee of $8 to $12 and an hourly rate. Officials said they wanted to add an option that made more sense for the family that came just an hour or two before the beach closed or the person who wanted to take a quick trail run. Before, those visitors either parked in the lot and paid for a full day, didn't pay and risked a hefty fine or squeezed in along the side of PCH. "It made sense to at least explore this option and see if it makes economic sense for the park and the public," said Craig Sap, superintendent for the park district. "We're trying to find a happy medium." In all, 25 machines were installed at locations in Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Local spots include Mugu Beach, La Jolla Canyon (Ray Miller Trailhead), Sycamore Cove beach and Sycamore Canyon. Sap doesn't think the hourly rate will hurt park revenue. "I think we'll see more frequent use," he said. On a recent weekend, about 30 to 40 percent of those paying for parking with the machines opted for the hourly rate, Sap said. Over the next few weeks, state parks plans to add more signs to let people know how to pay for parking. In the meantime, there likely will be fewer citations issued, Sap said. Last week, Reed Owens, of Calabasas, was in the area visiting family and took his daughter and dog to Mugu Beach. "I just wanted to come down for an hour and a half, so I saved a couple bucks," he said. Sap said he plans to add a feature that would allow people to pay with their smartphones. Potentially, he said that could allow someone to add more time without having to return to the lot. Shabel said she plans to look into the option of an annual pass, which might be a better deal since she goes to the beach multiple times a week. "I take my kids here all the time," she said. "My kids say, 'We're going to mom's beach.'" I was on my third day in paradise when I had one of those flashes of insight that wine writers constantly pray for. Id been lulled into a meditative state by the excesses of spring that gently assaulted me in this far corner of the Hungarian countryside. Technicolor birdsong rippled through the air, dodging and weaving between the boughs of cherry and plum bursting into blossom above the vines, who were themselves beginning to unfurl the first downy pink leaves of their new vintage. A riot of tulips, buttercups, and dandelions swayed in the light breezes tugging at the fresh grass between the rows of new growth. Several times each day I found myself wanting to simply wander away from wherever I was and lie down in the shade of an apple tree until nightfall. My guard wasnt just down, it had completely vaporized. While my analytical functions were still operating at the level required to take notes on the wines I was tasting and the people who made them, the rest of me was in full reverie. If I had any New Age hippie left in me, I would almost certainly be talking to you about some sort of electromagnetic vortex that surrounds the wine region known as Somlo. Instead, Ill simply say I was in the grip of an atmosphere more serene than Ive experienced in a long time. Thats when I realized the most astonishing thing about the wines that I had been tasting for the past three days. They all tasted like water. The Origins of a Journey In 2012, when I was invited to be a judge for Hungarys Pannonhalma Wine Awards, my experience with Hungarian wines was limited. I had only enjoyed a few Tokaji Aszu dessert wines and a taste of dry Furmint courtesy of an adventurous sommelier in New York. I accepted the invitation to judge with the hopes of getting a quick education in what the country was capable of doing, and thats exactly what I experienced while tasting a few hundred wines over a couple of days. At one point on the afternoon of the first day of tasting, a wine was poured into my glass that resembled none of the previous wines. It smelled like pollen and tasted like sunshine filtered through a clean mountain stream. It made me smile, and even giggle. I almost certainly dropped the f-bomb with glee. One of the greatest pleasures of exploring the world of wine comes in the form of a wine that, from out of the blue, eclipses the world around you shrinks your attention to the immediacy of what is in your glass and makes the fireworks go off on your palate. Thats what my first taste of Juhfark did to me, and Ive been obsessed with it ever since. Had I been more impulsive, and less considerate of the work that had gone into planning the itinerary that was to follow the competition, I would have immediately headed off to find out where this wine came from and how many more like it existed in the world. Instead, I was left to dream of a place called Somlo and to plot my eventual pilgrimage to the homeland of Juhfark. It took four years, but this spring I finally I made it. Volcanic Wine The tiny hill of Somlo is one of Hungarys smallest wine regions, and one of the worlds most unique. It belongs to an exclusive group of locations around the globe that are wholly volcanic (think Santorini, the Canary Islands, Mount Etna, etc.). Which is to say that the grapes grow in soil that is heavily, if not entirely, made up of ash or various extrusive igneous rocks (a technical term for rocks formed from cooling lava that has emerged out of a volcano). Sticking up off the Pannonian Plain like a loaf of bread on a tabletop, Somlo was itself once a volcano, but of a very particular sort. Ten million years ago it sat a hundred meters or so beneath the surface of the shallow Pannonian Sea. The little volcano (or more accurately three separate undersea vents) that became Somlo bubbled there underwater for some time, spewing out enough molten laval to make a bump that today rises 1427 feet (435 meters) off of the plain. In addition to lava, this volcano bubbled up more than its share of gasses. These penetrated the cooling rock, making for what is today a relatively crumbly, coarse grained form of basalt. For the last 5 million years or so, this stone has been eroding into the famous buckshot soils that cover the lower slopes of the hill: a mix of pea-sized basalt pebbles, sand and loess (the fancy name for windblown dirt). The higher on the hill, the more basalt. The lower on the hill, the more loess. Planted around the entire 360 degree circumference of the hill in a patchwork of tiny plots, grapevines dig deep into the volcanic rock. Some are buttressed by steep terraces that climb right up to the exposed basaltic columns known locally as the stone kitchens which form the escarpment that gives the hill its loaf-like, or some say hat-like shape. A Region Unto Itself At merely one kilometer across and about 1.5 kilometers long, the hill of Somlo takes about 20 minutes to circumnavigate in a car, even with the zigzags inevitably forced upon you by the narrow and irregular lanes that make up the complete circuit. From most places around the circuit, you can see the ruins of the Somloi Var, a 14th Century royal castle that in later centuries became a fortress for feudal militia. Though it has lost the title of Hungarys smallest wine region to the even tinier Pannonhalma appellation, Somlo consists of a mere 1199 acres (485 ha) of vineyards, planted mostly to Juhfark, Olaszrizling, Furmint and Harslevelu. These latter two grapes are, of course, the primary grapes of the Tokaj region, but in Somlo they manage to achieve an identity all their own. Olaszrizling (known in English as Welshriesling and completely unrelated to Riesling) also features prominently in many places around Hungary but especially in the wine regions around Lake Balaton. Juhfark (which means sheeps tail, so named because of the shape of its clusters) however, comes only from Somlo. As in most regions of Hungary, these grapes are dry-farmed, and benefit from the milder, drier weather that the hill seems to produce due to its height and relative isolation on the plain. Winemaker after winemaker told me stories of how, during rainstorms, there will often be clear skies above Somlo, and the hill will escape the bulk of the rains that fall on the surrounding areas. Humidity remains a major factor in farming however, and botrytis, the noble rot responsible for sweet Tokaji wines, often plays a role in the Somlo wines, despite the general lack of late harvest wines made on the hill. Despite its small size, the hill is farmed by a staggering 1204 individual wine producers, a number I know only because I met the guy whose responsibility it is to keep track of them all for the government. Of those 1204 farmers, only 42 of them are registered to sell bottled wine with a label on it. A few dozen make enough for the wines to be sold elsewhere in the country, and the number of those producers whose wines make it out of Hungary can be counted on two hands with fingers to spare. There are only two producers of any size on the hill Kreinbacher and Tornai, both of whom have large, modern cellars that wouldnt be out of place in Napa or any modern wine region. The other 40 cellars fall on a spectrum somewhere between minuscule and tiny. Take a walk early in the morning, with the mist rising off the fertile fields surrounding the hill, and you might catch a glimpse of the regions migrating winegrowers. They pile off the local bus that picked them up in their villages several kilometers away. When the doors open, they clamber down, hoist their leather rucksacks of tools, and trudge up the hill to do their days work in the vines. Though the hill is now dotted with small houses in and amongst the vineyards, virtually no one lives in them. They serve as weekend cottages, either to rest after a long days work in the vineyards, or for the family to picnic at during holidays. In part, this is due to the lack of infrastructure on the hill. Electricity is not universal, and all but a very few people rely on collected rainwater for taps, showers, and toilets. The only sources of clean drinking water are springs which bubble up from midway down the slope on either side of the hill. An Outsized Reputation For a little hill, Somlo has a large history. Its crumbly, fast draining soils were recognized for their quality by the Romans. They planted the hill with grapes in the first and second centuries AD as the surrounding Pannonia province (and the entire Roman empire) flourished under emperors Hadrianus and Antoninus Pius. In the 11th century, the hill was divided among aristocratic families and the Royal Court itself. It was likely during this time that the wines were first shipped abroad to the rest of Europe. By 1511 the hills vineyards were owned by the Somlovasarhely nunnery, and governed strictly by the mother superior. Her published regulations for Somlo included not only the earliest date for harvest and several specific regulations for winemaking, but also strict codes for behavior, lest the grapes suffer from immoral influence. Swearing was forbidden in the vineyards, as was malicious gossip, and, of course, any source of public indecency, especially drunkenness. Starting in September as harvest approached, only old ladies were allowed to guard the vineyards against theft, the combination of young women and ripe grapes being presumably too much for even the most upright citizen to resist. The earliest documents that reference specific grapes grown on Somlo date to the 8th century, and list three primary grape varieties: Juhfark, Furmint, and Sarfeher. These, and at least three others (perhaps including Olaszrizling and Harslevelu which persist today) were planted as were most vineyards before phylloxera ravaged the entire continent in the late 1800s as a mixed field blend. Winemakers would harvest them all together to make a single wine of great renown. These wines were likely sweeter in the past than today, as the cooler, wetter climate would have encouraged the noble rot botrytis to lend its sweet signature to the harvest, but the most famous wines of the hill have always been dry. Marked by exceptional levels of acidity, the wines of Somlo were, even centuries ago, famously long lived. Records from the World Expo held in Hungary in 1898 show 20 or even 30-year-old vintages of Somlo competing for prizes and available for tasting. Their ageability and sturdiness meant that the wines traveled well, and were known throughout Hungary and Europe. I was told by more than one winemaker of the existence of a museum artifact a bill of lading from a trans-atlantic trading voyage that records Somlo wines being shipped from a merchant by the name of Vince Ramassetter to the American colonies in the late 1700s. Unfortunately the museum where this artifact is supposed to live was recently closed for renovations, so I was unable to verify this to be true, but several locals swear up and down that it exists, and that Somlo wines were among the very few still wines that could survive the vicissitudes of that lengthy sea voyage. Somlos wines were perhaps given their highest national recognition by a patron saint of Hungarian intellectualism, a philosopher named Bela Hamvas, who, in 1945 wrote what he described as a prayer book for the atheists entitled The Philosophy of Wine. In its 111 pages, he makes the claim that wine contains the very essence of spirituality, one that can actually be consumed. Hamvas had a special place in his heart for the mountain wines of Somlo: The fiery wine of Somlo is grown on volcanic soil and has, for me, the last word of all of our wines. For me Somloi is not only a solar bari-tone, but also a symphonic, blond, masculine wine, which, among our wines, contains, in a uniquely concentrated purity, the oil of the highest creative spirituality. Therefore I think that, although all wines require company and reveal their true nature when drunk in a community, Somloi is the drink of the solitary. It is so filled with the oil of the Creations intoxication that we may drink it only in a sufficiently immersed, definitely silenced, and balanced solitude. Incidentally, about Somloi (I speak of the original, ancient, today already scarce, almost white-gold, dry, and fiery Somloi) I would also say that, though all serious mountain wines are more appropriate to an age above forty than to youth, that Somloi is the wine of the very old. It is the wine of wise people, of those who finally have acquired the greatest knowledge serenity In the hieratic mask of Somloi I felt myself the closest to the ripe serenity and wisdom, to the intensive creative intoxication that brought this world into being. Over the years the Sarfeher grape faded into disuse (there are only a few rows that remain in existence), and plantings on the hill became more mono-varietal. Along the way Juhfark, highly prone to botrytis and somewhat finicky to grow, also became scarce enough that when the current appellation system was formed after the end of the Cold War, the Hungarian government didnt even include Juhfark as an approved grape for the region. Outraged, the growers of Somlo planted more. Eventually the government sued the growers of Somlo. In what became the regions wine equivalent of the Battle of the Marne, the growers triumphed, and Juhfark became instantly and forever synonymous with Somlo. No one is quite sure when or how (local conspiracy theories describe a drunken meeting of a few producers who concocted the idea) but Juhfark has also become famous for another reason. It is widely described in Hungary as the Wedding Night Wine. As legend has it, consuming a bottle of Juhfark on your wedding night increases the likelihood of conceiving a son. This modern legend offers no end of annoyance to many producers who believe Somlos reputation should rest both on more historical merits and perhaps on the quality of their Furmint (which many believe does better than Juhfark on the hill), but no one seems willing to complain too much about the steady demand for Juhfark among their countrymen. Water into Wine A week spent tasting the wines of Somlo goes down as one of the most idyllic wine journeys of my life. For five days I soaked in the pear, honey and white flower essences of Furmint; I basked in the liquid sunshine, melon and citrus of Harslevelu; I was refreshed by the brisk brightness of Olaszrizling; and I fell deeper in love with the bee pollen, yellow herbs, and crystalline brilliance of Juhfark. But mostly I marveled at the wonder that is Somlo. I can honestly say there are few terroirs I have ever experienced that express themselves so strongly and consistently as does this little lump of rock in the middle of nowhere, Hungary. During my visit I tasted wines from nearly every commercial producer on the hill, and sampled vintages from many going back more than a decade. In their youth, the wines of Somlo are snappy and tight, brimming with acidity and the brightness of a new vintage, underscored by a distinct wet chalkboard or wet stone minerality. This is true even when they show characteristics of botrytis influence, a note desired by some winemakers and eschewed by others. Each grape variety ages differently, but quite consistently the wines of Somlo put on flesh and heft in their first few years, filling out their lithe forms to become more broad-shouldered and expansive. What happens next in their evolution, however, is nothing short of remarkable. Like a murmuration of starlings wheeling together in unison, or a vast school of salmon all turning unerringly in the ocean and heading back to the stream of their birth, in time the wines of Somlo begin to converge towards a single organoleptic location. Call it the strange attractor of Somlo a flavor profile that proves to be the archetypal essence of what Somlo wine represents. It took me several days to fully understand what I was tasting in these older wines as if I was one of those proverbial blind men feeling his way around an elephant. I had to piece together the trajectory of these wines one sip at a time. But then one afternoon, walking down a little lane on the eastern side of the hill, I chanced upon one of the springs bubbling up from underneath the rock, and I stooped to cup my hand for a drink from a spiral hollow set with flagstones. The cool water tasted like it had been squeezed through pulverized rock. It was faintly chalky, distinctly alkaline, slightly savory, and, in terms of drinkability, utterly fantastic. As I stood and watched a few glistening droplets fall off my fingertips onto the grass and flagstones below, I realized that the taste in my mouth was nothing less than that deeply mineral core to which every older wine I tasted seemed to be returning, regardless of what grape it had been made with. Indeed, what I have found, without exception, is that the older the Somlo wine, the less it tastes like the grape it was made from and the more it simply tastes like Somlo. Ive never quite experienced anything like this in all my years tasting wines around the world, and I found it profoundly moving. The distinct and powerful expression of place is something that serious wine lovers constantly seek, and the wines of Somlo offer it with surprising singularity. If you want to know what Somloi really tastes like, all you have to do is take a deep draught of spring water from the heart of the hill. No one quite knows where the water that feeds Somlos springs comes from. Geologists have tried to puzzle out the exact source for years and failed. But somewhere there must be a natural basin, deep within the volcanic heart of the hill, gathering each seasons rains as they percolate down through the rock a pristine aquifer sitting in some chamber formed perhaps by some massive gas bubble millions of years ago. That the wines share their character with the water that has made two passages through this crumbly igneous soil comes as no surprise to a serious student of the grape. But the mechanism behind this reality continues to elude scientists, who have not yet found a pathway for mineral uptake by vines that definitively links the geologic character of a soil to a specific flavor in a wine. While theyre busy figuring it out, the rest of us can simply smile at the transparency of grape to place, and pour another glass of liquid stone. The Next Little (Exclusive) Thing Despite having the quality and distinctiveness to do so, Somlos wines will never stand in the spotlight in the way that Austrian Gruner Veltiner did in the Nineties, or the way the wines of the Jura have for the last five or six years, for one simple reason. Theres just not enough wine to go around. There are about 100 fewer acres of Somlo wines than there are acres of Grand Cru Burgundy. And only a minority of the acreage in Somlo makes it into a bottle that gets sold, let alone exported. Even if Blue Danube Wine (currently the primary importer of Somlo wines to the US) brought in every single bottle available for export, that would still mean only paltry amounts for each major market in the country. So as much as I might fantasize about it, and as perfect a match as these wines are for the current trend towards eclectic, high-acid wines from obscure locales, Somlo wines will not be taking the wine world by storm anytime soon. Having said that, a week after I returned from Hungary, I happened to be dining at one of San Franciscos hottest new restaurants, and there, poured by the glass no less, was a Harslevelu from Bela Fekete, one of the oldest and most prestigious producers on Somlo. That was certainly the first time Ive seen a wine from Somlo poured by the glass in the US, but Im sure it wont be the last. These wines will eventually become the secret weapons of the most savvy sommeliers, mark my words. They tick every box of the hipster sommeliers fantasy wish list, and more importantly, theyre just damned delicious. In the 8th Century, an earl by the name of Fekete (no relation to the aforementioned Bela) lived on Somlo. He filled his leisure time by writing poetry and making wines, both of which he insisted on sending to his French acquaintance Voltaire. Legend has it that after several waves of poems and bottles, Voltaire penned a note of thanks to the Earl, which he closed with the quip, if only you wrote poems as good as this wine. The wines of Somlo are themselves a kind of primal poetry, one that reveals layers of meaning the closer you get to their volcanic heart. But just like the best poetry, you dont have to really understand them to enjoy them. You can simply let them carry you away to a place where the loudest sound you hear is a chorus of songbirds, and the smell of green grass and fruit blossoms drifts by on the breeze. Hamvas called them solitary wines, and I think I finally understand what he meant. For the longest time I never knew what people were talking about when they told me to find my happy place. But now I have. The International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE) in Quy Nhon citys Ghenh Rang ward, where the activities of the 12th Meet Vietnam will take place The event is expected to attract 1,661 delegates to partake in 12 scientific conferences and three physics classes from June 26 to December 17. The 12th Meet Vietnam will take place in Quy Nhon, the capital city of Binh Dinh from July 7-8, 2016. Respected scientific minds will take part in a series of events, including a special conference titled Fundamental Science and Society. In addition to Nobel laureates and prestigious scientists, the conference will also attract high-profile managers and some of the worlds leading business groups such as Belgiums Slovay and Frances Airbus. The conferences core objectives are raising specific issues related to fundamental sciences and society in Asian countries in general and particularly developing countries around Vietnam, creating a platform where local scientists can interact and exchange ideas with policy-makers and representatives of the private sector about the importance of science to the countrys and regional socio-economic development. Well-known professor academician Nguyen Van Hieu once affirmed that with its laudable achievements, science is fundamental for modern applications such as electronics, lasers, the Internet, and genetics as these all start from fundamental scientific studies. Underlining the importance of Meet Vietnam, Minster of Science and Technology Chu Ngoc Anh said, With the participation of reputed scientists, the event provides a worthwhile opportunity to help society become more knowledgeable about the importance of fundamental science. Fundamental science studies provide the groundwork to bring applications into our daily life. Besides the conference and physics classes, the 12th Meet Vietnam will also encompass talks by Nobel laureates and prestigious scientists with audiences in Quy Nhon and Hanoi, providing the attendees with intriguing insights into the scientific world. Accordingly, in Quy Nhon city, Nobel laureate in Chemistry professor Kurt Wuthrich will have a talk under the theme My Life as a Scientist on July 6, and professor Trinh Xuan Thuan will talk about Humans and Space on July 8. In Hanoi, Professor Wuthrich will also meet students at the University of Science on July 15, and Nobel Laureate Professor Finn Kydland will hold talks with students at the National Economics University on July 12. Meet Vietnam was created by popular Vietnamese Professor Tran Thanh Van, one of the three Asian recipients of the Pate Medal for International Leadership in Physics from the American Institute of Physics (AIP). This year, the event will be co-hosted by the Meet Vietnam Association, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Binh Dinh Peoples Committee and several other international scientific organisations. Professor Van shared that he had travelled the length and breadth of the country to find the right place to build the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education (ICISE), where the event will be hosted. Coming to Binh Dinh, he was impressed with the knowledge of provincial leaders about the projects importance to Vietnams scientific development, and particularly that of Binh Dinh. According to Nguyen Thanh Tung, Secretary of the Binh Dinh Party Committee, through scientific meetings in 2008 when Meet Vietnam first took place in the province, international scientists from more than 20 countries learned of Binh Dinhs Quy Nhon city, and Vietnam in general. The event has helped promote the image of Vietnam and Binh Dinh around the world. Dung made the demand at his meeting with Vinacomin leadership in the coal-mining Quang Ninh province on June 25. While acknowledging Vinacomins success in increasing output, meeting domestic demand for coal and ensuring jobs for more than 100,000 workers, the Deputy PM said the corporation must improve productivity, cut prices and pay more attention to environmental protection, thus enhancing its competitiveness. He asked the group to make survey on natural resources to serve the drafting of development plans for key minerals, first of all coal. The Deputy PM instructed relevant ministries, agencies and Quang Ninh province authorities to study Vinacomins petitions and suggestions and timely remove obstacles for the corporation. He also asked Quang Ninh province to tighten the management of coal mining and trading activities alongside environmental protection measures. Ho Chi Minh Citys rising affluence has paved the way for a spate of large-scale developments by foreign investors Before the visit of US President Barack Obama to Vietnam at the end of May, Dinh La Thang, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee hosted US investors who expressed interest in a $4 billion multifunctional complex in the Thu Thiem new urban area, near the Saigon River. The interested parties are Steelman Partners, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Weidner Resorts. According to William Weidner, chairman and CEO of Weidner Resorts, by joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership Vietnam would attract investment from all over the world, and Ho Chi Minh City in particular had strong development potential. Weidner Resorts is a developer and manager of a multitude of hotels and 5-star integrated resorts in the US and Asia. Meanwhile, Steelman Partners have been operating in Vietnam for several years, and is involved in a range of projects such as the Grand Ho Tram integrated resort in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau and Happyland Hotel in the southern province of Long An. Cantor Fitzgerald provides investment services and is present in 30 markets worldwide. New investment projects can also be seen coming from long time foreign investors in Vietnam, such as Temasek Holdings, Sembcorp Development Ltd, CapitaLand, Keppel Land, and Mapletree Investments. In April this year, Keppel Land, one of Singapores leading real estate investors, entered into a conditional investment agreement to subscribe a 40 per cent equity interest in Empire City Limited Liability Company, at a total cost of $93.9 million, to develop a prime 14.6-hectare waterfront site in Thu Thiem, located in District 2 of Ho Chi Minh City. According to CEO of Keppel Land, Ang Wee Gee, Vietnam, especially the fast-growing Ho Chi Minh City, is one of Keppel Lands key growth markets. We are very excited to participate in the growth of the up-and-coming Thu Thiem new urban area, which is poised to become the future central business district of Ho Chi Minh City, said Gee. Also coming from Singapore, Sembcorp Development Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore-based Sembcorp Industries, unveiled a plan to construct an innovation park in the city. At a working session with Ho Chi Minh Citys mayor Nguyen Thanh Phong recently, Sembcorps CEO Kelvin Teo said such an innovation park would attract scientists, interdisciplinary experts, technology developers, and investors from all over the world to develop value-added products. The park, which will cover an area of between 50 and 100ha, will include a commercial centre, research facilities, and residential quarters offering quality accommodation for scientists and expats. Sembcorp previously implemented similar parks in mainland China. The firm is also studying and searching for sites to develop three new industrial parks (IPs) in Vietnam. Sembcorp has so far invested in seven IPs and townships in Vietnam, worth more than $8 billion. In June, Mapletree Investments acquired Kumho Asiana Plaza Saigon in Ho Chi Minh City from Kumho Industrial Company Limited and Asiana Airlines Incorporated, to the value of $215 million. The takeover of Kumho Asiana Plaza Saigon, according to Mapletrees leaders, will expand its business in Vietnam and deliver strong returns. Mapletrees CEO Hiew Yoon Khong said that this was the groups largest acquisition involving a completed, income-producing property in Vietnam. The group began investing in Vietnam in 2005, and today owns and manages a portfolio comprising offices, retail, industrial, logistics, and serviced apartment assets. Mapletree has over $1 billion in assets under management in the country and is also developing Saigon South Place, a 4.4ha mixed-use project in Ho Chi Minh City, scheduled for completion by early 2018. Britains exit from the EU caused immediate cascades in global stock indices Photo: Duy Minh On Friday, the UK held a referendum on whether to remain within, or leave the EU. Informally, this vote was dubbed the Brexit referendum. Despite widespread predictions to the contrary, the pro-leave side has proclaimed victory with 51.8 per cent of votes. This means the UK will no longer be part of the EU trade bloc, although the leaving process will likely take some years to complete. The Vietnamese market crashed last Friday in reaction to the Brexit news, with the VN-Index dropping by 11.5 points from 632 to 620.77. At 1pm, the index even plummeted to 597, which means a loss of 5 per cent of its total points before Friday. However, the index later recovered to 620.77 as investors took advantage of the dip to buy in stocks. Due to mass selling and buying activities last Friday, liquidity soared to a two-year record level at VND6.1 trillion ($275 million) on both the Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City stock exchanges. Similar gloomy sentiments have pervaded Asian stock markets, with the Japanese Nikkei Index dropping by 7.92 per cent while the Hong Kong Hang Seng plunging by 2.9 per cent. The Straits Times Index in Singapore also fell by 2 per cent. According to analysts, the Brexit could spark uncertainties about the future of the UK and EU, ultimately meaning that investors may flock to safe haven assets such as gold or the Japanese yen. Conversely, the global stock market, which is considered a risky investment tool, will suffer from the mass retreat of investors. This may affect overseas capital flows to developing countries like Vietnam, said Nguyen Duc Hung Linh, head of retail research at Saigon Securities Incorporation. According to analysts from BIDV Securities, investors in Vietnam may act more carefully towards listed firms with high amounts of debt in the yen, as the Japanese currency is expected to surge following the Brexit. Companies with strong trade ties with the UK and the EU, typically in seafood or garments and textiles, may also be negatively affected. The Brexit results were a bit surprising as global markets, including Vietnam, had predicted a win for the pro-remain side. The stock market could see short-term disruptions following this update, and so investors are advised to tread carefully and stick to safe stocks, read the report. Reports from Maybank Kim Eng Securities, however, noted that Vietnam and Thailand have the least exposure in terms of capital flows from both the UK and the EU, and as such the Brexit would have little direct impact on Vietnamese equities. [The Brexit effects] will be driven by domestic factors, namely GDP growth, of which the figures for the second quarter of 2016 will be released next week; credit growth; the new UK government and Parliaments initial policies; and corporate earnings. In other words, the VN-Index may have a higher chance of moving higher in the second half of 2016. This is unchanged from our recent commentaries on credit growth and fiscal balances, Maybank Kim Eng noted. Le Thi Hong Lien, head of institutional research at Maybank Kim Eng, also noted that last weeks equities sales by foreign investors may be more related to the quarterly portfolio shuffle of exchange-traded funds like Market Vectors Vietnam, than by the Brexit. After leaving the EU, the UK will have to negotiate a slew of trade agreements with the EU for the next two years. As a result, experts noted that it may take a while to see concrete effects of the Brexit on Vietnamese listed firms that have trade relations with the UK and the EU. Meanwhile, gold prices in Vietnam rose to VND35.3 million per tael ($1,375 per ounce) on Friday, a 10 per cent rise from the previous day, as gold in international markets rallied from the Brexit results. Luis Gonzalez, chief digital officer of GE Powers Digital Power Solutions in the Asia Pacific told VIRs Hoang Anh that he saw great interest from Vietnams power producers for a solution that could meet their demands for more efficient power plants and a reduction in emissions. The Digital Power Plant, launched by GE last September, is quite a new concept for the Vietnamese market. Following talks with Vietnamese power companies, how do you evaluate the level of their interest in GEs digital solutions? Vietnamese power producers all want to become more efficient and reduce their emissions. They want to have better control of their plants operations, and I think this target can be achieved by evolving their practices and making sure that the plants run cheaper, safer, and more efficiently. The opportunities and challenges we see Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) addressing is the same that we see in our own market. They want to be more reliable, more efficient, and they genuinely care about the environment. From what I have seen at working sessions with Vietnamese partners, I could say that they are eager to address their issues and they agreed with us that theres potential for us to collaborate. They hope that we would partner quickly, and their expectation for GE is for us to create a vision with practical actions that move EVN towards a solution where they can take advantage of our digital services. Have you secured any contracts to make a model digital power plant in Asia? What challenges do you expect for Vietnamese power plants to be digitally transformed given its unique power market? Digital power plants require multiple parts to be joined together digitally. It means they put the generator, the boiler, turbines, many of the plants components, and the unit assets on a digital platform. In Asia, its at an early stage as we have had very advanced plants in Japan that are digitising their assets but they havent got to the point that can be called a digital power plant. It is the same in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. I cant tell you we have fully achieved a digital power plant like in the US or Middle East, but were progressing towards that. Vietnam has challenges based on the type of industry it has. For this type of industry there are pros and cons. On the pro side, because its an integrated utility that does everything, its easier to make decisions that have an impact on the overall value change. The challenge is because Vietnam has a very central generation of coal, with little diversification on the competition aspect of generation and customer retailing, there will be less drivers from the market, which means Vietnam will rely more on internal drivers like EVN and regulatory measures. Nevertheless, Vietnam has a great opportunity because it has the need for better generation, but with an integrated ability to affect the whole market. And so, because EVN is the sole decision maker, if it commits to a digital transformation roadmap, it will be able to have efficiency not only on the power generation front, but also in terms of distribution and for the benefit of customers. This can turn a disadvantage into an advantage because with a committed company, Vietnam can turn things around faster than a more fragmented market can. Vietnam might seem challenging in some ways, but EVN has a strong demand for new products, fast growth in the economy, and abundant domestic sources of fuel, so they actually have some of the ingredients that the integrated utility was created to address which is how do we get more power to more people reliably and affordably? So its a good challenge. Does a digital power plant require green-field investments, and does GE also offer financing solutions to customers? It depends. The first layer to get to the digital power plant is connectivity. So you have to make sure you have sensors in your equipment. And sometimes that means you have to replace equipment. The second layer is you have to have the ability to manage the data and transform it. In some cases, that will require getting new types of instruments. Now, in the case of EVN, a lot of their plants are fairly new. Newer plants tend to already have the sensors, so the need to buy new equipment is diminished. But until we do a proper assessment of what a digital power plant will be like for each customer, its hard to know if theres a need for equipment investment, and what this will be in proportion to the tech, process, and people investments. What we see when customers go through digital transformation is that the biggest effort is not in dollars or VND. Its a paradigm shift, understanding that the vision of their businesses has to be a bit different, that they need to use information to make more intelligent decisions so as to enable the organisation, processes, and technology. Its easy to start small, fail quickly, and learn from there as long as you have the right vision for digital transformation. In principle, most of our agreements with companies that want digital transformation are collaboration agreements. It means we look to have a vested interest from both parties. So GEs willing to invest when the customer commits to go down this path with GE. We plan to and always have the flexibility to incentivise our partners to go down this path with us. A key aspect of Kido Groups M&A strategy is taking advantage of insider know-how Photo: Duc Thanh During its recent annual general meeting, Kido Group (previously known as Kinh Do Corporation whose nearly 20 per cents stake was owned by foreign investors) announced its 2016 plan to continue its Food and Flavour strategy with a focus on consumer foods such as instant noodles, cooking oil, soy sauce, and ice-cream. To achieve this, Kido plans to merge with or acquire existing firms in the sector. The firm will use its ample cash reserves of VND3 trillion ($134.5 million) to carry out these mergers and acquisitions (M&A). According to Kidos Board of Directors, M&As are the fastest and most stable option to venture into the consumer foods market, as the firm can take advantage of existing facilities and insider know-how. Firstly, the group will boost its ownership from 24 to 51 per cent at Vocarimex and nominate new executives to the latters board. As a major player in the Vietnamese cooking oil market, Vocarimex currently owns 51 per cent stake in Tuong An Vegetable Oil JSC, 49 per cent stake in Golden Hope Nha Be, and 24 per cent stake in Cai Lan Oil & Fats Industries Company. This means that through the takeover of Vocarimex, Kido will be able to learn the business strategies for the popular cooking oil brands Tuong An, Golden Hope, and Neptune. Secondly, Kido will continue its strategic partnership with Saigon Ve Wong in producing instant noodles. Still according to reports from Ho Chi Minh Securities, instant noodles seem to be the most challenging sector for Kido, as the market has been saturated with strong brands from Masan, Acecook, and Asia Foods. Moreover, according to statistics from the World Instant Noodles Association, the volume of instant noodle consumption in Vietnam has dropped in recent years. Specifically, the number of servings decreased from 5.2 million in 2013 to 5 million in 2014, and maintained the downward trend to 4.8 million in 2015. As the Vietnamese economy grows quickly, any potential business sector has of course been covered already by many brands. Instant noodles are simply an example of this phenomenon. Were confident that Kido will find our own segment in the competitive noodles market and reach a top-three position in the long run, said Kidos deputy chief executive officer Nguyen Thi Xuan Lieu. Kido is also actively seeking other M&A opportunities in the food and beverage sector. Its board of directors stressed that careful consideration was necessary to ensure long-term co-operation and a stable gain in market share. However, last year, Kido fell through in its well-publicised M&A deal with PhinDeli, a Vietnamese coffee brand with operations in the US. Kido attributed this failure to incompatibilities between PhinDelis products and Kidos distribution network. On the selling side, Kido will withdraw completely from Kinh Do Binh Duong JSC by selling its remaining 20 per cent stake to Mondelez International. The firms confectionery arm had already been renamed Mondelez Kinh Do in March. Experts noted that Kidos M&A strategy was somewhat similar to its rival Masan Group, which also dominates the Vietnamese food and beverage industry through a slew of aggressive M&As. In the past six years, thanks to its huge cash reserves and bank loans, Masan has acquired the cafe brand Vinacafe Bien Hoa, cattle-feed firms Proconco and Anco, pure water producer Vinh Hao, Saigon Nutri Food, and Cholimex. The recent fluctuations in the securities market just increase the value of an investment in Vietnam and while some investors may be weary due to these fluctuations, the savvy investors will see the market as a great buying opportunity, said Ducchi T. Quan, chief operation officer and general counsel of AI Capital.Even with the US slowdown, Vietnams economic development will continue and her economy will sustain the growth rates, thus the slowdown will not only promote a flight to quality but also a flight to returns, Quan said.Quan is hedging his bets on funds becoming a stronger buy over the next few years and is rolling out new products for the forecast demand.In the first half of 2008, we will launch two AI Capital private equity M&A funds - one for Vietnamese investors and one for qualified foreign investors besides opening up another office in Ho Chi Minh City to complement the one in Hanoi.As for the recent State Bank decision to reduce dollar purchases, he was optimistic.The bank will do what is necessary to maintain liquidity in the market to support the continuing development of the country.This was a change in short-term policy by the State Bank and firms would wait for medium-term policy direction to become clearer, said Dominic Scriven, director of Dragon Capital.Vietnam offers great long-term promise across its economy. We will be looking - as we always have - for sectors of good growth visibility, and for management committed to clear strategy and governance models, said Scriven.Dragon Capital, according to a company source, is working on setting up three new funds valued at up to $3 billion later this year. The Ministry of Finance is drafting a proposal on corporate income tax applicable for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the next five years. Photo cafef.vn The proposal is in response to Government's Resolution 35 on supporting and developing enterprises until 2020. According to local website cafef.vn, the ministry will propose two levels of corporate income tax 17 per cent and 15 per cent which will be imposed on SMEs from January 1, 2016, to 2020. The current level is 20 per cent. Startup companies, which develop projects in disadvantaged, rural and remote areas, will be exempt from tax in the first four years and will have to pay corporate income tax of 10 per cent in 15 years. The tax reduction will likely have a negative impact on the State budget collection in the period, but the ministry expects that the budget will be offset by the increase in indirect tax and personal income tax as enterprises will have more financial sources to re-invest and expand production. In addition, the ministry was taking drastic measures to reform administrative procedures related to tax and land to facilitate enterprises in accordance with Government's Resolution 19 on improving the business environment, Ngo Huu Loi, head of the ministry's Department of Legal Affairs, said. The measures were aimed at reducing business costs incurred by enterprises, Loi affirmed. Resolution 19 aims to put Viet Nam on par with the average performance of ASEAN's top four countries in the implementation of tax procedures and tax compliance by 2020. Specific targets include 90 per cent of businesses must use an online tax service; 65 per cent of businesses must register and make their tax payments online; and 80 per cent of tax payers should be satisfied with the services provided by their tax authorities. At a recent workshop on improving the business environment through tax reform held in the city earlier this week, Nguyen Thi Cuc, chairwoman of the Tax Consultancy Association, recognised the tax sector's efforts to reform tax procedures. However, she said taxpayers were still facing many problems in observing tax laws, partly due to the failure of infrastructure and database to catch up with the rapid reform of policy. In particular, SMEs have yet to gain timely access to favourable revised tax policies. Loi, from the finance ministry, said the authority was striving to simplify tax procedures so that time spent in paying tax would be a maximum of 110 hours per year. Loi also said regulations on land as well as financial obligation in the field were under scrutiny so that the ministry could propose solutions to cut charges for leasing of land or for changes in land use purposes. The ministry was working with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment on plans to allow enterprises access to land in industrial zones and complexes and to allow them to pay land lease in a flexible manner. The groundbreaking ceremony of two important projects on flood control and tumor hospital in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), June 26, 2016 - Photo: VGP/Quang Hieu The event also drew the attendance of former State President Nguyen Minh Triet, former PM Nguyen Tan Dung, President of the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Nguyen Thien Nhan, Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh, HCM City Party Secretary Dinh La Thang. The flood-control project, which had climate change impact assessments, will follow the BT model. It had a total investment of VND 10 trillion (US$442.5 million) and will be constructed in 36 months (in 2016-2018). The project targets to control flood and respond to climate change for around 6.5 million people in the areas of 570 sq.km. Especially, six big tide-controlling sluices, namely Ben Nghe, Tan Thuan, Phu Xuan, Muong Chuoi, Chay Kho, and Phu Dinh will be built. A 7.8-km dyke along the Sai Gon River from Vam Thuat to Song Kinh in the phase 1 and 25 small sluices from Vam Thuat to Muong Chuoi will be constructed. The project spans across Districts 1, 4, 7, 8, and Nha Be and Binh Chanh districts and around 300 households with 1,500 people will be relocated. Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony, PM Phuc highlighted the significance of the project for the city. He stressed the need to review and update new technology; invite scientists and experts to successfully realize the project; ensure labor safety; prevent traffic accidents; prepare proper resettlement plans; and combat corruption. The same day, the PM also partook the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new facility of the over-loaded Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital in Tan Phu ward, District 9. The VND 5.85 trillion (US$258.6 million) facility will have 1,000 beds, helping ease the overload being suffered by the Oncology Hospital. The hospitalhas to accommodate the number of patients that exceeds 170% of its capacity at times. The PM said with the growing cancer cases, approximately 150,000 a year, the construction of specialized hospitals like this one will meet rising demand for medical examinations and treatment. PM Phuc welcomed the cooperation of the local authorities and the Ministry of Health, calling on the constructors and contractors to accomplish the project on schedule with safety ensured. Investor confidence remained low after British people chose to leave the EU late last week, pulling both local markets down in the early session. Photo vietnamplus.vn The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange fell 1.2 per cent to close at 613.27 points. The HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange dropped 1.3 per cent to end at 82.53 points. Investors remained worried about how global economies may be affected following the British referendum. At the end of the early session, the property sector was the strongest decliner among all the 20 sectors on the stock market. The property sector was pushed down by FLC Group (FLC), Phat Dat Real Estate Development Corp (PDR), Tan Tao Investment and Industry Corp (ITA) and Sai Gon Thuong Tin Real Estate JSC (SCR). FLC was down 1.7 per cent, PDR slumped 3.5 per cent, ITA slipped 2.3 per cent and SCR declined by 2 per cent. Blue chips continued to weigh on both markets. Vietcombank (VCB), dairy firm Vinamilk (VNM), consumer goods producer Masan Group (MSN) and insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), all moved down from Friday's closing prices. Investors on both local markets exchanged more than 85 million shares worth VND1.4 trillion (US$63 million). "Now it is our turn," trumpeted Geert Wilders, the leader of the anti-Islam far right Freedom Party (PVV), just after the results landed. With Dutch MPs gearing to debate the seismic impact of the Brexit this week, ahead of general elections in March, the fallout will dominate the political scene for months to come. How it is viewed in this small trading nation of 17 million people - which unlike Britain is part of the eurozone - may largely depend on the kind of deal the Brits get from the EU as they head out the door. Wilders has promised to make a referendum on a "Nexit" a central plank of his party's election campaign. And he is already eyeing the power of the premiership, with polls having consistently shown in recent months that the PVV could emerge the largest party in the 150-seat parliament, although not with a majority. 'REINVENT DEMOCRACY' "I believe we should reinvent democracy," Wilders told AFP, insisting the Dutch people had a right to vote on the country's EU membership. "A real democracy cannot exist without a nation state. People don't feel connected to a European commission or a council of men they don?t know... that they didn't vote for." Constitutionally it would be very difficult to call a referendum now, and such a move does not enjoy enough support in parliament. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who ardently called for Britain to stay, said Friday he believed there was little "interest" for a fresh people's ballot on the EU. But Wilders vowed that if he is tasked with forming a coalition government in March, "I would govern with parties that would want such a referendum." The Dutch have already twice voted convincingly against the European project. More than 61 percent of the Dutch rejected the draft European constitution in 2005. And in April this year, they dealt the EU a further blow by rejecting its cooperation treaty with Ukraine in a non-binding ballot pushed by grassroots eurosceptics using a law which would not apply to a more general referendum on EU ties. A LA CARTE DEAL? Analyst Peter Van Ham said the mood in the Netherlands would depend on whether EU leaders give the Brits a "kneecapping" for daring to leave, or decide to treat fairly a country "that twice saved them in two world wars." "If the UK gets a good deal, a kind of Switzerland deal, access to the markets, a pick-and-choose, a la carte kind of deal," he said, then voters' impressions that being out of the EU would be like "being North Korea would be less likely," he told AFP. After crisis talks in Berlin at the weekend, German Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared to warn against a nasty divorce despite calls from some to get it over with as quickly as possible. Member states should "calmly and prudently analyse and evaluate the situation," Merkel said. But Van Ham, senior research fellow at the Clingendael think-tank in The Hague, warned some "people in Brussels are true believers and the European project is very dear to them." They might feel it best to "put some pressure on the UK for a while in the hope that the ghost of euroscepticism will be defeated," he said, adding "I don't think" it will be. A poll under the headline "Afraid of Nexit" by the leading conservative daily De Telegraaf Saturday appeared to back Rutte's claim that the Dutch are more wary of cutting loose their ties to Europe. People believed a Nexit "would be bad for our wallets. And without Europe, the Netherlands will have less presence on the world stage," De Telegraaf wrote. The survey of 1,000 people found if a vote were held today, a majority of Dutch people - 51 percent - would plump to stay in the EU with some 34 percent choosing to go. Some 13 percent were undecided. But the unfolding story of Britain's departure from the EU will likely be keenly watched in The Netherlands in the months to come. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. The artists Anida Yoeu Ali, Amy Lee Sanford, and Linda Saphan were brought together for the exhibition, called Interlace: Three Artists in the Cambodian Diaspora, by Italian curator Loredana Pazzini-Paracciani. She said she was fascinated by the artists ways of using contemporary art to tell the story of how they fled the Khmer Rouge and resettled abroad. They [the artists] do share very personal stories for which I am very grateful, of course, and honored. But at the same time, they also have the ability to speak a very international language, and that is what makes this exhibition successful. Cambodians who fled the country or were born in the Cambodian diasporic families faced many challenges finding their true identities because of the cultural and lifestyle differences between their home and host countries. The works center on a search for identity, a coming to terms with the past and present, and cultural and religious hybridity. An installation at the exhibit, by Sanford, uses 17 pieces of clay pottery and is titled Full Circle. This artwork shows how something can change very quickly in an instant and it reflects on the effort, the energy, and the concentration we require to repair something, Sanford explained. Its really symbolic for ones personal journey, for a society, a country, a situation where things change in an instant, and it takes a lot of time to recover from them. Saphans work called Back Home is also being exhibited at Interlace. This work depicts the experiences of going back home, questioning what is home and the search for identity. I dont really look Khmer anymore, and Im neither Canadian nor French. So, there is like a sense of [being a] global citizen of the world. She added that for this exhibition, its really about the idea that being Cambodian is very complex and complicated, and its not one narrative or one version that represents everything. Pazzini-Paracciani said the exhibition had exceeded her expectations and had been an emotional experience that was very well-received by visitors. The countrys leading contemporary artists will showcase their work at the National Museum in Phnom Penh from July 1 until August 31. This is the first time that the artists whose work has been exhibited abroad will have their art on display in Cambodia. The show, titled Histories of the Future, is curated by Dana Langlois, founding director of the Phnom Penh art space JavaArts. I was actually quite excited to take on this project because, over the last 10 to 15 years, quite a lot of very good and interesting contemporary [Cambodian] artworks have been supported and exhibited in Australia, Langlois, who has been working in the Cambodian art scene for the past 16 years, told VOA Khmer. She added that this was a great opportunity to bring this work to Cambodia to be showcased together in one exhibition. I thought it was a really interesting opportunity also to think about the theme of what it means to place contemporary artworks next to the antique artworks [in the museum] and what that means today, and how we then can support the contemporary art scene, explained Langlois. The exhibition will feature 17 artworks including video, photography, sculpture, prints and installations. It seeks to address the social, cultural and economic issues that Cambodia has experienced for decades and that have shaped the countrys modern history. One of the artworks is a short documentary film by 29-year-old Kavich Neang. The documentary tells the story of a Cambodian family who fled the Khmer Rouge to find a better life in Australia. We want Cambodians to see all the work that weve done, Neang said. Most of the work done in Cambodia is not seen by Cambodians, and that is the missing part that we need to think about. Another of the works is The Buddhist Bug, a multimedia project by Cambodian-American artist Anida Yoeu Ali that features an orange larvae-like creature-cum-outfit that is worn by the artist herself. Its a work that touches on her heritage involving both Buddhism and Islam, she said. This exhibition at the National Museum, I think, is one of the most important exhibitions [in terms of] contemporary art in Cambodia, she said. I feel this way because Ive been there for the past six years, you know, really watching the contemporary art scene emerge and re-emerge out of very limited resources and very little government support, Ali added. And, so, to have contemporary arts by mainly Cambodian and Cambodian diaspora artists in a space like the National Museum, which is so historically significant, I think that its just huge. This two-month long exhibition is a collaboration of the Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh, the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, and the National Museum of Cambodia. Mr. Kung Vireakthe National Museum Directortold VOA that the museum has only been showing antiques and artistic works in the traditional context, so he thought having a contemporary exhibition such this is very important. Thats why I accepted this [exhibition] request immediately in order to improve the content of our museum from only focusing on the past to including the future, said Mr. Kung. He also called for [Cambodian] artistswho would work in other institutions other than the governmental bodyto exhibit their work at the National Museum because there are national and international visitors coming to the museum every day, so they can display their works and at the same time, we are also proud to show that we also have Cambodian contemporary artists. Mr. Kung also added that the National Museum welcomes all kinds of artworks, traditional and contemporary, made by all Cambodian artists. Prime Minister Hun Sen last Friday told a gathering of Cambodian Christians that efforts to end his rule could lead to minority religious groups being persecuted. He also said that any new prime minister coming to power on the back of a color revolution would likely curb religious freedoms in the country. Hun Sen would feel hurt it he was robbed, Hun Sen said, adding that he would seek to protect Christians in Cambodia from oppression. When Hun Sen stays, Hun Sen will allow religious practices to be done in every place and today Hun Sen and his wife came to meet you. Now, the true thing is before you, or do you want the things that were just shaky promises, he asked. He reiterated claims that politicians in Cambodia had attempted to foment a revolution after the 2013 election, although avoided naming members of the opposition. An opposition spokesman could not be reached on Saturday. Kem Ley, founder of the Grassroots Democracy Party, warned that rising unemployment in the event of a mass deportation of Cambodian migrant workers, coupled with long-running issues such as corruption, were the biggest risk factors that could lead to popular upheaval. For example, if Thailand or Malaysia got some problems with Asean, they would send back millions of Cambodians, causing unemployment, so it [a revolution] would happen. Thus, there should be solutions to the jobs and the courts that we formed if they cant provide justice to the people, the people will rise up. This is what we have to be afraid of, he said. Ruling party lawmakers have requested a review of opposition MPs salaries and payments in light of their ongoing absence from the legislature, a statement from the National Assembly released on Monday said. An ongoing boycott of the assembly by Cambodia National Rescue Party lawmakers, it said, had not seen a reduction in salaries and other expenses claimed by the opposition. Chheang Vun, a spokesman for the ruling Cambodian Peoples Party, said opposition parliamentarians had continued to make use of state property without attending any parliamentary sessions. State property is used to serve the state. The cars are for the committee chairmen to use for work, not for carrying petitions, he said, in an apparent reference to the use of cars provided by parliament for partisan campaigning by the CNRP. In late May, opposition lawmakers submitted petitions to the Royal Palace using some 20 cars, many of which had state license plates. Son Chhay, chief whip of the CNRP, said Chheang Vun did not have evidence to support his claims, adding that the opposition had given parliament a months notice of their plan to boycott due to alleged violations of some of its members immunity from criminal investigation. We have not seen any response... regarding political affairs, theres no law specifying a reduction of salaries or the seizing of state cars like [Chheang Vun] mentioned, he said. However, the internal regulations of parliament do state that if a lawmaker is absent for three consecutive days they can be stripped of all allowances. The CNRP lawmakers have boycotted parliament since May when an attempt was made to arrest its deputy leader, Kem Sokha, in relation to an ongoing criminal investigation into allegations he solicited the services of a prostitute. Two lawmakers and more than a dozen supporters and activists from the opposition have been jailed since the 2013 election in various cases that critics have said were politically motivated. The Koh Kong Provincial Court on Monday began a trial of three environmental activists of local NGO Mother Nature for opposing sand dredging activities in the Southwestern province, according to human rights activists. The Mother Nature activists Sun Mala, Try Sovikea, and Sim Samnang were charged by the court with intimidation and causing damage during the campaign to curb sand dredging in Koh Kong, and were jailed in August 2015. In Kongchet, provincial representative of local rights group Licadho, told VOA on Monday that the court began the trial by questioning the three activists, Koh Kong officials, representatives of dredging firm Direct Access, and representatives of the Ministry of Mines and Energy. He added that the court continued question 16 witnesses into Monday evening and civil society observers had not been allowed to observe the proceedings. We see that the process was made in a mysterious way, and we hope that justice would be found for these three accused people, he said. Kongchet also said that about 90 people from communities that suffered from land rights violations came to demonstrate in solidarity with the activists outside the court. Iv Tray, deputy prosecutor of the Koh Kong provincial court could not be reached for comment. The trial is set to resume on Tuesday morning. An Afghan insurgent group says differences over the presence of U.S.-led international troops in Afghanistan have left its peace talks with the government deadlocked. The Hezb-i-Islami (HIA) faction led by fugitive former warlord Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has accused Afghan negotiators of unilaterally altering certain provisions in the peace deal the two sides had drafted after weeks of intense negotiations. The government gave in to U.S. pressure and made changes to passages in the original agreement that dealt with the future of foreign troops in Afghanistan, the group alleged through an article in its Daily Shahadat magazine. The original draft, according to HIA, stated both sides supported the idea of "having no foreign troops" in the country and vowed to deal with the violence through national unity. But the amended draft added, "Both sides supported the presence of foreign forces in accordance with the bilateral security pacts for strengthening national solidarity in the interest of the country. The changes are unacceptable to the group, but President Ashraf Ghanis government wanted it to sign the new document for the peace process to be carried forward, which prompted the suspension of talks, according to the insurgents. An Afghan government official requesting anonymity confirmed to VOA the talks have been suspended. But he said Kabul is still awaiting a formal response from Hekmatyars group to be able to release an official reaction on the issue. New demands Hekmatyar has reportedly come up with new demands, including cancellation of security pacts Kabul has signed with Washington and NATO allowing them to continue with their military missions, and a public timetable for withdrawal of foreign troops from Afghanistan. Certain counterproposals were recently delivered to Ghani through a letter, but were rejected, the group said in its Monday announcement. Afghan government peace negotiators in response called the security pacts a red line that we cannot cross," according to HIA. The negotiations generated hopes for a peace deal that would bring political stability to President Ghanis rule and put pressure on the main Taliban insurgency to come to the table to end the Afghan war through peaceful talks. Designated a "global terrorist" by the United States, Hekmatyar is allegedly sheltering in neighboring Pakistan. Hekmatyars fighters have been waging the insurgency alongside the Taliban, although his influence is mainly confined to some eastern and northeastern Afghan regions. Deadly clashes between the Hezb-i-Islami and Taliban are not uncommon when one side tries to step into the others territory of influence. The Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank stresses its independence from China's influence and says its project decisions are objective, but at the bank's first annual general meeting this weekend, it was clear some members are concerned about that very question. The meeting revealed the new bank is sanctioning four project loans worth $509 million since it was launched last January. AIIB has also partnered with three other multilateral development banks the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for co-financing projects. But concerns remain that China, the AIIB's biggest shareholder, will greatly influence its operations, and guide the bank to support projects in Beijing's "One Belt, One Road," also known as the Silk Road program. Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli, who spoke at the bank meeting, advised the bank to support member countries and synergize its plans with the Silk Road. He particularly referred to the inadequate infrastructure in Central Asia, which is a crucial Silk Road link to connect China with Europe. China holds 20.6 percent of the bank's shares, while all other shareholders have less than 7.5 percent each. AIIB Vice President and former British treasury minister Danny Alexander tried to allay the concerns about the bank's independent governance. "China, as much as other shareholders, has been very supportive of the governance standards that we're setting and of the transparency around the bank's operations," he said. Korean concern But South Korea's finance minister, and AIIB governor, IIho Yoo did not appear fully satisfied. "The roles of the management and the board should be more clearly defined. Over the past six months, the basic framework for operation took shape, but there is still much to be done," Yoo said, adding the bank needs to develop its environmental and social framework. He said the bank needs to foster trust in its operations, "In particular, building a strong organization over the longer term will require the bank to be operated in an efficient manner based on trust and transparency." South Korea caused some surprise last year when it announced plans to join as a founder member of AIIB, despite Washington's strong reservations about the bank. The United States and Japan have kept out of the bank, which has 57 members. Drawing on China's experience Critics have said the AIIB would ignore the best practices adopted by the World Bank in areas like environmental assessment, and social and labor standards in infrastructure projects. AIIB President Jin Liqun made it clear the new bank does not consider the Western model as the best option. He would prefer to draw on the experience of China, which is the world's biggest infrastructure builder. "The question is, how do you define international best practice? I will not agree to anything which could be considered international best practice unless this kind of best practice incorporates the development experience of China and many countries in Asia and elsewhere over the last three or four decades," Jin said. "So our bank would like to have the development experience, the so-called international best practice, reflecting the experience of China, India [and] so many countries in Asia. So we should have a different model of development," he added. World Bank's caution The AIIB board met Saturday to sanction loans amounting to $509 million for four projects in Pakistan, Tajikistan, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The projects in Pakistan and Tajikistan are part of China's Silk Road program. The World Bank has partnered with the AIIB for a slum improvement project in Indonesia. The World Bank took on the responsibility of environmental assessment and procurement, which includes hiring construction contractors. There have been fears AIIB-backed projects might favor Chinese contractors, and be less stringent on implementing environmental standards. Joachim von Amsberg, AIIB vice president for policy and strategy, said the Indonesian project draws on many years of partnership between the World Bank and the government in Jakarta. "We [the AIIB] came relatively late to this project, and complemented the financing. So, it was natural for us to rely on the work done between the government of Indonesia and the World Bank," Amsberg told VOA. Chinese donation Zhang announced China would contribute $50 million to a new bank fund to assist member countries with project preparation. China is the only member to contribute beyond the requirement of its shareholding. The World Bank does not accept donations that can give greater influence to one or two members in the project preparation stage that ultimately leads to loan approvals. An AIIB official explained that this contribution would make no difference to China's influence because the fund is meant to support feasibility and other studies at the technical level during the project preparation process. Some other member countries may also contribute to the fund in the coming months, although with smaller sums of $10 million or $15 million, he said. India has joined an exclusive club of countries controlling exports in missile technology, just a day after bemoaning its exclusion from another elite group that governs international nuclear fuel and technology. The Indian foreign secretary on Monday signed onto the Missile Technology Control Regime, aimed at preventing the unchecked proliferation of missiles and their delivery systems. The foreign ministry thanked the other 34 members of the MTCR group for supporting its inclusion. India still hopes to secure support for joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group, despite strong objections from China. Inclusion in the MTCR was seen as a next step for India in legitimizing its nuclear energy and missile programs after it conducted atomic tests in 1998 that alarmed the international community. Britain's vote to leave the European Union is still causing turmoil on global stock markets, with prices falling in the United States and Europe. Earlier Monday, a key index in Japan recovered some of the drastic losses it saw in Friday's trading. In New York, the Dow and the S&P 500 were off more than one percent in Monday's early trading. London's FTSE fell two percent. Worries that leaving the EU will hurt the British economy pushed the value of the British pound down further. Concerns that an economic slowdown would cut demand for energy sent crude oil prices down further on world markets. The S&P rating agency cut Britain's credit rating two notches because it said the nation's economic officials and businesses face "a less predictable, stable, and effective policy framework." The agency also expressed concerns about external financing. In an effort to reassure British and global investors, Britain's finance minister (Chancellor of the Exchequer), George Osborne said, Our economy is about as strong as it could be to confront the challenge our country now faces. Earlier Monday, key stock market indexes in Tokyo and Shanghai recovered some of the ground lost in Friday's major sell off. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron reached out Monday to reassure Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo about the safety of Polish migrants in the UK following a wave of reports of verbal abuse and racist intimidation against them. Workers at the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith, West London, arrived at work last week to find obscene graffiti on the building's front door. Residents of the Polish community in Huntingdon, near Cambridge, found racist messages in their mailboxes and on doorsteps. The Polish embassy has expressed shock and concern, and it has urged migrants who experience or witness acts of xenophobia to contact authorities. Meanwhile, London's Mayor Sadiq Khan has asked Scotland Yard to be "extra vigilant." Islamic and other religious and ethnic groups also are reporting an alarming increase in verbal abuse since Britain last week voted to leave the European Union. Some observers link that decision to racist and nationalist sentiment they say has been encouraged and exploited by politicians particularly U.K. Independence Party head Nigel Farage and former London mayor Boris Johnson. British citizens came out in force on Twitter and in other social media outlets, however, to distance themselves from racist sentiment and denounce acts of anti-migrant intimidation. Britains crisis deepened Monday as British and EU officials scrambled to deal with the shock of British voters decision to leave the European Union, and ease both anger and the uncertainty that has plunged the country into what some describe as its worst disarray since World War II. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stopped in London Monday and reaffirmed what he said is an unbreakable bond between the United States and Britain. Kerry assured Britain the special relationship between the two countries will not change because of the Brexit decision. Speaking after a meeting Monday with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, the top U.S. diplomat said that relationship is perhaps even more important in these days of questioning on behalf of many people. Ties, he said, remain strong and crucial. British officials spent Monday working to contain the aftermath of the vote that sent markets and the British pound tumbling for another day. In his first remarks to parliament since the vote, Prime Minister David Cameron said the British economy is strong enough to deal with the turbulence. It is clear that markets are volatile. There are some companies considering their investments and we know this is going to be far from plain sailing, he said. Earlier, in Brussels, Kerry appealed for calm amid the anxiety that British voters decision has caused in Europe, and in global markets around the world. He also cautioned EU members against punishing Britain for its decision. Its absolutely essential that we stay focused on how, in this transitional period, nobody loses their head, nobody goes off half-cocked, people don't start ginning up scatterbrained or revengeful premises, Kerry said. Article 50 On the continent, calls by EU founding members for Britain to get out quickly were tempered by German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has called for a civil, organized exit. After meeting with leaders of Italy and France, Merkel said there will be no informal talks on extricating Britain from the EU until the British government formally initiates the process. France and other EU founding members want Britain out quickly in order to end the uncertainty that is driving market volatility and hurting economies around the world. To trigger the exit process and begin negotiations for a departure, the British government must invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty. Who will do that and when remained a question Monday as Britain struggled through its most severe political crisis in memory. Following Camerons planned resignation, it remains unclear who will take over and begin the exit process. Camerons Conservative party on Monday said it now plans to choose a new leader to replace the prime minister by September 2. Earlier, Cameron said his replacement would be chosen in October. The decision came as calls grew for the governing party to move more quickly to begin the transition and shorten the period of uncertainty. In the Labour Party, calls grew Monday for the resignation of party leader Jeremy Corbyn after 12 members of his shadow Cabinet resigned. "There continues to be a sort of civil war inside the government party, the Conservatives, while at the same time Labour Party is in even worse condition and presents no realistic possibility of being an alternative government. So that means the whole political system is really relying on the continuity provided by history," said Tony Travers, a politics professor at the London School of Economics. This is a very unusual time for the U.K. and nobody should pretend otherwise, he told VOA. Anti-immigrant actions reported Tensions were worsened by reports of hateful behavior against immigrants. London Metropolitan Police said they were investigating "allegedly racially motivated" attacks on immigrants, including the scribbling of graffiti on the main Polish cultural center in West Londons Hammersmith area. Some residents reported finding cards in their mailboxes that read "No More Polish Vermin." Police drew no conclusions of a link between the incidents and the Brexit vote at this stage. In his remarks to parliament Monday, Cameron said EU citizens living and working in Britain will have to wait until the negotiation process with the EU begins, but noted that Leave proponents during the campaign promised that their rights would be respected. Tests have confirmed that a wooden boat found buried in a dry riverbed near Cambodia's famous Angkor Wat temple complex is from the early 13th century, an official at the agency overseeing the archaeological site said Monday. Apsara Authority spokesman Long Kosal said tests by a research institute in New Zealand confirmed the age of the 12.8-meter (42-foot) -long boat, which was carved from a single tree trunk. He said it is the oldest boat ever found in Cambodia, and its discovery will be useful for scholars of the Angkor era, when the Khmer empire dominated the region from the 9th to 15th centuries. A farmer discovered the boat in April while digging mud from the riverbed, several kilometers (miles) from the temple complex. The boat has been sunk in a pond in front of the temple to keep it preserved pending restoration for public viewing. An Australian archaeologist announced earlier this month that he and colleagues have found evidence of previously undiscovered medieval urban and agricultural networks surrounding the ancient city of Angkor Wat. Using high-tech lasers to scan the Cambodian jungle, Damian Evans and colleagues said they found traces of extensive networks surrounding the monumental stone temple complex at Angkor Wat. Evans said their findings could further our understanding of Khmer culture and throw into question traditional assumptions about the decline of the empire. For years, experts have proposed a variety of reasons for the collapse of the Khmer civilization in the 15th century, including invasions by Thai armies, social and religious change, internal power struggles, and overpopulation and prolonged drought which forced populations to relocate to southern Cambodia. But Evans said their laser maps showed no evidence of relocated, dense cities in the south and that it wasn't clear there was any such mass migration. In Cameroon, a proposed update to the countrys penal code has sparked a fierce debate. The proposal criminalizes adultery and adds jail time for offenses like begging and falling behind on rent payments. One of the most talked about provisions of the penal code changes is that it criminalizes adultery for men, making the act punishable by fines and prison time. The current code only penalizes extramarital relations for women. Ethel Kum is with the Cameroon Network of Female Activists for the Respect of Women's Rights. "It is absolutely good news for Cameroonian women whose rights were abused and relegated to the back ground while the men went on doing anything and they were free," Kum said The proposal further assures widows of their rights to inherit their husbands property. And it punishes perpetrators of harmful practices still common in parts of the country, like forcing a widow to marry her late husbands brother. Lawmakers say the current penal code is outdated and contains contradictory provisions inherited from French and English colonial rule. The laws haven't been revised in 51 years. The lower house of parliament passed the new code Wednesday night after eight hours of heated debate. Not all support changes Cameroons justice minister, Laurent Esso, defended the changes, while 20 lawmakers led by Joseph Mbah Ndam, vice president of the National Assembly, staged a walkout. The new code extends immunity from prosecution to government ministers, and reinstates the death penalty. Ndam said those additions are contrary to the constitution and some international conventions Cameroon has signed. "The death penalty has a lot of consequences, not only to the one who is to be killed, but also to the one who executes the killing and even on the one on whose behalf the killing takes place. That is we the people. And so we are also like partakers of this killings and to me it is not correct, Ndam said. The Cameroonian bar council has also complained. The justice minister said the bar council was consulted in 2011 when work on the legislation began. But a member of the council, Lawyer Tebe Edwan, said their suggestions were not considered. "Objections were raised. Objections were actually raised. In the northwest and southwest, we depend on received laws from Britain, our [former] colonial masters. And so we are still using the laws. For example we have the laws on matrimonial properties act. It states that the properties that the properties that the woman brought in before the marriage remain her own properties," Edwan said. The new law includes provisions for property to be shared equally by spouses. Fines for homosexuality Some lawmakers had argued in favor of stiffer penalties for homosexuality, calling it un-African. But in the final proposal, the punishments remain the same, imprisonment for six months to five years and a fine of as much as $400. There are also several new provisions. Tenants who fall behind on their rent by at least two months can get up to three years in jail. Baba Soule, president of the Cameroon Association of Tenants, said that is a civil issue, not a criminal one. He said it is scandalous to ask that people be sent to prison because they could not pay their rents for only two months. He said salaries are often delayed in Cameroon and tenants can have financial problems. He added the law should have given five months to pay. The Senate must now vote on the code, and then it must be signed by President Paul Biya before it can go into effect. But there is little suspense. Biya proposed the revision to the code and the Senate is dominated by his CPDM ruling party. The slowdown of the Chinese economy may have a bigger impact than Brexit on Southeast Asia, as many of its neighbors are reliant on trade with China for growth. And while many are feeling the impact of that slowdown, the region's growing middle class is helping to act as a buffer. China's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded 6.7 percent in the first quarter, the slowest reading since the global financial crisis in early 2009. Joseph Incalcaterra, an economist with HSBC, said, From 2000 to 2005 and then comparing from 2006 to 2014, what we found was in the first period, the U.S. or even the EU, was a more important driver of export growth in Asia, and in the most recent period it is actually China across the board, from a sensitivity perspective. The slowing growth in China, even though we dont forecast a hard landing, what were seeing is a gradual occurrence that is actually weighing down exports in the rest of the region. Growing middle class helps Southeast Asia has a collective GDP of $2.6 trillion. In 2015, growth slowed in seven of 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. Hardest hit was Indonesia, which exports large volumes of commodities to China. While Southeast Asias exports may be slowing in parallel with Chinese demand, the regions young population and growing middle class may propel Southeast Asia to be a driver of growth in the region. Earlier this year the Asia Development Bank predicted economic expansion in Southeast Asia would rise 4.5 percent in 2016 and 4.8 percent next year. Thats up from a 4.4 percent rate of expansion in 2015. Six-hundred-twenty-million people live in the region, and 25 percent of trade is with other Southeast Asian nations, providing a buffer to Chinas slowdown. Le Hong Hiep, a visiting fellow at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, said, I havent seen a lot of impacts of Chinas economic slowdown on Vietnam. In 2015 for example, Vietnams exports to China kept growing, 14.8 percent, and I think its because Vietnams exports to China are mainly composed of raw materials, and agricultural products, which are not really impacted by the economic slowdown in China. US, others investing more in Southeast Asia Despite broad changes in political leadership and recent elections in the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos, investment from China, India, Russia and the U.S. is pouring into Southeast Asia. Trade between the U.S. and Vietnam rose to $45 billion in 2015, and U.S. President Barack Obama is pushing for a Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement between the U.S. and 11 Pacific Rim nations that would provide a counterbalance to Chinas economic influence and continue to support growth in the region. Brian Eyler, deputy director of the Stimson Centers Southeast Asia Program, said, We see the U.S. investing more in Southeast Asia, training more, restructuring its diplomatic architecture, to better integrate with Southeast Asia. India is doing the same; Russia is doing the same. So theyre playing on the fact that ASEAN and Southeast Asia is a fast growing area. Theres a lot of existing infrastructure there that is sitting idle as a result of Chinas economic slowdown, and no one wants to see that go to waste. Supporters of the TPP hope the agreement will win approval in a lame-duck vote in U.S. Congress late this year. Egyptian lawyers opposed to the government's decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia are accusing authorities of meddling in court proceedings over the case, according to a motion obtained Monday. The attorneys are citing a Cabinet minister's call for the court to issue a verdict on the case within a week, along with what they described as suspicious speed with which a date was set for a hearing on a government appeal. The controversy over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir has sparked the largest anti-government street protests in Egypt since President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi took office two years ago. The government responded with the arrest of hundreds of protesters and activists, most of whom have been acquitted after brief trials or fined. A lower tribunal last week struck down the handover deal but the government appealed that decision. A higher court on Sunday held its first hearing on the appeal, a raucous, 35-minute session in a courtroom packed by protesters and interrupted by heckles. The lawyers submitted a seven-page motion asking the court's seven judges to recuse themselves. The court will rule July 3 on the motion, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press on Monday. It cited the "unprecedented speed'' with which a date was set for a hearing, just hours after the government's appeal was filed. It also cited published comments by Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Minister Magdy el-Agaaty that the government wished for the appeal to be accepted and a final verdict on the case issued within a week. The motion also cited media reports that Maj-Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen, the defense ministry's top legal expert, paid an "unjustified'' visit to the court and met its president last week, ostensibly, it added, to obtain a copy of the lower court's ruling to strike down the maritime border agreement. It also pointed to a conflict of interest, explaining that presiding judge Abdel-Fattah Abu el-Leil and another judge were retained, one by Cairo University and the other by the Foreign Ministry as consultants. Cairo University in April bestowed an honorary doctoral degree on King Salman, the Saudi monarch. The Foreign Ministry, alongside el-Sissi, Egypt's parliament speaker and other ministries, is appealing the lower court's verdict. There was no official comment immediately available on the claims made by the motion tabled by lawyer Mohammed Adel but the government routinely insists that it does not interfere in the work of the judiciary and respects its verdicts. The transfer of the islands was announced during a visit by King Salman in April, alongside billions of dollars in Saudi aid. Critics of the border accord accuse the government of selling off sovereign territory. The government says the islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba always belonged to Saudi Arabia but were placed under Egyptian protection in 1950. Hundreds of high school students marched in Cairo, calling for the Minister of Education's resignation after officials were arrested for leaking cheat sheets for national exams on Facebook. While the event was predominately peaceful, some students were detained late in the day after throwing bricks and bottles at police who were blocking their way with riot vehicles and shooting rubber bullets in the air, according to an observer on the scene at the time of the clash. Police were preventing the marchers from entering Tahrir Square, the epicenter of mass protests in 2011 and 2013. Sunday, despite the arrest of several education officials earlier this month in connection with the scandal, questions and answers to a national exam appeared online, accessible to some students via mobile phone. "A student in front of me took out his cellphone during the test," said Abdel Rahman Youssef, a high school senior at the protest. "He passed it through metal detector machines to bring it in. Those machines don't work. They are just for show." The Egyptian Ministry of Education canceled the results and has re-scheduled the test, along with other exams in other subjects. Students are complaining that other exams were also compromised online by an anonymous user who claims to be operating in protest of school system failures. Students marched through a neighborhood of government buildings Monday, shouting and chanting "Students' rights will never die" and "It's a failed ministry!" Some carried signs that said "#Class of 2016 Injustice" in Arabic. Onlookers in the surrounding buildings splashed cool water on the students marching in the hot summer sun, most of them fasting for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. In the morning, police calmly steered students toward the education ministry, even chatting with students who were eating in the streets a crime for Muslims in Egypt during Ramadan. "We are all fed up from the school system," said Mohamed Abdullah, a high school student who wants to study math in college. "It's the headache it causes. And it is not just me, it is all of us." Protest ban Other recent demonstrations have been more tense than Monday's march, with scores of arrests following April protests against the pending transfer of two islands from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. Most public demonstrations have been banned in Egypt since 2013. Human Rights Watch says more than 150 people have been sentenced to prison in Egypt since the beginning of May 2016 for attending protests or circulating "false information." Many of the sentences were later reduced on appeal to fines. The Egyptian government says that approaching human rights through the lens of Western norms distorts the truth, citing national security concerns. Besides demanding the minister's resignation, students protested corruption in the school system and demanded the ministry not cancel their exam scores, which would force them to prepare for the exam again. The year-end exams, they said, are crucial because they often determine college admittance and which majors they are allowed to pursue within the university system. "It means we will have no dreams, no dream to join a university or a faculty," said Mariam, a high school senior at the demonstration. "When we attend exams, we see someone has put the answers online." India on Monday joined an exclusive club of countries controlling exports in missile technology, just a day after bemoaning its exclusion from another elite group that governs international nuclear fuel and technology. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar signed onto the Missile Technology Control Regime aimed at preventing the unchecked proliferation of missiles and their delivery systems. The Foreign Ministry, in a statement issued soon after signing the accession document in the presence of the ambassadors of France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, thanked the other 34 members of the MTCR group for supporting its inclusion. India's entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives, the statement said. Admission in the MTCR was seen as the next step for India in legitimizing its nuclear energy and missile programs after it conducted atomic tests in 1998 that alarmed the international community. The MTCR restricts the proliferation of missiles, rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles, or drones, and the technology for systems capable of carrying a payload of 500 kilograms (1,100 pounds) for at least 300 kilometers (185 miles), as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction. In 2008, India signed a landmark civil nuclear deal with the United States giving it some access to nuclear materials and technologies. Since then, India has been pushing for its inclusion in the various elite groups that control the export of nuclear materials and regulate technologies relating to conventional, nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. India still hopes to secure support for joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group, despite strong objections from China. Last week, at a plenary meeting of the nuclear group in Seoul, India's membership to the 48-nation group that controls access to sensitive nuclear technology was shot down after China raised procedural hurdles. India, still smarting over being denied entry, on Sunday hit out at Beijing, saying that the issue of its membership of the nuclear group was not going to go away. External Affairs ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said New Delhi had taken up the issue with Beijing at multiple levels. We are going to continue discussing this with China. This is going to be an important element of our discussion with China. We will continue to impress upon them that relationships move forward on the basis of mutual accommodation of each other's interests, concerns and priorities, Swarup told reporters in New Delhi. China is not a member of the MTCR, however. Beijing's application to join the MTCR is pending, leading to some analysts in New Delhi to say India could use it as a bargaining chip to leverage its entry into the nuclear group. Law enforcement authorities are continuing to investigate a white nationalist rally that turned violent Sunday in the western city of Sacramento, California, leaving at least 10 people injured - two of them critically. California Highway Patrol spokesman George Granada told VOA a "heightened investigation" is underway, as police seek information from witnesses, video and the community at-large. A rally outside the California State Capitol by a group of about 30 members of a white nationalist group known as the Traditionalist Worker Party became violent when about 400 counter protesters arrived and fights broke out. Officials say people were treated for cuts, bruises and stab wounds. Videos published online showed dozens of people being punched, kicked and hit with sticks and wooden bats. The two critically injured people suffered stab wounds, according to the Sacramento Fire Department. The party had been scheduled and the group received a permit to protest for two hours in front of the capitol. Police were aware of the counter protest and deployed more than 100 officers. The Southern Poverty Law Center, which follows hate groups, said the party was created last year as the political arm of the Traditionalist Youth Network, which aims to attract young people to white nationalism. A recent post on the network's website said members planned the rally in Sacramento to protest globalization and defend their right to free expression. "We concluded that it was time to use this rally to make a statement about the precarious situation our race is in," the network said. "With our folk on the brink of becoming a disarmed, disengaged and disenfranchised minority, the time to do something was yesterday!" "This rally was a snapshot of different groups of which the most violent are extremists, the anti-fascists on one hand and the white nationalists on the other," said Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino. Levin described Sunday's violence as "fissures of anxiety and fear" during a period of "great change." Levin expressed concern that the fissures "extend well into the mainstream, even among people of good will." Sunday's clash comes after a February confrontation in Anaheim, California between Ku Klux Klan members and counter protesters left three people injured. The extremist Islamic State group claimed responsibility Monday for one of the deadliest attacks in Jordan in years, posting a video online that it said showed a car bomb exploding near a Jordanian border post. Last week's blast on the Syrian border killed seven Jordanian troops, wounded 13 and exposed the pro-Western kingdom's vulnerability to attacks by the militants who control large areas of neighboring Syria and Iraq. Jordan has vowed a harsh response, but has not given specifics. After the June 21 attack, it sealed the border, cutting off tens of thousands of Syrian refugees stranded in the area from international aid delivery. Aid officials have said no food and little water have reached two border tent camps, known as Ruqban and Hadalat, since last week. The purported attack video shows a vehicle kicking up dust as it speeds across flat desert toward what appears to be the Jordanian base. An orange ball of fire rises in the air, followed by a cloud of thick black smoke and the sound of an explosion. The video was posted Monday on the Facebook page of the IS news agency Amaq. Purported video of attack: The footage was released after Amaq published a statement by an unidentified source that the attack which hit the Ruqban American-Jordanian base inside Jordan was carried out by one of the fighters of the Islamic State. Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed Momani declined comment Monday. The website Hala Akhbar, affiliated with the Jordanian military, carried a statement from what it said was an official source pledging retaliation. Jordanians need to know they are being targeted by these dark criminals, and the means used by this terrorist organization show its criminality and brutality, said the statement. It will not affect Jordan's determination to eliminate it. The fate of this gang is either Jordanian jail or being killed, the statement also said. The border attack came less than three weeks after an assailant killed five people in a shooting attack on a local branch of the Jordanian intelligence agency in a Palestinian refugee camp. Jordanian analyst Saad Hattar said the two attacks laid bare Jordan's vulnerability. They constitute a wake-up call to the government to stand up and not to underestimate the threat of this dangerous organization, he said. A precursor of IS, the al-Qaida terror network, carried out the last previous major attack on Jordanian soil - a triple hotel bombing in the capital Amman in 2005 that killed 60 people and wounded dozens. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday Britain's vote to leave the European Union (EU) will not have an adverse impact on North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) military and political prowess. "We anticipate an even stronger NATO going forward," Kerry told reporters after a meeting with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Twenty eight member nations of NATO will attend a summit in Warsaw, Poland, on July 8 and 9. "We have high expectations of a very strong NATO meeting with important deliverables that will not change one iota as a consequence of the [Brexit] vote that has taken place," Kerry said. Britain stunned the world last Thursday when it voted to leave the EU, sparking sharp selloffs throughout the global financial markets. The vote, said Stoltenberg, has made NATO an even more significant player in international political and military affairs. "I think that NATO has become even more important [not only] as a captain for cooperation between Europe and North America, but also defense and security cooperation between European NATO allies." Kerry is in the midst of a tour of Brussels and London that is designed to reassure U.S. allies concerned about the British vote, noting that 22 EU countries, including Britain, are NATO members. The situation in Donbas remains tense; militants opened fire on Ukrainian military positions 36 times in the past 24 hours, the press center for the anti-terrorist operation said on Facebook on Monday. According to the press center, militants opened fire on Ukrainian military positions 36 times, including 17 times on the Mariupol track, 15 times on the Donetsk track and four times on the Luhansk track. On the Mariupol track, militants opened fire on the Ukrainian military support points near Maryinka, Novostroitske and Hranitne using small arms and near Maryinka using infantry combat vehicles. On the Donetsk track, support points near Troitske, Novoselovka Vrotaya and Avdiivka came under mortar fire three times and support points near Zaitseve and Novhorodske came under fire from large-caliber guns and automatic grenade launchers, the report said. On the Luhansk track, Ukrainian military fortifications came under fire from anti-tank missile systems. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visits Brussels and London Monday, the first senior U.S. official to visit either location since the British vote last week to leave the European Union in a move that is of great concern in Washington. U.S. officials say Kerry - adding the two stops at the last moment onto a scheduled visit to Rome - will express U.S. support for Britain and stress the importance of other EU members remaining in the bloc. He said Sunday the U.S. regrets the "Brexit" vote, but vowed to continue a close relationship with what will soon become a 27-nation bloc of European countries. His talks in Brussels come amid a flurry of top-level diplomatic activity Monday, including the leaders of European powers Germany, France and Italy getting together to discuss what's next now that Britain is pulling out. Kerry is then heading to London to meet with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond and other officials as part of a process of maintaining ties with Washington's top ally in a new era when Britain is less engaged with Europe. Outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron will hold a Cabinet meeting Monday while Parliament reconvenes in an attempt to figure out how to deal with what many thought would never happen; British withdrawal from the European Union. British Finance Minister George Osborne said Monday, "Britain is open for business." In an address designed to reassure the world's financial markets that have been thrown into a state of flux since the Brexit vote, Osborne said "the fundamentals of the British economy are strong" and Britain will "provide stability in these challenging times." He did, however, acknowledge "it would not be plain sailing in the days ahead." The British pound tumbled further Monday against the U.S. dollar, while most Asian stock markets posted gains. Japan's Nikkei index recovered more then 2 percent after a nearly 8 percent drop Friday. Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed down slightly, while key European markets traded down after opening, generally about 1 percent. EU members have called for a swift break with Britain, but Cameron has indicated negotiations for the divorce will not begin until he leaves office in October. European Parliament chief Martin Schulz said Sunday a period of limbo would "lead to even more insecurity." Cameron is expected to meet with the leaders of the other 27 EU members at a summit in Brussels Tuesday. Brexit has also sent Britain's Labour party into turmoil, with calls growing for party leader Jeremy Corbyn to resign. Corbyn issued a statement Sunday saying he will not stand down. Party members accuse him of having failed to galvanize support within Labour to defeat Brexit. Former London mayor Boris Johnson, one of the leaders of the campaign to leave the EU, is facing criticism from his opponents who say he does not have a plan to deal with the crisis the Brexit vote has triggered. Johnson, however, said in his column in the Daily Telegraph the negative consequences of the vote have been exaggerated. He said Britain would forge "a new and better relationship with the EU, based on free trade and partnership, rather than a federal system." The Brexit vote of nearly 52 percent in favor of leaving the EU has revealed deep divisions among the British, most notably with younger voters wanting to stay in the EU, while older voters wanting out. Some British voters said they decided to vote to leave the EU after U.S. President Barack Obama visited Britain in April and warned them against voting for a Brexit, telling them Britain would go to the back of the queue on trade deals if they voted "out." "We wanted our democracy back," said London voter Trevor Bayley. "I think your president unwittingly had a part to play in that... people didn't like to be told what to do." Meanwhile, 62 percent of voters in Scotland cast ballots to remain in the EU. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said another referendum on Scottish independence from Britain is in now "highly likely" as a result of Britain's Brexit vote. First lady Michelle Obama landed in Africa on Monday with her daughters and her mother for an overseas trip promoting education for girls, starting with a country recovering from the recent Ebola epidemic. The Obamas were welcomed in Liberia's capital with a red carpet and traditional dancers wearing the red, white and blue colors of both the American and Liberian flags. They also will visit Morocco and Spain. While in Liberia, the first lady will meet with the president of the West African country, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the continent's first elected female head of state. The Obamas then visit a leadership camp for girls in the town of Kakata. "People are going to consider her to be a sister to them,'' Mayor Eddie Murphy said. "We are overwhelmed.'' A main topic of the trip is how to address the barriers facing girls trying to get an education after the Ebola outbreak. More than 4,800 people died in Liberia, and children missed several months of school. The Obamas' last stop in Liberia is at a school in Unification Town to speak with adolescent girls, according to Tina Tchen, the first lady's chief of staff. Founded as part of an effort to resettle freed American slaves, Liberia has deep ties to the United States. The country's oldest technical and vocational high school, located in Kakata, is named for the African-American educator and civil rights activist Booker T. Washington. The school suspended mid-term exams scheduled to start Monday "to allow the students to give Mrs. Obama a rousing welcome to appreciate what the United States has done for us,'' principal Harris Tarnue said. "She will be a real inspiration to the young girls around here,'' he said. U.S. first lady Michelle Obama visited a leadership camp for girls Monday in Liberia, part of an effort to promote girls' education in Africa. Obama met with young women in Kakata at a project sponsored by the Peace Corps, after receiving a red-carpet welcome in Liberia's capital that included traditional dancers. Earlier in the day, she met with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected woman head of state in Africa. The U.S. first lady is traveling with her daughters Malia, 18, who graduated from high school this year, and Sasha, 15 as well as the girls' grandmother, Marian Robinson. Their six-day trip includes stops in Morocco and Spain, and will highlight Let Girls Learn, one of Michelle Obama's core initiatives. The program addresses obstacles such as forced marriage, poverty and violence that keep more than 62 million girls globally out of school. Actress Meryl Streep is scheduled to join Obama and her party Tuesday and Wednesday in Morocco for a conversation on helping girls go to school. About 85 percent of the North African country's girls are enrolled in primary school, but only 14 percent attend high school. The final destination abroad is Spain, a longtime U.S. ally that, the White House noted, has dealt with "significant" economic challenges in recent years. By visiting the three countries, Michelle Obama "is able to speak not just to government [officials], but to speak to people and to make clear that a key part of our leadership is what we can do to lift up the lives of young people, particularly girls," said White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes. A court in the impoverished former Soviet republic of Moldova has sentenced former prime minister Vlad Filat to nine years in prison after finding him guilty of corruption and abuse of power while in office. Filat prime minister from 2009 to 2013 was arrested last year during a parliamentary session after months of public protests sparked by the disappearance from three banks of $1 billion nearly 13 percent of the tiny country's annual GDP. His successor later lost a parliamentary vote of confidence. Accused of taking millions of dollars in bribes linked to the disappearance, Filat also faces related charges in a separate case that has not yet gone to trial. Filat's pro-European coalition had long been linked to the country's most powerful oligarch, Vladimir Plahotniuc, who is accused of running the country through bribes and intimidation. Filat has denied any connection to the bank fraud and claims the charges against him are politically motivated. Prosecutors, speaking at the conclusion of the closed trial, told reporters they will pursue further cases against Filat, saying "his guilt is clear." Monday's sentence stems from the 2015 Central Bank discovery that three commercial banks had granted loans worth $1 billion in 2014 to recipients who have not yet been publicly identified. The embezzlement came to light just before Moldova signed a landmark association agreement with the European Union. We are Orlando! exclaimed the master of ceremonies, draped in U.S. stars and stripes, at the start of New Yorks 46th annual Pride march. The LGBT celebration, which extended more than 30 blocks along Manhattans Fifth Avenue Sunday, attracted a record breaking 32,000 marchers, including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, civil rights leader Al Sharpton, and a surprise guest: presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Behind tightly secured barricades, more than one million attendees packed the streets sidewalks. To the beats of Rihanna and Calvin Harris, waving countless rainbow flags, they sang, danced and cheered the parades participants. We found love in a hopeless place For an afternoon, New York City was a safe and hopeful place - and a proud moment for all. This is a celebration for everybody who cannot express themselves every day, said Miami, who was marching in her first parade. "Its not just about LGBT, its about everyone, added her friend Nill. Winter Murray, who traveled from Connecticut, said being among such an accepting group was a special feeling. It's nice to have a place where you can come and be yourself and just see everyone else who is also very true to themselves, Murray said. Orlando remembered But between cheering and dancing, this years march took on extra significance. Parade goers and participants from around the world mourned and remembered the 49 mass shooting victims two weeks ago at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando. How many more have to die? exclaimed a group of marchers staging a "die-in lying still on the scorching asphalt. Nick Shamp, who traveled from Connecticut with his boyfriend, said he cried at the site of tributes dedicated to Orlando victims. A person saw me and he was like, 'youre being too serious,' and Im just like, well, that happened and its hard," explained Shamp, recounting his conversation with a stranger. He was like, well, you need to stay proud and you need to stay strong, so now its just overwhelming positivity." It was precisely that feeling - positivity and acceptance - that extended in the days after the shooting to the family of Kori Ligon, an LGBT member of the U.S. Army. It actually brought me closer to the people that support me for my lifestyle choices, Ligon said. "Me and my family have gotten much, much closer. Theyre more accepting now. Today, the struggle continues for LGBT communities worldwide to gain equal rights and live free from fear of persecution and discrimination. For many of them, from both near and far, Sundays parade served as a beacon of hope and a message of enduring love. We encourage Russian speaking people to go out of the closet and not be afraid of persecution that is happening back home, said Maasim Khimchamka, an asylum seeker from Belarus. "Thats the biggest message, he added, not to be afraid. Nigeria's government is trying to talk its way out of an unfolding crisis in its oil-producing Niger Delta region, but activists and traditional leaders are divided over whether negotiation is the best solution. The minister of state for petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, says the government wants to work with the Niger Delta Avengers, a militant group whose months of attacks on oil pipelines succeeded in reducing Nigeria's oil production by as much as 50 percent. It is unclear if talks have already begun. An official at the state-owned oil company told VOA last week that the government and the Avengers had agreed to a cease-fire, a charge the group denied on Twitter. In the Niger Delta's towns and cities, some activists are wondering if sitting down with the militants is a good idea. "Anybody from anywhere can just pick [up an] AK-47, create hell with the pipelines and expect the federal government to come and negotiate with them," said Anyakwee Nsirimovu of the Port Harcourt-based Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law. "That would be anarchy." Previous Nigerian governments have negotiated with militants in the delta. An earlier insurgency was quelled in 2009 when former president Umaru Yar'Adua convinced militants to put down their guns in exchange for an amnesty program that provided monthly cash payments and job training. The Avengers' attacks on oil pipelines started earlier this year and sharply reduced Nigeria's daily production of around two million barrels per day. The decision to seek talks with the Avengers was a wise one, said Godspower Gbenekama, a member of the traditional ruling council in the Gbaramatu Kingdom, which was the site of several pipeline attacks claimed by the Avengers. "Military solution is never a solution and can never be a solution. Dialogue is the only way forward," he said, adding that Avenger attacks and military reprisal raids have led to oil spills in Gbaramatu. But by engaging the Avengers in talks, attorney and human rights activist Oghenejabor Ikimi says that will encourage other militant groups to take up arms just to get the government's attention. "If not because I'm a lawyer, if I were living in the creeks, I would just form my own [group] too, so the government could just come and dialogue with me," Ikimi said. "But there's no sense in all this." President Muhammadu Buhari is winding down the amnesty program, which was supposed to buy time for the government to develop the Niger Delta. Despite being the source of Nigeria's considerable oil wealth, the region is as impoverished as any other part of the country, with bad roads and unreliable electricity. If the government wants to end militancy once and for all, Gbenekama says, it needs to keep its promise of developing the delta. "These are aggrieved Niger Delta people," he said. "Immediately [after] the issues of the Niger Delta are addressed, these criminal activities will end." When police shot and killed a 24-year-old man in Bangladesh in mid-June, they said he was an Islamist militant wanted for the killings of several secular bloggers and gay rights activists. They said the man had taken part in the hacking death of Bangladeshi American blogger Avijit Roy in Dhaka last year and organized the killings in April of two gay rights activists, including U.S. embassy employee Xulhaz Mannan. They identified the gunman as Shariful, a member of the banned hard-line Islamist group Ansar Ullah Bangla Team (ABT). According to police, after being challenged by a patrolling police team, three suspected militants on motor bikes opened fire; Shariful died in the gunfight and two militants fled. Later, a man identified the deceased as his son, Mukul Rana, who, he said, had disappeared after being picked up by plainclothes police in February. A day earlier, Golam Faizullah Fahim, accused of critically injuring a Hindu teacher in a machete attack, was killed in a gunfight. According to police, he was accompanying police on a raid and some militants fired upon them from a hideout. Ibrahim Khalil Sobak, a Dhaka-based blogger, says that when suspects are shown to journalists, they often wear a bulletproof vest. "But, while taking them to raids to arrest their accomplices, the criminals are routinely without any such vest. ... People in Bangladesh now know that death in crossfire means nothing but a staged extrajudicial killing of a person," Sobak, who has received several death threats from Islamists, told VOA. Police version doubted Bangladesh's home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said police were not responsible for the two killings. "Our police did not trigger any crossfire. The killings took place when police went to catch the criminals and had to open fire in self-defense," Kamal said. But Fahims and Rana's killings have faced severe criticism, with many people refusing to believe the police version of the crossfires. "If my son really committed that ghastly crime, he should have been hanged following [a trial and] court order. ... Those who saw the dead body said that they pushed the barrel of the gun into his mouth and shot him," said Abul Kalam Azad, father of Rana (or Shariful). Professor Ajoy Roy, father of slain blogger Avijit, said he was against Rana's extrajudicial killing even if the man was suspected of killing his son. "He should be tried for whatever he has done. According to my conscience, any extrajudicial killing is deplorable," Roy told VOA. Politicization of law enforcement Human rights groups have long accused Bangladesh's security forces, especially the elite law enforcement agency Rapid Action Battalion, of arbitrarily picking up people, torturing them, and then killing them in custody. In a special program Sunday during U.N. International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Dhaka-based human rights organization Odhikar reported at least 1,169 people lost their lives in extrajudicial killings between January 2009 and May 2016 in Bangladesh. According to Odhikar, in June, extrajudicial killings in the country took at least 24 lives. Odhikar secretary Adilur Rahman Khan said the extrajudicial killings are going on in Bangladesh in defiance of all Constitutional and international standards. "Politicization of the law enforcement agencies, along with the weaknesses of the justice delivery system, has created a scope for some of the law enforcement officials to become criminalized, and act with impunity. The country is fast plunging into a situation triggering grave human rights concerns," Khan told VOA. "Being a member of the U.N. Human Rights Council for the third time, this situation is disgraceful for Bangladesh." Rule of gun The government of Bangladesh has "adopted extrajudicial executions as the ultimate means to rule the country for their own benefits," said legal rights activist Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman, liaison officer of Hong Kong-based Asian Legal Resource Centre (ALRC). "The rule of gun has replaced the rule of law in Bangladesh. By executing detainees in the name of gunfights, the government and the law enforcement agencies prove that neither of them has any faith in the country's justice mechanism," Ashrafuzzaman told VOA. RAB and other security agencies have long been used to target opposition party cadres, NGO activists and others by the current Awami League-led as well as the previous Bangladesh Nationalist Party-led governments, noted Phil Robertson, Asia Deputy Director of Human Rights Watch. In many cases, these actions included harassment and arrests, but in some cases also extrajudicial executions and enforced disappearances, he said. "When it was in the opposition, the Awami League even called for abolishing the Rapid Action Battalion, which was being used by the [Bangladesh Nationalist Party] to attack them, but once [Prime Minister] Sheikh Hasina took power, she reneged on that pledge and turned RAB into her weapon. Human Rights Watch has researched the actions of the RAB in the past, and determined that they are operating like a government-organized death squad, and we have seen no changes in their recent operations to change that judgment," Robertson told VOA. "The RAB should be disbanded, and all security force members involved in abuses should be investigated and held accountable for the human rights violations they have committed," he added. Russia recently wrapped up nine days of inspections of its military forces in order to judge their readiness. Russian President Vladimir Putin personally ordered the inspections, which lasted from June 14 to 22. The surprise inspections involved all four of Russias military districts, with the focus on command and control structures as well as military arsenals. Russia's Defense Ministry notified the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) about the start of the drills, and Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stressed that the inspections did not threaten in any way our neighbors." Since 2014, tensions between NATO and Russia have risen as a result of Moscow's annexation of Crimea, support for armed separatists in Ukraines Donbas region, military intervention on behalf of the Assad regime in Syria, and a generally more assertive military policy toward the West. Against the backdrop of rising tensions between NATO and Russia, some observers see the surprise inspections as a tit-for-tat response to NATOs BALTOPS, a multinational military exercise in the Baltic region which lasted from June 3-19. More about Russia than NATO According to Mark Galeotti, a professor of global affairs at New York University, the inspections were more about Russia than NATO. I suspect this reflects an awareness within the Defense Ministry that Russia's reserve system, however impressive it may look on paper, is broken," he said. "The center has little idea of the inventory of equipment it has - how much has been stolen, how much lost, how much doesn't still work - or even the mobilization reserve - who has moved, who is dead, who is sick, who has actually done any of their periodic refresher training," Galeotti said. Galeotti added, "In that context, such mobilizations are the reserve equivalent of the snap exercises [Defense Minister Sergei] Shoigu instituted: a chance at once to take stock and also begin to get the relevant people such as the voenkomats (military commissariats, which are local military administrative agencies) used again to actually doing their job. He also expressed doubt that the timing of the inspections was directly related to NATOs exercise. It could be, in opportunist vein, but if so this only influences timing, not intent," he said. "Primarily, the exercise is about testing and revising the mobilization structure, not just making a political gesture in response to NATO, Galeotti added. No coincidence From a Russian point of view, however, the timing of the readiness inspections isnt simply a coincidence. Evgeny Buzhinsky, a retired lieutenant general currently with the PIR Center, a Moscow-based think tank, does see a connection between NATOs recent activities and the readiness drills. "Well the timing is very natural," he said. "NATO is very active. Russia is trying to be active in response. From a military perspective, it is natural." Buzhinsky said he was sure the inspections, which he called combat readiness checks, were a positive development given the long period of inactivity and decay Russia's military suffered after the fall of the Soviet Union. The West got used to the Russian forces not training for 20 years," he said. "Not flying, not training. Absolutely nothing. Now we are going back to the Soviet level of training, of readiness. Sometimes exceeding it...The Russian military command has paid a lot of attention to communications, control, intelligence, which were lagging behind the West. Now we are catching up and that's good. The great part of these exercises is devoted to these aspects of combat readiness," Buzhinsky said. The Russian military has been undergoing major reforms since 2008. One of the key reforms is the transition from the Soviet model, based on the mobilization of reservists and conscripts, to a standing force consisting mostly of volunteers serving on contract. Modernization and standardization of arms and equipment are also key goals of the reforms. Lebanese officials say suicide bombers have killed at least five people in an eastern village near the Syrian border. Authorities say three bombers triggered the explosions early Monday in Qaa. Fifteen people were wounded in the incident. There has been no immediate claim of responsibility for the deadly attack. Lebanon has been repeatedly hit by militant attacks related to the ongoing war in neighboring Syria. In a case touching on one of the most prominent issues on the minds of Americans, the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to loosen federal restrictions that prevent people with domestic assault convictions from owning guns. The 6-2 ruling Monday was a victory for gun control advocates who have increased their efforts following this month's mass shooting at a nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The case dealt with two men who hit their partners and were found guilty of misdemeanor domestic assaults in the state of Maine. A federal law makes it illegal for anyone with that type of conviction from possessing a gun. But the men argued they were not subject to the ban since they hit their partners in the heat of the moment, as a so-called "reckless" act, rather than as intentional, planned behavior. The court rejected those claims, saying Congress' definition of "misdemeanor crime of violence" contains no exclusion for convictions based on reckless behavior. "A person who assaults another recklessly 'use[s]' force, no less than one who carries out that same action knowingly or intentionally," read the majority opinion, authored by Justice Elana Kagan. Dissenting opinion In a dissenting opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas focused on language within the federal law that defines misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence as involving the "use of force" against the victim. According to Thomas, a "use" of force is "an inherently intentional act that is, an act done for the purpose of causing certain consequences or at least with knowledge that those consequences will ensue." Thomas, who was unusually outspoken during oral arguments in the case, also questioned whether misdemeanor violations should mean someone is stripped of their constitutional right to own a gun. "We treat no other constitutional right so cavalierly," said Thomas. Reactions Gun rights groups were not happy with the ruling. "Violent abusers should be in jail for felony abuse, but this federal law punishes misdemeanors, and hence, is way too broad," said Erich Pratt, executive director of Gun Owners of America. "A principle in law is that the punishment must fit the crime. Sadly, permanently disarming Americans for slight infractions that impose no jail time is simply not just," Pratt said in a statement to VOA. But the ruling was praised by some groups that work to prevent domestic violence. "We are very, very pleased," Ruth Glenn, the executive director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. "Any time there's any act of domestic violence, it's imperative we address it by removing firearms." "As we've seen in the Orlando case and other cases, oftentimes domestic violence is a prerequisite to other actions," she told VOA. She was referring to Omar Mateen, the gunman who opened fire in an Orlando, Florida, gay night club earlier this month, killing 49 people. Mateen's ex-wife said he frequently hit her, though he had never been convicted of the crime. In the United States, misdemeanors are crimes that generally carry punishments of up to one year in prison. More serious crimes, called felonies, carry longer sentences along with the loss of certain rights, such as owning a gun, serving on a jury, and voting. The U.S. Court of Appeals, one step below the Supreme Court, ruled against the defendants in Voisine v. the United States in 2015. The Supreme Court also ruled in 2008, while affirming a Second Amendment right to gun ownership, that there are limits. No issue of implementing Minsk agreements on agenda of EU Council summit, in its draft conclusions The EU Council does not plan to officially discuss the issue of the Minsk agreements and Russia on June 28-29, an unnamed high-ranking European official told journalists in Brussels on Sunday. "There is no this issue in the EU Council's conclusions," he said. Besides, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel or French President Francois Hollande intend to speak about this issue, European chiefs listen to them with interest, he said. "However, the EU Council's conclusions do not envisage this issue," the source also said. For most in Armenia, Pope Francis visit will be best remembered for his willingness to declare the Ottoman-era slaughter of Armenians genocide and for his message of peace and reconciliation with Turkey. For ethnic Armenians who have fled the war in Syria, however, the call for peace relates more personally to the ongoing conflict that has taken the lives of loved ones and driven them from their homes. Angela Agemyan and her three children, who are among an estimated 17,000 ethnic Armenian refugees from Syria now living in Armenia, watched the pope's visit this weekend on television from their new home in Yerevan, the capital. Peace for us is the most important thing, said Agemyan, 35. The peace that we had in my family is lost. The number of Armenians in Syria swelled in the early 20th century when Armenian families were deported to Syrian deserts by the Ottoman Turks. Up to 100,000 Armenians were estimated to live in Syria when the conflict there began in 2011. For the many that have fled, Armenia has been a hospitable, if poor, haven. Agemyan fled Aleppo with her young children in 2014 after her husband was killed by militants from the Islamic State group for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. She doubts that she will ever go back to Syria. I have a house there and my parents are there as well. But that's not the point,'' Agemyan said. I will have to think about my children and how they would be there spiritually. There are many things I'll have to consider. It would be very difficult to go back.'' Accepting the refugees has become a significant burden for this former Soviet nation of 3 million people, which has been reeling from a crippling economic blockade imposed by neighboring Turkey to support its ally Azerbaijan in the conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. But the impoverished country has eagerly welcomed the newcomers, helping with accommodation, providing various subsidies and fast-tracking the procedure for acquiring citizenship. Most prefer to stay in Yerevan, resisting offers to relocate to cheaper housing elsewhere in the country. An attempt to build apartment buildings to accommodate refugees outside the capital was met with little enthusiasm and failed. Most Syrian Armenians come from Aleppo, Syria's largest city and its commercial capital before the war. The city has been an arena of fierce battles since it was split into government- and opposition-controlled parts in 2012. While economic conditions in Armenia can be challenging, refugees say what they appreciate most is the warm welcome they have received. "On the very first day, four neighbors knocked on our door and offered help, said Saro Yapundzhian, a refugee from Aleppo who works as a manager at a Yerevan cafe. Although the unemployment rate in Armenia is high, at about 17 percent, refugees' skills have helped them to find jobs as doctors, jewelers, mechanics, hair stylists and cooks. Syrian restaurants have become increasingly popular. Agemyan bakes cakes and pastries to try to make ends meet. Here we are safe and have adapted, she said, adding that her children, ages 6, 9 and 12, feel welcome at the local school and have quickly learned the eastern dialect of the language spoken in Armenia. The refugees already speak the western dialect of Armenian, which has made their adaptation easier. Pope Francis, who wrapped up his three-day visit to Armenia on Sunday, has long championed the Armenian cause. In the most carefully watched speech of his trip, the pope ad-libbed the politically charged word genocide to his prepared text. Turkey rejects the term, saying the 1.5 million death figure cited by historians is inflated and that people died on both sides as the Ottoman Empire collapsed amid World War I. Reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the restrictive Texas abortion law was swift here. "The decision erodes states' lawmaking authority to safeguard the health and safety of women, and subjects more innocent life to being lost," declared Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Attorney General Ken Paxton, who represented the state in the appeals process, said, "It is exceedingly unfortunate that the court has taken the ability to protect women's health out of the hands of Texas citizens and their duly-elected representatives." The safety and cleanliness of clinics was also an argument made in favor of the law by anti-abortion groups. "Abortion, which is a surgical procedure, would have to comply with the same regulations as other surgical centers. It makes complete sense, but the abortion industry, as Justice Thomas said in his dissent, gets a pass, the rules do not apply to them," Emily Horne, legislative associate for Texas Right to Life, told VOA. Whole Women's Health, which is based in the Texas capital of Austin, was the plaintiff in the case brought before the court (Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt). The abortion provider, backed by national groups like the Center for Reproductive Rights, argued that the Texas law only used the notion of protecting women's health as a mask for its real purpose, which was to make it as difficult as possible for a woman to get an abortion in Texas. After the law, known as HB2, was passed in 2013, 75 percent of the abortion clinics that had been operating in the state closed. Amy Hagstrom Miller, Whole Women's Health founder and chief operating officer, hailed the Supreme Court decision, saying, "We are thrilled that today justice was served and our clinics stay open." Implications for other states By avoiding a 4-4 split and ruling 5-3 to strike down the Texas law, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued a ruling that should apply to 10 other states with similar restrictions on abortion clinics. The state of Mississippi, for example, has only one clinic left in operation as a result of its laws. "The Supreme Court sent a loud and clear message that politicians cannot use deceptive means to shut down abortion clinics," said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights. According to a statement issued by the advocacy organization: "This decisive rejection of clinic shutdown laws marks the most significant abortion-related ruling from the Court in more than two decades, and will have national impact in states where similar laws threaten to shutter abortion clinics with medically unnecessary red tape." But attorneys working with such groups say their progress will depend on each state's laws and how closely they match the Texas law. One state that will likely be affected immediately is Wisconsin, which passed a similar law in 2013 that was struck down by a federal appeals court two years later. The state had appealed to the Supreme Court, but it now seems unlikely that the justices will take on that case, given that they have already ruled on the very similar Texas law. In the Texas case, an appeals court had upheld the Texas law, so if the Supreme Court justices had tied, the law would have remained in effect. The Israeli and Turkish prime ministers announced the restoration of full diplomatic relations, frozen for six years following the killing of Turkish activists who sought to break Israels economic blockade of Gaza. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the countries will restore their ambassadors as soon as possible. The re-establishment of full diplomatic relations follows more than a year of secret negotiations. Relations collapsed when Israeli commandos killed 10 Turkish activists who tried to sail to Gaza, which was under a naval blockade in 2010. The new deal Under the deal, Yildirim said Israel will pay families of the dead activists $20 million in compensation. Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking simultaneously in Rome, said the naval blockade of Gaza would continue. He said it is vital to preventing arms delivery. Ankara had been demanding Israel lift the embargo in return for full diplomatic relations. Yildirim said under the agreement Turkey would be allowed to deliver aid to Gaza, through Israel. He said the first ship loaded with more than 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid will leave for the Israeli port of Ashdod on Friday. He also said Turkey would build a 200-bed hospital in Gaza. Istanbul-based political consultant Atilla Yesilada of Global Source Partners said powerful forces of mutual interest are driving the deal. "There are political as well as economic reasons, obviously the dynamics of the Syria war have compelled both Israel and Turkey for a reconciliation," he said. "Israel was afraid that its border with Syria would be occupied by radical fundamentalist organizations." Israel and Turkey were once allies whose relationship extended to close military ties. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the move. Washington has been lobbying hard for a rapprochement between two of its most important allies in the region. Political scientist Cengiz Aktar of Istanbuls Suleyman Sah University said little more than pragmatism supports the relationship. "This is the sheer and cold interests of states and no more," he said. "Turkey remains deeply anti-Semitic and probably Israel remains a deeply anti-Muslim country." Observers point out that despite recent tensions, bilateral trade has continued to grow. Netanyahu said the deal will have an immense impact economically for Israel. Analyst Yesilada said the deal will likely see deepening economic cooperation. "Economically, Israel wants to transport its natural gas discovered offshore to Europe and Turkey clearly wants to reduce its gas dependence on Russia," he said. "So that urgency is still there." Ankara has been seeking alternative gas suppliers to Russia, since a collapse in relations with Moscow. Observers point out the deal with Israel is also part of a wider strategy of repairing relations with neighbors and former allies, which has seen Ankara become increasingly isolated in the region. Turkey's president has apologized to Moscow for the downing of a Russian military jet at the Syrian border, Russian and Turkish officials said Monday, a move that could open the way for easing a bitter strain in Russia-Turkey ties. Recep Tayyip Erdogan's move comes seven months after the incident, which has drawn a slew of Russian sanctions that have dealt a severe blow to the Turkish economy. The formal apology, which the Kremlin had requested, would likely allow relations to improve. Erdogan, in his message, expressed sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the killed pilot and apologized, Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Erdogan spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency, that the Turkish leader expressed his deep regret over the downing of the Russian plane: In the letter, the president stated that he would like to inform the family of the deceased Russian pilot that I share their pain and to offer my condolences to them. May they excuse us. Putin denounced the downing of a Russian warplane at the Syrian border on November 24 as a treacherous stab in the back. Russia rejected the Turkish claim that the plane had violated its airspace, and responded by deploying long-range air defense missiles to its base in Syria, warning that they would destroy any target posing a threat to Russian aircraft. Moscow also moved swiftly to ban the sales of package tours to Turkey, which had depended heavily on the Russian tourist flow; banned most of Turkey's food exports; and introduced restrictions against Turkish construction companies, which had won a sizable niche of the Russian market. Before the plane's downing, Russia had been the largest destination for Turkish exports, mostly textile and food, and also the biggest source of Turkish imports. The downing of the plane reflected simmering tensions between Russia and Turkey, which had backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict. Russia's air campaign, which began in September, helped shore up Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, whose foes have been backed by Turkey. Lifting the crippling restrictions was essential for Erdogan, who has found himself under pressure both at home and abroad. Since the incident, Erdogan and his ministers have continuously spoken in favor of normalizing ties with Moscow, but Putin made it clear that he expects a formal apology and a compensation of damage. Erdogan has now offered both, according to his letter, the excerpts of which were released by the Kremlin. I would like to express my compassion and deep condolences to the family of the dead Russian pilot and I say I'm sorry, the Kremlin statement quoted Erdogan's letter as saying. I share their pain with all my heart. We are ready to take any incentive to help ease the pain and the burden of inflicted damage. Erdogan's office also said that the Turkish leader called on Putin to restore the traditional friendly relations between Turkey and Russia and work together to address regional crises and jointly combat terrorism. We are pleased to announce that Turkey and Russia have agreed to take necessary steps without delay to improve bilateral relations, Erdogan spokesman Kalin said. The Kremlin said that the letter added that the Turkish authorities were conducting a probe against a Turkish citizen, who allegedly shot and killed the plane's pilot as he was descending by parachute. The plane's co-pilot survived and was rescued, but a Russian marine was killed by militants during the rescue mission near the border. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said earlier Monday that there were beautiful developments concerning Russia but did not provide details. The Turkish people and the Russian people want this crisis to end and believe it is meaningless, Yildirim said. Our duty should be to meet the expectations of the people. While North Koreas dismal human rights record has been overshadowed of late by its latest round of provocative nuclear and missile tests, the United Nations is continuing to build the case to prosecute Kim Jong Un and his leadership for crimes against humanity. In 2014 a U.N. Commission of Inquiry (COI) on human rights in North Korea issued a report documenting a network of political prisons in the country holding 120,000 people and a list of atrocities that include extermination, murder, enslavement, torture, imprisonment, rape, forced abortions and other sexual violence. The report also called on the U.N. to refer the leadership of North Korea to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity. The General Assembly voted in support of the COI recommendation but the measure stalled in the Security Council where North Koreas allies China and Russia would likely veto the bill if it were brought up for a vote. Building their case But work goes on by both international human rights groups and the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights to build legal cases against North Korean officials, if and when the Kim Jong Un government collapses or its officials are held accountable in a court of law. That is quite unique in that sense, compared to the general practice where justice seeking is then implemented after the big bang, so called, said Marzuki Darusman the U.N. Special Rapporteur on North Korea. Darusman and other human rights activists were in Seoul for a symposium Monday about what more can be done to hold North Korean officials accountable for ongoing human rights abuses committed in the country. Last year the United Nations established an Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Seoul to gather testimony and evidence from the 30,000 North Korea defectors to corroborate human rights abuse charges. Signe Poulsen, the OHCHR Seoul Office Representative said they are making slow progress, but it is hard to make a legal case based on defector testimony alone. Verification is extremely difficult and it is an ongoing challenge, and I think something we have to be quite humble about because we dont have access at the ground level, said Poulsen. Chain of command As North Koreas supreme leader, Kim Jong Un is ultimately responsible for the systemic atrocities committed in the country, and investigators say that there are directives and hand written notes that directly connect him to these crimes. Rights advocate Greg Scarlatiou with Human Rights North Korea says it is important to name specific individuals beyond the North Korean leader, to warn even mid-level perpetrators in state security agencies that they too will be held accountable. We know those agencies, we know the hierarchy within those agencies and we even have many lists of names of officials who are still there, who have been holding positions at these agencies, Scarlatiou said. But North Korea analyst Remko Breuker with Leiden University in the Netherlands says some distinction may need to be made between those who gave the orders and those who executed the orders. And he hopes that question is ultimately addressed in a North Korean tribunal some time in the future rather than the ICC. Where does this accountability stop? When do people have no other choice than to obey? This is something ideally that should be left the North Koreans to decide, said Breuker. Victim validation Beyond building a legal court case, human rights lawyer Jared Genser with Perseus Strategies, LLC says publicly documenting these cases of systematic and widespread atrocities can also act to validate the victims rights and experience That what they went through was horrible, horrific, terrible, the worst that could happen, that one human being does to another human being, that its wrong, that its illegal under international law, and that the international community acknowledges the injustice that has taken place, said Genser. While bringing North Korean perpetrators of abuse and atrocities to justice seems unlikely in the near future, these U.N. officials and activists say the political environment will one day change and they are continuing to prepare for that eventuality. The tough new U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea following its nuclear test and rocket launch earlier this year were not explicitly connected to human rights abuse in the country. But the United States has named North Korean nuclear proliferation and ongoing atrocities as justification for the added unilateral sanctions it imposed. South Korea also this year approved new measures to both document abuse and work to improve the human rights situation in the North. Larissa Martinez is preparing to move out of her familys one-bedroom apartment in Texas to embark on a new journey as a college student. Like many other American high school graduates, Martinez has already packed pillows, bedding sets, table lamps and other essential items supplies she said had been bought over the past two years by her mother, who "worked day and night." Martinez was the valedictorian of the 2016 graduating class at McKinney Boyd High School in McKinney, Texas. In her address to fellow graduates this month, she revealed a secret that she had kept throughout her school days. I am one of the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the shadows of the United States, Martinez said. Her revelation sparked a national conversation about undocumented students, those who are living in the United States without official permission. What about U.S. kids? While some praised Martinezs courage and hard work, others said undocumented young people like her are "cheating" American students out of places in colleges and universities. It kind of personalizes a whole phenomenon here," said Ira Mehlman, media director of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). "Obviously these are good students, good people, but it doesn't mean they should be allowed to remain in the country. It doesn't mean they should be financed by the taxpayers. FAIR, a nonprofit organization, says its goals are to educate the public on immigration issues, present solutions and hold legislators accountable. It seeks to hold legal immigration to the U.S. to 300,000 people a year, less than one-third the present number, according to FAIR. When you start taking it down to the micro level of the individual valedictorian, then it becomes fair game: What about all the children of illegal aliens who are not valedictorians and may be in fact doing other things [like] committing crimes? Mehlman asked. People would say, Thats not fair. You shouldn't characterize all illegal immigrants based on the acts of a few. [But] I think the same is the case when you have exceptional students, Mehlman said. Taxpaying immigrants A 2016 report from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy shows that undocumented immigrants pay well over $11 billion a year in state and local taxes. Contributions range from almost $2.2 million in Montana, which has an estimated 4,000 undocumented residents, the ITEP report says, to more than $3.1 billion in California, home to more than 3 million immigrants who lack legal status. We pay our taxes. We are not stealing anyones money, Martinez said. The 18-year-old student moved to the United States in 2010 with her mother and sister from Mexico City to escape an alcoholic and abusive father. All three had valid tourist visas. They lived with relatives until finally able to afford a one-bedroom apartment. At 16, Martinez told her mother, Deyanira Contreras, that she wanted to work to help with the bills. Contreras said it would be better if her daughter focused on her studies. Which she did. Martinez enrolled in advanced classes, got top grades and began to dream of attending an Ivy League school. She was first in her class every year through high school. When it was time to apply to college, Martinez's choices were Yale, Columbia and Princeton. Yale offered her a full scholarship. We felt blessed, she said. This is an opportunity they dont give to a lot of people. We were very much lucky. Not a factor Yale, one of the most selective U.S. universities, does not consider immigration status when reviewing applications from would-be students. This year, there were nearly 29,000 applications for fewer than 2,000 places at the school an acceptance rate of less than 7 percent. The university's website says Yale seeks those who would make the most of the extraordinary resources assembled here, those with a zest to stretch the limits of their talents, and those with an outstanding public motivation in other words, applicants with a concern for something larger than themselves. Being undocumented obviously would not disqualify anyone, Yale spokesman Tom Conroy told VOA. About one in every 10 current undergraduates is an international student those who, in most cases, apply from abroad and travel to the U.S. from their home countries. But Conroy said Yale does not keep tabs on which of its students admitted from U.S. secondary schools might be undocumented immigrants. Conroy told VOA that all Yale students, whether from the United States or another country, are equally eligible for financial assistance, which is based on need. The funding sources of financial aid for international and domestic students is the same," he said a combination of gifts to the university, often from former graduates, and the school's general revenues. About half the undergraduate students qualify for need-based aid, and the institution has no merit scholarships; all aid is based on students financial need. All students accepted to Yale may attend; no one has to turn down Yale because of concerns about paying for it, Conroy added. No admission prohibition There are an estimated 65,000 undocumented students attending U.S. high schools, and they are not eligible for federal financial aid for higher education. However, there is no federal law or state law that prohibits their admission to U.S. colleges. According to the College Board, a nonprofit that helps students transition from high school to higher education, institutions' admissions policies can vary. Martinez, the soon-to-be Yale student, says she felt that sharing her story could at least help some understand that people like her mother only want to give their children a better opportunity in life. Martinez has plans to enter the pre-med program and become a neurosurgeon. Everyone in this country [can do it] because I truly believe that together and supporting each other, we can make this country better, she said. Zimbabwe's longtime opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has revealed he is suffering from colon cancer. The 64-year-old Tsvangirai said in a statement Monday that he was diagnosed last month in South Africa and had what he called a very successful operation. He said he will undergo further medical procedures, including chemotherapy treatments that he began this week. He said he chose to make his condition public due a "firm belief that the health of national leaders, including politicians, should not be a subject of national speculation and uncertainty." The last comment is likely a jab at Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, who is 92 years old and travels periodically to Singapore for unspecified medical treatment. Tsvangirai, who leads the Movement for Democratic Change party, has run against Mugabe in three presidential elections. He won the first round of voting in 2008 but Mugabe won a runoff poll that critics said was deeply marred by violence and voter intimidation. Speculation about Tsvangirai's condition rose last week when he failed to attend an MDC rally in the city of Mutare, instead addressing the crowd by phone. Tsvangirai said Monday he is determined to overcome his condition. The late Vice President Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo, a fiery Zimbabwean nationalist, died on July 1, 1999, at the age of 82. Nkomo, a strong advocate for the transfer of land from the minority colonial rulers to the majority black population under the son of the soil slogan of the 1970s, never lived to enjoy the fruits of independence like millions of people in the southern African nation. Before independence, Nkomo and other freedom fighters promised that Zimbabweans will live in a land of milk and honey. But 36 years after independence, most local people are living from hand-to-mouth, a far cry from what they were promised when they took up arms to fight against the Ian Douglas Smith regime. Despite the harsh social, economic and political environment in the country, Nkomos legacy lives on. Nkomo was a son of a teacher and lay preacher of the London Missionary Society in Zimbabwes Kezi District, Matabeleland South province. At the age of 35, after working as a truck driver and carpenter, and getting involved in trade unionism, he was elected president of the Southern Rhodesia African National Congress, a major political party at that time. TERRORIST The late vice president, a holder of a social work degree, was once classified as a terrorist by the Rhodesian government and some developed nations. Nkomo spearheaded the liberation struggle under the National Democratic Party (NDP) when the colonial regime banned the Southern Rhodesia African National Congress. When the NPD was also banned, he formed the Zimbabwe Peoples Union or Zapu. He was locked up in prison between 1964 and 1974 and managed to sneak out of the country after his release to lead the nationalist movement. Zimbabweans in all parts of the country called him Father Zimbabwe, Umdala Wethu (our old man) and Chibwechitedza (slippery rock), among many other nicknames. His name became synonymous with the aspirations of black nationalists and the black population. Following the countrys independence in 1980 after a brutal liberation struggle, he was appointed cabinet minister by Prime Minister Robert Mugabe but fell out of favour as his former Zapu party junior accused Nkomo of attempting to stage a coup. This resulted in the deployment of the North Korean-trained Fifth Brigade in the Matabeleland and Midlands provinces, leading to the alleged massacre of an estimated 20,000 innocent civilians, mostly Nkomos PF Zapu supporters. The government has never revealed the number of people who were killed by the crack army unit though Mr. Mugabe once described the killings as a moment of madness. GUKURAHUNDI The then Zimbabwean prime minister claimed that he wanted to get rid of dissidents in the two regions using his army, commonly known as Gukurahundi. Nkomo fled the country fearing for his life but returned home from Britain where he stayed for a couple of months. The Gukurahundi massacres led to the signing of a unity agreement by the late vice president and Mr. Mugabe in 1987. Who was Father Zimbabwe, Umdala Wethu or Chibwechitedza? Apart from being a nationalist leader, Nkomo was a married man, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Life was tough for the Nkomo family when he decided to decolonize the country. His son, Sibangilizwe, still remembers the time his father was away from home. His mother, Joanna MaFuyane Nkomo, played a key role in looking after the family when Nkomo was in the guerrilla trenches. My mother was a very hardworking person, a woman with imagination. She would use her sewing skills, cooking skills to get some money for us to go to school, so somehow we managed. Of course, there was always the goodwill of my fathers business friends who would come up with help. Also there was the Christian Care, the organization which at a later stage helped pay for our fees in secondary school. HIGHLY RESPECTED BACK HOME Nkomo was highly respected in his village in St. Josephs Mission area. Thandi Moyo of St. Anne Mission, a few kilometers from Nkomos homestead, says Father Zimbabwe was a great man. He was such a great man who provided wisdom to the people and I think if people follow his footsteps there would be peace and harmony in the world. He was a peace loving man and a father figure. She says his legacy lives on despite the few achievements Nkomo made after independence in his rural Kezi area. As a person from Kezi Our place is underdeveloped and kids still travel long distances to school. There is a lot of improvement that needs to be done. Even roads are pathetic. Nkomos brother-in-law, Lovemore Fuyane, believes that Nkomo always put his country first. One thing that really stands out for me as far as Dr. Nkomo is concerned is the idea of Zimbabweaness. In other words, a person that thinks of Zimbabwe first before the self This is really what his legacy represents right from the time that he fought for the liberation of the country as well as the time he served in government. Fuyane says the late vice president legacy should be emulated by all Zimbabweans. We need to inculcate more this culture of Zimbawbeaness thinking about the country first before thinking about ourselves. There is no way to celebrate his legacy than that We need to pass that to the younger generation so that we will have a sense of self-belief in ourselves. There is no society that has been able to uplift itself without that inner belief cutting across the entire spectrum of society. VISIONARY LEADER He says this can be done if citizens dedicate themselves to Nkomos vision. There are movements out there both inside and outside the country (that are already trying to do this). I will just give one example of a movement known as #ThisFlag which is really beginning to speak to citizens standing up for their country, standing up for what the flag represents within the national spectrum. Cephas Msipa, one of Nkomos close associates in PF Zapu, says that apart from being a visionary leader, Nkomo was a peace maker. Nkomo was able to bring people together. He was really genuine in trying to understand people and to bring them together and I think he will always be remembered for that. Yes, he loved peace, Although he suffered under (Mr.) Mugabe he was still prepared to work under him for the sake of peace, hence the Unity Accord. It was not easy for him to accept (that) but he did it for the sake of peace. So, Nkomo was a man of peace. In our next edition, our correspondent Gandri Maramba will be focusing on Nkomos calls for a comprehensive land reform program in Zimbabwe. Members of various church organizations, under the banner of the Prayer Network of Zimbabwe, staged a peaceful demonstration in Harare on Monday demanding the resignation of Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora over the governments introduction of the national pledge in schools. The churches argue that the pledge violates their right to freedom of worship. The more than 100 members of the Prayer Network of Zimbabwe gathered in central Harare urging Dokora to leave office within two days for imposing the national pledge on their children. The demonstrators, who were holding Holy Crosses and placards with messages denouncing Dokora, addressed people in bank queues and bus termini as well as busy road intersections before passing through parliament on their way to the ministers office. There was a near scuffle between anti-riot police and the demonstrators just outside parliament when police unsuccessfully tried to block them from proceeding with their march. The situation was saved by some leaders of the protest group who showed the police a clearance letter that was issued by some top officers, resulting in the demonstrators singing even louder. One of the demonstrators, Obert Masaraure, who is also the president of the Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, said most teachers in the countryside were against the education ministrys directive to force schoolchildren to recite the national pledge. Another demonstrator, Patson Dzamara, said it was now time for the church to join forces with other activists to ensure that the government meets the demands of ordinary Zimbabweans. Reverend Ancelom Magaya, who also participated in the march, said there were many things that the national pledge violates, adding that its introduction was tantamount to promoting Satanism. He added that instead of introducing the national pledge, the government must fulfill other issues that it pledged to do, such as providing jobs. Prayer Network of Zimbabwe founder and president, Jacob Ngarivhume, told the demonstrators that allowing children to recite the national pledge was unconstitutional and ungodly. The protest was also graced by some politicians such as Zunde leader Farai Mbire, Dare leader Mathias Dzikiti and leader of the MDCT youth Assembly, Happymore Chidziva as well as representatives of some civil society organizations. Mbire told the gathering that the time was now ripe for President Mugabe to leave office. He said the governments policies were not meeting the expectations of the people. Some representatives of the demonstrators left a petition at Dokoras office where they met with his deputy, Larry Mavhima. Mavhima told Studio 7 that there was nothing his ministry could say because the national pledge is before the courts. Mavhima said the demonstrators also demanded a national referendum on the national pledge but he noted that this was a very long and expensive process. The protestors left an assortment of placards at the entrance of Dokoras office. The national pledge reads as follows, Almighty God, in whose hands our future lies, I salute the national flag. Respecting the brave fathers and mothers who lost lives in the Chimurenga/Umvukela. We are proud inheritors of the richness of our natural resources. We are proud creators and participants in our vibrant traditions and cultures. So I commit to honesty and the dignity of hard work. Opposition MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he has colon cancer. Church denominations stage a peaceful protest against Zimbabwe's national pledge being recited in schools, which they believe is part of the ruling Zanu PF party's political indoctrination scheme. And Civil servants meet with Labor Minister Prisca Mupfumira to press for payment of June salaries as the government fails to honor its financial obligations. Stay tuned for these stories and more coming up on Studio 7 at 7:30 pm on 9-0-9 Medium Wave and on the 4-9-3-0, 5-9-4-0 and 1-5-4-6-0 shortwave frequencies. We also broadcast on www.channelzim.net. Please check us out on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. This evening on Livetalk our hosts Blessing Zulu and Gibbs Dube will be talking with listeners and experts about cancer amid revelations by MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai that he has the disease. What is cancer? Can it be treated? Participate by sending your messages on our WhatsApp number 001 202 465 0318. You can also post comments on this Facebook wall or send us your number so we can call you back. Please note that we are livestreaming on all Studio 7 Facebook pages. Stay tuned!!!!!! International military exercises involving Ukraine and the United States, Rapid Trident 2016, have begun on the premises of the International Peacekeeping and Security Center, the Yavoriv Range in Lviv region. The opening ceremony took place at the central military base of the range, in the village of Starychi in the Yavoriv district, on Monday morning, an Interfax-Ukraine correspondent reported. "The presence of such a powerful cohort of our partners and comrades-in-arms demonstrates broad international support for the Ukrainian people's fight for sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine as a democratic country," Ukrainian Armed Forces North Operative Command Deputy Commander Col. Eduard Moskalev said at the ceremony. Rapid Trident 2016 involves more than 1,800 servicemen from 13 countries, the exercises' press center said. There will be command-and-staff and field drills. Participants will be practicing tactical elements of their assignments with due account of the experience of deterrence of hybrid warfare. Over 200 pieces of military hardware, including two Mil Mi-8 helicopters, will be participating in the drills. Ukraine has assigned a brigade of the Ground Forces, Airborne Forces and Marine units, military school cadets and National Guard units to the exercises. The drills will last until July 8. Government ministers and civil servants' representatives again Monday reached another deadlock over pay dates, with the workers insisting that they be paid June salaries immediately instead of next month as proposed by the employer. According to a source who attended the meeting, the government later pledged to pay each worker $100 by this Friday as advance payment to enable them to report for duty until their pay day but workers representatives, through the Apex Council, said they wanted to consult their members first before committing themselves to anything. The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe has already announced that it will embark on a sit-in at Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasas offices beginning July 1st until they are paid their June salaries. Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general, Robson Chere, said because nothing favorable came out of the meeting, they were planning to go ahead with the planned industrial action. We are inviting all civil servants and Zimbabweans to a sit-in at the Ministry of Finance offices on July 1st until a solution to the economic crisis is availed, Chere said. The government announced it was unable to pay its workers June salaries on time, and had shifted the pay dates to mid-July, a move resisted by civil servants under the Apex Council. Labour Minister Prisca Mupfumira, Finance Minister Chinamasa and Health Minister David Parirenyatwa together with Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya and Civil Service Commission officials met with civil servants representatives to try and break the impasse. But already many unions have hinted that their members will not go beyond July 1st without being paid June salaries. Studio 7 failed to reach Minister Mupfumira for a comment. Government says it is struggling to raise funds due to a depressed economic environment. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. The articles on Voltaire Network may be freely reproduced provided the source is cited, their integrity is respected and they are not used for commercial purposes (license CC BY-NC-ND). Source: NATO and the EU, the two pillars of US domination, Current Concerns (Switzerland) , Voltaire Network, 27 June 2016, www.voltairenet.org/article192553.html Veep showrunner David Mandel said that this show works best when people dont get what they want, but I didnt expect such an extreme level of not-getting-what-they-want. Inauguration is a totally brutal finale, even if you dont think Selina Meyer deserves to be president (does anyone, except for Gary?), and if you dont think Tom James deserves to be president (cant say I have strong feelings one way or the other, but he does seem like the kind of guy you regret having sex with the minute its over), and if you think its cool that this alternate America is rallying behind a(nother) female president, especially one who throws some Spanish into her inaugural address. But lets relive Selinas waking nightmare from the top: We begin one day from the Senate vote, as Mike assures the press that Selina really enjoys watching all this democracy in action I mean, the chances of this happening in Russia? Nyet. and that there is a zero-percent chance she will ever serve as vice-president again. Cut, of course, to Selina turning down Tom Jamess offer of the vice-presidency, in a depressing-as-hell negotiation in which Selina is under the delusion that she has any leverage whatsoever. (Reminds me of Jack Donaghy negotiating with his nanny, who just sat there peeling an orange, much like Tom leaning back and chomping on his apple.) Selina aims for secretary of state, because I think thats the least you could do, and dismisses Toms VP suggestions as literally the least you could do. Or, as Selina puts it later to Ben, General George Washington could climb out of his grave right now and I would rather eat out his zombified wooden asshole twice a day than be his vice fucking fucking anything! Interesting that she still refers to Washington as a general, not a president. Sort of rude, right? Selina gathers her staff at a last-ditch effort at relevancy. How can they earn back or, as the case may more likely be, earn in the first place Selinas popularity? A gay wedding at the White House for Catherine and Marjorie? No, Selina cant take that much acoustic guitar. The solution is clear; the solution is Tibet. Thats whats going to be my legacy: Selina Meyer, the woman who freed Tibet. Selina then yells, I WANT MY NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, and says the word legacy so many times she sounds like Alexander Hamilton just before the bullet hits. She wants to be more to this country than just the first president to pee sitting down since FDR. Ambassador Al Jaffar reports that the Chinese are nervous about Tibet because Selina is out of power. Selina, with the facial expression and tone of voice of a person on the verge of projectile vomiting, says she will continue on as vice-president. Between you and me, Tom James could be healthier, she adds, as she pantomimes throwing back a bottle. She stops at the VPs office, and it looks so small and sad and pointless. I refuse to believe Joe Biden spends his days in such a dreary wasteland! I bet his office has a cotton-candy machine, 60 percent more natural light, and a shelf with all the Boxcar Children books. Okay, she says. I can do this. Selina returns to Toms office to, as he puts it, throw away every last shred of dignity you have and accept my offer of the vice-presidency. He starts laughing while he makes the false promise of how shes going to be part of the team, youre going to be at every meeting. Your country thanks you! I cant believe I was ever shipping this couple. Tom James is a dirtbag. You know who else thinks Tom James is a dirtbag? Vice-President Doyle! That sneaky bastard planned this whole entire thing, and I am appalled but also impressed that anyone in such a high office actually understands the intricacies of such a wonky corner of the Constitution. Doyle gets to break the Senate tie, and he votes for Laura Montez saying it with quite the put-on accent because she promised him secretary of State. Last year, Amy got to completely lose her shit in a glorious rant for the ages. This time around, its Gary who goes ballistic at the cavalier, not-crushed-enough reactions of his colleagues to Selinas loss and loss-by-proxy. You fuckers. How dare you? That magnificent woman counted on you and you losers let her down! (Dan, to whoever hes talking to on the phone: Ive gotta call you back, something amazing is happening.) As Mike catches him on camera, Gary tells everyone that theyre garbage. Then he wags his finger in Toms face: You screwed her the worst. In all the ways. I feel like Gary still refers to different sexual activities as bases, as in, Did you guys get to second base? At least I cared! I did my job. I fucking cared. I think Gary just wrote his own epitaph: Here lies Gary. At least he cared. He did his job. Some of the most poignant, hilarious-because-they-are-devastating scenes in this episode are mostly silent. (See: Selina, deigning to make her own coffee from a Keurig, then chucking the whole stupid apparatus on the floor.) Later, when her helicopter has to land because of a malfunction, because why wouldnt this happen to her, Selina just stares into space while sitting on the bleachers, the Washington Monument framed in the background. As the kids sometimes say on the internet these days: It is everything. The night before inauguration or, as its known in Jonahs office, the night before Colts birthday dinner Selina runs into Richard packing up Jonahs old office. They have a fantastic one-on-one. I wish we saw these two together more often, although I guess it requires a real deviation from the normal plot to justify that setup. Selina confesses that she doesnt even remember how to drive. She needs a wallet. And stamps. And if she hasnt bought stamps since before she got into office, she is in for a real rude awakening. Stamps are crazy expensive now! Selina wanted to be president since she was a little girl, she tells Richard. And then it was the 12 loneliest months of my life. I wonder if thats actually true. Based on everything weve learned about Selinas parents, how lousy her marriage was, and so on, maybe her whole life has been lonely. Maybe this wasnt an exceptionally lonely time at all. Anyway, rise and shine, hungover Selina! Fortunately for everyone, she did not have sex with Richard. Catherine shows up; she has employed a new stylist and her look is interesting. Its kind of a lot for daytime. Very Kocktails With Khloe. Also present for this glorious day, as one female president steps down so another can rise up: Mike, his six-year-old baby, Ellen, and Candi, Montezs new chief of staff. Rumors are buzzing about one White House staffer who gets to stay on for the new administration, and you know its Sue, because Sue is secretly running the country. As Montez is inaugurated, news breaks that just mere minutes into her presidency! President Montez freed Tibet. This will no doubt put Montez in line for a Nobel Prize, Dan says, as he reports on the proceedings for CNN. (He does get a call from CBS, not CVS, by the end of the night.) Selina bids her staff farewell with the only thing she can think to say: We gave America everything we had. But her exit, like her ascent to office, cannot be a graceful one; engine troubles ground her helicopter almost immediately. She tears up listening to Hail to the Chief play for somebody else. I know I mentioned this earlier, but Im so glad that director Becky Martin held that shot of her sitting on the bleachers alone. And I love her reaction as it starts to rain, as Gary holding his coat over her head: Maybe itll ruin her parade. Because this is a cruel, cruel world where the Jonahs succeed more often than the rest of us, New Hampshires congressman is doing just fine. (Except for the cancer scare, but thats a problem for season six.) He sends Richard out to hire him some hot interns though youd think, after his experience on the bad end of a groping scandal, Jonah would be marginally more sensitive to how sexually harassing underlings in the office can derail your life. Richard proceeds to hire hot male interns, which is totally fine by this recapper. I, like Richard, think Colt should stay indefinitely. (Honestly wish Colt were here right now, to make me a latte while I write this recap.) When Jonah is later informed that the first rule of hiring male staff is that they shouldnt be hotter than you are, he decides not to care and keeps them around for roughhousing which lands him in the hospital. It is here a nurse discovers a lump he would have already found if hed followed the advice of his own PSA: Check em, dont neglect em. Well, it could be worse, Jonah! You could be Ben, looking miserable as hell in the happiest place on Earth. And a Few Final Things Kent ran a flash poll of presidential scholars. They rated Selina 43rd most effective president ever, just ahead of James Buchanan, who was not great. Dan wants an agent to help him take the Dan Egan brand to the next level. Amys reply: Too bad Goebbels killed himself. Kent: Data gives no warning. A+ for the look on the secret-service agents face when Selina suggests he help Ben find some prostitutes. He just goes \_()_/ like, yeah, thats a guy who used our tax dollars to have too good a time in Colombia. Selina: Statesman-ish, which is a joke. Selina, to the Chinese: Feel free to watch [the Senate vote] along on television, or on one of the many bugs youve planted throughout the White House. Not sure what Kent was up to at the literary agency, but Im into his theory that alternate timelines are a crutch for lazy sci-fi premises, e.g., Star Trek. Charlie Beard is the new treasury secretary. Way to bounce back from bankruptcy! I loved how Richard discovered, as hes talking to a drunk Selina, that the woman he thought was his auntie was obviously his real mother and the woman he thought was his mother was his grandma. Selina to Doyle: Your head is so far up Montezs ass, next time its Alejandros birthday, hes going to come all over your face. Toms postWhite House plans: You know, Ive always dreamed of living in a small town and running my own little multimillion-dollar hedge fund. You know, back to basics. Insult of the Episode: I would give it to Jonah for saying, New Hampshire is just a fancy word for Its cold outside so I dont shave my pubes. But I think the clear winner is Selinas heartbroken, exhausted knock on our entire nation: I hate this country. (Mike: I know.) Compliment of the Episode: Gary, to the White House: Gosh, from a distance, it looks really beautiful. Jonah Shall Henceforth Be Known As: Did I miss it, or did we not get a Jonah nickname in this finale? From Monday through Wednesday this week, were presenting our third annual Vulture TV Awards, honoring the best in television from the past year. Were taking a purer approach this time, with in-depth, critical essays on three major categories: Show, Actor, and Actress. Each piece makes a thorough case for our winners, and why they beat the competition. The shows that were considered had to be ongoing, which disqualifies limited series and shows that ended their runs in the past year. They also must have wrapped up their season by June 26. Carrie Coons work on the second season of The Leftovers can be described using many words, but the one that springs to mind before all others is fierce. As Nora Durst, a woman trying to reassemble her life following the sudden departure of her husband and children in the HBO dramas rapturelike event, her performance radiates a stubborn determination to believe that everything is going to be okay. From the measured edginess in her speaking voice to the way her gaze challenges anyone who suggests that the inexplicable may strike again, Coons Nora is no longer numb, as she often was in the shows first season shes ultra-focused. Some people on this show are ardent believers in higher powers; Nora is a zealot about moving forward and not looking back. Coon is one of those actors whose mere presence elevates every scene shes in, even when shes not necessarily the focus of it. On The Leftovers shes surrounded by gifted castmates Regina King, Justin Theroux, and Christopher Eccleston among them who dont need any assistance in having their games raised. Yet when theyre working opposite Coon, one can sense shes taking them a little higher. Shes great at that thing acting teachers always say is so important, but that spectators of theater, film, and television tend to underestimate: listening and reacting. Whether her brother Matt, played by Eccleston, is telling her about a miraculous transformation he witnessed in his wife or shes engaging in idle backyard barbecue chit-chat with her new neighbors, shes always engaged and attuned to whats happening around her, in a way that doesnt look like acting and more closely resembles actual living. While quiet intensity may be Coons signature, theres a fragility thats always lying beneath her surface. A simple comment or question that hits Nora the wrong way can push her over the edge. Paradoxically, its Coons sense of control the way she carries herself with such commitment to keeping her balance that makes it clear how desperate her character is to find that balance. Physically, she maintains perpetually perfect posture, never letting her toned, broad shoulders slump even after shes just chucked a rock through her next-door neighbors window or learned her husband is having hallucinations. Nora deals with what life throws at her with steeliness and a sardonic sense of humor but, to borrow the words of Bob Dylan, when she breaks, shes like a little girl, tears suddenly spill from her eyes when her wounds are reopened. When shes threatened, she devolves into panic or explodes with sudden, deliberate, radio-smashing rage. Another actor might handle these outbursts in ways that feel showy or scream Nominate me for an Emmy. But Coon moves through these mood shifts so naturally, it feels like were not watching a performance were spying on someones private pain. She is so completely her character this sad, unapologetic, confident, scared, self-righteous pseudo-widow that, as I write this, I keep losing track of whether to refer to her as Carrie Coon or Nora Durst. That may be the highest compliment that can be paid to her work: Its so thorough and fully realized, its often hard to tell where Nora Durst ends and Carrie Coon begins. THE CASE FOR CARRIE COON 1. Are the people gone? (2.4, Orange Sticker) In the fourth episode of season two, Nora awakens in her living room after an earthquake and, with her boyfriend Kevin (Theroux) missing, immediately assumes another sudden departure has occurred. Attempting to find answers, Nora, whos just moved into her new house in Jardin, Texas, realizes she has no cable, no wi-fi, and no way to immediately confirm that the worst hasnt happened a second time. She calls 911 and illogically asks the operator, Are the people gone? Then Kevin walks through the door, and she eagerly embraces him for a moment, but just as quickly lets go and coldly walks away. In the span of a minute and a half, Coon skates through this vast emotional spectrum panic, frustration, sobbing relief and, ultimately, anger at Kevin for rocking her so far off her carefully laid foundation and does so with a fluidity that will look familiar to anyone whos ever ridden similar waves of grief and fear. But the most amazing, telling thing that Coon does here is simply breathe: at first rapidly, so she can barely speak; then deeply, when Theroux enters the scene; and then normally, quietly, as if nothing had made her gasp mere seconds earlier. The way Coon takes in oxygen is filled with intent, and speaks to Noras insistence on keeping her emotions in check. 2. I evolved. (2.6, Lens) One of the stand-out moments in The Leftovers exceptional second season is the scene in which Nora administers a government questionnaire designed to determine whether Erikas daughter, Evie, legitimately departed or simply went good old-fashioned missing. In the course of the conversation between these two alpha moms, Erika hints that God may indeed have taken her daughter away, and that Erikas choices may have caused that to happen. Nora responds by batting down Erikas entire belief system Your logic, its a little all over the place, dont you think? she condescendingly asks prompting Erika to start asking questions about what happened when Nora lost her own family. Coon articulates every word extra carefully, molding syllables with the same attention Nora gives to molding other peoples worldviews, as well as her own firmly entrenched state of denial. During the questionnaire, she hyper-articulates every query until she gets to the word lens, a term used to describe people whose presence causes sudden departures. She half-swallows and almost chokes on that word in a way that highlights the repression of her own guilt regarding the loss of her family, and the question marks that hover over her the same way they hover over Erika. While attempting to make the case for her superior way of viewing the world, she tells her neighbor, I evolved, taking her time with evolved a relative of evolution, a theory that contradicts the idea that Gods hand is in everything so that it lands with a punch. As she and Erika continue to talk, their faces are shown in increasingly tight close-ups, so that when Erika inevitably punches back, we can see in detail what happens when Coons facade crumbles: her chin quivers, a tears bubbles up and out of her left eye, and shes rendered speechless. 3. Fix that, Jesus. (2.10, I Live Here Now) This scene unfolds as Nora is attending to her wheelchair-bound sister-in-law, Mary (Janel Moloney), and her infant daughter while listening to a talk-radio program. On the air, a father who lost a child in the sudden departure explains that his wife left him because she didnt want to have another baby. The host of the show tells the caller that his wife was right to not want another child; she cant be a loving mother again yet, because shes too broken to be ready. The only thing that can fix her, he says, is Jesus. The camera stays on Coon the entire time as she listen to this, absorbing the information. Watch how much she expresses wordlessly, as a variety of expressions play out across her face slight eye roll, brow furrowed in curiosity, tiny glimmers of empathy as Nora contemplates how this couples situation applies to her own, and then decides to do what she does next: calmly stride across the room, pick up the radio, and slam it onto the floor so it shatters into pieces. Fix that, Jesus, she says. Coon delivers the line so straight that its both hilarious and the perfect illustration of the way Nora shuts down her own doubts. A few seconds later, another earthquake hits and the comatose Mary speaks in Noras presence for the first time in years, resulting in a look of wonder and confused joy on Coons face that is worthy of a Steven Spielberg movie. The whole scene, as she plays it, transcends a single performance in an episode: It captures the essence of The Leftovers, a show about people trying to hold on to whats rational while the universe insists on tossing the inexplicable in front of their eyes. HOW WE PICKED HER A number of lead actresses gave amazing performances this year that are worthy of praise. If we go back to that word I used earlier fierce we could be here all day naming women whose work exemplifies that adjective. Women like: Sarah Paulson (The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story), Rachel Bloom (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Kirsten Dunst (Fargo), Shiri Appleby (UnREAL), Taraji P. Henson (Empire), Keri Russell (The Americans), Viola Davis (How to Get Away With Murder), Michelle Dockery (Downton Abbey), Felicity Huffman (American Crime), Lili Taylor (American Crime), Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Veep), Robin Wright (House of Cards), Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Aya Cash (Youre the Worst), Lena Dunham (Girls), and Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe). More specifically, when it comes to performances that exhibit control with flashes of fragility, a number of woman excelled in that department this year. But if I had to nominate only a few, I would single out Keri Russell, Michelle Dockery, Lili Taylor, Sarah Paulson, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. (Yes, I know we said mini-series are excluded from consideration in the Vulture TV Awards. But the acting in some of this years ongoing anthology shows, particularly American Crime Story and American Crime, felt too significant to ignore.) On The Americans, Russell was a master of restraint, who, after betraying perhaps the only real female friend shes ever had in Young Hee, allowed her clear regret and sadness to peek out, but only for a second. Then it was back to maintaining her cover and emotional armor. Seriously: Elizabeth Jennings and Nora Durst could co-teach a hell of a seminar on denial. But Coon edges her out, just barely, because she consistently radiates a power that Russell doesnt always match. As Lady Mary on Downton Abbey, Dockery revealed a warmth and raw emotion in the series final season that was all the more powerful because she usually kept it so deeply hidden beneath Marys sub-zero-degree demeanor. But as a character, Lady Mary doesnt give Dockery nearly as many levels to play with as Nora provides Coon. On American Crime, a show packed with solid performances, Taylor stands out as a mother so anxious to pursue justice for her son that she loses sight of whether her actions are actually serving his best interests. Taylor projects raw emotion at every turn. When shes angry, shes a human piano wire threatening to snap; in her more subdued moments, you can see the degree to which exhaustion has seeped into her bones. But, with the caveat that trying to quantify whats better about one actors work versus anothers is hardly science, Taylor doesnt command the screen to the same degree that I feel Coon does. The two performances that come closest to matching Coons are Paulsons on that other show with American Crime in the title The People v. O.J. Simpson and Louis-Dreyfus on Veep. Paulson is the one actress here who is playing a real person, and she manages to convey the essence of Marcia Clark without resorting to imitation. More importantly, shes got that control with flashes of fragility thing down pat, as we watch her fight back tears of frustration like shes doing it on behalf of every underestimated working woman in the history of America. And in this year of the (possible) woman president, Louis-Dreyfus brings all kinds of shades to Selina Meyer as she deals with her own politically uncertain future and personal trials, like the death of her mother. I came very close to choosing Louis-Dreyfus as best actress, largely because of her performance in the episode I just alluded to, Mother, an extraordinary showcase for her ability to travel up and down emotional scales while being completely hilarious at the same time. I dont know that Ive seen anything on TV this year as darkly comic and simultaneously heartbreaking as Selinas farewell to her dying mother and subsequent crazy-giggly celebration of the fact that ballots will be recounted in Nevada. Louis-Dreyfus is simply amazing. So what makes Coon more amazing than Louis-Dreyfus or Paulson, and therefore more deserving of this honor? Coon possesses a magnetism that I havent seen in another actress this year. As she proved in season one of The Leftovers and established even more firmly in season two, when shes onscreen, shes like gravity: She pulls you toward her center. There is something powerful about her about the way shes always thinking, the way her emotions expand and recede, how her facial expressions are sometimes so clearly at war with her desire to convey equilibrium. Its a quality that cant be learned, in my opinion. Coon has it in her acting DNA. While, as noted before, she uses language and speech as a key tool in her arsenal, her biggest strength is her silence. You can turn off the sound on an episode of The Leftovers and watch Coon on mute, and its still possible to not only be riveted, but to have a genuinely profound emotional experience while watching her. As good as Paulson and Louis-Dreyfus are, Im not sure they pull off that same level of magic trick. Theres also an undercurrent to Coons performance that resonates especially deeply in our current cultural climate, to a degree that the other performances I mentioned dont, quite. Paulsons portrayal of Marcia Clark helps to widen our understanding of a key moment in our past; Louis-Dreyfus, perhaps, enables us to imagine a potential, hopefully less bumbling and profane future with a woman in the White House. What Coon is doing speaks very specifically to where the average Americans head and heart is, right now. Shes playing a woman befuddled by the bad things that have happened to her and struggling to get a grip on them and herself. And isnt that all of us, every day, when we watch the news and hear about another mass shooting, or a terrorist attack in Paris, or witness the latest developments in this ugly presidential race? Our world is not the world of The Leftovers. No ones suddenly departed from here, at least not yet. But the issues of loss, grief, and frustration that percolate on that show mirror our own. Carrie Coon delivers an enormously convincing, moving performance. But that performance feels like something even more special because, as we watch Nora struggle, it often feels like were watching ourselves. Georgian Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli signed a decree on abolition of compulsory conscription to the republic's armed forces. The Georgian Defense Ministry will cease to perform compulsory military conscription starting on June 27, the minister told reporters. "The armed forces do not need servicemen who were forcefully enlisted," she said. As defense minister she is entitled to adopt such a decision; however, her successor can abolish it if this is deemed prudent, Khidasheli said. The Heart of Texas Master Naturalist Program is accepting applications for its fall training class. Classes will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning in late August and continuing through mid-November, at Lake Waco Wetlands. The class also will include Saturday field trips to local natural areas. Cost is $150. To apply, visit http://txmn.org/heartoftexas/2016-class. For more information, call 710-2382. Valley Mills Chamber The Greater Valley Mills Chamber of Commerce will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Old City Hall, Farm-to-Market Road 56 in Valley Mills. Agenda items will include approval of a logo and planning for the Valley Mills July 4 celebration. The newly formed chambers goal is to benefit businesses in Valley Mills, Crawford, China Spring and surrounding areas. For more information, call Jennifer Pliscott at 254-855-6132. Mayborn music event Baylor Universitys Mayborn Museum, 1300 S. University Parks Drive, will have an Imagine . . . Youre a Musician flash event from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday. Visitors can learn how to play a variety of instruments through musical demonstrations, create a unique musical instrument and march in a kazoo parade at 2:45 p.m. Regular admission rates will apply. For more information, visit www.mayborn museum.com. Mexia car show Mexia Lions Club is sponsoring a Red, White and Blue Car Show from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 4 at 200 E. Commerce St. in downtown Mexia. Car show entry fee is $20 in advance or $25 the day of the event. Spectator admission is free. For more information, call 254-562-6679. MCC award noms The Highlander Alumni and Friends Association at McLennan Community College will accept nominations through July 15 for its 2016 Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Leader awards. Nomination forms for both awards are available at the Highlander Alumni & Friends Association website at http://alumni.mclennan.edu. To be eligible, nominees must have successfully completed a minimum of a one-year certificate or two-year associate degree program or have earned a minimum of 60 transferable hours, without a degree, from MCC. For more information, call 299-8481 or email alumni@mclennan.edu. Alzheimers program Alzheimers Association will continue its Education Series from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Heart of Texas Area Agency on Aging, 1514 S. New Road. This months topic will be Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body. The program is free, but reservations are requested. The Black Sea security concept, which is being eyed by NATO, cannot be successful without Georgia, Georgian Defense Minister Tinatin Khidasheli said. "Today NATO is actively working on the Black Sea security concept, and Georgia is participating in that. Any concept to be approved at the [NATO] summit in Warsaw will involve Georgia. It is immaterial whether Georgia is a NATO member or not; these are the area and the challenge about which we have definitively said there cannot be a safe and successful project for the Black Sea without Georgia," she told the press on Monday. Georgia should be fully involved in all Black Sea measures, she said. "This provision should be included in documents Georgia will bring home from the NATO summit in Warsaw," the minister said. Khidasheli said she was speaking about joint exercises with the alliance in the Black Sea and regular visits. University High School will be investigated for alleged wrongdoing regarding testing procedures, course credits and graduation plans, the Waco Independent School District board of trustees announced Monday. At a special meeting Monday morning, the board voted 5-1 to retain the law firm of Walsh, Gallegos, Trevino, Russo & Kyle P.C. to review allegations brought to the board by Waco ISD administrators. I dont know personally what brought that to their attention, board President Pat Atkins said. Primarily just because of the seriousness of the allegations, we thought it prudent to bring in somebody who can be very thorough. There are a number of possible outcomes. It may be everything was done appropriately, it may be, internally, we need clearer processes and policies to set out the districts expectations, or its possible that there was wrongdoing. Thats the third option. Atkins also said three University High employees will be placed on paid leave during the investigation, which he expects to be completed by the start of the school year. He did not identify the employees. When we do an investigation of any sort, its not unusual for the employee to be placed on leave with pay while were doing that, Atkins said. Its just really to maintain the status quo and to make sure we can do the investigation quickly. So, and again, I wouldnt read too much into that. Superintendent Bonny Cain is on vacation and did not attend the meeting. Trustee Larry Perez was the only vote against the decision. Atkins said the law firm will investigate whether students were given the opportunity to take a retest after previously failing a test and whether students had their original graduation plans changed. We dont know whats going to (come) out yet, he said. We dont want to have anybody read too much into this, or rush to any conclusions. All weve done today is really said, because of the seriousness, we need somebody on the outside to look at it. And I dont know what those details are, and were not going to know what those details are until we get the report. The board first learned of the allegations in closed session of the June 16 workshop meeting, Atkins said, and the district has notified the Texas Education Agency of the review. He said he would meet with the Austin law firm Monday afternoon to learn how much the investigation will cost. Its really going to depend on the scope of their work and how many hours they anticipate having to put in, Atkins said. Theyre going bill us by the hour. He said money will come from the districts general fund, which will require a budget amendment. Atkins said he anticipates the district releasing the findings from the investigation once available. Youre all familiar with, obviously, the opportunity under the Public Information Act, Atkins said. I think there are exceptions. Things that are specific to personnel matters may be retained and not produced, but I think anything specifically thats overall to processes and procedures, I think, we would gladly produce that and let folks know generally what transpired. Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy and Polish Sejm Marshal Marek Kuchcinski during a meeting on Sunday agreed that before the NATO summit in Warsaw, the lower house of the Polish parliament (Sejm) will not put to the vote any decision on the Ukrainian-Polish relations during World War II. "We've agreed that before the NATO Summit in Warsaw, the Polish Sejm will not consider and vote for any decisions regarding the moot points in the Ukrainian-Polish history of World War II," Parubiy told reporters in Truskavets, Lviv region, after a meeting with Kuchcinski. It was reported that before the meeting, the Ukrainian speaker said that the Polish parliament is preparing a number of resolutions, which should give an assessment of the Ukrainian-Polish relations during World War II (1939-1945), and noted that "unfortunately, some of these regulations are contain criticism of the Ukrainian side." The speaker said that he would try to persuade his Polish counterparts that the activation of the discussion of the complicated matters of history amid Russia's aggression against Ukraine is premature. "For us it is important during the discussion... to persuade our brotherly nation, that now, when Russia is carrying out aggression against Ukraine, when Russian occupation troops are on the Ukrainian land, touching on these complex and difficult pages of our history is premature," Parubiy said. One Ukrainian serviceman was killed in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in eastern Ukraine in the past 24 hours, Ukrainian Presidential Administration spokesman Andriy Lysenko said. "One of our servicemen was killed and four suffered injuries in the hostilities over the past day," Lysenko said at a press briefing in Kyiv on Monday. Four attacks of the hostiles were observed in the Popasna district in uhansk region last night, including two by use of mortars, he said. In the Donetsk sector, the hostiles were not using artillery for the first time in weeks but mortar attacks occurred in Troitske, Novoselivka Druha and Avdiyivka. After 5 p.m., the hostiles opened massive fire in the Avdiyivka industrial zone area. In all, 15 attacks were observed in that sector over the past day, including nine using heavy armaments, Lysenko said. Besides, three flights of hostile drones were observed in the past 24 hours, he said. AXIS Capital Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides various specialty insurance and reinsurance products worldwide. It operates through two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance. The Insurance segment offers property insurance products for commercial buildings, residential premises, construction projects, and onshore energy installations; marine insurance products covering offshore energy, cargo, liability, recreational marine, fine art, specie, and hull war; and terrorism, aviation, credit and political risk, and liability insurance products. It also provides professional insurance products that cover directors' and officers' liability, errors and omissions liability, employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, crime, professional indemnity, cyber and privacy, medical malpractice, and other financial insurance related coverages for commercial enterprises, financial institutions, not-for-profit organizations, and other professional service providers. In addition, this segment offers accidental death, travel, and specialty health products for employer and affinity groups. 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Countries of the Carpathian region should strengthen cooperation for the development of infrastructure and improvement of the economic situation in the region, and Ukraine, in particular, should increase the number of checkpoints on the border with its EU neighbors, Marshal of the Polish Sejm (lower house of the Polish parliament) Marek Kuchcinski has said. "At the moment, such cooperation is very feeble. We need to put ourselves to the task to increase the number of border crossing points, to improve the infrastructure between Ukraine and Slovakia, Ukraine and Romania, Ukraine and Poland," Kuchcinski said on the sidelines of the forum on local development in Truskavets, Lviv region, on Sunday. The head of the lower chamber of the Polish parliament said that at the Economic Forum in Krynica (Poland) they plan to offer to form an inter-parliamentary assembly in the format of the Visegrad Four (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) and two neighboring countries of the Carpathian region Romania and Ukraine. "We want to offer our counterparts from the Czech Republic and Hungary to set up a joint assembly with Ukraine, Romania, not only in the format of the four countries," he said. Kuchcinski said that such an issue may be discussed even before the start of the forum, in July this year. Head of the Polish Sejm recalled that on July 1, 2016, Poland will take over the presidency of the Visegrad Group. Kuchcinski also stressed that such cooperation between the parliaments should become a powerful tool for influencing Russia so that it should stop its aggression against Ukraine. The 25th Economic Forum in Krynica-Zdroj (Poland) will be held on September 8-10, 2016. More than 3,000 guests from Europe, Central Asia, and the United States are expected to attend the forum. The Economic Forum in Krynica-Zdroj has been held annually since 1990. The forum is attended by presidents, prime ministers, finance ministers, governors of Central and Eastern European banks, EU leaders, heads of major companies and banks in Europe, representatives of non-governmental organizations, banking experts, international finance experts, international relations experts, known publicists, writers and musicians from around the world. CNH Industrial N.V. designs, produces, markets, sells, and finances agricultural and construction equipment, trucks, commercial vehicles, buses, and specialty vehicles in North America, Europe, South America, and internationally. It operates through five segments: Agriculture, Construction, Commercial and Specialty Vehicles, Powertrain, and Financial. 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Entrepreneur Patrick Grove is riding high after selling one of his startups, iProperty, to Rupert Murdoch's REA for a squillion or so. Patrick Grove had a hard time when he started out. Credit:Peter Braig It might be why Grove has been willing to open up about some of his struggles or, to use his words 'F---ups' that went with the terrain. "The first eight years, we completely f---ed up ... we launched a search engine, we launched a free SMS service, and even launched a dating service," said a report of Grove's keynote address in Kuala Lumpur this month organised by his Catcha Group. Financial crime is on the rise in Australia, with the country's senior money-laundering officials saying they've witnessed a dramatic increase in fraudulent transactions. Deputy chief executive of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre, Gavin McCairns, said the volume of data it received every day was growing "exponentially". A PriceWaterhouseCooper survey found that cyber crime in Australia is being reported at a much higher rate than the rest of the world. "The number of reports received in the past five years [increased] fivefold," he said. He attributed the rise to new technologies such as blockchain that were transforming the financial sector. Fast food giant McDonald's Australia cut its tax bill by more than half in 2015 by routing payments via the low-tax nation of Singapore. McDonald's reduces its profit, and thus its local tax bill, by using a legal loophole that allows it to pay McDonald's Asia Pacific based in Singapore, and registered in Delaware, a "service fee" amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. McDonald's financial accounts, obtained by Fairfax Media, show that McDonald's Australia reported paying $400.4 million in 2015 to McDonald's Asia Pacific. This meant its overall income tax bill, totalling $111.5 million, was more than halved. Its income tax bill dropped from $194.7 million in 2014. It's hardly been a decorous discourse thus far, after all. The subject of prejudice never is. Who can forget this plebiscite's instigator Tony Abbott's confession he finds homosexuality "intimidating" and challenges the "right order of things". Or Senator Cory Benardi's suggestion homosexuality leads to bestiality or George Christensen's likening of the Safe Schools LGBTI acceptance program to paedophile grooming? Because what this proposed plebiscite is asking is for the public to cast a vote on whether one group of citizens should be allowed the fundamental human right of equality. How could the lead-up to such a preposterous endeavour be anything but ugly when its very premise is outrageous? So, there are fears that should the Liberal government be re-elected, its proposed plebiscite on same sex marriage may incite ugly debate. Well, no shit Sherlock! Of course there will be hateful discussion. There was never a chance it wouldn't be repellent when what is at play is amoral at its core. Nope, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is kidding himself and us that debate in a plebiscite lead-up will be "respectful". It simply can't be when it involves the big no-nos of all conversation politics and religion. There ain't a hope in Hades civility will reign when church versus state and conservatives clash with progressives. And nor should it. Because this debate will affect lives. Thousands if not millions in this country. It is important. It could save lives. It involves children who feel ashamed, scared and abnormal when they shouldn't. It concerns parents who see and feel their suffering. It influences the ostracism inflicted on those who don't fit in with outdated ideals of normalcy. It judges the worthiness of loving parents who happen to share the same set of chromosomes. It cuts to the quick the estimated 16 per cent of LGBTI young Australians who attempt suicide and the third who self harm as a result of homophobic abuse. It involves the abhorrent and immoral idea arbitration can determine what form of love is worthy of marriage. Then there's the other side, the moral watchdog who believe religious doctrine outweighs all argument. The far right Christians dominating the Liberal party who are adopting an over my dead body defence and who, it is still uncertain, will actually ratify the plebiscite should it succeed in change. The straight traditionalists in society who believe that if it ain't broken, don't fix it. And, it can't be denied, a pervasive undercurrent of dyed in the wool insidious homophobia. And herein lies the big taboo. Those opposed to same sex marriage don't like being accused of the H word. Yes, it's an ugly one. But it is a hard one to get around in this debate. And this week it was being bandied yet again. On Monday night, the PM appeared on the ABC's Q&A program, where an audience member questioned "homophobia" within the Coalition. Turnbull answered that "mutual respect is absolutely critical" and he would "condemn" remarks which disparage Australians, whoever makes them, on the basis of their sexuality or on the basis of their religion or their gender or their ethnic background. When host Tony Jones asked whether this is something he expressed to Senator Bernardi, he replied: "Yes, I've had firm discussions with a number of colleagues, yes." Court in Chisinau sentenced former Moldovan Prime Minister Vlad Filat to a total of nine years in prison. On Monday, the court has pronounced a verdict against Filat on two charges. He was sentenced to eight years in prison on one charge, nine years - on the second charge. The judge is reading out a verdict during a court session, which is under way behind closed doors. Not many jobs have the potential to impact on people's lives, and those of their children and grandchildren, in such a profound way as that of the immigration officer. This struck me most powerfully in the early 1990s in the Sudanese refugee camps of Wadi Sherifa and Gedaref, where hundreds of thousands of Eritrean, Ethiopian and Moro people existed in a bleak, unyielding limbo. While interviewing refugees for resettlement to Australia, I met an Australian of Eritrean origin who was scouring the camps for his mother and siblings. This man told me he could not understand how I could do my job knowing that probably one in every four families I rejected would have a family member die in the next 12 months. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection base in Canberra. Credit:Melissa Adams The comment stunned me. And it stayed with me for the rest of my career as an Australian immigration officer. It is a comment worth bearing in mind during this election campaign, as the politics about border security and immigration threatens to trump the truth. The Coalition government has repeatedly used boat arrivals and refugees to attack the opposition and instil fear in the electorate. The issue of people arriving by boat and claiming to be refugees has become 'the' major border security issue. In this debate, boat arrivals are synonymous with fraud, perpetuating the belief that anyone arriving by boat is not only not a refugee, but possibly a criminal or security threat. There are very few definitive rules in politics, but one of them is that whenever a media and intellectual consensus emerges it is almost always wrong. So it is today when so many journalists agree that the Prime Minister's declining poll numbers stem from his failure to implement more progressive policies. This is the narrative: on refugees, the republic, climate change and same-sex marriage, it's too bad Malcolm Turnbull has caved to the Liberal Party's conservative rump since he came to power last September. If only the Member for Wentworth had embraced his inner small-l liberal beliefs, he would have secured, if not a landslide, then certainly a very comfortable governing majority. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis But then comes the paradox: if Turnbull has been disloyal to the progressive set, what accounts for the hostility that he provokes on the right? In a lacerating article for The Spectator Australia, Neil Brown says the most interesting feature of the election campaign is "the distinct lack of enthusiasm among Liberal voters". It is also the first time, the former federal deputy Liberal leader writes, that "normally reticent Liberal voters have approached me and told me that they will not be voting for the party". Veteran broadcaster Eoin Cameron revealed the impact of sexual abuse on him before his death. But I have been sparked to write this column by the police prosecutor's comments that the group of offenders had been colloquially described as a paedophile ring and that others in the community needed to be deterred from committing such depravity. Exactly. Since when does replying to an online ad from 'a lonely, single father looking for friendship' translate to having sex with his 11-year-old daughter who is shackled to a bed with a mask on and a dog collar with the word, 'bitch' on it around her neck? She was 11 years old when it all began. Let that sink in. Eleven years old. Her parents had separated and this poor little girl lived with her father. The father subjected his daughter to sustained sexual abuse and degradation and introduced her to at least seven other paedophiles he had met through advertisements on various websites. He arranged for the men to meet her at various locations where the abuse happened and police found about 150 images and videos involving this young girl. The 42-year-old father pleaded guilty to 61 offences committed between 2013 and 2015 when the girl was aged between 11 and 13. Three of the other men who were arrested as part of the investigation have already been jailed. Four others remain before the courts. One of the jailed men is former Christian pastor Dawid Volmer. The married father-of-two is serving ten and a half years. He drugged and raped the girl as the father watched. More and more of these revolting child sex abuse cases are coming to light. Exposing this wickedness is a good thing, but it just reveals the sort of sick world we are all living in. Last week, veteran Perth radio announcer Eoin Cameron died after suffering a heart attack. Admired by all, Mr Cameron left a lasting legacy in many areas including as a broadcaster, a politician and an author. But perhaps his most enduring legacy was in making everyone in Perth realise that by speaking up about horrific events we can help make a change. Mr Cameron bravely revealed in a radio interview that he was raped by the headmaster of his Catholic boarding school in regional South Australia in the 1960s. In later life he was diagnosed as suffering bipolar disorder, which he attributed to the sexual abuse he suffered. Eoin Cameron was someone who stood his ground and did not back down. As a respected public figure, by speaking out he gave hope to all Australians who were victims of childhood sexual abuse. He carried these scars from his childhood for life but hoped that by being honest and open enough to discuss his personal experience he could help others who had also suffered similar trauma. His fight for victims of childhood sexual abuse will always be remembered in Perth. The night Eoin Cameron died, was ironically the first night this innocent abused girl's father began serving his sentence for one of the worst childhood sexual abuse crimes ever encountered in Perth. Her name, like that of her abuser, is suppressed by the court so that no one will ever be able to identify her. Sadly, she will continue to live out her life sentence as an anonymous victim, unless she chooses to speak out as an adult. While it is a good thing she is now protected under the court process, I hope that someone, somewhere, will let her know that there are thousands of West Australians who want to let her know that she is not alone and while we may not know her, she is not forgotten. Thousands of us good-hearted people want to reach out to her, hug her and remind her that there is still much good in this world that she understandably might feel is a nasty, lonely place. An unprecedented 132 alleged cases of corruption among immigration officers have been referred to the federal law enforcement watchdog in the past 12 months. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the allegations, revealed in a joint Fairfax Media-ABC 7.30 investigation , constituted a "major crisis" and demanded a full explanation from the government. Labor is demanding answers from the Turnbull government over revelations crime syndicates and people smugglers are rorting the visa system on a grand scale, potentially with the help of allegedly corrupt immigration officers. The revelations add a new dimension to the immigration and border protection debate, which is a hot political topic in the final week of the federal election campaign. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull takes a question on the allegations facing the Australian Border Force. Credit:Andrew Meares Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said on Monday that "allegations of criminality, regardless of where they occur but particularly if they occur in government agencies, are taken with the utmost seriousness and will be pursued relentlessly until any offenders are identified a brought to justice". But Labor demanded "nothing less than a full accounting" of any rorts and criminality. "It is appalling and astounding and many Australians will be up in arms as they learn the news that it is possible for criminal gangs, for organised crime overseas, to manipulate and bypass almost casually the integrity of our visa system," Mr Shorten said. Australia's three largest political parties have promised to splurge billions of dollars on transport projects that have been identified as either wasteful or have not been independently assessed, raising concerns that public money will be squandered on pork-barrelling. An analysis by the Grattan Institute of the transport promises of the Coalition, Labor and the Greens has found all are guilty of backing multiple projects that have not been given a green light by Infrastructure Australia, the federal government's independent advisory authority on major projects. The Sydney gateway connecting WestConnex to the city's airport and port will be one of the last pieces of the $16.8 billion project to be built, inquiry told. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Instead, billions are set to flow towards projects of dubious or uncertain economic merit, no matter who wins this week's federal election. Meanwhile, other projects that have been rigorously assessed by Infrastructure Australia and judged as worthy have been sidelined. Local environment grants announced by the Coalition since the start of the election campaign have been overwhelmingly directed to marginal seats. Data compiled by the Australian Conservation Foundation has found 26 of 37 funding announcements for solar energy and other environmental initiatives went solely to marginal electorates, which received at least $10.8 million in total. A further three announcements - worth more than $14.8 million - benefited several electorates including marginals and the rest went to safe seats held mostly by the Coalition. The investigators identified one major corruption case inside the department involving an officer who subsequently fled overseas. Mr Petyanszki called for a major overhaul in the fight against migration crime. "In the border security debate, it has been easy to deflect the public's attention to boat arrivals. But this fearmongering has totally ignored where the vast bulk of real fraud is most significantly undermining our immigration programs," he said. The Fairfax Media-7.30 investigation includes interviews with two whistleblowers, and a covertly filmed sting, which captures a fixer saying that for $50,000 in cash per foreigner, his syndicate can create phantom jobs and visa sponsorship. The revelations suggest corruption infects every level of the visa supply chain migration agents, employers who sponsor workers, education providers and immigration officials. There is little effective deterrence for perpetrators. In a follow-up report on Tuesday, Fairfax and 7.30 will reveal how organised criminals are infiltrating the border security system, along with claims that the existing watchdog, the small Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity, is badly outgunned. The large number of immigration corruption allegations referred to the commission has prompted Senator Nick Xenophon to call for Australia's anti-corruption measures to undergo major reform. Bark but no bite: Independent senator Nick Xenophon has called for greater powers for corruption investigators. Credit:Paul Jeffers "It's worse than a toothless chihuahua. At least a chihuahua tries to bite," Senator Xenophon said of the law enforcement integrity commission. The comments are likely to be backed by several independent senators and the Greens, who are pushing for a national Independent Commission Against Corruption. However, government sources defend the existing integrity commission, saying that even though it is under-resourced, it has helped uncover major corruption and quietly driven vital reforms. Mr Petyanszki's concerns are supported by serving immigration and security officials who, speaking confidentially, say organised crime figures are among those rorting the visa system to set up criminal enterprises in Australia. These include prostitution rackets, drug importation networks and financial crime enterprises. In claims also backed by serving officials, Mr Petyanszki said the overwhelming focus by both major parties on stopping asylum seeker boats reaching Australia had enabled endemic visa rorting by those arriving by plane: "There remain major flaws in the integrity management of our immigration programs, including a major lack of resources." A departmental spokesman said the immigration department and the Australian Border Force had spent 12 months ramping up its attack on visa and migration fraud. "The department's activities are focussed on defeating visa fraud at the systemic level, including investigating and prosecuting networks involved in criminally exploiting Australia's visa regime," the spokesman said. He cautioned that many of the 132 corruption allegations had not been verified and some involved allegations about people who falsely claimed to be Border Force staff. However, two whistleblowers have revealed their personal experiences, claiming the policing of migration crime is woeful. Indian community leader Jasvinder Sidhu says Indian nationals who have paid unscrupulous bosses to sponsor them have been exploited. Credit:Paul Jeffers Indian community leader Jasvinder Sidhu said he was aware of dozens of cases in which Indian nationals had paid crooked fixers sums of up to $80,000 to get visa sponsorship for jobs that did not exist, or for education courses that the applicant never attended. A fixer subsequently filmed by Fairfax Media and 7.30 claimed he was unable to keep up with demand for the corrupt services offered by his Korean boss, who is a migration agent operating in Sydney and Melbourne. Indian nationals who have paid unscrupulous bosses to sponsor them have, according to Mr Sidhu, been exploited or, in some cases, sexually assaulted by their employer. They do not complain to police for fear of losing their visas. A second whistleblower, Queensland project manager Clint Raven, has revealed he was a key witness for the Immigration Department in its investigation into his former employer, contractor Murphy Pipe and Civil, which works on several major Australian infrastructure projects. The company is accused of sponsoring dozens of unskilled foreign workers to obtain skilled visas, at the expense of local workers. Fairfax Media first revealed the allegations about Murphy Pipe and Civil in 2014, leading to raids on the business by the Immigration Department and denials of wrongdoing by the company. Mr Raven has revealed he provided sworn testimony to the department about "blatant" visa rorting which he described as "people smuggling" but said the case was hand-balled between investigators who appeared unwilling to conduct in-depth investigations and prosecutors. Despite evidence of potentially criminal breaches, Murphy Pipe and Civil has been fined just $3500, and in December was banned from sponsoring more workers for four years. This former tax official blew the whistle on the Australian Taxation Office's "covert operations" against taxpayers. Then it sacked him. Ron Shamir says the ATO used unlawful dirty tricks against taxpayers. Credit:Simon Schluter Former ATO intelligence analyst Ron Shamir is now pitted in a David and Goliath legal struggle with his former public service bosses who are bringing the full might of the Commonwealth government to bear as they try to silence him. The legal battle with the Tax Office has left Mr Shamir $200,000 in debt and struggling with health problems, simply, he says, for doing his job as a public official. U.S. ambassador to Russia says Moscow responsible for Minsk agreements implementation Russian forces remain in the territory of Donbas and Moscow has a direct responsibility to implement the Minsk agreements, United States Ambassador to Russia John Tefft said on Monday. "Tefft: Russian forces & equipment remain in Donbass Russia has a direct responsibility to implement #MinskAgreements," U.S. Embassy spokesman Will Stevens quoted Tefft as saying on his Twitter. Commenting on NATO activities on eastern borders, Tefft said that the Alliance "is preparing to protect its members in direct response to recent Russian aggression." At the same time, the ambassador said that the American side "continually emphasizes publicly & privately the importance of dialogue on a wide range of topics with Russia." Rumour has it that Apple's going to seriously shake up the way it updates the iPhone - and you probably won't like it that much. For nearly a decade, Apple has alternated between releasing big overhauls and smaller upgrades to its phones. Citing a top Apple analyst, The Wall Street Journal reported that the firm will follow up last year's incremental upgrades to the iPhone with even more incremental upgrades - breaking its established update schedule. That means consumers waiting to upgrade until this year's expected major revamp will have to either bite the bullet and get the iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, or wait an extra year and hope that rumours of a really big revamp for 2017 are true. The reported decision - Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment - comes as the company faces mounting questions about slowing iPhone sales. The iPhone is at the heart of Apple's revenue, but sales numbers have started falling. That's bad news for the company. Three men were injured in Perth's CBD when a group of people, including a 13-year-old, attacked them with machetes, reports say. Nine News Perth has aired phone footage from a spectator to the incident on William Street around 2am on Sunday. shows people, armed with what appear to be machetes, attacking three men. Credit:9 News Perth It shows people, armed with what appear to be machetes, attacking three men. One can be seen bleeding freely from the head. Imagine the future of this government, and the MPs in the Parliament who backed such a stance. Not everyone in Britain wants to leave the European Union. Credit:Getty Images Not a long future, you'd think. Idealists sacrifice their careers for their principles. Boris Johnson, former mayor of London, has been trying to quell fears after the Brexit vote. Credit:Bloomberg Last time I looked, Westminster was not stuffed with idealists. Bear this in mind the next time someone on social media shares their cunning scheme by which Brexit won't happen. A tourist near the Houses of Parliament after the Brexit vote. Credit:Getty Images Not to bore you with the technical details, but Brexit must happen through Article 50, a European Union treaty clause that begins an irrevocable process under which the UK leaves the EU. The only thing that activates Article 50 is an official notice to Brussels from the UK government. After that, there's a fairly strict two-year timetable until you're out of Europe, with or without a new trade deal. British Prime Minister David Cameron has said he won't pull this Brexit trigger. He said it's for the next prime minister, whoever that (ahem Boris Johnson) might be. But even Cameron says they must pull it. Not to do so would be stunningly anti-democratic, "screw-you-voters" political suicide, and probably hand the country over to a righteous UKIP (stuffed with Conservative defectors) at the next election. Some have argued that Parliament could stop Brexit from happening. After all, most MPs - a majority of Labour, SNP and Conservatives - are pro-Remain. One way they could do this would be through a second referendum to override the first. It's technically possible. See above, it would be stunningly unpopular with the public. Politicians who do unpopular things tend not to last very long. Assuming this doesn't happen, the first time Parliament has a say on Brexit will be in a few years' time, when it's a choice between the Brexit deal, or no deal at all. If Parliament vetos the Brexit legislation, this would not prevent Brexit. It will just mean that, whatever has been negotiated to take the place of the current treaties, would not take effect. Britain would still leave Europe. So much for the "Scotland can veto Brexit" theory. (Oh, by the way, a new Scottish independence referendum would also have to be approved by the House of Commons. Think that's likely?) Of course, the fact that parliament has to approve the Brexit deal does have an impact. It may influence the government, even a government of Leavers, to keep some elements of the Europe relationship that the public sort of voted against. In particular, there will be a long debate over whether Britain might accept some kind of modified freedom of movement deal, allowing some EU workers into Britain, in exchange for lower trade barriers. But even if the Brits want it, there's no guarantee the Europeans would grant it. Brussels' main game now is to keep the rest of the union together. They don't want to give the impression that you can get a better deal by voting to leave. There has been some talk of "informal negotiations" before pressing the big red Article 50 button. Some have interpreted this as a sign that no-one will press it. But the reason they want to start with "informal negotiations" is that once you activate Article 50 that's not a lot of time to renegotiate an entire trade relationship, and once the clock is running Britain's bargaining position is pretty dire. Senior Labour's Shadow Foreign Secretary, the highly regarded Hilary Benn, was sacked on Sunday after calling on Mr Corbyn to quit as leader. Brussels: British politics has descended into yet more crisis inthe wake of the Brexit vote, with the opposition Labour party moving closer to replacing its out-of-favour leader, Jeremy Corbyn. The shambolic state of the Opposition effectively voids calls for a general election in the wake of the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron, with neither the governing Conservative Party or the Labour opposition appearing in any fit state to guide the country through the Brexit crisis. Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn is fighting for political survival. Credit:PA One senior EU official conceded the UK was in "deep political crisis", and that EU officials were urging European leaders to give the country time to recover stability before launching the formal divorce process. "We, as the EU 27, stand ready to enter into this process swiftly and we expect the (Article 50) notification as soon as possible," the official said ahead of Tuesday's meeting of EU leaders in Brussels. "But ... everyone also understands that right now there is quite a significant crisis in the UK, a crisis which results from the outcome of the referendum. When the two most prominent third-party candidates are mentioned, Mrs Clinton leads Mr Trump by only 10 points, 47 per cent to 37 per cent, with the Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson at 7 per cent and the Green Party's Jill Stein at 3 per cent. The latest polling on Trump's comments on women, minorities and Muslims. Credit:Washington Post/ABC As the hard-fought general election gets underway, Mr Trump's political standing is on dangerous ground. Fifty-six per cent of the public at large say the celebrity business mogul stands against their beliefs, while 64 per cent say he does not have the necessary credentials to be president. Fifty-six per cent feel strongly that he is unqualified. Nearly one-third of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say Mr Trump is unqualified for office, and 18 per cent say he does not represent their beliefs, exposing deep fissures in the GOP base as Mr Trump struggles to unite conservatives going into next month's national convention in Cleveland. Republican presidential candiadte Donald Trump wearing a white baseball cap. Credit:AP Then there are the Americans who plan to vote for him despite their disapproval. For instance, 18 per cent of respondents who found Mr Trump's comments about the judge racist, 15 per cent of those who think his comments are generally biased against women, minorities or Muslims and 11 per cent of those who think he is unqualified say they support Mr Trump over Mrs Clinton. Mr Trump enjoys a big lead with those who want a new direction for the country, 64 per cent to Mrs Clinton's 26 per cent. After eight years of President Barack Obama, a majority of Americans, 56 per cent, say they want to elect a president who can set the nation in a new direction. Forty-seven per cent say they feel so strongly. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaking in Cleveland. Credit:AP The poll, conducted in the immediate aftermath of a massacre in Orlando that was perpetrated by a man who pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, showed Mr Obama's approval rating at 56 per cent - its highest level in Post polling since May 2011, after the killing of Osama bin Laden. Mr Obama is more popular now than Republicans George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush in the waning months of their presidencies. Donald Trump's poll plunge from September 2015 to June 2016. Credit:Washington Post-ABC News Although Mr Obama's approval rating has not reached the level of former Democratic president Bill Clinton's in 2000, his standing suggests that he could be a relatively effective surrogate for Mrs Clinton on the campaign trail. The survey of 1001 randomly selected adults found a slight uptick in the share of people who identify as Democrats, from 33 per cent in May's poll to 36 per cent this month. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Credit:AP Self-described Republicans accounted for 24 per cent of those polled this month, ticking down from 25 per cent in May, while independents made up 33 per cent. This shift in party identification, however, accounts for less than half of Mrs Clinton's gains in the new poll. In May, Mr Trump was more competitive with Mrs Clinton because he had just secured the Republican nomination and the party's electorate was coalescing around his candidacy. Mrs Clinton's unfavourable ratings among registered voters tied their record high last month, matching Mr Trump's at 57 per cent and weighing her down. But that dynamic reversed over the past month, with Democrats unifying behind Mrs Clinton and Republicans expressing fresh doubts about Mr Trump. While 88 per cent of Democrats or Democrat-leaning independents say they support Mrs Clinton, a smaller 79 per cent of Republican-leaning voters back Mr Trump. And there is evidence in the poll that the emergence of Mr Trump as the Republican Party's standard bearer has pushed some GOP voters out of the fold. Just 69 per cent of self-identified Republicans who supported a candidate other than Mr Trump in the primary say they now support Mr Trump; 13 per cent say they back Mrs Clinton, while 11 per cent volunteer "neither". There is also little evidence that Mr Trump is winning over Democratic primary voters. On the campaign trail in recent weeks, Mr Trump has made direct appeals to disaffected supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders. But the poll finds that just 8 per cent of voters who backed Sanders in the primaries say they support Mr Trump, down from 20 per cent in May. A 61 per cent majority of all Americans say Mrs Clinton is qualified to serve, while Mrs Clinton maintains a 2-to-1 advantage on which candidate has the better personality and temperament to be president. The poll finds that 66 per cent say Mr Trump's controversial comments about women, minorities and Muslims show an unfair bias; 68 per cent say Mr Trump's criticisms of Judge Gonzalo Curiel were racist; and 85 per cent say the comments were inappropriate. Among Republicans and Republican-leaning independents, 36 per cent say Mr Trump's comments show he is unfairly biased toward certain groups while 39 per cent say the Curiel comments were racist and 71 per cent say they were inappropriate. With such broad public disapproval of Mr Trump's controversial comments, Republican elected officials have tiptoed awkwardly around their likely nominee. Mr Trump has chastised fellow party leaders when they have distanced themselves or denounced his comments. The poll found that 62 per cent of Republicans or Republican-leaning independents want GOP leaders to speak out against Mr Trump when they disagree with his views, while 35 per cent think they should avoid criticising him. The June 12 shooting rampage at a gay nightclub in Orlando, which killed 49 people and the gunman, tested both Mrs Clinton and Mr Trump, who took divergent approaches with their responses, both temperamentally and substantively. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have discussed the holding of joint business forums in Germany and Ukraine. "We were talking about an economic conference in the autumn of this year, and we would like to hold a conference in Kyiv with the participation of representatives of the German business," Merkel said at a joint briefing with Groysman in Berlin on Monday. According to her, in order to increase German investment in Ukraine, the country should hold reforms, in particular the reform of the judiciary. Groysman noted that one of these conferences will be held in October. "I want to emphasize that Germany is a leader in terms of investing in Ukraine. We have several thousand enterprises with German capital, which operate quite successfully. We appreciate this, and the message to German business is: We want to their business in Ukraine to be successful," the Ukrainian prime minister said. Groysman stressed that the success of business in Ukraine contributes to the country's successful at large. Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman emphasized the necessity to unite the efforts of the world community to implement the Minsk agreements. "Our task today is to unite the effort and continue further implementation [of the Minsk agreements] to secure re-integration, I would like to emphasize, the re-integration of the Ukrainian Donbas, as best as possible," Groysman said at a joint briefing with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Monday. "And I would like to say it before the whole world that the Ukrainian authorities, central authorities, deeply respect the Ukrainian Donbas and its residents, the Ukrainian citizens, which, unfortunately, are now being held captive by the Russian militants. And our main task is to make every effort to secure lasting peace in the continent," he said. In turn, Merkel said that Germany will continue to support Ukraine in the 'Normandy Four' formant (Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia). All of a sudden Prime Minister Christie is concerned about racism. The problem is its not the racism among Bahamians toward each other or even the least among us, (our Haitian brothers and sisters), it's about the Chinese. Had he stopped there and added that prejudice is wrong no matter which race is being targeted he might have been deserving of applause. But his real concern is this prejudice he refers to - it was really a cute a play on words - does - not bode well for the governments relationship with the EXIM Bank and CCA, both of which are investing significantly in The Bahamas. In other words prejudice only matters if it might impact the proverbial cookie jar. Sums up a lot about the politics that gets played. In other words, prejudice is overlooked if the benefits turn into votes or dollars for their cause. So sad. Anzeige A corner office in the 162 meter highDuMont building on New York's prestigious Madison Avenue. Mountains of files are piled up on the window sill, loose documents are scattered across the floor. A stout, bald man wearing a tailored blue suit and braces featuring a bird motif is enthroned in his office chair in the midst of this chaos. Throughout a long career, star lawyer Edward Hayes, 68, has defended Hollywood actors as well as mafiosi, contract killers and other unscrupulous types, as he describes them. Anzeige His most recent case, on the other hand, is completely harmless by Hayes standards. His client is not a murderess, but rather the porn actress and escort lady Ashley Youdan. She claims that her ex-boyfriend, German star violinist David Garrett, abused her and forced her to have sex. For this, Hayes wants to win at least twelve million dollars from Garrett, the claim for damages could rise as high as 20 million dollars. He already considers the case as good as won. Garrett is clearly a major violinist, says Hayes adding with a smile: I will cut him in two pieces. Then he wont be so grand. Harro von Have, a 63 tall graying man in a dark blue suit, finds it difficult to conceal how much he is nauseated by his adversary. It is Thursday morning, in the courtyard of a hotel near Berlins Central Station. Von Have had an appointment in Berlin on the previous evening, now he has to return to his law office in Hamburg to continue to work on one of the most spectacular cases of his life. Two lawyers that could hardly be more different Anzeige Aside from a penchant for good suits, Garretts lawyer has very little in common with the rough and tumble mafia defender Hayes. Among experts, the 59-year-old German media lawyer von Have is as well-known as the American. He has provided legal support to Hollywood productions such as Inglourious Basterds, The Pianist or The Reader through his law office, he works as a legal advisor for Veronica Ferres, Hape Kerkeling and Otto Waalkes. But the descendant of a family of merchants from Hamburg is considered to be extremely cautious, genteel, Hanseatic, a man who keeps a low profile. Von Have says: I would have preferred a lawyer on the other side who works in accordance with our German professional and ethical standards. Edward Hayes Quelle: Getty Images You cannot choose your opponents however, and from a dramaturgical point of view, every scriptwriter would confirm: This is what makes it so interesting. Two lawyers that could hardly be more different, are fighting for two clients hailing from two far removed worlds. On the one hand the buxom porn queen Youdan from a humble background, on the other the lonely, extremely rich star violinist. Lesen Sie auch Anzeige Der Black Friday kommt, aber nicht alleine The case, involving the clash between two completely different legal systems, is ideal material for a movie. Whereas German courts uphold the right to privacy, within the meaning of freedom of information in the United States, every private detail can be dragged into the public eye. Even if von Have and his client Garrett would like it to be otherwise: The medial mudslinging has long been in full swing. Therefore, the two Germans decided to fight back using the Americans own weapons. Every detail of a civil action is public Anzeige After Youdans lawyer Edward Hayes filed a suit before the Supreme Court in Manhattan three weeks ago, Harro von Have launched a counter-attack at the beginning of this week: He is seeking ten million dollars in damages on behalf of his client for intentional immoral damage to reputation. Harro von Have believes this whole mess would never have happened in the German legal system. In Germany the court fees are calculated on the basis of the value in dispute a six figure sum would be due for a million dollar lawsuit such as this. In the USA conversely, you only pay a flat rate court fee of a few hundred dollars. German lawyers are paid by the hour and may not receive less than the legally prescribed fees. A US lawyer such as Edward Hayes in contrast works on a results-only basis. If Youdan should win, he would receive a part of the value of the claim in this case, 33 percent. If he loses, he is left empty-handed. The economic risk for Youdan in taking Garrett to court is therefore practically negligible, says von Have. Her lawyer Hayes on the other hand has a vested interest in pursuing the case right up to the last intimate revelation. David Garretts lawyer Harro von Have Quelle: Johannes Arlt Anzeige Anzeige Unlike in Germany, every detail of a civil action in the United States is public, even if it only relates to unproven allegations. And therefore anyone can read what Garrett is supposed to have done to his former lover in Youdans statement of claim. The porn actress has filed 17 pages of serious allegations against the musician under case number 154738/2016. These involve cocaine, preferences for transsexuals, bizarre sex games and violence. Youdan claims that Garrett repeatedly abused her as well as breaking her rib during sex. I can get you out of anything All this relates to the private sphere, says Harro von Have. His client has never beaten a woman. Peoples sexual preferences are nobody elses business, even if they are prominent. In principle the rule applies: Rough sex or kinky sexual activities are not prohibited, as long as they are consensual. In the counterclaim, von Haves law office writes that Youdan has composed her version of the story from individual details that have been incorrectly put together. Edward Hayes is a colorful figure. He is preceded by a reputation of adapting things to make them fit. The American does not dispute that at all: I can get you out of anything is his motto. The bestselling author Tom Wolfe, one of his close friends, tellingly used Hayes as a model for the unscrupulous lawyer Tommy Killian in his novel The Bonfire of the Vanities. He helped actor Robert de Niro out of difficulties in a private matter. In return, de Niro arranged a minor role for him in the Mafia epic The Godfather out of gratitude. David Garrett sieht sich von Pornostar erpresst Popstar David Garrett verteidigt sich in der "Welt" gegen schwere Anschuldigungen seiner Ex-Freundin: Porno-Darstellerin Ashley Youdan wirft ihm Korperverletzung und abseitige Sex-Praktiken vor. Quelle: Die Welt Hayes is also certain he will win the case this time. Garrett hurt her. Not only once, but several times. We will prove everything that is written in the statement of claim before the court. The case of the escort lady is also a personal issue for him. I dont find it funny when someone beats a woman, says the man, who claims he has never smoked or drank alcohol or coffee in his life. It reminds him of his childhood when his father beat his mother every day. Tears well up in brawny Hayes eyes as he says this. Hayes case is based primarily on two recordings of telephone conversations and a medical report. This certifies that Youdan has kidney stones and an inflammation of the vagina. She claims that she became ill after a violent incident with Garrett in January 2015 which also involved secretions. He confessed the urine thing in a phone conversation, says Hayes. We have a recording of it and this will be played to the court. Von Have believes the American lawyer is bluffing Garretts lawyer Harro von Have says that he does not know these recordings, as the taking of evidence has not even begun. But this is a good example of the difference between the German and the American legal positions. In Germany, illegally recorded sound recordings would not be permitted as evidence in court and may also not be published publicly. In the United States, on the other hand, they may. Nevertheless, von Have believes the American lawyer is bluffing. Even without specific medical knowledge, it is obviously completely absurd to assume you can get kidney stones simply through contact with foreign urine. Harro von Haves night was short, he had no time for breakfast. But he needs a coffee now. He orders a cappuccino. Then he says: The history of the matter would suggest that Ashley Youdan planned to prey upon and to blackmail David Garrett from their very first encounter. This is also stated in the counterclaim which a cooperating New York law office has filed for him at the Supreme Court in Manhattan; von Have is not accredited for a US court. Ashley Youdan Quelle: Michael Stewart/WireImage/Getty Images Anzeige Anzeige He does not want to explain how he came to the blackmail theory at the present time. We believe, unlike the opposing party, that the line of argument should be presented in the courtroom and not in the press. But of course he is aware of rumors that have been discussed in American porn blogs over the past few days and they probably fit well into his concept. Victims of organized crime The allegation: Ashley Youdan worked for the long-controversial escort agency The Luxury Companion (TLC), whose business model is to act as a broker for private porn actresses and to prey upon rich clients deploying Mafia methods. Prostitution in the United States with a few exceptions in the federal state of Nevada is generally prohibited. A video recently appeared on YouTube in which the former porn actress Alexandra Mayers compares the Garrett-Fall with that of Charlie Sheen. The Hollywood actor outed himself as HIV-positive last year and stated that he had had to pay a lot of money to silence women who knew. According to Mayers, one of the blackmailers had been Sheens ex-fiancee Brett Rossi. The porn actress also worked for TLC. Garrett and Sheen were blackmailed in the same way, Mayers told this newspaper. And like Youdan,Rossi also sued Sheen for damages. Mayers is convinced that Garrett and Sheen are victims of organized crime within the porn industry. She cannot prove these allegations however. But she is not alone with her theory. Mike South, who was a producer and director of porn films in the 1990s and today knows the industry well as a blogger, also confirms that Ashley Youdan worked for 'The Luxury Companion'. He can well imagine that she blackmailed Garrett. A rumor is circulating in the industry that Youdan tried this before with another customer. There is talk of a rich New York dentist. It is one word against another This is only speculation however, there is no evidence; Harro von Have will attempt to find some. In his opinion, Edwards Hayes lawsuit is designed to damage David Garretts reputation. It was therefore also no coincidence that a reporter from the tabloid New York Post heard that Youdan had filed a lawsuit against the violinist one day before Garrett and his lawyers heard about it. A crucial question in the proceedings will be whether Ashley Youdan signed a confidentiality agreement or not. In Harro von Haves counterclaim, it states that Garrett wanted to separate from her in the fall of 2015. She then demanded 300,000 dollars in hush money otherwise she would go public with intimate details. Von Have says that Youdan signed a confidentiality agreement, and received an advance payment of 15,000 dollars, for which she also confirmed receipt. Subsequently she sought 750,000 dollars through a lawyer. Garrett offered 400,000; she then demanded 15 million dollars. The counterclaim reads as follows: On 11 May 2016, Garrett refused to be blackmailed and rejected Youdans demand for 15 million dollars. Almost three weeks later Edward Hayes filed the suit against Garrett at the Supreme Court. Edward Hayes claims this has all been made up: Garrett wanted the confidentiality agreement and offered 400,000 dollars for it. This agreement was to be concluded according to German law. My client is American and did not sign the agreement. She received a check, not for 15,000, but I believe for 10,000 dollars. She did not cash the check. It is one word against another. A smear campaign to extort money Anzeige Anzeige It could take another year before litigation begins. A lot of time in which a lot of dirty linen can be washed. Garrett told his own version of the story (he was naive and in love, she took advantage of him) in an interview with the Welt am Sonntag. The case has now developed a momentum of its own in the boulevard press which neither side can control. Last week the Bild am Sonntag wrote that Edward Hayes was demanding a hair sample from Garrett, in order to prove his use of cocaine. Hayes now claims to this newspaper that this was a false report. He didnt want a hair sample from the violinist. For many readers what remains is: Garrett takes coke. Von Have believes that the lawsuit is simply a smear campaign to extort money from Garrett. In the USA, such scandals are often settled out-of-court. Edward Hayes remains open for offers: Give me lots of money, and we can talk about it. Harro von Have shakes his head and swallows his cappuccino: To quote my client: We dont negotiate with terrorists. Lesen Sie die deutsche Version hier. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 26, 2016 | 01:11 PM | PADUCAH, KY Ephemera Paducah owner Kristin Williams is featured in the latest edition of Art Journaling Magazine for Summer 2016. The magazine features detailed photos pulled from the pages of Williams' personal art journal.She shares tips and tricks on art journaling techniques, and talks about some of her favorite art journaling tools. The article provides commentary on Williams' creative journey, including the story of how and why she left her career in economic development to launch one of the South's only art workshop and studio spaces, a space designed to connect national art instructors to the "everyday artist." "At age 49, I was absolutely dreading turning 50. I remember the exact aha moment, driving down the interstate on my way to my 978th conference, staring at my hands on the steering wheel and realizing they were as wrinkled as I remember my mother's being. My economic development career of more than 25 years was feeling like the movie "Groundhog Day." I was going through the motions in a field that had quit bringing me joy," Williams writes. Today Kristin finds much joy in the work she does at Ephemera Paducah, both as a student and an instructor. The evidence of her renewed spirit appears in the pages of her art journal. "Art journaling feeds my soul and appeals to my quest of being an everyday artist," Williams says. Each quarter Art Journaling Magazine invites artists from around the globe to share pages taken from their art journals with its readers. Featured artists offer art journaling tips and share inspiring stories about what fuels their creative process. Every journal is filled with techniques on painting, stamping, collage art and sketching. Copies of the Summer 2016 edition of Art Journaling Magazine can be purchased at Ephemera Paducah, located at 333 North 9th Street in Paducah's Lower Town Arts District. For more information about Ephemera Paducah visit www.ephemerapaducah.com. Three juveniles charged with robbing same Paducah store twice in one day Song Joong-ki Holds Meet & Greet with 4000 Fans in Taiwan South Korean star, Song Joong-ki held a meet & greet in Taiwan this weekend. The event was held at Taiwan National University in Taipei as part of his Asian tour. Song Joong-ki treated his Taiwanese fans by dressing up like the lead character in the Taiwanese movie "Our Times." He also sung a song from the original soundtrack of the film. The gathering also featured another South Korean star, Gummy, who sang "You're My Everything." Hong Kong actor and director, Tsang Chi Wai, joined in on the festivities via video clip. He sent a special message to Song and his fans. Advertisement "I heard Song is a fan of mine, but actually I am a bigger fan of his. I really loved his acting in the 'Descendants of the Sun,' and would love to work together in the future," he said. The star was amazed by all the love received during the gathering. "I sometimes wonder if I deserve all the love," the "Descendants of the Sun" star said. "I feel I receive so much love from fans, and I ponder over how to return all the love." The event featured about 4,000 fans and a Q&A with the star afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Like us and Follow us Follow @Koreaportal and 2022 Korea Portal, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2016 | 07:54 AM | PADUCAH, KY A Paducah woman was arrested Monday on multiple drug charges. According to the McCracken County Sheriff's Department, the incident happened just after midnight, when a deputy saw an SUV pull off the roadway and turn on its hazard lights. Deputies say the vehicle stopped on Sheehan Bridge Road and the passenger in the vehicle, 33-year-old Melissa Byrne, of Paducah, appeared very nervous. Deputies say Byrne gave them a false name and had warrants for her arrest. Byrne allegedly gave consent to a search, and when they got to her wallet, deputies say they located a plastic baggie containing one gram of methamphetamine, and several paraphernalia items. Also reportedly found in the vehicle was a plastic baggie containing marijuana, and a glass pipe with drug residue. Byrne was arrested and booked into the McCracken County Regional Jail on charges of possession of methamphetamine, three counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and giving an officer a false name or address. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 26, 2016 | 09:58 PM | MEMPHIS, TN Paul W. Barret, Jr. Graduate School of Banking in Memphis, Tennessee recently announced the graduation of CFSB Assistant Vice President J. Allen Waddell and CFSB Draffenville Banking Center Team Leader Rhonda K. Owens. Seventy-five students completed the three year curriculum and graduated in the 2016 class. The school was held May 22-27 on the campus of Christian Brothers University in Memphis. Danny Kelly, Chairman of the Board of Regents of Paul W. Barret, Jr. School of Banking, spoke at the graduation ceremony and congratulated the graduates on behalf of the Board. In addition to course work, students attended the annual Paul W. Barret, Jr. Lecture Series event. Kat Cole, Group President of FOCUS Brands, addressed School participants and invited guests on the topic "Lessons from Unexpected Places". Paul W. Barret, Jr. Graduate School of Banking has been providing advanced banking education for forty-four years, with a curriculum designed to provide a high degree of understanding of all commercial banking functions. During the three-year program, graduates received 125 hours of classroom instruction and prepared in-depth reports in eight areas of study. Approximately 250 financial industry professionals from nineteen states participated in the 2016 session. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2016 | 04:31 PM | MARSHALL COUNTY, KY Two people face charges after an incident early Monday morning in Marshall County. According to the Marshall County Sheriff's Office, deputies were dispatched around 3:15 am to Karen Faye Lane in reference to a possible burglary in progress. Upon arrival at the home, deputies came into contact with 30-year-old Cherie L. Moss of Hardin. Moss told deputies that she was checking on the trailer for a friend and that she was the only one there. However, deputies found 34-year-old Daniel Vaughn of Benton hiding in the trailer. Deputies conducted a computer check on Vaughn, revealing arrest warrants for theft by unlawful taking, contempt of court and failure to appear. Vaughn was arrested on the warrants. Moss was arrested and charged with hindering prosecution or apprehension. By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 27, 2016 | 04:50 PM | MURRAY, KY A Lexington man faces robbery and assault charges after his arrest in Murray Monday morning. According to the Murray Police Department, at approximately 8:40am, officers responded to a report of a shoplifter fleeing the scene of a local business on North 12th Street. Just prior to officers' arrival, the suspect, identified as Ricky D. Turner of Lexington, allegedly brandished a knife in the direction of a store employee. Witnesses told police Turner left the store with a substantial amount of merchandise without paying for it. Officers apprehended Turner a short distance from the store. He was taken into custody and charged with robbery, fleeing or evading police, assault on a police officer, terroristic threatening, and theft by unlawful taking. It looks very much like Sadio Mane will be Liverpools first big signing of the summer as a move worth in excess of 30million (as per BBC Sport) nears its inevitable conclusion. The wider press seem fairly certain that the initial fee is 34million, though the Telegraphs Jeremy Wilson adds that the fee is complicated and could rise to 36million should the requisite amount of performance clauses be triggered in months to come. Mane is now reportedly undergoing his medical at Melwood after the deal was agreed with Southampton. The Senegalese forward stands to become the second biggest signing in Liverpools history, behind the towering, indelible blemish that is Andrew Thomas Carroll. Fans wondering about the wisdom of spluffing 30+million on a player as painfully inconsistent as Mane may perhaps be heartened to learn that he has scored a total of 21 goals over the course of the last two Premier League campaigns thats eight more than any Liverpool player has amassed (Philippe Coutinho with 13). Could go either way, this one. What next for Chinese companies after the UK exit? Chinese banks and companies that have a presence in the United Kingdom as a gateway to Europe will feel short-term pain following Friday's vote, but will likely take more time before finalizing their post-Brexit strategy. [Photo provided to China Daily] Chinese companies will likely adopt a wait-and-watch approach following Friday's startling outcome of the vote on 'Brexit', an abbreviation of the impending "Britain's exit" from the European Union. They will cautiously weigh their plans for future investments in Britain as the real impact of Brexit remains to be seen, experts said over the weekend. Chinese companies that already have a significant presence in Britain, and those intending to use the country as a gateway to continental Europe, will feel immediate pain. For, Brexit is expected to place barriers to their access, increasing their cost of doing business in Europe. The expected two-year protracted negotiations before Brexit will cast uncertainty over trade and investment talks with the bloc and will, in turn, adversely affect Chinese business, experts said. Chinese Premier Li Keqiang addresses the opening ceremony of the annual Meeting of the New Champions, also known as the Summer Davos Forum, in China's northern coastal city of Tianjin, on June 27, 2016. This year's meeting carries the theme: "The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Its Transformational Impact." [Photo: CRIENGLISH.com] TIANJIN, June 27 -- Despite unavoidable short-term fluctuations in growth during transition, the Chinese economy will not suffer a "hard landing", Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday. "We can deliver the major targets of economic and social development set for 2016," he said when addressing the opening ceremony of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2016, or the Summer Davos Forum, in Tianjin. Chinese economy continued to grow stably in the second quarter of the year, following a 6.7-percent expansion in the first three months, said Li. China's largest developer Vanke Cos founder and chairman Wang Shi now faces the threat of being dismissed after a proposal to dismiss 12 company executives was submitted to the company by the companys major shareholders. The two shareholders, Shenzhen Jushenghua and Foresea Life Insurance both of which are units of the Shenzhen-based private developer Baoneng Group recently submitted the proposal to hold an interim shareholders general meeting to review the 12 proposals, including one to dismiss Wang and other company heads, according to a filing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. It reportedly marked the latest battle between Vanke and its major shareholders over control of the company. The dismissal proposal claimed that Wang did not take full consideration of the fairness and reasonability during the companys restructuring process and he also failed to take care of the interests of the company and its shareholders nor did he give enough focus on board of directors objections, news site thepaper.cn reported. It also accused Wang of receiving cash payments totaling to over 50 million yuan ($7.53 million) from Vanke between 2011 and 2014 when he went to study in the U.S. and the U.K. without working with the company. It noted that such huge payments gained through Wangs position as the companys chairman has affected the companys and its investors interests, according to thepaper.cn. During the annual shareholder meeting held on Monday, Wang argued that he had participated in negotiations with international projects during his studies overseas. Xie Dong, Chairman of Board of Supervisors of Vanke added that Wangs studies have helped broadened the horizons of Vanke and helped the company gain more access to international resources and partners, news site sina.com.cn reported. Yu Liang, president of Vanke, responded to the dismissal proposal at the Monday meeting that the proposal has indeed left huge disturbance on Vanke, stressing that it is not important for himself or Wang to leave or stay in Vanke and that they will fulfill their responsibilities so long as they are still in post, according to sina.com.cn. Baoneng replaced State-owned China Resources Co as Vankes largest shareholder in December 2015. Wang has since then reportedly met with several large enterprises in an attempt to gain back control. The two units of Baoneng together hold more than 10 percent of Vanke's shares, Global Times reported. Vanke announced a deal with Shenzhen Metro Group Co to acquire a unit of the company for 45.6 billion yuan, which would make the metro group its largest shareholder instead. The deal hence reportedly triggered opposition from Baoneng. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The head of Amnesty Internationals Mexican branch is taking Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard to task for his comment Monday that Mexicos human rights record is moving in the right direction. I beg to differ (that) Mexico is going in the right direction, Perseo Quiroz, Amnestys executive director in Mexico, told The Canadian Press. Couillard offered his assessment during a joint news conference with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, who was in Quebec City to kick off three days of carefully choreographed North American leader summitry. The Canadian Ceremonial Guard marches past the Langevin Building that houses the office of the Canadian Prime Minister in Ottawa on Monday, June 27, 2016, as the Mexican flag and United States flag hang in preparation for visits by the Mexican President and the President of the United States. Both leaders will be in town to take part in the North American Leaders Summit. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick Pena Nieto was scheduled to dine with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau later Monday in Toronto before hitting the national capital on Tuesday for an official state visit. The Mexican president will then join Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama for Wednesdays North American Leaders Summit in Ottawa, commonly known as the Three Amigos, where climate and energy issues are expected to dominate. Amnesty has been working to keep the human rights issue front and centre as the three leaders seek a public display of economic co-operation as a counterpoint to the trade protectionism and anti-immigrant sentiment that has marked this years U.S. presidential race. The White House, followed by the Prime Ministers Office, confirmed Monday that the central focus of the summit would be an ambitious new climate co-operation plan. But the Mexican president was forced to confront the carnage from his countrys decade-old war on drugs that Amnesty says has left 27,000 Mexicans unaccounted for, or disappeared. Last week, a group of female Mexican human rights activists urged Trudeau to push Pena Nieto on rights issues, citing a high level of sexual abuse of women by Mexican security forces. Pena Nieto defended his countrys plan to tackle corruption and human rights abuses on Monday. Our government has made an important effort to advance issues related to human rights, he said in Spanish, without elaborating. We still have work to do. However, I think we are moving in the right direction towards having human rights being fully respected (in Mexico). Pena Nieto has pushed legislative reforms, but it simply hasnt been enough, said Quiroz. The problem with Mexico is the gap between what the law says, and what happens, is really big. Couillard said human rights is an important topic for Quebecers, and one he raised with his guest. He has assured me, as he did with you a few minutes ago, that he is taking the right and appropriate actions now at the structural level to deal with the issue, which I think is also important for him and his government, the premier said. I think he has set the boat in the right direction, but of course this will take time and he needs the support of his allies to go forward and succeed. Quiroz characterized Couillards handling of the issue as merely scratching the surface. Rights issues are expected to take a back seat to pressing economic concerns in this weeks meetings. Britains shocking vote Thursday to leave the 28-member European Union has rocked international markets and destabilized Europe, providing a sharp international contrast to this weeks expected North American love-in. Brian Deese, a senior adviser to Obama, confirmed Monday that Mexico will sign on to the methane reduction pact announced by Obama and Trudeau in March. The three countries will also commit to having 50 per cent of North American electricity generation come from renewable or emissions-free sources by 2025 a potential boon to Canadian electricity exports. The Prime Ministers Office confirmed the development after the White House conference call. We find ourselves now in a moment where the alignment in terms of policy goals and focus on clean energy between our three countries is stronger than it has been in decades, said Deese. That unity will be in sharp contrast to the protectionist politics that have made 2016 a hot year on both sides of the Atlantic. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has advocated tough new immigration policies, border defences and possible new trade barriers, while Democratic rival Hillary Clinton is expressing reservations about the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. It will be evident to Americans and people beyond that when North America speaks and acts as a single unit, its really for the good of our citizens and citizens around the world, said Deese. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO Ontario Power Generation has awarded two more contracts for refurbishment work at the Darlington nuclear power plant to a joint venture formed by SNC-Lavalin and the Aecon Group. Aecon (TSX:ARE) will perform 60 per cent of the work in a $265-million contract to overhaul all four of the power plants steam turbine generators and related equipment. SNC-Lavalin (TSX:SNC) will do 40 per cent of the work under that contract. The second contract, worth $127 million, includes construction of a building that will house equipment for processing radioactive waste from reactor components. The work for that contract is split 50-50 between the two companies. In January, the joint venture was awarded a $2.75 billion contract to extend the life of Darlingtons four Candu nuclear reactors, which produce about 20 per cent of Ontarios electricity. The reactors will be taken out of service for about three years apiece until the overall job is completed in about a decade. The overhaul is intended to extend each reactors life by 30 years. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MISSISSAUGA, Ont. Walmart Canada says it will have a new CEO on Aug. 15, when Lee Tappenden is promoted to the role. Tappenden joined Walmart Canada in 2010 and has held several senior positions since then. Hes currently chief operations officer, a position thats often seen as a prelude to becoming CEO. He will succeed Dirk Van den Berghe, who was appointed to the position in August 2014. Prior to joining Walmarts Canadian subsidiary, Tappenden held a number of global leadership roles including chief merchandising officer with Walmart Japan and vice-president of merchandising for the companys international division. As head of Walmart Canada, Tappenden will report to the president and CEO of Walmart International, David Cheesewright. Bob Hakeem, Walmart Canadas chief administrative officer, will become its chief operations officer. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. EDMONTON Edmonton police are investigating the hit and run death of former UFC fighter Ryan Jimmo. Investigators say Jimmo, 34, was fatally injured early Sunday morning following an altercation in a parking lot in the Alberta capital. They allege he had approached the driver of a vehicle and was walking back to his own car when he was struck by a vehicle, which then fled the scene. Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter Ryan Jimmo, from Edmonton, Alta., weighs-in in Calgary, Alta., Friday, July 20, 2012. Edmonton police are investigating the hit and run death of former UFC fighter Jimmo. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Jimmo, who was born in Saint John, New Brunswick, was pronounced dead in hospital. Late Sunday night police were still looking for the suspect vehicle, described as a dark coloured, customized older model pickup truck. Known as The Big Deal during his mixed martial arts career, Jimmo made his sensational UFC debut at UFC 149 in Calgary in July 2012. Fighting as a light heavyweight he tied the record for the organizations fastest knockout when he dispatched Anthony Perosh in just seven seconds. Jimmo celebrated by doing a robot-dance followed by the splits in the middle of the cage. The six-foot-two, 205-pounder had a black belt in karate and was part of UFCs TV series The Ultimate Fighter season 8. Jimmo went 19-5 in his MMA career, with a 3-4 record in seven UFC fights his last fight being a loss to Francimar Barroso at UFC Fight Night 67 in May 2015. The native Maritimer had most recently lived in Arizona after stints in Edmonton and Halifax. His death prompted a social media outpouring from the MMA community. UFC president Dana White tweeted a photo of Jimmo flexing on stage at an unspecified event and the caption RIP Ryan Jimmo. Former UFC combatant Kenny Florian tweeted: So sad to hear the news about Ryan Jimmo. From Sean OConnell: @RyanJimmo KOd me in my @UFC debut. But we knew and supported each other long before that. RIP to a man who was much more than a fighter. Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman tweeted: Wow! Sad to hear about the recent tragic passing of UFC Vet Ryan Jimmo. Terrible! My prayers out to his family during this time. And MMA fighter Michael Chiesa tweeted: Jimmo was a cool dude, always a pleasure talking to him and had one of the best victory dances. Prior to entering the UFC, Jimmo was light-heavyweight champion of the Edmonton-based Maximum Fighting Championship. Injuries played a factor in his losses to Ovince Saint Preux (arm), Jimi Manuwa (ankle) and James Te Huna (partially torn quad). Jimmo had UFC wins over OConnell, Igor Pokrajac and Perosh. On his UFC bio, he listed his heroes as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Albert Einstein and Bruce Lee. Jimmo was hard to miss, a slab of muscle with a shaved head and 73-inch reach, but he was light on his feet, fighting with the speed and sideway stance of a karate fighter. Outside the cage, Jimmo did not hesitate to speak his mind especially when it came to fighter pay and security. Theres some fighters I know, who fight in the UFC, who are living in someones basement for free because they cant afford to pay rent somewhere and have a vehicle, he said in a 2015 interview with The Canadian Press. And were talking about world-class athletes. Were talking about people who literally, if they do this long enough, they could end up with brain damage, broken bones. Jimmo argued the current UFC compensation model works for a few elite fighters but not for the vast majority. The Canadian fighter had ups and downs in the sport. He broke his arm in a loss to Saint Preux at UFC 174, possibly from blocking a kick early in the bout. He kept going but stopped in the second round after the fight went to the ground. I was starting to get up and pushed on my arm and then it was like Oh, the bones not there any more this isnt too good. I guess my arm is broken.' It was a clean break but needed a plate and seven screws to repair. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. When staff arrive for training at Camp Stephens, the summer camp in Lake of the Woods operated by YMCA-YWCA of Winnipeg, one thing they can count on is a visit from Hal Studholme. Studholme travels to the camp from his home in North Kildonan to deliver a lesson that covers the history of the camp, as well as its values of caring, equality, health, honesty, inclusiveness, respect and responsibility. Studholme starts the lesson by saying, When I founded the camp in 1891 BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Hal Studholme is a longtime volunteer with the YMCA-YWCA, as well as Camp Stephens at Lake of the Woods. Studholme (back left to right) with family members Bruce Fiske, Terri Fiske, Shaye Fiske (front left to right), Dylan Fiske, Caitlyn Hart and Wyatt Fiske. Its a joke of course, but the 77-year-old does have a long history at Camp Stephens. He first got involved in the 1960s when he was working for the Y in Winnipeg as an assistant physical director. In the years that followed, he had a variety of roles at the camp, including camp director. Since leaving his job at the Y in 1985, Studholme has continued to volunteer his time in a number of capacities, including assisting with staff training at Camp Stephens. He makes no bones about the importance of summer camp. We change the world one kid at a time, Studholme says. Studholme has experienced first-hand the impact YMCA-YWCA programming can have. As a child growing up in Toronto, Studholme visited his local Y regularly. It was sort of a second home for me, says Studholme, adding spending time at the Y went beyond just playing sports. It was very much a place (where) you learned morals and values. Giving back was one of those values, and Studholme recalls volunteering at the Y starting at the age of 12. Everyone was expected to serve and be part of helping, Studholme says. It became a way of life. In 1960, on the day he graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in physical education, Studholme was offered a YMCA-YWCA job in Manitoba. He moved to Winnipeg four days later. Recently, Studholme has been volunteering his time on a planning committee for a reunion to celebrate the 125th anniversary of Camp Stephens. Alumni will gather at the camp July 30-31 to participate in outdoor activities and visit with old friends. Studholme has done valuable work in the lead-up to the event, says Lisa Malbranck, co-chairwoman of the reunion events planning committee. I would describe him as Camp Stephens biggest cheerleader, Malbranck says. His love and passion for camp is quite astounding. Due to recent heart troubles, Studholmes doctor recently advised him not to make the trip to the reunion. Studholme says he is devastated he wont be able to go to Camp Stephens for the first time in 55 years. At the same time, he is excited young people continue to have meaningful experiences at the camp. Camp Stephens is a (place) that I hope will go on for a long, long time, he says, adding his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have all been involved at the camp. This is a place that has an enormous impact on peoples lives. If you know a special volunteer, please contact aaron.epp@gmail.com. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/06/2016 (2313 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The worlds smallest goat could be living in a babys crib just east of Anola. Were not kidding. Her name is Lucy, and shes a pygmy goat that stands between 40 and 41 centimetres tall. Its for her. Shes the smallest goat out there. Shes lived through hell Tara McKean, on the bid to immortalize Lucy in the Guinness World Records Sunday night, Lucys owners, Mark and Tara McKean officially measured the two-year-old goat for the Guinness World Records. They had two official witnesses a police officer and local councillor and filmed the measurement for Guinness officials, as required. There is currently no record listed by Guinness for goats. The required bar, however, is a height less than 40 3/4 cm. Turns out, though, that measuring a miniature goat on a kitchen table is not without its challenges. Who knew? JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tara McKean (from right) with her daughter Tiana and local veterinarian Vivian Jacob measure two year old pygmy goat Lucy during her Guinness Book of Records attempt in their family home in Anola Sunday. A level was required as Tara McKean tried to keep Lucy steady, while also holding a bowl of oats to keep the goat occupied. Veterinarian Vivian Jacob did the measuring. But Lucy kept squirming and burping. This might not be as easy as we thought, Tara said after a couple early aborted attempts. Eventually, three separate measurements (as required) were record: 40, 41 and 40 cm. The witnesses were Terry Pheby, chief constable of the Springfield Police Service, and Heather Erickson, councillor for the RM of Springfield. Asked if he had ever witnessed a goat measurement as an officer, Pheby replied: Negative. Lots of measurements, but not goats. Some background: the McKeans run the 10 Acre Woods Petting Farm and Animal Rescue just outside Anola, where for the last two decades they have fed, nurtured and housed countless horses, ducks, turkeys, chickens, dogs and sundry other farm critters. It started in the late 1990s with a few rabbits and grew almost by accident. People just kept showing up with injured or homeless animals. The McKeans kept giving them a home. A couple years ago, someone showed up with a pygmy goat that had been found in a nearby garbage dump. So the McKeans called her Junkyard Momma even though they didnt realize she actually was pregnant. About two weeks later, Lucy and her brother, Jason, were born. Both were quickly diagnosed with white muscle disease, which can prove fatal. Jason died about two months after birth. However, Lucy pulled through and is healthy as a horse, er, goat now. I guess her heart is strong enough, Tara said. Thats one of the reasons why the McKeans went to the extra effort to apply for the Guinness record status. Its for her, Tara noted. Shes a special goat already. So its a little bit more. Its for her. Shes the smallest goat out there. Shes lived through hell. These days, however, Lucy is one of the main attractions at the farm, which is regularly visited by seniors, youth groups and special-needs children. Sure, Tom the turkey is popular, too, but he wont run up and nuzzle you. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Two year old pygmy goat Lucy (front) hangs out with full a full grown female and some kids after her Guinness Book of Records measurement session at the McKean's family home in Anola Sunday. Especially with special-needs kids, Tara said. She will pick one kid out of that crowd, usually the most quiet and shutdown, and just stay by their side the whole time. Shes so friendly and so cute. Lucy is also unusual in her small horns are pointed forward so she looks like a little devil, Tara said. According to Guinness rules, the record requires the smallest height of a fully grown adult living goat. Lucy is two years old and shorter than many newborn pygmy goats. Despite recording and filming the process, Jacob was concerned about the accuracy of the measurements without using calipers, which were not available. Tara conceded Guinness might require more proof but they would comply if Sunday nights process was unacceptable. Weve never done this, either, she said. Well do the best and see what happens. randy.turner@freepress.mb.ca JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tara McKean (right) and local veterinarian Vivian Jacob measure two-year-old pygmy goat Lucy during her Guinness World Records attempt in Sunday in Anola. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Two provincial Tory ministers effusively praised the interactive digital media tax credit for its record as a job-creating success Monday without mentioning the NDP created the tax credit. Finance Minister Cameron Friesen and Growth, Enterprise and Trade Minister Cliff Cullen went to Sisler High School to announce enhancements to the tax credit. Clearly, this is a tax credit that works, Friesen declared. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS L-R Luxton Elementry School's James Mushaluk and Cooper Vint chat with Winnipeg School Division Supt. Pauline Clarke and Manitoba Minister of Finance Cameron Friesen at Sisler High School where a government credit program was announced. The credit provides a 40 per cent rebate on expenses for companies in the growing field. Monday, Friesen and Cullen said they were eliminating both the tax credits maximum of $500,000 and the maximum two years that eligible projects could claim. Theres some tweaking going on, said Cullen. He said in response to reporters questions that the tax credit has been in effect since 2008 but it had limitations, even though in 2011 it returned $12 to Manitobas economy for every $1 paid out. Friesen said the Pallister government will invest in programs which lead to Manitoba jobs. Were allowing areas of interest to align with opportunities for employment, he said. It is an emerging sector. They chose to make the announcement in one of the nine sophisticated labs housing interactive digital media and cyber security at the provinces largest high school. Sisler has won numerous national and international awards for development and innovation, and has partnered with the Vancouver Film School, and works with Disney, Facebook and Nickelodeon. There will be 796 students enrolled in the specialized courses in September. There will be more good jobs waiting for our students when they graduate, Friesen said. Its about keeping talented Manitoba kids here in Manitoba, said Cullen. To be eligible for the 40 per cent tax credit, a company must pay at least 25 per cent of its wages within Manitoba. A company with a lower percentage can get a 35 per cent tax credit if its Manitoba wages are at least $1 million. Its based on their activity within Manitoba, Friesen said. Cullen said Manitoba tax credit will now be in line with Ontarios. Cullen laughed when asked how he felt about praising a tax credit the NDP had created. He said in an interview that the Pallister government is reviewing every tax credit to see which ones work. nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 26/06/2016 (2313 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. It was only one debate, but it spoke volumes about local government. About a month before Winnipeggers went to the polls in the 2014 civic election, seven mayoral candidates congregated in a West End hotel ballroom to debate infrastructure. For nearly three hours, the candidates traded ideas about what the city could do to improve the citys approach to fixing and replacing roads, sidewalks, sewers and bridges. When it was all over, two fundamental truths were confirmed: first, the size of the infrastructure challenge dwarfs the available financial resources; and second, that the men and women who wanted to be mayor that year had virtually no clue about how local government manages its infrastructure program. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Winnipeg City Councillor Russ Wyatt They were not aware of the contracting methodology utilized for city projects, which gives contractors a lot of leeway in deciding how to meet the specifications of each individual contract. Or that the materials both the type and the quantity used in new road construction are virtually identical all over Canada and most of the northern United States. Or that weather is the single greatest determining factor in whether you get to spend all of the money budgeted in any single construction season. It was a painful sight: the clueless fighting with the modestly uninformed, all for the privilege of going toe-to-toe with the chronically ignorant. It was a reminder that political debate surrounding the infrastructure challenge is rarely productive. Politicians, often freed from the burden of detailed technical or financial information, love to promise the pay less, get more approach, which argues that if we could only be smarter and more organized, we could get an upper hand on the infrastructure deficit For the most part, the pay less, get more doctrine is a bunch of hooey. Infrastructure is expensive, and while innovations applied to process, technology and materials can give us better outcomes, there is no magic bullet that will double or triple the number of kilometres of road we can replace or repair with the same level of funding. That doesnt stop politicians from playing the same card, over and over again. Take Winnipeg Coun. Russ Wyatt. Last week, he launched a public campaign attacking Mayor Brian Bowman and members of council who opposed his plan to allocate another $30 million to residential road repairs. Wyatt bought $2,000 in radio ads and launched a website with an online petition, all aimed at shaming Bowman and segments of council. Wyatt said a soft construction industry is producing bids from contractors much lower than anticipated. He listed a handful of contracts where the lowest bid was millions of dollars less than the estimated cost of the project. Wyatt argued the city could squeeze in a number of additional projects this year, taking advantage of the difference between what was budgeted and the real market cost of those projects. Fascinating argument, except that its not accurate. You can always find contractors willing do a big infrastructure job for less. In fact, it is not hard to find contractors who claim they had a lower bid but did not win a contract. However, it is a fallacy to say that the low bidder means they were the right bidder. Many elements go into determining the right contractor for an infrastructure project, and it would be negligent for the city just to pick the low bidder in every contract awarded. The city must have confidence the contractor can finish the work within the specified construction year; there are many instances where contractors take more work than they can complete in one season, or where they do not have the capacity to finish the work on time. There are penalties, but these are simply calculated in as the cost of doing business. This is a reality that Wyatt either doesnt know, or conveniently forgot to mention in his news release, his radio ads, his website or in the preamble to his petition. According to officials in the mayors office, the citys public works department has awarded contracts totalling more than $90 million of the $105-million allocation for 2016. It is expected the city will come very close to spending every dollar budgeted for this year. That disputes Wyatts assertion that the city is going to come in 30 per cent under budget for the current year because of a soft construction market. You may be wondering, if his argument is so flawed, why does Wyatt get so much media attention? Lets be clear about one thing: Wyatt is not getting media attention because he has hit upon a good idea here. He is (once again) garnering headlines because he is, without a doubt, the multi-vehicle pileup of municipal politicians. No matter how hard you try to look away, the magnificent carnage that follows his forays into shameless self-promotion is impossible to ignore. Wyatt took the same approach last fall when he and some other councillors took out radio ads attacking the mayor over the citys proposed Active Transportation Strategy. The Wyatt show didnt change minds at city hall, but it earned the maverick councillor a bit more time in the spotlight And while were on the subject of counting our pennies in a bid to scrounge up a few extra dollars for infrastructure funding, perhaps council would consider putting limits on the amount of money provided to councillors to pay for attack radio ads and websites directly targeting other members of council. It wouldnt add up to enormous savings. But as Wyatt would no doubt agree, every little bit helps. dan.lett@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The leaders of North America meet, and Western Canada shrugs. Given our most important trading relationships will be on the agenda when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sits down Wednesday with U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto at the North American Leaders Summit in Ottawa, it may be difficult to understand why. Theres a case to be made Western Canada through its almost singular focus on pursuing trade with Asia has by default left the big conversations about trade in North America to those in the boardrooms of Toronto and cabinet tables of Ottawa. This is worrying because so much is at stake in fact, nothing less than our most important export market: the United States. Over the two decades since the North America Free Trade Agreement was signed, hanging onto market share in the U.S. has become much tougher as others vie for a bite of our lunch. This is happening as Canadians themselves lose faith in NAFTA. The latest Angus Reid Institute public opinion poll shows just one-quarter of Canadians think the deal has been a net benefit to the country. Then there is the usual U.S. sabre-rattling on protectionism. Beyond the made-in-America restrictions that threaten Canadian exports to the U.S., Canada has had to fight off country-of-origin labelling and agricultural inspection fees and now faces the spectre of renewed restrictions on the import of softwood lumber to the U.S. Canada has had success in combating the first three of these issues. Notably, however, Mexico played a role in each of these victories because it has greater economic and political power to influence the U.S. than Canada does. Our disputes with the U.S. may be seen here as bilateral, but in fact, there is a third interest. Mexico, for example, shares Western Canadas distaste for country-of-origin labelling. (Canada and Mexico launched a successful challenge at the World Trade Organization, claiming the U.S. labelling rules were discriminatory to their livestock industries.) Though not everyone in the U.S. is a fan of Mexico, its ability to influence should not be underestimated. With more Mexicans in the U.S. than there are Canadians in Canada, it cannot be ignored. Canada, on the other hand, is easy to like but also easy to ignore. Mexico, with its 52 consulates in the U.S. versus Canadas dozen, may better be seen as a useful ally for Canada on economic issues. But rather than focusing resources and attention on Mexico as a critical path to safeguarding interests in the U.S., Western Canada has mostly looked one way: across the Pacific to China, South Korea, India, and other Asian countries. These countries are unquestionably important to Western Canada. Yet, Australias protracted history in reaching a trade agreement with China suggests it could take a decade before a trade deal between Canada and China could be readied. The Trans-Pacific Partnership could also expedite the path to Asia if the U.S. ratifies it, but on this, there are few guarantees. In the near term, Canada has just one trade agreement across the Pacific. In the interim, is Western Canada doing enough to safeguard its bread and butter in North America? Ideally, premiers of the four western provinces, along with their counterparts from Quebec and Ontario, should be spending more time shoring up and growing business interests in Mexico and ensuring Canada and Mexico take a more united approach in ongoing trade irritants with the U.S. that impact the West. That may be asking too much. Politically, the road is uphill: the same Angus Reid poll shows nearly half of western Canadians see Mexico as a risky venture for their businesses. And the last western premier to visit Mexico on business rather than vacation was Manitobas Gary Doer two leaders ago. But majorities in every western province also agree Canada should work toward build stronger relationships with Mexico. The question is whether western provincial governments are listening. Carlo Dade is director of the Centre for Trade and Investment Policy at the Canada West Foundation. Shachi Kurl is executive director of the Angus Reid Institute. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Donald Trump could be the next president of the United States. Kevin OLeary, another wealthy reality-TV star, has expressed his desire to lead a national political party in Canada. The unexpected rise of these political outsiders, who seek out and thrive on controversy while flaunting their contempt for traditional political discourse, has left everyone searching for an explanation. One of the most intriguing aspects of these figures is they challenge traditional political party lines. Trump is just as likely to take a swipe at his Republican colleagues and their affiliation with big business as he is to attack the Democrats and the groups that support them. Some supporters of Bernie Sanders the left-leaning candidate who mounted a strong bid for the Democratic nomination indicated Trump was their second choice for president rather than Hillary Clinton, the quintessential Washington insider. ADRIAN WYLD / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Kevin O'Leary gives a presentation called "If I run here's how i'd do it" to a conservative conference in February. In Canada, OLeary indicated his interest in running for the Conservative party leadership when Stephen Harper stepped down. But he went out of his way to say he would not rule out a bid for the federal Liberal leadership at some point in the future. While we dont yet know where OLearys support would come from, speculation about those who back Trump has become an obsession for the media and political pundits in the U.S. Early in the Republican primary process, Trump voters were identified as mostly white males among the poor and working class with lower levels of education. The narrative quickly emerged that Trumps support came from the economically frustrated and uninformed. But more recent exit polls conducted by pollster Nate Silver and his website fivethirtyeight.com found voters supporting Trump had higher incomes and levels of education compared to national averages. Even though there is much trepidation among the Republican party establishment, Trump has achieved broad enough support, regardless of education and income levels, to become a mainstream candidate. Passing off those who support this new breed of flamboyant, populist politician as poor and ignorant overlooks the broader political and societal trends that have set the stage for their ascendance. There is a distrust of traditional elites and institutions of power in Western society that has been growing for decades. Established political parties have attempted to frame this trend within their own world views. The left points to economic inequality and the undue influence of private corporations. Those on the right single out special-interest groups and complicit governments. But the frustration with unrepresentative institutions and those who speak for them transcends these tired explanations. The average citizens contempt now encompasses governments, the media, private corporations, labour unions and advocacy groups. Political parties have not been able to respond to this and are more likely to be included with this group than seen as an answer to them. Distrust of institutions and elites is not confined to the poor and less educated. In fact, it can be explained by increases in education levels, coupled with more access to information, which has led the public to demand more transparency from powerful institutions and a larger role in the decisions that affect their lives. The inability of traditional decision-making bodies to address these demands has created the feelings of alienation Trump and OLeary, who ironically claim to speak for the average citizen, have been able to exploit. It is all too easy and comfortable to believe Trump and OLearys appeal comes from a place of ignorance and emotion rather than informed, rational thinking. But we now exist in a world where an increasingly sophisticated and connected public demands more from its leaders and are less likely to take them at their word. Paradoxically, many people are frustrated enough that they are willing to buy into, or at least overlook, the simplistic, unrealistic and vitriolic brand of politics these leaders practise, in order to send a message. If we want to keep Trump and OLearys television appearances confined to their reality shows, rather than delivering speeches as national leaders, the first step is acknowledging the true nature of their appeal. Brendan Boyd is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the University of Calgary School of Public Policy and a former resident of Manitoba. Around 100,000 lighten bugs are released in Chengdu, the capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan province on June 25. The fact that up to 100,000 lighten bugs were released in Chengdu, the capital city of southwestern China's Sichuan province on June 25 has attracted the attention of many local residents this summertime. However, it also brought on opposition from an expert because he believes all the released fireflies will die in three days to seven days. On the evening of June 25, a total of 100,000 lighten bugs were let free to fly way from a transparent glass box at a park in Chengdu. The green light lit up part of the sky, some of them flying away and some falling to the ground. Some kids picked up the fallen bugs carefully, and some people caught the flying bugs in the air and put them into cups. Zhang Li, director of Insect Museum of West China, clearly expressed his opposition to the event and said all 100,000 fireflies will die off within three to seven days. Fireflies have relatively strict requirements for their living environment, and once they leave their original birthplace, they will have a hard time to survive. Even good surroundings generally need to be transformed in order to be a suitable habitat for fireflies. Without any action, all of the bugs will die, Zhao said. Organizers of such kinds of events have said all the fireflies have been bred in captivity. But because of the cost and difficulty of captive breeding it was not possible to conduct artificial breeding for all of them so many active ones were captured from different places, added Zhao. The green light of the fireflies light up part of the sky. Some people pick up the fallen bugs carefully. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 27/06/2016 (2312 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Its right there in her mandate letter. As minister of justice, you have a key role to play in making Manitoba the national leader of open governments, through the sequential adoption of legislative measures designed to enhance openness, transparency and accountability. Those were the marching orders given to Justice Minister Heather Stefanson when she took over the job as top sheriff in the province. So when will the justice minister put the heat on jails in Manitoba to provide detailed statistics on the use of segregation? And when will Manitoba follow the lead of other provinces and order a review into its practice? Justice Minister Heather Stefanson The use of segregation has been widely denounced both within Canada and worldwide. In 2012, the United Nations committee against torture called on Canada to limit the use of solitary confinement and to only use it as a last resort. It suggested, if it is used, it should be for as short a time as possible, under strict supervision with judicial review, and it not be used on prisoners who are suffering physical or acute or serious mental-health issues. There are two types of segregation in use in Canadian prisons. The first is disciplinary segregation, which is punitive and cannot be used for longer than 30 days. Critics suggest solitary confinement for longer than 15 days is a form of torture and can cause serious mental and physical side-effects. The second and more commonly used type is administrative both voluntary and involuntary. On paper, this type of segregation is supposed to be used as preventive rather than disciplinary. For example, it may be used to protect inmates or staff, and there is no time limit on its use. But too often its used on inmates who are mentally ill. In Manitoba, nearly one in 10 prisoners is kept in segregation the highest rate in the country. But the details of why they are segregated and for how long are not readily available. Debra Parkes, the associate dean in the faculty of law at the University of Manitoba, says its a struggle to get consistent or detailed data. Theres no accountability, and theres no oversight. This is where Ms. Stefanson should be stepping in. Meanwhile, the Trudeau federal government has directed its justice minister to implement recommendations that stemmed from the 2007 death of Ashley Smith, sent to a youth facility for a month for throwing crabapples at a postal worker. She was almost immediately placed in segregation, where she remained as she was moved to different facilities until she killed herself four years later. In 2014, after two inquests, a number of recommendations were made. Last November, in keeping with those recommendations, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would push for a ban on long-term solitary confinement for federal inmates. Saskatchewan is also reviewing its practice of segregation. In Ontario, the ombudsman has called for a ban to protect vulnerable inmates with developmental, behavioural and mental-health challenges. As Ms. Parkes says: There is ample evidence that solitary confinement is harmful and inhumane It is incumbent on Manitoba Justice to be open and accountable to Manitobans about the extent and nature of solitary confinement in Manitoba jails. Thats part of the mandate for this new justice minister to be open and accountable. The time has come to look at our provincial jails and end this cruelty. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Thousands of nurses returned to work Sunday at five Allina Health hospitals in the Minneapolis area following a seven-day strike mainly over the cost of their health insurance. The Minnesota Nurses Association and its 4,800 members began their strike June 19 after failing to negotiate a new three-year contract with Allina Health. The union issued a statement saying members feel farther apart from the company and less optimistic about an agreement following the strike. Nurses wanted to negotiate other aspects of a new contract, other than starting with the cost of the larger issue of health insurance, said union spokesman Rick Fuentes. There are many other things on the table other than the elephant in the room, Fuentes said. The nurses also have concerns over workplace safety and staffing levels, which received little attention at the bargaining table while the health insurance issue was unresolved. Allinas chief executive, Dr. Penny Wheeler, says the company is eager to get back to the bargaining table. But, both sides need to be willing to talk about a health plan transition, she said. No talks have been scheduled. Allina used 1,400 replacement nurses, recruited from around the country by three staffing agencies, to stay open during the strike. The replacements prompted the union to file a series of allegations with regulatory agencies. Among them, the nurses claim one patient died during a medication error. Other allegations deal with poor disposal of needles. Allina officials say all the allegations that have been investigated so far have turned out to be false. The activity level at all the hospitals continued at a sustained pace, Wheeler said. Fuentes said another strike is possible if a new contract offer is received that members reject. The Allina Health hospitals include Abbott Northwestern and Phillips Eye Institute in Minneapolis, United in St. Paul, Unity in Fridley and Mercy in Coon Rapids. With Britains vote to leave the European Union, did Donald Trump just win the presidential election? On the surface, this may seem an odd question, but the concerns that led a majority of Brits to vote leave on Thursday are similar to those that have catapulted Trump to the Republican nomination immigration, refugees, underemployment. Also similar have been reactions to Brexit and to Trumps political rise. Analysts and market speculators were shocked that the prediction models they used were wrong. Overnight, the political playbook seemed to have become a relic of some distant past. The biggest gambler of all was Prime Minister David Cameron, who held the referendum despite his preference to remain. His resignation essentially marked the death of the establishment and a rebirth of people who have risen in protest of a world they refuse to accept. The populist, anti-establishment movement weve been witnessing in the U.S. isnt purely local. Other countries, especially in Europe, are feeling similar stresses to their psychic as well as their material infrastructure, leading to renewed calls for nationalism. Already, other nations are queuing up to join merry old England on the exit ramp. The ground has shifted and, with it, global markets. Immediately, the pound plunged along with stock values. Rattled investors tried to regain their equilibrium. The world gaped in breathless wonderment as a new, upside-down landscape took shape. All, that is, except for Donald Trump. Conveniently in Scotland to visit his Turnberry resort, the brand-brandishing baron of bombast opined that Brexit was a great thing. Never mind that the Scotch, as Trump recently referred to his Scots heritage, voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU and likely will hold a referendum soon to separate from Britain. What matters is that Trump saw in Brexit an opportunity to profit. Because thats what Trump does. One impoverished fellows home foreclosure is Trumps business opportunity. One nations lost cause is his tourist bonanza. You probably thought Brexit was about national independence, didnt you? Trump thought it was about him. The pounds decline, he explained, could mean more travelers to his resorts and what could be better than that? Trump further explained that it was great the British people are taking their country back, just as Trump supporters are hoping to do in November. Indeed, in many respects, Trump is Americas Trexit a ticket to leave the establishment and entrenched bureaucrats whom Trumps admirers and Britains leavers see as responsible for their respective nations problems. This message, though weve heard it a thousand times, has taken time to penetrate the minds of commentators and analysts who now humbly acknowledge that they didnt see it coming neither Brexit nor Trump. It was easier to name the manifestations xenophobia, racism, sexism, fear of the other than it was to recognize the root causes, which, distilled, amount to a looming sense of lost identity. The smartest thing Trump has said during his campaign was in a speech last week. Citing Hillary Clintons slogan Im with her, he said his slogan is Im with you, the American people. Brilliant. When Trump frames things this way, he wins. When his critics point to his xenophobia and racism, legitimate though these observations may be, he wins again. To his fans, the critics dont get it. When Trump supporters hear post-Brexit analysts say the leavers suffered fear of the other, they hear fools ignoring the realities of unsecured borders, possible terrorists posing as refugees and illegal immigrants demanding entitlements. A majority of Brits apparently heard the same thing. Their retreat isnt only away from the European Union and, inferentially, from globalization, concubine of the New World Order. It is rather a turning back toward home, the idea as well as the place. Home is who we are, the values we share, the traditions we practice and the one flag to which we all pledge allegiance. This is the red meat of the matter. Those who miscalled Brexit havent or hadnt fully grasped the gravity and intensity of the identity imperative. Trump, love him or hate him, grasped it, embraced it, gave it a helicopter ride and promised to respect it in the morning. He placed all bets on the power of nationhood and on his unique power to harness and reinvent globalization in his own image. Clinton would do well to heed these identity concerns lest she become Americas Cameron to Trumps Trexit. Some people lead; some people follow; some people wonder what happened! Donald Trump appeals to our lower, even puerile instincts. Establishment Republicans publicly dismiss him; big money runs away! A long-predicted continuing conservative irony plays publicly. Some say fear Trump; he mirrors a 1930s German despot! Really? Fear-mongering a trumped America is silly! Current era mobs may gather but Law, if not justice, prevails! Which is the worse alternative, go-alongs (followers), the apathetic or the clueless? All are troublesome, but consider Wisconsins Republican congressperson Paul Ryan. Ryan severely criticizes Trump versus Ryans hypocritical Trump endorsement! Does this craven ploy reveal the stark difference between Trumps candor versus Ryans calculated hypocrisy? Seems the case! We dont care for Trump! So? Which politician doesnt mirror superficial us? Are we not lazy, apathetic? Do we not lie and tolerate liars? Do we not go along with religious/political interests and abide scripted-in candidates and unfairly gerrymandered districts? Trump is different? No one can deny the Donald did trump affluent Republican darlings! He is popular for cause! Jiminy! Trump ignited the vast reservoir of fetid gas rising from rotting local, state and national political cesspools. What is so scary? That Trump is a caricature of us? Trump would deport/deny Muslims and Mexicans, maybe even chase a judge or two? Paper-brain fear-mongering malarkey! G. W. (Duh-bya) Bush and Cheney did far worse! That family values crew hijacked the Republican Party by deception; Congress does the same. Republican hypocrites still wonder what happened! Hasnt Trump done the same thing the Rove crew did, but publicly? Didnt his winning force a lot of people to condemn what they themselves have been doing all along? If a President Trump muddles matters, so what? He will join money-grubbing politician/preacher hustlers soon enough. But, Trump and wannabe hypocrites like Ryan will strike out looking. The penultimate conservative wish has come to pass, yet conservatives are (again) wondering what happened and blaming to mask over their being trumped? Irony, indeed! When will we admit that PC-pushers, bankers, preachers and politicians prey on our foolish religious/political beliefs and we are easily bamboozled? We each choose our futures. However, too many of us try to do that while ignoring our (past) actions. After failures in the Middle East and ignoring current fulminating banking and healthcare disasters, Trumps Pied Piper tunes play well. But isnt he just another symptom of a self-induced illness? Who is afraid of the big bad Trump? Smarmy politicians and hypocrite followers! Spin it as you want, but in the end, each of us is only what we do. We get the governance we deserve, getting back only what we give as the new drivers of the political turnip trucks amply demonstrate. Id guess door-to-door sellers must covet lists of current political devotees. Those evangelized followers buy anything and more lucrative than political or bank/health CEO jobs. President Trump or Clinton? Amen! If are you a follower or wonder what happened, ya gonna repeat the past, then expect a different future? Your choice! Your future! Several red herrings requiring clarification were introduced at the June 14 Winona County Board of Commissioners meeting. Commissioner Marcia Ward implied mining is not allowed near a trout stream false. Mining silica sand within a mile from a trout stream is possible with a permit from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Ward said the ordinance in Florence Township in Goodhue County that bans frac sand mining was instituted after the demand for sand went down, and thats why it hasnt been legally challenged false. It happened in 2013. Demand for sand was high then, according to U.S. Geological Services data. Ward set a couple of jars of sand in front of the county attorney and asked which one contained frac sand irrelevant. The purpose of an ordinance is to regulate use of land not a mineral. Ward said the county should help you accomplish what you want to do within our guidelines. On the contrary, the primary purpose listed in the Winona County zoning ordinance is protecting the public health, safety, order, convenience and general welfare. Commissioner Steve Jacob implied insurance wouldnt cover the county in a lawsuit. A well-drafted ordinance supported by sound findings of fact (which County Attorney Karin Sonneman has clearly prepared) will make a lawsuit less likely. And the county's insurer has never stated they would deny coverage. Jacob stated silica sand is used in making solar panels again, irrelevant. According to USGS data, fracking uses over 800 percent of the quantity of silica sand produced for the next highest end use, manufacturing glass containers. Solar panels are not even listed as an end use. A red herring is something unimportant that is used to stop people from noticing or thinking about something important. Whats important? The ordinance exists to protect us, to preserve the integrity of our land and resources. Frac sand mining is destructive. It runs counter to the very purpose of the Winona County zoning ordinance. Numerous rural residents have voiced their concerns. Im a constituent in Wards rural district. Is there really an urbanrural issue here? Or is this just another red herring? Intelligent people see through these antics. Ignore the red herrings and support a ban on frac sand mining. Wisconsins law requiring doctors who perform abortions to have hospital admitting privileges could be in jeopardy after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a similar Texas law. The Wisconsin law was already on its way to the nations high court after a three-judge panel at the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruled the law unlawfully infringed on abortion rights. If the Supreme Court decides not to take the case in light of Mondays ruling, the appeals courts ruling will stand. In the 5-3 majority opinion in the Texas case, Justice Stephen Breyer cited similar laws including Wisconsins in saying they unconstitutionally infringed on a womans ability to get an abortion. Gov. Scott Walker believes it will be difficult for the states law to be upheld based on Mondays ruling, according to spokesman Tom Evenson. Attorney General Brad Schimel filed an amicus brief in the Texas case in support of the restrictions. In November, a spokeswoman for Schimel said the debate in Wisconsin over abortion restrictions would be decided by the Supreme Courts ruling on the Texas law. On Monday, Schimel said the Supreme Court ruling is disappointing and undermines the respect due to policy- makers. Wisconsin is defending a similar law in a case before the Supreme Court and we expect a decision in the near future, Schimel said. Walker signed Wisconsins law on July 5, 2013, and required providers to have privileges in place three days later. Privileges were to be at hospitals within 30 miles of clinics. Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin and Affiliated Medical Services sued the state after the law was enacted, arguing that the requirement would force the shutdown of the AMS clinic in Milwaukee because its doctors could not get admitting privileges. That amounted to restricting access to abortions in Wisconsin, they argued. Madison attorney Lester Pines, who represented Planned Parenthood, said the ruling has made the future of Wisconsins restrictions exceptionally clear. Wisconsins restrictions are dead, he said. The ruling means Wisconsins admitting privileges are unconstitutional itll never be enforced. Pines said he expected the high court to refuse to take up Wisconsins case. President and chief executive officer Teri Huyck of Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin said the courts decision is a victory for women and recognizes that medical professionals should be trusted to determine the safest and best medical care for their patients free from unnecessary government inter- ference. Anti-abortion advocates described Mondays ruling by the court as leaving open a door to unsafe abortions. In effect, the Supreme Court has decided that the abortion industry will continue to reign unchecked as mothers are subjected to subpar conditions, not only in Texas and Wisconsin, but around the country, said Heather Weininger, executive director of Wisconsin Right to Life. Despite this disappointing decision, we at Wisconsin Right to Life will continue our work to offer hope to women. The abortion industry peddles death, but we in the pro-life movement offer life. Former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, a Democrat who is running again this year against Republican incumbent Sen. Ron Johnson, called the ruling a victory for women and their families. It affirms that womens reproductive rights are just that rights, he said. But its also a reminder of the immense work we still have to do so that all woman have the ability to receive the quality health care they deserve. Johnson said the courts ruling will have a chilling effect on state efforts to protect women from unsafe providers. We can all agree that lawmakers have a responsibility to implement reasonable health and safety standards at places such as clinics. Doing so does not threaten any right to abortion any more than implementing reasonable standards for other providers threatens health care at hospitals or doctors offices, he said in a statement. Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos of Rochester said the high court has put womens health and safety on the back burner for the profits of Planned Parenthood and abortion providers. It was hard to tell who enjoyed the elephant wash on June 24 more the elephants, the community members watching or the firefighters who got to spray the elephants with water. Columbus Fire Department hosted the Carson & Barnes Circus at Firemans Park and this year decided to do an elephant wash as part of the fundraiser. Columbus Fire Lt. Jerrod Fox said it was fun to see the looks on childrens faces as the three elephants were washed one at a time by a team of firefighters using a fire hose. The elephants seemed to enjoy it as well, opening their mouths and spraying water over their backs with their trunks. We appreciate everyone supporting us, Fox said. Funds raised by hosting the circus this year will be used for wild land rescue and grass fires equipment. Fox said the department wants to obtain a 6x6 off road rescue vehicle and a trailer to haul it on. He said such a vehicle can transport firefighters deep into fields or marshes where fire trucks cant go and can be used to transport a victim out of a woods on a backboard instead of carrying them. Funds raised from a circus stop in 2013 as well as other fundraisers in the last two years, were used to help pay for an E-Draulic Jaws of life. Fox said it allows for more rapid removal of patients and is easier to set up and get around vehicles. Children werent the only ones who enjoyed a day at the circus. Fox got to see behind the scenes and was part of a short sketch at the start of each show. Despite the clowning around, Fox said he would never run away with the circus, it is too much work to set up, take down and move from town to town. The Walt Disney Company has taken three Chinese firms to court over concerns regarding local animation in "The Autobots" which allegedly copied elements from Disney's own hit movie "Cars". A court in Shanghai held a hearing for "copyright infringement" and "unfair competition" raised by Disney against "The Autobots", according to a notice on the Shanghai Pudong New Area People's Court website. The Autobots drew attention from netizens in China when it was released in 2015, with some pointing out similarities with Disneys 2006 film Cars starring Owen Wilson and its sequel in 2011. Zuo Jianlong, Director of "The Autobots" for production company Blue MTV, said in an interview on Wednesday he was "relaxed" about a potential ruling. Lots of people online have talked about plagiarism, but it seems from the legal side that the matter is quite clear at root and that there is no plagiaristic behavior. "If you put the two films side-by-side to compare them, then you will know they are completely different," he added. The Chinese film is about animated racing cars including main heroes K1 and K2, while Disney's offering follows the story of legendary racing car Lightning McQueen. The three Chinese firms involved in the suit are the production companies Blue MTV, media company Beijing G-Point, and the online content platform PPLive Inc. Q What is the heat index? A The heat index indicates how hot it feels. It is expressed as a function of air temperature and the relative humidity. The heat index temperature is for standing in the shade; when exposed to direct sunlight, the heat index value can be increased by up to 15 degrees. When our bodies get hot we cool down by sweating. The sweating does not directly cool our bodies. It is the evaporation of the sweat that cools us down. If the air has a high humidity, then the rate of evaporation is reduced. This hampers the bodys ability to maintain a nearly constant internal body temperature. This is why we are uncomfortable on hot, muggy days. When the temperature is high but the relative humidity is low, the heat index can be less than the actual temperature. This is because cooling by evaporation of sweat is very efficient in these situations. However, high relative humidities prevent evaporation and make it seem hotter than it really is because our bodies cannot cool down. In these cases, the heat index is greater than the actual temperature. Summer heat waves are often associated with high heat indices and can be dangerous. For example, a heat wave in the Midwest in late July 1999 resulted in a heat index of 113 degrees in Chicago and resulted in more than 200 deaths in the Midwest. The heat wave that affected parts of the northeastern U.S., central Europe and Russia in the summer of 2010 contributed to the deaths of as many as 15,000 people in Moscow. On July 31, 2015, the temperature in Bandar Mahshahr, Iran, was 115 degrees with a dew point temperature of 90, yielding a heat index of 165 degrees. The highest known heat index is 178 degrees, observed in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, on July 8, 2003. The National Weather Service will issue a heat advisory when the heat index is predicted to be 100 degrees. You are then advised to limit vigorous outdoor activity and drink plenty of fluids. Wisconsin company wrestles with the FDA over an infant formula Nikos Linardakis says the FDA has stymied efforts that he and James Esselman have made to launch their Bene Baby Co.s product. On June 22, it was reported that a 10 square meter aisle in Daer Hutong of Beijing Xicheng District priced at 1.5 million yuan. The intermediary agent indicated that the aisle was equipped with a house proprietary certificate and can be considered as Xuequfang literally school district houses, as the country's education authorities require that public schools enroll pupils from designated areas. The report raised ire among citizens in Beijing. The government of Xicheng District said that real estate agents cannot take any "non-residential function" housing business, especially using "school district houses" as a selling point. Reporters paid a return visit on Sunday and found the aisle advertisement in Daer Hutong has been removed. Some realtors are no longer selling aisles, some though still selling had changed the advertising message to: only for sale, no guarantee for using as school district housing property. Reporters visited a real estate company in Dongcheng District in Beijing, claiming to buy an aisle. The realtor first equivocated with his words, eventually recommending buying an aisle of 13.7 square meters, priced at 1.2 million. During the reporters visit to the aisle, realtors tried to convince them several times that if it was for a school district housing property, an aisle was not a safe choice. Reporters visit to another aisle brought about the same feedback. Workers digging up a busy street in the Mexican city of Tultepec have delighted paleontologists with a mammoth find - literally! The skeleton of the long-extinct behemoth - which experts believe grew to 16 feet tall and weighed as much as 10 tonnes - was found while workers were carrying out drainage work in the the city's suburb of San Antonio Xahuento. Experts say the beast died on that spot 12,000-14,000 years ago, and remained there while civilization sprouted up just six-and-a-half feet above it, The Telegraph reported. Mammoth find: The three-foot-long skull was found under the Mexican city of Tultepec, just six-and-a-half feet beneath a busy suburban road. Work to uncover and remove it has been ongoing since April Bones about it: As well as the skull, a pelvis, leg bones and vertebrae have also been found. Experts say that the placement of the bones suggests the mammoth was cut up after it died - most likely by humans, for meat Huge: The mammoth is believed to have died aged 20-25, around 12,000-14,000 years ago. It may have become stuck in mud due to its mass Work began on the site in April, and the creature's three-foot-wide head (complete with ten-foot curved tusks) has now been almost completely removed from the soil, as has its pelvis. That's not a quick process at all, as tens of thousands of years of dirt must be carefully removed from each bone to ensure that it remains as intact as possible. Experts also found other bones, including ribs, leg bones and vertebrae, and believe that their placement reveals the beast met a grisly fate after it had already died. Paleontologist Luis Cordoba Barradas said in a statement that 'the specimen may have been partially cut up by a human group'. They would have then taken its meat and pelt. It was 20-25 years old when it died. That would have occurred, experts believe, after the heavy beast became trapped in mud; animals are also thought to have taken apart the body after its death. The creature belonged to the species Mammuthus Columbi, a North and Central American mammoth that has been found across the continent, with many examples having already been found in Mexico. According to Luis Cordoba, an archaeologist with the National Institute of Anthropology and History, the remains of more than 50 mammoths have been found in the area around Mexico City. Their skeletons are typically discovered near lakes and other sources of water where the creatures would have gathered, although some have been found in California's La Brea tar pits. The last such find in the country occurred in 2013, when residents of Santa Ana Tlacotenco in Milpa Alta chances across the most complete ancient mammoth skeleton ever discovered. Deep down: The mammoth was of the species Mammuthus Columbi, which has been found across North and Central America Layers: Ground layers have been marked with timestamps that show a difference of almost 6,000 years separated by just a foot of earth Virginia Environmental Endowment funds William & Mary projects The Virginia Coastal Policy Center at William & Mary Law School and William & Marys Virginia Institute of Marine Science have each received funding for projects during the latest round of grants from the Virginia Environmental Endowment (VEE). The grants were among VEE awards of more than $250,000 to 13 organizations. As we look toward the Endowments 40th Anniversary in 2017, we are encouraged by our partnerships with organizations making significant improvements in water quality and the health of Chesapeake Bay, the conservation of sensitive landscapes, and the education of the Commonwealths citizens and decision-makers regarding several of Virginias pressing environmental issues, said VEE Executive Director Joseph H. Maroon in a May 16 press release announcing the funding. The William & Mary projects are: Support for the Virginia Coastal Policy Centers annual climate change conference and its Targeting Assistance to Virginia Coastal Communities in Responding to Climate Change Challenges Project ($30,000) Support for determination of the status of Kepone pesticide levels in the James River. No data has been collected since 2009 due to state budget cuts. Settlement of the Kepone case in 1977 led to the creation of VEE ($21,436). The Virginia Coastal Policy Center has benefited from VEE support since the centers founding in 2012, according to Elizabeth Andrews, the centers director. We are excited that VEE has chosen to fund our efforts to address climate change challenges faced by local communities, and we are pleased to have the opportunity to continue working in partnership with VEE, she said. Mike Unger, associate professor of marine science, heads the James River Kepone project and is a principal investigator in the Environmental Chemistry Research Program at VIMS. We greatly appreciate the VEE funding, said Unger. Kepone concentrations in fish from the James River have declined over the years, but we still saw detectable levels during our last field season in 2009. The VEE funds will allow us to see if the downward trend is continuing and to assure the public that fish from the James River have low concentrations of this contaminant. A traffic policeman examines an accident site in Yizhang County, central China's Hunan Province, June 26, 2016. A fire that reduced a tour bus into charred frames on Sunday morning has killed at least 35 people, including two children, in Hunan Province, local authorities said. The accident happened at about 10:20 a.m., when the bus crashed into the guardrail on a highway in Yizhang. (Xinhua/Long Hongtao) CHANGSHA, June 27 -- Two people who were seriously burnt in a fatal bus fire in central China's Hunan Province on Sunday are in a critical condition. The incident happened at about 10:20 a.m., when a bus carrying 55 people crashed into the guardrail on a highway in Yizhang County. An ensuing oil leak caused the fire, according to the local government. The blaze killed 35 people, including two children. Eleven people were hospitalized. Seven of them who were seriously injured are receiving treatment in the No.1 People's Hospital of Chenzhou City while four who sustained minor injuries are hospitalized in Yizhang, said Tao Cheng, a medical expert who participated in the rescue work. One of the people in a critical condition is a diabetic woman in her 50s who sustained burns to 90 percent of her body. The other is a woman with burns to half her body, said Tao. The other five seriously injured people are in a stable condition. They suffered fractures, trauma and inhalation injuries. Doctors at the hospital have made tailored treatment schemes for each patient and will provide psychological counseling for them, Tao said. She also told Xinhua that among the injured, a 51-year-old man told her that the fire started at the back of the bus. Sitting at the front of the vehicle, he broke a window with a fire extinguisher and jumped out. He only suffered minor injuries and a tibial fracture. China News on Women Sorry, the page you requested was not found. If you're having trouble locating a destination on Womenofchina.cn, try visiting the Womenofchina Home page Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Cuban leader Raul Castro's special envoy Salvador Valdes Mesa on Monday at the Great Hall of the People in downtown Beijing. Xi welcomed Valdes, a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba (PCC), to Beijing to brief the Chinese side on the Cuban Party's seventh Congress. Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, congratulated the Cuban side on the congress and asked Valdes to convey his greetings to comrades Fidel Castro and Raul Castro. Hailing Cuba's achievements over the past more than 50 years, Xi said he believed that the Cuban people will achieve even more in the socialist cause under the leadership of the new PCC Central Committee with Raul Castro as first secretary. Xi said the relationship between China and Cuba withstood the test of changes in the international arena and that the two countries share a common ideal and bear deep affection for each other. Recalling his state visit to Cuba two years ago, Xi said he hopes the two sides will cement their friendship and boost cooperation. Valdes said the Cuban side cherishes the traditional friendship between Cuba and China and that Cuba's new leadership attaches great importance to the ties between the two parties as well as the two countries. The Cuban side looks forward to closer exchanges on governance and practical cooperation. No decision on India's NSG membership 27 June 2016 Share India says it remains confident of a positive outcome concerning its application for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) after the group did not decide on the matter at its latest plenary. A public statement issued by the NSG at the conclusion of its 26th plenary meeting, held in Seoul, Korea, on 23 and 24 June, said it had decided to continue discussions on the technical, legal and political aspects of the participation of non-NPT (nuclear non-proliferation treaty) states. The NSG seeks to prevent nuclear proliferation by controlling the export of materials, equipment and technology that could potentially be used to manufacture nuclear weapons. All its members are signatories of the NPT. A non-signatory of the NPT, India was for many years therefore effectively isolated from international nuclear trade. However, the approval of an India-specific safeguards agreement by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), an exception under NSG rules and a round of bilateral nuclear cooperation deals, led by the 2008 US-India nuclear cooperation agreement, have enabled India to play an increasing part in the international nuclear marketplace. India formally applied to become a member of the NSG in May and the group said its relationship with the country had been a topic of discussion at the meeting. India's Ministry of External Affairs said its application had "acquired an immediacy" in the light of the country's commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement of the 21st conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. India's Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), setting out its post-2020 climate actions, envisages 40% non-fossil power generation capacity by 2030. "An early positive decision by the NSG would have allowed us to move forward on the Paris Agreement," the ministry said. "We understand that despite procedural hurdles persistently raised by one country, a three-hour-long discussion took place [at the plenary] on the issue of future participation in the NSG. An overwhelming number of those who took the floor supported India's membership and appraised India's application positively," the ministry said. "It is also our understanding that most countries want an early decision," it added. As a non-member of the NSG, no Indian representatives were present at the meeting. Hua Chunying, a spokesperson for China's foreign ministry, responded to suggestions that China had been the country blocking India's entry into the NSG at a press conference on 24 June. She said the application of non-NPT countries including India had not been an agenda item at the Seoul plenary. "The NSG is still divided on the entry of non-NPT countries at the moment," she said, adding that China and other countries had "pushed the group to discuss the issue of non-NPT states' entry" to uphold the NPT as the "bedrock" of the international non-proliferation regime. "Regarding India's entry into the NSG, we have said many times that China holds a clear stance on the accession of non-NPT countries including India [] China's position does not target any specific country, but applies to all non-NPT countries," she said. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Police officer (illustration) By: Wayne Morin Police launched an investigation after a police officeras manhood was cut off by his wife because he was unfaithful to her, according to police in Uganda. Lyantonde Police said that 30-year-old Jessica Ochaya is accused of using a knife to cut off the manhood of Officer James Ochaya, 32, following allegations that he was sleeping with another woman behind her back. So far, no charges have been filed since James said that he needs his wife to take care of him until he is discharged from the hospital. According to the police investigation, on Sunday, when James returned home from work, an argument broke out between himself and Jessica after she accused him of having sex with another woman. When James fell asleep, Jessica pulled a knife and cut off her husbands manhood. James woke up in pain and ran out of the home screaming for help. James was taken to the Born Medical Center, where doctors reattached his manhood. Doctors said that it could take more than a year for James to be able to use his private parts again. YIZHANG, June 26, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A traffic policeman examines an accident site in Yizhang County, central China's Hunan Province, June 26, 2016. A fire that reduced a tour bus into charred frames on Sunday morning has killed at least 35 people, including two children, in Hunan Province, local authorities said. The accident happened at about 10:20 a.m., when the bus crashed into the guardrail on a highway in Yizhang. (Xinhua/Long Hongtao) Clwyd Souths Susan Elan Jones Resigns From Shadow Minister Role This article is old - Published: Monday, Jun 27th, 2016 MP Susan Elan Jones has quit as Shadow Wales Office Minister, in a move totally supported by AM Ken Skates. The statement (below) follows local activity over the weekend from Labour, with MP Ian Lucas being one of the first to call for Jeremy Corbyn to quit as party leader. The local Constituency Labour Party held an emergency meeting to discuss the move, and supported a position of no confidence. Since then Ian Lucas has been the target of a petition currently standing at 309 signatories asking for his removal rather than Mr Corbyn, with his Facebook post giving a copy of his letter having nearly 250 comments expressing a range of views. Susan Elan Jones announced her position via twitter just before 1pm: I cannot back a Leader who doesn't command any real electoral support outside the M25. Susan Elan Jones MP (@susanelanjones) June 27, 2016 A fuller statement then was posted on her website that read: Thursdays EU Referendum result was a disaster for our country and for the UK Labour Party. That is why today, with a very heavy heart, I have resigned as Shadow Wales Office Minister. In common with Shadow Welsh Secretary Nia Griffith, I call on Jeremy Corbyn to stand down as Leader of the Labour Party. I have shared my decision with my Welsh Assembly colleague Ken Skates and he totally supports my course of action. Over the last couple of days, I have received many messages from Clwyd South Labour members and supporters. The bulk of these have called for Jeremy Corbyn to resign for the good of our Party, our constituency and our countries of Wales and Britain. Our neighbouring constituency Labour Party of Wrexham has also passed a resolution of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn. Neither Clwyd South Labour Party nor I nominated Jeremy Corbyn to be UK Labour Party Leader last summer. However, I recognise that there are members in our constituency who voted for him. Although some of these have now contacted me asking that I urge his resignation, a minority of members who have been in touch take a different view. I must respectfully disagree with them. One reason I agreed to serve as a Shadow Minister under Jeremy Corbyns Leadership was that I felt his promise to reach out to people who never voted was worthy of great support. I also hoped that he would help deliver a Remain vote from those on the British Left who had always been Eurosceptic. He failed on both counts and seemed totally unable to grasp the issues in the debate on immigration as it relates to our heartland Labour areas. After Thursdays Referendum result it is abundantly clear that Jeremy Corbyn could never become Prime Minister. It is also clear that he does not command any real electoral support outside the M25. When I was re-elected as MP for Clwyd South in May 2015, I made a plea that we should never forget those in our society who are less fortunate, especially people on zero hours contracts. I also emphasised the need for our Party to remember that it exists first and foremost to support the lives and life chances of ordinary working people across our country. Neither of these goals are achievable with an unelectable Party Leader. Susan Elan Jones adds she will continue to be totally committed to my work in Parliament and my constituency, as well as to the Party of which I have been a member for nearly 31 years. It is expected that an attempt to topple Jeremy Corbyn will take place via a secret ballot of Labour MPs to be held as early as tomorrow. Two Vehicles Torched By Arsonists in Wrexham Overnight This article is old - Published: Monday, Jun 27th, 2016 Two vehicles have been destroyed after they were set alight by arsonists overnight. At 8:10pm on Sunday 26th June North Wales Fire and Rescue Service were called to a single vehicle fire on Llwyneinion in Rhos. One crew from Johnstown attended the scene and one one hose reel jet and one breathing apparatus were used to extinguish the fire. As a result the vehicle was left with 80% fire damage. Slight damage was also caused to a nearby brick outhouse. A spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed the fire was started deliberately. In the early hours of Monday morning North Wales Fire and Rescue Service were also called to a motorbike fire on the Vicarage Fields in Ruabon. One crew from Wrexham attended the incident at 2:47am and one hose reel jet was used to extinguish the blaze. The motorbike was left with 100% fire damage. The cause of the fire is being treated as deliberate ignition. YANCHENG, Jiangsu, June 26 (Xinhua) -- All the hazardous chemicals were cleared Sunday from a solar panel factory that was destroyed by the worst tornado and hailstorm to hit east China's Jiangsu Province in decades. As of 7:30 p.m., all the chemicals, including ammonium gas, silane, phosphorus oxychloride and trimethylaluminum, were removed the factory in Funing County in the city of Yancheng. A 40,000-square-meter workshop of the factory, partly owned by GCL System Integration Technology Co. Ltd., was destroyed when a powerful tornado and hailstorm battered Yancheng on Thursday. Two hundred firemen were posted to the factory, where 15 categories of hazardous chemicals were stored, said Zhou Xiang, head of the provincial fire prevention headquarters. "They closed all the valves, checked the pipelines and capped the leaks." Suppliers were called in Saturday to remove the canned chemicals, said Zhou. The most volatile of the chemicals, silane and trimethylaluminum, were cleared on Sunday, he said. Reconstruction of the factory facilities will begin Monday. The city government of Yancheng said Sunday 1,591 homeless victims were staying in temporary shelters in two counties, and workers were rushing to repair electricity, water and telecommunications facilities. The extreme weather has killed 99 people and injured 846. This photo taken on Dec. 11, 2015 shows uniquely beautiful winter scenery of the Zhaoshu Island in the South China Sea. (Xinhua file photo/Zhao Yingquan) BEIJING, June 26 (Xinhua) -- It is widely believed that the verdict on the arbitration case against China over South China Sea disputes unilaterally filed by the Philippines will not be legally binding. China maintains that the tribunal handling of the arbitration proceedings has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. Here are some notable opinions on this issue: Dogu Perincek, chairman of Turkey's Patriotic Party, said the arbitration is "an obvious intervention in regional countries' sovereignty", and that as an independent and sovereign country, China "has no obligation to obey the decision of the international tribunal." Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh, president of the royalist Funcinpec Party, said: "We, the Funcipec Party, cannot support the Philippines for unilaterally filing the arbitration case." Former Egyptian Ambassador to China, Mahmoud Allam, said: "The arbitration is apparently unlawful with China being absent. This is common sense in international law." Surakiart Sathirathai, chairman of Saranrom Institute of Foreign Affairs Foundation and the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, Thailand, said: "If the country has reservation (for the arbitration) from the very beginning, we have to respect its sovereignty of decision. We can't force that country to bow." On June 23, the US Supreme Court rejected a constitutional challenge to the University of Texas at Austins affirmative action policy, by implication upholding similar policies in place at universities and businesses around the country. The Fisher v. University of Texas case has its origins in a college application by Abigail Fisher, a white high school student, in 2008. Fishers attorneys alleged that she was denied admission by reason of the universitys affirmative action policy, violating her individual constitutional right to equal protection, which prohibits discrimination based upon race. The case was previously before the Supreme Court in 2013, resulting in a decision that affirmative action policies are potentially constitutional but must comply with strict legal standards. However, the Supreme Court did not decide at that time whether the University of Texas at Austins affirmative action policy met those high standards. (See, US Supreme Court upholds affirmative action) The University of Texas at Austin does not use overt racial preferences, such as simply adding points to applications based on racial categories, which would be generally prohibited by prior Supreme Court decisions. However, the university does acknowledge that it has a race-conscious admissions policy that takes the applicants race into account as part of a holistic review of the application, with the stated aim of achieving a critical mass of minority students in the student body. Justice Kennedy delivered the Supreme Courts majority opinion in this terms case, dubbed Fisher II, affirming a determination by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that the universitys holistic review process does meet the high standards imposed by the prior ruling in the case. Kennedys opinion was joined by justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. Samuel Alito, joined by Clarence Thomas and Chief Justice John Roberts, dissented from the majority ruling. The death of extreme right-wing Justice Antonin Scalia in February reduced the number of justices from nine to eight. Meanwhile, former Obama administration solicitor general Elena Kagan recused herself from the case. The protracted and embittered litigation over affirmative actionand the Fisher case in particularhighlights the policys central importance to the political, corporate and military establishment. In the Fisher case, the Obama administration explicitly defended affirmative action on the grounds of military necessity, stating in its brief that the Department of Defense (DoD) has concluded that a broadly diverse officer corps trained in a diverse environment is essential to military readiness, and a pipeline of well-prepared and diverse officer candidates is therefore an urgent military priority. The brief referred to the phenomenon of fragging during the Vietnam War, when the disparity between the overwhelmingly white officer corps and the highly diverse enlisted ranks threatened the integrity and performance of the military. The absence of diversity in the officer corps also undermined the militarys legitimacy, the Obama administration wrote, by fueling popular perceptions of racial/ethnic minorities serving as cannon fodder for white military leaders. Another amicus brief was filed on behalf of 36 senior military leaders who defended affirmative action on the grounds that having black officers helped the military recruit from black neighborhoods. A friend-of-court brief defending affirmative action was filed on behalf of Fortune 100 and Other Leading American Businesses, which collectively generate revenues in the trillions of dollars, including American Express, Apple, Microsoft, Exelon Corporation, Walmart, Viacom, Johnson & Johnson and many others. In their brief, these companies emphasized the value of diversity in higher education to Americas largest companies, which translates into increased sales revenue, more customers, greater market share, and greater relative profits. President Obama praised the Supreme Courts decision in statements to reporters at the White House. Im pleased that the Supreme Court upheld the basic notion that diversity is an important value in our society, he said. We are not a country that guarantees equal outcomes, but we do strive to provide an equal shot to everybody. The reaction in the political and media establishment to the Supreme Court ruling was generally favorable, with the decision being hailed as a victory for civil rights. Harvard law professor Laurence H. Tribe went so far as to declare, No decision since Brown v. Board of Education [desegregating schools] has been as important as Fisher will prove to be in the long history of racial inclusion and educational diversity. The comparison of the controversy over affirmative action to the struggles against Jim Crow apartheid is grossly inappropriate. There is nothing in the University of Texas at Austins admissions policy that remotely resembles a genuine social reform. Indeed, in the decades since the widespread implementation of affirmative action, social inequality has skyrocketed, with conditions for minorities generally worsening with the entire working class, while obscene amounts of wealth have piled up at the heights of society. Instead, the debate over affirmative action reflects differences within the political establishment about the best methods of containing social discontent. What is for the moment the majority view in the ruling elite, represented generally by the Democratic Party and the nominally liberal wing of the Supreme Court, is that affirmative action is necessary to make the capitalist system appear more legitimate, providing the illusion of representation and equal opportunity by including more minorities in leadership positions. Identity politics, including support for affirmative action, have for decades served as a cornerstone of the Democratic Partys appeal to more privileged sections of the middle class. In the current iteration of the Fisher case, 67 friend-of-court briefs supported the university and its affirmative action policy, with only 16 against. The word legitimacy is a key concept in the debate over affirmative action within the political establishment. The Supreme Courts majority opinion last week expressly refers to the governments compelling interest in cultivating leaders with legitimacy in the eyes of the citizenry. The same phrase, repeated from prior decisions, appears no less than three times in the published document. In other words, in order to prevent anyone from drawing the conclusion that the social and political system in America is illegitimate, the sex or skin color of various leaders can be changed around to make the system appear more legitimate. What is the current minority view, centered around the Republican Party and the far-right wing of the Supreme Court, is hostile to any concession to popular concerns about social inequality, as well as to anything that even remotely resembles a social reform. When the case was argued before the Supreme Court in December, the late Justice Scalia had infamously suggested that black students should attend less advanced and slower-track schools where they would not be pushed ahead in classes that are too fast for them. (See, US Supreme Court justice argues black students should attend inferior schools) During oral arguments, Scalia belligerently declared that he was not impressed by the fact that the University of Texas may have fewer black students if certain affirmative action policies were discontinued. Maybe it ought to have fewer, he said. The dissent of Roberts, Thomas and Alito, which Alito read from the bench, called the majoritys opinion affirmative action gone berserk. Alitos dissent, couched in terms of defending race neutrality, pointed to numerous inconsistencies in the majoritys position. Alito emphasized the fact that the universitys affirmative action policy does not necessarily benefit poorer or disadvantaged students, instead favoring minority students from already privileged backgrounds, top high schools and wealthier families. Alito highlighted the universitys own revealing argument in 2013 that affirmative action was necessary to benefit the African-American or Hispanic child of successful professionals in Dallas. In other words, affirmative action policies are being pursued that dispense entirely with the notion of assisting students from poorer backgrounds. On the same day that the Supreme Court decided the Fisher case, it held by a vote of 5-3 in the case of Birchfield v. North Dakota that police may require that drivers submit to a breathalyzer test without a warrant, while still requiring a warrant for blood tests. This court has never said that mere convenience in gathering evidence justifies an exception to the warrant requirement, Justice Sotomayor wrote in dissent. I fear that if the court continues down this road, the Fourth Amendments warrant requirement will become nothing more than a suggestion. The Supreme Court has nearly completed its current term, and is in the process of issuing decisions in the last remaining cases. A decision is expected today in a lawsuit challenging a 2013 Texas law that imposed sweeping restrictions designed to make it impossible for women to obtain abortions. (See, Texas enacts sweeping abortion restrictions) On Sunday morning the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) shut down the weeklong walkout of 4,800 Twin Cities area nurses against concession demands by Allina Health, the states largest hospital chain. The MNA was forced to call the strike at five hospitals in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area after nurses overwhelmingly rejected cutbacks to their health care coupled with the drive to implement a computer staffing system onto already shorthanded and overburdened nurses. The shutdown of the walkout leaves nurses in the exact same position as when they began the struggle. They still to do not have a contract nearly a month after their last agreement expired on June 1. Allina, which staffed its hospitals with strikebreakers, is continuing its draconian demands. The struggle facing nurses in Minnesota and around the country is far from over. Other sections of nurses in California and Massachusetts, who like the Minnesota nurses are members of local affiliates of the National Nurses United (NNU), are also engaging in limited strikes. However, the fight for improved work conditions, lower nurse-to-patient ratios and the right to universal health care requires an entirely new strategy and organizations of struggle. That conclusion flows directly from the experience of this and previous struggles. There was ample public support, including from teachers and other health care workers, for the striking Twin Cities nurses. Rather than mobilize that support, however, the Minnesota AFL-CIO and the labor bureaucracy isolated the strike, limited it to seven days and subordinated nurses to their political alliance with Governor Mark Dayton and the Democrats (known in Minnesota as the Democratic Farmer Labor Party). When teachers joined strikers on the picket line, Allina immediately threatened to hit the teachers unions with legal sanctions under federal labor law for joining a strike without giving a 10-day notice. Education Minnesota President Denise Specht immediately capitulated to the threat, telling City Pages the union would take extra cautions to make sure that the teachers union, as a labor organization, did not picket Allina hospitals. Meanwhile, state regulators sent by the Dayton administration gave a clean bill of health to treatment of patients by the outside strikebreakers even though patient safety was being blatantly undermined. To justify their demands for sweeping health care concessions, Allina and other hospital chains nationally have pointed to the so-called Cadillac Tax on supposedly overgenerous health care benefits, which is contained in Obamas misnamed Affordable Care Act. The hospitals have pointed to the tax, which goes into effect in 2020, to force nurses to accept substandard health plans with far-higher health care expenses. At the same time, Obamacare is also being used to carry out ruthless cost cutting and a restructuring of for-profit medicine, which will come directly at the expense of health care workers and their patients. This only showed that nurses were engaged in struggle not just against Allina but the courts, the Dayton administration and both big business parties, which serve the interests not of workers but the giant health care monopolies. In the face of this the MNA and other unions did everything to prevent the nurses strike from becoming a catalyst for a far broader mobilization of the working class, which would quickly develop into a direct, political confrontation local, state and federal authorities. While the NNU claims it is coordinating the struggles of nurses in California and Massachusetts in order to create a shortage of replacement nurses, the limited strikes are really aimed at letting nurses blow off steam while disrupting the hospital chains as little as possible. Meanwhile, another 345 Allina workers, members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), are voting on strike action on June 29four days after the completion of the MNA strike! The intransigence of Allina was demonstrated by CEO Penny Wheeler, who told the Star Tribune, Were eager to get back to the bargaining table, but both sides need to be willing to talk about a health plan transition. For its part, the MNA has already offered to set up a joint labor-management committee to discuss replacing the current health care plans with a less costly one. Union officials, the Star Tribune wrote on June 25, dont believe it fair to surrender them without concessions on Allinas side. In other words, the MNA is only looking for some cosmetic gesture from management to help it sell more concessions. Any future negotiations will also be affected by the decision of Obamas National Labor Relations Board, which may include bringing in a federal mediator who could declare an impasse and unilaterally impose managements demands. Earlier this month, the Communications Workers of America (CWA) shut down a seven-week strike by Verizon workers and imposed a deal brokered by the Obamas labor secretary and a federal mediator that imposed sweeping health concessions. In the 2010 contract struggle 12,000 nurses at Allina and other hospital chains in the Twin Cities voted for an open-ended strike to win contract language governing safe staffing ratios. MNA officials quickly called off the strike and in order to cover their betrayal, said they would join the Democrats is pursuing safe staffing ratios in the Minnesota legislature. Six years later, nothing has been accomplished. The alliance between the unions and the Democratic Party is an alliance against the working class. In an effort to conceal the anti-working class character of the Democrats, the MNA and the NNU endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, who denounced the billionaire class for controlling Americas economic and political system. Sanders has now packed in his campaign, announced that he would vote for Hillary Clinton and is trying to convince workers and youth he will work with Clinton, a warmonger and multi-millionaire shill for big business, to transform the Democratic Party into a party of working people at the upcoming Democratic Party convention in Philadelphia. Sanders words, RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of National Nurses United said, were music to everyones ears. In an interview with DemocracyNow! on June 17, DeMoro admitted that the Democratic Partys opposition to a single-payer healthcare system and other issues important to nurses represents the the role of finance in healthcare. She asked rhetorically, So when Senator Sanders says that we have to transform the Democratic Party, we all kind of turn and look at each other and wonder, With Wall Streets money so invested in that party, is that possible any longer? Nevertheless DeMoro insisted, Were staying with Bernie. Were going to fight for our issues through the convention, and were going to continue to fight for our issues. In other words, while acknowledging that the Democratic Party is beholden to Wall Street, hostile to workers and committed to the continuation of a profit-driven health system, the NNU executive is helping Sanders perpetuate the lie that the Democratic Party can be pushed to the left. Nurses cannot defend their livelihoods, work conditions and the right to universal health care if their struggles are subordinated through the NNU and other unions to the Democratic Party. New organizations of struggle and self-representation, controlled by the rank-and-file itself, are needed and a new political strategy that unites the working class in opposition to the capitalist system. The United Steelworkers (USW) announced June 23 that nearly 14,000 steelworkers at ArcelorMittal (AM) facilities in the United States voted to approve a tentative agreement reached by the USW with the worlds largest steelmaker. The three-year deal will attack the jobs, wages, health and retiree benefits of workers in Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Minnesota. The USW reached the deal with ArcelorMittal in late April, and voting has taken place over the last several weeks. Before reaching the tentative agreement, the USW forced AM workers to remain on the job for 10 months after the expiration of their previous contract in August 2015. The USW did the same thing to 18,000 workers at US Steel, while it isolated another 2,200 steelworkers locked out by Allegheny Technologies. Having pushed through the pro-company deals, USW President Leo Gerard announced, Together now we can focus on addressing the industrys real problems, such as global overcapacity and the unfair and often illegal foreign trade practices that depress prices, close plants and cost jobs. In other words, the USW will drop the rhetorical criticisms of the companies it used during negotiations and will return to its main course of business: spewing the nationalist poison of trade war and militarism in order to divide steelworkers internationally and make them more vulnerable to global attack on their jobs and living standards. While the USW claimed workers overwhelmingly supported the agreement, in reality the balloting was largely a vote of no confidence in the USW, which workers understood would do nothing to win any improvements from the company. According to vote totals released by the USW, more than 50 percent of ArcelorMittal workers did not even cast ballots on the contract. The USW reports 5,059 ballots in favor, and 1,878 against, which, when abstentions are considered, amounts to 36 percent in favor, 13 percent opposed, and 51 percent abstaining. The contract freezes wages for three years, amounting to a cut in real wages, in exchange for a worthless bonus offered only if the price of hot rolled steel nearly doubles to $600 a ton. The deal also gives the company the green light to continue the destruction of jobs. The company plans to idle its 84-inch hot strip mill at Indiana Harbor West, its No. 2 steel shop and No. 2 aluminizing line, and No 5. continuous galvinizing line at Indiana Harbor East. The USW disingenuously claims that the shutdowns will not result in layoffs because displaced workers can be transferred, while the company expects a sufficient number of workers to retire in the next few years. In the end, however, this will lead to net job cuts. Workers and retirees also a face steep rise in health care costs from new in-network deductible fees and other increases. They will shoulder 10 percent of the cost of medical care while out-of-pocket annual maximums rise to $1,250 per family for retirees, and from $1,000 per family to $3,000 per family for active workers. Retirees are being pushed onto the Medicare Advantage health care plans, which partially shift costs from the company to the government. Monthly premiums for retirees also increase from $70 to $100. ArcelorMittal historically has contributed $25 million per quarter to the Voluntary Retiree Beneficiary Association (VEBA), the partially USW-administered retiree health care fund. Under the new contract, the company will make no payments whatsoever until 2018, at which point it will begin paying a fixed fraction of quarterly earnings. This provision will starve the retiree health fund, making it inevitable that the USW will impose further cuts to retiree health care. The contract creates a two-tier benefit system, eliminating defined-benefit retiree health care for new hires in exchange for a $0.50 per hour company contribution to a 401(k) plan. Workers and retirees responded angrily on social media to the ratification announcement. Yaaa we got a whole lot of nothing. Higher deductible in coinsurance. Which means next time everyone will be paying. No raise no nothing while the cost of living keeps going up, wrote Ben Stone on the USW Local 6878 Facebook page. Oh hooray, retires now r on medicare part d for prescription drugs..I guess thats better than nothing after all I gave up my right lung for those pricks, wrote John Pollock, a retiree, on the same Facebook page. Other comments suggested the possibility of ballot fraud. 2/3s again? All that I can remember have passed by 2/3. Cmon, pick a new number! wrote Paula Deiotte. WSWS reporters discussed the contract with workers at the Indiana Harbor plant in East Chicago, Indiana before final tallying of the vote. We didnt get anything. Its the same thing all the time, said one worker who asked not to be named. The USW deliberately isolated steelworkers from each other and hundreds of thousands in auto, telecommunications, and other industries who faced or still face contract battles in 2015-2016. The USW, the AFL-CIO and the Change to Win labor federations worked with the Obama administration to prevent a feared upsurge of working-class militancy, as workers sought to recoup their losses since the 2008 financial crisis. In July 2015, USW President Leo Gerard, who sits on Obamas corporate competitiveness board, and other union executives held a White House meeting with the president to discuss how to suppress an expected wages push by workers. The enormous Indiana Harbor plant, which employs over 4,000 workers, sits next to the BP Whiting oil refinery. Workers at that facility struck for three months as part of a partial strike called by the USW at facilities in Texas, California, Washington, Ohio and Illinois. Although Northwest Indiana has the highest concentration of steelworkers in the US, the USW did not call out any of them to defend striking oil refinery workers An Indiana Harbor steelworker expressed no confidence in the USWs ability to lead a genuine struggle for a better contract, referring to the USWs betrayal of the 2015 oil workers strike. Look what happened to the BP oil refinery workersthey struck and were out there all winter, and what did they gain? Nothing. Even as the USW made verbal criticisms of ArcelorMittals relentless and endless attempts to reverse decades of collective bargaining progress, the USW deliberately kept AM and US Steel workers on the job without new contracts, while isolating locked-out Allegheny Technologies workers. Finally, after announcing the ArcelorMittal contract agreement on April 27, the USW waited to hold informational meetings and begin the voting process in earnest until after the Communications Workers of America and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers had shut down the seven-week strike by 39,000 Verizon telecom workers. Like all the other contracts pushed through by the unions, the Verizon contractbrokered by Obamas labor secretary and a federal mediatorcontained major health care concessions, a virtual freeze in real wages and more job cuts. Only after months of the divide-and-conquer tactics was the USW able to push this contract onto ArcelorMittal workers. The USW is now ramping up its efforts, in collaboration with steel companies and the Democratic Party, to impose trade war measures against China. It has played a leading role in numerous anti-dumping trade lawsuits aimed at preventing foreign steel, primarily form China, from entering the US market. The USW hailed a June 22 International Trade Commission decision to penalize Chinese and Japanese steel imports to the United States. These trade war measures serve to pit US workers against their brothers and sisters in China and across the world even as the global capitalist crisis is leading to the destruction of 1.5 million steel and coal jobs in China. The ultimate logic of this trade war is a shooting war with China. Workers must draw the lessons of this struggle and recognize the USW and the rest of the trade unions as adjuncts of the corporations and the government whose major function is not to unite workers but to divide them. Workers should elect factory committees, answerable only to the rank-and-file, not the corporations and their company unions, to represent and defend themselves against the coming attacks on their jobs and living standards. No real struggle is possible unless workers reject the economic nationalism of the USW and other unions and their subordination of the working class to the Democratic Party and the profit interests of the giant corporations and banks. On Thursday, a raucous and angry public meeting of Detroit teachers and Detroit Public Schools (DPS) parents was held at Renaissance High School to discuss the legislative agreement to dissolve the Detroit Public School system as of June 30. The event was sponsored by Detroit Democratic state representatives and followed the decision of Michigan Republican Governor Rick Snyder to sign the series of reorganization bills on Tuesday. The unprecedented plan secures the interests of Wall Street bondholders while setting the stage for the privatization of the district, the growth of edu-businesses and a class-based school system. The event was hosted by Detroit Democratic caucus member Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, a former teacher who has functioned as a mouthpiece for the Detroit Federation of Teachers (DFT) bureaucracy. Throughout the last year, she has utilized her office in an attempt to co-opt the teacher sickouts and damp down opposition to the new company-old company reorganization. Snyders appointed DPS transitional manager Judge Stephen Rhodes was the featured speaker at the event. He was welcomed by Detroit Democrats who sought to package the unprecedented assault on education as a fresh start. The former bankruptcy judge has now been repeatedly parachuted into politically manipulated debt crises for the purpose of imposing draconian cuts on the working classfirst in the Detroit municipal bankruptcy, then in Puerto Rico and now in the DPS. Rhodes topic was the budget of the Detroit Community School District. Drastically underfunded, the district is basically stillborn. Moreover, all major decisions will be made under the dictatorial control of Detroit bankruptcys Financial Review Commission. Joining Rhodes on the panel was Clark Hill attorney Reginald Turner, who detailed the states new measures to victimize teachers engaging in work stoppages or sickouts. DPS Interim Superintendent Alicia Meriweather rounded out the group. The Detroit caucus Democrats spent most of meeting telling the audience of approximately 250 parents and teachers to move on from their entirely justified anger. Brian Banks (Democrat-Detroit) went further, literally denouncing teachers for not voting in sufficient numbers and attacking our caucus members on Facebook. His tirade concluded with repeated shouts of If you dont live in Detroit and if you dont vote Democratic, you have no right to complain. The sustained campaign over the last year by Democrats, Republicans and the teachers union to support the dissolution of the district and its privatization has alienated the majority of educators. Recognizing the hostility of the crowd, about half of which was teachers, the meeting began with a written list of rules indicating that no one would be allowed to speak and that violators would be removed. Democratic representative Sherry Gay-Dagnogo attempted to cajole the audience. It doesnt mean were not angry, but it is what the law is. We, as a people, know how to make lemonade out of lemons, how to persevere, she insultingly told the group. After all, Gay-Dagnogo counseled, We have to put our weapons down sometime. In point of fact, she, the Democratic Party and the teachers unions werefar from opponents of the liquidation of the DPSall vociferous partisans of the Snyder legislation for the dissolution of the 174-year old school district. The only weapons which Gay-Dagnogo utilized were directed against teachers. This was literally the case, as she called on DPS police to threaten with handcuffs and physically eject two audience members because they insisted on speaking. Sitting in the audience silently complicit was DFT executive vice president Terrence Martin. The union has signed on to the deal, grateful to Rhodes & Co. to remain in the dues-collection and bargaining business. Adding insult to injury, on Friday the union emailed the membership that ongoing contract negotiations will include further cuts to their heath care. The panel explained that the Detroit Community School District has the right to hire uncertified/nonendorsed teachers, the State Reform/Redesign Office will close failing schools (a list will appear in September of those potential closures), and class sizes will not be cut, but remain at 38 students per class in grade 6-12. Clark Hill attorney Reginald Turner described the punitive system of fines under the new law, stating that employees will bear the burden of proof of innocence, an unusual situation. He also stated that teachers and administrators will be hired based on performance and accomplishments not steps and lanes, explaining that the law will actually prohibit taking degrees and length of service into account, with the sole exception being advanced degrees in a teachers subject matter. Gay-Dagnogo feigned concern for the fate of public education, saying, I cried yesterday. But she moved right on to introduce financial hatchet man Judge Rhodes in the warmest possible tones. He has been nothing but kind to me so far, she stated. For his part, Rhodes said the new district would provide the best education possible in a financial sustainable model. This prompted angry shouts from the audience of with uncertified teachers. The crowd became especially vocal when he told them that their Termination Incentive Pay money was not included in the repayment of debt and would have to be negotiated with the next school board. Rhodes claimed that any teacher retiring between now and January would be repaid, but that the dissolved DPS district was not legally responsible in subsequent years. These TIP loans to the district of nearly $10,000 per teacher were negotiated in one of the more egregious giveaways by the DFT by former president Keith Johnson, with the assistance of AFT national president Randi Weingarten in 2009. Rhodes also explained that out of the $150 million being loaned to the district for start-up costs, only $25 million will be allocated to the new district. All building repairs and maintenance will have to be paid for out of this grossly inadequate portion. In other words, thousands of DPS students will be condemned to another year in unsanitary, moldy, and unsafe buildingsnot to mention that very little if anything will be allocated to lead abatement and the removal of old water delivery systems. Public education, both locally and internationally, is being targeted by the for-profit industry aligned with both Democrats and Republicans. Nationally this effort has been spearheaded by the Obama administration. The determination of teachers and parents to defend public education in Detroit requires drawing a balance sheet on the struggles of the last year. In the aftermath of the independently organized campaign of sickouts last winter, the political powers-that-beDemocrats, Republicans, Wall Street and the unionsstaged a counteroffensive. This assault was coordinated at the highest levelsfrom the Obama administration and his education secretary John B. King, Jr. to Michigan Governor Snyder on down. Judge Rhodes, a highly sophisticated operative already tested by the financial oligarchy, was maneuvered into position. The Democratic and Republican legislators played their predictable parts, the big business foundations weighed in, phony community meetings were heldit was a highly choreographed affair. But the most insidious role of all was played by the DFT/AFT. The union sought at every critical point to undermine the independent actions of teachers and channel their efforts back into support for the Democratic Party. From the beginning they were prepared to accept any dealnoncertified teachers, charterization of the district, punitive fines for teachersas long as their well-heeled hierarchy maintained a seat at the table. Enough is enough. The Socialist Equality Party and the WSWS Teacher Newsletter urge teachers to draw these critical lessons and begin to form rank-and-file committees independent of the unions and big business politicians to prepare for the next round of struggles. Above all, what is required is a new political perspective that rejects the demand that public education, and all rights of workers, be subordinated the insatiable profit appetites of Wall Street. Teachers, their coworkers, parents and the entire working class must unite on a genuine socialist program. This is message of the SEPs presidential campaign of Jerry White and Niles Niemuth. Six months after the December 20 elections failed to produce a government, yesterdays elections confirmed the deep popular disaffection and the collapse of the two-party system that has dominated the Spanish political life since the collapse of the fascist Franco regime in 1978. With 98 percent of the votes counted, the conservative Popular Party (PP) has won the elections with 33 percent of the vote, obtaining 137 seats, still far from the 176 seats necessary for an absolute majority in the 350-seat parliament. The Socialist Party (PSOE) came second, with its worst electoral results since the first post-Franco elections in 1977, with 22 percent of the vote and 85 seats. The pseudo-left Unidos Podemos (UP) alliance of Podemos and the Stalinist-led United Left (IU) parties got 21 percent and 71 seats, the same result as the last elections. The right-wing Citizens party won 13 percent and 32 seats. The nationalists and separatists from Catalonia (CDC and the ERC), the Basque country (PNV and EH Bildu) and the Canary Islands (CC) sum up 25 seats. The results are also marked by record levels of abstention, with 32 percent of the electorate abstaining, a particularly clear indication of the deep unpopularity of the regime. Despite deep social opposition to austerity, to the EU and militarism among masses of working people, no party has emerged that speaks to this sentiment. It is particularly humiliating for the Unidos Podemos led by Pablo Iglesias, the coalition put together by the Stalinist-led United Left and Podemos after the December 2015 elections to overpass the PSOE. Not only have they failed in this, but they lost one million votes compared to December, a sign that UP is increasingly not seen as an alternative, particularly among youth. The results heighten the political crisis in Spain. Whichever coalition of parties is cobbled together to form a new government, it will be dedicated to imposing even more savage attacks against the working class. During the election campaign, the major four parties expressed their commitment to imposing austerity and carrying out the dictates of the European Union. As in Greece under Syrizas Alexis Tsipras, or Francois Hollandes Socialist Party in France, the next government intends to use the security forces to try to suppress the resistance of workers and youth to the ever-escalating attacks on democratic and social rights. Who will head such a government is open to question, with possible governments ranging from a PP-Citizens government with the abstention of the PSOE during the government investiture, to a grand coalition between the PSOE and the PP, or an independent technocratic government. A so-called government of change between the PSOE-UP would require the support of Catalan and Basque nationalists, conditioned on Spain supporting a referendum in independence in Cataloniaan option which the PSOE has refused until now. Any government emerging out of this highly fragmented parliament will be weak, divided, deeply unpopular, and committed to austerity and militarism. If the ruling class is able to prepare such a confrontation it is due to a great extent due to the role played by the UP. The UP is a coalition between the Stalinist-led United Left and Podemos under Iglesias. Podemos, founded in January 2014, grew its electoral influence by exploiting deep-seated hostility to the political establishment and EU austerity policies. However, it proved to be another pseudo-left trap to divert growing social anger, articulating the interests of layers of the middle and upper middle class. On austerity, Podemos has repeated as examples of good governance its mayors of change in Barcelona and Madrid, where Podemos-led political fronts have cut public spending and the debt. The agreement between Podemos and the United Left commits the coalition to a slower deficit reduction. Responding to the growing geo-political tensions throughout the world, Podemos has made clear its pro-militarist stance and readiness to defend Spains role in NATO. It included former General and Chief of Staff Julio Rodriguez in its electoral lists, an unprecedented move in a country where the working class has suffered under a military dictatorship in living memory. During the last month, from its demagogic critiques of the caste and the oligarchy, referring to the PSOE and the PP, the UP has based its strategy wholeheartedly with forming a government with the PSOE, the oldest party in Spain and the main ruling party in the post-Franco era. This is the party that embraced NATO, entered Spain into the EU, supported the neo-colonial wars in Libya and Afghanistan, and associated with the first post-2008 economic crisis austerity measures under Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whom Iglesias dubbed the best Prime Minister in Spanish history. The pseudo-left forces orbiting around or integrated in Podemos like the Pabloite Anti-capitalists (Anticapitalistas), In Struggle (En Lucha) and the Militant (El Militante) have responded to Podemos rightward shift by further integrating themselves into it. In yesterdays elections, they called for workers and youth to support UP, aiming to subordinate workers to a pro-austerity UP-PSOE government and disarm them in front of the advancing social counterrevolution. Contrary to assertions that the end of the Franco regime inaugurated an unprecedented period in Spanish history, marked by social prosperity and political stability, the current period is one of intensification of the class struggle, as social tensions erupt across Europe. The ground is being prepared for an explosive confrontation between the workers and youth and a government committed to attacks on the workers. Angry teachers, parents and community members spoke with World Socialist Web Site reporters at the June 23 town hall meeting held at Renaissance High School. The crowd was palpably hostile to the appearance of transitional manager Judge Rhodes, the Detroit municipal bankruptcy hatchet man who is reprising his former role. It is not lost on educators that Rhodes vacated the Michigan constitution to destroy pensions and that he is again conspiring alongside the Democrats, Republicans and unions in securing the interests of Wall Street at the expense of workers and young people. Rhodes was repeatedly heckled by the crowd, especially when he stated that he was in favor of the best education for Detroit youngsters that was financially sustainable. When he announced that Detroiters could make suggestions for an informal name for the new school districtan insulting and condescending gesturehe was met with derision by the crowd. The Democrats on the stage unsuccessfully attempted to distance themselves from the attacks, claiming, We didnt write the law. This didnt convince many, because the panel completely solidarized themselves with the reorganization. We wish there were more money, said lawyer Reginald Turner, claiming nothing more could be done. Teachers and workers, on the other hand, in many conversations with the WSWS, linked the reorganization of Detroit Public Schools (DPS) district with the national drive for turning education into a profitable business, a process that has dramatically accelerated under the Obama administration. Wilena Stafford attended the informational meeting out of concern for her daughter, Selena, a student at Renaissance High School. Stafford said, There needs to be a complete overhaul of the education system from top to bottom. They should not be allowed to do away with certified teachers. Since they made it a law, it will be enforced. My family is from Georgia and the school systems there are also all torn apart. Its charters. The public schools are being dismantled in the same way. My family are all scrambling to find decent schools. Its a worldwide epidemic. Now they are making money with prisons and schools. Its a shame its come to that. None of it is about whats right for humanity. Its all about the echelon on top. Judge Rhodes is basically working for the 1 percent, not for the betterment of people. It is a very political move. They are like King Kong walking through the villages, destroying as he went. Its sadour children wont have the childhood we had. Cassandra Davis, a speech pathologist with 24 years at DPS, said, There is money in education now. Its gone from a socialist endeavor to a capitalist endeavor. Of course, the capitalists are your legislators, your 1 percenters, the people who pull the strings. They dont care about these kids. How can you offer educational initiatives that dont involve educators? The people on the ground who are working with the kids know what is best for them. But they are not listening to us because they really dont care. There were a lot of words at the meeting but no real information. I had a ton of questions, including on the TIP [Termination Incentive Plan] money, which teachers were supposed to get back once you separate from the district, said Davis, referring to the loans negotiated by former Detroit Federation of Teachers President Keith Johnson that forced each teacher to give the district $250 per paycheck until they retired. So technically we have separated from the district [since it is dissolved June 30]. Are they going to honor our agreement and give us our $9,000 in deferred wages back? she asked. I do question how we can come up with millions of dollars for the military and come up short for education, observed a newly retired DPS educator. The reason for the sickouts was that education was being run for profit, not for the sake of educating children. We were standing up and protesting for the right to education. Denzel said, First they ramshackled the schools. Then when they started with the good company-bad company idea, they were injecting corporate interests into the public school. Public education is not a business, it is a right and a service that should be equal and exceptional for every kid, no matter where they live or who they are. Now they are talking about the balanced budget and getting people to run the schools with business acumen. This is running them like a business. It may seem harmless to the general public, but this lends itself to the for-profit corporate model that we see throughout the country, like New Orleans. Referring to the mildly different Democratic-sponsored variants on the DPS reorganization, Denzel said, Even the bills they were negotiatingincluding the folks on the stage theredid not have enough money for the schools. What does this say about the future? To me, the folks who advocated this want an all-charter system in Detroit. You are saying we live in a democracy, but they forced this through a major cityI dont think so. A former General Motors worker said, There is no way at the end of the day that kids here are going to be able to survive. I dont think its the teachers fault. They are dedicated and hardworking, but they need the tools. Marcy Taylor, a special education teacher at DPS, explained, I had all different students who were autistic and emotionally impaired. I quit in February after 21 years because there was too much uncertainty and stress. It was the stress every single day from knowing whats happening to your livelihood. Every other day I was having nosebleeds because my blood pressure was going up. I was feeling abused. There was no caring about what was truly going on with the kids. I am also a DPS parent. I supported the teacher sickouts because of the things going on in the schools like the lack of supplies. I had a beautiful building with a beautiful maintenance crew. But there are other buildings I used to work at such as Harding, which is closed now, where I had to clean out my own room and fumigate my classroom every Friday before leaving on the weekend. It was horrible. Those conditions do exist in some of the schools and its discouraging. There is a lot of inequality. When I went to school we had a lot of opportunities. We had college prep courses, we had music and we had dance. Detroit schools used to be the best in the country. It didnt matter where you went to school, you still had a quality education. We dont have that anymore. Referring to the spread of charter schools within DPS, Taylor said, They call them networks within the district, but they are charters. They want to make all the schools charters. The official from New Orleans [Paul Pastorek, former Louisiana school superintendent and school policy adviser to Michigan Governor Snyder] has been here since the fall. Why do we have someone here who made New Orleans a 100 percent charter school system? Theres a reason for that. When the letter was leaked in December about making 13 schools charters, Governor Snyder said that he didnt know anything about it. Yet he did. He had things in place. Everything was in the making. What they planned, they are doing. Former emergency manager Robert Bobb reduced the teachers contract from 300 pages to 30. He took everything out that pertained to money. So what did we have left to bargain for? Teachers cannot even bargain the calendar. Health care was taken out. Its really sad when you see whats going on, and where it is leading. How is this good for kids? Rachel, a parent of children attending Detroit Public Schools said, It is a sad day for DPS. The buildings are falling apart. It is all about money, the haves and have-nots. There is a boom in construction, but the programs that would help young people get off the street are being cut. Aliya Moore, who has two children in DPS, said she found the whole meeting disrespectful. Were always expected to be civil when theyre raping us, basically. The bankruptcy was garbage. The illusion they been giving us is that Judge Rhodes fixed the city, but he cut pensions and privatized. He tried to privatize the Detroit Institute of Arts and people said, Hell no, leave our art alone, youve got to find another way. A lot of parents feel the same way about the schools. I was excited about the sickouts. I supported them. I pulled my kids out of school and we protested. But they try to divide us, even as parents, by shifting things one way and telling us what to believe and what not to believe, then this is what happens. The National Party government announced on June 20 that New Zealands military deployment in Iraq would be extended by 18 months. The 143 soldiers stationed in Iraq were due to return next May, but will now remain until at least November 2018. The extension is in response to a request by the Obama administration, which recently asked for an increased contribution from about 60 coalition partners in the war in Iraq and Syria. Until recently, Prime Minister John Key had repeatedly insisted that the troops would be in Iraq for only two years. In an interview with TV3 following the initial deployment last year, Key said, This is about making a contribution and leaving ... we could be in the Middle East forever if we dont take that approach. Now the government has indicated that even the new end date may be pushed back, meaning New Zealand forces could well remain indefinitely. The decision to join the Obama administrations renewed US war in Iraq in May 2015 was completely anti-democratic and in defiance of widespread anti-war sentiment. Prior to the September 2014 election, Key publicly supported the war but said he was unlikely to send troops. The extension was cynically justified on the pretext of fighting terrorism. Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee absurdly told a press conference, Were not insulated from the sort of thing that we saw in Orlando, referring to the mass shooting of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida. There is no evidence the gunman was directed by ISIS; he appears to have been driven mainly by psychological problems, including hatred of homosexuals, fuelled by his own conflicted sexuality, and apparent racism. The US-led intervention is an imperialist operation aimed at securing hegemony over Iraq, Syria and the entire Middle East. ISIS itself is the product of Washingtons criminal wars: the CIA and US allies including Qatar, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, funding and arming Al Qaeda-linked militias as proxies in wars for regime change in Libya and Syria. Now the US-backed Iraqi governments forces and Shia militias are reportedly carrying out sectarian massacres against Sunni populations as they re-take territory from ISIS. Key told the media he had turned down a US request to send elite Special Air Service (SAS) commandos to Iraq. Instead, New Zealand troops would continue in a non-combat role, providing training for the Iraqi Army at the Taji and Besmaya military camps. The mission is shrouded in secrecy, however, and the governments assertions must be treated with great scepticism. Only 16 of the 143 soldiers initially deployed were specialist trainers, with the rest described as support forces. Speaking to the Waatea 5th Estate TV program, investigative journalist Jon Stephenson said it was likely NZ soldiers and intelligence agents were working as part of the kill chain, helping with intelligence relating to air strikes and other activities. For several years, New Zealands Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) spy agency has worked alongside the Defence Force to help identify targets for US air strikes in Afghanistan and Pakistan. This role was kept secret and only revealed by journalist Nicky Hager in 2011, in his book Other People s Wars, based on leaked Defence Force documents. In 2014, US journalist Jeremy Scahill confirmed that New Zealand was directly involved with what is effectively an American assassination program, including drone strikes in Yemen. Earlier this month Defence Minister Brownlee announced a separate six-month deployment of up to 40 Defence Force personnel and an air force Hercules plane to work with Australian forces, ostensibly to transport goods and personnel in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other parts of the world. No other details have been released about the mission. The opposition Labour Party criticised the extended deployment in Iraq, but the party supports the US intervention and has openly proposed that the GCSB could assist in planning air strikes in Iraq. Leader Andrew Little has also stated that he would be open to sending the SAS to Iraq as part of a UN-mandated mission. Speaking to Radio NZ, Little said he opposed the training mission because the Iraq Army was not as effective at fighting ISIS as the counter-terrorism service, the Shia militias and the Kurds. Asked whether Labour would withdraw the troops if it wins next years election, Little declined to make a definitive statement, adding that Labour might re-deploy soldiers as so-called peacekeepers instead. Following a recent visit to Iraq, Little told TV3 he saw some great stuff happening in Camp Taji, great work that our folks are doing out there. Calling for an expanded war, he stated that the world had to push back against ISIS in Iraq, Libya, Syria and other parts of the Middle East. The 19992008 Labour government cemented military and intelligence ties with Washington by sending troops to Afghanistan and Iraq, despite initially claiming to oppose the US invasion of Iraq. A re-elected Labour government will behave in the same way. The Green Party, which has spoken against the extended deployment in Iraq, supported New Zealands participation in the war in Afghanistan. The Greens recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Labour and the parties hope to form a coalition government after the 2017 election. New Zealands pseudo-left groups, the International Socialist Organisation, Fightback and Socialist Aotearoa, have remained silent on the governments latest announcement and Labours pro-war statements. These groups support the US-backed militias in Syria, fraudulently painting them as the leaders of a revolution against the Assad regime (see: Socialist Aotearoa supports US-led war in Syria). Every party in parliament, including the Greens, supports the $20 billion in military spending announced in the recent Defence White Paper, aimed at strengthening military interoperability with the US and Australia. The spending will further integrate New Zealand into the US preparations for war, particularly against China, in exchange for Washingtons backing for NZ neo-colonial interventions in the South Pacific. The author also recommends: New Zealand Defence White Paper prepares for war [17 June] Socialism and the Fight Against War: Build an International Movement of the Working Class and Youth Against Imperialism! [18 February 2016] Nurses unions across the country are shutting down a series of key strikes by thousands of nurses, in some cases calling the strikes off before they have even begun. Thirteen hundred nurses at Kaiser Permanentes Los Angeles Medical Center will return to work without a contract on Monday after the four-day strike ended on Sunday. LAMC workers have been working without a contract for six years. In Minneapolis, the Minnesota Nurses Association is sending 5,000 nurses back to work without a contract. In both Los Angeles and Minneapolis, nurses have gone on strike against unsafe staffing levels, skyrocketing corporate profits, and dangerous cost-cutting that harms patient care. In Watsonville, California, the California Nurses Association called off a planned two-day strike of 300 nurses, announcing a tentative agreement on June 22 that forces nurses to return to work before voting on the deal. In Boston, the Massachusetts Nurses Association blocked a strike by 3,330 nurses at Brigham and Womens Hospital. The corporation said they were extremely pleased with the tentative agreement, which was reached by the MNA after a 15-hour bargaining session announced the day before the strike was set to begin. MNA Chair Trish Powers said she was so proud and so happy that we avoided this strike, but did not explain why nurses should support a deal that the corporation is extremely pleased with. The nurses unions moves to halt the strike movement exposes the fact that the union does not represent the interests of nurses, and is only trying to keep peace between the multi-million dollar company and its exploited workforce. In announcing beforehand that the strikes would last only two, four, and seven days in Watsonville, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis, the union allowed the companies to plan around the strikes with minimal profit loss. The World Socialist Web Site spoke with nurses on the picket line who expressed a deep desire to continue their struggle against the health conglomerates. Xochitl, a nurse with 31 years of service, said: This nursing strike is part of a bigger labor movement sweeping across America. Speaking before the strikes were brought to a halt, she said, Currently there are 10,000 RNs all across America standing up for safe patient care and against the greed of corporate health care. Many nurses on the picket line had traveled from the Bay Area, some 300 miles away, to support their Southern California counterparts. Our brothers and sisters are not getting respect from Kaiser, said Joseph, a nurse from Northern California, who said that alongside grievances like short-staffing and cost-cutting, many nurses are frustrated that health care is not free and universal for all: A lot of patients come to a point where they decide, do I live or do I die because they cant afford to buy their medication. Were supposed to be the best country in the world, but thats a lie, because peopleincluding veteranscant afford to live. Another Northern California nurse, April, said: Kaiser makes billions. Health care should be a human right. Just because you dont have money doesnt mean your life should be less valuable than a millionaires. When a homeless person comes into the hospital, we give him the same treatment and care that we would give a CEO. Many nurses expressed this sentiment, which reveals as lies the claims by Kaiser that nurses are selfish and are harming patient care by going on strike. Adam and April both stated they were elected Democratic Party delegates who were strong supporters of Bernie Sanders. Adam, like many workers across the country, said he cannot support Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump in Novembers presidential election, and would still refuse to vote for Clinton even if Sanders made his endorsement formal. Xochitl, who works at LAMC, pointed to police lingering by the picket line, and said, Even though they say this is the land of the free, the US is instrumental in suppressing labor around the world. It is disgusting and it all takes place under the pretense of the flag. Xochitl explained that the struggle of nurses against Kaiser was not just a US problem but a global phenomenon. Xochitl, like many nurses, has followed closely the massacre carried out in the Mexican state of Oaxaca this month of striking teachers fighting to defend the right to public education: Look at whats happening in Oaxaca, Xochitl said. You get killed for protesting. Another nurse, Gina, said: We are one step from being like Mexicans. These corporations will resort to violence against us. I saw the violent acts the teachers had to face in Oaxaca. Gina is also following the US elections, and said I would only vote for Clinton with Sanders as her vice president. She is going to lead us into war. The comments of nurses who are following international developments, and are eager to put an end to social inequality, give a sense of the role of the trade unions in attempting to direct these sentiments back into the Democratic Party. But nurses are coming into conflict with the attempts to block their struggle against corporations like Kaiser, Allina, and Brigham and Womens. The outcome of the referendum on UK membership of the European Union (EU) is a cataclysmic event in British, European and world politics that heralds a period of immense instability and political turmoil. It is quite clear that neither Prime Minister David Cameron in instigating a referendum, nor those promoting a Leave vote, had given any serious thought as to the consequences of a vote to exit the EU. Now, in the aftermath of the vote, the British bourgeoisie is staggering about as it tries to pick up the pieces while the situation spirals out of control. The scale of the crisis is indicated by the remarks of the Financial Times chief economic commentator Martin Wolf, who wrote, This is probably the most disastrous single event in British history since the second world war. His colleague, Gideon Rachman, warned that the full scale disintegration of the EU is now a real possibility. Not only the EU, but the UK itself is in danger of breaking apart. With a majority Remain vote in Scotland, the Scottish National Party is pressing for a second independence referendum and seeking talks with Brussels and EU member states. In Northern Ireland, where the referendum vote was polarized along Republican and Unionist lines, the most severe crisis since the formal end of the civil war in 1998 is looming. The Leave vote has not only precipitated a leadership contest in the Conservative Party, but also a right-wing rebellion by the Blairites in the Labour Party, who have called a no confidence vote, backed by 11 resignations from the shadow cabinet, aimed at removing Jeremy Corbyn as party leader. Both parties could split, amid speculation of a snap general election. In Europe, the fear is of contagion. Leading figures such as Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, insist there must be no delay in Britain invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to formally initiate exit proceedings, so as to limit financial damage and impose a harsh settlement on Britain that will serve as an example to others. Far-right forces are now demanding referenda in their own countries, including the National Front in France and similar parties in Slovakia, Poland, Italy, the Netherlands, Denmark and elsewhere. Geopolitical relations have been destabilised. Without Britain anchored in Europe, relations between France and a far more powerful Germany will deteriorate. Equally, relations between the EU and the United Statesfor which Britain provided a bridgewill be thrown into flux. There is widespread shock and anger at the Brexit outcome in the UK, even among some who voted for leaving the EU. Amid dire warnings of economic catastrophe and the boost the referendum gave to right-wing, anti-immigrant nationalists, millions fear for the future. A petition is circulating that has gained some three million votes for another referendum to be held. Within hours it became apparent that Leave voters had been sold a bill of goods, with UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage and leading right-wing Tory Leave campaigner Iain Duncan Smith admitting that their promise to funnel EU funds into Britains National Health Service was a lie. The only certainty in this situation is that the assault on the working class will be intensified, as the ruling elite demand greater sacrifices in the national interest. Anger at the result is most pronounced among the younger generation, who voted overwhelmingly to Remain. Like many thoughtful workers and middle-class professionals, they did so not because they are part of an out of touch elite, but because they were repelled by the xenophobia of the Leave leaders and the encouragement they provided to the extreme right, as exemplified by the political assassination of Labour MP Jo Cox just one week before the ballot. Their entirely healthy belief that a broader European community, guaranteeing freedom of movement, is more progressive than Little Englander chauvinism is now being exploited by leading Labourites and Tories with calls for the result to be overturned by various mechanisms. However, those politicians and media pundits beating their breast over the Brexit vote cannot explain why the EU project proved so vastly unpopular. They are unable to do so because the Remain campaign, in its depiction of the EU as a force for good, was no less dishonest than its Leave opponents. The Leave vote was a cry of social distress, particularly from the poorest layers of workers, who know that the European Union has been no less ruthless in its attacks on the working class than the Tories in Britain, above all in its destruction of Greece. The Remain campaigns eulogies to the EU, citing the authority of world leaders and bankers, could never attract support among those who have suffered most from years of austerity and unemployment. The result is not simply or primarily the outcome of a political miscalculation by Cameron, or the reactionary propaganda of Farage, Boris Johnson and company. More fundamentally, it emerges out of the failure of the post-war project of European unification. Integration was an attempt by the ruling classes of the continent, with the support of the United States, to prevent a new eruption of national conflicts that had twice plunged the world into all-out war. However, unity within the framework of capitalism could never mean anything other than the domination of the most powerful nations and corporations over the continent and its peoples. The fracturing of the EU along national lines that is now taking place is once again driving inexorably towards world war. But the EU cannot be put back together again. The Brexit result has made manifest a broader crisis that is insoluble within capitalism because it is rooted in the fundamental contradiction between the integrated character of the global economy and the division of the world into antagonistic nation states based on private ownership of the means of production. Europe must be united. However, this cannot be done on a progressive basis through efforts to preserve the moribund institutions of the EU or other bureaucratic mechanisms. The progressive and democratic unification of Europe can be achieved only from below, through a revolutionary struggle for socialism across the continent led by the working class. The urgent task is the unification of the European working class in the struggle for the United Socialist States of Europe. The Socialist Equality Party advocated an active boycott of the referendum, explaining that neither the Leave nor Remain camps spoke for the working class. The Labour Party and the Trades Union Congress lined up behind the EU, while the advocates of a Left Leave vote sided with the ultranationalists of the Tory right and UKIP. It was this comprehensive political betrayal that allowed the right wing to dominate opposition to the EU. The most important challenge taken up by the SEP was to oppose the purveyors of left nationalism. The Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party and other pseudo-left groups did everything they could to chloroform the working class as to the dangers from the right. They advocated a Leave vote on the spurious grounds that a split in the Tory Party would lay the basis for Camerons replacement by Johnson and hasten the election of a Corbyn-led Labour government. It has taken less than 48 hours for this scenario to fall apart, with Corbyns endless capitulations to the right wing ending in an attempted palace coup. A particular warning must be taken from the role played by George Galloway, who allied openly with UKIP and declared his opposition to the free movement of labour within Europe. His proclamation of June 23 as Britains Independence Day is a crossing of the Rubicon. Not just Galloway, but an entire section of the pseudo-left is making its passage into the camp of nationalist reaction. The full significance of the stand taken by the SEP will become ever clearer. Based on a concrete analysis of the balance of class forces, informed and guided by historically derived Marxist principles, the SEP expressed the position that a politically conscious, independent working-class movement must take. In doing so, we laid down a marker for the future and helped open a new political road for the working class. The campaign for an active boycott must now be developed into a positive policythrough the struggle for a socialist and internationalist perspective in Britain and throughout Europe and the building of Socialist Equality Parties as sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International. By Xu Xiujun, deputy director of International Politics and Economics Department, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; cartoon drawing by Liao Tingting Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the 16th meeting of the SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) Council of Heads of State convened in Tashkent, capital city of Uzbekistan, on July 24. This is the highlight of Xis Eurasian trip. He delivered a speech titled, Upholding the "Shanghai Spirit, consolidating unity and mutual trust, and comprehensively deepening the SCO cooperation and proposed a five-point proposal on its future development. Xi presided at the third meeting among heads of state including Russia, Mongolia and China, holding bilateral meetings with leaders attending the Tashkent summit and reached broad consensus. 2016 marks the 15th anniversary of the founding of the SCO. The Tashkent summit links the past and future. The SCO launched an expansion process officially for the first time, and approved the SCO Development Strategy by 2025, the Implementation Action Plan (20162020) and other documents, opening a new chapter for SCO history. At a critical moment, Xi's speech injected new momentum for the SCO to promote cooperation in various fields, strengthen regional security and stability and sustainable development. Xis five-point proposal has guided the direction for the SCO to uphold the Shanghai Spirit at a higher level and a wider range. People are convinced that under the guidance of the Shanghai Spirit, the circle of the SCOs friends will continue to expand, playing an increasingly important role in constructing a new Eurasian community of destiny. With the Australian federal election looming on July 2, the pseudo-left organisation Socialist Alternative published a lengthy article on June 15 shamelessly encouraging, once again, a vote for the opposition Labor Party and the Greens, on the basis that they represent a lesser evil compared to the ruling Liberal-National Coalition. While lesser evilism has long been Socialist Alternatives stock-in-trade at election time, it takes on added political significance in conditions where the two-party system is crumbling amid widespread distrust and hostility to all the major parties. Socialist Alternative and other pseudo-left groups are responding to the deepest needs of the ruling class to confine the emerging opposition of workers and youth to parliamentary channels and prevent them turning to genuinely revolutionary socialist politics. The possibility that neither the Coalition nor Labor will have an absolute majority in the House of Representatives or the Senate is raising deep concern in ruling circles about the next governments ability to implement the bipartisan agenda of austerity and militarism. The past five years have already seen unprecedented political volatility, with five changes of prime minister, three of whom were removed via inner-party coups. The previous Labor government was the first minority administration since 1941 and only survived from 2010 to 2013 with the support of the Greens and so-called independents. The Socialist Alternative article by Tom Bramble, entitled Dump the Liberals, build a socialist movement, has nothing to do with constructing a socialist movement. Rather it is a dishonest and fraudulent attempt to argue that there is an almost endless list of reasons why we should welcome the defeat of the Coalition government and thus encourage for a vote for Labor and the Greens. After nearby three years, there can hardly be a worker, a student or pensioner in the country who hasnt been kicked in the guts by the Abbott-Turnbull government. The rich by contrast have been living high on the hog, Bramble writes. The widening gulf between rich and poor, however, did not begin from 2013 with the Coalition governments of Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull but with the Hawke-Keating Labor governments between 1983 and 1996, which are still hailed in the establishment press as the benchmark for pro-market reform. Subsequent Coalition and Labor governments took up where Prime Ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating left off. It was the Greens-backed Labor government of Julia Gillard that laid the groundwork for Abbott and Turnbull to slash funding to public education, health care, universities and welfare and to herd refugees arriving by boat into squalid detention camps on Pacific Islands. Moreover, in 2014, Greens and Labor both voted for the Coalition budget appropriation bills that contained $80 billion worth of cutbacks to the states, which fell most heavily on schools and hospitals. Bramble declares: A Coalition win on July 2 would give Turnbulls economic reform agenda a new lease of life by seeming to legitimate its neoliberal onslaught Their defeat would send a strong signal that the working class will not cop these kind of attacks. In fact, Labor leader Bill Shorten has already junked promises to oppose or reverse budget cuts worth an estimated $33 billion over the next four years that will make deep inroads into welfare, health care, education, pensions and family payments. Yet Bramble seeks to breathe life back into Labors decaying political corpse, declaring that it has tacked to the left and not been afraid to use hostility to the rich to win support. He even cites Turnbulls criticism of Shorten as the most left-wing, anti-business Labor leader we have seen in a generation. Socialist Alternative dredges the bottom of the bucket in its efforts to promote Labors election promises as a positive alternative to the Coalition. To take just a few examples of the lies and half-truths: Bramble hails Labors commitment to Gonski education funding, its opposition to $100,000 university degrees and its defence of Medicare. There is nothing progressive about the Gonski funding. The Gillard government introduced it not as the means for improving public schools but for implementing a far-reaching agenda of NAPLAN standardised testing, performance reviews for teachers and the closure and amalgamation of non-performing schools. Again, it was the Gillard government that opened the way for $100,000 degrees. The funding for the Gonski scheme came from a multi-billion dollar cut to university funding that has forced university administrations to press for a lifting of caps on fees. As for defending Medicare, just weeks ago, Shorten abandoned Labors previous election promise to restore $57 billion in funding to be stripped from public hospital funding over the next decade. In 201213, the Gillard government reduced government spending by the greatest percentage since the 1930s Great Depression. Under conditions of a rapidly deteriorating Australian and global economy, a Shorten Labor government, which is committed to austerity, will make far-reaching inroads to the jobs and living standards of the working class. The most damning indictment of the Greens, which Bramble declares have positioned to the left of Labor, is leader Richard Di Natales declared willingness to go into a coalition with Labor after the election. In the name of ensuring stability, the Greens, for all their posturing as socially progressive, are ready to form government and implement Labors reactionary agenda of war and austerityas they did under Gillard. On the accelerating US pivot to Asia and preparations for war against China, Bramble makes the barest of references, declaring that Labor has endorsed the White Houses attempts to maintain its domination of the Asia Pacific in the face of Chinas emergence as a regional power. He refers to the danger of a US-China military clash that would involve Australian military bases, but condemns neither the US or Labor. No mention is made of Labor defence spokesman Stephen Conroys declaration that a Shorten government would provocatively send Australian military aircraft and warships to challenge Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea. Socialist Alternative, which notoriously declared that knee-jerk anti-imperialism was a thing of the past, has increasingly lined up with US imperialisms wars and provocations. It has consistently backed Washingtons right-wing proxies in Syria in the US-led regime-change operation against President Bashar al-Assad. Insofar as Socialist Alternative has written about the US pivot against China at all, it has given credence to American propaganda that it is Chinese expansionism and imperialism, not US provocations, that are generating tensions in Asia. Socialist Alternative makes limited formal criticisms of the Greens and Labor. However, the pseudo-left organisation actively collaborates with trade union bureaucrats from both parties in suppressing any independent struggle by workers. Along with other pseudo-left groups, it has helped provide protest platforms, particularly for the Greens, to fraudulently posture as progressive, on a range of issues, from refugees to university cuts. While Bramble declares that the Greens pitch themselves as a party of the usually quite well-heeled middle class, it is precisely this well-off layer that the pseudo-lefts represent. Socialist Alternative is one of the chief proponents of identity politics that elevate issues of gender, race and sexual orientation above the fundamental social division of class, and has become a tool of advancement in politics, academia, the media, state apparatus and business. Socialist Alternative criticises the Greens as middle class only because the party has failed to unconditionally support Labor. Orienting to the middle class, the Greens dont see the issue of Labor versus Coalition as a reflection of the broader class divide, Bramble declares. However, in their policies and program, Labor and the Coalition are both parties of big business. Brambles criticism of the Greens reflects the line of the various Labor-aligned union bureaucracies with which Socialist Alternative collaborates closely. The most telling aspect of Brambles article is in the final two paragraphs where he declares that the task ahead of us is to build the anti-capitalist alternative, a radical socialist movement committed to overturning the rule of the 1 percent. Socialist Alternative does not speak for the vast majority of the population, but for the affluent top 10 percent of the population who aspire to a beneficial redistribution of some of the top 1 percents wealth and certainly do not want to overthrow the social order on which their comfortable lifestyles rest. Socialist Alternative has already made absolutely clear that by anti-capitalist alternative it means emulating Syriza in Greece, which last year carried out a gross betrayal of the mass anti-austerity movement of workers and youth. Within months of coming to office, which Socialist Alternative hailed as a stunning victory, Syriza defied the outcome of a referendum rejecting austerity and imposed the entire agenda being demanded by the EU and European banks. Bramble now promotes the Labour Partys Jeremy Corbyn in Britain or the Democrats Bernie Sanders in the US, whose program, he claims, aims to tackle the power and privileges of the rich. Nothing could be further from the truth. Corbyn and Sanders are both capitalist politicians who use left-sounding phrase-mongering to try to block any break with the parties of the official establishment. That is precisely what Socialist Alternative is seeking to do through its promotion of Labor and the Greens as the lesser evil in the Australian election. To contact the SEP and get involved, visit our web site or Facebook page. Authorised by James Cogan, Shop 6, 212 South Terrace, Bankstown Plaza, Bankstown, NSW 2200. I wish more press were talking about this tragedy, said Kevin, a teacher with the Detroit Public Schools (DPS), addressing the brutal massacre of at least 13 and the wounding of dozens more teachers and their supporters in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. On June 19, federal police fired automatic weapons into the crowd of 500 striking teachers and their supporters protesting in defense of public education in the impoverished town of Nochixtlan. President Enrique Pena Nieto has imposed a system of education reform, beginning in 2013, requiring teacher evaluations as a means to fire teachers and promote privatization, to the increasing anger of educators throughout Mexico. We, as teachers, stand in solidarity with them in our hearts, Kevin continued. I read with disgust what is happening to my brothers and sisters in Oaxaca. I really want to thank the WSWS for covering this situation in Mexico. We need to get the word out. I have family who are teachers in Northern Mexico. We have talked about this education reform often. My brother-in-law and sister in Mexico have said testing is a good part of this. But regardless of ones view of the educational reform, the Mexican federal governments violent strong-hand approach is not the answer. It is 2016, not 1916. History will not judge President Pena Nieto kindly as the world watches and prays for Oaxaca. We are outraged by the government violence, the legacy of corruption and the disappeared teachers. Our fight in Detroit is also motivated by the same type of thinking. Here we are also opposed to many of these evaluations. In Detroit and Mexico, the common denominator is the importance of the role of an educator. Society is not valuing our teachers. Here in Detroit, they are willing to experiment on childrenand bring in individuals without formal training to save money. This is craziness; they dont do that with pilots or doctors, but think its okay with teachers. The core efforts in both countries are driven by the financial interests of the corporations. In the US, it is both the Democrats and Republicans. I am not a socialist, but I see that the Democrats have been in bed with the charter schools and corporate interests for many years. Look at New Orleans, Louisiana. Danita Hollmon, also a DPS teacher, said, Needless to say, I support the teachers in Mexico and have great empathy for the people hurt by the government. Now they are even trying to cover up what they have done. Compare this to here. Just look at what they put in the schools legislation. We can be fined, fired and even lose certification for going on strike. And there in Mexico, where they are trying to turn education into one system for the haves and another for the have-nots, that is exactly what we are dealing with here. I have been out trying to do something since November when we first went to Lansing to protest. There have been several meetings and discussions at meetings I attended, where teachers came outand, of course, the sickouts. What about the response from the DFT? On the one end they are trying to say they are outraged, but on the other end they were applauding the fact that the legislation was passed. Even though that legislation was not for us they are portraying it as being for us. What is the difference if it is not as bad as it could have been? It is still not what we should have. They quelled our enthusiasm when they abruptly ended the sickout. We were out there in the freezing cold trying to oppose the attack on the school system. But everything just came to a screeching halt. Then I really did not understand [DPS Emergency Manager Steven] Rhodes coming out saying teachers were not going to get paid. We had two days of sickouts in May because they said our pay over the summer was not guaranteed. Then that was abruptly ended. I told people that I thought something was up when I saw [Michigan AFT president David] Hecker, [AFT national president Randi] Weingarten, and [DFT interim president] Ivy [Bailey] all together leaving the picket and heading back to the DFT office. They were all together walking in a little group. I thought to myself, I dont like it. This does not look good. That afternoon we had a meeting and we were told that we were all going back to work, that we could take Rhodes word that we would be paid. Why should we listen to his word? Now there are teachers working right now in summer school that are going to have to be paid. There are always cover-ups. Just like with what is going on in Mexico. The press is actually covering it up. I actually had not heard of it until I read your newsletter earlier this week. West Bloomfield Public Schools teacher Stephan Toy said, The massacre of protesting teachers in Oaxaca, Mexico last week is tragic. Teachers working to highlight the injustices of the so-called educational reform in Mexico are up against global forces set out to destroy any chance we educators have to provide solid, meaningful educations for our students. The proposed changes in Mexico will lead to the continuation of systems in place throughout the worldpublic schools for the elite and well-connected at the expense of the poor. Flight attendants from Taiwans flag carrier China Airlines (CAL) went on strike Friday over attacks on their working conditions. It was the first strike in the history of a Taiwanese airline. After just under five hours of talks between the company and the Taoyuan Flight Attendants Union (TFAU), the company supposedly agreed to the workers demands and the walk-out was called off. Strikers were set to return to work today. The strike was preceded on Thursday night by a protest of nearly 500 union members and supporters outside the CAL offices at Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei, Taiwans capital. They were joined by another 1,000 flight attendants at midnight when the industrial action officially began. The crew members chanted, Reverse labor-capital relations and carried signs that read, Strike not arbitration. TFAU members had overwhelming voted to strike last Tuesday2,535 flight attendants, or 96 percent of the unions total membership, took part in the poll to authorize the action. Only nine votes were cast against the walk-out. However, the union isolated the struggle, even from other CAL workers, whose own working conditions are no less under attack. The supposed adoption of the unions demands also will apply only to TFAU members. Founded in 1959 as a state-owned enterprise, the government has since privatized CAL, while remaining a major shareholder. Anger has been building among flight attendants, as well as other workers in the airline industry, for years. Recent changes by CAL, coming on top of already low pay and long working hours, led to the strike, as well as protests in May where the cabin crews denounced enslavement contracts. Before the strike even began, CALs new chief agreed to scrap a new plan aimed at cutting official working hours. Ho Nuan-hsuan was appointed chairman of the company last Thursday by the government in a bid to quell discontent. Ho indicated he would drop a further move to enforce speedups and reduce rest time. The airlines plan would have changed where flight crews could report for work, from the downtown Taipei International Airport to Taoyuan International Airport, farther from the city. CAL hoped to eliminate the 80-minute commute time between locations, currently considered part of the total working hours. By doing so, the company planned to halve time for preparation and post-flight duties to 90 minutes and 30 minutes respectively. It would also have cut rest times. In addition, the company pushed for an agreement that would have raised the number of working hours to 220 per month, more than the 174 hours allowed under the Labor Standards Law. Section 84-1 of this legislation allows certain companies, including those in aviation, to ignore this cap. CAL argued the change was necessary due to some long-haul flights, such as those to the US or Europe. CAL has also reportedly made further concessions. The company has agreed to raise the subsidy for those working overseas from $3 an hour to $4 on July 1 and then $5 next May. Flight attendants will receive 123 off days, up from 118. CALs supposed acquiescence to union demands is a maneuver to buy time while getting flights back into the air; an estimated 20,000 passengers were affected by the strike. The agreement is only preliminary and could change. We can sign an agreement based on article 84-1, but its content has to be appropriate to our work conditions and environment, said TFAU vice-president Betty Hung, indicating that concessions to the airline were still on the table. The TFAU is attempting to portray itself as a radical workers organization, saying in a statement it would become the vanguard of workers in this battle, and tell capitalists and the state that Taiwan must say goodbye to the era of overwork and long hours. Rather than appealing to workers throughout Taiwan, let alone internationally, the TFAU said it was trying to wake up the government stockholders. Any agreement reached between the company and TFAU will only apply to its members. The majority of CALs workers, however, belong to the pro-company Employees Union (CAEU), whose head Ko Tso-liang, denounced the flight attendants for voting to strike. He compared them to children, saying they had battered the companys reputation and its sustainable development as well as affected the livelihoods of the firms employees. TFAU was founded last September after flight attendants got into a dispute with the CAEU. Other CAL unions include the China Airlines Maintenance and Engineering Labor Union, which had verbally expressed support for the TFAU, but did not join the strike, despite claiming at the end of May it would. The airline is planning to create a subsidiary called Taiwan Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Company to service newer planes in their fleet while also hiring more dispatch workers at hourly rates. The existing CAL workers would continue to service older planes, raising fears of job cuts when those models are retired. Regardless of how militant a union may present itself, these organizations are incapable of a genuine defense of workers rights and interests. In conditions of increasingly cut-throat struggles in the global airline industry, the unions invariably side with their employers to slash pay and conditions and suppress opposition, so as to try to ensure the international competitiveness of the national companies. Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwans new president, has postured as a friend of the flight attendants, to deflect widespread anger toward social conditions in general, which her administration is incapable of addressing. Tsai, who was sworn in on May 20, currently has an approval rating of 52.4 percent, considered low for a new president. She claimed to respect and defend the right to strike, but her government will defend the interests of the Taiwanese bourgeoisie no less ruthlessly than her predecessors. The death toll from the flash floods that swept through West Virginia Thursday evening has risen to 26, as emergency crews assess the damage in the most heavily impacted areas. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency in 44 of 55 state counties Friday. Over the weekend, first responders and volunteers worked to provide relief and assistance to families stranded in various communities where road access was severely limited. As of Saturday, the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) had approved the states request for assistance in the three most affected counties of Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties. Workers for the agency were expected in the area on Sunday to begin registering victims, according to West Virginia Metro News. In Kanawha County, where the Elk River rose, some residents reported as much as 40 feet of water reaching the second floor of homes and rendering them uninhabitable. Many people in the town of Richwood, located in Nicholas County, were left homeless and points of access were closed off due to roads being destroyed. A local business owner described the pavement having been peeled back by the force of the water, along with the older brick underneath, which left 3-foot gouges in the roadways. Due to its relatively remote location it was difficult, as of late Saturday, to determine how many homes were destroyed and how many people have been left stranded. Richwood was an impoverished community prior to this tragedy and presents a snapshot of the decline of American capitalism since the early 1970s. For much of the 20th century the town experienced comfortable standards of living due to the growth of the coal and timber industry. Many companies thrived there due to the towns access to local hardwoods in one of the most heavily forested parts of the state. This also spawned small businesses that produced value added finished wood products for the furniture industry. In the early 1970s as rates of profit fell, much of the assembly of furniture and other wood products companies shifted to cheaper labor platforms in other parts of the world. The decline in the lumber industry coupled with the collapse of coal mining left Richwood economically devastated. Today the community reflects this long-term distress. Many empty homes dot its hillsides, some with the interiors burned out, often due to accidents related to illegal drug production. The one grocery store in the community closed in 2014, leaving residents to shop for food at local gas stations and convenience stores. Trying to access the closest grocery in Craigsville is often limited by the fact that many residents cannot afford or have access to a vehicle. Many residents and small business owners lack flood insurance due to affordability, and now will rely on FEMA to see if they qualify for individual assistance, which is reportedly more difficult to acquire than the more general category of public assistance. Richwood has been subject to periodic flooding and it was the rising Cherry River that led to flooding of the town. The US Army Corps of Engineers had previously begun impact studies indicating the need to build a dam along the south fork of the Cherry River, creating an artificial lake to capture water. This would have greatly benefitted the town, but no serious action was taken. Under capitalism in the United States there is plenty of money for endless war and tax cuts for the ruling class, but little for repairing and updating the countrys deteriorating infrastructure. By contrast, many in the working class of West Virginia have mobilized to help the flood victims in the surrounding area. In more populous areas of the coalfields of southern West Virginia, such as Beckley and Huntington, local residents are responding to calls for assistance by bringing needed supplies to destination points where the items will be shipped to the affected areas. The items most in need are food, water, baby food, diapers, cleaning and sanitary supplies, blankets and pet food. Throughout the course of the day on Saturday people were seen bringing needed supplies to the various destination points. As of Sunday morning there were still approximately 15,000 people without power. The days to come will continue to reveal the magnitude of this historic tragedy. The cleanup efforts will last for weeks. Yang Zhenwu, the President of People's Daily declares the official release of the micro-video series The first micro-video series of Allusion Used by Xi Jinping, a book published in February last year, was released on Monday. The video series explains the allusions used by the Chinese President in his speeches and articles in a visualized way. Deputy-Director-in-Chief of the People's Daily Lu Xinning hosts the ceremony. A launching ceremony was held on Monday in the headquarters of the People's Daily. Yang Zhenwu, the President of People's Daily declared the official release of the micro-video series. Deputy-Director-in-Chief of the People's Daily Lu Xinning hosted the ceremony. The micro-video series will be synchronously posted online. The first season of the video includes 10 episodes. The Allusion Used by Xi Jinping was published in February of last year. So far, over 1.2 million copies have been published. LOWNDES Co., GA (WTXL) - A suspect is in the hospital after deputies say he led them on a high speed chase that resulted in him losing control of his car and crashing. According to the Lowndes County Sheriff's Office, James Eldridge Scott is in the hospital and will be arrested upon his release for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute, possession of alpha PVP, possession of MDMA, possession of methamphetamine, and theft by receiving stolen property. Deputies say Cook County authorities were chasing Scott when he crossed into Lowndes County on I-75. The car he was driving, a Ford Mustang, had been stolen in Atlanta, according to deputies. When Scott got to Lowndes County, he was driving at speeds of 115 mph, said deputies, and was weaving around traffic. Deputies say he lost control of the car and crashed. He was injured and deputies say he was taken to South Georgia Medical Center for treatment. After a search of the car, deputies say they found various drugs including Alpha PVP, Cocaine, MDMA, Morphine and individually packaged bags of Marijuana. Additional charges are expected to be added. They came by the thousands from all directions, streaming into Valley Forge State Park in Conestoga wagons and Prairie Schooners, on horseback If you are sending a Letter To the Editor, please be sure to follow these rules: Letters have a firm 200-word limit and will be edited for grammar, clarity and accuracy. The person who signs the letter must be the author. Anonymous letters will not be considered. Letters must address the editor, not a third party. We will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Yakima Herald-Republic cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Writers are limited to one published letter per calendar month. "Mission Impossible," was the Daily Mail's headline the day after the Entebbe Operation. "No country in the world would dare try such an operation, as it truly was a mission impossible," the British paper wrote. "But Israel daredand won." Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter "One of the most shining examples of an operation conducted by any army," Yaacov Caroz assessed in the daily Yedioth Ahronoth, and the myth was born: That very day, the operation in Entebbe became one of the most well-known commando operations in history. On Sunday, June 27, 1976, Air France's Flight 139 left from Ben Gurion Airport, made a stopover in Athens, and then took off towards its final destination, Paris, with 248 passengers on board. At around 12:35pm, four terroriststwo German and two Palestinianhijacked the plane. An Air France plane (Photo: AP) After a stopover in Libya, where additional terrorists came on board, the hijacked plane landed in Uganda. Its passengers were led to the old terminal building in Entebbe, where they were guarded by both the kidnappers and Ugandan army soldiers. On the third day, June 29, the terrorists decided to separate the Israelis and Jews from the rest of the passengers and released the latter group. Because of the great distance from Israel, the hostile area and the lack of time, a military rescue operation seemed like an unrealistic option, if not a pure fantasy. But on the night between July 3 and 4, 1976, four Israeli Hercules planes carrying IDF commandos landed in Entebbe. Their mission: Free the 106 Jewish and Israeli passengers, as well as the Air France crew. The task force included the elite Special Forces unit Sayeret Matkal, as well as Air Force pilots, Paratroopers and Golani infantrymen, Medical Corps personnel and a fueling team. Sayeret Matkal was tasked with releasing the hostages. The force that would storm the terminal, led by Sayeret Matkal Commander Lt. Col. Yonatan "Yoni" Netanyahu, included 33 commandos: a fireteam led by Muki Betzer and another led by Amnon Peled, which stormed the area where the hostages were kept; a team led by Yiftach Reicher-Atir, which handled the customs area and the Ugandan soldiers' quarters on the second floor; a team led by Giora Zussman, which stormed the "small hall" that was used by the terrorists and where it was feared some of the hostages were kept; a team led by Danny Arditi, which handled the terminal's VIP area; and a team led by Rami Sherman, which was responsible for vehicles and cover fire. The operation was seen as a glowing success, but at a terrible price: Commander Yoni Netanyahu was killed, three of the hostages also lost their lives, and paratrooper Surin Hershko was left paralyzed after suffering a spinal injury. One of the hostages, Dora Bloch, who was previously taken to hospital after choking on a fish bone, was murdered by Ugandan despot Idi Amin's soldiers. Yoni Netanyahu (Photo taken from family album) Three months ago, I invited a group of friends for a unique meeting at the Entebbe exhibition at the Rabin Center: former Mossad operative Avner Avraham, the curator of the exhibit, Akiva Laxer, one of the hostages, and Amir Ofer, one of the commandos, the first to storm into the terminal. Ofer stressed the link between his own personal historyhe is the son of Holocaust survivorsand the Entebbe Operation. As we were touring the exhibition, he recounted his experiences, telling all types of stories, with some being amusing anecdotes of what happened behind the scenes in the planning stages of the operation. For the first time, he brought his parents, who barely survived the horrors of World War II, and his daughter, to the exhibition. That moment that brought together the commando, his parents, the surviving hostage who owes Ofer his life, and Ofer's daughter, didn't leave a dry eye in the house. While I was listening to Ofer, I was thinking what a shame it was that these stories remained in this small circle and weren't public knowledge. So I was very happy to learn a few weeks ago about a new initiative by some of the commandos to change that. In honor of the 40th anniversary of the operation, the Intelligence Heritage and Commemoration Center is releasing a book titled "Operation Yonatan in the First Person." The book is an anthology of first-hand testimonies of 35 Sayeret Matkal soldiers and officers who took part in the operation. The head of the book's steering committee is Danny Arditi; and the book was edited by Yiftach Reicher-Atir, Shlomi Reisman and Aviram Halevi. Yiftach Reicher (Photo: Tzvika Tishler) When I read the commandos' testimonies from Entebbe, I felt that this was an important historical document, which sheds new light on that mythic operation and also on several controversies still surrounding it. After a series of meetings with the creators of the book, we agreed that, due to the importance of the topic, it's is vital that as many people as possible are exposed to the fascinating testimonies it presents. That is why we decided to publish selected excerpts from the book's testimonies this week, and, with their help, paint a picture of what history's most famous commando operation looked like. Two different plans of action Yoni Netanyahu received the news of the hijacking of the Air France plane while he was on his way to the Sinai Peninsula to prepare for an important Sayeret Matkal operation. Avi Weiss (Livneh), who was appointed Sayeret Matkal's intelligence officer just as Netanyahu took command of the unit, was with Netanyahu when the news came. "While we were on our way south, we received a report about the hijacking of an Air France plane," Weiss recounts 40 years later. "The soldiers who remained at the unit's base were on alert in case the plane circled back and landed in Lod (at Ben-Gurion Airport). But as soon as the plane landed in Entebbeabout 4,000 kilometers from Israelthe high level of alert at the unit was lifted under the assumption that we weren't going to take part in this hostage situation. Operation Entebbe In the face of all the risks Ronen Bergman Analysis: Testimonies from the commandos who fought in Entebbe shed new light on the great mystery surrounding the operation. In the face of all the risks While we were on deployment in the Sinai, Muki Betzer (Netanyahu's deputy ed.) sent reports to Yoni about the discussions at the different levels of the IDFs high command examining different operational options to rescue the hostages. The reports we received in Sinai were laughable, and sometimes led us to scorn at the thought that the IDF could carry out an operation like this beyond the mountains of darkness (a place in Jewish tradition where the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel are believed to have been exiled by the Assyrian king Shalmaneser V ed.)." Muki Betzer, who would later go on to become the first commander of the elite Air Force commando unit Shaldag, knew Entebbe well. At an early stage of planning the operation, he met with Ehud Barak, who was at the time the assistant for operations to the director of Military Intelligence and one of the planners of the operation. Muki Betzer (Photo from family album) "When I walked into Ehud's office, there were already several officers from the different corps there," Betzer recounts. "'Well, Muki, what can you tell us about the Ugandan soldiers?' Ehud asked me. "'I only trained them for four months,' I responded. 'Had I kept training them, they'd be better now.' Everyone laughed. "'And yet?' "'They're scared of their own shadow, and generally they're not very motivated. And, in this case, I really think they're not motivated to fight.' That's how the planning for Operation Entebbe began. Shlomi Reisman (Photo: Tzvika Tishler) "As the representative of Sayeret Matkal, Ehud tasked me with preparing the plan to storm the old terminal building where the hostages were being held. The Solel Boneh construction company gave us the blueprints for the building, but we were still missing vital pieces of information. After the meeting, I called Yoni and told him about the establishment of the team. We agreed that if it seemed things started moving forward, I'd let him know and make sure he's flown in from the Sinai." Weiss recounts, "On Thursday, July 1, early in the morning, we rushed in Yoni's car back from the Sinai to the unit's base, a six- or seven-hour drive. After getting things ready at the unit, I left with Yoni and other officers for Beit Hazanhan (a conference room in Ramat Gan ed.), where we met with Dan Shomron (the head of the Infantry and Paratroopers Branch at the time and the commander of the rescue operation RB, LBA). There, we met with Betzer. At that meeting, Dan Shomron presented us with the two main ideas under discussion: Parachute a military force into Lake Victoria, arrive at the beach, take over the terminal in Entebbe, free the hostages, and transport them by land in vehicles that would be captured during the takeover to Kenya; or arrive at Entebbe with a large military force in eight Hercules planes, take over the airport, rescue the hostages, and fly them back to Israel. At this point, at least to me, these ideas sounded borderline delusional." Avi Weiss (Livne) (Photo: Tzvika Tishler) Nevertheless, both plans were being discussed seriously. Michael Aharonson, a recently-released Sayeret Matkal commando, was at the time working as a military instructor in neighboring Kenya. "Before the Friday of that week, Ehud Barak arrived in Kenya," Aharonson recounts. "I thought one of his objectives was to calm down the Kenyans. But he, on his part, didn't volunteer any information to us. At that point, we were informed that the plan currently being discussed to free the hostage was to parachute Shayetet 13 (a special ops Israeli Navy unit ed.) commandos with rubber boats into Lake Victoria, have them make their way to the airport in Entebbewhich was located right on the lakeshoreraid the terminal, and release the hostages. Sayeret Matkal commandos Danny Dagan, Shlomi Reisman and Gadi Ilan before the operation (Photo courtesy of Shlomi Reisman) While we were discussing the plan, we received a question from back in Israel: Are there crocodiles on the lakeshore? I was told two Shayetet 13 commandos were making their way to Nairobi. I rented the only car I could find, a tiny Fiat 127, and went to the airport to pick up the twoone of them being Shayetet 13 deputy commander at the time, Hanina Amishav. We drove for hours all the way to the lakeshore. We got our answer as soon as we arrived there. There were crocodiles, and they were massive Nile crocodiles who were lying in almost endless parallel rows along the shore, as far as the eye could see." Even before that discovery, the raid plan with the Hercules planes began gaining momentum. The Sayeret Matkal commandos were called to the unit. "We were called to return to the unit in a phone call at midnight, on the night between Thursday and Friday," remembers Amir Ofer, at the time a first sergeant in the Amnon Team. "I was already asleep when the phone rang. My parents answered, knocked on the door and told me, 'It's for you.' Amir Ofer (Photo: Tzvika Tishler) "On the line was Yael, the secretary: 'Be here by 8am.' I immediately made the connection that this had to do with the hijacking. "I asked her, 'Are we going far?' and she said, 'You're going very far.' My mom was in the room at the time, heard me ask 'going far?' and put two and two together. Then she became pale. Her look said it all; I told her not to dare breathe a word of this." Preparing for the operation Additional forces joined the Sayeret commandos preparations. "Air Force personnel disassembled the inside of the plane and put it back together so it could carry the troops and the fuel. This is something that just getting operational approval for usually takes half a year, and they did it in three days," explains Amnon Peled, then a captain in the unit and the commander of the Amnon Team. "During our preparationswhich included military simulation exercises, getting on the vehicles, drilling skirmishes, getting off the vehiclesa Mercedes showed up out of nowhere, and we got the idea to dress up as Idi Amin's soldiers, Ugandans in leopard uniform and Kalashnikovs. We got all the equipment we needed from logistics, including white hats, so we could tell who was us and who was them. Anyone who served in the army knows that when you go to logistics, the quartermaster clerk always says, 'I don't have this' or 'Today we're closed.' But this time, the door was open, and the quartermaster clerks asked us what we wanted and what else they could give us. It was surprising. Sayeret Matkal troops loading the Mercedes on the plane, dressed as Ugandan soldiers (Photo: IDF Spokesman) Our simulation exercise with the planes was scheduled for 7pm, and IDF Chief of Staff Motta Gur came to personally supervise us." MK Omer Bar-Lev, who went on to become the commander of Sayeret Matkal, commanded an armored car and a fire team operating around the terminal during the operation. "The plan took shape during the day; one briefing followed the next. I was really shaken after a briefing in the afternoon, because the plan sounded like a Swiss cheese, filled with giant holes. I had quite a few notes during the briefing, some were really fundamental. For example, Yiftach Reicher and his team were instructed not to clear the first floor of the old terminal with gunfire during their search of it, and only to open fire if fired upon. Another example was the instruction for every plane that had its team return to it to take off without waiting for the other planes. I got up again during the briefing and said it was a flawed decision. Karnaf 3 (the Hercules plane RB, LBA) must wait on the runway for 4, and only when Karnaf 4 is ready for takeoff, they should take off together. Otherwise, a situation could take place in which Karnaf 4 is left alone, the last one, taking Ugandan fire and losing the ability to take off, resulting in all of the troops aboard it staying in Uganda. MK Omer Bar-Lev during his military service (Photo: IDF Spokesman) "On Friday night, after the simulation exercise, I arrived at the commander's office and entered the unit's deputy commander's room. We were sitting there, a few officers around the table. A really bad feeling prevailed in the room. We felt that the plan wasn't as airtight as we were accustomed to; the simulation exercise was a joke in our eyes, and we felt very uneasy, to put it mildly, about the fact that the IDF chief and the higher ranks were impressed by these exercises. I felt that the officers around the table were pressuring me to update my father (Haim Bar-Lev, the IDF's eighth chief of staff and the trade and industry minister at the timeRB, LBA). "My father, because of his role as a member of the government, knew, of course, that I was part of the force that was going to Entebbe. At a later point I decided it was my duty to update him on this. In my five years of service in the unit, never had I had any conversation even remotely like the one I was planning to have with my father, quite the opposite. And so, I found myself that Friday night driving my D200 truck to Neve Magen (in Ramat HaSharon) to talk to my father. Haim Bar-Lev, right, meets with Ugandan despot Idi Amin during his time as the IDF chief of staff (Photo: IDF Spokesman) After crossing a junction, the hood of the car suddenly opened while I was driving. It flew up and blocked the entire windshield. I immediately stopped, got out of the car, and closed the hood. I went back into the car, started it, turned it around and drove back to the unit. I've wondered more than once since what would've happened if the hood hadn't opened." Meanwhile, preparations for the operation continued with great urgency. Shlomi Reisman, then a commando and first sergeant in the Amnon Team, remembers, "We knew what we had to do. So we dedicated the little time we had left to drilling the more specific, technical aspects of the operation. None of us had ever practiced hitching two Land Rovers and a Mercedes inside a Hercules plane, for example, and Giora Zussman kept timing us, over and over again, relentlessly. Special attention was given to drilling quickly unloading the vehicles after landing; everything to shorten to a minimum the time we needed from the moment the Hercules's back ramp opened to the moment we arrived at the old terminal where the hostages were kept. Someone went to a bookstore, and using a map from a textbook atlas I learned where Uganda was and we planned how we were going to hijack vehicles and flee to the neighboring Kenya (if the operation fails RB)." Giora Zussman (Photo: Tzvika Tishler) Weiss recounts, "One of the main points of weakness of this operation was the lack of an ongoing and up-to-date contact with the target. I was feeling uneasy, to put it lightly, because the information we had on the terminal was mostly based on old plans, and our knowledge of the activity at the old terminal and around it was only partial. "On Friday night, after a tense wait, a detailed and updated intelligence report came from Amiram Levin, who flew to Paris to question the foreign hostages who were released. This report contained information that was accurate as of Thursday morning. It was clear that the chances of getting any additional information before Saturday nightthe planned zero hourwere very slim. This meant we were going on the operation with a three-day gap, that we didn't have a chance of obtaining more up-to-date information regarding the hijackers and the activity at the terminal in Entebbe. So we had no choice but to hope there would be no changes, and at the same time expect surprises." Aerial photos taken of the old terminal in Entebbe (Reproduction: Tomeriko) Meanwhile, and even before the decision was made on the operation's personnel, there were internal struggles among the Sayeret Matkal commandos, who all wanted to take part in the special mission. "Reservists, who heard the rumors about the operation, began making calls to Yoni and other officials in the unit, asking to be included in the force going on the operation," Weiss says. "Out of my dozens of soldiers, one could not go," remembers Danny Arditi, who would later go on to become the head of the National Security Council but at the time was still a young captain and the commander of the Arditi Team. "When Yoni told me I had to give up one of my soldiers, I was very angry and started arguing. I really fought for that soldier, to the point of almost walking away. I told Yoni, 'If he's not participating, then I'm not participating!' and left his office furious. I went down the stairs to the courtyard and came across Muki who explained to me there was no other choice. In the end, that soldier did not participate. I think he's mad at me to this very day." Part 2 of this story recounts the journey to Entebbe and the tense drive up to the terminal. Dr. Ronen Bergman is Yedioth Ahronoth's chief military and intelligence correspondent. Follow him on Twitter @ronenbergman The book "Operation Yonatan in the First Person" was written to fill a strange vacancy. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter To this day, there hasn't been an official investigation of Sayeret Matkal's operation in Entebbe . The commandos, intelligence officers, and the operations and logistics personnel have never been asked to tell their own version of events or to officially provide one for the record. After Yoni Netanyahu was killed, it was important to his replacement, Amiram Levin, to show that it was still business as usual for the Special Forces unit. And with the commander's funeral and the next important operation planned for a few months afterwards, there was no time to conduct a proper in-depth investigation of the operation that has turned into the elite unit's trademark. The IDF General Staff's History Department did issue a document in November 1977 based on a partial investigation of the operation, but it is plagued with errors and lacks important information. Commandos from Sayeret Matkal with the Mercedes they used to deceive the Ugandans. That no official investigation has ever been conducted is particularly strange in light of the fact that Operation Thunderboltthe code name given to the rescue missionis certainly not an operation the IDF should feel ashamed of. This is one of the most important commando operations in history. Several other operations were inspired by itsome successful (GSG-9 operation to rescue the Lufthansa Flight 181 hostages in Mogadishu), and some less so (the American attempt to rescue the US embassy hostages in Iran in 1980)but there hasn't been an operation quite like Entebbe. "Thunderbolt" is also probably the commando operation that has been covered the most in books, articles and movies. The special thing about "Operation Yonatan in the First Person," excerpts of which are published for the first time in this special project, is that for the first time, commandos from Sayeret Matkal have each written their own version of events, as they would do in an official investigation, without any external influences or censorship. The book helps solve the big mystery surrounding the operation: How did it succeed? How did it come to be that something that looked "strange and completely unlikely" or a "Hollywood fantasy" (according to Sayeret Matkal commandos) several days before, turned into such an awe-inspiring success? How did an operation in such a far-away and hostile place, which would normally require months and at times years to plan, take shape in only 48 hours? The answers to these questions, as the testimonies in the book indicate, are a combination of several factors and reasons. First: the human factor. There is no doubt that many things could have gone wrong, leading the operation to end in disaster. On the other hand, the fact that Sayeret Matkal that was tasked with this complicated challengebringing its experience, the tools at its disposal, and its excellent personnelreduced the margin of error to a minimum. In one of our conversations, Yiftach Reicher-Atirat the time the unit's deputy commander, who headed the force that stormed the first floor of the terminal where the Ugandan soldiers were (and also the editor of the book)compared Sayeret Matkal to an upside-down pyramid. It is an elite unit with quality personnel at its disposal, and "when all of the state's resources are focused on a specific day, hour, minute... the pyramid's top is pointing to the target, and everything else is pushing from above. In the end, the pyramid's top will pierce the target, no question about it." Reicher-Atir was talking about the assassination of Abu Jihad (Khalil al-Wazir, the co-founder of Fatah who was killed by the unit in Tunis in 1988), but his words apply to the Entebbe Operation as well. Yiftach Reicher-Atir (Photo: Tzvika Tishler) Second: the element of surprise. Israel was surprised by Wadie Haddad's ability to hijack a plane and fly it somewhere as far as Uganda. But surprise also worked in the opposite direction. Because of the great distance from Israel, it appeared that the hijackers and Ugandan soldiers didn't imagine Israel would even consider a rescue operation. In other operations, inside Israel, when the Sayeret was operating under much more favorable conditions, it sometimes failed. The October 1994 raid on the house where IDF soldier Nachshon Wachsman was kept ended completely different, even though it was conducted by the same unit, under the same prime minister. This was, among other things, because the kidnappers were far more vigilant. Third: the intelligence. The unit's intelligence officer, Avi Weiss (Livneh), provides the readers with a highly professional recounting of how intel for operations should be collected in general and how it was collected in light of the tremendous difficulties in this instance. In fact, the commandos left Israel for the operation with two- or three-day-old information and had no way of knowing if anything had changed in the interim (for example, if the kidnappers had moved the hostages to another building). On the other hand, the gathering of information ahead of the Entebbe Operation required ingenuity and resourcefulness, from collection of maps and data from Israelis who worked in Uganda in previous years, to sending David, a Mossad undercover operative and a pilot, to take photographs of the terminal from the air. Fourth: the military's high command and the political leadership. They were the ones who bore the responsibility, each in his own field, and they're the ones who wouldve carried the burden of failure on their shoulders had the operation not gone according to plan. After the Hercules planes took off for Entebbe, Rabin asked his chief of staff, Amos Eran, to draw up a letter of resignation for himin case the operation failed. "What do you consider failure?" Eran asked. "Over 25 dead," Rabin responded. At first, Rabin was convinced that the operation would be impossible to pull off. He changed his mind because of a few reasons, including pressure from his defense minister, Shimon Peres, and the fragments of intelligence that came in. But above all, it was the commanders' confidence in their ability to deliver. The most important among them was probably Sayeret Matkal's commander, Lt. Col. Yonatan Netanyahu, to whom the book is dedicated. Netanyahu's memory has suffered several blows since the operation because of ego and politics. That was the case when the most comprehensive and thorough investigation of the operation, written by his brother Iddo, was unjustifiably presented as a biased version of events. That was also the case when some tried to minimize Netanyahu's part in the planning of the operation and in leading it. One know-it-all commentator who loathes the prime minister, Netanyahu's brother, surpassed himself when he wrote over and over again that Yoni was on the verge of being relieved of his command and that the Entebbe Operation and his subsequent death were what spared him that fate. Except this was simply not true. The head of AMAN (IDF Military Intelligence) at the time, Maj. Gen. (ret.) Shlomo Gazit, one of the best and most honest among the heads of the Israeli intelligence community, testified to that end earlier this month. "There were disagreements within the unit. I called Yoni in for a meeting, but there was no talk about relieving anyone of their command," he said. The book deals with Netanyahu's role and his vital contribution to the success of the operation, among other things. "Yoni walked on the exposed runaway, commanding the troops, with his head held high," writes Omer Bar-Lev. "It was the right place for the commander of the raid to be. Had he moved close to the building, his line of sight would have been limited, as would his ability to command the forces. These are the seconds that, at times, make the difference between success and failure. Yoni's quick charge is what motivated the commandos." The different testimonies also show that almost all of the commandos thought Netanyahu's decision to risk losing the element of surprise by shooting the Ugandan guards was the right calland not just in hindsight. Forty years later, the testimonies of the soldiers who fought in Entebbe demonstrate, more than anything else, the difference between a commando operation that turns into a fiasco and one remembered as legendary. President Barack Obama says the United States respects the decision of the people of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union and that the special relationship between Washington and London will endure. Obama had strongly urged that the UK remain in the EU but said in a statement that the people have spoken. The president said that the United Kingdom and the European Union will remain "indispensable partners of the United States" even as they begin negotiating the future of their relationship. According to security sources, on Monday four suicide bombers killed six people and wounded 19 others in an attack in a Lebanese village at the border with Syria. The attack at 4 am (0100 GMT) targeted the mostly Christian village of Qaa, a few kms (miles) from the border. Sources said that three Lebanese soldiers were among the wounded. Though, there was no immediate claim of responsibility, Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said the attack was carried out by Islamic State militants. AMMAN- The extremist group Islamic State has claimed responsibility for a suicide attack last week that killed seven Jordanian troops and wounded 13 on the border with Syria. The ISIS news agency Amaq posted a video of the attack on its Facebook page Monday. It shows a car racing through flat desert toward an army post, followed by an orange ball of fire rising in the air close to the installation. In a separate statement, Amaq said the attack was carried out by ISIS. Jordan has said it would respond with an "iron fist" to the attack. Israel is to pay out over $21 million to the families of the Turkish "peace activists" - killed while attacking IDF troops with axes, knives, and steel bars - as part of the framework of a reconciliation deal signed with Turkey on Sunday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The Turks were killed on board the Mavi Marmara, a Turkish vessel at the head of a flotilla - sponsored by a group called IHH - attempting to sail to Gaza. The ship was boarded after repeated attempts to have the ship sail to the Israeli port of Ashdod so that their "humanitarian aid" could be sent to Gaza via the proper channels. A press conference is to be held at 1:00pm in Rome where the official announcement of the reconciliation agreement will occur. IHH activists attack IDF troops (Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) X Video footage that surfaced from the event shows the soldiers being brutally attacked once on board the vessel, with some even being kidnapped for a short period of time. A high ranking political official said that "the issue of the $21 million dollars was settled three years ago. The money will be transferred only after a law which terminates all ongoing legal proceedings in Turkish courts against Israeli officers involved in the Marmara incident is passed in Turkish parliament. Why did the agreement take so long? Because of the Gaza blockade and terror coming from Turkey." Following the Mavi Marmara incident, an investigative committee headed by Former Supreme Court Justice Ya'akov Turkel was established to investigate. The committee's report, which came out in 2011, said that IHH activists cut the railings of the ship with circular saws to create steel rods with which to attack the soldiers, despite attempts from vessel's crew to stop them. Regarding the decision to attack the soldiers, the Turkish document reported that "members of IHH acted violently against IDF soldiers on the Mavi Marmara, and had armed themselves with different types of weapons which could have caused death or serious injury. The activists also used firearms against IDF forces during the event." The captain of the ship reported that he was shocked by the "considerable number of weapons" which were on the ship. Meanwhile, the head of the naval commando unit which took over the ship said in his testimony before the committee that the violent reaction to the takeover of the ship seemed planned. "No ordinary civilian knows how to fight in the dark while wearing a gas mask for an extended period of time, knows how to steal a weapon (from a soldier), and knows how to cock it and shoot it without flinching. That is, unless they were trained to do it beforehand." One of the naval commandos who was on the ship and was forcibly taken into the cargo hold by the "peace activists" testified that "(the activists) were all well built, and it seemed as if they're goal was to attack us." Turkish "peace activists" attacking IDF soldiers (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) He continued, explaining that it seemed that the activists were comprised of several different groups. "It seemed to me that there was one group which was equipped with weapons with which to attack us, and while they were taking me below deck, there was another group with cameras taking pictures of me. I also heard women screaming in English 'hit him!' amongst other things." One of the commanders said that he has no doubt that "the terrorists on board the ship planned, organized, and expected the incident, and planned to kill soldiers." He explained that "they were prepared like a military unit - they had gas masks and bullet proof vests, and had both firearms and melee weapons. They had a well organized military structure which was divided into units, and the units spoke amongst each other using walkie-talkies." A high ranking Israeli official claimed that one of the main parts of the reconciliation agreement is that the IDF soldiers and commanders who took part in the operation to capture the ship will not be prosecuted in the International Criminal Court in The Hague. Also in the agreement is a clause which commits Turkey to preventing Hamas attacks on Israel and Israeli citizens from or on Turkish soil. Earlier negotiations between Israel and Turkey included the issue of returning two captive Israeli citizens from Hamasone of them Avra Mangisto, and a Bedouin resident from the south of Israelin addition to the return of the bodies of IDF soldiers Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul. The final agreement, does not mention this, and Hamas is not included as a party in the agreement. According to an Israeli official, Israel requested and received a letter from Erdogan instructing Turkish agencies to work toward settling the matter of Israeli captives and its missing soldiers. IDF soldiers boarding the Mavi Marmara (Photo: IDF Spokesperson's Unit) In response to their being attacked, IDF soldiers opened fire on the passengers aboard the Marmara, killing nine Turkish citizens, one of whom was also a US citizen. By this point, Turkish-Israeli relations were already tense over Operation Cast Lead in 2008, but the altercation on board the Marmara seemed to cross a line, as Turkey recalled its ambassador from Tel Aviv following the incident. It has since then been demanding that Israel apologize for the event and appease the victims families, with Israel refusing and claiming that the actions of some of the protestors were blatant acts of terrorism. During the negotiations process between the two countries, Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu had reportedly been concerned that current Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman would foil the agreement. Among other statements, Lieberman was quoted as saying that developing closer ties with Erdogan was ridiculous, that Erdogan is akin to Goebbels successor and that Turkey itself harbors top Hamas terrorists, including those responsible for the 2014 kidnapping and murdering of the three Israeli boys from Gush Etzion in. During their own negotiations to have Liebermans party Yisrael Beytenu join the Coalition, Netanyahu made it clear to him that he sees reaching a conciliatory agreement with Turkey a very important goal, and that he expected Lieberman not to stand in its way. Israel agreeing to transfer $21 million to Turkey constitutes a clear admission of guilt, said MK Hanin Zoabi (Joint Arab List), who was on board the Marmara flotilla that attempted to reach the Gaza shores in 2010. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Even if Israel has not admitted it, this (agreement) is its own admission of guilt for the murder of nine human beings, the injuring of dozens of people, abduction and pirate activity within international waters, said Zoabi. This agreement also shows that the Turkel Commission that investigated the flotilla event gave a false report, and that the state ran dishonest propaganda over everything regarding the Marmara. MK Hanin Joabi in front if the Marmara flotilla Despite her initial praise, Zoabi also criticized the agreement for not including Turkeys original demand to end the blockade on Gaza. The blockade murders people and must be stopped, she said. The agreement does not mention it, which leaves no choice other than to send more and more flotillas, and to continue fighting until Israel admits to its original sin that led to the Marmara, and until it removes the blockade from Gaza. In an interview with the Palestinain al-Quds newspaper, Zoabi emphasized that Balad views itself as part of the Palestinian national cause - not part of the Israeli left - and that it was at the forefront of the national Palestinian liberation project. MK Ahmed Tibi (Joint Arab List) added his opinion to the fray, explaining how the deal with Turkey might influence Israeli-Palestinian dynamics. I would imagine that Palestinian legal minds are taking note of the Turkish model and calculating how much compensation to demand over Palestinian victims killed by the IDF during the occupation. Professing to be a peace demonstration, the Marmara was carrying hundreds of peace protestors to Gaza trying to end the Israeli blockade. The flotilla did not respond to the Israeli Navys instructions to turn towards Ashdod, and as a result the IDF lowered soldiers onto its deck, where they were attacked with melee weapons. The IDF soldiers opened fire, killing nine Turkish citizens (one also being a US citizen). The reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey has been finalized and is expected to be signed on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Relations between Israel and what was once its principle Muslim ally crumbled after Israeli marines stormed an aid ship in May 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and killed 10 Turkish activists on board. Turkey expelled Israel's ambassador and froze military cooperation after a 2011 UN report into the Israeli raid largely exonerated the Jewish state. Israel and NATO member Turkey, which both border Syria, reduced intelligence sharing and cancelled joint military exercises. Netanyahu in Rome (Photo: Reuters) The mending in relations with Israel raises the prospect of eventual cooperation to exploit natural gas reserves worth hundreds of billions of dollars under the eastern Mediterranean, officials have said. Amid criticism of the agreement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke in favor of the agreement at a press conference in Rome on Monday, saying takes into account "the international arena as well as of our security and economic needs, at present and in the future." The prime minister detailed the merits of the agreement, saying it protects IDF commanders and soldiers from criminal and civil claimsboth existing ones and any that might be filed in the future. "As of now there are very many such claims and their scope is increasing; they could reach many millions of dollars and prevent the free movement of our soldiers, their freedom of activity all of this is cancelled," Netanyahu said. "The agreement will ensure that our soldiers and commanders will not be exposed to claims by Turkey. Moreover, the agreement also stipulates that the Turkish parliament will pass a law cancelling all of these processes in Turkey," he added. Netanyahu meets with Kerry in Rome (: ") X Another point in the agreement is that it serves to maintain the maritime security blockade of the Gaza Strip. "This is our supreme security interest; I was not prepared to compromise on it. This interest is vital to prevent the strengthening of Hamas and it remains as it has been," he said. "Of course, we are allowing ships to dock at Ashdod port and unload civilian and humanitarian cargoes there for the Gaza Strip. We have never prevented this, of course, and we are making it possible now." Netanyahu noted that the agreement allows for dealing with the humanitarian issues in the Gaza Strip, while taking into consideration Israel's security needs. But Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yldrm said the "wholesale" blockade of Gaza was largely lifted under the deal, enabling Turkey to deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products. A first shipment of 10,000 tons would be sent through the Port of Ashdod next Friday, he said, and work would begin immediately to tackle Gaza's water and power supply crisis. A first shipment of 10,000 tons would be sent through the Port of Ashdod next Friday, he said, and work would begin immediately to tackle Gaza's water and power supply crisis. Yldrm also said the two countries would exchange ambassadors as soon as possible. As part of the agreement, Turkey has also committed "to prevent all terrorist or military activity against Israel from Turkish soil, including collecting funds for these purposes. This is an important even primary commitment that we have not had up until now," Netanyahu said. Furthermore, Turkey has agreed to remove its objection for Israel to open an office with NATO. "This has been a goal of ours for many years and it is being realized," he said. Responding to criticism of the deal, Netanyahu stressed that "I don't run the country based on tweets or momentary headlines, rather based on what is good for the nation's security, economic, and other interests," noting however that "this agreement is not free of criticism." "This agreement opens the way to cooperation on economic and energy matters, including the gas issue," the prime minister insisted. "This doesnt mean we've started a honeymoon period (with Turkey), and I'm not trying to embellish (the agreement). But our critical interests are promoted in this deal." Netanyahu asserted that "Israel has reached an agreement of strategic importance for the State of Israel, for security, for regional stability and for the Israeli economy." "The world and the Middle East are in turmoil and my policy is to create centers of stability in this unstable and stormy region. We are doing so with our close neighbors, Arab countries. We are doing so with Greece and Cyprus. We are doing so with Russia. We are also doing so with Turkey. Of course, we are doing all of this in full coordination with our greatest ally, the United States," Netanyahu added. Netanyahu speaks in Rome (Photo: Amos ben Gershom LTD) He then went on to say that "Israel and Turkey are two major powers in the region and the break between us is not good for our vital interests and prevents us from cooperating in those instances, and there are more than a few, in which cooperation is warranted." Part of the criticism against the deal came from the families of two IDF soldiers , whose bodies are being held by Hamas in Gaza, and one Israeli civilian who is believed to also be held by the terror group. The families of Staff Sergeant Oron Shaul, Lieutenant Hadar Goldin, and Avra Mangisto demanded that the return of their loved ones be part of the deal, arguing that Ankara has extensive diplomatic ties with the Gaza rulers. "Turkey doesn't control Hamas nor does it hold the bodies (of Shaul and Goldin). If (Turkey) were in possession of the bodies, then it could have been possiblebut this is simply not the case," Netanyahu said. He explained that Israel received assurances from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the matter, and that with these assurances there was a better chance a process could begin to return the slain soldiers' bodies home. "I understand the suffering of the families. I speak with them and I know what they are going through, and I would like to assure them: I promise you, members of the families, I promise you that we will not stop and we will not rest until we bring the boys back home. This is a personal, national and moral commitment. I think that the letter which accompanies the agreement gives us another tool to use in this holy work," he said. Netanyahu landed in Rome on Sunday to officially announce and sign the Israel-Turkey reconciliation agreement, together with US Secretary of State John Kerry. "I think it's an important step here to normalize relations on one side. It has also immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly immense implications for the Israeli economy and I mean positive immense implications," Netanyahu said ahead of a meeting with Kerry on Monday morning. PM Netanyahu and US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome (Photo: Amos ben Gershom LTD) The two also met the night before. "We had a very long meeting last night in which we discussed many different issues," Kerry said, "but we focused significantly on the challenge of beating back terrorism and beating back terrorism specifically with respect to Israel's challenge in the Sinai, in the Golan Heights, where ISIS is now visible, positioned in places, and also the challenge of violence stemming from extremism in Gaza and the West Bank." Gabi Levi, who was Israel's Ambassador to Turkey in 2010 when the Marmara incident occurred, said in an interview Monday morning that "this crisis should have been ended several yeas ago as all of the parameters of the deal were known. But it's still better late than never." "The reason the agreement took so long is because of the egos of the two countries. But the personal issues are less important than the relations between countries. There are clear interests between the two countries, and I'm worried that it will take a lot more time until we get back to the deep relations we had before this crisis. But it must all be done through the right processes and not in a flashy manner," the former ambassador continued. US Vice President Joe Biden praised Netanyahu on the headway made in the reconciliation talks with Turkey, and noted that the security and economic benefits this agreement will have will affect not only the two countries, but also the Middle East as a whole. On Monday, Israel and Turkey are due to officially announce their reconciliation six years after the Marmara flotilla incident from 2010, wherein IDF soldiers were attacked for commandeering the vessel before it entered Israeli territory, during which nine Turkish citizens were killed. The announcement will take place simultaneously, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding a press conference in Rome and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yldrm to hold one in Ankara. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Prior to the press conference, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had called Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who expressed his pleasure at the agreement. A top Turkish official described the deal as a diplomatic victory to Turkey, this despite the fact that it did not manage to convince Israel to lift the blockage off Gaza. However, Turkey will be allowed to transport humanitarian aid to Gaza, develop its infrastructure (which will include building hospitals and housing), and provide the Gaza Strip with water and electricity. Turkish President Erdogan and Netanyahu (Photo: AP, Kobi Gedion/GPO) US Vice President Joe Bidens Office issued a statement saying that Netanyahu called to thank Biden for his support during the talks with Turkey. Biden congratulated him on moving with the agreement and noted the security and financial advantages that such a bond would hold for both countries and the Middle East at large. Gabi Levi, who was the Israeli ambassador to Turkey at the time of the Marmara incident, referred to the agreement on Monday by saying that It would have been preferable to have settled this crisis years ago, as all the parameters of this agreements were already known, but better late than never. The reason for the delay was simply two national egos, something that is widely known and well-accepted. But personal matters aside, both countries have clear interests to maintain a good and tight relationship with one another, and I am afraid it is going to be some time before we can go back to close bond that existed before the different crises arose. BEIRUT- A group of suicide bombers detonated their explosives in a northeastern Lebanese village near the border with Syria on Monday, killing five people and wounding at least 15, a Lebanese military official and paramedics said. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The National News Agency said the blasts occurred in the predominantly Christian village of Qaa, only few hundred meters (yards) away from the border. It said four suicide bombers were involved in the rare multiple attack. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The villagers became suspicious of the men as they were passing through the village around 4 am local time, an eyewitness in Qaa said. When civilian security men who guard the village called out to them, they threw a hand grenade before successively blowing themselves up among civilians. ISIS has carried out attacks in Lebanon before (Photo: AP) A Lebanese military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said one suicide attacker blew himself up in front of one of the homes, while three other attackers followed, detonating their suicide vests one after the other as people gathered in the area. Four members of the military were among the wounded, the official added. An investigation is underway. George Kitane, the head of paramedics at the Lebanese Red Cross, confirmed the death toll and said the 15 wounded were rushed to hospitals in nearby areas. He added that several others were treated on the spot. Though it was not immediately clear who or what the attackers planned to target, the Lebanese Christians of Qaa have taken up arms, setting up self-defense units to protect against potential attack by Muslim extremists from neighboring Syria. The explosions occurred about 150 yards away from a Lebanese customs border point. The eyewitnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fears for his safety. Lebanon's Al-Manar TV, which is owned by the militant group Hezbollah, said six people were killed and blamed the attack on ISIS. Hezbollah has been fighting in Syria alongside President Bashar Assad's forces in the Syrian civil war, which has stoked sectarian tensions in Lebanon. Previous attacks in Lebanon have been claimed by the IS group. The ISIS group and al-Qaida's branch in Syrian known as the Nusra Front have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in Lebanon over the past three years that killed and wounded scores of people. The area of Mashrea Qaa -- a predominantly Sunni area that is near village of Qaa -- is home to a large number of Syrian refugees who have fled the war in Syria. Qaa is located about 44 miles north of the city of Baalbek, Syria. Five suspectsfour adults and one minorwere arrested on Monday after rioting on the Temple Mount, with Muslim worshippers throwing rocks, stones and firecrackers at police officers. No one was hurt. The police proceeded to disperse the protest after taking control of the situation. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Surveillance footage shows that the rioters have been holed up within the nearby Al-Aqsa Mosque prior to the rioting, stocking up on rocks and putting up blockades, which according to the police were all intended to confront the police and other forces, prevent them from closing the doors and disrupt regular visitations to the Temple Mount. Confrontations at the Temple Mount Monday marked the second day of confrontations at the Temple Mount, after several officers and one civilian were lightly wounded on Sunday. The rioting is over the fact that contrary to past years, the Jerusalem Police has allowed non-Muslims to visit the Temple Mount during the last few days, during the holy month of Ramadan. The attacks continued in several spurts throughout the day Monday. The police stated that officers are on site and have received reinforcement. They are responding to the rioters with assertive restraint and have acted to disperse them. Rocks stored at al-Aqsa Mosque The police have been working to protect the rights of hundreds of thousands of Muslim worshippers wishing to pray on the Temple Mount througout the month of Ramadan, which began three weeks ago. The police stressed that any attempt to disrupt the peace and status quo in Jerusalem will be dealt with assertively and forcefully, in order to allow the free and safe practice of different religions. The police said it maintains an open line of communication with the local Muslim leadership and the waqf on the Temple in an effort to prevent public disturbances and to keep the peace at the Temple Mount. Jerusalem Police further stated that It will use all of its available resources to bring about the arrests of those rioting and to prosecute them to the full extent of the law. The United States has tested the short-range interceptor missile used by Israel's Iron Dome system with a view to incorporating it or a future American counterpart in European-based air defences against Russia, a US Army general said on Monday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Developed with funding help from Washington, Iron Dome has had a 90 percent shoot-down rate against Palestinian rockets, Israeli and US officials say. But the system's $50 million unit price and limited reach have dampened its export appeal. Visiting Israel, Major-General Glenn Bramhall of the US Army's Air and Missile Defense Command said he saw a new need to complement his corps' mid-range Patriot and THAAD interceptors with a thrifty system for less powerful missile threats. To that end, he said, US assessors have test-launched Iron Dome's interceptor missile, "Tamir", which is jointly manufactured by Massachusetts firm Raytheon Co. and Israel's state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. Iron Dome in action (Photo: AP) "With all that is happening in Europe, especially the fact that Russia has really awakened itself and has really decided to rebuild its military and is really posing a threat, we are looking at how we can do the multi-tiered defence," Bramhall told Reuters at a conference hosted by the Israeli security organisation iHLS. "We are looking at multiple solutions to actually create a third tier that is missing. Patriot and THAAD are great systems that do what they were designed to do. But I don't think we would want to waste a Patriot or a THAAD missile on something that can be affected by something that's lower cost and is actually designed for that job itself." "I think we are looking at something that is similar to Iron Dome. We have looked at the Tamir as a possible missile," he added, raising the prospect of the Israeli-designed missiles being used with the US Army's Multi Mission Launcher platform. Bramhall anticipated that the short-range system chosen would be deployed "probably within two or three years". Rafael puts the Tamir unit cost at around $100,000, a price tag Bramhall said he believed was "within an acceptable range". Iron Dome (Photo: Herzel Yosef) US Army purchases of Tamir would buoy Israeli defence industries unsure of whether they can bank on Washington's largesse in the future. In talks on a new long-term defence aid package to Israel, the White House wants to cut the amount of grant money the Israelis can spend on their own products. Bramhall was due to inspect an Iron Dome unit in Israel on Tuesday. A Rafael vice president, Yosi Druker, was circumspect about whether the US Army should be lobbied to buy Tamirs rather than await a comparable American interceptor missile. "It would be right for us at Rafael, and for every Israeli citizen, to support whatever the Americans decide on," Druker told Reuters. Iron Dome was initially billed as providing city-sized coverage against rockets or mortar shells with ranges of between 3 miles and 42 miles. System upgrades extended that reach to up to 95 miles, Israeli experts say. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited Syrian Army troops stationed in Marj al-Sultan, a village located near the capital of Damascus that up until several months ago was under the control of Syrian rebels on Sunday. Together they broke the traditional fast held during the month-long holiday of Ramadan. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter This is the best lokma Ive had, tweeted Assad, referring to the traditional honey balls dessert. Photos of a smiling Assad sitting down to iftarthe official dinner breaking the fastwere broadcast on official regime networks in addition to photos of him tagging along on patrols, looking at maps and seemingly palling around with the military men. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meeting his troops While a journalist for the Arab-language Russian news channel RT Arabic noted how alarmingly fit Assad is looking, a Syrian newspaper connected to the opposition gave a less flattering, though no less cryptic description of Assad, tweeting The dogs tail has left the tea kettle and broken the fast (may it be with deadly poison) at Marj al-Sultan Airport. Assad speaking to commanders in the Syrian Army The war in Syria continued as Assad ended his fast, with the two main areas of conflict being in the north and east of the country. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that Sunday and Monday alone saw 82 casualties from bombings in the Deir ez-Zor area in the east, with 58 of them being women and children. Assad and his troops breaking the Ramadan fast The war has similarly intensified in the strategically important city of Aleppo, where both the Syrian regime and Hezbollah have suffered severe losses. Over the last few days, opposition forces have repeatedly claimed that the Syrian Air force has been dropping phosphorous and cluster bombs over the city. Though the UN has so far not confirmed these accounts, those in Syria who oppose Assad claim that they have managed to capture images of these bombings. Over the last few days, the Syrian Democratic Forces, which are supported by the US, have managed to enter Manbij, a city north of Aleppo considered an ISIS stronghold. Despite such advances, the battle for the city has yet to be won. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Azad Hasanli Trend: The Southern Gas Corridor project will let Azerbaijan gain at different oil prices, both from sale and transportation of hydrocarbons, from $30 up to $50 billion, according to preliminary calculations, Shahmar Movsumov, the executive director of the State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), said in an interview with Caspian Energy international journal. In its turn, this project will promote development of economy and infrastructure both domestically and across the region, he said. The Southern Gas Corridor is broad-scale infrastructure and energy project of Europe, Movsumov said. Giant gas resources of Azerbaijan, especially, Shah Deniz field, are currently the only source of resources for SGC. It is one of the biggest gas fields in the world. SGC implies implementation of Shah Deniz II project; extension of South Caucasus gas pipeline (Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum), construction of the Trans Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) from the eastern to the western border of Turkey; construction of the Trans Adriatic Gas Pipeline (TAP), which will link Greece, Albania and extend across the Adriatic Sea to south of Italy and further to the Western Europe, he added. The expected length of the corridor is 3,500 kilometers, Movsumov noted. Implementation of the SGC project is also aimed at developing Azerbaijans economy in the long term. SGC will create additional economic and financial opportunities for Azerbaijan and ensure economic profits and inflow of foreign currency for decades. The Southern Gas Corridor is one of the priority energy projects for the EU. It envisages the transportation of 10 billion cubic meters of Azerbaijani gas from the Caspian Sea region to the European countries through Georgia and Turkey. At the initial stage, the gas to be produced as part of the Stage 2 of development of Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz field is considered as the main source for the Southern Gas Corridor project. Other sources can also connect to this project at a later stage. As part of the Stage 2 of the Shah Deniz development, the gas will be exported to Turkey and European markets by expanding the South Caucasus Pipeline and the construction of Trans-Anatolian Natural Gas Pipeline and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline. Polish authorities are expressing concern over incidents of xenophobia directed at Poles and other foreigners in Britain following the British vote to leave the European Union. The Polish ambassador in London, Witold Sobkow, said on Monday that his embassy is in contact with British police as they investigate the incidents. In one reported case, offensive graffiti telling Poles to go home in vulgar terms was sprayed on the front of a Polish cultural center in London. Sobkow said: "We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community and other U.K. residents of migrant heritage." TBILISI- Georgia is abolishing conscription, becoming one of the first former Soviet republics no longer to require men to serve in the military. Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli signed the order on Monday, saying all Georgian men should still want to serve their country but those who do not want to do so will no longer be forced into uniform. Of the 15 former Soviet republics, only Lithuania and Latvia have abolished conscription. Lithuania, however, recently reintroduced it and Latvia is considering doing the same. The Prime Minister's Office rejected on Monday evening claims made by the Goldin and Shaul families, who, as part of their struggle to secure the return from Gaza of the bodies of their sons, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government promised that their sons, Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, will be part of the reconciliation agreement with Turkey. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The bereaved families believe that the deal, which is due to be signed on Tuesday, should be conditional upon Turkey exerting its influence over Hamas to bring the missing soldiers back to Israel. Currently, the agreement is devoid of any condition relating to the soldiers' fate. Shaul and Goldin family protest outside PM's Residence (Photo: Gil Yohanan) At a press conference at their protest tent outside the prime minister's residence in Jerusalem, Zehava Shaul, Oron's mother, stressed her dissapointment with the government's promises over the years which thus far have failed to yield results. According to her, the Israeli government repeatedly promised that no agreement would be forged with any country without the return of Hadar and Oron as a prerequisite to its signing. "Unfortunately they failed to keep their promise, because the agreement is about to be signed, and after the cabinet approves it, I don't know when we'll see Oron and Hadar," she lamented. "I need the support of the entire nation of Israel so the prime minister knows that everyone is with us, and we all, as one, ask to bring back Oron and Hadar. Every mother in Israel should knowtoday it's me here, tomorrow it could be you, or anyone else." Photo: Gil Yohanan She went on to slam the prime minister directly, citing personal conversations which indicate that signing the newly-formed deal would amount to a backtrack on prior pledges. "I spoke to him personally last Thursday and he promised us there won't be no agreement with Hamas and Turkey," she said. "There's no point in waiting on the prime minister's promises. He doesn't take the bereaved families into consideration. The conclusion I have reached is that Prime Minister Bibi only takes care of Gaza, not his own soldiers." Leah Goldin's statements appeared to buttress those of Zahava Shaul as she claimed, "In every meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu, he kept promising Hadar and Oron were the condition for every negotiation. We put our trust in our leaders in the hope that they would find a solution." A statement by the PMO, however, denied that any such promises were made vis-a-vis the Turkey deal. (The prime minister) could not have promised (to include this condition in the deal) since the deal is with Turkey, while and Hamas is not party to it, the statement read. The Shaul family's protest tent. (Photo: Gil Yohanan) It also pointed out that Netanyahu had invited the Goldin and Shaul families to meet with him on Tuesday, together with the UN Secretary-General Ban-ki Moon who is currently visiting Israel. The families were joined on Monday afternoon by parents of fallen soldiers, including Sarah Shemesh, the mother of Ohad Shemesh; Mazal Gidoni, the mother of Liel Gidoni; the parents of Sean Carmeli; the parents of Daniel Pomerantz; the parents of Barak Refael Degorker; Nava Cohen, the mother of Liran Cohen; Rohama Davino, the mother of Moshe Davino; and the parents of Erez Sagi. Ilan Sagi, Erez's father, said, The aim is to show our support for the Goldin family and Shaul family. Their pain is our pain. We believe that just as the Israeli government knows how to send them to war, it knows how to bring them back." "It cannot be that two years after Protective Edge, there is no voice or answer and the government awards the prize (of humanitarian aid) to Hamas while we are struggling for our existence, he continued. AMMAN - Thousands of Syrian refugees stranded on Jordan's northeastern border with Syria are running out of food after a militant suicide attack prompted the army to shut the area, international relief workers and refugees said on Monday. Jordan, a staunch US ally, declared the area a closed military zone after a suicide bomber, believed to be an Islamic State militant, drove a vehicle last Tuesday from the Syrian side and rammed it into a military base close to Rukban camp, killing seven border guards. Aid workers said convoys of food which normally go to the camp were being held up for a sixth day in Ruwaished, the closest town to Rukban camp, which is far from any inhabitable place. Only water trucks were being allowed through. "Access continues to be denied and we are concerned because these trapped people have basic needs," said Hala Shamlawi, spokesperson for the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC). A number of senior politicians voiced their opposition on Monday to the reconciliation agreement between Turkey and Israel which is expected to been signed on Tuesday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The deal, which the prime minister said would be signed "with an understanding of the international arena, and an understanding of the security and economic needs (of Israel)," is the fruit of a protracted effort to restore severely ruptured diplomatic ties which never recovered after the Mavi Marmara flotilla skirmish in 2010 Opposition Chairman Isaac Herzog said that "the deal with Turkey is part of the prime minister's modus operandi. He began with grandiose statements, continued with promises, and ended with subservience. The restoration of relations with Turkey is an important political goal, but the reparations to those who attacked IDF soldiers is unacceptable, especially when it is signed by the Netanyahu Bennett Lieberman threesome, he continued. All should know that the leadership of the right is paying reparations to those who have attacked our sons." Isaac Herzog (Photo: Amit Shabi) Herzog also drew attention to the notable absence of Oron Shauls and Hadar Goldins return from Gaza as a stipulation in the Turkey-Israel deal , a fact which has caused public furor in Israel. Besides this incomprehensible compensation, my heart is torn to see the indifference and the ignoring of the families of those who are missing (in Gaza) , who are yelling at the top of their lungs. Yet their cries are not getting through to the hearts of the people who sit in the cabinet." Meanwhile, Former Defense Minister Amir Perez (Labor) said during a conference in Herzliya marking 10 years since the Second Lebanon War: "If a leftist government had made this agreement, (the attendees) wouldn't have been able to enter the conference because of all of the protestors who would have been outside." Amir Peretz (Photo: Dana Kopel) Herzog and Peretz are not the only senior official to have come out against the agreement, albeit for different reasons. A cabinet minister voiced his disapproval of Netanyahus agreeing to sign the deal on Tuesday, while only bringing it for the cabinets approval on Wednesday. This process amounts to contempt as the prime minister is presenting the cabinet with a fait accompli, the minister complained. He is turning us into a rubber stamp. Matters could be made increasingly difficult for Netanyahu as Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman is also expected to raise his own objections to the impending agreement. An Israeli lifeguard has made an incredible archeological discovery during his morning run on the beach in Ashkelona 900-years-old oil lamp. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Meir Amshik, a lifeguard at the Ashkelon Coast National Park, went out on his regular morning run on Tuesday morning. "During the run I saw some planks had washed up from the sea, and I stopped to pick them up, he said. Suddenly, I saw that a new section of the cliff started deteriorating. I made my way there and saw the intriguing oil lamp lying there in its entirety. I thought it might be an ancient relic, so I picked it up. I went back to the lifeguard tower and together with Avi Panzer, director of the lifeguard station, we contacted the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). Meir Amshik and his incredible find (Photo: Yoli Schwartz, IAA) "People must understand that the ancient relics they find by chance belong to the State of Israel and the general public. These findings could be very important for research and provide historical knowledge to all of us. Fortunately, more and more people report finding ancient relics." Photo: Yoli Schwartz, IAA Sa'ar Ganor, an archeologist in the IAA's Ashkelon District, discussed the lifeguard's fascinating finding. "The ancient oil lamp, which was used for lighting, dates back to the 12th century AD (the early Crusader period)," Ganor said. "You can really see the signs of wear and soot on the mouth of the oil lamp." "The oil lamp was discovered, probably, as a result of the receding of the coastal cliff, which is battered by the forces of nature throughout the year," Ganor went on to say. Photo: Yoli Schwartz, IAA "The oil lamp represents part of the cultural richness of the ancient city of Ashkelon, which was a city of commerce, Ganor explained. The port in Ashkelon was used for the import of goods, as well as to export goods manufactured across southern Israel. At the Ashkelon Coast National Park there is evidence of life from the Canaanite period 4,000 years ago until the modern era. Lifeguard Meir Amshik said that Finding such a treasure is very exciting. You feel like you're a part of history. It gives you a sense of appreciation for what was here before." The father of a terrorist who murdered three Israelis in a deadly attack on a bus in the Jerusalem last October was arrested on suspicion of incitement on Monday. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Mohammed Aliyan, a lawyer by profession, was arrested at the behest of the courts on suspicion of affiliation with terror organizations. Police arrived at his home in Jabel Mukaber and began conducting a search of his property. The invsetigation is currently looking into whether he has any ties with Hamas. Aliyan is the father of Baha Aliyan, who on October 13, 2015, boarded a bus with another terrorist, Bilal Abu Ghanem, armed with guns and axes. The two murdered three IsraelisHaviv Haim, 78, Richard Lakin, 76, and Alon Andrei Govberg, 51and wounded several others. Baha was killed by Israeli Border Police soldiers while his accomplice was wounded. Mohammed Aliyan speaks at elementary school in East Jerusalem Following the attack, Mohammed Aliyan launched a memorial campaign to keep his sons "legacy" alive, whereupon he began lecturing in a number of institutionsincluding at an elementary school in East Jerusalem and at Al-Quds Universityand expressed support for his sons murderous actions. Police raid Mohammed Aliyan's home in Jabel Mukaber The police are currently looking into whether, in his appearances, he called on others to follow his example and carry out attacks of a similar nature. Police raid Mohammed Aliyan's home in Jabel Mukaber The NGO Lach Yerushalayim (To Thee Jerusalem) brought to light Aliyan's appearance at the elementary school, resulting in the police decision to launch an investigation into the matter. Moreover, school officials are being questioned under suspicion of incitement. Aliyan speaks to a school in East Jerusalem Maor Tzemach, the chairman of To Thee Jerusalem, said, During recent months we have exposed the incitement activities of Aliyan, who engaged in libel and incitement against Israel. He also undertook extensive efforts to collect funds for the reconstruction of terrorists homes, which were demolished by security forces in response to terrorist attacks, and engaged in incitement in front of school children. Attack in Armon HaNatziv (Photo: MDA) (Aliyan) also turned to the Supreme Court to secure the return of terrorists bodies. Moreover, he mounted a media campaign against Israel. I praise the security forces for arresting Aliyan and call on them to hold him accountable for his actions, Tzemach continued. Following his sons attack, Aliyan petitioned the Israeli courts to order the release of his sons body, which was being held in Israel. The state often makes the return of terrorists bodies conditional upon the the families compliance with certain requirements such as holding a discrete funeral during the night hours, without using the procession as a forum to incite or express support for terrorists. The unassuming exterior and rather funky interior is not what I had expected from a restaurant about whose food I had heard so much, but it is easy to settle in and relax at Dalida. The young and friendly bilingual staff quickly bring a dish of nicely seasoned white fava beans to the table, with a carafe of water, lemon slices and menus in Hebrew and English for both food and alcohol. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Dalida has a satellite bar across the street, but the restaurant also has a well-stocked bar, which mixes eight specialty cocktails. Each house cocktaillike all drinks, including wine and beercome in three sizes: glass, carafe and liter pitcher. We ordered two of these cocktails: a Punch Berlin and a long margarita. The former blends white wine, vodka, and ginger ale with pieces of fresh fruit apple and pear and sprigs of mint. The drink needs to be left to steep for a while in order to be infused with the fruit, but it still tastes mostly of wine and mint. The long margarita, meanwhiletequila, orange liqueur and ginger ale, with a lemon wedgeis really no improvement over a classic margarita; nevertheless, both this and the Punch Berlin are refreshing drinks on a warm summers day or evening. Dalia with its rather funky interior. The food menu is divided into three categories of dishes by size: small, medium and large. In addition, there are seasonal specials that change every few months. Our waitress recommended starting with one of Dalidas most popular appetizers: spicy feta brulee. This creation of Chef Dan Zoaretz is certainly inventive: salty white cheese turned pink from being seasoned generously with hot paprika, under a crust of burnt sugar. The zingy contrast of sweet with spicy is positively addictive, and reason enough for a return visit. Although this dish is in the small category, it is actually quite filling when spread on the accompanying half-loaf of crusty rustic bread. Our second small plate was the lamb kebab: two tiny ground lamb patties in tehina with roasted white onion. The surprise ingredient here is pistachio; the succulent kebabs burst into flavor with each bite. Our salad selection was the baked fennel with olives, dried cranberries, caraway and mint. dressed lightly with raw tehina. The fennel, which had been marinated in a confit of garlic and lemon, had a muted, mellow taste enhanced by the sweetness of the dried fruit. All in all, the dish, which was served on lafa, was distinctive and well-balanced. Baked fennel with olives salad Our waitresss second recommendation of the evening was the brioche steak, which certainly sounded intriguingnot least because I like both brioche and steak. Except she forgot to explain that the steak refers not to beef but rather the especially thick slab of the soft bread. The disappointment did not last long, however, since the brioche was flanked by two bones filled with rich marrow and drenched in a beef and hibiscus stock. The gravy, while quite good, fortunately did not seep into the hollow of the bone or overwhelm the rich, succulent marrow. The superb dish was accented by a delicate Jerusalem artichoke cream, robust whole chestnuts, and an actual hibiscus flower. Brioche and steak. As the fresh fish of the day was trout, we chose that for our main course. Unusually, the filet was served in strips, alternated with roasted greens, king brown mushrooms, and caramelized carrots, as well as smears of kohlrabi cream and dabs of purslane and sorrel pesto. The pink fish, served at room temperature, was perfectly cooked and simply melted in the mouth. The sides added to the presentation, but not much to the flavor, which was fine: the fish needed nothing additional to improve on it, except maybe for the occasional dab of the herb pesto. You wont find better than this even in a restaurant that specializes in fish and seafood. Our main courses were washed down nicely with Dalidas signature red sangria. The six desserts on the menu presented us with some tough choices, which we whittled down to the cannoli and what looked to be a chocolate extravaganza. The cannoli were filled with a mascarpone cream infused with Zacapa rum and served on an iced tropical fruit salad. The pastry wrapping was fortified with chia seeds, rendering it crisper, while the cream filling was heavenly. Pepper creme brulee The dessert named I love chocolate featured chocolate mousse encased in a chocolate shell atop a round almond financier, alongside a slew of other exotic ingredient, including cardamom caramel, pralines with the consistency of soft fudge, 70 percent chocolate bruleelike mousse on steroidssalted pretzel nougatine and banana chips, all garnished with creme patissiere. It is delicious fun playing with all these flavors and textures. Dalida has some creative pricing policies, such as weekday cinq-a-sept hours when most dishes are half-price, and sharing menus for four to seven people. It is worth checking for occasional promotions as wellwhatever makes it affordable to try this place at least once. Not kosher 7 Zevulun St., Tel Aviv Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday evening that Israel has agreed to all of Ankara's conditions as part of reconciliation negotiations. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter These conditions includes an apology over the Mavi Marmara raid, which led to the death of 10 Turkish citizens. This condition was met when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the behest of US President Barack Obama, called Erdogan to apologize in 2013. Another condition dealt with compensation to the families of the Marmara victims. Under the deal, Israel will pay $20 million in compensation for families of victims of the naval raid. In return, Turkey agreed to halt any legal claims connected to the raid. Turkish President Erdogan (Photo: AP) The third condition dealt with the removal of the blockade over the Gaza Strip. Here, while Israel agreed to allow Turkey to deliver aid to Gaza, it will be done through the Israeli port of Ashdod, where everything will undergo security checks before entering the territory. Erdogan said the first ship, carrying more than 10,000 tons of aidincluding food and clothingwill depart for Israel on Friday. He said Turkey would immediately start working on electricity, water and housing projects in Gaza, and complete a 200-bed hospital there. "Therefore the embargo there is being lifted under Turkey's leadership," he said. Erdogan also said Turkey had consulted with the two main Palestinian factions during the negotiations. He spoke to the Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday and met with Hamas chief Khaled Mashal on Friday. "Both were favorable (to the agreement) and so we continued on our way," Erdogan said at dinner at his palace to break the daily Ramadan fast. Erdogan said despite the agreement, Turkey would continue to address the grievances of the Palestinians and object to "Israel's unlawful practices in Jerusalem and in Al-Aqsa," referring to a contentious holy site revered by Jews and Muslims. The Turkish leader also thanked US President Barack Obama for his contributions to the reconciliation deal. The countries are expected to exchange ambassadors within weeks. Hamas had no immediate reaction to the deal. The Turkish Islamic charity group IHH, which helped organize the 2010 flotilla, criticized it, saying it amounted to acceptance of the Israeli blockade. Relations between Israel and Turkey began to decline soon after Erdogan, whose party has Islamist roots, became prime minister in 2003. Since then, Erdogan, who became president two years ago, has sought closer ties with Muslim nations in the region while trying to distance his country from Israel. Erdogan's close ties with Hamas, an Islamic Palestinian militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, further strained ties. Relations took a sharp turn downward during Israel's three-week war against Hamas in Gaza in 2008 and 2009, when Erdogan criticized Israel over the high Palestinian death toll. The animosity peaked on May 31, 2010, when Israeli commandos stormed a ship called the Mavi Marmara while stopping the international flotilla. Nine Turks, including a dual American citizen, were killed and dozens of activists were wounded, one of whom died several years later. On the Israeli side, seven soldiers were wounded by activists who attacked them with clubs, knives and pipes. Following the incident, Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and scaled back military and economic ties. Relations were never broken completely. Yaakov Amidror, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's former national security adviser, said the agreement will have little immediate impact on security ties and that it will likely take time for relations to warm up to anywhere close to what they were in the pre-Erdogan years. "The potential is huge but we need time to build this trust," he said. The deal also came under criticism in Israel from the families of servicemen killed fighting Hamas in the 2014 Operation Protective Edge in Gaza. Hamas is believed to be holding the remains of two dead soldiers, and possibly two Israeli civilians who are believed to have slipped into Gaza. In Jerusalem, families of the soldiers and missing Israelis, joined by about 50 supporters, gathered outside Netanyahu's official residence to protest the deal. The families say Netanyahu promised them that a return of the soldiers' remains would be part of any deal with Turkey. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the terrorist bombing of the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, which occurred June 25, 1996. For one 403rd Wing member, that day proved to be a vivid and marked experience. Chief Master Sgt. Josephine Keller, 403rd Aeromedical Staging Squadron chief enlisted manager, was a senior airman at the time who had been serving as a medical technician with the 452nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. She had deployed to King Abdul Aziz Air Base, Saudi Arabia, in April of 1996 as part of a 90-day tour, serving as one of the more than 5,000 Americans military members assigned to the base as part of the mission to help enforce the southern no-fly zone imposed over Iraq after the Persian Gulf War in 1991. The evening of the bombing started out peacefully enough, and Keller had decided she wanted to take a stroll around the perimeter of the base. In that particular location, women were not allowed to walk around the compound unaccompanied, so she convinced another young Airman to walk with her. The two had just passed the dormitory where the explosion occurred, and had almost made it to the next building, when the truck bomb detonated. There was this huge flash of light and a big boom, said Keller. There were little specks of light going up in the sky inside of a huge gray cloud of smoke and dirt. The blast knocked the two Airmen to the ground, and they crawled, shocked and bleeding, to the closest building to try and find shelter. They decided not to enter when they saw bleeding and injured people running out of the building. Keller and the other Airman sustained minor cuts and bruises from the blast. During the chaos that ensued, Keller made her way over to an open area near the dining facility that acted as a temporary triage, where she and other medical personnel began tending to the wounded that were arriving, using whatever they had available to treat the injured. There were people lying on the ground, said Keller. Wed work on them, get a determination of their condition and move on to the next person. The dining facility as well as the Air Force and Army clinics close by were set up for the temporary medical operations, and local Saudi medics and workers from other countries began arriving to help out as well. Keller said that the whole ordeal passed by in a surreal blur as she worked more than 30 hours non-stop to help take care of the hundreds of injured people. One memory that stood out as she assisted in the Air Force clinic was the site of blood that practically coated the floors of the hallways. The bomb, which was estimated between 20,000-30,000 pounds, left a crater 85 feet wide and 35 feet deep. In all, 19 U.S. service members died during the bombing and nearly 500 people sustained injuries from the ordeal. For her outstanding contributions, Keller received a certificate of appreciation from the 4404th Operations Group, which was part of the 440th Wing (Provisional) assigned to King Abdul Aziz AB, and also received the Purple Heart for the injuries she sustained while serving during that time. Keller remarked that sometimes it is still difficult to think about the experience, but that she was proud to be able to serve in the way that she did. She ended by encouraging others who have gone through traumatic ordeals to seek the assistance they need, both professionally and through the comfort of friends and family. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27 Trend: Armenian armed forces have 10 times violated the ceasefire with Azerbaijan on the line of contact over the past 24 hours, said Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry June 27. Azerbaijani positions located in the Kohnegishlag village of the Aghstafa district and in the Gizilhajili and Kemerli villages of the Gazakh district underwent fire from the positions located near the villages of Berkaber and Paravakar of Armenias Ijevan district. Meanwhile, Azerbaijani positions also took fire from the positions located near the Garakhanbeyli village and from the nameless heights in Khojavand and Fizuli districts. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced the annual General Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award during a retirement dinner held in honor of the awards namesake in Washington, D.C., June 23, 2016.This new Air Force-level award will be presented to the services top total force team that demonstrates improved effectiveness, operational readiness and mission accomplishment through integrated solutions.During the dinner, James explained one of Welshs first obstacles was to restore the relationship between the active-duty, Air National Guard and Reserve Airmen in the wake of sequestration. She also described how Welsh compared the impact of sequestration to a bomb burst that interrupted the harmonious formation in which the total force flew. However, he was confident the force would again fly as one.Today, just a few short years later, we are flying in formation once again and were flying like never before, James said. Were working together from the flightline to the highest levels of the Pentagon. We truly are one Air Force General Welsh, based upon your contributions to our total force, and also as a tribute to your dad, Mick, Im honored to announce the establishment of the General Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award.To be considered, annual award packages must cover accomplishments made by a team composed of at least two total force components from May 1 to April 30. They must justify the teams best practices and explain how the procedures would be limited if performed by a single component, how the team shared resources to achieve mission success, and how the process or procedure reduced barriers while maximizing the strengths of each component.Total force leaders will facilitate the board and award points in three categories: contributions of an integrated team, scope of the impact to the total force and leveraging a total force team.The winning team will be recognized by the Air Force chief of staff during the annual Air Force Association Symposium in September, and have their names engraved on the One Air Force trophy.On behalf of every Airman who has served in our United States Air Force, and every Airman who will serve in the future, thank you, General and Mrs. Welsh, for all youve done in the past and how youve set us on a path for the future, said James.The award will be managed by the Air Force Personnel Center, in accordance with Air Force Instruction 36-2805, Special Trophies and Awards. Social Media and Suicide Air Force Reserve Command mental health specialists are looking at the possible relationship between social media and suicide as well as the relationship between social media and suicide prevention. This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company. As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism. We hope you are equally as excited as us. This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers. Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited. In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Germany's Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier will visit Baku on June 30, Trend learned from diplomatic sources June 27. Steinmeier will meet with high-ranking officials of the country to discuss the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and bilateral relations. Moreover, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office will also visit Georgia and Armenia. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27 By Anakhanum Idayatova Trend: Turkey wants speedy settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which will meet all the requirements of Azerbaijan, Basat Ozturk, director general for International Security Affairs at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, told Trend June 27. Turkeys position in this issue is clear we are always with Azerbaijan and it is absolute and real support, said Ozturk adding that the conflicts settlement will benefit the entire region. He also noted the recent meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in St. Petersburg is a positive step. St. Petersburg hosted a summit of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsyan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs June 20. Meanwhile, added Ozturk, Turkey advocates having good relations with all countries, including Russia. We want peace and development of relations with neighboring countries, but, of course, there should also be the will of the opposite side, he said. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27 Trend: Russia will soon inform the representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries about the process of settlement of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, a source in Kremlin told RIA Novosti. Russias President Vladimir Putin will in coming days inform the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs about the process of settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict following the meeting with Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in St. Petersburg, said the source, adding that Putin will make phone calls. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. The analysis from CoreLogic shows that in the year to March 2016, 467,993 dwellings were sold across Australia, 6.7% less than the number sold over the previous 12-month period. Those sales were worth a combined value of $281.2bn, which was 2% lower than the total value of all dwellings sold in the 12 months to March 2015. While the 12-month period saw a nation-wide decline, it wasnt felt evenly across all markets, with figures showing regional areas out-preformed their capital city counterpart. The difference in sales volumes and the value of sales between capital city and regional markets highlights that regional housing markets are starting to show an improving trend, CoreLogic research analyst Cameron Kusher said. Over the year there were 301,776 capital city dwelling sales worth $213.3bn; the number of sales was -9.9% lower than a year ago and the value of sales was -0.3% lower over the year, he said. In terms of the combined regional markets, there were 166,217 sales which was -0.3% lower over the year while the value of these sales rose by 3.3% to $67.9bn. Across the 50 local government areas (LGAs) that saw the largest increase in the value of sales over the 12 months, only four were located in capital cities. Narrendera LGA, in NSWs central west, saw the largest increase in total sales values, with a 90.3% increase to $32.5m from $17m in the year to March. The number of sales in the Narrendera LGA increased to 53.9%. Kyogle LGA, in NSWs north, was the next best performer in terms of total sales value increases, up 79.1% to $52.9m to $29.55m over the year, while total sales numbers rose 65.3%. Grant LGA in the south-east of South Australia took third place in terms of value increases, with $41.2m worth of dwellings selling in the year to March, up 61.4% to $25.5m over the prior year. The total number of sales in the Grant LGA rose 35%. Kusher said the current trend for regional areas would likely continue as affordability issues continue to push investors out from capital cities. With mortgage rates low, certain capital city housing markets becoming unaffordable and an improvement in confidence surrounding regional housing, we would expect many of these council areas to see further increases in the total value of sales over the coming year. Source: CoreLogic In terms of total distribution, 31 of the 50 LGAs that saw the largest increase in sales values were in NSW, while eight were located in Queensland. There were five in both South Australia and Victoria and one in Tasmania. In terms of sales numbers only three of the top-50 saw a fall in total sales over the year, which CoreLogic indicates that both dwelling values and demand are increasing. From 1 July 2016, accountants in Australia will no longer be permitted to provide advice around establishing a self-managed superannuation fund (SMSF) unless they hold an Australian Financial Services (AFS) licence. The requirement for accountants to hold an AFS licence before providing SMSF advice is a directive from the Australian Securities & Investment Commission (ASIC) and is one that is supported by those in the industry, such as David Shaw, director at accounting firm WSC Group. I think its a really good move and its a culture change for the industry, Shaw told Your Investment Property. Accountants will feel that theyve been advising clients for many, many years on this and all of sudden theyre not compliant from the first of July, so its a real culture change for the industry but its a necessary one, he said. In particular Shaw believes the licensing requirements will help prevent accountants from joining forces with developers to set up an SMSF for a property purchase when it may not be an appropriate course of action. It stops certain parts of our industry from teaming up with property groups or developers to set up funds without due consideration and the best interests of clients, he told Your Investment Property. Theres now a best interest clause, youve now got to consider the best interests of clients when setting up an SMSF. In Shaws opinion the move to make AFS licences compulsorary for those providing SMSF advice also comes at the right time given the fact that the sector has become more complicated to navigate in recent times. Were very much in agreement with ASIC and the ATO that a self-managed super fund shouldnt be set up with a balance of less than $200,000. We use to say $150,000, but now with the banks tightening up on the requirements of liquidity in funds its almost mandatory to have $200,000 now. Some of the banks are requiring 30% liquidity in your fund. So if you had a $200,000 fund, youve got to have $60,000 in cash at the end of the transaction. Last year ASIC issued advice to SMSF advisers and accountants that it believed setting up an SMSF with a balance of less than $200,000 was not suitable. Shaw also said changes to superannuation contribution limits mean its now even more important investors are getting qualified advice. Weve always thought that when youre going to have a property [in an SMSF] that you shouldnt have more than a 65% loan to value ratio. The reason being is that the whole purpose of buying a property in a self-managed fund has to be to pay down the balance so it provides an income stream. Theres particularly a danger now that contributions are now being limited. From the first of July 2017, no matter who wins the election, we believe its going to be $25,000, so a couple will only be able to put in $50,000 per year anyway. If you looked at say $10,000 for insurance, thered only be $40,000 to service the property. If you had more than two or three properties it would be very difficult to pay down the loan and thats where we think trustees are going to get into trouble in the future. While accountants have known about the impending licensing requirement for some time, Shaw said it is likely some in the industry may operate outside the requirements and he encouraged investors to make sure theyre receiving SMSF advice from somebody who is qualified to provide it. There will be an element of the profession that will continue to [provide advice without an AFS licence] because its a grey area where the taxation advice ends and the financial planning advice starts. The big thing people need to do is just ask whoevers giving advice if they have a licence. If youre talking to somebody about an SMSF its the first question you should ask. As a homeowner, you probably already know that you should be working to maintain your home. But, chances are, you Read More Baku, Azerbaijan, June 27 Trend: Baku is hosting the next summer session Looking to the Warsaw Summit: NATOs role in coping with regional challenges of NATO International School of Azerbaijan (NISA) dedicated to the Warsaw summit of the Alliance. Head of the International Security Department at the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Gaya Mammadov opened the event. Mammadov said today that the relations between Azerbaijan and NATO are developing successfully and the dialogue between the parties continues. Azerbaijan continues the cooperation with NATO with its missions in Afghanistan, he noted. We are pleased with principles of development of bilateral cooperation, added Mammadov. Students from Azerbaijan, Georgia, Germany, Iran, Poland, Israel, Lithuania, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine are taking part in the event. The Alliances role in ensuring security in the region, NATO's position on regional conflicts and conflicts on the territory adjacent to the alliance are the main topics of discussions. The session will last until July 1. NATO International School of Azerbaijan (NISA) operates since 2013 and is committed to function as a research, education and training center on Euro-Atlantic security and integration and further promote Euro-Atlantic values and ideas in academia and in a wider audience in the region at large. News San Luis, Arizona - Beginning Friday, July 1st, Math/Calculus Tutoring for teens and adults will be offered Tuesday through Friday at the San Luis Library. Instructor Luis Figueroa will be available from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. to assist with math and calculus homework. There is no charge to attend. Please note, instruction is available in English and Spanish. Sessions end July 29th. The San Luis Library is located at 1075 N 6th Avenue in San Luis, Arizona. For more information, call (928) 627-8344. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. Stiri pe aceeasi tema - President Klaus Iohannis condemned on Tuesday the attacks with Russian missiles over the cities and civil infrastructures of Ukraine, showing that the analysis doesn't reveal, at the moment, an increase of risks in Romania. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro - President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that Romania is working with Georgia and other partner states on carrying out major strategic projects, showing that a priority is the construction of an electric cable linking Romania, Georgia and Azerbaijan, under the "Green Electricity Corridor" initiative - President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday welcomed visiting Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, with military honours. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro Help your friends know - Salome Zourabichvili, the President of Georgia, will be received on Tuesday at the Cotroceni Palace by President Klaus Iohannis, on the occasion of her official visit to Romania. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste stiripesurse.ro pe Facebook stiripesurse.ro Help - President Klaus Iohannis participated on Tuesday in a videoconference with European Council President Charles Michel and a group of European leaders as a preparation stage for the meetings to take place on Thursday and Friday in Prague. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. Urmareste - President Klaus Iohannis will lead the Romanian delegation that will participate in the high-level segment of the 77th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, on Tuesday and Wednesday, in New York, the Presidential Administration informs. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. - President Klaus Iohannis signed, on Tuesday, the Condolence Book opened in memory of Queen Elizabeth II at the residence of the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Romania, the Presidential Administration announced. Fii la curent cu cele mai noi stiri. - The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, will participate on Tuesday and Wednesday in the informal meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the EU Member States (in Gymnich format), which will take place in Prague, within the Czech Presidency of the Council of the European Union, a Qatar Airways is offering customers in Azerbaijan an incredible early bird sales promotion to travel upon its network of more than 150 exciting destinations around the world. Customers can visit places they always wanted to with early bird offers and enjoying fabulous savings to Asia, Australia, America, Arabian Peninsula, Africa and beyond with Qatar Airways. Unparalleled travel experience as customers enjoy the trip of a lifetime on their next vacation abroad, that is the promise of world best Airline. Now through to 1 July 2016, customers in Azerbaijan can enjoy exclusive discounted fares when booking at qatarairways.com. Travel period for this great early bird promotion is 18 September 2016 to 10 June 2017. Qatar Airways Country Manager, Mr. Nazir Abduvakhidov said: "This is a special promotion for Qatar Airways passengers to travel on board the World's Best Airline and to experience our signature premium service. Through this promotion, we would like to extend our gratitude to our customers for their continued support and loyalty in choosing Qatar Airways as their preferred airline. Qatar Airways serves key business and leisure destinations around the world with 186 modern aircraft, including destinations such as Mumbai, Bangkok, Singapore, Hong Kong, Colombo, and Dubai via the airline's state-of-the-art hub, Hamad International Airport. At the annual Skytrax 2015 World Airline Awards, Qatar Airways was awarded Worlds Best Airline, Best Business Class Airline Seat, and Best Airline in the Middle East. Qatar Airways has seen rapid growth in just 19 years of operation and today flies a modern fleet of 184 aircraft to more than 150 key business and leisure destinations across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America. My sole motivation behind letting myself into that abominable prison house called school was the little white stick that my mother allowed me to grab and lick after the classes were over. I used to look with wishful eyes the attractive white box of ice cream walla who also had other varieties-the red tangy one that came in twenty five paisa, the slightly yellow one that came in fifty paisa and the expensive white creamy one that came in full one rupee. My mother had warned me against eating the orange one as she said it contained worms that came out if you sprinkled salt on it! So my childhood remained deprived of that one single taste that so often contented the appetite of my not-so-affluent friends.Facebook/The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
More than a week ago, Tim, one of the oldest elephants in Kenya, found himself in danger yet again. The impressive bull is also known as one of the largest elephants in his territory at Amboseli National Park. He's blessed with equally massive tusks - which unfortunately make him a prime target for poachers. As a result, wildlife rangers keep a special eye on Tim, but even they're not infallible. Last week, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust heard that Tim had been spotted with a spear sticking out from his head. Dodo Shows Wild Hearts Guy And Wild Shark Have Been Best Friends For Decades "I was excited to see him," David Bates, a conservationist, told Daily Nation. "But then, as he drew closer to us, we realized that something was wrong." The 47-year-old elephant knew he needed help and went to where he would be able to get it. Bates and his team were the ones to spot the injured elephant when he came close to their camp. Bates was immediately worried that the spear might have been poisoned and contacted the Kenya Wildlife Service, which sent a veterinarian out to treat Tim. "To all our relief, the spear wasn't poisoned, and had gone through the ear and merely scratched the skin underneath," Big Life Foundation wrote on Facebook. "Within five minutes, Tim was up and heading back to the swamps in the middle of Amboseli." Yesterday, the Amboseli Trust for Elephants posted a Facebook update on Tim's condition, confirming that the elephant is fine, and stating that he was attacked with a spear that "youngsters" use. Bates told Daily Nation that he believes Tim might have gotten into a conflict with local farmers. "We don't know what the circumstances were that initiated the attack," Amboseli Trust wrote. "We do know that outside of Amboseli National Park there are serious challenges for human-elephant coexistence ... Today there is rapidly expanding agriculture into elephant range. Farmers cannot live with elephants. They have to be separated." Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Tim has been attacked. In 2014, he suffered from another spear wound that had become infected. Thankfully, he recovered from the ordeal. Amboseli Trust went on to to say that fencing in the savannah may be the only practical solution to protect elephants like Tim from getting involved with locals. As for Tim specifically - keeping him and his legacy alive continues to be a priority. "Tim has become one of Amboseli's iconic bulls," Amboseli Trust wrote after his attack in 2014. "Over the years he has grown into a magnificent bull, but we love him as much for his gentle personality as his good looks." Now its Bank of England Governor Mark Carneys turn to choose whether to leave or remain. As he marks three years atop the UKs central bank this week, the 51-year-old Canadian will realize his credibility is in question after Britons pushed aside his repeated warnings over the economy and voted to quit the European Union. That decision not only forces Carney into another round of financial firefighting, but hands a victory to those pro-Brexit lawmakers who attacked him during the campaign for scaremongering and accused him of favouring the Remain side. With Prime Minister David Cameron stepping down, his successor could even be one of those critics. Politically, Carney is now in a very difficult position, David Blanchflower, a former BOE policy maker now at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, told Bloomberg Television. Presumably a new prime minister will not be happy a pro-Brexit prime minister in the group that accused Carney of trying to push to remain. So Carneys position is clearly in some question. Related: Video: City of London calls for clarity on Brexit negotiation process Video: Cameron addresses U.K. Parliament after Brexit vote Global markets continue to drop as pound falls further following Brexit vote Vitriol from some lawmakers and the worsening economic outlook will now be playing on the BOE governors mind just as he mulls whether to extend his term by three years or step down in 2018 as planned. Yet Carney, who earlier this year left the door open to an extension, may be tempted to stay to bolster stability and provide continuity through the coming years of negotiation, adjustment and uncertainty. Still, the pending arrival of a pro-Brexit government and potential departure of ally Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne may also push Carney to stick with the earlier departure date if there isnt some mending of fences. Boris Johnson, the bookmakers favourite to succeed Cameron, publicly criticized Carney during the referendum campaign, while others accused the BOE of startling dishonesty. If that backdrop taints relations with the government, it could mean Carneys future is not in his own hands. I think its very unlikely but theres absolutely nothing to stop a new chancellor or a new prime minister calling him in and saying We want a new face, former BOE Deputy Governor John Gieve, who was in charge of financial stability at the central bank during the run on Northern Rock in 2007, said in a telephone interview. I actually think that the new leader will want to bolster his own credibility in the markets by cooperating and collaborating with Carney. In what may be an attempt to heal any rift, Johnson backed Carney in a column in the Telegraph newspaper, saying the economy is in good hands. Now that the referendum is over, he will be able to continue his work without being in the political firing line, Johnson wrote. Other prominent figures in the Leave campaign may disagree. Before the June 23 vote, Conservative lawmaker Jacob Rees-Mogg accused Carney of compromising the BOEs independence and said he should be fired. His fellow party member Steve Baker queried whether Carneys former employer, Goldman Sachs had encouraged him to warn on the risks of leaving the EU. Rees-Mogg couldnt be reached on Sunday and Baker declined to comment. I dont think the governor of the Bank of England behaved in an independent manner during this campaign at all, UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage said in an interview with the Globe and Mail newspaper published Sunday. There will be some real questions in parliament about whether its appropriate for him to continue. With the immediate economic challenges mounting, Carney pulled out of an ECB forum in Portugal this week, and Osborne said Monday that he had been in contact with the governor over the weekend on contingency plans. Carney will lead a quarterly meeting of the BOEs Financial Policy Committee on Tuesday. Its due to publish its semi-annual Financial Stability Report on July 5. It will not be plain sailing in the days ahead but you should not underestimate our resolve, Osborne said. There have been questions about the future of the Conservative Party and I will address my role within that in the coming days. Carney has consistently defended his comments on the impact Brexit would have on the economy with the observation that suppressing his concerns would have been a political choice. He drew support from his predecessor at the BOE, Mervyn King, on Monday. Central bank governors are always criticized, King said in a BBC interview. I dont think that means to say they are wrong. And Carneys fast action last week to calm markets may win him supporters. As the pound and UK stocks tumbled in the immediate aftermath of the referendum result, Carney issued an early morning statement, pledging to provide an extra 250 billion pounds ($337 billion U.S.) for the financial system. He also held out the prospect of even more dramatic measures from the BOE if needed. Hes been a calm voice of reason throughout, not exaggerating the dangers, said John Mann, a Labour lawmaker on the Treasury Select Committee who supported leaving the EU. Indeed, despite his perceived alignment with Osborne and the Remain campaign, it may be that Carney, with huge powers over both the economy and financial stability, can ride out the storm of political and economic uncertainty. By God, weve got to have a steady hand on the tiller, said Mark Garnier, a Conservative lawmaker and member of Parliaments Treasury Committee. This is not a difficult week, this is actually a difficult two or three years. Hes somebody who should be asked to make a commitment to see us through to the long term. Read more about: SHARE: The House of Representatives will begin state budged discussions on Monday The Egyptian House of Representatives adjourned Monday the discussion of a draft law to regulate press and media in Egypt until after state budget has been finalized , House speaker Ali Abdal Aal announced. The state's budget discussion started on Monday in the parliament. Sources told Ahram Arabic news the draft bill possibly will not be discussed till after the Eid holiday, which ends on 10 July. Earlier this month, the draft bill regulating press and media in Egypt created controversy after pro-government MPs proposed an amendment by which the president could reshuffle the Higher Press Council, the body in charge of naming editors and board chairmen of state-owned press organizations. The MPs also called for new editors-in-chief - whose terms of appointment are set to expire at the end of the month - for state-owned national press institutions. Parliament's Media Committee approved the amendments, although the Higher Press Council completely rejected the amendments, stating that they were illegal. The council is regulated by a 2013 law that stipulates the body should continue operating until a new constitution is put in place, a parliament is elected, and new press law is issued. Last week, the council announced that the editors-in-chief would remain in their position until a new press bill is approved and adopted. Search Keywords: Short link: The arrival of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto for a state dinner at Torontos Casa Loma with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau signals a renewed closeness between the North American Free Trade Agreement partners, and a public commitment to the value of hemispheric trade integration. The state visit, in advance of Wednesdays Three Amigos summit with U.S. President Barack Obama in Ottawa, is an opportunity to celebrate the increased trade between Canada and Mexico, and to advance the controversial issue of Canadas visa requirement for Mexican visitors, which Trudeau has said he is committed to resolving. Both leaders highlighted the evening as an occasion to renew their friendship and partnership, strengthen their common values of diversity, tackle the issue of climate change and be good neighbours. It is hard to believe more than six years have passed since we welcomed a Mexican president on a state visit, Trudeau said Monday night in his toast to Pena Nieto. Canada and Mexico are more than just partners. We share a continent and connection between people . . . . We have shared economic interests, too, the prime minister said, later lauding the efforts ofthe 41 Mexican firefighters who recently travelled to Fort McMurray to help fight the wildfires that have devastated the northern Alberta community. The visa issue has been an irritant for Mexico since Canada imposed the requirement in 2009, prompted by a spike in refugee claims from Mexico. The leaders cancelled last years summit, and following the 2014 summit in Toluca, Mexico, Pena Nieto said he would not visit Canada until it was revoked. Pena Nieto called Monday evening a landmark in history and a renewal of the bilateral relationship. Thank you for taking it further . . . . We are here to deepen a friendship, said Pena Nieto, a true friendship built on common values of openness, inclusion, respect and freedom. And a relationship based on economic activity and position human interaction. In a veiled criticism of the government of former prime minister Stephen Harper, Pena Nieto noted that Canada is showing again how progressive Canada is and emphasized that immigration should be legal and carried out in an orderly fashion. Mere tolerance is not enough, Pena Nieto said, in tipping his hat to Pierre Trudeau, while quoting Justin Trudeau. Deserve what you dream, Trudeau said, quoting famous Mexican poet Octavio Paz. Later this week, the three North American leaders are expected to focus on a plan of action to battle climate change, and to promote the benefits of free trade and unity in the Americas. This is a counterpoint to the protectionism and anti-immigrant sentiment in the 2016 U.S. presidential race, and to the U.K.s surprising vote last Thursday to leave the European Union. I expect that in the communique the leaders will celebrate the North American model, said Duncan Wood, director of the Mexico institute at the Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. They will recognize the importance of international co-operation and economic collaboration between states, in a way that doesnt challenge the sovereignty of any nation. There is no North American parliament or council like in the EU Together, Canada, the U.S. and Mexico have a population of 530 million, and their economies comprise one quarter of the worlds GDP. The combined GDP has more than doubled in the past two decades to $26.2 trillion today, and the countries are amongst each others largest trading partners. Almost two million Canadians visit Mexico every year, while 3,517 Canadian companies operate in Mexico, including Gold Corp, Bombardier, Scotiabank and Magna International. A new poll by Angus Reid Institute shows that most Canadians (69 per cent) want Canada to pursue closer ties with Mexico, and collaborate with the country to oppose buy American laws. These rules seek to limit U.S. government agencies from purchasing products made outside the U.S., and prohibit them from buying foreign goods, including from its NAFTA partners. At the same time, Canadians prove to be ambivalent about NAFTA, implemented in 1994, with only a quarter of respondents saying it has benefitted their country. About 22 per cent said the landmark trade deal hasnt affected Canada positively or negatively, with nearly half of respondents taking no position at all. Thirty-four per cent say the deal should be renegotiated. (The poll, released Monday, was conducted on 1,519 people; similar samples of this size have a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.) When asked what the North American leaders should focus on, respondents said: NAFTA, security and climate change, in that order. On the visa issue, one third of Canadians say it should be lifted, while one third say it should not; a quarter are uncertain. Fifty-one per cent of respondents have a favourable view of Mexico, a 12-point increase from a similar poll conducted in 2011. However, Canadians also show a wariness towards Mexico, with fewer than half saying they believe the country can be counted on as an ally. In contrast, 81 per cent said the U.S. could be counted on as an ally. About 96,000 Mexicans live in Canada while Mexico is home to 60,000 Canadians. Wood noted said that for the first time in a long time, all three leaders have the same level of commitment towards renewable energy and the importance of climate change. Canada and the U.S. have already signed an agreement to reduce methane emissions 40 to 45 per cent below 2012 levels by 2025; Mexico is expected to follow suit. The three countries want to work together in global forums on climate change and they are aligned, making North American a powerful bloc, said Wood. Human rights groups have used the summit as a chance to raise the issue of Mexicos human rights record. In a letter to Trudeau, Amnesty International has asked him to highlight the issue of disappearances, killings and torture by authorities a critical problem in Mexico. Since the country embarked on an offensive against the drug cartels in 2006, more than 27,000 Mexicans have disappeared. An Amnesty report to be released Tuesday documents the torture of women in federal prisons, and the governments failure to carry out proper investigations. Pena Nieto defended his countrys human rights record: We still have work to do. However, I think we are moving in the right direction towards having human rights being fully respected (in Mexico), he said after a meeting with Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard in Quebec City, where he stopped earlier in the day, before arriving in Toronto. Outside Casa Loma on Monday, two dozen protesters stood holding placards that read human rights for Mexico, demonstrating against the violence against teachers recently in Oaxaca and the disappearance of 43 students from Guerrero state two years ago. With files from Canadian Press Read more about: SHARE: Floating on a little raft in an idyllic cove off Capri, a muscular man in a skimpy swimsuit stands over a woman sunbathing in a white bikini. The camera zooms in and pans across his crotch. He jumps into the water. She eagerly follows. They climb back on the raft, water dripping from their sinewy bodies in slow motion. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. He pulls the string on the bikini top. Sex sells fragrances. Dolce & Gabbana ran that commercial in 2010 (and a similar ad three years later) for Light Blue, one of its cologne labels. But it could have been an ad for nearly any high-end fragrance over the past two decades. The message is simple: spray this, get lucky. Now some labels are bucking the trend, betting that a younger set of customers doesnt crave hyper-sexualized, gender-defined fragrances. Phlur, a new fragrance startup in Austin, Texas sells unisex scents that shun lustful industry norms. Each fragrance is portrayed more like a luxe candle than a magical spray that will turn you into a sex magnet. That isnt what the modern consumer wants, said Eric Korman, Phlurs founder and chief executive. The same gender stereotypes and generalizations that have applied over the past 25 years dont apply today, said Korman, 45. They dont resonate. He points to the great divide between manly colognes and feminine perfumes. There was a time when men didnt mind wearing florals. Over the years, however, brands have hammered home the partition between musky male scents and flowery female ones. Korman, a former head of e-commerce for Ralph Lauren, wants to let shoppers decide for themselves. Phlur sells its fragrances online, using images to explain the scents. Each offering tries to evoke a feeling rather than a generic pledge to make you sexy. One scent attempts to inspire a moment of escape, to reconnect with the outdoors and recharge your batteries. Another is meant to instill an inner confidence and sense of purpose throughout your workday. There are other upstarts taking a nonsexy approach to fragrances. Pinrose, a San Francisco perfume seller, fancies itself for clever devils and uses a quiz to determine womens scent styles. New Yorks Le Labo pledges soulful craftsmanship in each bottle. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab out of Los Angeles has adopted a Gothic tone with its esoteric potions. These companies remain niche players in the perfume business and few of the big luxury houses have changed their ways to adopt a different marketing approach. One notable exception is Prada, which recently revealed a line of unisex perfumes backed by artsy, surreal collages instead of provocative videos. Little has changed in the past 75 years. In fact, the imagery has just gotten more carnal. Cologne and perfume ads from the 1940s and 1950s often promised romantic success. Television ads for Brut only amped up the sexuality. For every man who wears Brut, theres a woman who loves what he smells like, proclaimed a 1985 ad for the cologne, a woman biting her lip as she answers the phone waiting for a man to come to her. Steamy Calvin Klein ads from the early 1990s looked like minimalist versions of that Dolce & Gabbana getaway off Capri. Axe, the ubiquitous body spray made by Unilever that wafts through high school hallways, long targeted insecure teenage boys with the promise that it would help them get the girls. Douse yourself in it and see the results. It backed up this message with ads that showed regular guys chased by mobs of girls. Some administrators sick of smelling the mist in their schools banned it. Axe toned things down in 2014, cutting sex-crazed women in favour of the everyman. The promise of manliness remains, but its less blatant. Korman knows sex got the industry to where it is today. But with a younger generation demanding sophistication and deeper relationships with brand-name products, he believes purely sexualized marketing doesnt hit like it used to. Its an easy message to tell, Korman said. Just not a very clever one. SHARE: Ashley Callingbull is all too aware of the burden of expectations that falls on her shoulders as she runs The Amazing Race CanadaSeason 4 . For one, she is the reigning Mrs. Universe, the first Canadian to win the crown. She is also from Enoch Cree Nation, just west of Edmonton. The First Nations community will be closely watching her progress on what happens to be Canadas most watched television series. You really feel that you want to be a positive role model, but really Im going to be myself. Hopefully I wont swear too much, because I really tend to under pressure, laughed Callingbull, 26, in an interview in Toronto before the start of the race. The Amazing Race Canadas new season starts Tuesday at 8 p.m. on CTV. Ten teams will compete for $250,000 in prize money and gifts such as cars, airfare and hotel accommodations around the world. The competition show travels the world and contestants take part in different physical and mental tasks to win each leg of the race. It also features the most high-profile, diverse bunch of contestants yet, including Callingbull and contestants from other reality shows such as Big Brother Canada. Its going to be an interesting season because there is obviously something about these people which caused them to win, and in their personality and makeup to compete at such a high level, said host Jon Montgomery in an interview. Montgomery says producers have always committed to diverse casting. But this year features a more comprehensive approach. Compared to prior years, the patchwork of Canadians is much more representative of what our nation looks like. We have people from new Canadians to second- and fourth-generation Canadians. If you really cant find someone you can identify with, then there is nobody like you in this country. You must be one heck of a unique individual. Callingbull will be running the race with her stepfather Joel Ground, an auto mechanic who recently walked her down the aisle at her wedding. Im the calm one, so we make a good team, said Ground. The outspoken Callingbull has not been shy about talking about her difficult past, including a life of poverty and sexual abuse growing up as an indigenous woman. She also made headlines shortly after her Mrs. Universe win in Belarus when she criticized the former Harper government for treating First Nations people like terrorists for wanting decent living conditions. She urged Canadians to vote out the standing government. Ive done a lot of pageants, so Im pretty strong mentally. I know how to deal with criticism, she said. But I really felt I had a lot of First Nations people at my back. And now things have changed with the new government. But true change will still take time. The duo say they intend to take their family on a vacation with any winnings but also to give back to the community, particularly charities that deal with at-risk children and domestic violence. Last season, The Amazing Race Canada, based on an American original, averaged 2.54 million viewers, making it the most watched TV series in the nation. That was followed by The Big Bang Theory and Survivor. Its hard to pinpoint exactly why its the most watched show but, certainly, casting directors have made sure that the show is reflective of the world, even as contestants are shown travelling the globe. Fitness entrepreneurs Kelly Xu and Kate Pan, both 25, fit that profile. The two Toronto friends were born in China, immigrating to Canada when they were 11. Hopefully we can change the representation of Chinese women as being frail and vulnerable, said Xu. The partners eventually hope to have their own gym and clothing line. Pan says they inadvertently practised for the race several years earlier when they realized they only had $50 on a vacation in Cuba. We had to improvise, said Pan. It was kind of get all the freebies you can. Meanwhile, their traditional Chinese parents had no idea what The Amazing Race was before they told them they were on the show. Now they love it, said Xu. But my dad is still so protective. He keeps telling me, Dont push yourself too far; if you cant do it, dont worry about it. SHARE: This is part of the Stars occasional series on the science and significance of sleep. Stats show the average Canadian sleeps for eight hours and 18 minutes, which would be a bit of a nightmare for Alastair Summerlee. He has slept a maximum of four hours a night, waking at 40-minute intervals, his entire life. On the rare occasion, usually after cutting down to just two hours, he might crash for six. When I wake up, I feel like death, Summerlee, 63, says of those unusually long sleeps. Im assuming thats what (other) people are like when they wake up in the morning. Though many try to cut back on sleep, the ability to thrive not just survive with only a few hours of sleep is rare, shared by an estimated 1 per cent of the population. Scientists have started to study their genetics and behaviour of these natural short sleepers, to unlock some of the mysteries of sleep regulation and its effect on human health. Sleep deprivation in most people means grumpiness, brain fog and impaired motor function. But many short sleepers have a genetic anomaly that allows them to jump out of bed after a few hours. They are often described as preternaturally optimistic, energetic and happy. Summerlee was known for recharging with a 15-minute nap on the floor of his office at the University of Guelph, where he was president from 2003 to 2014. Despite the time demands of that position, Summerlee also taught first-year seminars, guest lectured and did research. He would go to bed around 10:30 p.m., sometimes arriving on campus as early as 3 a.m. He has never used an alarm clock. I can sleep anywhere, any time, but only for a few minutes, like a cat, Summerlee says. Those few minutes are unbelievably rejuvenating. Neither parent was a big sleeper, and two of his three children sleep in a similar way, he says. Summerlee now works on research with Lucky Iron Fish, a company aiming to combat iron deficiency in the developing world, and returned to teaching three science courses. Whatever the body does during sleep is critical for health. Long-term health consequences of chronic sleep deprivation include an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, depression and dementia. But short sleepers are seemingly exempt. They can do this, lifelong, without paying any price, says Dr. Ying-Hui Fu, a geneticist and professor of neurology at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, who studies natural short sleepers. Fu believes genes, not habits or wishes, determine the need for sleep. A lot of people say, I trained myself to do this, says Fu, who gets seven hours of sleep but prefers eight. Maybe they can do that for 20 years but then develop this problem or that problem. They often dont even know its because theyre chronically sleep-deprived. Through recruitment for a study on early risers, Fus team found two members of a family who were both morning larks and night owls and slept about six hours a night, two hours less than the North American average. Exome sequencing, in which expressed genes are mapped, showed these short sleepers had the same mutation on the DEC2 gene, which influences the circadian clock. Mice bred with the mutation experienced shorter periods of both REM and non-REM sleep, and recovered faster from sleep deprivation. The findings were published in the journal Science in 2009, after which numerous natural short sleepers contacted Fu, who now has about 100 participants in her ongoing study. Some are healthy and vibrant at advanced ages, including one woman who was still volunteering in her 90s after sleeping only five hours a night. (Fu has since identified other, non-DEC2, genetic mutations associated with short sleeping.) In 2014, University of Pennsylvania scientists published in the journal Sleep a twin study on what has become known as the Thatcher gene, named for former U.K. prime minister Margaret Thatcher who famously said sleep was for wimps. The study found other mutations linked to sleep duration and recovery from sleep deprivation, and posited these may be more common than previously believed. For most, sleep deprivation can have serious consequences, says Sunnybrook Hospital sleep neurologist Dr. Andrew Lim, who has published research linking fragmented sleep to the risk of Alzheimers disease and stroke in older adults. In a clinical setting, the need for sleep is determined by performance on mental and physical tests, not the eight-hour rule. Lim estimates around five per cent of the population needs 6.5 hours. A similar proportion needs nine hours or more. The majority falls in between. Lims team is conducting the Ontario Sleep Health Study to identify genes related to sleep and the circadian rhythm as well as the effects of sleep deprivation and interruption, especially on cognition and dementia. They hope to recruit 4,000 working-age Ontarians to provide a DNA sample and wear an accelerometer to record their sleep patterns. The study will also identify the natural short sleepers who are superstars on cognitive tests despite little sleep and potentially reveal the secrets of their success, genetic or otherwise. For Summerlee, the extra hours in each day meant that by the age of 23, he completed his PhD studies in brain electrophysiology at the University of Bristol, which he did while running a student residence, teaching and eventually acting as preclinical dean for veterinary science. In the 1970s, he found himself debating then-education minister Thatcher over her cost-cutting policies. He had heard about the Iron Ladys stamina without sleeping. It was really galling to know she was a short sleeper, too, says Summerlee, who admired her intellect if not her ideology. It made me want to sleep longer. Short sleepers in history Busy, ambitious people often claim to need little sleep, subverting a basic human need in order to be more productive. But these seemingly bionic high-achievers may be habitual short sleepers, as opposed to their genetic counterparts. Margaret Thatcher: Britains first and only female prime minister claimed to sleep only four hours a night, a fact often held up as a symbol of her determination and willpower. But former MP Matthew Parris, who worked alongside Thatcher, would often see the eyes of an exhausted woman, according to the BBC. Napoleon: The French emperor thought men needed six hours, women needed seven and only a fool slept eight. According to Dangerously Sleepy: Overworked Americans and the Cult of Manly Wakefulness, Napoleon slept four hours during active military operations and five hours otherwise. But an account of the 1815 Battle of Waterloo in Smithsonian magazine in 2015 says Napoleon was so exhausted he nearly fell off his horse. Thomas Edison: The inventor of the light bulb disdained the need for sleep. Sleep is an absurdity; a bad habit, he has been quoted as saying. In an 1889 interview with Scientific American magazine, Edison claimed to sleep four hours a night, and would enforce the same habits on his staff and contemporaries. He also liked a good nap. Benjamin Franklin: The American founding father is often named as a member of the so-called sleepless elite. Franklin, who famously gave us the phrase Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise, extolled the virtues of getting up at dawn. But his diaries show he followed a more moderate plan of sleeping from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Donald Trump: The presidential wannabe has bragged he sleeps as little as possible. I like three hours, four hours, I toss, I turn, I beep-de-beep, I want to find out whats going on, Trump said last year, according to a New York Times Op-Ed that hypothesized his sometimes-bizarre behaviour could be a symptom of sleep deprivation. Marissa Mayer: The Yahoo CEO reportedly managed a massive workload while an executive at Google by working 130 hours a week and pulling weekly all-nighters. She has acknowledged that burnout is a risk for hard-working employees and in 2014, Mayer herself slept through a meeting with marketing industry bigwigs, according to the Wall Street Journal. SHARE: If a sedentary lifestyle has you feeling like youre ready to be put out to pasture, why not give Saddle Pose a try? This therapeutic Yin Yoga exercise can be good medicine for ankles, knees, thighs, hip flexors and low back, but its tougher than it looks. Proceed with caution and, if youre working with a pre-existing injury, consult your doctor before riding roughshod over sensitive areas. Saddle Pose 1. Sit on your heels with your big toes touching and knees spread wider than outer hip distance apart. Come out of the pose immediately if you feel a sharp pain in the knees. 2. Using your arms for support, lean your upper body back toward the floor until you feel a rich stretch along the top of the thighs. 3. Prop your body at this height with a yoga bolster, couch cushions, or bed pillows. If you dont require any additional support, lie directly onto your mat. The lower back has permission to arch lightly away from the ground in this Yin version of the pose. 4. Hold steady and breathe deeply. This pose can be held for as long as five minutes. The sensation will build with time, so stay attentive and be sure to practise without pain. 5. Dismount by pressing yourself up slowly with the aid of your arms. Move gingerly. If exiting the way you entered seems daunting, simply lean off to the right to free the left leg before leaning off to the left to free the right leg. 6. Downward Facing Dog Pose is a great counterpose to Saddle. Tips for getting back on the horse While deep knee folds are often contraindicated for those with knee injuries and so-called bad knees, there are good reasons for mindfully reclaiming knee flexion once the acute phase of an injury has passed. We know that joint immobility leads to stiffness and eventual losses in range of motion. We also know that joints are lubricated through movement because movement circulates synovial fluid. If your knees respond poorly to deep folds, try sitting up on a high prop when kneeling and/or placing a rolled-up towel behind the fold of the knee to create space. Progress slowly, with patience and great humility. When I returned to yoga after a knee injury, my teacher suggested I sit up on a telephone book. We tore pages out of the book for over a year until I was able to reach the ground again. YuMee Chung is a recovering lawyer who teaches yoga in Toronto. She is on the faculty of a number of yoga teacher training programs and leads international yoga retreats. Learn more about her at padmani.com SHARE: Some special forces soldiers fit the stereotype, with bulging T-shirts and tattoos. But many others are the grey man who could easily be mistaken for an insurance salesman, able to blend well with a crowd. Heres a look at three personnel serving with Canadian Special Operations Forces Command. The Sergeant Cry havoc. The tattoo on the right thumb of the special forces sergeant is taken from Shakespeares Julius Caesar: Cry Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war. For a 10-year veteran of special forces, its perhaps a fitting choice of literature. After dabbling as a big-city bike courier, a martial arts instructor a passion he still pursues, and some office work it wasnt quite for me, he says with some understatement he found a career fit with Canadas special forces. Its the right job for me, he said. He has served around the world, including four tours in Afghanistan, where he was injured when an improvised explosive bomb detonated during a foot patrol. This spring he was among the Canadian soldiers serving in northern Iraq on a mission to train Kurdish peshmerga soldiers in their fight against Daesh militants. The sergeant likes the latitude that comes with the job and the encouragement to find what he calls unconventional solutions to complex problems. But he knows the risks are real, too. Our tasks, theyre important. The risk to life is real here. The risk to mission is real. The fact that we are sent as representatives of our country, any misstep reflects poorly on the people of Canada, the Government of Canada, the sergeant said. Some tasks handed to special forces are Hollywood-worthy, he said, but adds, those arent tasks we publicize. In addition to his standard-issue gear, the sergeant carries one eye-catching piece of kit a tomahawk strapped to his right leg. Fashioned from hardened steel, it serves as a multi-purpose tool, able to cut chain, knock a door of its hinges and, in Afghanistan, cut holes in mud walls to make a firing port. He had a tomahawk before he joined the military and when he deployed to Afghanistan, took it with him. People werent quite sure what I was doing with it until I showed them the various uses. Now, its become part of our culture. If I leave anything to this command, its the tomahawk, the sergeant said. The Corporal Known as an SOF baby, the corporal joined special operations forces soon after enlisting in the military in 2011. He was attracted to the career after reading books on the exploits of special forces units. Now thats he in, he can say the experience has delivered the camaraderie and adventure he had read about. We have a very busy schedule. We are deployed quite a bit around the world. Thats another reason why guys want to join. They want to be put to work, deployed and doing their job, the corporal said. Just dont describe him as elite. Were not elite soldiers. Were just soldiers who do the basics very well, the corporal said. We train the basics over and over again so they become second nature. Basic soldiering skills, the foundation blocks to what makes you a soldier shoot, move and communicate, he said. He said being in the special forces carries with it the same risks faced by soldiers in the regular army. Some of the missions we do around the world are less dangerous than others. But they all have that level of danger to them that we all accept as basic soldiers coming into the Canadian Armed Forces, he said. Hes happy that the military is pulling back the curtain a bit to tell Canadians a little more about what special forces do. I think Canadians at home are interested to hear more of what that capability is. I think they are curious to know what the Canadian special forces are up to, what theyre doing and how they are being represented on the world stage, the corporal said. Its a capable force and its ready at the call of the government to do what needs to be done, he said. The Pilot Listen to veteran pilot Alain Matteau talk about customers and deliveries and you might think he flies for an express parcel airline. But Matteau is a major with 427 special operations aviation squadron, his customers are special forces soldiers and his mission is to deliver them to a target. Its our business, its our customer and we take it seriously, Matteau said. As the squadrons chief instructor with 3,500 hours in his logbook, he makes it look easy. Piloting his Griffon helicopter over the expansive training grounds at Garrison Petawawa, Matteau cranks over in a crushing right turn, the ground flashing by just 30 metres below. He lines up on a tower that serves as a mock-up for a mid-size building and pulls the chopper into an aggressive flare to bleed off speed, slowing from 150 km/h to a perfectly timed hover just as he comes over the rooftop. Insert, insert, insert, Matteau commands over the intercom. If this was a real scenario, special forces soldiers would be sliding down ropes out each side of the helicopter, onto the rooftop and assaulting a target. On this day, its only a flying drill, and Matteau and his fellow pilot peel off to practice again. And again. During the day, this is pure fun. At night is where we earn our paycheque, he said. In this kind of flying, any misjudgment can have deadly consequences. As Im coming in over the building, Im still flaring, the guys are on the rappel ropes. I cant overshoot that building, he said. Make it a moving target like a ship at sea and it becomes even more challenging. And the first time the pilots may actually see their target is when are they are making their final approach. Picture a building like this in downtown Toronto. Weve never seen it, never been there before. We call them a one-hit wonder, Matteau said. All we have is imagery. We plan accordingly with obstacles and what its going to look like on approach. But really, we dont know because weve never been there, he said. Such specialized flying skills take years to hone. It can take upwards of five years to become an aircraft commander flying special forces missions, eight to 10 years to gain finesse and high proficiency, Matteau said. The squadron has 46 pilots and 107 maintenance personnel for its fleet of 15 helicopters, all painted blue to avoid attracting attention at civilian airports. The squadron currently has three helicopters in northern Iraq, helping to transport Canadian soldiers working there to train peshmerga forces. *** In a joint reporting project, the Toronto Star and CTV News got an exclusive look at the work of Canadian special forces soldiers in northern Iraq, where they are helping to train peshmerga soldiers. As well, the two media outlets spent time at the base in Petawawa, Ont., to see special forces members in training. Under the rules laid down by the military, the Star and CTV were allowed to show the faces of some soldiers but identify them by their rank only. Senior commanders could be named. Some elements of special forces remained off limits, notably members of Joint Task Force 2. That is, in part, what landed former prime minister Stephen Harpers office in hot water last year when it produced two videos highlighting the former prime ministers visit to Iraq that showed the faces of JTF2 soldiers protecting him. Maj.-Gen. Mike Rouleau, head of Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM), said it was his decision to decide to reveal more about special forces. Weve accepted that were going to have to show a certain amount of other parts of CANSOFCOM. The entire force of over 2,000 people cannot live in the shadows. That is unsustainable, Rouleau told the Star. None of these decisions are ever without any risk, but in 2016 but there are many ways of finding out about people. Seeing a face on TV is but one of them, he said. SHARE: After a bomb-scarred tour in Afghanistan, a descent into a cloud of anger and anxiety and forcible retirement from the military due to his psychological problems, Kevin Sweeney thought he had finally hit rock-bottom last January. As he waited for his first pension payment on that winter day about a month after his release, a government case manager charged with easing his transition into civilian life referred the 45-year-old veteran, a married father of two, to the Kingston food bank. The suggestion left him feeling humiliated, but it only foreshadowed the problems ahead as he was forced to wait five months to begin receiving a military pension a $1,188.91 monthly cheque that he earned during more than a decade of service to the country. As he waited, it felt like his world was caving in. Sweeney, his wife Lorie and their children were forced to live off of donated gift cards for food and gas; they had a charity paying their mortgage and utilities; and he had to pay out of pocket for the medication that keeps the mental scars of his deployment in check. To be honest, it seems like it would have been better had we died over there. Then they could hoist us up as heroes, because in Canada a war hero is somebody who died in combat, Sweeney said in an interview. Sweeneys is a tale of a man who suffered from a faceless and troubled bureaucracy, but it is not unique. Canadian Forces Ombudsman Gary Walbourne said the military has been working on a 13,000-case pension backlog that has resulted in 1,300 complaints to his office since 2007. In response to questions from the Star, Walbournes office said that the problem appears to be caused by an overloaded and understaffed department within National Defence that is responsible for processing pension applications. There have also been nearly 20,000 requests from reservists who want to pay money in lieu of service in order to access or increase their military pensions a process known as a buy back. The sheer number of requests has overwhelmed the Canadian Forces Pension Services department, according to a letter that Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Jonathan Vance sent to the military ombudsmans office in March. A spokesperson for the defence department said the goal is to have a retiring members pension application processed in time for their release, but files can become more complex if an individual has served in both the regular and reserve forces, or if information is missing or incorrect. Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, a military veteran himself, considers the pension delays unacceptable and he is committed to fixing the problem, his spokesman, Jordan Owens, said in a statement. Starting on July 4, the department of public works will take over responsibility for processing military pensions a development that is intended to modernize the application system and clear up the backlog by December 2017. Public works has set a goal of ensuring initial pension payments are made to retiring soldiers, sailors and air force personnel within 45 days of receiving all the necessary paperwork, said department spokesman Jean-Francois Letourneau. While there has been a sharp increase in the number of Afghan war veterans with physical and psychological injuries being medical released from the force in recent years, Walbourne said those individuals are given priority status over other pension applicants and do not appear to be responsible for the delays. But the ill and injured are being affected by the delays, resulting in frustration, uncertainty and despair that only compound the problems that many of them are already living with. Some are falling through the cracks, and both the military and Veterans Affairs Canada have been funding charities and non-profit groups that are now acting as a social safety net for at-risk veterans. The Royal Canadian Legion operates a national program for homeless veterans that was launched in Ontario and has helped more than 450 former military member by providing things like rent, transportation, groceries, clothing and furniture. Dave McGregor, executive director of the legions Ontario branch, said pension delays are indeed prompting some veterans to access their services. I wouldnt say its frequent but it seems to be happening more than it was in the past, he said. In Kingston, Sweeney initially contested his forced release from the military, asking his superior officers for more time to improve his psychological condition and, perhaps, be able to work again. In a letter of appeal, he also explained that Lorie, his wife, had suffered a brain injury and was unable to work, meaning that retirement was certain to be a financial strain. It was to no avail. He ceased to be a soldier in December 2015, about a week before Christmas. The military said it could not comment on the specifics of Sweeneys pension fight because of privacy restrictions. The pension problems began almost immediately, Sweeney said. In January, he said he received a pension application, which he thought correctly that he had already completed in the months leading up to his discharge. When he inquired, he was instructed to call back in two weeks. He said he suspected his file was either lost or that processing had not yet started. Next, he said he received an email from bureaucrats in Ottawa with more paperwork to complete, while also discovering that Veterans Affairs had him fill out and submit the wrong health insurance forms. Im feeling like Im getting wrapped around the bend, Sweeney recalled. The anxiety level is going up. Im starting to get really angry and I have no idea what to do. The bills were piling up, forcing Sweeney to take out a second mortgage on the familys home, he said. Thats when the family turned to Veterans Emergency Transition Services (VETS) Canada, a national charity that receives $300,000 a year from the federal government to help veterans in crisis. The organization paid three months worth of mortgage and utility payments for the Sweeney family, and are helping about 10 other veterans, said Debbie Lowther, co-founder of the group. It should be very seamless and the people that weve helped, many of them have done everything right. Theyve planned for retirement, but then they have to spend their retirement savings to live on before they get their pension, she said. By February, Sweeney sought access to the monthly disability insurance payment of $2,000 that he was supposed to receive upon his release. But he learned that the Service Income Security Insurance Plan payments depended on his pension being approved. He said that the insurance company eventually approved the payments on the condition that he pay back the difference if his monthly entitlement was assessed at less than $2,000. Access to health insurance was also blocked because of the pension delays, meaning that when Sweeney ran out of his antidepressants, he had to pay $97.53 out of his own pocket for the pills. Its very possible you have a vet that is not only getting no money, but getting no drugs that they were on or no therapy at all because their pension hasnt been released, Sweeney said. If he is the head person on the medical plan, none of his family can get any benefits. Everything is gone. In the Sweeneys case, that meant their daughter, who has asthma, was no longer covered for her medication, said Lorie Sweeney. The pension application was finally processed in early April. The first cheque arrived on the 27th of the month, but it was only for $499.77 the military deducted some $700, most of it back payments for medical and dental insurance coverage. In May, the cheque was for $508.25, with the bulk of the deductions going toward missed life insurance payments. We literally have been living off gift cards until the end of last month, Lorie Sweeney said. And if something doesnt happen at the end of this month were going to have to live off of more gift cards. SHARE: A local professor who helped discover a lizard species is already worried the chameleon-like creature could become extinct. Luke Mahler, an assistant professor in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Toronto, heard about a weird reptile from a fellow field biologist, Miguel Landestoy. Landestoy lives in the Dominican Republic and spotted the lizard now named after him while birdwatching in 2007. As the birds he observed appeared to attack a branch, he realized it was actually another animal now known as the Anolis landestoyi. About 13 centimetres long with a short tail and stout legs, the lizard with superb camouflage skills got away before he could snap a decent photograph. When Landestoy finally caught one of the lizards and sent Mahler a picture three years later, the professor recognized the lizard as dramatically different from anything else he had seen in the region. So he hopped a plane for a quick 30-hour round trip. When you have something new it usually doesnt hit you in the face. Youre looking for subtle differences, Mahler says. This is different. This is one of those things where all of a sudden, this has been brought to our attention and were like, thats not in the book. The lizard lives in the upper canopies of a rare forest near the small town of Puerto Escondido, by the Haiti border. The forest type is pretty restricted and disappearing due to illegal chopping down of trees to make charcoal, Mahler says. The Toronto research team studied the species in depth and published their findings in the American Naturalist journal Friday. SHARE: According to historian James Laxer, Canada and the United States were shaped by the passions of three men: the first Canadian prime minister, Sir John A. Macdonald, U.S. president Abraham Lincoln and the president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis. In his book Staking Claims to a Continent: John A. Macdonald, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, and the Making of North America, Laxer, a professor at York University, argues that the three Protestant, middle-aged white men established the social, economic and political foundations of what became North Americas two northern democracies. Our conversation has been edited for length. Jennifer: I was surprised you included Confederacy president Jefferson Davis in your thesis about the making of North America. The United States was well developed by the time of the Civil War; it was expanding west and creating new states. A southern confederacy was a very new idea in the mid-1800s. James: The argument I make is that at the time of the American Revolution, there were two nation-states in the making. The United States was divided between a northern project of free capitalism and a southern project based on slavery. By the mid-19th century, the South was an advanced capitalist society and cotton was the leading industry in the world. Slavery became more necessary for the increased demand from mills in England, France and the northeastern states. The North had a rising manufacturing industry and a burgeoning population from immigration. But it was quarrelling with the South about the new territories of the U.S. whether they should be slave or free. When Abraham Lincoln was elected, the South decided it could no longer operate within the American republic. I would argue that the South lost the war and won the peace. If you look at the United States as it evolved after the Civil War, the South is influential for a century after the end of Reconstruction. A new segregationist society develops and Jim Crow is rampant. Jennifer: While Macdonald and Lincoln had stature within their communities, both were basically racists, and they viewed the development of North America as a white mans project. Doesnt this tarnish their legacies? James: Macdonald actually says in the House of Commons that if you look around the world, youll see the Aryan races will not wholesomely amalgamate with the Africans and the Asiatics. Macdonald is brilliant at pulling the provinces of British North America together in Confederation. His great flaw is his racism and the fact that he is not prepared, when Canada reaches out to bring in Ruperts Land and the West, to concede rights to the aboriginal people. He said openly that these people arent capable of managing their own affairs and we have to swamp them with white immigration from Canada. His racism almost endangers the acquisition of the West and leads to the Red River Rebellion and eventually the hanging of Louis Riel. Macdonald is a deeply flawed character. Jennifer: What about Lincoln? Hes called the Great Emancipator but he isnt opposed to slavery, at first. James: His constituency is made up of white labourers and capitalists in the North. The North sees slave ownership in the South as an economic threat and they dont want slavery to expand into the new territories. When he first becomes president, Lincoln makes it clear he is not trying to get rid of slavery where it legally exists. His overriding cause is to preserve the Union. The Gettysburg Address he made (in 1863) is a hallowed document, a quasi-religious document in the U.S., but the word slavery doesnt appear in it. Lincoln does, over the period of the war, change his views about slavery as freed men come into the republic. There were 200,000 black soldiers in the Union army who played a role in the victory of the North. The idea that Lincoln is the great liberator of humanity is not, basically, true. Jennifer: Weve seen the rise of politicians who lack respect and sensitivity for the views and hopes of their compatriots not only Donald Trump but also Stephen Harper. To me it indicates the beginning of the decline of world influence by North America. James: In the U.S., you have the most serious civil conflict since the Civil War. It is an empire in decline, an old white America trying to hold on to its power versus a new multiracial society. A candidate like Donald Trump has emerged to become the representative of old white America. When he talks about building walls and keeping out Muslims, he is challenging the way the U.S. has been transformed over the last century by all the migrants who have come there. There are dangerous parallels between the language of Donald Trump and the language used in the 1930s in Germany. You use xenophobia as a way of gathering your fundamental constituency. In the case of Stephen Harper, well see what happens. Canada went in a very different direction in the last election. I tend to be an optimist and I think Canada can manage to separate itself from what is going on in the U.S. and to maintain democracy and civility. Jennifer: I sometimes ask myself: is Canada really a grown-up country? We are still subjects of the British Queen and new citizens have to swear allegiance to her. Were so fearful of being swamped by the U.S. that we passed laws to protect Canadian culture. James: We are one of the best places in the world for people to live. It is worth keeping this unlikely country going just for that. I cant be bothered to get into a big fight to get rid of the Crown. If you, Jennifer, personally start a campaign to get rid of the monarchy, Ill support you. But Im not going to be the lead on that one. Youre tearing my royalist heart apart. (Laughs.) SHARE: Its no secret: Donald Trump doesnt like Mexico. And China is a giant bloodsucking monetary squid. Europeans are military freeloaders. Muslims make him reach for his (lawfully concealed) gun. As for North Korea, maybe he and Kim Jong Un will talk or hell make sure the dumpy dictator disappears. Foreigners of all sorts seem to be anathema to Trump. He has declared NATO obsolete, and called for cuts in American funding. At the same time, hes all for flexing U.S. military muscles against China and Iran and any other country that gets in the way of Making America Great Again. So bizarre are Trumps foreign policy pronouncements that even many supporters dismiss them as just another reality performance aimed at winning the ratings that will deliver the keys to the White House. His foes are less confident. Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit to be president and commander in chief, said presumed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton. Sen. Angus King of the Armed Services committee agrees. With one person deciding the fate of civilization in minutes in the event of a nuclear crisis, he told Bloomberg, that person shouldnt be The Donald. But in politics, as in life, you cant always get what you want even if youre Donald Trump. And when the blare and blather die down, he will be up against the harsh realities of passing policies that will have vigorous opposition both in the United States and beyond. The U.S. system of checks and balances, the power of Americas oligarchs and lobbyists, the fickleness of public opinion and the twittersphere could militate against some of his more outlandish declarations. Nevertheless, Trumps reliance only on his own gut feeling is especially worrying to his critics, including queasy Republicans. Trump has no foreign policy history and few clearly stated plans, says Ian Bremmer, whose firm, the Eurasia group, publishes an annual list of top geopolitical risks. (Unpredictable leaders is No. 7.) Trump has also alienated the Republican foreign-policy establishment, and appears to have no experienced policy guides. Thats made worse by Trumps switchbacks on countries and leaders, from bile to bromance. And by his dizzying spin from embracing unpredictability in international relations, to emphasizing the stability of U.S. policy. The biggest risk comes from a crisis that no one saw coming, says Bremmer in Politico Magazine, whether from China, (Russian President Vladimir) Putin, North Korea, a cyberattack, terrorists or something else. Even without a crisis, an improvised foreign policy based on the element of surprise could increase the risks of miscalculations on all sides, along with the chances that the U.S. will be provoked. In The Nation, Heather Hurlburt of the New America think tank says that Trump has only three core diplomatic principles: to squeeze more out of other countries, to adhere to international law and military discipline only if it suits his purposes, and that most alarmingly, large swathes of humanity are essentially subhuman. Is it all smoke and mirrors? Does Trump really view international relations as a series of zero-sum deals? Would he bring in any cooler heads to dial down the temperature on his foreign policy rhetoric if he gained the presidency? They are questions that will keep world leaders chewing their knuckles until the November election, and possibly beyond. A U.S. president can be reined in by Congress and the Supreme Court. But he or she also has wide powers of diplomacy, trade, immigration policy and military action. Its hard to relate a lot of Trumps statements to reality, says William Hartung, director of the Washington-based Center for International Policy. But its the sort of risk you dont want to take. Six foreign policy positions and what will really happen Donald Trumps foreign policy pronouncements can seem bizarre and unlikely. Here is what might really happen: China The worst of Chinas sins is not its theft of intellectual property. It is the wanton manipulation of Chinas currency, robbing Americans of billions of dollars of capital and millions of jobs. Trump commentary in the Wall Street Journal. China is one of Trumps favourite targets, guaranteed to put heat under the collars of supporters who have lost jobs or seen their manufacturing-based communities crumble. They blame the made in China label for destroying Americas economy and standing in the world. Trumps remedy is to cut a better deal with Beijing by declaring it a currency manipulator that keeps its money artificially low and slapping a 45-per-cent tariff on Chinese exports to the United States. And for good measure, hed beef up the U.S. military presence in the South China Sea to back efforts to renegotiate trade deals he considers unfavourable. Reality check The result of this hostile policy would be the opposite of what Trump wants to achieve, says China economy expert David Dollar of the Brookings Institution. That would make it less attractive to invest there, encourage capital outflow and encourage depreciation of the currency, if it were market based. He adds that far from keeping its currency artificially low, ironically, China is now intervening to keep its currency high. Trump couldnt declare China a currency manipulator under present rules, because it doesnt meet those benchmarks. He would also need congressional approval for changes in tariffs, which might not get support. But, Dollar says, to have a large tariff aimed at one country would violate World Trade Organization rules. Trump could use presidential authority to try to withdraw from the WTO, he adds. But that would be very bad for the investment climate everywhere, whether or not it caused a recession. Climate Change Perhaps theres a minor effect, but Im not a big believer in man-made climate change. interview with The Washington Post. Trump vows to reverse any progress in cutting carbon emissions, on the Paris Climate Agreement, abandon pollution limits on coal-burning plants and restore the heavily polluting coal industry, ease environmental restrictions on polluters, and escalate drilling for fossil fuels in untapped territory. He would also approve the Keystone XL pipeline. The Paris agreement is expected to go into force within the next year. If Trump signalled intention to withdraw, it could have a domino effect on other heavily polluting countries, setting back international progress. And although federal targets are set for clean power plants, he could turn a blind eye to lax regulation by states that want weaker controls. Reality check Trump couldnt do as much damage as quickly and easily as he claims, says David Goldston of the Natural Resources Defense Councils Action Fund. He couldnt reverse (Obamas) proposal to limit carbon emissions with a snap of the fingers. Courts could weigh in and slow the process. There would also be economic barriers to rejuvenating a coal industry that has faltered with the expansion of natural gas fracking. Citizen protests could slow drilling and pipeline plans. And low oil prices have made companies reluctant to expand exploration and production. Mexico Theyre sending people that have lots of problems and theyre bringing those problems with us. Theyre bringing drugs. Theyre bringing crime. Theyre rapists. Trumps candidacy announcement speech, June 2015. Keeping Mexicans out of the United States has been a cornerstone of Trumps pathway to the presidential nomination, and plays well with many supporters, especially his vow to build a big, beautiful wall along the border and make Mexico pay for it. To force it to pay, he has suggested that he could shut down the transfer of remittance payments to Mexico from undocumented workers in the United States and raise visa fees at all Mexican border points. Trump also wants to renegotiate or break the NAFTA deal, which he says has allowed Mexico and other countries to steal jobs from Americans. Reality check Trump will have no authority or clout to demand that a wall be built on the border, says Larry Birns, who heads the Council on Hemispheric Affairs in Washington. There is nothing in international law that says Mexico must pay. And, he notes, many American businesses run on low-paid Mexican labour. Why should he want to close a border famous only for its porosity, when there are industries with high visibility growers of oranges, tomatoes, rice etc. that depend on that labour? Attempts to freeze or confiscate workers funds could go into adjudication for months, he said. Meanwhile, attempts to shred the NAFTA agreement would put international trade in a shambles. And, says COHA, it utterly disregards that Mexico is the U.S.s second-largest export market due to the accord. That was $236 billion last year. Muslims The bottom line is that the only reason the (Orlando) killer was in America was because we allowed his family to come here When I am elected, I will suspend immigration from areas of the world where there is a proven history of terrorism against the U.S., Europe or our allies, until we fully understand how to end these threats. Trump speech in New Hampshire after the Orlando shooting, on June 13, 2016. Since Orlando, Trump has renewed his attack on Muslims trying to enter the U.S. as well as the small minority of Muslim Americans. Many are saying I was right, he crowed after the Orlando news broke, and urged toughness and vigilance. It was a continuation of earlier calls for surveillance of Muslims in the U.S., including a database. He has added a call to seriously look at racial profiling of American Muslims. Reality check Although Trump says as president he would have absolute right to bar certain groups of people from the United States it is unlikely. In the past, those convicted of war crimes have been barred, along with communists. But, says the Washington Post, Trump suggests banning nearly a quarter of the global population, or more. Congress could nullify his actions, even over his veto. Countries whose citizens are banned would likely retaliate with bans or visa restrictions on Americans. An equally strong deterrent could be public backlash if Trumps rhetoric fuels radicalization and increased terrorist attacks. Research shows that such policies are likely to backfire, says Sarah Lyons-Padilla, a research scientist at Stanford Universitys social psychology division, SPARQ. This sort of rhetoric plays into the hands of extremists like Daesh who want Muslims in the West to feel marginalized and disenfranchised. Nuclear weapons I would rather not have them arm, but Im not going to continue to lose this tremendous amount of money. And frankly the case could be made that let them protect themselves against North Korea. Theyd probably wipe them out pretty quick. If they fight ... it would be a terrible thing But if they do, they do. Trump campaign speech in Wisconsin, April 2016. Trumps apparent backing for Japan and South Korea to develop nuclear weapons against this maniac of North Korea has sent shock waves through the arms control community. Trump implied that the two countries would have to pay for continued American protection, or develop their own nuclear arms. He has also said that while hes against nuclear war, he wouldnt rule out dropping a nuclear bomb on Europe, or attacking Daesh with nuclear weapons. Reality check Its dangerous for a candidate for president just to be saying these things (about Japan and South Korea), says William Hartung of the Washington-based Center for International Policy. Countries could use his statements to violate the Non-Proliferation treaty. As for aiming a nuclear weapon at Daesh, I hope somebody would explain to him the effect on civilians, Hartung says. This is not (firing at) some isolated area. If Trump were in office there would be impediments to his ideas, adds Hartung. Just because Trump suggests it, doesnt mean Japan has any interest in developing nuclear weapons. The U.S. has sought to restrain South Korea from developing nuclear weapons by assuring it ironclad protection. Trump would also find it more complicated to launch a nuclear attack than pressing a mythical nuclear button. A presidential order to release nuclear weapons must be confirmed by the Secretary of Defense, who could call an emergency meeting of the cabinet if he felt the leader had gone rogue. The cabinet could declare him unfit in a letter to the Senate. Trump would also have to notify the heads of both houses of Congress before launching an attack, along with the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Iran My No. 1 priority is to dismantle the disastrous deal with Iran. Ive been in the business a long time. I know deal-making. And let me tell you, this deal is catastrophic for America, for Israel and for the whole of the Middle East. Donald Trump speech to AIPAC in March 2016. The deal to contain Irans nuclear ambitions was a favoured whipping post for Republican candidates. But the deal, which was formally implemented last January, is widely hailed as successful. In return for halting progress toward a nuclear bomb, the U.S. and other countries agreed to phase out painful economic sanctions. Reality check Abrogating the nuclear deal would persuade the worlds leading nations that America isnt a country they can do diplomatic business with, says Graham Allison, director of Harvard Universitys Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. While there is a complex mechanism by which a president can unsign a deal, he would face opposition from American corporations that would be at a disadvantage if the U.S. slapped on sanctions unilaterally including Boeing, awaiting approval for a $17-billion deal to supply 100 new planes to Tehran. Others are eagerly anticipating business deals with Iran, and lobbying for an end to the additional U.S. sanctions that currently prohibit them, while Chinese and European companies move in ahead of them. To revise the deal, Trump would also have to contend with an Iranian regime that is badly divided, and under pressure from powerful hardliners who are disgruntled at concessions Iran made for loosening of sanctions. The more liberal faction of President Hassan Rouhani would have little chance of renegotiating an even more stringent deal. And Americas allies would also put heavy pressure on Trump to drop attempts to scrap a landmark agreement that was years in the making and unlikely to be repeated. Read more about: SHARE: Twenty-six students were arrested in Sudan over alleged involvement in leaking high school exams Sudanese authorities released 26 Egyptian students who were detained pending investigations into alleged leaking of high school exam papers, Egypt's foreign ministry said in a statement Monday. The Egyptians, amongst students of other nationalities, had been arrested by Sudanese authorities over the leaks. The Egyptian embassy in Khartoum is coordinating with the freed Egyptian citizens who were living in Sudan to repatriate them, the immigration and expatriate affairs assistant minister said. Egypt's foreign ministry has been in talks with Sudanese authorities on the matter since March. Expatriate Affairs Minister Nabila Makram also traveled to Sudan to look into the students' arrest in March. Search Keywords: Short link: Mayor John Tory is stepping up his defence of the increasingly costly Scarborough subway he promised to build, ahead of a new round of questions at his executive committee on Tuesday. The $3.2-billion one-stop extension is part of a network plan that remains largely unfunded. Its expected to draw criticism from councillors outside the mayors inner circle as the committee also takes its first shot at debating new taxes and fees to raise badly needed revenue. Tory is now publicly casting doubt on the original plan for a seven-stop LRT, touted by some councillors as a better alternative, questioning whether it remains feasible. Speaking alongside Premier Kathleen Wynne after a regular meeting Monday, Tory acknowledged that original estimates for the three-stop plan he campaigned to build were not honest, but he insisted the revised and still-controversial project must proceed regardless. The change that has taken place in price has only to do with the fact that the initial price was not one that was carefully thought through, Tory told reporters. Now were being honest with people and straightforward about what the cost is going to be. Critics argue a better option is the previously approved LRT, which would connect the Scarborough Town Centre to the subway system and extend to Sheppard Ave., with a $1.48-billion price tag footed wholly by the province. In an opinion piece published by the Star online and in print on Tuesday, Tory argues its unclear what the real aftermath of reverting to the seven-stop LRT would be, or whether it would have the support of Metrolinx and our government partners. But a signed master agreement that includes a commitment to pay for converting the aging Scarborough RT into an LRT is still in effect, according to a June 16 email from city spokesperson Wynna Brown. The master agreement between the city and Metrolinx remains in place, Brown wrote. It requires amendment which will be done at the appropriate juncture, pending the outcome of council decisions. The agreement, which covers several LRT projects including the Eglinton Crosstown, would need to be amended to remove the Scarborough LRT. Metrolinx also confirmed the LRT is still an option for council. It would be within the citys purview to return to a seven-stop Scarborough LRT, said spokesperson Anne Marie Aikins. As to feasibility, Metrolinx confirmed the LRT would still work in the existing SRT corridor, which runs parallel to GO Transits Stouffville line. Aikins said plans for GO service expansion and electrification Regional Express Rail, or RER involve double-tracking the Stouffville line to run frequent trains. She said those plans do not affect the Scarborough RT corridor or the possibility of running an LRT in its place. TTC project manager Gary Carr earlier told the Star he had assurances from the province that RER plans would not affect the SRT corridor. A July 2014 assessment of the Stouffville line found the provinces expansion plans would be compatible with an LRT. Aikins confirmed the LRT would not have required any properties to be expropriated. The current subway plan, if aligned on McCowan Ave., may require some property to be expropriated, which has angered residents on a quiet, family-friendly street. An issue Tory does not raise but which has yet to be addressed fully is the lack of space to build more than one station at the Lawrence Ave. East underpass, where there is currently an SRT stop. Since Torys own promise of local heavy-rail service known as SmartTrack proposes a stop at Lawrence on the Stouffville line, it may not be possible to build an LRT stop at Lawrence as planned. Detailed work on station construction and design related to the SmartTrack stop has not been completed, the city says. Wynne who must call a byelection in Scarborough-Rouge River soon to fill a vacancy created by the abrupt resignation of former MPP Bas Balkissoon in March also made her support for a subway clear Monday. We want to move ahead and get those projects built, because the more quickly we can do that the better off the economic health of the region is going to be, she told reporters at Queens Park. I have always deferred to city council in terms of the plans, and I will say, though, the more often we change direction, the more often we scrap a plan and start all over again, the more expensive that is and the more time it costs. Tory claimed that reverting to the LRT plan would see costs incurred for lost work from three years of planning for a subway extension, which council approved in 2013. That subway planning would indeed become irrelevant. But unlike the $85 million the city must pay to the province for its work on the scrapped LRT plan, the subway planning was completed by city employees and the city-subsidized TTC. As the Star earlier reported, and Tory acknowledged last week, with only 5 per cent of the subway design work completed, the cost of the subway could continue to climb. Building a subway also puts the city on the hook to pay operating and maintenance costs that the province would have paid under the LRT agreement. Those future subway costs are estimated at $18 billion over the subways 60-year life cycle. In his letter, Tory admits he has struggled with the subway debate, but now that he has considered the one-stop extension with an open mind he has found compelling reasons to proceed. Those who fight to move backwards must ask themselves where that journey ends. Though the next step on the transit network plan is likely to get the green light on Tuesday, subway opponents, including executive committee member Paul Ainslie (Ward 43, Scarborough East), say there are still many important questions unanswered. For the same cost as building the single subway stop, critics say, the city could build much more transit for Scarborough. The extra funds could be used toward building a $1.7-billion LRT line with up to 17 stops along Eglinton Ave. East, connecting to the University of Torontos Scarborough campus. With the subway now eating up most of the available $3.56 billion, that proposed line is now in limbo. I dont think it does anything for anyones reputation if we dont have a wholesome discussion about it, Ainslie said. I would hope my colleagues would give it more due diligence tomorrow than just a passing glance. With files from Rob Ferguson SHARE: PARISFrench authorities opened a manslaughter inquiry Monday into the May crash of an EgyptAir plane that killed 66 people, saying there is no evidence so far to link it to terrorism. Prosecutors office spokesman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre said the inquiry was launched as an accident investigation, not a terrorism investigation. She said authorities are not at all favouring the theory that the plane was downed deliberately, though the status of the inquiry could eventually change if evidence emerges to that effect. Investigators decided to start the probe before waiting to analyze the planes flight data and voice recorders, based on evidence gathered so far, she said, without elaborating. EgyptAir Flight 804, an Airbus A320 en route from Paris to Cairo, slammed into the Mediterranean on May 19. The reason for the crash remains unclear. The pilots made no distress call, and no group has claimed to have brought down the aircraft. Search teams have recovered its two flight recorders, but they suffered damage and Egyptian investigators were unable to download information from the so-called black boxes. The recorders memory cards arrived Monday in Paris, Egyptian investigators said. Technicians at Frances air accident investigation agency, the BEA, will attempt to clean and repair them, and then send them back to Egypt for analysis, the BEA said in a statement Friday. While the plane was Egyptian and crashed in Egyptian waters, France can also investigate because the plane was manufactured by France-based Airbus and French citizens were among those killed. Read more about: SHARE: MOSCOWTurkeys president has apologized to Moscow for the downing of a Russian military jet at the Syrian border, Russian and Turkish officials said Monday, a move that could open the way for easing a bitter strain in Russia-Turkey ties. Recep Tayyip Erdogans move comes seven months after the incident, which has drawn a slew of Russian sanctions that have dealt a severe blow to the Turkish economy. The formal apology, which the Kremlin had requested, would likely allow relations to improve. Erdogan, in his message, expressed sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the killed pilot and apologized, Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Erdogan spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said, according to Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency, that the Turkish leader expressed his deep regret over the downing of the Russian plane: In the letter, the president stated that he would like to inform the family of the deceased Russian pilot that I share their pain and to offer my condolences to them. May they excuse us. Putin denounced the downing of a Russian warplane at the Syrian border on Nov. 24 as a treacherous stab in the back. Russia rejected the Turkish claim that the plane had violated its airspace, and responded by deploying long-range air defence missiles to its base in Syria, warning that they would destroy any target posing a threat to Russian aircraft. Moscow also moved swiftly to ban the sales of package tours to Turkey, which had depended heavily on the Russian tourist flow; banned most of Turkeys food exports; and introduced restrictions against Turkish construction companies, which had won a sizable niche of the Russian market. Before the planes downing, Russia had been the largest destination for Turkish exports, mostly textile and food, and also the biggest source of Turkish imports. The downing of the plane reflected simmering tensions between Russia and Turkey, which had backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict. Russias air campaign, which began in September, helped shore up Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose foes have been backed by Turkey. Lifting the crippling restrictions was essential for Erdogan, who has found himself under pressure both at home and abroad. Since the incident, Erdogan and his ministers have continuously spoken in favour of normalizing ties with Moscow, but Putin made it clear that he expects a formal apology and a compensation of damage. Erdogan has now offered both, according to his letter, the excerpts of which were released by the Kremlin. I would like to express my compassion and deep condolences to the family of the dead Russian pilot and I say Im sorry, the Kremlin statement quoted Erdogans letter as saying. I share their pain with all my heart. We are ready to take any incentive to help ease the pain and the burden of inflicted damage. Erdogans office also said that the Turkish leader called on Putin to restore the traditional friendly relations between Turkey and Russia and work together to address regional crises and jointly combat terrorism We are pleased to announce that Turkey and Russia have agreed to take necessary steps without delay to improve bilateral relations, Erdogan spokesman Kalin said. The Kremlin said that the letter added that the Turkish authorities were conducting a probe against a Turkish citizen, who allegedly shot and killed the planes pilot as he was descending by parachute. The planes co-pilot survived and was rescued, but a Russian marine was killed by militants during the rescue mission near the border. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said earlier Monday that there were beautiful developments concerning Russia but did not provide details. The Turkish people and the Russian people want this crisis to end and believe it is meaningless, Yildirim said. Our duty should be to meet the expectations of the people. Read more about: SHARE: This time it is impossible to look the other way. The Mexican government is normally adept at managing public opinion so the responsibility for the violence and human rights violations ripping apart the country falls on the shoulders of local officials or organized crime groups. But on June 19th that narrative was broken under the heavy weight of the facts. The press originally reported a clash between teachers and police in the town of Nochixtlan in the southern state of Oaxaca. The authorities claimed their agents were unarmed and the protesters had fired on them first. The new U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, Roberta Jacobson, was carefully neutral in her first public evaluation of the incident, stating simply that she lamented the loss of human lives. But during the ensuing days the awful truth has trickled out. Thanks to the reports of journalists on the scene, the Mexican government has been forced to accept that the police were in fact heavily armed. And the evidence now points to the commission of a brutal massacre by federal forces against peaceful protesters. These forces are under the command of Mexicos President Enrique Pena Nieto and receive significant funding from the United States government under the Merida Initiative. It all began when a group of rural, elementary school teachers closed a highway that runs through the small, mostly indigenous town of Nochixtlan. They were protesting the governments neo-liberal education reforms and in favour of the release of two top teacher union activists, who had been taken as political prisoners a week earlier. Instead of negotiating with the protesters, or using limited force to liberate the highway, the federal government decided to violently quash the uprising. Pena Nieto sent hundreds of masked police officers armed with high-powered automatic rifles and tear gas to run off the protesters. In response, the surrounding communities called for reinforcements. Church bells ran, a form of SOS call to the surrounding villages, and hundreds of residents appeared on the scene in support of the peaceful teachers. Although some of the reinforcements did throw rocks and launch fire crackers at the riot police, none of the protesters were armed nor were the lives of law enforcement officials put at risk. The police acted with desperate vengeance. According to eyewitness accounts, plain clothes police first set fire to buses and cars in order to create the impression of chaos and thereby justify the upcoming brutal attack. The uniformed agents then opened fire on the innocent crowd. Nine protesters were killed, dozens wounded and many others arbitrarily arrested by law enforcement, who grabbed anyone they could get their hands on. Amid the chaos, the police even interrupted a family funeral taking place in the town cemetery to haul off to jail dozens of the attendees who had no connection to the protests. The federal police also indiscriminately launched dozens of tear gas canisters from land and air during the assault. One of them landed in the patio of a health clinic, which was attending to the wounded, forcing it to close down and thereby putting numerous lives at risk. Such attacks by Mexicos highly militarized federal police on the civilian population are not rare. Excessive use of force has become commonplace in recent years, especially since the beginning of the Pena Nieto administration in December of 2012. Civilian deaths are normally presented as the result of frontal combat with narcotraffickers or criminals. In fact, local and international government and non-governmental organizations have unveiled the systematic abuse of human rights by security forces in Mexico. But this time the violation of human rights is particularly glaring. The victims cannot be presented as criminals even by the most creative imagination. They were all peaceful protesters, teachers and community members, standing up for their rights. In response, the government turned a sleepy, rural town into a war zone. Mexico has erupted in protest. Teachers have taken to the streets throughout the country, even in regions such as Monterrey where such activism is rare. Tens of thousands of students and doctors have also mobilized in solidarity. The indigenous communities of Oaxaca have taken action and highways remain blocked throughout the state. This Sunday there was an enormous protest march in Mexico City organized by the principal opposition party, Morena. The international solidarity movement, in Argentina, Spain, France, England, Canada and the United States has also jumped into action. Both the National Human Rights Commission and the United Nations Human Rights Commission have initiated investigations of the attack. Meanwhile, official diplomatic circles in the United States and Canada have remained silent, pretending as if nothing has happened. This is particularly worrisome given the fact that this Wednesday Barack Obama, Justin Trudeau and Enrique Pena Nieto will meet in Ottawa for their first Three Amigos Summit. Obama has been an adamant defender of the Mexican President and has not dared to call him out once for the grave human rights violations and corruption scandals, which have marked Penas presidency from day one. Trudeau has made the positive step of offering to remove the visa requirement for Mexican visitors to Canada imposed by Stephen Harper in 2009, but also seems to be disconnected from what is actually happening on the ground in Mexico. In the face of the silent complicity of the U.S. and Canadian governments, civil society in all three countries should use the opportunity of this weeks summit to make their voices heard. They should forcefully condemn the violent repression and democratic breakdown taking place in Mexico and reach out a helping hand to their brothers and sisters south of the Rio Grande. John M. Ackerman is a professor at the Institute for Legal Research of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), editor-in-chief of The Mexican Law Review and a columnist at Proceso magazine and La Jornada newspaper. www.johnackerman.blogspot.com , Twitter: @JohnMAckerman Read more about: SHARE: Fallujah, one of the last Daesh strongholds in Iraq, has fallen after a month-long offensive by Iraqi forces and their supporters. A jubilant Prime Minister Haider Abadi called on Iraqis to get out and celebrate. But while the ouster of Daesh the notoriously brutal Islamist group that seized Fallujah in January 2014 is a glimmer of light on the dark landscape of Iraq, there is little to celebrate for tens of thousands displaced by fighting and fear of the government-allied Shiite militias known for reprisals against the Sunni population. Civilians who fled the fighting, numbering more than 85,000, are living in sub-human conditions in the parched Iraqi desert. Some are in the open, others in makeshift camps that lack basic sanitation and shelter. Thats because international aid for Iraq, already inadequate, has now sunk dangerously low with the Fallujah crisis. And the cash-strapped Iraqi government, which greatly underestimated the numbers of people who would flee, was unable to provide adequate living conditions for them. Not surprisingly, the results are grim. People are going to die in these camps unless essential aid arrives now, a Norwegian aid worker warned. The United Nations has sounded the alarm with an emergency appeal for $65 million (U.S.) to address the Fallujah crisis, and the World Food Program (WFP) has called for $34 million in immediate food relief. But if the past is any indicator, the world may be too slow in responding. That would certainly worsen the ongoing humanitarian tragedy that has unfolded in Iraq since the 2003 U.S. invasion. Currently, more than 3 million people are internally displaced. To its credit, the Trudeau government has stepped up with an announcement that it intends to co-host along with the United States, Germany and Japan a conference in July aimed at getting the world community to pledge money for aid to Iraq. The government is not just talking the talk. Over the next three years, Canada will contribute $840 million in humanitarian aid and $270 million in development assistance, in addition to $145 million in stabilization and security aid. That is a steep up-tick from the $163 million in non-military aid for Iraq that Canada has contributed from 2014 to 2016. The Fallujah crisis is most severe because many of those who fled were already malnourished and sick from the deprivations imposed by the siege that preceded the final assault. All were traumatized by the violence they experienced. Now they are withstanding choking dust storms and broiling heat that tops 45 C. A WFP officialtells of a woman who escaped the violence in Fallujah with her newborn baby in her arms he was only four days old when they fled. Images of mothers sheltering their children with their bodies from the relentless desert sun while suffering from dehydration have horrified even seasoned aid workers. With the defeat of Daesh in Fallujah, the misery of Iraqs civilians is far from over. In the city itself, mines and unexploded ordnance, as well as shattered infrastructure, will make return difficult and reconstruction costly. Meanwhile, the government is planning a long-awaited assault on Daeshs last stronghold of , Iraqs second largest city. That could dwarf the humanitarian crisis now occurring in Fallujah. The international community should be prepared. Canada, which has taken a leadership role in aid for Iraq, is now well positioned to point the way for other countries that have lagged behind. Read more about: SHARE: Oh, to be among the affluent Canadians hiding their fortunes in offshore tax havens. Not only does their money multiply beyond the taxmans reach, but in the unlikely event they are prosecuted, their crimes against the public probably wont ever be publicly known. The Canada Revenue Agency says nine people were convicted of offshore tax evasion over the past two years, receiving $4 million in fines and 84 months of jail time. But it wont say who these people are. Strange, given that, as Marco Chown Oved reported in the Star on the weekend, the agency regularly publishes the names of dozens of small-time offenders, including many vulnerable Canadians who have merely fallen behind on their tax payments. The CRA says this double standard is inevitable. By law, the agency is allowed to publish only information already in the public record. So if a tax cheat strikes a deal with the government, and the nature of the scheme does not appear in court documents, the offender cannot be identified as an offshore tax evader. Yet other jurisdictions do things differently. In the United States, for instance, if a person or corporation is caught hiding undeclared assets offshore the offenders name is automatically published on a government website alongside a description of the offence. In Australia and Britain, pressure is mounting to do the same. The Americans have rightly determined that the public benefit of transparency outweighs the tax-avoiders right to privacy. Canada should make public exposure a requirement of any deal it strikes with scofflaws. The benefits would be twofold: the naming and shaming deters other offenders, and the disclosure allows citizens to understand just how thoroughly they are being cheated and thus how much work the government must do to restore tax fairness. How else, other than through transparency, can citizens be expected to trust their tax system? And yet, on this, Ottawa has fallen sadly short. Not only are the names of offshore evaders kept secret, but some experts believe the CRA is misleading the public about how frequently Canada prosecutes such cases. Their skepticism was no doubt buttressed by a 2013 CBC News investigation that found the majority of offshore convictions reported by the CRA had nothing to do with the sort of abuse of havens that is Canadas costliest form of tax avoidance. In the wake of the Panama Papers, the Liberal government pledged $444 million to crack down on tax cheats, particularly those hiding money in offshore havens. In addition to raising needed revenues, the idea was to give Canadians greater confidence that the tax system is fair to everyone, according to National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier. At the time, she promised that those who hide income and assets offshore or try to evade or avoid paying the tax they owe will be identified and face consequences. If the minister is truly concerned with the fairness of our tax system, and if she truly wants to restore Canadians confidence in it, she should ensure that her ministry acts accordingly. SHARE: The lives of Canadians have never been more transparent to the states security apparatus, yet the security apparatus remains troublingly opaque to the people. That dangerous asymmetry was compounded by the Harper governments overreaching Anti-Terrorism Act, formerly Bill C-51, which introduced vast new powers for spy agencies last year and yet did nothing to make them more accountable. It was reassuring, then, to see the new Liberal government table Bill C-22 last week, an important first step toward accountability. The legislation would finally give to Canada what most of our allies already have: a parliamentary committee that provides democratic oversight of our national security establishment. The all-party committees members seven MPs and two senators would be sworn to secrecy and given statutory power to scrutinize all spying and clandestine operations, across all agencies and departments, in order to evaluate their effectiveness and legality. If passed, Bill C-22 would provide an essential check on a security apparatus that should not be allowed to wield its considerable power with impunity. But this proposal, as written and on its own, will barely begin to restore the balance between public safety and individual freedoms that the Conservatives security policy so badly skewed. To do that, the government will need to take at least three steps. 1. Improve the bill. As welcome as Bill C-22 is, it could be better. Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said last week that the committee would have the ability to look at any issue, any activity, any operation, any document. But thats not quite true. In fact, under the proposal, the prime minister and his cabinet would be allowed to withhold any information or veto any inquiry they deem to be injurious to national security. This Mack truck exception, as University of Ottawa law professor Craig Forcese calls it, makes it too easy for the ruling party to cover up politically inconvenient information. Some analysts, including Forcese, are also concerned about the way the committees chair and members will be appointed. The prime minister, rather than Parliament, will choose. That was the original selection process for the United Kingdoms security committee, too, before the method was abandoned amid controversy several years ago. 2. Create an expert super-watchdog. Parliamentary oversight is only one part of the solution. Even if the committee were given full access, it would not be able to adequately oversee all of the many agencies and departments with national security responsibilities. Parliamentary review needs to be complemented by expert oversight. But Canadas woefully inadequate patchwork of review bodies is clearly not up to the task. Our sprawling security apparatus is currently monitored by three meagre watchdogs, each strictly constrained to its own jurisdiction. Critics have long maintained that these bodies have neither the mandate nor the resources to do their job. Worse still, some national security organizations, such as the Canada Border Services Agency, escape independent scrutiny altogether. Fifteen people have died in CBSA custody since 2000, yet in the absence of any arms-length oversight Canadians remain completely in the dark about the circumstances of those deaths. The parliamentary committee would be a good start here, but more integrated and robust access to information is needed. A detailed plan to provide just that already exists. In the aftermath of the 2006 Maher Arar inquiry, Justice Dennis OConnor proposed what he called the Integrated National Security Review Co-ordinating Committee consisting of an outside chair and the heads of the three existing watchdog agencies that would monitor all parts of the federal security establishment. If the government is serious about transparency, it should take a close look at the judges plan. 3. Undo the most egregious aspects of the Anti-Terrorism Act. No amount of oversight can address the profound pitfalls of the Tories draconian security policy. The act compromises Canadians privacy in unprecedented ways, criminalizes the promoting of terrorism, gives CSIS the power to perform the sort of dirty tricks it was created to pre-empt, and allows imprisonment of up to five years to prevent crimes that may be carried out. The Liberals have said they are undertaking a public consultation to determine which parts of the act should be repealed. But what can the public possibly say to make the above violations of civil rights acceptable? To do what must be done will take political courage. It is much easier to provide new powers to police or security agencies than it is to take them away. Fear of the potential political fallout in case of a tragedy can be paralyzing. But there is no evidence these policies make us any safer, whereas there can be no question that they undermine the values that make us who we are. The government is right to try to shine a light on Canadas shadowy security establishment. But the proposed parliamentary committee is unlikely ever to uncover a bigger scandal than the one in plain sight, passed into law last year. SHARE: Re: Get consent before you snap picture of a stranger, June 18 Get consent before you snap picture of a stranger, June 18 Ken Gallingers column is not only inaccurate, its irresponsible. The column seems to suggest that people taking photos in public have ill intentions as a general rule. Would that apply to Star photojournalists, who sometimes have to snap photos of people leaving courtrooms or take routine photos in public to illustrate a story? Mr. Gallinger refers to creeps like your nerd in the tube, who think its their God-given right to take pictures of anyone, anytime, without permission. Well, perceived ethical issues aside, it actually is a Canadian right to take photos in public. Many important historical images and iconic street photography wouldnt exist without this right, and the freedom of the press to publish it. As a street photographer myself, I dont aim to embarrass anyone by snapping their photo. My goal is to present the world as it is, complete with its interesting people and places. To assume public photography is somehow ethically wrong is just that: wrong. Jeff Hayward, Hamilton Ken Gallinger may feel that the person taking the pictures in the scenario he was asked about was on the wrong side of the ethical divide. However, for the Star to permit such uninformed codswallop to appear in its pages is a rejection of any ethical standard of journalism. Opinion or not, his comments are unprofessional, his projection of motives on to the person with the cellphone, and his own characterization of that person as a creep, are offensive. They would also be libelous except for the fact that the picture-taker is not identified. Does anonymity provide free reign to engage in childish name-calling and otherwise actionable conduct? Is that really the standard the Star wants to set? Is the bar in your newsroom that low? Mr. Gallinger needs to publish an apology. Robert Fisher, Oshawa I expect Ken Gallinger is not aware of the fantastic collection of candid photography thats been created over the years by many including Henri Cartier-Bresson, William Klein, Helen Levitt and Leonard Freed. They rarely asked for permission before shooting because its obvious to any observer of their wonderful images that the beautifully captured instant would be lost if they paused to interfere in the activity of their subjects. On one hand, Gallinger makes it clear that photographing people in public is not unlawful but only bad manners. Then he suggested that anyone who is displeased by an ill-mannered photographer should walk away and call the authorities. Is he seriously suggesting that police should be involved? Are photographers to be charged with being impolite or having bad manners? Of course, hes correct about the changes in photography from those halcyon days. But it has little to do with bulky cameras or the use of film. Unfortunately, today many have been conditioned to fear cameras in public, particularly when theyre pointed at children. I believe those are unfounded fears and the downside is that wonderful photos are now almost banned by public opinion. George Dunbar, Toronto SHARE: Ontario boards will receive $1.1 billion more in funding over the next two years to fix roofs, windows and boilers about $300 million of it targeted at aging schools in Toronto, Mitzie Hunter said Monday in her first announcement as education minister. The government previously pledged money for this school year and next for school renewal, and the new funds bring the total to $2.7 billion. The Toronto District School Board will get $257 million more, boosting its two-year repair fund to $579 million. About $40 million more will go to Torontos Catholic board, for a total of $107 million. Boards said the money will help make a dent in their ballooning maintenance backlog, pegged at $3.5 billion for the Toronto public board and $600 million for the Catholic alone. Across the province, the repair bill is estimated to be as high as $15 billion. The money is urgently needed to address school boards urgent, growing renewal and repair backlog, Hunter told a news conference, noting about half of the provinces school buildings are more than 40 years old. A school with a long list of repairs, antiquated components or inefficient systems is not serving students at a level they deserve. That is why we are flowing the funding right away, over the summer, so school boards can get to work right away on their list of priorities. The money, she added will go a long way in addressing and reducing that backlog. Toronto Trustee Sheila Cary-Meagher said while the money is welcome, by industry standards the public board needs $220 million a year just to stand still. The province has given us a whack of money we greatly appreciate the increase, but its not nearly enough. Fix Our Schools, a group of parents across the province pushing for better funding for maintenance and repairs, was pleased by the announcement because it means weve stopped digging, but a large hole remains. This fall, children will still return to aging classrooms with leaking roofs, said the group in a written statement, vowing to keep pressing the government and opposition parties on the issue. Toronto board Vice-Chair Jennifer Arp hailed the renewed partnership between the board and the province and calling it significant new investments. She noted the unique challenges face by the TDSB with regards to infrastructure and renewal given the age and condition of most of its schools. At the Toronto Catholic board, the money will most likely be used to replace roofs and windows, repave asphalt and restore fields among other needs, said Angelo Sangiorgio, the associate director of planning and facilities. Its not like painting the classroom the nature of the investment is for structural building components, he said, adding the board starts the bulk of its maintenance work as soon as school lets out and before students return in September. In total, the province has pledged more than $12 billion over 10 years to build new schools and fix up existing ones. NDP education critic Lisa Gretzky said Ontarios auditor-general had specifically called for $1.4 billion a year for 10 years, a number that doesnt include future upkeep and renewal needs. Hunters announcement falls short of what is needed and it is children and education workers who will pay the price, plus there is none of the long-term stability that school boards need. SHARE: Egypt MPs said Education Minister Al-Hilali Al-Sherbini's failure to contain the Thanawiyya Amma exam leaks should force him to resign Egyptian Parliament's Education Committee said in an urgent meeting on Monday that Education Minister Al-Hilali Al-Sherbini should resign from office after he failed to contain the Thanaweya Amma exam leaks. MPs described Al-Sherbini as a "failed minister", and as a result he should resign from office or parliament would move to withdraw confidence in him. The committee's meeting came after MPs blasted Al-Sheribni in a parliamentary plenary session Monday. Speaker Ali Abdel-Aal said Al-Sherbini should attend the committee's meeting to defend himself. "I know that the exam leaks have left hundreds of families in Egypt suffering from psychological pain, and it is the minister's duty to come to parliament to respond to the questions," Abdel-Aal said. Abdel-Aal said the education committee should thoroughly study the exam leak scandal, prepare a report, and decide whether it is constitutional to withdraw confidence from the education minister. MP Zeinab Salem began the attacks against Al-Sherbini by describing him as a failed minister. "I think parliament should have a role in this crisis which has caused a lot of pain for hundreds of families in Egypt," he said. Joining forces, Salah Hassaballah, chairman of the Freedom Party, said that not only has Minister El-Sheribini failed to address the leaks crisis, but also made the wrong decision in postponing some of the final Thanaweya Amma exams. "This flawed policy led hundreds of students to protest on the street and left many others in agony and distress," said Hassaballah. Khaled Helal, an independent MP, said that "The leaks of different Thanaweya Amma exams were made in an orderly way and on a wide scale this year." "As a result the education ministry officials, including the minister himself, were left helpless and unable to contain this crisis," said Helal, adding that, "the problem is not with the minister himself, but with the ministry as a whole as this scandal has exposed a lot of corruption among its senior officials." "I think there is a mafia of corruption inside the education ministry and that this mafia should be put on trial," said Helal. Helal also criticised El-Sherbini's decision to go ahead with the Thanaweya Amma physics exam after it was leaked. "This decision does a lot of injustice to excellent students who were able to answer the questions of this exam," said Helal. MP Ghada Sakr said parliament should ask the armed forces or the intelligence apparatus to take charge of printing and organising Egypt's Thanaweya Amma exams in the coming years. Hani Abaza, deputy chairman of parliament's education committee, told reporters that prime minister Sherif Ismail and education minister Al-Hilali Al-Sherbini should come to the committee to respond to MPs' questions and attacks. "We have invited them and it is their duty to come to explain themselves," said Abaza. Search Keywords: Short link: The Womens Voices Theatre Festival, the event last fall during which more than 50 Washington theaters produced new plays by female playwrights, was considered such a resounding artistic and morale-building success that a second installment is being considered for the 2017-2018 season, according to multiple theater sources. Discussions are still in the preliminary phase, but according to officials, the second Womens Voices festival would occur as a mid-season feature, possibly running in January and February of 2018. While its unclear how plays might be chosen in this go-round, one format change being considered would involve paring down the number of participating theaters, sources in the theater community said. Involvement in the event could be limited to theater companies in the region that are willing to commit resources to marketing and other essential aspects of the venture. In the performing-arts world, topical events of the scale of the womens festival tend to be one-offs. Theyre created and dismantled and then an idea for a festival on an entirely new theme is developed; the previous citywide festival occurred in 2007 when the focus was Shakespeare in Washington. So the notion of a Womens Voices 2.0 is itself rather unique. Planning for a new festival had been kept under wraps until last weeks annual conference of the Theatre Communications Group, the organization representing more than 700 non-profit theaters across the country, held this year at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Washington. During a workshop in which theater administrators from the District talked about the results of a 10-year study of audience behavior at seven major theater companies in the region, Michael Porto, chief marketing officer of Shakespeare Theatre Company, disclosed that a festival was being considered for the 2017-2018 season in the city. He did not reveal the subject. Several others in the theater community, who did not want to speak for the record because they are not empowered to do so, confirmed the subject of the proposed event. Portos remarks came as the workshops leader, Jill Robinson, president and chief executive of TRG Arts, a Colorado-based arts consultancy, presented data showing that traditionally there isnt a lot of audience-sharing in Washingtons theater community, an obstacle to growth. The statistics revealed that for the seven theaters participating in the ongoing study Arena Stage, Shakespeare Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Studio Theatre, Fords Theatre, Signature Theatre and Theater J only 15 percent of playgoers attended more than one of the theaters in the latter years under study, 2009-2013. in other words, a full 85 percent of theater households patronized one theater only. Regionwide festivals seek to raise awareness not only of the work being produced for the event but also to foster collective action within the industry. On that score, the womens festival was considered a useful exercise, said the panelists in the TCG workshop. On an artistic level, there were notable achievements in the festival, held in September and October. A world premiere festival production of Salome at Shakespeare Theatre Company by director Yael Farber was the runaway big winner at this years Helen Hayes Awards. Other plays that made debuts during the event such as Sheila Callaghans Women Laughing Alone With Salad at Woolly Mammoth and Martyna Majoks Ironbound at Round House Theatre, have gone on to major productions in Los Angeles and New York. The potential exists, of course, for a second womens festival to shift its focus, to bring on, for instance, more female directors, or perhaps look more actively for playwrights of color. In any case, the preliminary talks indicate that Washingtons theaters are viewing collaboration as an ever more vital tool. A reader wants to know what to do about this white goo on the front steps. (Reader photo) Q: A white substance is gradually oozing out of our front steps. They were built 15 years ago, but the problem started only three years ago. I wonder if a de-icing product caused this problem. Also, the top layer of one slate has suddenly separated from the underlying stone. We are not adept at home repairs. Who can fix this? Rockville A: The white substance is efflorescence, which has been called natural graffiti. Meaning blooming in French, it occurs when moisture gets behind concrete, stone or brick and picks up salts. The moisture wicks to the surface and evaporates, leaving salty deposits behind. Sometimes the salts come from the masonry materials themselves. Or they can be in the sand or other bedding underneath. And, yes, de-icing products could also be the culprit. Rock salt and de-icers that contain calcium chloride are the worst. Use products that have magnesium chloride instead. (Magnesium chloride is the least-toxic de-icing salt, according to the Chesapeake Bay Programs primer on How to Deice the Bay-Friendly Way.) But even if de-icer was the problem initially, its probably only part of your problem now. Efflorescence occurs only when there is both salt and moisture. The mortar joints in your stonework may have shed water initially explaining all those years with no efflorescence but they no longer do. Theres a broken joint somewhere, said Roberto Moreton, an owner of Rocha Construction in Silver Spring (301-717-8310; rochaconstruction.com), after looking at the pictures you sent. Moreton said that for $250 Rochas minimum fee the company could clean off the deposits using muriatic acid and lots of scrubbing. This should get your steps clean, although youd still have the damaged stone. However, efflorescence could reappear fairly quickly if salt is already behind the stones and moisture keeps getting through. The deposits would stop returning only after all of the salt moved to the surface and that could take years. A faster long-term solution, Moreton said, is to remove and clean the stones, replace the pieces that are disintegrating and put everything back together with fresh mortar that sheds rain. Rocha would charge $800 for this. We have an oak table that has been in storage for 10 years while we lived overseas. We will be repatriating in the fall. The table is sturdy but a bit dated. It is oval and has a carved design just under the top. I was thinking of keeping it, but Id like it to be black. Do you have any idea of what process I should use? Austin Paint, either sprayed or brushed on, will accomplish the transformation you want. If you want a pro to do it, look for furniture-repair companies or local cabinet shops with spray equipment. If you want to do it yourself, start by lightly sanding all surfaces until they are evenly dull, using 150- to 220-grit paper and sanding in the direction of the wood grain. Another option to consider especially if the carved areas have crisp details that you might damage by sanding is washing the table with an etching product, such as Klean Strip Easy Liquid Sander Deglosser ($6.98 at Home Depot). Afterward, clean away any sanding dust or let the table dry, depending on which method you used. Brush or spray primer paint followed by two coats of enamel, taking care to allow each layer to dry before applying the next. Dont judge this just by touch; read the product labels. Spray paint is ideal for getting into detail areas, and it can create a smooth finish on a tabletop. But you need to be able to work where the overspray wont be a problem. And its important to hold the can parallel to the surface so the spray is distributed evenly. Brushed-on paint can also give great results if you use the right procedures and have a good brush. For detail areas, use a 1- or 1-inch-wide brush with an angled tip, which will allow you to brush excess paint out of recesses. For big, flat areas, use a small roller about an inch wide and up to six inches long to get paint onto the surface. Immediately follow by brushing over the area (in the direction of the wood grain) to smooth the paint. A wider brush works better for this. The two-step process, rolling followed by brushing, allows you to paint much more quickly and evenly. Once you have brushed over a section, though, dont be tempted to go back and keep touching it up, except to smooth out obvious drips. The second coat will fill in any areas you missed, and the texture left from brushstrokes will virtually disappear once the paint is completely dry. One more tip: Because there is no way to know exactly what finish is on the table now, do a small test section complete with sanding, priming and painting to make sure the paint sticks. If it doesnt, you might need to remove the existing finish before you paint. Have a problem in your home? Send questions to localliving@washpost.com . Put How To in the subject line, tell us where you live and try to include a photo. Michelle Obama arrives at Robert International Airport near Harbel, Liberia, on Monday, with her daughters Sasha and Malia and her mother, Marian Robinson. (Thierry Gouegnon/Reuters) Michelle Obama was greeted by traditional dancers wearing red, white and blue as she arrived Monday in Liberia the first stop of a three-nation tour promoting girls education around the world, the cause she plans to carry on after she leaves the White House in January. Her mother, Marian Robinson, and daughters Sasha and Malia came along for her latest foreign trip Morocco and Spain are also on the five-day itinerary during which she will meet with officials and organizations that support Let Girls Learn, an initiative aimed at improving living conditions for the millions of girls worldwide who are not enrolled in school. She arrived at the airport near the capital city of Monrovia and met with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first woman elected to lead an African nation, then traveled to city of Kakata to visit a Peace Corps facility and hail the full return of the U.S. volunteer service to Liberia following the end of the recent Ebola crisis. [Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wants to more women lead] She also announced that USAID will begin training teachers and policymakers to prevent violence against women and girls, and she highlighted other federal programs a $6.2 million project to reduce child labor in Liberias rubber-growing areas, and a $20 million child-nutrition program that gives grade-school girls a monthly take-home ratio of food if they maintain a good school attendance record. Obama also planned to spotlight second-chance schools supported by the U.S. government that allow girls who were raped or impregnated to finish their educations. I am thrilled that we are making these new investments in adolescent girls education and deepening our partnership with the Government of Liberia, Obama said in a statement. These girls are so bright and so eager to learn, and these investments will help them build the knowledge and skills they need to provide for themselves and their families and contribute fully to their communities and their country. Also in Liberia, Obama will participate in a panel discussion, moderated by actress Freida Pinto, with girls who have faced obstacles enrolling in school. The second and third day of Obamas visit will be spent in Morocco, where she will participate in a televised conversation about girls education with Meryl Streep and Pinto. On the final leg of her trip, the first lady will deliver a speech about girls education in Madrid and meet with the queen of Spain, Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano. It will be Obamas second visit to Spain. (The president will make his first official trip there next month, to discuss national security and the NATO alliance.) The first ladys 2010 vacation trip to Madrid drew criticism because of an economic downturn back home. This trip, though, is not a vacation, emphasized Tina Tchen, the first ladys chief of staff. Obama is stopping in Spain to encourage young people. . . to understand the importance of focusing on the 62 million girls and . . . [ask] them to take action and use their voices to support them. It is also her first official trip since she joined the social network Snapchat last week. She plans to post videos there in an effort to engage young Americans with the issues shes advocating for overseas. Wire services contributed some details to this report. THE DISTRICT Man shot by agent is ordered detained A Pennsylvania man shot by a U.S. Secret Service agent at a White House gate May 20 was ordered detained Monday by U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Michael Harvey of the District. Jesse A. Olivieri, 31, of Ashland, Pa., was charged by police complaint June 3 with one felony count of resisting or impeding certain officers or employees with a dangerous weapon. Harvey granted prosecutors request to hold Olivieri after reviewing two video clips apparently showing Olivieri walking toward the White House with a handgun pointed at the ground, ignoring officers and then getting shot in the chest. Olivieri was apparently shot while walking toward a security barrier, staring at the ground. A moment later, in a video clip, he clutched his chest and crumpled. Olivieri did not speak at the hearing nor did his parents. I do find that Mr. Olivieri is a danger both to himself and the community, Harvey said. This is a serious crime, a crime of violence involving law enforcement officers whose job it is to protect the perimeter of the White House. Spencer S. Hsu Police: Man cited again for drone For the second time in two years, a District man has been cited after he was seen flying an unmanned aircraft in areas over the District, an activity that is prohibited, according to federal authorities. U.S. Park Police said Howard Solomon III, 50, was cited Sunday night after he was seen flying a drone over part of Anacostia Park. It is illegal to fly unmanned aircraft over national parks or anywhere in the District. The fine is $85. Peter Hermann Police identify victim in Southeast shooting A man who was fatally shot early Sunday in Southeast Washington has been identified as Westley Blackwell, 38, D.C. police said. Blackwell of Southeast was shot shortly after midnight in the 900 block of Wahler Place SE, police said. Peter Hermann VIRGINIA Police chief to retire in fall in Alexandria Alexandria Police Chief Earl L. Cook, who has led the 467-member department for the past seven years, will retire Oct. 1 after 37 years as a police officer, the city has announced. Cook led the department when its detectives arrested Charles Severance, who was later convicted and sentenced to three life terms for three fatal shootings of prominent residents over a period of about a decade: Nancy Dunning in 2003, Ronald Kirby in 2013 and Ruthanne Lodato in 2014. A native Alexandria, Cook, 61, joined the department in 1979 after receiving a degree from Duke University. He was the first African American police chief in the city. City Manager Mark B. Jinks praised Cook and said the city will look nationwide for his successor. Patricia Sullivan Deaths declared murder-suicide Police said Monday that the deaths of two adults in Prince William County last month were a murder-suicide. On May 23 at 6:45 p.m., officers went to an apartment in the 3600 block of Jurgensen Drive in Triangle after a relative said he could not contact one of the two adults, county police said. Officers found Danesha Lana Simpson, 18, and Elvin Francisco Draper Jr., 29, both of Triangle, dead, police said. On Friday, detectives concluded that Draper shot Simpson, then himself, according to a police statement. Justin Wm. Moyer Maryland Woman who fell into bay is found on island In a local version of Robinson Crusoe, a woman who fell overboard in the Chesapeake Bay on Sunday night was found safe on an island Monday. Lauren Conner, 32, fell in near the mouth of the Sassafras River and swam for at least a mile to Spesutie Island, said Candy Thomson, spokeswoman for the Maryland Natural Resources Police. She said the precise distance the woman swam was not known because it was not clear exactly where she fell in. The island is part of Aberdeen Proving Ground, an Army facility northeast of Baltimore and on the opposite side of the bay from the Sassafras. Aviator Charles Lindbergh services his plane, "The Spirit of St. Louis," as he prepares for his historic solo flight from New York to Paris in May, 1927. (AP Photo) (ASSOCIATED PRESS) In the fall of 1975, as the Smithsonian Institution was preparing to open its new National Air and Space Museum, two airplane restorers were finishing up work on Charles Lindberghs legendary Spirit of St. Louis. The single-engine aircraft, in which Lindbergh had flown nonstop from New York to Paris in 1927, was world-famous, and John Cusack and Pat Williams were proud of the care they had taken with the plane. So proud that they took a small piece of lined paper and wrote a note to posterity: Spirit of St. Louis Cleaned and repaired for display in the new National Air and Space Museum, September 1975. The Spirit of St. Louis is the aircraft that Charles A. Lindbergh used for the first non-stop solo trans-Atlantic flight from New York to Paris on May 20, 1927. The aircraft was lowered onto the floor of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Jan., 2015 to undergo conservation treatment. (Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum) Pat Williams. John Cusack. 3 October 1975 They hid the note under the floorboard in the airplanes cockpit. And there it remained, undiscovered, until last year. On July 1, the museum will unveil its restored Milestones of Flight gallery the central exhibition space that houses the Spirit of St. Louis and other historic craft such as the Friendship 7 space capsule and the Bell X-1 rocket plane. The unveiling also marks the 40th anniversary of the opening of the museum July 1, 1976, the gala national bicentennial event for which Williams and Cusack were readying Lindberghs plane. Forty years and 311 million visitors later, a new generation of experts preparing the aircraft for the renovated gallery discovered that the Spirit of St. Louis still held secrets. A plane reveals its secrets Late on the night of Jan. 14-15, 2015, when the museum was closed, experts carefully lowered the 89-year-old airplane from the ceiling of the museum. Conservators wanted to check the fuselage and engine for wear and tear, among other things. The plane, in which Lindbergh had made the first solo crossing of the Atlantic, was constructed with cotton fabric and metal and had no front windshield but it sported a periscope. Lindbergh gave the plane to the Smithsonian in 1928, flying it from St. Louis to the old Bolling Field in Southeast Washington. Escorted by motorcycle police, it was towed, partly disassembled, to the Smithsonians Arts and Industries Building on May 11. [Lindbergh tells Congress U.S. entry into WWII would be a disaster] It was displayed there until it was moved to the Air and Space Museum 47 years later. Once on the ground last year, the plane was studied by experts who made a startling new find. I call it the Indiana Jones effect, chief conservator Malcolm Collum said last week. Youre discovering something that nobodys seen for a long time. As workers were snaking a flexible borescope camera through inaccessible areas of the plane, they spotted a pair of pliers underneath the instrument panel. They were laying in the dust . . . basically laying on the fabric on the belly of the fuselage . . . (in) an area thats very difficult to get to, Collum said. Later, Collum decided to try to retrieve the tool, and worked his hand into an opening in the footwell where the rudder controls are. I was able to contort my arm . . . and got my two fingertips on these things. He said everyone assumed the pliers had belonged to Smithsonian employees who had worked on the plane over the years. I pulled these things out and blew the dust off them, and you could tell right away that these are old pliers, he said. The handles were painted the same color as the planes oil, fuel tanks, and fuselage structure. He said that they probably came from the Ryan airplane factory that built the plane and were part of an original tool kit that went with the aircraft. I was like a little schoolboy Look what I found! Collum said. He said Lindbergh could have needed the pliers to tighten anything that might have come loose from the constant vibration of the engine during his 33-hour flight. The engine . . . was bolted directly on the steel tubular airframe, he said. Everything in there would be constantly vibrating and shaking. Collum thinks Lindbergh may have dropped the pliers at some point during the flight and they slipped down into the crevice. Its really not a historic discovery, he said. It's just a fascinating little thing that popped up. But there was more. An early tale was told that when crews were fueling the plane in the factory, a rubber hose was accidently dropped inside a 209-gallon tank and could not be retrieved, Collum said. The story was that a hole had to be cut in the tank before the flight to get the hose out. When the tank was examined last year, the patched hole was found. In addition, Collum said historians have known that the airplanes oil reservoir split open and began leaking during the flight. Upon examination, he found the place where the seven-inch split was later patched. Lucky Lindy was fortunate indeed. Here youre flying across the ocean and your main oil reservoir has ruptured and is leaking oil, Collum said. Its just incredible. And there was one more discovery. We were here John Cusack was known for the powerful fingers he had developed stitching the tough fabric that made up the hide of old airplanes at the Smithsonians Paul E. Garber restoration and storage facility in Suitland, Md. There, dozens of historic aircraft were brought to be preserved and repaired for the Smithsonian by a team of restorers. It was tedious and time-consuming work. Many planes were tattered and weathered, but Cusack loved it. He had become a security guard at the Smithsonian in 1964 after serving 21 years in the Navy, said his son, Dennis, last week. And he jumped when a job as a restorer opened up at Garber in 1969. In the Navy, he had been a crewman on big Lockheed Constellation surveillance aircraft and was fascinated by aviation, said Colleen Mennucci, his daughter. Cusack, who died in 2007 at the age of 81 and had lived in Lothian, Md., worked on many famous airplanes at Garber, including the B-29 Enola Gay that dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. But he preferred the older models that were made of wood and fabric. And he was proud of his work, which he often signed in an inconspicuous spot when he was finished, Dennis Cusack said. He did it for the Northrop Flying Wing, he said. He would always sign his name and put the date and put shellac over top of it so it would stay for the next hundred years when somebody else does it again. Dennis Cusack said he was unaware of his fathers note in Lindberghs plane. But it doesnt surprise me, he said. We were a very kind of rough-and-tough, close-knit crew, said Karl Heinzel, who also worked on Lindberghs plane and retired from Garber in 2008 after 34 years there. Cusack retired in 1995. It was the coolest place in the world you could possibly work if you were an airplane nut, he said. It was just great. For his work on the Spirit of St. Louis, John Cusack received a citation from the Smithsonian, which included a small piece of the planes fabric covering. As for Cusacks co-signer, Patricia A. (Williams) Merchant, she is thought to be the first woman to restore airplanes at the facility. She died in 2003 at age 65 in Cambridge, Md. She married the late Donald K. Merchant, a World War II veteran and pilot of antique airplanes, who was a top official at Garber. They left the Smithsonian and moved to the Eastern Shore about 1978. A picture of her working on the engine of a P-51 Mustang called Excalibur III appears in the Smithsonians 1976-77 annual report. As she and Cusack finished their work on the Spirit of St. Louis in 1975 and penned their note, they were no doubt aware of the historical importance of the plane and moment. And the note was their way of leaving a calling card to the future that We were here, Heinzel said. The Spirit of St. Louis was raised back to the museum ceiling last July, but just before it went up, Collum made a final check through the cockpit. He noticed that the plywood floorboard in front of the pilots seat was a little loose. He lifted it up, felt around underneath, and pulled out a slip of paper. It was the note. The cockpit of the Spirit of St. Louis is a hallowed place, he said. Cusack and Williams must have felt honored to have worked on it. Its almost like a sacred space, he said. When you open that cockpit door, if you dont get tingles on your back when you stick your head in there, its time to retire. Asked if he left a message there for future conservators, he said, I did not. Researcher Magda Jean-Louis contributed to this story. Civil rights leader Walter E. Fauntroy was arrested at Dulles International Airport after returning to the U.S. following an abrupt departure in 2012. Here's why authorities were after him. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Civil rights leader Walter E. Fauntroy was arrested at Dulles International Airport after returning to the U.S. following an abrupt departure in 2012. Here's why authorities were after him. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) Walter E. Fauntroy, Washingtons legendary former congressional delegate, was arrested Monday morning at Dulles International Airport and jailed in Loudoun County after returning home from a four-year sojourn in the Persian Gulf, authorities said. Fauntroy, who helped plan the 1963 March on Washington with his friend the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was arrested about 8:15 a.m. on an outstanding warrant by Border Patrol officials while he was clearing customs, said Aleksandra Kowalski, a public information officer for the Loudoun County Sheriffs Office. He had just gotten off a nonstop Emirates airline flight from Dubai to Dulles, said one of his attorneys, Johnny Barnes. He was scheduled to spend the night in jail before a hearing Tuesday morning in Loudoun County General District Court. In January 2012, Fauntroy left the United States after a bench warrant was issued for him to appear in Prince Georges County, Md., on a charge that he wrote a bad check for $55,000 to help pay for a 2009 ball he organized for President Obamas first inauguration. [A renowned civil rights leaders descent into debt and delusion] In an interview last week from the United Arab Emirates, Fauntroy, 83, insisted that the issue was resolved. He said he was coming home because he missed his family and that he had finally obtained financing for his green-energy humanitarian projects around the world. But he also was defiant, seemingly daring authorities to detain him upon his arrival at the airport. Walter Fauntroy on what he learned from his campaign manager in his 1970 campaign for U.S. House Delegate from Washington, D.C. (Christina Lee/The Washington Post) You read the news on the Internet that Nobody knows where he is and When he comes home hes going to be arrested? Well, see if I get arrested, Fauntroy told The Washington Post. It is disinformation which you can dispense easily when you control the media. Glenn F. Ivey, the former Prince Georges states attorney, is advising Fauntroys legal team. Ivey declined to comment for this story. Fauntroys attorney in the bad-check case, Arthur M. Reynolds Jr., told The Post recently that Fauntroy had paid back some of the money. When pressed whether Fauntroy would pay the remainder, Barnes said: The congressman is not avoiding his responsibilities. He intends to meet them head-on. The fact that hes paid some of it indicates good faith. Barnes said a hearing in Prince Georges will occur next month. Barnes said that he did not expect Fauntroys arrest, but apparently authorities were anticipating his return because the bench warrant had been reissued Monday. The family is disappointed that theyre going to have wait to see him, but we fully expect his release in due time, Barnes said. He went through customs uneventfully and then Homeland Security people selected him out, went through his things, and said theres this bench warrant issued. Barnes, who spoke to Fauntroy by phone after his arrest, said that Fauntroy was disappointed that this has happened. Overall, Barnes said, Fauntroy seemed much improved and in good spirits. [Walter Fauntroy vows to return from UAE to face legal, financial troubles] Fauntroy has been living in the UAE for more than four years, most recently in the town of Ajman just north of Dubai. He left his wife, Dorothy, nearly 82, in Washington to deal with a litany of family debt, including the potential foreclosure of their Northwest home. The couple also had to file for bankruptcy in Fauntroys absence. Friends and family had to chip in tens of thousands of dollars to help Dorothy Fauntroy cope with other debt and with long-needed repairs to the couples home. Fauntroy said that during his trip abroad he was hospitalized four times because of heat exhaustion and passed out during each incident. But he insisted no harm was done to his mental faculties. [I was] revived without damage to my brain and body, he said. Its a miracle, quite frankly. Only God could do that. Fauntroys family members his wife of nearly 59 years, his son Marvin and daughter Melissa Alice could not be reached for comment. Jack Smith, the new superintendent of Montgomery Countys school system, will start in the position on Friday. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) Jack Smith is not flashy. He describes himself as calm and persistent, a 58-year-old onetime English teacher who steps into the top schools job in Montgomery County on Friday with plans to parse data and listen as he sorts out how learning can be improved in the high-achieving district. Im much more of a rock than a rock star, said Smith, whose career in education spans more than three decades and includes recent high-level state posts. I want to be a steady, thoughtful, action-oriented leader. His arrival as superintendent of the 156,000-student Maryland school district comes nearly five months after Montgomerys school board selected Smith from more than 70 candidates following a lengthy national search that faltered early on. He replaces Joshua P. Starr, who lacked the board support he needed to win a new four-year contract. Some board members reportedly complained that Starr could be brusque and did not make enough progress on narrowing the achievement gap or provide a cohesive vision for the districts more than 200 principals. Associates say Smith is unassuming and down-to-earth, deeply knowledgeable but more interested in practical application than philosophy. Though he is comfortable in front of a crowd, he does not revel in the limelight. Michael Durso, Montgomerys school board president, recalls asking Smith during interviews what he would do if he did not land the job in Montgomery, and Smith said he would consider going back to teaching English. I dont think he was pulling our leg with this, Durso said. I think he sees the classroom as where the action is, and thats where his focus will be. [Interim state superintendent Jack Smith to lead Montgomery schools] Smith said he does not plan dramatic changes in the high-performing system, but he arrives with a sense of urgency about improvements. Within five minutes of being introduced as the new schools chief in February, he mentioned district data that showed disparities in graduation rates across Montgomerys 25 high schools. I wont wait months or years to start talking about what needs to happen, he said. Math and literacy a school system focus will remain at the forefront of his efforts, as well as cultural competency, he said. Weve got to understand the students and the families with whom we work, he said. Smith grew up in Washington state, the son of parents who did not graduate from high school. He had no intention of going to college until two English teachers urged him on. They said: You should do this. You should think about it. You should try, he said. When he later earned a degree, Smith decided to teach English until he figured out what he wanted to do with his life. He never left education. He worked in schools in Washington state and Japan before he and his wife, Gayle a math teacher settled in Marylands Calvert County. There, he was a principal and administrator in the 16,000-student system in Southern Maryland before being named superintendent, a job he held for seven years. He received his PhD from Notre Dame of Maryland University in 2009 and was Marylands Superintendent of the Year for 2013. He has an extremely wide and varied knowledge of education that is not one-size-fits-all, said Calvert County School Board member William J. Phalen Sr., noting that Smith used data effectively to improve instruction and drive decision-making. Smiths leadership was credited with helping improve the state model for evaluating teachers and principals and for increasing the number of Calvert students involved in Advanced Placement and other rigorous programs. He said he is proud that graduation rates and state test scores in Calvert were among the states best. But his departure a year early allowed under a contract revision was followed by controversy, as critics denounced financial compensation that was part of his employment contract and the contracts of his leadership team. Smith said the school board approved the contracts, which were discussed in open negotiation sessions with employee unions many times. His contract was posted on the districts website. It was public knowledge, he said. Nothing was hidden or unknown. Smith and his wife have five grown children, including two adopted from Bulgaria at ages 7 and 9. He says his personal experiences raising English-language learners, including a special-needs child, have helped him better understand the students he serves. Having sat on the parent side of the IEP table for 12 years was really helpful and useful to me as an educator, he said, referring to the individualized education programs that special-needs students have. Since 2013, Smith has worked for the state, as chief academic officer and then as interim superintendent, filling a post that came open when his boss, Lillian Lowery, left Maryland to lead an education nonprofit organization in Ohio. [Maryland schools superintendent announces resignation] He did not want the top state job on a permanent basis, he said, instead hoping to get back to a position that meant more time in schools and classrooms. He wants to put in 10 more years of demanding work in education; he signed a four-year contract in Montgomery at a starting salary of $275,000. Since he was selected as schools chief, Smith and his wife have put their home in Calvert up for sale and are renting a place in Gaithersburg. He has spent some of his off-hours in recent months attending events in Montgomery. Paul Geller, president of the countywide council of PTAs, recently met with Smith one-on-one, and he cited Smiths experience as a teacher, principal and former state official as important: I think hes the right person for the job at this time. Smith takes over as Montgomerys enrollment is surging, with more children in poverty and more English-language learners. The system has faced tight budgets, crowded classrooms and a chronic achievement gap that has left many black and Hispanic students lagging on measures of academic success. Montgomery is a far more diverse and complex system than Calverts, and it is 10 times the size. Some community members wonder how Smiths past experience will translate to Marylands largest school district. Diego Uriburu, executive director of Identity Inc., which works with Hispanic youth and families in Montgomery, said he was initially concerned that Smith lacked significant experience working with minority populations. But after speaking with Smith, that feeling changed. I think a part of him really does identify with the young people and families I serve, Uriburu said. You do not have to be from a certain minority group in order to solve all the problems. You just have to care. He really cared. Not everyone is optimistic. Janis Sartucci, a leader in the Montgomery County Parents Coalition, a watchdog group, does not view Smith as an improvement. I dont see him coming in and cleaning house, she said. I see that, in general, we have a lack of focus on teachers and classrooms, and I dont see Jack Smith as any change. Smith said the achievement gap is a central concern, remarking that it is important to monitor student performance incrementally daily, weekly, all the time so it is clear when to accelerate and when to intervene. I dont know to what degree the change is needed, but I know at least some change is needed, he said. Many in Montgomery say that Smiths experience in state government will be an asset, potentially making for easier collaborations with Maryland leaders. State Sen. Paul G. Pinsky (D-Prince Georges) recalled that Smith did not hesitate to talk to legislators in Annapolis and appear before them. Pinsky described Smith as passionate about kids and helping them. Hes not flash, Pinsky said. Hes substance, in setting goals that can be achieved and making sure they happen. Books being packed for prison inmates, in the basement of Foundry United Methodist Church on 16th Street NW. (John Kelly/The Washington Post) Prisoners like to read Westerns. They like how-to-draw books and arts-and-crafts books. They like books on shamanism and Wicca. They like thrillers, though most prisons wont let them read ones containing violence, narrowing the field somewhat. Prisoners like books about conspiracies. Do we have any Illuminati? Kristin Stadum asks in the basement of Foundry United Methodist Church on 16th Street NW. We do, says a young man in a ponytail. He pulls a paperback from one of the bookshelves that line two of the rooms walls and hold about 4,000 books. Its called The Illuminatus! Trilogy. A cover blurb from the Village Voice describes it as the ultimate conspiracy book. Books being packed for prison inmates, in the basement of Foundry United Methodist Church on 16th Street NW. (John Kelly/The Washington Post) It goes into a Tyvek envelope addressed to a prison in Georgia, where an inmate named Michael is eager to pass the time by reading a book about a secret society that supposedly pulls the worlds strings. Kristin, a financial analyst for the federal government, is a volunteer with the D.C. Books to Prisons Project, an outfit that sends paperbacks, hardbacks and magazines to inmates around the country. Books to Prisons receives about 160 inmate letters a week requesting specific titles or various genres. Last year, volunteers mailed out 5,000 packages containing about 15,000 books. In the eight years shes been reading inmates letters and answering their requests, Kristin has become familiar with the preferences of the incarcerated, a bestseller list of the locked away. People who are in solitary confinement often want history books or denser literature, she says. But inmates close to release often want how-to books or [books on] how to start a business, or books on electrical engineering, carpentry or plumbing. A lot of the inmates who write are trying to better themselves. The No. 1 request is for dictionaries. Books are donated or picked up at estate sales or thrift shops. Sometimes, volunteers go in search of a particular book. Just today, I ordered a GED prep book, Kristin says. (Those books dont tend to be among the ones donated. Books to Prisons is more likely to receive LSAT prep guides, this being Washington and all.) Kristin says its poignant when inmates request cookbooks or travel books. Whatever meals they make or journeys they take will be purely in their minds. Yoga books are popular. Yoga is something that can be done in solitary confinement. We get requests for true-crime books, but not all prisons will let us send them, Kristin says. Texas has the most stringent regulations. Reminders of the Lone Star States restrictions are tacked up on the bookshelves: No Stephen King or Anne Rice. No Pat Conroy or Hunter S. Thompson. No Elmore Leonard. It isnt necessarily that those authors are specifically banned in Texas prisons, just that their novels are likely to contain scenes and subject matter crime or horror that will result in their being sent back by a disapproving warden. A book on Renaissance art was returned once. It had a religious painting, a naked baby Jesus, Kristin says. We had to take out the artwork and send it back. If a prison allows it, volunteers include notes with the books. They often receive notes back. In his letter, a California inmate named Rex thanked the volunteer who had included a copy of The Canterbury Tales along with the Beowulf hed requested. It looks like a challenging read, and I cant hardly wait for it, he wrote. Volunteers meet at the church each Wednesday evening and on the fourth Saturday of the month to pack books. They welcome more books, but what they really need is stamps or the money to buy them. Stamps are the biggest expense in the groups $21,000 annual budget. (For information, visit dcbookstoprisoners.org.) Volunteers dont sign their last names on the notes they tuck into the envelopes. Some use pseudonyms or a smiley face. Theyre mindful that these men (mostly) are in prison for a reason, a reason theyd rather not know. The few times when theyve been able to link inmates to their crimes have been unsettling. But still, doesnt being without books represent cruel and unusual punishment? Cant the pages of a book help free a trapped mind? Doesnt trying to understand a fictional character help instill empathy? Were not trying to get them out or say they shouldnt be there, Kristin says. Were just trying to help. . . . I think prisons should be about rehabilitation, not punishment. Even after somebody serves their time, its hard to reintegrate into society. If a few books can help with that, I will send books as long as I can. Into an envelope goes Star Trek: Foul Deeds Will Rise. In a few days, an inmate named Robert will start reading the paperback and be transported from Floridas Graceville Correctional Facility to the USS Enterprise as it hurtles through the infinite openness of space. Twitter: @johnkelly For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly. The planes wreckage, which was extracted from the Mediterranean, has been transported to a secure location within Cairo International Airport, awaiting a technical teams examination An Egyptian investigation committee arrived in France on Monday to repair the two black boxes of the EgyptAir flight MS804 that crashed into the Mediterranean Sea in May, killing all 66 people on board, the committee said in a statement. Upon their arrival in Paris, the team attended meetings with French officials to discuss a plan of action and the procedures that would be taken to start the repair of the black boxes electronic circuit board. Meanwhile, the planes wreckage, extracted from the Mediterranean, has been transported to a secure location within Cairos International Airport and is awaiting a technical teams examination, the statement read. The statement also added that efforts to extract bodies of the victims are still ongoing, using the help of Egyptian and French medical examiners on board the ship Lethbridge John recently hired by Egypt. The committee said in a previous statement that once the black boxes have been repaired they would be returned to Cairo for analysis in aviation ministry laboratories. Investigators have said it is too early to determine what caused the plane to crash, although a terror attack has not been ruled out. The French Aviation Safety Agency has said the aircraft transmitted automated messages indicating smoke in the cabin and a fault in the flight control unit minutes before it disappeared from radar. Egyptian investigators have confirmed the aircraft made a 90-degree left turn followed by a 360-degree turn to the right before hitting the sea. Search Keywords: Short link: BLOOD DONATIONS BLOOD DRIVES Tuesday 3-8 p.m., Loudoun Valley Community Center, 320 W. School St., Purcellville, 800-733-2767; July 5, 3-8 p.m., Ashburn Farm Association, 21400 Windmill Dr., Ashburn, 800-733-2767; July 9, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Loudoun County Rescue Company 13, 143 Catoctin Cir., Leesburg, 800-733-2767; July 11, 2:30-7:30 p.m., Claude Moore Recreation Center, 46105 Loudoun Park Lane, Sterling, 800-733-2767; July 16, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Leesburg Public Safety Center, 65 Plaza St., Leesburg, 800-733-2767; July 16, 8 a.m.-1 p.m., St. John the Apostle Church, 101 Oakcrest Manor Dr., Leesburg, 800-733-2767; July 27, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Loudoun County Sheriffs Office community room, 803 Sycolin Rd. SE, Leesburg, 866-256-6372. INOVA BLOOD DONOR CENTER Mondays noon-8 p.m., Tuesdays 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Fridays 6 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sundays noon-4 p.m. Dulles Town Center, 45745 Nokes Blvd., Sterling. 866-256-6372 or inova.org/donateblood. FIRST AID FIRST AID/ADULT, INFANT AND CHILD CPR/AED F Fauquier Hospital Medical Office Building, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. Call for schedule. Registration required. HEARING DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER Technical assistance through the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and presentations to businesses, civic groups and schools. Third Tuesdays 2-5 p.m., Workplace, 205 Keith St., Warrenton. Call for an appointment, 800-648-6324; TDD, 540-373-5890. Free. FREE HEARING TESTS Age 18 and older. Mondays-Thursdays 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. 703-858-7620. Registration required. HEARING LOSS, TINNITUS AND MENIERES SYNDROME SUPPORT For all ages, including parents of children with hearing loss. First Fridays at 2 p.m., Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2906. NORTHERN VIRGINIA RESOURCE CENTER FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING Age 18 and older, second Tuesdays 10 a.m., Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. HEARING LOSS OUTREACH Free referrals. Fourth Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Loudoun County Workforce Center, 102 Heritage Way, Leesburg; third Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Free appointments: 703-430-2906 or nvrcloudoun@aol.com. MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING FOR SEXUAL VIOLENCE SURVIVORS Provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice. 703-771-9020. CRISISLINK Suicide and crisis intervention. The organization provides community education, has a volunteer crisis response team and offers CareRing, a daily telephone outreach program for the elderly and disabled. 703-527-6016, volunteer@crisislink.org or crisislink.org. PIEDMONT CHAPTER, NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS Serves Fauquier, Orange, Madison and Rappahannock counties. Support group, education classes and events for people living with mental illness and their family members. First Wednesdays 7-9 p.m. Fauquier Hospital, 500 Hospital Dr., Sycamore Room A, Warrenton. 571-426-8213. NORTHERN VIRGINIA CHAPTER, NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS A support group, classes and programs for people living with mental illness and their family members. naminorthernvirginia.org. PREGNANCY, PARENTING ADOPTIVE FAMILY PRESERVATION Adoptive families discuss common experiences; registration required. Third Tuesdays 12:30-2 p.m. Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd. Call 703-941-9008, Ext. 23, or email jmellerio@umfs.org. BIRTHRIGHT OF LOUDOUN COUNTY Free pregnancy tests, baby clothing, transportation and support throughout pregnancy, 823 S. King St., Leesburg. 703-777-7272. BOND BETWEEN US A nonprofit organization that offers support to birth parents when children have been placed for adoption. Fourth Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. Call for location. 703-771-7844. BREAST-FEEDING SUPPORT Mondays 9:30-10:30 a.m., Fauquier Hospital Family Birthing Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. DAD SUPPORT New and expectant fathers share ideas. First Tuesdays 7 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg. 703-858-6360. FOR THE CHILDRENS SAKE A group for separating or divorcing parents to share advice. Four-hour session weekly. Information : 703-391-8599 or fitsfoundation.org. LA LECHE LEAGUE Mother-to-mother support and breast-feeding information. 10 a.m. second Wednesdays in Warrenton, 540-351-6103. Third Fridays 10:15-11:45 a.m., call for location, 703-444-7386. Second Fridays 10:15 a.m., Ashburn Library, 43316 Hay Rd., 703-431-3852; Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon, Panera Bread, 43670 Greenway Corp. Dr., Ashburn, email lllashburn@gmail.com. Third Fridays 10:15 a.m., Christ the Redeemer Church, 46833 Harry F. Byrd. Hwy., Sterling, 540-338-4637. LOUDOUN FATHERHOOD PROGRAM Fathers discuss the joys and challenges of being a parent. Meets every other Saturday for two hours for four months; sponsored by Northern Virginia Family Service. 571-748-2796. Free . LOUDOUN NURTURING PARENTING PROGRAM Positive parenting techniques; children attend with parents. Registration required. Call 703-771-3973, Ext. 27, or email nurturingprogram@lcsj.org . Free. MOTHERNET/HEALTHY FAMILIES LOUDOUN Program links first-time parents with medical, social and educational resources to give children a socially and physically healthy start in life. Family support workers meet with participants in homes. English-Spanish translation provided. 703-444-4477, Ext. 217 , or inmed.org. NEW MOTHERS SUPPORT Wednesdays 9:30-11:30 a.m. Inova Loudoun Medical Pavilion, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg, main entrance. Babies welcome. 703-858-6360. YOUNG PARENT SERVICES Support for teenage parents. Loudoun County Department of Family Social Services, 52 Sycolin Rd., Leesburg. Call for times. 703-771-5375. ONLINE CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION PROGRAM Inova Loudoun Hospitals Web-based program uses animation, videos and interactive activities to guide users through the basics of childbirth, breast-feeding and caring for newborns. 703-858-6360. thebirthinginn.org/classes. PARENTING ALONE GROUP For parents of school-age children who have lost a spouse or partner to cancer. Second Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-698-2536 or email jennifer.eckert@inova.org . PREGNANCY AND CHILDBIRTH SUPPORT Childbirth Solutions Resource Center, 8393 W. Main St., Marshall. 571-344-0438. SENIORS EXERCISE EQUIPMENT Weights, treadmills, bikes and a cardio-glide. Instruction provided. Age 55 and older. Weekdays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. FITNESS FOR PEOPLE 55 AND OLDER Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 1-1:45 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 571-258-3400. $36, 12-visit card. EYE CARE LensCrafters staff members will clean glasses and make minor repairs. Second Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 703-430-2397. Free. INOVA LOUDOUN MOBILE VAN Blood pressure checks. Second and fourth Tuesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling, 571-258-3280; first Wednesdays 9:30 a.m.-noon, Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. LAUGHING YOGA FOR SENIORS I mprove flexibility and balance. Thursdays 9:30-10 :30 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. LOUDOUN ADULT DAY CENTERS For seniors with physical limitations or memory loss, a safe and social environment, therapeutic activities, individualized care and respite for caregivers. Limited transportation. Sliding-scale fees. Weekdays in Leesburg, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., 703-771-5334; Purcellville, 571-258-3402; and Ashburn-Sterling, 571-258-3232. SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Senior Center at Cascades. First and third Wednesdays 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Sign up in the Leesburg Senior Center lobby. Second and fourth Thursdays 11 a.m.-noon and 12:30-4:30 p.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. SENIOR OUTREACH SERVICES Free and confidential assistance from an Area Agency on Aging Elder case manager. Call for an appointment or sign up at the Carver Center. First and third Mondays, 12:30-5 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 703-737-8741. Free. SUMMER FAN CARE PROGRAM Information on free fans and a limited number of window air conditioners that are available for income-eligible people age 60 and older. Tuessday 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. The program is sponsored by Dominion Virginia Power, the Virginia Department for the Aging and the Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging. 571-358-3400. ZUMBA GOLD CLASS: For people 55 and older who are learning Zumba for the first time, or those who prefer a lower-impact version. The fitness program combines Latin and international music with dance.Thursdays 11 a.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. 571-258-3280. $12. TAI CHI Stretching and strengthening movements. Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. Free. ZUMBA GOLD CLASS Age 55 and older. Wear rubber-soled shoes and comfortable clothing; bring water and a towel. Tuesdays 11 a.m., Tuesdays and Fridays at 1 p.m. Senior Center of Leesburg, 102 North St. NW, Leesburg. 703-737-8039. $24 per month. SUPPORT GROUPS AL-ANON SERVICE CENTER OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA A volunteer is available 24 hours with information for spouses, family members and friends of problem drinkers. 703-534-4357 or 877-339-8350. Mondays 8 p.m. Emmanuel Episcopal Church, 125 W. Washington St., Middleburg, 540-554-2747; Tuesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg, 877-339-8350; Fridays 8:30 p.m. Grace Episcopal Church, 6507 Main St., The Plains, 800-344-2666; Tuesdays 12:15 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, Route 29 N., 540-347-7448; Tuesdays 7 p.m. and Saturdays 8:30 p.m. Warrenton Presbyterian Church, 91 Main St., 800-344-2666. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Various meeting times and locations in Loudoun County. 800-208-8649 or 703-876-6166. nvintergroup.org. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVER SUPPORT For those who care for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Fourth Wednesdays 4-5:30 p.m. The Villa at Suffield Meadows, 6735 Suffield Lane, Warrenton. 540-316-3800. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVERS SUPPORT For those caring for people with Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Second Mondays 7-8:30 p.m. Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-430-9229. galileeumc.org. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVER SUPPORT Emotional, educational and social support for family members and friends of people with the disease. Third Saturdays 10 a.m. Loudoun County Area Agency on Aging, 20145 Ashbrook Pl., Ashburn. Call 703-771-5407 or email lesley.katz@loudoun.gov. ALZHEIMERS CAREGIVER SUPPORT GROUP Fourth Thursdays 3-4 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. 540-903-6831 or alz.org. ALZHEIMERS SUPPORT First Tuesdays 10-11 a.m. Spring Arbor Assisted Living, 237 Fairview St. NW, Leesburg. 540-338-6520. ALZHEIMERS SUPPORT First Wednesdays 4 p.m. Leesburg Adult Day Center, 16501 Meadowview Ct., Leesburg. 703-771-5334. TALK ABOUT CURING AUTISM A nonprofit organization educating and supporting families affected by autism. tacanow.org. AUTOIMMUNE SUPPORT Last Thursdays 6:30-7:30 p.m. Jackson Building, 209 Gibson St., Leesburg. Email autoimmunesupport@hotmail.com . BEREAVED PARENT SUPPORT One-on-one counseling is available. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv. BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT For those experiencing loss because of the death of a loved one. Age 18 and older. Third Mondays 1 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-957-1800. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT Fourth Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Tower, Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-0588. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT For those with new diagnoses or starting treatment. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT For those who have finished treatment, have had a recurrence or metastatic breast cancer. Register if attending for the first time. Fourth Mondays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8857. Free. BREAST CANCER SUPPORT ASSISTANCE FUND Loudoun County residents who have received a diagnosis or have undergone treatment in the past 12 months are eligible to apply for financial assistance. Areas included are wigs, bras, puffs and prostheses, mammograms and medical bills, food and help with utilities, rent or mortgage, and transportation costs. The Pink Assistance Fund has been established by the Loudoun Breast Health Network. lbhn.org. CANCER SUPPORT Oncology nurses, social workers and spiritual care providers offer education and support to patients, families and caregivers. Second Mondays 5:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2273. CANCER SUPPORT Life with Cancer, for patients, family members and friends. Second Thursdays 7 p.m. Ashburn Presbyterian Church, Room 202, 20962 Ashburn Rd. 703-729-2012. ashburnpresbyterian.org. CAREGIVER SUPPORT AND RESOURCE GROUP Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.-noon (no meeting first Wednesdays), Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. scsm.tv. CARING FOR AGING PARENTS Support group. Confidential. Fourth Wednesdays 7:30 p.m., Family Focus Counseling Service, 20-B John Marshall St., Warrenton. 540-349-4537. CHADD PARENTS SUPPORT For parents of children with ADD/ADHD. Fourth Sundays 3 p.m. KinderCare, 44051 Ashburn Village Shopping Plaza. chadd.nova loudoun@gmail. com . CHRONIC ILLNESS SUPPORT Tuesdays 10:30-11:30 a.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministries, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814 or scsm.tv. COFFEE AND CONVERSATION: Support for those discouraged because of illness, bereavement, caregiving or a loved one in the military. Thursdays 10 a.m.-noon. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. COMPASSIONATE FRIENDS For parents who have experienced the death of a child. First Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. St. James Episcopal Church, 14 Cornwall St. NW, Leesburg. 540-882-9707. CREATING AND CONNECTING Two-hour art therapy and relaxation workshop for cancer patients. Every other month, 12:30-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-858-8850. DEPRESSION BIPOLAR SUPPORT ALLIANCE OF WESTERN LOUDOUN Saturdays 3 p.m. Purcellville Library, 220 E. Main St., Carruthers Room. Call 703-431-7160 or email kathy@dbsanca.org. DROP-IN GRIEF SUPPORT For those coping with a death. Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2 p.m. St. Davids Episcopal Church, 43600 Russell Branch Pkwy., Ashburn. Sponsored by Capital Caring. 703-597-1781. FAMILIES OVERCOMING DRUG ADDICTION SUPPORT First and third Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Sycamore Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-9221 or email myfodafamily@gmail.com. GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER YOUTH AND PARENT SUPPORT A group in partnership with Metro DC PFLAG. Fourth Sundays 4-6 p.m. Unitarian Universalist Church, 22135 Davis Dr., Sterling. 703-328-6518. GRIEFSHARE Open to anyone who has experienced the death of a loved one. Tuesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. Purcellville Baptist Church, 601 Yaxley Dr., Purcellville. Call 540-338-0918 or email caring@purbap.org. Workbook, $15. GRIEFSHARE Nondenominational seminar and support group. Tuesdays 7:30-9 p.m., and Wednesdays, 1-2:30 p.m. Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. Free. GRIEF SUPPORT Sponsored by Hospice Support of Fauquier County. Individual counseling available. First and third Thursdays 3:30-5 p.m. Hospice Support Office, 42 N. Fifth St., Warrenton. Registration required. Call 540-347-5922 or email hospicesupport@verizon.net. GRIEF SUPPORT Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.-noon, Spiritual Care Support Ministry Center, 76 W. Shirley Ave., Warrenton. 540-349-5814. HOSPICE SUPPORT Free medical-equipment loan facility for Fauquier County residents. Especially needed are donations of wheelchairs, bedside commodes, rolling walkers, electric hospital beds, shower benches and chairs, adult diapers, lift chairs, Ensure and hospital bed mattresses. 540-347-5922. LOOK GOOD, FEEL BETTER For women undergoing or emerging from cancer treatment. Every other month, 6:45 to 9 p.m. ,Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Call for dates. 703-776-2820. Free. LOUDOUN CHADD SUPPORT Led by Children and Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Leesburg Town Hall, lower-level conference room, 25 W. Market St. 703-669-2445. LOUDOUN INTERGROUP OF OVEREATERS ANONYMOUS Fellowship and support. For locations and times, call 571-420-2012. oa.org. LYME DISEASE SUPPORT Fourth Sundays 2-4 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Conference Room A and B, Leesburg. Go to natcaplyme.org or email loudounlymeadvocates@gmail.com. LYME DISEASE SUPPORT Third Thursdays 7 p.m. Warrenton Church of Christ, 6398 Lee Hwy. Access Road, Warrenton. 540-347-7265 or email lymeinfauquier@gmail.com. LYME DISEASE SUPPORT First Tuesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Carver Center, 200 Willie Palmer Way, Purcellville. Email charphealy@yahoo.com. MADD LOUDOUN VICTIM SUPPORT For those who have been affected by drunken driving. Third Wednesdays 7:30 p.m. 210 Wirt St., Leesburg. 540-338-6491. MAN-TO-MAN CANCER SUPPORT Sponsored by Loudoun Cancer Care Center, for prostate cancer patients and their families. Second Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling. Call 703-858-8857 or email karen.archer@inova.org. MENDED HEARTS Northern Virginia chapter, for heart surgery patients and families and friends of heart disease patients. Third Saturdays 11 a.m., Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (Patient Information Lounge) . 703-924-6244 or mendedhearts200.org. MENOPAUSE SUPPORT Third Thursdays 6:30-9 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg (second floor, Patient Education Room). 703-858-8060. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT Saturdays 10:30 a.m. Fauquier Hospital Chestnut Room, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-349-2826. MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SUPPORT Last Sundays 2-4 p.m. Cascades Library, 21030 Whitfield Pl., Potomac Falls. 703-771-4256. NAR-ANON FAMILY SUPPORT For those affected by loved ones with addiction. Meaningful Mondays, 7-8 p.m., Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Rd., Sterling. 703-203-9792; Wisdom Wednesdays 7-8 p.m., St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 37730 St. Francis Ct., Purcellville, 703-606-7125; Serenity Thursdays, 7-8 p.m. Leesburg Presbyterian Church, 207 W. Market St., Leesburg, 703-606-7125. PARKINSON'S SUPPORT Open to anyone with Parkinson's disease, family members and caregivers. First Tuesdays 1:30-3 p.m. Call for Ashburn location. 571-442-8851. POST-PARTUM SUPPORT Second and fourth Wednesdays 1-2:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Cornwall Campus, 224 Cornwall St., Leesburg. 703-909-9877. Email lamckeough@gmail.com. Registration required. REACH TO RECOVERY Home visit program for mastectomy and lumpectomy patients. Temporary prostheses, exercise instruction and encouragement. 703-938-5550. SEXUAL ASSAULT AND INCEST SURVIVORS GROUP COUNSELING Services provided by Loudoun Citizens for Social Justice and the Loudoun Abused Womens Shelter are free and confidential. 703-771-9020. SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS EMPOWERMENT SUPPORT Sponsored by Sexual Assault Victims Volunteer Initiative. Child care available with 48-hours notice. Mondays; call for times and locations. 540-349-7720. SPIRITUAL SUPPORT GROUP For cancer patients, family members and friends. Third Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. 703-858-8850. STROKE SURVIVORS AND CAREGIVERS SUPPORT Second Wednesdays 11 a.m.-noon, Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second floor, Patient Education Room. 703-858-6667 or robynthomson@inova.org. SUICIDE COUNSELING Third Wednesdays 7-8:30 p.m. Leesburg Town Office, Conference Room 2, lower level, 25 W. Market St., Leesburg. 703-587-1618 or survivorsofsuicidelossleesburg@gmail.com. WOMENS SUPPORT Sponsored by Services to Abused Families. Tuesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Confidential location. 540-825-8876. WIDOW AND WIDOWER SUPPORT Third Mondays 11 a.m. Leesburg Senior Center, 102 North St. NW. 703-737-8039. WOMENS CANCER SUPPORT Woman to Woman, first Wednesdays 6:30-8 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital Radiation Oncology Center, 44035 Riverside Pkwy., Suite 100, Leesburg. Registration required. 703-858-8850. MISCELLANEOUS BRAIN TRAUMA SURVIVORS BROWN BAG LUNCH For survivors and caregivers, first Tuesdays, noon-1:30 p.m. Inova Loudoun Hospital, 44045 Riverside Pkwy., Leesburg, second-floor Patient Education Room. Call 703-737-3150 or email jberg@braininjurysvcs.org. Free. CHILD DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENINGS For ages 2-5. Children may not be kindergarten-age-eligible. Sponsored by the Loudoun County public schools Child Find Center. 571-252 - 2180. CHOLESTEROL SCREENINGS Weekdays 6 a.m.-8 p.m. Fauquier Health LIFE Center, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-2640. Registration required. $35. EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLIES Loudoun residents who are in need can receive a free three-day supply of groceries. Supplies are distributed Mondays through Saturdays by Loudoun Interfaith Relief. 703-777-5911. interfaithrelief.org. FAUQUIER FREE WALK-IN MEDICAL CLINIC Patients must call Thursdays from 12:30 to 1 p.m. to register for the clinic, which begins at 5:30 p.m. Patients are also seen by appointment Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Fauquier and Rappahannock residents only. Bring proof of address for the first visit. Patients cannot have Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Information: 540-347-0394 Tuesdays or Thursdays, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. FAUQUIER HOSPITAL BISTRO SENIOR SUPPER CLUB Nutritious meals and fellowship for people 55 and older. Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:30 p.m. Fauquier Hospital Bistro on the Hill, 500 Hospital Dr., Warrenton. 540-316-3588. $5.49. GAMERS UNION FOR TEENS WITH ASPERGERS Youths 12 to 21 interact through gaming; their caregivers meet for networking. Second Tuesdays 6 p.m. Rust Library, 380 Old Waterford Rd., Leesburg. 703-777-0323. Free. HEROES (Hometown Enabling Relationships, Opportunities and Empowerment through Support) is a program for military families. A trained volunteer provides support to military members and their families, from pre-deployment up to two years post-deployment. Assistance includes financial help, job placement, family care and mental health services. heroescare.org or email caring@purbap.org . INOVA LOUDOUN HOSPITAL MOBILE HEALTH SERVICES BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENINGS Tuesday 9 a.m.-noon, Senior Center at Cascades, 21060 Whitfield Pl., Sterling; Wednesday 10 a.m.-noon, Lansdowne Woods, 19400 Leisure World Blvd., Leesburg. For information, call 703-858-8818 or go to inova.org/mobilehealth. Free. LOUDOUN CARES INFORMATION AND REFERRAL HELPLINE Call for help in finding resources for county residents who are dealing with rent eviction, utility cut-offs, needed health care, employment and more. 703-669-4636. MOTOR SKILL SCREENINGS Birth to 21 months. First Thursdays, Blue Ridge Speech and Hearing Center, 19465 Deerfield Ave., Suite 201, Lansdowne. Call for an appointment. 703-858-7620. Free. NORTHERN VIRGINIA LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN Call for help in resolving complaints related to long-term-care facilities. 703-324-5861. ROAD TO RECOVERY, for cancer patients who need rides to appointments. 410-781-6909. Email jen.burdette@cancer.org. Free. SEVEN LOAVES FOOD PANTRY Individuals and families can receive a three-day supply of food, distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 10 a.m.-noon. 540-687-3489 or sevenloavesmiddleburg.org. TREE OF LIFE FOOD PANTRY Serving western Loudoun County. Food is delivered Wednesdays and Saturdays. 703-554-3595. Compiled by Sandy Mauck TO SUBMIT AN ITEM Email: ldliving@washpost.com Fax: 703-777-8437 Mail: Health Calendar, The Washington Post, 104 Dry Mill Rd. SW, Suite 101, Leesburg, Va. 20175 Joseph Getty at a news conference regarding the legislative session in Annapolis, Md., on April 05, 2016. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post) Joseph M. Getty, who has served in two branches of Maryland government, joined the third branch of state government Monday when he was sworn in as a judge on Marylands highest court. Getty has served as Gov. Larry Hogans chief legislative officer since January 2015. Prior to his appointment to Hogans administration, he was a Republican delegate and senator who represented Carroll and Baltimore counties, and a member of former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.s staff. Getty will replace Judge Lynne A. Battaglia, who was appointed by Gov. Parris N. Glendening (D) in 2001 and retired in April. I have every confidence that Judge Getty will make an excellent addition to the bench, Hogan said after Getty was sworn in, placing his hand on a family Bible passed down through six generations with his wife, Susie, next to him. [Larry Hogan picks key staffer for Marylands highest court] Hogan read a letter from Joseph Bryce, a former chief legislative officer for former governor Martin OMalley, who said Getty represents all that is good in a public servant. Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert) and House Speaker Michael E. Busch (D-Anne Arundel) lauded Hogan for appointing Getty to the Maryland Court of Appeals, each describing Getty as someone who showed integrity and character during his 20 years in Annapolis. Getty, who Miller and Busch described as someone who served as a buffer between the far right and the far left, graduated from the University of Maryland School of Law in 1996. He served on the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee during his time in the legislature. Its a bittersweet day, Miller said during the investiture ceremony attended by top state elected officials, including Democrats Brian E. Frosh, the state attorney general, and state Treasurer Nancy Kopp; Republican legislative leaders; members of Hogans staff; and Gettys family and friends. Miller noted that it was a happy day for Getty, his family and the court, but also a sad day for the legislature. Its sad because the middle has lost a very important person, he said. Congress is losing people in the middle and so is the legislature. The Senate must confirm Gettys selection when it returns next year. Alexandria Police Chief Earl L. Cook, who has led the 467-member department for the past seven years, will retire Oct. 1 after 37 years as a police officer, the city announced late last week. Cook, 61, led the department when its detectives arrested Charles Severance, who was later convicted and sentenced to three life terms for three fatal shootings of prominent residents over a 10-year period: Nancy Dunning in 2003, Ronald Kirby in 2013 and Ruthanne Lodato in 2014. A native Alexandrian, Cook joined the department in 1979 after earning a degree from Duke University. He was the first African American police chief in the city. City manager Mark Jinks praised his tenure and said the city will look nationwide for his successor. Star Bennett prepares the Check It clothing line for the models backstage before models walk down the runway during the Peace on the Runway program June 26, 2016, at the Wardman Park Marriot on in Washington. Check It was the District of Columbia's first LGBT street crew. Many members have transformed their lives and are the subject of a documentary. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Star Bennett swooped from the fashion runway into the backstage shadows. She skipped in her pumps toward the dressing room to put the final wrap on a Sunday fashion show. Whew! Thank God its over! she exclaimed as she headed to collect the jumpers, hoodies and other designs with their modern riffs on classic kinte cloth from the new Check It clothing line. Check It members had spent hours preparing and primping young men and women, who carried their Check It label down a runway with fierce expressions. In recent years, that name and those intent faces often meant assaults, street brawls and mayhem in District neighborhoods, especially Chinatown and Gallery Place. But Check It, the citys first LGBT street gang, has become something noticeably different, trying to choose fabrics and forms over fistfighting. The fashion show culminated a busy weekend for the 26-year-old Bennett and her friends from Check It. The events showcased the transition for the crews founding members as they continue to grow from life in the streets toward careers in community outreach and building their own business interests. On Saturday, leaders of the crew attended the D.C. premiere screening of a documentary that details lives of the gang members. More than 200 people showed up to watch. During a question-and-answer period after the film, many audience members shared feelings of inspiration and wonder at how a group of teenagers survived family drug abuse and other challenges, turning to prostitution for survival. The documentary has been four years in the making and chronicles the lives of group of poor LGBT teens who bound together to fight back against bullying and share shelter when they became homeless. For each other, they became the supportive family many of them lacked. [Check It crew moves from the streets to the runway] They also formed a dangerous street force that would fight in an instant and survived violent environments in search of simple things: Love and acceptance, members said. I have two people inside of me, a boy and a girl, Check It member Tray Warren shared in the film. The boy got mistreated. A lot. Among the films central characters is youth activist Ron Moten, who has worked with the gang during the past five years, encouraging them to seek entrepreneurship in fashion and other fields. Check It Enterprises now has a website and the group hopes to expand their label. As soon as the people on this stage find what they really want to do, the sky is the limit, Moten said. They no longer want to fight, they say. They dont want a life of criminal records, scars and sore bodies. They also dont want other youth to find that way of life. David Frye one of the original members of Check It poses for a photo at the Wardman Park Marriot in Washington. CheckIt was the District of Columbia's first LGBT street crew. Many members have transformed their lives. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Several models participated in the Peace on the Runway program at the Wardman Park Marriot in Washington. In this scene, they are wearing the Check It clothing line. CheckIt was the District of Columbia's first LGBT street crew. (Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post) Founding member David Dae-Dae Frye is working to start a nonprofit for teens with HIV. He said he has found personal peace through a committed relationship with his fiance. Now in their early and mid-20s, Frye, Bennett and Tray Warren, a third main subject in the film, also head to the streets as community outreach workers to LGBT teens who have followed their path. They find the same issues of homelessness, shoplifting, fighting and homophobic bullying that pushed them to form Check It a decade ago. Its all the same things out here. Homophobia, homelessness, fights, Warren said in an interview. We want to keep going. There is still work to be done. On Sunday, the crew debuted their new clothing line at a fashion show aimed at mixing fashion sense with a message of peace against street violence. Bennetts personal journey took her from being one of Check Its founders, then a teenager who went by the name Trayon and served jail time for assault, to a graceful and mature leader backstage. As the weekends bustle ended and the fashion models returned their clothes, Bennett summed up what her crew is and what they continue to be. Check It is design. Its fashion. Its alive, Bennett said with warm smile. Check It is still a family. We always will be. A man who was fatally shot early Sunday in Southeast Washington has been identified as 38-year-old Westley Blackwell, D.C. police said. Blackwell of Southeast was shot a few minutes after midnight in the 900 block of Wahler Place SE, police said. The area is near Washington Highlands. [Man fatally shot in Southeast Washington early Sunday] Police on Monday morning released no other information about the victim or the shooting. No arrest has been made, and authorities did not give a possible motive. Police in Virginia said Monday that the deaths of two adults in Prince William County last month were the result of a murder-suicide. On May 23 at 6:45 p.m., officers responded to an apartment in the 3600 block of Jurgensen Drive in Triangle to investigate the deaths of two adults after a family member reported he was unable to contact one of the deceased, police in Prince William County said in a statement. There, officers found Danesha Lana Simpson, 18, of Triangle and Elvin Francisco Draper Jr., 29, of Triangle, dead, the statement said. [Two people found dead in Prince William County apartment] On Friday, detectives concluded that Draper fatally shot Simpson prior to fatally shooting himself, according to the statement. Police provided no further information about the motive. Police said this is Prince William Countys 12th homicide of 2016. Secret Service officers searched the south grounds of the White House on Jan. 26, 2015, after an unmanned drone, was found on the White House grounds. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (Susan Walsh/AP) For the second time in two years, a District man has been cited after police said he was seen flying an unmanned aircraft, or drone, in areas over the District, an activity that is prohibited, according to federal authorities. The U.S. Park Police said that Howard Solomon III, 50, was cited about 8:30 p.m. Sunday after he was seen flying a drone over the North Field area of Anacostia Park. It is illegal to fly unmanned aircraft over national parks or anywhere in the District. The fine is $85. [Virginia man cited for flying drone near Washington Monument] Authorities said a Park Police officer in a helicopter spotted the Yuneeq Typhoon Q500+ Quadcopter. Police said the craft and controller were confiscated. Sundays incident was the second this year in a Washington-area national park, and the 29th since 2013. U.S. Park Police Sgt. Anna Rose said Solomon is the only person to be cited twice. Solomon could not be reached for comment Monday morning. [Man cited for drone on Sunday also cited in 2015] Solomon was cited in October 2015 after police said he was spotted near the Washington Monument after a F182 6 Axis Quadcopter crash-landed on the Ellipse, near the White House, and was retrieved by Secret Service agents. The other incident this year occurred June 15, when police said a Virginia man was charged in a citation with flying an aircraft near the Washington Monument. Last October, police cited a drone operator for landing an unmanned aircraft on the Ellipse. In January 2015, a man crashed a small drone on the White House grounds. Four months later, in May, Secret Service officers stopped a man flying a small drone over Lafayette Square in front of the White House. A record number of Washington-area residents will embark on Independence Day road trips this year, a product of low gas prices and the July Fourth holiday coinciding with a weekend, AAA Mid-Atlantic says. For the third consecutive year, more than a million residents of the capital region are expected to travel over the holiday forgoing fireworks on the Mall and nearly 9 in 10 will drive to their destinations, according to figures slated to be released Monday by AAA Mid-Atlantic. Theyll be among nearly 43 million Americans who plan to travel 50 or more miles from home to observe the nations 240th birthday, the highest Fourth of July travel volume in the 15 years the group has been compiling such data, according to AAA. Its about 5 million more Americans than traveled for the Memorial Day weekend. July 4 is next Monday. Historically, whenever July Fourth happens to fall on a Friday or a Monday, as it does this year, it essentially becomes a four-day holiday weekend for most travelers, John B. Townsend II, spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, said in a statement. Fourth of July travel has been up in recent years, following a downturn that coincided with the Great Recession and calendars that shrank travel windows. In 2013, for example, AAA Mid-Atlantic forecast a decline in travel from a year earlier because of a shorter travel period with the Fourth falling on a Thursday. In 2009, travel was down amid financial uncertainty and high gas prices across the country. [Check your airports wait time here] Perhaps further enticing holiday travelers this year, the report notes that airfare and hotel rates are lower than they were at the same time last year. Average airfare for 40 major domestic routes is down 9 percent this year, with the average round-trip ticket costing $207. The cost of gasoline is giving area residents a greater incentive to travel this summer, Townsend said. Added to that, weekend daily car rental rates in the Washington region are down 38 percent over last year, to an average of $78. The studys projections are based on research compiled by IHS Global Insight, which defines the travel period as starting Thursday and ending next Monday. The hordes of extra travelers are sure to jam highways locally and nationwide. Friday is expected to be the most congested travel day, according to Bob Pishue, senior economist with the traffic data firm Inrix. Nationwide, travel times may increase from 25 percent to 70 percent that day, he said. [Summer getaways are all about timing] On the East Coast, he said, drivers should plan for travel to take about 40 percent longer than usual, meaning a typical one-hour commute could take close to 90 minutes. West Coast travel times are expected to be even longer. A normal one-hour commute in the San Francisco Bay area starting at 3 p.m. may take more than an hour and 40 minutes, Pishue said. Across the country, he said, drivers should plan on leaving before 1 p.m. if they want to avoid long delays. The period from 3 to 5 p.m., when many are leaving work or starting their road trips, is expected to be the most congested part of the day. Of the 42.9 million Americans expected to travel for the holiday, 85 percent are expected to drive, while about 8 percent 3.3 million will fly. In the D.C. region, 918,000 people are expected to hit the roads, and an estimated 77,000 area residents are expected to depart for the holiday from the regions three major airports. The anticipated number of drivers in the region is up about 2 percent from last year, while fliers are expected to increase 1 percent; nationally, the figures are reversed, with 2 percent more fliers expected and the number of drivers expected to increase 1 percent. We are well on our way for 2016 to be a record-breaking year for summertime travel, Marshall Doney, AAA president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. This trend is welcome news for the travel industry and a sign that Americans are taking to our nations highways and skies like never before. [TSA struggles with balancing speed and security at airport checkpoints] Gas prices are one of several factors consumers weigh when choosing whether to travel over holiday weekends, the automobile advocacy group says. The average cost of fuel in the District on Friday was $2.53 a gallon, which is 40 cents lower than the same day in 2015; regionwide, gas was 46 cents a gallon cheaper than a year ago, according to the report. And the trend is expected to hold: This year, AAA projects the lowest Independence Day gas prices since 2005. In 2014, the average cost of gas in the District on July 4 was $3.93 a gallon in a year when July 4 gas prices were the highest nationally since 2008. But AAA said the improving economic picture at the time meant consumers were willing to spend more. Willingness to take on credit card debt, not an increase in income, was responsible for the increased travel, it said. This time around, AAA says, Both locally and nationally, Americans are getting their summertime travel groove back. No matter how you choose to travel, there are some things you can do to make the experience more pleasant. AAA offers these tips for those planning on hitting the highways for the holiday: Check the condition of your battery and tires and have your vehicle inspected at a trusted repair shop. You should also make sure youre well rested before driving. This is forecast to be the biggest year for air travel since the Great Recession, so fliers should plan to arrive at the airport early and leave plenty of time to get through security checkpoints. The Transportation Security Administration recommends you arrive at least two hours early for domestic travel and at least three hours in advance for international travel. Prepare for security by not overpacking your carry-on bag remember, no weapons are allowed. [Odd, yet true, stories on how fliers forgot their guns in their carry-ons] Follow the 3-1-1 rule: Liquids, gels, aerosols, creams and pastes must be 3.4 ounces or less, and all bottles must fit in a single quart-size plastic bag. If you have questions about whats allowed, you can tweet them to TSA at @AskTSA. A breakthrough Israel-Turkey deal following six years of acrimony will see Israel pay $20 million (18.14 million euros) in compensation for a deadly 2010 commando raid, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Monday. The deal will also see the two countries exchange ambassadors "as soon as possible", Yildirim told a press conference in Ankara. Search Keywords: Short link: People light candles at a memorial to the Orlando shooting victims outside the Stonewall Inn in New York earlier this month. (Bryan R. Smith/AFP/Getty Images) For decades, visitors to Independence Hall in Philadelphia were told one main story: This was where the countrys Founding Fathers enshrined Americans inalienable rights in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. But now, an additional human rights story is being told at the symbolic birthplace of the United States: that of Reminder Days, one of the earliest public protests against LGBT discrimination. Tour guides talk about the primly dressed demonstrators who marched past the Liberty Bell on July 4 for five years in the 1960s, reminding the public that gay people lacked basic rights. In the visitors center, there are lectures and a slide show about the protests. And a state-installed marker outside the hall notes that the demonstrations helped transform a local campaign into a new civil rights movement. President Obamas designation on Friday of the Stonewall Inn in New Yorks Greenwich Village as a national monument comes amid a push across the country to write lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into the nations collective history, an effort that has been quietly underway for years. Along with suggesting new sites for recognition, community activists and preservationists at the local level have begun revising existing national historic sites to include long-ignored or unacknowledged LGBT history. Michael Doveton, a National Park Service ranger at Independence Hall for seven years, said it bothered him that no one ever mentioned Reminder Days. So during the citys Pride Week celebration four years ago, he started talking about the protests. That led to an exhibit in 2015 that included replicas of some of the signs the marchers carried and a discussion about the difficulties gay people faced during the 1950s and 60s including the threat of unemployment under an order signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower requiring the government to terminate anyone it considered a sexual pervert. A man lights candles on a memorial outside the Stonewall Inn in New York for victims of the Orlando shooting at Pulse night club. (Julie Jacobson/AP) The story of Americas oppression of gay people is a story that hasnt been told that needs to be told, Doveton said. Museum staff members at Beauport, a historic landmark in Gloucester, Mass., tell tourists that Henry Sleeper, the houses owner and one of the countrys first professional interior designers, was gay. According to the National Parks Conservation Association, the decision to do that came in 2007, when employees found evidence of Sleepers sexual orientation. Also in 2007, the Jane Addams Hull-House Museum in Chicago moved a painting of Addamss companion, Mary Rozet Smith, to Addamss bedroom with a label describing the significance of the relationship. (Addams founded a well-known settlement house and shared the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize.) The museum also gives gender and sexuality tours about the history of gender nonconformity in Chicago, linking that to LGBT rights. Its a chance for people to reflect on the present while learning about the past, said Jennifer Scott, the Hull House museums director. At Val-Kill, the Hyde Park cottage built by Eleanor Roosevelt and two other women, curators are seeking to highlight her ties to women and their partners who shared Roosevelts progressive ideas. In Richmond, Calif., a local historians persistent pressure to include stories of gay Americans led to an exhibit slated to open in October at the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park mentioning Bev Hickok, a lesbian Rosie who assembled airplanes, and Jeffrey Dickemann, known as Mildred while a member of the Womens Land Army. Dickemann lived as a man later in life. The park, on San Francisco Bay, opened in 2000 and includes an original assembly plant, child-care center, shipyard and hospital, as well as a sculpture honoring the women who worked there. Donna Graves, a park consultant and urban planner who says her goal is to publicize stories of marginalized people, began pressing officials 10 years ago to include stories of gay Americans during World War II. She received a grant to do that in 2014. The exhibit emphasizes tales of hardship but also opportunity for women and people of color who streamed into the area for jobs left vacant when the mostly white male military fought overseas. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people who had left rural parts of the country found it easier to be open about their sexuality in the gay mecca that San Francisco was starting to become, Graves said. Many chose to stay after the war ended. For many LGBTQ people, that migration opened doors that allowed people to assume their more full identities, she said. Were trying to explain that today you know that queer people are here and demanding rights but theyve always been here. These small, independent efforts are unusual in that they have spread without any national coordination or guidance. At the same time, the National Park Service has been working on a study of LGBT social history, identifying sites community groups and preservationists could consider nominating for official historic recognition. The survey, and its map of sites with LGBT ties, is expected to be completed this summer. Sites already on the National Register of Historic Places whose LGBT ties arent mentioned include Harlems Apollo Theater, where the nations first racially integrated drag production was performed; Alcatraz Island, where one-third of the prisons earliest inmates were incarcerated for sodomy; and Kealakekua Bay District in Hawaii, where explorer James Cook discovered a group of men who had sexual relations with the king. Among the dozens of new sites that could be considered for national historic status is the UpStairs Lounge in New Orleans, where 32 people died in an arson in 1973. In the aftermath of the fatal shootings at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, the UpStairs Lounge fire until two weeks ago the largest mass killing of gay people in U.S. history received renewed attention. At the time of the arson, anti-gay feelings ran high in New Orleans. Politicians ridiculed the victims, churches refused to bury them and the tragedy was largely forgotten in the ensuing decades. Ricky Everett, 68, survived the fire when the UpStairs Lounges bartender grabbed his arm, yanked him out of his seat and led him toward a door to the roof. He made his way to the street and the chaotic scene of weeping customers staggering out of the bar while firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Nightmares tormented him for months. To this day, he always scans for an exit when he enters a room. Only in the past two years has he been able to talk to groups in public about the calamity. The UpStairs Lounge should be designated a historical landmark to let people remember what happened and why it happened, said Everett, who works as a security guard and a prayer leader at a church in Dallas. I dont know if they understand how hard it was for us. Wed been told for decades that God didnt love us, that he hated us. What happened in those times cant be left under the carpet. Also expected to be under consideration is the Districts Whitman-Walker clinic, a leader in administering HIV tests and educating patients about AIDS. The clinics offices were located in a graceful rowhouse whose blinds were always shuttered to discourage prying eyes, said its former director, Jim Graham, who later was a D.C. Council member. Testing was done in a small lab downstairs, where volunteers spoke in hushed voices because the walls werent soundproofed. Graham was the first person at the clinic to be tested for HIV on June 1, 1985 and he remembers how nervous he was as he sat in one of the clinics phlebotomy chairs. Please, God, please, God, make me negative, he recalls thinking. I had seen enough of the disease so that it frightened the hell out of me. Two weeks later, he got the results: HIV-negative. Some sites may be destined for historical designation, but in many cases preservationists are racing against time. A proposal to tear down the oldest gay bars in San Franciscos Tenderloin district and replace them with housing, shops and a hotel drew outrage from LGBT historians. In San Diego, the Michels-Carey house, which hosted one of the nations first providers of social and health services for LGBT people, was scheduled last year for a hearing for placement on the National Register of Historic Places but it was torn down before the hearing took place. In New York, despite pressure from state and local lawmakers, demolition permits were issued for a Greenwich Village house whose residents played key roles in the gay rights movement and in HIV/AIDS activism during the 1970s and 80s. Another challenge is the difficulty of making a case for protecting bars and bathhouses in a gentrifying area when a building is rundown and not architecturally significant, said Adrian Scott Fine of the Los Angeles Conservancy, a preservation group. Much of LGBT history took place on the margins of society because gay people had to keep themselves hidden, he said, so the written record for gay-friendly locations is thin. As a result, Fine said, developers often dismiss the importance of those spots. They say, Well, thats just a bar, he said. They dont understand the total significance of these places to a community that was underrepresented and disenfranchised for years. Those places were so much more than just a bar. The Marines initially intended to airlift more than 1,100 desert tortoises away from a combat training site. After protests arose, that plan has been put on hold. (Lauren Kurkimili/U.S. Marine Corps) Troops sent to the Marine Corpss sprawling base in the Mojave Desert near here for advanced combat training are warned sternly about an unbreakable rule: no harming the desert tortoises or leaving behind food crumbs that are likely to attract ravens, the arch-predator of tortoises. To further protect the creatures with the high-domed shells on their backs, certain areas of the base are off-limits. And to prop up the tortoise population on base, the Marines have teamed with UCLA for the past decade to run an on-base hatchery. Yet a battle is brewing between the Marines and the tortoises or, really, their environmental advocates that shows how even a fast-moving fighting force must sometimes give way to some of the slowest creatures on Earth. [Some like it hot: Scientists figure out why female turtles are born at higher temperatures] The issue is a live-fire exercise set for August to train troops in assaulting an enemy from numerous locations. Similar exercises have been done in the past, but this years event was to have included recently annexed property that is home to numerous desert tortoises. Col. James F. Harp releases tortoise 2-4 from the Combat Centers Desert Tortoise Headstart Program. The Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs released 35 tortoises from the program after they spent approximately 9 years at the Tortoise Research and Captive Rearing Site. (Lauren Kurkimili/U.S. Marine Corps) To protect the tortoises from becoming collateral damage as bombs, mortars and artillery are fired and Humvees rumble around, the Marines were planning to airlift more than 1,100 of them away from the area. But just weeks before the relocation was to begin, the Center for Biological Diversity in Tucson protested that the effort would mean certain death for large numbers of the tortoises, in violation of the Endangered Species Act. The group warned that it would go to court to stop the operation. As a result, the airlift is on hold, the training exercise has been downsized and federal officials not aligned with the Marine Corps are reviewing the tortoise relocation to judge its impact on the creatures. [The Galapagos might lose some of their best researchers, and theyre blaming the gift shop] This proposed translocation is a disaster for the already at-risk desert tortoises in the west Mojave Desert, said Ileene Anderson, a senior scientist with the diversity center. The desert tortoise is found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts of California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. An adult tortoise can reach six inches in height, weigh up to 15 pounds, and live as long as 100 years. The tortoise population in the western Mojave, which includes the Marine base, has declined by 90 percent since the early 1980s, according to the advocacy group Defenders of Wildlife. Among the causes cited by the group and others for the decline are drought, respiratory disease, a population explosion among ravens, suburban development and increased use of the desert by off-roaders and other recreationalists. The tortoises were required to grow at least 4 inches in length before being released, in order to ensure they could fend off predators. (Lauren Kurkimili/U.S. Marine Corps) In response to the environmentalists concerns, the Marines say they have carefully monitored the health of tortoises set to be relocated and will continue to do so through small transmitters on the animals backs. The Corps has allocated $50 million for the airlift, environmental assessments, fencing, research and health monitoring of the tortoises through the year 2045. [More than half the worlds sea turtles have eaten plastic, new study claims] Were not just going to throw them over a fence, said Walter Christensen, natural and cultural resources branch manager at the base. Six spots adjacent to the base have been assigned for the relocation, he said. All have sufficient water and food and are far enough away from the tortoises current homes that they will not try to walk back, he said. At 1,190 square miles, the Marine base is nearly the size of Rhode Island. Most Marines sent to Iraq and Afghanistan come here for training, under a program known as Mojave Viper. Faced with the possible lawsuit over the tortoise airlift, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it was reviewing its tentative approval of the relocation plan. Since the desert tortoise is listed as a threatened species a notch below endangered the services approval is needed for any such move. The Marines have reconfigured and downscaled the August training away from tortoise-heavy areas, with fewer tanks and armored vehicles. In addition, no live-firing will be done in Johnson Valley, an area of the base that is central to the dispute. Training is an everyday event at the base, located 140 miles east of Los Angeles. But the August exercise was meant to be special: It was to be the first time that the Marines used the Johnson Valley property, Marine brass hoped to find out whether the valley would be good not just for large-scale exercises such as this summers but also for even larger exercises in coming years. For a decade, the Marines fought environmental groups, local landowners and off-road enthusiasts over annexing Johnson Valley, which was controlled by the federal Bureau of Land Management. In 2013, after intervention by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), a deal was cut by Congress: 107,000 acres of Johnson Valley will be designated exclusively for use by the Marine Corps, another 50,000 will be shared between the Marines and civilians. The August exercise is to include sections of both, as well other areas of the base. The Marines insist they need to use the property to devise a training exercise in which three large infantry groups can practice assaulting a common target, each using artillery, mortars and air power. Without the Johnson Valley area, the corps has no base large enough for such an exercise, officials said. At the crux of environmentalists concerns was a tortoise relocation done in 2008 at the Armys Fort Irwin, which is east of Twentynine Palms. That program was suspended after only a year when it was learned that about 30 percent of the relocated tortoises had died. It was a debacle, Anderson said of the Fort Irwin program. To the Center for Biological Diversity, that experience shows that relocation is a dreadful strategy and that the Marines plan, which would involve many more tortoises,needs further scrutiny. The Marines assert that the Fort Irwin deaths are misleading. Brian Henen, a civilian ecologist at the Twentynine Palms base, said the mortality rate of the tortoises that were moved was the same as that of tortoises that were not relocated, suggesting the main cause was a drought that decreased water and forage. Federal officials, who did an investigation of the Fort Irwin deaths, also concluded that the deaths most likely were attributable to the drought. Environmental groups disputed the finding. Brian Croft, a wildlife biologist and division chief with the Fish and Wildlife Service, has sympathy for both sides in this dispute. His agency has dealt with numerous problems related to the moving of tortoises, including ones caused by solar projects and a community college expansion next to the Twentynine Palms base. From everything we know from studying translocation, as long as its planned properly, it can be done without increasing the mortality rate of the animals, Croft said. The Fish and Wildlife Service expects to decide in September whether the Marines can go ahead with the airlift, Croft said. Jennifer Loda, the Center for Biological Diversitys attorney for amphibian and reptile issues, said she hopes the final decision will leave the desert tortoises undisturbed. The tortoises ancestors lived in the Mojave Desert thousands of years before the Army and Marine Corps arrived, she noted. They have an inherent right to be here. They have the same right as we do. health-science@washpost.com READ MORE: Is Hawaii the extinction capital of the world? These sheep may trace their ancestry back to Old Testament days The once secretive missile range where the A-bomb was created When doctors who treat pregnant women recently met to debate the best time to induce labor, they came up with a surprising answer: 39 weeks three weeks earlier than currently recommended. Their organization, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), has not changed its guidelines on late-term pregnancies. The guidelines say that doctors may consider elective induction at 41 weeks and should proceed with it at 42 weeks. But the question has some doctors reconsidering their assumptions about induction and has sparked criticism by women who contend there is already too much interference with uncomplicated pregnancies. The question was presented in May at the yearly ACOG meeting in Washington: Why not induce everyone at 39 weeks? Two doctors had been asked to debate: Errol Norwitz, chairman of obstetrics and gynecology at Tufts University School of Medicine, and Charles Lockwood, dean of the Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida. [Heres whats being done to lower the maternal death rate] My original assumption when asked to participate in this debate, Lockwood said, was that Dr. Norwitz would take the pro side since he has written about the risk of stillbirth after 38 weeks, and I would take the con side since older literature suggested that C-section rates would likely be higher in the elective induction of labor at 39 weeks. Charles J. Lockwood found studies suggesting that elective inductions at 39 weeks decrease Caesarean delivery rates and might reduce complications in mothers and infants. (University of South Florida) Norwitz was a vigorous proponent. There is no benefit to the fetus waiting beyond 39 weeks in well-dated pregnancies, he told the doctors. And as Lockwood reviewed research, he found that he was more and more in agreement with that point of view. But Errol and I decided we would not tell each other which side we were taking in order to conduct independent assessments of the literature and report on our conclusions, Lockwood said. Beyond adding an element of suspense, this strategy allowed us to come to unbiased conclusions. After Lockwood found that recent studies suggest that elective inductions at 39 weeks decrease Caesarean delivery rates and might reduce the rate of infant and maternal complications, what was supposed to be a debate proceeded as a discussion in support of induction. Before either doctor spoke, the audience in a crowded ballroom was polled: 63 percent opposed having most women deliver at 39 weeks, 20 percent supported it and 17 percent were unsure. Norwitz argued against simply letting nature take its course. Nature is a terrible obstetrician, he said, referring to the continuum of pregnancy and birth: the large number of zygotes that never implant, the 75 percent lost before 20 weeks, and stillbirth. And, he said, the risk of stillbirth and neurological injuries rises after 39 weeks. Stillbirth is a hugely underappreciated problem, he said. There are anywhere between 25,000 to 30,000 stillbirths a year in the United States. There is no benefit to the fetus waiting beyond 39 weeks in well-dated pregnancies, said Errol Norwitz, Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Tufts University School of Medicine. (Tufts Medical Center) Lockwood and Norwitzs support for induction at 39 weeks not only surprised many of the doctors at the session, it also upset those who believe less intervention is the safest route for mother and baby. Labor may be induced by breaking the amniotic sac or by using hormones called prostaglandins or medication such as oxytocin, which can set off contractions. Labor can begin immediately or take a day or two; if it becomes too lengthy, Caesareans are performed. Cristen Pascucci, an advocate for giving women more control over childbirth decisions, thinks the doctors remarks suggest that all babies need to be rescued by birth, creating an anti-woman mentality. Its as if women and their babies are fundamentally in opposition to each other and the female body is dangerous by design, said Pascucci, a vice president of the advocacy group Improving Birth. Pascucci, who is based in Lexington, Ky., travels the country speaking and consultingon issues related to birth rights. She said the induction recommendation reinforces a century-old, pre-feminist American obstetric view that birth is pathological and the doctors job is to extract the fetus from the incubator like in the 50s, when every baby was pulled out of its shackled, unconscious mother by episiotomy. Consumer groups such as hers, she said, have been calling on ACOG to evolve toward care that is more centered on women. Its disheartening to see how hard thats going to be for some physicians to do. Lockwood and Norwitz are aware that there is strong opposition to induction at 39 weeks. I think a lot of this gets very emotional, Norwitz said. Although both doctors support induction at 39 weeks for all healthy pregnancies, Lockwood said that obstetricians shouldnt routinely adopt the practice just yet. As with any change in standard medical care, extensive research is needed before it can be safely and widely adopted. Even so, Norwitz thinks that its a very healthy discussion to have. Due dates are calculated 40 weeks from the first day of a womans normal menstrual period and, according to ACOG, full term is defined as a pregnancy that lasts between 39 weeks and 40 weeks and six days. As he prepared for the debate, Lockwood created a micro-simulation model to predict the outcome of various care decisions, and results suggested lower rates of stillbirth, Caesarean delivery and maternal and neonatal complications for elective induction at 39 weeks. That prompted him to take the debate stage as a proponent of early induction. Still, he was surprised by an audience poll at the end of the discussion: 70 percent now supported the idea that women deliver at 39 weeks, 21 percent remained unsure and only 9 percent were against the idea. [I didnt understand the pressure to have a C-section until I was about to deliver] Traditional medical thinking assumes that early induction could lead to higher infection rates and the need for a Caesarean. But Norwitz said the evidence doesnt support that. Rather, he said, the latest literature suggests that the drugs available to soften the cervix in preparation for contractions help to decrease the Caesarean risk, adding a small caveat: For a small number of first-time mothers with unfavorable, long and hard cervixes as opposed to cervixes that are soft and receptive to induction the risk of Caesarean is increased. Rebecca Dekker, who has a doctorate in nursing and founded the website Evidence Based Birth, which aims to make research on childbirth more accessible to families and professionals, watched a live stream of the session and described the presentations as misleading and the research as flawed. She called it concerning and rash for doctors at the meeting to make broad conclusions that could potentially affect at least 3 million women a year in the United States alone. Norwitz said that the presentations were evidence-based. This is my interpretation of the published literature, he said. This is not a personal opinion based on belief or ideology. Lockwood said he finds push-back inevitable and part of the broader scientific process. Dekker said there were flaws in the research showing that women who received elective induction had lower rates of Caesarean delivery. For the women who waited for labor to start on its own, about half ended up being induced for medical complications. They still analyzed the data as if the women had spontaneous labor, so it sways the results of the studies, she said. Dekker isnt disputing that there are about 25,000 stillbirths per year or that this is a concern. However, she said a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report shows about half of stillbirths occur between 20 and 27 weeks of pregnancy, and the other half at later points. Its obvious that a blanket policy of 39-week inductions would not affect all of the stillbirths that happen before 39 weeks, Dekker said, adding that the CDC report concludes, Despite intensive investigations, for a substantial number of fetal deaths a specific cause of death cannot be determined. And, Dekker said, the public has the misconception that inductions are simple, noninvasive procedures. Pitocin, the most commonly used drug for induction, is classified as a high-alert medication that can increase the risk of patient harm if an error occurs. The drug can cause contractions that are too frequent, increasing the risk of decreased blood flow and oxygen to the baby, she said. Also, the drug can cause the placenta to detach from the uterine wall too early, and it can cause the uterine wall to tear. For Dekker, the major benefit of spontaneous labor is avoiding the risks of a medical induction. There are clear philosophical differences. One early morning in his hospitals labor and delivery unit, Norwitz said, he spoke with a midwife colleague who compared labor to walking through a forest. We midwives stand behind the patient, and if she gets off the path, we coax her back onto it, she told him. Obstetricians are in front of her, hacking through the forest. Esther Hausman, a certified nurse midwife in Concord, Mass., argues for restraint. Since we dont know exactly what triggers labor, why mess with it? Hausman suggested learning from countries such as Denmark or Sweden, where midwifery is the first line of care and where fetal and maternal mortality rates are lower than in the United States. In a 2014 CDC report, the U.S. infant mortality rate (6.1 per 1,000 births) put it in 26th place among a selection of developed countries. Finland and Japan had the lowest rates (2.3 per 1,000 births.) Dekker said that the ACOG debate should have instead compared the medical model of care to midwife-led care. Midwives are less likely than doctors to induce a woman electively, she said, and studies have found they intervene less than doctors and have more-satisfied patients. Beverly Siegal, a retired obstetrician-gynecologist in Newton, Mass., attended the debate and was among those who changed their thinking on induction. What changed [my opinion] at the end of the presentation was the really convincing argument that there is nothing gained for the baby to stay in beyond 39 weeks, Siegal said. I would personally recommend that any woman with a favorable cervix at 39 weeks be encouraged to get induced. Of course, Lockwood said, women should be heard. Finally, needless to say, it is expectant mothers that should have the final say as to whether to let nature take its course or undertake this potentially salutary but clearly artificial intervention, he said. But obviously our messages how you talk does make a difference, Norwitz said. FLORIDA Former Chilean officer ruled liable in killing A former lieutenant under the brutal dictator Augusto Pinochet is liable for the torture and killing of a famed Chilean folk singer whose family had been seeking justice for more than 40 years, a federal jury in Florida ruled Monday. The jury in the civil case ordered former Lt. Pedro Pablo Barrientos Nunez to pay singer Victor Jaras family $28 million in damages. Jaras family had claimed that Barrientos was in charge of soldiers at the stadium where Jara was tortured and killed in the days after Pinochets coup detat in 1973. The coup led to the torture and disappearance of thousands of political opponents. This is the beginning of justice for all the relatives in Chile awaiting the fate of what happened to their loved ones, said Joan Jara, Victor Jaras wife outside the federal courthouse in Orlando. Barrientos who now lives in central Florida had discounted a witness who claimed he was responsible and said the lawsuit should never have gone to court. His attorney, Luis Calderon, said no decision on an appeal had been made yet. The lawsuit was filed by Joan Jara; Victor Jaras daughter, Amanda, who was 8 when her father died; and his stepdaughter, Manuela, who was 13, under the Torture Victim Protection Act, which allows civil lawsuits to be filed in the United States against people who have committed torture. Victor Jara was a popular singer and political activist who worked for the candidacy of Salvador Allende, a Socialist who was elected president of Chile in 1970. Pinochet, an Army commander, orchestrated a coup against Allendes government in September 1973. Associated Press MISSOURI Veto of bill to loosen concealed-carry rules Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon (D) vetoed a bill Monday that would eliminate the need for a permit, training and background checks for people who want to carry a concealed weapon in the state. The bill passed the Republican-led Missouri House and Senate this spring with enough votes to override the veto when lawmakers convene in September. A two-thirds majority is required. In a statement, Nixon said he has supported prior legislation to expand concealed-carry laws during his seven years in office, but he cannot support the extreme step of throwing out that process entirely, eliminating sensible protections like background checks and training requirements, and taking away the ability of sheriffs to protect their communities. Reuters Portland police chief quits: Portlands police chief, Larry ODea, resigned Monday amid criminal and internal investigations into whether he was forthright after accidentally shooting his friend during a camping trip on the other side of the state. Mayor Charlie Hales announced the move at a news conference. ODea, 54, had been chief for little more than a year when he went on the April trip to sparsely populated Harney County in southeast Oregon. He shot his friend, Robert Dempsey, in the lower back with a .22-caliber rifle. The friend was taken to a Boise hospital, but was not seriously hurt. ODea didnt identify himself as Portlands police chief when deputies spoke with him, and he said it appeared Dempsey shot himself in a mishap. From news services Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen hopes to soon visit German troops at the Incirlik air base in southern Turkey despite opposition from Ankara, a spokesman said on Monday. "There is still no date. The minister plans to visit the troops soon," a Defence Ministry spokesman said during a regular government news conference, adding that efforts were being made to ensure the visit takes place. Turkey last week said it was appropriate for German military officials to visit the base but not for politicians, prompting a row with its NATO partner. On Monday Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the German defence minister would be allowed to visit the Incirlik air base. Search Keywords: Short link: JORDAN No food, little water for stranded Syrians No food and little water have reached 64,000 Syrian refugees stuck in the desert since Jordan sealed its border last week in response to an attack, aid officials said Sunday. The World Food Program understands Jordans security concerns but hopes the border will reopen soon, said Abeer Etefa, a regional spokeswoman for the U.N. agency. An extended closure could put the lives of stranded Syrians at risk, she said. The refugees live in tent camps along the Syrian-Jordanian border. Many have camped in the area for months, depending on aid deliveries from Jordanian territory as they wait for admission to the kingdom. Since sealing the area last week, Jordan has signaled that a quick lifting of the closure is unlikely. It has said international agencies must find alternative routes for getting the aid to refugees. Its an international and a U.N. problem, and not a Jordanian one, a government spokesman said Sunday. Close to 5 million Syrians have fled their homeland since conflict erupted there in 2011. More than 650,000 have found refuge in Jordan. Jordan sealed the border on Tuesday, after a suicide attack launched from the area of one of the encampments killed seven Jordanian troops and wounded 13. Associated Press YEMEN Ban pushes for peace as fighting kills 55 Yemeni security and health officials said Sunday that two days of fierce fighting between Shiite rebels and forces loyal to the internationally recognized government have killed at least 55 people from both sides. The officials said 70 people were wounded in the fighting in the provinces of Taiz, Bayda and Marib. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, meanwhile, urged the warring factions to keep working toward a comprehensive agreement. Speaking to delegates taking part in peace talks that began in Kuwait two months ago, he warned that time is not on the side of the Yemeni people. Ban urged both the Houthi rebels and President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi to release all prisoners, among them journalists, activists and other political detainees, as a goodwill gesture ahead of the Eid holiday next week, which marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Hadis forces are backed by a Saudi-led coalition that has driven the rebels out of some southern cities but has been unable to dislodge them from the capital and other strongholds in the north. With every day that the conflict remains unresolved, their situation grows worse, Ban said about the more than 80 percent of Yemenis who are in dire need of food, water and other aid. The conflict has killed about 9,000 people since March 2015 a third of them civilians, according to the United Nations. Associated Press Italy says 3,324 migrants were rescued from Mediterranean: The Italian coast guard said it coordinated the rescue of 3,324 migrants in the Mediterranean Sea, as Libya-based smugglers exploited a spell of good weather and calm seas to launch boats full of migrants toward Italian shores. The coast guard said the migrants were saved 35 miles north of the Libyan coastal town of Sabratha. The rescues involved migrants on 25 rubber dinghies and one boat. Italy is on the frontline of Europes worst immigration crisis since World War II. 35 people killed in bus fire in China: Local authorities said a long-distance bus smashed into a guardrail in central China, sparking a fire that killed 35 people and injured 20. The bus crashed into the barrier along a highway in Hunan province. No other vehicles were involved, and the cause of the crash was unclear. The provincial highway police bureau said the driver was being held for questioning. Jerusalem gay pride parade attacker given life sentence: An ultra-Orthodox Jewish man was sentenced to life in prison plus 31 years for stabbing a 16-year-old girl to death and injuring others at last years gay pride parade in Jerusalem. The court said Yishai Schlissel was motivated by blind fanaticism. Schlissel had been freed from prison just weeks before the July 30 parade, after serving a sentence for stabbing several people at the citys pride parade in 2005. Security forces rescue 3 foreign captives in Nigeria: Security forces rescued three foreigners and a Nigerian who were among seven construction workers kidnapped in an ambush in Nigeria that killed a driver, police said. No ransom was paid, according to a spokeswoman for the Cross River state police. She said an Australian, a New Zealander and a South African were freed. They were snatched at gunpoint along with two Nigerians on Wednesday and forced from their vehicles. All those kidnapped and the slain driver worked for the Australian contractor Macmahon Holdings. Turkey uses tear gas to break up gay pride gathering: Police in Istanbul used tear gas and detained activists who had gathered to issue a statement to mark gay pride week after authorities banned their rally in the city. At least 19 activists were rounded up, organizers said. Two European legislators were also briefly detained, activists said. Istanbuls governor had banned both events, citing security concerns. The city has been hit by Islamic State militants and Kurdish rebels. From news services AMID THE gridlock over guns this month in Congress, there was one bright spot of progress on another pressing problem: In the House, an ambitious mental-health reform bill made its way through committee. Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.) has led the charge for improvements in mental-health-care policy since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December 2012. His efforts may finally be paying off: The Helping Families in Mental Health Crisis Act passed out of committee last week with unanimous support. In the Senate, a more modest mental-health bill also awaits a vote on the floor. If the House and Senate proposals pass as they should they could move into conference before the August recess. Both bills would shore up mental-health grant programs and reward evidence-based care. They would restructure the federal agency in charge of mental health to better coordinate care across the country. But the House bill, though watered down from its initial incarnation, includes key provisions that are missing from the Senates. First, the House legislation would revise a rule that prevents people on Medicaid from getting same-day inpatient care in large facilities, a change that could encourage the building of bigger treatment centers and help solve the national shortage of nearly 100,000 psychiatric beds. It would also better clarify the circumstances under which a physician can access a patients records and speak to his family. Finally, it would incentivize states to adopt something called assisted outpatient treatment court-ordered care outside of mental-health centers for those unwilling or unable to seek it on their own. Opponents of the law take issue with the last provision in particular. They say sick people have the right to choose for themselves whether to get treatment and that early prevention programs would keep mental illness from spiraling out of control in the first place. Prevention is important, but those programs can and should walk hand-in-hand with aid for those who reach a point where they will not or cannot admit that they need help before they can harm themselves or others, and before they end up committed or incarcerated. Though the House bill is more comprehensive than anything else on the table, theres more that could be done. Rep. Joe Kennedy (D-Mass.) says that while the bill would nudge insurers toward providing mental-health care on the same terms as other services, it wouldnt do much to enforce the rule. The bill also does little to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for providers. And then theres cost: The bill creates new grants, but it does not guarantee new funding. None of that, though, should take away from a rare moment for bipartisan action on an important issue. Fixing our broken mental-health-care system will take more time, more money and more than one bill. But in todays political climate, that one bill is itself a remarkable achievement. Russian intelligence and security services have been waging a campaign of harassment and intimidation against U.S. diplomats, embassy staff and their families in Moscow and several other European capitals that has rattled ambassadors and prompted Secretary of State John F. Kerry to ask Vladimir Putin to put a stop to it. At a recent meeting of U.S. ambassadors from Russia and Europe in Washington, U.S. ambassadors to several European countries complained that Russian intelligence officials were constantly perpetrating acts of harassment against their diplomatic staff that ranged from the weird to the downright scary. Some of the intimidation has been routine: following diplomats or their family members, showing up at their social events uninvited or paying reporters to write negative stories about them. But many of the recent acts of intimidation by Russian security services have crossed the line into apparent criminality. In a series of secret memos sent back to Washington, described to me by several current and former U.S. officials who have written or read them, diplomats reported that Russian intruders had broken into their homes late at night, only to rearrange the furniture or turn on all the lights and televisions, and then leave. One diplomat reported that an intruder had defecated on his living room carpet. In Moscow, where the harassment is most pervasive, diplomats reported slashed tires and regular harassment by traffic police. Former ambassador Michael McFaul was hounded by government-paid protesters, and intelligence personnel followed his children to school. The harassment is not new; in the first term of the Obama administration, Russian intelligence personnel broke into the house of the U.S. defense attache in Moscow and killed his dog, according to multiple former officials who read the intelligence reports. But since the 2014 Russian intervention in Ukraine, which prompted a wide range of U.S. sanctions against Russian officials and businesses close to Putin, harassment and surveillance of U.S. diplomatic staff in Moscow by security personnel and traffic police have increased significantly, State Department press secretary John Kirby confirmed to me. Since the return of Putin, Russia has been engaged in an increasingly aggressive gray war across Europe. Now its in retaliation for Western sanctions because of Ukraine. The widely reported harassment is another front in the gray war, said Norm Eisen, U.S. ambassador the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2014. They are hitting American diplomats literally where they live. The State Department has taken several measures in response to the increased level of nefarious activity by the Russian government. All U.S. diplomats headed for Europe now receive increased training on how to handle Russian harassment, and the European affairs bureau run by Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland has set up regular interagency meetings on tracking and responding to the incidents. McFaul told me he and his family were regularly followed and the Russian intelligence services wanted his family to know they were being watched. Other embassy officials also suffered routine harassment that increased significantly after the Ukraine-related sanctions. Those diplomats who were trying to report on Russian activities faced the worst of it. It was part of a way to put pressure on government officials who were trying to do their reporting jobs. It definitely escalated when I was there. After the invasion of Ukraine, it got much, much worse, McFaul said. We were feeling embattled out there in the embassy. There was a debate inside the Obama administration about how to respond, and ultimately President Obama made the decision not to respond with similar measures against Russian diplomats, McFaul said. A spokesman for the Russian Embassy in Washington sent me a long statement both tacitly admitting to the harassment and defending it as a response to what he called U.S. provocations and mistreatment of Russian diplomats in the United States. The deterioration of U.S.-Russia relations, which was not caused by us, but rather by the current Administrations policy of sanctions and attempts to isolate Russian, had a negative affect on the functioning of diplomatic missions, both in U.S. and Russia, the spokesman said. In diplomatic practice there is always the principle of reciprocity and, indeed, for the last couple of years our diplomatic staff in the United States has been facing certain problems. The Russian side has never acted proactively to negatively affect U.S. diplomats in any way. Evelyn Farkas, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia until last year, said that there is no equivalence between whatever restrictions Russian diplomats are subjected to in the United States and the harassment and intimation that U.S. diplomats suffer at the hands of the Russian security services. The fact that the Russian government stands accused of murdering prominent diplomats and defectors in European countries adds a level of fear for Russias targets. When the Russian government singles people out for this kind of intimidation, going from intimidation to harassment to something worse is not inconceivable, Farkas said. Kirby told me that the State Department takes the safety and well-being of American diplomatic and consular personnel abroad and their accompanying family members extremely seriously. We have therefore repeatedly raised our concerns about harassment of our diplomatic and consular staff with the Russians, including at the highest levels, he said. Kerry raised the issue directly with Putin during his visit to Moscow in March. Putin made no promises about ending the harassment, which continued after Kerry returned to Washington. The U.S. ambassadors to Europe are asking the State Department to do more. Leading members of Congress who are involved in diplomacy with Europe see the lack of a more robust U.S. response as part of an effort by the Obama administration to project a veneer of positive U.S.-Russian relations that doesnt really exist. The problem is there have been no consequences for Russia, said Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio), who serves as president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. The administration continues to pursue a false narrative that Russia can be our partner. They clearly dont want to be our partner, theyve identified us as an adversary, and we need to prepare for that type of relationship. The British vote against the European Union represented the revolt of the poor against the rich, the provinces against the metropolis, the losers of globalization against the elite. Im sure youve heard some version of that general analysis of last weeks Brexit vote. Its a fine-sounding cliche. But before it hardens into conventional wisdom, please remember that, like so many of the facts sold to the public during this referendum campaign, it isnt entirely true. Yes, the voting statistics do say that the supporters of leave were, by and large, poorer and less educated. They also show that support for remain was highest in cities, and especially high around universities. But the statistics dont tell you everything. They dont tell you, for example, that the intellectual and financial architects of the Brexit campaign were, in fact, fully paid-up members of the metropolitan elite. Nor do they tell you how different the views of those leaders were from the voters they won over, or from one another. Just to start with, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, the two leading conservative supporters of Brexit, are both political columnists. Johnson, a former mayor of London who was famously pro-business and pro-immigration, is still paid to write a weekly column for the pro-Brexit Daily Telegraph. Gove, formerly of the Times, is married to a columnist on the pro-Brexit Daily Mail. I am not objecting to their transition from newspapers to politics, just pointing out that neither is accurately described as poor, provincial or anti-establishment. Nigel Farage, the leader of the U.K. Independence Party, is a former commodity broker who doesnt look like hes starving either. The newspaper editors and proprietors who backed the loudly anti-elitist Brexit campaign are even more well-heeled. On the eve of voting day, the Daily Mail ran this headline: Lies. Greedy Elites. Or a great future outside a broken, dying Europe: If you believe in Britain, vote Leave. The Daily Mails editor, Paul Dacre, earned 2.4 million pounds in 2014. Its proprietor, Viscount Rothermere (a.k.a. Jonathan Harmsworth), is worth $1.21 billion, according to Forbes, a sum which does not make him a victim of global free trade. I could tell the same story about the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun (voting day headline: Be-Leave!) and the Daily Express, whose owner, Richard Desmond, donated 1 million pounds to the U.K. Independence party in 2015. By contrast, the libertarian and free-market journalists and businessmen who opposed the E.U., and have done so for many years, are not hypocrites. The economist Patrick Minford has long argued that Britain should unilaterally scrap all trade deals, accept the manufacturing losses, drop E.U. regulation on workers rights and live off services. A group of London investors wrote a letter stating that the EUs approach to regulation now poses a genuine threat to our financial services industry. But if they are not hypocrites, neither are they uneducated and dispossessed. Minford, an Oxford graduate, has a chair at Cardiff University. Among the letters signatories was Crispin Odey, net worth 1.1 billion pounds, also a funder of the leave campaign. There are other sincere Euroskeptics, people who argue about whether the joint writing of legislation means too great a loss of sovereignty, as well as many, many people who are nostalgic for a different and more English England. I spent Sunday afternoon with some of them. It involved green lawns and clinking glasses, and none of them seemed particularly undernourished either. But here is the trouble: That elite version of Brexit England as an offshore haven, a deregulated zone, an arcadian haven, a cosmopolitan business center, the Dubai of the North Atlantic was not what the Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph sold in the campaign, and it isnt what the leave campaign put on their billboards. Instead, the papers repeated scare stories about immigration and the campaign bus promised that 350 million pounds a week, a completely invented number, would be paid to the National Health Service. The idealists want pure sovereignty; the hedge funds want deregulation; the voters voted for the welfare state. The result is chaos. The leave campaign does not have a common vision and does not have a common plan because its members wouldnt be able to agree on one. Iain Duncan-Smith, a pro-Brexit MP and former minister, backpeddaled on the 350 million pounds: I never said that, he said although photographs show he was happy enough to travel on a bus that did. Farage laughed at the number, too. Johnson wrote a column which seemed to suggest that immigration was fine and nothing much would change. In an act of Monty Pythonesque farce, he then temporarily disappeared, refusing to turn up in the House of Commons on the first meeting after his teams victory. How long will it be before the next revolution this time against the pro-Brexit elite? Read more from Anne Applebaums archive, follow her on Twitter or subscribe to her updates on Facebook. David Cole is a professor at Georgetown Law and author of Engines of Liberty: The Power of Citizen Activists to Make Constitutional Law. For years, the Roberts court has been, for all practical purposes, the Kennedy court. It has almost always been Anthony M. Kennedy, not Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who has provided the decisive vote in closely divided cases leading the court, year after year, to reach more liberal outcomes than many expected. Whether on marriage equality, mandatory life sentences for juveniles, the detention of enemy combatants at Guantanamo, overcrowded prisons, or Arizonas anti-immigration laws, Kennedy has parted company with fellow conservatives to recognize the rights of the disadvantaged. Kennedys decisive role siding sometimes with his conservative colleagues, sometimes with the more liberal bloc seemed likely to shift when Justice Antonin Scalia died, leaving the court equally split at 4 to 4. On issues that divide along traditional ideological lines, many assumed the court would be hopelessly deadlocked. Ties did happen this term, most notably in the review of President Obamas immigration initiative, letting stand a lower-court injunction that blocked the program. Yet Kennedy once again managed to cast the decisive vote in the terms two most controversial and consequential decisions: on affirmative action and abortion. And he did it, as he so often has in the past, by being willing not just to break rank, but to reconsider his own prior judgments. In the terms biggest surprise, Kennedy swallowed his own longstanding antipathy to race-conscious remedies to uphold an affirmative action plan at the University of Texas. He had never before seen an affirmative action policy he could support. In 1990, he compared a Federal Communications Commission broadcast diversity program to South Africas apartheid regime. When the court in 2003 upheld an affirmative action plan at the University of Michigan law school, Kennedy issued a passionate dissent, calling the schools quest for a critical mass for diversity purposes a delusion used by the Law School to mask its attempt to make race an automatic factor in most instances. And in an earlier appeal in the University of Texas case, Kennedy wrote the majority opinion overturning a lower-court decision for failing to apply sufficiently rigorous scrutiny. So most court-watchers expected the Texas program to fall. Even after Scalias death, that result seemed likely, because Justice Elena Kagan was recused, giving what looked like a clear majority to the remaining four conservatives, all of whom were strongly on record in opposition to affirmative action. Yet in Fisher v. University of Texas, Kennedy blinked. Holding the power to end affirmative action, he instead voted to uphold the practice. Siding with Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor, he reasoned that Texass consideration of race satisfied strict scrutiny, because the university had tried and considered race-neutral alternatives, and because race was only a modest factor of a factor of a factor in a holistic consideration of the applicants file. Diversity, he argued, could not be reduced to a precise number, and the university had to be given deference in its assessment of diversitys educational benefits. Affirmative action survived. Then, on the courts last day of the term, Kennedy again sided with the liberal justices, this time to strike down Texass regulations of abortion clinics. At issue in the case were rules requiring doctors at abortion clinics to obtain admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, and imposing on abortion clinics the much higher and more costly standards mandated for ambulatory surgical centers. The rules had resulted in the closure of half the states abortion facilities. Kennedys vote in Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt was critical; a 4-to-4 split along liberal-conservative lines would have left standing the lower-court decision upholding Texass restrictions. Instead, in a 5-to-3 opinion written by Breyer but joined by Kennedy, the court held that the restrictions, ostensibly enacted in the name of womens health, in fact furthered no health interests whatsoever, and instead created significant obstacles for women seeking abortions. The Whole Womans Health decision gives teeth to the undue burden standard that the court announced in 1992 in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. In Casey, too, Kennedy broke rank with his conservative colleagues despite his own prior criticisms of Roe v. Wade to uphold the core of the abortion right against a Reagan administration-backed effort that seemed likely to overturn it. There, as in Fisher, Kennedy stopped short of reversing established precedent. But in the years since, until Mondays ruling, Kennedy had not encountered another abortion restriction he considered undue. Breaking with ones peers and rethinking ones commitments are not easy. In our increasingly divided political culture, many of us rarely do. But it is the welcome sign of an open mind, an attribute especially important in those who hold the power to enforce constitutional law. As I was watching the House Democratic sit-in requesting a vote on the gun-control bills on television [House Democrats stage sit-in to force votes on gun control, PowerPost, June 23], I decided I should show some solidarity, as I did marching for civil rights and against the Vietnam War in the 1960s. So at midnight I drove into Washington and to the Capitol building. I followed the sound of a chanting crowd to the steps at the back of the Capitol, where I joined about 100 supporters. Despite all the security concerns, I was able to walk up to the Capitol steps, talk to representatives as they went in and out, and demonstrate without being arrested or forced off the grounds. The crowd engaged in a Quaker-like discussion with each person telling how they got there and their experiences with gun violence. Most had watched the proceedings on TV or social media, and they decided to come and show support. For many it was the first time they had ever engaged in political activity. I was amazed at how many people had experienced deadly gun violence in their homes, schools or among their friends and relatives. Many were in tears as they told their stories. Hopefully, this is the start of something like the civil rights and anti-war movements that will produce action and needed change. David Nicholas, Oakton House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.) called Democrats gun violence protest a stunt that threatened to stop us from carrying out the peoples business. Now thats the pot calling the kettle black. This month, Mr. Ryan began releasing his Better Way Forward papers on issues from poverty to national defense. But Mr. Ryans leadership ended at the news conference. He admitted as much, telling reporters that his goal here isnt to draft bills and pass them and see them go nowhere. But leaders dont make excuses, and political challenges dont excuse abdicating the speakers most basic function: drafting and advancing legislation. Maybe House Democrats did pull a stunt, but what upset Mr. Ryan was that it interrupted his own. If he wants a House that looks less like an extension of the permanent campaign, he should lead by example. Ed Walz, Washington An abortion rights activist holds placards outside the Supreme Court before the court struck down a Texas law placing restrictions on abortion clinics, on Monday in Washington. (Mandel Ngan/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) TWENTY-FOUR years ago, the Supreme Court declared that politicians could not impose unnecessary health regulations that create a substantial obstacle to a woman seeking an abortion. This year, the court heard a challenge to a Texas law that did exactly that impose superfluous and burdensome rules on abortion providers in an obvious attempt to close them down. Even before the constitutionality of Texass law had been fully determined, the law showed its potency as abortion clinics closed across the state. On Monday, five justices stayed true to the guidance the court offered 24 years ago and re-cemented reproductive freedoms status as a constitutional right, repudiating Texass transparent attempt to hollow it out. The 5-to-3 majority struck down a provision that required that doctors performing abortions have admitting privileges at local hospitals and another that forced abortion clinics to meet the standards Texas imposes on ambulatory surgical centers governing hallway widths, heating, cooling, plumbing and the like. Neither provision would have made medical abortions appreciably safer. But together they would have resulted in 750,000 Texas women of childbearing age living farther than 200 miles from the closest in-state abortion provider. Writing for the majority, Justice Stephen G. Breyer made clear that courts would evaluate the medical benefits, if any, of similar laws in the future and strike down those with few to no benefits in return for the burdens they imposed. This balancing requirement, an elaboration on previous rulings, will make it harder for states to use the interest of protecting women as cover for limiting their reproductive rights. In a concurring opinion, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg made this point explicit: So long as this Court adheres to Roe v. Wade . . . laws like H.B. 2 that do little or nothing for health, but rather strew impediments to abortion, cannot survive judicial inspection. In other words, the court will not look the other way as politicians undermine its long-standing precedent. The five-justice majority did not have to rule so strongly. In fact, they had to sidestep several procedural hurdles in order to do so, to the dismay of Justice Samuel A. Alito. He, along with Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Justice Clarence Thomas, complained in a dissent that the majority ignored that courts had already considered some of the issues in the case, and that the abortion-rights side was essentially getting a second chance to make the same argument. These are not idle criticisms. The court may find it challenging in future cases to explain how they can deny others the procedural lenience they gave to abortion-rights plaintiffs in this one. Yet abortion has been among the most contentious legal subjects of the past half-century, and several issues have desperately required lucid guidance from the court since the last major ruling. The majoritys eagerness to clarify what the Constitution requires resulted in a ruling that, on the merits, is both sensible and clear: Politicians may not use obvious pretexts to erode a womans right to end a pregnancy. Forty-three years after Roe, they should stop trying. GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY President John J. DeGioia went to Spokane, Wash., this month to meet with the great-great-great-granddaughter of two enslaved people who, along with other 270 others , were sold in 1838 by Maryland Jesuits to stave off the colleges bankruptcy. On Wednesday and Thursday, he will be in Louisiana, where the human cargo ended up, to meet with more descendants. To listen, to learn, said Mr. DeGioia of his efforts. Georgetown is wrestling with how to make amends for its complicity in the nations slave trade, recognizing that this is a matter that goes beyond history to touch real people with real lives. The university decided, in the wake of campus unrest last fall over its role in slavery, to expand its academic focus in African American studies, creating a department with additional faculty and establishing a research center on racial justice. It also removed from two buildings the names of the two priests who promoted and arranged the sale of the Maryland families. And Mr. DeGioia appointed a working group of students, alumni, professors and others to recommend further steps. Their report is set to be released this summer. I dont think putting a plaque on the wall is going to be an answer, said Mr. DeGioia in a meeting with Post editors and reporters. Other schools with ties to slavery have taken that approach, but Georgetown is unique in that the names of its slaves were not lost to history; their records as practicing Catholics allowed them and their descendants to be traced through generations. Much of the tracing was done by the Georgetown Memory Project, a nonprofit set up by a Georgetown alumnus who believed the Jesuits and university werent doing enough. So far, the group has identified about 2,000 people descended from those sold. Its statistical models project there may be as many as 15,000. When we asked Mr. DeGioia if he considers the descendants to be part of the Georgetown family, he said it would be arrogant of him to make assumptions about how the descendants view their relationship to the school; that they would want to be considered means more to me than anything. If they do, the university should be willing to extend to descendants interested in attending Georgetown the same legacy benefits that give a modest leg up to children of Georgetown faculty and alumni seeking admission. But thats a small step. A university president meeting with the descendants is important and historic; its an acknowledgment of the humanity that was impacted by slavery and the racism and injustice that persist. How do you really value the damage that was done in a way thats straightforward and fair? asked one descendant, Orlando Ward, in an interview with the New York Times. Mr. Wards ancestors ended up on a plantation in Maringouin (Cajun French for mosquito), a little town outside Baton Rouge that is desperately impoverished. Of the roughly 1,110 people living there, approximately 900 are direct descendants of the human beings whose sale price bolstered the universitys endowment. It is one of the places Mr. DeGioia is set to visit, and a place where we hope he will find some of the answers to what is fair and right. AFL-CIO President Richard L. Trumka on Monday accused Donald Trump of peddling deceit on trade issues, calling the presumptive Republican presidential nominee the king of outsourcing labor abroad for his personal business. Look at what he does, not what he says, Trumka said in an interview in his office overlooking the White House. He could have an effect on trade by bringing all the products he makes overseas back home and have Americans produce them. But he doesnt do that. Like every other person out there, he takes advantage of a bad system that hurts workers and helps people at the top. Hes the king of doing that. Trumkas remarks make clear that the nations largest collection of labor unions, with 12.7 million members, plans to actively campaign against Trump despite the candidates fierce public opposition to free-trade pacts, which largely echoes the AFL-CIOs position. Trump has vowed to back out of the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade accord negotiated by the Obama administration. On Tuesday, the AFL-CIO will hold its first-ever trade conference in Washington featuring a video message from Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and a keynote address from Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), who both oppose the TPP. Stiglitz called it the worst trade deal ever. Trump has successfully tapped into the anger and frustration thats out there, Trumka said. But he will not make it better; hell make it worse. He wont solve the problem; he really is the problem. On Monday afternoon, the labor leader posted a Twitter message linking to a Washington Post story from March about Trumps offshore manufacturing for his mens clothing line. @realDonaldTrump & I are both speaking on trade tmrrw, but only one of us has personally profited off outsourcing, Trumka wrote. Trump used his anti-free-trade rhetoric to appeal to Republican primary voters who have expressed economic anxiety in the face of a growing wage gap and concerns that international trade deals have benefited corporations and Wall Street. President Obama has touted the TPP as a way to embed the United States more firmly into fast-growing markets in Asia at a time of rising competition with China. But studies have shown only a tiny economic impact for the U.S. economy. Under pressure from the left in the Democratic primaries, Hillary Clinton, the presumptive nominee, announced opposition to the TPP even though she was a chief proponent while serving as U.S. secretary of state in Obamas first term. Trumka said he believed her position is sincere. Shes against TPP, he said. She supports our position. What else can she do? Say, Im really against it? White House officials view a potential lame-duck session of Congress after the November elections as a final chance for Congress to ratify the TPP. Some analysts have said they believe Clinton would not stand in the way. Trumka disagreed. If she gave a wink and nod, she would start off her presidency in the hole by losing a vast majority of those who have supported her, he said. Shes too smart, too committed, and I believe she has too much resolve to make that kind of stupid mistake. The Kremlin said Monday that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had apologised to Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over Ankara's downing of a Russian military jet in Syria last year that shattered ties. "The head of the Turkish state in his message expressed his sympathy and deepest condolences to the family of the dead Russian pilot and said sorry," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added that Erdogan's written note said he wanted to do "everything possible for the restoration of the traditionally friendly relations between Turkey and Russia." The Kremlin, which had repeatedly demanded an official apology for the November 24 incident, then released a statement citing Erdogan as saying Ankara "never had the desire and the intention" to down the Russian Su-24 warplane. "I want to once again express my sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the dead Russian pilot and I say sorry," the statement quoted the Turkish leader as saying. Turkey's downing in November of the warplane on its border with Syria -- where Moscow is flying a bombing campaign in support of long-standing ally President Bashar al-Assad -- sparked an unprecedented crisis in the two nations' relations. Ankara had argued that the Russian plane strayed into its airspace and ignored repeated warnings, but Russia insisted it did not cross the border and accused Turkey of a "planned provocation." The countries are on opposing sides in the Syrian conflict, with Ankara backing rebels fighting to topple Assad while Moscow is one of his last remaining allies. The downing of the plane sparked a bitter war of words between the two strongman leaders with Putin calling it a "stab in the back" and accusing Erdogan of involvement in the illegal oil trade with the Islamic State group. Erdogan said at the time he wanted to meet Putin in person but the Kremlin blanked the proposal and the pair have not spoken since. In response to the jet incident, Moscow slapped a raft of economic sanctions on Turkey, including an embargo on many Turkish food products and consumer goods. Russia also halted charter flights between the two countries, stopped the sale of package holidays in Turkey and scrapped its visa-free regime for Turkish visitors. According to the Kremlin, Erdogan also said in his message that authorities were probing a Turkish national allegedly responsible for the downing of the jet. Turkey's Hurriyet newspaper reported that Turkish militia fighter Alparslan Celik -- who Moscow had accused of killing pilot Oleg Peshkov as he parachuted to the ground after his plane was shot down -- was released from prison on Monday. In a sign that ties could be set to warm, a Turkish foreign ministry source told AFP that Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had accepted a Russian invitation to attend the Black Sea Economic Cooperation meeting in Sochi on July 1. Search Keywords: Short link: A stretch of Skyline Drive in Virginias Shenandoah National Park shut down for a short period in October to accommodate the filming of a TV ad for the park that also featured a Subaru. (Karen Bleier/AFP/Getty Images) When does the use of national parks by private companies cross the line between park promotion and corporate commercialization? That is the question raised by television spots shot in Shenandoah National Park that feature its beautiful vistas and, not incidentally, a Subaru. Skyline Drive, which runs 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, was partially closed during portions of two days in October in order to make the commercials. A drone, generally prohibited by park regulations, also was used in production of the spots made with National Geographic. Two 30-second videos promote the Find Your Park campaign by the National Park Service and the National Park Foundation. Park officials anticipated that filming with a drone would be controversial, but special permission to use it was quickly granted following a flurry of emails. The productions feature Lori Epstein, a National Geographic childrens book photo editor, driving a Subaru along Skyline Drive with husband Sean and dog Tyler amid colorful fall foliage. Autumn here is always spectacular, she says in a voice-over. The announcer gets the last word: Love. Its what makes a Subaru a Subaru. These look and sound like car commercials, but National Geographic and the Park Service insist the spots are not. The video was produced to support the National Park Service centennial goal to connect with and create the next generation of park visitors, supporters and advocates, said NPS spokesman Jeremy K. Barnum. The spots were aired with the Americas National Parks series on the National Geographic channel. We worked closely with the Park Service in planning this shoot, were accompanied by the Park Service during the shoot and followed all necessary protocols when filming in the Shenandoah National Park, said Laura Nichols, a National Geographic spokeswoman. Nonetheless, the ads are a blatant example of commercialism in national parks, according to Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which secured documents about the shoot through a Freedom of Information Act request. The visiting public was kept off of park facilities, said Jeff Ruch, PEERs executive director, and park rules against commercial closures and drone access were ignored, and the approval was immediate with no apparent internal debate. Word of the Subaru filming comes as the Park Service is developing plans to allow its employees to be more involved in securing private-sector donations for the parks. A 2009 Government Accountability Office report warned of the risks of getting too cozy with corporate donors: Partner exerts undue influence over Park Service priorities, Public confidence in the Park Service is compromised, and Parks and Park Service become commercialized. Notably, the GAO cautioned against corporate donations made to parks or partners and tied to advertising. Seeking to place the Subaru spots in a broader context, NPS officials pointed out that the use of parks by corporations is nothing new. Older folks might remember the iconic See the USA in your Chevrolet television commercial sung by Dinah Shore more than 50 years ago. Portions were filmed on national park property. The drone request said anywhere from a few hundred feet to 2 miles of Skyline Drive would be stopped down. Filming occurred at four locations for less than 10 minutes each in accordance with the parks standard operating procedures, Barnum said. Those procedures stipulate, from the document NPS Management Policies 2006: The Park Service will not permit the staging of an event in an area that is open to the public, or the closure of an area that is open to the public, when the event is conducted primarily for the material or financial benefit of a for-profit entity. NPS officials dont view the Subaru spot as primarily benefiting the car company. Regarding drones, the June 19, 2014 Policy Memorandum 14-05 from NPS Director Jonathan B. Jarvis said: I direct each superintendent to use the authority . . . to close units of the National Park System to launching, landing, or operating unmanned aircraft. There are exceptions, including a catch-all special use permit. An October 19 memorandum from Jim Northrup, Shenandoahs superintendent, requesting the special use permit for a Gryphon Dynamics X8 drone predicted objections to its use. The permitting of commercial filming with a drone could be potentially controversial by seeming to set a precedent in the park, Northrup wrote. We feel that the centennial partnership relationship and the focus on the Find Your Park campaign warrant special consideration. NPS officials didnt spend too much time worrying about controversy. The next day, the request was approved in Washington by Charles Cuvelier, associate director for visitor and resource protection, and the permit was issued. It allowed for drone filming, car-to-car filming, a cast and crew of 15 people, and five vehicles. Northrup said the filming would support the Find Your Park campaign while showcasing the parks many dramatic viewsheds. Making the commercial, he argued, is appropriate and compatible with the values and resources of the park. It is the values of Park Service leaders that are now being questioned. National Front leader Marine Le Pen in Paris on Saturday. (Laurence Geai/For The Washington Post) Emboldened by Britains decision to leave the European Union, nationalists across the continent are daring to dream big, saying they, too, should have the chance for an up-or-down vote on the unloved bureaucracy in Brussels. From Finland to Denmark to the Netherlands to Austria, far-right politicians are salivating at the idea of exiting a club they blame for unwanted immigrants, economic squalor and a loss of sovereignty. And nowhere could the possibility pose a greater threat to the E.U.s future than in France, where the far-right National Front party is surging in polls a year ahead of presidential elections. That is part of the challenge facing E.U. leaders as they gather Tuesday for an unprecedented summit to start divorce talks with one of their own. [Could Britain find a way to roll back the referendum?] Allowing Britain to walk away with generous terms could energize anti-E.U. forces elsewhere. But too harsh a response could also blow back on Europe, fueling a continent-wide recession that would drive angry voters into the embrace of populists. It remains unclear whether any faction in Europe could succeed in spearheading a referendum similar to Britains. But leaders across Europe shaken by the British outcome have indicated they could seriously look at changes to address complaints about E.U. policymaking and oversight. More so than an exit by any other country save Germany, a departure by France from the E.U. would call into question the viability of the alliance, which has been a beacon of postwar stability and an important forum of Western unity in a world filled with new threats. In France, National Front leader Marine Le Pen a charismatic 47-year-old whose voice cuts through her nations sleepy political landscape like a bolt of lightning has been jubilant in the aftermath of the British decision. She says it proves her views are mainstream, not marginal. The British people have brought to the peoples of Europe, but also to the peoples of the whole world, a shining lesson in democracy, a beaming Le Pen said in the hours after the result of the referendum became clear. Across Europe, I hope that initiatives will emerge to cause as many replicas as possible of this Brexit, she said. Movement has been triggered toward the end of the European Union as we know it. The possibility that the E.U. could uncoil has inspired some dark humor among advocates of a united Europe. One social-media post circulated by Australian and American economist Justin Wolfers facetiously predicted new versions of the British exit, known as Brexit: Departugal, Italeave and Czechout, among others. [British vote shows the unpredictable path of the people] Polling this month from the Pew Research Center showed that Britain was hardly alone in its Euroskepticism. Sixty-one percent of French people see the E.U. unfavorably more than in Britain and that view is held by a majority of Greeks and a plurality of Spaniards, the polls found. The desire to take back some powers from Brussels is shared even more widely. With French President Francois Hollandes popularity scraping record lows, next years presidential election appears ripe for an insurgent candidate such as Le Pen to perform well. For now, she leads many polls for the crowded first round of balloting but drops to second place behind Hollande in Frances head-to-head, second-round vote. Marine Le Pen speaks to reporters Saturday. (Laurence Geai/For The Washington Post) Many French voters mistrust the National Fronts past ties to neo-Nazis, a chapter Le Pen says she has closed, and others doubt her ideas about deporting some portion of Frances legal immigrant population. As a measure of her newfound status in the French political firmament, she was included in post-Brexit crisis meetings Saturday with Hollande, giving her a chance to bring her demands for an E.U. referendum to the gilded halls of the Elysee Palace. The idea of holding some kind of referendum is quickly spreading into the political mainstream, with a victory for pro-Europe voters far from assured. In 2005, 55 percent of French voters rejected a European constitution. There should be a new treaty. It should be voted at the end in a referendum as a choice for the French people, said Bruno Le Maire, a pro-E.U. politician who served as cabinet minister under President Nicolas Sarkozy and said his proposed referendum would be pro-Europe. Le Maire is running in third place in a primary campaign to lead the center-right Republicans party. The status quo will lead to the death of the European Union, he said in an interview. [Britain could be only the beginning of the backlash] On Saturday, a prominent center-left leader for the first time joined the calls for a referendum, underscoring the extent to which French politicians feel pressure to win a pro-E.U. mandate from their voters. Leaders have never had the courage to propose a real European referendum, said French Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron, widely seen as a rising star of the center left and a possible presidential contender next year. He said his idea was to hold an E.U.-wide referendum on a new vision for the bloc. An anti-E.U. message has force on both sides of the political spectrum, from right-wing National Front supporters who want to stop immigration and close Frances borders to leftists who criticize the E.U. as being captured by big business. Whats going on in England, thats the first real test, said Emmanuel Pehau, 38, a philosophy teaching assistant who has been taking part in a left-wing Paris protest gathering called Nuit Debout, or Stand Up at Night. If one country in Europe has the stamina and the resources to do it, its them. Emmanuel Pehau, a philosophy teaching assistant, takes part in a left-wing protest in Paris. (Laurence Geai/For The Washington Post) But despite at least one common goal, the two wings appear uninterested in working with each other to battle the E.U., potentially weakening any anti-Europe campaign. We dont have to fight together, said Gilbert Collard, one of the National Fronts two legislators in the lower house of Frances Parliament. We can fight, each on their own side, for a common goal. Still, many here feel that the British vote may embolden voters to opt for the far right. Brexit can certainly contribute to increasing the vote for the National Front, said Jean-Yves Camus, an expert on the French far right at the Jean Jaures Foundation, a think tank. It can show that the National Front is not foolish. Theyre not saying they want to live on the moon. Theyre just saying they want to do something they did in Britain. The Brexit vote appeared set to have similar reverberations for far-right parties across Europe. Many such parties were initially critical of the euro currency union and immigration. But in recent months, detecting an opening, they have trained their sights on the E.U. itself. The Brexit decision gives them an opportunity to ask their own national leaders why they dont put a similar question before their own people. In the Netherlands, the majority of the people want the Nexit, or at least a referendum about a possible Nexit, the Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders said in a video posted on his website. Today is the beginning of the end of the European Union. In Denmark, the Euroskeptic Danish Peoples Party is the largest grouping in parliament, and it immediately pressed its governing partners for a choice on E.U. membership. Other Euroskeptic parties are gaining traction in Germany, Sweden, Italy and elsewhere. They are benefiting each day that goes by without it being clear what will happen next, said Andreas Maurer, a political-science professor at the University of Innsbruck in Austria. They profit as long as it doesnt become clear that leaving the E.U. might have consequences. Anthony Faiola in Berlin contributed to this report. Read more Would a break from Brussels also splinter Britain? Probably not. Why North America wont copy European unity Despite assurances, immigrants in Britain are uncertain of their future Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world Britains political system remained in turmoil Monday, virtually leaderless and with the two major parties divided internally. But the meltdown that has taken place in the days after voters decided to break the countrys ties with Europe is more than a British problem, reflecting an erosion in public confidence that afflicts democracies around the world. Last Thursdays Brexit vote cast a bright light on the degree to which the effects of globalization and the impact of immigration, along with decades of overpromises and under-delivery by political leaders, have undermined the ability of those officials to lead. This collapse of confidence has created what amounts to a crisis in governing for which there seems no easy or quick answer. [E.U. leaders converge on Brussels for Brexit crisis talks] The debris here is clear. The Brexit vote claimed Prime Minister David Cameron as its first victim. Having called the referendum and led the campaign to keep Britain in the European Union, he announced his intention to resign the morning after the vote. The results also now threaten the standing of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who faces a likely leadership election after seeing more than two dozen members of his leadership team resign in the past two days. Alastair Darling, a former chancellor of the exchequer, outlined the extent of the crisis here during an interview with the BBCs Today program on Monday. There is no government. There is no opposition. The people who got us into this mess theyve gone to ground, he said How has the United Kingdom come to this position? We have taken this decision and have no plan for the future. After the United Kingdom voted to leave the E.U. in an historic referendum, voters were surprised that some of the rhetoric used to sway the vote to "Leave" was being walked back. (Jason Aldag, Max Bearak/The Washington Post) The seeds of what has brought Britain to this moment exist elsewhere, which makes this countrys problems the concern of leaders elsewhere. In Belgium and Brazil, democracies have faced crises of legitimacy; in Spain and France, elected leaders have been hobbled by their own unpopularity; even in Japan, where Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faces no threat from the opposition, his government has demonstrated a consistent inability to deliver prosperity. [Brexit leaders walk back some of their biggest promises] Anthony King, a professor of politics at the University of Essex, said the underlying factor is that many people no longer believe that, however imperfect things are economically, they will keep getting better. In the face of that change in public attitudes, he said, much of the political class is behaving the way it used to behave, the old arguments, the old fights, the adversarialism. That has created what he called the palpable disconnection between political leaders and ordinary people. That is true across much of the democratic world, he added. How do you put that right? The problem is especially acute here at the moment and threatens to grow worse in the near term. A longtime analyst of politics here, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of his position, said: If you thought your [American] politics were a mess, we can outdo you anytime. Ive never known it in any way, shape or form as bad as this. [Britains 850,000 Polish citizens face backlash after Brexit vote] Britains political system faces months if not years of instability. Cameron originally recommended that a new prime minister be in place by early October. On Monday, the party committee overseeing the rules for the selection of a new Conservative Party leader to succeed Cameron accelerated that timetable, calling for a decision to be made by Sept. 2. 1 of 56 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Britons react to cutting ties with the European Union View Photos Many celebrated the referendum results Friday, and British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he will resign after Britons went to the polls the day before. Caption In late June, many celebrated the referendum results, and British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that he will resign after Britons went to the polls. June 26, 2016 People walk over Westminster Bridge wrapped in Union Jacks, toward the Queen Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and the Houses of Parliament in central London. Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images Wait 1 second to continue. Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London and the leading voice in the campaign to leave the E.U., is seen as the favorite to succeed Cameron. But he is a controversial figure and faces resistance inside the party. The selection of a new prime minister probably will be followed by an early election almost four years ahead of the next scheduled election because the next prime minister will need a public endorsement as they begin the process of negotiating a withdrawal from the E.U. For the Conservative Party, the prospect of an election as soon as possible is attractive because of the chaos within Labour and the prospect of enlarging the narrow majority won in May 2015. It is the prospect of a crippling defeat that caused many Labour members of Parliament, long unhappy with Corbyn, to move swiftly against him now. A left-wing backbencher, Corbyn was propelled to the leadership position after Labours wipeout in the 2015 general election. He won on the strength of support from the unions and particularly from rank-and-file members of the party. Today, Labour is in a vicious civil war, split between its grass-roots membership and the partys elected leadership in Parliament. Its future as a viable and effective opposition party is under threat at a time the country most needs one. [For David Cameron, a quick departure after a stunning defeat] The partys deputy leader told Corbyn on Monday that he has lost the confidence of the parliamentary party. But Corbyn has fought to fight on and might have enough grass-roots support to fend off a challenge. The reality is that neither party enjoys a particularly stable coalition. Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University in London, argued that as cultural issues here symbolized by immigration have risen to the fore, they have put pressure on a party system long organized over economic differences of more or less reliance on free markets rather than governments hand. Labour saw many of its strong areas outside of London vote strongly in favor of leaving the E.U. Meanwhile, Cameron was relying on the votes of Labour districts in London to help prevent that from happening. In other words, Bale said, theres possibly a mismatch between the party system we have and the party system we need. But he added that history and institutional inertia mean there is no prospect of any realignment. It will be left to the leaders of the next government to pick up the pieces after Thursdays vote. But those who led the leave campaign to break with Europe and who are likely to lead the government by this fall will be challenged to live up to the promises they made in the weeks before the referendum. Already they have backed away from some of the more questionable assertions of the campaign. That governing challenge could fall most heavily on Johnson, if he becomes the next prime minister. The normally flamboyant former journalist appears somewhat chastened by what lies ahead. In a column in Mondays Telegraph newspaper, he sought to present himself as someone who would try to unite a sharply divided country and smooth over some of the issues that were at the heart of the Brexit debate. He argued that the government would be able to take back control of immigration the issue that above all animated the actions of many supporters of Brexit while maintaining many of the economic benefits it now enjoys by being a member of the E.U. Britain is and always will be a great European power, he wrote, offering top table opinions and giving leadership on everything from foreign policy to defense to counter-terrorism and intelligence-sharing. But so far there is no plan for implementing any of this from those who led the campaign to leave. To some outside observers, that is a recipe for more voter disappointment and a further decline in confidence in leaders and institutions. As Bale put it, The time seems right for another betrayal. Read more British, European leaders debate timetable for exit negotiations. Young Brits are unhappy with the Brexit outcome, but did they vote? French right-wingers eye own E.U. exit vote. Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world A Turkish flag, right, and an Israeli flag at the Turkish Embassy in Tel Aviv. The two countries broke off relations six years ago, after a deadly raid by Israel on a Turkish ship. (Baz Ratner/Reuters) Israel and Turkey have reached an agreement to repair ties after six years of strained relations over a deadly Israeli raid on a Turkish ship delivering aid to Gaza in 2010, officials said Monday. Ten Turkish activists were killed in the assault. The rapprochement has potentially wide-reaching security and economic ramifications in the region. Turkey and Israel once shared close military cooperation, and they have common worries over the Islamic State and other war-driven instability in Syria, which borders Turkey and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The diplomatic thaw could also open new channels for outside assistance to the Gaza Strip. And both nations were once major destinations for two-way tourism, which has suffered in both countries because of ongoing violence. Relations with Israel have normalized, Turkeys prime minister, Binali Yildirim, said at a news conference in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Long negotiations have taken place. The deal was reached Sunday in Rome, according to Israeli and Turkish officials, and will be signed by the two sides Tuesday. [Israels budding outreach to Moscow] In Turkey, the agreement will be submitted to parliament. It calls for increased Turkish investment and aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, where access is tightly controlled by Israel. An initial shipment of 10,000 tons of aid will be dispatched as early as Friday, Yildirim said. Under the deal, Israel will provide a humanitarian fund of $20 million to family members of the activists killed on the Turkish ship, the Mavi Marmara, Turkish officials said. The ship was part of a flotilla that set sail with the aim of breaking Israels naval blockade of Gaza. The Israeli navy warned the ships to reverse course and eventually intercepted the flotilla. A senior Turkish official called the agreement a diplomatic victory for Turkey and said that representatives of the Palestinian government and Hamas have voiced their support for the deal. Turkey has urged Israel to lift its blockade on Gaza, which is ruled by the Palestinian Islamist militant organization Hamas. But a compromise was reached to allow Turkish aid to reach Gaza through the southern Israeli port of Ashdod, officials said. Turkey will transfer materials to build residential buildings as well as a 200-bed hospital, the senior Turkish official said. Yildirim also said Turkey will work to invest in Gazas energy and water sectors, which have collapsed after years of Israeli blockades and sporadic conflict. [Israels flotilla raid stirs action in U.S. court] Israeli media reports said Monday that Turkey had agreed to use its influence with Hamas to halt attacks on Israel and help recover the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in the territory during a war in 2014. Turkish officials denied those reports, however. This isnt a cease-fire agreement, Yildirim said. Still, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal with Turkey was an important step. It has immense implications for the Israeli economy, Netanyahu told reporters in Rome after meetings with Secretary of State John F. Kerry on Monday. Before the diplomatic rupture in 2010, when both sides recalled their ambassadors, Turkey and Israel maintained close economic and military ties. Despite the crisis, trade continued, exceeding $5 billion in 2014, according to the Washington-based Brookings Institution. The effort to rebuild ties has been driven by both countries security concerns as Syria and other Middle Eastern nations fight protracted civil wars, sparked by the unrest of the Arab Spring, which began in late 2010. The Turkish-Israeli normalization definitely shows that for both countries, its a much more different world than it was in 2010 when bilateral ties broke down, said Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish research program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. At that time, both countries could afford to be angry at each other; now they cant. Israel also hopes the agreement will curb the rising power of its arch-rival, Iran, which recently struck a landmark nuclear deal with the West. The reconciliation deal between Turkey and Israel is motivated partly by the increasing prominence in the region of their common rival, Iran, said Ege Seckin, a senior analyst at IHS Country Risk, a global risk-analysis firm. Iran also shares a border and tense relations with Turkey, which has opposed the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, Irans ally. Ankara feels the burn and knows that it cannot have all enemies and adversaries in the Middle East, Cagaptay said. Hence its final push for normalization with Israel. Eglash reported from Jerusalem. Read more Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world The House Benghazi committees chairman, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), left, confers with the committee's ranking Democrat, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), in January 2015 during a hearing on Capitol Hill. (J. Scott Applewhite/AP) Evidence collected by the House Select Committee on the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, confirms that Defense Department actions could not have saved the lives of four Americans killed, that then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was actively engaged and responsive during the attack and that no one in the Obama administration lied about what happened, according to a report issued Monday by committee Democrats. Release of the 344-page report was a preemptive strike against the Republican majoritys version of the results of the two-year investigation into the assault on a U.S. diplomatic post and a nearby CIA site in Benghazi that left four Americans dead, including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. In a different accounting of events, a Republican-drafted committee report highlighted what it called breakdowns in the chain of command that kept U.S. military forces from reaching Benghazi until the day after the attack, according to NBC News, which obtained a portion of the report before its public release later Tuesday. The GOP report said then-Defense Secretary Leon Panetta had ordered forces to Benghazi, but none had even left the ground by the time of the final siege on the U.S. compounds, NBC reported. It also questioned the level of security for Stevens and suggested U.S. officials misunderstood the various factions in Libya at the time, NBC said. Reacting to reported details of the Republican report, the State Department deputy spokesman, Mark Toner, issued a statement that suggested no important new details have emerged. Toner also said that U.S. officials have followed recommendations on security on other matters made by an oversight panel more than three years ago. Here's a breakdown of what happened from the attack on Sept. 12, 2011, to the current political controversy involving Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) The essential facts surrounding the 2012 attacks in Benghazi have been known for some time, Toner said in a statement. He added: We have made great progress towards making our posts safer since 2012. We have been working to respond to the extensive findings and recommendations of the independent Accountability Review Board, closing out 26 out of its 29 recommendations. The Democrats minority report, meanwhile, said the committee obtained no credible evidence that any Administration official made intentionally misleading statements about the attacks. Instead, the panel squandered millions of taxpayer dollars in a partisan effort to attack a presidential candidate. The committees chairman, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), has said the majority report will not focus overwhelmingly on Clinton. But it is expected to conclude that the Obama administration, for political reasons, intentionally misrepresented the facts about the attacks. We know we were lied to, Gowdy said before the investigation began. [Have Republicans really spent $7 million on the Benghazi committee?] In a campaign speech last week, presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump repeated a claim he had made previously, saying that Clintons decisions as secretary of state spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched. Among the victims was our late ambassador Chris Stevens. I mean, what she did with him was absolutely horrible. He was left helpless to die as Hillary Clinton soundly slept in her bed. House Select Committee on Benghazi Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) told former secretary of state Hillary Clinton during a hearing Oct. 22 that the Accountability Review Board's investigation of the attack on Benghazi "was an inadequate job." (Sarah Parnass/The Washington Post) The committee inquiry, which followed investigations by an independent State Department panel and the Republican-led House Intelligence Committee, has been marked by partisan sniping and bad faith. Since early this year as it became apparent they would not agree on a single report the two sides have barely been on speaking terms and have communicated through a series of increasingly nasty news releases. Gowdy has charged the State and Defense departments with withholding information and documents. The minority report said that Republicans excluded Democrats from interviews, concealed exculpatory evidence, withheld interview transcripts, leaked inaccurate information, issued unilateral subpoenas, sent armed Marshals to the home of a cooperative witness, and even conducted political fundraising by exploiting the deaths of four Americans. In our opinion, it said, Chairman Gowdy has been conducting this investigation like an overzealous prosecutor desperately trying to land a front-page conviction rather than a neutral judge of facts seeking to improve the security of our diplomatic corps. The GOP majority, in a statement issued by press secretary Matt Wolking, described the Democrats so-called report as rehashed, partisan talking points defending their endorsed candidate for president and said the Republican version would include new information. [Unproductive, unfair: Pentagon official scolds House Benghazi committee] In addition to the ranking minority-party member, Rep. Elijah E. Cummings (D-Md.), Democrats on the committee include Reps. Adam Smith (Wash.), Adam B. Schiff (Calif.), Linda T. Sanchez (Calif.) and Tammy Duckworth (Ill.) The Democratic findings were largely in sync with previous investigations. Although the Select committee obtained additional details that provide context and granularity, these details do not fundamentally alter the previous conclusions, the report said. Republicans have repeatedly charged the administration with issuing intentionally misleading reports in the days immediately following the attacks about the motivation for them. Previously unreleased excerpts from intelligence reports, contained in the Democratic document, indicate an early consensus which ultimately turned out to be incorrect that the initial attack began with a demonstration to protest an anti-Muslim video posted on YouTube. Like previous reports, the minority investigation concluded that the U.S. military was ill-positioned to respond quickly to the attacks, saying it could not have done anything differently on the night of the attacks that would have saved the lives of the four brave Americans. The report also concluded, as have earlier investigations, that no one outside of Libya gave an order for a rescue attempt to stand down. Security contractors at the CIA annex have said that once the attack on the diplomatic facility started, they were ordered by superiors on the ground to delay launching a rescue attempt for Stevens and State Department communications specialist Sean Smith, who later were determined to have died there of smoke inhalation after locking themselves in a safe room while the attackers set the compound on fire. The deaths of two others, CIA security contractors Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods, occurred several hours later when militants launched a mortar attack at the nearby CIA compound. The committee interviewed the annex base chief, his deputy and the head of security at the facility. Notified that an attack was underway at the diplomatic facility about a mile away, the three of them talked quickly about how to respond. When asked whether they should mount a rescue, the base chief said Absolutely. One of three told the committee: Anybody writing any books or making movies, or whatever else, I can tell you none of those guys were in the room when that discussion occurred. Several of the surviving contractors later wrote a book, 13 Hours, that was the basis for a movie released last year. The minority report described security measures at the Benghazi diplomatic compound that were woefully inadequate and blamed the State Departments Bureau of Diplomatic Security with failing to respond to requests for additional staffing. Contrary to repeated Republican claims, it said, not a single witness we spoke to identified any evidence that Secretary Clinton personally denied security requests in Benghazi, a charge it noted that five Republican House committee chairmen have made in the past. Brian Murphy in Washington contributed to this report. Jordanian intelligence officials stole millions of dollars of weapons that the CIA and Saudi Arabia had supplied for Syrian rebels, then sold them on the black market, The New York Times and Al Jazeera reported. The military equipment had been shipped into Jordan as part of the Central Intelligence Agency's secret program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels to fight troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Citing unnamed American and Jordanian officials, the Times and Al Jazeera reported Sunday that some of these weapons were used in a November shooting at a police training facility in Amman. Two American contractors, two Jordanians and one South African were gunned down in the attack. The Times and Al Jazeera said the FBI has been investigating the case for months. The stolen weapons include Kalashnikov assault rifles, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades and the black market is newly awash with arms, the reports said. Investigators aren't sure what happened to most of the weapons but many are likely to have ended up in the hands of rural Jordanian tribes, criminals or shipped to other countries. The FBI and CIA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Arab intelligence services and the CIA have been training rebels since 2013 under the code name Timber Sycamore. The training effort is run from Jordan because of its proximity to Syria. It is separate from Pentagon efforts in northern Syria to train and equip rebel fighters to attack the Islamic State group. Though the program is classified, officials told the Times and Al Jazeera that the CIA has trained thousands of rebels in the past three years. The fighters had been making progress against Syrian regime troops until Russia joined the war last year on Assad's side. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan apologized Monday for the downing of a Russian warplane in November and called for Russia and Turkey to mend a bilateral relationship that has become openly hostile over the incident. One Russian pilot was killed last year when two Turkish F-16s shot down a Russian Su-24 warplane over Turkeys border with Syria in an unexpected clash that Russian President Vladimir Putin called a stab in the back administered by the accomplices of terrorists. In footage later aired on Russian state television, pro-Turkish rebels fired automatic rifles at the pilot as he parachuted to the ground. The Kremlin was furious, imposing a series of punishing sanctions against Ankara while demanding for months that Erdogan personally apologize. On Monday, Erdogan wrote to Putin that he would like to inform the family of the deceased Russian pilot that I share their pain and to offer my condolences to them. May they excuse us. In a statement, Erdogans press secretary said Russia and Turkey have agreed to take necessary steps without delay to improve bilateral relations, specifically noting regional crises and the fight against terrorism. We had no wish or intention to down a plane of the Russian Federation, a Kremlin press release quoted the Turkish communique as saying. I share their pain with my whole heart, Erdogan wrote, referring to the family of the pilot. [Turkey and Israel announce deal to repair relations] The personal apology from one of the regions most autocratic politicians came on a day of diplomacy that dealt with some of the international tension he has generated in recent years. Turkey on Monday also normalized relations with Israel, ending a six-year rift over the killing by Israeli commandos of Turkish activists aboard an aid ship bound for the Gaza Strip. Soner Cagaptay, director of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said Russia had ratcheted up pressure on Turkey over the incident. Russia has been very aggressive against Turkey, militarily and in intelligence and cyber realms since the 2015 November plane incident, he said. This scares Erdogan tremendously. If the joke in Turkey was that Erdogan, the sultan, would never apologize, the answer would be yes, but except to the tsar. The Turkish attack on the Russian jet occurred not quite two months after Moscow intervened militarily in Syria to back the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and carry out airstrikes against a broad swath of the secular and Islamist opposition. A rescue operation to save the pilot also ended in disaster, as a Russian marine was killed after rebels downed a rescue helicopter. At the time, Turkey claimed that the Russian pilot had flown into its territory and bombed rebel positions occupied by Turkmen rebels, whom Erdogan had backed and armed against the Assad government. It was not immediately clear whether Turkey was renouncing those claims Monday. [Downing of Russian plane shows potential for more conflict] Russia, which had maintained friendly relations with Erdogan and saw the country as a potential counterweight to Europe, reacted angrily to the incident. It intensified attacks on Turkish-backed rebels in northern Syria and imposed a series of painful sanctions on Turkish imports and labor, as well as on Russian tourism to Turkey, that have cost that country billions. The Kremlin has insisted for months on a personal apology as well as the prosecution of the alleged killer of the pilot. In another concession Monday, a regional Turkish prosecutor announced that he would prosecute Alparslan Celik, a Turkish national fighting alongside Syrian rebels, for the death of the Russian pilot. While Turkey and Russia may resume normal relations, they remain on opposing sides of the Syrian crisis, with Moscow backing Assads government and Erdogan calling for him to step down. Russia said Monday that Putin had received the apology, but no reaction was reported. Cunningham reported from Istanbul. Read more Today's coverage from Post correspondents around the world From Cosmopolitan What do you do when the phone rings and it's the president on the line? If you're Jen Psaki, you put on your big-girl pants and get to work. The White House communications director shares how she learned to speak up for herself. Don't Be Afraid to Start at the Bottom My first job in politics was working for the Iowa Democratic Party as a door knocker, going from home to home. People aren't always welcoming to strangers who show up at their door wanting to talk about politics. But it was such a good stepping stone to doing briefings and working with the press, because to handle either one, you have to do your homework and become an expert on what you're talking about. Then you welcome it when someone challenges you, because you've prepared. Get Energy From Adversity When I became a State Department spokesperson, in 2013, things were getting messy in Ukraine, so Russian reporters - some of whom work for their government - tried to discredit me. Articles had made-up lines coming out of my mouth and photos of my head on the body of a bikini model. I'm human, so it was hurtful. But a former ambassador emailed me and said, "If they're going after you, they're worried about the effectiveness of your message." Then what was going on became motivational, like I wasn't only standing up for myself but standing against this absurd sexist propaganda. I prepared even more. I wanted to crush them with knowledge! And when I was asked about it during a briefing, I said it was a badge of honor to be seen as such a threat. Get Out of Your Own Way I was pregnant when the White House chief of staff called to offer me my job. I thought, OK, he doesn't know. I'll tell him and move on with my day because that will be the end of that. But he said, "Great. We'll figure it out!" Then President Obama called and said, "Having a baby is the best thing. I need you here and don't want you not to come because you're having a baby." Still, I was leaning against it. I just thought it would be so hard. A good male friend said, "You want to be able to tell your daughter that you did this job." That stuck with me. No one else was limiting my possibilities. I was doing it to myself. Story continues Don't Buy Into Bias When I was eight months pregnant, Josh Earnest, the press secretary, and I took a meeting with a network correspondent. The correspondent only looked at and talked to Josh, who kept saying things like, "Well, Jen is the one you should deal with on this." At the end of the meeting, I said, "I hope you feel you can call me anytime." And this person says, "Well, I don't know if I'll ever see you again." There was a perception that because I was pregnant, I might not come back to work. How we play into those perceptions and let them affect us does matter. Go All In on Ideas Last June, on the day when the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage, we lit the White House in rainbow colors, and it was amazing. The idea came in part from associate communications director Jeff Tiller, who wrote a strong memo suggesting it. I brought it to the president, and we did it! When you present "crazy" ideas seriously, that's how they're treated. This article was originally published as "Go Big!" in the July 2016 issue of Cosmopolitan. From Harper's BAZAAR On June 24, 2016, British citizens woke up to a brand new world. In a stunning upset, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, becoming the first major country to voluntarily exit the EU. The final tallyroughly 52% voted to leave, 48% to remainreflected a country starkly divided by political beliefs. On social media, many young people bemoaned that their future had been determined by a older generation, given that a poll released on the same day indicated that 75% of people between the ages of 18-24 voted to remain. Here, 10 British citizens under the age of 40 explain the reasons behind their vote. Alex Hawley, 27, Trainee Solicitor. I voted Remain. The EU provides an extra tier of protection against our own government. Human rights protection has not fallen away with Brexit, but protection for us as consumers, employees, and members of various underrepresented or vulnerable groups is at risk. Guy Laurence Dunkley, 26, Salesman. I voted Remain. I am fully aware of the European Union's faults. For starters its institutions are plagued with inefficiency and accountability problems and that isn't even beginning to mention its mismanagement of the refugee crisis. Apart from the purely selfish reasons such as my pay being in pounds and my soon-to-be-born half-Dutch niece, I feel our membership was important for symbolic reasons. Britain has always faced outwards to the world and building stable relationships with our European neighbors has been our biggest diplomatic success over the last 50 years. I feel we have turned our back on our natural allies and displayed a frankly nasty, ignorant and fearful side to our national character. I fear the vote will result will result in the breakup of the UK and over 300 years of shared experience, learning and overall achievement. Anthony Boutall, 28, Director of Executive Search Company. I voted Leave. I am so glad that Britain has voted against the scaremongering and defeatism of the Remain campaign, instead choosing to re-claim democratic self control and re-energize our global vocation. Inside the EU's customs union, we have missed out on global free trade deals, waiting at the back of a queue of 27 other countries who rarely agree unanimously on the minutia of detail in those trade agreements. Outside the EU, we can make the most of our global links, language, and world-renowned services industry. Inside the EU, we have been forced to accept lawmaking from an unelected body in another country. Only now, outside the EU, will the buck stop in Downing Street and with democratically elected leaders. This is a common bond between English speaking cultures, and one that we should be ecstatic to reignite. Story continues Matt Graham, 37, Screenwriter. I voted Remain. I believe in the European Union: a group of millions of people who come from different cultures and yet still manage to co-operate with one another. Personally, I also feel European, of British extraction, part of a greater whole: the family of European nations. I don't believe that Nationalism is the answer for the UK, which is a country made up after all of four different nations itself - nations that have succeeded in co-operating with each other over the centuries. I believe in the need for co-operation in an increasingly multicultural world, where nation states are less important. I believe in the need to stamp out intolerance and racism, and most seriously of all, I believe in the need for us to co-operate in a world in which global warming and resource scarcity are the single key issues that face all mankind. The more I travel in the world, the more I learn one single lesson: that people are the same, and that its only by co-operation that we succeed in overcoming the dangers facing us. That's why I voted Remain - and even after yesterday, I Remain hopeful. Brogan Kear, 26, Office Assistant. I voted Leave. The EU and Europe are vastly different things. I adore Europe, which is precisely why I am so frustrated by what its Government is doing to it. The EU is a many-layered Governmental system, not a warm and fuzzy feeling of co-operation and love among European neighbors.We are not fighting against the concept of harmony between European nations and people- quite the opposite. We are fighting against a Parliament in which the representatives we *do* elect have no power to propose or repeal legislation. We are pushing for individual countries to be able to control their own economies. This is a positive vision of democracy and self-determination for all countries, not some spiteful act of self-isolation. It is not a protest against unity and co-operation, but a protest against the notion that "one size fits all" in terms of policy being applied to vastly different countries with vastly different economies and political climates. I believe in every country's right to govern itself. I believe that when we sell more to the EU than they sell to us.I believe that an immigration system favoring people with European passports while making it difficult for talented people from the Commonwealth and elsewhere is unfair. I believe in our ability to take any legislative ideas from the EU which are beneficial to society and apply them voluntarily, and I believe we should have the right to say "no" to laws or regulations which are restrictive or damaging to businesses and industries in this country. I believe in the successes of Norway and Switzerland, who have rejected the EU and flourished. I believe that the claims that we are leaping into the "unknown" are easily disproved by the fact that the majority of the world's countries have never been in the European Union and are managing just fine. I believe in Britain, and I believe in Europe. Neil King, 36, Criminal Barrister. I voted Leave. I did so because, the referendum having been called, if we voted to stay the EU would have seen that as a rubber stamp for further federalism and would have ignored the traditional British threat of "our people want out, so give us what we want or else" that we've been deploying for years. I also think the 20th century customs union is not a model for the 21st century. Being in the EU inhibited our ability to trade with Africa, China, India and the US. I am also concerned by unbridled Eastern European migration. It has completely transformed the nature of market towns in the East of England, as reflected by their strong out vote. Calum Fleming, 25, Writer/Actor. I voted Remain. I voted to remain in the EU because I believe that in a smaller world you have to think bigger than your borders. When I am in Glasgow, I am reminded I am from Edinburgh. When I am in England, I am resolutely Scottish. When I am in Europe, I am sure to tell people I'm British. When I am in America, I think of myself as a European. I feel that really we are all human beings, we all deserve equality and we all deserve a good chance. Sure, the UK may have a strong economic standing that attracts immigration, but this equation that immigration equals less for the current population seems to ignite in many some old imperialistic and nationalist views. In contrast, I voted to leave the UK when the Scottish referendum happened and it was for exactly this reason. I felt that rural England is drowning out the progressive views that Scotland has. Really it's like we're being held back by readers who don't know the difference between an EU migrant, a non EU migrant and a refugee. One has free travel, one has to combat a tier system, and one has to flee from wars that we started. To every Leave voter I have spoken to, they are the same- immigrants. The main reason I voted to remain is because I see a brighter future where countries all work together for the benefit of the human race, and not just for themselves. Kate Bramson, 24, Political Consultant. I voted Leave. For me, I believe that as a country we should be looking worldwide, seizing the opportunities which the world has to offer. Since the referendum was put to the public, I have questioned what our future prospects will be both in the EU and outside. The deal which Cameron had struck did not go far enough on reform and that for me was the biggest barrier to our future. Will Abberley, 31, University Lecturer. I voted Remain. This is one of the worst days of my life. For three years I've been worrying about this referendum ever since Cameron promised one and today, finally, my fears have been realized. But judging by the attitudes of many (particularly older) Brexit-voters, no one seemed to realise the national suicide this was going to be. It was like a combination of mischievous nose-thumbing at the establishment and ridiculous imperial nostalgia. Like when a semi-senile grandparent tells you no one used to lock their doors when they were young and the sun shone brightly every day, and you're just like, uh-huh, OK, grandad, whatever - except now that has actually become the official government strategy for the future. There is no plan, nothing. Boris is a complete hypocrite chancer who rode the coat-tails of this Brexit mania in the hope becoming PM. I am really, seriously worried about the future. Like, 1930s worried. Meredith Lloyd, 28, Political Researcher. I voted Leave. The reason I voted (and have campaigned for several years) for Britain to leave the European Union, is the love I have for my country, and my belief we have a role to play in the world and not just Europe. After over 40 years of membership, it is time to unshackle ourselves from a political project that has become protectionist, introspective, and unfit for purpose. The EU's vision for the future, of further and further political, social and financial integration, was increasingly at odds with British values. Outside of the E.U., British people will be free to govern themselves again, our business will be freer to trade more globally, not merely with the near continent, and Britain will be able to strengthen and forge new trade and diplomatic relations with neighbors across the world, whist maintaining the close and important ties with our friends in Europe. This is not a question of pulling up the drawbridge or isolationism, it is about broadening our horizons. The British people have rejected the nay-sayers who say we are too small to make it alone. This is a victory for courage, democracy, and freedom, and above all is a new opportunity. We have said "No and Goodbye" to the European Union, but we still say "Yes" to the countries of Europe, and now also say "Hello" to the wider world. These interviews have been edited and condensed for clarity. Aden (AFP) - A wave of suicide bombings targeting Yemeni troops killed at least 19 people Monday in the southeastern city of Mukalla, which Al-Qaeda was driven out of in April, officials said. Provincial capital "Mukalla witnessed five suicide attacks in four areas," the governor of the vast Hadramawt province, Ahmed Saeed bin Breyk, told AFP. Three simultaneous bombings hit security checkpoints in the coastal city at sunset, just as troops fasting during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan were breaking their fast, a security official said. In the first attack, a suicide bomber on a motorbike asked soldiers if he could eat with them before blowing himself up, the official said. Two other bombers approached soldiers on foot elsewhere in the city before detonating their explosive vests. Shortly afterwards, two suicide bombers launched a fourth attack and blew themselves up at the entrance of an army camp, the official said. In all, the attacks killed 17 soldiers as well as a woman and child who were passing by, he added. Mukalla remained under Al-Qaeda control for one year before pro-government troops, backed by a Saudi-led coalition, drove the jihadists out in April. But the jihadists retain a strong presence and still control several towns in the interior valley of Wadi Hadramawt. The Pentagon revealed last month that a "very small number" of US military personnel had also been deployed around Mukalla in support of the operation, led by special Saudi and Emirati forces. The US Navy has several ships nearby, including an amphibious assault vessel, the USS Boxer, and two destroyers. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, based in Yemen since 2009, and the Islamic State group have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict in Yemen to expand their presence in the south and southeast. In May, a suicide bombing claimed by IS and a second blast killed 47 police in Mukalla -- a city of 200,000 people. There has been no let-up in the longstanding US air war against Al-Qaeda's Yemen-based branch, which it regards as the jihadist network's most dangerous. Story continues US strikes have taken out a number of senior Al-Qaeda commanders in Yemen over the past year. - 'Significant threat' - The US military said this month that it had killed six Al-Qaeda fighters in three separate air strikes in central Yemen. AQAP "remains a significant threat to the region, the United States and beyond," US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement. CIA Director John Brennan told the Senate Intelligence Committee on June 16 that AQAP has several thousand "adherents and fighters" while there are also "several hundred" fighters loyal to the IS group in the war-torn country. In recent month, AQAP and IS militants have also claimed several attacks on government and coalition targets in second city Aden, where the government has its base. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi against Shiite Huthi rebels who had seized the capital Sanaa and other areas. But it later turned its firepower against jihadists impeding the government's bid to firm up its grip on southern areas recaptured from the rebels. The New York Times HOUSTON Tony Earls hung his head before a row of television cameras, staring down, his life upended. Days before, Earls had pulled out his handgun and opened fire, hoping to strike a man who had just robbed him and his wife at an ATM in Houston. Instead, he struck Arlene Alvarez, a 9-year-old girl seated in a passing pickup, killing her. Is Mr. Earls licensed to carry? a reporter asked during the February news conference, in which his lawyer spoke for him. Sign up for The Morning newsletter Buenos Aires Zoo - Sandra Zoos are a polarizing topic: They let you get close to wild animals, but they also confine animals into small and artificial environments. Last week, Horacio Rodriguez, mayor of Bueno Aires, announced that the city will be shutting down its 140-year-old zoo due to a series of ongoing difficulties. In 2012, a polar bear, named Winner, died at the zoo over the Christmas season from heat exposure and poor enclosure conditions. Winner was only supposed to be at the zoo as a featured attraction from another facility. Sandra, an orangutan, was another problem. In 2014, an Argentina court ruled that Sandra had thoughts, feelings, and some basic rights and found that she was being subjected to unjust confinement at the zoo. However, despite the ruling, Sandra was never actually moved. The mistreatment of Winner and Sandra weren't isolated cases. Two sea lions died at the zoo in 2015 after being forced to perform 15 consecutive shows. In the past few years, other zoo animals including kangaroos, camels, reptiles, hyenas, and pumas have also died. Now, the zoo is opting to move 2,500 of its animals to other parks in order to protect them. However, about 50 animals, including Sandra, will have to remain where they are. Zookeepers worry that moving them to new homes will put undue strain on them due to their age and health. Following the move of most of its animals, the Buenos Aires zoo will be revamped and converted into an ecological park. The new park will be a place where children can learn how to take care of and relate with the different species, Mayor Rodriguez told The Guardian. What we have to value is the animals. The way they live here is definitely not the way to do that. The zoo had recently experienced a decrease in visitors and revenue, resulting in the poor maintenance of its enclosures. Animals suffered as a result, and workers complained about the string of preventable animal deaths that occurred. Rodriguez described this as degrading for the animals, its not the way to take care of them. Story continues Public outcry against zoos has been growing since a Copenhagen zoo killed a giraffe in 2014. The following year, Costa Rica tried to close down its zoos, but the attempt failed after the motion lost in court. Now, after the recent Harambe incident in Cincinnati, zoos and their treatment of animals are once again in the spotlight. For many animal activists, Buenos Aires is seen as a step in the right direction, one that they hope will lead to other positive steps in the future. NOW WATCH: This 3-minute animation will change your perception of time More From Business Insider Kuala Lumpur (AFP) - Giant video screens lining Malaysia's ruling-party headquarters flash towering, 40-storey images of a smiling Prime Minister Najib Razak across a corner of the capital, a glaring reminder of who's in charge. One year after a financial scandal that would have toppled many leaders, Najib is standing taller than ever after smothering investigations, outmanoeuvering opponents, and bolstering his control with a pair of recent election wins. But the political survival steps he has taken -- which include assuming tough new powers and flirting with an Islamist party -- are stoking fears for multi-ethnic Malaysia's already fragile democracy and sectarian relations. "He called himself a reformist, but has changed into an aspiring dictator," said Ambiga Sreenevasan, a prominent lawyer and reform advocate. "What changed him, clearly, is 1MDB." Last July 2, the Wall Street Journal reported that Najib received a mysterious $681 million payment, which capped months of allegations that billions were diverted from 1MDB (1Malaysia Development Berhad), an investment fund Najib founded. Other revelations followed, including reports that Najib's film-producer stepson used 1MDB-related funds to bankroll the Hollywood greedfest "The Wolf of Wall Street", and for millions in luxury purchases. Swiss authorities say more than $4 billion may have been stolen. Najib and 1MDB deny wrongdoing. But Najib has purged ruling-party critics, curbed investigations, and cracked down on media reporting of the affair. With former opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim jailed since February 2015 on politically-tinged sodomy charges, Najib now towers over the country. "Najib's critics failed to comprehend his resolve at staying in power and the lengths he is prepare to go to," said Ibrahim Suffian, head of Merdeka Center, an independent polling firm. - 'Lurch toward dictatorship' - The government recently pushed through a new law allowing a Najib-led council to suspend basic liberties if security is deemed threatened, which the opposition called a "lurch toward dictatorship." Story continues Other proposals would tighten Internet controls and limit other legal protections. "Any remnants of checks and balances are being dismantled by the PM" due to 1MDB, said Eric Paulsen, head of the legal-advocacy group Lawyers for Liberty. Yet Najib's electoral fortunes have never looked better as general elections loom by mid-2018, aided by disarray in the once-formidable opposition following Anwar's jailing. Najib's United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) has governed since independence in 1957 on a platform of rapid economic growth and special rights for Muslim ethnic Malays, Malaysia's majority group. Aided by its deep pockets and loyal Malay support, UMNO's Barisan Nasional (National Front) ruling coalition notched landslide wins in a May state election and two June parliamentary by-elections that exposed the limits of 1MDB outrage. "Najib's standing among Malaysians has gradually improved over the past six months as voter anger over 1MDB and (an unpopular consumption tax) dissipate," said Suffian, adding that bread-and-butter economic issues matter more. Najib denies abusing power and recently dismissed the graft allegations as "unprecedented politically-motivated slander" by 90-year-old former premier Mahathir Mohamad, who has led calls for Najib's removal. Najib's office did not respond to a request for comment. But Barisan Nasional's strategy director Abdul Rahman Dahlan dismissed the allegations of 1MDB-spurred repression as "absolute rubbish." "The opposition's problem is they are unable to convince voters they are a viable alternative," he told AFP. "When (voters) go to the polls, it is not just about 1MDB." - Getting away with it - In the scandal's wake, UMNO also has intensified a dalliance with the country's conservative Muslim party, refusing to denounce its proposal for harsh sharia law in a northern state. The sharia bid has scant hope of succeeding, and analysts said UMNO is merely playing politics to solidify Muslim support and distract from 1MDB. But the Islamist tilt has unsettled many who view Malaysia's treasured religious moderation as under threat. "I'm very worried," said Bob Broadfoot, head of Hong Kong-based Political and Economic Risk Consultancy. "(Najib) is changing UMNO in ways that I fear could make it more Islamic and weaken the governments support among non-Malays. This is going to strain racial relations much more." Fringe Muslim elements disgusted by 1MDB may also abandon political parties and turn to extremism, he said. A half-dozen countries including the United States have launched 1MDB-related probes, but few believe big fish will be caught, citing the carefully constructed complexity of 1MDB fund flows. Najib "will get away with it," said Broadfoot. But he said the allegations of fraud and embezzlement involving state-linked entities may make foreign investors think twice, at a time when Malaysia needs investment to buffer global economic headwinds. "That's going to cost Malaysia," Broadfoot said. Related Kuwait upholds death sentence for mosque blast ringleader Kuwait's ruler warned on Monday against the abuse of social media to stoke sectarian tensions in the small Gulf Arab country, which has a mixed Sunni and Shia Muslim population. "What we are living through and seeing is the misuse of social media tools ... to spread enmity and hatred," Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah said in a message published by state news agency KUNA to mark the last 10 days of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. A suicide bombing by Sunni extremist group Islamic State at a Shia mosque last June killed 27 worshippers and jolted the usually quiet kingdom, caught between the sectarian-tinged rivalry of its massive neighbours Iran and Saudi Arabia. "My brothers and my children, we remember with grief the terrorist bombing at the Imam al-Sadiq mosque ... the goal of its planning and execution in their satanic way was to ignite strife, division and prejudice among members of Kuwaiti society," the emir added, in rare remarks on sectarianism. Historically, relations between Kuwait's Sunnis, who make up between 70 and 85 percent of the country's 1.4 million citizens, and its minority Shia community have been mostly amicable. Shia hold important positions in business, government and parliament. Search Keywords: Short link: Though initially EDC Las Vegas was believed to have taken place without any reported deaths, FOX5 reports that a 20 year-old woman died after collapsing the Monday morning (June 20) following the event. According to Dane Kaimuloa, the woman's father, she started to experience seizures early Monday morning while waiting for transportation. He said traffic on the Las Vegas Motor Speedway prevented an ambulance from getting to her promptly. Her body temperature was close to 110 degrees by the time emergency assistance got to the scene. Coroner Identifies Man Who Died at EDC Las Vegas 2015 Kaimuloa, a veteran, traveled to Las Vegas from San Diego to find his daughter on life support. "When I walked in, I looked at the tube coming out," he told FOX5. "I've seen death in Iraq. This brought it back." His daughter was officially declared deceased on Wednesday night. Her family asked the station not to use her name. "You read it in the paper that everything went well and there were no deaths, but it's not true," family friend Joseph Perez told FOX5. Insomniac Events, which puts on EDC, issued a statement about the incident. "Our sincerest thoughts and condolences go to the family and friends of the guest who passed away after attending the festival. While the cause of this tragedy has not yet been determined, we ask everyone to keep her loved ones in their prayers during this time of grieving." Billboard reached out to Insomniac for additional comment but had not heard back at time of publication. When 20-year-old Brock Turner, a former Stanford University student, was sentenced to six months in county jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman in California, many saw the punishment as too lenient and the case sparked conversations about sexual ass au lt. [Read about how high schools and middle schools are failing victims of sexual assault.] Last year, California approved legislation that would make it the first state in the country to require many high schoolers to learn about sexual consent, The Associated Press reported. A handful of states have considered similar legislation recently, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Some teens already learn about sexual consent in high school, or will soon. Students in Virginia's Fairfax County Public Schools are set to learn about consent starting in the fall, the Washington Post recently reported. Parents of teens wondering what and if their child will learn about sexual consent in high school can consult the following questions. 1. Will my teen learn about consent during sex education? Policies regarding health and sex education vary from state to state and sometimes even district to district, says Terri Wright, an expert on school, health and education with the American Public Health Association. Some states don't require public schools to teach sex education and others may only teach abstinence, she says. Some states follow national guidelines for health education, which cover consent , Wright says. But when the topic of sexual consent is taught in public schools, abstinence is generally always taught first, she says. And sex education is typically taught within the context of overall health and well-being. Melanie Lynch, a health education teacher at State College Area High School in Pennsylvania, says she teaches her students about consent, along with abstinence. But she thinks sexual consent is not taught nearly enough and that some teachers don't feel comfortable teaching it. Story continues 2. How do students learn about sexual consent in high school? When teaching students about consent, usually health education teachers first teach students about abstinence and saying, "No," effectively, says Wright, because teachers don't want teens to think that they have to engage in sexual activity. Then, educators typically will teach students what it means to give consent to sex, the precautions necessary to take when having sex, potential consequences of sex and the overall responsibilities that come with having sex all in the context of personal and family values, she says. Lynch, who was also honored as the 2016 National Health Education Teacher of the Year by the Society of Health and Physical Educators, uses a lighthearted video about sexual consent, discussion and a case study on the recent conviction of two teens from Steubenville, Ohio, who raped a 16-year-old girl, to cover the topic. She explains to her students that they have to receive consent to engage in sexual activity -- just because someone doesn't explicitly say, "No," to sexual activity, doesn't mean they've said, "Yes." [Find out how teen sexual assaults highlight need for prevention programs.] 3. Are sexual consent lessons effective? Lynch says these lessons, like anything in sex education, are effective when done correctly. Lessons should follow recognized guidelines, there should be ground rules and teachers and students should be respectful of one another, as it's a sensitive topic. Her lessons are primarily skills-based. It's not just about teaching students what consent means -- but how to enact it as well, she says. She helps her students develop decision-making, goal-setting, communication, self-management and refusal skills , among others. "Sometimes people aren't able to say, 'No,' but they don't want to say, 'Yes,'" she says. She works on teaching refusal skills in her classroom and teaches students about self-respect. "That you deserve to be heard and your wishes need to be carried out at all times." Have something of interest to share? Send your news to us at highschoolnotes@usnews.com. Alexandra Pannoni is an education Web producer at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at apannoni@usnews.com. Aden (AFP) - Three bombings hit army checkpoints on Monday in Yemen's coastal city of Mukalla, which Al-Qaeda was driven out of in April, a security official told AFP. At least one of the simultaneous bombings on the former Al-Qaeda stronghold was carried out by a suicide attacker, the source said, adding that there were "casualties". Many investors like to look for value in stocks, but this can be very tough to define. There is great debate regarding which metrics are the best to focus on in this regard, and which are not really quality indicators of future performance. Fortunately, with our new style score system we have identified the key statistics to pay close attention to and thus which stocks might be the best for value investors in the near term. This method discovered several great candidates for value-oriented investors, but today lets focus on Air France-KLM SA AFLYY as this stock is looking especially impressive right now. And while there are numerous reasons why this is the case, we have highlighted three of the most vital reasons for AFLYYs status as a solid value stock below: Price to Forward Sales for Air France-KLM One of the most underrated ratios for value investors is the price/forward sales metric. This ratio shows investors how much they are paying for each dollar of revenues generated. In other words, a lower number is better here while a price to sales ratio of 1 means that you are paying one dollar for each dollar in sales. With a P/S ratio of 0.07, AFLYY investors are paying 7 cents in stock price for each dollar of revenue generated by the company. Compare this to the industry average of 0.54, and it is safe to say that AFLLY is undervalued compared to many of its peers on this important metric. Forward PE for Air France-KLM Easily one of the most popular readings for value investors, the forward PE ratio shows us the current price of a stock divided by the full year earnings. Generally speaking, value investors like to see this ratio below 20, though it can vary by industry. Right now, AFLYY has a forward PE of just 2.86, which means that investors are paying $2.86 for each dollar in expected Air France-KLM earnings this year. Compared to the industry at large this is pretty favorable as the overall space has an average PE of 7.43 in comparison. Story continues AIR FRANCE-ADR PE Ratio (TTM) AIR FRANCE-ADR PE Ratio (TTM) | AIR FRANCE-ADR Quote AFLYY Earnings Estimate Revisions Moving in the Right Direction The solid value ratios outlined in the preceding paragraphs might be enough for some investors, but we should also note that the earnings estimate revisions have been trending in a positive direction as well. Analysts who follow AFLYY stock have been raising their estimates for the company lately, meaning that the EPS picture is looking a bit more favorably for Air France-KLM now. Over the past 60 days, 2 earnings estimates have gone higher compared to no downward revisions for the full year, while we are also seeing 1 upward revision with no downward revisions for the next year time frame too. These revisions have helped to boost the consensus estimate as 60 days ago AFLYY was expected to post earnings of $2.21 per share for the full year though today it looks to have EPS of $2.29 for the full year. Bottom Line For the reasons detailed above, investors shouldnt be surprised to read that we have AFLYY as a stock with a Value Score of A and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). So if you are a value investor, definitely keep AFLYY on your short list as this looks be a stock that is very well-positioned for gains in the near term. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report AIR FRANCE-ADR (AFLYY): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research As the world tries to make sense of the U.K.'s historic vote, three sectors could be especially hard hit. First, there's the automotive industry. Last year, nearly 1.6 million cars were made in the U.K., with 77 percent being exported. Nearly 58 percent of exported autos went to European Union countries. On Friday, Rolls-Royce (RR.-GB)'s U.S.-listed shares fell 7.3 percent. Then there's the airlines business, which might have to deal with new European routes, as well as higher taxes. U.K.-listed shares of British airline EasyJet (EZJ-GB) fell more than 20 percent in the premarket Monday after raising concerns about its third-quarter results, partially citing the Brexit vote. Lastly, there's the pharmaceutical industry. Pharma giants like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK-GB) and AstraZeneca (AZN-GB) do a large part of their business overseas and could face significant headwinds because of Brexit. U.S.-listed shares of GlaxoSmithKline were down 2 percent in the premarket; AstraZeneca was up slightly. After a czar witnessed Baccarats work at an 1860s worlds fair, orders for crystal started streaming into the company from the Russian Court at a rate that required 1,000 workers to keep up with them. The worlds largest chandelier is a Baccarat masterpiece hanging in Istanbuls gilded Dolmabahce Palace. And in Japan, patrons of B Bar can order drinks served in Baccarat crystal glasses, to experience drinking from the exquisite vessels. To pay proper tribute to its 250-year history, Baccarat has created the 12-night, $300,000 Baccarat Heritage Experience, which takes participants to France, Istanbul, Russia, and four other destinations for the ultimate crystal cruise. Private jets transport guests between cities to witness the crystal brand come to life. The journey begins in the best suite at Baccarat Hotel & Residences, New York, where guests are invited to afternoon tea in the grand salon surrounded by Baccarat finery. The next night, following an after-hours visit to Baccarats flagship boutique on Madison Avenue, chef Shea Gallante of the hotels restaurant Chevalier will personally cook for the travelers. With stops in Paris; Moscow; Tokyo; Lorraine, France; Istanbul; and Seoul, South Korea, guests will enjoy private tours, special meals, and showings of the most-spectacular crystal creations. Baccarat Maison Seoul, the journeys final destination, opened in 2015 with the worlds largest collection of Baccarat chandeliers. (baccarathotels.com) More From Robbreport.com Aston Martin and Red Bull Racing Fast-Track a Hybrid Hypercar [BREAKING NEWS] Robb Report to Host Second Annual Health & Wellness Summit at the Montage Deer Valley This Exclusive Retreat in Sri Lanka Is One of the Worlds Best Villa Rentals Eco-Friendly Sky Ya Yacht Concept Is Equipped with an Outdoor Garden Take a Once-in-a-Lifetime Journey around the World Aboard a Private Jet This $57,000 All-in-One Headphone System Is an Audiophile Work of Art [VIDEO] Aden (AFP) - A wave of suicide bombings targeting Yemeni troops killed at least 42 people Monday in the southeastern city of Mukalla, officials said, in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group. The capital of Hadramawt province, Mukalla had been under the control of Al-Qaeda for one year until pro-government troops backed by a Saudi-led coalition recaptured the city in April. But IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying in a statement that eight of its suicide bombers killed 50 members of Yemen's security forces, according to US-based monitor SITE Intelligence Group. The governor of the vast province, Ahmed Saeed bin Breyk, told AFP previously that Mukalla had "witnessed five suicide attacks in four areas". Three simultaneous bombings hit security checkpoints in the coastal city at sunset, just as troops fasting during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan were breaking their fast, a security official said. In the first attack, a suicide bomber on a motorbike asked soldiers if he could eat with them before blowing himself up, the official said. Two other bombers approached soldiers on foot elsewhere in the city before detonating their explosives. Shortly afterwards, two suicide bombers launched a fourth attack and blew themselves up at the entrance of an army camp, the official said. In all, the attacks killed 40 soldiers as well as a woman and child who were passing by and wounded 37 other people, said Hadramawt's health chief Riad al-Jalili. Al-Qaeda retains a strong presence in Mukalla, and the jihadists still control several towns in the interior valley of Wadi Hadramawt. Last month, the Pentagon said a "very small number" of US military personnel had been deployed around Mukalla in support of pro-government forces. The US Navy has several ships nearby, including an amphibious assault vessel, the USS Boxer, and two destroyers. - 'Significant threat' - Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, has been based in Yemen since 2009. Story continues Both it and the IS group have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict in the impoverished country to expand their presence in the south and southeast. In May, a suicide bombing claimed by IS and a second blast killed 47 police in Mukalla -- a city of 200,000 people. There has been no let-up in the longstanding US air war against AQAP, which it regards as the jihadist network's most dangerous. US strikes have taken out a number of senior Al-Qaeda commanders in Yemen over the past year. The US military said this month that it had killed six Al-Qaeda fighters in three separate strikes in central Yemen. AQAP "remains a significant threat to the region, the United States and beyond," said US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East. On June 16, CIA director John Brennan told the Senate Intelligence Committee AQAP had several thousand "adherents and fighters" while there are also "several hundred" fighters loyal to the IS group in the war-torn country. In recent months, AQAP and IS militants have also claimed several attacks on government and coalition targets in second city Aden, where the government has its base. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi against Shiite Huthi rebels who had seized the capital Sanaa and other areas. But it later turned its firepower against jihadists impeding the government's bid to firm up its grip on southern areas recaptured from the rebels. A new wave of suicide bombings struck a Lebanese village near the border with war-ravaged Syria Monday hours after pre-dawn attacks killed at least five people, a security source said. In the latest violence, three suicide bombers riding motorcycles blew themselves up in the centre of the predominantly Christian village of Al-Qaa in eastern Lebanon, the source told AFP. One struck in front of a church and the two others in front of the municipality building. Search Keywords: Short link: A city in Japan has announced that it will pay a large part of the cost of egg freezing for women who live there, as part of a program aimed at raising the country's low birth rate. Egg freezing is the process of extracting egg cells from a woman's ovaries and storing them for later use. Urayasu, a city near Tokyo, will provide the currency equivalent of $850,000 over a three-year period to fund a research project on egg freezing, according to the Associated Press. Women who take part in the program would pay just 20 percent of the total cost of freezing their eggs, or about $960 to $1,150. The total cost of the procedure in Japan is around $4,800 to $5,760. (In the United States, the price of egg freezing can range from $5,000 to more than $15,000, not including the cost of the required medications.) So far, about 12 women have started the egg-freezing process as part of the Urayasu program. The city wants to help turn around Japan's falling birth rate, which is currently at 1.4 births per woman, according to the World Bank one of the lowest worldwide. (The birth rate in the United States is 1.9 births per woman, according to the World Bank.) [Conception Misconceptions: 7 Fertility Myths Debunked] Egg freezing is viewed as a way to improve women's chances of conceiving at older ages. But the procedure is far from a perfect fix. Here are five surprising facts about egg freezing. Egg freezing is not recommended as a way for women to delay having children. Despite a growing interest in egg freezing, the procedure is still not a recommended way for women to postpone having children, at least not in the United States. In 2012, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) said there is not enough data to recommend that women freeze their eggs for the sole purpose of delaying childbearing. That's because studies are lacking "to support the safety, efficacy, ethics, emotional risks and cost-effectiveness" of egg freezing for this purpose, the ASRM said. Story continues Still, the ASRM does recommend egg freezing for several other groups of people, including women who, for example, have cancer, and may lose their fertility during chemotherapy. Very few women who freeze their eggs actually use them. Fertility centers have reported that the percentage of women who freeze their eggs and then come back to use them is relatively low. In a recent study, researchers at a fertility clinic in Santa Monica, California, found that, from 2007 to 2012, 232 women froze their eggs at the clinic to delay childbearing, but 95 percent of these women still had not used their eggs by 2015. In a survey of 49 of these women, 16 percent said they were able to have children by other means, 30 percent said they were still not ready to have children and 53 percent said they hadn't used the eggs yet because they were still single. Pregnancy is still not a guarantee with egg freezing. Many women who freeze their eggs say they think of the procedure as an "insurance policy" in case they aren't able to become pregnant at older ages. But freezing eggs does not guarantee pregnancy success. Studies conducted in Europe on frozen eggs from donors under age 30 found that women's pregnancy rates ranged from 36 to 61 percent. The chances of pregnancy depend, in part, on how old women are when they freeze their eggs, and the number of eggs they freeze. An online fertility calculator developed by researchers at New York Medical College and the University of California, Davis estimates that a woman who freezes 15 eggs at age 30 has about a 30 percent chance of giving birth to a child if she uses these eggs. And a woman who freezes 25 eggs at age 30 has about a 40 percent chance of giving birth to a child, the calculator estimates. Egg freezing works best if it's done at younger ages. The chances of pregnancy are greater if a woman uses "younger" eggs meaning eggs she froze in her 20s or early 30s, rather than later on, Dr. Wendy Vitek, a fertility expert at the University of Rochester Medical Center, told Live Science in an interview in June 2014. Studies tend to find that pregnancy rates for women who freeze their eggs after age 38 are significantly lower than for those who freeze their eggs at younger ages, according to ASRM. One study from Italy found that pregnancy rates for women who had their eggs frozen after age 38 was about 10 percent. Babies born from frozen eggs are still not that common. It's not clear exactly how many babies have been born from frozen eggs, but by some estimates, it's in the low thousands. The procedure was first used in 1986. According to the USC Fertility Center, part of the Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, about 5,000 babies have been born from frozen eggs worldwide. Original article on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. On Sunday, Grey's Anatomy star Jesse Williams was awarded the Humanitarian Award and delivered a powerful speech at the 2016 BET Awards. The actor-activist spoke out about racial issues, social justice and even cultural appropriation in the applaud-inducing speech the address prompted a Twitter debate and even landed Justin Timberlake in the hot seat after he tweeted about the speech. "Freedom is somehow always conditional here," he said. " 'You're free,' they keep telling us a freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but, you know what, though? The hereafter is a hustle. We want it now." Even though he is one of the biggest stars on Grey's Anatomy (he plays Dr. Jackson Avery) Williams tends to stay out of the spotlight and keep his personal life private except when it comes to social justice. The moving address was just a small extension of Williams' activism, as he has long been an active member of the Black Lives Matter movement. Here are five things you need to know about the Chicago native and his fight for equal rights. 1. He Serves on the board of directors for a civil rights organization alongside Harry Belafonte. Williams works alongside veteran civil rights lawyers and activists in The Advancement Project, a "multi-racial civil rights organization" founded in 1999, according to the project's website. "Advancement Project was created to develop and inspire community-based solutions baaed on the same high quality analysis and public education campaigns that produced the landmark civil rights victories of earlier eras," the website states. Campaigns under the project include the Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track program and the I Dream a School campaign, which works for reform in the nation's public education system. 2. He created Ebrojis! Along with his wife, Aryn Drake-Lee Williams, Williams created the Ebroji app and unveiled the program earlier this year. The couple bills the app as the "first curated GIF keyboard designed specifically to enhance the way we already communicate." The Ebrojis, available on iTune's app store, are GIFs that users can copy and paste in a text message. The GIFs include many images made popular by African-American culture. "Ebroji is like going from black & white to color! It immediately adds movement, tone and next level laughs to everyday messaging!" according to the app's description. Story continues 3. He executive-produced a documentary about the Black Lives Matter movement. Williams, 34, worked alongside Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Laurens Grant on the BET original documentary Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement. The film "chronicles the evolution of the Black Lives Matter movement through the first-person accounts of local activists, protesters, scholars, journalists and celebrities," according to BET. He also appeared in the documentary, which premiered in May on BET. 4. He marched in Ferguson October. Williams was among thousands who took to the streets of Ferguson, Missouri, in October 2014 to protest the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed Black man who was killed by a police officer. He took part in rallies and marches during the period known as Ferguson October in which marchers sang, chanted and prayed. this is a two way street. Ferguson, MO Oct 11, 2014 A photo posted by Jesse Williams (@ijessewilliams) on Oct 12, 2014 at 11:14am PDT "This is a two way street. Ferguson, MO Oct 11, 2014," he captioned an Instagram photo of himself hugging an emotional protester. And then this happened!! Jesse L. Williams at the protest at the Ferguson PD. #FergusonOctober #JusticeforMikeBrown A photo posted by Nia Eshu (@femmetellectual) on Oct 11, 2014 at 10:00pm PDT En route to #FergusonOctober #WeekendofResistance A photo posted by Jesse Williams (@ijessewilliams) on Oct 11, 2014 at 7:30am PDT 5. He founded a production company. Williams and his wife co-founded farWord Inc., a production company focused on education, literature, transmedia, television and film, according to the company's Twitter account. Under the company, Williams executive-produces Question Bridge: Black Males, an art project aimed at addressing and redefining Black male identity in America. According to the project's website: "Question Bridge is an innovative transmedia project that facilitates a dialogue between a critical mass of black men from diverse and contending backgrounds and creates a platform for them to represent and redefine black male identity in America." 50 Cent 50 Cent was reportedly arrested on Saturday for swearing onstage during a concert in St. Kitts, a Caribbean nation that strictly prohibits the use of profanity in public. During a performance of his song "P.I.M.P.," which has been the matter of much legal action lately, 50 Cent uttered the word "motherf-----" to an audience of 40,000 people and was subsequently arrested, TMZ reports. 50 Cent, whose real name is Curtis Jackson, was reportedly warned not to swear by St. Kitts officials, but according to TMZ the concert DJ didn't have a clean version of his set, and Jackson failed to move the mic away from his mouth when the word came up in the rapper's 2003 song. #50cent #PIMP #stkitts #stkittsmusicvestifle A video posted by Samantha Stowe (@yayysamm) on Jun 26, 2016 at 12:17am PDT on Jun 26, 2016 at 12:17am PDT According to Billboard, Jackson was booked after the performance and then appeared in court on Sunday to pay a fine and settle the charge. "Mr. Jackson was only booked to host the show, a representative for Jackson told Billboard. "When he arrived at the festival organizers asked him to perform, he obliged and used the DJ they had there. Unfortunately, they didn't have the clean version to his tracks, so there were profanities used during his performance. The show was a great success and he will make sure for future trips to St. Kitts that he leaves the 'motherf-----s' in the United States." NOW WATCH: 4 things you might have missed on this weeks Game of Thrones More From Business Insider Todd Taylor's nickname for his 7-year-old daughter Morgan was "Princess," but one day she told him he couldn't call her that anymore. Morgan told Today that she explained to her father, "I love it when you call me a princess but I know I am not really a real one ... Real princesses were vanilla and I can't really be a princess." Almost all of the princesses in movies and books Morgan had seen were white. "I received the biggest wake-up call," Taylor told Today. So he and his daughter researched women leaders of color and found that, actually, there are a lot of stories of black and brown princesses. Morgan and her dad decided to write a book together, so other kids could learn about inspirational princesses of color, like Princess Elizabeth of Toro, who was the Ugandan ambassador to the United States, and King Peggy of Ghana, a woman chief in Ghana. Their book, Daddy's Little Princess, is out now, and Morgan and her dad say the response has been overwhelmingly positive, and Morgan is just happy to be spreading stories of positive role models to other little girls of color. "Every little girl should believe she's a princess," the now 7-year-old told local outlet WFMY. Discoverys Shark Week continues tonight with the premiere of three new specials: At 8 p.m., its Shallow Water Invasion, which looks at great whites moving into shallow at night at Mexicos Guadalupe Island. At 9 p.m., its Jaws of the Deep, which finds marine biologist Greg Skomal and the REMUS SharkCam team deploying a new AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) at Guadalupe Island to capture footage of great whites gliding and possibly napping. And at 10 p.m., Dr. Craig OConnell returns to do more testing on his Sharksafe Barrier in Sharks Among Us. Related: Shark Week: A Dangerous Dive at Tiger Beach and Uncharted Territories in Isle of Jaws The sneak peek above from Jaws of the Deep reveals a Shark Week first: a great white stops moving its tale while it descends. Scientists have been theorizing that sharks in general will glide when they dive deep, but no one has ever seen it before, Skomak tells Yahoo TV. We had indirect observations from accelerometers that scientists have put on sharks, which kind of give you a sense of how the animals are moving. The beauty of SharkCam is that it provides direct observations. Here, we had confirmation that what we suspected was true. Thats pretty exciting! Another first: SharkCam 2 also trails a shark as it appears to rest. Of course, we cant confirm what its really doing. We cant get into the head of the white shark. But people have hypothesized about whether sharks sleep, Skomal says. Many shark species have to swim in order to breath. Here, we have first observations of what might actually be resting behavior a shark orienting into the current, opening its mouth so that more water goes into its mouth, over its gills, and it can just idle along and shut probably part of its body down, parts of its brain down, and really rest. Youve got an animal that expends a tremendous amount of energy throughout the day hunting. At some point, its got to get tired. Story continues Of course, there is one familiar shot in the special: the SharkCam engineers getting nervous when their expensive instruments get attacked or, worse, stuck under a ledge. I have to admit when things start to go awry, to see their passion erupt in anxiety its great, because it indicates their commitment to what their doing, their excitement. I also find it somewhat humorous, which is the twisted side of me, of course, Skomal says, laughing. Marine engineers are fantastic people. Theyve provided this technology to us to study these animals. It does produce amazing, high quality, incredible footage that entertains the masses. My goal, ultimately, is also to educate [people] as well, and to bring them in the fold and inspire within them the respect for these animals that I have, so that ultimately, they want to protect them as much as I do. Related: Shark Week: Inside Reunion Islands Shark-Infested Waters And The Potential Of The Sharksafe Barrier Protection for both sharks and humans is also the mission for Dr. Craig OConnell. Shark Week fans will remember him from last years Shark Island special, which investigated why bull sharks are drawn to Reunion Island in the Indian Ocean and whether OConnells Sharksafe Barrier could ever be an option to nets that often drown sharks and other marine wildlife. His Sharksafe Barrier looks like a dense (artificial) kelp forest, which sharks tend to avoid, and uses magnets, which repel them. While testing the barrier on bull sharks in the Bahamas, OConnell found inspiration in two shark attack survivors: Hunter Treschl, a teen who lost an arm to a bull shark last summer in North Carolina, and Paul de Gelder, an ex-special forces diver who lost part of an arm and a leg to a bull shark during a counterterrorism exercise in Sydney Harbor in 2009. Paul is a Shark Week vet, but this was Hunters first time back in the ocean since his attack. I told Hunter, Hunter, you dont have to go in if you dont want to. Its okay. You can watch from the surface, or you dont even have to watch. Just you being here means a lot, OConnell says. He was like, No, I want to go in. He was ready to do it. I can remember a moment where I was in the cage talking to them over the com, and I said, Guys, I dont even care if my experiment works right now, this is one of the best dives of my life, just because youre in here with me. It meant a lot, because they are both facing their fears to help me with my work. It was a really special moment, and it was, by far, one of my most favorite dives in my life. As you see in the clip above, OConnell also tests the barrier at night in the Bahamas. Cameraman Mark Rackley after seeing the bull sharks repeatedly turn away swims from the safety of a cage to inside the barrier for the first time. I was in the cage watching this. I just got really excited, because Ive worked on this particular project for 10 years, and when you begin to see other people believe in it, its a really good moment, OConnell says. What I can tell you is that the moment where he swam from the cage to the barrier was one of the scariest moments I have ever been a part of. The reason being is that these bull sharks were swimming quite fast around the cage. They were making the water really murky. At one point, all you could see is the dorsal fins pass by the cage. You couldnt even see their body. That was the moment that Mark decided to swim across. I held my breath the entire time, but hes one of the best out there. He knows exactly what hes doing, and everything worked out. As OConnell continues his research, it takes him to Guadalupe Island, where he and cameraman Andy Casagrande dive inside what OConnell calls the square of death to test the barrier with large great whites. "The problem that was troubling me consistently for about three months prior to doing that is the fact that I was working in 300 feet of water, when normally I work in about 20 feet, OConnell says. I had to figure out a way to make my barrier float, and I had to figure out a way to make a false bottom on the barrier, so that the sharks couldnt come up from underneath. Thats your white shark behavior; theyre ambush predators. My best solution was to buy metal chicken mesh, and magnetize that in hopes that it would stop a two-ton great white shark that would be accelerating from the deep at me. The entire time that I was in there, I kept looking straight down below me, waiting for a shark to accelerate. We did have one of those moments, but the shark got close enough it saw the barrier and, it turned away. OConnell, who usually dives with hammerheads, is visibly shaken at times. Why was it important for him to be inside the barrier alongside Casagrande? Its an important moment for my work, because you cant just build the technology, say it works, and deploy it at a beach, and hope it protects people. You have to test it, and if youre going to test it, you may as well test it on yourself. I believe in the technology enough that I was very, very confident that it was going to work, OConnell says. This shows it does work, and were ready for the next step, which would be a beach deployment. As of now, the Sharksafe Barrier is deployed in South Africas Shark Alley, where trials are wrapping. One of the challenges that we had to overcome was the fact that we need this barrier to withstand very big waves. A lot of these other technologies that are currently being deployed, they cant withstand these waves, OConnell says. We worked with a bunch of engineers to tackle this problem, and we have tackled it. We have a system. Now, we need a beach. Were almost there. Shallow Water Invasion airs June 27 at 8 p.m., followed by Jaws of the Deep at 9 p.m. and Sharks Among Us at 10 p.m., on Discovery. From Cosmopolitan The Supreme Court's decision in Fisher v. The University of Texas brings an eight-year temper tantrum to an end. In 2008, the plaintiff, Abigail Fisher, a disgruntled prospective college student supported by a conservative advocacy group, Project on Fair Representation, challenged the admissions process at Texas's flagship state school, UT-Austin, when she failed to earn a seat in their prestigious freshmen class. The university's policy was to grant automatic admission to students who graduate in roughly the top 10 percent of their high school classes, which accounts for about 75 percent of admissions. The other 25 percent is made up of students evaluated on a "holistic review" of variety of factors, including race. Fisher, a white woman, did not qualify for the Top Ten Percent program, so she hoped to secure spot in the other group. When she didn't get one, she blamed the school's practice of affirmative action - and sued the school. In a somewhat surprising 43 ruling, the Supreme Court rejected Fisher's challenge to this admissions policy. Previous rulings have upheld bans on affirmative action, and Justice Kennedy, who wrote the majority opinion in this case, had expressed concern about the university's plan. By ruling this week that officials at universities can consider race - albeit in a limited way - when admitting students, the Supreme Court has dealt a serious, though far from fatal, blow to the argument that affirmative action is "reverse racism" that undermines true racial equality. The ruling also exposes the longing for the racial hierarchies of yesteryear at the heart of so many of our current social conflicts, both here and abroad. For while it is heartening that the Fisher case was shot down, this ruling is just one battle in the war and backlash against civil rights gains for marginalized people. It's worth noting that, despite Fisher's contention that she was denied admission because the school factored race into its decision, she was actually a high school student with a decent GPA but mediocre test scores (1180 out of 1600 on her SAT). It's also worth noting that of the 47 students with lower grades and test scores than Fisher who were admitted to UT, 42 of the students were white. Abigail Fisher, along with the right-wing race baiters who funded her legal proceedings, had beef with the five students of color with lower grades and test scores who got into UT. Race, according to the Supreme Court, is only a "factor of a factor of a factor" in considering applications - in addition to grades and test scores, admissions officers look at essays, leadership, and service as well as a "special circumstances," a category that includes race, economic status, and household language. So the 47 students who were accepted to UT must have had stronger writing samples, more impressive extracurricular activities, and more interesting applications than the decidedly milquetoast Fisher. Story continues Perhaps it is unfair to focus on Fisher, who has since graduated from Louisiana State University. Though she didn't sue UT-Austin on her own and was instead approached by the Project on Fair Representation as a fitting poster child - a cherubic strawberry blond who just wanted to go to the school of her dreams - the young woman whose name is attached to this case has inspired countless articles, news reports, and even hashtags like #StayMadAbby and #BeckyWiththeBadGrades. Still, if Fisher is a pawn in a larger endgame, so are the five students of color who Fisher and her legal team identified as the major obstacles to her educational dreams. These five students bear the weight of racial and racist representation that have identified them as unqualified recipients of social welfare and as obstacles to the success of Fisher and those like her from the start. Their presence, Fisher and her supporters implicitly argue, is evidence that multiculturalism and political correctness has gone berserk and that truly qualified students have been caught in the cultural crossfire. Fisher represents a terrible trifecta of racism, mediocrity, and entitlement - ever the more ironic since it is well known that white women have gained the most from affirmative action. Abigail also could have attended another school in the university system and transferred to UT the next year if she earned a 3.2 GPA, but she decided against this option. "It's like saying to Rosa Parks, 'Well, just go sit in the back of the bus for a while,' " according to a 2014 interview with a lawyer who represented her. "No one whose civil rights are violated should tolerate having to do something that you know other people don't have to do because they're a different color or they're a different religion or they're a different ethnicity." Thus, Fisher's case also embodies the misdirection and dog-whistle politics central to what Carol Anderson calls "white rage" and reminds us that contemporary racism does not always look like burning crosses and yelled racial epithets - although we are seeing some of that too this election cycle. White rage is Fisher's incredulous anger at not being admitted to UT-Austin and the scorched-earth tactics of her lawyers that reveal the deep sense of fury at the loss of white entitlement, despite her benign words that claim to seek colorblind politics. Furthermore, the lengthy court battle illuminates the fundamental misunderstanding of the true role of affirmative action and other legislation born out of the civil rights movement. At its core, affirmative action seeks to address and redress the persistent race-based discrimination that has been central to many of our key American institutions. Programs such as affirmative action do not insert race into conversations where they have not been; these programs invite institutions to positively consider the inclusion of people of color as a value added, as a way of correcting decades - centuries - of whiteness (and maleness) as the only experience that matters when it counts. Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruling is important for a variety of reasons. We are in a particularly volatile political moment that we sometimes think came out of nowhere. But that is actually untrue. The notion that people of color and other marginalized groups have received undue civil rights and social gains goes back to the 1970s when affirmative action first started getting attacked, and is being ratcheted up to dangerous levels today. The same day Supreme Court rules in favor of affirmative action, they deadlocked on immigration; two weeks ago, a homophobic gunman massacred LGBT folks; a year ago, a racist gunned down nine parishioners in a historic black church. The hard truth is that the same thinking that prompted Abigail Fisher to sue regarding affirmative action is not unlike the thinking behind "Making America Great Again" or "taking our country back." And that should make us all very worried. Follow Susana on Twitter. Actor Kim Sung Min (STAR N News) The family of South Korean actor Kim Sung Min has agreed to have his organs harvested for donation following his brain death. Kim had previously expressed his intention for his organs to be donated after his death. His kidneys, corneas and liver will be donated to five other patients who are suffering from incurable diseases, Yang Chul Woo, the director of Seoul St Marys Hospitals organ donation center, said on Sunday (27 June). Yang was speaking on behalf of Kims family. The 43-year-old actor fell into a coma after he attempted suicide on Friday (24 June). He was pronounced brain dead at Seoul St Marys Hospital on Sunday (26 June). The star of the 2002 drama Miss Mermaid was found unconscious in his home with a tie around his neck. His wife asked the police to check on him shortly after the couple had an argument. According to a report by Korea Times, Kims wife told the police that her husband often spoke of suicide when he got drunk. Kim had a history of convictions for the smuggling and using of illegal drugs since 2008, when he was first arrested for smuggling methamphetamine from the Philippines. Last year, he was found guilty of various drug charges by a Korean court and jailed for 10 months before being released this January. Besides his lead role in Miss Mermaid, Kim was a regular on the variety show Qualifications of Men. By Roberta Rampton and David Ljunggren WASHINGTON/OTTAWA (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will meet with the leaders of Canada and Mexico on Wednesday for his final "Three Amigos" summit, a meeting that may signal how keen the North American partners are to tout trade at a time of rising protectionist sentiment. The Ottawa summit comes on the heels of Britain voting to leave the European Union after more than 40 years. It also falls ahead of a U.S. presidential election on Nov. 8 where presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump has made stagnant wages and U.S. manufacturing job losses focal points of his insurgent campaign. The so-called Brexit vote is bound to be an important theme for Obama's meetings with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Canada had negotiated a trade deal with the EU that is slated to take effect next year. The Brexit may delay its ratification and hurt Canada's commodity-driven economy. The referendum results are also seen as a setback to talks on a U.S.-EU trade deal. Mexico, which already has a trade deal with the EU, has prepared a draft proposal for a pact with the United Kingdom. At the summit, leaders will also look at how best to foster trade with each other, said Mexico's Finance Minister Luis Videgaray. "One of the important issues, without doubt, is how to give a fresh impulse and greater value to North American integration," Videgaray said. All three are part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 12-nation trade deal that Obama had cast as an update of the North American Free Trade Agreement. He wants to finalize the TPP as part of his economic legacy in Asia. The TPP has become a target of both the left and the right in the U.S. election, and Congress has so far been unenthusiastic about ratifying the deal. CLEAN POWER OVER TRADE The United States is the top export market for both Canada and Mexico. In 2015, U.S. trade with Canada and Mexico totaled $663 billion and $584 billion, respectively. But in Canada, only one in four people say the 22-year-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is good for the country, a poll released on Monday showed. The long-running Canada-U.S. battle over softwood lumber seems more likely than not to resume as early as October. Given all the controversy over trade, the leaders may decide to try to focus their summit talking points on other topics. "I expect them to try and stay away from it," said Carlo Dade, director of the Canada West Foundation's Center for Trade and Investment Policy. Ahead of the summit, the White House revealed that the leaders would commit to a new regional goal of 50 percent of power coming from clean energy by 2025, up from about 37 percent in 2015. The three countries also plan to unveil a plan to fight heroin production. TRUMP QUESTION INEVITABLE At a joint press conference, the leaders are likely to field questions about the upcoming U.S. election and its implications for both Canada and Mexico. It will also be Obama's first chance on an international stage to promote his recent endorsement of presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, his former secretary of state. In March, Pena Nieto roundly condemned Trump, who has promised to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and has complained about what he calls unfair trade. Mexico also named a new ambassador to aggressively promote its contributions to the U.S. economy. On Canada, Trump has so far been mostly silent. "That doesn't mean Canadians don't feel the sting" of his protectionist ideas, said Chris Sands, director of the Center for Canadian Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Trudeau is likely to tread carefully so as to not endanger relations with a potential president. "It's unlikely there will be any formal discussion of Trump, who of course is the elephant in the room. In some ways, it's better if there isn't," said one official involved in the summit. "The message the leaders will be sending is eloquent enough - the three nations are closely integrated and cooperate well and that's how the relationship should work," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. On trade, Pena Nieto and Trudeau are also cognizant that talk is cheap on the campaign trail. "I have to tell my Canadian friends this often - it doesn't mean it will be the agenda once you get to the White House," said David Wilkins, the U.S. ambassador to Canada from 2005-09 during the George W. Bush administration. Obama provides a good case in point. In his 2008 presidential campaign, he demonized NAFTA, but once in office, he began working on the TPP, a deal he has said would fix his concerns about NAFTA. "There's very much a 'Keep calm and carry on' approach and we're going to ignore some of the domestic politicking and see what happens when it happens," said a Canadian source familiar with the summit talks. (Additional reporting by Ana Isabel Martinez and Simon Gardner in Mexico City; editing by Mary Milliken and G Crosse) The Pentagon on Monday welcomed the recapture of the Iraqi city of Fallujah from the Islamic State group, but warned of widespread booby traps and pockets of remaining militant resistance. Iraqi forces seized the IS group's last positions in Fallujah on Sunday, establishing full control over one of the militants' most emblematic bastions after a month-long operation. "The United States military and our coalition partners are proud to have supported the Iraqi Security Forces under the prime minister's command in this important operation," Pentagon chief Ashton Carter said in a statement congratulating Iraq Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Iraqi forces will likely continue to meet pockets of resistance and have much dangerous work ahead as they clear homemade bombs -- known as IEDs -- from the city, officials cautioned. "Not just vehicle-borne IEDs but these house-borne IEDs which are particularly nasty to try to clear," said Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis. Carter added it was important the Iraqi government investigates alleged human rights abuses carried out by security forces against some civilians as they tried to flee the city. The US-led anti-IS coalition's focus now shifts north, where the ultimate goal is to recapture Mosul, the militants' main Iraq stronghold. The coalition is helping Iraqi troops move north from Baiji towards the town of Qayyarah, which lies around 35 miles (60 kilometers) south of Mosul on the banks of the Tigris river. Abadi had already declared victory in Fallujah on June 17 after IS group defenses collapsed, with Iraqi forces facing only limited resistance in subsequent clearing operations. The fighting to get into Fallujah was initially fierce, particularly on the southern side, and Iraqi forces were supported by more than 100 US-led coalition air strikes. "To some extent once (Iraqi troops) got through the hard candy shell and into the chewy center, things went much more quickly," Davis said. "It was really a heavy fight along the frontline but once they penetrated in it seemed to go very quickly." Davis said the recapture of Fallujah would "significantly" help the security situation in Baghdad, where IS group fighters thought to have come from Fallujah have carried out a string of bomb attacks in recent weeks. "The loss of Fallujah will further deny ISIL access to a province that is critically important to its overall goals," he said. Search Keywords: Short link: JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's President Jacob Zuma should pay 7.8 million rand ($510,074) for non-security upgrades to his private Nkandla home, the National Treasury said on Monday. In a stinging rebuke that hit the scandal-plagued leader financially and politically, the top court in Africa's most industrialised country in March ordered Zuma to pay back some of the $16 million of state money spent upgrading his private home. Record unemployment and a looming recession have exacerbated discontent with Zuma's leadership, ahead of local elections in August. Zuma has managed to hold on to his post with backing from the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which has been in power since the end of white-minority rule in 1994. The court gave the Treasury 60 days to work out a "reasonable cost". Zuma has said he would pay back some of the money used to refurbish the Nkandla residence, which is in KwaZulu-Natal province. On Monday Zuma's office said it would comment on the Treasury report after studying it. In 2014, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, whose office is a constitutionally mandated anti-corruption watchdog, identified a swimming pool, cattle enclosure, chicken run, amphitheatre and visitor centre as non-security items that Zuma must pay for. Estimates from Madonsela's report had pegged the bill at around 10 million rand. The unanimous ruling of the 11-judge Constitutional Court also said Zuma had failed to "uphold, defend and respect" the constitution by ignoring Madonsela's recommendations. In April, Zuma survived an impeachment vote in parliament after the court's ruling thanks to backing from ANC lawmakers. In December he was widely criticised for changing his finance minister twice in a week, sending the rand plummeting. (Reporting by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; Editing by James Macharia and Gareth Jones) HBO reinvented the quality and consumption of television. Episodic programmes were replaced by dense, nuanced, over-arcing storytelling, which was also accompanied by grand production values that, with the increased calibre of high definition televisions, soon began to rival those of the big-screen. For some, The Sopranos my personal favourite is still the pinnacle of the medium, others will insist that honour belongs to The Wire, while Game Of Thrones is arguably the definitive proof of HBOs technical grandeur and prowess. As most of you are aware, Game Of Thrones final episode of its sixth season aired in the US on Sunday. But while the show goes from strength to strength as it builds towards its inevitably explosive finale, which is likely to come within two seasons, HBOs other dramas have failed to develop into zeitgeist pieces in the way the network had hoped. True Detectives second season was as maligned as its first was praised, The Leftovers, while being met with critical acclaim was haemorrhaging viewers throughout most of its second season before making a slight recovery in its last few episodes, and Vinyl proved to be nothing short of an embarrassment. Having been created by Mick Jagger, Martin Scorsese, Rich Cohen and Terence Winter there was a genuine excitement about the level of rock and roll debauchery that might unfold on screen even though the mishmash of talent also suggested that it had the potential to be an uneven mess. Vinyl ended up firmly being the latter. And with Game Of Thrones end in sight, and Aaron Sorkins The Newsroom and David Milchs Luck, HBOs last two dramas before their current crop, each flattering to deceive, inciting disdain from critics and PETA, respectively, rather than acclaim, the network have hit something close to a rough patch. But HBOs upcoming dramatic slate certainly suggests thats all not lost. Jonathan Nolan, the brother of Interstellar and Batman Begins Christopher, who himself has co-written most of his siblings output, is adapting and elongating the 1973 sci-fi western thriller Westworld, which came from Michael Crichton and has the potential to explode to a huge, unique all encompassing world and universe thats akin to Game Of Thrones. Plus, with J.J. Abrams producing and Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Evan Rachel Wood, James Marsden and an all-star cast featuring, it immediately sounds alluring. Story continues Meanwhile, David Simon returns to HBO with a show that sounds as though it could be Boogie Nights meets The Wire, which Simon created. It tells the story of the rise of the porn industry in New York through the 1970s and 1980s, exploring a variety of themes including the rise of HIV, violence of the drug explosion, and how real estate around Times Square, where the show is set, boomed in this period. It sounds like a return to the grounded, humanistic stories that manage to be both intimate in its storytelling yet epic in its presentation. Finally, Oscar-winner Amy Adams will lead the crime thriller Sharp Objects, too, which is based on the novel of the same name by Gillian Flynn, who in 2014 saw David Fincher adapt her novel Gone Girl, which grossed $369. 3 million and earned her numerous award nominations, and it has the ingredients to match and emulate HBOs last entry into the genre True Detective. Theres enough potential and talent in these projects for one if not all of them to replace Game Of Thrones as the networks biggest show, and, at the same time, prove that HBOs currently blip is just that and that its still the prime location for original dramatic output. [Images via HBO] Diagnosing cancer is about to get more accurate, with the help of artificial intelligence. Pathologists have diagnosed diseases in more or less the same way for the past 100 years, by laboring over a microscope reviewing biopsy samples on little glass slides. Working almost robotically, they sift through millions of normal cells to identify just a few diseased ones. The task is tedious and prone to human error. But now, scientists and engineers have created a technique that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and can differentiate cancer cells from normal cells almost as well as a top-notch pathologist. A Harvard-based team demonstrated the AI method as part of a competition at the 2016 International Symposium of Biomedical Imaging in Prague, showing how it could pinpoint, with 92 percent accuracy,cancer cells among samples of breast tissue cells. That accuracy was far better than the other AI methods in the competition, landing the team first place. Humans + AI Humans still have the edge: Pathologists beat the robots in this competition with their ability to identify 96 percent of the biopsy samples with cancer cells. [Super-Intelligent Machines: 7 Robotic Futures] But the real surprise came when pathologists were teamed up with the Harvard team's AI. Together, the artificial intelligence and good, ole human intelligence identified 99.5 percent of the cancerous biopsies. While the thought of trusting Dr. Robot with your medical analysis may seem a bit scary, some scientists see great promise in AI-assisted doctor services. "Our guiding hypothesis is that 'AI plus pathologist' will be superior to pathologist alone," said Dr. Andrew Beck, of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, who led the creation of the winning AI design. "If we and the larger research community are able to demonstrate that the use of AI tools significantly reduces diagnostic errors, I believe patients, physicians, health care payers and health systems will be supportive of the addition of AI tools in the clinical workflow," he told Live Science. Story continues Why breast cancer cells? The contest, held in April, invited AI designs from around the world created by private companies and academic research organizations. The goal was to spur interest in creating more accurate AI methods of disease diagnosis. "The fact that computers [in the April competition] had almost comparable performance to humans is way beyond what I had anticipated," said Jeroen van der Laak of Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, who organized the contest. "It is a clear indication that artificial intelligence is going to shape the way we deal with histopathological images in years to come." [Infographic: The History of Artificial Intelligence (AI)] The contest organizers chose the topic of breast cancer detection more specifically, metastatic cancer cells in sentinel lymph node biopsies as a real-world test of an important public health issue. Among U.S. women, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer (after skin cancer) and the second deadliest type of cancer (after lung cancer), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A sentinel lymph node biopsy is a surgical procedure in which a sample of tissue is removed from a sentinel node, the first in a group of lymph nodes, or glands, where cancer cells might spread after leaving the original site. A multicenter study published in 2003 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons found that these biopsies, using traditional human analysis, were 96-percent accurate, with a false-negative rate of 8 percent. Because cancer surgeons rely on the biopsies to decide what tissue to remove or leave in place, often at the very moment a cancer is beginning to spread, accuracy in the biopsy analysis is crucial. Machines that learn Beck's group used a process called "deep learning" to essentially teach a computer to better recognize what cancer cells look like. This process is a machine-learning algorithm used in applications such as speech recognition; it makes the system more and more accurate with each use. In preparation for the contest, Beck's group fed the computer thousands of images of cancer cells. The team identified examples for which the computer was prone to make a mistake in cancer identification and retrained the computer using greater numbers of more difficult examples. The development of such automated diagnostics has been a goal for the AI field for the past 30 years, as computers became more commonplace in labs, Beck said. But only recently has the field seen the improvements in scanning, storage, computational power and algorithms necessary to make this possible. Don't worry, pathologists won't be fading away. Beck said the field will evolve to adopt new skill sets. For example, pitfalls to avoid with AI include a system that routinely misses a particular rare form of cancer the AI hasn't seen before or that is routinely thrown off by an artifact in the biopsy image, he said. Humans will be needed to continuously teach the robots. Beck's team includes postdocs in his Harvard lab, Dayong Wang and Humayun Irshad, along with Harvard graduate student Rishab Gargya and MIT researcher Aditya Khosla. A technical report describing this work was posted yesterday (June 20) on the open-access e-print archive arXiv.org. Follow Christopher Wanjek @wanjek for daily tweets on health and science with a humorous edge. Wanjek is the author of "Food at Work" and "Bad Medicine." His column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on Live Science. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Airbus A380 In January, Airbus and Iran Air agreed to a landmark deal for 118 aircraft with a total value rising to as much as $25 billion. One of the most significant parts of the deal is an agreement for 12 A380 superjumbos worth upwards of $5.2 billion at list prices. However, this portion of the deal may be in jeopardy according to Tim Hepher of Reuters. Sources within Iran told the publication that the country's government is having second thoughts about the massive double-decker aircraft. In fact, an Iranian government spokes person pointed out to Reuters that the A380 portion of the deal is an option that can be switched over to other aircraft models rather than a firm order. As a result, Iran's non-committal attitude towards the A380 is troubling for the airplane. Should the Iran Air order fall through, it would be a significant blow to the morale of the embattled program. Iran's 12 A380s represent the largest commitment from an airline for the aircraft since 2013. "Following the preliminary agreement for 118 aircraft signed in January with Iran Air, negotiations are progressing - and as with all agreements, it takes time for them to be firmed up and finalized," Airbus said in a statement to Business Insider. Iran Air was not immediately available for comment. Although Airbus has taken 319 orders for the A380, the production backlog is at just 129 planes. As a result, Airbus announced earlier this year that its will slow down the production rate for the airplane to buy the sales team some more time to generate orders. In January, Airbus CEO Fabrice Bregier called the deal a significant step in the modernization of Iran's commercial aviation sector. Because of economic sanctions levied against Iran over the past few decades, the country's national airline has been unable to expand its service and update its fleet. As a result, Iran Air's fleet of nearly 50 airplanes has an average age of 27 years, according to Airfleets.net. Airbus Infographic Iran order Jan16 Story continues NOW WATCH: The best and worst months to rent an apartment in major US cities More From Business Insider Air Serbia Airbus A330 On Thursday, an Air Serbia Airbus A330-200 landed at New York's JFK International Airport. It was the first time the Serbian capital of Belgrade has had direct air service to New York City in 24 years. The arrival of this Serbian Airbus embodies US-based airlines' worst fears over the continued growth of the Middle East's three mega carriers. For years, the US-based airlines American, Delta, and United have accused the Middle Eastern carriers Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar of benefiting from more than $42 billion in illegal subsidies. It's an accusation that the CEOs of the ME3 have consistently rebutted. Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar all point to their audited financial statements as proof of their profitability as businesses. But what does Serbia's national airline have to do with the Persian Gulf's mega carriers? Air Serbia along with Air Berlin, Virgin Australia, Jet Airways, Air Seychelles, Etihad Regional, and Alitalia make up Etihad's equity partnership network. That means that Etihad, based in the United Arab Emirates' capital, Abu Dhabi, owns up to 49% of each airline. Etihad doesn't participate in the day-to-day operations of a partner airline, but it does make its presence felt, Air Serbia CEO Dane Kondic told Business Insider in an interview this week. "What they do do is play the role of an enabler," he said. Airbus A330 Air Serbia Kondic believes his airline's landmark flight to New York is a great example of how the partnership has been a benefit to his company. The Airbus A330 used for the route was leased from Jet Airways, while the Air Serbia pilots were trained in Italy by Alitalia. At the same time, Etihad provided Air Serbia with ground staff in the US as well as training for its cabin crew. Though highly complimentary of US airlines, Etihad Aviation Group CEO James Hogan was quick to point out a key advantage his airline has over American competitors. "Although (US Carriers) form the backbone of the three global airline alliances, what we've done and they haven't done is decrease operating complexity across the partnership airlines," Hogan told us in an interview this week. Story continues Hogan said Air Berlin, Alitalia, and others in the partnership were looking to share everything from fleets to computer systems to training. The airlines are even looking to streamline the interior layouts of their aircraft so planes can easily be shifted between different fleets depending on demand. This is the type of synergy that allows an airline like Air Serbia to expand into the US market. Etihad Airways James Hogan "A small impoverished airline such as ours would never in a million years be able to fly across the Atlantic if it wasn't for us being a part of this group of like-minded airlines coming together as Etihad Airways partners," Kondic said. Kondic is right. On its own, with a fleet of 21 aircraft, three-year-old Air Serbia would not be capable of operating trans-Atlantic service. But with the assistance of its partners, Air Serbia has managed to build an unexpected air bridge between Belgrade and New York. On a larger scale, Etihad's partnership network represents the next evolution of the Emirati carrier's global expansion. Growth through these partnerships allows Etihad to increase the airline's reach organically. And with the governments of Serbia and Italy writing off the old debt of their national airlines ahead of Etihad's entry, the company is able to focus on building for the future instead of worrying about the past. Instead of forcing its way into markets outside its traditional area of operation, such as Emirates' route between Milan and New York, Etihad can use its partnership method to expand while turning potentially adversarial governments into stakeholders. After all, it's easy for both the Americans and the Italians to make a big fuss about Emirates' Milan route. But Etihad's Alitalia service would be beyond reproach. Etihad Alitalia Deal US airlines simply aren't in a position to protest the Italian national airline's operation out of Rome or the Serbian national airline's operation out of Belgrade. Etihad doesn't have to expand further into US or European market on its own. It has a German, a Swiss, an Italian, and a Serbian airline to do it by proxy. With Etihad's equity partnership hitting its stride, further encroachment into the US carriers' prized trans-Atlantic business is bound to continue. And there isn't anything the airline's US critics can do about it. NOW WATCH: These are the safest airlines in the world More From Business Insider A long-haul, low-cost airline is in the works that pledges to donate half their profits to charities. But to get off the ground, People Over Profits is crowdsourcing the project and needs to raise 3.5 million ($4.6 million). The idea behind POP takes the idea of charitable air travel donations to new heights. While many airlines allow loyalty members to donate their air miles to charities, for example, POP promises to donate 51 percent of their net profits to charities that serve the UK and India. Beneficiaries include orphanages and children, mothers, women, disabled, homeless, and the elderly. The airline would make non-stop flights between London Stansted airport and two secondary cities in India, Amritsar and Ahmedabad, cities that are woefully underserviced for travel from the UK, says POP. Dreamed up by a British Indian family, the carrier is described as a caring capitalist model. Founder Nino Singh Judge also points out that the majority of British Indians originate from Punjab and Gujarat, with an estimated 1.26 million Indians living close to, or within easy reach of London Stansted Airport. There is a growing demand for such a route driven by India's increasing prosperity, rapid urbanization and industrial development, and not least by the growing aspirations of its population, reads a statement. Meanwhile, the crowdfunding strategy aims to sell 10,000 Gold Passes at 500 ($660 USD) each, with the first batch of investors promised free flights to India, in addition to other travel perks for their support. All flights would operate on an Airbus A330-300 aircraft that seats up to 378 passengers in an all economy-class configuration. At the time of booking, customers can choose which charity they'd like to support and follow the progress of organizations selected with a customer identification number. Charity partners so far include British charities Dreams Come True and Skillforce and in India Railway Children and Pratham India. POP is different it is going to be a UK airline whose DNA is Indian, said Judge. The crowdsourcing campaign ends July 31. (Adds background, analyst comment) June 27 (Reuters) - Drug developer Allergy Therapeutics Plc said a study on suitable doses of its therapy to treat grass allergic rhinitis, or hay fever, did not find a recommended dose for a late-stage trial. This is the second allergy therapy in two weeks to run into trouble, after Circassia Pharmaceuticals Plc said last week that its cat allergy treatment failed in a late-stage trial. Allergy Therapeutics, which specialises in allergy vaccines, said it now expected to enter the U.S. market later than expected. The company said it will await the outcome of a meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration later this year. A further dose-ranging study is planned in 2017, it added. The result implies a 12-month delay in the launch of the treatment in the U.S., Panmure Gordon analyst Mike Mitchell wrote in a note to clients. (Reporting by Mamidipudi Soumithri in Bengaluru; Editing by Sunil Nair) Amber Heard is leaning on friends like Amanda De Cadenet as her divorce from Johnny Depp intensifies. Heard, 30, was spotted going to church in Los Angeles on Saturday, casually dressed in sunglasses, a black shirt and jeans. De Cadenet comforted her with embraces and rubs on the back as she got in her car and drove away. De Cadenet has supported Heard since news of her allegedly abusive relationship with Depp broke. The British talk-show host, 44, retweeted several messages backing Heard after the actress claimed in court documents that Depp, 53, had thrown a cell phone at her face on May 21, resulting in bruising. She submitted a photo of her bruised face as evidence. De Cadenet had previously shared a photo of herself with Heard and model-turned-actress Amber Valletta during her birthday party, one day after Heard claimed she was abused by Depp. In the photo, which has since been deleted, Heard is seen smiling but with her hair placed over half of her face. Heard's hearing on the domestic violence claims has been pushed to August, and a temporary restraining order has been reissued. In court documents responding to Heard's initial request for a temporary restraining order, Depp's lawyer, Laura Wasser, claimed that the actress "is attempting to secure a premature financial resolution by alleging abuse." Heard had only been married for 15 months when she filed for divorce from Depp on May 23, citing irreconcilable differences. In her request for a temporary restraining order, she alleged that Depp had been abusive throughout their four-year relationship. "Amber did what she had to do to take care of herself," a Heard source previously told PEOPLE. Meanwhile, Depp is spending time on his private island in the Bahamas, where his daughter Lily-Rose recently paid him a visit. "He has no plans to return to L.A.," a source tells PEOPLE of the actor. "He misses nothing about L.A. but his kids, and they are visiting him in the Bahamas. "Having his kids around is always great for him. He has really missed his kids," the source says, adding that Depp has also had friends "flying back and forth for visits" to the island. "He likes being surrounded by people and everyone is trying to cheer him up." When the concept of a Dash push-button service was announced, many believed it to be an April Fools joke. But Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN intended it to be a way to keep users hooked on to its products. The company has been taking on its competitors with this concept, especially the brick-and-mortar stores, since Apr 2015. Now, Amazon is planning to add a dozen more of its dash buttons, according to the Wall Street Journal. This Prime-exclusive press-to-buy service currently offers more than 100 brands. There are small wireless devices each with a button and linked to a particular product. You can keep them anywhere in your home and press one to get your order automatically placed and the product reaches your home in time. All you need is a Wi-Fi connection. The service mainly covers household essentials that customers can re-order easily with just a touch of a button. Though the company charges $4.99 for each dash button, its actually free as Amazon gives a credit for $4.99 after the first purchase. Whats Behind the Move? We are always looking for convenience in our hectic lifestyle and Amazon is there to take care of it when this comes to shopping. According to some estimates, Amazon Dash buttons are still not as popular as expected and apparently, consumer response hasnt been spectacular. But thats probably not going to deter Amazon because it alone is in possession of the customer data that it holds pretty close to the vest. AMAZON.COM INC Price AMAZON.COM INC Price | AMAZON.COM INC Quote First Mover Advantage Amazon is relatively unchallenged in the button based e-commerce space. It has secured partnerships with big suppliers such as The Procter & Gamble Company PG, Pepsico, Inc. PEP and Kimberly-Clark Corporation KMB. However, Israel-based startup Kwik is expected to launch its own button service and is collaborating with the likes of Dominos, Huggies and Budweiser. Amazons officials have declined to comment. Story continues Currently, Amazon is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report KIMBERLY CLARK (KMB): Free Stock Analysis Report AMAZON.COM INC (AMZN): Free Stock Analysis Report PEPSICO INC (PEP): Free Stock Analysis Report PROCTER & GAMBL (PG): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday it was understandable that Britain needs time before triggering its exit from the European Union, but warned against dragging out the process. "We cannot afford to have a long period of uncertainty. I think that would not be good for either the EU's 27 member states or Britain. But I also understand that Britain needs a certain period of time to analyse the situation," she said. But while Britain considers its options, the leader of Europe's biggest economy also insisted that no back-room deals would be done before the UK triggers Article 50 to leave the bloc. "There cannot be any informal talks before Britain gives its notice. That to me, is clear," she said. British finance minister George Osborne said Monday that his country should only activate Article 50 to leave the EU when it has a "clear view" of how its future in the bloc would look. Britain's notification will set the clock ticking on a two-year period of negotiations within which a basic withdrawal agreement should be made. After that "the treaties shall cease to apply to the state in question" -- or in layman's terms, Brexit is a reality. The talks can in theory be extended if need be -- but only by the unanimous consent of Britain and the other 27 member states. Search Keywords: Short link: Amazon is moving into a new class of business with Inspire, a free educational platform for teachers. Although in beta form and initially aimed at the US education system, Amazon's ideas for the classroom are already very clear. Inspire is a virtual teachers' staff room and lending library where educators can upload and share materials, and peer review those of others. Materials can be packaged together via subject, age group or media and the idea is that via partnerships, Amazon will augment what's on offer via access to digitized texts from seats of learning and institutions. For instance, alongside the unveiling, Amazon announced that New York's Mineola Public Schools is already on board as a materials provider. "We believe the future of public education in a digital world is the ability to easily find engaging content for students. As more teachers share content on Amazon Inspire, other teachers will find high quality, highly successful classroom materials," said Superintendent Michael Nagler. Other early content providers include Tulare County Office of Education in Visalia, California, the Newseum in Washington, DC, and the US Department of Education itself. "To truly transform learning in our schools and ensure educational equity for all students -- regardless of grade level or zip code -- it is crucial that we put high quality, open educational resources at teachers' fingertips," said Joseph South, director for the Office of Technology at the U.S. Department of Education. Google and Apple have both moved squarely into the educational space in recent years in an attempt to get tablets and Chromebooks in front of students, but also to aid educators in disseminating information and tracking individual students' progress. However, both companies have walls around much of their ecosystems that can hinder as well as help access to certain materials or applications. "Amazon joins educators from around the country in recognizing the power of digital learning to transform the classroom, by creating a personalized, engaging learning environment for all students," said Rohit Agarwal, General Manager of Amazon K-12 Education. "However, we also know that making that promise a reality is a time consuming proposition and teachers tell us that they spend upwards of 12 hours a week searching for and curating resources for classroom instruction." Amazon and Starz on Monday unveiled a multi-territory content licensing agreement for Starz's The Girlfriend Experience, a limited series from executive producer Steven Soderbergh and inspired by his 2009 film of the same name. The 13 episodes of the show will premiere today exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in the U.K., Germany and Austria and in Japan later this year. "With a captivating story, combined with a mesmerizing performance by Riley Keough and executive produced by Steven Soderbergh, The Girlfriend Experience provides a dramatic and emotional look into this provocative world," said Amazon vp worldwide television acquisition Brad Beale. "We are excited to bring this extraordinary series exclusively to Prime members in the U.K., Germany, Austria and Japan." Said Starz COO Jeffrey Hirsch: "Starz is very pleased to license The Girlfriend Experience to Amazon for these markets. Starz is making breakthrough original programming that engages and delights its fans. The Girlfriend Experience is a stunning limited series with an incredible performance by star Riley Keough." The show follows Christine Reade, a second-year student at Chicago-Burnham Law School and a new intern at a prestigious law firm. Working hard to establish herself at the firm, her focus quickly shifts when a classmate introduces her to the world of transactional relationships. Known as GFEs, they are women who provide The Girlfriend Experience - emotional and sexual relationships at a high price. Juggling two very different lives, Christine quickly finds herself drawn into the GFE world, attracted to the rush of control and intimacy. Read More: Steven Soderbergh's 'The Girlfriend Experience' Lands Series Order at Starz You could have a long debate trying to define the greatest act of racism in American history. But for Republican Joe Walsh, a former U.S. congressman from Illinois, it's simple: The country's single greatest act of racism was electing black president Barack Obama. On Sunday, The now nationally syndicated radio host tweeted Sunday voters only cast ballots for Obama because he is black: Source: Twitter Slavery? No. Jim Crow? Nah. Japanese internment? Nope. Electing a black man who ran on a platform of uniting the country? Bingo! In an interview with Mic, Walsh doubled down on his remarks. He said Obama's recent denunciation of Donald Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric set him off. "It might have been a bit of hyperbole," Walsh told Mic on Monday. "But I'd say it's in the top 5" most racist things in American history. "He got elected and ran for office because he was black," Walsh added. "With his resume lack of a resume there's no way he would have run for president if not for his skin color." This isn't a surprising stance from Walsh, a tea party favorite who once suggested the Obama administration patrol the border with alligators. Walsh aired similarly racist views about Obama in 2011, when he told the Washington Post that voters "were in love with him because he pushed that magical button: a black man who was articulate, liberal, the whole white guilt, all of that." Sensible stuff, right? KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Reuters) - The driver of a Honda City in Malaysia possibly died from a ruptured airbag after her car was involved in a "minor accident" over the weekend, local daily The Star reported on Monday. A 44-year-old woman in the driver seat was found with injuries to her chest from an item protruding from the centre of the steering wheel, and the driver's front airbag was found ruptured, the newspaper reported, citing a senior officer from the fire and rescue department. The woman later died at the scene of the accident, the report said. Malaysian police were not able to confirm if the death was caused by a faulty airbag. "We are still waiting for the official report from the post-mortem," Mohd Zani Che Din, assistant police commissioner of the Petaling Jaya district, told Reuters. Honda Malaysia spokesman Jordhat Johan said the company was investigating the case and could not provide any further details. Three other passengers in the Honda and two in a Mercedes, which the Honda had bumped into, were all unhurt, the Star reported. Just last week, Honda Motor Co Ltd recalled 147,894 vehicles in Malaysia to replace front passenger air bag inflators, as part of a global recall involving potentially deadly air bags from supplier Takata Corp. The recall included the City, Accord and Civic models, among others. The inflators, which regulators fear could explode with excessive force after prolonged exposure to heat and humidity, have been linked to over 100 injuries and 13 deaths, two in Malaysia. (Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi and Rozanna Latiff; Editing by Joseph Radford) In case youre curious what Anthony Bennett is up to, he just baptized a dude in an international game. pic.twitter.com/96qImoc6hV Eric Fawcett (@Efawcett7) June 26, 2016 We havent heard much from former No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett lately. After the Cavs sent him to Minnesota along with fellow Canadian Andrew Wiggins as part of the Kevin Love deal in the summer of 2014, hes faded into relative obscurity, eventually getting released from the Timberwolves and subsequently spending last season playing sparingly for the Toronto Raptors and bouncing back and forth between their D-League affiliate. But Bennett has been something of a mainstay with the Canadian National team as they are still vying for a chance to compete in the Rio Olympics later this summer. In a friendly international exhibition game over the weekend, Bennett showed a brief glimpse of that elusive potential that hes yet to live up to thus far. Early in the third quarter, he took a nice little pocket pass from Tyler Ennis in the lane and exploded to the rim for the filthy poster dunk over Italys Marco Cusin, plus the foul. Thats just the type of aggressive play he needs to show on a consistent basis if he wants to not only find his way back into the league next season but avoid that dubious distinction of being one of the worst draft busts of all time. At least ten people were wounded, some of whom were stabbed, when anti-fascist protesters clashed with a neo-Nazi group on the grounds of the California state capitol in Sacramento on Sunday, June 26. The permitted rally by the Traditionalist Workers Party, a white supremacist group, was cancelled in the wake what local media termed a riot. Although it wasnt clear how the melee started each side blamed the other police, some on horseback, moved in to separate the groups. Two of the wounded people were said to have life-threatening injuries. This video shows the anarchists, some wearing masks, on the capitol lawn. Credit: Instagram/logosum The Supreme Court of the United States ended its first term after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia Monday with three decisions on the hot button issues of abortion, gun rights and public corruption. Scalias absence was not felt on any of the issues, as a clear majority of the court came together in each case. But Scalias absence has been felt in other cases this year, where Scalias conservative, orignialist presense on the court could have changed the outcome. Here is a quick look at those cases: United States v. Texas: The 4-4 split in the court in United States v. Texas affirmed a federal appeals court ruling that found the president did not have authority to shield the immigrants from deportation and make them eligible for work permits. But since the justices did not issue any opinionThe judgment is affirmed by an equally divided Court, was all the decision saidthe issues raised in the case may return in the future. Usually the president is viewed as having a lot of power over immigration matters, but this decision in effect means that Congress is sort of the venue thats going to have to make any significant policy changes to immigration policy because the president acting alone is running into serious trouble, said Joseph Fishkin, a professor of law at the University of Texas. It is unknown how Scalia would have voted. While he had appeared to be a critic of President Obamas use of executive leniency in the arena of immigration, he also had a record of restrictive interpretations of the standing to sue, which might have lead to the case, which was brought by the state of Texas, being thrown out. Fisher v. University of Texas This affirmative action case was brought by Abigail Fisher, a Texas woman who challenged the admissions policies at the University of Texas at Austin when she was not offered admission into the school. The university uses race as a factor for applicants not in the top 10% of their class. Fisher, a white woman who was not in the top 10% of her class, was denied admission. Story continues Justice Elena Kagan recused herself from the case because she had worked with the case in a former role, leaving seven justices to decide the matter. Justice Anthony Kennedy was the swing vote in a 4-3 outcome in favor of affirmative action. As a result, Scalias death eliminated the possibility of a tie. Had Scalia sided with Fisher, the fifth circuit decision, which had previously affirmed the University of Texas admissions policy, would have carried the day. Rebecca Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association The tie in this case, the second case in the term to be split 4-4, upheld the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. This First Amendment case raised the question whether it was unconstitutional for teachers in a union to be compelled to pay for the portion of union dues that is applied toward collective bargaining because they would still be covered by the contract. A group of California teachers sued the California Teachers Association, alleging that having to give the union any money was a violation of free speech. This case could have weakened union strength if it allowed teachers to opt out of those fees because they could lose members and money, but because the lower courts opinion was affirmed, unions effectiveness remains unaffected. Valerie J. Hawkins and Janice A. Patterson v. Community Bank of Raymore This ruling came out a week before Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association and was the first split rule of the term. The case focused on whether spouses could be required to be guarantors for bank loans made to a company jointly controlled by their husbands. A bank in Missouri had approved $2,000,000 in loans for residential development. When the company failed to pay the loans, the spouses were held liable. The women sued the bank, alleging it violated the U.S. Equal Credit Opportunity Act and that they were being discriminated against because they were women. Only an applicant can bring a cause of action under the U.S. ECOA, the National Law Review reported. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit decision in favor of the bank was affirmed but applies only to that circuit. Dollar General Corporation v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians While participating in a job-training program, a minor who was a tribal member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians placed in a Dollar General store within the reservation perimeters alleged he was sexually molested and asserted a civil tort claim for damages in tribal court. The store had consented to tribal law in leasing the space, but it had not consented to such laws when it accepted the youth in its program. The issue in the case was whether the tribal court has jurisdiction over tort claims against defendants that do not belong to the tribe. The U.S. Supreme Court has been very reluctant to expand tribal court jurisdiction, and this is an important case in seeing if the law is going to evolve into more jurisdiction over nonmembers, said Matt Steffey, professor of law at Mississippi College School of Law. The court split 4 to 4, affirming the 5th Circuit ruling that the tribal court had jurisdiction over the case. (Reuters) - Private equity firm Apax Partners [APAX.UL] has secured $7.9 billion (6 billion) for its latest pool of capital, according to a source familiar with the matter. The firm has held a first close on the fund, the person said, meaning it can now begin investing the capital. Reuters had reported last year that Apax, whose investments have included King, maker of Candy Crush, and AutoTrader, would begin raising capital for its ninth fund at the end of 2015. Bloomberg had earlier reported on Monday that Apax had raised the money for its fund Apax IX, citing people familiar with the matter. (http://bloom.bg/28ZLw1Q) Apax Partner declined to comment. (Reporting by Freya Berry in London and Parikshit Mishra in Bengaluru, editing by David Evans) The law permits all sorts of data collection on those who travel the internet and watch videos, but on Monday, the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals revived one of the claims in a lawsuit contending that Viacom went too far. Viacom along with Google faced off against parents of children who visited Nick.com over the alleged collection and dissemination of user data. A multidistrict consolidated class action ensued in New Jersey, and in January 2015, a federal judge rejected the $5 million complaint which alleged violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), New Jersey's Computer Related Offenses Act and other laws. Today, the 3rd Circuit affirms most of the lower court's opinion, but not everything. The plaintiffs alleged that Viacom committed intrusion upon seclusion - a New Jersey privacy tort - by encroaching on one's reasonable expectation of solitude. That claim was premised on the allegation that Nick.com included a message that read, "HEY GROWN-UPS: We don't collect ANY personal information about your kids. Which means we couldn't share it even if we wanted to!" In fact, the plaintiffs alleged that Viacom was indeed collecting personal information about children and permitted Google to do the same by allowing the web giant to place advertisements which resulted in web browser cookies on the computers of those visiting Nick.com. Viacom argued that the state-based claim was preempted by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), a federal statute that gives the FTC the authority to issue rules regarding the collection, use or disclosure of personal information from kids. In rejecting that contention, Circuit Judge Julio Fuentes writes, " In our view, the wrong at the heart of the plaintiffs' intrusion claim is not that Viacom and Google collected children's personal information, or even that they disclosed it. Rather, it is that Viacom created an expectation of privacy on its websites and then obtained the plaintiffs' personal information underpretenses. Understood this way, there is no conflict between the plaintiffs' intrusion claim and COPPA." Story continues Fuentes also says that the plaintiffs have adequately pled this claim against Viacom (if not Google). "We think that a reasonable fact finder could conclude that Viacom's promise not to collect 'ANY personal information' from children itself created an expectation of privacy with respect to browsing activity on the Nickelodeon website," writes Fuentes. Viacom will thus have to continue to fight this case at the lower district court level, although it keeps the other claims down. But not because of standing. This is a hot topic given a recent Supreme Court ruling (Spokeo v. Robins) that said plaintiffs must show an injury that is both "concrete and particularized." In applying it to a case like here where plaintiffs may suffer from privacy intrusions but have a hard time showing the specific harm from having data collected and disseminated, the 3rd Circuit won't stop the lawsuit on standing grounds. "The purported injury here is clearly particularized, as each plaintiff complains about the disclosure of information relating to his or her online behavior," writes Fuentes. "While perhaps 'intangible,' the harm is also concrete in the sense that it involves a clear de facto injury, i.e., the unlawful disclosure of legally protected information. Insofar as Spokeo directs us to consider whether an alleged injury-in-fact 'has traditionally been regarded as providing a basis for a lawsuit,' Google noted that Congress has long provided plaintiffs with the right to seek redress for unauthorized disclosures of information that, in Congress's judgment, ought to remain private." Nevertheless, Viacom and Google beat a claim alleging a violation of the Federal Wiretap Act and another over the California Invasion of Privacy Act because of the conclusion there's been no real interception of data. They also affirm victories over interpretation of various anti-hacking statutes. The 3rd Circuit also addresses the Video Privacy Protection Act, the big kahuna that has provided most of the legal action over disclosures of what people watch online. Here, Google escapes because it is deemed to not be a video tape service provider that has disclosed personally identifiable information while Viacom gets its win because of a tight definition of what qualifies as personally identifiable information. This has been a tough subject as evidenced by how the 1st Circuit recently revived a VPPA claim. Fuentes says the meaning of PII is "not straightforward" and "constantly in flux and often depend on the novelty at issue." While the 1st circuit might have looked at the sharing of GPS coordinates of a mobile device as possibly identifying its user, Fuentes draws the line on disclosures of static digital identifiers like IP addresses. He writes, "In our view, personally identifiable information under the Video Privacy Protection Act means the kind of information that would readily permit an ordinary person to identify a specific individual's video-watching behavior." In holding such, the 3rd Circuit refuses to interpret the VPPA to be a broad consumer privacy act governing online data dissemination, though the opinion does advise companies doing business online to think carefully about providing noticing and obtaining consent. Here's the full opinion. Viacom responds that it is "pleased" by what has been affirmed and remains "confident" on prevailing on the intrusion upon seclusion claim. The Central Bank of Egypt (CBE) has not filed an official request for a loan program from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said the banks governor Tarek Amer on Monday. The CBE governor is the country's governor at the IMF, and we [the bank] do have regular discussions with the fund and exchange views on ongoing basis, Amer told Ahram Online in a text message. Reuters reported earlier on Monday - citing one of Egypts economic group ministers - that there are ongoing negotiations led by the CBE to acquire over five billion dollars in loans from the IMF. The figures quoted are incorrect. In case a program is sought, Egypt would be eligible for more than double the stated amount by virtue of its shareholding in the fund, Amer said. Amer, who denied in March that Egypt is seeking loan from the IMF, said that the government is attempting to address economic challenges and is setting its own structural reform program which includes new budget targets that are currently discussed before the parliament, and the Value Added Tax (VAT). Egypt will slash its total subsidy bill in the 2016-2017 fiscal year budget by 14 percent compared to the current fiscal year according to the latest data from the finance ministry. The VAT, which is awaiting parliamentary approval, will be replacing sales tax and is planned to be set at a flat rate of 10 percent. Once implemented, the tax is expected to raise tax revenues by around EGP 30 billion. Search Keywords: Short link: From Road & Track From the 1979 September issue of Road & Track Japanese, "Dome" means a child's dream, and if ambitious plans of a group of Japanese enthusiasts come to fruition, a select few may find their own dreams fulfilled via this new exotic car. The P-2, as its name suggests, is the second prototype from Dome Co. Ltd. and it's expected to be followed by a limited production run of 30 cars over the next three years. The Dome is very much in the modern exotic car idiom, with mid-engine, impressive performance and swoopy styling that's bound to attract attention wherever it goes. After our day with the car, we came away recognizing its potential for dream fulfillment and, perhaps more telling, its feasibility for production. The P-2 comes from a company formally established less than two years ago, with its predecessor, the Dome Zero, making its debut (and causing quite a stir) at last year's Geneva Show. In its native Japan, Dome Co, Ltd. produces auto accessories including seats and wheels (both the road and steering variety), and now expansion into the U.S. market is underway. In a sense, think of the P-2 as something of a rolling ad campaign. The company lists research, development and production of cars, automotive parts and accessories as its corporate objectives. To back up this impressive list of plans, Dome has family ties with Hayashi Racing, one of Japan's more successful suppliers of racing and aftermarket components. But what of the car itself? We've seen a fair number of prototypes with potential production problems aplenty, despite high hopes of the people involved. Nor is sheer engineering expertise always sufficient: It's all too tempting to frame out something that's state of the art, only to find that it cannot be produced. But not so with the Dome P-2. Succinctly, it takes a rather conventional approach to exotic car design, but follows through in a totally professional manner. Story continues Its exterior styling exemplifies this point of view: largely derivative, perhaps, but extremely well finished, especially when you consider the car's prototype nature. There's a great deal of Lamborghini Countach displayed in the Dome's fiberglass body work, although several elements come across a bit cleaner than in the Italian design-the rear end and engine cover, for instance. Each car has its share of scoops, louvers and the like, but the Dome's appear rather less tacked on than do some of the Countach's. The P-2's doors swing outward, as well as upward, via hydraulic struts buried in the door panels. The rear hatch opens forward to reveal a longitudinally mounted inline-6; a small removable luggage bay resides over the transaxle to the rear of the engine. Up front, a panel between the pop-up headlights gives access to two thermostatically controlled electric fans drawing air upward through a horizontally located radiator. Air is exhausted through rectangular slots forward of the windshield. Exterior fit and finish are exceptional. Doors latch with a reassuring thonk, panels fit with uniform clearance and the paint (applied by conventional techniques rather than an in-mold process) is flawless, befitting the P-2's prototype/show car duality. It had just come from Auto Expo/Los Angeles for our day of driving and testing. Interior finish is also of a high order, although space is at a premium in the P-2, admittedly designed with Japanese statures in mind. There are the expected wide sills and layback seats, the latter snug fitting designs also marketed separately by Dome. Sills, floor and rear bulkhead are carpeted in tufted gray; doors, dash, headliner and seats are suede covered. Interior styling is definitely of the space-age genre, and most elements come off very well. Some are familiar; door releases, for instance, are from the Toyota Celica. Other bits are Dome designed; the pedals, for example, are aluminum objets d'art in their own right. The steering wheel, another of Dome's aftermarket offerings, is an interesting affair consisting of a thickly padded rim and an aluminum A-frame incorporating two triangular touch switches for the horn. The handbrake and gearshift are also high style, although the gearshift is perhaps less successful than the handbrake. They're both rectangular shapes of only passing resemblance to conventional controls of their types. At first glance, the handbrake looks like a reluctantly opening lid for a nonexistent center console; it works well enough, however. The same can't be said for the gearshift: Its smooth plastic touch hardly instills confidence in a linkage that's a bit vague to begin with. Like many linkages traveling to a rear transaxle, the Dome's leaves something to be desired in terms of absolute precision, especially in seeking 1st or reverse. With a bit of familiarity, though, shifts can be made as confidently as with several other remote gearboxes that come to mind. The 5-speed shift pattern is in the racing tradition of 1st gear to the left and back, reverse to the left forward, and the remaining four forward gears in a conventional H. Directly in front of the driver is a bank of digital instrumentation controlled by a microprocessor located above the driver's knees. Not all of the prototype's instruments are functional, but the microprocessor has capacity for supporting a full range of trip-computer readouts. One of the P-2's functioning displays is its tach, an assemblage of tiny red lights winking on in 100-rpm increments as the revs climb. It's also planned to have an LED (light-emitting diode) readout of 1000-rpm points and another showing mph. None of the P-2's functioning readouts are particularly bright, by the way, an inherent limitation of instrumentation of this kind. Space permitting, some sort of recessed location would be beneficial. To the driver's right on the dash is a second binnacle housing touch controls for parking lights, headlights, high beam, wiper, rear-window heat and hazard. On the binnacle's inner surface (the left side of this right-hand-drive) lie two proximity switches for the directionals. These are conveniently positioned for the driver's outboard hand, and are actuated without direct contact: Pass your hand downward past them for a right signal: up past the pair for left. A square button inboard of the steering wheel on the dash cancels the signal if needed. The passenger side of the dash contains controls for heat, ventilation, air conditioning and radio. Speakers fit into the rear bulkhead on either side, ashtrays are in each sill and side windows are fitted with small toll-booth hatches operated electrically. All in all, there are comfortable if cozy accommodations for two, provided neither is more than 5 ft 8 in. tall. Otherwise, it's you who does the accommodating. Speaking personally as a six- footer, I managed to fit into the P-2, certainly enjoyed the special treat of driving it, but didn't try to convince anyone I was especially comfortable while doing so. I'm told that production Domes will have narrower sills, lower seats and commensurately more space devoted to occupants. Beneath all this lies a chassis of welded square-section steel tube. Front suspension features unequal-length A-arms of stamped steel welded into box sections; coil springs are concentrically located about adjustable Hayashi shocks, and an anti-roll bar completes the layout. Steering makes use of a Honda Accord rack-and-pinion unit. Rear suspension is similar to the front, with Dome-designed cast aluminum hub carriers located by unequal-length A-arms, suspended by coils and damped by another pair of Hayashi shocks. A rear anti-roll bar is also fitted. Front brakes are mounted outboard, with ventilated discs of Dome design and caliper assemblies from the Subaru Leone. The inbound rear brakes have Dome-designed solid discs and similar Subaru calipers. The P-2's engine is a Nissan L-28E inline-6, same powerplant as in the Datsun 280ZX. The Dome, though, uses triple twin-choke 40-mm Solexes, rather than the Bosch L-Jetronic of U.S. Z cars. In this trim, the 2753-cc powerplant produces 145 bhp. up 10 bhp from its U.S. Z car rating. And, what's more, production Domes are likely to be turbocharged, with either the Nissan mill or Toyota's inline-6 (the Supra's) depending on availability from these engine suppliers. Transmission is a ZF 5DS-25/2 and mates with a 4.22:1 final drive. Power gets transmitted to the wheels through halfshafts borrowed from the Toyota Cressida (a version with independent rear suspension not sold in the U.S.). and from there to the ground via Dunlop SP Super Sport 225/60HR- 14s at the rear; up front are similar 185/60HR-I3s. The wheels are handsome cast alloy designs produced by Dome, and also part of its product line being introduced in this country. The P-2's wheelbase is 96.5 in., spot on with that of the Countach it resembles; overall length is 166.7 in., 3.7 in. longer than the (unbumpered) Italian exoticar. The P-2's bumpers, by the way, are urethane, and while we didn't have the regulation handy at the time, we're a bit fearful the Dome's front protection may not meet the U.S. impact height requirement of 16 to 20 in. The car's certification process has yet to begin at the time of this writing, so we'll just have to wait and see. One member of our staff suggested the car be fitted with springs boosting its height, a la MGB, only these would be designed to settle immediately after certification to a properly racy ride height. As it stands, overall height of the P-2 is a sleek 39.0 in. Driving the car at Orange County International Raceway and later on the highway, we confirmed our initial impressions of the P-2: It's a well done prototype indeed. Even though its engine was new-and the Editor used a bit of discretion in getting this one-of-a-kind off the line-the P-2 zipped from 0 to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds. Its quarter-mile time and speed were 16.1 sec and 88.0 mph, respectively. Dome people along with us for the day said another car, with a less green engine, ran the quarter in 14.5 sec, getting right down into Countach country (our test of the Lambo recorded a 14.6). In any case, we estimate we could have shaved a half-second or so from the quarter by burning off the line a bit more aggressively. Handling around OCIR was of the as-though-on-rails variety, although you get the impression that terminal oversteer will prevail, and not necessarily with a great deal of warning. This, of course, is typical of mid-engine designs in which no forgiving understeer is purposely cranked in; such cars are perfectly balanced, but demand skill to get the most out of them. The steering displayed a bit of free play across the center- possibly correctable by adjusting the steering damper carried over from the Accord. Once initial input was made, though, the response became quite positive and direct; not overly heavy either. By contrast, controls for throttle, brakes and clutch were each on the stiff side and took some getting used to. The 4-wheel discs were easily up to the task of normal use. However, they exhibited a tendency to front lock and chatter in hard panic stops. Distances were 147 and 274 ft from 60 and 80 mph, respectively; hardly what you'd call bad binders, but evidently still in need of some sorting out. Out on the highway among other cars, the P-2's limited visibility and tight interior make it clear this is a car for deserted twisty backroads, not for running through city traffic. Despite the extremely layback seating, my head wasn't far from the top of the windshield, and forward visibility was fine. On the other hand, I wasn't all that far from the rest of the greenhouse either-and this translated into insufficient room for checking those rear quarters. Thus I found myself depending on the close-mounted convex mirrors more than I'd like. But it wasn't long before I felt sufficiently at-one to probe a few limits, my own and the car's. The Dome took to curves in an absolutely flat stable manner. It was steering response and my own g sense that characterized cornering levels, not body roll. The ride wasn't overly firm, although road irregularities did travel through the suspension and steering pretty much unmolested. All the better, of course, to sense what's going on down there. I must say as well, the car felt very much unlike a prototype. In fact, there are production cars out there that exhibit considerably more rattles, clunks and the like than those sensed in the P-2. Sounds emanating from behind my head were not those of a typical inline-6. Somehow, the combination of intake and exhaust blends in a way that says V-8. In fact, our Editor likened it to the sound of a Lamborghini Urraco-a very pleasant sound indeed. Punch the throttle, there's a delightfully responsive blat behind your head and a reassuring push into the layback upholstery. A treat for all the senses. Ironically enough, this treat may not be available in the Dome's home market, at least not directly. The car's strictly 2-seater nature makes it extremely unlikely that the Japanese government's necessary Type Certification will be forthcoming. In general, cars perceived as "too sporty" have a difficult time. As for the U.S, if certification goes as planned the first of 30 Domes will go on sale early next year. Price hasn't been pinned down yet, but $60,000 is an initial estimate. And there may yet be some yen changing hands: Dome U.S.A. President Masahiko Kaneko told me that Japanese enthusiasts are permitted importation of exotic cars on an individual basis, and he expects that as many as half of the Domes sold initially in this country may ultimately reside in Japanese garages. Fulfilling, no doubt, the dome of a select enthusiastic few. Ariel Winter appears to be single and ready to mingle! The 18-year-old actress announced her changed relationship status on Saturday by posting a GIF of Kim Kardashian that says, "I'm like dropping hints that I'm single." She captioned the tweet with, "When you're surprised that people just haven't gotten it yet." WATCH: Ariel Winter Rocks Burt Reynolds Crop Top and Daisy Dukes Later that evening she posted a screenshot of the tweet on Instagram with the caption, "Hi there press people!!!!!!" Apparently, Winter really wanted people to know she's officially single. The Modern Family star had an on-again, off-again relationship with Laurent Claude Gaudette since the two began dating in late 2013. Rumors of the couple's breakup came to a head last month, when Winter attended her senior prom without Gaudette. ET reached out to Winter's rep about the supposed split earlier this month but were told she had no comment about the speculation. WATCH: Ariel Winter Explains Why She's 'Not Ashamed' of Her Breast Reduction Surgery Scars Winter has been quite active on social media lately. On Friday, she posted a mirror selfie that showed off her bod in a very tiny pair of daisy dukes and a crop top that featured the face of Burt Reynolds, adding the hashtag "throwinshade" to her Instagram caption. The iconic actor is Winter's co-star in the movie, Dog Years, which she is currently filming in Tennessee. The new pic comes just a few days after Winter defended herself against body shamers who had criticized her after she wore a skin-baring gown to her graduation party on June 18. Check out the video below to hear more from the outspoken star. Related Articles Absence makes the heart grow fonder and the screams grow louder. This Utah mom just couldn't help but shout after her army son arrived home in a surprise reunion. Read: Veteran Reunited with 'Mr. Meowgi,' the Cat He Cared for While Serving in Baghdad U.S. Army Specialist Kyle Kracht hasn't seen his mom in four-and-a-half-years. He said between being stationed in Fort Blythe in Texas, and being deployed in Afghanistan for 9 months, he hardly found a moment to return to his mother's house in West Jordan, Utah. "I went on several missions including deployment," Kracht told InsideEdition.com. "Things kept coming up." But, when the 28-year-old finally found a free moment, he jumped at the chance. He contacted other members of his family to help with the surprise. "After my grandfather bought the ticket, he sent the itinerary to [my mom's husband] and he ran off with her to keep her from finding out," Kracht said. "My grandmother, bless her heart, she didn't talk to [my mom] for a whole month. If she spoke to her, then she would have blown it." When Kracht finally showed up at his mom's house Friday, it only took the words, "Hi mom," to send his mom screeching in hysterics. In the video recorded to show his grandparents the surprise, his mom, Cheri Hancock, can be heard screaming at the top of her lungs as she simultaneously runs into the next room in excitement. "I didn't plan on it being like that," Kracht said, expecting his mom to respond, "Hi son!" When Hancock finally calms her down, she embraces her son in a hug. Even her dog jumps at the excitement. "She still can't believe it," Kracht told InsideEdition.com. "Every single time she watches the video she can't believe it and she laughs at herself." Read: Meet the First Ever Female Soldiers to Graduate From Ranger School: 'I Was Thinking of Future Generations of Women' Story continues For the rest of the trip, Kracht said he and his mom spent some long-awaited quality time: "We went and drove around and saw where I grew up as a child, and we spent a lot of time in the car talking and catching up." When Kracht will be stationed at Fort Stewart in Georgia next, he said he will make sure his mom gets the chance to visit him and tour Savannah. Watch: 90-Year-Old Man Receives High School Diploma After Dropping Out to Serve in World War II Related Articles: Keeping pace with its expansion plans, Ascena Retail Group Inc. ASNA announced the introduction of its latest dressbarn store in Columbus. The new store is located at Tanger Outlets Columbus, which is housed in 400 South Wilson Road, Sunbury. As part of the store opening, the company announced free gifts for customers with every purchase. Also, shoppers at the store will have access to designer clothing and smart style solutions, along with personalized wardrobe advice from expert associates on the floor. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Ascena, dressbarn is keen on enhancing customers shopping experience with its attractive, unique and reasonably priced product assortments ranging from sizes 424. Ascena currently operates over 830 dressbarn stores in the U.S. Ascena has been on a roll in terms of store expansion. In fact, apart from dressbarn, the company has been implementing the store expansion strategy for its other brands as well. Evidently, over the last weekend, Ascena opened a new Lane Bryant outlet in the same location as the latest dressbarn store. Prior to that, it also opened a Lane Bryant store in California, at Plaza 183 in Cerritos. Lane Bryant operates about 764 full-line and outlet stores in the country, targeting plus-size women aged 3045, and caters to women's sizes 1428. The brand also has an online presence. With the consistent implementation of its store expansion strategy, Ascena aims to expand its presence and recognition across communities. As of the end of third-quarter fiscal 2016 and following the acquisition of ANN Inc., Ascena operates over 4,900 stores across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. However, this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) stock closed trade at $6.93 on Friday, marking a year-to-date plunge of 34.1%. ASCENA RETAIL Price ASCENA RETAIL Price | ASCENA RETAIL Quote Stocks to Consider Better-ranked stocks in the same industry include Christopher & Banks Corporation CBK, with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), The Children's Place, Inc. PLCE and Destination XL Group, Inc. DXLG, with a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) each. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CHILDRENS PLACE (PLCE): Free Stock Analysis Report ASCENA RETAIL (ASNA): Free Stock Analysis Report DESTINATION XL (DXLG): Free Stock Analysis Report CHRISTOPHER&BNK (CBK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Kaitlyn Bristowe and Shawn Booth went to a wedding over the weekend ... and it got us really excited for when these two tie the knot themselves. The couple, who got engaged on Bristowe's season of The Bachelorette last year, attended her close friend's wedding in Vancouver, Canada, at the University of British Columbia's Museum of Anthropology Pacific Spirit Park. Bristowe, who was a bridesmaid, took to Instagram to share a sweet sunset photo of the couple. "OMG GET MARRIED ALREADY #jesandkyle," she captioned the shot. (She read our minds.) OMG GET MARRIED ALREADY #jesandkyle #faviana @faviana_ny A photo posted by Kaitlyn Bristowe (@kaitlynbristowe) on Jun 26, 2016 at 10:43am PDT Bristowe, 31, also took to Instagram to share a close-up of her makeup on the day of, thanking the glam team for keeping her look on point despite a few tears. "Shout out to @alldolledupstudio for doing an unbelievable job on our make up for the wedding yesterday," she wrote. "Side note- I cried about 13 times and not once did my make up run." Shout out to @alldolledupstudio for doing an unbelievable job on our make up for the wedding yesterday. Side note- I cried about 13 times and not once did my make up run. @opushotel A photo posted by Kaitlyn Bristowe (@kaitlynbristowe) on Jun 26, 2016 at 9:34am PDT Bristowe and Booth also took to Snapchat to document their evening as they twirled each other around and kissed on the dance floor. As for their own much-anticipated nuptials, the happy couple has maintained that they're in no rush. "The pressure doesn't get to us at all," Booth, 29, told PEOPLE in February. "We only knew each other for ten weeks before I proposed. We're both normal people and the most normal thing we can do is wait." "We're living together, we're enjoying being engaged. When we start to plan, we'll let everybody know!" Bristowe added. And in the meantime, the two are still head over heels for one another. "I love Shawn more now than the day he proposed," Bristowe said. "That was like a fantasy love. Now it's real." tall man and short man While researching a story on behaviors that can make you unhappy, I came across one especially intriguing study on a habit most of us are guilty of. That habit is comparing yourself to other people. Science suggests there's one key reason why it's not a great idea: People can seem a lot happier and less troubled than they really are. For the study, which was published in 2011, researchers at Stanford University, Syracuse University, and the University of California, Berkeley, conducted a series of experiments around people's ability to accurately assess others' emotional lives. In one experiment, university first-years underestimated the number of negative emotional experiences (like having a fight or feeling homesick) and overestimated the number of positive emotional experiences (like going to a fun party or hanging out with friends) their peers had recently gone through. Even when another group of first-years was asked to make similar estimates for people they were close to friends, roommates, and romantic partners they were way off. Perhaps the most troubling study finding is that university students who really underestimated the number of negative emotional experiences others were dealing with reported lower well-being. Of course, the researchers can't say for sure that misjudging others' emotional lives directly causes a decrease in well-being it could also be that people who are feeling bad may assume everyone else is feeling great. Or, the relationship might work both ways: Feeling bad leads you to think everyone else is feeling great, which only makes you feel worse. As a Slate article pointed out right after the study was published, our social media experiences might only exacerbate this phenomenon. When all your friends are posting photos of their happy families, and law-school admission letters, and exotic vacations, it seems reasonable to assume that they're having a whole lot more fun than you are. Story continues But when it comes to social media as well as IRL interactions, you're probably only seeing a curated version of everyone else's lives. Keep that in mind the next time you feel alone in your struggles chances other that other people have been there too, and might even be able to provide some guidance. NOW WATCH: The longest study on happiness revealed that people who did this lived longer, happier lives More From Business Insider Two weeks ago, as residents of the village of Bani Jamrah in northwestern Bahrain finished their morning prayers and prepared for the long day of Ramadan fasting ahead, the calm was broken by the arrival of a group of masked policemen. Their quarry was Nabeel Rajab, among the most respected rights activists in the Arab world, and a perennial target of the government of Bahrain, which is both a close U.S. ally and a routine violator of human rights. Long accustomed to such confrontations he has been arrested multiple times the veteran activist conducted himself with resignation. The police knocked on the door, and my father told them, Wait, Ill just change, his son, Adam Rajab, recalled. They opened the door, came in, searched the home, and left with my father. When my family asked about the charges, they said its nothing; he will be back in two or three hours, he said. But it soon emerged that Rajab was not to be released so quickly. On the day after his arrest, his family was informed that he would be held for a week, pending further investigation. On Tuesday, his detention was extended for another eight days despite his lawyers request that he be immediately released and his complaints of ill health. It was initially understood that Rajabs detention was linked to criticisms of the government he had voiced earlier this year and in 2015. According to his son, the police confronted him with evidence of his alleged crimes a day after his arrest, provoking bafflement from the long-time activist. He said, they showed me old videos, his son continued. They didnt even try to produce something that makes sense. It may be that the authorities were stalling for time as they put together a more legally substantial case against him. In the end, Rajab was informed that he would face trial for outstanding charges of insulting a statutory body and disseminating false rumors in times of war. Both relate to year-old tweets he had made criticizing Bahrains prison system and its involvement in the Yemeni civil war. According to his lawyer, he faces up to 13 years in prison. Story continues The arbitrarily timed move against Rajab is just a relatively minor piece of what U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon recently described as a new crackdown in the kingdom, which has had a long history of suppressing its dissidents. The latest period of repression, which began weeks ago, is the states most concerted, and likely most consequential, effort to undermine its political opponents in years. It extends far beyond prominent activists like Rajab. Several weeks ago, a court extended to nine years the prison sentence of Sheikh Ali Salman, the leader of al-Wefaq, the countrys main opposition movement. He had earlier been sentenced to four years in jail for making political statements and criticizing the government in public speeches. Human Rights Watch described his trial as grossly unfair and observed that the presiding judge refused to allow Sheikh Salmans defense lawyers to present potentially exculpatory evidence. This month, rights activist Zainab al-Khawaja, who had been arrested last year and released in May, fled the country, claiming that the state had threatened her with re-arrest and indefinite separation from her children. Around the same time, rights campaigners were prevented from traveling to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva; the government followed by stripping Shaikh Issa Qassim, a well-known government critic and Shia cleric, of his citizenship. The latter move was justified by the Ministry of the Interior on the grounds that he had used his position to serve foreign interests and promote sectarianism and violence, but it elicited a strong international response. A spokesperson of the U.S. State Department said the U.S. government was alarmed by the decision, adding that Washington was unaware of any credible evidence to support this action. This week, Reuters reported protests near the clerics home, with some men wearing white shrouds signaling their readiness to die. Most significantly of all, on June 14 the authorities placed a ban, pending investigation, on the activities of the al-Wefaq movement and seized all of its assets. Like the arrest of Rajab, the edict came out of the blue, said Abdullah al-Shamlawi, a lawyer for al-Wefaq; there had been no clear warnings that the organization was in danger of suspension. In October, a court will rule whether the group will face total dissolution by the state. The elimination of the countrys largest opposition movement would leave the countrys Shia who represent up to seventy percent of the countrys Muslims without a political party that represents their interests, spurring alienation and radicalization. It would amount to the most aggressive move by state authorities against Shia leaders since 2011. In that year, the governments response to the largely peaceful gatherings associated with the wider Arab Spring was to initiate a violent crackdown in which state forces executed protesters in the street, conducted mass arrests, and tortured detainees to death. Many leading activists were jailed, some for life, on the basis of confessions allegedly extracted through torture. In response to domestic pressures and widespread international outcry the government launched an independent inquiry into the violence, which, after months of painstaking investigation, concluded that systematic abuses had occurred. The kingdoms ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah, publicly promised that the government was committed to reforms, and since then he has overseen some improvements to Bahrains judicial system and law enforcement practices. But the reforms have not been particularly far-reaching. In the five years since the crackdown, the state has continued to jail critics, harass rights campaigners and, according to rights groups, torture detainees. A strategically important island nation in the heart of the Persian Gulf, Bahrain has long enjoyed friendly ties with the United States and Britain. A new maritime base is being built for the British Royal Navy; the U.S. has parked its fifth fleet near the capital city Manama for decades. Rights groups have argued that a lack of appropriate criticism of abuses by the U.S. and Britain have emboldened Bahraini authorities to continue their repressive acts without fear of damaging important foreign relationships. British Prime Minister David Cameron has defended his countrys ties to Bahrain by downplaying the abuses. Bahrain is not Syria, he told the BBC in 2012, adding that that a process of reform is underway in the Gulf state. The U.S. has been more publicly critical of the kingdom and suspended military aid in the aftermath of the governments 2011 crackdown. But Washington apparently felt no compunctions about maintaining its naval presence and cordial diplomatic relations. In a sign of the continued health of military-to-military relations, an American delegation met the Commander-in-Chief of the Bahraini Defense Force last week to discuss issues of mutual concern, according to the islands state media. Indeed, last year, the Obama administration reinstated military aid. The Royal Bahraini Air Force has participated in the U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria. Speaking after military the ban was lifted, Secretary of State John Kerry praised Bahrains meaningful progress on human rights reforms and reconciliation. Rights groups have dismissed such claims. In light of the governments renewed assault on its critics, it is disingenuous of foreign governments to continue to pretend that Bahrain is still on the right path to reform, wrote Amnesty Internationals Middle East and North Africa researcher, Said Haddadi, in an email. Nicholas McGeehan, Human Rights Watchs Gulf researcher, said pointedly: I think its entirely incorrect to say there is a reform process in Bahrain. There is a process of managed repression. A spokeswoman from the British Foreign Office told me that London was concerned by the decision to suspend the activities of the Bahraini opposition group, Al Wefaq, and freeze its assets. We encourage Bahrain to respect the rights of political groups to operate and to seek an inclusive political dialogue. We are also seeking to establish the facts around the apparent prevention of a group of human rights activists from traveling to Geneva for the U.N. Human Rights Council, and the arrest of human rights activist, Nabeel Rajab, she added. Reliable sources have told me that the Foreign Secretary spoke with the Bahraini Foreign Minister in mid-June to discuss the political situation, but did not say whether any criticism of the crackdown was expressed. Representatives of the Bahraini government and the U.S. State Department have not replied to requests for comment on this story. Meanwhile, while Rajab has maintained his defiant spirit, his family say they are concerned about the conditions hes being kept in. He is still in solitary, and his health is deteriorating, his son said, insisting that international pressure could be decisive to the outcome of a future trial. Referring to court proceedings, he said, its just all like for a picture [for show.] What really matters is strong international pressure. If so, he will be released, if not he will stay [incarcerated]. But he foresees little action from Bahrains most important western backers. The U.K. dont have a strong stand on what is happening in Bahrain, he said, observing sardonically that democracy and human rights in Bahrain will not offer the U.K. a navy base. The U.S. have a better stand, but they are not doing anything except for statements all about concerns, he added. For now, Bahrains most prominent human rights activist will be on his own. Of the last six years, his son said bitterly, this is his fifth Ramadan in jail. In the photo, demonstrators pray following a protest against the revocation of the citizenship of top Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim in the village of Diraz, west of Manama, Bahrain, on June 20. Photo credit: MOHAMMED AL-SHAIKH/AFP/Getty Images Correction, June 27, 2016: Nabeel Rajab faces trial for charges that were outstanding from last year; they are not new charges, as the story initially implied. Jerusalem (AFP) - UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged Israelis and Palestinians not to allow extremists on either side to fan violence, as he arrived as part of a Middle East tour. "Do not allow the extremism on either side to fuel the... conflict," he said in remarks at Tel Aviv University. "Palestinians and Israelis leaders must stand firm against violence, terror and incitement." Ban continued the theme at a meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem. "Stabbings, bombings and shootings will not achieve anything because violence is never a solution," he said. The United Nations Secretary General is to hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, as part of a packed schedule in which he will also visit the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, occupied by Israel since the 1976 Six Day War. "Nearly 50 years of occupation has had a devastating impact on Palestinian lives undermining the belief in a peaceful resolution to the conflict," Ban said in Jerusalem. "It also has not brought security to the Israelis. "I firmly believe that a negotiated two-state solution remains the only viable option to prevent a perpetual conflict," he added. Netanyahu was originally expected to meet Ban on Monday but he was in Rome for talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry on stalled peace efforts with the Palestinians. That meeting came ahead of a report by the Quartet -- the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia -- on the peace process. The review by the diplomatic contact group is expected to be critical of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank. "I encourage Israeli and Palestinian leaders to engage with the Quartet on its recommendations and on creating the conditions for the resumption of meaningful negotiations," Ban said. He kicked off his Middle East tour in Kuwait on Sunday. On Tuesday he goes to Gaza to inspect a UN-run girls primary school, then on to Ramallah in the West Bank for talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and prime minister Rami Hamdallah. DHAKA, June 27 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's central bank has ended a contract with U.S. cyber security firm FireEye to investigate February's online theft of $81 million, turning down a proposal to extend the agreement, a senior official said on Monday. More than four months after hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, investigators in Bangladesh and the United States are still trying to identify them. FireEye's Mandiant division had asked for 570 hours of additional work to complete its investigation into the biggest cyber heist in history, sources at the bank had said earlier. Last week, the board of Bangladesh Bank met and ratified an earlier decision not to extend Mandiant's contract, Jamaluddin Ahmed, a director of the central bank, told Reuters on Monday. "It was a unanimous decision," he said, adding the central bank had decided to take steps on its own to improve the security of its computer systems. Sources at the bank told Reuters last week that Mandiant's high price-tag was one of the factors to end the contract with the U.S. security firm. The sources said Mandiant had been paid about $280,000 for about 700 hours of work. A spokesman for Mandiant said it had provided Bangladesh Bank and the global financial community extensive data on the attack. "(We) will continue to support law enforcement and the industry past the close of our engagement," the spokesman said, adding that the company's pricing and duration of investigation was unique in each case. The Bangladesh bank sources said the bank may still engage external experts to advise it on cyber security after drawing up new terms of reference. There was no decision on that at Thursday's meeting, Ahmed said. (Reporting by Serajul Quadir, additional reporting by Jeremy Wagstaff in SINGAPORE; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Raju Gopalakrishnan) Telecom Egypt will receive a second tranche of withheld dividends from Vodafone Egypt amounting to EGP 750 million, a source from the Telecommunications Ministry said on Monday. The state-owned landline monopoly owns 45 percent of Vodafone Egypt, which had been withholding dividends since 2012 due to difficulties repatriating its profits. In April it agreed to release at least EGP 3.34 billion in withheld dividends. Telecom Egypt was entitled to EGP 1.5 billion of those payments and the dividends were to be paid in two installments in April and June. Vodafone's general assembly agreed to issue the dividends to shareholders on Sunday. "The Vodafone General Assembly meeting decided yesterday to issue dividends to shareholders. Telecom Egypt's share of that will be 750 million pounds," the source said. *The official exchange rate for $1 = EGP8.78 Search Keywords: Short link: DHAKA (Reuters) - Bangladesh's central bank has ended a contract with U.S. cyber security firm FireEye to investigate February's online theft of $81 million, turning down a proposal to extend the agreement, a senior official said on Monday. More than four months after hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, investigators in Bangladesh and the United States are still trying to identify them. FireEye's Mandiant division had asked for 570 hours of additional work to complete its investigation into the biggest cyber heist in history, sources at the bank had said earlier. Last week, the board of Bangladesh Bank met and ratified an earlier decision not to extend Mandiant's contract, Jamaluddin Ahmed, a director of the central bank, told Reuters on Monday. "It was a unanimous decision," he said, adding the central bank had decided to take steps on its own to improve the security of its computer systems. Sources at the bank told Reuters last week that Mandiant's high price-tag was one of the factors to end the contract with the U.S. security firm. The sources said Mandiant had been paid about $280,000 for about 700 hours of work. A spokesman for Mandiant said it had provided Bangladesh Bank and the global financial community extensive data on the attack. "(We) will continue to support law enforcement and the industry past the close of our engagement," the spokesman said, adding that the company's pricing and duration of investigation was unique in each case. The Bangladesh bank sources said the bank may still engage external experts to advise it on cyber security after drawing up new terms of reference. There was no decision on that at Thursday's meeting, Ahmed said. (Reporting by Serajul Quadir, additional reporting by Jeremy Wagstaff in SINGAPORE; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Raju Gopalakrishnan) danger sign avalanche snow mountain As with any downward shock for the stock market, the fall in stocks after Brexit has inspired calls of the old mantra "buy the dip." Essentially, the idea is that short-term weakness related to outside shocks makes for good buying opportunities, since strong companies get hit alongside companies that are actually damaged by the shock. So you can get a good investment on the cheap by buying after a sudden drop. And this is often true: After most geopolitical-driven drops, stocks end up bouncing back rather quickly. This time around, it may be different, according to Ajay Rajadhyaksha, head of macro research at Barclays. He posed a rhetorical question to himself in a note to clients on Friday about whether markets would "rebound soon." He said they would not, for three reasons: It takes time for shocks to fade: "First, markets do not react instantly to momentous events; investors need time to understand ramifications, especially those contingent on policy responses," Rajadhyaksha said. He compared it with bank stocks after the Bear Stearns collapse, which took several weeks to stop falling. While Brexit is less momentous, it will take a similar period for markets to adjust. Stocks are still expensive: "In equities, it is true that the mid-February low turned out to be a good entry point for many equity indices," the note said. "But these markets today do not offer a similarly attractive entry point." It's true that price-to-earnings ratios still remain elevated, even drawing the attention of the Federal Reserve. More political uncertainty: "Investors are likely to worry at least for the next few weeks about new political catalysts, most of which seem weighted to the downside," said Rajadhyaksha. This is especially interesting given the number of European countries that are considering exits from the EU following Brexit. For those reasons, it seems to Rajadhyaksha that it may be too early to "buy the dip." In his opinion, a strong response from the EU that discourages other members of the EU from leaving the bloc would be encouraging for investors. In addition, a drop to slightly lower valuations would help. Story continues Until these factors turn around, investors should stay away from loading up in the market. Or, as the title of Rajadhyaksha's note said, "Don't be a hero." NOW WATCH: An exercise scientist reveals exactly how long you need to work out to get in great shape More From Business Insider Nearly two dozen attorneys descended on a Minnesota courtroom Monday morning to attend a hearing that will establish procedures to determine the heirs to Prince's $300 million fortune. In the absence of a will outlining clear beneficiaries, the estate has been bombarded with claims of varying credibility. The legendary musician, who died on April 21 of an accidental overdose of the painkiller fentanyl, had no biological children, but left behind a sister and at least five half-siblings although many others have come forward claiming to be blood relations. The proceedings began at 8:30 a.m. local time on Monday in Chaska, a Minneapolis suburb. Carver County Judge Kevin Eide closed the courtroom to cameras, microphones and sketch artists, expressing that the state forbids such coverage of paternity-related cases. Bremer Trust, the firm representing Princeas estate, admitted this move was also to prevent "sensitive family histories [being] broadcast to the world." RELATED VIDEO: Prince's Sister Tyka Nelson is Most Likely to Inherit Musical Legend's Estate According to the StarTribune, the first hour of the hearing was spent discussing genetic testing procedures. "This case is perhaps unique in the state of Minnesota," Eide said in his opening statements. "In many ways, we are in unchartered water here." Battle Over Prince's Millions Could Drag Out Even Longer After No Will Found, Potential Heirs Told| Trials & Lawsuits, Prince WATCH: Jennifer Hudson, Dave Chappelle, And Other Stars Honor Prince at BET Awards Bremer Trust attorney David Crosby told Judge Eide that an exhaustive search through thousands of boxes of documents has failed to uncover a will. "We've looked under every box lid," he said. "The inquiry is coming to a close very soon." Judge Eide said that he may forward the difficult questions regarding genetic testing to a higher court, which would delay a final decision on how to proceed in dividing up the estate. Five of Prince's six surviving siblings were present at the hearing. The 2012 attack that killed four Americans in Benghazi continued its afterlife as a political sideshow Monday, as congressional Democrats pre-empted their Republican counterparts by issuing a report concluding no surprise here that the deaths were a tragedy but not a cover-up. Coming, as it did, from the Democratic half the panel, it wont calm the controversy over what happened in that Libyan city on Sept. 11, 2012. Nor will it keep Republicans from using it as a club against the then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, now the all-but-certain Democratic nominee for President, despite several official investigations that have cleared her of wrongdoing in the matter. For more than two years, a special House committee has studied the mob attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, along with fellow Americans Glen Doherty, Sean Smith and Tyrone Woods. Republicans, led by Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina, have long argued that the Obama Administration and Clinton fumbled the U.S. response to the attacks, and then misled the nation about what happened to minimize their culpability. The 344-page Democratic report, along with a similar study also released Monday by Clintons political supporters, dismisses such charges. While the congressional inquiry acknowledges State Department security in Benghazi was woefully inadequate, it says there was nothing the Pentagon could have done to save the Americans lives. The panel said it could find no evidence that Clinton personally denied requests for additional security in Benghazi. And the Obama Administrations initial claims that the attack was spontaneously sparked by an anti-Muslim video rather than a carefully planned attack on the 11th anniversary of 9/11 it turned out to be were not intentionally misleading, the Democratic report found. Rep. Elijah Cummings of Maryland, the senior Democrat on the panel, said his party had to issue its own findings into what happened because the GOP was unwilling to produce a bipartisan report that would include Democrats views on what transpired. Much of the report attacks the GOPs grave abuses during the inquiry. Republicans released their own final report Tuesday. Story continues Matt Wolking, spokesman for the GOP members of the panel, said the Democrats report puts their obsession with the former secretary of stateon full display, mentioning her name 334 times. The panels dishonest Democrats refused to join their Republican colleagues serious, fact-centered investigation, he added. Everyone can ignore their rehashed, partisan talking points defending their endorsed candidate for President. The edited transcripts of U.S. military officials involved in Benghazi and its aftermath released by the Democrats read, in many passages, more like a prosecution than an inquiry. When you generate an aircraft theres a lot to it, Air Force General Philip Breedlove told the panel in an April 7 session after being drilled about the lack of airpower available to help in Benghazi. You dont just walk up and turn the keys and take off, said Breedlove, who spent more than 3,500 hours flying F-16s and other warplanes. When pressed on the possibility of rescuing the imperiled Americans, Breedlove relied on the intractables of time and distance. The physics of the timeline, of tasking, plus generation of aircraft, plus physically flying, et cetera, et cetera, they would not have changed anything to do, unfortunately, with the ambassador or others, he said. Breedlove commanded the U.S. Air Force in Europe when the Benghazi attack took place; he recently retired as NATOs top military commander. The warring reports are the latest evidence if any were needed that Congress is incapable of weighing evidence and declaring, based on that evidence, what it believes took place. Instead, each side embraced a view shortly after the event, and has done everything it could to discredit the other side. An honest reading of the evidence tilts more the Democrats way. In some ways, the Benghazi imbroglio carries echoes of the commission led by Chief Justice Earl Warren that judged Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone when he killed President Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. Much of the nation found that conclusion and Oswalds killing two days later inside the Dallas police station by nightclub owner Jack Ruby unsatisfying. It triggered theories involving a second gunman on the grassy knoll that have persisted for more than a half-century. But the seven members of the Warren commission took only 10 months less than half the time of the Benghazi panel to come to their conclusion. And, unlike the Benghazi panel, at least they were unanimous. With additional reporting by Philip Elliott Berkshire Hills Bancorp, Inc. (NYSE: BHLB) and First Choice Bank revealed Monday that they reached a definitive merger agreement. Accordingly, First Choice Bank would merge into Berkshire Bank and its subsidiary and that First Choice Loan Services Inc., would become a subsidiary of Berkshire Bank. The transaction would be through an all-stock valued at about $111.7 million. Berkshire said that merger agreement terms provided each outstanding share of First Choice common stock to be exchanged for 0.5773 shares of Berkshire Hills common stock. Before closing the merger transaction, First Choice might pay a per share dividend of a maximum of 35 percent of any core earnings above and beyond a $14.22 tangible book value per share. As a result of the transaction, Berkshire's total assets would get a boost to $8.9 billion. That included the $1.1 billion in acquired First Choice assets. The company believes that this is a market-expanding merger and offered entry into attractive markets with strong demographics, and includes six branches near Princeton, New Jersey and two in the greater Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. The company's CEO, Michael, Daly, said, "We are pleased to welcome First Choice customers and employees to America's Most Exciting Bank. This partnership builds on Berkshire's commitment to create a strong regional platform for serving our customers, while diversifying our revenue streams, improving profitability and increasing shareholder value." He added, "The First Choice franchise builds on markets where we presently manage commercial relationships, and adds a well-positioned deposit base, a best in class home lending operation and enthusiastic new teams that complement our current culture. After integration, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Berkshire's earnings per share, return on equity and return on assets, liquidity and capital. We have a strong track record of execution and our collective teams are positioned to complete this integration flawlessly." Story continues First Choice's net loans was $436 million, excluding loans held for sale, and holds $906 million in deposits at the end of the first quarter. Its total mortgage production in 2015 was $2.5 billion. Following the transaction, Berkshire would have a pro forma market cap of about $905 million and 101 branches, serving customers and communities across the Northeast. See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. 27 Jun - His two-year-old son Isaiah may be too young to understand, but actor Bernard Palanca still decides to apologise to him for his inability to be a full-time father. As reported on PEP News, the actor recently posted a collage of Isaiah's photos on Instagram, and expressed his regret that his four-year relationship with girlfriend and baby mama, Jerika Ejercito, had to end. He wrote, "My son, I'm truly very sorry for not taking better care of your mother and our relationship. I'm sorry I couldn't keep us together. I want you to know that despite what happened, you still are and always will be my number one." "Both you and [your] brother are my life and always will be my source of strength no matter what happens. One day I'll be able to explain everything to you in a way that you can understand how life is and works." He continued, "I love you with everything that I am and please don't ever forget that I'm just here and will always just be here, okay? Papa loves you very much, and misses you so so much more!" Although he denied it when the rumours began earlier this year, Palanca recently admitted to his breakup with Ejercito, hinting that he has been replaced. Ejercito later denied allegations of a third party, though refused to explain the reason for their breakup, saying that she will not discuss their private matter in public. (Photo source: instagram.com/iambjp.76) What six Bernie die-hards think about Sanders, Clinton and Trump, in their own words. Bernie or Bust. It's the refrain of the fervent core of Bernie Sanders supporters who say they'll never back presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. The number of Sanders backers many of whom are young, independent-minded voters who say they plan to support someone else or stay home in November is high. That has become an acute concern for the Clinton campaign. A recent Bloomberg poll found just 55% of Sanders voters are prepared to support the former secretary of state. Should they remain demoralized through the general election battle, Clinton's hopes of unifying the party will fade, and the once-unthinkable a Donald Trump presidency will become increasingly plausible. Mic wanted to find out what will happen to the young people who fueled Sanders' improbable run once he inevitably exits the race. Do they disengage from politics? Will they vote third party? What can Clinton do to win their votes? In a series of interviews over the past few weeks, we spoke to six Bernie or Bust supporters three men and three women from current or potential swing states, all ranging in age from 26 to 29. They gave us some valuable insight into what happens next. All were adamant about why they supported Sanders in the primary, and eager to share their misgivings about both Trump and Clinton. Several said they plan to vote third party. Some could be persuaded to pull the lever for Clinton. They all hate Trump. Over the course of the general election campaign, we'll keep taking their temperature on the state of the race. For now, here's a glimpse into the mind of six Bernie-or-Busters. Luke Brinker Interviews have been condensed and edited for space and clarity. Brett Gerding 26, Pennsylvania, administrative assistant Bernie or Bust: Where Does the Bernie Sanders Movement Go From Here? Why did you support Sanders? I'm a big fan of holding Wall Street accountable. To be as vocal and aggressive as Bernie has always been towards holding people accountable drew me in. Story continues What do you think Sanders should do now? Draw attention to the rules of the DNC and try to influence the platform as much as he can. I want to see the superdelegates go away. I want to see more open primaries. Those are really the biggest ones. Are you worried about Trump becoming president? That eats away at me all the time. I don't feel comfortable voting for either candidate, but there is that tinge of, "What can I do to stop this maniac?" That's the most important thing that he does not become president. He's so completely out of the realm of acceptable politics that I can't even fathom other people taking him seriously. But I'd rather it not be Hillary either. It's difficult to reconcile my extreme opposition to Trump and my unwillingness to support Hillary. "It's really a matter of how much he's going to be able to squeeze out of them." Do you think there will come a time where you will reconcile that by supporting Hillary? Based on where things stand at the moment, I still don't think that I could. I try to think who she could pick as vice president who would sway me. I can't really think of anyone. So who will you vote for in the fall? I'm just going to vote for Jill Stein from the Green Party. The conversation needs to be changed at the root. As told to Stefan Becket Jess Mazour 29, Iowa, community organizer and activist Bernie or Bust: Where Does the Bernie Sanders Movement Go From Here? Do you think the primary process was fair to Sanders? No. I think it shut out a lot of people who aren't involved and don't know the process. The whole thing was kind of rigged, and then superdelegates on top of that. He ran a fantastic campaign. He figured out how to run a successful campaign without a lot of money, so he broke through a barrier. What do you think Sanders should do now? He should stay strong through the convention. We need to keep the momentum going. There's a movement happening across America, with people prioritizing issues rather than parties or candidates, and we have to build on that momentum. What do you think of Clinton? She flip-flops all the time and doesn't really reflect what people need right now. We can't keep fiddling around the edges. She does that. She's out of touch. She really isn't working for the people. She's working for her donors, a lot of companies that are exploiting people. Big Pharma, corporate agriculture, big banks the list goes on and on and on. That's who she really represents. "Voting for Clinton is like selling my soul. I can't go against what I truly believe in." Will you vote for Clinton in the fall? No. I'll either write in Bernie or consider Jill Stein from the Green Party. Voting for Clinton is like selling my soul. I can't go against what I truly believe in. I would feel immoral. Who should she pick as her vice president? I don't know. I know everyone says Elizabeth Warren, but I don't want her corrupted, because she's so good right now. I don't know if it really matters, because I think Hillary's going to do what she wants to do. Is there anything Clinton can do to win your vote? No. I wouldn't vote for her if she were running for county supervisor. As told to Celeste Katz Adam Griffin 28, North Carolina, unemployed Bernie or Bust: Where Does the Bernie Sanders Movement Go From Here? Do you think the primary process was fair to Sanders? Definitely not. The coverage of superdelegates was a joke. When you have the DNC telling you not to count them, and you continue to, it's about more than just landing a story. It's driving a narrative. Will you vote for Clinton in the fall? To be honest, no. I guess I can imagine it happening, but right now I still see myself siding with someone else. Not Trump, but another candidate. What will you think if Sanders endorses Clinton? It seems inevitable, doesn't it? I will probably think what I'm already thinking: This sucks. How could this have happened? This was our shot. This was my generation's chance (one of many already) squandered. It's hard for most of us not to feel like this was a coronation. His endorsement will not change that. It will be a very sad day. I think it will deflate many spirits for some time. "This sucks. How could this have happened? This was our shot. This was my generation's chance." Who should Clinton pick as her vice president? Bernie Sanders on the ticket would probably convince me to vote for Clinton. We all know that's next to impossible, but it would be a smart move. I think Clinton wouldn't consider him for prideful reasons. Who are your friends voting for? Sanders. People keep telling me they'll write him in. They don't seem to know our local write-in rules. A few have started to give Dr. Stein a look. But I fear most of my friends will not vote, thinking there isn't a point. Are you worried about Trump becoming president? Absolutely. I have been so convinced that Trump will beat Hillary, for so long now, that I almost just expect him to win at this point. It's sad. The only positive I can see coming from it is a progressive backlash that brings a Democratic president and Congress in 2020 for the next census and redistricting. As told to Luke Brinker Maryon Rocha 29, Arizona, substitute teacher Bernie or Bust: Where Does the Bernie Sanders Movement Go From Here? Why did you support Sanders? He was an independent forever, which really appealed to me since I've always been an independent. I liked that he thinks college should be free, and that he thinks war is the last resort. I phone banked twice a week from November to March. I knocked on doors. I registered people Democrat if they were independents. I became part of a group called Latinas for Bernie. I went to events, giving out flyers, pamphlets, letting people know about Bernie. Just everything. What do you think he should do now? Sanders should tell his followers to keep working to change our two-party system. He should let it be known that with or without him, we as voters should change the way things are being run, not only by voting but by getting involved and representing our communities. Will you vote for Clinton? No. I definitely considered voting for her. I really liked Bill Clinton when I was a kid. I like the fact that as a woman she's been out there in politics and is a badass. But even though I would love a woman president, it's not going to blind me to vote for someone that I disagree with politically. Voting for Hillary is kind of like voting for a Republican. I don't want to vote for her. "I will keep doing my part to change things, but I refuse to worry about a Trump presidency." Not voting is not an option for me. It took me 21 years to become a citizen. I'm not going to abstain. I fought a lot and paid a lot to become a citizen of this country and I'm not not voting. Democrats say, "Well, you're giving your vote to Trump." But I'd also be giving my vote to a really bad person who's going to take us to another war. So I'm definitely voting third party. I've looked into Gary Johnson, the Libertarian. He used to actually be a Republican, but is super socially liberal and is very much against war, which is a big, big issue for me. Are you worried about Trump becoming president? I was. Not anymore. Every country gets the leader it deserves unless the CIA intervenes in your elections, but that's another topic. If this is the leader we deserve for not paying attention for so long, so be it. I will keep doing my part to change things, but I refuse to worry about a Trump presidency. Who should Clinton pick as her vice president? Tulsi Gabbard. As told to Celeste Katz Adam Sparks 27, Ohio, post grad student Bernie or Bust: Where Does the Bernie Sanders Movement Go From Here? Why did you support Sanders? My views have shifted in recent years. I was somewhat on the right, and a couple of years back I started to turn my views toward the left and now I'm very far on the left. My education was telling me one thing, but I was the rebel in college who'd say, "No! Libertarianism is the route to go!" I just had a transition of thought, and my critique, which was toward the government, shifted toward those who run the government. Do you think the primary process was fair to him? I would not be surprised if it was rigged. There are people who are well-established in the Democratic Party who grew to love the Clintons in the '90s and they view her as a pragmatic person and they prefer her to Bernie Sanders. With those people running the party, would they run the process more favorably for Hillary? I don't know. What do you think of Clinton? At the beginning of the nomination process, I had more of a positive opinion. I still wasn't a fan of hers she's a moderate. One thing Bernie Sanders has done is expose the neoliberalism that's within the Democratic Party. Will you vote for her in the fall? No, I cannot see myself voting for Clinton. The big nail in the coffin for Hillary Clinton were the Goldman Sachs transcripts. What is she trying to hide? Release the transcripts it's not that hard. "Trump may make things worse. But it's not going to sway my views on who I'm going to support in November." Are you worried about Trump becoming president? No. I don't think he has a shot. It's easy to say that Trump is more evil than Clinton because his rhetoric is very dangerous. I see too many similarities between him and what happened in Germany in 1933. But at the same time, if we continue the path we're going, what's going to be the long-term change? I think Clinton would just continue what's going on, which still is not good. Trump may make things worse. But it's not going to sway my views on who I'm going to support in November. I still see the two as evil. What will you think if Sanders endorses Clinton? I would lose some respect for Bernie. Hillary is a corporatist and not a progressive. The DNC needs to crash it cannot be saved. Vote Green! As told to Luke Brinker Mailee Atlas-Laronde 29, Florida, student Bernie or Bust: Where Does the Bernie Sanders Movement Go From Here? Why did you support Sanders? I supported him from the start because I come from a diverse background. My grandmother came over here from Argentina at a late age. My grandfather and his family fled from Hungary and Nazi Germany. I look at Bernie Sanders and I see my grandfather. The only difference is my grandfather has a tan and doesn't have such white hair. Everything that he stands for, I see a lot of me in him. Before I heard about him I was thinking of voting for Hillary. Then I heard there was someone else and said, "OK, let me check into him." Voting for Clinton is like when you go and buy a pair of shoes at the store. You know about this new brand that came out and they're nice, but you're going to go with what you know. Everyone was for Clinton and I believe everything was stacked against him, 100%. Do you think the primary process was fair to Sanders? No. Not at all. What do you think he should do now? He should keep going. The mainstream media tries to brainwash and use fear tactics on us. "Donald Trump will crush her." What do you think of Clinton? Honestly, I don't like her at all. I don't like anything about her. She's not real. With all the bad things she has in her past, Donald Trump will crush her. She does not know what it feels like to be a middle-class American. I know what it feels like to sleep on the street. I know what it feels like to take a shower in a gas station bathroom. She doesn't. I know how it feels to have a bill just come up out of nowhere, a $400 bill, and pray to God that he gives me a way to pay it. She voted to invade Iraq and didn't really do her homework. My husband is a wounded Iraq War veteran I see what he goes through. I know what it feels like to have to sit next to him when he's having an episode from his PTSD, to hold onto this man to tell him everything is going to be OK when I don't know what I'm doing. Will you vote for Trump? Hell no. I'm either going to write in Bernie Sanders or vote for Jill Stein. As told to Emily Cahn NEW YORK (AP) - Bernie Worrell, the ingenious "Wizard of Woo" whose amazing array of keyboard sounds and textures helped define the Parliament-Funkadelic musical empire and influenced performers of funk, rock, hip-hop and other genres, died Friday. He was 72. Worrell, who announced in early 2016 that he had stage-four lung cancer, died at his home in Everson, Wash., according to his wife, Judie Worrell. Throughout the 1970s and into the '80s, George Clinton's dual projects of Parliament and Funkadelic and their various spinoffs built upon the sounds of James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone, among others, and turned out some of the most complex, spaced out, political, cartoonish and, of course, danceable music of the era, elevating the funk groove to a world view. With a core group featuring Worrell, guitarist Eddie Hazel and bassist Bootsy Collins, P-Funk maintained an exhausting and dazzling pace of recordings, from the hit singles "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof off the Sucker)" and "Flash Light" to such albums as One Nation Under a Groove and Funkentelechy Vs. the Placebo Syndrome. And the studio music was just a starting point for the live shows, costumed spectaculars of wide-brimmed hats, war paint, dashikis, military gear or perhaps a white sheet with only a fig leaf underneath. Worrell was among the first musicians to use a Moog synthesizer, and his mastery brought comparisons to Jimi Hendrix's innovations on guitar. Anything seemed possible when he was on keyboards, conjuring squiggles, squirts, stutters and hiccups on Parliament's "Flash Light" that sounded like funk as if conceived by Martians. On Funkadelic's "Atmosphere," his chatty organ prelude, like a mash-up of Bach and "The Munsters Theme," set up some of Clinton's more unprintable lyrics. Worrell's contributions as a keyboardist, writer and arranger didn't bring him a lot of money, the source of much legal action and fierce criticism of Clinton, but fellow musicians paid attention. He played with Talking Heads for much of the 1980s and was featured in their acclaimed concert documentary Stop Making Sense. Worrell also contributed to albums by Keith Richards, Yoko Ono, Nona Hendryx, Manu Dibango and the Pretenders. In 2015, he was a member of Meryl Streep's backing group in the movie Ricki and the Flash. Story continues "Kindness comes off that man like stardust," Streep said during a 2016 benefit concert for Worrell at Manhattan's Webster Hall. Meanwhile, he toured frequently on his own and released such solo records as Funk of Ages, Blacktronic Science and, most recently, Retrospectives. His other credits ranged from co-writing the soundtrack for the 1994 film Car 54, Where Are You?, based on the old TV sitcom, to his brief membership in Paul Shaffer's band on Late Show With David Letterman. In 1997, Worrell, Clinton and more than a dozen other P-Funk members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. A native of Long Branch, N.J., he was a musician virtually from the time he could speak, trained to play piano at age 3 and giving public performances by age 10 with the Washington Symphony Orchestra. While at the New England Conservatory in Boston, Worrell became interested in synthesizers through listening to a group not otherwise known for its contributions to funk, the British progressive rock band Emerson, Lake & Palmer. "I loved the Tarkus album," he told musicradar.com in 2013. "Keith [Emerson] was the first guy I heard using the Moog. I liked the sound of that album and the things he was doing with the instrument." Worrell met Clinton in the early 1970s and performed with him off and on through the following decades even as P-Funk had imploded by 1980 amid reports of drug abuse and unpaid royalties. He would remember P-Funk's prime as stressful, "circuslike," but worth it once the music began. "When the band wasn't getting into arguments and fooling around, it was OK," Worrell told musicradar.com. "There were family things that came up. A group that size, and everybody's living together, it's just like family. After they'd go through their antics and settle down with whatever was going on, I'd come in and crack the whip. 'All right, let's do 'Flash Light.'" See More: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2016 And the winner is ? The 2016 BET Awards ceremony was the place to be on Sunday, June 26, as celebs gathered at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles for the star-studded show. For the second year in a row, Black-ish stars Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross returned to host the TV event, where they introduced an epic lineup of performers, including Usher, Jennifer Hudson, Future and an all-star tribute to the late Prince by Sheila E., Stevie Wonder, The Roots and more. Check out the full list of nominees below, which will be updated throughout the night as the winners are announced! PHOTOS: BET Awards 2016 Red Carpet Fashion: What the Stars Wore Best Female R&B/Pop Artist Adele Andra Day ***WINNER: Beyonce K. Michelle Rihanna Best Male R&B/Pop Artist ***WINNER: Bryson Tiller Chris Brown Jeremih The Weeknd Tyrese Best Group 2 Chainz & Lil Wayne ***WINNER: Drake & Future Puff Daddy & The Family Rae Sremmurd The Internet PHOTOS: Rihanna's Red Carpet Style Evolution Best Collaboration Big Sean feat. Chris Brown & Ty Dolla $ign "Play No Games" Big Sean feat. Kanye West & John Legend "One Man Can Change the World" Future feat. Drake "Where Ya At" Nicki Minaj feat. Beyonce "Feeling Myself" ***WINNER: Rihanna feat. Drake "Work" Best Male Hip-Hop Artist ***WINNER: Drake Fetty Wap Future J. Cole Kanye West Kendrick Lamar Best Female Hip-Hop Artist Dej Loaf Lil Kim Missy Elliott ***WINNER: Nicki Minaj Remy Ma PHOTOS: Beyonce's Best Instagram Style Video of the Year ***WINNER: Beyonce "Formation" Bryson Tiller "Don't" Drake "Hotline Bling" Kendrick Lamar "Alright" Rihanna feat. Drake "Work" Video Director of the Year Benny Boom Chris Brown Colin Tilley & The Little Homies ***WINNER: Director X Hype Williams Best New Artist Alessia Cara Andra Day ***WINNER: Bryson Tiller Kehlani Tory Lanez Dr. Bobby Jones Best Gospel/Inspirational Award Anthony Brown & Group Therapy Story continues Erica Campbell ***WINNER: Kirk Franklin Lecrae Tamela Mann Tasha Cobbs PHOTOS: Princes Life in Pictures Best Actress Gabrielle Union Kerry Washington ***WINNER: Taraji P. Henson Tracee Ellis Ross Viola Davis Best Actor Anthony Anderson Courtney B. Vance Idris Elba ***WINNER: Michael B. Jordan O'Shea Jackson Jr. Youngstars Award ***WINNER: Amandla Stenberg Quvenzhane Wallis Silento Willow Smith Yara Shahidi Best Movie Beasts of No Nation Concussion Creed Dope ***WINNER: Straight Outta Compton PHOTOS: See Beyonce's Sasha-Fierce 'Formation' Tour Outfits Sportswoman of the Year Cheyenne Woods Gabrielle Douglas ***WINNER: Serena Williams Skylar Diggins Venus Williams Sportsman of the Year Cam Newton Kobe Bryant LeBron James Odell Beckham Jr. ***WINNER: Stephen Curry Coca-Cola Viewers' Choice Award ***WINNER: Beyonce "Formation" Bryson Tiller "Don't" Chris Brown "Back to Sleep" Drake "Hotline Bling" Future feat. Drake "Where Ya At" Rihanna feat. Drake "Work" PHOTOS: BET Awards 2015 Red Carpet: What the Stars Wore! Centric Award Andra Day "Rise Up" ***WINNER: Beyonce "Formation" K. Michelle "Not a Little Bit" Rihanna "Bitch Better Have My Money" The Internet "Under Control" Best International Act Africa Aka (South Africa) ***WINNER: Black Coffee (South Africa) Cassper Nyovest (South Africa) Diamond Platnumz (Tanzania) Mzvee (Ghana) Serge Beynaud (Cote D'ivoire) ***WINNER: Wizkid (Nigeria) Yemi Alade (Nigeria) Best International Act U.K. Kano Krept & Konan Lianne La Havas ***WINNER: Skepta Stormzy Tinie Tempah Lifetime Achievement Award ***WINNER: Samuel L. Jackson The 2016 BET Awards air on BET on Sunday, June 26, at 8 p.m. ET. In a year crowded with triumph, controversy and loss, the 2016 edition of the BET Awards took it all in Sunday night at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, with a program that poignantly marked the joy and pain since last years telecast, even as the awards event kept faith with its own history as a forum for social commentary. With the passing of Prince on April 21, and other singular talents of black music before and since Funkadelic-Parliament co-founder Bernie Worrell died on Friday the mood could have been justifiably more introspective than in previous years. But the ceremony veered from the serious voter registration, an end to gun violence, the need for community outreach to moments of straight-up fun. Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar kicked things off with a literally splashy performance of Queen Bes Formation, done with dancers in a pool of water that doubled briefly as a stage. Co-hosts Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross (ABCs Black-ish) did their own riff on the Broadway phenomenon Hamilton, taking the stage in period dress from the 18th century. Also Read: 2016 BET Awards: Complete Winners List To its credit, the telecast resisted the temptation to isolate a tribute to Prince in one segment. Instead, tributes to The Purple One were weaved organically throughout the show. Erykah Badu and The Roots did a funked-up version of The Ballad of Dorothy Parker. Bilals blistering rendition of The Beautiful Ones brought down the house early. Later, Stevie Wonder and newcomer Tori Kelly took on Take Me With U, Janelle Monae wowed with a Prince medley that included Delirious, Kiss and I Would Die 4 U. And in one of the evenings more deeply emotional performances, Jennifer Hudson sang Purple Rain, accompanied by Wonder. Jamie Foxx, who personally met both Prince and Muhammad Ali, who died June 3 after a decades-long bout with Parkinsons Disease, offered a personal tribute to the late champion, whom Foxx said was a person who has shaped all of our lives. Then Foxx introduced Laila Ali, one of the heavyweight champions nine children. If he was here today, he would humbly ask you to pray not just for our family, but for all of mankind, Laila Ali said, fighting back tears. Story continues Also Read: 2016 BET Awards Red Carpet Arrivals (Photos) These past few weeks my fathers generosity and love has been matched by a worldwide outpouring of love and reverence for him and our entire family, Ali said. In another of the nights more spiritually galvanizing moments, Jesse Williams, who portrays Dr. Jackson Avery in ABCs Greys Anatomy, accepted the Humanitarian Award, and made an impassioned speech. We know that police somehow manage to deescalate, disarm, and not kill white people every day, so whats going to happen is, were going to have equal rights and justice in our own country or we will restructure their function and ours. Also Read: Prince Protege Recalls Singer's Harrowing Emergency Plane Landing Referencing the death of Tamir Rice, the 12-year-old boy slain by Cleveland police in 2014, Williams said, I dont want to hear anymore about how far weve come when paid public servants can pull a drive by on a 12-year-old playing alone in a park in broad day light, killing him on television, and then going home to make a sandwich. Williams also made reference to the police-custody deaths of Sandra Bland and Eric Garner. There has been no war that we have not fought and died on the front lines of, there has been no job we havent done, there has been no tax they havent levied against us and weve paid all of them. But freedom is somehow always conditional here. Youre free, they keep telling us. But she wouldve been alive if she hadnt acted so free,' Williams said to a standing ovation. And introduced by the director Spike Lee, film star Samuel L. Jackson took the stage to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award, crowning a 45-year career. Jackson, who stars in The Legend of Tarzan, opening July 1, was grateful. A young man who grew up in segregated Tennessee that nobody ever told I could be this. So, here I am and who you are, and thank God for that. Also Read: Samuel L. Jackson Says Donald Trump Is a Liar: 'I Met Him, a Lot' (Video) In a ritual of appreciation not unlike those at the Academy Awards, Jackson went on to thank those who supported him, including his accountants, his publicist, his agent and lawyer and his Aunt Edna, who first put him in a costume and lit the fire that started all this. Jackson then moved on to his daughter Zoe and his wife, the actress LaTanya Richardson, the two women that actually found me passed out on the floor after I left somebodys bachelor party, put my ass in rehab the next day, and supported me and pushed me and give me a reason to get up and go and chase it day after day after day. The fans werent forgotten, either: Jackson thanked everyone who ever bought a ticket, a video or a DVD with my ass in it. Related stories from TheWrap: John Singleton Drama 'Rebel,' Gary Owen Reality Series Set at BET BET Networks Buys 'Soul Train' Despite the signing of a free trade agreement between the three main economic blocs in Africa, issues remain to be ironed out on the path to the agreement's implementation A year has passed since the heads of states and government of Africa's three economic blocs COMESA, SADC and the East African Community (EAC) met in Sharm El-Sheikh on 10 June 2015 to sign and launch the largest continental alliance through a free trade agreement (FTA) between the three blocs. The journey to this glory started in the First Tripartite Summit on 22 October 2008 and a Memorandum of Understanding on Inter-regional Cooperation and Integration amongst COMESA, EAC and SADC that was signed between the CEOs of the three blocs. Further to that, the Second Tripartite Summit on 12 June 2011 launched negotiations for the establishment of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA). After four years of tough negotiations the agreement was finally signed by 16 member states in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The signing of the agreement in Egypt emphasised the pivotal role that Egypt plays in the African continent and proved the keenness of Egypt to have an important say on the regional integration agenda. The tripartite initiative by COMESA-SADC-EAC emerged to contribute to the accomplishment of a larger vision of establishing an African Economic Community as outlined in the 1980 Lagos Plan of Action and the Abuja Treaty of 1991. The idea was to resolve the issue of overlapping memberships of countries in more than one economic bloc. Accordingly, the heads of states and governments held two tripartite summits in Kampala in 2008 and in Johannesburg in 2011. The first tripartite summit held in Kampala approved the expeditious establishment of an FTA encompassing the member/partner states of the three regional economic communities (RECs) and accentuated the fact that the tripartite arrangement is a crucial building bloc towards achieving the African Economic Community. The second tripartite summit held in Johannesburg witnessed the signing of the declaration to launch negotiations for the establishment of the tripartite free trade area, the adoption of the roadmap for establishing the FTA, and the negotiating principles, processes and institutional framework. The heads of states and government endorsed three pillars of integration: 1) market integration; 2) industrial development; and 3) infrastructure development. The first phase of the tripartite negotiations covered the market integration pillar while the movement of business persons was considered a parallel and separate track. The second phase will cover trade in services, intellectual property rights, competition policy, and trade development and competitiveness. The tripartite member/partner states are comprised of 26 countries; Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, DR Congo, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Despite the signature of the main text by 16 member states (no ratifications yet), there are many important annexes that are still outstanding, which are considered key instruments to the full effective implementation of the agreement. A post-negotiations key factor of the tripartite FTA is the timely implementation of the agreement. The effective implementation of tripartite FTA commitments by member/partner states is therefore a priority that calls for an objective assessment with a view to identifying and defining the scope and range of issues that deserve member/partner states attention and consequent action. The second meeting of the Tripartite Sectoral Ministerial Committee on Trade, Finance, Customs, Economic Matters and Home Internal Affairs directed the TTF to prepare a draft post-Signature implementation roadmap, which will be adopted at the signing of the TFTA agreement. The tripartite TFTA post-signature implementation roadmap is a framework that identifies priority areas, the necessary actions, including sequencing, and the responsible actors. It complements the TFTA roadmap adopted by the second summit of the tripartite heads of states and government in June, 2011. Elements of the post-signature implementation roadmap The key focal areas of the TFTA post-signature implementation roadmap consist of the following: Notification of the World Trade Organisation Finalisation of negotiations on outstanding areas of the TFTA agreement (market access, rules of origin, etc) Designation and notification of TFTA focal points Ratification of the TFTA agreement Creating a depository for the instruments of ratification Commencement of implementation of the TFTA agreement Public awareness Capacity building Preparation of a TFTA Resource Mobilisation Strategy Significance of the Agreement A single FTA covering a large market of 26 countries, which constitutes half of the member states of the African Union. Exemption from customs duties - Creation of a more conducive environment for foreign direct investment (FDI attraction) - Elimination of non-tariff barriers Socioeconomic indicators of the tripartite agreement - Tripartite contribution in Africa GDP: 58 percent - Tripartite GDP: $624 billion - GDP per capita: $1,184 per annum - Tripartite population: 625 million people - Tripartite population to African Union population: 57 percent The agreement was signed but it will take more negotiation rounds to finalise the outstanding issues, in order for it to enter into force. No tangible progress has been achieved since the signing, as technical level negotiations are still ongoing. The market access and tariff liberalisation offer has only been exchanged bilaterally between Egypt and EAC while SACU member states have made no key progress worthy of mention yet. This means that the timeframe will be extended for at least two more years. The risk is that the African Union launched negotiations on a continental FTA (CFTA) and according to the AU roadmap the CFTA should be launched in 2017. Consequently, the tripartite FTA has to be finalised before that date. Egyptian negotiators should push aggressively to finalise negotiations on rules of origin and market access. This will give Egyptian products the privilege of penetrating the tripartite non-COMESA member states' markets with a competitive advantage. The writer is senior director of N Gage Consulting and former chief of the Tripartite Agreement Negotiating Team. Search Keywords: Short link: Who could have possibly slayed the opening of the 2016 BET Awards more thoroughly than Queen Bey? Beyonce wasnt officially announced to perform at Sundays award show. But as her backup dancers marched Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles Martin Luther King Jr.s I Have a Dream speech echoed over a driving beat, the audience knew it was on. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable Rights of life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, he said. It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note, insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Then, pow. There was Beyonce onstage to perform Freedom from her hit album Lemonade. Source: Giphy Kendrick Lamar later joined her onstage, rapping a life-giving acapella verse, stomping alongside the queen in a pool of water. Source: Giphy Of course, the BeyHive was there for every minute of it: THIS BLACK AS HELL Martin Loser Payne (@c_drew_) June 27, 2016 Bey and Kendrick are killing this shit #BETAwards pic.twitter.com/BCHYrvIfCb I Luh God (@aVeryRichBitch) June 27, 2016 Am I watching God on my TV? #BETAwards Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) June 27, 2016 I legit am about to pass out. Kristy Tillman (@KristyT) June 27, 2016 Watch the Beyonces full performance on the BET Awards here. Family and friends gathered on Sunday, June 26, to remember a man who had been shot by Fresno police on Saturday. Dylan Noble died during surgery after being taken to the hospital following the shooting. He may have been unarmed at the time of the shooting, but that has yet to be confirmed. People gathered near the Chevron station where Noble was shot, and motorcycles, dirt bikes, and trucks filled the parking lot. At times, people revved their engines in tribute to Noble, which can be seen in this video. Nobles Facebook profile shows images of dirt bikes and pick-up trucks. Police on Saturday afternoon were investigating reports of a man walking the streets with a rifle, according to a report. Police attempted to pull over a speeding pick-up truck, which would not immediately pull over. The driver pulled over at the Chevron station after about half a mile and got out of the truck. Once the driver exited the vehicle, he walked away with one hand in his waistband area and one hand behind his back. Police asked him to show his hands, according to the report. The driver then said he hated his life and made a movement to the small of his back, which is when police shot him several times. The police officers involved in the shooting have not been identified, but some reports indicate the officers were wearing body cameras at the time of the shooting. Family and friends have called for the body camera footage to be released. Credit: Instagram/Jake Dowell Police in New Mexico found the body of Elliot Marvin Wolff on Saturday, more than two weeks after the pop and rock producer/songwriter went missing in the Santa Fe National Forest. Wolff, who lived in Santa Fe, had gone camping and failed to return home. His body was found in one of the tributaries of the Pecos River by state police on Saturday and positively identified by items found on his clothes, according to the New Mexican. Wolff was reported missing on June 7, but police called off the search for him on June 12 citing a lack of evidence. A spokesperson for the New Mexico State Police had not returned calls for comment at press time. According to Wolff's personal site, he began his career working as a musical director for Peaches and Herb in the early 1980s, followed by a gig playing keyboards for Chaka Khan before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career as a songwriter, which included writing and producing Paula Abdul's 1988 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 smash "Straight Up." Among his listed writing credits are: Johnny Gill ("Super Love"), Paula Abdul ("Straight Up," "Cold Hearted"), Taylor Dayne ("Heart of Stone") and Color Me Badd ("The Earth, the Sun, the Rain"). He also worked with Atlantic Starr, Aretha Franklin, the Corrs, Chynna Phillips and Debbie Gibson. Many British celebrities have spoken out following Thursdays vote to leave the European Union. Hollywood actor Brian Cox, who starred in Braveheart and Troy, joined the FOX Business Networks Charles Payne to discuss why he was with the stay crowd. What seems to be at work is some kind of opportunism in the worst kind of order, and playing on peoples fears, and playing on a real problem thats been in this country for some time -- a disaffected minority, he said. Cox said he believes the leave campaign has no real plan moving forward. I think there are very strong reasons for going out, and equally I think there are strong reasons for going in, but the way the whole thing has been conducted is appealing to fear. Its kind of interesting whats actually happened. The following day I think people were quite stunned, he said. Cox also drew similarities between Brexit and the Scottish independence referendum, which was rejected in 2014. Cox said in both cases the UK was divided by age and socioeconomic status. I think that we underestimate the power of the older people who are quite frankly fed up with the situation. The Labour Party is in total disarray at the moment and the Labour Party is supposed to be the party of the workers, but theyve lost contact almost completely, and were seeing the result of it, he said. Related Articles (New throughout, adds board meeting to discuss the proposals) SAO PAULO, June 27 (Reuters) - The board of Estacio Participacoes SA, Brazil's No. 2 private college operator, will meet on June 30 to discuss three different buyout bids, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Monday. A major Estacio shareholder, the Zaher family, offered earlier in the day to buy out minority owners in an effort to outmaneuver two rivals' takeover bids. Estacio said in a securities filing that the Zahers had submitted a buyout proposal that would give them a majority stake in the company. The Zahers, aiming to keep Estacio listed on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange, would not buy more than 75 percent of the company. The proposed price and terms of the Zahers' proposal were not disclosed. The family, which holds a 13 percent stake in Estacio, has decided to vote against a bid from Kroton Educacional SA, the world's largest education company by market capitalization. The Zaher patriarch, Chaim Zaher, was named Estacio's chief executive officer on June 17. The Zahers are discussing financing with local banks, another source with direct knowledge of the matter said. Shares of Estacio shed 0.8 percent in afternoon trading on the Sao Paulo Stock Exchange. Kroton shares lost 2 percent. Kroton improved the unsolicited bid for Estacio by almost a third on June 21. A source familiar with Kroton's plans said last week that the education giant already had the support of about 40 percent of Estacio's shareholders. Ser Educacional, the third bidder, may still sweeten the terms of a merger proposal sent to Estacio's board on June 5, CEO Janyo Diniz said last week. It was not clear whether the board would postpone the Thursday meeting if not all competing offers are formalized by then, the source said. The fight for Estacio, a company with about 588,000 students and annual revenue of 4.3 billion reais ($1.3 billion), is quickly becoming the fiercest unsolicited takeover battle yet in one of Brazil's fast-growing industries. Story continues Kroton's offer, valid through June 30, would swap each Estacio share for 1.25 Kroton shares, valuing the company at around 4.5 billion reais. Under those terms, Estacio shareholders would get about 23 percent of the new company. Ser Educacional proposed a cash payment and a merger in which Estacio's shareholders would keep 69 percent of the new company. ($1 = 3.39 Brazilian reais) (Reporting by Tatiana Bautzer and Guillermo Parra-Bernal; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and David Gregorio) By Lucia Mutikani and Malathi Nayak WASHINGTON/NEW YORK, June 27 (Reuters) - U.S. business investment, already heading for its worst slowdown since the global financial crisis, could decline further as Britain's vote to leave the European Union creates more risks for companies, economists say. With growth tepid at home, North American companies as diverse as plane maker Boeing Co, Ford Motor Co, heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar Inc and oil producer Exxon Mobil Corp now will find themselves trying to plan overseas spending without knowing whether Britain's departure from the EU will upend tariff rules. "The 'leave' outcome has introduced substantial uncertainty that likely would dampen U.S. growth by delaying and or reducing business investment and consumption expenditures," said William Lee, head of North America Economics at Citigroup in New York. Lee said U.S. multinational corporations face difficult strategic challenges - including assessing the U.K.'s future status as a gateway to the E.U. and London's role as a financial center - that could crimp spending enough to reduce potential growth levels and real incomes. U.S. business spending on capital equipment dropped over the last two quarters and contracted in the first quarter at its quickest pace in seven years. A further decline in the second quarter would be the first time since the 2007-09 recession that it contracted for three straight quarters. Jim Farley, top European executive for automaker Ford, had warned a "Brexit" outcome could impact "potential future investment." Caterpillar has voiced concern any changes in trade rules for its UK base would impact its European supply chain. While recognizing that UK exit negotiations will be complex, Caterpillar's UK chief Mark Dorsett urged leaders in a statement to ensure "single market access issues be prioritized to lessen the negative impact on business." And Exxon, the world's largest-publicly traded oil company, said "the barrier-free movement of goods, people and capital across borders is important for a business like ours with operations across Europe." Story continues After the Brexit vote, Boeing said in a statement that as a global business "we constantly manage changes in political circumstances and we will continue to do so now with the evolving situation in the UK and Europe." Mark Grayson, a spokesman for PhRMA, the trade group representing pharmaceutical companies, said it is not yet clear whether Britain will move to set up its own agency to approve drugs, or opt to simply follow EU rules. SOFTER SPENDING AT HOME Data from the U.S. Commerce Department on Friday showed non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxy for business spending plans, fell for a second straight month in May. These so-called core capital goods orders have increased in six of the last 17 months. "Remember too that Brexit is occurring while the U.S. economy is in the later stages of its current business cycle, meaning the U.S. is more susceptible to economic shocks," said Steve Blitz, chief economist at M Science in New York. "There is, happily, a lot less leverage in the system than there was in 2007, meaning no recession of equal magnitude is threatened," Blitz said. Economists said heightened uncertainty over Brexit could spill into the labor market and hurt consumer sentiment headed into November's U.S. presidential election. "Concern over another euro area crisis could slow U.S. growth in the next couple of quarters through weak financial markets and declining business and consumer confidence," said Ethan Harris, global economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He estimates Brexit could lower gross domestic product growth by an average of two-tenths of a percentage point over the next six quarters. "This could be reinforced by concern about the U.S. presidential election," Harris added. (Editing by Terry Wade and Lisa Girion) (Beijing) Three banks in a pilot program aimed at boosting lending to China's vibrant but underserved private sector said that each plans to set up a separately capitalized subsidiary that will channel money to companies by taking direct equity stakes in them, much the way that traditional venture capital works. The pilot program allows banks to invest directly in companies by taking their shares, rather than providing traditional loans that must be repaid. That way the pilot banks can sell the shares to help recover the funds they invest. The practice is generally prohibited by China's banking laws, and thus needs the central government's special approval. Among the 10 banks that have been chosen for the pilot scheme, three, all based in Shanghai, have completed their draft plans and are set to submit them to the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) for approval, Lin Xueguan, an official with the regulator's Shanghai bureau, said at a recent meeting open to journalists. He did not give a timetable as to when the regulator might grant final approval. The Bank of Shanghai (BOS), Shanghai Huarui Bank, and SPD Silicon Valley Bank, will each set up a subsidiary to make equity investments an arrangement that allows them to sidestep the legal restriction on commercial banks directly holding shares in non-financial institutions, according to their representatives who spoke at the meeting. The State Council, China's cabinet, announced in March last year that it would launch the mechanism on a trial basis, in hopes of encouraging banks to provide funds for high-tech startups and other small enterprises with big growth potential. These companies have traditionally had difficulty obtaining financing because they lack the property or other major assets that most state-run banks usually require as collateral. Many banks therefore avoid lending to these companies for fear they will have no recourse to recover their funds if borrowers can't repay the loans. Recognizing that fact, the regulator set up the new program that allows potential payoffs from equity investments to help compensate for the risk. The three new pilot lenders will receive options in exchange for their capital, and can later convert those into shares of their borrowers. The CBRC prohibits the new lenders from investing funds from their parent bank's depositors and wealth management clients. Earnings from the subsidiary can be used to offset bad loans from the parent bank as the bank sees fit, Zhu Huichong, an executive of the BOS, said at the meeting. The BOS subsidiary in principle will not invest in any firm that did not previously borrow from the parent bank, Zhu said. It will generally limit its holdings in any enterprise to below 3 percent of each company's total shares and will not participate in its management, he said. More than half of the options received by pilot investors under the program may ultimately become worthless, said Dave Jones, president of the SPD Silicon Valley Bank. But the rest may bring in returns of up to US$ 200,000 per investment on average, he added. Jones is also the Asian chief of the bank's investor, U.S.-based Silicon Valley Bank, which has itself funded more than 30,000 high-tech startups through a combination of debt and equity instruments. The British diplomatic corps is in a state of shock. Overnight, Great Britain has been reduced to Little England and the countrys global stature has shrunk by a fraction far greater than the economic losses registered on the London Stock Exchange or even the plummeting value of the pound sterling. Perhaps more than anyone else, Britains ambassadors, military and commercial attaches, and heads of aid missions in Africa are painfully aware that the Union Jack so gleefully waved by the champions of the Leave campaign will soon become a historical relic. The damage to British interests is significant, but the losses for Africa could be greater still. In campaigning to leave the European Union, Minister for Africa James Duddridge argued that Britain would be able to forge stronger ties with the continent if it were unencumbered by EU inefficiencies in aid and trade. Perhaps if Duddridge had a blank slate on which to construct a new Africa policy, he could do better than Britains existing one, which is part bilateral and part multilateral through the EU. But no policy is ever built on a blank slate, and surveying the post-Brexit political wreckage, he is now faced with a salvage job that will involve decoupling Britain from numerous EU-led peace and development initiatives and renegotiating dozens of trade deals. Even deftly managed by Duddridge or his successor, the Brexit will leave Britain with a fraction of the influence it currently wields in Africa. Britains share of payments to the European Development Fund (EDF), the European Unions main vehicle for providing development aid to Africa, is a little more than 14 percent third after France and Germany. If those funds were reallocated to the British Department for International Developments bilateral aid budget, they might have better value per pound sterling in terms of poverty reduction. But that obscures the fact that Britain has gained far greater leverage over European external policy toward Africa than the one-seventh proportion suggests. The rule of thumb for EU policy toward Africa is a three-way divide: one-third Britain, one-third France, and one-third everyone else. For the next two years or as long as Brexit takes British taxpayers will continue to pay their countrys dues to the EDF, but few Europeans will listen to what British diplomats and aid officials have to say about how the money is spent. Story continues The loss of British leadership in places like Somalia, where London has been the driving force behind the international strategy for stabilizing the country, will leave a dangerous void. The EU is the single-largest donor to Somalia, averaging 80 million euros per year, half of it in humanitarian funding. The EU has also led on a host of critical security issues, including counterpiracy operations and training national maritime security and law enforcement personnel. But Britain has had an outsized influence on setting EU policy for Somalia, notably ensuring that the EU funds most of the costs of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), a 22,000-strong multinational force that protects the Somali Federal Government from the extremist militant group al-Shabab. Until recently, 90 percent of AMISOMs costs were paid for through the African Peace Facility (APF), an EU funding mechanism set up to support peace- and capacity-building operations on the continent. But even before Britain forfeited its sway over the APF by voting to quit the European Union, pressure was building to divert funds from Somalia: France was pushing hard to reallocate APF resources to other African Union (AU) peace support operations to the AU mission in Mali, for instance and AMISOMs funding quota was slashed to 80 percent in February. Britain stepped in to make up some of the difference in the short term, but troop-contributing countries such as Uganda still faced severe difficulties as a result of the cutbacks. (Last week, Uganda announced that it will pull its troops out of Somalia by 2017, in part because of the EU funding shortfall.) The forthcoming loss of Londons financial contribution to the fund and, more importantly, the loss of British political leadership on Somalia within the EU puts a big question mark over the viability of AMISOM and Europes Somalia strategy. Similar question marks hang over a host of other EU-run political and security initiatives in Africa, many of which Britain has helped steward. One that should be of more than passing interest to those who voted for the Brexit not least because fears about unfettered immigration fueled the Leave campaign is the EU-Horn of Africa Migration Route Initiative, which aims to contain migrants within their home countries, or at least their immediate neighbors, to minimize the number reaching the Mediterranean Sea and Europe. This initiative has been criticized for rewarding countries like Sudan, Eritrea, and Ethiopia, all of which have poor human rights records. But investing in solutions within Africa is far more effective and economical than tightening border controls at Channel ports. Britains reduced financial contribution in the coming years and, once again, the evaporation of its political leadership will undermine the initiative and could ironically worsen Britains immigration woes. But its not just EU initiatives that will suffer as a result of the Brexit. The financial earthquake that hit Britain after the vote has already rippled through African economies especially South Africa, where many large companies are co-listed on the London Stock Exchange. Britain is one of Africas major trading partners, meaning that a British recession could have a lasting impact on the continent. The European Union has preferential trade agreements with every African country except Libya and South Sudan. Britain will have to renegotiate all of them as a result of the Brexit. In some cases, this will allow for more mutually beneficial arrangements, such as eliminating some of the existing distortions subsidies on European beef and milk, for instance in agricultural trade imposed by the European Union. But hammering out new trade deals with 52 African countries will take time and will be far down the list of priorities for a desperately overstretched British government in the years ahead. Meanwhile, without Britains reliably anti-protectionist voice within EU trade negotiations, there is a danger that European trade policy will become less favorable to African nations. But perhaps the biggest blow to Africa from the Brexit comes in the least tangible sphere of international political culture. As the weakest continent, Africa has the most to gain from the principles of multilateralism collective security, international cooperation, and respect for international law. The continent achieves its best outcomes for democracy and human rights, and for peace and security, when its governments collaborate in the African Union and regional economic communities, and when they work in partnership with the United Nations and the European Union. Peer pressure and collective reputation management have been important tools for combating authoritarianism and war. But Africas achievements are fragile, and many of the norms and principles espoused in the African Unions Constitutive Act and in its array of protocols, declarations, and agreements are still aspirational. Brexit is a body blow to the international political culture of multilateralism, and one that will reverberate negatively through Africa. Image credit: Mohamed Abdiwahab/AFP/Getty Images Britains stunning decision to leave the European Union marks Europes rude awakening from its long dream of perfect unity. That is decisively over now, and a cold dawn awaits. The EU flag will have one less star in its circle and will symbolize a lot less for anyone who thought institutions that overcome differences and unify nations marked our path into the 21st century. A process of unraveling no one yet understands now begins. Will Britain become another Norwayclosely associated with the EU but not a member of it? Or is the postwar Western alliance fated to give way to a disorderly world with no organizing principle? Related: In the Aftermath of the Brexit Vote, the Bluffing Continues Some economic questions are immediately pressing but may prove morning-after disappointments to those expecting dramatic change as Britain exits the union. Other shifts are likely to be more consequential. Consider the regulatory and trade questions in this light. De-Europeanization is supposed to liberate Britain from the rigid regulation the EU is assumed to have impose on its 28 members. On the trade side, the assumption has been that Britain can negotiate favorable trade terms as a non-member. Really? The EU purchases half of Britains exports, while Britain buys a little over 10 percent member exports. Whos in a position of strength here? At the same time, theres no denying the prospect that what remains of the EU is in for real economic and political shifts. Related: How the Brexit Affects Your Retirement Sixteen years ago Joschka Fischer, Germanys foreign minister at the time, delivered his much-noted United States of Europe speech at Humboldt University in Berlin. We must put into place the last brick in the building of European integration, namely political integration, Fischer declared. Were now headed 180 degrees in the other direction. Fischer understood the magnitude of the task but spoke with optimism nonetheless. Now were stuck with the irony of his prescience: It is this process of European integration that is now being called into question by many people, he said. It is viewed as a bureaucratic affair run by a faceless, soulless Eurocracy in Brusselsat best boring, at worst dangerous. Story continues Theres a simple way to understand this last remark. Brussels and Frankfurt, seat of the European Central Bank, had 16 years to address the core problemat bottom a political problemthat has now irreparably damaged the European project. You cant say they did nothing about it for the simple reason theyve determinedly made it worse. Related: Brexit and Immigration: Where Trump Is Right and Wrong We dont yet know what impact Britains departure will have on international politics, diplomacy, global security, and other large matters. But none of these will proceed as they did until the June 23 referendum. Its fine that President Obama has reaffirmed the strength of the AngloAmerican special relationship. But whats that next to an alliance with the E.U.s single most influential member? Certainly, the EU will slip a notch in terms of power and influence. Whether West and nonWest are now a step closer to parity, which is inevitable at some point in this century, is another outstanding question. But as a global template for international organization, the EUs time as the standard is over. Britons made a mistake when they voted last week. But theres no blaming the British for their choice. The real error lies in Brussels, which overplayed its hand long before Joschka Fischers speech. Putting administrative prerogative before democratic process is never going to win when people have a chance to vote on it. Related: Meet Boris Johnson, the Man Who Led the Brexit -- and May Lead the UK So what does the Brexit vote auger? The United Kingdom itself is immediately vulnerable. While the Welsh voted with the Out camp, Scotland voted by a 6238 margin to remain in the union. The Scottish National Party, which lost a referendum on independence by a narrow margin two years ago, immediately began to revive the idea of a split. If the Scots cant veto the Brexit vote, theyll almost certainly hold a second independence referendum. What remains of the EU may also be in for fundamental change. Britain has been one of the two strongest voices favoring USstyle neoliberal economics. Now the Germans will carry this ball without the Brits. Populist sentiment against the neoliberal austerity regimes put in place after the 2010 financial and economic crises has been evident on the Continent since the Greeks went to the wall against Brussels and Frankfurt two years ago. Two postBrexit tests of its strength are imminent. Related: Why 'Brexit' Is the Biggest Threat Yet to This Bull Market One began Sunday, when Spain held parliamentary elections. While Prime Minister Rajoys center-right Peoples Party won the most seats, the populist Unidos Podemos placed thirdbelow expectations but enough to retain its political influence as an upstart leftist party. Many analysts doubt Rajoy will be able to end the political deadlock that began last December, when Podemos broke the mainstream partiesconservative and Socialist40-year grip on Spanish politics. Slightly down the road lies the final negotiation for the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, one of the two huge trade deals the Obama administration has pushed ardently. (The other, the TransPacific Partnership, covers Asian nations.) The TTIP has faced mounting resistance in Germany and elsewhere for many months, putting in question Obamas goal of completing it before he leaves office. How will this go now that Britain, Washingtons point man on the EU side, is out of the running? Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Robin Emmott BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain's departure from the European Union risks undermining Europe's new defense strategy, days before NATO and EU governments sign a landmark pact to confront a range of threats from Russia to the Mediterranean, officials say. The European Union and the United States plan to use two separate EU and NATO summits in the coming days to push reforms of the West's two main security pillars, aimed at reducing Europe's reliance on Washington in its own neighborhood. "Things are going to be a lot harder," said a senior Western defense official involved in EU-NATO cooperation. "NATO planned on linking itself up to a stronger European Union, not being the default option for a weakened, divided bloc." Facing a more aggressive Russia, a migrant crisis and failing states on its borders, the European Union needs to "act autonomously if and when necessary", EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini will tell EU leaders on Tuesday as she unveils a five-year global strategy plan seen by Reuters. That symbolic step, which urges governments to coordinate defense spending, has strong support from Germany and France. But it could look hollow without Britain, which has the largest military budget in the EU, diplomats say. One of five EU countries with the resources to command an overseas military mission for the bloc, Britain has been a big contributor to EU-led operations, paying about 15 percent of the costs and providing assets. Britain also leads the EU's counter-piracy "Operation Atalanta" mission off the Horn of Africa, has ships patrolling the Mediterranean and is committed to providing troops for EU battle groups, although they have never been deployed. Mogherini's proposals to EU leaders will include a call for EU-led missions to work with a new EU border guard to control migrant flows. That could be harder without British ships. "What Britain does matters," said NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. "Britain is the biggest security provider in Europe." But fearing plans for an EU army, Britain has resisted closer European defense cooperation. British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon told Reuters this month: "Nobody wants to see their troops controlled from Brussels." Some hope that, without London blocking EU plans, France and Germany could lead what Berlin calls a "common defense union" to develop and share assets. France has pushed the idea of an EU military headquarters, independent of NATO, to run missions. NO "LITTLE ENGLAND" After financial crises that have cut defense spending and Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea, EU governments have said they will do more to guarantee their own security and cannot rely on the United States indefinitely. As part of that, NATO and the European Union will cement their growing cooperation from the Baltics to the Aegean at a NATO summit in Warsaw in July. At the EU level, governments are discussing a common defense fund to pool resources to develop helicopters, drones, ships and satellites. Until Britain's referendum vote to leave the EU, the United States had been looking to Britain, its main ally in Europe, to act as a bridge between NATO and the EU in the process. That was designed to allow Washington to focus on other worries, including a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan and China's militarization of islands in the South China Sea. Such concerns were underscored by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday, who flew to Brussels to meet Mogherini and Stoltenberg. "The United States cares about a strong EU," Kerry said. Immediately after Britain's referendum last week, Stoltenberg said Britain had assured him it remained committed to upholding Western stability. Stoltenberg said Britain's Fallon had told him London would not jeopardize joint EU-NATO efforts to counter potential Russian cyber attacks, joint naval operations in the Mediterranean to stem an influx of migrants into Europe or plans to soon begin enforcing a U.N. arms embargo on Libya. Britain could also join EU missions, even outside the bloc, as Canada and non-EU member Norway have done, although it would not be able to shape long-term strategy. For now, the United States' focus appears to be urging Britain to take an even bigger role in NATO and avoid isolation. The alliance's summit in Warsaw will be London's first chance to reaffirm its Atlanticist credentials. "NATO becomes even more important to keep Britain engaged internationally," the senior Western official said. "We don't want Britain to become a Little England." (Additional reporting by Paul Taylor; editing by Andrew Roche) Berlin (AFP) - Britain's shock decision to leave the EU forces German Chancellor Angela Merkel into action to save the bloc, but true to her reputation for prudence, she has pledged to avoid both haste and vitriol. Outraged by the result of the British vote, the bloc's leaders have multiplied calls for London to leave the European Union swiftly. Britain's planned departure was "not an amicable divorce" said European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker, stressing that it should be quick. Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault also joinly called for ambitious steps to strengthen the European Union. But in the heated cacophony, the leader of Europe's biggest economy made a strong call for calm. In her first statement Friday as the outcome of Thursday's referendum hit home, Merkel warned against drawing "quick and simple conclusions" saying they would "only further divide Europe". Speaking on Monday, she said Europe could "not afford to have a long period of uncertainty" which would "not be good for either the EU's 27 member states or Britain". But she said it was understandable that London needed time. "I also understand that Britain needs a certain period of time to analyse the situation." - 'Giving Cameron time' - While Britain considers its options, the German leader also insisted no backroom deals be done before London triggers Article 50 to formally start the process of leaving the bloc. "There cannot be any informal talks before Britain gives its notice. That, to me, is clear," she said. Britain's notification will set the clock ticking on a two-year period of negotiations within which a basic withdrawal agreement should be made. After that "the treaties shall cease to apply to the state in question" -- or in layman's terms, Brexit will become a reality, unless all the parties unanimously agree to extend the talks. Story continues German conservative daily Die Welt said that taking time to reflect is Merkel's signature approach. "Be it in the euro or in the refugee crisis, Germany has always sought to buy time, in order to solve problems," it said. "Now in the Brexit crisis, she has given Cameron this time." The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung also backed Merkel's approach, arguing that there is "no rational reason" to force Britons into quick exit negotiations. "Indeed, that would miss the real lesson of the Brexit vote. European politicians instead need to find a solution to the demands of the public -- and they need to realise that European citizens want 'less Brussels' and not more," it added. - Dangerous to placate - But some saw Merkel's position as a sign of dithering and weakness. Business weekly Handelsblatt said she had, in recent days, "appeared to be conspicuously helpless". "It is understandable that the chancellor would seek to calm nerves at a time of great uncertainty. But trying to placate is also dangerous," it noted, warning of the growing popularity of populist, far-right and eurosceptic parties. Britain's vote to leave means Germany has lost an important ally, particularly on economic issues, analysts said. "Britain has always taken a market-oriented position in EU negotiations," said Friedrich Heinemann of economic think-tank ZEW. "With its exit, the balance of power in the European Council and parliament would shift towards countries that are critical of markets." Germany would also likely be forced to shoulder a bigger weight, given that fellow European heavyweight France is struggling with a wave of security pressures from Islamic extremism as well as social strife over economic reforms. Brexit effectively meant Germany would be "condemned to take on the leadership role it never wanted," news weekly Der Spiegel said. Earlier on Monday, the French and German foreign ministers unveiled a joint position paper outlining ambitious steps to strengthen the EU, with Merkel's spokesman saying she believed it would help shape the way forward for the bloc. For now, however, the German leader is keeping her cards close to her chest. She has said she would unveil her position on how to take Europe forward during a special session of parliament on Tuesday -- and only after a meeting with France and Italy's leaders. Britain's vote to leave the European Union has added new uncertainties to the global economy at a time when downward pressures on China are mounting, Premier Li Keqiang said Monday at a World Economic Forum meeting. Excess capacity, sluggish investment and waning demand weigh on the world's number two economy, Li said at the annual "new champions" meeting in Tianjin, a port city in northern China. Last week's British vote had already had an impact on international financial markets, Li said, "adding new uncertainties to the world". "Due to the severe and complicated international environment and long-accumulated, deep-rooted domestic problems, the foundation of a stable Chinese economy is not solid," Li went on. "There remain rather enormous downward pressures on the economy and the difficulties cannot be underestimated." But he also sought to reassure the audience, saying that China's recognition of the difficulties showed it had the "resolution" and "capabilities" to overcome them. China's economy, a pillar of global trade, will not have a hard landing, he predicted. The meeting, a Davos-like gathering of 2,000 elite business and political leaders from over 80 countries, was ostensibly focused on topics related to science and technology but the surprise Brexit vote overshadowed other topics. A panel Sunday devoted to Brexit showed some soul-searching among the high-powered attendees, with World Economic Forum head of foundations Adrian Monck saying "we've not been good" at doing things to help ordinary people. Panelist Ian Bremmer, president of the Eurasia Group, added: "There's no question that elites in every manifestation have watched the social fabric fall apart in those advanced industrial economies and not responded to it." The British vote was "rational behaviour" for people who felt that globalisation has failed them and that "the system is broken". Story continues But not all were sympathetic, as Bremmer later wrote on Twitter that the most frequent Brexit reaction at the China forum was: "Look what happens when you let the mob rule through a vote." Economist Nouriel Roubini, known for predicting the US real estate crash, said that Brexit could be "the beginning of the disintegration of the European Union", but added he did not expect a financial crisis or global recession. Beijing wishes to see the European Union remain united and stable, Li said, and hopes for a "stable and prosperous" Britain. Chinese analysts quoted in the country's state-run media were less sanguine. Zhang Shengjun, an international politics professor at Beijing Normal University told the Global Times newspaper: "China should learn from the Brexit referendum, in which the 4 percent winning margin negated the choice of 16 million people. "Western democracy might appear reasonable, but it's actually ridiculous." Britains decision to leave the European Union will inevitably increase the clout of Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor who strongly opposed the British departure that her policiesespecially on migrationnonetheless hastened. Her immediate calm, measured reaction to the bombshell referendum result was typical of Merkeland notable in a maelstrom of gobsmacked diplomats, frantic news coverage and convulsing markets. Read More: Why TIME Editors Chose Angela Merkel For the first time Im really grateful Merkel is around, says Hans Kundnani, a Berlin-based fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. Shes taking the cautious approach, which is exactly whats needed here. Kundnani was sharply critical of Merkel when TIME spoke with him during reporting for her profile as 2015s Person of the Year. But he had a new appreciation for her plodding, bland approach when he spoke Monday from London, where Kundnani said the reaction to the Brexit vote was the most chaotic political situation hes experienced. Shes sort of been a lone voice of reason. It gives her an even bigger role, says Sylke Tempel, editor of the Berlin Policy Journal, the magazine of the German Council on Foreign Relations, who praised Merkel for advising against punishing Britain for leaving. London, after all, remains in NATO and a score of other international institutions that bind the U.K.s fortunes to other European nations. Foreign policy is like a really complicated dashboard right now. If you move one button here, you might trigger off something here. This is why shes being cautious. She understands this is like untying really really complicated knots. Read More: Surge in Hate Crimes in the U.K. Following U.K.s Brexit Vote Whoever is leading Germany would be getting a de-facto boost in power by the departure from the E.U. of Britain, and its population of 65 million people. Germany, with 81-million people and Europes largest economy, is the richest and most powerful among the 28 countries (soon to be 27) that make up the supra-national project. The only remaining countries that approach Germany in size are France (66 million) and Italy (61 million), though France is saddled with a slow-moving economy and an incredibly unpopular leader, and Italy is Italy. Story continues Germany is the stronger player, quite clearly, Guntram Wolff, director of the Brussels think tank Bruegel, told the AP. So in that sense, [Brexit] will probably increase the role of Germany in the EU. Its centrality was on display Monday in Berlin, to which the remaining, all lesser leaders of the European project traveled to meet with Merkel: French President Francois Hollande, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, as well as Donald Tusk, the Pole who holds the rotating office of President of the European Council. In private meetings, Merkel surely pushed the same response that had reassured Kundnani over the weekendmove carefully and deliberately to disentangle Britain from the European Union, and engage in no negotiations until Britain presents formal notice of its intention to leave by invoking Article 50 of the E.U. charter. Read More: These Are the Medias Best Brexit Covers Her advice to her political allies in Germany was less sanguine. Reports said Merkel told the board of her party, the Christian Democratic Union, in a conference call over the weekend that the E.U. needs to reassure voters that it has a handle on immigration, border security and jobsall the concerns that have encouraged the rise of right-wing parties across much of Europe. Much of the turmoil arose from Merkels audacious and seemingly sudden decision to throw open Germanys borders to Syrian refugees and other asylum-seekers last year, prompting a torrent of migration that unsettled many in Europe, including Britain, though on their island U.K. residents were more impacted by the legal economic migration from other E.U. nations, such as Poland. In fact, because Britain had no direct role in either the immigrant crisis or the Eurozonetrue to its sterling pound, Britain never adopted the eurothe U.K. was a marginal player in the great issues roiling the EU. Until it, voted to leave, that is. There is a danger now of unraveling the E.U., says Kundnani. Not because of Brexit itself, but because members are fighting with each other about how to respond. After the referendum, foreign ministers from the six founding members got together to express European unitywhich was an extremely divisive thing to do, because it left out the other 22 members! A lot of Eastern and Central Europe were not happy. Brexit protesters gather on Parliament Square in London, June 25, 2016. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) In the wake of Britains historic Brexit vote to leave the European Union last week, U.K. police have been receiving increased reports of xenophobic and racist threats made against immigrants across the country particularly Polish people, local officials said. In Hammersmith, West London, the entrance building that houses the Polish Social and Cultural Association was defaced by graffiti that read, Go home. According to the Evening Standard, police are investigating it as a racially motivated crime. In Huntingdon, a town in Cambridgeshire, laminated cards carrying the message Leave the EU/No more Polish Vermin written in both English and Polish were reportedly left in the mailboxes of Polish families. these cards have actually been put through letter boxes of Polish families in Huntingdon today. I could weep pic.twitter.com/P3maK1Vasf fencelt (@howgilb) June 25, 2016 According to the paper, a Polish primary-school student found several of the same signs outside his school in Cambridgeshire on Friday morning. Police there were said to be investigating the threatening signs as a possible hate crime. Polish Embassy statement following recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against #PolesinUK. pic.twitter.com/ndYVgk4yWj Polish Embassy UK (@PolishEmbassyUK) June 27, 2016 Greg Hands, a Conservative Member of Parliament, condemned the anti-Polish threats. Further, let us all say it loud & clear that Poles are incredibly welcome in the UK & the word "Solidarity" never felt more appropriate. Greg Hands (@GregHands) June 26, 2016 Twitter users spent part of the weekend documenting examples of such threats using the hashtag #PostRefRacism. And Poles werent the only immigrants on the receiving end. Story continues Disgusting RT @fionaand: Older woman on the 134 bus gleefully telling a young Polish woman and her baby to get off and get packing.Horrific. ChannyAmos (@Channy_Amos) June 25, 2016 "Table next to me says to Polish waitress "How come you're so cheerful? You're going home." Him and the missus started laughing." Disgusting Jamie Pohotsky (@jamiepohotsky) June 24, 2016 Last night a Sikh radiographer colleague of mine was told by a patient "shouldn't you be on a plane back to Pakistan? we voted you out" ???? Dr. M. Ali Abbasi (@drmaliabbasi) June 26, 2016 Man in Kings X station yells BREXIT in my south Asian friends face. Within 10 hours of the result I experienced 2 racialised altercations kerem (@KeremBrulee) June 25, 2016 This evening my daughter left work in Birmingham and saw group of lads corner a Muslim girl shouting "Get out, we voted leave". Awful times Heaven Crawley (@heavencrawley) June 24, 2016 The referendum was widely seen as a rejection by Britons of the EUs acceptance of immigrants from war-torn regions, including Syria and North Africa. And despite assurances by those who campaigned in favor of Brexit that the vote would not affect EU citizens who already reside legally in the U.K., the vote appears to have emboldened nationalists. Ive spent most of the weekend talking to organizations, individuals and activists who work in the area of race hate crime, who monitor hate crime, and they have shown some really disturbing early results from people being stopped in the street and saying, Look, we voted leave. Its time for you to leave, Sayeeda Warsi, former Conservative Party chair, told Sky News. And they are saying this to individuals and families who have been here for three, four, five generations. The atmosphere on the street is not good. Slideshow: Britains Brexit battle >>> A demonstrator for the 'Leave' campaign holds a placard outside Houses of Parliament in London, U.K., on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. The Brexit battle took to London's River Thames as boats supporting the 'Leave' and 'Remain' campaigns jostled for space, while Irish rock star Bob Geldof harangued U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage using a sound system. (Photo by Jay Shaw Baker/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Britains decision to leave the European Union has sent the global economy into turmoil, with many questioning what the move will mean for the countrys future. And nowhere is that more true than in Britains burgeoning tech start-up scene. One of the biggest changes the Brexit will have for the average worker is the loss of freedom of travel between Britain and EU member countries. When a country becomes a member of the EU, it enters into a series of agreements chief among them a freedom of movement for residents of EU member states. That means someone living in Greece may move to Germany or any other EU member state for a job and set up a residence there. But with Britain voting to leave the EU, it will likely be harder for EU residents to relocate to the UK for work. Technically, since Britain will no longer be a member of the EU, it wont be required to provide freedom of movement to other EU residents. As a result, start-up companies in the UK seeking young employees could face a future dearth of prospective applicants. According to market research firm Gartner, Inc.s John Lovelock, this is one of the biggest long-term problems facing UK start-ups. For British tech start-ups, access to new financing is always made more difficult by uncertainty, but staff will be their immediate issue, Lovelock explained. The long-term uncertainty in work status will make the UK less attractive to new foreign workers, which could make staffing up for a new firm more difficult. Beyond that, Lovelock said, EU residents living in the UK could see the Brexit vote as a sign to leave the country entirely even though the Brexit wont actually happen for a minimum of two years. Existing staff working away from their home country may react impulsively to Brexit, Lovelock said. Their prospects are now uncertain and with the drop of the UK pound; their current wages have dropped against the Euro and most other currencies The UK has embarked on a process to change, but that change is yet to be defined. In light of that uncertainty, talented tech people may want to stick to working in countries that arent facing imminent changes. The UK could start to bleed its top tech talent in the lead-up to its official departure from the EU. Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley. U.K. media stocks have plummeted following Britains decision last Thursday to leave the European Union, known as Brexit. ITVs share price, for example, has fallen 30% in just two days of trading. Brexit is likely to have six major consequences for Britains media sector, experts told Variety on Monday. First, the uncertainty surrounding whether the U.K. will be granted full access to the E.U.s single market after exiting the trading bloc is likely to prompt an economic downturn. This will have an immediate effect on advertising revenue at free-to-air broadcasters such as ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5. In the last recessionTV broadcasting advertising revenue dropped by over 10%, consultancy firm Ampere Analysis notes. This, in turn, will hit the broadcasters content-acquisition budgets, which will damage producers in the U.K. and elsewhere. Second, as the economic downturn bites, British consumers will cut back on discretionary spending, including on pay-TV and streaming subscriptions such as Sky, Amazon and Netflix. However, this will come at a later point in the economic cycle than the effect on the advertising-funded sector, says Richard Broughton, a research director at Ampere Analysis. Third, the falling value of the pound will reduce the amount that British broadcasters will be able to pay in dollars or euros to acquire shows produced abroad. Hollywood output makes up the bulk of that, but European shows will be affected, too. Fourth, British producers will be hit by the fact that their shows will no longer qualify as European in the content quotas that apply across the E.U. This will drive down the price paid for them. ITV, which besides being a broadcaster is also a producer and international distributor of U.K. content, will be hurt by this, as will the BBC, says Alice Enders, head of research at Enders Analysis. The BBC is probably going to be worst hit. It is the No. 1 exporter of U.K.-made audiovisual content, she says. Story continues On the upside, the comparative cost of producing British shows will decrease because of the weak pound, and so theyll be cheaper to make. Fifth, international TV networks whose channels are uplinked from their European headquarters in Britain will no longer be covered by the E.U.s Audiovisual Media Services Directive and may have to relocate to an E.U. country, says Guy Bisson, another research director at Ampere Analysis. A lot of channels set up in the U.K. because of its lighter [media] regulations, Bisson says. Sixth, as the stock price of U.K. media companies fall, they will become acquisition targets for international companies. But on the flip side, their future revenue potential will be depressed, and so they will become less attractive to investors. This is particularly true of broadcasters like ITV that derive much of their revenue from advertising. The instability of the U.K. economy is something they will have to factor in, says Tim Westcott, a senior media analyst at IHS Global. They would think ITV is a major broadcaster in this economy that is clearly going to go through a period of turbulence, and who knows how long it is going to last. Maybe wed want to think twice about buying into a big company in that environment that still gets most of its money from display advertising, which is clearly going to be affected by any changes in GDP and any changes in the business environment, like people cutting their marketing budgets. Those in favor of Brexit contend that Britains new trade agreements with the E.U. and other countries will be as good as what Britain currently enjoys as an E.U. member, including complete access to the European single market. Enders, a former senior economist at the World Trade Organization, dismisses that idea. Even if it were true, it would take many years to put in place. It is going to be five to seven years before the rubble is sorted, before we are out of the E.U. and have completed the negotiations on whatever new trade agreements we wish to enter into on a reciprocal basis, and have had that ratified by the E.U. and by the U.K. parliaments and everybody else that needs to ratify it, she says. We are talking here about five to seven years of uncertainty regarding market access to the E.U. The uncertainty is causing the financial market shocks that will affect the consumer pronto. And that consumer is what drives the advertising economy, the retail sector and everything else Everybody is going to be impacted by this seismically. Another factor affecting British stocks is the political turmoil in the U.K. now, with the resignation of Prime Minister David Cameron and a mutiny in the senior ranks of the opposition Labor Party against leader Jeremy Corbyn. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has also raised the possibility of a new independence vote for Scotland. Nature abhors a vacuum, Enders says. Related stories British Government to Start Laying Groundwork for E.U. Withdrawal Media Stocks Face Another Bumpy Ride Amid Brexit Turmoil British Stocks and the Pound Continue to Slide after Brexit Vote A bout of racist and hateful activity across the UK has been connected to the decision of just over half of UK voters to pledge out of the EU in last Friday's national referendum. According to The Independent, over a hundred cases of racist and aggressive activities have been reported since the vote out. The first incidents broke through people sharing videos or images of racial abuse on social media. One Hackney resident, who identified himself as "a member of the Orthodox Jewish" community, posted a video on his Twitter page of a man getting out of his car to racially abuse another driver in Hackney, saying "go back to where you came from" and "speak proper English" despite the man protesting "I was born here". The footage was posted the morning after the vote results came in. "F*cking foreigner, go back to your country": just watched this outrageous racist incident in #Hackney https://t.co/87rqFKIhOv Shulem Stern (@ShulemStern) June 24, 2016 In other parts of the UK, people held racist banners with racist messages scrawled on them. One group in Newcastle held a homemade banner that read "Stop immigration. Start repatriation". Channel 4 correspondent Ciaran Jenkins headed to Barnsley where, according to the BBC, 70% of people voted out, to find out why. More than several people told him and the camera directly that it was an attempt to stop immigration. The unidentified man in the clip (below) said the following: Its to stop Muslims coming into this country. Simple as that. Jenkins then asks him: Do you think you voted to leave the EU to stop Muslims coming to the country? To stop immigration. The movement of people in Europe, fair enough, but not from Africa, Syria, Iraq or anywhere else, the man replied. Other Twitter users were sharing images of hateful printed notices that were pushed through the letterboxes of Polish residents in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. these cards have actually been put through letter boxes of Polish families in Huntingdon today. I could weep pic.twitter.com/P3maK1Vasf fencelt (@howgilb) June 25, 2016 It's hard to comprehend that such egregious hate survives in the UK, a multicultural nation, in 2016. While the open racism will be shocking to most, Baroness Warsi, the former government minister and co-Chair of the Conservative party, and the first Muslim Cabinet minister, predicted a spike in hate crimes when talking to Sky News on Sunday. Slamming the Brexit campaign as both "divisive and xenophobic" on live TV she said the animosity in the atmosphere was palpable post-Out vote. Last night, The Telegraph published a piece by Boris Johnson in which he stated, "It is said that those who voted Leave were mainly driven by anxieties about immigration. I do not believe that is so." "I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be," he added. For the majority of those who voted Remain there has been scepticism around Boris Johnson for both his impassioned "Out" campaigning and for his potential succession to Cameron as the next Prime Minister. Shortly after the vote, "#BuggerOffBoris " started to trend on Twitter, with celebrity chef Jamie Oliver getting involved via his Instagram account: After David Cameron's announcement that he will step down in October, the campaign race for potential Prime Minister has heated up, and continues to divide people. The BBC reported this morning that the Chancellor of The Exchequer, George Osbourne, has declared Britain in a "position of strength" in regards to the economy, despite The Evening Standard reporting the pound hitting a low only seen 31-years ago against the U.S. dollar. "F*cking foreigner, go back to your country": just watched this outrageous racist incident in #Hackney https://t.co/87rqFKIhOv Shulem Stern (@ShulemStern) June 24, 2016 As Cameron announced in his post-Brexit speech, we should expect a new Prime Minister in time for the Conservative Party Conference in October. Until then, according to The Telegraph, George Osbourne has said there will be no emergency budget and that there will be a need for an "adjustment" to the budget, but not until a new Prime Minister is in place. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Baroness Warsi Warns Of Post-Brexit Racism London Gay Pride, As Told By Your Fabulous Instagram Posts Protests Against Brexit Take Place In London And Scotland The UKs vote to leave the European Union is sending shockwaves through financial markets as the British pound plunges to its lowest level in three decades against the US dollar. Liz Ann Sonders, senior vice president and chief investment strategist at Charles Schwab, told Yahoo Finances Alexis Christoforous in the video above that the consequences of Brexit will be felt worldwide, warning an already sluggish global growth rate will likely slow even more. At this point our call is not for a global recession but a lessening growth rate relative to what was already an incredibly subdued growth rate, Sonders says. One of the benefits both in the US and in the global economy of this pace of improvement having been so sluggish is that the kind of excess that tends to precipitate recessions isn't there. Major US indices (^DJI, ^IXIC, ^GSPC) that recently were nearing record highs have plunged over the past two trading days. Global equity markets lost a record $2.08 trillion on Friday following Britains decision to leave the European Union as investors dumped equities and poured money into treasuries and other "safety" plays. But Sonders isnt panicking. She recommends a more cautious position rather than a bearish one, and thinks investors could eventually profit from beaten down British stocks. At some point it probably becomes a buying opportunity, but one day later is a little too soon to make that call, she said. Britain's vote to leave the EU may also stop the US Federal Reserve from raising rates for far longer than previously expected. Sonders warns the Fed will only raise rates if we see an unbelievably strong string of economic reports. July is certainly off the table and I think September is probably off the table too, she said. With the British pound plummeting to its lowest levels in three decades, there has been much discussion of how now may be the best time for Americans to travel to the UK. Indeed, the strength of the US dollar means youll spend less money in the UK, where a majority of voters stunned the market by choosing Thursday to split from the European Union. In the wake of the so-called Brexit, Americans might save $20 a night on a hotel room in London or get some bangers and mash for a bit cheaper. But the Brexit could also complicate your trip to London particularly at the airport, says Jason Clampet, co-founder and head of content at travel intelligence site SKIFT. With the UK as a part of the EU, Londons Heathrow airport has been seen as a seamless intermediary for travelers. EU citizens can get in the same line as UK citizens, while foreign travelers (including Americans) have to go through customs separately. Once the Brexit is finalized (which could take a couple of years) all EU passport holders will have to get in line with all the other international visitors. This could make waits longer for everybody, including Americans who will have to be processed along with EU passport holders. These changes wont happen overnight because it is capital-intensive to make these adjustments, especially because Heathrow just rebuilt a number of their terminals, Clampet told Yahoo Finance. But now passengers will have to think differently about traveling. Another key difference for travelers will be that if youre traveling through London to a final destination in another European country, youll have to claim your luggage and re-check it, which is an added hassle. Previously, with London as a hub for all European travel, we didnt have to worry about whether our luggage would make it to our final destination. Though Clampet says he doesnt see this being a substantial impediment for people deciding to travel to the UK, it will certainly affect travelers perception of a destination. Perhaps frequent business travelers may decide to fly to other major European hubs like Frankfurt or Paris where they can avoid the hassle of a layover in London. Alternatives to the UK In addition to London, US travelers will likely opt for other European destinations this summer. We're likely to see Spain and Portugal enjoy one of their best summers of tourism ever as travelers look for destinations they perceive as safer following earlier terror attacks in Brussels and Paris, says Clampet. Spain is already the No. 2 country in tourism revenue after the US (in 2015 it had $75.5 billion in revenue) and the country had over 1.5 million American tourists in 2015 (a 23.6% increase from 2014), according to the Spanish consulate. Goods in Spain and Portugal are cheaper overall than Germany or France so its already a top destination, but with the current uncertainty in the UK, these two countries could be even more attractive now, says Clampet. In general, as people plan their vacations, they would be inclined to avoid countries that are experiencing significant turmoil or anti-immigrant sentiment. For those looking to make a Eurotrip, countries like Spain and Portugal may be an affordable alternative in the near term. When it comes to Brits and their likelihood of traveling, Clampet says they will be acting a lot more cautiously and conservatively when it comes to making financial decisions. What typically happens when an event happens in a country is for about four to six weeks, people in that country dont want to go out or spend money, Clampet says. Though I dont think the British stayed away from pubs over the weekend, they are hunkering down and wondering whats next. Yahoo Finance was sad to hear the news that Michael Elliott, the former CEO of One and an esteemed editor and author, recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. Yahoo Finance editor-in-chief Andy Serwer recently had the opportunity to talk with Elliott about Brexit: Brexit was such a shocker that its left the media scrambling to explain what happened and why. Perhaps not surprisingly then, some key points seem to have become completely misconstrued, or so says at least one thoughtful observer, who has taken to Facebook to set the record straight. Raised in Liverpool, Michael Elliott is the former CEO of One, the nonprofit founded by Bono, as well as a former top editor at Time, Newsweek and the Economist. Hes also the author of a number of books including The Day Before Yesterday, an acclaimed history of the post-1945 United States. Full disclosure, Elliott wrote a column on the global economy for FORTUNE magazine, while I was editor there. As such, I can tell you that there are few deeper thinkers than Elliott when it comes to understanding the UK, the US and globalism. I guess I wasnt surprised when I heard he opposed Brexit, but it was his level of ire that caught my attention. You can see some of that sentiment on Facebook where Elliott has unleashed some of his frustration in a series of energetic and erudite posts. (One of my favorites begins: Hang on hang on, I can feel another Brexit rant coming on ) And so I called him up recently in Devon in the southwest of England where he has been watching Brexit unfold to ask him for a bit of context. Im very unhappy with Brexit, Elliott told me. But I wasnt surprised by the vote. The leave side had the passion, intensity and momentum. Now before you dismiss Elliott as just another sore loser OxBridge type, (he does in fact have two degrees from Oxford), understand that he comes from a modest background. Elliotts father was a schoolteacher in a working-class neighborhood near the docks. And this speaks to one of the biggest misconceptions that Elliott sees playing out in Brexit. Story continues There is this trope that globalism only benefits the elites. That drives me bat shit! My parents lived very circumscribed lives, he said, noting that his father lived pretty much all of his life within five miles of where he was born. "Immigration and globalism greatly improved life for everyone in my family. The arc of his life, Elliott argues, and his childrens lives has been shaped and improved by globalism, which is what Brexit seems to be rejecting. And there are tens of millions more families like us to say nothing of the hundreds of millions in Asia, Africa and Latin America for whom that is true, he wrote on Facebook. So can we stop this stupid crap that globalization and migration somehow only benefit the elites. More specifically Elliott points to two key reasons why Brexit is bad news: First there will be economic turmoil over the short and medium term and the global economy is fragile right now. The US recovery is ok at best. I mean its not exactly a boom. The bottom line is when you have manufactured turmoil in the worlds fifth largest economy, it doesnt stay limited to the UK. And the second reason speaks to Elliotts deep belief in globalism. I have always believed that the EU represents international cooperation in a world that needs more international cooperation, not less. Yes the EU isnt perfect and we need to have a real conversation about immigration, both in Europe and in the United States and we havent had that yet but to weaken this organization that has really contributed to peace and security is irresponsible and makes me very unhappy. As for what happens next, Elliott says thats actually the worst part about it. What has been most shocking to me over the past 48 hours is that no one here knows what to do, he says. There was no Plan B and both political parties are in complete collapse. Globalism cant be rolled back, Elliott says: You have some guy in Mali who can Facetime his brother in Paris and say, hmm, that looks pretty good, Im going to go there. Figuring all this out was never going to be easy, Elliott says, but Brexit will make it that much harder. Read more: What to expect from markets Monday morning and beyond Crazy flowchart shows how the UK could stay in the EU Why the Brexit could actually screw up your travel plans We asked Mohamed El-Erian if there is a Brexit silver lining he said there are two! This story originally appeared on time.com Its quite telling that the markets were only pricing in about a 25% chance that Britain would vote to leave the European Union. As studies have shown, theres a larger trust gap than ever before between global elites and the mass populations in various countries. The fact that Wall Street so badly misinterpreted the desires of Main Street is, in some ways, no surprise. Markets have been terrible at predicting populism in the last few years, both in Europe and in the U.S. But it doesnt make the result any less painful, both because its the end of the E.U. as we know itwhich was the most benevolent experiment in globalization everbut also because markets are already having a very painful reaction to the news. Stocks everywhere are down, the pound has plunged (and may have further to go, according to estimates by the ECB and predictions by folks like George Soros). I expect that well be in for a very volatile day and indeed, few weeks, in part because this may be the beginning of the larger market correction that many of us have been expecting for some time. Let me explain why: The recovery we currently have isnt a real recovery. Its one thats been genetically engineered by the worlds central bankers, who were forced, thanks to a lack of fiscal action on the part of politicians, to pour $29 trillion into global markets over the last eight years in order to offset a longer recession or even depression. But monetary policy cant fix things on the groundit can only buy policy makers and business people time to do that themselves. Sadly, there has been political gridlock in most major capitals (just look at the floor of Congress over the last few days, not to mention the heated politics of our presidential election cycle), and business is sitting on its cash. If there was ever a time to unlock it, its now. Not only because there ARE legitimate investment opportunities out there (witness the that fact that private companies, which are not beholden to public market pressure that forces their stock down every time they try to make a long term investment, already invest twice as much on Main Street as public firms do). But also because we are at a tipping point, politically and economically. I really believe that if we dont start to see some political and business spending on things that actually create real recovery (things like infrastructure investment, factory upgrades, worker training, and so on), but rather see companies just take the opportunity of the coming market correction to buy up their own stock and horde more cash, we are going to be for populism of the kind we havent seen yet. As behavioral economist Peter Atwater told me this morning: The financial markets and the global financial and political elites are only just waking up to the extreme confidence gap amongst the public at large. Todays market reaction is just the beginning of this; by the time everyone understands [how angry the public has been] the markets will be substantially lower. Story continues I have to agree. Im strapping in. Related Articles BOCA RATON, FL / ACCESSWIRE / June 27, 2016 / Bright Mountain Media, Inc., (www.brightmountainmedia.com) (BMTM), an owner, acquirer and manager of customized websites for military and public safety audiences, today announced the appointment of Dennis W. Healey to the Board of Directors as well as Chief Financial Officer and Secretary positions, effective June 20, 2016. Mr. Healey will replace Annette Casacci who resigned from her position on Bright Mountain Media's Board of Directors ("BOD") and as the Company's Chief Financial Officer on the same date. Mr. Healey, a certified public accountant, has provided CFO, accounting and financial reporting services to various private and public companies including As Seen On TV, Inc. (OTC:ASTV), a direct response marketing company he was the CFO from November 2007 through October 2011 and a member of Board of Directors from April 2014 until August 2014. Prior to that, from 1980 until October 2007, Mr. Healey served as Vice President of Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Viragen, Inc., a public company then listed on the American Stock Exchange which specialized in the research and development of biotechnology products. Mr. Healey also worked as a Senior Accountant with Ernst & Young LLP from 1973 until 1976. Mr. Healey received a B.B.A. degree with honors in accounting from the University of Florida and is a member of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Mr. Healey served in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 to 1969. W. Kip Speyer, Chairman of the Board of Bright Mountain Media, Inc., commented, "Bright Mountain Media is pleased to have veteran accounting and financial reporting guru, Dennis Healey as our new Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and newest member of the BOD, and welcome him to the team. His financial acumen and wealth of experience in ensuring the reporting and regulatory needs of growing, small public companies like ours will be immensely valuable to our Company and shareholders in the time ahead." Story continues "Mr. Healey replaces Annette Casacci whom we've had the pleasure and opportunity to work with over the past three years. Her contributions to the Company have been significant and will never be forgotten. We wish her only the very best in her next endeavor." About Bright Mountain Media Bright Mountain Media, Inc. (BMTM) is an owner, acquirer and manager of customized websites for military and public safety audiences. We are dedicated to providing "those that keep us safe" places to go online where they can do everything from stay current on news and events affecting them to look for jobs, share information, communicate with the public and more. For more information, please visit us at https://www.brightmountainmedia.com/. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Many forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results or implied by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our limited operating history, managing our expected growth, risks associated with integration of acquired websites, possible inadvertent infringement of third party intellectual property rights, our ability to effectively compete, our acquisition strategy, and a limited public market for our common stock, among other risks. Bright Mountain Media, Inc.'s future results may also be impacted by other risk factors listed from time-to-time in its SEC filings. Many factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond the company's control. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made and Bright Mountain Media, Inc. does not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. Investor Relations: Howard Gostfrand info@amcapventures.com 305.918.7000 SOURCE: Bright Mountain Media, Inc. London (AFP) - British Prime Minister David Cameron will gather his cabinet Monday at the start of a crunch week for Europe's leaders after the country's shock vote to leave the EU, seeking to head off further turmoil. Finance minister George Osborne will also break his silence and try to reassure financial markets following the momentous Brexit vote, which has fuelled fears of a break-up of the United Kingdom with Scotland vying for independence. US Secretary of State John Kerry is due in London later in the day after a stop-off in Brussels, while the leaders of Germany, France and Italy will meet in Berlin. Three days after Cameron announced his resignation, opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is also facing pressure to stand down, with a string of his top team resigning Sunday. EU powers have called for a swift divorce amid fears of a domino effect of exit votes in eurosceptic member states that could imperil the integrity of the 28-nation alliance. But Cameron has said negotiations on Britain's departure must wait until a successor is chosen from his Conservative party, which could be as late as October. European Parliament chief Martin Schulz warned Sunday that a period of limbo would "lead to even more insecurity" and said a summit of EU leaders Tuesday, which Cameron will attend, was the "right time" to begin exit proceedings. But EU diplomats warned Sunday that Britain "may never" trigger the formal divorce process -- Article 50 of the 2007 Lisbon Treaty, which will set the clock ticking on a two-year period for Britain to negotiate its divorce. Kerry, in Rome for talks, expressed regret at Britain's decision to become the first EU nation to leave the bloc -- and vowed Washington would maintain close ties with the 28-country alliance. "Brexit and the changes that are now being thought through have to be thought through in the context of the interests and values that bind us together with the EU," he said. Story continues - Deep divisions - Britons cast aside warnings of isolation and economic disaster to vote 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of quitting the EU in last Thursday's referendum. The vote wiped $2.1 trillion from global equity markets Friday, and the pound sank to 30-year lows in early Asian trades on Monday, with traders fearing it will lead to months of uncertainty. British finance minister Osborne is due to make a statement at 7:00 am (0600 GMT) to steady nerves in the global financial hub. The historic vote, fought on the battlefronts of the economy and immigration, exposed deep divisions in the country, which were particularly keenly felt in Scotland. Scotland voted by 62 percent to stay in the EU, and the prospect of being pulled out against their will has renewed support for independence. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said a second independence vote was now "highly likely", and a meeting of her cabinet on Saturday agreed to start drawing up the necessary legislation. In London, likely candidates to succeed Cameron, including Brexit campaigner and former London mayor Boris Johnson, began sounding out support over the weekend. Johnson, a former journalist, used his regular column in the Daily Telegraph Monday to reach out to Remain voters, insisting: "I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be." But he insisted the sense of crisis was exaggerated. At home and abroad, the negative consequences are being wildly overdone, and the upside is being ignored," he wrote. The referendum decision has also lit a fuse under disgruntled members of the opposition Labour party, which backed the loosing "Remain" campaign, many of whom have been unhappy with Corbyn's leadership since he took office last September. Sunday saw a string of resignations among members of the shadow cabinet, but Corbyn issued a defiant statement saying he would not stand down. "I regret there have been resignations today from my shadow cabinet. But I am not going to betray the trust of those who voted for me," he said. A no confidence motion against Corbyn's leadership is expected to be discussed at a party meeting Monday. London (AFP) - Britain must not turn its back on Europe or the rest of the world even though it is leaving the European Union, Prime Minister David Cameron told parliament Monday after a shock referendum backed a Brexit. "Britain is leaving the European Union but we must not turn our back on Europe or the rest of the world," he said, adding: "We have to determine the kind of relationship we want with the EU". "It is going to be difficult... This is going to be far from plain sailing," he told MPs, while also trying to reassure following a plunge in the financial markets in the wake of the referendum. "We are well placed to face the challenges ahead," he said. Cameron also condemned anti-immigrant incidents after the vote, saying: "We have a fundamental responsibility to bring our country together." "Let's remember these people have come and made a wonderful contribution to this country," he said, adding that there would be "no immediate change" in the status of EU citizens living in Britain. He also said that different parts of the United Kingdom would be involved in consultations on withdrawal from the European Union, after Scotland said a new independence referendum could be on the cards since Scotland had voted against leaving. "Scotland benefits from being in two single markets", the EU and the rest of Britain, he said. "In my view the best outcome is to try and keep Scotland in both," he added. He also reiterated that he would leave it to his successor to formally start Brexit negotiations with the European Union. "Before we do that, we have to determine the kind of relationship we want with the EU," he said.dt/mt/mfp WARSAW (Reuters) - Britain should not be forced out of the European Union as quickly as possible, the Polish foreign minister said, adding that the EU should have done more to keep the British in the bloc, after more than four decades of membership. Witold Waszczykowski's comment came after EU leaders said on Friday they expect Britain to leave soon as possible, "however painful that may be". "We need a longer reflection," Waszczykowski told Polish state television TVP Info before leaving for Prague to meet his counterparts from central Europe and Germany. "This cannot be hasty action, this cannot consist of forcing Britain out and as fast as possible." The Polish minister also said EU officials were partly responsible for Britain's vote to quit the EU. "The blame lies on both sides," he said. "For sure, the British people ... have their arguments to exit the EU. But also on the side of the EU, in Brussels, one has to ask why it was not possible to keep such an important state in the EU." Another Polish minister, Henryk Kowalczyk, who is responsible for new legislation in the government, said on Monday the decisions of EU officials have led to Brexit. "It was among other things the lack of will to listen to citizens that has led to Britain's situation. If Britain had more freedom to govern itself, if it was not (EU) pressure in various areas, most likely there would not be a Brexit," Kowalczyk told Telewizja Republika broadcaster. Poland said on Friday the EU needed a new treaty to increase the role of sovereign nations to preserve its unity following the British referendum. (Reporting by Marcin Goettig, editing by Larry King) Britains most powerful family its royal family has taken a neutral stance one one of the most controversial topics in UK history: the Brexit. While the House of Windsor has remained mum on the UKs departure from the EU, we know that UK Prime Minister David Cameron traveled to Buckingham Palace to resign to the Queen in person. According to the queen and the royal familys representatives, royals in the UK above politics, and do not vote. In the past, indications of Queen Elizabeths political leanings have been met with controversy. In 1986 The Sunday Telegraph wrote a scathing editorial in response to reports that the queen was worried about then-prime minister Margaret Thatchers opposition to sanctions against South Africa, as The New York Times noted at the time. These are matters which the monarchy can only meddle with at the institution's gravest peril, The Telegraph editorial asserted. After the referendum for Scottish independence back in 2014, Cameron let it slip to then-New York mayor Michael Bloomberg that the queen purred down the line when he called her to report that Scotland would indeed be staying in the UK. He issued a public apology for confirming the worlds suspicions that the queen didnt want Scotland to divorce the UK. Its no surprise that the royals have remained neutral during the whole Brexit debate, though everybodys been looking for signs of how they really feel. In February, Prince William gave a speech to British diplomats at the Foreign Office in London saying, In an increasingly turbulent world, our ability to unite in common action with other nations is essential. It is the bedrock of our security and prosperity and is central to your work. Many speculated that he was calling for his country to stay in the EU, but Kensington Palace immediately clarified with this statement: This speech was not about Europe. He does not mention the word Europe once. So does this officially neutral stance mean the royals must sit idly as they watch their country fall to economic and political uncertainty? Yes and no. The royal family provides a point of stability for a very unstable Britain, and can help the country by promoting tourism (which will prove an important job if the pound continues to fall). Approval ratings for the British Monarchy range between 65% and 80%, and their keep calm and carry on attitude could set an example for the rest of the UK. Their power remains unthreatened, and they will continue to attend events and public ceremonies. The Queen is 90, and though she is in seemingly good health, there is a worry that shell pass away before Brexit negotiations are finished. In that case, the UK may have another referendum, as British Republicans have demanded a vote to end the monarchy in the case of her death. (Beijing) China's central bank governor wants to curb Internet-based financial services offered by firms such as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. so that someday they may be on an "equal footing" with traditional banks. Many government officials "emotionally support" innovative, online banking but will tap the brakes on these services to control shadow banking, Zhou Xiaochuan, governor of the People's Bank of China, told an International Monetary Fund (IMF) forum June 24 in New York. Shadow banking has emerged as a fast-growing function of many Internet-based financial services in China, where a lack of regulator coordination has encouraged arbitrage, Zhou told the forum, whose members included IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde. Internet firms "are really doing some of the shadow banking" that now accounts for 20 percent of the China banking sector's total assets and 30 percent of all loans, Zhou said. Most shadow banking in China involves intentional maneuvering to keep lending off balance sheets, Zhou said. To a lesser extent, he said, non-bank financial institutions such as money market funds are also related to shadow banking. In their early days, Zhou said, Internet financial services were allowed to grow quickly, carve out market share and profit. And government officials who "emotionally support" these pioneering firms decided against stifling them with restrictions. Now, though, regulators are concerned that traditional banks and insurance companies may want to quickly follow in the footsteps of these Internet firms, Zhou said. So to keep that trend under control, he said, "we are going to have a new round of supervision reform to cover those areas" prone to regulatory arbitrage. Responding to a Lagarde question about whether the central bank supervises Alibaba, whose affiliate Ant Financial Services Group provides a range of financial services including credit ratings and business loans, Zhou said that in the period since Ant got a financial services license "the situation has already changed." Zhou said Internet firms are now exhibiting "some of the phenomena of maturity transformation," including risky practices such as tying short-term debts to long-term investments. Moreover, for some Internet firms "leverage is too high, and (their) capital requirements are different from traditional banking," he said. "I think we are going to study this issue, and maybe set up a more equal footing (for) competition," Zhou said. "We encourage Internet company development. But if they do financial business, at least at the current stage, they should follow the existing rules." Zhou delivered his remarks as the keynote speaker for this year's Michel Camdessus Central Banking Lecture, a forum that gives central bank governors from IMF-member countries a chance to exchange opinions. Michel Camdessus is a former IMF managing director. London (AFP) - Budget airline EasyJet warned Monday that Britain's June 23 referendum decision to quit the European Union will hurt its business over the next six months. The British carrier said the vote would create uncertainty in the economy and among consumers this summer. The impact would cut revenue per seat -- a key measure of business efficiency for airlines -- by some five percent "at least" in the six months to September 30 when compared to the same period last year, it said in a statement. EasyJet said it had been buffeted by 1,061 cancellations so far in April-June period because of a French traffic controllers' strike, congestion at London-Gatwick airport and bad weather. Combined with the effect of the May 19 crash EgyptAir flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo, in which 66 people were killed, the drop-off in consumer demand had knocked about 28 million (34 million euros/$38 million) off pre-tax profit in the April-June period, it said. By Atul Prakash and Kit Rees LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top share index fell again on Monday as Britain struggled with political and economic uncertainty after last week's vote to leave the European Union. Banks, housebuilders and budget airline easyJet were hit hard. Some investors took refuge in companies producing gold, a safe-haven asset, with Fresnillo (FRES.L) surging 9 percent to a three-year high and Randgold Resources (RRS.L) gaining 8.5 percent. The FTSE 100 (.FTSE) fell 2 percent to 6,017.17 points by 1137 GMT. The domestically focused FTSE 250 index (.FTMC) lost nearly 6 percent, reaching its lowest level since late 2014. "These uncertainties pose significant risks for the investment outlook," said Larry Hatheway, chief economist and head of multi-asset portfolio solutions at GAM. "Against the backdrop of an already slowing UK economy, Brexit anxiety could precipitate a large enough reduction in consumer and business spending to tip the UK economy into recession." British financial stocks declined the most, with the sector index falling 7.7 percent to a seven-year low. Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L) dropped 25 percent and Barclays (BARC.L) 18.7 percent, hit by broker downgrades and by JP Morgan's cutting its rating on all domestic banks. The mid-cap bank Shawbrook (SHAW.L) plummeted 30 percent. "The UK's vote to leave the EU will drive tectonic plate shifts in European bank investing. We move to a slow growth/modestly recessionary scenario for UK banks," analysts at Jefferies said in a note, downgrading RBS to "hold" and Barclays to "underperform". Investors seemed to ignore finance minister George Osborne's assertion on Monday that the British economy remained strong, his first public statement on the Brexit vote. Shares in easyJet (EZJ.L) slumped 23 percent to a three-year low and were on track for their biggest daily drop in 12 years after it issued a third-quarter profit warning. British Airways owner IAG (ICAG.L) fell 12 percent after Goldman Sachs cut its shares to "neutral". Story continues "A vote by Britain to leave the EU can hardly help a company like easyJet, particularly seeing as the fall in the pound will put Britons off traveling overseas. Rain, strikes and the impact of the EU referendum have all damaged profits," said Nicholas Hyett, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Housebuilders also fell, with Taylor Wimpey (TW.L), Persimmon (PSN.L), Barratt Developments (BDEV.L) and Berkeley Group (BKGH.L) all down 16.4 to 20.6 percent. (Editing by Larry King) Despite the worlds overwhelming surprise after seeing the results of the United Kingdoms referendum on European Union membership, one member of Britains parliament isnt worried about the economic effect the vote will have across the globe. Obviously the markets dont like change and weve seen that in the way theyve reacted, said Kate Hoey, Labour MP and co-chair of the Labour Leave camp. But, that will change and it will go back to being a situation where, as the fifth-strongest economy in the world, we are not going to be in a long-term situation where its going to affect our economy in a detrimental way. However, Hoey said the decision to leave the EU was not about markets and business, but more about democracy. Its actually about a democratic country being able to control its own borders like the United States does. Being able to control its own trade deals like the United States does, being able to control its own courts, she said. She added: We are in a situation with the European Union where it wasnt just a trading arrangement which is what people voted for way back in 1975, but had evolved into a trading arrangement with a political super structure. Though Hoey acknowledged there will be short-term issues that will eventually be settled, she is looking at what is yet to come through rose-colored glasses. As long as our Treasury and our Bank of England and all of our government machinery is working toward making sure that the rest of the world knows that we are going to do this [separation] in a very sensible way, were going to work to negotiate trade deals and our countrys got a really bright, hopeful future, she said. Related Articles SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - California police on Monday were investigating a violent clash between members of a white supremacist group and counter-protesters on Sunday during which 10 people were stabbed. The brawl in the state capital, Sacramento, fuels concerns about the risk of violence outside the Republican and Democratic party conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia next month, and in the run-up to the Nov. 8 presidential election. The Traditionalist Worker Party, a white nationalist group, had called the rally in part to protest against violence that has flared outside recent rallies by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, one of its leaders told Reuters. Sunday's fight broke out at about noon at the start of the rally outside the California State Capitol, the Sacramento Police Department said in a statement. Self-styled militants protesting the white nationalist rally confronted a local news reporter, shoving him, knocking his microphone to the ground and taking his phone and notepad, police said. "Protesters swarmed the Capitol from the west side, then north and south," the reporter, Mike Luery of NBC affiliate KCRA, said in a Twitter post on Monday. "We were attacked on the north side." More than 100 Sacramento police officers were deployed at the event after authorities learned that a group called Anti-Fascist Action Sacramento was planning a counter-protest, police said. Protesters tried to block Traditionalist Worker Party members from reaching a staging area where they had been given permission by the California Highway Patrol to demonstrate between noon and 2 p.m. local time, police said. Violence quickly ensued, police said. The Sacramento Fire Department said 10 patients were treated at area hospitals for multiple stabbing and laceration wounds. At least two assaults took place in the city's jurisdiction and are being investigated by city police. The rest of the attacks are believed to have happened on Capitol grounds and will be investigated by California Highway Patrol, police said. Story continues No arrests have been made. Since the clash, both groups have said their supporters were wounded. "Regretfully, one of our men was injured and is currently in the hospital," the Traditionalist Worker Party said in a statement on its website. Anti-Fascist Action Sacramento said it had suffered a greater number of wounded. "So far, we know of six comrades who have been injured to a degree that required hospitalization," the group said on its Facebook page. Video footage on social media showed dozens of people, some wearing masks and wielding what appeared to be wooden bats, racing across the Capitol grounds and attacking others. (Reporting by Sharon Bernstein in Sacramento and Laila Kearney in New York; Editing by F Bernadette Baum and Alistair Bell) New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham crosses the street after taking photos during New York Fashion Week in the Manhattan borough of New York September 6, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] Bill Cunningham, the celebrated New York Times fashion photographer known for his shots of emerging trends on the streets of New York City, died on Saturday after being hospitalized for a stroke. He was 87. Cunningham, known for his trademark blue jacket, a small camera bag worn sideways and his iconic commute tool - a bicycle, was admitted to hospital on Thursday. New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham takes photos during the Naeem Khan Spring/Summer 2013 collection show at New York Fashion Week in New York, US, September 11, 2012. [Photo/Agencies] William John Cunningham Jr was born on March 13, 1929. He moved to New York after dropping out of Harvard, only two months after he was admitted with a scholarship. After serving in the Army, Cunningham wrote fashion coverage for the Chicago Tribune. He started photographing people on the streets, commonly known today as street snaps but still a new concept back then, after he got his first camera in 1967. Cunningham's snap of actress Greta Garbo caught the attention of the Times and in 1978, the heavily storied newspaper opened a column for him, publishing a series of his street snap photographs. In a 2002 interview with the paper, Cunningham said he always tried to be as discreet as possible because "you get more natural pictures that way." New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham takes photos as a model presents a creation from the Lacoste Spring/Summer 2015 collection during New York Fashion Week in the Manhattan borough of New York, US, September 6, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] "I suppose, in a funny way, I'm a record keeper. More than a collector," he said. "I'm very aware of things not of value but of historical knowledge." Times executive editor Dean Baquet said of Cunningham in a statement: "He was a hugely ethical journalist. And he was incredibly open-minded about fashion. To see a Bill Cunningham street spread was to see all of New York. Young people. Brown people. People who spent fortunes on fashion and people who just had a strut and knew how to put an outfit together out of what they had and what they found." New York Times photographer Bill Cunningham leaves after a presentation of the Calvin Klein Spring/Summer 2015 collection during New York Fashion Week September 11, 2014. [Photo/Agencies] Cunningham was awarded the Officier de l'ordre des arts et des Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture in 2008 and received the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence in 2012. "Bill was an extraordinary person with an incredible talent not just for fashion photography but for life," Arthur Sulzberger Jr., publisher for the Times, said of Cunningham. "His company was sought after by the fashion world's rich and powerful yet he remained one of the kindest, most gentle and humble people I have ever met. We have lost a legend and I am personally heartbroken to have lost a friend." Cunningham worked for the New York Times for nearly 40 years, operating "as a dedicated chronicler of fashion and as an unlikely cultural anthropologist," the newspaper said. Related: Actor Anton Yelchin of 'Star Trek' films dies in freak accident Ottawa (AFP) - A 25-year-old woman with a progressive neurodegenerative disease on Monday challenged Canada's new rules on doctor-assisted dying, saying they should not be restricted to terminally ill patients. The legislation, which is barely 10 days old, is much less comprehensive than what was originally proposed by a parliamentary special committee that studied the hugely controversial issue. The plaintiff, Julia Lamb, said the law is unconstitutional because it excludes Canadians "who are suffering with no immediate end in sight," according to a statement. Lamb, who is backed by the British Columbia Liberties Association, filed her lawsuit with the province's supreme court. She suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, which causes weakness and wasting of muscles. As the disease progresses, she could lose the use of her hands or arms, need a ventilator to help her breathe, and no longer be able to speak, write or use her computer, as well as require constant care while being in constant pain. "My biggest fear (is that) if my condition gets much worse I will become trapped," she told a nationally televised press conference. "If my suffering becomes intolerable, I would like to be able to make a final choice about how much suffering to endure," she said. Canadians with diseases such as spinal muscular atrophy, multiple sclerosis, spinal stenosis, locked in syndrome, traumatic spinal injury, Parkinson's disease and Huntingdon's disease are not eligible for doctor-assisted dying under the new law. The new legislation comes one year after the Supreme Court struck down a prohibition against doctor-assisted suicide. The court gave Ottawa until June 6 to draft new legislation that would permit consenting adults with serious health problems to end their lives. A 69-year-old man held this weekend in an Arizona jail is a person of interest in the disappearance of three separate women over several years, PEOPLE learns. Mohave County sheriff's officials told PEOPLE they believe Robert Carnochan is connected in some way to the disappearances of Verna Clayton, who was last seen in 2008, and Neva Lindley, who was last seen in 2011 and that he is possibly connected to the disappearance of Nancy Hartz, who was last seen in 2015. A search of his home revealed evidence that links him to their cases, sheriff's officials tell PEOPLE. All three women lived within a roughly 100-mile radius and are around the same age, officials said. All three women had been dating a man they met online, though police would not confirm this man was Carnochan. Hartz sold her home and was closing her bank account just before disappearing. Carnochan was located by authorities in April, in Yucca, with another woman, according to the sheriff's office. Canadian Man, 69, Named a 'Person of Interest' in Disappearance of 3 Women He May Have Met Online| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Real People Stories He was allegedly found with "several aliases and firearms," and authorities soon confirmed he was actually a Canadian citizen who allegedly illegally immigrated into the U.S. more than 20 years ago, officials say. Canadian Man, 69, Named a 'Person of Interest' in Disappearance of 3 Women He May Have Met Online| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Real People Stories Carnochan is currently being held in the Mohave County jail on unrelated charges of forgery, identify theft and weapons violations, according to records. It was not immediately clear if he had entered a plea to those charges. Carnochan told authorities that he last saw Hartz alive when he dropped off her in March at a business in Kingman. Canadian Man, 69, Named a 'Person of Interest' in Disappearance of 3 Women He May Have Met Online| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Real People Stories His attorney, Ting-Wei Chiang, declined to comment to the Associated Press on his alleged connection to the missing women. (PEOPLE was not immediately able to reach Chiang for comment.) Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Click here to get breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases in the True Crime Newsletter. Canadian Man, 69, Named a 'Person of Interest' in Disappearance of 3 Women He May Have Met Online| Crime & Courts, True Crime, Real People Stories Hartz's daughter, Denise Baggs, told the AP she attends each of Carnochan's court appearances and no longer believes her mother is alive. "I want him to tell me where he left my mother," she said. Reporting by LINDSAY KIMBLE For Immediate Release Chicago, IL June 27, 2016 Zacks Equity Research highlights Carrols Restaurant Group (TAST) as the Bull of the Day and HSBC Holdings (HSBC) as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Barclays PLC (BCS),Morgan Stanley (MS) and JPMorgan Chase & Co. ( JPM). Here is a synopsis of all five stocks: Bull of the Day: That whole Brexit event sure rocked the domestic stock and international equity markets last week. But that doesnt mean that there arent some great deals to be had out there. When looking for which stocks you should be swooping in and buying here you should stick to the basics. Im searching for stocks which analysts are still very bullish on in the intermediate term that do a majority of their business domestically. Thats why Ive made todaysBull of the Day the purveyor of fast food here in the US, Carrols Restaurant Group (TAST). The company basically serves as a proxy for shares of Burger King. The company owns and operates 705 locations in 16 states. Analysts have been forced to jack up their earnings estimates for the company as they just keep on surprising to the upside. Last quarter analysts were looking for an 8 cent loss and the company came in at 5 cent EPS. The quarter before, the company reported 18 cents while analysts were only looking for 3. So when looking at the current year, analysts had been looking for 53 cents sixty days ago. Now two analysts have increased their estimates, pushing our Zacks Consensus Estimate up to 58 cents. The increased estimates and recent surprises are a big reason for the Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) the stock currently enjoys. Bear of the Day : If youve read some of my other pieces youd see that its been a long while since Ive been bullish on European banks. For me, theres just too much going on over there with BASAL regulatory requirements and contingent convertible securities (also known as CoCos). If you havent heard of CoCos, you should check out my Trending Stocks video on it, European Banks are in Love with the CoCo. Story continues In my opinion, the recent Brexit vote has only put more stress on European Banks. So it should come as no surprise that these recent events have done little to sway my opinion of them. Todays Bear of the Day is Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) HSBC Holdings (HSBC). HSBC Holdings is one of the largest banking and financial services organizations in the world and is headquartered at Ground Zero for Brexit, London, England. Recent earnings estimate revisions for HSBC have been to the downside. Two analysts have dropped their earnings estimates for the current year over the last sixty days. The bearish sentiment has lowered our Zacks Consensus Estimates from $3.60 to $3.13 for the current year. A single analyst has also dropped their estimate for next year, lowering the Zacks Consensus Estimate from $3.44 to $3.21 for next year. Its been a tough ride for shares of HSBC over the course of the last several months. The stock was trading in the high $40s ahead of the August 2015 market selloff that sent major market indexes tumbling to lows. Since then the stocks price has struggled to recover, bouncing between $29 and $34 for the last several months. Fridays selloff took shares down over 9% to $30.68. Additional content: Brexit Wins, But at What Cost? As Britain voted to leave the European Union (EU), the British Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation. The European project of greater unity that was conceived from the ashes of World War 2 also received a deathblow, making this the most significant historical moment, perhaps of all times. Of course, a Brexit poses serious treats to the British economy. While Britains banks took a $130 billion battering, with Lloyds and Barclays PLC ( BCS) getting hammered the most, tech majors are also subjected to disappointment. Most of the tech majors were for Bremain as Britains tech firms need unrestricted access to the European market in order to compete efficiently. British firms will now face skill shortage, regulatory headaches and less investment on top of rising borrowing costs that they had to bear because of the uncertainty ahead of the referendum on EU membership. Bank of England and the European Central Bank have promised to protect markets from Brexit panic by injecting liquidity if required, but, for the time being the global markets are subject to fresh bouts of volatility and one hardly expects Britain to be spared. Britain Votes to Leave European Union British voters have decided to leave the EU, a stunning development indeed! Market pundits had warned that a Brexit will negatively affect financial conditions and the global economy. Fed Chair Janet Yellen had said that such a move would usher in a period of uncertainty and fuel volatility in world markets. We have already witnessed the pound crashing to its lowest level since 1985, with the sterling falling below $1.35. The leave campaign secured around 51.8% vote, while the remain camp received 48.1% vote. England overwhelmingly voted for Brexit, but, Scotland and Northern Ireland backed remain, indicating a split down the middle. Those who campaigned for Brexit must be on cloud nine as the U.K. escaped EUs shackles and are now in a position to utilize its full potential as a thriving economy. However, we shouldnt forget that such a vote goes against common wisdom of economic prudence and the redoubtable opinions of notable economists. Brexit to Hamper Britains Economy As U.K. opts to leave the EU, their future relationship hangs in the balance. Spanning across 28 countries and encompassing more than 500 million consumers, the EU is Britains biggest trading partner. About 75% of British firms that trade goods globally do so with the EU. Access to a single market has helped British firms expand their business. But, a Brexit will now push Britains economy into a recession, resulting in a drop of 3.6% in GDP and around 500,000 job cuts. U.K also stands to lose other essential benefits including free movement of goods, services, capital and people. Moreover, U.K. wont be able to tweak or play a significant role in influencing the laws of the single market. Cameron had earlier cautioned that a potential Brexit will adversely affect British spending on healthcare. He forewarned that Brexit will dry up around 40 billion pounds in U.K. public finances by 2020. Britains Financial Sector Faces the Axe Financial services that account for almost 10% of the U.Ks economic activity will largely be affected by the vote. Around 2.2 million financial industry workers face years of uncertainty. Many also fear the risk of job cuts, as Londons status as Europes premier financial hub is now at stake. All international and British banks had warned that they could move thousands of jobs if Britain opts out of the EU. Morgan Stanley (MS) had said that it could move around 1,000 of its roughly 6,000 employees currently in Britain to the EU. The CEO of rival firm, JPMorgan Chase & Co. ( JPM), Jamie Dimon told staffers that the bank may have no choice but to overhaul its UK business model, casting doubts over its 16,000 workforce. Get todays Zacks #1 Stock of the Day with your free subscription to Profit from the Pros newsletter: About the Bull and Bear of the Day Every day, the analysts at Zacks Equity Research select two stocks that are likely to outperform (Bull) or underperform (Bear) the markets over the next 3-6 months. About the Analyst Blog Updated throughout every trading day, the Analyst Blog provides analysis from Zacks Equity Research about the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. About Zacks Equity Research Zacks Equity Research provides the best of quantitative and qualitative analysis to help investors know what stocks to buy and which to sell for the long-term. Continuous analyst coverage is provided for a universe of 1,150 publicly traded stocks. Our analysts are organized by industry which gives them keen insights to developments that affect company profits and stock performance. Recommendations and target prices are six-month time horizons. Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter provides highlights of the latest analysis from Zacks Equity Research. Click here to subscribe to this free newsletter today. About Zacks Zacks.com is a property of Zacks Investment Research, Inc., which was formed in 1978. The later formation of the Zacks Rank, a proprietary stock picking system; continues to outperform the market by nearly a 3 to 1 margin. 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Zacks is providing information on this resource to you subject to the Zacks "Terms and Conditions of Service" disclaimer. www.zacks.com/disclaimer . Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CARROLS RESTRNT (TAST): Free Stock Analysis Report HSBC HOLDINGS (HSBC): Free Stock Analysis Report BARCLAY PLC-ADR (BCS): Free Stock Analysis Report MORGAN STANLEY (MS): Free Stock Analysis Report JPMORGAN CHASE (JPM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research OTTAWA, ON / ACCESSWIRE / June 27, 2016 / Carube Copper Corp. (CUC.V) is pleased to report on its Annual General and Special Meeting ("AGM") held in Carp, Ontario, on June 23, 2016. A total of 33,708,538 shares or 52% of the outstanding shares of the Company were represented at the meeting by proxy or in person. All of the matters submitted to the shareholders for approval as set forth in the Company's notice of meeting and information circular dated May 6, 2016, were approved by more than 97% of votes cast. AGM Approvals Alar Soever, Vern Rampton, Marz Kord, Jeffrey Ackert, Greg LeBlanc, and Mark Pfau were re-elected as directors. The appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors was confirmed unanimously. As fully put forth and described in the Information Circular, the Stock Option Plan of the Company was approved by 99% of votes cast and the RSU/DSU Plan and the reservation for issuance of the maximum number of shares permitted under the plan were approved by 97% of the disinterested shareholders. Officers and directors as of today remain: Mr. Alar Soever, P. Geol. Chairman of the Board, Independent Director Mr. Jeffrey Ackert, B.Sc. (Geology) President and Chief Executive Officer, Director Dr. Vern Rampton, Ph.D, P. Eng Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, Director Mr. John McNeice, C.A., CPA. Chief Financial Officer Mr. Chris Irwin, B.A., LL.B. Corporate Secretary and Counsel Mr. Darrell Munro, BB.A, LL.B Corporate Administrator Increasing Shareholder Value Mr. Jeffrey Ackert, President & CEO said: "To achieve our goal, Carube Copper continues with its strategy of joint venturing a number of our projects to large well-funded companies. This will minimize the development cost to Carube, minimize dilution of the company and maximize shareholder value." Two Major Joint Ventures OZ Minerals Limited, Carube Copper's partner at the Bellas Gate Joint Venture in Jamaica has completed over $8M in expenditures to earn a 70% interest in the JV. OZ Minerals has elected to sole fund Phase 5 expenditures on the Bellas Gate Project. By funding Phase 5, which includes all work to the completion of a feasibility study, OZ Minerals will earn an additional 10% interest in the project. The initial work within the Phase 5 program will include close to 2,000 metres of drilling on four priority copper prospects as well as mapping, sampling and ground geophysics on these and other targets. At the Above Rocks Joint Venture, OZ Minerals has completed airborne geophysics and is advancing the Phase 1 Exploration program where $500,000 in expenditures will earn them a 40% interest. The initial work program will consist of mapping and sampling leading up to drilling a number of the high-priority target areas. Story continues Five Wholly Owned Projects Carube Copper holds a 100% interest in Main Ridge and Hungry Gully, two copper and gold projects totalling 80 square kilometres in Jamaica. In Canada, it holds a 100% interest in three porphyry copper-gold-molybdenum properties totalling 593 square kilometres in southwestern British Columbia. Exploration continues on these properties with the goal of joint-venturing them to larger exploration and mining companies. Carube Copper continues to seek opportunities in Canada and the Caribbean for acquisition and development. Contacts Jeff Ackert, President and CEO 1-613-839-3258 jackert@carubecopper.com Vern Rampton, VP of Corporate Development 1-613-839-3258 vrampton@carubecopper.com www.carubecopper.com Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Carube Copper Corp. (CUC.V) is a Canadian exploration company focused on the exploration and development of copper and gold projects in Jamaica and Canada. DISCLAIMER & FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" which are not comprised of historical facts. Forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, and by their very nature involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Although these statements are based on currently available information, Carube Copper Corp. provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Factors which cause results to differ materially are set out in the Company's documents filed on SEDAR. Undue reliance should not be placed on "forward looking statements". IMPORTANT NOTICE: By reference herewith, Carube Copper incorporates into this release the entire disclaimer set forth on its website at http://carubecopper.com/disclaimer.htm. SOURCE: Carube Copper Corp. Kinshasa (AFP) - An influential grouping of Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday called for elections to be held on schedule this year and for President Joseph Kabila to step down when his second term ends. Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, is mandated to leave office in December. But in May the Constitutional Court said he could remain in power if a presidential election is not organised in time, which the opposition has accused him of deliberately delaying. "It is imperative that we respect the constitution", especially concerning "the number and duration of mandates of the president of the Republic," priest Leonard Santedi, head of the National Bishops Conference of Congo, said at a press conference in Kinshasa. He appealed to the DRC's leaders to "accept the transfer of power as fundamental in a democracy". "Blocking the electoral process" creates a "worrying situation which risks plunging the country into chaos," he said, adding that it was the "responsibility of the political leaders" . In a message published after their annual meeting, the bishops deplored the human rights violations and the "deteriorating socio-economic and security situation" in the country, especially in areas like eastern DRC which are plagued with rival militias. "The people see themselves as being sacrificed on the altar of the politicians' interests," it said. Kabila is widely believed to be eyeing a third term in office, but the opposition has warned that if he stays in power beyond December 19 when his second term runs out, it would be tantamount to a "constitutional coup d'etat". On Friday Kabila promised to organise elections but gave no indication of when they will be held. Rick Osterloh, senior vice president of product management for Motorola Mobility, describes the size of Motorola's new Moto X phone at a launch event for the phone in New York, August 1, 2013. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson It looks like the man who was supposed to become Docusign's CEO in March bailed at the last minute to join Google instead. According to Bloomberg, former Motorola executive Rick Osterloh pulled out of taking Docusign's CEO position in March so he could go back to Google, where he now serves as SVP of hardware. Osterloh spent over two years at Motorola, which was owned by Google until 2014. In March, Docusign had set up press calls to announce the hiring of a new CEO to replace the current CEO, Keith Krach, who in October announced his plan to step down. At the time, Docusign's press officer said the new CEO candidate pulled out after "another company with unlimited resources approached him with an offer." Krach's resignation came at an odd moment. The company had just raised a $233 million round and Krach repeatedly said he was enjoying his time at the company. And in another bad sign for Docusign, four top executives left in May. Docusign, last valued at $3 billion, has been one of the fastest-growing tech companies in recent years. The digital-signature software company has raised over $500 million so far. Bloomberg reports that the company's now looking at Enrique Salem, managing director at Bain Capital, as one of the leading CEO candidates. Salem previously led Docusign's $233 million Series F funding and now sits on the company's board. Osterloh isn't the first Google exec to rescind a big-time offer from a "unicorn" startup. Neal Mohan, Google's SVP of display and video advertising, had accepted an executive job at Dropbox last year only to suddenly change his mind and remain at Google after the company convinced him to stay. Docusign's representative was not immediately available for comment. NOW WATCH: The US Navy is putting the finishing touches on a 32-foot barrel gun with 4,500 mph firepower More From Business Insider Integrated major Chevron Corporation CVX reported that cost of drilling wells at Vaca Muerta shale play have plunged by 20% in 2016, thereby enabling it and its partners to better meet their spending objectives. The costs of drilling at the Loma Campana field in Argentinas Vaca Muerta location of the worlds second-biggest shale reserves declined from $14 million to $11.2 million per well in the last three months of 2015. This, in turn, has pushed the joint venture of Chevron with YPF S.A. YPF closer to the goal of drilling wells at less than $10 million each. In 2013, Chevron had entered into an agreement with YPF to invest $1.6 billion in a drilling program at Vaca Muerta in the Neuquen province. Given the success of the program, the agreement was extended by another 35 years in 2014. So far, the joint venture has drilled around 400 wells. The performance of the wells has been impressive and has been compared with those in the U.S. the nation with the largest shale reserves. San Ramon, CA-based Chevron is engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, refining and marketing of petroleum products, manufacturing of chemicals, and other energy-related businesses. CHEVRON CORP Price CHEVRON CORP Price | CHEVRON CORP Quote Chevrons current oil and gas development project pipeline is among the best in the industry, with large, multi-year projects. Additionally, the company possesses one of the healthiest balance sheets among its peers, which helps it to capitalize on investment opportunities with the option to make strategic acquisitions. However, the ongoing oil price slump has adversely affected the companys earnings and cash flows, particularly at its upstream unit. Chevron currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), implying that the stock will perform in line with the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months. Some better-ranked players in the energy sector include Sasol Ltd. SSL and Braskem S.A. BAK. Both these stocks sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report CHEVRON CORP (CVX): Free Stock Analysis Report SASOL LTD -ADR (SSL): Free Stock Analysis Report YPF SA D CV ADR (YPF): Free Stock Analysis Report BRASKEM SA (BAK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Elias Glenn TIANJIN, China (Reuters) - State-backed Chinese technology group Tsinghua Holdings plans to spend $7.5 billion on research and development over the next five years, accelerating China's drive to build a high-value semiconductor industry to challenge global chipmaking rivals. As the firm that controls acquisitive chip supplier Tsinghua Unigroup outlined the target, its chairman, Xu Jinghong, also said China has been too slow to reform its economy, and must move faster to promote high-margin tech operations rather than cheap manufacturing. In the chip development drive - a strategic priority for Beijing - Tsinghua Unigroup aims to become the world's No. 3 chipmaker after Intel Corp and Samsung Electronics Co. The firm has proposed buying stakes worth nearly $1 billion in two Taiwanese chip firms - deals now under review by a new Taipei government that is less friendly toward China. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of a World Economic Forum gathering in Tianjin on Sunday, Xu said the pace of progress in China in broad economic terms was too slow. The old investment-led growth model produces diminishing returns and ever-larger amounts of debt, Xu said. "This is a key time for China's economy. We must restructure, but it will be very painful. Industries facing over-production must be restructured, while new industries need support," Xu said. Controlled by Tsinghua University in Beijing, Tsinghua says it operates on market principles but is still a state-owned behemoth: revenue topped 70 billion yuan ($10.5 billion) last year. As well as pledging 50 billion yuan in research and development spending over the next five years, Tsinghua will set up a 10 billion yuan fund to support commercialization of new technology. Xu said Tsinghua had also kicked off a plan to open 1,000 startup incubation centers in 100 cities in China. Officials in Beijing acknowledge the urgent need to pursue more productive new technologies, and ensure a level playing field for private firms. Story continues China could add $5.6 trillion to gross domestic product, and $5.1 trillion of new income for households, by 2030, if it can switch to a productivity-led growth model, the McKinsey Global Institute said earlier this month. However, Xu said progress has been too slow. "We need to step up reform. We should let the market decide how resources are allocated. We need a fair market, and improved legal environment," said Xu. (Reporting by Elias Glenn; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell) SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China needs to "narrow its differences" with Western countries where corrupt officials have fled and seek their support, the country's top graft watchdog said, as Beijing seeks to address worries about rule of law and transparency in corruption probes. China has sought to boost international cooperation in its "Fox Hunt" campaign to track down officials and business executives suspected of corruption who have fled abroad. But Western nations have been reluctant to sign extradition treaties with China, where mistreatment of criminal suspects remains a problem, and courts are not independent of the ruling Communist Party. They say China has not provided sufficient proof of suspects' crimes. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection noted in an online statement late on Sunday that China's extradition treaties and criminal judicial assistance programs were mostly with developing countries, but corrupt officials tended to flee to developed Western countries. "We must strengthen our coordination and cooperation with the countries where corrupt elements flee, clearly express our ideas, narrow differences, seek support, and reject the provision of havens for corrupt elements," it said. Chinese President Xi Jinping has waged a years-long campaign against graft that has felled hundreds of officials at all levels of government, including many of his top political rivals. Earlier this month, the CCDI, which is an arm of the ruling Communist Party, condemned "some people" who protect corrupt officials in the name of human rights, but did not name the targets of its ire. (Reporting by John Ruwitch; Editing by Michael Perry) Chinese expats inundated the pharma and biotech sector in the early 2000s, but fifteen years later, most of that demographic has returned to China to start their own businesses. An informal group that met in San Jose in 2001 for networking opportunities is now an exclusive group called BayHelix, which has more than 300 senior executives in the Chinese biopharma market as active members, Bloomberg reported. Hai Gui, or "sea turtles," is the name given to these entrepreneurial individuals determined to change the life sciences landscape of China. China is the second-largest drug market in the world behind the United States. The country spent $115 billion in 2015, and predictions speculate this number could reach $190 billion by 2020. Related Link: From Brexit To Trump: You Can Always Trust The Internet, Right? The Communist Party has passed legislation to make bio tech and pharma startups attractive ventures. The companies are eligible for tax incentives and rent subsidies, and their products are subject to expedited regulatory approval. Chinese students make up almost a third of all foreign students in the United States, and these graduates are giving up stable, well-paying jobs at large corporations, such as AstraZeneca plc (ADR) (NYSE: AZN) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE), for lucrative start-up opportunities back home. Chinese companies even have some advantages over their U.S. competitors. The total cost to bring a drug to market in China is $50 million versus U.S. company's cost of $4 billion. Furthermore, the wealth of venture capitalist money flowing through the country will boost the sector enormously. See more from Benzinga 2016 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Rome (AFP) - Pope Francis said that Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should apologise to gay people and seek their forgiveness for the way they have been treated. Speaking to reporters at he flew back to Rome from Armenia, the pope was asked if he agreed with comments by German Cardinal Reinhard Marx that the Church needed to say sorry for the way it has treated the gay community. "We Christians have to apologise for so many things, not just for this (treatment of gay people), but we must ask for forgiveness. Not just apologise -- forgiveness," he said. "The questions is: if a person who has that condition, who has good will, and who looks for God, who are we to judge?" the pope added, repeating his famous "Who am I to judge?" remark about homosexuality made early in his papacy. That comment was one of the first indications that the Vatican under Pope Francis' leadership would take a more conciliatory approach to the gay community, but also prompted criticism from the Church's more conservative members. Francis expanded his apology to also include other people who have faced discrimination. "I think that the Church not only should apologise... to a gay person whom it offended but it must also apologise to the poor as well, to the women who have been exploited, to children who have been forced to work." The comments come just two weeks after the Orlando massacre at a gay nightclub in which 49 people were killed. At the time the Holy See condemned the attack as a "homicidal folly and senseless hatred". Los Angeles (AFP) - Austrian double-Oscar winner Christoph Waltz blasted Prime Minister David Cameron for leading Britain toward a referendum in which a majority cast a "really stupid" vote to leave the European Union. The Vienna-born star of "Inglourious Basterds" and "Django Unchained" said he was "worried shitless" by the damage Britain's successful "Leave" campaign was doing to the rest of Europe. "It's preposterous what's happening. That exit from the EU is not only counterproductive, it's really stupid," Waltz said at a press event for his latest movie, "The Legend of Tarzan". Cameron is due to gather his cabinet Monday at the start of a crunch week for Europe's leaders after Britain's shock vote on Thursday to leave the EU. Finance minister George Osborne is expected to try to reassure financial markets following the momentous Brexit vote, which has fueled fears of a breakup of the United Kingdom and prompted Cameron to announce his resignation. "The bloody Chelsea Pensioners voted themselves out and it was David Cameron who brought it upon himself, upon Britain and upon Europe," Waltz fumed. "And now he says 'I'm just going to oversee the proper orderly conduct here and then I will step down' and let someone else clean up his bloody mess." Congregants gathered at the Rev. John Fifes Southside Presbyterian Church in Tucson, Arizona, in January 1982 for a general meeting. They had much bigger fish to fry than electing deacons or passing a budget, though they were debating whether to engage in illegal activity. Within hours, the church members had voted by secret ballot to declare their house of worship a sanctuary a move that would prevent the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement from seizing and deporting asylum-seeking refugees crossing the border from Mexico. In the early 1980s, thousands of Guatemalan and El Salvadoran citizens were being killed in civil wars, many targeted by death squads that were backed by governments supported by the U.S. government. The INS caught wind of their work and warned they would be indicted if they continued shepherding undocumented immigrants. It was a very different border then, says Fife, referring to the fact that what separated California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas from Mexico 34 years ago was not particularly physically imposing. The barbed-wire fences and military forces maintaining the border today are newer fixtures; in the early 80s, it was possible for immigrants and refugees to cross with relative ease. Many ended up on Fifes doorstep, sharing horrific stories of civil war, death squads and political resistance that spurred him and colleagues Jim Corbett, Jim Dudley and others to action. They started by providing immigrants with basic necessities, then soon moved on to offer legal help. The Immigration and Naturalization Service advised Fife that the best option for gaining asylum for the refugees was to go to court. He and his colleagues got a grant and hired lawyers, but nearly a year later, none of the immigrants they were working with had been granted asylum. Fife blames Reagans agenda in El Salvador and Guatemala, noting how it quickly became clear that amnesty was not a possibility. The U.S. was aligned against the refugees in their home countries, and these allegiances, Fife asserts, were reflected in American courts. Without asylum, refugees faced deportation a veritable death sentence for members of the resistance. Story continues Coordinating with churches and human rights organizations in Central America, Fife and his colleagues determined who needed help the most and continued offering assistance to those coming in at the border. The INS caught wind of their work and warned they would be indicted if they persisted in shepherding undocumented immigrants. But continue they did, and indictments landed in 1981, with Fife, Corbett, a nun, two priests and six church workers charged with multiple crimes relating to smuggling undocumented migrants. To continue helping those in need, they declared Southside Presbyterian a sanctuary a long-standing religious tradition of providing asylum to refugees at risk of deportation to a country where they face grave danger. The ICE did not officially mandate that federal agents could not enter churches until 2011, but the concept of sanctuary has been upheld throughout U.S. history; and in 1982, that tradition turned into a movement. Church-based rescue efforts took off in the months that followed, and the movements leaders, despite legal proceedings restricting their sanctuary work, used the media to further their cause, speaking out against the lack of political asylum for refugees. The trial resulted in eight of the 11 defendants being found guilty and sentenced to probation. To Fifes delight, more than 270 churches and synagogues followed Southsides lead and opened their doors to migrants, keeping thousands safe from deportation. The movement is still going strong. Late last year, President Obama mandated that Central American immigrants who have previously been asked to leave the country be deported, and ICE began searching for undocumented citizens in early 2016, raiding neighborhoods across the country. But the sanctuary movement responded in kind, with at least 300 churches, according to Fife, offering asylum to those in need. Churches, Fife says, cant turn away those fleeing for their lives. Considering the dire struggles these refugees face, he insists that faith communities are still acting appropriately: like faith communities. Related Articles Just more than a month after it escaped liability in state court for the fatal 2012 Colorado theater shooting at its Aurora Century 16 multiplex, Cinemark has seen a similar case tossed out of federal court. The Court concludes that a reasonable jury could not plausibly find that Cinemarks actions or inactions were a substantial factor in causing this tragedy, U.S. District Judge R. Brook Jackson wrote late last week in his ruling (read it here). Therefore, as a matter of law, defendants conduct was not a proximate cause of plaintiffs injuries, he added, granting the nations third-largest exhibition chains motion for summary judgment on the nearly four-year-old case, first filed on September 21, 2012. After several amended complaints and motions to dismiss, Jacksons order puts to an end the plaintiffs final claims in the legal aftermath of the horribly tragic mass shooting at a late-night screening of The Dark Night Rises that killed 12 and left 70 injured on July 20, 2012. Cinemark has argued over and over that it could not have known a madmans mass murder could occur on its property. Plaintiffs claim that defendants failed to provide certain safety measures such as placing an alarm on the exit door or employing security officers on the evening in question, the Denver-based federal judge noted last week on the case put forth by those injured and family members of the dead. Even if such omissions contributed in some way to the injuries and deaths, the Court finds that Holmes premeditated and intentional actions were the predominant cause of plaintiffs losses. The final plaintiffs in the matter were Ashley Moser, Chantel L. Blunk, David Williams, Dion Rosborough, Evan Faris, Hailey M. Blunk, Jamison Toews, Jon Boik, Joshua R. Nowlan, Maximus T. Blunk, Munirih F. Gravelly, Nick Gallup, Richele Hill, Stefan Moton and Tony Briscoe. They were represented by consortium of attorneys. Kevin Taylor and Kyle Seedorf of Taylor|Anderson were the primary lawyers for Cinemark. Story continues The shooter was sentenced to a dozen consecutive life sentences and more than 3,000 additional years on August 25 last year. The outcome of his trial also took away any chance of parole for the then-26-year old. Related stories Bryan Cranston-Owned Cinemas Palme d'Or Wins Appellate Decision, Will See Cinemark In Court Cinemark Found Not Liable For 2012 Colorado Theater Shooting Cinemas Palme d'Or Closes Over Losses From Circuit Dealing: Owner Bryan Cranston & Cinemark React - Update By Eric M. Johnson and Justin Madden (Reuters) - At least 10 people were injured at a rally outside the California state capitol in Sacramento on Sunday as members of a white supremacist group clashed with counter-protesters, authorities said. The melee erupted during a rally staged by the Traditionalist Worker Party, described by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a white nationalist extremist group. One of its leaders, Matt Parrott, said the party had called the demonstration in part to protest against violence that has broken out outside recent rallies by Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The incident may fuel concerns about the potential for violent protests outside the major party conventions in Cleveland and Philadelphia this summer and in the run-up to the Nov. 8 presidential election. "With the eyes of the world's media on both Philadelphia and Cleveland, no doubt there will be significant protests," said Democratic strategist Steve Schale. "The extreme rhetoric, combined with the nonstop media attention, does encourage these kinds of events." In Sacramento, when the white supremacists arrived at the capitol building at about noon on Sunday, "counter-protesters immediately ran in - hundreds of people - and they engaged in a fight," said George Granada, a spokesman for the Capitol Protection Service division of the California Highway Patrol. In announcing the counter-protest, a group called Anti-Fascist Action Sacramento said on its website that it had a "moral duty" to deny a platform for "Nazis from all over the West Coast" to voice their views. "We have a right to self defense. That is why we have to shut them down," Yvette Felarca, a counter-protester wearing a white bandage on her head, told reporters after the clash. The Sacramento Fire Department said 10 patients were treated at area hospitals for multiple stabbing and laceration wounds. Story continues None of the injuries were life-threatening and there were no immediate reports of arrests, Granada said. The building was placed on lockdown. Matthew Heimbach, chairman of Traditionalist Worker Party, said his group had expected violence even though it planned a peaceful rally and had a permit. "We were there to support nationalism. We are white nationalists," Heimbach told Reuters. "We were there to take a stand." Representatives of the Sacramento police could not be reached immediately for further comment. Video footage on social media showed dozens of people, some of them wearing masks and wielding what appeared to be wooden bats, racing across the capitol grounds and attacking others. Photos on social media showed emergency officials treating a victim on the grass in the area as police officers stood guard. The melee comes about four months after four people were stabbed during a scuffle between members of the Ku Klux Klan and counter-protesters near a KKK rally in Anaheim, California. In recent months Trump has blamed "professional agitators" and "thugs" for violence that has broken out at many of the Republican candidate's rallies. In Albuquerque, New Mexico, last month, anti-Trump protesters threw rocks and bottles at police officers who responded with pepper spray. A month earlier, some 20 demonstrators were arrested outside a Trump rally in Costa Mesa, California. (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Seattle, Fiona Ortiz and Justin Madden in Chicago; Writing by Frank McGurty; Editing by Chris Reese) A three-year-old CNN interview with hate group leader Matthew Heimbach came in handy today as the news network covered a violent fight in Sacramento between the white nationalist Traditionalist Worker Party and the anti-fascist group By Any Means Necessary. Heimbach who was not at the Sacramento rally but is a leader of the TWP was interviewed several years ago for his racist views as a member of the The White Student Union of Towson University in Maryland. Heimbach can also be seen in much-viewed news footage from a March Donald Trump rally in Louisville, KY. In the footage, Heimback is shown shoving a female Black Lives Matter member through the crowd. Although CNN didnt pre-empt regular programming for its Sacramento coverage, the network devoted considerably more time throughout the afternoon to the violence than other news networks. By 5 pm ET, MSNBC went with its usual Lockup programming. Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace focused on political coverage. In CNNs old interview with Heimbach, the 2013 Towson grad spoke of his involvement in a student group opposed to campus crime. The group was suspected of writing White Pride graffiti and inventing the campus crime rate statistics. Heimbach said in a statement today to CNN that his group was defending itself from attackers at the Sacramento rally. The anti-fascists used knives, bottles, bricks, and chunks of concrete they broke off a construction site. When they attacked, our men defended themselves to be able to drive the attackers off, he told CNN today. Seven people were hospitalized, with at least two having serious stab wounds, according to Sacramento Police Department Officer Matt McPhail. Related stories SCOTUS Abortion Ruling: Cable News Nets Vary In Coverage; Hollywood, Hillary React CNN Hires Corey Lewandowski As Contributor, Drama To Follow - Update FX Networks, CNN Worldwide Win 2016 PromaxBDA Awards Marketing Teams Of The Year Coldplay performed a cover of Viola Beachs Boys That Sing during their set at Britains Glastonbury Music Festival as a tribute to the late English band. While driving through Sweden on their first world tour, the four members of rising indie-rock band Viola BeachKris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and Jack Dakinand their manager Craig Tarry plunged into a canal in a tragic car crash that killed all of them on February 13. Coldplays vocalist Chris Martin told the audience that Viola Beach reminded us of us, and of all the other bands that come through herethe excitement and the joy and the hopeand we really felt that in them. Performing Viola Beachs Boys That Sing, Martin said, was an attempt to create Viola Beachs alternative future for them and let them play Glastonbury for a song. As the audience went into raptures, he said: This is what maybe would have been you in twenty years I hope we do your song justice. A strong academic foundation can help today's students become the top CEOs of tomorrow. Students don't have to attend a top-ranked institution to build career success. The CEOs who run the top 100 companies in the nation, according to the 2016 Fortune 500 list, attended a variety of colleges. For example, C. Douglas McMillon, CEO of Wal-Mart Stores Inc., the No. 1 company on Fortune's list, graduated from the University of Arkansas with a bachelor's degree in business administration. Phebe Novakovic, CEO of General Dynamics Corp., a company that designs and builds aerospace and defense products like submarines and military weapons, attended Smith College, a private liberal arts college for women. Novakovic is one of the few women who lead a top 100 company. General Dynamics is No. 88 on the Fortune 500 list. Fortune magazine, which annually ranks the 500 largest companies by revenue, released its list earlier this month. U.S. News evaluated the educational backgrounds of the CEOs at the top 100 companies. Business, finance, economics and engineering were popular degree choices among the top 100. Most of the CEOs studied at public, state colleges or other National Universities. Alex Gorsky, chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson -- No. 39 on the Fortune list -- is an example of a top CEO who didn't have the traditional college experience. Gorsky earned a Bachelor of Science at the United States Military Academy, commonly referred to as West Point, and served six years in the army before he began his career at Johnson & Johnson as a sales representative. Gorsky eventually earned a master 's degree in business administration at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, according to the company's website. At least seven of the top CEOs attended international universities to earn their undergraduate degrees. The universities for three of the top 100 CEOs couldn't be confirmed by U.S. News. Story continues The table below highlights the schools that were attended by at least two of the top 100 CEOs. Sources: Company websites, Fortune magazine, Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, LinkedIn, college and university websites. Searching for a college? Get our complete rankings of Best Colleges. Briana Boyington is an education Web producer at U.S. News. You can follow her on Twitter or email her at bboyington@usnews.com. New York's most outrageously obnoxious septuagenarians are about to migrate from the Upper West Side to the Great White Way. Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland, the 70-something alter egos of comedy duo Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, will hit the Lyceum Theatre in the fall, starring in Oh, Hello on Broadway. The show features characters that first surfaced more than a decade ago in New York's alternative comedy clubs, before gaining wider popularity in Funny or Die clips and later in sketches on Kroll's former Comedy Central series. Part scripted and part spontaneous comedy, Oh, Hello is a stage memoir in which Gil and George spout uninformed opinions about everything from the Vietnam War to the correct ratio of filling to bread in a tuna sandwich. Read More: 'Oh, Hello': Theater Review The show had a sellout run last fall at off-Broadway's Cherry Lane Theatre in Greenwich Village, and has since been performed in San Diego, Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles. Prior to Broadway, it will play Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival. Kroll and Mulaney spoke to The Hollywood Reporter last December about the characters' history and their hopes for the show's future life. Commenting on the Broadway announcement, St. Geegland said, "This is the furthest dun'town we have been in years and we are not happy about it." Added Faizon: "I'm terrified. I have to go to the bathroom." Directed by Alex Timbers, whose Broadway credits include The Pee-wee Herman Show and Peter and the Starcatcher, the production will begin previews Sept. 23 at the Lyceum, with opening night set for Oct. 10. The limited engagement is scheduled to run through Jan. 8, 2017. Lead producers are Patrick Catullo and Marcia Goldberg. Just the other week my wife and I went to a highly recommended Italian restaurant in South Philadelphia. It was a typical family place right out of the Godfather checkered table cloths, big portions, waiters with moustaches wearing white. But, I was assured, no guns taped behind toilets in the mens room. We enjoyed the meal. But we wont eat there again. Was it the food? The service? The ambiance? None of that. It was the payment. The place didnt accept credit cards. So I had to pay cash. What is this cash that people speak of? Who has heard of this thing? I didnt have cash. I had cash in 1985. But not today. So I was forced into using an ATM that was conveniently located at the backfor a $4.00 fee. Why no credit cards? My guess is the owner is trying to save on fees (a note: the prices werent any lower so I guess those cost savings arent being passed down to his customers). Maybe he likes keeping a cash business off the books from the IRS; or hes padding his pockets with the extra he makes from the ATM. You see these places all the time. Still. In 2016. Take photos. Like full service gas stations, bank branches and tube socks -- they are a quickly dying breed. Which brings me to Costco and American Express. Last week, the giant retailer made its final break with the giant credit card company. No longer would Costco only accept American Express. The store changed allegiances to partner with Visa and Citigroup instead. A few small business owners I know cheered the news. Good for Costco, one told me. I hate the high fees Amex charges me. I should do the same. I advised him not to. Oh, I get it. American Express does charge merchants higher fees than Visa and MasterCard. Actually, a lot higher. A good summary of these charges is here maybe the rates have changed slightly since, but not by much. And yes, Amex charges retailers a point or so higher than its competitors. Just ask any retailer. Loyalists will argue that American Express cardholders are more affluent and spend more money and are better customers. Or that American Express services are much better. These arguments also have merit. So there are certainly pros and cons to accepting the card. Story continues But isnt this debate irrelevant? For starters, its 2016 and you cant not accept credit cards. That guy who runs the nice little Italian place in South Philly may see out his days on the cash basis of accounting, but his business is going to get killed by the competitor down the street who makes food just as good and puts customer service way ahead of his measly 2% savings on merchant fees. Customers, especially the millions of Millennials who are as unfamiliar with cash as I am with long hair, are expecting to pay for everything with a credit card and in a very, very short time will soon be replacing those credit cards with Apple Pay, PayPal and other options right from their smartphone. So whats the lesson from the Costco/American Express tale? Its this: as a small business owner its not up to you which credit card (or other payment) you accept. Its up to your customers. The lesson is that youre not Costco. As I see it, you cant just not accept American Express. My company accepts American Express. And Visa. And MasterCard. And Discover. Why? Because my customers want choices. And because when that wonderful and delicious moment comes when the customer is ready to pay, I want to make it as easy as possible because I need every dollar I can get. Yeah, Ill pay the fees. I just build them into my price. Related Articles London (AFP) - Could Britain's parliament, a future prime minister or even a second referendum effectively annul the Brexit vote? Constitutional experts say not in the short-term, but the future is uncertain. Prime Minister David Cameron, who led the campaign for Britain to stay in the EU, ruled such a move out in a parliamentary debate on Monday, telling MPs: "This house shouldn't block the will of the British people". That did not stop some MPs from posing the question and the issue is being widely debated among many disappointed "Remain" supporters who are still hoping to avert Britain's withdrawal from the European Union. Brexit supporters have said that ignoring the referendum would be unacceptable, but the country is in uncharted territory and nobody knows how long any Brexit negotiations could last. Britons voted by 52 percent to 48 percent in favour of leaving the EU in Thursday's shock referendum. Here are the key questions: - Refusal to invoke Article 50? A senior European diplomat on Sunday said their personal view was that London "will never" invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty -- the formal mechanism for exiting the European Union. Cameron has said that formally starting EU withdrawal talks will be a matter for his replacement as prime minister, but none of the victorious Brexit campaign leaders appear in any rush to start what will no doubt be lengthy, complex and painful negotiations. "Not trigger? It's possible if the country is in a catastrophic economic situation," said Anand Menon, a European politics professor at King's College London. Menon said there was an "80-percent possibility" that Britain would invoke Article 50 and the process could be lengthy as there was a "very high" prospect of a new general election given the current political turmoil. - Parliament blocking vote? The lack of a written constitution in Britain makes the picture hazy, leaving some to say that parliament is not obliged to ratify the referendum result. Story continues MPs "don't have a no," said Alan Renwick, deputy head of the Constitution Unit at University College London. "It's a matter for the government," Renwick said. Some MPs have said the opposite, however. "The referendum was an advisory, non-binding referendum. We do not have to do this," said David Lammy, a lawmaker from the opposition Labour Party. "We can stop this madness and bring this nightmare to an end through a vote in parliament. Our sovereign parliament needs to now vote on whether we should exit the EU," he said. Geoffrey Robertson, a leading lawyer, also said: "It's not over yet". "Law which passed last year to set up the referendum said nothing about the result being binding or having any legal force," he said. "Before Brexit can be triggered, parliament must repeal the 1972 European Communities Act by which it voted to take us into the European Union, and MPs have every right a and indeed a duty if they think it best for Britain, to vote to stay," he said. Asked about the possibility of a parliamentary blocking vote, Menon said: "Politically impossible. They (MPs) would be slaughtered". - A new referendum? A petition calling for a new referendum had garnered more than 3.8 million signatures by Monday. But analysts ruled out any new vote right now. "There is a very powerful principle in British democracy that one vote is enough," said Tony Travers, a professor at the London School of Economics. "It would be very unwise to hold another referendum, it's not going to happen," he said. But a general election could change things. University of Edinburgh professor Neil Walker said "a fundamental difference of course" could be triggered "if a Brexit government collapsed overnight". Renwick added: "If the party elected has made the commitment in their manifesto, whether to trigger Article 50 or to call a second referendum, then they would have a mandate for doing that." Top Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson himself earlier this year was widely interpreted as saying that the referendum might not necessarily mean Britain was out. He said that only by voting to leave would the country "get the change we need" in the EU. Johnson later retracted the statement and said: "Out is out". People who drink very hot beverages may increase their risk of developing cancer, a new investigation by the World Health Organization (WHO) has found. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer agency of WHO, said last week that it classifies very hot beverages as "probably carcinogenic to humans." Specifically, drinking beverages at or above 149 degrees Fahrenheit (65 degrees Celsius) can cause cancer to develop in the esophagus, the IARC researchers wrote in their article, published June 15 in the journal The Lancet Oncology. So what is it about drinking hot beverages that may lead a person to develop cancer? Hot beverages in the U.S. tend to be served at temperatures between 140 and 160 degrees F (60 to 71 degrees C), according to o\Adriana Salmon, a clinical nutritionist at the MD Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas, who wasn't involved in the current study. Salmon recommended that people wait until their coffee or tea cools a tad before imbibing. Or, she said, go with the cold variety of your hot drink. [10 Surprising Facts About Coffee] Throat burns Coffee, tea or other hot beverages at or above the cutoff temperature can burn the esophagus, and it's that scalding that seems to trigger cancer, according to the report. Such burns from hot beverages can damage the cells of the esophagus, Salmon said. This link between hot drinks and cancer works in a similar way to the link between alcohol consumption and esophageal cancer, the eighth-most-common form of cancer worldwide, she said. "Alcohol, for example, is related to increased risk of cancer because the alcohol technically damages the throat or the cells of the esophagus," Salmon told Live Science. "Something that's too hot could potentially also [cause] damage." Mariana Stern, one of the 23 scientists on the IARC committee that wrote the report, explained that information on how hot beverages lead to cancer are "scant." Story continues "The current standing hypothesis is that thermal injury of the lining of the esophagus may contribute to cancer formation," Stern told Live Science. "Whether by itself or in conjunction with exposure to other carcinogenic agents, it is not clear yet." Past research in mice and rats showed that animals that had been exposed to very hot beverages after already having been exposed to thenitrosamines, carcinogenic chemical compounds found in tobacco, had an increased risk for the formation of tumors, said Stern, an associate professor of preventive medicine and urology at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Some studies on humans also showed limited evidence that hot drinks were associated with an increased risk of esophageal cancer, Stern added. How hot coffee leads to cancer Though she was not part of the discussion at IARC, Stern offered some speculation as to how the cancer could develop. [10 Do's and Don'ts to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer] "We are constantly exposed to carcinogenic substances in the environment (pollutants, carcinogens in foodstuffs, smoking, secondhand smoke, alcohol) and internally (oxidative stress radicals, etc.), all of which could contribute to DNA damage in our body," Stern said. "Sometimes, this damage by itself does not go very far, unless cells are stimulated to divide and grow, and other changes occur in the cell environment." When cells in the esophagus are exposed to very hot beverages, it can injure cells and spur new tissue to be renewed, and that "might promote the proliferation of cells, [and] affect the cell environment and its inflammatory state," Stern said. "And if some of this happens among cells that have some mutations that allow them to grow faster, a tumor can grow." "Clearly, more research will need to happen in the coming years to understand how thermal injury of the esophagus contributes to cancer formation," Stern added. Dr. Brant Oelschlager, an esophageal surgeon at the University of Washington, suggested a similar mechanism that involves the repeated damage to the skin cells lining the esophagus as a person drinks their hot morning coffee every morning. The esophagus is lined with a type of cell called squamous-type epithelial cells, the same type as the skin, Oelschlager told Live Science in an email. "Severe burns are also known to occasionally form skin cancers in the scars," Oelschlager said in the email. "The same thing probably happens here. The esophagus gets burned repeatedly, and the repeated injury and regeneration of the lining occasionally replicated itself incorrectly (in the DNA sequence) and forms a cancer." To save your esophagus, do not "go above and beyond asking for things to be extra-hot," Salmon warned. "Either order your drink cold which is perfect now, because it's summer but if not, just don't drink it [while it's still] too hot," Salmon said. Original article on Live Science . Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. From ELLE Next-level couple Kaz and Mariko from Kyoto, Japan brought a drone on their yearlong honeymoon around the world. They've visited 45 countries since July 6, 2015 and have documented their journey with incredible drone footage. In fact, a video of their footage complied by Trickology went viral on Facebook two months ago, with more than 1 million views. "It was a total new experience," the couple said in an interview withBBC. "I had no knowledge in photography. I just practiced flying my drone twice in Japan and my third time was in Singapore." After 45 countries, it might seem impossible to pick the best footage. But the couple said their top three places to film were Singapore, where they shot the drone flying outside their hotel window; Dubai, where they filmed on the Palm Jumeirah, and, finally, in the Amazon. Their drone of choice is a Phantom 3 Advance from DJI. To no surprise, the couple also took amazing photos of their journey. But to the mere mortals out there, fret not - they did use a selfie stick. No pressure, future honeymooners. Your photos will get likes, too. From Seventeen To be a Pretty Little Liars fan is to live in fear that any of the Liars you've come to love will turn out to be the latest incarnation of A. There have been tons of fan theories that implicate the show's stars, but after six seasons of close calls, you've become pretty sure that your five faves would never turn to the dark side. But let go of everything you've come to trust, because a Tumblr user named The Outlast just shared an Uber A theory so convincing, you might actually believe that Spencer Hastings has been pulling strings in Rosewood all along. The Outlast dissects clues that span all the way back to season three of PLL. The theory is so in-depth and intense that you should absolutely read Outlast's blog post to get every gritty detail, but here is the basic outline: The theory stems from a reference Spencer made in episode 3x12 to a popular '90s movie called Basic Instinct. In the movie, a manipulative author manages to cover up numerous murders by writing books about the crimes. "Remember that movie, Basic Instinct?" Spencer said in the episode. "She wrote a murder mystery novel to cover up a crime that she was about to commit. It was actually kind of genius." Well, five years later in season 6b, Charlotte has been murdered and Spencer revealed that it was done in a way similar to that of a murder she described in one of her college essays. That is a pretty sketch coincidence, right? (Also, who writes a college essay about murder?!) The theory goes on to point out countless times Spencer was team sketch. Like how she was the only one that could have drugged Emily in episode 3x12. Or how she dressed up as Mary Queen of Scots - the woman who plotted to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I so she could take the throne. And the fact that all the other As have had a connection to Radley and Spencer is the only Liar who's spent time there. Finally, the craziest theory of all: Outlast thinks Spencer was adopted from Radley. Spencer was adopted in the Pretty Little Liars book series, so it could totally happen on the show. It would explain why she felt a connection with "Charles" in the vault room and also why she remembered playing Hide & Seek with Melissa growing up when Melissa didn't. It's because she was playing with a child at Radley. I know, your brain is being twisted into knots right now and you're still not totally convinced. Well, this isn't even the half of it! Read The Outlast's entire theory below and you probably won't be able to get the idea that Spencer is Uber A out of your head until the bitter end of season 7. By Sarah Marsh HAVANA, June 27 (Reuters) - A large "Four Points by Sheraton" sign has gone up outside the Havana hotel that this week becomes the first in Cuba to operate under a U.S. brand since the 1959 revolution. The military-owned Gaviota 5th Avenue Hotel, close to the Caribbean seafront, is one of two hotels that Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide agreed to manage in a multimillion-dollar deal with Cuba in March. For decades, such arrangements have been prohibited under the U.S. economic embargo of the Communist-ruled island. But while the embargo remains in place, the Obama administration has loosened restrictions on trade and investment since it announced a detente with Cuba in December 2014. "This is a historic moment," said Nancy Sarabia, public relations manager for the hotel, adding that the official inauguration would take place on Tuesday. She called the hotel "a symbol of brotherhood and collaboration." Starwood is the first U.S. company to commit major money to Cuba since Fidel Castro and his bearded rebels overthrew a pro-American government on Jan. 1, 1959. The company said it would not close the 5th Avenue Hotel while it refurbished it, a process that would take several months. Workers were re-painting the lobby on Monday. According to Starwood's website, it will start operating state-owned Gran Caribe Inglaterra Hotel under its Luxury Collection brand on Aug. 31. U.S. President Barack Obama has called the embargo a failure and Washington is increasingly issuing special permissions to companies to do business with Cuba. Florida-based Stonegate Bank has received permission to issue credit cards for use in Cuba. On Monday, Cuba confirmed these could be used to withdraw cash in the country. These examples remain exceptions to the rule. Only the U.S. Congress can completely remove the Cuba embargo, and the Republican majority leadership wants it in place as long as Cuba's one-party state represses domestic political opponents and holds a media monopoly. Story continues Many U.S. business executives see Cuba as a missed opportunity and have stepped up interest since the detente. Among those are U.S. hotel chain executives, keen to get in on Cuba's recent tourism boom. Cuba had 1.5 million tourists visit in the first four months of 2016, up 13.5 percent from a year earlier, partly due to relaxed U.S. travel restrictions. Those numbers are expected to balloon if the United States lifts its travel ban altogether. At Gaviota 5th Avenue Hotel, bookings are already unavailable for several future dates, with rooms going for nearly $200 a night. Castro nationalized the tourism industry after the revolution, but since then, Cuba has struck joint venture deals with several foreign hotel operators. (Additional reporting by Marc Frank; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by David Gregorio) By Sarah Marsh HAVANA (Reuters) - A large "Four Points by Sheraton" sign has gone up outside the Havana hotel that this week becomes the first in Cuba to operate under a U.S. brand since the 1959 revolution. The military-owned Gaviota 5th Avenue Hotel, close to the Caribbean seafront, is one of two hotels that Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide agreed to manage in a multimillion-dollar deal with Cuba in March. For decades, such arrangements have been prohibited under the U.S. economic embargo of the Communist-ruled island. But while the embargo remains in place, the Obama administration has loosened restrictions on trade and investment since it announced a detente with Cuba in December 2014. "This is a historic moment," said Nancy Sarabia, public relations manager for the hotel, adding that the official inauguration would take place on Tuesday. She called the hotel "a symbol of brotherhood and collaboration." Starwood is the first U.S. company to commit major money to Cuba since Fidel Castro and his bearded rebels overthrew a pro-American government on Jan. 1, 1959. The company said it would not close the 5th Avenue Hotel while it refurbished it, a process that would take several months. Workers were re-painting the lobby on Monday. According to Starwood's website, it will start operating state-owned Gran Caribe Inglaterra Hotel under its Luxury Collection brand on Aug. 31. U.S. President Barack Obama has called the embargo a failure and Washington is increasingly issuing special permissions to companies to do business with Cuba. Florida-based Stonegate Bank has received permission to issue credit cards for use in Cuba. On Monday, Cuba confirmed these could be used to withdraw cash in the country. These examples remain exceptions to the rule. Only the U.S. Congress can completely remove the Cuba embargo, and the Republican majority leadership wants it in place as long as Cuba's one-party state represses domestic political opponents and holds a media monopoly. Many U.S. business executives see Cuba as a missed opportunity and have stepped up interest since the detente. Among those are U.S. hotel chain executives, keen to get in on Cuba's recent tourism boom. Cuba had 1.5 million tourists visit in the first four months of 2016, up 13.5 percent from a year earlier, partly due to relaxed U.S. travel restrictions. Those numbers are expected to balloon if the United States lifts its travel ban altogether. At Gaviota 5th Avenue Hotel, bookings are already unavailable for several future dates, with rooms going for nearly $200 a night. Castro nationalized the tourism industry after the revolution, but since then, Cuba has struck joint venture deals with several foreign hotel operators. (Additional reporting by Marc Frank; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by David Gregorio) Daddy Yankee will be honored with People En Espanol's 20th Anniversary Award at its annual festival during Hispanic Heritage Month. The chart-topping Puerto Rican reggaetonero will receive the special award to celebrate spending over two decades in the music industry -- his first album, No Mercy, was released in 1995. "His influence on our culture and on millions of people across the globe is emblematic of our brand's mission to unite and inspire," said People En Espanol's publisher, Monique Manso. Don Omar & Daddy Yankee Lock In 4 Concert Dates "Festival People en Espanol is a truly unparalleled experience in Hispanic culture," Manso adds. "Celebrating the brand's 20th anniversary during the culmination of Hispanic Heritage Month will make this a momentous occasion for our community." The fifth edition of the two-day festival, which falls this year on October 15 and 16, will feature music performances, meet-and-greets with Latin stars and panel discussions -- all at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City. Currently a judge on Telemundo's La Voz Kids, Yankee is also performing across the U.S. this summer with Don Omar on the pair's Kingdom Tour. And developers warned against offering pre-sale incentives. Singapores dollar fell, heading for its biggest decline in 10 months, after Britons voted to leave the European Union. The local currency slid to the lowest in three weeks as the U.K. decision spurred concern global growth will slow. The Monetary Authority of Singapore, which guides the currency against a basket of major trading partners, said the trade-weighted local dollar remains within its policy band. Read more here. The crashing pound sent people flocking to money changers to exploit a favourable exchange rate in Singapore on Friday after the currency plummeted following Britain's decision to leave the European Union. People looking for holidays and those with children studying in Britain joined long lines at Change Alley, a mall in the city-state's business district known for its concentration of money changers, after the pound reached historic lows against the Singapore dollar. Find out more here. The HDB said developers of executive condominiums (ECs) are not allowed to offer buyers incentives if they have not booked a unit, reported The Business Times. Developers should also engage independent auditors to look into their sale processes and make sure they fulfil their obligations. Read more here. More From Singapore Business Review Dance Moms star Abby Lee Miller pleaded guilty to bankruptcy fraud Monday after being accused of attempting to hide income from her reality show. The reality star also pleaded guilty to failing to report thousands of Australian dollars she brought into the United States, The Associated Press reports. In October, Miller was charged with attempting to hide $775,000 if income from Dance Moms, the spinoff Abby's Ultimate Dance Competition and other projects during Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings. She was later accused of putting $120,000 into separate plastic bags and having friends carry them in their luggage in August 2014, which is in violation of a law mandating people report if they are bringing more than $10,000 of a foreign currency into the U.S. Her defense attorney Robert Ridge told the AP in a statement Monday it had been "a challenging time" for Miller, going on to say his client "appreciates the words of encouragement and support from around the world." In October, Reuters reported emails from Miller and her accountant were used as evidence against her, with one allegedly reading, "LETS MAKE MONEY AND KEEP ME OUT OF JAIL. DON'T PUT CASH IN THE BANK!!!" Miller is scheduled to face sentencing on Oct. 11. Prosecutors said Miller could face 24 to 30 months in prison, but her attorney said her creditors did not suffer any losses, so sentencing should range from probation to up to six months behind bars. getty images dance moms abby lee miller guilty "Dance Moms" star Abby Lee Miller entered a guilty plea on Monday to federal tax fraud and money laundering charges. According to the Associated Press, Miller pleaded guilty to charges that she did not disclose $675,000 during a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing of her Penn Hills dance studio. Additionally, Miller pleaded guilty to newer charges that she failed to report bringing money into the country from Australia in excess of $10,000. Deadline reported that Miller made a plea deal with investigators after the new charges of failure to report the money brought into the US were made last week. She faces a sentence of 24 to 30 months of jail time and a hefty fine. Miller's attorneys, though, have requested no more than six months in jail for the charges. Previously, she faced five years in prison and a $5 million fine for the original charges. Also according to Deadline, Miller smuggled in about $120,000 from Australia. Court documents allegedly show she had employees help to carry the money into the United States in plastic Ziploc bags placed in their suitcases. Miller was first indicted on charges last October of allegedly failing to report all of her income from the Lifetime reality show "Dance Moms" and its spin-offs during her Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Last week, Miller released a statement that said she made the "difficult decision" of "accepting responsibility" for the bankruptcy fraud. Read Miller's full statement below: "Events over the past several months have been extremely challenging for me, my family, my friends and most important, my students. Because of this I made the very difficult decision to close the door on this chapter of my life by accepting responsibility for mistakes I have made along the way. I appreciate all the wonderful messages of support Ive received from around the world and look forward to the future and getting back to my lifes work; helping young dancers fulfill their potential." Story continues Miller has starred on "Dance Moms" for six seasons. The show follows Miller's dance studio, her young competitive dance team, and their competitive mothers. She has also starred on at least two spin-off series. Lifetime didn't immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. NOW WATCH: Ted Cruz speculates that Trumps tax returns may show mafia ties More From Business Insider To keep up with Democracy Lab in real time, follow us on Twitter and Facebook. Emanuel Stoakes warns that the Bahraini regime is tightening the screws on its critics even as it continues to make deals with the West. Tik Root finds a culture of entrepreneurship taking hold in Rwanda and asks whether the government-led initiative will stick. Nate Schenkkan argues that Turkeys latest crackdown on dissent means its time for Europe to walk away from its refugee deal with Ankara. Daniel Lansberg-Rodriguez describes the Venezuelan governments sudden arrest of his friend, opposition activist, and Democracy Lab contributor Francisco Pancho Marquez Lara. Brian Klaas uses the example of Madagascar to explain how fake democracies damage real ones. And now for this weeks recommended reads: In Foreign Affairs, Larry Diamond offers his thoughts on how the United States can reverse the decline of democracy around the world. For Commentary, Sohrab Ahmari describes a worldwide rise of illiberalism of which Donald Trump, Brexit, and the European populists are just a few examples. In the Atlantic, Emma Green interviews Shadi Hamid, the author of a recent book about Islamic exceptionalism, about why liberal democracy seems to hold so little appeal. In Foreign Policy, Matt Qvortrup explains where all these referendums came from. In the New York Times, Hussein Ibish describes Tunisias Ennahda as the first post-Islamist party in the Arab world. For the Carnegie Moscow Center, Andrei Kolesnikov argues that Russias undemocratic political system has its roots in Boris Yeltsins crooked 1996 electoral victory. RFE/RLs Tom Balmforth reports on Russias jubilant reaction to the Brexit vote. The Financial Times John Paul Rathbone surveys Latin Americas very recent rejection of populism. Human Rights Watch announces that it has joined over a hundred other NGOs in signing a statement sharply critical of the European Unions new approach to reducing migration. Story continues The New York Review of Books publishes an excerpt from Yasmine El Rashidis new book about coming of age in a repressive Egypt, Chronicle of a Last Summer. For South Africas City Press, Ndileka Lujabe reports that Jimi Matthews, the CEO of the countrys public broadcaster, has resigned in protest of pressure from above to curtail critical reporting. In the photo, a demonstrator puts his hand on a fence with padlocks left by prisoners during a demonstration in front of the Metris prison on June 24, 2016 in Istanbul. Photo credit: OZAN KOSE/AFP/Getty Images Fallujah (Iraq) (AFP) - Iraqi Shiite militiamen fought alongside interior ministry forces inside Fallujah to recapture it from the Islamic State group, commanders say, despite earlier assurances they would not enter the Sunni city. Shiite militiamen are widely feared by Iraqi Sunnis, who worry they will carry out reprisal attacks as the country's forces battle to retake areas seized by IS, which overran swathes of territory in 2014. Their presence inside Fallujah -- which Iraq announced Sunday was fully under government control -- was opposed by some Sunni politicians. But while abuses including summary executions by militiamen -- who fall under an umbrella organisation known as the Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilisation forces -- have been reported in areas near Fallujah, similar accounts have not emerged from inside the city itself. And with Baghdad eyeing Mosul, the next target in its anti-IS campaign, the close cooperation between some militiamen and security forces in Fallujah may help them push for a similar role in the battle for Iraq's last jihadist-held city. "We participated in liberating the city," Hadi al-Ameri, the commander of the powerful Iran-backed Badr militia, said in Fallujah. He said the participation was not major, with around 1,500 militiamen fighting "side by side" with federal police and the interior ministry's rapid response forces, which along with the country's elite counter-terrorism service played the main role in the battle inside Fallujah. Abu Hanan al-Kinaani, the commander of Badr's 4th Brigade, also said the group's fighters battled alongside interior ministry forces in various areas of Fallujah. The involvement of the paramilitaries inside Fallujah contradicted earlier assurances that they would remain outside the city. Ameri himself had previously said that "we will not enter Fallujah" and that their mission was to surround it. Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, the spokesman for Iraq's Joint Operations Command, denied having information about the presence of Hashed fighters in the city and said that plan was for them to remain outside it. Story continues "The mission of the Hashed al-Shaabi was to support the police and army units, and tighten the noose around Fallujah," he said. - Graffiti, flags - Asked about Hashed forces in Fallujah and whether Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the commander-in-chief of Iraq's armed forces, had requested their involvement, his spokesman Saad al-Hadithi declined to comment. Ameri insisted that there had been no prohibition on the militiamen entering Fallujah, and said that those who were against it were protecting IS. "I will send them black clothes" to mourn the government's recapture of Fallujah, he joked. Ameri said that Hashed forces had voluntarily waited to enter the city until after civilians had departed out of concern for their safety. While the involvement of Hashed forces in the city during the operation was relatively discreet, their presence is now far more open. The names of Badr units are spray-painted on walls and buildings in Fallujah, and the group's flags fly at various points. "This neighbourhood was liberated by the heroes of Badr," a message on one wall says. A number of vehicles in the city, including an American armoured personnel carrier and a Humvee, are marked as belonging to Badr, and some bear Ameri's picture. Badr's presence is the most conspicuous, but other Hashed groups were also said to have taken part in fighting inside the city. Interior ministry and Badr commanders both said that Hashed al-Shaabi fighters worked closely with the federal police and rapid response forces during the Fallujah battle -- an arrangement that would mean they were more directly under government control than in some earlier anti-IS operations. Such cooperation is likely aided by the fact that Interior Minister Mohammed Ghabban is himself a Badr leader, and could give the group's forces a leg up in navigating the process of what will happen to the Hashed after the war against IS. Hashed fighters worked with other Iraqi forces "as one team, and we (achieved) this great victory," Ameri said. From Seventeen Uh-oh. It looks like one of Hollywood's cutest couples might be on rocky ground... and now that sources are piecing together the clues, it's possible they've been in a rough spot for awhile now. Ariel Winter and Laurent Claude Gaudette no longer follow each other on social media, Us Weekly reports, though he still follows Ariel's sister Shanelle Workman and her Modern Family co-star Rico Rodriguez. Ariel's Instagram feed - which has been noticeably absent of Laurent lately - suggests that the un-following wasn't an accident. Last month, Ariel posted a prom pic without a date. Even more telling: Ariel posted a second photo from prom with her middle fingers raised, and captioned the pic with a Beyonce lyric about a no-good guy. And in the midst of all her graduation festivities, Laurent didn't make an appearance on Ariel's feed - even though they go to the same high school. In fact, they haven't been spotted together since Coachella, Perez Hilton points out. Ariel and Laurent broke up once before at the end of 2015, but the 'ship was on again by January. In March, Ariel told People, "We love each other, so we are obviously meant to be together." Whatever's going on between Ariel and Laurent, there is nothing more real than making up and breaking up...and making up and breaking up...and making up and breaking up...it's hard out there! Cinema Guild has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Josie Swantek Heitz and Dave Adams' documentary The Wrong Light. The film follows an activist who leads an anti-trafficking NGO in Northern Thailand that provides shelter and education to young girls rescued from brothels. But as the filmmakers embed themselves in at the shelter and meet the young girls and their families, discrepancies begin to emerge. As the filmmakers embark on a quest for the truth and attempt to keep the girls safe, the film takes a shocking turn and uncovers a dark side of the child advocacy behind the trafficking headlines. The film is produced by Shine Global, the Academy-Award winning non-profit production company behind Inocente, and Emmy winner War/ Dance. The Wrong Light will be released theatrically this fall. Said Blandine Mercier-McGovern of Cinema Guild, "Josie and Dave have crafted a gripping, complex and essential documentary that unfolds like a mystery and will shake audiences around the country. We have been following the project since the release of Inocente in 2012 and yet we were astonished by the empowering force of the film. We look forward to collaborating with Shine Global again and to the passionate discussions The Wrong Light will spark." Mercier-McGovern negotiated the deal along with Susan MacLaury, Albie Hecht and Alex Blaney of Shine Global, and Shine's attorney, Roy Langbord. It seems Trump 2.0 hasnt quite caught on. Not long after Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren blasted Donald Trump in an Ohio speech Monday the man she called a thin-skinned bully lobbed a series of insults at Warren, calling her a racist and re-upping his own racially-charged nickname for her, Pocahontas. In an interview with NBC News, Trump called Warren one of the least productive Senators in the United States Senate and accused her of lying about her heritage. She said shes 5% Native American. She was unable to prove it, Trump said. Elizabeth Warren is a total fraud. I know it. The response comes in the wake of a written statement from Trump that hit Warren, not on race or heritage, but on her willingness to support Clinton despite the former Secretary of States ties to Wall Street. This sad attempt at pandering to the Sanders wing is another example of a typical political calculation by D.C. insiders, the statement said. But over the phone, it appears, Trump was sticking to the script that landed him in first place in the Republican presidential primary, despite Republican hopes that he would pivot to a more presidential tone for the general election. Trump was not the only Republican going after Warren on Monday. Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown suggested on a campaign call that Warren should take a DNA test to prove her heritage, CNN reports. Shes not Native American, shes not 1/32nd, she has no Native American background, except for what her family told her, Brown said. The easy answer, as you all know, is that Harvard and Penn can release those records, she can authorize the release of those records, she can take a DNA test, she can release the records herself. Theres never been any effort. Hours after presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton joined forces with Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren at a spirited campaign event Monday in Ohio, her Republican counterpart, Donald Trump ,responded to the news by launching renewed attacks on Warren's heritage. "We call her Pocahontas for a reason. She said she's 5% Native American," Trump said in an interview with NBC's Hallie Jackson. "She was unable to prove it. She used the fact that she was Native American to advance her career. Elizabeth Warren is a total fraud." "She made up her heritage, which I think is racist. I think she's a racist, actually because what she did was very racist." NBC News Exclusive: Trump to @HallieJackson: Elizabeth Warren "racist," "fraud," reups "Pocahontas" nickname:pic.twitter.com/QMPEqxzLP8 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cl-U8brWMAAQsv9.jpg:large In 2012, Warren repeatedly cited her Cherokee heritage as part of her "family stories," and in the past, reported the Atlantic "was touted as a Native American faculty member while tenured at Harvard Law School in the mid-1990s." However, the outlet also reported Warren "would not be eligible to become a member of any of the three federally recognized Cherokee tribes based on the evidence so far surfaced by independent genealogists about her ancestry." According to Indian Country Today, genealogist Christopher Child has turned up corroborating documents from 1894 saying Warren's great-great-grandmother, O.C. Sarah Smith, is Cherokee, Indian Country reported. But some right-wing pundits such as Breitbart contributor Michael Patrick Leahy have pressed the issue as evidence Warren is a liar, contesting the authenticity of the documentation. Story continues "An Indian identity is something someone claims for oneself; it is a matter of choice. It is not legally defined and entails no legal benefits," wrote the Washington Post. "Being an enrolled member of a federally recognized tribe, however, is a legal status that has nothing to do with identity and everything to do with blood quantum." The paper noted Warren "doesn't claim an Indian identity, just Indian ancestry," since she has not applied for membership in any tribes. While it's not surprising Trump has latched on to Warren's heritage as a line of attack, given his long history of using racist language to taunt his opponents, it's not clear that the use of "Pocahontas" as an ethnic slur will affect his chances. A recent W found the real estate billionaire has slipped up to 12 points behind Clinton, while just 28% think Trump has a "better personality and temperament" than his opponent. corey lewandowski Corey Lewandowski will be a fierce surrogate on CNN for Donald Trump if his first appearances are any indicator. During a Monday-morning interview on the network, Trump's former campaign manager exchanged rhetorical barbs with former New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn over the United Kingdom's vote last week to leave the European Union. Lewandowski said Hillary Clinton's opposition to the so-called Brexit demonstrated that the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee fundamentally misread the desires of the UK electorate. "This is Hillary Clinton, who is the secretary of state, who says she has a better understanding of world political affairs than anybody else, and she couldn't see this vote coming?" Lewandowski said. "This is a person who prides herself on international affairs and couldn't understand what was actually taking place? It truly calls into question her ability to understand what's going on in other geopolitical areas around the world." Quinn countered that leaders should promote outcomes that benefit constituents, rather than simply identify the politically popular position. "Elected officials are supposed to be leaders, not people who put their finger in the air and say what they believe voters are gonna say," Quinn said. "And what have we not heard from Donald Trump? What would his plan be if he was president to save American 401(k)s? We haven't heard that because that's not his concern." But Lewandowski didn't back off his attacks, saying that Clinton and President Barack Obama were attempting to unfairly influence British voters. "He didn't weigh in like Hillary Clinton did, like Barack Obama did, saying that, 'You can't do this,'" Lewandowski said. "Because he didn't know what it was," Quinn interjected, alluding to a Hollywood Reporter article indicating that Trump wasn't familiar with the term "Brexit," the shorthand description for the British exit from the EU. Story continues "He said, 'You can do it because you decide on your own what the right thing to do is,'" Lewandowski said. "And Hillary Clinton had this so wrong that the people rejected her." While just a week ago Trump's children were pushing Lewandowski out of the campaign, the two side's arguments were virtually identical on Monday's morning shows. Appearing on "Fox and Friends" on Monday, Eric Trump said it was neither Clinton nor Obama's business to weigh in on the vote at all. "She's supposed to be have her finger on the pulse of what's going on, and once again she got it wrong," Trump said of Clinton. He added: "She's always gotten the foreign policy of our country wrong. Why did she even need to opine on this issue?" The Clinton campaign has maintained that the vote has wide-ranging economic consequences for the US. Addressing a conference of mayors in Indianapolis on Sunday, Clinton slammed Trump's response to the Brexit, claiming that the results of the vote took a $100 billion toll on American retirement savings accounts on Friday. "We are resilient, and we will bounce back from this and from all of the other shocks that are in the system," Clinton said. "But it is a reminder that what happens around the world has consequences that can hit home quickly and affect our lives and our livelihoods." "We need leaders like yourselves at the local and state and federal level, who understand how to work with other leaders to manage risks; who understand that bombastic comments in turbulent times can actually cause more turbulence; and who put the interests of the American people ahead of their personal business interests." NOW WATCH: Trump praised Scotland for voting to leave the EU it didn't More From Business Insider Introspection has never been one of the European Unions strong points. For years the bloc has lurched from one crisis to the next, promising time and again to heed the growing mistrust of its 500 million citizens, only to return to the business of internal squabbling as another emergency emerges on the continent. This time, its different. With Britain voting to leave the E.U, a vital part of the union is splintering off and business as usual is no longer an option. John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, underscored that Monday with his emergency visit to London and Brussels. The departure of the second biggest economy and of one of two significant military powers is a huge blow in itself, says Stefan Lehne, a Visiting Scholar at the Carnegie Europe think-tank. This is made worse by the reputational damage which ensues when the worlds most successful integration process is suddenly thrown into reverse. The blocs founding members appeared finally to acknowledge that the status quo could not continue, in a joint statement at the end of last week. Neither a simple call for more Europe nor a phase of mere reflection can be an adequate answer, the foreign ministers of France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy and The Netherlands said. Or as Gerard Araud, the French ambassador to Washington, put it in a Tweet not long after the referendum result was known: Now to the other Members states to save the EU from unraveling which excludes business as usual, especially in Brussels. Reform or die! Gerard Araud (@GerardAraud) June 24, 2016 But exactly what that reform would look like is an open question. The immediate priority for the E.U. is trying to calm the panic and find as smooth a path as possible for Britains thorny exit negotiations, while keeping in mind the impact it will have on public opinion in other nations. Euroskeptic parties are gaining influence across the bloc, taking advantage of the E.U.s perceived failures in dealing with the eurozone crisis and the arrival of more than a million people seeking sanctuary from war and poverty last year. Story continues Once the messy divorce proceedings are underway, the business of rebuilding the E.Us reputation begins. Brussels needs to find a new narrative capable of matching the singular nationalist vision of populists, says Chris Bickerton, a lecturer at Britains Cambridge University and author of The European Union: A Citizens Guide. The euroskeptics are the ones most on the ball in terms of putting forward their vision of Europe, and the E.U. institutions have to come up with something convincing to rebut that. Its not clear, however, what that will be or who might suggest it. The E.U.s management structures are complicated, and there is not one single person who can lead the push to define a narrative. The top leadership is also divided on the question of the E.Us future. Federalists like Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the E.U.s executive branch, believe closer economic and political integration between the member states will bind the union, eventually helping revive economies across the bloc and thus restoring public trust. That vision is increasingly at odds with other senior E.U. officials and the member states themselves, many of whom see the bloc less as a utopian project and more as a means to an end. E.U. countries will pursue much more British-like policies in which they look for concrete benefits from European integration and not for a quasi-religious or quasi-ideological movement towards the construction of Europe, says Michael Leigh, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund think tank. The lack of shared vision not only hampers the grand goal of defining the European dream, but many other areas of E.U. policy. The 27 remaining member states have very different histories and cultures, and range from the socially liberal Scandinavian nations to the more religious and conservative South and East. Denmark, for example, legalised same-sex unions in 1989, but Malta only allowed its citizens to divorce in 2011. These gulfs became apparent during the refugee crisis, when Hungary and Slovakia claimed the influx of Muslim refugees would threaten their culture. The divide between the former Soviet nations and the rest of Europe, meanwhile, often overshadows negotiations of the E.U.s response to Russian aggression. Coming up with a unified foreign policy is perhaps the E.Us greatest challenge of all, but Carnegie Europes Stefan Lehne, says it is even more important than ever now that the bloc has lost one of its most forceful foreign players. The U.K. has been the member state with the most global outlook, he tells TIME. Without it there is the risk of narrowing the E.Us focus to regional challenges, which needs to be resisted. The E.U. leaders are well aware of this need to send a signal to the rest of the world, with the blocs top diplomat Federica Mogherini on Sunday insisting that the union was up to answering the challenge of the British referendum. But the E.U. has never been very adept at heeding the warning signals before. Similar calls for reform were heard after populist parties saw a 50% leap in representation in the May 2014 European Parliament elections. Yet the result in Britain last week and the subsequent calls for more referenda elsewhere on the continent shows just how little changed. Only time can tell if Britains vote ends up being a wake-up call, or a death knell. Prague (AFP) - Eastern EU states on Monday voiced doubts about proposals by the German and French foreign ministers for deeper "political union" in the bloc following Britain's shock decision to leave. "It doesn't make sense to talk about speedy or headlong integration, which would be a silly reply to what happened in Britain," Czech Foreign Minister Lubormir Zaoralek told AFP Monday in Prague. "It turned out that the public is lagging behind these (integration) processes -- these are processes that have not been explained to the public or defended before them." Zaoralek made the comments following talks among eastern EU states including his own country, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia with the German and French foreign ministers. Germany's Frank-Walter Steinmeier and France's Jean-Marc Ayrault on Monday presented a proposal for closer EU political integration based on three key policy areas -- internal and external security, the migrant and refugee crisis, and on fiscal and economic cooperation. Zaoralek added that the four eastern members had reservations about the proposed common security policy. Eastern members have become increasingly jittery on security issues since Moscow used so-called "hybrid warfare", or undeclared covert tactics -- to annex the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. Poland's public TVP described the Franco-German proposal as an "ultimatum" designed to create a European "superstate dominated by large nations." Ayrault described the Franco-German proposal as a "contribution", adding that there would be "others". "Even if, of course, we have differences, divergent views, everyone is aware that the common good of Europe must be preserved," he told reporters in Prague. BENGALURU (Reuters) - The European Central Bank won't cut its already negative deposit rate any further over the coming months, according to a majority of euro money market traders polled by Reuters on Monday. Financial markets went into a frenzy on Friday and global stock markets lost about $2 trillion in value after Britain voted to leave the European Union. That sparked expectations for a new round of emergency policy easing from major central banks. But 11 of 19 traders said the ECB would not cut the deposit rate from it's current -0.40 percent in the next nine months. Two traders expect a 10 basis point cut to the deposit rate in the next three months and the remaining six traders expect a cut in the next six months. The regular survey of 20 traders showed the ECB would allot 10 billion euros at its 3-month tender and 55 billion euros at its weekly refinancing operation. That compared to 10.25 billion euros maturing this week from the previous three-month operation and 49.88 billion euros from the prior seven-day tender. (Reporting by Rahul Karunakar; Polling by Shrutee Sarkar) Edward Snowden is hoping President Barack Obama pardons him for leaking a trove of classified secrets on the National Security Agency surveillance programs in 2013. Snowdens lawyer, Ben Wizner of the American Civil Liberties Union, has been working with Washington defense attorney Plato Cacheris to possibly arrange either a clemency or a plea bargain with the Justice Department, New York Magazine reported Monday. There is an element of absurdity to it, Snowden, who is living in Russia, virtually told the magazine. More and more, we see the criticisms leveled toward this effort are really more about indignation than they are about concern for real harm. Snowden, a former intelligence agency contractor, had leaked classified documents to journalists to expose the NSAs practice of collecting metadata on millions of phone calls in the U.S. He has previously defended his leaks as an act of public service and said he would return to the U.S. to face charges if he would be given a fair trial. However, Snowden says such a trial would not be allowed under the Espionage Act, which he said does not allow defendants to avoid sanction by proving their actions were made in the public interest. These people have been thinking about the law for so long that they have forgotten that the system is actually about justice, Snowden told New York Magazine. They want to throw somebody in prison for the rest of his life for what even people around the White House now are recognizing our country needed to talk about. [NYM] By Ehab Farouk CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's central bank said on Monday it could secure some $10 billion from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) by agreeing a structural reform programme but has yet to make any formal request to do so. Talks over a possible loan half that size have faltered in the past and analysts say an IMF deal might require reforms that the government could find politically difficult to implement in a country where tens of millions live hand to mouth. The central bank statement came in response to comments by a cabinet minister, who told Reuters on Monday that Egypt had started negotiations with the IMF last week for a $5 billion loan. The minister said the central bank was leading the talks. "There is a delegation from the IMF that might visit Egypt next month to continue the negotiations," the minister, who holds an economic portfolio, said by telephone. The central bank said in a statement that while it had not formally made a request to negotiate a structural reform programme, it was in constant contact with the IMF and could secure $10 billion should it opt to apply. "The numbers mentioned are incorrect. If there was a need to request a reform programme, Egypt would be capable of obtaining twice the figures mentioned," the statement said. The IMF said that its officials "maintain close dialogue with the Egyptian authorities" and that the lender stood ready to help should Egypt make a financing request. "The size of any financial arrangement would depend on Egypt's financing needs and on the strength of its economic program," IMF Mission Chief for Egypt, Chris Jarvis, told Reuters in emailed comments. Egypt's economy has been struggling since a mass uprising in 2011 ushered in political instability which drove away tourists and foreign investors, major foreign currency earners. Reserves have halved to about $17.5 billion since then. The dollar shortage has forced Egypt to introduce capital controls that have hit trade and growth. The central bank said in its statement Egypt was pushing ahead with its existing reform programme, which includes plans for Value Added Tax (VAT) and subsidy cuts which were put on hold when global oil prices dropped. A VAT bill is in its final stages but could face resistance in parliament on concerns over inflation that has hit seven-year highs since the currency was devalued by 13 percent in March. Egypt's reform programme formed the basis of a $3 billion three-year loan deal with the World Bank that was signed in December. But the cash has yet to be disbursed as the World Bank waits for parliament to ratify economic reforms including VAT. "Egypt will have to proceed with some painful reforms to guarantee that the loan will work this time," CI Capital economist, Hany Farahat, said. "We still havent approved the FY16/17 budget, or the VAT. We need another devaluation round for the Egyptian pound ... we need the investment environment to be reformed and capital controls to be eased for foreign investors." (Additional reporting by Lin Noueihed; Writing by Asma Alsharif and Lin Noueihed; Editing by Louise Ireland) (Corrects headline to show that Engie would have to shut output, not may have to shut output) OSLO, June 27 (Reuters) - French energy firm Engie would have to shut down production at its Gjoea platform in the North Sea if wage talks between oil workers and oil companies break down on Friday, the firm said on Monday. "The consequence for us if the negotiations break would be that we would have to shut down the Gjoea platform," said a company spokeswoman. Gjoea and tied-in field Vega have an average output of 17.3 million cubic metres per day of gas, according to the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate. All the gas from Gjoea is exported to the St Fergus terminal in Scotland via the FLAGS pipeline. Gjoea also produces 24,000 barrels of oil per day. (Reporting by Stine Jacobsen, writing by Gwladys Fouche, editing by Nerijus Adomaitis) DailyFX.com - Talking Points: - Risk aversion continues to show on the heels of last Fridays Brexit referendum. - There is quite a bit of uncertainty, and this is certainly still a fluid situation as we arent even sure when the U.K. might formally trigger Article 50. This may not happen until October as the Conservative Party in the U.K. looks for a successor to Prime Minister David Cameron. - If youre looking for trading ideas, check out our Trading Guides. And if you want something more short-term in nature, check out our SSI indicator. If youre looking for an even shorter-term indicator, check out our recently-unveiled GSI indicator. The British Pound continued its fall After the dramatic drop on the heels of Fridays Brexit vote, the British Pound gapped lower to start the week and has continued to drive to fresh 30-year lows. The meltdown in the British Pound is being widely discussed in mainstream media, so this is about the time that traders should begin to get cautious of chasing the move. At bay is how the Bank of England might respond to this vote, with the possibility that we may get a rate cut in a proactive move from the BOE. A full month ahead of the referendum, we heard from multiple BOE members that said that the British economy may need a rate cut, even in the event of a remain vote, which was somewhat of the assumption of the bank. This was in response to the question as to whether the recent bout of weakness in UK data was associated with investors tightening up risk ahead of the Brexit vote or whether it was a legitimate sign of slowdown in the U.K. economy. At this point, the answer to that question no longer matters: The U.K. is slowing down and now with this additional bout of uncertainty, there are very few reasons for investors to want to accumulate Sterling. But on the question of sustainability is the fact that this move has been driven by relatively low volume. Coming into the vote, many institutions tightened up risk and closed-out of positions for fear of the unknown. As we advised going into the referendum, liquidity was expected to be extremely low; and this likely contributed to the sharpness of the moves that were seen to close out last week. On the chart below, we attempt to put this recent move in scope by looking at real volume on FXCM platforms last week compared with weeks prior. Notice that last week, with the out-sized move that was seen in the British Pound, FXCM saw the lowest volume in six weeks transact in GBP/USD, which is likely a direct function of market players actively averting risk by avoiding GBP. Story continues Equities Vulnerable as the World Enters a Post-Brexit Reality Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley Even against the Japanese Yen, of which the British Pound lost nearly 2,700 pips against on Friday, we can see extremely low volume on last weeks chart to illustrate the fact that this was also driven by extremely low activity. Equities Vulnerable as the World Enters a Post-Brexit Reality Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley What Does a Low Volume Move Mean? It means that traders should be cautious, as there could be a sleeping giant (institutional players) on the side-lines that could significantly change price action should they begin to come back into GBP-markets. This doesnt directly spell a reversal or a continuation move; it simply means that there is increased potential for even higher volatility in either direction; so traders in GBP-pairs should continue to exercise extreme caution when trading anything related to the UK, British Pound or the Euro. An Interesting Move Has Been Taking Place in Equities While the Sterling has been putting in jaw-dropping moves, an interesting shift has been taking place within the equity space. As many expected, the UK100 (FTSE100) took a hit on the heels of last weeks Brexit vote. But perhaps more interesting is the even larger hit that was seen in European bourses on the back of last weeks vote. And if we dig inside of those equity moves, the banking sector has been getting hit especially hard as names like RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) and Barclays were suspending after tripping their circuit breakers by moving more than 8% on the day. This brings the running tally to a -26% decline in Barclays and over -30% in RBS since their Thursday close. On the chart below, we look at the UK100, which despite last weeks Brexit vote closed in the green after a tumultuous close to the week. Equities Vulnerable as the World Enters a Post-Brexit Reality Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley European stocks hit even harder While German equities saw similar late-session ramp on Friday, they put in a more-bearish formation than what was seen in the UK100 as prices closed lower on the week. Equities Vulnerable as the World Enters a Post-Brexit Reality Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley And perhaps even more bearish is recent price action in French stocks, as a long-term symmetrical wedge was broken by falling prices. On the chart below, were looking at the past 15 years of price action on the CAC40 (FRA40). Equities Vulnerable as the World Enters a Post-Brexit Reality Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley And on the chart below, we zoom in on that recent move in the CAC40 (FRA40) to make a relative comparison to last weeks price action in the UK100 (FTSE100) and GER30 (DAX). Equities Vulnerable as the World Enters a Post-Brexit Reality Created with Marketscope/Trading Station II; prepared by James Stanley What could this mean? This may be highlighting the fact that the European economy could be more vulnerable to Brexit than even that of the United Kingdom. While British exporters certainly enjoy the robust trading relationship with European consumers, the weaker British Pound driven by Brexit concerns may actually help offset some of that lost business as U.K. exports have just gotten about 10% cheaper. Meanwhile, Europe is still tangled in the same mess that theyve been trying to work through for the better part of five years, and now they have to fight through it without their second largest economy and second largest military. If this does turn into a true Macro-type of risk-off event, European shares could continue to be far more vulnerable. --- Written by James Stanley, Analyst for DailyFX.com To receive James Stanleys analysis directly via email, please SIGN UP HERE Contact and follow James on Twitter: @JStanleyFX https://www.dailyfx.com/forex/fundamental/daily_briefing/session_briefing/daily_fundamentals/2016/06/24/brexit-impact-to-add-global-volatility-srepstans.html?ref-author=Stanley original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. Ankara (AFP) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Monday he hoped for a "quick" normalisation in ties with Russia after he expressed regret over the downing of one of Moscow's military jets. "I hope we can put behind us the current situation, which is detrimental to both countries, and advance towards a quick normalisation," he said in a dinner to break the Ramadan fast at his presidential palace in Ankara. "Turkey has always shown its friends that it is a trusting country." The Kremlin said earlier Monday that Erdogan had apologised to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin over Ankara's downing of one of Moscow's military jets in Syria last year, which shattered ties between the countries. Putin had repeatedly demanded an apology from Erdogan and the latest move could help end a feud that has seen Moscow impose a raft of sanctions on Ankara. "The head of the Turkish state in his message expressed his sympathy and deepest condolences to the family of the dead Russian pilot and said sorry," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Turkey's Anadolu state news agency reported that presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Erdogan had written to Putin to "express his regrets" about the downing of the warplane, but did not explicitly confirm Erdogan had apologised over the incident. From Esquire [chapter navtitle="Intro" sidetitle="Intro" socialdek="Intro"] 1. We've Had 365 Days of Marriage Equality by Dave Holmes A lot can happen in a year. On June 26, 2014-one year before the Obergefell v. Hodges decision-marriage was an option for same-sex couples in twenty states. Twenty-eight states had constitutional amendments banning marriage equality. If you were married in Massachusetts and you had to move to Michigan, by the time you got there, you'd be roommates. In many states, the rules changed from county to county; you could be next of kin on one corner and strangers when you crossed the street. On June 26, 2015, we turned on the news at 10:00 a.m. at to see interns spilling out of the courthouse-sprinting like Tom Cruise in every Tom Cruise movie-to deliver the Supreme Court's Obergefell ruling to waiting reporters. We won. Marriage equality was the law of the land. All of it. We felt relief. Joy. And a feeling whose name gets thrown around a lot in LGBT circles: pride. If same-sex marriage was a thing that seemed inevitable, it also seemed unreachable, at least in our lifetimes. We knew we'd have a state here and a state there, a patchwork of different rights and titles across the country. But full, coast-to-coast marriage equality? In a country whose last president supported a constitutional amendment to ban it? Preposterous. We won. The celebration lasted all weekend, and then some. The White House was lit up in the colors of the rainbow flag. Brands-beers, breakfast cereals, the late Colonel Sanders-seemed determined to outgay one another. In the real world, people voiced their support for the decision, without the "but I'm not gay myself" disclaimer I was so used to hearing; if the jubilation made a straight person appear gay to a passing stranger, who could possibly care? We were equal. We won, and we were one. I remember taking a moment to savor the victory, to think about the generations of American kids who would grow up reading about same-sex marriage bans the way mine did about Jim Crow. I thought about the gay kids in that generation who would have the chance to grow up feeling fully equal. I thought about all of us who'd been fighting this fight on the streets and in courthouses and at Thanksgiving dinner tables for decades, and our younger counterparts-being born that very day-who wouldn't believe we ever had to. Story continues And then, because it was June 2015, I got back to work and wrote another post about Donald Trump's latest gaffe and how it surely signaled the end of his campaign. A lot can happen in a year. Two weeks shy of the one-year anniversary of the ruling, we watched the horrific news come in from Orlando. A mentally unstable person-or a terrorist, or a possibly closeted gay man, or maybe all three of those things-got his hands on a semi-automatic rifle and a Glock, and he slaughtered dozens of LGBT people. Hours later, Los Angeles police stopped a man in a car stocked with explosive chemicals and weapons, on his way to the Los Angeles Pride Festival. In one brutal morning, the security and stability we were starting to feel were torn away. What we began to suspect in the last year became absolutely clear: the fight for our freedom is just beginning. After Obergefell, we got to work-setting dates for weddings that were decades overdue or coming up with new excuses for why we didn't plan to get married ourselves or-and we ask your forgiveness here-filming the flash-mob surprise-proposal videos we'd then post on YouTube. We had a lot of catching up to do. So did the people who oppose us, not all of whom carry assault rifles. They clocked in, and they worked overtime. Claiming, as then-viable GOP presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee did, that Obergefell would effectively make Christianity illegal. Saying with conviction that the most essential element of freedom is that cakes only be made for people whose private behavior aligns with the baker's religious beliefs. Invoking the specter of cross-dressing pedophiles to strip cities of their LGBT anti-discrimination laws. Religious-freedom proposals are creeping their way across the country, state by state, a photo negative of the slow progress marriage equality made in the last fifteen years. Our safe spaces, our bars and dance clubs and parades, feel at least for the moment like risky places to be. Whether this is a death spasm or the beginning of a longer, larger struggle, this much is clear: we have a fight on our hands. So where are we now, one year later? After a year that gave us marriage equality and the worst mass shooting in modern American history? New freedoms for LGBT families and dozens of potential new state bills to roll them back? Barack Obama on the cover of Out and three GOP presidential hopefuls speaking at a "Kill the Gays" rally? "Religious-freedom proposals are creeping their way across the country, state by state, a photo negative of the slow progress marriage equality made in the last 15 years." In One Year Out, we're looking at the lives of LGBT people in 2016. We're looking at gay newlyweds, gay parents, gay couples who have no interest in getting married. At people in the Black Lives Matter and Mormon communities. In the world of hip-hop, where use of the word faggot is still rampant. In stand-up comedy, in sports, and in weddings in all fifty states. The struggle isn't over. Culture never evolves in a straight line. A lot will happen in the years to come. But visibility is the key to victory. We win when we show our faces and tell our stories. So this is where we stand, together, today. One year out. [chapter navtitle="Where We Stand" sidetitle="Where We Stand" socialdek="A look at LGBT lives, in some areas where our position remains precarious."] 2. Where We Stand In our partnership with Movement Advancement Project, we show that while marriage equality may be law of the land, equality sure isn't. by Eric Sullivan [ceros lg_id="issue-5730ad4c940ed" lg_src="//view.ceros.com/hearst/map" lg_padding="43.17%" sm_id="experience-5751d19f64eb7" lg_height="600" lg_width="1390" sm_height="1700" sm_width="1280" sm_src="//view.ceros.com/hearst/map-2" sm_padding="132.81%" break_on="touch" /] Marriage aside, America in 2016 is a confusing patchwork of conflicting laws affecting the rights and protections of the LGBT community. In twenty-eight states, an LGBT person could get married on a Saturday and potentially lose their job for it on a Monday. Gay people can still be refused the right to rent an apartment and can be denied service in a restaurant if their sexual orientation offends the landlord or waiter. Twenty-eight states. More than half the country. In 2016. Worse still, Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina have state laws preventing the passage of local nondiscrimination laws. In eight states (Alabama, Arizona, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah), teachers and school administrators are forbidden from "promoting homosexuality" in school. Forty-five states allow licensed clinicians to subject their patients under the age of eighteen to "conversion therapy," in which an LGBT person is forced to undergo a battery of purported treatments in an effort to change their sexual orientation. Six states have no hate-crime laws on the books; an additional fourteen don't include sexual-orientation protections in theirs. Virginia and Mississippi allow child-welfare agencies to refuse to place children with LGBT parents. Since the Obergefell decision, several states have introduced bills to further limit the rights of LGBT Americans. In South Carolina, legislators are pushing a law to let county clerks refuse a license to same-sex couples. In Arkansas and Oklahoma, representatives are debating a bill that would allow doctors to deny care to LGBT patients. If you're a gay kid in Tennessee and you want to talk to a private counselor about the anxiety all of this discrimination is causing you, you may be out of luck-the counselor can turn you away. In pockets across America, city councils have stepped in where state legislators have failed. Council members in Anchorage, Flagstaff, Louisville, New Orleans, Kalamazoo, and hundreds of other cities and towns (and even a couple of rural counties) have passed non-discrimination ordinances (NDOs) that offer protections their state representatives have so far been unable or unwilling to enact. Certain states are leading this municipal charge: A full fifty-six percent of Florida's population lives in a city or county that protects people from being fired based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Since the beginning of 2015, five cities in Indiana have passed LGBT-inclusive NDOs prohibiting employment, housing, and public-accommodations discrimination; this includes Columbus, the hometown of governor Mike Pence, who made national news last year for his support for an anti-LGBT measure in the state legislature. Earlier this week, Lakewood became the fifteenth city in Ohio to pass such an NDO. And earlier this month, Jackson became the first city in the state of Mississippi to do the same. "In twenty-eight states, an LGBT person could get married on a Saturday and possibly lose their job for it on a Monday." We teamed with Movement Advancement Project for this interactive map of the U.S., which shows the differences in LGBT non-discrimination legislation across the nation. Esquire then analyzed the data and assigned a letter grade to each state based on how well it protects-or fails to protect-its LGBT citizens. We did not take into consideration the existence of local NDOs; nor did we consider protections for gender identity, since One Year Out is focused on marriage equality (the picture would be even bleaker if we did). Still, the news is not good: Thirty-five states get failing grades. Most upsettingly, no state gets an A (which here would denote a state that explicitly includes LGBT protections in its non-discrimination legislation and doesn't have laws on the books that limit the rights of LGBT people). New Jersey and California tie for top honors, earning solid Bs. [chapter navtitle="How We Got Here" sidetitle="How We Got Here" socialdek="The struggle for marriage equality- and dignity, and visibility, and basic safety- has been going on for many years, and won't stop for many more. Here are some of the events that brought us to this moment."] 3. How We Got Here The struggle for marriage equality-and dignity, and visibility, and basic safety-has been going on for many years, and won't stop for many more. Here are some of the events that brought us to this moment. How One Woman Married Gay Couples Forty Years Ago In 1975, a county clerk from Colorado named Clela Rorex made history. As Told to Jack Holmes It was three months into my term that the first couple came to me. They were both named Dave-Dave McCord and Dave Zamora. They had gone to the county clerk in Colorado Springs to get a marriage license. The clerk there said, "We don't do those kinds of things here. Go to Boulder." She was talking about the brouhaha from a year earlier, when the Boulder city council tried to pass a nondiscrimination law for gay people. That got two council members put up for recall elections-though only one was recalled-and one of them was outed as gay. And it got the Colorado Springs clerk thinking Boulder was such a liberal hotbed that they could get a marriage license here. I didn't issue a license immediately. I honestly didn't know whether I could. So I told them I would get an opinion from the local district attorney. I did, and a week or so later he advised me that the Colorado code at the time did not specify that marriage had to be between a man and a woman. So his advice was that if I wanted to marry them, I could give them a license. I had thought about it while I was waiting for the decision. I didn't know anyone in the gay community at the time, or at least I thought I didn't. Some came out of the closet later. I didn't know whether anyone in the community even wanted to be married. But I was a feminist. I decided to run for clerk when, at a meeting about the election, the Democratic party insisted they wanted a man to run. We were asking for equal rights, and who would I be to deny somebody else who was asking for the same equal rights? The Power of Pop It took the Supreme Court to change the law, but the road to changing America's hearts and minds on same-sex relationships went directly through our theaters and living rooms. [chapter navtitle="Our Biggest Voices" sidetitle="Our Biggest Voices" socialdek="Perspectives from ten prominent, news-making, groundbreaking members of the LGBT community."] 4. Our Biggest Voices Perspectives from prominent, news-making, groundbreaking members of the LGBT community. [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Entertainer" customtitles="LEA DELARIA" customimages="173606" content="article.45818"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Director" customtitles="ADAM SHANKMAN" customimages="174351" content="article.45819"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Influencer" customtitles="GEORGE TAKEI" customimages="174555" content="article.45825"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Activist" customtitles="PATRISSE CULLORS" customimages="174349" content="article.45823"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Commentator" customtitles="SALLY KOHN" customimages="174540" content="article.45826"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Winger" customtitles="ROBBIE ROGERS" customimages="175194" content="article.45820"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Baller" customtitles="LAYSHIA CLARENDON" customimages="174529" content="article.45824"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Defender" customtitles="SARAH KATE ELLIS" customimages="174531" content="article.45821"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The Indie Rocker" customtitles="ED DROSTE" customimages="174352" content="article.45827"] [contentlinks align="center" textonly="false" numbered="false" headline="The First Baseman" customtitles="DAVID DENSON" customimages="174003" content="article.45822"] No, Really, Let's Laugh About It Five gay comedians. One landmark Supreme Court decision. Who better to tell us how American culture has changed with respect to LGBT equality than out gay comedians? They use their experiences of life outside the dominant culture, mining them for laughs in indie rooms in the big cities, comedy-club franchises in the suburbs, and everywhere in between. We assembled five of our favorites-Guy Branum, Rhea Butcher, Solomon Georgio, Eliot Glazer, and Sam Jay-had Esquire Editor-at-Large Dave Holmes moderate, and asked what they've learned on stage about where we stand in 2016. Hip-Hop's Embrace of Queer Voices A few years ago, Frank Ocean was an anomaly. Now he's not. by Britt Julious In the video for "Formation," the lead single from this year's Lemonade, Beyonce enlists the vocal ad libs of a New Orleans-based bounce musician named Big Freedia. "I came to slay, bitch!" she shouts, and you believe her. Freedia would make any list of the Bayou's most influential contemporary musicians. But she also holds the distinction of being an LGBT artist who's managed to climb to the apex of popular music-the "Formation" video has been viewed nearly forty-seven million times on YouTube alone-if only to spout some sassy one-liners. In so doing, she (though identifying as a male, Freedia prefers the feminine pronoun) joins a small but growing group that includes Frank Ocean, Azealia Banks, and Le1f. For years, hip-hop was viewed as the least LGBT-friendly music genre. (The label was undeserved-all forms of mainstream music, from pop to rock to country especially, tend to support a culture of safety and sameness that results in artistic stagnation. If anything, the airwaves have become more homogeneous, not less.) Hip-hop artists haven't done themselves any favors-most infamously Eminem, who used "faggot" like a tic. Whereas other artists seasoned their lyrics with casual homophobia, Eminem made it his main course. On "Criminal," a track from 2000's The Marshall Mathers LP, he raps, "My words are like a dagger with a jagged edge/That'll stab you in the head, whether you're a fag or lez/Or the homosex, hermaph or a trans-a-vest/Pants or dress-hate fags? The answer's yes." The rapper dismissed accusations of bigotry, arguing that such words were common in his community. He even performed with Elton John at the Grammys, but the gesture rang hollow. In the last five years, however, a burgeoning yet disconnected community of LGBT hip-hop artists has bubbled up from the fringes. Most do not receive Top 40 radio play, but they are planting their roots in once-barren soil. Freedia describes the progress as "ten steps forward, three steps back." Musicians like Angel Haze, Syd tha Kyd, and Cakes Da Killa now appear regularly on the summer-festival circuit, land interviews in fashion and art publications, and are slowly chipping away at the glass ceiling that holds them down. The LGBT hip-hop-adjacent artist who's caused the biggest crack is Frank Ocean. (He's really more R&B than anything, but he came up through the Los Angeles-based Odd Future crew, whose own Tyler, the Creator has spouted his fair share of homophobic slurs.) Upon the release of Channel Orange, his 2012 debut album, Ocean penned an open letter addressing his sexuality. He wrote about falling in love with another man at the age of nineteen and described it as his first true love. "I don't know what happens now, and that's alrite," Ocean wrote. "I don't have any secrets I need kept anymore." "In the last five years, a burgeoning yet disconnected community of LGBT hip-hop artists has bubbled up from the fringes." It is not the responsibility of LGBT musicians to make their art more palatable for the mainstream. Rather, nonmarginalized communities must actively work to dismantle the assumptions and prejudices that have kept marginalized artists on the fringe. We've seen a bit of that, intentionally or not, with twenty-three-year-old Atlanta native Young Thug. Thug represents a new guard that is more open, communicative, and unafraid of the music industry's latent homophobia. He has simultaneously courted and largely ignored controversy surrounding his sexuality. He uses terminology like "hubbie" and "babe" to describe his friend Rich Homie Quan. He has worn sheer tops, leopard-print dresses, women's jeans, and even a tutu. "I like everything that people say," he told The Guardian. "No matter what they say. 'You gay, you a punk. You got a nice girlfriend, you're ugly, you can't rap, you're the hardest.'" Whether or not other mainstream artists emulate Beyonce's level of inclusion remains to be seen. Her gesture, seemingly small but profound in the way in which it reaches millions of listeners, helps dismantle boundaries between artists and communities, one song at a time. And she needs these progressive artists as much as they need her. As Freedia says, "I think people were ready for someone like me." [chapter navtitle="The Big Day" sidetitle="The Big Day" socialdek="Fifty states, fifty weddings, fifty ways to show our love."] 5. The Big Day Fifty States, one capital, and fifty-one ways to seal the deal. By Elizabeth Griffin Once the Obergefell v. Hodges decision came down in our favor and the barriers to marriage equality vanished from coast to coast, what had been abstract became very real. The far-off possibility of a wedding got right up close, all in an instant. For many of us, the question switched from Will we get to do this someday? to Are we doing this? And if we're doing this: How? Would it be a huge, stage-managed destination throw-down, or a simple trip to city hall? Would the emphasis be on the wedding, or on the party? An Instagram hashtag and a signature cocktail: yes or no? We asked same-sex couples to share photographs from their wedding day, some from before the decision and some from after. Here are our favorites, one from each of the fifty states. There are as many ways to do this as there are people, and whether the celebrations were massive or very intimate, we think you'll agree: All of the days were mighty big. [gallery id="2802" type="slideshow"] [chapter navtitle="Our Opponents" sidetitle="Our Opponents" socialdek="In ways both subtle and overt, homophobia still exists, and it still kills"] 6. Our Opponents In ways both subtle and overt, homophobia is still pervasive. This Is War, and LGBT Is the Enemy Reports from the front lines on the international fight against equality. by Masha Gessen I am at the tenth gathering of World Congress of Families, held this year in Tblisi, Georgia, under the terms of a negotiated experiment in open-mindedness. Speakers at past congresses have cited me by name as a representative of the enemy, indeed as someone who has personally set out to destroy the institution of family. But I have promised to try to grasp the arguments of the other side. I am making a good-faith effort to temporarily unlearn my own understanding of the world. I am looking for a story I can believe. "Speakers at past congresses have cited me by name as a representative of the enemy ." The Southern Poverty Law Center has classified World Congress of Families as a hate group. Mother Jones and the Human Rights Campaign have depicted it as an exporter of hate and a driving force behind Russia's antigay laws. Meanwhile, WCF has complained that its influence in Russia has been exaggerated and its campaigns have been unfairly characterized. "Recognition of same-sex unions has dealt what Carlson fears is a fatal blow to that basic unit of human sovereignty, the 'natural family.' " WCF's founder, Allan Carlson, 67, has spent most of his life at the conservative outer edge of the academy. He taught at Hillsdale College in Michigan, which takes pride in having rejected all government funding in a row over affirmative-action reporting requirements in the 1980s. Carlson has written extensively on what he sees as the devolution of the family. Over the two decades of the group's existence, Carlson's worst fears have come true in the West: recognition of same-sex unions has been achieved almost everywhere, dealing what he fears is a fatal blow to that basic unit of human sovereignty, the "natural family." Speaker after speaker at the conference warns of the looming "demographic winter." "If things continue on their current course, then some time in this century we will run out of people," Don Feder, a former Boston journalist who now works for WCF, declares. "Worldwide, fertility has fallen by more than fifty percent in fifty years. We will have a smaller child-bearing base in each generation, resulting in a downward spiral." This sounds ridiculous to me because humankind is obviously not dying out and even the speakers' own slides show that the world's population is growing, despite below-replacement rates in industrialized countries. I realize that to someone here I might sound the way a climate-change denialist sounds to me: I claim that it's "obvious" that the science presented here is wrong. But something else is obvious to me, too: this vision of humanity's impending death is fueled by racial panic. For LGBT people, one solution is emigration from countries that support such bigoted beliefs. I, of course, would think so: I packed up my family and left Russia as soon as the state so much as hinted at wanting to take away my kids, because I am queer. The problem with the emigration solution is that it concerns actual people who have lives: homes, friends, parents, siblings, careers, and the Georgian mountains-or Russian forests, or Polish lakes-that they may not want to leave. "What about us?" says LGBT activist Ekaterina Aghdgomelashvili, meaning the queers. "We are not a political actor. We are a rock they throw at each other." Until they throw us over the fence. Earlier that weekend, backstage at the WCF conference, I ask Brian Brown, head of D.C.-based National Organization for Marriage and father of eight with a ninth on the way, "Do you see a way for you and me to live in the same society?" I tell him I'll forfeit the right to marriage-I am ambivalent about it anyway. I do have children, and I will not let anyone take them away from me. But to show that I have an open mind, I'll even agree to put up with harassment in public restrooms, as I have for the last 35 years. "If we can negotiate," I ask. "Is there a way that my family and yours can live in peace in the same society?" "I don't know," Brown smiles-I think it's a smile of awkwardness-and pushes down with his hand to quiet his knee, which has been shaking for the last ten minutes. "No." This is war, and I am the enemy. They Loved the Church. They Loved Each Other More. For two young men in love in southern Utah, the Mormon Church's anti-LGBT policy was devastating enough. But when Church elders doubled down, they did, too. by Lorena O'Neil Garett Smith sits in Kyle Cranney's lap, laughing and clapping, as Drag Donald Trump emcees at the Fire House Bar & Grill. We're at a drag-show charity event in St. George, Utah, to raise money for the cancer treatment of the mother of a gay man in the community, and the Fire House is one of the few venues in town that hosts LGBT events. "Put your hands together if you're Mormon," Drag Donald shouts. "Do we clap?" Garrett asks. Their letters of resignation from the Mormon church had been submitted five months earlier; soon after, they received confirmation from the Church that their names had been removed from the membership records. Kyle shrugs and they both put their hands together. "There's no pride center or gay club or place that unites us," Kyle says as he walks out into the night. "We don't see them a lot, but these people are our family in St. George." He estimates that there are a few hundred LGBT people in the area, with about eight hundred allies who come to special events they organize. Kyle and Garett often fly to Salt Lake City to feel surrounded by a stronger LGBT community. Garett points to a postcard of Jesus taped to the windshield of a car parked at the venue. "This is where we live," Kyle adds with a halfhearted chuckle. They don't even feel comfortable holding hands in public-"unless it's Sunday, when most people who wouldn't like us are at Church," says Garett. On the drive home, they pass the local Mormon temple. "People tell us not to think about the Church and leave it alone," says Kyle. "But it's everywhere you look." He's visibly frustrated. Dejected. Garett places his hand over Kyle's. They keep driving. Overcoming Orlando We will always be hunted and hated, but we can never be stopped. by Esquire Editors There is no such thing as safety in numbers in the face of an assault rifle. On June 12, more than three hundred people had gathered for Latin Night at Pulse in Orlando, a safe space for the local queer Latinx community. "Safe space" means a lot in Florida, which, for its LGBTQ citizens, is a patchwork of safe and dangerous-some cities and towns have won municipal protections, but there are no statewide labor or housing protections. State conservatives have introduced more than two hundred bills targeting LGBTQ rights in the past six months alone. A bill has been introduced recently that would allow doctors to withhold care to LGBTQ people on religious grounds. This time last year we often heard the phrase Two steps forward, one step back. Since Obergefell, conservatives have launched an extraordinary national effort aimed at curbing LGBTQ rights. Most visible are the new laws targeting trans people and the bathrooms they can and cannot use, and the so-called religious-freedom acts that make discrimination legally protected if it is considered as part of a religious belief. During the opening prayer at a GOP caucus meeting in May, a freshman representative from Georgia read a verse from the Bible that calls for the death of homosexuals. It is at least clear that the Obergefell ruling was not an end to homophobia, but a beginning. Marriage equality only means something in a country that offers democratic protections to all its LGBTQ citizens, married or not. Any wedding we celebrate going forward is just one right among many that we will have to keep fighting for-a part of this struggle against bigotry, which will likely last throughout our lives. And the only way to fight is to keep living our lives in the open, and to confront, wherever it appears, the hypocrisy of those who try to keep us down. "It is at least clear that the Obergefell ruling was not an end to homophobia, but a beginning." As we commemorate the lives of the members of our community lost in the Pulse attack, and as we remember the legacy of Stonewall this Pride and greet the first anniversary of marriage equality nationwide, we know what we have to do. We vote. We write and call our representatives and hold them accountable. We raise money. Protest. Argue. Educate when we face ignorance. We fight back, speak out, find our communities and allies. And we keep loving, as our love is still radical, all this time later, and still capable of changing the world, person by person. Pulse already leads by example: named for co-owner Barbara Poma's vow to keep the heartbeat of her brother John, who died of AIDS in 1991, alive, and a recent post on the Pulse Instagram reads "As we stand together we must remember to fight hate with love. We stand strong to carry 49 pulses." Fighting hate with love has never looked so strong. [chapter navtitle="The Next Generation" sidetitle="The Next Generation" socialdek="What seemed unimaginable a half-century ago-same-sex couples raising children-is now commonplace. But that doesn't mean it's easy"] 7. The Next Generation What seemed unimaginable a half-century ago-same-sex couples raising children-is now commonplace. But that doesn't mean it's easy. by David Lat Two men, no matter how hard they try, cannot produce a baby on their own. So their "journey," as it's referred to in surrogacy circles, must involve women. Plural. At least in most cases. Last November, shortly after returning from our honeymoon to Australia (kangaroo: pretty tasty), my husband and I headed to the JCC Manhattan for a conference: "Surrogacy Seminar & Gay Parenting Expo," hosted by a nonprofit called Men Having Babies. Over the course of the day, Zach and I sat through panel discussions and breakout sessions, perused brochures from surrogacy agencies and fertility clinics, pored over spreadsheets highlighting the sums involved, and learned about the years-long, mind-bogglingly expensive process we were about to endure. With the rise of in vitro fertilization and advancements in the process of freezing embryos, "traditional surrogacy," in which the woman who provides the egg also carries the baby to term, has fallen out of favor. Far more common today is "gestational surrogacy," in which the surrogate is not the same woman as the egg donor, and therefore has no biological or genetic tie to the baby she carries for the "intended parents." This approach makes it less likely that the surrogate would want to keep the baby she delivers and less likely that she would be legally successful in trying to do so. Despite the added layers to the process, the basic ingredients needed for two men to have a child via surrogacy aren't different from what's needed for a heterosexual pregnancy: a dash of sperm, an egg (or eggs), and a woman willing to carry the fetus for nine months. It's the recipe that's the hard part. [chapter navtitle="The Road Ahead" sidetitle="The Road Ahead" socialdek="As recent events illustrate, the fight for our lives is far from over"] 8. The Road Ahead As recent events illustrate, the fight for our lives is far from over. Those Who Marriage Equality Left Behind The legalization of same-sex marriage is wonderful. That is, if you're white and privileged. For the rest of us, the fight continues. by Steven Thrasher I cannot reconcile the divide between two of the biggest civil-rights movements I've covered-marriage equality and Black Lives Matter. How can two such quintessentially American fights occur so near each other yet feel so disconnected? I spent the morning of April 28, 2015, talking to activists on the steps of the Supreme Court in Washington, D.C. The Court's Obergefell decision wouldn't be handed down for nearly two months; on this day, the justices were hearing the case. The caucasity of the crowd couldn't be ignored. I cringed as the overwhelmingly pale D.C. Gay Men's Chorus belted out the Civil Rights-era protest song "We Shall Overcome." That unseemly co-optation festered in my mind as I drove forty miles up I-95 to a city on fire. "How can two such quintessentially American civil-rights issues-the marriage-equality and Black Lives Matter movements-occur so near each other, and yet feel so disconnected?" The night before, a rebellion had begun in Baltimore in response to the death of twenty-five-year-old Freddie Gray while in police custody, on April 12. The city had quickly emerged as the new ground zero for the burgeoning Black Lives Matter movement, but the threat of ongoing violence was getting all the news. As rioters rioted and BLM activists called for peace, the scene felt not forty miles but four thousand miles away from the happy-faced activists on the Supreme Court steps. The once-dominant force of gay politics-formal organizations located in fancy buildings in Washington, D.C., more likely than not headed by masculine-presenting white men-will not take a serious interest in trans people of color or HIV-positive black men and women. Fortunately, these organizations needn't be the center of gay political power anymore. Black Lives Matter is the most hopeful political movement in America, asserting as it does that each and every black life has value. The movement does not ask for but rather demands liberation in life, employment, civil liberties, and health for all black people. Queerness has been baked into BLM since its inception, and they will continue to fight for the rights of queer people of color. There are the brave brothers and sisters of color doing work on HIV prevention-most significantly in Georgia and Alabama and Arkansas, far from the eyes and minds of those in D.C. and New York and San Francisco. These people are addressing the ways structural racism contributes to the prevalence of HIV-most notably through mass incarceration and a lack of access to education, economic opportunity, housing and healthcare. In Atlanta, Charles Stephens of the Counter Narrative Project looks to communicate both why racism is not tangential to homophobia but in fact integral to the stories we tell about it, and the way it makes HIV transmissions more likely. In Little Rock, Penelope Poppers of Lucie's Place addresses the ways coming out may get a teenager kicked out of their family's home. Getting them into a stable home rather than just promoting safe sex, argues Poppers, is a more effective way to keep them from contracting HIV. "For those whose access to the promise of full humanity is not dependent upon that institution, we have known for some time that there is a lot more work to be done." Against the trans backlash there is the good leadership of President Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who have sued North Carolina for its bathroom ban and issued directives that schools receiving federal money must let students use the bathroom that reflects their gender identity. And though the scope of Pulse tragedy is still unfolding, the organic formation of solidarity, support, and love in Florida is not coming primarily from outside-it is coming from within Orlando's queer and Latino communities. The last year of marriage equality has made life quite comfortable for those whose most pressing issues are mortgages, inheritance, wealth management, property ownership, and one kind of love. For those whose access to the promise of full humanity is not dependent upon that institution, we have known for some time that there is a lot more work to be done. And as Orlando has shown, a safe and loving place for queer people in America is going to require building on the work of the activists who made Stonewall, ACT UP, and marriage happen-and then push forward. We must be as brave and creative as ever. Happy. Frightened. Worried. Hopeful. Where do we go from here? by Larry Kramer I am happy. I am frightened. I am worried. I am hopeful. I am happy because we can now get married. The lover I've lived with for many years is now my husband. For the first time in my long-term survivorship, I can allow myself to feel safe. Past a certain age, it is not about sex or drug-fueled dancing till dawn. It is about lying side by side as we sleep together after having kissed good night, knowing that we'll each wake up smiling and that David will make me his special scrambled eggs. Legally. Our bedroom can no longer be invaded by the police, which happened to gay couples in Texas not so long ago. The Internal Revenue Service can no longer gobble up my whole estate when I die so David can't get it, which happened to countless gay men and women before the Supreme Court declared that we are the same as straights. People tell me I should be grateful I'm still alive. I have almost died a couple of times. Of course I'm happy to be alive. But I am not grateful for how awful my body often feels, a result of the not-quite-there-yet drugs that greedy pharmaceutical companies continue to foist on us because they make more money selling these than developing ones that cure us. Activists got us these drugs, but once we got them, we stopped fighting and returned to partying. We stopped celebrating the glory of our greatest achievement too soon to get back to where we left off when we started dying like flies. "We must battle not only against our enemies but also against the straitjackets many of us still wear, which interfere with our ability to fight these enemies in full, free, and in-your-face unity." I am frightened that everything gay people have fought for could disappear in an instant. There will be new attacks against us in courts and all across the country every single day as our enemies try to whittle away at our existence, just as the enemies of Roe v. Wade have. I am frightened we're not strong enough to fight back to save ourselves. There were so few activists fighting for the HIV meds, compared with our total numbers. I have never been able to satisfactorily answer the question I once asked all of the time: Why isn't every gay man in America fighting to save his own life? Of course now I say every gay person. Our lives will be filled with jeopardy, much of it quite ruthless. We have never lacked for enemies, and they are not going away. So I am worried about a lot of things. We as a gay population have still not sufficiently solidified into the fighting force we must be if we are to continue to capitalize on this moment of our increasing and visible power. And we as this less-than-unified population have never really been good at fighting back. When you belong to a people who have been so condemned and excoriated and punished and hated and murdered for so many centuries, these traits of passivity and closetedness become part of the genetic makeup. Very few among us are activists for our rights. And being an activist is a seven-day-a-week responsibility. We must battle not only against our enemies but also against the straitjackets many of us still wear, which interfere with our ability to fight these enemies in full, free, and in-your-face unity. We must have a stronger presence in Washington. We must have lobbyists. More of us must step forth, willing to lead. How many gay leaders can most of us even identify? Rich gays must step up to the plate. The David Geffen Hall should be the David Geffen Foundation for LGBT Equality. There are many gay billionaires and many, many gay millionaires. Why aren't they fighting for their people with the strongest ammunition that any war requires to survive it? "For the first time in my long-term survivorship, I can allow myself to feel safe." I worry we'll never learn our history, in all its gore and guts and glory. It still isn't really taught in our schools. Gender studies and queer studies are not the same as gay history. Gay history is George Washington and Abraham Lincoln and Alexander Hamilton and J. Edgar Hoover and Roy Cohn and James Baldwin and Barbara Jordan and Anderson Cooper and Stephen Sondheim and Eleanor Roosevelt and Greta Garbo and Herman Melville andandand Not to mention all of those ancient Greeks. We've been here a long time. A people, to be a people, must have a history to own and be proud of. We must learn who our heroes and heroines, along with our enemies, were and are-to teach all the world the respect we deserve. I am hopeful because I can now see so many of us and we can all see more and more of us. Closets are disappearing everywhere. Some gays fear that legal marriage will assimilate us, but I predict just the opposite. Our culture will flourish mightily and even more imaginatively. It's no wonder our enemies are worried by such potential power. This hope excites me. But hope has a way of disguising, if not downright obliterating, the realities of the moment. There is much work to attend to as we enter a new era. We must all learn how to fight back. And then we must do so. I hope that our enemies expect this from the gay population from now on, so we can show them who we really are and what we are capable of achieving. BERLIN (Reuters) - Britain should act quickly to leave the European Union, to limit uncertainty that is rattling investors, the European Union's digital economy commissioner said on Monday. A two-year process to quit the EU will begin when Britain's prime minister invokes Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty. British Prime Minister David Cameron could do that when he meets the EU's other 27 national leaders in Brussels on Tuesday, EU officials have said. But in the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the EU, Cameron said on Friday he would resign in October and that he would leave it to his successor to start the process - a decision criticized by Guenther Oettinger, the EU commissioner for digital economy and society. "Every day of uncertainty prevents investors from putting their funds into Britain, and also other European markets," Oettinger told the Deutschlandfunk German radio station. "Cameron and his party will cause damage if they wait until October." Global stock markets lost about $2 trillion in value on Friday, the day after Britain voted to leave. The pound plunged to a 31-year low. Oettinger said he doubted that Britain's decision to leave the EU would be reversed. He also urged the remaining EU countries to focus on strengthening the EU and working on real problems, such as the migration crisis, instead of debating contractual changes. Germany should "lead as part of a European team", Oettinger said. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal, editing by Larry King) Washington (AFP) - The United States and the European Union on Monday both stressed a willingness to clinch a trade deal this year, despite Britain's shock vote to exit the 28-nation bloc. The comments from the top trade negotiators for each side came on the eve of talks in Washington on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which would create the world's largest free trade and investment area. "Our goal remains to continue working with the EU to conclude an ambitious, comprehensive and high-standard agreement this year," said US Trade Representative Michael Froman. Froman is scheduled to meet Tuesday with EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem. Malmstroem said she was traveling to the US capital "in order to advance further in these negotiations." "In this unprecedented situation, let me stress that we are clear and united in our response with regard to EU trade policy... Our negotiations with key partners will continue," Malmstroem said in a statement. Froman said the US government was evaluating the effect of Brexit on the TTIP talks, launched in July 2013. "The economic and strategic rationale for TTIP remains strong," he said, reiterating a remark he made Friday after the shock announcement that Britain had voted to exit the EU. Washington and Brussels want the TTIP completed this year before US President Barack Obama leaves office. But it has faced mounting opposition in parts of Europe, especially in France and Germany, where critics say the talks have been conducted in secret and fear a negative impact on agriculture and the environment. On Sunday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls blasted the planned US-EU deal. "No free trade agreement should be concluded if it does not respect EU interests. Europe should be firm," Valls told members of France's governing Socialist Party, adding: "France will be vigilant about this." Story continues "I can tell you frankly, there cannot be a transatlantic treaty agreement. This agreement is not on track," Valls said. Froman on Monday offered a diplomatic view of the situation. "The Europeans have had a lot on their plate -- the Brexit vote, the migrant crisis, the rise of skepticism about Brussels and other difficult issues," he said at a conference in Washington. "We sympathize and we hope they can summon the needed focus and political will to get this done." BRUSSELS, June 27 - EU antitrust authorities will rule by Aug. 1 whether to allow Sony Corp buy out the Michael Jackson estate's stake in its music publishing joint venture, a move which rivals such as Warner Music Group say gives Sony too much power. Sony requested approval on June 24, according to a filing on the European Commission website. The EU competition enforcer can clear the deal unconditionally or demand concessions. It can also open a five-month long investigation if it has serious concerns the deal may harm consumers and rivals. Sony signed a deal in March to acquire the stake that the deceased pop star held in Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the world's largest music publisher, which owns copyrights to most of the Beatles' songs and songs by the Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Pharrell Williams and Kanye West. Warner Music Group has conveyed its concerns to the Commission, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters, while lobbying group Impala which represents independent labels and national trade associations, has also done the same. (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee, editing by Louise Heavens) PARIS, June 27 (Reuters) - European Union envoys from its fellow countries have agreed Britain will not be able to hold any Brexit negotiations before Article 50 is triggered, a French source said on Monday, a day after EU affairs negotiators known as 'Sherpas' met in Brussels. "There will be non pre-negotiations with the British," the French source said. Article 50 is the part of the EU's Lisbon treaty that oversees an exit, and it is up to the departing country to trigger it. The meeting of 27 envoys on Sunday to discuss Brexit was the first such meeting after Britain voted to leave the bloc, and a senior official said London's envoy was not invited. (Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Andrew Callus) (Adds details on EU leaders seeking clear timetable, context) PARIS, June 27 (Reuters) - Envoys from other European Union countries agree Britain will not be able to hold Brexit negotiations until Article 50 is triggered, a French source said on Monday, a day after the so-called "sherpas" met in Brussels. The source said the sherpas were in agreement that Britain should set out a clear timetable for what happens next, after its voters decided on Thursday to leave the European Union, in a referendum result which sent global markets into a tailspin. "There will be no pre-negotiations with the British," the French source said. Article 50 is the part of the EU's Lisbon treaty governing the procedure for an exit, and it is up to the departing country to trigger it. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said over the weekend there was no need to rush Britain into a quick divorce from the EU. But several European leaders have urged London not to delay triggering Article 50, fearful of a prolonged period of political and economic instability. Brexit campaigners have long been suspicious of the two-year timetable for departure set by Article 50. Some have said Article 50 should be formally invoked only after agreement on a comprehensive free trade deal that exempts Britain from EU rules such as open EU immigration. The meeting of 27 envoys on Sunday was the first such gathering since the Brexit referendum, and a senior official said London's envoy was not invited. (Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Andrew Callus and Andrew Roche) DailyFX.com - Talking Points Euro little-changed after PP wins Spanish election PP wins 137 seats out of 350 in Spanish parliament Brexit aftermath remains central near-term risk Having trouble trading the Euro? This may be why. The Euro was little-changed as the ruling PP party won the Spanish election as the hangover from the United Kingdoms decision to leave the European Union has remained the central focus. Winning 137 seats out of the 350-strong Spanish parliament, the PP has improved upon the 123 seats that were won in Decembers election. Together with the similarly-minded Ciudadanos party, which won 32 seats, the PP may now have the makings for a ruling coalition after months of uncertainty. The far-left Podemos failed to secure more than the 71 seats it won in December and fell behind the center-left PSOE the PPs traditional opposition with 85 seats confounding polls that called for the eurosceptic party to become the second-most powerful in parliament. While the market showed some initial excitement from the election result, the Euro was not able to sustain any notable gains. Now that the United Kingdom has voted to break away from the European Union, there is much uncertainty about how detrimental this decision will be to the UK and EU respectively. The doubt that this has created will not find an answer quickly, keeping Brexit aftermath the central focus for near-term risk. Euro Little-Changed After Spanish Election as Brexit Fears Linger original source DailyFX provides forex news and technical analysis on the trends that influence the global currency markets. Learn forex trading with a free practice account and trading charts from FXCM. Brexit notwithstanding, Europe looks set to have a new prize event, the European Animation Awards (EAA), which are inspired by Americas Annie Awards and backed by many of the preeminent figures in Europes animation industry. The new plaudits come after a period of massive growth of Europes animation industry, which merits broader kudos recognition, said Jean-Paul Commin, EAA secretary general, who added that the United Kingdom is and will remain, despite Brexit, an active player in our project. There has been a huge improvement not only in the quantity but quality of animation in Europe. We have some of the best animation schools and European animated features are travelling better, he said. The first European Animation Awards gala ceremony will take place in 2017. Peter Lord, creative director of Aardman Animations and producer of many of Europes most-watched animated movies such as the stop-motion Chicken Run and Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit has been named president of the EAAs. Vice-presidents are Dane Marie Bro, based out of Copenhagens Danske TegneFilm (The Boy Who Wanted To Be a Bear); Frances Didier Brunner, the dean of Europes 2D animation (The Triplets of Belleville, the Kirikou franchise) who originated the idea of the EAA; and Irelands Paul Young, at Cartoon Saloon, producer of The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea and now The Breadwinner, whose co-producers include New Yorks Gkids and Angeline Jolie-Pitt. Between them, Aardman, Brunner, when at Les Armateurs, and Cartoon Saloon have won seven U.S. Academy Award nominations for best animated feature since the awards launch in 2002. Founding members also include the U.K.s Michael Rose, a produced on Fernando Truebas Oscar-nominated Chico & Rita. The EAA held its first board meeting at Lyons Cartoon Movie this March and first general assembly at Frances Annecy Animation Festival in mid-June. Both Cartoon, an initiative of Europes Creative Europe Media Programme, and Annecy will collaborate with the EAAs, Commin said. Story continues Despite growth, Europe has no specific awards event dedicated entirely to animation: National cinema prize events, the U.K.s Baftas and Frances Cesars, simply recognise a best animated feature. Aiming to become the highest animation honour in Europe, the EAA will give far broader recognition to many key arts and craft posts in maybe as many as 18 to 20 categories. Juries look set to select the original longlists, but the final winners will be selected by EAA members. That makes it essential for the EAA to reach out to a large membership spread across Europe, which might include animation school students, Commin said. The EAA will appoint a full-time director and ambassadors to represent them over Europes 40-odd countries. Just what an EAA Award might be called is now under discussion. The favoured idea is the Emiles, in part honour of Frances Emile Cohl, one of the first animators in Europe, though eclipsed in his lifetime by George Melies. John Hopewell contributed to this report Related stories Annecy: Aardman Takes MIFA and Variety's 2016 Animation Personality of the Year Award Annecy: France's Didier Brunner Sets 'Big Bad Fox' Movie, Sherlock, Menino Spinoffs (EXCLUSIVE) At 40, Aardman Animations Stays Stubbornly Eccentric LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over Britain's decision last week to leave the European Union, although the Madrid market rose after Spain's election result. The Pan-European STOXX 600 and the similar FTSEurofirst 300 indexes both fell by 0.6-0.7 percent. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.4 percent, adding to a 3.2 percent slump on Friday caused by the country's shock decision to vote in favour of leaving the EU. Spain's IBEX rose around 3 percent after acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's centre-right People's Party (PP) fared better than expected in weekend elections. (Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta) (ADVISORY- Follow European and UK stock markets in real time on the Reuters Live Markets blog on Eikon - see cpurl://apps.cp./cms/?pageId=livemarkets) * IBEX rises after Spanish election result * Brexit still weighs on broader European market * Royal Bank of Scotland and Barclays fall sharply * Spanish banks manage to rise By Sudip Kar-Gupta LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - European shares fell on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over Britain's decision to leave the European Union, but the Madrid market rose after Spain's election. The pan-European STOXX 600 and the FTSEurofirst 300 indexes both fell by 0.6 to 0.7 percent. The euro zone's blue-chip Euro STOXX index was flat. Britain's FTSE 100 fell 0.4 percent, after dropping 3.2 percent on Friday, the day following the referendum where Britain voted to quit the EU. However, Spain's IBEX rose 2 percent. Weekend elections delivered a hung parliament for the second time in six month, but acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's People's Party did better than expected, encouraging investors who support the party's economic reforms. Spain's 10-year government bond yield slid 10 basis points. Spanish bank Bankia rose 13 percent and Caixabank gained 5.8 percent. "The Spanish vote was a great result. It was good to see that the People's Party won a greater share of the vote," said Francois Savary, chief investment officer at Geneva-based fund management and consultancy firm Prime Partners. In Britain, Finance Minister George Osborne pledged to implement "robust" contingency plans with the Bank of England and sought to calm nerves, but British bank stocks remained under pressure. Royal Bank of Scotland lost 9.3 percent and Barclays fell 7.7 percent. Some fund managers are avoiding the market for now. "This Brexit decision has taken the markets by total surprise. I would remain on the sidelines - no reason to step in yet," said Hampstead Capital hedge fund manager Lex Van Dam. (Editing by Larry King) Elon Musk Last week, Tesla announced that it was pursuing an acquisition of SolarCity, the troubled solar-panel leasing company that is run by Tesla CEO Elon Musk's cousin Lyndon Rive. And on Monday, SolarCity said it had formed a committee of independent directors to evaluate the deal. That is because Musk is the largest single shareholder of both companies and the chairman of SolarCity. Holy conflict of interest! Actually, Musk and Rive have said they will recuse themselves from voting on the deal. Anyway, SolarCity is a $3 billion bite for Tesla in an all-stock transaction that would add brace yourself over $3 billion in debt to Tesla's balance sheet. If this looks like a SolarCity bailout the company has seen its market cap, now $2.25 billion, sawed in half since last year then that's because it is. The deal might look outwardly vexing, and much of the analysis has suggested that Tesla is doing something wrong here, but it's not. It's actually following through on promises that Musk has made over and over for the past half decade. If you've been paying attention, then you could have seen this one coming, though you probably thought Tesla and SolarCity would become closer partners and not that Tesla would take charge. So why is Tesla doing this? It certainly doesn't seem to be to enhance shareholder value. Tesla stock dived when the news broke. What shareholder value? But it has never been clear that Tesla cares much about shareholder value. Rather than please investors or vindicate the ratings and target prices of Wall Street analysts, the electric-car maker is playing a longer game. The stock just helps it get there by providing a way to raise capital, as it did recently and also last year, and to be used as a form of super currency to sustain Musk's vision of a world freed from fossil-fuel dependency. TSLA CHART 6/27/16 Story continues SolarCity is integral to that vision, even if it's Musk's most under-the-radar interest it's hard to compete with the car of the future and a SpaceX mission to Mars. And that's what everybody is missing here. With this bid, Tesla is trying to become what Musk probably wanted it to be all along: an integrated holding company providing global-warming solutions. If the SolarCity deal goes through, then Tesla will be a carmaker; a battery maker, thanks to the Gigafactory being built in Nevada; an energy storage company, thanks to Tesla Energy, unveiled last year and selling residential battery packs; and a solar finance firm. Put all that together under one roof and you get a company that can sell or lease you a zero-emission, off-the-grid lifestyle. Plus, Musk rescues his SolarCity investment in the process. But there's nothing surprising here in the master plan. Musk has always thought of the companies he's involved with as a single mega investment. It makes sense to use the stock of one to keep another one going. Yes, all that debt could eventually be a major problem for Tesla. It is already burning cash like crazy as it tries to go from building 50,000 cars a year in 2015 to building 500,000 annually by 2018. And SolarCity is incinerating cash. So that debt load that Tesla would be taking on isn't going anywhere. Shareholders could rightly accuse Musk of hanging a $3 billion anchor around Tesla's neck. Of course, shareholders could also vote against the deal, or if they don't think loading Tesla up with another company's debt is a good idea, then they can sell their shares. If Tesla can really save the world, then from Musk's perspective, taking on all that debt has been worth it. NOW WATCH: This scientist thinks Elon Musk is wrong about the threat of artificial intelligence More From Business Insider Jesse Williams' impassioned, politically-charged speech at this year's BET Awards was easily one of the night's most memorable highlights, and while his powerful words elicited a standing ovation for the Grey's Anatomy star, Williams said he was delivering a message on behalf of those who need to be heard. "I'm here for all the incredible protestors, activists, attorneys, organizers that are sacrificing [an] incredibly great deal to be heard and get access to equal rights and justice in this country," Williams told ET's Kevin Frazier at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday. "[The BET Awards] recognizing me is really recognizing them in my view, and I think that means that we're getting traction." WATCH: Jesse Williams Delivers Impassioned Speech At the BET Awards Calling for Justice and Equality The 34-year-old actor and political activist was honored during the show with the BET Humanitarian Award, and delivered a fiery oration calling for freedom and justice against an oppressive system. Williams, a father of two, explained that being a parent helps motivate him, but stressed, "My personal experience doesn't necessarily fuel my ability to see humanity in places, and in the places they tell us it doesn't lurk We should be able to ask others to see themselves in us and we should be able to see ourselves in others." NEWS: Surprise! Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar Kick off the BET Awards With Explosive Performance of 'Freedom' During his speech, Williams argued for the right to equality and railed against racism in America. "Freedom is somehow always conditional here," he told the audience, who were on their feet throughout most of his time on stage. "Freedom is always coming in the hereafter, but you know what, though? The hereafter is a hustle. We want it now." After his speech, Samuel L. Jackson commended Williams while accepting the BET Lifetime Achievement Award, marveling, "Jesse's the closest thing I've heard to a 1960s activist. That brother is right, and he is true." Story continues WATCH: Jennifer Hudson, Janelle Monae, Sheila E. and Other Stars Pay Tribute to Prince at the BET Awards Williams also opened up about the late Anton Yelchin, who died earlier this month at the age of 27 in a freak car accident at his home in Los Angeles. "He was just a really gentle soul but I found his talent to be really radiant and I always made a point to see anything I saw he was in. I told him as much," Williams shared. "As an actor, a lot of times we get competitive and kind of stand offish and I just realized he had an incredible talent and I wanted to make sure he was somebody I looked to emulate and he made great choices," he added. "So it's a really crazy loss." WATCH: Justin Timberlake, Zachary Quinto, Chris Evans and More Co-Stars and Celebs Remember Anton Yelchin Currently, Williams is getting ready for the return of his ABC medical drama, Grey's Anatomy, which is set to kick off its 13th season in the fall. He spoke to ET about the series' return and its resurging popularity. "The ratings are better than they have been in a long time. We're back on this upward trajectory. You feel that on set," Williams explained. "It's a new dynamic in terms of production and leadership on the show and people are kind of poised and excited." WATCH: 'Grey's Anatomy' Stars Address Series' Future: 'This Show Is a Vampire, It Can't Be Killed' "This year I think we're diving right back where we left off. I have no idea what's about to happen but we're about to go back in a couple of weeks so I'm about to find out," he added. For more on Williams' powerful speech at the BET Awards, check out the video below. Related Articles By John Shiffman WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Last year, after a Minnesota dentist sparked an uproar by killing a popular lion named Cecil while on safari in Zimbabwe, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service placed similar African lions on the endangered species list, making it illegal to import them as trophies to the United States. But for African lions and other threatened and endangered species, theres an exception to this rule: Hunters, circuses, zoos, breeders and theme parks can get permits to import, export or sell endangered animals if they can demonstrate that the transactions will enhance the survival of the species. Often, records show, this requirement is met in part by making a cash contribution to charity - usually a few thousand dollars. The practice has angered both animal-rights activists who say it exploits wildlife and exhibitors who describe the process as unfair and arbitrary. In the last five years, the vast majority of the estimated 1,375 endangered species permits granted by the Fish & Wildlife Service involved financial pledges to charity, according to agency documents reviewed by Reuters. For a $2,000 pledge, the Fish & Wildlife Service permitted two threatened leopard cubs to be sent from a roadside zoo to a small animal park. After a $5,000 pledge, the agency approved the transfer of 10 endangered South African penguins to a Florida theme park. An application now under final consideration would permit a South Carolina safari park operator to send 18 endangered tigers to Mexico to participate in a multimillion-dollar movie for a $10,000 donation to charity. Craig Hoover, a senior Fish & Wildlife Service official, said his agency considers many factors before granting an endangered species permit among them, a species biological needs, threats and population size. Charitable contributions to conservation programs are just one factor in granting permit evaluations, and not a requirement, he said. Its not necessarily all that is considered," said Hoover. "There may have been an education component, an outreach component, a captive breeding component. "INDIRECT BENEFITS" TO WILDLIFE Under the Endangered Species Act, exception permits may be granted only for scientific purposes or to enhance the propagation or survival of the affected species. According to a recent Fish & Wildlife Service document reviewed by Reuters: Very few of the Endangered Species Act permits that we issue have direct benefits to the species in the wild. Most applicants provide an indirect benefit, such as monetary support, to meet the enhancement requirement. Late Friday, U.S. Representative Brendan Boyle, a Pennsylvania Democrat who serves on the House Foreign Affairs and Oversight Committees, asked the agency to halt the practice. Boyle said exemptions to the endangered species law are intended for humanitarian or environmental purposes, such as providing medical attention to a wounded animal, not commercial uses. He said the charity pledges are unreliable at best and amount to an empty promise in exchange for an exemption to our bedrock species conservation law. The agency usually does not try to independently confirm that donations are actually made or that the charities, often located overseas, are worthy, an agency document says. Typically, we rely on the applicant, the document notes. Hoover said applicants supply this information through annual reports and agency grant programs. "PAY TO PLAY" FOR ELEPHANTS Last year, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sued the Fish & Wildlife Service over a 2014 endangered species permit issued to Tarzan Zerbini Circus of Webb City, Missouri. The permit allowed Tarzan Zerbini to take two elephants, Shelly and Marie, on a Canadian circus tour - on the condition that it pledge $15,000 annually to an elephant charity and raise another $50,000 annually from patrons. We call it pay-to-play because thats what exactly whats going on, allowing these people to promise money in exchange for being able to harm endangered animals, said PETA general counsel Jeff Kerr. The Fish & Wildlife Service is actively conspiring and cooperating with people to violate the Endangered Species Act through this program. The agency defended itself against PETAs claim that the process is illegal, but the lawsuit apparently triggered a government investigation of Tarzan Zerbini's financial pledge. Records show the service determined that the circus had only contributed half the amount promised and had raised little, if anything, from patrons. On April 21, the permit was suspended. Last week, PETA withdrew the lawsuit. Larry Solheim, a Tarzan Zerbini consultant who served as general manager for 26 years, said the circus made good-faith efforts to comply with its pledges. He said honest mistakes and misunderstandings caused the other half of the money to be contributed late and said technical issues hampered efforts to raise the $50,000 from patrons. Solheim said the concept of requiring conservation efforts is a good idea. But he described the permit process as too focused on foreign donations. He called it a game that can resemble political extortion. Youre just essentially buying a permit if you pay this conservation fee, he said. Its just totally subjective if they want to have this kind of requirement, they need to have clear guidelines. John Cuneo, whose Hawthorn Corp leases endangered animals to circuses and is often criticized by PETA, said he has lost business for failing to promise to make the charitable payments. It makes me so mad, Cuneo said. It feels like a scam. Hoover, the agency official, said PETA and the animal exhibitors are wrong. "TIGER ISLAND" We would deny any form of pay to play policy is in place, formally or informally, Hoover said. He added: We would deny that we tell people they must" make charitable contributions, "but if they are engaging in activity where the import or export isnt contributing to conservation, then there must be some other means by which they must be contributing conservation. The permit application to send 18 tigers to Mexico for a Hollywood movie was filed by Bhagavan Antle, who operates the Myrtle Beach Safari in South Carolina. Antle declined to name the people behind the movie, which is tentatively titled "Tiger Island." The plot revolves around tigers living on an abandoned island, and a group of children who end up shipwrecked there. The permit is still pending, but records show that Fish & Wildlife officials directed that Antle confirm a pledge of $10,000 to charity and a promise that the movie will have a conservation theme. He has agreed to do so, and said he thinks the agency's process is good because it helps endangered animals. Antle said $10,000 is a fair contribution for the right to use 18 tigers on a multimillion-dollar motion picture. The movie company thinks its a hardship to spend $10,000 for what used to be free, Antle said. But he added, If it becomes a big hit movie, that will change more hearts and minds than a $10 million contribution to conservation. PENGUINS TO MIAMI Last year, the Fish & Wildlife Service approved the sale of 10 African penguins from a California theme park to the Miami Seaquarium. We are thrilled that our guests will be able to observe these fascinating creatures and at the same time learn about this endangered species and what we can do to help preserve our feathered friends, Andrew Hertz, the Seaquarium's general manager, said in a press release in February. A spokeswoman said Hertz wasn't available for an interview. The sea park built a new exhibit for the birds called Penguin Isle, a spectacle that includes a 9,000-gallon pool with an acrylic underwater swimming tunnel, allowing visitors to come face to face with the penguins, the release says. The Seaquarium, which averages about 600,000 customers a year, charges $99 for a family of four. As part of the endangered species permit approval, the seller agreed to make an annual contribution for five years to a South African charity that rescues penguins soiled by oil spills. The annual pledge: $1,000. (Edited by Michael Williams) By Jessica Toonkel and Dan Levine NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Viacom Inc's (VIAB.O) board rejected an offer by Sumner Redstone's attorneys to have one of Viacom's independent directors meet face-to-face with the 93-year-old media mogul to get an understanding of his views on the media company, a spokesman for Redstone confirmed on Monday. The board's dismissal of a possible route toward a settlement shows how far apart the two sides are in the legal fight for control over Redstone's $40 billion media empire, amid questions over whether the magnate is making his own decisions or is even of sound enough mind to do so. Redstone offered to meet Viacom independent director Charles Phillips in the days after Viacom lead independent director Fred Salerno filed suit over Redstone's June 16 move to oust him and four other directors, including Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman, from the Viacom board, Reuters exclusively reported Monday. Last week Salerno vetoed the idea, opting instead to continue with litigation, sources told Reuters. Salerno and Phillips declined to comment. In a statement, Viacom did not confirm or deny it received such an offer from Redstone. But did say it would be wrong to suggest such a meeting could "actually assess" Redstone's capacity. Salerno has sent a number of letters to Redstone over the past several weeks requesting a meeting with him to discuss his views of the business, and to go over the rationale for Dauman's planned stake sale of Viacom's Paramount movie studio. "We are quite concerned that your voice - and views - are not being heard," Salerno wrote in a June 14 letter, made public by Viacom. The fact that the Viacom board rejected Redstone's offer of a meeting with Phillips showed claims by Viacom executives and Salerno that they are being blocked from meeting with Redstone are "fiction," said Mike Lawrence, a spokesman for Redstone, in a statement. "Fred Salerno, Philippe Dauman, and (Viacom board member) George Abrams have repeatedly told the courts that the Viacom board is being blocked from meeting with Sumner, leaving them no choice but to pursue claims," Lawrence said in the statement. "That fiction has been shattered." Story continues Viacom called those statements both inaccurate and incomplete. "The one fact not in question is that an examination to assess Mr. Redstone's capacity and undue influence needs to happen," the company said in a statement. For investors, the impasse could mark the beginning of a long legal battle that will prolong the uncertainty over the future of Viacom. The company's shares closed down 5.1 percent on Monday, in a broadly lower market. Redstone's privately held movie holding company, National Amusements Inc, owns 80 percent of the voting shares of Viacom as well as CBS Corp (CBS.N). On June 16, when National Amusements moved to oust the five directors from the board, investors told Reuters they hoped a change in management or a merger between CBS and Viacom could be on the horizon. On the same day, National Amusements asked a Delaware court to affirm the changes, while Salerno shot back with his own suit seeking to block the move, calling it "invalid" and the result of Redstone's daughter Shari Redstone manipulating her father. A Delaware judge said last week that he would schedule a hearing in July in a case about whether National Amusements' move was valid. (Reporting by Jessica Toonkel in New York and Dan Levine in San Francisco; Editing by Bill Rigby and Andrew Hay) Pursuing an MBA seemed like a good career move for Julianna Cagle, a development officer at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. But she simply couldn't commit to in-person programs nearby. She turned to online learning, which she says provides her with experiences she would have also received at a physical campus: opportunities for collaboration with classmates, live class sessions with professors and support services to meet her needs. Cagle selected MBA@UNC, the online program offered through the University of North Carolina--Chapel Hill's Kenan-Flagler Business School, which ranks No. 3 in U.S. News' Best Online MBA Programs. "It is designed specifically for working professionals and people who do have lives outside of school," she says. Cagle is in good company, as business administration remains the top discipline pursued by online graduate students, according to a 2015 survey by the Learning House and Aslanian Market Research. "We compete in a very open market for good talent," says Phil Powell, faculty chair of online graduate programs at the Indiana University--Bloomington Kelley School of Business, the No. 2-ranked online MBA program. "The fact that our competition is fierce, open and that our students demand very high value and pay very high tuition, means we have to be responsive and adopt newer teaching methods faster than other parts of academia." In the programs offered through Kelley, UNC and Temple University's Fox School of Business -- the latter of which ranks No. 1 among online MBA programs -- nearly all enrolled students have careers of their own. Some also have children. For Cagle, mother to eight-month-old twin boys, the MBA@UNC program was flexible, allowing students to "tailor each quarter to their own lifestyle and their work-life balance." She can take as many or few classes as she wants each term, and watch lectures on her own time. Here's what prospective online learners should expect in a top-ranked online MBA program, according to experts and students, when it comes to class format, work-life balance and virtual group collaboration. Story continues Different Modes of Learning An education from a top online MBA program includes both self-paced instruction, where students watch video lectures and complete readings on their own time, and live learning, where students gather in the online "classroom" -- a learning management system such as Canvas or Blackboard -- and actively participate using webcams. This combination, experts say, is ideal for working professionals, like Scott Grady, an online MBA student in Temple's program who lives in Pennsylvania. He says the asynchronous portion allows for significant flexibility, though the live sessions also have benefits. The latter "fills that interactive need that we want to have in a formal learning environment, and allows for the debating and exchanging of ideas," says the 38-year-old, a vice president of brand strategy for sheet music retailer J.W. Pepper & Son. Students in Temple's online MBA program take one class at a time over five-week periods; in other top programs, students can choose to take however many they wish. Once a week for four weeks, Temple students attend the live sessions through WebEx videoconferencing software, says Darin Kapanjie, managing director of online and digital learning at Temple's business school. [Learn how to decide between live and self-paced online classes.] "They're not just learning from the faculty, but they're learning from one another," Kapanjie says. Students are based around the world and work across fields, which means they are exposed to various cultures and disciplines in the program. In the top three ranked online MBA programs, students have a number of ways to communicate with each other, including discussion boards on different learning management systems, which are typically mobile-friendly. Students interact with professors, meanwhile, in different ways, whether it's the discussion board, email or even by text, experts and students say. Today's online students rarely struggle to adapt to the technology these programs use, Powell says, as digital technology is prevalent in workplace environments. Prospective online MBA students should be aware that their program might have in-person requirements, and might also offer options to travel to other countries. At MBA@UNC, for instance, students must attend at least two immersions in the U.S. or overseas to participate in activities such as case competitions. Kelley offers opportunities to work with businesses in other countries, and has two on-campus requirements in Bloomington. Balancing an Education With Work, Family Juggling a job and education can be challenging for working professionals, experts say. But it's doable if they budget their time accordingly. Kristi DeSimone, a student in Temple's online program who works as director of communications for customer sales experience at Comcast, says she's constantly thinking about how to manage her time for the week. She listens to class lectures while she's working out, or on a plane as she travels for work. "It is a fair amount of work; it's all about making sure you prioritize and keep learning 24/7," DeSimone says. [Discover essential time management tips for online students.] But add in raising children, and time management in a top online MBA program becomes even tougher. It's important, experts say, to communicate often with a spouse or partner, and also squeeze in time to spend with family. Sean Greer, an online MBA student at Kelley who lives in Virginia, balances his education and a career, and also has a son, with a daughter on the way. He credits his family for working with him to fit everything in. Virtual Collaboration in the Online Classroom Group work -- which might entail developing business plans and virtual presentations -- is common in top online MBA programs, experts say. And virtual collaboration is a skill that's critical for conducting business in the 21st century. [Follow these five steps before starting online group work.] At MBA@UNC, each student has his or her own virtual "room" to collaborate with others on projects or assignments, says Doug Shackelford, dean of UNC--Chapel Hill's business school. Instructors can also separate students in a class into breakout groups with the push of a button. Grady, the online MBA student at Temple, says he meets with other students primarily through WebEx, though they also communicate through other means. "We don't try to emulate teamwork in residential programs," Powell says, of Kelley's online program. "We're trying to model teamwork that's going to work in a virtual environment." Trying to fund your online education? Get tips and more in the U.S. News Paying for Online Education center. Jordan Friedman is an online education editor at U.S. News. You can follow him on Twitter or email him at jfriedman@usnews.com. By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Stalemate between Britain and the European Union over what happens next following Britons' referendum vote to leave has opened up a host of possible scenarios. Here are some that are (in some cases, barely) conceivable: 1. BY THE BOOK Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will resign after losing his gamble to end British ambivalence about staying in, agrees with the EU establishment that the only legal way to leave is to use Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to negotiate a withdrawal. He wants to leave triggering the process to his successor, who may not be chosen by the Conservative party until October. EU leaders want him to do it now, or at least as soon as possible, but they lack the legal power to force him. In the most amicable divorce scenario, Britain would trigger Article 50, possibly (though unlikely now) as early as Tuesday when Cameron meets the other 27 EU leaders at a Brussels summit, or via a formal letter later from Cameron or his successor. That sets a two-year time limit on negotiating an amicable withdrawal. Ideally, it would divide up assets and liabilities in the shared EU budget and other priority business, such as perhaps the status of British and other EU citizens who find themselves living on the wrong side of a hard new UK-EU border. In an even more ideal world, it would set out a new, close economic relationship between Britain and the EU, possibly in a separate, parallel treaty taking effect from the exit date. The withdrawal treaty can be enacted by just 20 of the 27 other states representing 65 percent of the remaining population. A full new relationship would probably need unanimous support. Two years is very tight but the negotiations can be extended if all 28 countries agree. If there is no deal, then Britain is simply out of the EU two years after Article 50 was triggered -- an outcome written in to the treaty to limit uncertainties. REALLY? TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. THE EU IS NEVER THIS EASY 2. SORRY, WE DIDN'T MEAN IT Britain is in political meltdown, with both main parties in civil war and pro-EU Scotland threatening to either block Brexit legally (unclear how) or break away. The referendum result is not constitutionally binding and government and parliament, maybe after a new election, could just ignore it. If so, the EU would carry on as before but a special membership deal it gave Cameron in February has been killed by the referendum result. REALLY? PUSHES DEMOCRATIC CREDIBILITY BEYOND BREAKING POINT 3. WE MEAN IT, BUT NOT YET Brexit campaigners have long been suspicious of the two-year limit in Article 50 and some have explicitly said it should only formally be triggered AFTER they have agreed a comprehensive free trade deal that relieves Britain of EU rules such as open EU immigration. Five years or more is the norm globally for such big trade deals. Britain would be a full EU member until then. That is a nightmare scenario for EU leaders, plunging the bloc into open-ended negotiations with its second biggest power that would inspire eurosceptics across the bloc to emulate it and distract governments from other pressing European issues. They rule out opening any negotiation until Britain binds itself to the timetable set out in Article 50. And they insist Britain cannot have its cake on market access and still eat it by ending EU budget payments and free movement of workers. In theory, there could be an endless standoff, with Britain the sulky teenager at the table, poisoning the atmosphere next year as France and Germany run elections and the EU starts confrontational talks on a new 7-year budget. Something would have to give and some compromise would start to be worked out. REALLY? COMPROMISE IS THE EU WAY; DON'T RULE THIS OUT 4. WE MEAN IT -- OR MAYBE WE DIDN'T Article 50 suggests a one-way exit, rather than a revolving door. EU officials insist that once triggered, a state cannot back out and stay. Lawyers are divided, however. Some British experts believe the leave notice could simply be withdrawn. In Brussels, others say that could happen but only if agreed by all. A future British government might conclude that the best way to end divorce proceedings is just to agree to stay married. REALLY? SEE SCENARIO 2, BUT WITH ADDED FADING OF MEMORIES 5. CAN WE JUST TWEAK THIS QUICKLY? Some Brexit campaigners have suggested that the Leave vote simply serve as leverage to renegotiate better, semi-detached terms for Britain inside the EU which could be put to another referendum. EU leaders have ruled that out on the same grounds as above that "cherry picking" will spread and wreck the Union. Cameron's deal, to protect the City of London from the euro zone and curb EU immigration, has been killed by a clause that linked it to last week's referendum result. So any talks would start from a lower base and EU leaders would have to eat their words. But some kind of "associate membership" or "special partnership" has been around as an idea in Europe for a time. REALLY? SEE 4, BUT NEVER SAY NEVER IN EURO-COMPROMISE LAND 6. LET'S JUST SLIP INTO SOMETHING MORE COMFORTABLE Britain could try to join the European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association, joining the likes of Norway, Switzerland or Iceland in close partnerships with the EU. That could fly with the EU but British leaders would have to persuade Brexit voters to agree to the EU budget contributions and migrants that are accepted by some of those countries. It also would lack the kind of EU market access for services trade which is so important to Britain's big financial sector. A more tailor-made deal would bring things back to earlier scenarios. REALLY? DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WHAT BRITONS WANT, AT LEAST NOW 7. WHY DON'T WE START AGAIN? One extreme view is that the fallout from Brexit in the EU might be so cataclysmic that Europeans would go back to the drawing board and effectively create a new kind of Union that could include Britain. Marshalling disparate national ambitions into a new structure would be a colossal task, not least in the wake of the bitterness that the current crisis has engendered. REALLY? A DEFINITE LONG SHOT, NOT ONE FOR THE NEAR FUTURE 8. SECOND TIME LUCKY? Some people who voted to Leave have said that if it doesn't work outside, Britain could always join the EU again. That is true, though it would get no favours. It would face a years-long accession process and require unanimous acceptance by existing members and have to accept a host of conditions that Britain has opted out of during its past 43 years -- notably adopting the euro and a virtually 50-percent rebate on EU membership fees. REALLY? ONE FOR THE (VERY LONG-LIVED) BIRDS 9. ROOM FOR A LITTLE ONE? Some Scots hope to avoid Brexit by breaking from England. An idea that an independent Scotland could somehow simply sit in the vacant UK chair in Brussels is dismissed by EU officials. At the time of the 2014 independence referendum, the EU said Scotland could apply for membership but would go to the "back of the queue", behind the likes of Serbia, and that its hope of keeping the pound rather than the euro was a non-starter. There is some sympathy for Scots losing their place in the EU but also deep suspicion of secession, especially in Spain, Belgium and Italy, which have their own separatist problems. And a veto. REALLY? NOT SOON, BUT SCOTLAND COULD JOIN THE EU ONE DAY 10. SLAMMING THE DOOR A new British government simply walks out. It could launch Article 50 and leave legally in 2019 without any negotiation. It could also ignore the two-year notice period and tear up its treaty obligations and quit right away, though that would undermine its credibility as a party to international law. There is, however, nothing the EU can do to prevent that. It could retaliate on trade or against Britons living in the EU, however much that would create a painful tit-for-tat that would badly hurt Europe's economy and citizens. Nonetheless, EU leaders fear that letting Brexit Britain walk all over them will only inspire other European nationalists to destroy the Union. REALLY? THREAT OF MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION THEN DETENTE? (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; @macdonaldrtr; editing by Anna Willard) By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Stalemate between Britain and the European Union over what happens next following Britons' referendum vote to leave has opened up a host of possible scenarios. Here are some that are (in some cases, barely) conceivable: 1. BY THE BOOK Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will resign after losing his gamble to end British ambivalence about staying in, agrees with the EU establishment that the only legal way to leave is to use Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to negotiate a withdrawal. He wants to leave triggering the process to his successor, who may not be chosen by the Conservative party until October. EU leaders want him to do it now, or at least as soon as possible, but they lack the legal power to force him. In the most amicable divorce scenario, Britain would trigger Article 50, possibly (though unlikely now) as early as Tuesday when Cameron meets the other 27 EU leaders at a Brussels summit, or via a formal letter later from Cameron or his successor. That sets a two-year time limit on negotiating an amicable withdrawal. Ideally, it would divide up assets and liabilities in the shared EU budget and other priority business, such as perhaps the status of British and other EU citizens who find themselves living on the wrong side of a hard new UK-EU border. In an even more ideal world, it would set out a new, close economic relationship between Britain and the EU, possibly in a separate, parallel treaty taking effect from the exit date. The withdrawal treaty can be enacted by just 20 of the 27 other states representing 65 percent of the remaining population. A full new relationship would probably need unanimous support. Two years is very tight but the negotiations can be extended if all 28 countries agree. If there is no deal, then Britain is simply out of the EU two years after Article 50 was triggered -- an outcome written in to the treaty to limit uncertainties. REALLY? TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. THE EU IS NEVER THIS EASY 2. SORRY, WE DIDN'T MEAN IT Britain is in political meltdown, with both main parties in civil war and pro-EU Scotland threatening to either block Brexit legally (unclear how) or break away. The referendum result is not constitutionally binding and government and parliament, maybe after a new election, could just ignore it. If so, the EU would carry on as before but a special membership deal it gave Cameron in February has been killed by the referendum result. REALLY? PUSHES DEMOCRATIC CREDIBILITY BEYOND BREAKING POINT 3. WE MEAN IT, BUT NOT YET Brexit campaigners have long been suspicious of the two-year limit in Article 50 and some have explicitly said it should only formally be triggered AFTER they have agreed a comprehensive free trade deal that relieves Britain of EU rules such as open EU immigration. Five years or more is the norm globally for such big trade deals. Britain would be a full EU member until then. That is a nightmare scenario for EU leaders, plunging the bloc into open-ended negotiations with its second biggest power that would inspire eurosceptics across the bloc to emulate it and distract governments from other pressing European issues. They rule out opening any negotiation until Britain binds itself to the timetable set out in Article 50. And they insist Britain cannot have its cake on market access and still eat it by ending EU budget payments and free movement of workers. In theory, there could be an endless standoff, with Britain the sulky teenager at the table, poisoning the atmosphere next year as France and Germany run elections and the EU starts confrontational talks on a new 7-year budget. Something would have to give and some compromise would start to be worked out. REALLY? COMPROMISE IS THE EU WAY; DON'T RULE THIS OUT 4. WE MEAN IT -- OR MAYBE WE DIDN'T Article 50 suggests a one-way exit, rather than a revolving door. EU officials insist that once triggered, a state cannot back out and stay. Lawyers are divided, however. Some British experts believe the leave notice could simply be withdrawn. In Brussels, others say that could happen but only if agreed by all. A future British government might conclude that the best way to end divorce proceedings is just to agree to stay married. REALLY? SEE SCENARIO 2, BUT WITH ADDED FADING OF MEMORIES 5. CAN WE JUST TWEAK THIS QUICKLY? Some Brexit campaigners have suggested that the Leave vote simply serve as leverage to renegotiate better, semi-detached terms for Britain inside the EU which could be put to another referendum. EU leaders have ruled that out on the same grounds as above that "cherry picking" will spread and wreck the Union. Cameron's deal, to protect the City of London from the euro zone and curb EU immigration, has been killed by a clause that linked it to last week's referendum result. So any talks would start from a lower base and EU leaders would have to eat their words. But some kind of "associate membership" or "special partnership" has been around as an idea in Europe for a time. REALLY? SEE 4, BUT NEVER SAY NEVER IN EURO-COMPROMISE LAND 6. LET'S JUST SLIP INTO SOMETHING MORE COMFORTABLE Britain could try to join the European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association, joining the likes of Norway, Switzerland or Iceland in close partnerships with the EU. That could fly with the EU but British leaders would have to persuade Brexit voters to agree to the EU budget contributions and migrants that are accepted by some of those countries. It also would lack the kind of EU market access for services trade which is so important to Britain's big financial sector. A more tailor-made deal would bring things back to earlier scenarios. REALLY? DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WHAT BRITONS WANT, AT LEAST NOW 7. WHY DON'T WE START AGAIN? One extreme view is that the fallout from Brexit in the EU might be so cataclysmic that Europeans would go back to the drawing board and effectively create a new kind of Union that could include Britain. Marshalling disparate national ambitions into a new structure would be a colossal task, not least in the wake of the bitterness that the current crisis has engendered. REALLY? A DEFINITE LONG SHOT, NOT ONE FOR THE NEAR FUTURE 8. SECOND TIME LUCKY? Some people who voted to Leave have said that if it doesn't work outside, Britain could always join the EU again. That is true, though it would get no favours. It would face a years-long accession process and require unanimous acceptance by existing members and have to accept a host of conditions that Britain has opted out of during its past 43 years -- notably adopting the euro and a virtually 50-percent rebate on EU membership fees. REALLY? ONE FOR THE (VERY LONG-LIVED) BIRDS 9. ROOM FOR A LITTLE ONE? Some Scots hope to avoid Brexit by breaking from England. An idea that an independent Scotland could somehow simply sit in the vacant UK chair in Brussels is dismissed by EU officials. At the time of the 2014 independence referendum, the EU said Scotland could apply for membership but would go to the "back of the queue", behind the likes of Serbia, and that its hope of keeping the pound rather than the euro was a non-starter. There is some sympathy for Scots losing their place in the EU but also deep suspicion of secession, especially in Spain, Belgium and Italy, which have their own separatist problems. And a veto. REALLY? NOT SOON, BUT SCOTLAND COULD JOIN THE EU ONE DAY 10. SLAMMING THE DOOR A new British government simply walks out. It could launch Article 50 and leave legally in 2019 without any negotiation. It could also ignore the two-year notice period and tear up its treaty obligations and quit right away, though that would undermine its credibility as a party to international law. There is, however, nothing the EU can do to prevent that. It could retaliate on trade or against Britons living in the EU, however much that would create a painful tit-for-tat that would badly hurt Europe's economy and citizens. Nonetheless, EU leaders fear that letting Brexit Britain walk all over them will only inspire other European nationalists to destroy the Union. REALLY? THREAT OF MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION THEN DETENTE? <^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ European Parliament on Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty http://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2016/577971/EPRS_BRI(2016)577971_EN.pdf ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Alastair Macdonald; @macdonaldrtr; editing by Anna Willard) (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has written to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to apologize over the shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military, the Kremlin said on Monday, opening the way for Moscow to lift economic sanctions. The Russian jet was shot down, with the loss of the pilot, last November while it took part in Moscow's military campaign in Syria. Ankara said it acted lawfully because the plane had crossed into Turkish air space; Moscow denied that was the case. Following the incident, Moscow swiftly approved a raft of sanctions, banning imports of everything from tomatoes and apricots to chicken products and salt from Turkey. It did not target important energy projects such as the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. Below is a list of key areas of economic and trade relations between Russia and Turkey: TOURISM - In a decree signed by Putin charter flights from Russia to Turkey were banned and tour firms were told not to sell any holidays there. - Turkey's seaside resorts are among the most popular tourism destinations for Russians; for Turkey, Russia is the source of the second-largest number of tourist arrivals after Germany. - About 4.4 million Russians, including 3.3 million Russian tourists, visited Turkey in 2014. - Tour companies had expected that tourist flows would shift to Turkey after Moscow halted flights to resorts in Egypt following the downing of a passenger jet over the Sinai Peninsula. However, the Russian jet was shot down by the Turkish military shortly after the Egyptian incident. FOOD - Russia banned imports of vegetables, fruits and other agricultural products from Turkey. - Turkish food supplies to Russia had become more important after Moscow banned many Western food imports in 2014 in a tit-for-tat move following the imposition of European Union sanctions over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. . Turkey's exports to Russia, mainly food and textiles, were worth $6 billion in 2014, according to an estimate by Renaissance Capital made last November. ENERGY AND COMMODITIES - Russia did not let the row with Ankara affect energy exports, the core of its economic relationship with Turkey. - Turkey is the second-largest buyer of Russian natural gas after Germany. Russia is Turkey's largest natural gas supplier, with Ankara buying 28-30 billion cubic meters (bcm) of its 50 bcm of natural gas needs annually from Russia. - Turkey is the largest buyer of Russian wheat and sunflower oil. It bought 4.1 million tonnes of Russian wheat in the previous marketing year, which ended on June 30. [GRA/RU] - Russia said last December it had no plans to impose any restrictions on exports of Russian grain to Turkey. PROJECTS - Turkey commissioned Russia's state-owned Rosatom in 2013 to build four 1,200-megawatt nuclear reactors in a project worth $20 billion. A source told Reuters in April a Turkish construction firm was in talks about buying up to 49 percent of the project. - Russia and Turkey also have the TurkStream pipeline project, an alternative to Russia's South Stream pipeline to transport gas to Europe without crossing Ukraine. The South Stream plan was dropped in 2014 due to objections from the European Commission. - Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in December that Moscow had suspended work on the TurkStream project. - Putin said this month that Russia had not "definitively" canceled TurkStream. (Reporting by Polina Devitt, Dmitry Solovyov and Jack Stubbs; Editing by Gareth Jones) (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court's key rulings on abortion, dating to the landmark 1973 decision that legalized the procedure nationwide, have long provoked social, religious and political tensions. As the court majority became more conservative over the decades, it set standards that enhance states' ability to regulate abortion. Yet even in the most recent rulings, extending to 2007, there have never been five votes on the nine-member court to reverse the fundamental right to abortion. Here is a look at the court's major abortion rulings. Roe v. Wade, 1973, 7-2 vote The court rules that a woman's constitutional right to privacy protects her decision to end a pregnancy, and only a compelling state interest can justify regulating abortion. The decision institutes a three-part legal test, connected to a nine-month pregnancy and a fetus' viability, that gives states more latitude for regulation with each trimester. Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 1992, 5-4 vote The court affirms the right to abortion. Rather than the trimester framework, the test is whether a government regulation imposes an "undue burden" on a woman seeking an abortion by creating a "substantial obstacle" to the procedure before the fetus develops to the point at which it becomes viable. Stenberg v. Carhart, 2000, 5-4 vote The court decides that a Nebraska ban on a late-term procedure critics call "partial birth abortion" violates a woman's right to abortion. The procedure, known medically as "intact dilation and extraction," involves a physician removing most of the fetus intact rather than dismembering it. The justices fault the Nebraska ban, similar to laws in a majority of the states at the time, for its ambiguity about precisely what type of medical procedure is prohibited and for lacking an exception for the health of the mother. Gonzales v. Carhart, 2007, 5-4 vote The court decides that a federal Partial Birth Abortion Act, involving the same type of procedure as in the Nebraska dispute and without an exception for the woman's health, is constitutional. The majority distinguishes the ruling from the 2000 case by noting that Congress developed findings that the procedure would never be necessary for the health of the mother. Another factor in the reversed course was that in 2000, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor had voted to strike down the partial-birth ban. She was succeeded by Samuel Alito in 2006, and in 2007 he cast the fifth vote in favor of the ban. Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, 2016, 5-3 vote The court strikes down a Texas abortion law imposing strict regulations on doctors and facilities, finding that the 2013 statute put an undue burden on women exercising their right under the U.S. Constitution to end a pregnancy. The court declares that both provisions of the law - requiring physicians who perform abortions to have difficult-to-obtain "admitting privileges" at a local hospital and requiring clinics to install costly hospital-grade facilities - violate abortion rights. The ruling marked the firmest endorsement of U.S. abortion rights since the 1992 Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey ruling. (Compiled by Joan Biskupic in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham) REUTERS - The U.S. Supreme Court's key rulings on abortion, dating to the landmark 1973 decision that legalized the procedure nationwide, have long provoked social, religious and political tensions. As the court majority became more conservative over the decades, it set standards that enhance states' ability to regulate abortion. Yet even in the most recent rulings, extending to 2007, there have never been five votes on the nine-member court to reverse the fundamental right to abortion. Here is a look at the court's major abortion rulings. Roe v. Wade, 1973, 7-2 vote The court rules that a woman's constitutional right to privacy protects her decision to end a pregnancy, and only a compelling state interest can justify regulating abortion. The decision institutes a three-part legal test, connected to a nine-month pregnancy and a fetus' viability, that gives states more latitude for regulation with each trimester. Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, 1992, 5-4 vote The court affirms the right to abortion. Rather than the trimester framework, the test is whether a government regulation imposes an "undue burden" on a woman seeking an abortion by creating a "substantial obstacle" to the procedure before the fetus develops to the point at which it becomes viable. Stenberg v. Carhart, 2000, 5-4 vote The court decides that a Nebraska ban on a late-term procedure critics call "partial birth abortion" violates a woman's right to abortion. The procedure, known medically as "intact dilation and extraction," involves a physician removing most of the fetus intact rather than dismembering it. The justices fault the Nebraska ban, similar to laws in a majority of the states at the time, for its ambiguity about precisely what type of medical procedure is prohibited and for lacking an exception for the health of the mother. Gonzales v. Carhart, 2007, 5-4 vote The court decides that a federal Partial Birth Abortion Act, involving the same type of procedure as in the Nebraska dispute and without an exception for the woman's health, is constitutional. The majority distinguishes the ruling from the 2000 case by noting that Congress developed findings that the procedure would never be necessary for the health of the mother. Another factor in the reversed course was that in 2000, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor had voted to strike down the partial-birth ban. She was succeeded by Samuel Alito in 2006, and in 2007 he cast the fifth vote in favor of the ban. Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, 2016, 5-3 vote The court strikes down a Texas abortion law imposing strict regulations on doctors and facilities, finding that the 2013 statute put an undue burden on women exercising their right under the U.S. Constitution to end a pregnancy. The court declares that both provisions of the law - requiring physicians who perform abortions to have difficult-to-obtain "admitting privileges" at a local hospital and requiring clinics to install costly hospital-grade facilities - violate abortion rights. The ruling marked the firmest endorsement of U.S. abortion rights since the 1992 Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey ruling. (Compiled by Joan Biskupic in Washington; Editing by Will Dunham) MADRID (Reuters) - Spain's center-right People's Party (PP) came first in a general election on Sunday, but acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy fell short of a majority for the second time in six months and will face arduous talks to reach a form a government. All other parties fell or were stable and with no easy coalition in sight. Talks to reach a majority could take weeks. The constitution does not set a deadline for the process. Following are the major issues and scenarios which will determine who becomes Spain's next premier: CALENDAR Once the new parliament and senate are operational, from July 19 onwards, it will be up to King Felipe VI to nominate a candidate to become prime minister though he would normally wait until the parties can agree on a nominee. If the candidate fails to secure an absolute majority on the floor of the 350-seat lower house -- at least 176 votes -- then a second vote is held 48 hours later. At the second vote, the candidate only needs a simple majority of votes cast. With abstentions, the required majority would therefore be lower. If the candidate still falls short, the King must put forward another one. If no candidate can assemble a majority within two months of the first vote, new elections must be held. Until December's inconclusive ballot, a parliamentary majority had always been secured within one to two months in all general elections held since 1977. If none is forthcoming this time, new elections may again be in the offing. CENTRE-RIGHT PACT BETWEEN THE PP AND CIUDADANOS A tie-up between the PP and the centrist Ciudadanos would reach 169 seats, just seven short of an absolute majority. They could potentially attract a further six seats from regional parties in the Basque Country and the Canary Islands. In contrast to the last election, Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera has not ruled out a pact with the PP, though the party has insisted that Rajoy should not lead any coalition. 'GRAND COALITION' BETWEEN THE PP AND THE SOCIALISTS Rajoy's preferred option ahead of the vote was a "grand coalition" of the traditional conservative and socialist parties. This would total 222 seats and provide enough stability to keep reforming the economy over the next four years. Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez had ruled out this option on several occasions before the election but on Sunday he said he would put the socialists' parliamentarians "at the service of the general interest". PP MINORITY GOVERNMENT If Rajoy were not able to secure the backing of centre-right parties or the Socialists, he could attempt to form a minority government with the PP's 137 seats. In that case, he would be relying on the Socialists and Ciudadanos to abstain in any test of confidence in his government. CENTRE-LEFT COALITION BETWEEN UNIDOS PODEMOS AND PSOE A combination of all left-wing forces would fall short of a majority with 156 seats and is highly unlikely given the falling support for the socialist party as well as major policy differences between Socialists and Unidos Podemos. (Compiled by Dave Graham; Edited by Julien Toyer and Mark Bendeich) Greg and Vanessa Blasic are no ordinary father-daughter duo. After climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest peak, in 2005, the pair from Rancho Santa Fe, California, made a pact to scale the highest mountains on each continent, a feat fewer than 400 people have accomplished. And after 12 years of intense training and climbing, Greg, 56, and Vanessa, 27, finally accomplished their goal when they conquered Mount Everest last month. "We help each other. I could help her when she had small problems with her stomach or nausea and she helped me with climbing skills because hers are better than mine," Greg told the San Diego Union-Tribune. Greg and Vanessa now belong to an elite group of climbers in the "7 summits club" who have conquered some of the world's tallest peaks, which include 19,341-foot Kilimanjaro in Africa, 18,510-foot Mount Elbrus in Russia, 7,310-foot Mount Kosciuszko in Australia, 22,841-foot Aconcagua in South America, 20,308-foot Denali in Alaska, 16,050-foot Mount Vinson in Antarctica and, of course, the tallest existing mountain standing at 29,029 feet Asia's Mount Everest. "It taught me that I can get through anythinga" Vanessa told the outlet. Vanessa went on her first major climb with her father and two brothers Nick, 32, and Greg Jr., 29 in 2002. They took on 14,505-foot Mount Whitney, the highest summit in the contiguous United States, located in the Sierra Nevada. And it was only the beginning. Three years later Vanessa, Greg and Nick traveled to Tanzania to take on Mount Kilimanjaro. "When we finished it, everybody was asking us what we were going to climb next and we just thought, let's keep going," Vanessa told the San Diego Union-Tribune. Greg and Vanessa enrolled in a Washington mountaineering school in 2006 and for the next few years, the father and daughter traveled around the world making it their mission to become members of the 7 summits club. "A positive attitude and environment leads to success on the mountain and in life. I found that when there is negativity, it can significantly affect performance and the outcome of your endeavorsa that being able to recover from setbacks quickly will lead to success," Greg told the San Diego Union-Tribune. But their quest wasn't easy. Greg, who says tackling Everest was "rewarding," got frostbite while climbing the massive mountain in May. The pair began their Everest journey on May 20 at 8 p.m. with a guide and two Nepalese sherpas, according to the told the San Diego Union-Tribune. Burning about 8,000 calories a day, Greg and Vanessa climbed day and night sometimes in temperatures at 20 below zero. "I can't describe how it felt, but to be at that elevation, seeing everything, it was rewarding," Greg told the publication. Need a little inspiration? Click here to subscribe to the Daily Smile Newsletter for uplifting, feel-good stories that brighten up your inbox. Greg was so excited about the climb that he didn't realize five of his fingers and his right food were completely frozen. A medical helicopter picked Greg and Vanessa up at a camp 21,500 feet up the mountain to treat his frostbite. Greg, who is in recovery (doctor's still aren't sure if he'll need amputation), says he and Vanessa can't wait to get back to climbing. "I was amazed at what we'd done, not just on Everest, but everything we accomplished since Kilimanjaro. It was an amazing family," Vanessa said. These FDNY emergency medical technicians are celebrating more than pride at New York City's annual parade they are also reveling in a surprise engagement. Read: Man Propose to His Spin Instructor Boyfriend With The Help Of Their Workout Class According to EMT Julianna Arroyo from FDNY Station 20 in the Bronx, marching in the parade was especially important to her and her girlfriend Erika Marrero, who is also an EMT for the FDNY, in light of the recent Orlando nightclub shooting. "It hit really close to home for us," Arroyo said in a Facebook post by the New York City Fire Department. "We wanted to walk in the parade in honor of the 49 victims. At the same time, I wanted to give Erika something positive to remember from the parade," Arroyo continued. So, surrounded by fellow uniformed firefighters and a sea of rainbow flags, Arroyo got down on one knee to propose to the unsuspecting Marrero. The crowd cheered as Arroyo put the ring on Marrero's finger, and the two kissed and hugged to solidify their new engagement. The blushing bride-to-be has since changed her Facebook profile photo to one of her and her fiance kissing, with the words, "Future Mrs." Read: Governor Cuomo Announces Plans for NYC Monument to Orlando Massacre The two EMTs are among the many who celebrated new engagements in pride marches around the globe. At London's pride event, a uniformed police officer can be seen straying from the line up, and dropping to one knee to propose to his unsuspecting boyfriend who watched the parade from behind the barricade. Watch: A Rainbow Across the World As Mourners, Monuments Pay Tribute to Orlando Shooting Victims Related Articles: For Immediate Release Chicago, IL June 27, 2016 Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This weeks list includes FedEx (FDX), Oracle (ORCL), Adobe ( ADBE) and Alcoa (AA). To see more earnings analysis, visit https://at.zacks.com/?id=3207. Every day, Zacks.com makes their Bull Stock of the Day available, free of charge. To see it, click here . Q2 Earnings Season Gets Underway No one is expected to pay attention to earnings given the unexpected Brexit vote, but the Q2 earnings season has gotten underway, with results from 10 S&P 500 members already out. All of these early reporters, which includes major operators like FedEx (FDX), Oracle (ORCL) and Adobe ( ADBE), have fiscal quarters ending in May, but get clubbed as part of the June quarter tally. We have another 11 index members with fiscal quarters ending in May on deck to report results this week. All in all, we will have seen Q2 results from almost two dozen S&P 500 members by the time Alcoa ( AA) comes out with its results on July 11th. We are about three weeks away from the reporting cycle really ramping up. Expectations for the Quarter Total earnings for the 10 index members that have reported results are up +4.1% on +4.2% higher revenues, with 60% beating EPS estimates and equal proportion coming ahead of top-line expectations. Comparison of the Q2 results thus far with prior periods offers a mixed picture. But its likely too small a sample to draw any conclusions from in any case. For Q2 as a whole, total earnings for the S&P 500 are expected to be down -6.1% on -0.7% lower revenues, with growth in negative territory for 9 of the 16 Zacks sectors. As has been the pattern in other recent periods, the Energy sector remains the biggest drag on the aggregate growth picture, with total earnings for the sector expected to be down -78.9% on -27.1% lower revenues. Excluding the Energy sector, earnings for the rest of the index would be down -2.7%. Story continues Estimates for Q2 faithfully followed the well-trodden path of previous quarters. As negative as this revisions trend looks, it is nevertheless an improvement over what we had seen in the comparable period(s) in other recent quarters. The improved commodity-price backdrop and the reduced dollar drag are some of the explanations for this development. It will be interesting to see if this trend of decelerated negative revisions will continue this earnings season. But we will have to wait a few more weeks to get a better read on this development after companies start reporting June quarter results and guide towards Q3 estimates. Current estimates for Q3 are showing flat growth from the year-earlier level. Expectations Beyond Q2 Growth is expected to be negative in 2016 Q2 and flat in the following quarter. The only meaningful positive earnings growth this year is expected to come from the last quarter of the year, which is then expected to continue into 2017 when earnings for the S&P 500 index are expected to be up in double-digits. We will see if those estimates will hold up as we reach the last quarter of the year. But given what we have seen over the last few quarters, the odds dont look that favorable. About the Zacks Rank Since 1988, the Zacks Rank has proven that "Earnings estimate revisions are the most powerful force impacting stock prices." Since inception in 1988, #1 Rank stocks have generated an average annual return of +28%. During the 2000-2002 bear market, Zacks #1 Rank stocks gained +43.8%, while the S&P 500 tumbled -37.6%. Also note that the Zacks Rank system has just as many Strong Sell recommendations (Rank #5) as Strong Buy recommendations (Rank #1). Since 1988, Zacks Rank #5 stocks have significantly underperformed the S&P 500 (+3% versus +10%). Thus, the Zacks Rank system allows investors to truly manage portfolio trading effectively. Zacks "Profit from the Pros" e-mail newsletter offers continuous coverage of the industries and the stocks poised to outperform the market. 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Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report FEDEX CORP (FDX): Free Stock Analysis Report ORACLE CORP (ORCL): Free Stock Analysis Report ADOBE SYSTEMS (ADBE): Free Stock Analysis Report ALCOA INC (AA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. From ELLE "You are clearly depressed," my friend said to me as I picked at the rice on my plate. I didn't even look up. "I've known you for years, and I wouldn't say this lightly, but you just look absolutely exhausted and sad," he continued, totally and completely correct. In the last six months, I lost my father, broke up with my long-term boyfriend (the two things are not unrelated), had my best friend of 27 years come out, and was promoted. It was a lot. And the shock of the death of my father was giving way to a deep sadness. "I can't start every conversation with, 'Hey, my dad just died and I've lost all meaning in life!'" I told one of my besties. "You can start any conversation the way you want," she would try to assure me. She's a good friend, but she's wrong; no one wants to hang out with the perpetually sad girl. I needed to do something, feel good about something. So, I took a page from Kylie Jenner. I am 31, almost 32. I've drank hard and smoked a lot, but for the most part, people generally think I'm 26 or 27. I get carded all the time. So my decision to get Juvederm in my lips, or my "lips done," if you will, didn't have a lot to do with feeling old. It had to do with wanting something different. Just a little something, a tiny secret of Jenner-like proportions. I needed to do something, feel good about something. So, I took a page from Kylie Jenner. I'd never really liked my lips before, and make up artists will tell you: they don't hold lipstick and have a slight downturned look to them that kind of gave me a perpetual frown. But I never really considered doing anything about it until Kylie Jenner, who has now built an entire empire around her pout. Her lips are fake, she has admitted, but I will also admit: they are beautiful. And here is the type of feminist that I am: I own my body. It is mine, for better or worse. I have stuck needles filled with ink all over it to redefine my own concept of beauty on my skin. I have chopped and dyed my hair into shapes and colors that don't often look right on a person whose title includes, "Vice President." I have dressed in ripped and torn garments to challenge the belief that "femininity" is a defining part of womanhood. I have never apologized for using my body precisely as I want it to be used. Story continues It's not as though I'm unaware of the argument that plastic surgery is a mode of capitulation to the male gaze. At the very moment I was sitting in the office of Dr. Elizabeth Hale on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, I received the always poignant Lenny Letter, the newsletter run by Lena Dunham, which included an essay by actress Amanda Peet talking about why she has never had Botox. "Letting my face age naturally will be my ace in the hole. My counterclaim. Proof that I didn't pander to the male gaze," she writes. Her point is that she has refused to engage in the un-winnable race to a more youthful state. It has to do with a refresh, with wanting to take care of something that has, in its petty way, annoyed me since I was a teenager. It also has to do with faking it on the outside until the inside feels better. Yet, my decision to go uptown on a Friday afternoon, where I iced my face nervously while sitting in the waiting room, had nothing to do with the male gaze, I told myself. Hey, I'm the girl who can't even go on a date without blurting out something about what stage of grief I am currently in; I'm not about making men more comfortable or happy at the moment. It has to do with a refresh, with wanting to take care of something that has, in its petty way, annoyed me since I was a teenager. It also has to do with faking it on the outside until the inside feels better. In Peet's essay, she extols the virtue of her brainy, accomplished doctor sister, who seems as disinterested in her looks as Peet is invested in hers. She could be a swap for Dr. Hale. Not to say that Dr. Hale looked unkempt; she was just no-nonsense. A lab coat and scrubs, comfy ortho-clogs, and her hair pulled back in a ponytail, she wasn't the Dr. Frampf or suave playboy that shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt or Nip/Tuck might have us believe. "People should choose a doctor whose aesthetic you might trust," Dr. Hale says. Check. I asked her if she was surprised to see someone as young as me in her office as she was applying numbing cream to my face, and she almost laughed. "There is no normal age," she tells me. "It's not unusual that the lips are something that people come in for when they are thinking of a minor cosmetic procedure. It's such a focal point." "So," I asked her. "How are you going to make me not look crazy?" The idea of being known as the girl who had the breakdown and turned to plastics was not super appealing to me. "There is a ratio, generally, for lips. It is 1 to 1.6, as the bottom lip is generally fuller, and it's important to keep that ratio in mind. It's very important to maintain the arch, that 'cupid's bow', of the upper lip. That's why lip fillers get a bad rap.... If you overfill it, you get what is called an 'effacement of the Cupid's bow.' Or duck lips," she says. "Also," she explains, "look at the cutaneous lip, the mustache area. If you have a large one [Edit: I do not], don't try to fill it in.'" Juvederm Ultra, she explains, is made from an ingredient called hyaluronic acid, which is naturally occurring and simply acts as a volumizer, binding to water and elasticizing skin. The effects of the Juvederm last anywhere between six and nine months, and then the Juvederm gets absorbed back into your body. So, unlike my tattoos, this treatment wasn't permanent, wouldn't freeze my face or make me look plastic or unrecognizable. But it is injected into your face, which is why she says it is important to see a board-certified derm or plastic surgeon. The risks are low, but having your internist or facialist do this is just a bad idea. Dr. Hale goes to work, sticking needles in my upper and lower lips. I am one-hundred percent certain that she is injecting too much. She must have put ounces in there, maybe gallons. But when she is done, she has told me that she has used only 70% of a single unit, opting to keep things natural. It's less painful than getting my tattoos-it just felt like having a cystic zit. She shows it to me and asks if I like it. I do, though my lips look stung and a little painful. But looking back at me is a person I like, one who doesn't look like she has just put herself through an emotional wringer. Just a fresher version of myself, but entirely me. She steps back and looks at her work, and her professional demeanor slips. "Gorgeous," she says. She calls in her assistant to look. I get now what Amanda Peet is talking about a little bit, how women are praised for being fresh and attractive, but also how it feels good. "You look great!" Dr. Hale says. And I can tell she means it. Truth be told, I don't see that much of a difference. I went out the evening of the procedure to a (darkly lit) club, and the next night to a bar, and no one accused me of being a botched science project. In fact, the lasting effects were pretty minimal. Except now I have less trouble wearing lipstick. And maybe this is psychosomatic but when I apply a tint, it doesn't look like it is desperately fleeing from my mouth in terror. I'm more confident in my lipstick-wearing abilities, which is (to my friends, at least) a true miracle. Putting filler in my lips isn't going to make my sads go away. It isn't even going to make them marginally better. But it was, in the same way that getting a tattoo after Prince died or cutting my hair post breakup, a way to reclaim my body and make my own mark, to feel better when all I wanted to feel was sorry for myself. To be clear: I am not suggesting using fillers or injectables as any sort of way to deal with trauma. But for me, putting a temporary gel solution into my skin is not a capitulation to the male gaze. It is not something I apologize for doing. The stigma is simply not one we should be entertain, anymore. Especially since, for the first time in over six months, I don't look like I've been hit by a bus driven by angry ghosts. This "fix," if you can call it that, is like anything that occurs externally: Totally, entirely temporary. Truth be told, I would be happy to see Dr. Hale again. Except, this time, I won't be as nervous about the skin pricks. After all, I've got nearly a sleeve of tattoos, so a tiny injection is a walk in the park. And maybe a step forward, too. Fifth Harmony, out on their first major South American tour, hit a small snafu Sunday when their Buenos Aires, Argentina, venue Luna Park canceled the group's show 24 hours before curtain time. Show promoter MOVE Concerts quickly regrouped and moved the show to the DirectTV Arena, where they accepted all tickets purchased for the Luna Park show. The venue change was merely a blip in a well-crafted tour that is slowly but surely building on Fifth Harmony's growing Latin American appeal, taking them to Peru (June 22), Chile (June 24), Argentina (June 25) and, most prominently, Brazil, where they'll play shows in five cities. Billboard Cover: Fifth Harmony on Surviving Pop-Star Fame & 'Finally Having a Damn Voice' "They've been stronger than we projected," admits MOVE Concerts CEO Phil Rodriguez, who first brought Fifth Harmony to Latin America in 2014, when they played the Z Festival in Sao Paulo and Brasilia. At that point, the group wasn't even the festival opener; Austin Mahone was. Less than two years later, Fifth Harmony is almost selling out arenas. "Sao Palo and Rio blew up immediately," Rodriguez says. "They sold out in two, three days. In Chile, we originally put out 4,000 tickets [at Arena Movistar] and had to double the capacity." The tour was built on the success of those 2014 Brazilian dates, coupled with Sony's push behind "Work From Home." See Fifth Harmony's Gorgeous Billboard Cover Shoot Lima, Santiago and Buenos Aires were all brand-new markets for Fifth Harmony, as will be the Brazilian cities of Curitiba and Porto Alegre. To date, four out of eight Fifth Harmony shows are sell-outs, with most of them taking place at venues with a capacity of 4,500 to 5,500, except for Chile and Sao Paulo (7,500). And while the quick sales did surprise Rodriguez, overall he expected good results. "South America has always been a strong adolescent market," says Rodriguez, who recently presented shows by Justin Bieber. In Argentina, for example, one of the strongest radio stations in the market is Radio Disney. Beyond mainstream media, Fifth Harmony is an almost permanent Twitter trending topic in every market they touch. By 3 p.m. on Monday (June 27), for example, #5HnoBrasil (Fifth Harmony in Brazil), was the country's top trending topic, with over half a million tweets. #Welcometobrazilcamila -- in reference to 5H's Camila Cabello -- was also a trending topic, albeit a far more modest one (over 10,000 mentions). "Fifth Harmony is a classic case of an artist investing in the region and having management, agency, label and promoter work together to grow their market," says Rodriguez. There are many reasons why a Republican politician might prefer not to appear on stage next month when the GOP is expected to nominate Donald Trump as its presidential candidate in Novembers election. Some dont want to be seen as endorsing a demagogue. Others worry that Trump is an opportunist whose policy positions shift in the wind. Another good reason -- though one that generally goes unspoken -- is that nobody can be sure what will happen on that stage in Cleveland next month with Trump in charge, and in the event the Trump Train derails on live television and in front of the Partys most dedicated supporters, the smart move is to be far, far away. Related: Trump Moves to Seize the Day Amid Brexit Chaos Thats probably why, when Politico contacted 50 prominent Republicans over the last week, reporters found only a handful who planned to speak or expressed openness to the idea. And on Monday, Trump obligingly provided an example of why they might feel uncomfortable signing on to appear as he takes control of the party by demonstrating that with the former reality television star you never know, even from hour to hour, what he will say or do. On Monday morning, his likely Democratic rival for the Oval Office, Hillary Clinton, appeared on stage at a rally with frequent Trump critic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, of Massachusetts. Warren has been gleefully taunting Trump at every opportunity, characterizing him as shallow, greedy, and callous. Her attacks have looked very much as though they were designed to provoke a reaction from the billionaire, and they have, with relative predictability, done just that. Trump took to calling Warren Pocahontas on the stump, in reference to what he insists are false claims to have an American Indian ancestor. He calls her goofy and says she has been an ineffective legislator. After Mondays Clinton rally, however, it looked as though Team Trump had convinced its candidate to allow him to be reined in ever so slightly. The campaign responded to Warrens attacks him with a prepared statement that was, by Trump standards, pretty sedate. Story continues Related: As Trump Touts His Judgment, Some GOP Leaders Back Away Calling Warren a sellout and a turncoat, Trump accused her of betraying the causes she has worked for, including increased income equality and more regulation of Wall Street by endorsing Clinton. It looked much more like a standard campaign attack than Trumps usual broadsides, and included links to media accounts that it claimed prove Warrens hypocrisy. Notably, it avoided all mention of Pocahontas -- a name that has brought Trump under increased criticism from people already concerned that he is a racist or is, at minimum, pandering to angry white voters with his attacks on minorities. In the brief interval after the statement was released, journalists speculated on social media if this was a sign that the Trump campaign had asserted some control over its candidate. Related: House GOP Leaders and Trump Find Common Ground on New Tax Proposals The speculation lasted until Trump did a phone interview with NBC News, in which he called Warren a racist and a fraud, and said that he uses the Pocahontas nickname for a reason. Asked if he is making an effort to change his image, he said, I do what I do. I've listened to this for a long time - at the beginning of the primaries, He should do this, he should do that. I won in a landslide. But among Republicans there is an increasing concern that Trump is fighting the last war rather than recognizing that a general election campaign is vastly different from a Republican primary election. Trumps political problems are so grievous, that nearly two in three Americans believe the billionaire businessman and former reality TV host is not qualified to lead the nation and are highly anxious about the notion of him serving as commander in chief, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll released on Sunday. Related: Clinton Assumes Role of Anti-Trump After Brexit Win The nationwide poll one of three released over the past few days spelling bad news for Trump showed the bellicose Trump trailing Hillary Clinton by 12 percentage points, 51 percent to 39 percent. That was her biggest lead in Post-ABC News poll since last fall, and marked a substantial pick up for the former secretary of state since last month, when Trump held a slight lead, 46 percent to 44 percent. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Friday had a similar finding of a Clinton double-digit lead over Trump, 46.6 percent to 33.3 percent. Another 20 percent of the respondents said they probably wouldnt support either candidate. The third poll, released Sunday by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News, was more of an outlier, although it nonetheless showed Clinton slightly ahead of Trump. That poll showed Clinton leading Trump by five percentage points, 46 percent to 41 percent. However, even this more modest lead virtually vanishes when the third party candidates are factored in. With Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson and Green Party nominee Jill Stein included in the list, Clintons lead over Trump shrinks to just one percentage point, according to the poll. There is no apparent explanation for the discrepancy in the three polls, which were all conducted roughly the same time, between June 20 and 24, during a remarkably tumultuous period for the Republicans in which Trump troubled many in his own party with his controversial responses to the terrorist mass killings at a gay Orlando nightclub, his renewed call for barring Muslims from this country and the aftermath of his racist comments about a federal judge with a Mexican American heritage. Related: Clinton Increases Her Lead Over Trump Clinton, for sure, continues to generate widespread doubt and distrust among Democrats and Republicans alike, especially over her mishandling of her government email during four years as secretary of state. Whats more, she appears to be struggling against Trump in several battleground states, including Pennsylvania and Ohio, which will be crucial in the all-important battle for electoral votes in November. However, 56 percent of the public says that Trump does not reflect their beliefs, according to the Washington Post-ABC News poll. And 56 percent feel strongly that he is not qualified to sit in the Oval Office. Notably, nearly a third of all Republicans and GOP-leaning independents feel strongly that Trump is not qualified to be president, while 18 percent of them say Trump does not reflect their beliefs. Over the weekend, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) caused a stir when he refused during an interview on ABCs This Week program to say whether he thought Trump was qualified to be president. I think theres no question that hes made a number of mistakes over the last few weeks, he said. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: File this under *finally*: U.S. military set to lift ban on transgender people File this under *finally*: U.S. military set to lift ban on transgender people The shameful policy of Dont Ask, Dont Tell was repealed in 2011, allowing openly gay men and women to serve in the military without hiding their sexual orientation. This was a monumental step toward equality and acceptance, but like so many steps forward for gay rights in recent years, one group was left behind: transgender people. That is, until now. Defense Secretary Ash Carter is set to announce the lifting of a ban on transgender people serving in the military, possibly as early as next week. For the past year, a Pentagon task force has been assessing the best way to go about lifting the ban and dealing with any logistical changes it might entail. Ashley Broadway-Mack, President of the American Military Partner Association, released a statement applauding the decision: Soon, anyone who is qualified will finally be able to serve our great nation, regardless of their gender identity. We are eagerly anticipating the details of this historic announcement, and we are incredibly grateful for the leadership Secretary Carter has shown in getting us to this critically important point for our military families. As usual, were slightly torn between wanting to celebrate and wanting to vent our frustration because seriously, why did this take so long? But in any case, this is great news and were glad that the military is changing its policies to reflect a more open and accepting culture. The post File this under *finally*: U.S. military set to lift ban on transgender people appeared first on HelloGiggles. From Cosmopolitan It's not every day that you turn 100 years old - and the firefighters of Norfolk, Virginia wanted to make sure that local woman Jeanette Carty had a centennial birthday she'd never forget. As the Norfolk Fire-Rescue explained in a Facebook post, Jeanette's late husband, Joe Carty, served as a firefighter for the city for 30 years, along with her nephew and his father. Jeanette was basically a part of the Fire-Rescue family as a result, and they wanted to show her just how special her 100th birthday was to all of them. On Thursday, the Norfolk Fire-Rescue decided to surprise her on her big day by showing up at her front doorstep with a beautiful bouquet of flowers and a round of applause. The whole thing was painfully adorable and will probably restore your faith in humanity just a little bit. Follow Gina on Twitter. By Noah Berger SOUTH LAKE, Calif. (Reuters) - Firefighters have begun to contain a wildfire in central California that has killed at least two people and destroyed 200 structures, fire officials said on Sunday, as six other blazes burned in the state in an already intense wildfire season. The fire known as Erskine, about 110 miles (180 km) north of Los Angeles, smoldered over a wide area on Sunday after melting steel and reducing homes to ash in an intense conflagration on Thursday and Friday. The Erskine fire was 10 percent contained after charring 36,810 acres, or nearly 60 square miles, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said, adding it was expected to be contained by Thursday. California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for Kern County. In addition to the 200 destroyed structures, 75 homes have been damaged. "Two fatalities have been confirmed. Additional fatalities are possible due to the extreme fire behavior during the initial hours of the incident," the Kern County Fire Department said in a statement on Sunday. Investigators were studying a third set of charred remains to determine whether they were human. More than 1,700 firefighters were working on the fire at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada range. Hundreds of people from more than 10 communities were evacuated as Erskine spread rapidly on Thursday and Friday as winds drove it south and east from the Lake Isabella reservoir. "I got out just as the flames were at my back fence," said Terralyn Lehman, who is staying at a campground with her mother and her dog after their home in South Lake was destroyed. She and her mother were awoken by the sound of a propane tank exploding. Lehman said her mother told her "'grab your dog and go.' So I did." Crews worked in steep, rugged terrain, fighting flames fueled by hot weather and brush, grass and chaparral left bone dry by a five-year drought. Helicopters and air tankers were also in action. But a drone operated by a private individual caused suspension of air operations for a time on Sunday, said U.S. Fire Service public information officer Jim Mackensen. Also on Sunday, a family returned to the wreckage of their burnt-out home in South Lake. Lucas Martin, his step-son and the young man's girlfriend embraced each other after they managed to locate and retrieve a cherished family heirloom that withstood the inferno. (Writing by Fiona Ortiz in Chicago; Editing by Dan Grebler and Kim Coghill) Prosthetics have given our dogs, ducks and turtles a better quality of life. Now, Kiwi the fish can be added to the roster of rehabilitated pets. Kiwi, a pet fish from Missouri, lost his eye to a cataract and was subsequently picked on by his bowlmates, BuzzFeed reported. "They figured out which eye was not working," Kiwi's owner, Julie Morgan, said, according to BuzzFeed. "They'd go up behind him, biting his tail. He had chunks of his tail taken out." Damn. Cold-blooded. Thankfully, this fish story has a happy ending. Kiwi's vet, Megan Baebler of Kersting Veterinary Hospital, created and successfully implanted a prosthetic eye. "I actually hand-painted the eye myself," Baebler told local television station KTVI. "I used a mixture of some nail polish and some eye shadow pigments, actually, to give it some iridescence." Kiwi's prosthetic eye Surgery on fish? There are a lot of conflicting studies on whether or not fish feel pain, and a Google search into whether fish can feel "self-conscious' was futile. Still, experts say we should still treat fish ethically. "Although scientists cannot provide a definitive answer on the level of consciousness for any non-human vertebrate, the extensive evidence of fish behavioral and cognitive sophistication and pain perception suggests that best practice would be to lend fish the same level of protection as any other vertebrate," professor Culum Brown, author of the paper "Fish Intelligence, Sentience and Ethics" said, according to Psychology Today. "We should therefore include fish in our 'moral circle' and afford them the protection they deserve." So maybe think twice before flushing your Kiwis down the drain. By Eveline Danubrata and Yuddy Cahya JAKARTA, June 27 (Reuters) - A group of Ford Motor Co's biggest dealers in Indonesia are demanding around $75 million in compensation after the U.S. carmaker announced in January it would close all operations in Southeast Asia's biggest economy. Six businesses which oversee 31 Ford dealerships in Indonesia have sent a second letter about possible legal action to Ford, Ford International Services and PT Ford Motor Indonesia, the businesses said in a joint statement on Monday. Ford did not provide immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. The dealers, which said they accounted for 85 percent of Ford's total sales in Indonesia, will take the Ford companies to a Jakarta court if there is no settlement, Harry Ponto, the dealers' legal representative, told Reuters by phone. Ford's decision to exit the archipelago came "out of the blue" for local dealers, which had made sizeable investments in showrooms and other facilities to support an expansion plan that Ford announced in 2011, Ponto said. "This is something that was done unilaterally and was unfair for the Indonesian partners. It's an action that is beneath an international brand like Ford," Ponto said. Ford's move could damage the confidence of Indonesian businesses in foreign investors, he said. The automaker, which had a less than one percent market share in Indonesia, said it would exit all areas of business including sales and imports as it saw "no reasonable path to profitability" in the country. Ford is not the only U.S. carmaker to struggle for market share in Indonesia, which is dominated by Japan's Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd. Last year, General Motors Co shut its factory near Jakarta. (http://reut.rs/28XQvwS) One of the Ford dealers, PT Kreasi Auto Kencana, invested more than 500 billion rupiah ($37.5 million) on buildings, equipment and manpower over the last few years, Nugroho Suharlim, Kreasi's operation and marketing division head, told Reuters by phone. The company now faces substantial losses, Suharlim said, adding that the contract it signed with Ford, which was renewable every two years, did not contain any clause governing what would happen if Ford were to pull out of the country. ($1 = 13,320.00 rupiah) (Reporting by Eveline Danubrata and Yuddy Cahya; Editing by Christopher Cushing) By Eveline Danubrata and Yuddy Cahya JAKARTA (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co's (F.N) dealers in Indonesia are demanding around $75 million in compensation after the U.S. carmaker announced in January it would close all operations in Southeast Asia's biggest economy. The car market in Indonesia is dominated by Japan's Toyota Motor Corp and Honda Motor Co Ltd . Last year, General Motors Co (GM.N) shut its factory near Jakarta. (http://reut.rs/28XQvwS) Six businesses which oversee 31 Ford dealerships in Indonesia say they have sent a second letter about possible legal action to Ford, Ford International Services and PT Ford Motor Indonesia. In a joint statement on Monday, the dealers say they will take the Ford companies to a Jakarta court if there is no settlement, Harry Ponto, the dealers' legal representative, told Reuters by phone. They say they account for 85 percent of Ford's total sales in Indonesia. Ford's decision came "out of the blue" for local dealers, which had made sizeable investments in showrooms and other facilities to support an expansion plan that Ford announced in 2011, Ponto said. "This is something that was done unilaterally and was unfair for the Indonesian partners. It's an action that is beneath an international brand like Ford," Ponto said. Ford's move could damage the confidence of Indonesian businesses in foreign investors, he said. The automaker, which had a less than one percent market share in Indonesia, said in January it would exit all areas of business including sales and imports. Ford said it was engaging with its dealers to implement its plan to exit Indonesia later this year, while ensuring that its customers continue to receive service, parts and warranty support. "Our decision to exit the Indonesia market came after pursuing every possible option," a company spokesman said in an email on Monday. "It became clear, however, that there would be no path to sustained profitability." One of the Ford dealers, PT Kreasi Auto Kencana, invested more than 500 billion rupiah ($38 million) in buildings, equipment and manpower over the last few years, Nugroho Suharlim, Kreasi's operation and marketing division head, told Reuters by phone. It now faces substantial losses, Suharlim said, adding that the contract it signed with Ford, which was renewable every two years, did not contain any clause governing what would happen if Ford were to leave Indonesia. (Reporting by Eveline Danubrata and Yuddy Cahya; Editing by Christopher Cushing/Ruth Pitchford) TUNIS (Reuters) - The number of foreign tourists visiting Tunisia fell sharply again in the first half of this year, official data showed on Monday, a day after the North African nation marked the first anniversary of an attack by an Islamist gunman who killed 38. The gunman killed his victims, mostly British holidaymakers, on a beach in the resort of Sousse on June 26, 2015, in an attack that dealt a heavy blow to Tunisia's tourism industry, which accounts for eight percent of national output. That attack came three months after gunmen killed 21 tourists at the Bardo National Museum in the capital Tunis. Islamic State militants claimed both attacks. The Tourism Ministry data showed the number of foreign tourists fell by 21.5 percent in the first six months of 2016 compared to the same period last year. The number of foreign tourists fell to 1.82 million in the Jan-June period from 2.32 million in the same period last year. The number of British tourists slumped to just 8,000 from 190,000 in the first half of 2015. Tourism is a key source of foreign currency and jobs for Tunisians, who overthrew veteran ruler Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in a 2011 uprising that brought democracy to the country. Last year tourist arrivals fell to 5.5 million, the lowest level in decades, after several European tour companies and cruise operators suspended operations in the wake of the Sousse attack. Tourism Minister Salma Elloumi Rekik told Reuters last month Tunisia expected to attract 5.5 million foreign tourists this year, about the same as last year, after increasing security at hotels and focusing on new markets. (Reporting By Tarek Amara; Editing by Gareth Jones) Five foreign construction workers kidnapped last week with two Nigerian colleagues after their vehicle was attacked and driver killed have been released, officials said Monday, with two suffering serious injuries. The commissioner of police in Cross River state, Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, told reporters that the men, including three Australians, a New Zealander and a South African, had been set free, without giving further details. They were working for Australian mining and engineering company Macmahon, which has been contracted to cement major LafargeHolcim in the state. The men were seized with their two Nigerian colleagues early on Wednesday morning in the Akpabuyo district of Cross River, near the state capital Calabar. "Our men are at a safe location, but unfortunately five of them were injured during the incident," Macmahon chief executive Sy van Dyk said at a press conference in Perth, Australia. "Three of the men have wounds and two remain in a serious but stable condition. "They all are receiving specialist medical attention. Our priority now is to ensure that all of them are stabilised and ultimately given the all clear to travel." Cross River state security advisor Jude Ngaji had earlier said only the two Nigerians had injuries "while one or two others have some scars". Van Dyk refused to say whether a ransom was paid while thanking the authorities in Nigeria and a team of specialist international security advisers "who have worked with us to help secure this outcome". Kidnapping for ransom has been a long-standing problem in southern Nigeria, particularly in the oil-producing delta region, where criminal gangs target wealthy Nigerians and expatriate workers. Most are usually released after the payment of a ransom. The families of two of the Australians kidnapped, Mark Gabbedy and Jack Couranz, said it had been an "unbelievably stressful" time. "Obviously we are very relieved -- we have spoken to Jack and he seems in very good spirits," the Couranz family said in a statement. Macmahon has an $18 million per year contract with the United Cement Company of Nigeria Ltd (UniCem) for quarrying operations at UniCem's cement manufacturing plant at Mfamosing, near Calabar. UniCem is a joint venture between Franco-Swiss conglomerate LafargeHolcim and Flour Mills of Nigeria, according to the Australian firm's website. ANDOVER, Mass. (AP) -- Former Boston Bruins star Ray Bourque, who's facing a drunken driving charge, says he accepts the responsibility for his actions. Bourque was charged Friday night with operating under the influence of alcohol and following too closely. He posted bail and was released. ''For the first time in my life, I find myself in unfamiliar territory,'' Bourque said in a statement released Sunday. ''I am not happy about the situation I put myself into.'' Andover Police Chief Patrick Keefe said the 55-year-old Bourque was arrested about 11:30 p.m. after his Mercedes-Benz rear-ended a minivan in a construction zone in the city. No injuries were reported. ''I am a very proud person that accepts the responsibility of my actions and have always accepted being in the media eye,'' Bourque said. ''I have used this popularity to try and positively impact as many lives as possible. I am happy that no one was hurt in the accident and thank everyone who has reached out in support of my family and me.'' Bourque is to be arraigned in Lawrence District Court. Police haven't provided a date. According to The Boston Globe, Bourque currently owns Tresca, a restaurant on Boston's North End. (PARIS) French authorities opened a manslaughter inquiry Monday into the May crash of an EgyptAir plane that killed 66 people, saying there is no evidence so far to link it to terrorism. Prosecutors office spokesman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre said the inquiry was launched as an accident investigation, not a terrorism investigation. She said authorities are not at all favoring the theory that the plane was downed deliberately, though the status of the inquiry could eventually change if evidence emerges to that effect. Investigators decided to start the probe before waiting to analyze the planes flight data and voice recorders, based on evidence gathered so far, she said, without elaborating. EgyptAir Flight 804, an Airbus A320 en route from Paris to Cairo, slammed into the Mediterranean on May 19. The reason for the crash remains unclear. The pilots made no distress call, and no group has claimed to have brought down the aircraft. Search teams have recovered its two flight recorders, but they suffered damage and Egyptian investigators were unable to download information from the so-called black boxes. The recorders memory cards arrived Monday in Paris, Egyptian investigators said. Technicians at Frances air accident investigation agency, the BEA, will attempt to clean and repair them, and then send them back to Egypt for analysis, the BEA said in a statement Friday. While the plane was Egyptian and crashed in Egyptian waters, France can also investigate because the plane was manufactured by France-based Airbus and French citizens were among those killed. BERLIN (Reuters) - There is no time to waste organising Britain's exit from the European Union and its aftermath, French President Francois Hollande said on Monday at a joint news conference with the leaders of Germany and Italy. "We must not lose time, neither for dealing in a suitable way with the question of the United Kingdom's exit, nor for providing a new impetus for the EU," he said at the news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. (This version of the story corrects the second paragraph to say 'nor' rather than 'not') (Reporting by Andrew Callus; Editing by Richard Lough and Kevin Liffey) PARIS (Reuters) - A French financial prosecutor requested Swiss bank UBSMay 2, 2015 - U.S. Senator Bob Corker addresses those attending the Greater Memphis Chamber's Industry Councils Luncheon at the Hilton Memphis. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal)
SHARE By Joel Ebert, The Tennessean With less than a month until presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is expected to name his running mate, U.S. Sen. Bob Corker praised the billionaire's recent comments about Britain's historic vote to leave the European Union. In a Sunday morning interview with CNN's Jake Tapper, Corker said he thought Trump's Friday press conference after the Brexit vote was "one of his best events." Corker's remarks came in response to a clip Tapper played of Trump discussing the declining value of the British pound. "If the pound goes down, they're going to do more business," Trump told reporters last week while in Scotland. "You know when the pound goes down, more people are coming to Turnberry, frankly." Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, blasted Trump for several of his comments related to the Brexit vote, saying the real estate mogul is "unfit" to be president. Corker disagreed with Clinton's assessment, saying, "Here he (Trump) was as a business person, an outsider, he happened to be in the country right after the Brexit vote had taken place, supporting his children and demonstrating that he was an outsider." SHARE Lt. Brent McKinness By Jody Callahan of The Commercial Appeal A Memphis firefighter was killed in an off-duty car accident, officials said Sunday. Lt. Brent McKinness, 41, died after a single-car accident in Arkansas Saturday afternoon, Memphis Fire Department Director Gina Sweat said. Arkansas State Police said McKinness was killed when the vehicle he was driving on Interstate 555 in Poinsett County went off the roadway and overturned. McKinness was visiting his parents, Sweat said. "He was very passionate about his job," she said. "He'll be greatly missed." SHARE Residents of the Jago Community braved the heat for the unveiling of a pair of markers recognizing the area's historic value. Joining the celebration were elected officials from Southaven, including Mayor Darren Musselwhite (left) and members of the North Mississippi Cultural Foundation represented by founding president Mike Smith (second from left). Jago is known to be one of the oldest incorporated areas that eventually became part of the city. Following the Civil War, emancipated African-Americans established the community, naming the area after Dr. Abraham Jagoe. At one time, Jago had its own school, cotton gin and, according to Williams, a general store that housed a post office. There are two signs, one on the south side of Church Road at Swinnea Road (shown here) and another on the north side of Star Landing Road at Swinnea Road. (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal) (Stan Carroll/The Commercial Appeal) By Ron Maxey of The Commercial Appeal There was more news than you could shake a stick at in North Mississippi and beyond last week, so let's get to it. We'll start with Sunday's anniversary of the Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage. I know not everyone agrees with it. I know not everyone likes it. Be that as it may, it's the law of the land under the system we established long ago to decide controversial questions. And for many, it affirmed the lives they were already living lives that don't see as a threat to those who live differently. In a project that appeared on commercialappeal.com Friday and in the newspaper Sunday, we focused on several same-sex Mid-South couples impacted in a very personal way by last summer's Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. Two of the couples are DeSoto County residents. They shared in words, photos and videos what their everyday lives are like and how they view measures such as Mississippi's "Religious Freedom" law, an attempt by those who are equally passionate about protecting their religious views. Barring legal action, the law goes into effect Friday. Our work wasn't an attempt to determine right or wrong, but to show real people living their real lives. Listen to their stories, look at their images. You may not probably won't change your mind. At least, though, you'll have a face to put with a concept. And that might make the issue seem a little less threatening for those who have a problem with it. Two DeSoto couples say equality for LGBT couples is headed in the right direction. Listen to Kelly and Heather Harrison and partners Nathan Tipton and Paul Foster discuss the year since the Supreme Court decision legalized same-sex marriage. CRIME AND RESPONSE How law enforcement responds to violent confrontations is the subject of intense scrutiny these days. It's not wrong to hold police accountable if they abuse the considerable power we as a society grant them, but it also shouldn't be wrong to praise them when they handle difficult and dangerous situations the right way. From all indications, the latter was the case in a deadly chase and shootout last week. Police from multiple DeSoto County law enforcement agencies on Wednesday chased a suspect from the driver's license station off U.S. 51 near Hernando to a bank parking lot on Miss. 301 south of Miss. 302 (Goodman Road). There, after a standoff of more than an hour, the man fired at SWAT team officers who had him cornered and they killed him with return fire. District Attorney John Champion wasted no time in calling a news conference the following morning to say police accounts of what happened, coupled with the evidence, supported the view that no one acted inappropriately after the suspect, identified as Quencezola Splunge, refused to negotiate and instead opened fire. Not only did officers do nothing wrong, Champion said, the fact that no one else was injured in a crowded building, during a car chase or in a shootout, is all testament to how much they did right. "I'm not going to prolong (an investigation) when the officers did what they were supposed to do," Champion said. "They protected citizens and took a bad guy off the streets." The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is continuing to tie up its probe of the shooting. If the agency finds reason to believe police overreacted they fired 20 to 25 shots, in Champion's estimation, in response to Splunge's single gunshot we'll certainly report it. Based, however, on Champion's quick and unambiguous response and the anecdotal evidence, it seems police in this case did what they had to do in an unfortunate situation involving someone with an extensive criminal background. JESSICA CHAMBERS Quinton Verdell Tellis, charged with capital murder in the 2014 burning death of Jessica Chambers, returned to Mississippi from Louisiana last week. Tellis' extradition was the first step in the road toward trial, which is likely to shed some long-awaited light on the reasons behind the 19-year-old Chambers' horrific death along a Courtland, Mississippi, roadside. Tellis was brought to the DeSoto County Jail in Hernando, pending an upcoming preliminary hearing in Panola County. District Attorney John Champion, whose office will prosecute the case, said that's likely the only court appearance Tellis will have until trial, which probably won't be until next spring. Champion said the voluminous evidence prosecutors collected during a 16-month investigation will have to be turned over to defense attorneys during discovery, and going through it won't be a quick process. While it'll be take time, it seems safe to say interest won't wane among family, friends and a vast network of social media followers who hang onto every word about the case. When the trial gets underway, it has all the makings of North Mississippi's Trial of the Century. DEMON CHIPMUNKS One of the more interesting lawsuits floating around, about which you may have heard nothing, is the one filed by Democratic state Rep. Jay Hughes of Oxford against Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn. In the suit, Hughes claims Gunn is violating the state constitution by setting a audio playback device to read bills aloud at warp speed. Hughes' attorney says House members refer to it as a "demon chipmunk" voice. Hughes claims it's retaliation by the House's Republican supermajority for Democrats exercising their right to demand that bills be read aloud before a final vote. How this one will turn out is hard to say -- Gunn's lawyers say legislative disputes must be resolved internally and not by the courts. In the meantime, here's the closest thing I could find to demon chipmunks: REMEMBERING JAGO News sometimes gets in the way of the stories we'd rather do. That happened with the aforementioned police chase and shootout. The morning of District Attorney John Champion's news conference, I was scheduled to cover the unveiling of a marker recognizing the gone-but-not-forgotten Jago community. Established by emancipated African-Americans after the Civil War, the community in part of what is now Southaven had a rich and proud history that was shared at the unveiling by 91-year-old Georgia Williams. At one time, as photographer Stan Carroll noted in his photo caption (yes, we got a photo of the event even if we couldn't be there for a story), Jago had its own school, cotton gin and a general store that housed a post office. As DeSoto County continues to develop, it's important to not lose sight of the world that once existed there. So taking a moment to remember Jago just seems the right thing to do. TAKING A BREAK Crossing the Line will take a break next week. I'll be in New York City, which is crossing several lines, but maybe I'll bring back some Mississippi-related news (like whether Mississippi's annual Picnic in Central Park is likely to return next year). So stay tuned, and have a good week while I'm gone. AND FINALLY ... Here's our Mississippi music for the week. I wasn't familiar with this one, and you can draw your own conclusions about the message, but it's a catchy melody to leave you with until I'm back. SHARE By George Will WASHINGTON The Leave campaign won the referendum on withdrawing Britain from the European Union because the arguments on which the Remain side relied made Leave's case. The Remain campaign began with a sham, was monomaniacal with its Project Fear, and ended in governmental thuggishness. The sham was Prime Minister David Cameron's attempt to justify Remain by negotiating EU concessions regarding Britain's subservience to the EU. This dickering for scraps of lost sovereignty underscored Britain's servitude and achieved so little that Remainers rarely mentioned it during their campaign. Project Fear was the relentless and ultimately ludicrous parade of Cassandras, "experts" all, warning that Britain, after more than a millennium of sovereign existence, and now with the world's fifth-largest economy, would endure myriad calamities were it to end its 23-year membership in the EU. Remain advocates rarely even feigned enthusiasm for the ramshackle, sclerotic EU. Instead, they implausibly promised that if Brexit were rejected, Britain although it would then be without the leverage of the threat to leave would nevertheless somehow negotiate substantially better membership terms than Cameron managed when Brexit was an option. Voters were not amused by the Cameron government's threat of what critics called a Punishment Budget to inflict pain on pensioners (e.g., no more free bus passes) and others because Brexit might cause GDP to contract 9.5 percent and home prices might plummet 18 percent. Voters did not like being told that they really had no choice. And that it was too late to escape from entanglement in the EU's ever-multiplying tentacles. And that the very viscosity of the EU's statism guarantees its immortality. Voters chose the optimism of Brexit. Sixty years after Britain's humiliation in the Suez debacle, Britain has a spring in its step, confident that it will flourish when Brussels no longer controls 60 to 70 percent of the British government's actions. Britain was last conquered by an invading army in 1066. In 2016, it repelled an attempted conquest by the EU's nomenklatura. By breaking the leftward-clicking ratchet that moves steadily, and only, toward more "pooled" sovereignty and centralization of power, Brexit refutes the progressive narrative that history has an inexorable trajectory that "experts" discern and before which all must bow. The EU's contribution to this fable is its vow to pursue "ever-closer union." Yes, ever. To understand why Brexit could and should be the beginning of an existential crisis for the EU, look across the English Channel, to France. There, King Clovis recently was invoked 1505 years after his death in 511. Before a particular battle, Clovis promised that if the God to whom his Christian wife prayed would grant him victory, he would become a Christian. He won the battle and converted. Recently, Nicolas Sarkozy, France's once and perhaps future president, said France was "born of the baptism of Clovis," it has a Christian tradition and remains "a country of churches, cathedrals, abbeys and shrines." Actually, 71 percent of the French say religion is unimportant to them and fewer than 4.5 percent attend weekly church services. But Sarkozy was aligning himself with the palpable desire in France and elsewhere in Europe to resist the cultural homogenization that is an intended consequence of EU's pressure for the "harmonization" of the laws and policies of its 28 disparate member nations. In Paris these days there are marches by a group called Generation Identitaire, described as the "hipster right." It aims to rally "young French and Europeans who are proud of their heritage." A recent statement on its website declared that "Islamist attacks" and "the migrant invasion" made 2015 "a turning point in the history of our country." The statement continued: "The French have been silent for too long. ... It is time to show our determination to live on our land, under our laws, our values and with respect to our own identity." Sarkozy, the son of Greek and Hungarian immigrants, sympathizes. Euroskepticism is rising dramatically in many EU nations. There might be other referendums. Or the EU might seek to extinguish this escape mechanism. A poll in Sweden indicated that it might follow Britain out. In France, there could be a campaign for Frexit. Such was the Remain side's intellectual sloth, it wielded the threadbare aspersion that advocating withdrawal amounted to embracing "isolationism." Actually, Brexit was the choice for Britain's international engagement as a nation. The revival of nationhood is a prerequisite for the reinvigoration of self-government through reclaimed national sovereignty. Hence June 23, 2016, is now among the most important dates in postwar European history. George Will's email address is georgewill@washpost.com. SHARE By Michael Farris Over the years, I've worked closely with many of the hundreds of faith leaders who trekked to Trump Tower on Tuesday to meet with presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. I've opposed Trump, and wasn't invited. But even if I had been, I wouldn't have gone. I believe these pilgrims meant well, but I think their judgment about associating with Trump is troubling and unwise. In embracing this brazen man, whether tacitly or overtly, they appear to have forgotten the very premises on which the Moral Majority and the social conservative movement was founded. His candidacy is the antithesis of everything we set out to achieve. The first national meeting of the Moral Majority took place on a snowy day in February 1980. I was a young lawyer from Spokane, and attended as the newly minted Washington state director of Jerry Falwell's organization. We were moved by our beliefs. And if those of us who were gathered had been told, back then, that 36 years later our movement would embrace a candidate like Trump for president, our unanimous response would have been: "It will be a cold day in hell before that happens." From Falwell, Tim LaHaye and other well-known pastors, we heard the message that Bible-believing Christians were not to be silent, nor the tools of any political party. We are conservative, yes. And yes, the Republican Party has been the home of political conservatives. But we were to stand for principle. We wanted leaders who were closely aligned with a biblical worldview on the issues of the day, and we also wanted leaders of good moral character. We recognized, then and now, that no candidate is perfect, but we believed that there were certain lines that could not be crossed if evangelical support was to be forthcoming. If we say now that Trump has not crossed those lines, then we're saying those lines never truly existed. Trump has been all over the map on the biggest political issues of the day, including those most important to evangelical voters. His views on the sanctity of life, the definition of marriage, policies related to transgender individuals, limited government and religious freedom appear to have been written on an Etch A Sketch. In an interview with MSNBC's Chris Matthews a few months ago, he took at least three conflicting positions on abortion in a 24-hour period. It's hard to know where he stood on the issue of gay marriage prior to 2000. I defy anyone to define exactly where he stands on the issue of transgender use of public restrooms. Maybe his fluctuations help him avoid getting pinned down to firm positions on sensitive issues, but it also makes it easy to conclude that he's not a man of principle and that at his core he's a salesman who will say whatever it takes to close the deal. Trump most clearly fails the traditional standard championed by the Christian right on the subject of personal character. Even in 1980, we weren't so naive as to believe that anyone would be free of sin. In fact, the Bible teaches us that every person is a sinner. But we recognized the difference between fallible human beings and those with a complete disregard for decency. More important, we understood the moral peril of those who refuse to acknowledge their sin. Trump, though, claimed the reason he has never repented of his sins is that he has never done anything requiring repentance. This flies in the face of 1 John 1:8, which teaches us, "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." The leaders in attendance at Trump's event know the Bible. It says that we are to love God first and then our neighbor. (Matthew 22: 37-39) Yet they seemingly ignore the childish ridicule that Trump heaps on many of our neighbors: the disabled, Hispanics and women just for starters. The Bible says a leader should not consider himself better than his brothers. But Trump's arrogance he said at one point that he's "the most successful person ever to run for the presidency" is the stuff of legend, and not the hallmark of a godly individual. He's not seen as a man of his word; hundreds of vendors report that his companies have stiffed them after services were rendered. He has dragged our political discourse into the gutter. Even an implicit endorsement of Trump stains the character of the endorser more than it elevates Trump's standing. So if my colleagues who met with him last week don't want to leave this impression, I hope they speak up promptly and clearly. 1980 was a long time ago. I have remained a leader in what we now call the Christian right through my work in the homeschooling movement and involvement in various other conservative causes. I understand all too well that evangelical Christian voters are sick and tired of empty promises from the GOP establishment. We are also shell-shocked from the constant attack on our worldview throughout President Obama's two terms. The prospect of a Hillary Clinton presidency compounds these concerns. I understand completely the desire for a radical change, but up to now, we've fought, and yes, sometimes lost, our political battles from a place of principle. Now, we're being asked to give up our character and just vote Republican. That may be the choice of many voters, but it's not why evangelicals like me got involved in politics. I, for one, won't do it. Neither candidate qualifies as the lesser of the two evils. Michael Farris is chancellor of Patrick Henry College. He wrote this for the Washington Post. In a big change of direction, Apple at WWDC announced plans to use differential privacy in iOS and macOS as a way in which it can collect useful data in order to securely provide its customers with data driven AI services. Why? What is it? And what is it for? Why? Connected technologies are proliferating across every part of modern life, not just in consumer markets everything from public transport to energy supply is impacted. In conjunction with real time big data analysis, these connected technologies make it possible to build insights that werent visible before. You see some evidence of the value of such data in medical research using ResearchKit. Google already collects a huge quantity of such information for its products, but many consumers want more control over the information that is collected about them. However, the Snowden revelations and the creeping nature of both surveillance and sophisticated cybercrime has prompted growing recognition that such information can also be used in negative ways. All the same positive implications of these solutions means Apple wants to build systems that can gather the useful stuff without sacrificing your privacy. Thats also why the company has been insistent on the need for privacy. Differential privacy is Apples response. Among other things, Apple will use it to watch what people do: If everyone starts using a particular emoji it will spot this pattern and offer that emoji up as a recommendation to others, for example. What is differential privacy? Differential privacy enables Apple to collect data and usage patterns for large numbers of people without compromising privacy or security. It does this by mixing on-device data with noise in order to obscure personal information. This protects individual identities while also enabling actionable insights into what they do. Apple says: Differential Privacy adds mathematical noise to a small sample of the individuals usage pattern. As more people share the same pattern, general patterns begin to emerge, which can inform and enhance the user experience. The company is using hashing, sub-sampling and noise injection to achieve this. Hashing permanently scrambles data in such a way that the system can still grab good insight without storing the original information; Subsampling means much of the data Apple is interested in will be analyzed on your device; Noise injection adds random data to help protect against reverse engineering or cross-referencing of your data. One of the most approachable yet comprehensive explanations of this is available here. In use, the differential privacy of the hashes allows Apple to count the frequency with which popular deep links are visited without ever associating a user with a link, the company says. There is debate surrounding the effectiveness of differential privacy, but Apple is not introducing it for everything, instead it is putting it forward in a limited way for specific uses. How is Apple using the differential privacy? Apple is using differential privacy to enable insights in four specific ways: New words added to local dictionaries; Emojis typed by the user so iOS can suggest emoji replacements; Spotlight deep links used inside apps; Lookup hints within Notes. Apple will not collect this information if you choose to opt out of allowing it to do so you remain in control. The company also promises that if you do choose to share your information in this way then your individual privacy cannot be compromised. The company is also developing predictive solutions that work entirely on the device and are not shared with the company, or anyone else. Apple is not collecting data created by the Photos app when it analyzes your photographs, for example, that entire operation is transacted on your device. What next? As the company develops differential privacy tools I imagine it will extend what it does to collect even more useful information, or to enable learned user habits to be privately and securely transported between authorized devices. Ultimately it will want to be able to deliver the same kind of AI-supported solutions its competitors can achieve, but wants to achieve this in a user-focused, deeply private, way. All of this great work in iOS 10 would be meaningless if it came at the expense of your privacy, Apples software boss Craig Federighi told WWDC 2016. Google+? If you use social media and happen to be a Google+ user, why not join AppleHolic's Kool Aid Corner community and join the conversation as we pursue the spirit of the New Model Apple? Want Apple TV tips? If you want to learn how to get the very best out of your Apple TV, please visit my Apple TV website. Got a story? Drop me a line via Twitter or in comments below and let me know. I'd like it if you chose to follow me on Twitter so I can let you know when fresh items are published here first on Computerworld. Theres very little in this world that cant generate data anything that has measurable activity will do it. That includes nearly everything in the business environment, and organizations demand for that information is insatiable. But before data can be analyzed and acted upon, it needs to be captured, stored, and organized. For a long time, IT leaders could ignore the rising tide of data because the cost of storage kept dropping dramatically. Problem is, the cost of managing all that cheap storage has been climbing steadily at the same time. Storage is spinning out of control. According to a study by Primary Data, 51 percent of surveyed IT administrators manage 10 or more different types of storage. One-third scramble to control 20 different storage resources. Where you have multiple architectures and solutions that dont talk to each other, you have deep complexity and inefficiencies, noted Vish Mulchand (@vishmulchand), senior director of product management and marketing, HPE Storage. You have, essentially, technology islands, and thats probably the single largest factor driving complexity. Islands may be great for vacations, but not for data storage. HPE teamed up with Computerworld to create a series of articles that we believe is a rich resource for organizations looking to consolidate and simplify their data storage architecture: Reduce Storage Complexity with HPE Storage. In addition, we wanted to reach out to the Computerworld community to get readers take on the storage complexity challenge. We asked storage pros, How do you increase storage efficiency and reduce storage complexity in the datacenter? Here is a collective view from the Computerworld readership. You can see from the varied responses that it takes a lot of hard work to make things simple, and a variety of techniques exist, depending on the problem at hand and the specific situation. The good news is that there is significant innovation to address these issues. The challenge is picking the right approach this requires careful analysis to find the point where the right technology solution intersects with your specific requirements and capabilities. 1: Everywhere you look, latency. Minimize it. The key to sorting through anything storage-related in the datacenter is to concentrate on latency, not on IOPs (I/O operations per second). IOPs can lie, but latency never does, said Edward Haletky (@texiwill), managing director, The Virtualization Practice. If you can measure latency at all levels, you can pinpoint an issue where latency increases. Haletky suggests you look across your storage environment, at every possible latency point (e.g., your array, host, VM). Each layer adds latency and possible complexity. One latency saving technique, suggests Mike Chase (@dinCloud), CTO, dinCloud, is to perform traditional mechanisms, such as encryption, compression, and de-duplication, before they hit the disk (in-line) versus once theyve been saved to the disk (on-line). If you wait until they are on the disk youll increase system load, as such procedures require further manipulation to increase efficiency. 2: Location, location, location Considering location when creating storage helps streamline interconnection for your hybrid cloud strategies, recommended Chris Sharp (@DigitalRealty), CTO, Digital Realty. By identifying co-location environments to house your storage in close proximity to public cloud compute nodes, [you] can make a connection via a cross-connect to the public cloud, delivering extremely limited lag time without the need for expensive network tethers. With this approach, the overall architecture requires a lot less components to be successful, significantly reducing complexity and reliance on the Internet. 3: Move storage and its management to the cloud Jaspreet Singh (@Jaspreetis), CEO, DRUVA, proposed a nuclear option for on-premises IT. Eliminating the datacenter altogether is the ultimate means to reduce its complexity, said Singh . Moving storage to the cloud eliminates the need for hardware and all the management and overhead required for its infrastructure. IT consultant and blogger Ian Apperley (@ianapperley) of whatiswellington said most of his clients are completely bypassing infrastructure, moving straight to SaaS solutions. Optimizing efficiency and reducing management complexity of storage is a key feature of todays cloud, added Eric Sarault (@esarault), product manager, Internap. Cloud nirvana doesnt come about without some work. Public cloud use introduces its own challenges, such as data migration, performance, security, and latency, admitted ClearSky Data CEO and co-founder, Ellen Rubin (@ellen_rubin), who suggested that administrators should take advantage of managed services to overcome these roadblocks. 4: Software rules the world and your infrastructure Adopt a software-plus-commodity-hardware approach, advised Avinash Lakshman (@hedviginc), CEO and founder, Hedvig. Built on the distributed-systems principles pioneered by web-scale companies, software-defined storage infrastructure brings a cloud-like simplicity into the private datacenter. The benefits from a software-defined, services-based approach are significant, including reduced hardware costs as you now buy inexpensive, commodity storage, said Tim Cuny (@OptimizeWithCMI), VP of solutions, CMI. This architecture removes the inefficiencies present in legacy storage technologies and greatly simplifies storage management because regardless of the data type, there is a single way to provision, manage, replicate, and repurpose these storage resources, said Mark Lewis (@ml62), CEO, Formation Data Systems. The true benefit of a software-defined infrastructure (SDI) approach is that it allows you to change your perspective from managing efficiencies in cost to flexibly delivering efficiencies in time-to-value for your business, added Cuny. 5: Flash: you know its the fastest storage Your most precious asset in a datacenter besides the data itself is time, said Rob Peglar (@Peglarr), VP of advanced storage, Micron Technology. Modern applications require extremely fast I/O, and flash and SSDs have reached sufficient capacities at a low enough price to be considered as a primary storage medium, suggested Ravi Kalakota (@liquidhub), lead partner, LiquidHub. Flashs advantages dont stop at the obvious need for more speed. Security firm Armor uses flash for their extreme performance tier. Jim Rexroat (@armor), an L3 storage engineer, explained that flash drives allow for much denser storage. In fact, theyve been able to almost double storage capacity in the same footprint while greatly reducing heat production and power requirements. 6: A mix of Solid State Drives (SSDs) and HDDs could actually be less confusing For larger environments that combine archival storage, a Solid State Array (SSA)-only environment, comprised just of SSDs, probably wouldnt be appropriate. Chris Squatritto (@Mosaic451), architect of the Americas, Mosaic451, found that a hybrid array helped reduce the complexity of managing data. By allowing the technology to intelligently move data as it learns workloads, you reduce the need for so many storage administrators, said Squatritto, whose firm used a hybrid array to move a clients three racks of traditional storage to just a half of a rack. Deployed for one of the nations largest K-12 schools, the new system allowed them to handle all kinds of workloads at a lower cost than a flash-only solution. By migrating to a single system, administrative overhead was reduced by 50 percent, said Squatritto. And the school district was also able to reduce their hosting costs with their co-location company by 60 percent. According to Squatritto, the district conservatively estimated it could recover its costs within four years. 7: Theyve combined shampoo and conditioner in one, why not compute and storage? Deploying hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) is the best way to reduce storage complexity and improve agility and infrastructure efficiency for virtualized workloads, said Skip Bacon (@sbacon_vmware), VP, products - storage and availability, VMware. HCI combines compute and storage administration into a common control plane to unify management and administration of virtual machines and compute and storage infrastructure. Be careful, warned Ron Nash (@hronaldnash), CEO, Pivot3, noting that not all hyperconverged vendors are created equal. Nash argues that many of the latency issues that could result from intense processing in a HCI can be solved with erasure coding, which eliminates the need for deduplication and compression while providing exceptional fault tolerance. 8: Let your staff be distributed, not your data Do you really need mini-datacenters at each one of your remote offices? Are they as secure and as well maintained as your central corporate datacenter? What if you were to eliminate all those edge datacenters? That would probably reduce complexity considerably. Organizations with multiple satellite offices can simplify their environment by utilizing edge appliances that talk to a central data center. Each edge device is packed with an intelligent storage cache, virtualization, and WAN optimization, which enables IT teams to centrally protect their data assets, recover from outages, and provision new services and sites across the business at a fraction of the time it used to take, explained Alison Conigliaro-Hubbard (@aliconig), sr. director of product marketing for SteelFusion, Riverbed. By eliminating backup and the time it takes to recover from an outage or to provision a new site, a 10-site enterprise can typically save roughly $750,000 over a four-year period. 9: Solve that darn data duplication problem The most common cause of inefficient and overly complex datacenters is data duplication, said Leo Welder (@CW_LeoW), CEO, ChooseWhat.com. Centralize, singularize, and collaborate, said Steve Prentice (@stevenprentice), senior writer, CloudTweaks. Prentice is speaking not from the viewpoint of an IT administrator, but as a user who is the recipient of endless iterations of documents, PDFs, and PowerPoint files that travel through the network often as attachments. Organizations need to take charge in centralizing documents in a collaborative environment, where editing can be done in a shared space, and where hyperlinks to a single shared document replace multiple attached copies, added Prentice. One ideal solution to ensure happy users and a less panicked IT department is to adopt an enterprise-grade shared drive. Policy-driven hybrid cloud enterprise file sync and share (EFSS) solutions provide IT with document storage location choice (public cloud, private cloud, and on-premises) at the user group or folder level, which enables compliance with security, privacy, and data residency regulations, said Kevin de Smidt (@syncplicity), VP product management and product marketing, Syncplicity. 10: Keep the same data, but use less space While you may have solved your redundant file problem, your files still have redundant data chunks, often from versioned files. Data deduplication eliminates those redundancies and creates pointers to a single copy of a data set. In a typical data center without this feature turned on, there are between 3:1 and 50:1 copies of the same data set, said Todd Traver (@UptimeInstitute), VP, IT optimization and strategy, Uptime Institute. The second step to reduce your datas storage footprint is to compress your data, but that doesnt come without side effects. Data compression does have some overhead, in that it requires CPU cycles to perform both the compression and decompression of data, said Richard Florence (@Entisys360), principal architect, Entisys360. 11: Move data deduplication and compression to the storage array A great way to increase efficiency of storage within the data center is to invest in a storage array which includes data de-duplication and compression within the array itself, said Denny Cherry (@mrdenny), owner and principal consultant, Denny Cherry & Associates Consulting. Typically dedupe and compression at the storage array is more effective than at the application level, as the array is able to compare data across LUNs (logical unit numbers) for deduplication. Cherrys testing has shown that compression at the application level is about 30 percent slower than at the storage array. 12: Stop backing up everything Ive frequently found that many data centers back up everything, without giving much thought as to what data theyre storing. That leads to unnecessarily large and complex backups, said Zac Cogswell (@wiredtree), CEO, WiredTree. You dont need four different backups of the same system. There are certain files on that system for instance, months-old access logs that most data centers probably dont need to restore in the event that something goes wrong. 13: Embrace the Ethernet In the not-so-distant past, the need for more storage and more access to it gave rise to the Storage Area Network, or SAN, which required fibre channel networks with fibre channel switches to connect servers to SANs, explained Adam Stern (@iv_cloudhosting), founder and CEO, Infinitely Virtual. Luckily, with time, the network has simplified. Did Google hit its head, black out and wake up thinking it's Apple? Probably not, but let's back up a minute. Everyone knows the Android user experience varies from device to device based on each smartphone makers tweaks and customizations. And for years, Google has relied on Nexus devices, also built by outside handset manufacturers, to give Android users a smartphone experience closest to what Android envisioned when it built its software. However, according to new reports, that wasn't good enough. Google will soon be building its own smartphone, not relying on other smartphone makers to deliver the goods. So what do we know about this new smartphone? And when will it make an appearance? In IT Blogwatch, we get the 411 without asking Google Now what's up. James Titcomb spills the beans in Google to step up smartphone wars with release of own handset: Google is planning a shake-up of the smartphone market by releasing its own handset, a move that would...see it compete directly with the iPhone. ... Google already develops the Android operating system that runs on four in five smartphones...and endorses a range of phones made by partners...under the Google Nexus brand. But unlike Apple, it leaves manufacturing to other companies...with the company concentrating on developing the free software that runs on its phones. Not getting that strong Apple vibe yet? Ken Salcedo steps it up a notch in Google Smartphone To Be Released By The End Of 2016: In the software front, the company has been successful in providing manufacturers with a reliable mobile operating system. With its...new handset, Google seems to be hoping to position itself as a contender in the hardware space as well. ... The company apparently wants to go head-to-head with Apple's iPhone. ... Apple has complete control over the iPhone and its mobile operating system...this seems to be the same control that Google wants over its device. But there has to be more to the story, right? Edoardo Maggio plays detective in Report: Google is working on its own Android smartphone to go head to head with the iPhone: According to an anonymous tip we received...from an IP address located near Googles campus, the company is annoyed at the iPhones perception of being the only premium offering on the market. ... Google has already made hardware devices under the Pixel brand...and this Mays I/O conference was the launch pad for Googles foray into the home, with the namesake product looking forward to battling it with Amazons Alexa. ... Theres also the fact that...Rick Osterloh has joined the company to oversee...the new hardware business, which makes the argument all the more convincing, and we have heard that Google wants to design its own smartphone chips as well. Great, so what else do we know? JC Torres breaks it down for us in Googles first non-Nexus smartphone tipped for 2016: Naturally, details about this Google smartphone are almost non-existent, other than a general "it exists." Intel is considering selling its security business as the company tries to focus on delivering chips for cloud computing and connected devices, according to a news report. The Intel Security business came largely from the company's acquisition for US$7.7 billion of security software company McAfee. Intel announced plans to bake some of the security technology into its chips to ensure higher security for its customers. With the surge in cyberthreats, providing protection to the variety of Internet-connected devices, such as PCs, mobile devices, medical gear and cars, requires a fundamentally new approach involving software, hardware and services, the company said in February 2011, when announcing the completion of the McAfee acquisition. Intel has been talking to bankers about the future of its cybersecurity business for a deal that would be one of the largest in the sector, reported The Financial Times, citing people close to the discussions. It said a group of private equity firms may join together to buy the security business if it is sold at the same price or higher than what Intel paid for it. I could see them selling a piece of the service, but not all security capabilities, said Patrick Moorhead, president and principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy. Intel has a decent security play right now and security is paramount to the future of IoT, Moorhead said. Hardware-based security is vital to the future of computing. Intel is declining to comment on the report, a company spokeswoman wrote in an email. The company rebranded its McAfee business as Intel Security in 2014. The security sector has seen a lot of interest from private equity buyers. Symantec said earlier this month it was acquiring Web security provider Blue Coat for $4.65 billion in cash, in a deal that will see Silver Lake, an investor in Symantec, enhancing its investment in the merged company, and Bain Capital, majority shareholder in Blue Coat, reinvesting $750 million in the business through convertible notes. Intel said in April that it was cutting 12,000 jobs, or 11 percent of its workforce, by mid-2017 as it tries to evolve from chips for PCs to silicon for data centers and the Internet of Things. Microsoft's open source programming language push reached a new milestone Monday, with the company announcing the general availability of .NET Core and ASP.NET Core 1.0. Those two projects are an attempt by Microsoft to make the core elements of its programming language available for use on Linux and OS X, operating systems that previously didn't support it. To reach this milestone, more than 18,000 developers, representing 1,300 companies, contributed to .NET Core. It's all part of Microsoft's push to make .NET into a development platform that developers can use across platforms, whether on the desktop, on servers, or on mobile. To that end, the tech giant earlier this year acquired Xamarin, which makes a set of tools allowing developers to build mobile apps across iOS and Android using .NET, too. Microsoft also has a group of new partners for .NET's open source push. Red Hat announced Monday that .NET Core will be supported on the company's Enterprise Linux distribution and its OpenShift platform-as-a-service offering. Samsung, meanwhile, has joined the .NET Foundation's Technical Steering Group. What's more, Red Hat and Codenvy -- the company leading the charge for the Eclipse Che open source code editor project -- said they would both adopt Visual Studio Code's Language Server Protocol. Once implemented, the protocol will make it easier for other tools to implement some of the rich editing features like code completion that are available inside Microsofts open source code editor. "Historically, most programming languages have only been optimized for a single tool," Codenvy CEO Tyler Jewell said in a press release. "This has prevented developers from using the editors they know and love, and has limited opportunities for language providers to reach a wide audience." With a common protocol supported by Microsoft, Red Hat, and Codenvy, "developers can gain access to intelligence for any language within their favorite tools," Jewell added. As part of the open source announcement bonanza, Microsoft will demonstrate SQL Server running on Linux at the Red Hat Summit in San Francisco this week. That comes right on the heels of a demonstration of SQL Server on Linux running inside a Docker container at DockerCon last week. Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are common in battery-powered sensor devices, but Qualcomm wants to also make LTE a common feature in such devices. Qualcomm makes some of the most advanced modems for mobile devices, but the company is now tuning them for Internet of Things devices by lowering power consumption and improving performance. The latest MDM9207-1 modem chipset, announced last year, is now available from the chip-maker. It is part of the MDM9x07 chipset family, for which Qualcomm has secured 100 design wins, although some of those products may not ultimately ship. As we know from smartphones, LTE can drain battery life. The fast data transfers encourage the use of video services, online games, and apps, and they take a toll on the battery. But the advantage of LTE is it can extend the communications range of devices. Right now, most IoT devices are limited to communication within the range of Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. The new modem is one of Qualcomm's first cellular chipsets dedicated to IoT devices running on batteries, said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research. Qualcomm is designing its IoT modems to support many LTE standards around the world, which is a challenge it faces, McGregor said. Countries like China support different LTE standards than the ones used in the U.S. and Europe. Over time, Qualcomm will integrate the modem into a single chip, much like it has done with its smartphone chips, he said. "Eventually, we're going to see chips that have the modems, sensors and the microcontrollers integrated into one package," McGregor said. The company claims the MDM9207-1 modem offers up to 10 years of battery life on two AA batteries and download speeds up to 10Mbps (bits per second). The chipset will be used in smart lights, industrial equipment, smart energy meters, medical devices, and asset tracking systems. The chipset has an ARM Cortex-A7 application processor. The MDM-9207-1 supports 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System). Unique features such as end-to-end security and high reliability are offered for industrial IoT devices and machine-to-machine communications over LTE, the company said. Companies making connectivity or IoT products will work with Qualcomm to integrate the LTE technology. Some partners are ZTE and Sierra Wireless. Carriers are also preparing to use IoT devices on networks. AT&T is planning to deploy a Cat-M network specifically for IoT that could be used in data transfers between commercial IoT devices and wearables. Verizon is also working on products to support release 13 of the 3GPP LTE standard, which is used for low-bandwidth transfers. Qualcomm's MDM9206 modem chipset, also announced last year, is designed to support the standard and could be available in devices in early 2017. Microsoft last month paid a California travel agent $10,000 after she won a judgment in small claims court by successfully arguing that an unauthorized upgrade to Windows 10 crippled her work PC. Teri Goldstein, the owner of Sausalito, Calif.-based TG Travel Group LLC, said that she had not approved the upgrade from Windows 7 to Windows 10. After the upgrade repeatedly failed, the machine was almost unusable, frequently crashing and forcing her to restore files, not recognizing her external hard drive, and demanding that she use multi-step workarounds simply to log on each day. "It just limped along," Goldstein said in an interview. The Seattle Times first reported on Microsoft giving up its appeal and paying Goldstein the $10,000 judgment. Goldstein relied on her computer to run her business. "For months I tried to work with them, but they kept blowing me off," said Goldstein, of the problems that began in August 2015. She said she made countless calls to Microsoft's technical support, visited a local Microsoft retail store, and spent hours scouring support forums, all to no avail. Meanwhile, her business was taking a pounding. "September to December is my busiest season," Goldstein said, adding that she could not shut down her company the week or more it would take to buy a new PC and have her IT consultant set it up, provision it with the software she needed, and transfer her files. At the same time, she fielded calls from clients asking why she hadn't answered their emails, which were inaccessible because of the crippled computer. Some of those customers canceled their bookings. In early October, she bought a new laptop because her Windows desktop was still unreliable, then tried to do business using both. In late December, the first time business slowed enough to allow it, she bought a new desktop PC to replace the crippled computer. During the months-long span, Goldstein said she suffered $17,000 in lost business and additional expenses because of the failed upgrade to Windows 10, basing her estimate on past-years' revenue during the period and the cost of the new computers. Microsoft's support technicians were never able to restore her PC to its former operational state, and Goldstein's account of dealings with the Redmond, Wash. company's customer service department was Kafka-esque. According to the notes Goldstein had kept on her dilemma, which she shared with Computerworld, one customer service representative -- whose name, email and phone number she had been given by a Microsoft retail store in San Francisco -- was "continually rude, unwilling to assist me," and eventually told her "Do not ever contact me again." By mid-January, Goldstein had had enough. "That was when they offered me $150 to go away," she said today. "I used that as proof of guilt. They knew what was happening." From there, Goldstein went to Marin County's small claims court, filing a claim for the maximum of $10,000. In March, her claim was heard. Goldstein came prepared with documentation, including years of her firm's revenue to show the losses caused by the lack of a working PC. Microsoft, on the other hand, sent someone from the local retail store, not an attorney. "This very honest kid came in, and said they had pulled him out of the store at 4:30 to go to court," said Goldstein. "They didn't even prepare for it." Basing her claim on a section in the California Uniform Commercial Code, and arguing that the forced upgrade was non-consensual and resulted in lost wages, Goldstein was awarded the $10,000 judgment. Microsoft originally said it would appeal, but then ditched the idea and paid her the $10,000 last month. "The company dropped its appeal to avoid the expense of further litigation," a Microsoft spokesman said in an email reply to questions today. Goldstein's story likely resonates with many of the Windows users who, over the last 11 months, have objected to a variety of Microsoft tactics designed to convince, cajole or even trick customers running Windows 7 and 8.1 into upgrading to Windows 10. Microsoft's upgrade strategy, which began months before the July 29, 2015, launch of the new operating system, became increasingly aggressive. After first asking customers to "reserve" a copy of the upgrade, it moved on to downloading the upgrade bits in the background to those users' machines. In October 2015, Microsoft announced it would automatically push the Windows 10 upgrade to all eligible PCs, then initiate the upgrade process. That practice began in February. More recently, the firm started pre-scheduling the upgrade, a change that dramatically increased the number of complaints, and triggered a petition asking the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to investigate the unprecedented gambit. Users were especially irate about a change Microsoft made in March when it began to interpret a click on the red "X" in the upper right of an impending upgrade notice as approving the upgrade, contradicting decades of user experience (UX), as well as Microsoft's own design rules. Customers called it a trick to get them to approve the upgrade to Windows 10 when they intended to reject it. Goldstein had advice for others in similar straits. "Corporations need to be held accountable," she said. "My business was destroyed by a company pushing its products. You have to take the bull by the horns because as long as Microsoft can get away with this, they will." Goldstein encouraged others who have suffered loss of money or time because of Microsoft's Windows 10 upgrade strategy to contact her. "My position is that anyone who wants to talk to me about their rights, should call me. Or email me." Goldstein's phone number and email address can be found on one of her websites, Travels with Teri. The British people voted to leave the EU by 52 per cent to 48 per cent. Roughly three quarters of MPs backed the campaign to Remain. These are two of the core facts on which the future of Brexit now depends. David Cameron, whose performance in the Commons this afternoon was as assured as Jeremy Corbyns was lamentable, sought to resolve the tensions between them. The decision to quit must be respected, he said, but its for the Commons to decide the details. So it is now for MPs to mull whether they want to try the Norway option, the Swiss option, the WTO option, a bespoke option, or some other option (please add your choice below) and then see what the EU institutions and member states have to say. Near the centre of the decisions to be made could be a trade-off between single market access and lower migration levels. But it may be that the Commons finds ways of holding out against all of them, and that Ken Clarkes remarks today pointed to gridlock ahead. We should be grateful to him for saying publicly this afternoon what some pro-Remain MPs say privately: the former Chancellor argued in effect that the referendum result be ignored altogether. Watch for the Liberal Democrats, part of Labour and a group of other Euro-enthusiast Conservatives 15? 30? 50? to seek to frustrate last weeks verdict. The logic of the Commons arithmetic points to an early election if there is an impasse. The silence in which Gisela Stuart and other Leave MPs was received was a striking contrast to the cheers that greeted some of their pro-Remain colleages. (Where was Boris Johnson, by the way?) These sounded loudest when Labour MPs, in particular, were condemning horrible recent attacks on Poles and other migrants. But there is a danger here for MPs, and for the Opposition in particular namely, that they somehow end up suggesting that all Leave supporters are racists. It was this reflex that helped to lose Remain the referendum last week. If Labour sticks to the same line and seeks to frustrate the referendum result, it risks improving UKIPs chances in its northern and midlands electoral heartlands. In one sense, a vote to leave the EU should kill UKIP, since it removes the essence of its case for existing. In another, it probably wont do so. UKIP is now a fully-fledged populist party, well-placed, if it can grow the capability, of taking a lot of seats off Labour. This post-referendum, pro-Brexit Conservative Party might just be able to do the same though it will simultaneously need to hold on to the middle ground, One Nation ground on which Cameron pitched his electoral tent. (With some success, it should be added: look back at the way many former Liberal Democrats voters went Tory in May last year.) Yes, the Commons this afternoon suggested that there may well be a clash between what the referendum decided and what MPs now do. Nadhim Zahawi is a member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and MP for Stratford On Avon. Just a few days ago, I wrote here with Nicholas Soames, calling for our party to unite no matter what the result turned out to be. The result has now come in and been digested; while it is one that I believed would happen, it has surprised many. For those of us who wished for Britain to leave, now more than ever we need to come together with those around the country and the world who did not. Now is not a time for gloating. Now is the time for hard work. This is not the end of something, it is the beginning. I am delighted that the British voters believe that our country will be better off tackling the problems of the future outside of the bureaucratic controls of Brussels, but we must recognise that the country is divided. I do not want to do what is in the best interests of 52 per cent of our country, I want to create a One Nation Britain. And to do this we all must work together. Many have analysed this referendum as having being contested between those who have benefited from and those who have lost out from globalisation. This should be profoundly uncomfortable for all of us. If we continue to have situation where millions of people feel they arent listened to by politicians; who believe that they are held back by a class system, and who worry that their childrens lives will be worse than their own if there is no improvement in this situation then we will have failed. That is why I am saddened that David Cameron has stepped down, even though I profoundly disagreed with him about the necessity of the United Kingdom remaining in the European Union. He identified these problems years ago, and set about trying to solve them despite the terrible economic consequences of the financial crisis. He also knew that our party had to change to tackle them. He knew that we needed more women, more candidates with experience outside of politics, and more from normal backgrounds. His outstanding success in this was seen in the talented individuals from all walks of life who were elected in 2010 and 2015. The lasting potential of this evolution is shown in the names now being discussed to follow him as leader. It is these names that we must now turn to and concentrate on, but I will look forward to seeing whoever puts themselves forward guaranteeing that they will secure and then further this legacy. The central mission of our party must be to ensure social mobility through great education, the provision of skills and a strong economy providing excellent employment. Everyone must have the chance to succeed, no matter who they are, where they live, what colour skin they have or what God they believe in. Nothing should be handed out, or delivered unfairly, but everyone should be able to see where they can get in life if they mix hard work with good ideas and a little bit of luck. The doors of opportunity should be open to all. It is a real shame that Cameron had only just set out his new push to improve life chances, a truly valuable and worthwhile programme. We cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from this important work, even while securing a beneficial exit from the European Union is vital. In the weeks and months to come we will face uncertainties, but there are opportunities too. These are opportunities we have to seize to create the better Britain we all want to see. Cameron may soon be going, but we must ensure that his legacy is secured, our party should unite, and our work should begin again. The 1922 Committees Executive meets later today to determine the rules for the forthcoming leadership election. It has a crucial role in the contest, since the Chairman of the Executive is its returning officer, and has considerable discretion over the rules. There will be three issues to consider. The first is whether or not one of the two candidates put before Party members should automatically be a woman. It has been claimed that George Osborne is behind this move (on the ground that a woman would find it easier to beat Boris Johnson than a man). However, I am told that the proposal emerged during a discussion between a group of Conservative MPs via WhatsApp, found no consensus in favour, and is unlikely to be adopted by the Executive. Indeed, I gather that it may not even be put. The second is whether or not more than two candidates should be put before Party members. Andrew Rossindell has written in favour of such a change on this site. I dont detect any enthusiasm for it, and there have been reports that, given the short timetable for the election, it would be difficult to amend the rules. Which brings us, third, to that timetable itself. There are essentially two views. One is that the election should take place according to plan set out by the Prime Minister, which would see the Parliamentary stage of the contest completed by the end of next month, the membership stage finalised by the end of September, and the winners name announced at Party Conference. The second is that the timetable should be less frantic. According to one version of this view, the Parliamentary stage would be completed by the end of the Commons September session; the two successful candidates would have the opportunity to make their pitch to Party members at Conference, and the membership stage would end and a winner be declared perhaps a fortnight after the end of Conference. The case for a longer contest is that the timetable is very tight, that many Party members will be away during August and September, and that a rushed choice of leader is likely to be a bad choice. The case for a shorter one is that the markets and investors need as much certainty as possible as swiftly as possible, and that it is irresponsible to delay. Justine Greening put a version of this case on ConservativeHome yesterday. But, as ever, personal interests are mixed up in these calculations. Boris Johnson is now seen as the frontrunner and his supporters want a short contest. His opponents and some other candidates want a longer one. Liam Fox, who may stand himself, is urging a longer contest. My own view, for what its worth, is that what must come first is the need to get on with Brexit in an orderly way regardless of the interests of the different candidates. That requires a new Prime Minister and Cabinet as soon as possible. Which requires more or less the timetable that David Cameron set out. SUBSCRIBE Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates straight in your inbox. SHARE NAMI Evansville friends and families support group about mental illness: Meeting 6-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Mulberry Place, 410 Mulberry St. Call 812-897-1694. Alzheimer's Association Program: "Healthy Living for Your Brain and Body," 9:30-10:30 a.m. July 12 at the Henderson County Public Library, 101 S. Main St., Henderson, Kentucky ($5 donation suggested, $15 fee for professionals). Registration is required by calling 800-272-3900. Alzheimer's Association Memory Cafe: for people with memory loss and their caregivers, 2-3:30 p.m. July 13 at Audubon State Park in Henderson, Kentucky. Registration required by calling 800-272-3900. FA (Families Anonymous): a 12-step fellowship for the family and friends of those individuals with drug, alcohol or related behavioral issues. Meetings are at 10 a.m. Saturdays at Methodist Temple, 2109 Lincoln Ave. Use the Kelsey Avenue entrance, second floor. Information: 812-550-5777. Bereavement support group: Meeting 5:30-7 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month in the large group meeting room, second floor of Central Library, 200 SE MLK Blvd. Men's bereavement support group: Meeting 9-10:30 a.m. the second Monday of each month in Room 204 at Deaconess VNA Plus, 610 E. Walnut St. Support group for bipolar/manic-depressive disorder: Meeting 7 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of each month, Kempf Bipolar Wellness Center, third floor of St. Mary's Rehabilitation Institute, 3700 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-4934. Survivors of Suicide support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month, Methodist Temple, 2109 Lincoln Ave. Information: Mental Health America at 812-426-2640. Mending Hearts pregnancy loss support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month, Gift Conference Room, off the lobby of St. Mary's Hospital for Women & Children, 3700 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-4204. Men's cancer support group: Meeting 5:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, St. Mary's Epworth Crossing Community Conference Room, 100 St. Mary's Epworth Crossing, Newburgh. Information: 812-485-5725. Stroke support group: Meeting 10 a.m. the fourth Wednesday of each month, St. Mary's Community Education Room at Washington Square Mall, 5011 Washington Ave. Information: 812-485-5607. ALS support group: Meeting 6:30 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Meeting Room E, Deaconess Gateway Hospital. The support group is for patients, caregivers and survivors who have lost someone to Lou Gehrig's disease. Women's cancer support group: Meeting 5:30 p.m. the second and fourth Monday of each month, St. Mary's Epworth Crossing Community Conference Room. Information: 812-485-5725. Pulmonary fibrosis support group: Meeting 4 p.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Room 1420, Deaconess Hospital, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com/calendar. COPD/asthma support group: Meeting 4 p.m. the fourth Tuesday of each month, Room 1420, Deaconess Hospital, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com/calendar. Parkinson's support group: Meeting at 5:30 p.m. the first Tuesday of each month, Room 350, Deaconess Physician Center, 600 Mary St. Information: 812-450-6000 or deaconess.com/calendar. Tri-State Multiple Sclerosis Association support group meetings: 10 a.m. the second Saturday of each month, Tri-State MS Association Office, 971 S. Kenmore Drive, Evansville (contact Nita Ruxer at 812-479-3544 or Sharon Omer at 270-333-4701); 10 a.m. the fourth Saturday of each month, Gibson General Hospital, fifth floor, first room on the right, 1808 Sherman Drive, Princeton, Indiana (contact Alice Burkhart at 812-782-3735); 11 a.m. the second Tuesday of each month, Twilight Towers, in the cafeteria, 1648 10th St., Tell City (contact Terri Hasty at 812-649-4013 or Gayle Taylor 812-719-2417); 10 a.m. the third Saturday of each month, Daviess Community Hospital, Washington, Indiana (contact Cindy Kalberer at 812-254-6735 or Fran Neal at 812-259-1565); 10 a.m. the first Saturday of each month, Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 2360 Green River Road, Henderson, Kentucky, (contact Meg Burnley at 270-826-9507 or Debbie Whittington at 270-827-8298); 6 p.m. the second Monday of each month, Owensboro Health Healthpark, 1006 Ford Ave., Owensboro, Kentucky; and 11 a.m. the first Saturday of each month, Fairfield Memorial Hospital in the board room of Horizon Clinic, 303 NW 11th St., Fairfield, Illinois (contact Kathie Hill at 618-847-8452). Compiled by Leah Ward, leah.ward@courierpress.com. SHARE By Zach Osowski, zach.osowski@courierpress.com INDIANAPOLIS The Indiana Department of Education hosted more than 250 education experts Monday to discuss new federal regulations for schools. The recently passed Every Student Succeeds Act doesn't go into effect until the 2017-18 school year, but the state will need that time to come up with a plan to address state standards, a statewide assessment, school accountability and school improvement standards all satisfying the new ESSA guidelines. State Superintendent Glenda Ritz told the crowd she hoped Indiana would have its plan ready to go by March 2017. That would allow for plenty of time for the plan to be vetted before it's due to the U.S. Department of Education in the summer of 2017. The meeting Monday was about educating those working in Indiana's schools on a day-to-day basis what changes they can expect with the new federal guidelines under Every Student Succeeds. "After more than 15 years, Indiana has the opportunity to move beyond No Child Left Behind and develop our own plan to best meet the educational needs of Hoosier students," Ritz said. The themes of the day were flexibility and freedom. Throughout sessions on the new provisions and guidelines relating to accountability, assessment and federal funding, experts repeatedly mentioned how states had more opportunities to make their own rules with the new guidelines. One of the speakers, Chris Minnich with the Council of Chief State School Officers, urged the audience to use the independence to help students get past the current system that tends to focus on failure. "These conversations can quickly go to 'Are we meeting what the federal law says?'" Minnich said. "And I think it should be about 'Are we meeting what our kids need?'" The Every Student Succeeds Act changes how schools get federal funding, including Title 1 money that can now be used in a broader way. Melissa Junge, with the Federal Education Group, told educators Congress attempted to make Title 1 money more flexible in terms of what schools can do with it. Schools will now be able to use the money for non-instructional programs like mentoring or mental health if that's a direction the schools want to go in. Junge said in theory the Title 1 funding should also be easier to supplement into other school accounts as well. As the state moves forward with its ESSA plan, it will work hand-in-hand with the ISTEP replacement panel that is trying to pick a new statewide test for Indiana. Both ESSA and the new test are scheduled to start with the 2017-18 school year. Gabby Fluhler with her baby at their Muncie home Thursday afternoon. (Photo: Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press, Jordan Kartholl/The Star Press) SHARE By Emma Kate Fittes / USA Today Netowrk/ Muncie Star Press MUNCIE When Gabby Fluhler was pulled aside for breastfeeding at a local allergy clinic, she was embarrassed and didn't really know what to say. Fluhler had been nursing her 11-week-old baby in the waiting room when an employee asked her to speak privately. The employee, who didn't want her name released, said she was offering Fluhler a more private place to nurse because other patients in the room looked uncomfortable. She denied telling Fluhler she couldn't nurse in the waiting room. But that's exactly what Fluhler felt she was being told. She ended up feeding her daughter in her car in the parking lot instead. "Ive never had any comment like that before," she said. "To be honest, I didnt really say anything. I didnt really know what to say." Later that day she and her mother, Dawn Fluhler, posted about it on Facebook, saying this kind of situation discourages mothers from choosing the "healthiest way to feed her baby." Situations like these, when mothers are confronted for breastfeeding in public, have been catching attention across the country. Earlier this month, a video of a mother being verbally abused for breastfeeding in a Connecticut Target went viral. In the video, Target staff and bystanders come to the woman's aid. The resulting conversation seems to gravitate around the question: Is it indecent or uncomfortable to breastfeed in public? Legally, most states have already mandated an answer. Fourty-nine states, including Indiana, have laws that specifically allow women to breastfeed in any public or private location. However, Indiana is not one of the 29 states that exempts breastfeeding from its indecency laws. But having the state law doesn't mean mothers don't face societal pressure. "Its so frustrating to see how our society sexualizes the breasts, and its OK for all the breasts to be hanging out in these little bikini tops...But yet its not OK to breastfeed." said Teresa Terrell, a certified lactation consultant for IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. She said she doesn't think the state's laws are common knowledge. In the past 16 years, Terrell has seen breastfeeding become more popular. At IU Health BMH in 2000, between 58 and 60 percent of new mothers were breastfeeding in the hospital. Now Terrell said 75 percent of mothers choose breastfeeding. There are a long list of benefits for both the baby and mother when breastfeeding, including a lower risk of breast cancer for the mother and a reduced risk of diabetes, obesity and allergies for the baby. Perhaps the most important benefit Terrell said is that a mother can create specific antibodies their baby needs, and then pass them along through their breast milk. Terrell had seen Fluhler's Facebook post and said it's not the first time she's heard of this happening in Muncie. "It was kind of really discouraging to see that that was from a health care providers office," she said. "As health care providers we should be practicing the latest, evidence-based practice... We should be supporting all of our breastfeeding moms; this is the natural way to feed a baby." Terrell said she would like to see more local businesses openly supporting breastfeeding. The Caffeinery, a locally-owned coffee shop in downtown Muncie, is one business that already does this, with a sign on the door welcoming breastfeeding mothers. "Women are welcome to breastfeed in our shop because it is a natural part of life and motherhood," owner Frank Reber said in an email. He said so far they haven't had any complaints from other customers. Fluhler considers herself a young mother, at 18 years old. She said most of the other young mothers she knows bottle feed their babies, because it's easier. The situation at the allergist's office made her question her decision. "It kind of made me wonder if (breastfeeding) was even a decision I should be making," she said. Most of the time, Fluhler said she tries to stay covered, or find a less-noticeable corner to sit in. If she's at a restaurant, for example, she'll ask the waiter if it would make them uncomfortable. But now, after looking at the state laws, she knows it's her right. "I understand that breastfeeding is a controversial topic," she said. "It's a decision I made for the health and well being of my daughter, I dont feel that I should be disrespected for that." Photos by ALEX SLITZ / COURIER & PRESS Andrea Rodriguez, of Indianapolis, keeps cool Sunday with a fan while sitting with other dancers before performing during the HOLA Festival and Latino Expo at Bosse Field. The free event celebrated Latino culture throughout Southern Indiana. SHARE ABOVE: Hudson Castillo, 1, of Newburgh, waves a Panamanian flag Sunday while in the arms of his godfather, Chinno Rivera, of Evansville. BELOW: Jesus Acevedo, of Evansville, finds shelter under the Puerto Rican flag. Jesus Acevedo, of Evansville, sits under a Puerto Rican flag during the HOLA Festival and Latino Expo at Bosse Field on Sunday. The free event celebrated Latino culture throughout Southern Indiana. ALEX SLITZ / COURIER & PRESS Dee Royer (left) and Scott Royer, both of Evansville, sample Venezuelan dishes Sunday during the HOLA Festival and Latino Expo at Bosse Field. The free event celebrated Latino culture throughout Southern Indiana. ALEX SLITZ / COURIER & PRESS Bianca Rodriguez, 8, of Evansville, dressed in traditional Panamanian clothing waits near the stage during the HOLA Festival and Latino Expo at Bosse Field on Sunday. The free event celebrated Latino culture throughout Southern Indiana. By Megan Thorne, Special to the Courier & Press Families laughed and danced as Latino music echoed through Bosse Field on Sunday afternoon during the first HOLA Festival and Latino Expo. "This event is to bring the whole community together especially during times when there has been a lot of division in our country," HOLA Vice President Luis Aju said. HOLA is a nonprofit organization that was established to enhance appreciation of cultural diversity of Latinos in the community. The festival brought in more than 20 food vendors from across Latin America and three well-known bands, as well as organizations in the community that want to reach out to Latinos. Aju said funds HOLA has raised were used to put on the festival and to start its recent scholarship fund for all Latino graduating seniors. "We already know it's difficult to make a living here and we want to be there to help and support Latinos," Aju said. "We believe that by changing their education we can impact the finances of the household and that there's no other way but education." He said he really wants people to take the time to come out as they will be touched by the Latino culture. "They will see the way we work together, the way we cook together as a family and I think it will be good for Evansville to have this every year," he said. Elizabeth Bullington said her whole family came out to experience the festival. She said she feels it's a great way for her children to learn about their heritage. "It's good for everybody," she said. "My kids were born here but I'm American and my husband is Mexican so the Mexican dances are going to help teach them about their culture." Bullington said she was really proud to see that not only Latinos attended the festival. "It's a great learning opportunity and great for Americans to try different things," she said. Kendra Gurrola said she was enjoying reaching out to the Evansville community while helping her friend serve food from her home country, El Salvador. "We really appreciate that people are coming together to see the Hispanic community," she said. "It's time for not just Hispanics but Americans and everyone to try the food and see the cultures we have in this city." Ceser Contreras helped his mother sell tamales made with chicken, pork and a special sauce to spread their Mexican culture. "This event shows people who we are and where we come from," he said, I think it's a good thing." President and co-founder of HOLA, Daniela Vidal, described the festival as colorful and flavorful. "It been a lot of work and very stressful over the last 10 months of putting this together but it's wonderful to see so many people show up," she said. Even though the heat index climbed beyond 100 degrees, Vidal said she expected thousands of people to visit the festival. "We hope to show the American community here the flavors and sounds of Latin America," Vidal said. SHARE By Shari Rudavsky And Maureen Groppe, USA TODAY NETWORK The Indianapolis Star The Supreme Court decision to strike down restrictions on abortion clinics in Texas could open the door to remove some of the strictures on Indiana's abortion facilities, experts say. While Indiana's laws are not identical to the law in Texas, similarities do exist. The Supreme Court ruled that in Texas the restrictions in place put an undue burden on women seeking abortions without providing any medical benefit. The Texas law, for instance, required doctors who performed to have admitting rights at a local hospital. Indiana's law allows for doctors who perform abortions to make alternative arrangements, such as having a relationship with another doctor who can admit for them. Both states also have laws surrounding physical details about the facilities, such as room size and corridor width. "We can't say for sure right now" what the impact of the ruling will be for other states, said Alina Salganicoff, vice president for women's health policy for the Kaiser Family Foundation. "The Supreme Court has given guidance to the lower courts about how to interpret these laws." Individual states may now see challenges to laws already in place, said Laurie Sobel, a senior policy analyst with the Women's Health Policy Team at the Kaiser Family Foundation. The courts deciding those challenges will look to Monday's Supreme Court ruling in their decisions, she added, which details a specific calculus for judging specific requirements. "When you look at the burden, you have to look at the benefit. You can't just assume that the legislature acted rationally and there's some benefit to women's health," she said. Such a challenge may not be coming in the immediate future in Indiana. Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky has no plans at this point to challenge the Indiana law, said spokesperson Ali Slocum. Right now, the organization is concentrating on two other pending court cases a challenge to an Indiana law that would make it illegal for a woman to have an solely because her fetus was disabled and a battle with the Kentucky governor over whether a Louisville clinic violated state law. "We are focused on what is currently in the pipeline. It is possible that the standard that the court set today could be used to challenge restrictions in other states," Slocum said late Monday morning. "It (the Supreme Court ruling) isn't even four hours old." Still, in a statement released in response to the Supreme Court ruling, Indiana's Planned Parenthood president and chief executive officer Betty Cockrum said the ruling "sets a good precedent" for the organization's work in Indiana and Kentucky. But Indiana Right to Life's President and Chief Executive Mike Fichter said in a statement that the ruling could endanger women's health. Fichter praised Indiana's law for halting abortions in one Northeast Indiana community where a Fort Wayne doctor who performed abortions was able to stop doing so after a local physician no longer had an agreement where he would admit patients for the abortion provider. "The Supreme Court showed an utter disregard for women's health and safety through today's ruling," Fichter said in the statement. "The abortion industry will fight any regulation that the feel threatens their ability to profit off women in crisis situations." Shortly after the Supreme Court issued its ruling, Fichter tweeted a "shout out" to his Texas colleagues encouraging them not to despair. "You may feel bent today but are by no means broken. Fight on," he wrote. SHARE By Kelley M. Coures And Josh Armstrong, Special to the Courier & Press As Downtown Evansville moves into summer the construction projects in the northeast corner of the neighborhood are moving along swiftly. The new Hilton Doubletree Hotel is nearing the halfway mark to completion and all five floors are now framed up and will soon be under solid roof. Utility relocation and site prep is underway for the IU School of Medicine campus continuing toward the northwest side of the Arts District. We wanted to remind readers that even though there are some difficulties in negotiating those areas (progress is never simple) you can still maneuver around Downtown without a tremendous difficulty and there is still plenty of both on street and garage parking spaces available to make your trip Downtown easy and convenient. Also, we want to encourage everyone to continue to patronize businesses Downtown that may lie near construction areas, especially Main Street and Fourth Street. Although there is construction east of Walnut Street near Fourth, the street you have always known is still open for traffic and parking. All of your favorite dining places are open like Jaya's Fine Foods, Eclipse Tapas Bistro, and Rennie's all located on Fourth between Walnut and Locust. Shopping opportunities continue along Fourth Street as well at Goldman's, Siegel's and Lawman Tactical. Visions 3 stands ready to help you reach your hair and beauty goals. All of our dining establishments along Main Street from Sixth to Second streets are open for business and of course there is no construction near Main. Easy access to all your favorite locations can be accessed from the Lloyd Expressway into downtown via Fifth and all cross streets from Third south are open as well with no closures. We hope that Evansville dining patrons will make a special effort to visit these long-standing businesses during the construction phase of all the growth downtown. Kelley M. Coures is executive director of Evansville's Department of Metropolitan. Josh Armstrong is director of Downtown Alliance, Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce. Continue Reading Below Advertisement The Reality: The truth is much weirder. Sure, there are famous public gatherings of wealthy types like the Bilderberg Group, but they mostly shoot the shit over drinks and big dinners instead of sacrificing goats in the name of the Illuminati. What we're talking about are the Bohemian Grove gatherings, in which members -- which have included U.S. presidents -- gather to perform rituals before a 30-foot-tall idol shaped like an owl. We're absolutely not making this up. You can go visit the site if you want. Aarkwikde / Wiki Commons Continue Reading Below Advertisement You can play everyone's favorite party game, "Which Bush spewed all over the owl's dick?" Founded in 1872, the Bohemian Grove club started out as a social occasion for relatively harmless newspapermen and artists, like Mark Twain. However, many of their members were ambitious, and grew mighty. The club's gatherings went on, their power increased, and by the 1930s, Bohemian Grove had become an exclusive haunt of the rich and famous. By the 1980s, the club had 2,300 members, including influential senators, businessmen, and highly-placed U.S. government officials. Its waiting list for membership was 33 years long. Continue Reading Below Advertisement While business-making is discouraged -- the club straight-up tells its members that "Weaving Spiders Come Not Here" -- it happens all the time, because of course it does. Some of the most influential deals in history have been made in Bohemian Grove encampments. Such as, oh, the initial planning for the Manhattan Project. Yeah, you have the 1942 Bohemian Grove meeting to thank for the freaking nuclear bomb. Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Yes, Joe Perry is performing in Connecticut this weekend with bandmates Alice Cooper and Johnny Depp. No, he doesnt want to think too much about it. But not because he isnt looking forward to the show. The thing is he just doesnt want to jinx it. This tour is such a unique thing, something that doesnt happen every day. Im blown away by it, Perry said in an April phone interview of the concerts hes doing with supergroup Hollywood Vampires. Its just one of those things that came together all by chance. The synchronicity of it is unbelievable. Perry, who is a founding member of Aerosmith, said he couldnt be more excited over how he and his rock-star friends were able to wrangle their schedules to make this happen. His only problem is while he loves to be on stage with a lineup that feels like a dream come true, he also wishes he could be in the audience to see the band give it everything weve got. Hollywood Vampires performs at Foxwoods Resort Casino on Saturday, July 2, joined by Matt Sorum (Guns N Roses/Cult) on drums, Robert DeLeo (Stone Temple Pilots) on bass, Tommy Henriksen (Alice Cooper) on guitar and Bruce Witkin (The Kids) on piano, percussion and guitar. The band, formed last year, will perform its new single, As Bad As I Am, from its new deluxe album, as well as renditions of other popular classics, such as Schools Out, by Cooper, My Generation (The Who) and Whole Lotta Love (Led Zeppelin). More Information Foxwoods Resort Casino, The Grand Theater, 350 Trolley Line Blvd., Mashantucket. Saturday, July 2, 8 p.m. $175, $150, $95, $75. 800-200-2882, foxwoods.com See More Collapse Perry, 65, said he and friends, like Cooper, 68, have heard people say rock keeps you young. We joke about that, but I have to say there is some truth in it. I dont really know why, but theres definitely something about it, whether its listening to your favorite songs from when you first heard rock n roll and it brings back memories, or some kind of subconscious thing. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, who grew up in Hopedale, Mass., originally was determined to be a marine biologist; at 9 he even built a makeshift diving rig to explore the bottom of the lake where he spent his summers. Then his neighbors teenage sons started playing guitars, and his fate was sealed. The geek-turned-guitar-god, who is also a married father of four, said playing with Cooper and Depp is great fun. Its rare to be in a band with guys whove all been entertaining people our whole lives. Theres a couple of guys who are a few years younger, but weve all pretty much put in our time. Johnny has been in front of the camera (Pirates of the Caribbean, Alice in Wonderland). He plays a lot, too; he sits in and jams with bands that come to town. Most of his friends are musicians. Though Depp, 53, recently became embroiled in a highly publicized divorce with actress Amber Heard, it hasnt affected the tour. Perry stressed that rocking the guitar is not something new for Depp, though hes not done too many shows like their giant Rock in Rio Festival. But when you get down to it, Perry said, it doesnt matter after the first 10 rows, it could be 10,000 or 100,000 or more, it doesnt matter. Over the years, Perry has played with everyone from Chuck Berry to Paul McCartney and Mick Jagger. But he said theres one artist he still hasnt connected with: Bob Dylan, who is slated to play at Foxwoods the follwing night, Sunday, July 3. Im hoping the opportunity arises in the near future, he said, adding Dylan is a genius. Id love to not just meet him, but do a recording with him. lkoonz@newstimes.com; Twitter: @LindaTKoonz This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The United States Supreme Court on Monday continued a series of decisions that confirm the rights of states to regulate the possession of firearms, ruling 6-2 that Maine may prohibit those convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence from owning guns. A week after it rejected an effort to overturn Connecticuts 2013 ban on military-style rifles, the latest decision of the high court says those who commit reckless acts of domestic abuse may be prohibited from owning guns, even if the charges do not rise to the level of felonies. State officials and domestic-abuse counselors praised the decision, which confirms Connecticuts new law that includes the seizure of weapons from those under temporary restraining orders in domestic-violence cases. If anything, it upholds our law and also makes it clear that you can have reasonable restrictions, said Michael P. Lawlor, under-secretary for criminal justice in Gov. Dannel P. Malloys Office of Policy and Management. In Connecticut, domestic-abuse misdemeanors include threatening, third-degree assault, breach of peace, third-degree strangulation, stalking, harassment and criminal mischief. Possession of firearms after those convictions is a felony offense. This was a pretty significant majority, Lawlor noted of the Supreme Court decision, adding that since the rejection of a ban on firearms in the District of Columbia in 2008, the court has steadily confirmed the power of states to regulate guns in the cause of public safety. The ruling is a strong step forward in protecting the lives of domestic violence survivors, said Liza Andrews, spokesperson for the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, the group of 18 domestic violence shelters, including the Center for Family Justice in Bridgeport and the Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services in Ansonia and North Haven. We think its great that the Supreme Court is upholding strong firearm prohibition, Andrews said. This year, the General Assembly approved legislation that requires people who are subject to temporary restraining orders to surrender their firearms and ammunition within 24 hours for a maximum of 14 days between the date they are served with the order and the hearing. According to the coalitions website, women in abusive relationships are five times more likely to be killed if their abuser has access to a firearm. Given that, Its just good public policy to keep firearms out of the hands of these individuals, Andrews said. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, along with Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Andrews said there have been at least six women killed in domestic violence homicides in Connecticut this year. The coalition estimates that Connecticut has averaged 14 intimate partner homicides annually since 2000, and firearms are the single most frequently used weapon to commit those homicides. Scott Wilson Sr., president of the Groton-based Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc. gun-rights group, said the organization is less concerned about those convicted of crimes. Right now, our organization is focused on making sure that law abiding persons are able to exercise their rights to the fullest, he said in an e-mailed response to a request for comment. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate BRIDGEPORT A City Council member and a local immigration rights group want to have Bridgeport declared a sanctuary, where undocumented residents would be issued photo IDs to access city services and protected from the threat of deportation. About 10 people marched Monday in a tight circle on the plaza in front of the federal courthouse in Bridgeport, carrying handmade signs saying Mayor Ganim can do more for immigrants and chanting Up, up with immigration and down, down with deportation. It isnt right to break up families, because these kids are our future, said Norwalk resident Rocardo Ashby, 72, who traveled from Barbados to the U.S. in 1972. These children miss their family, which leads them to get into trouble, but then they cannot get their papers because they have a record. The rally was organized by Make the Road Connecticut, the Bridgeport-based satellite of a national immigration advocacy group, to protest the U.S. Supreme Court decision last week that struck down President Barack Obamas executive order blocking deportations of some undocumented immigrants. Members were planning to go on to a much larger rally in front of U.S. District Court in Hartford later on Monday. Connecticut currently has two sanctuary cities. New Haven became one of the nations first, in 2007, and Hartford followed a year later. It is something that New Haven did several years ago, and it is something that we can do keep families together, said Councilman Jose R. Casco, D-136th, as he took part in a rally Monday afternoon outside the U.S. District Court on Lafayette Boulevard. Sanctuary cities shelter undocumented residents by choosing not to obey Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainers, which are written requests that ask law enforcement to keep individuals for an extra 48 hours for federal assessment and possible deportation. Casco, who heads the Latino Advocacy Foundation, said his group and others would meet Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers to ready a resolution for the full council and Mayor Joe Ganim to consider. Actually, resident ID cards are on the way, said Danny Roach, Ganims operations director. The City Council could vote on a plan next month that would have the Bureau of Vital Statistics issue the photo identification cards for a fee of about $10, Roach said. The program would have a minimal start-up cost of about $10,000, he said. Av Harris, the mayors spokesman, said designating Bridgeport a sanctuary from federal immigration law is a separate issue. In terms of not cooperating with federal law enforcement, were not ready to say that at this point, the mayors spokesman said. We have a very good working relationship with federal law enforcement on many fronts. We want Bridgeport to issue residents photo ID cards, so that undocumented people can access some city services and programs, and go to the beach without fear of deportation, organizer Luis G. Luna said at the rally. We want the city to order its police department not to share information with ICE agents. President Barack Obamas executive order, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans, which would have blocked deportations of some undocumented immigrants if they had a child born in the United States, was blocked by the U.S. Supreme Courts 4-4 tie vote last week. But we vow to keep on fighting,Casco said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY Angelica Idrovo was crushed when she heard that a divided Supreme Court had blocked key elements of President Obamas immigration policy, which sought to shield millions of undocumented immigrants from deportation. Idrovo, 20, moved to the Danbury from Ecuador in 2009 with her parents and two younger brothers. In November 2014, Obama launched two programs by executive action intended to shield some 4 million undocumented immigrants from deportation and grant them the legal right to work in the U.S. Idrovo said she and her two brothers would have been included in that group. This morning I just felt that my heart was broken again, she said. We have been waiting so long, Im devastated again. The justices one-sentence opinion, issued Thursday, effectively kills the plan for the duration of Obamas presidency. The outcome underscores that the direction of U.S. immigration policy will be determined in large part by this falls presidential election, a campaign in which immigration already has played an outsized role. Texas led 26 Republican-dominated states in challenging the executive actions, which created a new program that applied to parents whose children are citizens or are living in the country legally called Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and expanded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which more than 700,000 people have already taken advantage of. The programs have never taken effect. The lower courts ruled in the states favor, causing the U.S. Justice Department to seek a Supreme Court review of the decision. Congressional Republicans also backed the states lawsuit. Todays decision keeps in place what we have maintained from the very start: one person, even a president, cannot unilaterally change the law, said Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in a statement. This is a major setback to President Obamas attempts to expand executive power, and a victory for those who believe in the separation of powers and the rule of law. But immigrants and human rights advocates said that while their mood is somber, the fight is not over. Our community is sad at the moment, said Lucas Codognolla, 25, the lead coordinator for Connecticut Students for a Dream, a state nonprofit that has promoted higher education for undocumented youth. We are saddened by the fact that the Supreme Court, even if its a split decision, sided with Republican rhetoric about DACA and DAPA and the conservative judges who put the injunction on the program. But Codognolla, a Stamford resident, said the group will continue to push for immigration reforms. This is not something that is going to make us change our work or advocacy in any way, he said. Were going to continue to fight so we can have an end to deportations and the criminalization of immigrant communities of color, until we have a permanent solution to the fear we constantly live with. He said the organizations members will reach out to immigrants across the state to make sure accurate information about the Supreme Courts decision is being disseminated. A 4-4 tie A nine-justice court agreed to hear the case in January, but by the time of the arguments were heard in late April, Justice Antonin Scalia had died. That left eight justices to decide the case, and the court presumably split 4-4 along liberal and conservative lines, although the court did not say how each justice voted. The split vote sets no national precedent but leaves in place the ruling by the lower court. In this case, a federal appeals court in New Orleans said the Obama administration lacked the authority to shield immigrants from deportation and make them eligible for work permits without approval from Congress. The programs announced by Obama in November 2014 included not just DAPA but would also expand DACA, which allowed undocumented immigrants who entered the country before their 16th birthdays and lived in the U.S. since June 15, 2007, to receive a renewable two-year work permit and exemption from deportation. Under Obamas 2014 action, DACA was expanded to people of any age who entered the country before the age 16 and lived in the United States continuously since Jan. 1, 2010 and extended the period of DACA and work authorization from two to three years. This is the program that Idrovo thought that she and her brothers would be eligible for. The Senate had passed a broad immigration bill with Democratic and Republican support in 2013, but the measure went nowhere in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives. On Thursday, Obama sought to reassure the millions of immigrants in the country illegally that he has no plans to deport them, while acknowledging that the Supreme Courts deadlock Thursday marks the end of the road for his push to reform the U.S. immigration system. Were going to have to make a decision about whether we are a people who tolerate the hypocrisy of a system where the workers who pick our fruit or make our beds never have the chance to get right with the law, Obama said. Or whether were going to give them a chance, just like our forebears had a chance, to take responsibility and give their kids a better future. People who would have benefited from Obamas plan face no imminent threat of deportation because Congress has provided money to deal with only a small percentage of people who live in the country illegally, and the president retains ample discretion in deciding whom to deport. Still, these immigrants remain in a state of uncertainty. We thought this would be their chance to come out of the shadows, said Dan Barrett, the legal director of the ACLU of Connecticut, which joined a broad coalition of civil rights groups in an amicus brief that supports the Obama administration in the case. The states lawsuit was heard by U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville, Texas, who previously had criticized the administration for lax immigration enforcement. Hanen sided with the states, blocking the programs from taking effect. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals also ruled for the states, and the Justice Department rushed an appeal to the high court so that it could be heard this term. Had Scalia still been alive, though, he almost certainly would have voted with his fellow conservatives to form a majority in favor of the states. In practical terms, a victory by presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump could mean an end to the programs anyway, since he has vowed to deport the roughly 11 million immigrants who are in the United States illegally. If Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, is elected, she could attempt to revive the programs or work with the new Congress on comprehensive immigration legislation. If Clinton wins, the Senate will at some point fill the vacancy created by Scalias death either with Obamas nominee, Judge Merrick Garland, or a Clinton choice. In either case, legal challenges to executive action under her administration would come to a court that would have a majority of Democratic-appointed justices and, in all likelihood, give efforts to help immigrants a friendlier reception. Lisa Rivas, an immigration attorney who kept a list of undocumented immigrants in the Danbury area that might qualify for the two programs, shared in the disappointment and sadness felt across the country. There was an opportunity to help many individuals and families with both DAPA and extended DACA, but these individuals and families must continue to wait, Rivas said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HARTFORD A plan to look at how motorists could be charged a fee for miles driven on Connecticut roads is being met with fierce opposition and accusations of laying the groundwork for a new tax to fund transportation improvements. The controversy was sparked Monday when lawmakers learned the I-95 Corridor Coalition, of which Connecticut is a member, had applied for federal money to set up a pilot program to study how mileage fees could be assessed and road miles counted. Connecticut, along with Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Hampshire, agreed to participate in a voluntary program to test the system. Republicans quickly announced their opposition and accused Gov. Dannel P. Malloy of planning a new tax. That tax will hit drivers every day, said state Sen. Toni Boucher, R-Wilton, and a ranking member on the Legislatures Transportation Committee. It will hit you everywhere you go, even if you are driving to a hospital emergency room, Boucher said. Connecticut Republicans will be fighting this mileage tax idea until it stalls permanently, and we invite Connecticut motorists to join us. State officials said no one is considering a mileage tax, and stressed the grant application is simply a way to learn more about a levy being discussed across the country. We have no intention of moving forward with a mileage-based user fee program, said Judd Everhart, a spokesman for the state Department of Transportation. Not a new idea The idea of a vehicle mileage tax has come up before as a way to either replace the current gas tax or create another way to fund transportation upgrades. Gas taxes for years have been failing to keep up with transportation funding demands as less revenue is obtained each year due to increasingly fuel efficient cars. Last year, the Governors Transportation Finance Panel, charged with finding ways to pay for Malloys $100 billion plan to improve the states highways, bridges and rail systems, included a VMT in its lengthy list of recommendations. State agencies should be directed to design a volunteer pilot program that looks to potentially one day replace the state fuel tax with a manageable VMT system, the panel concluded. Malloy walked away from the idea, and Republicans denounced the tax and vowed to fight it. Democratic leaders including Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, D-Norwalk also closed the book on a mileage tax, and proposals to place electronic tolls on state highways failed to gain traction. Everhart said DOT has an obligation to apply for federal grant money to study a variety of issues. We fight for every dollar available, Everhart said. What we are doing, in conjunction with neighboring states, is seeking federal grants so we can be a better department, further understand motorist behavior, and be more efficient and effective in reducing congestion and traffic. That's it. If the grant money is awarded, Connecticut and the other states would develop policies and mechanisms necessary to count miles driven. About 50 volunteers, most likely legislators and transportation officials, would receive fake monthly invoices for the miles they drove. California is launching a similar pilot program this summer and Oregon has been collecting mileage fees on a volunteer basis for some time. But the idea is widely unpopular across the nation and in Connecticut, polls have shown. No new taxes More taxes and more burdens on Connecticut drivers is not the way to improve transportation in our state, said state Senate Minority Leader. Sen. Fasano, R-North Haven. Devon Puglia, a Malloy spokesman, said the governor is not proposing a mileage tax. Its amazing that Republicans say we are implementing a secret mileage tax, even though we never proposed such a tax, Puglia said. Boucher said a mileage tax would inflame state residents already opposed to highway tolls. If you thought the idea of tolls was unpopular, just wait until you try to tax Connecticut residents for every single mile they drive, Boucher said. As Senator Chris Murphy recently led a filibuster demanding a vote on two common sense gun reform measures, orchestrated with Senators Richard Blumenthal and Cory Booker, I couldnt help but think about President Lyndon Johnson proclaiming we shall overcome in his March 15, 1965 address to congress on voting rights. I was reminded again of Johnsons 1965 address lst week as neighboring Congressman John Larson, along with the help of the full Connecticut House delegation, including Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty, led a sit-in on the U.S. House of Representatives with Civil Rights icon Congressman John Lewis. The 1965 speech took place just eight days after Bloody Sunday the day John Lewis and peaceful marchers were brutally beaten on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. President Johnson convened a joint session of congress and publicly called for what would become the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Civil rights legend Andy Young once told me that Martin Luther King Jr. wept as he watched the address on television. It is the only time Young remembers seeing him cry. Dont get me wrong, a vote on simple gun reform measures does not equate to the Voting Rights Act of 1965. And I do not pretend to know how powerful it was for King to hear the President of the United States finally acknowledge in front of Congress a right that King held above all rights once declaring, So long as I do not firmly and irrevocably possess the right to vote I do not possess myself. But as I have stood in front of my television twice in the past weeks, tears welling in my eyes, I could not shake the feeling that this could be the same type of turning point in the fight for common sense gun reform. In 1965 Johnson moved swiftly getting the bill introduced just two days later and ushering it through both chambers with the help of Republican Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen. On Aug. 6, 1965 just a few months after Bloody Sunday Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act into law. If the Voting Rights Act could be signed into law with support from Democrats and Republicans in 1965, shouldnt we be able to pass common sense gun reform in 2016? Last Wednesday night I felt like we finally could, but then the simplest of measures were both voted down in the Senate. And clearly things arent any smoother in the House. Why? Because we have no Everett Dirksen. Ive had the great honor of working with people like Young and Martin Luther King III through the Drum Major Institute (DMI). DMI was co-founded to continue the work of Dr. King by his eldest son and William Wachtel, the son of a confidant of Dr. King. Young serves as the organizations chair. One of Wachtels favorite stories is that when President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act he gave the pen to Dirksen. He did so, because without Dirksen a Republican wary to support the Voting Rights Act just a year after the Civil Rights Act the bill would have failed. Instead of doing the politically convenient thing and punting on the bill, Dirksen rallied 29 other Republican Senators to join northern Democrats and overcome the threat of a filibuster. Murphy needs his Dirksen and so does the nation. Senator Toomey has tried, but sadly he is far from recruiting anywhere near the 29 colleagues Dirksen did and he, himself, isnt where he should be on the issue. A few other Republicans have signed onto the narrowest of laws, but are nowhere near the type of courage Dirksen showed at a time when voting rights werent nearly as universally popular as common sense gun reforms are today. In the latest Gallup poll on gun reform measures, 92 percent of respondents want expanded background checks and 85 percent support bans for people on federal watch lists from buying guns. This was equally true for Republicans as it was for Democrats. Yet the NRA maintains an iron grip on Republicans in both chambers of congress. Despite all of this, I remain hopeful. We shall overcome if we keep working to do so. If we support the efforts of our delegation and join groups like Sandy Hook Promise, Americans for Responsible Solutions, and Every Town for Gun Control to keep on top of the issue. If we call senators and house members from other states to demand action. If we let our voice be heard. As he argued on behalf of the Voting Rights Act, Dirksen channeled his best Victor Hugo passionately declaring something that is as true today as it was in 1965 and 1861: Stronger than all the armies is an idea whose time has come. Dan Roberti, of Kent, has advised the Drum Major Institute on major policy initiatives including the continuation of the Poor Peoples Campaign in 2008, voter protections in 2012, and the commemoration of the 50th anniversaries of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act in 2014 and 2015. Teams and players to watch in the District 5 boys soccer playoffs Check out the teams and players to watch and the District 5 Class 1A and 2A boys soccer playoffs open. Opinion Wordle The next day I woke to find myself in a WhatsApp group titled Quordle is Awesome!! A small group of three. There was no getting out of it now. What is it that the political class fails to understand about democracy? In last weeks historic referendum, the British people voted by a majority of 1,269,501 to leave the EU. They did so on a turnout of 72.2 per cent, higher than at any general election for 24 years. Moreover, they came to this decision under a barrage of threats and scares from the Remain camp. Not even the most deranged warnings of economic catastrophe, genocide and world war could shake their quiet conviction that, all things considered, Britain would be better off out. Scroll down for video Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pictured, has threatened to try to 'block' Brexit by invoking a clause in her country's constitution Yet scandalously, the inhabitants of the Westminster bubble and their allies in the chancelleries of Europe now plot to frustrate the will of the people. With astonishingly arrogant contempt for voters, some say MPs and peers should ignore the result, while the SNPs ever-opportunist Nicola Sturgeon threatens to invoke a contentious clause in the Scottish constitution to block it. Others, like egregious Tony Blair, suggest we should keep holding referendums until they get the answer they want. Imagine the furore if the result had gone the other way, and the Leave camp had sought to overturn it. Indeed, think of the Remainers howls of derision if eurosceptics had raised a highly dubious petition signed, among others, by 40,000 residents of the Vatican (population 900) demanding that the vote be declared null and void. More insidiously still, some such as Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond seek to betray the country with Brexit-Lite, urging a new deal with the EU that leaves the free movement of people intact. This is in spite of knowing that vast numbers voted to leave because of the pressures of mass immigration on jobs, wages, housing, schools, healthcare and our national identity. Meanwhile, Shadow Cabinet members rebel against Jeremy Corbyn not because the result proved hes so hugely out of touch with his heartlands, which voted resoundingly for Leave, but on the grounds he didnt campaign hard enough against Labours traditional supporters! The overweeningly disdainful message from the losing side is that the little people of Britain are deluded simpletons who were cruelly misled by the forces of darkness in the Leave camp. In the bubbles view, voters dont realise, poor fools, that uncontrolled immigration is good for them. They dont see that the big decisions are best left to omniscient elites of eurocrats, financiers and their political puppets (and never mind that this lot caused the crash, laid livelihoods waste throughout southern Europe and urged us to join the catastrophic euro). When will they wake up to the fact that the referendum sounded the death-knell of this style of politics? It was the defiant and common sense stand of voters fed up with having their concerns ignored by those who purport to represent them. Leave campaigners pictured celebrating after Britain voted to leave the EU in a historic referendum Yet still the political class lets us down. In these uncertain times, the country is crying out for reassurance and clear-headed planning for the bright future that awaits us in the wider world. How ironic that, so far, the most steadying words have come from German businesses, which rightly point out that it will be utter folly to erect trade barriers between the UK and the EU. Meanwhile, Tories and Labour alike flounder around wondering how to exploit the result to their personal advantage. If they carry on like this, well be doomed to months of zombie government, with decisions on such vital matters as airport capacity and HS2 put on hold while they tear out each others throats and jostle for position in leadership contests. The mother of a woman who committed suicide just days after being raped by a man pretending to be a taxi driver has spoken about the agony of losing her daughter. Eleri Linden, 50, from Colwyn Bay, North Wales, was left devastated after discovering that Ceri, 20, had been kidnapped and assaulted on a night out with friends. But she faced further agony after the young mother, unable to cope with her ordeal, took a fatal overdose less than a week later. After the attack, Ceri called her friend Carl who phoned the police, eventually Ceri went in to record her video statement that was to be used in her trial after her death Eleri, photographed before Ceri's death, is speaking out so that other women might be spared the torture of facing their attackers in court Eleri, a college support assistant, explained that on the night of her assault Ceri had been looking forward to her evening out, after battling mental health problems and the breakdown of her relationship. She said: 'Ceri had been through a really rough time. She'd suffered badly with depression and I felt she hadn't got the help she needed from the health service. 'Her relationship with her partner, Sam, had also broken down and their two-year-old daughter Bethan was living with him because of Ceri's health problems.' But her mother reveals that Ceri's life was heading in a positive direction as she planned to continue her education and get her life back on track. She continued: 'It had been a tough few years for us all. But, finally, there was some light at the end of the tunnel. Ceri had an interview for a science course at a college in Chester. 'She was so excited, she'd already put down a deposit on a student flat with two friends. "If I pass, I'll be able to apply for university," she told me.' Eleri says that she and her daughters have had to remain strong for Ceri's daughter Bethan (pictured with her mum) That evening of August 10, 2014, Ceri had planned an evening on the town as a way of celebration. Eleri said: 'I was so proud. Ceri had always been top of the class and she had so much potential. Now, she and her friends had planned a big night out in Chester to celebrate.' While her daughter was away, Ceri entrusted the care of her spring spaniel Bella to her mother. Eleri said: 'When she got home, I texted her asking if she wanted to take her for a walk along the beach. Within seconds, my phone had buzzed with a reply which made my blood run cold. 'It read: "I can't. Something terrible has happened." My insides twisted as I dialled Ceri's number.' Eleri asked her daughter what was wrong, reassuring her that Ceri could tell her anything. But Ceri was so upset that Eleri couldn't understand what her daughter was saying. Instead she drove the two-minute journey to Ceri's home - where she realised immediately that something was wrong. Eleri Linden has discussed the horrifying ordeal that her daughter Ceri Linden (pictured) went through following her horrific rape which lead to her daughter's suicide 'Ceri didn't answer the door, so I ran upstairs to her bedroom,' Eleri said. 'She was hiding under the covers and her eyes were red and blotchy. '"Mum, I've been raped," she croaked, before breaking down in floods of tears.' Although Eleri was horrified she tried to remain calm for her daughter's sake and asked what had happened. Ceri had gone to a party before she attempted to get a taxi outside students halls of residence to go to a bar with her friends. She managed to stop one cab but it left as she went to tell her friends. She then flagged down Iranian Mansouri's BMW 3 series assuming it was a taxi and got into the front seat - only for him to speed away. He asked her where she wanted to go and she gave him the name of a local nightspot, Bar Six T Nine and told him to wait for her two friends. Eleri (pictured with Ceri and Ceri's dad Patrick) says that her daughter had been through a rough time ahead of the attack He started driving but Ceri still thought he was a taxi driver and thought he was just being impatient. She only realised she wasn't in a taxi when he pulled into a residential street. During the journey, Ceri texted one of her friends saying: 'Think I'm being kidnapped'. Another message, just 12 seconds later, read: 'Not joking' and a final text, seven seconds after that, read: 'Literally scared.' Mansouri pulled into his address and told her to switch off her phone and go into the house. Later the court heard how she repeatedly refused yet felt 'trapped and intimidated' and went inside so as not to 'aggravate him'. Eleri said: 'She felt like she had no choice.' Ceri then told her mother how she managed to escape, saying, 'I ran as fast as I could and hid in a bush in the next street but I could see his car. He was driving around, looking for me.' Ceri then phoned her friend Carl who called the police. Upon hearing the commotion a neighbour came out who 'showed no sympathy' and put Ceri in a taxi. Yet Ceri also told her mother how she had just 'walked the streets alone for hours' and didn't call her mother out of fear that she'd worry her. Events then moved quickly. Police officers visited and took a statement from Ceri. Eleri was amazed by how much her daughter could remember of her attacker. She said: 'She described his car, what he looked like and where his house was. She even remembered what way his driveway faced.' The next day, Ceri was taken to Manchester for humiliating forensic examinations. 'I held her hand in the back of the police car as we travelled there,' Eleri said. Initially Ceri was terrified of facing her attacker in court telling the police that she feared being 'made out to be a liar'. Eleri continued: 'But the police talked her round and eventually she agreed to give a video interview. A few days later, we got the call we'd been waiting for. Ms Linden asked Mansouri to take her to Bar 69 in Chester city centre, where she was going to meet friends Police had arrested Masood Mansouri, 33, and refused him bail. 'Even though she'd had a bit to drink, Ceri's descriptions were so detailed the police had tracked her attacker down within days,' Eleri said. 'I hoped this would give her a bit of a boost, but she still seemed withdrawn and down. I stayed up all night chatting to her, trying to make her feel better, but it didn't work.' In a bid to raise her daughter's spirits Eleri decided to cook a roast for Ceri and her sisters Becky, 18, and Emma, 16. Masood Mansouri was jailed for his crime 'Ceri was vegetarian, so I made sure I picked up some Quorn chicken. I was only gone for around half an hour and I picked up a pastry to take back to her, too. 'When I got home, she was still sitting on the couch, in the same position I'd left her. We chatted as normal for around ten minutes before Ceri said the words which would change all of our lives forever. '"Mum, I love you but I've taken an overdose."' A frantic Eleri began quizzing Ceri, discovering that she had downed a bottle of her own blood pressure tablets. Then she passed out. Eleri called an ambulance but the emergency services response was delayed leaving the family panicked. Eleri said: 'For the next half hour, Ceri slipped in and out of consciousness, struggling for breath, but there was no sign of the ambulance. 'Poor Becky had to hold her sister's mouth open to help her get some air in her lungs.' Some 45 minutes after she had made the initial call an ambulance arrived, but as Ceri was placed on the stretcher she suffered a fatal heart attack. Eleri recalled: 'Deep down, I knew we'd lost her, but I ran to my car and Becky, Emma and I followed the ambulance to hospital.' The mother-of-three attempted to comfort Ceri's sisters but after a while a doctor told the family that nothing more could be done to save her. Only seven days had passed since her attack. Eleri said: 'We clung to each other and cried as she asked for our permission to turn off Ceri's life support machine. 'She asked if we wanted to say a final goodbye, but it was too painful. We didn't want to remember Ceri lying lifeless on a hospital bed. 'I couldn't understand how my beautiful, clever, loving girl was gone. She was just 20. Ceri, centre, with with sister Becky, left, and mother Eleri, right, was on a night out in Cheshire when she got into a car believing it was a taxi - the man drove her back to his house and attacked her 'For the next few months, we were lost in a haze of grief. Without Ceri, life seemed pointless but Bethan (Ceri's daughter) gave us a reason to go on.' The next ordeal was Masoon Mansouri's trial which took place at Chester Crown Court in April 2015. He was charged with rape, kidnap and sexual assault. Ceri's video evidence was played to the jury on a screen in court. I couldn't face sitting in court listening to Mansouri's lies The court heard Ceri's recorded statement, saying: 'I woke up yesterday and realised what had happened and the seriousness of it and it hit me. 'I felt worthless and helpless and that I needed to tell someone. I don't feel like this is something which someone should be able to get away with.' However Eleri stayed away, unable to go through the pain of the trial. She said: 'I couldn't face sitting in court listening to Mansouri's lies, so I read about the case in the papers. It made me sick to my stomach when he told the court Ceri had come on to him in the taxi. 'I thought, "Why would my beautiful girl touch a monster like you?"' Then on April 30, 2015, Eleri received the news she she had been waiting for: Mansouri had been found guilty of all charges and would serve 13 years in jail. Ceri (pictured left with sister Becky) couldn't feel she could cope with life after being raped It was the first time in British legal history that a rapist had been convicted without the victim being cross examined by the defence. A rape case has never previously been successfully prosecuted in England and Wales where the evidence of the victim went unchallenged by cross-examination. This man's actions had driven my lovely Ceri to her death and nothing would bring her back Eleri recalls: 'I burst into tears but soon my relief turned to anger. This man's actions had driven my lovely Ceri to her death and nothing would bring her back. 'Like many rape victims, she'd have been traumatised at the idea of taking the stand against Mansouri and I know the thought of being cross examined would have terrified her in her final days. 'I can only hope her case might spare other girls the trauma of giving evidence in court after a sexual assault. 'The pain of losing Ceri rips me apart every day but it gives me some comfort to know she helped put her attacker behind bars, where he can't hurt another innocent girl.' In 2010, Anna Shillinglaw - then 35 - launched Milk Model Management. Today, the company employs 16 staff, 250 models and its clients include M&S, River Island, Asos, New Look and Evans. She lives in Surrey with her husband, Edward, and six-year-old son, Oscar. When I was scouted by Storm model agency at 17, I was what the industry refers to as a straight-size model. I did lots of underwear modelling - I was even a Wonderbra girl. Anna Shillinglaw set up Milk Model Management at the age of 35 For the first six months of my career in the early Nineties it was OK to be a size 10 or even a 12 and have hips and boobs - but then Kate Moss hit and everyone wanted waifs. I was sent home from a few jobs with people muttering shes just too big. Things got worse when I moved to New York in my mid-20s where model agents were more direct. Oh my God! You have to lose weight! was a common response. My agency suggested I try plus-size modelling, but that meant I had to gain weight. My lightbulb moment came when I moved back home and realised that the UK didnt have a plus-size agency. I was on a modelling job when I blurted out to the other models: Do you want to join my agency? All six agreed, so I knew the time was right. I found myself pregnant with my son, Oscar, living in Army quarters in West Byfleet and running a modelling agency from my spare room! Through sheer hard work I signed bigger clients and increasingly successful models. The moment I knew Id made it was the following year when one of my models, Robyn Lawley, was booked for the cover of Italian Vogue to be shot by acclaimed photographer Steven Meisel. After that, I knew Milk was going to be successful. These days I also employ 'straight size' models too. Today, my turnover is in the multi-millions and I work out of a fantastic office in Soho, London. Anna is part of the Evans #IamMe campaign. Visit evans.co.uk Her mood and quality of sleep have improved since taking classes Twelve noon on a Sunday and I am lying face down on a yoga mat with my nose about two inches away from the big toe of the man in front of me. The temperature is 35c and a drop of sweat falls onto my sodden yoga towel. There are at least 40 people in the room, mainly women, who, like me, are of a certain age. The teacher, a man who, apart from the yoga trousers, could easily be in a pulpit, tells us to sit on our mats, and then, with evangelical fervour, says: 'Why are you here today?' Daisy Goodwin took up hot yoga after a friend with enviable posture recommended it (stock picture) In response, I'm expecting the room to shuffle (this is England after all) and say something about relaxation, but to my surprise, several hands go up. 'To be taken out of myself,' one woman cries, and then from someone of about my age: 'To get that high! It's like being on drugs.' There's a murmur of sweaty agreement in the room, as if people are saying amen. Instead, we put our hands together and chant the three Oms. This is my first hot yoga session. I've come because a friend with enviable posture had told me it was the only reason she hadn't throttled her teenage children: 'I come out feeling amazing, rinsed clean of all my pent-up feelings.' As a middle-aged woman with an incipient dowager's hump from being hunched over my laptop all day and a daughter doing GCSEs, I decided it was worth trying. I had done yoga before, but it was the super-gentle post-natal kind where I struggled to stay awake. Hot yoga is a very different experience. There are no baggy T-shirts or tracksuit bottoms here; most people are dressed in skin-tight leggings and bra tops. She found the first class hard but afterwards felt 50 per cent better physically and mentally than when she went in (stock picture) Everyone has a bottle of coconut water and there are lots of stern messages telling us to switch off our phones: 'Don't let your phone ruin your drishti (focus).' The whole thing makes me nervous. When I go into the studio I am overwhelmed by the smell: imagine a school gym pong magnified by ten, a mixture of sweaty rubber and feet overlaid by the patchouli scent from the candles round the teacher's altar. (Sorry, mat.) And it is staggeringly hot. After the oms, the class begins and I struggle to contort myself into the downward-facing dog position. 'Raise your hips to the sky, and glue your heels to the mat.' My heels are nowhere near the mat, but as I take a sneaky glance around the room I see that quite a few people have their heels glued to the ground. Yoga isn't meant to be competitive, but I can't help but feel a twinge of envy as my neighbours pull their limbs about like human pretzels, while I have problems just trying to sit cross-legged. The first class is hard: it is a combination of sun salutations that really get your pulse racing - especially in the 35c heat - and various poses that tax your balance, including one eagle pose that involves wrapping your arms and legs around each other and standing on one leg. She says yoga isn't meant to be competitive, but she couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as her neighbours pulled their limbs about like human pretzels (stock picture) I am very, very glad I got the space next to the wall as I begin to topple over. At the end of the 60-minute session we lie on our mats in savasana, or corpse position, and the teacher gives us a little sermon about how if we surrender to our bodies we will find true wisdom. I find this mildly annoying, but when the class is finished, the doors are opened and the glorious cold air rushes in, I realise that I do actually feel amazing: clear-headed, and with a looseness in my body I haven't felt for years. I am not sure I would call it a high, but I feel at least 50 per cent better physically and mentally than when I went in. I go home smiling and my family tiptoe around me. 'Are you all right, Mum?' says my teenager. 'You look a bit spaced.' That night, I sleep the whole night through, for the first time in months. I am converted. I start going two, three, four times a week. I meet a woman who used to do the school run with me when our children were small, and she is now training to be a yoga teacher. Daisy says her mood and quality of sleep have improved now she takes classes regularly (stock picture) She looks incredible; her upper arms are a poem, but even more enviable, she radiates serenity. I ask her if she puts this down to the yoga and she says: 'Absolutely.' When we last met she was a frazzled mother-of-three: now she is a goddess. She says that 'hot yoga makes everything easier - you stretch more and you come out feeling really good'. Her daughter and two sons also practise yoga, but not her husband. 'He doesn't care about touching his toes.' As we are both in our 50s, I ask her how she copes with hot yoga and hot flushes. She says that she has sailed through: 'You just sweat it all out.' And there is some science behind this. Research from Liverpool John Moores University found that women who worked up a sweat in the gym suffered fewer hot flushes than those with a more sedentary lifestyle. And the flushes they did experience were less severe. I may never get my heels to touch the floor in the downward dog, but what I love about it is that you have to concentrate so hard not to fall over that you simply can't think of anything else I can't take HRT as I had breast cancer last year, but I haven't had hot flushes or night sweats since I took up hot yoga. I've also found my mood and my quality of sleep have improved. When I feel as if I am about to explode, and any woman of a certain age will know what I mean, I go to a hot yoga class and come back feeling serene and calm. My husband has now memorised the class schedule and when he sees that look in my eye, he says: 'I think there's a class at 6.30 tonight.' I am not a sporty person, I can't hit a ball and I hate running, but hot yoga is a form of exercise I can live with. I may be the worst in the class but, as I soon realised, nobody cares. There are dangers, though. I gave myself a black eye attempting a crow pose. I was trying to balance on my hands and I fell forward and hit my head. None of the other yogis in the room even looked round. Afterwards, the teacher said that everyone falls over at some point, it just shows that you are ready to experiment. I felt pretty silly explaining to people that my bruised face was yoga-related, but injury aside, I will be keeping up my hot yoga habit. I may never get my heels to touch the floor in the downward dog or manage to keep my balance in crow, but what I love about it is that you have to concentrate so hard not to fall over that you simply can't think of anything else. drop, it is cheaper to buy ASOS items in pounds If the news that the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union and the following freefall in financial markets wasn't a traumatic enough start to the weekend, fashion giant ASOS had its site go down on Friday. The online retailer, which is based in England but ships worldwide, went down on Friday afternoon Australian time and early Friday morning UK time. People quickly took to social media to theorise that the site was down because non-UK residents were rushing to buy clothes for cheaper prices as the pound fell in relation to other currencies. 'We need a little time out': Online retailer ASOS went down on Friday following the Brexit result Whoops: Twitter users speculated that it was because of the drop in the British pound following the referendum 'Side effect': One woman believed it may have been because non-Brits were doing 'mass online shopping' 'Aha ASOS's website is actually down, probably from Australians rushing to get cheaper cowl neck jumpers,' Kaitlyn Plyley tweeted. However others were skeptical of the timing, accusing ASOS of deliberately taking its site down because they might lose money in the currency conversions, or to change the prices and make items more expensive. The ASOS Australia Twitter account denied that the outage was related to the results of the referendum. 'W'll be back online soon, we promise! We've has some tech issues by it's def not linked to #Brexit' they tweeted. 'Def not linked': ASOS denied the outage was due to Brexit and said the site would be up again soon Convenient: Other Twitter users though ASOS had taken the site down on purpose because of the currency drop Running again: The site and app were back up on Saturday, after being down for more than 24 hours in total The site was back up on Saturday, after being down for more than 24 hours in total. In a statement to Daily Mail, ASOS reiterated that it was not because of Brexit. 'Yes, the ASOS site was down. This is because of a power outage at a third party data centre that hosts our servers. This impacted other businesses hosted by the centre,' ASOS said. 'Our tech team restored the services which involved replacing damaged hardware and this is why it took so long to get back online, however we are now back up and running.' Save your dollars: Australians can still make savings on the site because of the drop in value of the pound Cheap: You can currently save $118 AUD on a Needle and Thread maxi dress if you pay for it in pounds instead of Australian dollars Buy before they're gone: The same goes for products across the site, like Kurt Geiger boots (above) Shopping hack: The boots cost $390 AUD, or 180.26. By paying for the boots in pounds you save $64 AUD on them However even now, the fall in the value of the pound means that Australians can make savings by simply paying for their purchases in pounds instead of dollars. A patterned floor-length Needle and Thread dress, for example, is selling for $704 AUD on ASOS. However if you opt to pay in pounds, it only costs 325.40 which converts into $586 AUD, saving you $118 AUD. The same goes for a pair of Kurt Geiger boots that are selling for $390 AUD, or 180.26. If you pay for the boots in pounds you'll only pay $326 AUD, saving $64 AUD. For the past three years, Australian beauty vlogger Chloe Morello has filmed an Eid make up tutorial for her Muslim fans. And this year, she opted for a simple yet striking look with a bold smokey eye, shimmering illuminator and a subtle matte lip. Thousands of the young beauty guru's fans took to YouTube to praise her look and thank her for acknowledging all cultures and religions in her videos. Stunning: For the past three years, Australian beauty vlogger Chloe Morello has filmed an Eid make up tutorial for her Muslim fans, and this year, the look is one of her most striking creations yet Final touch: 'Just so you can see what the look will look like with a hijab on... I don't want to offend anyone when I do this, most people like it I think,' she said 'I started doing them [Eid tutorials] a couple of years ago when my Muslim friend was like "my wife would really like it if you would do a tutorial for Eid",' Morello said. 'Everyone was sort of asking for a glowy neutral look so I got some taupes and some greys and I came up with this. Its a halo eye with the most amazing creamy skin... the skin came out so well.' The talented vlogger applied a dewy foundation before using two eye palettes to create a bold, sparkling eye with greys, taupes and shimmering neutrals. Starting off: 'Everyone was sort of asking for a glowy neutral look so I got some taupes and some greys and I came up with this. Its a halo eye with the most amazing creamy skin... the skin came out so well,' she said All about the colour: The talented vlogger applied a dewy foundation before using two eye palettes to create a bold, sparkling eye with greys, taupes and shimmering neutrals She then added concealer, illuminator and blush to create a natural yet stunning glowing finish to her skin. Morello completed her look by donning a white hijab. 'Just so you can see what the look will look like with a hijab on... I don't want to offend anyone when I do this, most people like it I think,' she said. 'It's purely so the hijabis know what it will look like with one on.' Sparkles: She then added concealer, illuminator and blush to create a natural yet stunning glowing finish to her skin Morello's video has been viewed close to 240,000 times and many of the comments were from her Muslim fans, praising her for the tutorial. WHAT IS EID? Eid, or Eid-al-Fitr, is an Islamic holiday that marks the end of the month-long fast of Ramadan. Many dress in fine clothes, decorate their homes and celebrate with a large feast alongside friends and relatives. Advertisement 'You are the only non Muslim beauty blogger who does this for us Muslim girls. I love you for this and for your sense of humour and oh my God you're so pretty,' one woman wrote. 'I love you, you're my favourite YouTuber. Everything you do is beautiful and I love how you shed light on all cultures and do not leave any of your viewers out. You just make the best videos and they never fail to make me laugh,' another wrote. 'I just saw your snap story, please don't listen to those hijabi girls that think you're offending or being rude or whatever the hell they're thinking,' one wrote, defending Morello against negative comments. Chic: Morello's video has been viewed close to 240,000 times and many of the comments were from her Muslim fans, praising her for the tutorial Eyelashes: 'You are the only non Muslim beauty blogger who does this for us Muslim girls. I love you for this and for your sense of humour and oh my God you're so pretty,' one woman wrote 'I love it when u put on the hijab it shows me how the makeup would look because when u put the hijab on the eyes pop and everything just look different. I am a hijabi and I LOVE the video [sic].' Others were less impressed. 'It's lovely of you to do a makeup look for Eid, as clearly your demographic includes Muslim women who love your looks. However, wearing a hijab for the purpose of the video is wrong,' one woman wrote. 'For you it's easy to wear it like a costume, for the purpose of a tutorial, while actual Muslim women wear it with the risk of being harassed or being attacked due to the fact islamophobia is still so high in society. Just something to think about for your next tutorial!' Morello took to Snapchat after sharing the video and said she didn't believe the video needed any special recognition. 'I uploaded my Eid tutorial and the response has been awesome. I do them every year and you guys really love them, especially the hijabis,' she said. Matte lip: 'I just saw your snap story, please don't listen to those hijabi girls that think you're offending or being rude or whatever the hell they're thinking,' one wrote, defending Morello against negative comments It's all about positivity: 'It makes as much sense as it does to do a Christmas tutorial to do an Eid tutorial. It's really not a big deal,' Morello said 'It's always very interesting reading the comments on my Eid tutorials because at the end of the video I put a hijab on just to show you how the make up will look. I'm an atheist... I'm not trying to promote any religion here I'm just trying to promote acceptance.' She went on to say the positive comments 'touched her heart' and that she 'can't even imagine how difficult it would be being Muslim some days.' 'It's sickening how normal it is to discriminate against Muslim people. 'Discrimination against Islam is everywhere... it's rampant, I can't imagine.' 'It makes as much sense as it does to do a Christmas tutorial to do an Eid tutorial. It's really not a big deal. People are making a big deal out of a video thats nice to be appreciative but it should be normal... as in it should be normal for Islamic women to feel a part of society.' 'It should be normal to be accepted': Morello said it hurts her when she sees her hijabi viewers saying how much the video means to them, because they shouldn't feel that way Morello said it hurts her when she sees her hijabi viewers saying how much the video means to them, because they shouldn't feel that way. 'It should be normal to be accepted,' she wrote. The vlogger also briefly hit back at those who did write negative comments, focusing on one woman in particular. 'Some girl said I was culturally appropriating Islam by putting a hijab on,' she said. The bride said she is all about attachment parenting and wanted to nurse A heartwarming photo of a bride breastfeeding her nine-month-old baby girl during her wedding has been shared by thousands on social media. Christina Torino-Benton, from Montreal, Quebec, married her now husband Danny Benton on June 18 and decided to breastfeed her baby, Gemma, in the middle of the ceremony. 'At the church it was like 40 degrees, Gemma was hot, she missed her nap and was overall really crabby,' Mrs Torino-Benton, 30, told Daily Mail. Scroll down for video 'I'm about attachment parenting': Christina Torino-Benton, from Montreal, Quebec, married her now husband Danny Benton on June 18 and decided to breastfeed her baby, Gemma, during the ceremony (pictured) Simple as that: 'When she started crying I couldn't focus on my wedding. All I was thinking about was taking her and nursing because I knew that was the only solution,' Mrs Torino-Benton told Daily Mail 'I don't pump or bottle feed and I'm all about secure attachment parenting. She's never left to cry so when she started crying I couldn't focus on my wedding. All I was thinking about was taking her and nursing because I knew that was the only solution. 'Once I got her in my arms, I was able to calm down and focus. A lot of people think that my feeding her mid ceremony was a bother but actually it was nice having her up there with us. She is always a joy to have around.' The mother-of-two later shared the snap on a breastfeeding support group she is part of where it received over 7,000 likes. Proud mother: 'Once I got her in my arms, I was able to calm down and focus. A lot of people think that my feeding her mid ceremony was a bother but actually it was nice having her up there with us,' she said 'Fighting that good fight': The mother-of-two later shared the snap on a breastfeeding support group she is part of where it received over 7,000 likes Things like this do happen. I'm not the first and I won't be the last. Christina Torino-Benton 'Talk about feeding anytime & anywhere. That moment when you're getting married and your baby gets hungry. F eeling SO proud of myself! Fighting that good fight!' She captioned the photo. Mrs Torino-Benton said she shared the picture because she thought it was 'really awesome' and knew they would appreciate it. 'I never expected it to go viral like this. I thought I'd get a few likes from my breastfeeding peers and that's that,' she said. 'I think sharing photos like this is important. Things like this do happen. I'm not the first and I won't be the last and hopefully people will be more accepting and understanding.' Spreading her message: 'I think sharing photos like this is important. Things like this do happen. I'm not the first and I won't be the last and hopefully people will be more accepting and understanding,' she said The proud mother said the response has been 'mixed' on social media. 'A lot of people are asking why I didn't pump and have someone give her a bottle... I just don't respond well to a pump so I never got into that,' Mrs Torino-Benton said. 'Some people are just plain rude. Some people compare breastfeeding to all sorts of ridiculous things and have really weird points of view on the topic. 'I'm a bit surprised to be honest. Before I posted this I had never felt negativity or judgement towards breastfeeding at all!' Mrs Torino-Benton said she's happy her 'supportive and kind' fellow breastfeeders 'have her back' and that she's lucky to have such a positive online community. Ms Luik is also the author of several books on the IVF process She is the new Australian ambassador for Britney Spears' lingerie line At 30 years of age, Ms Luik has four of her own children, and the twins She nearly died giving birth to her fourth child Rosie Luik was a surrogate for her best friend who couldn't give birth At 30 years of age, Brisbane-born Rosie Luik has packed in more than most. As well as being the mother to four children, she hit the headlines at age 25 when she offered to be a surrogate mum for her best friend. Despite giving birth to healthy twins for her friend, Lauren Lichtnauer, Ms Luik's own health later suffered when she gave birth to her own fourth child, and at one point, her husband was told that she might not make it through. Busy lady: Brisbane-born 30-year-old, Rosie Luik, is extremely busy - she is mum to four children and initially hit the headlines for acting as a surrogate for her best friend at age 25 - she is now a model (pictured) However, since then, Ms Luik has gone from strength to strength, becoming a well-regarded model, as she has wanted to do since she was a child. She has just been signed up by her modelling agency, Mint Management, to be the Australian ambassador for Britney Spears's lingerie line, Intimate Britney Spears. Ms Luik also models for a number of other brands, including Beyond Coconut Water, and has even written several books about her IVF experience. Big name: Ms Luik has just been signed up by her agency to be the Australian ambassador for Britney Spears's lingerie line, Intimate Britney Spears Mixing it up: In between modelling, being a mum (pictured) and everything else, Ms Luik has also published several books on the IVF process 'It's a pretty crazy amount to fit in,' Ms Luik Daily Mail Australia. 'But I like to keep a routine down - it's all about routine. 'I honestly don't think I could have handled all of this in my twenties, but now I think I'm more resilient and can bring something slightly different to the fashion industry. I don't think I could have handled all of this in my twenties, but now I think I'm more resilient 'My work ethic is stronger than it was then, too. I know what I need to do when I turn up somewhere, and so I come along and just do it. 'Yes, some agencies ran a million miles when they heard I wasn't in my twenties when I started out, but I'm incredibly grateful to have such good management now.' Poster girl: Ms Luik also models for a number of other brands, including Beyond Coconut Water Point of difference: While she says that some modelling agencies ran a million miles when they heard Ms Luik was trying to model, but wasn't in her twenties, she says she is now lucky to have such good management Ms Luik couldn't be prouder to represent Britney Spears's lingerie line. 'Her entire brand is about empowering women,' she says. Ms Luik explains that she had always dreamed of modelling, but says that she constantly pushed it aside in favour of being a mum. However, after she nearly died giving birth to her fourth child, she knew she wanted to give her ambitions a chance. Someone like her: Ms Luik says that Britney Spears's line is about empowering women Proud: She says that it is an honour to be the Australian face of Britney Spears' brand Little girl dream: Ms Luik says that she had always dreamed of modelling, but explains that she always pushed it aside in favour of being a mum Dreams come true: However, after she nearly died giving birth for the fourth time, she knew she wanted to give her ambitions a chance - she is now extremely successful 'I did promotional work first,' she says. 'And then I started getting approached by people for actual modelling. I love what I do so much now, and already one of my little girls, Coco, is showing signs of following in her mother's footsteps, too. 'She loves it when I practise my walk in the hallway, and adores posing for the camera!,' Ms Luik laughs. 'I'm pretty happy with where I am right now. I'd love to work with some big Australian brands in the future, but for now I'm pretty grateful for what I've got.' It's been six years since her relationship with Prince Harry crumbled and Chelsy Davy has largely kept quiet about her time with the royal. However, the 30-year-old businesswoman, currently promoting an ethical jewellery brand, has finally lifted the lid on what it feels like to date the prince, calling the intense media interest 'scary'. On and off with Harry for the best part of seven years, Zimbabwe-born Davy has revealed that she 'couldn't cope' with the attention and eventually retreated back to Africa for calm. Scroll down for video Back in the spotlight: Chelsy Davy, now 30, who dated Prince Harry for seven years on and off has revealed that she found the media intrusion into her relationship with the young royal 'crazy and scary' The pair split shortly after this photo was taken in 2010 at Stockbridge after Harry had received his flying wings. Zimbabwe-born Davy retreated back to Africa after the split, saying 'some people are definitely better' at dating royals 'than others' In an interview with the Times, Davy revealed that being chased by photographers desperate to capture images of the couple together was terrifying. She said: 'It was so full-on: crazy and scary and uncomfortable. I found it very difficult when it was bad. I couldn't cope.' The former lawyer describes herself as 'just a normal kid' and says it was 'tough' to go through such chases at such a young age, saying: 'I was trying to be a normal kid and it was horrible.' After first meeting while she was a teenager at Cheltenham and then getting together during Prince Harry's gap year in Cape Town, Davy returned to the UK to study in Leeds and be closer to the young royal. Seven year itch: The couple, who got together during Prince Harry's gap year in Cape Town in 2004, will always remain 'good friends' says Davy 'I was just trying to be a normal kid' Davy says the media obsession with their relationship was 'tough' Party prince: Davy admits that she did 'go out a lot' and doesn't contest her reputation as a 'party girl' Despite going on to establish a highly prized career at solicitor's firm Allen & Overy, Chelsy was branded 'a party girl' by the media for her love of socialising. She concedes she did nothing to correct the image and admits to 'going out and partying a lot'. This weekend, the blonde wore a striking red dress with Hunter wellies to attend Glastonbury festival alongside Princess Eugenie and another of Harry's ex-girlfriends, Cressida Bonas. When the couple split in 2010, she says she retreated once again to her native Zimbabwe unable to handle the break-up headlines. 'It was nuts,' she says. 'That's also why I wanted to go back to Africa. Now it's calm, it's fine.' Last week, Chelsy was joined by her longtime pal Eugenie for the launch of her jewellery range AYA at Baar and Bass in London The pair were clearly delighted to be reunited, ignoring the cameras completely as they shared a long hug at the fashion boutique in Chelsea. Davy has remained in the inner circle of the royals and was even invited to Kate and William's wedding in 2011 An Aya pendant: Chelsy now divides her time between Zimbabwe, where her family is based, her jewellery mine in Zambia and west London Chelsy, whose mother Beverley Donald is former Miss Rhodesia 1973, now divides her time between Zimbabwe, where her family is based, her jewellery mine in Zambia and west London - where she has a home in Chelsea. She says she'll always 'be good friends' with Harry and indeed remained so much a part of the royal circle that she was invited to William and Kate's wedding in 2011. She's happy to be back in the media spotlight once more though, this time launching her new venture, an ethical beauty range. The African-based jewellery company Aya, making pieces with gems mined in Zambia. Of the range, she has said: 'Aya is not a charity, it is a luxury brand of beautiful top quality stones and solid gold. But it won't neglect the communities from where they are sourced.' Glasto gal: The 30-year-old lawyer turned businesswoman rocked a dressed down look at Worthy Farm in a simple red dress and a pair of classic Hunter wellies Chelsy appeared in high spirits as she happily chatted to friends while walking around before heading to one of the stages this weekend Last week Chelsy was joined by her longtime pal Princess Eugenie for the launch of AYA at Baar and Bass in London. The pair were clearly delighted to be reunited, ignoring the cameras completely as they shared a long hug at the fashion boutique in Chelsea. Chelsy looks as glamorous as ever, dazzling in a white playsuit complete with lace detailing showcasing her trademark tan and blonde locks. The businesswoman also revealed that attending Cheltenham Ladies College as a teenager was like being plunged into a different world where schoolgirls wore make-up and grew up 'more quickly'. Now that his star is rising and he's tipped as the next Bond, it's hardly surprising to see Tom Hiddleston with an A-list girlfriend with millions in the bank. However, before the British actor, 35, became the toast of Hollywood he enjoyed a love affair with a woman ten years his senior - a world away from pop star Taylor. Tom's first girlfriend has been revealed as Dr Lucie Cluver, 45, an Oxford University professor of Child and Family Social Work and an internationally renowned specialist in AIDS and HIV research. Scroll down for video Tom Hiddleston has been wooing pop star Taylor Swift, 26, on a trip to the Sussex countryside to meet his family Lucie Cluver, 45, was said to be Tom's first real love after he met her while they both studied at Cambridge The pair met when they were both studying at Cambridge University and a source told The Sun that smitten Tom became fiercely intelligent Lucie's 'lapdog'. 'Lucie's a very bright, energetic, popular woman. Tom was head-over-heels for her,' the source said. 'She was his first real love. They were in a serious relationship for a while when they were at uni together and then things just fizzled out as they pursued their own careers.' Like Tom, Lucie has seen her career go from strength to strength. Dr Cluver is a world renowned specialist in AIDS and HIV research As well as her role as an Oxford professor, Dr Cluver is also an honorary lecturer in psychiatry and mental health at the University of Cape Town in 2014, she was awarded Oxford's Green Templeton College Outstanding Alumna of the Year for raising the college's profile with her research with children affected by HIV and AIDS in South Africa. As well as her role as an Oxford professor, she is also an honorary lecturer in psychiatry and mental health at the University of Cape Town. She is involved closely with the South African government and bodies such as Save The Children, UNICEF and the WHO working on research to improve the lives of children with HIV and AIDS. Dr. Lucie Cluver presenting the results of her groundbreaking study of children whose parents are ill with or have died from HIV and AIDS at the Regional Psychosocial Support Forum 2011 Tom was said to be 'head over heels' with the brunette but the romance fizzled out as they both progressed in their respective careers At Oxford she is the leader of the Centre for AIDS Interdisciplinary Research. One of her areas of interest is the effects on children who are orphaned by AIDS and she has also spoken about her work to prevent child abuse of teenagers in vulnerable communities. According to her Oxford University profile, she speaks 'terrible Xhosa', the Bantu langauge of the second-largest ethnic group in South Africa and has a 'bad habit of missing flights'. Dr Cluver is the leader of the Centre for AIDS Interdisciplinary Research at Oxford She certainly seems to have little in common with Taylor whose talents lie in music and songwriting. The 26-year-old is currently being wooed by Night Manager star Tom, who has showed their two week relationship is already on a serious footing by introducing to his mother. The new couple were seen taking a stroll along the chilly Aldeburgh beach in Suffolk on Saturday evening with the actor's mother Diana. Tom and Taylor flew into Stansted airport on Friday for a quick trip, with Tom keen to show his new girlfriend, who hails from Tennessee via Pennsylvania, where he grew up. The Thor actor was spotted getting behind the wheel of their rented Jaguar before taking Taylor on a drive around Suffolk as he showed her some of his favourite spots. London-born Tom was initially raised in Wimbledon by his mother Diana, an arts administrator and former stage manager, and his Scottish chemist father James. Tom and his sisters Sarah and Emma later moved to Oxfordshire, before his parents divorced when he was 13. He previously described in an interview how he loved retreating to his mother's home in Suffolk 'to keep my head straight walking along the beach, throwing stones in the sea, and eating fish and chips'. Taylor, whose talents lie with music and songwriting, is very different from Tom's first love interest The star has been dating Tom for two weeks and was in a relationship with DJ Calvin Harris until a month ago The couple's whirlwind relationship has been moving at breakneck speed since they began dating earlier in June. The British actor spent the week in her adopted hometown of Nashville, where Taylor introduced him to her parents Andrea and Scott Swift yesterday. They were also seen enjoying a romantic dinner out in the country music capital, with Tom planting a tender kiss on Taylor's hand as they dined with friends. News of their romance broke less than two weeks ago after they were pictured kissing on Misquamicut State Beach near her sprawling Watch Hill, Rhode Island, estate. The couple's whirlwind relationship has been moving at breakneck speed since they began dating earlier in June The new couple flew into the UK on Taylor's private jet so the pop star could be introduced to Tom's family The photogenic twosome were spotted kissing, posing for selfies and admiring the view together, with the Bond hopeful even offering the pop star his jacket. The internet immediately responded with a slew of memes and sceptical tweets, with many suggesting that the photos looked 'staged'. The pairing has proved to be all the more shocking as the Shake It Off hitmaker had split from DJ Calvin not long before. According to her Oxford University profile, Dr Lucie speaks 'terrible Xhosa', the Bantu langauge of the second-largest ethnic group in South Africa and has a bad habit of missing flights Dr Lucie Cluver giving a talk at a conference on AIDS. She is also an honorary lecturer in psychiatry and mental health at the University of Cape Town The following day they were seen boarding Taylor's private jet together and heading to New York City. Taylor has an estimated net worth of $250 million, according to Forbes. And Tom appeared to be enjoying being chauffeured around in Taylor's Cadillac Escalade on Friday last week while running errands. While the new romance came shortly after Taylor and Calvin's break-up, the Scottish DJ insisted there are no hard feeling between them. 'It's all good, she's doing her thing,' Calvin said when asked about his ex by TMZ recently. Taylor has also enjoyed past romances with stars including Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal and John Mayer. A widow has said it would be 'inhumane' for her to be denied the opportunity to have her late husband's baby after he died while they were undergoing fertility treatment. Samantha Jefferies, 42, from East Sussex, was in the process of having three cycles of IVF on the NHS when her husband Clive, 51, suffered a brain haemorrhage in 2014. At the time, the couple had endured two failed cycles of IVF and were awaiting a third attempt using their remaining frozen embryos. Samantha Jefferies appeared on This Morning to talk of her battle to be allowed to have her late husband's baby using embryos created before he died Samantha was in the process of having three cycles of IVF on the NHS when her husband Clive, 51, died from a brain haemorrhage in 2014 Appearing on today's This Morning, Samantha said she would now like to use these embryos to try to conceive, but she has been told that the clinic where they are being kept - Sussex Downs Fertility Centre - has to destroy them because they have been stored for the pre-agreed two years. Under the laws on fertility treatment, Samantha can now only appeal to a High Court judge to overrule the decision. Samantha, an occupational therapist, told presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield the news is another 'tough' blow following her two failed cycles of IVF and the loss of her husband. She said: 'When we met we knew straight away we would get married and have children. We were devastated when the first two cycles of IVF didn't work but at least we had hope of another attempt. 'It is tough to know our embryos might be destroyed. When we did all the paperwork in 2013, we ticked the box for the embryos to be kept for two years instead of ten years as we were advised to choose two years due to NHS funding.' Samantha is now having to take her case to the High Court this week to see if a ruling can be made for her embryos to be kept ahead of another IVF attempt. Her solicitor James Lawford-Davies who is fighting her case told The Argue: 'Currently there isn't anyone arguing that Samantha shouldn't be allowed to use her embryos. 'But because the law says that they cant be stored any longer only a judge can make that decision. I think she has a very strong case.' The widow said it would be 'inhumane' for a judge to rule her embryos should be destroyed because they have been stored for the pre-agreed two years A spokesperson for Sussex Downs Fertility Clinic said they also hope Samantha can get the law on her side. They said: 'We fully support this application and the patient's (Mrs Jefferies') wish to establish her lawful right to extend the storage of the embryos she and her late husband created together during treatment at our clinic, in order to have a child/children together. 'Our interests are entirely to support our patients and achieve the best outcome for her and her late husband, in line with their wishes.' She also has the backing of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) which advises all UK clinics to allow storage of embryos for ten years, even if funding runs out sooner, as not to do so can cause 'significant distress' to couples. Samantha agreed that she had been placed under more than just 'significant' stress given the legal battle she is now having to fight, on top of her grief over the loss of her husband and their previous inability to have a much wanted baby. She said she hopes the High Court will rule in her favour so she has one last chance of having a child with the man she loved. She said: 'It would be inhumane for anyone to pass judgement that those embryos can't remain in storage. Greiving Samantha said she hopes she will be given the chance to have her husband's child 'Continuing this challenge is a very long-winded way of me having children. It is about people being happy and their rights to have children.' Clive Jefferies served in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Falklands War and worked as a nurse after leaving the army. He and Samantha married in 2007 and they began their fertility treatment on the NHS in 2013 after failing to conceive naturally. Samantha was stunned and devastated when her her husband collapsed and died in front of her in 2014, and her shock and grief delayed her plans to carry on with the fertility treatment they had been having. She said: 'I was in shock for a year. When a year passed, I thought it has been three months as it didn't feel like a month had passed. 'That for me was so interesting, how memory affects emotions.' She said it was an extra blow to the heart to then discover she may have missed her chance to have a baby using the frozen embryos as the two-year storage time was due to expire and they must be destroyed. She said that 'common sense' should prevail and allow her to have her husband's baby. She said while Clive did give consent for her to carry his child in the event of his death, there should have been a check box on the consent forms they signed in 2013 to make this explicitly clear. 'Why can't it be common sense at the time?' she asked. 'They should ask for a consent on the form if someone passes away.' Samantha said it is 'difficult to know' if the court case will go her way and even if it does, she then only has a small chance of success that she will conceive using the embryos. But she hopes she will be given the opportunity to at least try, as it would have been what her husband wanted. 'He wanted me to have children, he wanted me to have his baby,' she said. Have you ever noticed that after dousing yourself in your favourite fragrance in the morning, the scent seems to have worn off just a few hours later? It could well be because of the way you've been storing it, say experts. If you've been placing your expensive fragrance in your windowsill, the sunlight may have been evaporating its character, causing it to lose its intensity and impression. Want to make your favourite perfume last for two extra years? Cover it in foil and leave it in your fridge, say perfume experts Indeed, as Mark Knitowski, senior vice president of product development and innovation for Victoria's Secret Beauty, told Byrdie: 'The best way to keep your fragrance fresh is to store it in a cool, unlit space, like a refrigerator. It can make the fragrance last up two years longer. 'Because when fragrance is in heat and sunlight, it loses its intensity and impression due to heat's ability to evaporate the fragrance character.' He also makes a curious case for covering it with aluminum foil, which he says will help it to last much longer and preserve its potency. Dior's UK Fragrance ambassador, Carl Groenewald, agrees, telling FEMAIL: 'Once a fragrance has been purchased and unopened it should be stored in a dry cool environment, preferably in its original box. If these rules are followed the fragrance should be protected and good to use for two years. 'If you are using a fragrance and are unsure if it has gone off, test the scent on a tissue. If it seems to smell sour, heat and oxidation many have broken down the fragrance molecules and then unfortunately the fragrance is unusable unless you want to smell of vinegar.' Layering different textures of a fragrance is the best way to create depth and to enhance the longevity on the skin so always moisturise before you spritz yourself with your favourite scent If it's too late and you've been storing your fragrance on your windowsill, fear not! Debbie Wild, Lifestyle Editor at fragrance powerhouse, Jo Malone London, says there are plenty of ways you can enhance the scent. 'Layering different textures of a fragrance is the best way to create depth and to enhance the longevity on the skin,' she explained. 'Try beginning your layering ritual with an energising body and hand wash from our citrus family then pamper yourself by applying an indulgent body creme finished with a spritz of your cologne. 'The moisturising combination of products and scents layered on your skin creates a scented base for your favourite fragrance combination to adhere to. Fragrance will be most effective applied on pulse-points or where there is good circulation and warmth (i.e. wrists, throat, behind the knee and inside the elbow).' Photographer Bob Richardson reportedly had group sex, an affair with an 18-year-old Anjelica Huston, and issues with drug addiction A new book called Focus, out July 5, promises to reveal details about the controversial photographer's dad, who also lived a wild life Controversial photographer Terry Richardson has really taken to being a dad even as unflattering stories of his own father have come to light with the publication of a new book. On Sunday, the 50-year-old shared a photo on Instagram showing himself cradling his twin newborn sons, both of whom are dressed in blue sweaters, cozy pants, and socks and seem to be bawling. 'Somebody call the wahhhmbulance,' the proud father captioned the image, in which he also pretends to be crying and is wearing a 'baby daddy' T-shirt. Wah! On Sunday, photographer Terry Richardson shared an image of himself with his crying twin sons TMI: He recently shared another image of Rex and Roman, who were born in March, wearing onesies that say 'Made in Vachina', a play on 'Made in China' Terry has been documenting all the steps of his girlfriend Alexandra 'Skinny' Bolotow's pregnancy and birth especially the not-so-glamorous parts. Prior to welcoming sons Rex and Roman on March 19, he posted picture after picture of Skinny's growing belly, and even her changing breasts. Since the twins were born, he's also been sharing plenty of photos of the little ones, including a somewhat shocking snap of the duo in onesies that read 'Made in Vachina'. He seems to be quite enjoying being a dad and also remains quite unfazed by reports of a new book that exposes the darker side of his dad Bob Richardson's life. Like his son, Bob was also a professional photographer. And also like his son, he had a penchant for getting into trouble. Love: Pictures of Rex and Roman have been mostly tame compared to some of the outrageous shots he shares on Instagram Like father, like son: Terry's dad Bob Richardson (left) has a controversial history, just like his son Affair: In 1970 Richardson, then 42, left his wife for then-18-year-old model Anjelica Huston (pictured in 1971) While Terry has been accused of pressuring models into sex and being otherwise sexually inappropriate, Bob's life was reportedly filled with group sex, hard drugs, and violent outbursts. According to the book 'Focus: The Secret, Sexy, Sometimes Sordid World of Fashion Photographers' by Michael Gross, out July 5, after becoming a photographer at the age of 35, Bob would inject himself with amphetamine-laced vitamin supplements that would allow him to stay up for days at a time and shoot editorials for Paris Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. In an excerpt published by the New York Post, Gross alleges that Bob suffered from schizophrenia and was placed in a straight-jacket in a mental hospital after Terry was born. He attempted suicide when Terry was four. After years of swinging, Bob left his wife (and Terry's mother) Norma to begin a relationship with a then-18-year-old Anjelica Huston, who was not yet the famous actress she'd become. Norma, meanwhile, dated other men including Jimi Hendrix whom Terry said was 'hung like this!' but didn't explain how he came to see his mother's lovers' genitalia. Terry has also said that he'd hear is father and Anjelica have sex. No boundaries: Terry keeps very little of his life private, and has shared pictures of his girlfriend Skinny breastfeeding and pumping milk Sharing: He has been documenting their short lives on Instagram for his one million followers Happy: Terry, who has been accused of pressuring models into sex on several occasions, proudly showed off his girlfriend's changing figure while she was pregnant The new revelations about Terry's childhood certainly seem to shed some light on his behavior as an adult, particularly his habit of sharing very personal moments publicly. In April, he uploaded a revealing image of Skinny using a breast pump, and he has also posted pictures of the new mom breastfeeding which show her exposed nipples. Skinny, a former intern for Terry who began working for him before dropping out of New York University, tends to match his level of openness about sexuality. In 2004, when she was still an intern, she was photographed performing oral sex on him in several locations; in one picture, she had the word 'slut' written on her forehead in lipstick. And when the famed photographer was on the receiving end of accusations of sexual misconduct by multiple models, for which he was never actually charged, Skinny came to his defense. They are loyal companions, faithful guards and known as man's best friend. And many of us show affection to our beloved dogs by smothering them with kisses. But dogs carry a myriad of nasty bacteria over their mouths, leading to potentially-fatal infections, experts warn. Carrying salmonella, campolybacter and E coli - puckering up with your pooch can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting, dehydration and gastroenteritis, they said. Moreover, canines can also transmit Toxocariasis, a parasite that can cause cysts to develop in the brain and the eyes, leading to blindness. And yet, experts concede that children who grow up in houses with pets are less likely to develop asthma, allergies and wheezing. Writing for medical blogging site the Hippocratic Post, here experts explain why air kissing your animal is wise... Pucker up: Kissing your dog or letting it lick your face can lead to the spread of nasty bacteria including salmonella, campolybacter and E coli If you have a dog, you will be doing yourself a lot of good. Studies show that interactions with animals can decrease stress in humans as well as encouraging exercise and easing loneliness. But should you take your bond that bit closer and actually pucker up and kiss your pooch? Many people find the whole idea pretty yucky. Professor John Oxford, emeritus professor of virology and bacteriology at Queen Mary, University of London, and an expert in microbiology, says he would never let a dog lick his face, no matter how clean and fresh the dog smelled. It is not just what is carried in saliva. Dogs spend half of their life with their noses in nasty corners or hovering over dog droppings so their muzzles are full of bacteria, viruses and germs of all sorts. Nasty pathogens including salmonella and campolybacter are carried by dogs and passed on through their faeces. Campylobacter, which causes diarrhoea and gastroenteritis, is the most common cause of food poisoning in the UK, responsible for more than 280,000 cases of upset tummy in the UK each year, according to the Food Standards Agency. It is estimated that just under half of dogs carry the campylobacteriosis infection, most without symptoms. Pets can pass on parasites such as round worm (pictured) as well as fungal skin infections like ringworm But humans can contract the disease if they do not practice proper hygiene after coming into contact with an infected animal, says Professor Oxford. E-coli, which can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting and dehydration, can be transmitted from dogs, although most dogs carry E-coli without it causing any problems to health. Dog owners are more likely to transmit dangerous E-coli to pets than the other way round. A study published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research in 2009 found that people carry more drug-resistant strains of E-coli than they dogs. Around 75 per cent of emerging diseases could be zoonotic, in other words transferable between humans and other animals. Dogs can also transmit skin fungal infections including ringworm to children and adults, although this is not via transmission of saliva. Instead, it is spread when someone touches a surface that has been in contact with the infection. 'Dogs spend half of their life with their noses in nasty corners or hovering over dog droppings so their muzzles are full of bacteria, viruses and germs of all sorts,' one expert warned Doggy pets can also pass on nasty parasites such as round worm. These parasites can infect humans if they accidentally swallow eggs, explains Dr Hilary Longhurst, a consultant clinic immunologist based at St Bartholomews Hospital in London. Canine tapeworm is not usually passed on to humans however. Porcine tapeworm found in pigs can easily live in a human host, but canine tapeworm doesnt generally affect humans, explains Dr Longhurst. Viruses can also be caught from dogs, whether from their salvia or faecal contact. Some, but not all viruses, can cross the species barrier and these are the ones that may cause problems, says Professor Oxford. Although Influenza B viruses circulate only among humans, A viruses circulate among many animal populations including swine and birds. Although there is no evidence of transmission of canine influenza (an Influenza A) to people and there has not been a single confirmed case, these viruses do mutate so that they may be able to pass and spread among human hosts in the future, says Professor Oxford. People who have weakened immune systems due to chemotherapy or infections including HIV, should avoid sharing saliva with their dog, says Dr Longhurst. However, experts conceded children who grow up in a house with pets are less likely to develop asthma, allergies and wheezing than those who do not (file photo) Toxocariasis, which is carried by both dogs and cats, is a parasite that can cause cysts to develop in the brain and the eyes, leading to blindness. 'It is particularly a risk for young children and adults who are immunosuppressed. 'If you take your dog to the vet every year to be de-wormed, this should help to reduce the risk of transmission. Experts caution that some dogs may actually not like getting kissed, finding it stressful rather than loving. If a dog is struggling or turning its head away, it probably doesnt want to kiss you. Stroke it or pat it instead, says dog groomer Sue Carrington. Taking your dog to the vet to be de-wormed can reduce the risk of Toxocariasis, a parasite that when caught by humans can cause cysts to develop in the brain and the eyes, leading to blindness However, closeness, including kissing, does confer health benefits too, according to Dr Hilary Longford. Studies show dog owners are more likely to take regular exercise and suffer from less stress and high blood pressure. Close contact with a dog or other pet early in life this can help to make childrens immune systems stronger. Graham Roberts, professor and honorary consultant paediatrician in paediatric allergy and respiratory medicine, points out that babies born into homes with pets are far less likely to suffer from allergies than babies who grow up in pet-free homes. If you are born into a household where there is a pet, you are less likely to be allergic. A 2014 study by scientists at John Hopkins Childrens Center in the US found that infants exposed to pet dander in the first year of life were less likely to suffer from allergies, wheezing and asthma. Studies show dog owners are more likely to take regular exercise and suffer from less stress and high blood pressure, according to Dr Hilary Longford One theory is that exposing children to good or harmless bacteria like bifidus from their pets helps to improve their own gut flora a pillar of the healthy immune system. If you think back 100,000 years ago, babies were born into bacteria-rich environments and the human immune system evolved to co-exist with bugs on the skin and in the gut. 'If fact, if the environment is too clean, and not enough bugs are present, the immune system has nothing to react to and starts over-reacting to harmless proteins, says Professor Roberts. No one is suggesting however, that a dose of harmful E-coli is going to benefit your health. The overall rule is love your dog, but maintain a policy of air kissing rather than a full-on smooch. Get up and close and personal to your dog by all means, but not too personal, advises Dr Longhurst. It's been the punchline of many a best man's speech over the years but now it's official. Experts say it is better to be single than be involved in a poor-quality relationship. A study found that being trapped in an unhappy partnership is so damaging to a person's health, they would be better off alone. What's more, it gets worse the longer you are together, the researchers concluded. Happily, they found that the reverse is also true that being in a high-quality relationship benefits your physical and mental health. Researchers found that being in a high quality relationship -or happy and single - are both good for physical and mental health. Prince Harry has spoken about wanting to find love and start a family like his brother William has with Kate (pictured) The research team from the University of Buffalo in New York studied the relationships of young people from rural Iowa. The subjects were from two-parent, married families, but the majority were not married. With growing numbers of people now choosing to put off marriage in favour of more casual relationships, the scientists wanted to look at the impact this had on their health. They asked the participants about the quality of their relationships, questioning how committed they were, how they dealt with criticism, and the support and affection they gave and received. The team also asked how the partners behaved outside of the relationship including whether they engage in risky behaviour. Ashley Barr, assistant professor in the university's department of sociology, said the research showed that the longer people are in high-quality relationships or, alternatively, the faster they got out of low-quality partnerships the better their health. 'Health benefits begin to accrue relatively quickly with high-quality relationships and supportive contexts,' she said. Low-quality relationships, especially those which last for a long time, can have a detrimental effect on a person's physical and mental health 'And then we see detrimental effects from low-quality relationships - particularly, those low-quality relationships that last a long time.' Professor Barr added: 'The findings suggest that it's better for health to be single than to be in a low-quality relationship. 'It's not being in a relationship that matters; it's being in a long-term, high-quality relationship that's beneficial. 'Low-quality relationships are detrimental to health. The findings suggest that it's better for health to be single than to be in a low-quality relationship.' Dr Barr said relationships tended to change the older people became. 'It's rare today for young adults to enter a romantic relationship and stay in that relationship without ever changing partners or relationship characteristics. 'We now have two studies that found similar patterns and similar implications for those changes.' Doctors have described the strange case of a woman plagued with worms wriggling in her urine. The 50-year-old came to hospital complaining that for the past three months she had been passing worms when she went to the toilet. She was also finding urinating extremely painful and suffering from pain in her side. Describing her case in the journal BMJ Case Reports, doctors asked her to perform a urine sample. This revealed multiple small, dark, 0.5cm long larvae clear to naked eye. Further testing revealed the larvae were not technically worms but belonged to the Dipteria species of fly, known to cause a condition called myasis. An American woman came to hospital complaining of wriggling worms in her urine. She had no idea how she came to be infested with the parasites, which were revealed to be fly larvae (pictured) The patient, from South Carolina, was diagnosed immediately with urinary myasis, where a fly lays its eggs in the body and worms infest the urinary tract. Urinary myasis is generally caught when people drink water sources contaminated with fly eggs. Other myasis infestations can occur in the skin, eyes, nasal passages and gastrointestinal passage but urinary myasis is the most uncommon, they said. Normally, the condition is only seen in developing countries or in people whose immune systems are compromised. The patient told doctors she had diabetes, which is linked with a compromised immune system with less capacity to fight off infections and parasites. But doctors noted her condition was well-managed, and there was no blood in her urine. She had no idea how she came to be infected but did tell medics she had recently relocated to Charleston, South Carolina, from Mexico, where myasis is more common. She had not had any procedures involving her genitourinary tract or pelvis, and had not had a catheter a tube put into the body to drain urine or fluid put in. Doctors diagnosed the unnamed 50-year-old with urinary myasis, where a fly lays eggs and these infest a human. Pictured is a worm larvae in a urine sample the patient gave to doctors As they had never seen an American citizen with urinary myasis before, doctors were forced to consult the medical literature to find out how to treat it. After researching, they prescribed her ivermectin, a drug used to treat parasites. A week later the woman reported she had not seen any larvae in her urine - and a camera put into her urinary tract confirmed there were no more larvae. In light of her case, doctors urged others to consult the medical literature in uncommon cases, as it could lead to better treatment. The data also revealed women sleep longer but men sleep more soundly Tuesday nights slumber is less likely to be interrupted by alcohol, rich food or other excesses that are more common later in the week Conclusion drawn after analysis of of heart rate data from 5,000 people The working week has only just started and you have 101 things to do. But take heart because you will sleep well tomorrow Britons sleep best on Tuesday nights, research shows. Analysis of heart rate data collected from almost 5,000 men and women showed that while Tuesday nights sleep isnt the longest, it is the most restorative. It isnt clear why but it is possible we feel we can relax after conquering the first two days of the working week. Plus, a Tuesday nights slumber is less likely to be interrupted by alcohol, rich food or other excesses that are more common later in the week. While Tuesday nights sleep isnt the longest, it is the most restorative, analysis of heart rate data collected from almost 5,000 men and women showed The find comes an analysis of more than a billion readings collected by heart monitors worn by 4,866 men and women round the clock for three consecutive days during the past decade. In one of the biggest studies of its kind, the volunteers also provided information on their sleep times and how stressed they felt. As might be expected, the men and women slept longest at the weekend, clocking up almost half an hour more in bed on Friday and Saturday nights than during the week. However, this sleep was of lower quality, with substantially less time spent in recovery state than earlier in the week. This sort of sleep is said to be particularly restorative and is characterised by a drop in blood pressure and stress hormones and a change in way the heart beats. While a stressed heart beats at regular intervals, a relaxed one alternates between fast and slow bursts. Just 48 per cent of Saturdays night and 48.7 per cent of Friday nights sleep revitalises the body and brain compared to a healing high of 55.1 per cent on Tuesdays. Monday nights are also restful, with 54.6 per cent of sleep deemed to be rejuvenating, the data from Finnish analytics company Firstbeat. The researchers said boozy weekends are likely to be to blame for the end of week dip. Simon Shepard, of Optima-Life, the UK distributor for the 50p-sized heart monitors, said: There is a big difference between rest and restoration. People rest for a lot longer during the weekend but perhaps they are out partying and letting their hair down and their bodies dont physiologically recover. The data also revealed women sleep longer but men sleep more soundly. The typical female studied got 7 hours and 34 minutes of sleep a night 11 minutes more than the man in her life On Mondays and Tuesdays, your energy levels may still be high after the weekend. And while you may still be sociable, you may be sociable in a different way, going to a book group rather than down the pub. The data also revealed women sleep longer but men sleep more soundly. The typical female studied got 7 hours and 34 minutes of sleep a night 11 minutes more than the man in her life. However, just 49 per cent of female sleep is spent in recovery mode, compared to 54.5 per cent for males. The women studied also said the felt more stressed and were less likely to believe they got enough sleep. Mr Shepard said womens sleep may suffer from the strain of juggling working and family life. Other possible reasons include women being more likely to sacrifice sleep for their other half and the monthly cycle of a womans hormones disturbing sleep. Lesbian, gay and bisexual adults are more likely to smoke, drink heavily and experience both physical and mental health problems, a new survey has revealed. Experts suggest the significant health disparities may be the result of stress caused by discrimination. For the first time, the 2013 and 2014 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) in the US, included a question on sexual orientation. Dr Gilbert Gonzales of Vanderbuilt University and his team used the data to examine health risks in the lesbian, gay and bisexual adult community. They suggest the high prevalence and risk of psychological distress among bisexual adults, may be associated with them being 'marginalized' by the heterosexual population, and experiencing 'stigma' from gay and lesbian adults. Lesbian, gay and bisexual adults in the US are more likely to smoke, drink heavily and experience both physical and mental health problems, a new federal survey has revealed As a result, they said, bisexual adults could be left with fewer connections in the sexual minority community. The authors wrote: 'Findings from our study indicate that lesbian, gay and bisexual adults experience significant health disparities - particularly in mental health and substance use - likely die to the minority stress that LGB adults experience as a result of their exposure to both interpersonal and structural discrimination. 'As a first step toward eliminating sexual orientation-based health disparities, it is important for health care professionals to be aware and mindful of the increased risk of impaired health, alcohol consumption and tobacco use among their LGB adult patients.' Researchers analyzed data relating to 525 lesbians, 624 gay men and 515 bisexual adults, as well as 67,150 heterosexual people. The group was 51 per cent female, and had an average age of almost 47 years old. The authors found: Gay, bisexual and heterosexual men reported similar levels of self-rated health, functional status and physical health. While 16.9 per cent of heterosexual men had moderate or severe psychological distress, 25.9 per cent of gay men and 40.1 per cent of bisexual men reported those levels of distress. Bisexual men reported the highest prevalence of heavy drinking at 10.9 per cent compared with heterosexual (5.7 per cent) or gay (5.1 per cent) men. Gay and bisexual men were more likely to be current smokers compared with heterosexual men but bisexual men were most like to be heavy smokers (9.3 per cent) compared with heterosexual (6.0 per cent) and gay (6.2 per cent) men. 21.9 per cent of heterosexual women showed symptoms of moderate and severe psychological distress compared with lesbian (28.4 per cent) and bisexual (46.4 per cent) women. Bisexual women had the heaviest alcohol consumption (11.7 per cent) compared with lesbian (8.9 per cent) and heterosexual (4.8 per cent) women. Both lesbian and bisexual women (greater than 25 per cent) were more likely to be current smokers compared with heterosexual women (14.7 per cent), although lesbian women (5.2 per cent) were more likely to be heavy smokers than heterosexual (3.4 per cent) and bisexual (4.2 per cent) women. Lesbian women were more likely to report poor or fair health and multiple chronic conditions compared with heterosexual women; bisexual women were more likely to report multiple chronic conditions than heterosexual women. Researchers at Vanderbuilt University suggest the high prevalence and risk of psychological distress among bisexual adults, may be associated with them being 'marginalized' by the heterosexual population, and experiencing 'stigma' from gay and lesbian adults However, the authors do note some limitations of their study. The survey responses were self-reported, and in addition transgender identity was not ascertained because transgender individuals are often not identified in federally sponsored health surveys. Also, the researchers noted, the survey cannot establish causation for the health outcomes. In a related editor's note, JAMA internal medicine deputy editor Mitchell Katz, writes: 'Health care professionals can help by creating environments that are inclusive and supportive of sexual minority patients. 'As with discussion of other personal issues, such as religious beliefs or sexual function, the important thing is to ask open-ended questions that do not prejudge responses. 'For example, asking a new patient whether he or she has sex with men, women or both indicates openness and acceptance. 'Whatever the answer, following up by asking of the patient has a special partner shows interest and willingness to discuss intimate issues. In caring for people who have experienced bias and discrimination, support is a very potent medicine.' Sitting in her GPs office for the fifth time in three weeks, Stephanie Jennings fought back tears as she begged for antibiotics. For weeks, she had been plagued by a constant sore throat that had become so painful, she could barely touch solid food. In the space of just a couple of weeks, her weight had plummeted from a healthy 8 st 7 lb to 6 st painfully thin for her 5 ft 7 in height. Stephanie's condition started as a sore throat, and soon got so bad she was only able to take sips of water Stephanie had hoped her symptoms would improve in time, but she was now getting worse: as well as the pain, she was now also feeling exhausted. At her fourth appointment, the GP told her she had a common cold. Even when she went back for the fifth time a few days later with her throat by then so bad she could only sip water he remained resolute in his diagnosis and sent her away with a prescription for antibacterial mouthwash. My throat wasnt just a normal sore throat it was agony and there were white spots at the back of it, says Stephanie, who runs a beauty business and lives with her gas engineer partner Michael Joseph, 31, and their son Elban, two, in Worthing, West Sussex. I thought I had tonsillitis, but when I suggested to the doctor that my throat was getting worse, not better, and that I thought I might need antibiotics, he said no, it wasnt a bad enough infection. Over the five appointments, I had seen at least one doctor more than once, but each time, I was refused antibiotics. At one point, I had tears in my eyes and was saying: Please, please, please, I really need something to help me yet I was told again and again that I didnt need antibiotics. A few days after her fifth dismissal from the GP, Stephanies health deteriorated and she rang Michael, begging him to come home from work. I couldnt even cry I felt so poorly, she recalls. Michael took her to A&E at Worthing Hospital where she was diagnosed with sepsis a life-threatening condition triggered by an infection: in Stephanies case, pneumonia. With sepsis, the bodys immune system goes into overdrive, causing a dramatic drop in blood pressure and reducing the blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys. After being dismissed five times by the GP, Stephanie was taken to A&E and soon diagnosed with sepsis If not treated swiftly, it can kill within hours. I was told if I hadnt gone to hospital, I may not have made it through the night, says Stephanie. But if I had been given antibiotics all those weeks earlier, when I first went to the doctor with a sore throat, that initial dose would have been enough. Two months after Stephanie was discharged, she was back in hospital, as the massive doses of antibiotics shed been given to save her from sepsis had triggered ulcerative colitis, a form of bowel disease which causes inflammation and ulceration of the colon. Her colon was so damaged, it was close to rupturing and, at the age of just 24, Stephanie had to have hers removed. The massive doses of antibiotics meant that Stephanie needed surgery to remove her colon A year later, she is understandably upset about what happened. As the GP seemed very against me having antibiotics for a very clear infection, I am now living with the huge consequences every day. In fact, the GPs refusal to give Stephanie antibiotics is, in some respects, understandable. GPs are under pressure to cut the amount of antibiotics they prescribe because of the threat of rising antibiotic resistance. In May, David Cameron told GPs to halve the number of antibiotic prescriptions issued by 2020. At the time, there were warnings that an estimated 10 per cent of the 34 million antibiotic prescriptions written each year are inappropriately given for infections such as coughs and colds caused by a virus rather than bacteria. The latest figures show that GPs in England have cut antibiotic prescriptions by 2.6 million last year, a drop of 7.3 per cent. But Stephanies story highlights the flipside of this clampdown doctors potentially being over-cautious in prescribing the drugs, meaning that patients who really do need them arent getting them. Doctors are stuck between a rock and hard place when it comes to deciding who should and should not be prescribed antibiotics, says Clare Gerada, a former chair of the Council of the Royal College of GPs. She points out that, already, some of those who would previously have routinely been given antibiotics such as those with severe asthma, or chronic airways disease, or with a previous proven bacterial infection (for example, children with recurrent urine infections) are no longer necessarily being prescribed the drugs. Most people dont need antibiotics, says Dr Gerada. But it is so hard to get appointments and, as we cant spend as long as we need with them, patients expect us to almost reward them for their effort that includes sometimes giving antibiotics. But there is always the risk that if we dont prescribe them and something happens, we are blamed for with-holding potentially life-saving treatments. Telling the difference between an infection caused by a virus or bacteria is difficult and done mostly on experience based on the patients symptoms, time of year, what the signs are such as a rash or runny nose and a knowledge of a patients history, including underlying problems. This is very difficult and, of course, we can get it wrong. Stephanie during her time in hospital. One year later, she is understandably upset about what happened To see if the clampdown on antibiotics may have unforeseen consequences, scientists at Imperial College Londons NIHR Health Protection Research Unit are investigating whether more patients are requiring hospital treatment for complications of infections that could otherwise have been simply cleared with a course of antibiotics. The 18-month study will check, for example, if patients with chest infections are turning up to hospital a few weeks later with severe pneumonia. Alison Holmes, a professor of infectious diseases at Imperial College, who is leading the research, told Good Health: The reality is that we are using too many antibiotics and reducing unnecessary use is essential for tackling the growing and very real threat of antibiotic resistance. However, the public, patients, doctors and policymakers all need this information we are looking into to be reassured that this reduced prescribing isnt causing unintended consequences for patients such as more infections, or increased complications, GP appointments or even hospital admissions from infections. We need these measurements so that we can understand how we can reduce their use safely. One answer could be effective diagnostic tests. This month, researchers at Zhejiang University in China revealed they have developed a simple breath test which instantly shows whether a patient needs antibiotics for a chest complaint. The test responds to airborne compounds exhaled when a patient has a severe bacterial infection in the respiratory tract. One year later, the 24-year-old's story highlights the flipside of GPs' clampdown on antibiotic prescriptions However, Dr Gerada thinks tests unless they can produce instant results for the GP as the patient sits in front of them are of limited benefit. Patient tests are a long way away and Im not sure they will help, she says. It will add yet another burden to our already burdensome day. If we could have near patient testing, which can be done while they sit in front of me, such as tests we can do for pregnancy or blood sugar, it would help. But something that needs sending off for a result three days later is no good. In the meantime, Stephanie believes the answer is for doctors to listen to their patients. As she points out: I was one of the lucky ones. It could so easily have been very, very different. A lot of people who are refused antibiotics get sepsis and die. I understand doctors have to reduce the amount of antibiotics they give out, but I nearly lost my life and my son almost grew up without his mum due to something as minor as a sore throat. A second patient in the US has been infected with bacteria carrying the mcr-1 'superbug' gene, which makes the bug highly resistant to a last-resort class of antibiotics, experts have said. The gene, found in a sample of E. coli bacteria from a patient in New York, follows the discovery late last month of a patient in Pennsylvania who had a urinary tract infection caused by E. coli that carried the same gene. The finding was published on Monday in Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, a journal of the American Society for Microbiology. A second patient in the US has been infected with bacteria carrying the mcr-1 'superbug' gene, which makes the bug highly resistant to a last-resort class of antibiotics, experts have said The mcr-1 gene makes bacteria resistant to colistin, an antibiotic used to treat multi-drug-resistant infections, including carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae or CRE, which US health officials have dubbed a 'nightmare' bacteria. Colistin is the last antibiotic used to combat bacteria that are resistant to the strongest antibiotics. The drug has remained the best tool available to treat multi-drug resistant bacteria, because bacteria were not exchanging genes that triggers resistance. The latest discovery shows that colistin may be losing its effectiveness in antimicrobial therapy. What is concerning about the mcr-1 gene discoveries in the United States is that bacteria have the capability to share resistance genes. US officials are worried that the mcr-1 gene may find its way into CRE bacteria, potentially creating bacteria resistant to virtually all types of antibiotics. Scientists have been tracking the mcr-1 gene's movement around the globe since it was discovered last year in people and pigs in China. The latest US finding of mcr-1 came as part of a global effort called the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program, led by Mariana Castanheira of JMI Laboratories based in North Liberty, Iowa. Researchers tested 13,525 Escherichia coli and 7,481 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains from patients collected last year from hospitals in the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America, Europe and North America. Of these, 390, or 1.9 per cent, were resistant to colistin, and 19 of these isolates tested positive for the mcr-1 gene. Samples carrying the gene came from 10 countries and included some from each region. Only one came from the United States. It involved a New York patient infected with E. coli whose name and condition were not disclosed. In both US cases, bacteria that carried the 'superbug' gene were resistant to colistin but susceptible to a number of other antibiotics, making the infections treatable. The gene, found in a sample of E. coli bacteria from a patient in New York, follows the discovery late last month of a patient in Pennsylvania who had a urinary tract infection caused by E. coli (illustrated) that carried the same gene In May, health officials revealed a woman in Pennsylvania had become the first American to test positive for the mcr-1 'supergene'. Experts said at the time, the alarming discovery heralded 'the emergence of truly pan-drug resistant bacteria'. Researchers from the Walter Reed Army 6 Institute of Research in Maryland revealed the bacteria was identified in the urine of a 49-year-old woman. She presented at a clinic in Pennsylvania in April, with symptoms indicative of a urinary tract infection. The woman's urine sample was sent to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for testing. The results showed no safe dosage of colistin would be effective to treat such a bacterial infection. The researchers warned: 'The recent discovery of a plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene, heralds the emergence of truly pan-drug resistant bacteria'. CDC director, Dr Tom Frieden, said: 'It basically shows us that the end of the road isn't very far away for antibiotics, that we may be in a situation where we have patients in our intensive-care units, or patients getting urinary tract infections for which we do not have antibiotics,' the Washington Post reported. To keep track of the spread of this resistance gene in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has disclosed plans to expand laboratory capacity to seven or eight regional laboratories, plus add capacity to laboratories in each US state as well as seven cities or territories. It is known that drinking excess alcohol can increase a person's risk of various cancers. But now, a new study has revealed even moderate drinkers should be concerned. Indulging in less than two alcoholic beverages a day, puts drinkers at heightened risk of breast and bowel cancer - two of the most deadly forms of the disease. Furthermore, experts at the University of Otago, said alcohol is also linked to cancer of the mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, larynx and liver. Researchers found alcohol was responsible for 236 cancer deaths in people aged younger than 80 in New Zealand in 2012. Drinking less than two drinks a day can increase a woman's chances of developing breast cancer, researchers in New Zealand have warned Lead author, professor Jennie Connor at Otago Medical School, said the findings relating to breast cancer were particularly sobering. 'About 60 per cent of all alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in New Zealand women are from breast cancer,' she said. 'We estimated 71 breast cancer deaths in 2007 and 65 in 2012 were due to drinking, and about a third of these were associated with drinking less than two drinks a day on average. 'Although risk of cancer is much higher in heavy drinkers there are fewer of them, and many alcohol-related breast cancers occur in women who are drinking at levels that are currently considered acceptable.' The study, a collaboration with the Global Burden of Disease Alcohol Group, and published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Review, builds on previous research that identified 30 per cent of all alcohol-attributable deaths in New Zealand to be be linked to cancer, more than all other chronic diseases combined. Although risk of cancer is much higher in heavy drinkers there are fewer of them, and many alcohol-related breast cancers occur in women who are drinking at levels that are currently considered acceptable Professor Jennie Connor, University of Otago It uses evidence that alcohol causes some types of cancer after combining dozens of large studies conducted internationally over several decades. The cancers that are known to be causally related to alcohol include two of the most common causes of cancer death in New Zealand, breast and bowel cancer, but also cancer of the mouth, pharynx, oesophagus, larynx and liver. This New Zealand study estimated mortality for 2007 and 2012. Professor Connor added: 'There was little difference between men and women in the number of cancer deaths due to alcohol, even though men drink much more heavily than women, because breast cancer deaths balanced higher numbers of deaths in men from other cancer types. 'These premature deaths from cancer resulted in an average 10.4 years of life lost per person affected, with more loss of life among Maori than non-Maori, and for breast cancer compared with other cancers.' Lead author, professor Jennie Connor at Otago Medical School, said the findings relating to breast cancer were particularly sobering. 'About 60 per cent of all alcohol-attributable cancer deaths in New Zealand women are from breast cancer,' she said Professor Connor said while these alcohol-attributable cancer deaths only account for 4.2 per cent of all cancer deaths in people under the age of 80, what makes them 'so significant is that we know how to avoid them'. 'Individual decisions to reduce alcohol consumption will reduce risk in those people,' she said. 'But reduction in alcohol consumption across the population will bring down the incidence of these cancers much more substantially, and provide many other health benefits as well. 'Our findings strongly support the use of population-level strategies to reduce consumption because, apart from the heaviest drinkers, people likely to develop cancer from their exposure to alcohol cannot be identified, and there is no level of drinking under which an increased risk of cancer can be avoided. Pregnant women with only mildly raised blood pressure are at far higher risk of becoming obese or developing diabetes after the birth, researchers claim. They have found that expectant mothers whose readings were only just above normal were up to six times more likely to develop these complications. The academics are worried that tens of thousands of pregnant women are being overlooked by midwives and doctors who assume their blood pressure is healthy. Pregnant women with only mildly raised blood pressure are at far higher risk of becoming obese or developing diabetes after the birth, researchers claim The problem occurs because blood pressure tends to fall during the first three months of pregnancy, due to certain hormonal changes to accommodate for the foetus. But this means that women who actually have high blood pressure are recorded as being within the normal range, or just above. Chinese researchers have found that these women are 6.5 times more likely to develop a complication after the birth, called postpartum metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, diabetes and raised cholesterol. Dr Qiong Lei, of the Department of Obstetrics at Guangdong Women and Children Hospital, in Guangzhou, says midwives and doctors should carry out more frequent tests of blood pressure during pregnancy. She also wants the threshold for readings to be lowered so women with only mildly elevated readings are carefully monitored. An estimated 8 per cent of women have high blood pressure during pregnancy, equivalent to around 56,000 in the UK a year. Actor Saif Ali Khan is being looked after by a team of surgeons, following an operation on his thumb Actor Saif Ali Khan reportedly had to be rushed to hospital on Saturday morning after he was injured on the sets of a film he is presently shooting in Mumbai. The Phantom actor severely injured his thumb while shooting for his home production, directed by Akshat Verma, who is best known for writing 2011s hit comedy Delhi Belly. Saif was admitted to the Kokaliben Ambani Hospital where he underwent a minor surgery. He is being taken care of by a specialised team of orthopaedic and plastic surgeons. He will be discharged tomorrow or day after tomorrow, said a source. Saifs sister, Soha Ali Khan, confirmed the incident, saying: He is recovering well, thank you for asking - had hurt his thumb quite badly but is on the mend happily. She also added that Saif will be discharged in accordance with his doctors advice. Yes (he was admitted) in the early hours of yesterday (Saturday, June 25), as for release, doctor will advice but not today (Sunday, June 26), she said. Displays of downright sycophancy are not alien to Indian politics. We have seen loyalists garlanding their politician of choice, hugging them, running behind their leaders car, and even reaching for their Messiahs feet. Last month, many were seen touching Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaas feet as she sat on a chair on the veranda. Scroll down to watch video Girija Srinivas, a Tarikere Taluk Panchayat member, seized the moment to plant a kiss on Siddaramaiah Now Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been the latest to attract such attentions. During a state-level programme involving the Kuruba Community, Girija Srinivas, a Tarikere Taluk Panchayat member from Amruthapura in the Chikmagalur district of Karnataka, was standing right next to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for a group photo. And the next moment, she did the unexpected. Girija reached out for Siddaramaiahs cheek and planted a kiss. Siddaramaiah, of course, didnt expect the move, and looked somewhat baffled.The man standing next to the chief minister looked even more uncomfortable. The audience were also surprised - but the woman simply walked away. The whole incident was caught on camera, and the video has gone viral on social media. The event was organised by the Karnataka Pradesha Kuruba Sangha to congratulate the newly-elected members of zilla panchayats and taluk panchayats. Girija reportedly told a TV channel: I was overjoyed by the fact that I was standing next to him. My family and I have always called him Appaji (father). She also said she was happy that Siddaramaiah belonged to the Kuruba community. Hauz Khas Village may have turned into Delhis most prominent nightlife hub, but its fire safety norms remain dubious. If its loosely-hung electric wires, unplanned buildings, narrow lanes and rampant use of LPG cylinders were not enough, only three out of more than 50 eateries and bars in the Village have fire safety permits. The situation becomes more alarming during weekends, when there are huge crowds and the roads are packed with vehicles. A visit by the Mail Today team on Saturday night revealed that it is almost impossible for a fire tender to enter some premises if an untoward incident occurs during rush hour. A visit by the Mail Today team revealed that it is impossible for a fire tender vehicle to enter the premises in the event of a blaze. (Picture for representation). A fire department official confirmed: Only three of the 50-odd eateries and pubs have certificate from the fire department. The rest dont have any fire safety certificate. However, he added that these eateries arent overtly breaking the rules, as restaurants or pubs with fewer than 50 seats dont need any certificate from the fire department. But Mail Today found a problem. These restaurants might have fewer than 50 seats, but most of them were overcrowded with over 100 people. The Hauz Khas Village houses around 50 restaurants, pubs, and bars among other eateries A raid by the excise department in the year 2013 had exposed the rot, as about 110 people were found in a bar which was permitted to have less than 50 visitors at a time, said the official. A person working with a pub in the area said: This is all about business. You can see the crowd. On weekends we have more than 150 people most of the time. Asked if the police or any other authority keeps tabs on the situation, he said: The owner earns money and he satisfies all the concerned authorities to run his business smoothly. This area does not have much bigger spaces. So we have no option but to run the pubs from small places. Fire department officials said they cant do anything about the rules. Permits are not required if they claim to have the capacity of less than 50 people. Whenever we get a request for permits, our officials visit the place to verify the truth. Permits have been issued only to three bars in the Village, said Atul Garg, chief fire officer. Mail Today found that many of the restaurants were running on the second and third floors, making them more prone to accidents and disasters. If a fire did break out, it would be extremely difficult to carry out a rescue operation. Recalling a Diwali incident a few years ago in which a pub was gutted, Garg said: It took more than two hours to douse the flame. Any other day, when the restaurant is open, it could have been a major tragedy as a fire engine couldnt even have reached the spot. Officials of Delhi Fire Services said that it is the responsibility of the civic body to refer cases to them for fire clearance. However, no case from Hauz Khas Village has been referred to the department in the recent past. All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Asha Kumari has been given responsibility for party affairs in Punjab. The development comes after former Union Minister Kamal Nath was forced to resign. The appointment of the Dalhousie, Chamba MLA is controversial as she was convicted and fined by a Chamba, Himachal Pradesh court in February this year, after being found guilty in a land grab case. In addition to a year's jail term, she was fined Rs 8,000. Chamba MLA Asha Kumari (left) has been given responsibility for party affairs in Punjab, despite being found guilty of 'land grabbing'. Veteran Congress leader Kamal Nath (right) had to quit as AICC in-charge of Punjab within three days of his appointment. Asha was accused of manipulating revenue records, fabricating wills, and transferring 60 bighas of government forest land in the name of her husband, the late Brijender Singh. Asha is the founder member of the National Student Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress. She was born in Madhya Pradesh and was married to Brijender Singh, the scion of the erstwhile royal family of Chamba. She was elected to the Himachal Pradesh Assembly in 1985, and again in 1993, 1998, 2003 and 2012, and remained minister of state for primary education (199598) and education minister from 2003-05. She has experience of working as joint in-charge of neighbouring Haryana. She worked with Dr Shakeel Ahmed, who was also in-charge of Punjab affairs before Kamal Nath was appointed to the post. Party sources say Asha was considered for the top post on the basis of her past experience. However, her appointment has given ammunition to the opposition, which has termed the appointment as anti-Punjab and anti-people. The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal claimed the Congress did not have anyone left to appoint but convicted land grabbers. Akali Dal leader and Union Minister for Food processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal said it appears the party of scams and scamsters is running short of clean people to head the Punjab unit. It was as if this was not enough, the congress High Command has now pulled Asha Kumari out of the box and appointed her state in-charge. According to a recent intelligence review, the increase in successful operations against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir is raising fears of retaliation against the counter-terror forces operating in the state. So far this year, the number of confirmed terrorist kills has increased from 34 to 73 in comparison to the corresponding period last year. Agencies are concerned that the aggressive military strategies employed against terror groups have made them desperate. Security jawans stands guard after militants attacked a CRPF bus on Srinagar-Jammu National High Way at Pampore on the outskirts of Srinagar On the other hand, the Intelligence Bureau believes the increased number of killings could deter local youths from joining terror outfits, as many of the casualties are believed to be indigenous recruits. Sources claim that higher death toll is the result of intelligence gathering operations leading forces directly to terrorist hideouts. While the central intelligence agencies claim there has been a dip in local recruitment of Kashmiri youths to terror outfits, other reports suggest there has actually been a marginal increase. Last year, around 80 young and educated men decided to take up arms and join terror outfits. A senior intelligence official told reporters: We are confident that the numbers of locals joining terror groups will not exceed last years tally. In its recent review, the Intelligence Bureau has stated that the lure of militant activity is waning among local youths. There are various reasons. Families play an important role. The killings have had an impact and worked as a deterrent, the official added. There are around 145 militants active in Kashmir as of now and the number of local recruits is 91, sources said. Afzal Gurus hanging in 2013 was used to radicalise young men, who duly left their homes and joined terror outfits. Sources also said that the BJP-PDP alliance was used as a rallying point to lure youths to terror. In the last 26 years, while Kashmir has been in turmoil, 4,587 youths from the state crossed over to Pakistan for arms training and returned to the state. On Thursday, six terrorists were gunned down in Kupwara. There has also been a decrease in infiltrations from across the border in recent months. There were over 6,000 terrorists active in Kashmir two decades back, but the numbers have drastically fallen to under 150 now. MHA sends team to assess cross-border infiltration By Naseer Ganai As the Union Home Minister dispatches a team to Kashmir to assess the possible increase in cross-border infiltration, the J&K Police are maintaining that the Pampore attack was the work of recently infiltrated militants. A senior police official said the militants were part of a four-member group, who had recently infiltrated from north Kashmirs Nowgam sector and reached Baba Reshi in Tangmarg, and moved from there to Srinagar. However, the Army insists that the year 2015-2016 has been a zero-infiltration year. According to the Union Home Ministry, in the wake of a recent attack on the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) convoy, the Ministry of Home affairs will be sending a team to look into the issue. The Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh, has directed that the team should submit its report at the earliest. On the highway from Srinagar to Jammu our movement is regular and without any interruption. The terrorists have advantage of time. Our boys are defenceless, they are in buses. But we have increased vigil, IGP CRPF Srinagar, Atul Karwal, told Mail Today. He said that due to the threat of attacks, security forces cant stop plying convoys on the highway. There is a pattern in the highway attacks, which is known to all security agencies, he said. Mehbooba 'ashamed' after Pampore attack during Ramzan Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has spoken out about Saturdays attack on the paramilitary CRPF at Pampore, stating that as a Muslim she was ashamed that the attack was carried out during the holy month of Ramzan The opposition National Conference condemned the Chief Minister for drawing such an analogy. This is the same Mehbooba Mufti who used to say that terror has no religion. Now suddenly she sees terror as an offshoot of Islam for which Muslims should be ashamed. Coming from a chief minister, this is shameful, said a National Conference statement issued by the partys spokesperson Junaid Mattu. Mufti expressed solidarity with the families of the deceased CRPF personnel, and prayed for the peace of the departed souls. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has spoken out about Saturdays attack on the paramilitary CRPF at Pampore, calling it a desperate attempt to derail the peace process My heart goes out to the families of the CRPF men killed in the gruesome attack, she said. I fail to understand how somebody can indulge in such senseless acts in the name of Islam, she said. The Chief Minister said such attacks are desperate attempts by the militants to derail the peace and reconciliation process started by the state government. The National Conference opposition sees this as yet another instance where Mehbooba Mufti is feeding in to the bigoted Islamic Terror narrative. BJP Party President Amit Shah will lead the strategy discussion on next year's assembly polls Amit Shah and other BJP bigwigs are expected to attend the Executive Committee meeting of the partys UP unit in Moradabad on July 16-17, to strategise for next year's state Assembly polls. A meeting was held in Lucknow on Sunday to decide the dates for this committee. The meeting was attended by partys state-in-charge Om Prakash Mathur. Mahesh Sharma, Ramshankar Katheria, Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti and Sajeev Balyan were also present. Yoga an option for probationers now Newly-recruited civil servants can now enjoy yoga while undergoing training at Mussoorie-based Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA). There is a one-hour time slot available for the probationers in the academy for physical exercise. In addition to gym facilities, yoga has also been made into an available option for trainees. The option is voluntary, Union minister Jitendra Singh said. From time to time, yoga experts will be invited through the Department of AYUSH for the benefit of trainees and probationers. Rajnath honours Sikh warrior Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh was in Punjab on Sunday, where he paid tribute to Sikh warrior Baba Banda Singh Bahadur and said Khalsa Panth is the Suraksha Kavach (protective shield) of Indian culture. Addressing the 300th Shaheedi Samagam of legendary Sikh warrior Banda Bahadur, Singh said historians had not done justice to him despite his unprecedented sacrifice. He called upon historians to carry on research, especially to assess the significant role of the founder of the first sovereign Khalsa Raj, Banda Bahadur, for the welfare and emancipation of villages, poor and farmers. After library, JNU to rename roads Having confirmed the renaming of its central library to acknowledge BR Ambedkar, JNU is now planning to christen the roads inside the campus after visionaries Jawaharlal Nehru and Ram Manohar Lohia. The decision was taken last week at the varsitys Executive Council meeting. A panel may be constituted to take a call on the list of visionaries after which the roads will be renamed, a member of the council said. Mission to make Haryana swachh Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said the state would be open-defecation free by December next year and every household would be provided LPG connection. Haryana would be made open-defecation free by December, 2017, under the Swachh Bharat campaign and every household would have a toilet, he said. Nicolas Cage has confirmed that he has separated from his wife Alice Kim Nicolas Cage has confirmed that he has separated from his wife, Alice Kim. A rep for the actor confirmed the news to a magazine, saying the couple have been estranged since January. Cage and Kim would have celebrated their 12th wedding anniversary in August. The couple met in February 2004 when Kim served the actor while she was working as a waitress in a Los Angeles restaurant. Two months later they were engaged, before tying the knot on a ranch in Northern California that August. Speaking about their whirlwind romance to a journal in 2013, Cage said the couple decided to get married so Kim could travel with him to South Africa while he was making Lord Of War. You can connect the dots. he said. And we did it because we loved each other. Kim and Cage have one child together, 10-year-old son Kal-el Coppola Cage. Cage is also father to 25- year-old son, Weston, from his previous relationship with model Christina Fulton. contactmusic.com No Brexit concerns for Game of Thrones HBO has assured Game Of Thrones fans that the June 23 referendum result in Britain will not impact the fantasy series. GoT is filmed in Northern Ireland and was also thought to be partially funded by the European Regional Development Fund. But HBO say that fans neednt worry that their favourite show will be impacted as the network hasnt taken any money from the Fund for the last few seasons anyway. We do not anticipate that the result of the EU Referendum will have any material effect on HBO producing Game of Thrones, HBO said in a statement. Dark vortex found in Neptune's atmosphere New images obtained on May 16, 2016, by NASAs Hubble Space Telescope have confirmed the presence of a dark vortex in the atmosphere of Neptune. Though similar features were seen during the Voyager 2 fly-by of Neptune in 1989 and by the Hubble Space Telescope in 1994, this vortex is the first one observed on Neptune in the 21st century. The 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is likely to meet again before the end of the year to discuss the process for granting membership to non-NPT signatories. The meeting will provide another chance for India to press its claims, after it failed to seal its entry into the NSG at the plenary in Seoul on Friday. India faced strong opposition from China and a few other countries as it is not a signatory to the Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chinese President Xi Jinping. India has faced strong opposition from China over entry into the NSG. However, diplomatic sources on Sunday said that at the suggestion of Mexico, it has now been decided that another meeting of the NSG should be held before the end of the year to consider the entry criteria for non-NPT countries. Normally, the next meeting of the NSG would have been held some time next year. As it emerged that the NSG is likely to meet in the next few months, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Vikas Swarup said: We will keep impressing upon China that mutual accommodation of interests, concerns and priorities is necessary to move forward bilateral ties. His comments assume significance in the backdrop of the Chinese foreign ministrys assertion that Beijings opposition at the NSG, which is a multi-lateral platform, will not impact adversely on India-China ties. Swarup also said that although India did not get the expected results at the Seoul meeting, the country will continue to make determined efforts to get into the NSG. Today, the Indian diplomacy doesnt have fear of failure. If we dont get desired results it only means that we redouble our efforts, Swarup said. There are some processes which take longer, I would evaluate the NSG membership process in that category, he said. A panel for informal consultations on Indias membership has also been set up by the NSG, and it will be headed by Argentine Ambassador Rafael Grossi. Grossis appointment came even as a top US official said that the NSG session in Seoul had ended with a path forward for Indias acceptance as a member. We are confident that we have got a path forward by the end of this year. But we are confident that India would be a full member of the (NSG) regime by the end of the year, the Obama administration official said in Washington. China was unrelenting in thwarting Indias NSG bid despite PM Narendra Modi urging Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Tashkent on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit to support Indias case on its merits. An upset India later accused "one country", a clear reference to China, of persistently creating procedural hurdles during the discussions on its application. The Modi government came under fresh attack on Sunday over Indias failed bid for NSG membership, with BJP veteran Yashwant Sinha saying there was no need for approaching the bloc as an applicant, while the Congress termed the push to join the elite grouping event management which embarrassed the nation. Tata Sons and Starbucks have finalised new initiatives to expand their collaboration, which include sourcing premium Indian coffee for the US market, introducing the Teavana brand of specialty teas in Indian stores, and expanding the overseas market of Tata-owned mineral water brand Himalayan. For the first time, Starbucks Corp will sell premium Arabica coffee from the Tata Nullore Estates in India's Coorg coffee growing area. The coffee will be roasted and sold at Starbucks' Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz (right) meets with Cyrus Pallonji Mistry, chairman of Tata Group at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle. Tata Sons Chairman Cyrus Mistry met Starbucks Chairman and Chief Executive Howard Schultz last week in Seattle and finalised these initiatives, which will be rolled out by the year-end, the companies said in a joint statement on Monday. "As we continue on our journey with the Tatas, we are delighted to introduce the finest coffee from India to a new audience," Shultz said in the statement. Starbucks also announced that it will serve its coffee on Vistara, the joint venture airline owned by the Tatas and Singapore Airlines, later this year. "Starbucks shares our commitment to both coffee-growing regions and coffee farmers to ensure we meet the global demand for high-quality coffee over the long term," Mistry said. "Our journey with Starbucks since October 2012 has been gratifying... We are honoured to be sourcing the finest Indian coffee and introducing Starbucks customers outside the country to its quality for the first time," the Tata Group Chairman said. Starbucks has also announced plans to increase its coffee-roasting capacity to supply to its stores in the country, and over time, select markets around the globe. Tata Coffee, which has had a roasting and packaging plant in Coorg, Karnataka since 2013, at present roasts Starbucks India Estates Blend and Espresso Roast coffee. It will soon expand to include both Kenyan and Sumatran coffees for Starbucks stores throughout the country, the companies said. Starbucks also announced that it will offer its coffee on Vistara, the joint venture airline of the Tatas and Singapore Airlines, later this year. The coffee chain will extend the sale of its Teavana specialty tea in India by December. The collaboration is also on for the development of signature Indian tea blends, which will be available across all Starbucks stores in the country. The American coffee chain looks to expand availability of the mineral water Himalayan, bottled by Tata Global Beverages, to Singapore later this year. Plans are also afoot to introduce the bottled water brand in Starbucks stores in China and the Asia-Pacific region. Further, the two companies have agreed to come together and train young people over the next five years through Tata Strive, which has trained some 43,000 people to date. The joint partnership is expected to benefit 3,000 more disadvantaged youths in the country. The two groups have been running the Tata Starbucks coffee chain in India since October 2012, as part of a joint venture. The JV operates 80 stores in six key cities, but is way below the initial target they had set of opening 50 stores in the first year itself. The company has been citing difficulties in getting the right retail location as the reason for the slower expansion. India is better known globally for its tea, but it also produces both robusta and Arabica, and is the world's sixth-largest coffee producer. Its coffee output has increased 16 per cent over the past 5 years, according to data from the International Coffee Organization (ICO)|. Bollywood actor Tusshar Kapoor has embraced the life of a single parent Bollywood actor Tusshar Kapoor has embraced the life of a single parent. The 39-year-old actors son was born last week through IVF and surrogacy. He entered the world under the able guidance of Firuza Parikh, director of IVF and genetics at the Jaslok Hospital and Research Centre. Kapoor, who is the son of veteran actor Jeetendra and brother of Balaji Telefilms head Ekta Kapoor, addressed the media in Mumbai on Monday and expressed his joy at becoming a father to his son, christened Laksshya. He said: I am thrilled to be a father! The paternal instincts in me have been overpowering my heart and mind for some time now. Therefore, I am thrilled beyond words to have Laksshya, now the greatest source of joy in my life. Tusshar is one of the first Bollywood actors to opt for single parenthood. Earlier, Raveena Tandon and Sushmita Sen had opted for adoption as they wanted to embrace motherhood as single mothers. Arvind Kejriwal is hoping to draw young voters and fisher-folk to AAP in Goa Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is to head out on a fishing mission to Goa. While the state will go to the polls in 2017, the CM chose to visit Goa to woo young people and those who make their living from fishing. Kejriwal also hopes to dent the BJPs dominance in Gujarat, which is also on his itinerary. It's raining books in Hindutva camp Ever since the Modi government came to power, the RSS and its affiliates have become extremely active where academic pursuits are concerned. One after the other, those from the Hindutva stable have brought out books. The latest to join is Govind Ram Sahni, whose book Prachin Bharatiya Arth Chintan will be launched on June 28 by former Union minister Murli Manohar Joshi. Sahni claims inspiration from MS Golwalkar, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, and BMS founder Dattopant Thengadi. Sinha's pep talk to bureaucrats Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha wants officials being posted to vigilance bodies and investigating agencies to be above board and to be selected very carefully. Giving a pep talk to Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) in various government organisations, he also emphasised the need for quick decision-making by bureaucrats, and the importance of protecting them from harassment. Delhi BJP to get the ball rolling Speculation is rife in the Delhi BJP over a change in leadership. During the just-concluded, two-day state executive meeting, the party resolved to put on a united front in the wake of upcoming municipal elections next year, and possible by-elections for 21 Assembly seats. Sources said the change in guard may follow the Cabinet reshuffle which is likely to come soon. A cyber crime investigator based in Ghaziabad has developed software to help police crack cases of digital crime such as online stalking, creating fake profiles, spreading online rumours, and supporting banned terror organisations. Ishaan Sinha has designed state-of-the-art software for Intelligence Gathering and Tracking (IGAT) to help law enforcement agencies scan the virtual world. The software has already been used by the police departments in Maharashtra, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, and Punjab. Ghaziabad techie Ishaan Sinha (second from left) has worked with many state police departments in the last three years We have seen a sharp increase in digital crime and there are no boundaries on the internet. Scanning data on the virtual world is a mammoth task, but this software can help us zero-in on specific users and track a particular group of people, said a senior Delhi Police officer. Explaining the salient feature of the programme, Sinha said: I have been seeing security agencies struggling to get information on the internet. So I designed this unique software which does social media analysis and intelligence gathering in the digital world. This software can even filter out criminals and terrorists from a crowd of million users and the police can then keep a watch on them. The software is being customised as per the demand of the state police, said Sinha. He took almost a year to develop the software, which is exclusively available for the law enforcement agencies. The programme can be extremely useful in checking abusive content and social media stalking, and identifying fake profiles. One of the few green tickers amid the sea of red on the junior market on Monday was data specialist IS Solutions, which is soon to be renamed D4t4. On any other day the results statement would have been greeted rather more enthusiastically than it actually was. The market makers edged the stock up an almost perfunctory 3 per cent. Revenues advanced 45 per cent in the year ended March, leading to an underlying 187 per cent jump in pretax profits to 3.5million. Growing: IS Solutions has developed its core strategy to progressively build a data analytics business Cash generation one of the litmus tests for a small, but growing business was very strong and IS had 5million on the balance sheet, up from 900,000 a year ago. This has allowed the company to boost the dividend payout 257 per cent to 2p a share. Thats a yield of 1.7 per cent. Modest yes, but better than the majority of small-caps, which tend to consume investors money at a voracious rate. This is a very exciting time for the business - over the last five years the IS Solutions historic model has developed its core strategy to progressively build a data analytics business, said chief executive Peter Kear. Our new market focus brings together existing fields of expertise and new skills to create a comprehensive and cohesive range of data solutions. The interesting thing about IS, particularly as the markets digest Britains exit from the EU, is just how well positioned the company is. IS Solutions at a Glance Ticker: ISL Worth: 43million Share price: 116p Year high: 160p Low: 50p Luckily for us nearly 70 per cent of our business is dollar-based. Very little of it is done in Europe, CEO Kear told Proactive Investors. It [Brexit] is a worry, but not a major drag. ISs expertise is credit risk, fraud and analytics and it is focused mainly on the financial and retail sectors. A growing proportion of the pipeline is compliance-based, which means the services are not a nice-to-have but a must have, said Kear. This in turn may help the company navigate a tricky period for small businesses, many of which are seeing (and will continue to see) projects cancelled until economic and political picture becomes clearer in the wake of last Thursdays historic vote. The step change at IS came with the 7.5million acquisition of software firm Celebrus Technologies, which cemented the companys place in the world of analytics as well as providing a number of cross-selling opportunities. We were lucky enough to buy them for a sensible price and that really augmented our transition into the data analytics market very nicely, said Kear. It has been very successful for us. Our traditional data and analytics business has also had a fabulous year. Investors will note its recurring revenue base is growing thanks to the inclusion of Celebus. It stands at 27 per cent currently, but is expected grow by five percentage points in the next 12 months. So what next; further acquisitions perhaps? Sensibly, Kear and his team will look to consolidate on the very solid base that has been built, while making a success of new product launches planned imminently. If something [a takeover opportunity] came in that was absolutely ideal we would go for it, the IS chief executive said. The companys broker finnCap said todays numbers comfortably beat its already upgraded forecasts for the 12 months to March. Analyst Lorne Daniel sees revenues growing to around 21million in the current financial year, giving pretax profits of 4million. His price target of 140p a share suggests IS should trading on a price to earnings multiple of around 16 times. The stock currently changing hands for 116p would have to advance a further 20 per cent to match that valuation. FTSE bosses who issued doom-laden warnings that a vote to leave the EU would damage the economy will be quizzed on the true impact of Brexit this week. After executives from Barclays, EasyJet and Aviva performed U-turns on Friday instead reassuring clients and customers that they would continue to thrive outside the EU comments from other Remain supporters are eagerly awaited. Dixons Carphones chief executive Seb James and chairman Sir Charles Dunstone, Serco boss Rupert Soames, and Ocado chief executive Tim Steiner and chairman Lord Rose, were among signatories to a letter from 1,285 business leaders to The Times last week, orchestrated by Downing Street, to warn that leaving the EU would mean uncertainty in our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs. Weathering the storm: Executives from companies who backed Remain have performed U-turns to reassure clients and customers While these three firms are set to issue updates to the City this week, fellow signatories have already climbed down on earlier threats. The CBI, vehemently anti-Brexit during the referendum campaign, stated on Friday that British business was resilient and would adapt. Barclays chief executive Jes Staley now claims the bank has guided its clients and customers through equally profound changes before. He added: No matter what has been laid before us, we have been here to help them achieve their ambitions. That does not change. John Redwood, the Eurosceptic Tory MP, said: I have every wish to see more jobs, more prosperity and more investment in our country which these great companies admit is possible outside the EU. They all want to make money these are all firms with good staff, offices and factories in the UK. They were never going to uproot them overnight. Many will conclude they have excellent businesses here and will now concentrate on continuing to grow them. The string of businesses whose bosses signed the letter admitted they will continue to prosper outside the EU, in what has been described as a humiliating climbdown. Carolyn McCall, chief executive of EasyJet, said: EasyJet notes the result in favour of the UK leaving the EU and is confident it will not have a material impact on its strategy or its ability to deliver long-term sustainable earnings growth and returns to shareholders. Insurance giant Aviva said: Aviva has conducted extensive analysis of the possible implications of a vote to leave the EU and considers it will have no significant operational impact on the company. Leave campaigners mocked the sudden change of heart. Ukip MP Douglas Carswell said: We always knew that the bloated warnings from big business owed more to the desire of corporate chiefs to buddy up with George Osborne than they did to economic reality. But frankly I dont care now as long as we can get some reassurance and stability and people realise its business as usual. The boss of the Institute of Directors insisted that British businesses will overcome obstacles and will not lose faith. Simon Walker, director general of the IoD, said: Businesses will be busy working out how they are going to adapt and succeed after the referendum result. But we cant sugar-coat this, many of our members are feeling anxious. BUY THIS: Rightmove Analysts at Liberum said the referendum decision is an opportunity to buy shares in property website Rightmove. Profits at the firm are protected by its subscription-based business, and the broker said as long as estate agents remain open they should continue to pay an agent needs to sell about three houses a year to cover the cost while around 95 per cent of leads are generated by online searches. Safe as houses: Analysts at Liberum said the referendum decision is an opportunity to buy shares in property website Rightmove Liberum said Rightmove should be largely unaffected by any Brexit fallout. SELL THIS: IAG HSBC reduced its rating on all European airline shares following the Brexit vote, including BA-owner IAG. The company issued a profit warning within hours of the result amid fears demand may fall. It said trading had been weaker than expected in the run-up to the vote and while the group still expects a significant increase in operating profit this year it may not match that seen in 2015. A farmer's wife who killed her husband with a pitchfork before burying him in manure has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. Charlene Mess, of Attica, New York, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the April 2015 slaying of Douglas Mess, her husband of 30 years. The 49-year-old was arguing with her 52-year-old husband at their dairy farm when she hit him several times with a pitchfork. She then shot him in the head with a .22-caliber rifle inside a barn. Scroll down for video Charlene Mess (pictured left in court) has been given 25 years in prison for killing her husband with a pitchfork and then burying his body in manure in Attica, New York The court heard how she then used farm equipment to move his body through the barn and then place it into a pile of manure. One of their son's reported him missing In court last Thursday, District Attorney Donald O'Geen said Mess then tied her husband's hands and feet with bailing wire. She then used an electric feed cart to drag his body to another part of the barn, where she scooped it up with another piece of equipment and drove it to the manure pile. Mess joined the search for her husband that lasted seven hours. At one point she was on horse back pretending to look for him The mother of the victim's children had hoped the body would quickly decompose and never be found, the prosecutor said. One of the victim's sons reported him missing, setting off a seven-hour search that ended when the body was found about 100 yards from the couple's home. Mess had appeared to join the search, saddling her horse and riding around the farm, O'Geen said. 'This sentence will not bring Doug back to his family but at least it will keep his killer away from society for a very long time,' O'Geen said in a statement. 'The family will now go forward remembering Doug as a hardworking, gentle and kind man who was always there for his family and community.' The victim's sister Laura Scott and a family friend spoke in court. According to WROC-TV, Scott said: 'This past year has been rough on a lot of us who knew Doug, but especially his sons. 'They lost their father to a murder and the more horrifying thing is it's their mother who did it.' Video courtesy of WROC-TV A house sitter who hasn't paid rent in three years has revealed she has saved $65,000 in living expenses and used the money to fund lavish overseas holidays. Hayley Newberry, 34, from Perth in Western Australia, first started house sitting after a break-up with her partner three years ago. 'When my ex-partner and I split up we were living in a house but were at the end of our contract,' Ms Newberry told Daily Mail Australia. Hayley Newberry, 34 ,hasn't paid rent in three years and saved $65,000 in living expenses The 34-year-old felt she couldn't justify spending half her wage of rent and bills, so she turned to house sitting after splitting with her partner three years ago 'I didn't know what I wanted to do I had a house full of furniture and tried to find a new place to live but couldn't justify spending half my wage on rent and bills every week.' Her mum suggested house sitting as a joke and Ms Newberry decided to give it a shot. 'At first I was just doing it so I could get experience and move overseas but I am settled in Perth now so that hasn't happened.' While going overseas to house sit isn't off the cards Ms Newberry is already booked up until the end of January 2017. 'I have a lot of repeat clients who book me out for their holidays once or twice a year. 'I get really close to their animals which makes it less stressful when they make bookings with me because their pets know me.' Ms Newberry works full time at the University of Western Australia, is studying to become an animal behaviourist and has a 'full' social life. Despite her busy schedule, the veteran house sitter isn't looking to quit any time soon and loves the freedom it gives her to 'pop up to Bali' or go to New Zealand to see her dad. But she warns that the job isn't for everyone. 'If you are not dedicated don't do it. 'Sometimes you will see bad reviews from owners who have come home after their holiday and been disappointed with their house sitters. 'Don't just do it if you need somewhere to live.' Ms Newberry used the money to fund lavish overseas holidays to destinations like New Zealand and Bali Ms Newberry is already booked up until the end of January 2017, she has a lot of repeat clients who book her when they go on holiday Ms Newberry loves to show off the homes she stays in and often has her mum and boyfriend visit her, but she says her friends do find her nomadic lifestyle challenging. 'They always have to ask me where I am living now,' she laughed. 'So they do find it a bit strange.' She only takes bookings of longer than two weeks now so she can maintain her busy lifestyle. While staying at the homes Ms Newberry develops strong bonds with the owners and pets she house sits for. She has looked after a lot of dogs and cats over three years and has even cared for some horses. Her current favourite is a golden retriever crossed with a collie she nicknamed 'wiggly worm'. However, Ms Newberry adds that she doesn't always fall in love with her client's pets, one animal in particular made her more nervous than the rest. 'I am not too comfortable with snakes,' she said. 'I had to look after a house with two rottweilers, two cats and a snake. 'Snakes are cool to watch but I wouldn't want to cuddle them or have them slithering around the house. 'Luckily I only had to change the water in its tank so I got used to it.' While staying at the homes Ms Newberry develops strong bonds with the owners and pets she house sits for. She has looked after a lot of dogs and cats over three years and has even cared for some horses and cows Ms Newberry loves to show off the homes she stays in and often has her mum and boyfriend visit her, but she says her friends do find her nomadic lifestyle challenging Ms Newberry warns that house sitting isn't for everyone and it shouldn't be done by people just needing somewhere to live It takes Ms Newberry just an hour to put her life in the back of her car but she likes to make the homes spotless when she leaves which makes moving out more time consuming. 'Moving can be a bit hectic,' she said. 'I have a summer/winter wardrobe and leave the clothes I don't need in mum's attic. 'The rest goes in the back of my little Mazda 3 on the morning I need to move out.' Most of the homes she looks after are from people wealthy enough to go on lengthy holidays a few times a year so they are 'very nice'. The place she is currently staying in is her 'dream home' even though it is 'way too big for her'. Chinese-owned mega-vessel Cosco Shipping Panama became the first to pass through the expanded canal on Sunday The newly expanded Panama Canal opened on Sunday after a multi-billion project that got delayed by two years due to slow construction approval, strikes and leaks. The first ship to go through the passage, the Chinese-owned Cosco Shipping Panama, passed through the Atlantic locks at Agua Clara in the early morning and in the afternoon completed the 50-mile journey to the Pacific at the Cocoli locks near the capital. Fireworks exploded as the huge container ship made its inaugural passage in front of thousands of people, formally launching Panama's bet on a bright economic future despite tough times for global shipping. The $5.25 billion project was initially scheduled for completion in October 2014 but was delayed by slow approvals for concrete to use in the locks, labor strikes and leaks detected late last year. Scroll down for video The Chinese-owned Cosco Shipping Panama passed through the Atlantic locks at Agua Clara Sunday morning and in the afternoon completed the inaugural 50-mile journey to the Pacific at the Cocoli locks (pictured) Fireworks exploded as the huge container ship made its inaugural passage in front of thousands of people (pictured), who began gathering before dawn and lined both sides of the canal waving flags The Cosco Shipping Panama (pictured) carried more than 9,000 containers on Sunday as it entered the newly expanded locks that will double the canal's capacity 'This is an achievement that all of us Panamanians should be proud of,' President Juan Carlos Varela said at the inaugural ceremony on the outskirts of Panama City. 'Today marks a historic moment for Panama, for our hemisphere and the world.' The expansion includes two new sets of lock complexes, one on the Pacific coast on the outskirts of Panama City and one on the northern coast at Colon. 'This new transit route is the tip of the iceberg in making Panama once again the logistics center of the Americas,' canal administrator Jorge Luis Quijano said. 'And it represents a significant opportunity for the countries of the region to improve their infrastructure, increase their exports.' Crowds began gathering before dawn and lined both sides of the canal waving flags, partying to salsa music and watching videos on giant screens. A LOOK AT THE PANAMA CANAL AND ITS NEW EXPANDED LOCKS The canal: Opened on August 15, 1914, the Panama Canal was constructed by the United States between 1904 and 1913 at a cost of $375 million, building on an earlier, French-led effort that fizzled. An estimated 20,000 workers died during French control of the project, many due to tropical diseases such as malaria, and 5,600 more perished during U.S. construction. The canal revolutionized global sea traffic by replacing long voyages around Cape Horn at the tip of South America. The operations: The canal was under US control until a 1977 agreement between Presidents Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos paved the way for its transfer to Panama on December 31, 1999. Canal authorities say it generated $10 billion in direct income for the Panamanian state through 2015. With related economic activity, the canal is responsible for about 40 percent of Panama's GDP. On average, 35 to 40 ships transit the waterway each day, and the canal is estimated to handle 6 percent of world maritime commerce. The new locks: The $5.25 billion project was initially scheduled for completion in October 2014, roughly coinciding with the canal's 100th anniversary, but was delayed by slow approvals for concrete to use in the locks, labor strikes and leaks detected late last year. The expansion includes two new sets of lock complexes, one on the Pacific coast on the outskirts of Panama City and one on the northern coast at Colon. The new ships: The new locks are 180 feet wide and 1,400 feet long, big enough to accommodate New Panamax-class vessels that are seen as the future of global shipping. Those ships can reach 1,200 feet long more than three football fields and are up to 160 feet wide. They can carry 13,000 to 14,000 cargo containers, about 2.5 to three times as many as on vessels that could fit in the previous locks. The International Monetary Fund estimates the canal expansion will reduce global maritime shipping costs by $8 billion a year. The first ship: Originally called the Andronikos, the ship making the inaugural voyage through the new locks was renamed the Cosco Shipping Panama by its Chinese owner in honor of Panama and the ceremonial passage. It's a Marshall Islands-flagged container vessel with a capacity of 9,472 shipping containers and is 158 feet wide and 984 feet long. It entered the Atlantic locks Sunday morning for an approximately eight-hour transit to the Pacific locks. Source: Associated Press Advertisement The canal's capacity doubled with the new locks. Canal authorities hope to compete with the Suez Canal in Egypt. Pictured, fireworks light up the sky as the Cosco Shipping Panama crosses the new Cocoli locks The 50-mile canal has generated about $10 billion in direct income for Panama since it was handed over from US control at the end of 1999. Pictured, people cheer during the inauguration Sunday 'Today marks a historic moment for Panama, for our hemisphere and the world,' President Juan Carlos Varela (pictured) said at the inaugural ceremony on the outskirts of Panama City About 30,000 people and eight foreign heads of state were attending, authorities said. 'It's a one-time experience, a great achievement,' homemaker Felicia Penuela, from Colon province, said. 'Panama is showing the world that even though it is a small country it can do great things.' The 158-foot-wide, 984-foot-long Cosco Shipping Panama is one of the modern mega-vessels that will now be able to use the canal and form the New Panamax class. It carried 9,000 cargo containers during the inaugural voyage. The canal's capacity doubled with the new locks. Canal authorities hope to compete with the Suez Canal in Egypt and tap new markets such as natural gas shipments between the United States and Asia. 'The Panama Canal, with this expansion, is an important player not only for regional maritime commerce but worldwide,' said Oscar Bazan, the Panama Canal Authority's executive vice president for planning and commercial development. 'The canal is a winning bet.' Eighty-five percent of the 166 reserved crossings scheduled for the next three months are for container ships. Container cargo accounts for nearly 50 percent of the canal's overall income. Panamanians at the ceremony expressed hope that the expansion will help the economy in a country where about 25 percent of the people live in poverty. 'I think the inauguration of the locks is excellent for the current generations and those to come,' mechanic Moises Gonzalez, 40, who worked on the construction of the locks for six years, said. 'Opportunities for us. We have to find a way for it to reach the people.' The 158-foot-wide, 984-foot-long Cosco Shipping Panama (pictured on Sunday) is one of the modern mega-vessels that will now be able to use the canal and form the New Panamax class The crowd partied to salsa music and watched videos on giant screens during the inauguration of the new canal Sunday. Pictured, men in traditional attire wait at the new Agua Clara locks The Cosco Shipping Panama (pictured with a tugboat) has a capacity of 9,472 shipping containers and is 158 feet wide and 984 feet long. It travelled for about eight hours on Sunday But the drop in oil prices, an economic slowdown in China - the canal's second-largest customer -and other factors have hit the waterway's traffic and income. Authorities anticipate increasing commerce between Asia and ports on the US East Coast but doubts remain that not all those ports are ready to handle the huge New Panamax cargo ships. Net cargo volume through the canal from the US East Coast toward Asia fell 10.2 percent in 2015, according to official statistics. Meanwhile, Suez recently lowered tariffs by up to 65 percent on large container carriers in an attempt to keep its traffic. 'It's important to remember that the canal does not create demand. The canal opens the route. Supply and demand on a world level is what will decide whether the Panama Canal will really bring more volume or not,' said Antonio Dominguez, a general manager for global shipping leader Maersk Line, which moves about 14.2 percent of world commerce. 'What is certain is that the current canal has maxed out.' Deputy canal administrator Manuel Benitez said officials are thinking long-term about the benefits the new locks can bring through economies of scale and saving time and costs for large ships. 'These are cyclical questions. The market will rebound again and when we are in an 'up' cycle again, shipping will generate money and the Panama Canal will generate money,' Benitez said. The 50-mile canal has generated about $10 billion in direct income for Panama since it was handed over from US control at the end of 1999. It is responsible for about 40 percent of Panama's GDP, factoring in related economic activity. Thirty-five to 40 vessels transit the waterway each day, and the canal is estimated to handle about 6 percent of world maritime commerce. Panama began the expansion nearly a decade ago. The new locks, which were meant to open in late 2014 around the waterway's centennial, can accommodate ships that carry up to three times the cargo of those previously able to use the canal. Panamanians at the ceremony expressed hope that the expansion will help the country's economy. Pictured, spectators cheer as the Cosco Shipping Panama, begins to cross the new new Agua Clara locks The $5.25 billion project was initially scheduled for completion in October 2014 but was delayed by two years. Pictured, the Cosco Shipping Panama heads towards the new Cocoli locks A medical student from Tulane who went to Haiti as part of a school program was shot and wounded during an armed robbery. Bhami Patel traveled with eight other students as part of a program at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane in New Orleans, Louisiana to promote maternal and child health. She was shot in the hand and chest in Port-Au-Prince Thursday, senior associate dean for admissions and student affairs at the Tulane School of Medicine Marc Kahn said in a statement Friday. Patel, who has finished her first year of medical school, was flown to a hospital in Miami and has been able to communicate with her family. Bhumi Patel (pictured in a Facebook shot) was shot in the hand and chest in Port-Au-Prince Thursday after going to Haiti with eight other students on an academic program She appeared to be 'in relatively good spirits', Kahn said. Patel thanked everyone who had sent her messages of support in a Facebook post Saturday. 'I'm sorry I won't be able to reply to each one individually, but I am extremely grateful to be alive and know each one of you,' she wrote. One of the eight other students enrolled in the program was with Patel during the robbery, 'Tulane is reaching out to the other victim of this terrible crime as well as all students involved in this program in order to ensure their safety and emotional well-being,' Kahn said. 'Please keep Bhumi and her fellow students enrolled in this program in your thoughts and prayers.' Israel has reached a reconciliation deal with Turkey to end a bitter six-year rift between the Middle East powers. Relations between the former close allies imploded in 2010 after an Israeli naval raid that killed nine Turkish activists, including a dual American citizen, who were on a ship trying to breach Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. Following the incident, Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and greatly scaled back military and economy ties. But relations were never broken completely. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to announce details on the reconciliation deal Turkey's move toward rapprochement with Israel comes amid its deepening isolation in the region following a breakdown of ties with Russia and Egypt as well as the turmoil in neighboring Syria. The Israeli official confirmed the details of the agreement on Sunday. He spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on an official visit to Rome, is expected to announce details on Monday, and the two sides plan to sign the agreement on Tuesday. Turkey's new prime minister, Binali Yildirim, was also scheduled to make an announcement in Ankara. Netanyahu also called Vice President Joe Biden to thank him for encouraging the normalisation talks with Turkey, according to a statement released by Biden's office. It said Biden congratulated Netanyahu 'for progress toward reconciliation with Turkey, noting the significant positive security and economic benefits for both countries and the wider Eastern Mediterranean region.' Turkey's new prime minister, Binali Yildirim (left with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan), was also scheduled to make an announcement in Ankara The Israeli official said the impending deal would include $20 million in Israeli compensation for families of those killed in the raid, an end to all Turkish claims against Israeli military personnel and the state of Israel over the raid, and the mutual restoration of ambassadors. A senior Turkish official said that under the agreement, Turkey would deliver 'humanitarian aid and other non-military products' to Gaza and engage in infrastructure investments, including the construction of residential buildings and the completion of a 200-bed hospital. Turkey would also be involved in projects addressing energy and water shortages in Gaza, the official said, adding that 'the amount of electricity and drinking water to Gaza residents will increase and new power plants will be constructed.' The official, who cannot be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the deal, said the agreement did not make any reference to Turkey's ties to Hamas, saying 'Turkey will continue supporting the Palestinian state and the people of Palestine.' Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem yesterday The militant Islamic group Hamas controls Gaza. The Israeli official said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to a separate document instructing all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israel's missing citizens, apparently referring to the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war which are believed to be held by Hamas. An Israeli of Ethiopian descent and a Bedouin from Israel's Arab minority are also believed to be held in Gaza. Families of the soldiers had urged the government to hold off on any reconciliation deal until their plight is addressed. Said the church should also apologize to the poor, to exploited women and to children who were forced into labor Francis said Sunday that gay people must be treated with respect Someone asked if he agreed with one of his top advisers, who said the church owed gay people an apology after the Orlando massacre The Pope answered questions on his way home from Armenia Sunday Pope Francis said the Catholic Church should apologize to gay people for the way it treated them in the past. The pontiff made the groundbreaking apology on his way back from Armenia Sunday as he spoke to reporters on his plane. One of them asked if Francis agreed with one of his top advisers, who said after the Orlando, Florida massacre that the Church should seek forgiveness from gay people for having marginalized them. Francis recalled Church teachings that homosexuals 'should not be discriminated against' but should be treated with respect and 'accompanied pastorally'. Scroll down for video Pope Francis said the Catholic Church should apologize to gay people for the way it treated them in the past while talking to reporters on his flight back from Armenia Sunday (pictured) The Pope looked sad when the reporter asked if an apology was made more urgent by the killing of 49 people at a gay club in Orlando this month. German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, one of the Pope's top advisers, told a conference in Dublin days after the shooting that the Church owed an apology to gay people for having marginalized them. Francis said Sunday: 'I think that the Church not only should apologize [...] to a gay person whom it offended but it must also apologize to the poor as well, to the women who have been exploited, to children who have been exploited by being forced to work. It must apologize for having blessed so many weapons.' The Church teaches that homosexual tendencies are not sinful but homosexual acts are, and that homosexuals should try to be chaste. Francis (pictured with Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, as they released white doves on Sunday) said the church should also seek forgiveness from the poor and from exploited people Francis repeated a slightly modified version of the now-famous 'Who am I to judge?' comment he made about gays on the first foreign trip after his election in 2013. 'The questions is: if a person who has that condition, who has good will, and who looks for God, who are we to judge?' he asked. The pope did not imply a medical condition but 'a person in that situation', Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said. In Italian, the word 'condition' can also mean 'situation'. 'We Christians have to apologize for so many things, not just for this,' Francis added, referring to the treatment of gay people. 'But we must ask for forgiveness, not just apologize! Forgiveness! Lord, it is a word we forget so often!' Francis has been hailed by many in the gay community for being the most merciful pope towards them in recent history. Conservative Catholics have criticized him for making comments they say are ambiguous about sexual morality. The Pope told reporters on the plane 'there are traditions in some countries, some cultures, that have a different mentality about this question' and there are 'some [gay] demonstrations that are too offensive for some'. But he suggested that those were not grounds for discrimination or marginalization. The pope did not elaborate on what he meant by seeking forgiveness for the Church 'having blessed so many weapons', but it appeared to be a reference to some Churchmen who actively backed wars in the past. In other parts of the conversation, Francis said he hoped the European Union would be able to give itself another form after the United Kingdom's decision to leave. 'There is something that is not working in that bulky union, but let's not throw the baby out with the bath water, let's try to jump-start things, to re-create,' he said. He also denied reports that former Pope Benedict, who resigned in 2013, was still exercising influence inside the Vatican. 'There is only one pope,' he said. He praised Benedict, 89, for 'protecting me, having my back, with his prayers'. A number of Queensland students have handed in school assignments based on controversial Gold Coast tobacco tycoon Travers 'Candyman' Benyon. Teenagers from prestigious private school Brisbane Boys College and Varsity Learning College on the Gold Coast both completed projects based on the Candyman last year. The assignments featured images of the Candyman surrounded by scantily-clad models on the covers, including one photo of a naked woman covered in sushi. Scroll down for video Students at two Queensland schools have completed assignments based on the Candyman Travers Beynon The covers of the tasks featured images of the tobacco tycoon surrounded by scantily-clad women Daily Mail Australia understands that Year 10 students at Varsity Learning College on the Gold Coast were asked to write an assignment either in support of or against Mr Beynon's lifestyle as part of a study on 'media bias'. Brisbane Boys College said the assignments were completed as part of the curriculum which required students to: 'critically analyse the ethics and bias of a contemporary issue within the media'. 'As part of their Senior English course, Year 12 students are required to critically analyse the ethics and bias of a contemporary issue within the media,' a college spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia. 'Its important to note the assessment is not a commentary on the topic itself. The purpose of the images was to demonstrate the way in which the issue had been portrayed. 'At no point did the College nor the students endorse the images or behaviours associated with the topic,' the statement read. Students at Varsity Learning College on the Gold Coast were completing a unit on 'media bias' Candyman has since responded to the reports saying he was 'flattered' to be the subject of the students' work The Candyman has since responded to the reports saying he was 'flattered' to be the subject of the students' work, while urging them to stay in school. 'I'm flattered that my life has been deemed worthy of scholastic enquiry by a number of schools throughout the state, however the real issue is that most children don't realise the importance of staying in school until they become an adult,' Mr Beynon told Daily Mail Australia. 'Whatever you do, you need to do it with passion, just like the students have done with their assignments on me. 'There will always be people who knock you when you strive for success - my message is you should never give up to achieve your goals.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Varsity Learning College for comment. A woman who fell off an escalator and plummeted two storeys before smashing into the ground is fighting for her life in hospital. The woman suffered life-threatening injuries to her head and face after falling from the escalator in a 'freak accident' at a Gold Coast shopping centre. She also fractured her hip and wrist in the fall, reported the Gold Coast Bulletin. A woman suffered serious injuries to her head and face after falling two storeys from an escalator The incident occurred around 6.30pm on Sunday at the Oasis Shopping Centre on the Gold Coast (pictured) A spokeswoman for the Queensland Ambulance Service said the woman had fallen in a 'freak accident', reported the Brisbane Times. Paramedics were called to the Oasis Shopping Centre in Broadbeach around 6.30pm on Sunday to attend the incident. Firefighters were also called because they initially thought the womans hand had been trapped in the escalator. The woman is believed to be in her twenties and is currently in a serious condition at Gold Coast University Hospital. Green's influence has been known to local historians for decades but was only recently acknowledged by the whisky makers Brand is celebrating its controversial heritage on its 150th anniversary 'Uncle Nearest is the best whiskey maker that I know of,' Call had said Nearis Green who taught the young Daniel how to Now the brand have revealed it was in fact one of Call's slaves Story went that Jack Daniels recipe was created by white moonshine distiller named Dan Call who passed it down to Jack Daniel After 150 years, Jack Daniels has finally revealed that a slave was behind the world-famous recipe of America's most popular whisky. Until now, the story told was that a white moonshine distiller named Dan Call had taught his young apprentice, Jasper Newton 'Jack' Daniel, how to run his Tennessee distillery. But it appears that the brand is finally ready to embrace its controversial history after it revealed it was not Dan Call, but one of Call's slaves named Nearis Green who had passed on his distilling experience to Daniel. 'It's taken something like the anniversary for us to start to talk about ourselves,' Nelson Eddy, Jack Daniel's in-house historian, told the New York Times. After 150 years, Jack Daniels has finally revealed that a slave was behind the world-famous recipe of America's most popular whisky. A photo taken from the time shows a man thought to be one of Nearis Green's (the slave who passed on the recipe) sons sitting on the left of founder Jack Daniel (circled, right) and his workers According to a 1967 biography, Jack Daniel's Legacy, Call told his slave to teach Daniel everything he knew. 'Uncle Nearest is the best whiskey maker that I know of,' Call is recorded as having said. Slavery was brought to an end in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment. Daniel opened his own distillery a year later where he employed two of Green's sons. A photo taken from the time shows a man thought to be one of Green's sons sitting alongside Daniel and his workers. The photograph is significant as typically, black employees would have been forced to stand at the back. His inclusion may have signified that he played an important role at the Jack Daniels distillery. Yet Nearis Green and his family were all too quick forgotten about until very recently. Until now, the story told was that a white moonshine distiller named Dan Call (pictured) had taught his young apprentice, Jasper Newton 'Jack' Daniel, how to run his Tennessee distillery Slavery was brought to an end in 1865 with the ratification of the 13th Amendment. Daniel (left) opened his own distillery a year later. Today his whisky (right) is arguably the most popular in America Phil Epps, the global brand director for Jack Daniel's at Brown-Forman, which has owned the distillery for 60 years, insists it was not a 'conscious decision' to omit the Greens from the whisky's history. But at a time when the distillery was trying to market Jack Daniels to the segregated south, it is also unlikely that they would have celebrated its black heritage. Epps said they had come across the founder story while researching the origin of the whisky. 'As we dug into it, we realized it was something that we could be proud of,' Epps said. Some critics have criticized the move as a cynical way to target a new market of millennials who are known for 'digging at social issues.' By celebrating the history now, it prevents it coming out later expectantly. However, the brand claims it's simply keen to set the record straight. After decades of ignoring the Greens' story, which was well known to local historians, Jack Daniels has accepted the history which will be featured on its distillery tour. A man thought to be Green's son was sat on the left of Daniels (in the white hat) in the 150 year-old picture. The photograph is significant as typically, black employees would have been forced to stand at the back After decades of ignoring the Greens' story, which was well known to local historians, Jack Daniels has accepted the history which will be featured on its distillery tour Historians also believe that certain methods used to create American whiskies, not found in German or British traditions, may have come from ancient African techniques passed down through the generations (pictured are barrels of Jack Daniels at the distillery) Slaves once make up the majority of men working in the distilling industry and records of slave sales show that their whisky making skills were highly prized. Historians also believe that certain methods used to create American whiskies, not found in German or British traditions, may have come from ancient African techniques passed down through the generations. But, like so much else appropriated from enslaved African Americans - from recipes to traditions, the distillery owners would take credit for their slaves' whisky. And with so little written about the contribution of slaves at the time, historians are left with few clues to how enslaved men and women created American whisky. Another Jack Daniel's tradition is the Lincoln County process, where unaged whiskey is passed through several feet of maple charcoal to purify the bourbon, leaving it with a slightly sweet flavor. A health trust has re-employed six managers after handing them nearly 1million in redundancy payments. The staff were laid off in a 10million cost-cutting drive. But they are again working at East of England Ambulance Service despite pay-offs of 922,984, an average of over 150,000 each. Details emerged in a freedom of information request showing that one of them is a qualified paramedic who was paid 50,000 a year to train staff. Since taking the redundancy package he has returned on a similar salary through an agency to train student paramedics who cover frontline staff shortages. East of England Ambulance Service has re-hired six managers after previously handing them redundancy packages of nearly 1million (file picture) Chief executive Robert Morton, pictured, was one of the trust's top brass to benefit from upgrading his car to a Range Rover Sport while others were given Jaguars and BMWs Dia Chakravarty, political director of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: It is absolutely ludicrous that taxpayers pick up the tab for generous redundancy packages only to see those that have been let go rehired soon after. This revolving door culture in the NHS must grind to a halt, particularly as not a day goes by without us being told of a lack of funding in the NHS. It is exactly the sort of bad management and lack of foresight we simply cannot afford in the public sector. A former worker at the NHS trust said: Somebody sanctioned these redundancy payments, even though they knew this person would be needed for staff training. Its a crazy waste of money. Anyone with half a brain should have realised they would need these students and someone to train them up. The trust, which covers Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex, has been embroiled in a series of scandals. Last month it emerged that bosses were being given Jaguars and BMWs at a cost of 454,000 a year in lease payments. Among those to benefit was chief executive Robert Morton, who swapped his Range Rover for a 60,000 Range Rover Sport. Mr Morton, 52, took over as chief executive of the trust in August last year on an annual salary of 142,200. A paramedic and community first responder, he has worked in the ambulance service for 25 years and was in charge of the National Ambulance Service in Ireland before taking the top job at the South Australian Ambulance Service. When he was unveiled as the new chief executive for the East of England he said: Having worked in the ambulance service for many, many years I understand the challenges and issues and how we can resolve them together. But earlier this month he blamed the number of calls being handled by the trusts three control rooms and a lack of staff for a dip in response times. In 2014, a body was dumped next to bins at a fire station by an ambulance crew who left it for the next shift because they wanted to get home. Previous chief executive Dr Anthony Marsh was found to have claimed 30,000 on hotel and transport costs in 16 months. He was running the West Midlands service as well at the same time. Other controversies include failing to hit targets to answer urgent calls and spending 247,406 on public relations in 2013-2014, more than any other ambulance service. There have also been threats of strikes over staff shortages. The trust has paid out 6million in redundancy payments to senior employees over the past two years. The decision by the NHS trust, headquarters pictured, has been branded 'ludicrous' and 'bad management' The six unidentified staff who have been re-employed include four working there on a casual basis. Three are paramedics and one is involved in patient transport. The trainer and another employee dealing with job evaluations are hired through external firms. Lib Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb told the Sunday People: This is crying out for reform. There needs to be some kind of rule saying when you leave with a substantial sum and then return, that payment should be returned. A plan to curb public sector pay-outs has been announced by the Department for Communities and Local Government. But it is limited to payments over 95,000 in cases where the individual returns to the public sector within a year. A trust spokesman said: Vast restructure processes during 2014 and early 2015 included reducing spend on agency and interim staff and restructuring of support services and leadership arrangements. It's a tradition that's been around for hundreds of years but now is about to go by the wayside as as the Queensland Coast Guard is banned from launching their new boats by cracking champagne over them. In times gone by launching a boat without the ceremony of smashing a champagne bottle over the bow was considered terrible luck and Mooloolaba Coast Guards will now have to cross their fingers instead. Deputy Commander Rod Ashlin wasn't surprised by the move, saying 'We're not allowed to do a lot of things these days!' Princess Grace of Monaco has taken part in the tradition, hurling a champagne bottle at a vessel in New York The tradition has survived the ages, the Duchess of Cambridge took part in a ceremony in England in 2013 'I realise times move on. It used to regarded as bad luck if the bottle didn't break. People of the sea tend to be a bit superstitious about these things!' Mr Ashlin told Sunshine Coast Daily: 'It is now environmentally unfriendly to break the glass. 'I have launched plenty of vessels by breaking champagne over the bow. It is a politically correct world' The Mooloolba Coast Guard welcomed a new vessel, Rotary 3, over the weekend. Mooloolaba coast guards will not be breaking champagne bottles over new vessels anymore as it's too environmentally unfriendly The role of the champagne breaker is prestigious. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt broke a bottle of champagne over the bow of the S.S America in 1939 Boris Johnson declared 'Project Fear is over' today as he sought to reassure Britain that pensions were safe, the pound and markets were stable and told the nation: 'That's all very good news'. He struck a notably conciliatory tone as he heaped praised on George Osborne for his 'reassuring' statement to calm the markets this morning and his decision to cancel plans for an emergency budget. Mr Johnson spoke outside his north London home this morning after effectively launching his leadership bid by appealing to pro-EU supporters in his party and the wider public. He softened his tone by rowing back on several key arguments he made in favour of Brexit before the EU referendum and hopes it will persuade Mr Osborne to back his leadership campaign. The Chancellor, who made an early morning statement to calm the markets before they opened at 8am, is set to play a decisive role in the upcoming Tory contest to replace David Cameron. Mr Johnson has reportedly offered offered him the job of Foreign Secretary if he supports his campaign as he is desperate to fend off a tough challenge from Theresa May, the Home Secretary. Scroll down for video Boris Johnson (pictured outside his north London home this morning) declared 'Project Fear is over' as he sought to reassure Britain that pensions were safe, the pound and markets were stable and told the nation: 'I think that's all very good news' Theresa May (pictured left arriving at today's Cabinet meeting) Boris Johnson (pictured right as he left his home today) are battling each other to win over George Osborne (pictured middle as he arrived to deliver a pre-markets speech this morning), who is set to play a decisive role in who wins the leadership contest Mr Johnson told reporters this morning outside his home in Islington, north London: 'I think it is very good news that the chancellor has come out and said some reassuring things to the markets. 'It is clear now that project fear is over, there is not going to be an emergency budget, peoples pensions are safe, the pound is stable, markets are stable, I think that is all very good news.' He was speaking after effectively launching his leadership bid this morning in his weekly Telegraph column, praising Mr Osborne's stewardship of the economy over the last six years and putting it in a state that can withstand the uncertainty caused by Thursday's shock Brexit vote. Striking a conciliatory tone, he moved to heal the wounds in the Tory party after months of bitter infighting over the EU. He and fellow Brexit-backer Michael Gove, who is acting as his campaign manager, want to avoid a sour leadership contest and are trying to convince Mr Osborne and his allies to unite behind him. CHOOSING A PM: HOW THE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP ELECTION WORKS David Cameron announced he is resigning as Prime Minister when he made his post-Brexit statement in the early hours of Friday morning alongside his wife Samantha The leadership election is a two-stage process - first Conservative MPs have their say, then members of the party all around the country are able to vote. If there are two or more candidates, all Tory MPs vote on who they prefer, with the bottom candidate in each round being eliminated until only two are left. The final two then make their pitch to members of the party in a straight head-to-head contest, with the winner determined by postal voting. The exact timescale is unclear, but David Cameron said today that he wants his successor in place by the time of the party conference in October, meaning that the process will have to begin within weeks. Only full members of the party who pay their 25 subscription are entitled to vote - unlike in Labour's leadership contest, where supporters could register for just 3. Advertisement The Chancellor is set to play a decisive role in who wins the upcoming leadership contest triggered by David Cameron's resignation as Prime Minister on Friday and it is likely to come down to choosing between Mr Johnson and his main obstacle to Number 10 - Mrs May. Mr Cameron said he hopes a new Prime Minister will be in office by the start of the Conservative party conference at the start of October. In his newspaper column this morning Mr Johnson began to set out his manifesto for Tory leadership and vision for post-Brexit Britain. He appealed to pro-EU supporters in his party and the wider public by rowing back on several key arguments he made in favour of leaving the EU during the referendum campaign. Britain should still have access to the EU's single market, he wrote in his weekly Telegraph column this morning and he said UK citizens will 'still be able to go and work in the EU; to live; to travel; to study; to buy homes and to settle down.' By doing so he is also offering an olive branch to Mr Osborne and his pro-Remain allies and intriguingly he hailed the Chancellor for his record in office. 'Thanks in large part to the reforms put in place by David Cameron and George Osborne, the fundamentals of the UK economy are outstandingly strong,' he wrote. Mr Johnson and his close allies, who met for their first war council yesterday to plot strategy, are attempting to woo Mr Osborne and could offer him the post of Foreign Secretary, according to The Times. Allies of the Chancellor told the newspaper that Mr Osborne would demand to become foreign secretary in return for supporting Mr Johnson, although reports of a deal were firmly denied last night. The former Mayor of London, along with Michael Gove as his campaign manager, want to avoid another sour battle at the top of the Tory party by assembling a 'dream team' to fend off Home Secretary Theresa May, who posses the biggest threat to Mr Johnson's hopes of becoming PM. Mr Johnson finally broke cover today after 48 hours silent on his future plans for leadership and the country's exit from the EU. Boris Johnson spoke outside his north London home this morning (left) after effectively launching his leadership bid by appealing to pro-EU supporters in his party and the wider public by rowing back on several key pledges - a notable softening of the tone that he hopes will persuade George Osborne to back him, which would likely give him the decisive boost to beat his main leadership rival Theresa May (pictured right, arriving for today's Cabinet meeting) Boris Johnson declared 'Project Fear is over' before getting into a car to head to Westminster this morning Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb (pictured left in the red tie arriving at Cabinet today with Brexit-Backer Chris Grayling) is expected to run for leadership but Justice Secretary Michael Gove (pictured outside Downing Street today) is backing Boris Johnson and hopes to unite the party behind the former London Mayor He insisted the UK should not be in 'any great rush' to withdraw from the EU and its 'extraordinary and opaque system of legislation'. And he insisted immigration was not the reason Britain voted for Brexit, but instead the 'number one issue for voters had been control, a sense that British democracy was being undermined by the EU system, and that we should restore to the people that vital power: to kick out their rulers at elections, and to choose new ones. He also appeared to backtrack on the controversial Vote Leave claims that Britain spends 350million a week in net contributions to the EU and would be able to spend the sum on other priorities, including the NHS. Today he only refers to it as a 'substantial sum of money' that can be 'used on priorities such as the NHS'. The toned-down rhetoric is a clear attempt to heal divisions in the party and convince skeptical Tory MPs that he offers a serious plan for government. Justice Secretary Michael Gove (pictured left leaving his home this morning) has been put in charge of Boris Johnson's bid to replace David Cameron but is likely to face challenges from other Cabinet ministers such as Education Secretary Nicky Morgan (pictured right arriving at today's Cabinet meeting with Liz Truss, left) Pro-Remain Cabinet ministers Anna Soubry (left), business minister, Sajid Javid (middle), the Business Secretary and Jeremy Hunt (right), the Health Secretary arrive for today's intense Cabinet meeting as Tory figures begin to set out their stalls for leadership Employment minister Priti Patel (pictured left arriving at today's Cabinet meeting with Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns) played a key role in the Vote Leave campaign against pro-Remain Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and International Development Secretary Justine Greening (pictured arriving at Cabinet today) Michael Gove (pictured entering Number 10 this morning) is in charge of Boris Johnson's leadership bid and will try to persuade Tory ministers to sign up but it will be difficult to win over the likes of Philip Hammond (middle), the Foreign Secretary and Amber Rudd (right), Energy Secretary, who launched a bitter attack on the former London Mayor during a live TV debate on the EU earlier this month Mr Johnson also had warm words for Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, with whom many pro-Brexit Tories are furious after his part in Project Fear. Mr Johnsons conciliatory tone is intended to broaden his appeal to include Remain supporters. Writing in his regular Daily Telegraph column, he said the Leave campaign had to acknowledge their victory was not overwhelming and went on: There were more than 16 million who wanted to remain...In a democracy majorities may decide but everyone is of equal value. 'We who are part of this narrow majority must do everything we can to reassure the Remainers. He said rather than immigration, the number one issue for voters had been control, a sense that British democracy was being undermined by the EU system, and that we should restore to the people that vital power: to kick out their rulers at elections, and to choose new ones. He said Mr Carney had done a superb job and that David Cameron and George Osborne had led the UK to an outstandingly strong economic position. He added: I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be. There will still be intense and intensifying European cooperation and partnership. While Mr Johnson is the hot favourite to take over leadership of the Conservative Party, past Tory leadership elections suggest early favourites rarely win. As well as David Cameron, Tory party leaders including Iain Duncan Smith, John Major and Margaret Thatcher were not considered favourites when they announced their candidacy for leadership. The 1922 Committee of Conservative backbench MPs is due to meet today to decide the rules for the forthcoming election, with dates for campaign hustings to be announced tomorrow. Last night suggestions the rules could change to ensure a woman is in the final two were dismissed by 1922 Committee sources. Boris Johnson (left) is understood to have been given the blessing for a leadership challenge by his wife Marina Wheeler QC (pictured right, leaving their north London home this morning) Tory MP for Selby Nigel Adams (left) and fellow backbencher Amanda Milling (right), MP for Cannock Chase, arrive at Boris Johnson's Oxfordshire home yesterday as they discussed strategy for winning the Tory leadership Ben Wallace (left), Conservative MP Wyre and Preston North, was one of the plotters who arrived at Boris Johnson's house in Oxfordshire yesterday to plot strategy for the leadership contest ahead George Osborne mulls offer of Foreign Secretary in return for backing Boris Johnson in race to replace David Cameron as PM George Osborne (pictured this morning) is mulling an offer of Foreign Secretary if he backs Boris Johnson's bid to replace David Cameron as Prime Minister, it was reported today George Osborne is mulling an offer of Foreign Secretary if he backs Boris Johnson's bid to replace David Cameron as Prime Minister, it was reported today. Mr Johnson and his leadership campaign manager Michael Gove, the Justice Secretary, is keen to unite as many Tory MPs behind the Brexit champion in order to heal the bitter wounds caused by the EU referendum campaign. They are desperate to fend off a tough challenge from Theresa May, the Home Secretary, who they see as their main challenge. Mr Osborne has yet to reach a decision but would demand the post of Foreign Secretary if he lent his support to Mr Johnson, allies of the Chancellor told The Times. Mr Gove will play a key role in wooing backers and is a close friend of Mr Osborne. And Mr Osborne himself will play a decisive role in who wins the contest because of his significant number of allies in the party. But having traded bitter blows for four months during the EU referendum campaign, some in the party doubt relations between the main players of the Remain and Brexit campaigners can be reconciled together in a new government. Today the Tory 1922 Committee announced the timetable for the leadership contest. The new leader will be announced by September 2 at the latest - before MPs return to Parliament after the summer recess. Whoever wins is likely to become Prime Minister on the same day. Nominations for the contest will open on Wednesday and close on Thursday. At an emergency meeting in Westminster, the committee agreed unanimously that the contest should be run under the same rules as 2005, which will see MPs pick two candidates to put to the wider membership. The speedy process - which has to be signed off by the party board on Tuesday and a full meeting of the backbench committee on Wednesday - would appear to favour established candidates. Michael Gove heads plot to clear Boris Johnson's path to No. 10 Michael Gove (pictured this morning) who has significant support among Conservative backbenches and has in-depth knowledge of the parliamentary from his time as chief whip, is determined to pave the way for a smooth path to Downing Street for Mr Johnson to avoid any more bitter infighting in the party Michael Gove is heading up Boris Johnson's bid to replace David Cameron as Prime Minister and is seeking to persuade other leadership hopefuls to stand aside. The Justice Secretary, who has significant support among Conservative backbenches and has in-depth knowledge of the parliamentary from his time as chief whip, is determined to pave the way for a smooth path to Downing Street for Mr Johnson to avoid any more bitter infighting in the party. He joined a core group of plotters at Mr Johnson's Oxfordshire home yesterday to plan a strategy and reportedly approached George Osborne, offering him the role of Foreign Secretary in return for his backing. A Tory MP told The Sun: 'What the party needs is to come together foer the good of the country. 'Boris and Michael offer that unity ticket and that is the pitch being made to colleagues.' But they face a fierce battle against Theresa May, the Home Secretary, who has declared her intention to run. She is seen as the main hope of stopping Mr Johnson and will attract the pro-Remain MPs who are angry at Mr Johnson for leading Britain out of the EU. David Cameron, although he has said he will be neutral in the upcoming leadership contest, is understood to be furious with the former London Mayor and his allies are keen to do anything to stop Mr Johnson becoming Prime Minister. Today the Tory 1922 Committee announced the timetable for the leadership contest. The new leader will be announced by September 2 at the latest - before MPs return to Parliament after the summer recess. Whoever wins is likely to become Prime Minister on the same day. Nominations for the contest will open on Wednesday and close on Thursday. THE RUNNERS AND RIDERS: WHO WILL LEAD THE RACE TO REPLACE DAVID CAMERON AT NUMBER 10? BORIS JOHNSON The overwhelming favorite going into the contest, the former Mayor of London has led the Vote Leave campaign to an improbable victory. Declaring for Brexit in February cemented the Uxbridge MP as a darling of the Tory right and he seems certain to make the shortlist. Johnson has a celebrity unique among British politicians but despite eight years running the capital, he will have a big job to do to persuade the country he is up to leading the country. GEORGE OSBORNE The Chancellor of the Exchequer has long been the heir-apparent to David Cameron. The Prime Minister's deputy and close ally has spent six years in Number 11, is credited by many in the Tory Party for rescuing the economy and is a prized tactician. But his leadership bid has almost certainly been crashed off the tracks by a catastrophic Budget in March and his role standing shoulder to shoulder with the PM during the referendum campaign. RUTH DAVIDSON The Leader of the Scottish Conservatives arrives at the contest having pulled off the near miracle of overhauling Labour to take second in Scotland. Davidson was a star of the referendum campaign for her combative appearance at the final TV debate and as someone a million miles from the old Etonian Tory which has proven toxic with much of the electorate she would be prized by the One Nation wing of the party. Her candidacy is a longshot - not least because she is not an MP and has a huge job opposing Nicola Sturgeon in Holyrood. But on the day Britain backed Brexit is anything impossible? THERESA MAY After six years as Home Secretary, Theresa May is the sober, serious choice - and probably the strongest 'continuity candidate' who could succeed Cameron. May has become the longest serving Home Secretary, thriving in a brief which has proved the graveyard for many a political career. Tough, a safe pair of hands and widely respected - if not always seen fondly - May could be the anti-Boris. STEPHEN CRABB Perhaps the biggest unknown in the race, the work and pensions secretary was parachuted into the top of front line politics as the replacement for Iain Duncan Smith after his bombshell resignation over the Budget. Crabb, a Welsh son of a broken home, could be the leading One Nation candidate in the leadership race. Being a new name - and one who was quiet in the referendum - could allow Crabb to define himself a unifying candidate. LIAM FOX A heavy weight with Cabinet experience, Fox has run for the leadership before - and lost. But he is extremely popular on the right of the party and played a leading role in referendum campaign, appearing with different parts of the Leave movement. The former defence secretary is known to have a war chest ready and waiting for the leadership campaign and is well connected on the Tory benches. While it is perhaps hard to see a route onto the final shortlist, Fox would undoubtedly be well organised and a fearsome candidate. Advertisement Project Fear? It's all in the past, says Javid as he backtracks on claims Brexit will trigger recession and cause loss of 500,000 jobs Sajid Javid tried to distance himself from Project Fear yesterday as he admitted that many of the Remain campaign's doom-laden forecasts could be 'avoided'. The Business Secretary, a Euroscpetic, was savaged by Tory MPs during the referendum over his decision to side with David Cameron and the Remain camp. He faced particular criticism for being willing to side with the Government's various warnings that the UK would face financial catastrophe if the country voted out. But, in a bruising TV interview yesterday, Mr Javid stepped back from his previous warnings about the potential dangers of a Brexit. Scroll down for video The Business Secretary, a Euroscpetic, was interrogated by Andrew Marr in a BBC interview yesterday He refused three times to say there would be an emergency Budget which George Osborne had threatened would happen within weeks if the UK voted to leave the EU. And he backtracked on his own prediction that a Brexit would trigger a recession 'within two years', along with a '3.6 per cent contraction in GDP, higher inflation, house prices ten per cent lower, and a loss of over half a million jobs'. Asked by the BBC's Andrew Marr if he still believed that, he replied: 'Throughout the campaign there were many organisations that made all sorts of forecasts.' When the question was repeated, Mr Javid said: 'What matters now is the reality, how we actually face this momentous decision for our country. 'What I actually am focused on now is speaking to businesses, I've called many of them ever since 7am on Friday to get their input. Millions of people, I've spoken to businesses large and small and their representatives, I've convened a special Round Table next week. 'I'm listening to those businesses, their anxiety, their concerns, and I'm going to make this work.' Mr Marr, then repeated the question, saying 'I'm asking you whether you think we're heading for a recession and the loss of half a million jobs. It's not an insignificant question. At this point, Mr Javid replied: 'I think if we all work together we can avoid many of those things that were forecast. We can work together, we've got a chance to do that' However, he denied that by being part of Project Fear he had been 'dishonest'. Sajid Javid tried to distance himself from Project Fear yesterday after the Remain team lost to the Leave side (supporters in London pictured) He said: 'I think it's wrong to accuse anyone of dishonesty. It was a robust campaign, there were a lot of emotions on all sides, the campaign is now over, people have made up their mind, that's their right, and the instructions have been issued. 'So we've all got to now work together, no matter what side you were on in the debate. We will come together to make this work for the country.' Mr Javid is likely to play a key role in coming weeks in calming the fears of the business world. Friends said the former banker would be willing to play a role in negotiating the terms of Britain's exit from the EU, if wanted. Mr Javid refused to be drawn on who he believes should take over from David Cameron as PM, but warned the winner faces a 'momentous job'. He said: 'The good thing for the Conservatives is that there is lots of talent in the party. There will be, I am sure, lots of people to choose from.' He continued: 'What all our colleagues are determined to do is to make this decision of the British people work. An autopsy will be conducted on the suspect Monday, ID then revealed Woman was not arrested, police investigating to see if she will be charged A mother shot dead an intruder in her Portland home Saturday after she found them in her child's bedroom. The woman, 33, who has not been named, returned home with her two children to find the 59-year-old man, who she then shot and killed, reported 11 Alive. Police arrived at the home in Portland at about 1.47 am, when they found a dead man inside. A mother shot dead an intruder in her Portland home Saturday after she found them in her child's bedroom. Pictured: Police at the scene The homeowner had called 911 and told officers she shot him. The mother had been out with her two children, 5 and 10, when she came home and spotted the man in one of her kids bedrooms. Police are still investigating the incident and will present the case at Multnomah County District Attorney's Office to see if the mother will be charged. The 33-year-old has been co-operating with the investigation and was not arrested. Advertisement Sydney shivered through another freezing morning on Monday as the most powerful cold front New South Wales has experienced in three years continues to dump snow and lower temperatures down the east coast of Australia. An overnight low of eight degrees was met with rain in Sydney on Monday morning with a top of just 13 degrees expected throughout the day. Peter Zmijewski, a senior forecaster with the Bureau of Meteorology said: 'The temperature is a bit colder than it normally is at this time of year.' Scroll down for video Sydney (pictured) shivered through another freezing morning on Monday as the most powerful cold front New South Wales has experienced in three years continues to dump snow and lower temperatures down the east coast of Australia Winter wonderland: Snow covers roadside trees in Lorne, Victoria following a powerful cold snap An early morning commuter in Brisbane was prepared for the rain on Monday Fellin' blue: A lone snowman sits in the cold on Saturday in Cradle Mountain, Australia 'There's a lot of cloud moving through the east coast. 'We do expect rainfall to continue throughout Monday,' he told Daily mail Australia. After experiencing the coldest morning of the year on Sunday there will be no let up for Sydneysiders during the week, with damp and chilly weather forecast for the early part of the seven day period. Over the weekend, temperatures dropped to just above five degrees in the CBD on Sunday and although Monday will not be as chilly, rain is forecast to set in. Brisbane, who also experienced the coldest June morning on record on Sunday, will be hit by up to 15 millimetres of rain and Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide and Canberra may experience light showers. Bureau of Meteorology Duty Forecaster Rob Taggart told Daily Mail Australia that residents may be struggling to adjust to the cold after the 'warmest lead up to winter Sydney has ever had.' 'It's probably partly why people are particularly feeling the cold just because it was such a warm start to the year,' he said. Brisbane (pictured) was met with rain on Monday morning- showers are expected to clear in Queensland's capital by mid-week A typical Melbourne winter day: Commuters huddle under an umbrellas in Victoria's capital as they shelter form the rain and wind A emu covered in snow attempted to cross the road in front of a truck in Thredbo on Saturday Snow worries, mate: A car covered snow at Perisher in New South Wales Perth saw its coldest morning for June record set last week when the morning temperature dropped to a 'feeling like' 1.5 degrees, WA Today reported. Newdegate, in Perth's south-east, dropped below freezing at 6.30am to minus 1.1 degrees. While Monday will remain relatively sunny and dry for Perth, a storm is forecast across the city on Monday with further showers forecast for Tuesday. FORECAST: WHAT THE WEATHER LOOKS LIKE AROUND AUSTRALIA SYDNEY Monday: Min 8, Max 13. Showers Tuesday: Min 9, Max 18. Showers clearing Wednesday: Min 8, Max 18. Sunny BRISBANE: Monday : Min 12, Max 15. Showers Tuesday: Min 8, Max 19. Sunny Wednesday: Min 8, Max 21. Sunny ADELAIDE Monday: Min 8, Max 16. Showers Tuesday: Min 8, Max 16. Mostly sunny Wednesday: Min 8, Max 16. Mostly sunny DARWIN Monday : Min 23, Max 34. Sunny Tuesday: Min 23, Max 34. Sunny Wednesday: Min 22, Max 33. Sunny Source: Weatherzone MELBOURNE Monday: Min 5, Max 12. Showers Tuesday: Min 7, Max 15. Showers clearing Wednesday: Min 8, Max 14. Mostly sunny CANBERRA Monday: Min 0, Max 8. Showers Tuesday: Min -1, Max 12. Frost then sunny Wednesday: Min -1, Max 13. Frost then sunny PERTH Monday: Min 6, Max 18. Mostly sunny Tuesday: Min 10, Max 19. Possible shower Wednesday: Min 11, Max 19. Showers HOBART Monday: Min 5, Max 13. Mostly sunny Tuesday: Min 6, Max 14. Possible shower Wednesday: Min 9, Max 14. Possible shower Advertisement Snow has been forecast across Eastern Australia as cold front continues to bring low temperatures, rain and potentially damaging winds The Australian Taxation Office reportedly struck a deal with the company Independent Senator Nick Xenophon has blasted McDonald's Australia after the company's profit quadrupled last year at the same time its tax bill almost halved, while sending money to a low-tax nation using a legal loophole. The fast food giant's financial records reportedly show that in 2015 McDonald's Australia payed a $400.4 million 'service fee' to McDonald's Asia Pacific in Singapore, a low tax nation, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. The payment reportedly lowered McDonald's Australia's tax bill to $111.5 million in 2015, from $194.7 million in 2014. McDonald's Australia's profit quadrupled last year at the same time its tax bill almost halved, after the company sent money overseas to a low-tax nation using a legal loophole The fast food giant's financial records reportedly show that in 2015 McDonald's Australia payed a $400.4 million 'service fee' to McDonald's Asia Pacific in Singapore, a low tax nation The payment meant McDonald's Australia's tax bill almost halved to $111.5 million in 2015, down from $194.7 million in 2014 The company's profit after tax skyrocketed in 2015 to $572.1 million, up from $130.5 million in 2014. A company insider said McDonald's had organised a deal with the Australian Taxation Office several years ago that reduced its tax bill by $300 million, according to the newspaper. But a McDonald's Australia spokeswoman refuted the claims. 'There are numerous reasons for fluctuations in our accounts in any given year, however if you look at the past five years McDonald's Australia has paid more than $560 million in income tax at an average effective company tax rate of 29.98 per cent,' she told the newspaper. Senator Nick Xenophon and The Greens called for a public register that shows how much companies are demanded to pay the ATO, and how much they end up paying. 'It's as though Australia has ordered a burger and fries from McDonald's and all we're getting is the pickles,' Senator Xenophon reportedly said. The company's profit after tax skyrocketed in 2015 to $572.1 million, up from $130.5 million in 2014 Senator Nick Xenophon and The Greens called for a public register that shows how much companies are demanded to pay the ATO, and how much they end up paying 'It's as though Australia has ordered a burger and fries from McDonald's and all we're getting is the pickles,' Senator Xenophon reportedly said Tax advocate Mark Zirnsak reportedly said the company's 'service fee' paid to its Singapore counterpart is not a genuine fee because it is inflated. ATO data from 2013-14 shows 81 large companies paid just half of the $5.6 billion they owed, according to the report. Treasurer Scott Morrison told the newspaper the Multinational Anti Avoidance Law and Diverted Profits Tax (which will apply from July 1, 2017) have been introduced to combat multinationals booking profits offshore. Even on the day Jeremy Corbyn became leader, a cabal of senior Labour MPs, petrified for their partys future, began secretly plotting to overthrow him. Despite him winning the biggest mandate of any modern Labour leader 59.5 per cent of the 422,664 votes cast those on the Blairite right feared he was unelectable as prime minister, and, worse, risked destroying the party. In fact, only 14 of Labours 232 MPs had voted for Corbyn. This made it almost impossible to command the support of the Parliamentary party. Scroll down for video The plot to get rid of Corbyn: Even on the day Jeremy Corbyn became leader, a cabal of senior Labour MPs, petrified for their partys future, began secretly plotting to overthrow him The task became even more difficult when some of the biggest hitters in the shadow cabinet immediately resigned. They included Yvette Cooper, Tristram Hunt and Chuka Umunna. Most embarrassingly, shadow health minister Jamie Reed announced his resignation during Corbyns acceptance speech. These resignations lit a fuse which has fizzled for months and finally exploded yesterday. Unity is our watchword, said Corbyn at the start of his leadership. But his own parliamentary career had been marked by disloyalty hed voted against his leadership 537 times since 1997. How on earth could such a serial traitor command loyalty himself? The size of Corbyns mandate, however, meant his enemies had to bide their time. Cleverly, they reasoned that if they gave him enough rope, he would eventually hang himself. Since his election last September, there have been several crises. Some of the biggest hitters in the shadow cabinet immediately resigned - including Chuka Umunna Yvette Cooper was among those who almost immediately resigned when Corbyn became leader First, there was his rambling Commons speech on whether Britain should join airstrikes against ISIS in Syria. He was immediately rebuked by shadow cabinet colleague Hilary Benn, who closed the debate with a passionate speech that went directly against Corbyns line of argument. Few had witnessed a party leader so publicly opposed in Parliament by such a prominent member of their shadow cabinet. The fact is that Benn knew Corbyns authority was so weak that he didnt have the courage to sack him. Although Benn pledged future loyalty, the dagger was only put back in its sheath until a more appropriate time. It came on Saturday night, when the son of Corbyns great mentor, Tony Benn, savaged him again. The pressure against the leader had been building for months. Labour had suffered calamitous results in Mays council elections. It had also trailed third behind the Tories in the Scottish Parliament, where it once ruled supreme. Although Sadiq Khan won a decisive victory for Labour in the London Mayoral contest, he unsubtly distanced himself from Corbyn. But despite being the first Opposition leader to lose English council seats for 30 years, Corbyn survived again. Another potential crisis had happened earlier, back in December, when plotters had smelt blood in the run-up to the Oldham West and Royton by-election in December. Although Labour held the seat with a big share of the vote, Corbyns enemies said this was only due to the candidate being the popular leader of the local council. Otherwise, voters were abandoning Corbyn in droves. But the assassins still held back. Jeremy Corbyn pictured chairing his first shadow cabinet meeting in the House of Commons when he became party leader Meanwhile, Corbyns personal poll ratings plummeted and his performances at Prime Ministers Questions became risible. Conversely, although 30,000 centrist supporters left the party, 100,000 Left-wing activists joined inspired by Corbyns opposition to Trident, even though its Labour policy to update the nuclear deterrent. This led to deeper divisions. A beleaguered Corbyn attempted to bolster his powerbase by transferring policy-making to activists and trying to sideline dissident MPs. He told a meeting of his MPs: The back-biting, public attacks and constant sniping have to stop. And veteran Left-winger Ronnie Campbell told the meeting so-called Blairites were planning a coup. He said: If they think they can get rid of Jeremy Corbyn, get someone in, and win the next election they are living in cloud-cuckoo land . . . Theyve got as much chance as the man on the moon. This enraged the anti-Corbyn group further, and they sought some way of removing him before the Labour conference in September, when the Corbynistas are expected to entrench their power with more policy-making responsibilities passed from MPs to grassroots activists. Corbyn was also believed to be planning to change rules so that in a leadership election, the incumbents name would automatically go forward without the need for nominations from 20 per cent of the parliamentary party a requirement for other candidates. Since Corbyn's election last September, there have been several crises. Pictured, the Labour leader with members of the shadow cabinet pictured just days ago - before the party imploded All that, though, is now history. Corbyns catastrophic failure to get Labours traditional working class and its Northern heartlands to vote Remain in the EU referendum has delivered his would-be assassins their best chance. First to wield the knife was Margaret Hodge, a Blairite former minister. She announced within hours of the Brexit result that she would table a no confidence motion at todays Parliamentary Labour Party meeting. Cue the moment for Hilary Benn to act. Swiftly followed by Tristram Hunt, who said: We need new leadership the next few days will decide whether Labour is serious about winning back our lost voters. Suddenly, knives were being sharpened everywhere. Benn had planned to announce his resignation after todays shadow cabinet meeting. But in a pre-emptive strike, Corbyn sacked him over the phone in the early hours yesterday. Then, at 5.30am, researchers from BBC1s The Andrew Marr Show invited Benn to be a guest on the programme. The respected shadow foreign secretarys bold rebellion was the signal to fellow shadow cabinet members to follow suit. He had to battle for two years with anti-Israeli students at York University Zachary Confino, 21, experienced stress and narrowly missed out on a first-class law degree A student union will become the first in the country to make a public apology and pay compensation to a Jewish graduate who suffered anti-semitism. Zachary Confino, 21, experienced stress and narrowly missed out on a first-class law degree after two years battling with anti-Israeli students at York University. He will this week accept a written apology set to be published online and 1,000 from Yorks student union over his treatment. Universities minister Jo Johnson is understood to have helped broker the agreement. Mr Confino was abused on social media app Yik Yak, where one anonymous user claimed Hitler was on to something. He was called an Israeli t*** and a Jewish p****. After opposing a union motion to boycott Israeli goods, he was told it was his own fault he was getting anti-semitic abuse. Mr Confino also leafleted against a staging of the play Seven Jewish Children written in response to strikes on Gaza at the university by the Palestinian Solidarity Society. He claimed he was confronted by three society members including Tom Corbyn, son of the Labour leader. Engineering student Mr Corbyn has not commented. Mr Confino, from Lewisham, south-east London, told the Sunday Times: The number of anti-semitic incidents I was subject to went from zero in my first year to about 20 in my second and third years. The university did not do much. The far-Left say racism is a black/white issue. They seem to think Jews are fair game. Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis warned earlier this year that British universities were turning a blind eye to Jew hatred. He said he hoped the apology by Yorks union would send a message to other institutions, including Oxbridge, where Jewish students have allegedly been made to feel uncomfortable. A York University spokesman said the dispute had been resolved, adding that it was committed to fighting anti-semitism, Islamophobia and any other form of race hate. York University Students Union (YUSU) issued a sincere apology, adding: YUSU is strongly committed to learning the lessons of the experience of Zachary Confino. Mr Confinos father Daniel made the news in December 2014 when he was kicked off a Eurostar train for complaining about the strength of his cup of tea. After refusing to pay 2.20 for an extra teabag, the financial expert was ejected from a train in Kent and banned from Eurostar services. His son said last night that the ban had expired. A Massachusetts Bay cop came under investigation Sunday after posting a photograph on Facebook of a partially nude disabled man who had soiled her patrol car, along with a swear-filled rant. Ashley Carlson, 31, a Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officer, posted the photograph, which showed a man curled up in the fetal position next to his wheelchair, with his pants down to his knees. 'You think your job is (expletive)!!!' Carlson wrote, according to The Boston Globe. 'This is what we responded to this morning. This guy is well known to police and has a lengthy record. I dont get paid enough to deal with this (expletive)... literally and figuratively!!!' Investigated: Ashley Carlson, 31, an eight-year veteran Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority officer is being investigated after she posted a Facebook photo of a semi-naked disabled man who defecated in her car Carlson, an eight-year veteran of the force who made $64,917 last year according to MBTA police records, has not been disciplined. However, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) police officials, who were made aware of the post Saturday, said they found the post 'concerning' and that the matter was being looked into. 'Its under investigation,' said Transit Police superintendent Richard Sullivan. 'The transit police are held to the highest standards of professionalism - the public expects it and more importantly deserves it.' He added that he did not know for sure whether Carlson had posted the message, but that if she had, the next step would be to determine whether she did so while on duty. More information on the man in the photo and the circumstances surrounding the incident have not been made available by police. Nevertheless, many were appalled by the post. Rahsaan Hall, an official at the Massachusetts wing of the American Civil Liberties Union, said the post was 'deplorable'. 'It is absolutely deplorable that a public servant would expose a private individual on a social media platform in a humiliating and degrading way in violation of the trust given to law enforcement officers, Hall told The Boston Globe. 'She clearly crossed the line.' Carlson was suspended for a day for failing to respond to a call last year, according to her records, the Post reported. Carlson's Facebook page shows her to be an avid weightlifter and Crossfit fan. One photo, marked 2003, shows her wearing a Military Police uniform, although her LinkedIn page only lists her as an MBTA officer. A Chinese restaurant has been fined $23,000 after a diner nearly choked on a four centimetre piece of a stainless steel pot scrubber found in her fried rice. Maxine Dosen coughed up the piece of metal from the scourer that was lodged in her throat when she dined at Bamboo Basket Chinese Restaurant at Portside in Brisbane in June 2015. Brisbane magistrate Judith Daley said it was unclear how the piece of metal got into the food but the chef had a habit of using the scourer to clean a wok in between cooking. Ms Daley said the scourer posed a serious risk as the chef continued to use the pot scrubber following the incident despite being told by staff not to. Scroll down for video Brisbane-based Bamboo Basket Chinese Restaurant has been fined $23,000 after a diner nearly choked on a four centimetre piece of a stainless steel pot scrubber (pictured) found in her fried rice 'I put this fried rice in my mouth and suddenly felt something sharp, like a prawn shell, go down my throat,' she told The Courier Mail last year. 'I tried to bring it back up my throat and pulled this long, curly thing out of my mouth.' Ms Dosen was rushed to hospital where she was treated for severe oesophageal scratching. The incident left her with a serious infection and she ended up losing her voice. Director of family-owned business Lafeco, which owns Bamboo Basket, Felix Ip, pleaded guilty to five Brisbane Council charges. The restaurant's lawyer Andrew Ross said the business has 'turned a corner' after recently being rated a three-star food safety restaurant. Last year, the council suspended the restaurant's food business licence to investigate the stainless steel incident. Maxine Dosen (pictured) coughed up a piece of metal from the scourer that was lodged in her throat last year The Brisbane woman said she felt something scratch her throat when she was eating fried rice in June 2015 Last year, the council suspended the restaurant's food business licence to investigate the scouge incident Last year, the restaurant was temporarily closed due to unforeseen gas problems but Ms Dosen's lawyer claimed that the store was shut after her client's complaint following the stainless steel incident A sign on the door had suggested the restaurant was closed due to 'unforeseen gas issues'. But Ms Dosen's lawyer Melissa O'Neill claimed the restaurant was closed after the diner lodged a complaint following the incident, A Current Affair reported last year. A Brisbane City Council spokesperson confirmed to Daily Mail they conducted several inspections in July last year following a complaint alleging a piece of metal scourer was found in food served. 'During an inspection of the business on 2 July, Council discovered serious risks to public health and safety and suspended the restaurants food licence,' the spokesperson said. 'Council continued to work with the restaurant to help them achieve compliance, and the restaurant was able to re-open on 9 July. 'A follow-up inspection of the business on 27 July revealed serious cockroach issues had emerged at the business, and the restaurants food licence was again suspended by Council. 'As a result, the restaurant was charged with one count of selling unsafe food and four counts of offences relating to cleanliness, animals and pests. The business was fined $23,000 for five breaches of the Food Act. Theresa May will this week trigger a fierce battle for the premiership with Boris Johnson by claiming she can secure the best post-Brexit deal Theresa May will this week trigger a fierce battle for the premiership with Boris Johnson by claiming she can secure the best post-Brexit deal from Brussels. The Home Secretary will say that unlike her rival she has a proven track record of extracting concessions from the EU over the likes of sham marriages. Even though she did not back Brexit, she will seek to woo Leave supporters by stressing her long-standing backing for stricter immigration controls and curbs on free movement. Mrs May who is expected to declare on Thursday and is considered the most likely stop Boris candidate by many MPs has also spoken in favour of quitting the European Convention on Human Rights. Meanwhile, Mr Johnson is expected to appeal to those who voted Remain by presenting himself as the reconciliation candidate determined to keep Britain an open, outward looking country. Yesterday, a string of candidates were ready to throw their hat in the ring. Some Tories determined to block Mr Johnson think a crowded field is the best way of keeping him out of the final two names, with grassroots members choosing the winner. Those planning to run include: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who seems to have won his battle with striking junior doctors over new contracts; Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom, who played a leading role in the TV debates for the Leave camp; Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb, who is canvassing as a working-class candidate committed to social justice; Former defence secretary Liam Fox, widely considered to have fought a strong campaign for the Leave camp; Business Secretary Sajid Javid, who friends said had received several approaches to run from MPs this weekend. Mr Johnson, who yesterday met his campaign team of four MPs at his Oxfordshire country home, is the hot favourite. But many Tories are determined to foil his ambitions with former minister Alan Duncan warning that a Johnson premiership would be a permanent ride on the big dipper. Mrs May, who has formed her own campaign team and is confident of attracting significant support is hampered by her decision to back Remain. Yesterday, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith said it would be very, very difficult for a public who have voted to leave the EU to accept a PM who was opposed to it. Scroll down for video But Mrs May who kept a lowprofile on the referendum campaign, to the anger of No10 will point to her six years of negotiating with Brussels at home affairs council meetings. During the talks ahead of the poll, she secured a commitment to make it harder for EU citizens to conduct sham marriages in the UK. As the Mail reported on Saturday, Justice Secretary Michael Gove is expected to endorse Mr Johnsons bid to be prime minister rather than run himself setting up a dream team. He would fill the post of Chancellor and negotiate Britains exit from the EU. Friends of Mr Gove and Mr Johnson say they have secured the support of a significant Remain cabinet minister. The Home Secretary will say that unlike her rival Boris Johnson, pictured with fellow MP Jake Berry she has a proven track record of extracting concessions from the EU over the likes of sham marriages SO NOT YOUR 'LAST BIG JOB' THEN, MR HUNT? Jeremy Hunt claimed Health Secretary would be his last big job in politics when he took the job He may throw his hat in the ring in the fight to take over the Tory Party. But that wasnt on the cards when Jeremy Hunt was battling with the doctors union over a new contract for the NHS in April. At the time the Health Secretary claimed that this was likely to be his last big job in politics. Two months ago he was in the midst of a bitter battle with junior doctors, who were holding the first all-out strike in the history of the NHS in protest at a new contract being imposed by the Government. Mr Hunt said: This is likely to be my last big job in politics. And the one thing that will keep me awake is if I didnt do the right thing to make the NHS one of the safest, highest quality healthcare systems in the world. Health secretaries are never popular. You are never going to win a contest for being the most liked person when you do this job. Aides later said that he had misspoken and had meant to emphasise that settling the conflict was the biggest and most challenge he had faced. Advertisement Mr Gove was also said to be wooing George Osborne in order to stop him endorsing another candidate, such as Mr Crabb. Nominations are expected to open on Thursday and close as soon as Sunday. In a series of votes, Tory MPs will reduce the field of contenders to two by July 21 before the final decision is made by 150,000 grassroots members. Bookmakers have Mr Johnson odds-on but favourites have a wretched record in recent contests. Allies of David Cameron are furious with Mr Johnson and Mr Gove for their conduct during the EU campaign, but No10 insisted it would not interfere in the contest or pick sides. The party is split over how quickly the contest should take place. A number of senior Tories are expected to this week demand for it to be speeded up, fearing the momentum that could allow them to strike a strong deal with Brussels could be lost. But leadership contender Dr Fox said potential runners and riders should be allowed to go to the party conference in October before the two-person shortlist is decided by MPs. Under his proposed timetable, the date for Brexit would be set for January 1, 2019. Cameron smiles heartily in this picture of the Cabinet when the Conservative party won a shock majority, but many of these people will now be looking to take his job Asked if he was running, he said: I have not decided yet. I am thinking about it, it would be dishonest to say otherwise. But I will make a decision once I have spoken to my colleagues in Parliament. Backbench MP Dr Phillip Lee said Mr Cameron should delay his resignation. He said: It would be deeply irresponsible and an historic failure of our party to elect a new leader immediately. Osborne stands little chance but MPs are desperate for his endorsement ahead of the leadership battle International Development Secretary Justine Greening said a long leadership battle would not be in the interests of the country and urged Mrs May and Mr Johnson to strike a deal. Writing online, she said: Instead of a leadership contest which could take weeks and months, [they] should agree to forge a deal which means they are a united leadership, under one or the other. Last night friends of Nicky Morgan denied she was behind a plan to insist on a female candidate for the final shortlist. One ally said: She thinks a woman is perfectly capable of getting there on merit. Writing in The Sunday Times, the Education Secretary warned Tories not to adopt a hardline stance on immigration, saying it would condemn the party to the political wilderness if they tried to appease the noisy fringes. At the weekend, Mr Crabb set out his leadership credentials urging his party to adopt working-class values. The MP, who was raised on a council estate by a single mother, said: The referendum campaign highlighted deeply entrenched divisions in parts of Britains society which demands a one-nation response focused on improving social mobility and breaking down barriers to opportunity. An opinion poll found that Mrs May has the best prospect of stopping Mr Johnson. When the field is narrowed down to that pair, Mrs May wins by 53 per cent to 47 per cent among Tory supporters. The two are level on 50 per cent among the overall public. Advertisement A family whose home was trashed and declared unliveable are still looking for a new home after vandals poured paint, bleach and cat poo through the house, slashed family photos, electrocuted the pet fish and rubbed eggs into bare mattresses. Parents-of-two Chad and Danielle had been away earlier this month with their two daughters, aged 14 and six, when they returned to find the Palmwoods home had been turned upside down. The family has split up to stay between friends as they continue their search for a new home, Jenny Schleusener,one of their daughter's school chaplain, told Daily Mail Australia. Parents-of-two Danielle and Chad are still looking for a new place to live after their rental home was trashed by vandals and declared unliveable They did not have contents insurance and have lost everything. expensive mattresses had to be thrown out after raw eggs were crushed into them. Sofas were thrown out after they were slashed with knives (pictured) A photograph of Chad's grandparents including of his grandmother the family took care of who recently passed away was slashed with a knife (pictured) 'Our primary concern is to find them a house at the moment and get them re-established as a family,' Ms Schleusener said. 'They could take a temporary holiday unit until they find something, but they don't have the money. 'They just want to be together as a family, rather than have one kid stay at one place and the other at another. It's been difficult for them.' The family are searching for a three-bedroom rental house in Sunshine Coast which is suitable for their two dogs and cats. But they don't want the home to be in Palmwoods and 'they don't want people to know where they move to, either'. The chaplain, who has been giving the family practical support in the aftermath of the devastating vandalism, has launched a GoFundMe appeal for donations. The family's X-Box and WII were thrown into their fish tank (pictured), killing the pets by electrocution The word 'Americ**t' was painted onto a wall and graffiti had been carved into a dresser, with the parents suspecting the vandalism was an escalation one of their daughters has suffered, Chad told Daily Mail Australia The word 'Americ***t' was written in one of the bedroom walls when the vandals trashed the home about 10 days ago Graffiti on one of the bedroom walls also said 'sl**' and 'w****' (pictured), Chad said They didn't have contents insurance and lost everything. 'The money raised will go toward replacing furniture, clothing, and bone and rent on a new house and expenses incurred,' the GoFundMe page reads. 'The community has been generous, however nothing can really be sorted till they have a home again.' Last week, the father, Chad, told Daily Mail Australia people had offered to donate second-hand-furniture, clothing and linen, but had nowhere to put those items without a home. A local business also offered them free storage while they searched for a home and the father salvaged the furniture they could while much had to be thrown out. Pictured: damage to the Sunshine Coast home, where paint and bleach was poured and caused the family home to be declared unliveable Shower and sink taps were taken off and paint was smeared on the bathroom walls The family-of-four is still looking for a new home after vandals trashed their rental home in Palmwoods, Sunshine Coast Pictured: paint poured over a bathroom floor at Danielle and Chad's rental home where they lived with their two daughters The vandalism was at the 'higher level' of property damage, a QLD Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia last week The word 'Americ**t' was painted onto a wall and graffiti had been carved into a dresser, with the parents suspecting the vandalism was an escalation one of their daughters has suffered, Chad told Daily Mail Australia. Graffiti also referenced the recent Orlando Pulse shooting. The two daughters and mother are US citizens who moved to Australia about four-and-a-half years-ago. 'The bullying has just gotten bad, and wow, I'm kind of speechless. I'm running out of words,' Chad said last week. Queensland Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they are speaking with two juveniles over the allegations. Graffiti in a room also said 'sl**' and 'w****', Chad said. He said they 'maliciously' tipped used kitty litter, eggs and milk through the house. The house has been declared unliveable because of paint and bleach fumes poured throughout the home in vandalism on Friday night When the family returned from a weekend away, they found their Palmwoods home completely destroyed The father estimated tens-of-thousands of dollars worth of damage was done. They do not have contents insurance 'They meticulously went through every item of clothing in the house and tipped paint and bleach through it,' Chad told Daily Mail Australia last week 'They meticulously went through every item of clothing in the house and tipped paint and bleach through it.' The father said there were 'bags and bags and bags' of clothes thrown into a skip bin, while their expensive mattresses had to be thrown out after raw eggs were crushed into them. Sofas were thrown out after they were slashed with knives. Their X-Box and WII were thrown into the fish tank, killing the pets by electrocution. Shower and basin taps were also taken off, while paint and bleach fumes made the home unliveable. Paint also damaged their televisions. A photograph of Chad's grandparents including of his grandmother the family took care of who recently passed away was slashed with a knife. Queensland Police on Monday confirmed they were yet to lay any charges and investigations were continuing. The family-of-four said they won't return to the rental property but are yet to find a new home The father said there were 'bags and bags and bags' of clothes thrown into a skip bin after bleach was poured through their drawers People from the community have been offering to donate second hand furniture and clothes and linen. But the family has nowhere to put the donations without a new home A police spokesman last week said they were speaking with two juveniles over the incident. The vandalism was at the 'higher level' of property damage, the spokesman said last week. 'There was all sorts of damage caused to the house and graffiti throughout the home,' the spokesman said. The Queensland Education Department last week confirmed the school had been 'working closely and extensively with the Watt family over a number of months to resolve their concerns'. 'Bullying is not tolerated in Queensland state schools,' the statement provided to Daily Mail Australia said. 'Every student has the right to learn in a positive, safe and caring environment where they can reach their full potential.' Anyone with information which could assist police in their investigation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Children struggling with bullying should call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. Paint also damaged all their televisions. Fumes from the paint and bleach made the home unliveable The parents are still looking for a new home in Sunshine Coast, but do not want to move within Palmwoods and don't want anybody to know where they move The family have been split up to stay at friends' houses while they continue to search for their new home Their new home will need to be three bedrooms and be suitable for their two dogs and cats The family cat's poo and litter was poured throughout one of the bedrooms in the vandalism at the home Graffiti through the house referenced the Orlando Pulse massacre. The mother and two daughters are US citizens who moved to Australia about four-and-a-half years-ago The word 'dy**' was also repeatedly written throughout one of the bedrooms in the vandalism at the Palmwoods, Sunshine Coast, home Other graffiti included the words: 'Co** lovers go home.' The word is a racist slur against Indigenous Australians. Chad had no idea why the words were written on their walls The vandalism was at the 'higher level' of property damage, a Queensland Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia last week The family were forced to throw out sofas and expensive mattresses after vandals poured bleach and paint on them Generous people in the community have offered to donate furniture to the family after theirs was destroyed. However the family does not have anywhere to put the donations until they have a new home A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family pay for their move and new furniture Paint and bleach was poured and splashed through the home, Chad told Daily Mail Australia 'There was all sorts of damage caused to the house and graffiti throughout the home,' a Queensland Police spokesperson said last week Paint and bleach poured through the house by vandals means the Palmwoods home has been declared unliveable Queensland Police on Monday confirmed nobody has been charged for the vandalism and investigations are continuing Chad said none of their clothes were spared when the vandals poured bleach and paint over them and through all their drawers 'The bullying has just gotten bad, and wow, I'm kind of speechless. I'm running out of words,' Chad said last week 'Our primary concern is to find them a house at the moment and get them re-established as a family,' one of the daughter's school chaplain told Daily Mail Australia Top German museums which received looted artworks from the monuments men of the US army at the end of WW2 actually sold them on to the families of leading Nazis. The monuments men - played by George Clooney and Matt Damon in the movie of the same name - handed over treasures they found to leading cultural institutions believing they would be reunited with their rightful owners. Now it has come to light that the Bavarian State Painting Collection incorporated the best works into its museums and - in collusion with leading ministries in the state of Bavaria - sold the rest onto the families of Nazi bigwigs. Top German museums which received looted artworks from the monuments men of the US (pictured, the movie with Matt Damon, left) army at the end of WW2 actually sold them on to the families of leading Nazis The Suddeutsche newspaper in Munich reported in its weekend edition that Bavarian museums went on selling looted artworks to raise cash right up until the Nineties. Between 1961 and 1998 at least 500 works which should have been reunited with the families of the original owners were sold on, according to the paper which cited recently documents from the London Commission for Looted Art in Europe. The claims of Nazi families were studiously dealt with in a far different way than the demands of the dispossessed owners, said the Suddeutsche. It cited the case of Henriette Hoffmann, daughter of Hitlers personal photographer Heinrich Hoffmann and former wife of Hitler Youth leader Baldur von Schirach. She was allowed to purchase a painting from the Bavarian collections in 1963 which originally belonged to a Jewish family from Vienna. The painting, by Dutch Baroque artist Jan van der Heyden, was sold on by her for a handsome profit and it hangs in the Xanten Cathedral in Germany. Altogether the Hoffmann family got back a total of 28 works of Carl Spitzweg, Carl sheets, Wilhelm Leibl and Franz von Stuck without any problems. Schirach, who was sentenced at the Nuremberg War Crimes trials to a 20 year jail term, was once governor of Vienna and responsible for organizing the deportation of Jews to the concentration camps. To this day the Bavarian authorities remain deeply secretive about the provenance of its collections: not even academics and scientists - let alone victims of Nazi looting - are allowed unlimited access to their archives. Even the London-based commission asked concrete questions and was blocked, according to the Suddeutsche. Now it has come to light that the Bavarian State Painting Collection incorporated the best works into its museums and - in collusion with the state - sold the rest onto the families of Nazi bigwigs. Pictured, the movie The paper said it was allowed to sift through some files only to find begging letters from old Nazis. They included correspondence from Emmy and Edda Goring, wife and daughter of former Reich Marshal and deputy Fuehrer Hermann Goring who was sentenced to death at Nuremberg. As the Americans withdrew from Germany, the so-called Monuments Men left 10,600 works with the Bavarian State Government with the clear mandate to try to return them to the people they were stolen from. But the museums and public authorities divided the treasure among themselves divided, according to the report. One rare Canaletto copy from Hitlers private collection ended up of the German Parliamentary Association premises in Bonn. Many works had been auctioned off. Others had been repurchased by descendants of the Nazis, added the newspaper. This adorable rescue dog has gone deaf in her left ear - and so now barks twice as loudly so she can hear herself. Staff at canine charity Dogs Trust fear they will not be able to re-home 11-year-old Storm despite her sweet nature because of her uncommonly loud woof following an ear operation. The Staffordshire Bull Terrier cross's bark is definitely worse than her bite - her carers describe her as an 'extremely friendly' canine who loves people and attention. Staff at canine charity Dogs Trust fear they will not be able to re-home 11-year-old Storm despite her sweet nature because of her uncommonly loud woof following an ear operation Storm came to the Dogs Trust rehoming centre at Harefield, in Hillingdon, West London, because her previously owner no longer had a fixed address and was unable to look after her. The affectionate dog had been suffering from ear infections and swellings in her ears. As a result, Storm had to have ear canal surgery to remove her left ear drum, which left her with very reduced hearing. She now barks loudly so she can hear herself, which the charity fears may be putting off potential adopters. Richard Moore, Centre Manager at Harefield Dogs Trust, said: 'We are obviously used to dogs barking as part of the job, but she barks even louder than the average dog. 'She is by far the loudest barker in our kennels at the moment. 'It feels as if she is trying to bark louder so that she can her herself. 'It occurred to us she may not even realise how loud her bark is as it's possible her hearing was affected by past infections.' Storm is described as a friendly, 'larger than life' character. She would prefer to be the only pet in the home and lap up all the attention and would be suitable for a family with children over the age of 11. Richard said: 'We've had a few people that have really shown an interest in re-homing her, but they have been put off once they've heard her bark. 'Many people who hear a dog barking think it may be aggressive but this is just not the case - Storm only barks loudly so she can hear herself. 'I think her loud bark is going to make it a bit of a challenge to re-home her which is a shame as she's a fantastic dog who would make a super pet in the right home. 'She's a very friendly and affectionate dog and she absolutely loves people. 'The staff love her, she is such a great character and she laps up all the attention she gets.' He added: 'She needs new owners who can give her the love she deserves, understand why she is barking, and continue the training programme we are doing to help reduce the amount she barks. 'I also jokingly say that if they own ear muffs they'll be well prepared! Clues are emerging that might explain the shocking murder of two Houston girls by their own mother Friday, pointing to a struggling home environment hit hard by mental illness. Christy Sheats, 42, gunned down daughters Madison, 17, and Taylor, 22, after a family dispute spilled out of their home and onto the street in Fulshear on Friday evening. Now it has emerged that the mom, who was shot dead by a police officer after fatally wounding her daughters, had a history of mental illness and altercations, and that she and husband Jason, 45, had only recently reunited after a separation. Scroll down for video Jason Sheats (pictured right) had pleaded with his wife Christy (left) not to shoot their daughters. The pair had just ended a period of separation, and police had previously visited Christy regarding a 'mental crisis' The 42-year-old shot her daughters Madison (left) and Taylor Sheats (right) after a family dispute Friday Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Caitilin Espinosa told People that officers had been to the Sheats' home 'for previous altercations' Those altercations, she said, involving a 'mental crisis' that Christy Sheats had been undergoing. However, she would not elaborate on the remarks. The Houston Chronicle confirmed that police had visited the house on multiple occasions. And a neighbor told ABC13 that Christy and Jason Sheats had only recently reunited after a period of separation. But that reunion led to disaster when a family argument on Friday - which was also Jason's birthday - spiraled into a double-murder that ended with a police officer shooting Christy. Jason, who was the only family member to survive the incident, though he was taken to hospital due to his distress. A police officer heard him pleading with his wife before she was shot dead, neighbour Fazz Zainuddin told Click2Houston. [The officer] heard the dad say, "Dont do this. Theyre our kids",' Zainuddin said. Officers had responded to a 911 call around 5pm on Friday. They arrived to find the two daughters lying outside the home in the 6000 block of Remson Hollow Lane in the Houston suburb of Fulshear. The mother, who is originally from Decatur, Alabama, was killed by a responding police officer after she refused to drop her pistol, authorities said. Sheriff Troy Nehls says the shooting was apparently after a family argument, but the reason for the dispute remains unclear. Nehls says the two younger women had already been shot when a Fulshear police officer arrived and saw the mother with a gun in her hand, apparently preparing to shoot one of her daughters again. The officer shot and killed her. Jason Sheats (center) escaped unscathed but was taken to hospital because he was distraught Christy Sheats (pictured) was killed by a responding police officer after she refused to drop her pistol The cops were behind the trees and behind the cars, and they told the mom to put the gun down and obviously she did not, Zainuddin said. He said Christy had walked towards her daughter Madisons body still holding the pistol. I guess the cop was afraid he was going to shoot her again, he added. Authorities have been called to the home multiple times in the past, but it remains unclear why. One witness said he saw Jason and his daughters running out of their home, ABC13 reports. The girls were already wounded, the witness told the station, and Taylor then collapsed in the street. The witness added that he saw the mother come outside with her gun, before going back inside to reload her weapon. When she returned, she shot Madison in the back, he said. Madison (right) worked as a babysitter, while Taylor (left) was a student at Lone Star College Madison was pronounced dead at the scene, while Taylor was airlifted to a hospital in a critical condition, where she later died. Christy and Jason Sheats had recently reunited after being separated, another neighbor told ABC13. She said the shooting on Friday was on Jasons birthday. Meanwhile, other neighbors in Fulshear expressed shock when they heard of the shooting. The mother was nice, one said. You wouldnt expect if they told you this is what was going to happen. Austin Enke, who went to high school with one of the girls, said he thought he heard fireworks at first. 'It's crazy. The neighborhood has never seen this kind of thing before. It's always quiet, he told KHOU. This is surprising. They never showed any kind of thing that was wrong with them whatsoever,' Christy, a business manager at a laser tattoo removal clinic, posted a photo of her two daughters on Facebook in September last year. Christy (right with Madison left) refused to drop her pistol when authorities arrived on the scene, and a Fulshear police officer was forced to shoot her She wrote: 'Happy Daughter's Day to my two amazing, sweet, kind, beautiful, intelligent girls. I love and treasure you both more than you could ever possibly know.' It emerged that she was also an outspoken gun rights advocate. 'It would be horribly tragic if my ability to protect myself or my family were to be taken away, but that's exactly what Democrats are determined to do by banning semi-automatic handguns,' she wrote on Facebook in March. Tributes poured in for Taylor, who went to Lone Star College, and Madison, a student at Seven Lakes High School, on Facebook on Saturday. Taylors friend Joanna Higgins wrote on their high school alumni page: 'I'm in utter shock. She was so talented and had a heart of gold. God rest her soul and those mourning her loss.' Madison's former teacher Whitney Mae Bruce wrote: 'My heart is broken this morning to find that my sweet Madison Sheats lost her life. Always positive and smiling, Madison quickly became one of my favorite students four years ago while teaching for the first time in Katy. 'A wonderful student/person/babysitter will be missed enormously. Please pray for her father.' If things had panned out differently for Tony Abbott, he would have been on stage launching the Liberal Party campaign in Sydney at the weekend, in the place of current Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. However the former PM - who was ousted in September last year - was instead in the crowd struggling to keep his eyes open. Mr Abbott and his wife Margie were seated alongside fellow former PM John Howard and his wife Janette at the official launch of the Coalition election campaign at the weekend. Scroll down for video Former prime minister Tony Abbott seemed as though he was struggling to stay awake at the Liberal Party election campaign launch in Sydney on Sunday Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was on stage in Homebush addressing Coalition members and supporters The launch was held at the Novotel Hotel in Homebush, with Julie Bishop, Treasurer Scott Morrison, Barnaby Joyce also in attendance. Mr Turnbull spoke about his predecessors in the Liberal Party, including Mr Howard and Mr Abbott. 'John, you set the gold standard leading the most successful and effective government, your reforms set Australia up for the longest period of prosperity in our history,' he said of the second-longest serving prime minister. The current PM also praised Mr Abbott for ending the 'chaos' of the Labor leaderships before him. Mr Abbott was in the front row with his wife Margie looking tired Mr Abbott was seated with fellow former PM John Howard and his wife Janette at the event at the weekend He was seen shaking hands with the Prime Minister following his address 'Tony, you brought to an end the chaos and dysfunction of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd years and you remain a dedicated advocate for our cause,' Mr Turnbull said. On Monday the latest poll revealed the Coalition had crept out in front of Labor for the first time during the election campaign. She was taken to hospital in a critical condition where she later died Fire crews used a crane to pull the woman from the hotel rooftop The woman, aged in her 30s, landed on the Adina hotel's sixth floor rooftop A woman has died in hospital after falling four floors from a hotel balcony and landing on a rooftop. The woman, 26, fell 12 metres from a balcony and landed on a rooftop of the Adina Hotel, on Queen Street in Melbourne's city centre, after 4pm on Sunday. Fire crews used a crane to reach the woman on the sixth floor rooftop, before she was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital at 6pm in a critical condition. Scroll down for video A woman (pictured on stretcher) has died in hospital after falling four floors from a hotel balcony and landing on a rooftop. She was taken to hospital in a critical condition The woman, aged in her 30s, fell 12 metres from a balcony and landed on a rooftop of the Adina Hotel, on Queen Street in Melbourne's city centre, after 4pm on Sunday Fire crews used a crane to reach the woman on the sixth floor rooftop, before she was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital in a critical condition where she later died She later died in hospital. Police were still trying to confirm the identity of the woman on Sunday evening and contact her family. The death is not being treated as suspicious. 'The exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined,' a police spokeswoman said. Police continue to investigate the incident. Police were still trying to confirm the identity of the woman on Sunday evening and contact her family The death is not being treated as suspicious as police continue to investigate on Monday 'The exact cause of the incident is yet to be determined' - a police spokeswoman said. Fire crews worked after dark to rescue the woman from the sixth floor rooftop of the hotel. They say that money is the root of all evil - but merely letting children touch notes and coins makes them less helpful. The behaviour of children as young as three can change dramatically if they handle money even for a short time, a study has found. In two experiments, researchers found that children who played with cash were more selfish, less helpful, and less generous than those who didnt. The behaviour of children as young as three can change dramatically if they handle money even for a short time, a study has found The first experiment involved asking a group of three-year-old children in Poland to sort money by denomination or paper slips. All the children then went into a different room and were asked by a scientists to help them prepare the materials for the next child that would undergo the test. The scientist gave each child a basket and asked them to bring as many crayons as they could from a box in the far corner of the room. The results showed that the children who had sorted the money were less helpful than those who had sorted paper. The second experiment involved children aged between three and six in the US. At the start the researcher told them that the classroom needed to be kept tidy by putting items away after they were used. The children were also told they had to push in their chairs. Next, the children were given a box containing money and were allowed to play with it for as long as they liked - each child was surreptitiously timed. The researchers then asked the children to move into another room and observed to see if they tidied up after themselves as had been requested. In the next room the children were told they could choose up to three toys in exchange for playing with other children at a different school. They were also asked if they wanted to give their toys to children at another school, and that by doing so would make them happy. The study said: Children who played longer with money were more selfish, less helpful, and less generous. They were less helpful in keeping the room tidy and less willing to help ready materials for the next child. They also took more rewards for themselves and were less inclined to give away their toys to other children. Lead author Lan Chaplin, an Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Illinois-Chica, said: Young children show evidence of some remarkably advanced complex concepts such as justice, religion, and physics. Despite not being able to articulate it, childrens minds have formed adult-like connections for these concepts. Money, for good or bad, can be added to this list. A previous study showed a similar phenomenon in adults. Research from the Universite de Bretagne-Sud in France found that when a pedestrian dropped a bus pass on the street, people who had just gotten cash out were less likely to tell her she had done so. The New Jersey family of a six-year-old boy who fatally shot his four-year-old brother in the head while playing with a gun has started a fundraiser to help pay for funeral costs as their mother is now facing charges. A GoFundMe page with a goal of raising $15,000 was created on Sunday by Shirele Richardson, the aunt of the boys. 'I hope to raise as much as I can to help the family with burial expenses,' Richardson told NJ.com. Itiyanah Spruill (pictured left), 22, was arrested after her six-year-old son fatally shot her four-year-old son, Christopher (right) on Saturday in New Jersey. A fundraiser has been started to help pay for his funeral The boys were playing at a halfway home (pictured) their mother was staying at in East Orange, New Jersey, on Saturday when the accident occurred Four-year-old Christopher was rushed to University Hospital (pictured) in Newark where he died around 4.30pm from his injuries The two children were playing at a halfway home their mother, Itiyanah Spruill, 22, was staying at around 11am in East Orange, New Jersey, on Saturday when the accident occurred. The older boy was playing with her gun when he accidentally shot the younger boy, named Christopher, in the head. The four-year-old was rushed to University Hospital in Newark, but he died around 4.30pm. Spruill was with the boys at the time of the tragic accident. Authorities arrested her following the death of her son and charged her with endangering the welfare of a child and a weapons violation. Itiyanah Spruill's (pictured) bail is set at $310,000 Her bail was set at $310,000 and she has yet to be arraigned. Spurill allegedly did not have custody of her two children. Instead, they lived with their grandmother in Union County. Spurill was enrolled in a mental health program and in the process of earning her GED, Pix11 reported. Locals say Spurill had lived on the block for tens days and was due to move into her own apartment in another ten days. The gun used in the accident belonged to the Spruill, but it is still unclear how the boy got a hold of the weapon. According to The New York Times, Thomas S. Fennelly, chief assistant prosecutor, said that the shooting appeared to have been accidental. He also said that they are investigating the legal ownership of the gun. Fennelly added that the older boy was released into the custody of a family member. Costco is still not Wholesale retailer Costco is still waiting on a decision from the South Australian courts on whether it can sell alcohol at its Adelaide store. Supermarket giant Woolworths partnered with the Australian Hotels Association in 2014 to successfully object to Costco's application for a special circumstances license in South Australia, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. Costco's liquor model was not compatible with the state's requirements, the South Australian licencing court concluded. Costco is still waiting on a decision from the South Australian courts on whether it can sell booze at its Adelaide store Aldi has been blocked from selling alcohol at a new supermarket in Perth Costco's liquor model was not compatible with the state's requirements, the South Australian licencing court concluded- Pictured is Costco's Adelaide store Costco appealed the ruling soon after but Costco Australia managing director Patrick Noone told The Sydney Morning Herald the company was still waiting for a final decision. This comes as German discount supermarket Aldi was blocked from selling 95 liquor products at its new outlet in Harrisdale, south-east of Perth. Western Australia's Liquor Authority voiced concerns over the low prices of the chain's alcohol. Aldi shoppers have their pick of 22 varieties of wine that are under $5 a bottle, including its award winning South Point Estate rose, and three brands are priced as low as $2.79. In the same ruling, the Liquor Authority granted Woolworths the right to open up one of its BWS bottle shops at the same shopping centre. The Director of Liquor Licensing's delegate Peter Minchin said it was not in the public's interest or necessary for two outlets selling alcohol to open at the new Harrisdale Shopping Centre. Western Australia's Liquor Authority voiced concerns over the low prices of Aldi's alcohol (stock image) German discount supermarket Aldi was blocked from selling 95 liquor products at its new outlet in Harrisdale, south-east of Perth (pictured) He also cited the Executive Director of Public Health's objection to Aldi's application. The EDPH said there was a strong relationship linking price, consumption and harm in the community. 'ALDI also proposes to offer a range of very cheap liquor... and packaged liquor sales are linked to alcohol-related harm and ill-health,' the EDPH said. 'In comparing the risks associated with each application, the ALDI application poses a greater risk from a broad public health perspective.' Western Australia Police and the McCusker Centre For Action On Alcohol And Youth also objected to Aldi's application. But no one objected to Woolworths' application to open a BWS. Aldi shoppers have their pick of 22 varieties of wine that are under $5 a bottle, including its award winning South Point Estate rose, and three brands are priced as low as $2.79 (stock image) Red Cross quickly apologized and said they would stop production Tweeter called the organisation out for the 'super racist' message The poster was seen in two swimming pools in Colorado A Red Cross sign designed to teach children how to behave in a swimming pool has instead been blasted for being 'super racist'. The poster - entitled 'Be Cool, Follow the Rules' - was spotted in two pools in Colorado and showed children playing in a pool with signs pointing to the 'cool' and 'not cool' children, indicating who were acting correctly. But the majority of the 'not cool' kids were black, causing one bemused tweeter to open a dialogue with the organisation about what message they were trying to send out. Scroll down for video One angry tweeter called out the Red Cross about the poster which suggested that only the black children were 'un cool' The hospital quickly responded and thanked Sawyer for bringing it to their attention John Sawyer wrote: 'Hey, Red Cross, send a new pool poster to @SalidaRec bc the current one they have w your name on it is super racist' Red Cross quickly responded to the tweet writing: 'Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We're removing this from our site immediately & are creating new materials.' The organization have since removed the poster from their website and have discontinued its production. The hospital also released statement to NBC saying it 'deeply apologized' for offending anyone and added that it was 'committed to diversity'. And continued: 'Going forward, we are developing more appropriate materials that are more representative of our workforce and the communities we serve. John Sawyer (right) wrote: 'Hey, Red Cross, send a new pool poster to @SalidaRec bc the current one they have w your name on it is super racist'. Margarat Sawyer (left) who took the photo of the poster, is still not happy. She said: 'I hope the Red Cross will use this as a lesson for taking their role seriously.' 'Our aquatic instructors have been notified of these concerns and we will advocate that our aquatic partner facilities remove the poster until revised materials are available.' But Margarat Sawyer - John's sister - who took the photo of the poster, is still not happy. She told the site: 'I'm just a citizen, I'm not an organization, but I would want the Red Cross to collaborate and build relationships with Black Kids Swim and other organizations that do advocacy around this so that this doesn't happen again.' Sawyer, a mother of two, had seen the poster twice while on holiday with her family in Colorado. She added: 'I think it's really important to think about the messages that we're sending kids, I ask for all of us to take that job on. 'I hope the Red Cross will use this as a lesson for taking their role seriously.' She is now sending a formal letter to the hospital and to the mayors of both cities, Salida and Fort Morgan, to demand that they be taken down there and at pools nationwide. After the plane landed the fire was extinguished by emergency crews Passenger Lee Bee Yee described how she has 'just escaped death' Boeing 7770-300ER forced to land after an 'engine oil warning message' on fire at Changi Airport on Monday A terrified passenger described the alarming moment the wing of their Singapore Airlines plane caught on fire after an emergency landing at Changi Airport. Lee Bee Yee, 43, wrote in a Facebook post: 'I just escaped death!!!!' and described how those on board were asked to remain on the plane for a 'heart-wrenching' five minutes as fire fighters tried to douse the flames. The Singapore Airline plane was leaking oil for three hours after take off and had to turn back, said Yee. Lucky escape: Lee Bee Yee, 43, (left and right) wrote in a Facebook post: 'I just escaped death!!!!' and described how those on board were asked to remain on the plane for a 'heart-wrenching' five minutes as fire fighters tried to douse the flames A Singapore Airlines plane has caught fire (pictured) on the runway at Changi Airport in Singapore A Singapore Airlines plane has caught fire after it was forced to make an emergency landing at Changi airport (pictured) But after reaching Changi Airport, as the plane was landing, the engine burst into flame. She continued: 'They shot foam and water into the fire and eventually it was put out! We were so close to death!!' 'I thank God I am alive! I going home to hug my kids.' Flight SQ368 departed from Changi, Singapore bound for Milan, Italy on Monday but turned back two hours into the flight after an 'engine oil warning message.' 'The aircraft's right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi Airport at around 6:50am,' Singapore Airlines said in a statement. After the Boeing 7770-300ER landed the fire on board was extinguished by emergency crews. Passengers on board remained surprisingly calm (pictured) as the plane's right engine burst into flames Flight SQ368 (pictured) was forced to land due to an engine oil warning There were no injuries to the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board. 'Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus.' 'Passengers will be transferred to another aircraft which is expected to depart for Milan later today,' the Singapore Airlines statement reads. Yee said she had smelt what she thought was gasoline on board. 'We were informed by the pilot that there was a leak, and that the plane would have to return to Changi Airport as it did not have enough fuel for the journey,' she told The Straights Times. 'The blaze was quite fierce and we waited for around two to three minutes before the fire engines arrived,' she said. The aftermath of an engine fire on Singapore Airlines flight SQ368 at Changi International Airport on Monday A tree kangaroo who lost his mother when he was seven weeks old and grew up with a surrogate mother will be transferred to Singapore next week to help save his species. Makaia was adopted by a yellow-footed rock-wallaby at Adelaide Zoo in 2014 - a world first in conservation. He stayed with the wallaby for about three-and-a-half months, before a keeper began to care for him. The kangaroo will be transferred overseas to be paired with a female tree kangaroo from Sydney's Taronga Zoo. It is hoped the two will breed, as tree kangaroos are gravely endangered. Scroll down for video Makaia the tree kangaroo will be sent to Singapore next week for breeding to help save his species After losing his mother at seven weeks old, he was adopted by a surrogate mother - a rock-wallaby in a world first He stayed with the wallaby for about three-and-a-half months before he was hand reared by a zoo keeper Senior Veterinarian at Adelaide Zoo, Dr Ian Smith, says Makaia's story is one of success, both for the kangaroo and the zoo. 'We couldn't be happier with how he has grown and developed. It's now time for him to start his next chapter and we're confident he's going to do really well. 'He is extremely genetically valuable for the region and we are hopeful he will form an important part of the international breeding program working to save this endangered species from extinction.' Adelaide Zoo has two tree kangaroos remaining - Makaia's dad Makali and a female named Buna. The animal originates in the rainforest of Papua New Guinea, and is endangered in the wild due to over-hunting and loss of habitat. Tree kangaroos are marsupials, and very similar to standard red kangaroos on the inside, but they are more likely to be climbing a tree than hopping on the ground. The endangered species acts much like a monkey, and can climb trees. The tree kangaroo can also drop from great heights without injuring themselves. Makai is one of only 15 males in a worldwide breeding program to help save the endangered species He is trying to help his hometown in Victoria beat a rampant drug epidemic His battle with alcohol drove his wife to suicide and his son is an ice addict He went from selling boomerangs to playing on stage with Stevie Wonder Stan Dryden grew up sleeping in public toilets with an alcoholic father but now drives a red Ferrari and exhibits paintings in London and New York. His own battle with the bottle drove his wife to suicide and the trauma of her death drove his son to hard drugs. Despite not being able to read or write, Mr Dryden is an artist, a businessman and a multimillionaire. Scroll down for video Stan Dryden grew up in poverty in the town of Shepparton, Victoria. He is now a multimillionaire painter and art dealer He started selling boomerangs at the age of 10 and soon moved on to playing music and painting. He said: 'My culture has given me this opportunity because I put down the bottle and picked up the paintbrush' Mr Dryden started drinking at the age of 10, sneaking sips from bottles of wine with his siblings after his drunk father passed out. As sips turned into a full-blown alcohol addition, the teenage Mr Dryden started selling boomerangs at the local market to make a bit of money. From there he started painting, making music and, eventually, representing other Indigenous artists looking to sell their work. He said: 'I started selling boomerangs down at the St Kilda Market. Someone would ask me a question about it and I couldn't even look at them. 'But as I sold the first, then the tenth, then the hundredth, I became more confident. 'And then I had the opportunity to start paying the didgeridoo, and the next thing I know I'm on stage next to Stevie Wonder and he's singing Superstitious. 'My culture has given me the opportunity to do all of this, because I put the bottle down and picked up the paintbrush.' Mr Dryden started drinking when he was just 10-years-old, sneaking sips from bottles of sherry after his father passed out Today Mr Dryden owns three art galleries and represents famous Aboriginal artists such as Tommy Watson. He is pictured on stage playing didgeridoo with Stevie Wonder (right) Today Mr Dryden owns three art galleries, exhibits his work across the world and is an art dealer for famous Aboriginal painters such as Tommy Watson and Kuddjtil. He has had pieces of art commissioned by Bono, Prince, Snoop Dogg, Stevie Wonder and Eddie Van Halen. Despite his obvious talents, many struggled to accept that 'Aborigine' and 'successful' belonged in the same sentence, he said. 'Only a few weeks ago I drove past some guys who were having a few drinks. 'They looked at the car and said, "where did you steal that from mate". 'They can't accept that if aboriginal people can be successful, then we can't have these things.' Mr Dryden's hometown of Shepparton has been overrun with substance abuse. He recently moved back in the hope that his struggle would inspire others to beat their demons His own battle with alcohol lead his wife Soufia to commit suicide. He said: 'My wife took her life because she couldn't handle the person I grew into' Mr Dryden's hometown of Shepparton, Victoria, has been overrun by a rampant ice addiction. He has returned to the farming town a far cry from his trips in New York and London in the hope that his personal tale of triumph will inspire others to beat their demons. He said: 'My wife took her life because she couldn't handle the person I grew into. My 12-year-old son walked into the bathroom and saw his mother hanging in the bathroom.' Mr Dryden found success through painting, music and representing other Aboriginal artists who struggled to sell their work 'My son now has got a problem with ice,' he added. 'This is one of the reasons why I am here, to try and put an end to this ice epidemic. 'Because I've experienced the effects of ice and alcohol. None of my family has lived over fifty. And now my son has got a problem with it as well.' 'What makes you complete is your culture. Not the car or the mansion or the money in the bank. 'It's about giving back to the community. That's the real richness for me.' He said: 'Your culture makes you complete. Not your car or your mansion or the money in the bank' The Koori One is a documentary by PLGRM which documents Mr Dryden's battle to confront ice addiction in his home town. CEO and founder of PLGRM Kristian Michail said: 'This story is one of triumph. It goes against the grain and status quo in more ways than one. 'Stan is a demonstration of transformation, and his journey sends a clear message that the underdog phenomenon is well and truly alive. The killers of a three-year-old boy have each been sentenced to 17 years in prison for his manslaughter after stomping on him, beating him, rubbing his faeces in his face and leaving him to die. It's the longest sentence for manslaughter against a child handed down in New Zealand, where Tania Shailer, 26, and David William Haerewa, 43, pleaded guilty to the death of Moko Rangitoheriri. Moko died in August 2015 after prolonged abuse at the hands of the couple, who he had been left in the care of while his mother was looking after her older son at Auckland's Starship hospital for two months, reported the New Zealand Herald. Scroll down for video Moko Rangitoheriri's killers (pictured on the left and right of a security guard) Tania Shailer, 26, and David William Haerewa, 43, who have been sentenced to 17 years in prison each Moko (pictured) was subjected to a 'joint campaign of violence' as his killers encouraged each other and escalated the abuse they subjected him to Moko Rangitoheriri's mother Nicola Dally-Paki delivers a victim impact statement during the sentencing of Tania Shailer and David Haerewa in the Rotorua High Court Haerewa reportedly told police he didn't like Moko's 'ways' and said he was 'angry at him for taking us for granted', according to the summary of facts in the case. 'Haerewa admitted that he didn't want Moko around him and that he didn't like Moko in his presence,' court documents read. Moko's seven-year-old sister reportedly tried to save him, attempting to stay home from school to feed her starved little brother. She pleaded with Shailer and Haerewa to stop abusing him, Moko's mother, Nicola Dally-Paki, told TV3's Story. 'She told me Moko had been locked in the bathroom for two weeks,' Ms Dally-Paki said. Nicola Dally-Paki (earlier in 2016). She delivered a victim impact statement at her son's killer's sentencing on Monday Jordon Tawa Rangitoheriri is seen leaving the courthouse, when he said 'at the end of the day, justice will prevail' Moko was subjected to prolonged abuse before his death, including being kicked, stamped on, hit, bitten and left with internal injuries Moko's sister also tried to wipe the blood out of his eyes with toilet paper and feed him water when his caregivers refused. The seven-year-old told authorities she was forced to partake in the abuse and kick her little brother. As the pair were sentenced in the Rotorua High Court on Monday, crowds gathered in cities across New Zealand despite heavy rain to protest child abuse in the country. Combined, thousands had been expected to attended the protests, many angry about sentencing laws. During the sentencing, Judge Sarah Katz said although the court accepted Shailer and Haerewa had difficult situations in their lives, others with similar conditions didn't abuse and kill children they cared for. She said the pair had continuously assaulted Moko, encouraging each other and escalating their abuse, according to the NZ Herald. 'You embarked on a joint campaign of violence against a defenceless and extremely vulnerable child. 'The offending was extremely cruel and callous, with neither of you seeking medical help for Moko while he lay dying.' Signs are left outside the Rotroua courthouse on the day Moko's killers were sentenced Moko's mother, Ms Dally-Paki, during an interview earlier in 2016 when she recalled the abuse he was subjected to Their sentence had to match the brutality of his death, the judge said. They had tortured him, kicking, stamping on and hitting him, rubbing his faeces in his face. The beating left him with a ruptured bowel which leaked and caused septic shock. He had facial swelling, internal bleeding and a swollen brain, and was left like that for four days before he was taken to hospital, where he died the same day. Moko's mother, Nicola Dally Paki, said during a victim impact statement that when she thought of her son's killers, she thought of evil. Outside the courthouse after the sentencing, his father Jordon Tawa Rangitoheriri, told a crowd 'at the end of the day justice will prevail'. Anthony Paki, baby Moko's uncle discussing the sentence handed to his nephew's killers Students from the New Zealand Tourism School came down to the courthouse during their lunch break to perform a haka for baby Moko Bob McCoskrie speaks to the crowd gathered in the rain protesting the lack of justice in the NZ courts for victims of child abuse A protester (left) showing her dissatisfaction with more than just child abuse sentences and right, one of the many protesters who braved the rain to show support for baby Moko His uncle thanked those marching for supporting Moko's family. According to the NZ Herald, about 12,000 people nationwide had indicated their interest in 'marching for Moko'. Numerous speakers, from politicians to lawyers, stricter sentencing advocates and those affected by child abuse made statements at the rallies. Banners with slogans such as 'justice for Moko' were common among the crowds. Many were angry that the pair hadn't faced their murder charges they were originally given and instead pleaded guilty to manslaughter in a bargain. Outside a court in Auckland, doves were released. Students from the New Zealand School of Tourism came down to the courthouse to sing a song in the memory of baby Moko A large number of protesters are seen in Rotorua despite the rain. Protesters in many New Zealand cities turned out regardless of heavy rain Protestors display their thoughts on the plea bargain cut for the people who ultimately killed baby Moko rotesters gathered outside the courthouse in Rotorua to call for harsher pentalites for child abusers Protesters take over the streets of Rotorua on Monday calling for harsher sentences for child abusers Protesters block the street outside the courthouse in Rotorua as they wait for the sentencing of Moko's killers Moko's father surrounded by friends outside the district court after finding out his son's killers recieved the maximum sentance for manslaughter- 17 years Supporters and aides of Mr Shorten are also subjects of the photo series, released ahead of Saturday's election The Opposition Leader and his wife Chloe are depicted in grayscale at several events in the past week Images were released a day after Mr Shorten addressed the Labor campaign launch in Brisbane Advertisement A series of black and white photographs depicting scenes from behind Bill Shorten's campaign trail have shone a different light on the Opposition Leader, his wife and his supporters. The images were released shortly after Mr Shorten launched his party's campaign in Brisbane, where the leader announced policies for Queensland including an overhaul of the visa system and preventing the privatisation of Medicare ahead of Saturday's election. Several grayscale shots show the Opposition Leader supported by his wife, Chloe. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (pictured right) and wife Chloe Shorten (left) arrive at the Queensland Labor Campaign Launch at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Chloe Shorten (left) looks on as Opposition Leader Bill Shorten greets volunteers at the South Australian Labor Campaign Office One incredible contrasting shot shows Mr Shorten and his wife emerge from blackness to the stage at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre to deliver his opening address to the Labor campaign launch. Two other photos provide intimate head shots of the Opposition Leader, including one image that frames Mr Shorten's face through what appears to be a door jamb as he delivers a speech at the Caboolture RSL, north of Brisbane on Saturday. Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten (pictured) addresses the audience during the Queensland Labor Campaign Launch at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Opposition Leader Party Bill Shorten (pictured) speaks to the public during a visit to the Caboolture RSL, north of Brisbane Mr Shorten and his wife weren't the only subjects of the black and white series, as the photographer captured a lone, heavily tattooed, hand raised by a person waiting to ask a question at the Caboolture rally. In another shot, a campaign security guard is pictured having a moment to himself prior to the arrival of Mr Shorten at a function in Adelaide on Thursday. Supporters at Labor events were also depicted in the photos, including one person at a rally in Townsville holding a Bill Shorten sign and wearing a t-shirt stating: 'I'm doubly disillusioned'. A man raises his heavily tattooed hand to ask Bill Shorten a question during a visit to the Caboolture RSL, north of Brisbane, on Saturday A security guard (pictured) takes a moment prior to the arrival of Mr Shorten during the South Australian Labor campaign Supporters gather to meet Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Cathy O'Toole at The Strand in Townsville on Friday The most recent poll shows Labor falling behind the Coalition for the first time in the election campaign. The latest Newspoll published in The Australian on Monday shows the coalition sitting on 51 per cent compared to Labor's 49 per cent on a two-party preferred basis as the campaign enters its final week. And men and women from the cult are taken to the houses to do chores Some have cameras so police can't sneak up on them The houses are owned by those sympathetic to Jeffs' sect Most likely he'll be in one of the many houses of hiding in the US Ex-members of his fundamentalist Mormon sect say he'll be hiding now Lyle Jeffs has spent the last week using a secret, US-wide network of safe houses to evade police after he fled home confinement rather than face a multi-million-dollar fraud trial, ex-followers say. Jeffs, who is acting head of The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) as brother Warren Jeffs is serving life plus 20 years for rape, fled his home on June 19, where he was awaiting trial in a food stamps scheme. Now former FLDS members believe he is using a shadowy series of secret 'houses of hiding' to evade capture, The Salt Lake Tribune reported Sunday. Scroll down for video Fled: Lyle Jeffs, acting president of The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) fled home confinement on June 19 rather than face a multi-million-dollar food stamp fraud trial Hiding: Ex-FLDS members believe he is using 'houses of hiding' - a network of safe houses set up by Warren Jeffs (pictured) when he was being hunted for claims of child abuse. The houses are based all over the US Followers: Some FLDS followers are sent to the houses to 'repent'. Women are not allowed to go out in daylight, and some houses have cameras so occupants will be alerted if police or neighbors approach Prosecutors had in fact asked for Jeffs' bail request to be denied for this exact reason, arguing that the network would make it hard to recapture him if he went to ground. The network was set up as a two-tiered system in 2004 by Warren Jeffs, who was fleeing civil lawsuits and private investigators at the time. On the top tier were the 'lands of refuge' - large ranches in locations such as Eldorado, Texas, and Pringle, South Dakota, and a small compound in Mancos, Colorado that would allow the most important church members to live in comfort and privacy. For lesser members there were the 'houses of hiding', which were rented or bought by those close to Jeffs, typically in rural or secluded areas. In 2006, a number of FLDS members were sent to houses of hiding for two years - including the sons and daughters Warren Jeffs was eventually convicted of raping. 'Really, (FLDS members) are the evidence against him,' Rachel Jeffs, daughter of Warren Jeffs and now ex-member of the FLDS, told The Salt Lake Tribune, 'and that's why he so carefully keeps us afraid of the law.' While the large lands of refuge, which were bought directly by the church, were exposed by journalists or government investigators, many of the houses of hiding remain (as their name suggests) hidden, and in use by the church. However, court papers in Lyle Jeffs' trial do mention houses being found in Las Vegas; San Angelo, Texas; and one in a 'remote, timbered wilderness area... 25 mountain miles from the nearest small settlement.' Rachel Jeffs said that she had lived in one of the houses of hiding while under the supervision of her uncle Lyle after being sent there in 2012 to 'repent' - for what, she was never really sure. Crackdown: Police - shown here raiding an FLDS store in February - are hunting Lyle Jeffs, but the hidden house locations are only known by a few in the church. Even those who work on them aren't told the location She was never told the address - just that it was in Idaho - and was forbidden from going out in the daylight, as were all the women there. 'We could go outside at night on the deck and stuff, but not during the day,' she said. 'And we were supposed to sew - everybody - and stay in the house and clean and make meals.' She had been separated from her five children, who stayed with their father's family in, and Lyle had been sent there after temporarily losing his position as the bishop of 'Short Creek'. Short Creek is the collective name given to FLDS homes in Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Arizona, which neighbor one another across the states' border. 'When I went there, it was really just a bunch of my father's family - wives, girls and some of his sons,' Rachel said. 'And Lyle was in charge of all of us,' Rachel said. While the females sewed and cooked, the males were made to work in a wood shop on the property. Lyle would provide groceries, lead scripture lessons and tell them what they needed to do to earn the right to leave. Work: Women in the houses are given chores such as sewing and cooking, while men and boys chop wood and do other such tasks. The ex-members say that Lyle will be driven between these houses to keep him safe After two weeks, Rachel returned to Short Creek. But later she was sent to another house of hiding near Pikes Peak, Colorado. That house had a motion sensor and camera pointed at the road. Any time a car triggered the sensor, those in the house would have to check a monitor to see whether the car belonged to cops or one of the rare neighbors. In both houses, only one person would have a cell phone. They would only be allowed to call a few numbers and could never say where they were. Lyle, Rachel says, will be transported between these - the most hidden of the houses - and kept out of the hands of police. Cuomo previously shared a video of himself inside the Firebird, making the wheels squeal to tease his colleague Don Lemmon Instead, the friend said, Cuomo accidentally hit the Mercedes while turning around to leave But one of Cuomo's friends said the anchor was only goofing around and never actually raced the car Was drag racing when he 'lost control' and crashed into a parked Mercedes belonging to a friend, a source told the website Chris Cuomo crashed his 1969 convertible in Southampton, New York, over Memorial Day weekend, Page Six reported Chris Cuomo crashed his cherished 1969 Pontiac while 'drag racing' in Southampton, New York,Page Six reported. The CNN anchor 'lost control' and crashed into a parked Mercedes, which belonged to one of his friends, a source told the website. But one of Cuomo's friends told Page Six the anchor was only goofing around and had never actually raced his convertible. Instead, the friend said, Cuomo was merely posing for photos when he accidentally bumped into his friend's Mercedes as he left a party. Scroll down for video Chris Cuomo (pictured in an Instagram video earlier this year) crashed his cherished 1969 Pontiac Firebird while 'drag racing' in Southampton, New York, Page Six reported Cuomo, 45, had attended a bash thrown by his wife Cristina over Memorial Day weekend for her magazine Beach, according to Page Six. The anchor ended up 'drag racing' at the end of the night, a source told the website. 'It was a full-blown drag race . . . Everybody heard it,' the source told Page Six. 'He lost control and crashed into a parked Mercedes. He was lucky because it was his friend's car.' But one of Cuomo's friends gave Page Six a different version of the event. Cuomo actually pulled up next to another one of his friends, who was inside a 1967 Pontiac LeMans, according to the second source. Cuomo (pictured in August 2015) 'lost control' and crashed into a parked Mercedes, which belonged to one of his friends, a source told the website But one of Cuomo's friends said the anchor was only goofing around when he crashed his Pontiac Firebird (pictured in an Instagram shot) and never actually raced it There, 'a woman stood between them, pretending it was starting line, and people were taking a bunch of pictures', the friend said. The two cars never even moved, according to this source, but Cuomo accidentally bumped into a Mercedes SUV as he turned around to leave. The Mercedes belonged to another one of Cuomo's friends. Cuomo broke his own radiator in the crash, the second source told Page Six, and ended up driving home in case the engine failed. The Mercedes was left with a dent and Cuomo knew who it belonged to, the friend said. The accident was reported to the police 'for insurance purposes', according to Page Six's second source. A rep for Cuomo contacted by Page Six didn't comment. Cuomo, the younger brother of Governor Andrew Cuomo, posted a video of himself inside the car earlier this year on his Instagram account. He can be seen making the wheels squeal in an attempt to tease his colleague, CNN host Don Lemmon. A transgender person was beaten unconscious on their way home from an Orlando fundraiser in Seattle after a man told them: 'Hey, happy Pride' before launching an attack. During the vicious beating which left Michael Volz with severe abrasions and bruising, the attacker - believed to be a man in his twenties - said: 'Show me your t**s, you tr***y c**t.' Following the chocking and beating, Volz lost consciousness and the suspect fled the scene, said Seattle Police in a statement. A transgender person was beaten unconscious on their way home from an Orlando fundraiser in Seattle after a man told them: 'Hey, happy Pride.' During the vicious attack which left Michael Volz with severe abrasions and bruising the attacker - believed to be a man in his twenties - said: 'Show me your tits, you tr***y c**t' Upon regaining consciousness, Volz was able to drive home and contact a friend, who drove the victim to the hospital. On the way, they stopped and contacted police. Volz had just left 'Let Your Love Shine: A Queer Benefit for Orlando' on June 22 that called on 'queer, trans, and gender-queer communities and communities of color' to stand together for victims of the shooting at Pulse in Orlando. The event was both a fundraiser and a dance party, described as a 'celebration of the strength and beauty of inter-sectional communities'. Seattle Police are now working with the FBI to investigate the hate crime. Deputy Police Chief Carmen Best said a press conference on Friday, that investigators do not yet have any 'good leads,' but are 'aggressively pursuing everything.' A GoFundMe page has since been set up for Volz to help with medical fees and emotional rehabilitation after the shocking incident. The post said that Volz is back home now after receiving medical attention. Love over hate: Following the chocking and beating, Volz (pictured) lost consciousness and the suspect then fled the scene Volz had to have stitches, abrasions, a lot of pain and bruising, some teeth are injured and their vision is impacted. A GoFundMe page has since been set up for Volz to help with medical fees and emotional rehabilitation after the shocking incident They have stitches, abrasions, a lot of pain and bruising, some teeth are injured and their vision is impacted. It adds: 'But the emotional devastation and injury they have endured is so deep there are no words to describe. 'This GoFundMe page has been created to support the enormous healing and recovery Michael has ahead of them including (but not limited to): loss of wages, emergency and ongoing medical care, extensive mental health counseling and basic living. Anything and everything helps.' It concluded: 'Michael wanted us to attach pictures because this is what transphobia looks like. Queer Tears. Queer Rage. Queer Feelings. Queer Resilience.' The post has already raised $34,903 of the $39,000 goal, as well as offers of free medical care. Jennifer J Lee wrote: ' This breaks my heart. You do not know me but if you come to my eye clinic (Washington Pacific Eye) you will be taken care of for free and you will be treated with the respect you deserve. 'You will be safe. .you are loved.' While Patti Abbott said: 'This is heartbreaking and an absolute outrage!! I am donating. Also, I am inspired by Jennifer Lee's comment of complimentary eye care. Meanwhile in New York, rainbow flags were held high along with portraits of the dead as thousands of people marched Sunday in gay pride parades Tina Hitscherich surprises a police officer with a kiss during the NYC Pride Parade in New York, Sunday, June 26 Confetti falls on parade-goers at the 47th annual Chicago Pride parade on Sunday, June 26, 2016 on Belmont Avenue in Chicago. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune) 'So great of her! I am an injury treatment massage therapist, and I own an LGBT friendly clinic, you will be welcomed, valued, and safe, should you choose to take me up on this offer. 'Please contact me when/if you become ready for massage therapy to help heal your body. It will be complimentary.' And Holly Chiarello said: 'This absolutely breaks my heart! It's flipping 2016....not 1992... Time for this hate to stop! 'Michael you are a beautiful person and this guy should be ashamed of his actions and anyone like him! There is no reason to just such amazing people! :( #loveislove' Speaking at the press conference Friday, Volz said: 'This is not an isolated incident. 'This is something that happens to our community frequently, and we won't tolerate it anymore.' The suspect is described as a white man in his 20s with brown hair and a partial beard, according to Kezi. But crocodiles as large as 8.63 metres have been caught in the area before Crocodile hunter Michaela Johnston said there should be more Experts said the massive reptile would be the largest crocodile in the world Locals claim there is a nine metre crocodile in the waters of northern QLD A monster crocodile that measures an astonishing nine metres from snout to tail is believed to be lurking beneath murky creek waters in far North Queensland. Papanine Patterson claims his uncles were riding through the scrub when they spotted the massive nine-mete reptile in Normaton, west of Cairns, and he is certain the 'dinosaur' is still close by. Two crocodile hunters who caught and strung up a five metre croc earlier this year said it would be the biggest in the world and are hoping Mr Patterson can find some evidence to prove its existence. Scroll down for video Crococile hunters Michaela and Mick Johnston say if Mr Patterson's claims are true the largest croc in the world could be lurking in Normaton, east of where they caught a 4.93 metre reptile in NT earlier this year 'Big crocodile live here. My uncles seen it when they was looking for cattle. They call it a dinosaur,' Mr Patterson told NT News as they tried to stalk the beast. 'They say it over 30 foot long (9.1m). They gone now, the old uncles. They passed on,' he added. But while a few people have claimed to see it, the elusive crocodile - which he said is large enough to 'take a tin boat' - has never been photographed. Crocodile hunter Michaela Johnston, from Darwin, has been wrangling crocodiles for thirteen years and is dubious about the lack of evidence that surrounds Mr Patterson's record-breaking claims. Crocodile hunter Michaela Johnston (pictured) has been wrangling crocodiles for thirteen years and are dubious about the lack of evidence that surrounds Mr Patterson's record-breaking claims 'That's a hell of a crocodile, it would be the biggest in the world! It's very unlikely,' Ms Johnston told Daily Mail Australia. 'They should be able to get some evidence, if he's nine metres he would leave a lot of evidence around, put it that way.' Ms Jonhston and her partner Mick caught a 4.93 metre crocodile earlier this year in the Northern Territory, but said the largest crocodile she has ever seen was in Papua New Guinea. The beast was 6.4 metres long and had stalked, killed and eater 13 people in the local village. 'It's an extremely exhilarating animal and it's dangerous. It's a real adrenaline rush.' Michaela and Mick recently hunted two crocodiles that had seven cattle tags inside their stomachs Ms Johnston said the only other female crocodile hunter she knows of is Terri Irwin which is disappointing as she would love for there to be more women in the profession. 'I'd go up against Terri any day. I'd take her on. But really there should be more female crocodile hunters.' Despite being one of very few ladies wrestling crocodiles, she loves her job and is passionate about helping cattle farmers whose livelihood is being threatened by large crocs. 'Anywhere there's water there's crocodiles and anywhere there is water, that's where the cattle need to drink.' Cassius is the world biggest living crocodile in captivity. He lives in northern Queensland, is around 113-years-old and is 5.48 metres long Recently she and Mick pulled out two crocodiles and found seven cattle tags in their bellies. 'That was just two crocodiles from one billabong. They're eating cattle at a hell of a rate and they'll even take down a buffalo which would be the biggest beast against them up here,' she said. But Mr Patterson is not the only one who believes in the existence of the 'dinosaur' crocodile of Normanton. Skin trader Krystina Pawloski claimed to have shot a 8.63m crocodile on the banks of Norman River, in 1957 that was far too large to skin or move, the NT News reported. A replica of the 8.63 metre crocodile shot by Ms Pawloski sits in the town of Mareeba, near Cairns, in far north Queensland. While only six years ago, local Nomanton Pastor Elton Thompson told News.com.au that he'd found slide marks of a crocodile in the area that was estimated to be a whopping eight metres. 'We're predicting the croc is 1.5 metres to two metres across its girth,' he said. 'There's a possibility that the croc is 8 metres.' Pastor Elton Thompson from Normanton measured slide marks in 2010 and estimated the crocodile was 8 metres long Mareeba in Queensland has a replica of the 8.63 metre crocodile shot by Krystina and Ron Pawloski In 1957 Krystina and Ron Pawloski shot a 8.63 metre crocodile the found in Northern Queensland, now there's a replica in Mareeba Cassius is over 110 years old and lives in captivity in northern Queensland One of the standout images of the weekend's protests between far right and anti-racism groups was the sight of the deputy leader of an anti-Islam political party addressing a flag pride protest wearing an Australian flag dress with her clenched fist raised. Rise Up Australia candidate Rosalie Crestani delivered a speech to members of the True Blue Crew and United Patriots Front on Sunday to 'protect our Aussie flag' outside Royal Exhibition Building, where the flag was first raised in 1901, in central Melbourne. But how did the 42-year-old mother-of-two become the face of the far-right political party - going so far as hosting an anniversary for the Cronulla riots? Scroll down for video Rise Up Australia senate candidate Rosalie Crestani addressed a flag pride parade on Sunday at Royal Exhibition Building in central Melbourne with her fist raised Ms Crestani wore an Australian flag as a dress on Sunday. Leader of United Patriots Front, Blair Cottrell, also addressed the crowd which gathered to 'protect our Aussie flag' According to Ms Crestani's bio on the Rise Up Australia website, her Christian father woke her up every morning by declaring: 'Wake up, Australia needs you!' Her father migrated to Australia from Germany after WWII, while her mother is third-generation Australian. The party website says she has worked voluntarily with Indigenous communities, in prison ministries, the homeless, at a retirement village and amongst disadvantaged children. She studied high school in New York, where she lived with her family for seven years before she returned to live in Melbourne in 1992. Ms Crestani then began working as a medical receptionist. She later became a bodybuilding fitness model, winning the Ms Natural Australia Fitness Model at INBA (International Natural Bodybuilding Association) and the Ms Natural Olympia Fitness Model in 2000. She then started a 'consultancy business in the photo album industry' before she made her way into politics. In December last year, Ms Crestani was MC for the 10th anniversary of the violent Cronulla riots. In November, 2014, she tried to ban the council from publicly supporting or assisting LGBTI people, and tried to ban diversity training for staff, Herald Sun reported at the time. She has actively spoken out against the anti-bullying Safe Schools program for LGBTI students. Ms Crestani is pictured in July last year near Parliament steps after a Reclaim Australia Rally in Melbourne Ms Crestani is pictured speaking at the Reclaim Australia Rally in Melbourne in July last year, when she said the Koran should come with a disclaimer Ms Crestani is pictured wearing the Australian flag dress which she said her Vietnamese-born friend made before a rally in Canberra in February She is Deputy Leader of Rise Up Australia and the second senate candidate for the party. Ms Crestani is a Councillor of Casey in Melbourne's south-east. She told Daily Mail Australia her anti-Islam sentiments rose following September 11, which she took 'hard ... as if a terrorist attack had occurred against my family'. 'I spent five years delving into Islam, reading many autobiographies, articles to the Koran itself. 'I had read enough to know genuine concern amongst my constituents was definitely warranted,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'I would consider myself a staunch patriot with a heart to see Christian values return to the halls of Parliament.' In April, an application to build a mosque in Casey was rejected by council because of the building's height and bulk, ABC reported. Ms Crestani said she would probably always oppose the mosque, despite the council report saying concern about its social impact was unfounded. About 150 far-right protesters joined the march in Melbourne on Sunday to 'protect our Aussie flag' Paul (pictured) joins with protesters from UPF and the True Blue Crew on Sunday in Melbourne In July last year at a Reclaim Australia rally, Ms Crestani said the Koran should come with a disclaimer to warn of violence and hatred. She acknowledged the Bible also has passages of violence, but said: 'The full scope of the Bible is about love rather than trying to incite war. I think the majority of the Koran, in my understanding, 60 per cent of it is about war and inciting war.' At the time, she told Daily Mail Australia those who believe the 'fundamental verses' of the holy book should 'leave Australia'. In its list of policies, Rise Up Australia acknowledges 'freedom of religion, provided the religion is tolerant of other religions'. The party is anti-Islam and says they 'refuse the Muslims the right of their religion'. 'Our goal is to keep Australia Australian! We oppose multiculturalism but support a 'multi-ethnic' Australia where there are many races but 'one culture'. We rejoice that people who come here from other nations are free to celebrate their own diverse backgrounds, while respecting Australian culture and complying with Australian laws.' 'Rather than uniting the country under one flag, multiculturalism has had the completely opposite effect,' the website reads. Some far-right protesters from the True Blue Crew covered their faces with the Australian flag Protesters from the United Patriots Front and the True Blue Crew prepare for the protest on Sunday morning Leader of the Victorian branch of the United Patriots Front, Blair Cottrell, speaks with far-right protesters on Sunday The political party also has a policy condemning Nazism. Along with Ms Crestani, Daniel Nalliah of Rise Up and Blair Cottrell of UPF also spoke at the flag pride rally on Sunday. About 120 far-right activists marched down Spring Street with Australian flags and sang the national anthem. Australian flags were burned by the anti-racist group at the protest. Following the clash, United Patriots Front (UPF) wrote on Facebook on Sunday: 'Setting fire to the Australian flag should be a jailable offence.' About 200 anti-racism protesters rallied outside State Parliament on Sunday, while about two dozen masked members of an anti-fascism splinter group clashed with police and media even though the two opposing rallies were kept apart by more than 400 police. Three people were arrested two for assaulting each other in a fight and one for damaging a news photographer's camera. On Sunday night, SBS television documentary The Goddam Election! by John Safran aired, and said the anti-Islam movement had been whitewashed by progressives and is in fact a multicultural group. Anti-racism protesters are pictured burning the Australian flag as they march against the True Blue Crew at Melbourne's Parliament House Over 100 anti-racism protesters (pictured) rallied outside State Parliament on Sunday shouting 'No hate, no fear, fascists are not welcome here' Vietnamese Australian Steve (centre) asked Cottrell if he could lead the march on Sunday Campaign Against Racism organiser Vashti Kenway said the group hoped a few hundred people would join the protest on Sunday, with the aim of outnumbering the True Blue Crew (pictured) event Police and protesters face each other through a metal barricade during a protest on Sunday. The man in the yellow t-shirt is Blair Cottrell, the leader of the nationalist United Patriot Front's Victorian branch. Next to him is a Vietnamese Australian who wanted to lead the march The group of 'patriots' from Rise Up Australia, True Blue Crew, and United Patriots Front sang the national anthem (national anthem led by Sri Lankan immigrant and Rise Up Australia leader Danny Nalliah) Leader of the Rise Up Australia political party Danny Nalliah raised and clenched his fist while addressing the crowd New York City Buddhist leaders are sounding the alarm to tourists to beware of the growing number of 'fake monks' on the city's streets. Men in orange robes claiming to be Buddhist monks are approaching visitors to some of the city's most popular attractions, handing them shiny medallions and offering greetings of peace. They then hit them up for donations to help them build a temple in Thailand, and are persistent if their demands are refused. 'The problem seems to be increasing,' said the Rev. TK Nakagaki, president of the Buddhist Council of New York, a group that represents nearly two dozen Buddhist temples. 'They are very aggressive and hostile if you don't give them money.' 'Theyre not authentic. Theyre not real. Theyre playing on peoples heart strings,' said Michelle Dunson of the Buddhist Council of New York told CBS New York. 'Its basically a scam like any other.' A man wearing an orange robe talks with a woman in New York's Times Square. The city and others, including San Francisco, have a problem with fake panhandling monks His group has taken to the streets and social media to warn people that the men appear to have no affiliation to any Buddhist temple. 'Please be aware,' read one Facebook post, 'this is a scam'. Along the popular 1.5mile High Line elevated park, one of the robed men handed a couple a shiny, gold-colored medallion and a plastic beaded bracelet. He then showed them photos of a planned temple and barked, 'Ten dollars! Twenty dollars!' When they wouldn't give up cash, he snatched the trinkets back. Other brightly robed men have been spotted pulling the same routine, albeit more successfully, in Times Square, not far from where costumed characters such as Elmo, Minnie Mouse and the Naked Cowboy take pictures with tourists for tips. Some of the monks were later seen handing wads of cash to another man waiting nearby. A man who says he is a Buddhist monk hands a medallion to a woman as he solicits donations on New York City's Times Square The Associated Press tried to ask more than half-dozen of the men about their background and the temple they said the donations were being used to support. Each claimed to be a Buddhist monk collecting money for a temple in Thailand, but none could give its name or say where exactly it is located. All the men refused to give their names and ran off when pressed for answers. The men first started appearing at the High Line, a New York City public park that's maintained by a private nonprofit group, about three years ago, said Robert Hammond, executive director of Friends of the High Line. But it 'became excessive' in the past year, he said, with up to a dozen of the men accosting tourists at once and sometimes grabbing them to demand cash. On Wednesday, pedestrians pass a warning sign about fake monk panhandlers on The High Line, one of New York City's most visited attractions Panhandling on city streets isn't illegal in New York, as long as the person isn't acting aggressively. But the city's parks department has a rule that says it is unlawful to solicit money without a permit from the parks commissioner. When asked about the men, New York City Parks Commissioner Mitchell Silver initially said: 'I have no idea what you're talking about.' He later said that if the men aren't abiding by the law, 'the parks enforcement patrol will take care of it.' But parks department spokeswoman Crystal Howard said parks enforcement officers hadn't issued any summonses and the men's actions were 'aggressive panhandling,' a violation of state law that would be enforced by police. The fake Buddhist monks wear orange robes and carry shiny medallions, stopping people in New York City to offer greetings of peace - in 2014, a reporter followed one fake monk back to a flophouse where he used his cash to buy a jug of wine HOW TO TELL A FAKE MONK In general, monks associated with real temples do not go around soliciting money on the streets. 'There's not too many monks in New York City,' Rev. TK Nakagaki told the DailyMail. Real monks do not act aggressively, and would gladly offer a blessing without asking for money, and would certainly not demand a higher amount of money than the one offered. 'We would not just say 'give me the money,' says Nakagak. 'We would explain what we need it for, what we're doing with it.' Authentic monks typically would not acknowledge a donation, and would avoid eye contact. They would not sell beads, medallions, amulets, or rosaries. Monks associated with real temples should be able to answer questions about which temple they belong to, and wouldn't walk away or refuse to answer questions. A genuine monk should be able to answer questions about Buddhism, such as the Five Precepts. Advertisement New York City police say that in the rare cases when someone has called 911 against the men, they were usually gone by the time officers arrived. However, these monks are not new - and there have been sporadic attempts to control them. In 2014, at least nine fake monks were arrested on charges of aggressive begging or unlicensed vending, according to the New York Times. But their numbers seemed to have only increased. According to the Times, no one seems to know where they have come from, and Buddhists who have questioned them have not been able to get answers. A New York Times reporter, however, followed one fake monk back to Flushing, where he split his cash for the day with another man, bought a $12.99 jug of red wine, and went back to a flophouse where recent immigrants were living. A few days after the AP inquired about the men on the High Line, several signs were posted there with photos of them, warning visitors not to give money to panhandlers. Similarly robed men have been spotted in San Francisco, asking tourists to sign their 'peace petition' before demanding cash. They have also been spotted in other countries, such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Hong Kong and China. In China, authorities said the problem of 'fake' monks begging in the streets prompted them to create an online registry of all actual Buddhist and Taoist sites. Real New York City monks say the fake ones are impinging upon their reputations and making it difficult for them to walk around the city without getting the side eye. Puttar Chansomboon, a 32-year-old real monk from Thailand, said a man asked him if he was part of the same group of monks 'who are smoking and begging.' In Times Square, the warnings came too late for tourist Rob Cardillo, of Pennsylvania. He gave a robed man $10 to help out with his temple, without ever asking anything about the temple or what the money would be used for. Suspect was arrested and is currently in custody over the murder A Philadelphia man has been arrested for killing his girlfriend by shooting her with a crossbow. Police were called out to an address in the 3100 block of Willits Road in northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at just before 9.30pm on Sunday evening. When they arrived they found a 42-year-old woman had been shot through the chest with a crossbow, ABC 6 reports. A Philadelphia man has been arrested for killing his girlfriend by shooting her with a crossbow Police were called out to an address in the 3100 block of Willits Road in northeast Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at just before 9.30pm on Sunday evening. She was rushed to Aria-Torresdale Hospital where she was later pronounced dead. Police arrested a 40-year-old man at the address who identified as the victim's boyfriend. Officers say they had been called to the home in the past for domestic incidents. The man remained in custody on Sunday evening. Police have not yet released the names of the suspect and victim, or any possible motive. When emergency crews arrived they found a 42-year-old woman had been shot through the chest with a crossbow Incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte has slammed human rights campaigners as 'stupid' as he calls for the death penalty to be used for revenge. Duterte made the controversial statement during a lengthy speech in his hometown of Davao where he discussed the war he plans to wage on crime and his vision for the nation. The premier, who takes office on Thursday, said: 'These human rights (groups), congressmen, how stupid you are. I believe in retribution. Why? You should pay. When you kill someone, rape, you should die.' 'I believe in retribution. Why? You should pay. When you kill someone, rape, you should die,' incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte said Manman Dejeto (AFP) Duterte, 71, won last month's presidential elections in a landslide after campaigning largely on a platform of ending rampant crime - warning that the Philippines was in danger of becoming a narco-state. He promised that tens of thousands of people would die, with security forces being given shoot to kill orders. Since winning Duterte has also promised to give bounties to police for killing drug dealers, and also encouraged ordinary citizens to kill or arrest suspects. The leader has been accused of links to vigilante death squads during his nearly two decades as mayor of Davao, which rights groups say have killed more than 1,000 people. Local and foreign human rights groups have expressed deep concern about his plans as president, fearing an explosion of extrajudicial killings similar to those seen in Davao. The United Nations' human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, this month urged Duterte not to reintroduce the death penalty, while criticising other elements of the planned war on crime. The UN's human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein has urged Duterte not to reintroduce the death penalty, while criticising other elements of the planned war on crime Fabrice Coffrini (AFP/File) 'The offer of bounties and other rewards for murder by vigilantes, and his encouragement of extrajudicial killings by security forces, are massive and damaging steps backwards which could lead to widespread violence and chaos,' Zeid said. With just three days before assuming the presidency, Duterte stood firm. 'When they describe or characterise a human rights violator, these fools make it appear that the people you kill are saints, as if they are pitiful or innocent,' he said. Rodrigo Duterte has said he preferred death by hanging to a firing squad because he did not want to waste bullets Manman Dejeto (AFP) Duterte also added that European ambassadors were also among those who had expressed concern over the death penalty and extrajudicial killings. The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 2006 following fierce opposition from the Catholic Church, the religion of 80 percent of Filipinos. A group of four ISIS suicide bombers blew themselves up in a Christian village in Lebanon in killing five people and wounding at least 15. The National News Agency said the blasts occurred in Qaa, only a few hundred metres away from the Syrian border and that four men were involved in the rare multiple attack. According to eye witnesses, villagers became suspicious of the men as they were passing through the village around 4am local time. Lebanese security forces gather near the village of Qaa after four suicide bombers blew themselves up killing five people The National News Agency said the blasts occurred in Qaa, only a few hundred metres away from the Syrian border and that four men were involved in the rare multiple attack When civilian security men who guard the village called out to them, they threw a hand grenade before successively blowing themselves up among civilians. It was unclear why so many people were out on the street, but the villagers likely came out, drawn by the loudness of the grenade explosion. Also, it was not immediately clear what exactly the attackers were planning to target. The explosions occurred about 150 meters away from a Lebanese customs border point. Lebanon's Al-Manar news agency, which is owned by the militant group Hezbollah, said five people were killed and blamed the attack on ISIS. Soldiers guard the area where the attack took place. It was not immediately clear what exactly the attackers were planning to target Hezbollah has been fighting in Syria alongside President Bashar Assad's forces in the Syrian civil war, which has stoked sectarian tensions in Lebanon. Previous attacks in Lebanon have been claimed by the ISIS. It comes as Lebanese Christians in Qaa have taken up arms, setting up self-defense units to protect against potential attack by Muslim extremists from neighboring Syria. The village of Qaa, which 44 miles north of the city of Baalbek, is home to a large number of Syrian refugees who have fled conflict in the wartorn country. The village of Qaa, which 44 miles north of the city of Baalbek, is home to a large number of Syrian refugees who have fled conflict in the wartorn country Iraqi Special Forces have shared pictures of some of the treasured possessions they take with them into battle against ISIS. One soldier on the front line in Fallujah, Iraq, says he carries pictures of his brother's dead body on a mobile phone, while a third takes a prayer book and another carries a wolf's tooth. Iraqi forces were involved in a brutal months-long offensive to recapture the city, 40 miles west of Baghdad, before it was declared 'fully liberated' on Sunday. Pictures show some of the trinkets, badges and lucky charms carried by those who helped reclaim the city. Sergeant Ahmed Abdelaziz, 29, of Iraq's elite counter terrorism forces shows an ISIS video of his brother's death Private Mustafa Muhammed Saadoun, 21, shows a wolf's tooth he wears as a good luck charm, after coming back from a mission during the operation to oust ISIS from Fallujah Corporal Mustafa Saada, 25, shows an Islamic prayer book he carries as a good luck charm at Camp Tariq outside Fallujah Sergeant Ahmed Abdelaziz, with Iraq's special forces, has been almost continually deployed fighting ISIS ever since the militants overran nearly a third of Iraq in the summer of 2014. One of the items he takes with him when he goes into battle is a photo of his brother. It's not a smiling family portrait. It is a picture on his mobile phone of his brother Saad's body among hundreds of captured Iraqi troops killed in a 2014 massacre carried out by the jihadis. ISIS killed more than a thousand soldiers from Camp Speicher at a nearby Saddam Hussein-era complex of palaces in the city of Tikrit, north of Baghdad. At first, Abdelaziz hadn't been sure of his brother's fate, but his worst fears were confirmed when ISIS released a video of the massacre and he recognised Saad in it. On his phone, he flipped through a series of stills from the video, saying the grisly images are reminders of his purpose in the fight. Adding to a string of territorial victories against ISIS over the past year, Iraqi fighters on Sunday entered the last ISIS-held neighborhood of Fallujah and declared the city 'fully liberated.' Sergeant Malik Jaber wears green cloth from the revered Imam Abbas shrine on his body armour, at a front line position on the southern edge of Fallujah Sergeant Ahmed Abdelaziz, with Iraq's special forces, has been almost continually deployed fighting ISIS ever since the militants overran nearly a third of Iraq in the summer of 2014 'The fight in Fallujah is over,' the head of the counterterrorism forces leading the operation, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, said on Iraqi state TV, surrounded by flag-waving soldiers. The victory marked a new stage in a grueling, more than monthlong operation. Al-Saadi said his troops would now start clearing the bombs planted on Fallujah's streets and in houses by the retreating militants. As the fight against ISIS in Iraq enters its third year, the long back-to-back deployments are wearing many units in the country's fractured military thin. The mounting casualties among Iraqi forces have made the fight increasingly personal for those who remain. In a unit stationed nearby in southern Fallujah, Sergeant Ahmed Kamel, 26, said he also brings the memory of lost loved ones to the fight with him. On his right arm is the name of his brother Saadi tattooed in English cursive script. Kamel's brother was killed by the Mahdi army, a Shiite militia run by powerful cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, in 2008. Kamel's right arm bears the name of a fallen comrade: Namar. He died fighting the Islamic State group. At positions on the operation's front lines, Iraqi troops carry a variety religious objects and good luck charms into battle. Sergeant Ahmed Kamel, 26, rests during the midday heat at a battle position on the southern edge of Fallujah. He has three tattoos: the name of his brother, Saadi, who was killed by the Mahdi Army in 2008, the name of a comrade, Namar, who was killed fighting the Islamic State group; and the Iraqi flag Sergeant Muayd Saad wears a watch given to him by his wife as he checks his phone on the southern edge of Fallujah In this Wednesday, June 8, 2016 photo, Sgt. Majid Rahim, 26, of Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces shows his dog tag and a special forces pendant at a battle position on the southern edge of Fallujah, Iraq during a military operation to oust Islamic State militants from the city. A senior Iraqi commander declared that the city of Fallujah was 'fully liberated' from Islamic State group militants on Sunday, June 26, 2016 after a more than monthlong military operation. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo) Patches and a Shiite pin adorn the body armour belonging to a soldiers from Iraq's elite counterterrorism forces 'Most people in Iraq, they just have faith in God and they don't feel like they need things like this,' said 1st Sergeant Muayd Saad, explaining why some of his friends who aren't in the military don't understand why his considers the watch his wife gave him on their anniversary to be good luck. 'In the whole fight against IS, I have never taken it off, not even to sleep,' he said. Stationed at the nearby Camp Tariq, Private Mustafa Muhammed Saadoun, 21, wears a wolf's tooth on a necklace. He says the charm makes him stronger and less fearful. First Sergeant Malik Jaber keeps a strip of green fabric from the revered Imam Abbas shrine in Karbala tied to the shoulder of his body armour. He says he credits the holy object with saving his life when the Special Forces were fighting ISIS in Beiji, the central Iraqi town that is also home to a key oil refinery. 'I touched this cloth and I prayed and that's when the airstrike hit,' Jaber says. The airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition took out the small IS unit that that had him and a dozen other Iraqi troops pinned down inside a house. 'This time it will keep me safe again,' Jaber said, 'God willing.' Queensland licensing laws have banned 30ml shots after midnight to cut down on alcohol-related violence - but drinkers can get around the new law by ordering spirits in tumblers and 'promising to only sip' their drinks. The new reforms are aimed at stopping revellers having 'rapid intoxication drinks' by banning shots being served after midnight. But the drawback is that bars can still serve 45ml of spirits in tumblers, the Gold Coast Bulletin reports. It basically means that customers can actually order one-and-a-half shots of whatever they want so long as they take their time and drink it slowly. Queensland licensing laws have banned shots after midnight - but drinkers can still get around the new law by ordering spirits in tumblers (stock image) The State Government confirmed that 'premium spirits' larger than shots are still served after midnight for patrons wanting whiskey or similar drinks. It is a loophole that seems to make a nonsense of the new regulation that has supposedly seen shots banned after midnight. The scenario was a 'ridiculous' one according to Surfers Paradise Licensed Venues Association president Tim Martin. 'It's quite bizarre. You can't order a shot after midnight but you can order a scotch neat, or a sambuca neat,' Mr Martin said. 'We can't serve 30ml in a shot glass but you can have it in a big glass and have an extra 15ml. It's just ridiculous.' State Government confirmed that 'premium spirits' larger than shots are still served after midnight for patrons wanting whiskey or similar drinks (stock image) What makes the ban even more confusing is that it also does not include full-strength cocktails, which can still be served after midnight and are completely exempt from the the ban. Liberal MP for Surfers Paradise John-Paul Langbroek is a vocal critic of the legislation and called the new regulations a 'nanny state gone crazy'. 'There is no practical reality with these laws. It shows you how this government is making it up as it goes along.' A prominent French minister has joined calls for the Calais migrant camps to be moved across the English Channel after Britain voted to leave the European Union. Emmanuel Macron said Paris should renounce the 2003 bilateral agreement that effectively moved Britains border with France to the French side of the Channel, where migrants are massed. The economy minister and Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart are among those wanting to tear up the Le Touquet accord, which allows UK border officials to stop migrants before they try to cross. In the Calais Jungle: The UKs border with France begins on French soil, allowing British officials to check passports and stop migrants before they attempt the Channel crossing While Britains EU membership should theoretically have no impact on the treaty, Frances Socialist-led cabinet insists it will have big consequences for Franco-British relations, reported The Times. According to a report by journalists Adam Sage and Graham Paton, Mr Macron told a conference at the Paris Institute of Political Studies that the accord would inevitably have to be re-discussed. It comes four months after the 38-year-old cabinet member, who is considering a presidential bid next year, warned: The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais. In February Prime Minister David Cameron, who will step down by October after last weeks Brexit vote, warned that a decision to leave the EU could mean the end of British border checks in Calais. Calls: Economy minister Emmanuel Macron (left) and Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart (right) are among those wanting to tear up an accord which allows UK border officials to stop migrants before they try to cross There would be nothing to stop thousands of people crossing the Channel overnight, he said. He also claimed Brexit would result in the migrant camp known as the Jungle moving to Kent. The Government insisted yesterday that Brexit would not lead to changes to the Le Touqet treaty. But in Calais, Miss Bouchart said: We are in a strong position to push. We must put everything on the table and there must be an element of division, of sharing. Mr Bertrand, the centre-Right president of the Hauts-de-France region, wrote on Twitter: The English wanted to take back their freedom, they must take back their border. But a senior figure in Brussels has said he thinks UK will stay in the union Top figures in Brussels don't believe Britain will go through with leaving the EU, with diplomats questioning whether the UK will ever trigger the formal divorce process. A country leaving the union must formally notify the European Council, setting the clock ticking on a two-year period to negotiate its split. But a senior EU diplomat said last night that he believes the UK will never actual embark on the move and will end up staying in the union. 'We want London to trigger Article 50 now, to have clarity. I expect, as we can't force them, for them to take their time,' the diplomat said. 'And I would not exclude, it's my personal belief, that they may never do it.' Scroll down for video A top figure in Brussels has said he does not believe Britain will ever formally apply to leave the EU The official did not specify if he believed Britain would avoid leaving by holding a new referendum, or simply dragging out the process to extract a better divorce deal. But the diplomat, who refused to be named, insisted all such decisions were up to London. David Cameron has said he will resign by October and that it is for his successor to launch the process and lead the negotiations. Despite growing pressure from EU leaders, Cameron was not expected to trigger Article 50 at an EU summit on Tuesday, another senior EU official said. Britain's EU partners believed the notification should come by Christmas at the latest. 'There cannot be any kind of negotiation with Britain before there is a notification.' Meanwhile the EU had received 'thousands' of emails from Britons since Friday saying they were unhappy with the result, including some from people who had voted to leave the EU and were now regretting it. David Cameron has said he will stay as Prime Minister until a new leader is appointed to start the process 'It's the first time after a decade of hate mail from Britain, we are flooded with love emails,' said the diplomat. It comes amid fears British and European politicians are plotting to prevent the UK from leaving the EU. Tony Blair, Nicola Sturgeon, some pro-Remain MPs and a senior German official said yesterday that a rethink was needed on the consequences of quitting the Brussels club. Blair said a second referendum on the UKs membership should not be ruled out while SNP leader Sturgeon warned Scottish MSPs have to give their legislative consent to leaving and she would advise them to veto it. Iain Duncan Smith said the Europhiles were bad losers yesterday. There is a lot of bad losing here from the Europhiles, the former Tory leader told the Mail. This was one of the biggest turnouts since the war and there is no justification for a second referendum whatsoever. Two men thought to have been killed in the floods of hard-hit Greenbrier, West Virginia, have been found alive, according to West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. The men were believed to have been swept away by raging waters in a flooding that has destroyed hundreds of homes and devastated communities in the state. Officials have not yet released details about the men, but confirmed the death toll is now two people lower than previously thought. Scroll down for video More than 20 West Virginia counties were under a flash flood watch Monday as heavy rain continues to ravage the state West Virginians have feared losing all their belongings and homes in the floodwaters. Constance Reynolds (pictured) cries out after seeing her grandfather's collection of vintage acoustic guitars stored safely on her son's top bunkbed Theresa Havers (pictured) helps clean out the kitchen of her son's home after flooding in Rainelle, West Virginia The National Weather Service said downpours were possible in many areas, including hard-hit Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties Twenty bodies have been recovered and three more people are believed to be dead. The flooding in West Virginia has been deemed the state's third-deadliest-ever on record, according to the National Weather Service. Between four and ten inches fell last week, and while the NWS isn't expecting anywhere near that amount, more than 20 counties were under a flash flood watch Monday. Downpours were possible in many areas already ravaged by flooding, including Kanawha and Nicholas counties, the NWS said. The forecast also included hardest-hit Greenbrier County, where 17 people have died and floodwaters have yet to recede. Many residents were still trying to come to grips with ruined property and lost lives before the latest rounds of storms hit. Governor Earl Ray Tomblin's administration still believes there are people missing in Greenbrier County, chief of staff Chris Stadelman said. On Sunday, dozens of residents from flooded-out Rainelle remained at a shelter more than 25 miles away at the Ansted Baptist Church, where singing from inside mixed with the bustle of activity outside. The church's gymnasium has been converted to a shelter and is also a drop-off point for donated goods as well as a makeshift kennel for dog owners. For now, it's home for Jerry Reynolds, his wife, Janice, and his brother, Marcus Reynolds. Janice Reynolds said she drove back to Rainelle on Saturday to survey the damage. She said her home was destroyed, a vehicle was lost in the floodwaters and the community 'smelled like death.' The forecast also included hardest-hit Greenbrier County, where 17 people have died and floodwaters have yet to recede Lieutenent Dennis Feazell, of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, rows his boat as he and a co-worker search flooded homes in Rainelle West Virginia Natural Resources police officer Chris Lester, left, walks into the top floor of a flooded home as he and Feazell search homes Flood survivor T.J. Parker plays with his dog, Titan, at the Ansted Baptist Church in Ansted, West Virginia on Sunday Nina the cat (pictured) sits inside a pet crate after being rescued from flash flooding outside a home in Rainelle Jerry Reynolds says the flood was 'the worst thing I've ever seen'. But as he sat in his car at the shelter, he declared that 'we're survivors. We'll make it.' Marcus Reynolds even found a bit of humor amid the sorrow. 'While we're at it, would you be interested in any oceanfront property?' he said. 'I understand there's some available.' Bill Kious of Rainelle was asked how those at the shelter, many of them on modest incomes, were able to laugh. 'Frankly, because we've lived a rough lifestyle,' Kious said. 'It's a nature to us that we can't get rid of.' Rick Lewis of the Nuttall Fire Department said 129 people were staying Sunday at the church gymnasium. Many more Rainelle residents were sent to other shelters, he said. Among those taking advantage of the shelter's kennel was T.J. Parker of Rainelle and his pet Titan. Randy Chapman (left), 55, passes a chair to his wife, Jamie Chapman (right), 48, through what was formerly the kitchen wall of their home after flooding in Falling Rock, West Virginia West Virginia Natural Resources police officer Chris Lester searches a flooded home in Rainelle after flooding destroyed the house On Saturday, approximately 32,000 West Virginia homes and businesses remain without power and many people had to flee to shelters West Virginia State Trooper C.S. Hartman (pictured), walks from a shed that he checked out as he and other crews search homes in Rainelle Parker said he and Titan had to swim four blocks to safety. Along the way, he stopped to rescue an elderly man calling for help and brought him through floodwaters to a fire department. Parker said he had to go under water and hold his breath to support the man, then come up for air. 'I realize that sounds crazy, but you have to do what you have to do at that time,' Parker said. Volunteer Randy Halsey said the donated items at the church were heading specifically to Rainelle. He said it was difficult to estimate how many items had been donated because 'as soon as it comes in, it's going right back out.' Authorities have yet to start sizing up the flood damage in West Virginia. The 1985 floods left 47 dead in West Virginia, more than half of them in Pendleton and Grant counties. The state is experiencing its third deadliest flood in the recorded history of the state, according to the National Weather Service Approximately four to ten inches fell on West Virginia last week and while the state is no longer anticipating that kind of rainfall, it is still expected to see more heavy downpours Taylor Self of Charleston lays pictures out to dry as she takes a break from cleaning Sherry and Kelly Cole's house, who are her best friend's parents Rikki Spinks(pictured, left) and Crystal Evans (pictured, right) mop the floors of Bob and Janice Evan's house in Clendenin Greenbrier county (pictured) has been the hardest-hit with approximately 17 of the 25 dead killed in the region The Potomac River at Paw Paw crested 29 feet above flood stage. More than 3,500 homes, 180 businesses and 43 bridges statewide were destroyed. Twenty-nine counties were declared federal disaster areas. The Potomac River at Paw Paw crested 29 feet above flood stage. More than 3,500 homes, 180 businesses and 43 bridges statewide were destroyed. Twenty-nine counties were declared federal disaster areas. 'This is the worst I've ever seen,' said Fayette County Sheriff's Sgt. Bill Mooney, who served in the National Guard during massive floods in 2000-01. 'Nobody expected 7 inches of (rain) in three hours.' About 18,000 homes and businesses remained without power Sunday. It marked the first day people can apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency aid in Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties. President Barack Obama's signature Saturday on the federal disaster declaration lets residents in the three counties get aid for temporary housing and home repairs, receive low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and qualify for other assistance for individuals and business owners. Federal money to help the state and local governments is also available on a cost-sharing basis. FEMA officials were in the state to begin assessing the damage to infrastructure, homes and other property. The floods prohibited Georgia resident David Stephens from doing contract work spraying weed killer to eliminate vegetation around poles. He saw someone buying water at a store and asked where the water was heading. So he went to the church in Ansted to help move donated supplies along. 'I just want to do whatever I can to help,' Stephens said. FEMA officials in the state have begun assessing the damage to infrastructure, homes and other property fiercely progressive and she and Clinton have been frosty in the past but she is now being vetted as a potential running mate , Ohio, in first campaign rally as a pair Elizabeth Warren gave Donald Trump a taste of what he can expect on the campaign trail if Hillary Clinton picks her to be her vice president - a daily tongue lashing that rivals his own scorched-earth tactics against his opponents. Introducing Clinton, Warren ripped into the Republican billionaire today at a rally in Cincinnati, Ohio - her first time on stage with the Democrat. 'When Donald Trump says he'll make America great, he means make it even greater for rich guys just like Donald Trump,' Warren charged. 'That's who Donald Trump is - the guy who wants it all for himself.' Trump is a 'small, insecure money grubber,' she said, reviving a recent attack on real estate mogul. And he looks 'goofy' in his Make America Great hat, Warren said, mocking him with the same word he used to ridicule her. 'Watch out, he will crush you into the dirt to get whatever he wants,' the progressive senator warned. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Elizabeth Warren gave Donald Trump a taste of what he can expect on the campaign trail if Hillary Clinton picks her to be her vice president - a daily tongue lashing that rivals his own scorched-earth tactics against his opponents 'When Donald Trump says he'll make America great, he means make it even greater for rich guys just like Donald Trump,' Warren charged. 'That's who Donald Trump is - the guy who wants it all for himself' Introducing Clinton, Warren ripped into the Republican billionaire today at a rally in Cincinnati, Ohio - her first time on stage with the Democrat Still in her first-term, Warren has built up a loyal following in the left flank of the Democratic Party. She was the preferred candidate of progressives in the presidential election but took a pass on the Oval. Bernie Sanders ran instead. And while he lost to Clinton in the end, the independent energized a faction of the party that's hungry to see it take on America's richest 1 percent. They say Clinton is too centric, and they won't vote for her in November unless she absorbs at least some of the policies that Sanders ran - especially a more aggressive approach to regulating Wall Street. Warren cut her teeth in politics on making the wealthy pay their fair share and would help Clinton with that crowd. She's reportedly on the campaign's shortlist to serve as vice president, though it won't formally confirm the Massachusetts lawmaker is being vetted. On Monday in Cincinnati the campaign took the duo out for a test drive, with Clinton and Warren delivering a companion speeches that weaved their background and childhoods into a singular vision of a new American Dream. 'You just saw why she is considered so formidable, because she tells it like it is,' Clinton said when Warren had finished. Warren is reportedly on the campaign's shortlist to serve as vice president, though it won't formally confirm she is being vetted On Monday in Cincinnati the campaign took the duo out for a test drive, with Clinton and Warren delivering a companion speeches that weaved their background and childhoods into a singular vision of a new American Dream GIRL POWER: If Clinton picks Warren, the nation could have its first woman president AND vice president Pre-empting Warren's speech, Trump reprised his assault on Warren over her past claims that she's Native American. 'Crooked Hillary is wheeling out one of the least productive senators in the U.S. Senate, goofy Elizabeth Warren, who lied on heritage.' Warren retorted at the rally, 'Donald Trump says he will make America great again. It is right there... it's stamped on the front of his goofy hat. 'You want to see goofy? Look at him in that hat,' she said. When Trump says he'll Make America Great Again 'great for who exactly?' she pressed. 'For families that don't fly to Scotland to play golf?' Clinton later remarked, 'I do just love to see how she gets under Donald Trump's skin.' His campaign said in a statement after their joint appearance on Monday morning that Warren' has become a turncoat for the causes she supposedly supports. 'Warren claims that Wall Street businesses have too much influence in D.C., by paying barely disguised bribes, through campaign contributions. The Clinton campaign has accepted over $41 million this cycle from Wall Street interests,' it said. She also states she is against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Clinton helped to author, as a member of Obama's cabinet. 'Warrens campaigning for Clinton stands in stark contrast to the liberal ideals she once practiced,' Trump's campaign said, lambasting Warren and Clinton for the 'sad attempt at pandering to the Sanders wing.' Trump meanwhile went off on Warren over her 'heritage' in an NBC in interview where he called made fun of her and called her 'Pocahontas.' Supporters stand outside the Cincinnati Museum unable to get in to today's rally in Cincinnati. The Line was more than a block long when the campaign closed the doors At Monday's event Warren showed Trump her teeth, telling a packed crowd at Cincinnati's former train station that Trump cheered Britain's 'current crisis' - it's exit from the European Union - because 'it might bring more rich people' to his Scottish golf course. 'He cheered on students desperate enough to sign up for his fake university so he can bleed them dry and turn a profit for himself,' she said. Warren asked, rhetorically, 'What kind of a man does that? What kind of a man roots for people to lose their jobs, to lose their homes, to lose their life's savings? 'I'll tell you what kind of a man - a small, insecure money grubber who fights for no one but himself,' she charged. 'What kind of a man? A nasty man who will never become president of the United States.' As she closed Warren hinted at a future role in Clinton's campaign and said, 'You know I could do this all day.' Clinton said she was 'thrilled' to have Warren at her side today 'because we want to make the point together that we must have an economy that works for everyone again, not just those at the top. Not just the rich or the well-connected. Everybody.' And she again hit Trump for allowing his signature products to be made in other countries. 'Trump's suits were made in Mexico. He could've had them made in Brooklyn, Ohio. Trump Furniture is made in Turkey, instead of Cleveland. Trump Barware is made in Slovenia, instead of Toledo,' she said, naming large Ohio cities. Clinton added, 'How does that all fit into his talk about America first?' And that's just the start, she said. 'This is a man who plays coy with white supremacists and mocks people with disabilities, who talks about banning an entire religion from entering our country, who advocates getting rid of gun free zones in schools, letting more countries have nuclear weapons, defaulting on our national debt, turning back the clock on marriage equality... 'And just like Elizabeth, I could go on and on,' Clinton said. Wrapping up her rant, Clinton said, 'This is someone whose reaction to the horrific mass shooting in Orlando was to publicly congratulate himself. 'When Britain voted to leave the European Union, he crowed from his golf course about how the disruption could end up creating higher profits for that golf course, even though, within 24 hours, Americans lost $100 billion from our 401(k)s. He tried to turn a global economics challenge into a infomercial. Clinton said, 'Imagine Donald Trump sitting in the Oval Office the next time America faces a crisis.' Prior to her 2012 election to the U.S. Senate, Warren helped found the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. She couldn't have been nominated to lead it - Republicans in the Senate would have revolted - and so she was passed over. She then ran against incumbent Scott Brown for his seat in the U.S. Senate and won despite the scandal over her Native American heritage that had Republicans calling her 'Fauxcahonas.' In 2014 she wrote a letter along with 12 other Democratic women in the U.S. Senate encouraging Clinton to run. She did not endorse her until the end of primary, however. Warren sat on the sidelines while Sanders took Clinton on and did not give the former secretary of state her support until she was the clear winner. Her willingness to campaign for the ex-New York senator has Republicans calling her a 'sellout' given her history with Clinton. She blasted Clinton in her 2003 for flip-flopping on a bankruptcy bill and said the former first lady was being influenced by campaign donors in the banking business. On a call hosted by the Republican National Committee Monday afternoon Brown said it was 'uncomfortable' to watch Warren embracing Clinton on stage today. Clinton took millions from Wall Street for paid speeches she still won't make public, he pointed out. 'I'm not sure how she can justify it, supporting the queen of Wall Street,' the ousted U.S. senator said. Between the two of them they have quite a few 'credibility' issues, he said, mentioning Warren's 'heritage.' 'As we all know she's not Native American,' he said. 'She has no Native American background except for what her family told her.' A Greens candidate has been left outraged by thugs who visited his house at night to 'intimidate' his 15-year-old daughter by yelling and tearing down election signs in their front yard when he wasn't home. Scott Jordan, who is running for the seat of Braddon in western Tasmania, was out when the men visited his family's home earlier this month. He said the group of six were drunk when they began hurling abuse at his terrified daughter after she told them he was not at home. The teenager locked herself inside and turned off all the lights before phoning her parents who contacted police, Mr Jordan said. Greens candidate Scott Jordan has shared his fury after drunk thugs turned up at his home when he was out to tear down election signs (above) in his front yard and yell at his 15-year-old daughter The father-of-four took to social media to condemn the incident but vowed not to be deterred in his campaign efforts. 'Several men came to my home tonight, tore down signage from my yard and after being told by my fifteen year old daughter that I was not home, proceeded to yell at the house in a manner aimed at intimidating a teenage girl who is not on any ballot paper,' he fumed. Mr Jordan also made mention of British MP Jo Cox who was shot dead in the same week in England in the post which condemned political violence. 'Two nights ago a British MP was shot. Democracy should be passionate. It should be earnest. It should be contested with vigor. The father-of-four took to social media to share his outrage but vowed not to slow down his campaign Mr Jordan said police attended the incident earlier this month but that he was satisfied with his family's safety 'It should not be thugs in the dark terrifying a fifteen year old,' he continued. Mr Jordan is running for the seat of Braddon in west Tasmania He later revealed his daughter was so scared she locked herself in the hallway and turned off all the lights in the house before phoning her parents. 'She was quite frightened, she phoned us, she locked herself in the hallway of the house and turned off all the lights. 'It's unacceptable, it's not the sort of thing that a 15-year-old girl should have to go through,' he told the ABC. Tasmania Police was not available for comment on Monday afternoon. Mr Jordan won the support of social media users with his post about the incident, with scores commenting beneath it to share their disgust. He said it had prompted him to put up a new sign in his front yard which reads 'Standing up for what matters' and offered spares to fans. Braddon is the second largest electorate in Tasmania and is currently held by Liberal MP Brett Whiteley. It has never elected a Greens candidate, swaying between Liberal and Labor for the past 60 years. At the 2013 Federal Election the party's candidate Melissa Houghton came fourth with 3,410 votes - fewer than a tenth of those won by Mr Whiteley. Russian security services have raided dozens of locations across the country linked to the Church of Scientology as part of a long running battle between authorities and the US-based organisation. The Federal Security Service (FSB) said officers 'conducted simultaneous searches' at 14 addresses in Moscow and St Petersburg as part of a probe into alleged money laundering and illegal businesses dealings by the Church of Scientology. Russia's justice ministry has long been pushing to prohibit the organisation, which some countries treat as a legitimate faith but others consider to be a cult. Police begin a search after raiding a Church of Scientology address in Moscow as part of an investigation into alleged illegal businesses dealings Last November a Russian court banned the activities of the Moscow branch of the Church of Scientology after authorities argued in part that since it had registered its name as a US trademark, it cannot call itself a religious organisation. The ruling came after a lower-level district court rejected the church's appeal against a justice ministry's decision not to register it as a religious organisation. And a statement carried by Russian news agencies said: 'Objects and documents were found and seized that proved the version of the investigators about the marketing functions for goods and services of the Church of Scientology of Saint Petersburg in violation of the law.' According to RIA, scientologists have been providing consultation services in fields such as education without registration, therefore, they have been evading taxes. Last August, Moscow investigators said separately that they had opened a criminal probe after finding hidden microphones and cameras in the Moscow church's premises. Russia's justice ministry has long been pushing to prohibit the organisation, which some countries treat as a legitimate faith but others consider to be a cult However, a spokesperson for the Church, Nataliya Alekseeva, has condemned the raids telling RT that they are 'outraged by the position of the investigating authorities.' She also added that the organisation is working for the 'good of the country' by helping to tackle social problems. The Scientology Church was founded in the United States in 1954 by science-fiction writer L. Ron Hubbard and was accorded the status of religion there in 1993. The European Court of Human Rights has several times ruled in favour of the church, saying that Russia violated its rights by refusing to register its churches in various regions. This is the moment U.S. actor Jesse Eisenberg clashed with Christian anti-Pride protesters in London, telling them they 'are so f**** up'. Video footage shows the star of hit film The Social Network making his way through the capital on a 'Boris bike' on Saturday when he comes across a group of people preaching about Christianity. Wording on the placards including 'abstain from fleshy lusts, which war against the soul', and 'when Pride commeth, then commeth shame', leads to the 32-year-old shaking his head in disbelief. This the moment Jesse Eisenbrg was offered a leaflet by anti-Pride protesters, which he declined and told the group that they were 'f***** up' It appears as though Jesse Eisenberg could not quite believe what he was seeing when he came across the anti-Pride protesters in London on Saturday He spends time staring at those preaching, with a shocked expression, and continues to shake his head. One of the men, wearing a suit and blue tie, then tries to offer Eisenberg a leaflet, asking him on two occasions if his 'mind is closed'. This seems to be the tipping point, and Eisenberg responds by saying 'It's so f***** sad', before telling the group they are 'so f***** up'. The 32-year-old actor was enjoying a ride around the capital on a 'Boris bike' when he encountered the group The star of the movie The Social Network, where he played Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, spent time reading the groups placards The Christian anti-Pride protesters had brought with them many placards to London Eisenberg is performing in a West End play in London. He is arguably best known for playing Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in the 2010 hit film The Social Network, for which he received BAFTA Award, Golden Globe, and Academy Award nominations in the Best Actor category. The New York-born actor also co-starred as Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, and is set to return to cinema screens in Now You See Me 2, released on July 4. The group were holding placards in their protest, that left Eisenberg shaking his head in disbelief Eisenberg didn't spend much more time engaging with the anti-Pride group, after walking off disgusted Jesse Eisenberg is perhaps best known for his role in the 2010 film The Social Network, where he played Mark Zuckerberg Pride is the annual celebration of LGBT rights that is celebrated across the nation. Thousands of people flocked to the capital to take part in the celebrations at the weekend. One of the highlights from this year's festival was the moment a police officer involved in the parade took the opportunity to break ranks and popped the question to his boyfriend - much to the delight of the cheering crowds. Heartwarming footage shows cops marching in formation during the parade on Regent Street in the heart of London. But one police officer breaks ranks and gets down on one knee to his boyfriend, Jonathan Sammons, who was in the crowd with friends. Advertisement A man who helped an 11-year-old boy 'crushed' in the wreckage of a rollercoaster said it was a 'miracle' surgeons had been able to save his hand. Paul Mcfadden raced to help screaming victims after a ride derailed and fell 20ft to the ground at M&D's theme park in Motherwell, near Glasgow. Among those trapped in the mangled carriage yesterday was schoolboy Liam Boyle, one of seven children injured in the accident. Mr Mcfadden, 34, crouched down and comforted Liam, holding his left hand and keeping him distracted from the severe injuries to his right arm. He described the horrific scene, saying the boy's hand was 'hanging off'. Speaking today, he said it was incredible that Liam's hand had been saved. Liam is believed to be among three children who remain in a serious condition in hospital following the incident yesterday afternoon. Another boy, 12, suffered chest and leg injuries in the accident yesterday while a 14-year-old girl is being treated for chest injuries. William Murray, 19, from South Lanarkshire, who was wounded alongside girlfriend Katie Mcardle, is being treated for a knee injury. It comes as the theme park owner admitted that the ride was closed the day before the derailment because of a 'minor electrical fault'. But Douglas Taylor, director of M&D's theme park, claimed that each and every ride within the park is safety checked on a daily basis. Scroll down for videos Family day out: Hero father of one Paul Mcfadden, pictured with his fiancee Lisa Richardson, niece Grace Eve, seven, and two-year-old son Andrew, just an hour before the crash at M&D's theme park in Motherwell, near Glasgow, yesterday afternoon Wreckage: Feet are seen flailing in the air in this terrifying photograph of the upturned carriage following the crash at M&D's theme park Horrific: Witnesses and emergency workers raced to help trapped passengers after the carriage plummeted to the ground yesterday Investigation: Police officers were seen working beneath a tent near the rollercoaster at M&D's theme park today Katie Mcardle and boyfriend William were both taken to hospital after being 'badly hurt' when the Tsunami ride derailed and plummeted 20ft In a statement, he added: Our thoughts are with the people who have been injured and their families. We hope everyone makes a full recovery. My brother Matthew and I have been in business together for 50 years and this is the first incident of this type that we've ever been involved in. We are devastated as both a family and a business, and our heart goes out to everone who has been affected by this accident. The scene of the crash remained cordoned off today as police and safety experts launched an investigation into the cause of the accident. DRAMATIC ESCAPE OF BOY, THREE A three-year-old boy was 'inches from death' when pieces of the Tsunami rollercoaster crashed to the ground around him, his shocked mother has revealed. Survivor: Three-year-old Dylan with his father Mark and mother Amy Thomas Amy Thomas, 24, watched as parts of the ride flew 'just two feet away' from her son Dylan's head yesterday, while he was on a small green motorbike on a children's ride underneath. The boy was quickly taken away by his father Mark Thomas, 31, but his mother was so stunned that she could not even more. Mrs Thomas told MirrorOnline: We were at the toddlers' motorbike ride when I heard a crash and it came down. All the parts started flying about. He was two feet away from it. My husband ran and grabbed him but I couldn't move. She added that she was completely shaken up and has not stopped crying or thinking about the worst that could have happened. Advertisement The crash happened on the first weekend of the school holidays and the park, which attracts around 750,000 visitors a year, had been busy. The carriage of the white-knuckle rollercoaster, which reaches speeds of up to 40mph, reportedly came off the tracks while hurtling around a corner. Nine passengers, including Miss Mcardle, Mr Murray and seven children were on board. Bystanders reported watching it 'drop like a bomb' while others saw it 'flip' through the air as it crashed to the ground. Photographs show parents and rescue workers desperately trying to help those trapped. In one image, passengers can be clearly seen stuck upside down in their seats with their legs stuck in the air. One woman described the scene as 'like something out of a horror film'. Mr Mcfadden was visiting the park with his fiancee Lisa Richardson, two-year-old son Andrew and niece Grace Eve, seven, when he witnessed the disaster. He was one of a number of heroic bystanders who rushed to help the victims. Describing seeing Liam caught up in the carriage, he said: 'I honestly thought his hand would be gone. It was carnage. You could see the full bone at his wrist. His hand was hanging right off - like off his arm. I was holding his left hand and kept him distracted.' The schoolboy was taken to the Royal Hospital for Children in nearby Glasgow. His grandfather Thomas Campbell, from Glasgow, said last night that Liam had undergone and 'six to eight-hour' operation to save his hand. Today Mr Campbell posted an update, saying the operation has been a success. 'Hand recovery will take a while but at least we know he's going to be alright thanks for all the support much appreciated,' he wrote. Speaking after the announcement, Mr Mcfadden, from Grangemouth in Stirlingshire, said the result was a 'miracle'. He said: 'God knows how long it will take to properly heal though. He has obviously gone through hell on what should have been his first fun day of school holidays.' It is understood Liam will require further surgery tomorrow. Mr Mcfadden has now set up a fundraising page to help Liam and the other crash victims, saying: 'I feel like it's my duty now to make sure he is okay.' Mr Mcfadden has also bought Liam a new iPhone and jumper because his were destroyed in the crash, and plans to visit him in hospital. Liam is one of four boys still at the Royal Hospital for Children. The 12-year-old who suffered chest, abdominal and leg injuries is described as being in a serious condition. Another boy, aged 11, is in a stable condition and is receiving treatment for leg and head injuries. A fourth boy, 13, is also stable. A 14-year-old girl is receiving treatment at Wishaw General Hospital for serious chest injuries. A boy,16, has been released after being treated for an arm injuries. An 11-year-old boy has been kept in the hospital for observation and is stable. A 25 year old woman who was passing-by the scene was also taken to Wishaw General Hospital for assessment but was released without any injuries. Some witnesses said it had been raining heavily just before the accident at 3.49pm and that other rides in the amusement park had been closed due to the weather conditions. The park will remain closed while a joint Police Scotland and Health and Safety Executive investigation is carried out. Miss Mcardle described hearing people 'screaming' as she and boyfriend Mr Murray dangled upside down in the carriage, saying she 'thought she was going to die'. Writing on Facebook, Miss Mcardle, said she and Mr Murray were both 'badly hurt with bruises'. She said: 'I have a broken wrist and bruised and battered and Williams knee came out of place and he's also bruised badly.' Mr Murray, of Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, is stable and receiving treated for a knee injury at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Miss Mcardle was discharged from hospital after having her wrist treated and was visiting her boyfriend today. Details of victims' injuries emerged today. Pictured, officers at the Motherwell theme park, which will remain closed until further notice Police officers cordoned off an area of the park as the investigation continued. Right, Douglas Taylor, director of M&D at the park today Patrons were evacuated from the theme park in the wake of the accident and was deserted today after being closed indefinitely A police van remained outside the theme park today as officers and officials continued to investigate what went wrong with the ride Miss Mcardle later wrote she had 'never been so scared in her entire life'. 'Honestly thought I was going to die today, sitting in that carriage upside down with everyone screaming,' she said. 'Turning round and not seeing William beside me was the worst! We are honestly so so lucky , there is definitely someone watching over us both. 'We are both still in shock and have a few injuries but just so lucky to be alive. Not seen william since it all happened but I here he's doing alright [sic].' The teenager later added that she had been having 'flashbacks' about her horrific experience. Speaking from the family home in, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Katie's mother Kathleen Mcardle, 53, said her daughter was 'still a bit shaken' following the crash. Mrs Mcardle said: 'What happened was both ridiculous and terrible. They're lucky to be okay. It's such a shame for everyone who was on the rollercoaster. It seemed like an accident waiting to happen. I couldn't believe it was them. You never think it's going to happen to one of your own. 'It was so scary. She tried phoning me but she was too upset so it was someone who was with her who broke the news to me.' Katie Burns said she had just finished riding the Tsunami rollercoaster and was walking past when the carriage crashed with children on board. On Facebook, she wrote: 'Literally got off the Tsunami at M&Ds and then walking past and the next lot of people get on and the full thing goes off the tracks. Honestly never been so scared in my life, with this weather they should not be on. 'Kids and adults are still on it upside down, it's like something out a horror film, children crying and everything. Literally can't believe this, my heart goes out to everyone on it, a full load came off the track but and on the pavement, like a horror film worse thing ever heard and seen, can't get over this.' Response: Unconfirmed reports suggest the carriage fell on to a toddlers' ride. Pictured, a specialist operation team were on the scene Terrifying: Victims were heard screaming from the mangled remains of the rollercoaster carriage at the theme park, pictured Probe: The theme park will remain closed while an investigation is carried out by the police and the Health and Safety Executive Injuries: One witness said he tried to help a young boy who 'may have lost a hand' after it was 'crushed' in the catastrophic incident Mary Hughes, 39, a local takeaway worker, said: I saw two people injured. One person had put a teddy under the head of the man. They were surrounded by people. One looked about 13. There was blood on their clothes. There were kids and adults crying. Its not what you expect to see on a family day out. Nicola Watson, 23, from Glasgow, who was at the park with her two children aged five and two and her partner, said: We heard a big crash. There was screaming, but everyone responded fast. We were about 30ft away. If we werent waiting in line it could have hit us. A big rollercoaster like that was too close to kiddies rides. Most of the big rollercoasters were closed because of the weather. I dont know why it wasnt closed. Witness James Millerick, who was queuing for another rollercoaster at the time, said he heard 'shrieks' and rushed over to help. He told Sky News: 'When we got there the rollercoaster had come off the track entirely straight through the gated fence at the side of the rollercoaster and was upside down on the concrete path. 'There were maybe seven or eight individuals, mostly of younger age between maybe ten and 15 years old that were trapped inside the rollercoaster lying on the ground. The harnesses were still on so there was absolutely no movement.' A father of three, who had been at the park, said: 'We heard a loud noise and then screaming. There were a lot of children crying and shouting, and adults rushing to help. People were running in all directions. Everyone was in shock, the colour just drained from their faces. There were people covered in blood, and others just lying there. One little boy was walking about in a blanket.' Mother-of-six Roselyn Rodger, 49, from Motherwell, said the rollercoaster suddenly 'dropped like a bomb'. 'I turned my head, I saw it derail and flip,' she said. 'And all I could see was it flipped and banged and crushed everything upside down on the ground. 'Everyone was running in different directions and kids were screaming. It just shouldn't have happened. Not in this day and age. The carriage only narrowly missed a little kid who was riding a bike.' A 25-year-old man from Dundee who did not want to give his name said: 'There was a big screech and a massive bang. Me and my family were filling up our juices across from the area where the carriage fell. The screech sounded like a train coming to sharp stop and I can't quite described the bang.' The man said people ran over to see what had happened and to help those trapped in the wreckage. Bosses confirmed the park was closed yesterday evening and police remain on site conducting inquiries into how it happened Witnesses said there was 'carnage' and 'chaos' at the park and 'no one knew what to do' before the emergency services arrived He added: 'People did not know what to do, it was chaos, they was shouting and screaming, I did not know if it was adults or children who were trapped but there was a lot of screaming. 'The staff were clueless, they did not know what to do. The people there started to try and right it, members of the public tried to get those stuck out of the black harnesses but they were stuck.' IN NUMBERS: THE TSUNAMI RIDE AGE Operating at M&Ds since 2004, having been on the travelling fair circuit worldwide previously and at the Millennium Dome SPEED 38mph G-FORCE 4 CAPACITY 900 per hour DURATION 1 minute 5 seconds TYPE Inverted (where train runs under track) rollercoaster with corkscrew twists, turns and loops LENGTH 1,1148ft HEIGHT 65ft HISTORY Made by Italian company Pinfari. It was their first inverted coaster Advertisement Witnesses said a group of men tried to turn over the carriage to free the people trapped inside. One father at the park told the Daily Record: 'It was an unbelievable sight, seeing the full carriage upside down , on top of where those toddlers' cars are parked. 'I kew the ride was full with ten people because I was going to go on it myself just minutes earlier and decided against it because of the queue. The place was eerily quiet as everyone was in total shock.' William McLechlan said he had been taking photos of his nephew on the log flume when he heard an 'almighty crash'. He told ITV News: 'I looked round and I seen the carbon things from the rollercoaster line spattered across the ground really and there's people running about panicking. 'I ran up to see if I could help and helped a couple of people off and helped to move carriages and things up to try and get people who were stuck in them but we could not get them out and then the emergency services and that, they arrived so we had to leave to let them deal with them.' A spokesman for the theme park's operators M&D's said: 'As a family-run business, our thoughts are with those who have been injured and their families. We wish everyone a full recovery. 'We are co-operating fully with Police Scotland and the Health and Safety Executive on their joint investigation to ascertain the cause of the accident.' Speaking to reporters at the scene, Chief Inspector David Bruce said: 'They (the gondolas) fell less than 20 feet. It would appear that they have been coming round a bend and at that point it has detached. 'At this stage it's very, very early in the inquiry and we are still taking witness statements but the gondola had been in operation on the rollercoaster and it would appear that it has been coming round a bend. Emergency response: Thrill-seekers were evacuated from the theme park after the ride plummeted 20ft to the ground One picture taken at the scene appeared to show the wheels of the rollercoaster carriage on the ground (right) The Tsunami ride is described on the theme park's website as 'Scotland's only inverted rollercoaster'. Pictured, police at the scene 'It's an inverted rollercoaster which means that the riders hang in gondolas below the rails rather than sit above them. It would appear to come off as it has come round a corner. It struck the ground but it hadn't struck anything on the ground. 'I don't know what speed it would have been travelling but it was operating and rollercoasters do travel at speed.' NINE PEOPLE WERE TRAPPED 60FT ABOVE GROUND FOR EIGHT HOURS ON THE SAME RIDE IN 2011 In 2011, nine people were rescued from the same ride after being trapped for eight hours. They were stranded 60 feet from the ground after the ride suffered a 'mechanical failure' at around 4.30pm on July 10. The group was aged between nine and 49 and the last person was rescued by emergency services shortly after midnight. No one was injured in the incident but those involved later alleged they were not given an apology from park bosses following their rescue. Advertisement Detective Inspector John Malcolm said: 'This is a really serious incident that has affected many people visiting the theme park and our thoughts go out to those who have been injured. 'We have now launched a joint investigation with the Health & Safety Executive and our priority is to find out the cause of the incident. 'I would ask that anyone who witnessed the incident or indeed, anyone who may have video footage or photographs to get in touch with the dedicated enquiry team on 101.' HSE principal inspector Barry Baker added: 'Our thoughts are with the children and adults who have been injured in this incident and I must give praise to the emergency services and members of the public who came to their aid so quickly yesterday. 'We have brought HSE specialists in mechanical engineering to the site this morning, to begin the process of finding out what caused the gondolas to come off the rails. HSE will work very closely with colleagues in the police as the investigation unfolds.' Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservative Party, said: 'Awful news coming from M&Ds. Deeply concerning - our thoughts are with those affected and with emergency responders.' Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon added: 'My thoughts are with everyone involved in this terrible incident at M&D's theme park, especially those injured.' Victims in the Alton Towers horror crash also paid tribute to those hurt in Scotland on Twitter. Joe Pugh, 20, whose knees were shattered in The Smiler disaster, said: 'Just heard about the rollercoaster crash at M&Ds, thoughts go out to all involved and those who witnessed the accident! Things like this just shouldn't happen!' His girlfriend Leah Washington, 19, who had part of her leg amputated after the incident, added: 'My thoughts go out to those involved in the roller coaster accident at M&Ds.' The Tsunami ride is described on the theme park's website as 'Scotland's only inverted rollercoaster', adding that it can reach speeds of up to around 40mph. Children under 10 are restricted from riding the Tsunami, and a minimum height restriction of 1.4m applies. Details of Paul Mcfadden's fundraising efforts can be found here. In 2011 thrill-seekers were suspended 60 feet in the air on the Tsunami, pictured, after being stuck for eight hours People have been left to search through the charred remains of their homes as the devastation of the California wildfire leaves lives in tatters. Emotional pictures of Californians picking through wreckage, holding each other in consoling embraces and weeping in desperation have emerged as the state tries to recover from the blaze that killed two people and destroyed 75 homes. The fire, named Erskine, ripped through the Kern County area, around three hours away from Los Angeles, scorching over 36,000 acres of land and reducing entire blocks to rubble with 200 structures completely destroyed. Scroll down for video Nathan Looper hugs his stepfather and girlfriend after finding a family heirloom in the wreckage of his home Emily Fryer, 20, searches for family heirlooms at her boyfriend's leveled home after the Erskine Fire burned through South Lake The cause of the fire, which broke out by Lake Isabella at about 4pm on Thursday, is unknown but it is believed hot temperatures and strong winds may have contributed to it spreading quickly. Residents have now been forced to find a way to pick up their lives after the ferocious blaze, with groups returning to their streets to see what they can pick out from the rubble. One man was seen hugging his girlfriend and step-father after he managed to find a precious family heirloom hidden beneath the burnt remains of his family home. While Kernville resident Terralyn Lehman could only cry in despair as she began to recall the horrific and terrifying incident. 'I got out just as the flames were at my back fence,' said Ms Lehman, who is staying at a campground with her mother and her dog after their home in South Lake was destroyed. She and her mother were awoken by the sound of a propane tank exploding. Lehman said her mother told her ''grab your dog and go.' So I did.' Rescuers have removed what appear to be the charred remains of two elderly people killed by the inferno. Lucas Martin (left) and stepson Nathan search for family heirlooms at their leveled home in South Lake Terralyn Lehman recalls fleeing the Erskine Fire as she sits outside an evacuation center at Kernville Elementary School Their bodies were recovered from a burned down mobile home in the South Lake area of Kern County on Thursday. The pair, who are yet to be named, were overcome by smoke as they tried to flee, the county Sheriff Donny Youngblood said. They were so horribly burned that a forensic exam is required to ensure the remains were human and not animal. Allen Montgomery, 40, who lives across the street from the couple, said the woman was bedridden. Nathan Bryant rescues his turkey 'Sunny' as he and his wife Krysti return to their fire-demolished home in this Lake Isabella neighborhood Nathan Bryant and his wife Krysti return to their fire-demolished home in this Lake Isabella neighborhood Southern California Edison workers from the Disaster Assesment Team inspect the electricity situation amid demolished South Lake homes in Lake Isabella When he came back the following day, Mr Montgomery said he saw the man's body about 20ft from the house. Everett Evans, 45, managed to escape as the fire tore through the community and towards his mobile home. He said: 'When you hear a freight train, it's time to leave. You could hear it, you could see it, you could smell it.' Mr Evans, his father, son and son's girlfriend all fled but when they returned the next day, their neighborhood was unrecognisable. Rescuers have removed what appear to be the charred remains of two elderly people in California (pictured, the wildfire on Friday) Their bodies were so badly burned that a forensic exam is required to ensure the remains were human and not animal The elderly couple became trapped when smoke from the inferno engulfed their neighborhood in Sierra Nevada (pictured, the destruction on Friday) All that remained was a burned American flag wafting in the wind on a flagpole above the rubble of his home. He said their house vanished beneath the black plumes of smoke when he left, adding: 'There was so much smoke you could barely see it.' California Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for Kern County. 'Two fatalities have been confirmed. Additional fatalities are possible due to the extreme fire behavior during the initial hours of the incident,' the Kern County Fire Department said in a statement on Sunday. Pictured, a firefighter inspects the charred remains of structures destroyed by the Erskine Fire The wildfire swept through 36,810 acres (57 square miles) of parched brush and timber since it began on Thursday Investigators were studying a third set of charred remains to determine whether they were human. More than 1,700 firefighters were working on the fire at the southern end of the Sierra Nevada range. Hundreds of people from more than 10 communities were evacuated as Erskine spread rapidly on Thursday and Friday as winds drove it south and east from the Lake Isabella reservoir. Crews worked in steep, rugged terrain, fighting flames fueled by hot weather and brush, grass and chaparral left bone dry by a five-year drought. Helicopters and air tankers were also in action. But a drone operated by a private individual caused suspension of air operations for a time on Sunday, said U.S. Fire Service public information officer Jim Mackensen. Controversial Queensland MP Billy Gordon has indicated he will plead guilty to driving drunk and unlicensed when he faces a Brisbane court on Friday. The Cook MP was pulled over on the Kennedy Highway near Kuranda, north of Cairns, on June 1, the night of State of Origin game one. He returned a blood alcohol reading of 0.094 per cent, almost double the legal limit, and did not hold a current drivers licence at the time. Mr Gordon did not appear at the Mareeba Magistrates Court on Monday but his solicitor Brendan Beavon of Russo Lawyers indicated that the Cook MP would plead guilty. Controversial Queensland MP Billy Gordon (pictured) has indicated he will plead guilty to drink driving and unlicensed driving charges when his case returns to court 'I'm seeking to have the matter listed for a plea of guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court on 1 July,' Mr Beavon told the court on the phone from Brisbane. When questioned by Magistrate Thomas Braes on Mr Gordon's whereabouts, Mr Beavon said: 'he is obviously not in attendance' but 'is in regular contact with our office.' Mr Gordon's office said he was attending a series of meetings in Cairns on Monday. Mr Braes issued a warrant for Mr Gordon's arrest but postponed its enforcement date until after Friday's court appearance. The first-term MP issued a statement after he was charged, admitting there was no excuse for his 'poor judgment', but said there had been a death in his immediate family. He also apologised to his family and constituents. 'I should not have been operating a motor vehicle,' he said. 'There is no excuse for poor judgment in this case.' The Cook MP was pulled over on the Kennedy Highway (pictured) with a blood alcohol reading of 0.094 per cent, almost double the legal limit, and did not hold a current drivers licence at the time Mr Gordon did not appear at the Mareeba Magistrates Court but his solicitor Brendan Beavon indicated that the Cook MP would plead guilty to the drink driving charges (stock image) Mr Gordon is one of a handful of cross-benchers who hold the balance of power in Queensland's tightly-balanced parliament but has had a tumultuous political career. He won his seat in Queensland's far north as a Labor member but was forced out of the party over an undisclosed criminal record and allegations of domestic violence, from which no charges resulted. Raffaele Lorenzo Di Paolo, 59, of Kew, is accused of falsely passing himself off as a registered and qualified doctor, gynaecologist and IVF specialist A man accused of posing as a gynaecologist and has had more than 80 charges laid against him, may have also sent infertile women pictures of foetuses in their wombs, a court heard. Raffaele Lorenzo Di Paolo, 59, of Kew, is accused of falsely passing himself off as a properly registered and qualified doctor, gynaecologist and IVF specialist. He is charged with 88 offences, including multiple counts of rape, sexual penetration and fraud. According to court documents from a hearing at Melbourne Magistrates court on Monday one complainant was told she was pregnant by Di Paolo. The woman received an ultrasound image via MMS appearing to show a foetus in her uterus but further hospital tests allegedly showed she was not, and had never been pregnant. A police analysis of Di Paolo's phone also showed that he had sent the same ultrasound image to multiple women. Between 2006 to 2015, Di Paolo is alleged to have duped patients out of more than $342,000 by offering fertility treatment under the guise of being a medical practitioner. He also issued invoices with the letters 'MD', had Qantas frequent flyer membership in the name Dr Raffaele Di Paolo and represented himself as a medical practitioner when corresponding with other practitioners in the field. The charges relate to the mainly adult women Di Paolo treated at his Brighton and St Kilda Rd clinics in Melbourne. He took blood from patients for purported testing and gave internal ultrasound examinations to help women who had failed to get pregnant with traditional fertility treatments, court documents allege. But police say no records could be found of testing ever having been done for the blood, sperm and other bodily samples he collected. It was heard that Di Paolo also told another patient that she had a tilted pelvis and for at least the next 25 appointments, internal ultrasound examination were done on her. He is also accused of twice using his ungloved hands to touch a female patient's breasts after discussions about breast cancer. The woman received an ultrasound image from Di Paolo (pictured leaving court on Monday) appearing to show a foetus in her uterus but further hospital tests allegedly showed she was not, and had never been pregnant According to court documents from a hearing at Melbourne Magistrates court on Monday one complainant was told she was pregnant by Di Paolo (pictured leaving court on Monday) Di Paolo (pictured) also told another patient that she had a tilted pelvis and performed internal ultrasound examination on her. He is also accused of twice touching a female patient's breasts without gloves Di Paolo denied the claims to authorities, saying he operated only as a homeopath in Australia and did not pretend to be a registered doctor, Melbourne Magistrates Court heard (stock) Investigators allege Di Paolo had no tertiary qualifications from Monash University or La Sapienze University in Rome as claimed. Di Paolo denied the claims to authorities, saying he operated only as a homeopath in Australia and did not pretend to be a registered doctor. He also said that he never performed medical procedures or inserted ultrasound probes. A committal are set to recommence the hearing on Tuesday. The charges against him dated from July 2004 until May 2015 and involved an unknown number of women, the ABC reported. The more than 80 charges against Di Paolo, from Melbourne, date from July 2004 until May 2015 and the number of patients involved are unknown The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (stock) is also pursuing charges against Di Paolo and said he had never been registered as a doctor with the Medical Board of Australia Di Paolo has also allegedly accepted payments worth about $320,000 during the time that he was active. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) are pursuing eight charges against Di Paolo for allegedly falsely calling himself a gynaecologist and obstetrician. When AHPRA began legal action against Di Paolo in March 2015 it said he had never been registered as a doctor with the Medical Board of Australia. It said it was taking action against him after receiving a complaint. The board's chair, Dr Joanna Flynn, said: 'Patients have a right to expect that someone who is purporting to be a gynaecologist or obstetrician with expertise in IVF has the necessary academic and professional qualifications to support that claim'. A French mayor has called for Brussels to ditch its use of the English language after Britain voted to leave the European Union. English is one of 24 'official languages' of the EU while it is also one of the 'working languages' used to conduct every day business. But Robert Menard, the mayor of the southern French town of Beziers, believes English now no longer has 'any legitimacy' in Brussels in the wake of the Brexit vote. Robert Menard, the mayor of the southern French town of Beziers, has called for Brussels to ditch its use of the English language after Britain voted to leave the European Union Menard believes English now no longer has 'any legitimacy' in Brussels in the wake of the Brexit vote Meanwhile, the left-wing presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon said English can no longer be the 'third working language of the European Parliament'. According to The Local, 51 per cent of EU citizens can speak English as a first or second language while just over a quarter can speak French and nearly a third can speak German. Despite Thursday's exit vote, it appears unlikely English would be axed altogether in Brussels since it is also the official language of both Ireland and Malta - both members of the EU. In 2013, an EU report revealed that English had squeezed out every other language in the competition to become the common tongue of Europe. It found that English is the most popular foreign language in all but five European countries, and all of those are small nations that use the language of their larger neighbours. Along with French and German, English is one of 24 'official languages' of the EU while it is also one of the 'working languages' used to conduct every day business. French President Francois Hollande is pictured today with European Council President Donald Tusk The left-wing presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon said English can no longer be the 'third working language of the European Parliament' The report also found that two out of three people across the continent have at least a fair working knowledge of English. The report published by the EU statistics arm Eurostat suggested that the dominance of English was likely to become even greater in the future. It found that 94 per cent of secondary school pupils and 83 per cent of primary age pupils across the EU are learning English as their first foreign language, more than four times as many as learn French, German or Spanish. Only in Britain and Ireland is French the top foreign language in schools. French Prime Minister calls on EU to stop being 'intrusive' following Brexit vote amid calls from other European politicians to start the UK's exit negotiations immediately By Amie Gordon and Victoria Finan for MailOnline The European Union must stop being nit-picky and intrusive, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said today as the bloc scrambled to handle the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave. The Brexit vote to leave the EU has deepened fears among mainstream politicians across Europe about the rise of eurosceptic, anti-establishment parties, particularly in France, where the far-right National Front is increasingly popular. That concern has also prompted mainstream French politicians on the left and right to call for an overhaul of Europe, in a country where surveys show disillusionment with Brussels is growing. The European Union must stop being nit-picky and intrusive, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said today as the bloc scrambled to handle the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave 'We must put an end to this sad and finicky Europe. Too often it is intrusive on details and desperately absent on what's essential,' Valls said. 'We must break away from the dogma of ever more Europe. Europe must act not by principle but when it is useful and pertinent.' While a large majority of French are attached to EU membership, polls over the past few years have consistently shown a majority also want Europe to have fewer powers, said Francois Miquet-Marty, head of the Viavoice polling institute. Only one on five voters want 'more Europe', Miquet-Marty said. In his speech on Sunday in Normandy, Valls insisted Europe 'is not about seeing sovereign states disappear' Long in the EU's driving seat alongside the bloc's power-house Germany, France, dogged by a poor track-record on abiding by the EU's fiscal rules, has been steadily less active on the EU scene over the past years. In his speech on Sunday in Normandy, Valls insisted Europe 'is not about seeing sovereign states disappear.' Military U.N. vehicles have been spotted in Virginia, shocking motorists and sparking conspiracy theories. The white trucks, equipped with large off-road tires, were seen being transported on Interstate 81 on Friday. They appear to be Alpine Armoring's Pit-Bull VX SWAT Truck models. Jeff Stern posted photos of the vehicles on Facebook, writing: 'Can't begin to tell you how many of these I passed today on 81 near Lexington VA. Interesting times ahead!' U.N. vehicles have been spotted in Virginia, shocking motorists and sparking conspiracy theories Fernando Johnson questioned online: 'Tactical Vehicles, with bullet proof glass? Whatever could those be for, and why are UN vehicles here, in THIS country?!' Meanwhile, Vincent Sammons noted on Facebook: 'They are sealed against gas too.' Another online commenter said: 'We have U.N. vehicles being shipped on U.S. highways. One has to wonder why?' Bobby Wayne Guinn posted on Facebook that he had witnessed similar scenes in Texas. He wrote: 'Wondering why 30 United Nations vehicles, fully loaded with combat-prepared troops, were driving down our highway in Dallas, Texas.' The white trucks, equipped with large off-road tyres, were seen being transported on Interstate 81 on Friday Jeff Stern posted photos of the vehicles on Facebook, writing: 'Can't begin to tell you how many of these I passed today on 81 near Lexington VA, Interesting times ahead!' His post sparked website Liberty is viral to ask: 'Are these U.N. troops here preparing for economic collapse in America? Is this related to Iran ships approaching the U.S. border?' while Alex Jones posted a video warning of the 'U.N. takeover of America.' The U.N. is an intergovernmental organisation with 193 member states. Its objectives include maintaining international peace and security, promoting human rights, fostering social and economic development, protecting the environment, and providing humanitarian aid in cases of famine, natural disaster, and armed conflict. DailyMail.com has reached out to the U.N. for comment. Alpine Armoring has not responded to requests for a statement. Exposed: Child abusing MP Sir Clement Freud once tried to groom a teenage girl with a predatory letter addressed to her on headed Commons paper, the now 55-year-old mother of three claims Child molesting MP Sir Clement Freud once tried to groom a teenage girl with a predatory letter addressed to her on headed Commons paper, the now 55-year-old recipient claims. Janet Rowlerson said the politician found out her name after spotting her at a literary awards ceremony in 1978 - despite never being introduced to her. Days later the then 16-year-old received a letter marked 'Personal' at the publishing company she worked at. It was sent by Freud, who was aged 54 at the time. According to The Sun, he wrote: 'Dear Janet, if you are not doing anything more interesting on Thursday Nov 23rd, will you come to the Palace Theatre in Regent St at 6pm? 'I am doing a broadcast and would then take you to dinner. Sincerely, Clement F.' Mrs Rowlerson, of Dartford, Kent, said: 'It is terrifying to know he had his sights set on me. The scariest part was we hadn't even spoken, or been introduced.' She told how she 'freaked out' when she opened the letter, adding that her father was 'furious'. The mother of three added: 'The things I have read from his victims make me feel cold to the bone. When the letter arrived I had no idea how he discovered my name. I freaked out and my dad was furious. Im so relieved I ignored the letter. Freud a star of the BBC Radio 4 panel show Just A Minute was exposed as a paedophile earlier this month. One of his victims, Sylvia Woosley, told how he had ruined her life after sexually abusing her from the age of ten. Meanwhile Vicky Haynes, 64, who was raped as a teenager by Freud, even alerted the Madeleine McCann investigation after realising that the serial child predator had befriended Kate and Gerry McCann in Praia da Luz, Portugal, where he had a villa. Another woman to come forward, Rosemary Rimmer-Clay, said Freud had lunged at her with a horrible slobbery kiss when she was 19. Mrs Rimmer-Clay, 62, had been a student at Dundee University, where Freud was the 51-year-old Rector as well as being an MP when in 1975 he invited her for coffee one evening. She agreed because he was a bit of a hero of mine. She said: Im older and wiser now but at the time I thought he just wanted to chat about university. They went to her flat and the MP and chef cooked her an omelette before lunging at her. He was all hands, she recalled. And then he gave me this horrible slobbery kiss with his tongue and, literally, I had never been kissed by anyone. And I thought it was a really horrible experience in the worst kind of way. Janet Rowlerson said the politician found out her name after spotting her at a literary awards ceremony in 1978 - despite never being introduced to her. Earlier this month Freud (pictured) was revealed as a paedophile Mrs Rowlersons account chimes with that of Nicky, a woman who called the BBCs Jeremy Vine show to tell how, when she was introduced to Freud as a trainee secretary, he startled her by whisking her to a theatre and holding her hand in the dark. It was 1979, and the married MP was a 55-year-old father of five. She was saved from being groped only because he had to rush off to a Commons vote. Lady Freud, 89, has said she is profoundly sorry for what her husband of 58 years did to his victims, but has issued no further statements. A question mark hangs over the future of a memorial bench to Freud overlooking a childrens play area in the seaside village where the family have a home. The large L-shaped bench, that can seat eight, was put on the village green in Walberswick, Suffolk, in tribute soon after he died. One half of the bench is inscribed with the message, In memory of Sir Clement Freud who had a home in this village for most of his 84 years. The other half of the bench went on: And loved it. Especially the crabs. The bench is just 40ft from two sets of swings and a slide where children regularly play. A drunk couple who decided to climb up a bridge in Germany for a romantic tryst ended up shutting down traffic on the Autobahn after they had to be rescued by police. A 28-year-old man decided to take his 18-year-old girlfriend to the Kaiserlei Bridge in Frankfurt for a date with the pair the clambering up one of the arches. But according to police, the pair 'weren't just enjoying the view' as they began to have sex after reaching the top. A drunk couple who decided to climb up the Kaiserlei Bridge in Germany, pictured, for a romantic tryst ended up shutting down traffic on the Autobahn However, according the Local, drivers approaching the bridge, which crosses the Main River spotted the couple and were concerned for their safety. The police were alerted and had to start working to bring the couple down for the top of the bridge. Officers then decided they had to close two lanes of traffic on the Autobahn in order to make room for the ladders used by the fire service, to approach the pair. Shortly afterwards, the couple were brought back down and within 20 minutes, traffic was flowly freely again. Drivers approaching the bridge, pictured, which crosses the Main River spotted the couple and were concerned for their safety The pair were then warned by officers to stay away from the bridge in the future. However, it is not the first time that the Autobahn has been closed due to alcohol. A pregnant mother whose police officer husband was killed in the line of duty has honoured his memory by posing with his force colleagues in an emotionally charged maternity photo shoot. Allen Jacobs was shot dead in Greenville, South Carolina, on March 18 as he tried to apprehend a suspect. He left behind wife Meghan Jacobs, who was pregnant with the couple's third child - a baby girl to be named Lennox. Due next month, the grieving widow wanted to pay tribute to her soulmate through their unborn child. Greenville Police officer Allen Lee Jacobs, 28, (left) was fatally shot by suspect Deontea Mackey, 17, (right) in South Carolina during a foot chase, police said. His wife has honoured his memory by having an emotionally charged maternity photo shoot with his former colleagues To that accord, she asked friend of 15 years Jessie Ellex, a trained photographer, to capture a series of maternity shots that respected the memory of her beloved partner. The mother-of-two was joined by officer Jacobs' colleagues from the Greenville Police Department for the poignant six-hour shoot. Speaking to ABC News, Ellex said: 'The tone was very mixed. It was, of course, very somber, but bittersweet. 'When the police officers met us around 7.30pm all I could do was fight back tears. But we all pushed through.' The 600 images taken featured the officers and a police dog standing behind the widow. They also featured Ms Jacobs' late husband's patrol car, his uniform, his badge and even the flag that had been on his casket. In a caption on Facebook, Ellex noted that the 'flag was never disrespected and never touched the ground.' Ellex said both women enjoyed the final pictures, adding: 'Meghan is like a sister to me, so when she met Allen he became an important part of my life just like Meghan.' WYFF4.com reported that Jacobs was shot and killed in the line of duty by Deontea Mackey, 17. Mackey ran from the scene in Nicholtown and fatally shot himself after firing at Jacobs, investigators said. Jacobs died with his gun still in its holster, police said. On Saturday th city of Greenville Parks and Recreation Department also hosted a softball tournament to honor Jacobs. With the federal election only five days away opposition leader Bill Shorten is likely feeling the heat, with a little girl snapped checking his temperature while he visited a Melbourne hospital. Mr Shorten was in Melbourne on Monday visiting the children's ward of the Casey Hospital, east of the city. While Mr Shorten chatted to Pakenham mother Kathleen Plowman about health costs and Medicare, her 20-month-old daughter Katie decided to play doctor. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten (left) is pictured getting his temperature checked by Katie Plowman (right) while visiting the Casey Hospital Katie held a thermometer up to the Opposition Leader's ear to check his temperature, reported The Australian. She then insisted on some high fives and knuckle bumps with Mr Shorten, reporters, photographers and cameramen in the hospital room. 'Shell become the boss of the family,' Mr Shorten joked. 'Shes won over these hardened journalists.' It comes as Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has pulled ahead of Labor for the first time in the election campaign, according to results from the latest opinion poll. The Newspoll published on Monday shows the Coalition sitting on 51 per cent compared to Labor's 49 per cent on a two-party preferred basis as the campaign enters its final week. The poll of 1713 people, taken between last Thursday night and Sunday, is the first to gauge Australian voters' reactions to the shock Brexit vote as economic stability takes centre stage ahead of Saturday's vote. After checking Mr Shorten's temperature, 20-month-old Katie (held by her mother on the right) insisted on high fives and fist pumps with him and the reporters, photographers and cameramen in the hospital room On a primary vote measure, the Coalition rose two points to 43 per cent and Labor was static at 39 per cent. Support for the smaller parties slipped, with the Greens slumping to a near three-year low of nine per cent. Mr Turnbull's net satisfaction rating improved slightly to a negative 14, while Opposition Leader Bill Shorten's improved to a negative 15. While interacting with Katie (right), Mr Shorten (left) spoke to her mother Kathleen Plowman (centre) about health costs and Medicare 'A girl can't even buy a teddy' Lucy joked after noticing husband's concern Group then retraced their steps to find her toy shopping for grandson Jack As he went to get into his car, he asked his entourage: 'Where is Luce?' The Prime Minister visited Adelaide to pledge road upgrades on Monday Mr Turnbull was left frazzled after wife went missing during campaign trai l The awkward moment Malcolm Turnbull momentarily lost his wife during the campaign trail has been captured on video. As he toured a stretch of shops during his visit to Adelaide on Monday, the Prime Minister suddenly stopped dead in his tracks to ask his entourage: 'Where is Luce?' The group quickly retraced their steps, only to find Ms Turnbull buying a stuffed dog toy for their grandson Jack and some kitchenware from a nearby store. 'A girl can't even buy a teddy bear, a toy dog and a rolling pin,' she joked after hearing of her husband's concern. Scroll down for video The awkward moment Malcolm Turnbull momentarily lost his wife during the campaign trail has been captured on video (pictured) As he toured a stretch of shops during his visit to Adelaide on Monday, the Prime Minister suddenly stopped to ask his entourage: 'Where is Luce?' It appeared the staff also briefly lost track of Mr Turnbull's partner of 30 years, but assured the Prime Minister they were 'trying to find her'. Mr Turnbull stood in the shopping square with his hands on his hips until another man told her she had lingered in a store. 'I think she's gone to a toy store,' the Prime Minister told reporters. After finding his wife buying the toy, Mr Turnbull assured her 'Jack is a very lucky boy,' before ushering out of the shop. The group quickly retraced their steps, only to find Ms Turnbull buying a stuffed dog toy for their grandson Jack and some kitchenware 'A girl can't even buy a teddy bear, a toy dog and a rolling pin,' Ms Turnbull joked after hearing of her husband's concern The Prime Minister was in Adelaide on Monday to pledge road upgrades ahead of Saturday's election. The government says the investment will benefit people in the Liberal-held seats of Hindmarsh and Boothby, with congestion easing at the site of 100 collisions between 2010 and 2015. He said a re-elected coalition government would contribute $40 million to separate the rail line from the road at Oaklands Crossing. ISIS extremists have hanged four 'traitors' in public and forced to watch after accusing the men of spying for the US-backed coalition. The execution happened in the north-eastern Syrian city of Deir Ezzor on Saturday - just days after the men had been arrested by the militants. The prisoners, all aged between 23 and 29, were hanged in a public square in the city after a ruling by the Sharia Court having faced three days of interrogations. ISIS extremists have hanged four 'traitors' in public and forced to watch after accusing the men of spying for the US-backed coalition According to the press agency, Ara News, the terror group accused them of spying for 'hostile parties'. Media activist Ahmed Ramadan told the agency: 'The radical group arrested four men earlier on Wednesday. 'After three days of interrogations, the Sharia Court issued a statement calling for their execution on charges of treason and spying for the western coalition and US-backed Syrian factions.' 'Dozens of people have forcibly witnessed the execution, including the victims families.' It is the latest brutal killing to take place in the city, around 60 per cent of which is held by ISIS. There have been a series of ISIS executions in recent weeks, including the stabbing and crucifixion of a man in the Syrian stronghold of Raqqa Last night it emerged that five journalists had been killed in a range of gruesome executions. A sickening video showed militants packing a camera full of explosives before using the device to blow up one of the activists. CIA weapons shipped into Jordan have been stolen by spies and sold to arms dealers on the black market. Jordanian intelligence operatives snatched the weapons, some of which were used in a shooting that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman last year. Officers involved in the theft were said to have made a small fortune from their scam, spending their ill-gotten gains on iPhones, new cars and other luxury items, according to a joint investigation carried out by the New York Times and Al Jazeera. CIA weapons shipped into Jordan have been stolen by spies and sold to arms dealers on the black market. Pictured, a rebel fighter sits near a weapon in Al-Lataminah village Theft of the weapons, which ended months ago after complaints by the American and Saudi governments, has led to a flood of new arms available on the black market. The weapons had originally arrived in Jordan for the Syrian rebel training program, according to American and Jordanian officials. They had been used in the Amman shooting back in November, when a Jordanian officer shot dead two U.S. government security contractors, a South African trainer and two Jordanians at a U.S.-funded police training facility near Amman, before being killed in a shootout. The training facility was set up on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital, after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq to help rebuild the shattered country's postwar security forces and to train Palestinian Authority police officers. The CIA could not be immediately reached for comment. Despite their efforts there has been a sharp rise in carjacking and Members of one of Australia's most notorious street gangs are daring each other to commit violent crime on Snapchat. Apex terrorises residents in Melbourne, carrying out brutal carjackings and home invasions across the city. Their members are young and have been described by witnesses and police as South Sudanese or Pacific Islander. Undeterred in their violence despite police efforts to pin them down, now the gang and its members are encouraging each other to commit the horrific crimes through social networks like Snapchat and Wickr, a private chat service which encrypts messages. Scroll down for video Members of Melbourne's violent gang Apex are using smart phones to plot their attacks over Snapchat and Wickr (file image above) Anthony Downsley, a Herald Sun crime reporter who has been investigating the gang's activity for the past year, told Channel 9's A Current Affair that social media was its latest tool. 'Apex gang is a really loosely affiliated group of young people who are challenging each other to go on nights of crime together, commit car jackings, home invasions and other kinds of crime. 'The challenges are coming through social networking so they are getting on formats like Wicker or Snapchat and daring each other to do the crimes.' Victoria Police is devoting yet more resources to clamping down on the gang, with a designated task force set up to target the criminals involved. Despite their efforts, the problem is escalating. 'It's been increasing particularly over the last 12 months,' Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana told the programme. He insisted police's efforts to toughen up on the gang were working despite the increase in incidents. Earlier this year detectives warned that gang leaders were targeting young boys to become members to avoid harsh court sentences if caught. Thieves are also competing to steal the most cars, it was previously revealed, with some encouraged to break in to 300 before their 19th birthday. The group is responsible for a spate of violent carjackings and burglaries across the state. In March this year they caused violent clashes in the city's centre (above) The gang's members have previously been described as South Sudanese or of Pacific Islander appearance. Above, young men run amok during a riot in March Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana (above) told A Current Affair the crimes had become worse in the past year Victoria police established Task Force Tense last year to tackle and growing gang. Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police, Graham Ashton, said 'intensive work' began in November last year to deal with the gang and extra resources would be brought in. 'That group has been, in our view, responsible for what has been a range of motor vehicle theft, aggravated burglaries,' Mr Ashton said. 'We have been dealing with it for more than year, rising theft of cars and break ins.' Detectives appealed for help in May after a string of violent robberies in the city which were linked to the gang. Victims said they were attacked in Dandenong in Melbourne's east, where the gang originated, by criminals who threatened them with knuckle dusters. A schoolboy woke to find a hyenas jaws clamped around his face before being dragged from his tent by the predator in an horrific attack during a family camping trip. Erco Janse van Rensburg described hearing the sound of his own bones being crushed like a packed of crisps as the hyena squatted on his body, preparing to feast on him during the pre-dawn attack, his grandfather told MailOnline. The horrific experience ended only after the 15 year-olds uncle was woken by the sound of the boy being dragged like a blanket past his own tent and chased the animal away. Erco Janse van Rensburg woke up in his tent in Kruger National Park to find the hyena's jaws clamped around his head Park rangers could not find the hyena - believed to be female - but found a gap in the fence where the animal had crept into the camp after being attracted to the area by food Erco's grandfather said the hyena was 'completely silent' when he grabbed Erco by the collar of his pyjamas Trapped: The hyena sat on Erco's body after dragging him away from the tented area next to where his parents and two sisters slept. He is unable to speak after the attack and communicating with his family by nodding his head Erco is now recovering in hospital in Johannesburg after several lengthy operations to reconstruct his face, which was mutilated by the scavenger in South Africas Kruger National Park. Rangers at the world-famous safari park are now hunting the hyena who squeezed through a hole in the fence which was meant to secure the camp site where Erco and his family were holidaying. Basie Smalberger, 67, told MailOnline how his grandson was spending the night alone in a tented annex of a trailer where his parents, Erno and Cashandra, and two sisters slept through yesterdays 4.30am attack. Ercos uncle and family were sleeping in another tent next door and the hyena was completely silent when he grabbed Erco because it was only when he started pulling him across the ground by the collar of his pyjama top, that Johann woke up and looked out of his own tent to see what a thought was a blanket being dragged very fast across the ground. Johann went to investigate what was happening and then saw the hyena on top of Erco and managed to chase him away. Erco was conscious throughout the attack and then was able to describe how he heard the sound of his own bones being crushed like a packet of chips as the hyena climbed on him. The boy, from Centurion, near the South African capital Pretoria, was rushed to a hospital outside the Kruger Park for emergency treatement, and then airlifted for specialist care in Johannesburg. Animal behaviourist Kevin Richardson said hyenas in the Kruger Park are notorious for frequenting the rest camp sites because people feed them Invader: Other tourists had complained about hyenas getting into the camp the week before the attack Park rangers have spoken of 'regret' about the incident and have fixed the hole in the fence where the hyena managed to squeeze through Mr Smalberger said Erco was still being treated in the intensive care unit, but was unable to speak following delicate surgery to reconstruct his jaw. He seems to be in quite good spirits considering what an horrific experience he has had, Mr Smalberg said. He can communicate with us by nodding his head. My daughter Cashandra is with him and the whole experience has been as hard on the boys parents. Today authorities at the massive safari park, which attracts more than a million visitors a year, expressed regret for the incident at Crocodile Bridge Camp. The breach in the security fence, made by a warthog or the hyena itself, has now been fixed, spokesman William Mabasa told MailOnline. Our rangers are looking for the hyena, but the problem is that we cannot be sure which animal was responsible for this attack, he said. Hyenas: Night-time scavengers drawn to campers and their food Hyenas are a regular night-time sighting at all of South Africa's safari parks. The scavengers were once quite wary of human campers, but have become emboldened over the years at the sight of families gathering to cook over their fires. Although feeding animals is strictly forbidden, many campers deliberately entice the scavengers close by throwing leftovers from their barbecues over the fences which are designed to keep them safe. Hyenas have been spotted close to Crocodile Bridge Camp, lured by campers' food The Kruger Park's William Mabasa told MailOnline, 'It seems obvious that the hyena entered the camp area in search of food. We urge visitors to all the parks to observe the rules which are in place for the safety of everyone. Hyenas are now regularly being seen close to areas where people are staying overnight as they have become an easy source of food for them. We ask for people to dispose of their food responsibility and not to leave it out for animals. 'Visitors must be mindful that they are surrounded by wild animals and must make sure their tents are properly closed.' Advertisement Hyenas are nocturnal and among the worlds most dangerous predators their jaws are as a powerful as a Great White Shark - and the horrific incident is by no means isolated in Africa. A 13 year-old boy also suffered severe injuries to his face and head in 2011 when a hyena attacked him as he slept at Imfolozi Game Reserve, near the coastal town of Durban. The following year in Kenya, a pack of hyenas attacked a family as it slept, killing two children and seriously injuring six others. In Ethiopia, packs of hyena have left the hills around Addis Ababa and moved into the city to prey upon the homeless. They are notorious for consuming every bit of their prey, bones included. Hyenas are nocturnal and among the worlds most dangerous predators their jaws are as a powerful as a Great White Shark - and they killed two children in Kenya last year Authorities at the massive safari park, which attracts more than a million visitors a year, expressed regret for the incident at Crocodile Bridge Camp Animal behaviourist Kevin Richardson told South Africas Times Live website that said hyenas in the Kruger Park are notorious for frequenting the rest camp sites because people feed them. Hyenas are smart and see camp sites as sources of food, he said. The incident has shocked visitors to the park, which has 10,000 people staying over every night in lodges and tented accommodation. Another visitor to Crocodile Bridge Camp, which is in the south of the park, told how she complained to authorities about a hyena invading the camp just a week ago. 'We complained at the gate that a hyena was in the camp a week ago when we were there! Was on the step of one of the huts, in the bin. It was exactly a week ago!' Fiona Harding raged on the park's facebook page. A regular visitor to Crocodile Camp, Sue Brown posted a message on the South African National Parks (SANParks) facebook page describing how campers regularly enticed hyena to the fence by throwing food over it. She wrote: 'My family are annual visitors to this camp - every night you will see one or two hyena patrolling the fence line in the hope of guest throwing a scrap from the braai [barbecue] or bones (yes I have seen this so many times). Jesse Johnson (pictured), 20, allegedly grabbed the woman's ankle as she got into her car A pervert has been arrested for hiding under a woman's car and allegedly groping her foot to satisfy his 'weird addiction.' Jesse Johnson, 20, allegedly grabbed the woman's ankle as she got into her car outside an Aldi store in Lincoln, Nebraska. The 48-year-old screamed and saw a man roll out from under the vehicle before he ran off. Police arrested Johnson but he denied touching the woman, saying: 'I was hiding under the vehicle simply for the visual.' 'I just have this weird addiction and odd behavior,' he told the Lincoln Journal Star. 'I dont know why.' This is the third time he has been accused of hiding under cars and touching women. Johnson said he doesn't mean to scare the women and has never meant to hurt them but police fear his habit may escalate. 'Some of these people never move beyond what theyre doing, similar to window peekers,' said Capt. Jeri Roeder. 'And some, you know, graduate on to bigger and worse things.' Prosecutors are said to be seeking jail time after Johnson was let off with a $150 fine for a similar incident at Tk Maxx in June 2015. Johnson is seeking counselling to help with the problem. Asked if he thinks it will happen again, he said 'if I get the help that I need, no.' After the latest incident at the Aldi parking lot, Johnson was arrested and ticketed on suspicion of disturbing the peace. The Japan High Heel Association (JHA) is calling on women across the country to trade their sensible shoes for stilettos, insisting standing tall will give them 'confidence' and improve their gait Japanese women are being urged to ditch flat shoes in favour of high heels in a bid to 'empower themselves' and improve their posture. The Japan High Heel Association (JHA) is calling on women across the country to trade their sensible shoes for stilettos, insisting standing tall will give them 'confidence' and improve their gait. And now, in an apparent bid to improve this situation, the all-female organisation charges thousands of dollars for etiquette lessons, including special classes where women are taught to walk correctly, and particularly in high heels. Speaking from her plush Tokyo salon, JHA managing director 'Madame' Yumiko said: 'Japanese women walk like ducks. 'They waddle along, pigeon-toed, with their bottoms sticking out as if they're bursting to use the toilet. It looks ghastly.' Critics have branded the idea sexist and laughable, particularly as women are still battling against a deeply ingrained patriarchal culture that once expected them to pace three steps behind men. Yet the 'walking etiquette classes' are proving hugely popular and at JHA students pay 400,000 yen (3,000) for a six-month course - and so far 4,000 have taken part, while similar lessons and schools are popping up nationwide. And 48-year-old Madame Yumiko, a former ballerina blames the countries sartorial heritage for the posture problem. 'Chinese or Korean ladies don't have these problems,' she said. 'It's a result of Japan's kimono culture and shuffling about in straw sandals. It's ingrained in the way Japanese walk. 'But very few Japanese wear a kimono all day anymore. We should know about Western culture and how to wear heels correctly,' she added. She also argues wearing heels will help 'Japanese women become more confident'. She explains: 'Many women are too shy to express themselves. In Japanese culture, women are not expected to stand out or put themselves first.' Her solution is for women suffocated by such strict protocols to simply 'throw on a pair of heels,' arguing the freedom it brings can unlock the mind. But prominent Japanese social commentator Mitsuko Shimomura dismissed the idea as 'nonsense' that most would laugh at. She said: 'There's no relationship between wearing high heels and women's power. It sounds crazy.' Japanese women can now pay thousands of dollars for etiquette lessons, including special classes where they are taught to walk correctly, and particularly in high heels The shift away from traditional Japanese clothes happened gradually from around the late 19th century but it is only been since the 1980s that stilettos have become a fashion staple. This 'call to heels' comes at a time when the West is experiencing a feminist fightback against diktats on how women should dress. Hollywood star Julia Roberts went barefoot on the red carpet during the Cannes Film Festival in May - an act of rebellion after organisers caused uproar by ejecting women for wearing flat shoes at the previous year's event. And last month more than 100,000 British people petitioned parliament in the UK, calling for a change to an outdated dress code law that allowed employers to require women to wear high heels in the work place. On her first day, she urged young Michelle Obama urged young girls to fight to stay in school after she touched down in Liberia with daughters Sasha and Malia. The first lady led the teenagers and her mother, Marian Robinson, along a red carpet as they began a six-day trip to Africa and Spain. During the tour, which also has a stop in Morocco before ending in the Spanish capital, Madrid, is promoting education. U.S. first lady Michelle Obama walks with her daughters Sasha and Malia, together with Michelle's mother Marian Robinson (right), as she arrives at the Robert International airport near Harbel, Liberia The first lady is traveling with her mother and daughters Malia, 18, who recently graduated from high school, and Sasha, 15. Education for girls is the central theme of the first lady's trip, which also includes stops in Morocco and Spain On her first day she urged Liberian girls to stay in school. Most drop out due to financial pressures. She launched her 'Let Girls Learn' education initiative in March 2015, and has since travelled the globe to call for greater support for the millions of girls kept away from school or forced to abandon their studies. Obama met girls and young women at a project named GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) aimed at boosting active citizenship, run by the US Peace Corps in Kakata, east of the coastal capital. Speaking about the value of women's leadership and access to education, the Harvard-trained lawyer said she was 'here to shine a big bright light on you.' 'I want you to keep fighting and stay in school,' she told the girls. Her venture has particular poignance in Liberia, where just 37 percent of 15 to 24-year-old girls are literate, according to UN figures, and enrolment at the secondary level hovers close to 40 percent, with real participation much lower. She was also due to visit a school in Unification Town, further inland. The school stop would see the First Lady hold a discussion with adolescent girls 'who have faced serious obstacles in attaining an education,' according to a White House statement. Mrs Obama's first stop was a leadership camp for girls in Liberia. The country is still recovering from the recent Ebola epidemic that left thousands dead. 'I am just so thrilled to be here with you,' the first lady told the young women at the Peace Corps-sponsored project in Kakata. Earlier she was welcomed to Liberia's capital with a red carpet and traditional dancers wearing the red, white and blue colors of both countries' flags. After meeting Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Mrs. Obama traveled 70 kilometers (43 miles) along a heavily potholed road to Kakata. Malia, 18, recently graduated from high school and is taking a gap year before heading to Harvard, while Sasha is 15. Education for girls is the central theme of the first lady's trip, which also includes stops in Morocco and Spain. Liberia was battered by civil wars between 1989 and 2003. Then Ebola swept the country in 2014, killing more than 4,800. Teachers died and schools were closed for months. The country was founded as part of an effort to resettle freed American slaves and has deep ties to the United States. The country's oldest vocational high school, located in Kakata, is named for the African-American civil rights activist Booker T. Washington. The school suspended mid-term exams scheduled to start Monday 'to allow the students to give Mrs. Obama a rousing welcome to appreciate what the United States has done for us,' principal Harris Tarnue said. Michelle Obama (left) listens to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (right) after arriving at the airport in Monrovia, Liberia She was also welcomed by Peace Corp teachers and students at a project 43 miles from the capital city Monrovia in Kakata, Liberia The visit to the school was the first stop on her trip to the country that was ravaged by the Ebola crisis 'She will be a real inspiration to the young girls around here,' he said. Mrs. Obama's previous visits to Africa as first lady have included Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, Senegal and Tanzania. The recent Ebola outbreak in Liberia created even more challenges for girls' education in the West African country, where just one-third of girls are enrolled in secondary education. Liberia ranked second only to South Sudan in the share of primary school-age girls who aren't enrolled in school, a global report by UNESCO said earlier this year. Actress Meryl Streep then will accompany Mrs. Obama in Marrakech, Morocco, on Tuesday for another conversation with adolescent girls. The North African country's rates for girls' education are well below regional averages, U.S. officials told reporters Friday, with a high dropout rate for girls after primary school. In Madrid, the first lady on Thursday will speak about the Let Girls Learn initiative, launched by her and President Barack Obama last year to encourage developing nations to educate the more than 62million girls worldwide who don't attend school. President Obama is also scheduled to visit Spain shortly after the first lady. His trip will focus on security cooperation, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters Friday. The sheikh says her demands are 'excessive and exaggerated' She claims he is worth 8billion and she deserves 196million Model was married to sheikh for 13 years but he divorced her in 2014 Christina Estrada, pictured outside court today, is claiming nearly 200million in her divorce from Sheikh Walid Juffali, a Saudi billionaire A Saudi billionaire laid a path of rose petals for his supermodel second wife at an exclusive London bar while secretly plotting to marry another woman, the High Court has heard. Sheik Walid Juffali whose fortune has been estimated at 4billion put on the wonderfully romantic tenth anniversary treat for former Pirelli calendar girl Christina Estrada, 54. But behind her back, he was arranging a third marriage to a 22-year-old Lebanese model and television presenter. Miss Estrada who has a teenage daughter with her ex-husband has launched a 196million divorce claim that may lead to one of the largest settlements in British legal history. Lawyers for her ex-husband, 62, have branded her claim as excessive and firmly in gasp territory. In a statement presented in court yesterday, Miss Estrada said her husband had spoiled her in the months before she found out he had married someone else. She said he had hired Harrys Bar in London in September 2011 on their wedding anniversary. She added: He arranged for a piano to be installed and rose petals to be laid out guiding us from the street to our table. They served us a ten-course meal with a special ten-tiered cake. It was a wonderfully romantic and, as usual with Walid, no expense was spared. Walid also gave me a note saying he would give me $2million as a present although he did not actually pay me this sum. The billionaires ex-wife also revealed that, in February 2012, he threw a three-day celebration in Abu Dhabi for her 50th birthday. She said: It was a stunning party there were 200 guests and Walid told me that the fireworks alone had cost a million dollars. Two days later, a friend told her that Dr Juffali had married model Loujain Adada. His lawyers argue he is being wrongly portrayed as the villain, and is largely responsible for Miss Estrada being a very wealthy woman. Former supermodel Christina Estrada, 54, yesterday told a family judge at London's High Court that the award she is seeking reflects the standard of living she enjoyed during her marriage to Sheikh Walid Juffali. The court heard details of the couple's lavish, globe-trotting lifestyle. But lawyers for the sheikh have described her post-marriage budget demands as 'excessive, exaggerated and firmly in gasp territory'. In a case that could result in one of the largest divorce awards in British legal history, Ms Estrada's lawyers argue the 61-year-old sheikh's assets justify her claim to cover her 'reasonable needs'. They contend Dr Juffali's offer would leave Ms Estrada, 54 - his second wife and mother of one of his six children - some 37million in cash and assets, and that was 'clearly inadequate'. The sheikh's lawyers estimate Dr Juffali's wealth at over 648million but Ms Estrada's legal team say he is worth around 8billion. According to documents before the court, Ms Estrada is seeking a 'clean break' award of over 196million. The ex-wife is also seeking a declaration that she is the owner of a blue diamond ring. Dr Juffali said he bought the ring for 3million ($4million) as part of his collection and it was not given to Ms Estrada, but he has now given it away to a third party. The Royal Courts of Justice heard Ms Estrada was used to a 'life of luxury on a stratospheric level' The case could result in one of the largest divorce awards in British legal history, with Ms Estrada's lawyers argue the 61-year-old sheikh's assets justify her claim to cover her 'reasonable needs' The couple were married for 13 years before the sheikh secretly divorced Ms Estrada in 2013 The sheikh, an international businessman who is seriously ill with cancer and undergoing treatment in Switzerland, divorced Ms Estrada in Saudi Arabia in 2014 without her knowledge after 13 years of marriage. She obtained leave to apply for financial relief in England because she could not bring a case in Saudi Arabia. Dr Juffali attempted to block her application on the grounds that he was entitled to legal immunity because of his diplomatic status as permanent representative to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) of the Caribbean island of St Lucia. But the Court of Appeal ruled he was not immune as the divorce claim did not relate to his diplomatic duties. The Saudi businesman has offered his ex-wife 37million but her lawyers say she is entitled to more Ms Estrada, seen on her way to court earlier this year, says her ex-husband has wealth of around 8billion The couple lived a lavish lifestyle, with Ms Estrada meeting actor Idris Elba (left) and Prince Andrew (right) Lawyers for Dr Juffali argue that he is being wrongly portrayed as 'the villain', but he has bought his ex-wife a luxurious house in Beverly Hills and is largely responsible for her being 'a very wealthy woman' who already has assets of over 20million, sufficient to meet the needs of any 54-year-old woman. The lawyers say Dr Juffali is willing to go further and is offering her a 17million cash payment over five years and the use of a luxurious 6.5million home in London, in their daughter's name, for the next five years while meeting all associated costs. He is also meeting the 150,000 annual expenses and education costs of their daughter. Two British men have admitted people smuggling after they were caught in a sinking dinghy with 18 illegal immigrants off the Kent coast. Mark Stribling, 35, from Farningham, and Robert Stilwell, 33, a former Judo champion from Dartford, pleaded guilty to conspiring to assist unlawful immigration. The pair were arrested last month after they were caught attempting to smuggle 18 Albanians - including one woman and two children - into the country near the small coastal town of Dymchurch, near Folkestone. Robert Stilwell is one of two men who admitted people smuggling after 18 Albanians were rescued from a sinking dinghy in the English Channel The boat believed to have been carrying 18 Albanian migrants who needed rescuing off the Kent coast The bid ended in a dramatic rescue operation when their rigid inflatable boat started taking on water in the early hours of the morning in the English Channel - forcing the migrants to make panicked phone calls to families in Calais. A coastguard helicopter and two lifeboats were deployed and located the sinking dinghy shortly before 2am. All of those on board were brought to safety, and the immigrants were taken to Dover where they were handed to UK Border Force for questioning. The pair appeared via video link at Maidstone Crown Court via video link today Neil Guest, defence counsel for Stribling, said the two defendants were 'hired boatman' for the job. He said: 'The two defendants were hired boatman. They are no higher in any hierarchy than that.' Judge Philip St John-Stevens remanded them in custody at HMP Elmley until July 29, when they are due to sentenced. Stilwell, was a gold medallist at the 2000 Commonwealth Championships in Canada. A vessel, believed to be linked to the inflatable that got into trouble, was discovered on the beach at Dymchurch and was seized by the authorities CCTV footage from a shop in Dymchurch showed a boat being taken down to the seafront Their admission to the crime comes just weeks after new powers to bolster Britain's maritime security came into force. From May 31, Border Force officers are able to stop, board, divert and detain vessels and arrest anyone they suspect had broken immigration law. Patrol vessels will also be introduced, helping to intercept attempts to smuggle dangerous weapons, drugs and migrants into the country. Describing the incident, a lifeboatman whose crew took part in the rescue later warned about the dangers of the stretch of water in which the vessel was found listing. Trevor Bunney, of Dungeness Lifeboat Station, said: 'The Dungeness and Littlestone lifeboats were called out at 11.45pm on Saturday and the boat was found in choppy waters. 'The Dover Straits is a dangerous stretch of water at the best of times. The weather and sea conditions are unpredictable and at this time of year the water is still very cold.' Advertisement Pictures from inside Fallujah have shown the scale of destruction after Iraqi forces freed the city from ISIS control. The city was the first in Iraq to fall to jihadis in January 2014 and it was the group's last major stronghold in the sprawling Anbar province. It was full liberated at the weekend, and the first pictures since the fierce battle have shown the scale of devastation, including bombed out buildings, unexploded mortar shells and petrol bombs that were being lined up to be used inside a school. Members of the Iraqi government forces flash the V for victory sign as they travel through the now liberated streets of Fallujah, with damaged buildings either side of them An Iraqi man holds an ISIS flag upside down among bombed out buildings after government forces drove the terror group out of the city following a fierce battle An Iraqi soldier celebrates the recapture of Fallujah by ripping down an ISIS flag and parading it around the streets of the city Now Iraqi forces have reclaimed Fallujah, they have now said they will focus their efforts on retaking the city of Mosul Despite Fallujah being liberated, the streets were empty as people stayed away from the bombed out buildings and scenes of destruction The remarkable images come as Iraqi forces have begun the task of rebuilding Fallujah just a day after liberating the Iraqi city from the control of ISIS The remarkable images come as Iraqi forces have begun the task of rebuilding Fallujah just a day after liberating the Iraqi city from the control of ISIS. Fallujah was the first Iraqi city to fall to jihadis in January 2014, and it was the group's last major stronghold in the sprawling Anbar province Now government forces will face the key task of preventing militants from returning to the city, as they did after two major U.S.-led assaults on Fallujah in 2004, when American soldiers saw their deadliest urban combat since Vietnam. Iraqi authorities will also need to ensure that residents can return to their homes and rebuild, and that powerful Sunni tribes in the area stay on the government's side. Those efforts could be complicated by the ballooning humanitarian crisis in Anbar and the presence of government-allied Shiite militias. The Iran-backed forces kept to the outskirts of Fallujah during the military operation, but could assert their power as the army moves on to other fronts. An unexploded motar shell lies at the side of the road in Fallujah, as reminder of the fierce battle between government forces and ISIS After liberating a school in the city, Iraqi government forces found hundreds of improvised explosive devices ready to be used An Iraqi soldier inspects mortar shells are found in a house in Fallujah that has recently been taken over by ISIS militants An Iraqi government soldier collects up bundles of ammunition that was discovered inside an abandoned house in the city of Fallujah An Iraqi solider holds a tablet computer as he checks a map of Fallujah, which has just been liberated from ISIS rule An early test for whether the government can fully reintegrate Fallujah is already underway in sprawling desert camps outside the city, where thousands of civilians who fled the fighting are living out in the open, with little food, water or shelter. The UN estimates that 85,000 people have fled the Fallujah fighting. They may not be able to return for weeks or months while the army clears explosives left behind by the extremists. Daytime temperatures approach 50 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in the camps, and aid workers have warned of a humanitarian crisis if more supplies are not quickly brought in. Meanwhile, ISIS remains firmly in control of the northern city of Mosul, which was once home to a million people. Iraqi leaders have pledged to liberate Mosul this year, but U.S. officials and analysts say that timetable may not be realistic. Iraqi forces are deployed in Makhmour, some 45 miles south of Mosul, but may need to seize an airfield on the other side of the Tigris River before launching an all-out assault on the city. The Iraqi government retook control of the city from ISIS who had been in charge of Fallujah since launching an assault in January 2014 Now government forces are facing the key task of preventing militants from returning to the city which they controlled for two years Victory in Fallujah has given a major boost to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, but his government is still crippled by political gridlock that has brought thousands of people into the streets in recent months It comes as victory in Fallujah has given a major boost to Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, but his government is still crippled by political gridlock that has brought thousands of people into the streets in recent months. Supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have twice stormed the Green Zone, the capital's heavily guarded government district, while demanding wide-ranging political reforms. Baghdad has also seen a series of deadly attacks in recent weeks despite the advances against ISIS in Anbar. State police in Vermont are investigating after authorities say an off-duty police officer shot and killed a pit bull that reportedly attacked his husky at a dog park. Police say Hartford Police officer Logan Scelza, a four-year veteran of the department, shot the dog at the Watson Upper Valley Dog Park in Hartford on Saturday. They say Scelza's husky was reportedly bitten in the throat by the pit bull. A witness tells The Valley News that another husky was involved in the fight. Logan Scelza with his dogs Echo, left, and Kato. One of the huskies was attacked at a Hartford park Attacked: A husky, right, belonging to off duty police officer Logan Scelza, was attacked by a pit bull owned by John J Demers, left Mr Demers said his dog was shot at least three times by the off-duty police officer after it attacked one of the cop's huskies One woman who said she saw the altercation said Scelza first tried to pull the dogs apart. Police say Scelza's injured dog was treated and released from a veterinary hospital and is recovering at home. The owner of the dog, John J Demers, has written on Facebook about the incident. 'My dog Diesel was attacked by two huskies at a public dog park in Hartford village. A place that he goes three times a week for the past couple of years. He's never been in a fight, growled, or displayed any aggression.' 'The officer started punching and kicking my dog. Instead of using his mace or taser he took out his gun, shot Diesel in the eye and then three times in the chest,' from Demers. 'This was in a dog park where there could be 10 dogs. It's common sense to realize that there is a chance dogs might end up fighting. What is the need to carry a gun to a dog park ?' Scelza has now been placed on administrative leave after witnesses say he shot and killed a dog in a fight with his dogs A number of people who claim to have witnesses the attack have commented online. Jace Bunnell wrote: 'The police officer did everything he could to get the pit off his dog. He was down on the ground wresting with the pit and beating it with everything he had. All the while yelling, 'Lady come get your dog. Lady come get your dog. If you don't come get your dog, I am going to shoot your dog.' And, she did nothing. And the pit would not release his dog. What was he supposed to do? Just watch his dog die?' Another eyewitness, Gaby Lamotte, told the Valley News that she also saw what happened. She and four-year-old daughter were sitting at a picnic table when a black and white husky approached and let them pet it. It wasn't long before they were joined by a husky. 'You could feel like something was about to happen,' she said. Tension began to grow between the dogs as they were growling, and it wasn't long before a fight broke out between them. Lamotte claims that Officer Scelza saw the fight and tried to break up the dogs, but wasn't strong enough. 'He had the pit bull in his arms and was punching and kicking the pit bull,' she said. That's when Lamotte began gathering her daughter and headed to the family car. They only made it a few feet before they heard gunshots, she said. '(Scelza) still had the dog in his arms and he was firing at the ground,' she said. 'He was shooting right next to the picnic table.' 'Everyone was freaking out,' she said, adding that another man at the park then called police. Three police cruisers arrived a few minutes later, she said. Hartford Police Chief Phillip Kasten says it's not uncommon for officers to be armed while off-duty. According to Vermont law, a domestic pet or wolf-hybrid may be killed if it is 'wounding, killing or worrying another domestic pet or wolf-hybrid' and the 'attendant circumstances are such that the killing is reasonably necessary to prevent injury to the animal ... which is the subject of the attack.' Witnesses in the park are concerned that Officer Scelza was carrying a gun around with him, while being off duty. Locals are concerned that other innocent bystanders could have been seriously hurt or killed Officer Logan Scelza, who has been with the department in Hartford for four years, was exercising his husky when it was reportedly bitten in the throat by a pit bull The Vermont State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating the incident, including 'the events leading to and following the death of the pit bull.' He says Scelza has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation. Chief Kasten expressed his sorrow in a Facebook post online: 'Personally, and on behalf of the men and women of the Hartford Police Department, I offer our deepest sympathies and condolences to the family and friends of both dogs involved in yesterdays fight at the Watson Upper Valley Dog Park in Hartford Village. Merkel is due to meet with French President Francois Hollande later today EU leaders tonight said they will not open informal talks with Britain on Brexit and demanded David Cameron get on with triggering the official notification. Britain has to trigger 'article 50' of the Lisbon Party to officially begin a two year negotiation that will end with the final Brexit. Leading Brexiteers had demanded the EU talk informally to hammer out an outline of the deal before formal talks. Mr Cameron this afternoon backed the suggestion in the Commons. German Chancellor Angela Merkel tonight said 'we agree there will be no formal or informal talks' with Britain until Article 50 of the EU treaty has been invoked. She was speaking in Berlin after meeting with French President Francois Hollande and Italian premier Matteo Renzi. Earlier, Mrs Merkel said she has a 'certain amount of understanding' for the fact that Britain may need 'a certain amount of time' to analyse what happens next. Angela Merkel, pictured with Francois Hollande and Matteo Renzi today, announced there would be no informal talks on Brexit before an Article 50 notification today The three leaders will infuriate Brexit campaigners in Britain who had hoped to use the transition period before a new PM takes over to begin sketching out a deal Mrs Merkel said the EU needs to stop other countries following Britain out of the door amid market fears that the bloc is 'no longer governable' after Brexit. The German Chancellor told her conservative party board in a conference call that it was necessary to prevent other European Union members going down the same path as Britain. Merkel is also said to have revealed that international financial markets are concerned the EU is 'no longer governable' in the wake of Britain's exit vote. She added that it was not the right time to pursue a quick deepening of cooperation between euro zone member states. The EU should instead act on popular concerns such as securing the bloc's borders, creating jobs and improve internal security, she said. Her comments were reported by two sources who took part in a telephone conference of the board of the Christian Democratic Union. A German government spokesman said today there will be no informal discussions between Britain and the European Union before the British government has invoked formal divorce proceedings. Steffen Seibert, spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel, said the UK first needed to make the formal Article 50 request - the legal mechanism for the withdrawal of a member state from the EU. 'One thing is clear: before Britain has sent this request there will be no informal preliminary talks about the modalities of leaving,' he said. Merkel (pictured today) is also said to have revealed that international financial markets are concerned the EU is 'no longer governable' in the wake of Britain's exit vote German Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed European Council President Donald Tusk (right) for talks at the chancellery in Berlin. EU leaders will meet David Cameron in Brussels tomorrow French President Francois Hollande (right) escorts European Parliament President Martin Schulz after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris French President Francois Hollande, left, welcomes European Council President Donald Tusk, prior to a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris today 'Only when Britain has made the request according to Article 50 will the European Council draw up guidelines in consensus for an exit agreement,' he added. Guenther Oettinger, a German member of the EU's executive European Commission, also issued a warning. 'Every day of uncertainty prevents investors from putting their funds into Britain, and also other European markets,' he told Deutschlandfunk radio. 'Cameron and his party will cause damage if they wait until October.' German Chancellor Angela Merkel has taken a softer line. She says she will not battle now over the timeframe and has underlined the need to continue a positive trade relationship with Britain, a big market for German carmakers and other manufacturers. But a Merkel ally, Volker Kauder, made clear the exit negotiations would not be easy. 'There will be no special treatment, there will be no gifts,' Kauder, who leads Merkel's conservatives in parliament, told ARD television. French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are meeting in Berlin later today with EU President Donald Tusk and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Hollande is pictured at a meeting in Paris earlier today Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi has said Brussels can't afford to spend a 'year on procedures' for Britain's exit from the European Union Speaking on the Today programme, German MP Michael Fuchs, a senior ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, made it clear things were going to have to change. He said: 'Either you are in a club or you are out of a club. If you are in a club you have to follow the rules. If you are out of the club, there will be different rules. When asked whether it would be possible for Britain to retain access to the single market, he added: 'It will be possible, of course, but not for free. 'You have to see with Norway, with Switzerland, you have to pay a certain fee. And the per capita fee of Norway is exactly the same as what Britain is now paying into the EU. So there won't be any savings.' Today, Merkel said she understands that Britain may need 'a certain amount of time to analyse things' regarding its departure from the EU but adds that a 'long-term suspension' of the question wouldn't be in either side's economic interest. BRUSSELS SHOULD DITCH ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FRENCH MAYOR CLAIMS A French mayor has called for Brussels to ditch its use of the English language after Britain voted to leave the European Union. English is one of 24 'official languages' of the EU while it is also one of the 'working languages' used to conduct every day business. But Robert Menard, the mayor of the southern French town of Beziers, believes English now no longer has 'any legitimacy' in Brussels in the wake of the Brexit vote. Meanwhile, the left-wing presidential candidate, Jean-Luc Melenchon said English can no longer be the 'third working language of the European Parliament'. Robert Menard, the mayor of the southern French town of Beziers, has called for Brussels to ditch its use of the English language after Britain voted to leave the European Union Menard believes English now no longer has 'any legitimacy' in Brussels in the wake of the Brexit vote According to The Local, 51 per cent of EU citizens can speak English as a first or second language while just over a quarter can speak French and nearly a third can speak German. Despite Thursday's exit vote, it appears unlikely English would be axed altogether in Brussels since it is also the official language of both Ireland and Malta - both members of the EU. In 2013, an EU report revealed that English had squeezed out every other language in the competition to become the common tongue of Europe. It found that English is the most popular foreign language in all but five European countries, and all of those are small nations that use the language of their larger neighbours. The report also found that two out of three people across the continent have at least a fair working knowledge of English. The report published by the EU statistics arm Eurostat suggested that the dominance of English was likely to become even greater in the future. It found that 94 per cent of secondary school pupils and 83 per cent of primary age pupils across the EU are learning English as their first foreign language, more than four times as many as learn French, German or Spanish. Only in Britain and Ireland is French the top foreign language in schools. Advertisement She wouldn't comment on whether it's acceptable for London to wait until October, as David Cameron plans. It comes as a poll showed most Germans back their country's membership of the European Union and do not want a U.K.-style referendum - and they also do not expect other EU member states to follow Britain's example in voting to leave the bloc. Germany, the EU's economic powerhouse, has been shocked by British voters' decision in last Thursday's referendum to back Brexit. Eurosceptic parties across Europe have called for their own countries to hold referenda on EU membership, but a Forsa poll published in Monday's edition of the Handelsblatt newspaper showed little public support for this in Germany. Eighty two percent of Germans polled by Forsa said they would vote to remain in the EU and only 14 percent would back withdrawal. Seventy one percent were opposed to a U.K.-style referendum in Germany, while 27 percent said they backed one. US Secretary of State John Kerry (pictured with EU counterpart Federica Mogherini) today warned the other 27 European Union nations not to be revengeful toward Britain despite last week's referendum vote The Forsa poll, which canvassed the views of 1,005 people on June 24, the day after Britain's referendum, also showed that a narrow majority of Germans, 51 percent, did not expect other EU member states to quit the EU against 42 percent who did. Some Europeans have expressed concern that 'Brexit' may trigger a wave of votes that could destroy the EU. However, Germany's constitution only foresees a referendum being held if the borders of the country's 16 federal states are to change or if any of them are to fuse, a spokesman for the justice ministry said. If two states were to merge, for example, a referendum would only be held in those two states, he added. Germans are not keen on popular plebiscites at the federal level after a referendum in 1934 combined the posts of chancellor and president, cementing Adolf Hitler's grip on power. But referenda are sometimes held at the state level. Volker Kauder, a close ally of Merkel, told public broadcaster ARD on Monday that he was not in favour of Germany holding a referendum on its EU membership. 'I think we have shown in our post-war history that our representative democracy is successful,' he said. Meanwhile, French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are meeting in Berlin today with EU President Donald Tusk and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, ahead of an EU-wide summit Tuesday and Wednesday. EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (left) kisses the head of EU Commissioner of Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Pierre Moscovici (right) Juncker greets European Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Commissioner Jonathan Hill during a meeting of the EU's executive body in Brussels today US Secretary of State John Kerry today warned the other 27 European Union nations not to be revengeful toward Britain despite last week's referendum vote. After meeting with his EU counterpart Federica Mogherini, Kerry said anger would not help anyone solve the fundamental issue of the break-up. He said it was 'absolutely essential that we stay focused on how, in this transitional period, nobody loses their head, nobody goes off half-cocked, people don't start ginning up scatterbrained or revengeful premises.' There has been growing anger in the EU that despite the UK's decision to leave, the British government could wait for months before starting the complicated process of disentanglement. Instead, Kerry said both sides must 'look for ways to maintain the strength that will serve the interests and the values that brought us together in the first place.' Father forced to fight for the Nazis while his father-in-law supported them He was said to drink Cognac for breakfast and was seen 'dribbling', openly admitted to holding 'secret, dark' discussions with Europes leaders, and was driven from office after a spy scandal involving the Luxembourg royal family. He also has links with the Nazis through his now deceased father in law. Meet Jean-Claude Juncker, the man blamed in Brussels for driving Britain out of the EU and now demanding the UK makes a swift, damaging exit. The European Commission chief has come under fire for being a negative symbol of the kind of federalism voters rejected last Thursday, and is now facing calls to step down. But this is far from the first storm the career politician has weathered, nor the worst. From accusations of heavy drinking, to admissions of lying and allegations that he put the well-being of the EU's bankers ahead of his own people, Juncker has been at the centre of controversy for decades. Kisses for a friend: Jean-Claude Juncker, left, kisses the forehead of Pierre Moscovici, right, European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs today at the start of a special meeting of the European Commission on Brexit in Brussels Scandals: Career-politician Juncker has survived spy scandals, accusations of putting bankers ahead of EU citizens and even rumours of heavy drinking to rise to become the head of the European Commission Secret history: Juncker's family also has a dark Nazi past. While his father was forced into the Nazi army against his will, his wife Christiane's father was a Nazi propagandist who helped enforce the Nuremberg laws Young dynamo: The young Jean-Claude Juncker was prime minister of Luxembourg but was eventually driven from office in a spy scandal Rumours: This front page headline from a Luxembourg newspaper in 2013 claims the 61-year-old drank a campari, three glasses of wine and three sambucas in the space of just two hours Back in 2013, the Letzebuerg Privat (Luxembourg Private), ran a front page in which it referred to its Prime Minister of 18 years as the countrys drunken stupor premier. With a picture of him quaffing a glass of wine, the newspaper declared 'one campari, three glasses of wine and three sambuca' - said to be what he had consumed within two hours. The 61-year-old has strongly denied the accusations of heavy drinking. A year later, as he was running for the European Commission's top job amid rumours he enjoyed Cognac for breakfast, a Tory minister revealed he 'regarded it was pointless' to speak to with the centre-right politician after midday. 'At times he seemed incapable of working, so drunk you couldnt get any sense out of him,' the minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Mail on Sunday. 'It is every bit as bad as people say. I have seen him so p****d that he was dribbling. Everyone in Brussels knows that Juncker drinks far too much. I would call him an alcoholic. Talk to European politicians in private and they will all tell you about his drink problem. When approached for a response by the MoS, his office refused to comment. He joined the European Commission after he was forced to step down from the premiership of his home country, Luxembourg, because he became embroiled in a spy scandal which rocked the tiny state. Bon viveur: Jean-Claude Juncker greets Jonathan Hill, European Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Commissioner today at an emergency Brexit meeting Accusations: When he was running for the European Commission presidency the next year, a Tory politician revealed he didn't like to speak to Juncker after midday because it was difficult to get any sense out of him Juncker, who became Luxembourg's Prime Minister in 1995, was forced to step down in 2013 after becoming embroiled in a scandal over spy scandal. The country's Arch Duke Henri (right) was also dragged in, accused of being in regular contact with MI6 - something the royal house has denied strenuously Bored too: Luxembourg Prime Minister and Eurogroup president Jean-Claude Juncker scratches his eyes during a conference following an Eurozone meeting at the EU Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium Controversial figure: Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker has been heavily critcised for the way he handled the referendum which ended with UK leaving the EU, but it is nit the first storm he has weathered After almost two decades in power, he was brought down by a bugged watch which recorded a 2007 conversation with his spy chief. Among the lurid details of the ensuing report into the scandal were allegations that the Grand Duke was in regular contact with MI6. Another member of the royal family was accused of having links to a series of bombings in Luxembourg in the 1980s. Both allegations have been denied. It was also said the agency had bugged opposition politicians and made payments in return for access to officials - as well as buying cars for private use. Most damaging of all, it was revealed that the country - whose population is 545,000 - held secret files and spied on on 300,000 of its citizens. Juncker was not personally implicated in any of the allegations - apart from the claim he had found his long-time chauffeur a job as spy - but stepped down after admitting he had been 'too busy' to pay attention to his secret service. Problems within the secret service was not the only issue he apparently failed to act on during his term in office. It was under his premiership that Luxembourg was allegedly 'quietly rubber-stamping tax avoidance on an industrial scale', according to an investigation by theGuardian. German newspaper Junge Welt, meanwhile, called him a ruthless opportunist who had done more for the EUs bankers than for its people. There are other details that Juncker understandably prefers not to discuss - notably, his family's links to the Nazis. Admissions: Juncker, pictured with Tony Blair in 1997, was dubbed the 'master of lies' during the Eurozone crisis, while he said in 2011 he was 'for secret, dark debates when it came to monetary policy His own father Joseph was an unwilling Hitler recruit, one of more than 10,000 Luxembourgers forced to serve the Nazis after the country was overrun. Joseph was made to fight for them in the Ukraine, where 2,800 of his countrymen fell for a cause they did not support but had no choice but to die for. Today, the idea he could be accused of being a Nazi still draws a tear to Joseph's eye. However, Juncker's father-in-law, father of Juncker's wife Christiane, was a more willing participant. Louis Mathias Frising was a school teacher before the war. But when the Nazis arrived, he turned sympathiser, working for their propaganda arm. Among the tasks he was called on to complete was to ban the speaking of French in the bi-lingual country. Far worse was the role he played in enforcing the Nuremberg Laws, stripping Jews of their rights - the first step on the path to the gas chambers. Juncker has never spoken of his father-in-law's links to the Nazis. Frising was stripped of his teaching licence after the war. Then again, Juncker said back in 2011 that he was in favour of 'secret, dark debates when it came to monetary policy. In fact, he was dubbed 'the master of lies' for his attempts to conceal the secret discussions over Greece at the height of the Eurozone crisis. 'When it becomes serious, you have to lie,' he said at the time. It's an ironic claim for a man dubbed 'the master of lies' for his attempts to conceal the secret discussions over Greece at the height of the Eurozone crisis. Distrust: Despite appearances, he has a disdain for the UK's position within Europe which goes all the way back the Margaret Thatcher, along with other countries he considers to be 'part-time Europeans' Firm: His refusal to act to help the Remain campaign has been criticised. 'Out is out,' he said. Pictured: One thing he has been open about is his disdain for the UK, and its attempts to carve its own path -a feeling which is said to have started with Thatcher in the 80s. He has previously complained of 'part-time Europeans' damaging 'common European sense, a feeling for the need we have to put together our efforts'. And as the referendum balanced on a knife edge in the final days of the campaign, he openly refused to offer an olive branch to push for Britain to remain. 'Out is out,' Juncker said. But in the end, if his critics have anything to do with it, it may be that disdain for views other than his own which puts paid to his political career. President Juncker's office said today: 'President Juncker's Father was forced against his will to fight in the conscript army on the Russian front and his Father-in-law was forced to work for the regime in Luxembourg when the country was invaded. Open a history book and you'll find that makes you quite the opposite of a Nazi sympathiser.' An army of new drones will be used to keep migrants out of the Channel Tunnel as experts revealed the Brexit vote could lead to a surge of new crossing attempts. The remote-controlled gadgets able to fly hundreds of feet above ground are part of a raft of new security measures that will be used alongside 500 cameras in Calais. Other tactics used has been to flood the area surrounding the tunnel entrance in France in a bid to stop desperate people from climbing onto the tracks. New technology: A pilot prepares a new security drone at Eurotunnel in Calais, France, as the company continues to face problems with migrants Eye in the sky: The new drone flies high above the lorries and cars preparing to enter the Channel Tunnel today Equipment: The drone will patrol the entrance to the tunnel in Calais, which has suffered a number of incursions by people desperate to get to Britain Britain's decision to quit the EU could lead to a summer surge in illegal migrants trying to enter the country from France, the head of Eurotunnel has also warned. Jacques Gounon, the firm's chief executive and chairman, said Brexit had given migrants a 'clear signal' that the Anglo-French border would become 'a huge wall, similar to the Berlin Wall, almost impossible to overcome'. He spoke in Calais as the company unveiled new aerial drones armed with cameras to boost security on the French side of the tunnel by spotting potential trespassers. Mr Gounon told the Press Association: 'I'm afraid that any Brexit consequences could give a threat to migrants that they could be prevented from going to the UK - definitively going to the UK - in the years to come. 'This could generate an additional new migrant pressure, in order for such people, desperately, to reach the UK before Brexit is enforced. 'So I do think and I'm afraid that we could have an increased migrant pressure during this summer, as a Brexit consequence.' Mr Gounon said the firm did not support the idea of moving the UK border from its current locations, as set out in the 1986 Treaty of Canterbury and Protocol de Sangatte in 1991, after Brexit. He added: 'We are working very efficiently, jointly, with UK Border Force on the border issues for 25 years and so I don't believe that for the shuttle, for the fixed link, there is any interest to change the way the controls are working. 'Because it is very efficient, we are catching and giving to the police force all the information in order to protect the site and to capture the migrants. I don't see what could be done more. 'The drones are of course the way to increase the speed. We are working with these border issues, but definitively I think there is no interest at all, from the shuttle point of view, to have an additional border control in Folkestone, at the exit of the tunnel.' French politicians have demanded migrant camps and British border controls in Calais should be moved to the UK in the wake of the Brexit vote. Threat: French politicians want to abandon an agreement where UK border checks are carried out in Calais Changes: Ending the agreement would mean vehicles, for example, would not be checked for migrants until they reach Dover The British must take on the consequences of their choice, said Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart, urging regional ministers to act. Several other politicians challenged the bilateral agreement under which Britain has a juxtaposed border control in Coquelles on the outskirts of Calais. This means the UKs border with France begins on French soil, allowing British officials to check passports and stop migrants before they attempt the Channel crossing. The president of Frances northern region, Xavier Bertrand, is among those who want to tear up the 2003 Le Touquet accord that led to this arrangement. In February David Cameron said a vote to leave the EU could mean the end of British border checks in Calais, with nothing to stop thousands of people crossing the Channel overnight. He also claimed Brexit would result in the Jungle migrant camp moving to Kent. The Government insisted yesterday Brexit would not lead to changes to the accord. But in Calais, Miss Bouchart said: We are in a strong position to push. We must put everything on the table and there must be an element of division, of sharing. Mr Bertrand, the centre-Right president of the Hauts-de-France region, wrote on Twitter: The English wanted to take back their freedom, they must take back their border. In February finance minister Emmanuel Macron said: The day this relationship unravels, migrants will no longer be in Calais. But the French government said Brexit will not lead to changes in immigration treaties with the UK these are bilateral treaties. Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault dismissed talk of border changes as rubbish, saying: People should be responsible, not engage in demagoguery. An Australian man who is wanted in Perth on drug charges has faced a Bali court for allegedly claiming to be two different men in forged and stolen travel documents. Shaun Edward Davidson, 30, was quiet and wore a white collared shirt when he arrived in Denpasar District Court on Monday, more than two months after he was arrested by immigration officials. Prosecutor Ika Lusiana said officers first spoke to Dobson on February 29 while he was staying at Rabasta Beach Resort in Kuta. Scroll down for video Shaun Edward Davidson (pictured), 30, was quiet and wore a white collared shirt when he arrived in Denpasar District Court on Monday, more than two months after he was arrested by immigration officials The Western Australian allegedly claimed he was 'Michael John Bayman' and presented a passport that showed a man who looked different to Dobson. When immigration officials returned to his hotel the following day, they found that his visa - known as a KITAS - showed his photograph but was under the name 'Eddie Lonsdale'. The following month immigration officials allegedly discovered the serial number on the KITAS matched that of a man 'Franklin Steven'. Ms Lusiana told the court that upon being questioned Davidson had conceded the passport was not his, adding that he had found it in a hotel six months before. Davidson, is currently being held in Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison (pictured) and could face up to seven years if convicted He also allegedly confessed to paying a local forger 1.5 million rupiah ($AUD150million) to create the false visa. Davidson, who has been charged with using a fake or forged visa and using someone else's immigration documents, could face up to seven years if convicted. The 30-year-old is believed to have travelled to Indonesia on January 28 last year - the same day he was due to appear at the Perth Magistrates Court on drug charges. He was to face court on a number of drug offences, including possessing a prohibited drug with the intention to sell or supply. Davidson (pictured) is believed to have travelled to Indonesia on January 28 last year - the same day he was due to appear at the Perth Magistrates Court An arrest warrant was issued on the same day. He is currently being held in Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison while the matter will return to court in July. Davidson had claimed that the photo in Mr Bayman's stolen passport was him when he was 'chubby' according to reports made in April. But when Davidson was was taken in for questioning he admitted the identification belonged to someone else, reported Seven News. Davidson had claimed that the photo in Mr Bayman's stolen passport (pictured) was him when he was 'chubby' according to reports made in April Mr Bayman, the victim of identity theft, reported his passport missing in 2013 according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Mohamed Soleh, an immigration officer at Bali's Ngurah Rai International airport, told the newspaper that Davidson was arrested on March 7, but 'it took quite some time for us to prepare proof of his offence'. His arrest came after reports of a foreign 'overstayer' in Kuta were received by authorities. Officials investigated and allegedly found Davidson had overstayed at a hotel using Mr Bayman's name and several other identities. His real identity was confirmed by the Australian government and AFP, Mr Soleh said in April. Britain's decision to leave the European Union has changed its global standing rather than diminished it, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday. Kerry said that added he will 'regret' Britain's absence in U.S.-EU negotiations. 'We will continue, the United States, to have a very close and special relationship with Great Britain,' Kerry said on the rooftop of a hotel overlooking the Pantheon. 'We value that relationship. That does not change because of this vote.' US Secretary of State John Kerry urged EU members not to 'lose their head' over the referendum. 'I think it is absolutely essential that we stay focused on how, in this transitional period, nobody loses their head' British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond (L) and US Secretary of State John Kerry (R) held a joint press conference after their meeting at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in central London 'Do I agree that Britain's role has somehow been diminished? No. I think it's been changed,' Kerry said in London, speaking alongside British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond. 'That doesn't mean we won't miss that voice within the context of the EU as a change. I personally will regret that Britain is not going to be at that table when there is an U.S.-EU dialogue.' 'But I have no doubt that Britain is going to be weighing in with us, critically involved with us on every single issue.' Britons voted in a referendum last Thursday to leave the EU, stunning global financial markets and world leaders. U.S. President Barack Obama and many other world leaders had urged Britain to remain inside the 28-nation bloc. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday urged Britain and the European Union to manage their divorce responsibly for the sake of global markets and citizens Kerry said that Britain's vote to leave the EU would not impact a summit next month of the NATO military alliance, and he predicted 'an even stronger NATO going forward'. 'We have high expectations of a very strong NATO meeting and important deliverables,' Kerry said of the summit planned for Warsaw on July 8-9. 'That will not change one iota as a consequence of the vote that has taken place.' Kerry, who is on a lightning tour of Brussels and London intended to reassure U.S. allies following the British vote, noted that 22 EU nations, including Britain, are part of NATO. In Brussels Kerry met NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and EU foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini. Kerry emphasized the importance of thoughtful cooperation at a time of economic uncertainty and fears about crumbling European unity 'After the UK decided to leave the European Union I think that NATO has become even more important as a platform for cooperation between Europe and North America but also defence and security cooperation between European NATO allies,' said Stoltenberg, whose own country Norway is in NATO but not the EU. Prime Minister David Cameron, who had campaigned for Britain to remain in the EU, intends to step down in the autumn after his ruling Conservatives have picked a new leader. In Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said it was important that 'nobody loses their head' as European and British leaders to work to negotiate the UK's separation from the 28-nation bloc. 'It is now incumbent on leaders to implement the will of the people and to do so in a way that is responsible, sensitive, thoughtful and - I hope - strategic,' Kerry said, speaking alongside EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. 'The United States cares about a strong EU.' Rolls Royce driver is an oligarch and a member of the local government set up after he claimed he would have to sell organ A driver caught on CCTV smashing into a Rolls Royce is now trying to sell a kidney to pay the huge repair bill. Traffic cameras filmed Vladislav Kantemirov ploughing into the luxury vehicle after to failing to stop at a junction in Chelyabinsk, central Russia. The Rolls Royce phantom can be seen spinning in the road after the hit with a soviet-made car before coming to a stop. A driver caught on CCTV smashing into a Rolls Royce is now trying to sell a kidney to pay the huge repair bill Traffic cameras filmed Vladislav Kantemirov ploughing into the luxury vehicle after to failing to stop at a junction in Chelyabinsk, central Russia Kantemirov has admitted he was in the wrong but is now resorting to desperate measures to pay the huge bill after a side door and wing mirror were damaged on the upmarket motor leading to costs of 55,000 (5million roubles). The man's monthly salary only comes to 490 (44,000 roubles). Following a court-ordered letter he has claimed the only way he can avoid bankruptcy and jail is to sell his organ to cover the costs, local reports said. Kantemirov's own car was written off in the dramatic smash. Businessman Alexander Artisov - who was in the Phantom - is an oligarch and a member of the local government, according to reports. It is unclear whether it is his factory - which officially owns the car - or the businessman's insurance company who are now asking for Kantemirov to pay. However some Good Samaritans are trying to help raise funds to pay the repair bill, after reports revealed that Artisov was also behind on his alimony payments to his ex-wife. The Rolls Royce phantom can be seen spinning in the road after the hit with a soviet-made car before coming to a stop Kantemirov has admitted he was in the wrong but is now resorting to desperate measures to pay the huge bill after a side door and wing mirror were damaged on the upmarket motor leading to costs of 55,000 (5million roubles). The man's monthly salary only comes to 490 (44,000 roubles) Their spokesperson told local media: 'Anyone can get into a similar situation. He barely makes ends meet, let's help him.' But netizens have said he deserves to be punished for breaking traffic laws. One said: 'What if instead of a Rolls-Royce there was a car with kids inside of it?!' Another commented: 'The driver is lucky that he hasn't killed anyone.' Kantemirov's (left) own car was written off in the dramatic smash.Businessman Alexander Artisov (right) - who was in the Phantom - is an oligarch and a member of the local government, according to reports It is unclear whether it is his factory - which officially owns the car (pictured after the crash) - or the businessman's insurance company who are now asking for Kantemirov to pay Angry protesters waving Confederate flags stormed a gas station after an unarmed white teenager was shot and killed by police. Dylan Noble, 19, was gunned down by cops in Fresno, California, on Saturday after they pulled him over for speeding. Family and friends gathered for a vigil at the scene on Sunday night, but demonstrators carrying 'White Lives Matter' signs and shouting 'f*** the police' arrived. Scroll down for video Angry protesters waving Confederate flags stormed a gas station after an unarmed white teenager was shot and killed by police in Fresno, California Dylan Noble, 19, was gunned down by cops on Saturday night after cops pulled him over for speeding Others started setting off fireworks, doing donuts in their cars and blocked the middle of the road. KFSN said the situation calmed when one of the protesters spoke through a police PA. It's not clear whether any arrests were made. Police said Noble drove on for half a mile before he stopped for the cops during a traffic stop. He then walked away from the car, without showing his hands, and made a statement that he 'hated his life', cops have said. Two cops, both wearing body cameras, then thought they saw him reaching for something. Fearing he was going for a gun, they opened fire. But police are yet to have found a weapon. Family and friends gathered for a vigil at the scene on Sunday night, but demonstrators carrying 'White Lives Matter' signs and shouting 'f*** the police' arrived Police said Noble drove on for half a mile in his truck (above) before he stopped for the cops during a traffic stop. He then walked away, without showing his hands, and made a statement that he 'hated his life'. His body was seen lying on the street at the back of the truck According to KSEE-TV, Noble was taken to hospital, but died during surgery. The officers who shot him had 37 years on the force combined. Deputy Chief Pat Farmer said: 'Initially we did not find a weapon on his person, we have yet to do a thorough search of the pickup truck he was driving in.' The deadly shooting is now under investigation. Police had received a 911 call from a man saying he was walking along the street holding a rifle. Critics were slammed for body shaming the 'fierce, bold and strong' god A Samoan rugby union player said he appears to be 'half pig, half hippo Disney have come under fire for making a Polynesian god appear 'stereotypically' obese in an upcoming children's film. Pacific Islanders have expressed their disappointment in the portrayal of the heroic Polynesian demi-god Maui in the animated Disney film Moana which is set to be released in December. A Samoan rugby union player said the burly figure looks 'half pig, half hippo', while New Zealand Labour MP Jenny Salesa slammed Disney for perpetuating 'unacceptable' stereotypes about people from the Pacific Islands being overweight. Scroll down video Pacific Islanders have expressed their disappointment in the portrayal of the heroic Polynesian demi-god Maui (left) in the animated Disney film Moana which is set to be be released in December Maui was described as having a muscular build in Polynesian mythology causing outrage over his depiction in Moana 'When we look at photos of Polynesian men & women from the last 100-200 years, most of our people were not overweight and this negative stereotype of Maui is just not acceptable,' she posted on Facebook. She said young people are not often exposed to Polynesian culture in popular films and that using a stereotypical body type the company was sending a 'powerful' message to children growing up in the Pacific Islands, stuff.co.nz reported. Rugby centre Eliota Fuimanono Sapolu, from Samoa, also took to social media to express his anger in Maui's depiction, arguing that Disney had twisted Polynesian mythology to suit their agenda. 'Maui looking like after he fished up the Islands, he deep fried em and and ate em,' he wrote, later adding that 'white people' had incorrectly told a 'Polynesian story'. New Zealand Labour MP Jenny Salesa slammed Disney for perpetuating 'unacceptable' stereotypes about people from the Pacific Islands being overweight Samoan rugby union player Eliota Fuimanono Sapolu said Maui looked 'half pig, half hippo' He also drew comparisons between Polynesian actor Dwayne Johnson and the Disney character he voiced Sapolu took to social media to express his anger in Maui's depiction and argued that Disney had twisted Polynesian mythology to suit their agenda 'Maui looking like after he fished up the Islands, he deep fried em and and ate em,' he wrote, later adding that 'white people' had incorrectly told a 'Polynesian story' Will Ilolahia from New Zealand's Pacific Media Associating said Maui had fallen victim to 'typical American stereotyping'. 'He is depicted in the stories that 's been handed down, especially in my culture, as a person of strength, a person of magnitude and a person of a godly nature,' he told Waatea News. 'Obesity is a new phenomena because of the first world food that's been stuffed down our throat,' he added. Some social media users agreed, stating they had never seen a Maui depicted like he was in Moana and local folklore had made him out to be 'ripped'. Some social media users agreed, stating they had never seen a Maui depicted like he was in Moana and local folklore had made him out to be 'ripped' Some social media users agreed, stating they had never seen a Maui depicted like he was in Moana and local folklore had made him out to be 'ripped' But others argued that critics are 'body shaming' the character, who does share physical attributes with some Polynesian men. 'Calling Disney out for depicting Maui as obese, unhealthy & ugly? Our men come in all shapes & sizes, must we really pick on a cartoon?' one woman user posted on Twitter. 'Maui depicted here looks fierce, bold, strong & charming. His 'look' represents many pasifika men in my aiga/circles. Proud,' wrote another. Disney have not commented on the controversy. Sima Kotecha, 36, who is from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said that she had not heard the word used in the area since the 1980s A BBC news presenter was left in 'utter shock' yesterday after suffering racist abuse in her home town when she was called a 'P***'. Sima Kotecha, 36, who is from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said that she had not heard the word used in the area since the 1980s. The incident comes after a 57 per cent rise in 'hate crimes' since the EU referendum result, which saw Britain decide to leave. In particular, police have been investigating a number of attacks on Poles and Muslims. Reports to a police online hate crime reporting site increased 57 per cent between Thursday and Sunday compared to the corresponding days four weeks ago, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) has said. Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the attacks, branding them as 'despicable'. Miss Kotecha, a reporter on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and a presenter on BBC One's 8pm news bulletin, received dozens of supportive messages from her followers on Twitter after posting a tweet about the abuse. The abuse comes amid a background of 'hate crimes' being probed by police across the UK with an increase in reports of attacks on ethnic minorities in the wake of last week's Brexit vote. She said shortly before 1.30pm yesterday: 'In utter shock: just been called p**i in my home town! Haven't heard that word here since the 80s!' Miss Kotecha began her BBC career with Radio Berkshire, before moving to the corporation's New York bureau and working for Radio 1's Newsbeat from 2006 to 2011 Miss Kotecha later added: 'Wow, really touched by the outpouring of support thank you. Your messages make me so proud to be British.' Basingstoke MP Maria Miller said: Along with the vast majority of Basingstoke residents I was appalled to hear of the racist abuse suffered by BBC presenter Sima Kotecha in Basingstoke. I have spoken to Sima to discuss the incident and to categorically condemn it. Racial abuse is a crime and the police have to act. But as a community we also need to send a clear message as well. Racism has no place in our community, we will not tolerate it and to hear of such abuse is sickening. Every one of us has a duty to challenge racism wherever it happens. And Paula Sherriff, Labour MP for Dewsbury, said: 'Absolutely shocking. Heard of a number of similar incidents near me. I am truly so sorry, Sima Kotecha - will do what I can.' Adil Ray, the creator of BBC sitcom Citizen Khan, added: 'Disgusting. Hope you're OK, Sima. Head up high and go and do what you do best on my radio.' Miss Kotecha, who studied at the University of Surrey in Guildford and Goldsmiths College in London, previously worked as a parliamentary aide in Canada and as an English teacher. She began her BBC career with Radio Berkshire, before moving to the corporation's New York bureau and working for Radio 1's Newsbeat from 2006 to 2011. Miss Kotecha also spent two years on the PM and the World at One on Radio 4, and has reported from countries including Afghanistan, Haiti and Lebanon. The NPCC confirmed that there has been an increase in reports to True Vision, a police online hate crime reporting site. The figures only take into account the 85 reports made through one mechanism, and this should not be read as a national increase in hate crime of 57 per cent. Giving a statement at his first Commons appearance since the referendum and his subsequent resignation announcement, Mr Cameron said: 'We have a fundamental responsibility to bring our country together. 'In the past few days we have seen despicable graffiti daubed on a Polish community centre, we've seen verbal abuse hurled against individuals because they are members of ethnic minorities. 'Let's remember these people have come here and made a wonderful contribution to our country. 'We will not stand for hate crime or these kinds of attacks, they must be stamped out.' Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, national lead for hate crime, said: 'Police forces are working closely with their communities to maintain unity and tolerance and prevent any hate crime or abuse following the EU referendum. 'At the national level, the vast majority of people are continuing to go about their lives in safety and security and there have been no major spikes in tensions reported. 'However, we are seeing an increase in reports of hate crime incidents to True Vision, the police online hate crime reporting site. 'This is similar to the trends following other major national or international events. In previous instances, crime levels returned to normal relatively quickly but we are monitoring the situation closely.' He added: 'All forms of hate crime are unacceptable in any circumstances. Hatred not only has the potential to cause serious physical and emotional harm, it damages communities and undermines the diversity and tolerance we should be instead celebrating. 'Police forces will respond robustly to any incidents and offenders can expect to receive enhanced sentencing. 'Everyone has a right to feel safe and confident about who they are. Being yourself is not a crime: hate crime is.' Meanwhile, Two Polish men were beaten to a pulp in Upton Park, east London, at the weekend. A man, named Carlos, tweeted about the incident as he came across it. He also posted pictures of the men - a father and son - lying unconscious on the ground, their bloody faces as they got up and paramedics treating them at the scene. In a series of tweets, he said: 'Walking home, see these men laid out on the floor, thought they were drunk, took a photo, turns out they've been battered senseless by 'English man, English man'. They're Polish.' 'A son and his dad, dad's unconscious. Blood everywhere.' 'Father has a broken arm, and possible neck trauma, son has severe facial fractures, broken jaw and nose. my god. 'This referendum, this division, this racism, this bigotry, this disgrace. had enough of it.' Two Polish men were beaten to a pulp in Upton, east London, at the weekend. A man, named Carlos, tweeted about the incident as he came across it Carlos also posted pictures of the men - a father and son - lying unconscious on the ground, their bloody faces as they got up and paramedics treating them at the scene. Carlos put the men in a recovery position and waited for the emergency services to arrive. He said paramedics told him that the men had been lying there for over an hour. The two men, aged 30 and 54, were treated in hospital. The father has been discharged and the son is in a stable condition. Police are investigating Saturday's incident as an assault and stressed that the attack is not being treated as a hate crime. A Polish community centre was vandalised in a suspected racist attack which some have also linked to the vote to quit the EU. Workers at the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith, west London, found graffiti across the building's front doors saying 'F*** off.' Police have now launched an investigation into the incident, which they are treating as a 'racially motivated crime'. Another incident saw Polish immigrants in Huntingdon, near Cambridge, delivered cards reading, 'Leave the EU - no more Polish vermin'. The UK's Polish Embassy released a statement following the incidents. It read: 'We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community and other UK residents of migrant heritage. 'The Polish Embassy is in contact with relevant institutions, and local police and already investigating the two most widely reported cases in Hammersmith, London, and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.' 'We call on all Polish nationals who fall victim of xenophobic abuse and non all witnesses to report such incidents to local authorities.' Horror: These messages were delivered to Polish families in the Cambridge area yesterday Mayor of London Sadiq Khan asked Scotland Yard to be 'extra vigilant' after a flurry of incidents were reported in the capital and around Britain. Mr Khan said: 'I take seriously my responsibility to defend London's fantastic mix of diversity and tolerance. 'So it's really important we stand guard against any rise in hate crimes or abuse by those who might use last week's referendum as cover to seek to divide us. 'I've asked our police to be extra vigilant for any rise in cases of hate crime, and I'm calling on all Londoners to pull together and rally behind this great city.' Addressing hate crimes will be a priority for the Metropolitan Police, he said, adding: 'We will have a zero-tolerance approach to any attempt to hurt and divide our communities. 'It's also crucial that we don't demonise the 1.5 million people in London who voted for Brexit. 'While I and millions of others disagreed with their decision, they took it for a variety of reasons and this shouldn't be used to accuse them of being xenophobic or racist. We must respect their decision and work together now to get the best deal for London.' David Cameron spoke out against the 'hate crimes' against immigrants since the result of the EU referendum Vandalism: Graffiti reading 'F*** off OPM' appeared on the outside of the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith, West London this morning Islamophobia has also been more apparent, according to the Muslim Council for Britain (MCB), who have collated more than 100 reports of 'hate crimes' against the religion since the shock result. Two men were arrested in Birmingham after a protest outside a mosque on Saturday, where police confiscated a banner with the slogan 'rapefugees not welcome'. Heaven Crawley also wrote on Twitter: 'This evening my daughter left work in Birmingham and saw group of lads corner a Muslim girl shouting 'Get out, we voted leave'. Awful times' A spokesman for the MCB said: 'There have been countless incidents reported including a Polish centre being daubed with racist graffiti, a racist demonstration outside a mosque in Birmingham, and many reports of Muslims and others being taunted with 'go back home!' or similar sentiments.' Calling for action, Dr. Shuja Shafi, the Secretary General of the MCB, said: 'As the results of the referendum became known, I called for our politicians to come together and heal the divisions that have emerged as a result of the campaign. 'Now we are witnessing the shocking extent of this with reports around the country of hate speech and minorities being targeted. 'We need leadership now more than ever before. Our country is experiencing a political crisis which, I fear threatens the social peace. 'Whatever differences we may have, it is vitally important that we demonstrate solidarity for those attacked, and state, in the words of the murdered MP Jo Cox, that 'We have far more in common than which divides us'.' Sky News presenter Adam Boulton wrote: 'This weekend I and my family have witnessed 3 'when are you going home?' Racist incidents aimed at EU citizens here.' Many people took to social media to report various incidents they had witnessed or heard about using the hashtag '#PostRefRacism'. Sam Valiant tweeted: 'Today a group of men called me a 'P**i C**t' and told me to go home. In London. Where I was born, raised and lived for 32yrs.' Sky News presenter Adam Boulton wrote: 'This weekend I and my family have witnessed 3 'when are you going home?' Racist incidents aimed at EU citizens here.' In Barnsley, Channel 4 News reporter Ciaran Jenkins said: 'Been standing here five minutes. Three different people have shouted 'send them home'.' James Titcombe tweeted: 'Daughter tells me someone wrote '[Child's name] go back to Romania' on the wall in the girls toilets at School today.' And in London, Jamie Pohotsky reported: 'Table next to me says to Polish waitress 'How come you're so cheerful? You're going home.' Him and the missus started laughing.' Disgusting.' Kamaljeet Jandu, GMB National Equality Officer, said 'Following the Brexit vote last week, we have seen a rise in reports of racist incidents from Hammersmith to Birmingham to Barnsley. This behaviour is outrageous, out of order and entirely unacceptable. GMB condemns these actions of hatred and offers our pledge to support GMB members and people of all ethnicities in the UK. Those that let the genie of xenophobia and racism out of the bottle have a lot to answer for.' A statement from Stand Up To Racism read: 'The most dangerous outcome of the EU referendum debate is the unleashing of the most heinous manifestations of racism and far right nationalism. 'This toxic discussion on immigration has turned the clock back on race relations in Britain and cost a Labour MP her life.' Brexit campaign standard-bearer Boris Johnson said that there was 'no way' that EU nationals currently in the UK would lose their right to live and work here because of the referendum result. 'As I said repeatedly during the campaign I'm pro immigration, but I'm pro control of immigration,' said Mr Johnson - tipped as the likely successor to Mr Cameron as Prime Minister. 'We must have a policy that is fair and balanced between the EU and the rest of the world, allowing us to address the skills needed to support our economy, regardless of where you come from.' Mr Johnson said he was 'appalled' by reports of increased in crimes of racism and xenophobia over the weekend Mr Johnson said he was 'appalled' by reports of increased in crimes of racism and xenophobia over the weekend. 'Hate crime of any kind is inexcusable and must be met with the full force of the law,' he said. 'Britain is an open, tolerant and friendly society that welcomes people from across the globe. The family of a seven-year-old boy who died after crashing his dirt bike in to a tree have paid tribute to the child, saying he was killed doing one of the things he loved most. Aidan Smithies died in Bunbury, Western Australia, on Saturday after ploughing in to the tree as he rode along a gravel track. His parents are believed to have been at the track in Katanning watching him ride when he lost control of the bike. On Monday they shared their grief in a statement, describing him as their 'precious little man'. Aidan Smithies, seven, died after crashing his motorcycle in to a tree on a dirt track as his parents watched 'With a deepest sadness, on Saturday, doing one of the things he loved most in life, our precious little man was tragically taken from us. 'Hell be always in our hearts. Rest in peace our little man,' they said. The family thanked air ambulance paramedics who tried to revive the boy but were unable to. Another father who was at the track with his own children said the handlebars of Aidan's bike began to shake as he 'wobbled' at speed shortly before the tragedy. 'He was going quite fast by the time he hit a mound and ... by the time the bike hit the ground over here, the front handlebars were wobbling darn quick,' Greg Dowling told The West Australian. Mr Dowling added that he saw the child walk the track 'a few times' to familiarise himself with it before riding. Aidan was riding at a track near Katanning (above) and appeared to lose control of his bike as it wobbled A report into his death will be prepared for the coroner. Western Australia Police Minister Liza Harvey shared her sympathy for the family on Sunday, describing Aidan's death as an 'unimaginable horror'. 'Losing a child is unimaginable horror to any parent. 'There will obviously be an investigation into that incident but, really at the moment, Im sure that the local community are rallying around that family and providing them with as much support as they possibly can, as they go through what will be their darkest hour,' she told Perth Now. He was also an avid mountain climber and a A former Nike talent scout has died after his parachute failed to open while he was BASE jumping in Norway. Michael Leming, 53, who left his high-level job in Portland, Oregon after 15 years to pursue his love of the outdoors, died in the Scandinavian country's Lysebotn Fjord Sunday, just five days after celebrating his birthday. Erin Jacobson, Leming's fiancee, posted a photo on his birthday that showed him landing feet from their cabin after a similar BASE jump. 'My birthday boy was right on time for dinner & shots of whiskey! He landed right in front of our cabin,' wrote Jacobson. 'Happy Happy birthday babe! I love u!' Scroll down for video Tragedy: Michael Leming (above) was killed on Sunday when his parachute failed to open during a BASE jump Thrill: The former Nike talent scout was celebrating his birthday with a trip to Norway (above in a photo during an earlier BASE jump) Living on the edge: He had been BASE jumping at the Lysebotn Fjord at the time of his death (above in a photo during an earlier BASE jump) The Oregonian shared some of the tributes those close to Leming posted after learning of his tragic passing on Sunday. In addition to his love of BASE jumping he was also a fan of mountain climbing, and had summited Mount Hood in Oregon numerous times. He had also been a volunteer with Portland Mountain Rescue for over 15 years, helping to save climbers who were trapped on the mountain and recover the bodies of those who perished attempting the treacherous trek. 'Michael, you lived larger than all the rest of us, you pulled as hard as anyone on the team, you demonstrated deep generosity, you cheered loudly for the underdog, and you loved freely your friends, of which there are many,' wrote the Mountain Rescue team on Facebook over the weekend. 'We all just wish we could have had you on belay.' Joe Donlon, a friend of Leming's and local news anchor for KGW in Portland, also posted a message remembering his friend on Sunday. 'I had a feeling this day was coming. Still, even when I got word of what happened, I didn't want to believe it. My friend, Michael Leming, was dead,' wrote Donlon. 'I never asked him directly, but I think he would have admitted - this was probably inevitable. So did the hundreds of people who were close to him. But that never stopped him, or slowed him down.' He went on to share a few of his friend's many close calls over the years, including a BASE jump gone wrong at the KL Tower in Kuala Lumpur and a near fatal fall off Mount Hood. Adventure: Leming left his job with Nike after 15 years to pursue his love of the outdoors (above in a windsuit from an earlier jump) Climber: Leming (above) was also an avid mountain climber and a volunteer with the Portland Mountain Rescue Donlon also shared a story about one mission to retrieve the body of a dead climber on Mount Hood that was called off because the weather was so bad. Leming ignored the warning however and managed to find the body, wrote Donlon, wanting to give the man's family his wedding ring so they would have something to hold on to until they could bring down the body. A beachfront property belonging to a man that was once investigated over the cruise ship death of Dianne Brimble, 42, was involved in a targeted bombing incident. Luigi Vitale, 51, who was one of eight men investigated over the death of Ms Brimble in 2002, is also the owner of the Henley Beach home in South Australia, according to records obtained by 9News. Residents along the Esplanade were woken by the explosive device at 4.15am on Monday and on arrival police found damage to the front yard and shattered windows. Scroll down for video A beachfront property (pictured) belonging to a man that was once investigated over the cruise ship death of Dianne Brimble, 42, was involved in a targeted bombing incident People were believed to be in the home at the time of the explosion but were not physically injured according to police reports. Investigations into the incident are ongoing, but initial inquiries suggest it was a targeted attack. Vitale was arrested and charged with drug trafficking and money laundering at Henley Beach in 2009 when police raided 49 properties across four states, reported The Courier Mail. Prosecutors dropped the drug trafficking charges in September before also withdrawing the money laundering charges. Luigi Vitale (pictured), 51, who was one of eight men investigated over the death of Ms Brimble in 2002, is also the owner of the Henley Beach home in South Australia Investigations into the incident are ongoing, but initial inquiries suggest it was a targeted attack on the home (pictured) In January of 2011 an unlawful possession charge was also dropped and no current matters involving the 51-year-old are before the courts. But more notably are Vitale's associations with the investigations into the death of Ms Brimble who was found dead aboard a Pacific Sky Cruise Ship of a drug overdose almost 14 years ago. Vitale told the inquest that he had not met Ms Brimble because he was in bed, seasick. Residents along the Esplanade were woken by the explosive device at 4.15am on Monday and on arrival police found damage to the front yard and shattered windows (pictured) Vitale who owned the home targeted (pictured) was arrested and charged with drug trafficking and money laundering at Henley Beach in 2009 when police raided 49 properties across four states Although Vitale did not face any criminal charges over the death of the mother-of-three, he and the group of eight men involved in investigations were slammed by NSW Coroner Jacqueline Milledge at the time of the inquest. Ms Milledge found that evidence suggested that Ms Brimble had been 'unknowingly drugged' with the intent of being demeaned for the sexual gratification of those involved, reported Fairfax in 2010. Allegations made in court suggested that of the eight men some had provided Ms Brimble with the drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate, otherwise known as 'GHB' or 'fantasy' which had led to her overdose. Prosecutors dropped the drug trafficking charges in September before also withdrawing the money laundering charges. In January of 2011 an unlawful possession charge was also dropped and no current matters involving the 51-year-old who owns the South Australian home (pictured) are before the courts But more notably are Vitale's associations with the investigations into the death of Ms Brimble (pictured) who was found dead aboard a Pacific Sky Cruise Ship of a drug overdose almost 14 years ago It is believed that Ms Brimble had engaged in sex with one of the men and photos were taken of her naked body as she lay unconscious and possibly dying on the floor of a cabin that four of the men investigated had been lodging in. Eight Adelaide men were considered 'of interest' in the investigation but have since been acquitted. The Brimble family reached a settlement with Pacific Sky Cruises for a 'reasonable amount of money' and revealed their anguish in interviews aired on Australia Story in 2010. The case also prompted stricter security measure for Australian cruises with the introduction of sniffer dogs and closed-circuit surveillance cameras. Stinging: Lord King today called the referendum dispiriting and said Remain leaders had treated the public as 'idiots' if they wanted to Leave Former Bank of England governor Lord King today blamed the Government for Britain's decision to quit the EU because they treated Leave supporters like 'idiots'. He also called George Osborne's threat to call an emergency budget if Brexit happened the 'nadir' of a campaign he branded 'the most dispiriting in my lifetime'. Lord King also suggested that George Osborne's position as Chancellor is under threat because David Cameron has 'already taken responsibility for the result'. The 68-year-old said that the public had been put off by their campaign's 'scaremongering'. Speaking to the BBC today he said: 'This was the most dispiriting campaign I can recall in my lifetime. Both sides were exaggerating. I think the Government has to take responsibility for setting the tone for that. 'We had all sorts of scare stories and I was travelling around the UK a lot at the time and I was struck by how many people said to me that they didn't like the scaremongering tactics. 'They (voters) didn't like to be told that if they were to vote Leave they would be idiots. And if you say to someone: "Well you're an idiot if you don't agree with me", then you are not likely to bring them in your direction'. Lord King said that the Remain campaign were right to say that Brexit would cause economic uncertainty, but claimed they then went too far. He said: 'I do think they said things that were not easy to sustain or support. It's true there was a great deal of economic uncertainty about the outcome and that would have been enough to make their case. 'But they went way beyond that about the precise numbers that could be used to say how much our living standards might fall'. Pressure: Lord King suggested that George Osborne could be forced to leave the Treasury after David Cameron fell on his sword And piling pressure on George Osborne, who refused to quit today, he said: 'Well the prime minister has taken responsibility for the result and has stood down and I think the Treasury is in a difficult position now because it did make very clear forecasts that were exaggerated. 'We have already seen this morning there will not be an emergency budget and I think that was the nadir. I was baffled by the idea that the emergency budget'. He added: 'That's the last thing you need'. But Lord King, who ran the Bank of England for more than a decade, said voting leave does not have to cause major job cuts. He said: 'The City is much more than a small number of banks. Some will have to expand or make new subsidiaries to carry out the clearing of euro transactions, but that doesn't have to mean the loss of a huge number of jobs'. An emergency budget to deal with the fallout from the referendum vote to leave the EU looks unlikely to take place until the autumn, as Chancellor George Osborne said it was better to delay action to shore up the public finances until a new prime minister is in place. In an early-morning statement at the Treasury designed to calm market anxieties after the pound fell a further 2% against the US dollar in overnight trading, Mr Osborne insisted that the UK economy is 'about as strong as it could be to confront the challenge our country now faces' and said Britain remains 'open for business'. Hope: Lord King did say that the City did not have to cut lots of jobs because of Brexit, but admitted it would cause uncertainty Following talks over the weekend with Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and fellow finance ministers and international economic organisations, Mr Osborne said that 'further well-thought through contingency plans' were ready to be deployed if needed in response to further volatility. Mr Osborne - who has kept a low public profile since the Brexit vote - said it was 'inevitable' that the UK economy would face an 'adjustment' in the wake of the Brexit vote, though he steered clear of repeating explicit warnings of recession made during the referendum campaign. The leading Leave campaigner welcomed the early morning statement by Mr Osborne intended to calm the markets that the UK economy was 'about as strong as it could be' to confront the challenge of separating from the EU. 'It is clear now that Project Fear is over, there is not going to be an emergency budget, people's pensions are safe, the pound is stable, the markets are stable, I think that's all very good,' he told reporters as he left his London home. Thousands of French pupils have signed petitions in protest as they complain their end of year Baccalaureat exams are too hard. Students say the tests, the equivalent of French A-levels, are impossible to complete with tensions bubbling over when they sat their English language paper, reports the Times. During the exam teens had to tackle a question on the Alice Hoffman novel, the Museum of Extraordinary Things - but were completely miffed by the phrases in an extract. Thousands of French pupils have signed a petition in protest at end of year Baccalaureat exams are too hard (file photo) Pupils complained that examining the text was far too complicated with terms such as 'the sky was struck with a hazy pink glow' and 'Eddie settled down with his rod' leaving them scratching their heads. A petition regarding the exam has since been signed by over 15,000 people with a statement that reads: 'Following the difficultly of comprehension of the text, we want a modification of the grades.' Students have also been in uproar over a science exam, with a petition gaining over 11,300 signatures, with one pupil complaining that both teachers and staff had found the test 'insurmountable.' The third petition regarded a maths exams which allegedly contained a mistake. This is not the first time French students have been up in arms about papers they felt were too hard to take. Last year around 12,000 signed a petition demanding to have a question on their English exam struck off. The students, all studying for the Baccalaureat, claimed the literacy question was 'impossible' to understand. Last year's exam asked the French students to answer questions about Ian McEwan's book Atonement, which was adapted for the big screen in 2007, starring Keira Knightley and James McAvoy (pictured) The question asked the students to analyse a section from Ian McEwan's book Atonement, but the teens struggled to cope. Students were given a passage from the 2001 bestseller concerning one of its protagonists, Robbie Turner, and were then asked to answer the following questions: 'What are three of his concerns about the situation?', and 'How is Turner coping with the situation?' Pupils claimed the words 'coping' and 'concerns' were too hard to understand, and many took to social media to complain, using the hashtag #BacAnglais. David Cameron cracked jokes today as he faced MPs for the first time since his humiliation in the EU referendum - but Boris Johnson was nowhere to be seen. The Prime Minister seemed demob happy as he appeared in the Commons, quipping that he thought he was having a 'bad day' until he realised the scale of the Labour coup against Jeremy Corbyn. He also urged the newly-elected Tooting MP took keep her mobile phone on as she 'might be in the shadow cabinet by the end of the day'. David Cameron cracked jokes today as he faced MPs for the first time since his humiliation in the EU referendum, laughing as he quipped that the coup against Corbyn put his bad day into perspective Mr Cameron joked that he thought he was having a bad day until he saw the scale of the coup against Jeremy Corbyn (pictured) The strongest contender to replace Cameron as leader is Boris Johnson, but he was nowhere to be seen in the Commons this afternoon, with SNP MPs shouting 'Where's Boris?' as the session began But Mr Cameron was defiant about his controversial 'Project Fear' warnings about the consequences of Brexit, saying we were already seeing the fallout from the decision. And he hit out at 'despicable' racist incidents in the wake of the referendum Leave vote, saying they 'will not stand for hate crime'. The appearance came as it emerged that Mr Cameron's successor as Prime Minister will be appointed by September 2 at the latest. The winner of the Conservative leadership contest will be announced on that date, with David Cameron potentially handing over the keys to Downing Street the same day. The party's powerful 1922 committee has set out the timetable for the contest to succeed Mr Cameron, who had previously suggested a successor should be in place by October. Nominations for leader will open on Wednesday, and close the following lunchtime. If there are more than two candidates, MPs will vote to whittle the field down next week, before Tory activists decide the final winner. The favourite to win the top job, Boris Johnson, declared 'that Project Fear is over' this morning as he sought to reassure Britain that pensions were safe, the pound and markets were stable and told the nation: 'That's all very good news'. Earlier that day, as Labour leader Corbyn left his Islington home, he had had to wrestle his way through an an army of reporters asking why he is holding on as more than half of his Shadow Cabinet resigned Former Shadow Leader of the House of Commons Chris Bryant (left), and former Shadow Business Secretary and First Secretary of State Angela Eagle have all resigned from Corbyn's Cabinet, mounting pressure on him But he was nowhere to be seen in the Commons this afternoon, with SNP MPs shouting 'Where's Boris?' as the session began. Mr Cameron said: 'The British people have voted to leave the European Union. It was not the result I wanted nor the outcome that I believed is best for the country I love. But there can be no doubt about the result. 'Of course, I don't take back what I said about the risks. It is going to be difficult. 'We have already seen that there are going to be adjustments within our economy, complex constitutional issues, and a challenging new negotiation to undertake with Europe. 'But I am clear and the Cabinet agreed this morning that the decision must be accepted and the process of implementing the decision in the best possible way must now begin. Mr Cameron reaffirmed that it would be for his successor when to trigger Article 50 under the Lisbon treaty. Some EU figures, including European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker, have called for an immediate start to the talks. But Mr Cameron told the House: 'Before we do that we need to determine the kind of relationship we want with the EU and that is rightly something for the next prime minister and their cabinet to decide. 'This is our sovereign decision and it will be for Britain and Britain alone to take.' George Osborne looked exhausted and rubbed his eyes as he sat alongside the PM during his statement He suggested that the UK should be looking to stay in the single market, stressing it was important that Britain maintained the 'strongest possible' economic links with the EU as well as its extensive security co-operation. 'Britain is leaving the European Union, but we must not turn our back on Europe or the rest of the world,' he said. 'I believe we should hold fast to a vision of Britain that wants to be respected abroad, tolerant at home, engaged in the world and working with our international partners to advance the prosperity and security of our nation for generations to come.' The PM strongly condemned abuse of members of ethnic communities reported after last week's vote as well as 'despicable' graffiti daubed on a Polish community centre. 'Let's remember these people have come here and made a wonderful contribution to our country. And we will not stand for hate crime or these kinds of attacks. They must be stamped out,' he said. Mr Cameron refused to rule out the possibility of a snap general election. His former Liberal Democrat deputy Nick Clegg pointed out that the Conservative Party membership made up 0.003% of the total electorate, but would be responsible 'Do you agree with me that there should be an early general election?' Chancellor George Osborne announced earlier that there will be no emergency austerity budget as he talked at The Treasury, where he moved to try to calm market turmoil triggered by the Brexit vote Boris Johnson (pictured outside his north London home) heaped praise on the Chancellor for calming the markets, declaring 'Project Fear is over' Mr Cameron said he stood by his Project Fear warnings during the campaign, arguing that we are already seeing the fallout from the vote Mr Cameron replied: 'All parties have their rules for electing leaders that are arrived at democratically, we have ours and they will be followed. 'The only other point I'd make is that in the coalition agreement, we agreed a Fixed Term Parliament Act, which many of my colleagues have misgivings about. 'I happen to think it is a good measure, so as a result I think the right thing is for a new prime minister to take office and it will be for them to decide whether to fulfil the terms of this parliament or something else.' The PM insisted pro EU ministers could not join the campaign for a second referendum or try to block Brexit. Mr Cameron said that collective responsibility, which had been suspended to allow Cabinet members to campaign on both sides of the argument in the EU referendum, is now back in force. He told the House of Commons ministers are now united in 'one view' - to get the best possible deal for the UK following the decision to sever ties with Brussels. He told a packed House of Commons: 'On collective responsibility I meant what I said, obviously it was suspended for the period of this campaign but it has come back into place so members of Government, members of the Cabinet, are of one view. 'And that one view must be that we deliver the country's will to exit the European Union, although the key decisions for that will be taken by the next Prime Minister.' CHOOSING A PM: HOW THE CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP ELECTION WORKS David Cameron announced he is resigning as Prime Minister when he made his post-Brexit statement in the early hours of Friday morning alongside his wife Samantha The leadership election is a two-stage process - first Conservative MPs have their say, then members of the party all around the country are able to vote. If there are two or more candidates, all Tory MPs vote on who they prefer, with the bottom candidate in each round being eliminated until only two are left. The final two then make their pitch to members of the party in a straight head-to-head contest, with the winner determined by postal voting. The exact timescale is unclear, but David Cameron said today that he wants his successor in place by the time of the party conference in October, meaning that the process will have to begin within weeks. Only full members of the party who pay their 25 subscription are entitled to vote - unlike in Labour's leadership contest, where supporters could register for just 3. Advertisement The PM reiterated his position that the Government must 'accept the result' the British people had given and 'get on and deliver it'. He added: 'I think people won't be surprised to hear that I'm not planning a second referendum.' Mr Cameron raised a laugh from MPs when he pointed out that Mr Johnson, MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip, was not bound by the rules of collective responsibility. When he was praised for his performances at the despatch box, Mr Cameron joked that he would miss the three-hour marathon Commons sessions after statements. 'I wonder what I will do with my time,' he said wryly. Earlier, Mr Johnson struck a notably conciliatory tone as he heaped praised on George Osborne for his 'reassuring' statement to calm the markets this morning and his decision to cancel plans for an emergency budget. Mr Johnson spoke outside his north London home this morning after effectively launching his leadership bid by appealing to pro-EU supporters in his party and the wider public. He softened his tone by rowing back on several key arguments he made in favour of Brexit before the EU referendum and hopes it will persuade Mr Osborne to back his leadership campaign. The Chancellor, who made an early morning statement to calm the markets before they opened at 8am, is set to play a decisive role in the upcoming Tory contest to replace David Cameron. Mr Johnson has reportedly offered him the job of Foreign Secretary if he supports his campaign as he is desperate to fend off a tough challenge from Theresa May, the Home Secretary. Some Tories determined to block Mr Johnson think a crowded field is the best way of keeping him out of the final two names, with grassroots members choosing the winner. Those planning to run include: Pro-Remain MPs Sajid Javid, the Business Secretary, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb and Energy and Climate Secretary Amber Rudd Prominent Brexit campaigners Andrea Leadsom, minister for energy and climate change, and work and pensions minister Priti Patel The details emerged as Mr Cameron set up a new government 'Brexit unit' amid calls for Michael Gove to be put in charge of negotiating a new deal. The team, including officials from the Treasury and Foreign Office, will lay the ground ahead of real negotiations that will kick off when a new Prime Minister takes office in October. But it will not make any firm decisions about what will happen. A Downing Street spokeswoman said: 'What the civil service is there to do is to make sure that we prepare, as much as the civil service can, for a new prime minister.' Cabinet Office minister Oliver Letwin, Mr Cameron's long-standing troubleshooter, will also be given a new 'facilitative role', consulting across government. Theresa May (pictured left arriving at today's Cabinet meeting) Boris Johnson (pictured right as he left his home today) are battling each other to win over George Osborne (pictured middle as he arrived to deliver a pre-markets speech this morning), who is set to play a decisive role in who wins the leadership contest A New York City school teacher has filed a complaint with police claiming a group of students hacked into her Facebook account and posted intimate messages between her and an ex. Angela Costa, a second-year social studies teacher at Urban Action Academy in Brooklyn, told the New York Post that the students made dozens of copies of a conversation she had with a former paramour in which she thanked the individual for giving her 'a couple of orgasms'. She also said the school did not report the incident to the Department of Education for days, and that the students have not been disciplined for their actions. Angela Costa (above) filed a complaint with police after students at Urban Action Academy in Brooklyn hacked her Facebook and posted a conversation Costa, a second-year social studies teacher, claims the school did not punish the students after they hung dozens of copies of the conversation (Urban Action Academy in Brooklyn above) 'The very fact that it took five days for the school to report the incident, and knowing they never interviewed any staff or students and did not conduct a proper investigation, makes me fearful to return to work because my own administration and deans are not there to protect me,' wrote Costa in a letter to her union rep. It was the teachers union that encouraged Costa to file a complaint with the police, who classified the incident as 'aggravated harassment'. It is not known how the students were able to access the conversation, from January 2015, but Costa did have her smartphone stolen last fall from her classroom. The three students who took the device were suspended by the school at the time. Costa said she also would not be surprised if an employee at the school was involved in hacking her social media account. She said she feels 'helpless and victimized' after the hack, and accuses the school's principal, Steve Dorcely, of covering the entire thing up to protect the guilty students. Officials working in Australian immigration have come under fire for alleged corruption involving the issuing and processing of fake skilled and student visas. A Fairfax Media and ABC investigation found Immigration department chief Michael Pezzullo referred 132 cases of suspected corruption in the department to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity. The Australian Border Force spent the last year investigating criminal syndicated involved in rorting the visa system, reported PerthNow. Scroll down for video Immigration department chief Michael Pezzullo referred 132 cases of suspected corruption regarding skilled visa and student visas (pictured) in the department to the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity Joseph Petyanszki, a former top official in the immigration department, reportedly said visa rorting has been and is still endemic. Mr Petyanszki told the ABC: 'In the border security debate, it has been easy to deflect the publics attention to boat arrivals. 'But this fearmongering has totally ignored where the vast bulk of real fraud is, most significantly undermining our immigration programs.' Melbourne Indian community leader Jasvinder Sidhu told the ABC he had been in touch with a visa fixer, who offered him a part in the visa scamming scheme. Mr Sidhu said that people were effectively paying 'for a phantom job' and in return getting 'a skilled visa'. 'So youre paying to create a job that doesnt exist and to create a service which was never delivered. And youre getting permanent residency which is not fake. This is real.' He said multiple sponsorship were being offered in commercial cookery, mechanics and IT. Mr Sidhu fake timesheets, fake payslips and pay in bank accounts would be created, including superannuation and other related documents. He said he was concerned about the way people were being exploited with fake visas. He said people were paying up to $50,000 and living in terrible conditions, with up to ten people in one house, lack of food and long working hours. Melbourne Indian community leader Jasvinder Sidhu (pictured) told the ABC he had been in touch with a visa fixer, who offered him a part in the visa scamming scheme. He said he was concerned about the way people were being exploited with fake visas He also said there have been complaints of sexual assault against employers and injuries at work. Former Murphy Pipe and Civil employee Clint Raven told the ABC visa rorting took place while he worked for the multinational construction contractor. He said the company was sponsoring Irish nationals for jobs that did not exist. 'As a business we were issuing or sponsoring visas for workers as project coordinators, project administrators, where that role didnt exist on our site and these people, their actual jobs was as a labourer on the ground,' Mr Raven said. He said the issue was that Australians were missing out on jobs and people were getting ahead in a queue to gain residency into Australia on the grounds of a mythical labor shortage. German police have rescued a 12-year-old Swiss boy who was hiding in the attic of a house owned by a man he met while playing online game Minecraft. The boy, only known as Paul, sparked an international manhunt after he vanished from his home in the Swiss town of Solothurn a week ago after telling friends he planned to go on the run. Officers desperately searched for clues as to where the boy might have gone, analysing his computer as to where he had gone. Paul, who sparked an international manhunt after he vanished from his home in the Swiss town of Solothurn a week ago after telling friends he planned to go on the run And they discovered that he had posted personal details online including his full name, home address and his real age. When police found he had made an online connection with a 35-year-old man 370 miles away in Dusseldorf, Germany, they raided the property and found Paul hiding in the attic. Before he disappeared, it is believed he had told his parents he was going for a cycle run, with this bike ride eventually being found in a neighbouring town. It is unclear if the 12-year-old was staying with the man voluntarily or against his will, but as he is underage it has still resulted in the man, only named as Werner C. , who is a trainee cook facing kidnapping charges. A police spokesman said: 'It is too early to start criminal proceedings for sexual abuse. The boy lived in Solothurn in Switzerland but was found in a house 350 miles away in Dortmund, Germany 'We have already spoken intensively with Paul in the presence of his parents. We are getting an image of what exactly happened, but we still need to complete the investigation.' It is believed that the FBI helped Swiss police in cracking codes that allowed them to read the boy's online correspondence which then led to the arrest. Swiss police would only say that the FBI had helped provide certain parts of the puzzle that resulted in the boy being rescued. The case was particularly unusual as Swiss police rarely make public appeals for assistance unless it is exceptionally urgent. 'The reunion of the boy with his parents in Dusseldorf was marked by great mutual joy. Today is a good day', said the Chief of the Criminal Police of the Swiss canton of Solothurn, Urs Bartenschlager. Paul's mother, who was distraught when he went missing. He has now been reunited with his parents after being found After the link between the kidnapper and the child was revealed, Swiss telecommunications company Swisscom issued a warning to both parents and children who they said need to be on their guard. A spokesman said: 'Like in the real world, also virtually you need to protect yourself and be watchful. 'In precisely those games where you play as a team and have to work together, you find both youngsters and criminals taking an interest in them. 'It is important that parents talk about all the risks involved of being online with their children. Emergency services have rescued a possum from a terrifying ordeal as she hung from a telephone pole by a wire. Chelsea SES were called to the Melbourne suburb of Chelsea Heights on Tuesday morning to help the tangled brush tail possum. The Chelsea SES unit's members described the situation as 'pretty tricky', as the possum was very high up and out of reach. The situation was extremely stressful for the new mother possum and sadly her baby didn't survive the rescue process, the Herald Sun reports. Chelsea SES were called to the Melbourne suburb of Chelsea Heights on Tuesday morning to help the terrified possum tangled in wire The possum was a new mother but sadly the baby in pouch didn't survive the stressful ordeal As the poor possum remained confused and coiled up in the wire, local residents came to the aid of the Chelsea SES unit with a Cherry Picker, provided by a nearby energy supplier, as well as a cage to keep the possum. In a few nail-biting minutes, the wire was cut and the possum was dropped gently into a possum cage and lowered to the ground. The possum was 'a little shaken but still in pretty good condition considering what it had been through', the Chelsea SES said on their Facebook page. The sore and shocked possum was given a banana to nibble on and transported to Frankston Animal Emergency centre for a check-up and to have the wire removed. Australian Wildlife Assistance Rescue Education carer Jill told the Herald Sun that the unnamed possum was in good condition. 'We've put her on some anti-inflammatory medication as she's quite sore and sorry from hanging on for so long,' said the carer. 'We're currently treating the possum for stretched muscles and severe stress. She just hasn't slept at all.' Chelsea SES updated their Facebook with updates of the possum's condition which were positive. 'Tonight she is with a carer and being looked after very well and the best news is that the prognoses is very positive and the vet believes that she will be ready to release back into the wild within five days.' The Chelsea SES unit's members described the situation as 'pretty tricky', as the possum was very high up and out of reach Local residents came to the aid of the Chelsea SES unit and the tangled possum with a Cherry Picker and a cage to keep the possum The possum was a little shaken from her experience but in pretty good condition overall. Vets plan to release her back into the wild in the next five days The sore and shocked possum was given a banana to nibble on and transported to Frankston Animal Emergency centre to have the wire removed and be treated for stretched muscles and severe stress Australia also ranked fifth in the world for access to advanced education The Social Progress Index compared nations on 53 different indicators high rating for 'personal rights' and health and wellness Australia has been ranked as one of the most tolerant and inclusive countries in the world in an international survey. It also scored highly in personal rights - a measure of freedom of speech, movement and political rights - and is the fourth most 'socially advanced nation' behind Finland, Canada and Denmark, reported the Daily Telegraph. The Social Progress Index, developed with the Harvard Business School, compared Australia to 132 other nations on 53 indicators. Australia has been ranked one of the most tolerant and inclusive countries in the world in an international survey, also scoring highly in personal rights and advanced education. Pictured is Bondi Beach in Sydney Australia also rated well for access to advanced education, with 35 globally-ranked universities. The tolerance and inclusion ranking, with Australia coming in seventh place, measures the country's tolerance for immigrants and religious acceptance. Social Progress Imperative executive director Michael Green said it was clear from the results that Australia is one of the best countries in the world to live. 'On personal rights, in particular, Australia is a world beater,' Mr Green said. Sydney University immigration expert Dr Stephen Castles told the Daily Telegraph new Australians with a good work ethic could still arrive and carve out a great life. 'Clearly there are some areas where people have a negative attitude and asylum seekers is one of them. But on the whole its a very positive picture,' he said. Despite rating highly in some areas, Australia placed near the bottom of the table for obesity, placing 124th place, behind the UK and Germany. Australia also scored a low ranking for its suicide rate and ecosystem sustainability, including greenhouse gas emissions, water withdrawals as a percentage and biodiversity and habitat. It is one of the last mysteries of the terrible shooting spree at a gay nightclub in Orlando - and nearly everyone involved seems to want to keep it that way. Just what role did a group of 19 visiting British criminology students play in the rescue operation that saw 53 wounded people removed from the Pulse club? And why is this group of young men and women from the University of Gloucestershire not being hailed as the heroes they surely are? The British students were on a 12-day exchange visit to the University of Central Florida in Orlando and on the nights of June 10 and 11 were invited for a ride-along to shadow officers from the Orange County Sheriff's Department to see for themselves the challenges that law enforcement officers see on a nightly basis in a major US city. Just what role did a group of 19 visiting British criminology students play in the rescue operation that saw 53 injured people removed from the Pulse club? One female University of Gloucestershire student, believed to be the woman circled above, helped take the wounded to ambulances These students from the Criminal Justice program at the University of Gloucestershire were on a 12-day exchange visit to the University of Central Florida in Orlando. The woman whose curly updo and aqua-colored sneakers are circled above is beloved to be the same student carrying a stretcher in the previous photo No-one could have foreseen that on that second night the department would face its biggest test when it was called on to play a vital role in the biggest mass shooting in modern American history when self-proclaimed ISIS supporter Omar Mateen opened fire in a three-hour standoff that left 49 dead. 'There's some things you'll never unsee,' one of the students, Gemma McCleer from Cheltenham wrote on her Twitter account. But that tweet, like those of other students, was taken down once Daily Mail Online started asking questions about how the students were involved. Phoebe Holder, 20, from Worcester, said: 'Never been so tired and exhausted,' in a tweet that has also been removed. Lily Lakeman from Cornwall wrote: 'Last night was a roller coaster of emotion,' on the day after the shootings and Stacey Heydon, from Cannock, in the West Midlands, added: 'If this trip has taught me one thing it's the bravery and courageousness that American law enforcement officers exhibit every single day.' Those tweets too have been removed or made private. One female University of Gloucestershire student, who clearly was a hero on the night of the shootings, issued a statement to Daily Mail Online through the University of Gloucestershire. But she would only speak anonymously. She gave first aid to the wounded and helped ferry victims to ambulances. 'At the request of the officer I was with, I was waiting at a location some distance away from the nightclub with some other police officers, talking to a group of witnesses who had just fled the scene. The exchange students pose for a picture at the Orlando campus. Stacey Heydon, from Cannock, in the West Midlands, tweeted: 'If this trip has taught me one thing it's the bravery and courageousness that American law enforcement officers exhibit every single day' 'One of the witnesses collapsed and it became clear that several of them had gunshot wounds and hadn't realized until they'd run away and arrived at a safe place. 'I am qualified lifeguard and have had first aid training, so instinctively I went to help. Some of them had very severe gunshot wounds and a group of us decided to carry the most seriously injured to the waiting ambulances. 'I'm not a heroine. I just did what needed to be done,' the student added. Self-proclaimed ISIS supporter Omar Mateen opened fire in a three-hour standoff that left 49 dead 'The police are the real heroes for the way they reacted to the situation. They are the brave ones and I am completely in awe of what they did that night. The student said it has always been her ambition to join the police. 'I had been looking forward to this field trip to Florida ever since I started my degree,' she said. 'Being involved in these awful events in Orlando has just strengthened my resolve that I will become a police officer when I graduate from the university.' Her parents wrote to the university to commend them after the trip ended. 'We are very proud of our daughter and have been impressed with the support she has received from the University of Gloucestershire, the University of Central Florida and the Orange County Sheriff's Office,' they said. 'We have always taught her to assess the situation and to help if she can; it is part of our family values and so we are not surprised at her involvement trying to help victims of this awful tragedy.' Phoebe Holder (left) and Lissy Gwynne (right) were two of the tudents from the Criminal Justice program at the University of Gloucestershire on exchange program with the University of Central Florida. Holder, 20, from Worcester, said: 'Never been so tired and exhausted,' in a tweet that has also been removed Beth Pickstock (left) and Lily Lakeman (right) were also identified as being part of the criminology contingent to Orlando. Lakeman from Cornwall wrote: 'Last night was a roller coaster of emotion,' on the day after the shootings Daily Mail Online found the names of a dozen of the undergraduate and post-graduate students on the trip and attempted to contact them or their parents. Most refused to comment. The mother of one girl and the father of a boy both said they had been told by the University of Gloucestershire not to speak to the press, although the university denied that was the case. Jane Bellamy, from Bristol, Bethan Pickstock from Monmouth, South Wales, Calum George and Lissy Gwynne and are among others on the trip that Daily Mail Online has identified. The trips, organized by UCF professor Ross Wolf (above), who is also the reserve deputy chief in the Orange County Sheriff's Office, have been going on for years After the incident the sheriff's office and university sent counsellors and a chaplain to the group's hotel to support the Gloucestershire students. Despite being offered the chance to return home early, all students decided to stay on for the remainder of their trip and flew back to England as scheduled on June 17. The trips, organized by UCF professor Ross Wolf, who is also the reserve deputy chief in the Orange County Sheriff's Office, have been going on for years. A report in UCF's College and Campus News in 2013 reported on 18 American students who visited Britain. 'I'm certain each and every one came home with a new perspective and hopefully will think about our policing and our criminal justice system in a different light,' Wolf said at the time. But following the Orlando massacre, Wolf avoided calls from Daily Mail Online. He was variously said to be out of town or off sick. Though assistants insisted he always checked his emails, he failed to respond as did other officers at UCF. Orange County Sheriff's Department confirmed the one student's account of the shooting and said others were 'kept blocks away from the active shooter scene.' 'Several students from the program had been dropped off at their hotel before the shooting incident began,' spokeswoman Jane Watrel told Daily Mail Online. Calum George, one of the excange students from the University of Gloucestershire poses with Orlando Police Chief John Mina Caroline Mills, who accompanied the students to Florida, said the American cops made sure the students were safe when they were called to the nightclub. 'They were not in danger at any time,' said Mills, head of the School of Natural & Social Sciences at the University of Gloucestershire, which is based in the western England town of Cheltenham. 'The university is enormously grateful to the police for the care they took to ensure the safety of our students while at the same time supporting the victims of the appalling events at the nightclub.' Mills said it was the third time students from the university had gone to Florida. 'The trip was split into two parts: 10 days of academic study examining policing in America and within the state of Florida, and four days at the end for the students for some free time. 'This program is part of the university's wider commitment to support all of our students to gain the breadth of skills, insight and experience that will prepare them well for successful careers and rewarding lives,' she added. 'A key element of the field trip was the opportunity for the students to shadow officers from two Florida police organizations: the Orange County Sheriff's Office and Orlando Police Department.' A toddler died in 2014 after drinking Mountain View Organic Dairy Bath Milk (above) which is labelled as unfit for human consumption The father of a toddler who died after drinking raw milk knew it was dangerous when he gave it to him in tiny amounts, a court has heard. The man, who has not been named, said he understood Mountain View Farm's Organic Bath Milk had been labelled as not for human consumption, but that it looked like 'every other milk carton' on shelves. An inquest in to his son's death is due to determine whether the boy, who died in October 2014, was killed by drinking the unpasteurised milk. Four other children also took ill after drinking other brands of raw milk that year which had been branded as bath products, prompting health authorities to reiterate warnings over its consumption. While the sale of raw milk for drinking purposes has been illegal for years, retailers are still able to sell it as a cosmetic product. Many have continued to drink it under the belief that it is not harmful and may even benefit their health despite warnings it is more likely to contain bacteria which can cause serious infections - particularly among children. On Monday Victoria's Coroner's Court heard that the toddler's father 'understood' it had a label warning for it not to be consumed but that he gave it to the child rarely and in small amounts, The Herald Sun reported. '(The father) understood the milk was labelled not to be drank, but he noted it looked like every other milk container,' Coroner's solicitor Rebecca Cohen said. 'Due to his intolerance to dairy, (the child) would only drink very small amounts of the unpasteurised milk, and only on odd occasions.' The boy was taken to hospital after falling ill in September 2014. He was admitted to Frankston Hospital four days later and moved to Monash Medical Centre shortly afterwards. There, doctors discovered his entire large bowel was infected with Hemolytic Uraemic Syndrome (HUS) which stems from ecoli. He died within days of being admitted to hospital. Four other children were reported as having similar symptoms after also drinking varying brands of raw milk, all of which had been sold as bath products. It is now known whether any of the other children drank Mountain View Dairy Farm milk. Tests carried out on its products after the boy's death found one sample which had traces of a toxin known to produce ecoli, the coroner's court heard. The boy was admitted to Frankston Hospital in Melbourne (above) four days after falling ill Doctors at Monash Medical Centre (above) later discovered he had contracted a virus in his large bowel The company voluntarily withdrew its organic bath milk from production in 2014. There is no suggestion it breached health and safety laws in any way. The two hospitals where the boy was treated have also been cleared of contributing to his death in any way. The inquest in to what killed him will conclude next week, with coroner Audrey Jamieson granting lawyers for Mountain View Dairy more time to submit evidence they say could rule out the milk from having caused his death. The toddler's death prompted wide concern in 2014 with health officials warning the need for caution with raw milk products. Dr Rosemary Lester of Victoria's Department of Health said only a small number of pathogens likely to be found in raw milk were needed to cause serious harm, advising people to steer clear of drinking it. 'Since the 1940s, it has been compulsory to pasteurise cow's milk in Australia,' she said. 'In Australia, the sale of unpasteurised (raw) cow's milk for human consumption is illegal. In Victoria, it is also illegal to package, deliver or provide unpasteurised (raw) milk for human consumption. Unpasteurised milk is sometimes labelled and sold for cosmetic use only. 'Packaging of unpasteurised milk is often very similar to other milk products. 'Unpasteurised milk should not be consumed.' At the time Vicki Jones, Mountain View Farm's owner, said that despite being forced to warn consumers of the dangers associated, she drank the milk herself. 'We label it as bath milk, for cosmetic use only, not for consumption. It's quite bold, so it's easy to see. 'I drink it, but it is a raw product, I can't say that it's safe to drink,' she told the ABC. Victoria's Coroner's Court will return an inquest verdict in to his death next week But the Bobolas scraped together 'a sufficient amount of the money owed' and the sale was blocked for a forth time The council attempted to force a sale so they could recover an estimated $160,000 out laid by rate payers to clean it The home, dubbed the 'hoarder house', is surrounded by mountains of trash which has become a public health risk The Bobolas family have been in a dispute with Waverley Council for 26 years over the state of their Bondi property Advertisement The owners of the notorious 'Bondi hoarders' house have come up with enough money to block the sale of the 'rat-infested' property for a fourth time. The Bobolas family home in Bondi Beach, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, was due to be forcibly sold so the council could recover an estimated $160,000 already out laid by rate payers to cover the cost of cleaning the trash-strewn property. But Waverley Mayor Sally Betts said the auction was postponed on Monday after the Bobolas family scraped together 'a sufficient amount of the money they owed' and the Sheriff pulled the property from the market, according to the ABC. Scroll down for video Owners of the 'Bondi hoarders' house came up with enough money to block the sale of the 'rat-infested' property for a fourth time More than $350,000 of ratepayers money has been spent cleaning the disgusting property over 26 years, with the council demanding at least $160,000 from the family to cover the cost of repeatedly clearing the piles of rubbish Selling agent Ric Serrao said a new auction date had not been set, with Ms Betts confirming the Sheriff will decide if it would be sold on Tuesday. Mr Serraro said there were around 17 registered buyers who were keen to bid on the property, which the council have been fighting to have cleaned up for more than two decades. Hardly an inch of the yard is visible, with piles of rubbish - including boxes, mattresses, plastic bags and animal faeces - blocking the home's entrance. Ms Betts said the dumping ground had become a health risk to the community and also trapped the Bobolas in a cycle of debt as they were hit with fees every time the court ordered a clean up. Bondi's notorious 'hoarders house' which is littered with rubbish has been pulled from the market three times after Waverley Council demanded it be sold to recoup $160,000 in cleaning costs More than $350,000 of ratepayers money has been spent in a bid to control the piles of rubbish in and outside the Bondi property Plastic bags full of rubbish, old paint tins, a rusted wheelbarrow and a suitcase have caused the gates to almost burst at the seams as they hold back the mountains of trash 'The health situation is not good, there are rats breeding there,' she told the ABC. 'They pay their rates but it's this debt that accumulates consistently.' The home is expected to fetch $2 million on the open market - but the new owners will have to clean up the mess themselves. This comes three weeks after owner Elena Bobolas showed up at court with $177,000 in a grey plastic shopping bag in a bid to appease the courts and stop the sale of her home. The family reportedly only have $5 to their name, but were handed a huge bag of cash by a 'friend' who did not want them to lose their house. However, Elena, Mary and Liana's final attempt to save the junk littered home was rejected and the auction was scheduled for this week. Elena Bobolas leaving court with $177,000 in a plastic shopping bag. She had attempted to save her 'hoarder house' from being sold by Waverly Council but failed The court ruled the money which was a gift was an 'extraordinary offer' but could not guarantee the Bobolas family would pay their debts Magistrate Keogh acknowledged the money was an 'extraordinary offer' but couldn't be sure the Bobolas' debts would be paid. Liana Bobolas was angry with the court's decision '[Waverly Council] are thieves your honour and this court is supporting that,' she said. The Bobolas family have resisted an increasingly desperate attempts by the council to get them to clean up, with the rubbish becoming a permanent fixture at the property for almost 26 years. More than $350,000 of ratepayers money has been spent across 15 separate clean-ups in a bid to control the piles of rubbish in and outside the property. Empty glass bottles, cardboard boxes, discarded appliances and pieces of old wooden furniture are regularly piled high outside the home. Plastic bags full of rubbish, old paint tins, a rusted wheelbarrow and a suitcase have caused the gates to almost burst at the seams as they hold back the mountains of trash. The owners of the property - Mary, Elena and Liana Bobolas - have been the centre of controversy over the past few decades as Waverley Council and furious neighbours have battled to get them to clean up their yard Liana Bobolas (pictured) has previously been taken into custody for trying to stop a court-ordered clean up. Her family has fought a 16-year battle with the council to keep the property Plastic bags full of garbage, slabs of wood, what looks to be old carpet samples and cardboard boxes litter the front of the house German police are hunting for three veteran far-left militants from the Baader-Meinhof group after a security van was held up during an armed robbery. Robbers used an automatic rifle and an anti-tank rocket to carry out the heist, in the town of Wolfenbuttel near Brunswick, but it is not known how much cash they made away with. Detectives believe that fugitives, from the disbanded Red Army Faction (RAF), another name for the Baader-Meinhof, Ernst-Volker Staub, 61, Burkhard Garweg, 47, and Daniela Klette, 57, are responsible for the crime. Burkhard Garweg, 47, left, Ernst-Volker Wilhelm Staub, 61, centre and Daniela Klette, 57, are suspected to have carried out an armed robbery on a security van in the town of Wolfenbuttel near Brunswick The RAF rocked Germany with a wave of bombings, killings and kidnappings targeting political and business leaders from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Staub, Garweg and Klette have been on the run since the late 1990s and have been linked to several attacks against money vans using grenade launchers. It is believed they have carried out around six violent robberies with between 46,000 and 100,000 euros stolen in each hold-up, except for the most recent on May 7, when the robbers escaped with a guard's firearm but no cash. They are also chief suspects in a 1999 money transporter heist in the western city of Duisburg which netted more than one million Deutschmarks, or about 500,000 euros ($545,000). In the Wolfenbuttel robbery the van was collecting money from a furniture shop when it was blocked by two cars . It was rammed by an Opal Corsa from the back and then from the front by a Ford Estate. The three robbers then leapt into action, with two firing their guns in the air to scare the drivers out of the vehicle while another fired his weapon at the ceiling of the shop. A police spokesman told the Telegraph: 'No details can be released at this point on the amount of money that was stolen. 'Thankfully the driver and passenger of the security van only suffered minor injuries. We are seeking any information on the perpetrators or the getaway car they used.' The Red Army Faction (RAF), also known as the Baader-Meinhof Gang, rocked Germany with a wave of bombings, killings and kidnappings targeting political and business leaders from the 1970s to the early 1990s Last year, according to prosecutors, they were apparently at it again, starting with a failed robbery on June 6. In the attack, three masked assailants armed with two AK-47s and a grenade-launcher opened fire on a money van near the northern city of Bremen. Police said the attackers used a vehicle to block the van that was carrying about one million euros and may have used a jamming device to disable the mobile phone communications of the two guards. The assailants fled without any cash when the security guards locked themselves inside the armoured vehicle, and no one was injured. 'There is no evidence to suggest... a terrorist background,' said the Lower Saxony state prosecutors about the June attack. 'Rather it must be presumed the crime aimed to help finance their underground lives.' There was also 'suspicion because of fresh results of investigations' that the three were involved in a third attack on a cash transporter, last December 28 in the central city of Wolfsburg, said federal prosecutors in Karlsruhe. The scene shortly after the Baader-Meinhof gang attacked the US Rhine Main airbase in August 1985 'There are parallels in the execution of the crime and the evidence,' Wolfsburg prosecution spokesman Klaus Ziehe told AFP, adding that DNA checks were ongoing. The three are among a wider group of fugitives still on the run for membership of the RAF, which emerged out of the radicalised fringe of the 1960s student protest movement. The group, which had links to Middle Eastern militant organisations, declared itself disbanded in 1998. Staub, Garweg and Klette, alleged member's of the RAF's so-called 'third generation', have long been wanted as chief suspects in a 1993 explosives attack against a prison under construction in Hesse state. In the attack, five RAF members climbed the prison walls, tied up and took away the guards in a van, then returned to set off explosions that caused about 600,000 euros worth of property damage, said prosecutors. New York Police officers who raided a colleague's locker face charges after their boss ordered a forensic investigation to find the culprits. The mischievous cops removed officer Patrick Kurek's locker in their Brooklyn station and turned it upside down and back to front. But Capt. Emmanuel Gonzalez, the precinct's commanding officer, did not see the funny side. The mischievous cops removed officer Patrick Kurek's (pictured) locker in their Brooklyn station and turned it upside down and backwards In a bid to catch the miscreants, he ordered an officer to guard the locker while an evidence collection team raised fingerprints. A police insider said that Kurek, who only became an officer last year, was targeted because he is seen as an overachiever and a telltale. The 23-year-old was making his fellow officers look bad by issuing 30 to 50 summonses a month and told on them when they chose not to issue one, the source said. 'Kurek was looked at by the commanding officer as someone the other officers should follow,' the source told Daily News. 'The other cops wanted to teach him a lesson.' The source said Kurek was off work when another officer posted a picture of his upside-down locker on Facebook and he charged into the station, fuming. If the pranksters are found, they could face departmental charges, officials said An NYPD spokeswoman confirmed Gonzalez was investigating the incident. Police were forced to use Tasers on Cuban migrants who arrived on a Miami beach armed with guns and machetes. Around 200 stunned sunbathers watched as the 11 illegal immigrants, also carrying knives, were confronted by officers at Dania Beach, Florida, on Sunday afternoon. They were initially spotted off the coast holding knives to their stomach, threatening to hurt themselves if they were taken into custody at sea, following the 347-mile journey from their homeland. Scroll down for video Around 200 stunned sunbathers watched as 11 illegal immigrants from Cuba arrived on Dania Beach near Miami, Florida, in a boat Police were forced to use Tasers on the migrants, who were armed with guns and machetes. The woman in the group is seen being taken away from the beach in handcuffs So they made their way to the shore in the rusty vessel and got out. Some ran away as they were cheered on by the crowd. But they were apprehended by police a short time later. One of the migrants was stunned with a Taser after he ran toward a Hollywood officer, who believed they may have been armed. Hollywood police Officer Meredith Elrich told Local 10: 'The migrants were observed to be armed with machetes and large knives and were threatening to harm themselves if their boat was stopped.' Tyson Matthews, a spokesman for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, said: 'I personally put one in handcuffs. It was quite chaotic.' Frank Miller, assistant chief patrol agent for U.S. Border Patrol, told the Sun Sentinel six of the arrivals were taken to hospital and five were in custody. Under the U.S. immigration policy known as 'wet-foot, dry-foot,' those Cubans who reach dry land are permitted to stay. Those caught at sea are taken aboard U.S. Coast Guard and sent back to the Communist Island. A group of 19 migrants came ashore separately, earlier in the day. Video courtesy of Local 10 One of the suspected migrants is seen being tackled by a cop on the beach during the confrontation. Six of the arrivals were taken to hospital and five are in custody Beachgoers gathered around the rickety boat that the group arrived in to take pictures A migrant is seen in the back of a law enforcement van with his thumbs up following the beach confrontation The leader of Poland's ruling party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski (pictured) would like to see Britain hold a second referendum Poland would like to see Britain hold a second in-out referendum on its membership of the EU, the country's ruling party leader said today. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the powerful leader of Poland's conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, said the bloc would have to 'radically change' in order for Britons to want to return. The former Prime Minister said that the 'idea for today... foresees efforts aimed at making Britain return' which included a second referendum. But, he cautioned, the 'EU would have to radically change' for this scenario to be feasible. 'Britain today risks falling apart', he added, quoted by the Polish PAP news agency. Kaczynski is the first European leader to make an outright call for a second referendum. In contrast, other leaders in the bloc have pressured London for a speedy divorce. Although he holds no cabinet post, as the leader of the governing populist Law and Justice (PiS) party Kaczynski is widely regarded as the government's real powerbroker. The government swept to power in elections last October on an anti-migrant and populist spending platform. A strong opponent of European federalism, Kaczynski insists that Britain's vote to leave meant it was time for a 'new European treaty' to guarantee the rights of nation states. Describing Brexit as something 'very bad', Kaczynski also warned on Monday that pushing ahead with the old Franco-German model of ever-closer political and economic integration could 'end in catastrophe'. He called for EU institutional reforms that would make Europe 'a superpower,' but based on a confederation of nation states under a president in charge of a powerful military. This afternoon Kaczynski said his countryman Donald Tusk, the president of the European Council, is to blame for Britain's decision to leave the bloc and should 'disappear from European politics.' Kaczynski said his countryman Donald Tusk (pictured), the president of the European Council, is to blame for Britain's decision to leave the bloc and should 'disappear from European politics' Kaczynski said Tusk, his bitter political rival, should have done more to ease British concerns over membership. He said that 'as a negotiator Donald Tusk bears direct responsibility ... but that also goes for the whole European Commission in its current composition.' Poland considered Britain its most important ally within the 28-nation bloc. Federal election candidate Tony Windsor would whip his fellow schoolmates with riding crops and smack them with knife handles, according to six of his former peers. Mr Windsor, who is locked in a tight battle with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, attended Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in northwest New South Wales in the 1960s. Tamworth horse breeder Richard Bull, 61, said he was 'terrorised' by Mr Windsor and still has scars on his hands from when he was attacked with a knife, The Australian reported. 'He made my life hell that first year at school,' Mr Bull told the newspaper. Federal election candidate Tony Windsor (pictured) would whip his fellow schoolmates with riding crops and smack them with knife handles, according to his former peers Mr Windsor (pictured with his wife lyn and daughter Kate) attended Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in northwest New South Wales in the 1960s The horse and cattle breeder alleges his fingers were slashed with a knife by Mr Windsor when he was just 11 years of age. Mr Windsor was four years older. 'He hit me pretty hard. It just opened me up on both hands,' he said. Mr Bull said he was often reduced to tears following the abuse, leaving him open to bullying from other students. He became too afraid to report the alleged attacks and stopped eating out of fear of facing Mr Windsor in the school dining room. Mr Bull said he saw Mr Windsor a few years ago and when he mentioned the torment he inflicted at school, the former independent MP changed the subject. Mr Windsor (pictured with his wife Lyn in 2013) attended Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School in northwest New South Wales Tamworth horse breeder Richard Bull, 61, said he was 'terrorised' by Mr Windsor and still has scars on his hands from when he was attacked with a knife Mr Windsor is currently locked in a tight battle with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce Another student, Tim Williams, 60, said he broke out in welts after being 'walloped' with a riding crop by Mr Windsor and ended up sleeping on the verandah to avoid his beatings. Mr Windsor, now 65, was given the nickname 'Hood Windsor,' according to his alleged victims. A third former schoolmate Peter Young said he witnessed Mr Windsor smack other students with riding whips and claims the abuse was part of a 'SACK system' where older boys would pick on younger students. Two other men came forward and told The Australian how they too were beaten with riding crops. He refused to comment when the newspaper contacted him. In 2009, bullying at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School was brought to light with one former student successfully suing the school for $500,000 after he was abused by fellow students. The court heard there were three types of bullying by 'SACK' students, including younger boys being hit on the buttocks with a broom and hit over the head with a ruler. Mr Bull said he was often reduced to tears following the alleged abuse from Mr Windsor (pictured), leaving him open to bullying from other students Ramirez and Turner had extremely similar cases with different The judge who came under fire for sentencing convicted rapist Brock Turner to six months in jail is expected to sentence a Latino man to three years in state prison for a nearly identical crime. Judge Aaron Persky is facing a recall campaign led by a Stanford University law professor and lawmakers have called for an investigation into the judge's practices. However, he is still on the bench and is expected to solidify a three-year sentence for Raul Ramirez, 32, in the near future. Ramirez, an El Salvadorian immigrant, took a plea deal after admitting to sexually assaulting his female roommate. His case closely mirrors that of Turner's, despite the sentencing disparity. Scroll down for video Judge Aaron Persky (pictured), the controversial judge who sentenced Brock Turner to just six months in prison after being found guilty of sexual assault, is about to solidify a three-year sentence for a Latino man convicted of a nearly identical crime Turner, a Stanford University swimmer and Olympic hopeful, was convicted on three counts of sexual assault for raping an unidentified victim. Ramirez, like Turner, was deemed guilty of sexual assault and had no criminal record of convictions for serious or violent felonies prior to the rape trial. Those in the criminal justice system say Ramirez's sentencing is fair, while Turner's is the oddity. 'What's happened with Mr Ramirez is standard. The anomaly is the Stanford case,' Alexander Cross, a defense attorney who briefly represented Ramirez when his family could afford a private lawyer, told the Guardian. In the Turner case, the 20-year-old admitted to touching the victim but claims it was consensual, despite witnesses and police said she was unconscious and could not give consent. The jury found Turner guilty of assault with intent to commit rape of an intoxicated woman, sexually penetrating an intoxicated person with a foreign object and sexually penetrating an unconscious person with a foreign object. Turner (pictured left and right), a Stanford University swimmer and Olympic hopeful, was convicted on three counts of sexual assault for raping an unidentified victim. Ramirez, like Turner, was deemed guilty of sexual assault and had no criminal record of convictions for serious or violent felonies prior to the rape trial He was sentenced below the minimum of two years because Persky claimed prison would have a 'severe impact' on the former Stanford student. In the Ramirez case, the 32-year-old was arrested in his Santa Clara County home in November 2014 after his female roommate called 911. She said the Ramirez had sexually assaulted her by going in to her bedroom and, against her wishes, touched her intimately for about ten minutes before she started crying. He then stopped and when police arrived he admitted to the assault and 'wanted to say sorry', one officer wrote in a police report. His bail was set at $200,000, which is $50,000 more than Turner's $150,000. Persky handled the hearings and oversaw the plea agreement from Ramirez's case, the Guardian reported. Ramirez agreed to plead guilty to a felony of sexual penetration by force and his three year sentence will be formalized soon. In the Ramirez case, Persky could only offer certain sentences due to the felony conviction, but others claim the judge, who was also a former Stanford athlete, went above and beyond to ensure a light sentence for Turner. Critics suggest Persky could've helped Ramirez plead guilty to the lesser of two charges he was facing, which could've helped Ramirez avoid prison all together. That tactic was used in the Turner case to lessen his sentence. Michele Landis Dauber, a Standford University (pictured) law professor leading a recall campaign against Persky, claims Ramirez's case further proves that the judge is incapable of doing his job without bias The professor behind Persky's recall, Michele Landis Dauber, claims Ramirez's case further proves that the judge is incapable of doing his job without bias. 'This just shows that our concern about Judge Persky's ability to be unbiased is justified. We continue to think that he abused his discretion in giving an unduly lenient sentence to Turner,' he said. Dauber said Ramirez's sentence 'shows that Turner got consideration not available to other defendants who aren't as privileged'. Cross told the Guardian the two cases are similar in charges but the defendants differ in wealth and race. Cross said that Ramirez is 'very poor', pleaded guilty and apologized for his actions while Turner comes from a wealthy family and blamed the 'party culture' of 'drinking' for his conviction along with his insistance that his victim gave consent 'Whether due to implicit bias or other factors, race still plays a role in sentencing outcomes,' Marc Mauer, executive director of the Sentencing Project, a criminal justice reform group, told the Guardian. He said research shows the black and Latino people sentenced in state and federal courts are much more likely to face incarceration than white counterparts in similar circumstances. The Associated Press reviewed 20 of Persky's cases and did not find a racial bias and Cross agreed with that sentiment. A one-eyed fish in Missouri got a prosthetic eye to stop his fellow tankmates bullying him. The fish's owner, Julie Morgan, said Kiwi's tankmates would harass him after figuring out he was half-blind. 'They figured out which eye was not working,' Morgan told KTVI. 'They'd go up behind him, biting his tail. He had chunks of his tail taken out.' Morgan turned to her veterinarian, Dr. Megan Baebler, who came up with a solution: a tiny prosthetic eye. Scroll down for video The pet fish Kiwi got a prosthetic eye to stop his fellow tankmates from bullying him. He is pictured above receiving anesthesia during surgery Kiwi the fish got a prosthetic eye to stop his tankmates from bullying him. He is pictured swimming in his solitary tank after surgery. He will shortly be transferred back with his former bullies Kiwi's right eye is fake. A veterinarian made the implant after the fish's owner complained he was being bullied for being one-eyed 'It's going to be the best chance for him to be able to lead a normal life in his tank,' Baebler told KTVI. The cost for the hand-made prosthetic eye, including surgery, was estimated at 'hundreds of dollars', but Baebler gave Kiwi's owner a discount. Baebler hand-painted the eye with nail polish, and even gave the fish anesthesia before implanting the prosthetic. 'If they thought I was a crazy fish lady for doing all this for one fish? That's ok, I accept everyone's opinion,' said Kiwi's owner, Julie Morgan Morgan's veterinarian, Dr. Megan Baebler, came up with the idea for a prosthetic fish eye 'We pulled up water that has anesthesia in it and it's running through this tube into the mouth and washing over the gills,' Baebler said. Morgan said she didn't care if people would call her a 'crazy fish lady' for putting so much effort into bettering the life of a fish. 'A lot of other people would say yes, put him down,' Morgan told KTVI. 'Go ahead, it's just a fish. Well, my opinion is nothing is just a something. And if I could give him quality of life, why not? 'If they thought I was a crazy fish lady for doing all this for one fish? That's ok, I accept everyone's opinion. It's an unusual story. But what a story.' The mother of a teenage air force cadet wept over the 'abject waste of her life' when her daughter committed suicide after she was threatened with dishonourable discharge over a suspected affair, an inquiry has heard. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse started its examination into the ADF's handling of abuse allegations across the navy, army and airforce in Sydney last week. Eleanore Tibble was 15 when she killed herself. She thought she faced dishonourable discharge from the Australian Air Force Cadets in Tasmania for 'fraternising' with a senior instructor. 'The possibility of her being forced to resign or discharged from the Air Force Cadets was unthinkable for Eleanore,' her distraught mother Susan told the inquiry. Scroll down for video Eleanore Tibble killed herself when she thought she faced dishonourable discharge from the Australian Air Force Cadets in Tasmania for 'fraternising' with a senior instructor Susan Campbell wept over the 'abject waste of her life' when her daughter committed suicide after she was threatened with dishonourable discharge In emotional evidence on Monday, Ms Campbell said Eleanore was threatened with discharge because officers in her unit suspected she had an affair with an instructor. The instructor had become obsessed with her but Eleanor did not become involved sexually. The instructor resigned citing 'fraternisation with a cadet' and Eleanore was told she needed to resign or be discharged. She took her own life probably afraid she would bring dishonour on the family if she was dishonourably discharged, her mother said. The Sydney Morning Herald reports how Ms Campbell told the commission of her last day with her daughter when she dropped her off at the bus stop to go to school. 'I kissed her goodbye and told her I loved her,' she said. 'I returned home to find . . . my daughter had committed suicide.' Her daughter died two weeks after senior air force officers decided she had no case to answer but the local command never told the girl or her family. 'A wing commander decided on 12 November 2000, two weeks prior to her death that Eleanore should not be charged with fraternisation' Ms Campbell said. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse started its examination into the ADF's handling of abuse allegations across the navy, army and airforce in Sydney last week Eleanore died two weeks after senior air force officers decided she had no case to answer but the local command never told the girl or her family 'Eleanore was never told of the Australian Air Force Cadets decision to abandon the discharge action against her. 'Instead, somebody sat on that order for over two weeks and, in this time, Eleanore committed suicide.' The inquiry was told of an internal Royal Australian Air Force investigation into Ms Tibble's death found: 'The Australian Air Force Cadet chain of command had failed.' Ms Campbell told the hearing that she fought for years to get answers about her daughter's death. 'Not a day goes by that I don't think about my daughter and the abject waste of her life,' she said. 'She died probably thinking she was doing something honourable, saving her family the shame of a dishonourable discharge.' The sex abuse royal commission on Monday heard evidence on how the ADF and ADF Cadets handle allegations of child sexual abuse The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse continues on Tuesday when AAFC personnel will give evidence After Ms Campbell's evidence, three other witnesses told how in 2012 they were pressured into having sex with NSW cadet instructor Christopher Adams, who is now in jail for having sex with teenagers in his care. The women say nothing has changed since the 15-year-old Eleanore took her own life. One woman with the pseudonym CJJ said: 'AAFC have held that things had changed since the Ellie Tibble case but the response of the AAFC and the ADF was still really poor' in response to Christopher Adams' behaviour. 'I would like the AAFC to recognise where they have gone wrong and through their actions they have hurt and traumatised people,' she said. All women told how from the age of 15 Adams targeted them, flirting, sending sexy text messages and befriending them on Facebook. One witness CJI told how petrified she was when he got her alone in his room and had sex with her. The commission continues on Tuesday when AAFC personnel will give evidence. PR guru Max Clifford locked a 17-year-old girl in his office, exposed himself and told her 'It's only a little bit of fun', a court heard today. Clifford, 73, is accused of forcing the girl to touch him intimately 35 years ago, leaving her feeling 'embarrassed and humiliated', Southwark Crown Court heard. The alleged assault is said to have taken place at Clifford's PR firm office in Mayfair, central London between October 26 1981 and May 4 1982, when he was at the peak of his powers. Rosina Cottage QC, prosecuting, described Clifford as a 'sexual bully' who took advantage of his teenage victim. Max Clifford appeared at Southwark Crown Court today where he is accused of one count of indecent assault Ms Cottage said: 'On the day that the prosecution say she was assaulted, the defendant left his office and went to the door of the main office and locked it. 'They were the only two in the office. He stood between her and the door and unzipped his trousers and took out his penis. 'He said something to the effect of 'it's only a little bit of fun' and waved it in front of her face. 'He then took hold of her right hand and put it on his penis and held it there. He told her to see what she could do with it.' Ms Cottage told the court that the woman was 'terrified' and had no idea what to do. 'She kept saying that she did not want to do it and did not want to miss her train.' Clifford is said to have quizzed the girl about 'what clothes she had worn at the weekend' and wanted to know 'how short her skirt was'. He asked her to demonstrate on her thigh, jurors heard. Clifford continued to use the woman's hand but was interrupted by a knock on the door, the court heard. Clifford, pictured in 2013, is accused of locking the teenager in his office and forcing her to touch him He is said to have signalled to the woman to stay quiet but she called out 'just a minute' before he stormed off angrily into his personal office and slammed the door. The woman did not tell her mother at the time because she was 'embarrassed and humiliated' but told her husband near the beginning of their relationship, jurors heard. She went to the police in 2014 and Clifford was arrested on March 12, 2015 and interviewed. 'In essence he denied any inappropriate behaviour against [the woman],' Ms Cottage said. 'The prosecution case is that the defendant was a sexual bully who took advantage of his position of power over the youth and immaturity of [the alleged victim] to force her to engage in sexual activity that she made plain that she did not want to do.' Jurors were read a list of names of people who may give evidence as witnesses during the course of the trial which included model and actress Jennifer Ellison among others. The jury were told actress and model Jennifer Ellison may be called as a witness in the trial In a career spanning 40 years, PR man Clifford helped spawn headlines including the Sun's infamous 'Freddie Starr Ate My Hamster'. Some of his celebrity clients included Muhammad Ali, late Big Brother star Jade Goody and former Dragon's Den star Theo Paphitis. Former Ukip MEP: Nikki Sinclaire, 47, went on trial at Birmingham Crown Court today accused of misconduct in public office and money laundering Britains first transgender parliamentarian fiddled her travel expenses and laundered money while working as an MEP, a court heard today. Former Ukip MEP Nikki Sinclaire, 47, went on trial accused of misconduct in public office and money laundering. She was arrested in 2012 after a police and European anti-fraud investigation into her travel expenses. The politician, of Shirley, West Midlands, was born male but had gender reassignment surgery on the NHS when she was in her twenties. Appearing at Birmingham Crown Court today, Ms Sinclaire denied charges of misconduct in a public office between October 2009 and July 2010, and money laundering between October 2009 and December 2010. Prosecutor Antonie Muller told the jury of six men and six women that the misconduct in a public office charge is a pretty good title because you will not be surprised to see if you make false and dishonest claims for travel expenses whilst youre a public official thats misconduct in a public office. He added: Ms Sinclaire... whilst a serving member of the European Parliament representing the West Midlands constituency of the UK misconducted herself... because she made or caused to be made false and dishonest claims for travelling expenses. Mr Muller told the jury she was also accused of money laundering and said Ms Sinclaire... transferred or converted criminal property, namely the proceeds of fraud into her bank account that is named. And the fraud alleged is the behaviour in count one, the dishonest claims for travelling expense. Thats what we are going to be concerned with. Ms Sinclair was charged in July 2014 after a two-and-a-half-year inquiry by West Midlands Police and the European Anti-Fraud Office. Sinclaire was arrested in 2012 after a police and European anti-fraud investigation into her travel expenses The court heard the police investigation into Sinclaire had led the prosecution case to focus on ten travel expenses claims. Mr Muller added: You will learn that we are going to focus in on ten claims. We are not going to be talking about tens or hundreds of thousands, its not that sort of case. Mr Muller also showed the jury a document called Implementing measures for the statute of European Parliament members which he described as a book of rules. It states that MEPs receive a flat rate of 22.50Euros (18) for any journey up to 50km (30 miles). MEPs are entitled to claim 0.12 (10p) per kilometre for journeys between 51km and 250km (155 miles) and 0.06 (5p) for journeys up to 1,000km (620 miles). Judge Stephen Eyre QC warned the jury not to be swayed by their political views. He said: This is not a trial about politics, this is a trial about a particular event at a particular time and the intentions about certain things that were done. Whether you agree or disagree with the defendants politics is irrelevant. Ms Sinclaire, who wore a black trouser suit, denies the two charges and was given permission to make notes on her iPad in the dock during the trial. She was elected as a Ukip MEP for the West Midlands in June 2009 and came third in the contest to succeed Nigel Farage as party leader later that year. But Ukip whip was withdrawn in 2010 after she refused to sit with the partys Italian allies Liga Nord in the European Parliament. She accused the party of being homophobic and won a claim for sex discrimination against her former colleagues at an employment tribunal. Added that his remarks were both biased and 'religion-based discrimination' hit out at the Pope calling the killings 'genocide' The Vatican has hit out at Turkey after it claimed the Pope's remarks about the Armenia genocide were biased and branded them religion-based discrimination. Francis called on the world to 'defeat evil with good' as he paid his respects to the Armenians slaughtered by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. He called the killing of 1.5million Armenians a 'genocide' that must never be forgotten after presenting a wreath at the country's imposing memorial in Yerevan yesterday. Pope Francis called on the world to 'defeat evil with good' as he paid his respects to the Armenians slaughtered by the Ottoman Empire in 1915 He called the killing of 1.5million Armenians a 'genocide' that must never be forgotten after presenting a wreath at the country's imposing memorial in Yerevan today And now Turkey says that the Pontiff's recognition of the Ottoman-era killings of Armenians as genocide during his visit to Armenia won't help efforts to establish peace and stability in the Caucasus region. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement that the pope had again 'disappointed' the Turkish people with his remarks. However, the director of the Vatican Press Office has strongly dismissed Turkish accusations of a Crusader Pope'. Father Federico Lombardi said: 'The pope is on no crusade. 'He is not trying to organize wars or build walls but he wants to build bridges... he has said no words against the Turkish people.' During his visit to Armenia, the Pope left a wreath and stood, head bowed, in silent prayer before an eternal flame as priests blessed him with incense and a choir sang haunting hymns. He stood, head bowed, in silent prayer before an eternal flame as priests blessed him with incense and a choir sang haunting hymns He was flanked by Catholicos Karekin II (left) and Armenia's President Serzh Sargsyan (right) as they paid tribute 'Here I pray with sorrow in my heart so that a tragedy like this never again occurs, so that humanity will never forget and will know how to defeat evil with good,' Francis wrote in the memorial's guest book. 'May God protect the memory of the Armenian people. Memory should never be watered-down or forgotten. Memory is the source of peace and the future.' Francis returned to the theme of memory during a public Catholic Mass in Gyumri, where several thousand people gathered in a central square. 'Here I pray with sorrow in my heart so that a tragedy like this never again occurs, so that humanity will never forget and will know how to defeat evil with good,' Francis wrote in the memorial's guest book 'May God protect the memory of the Armenian people. Memory should never be watered-down or forgotten. Memory is the source of peace and the future,' he wrote in the book In the run-up to the visit, the Vatican had refrained from using the loaded term 'genocide,' mindful of Turkish opposition to the word. Pictured: The Pope arrives in Gyumri Francis returned to the theme of memory during a public Catholic Mass in Gyumri, where several thousand people gathered in a central square Gyumri, nestled in the rolling hills and wildflower fields of northwestern Armenia, has long been a cradle of Christianity. Francis was there to pay homage to its faith as part of his three-day visit to the country. 'Peoples, like individuals, have a memory,' he told the crowd from the makeshift altar. 'Your own people's memory is ancient and precious.' Pope Francis signs a condolence book during his visit to the Tzitzernakaberd Memorial Complex Pope Francis listens to the beginning of a prayer for peace in the Republic Square in Yereven Catholicos Karekin II, right, speaking at a meeting in the Republic Square in Yereven Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 and the Vatican has long held up the poor nation of 3million mostly Orthodox Christians as a bastion of faith in largely Muslim region. 'Armenia is the first Christian country and we appreciate that the leader of the Catholic Church appreciates that,' said Yeranuhi Antonyan, a 20-year-old university student who was working as a volunteer at the Gyumri Mass. She and her classmate, Armine Karapetyan, said Francis' genocide declaration wasn't surprising, given he had said it before, but that it was a welcome sign that the world was increasingly coming to accept it as fact. Pope Francis, accompanied by Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, visits the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral of the Seven Wounds in Armenia's second-largest city of Gyumri Pope Francis and Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II step off a plane upon their arrival at Yerevan's Zvartnots Airport Pope Francis was there to pay homage to its faith as part of his three-day visit to the country Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301 and the Vatican has long held up the poor nation of 3million mostly Orthodox Christians as a bastion of faith. Pictured: The Pope arrives 'We are glad everyone has started to understand what has happened. It happened,' Antonyan said. In the most carefully watched speech of the trip, Francis on Friday ad-libbed the politically charged word 'genocide' to his prepared text, listing the atrocity alongside the Holocaust and Stalinism as the three great mass slaughters of the 20th century. There was no immediate reaction from Turkey, which withdrew its ambassador last year and accused Francis of spreading lies when he first termed the slaughter a genocide. Turkey rejects the term, saying the 1.5 million death figure cited by historians is inflated and that people died on both sides as the Ottoman Empire collapsed amid World War I. Pope Francis and Catholicos Karekin II, right, stand during a prayer in the Republic Square in Yereven 'Peoples, like individuals, have a memory,' he told the crowd (pictured) from the makeshift altar. 'Your own people's memory is ancient and precious.' Francis said: 'Sadly that tragedy, that genocide, was the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century' 'Sadly that tragedy, that genocide, was the first of the deplorable series of catastrophes of the past century, made possible by twisted racial, ideological or religious aims that darkened the minds of the tormentors even to the point of planning the annihilation of entire peoples,' Francis said. In the run-up to the visit, the Vatican had refrained from using the term 'genocide,' mindful of Turkish opposition to the political and financial implications of the word given Armenian claims for reparations. But Francis, never one to shy from speaking his mind, added the word at the last minute. President Serzh Sargsyan, Armenian political and religious leaders and the diplomatic corps in attendance gave him a standing ovation. At the genocide memorial on Saturday, Francis greeted Verzhine Svazlyan, an Armenian historian widely known for her genocide research. The Pope and Catholicos Karekin II arrived to visit the Apostolic Cathedral of Etchmiadzin in Yerevan on Friday Pope Francis, flanked by Catholicos Karekin II, right, kissed a Holy Book in the Apostolic Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, Armenia on Friday Also approaching Francis was Sosi Habeschyan, 68, and her sister whose mother was a genocide orphan adopted and raised by Danish missionary Maria Jacobsen, who worked in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 and reported the massacre. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Francis' declaration of a genocide must be taken in the context of recognizing a past horror to then move on in friendship and reconciliation. He said the Vatican's diplomatic speechwriters wanted to leave it up to the pope to decide what to say. In a largely Orthodox land where Catholics are a minority, Armenians have seemed genuinely honored to welcome a pope who has long championed the Armenian cause from his time as an archbishop in Argentina and now as leader of the 1.2-billion strong Catholic Church. His 2015 declaration that the massacres were considered a 'genocide' sealed their affection for him. 'I shook the pope's hand but didn't have the time to kiss it,' 42-year-old Yerevan resident Nazik Sargsyan said Friday as Francis arrived. 'I'm sure God's blessing has come down on me with that handshake.' Pope Francis meets Alitalia's President Luca Cordero di Montezemolo (left) and and CEO Cramer Ball before boarding a plane at Fiumicino Airport in Rome ahead of the trip Pope Francis arrives at Zvartnots airport outside Yerevan, Armenia on Friday A town in Missouri is celebrating having a new state-of-the-art fire facility that was paid for in a most unusual way. Mark Hill, from Camden Point in northern Platte County, ended up donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the project after winning $200 million in the Powerball Lottery in November 2012. Mark donated a portion of his winnings to construct the new firehouse after the emergency services saved his father's life, twice. Top prize: The Hill family holds a check presented by Missouri Lottery director May Scheve (right). Left to right, sons Jason, Cody, Jarod, adopted daughter Jaiden, and ticket holders Cindy and Mark Hill in November 2012 Payback: The Hills have decided to spend their lottery windfall on project that would benefit their community including a new fire station 'My wife and I were able to pay them back,' a humble Mark said to KMBC. The building, which took more than a year to build, houses both the ambulance service and the community's fire trucks. Since the windfall almost four years ago, the selfless family has adopted two more children, bought some new cars, built a bigger house and taken several vacations, but the new firehouse is by far their biggest project and they insist they are not looking for praise. 'If my wife and I could have built this without anybody knowing that her and I were building it, that's exactly what we would have done,' he said. The building is built to last with the majority constructed entirely from concrete. The rooms are energy efficient as a result of Mark's meticulous planning with the fire district, architects and contractors. The Hills donated money for the new fire station and a new ball field. They've also donates $50,000 towards the sewage treatment plant The firehouse would have taken 25 years to fund had the town relied on basic taxes from its residents 'We took our time to put things together so this would be something that we would be proud of and also that would be a great asset to the community,' Camden Point Fire Chief Walt Stubbs said. The fire station will be manned 24-7 which is something of a luxury in a town with just 500 people. Camden Point is wedged into hills in a rural area about 30 miles north of Kansas City. Its downtown has a series of mostly empty brick buildings. The new fire house will be the home of the town's ambulances and fire trucks, and includes a training room. The building will be dedicated on July 16. The firehouse is one of many civic projects the Hills have decided to fund for their local community. They've also paid for a new ball field and donated $50,000 towards the sewage treatment plant enabling residents to do away with personal septic tanks. Praise: Camden Point fire chief Walt Stubbs said he wasn't surprised. 'Money changes a lot of people,' Stubbs said. 'They are just good people and are willing to help others.' The town has less than 500 people, but now it is able to have it's firehouse staffed 24/7 as a result of the gift The fire station has direct access to highways, and the ball field will be set further away traffic. The Hills also donated a scholarship fund to nearby North Platte High School in Dearborn, where they both graduated. City officials estimated these works would have taken around 25 years to complete if the city had to rely on its existing tax base. Mayor Kevin Boydston said: 'I've said all along that these lottery winnings could not have gone to a better couple. They are giving back to the community, just like they said they would.' The projects are not surprising considering the down-to-earth family's reaction to their win. Rather than moving to an exclusive resort or investing in a fleet of Maseratis the family have stayed in their modest family home with husband Mark meeting his friends for coffee in the local convenience store, as normal, every day. The community's lottery millionaires are humble about what they did to make it happen The only big purchase they've made since netting the staggering amount was on a simple pick-up truck. Before the 2012 win, the Hills were a simple, working-class family with three grown sons and a ten-year-old daughter, Jaiden, who they adopted from China. 'They are very conservative people,' said Walt Stubbs, a friend and former high school classmate of the Hills. 'They are doing some really nice things for the community and they've taken care of their family.' The couple, who are in their mid-50s, told reporters at a news conference after winning the lottery they would stay in the area and give a lot of the money away. Mark quit his job as a mechanic, while wife Cindy, was out of work at the time. Lauren Conner, (pictured) 32, was found after falling off a boat at the mouth of the Sassafras River on Sunday night. She was missing for 11 hours before being rescued A missing woman has been found alive after falling off a boat into the water along Maryland's Eastern Shore. Lauren Conner, 32, was found Monday morning after she fell overboard during a boozy boat ride at the mouth of the Sassafras River 11 hours earlier. Conner said she believes her training with Crossfit saved her life. The width of the bay from Spesutie Island to Turkey Point is more than one mile. In a post on Facebook, Conner described the incident as it happened. 'I'm totally fine! Just upset that my family and friends thought I was belly up swimming with the fishes. 'I never ever want them to have to go through that again. 'I was being super careless and yes drunk and just kinda bobbled overboard,' she wrote. She says she fell overboard and thought initially she was fine but then realized her boyfriend couldn't find her. Conner writes that she swam to a buoy but it was too round and she couldn't grip it. She decided to swim towards the shore and floated on her back while moving herself toward the land. 'I thought about my kids and couldn't wait to tell them how tough I was. 'Thought about Ethan having his first day of camp this morning. I at one point sang "just keep swimming just keep swimming". 'Thought about Crossfit and wall balls and the forsaken assault bike and that this was nothing compared to those,' she wrote. Conner said she believes her training with Crossfit saved her life and helped her swim the more than one mile distance at the mouth of the Sassafras River (pictured) She wrote that eventually she got to an island and when she realized there was no one there and no one could see her, she attempted to make a bed and sleep until sunrise. 'Sunrise eventually came. It was a beautiful one. 'I saw a boat but he didn't see me there screaming and jumping like a fool,' she wrote. She said after a while she went into the brush and found some berries before determining the island must be a part of the Aberdeen Proving Ground, an Army facility. Conner said she eventually flagged down a truck driver and was taken to a facility to call police and her family. Conner said her father raised her on the bay, which helped her keep her wits about her after she fell overboard The 32-year-old was medically evaluated before being released and going home with her family. She said she was never scared, but more worried that her family thought she was dead '(The driver) let me in and I cried like a baby. 'I just needed to let my kids and loved ones know I was alive and OK. 'He took me back to his place of work and called the police. Met a few other nice men who offered me donuts and water and a shirt to wear since I was in a bikini,' she said. She was found around 7.15am on Monday. Maryland Natural Resources Police spokeswoman Candy Thomson confirmed the incident. 'Even though the water's pretty warm right now, to have somebody make it through the night is pretty remarkable,' Thomson told the Baltimore Sun. The 32-year-old was medically evaluated before being released and going home with her family. 'I was never scared. I knew I would be OK. I just needed my family to know that I was,' Conner wrote. Over the weekend eight boating accidents occurred, none of which were fatal. A driver in China is harnessing the power of the sun - by converting his tiny hatchback into a solar-powered car. The small red vehicle has become a hit in Tianjin, a major port city in North China, after its owner fixed a number of solar-panels all over its body. But the motorist could not store and generate enough energy just by covering the car back to front - so he had to build a bizarre extension making his boot longer. A driver in China is harnessing the power of the sun - by converting his tiny hatchback into a solar-powered car The small red vehicle has become a hit in Tianjin, a major port city in North China, after its owner fixed a number of solar-panels all over its body The motorist could not store and generate enough energy just by covering the car back to front - so he had to build a bizarre extension making his boot longer Photos of the solar car show the large box-shaped addition behind the vehicle, which creates the space for several more panels. Local reports did not say how long or how far the car can run on solar power. But residents have been quick to praise the driver's innovation because it means he is now free from the costs of petrol. Photos of the solar car show the large box-shaped addition behind the vehicle, which creates the space for several more panels Residents have been quick to praise the driver's innovation because it means he is now free from the costs of petrol Others have pointed out that the vehicle lacks a licence plate and may be deemed illegal by Tianjin police But others have pointed out that the vehicle lacks a licence plate and may be deemed illegal by Tianjin police. It is not yet clear whether authorities have given him permission to drive around the DIY car. John Kerry has officially complained to Vladimir Putin about the incidents Former ambassadors say it has escalated since Ukraine intervention One diplomat says a Russian agent defecated on the carpet in his home Officials told the Washington Post about the most bizarre complaints John Kerry is fielding an increasing number of complaints from diplomats in Europe, according to former intel officials briefed on secret memos Russian agents have been going to extreme and peculiar lengths to harass US diplomats and ambassadors in Europe, a report claims. Frictions between American envoys and their Kremlin-based counterparts are nothing new. However, a number of US intelligence officials have told the Washington Post that the intimidation techniques have escalated to new heights in recent years - both illegal and bizarre. On Monday, State Department spokesman Elizabeth Trudeau confirmed John Kerry has officially complained to President Vladimir Putin about the incidents. One diplomat claims a Russian official broke into his home and defecated on his carpet. Scroll down for video Complaints: A number of US intelligence officials claim that Russia's intimidation against ambassadors has escalated to new heights since the intervention in Ukraine in 2014. Pictured: the US embassy in Moscow Others say it is common for Russian intel to break into ambassadors' homes simply to rearrange the furniture. During President Obama's first term, a Russian agent assassinated an envoy's dog in his home. And others say they are victims of the 'standard' intimidation tactics - being followed by agents, seeing intel at events they weren't invited to, or having Russia pay media to write negative articles. The allegations were made in a series of secret memos, seen by John Kerry and other intelligence officials, and described to the Washington Post. State Department press secretary John Kirby told the Post the complaints have spiked since Russia's annexation of Crimea and intervention in Ukraine. Two former ambassadors corroborated the claims to the Post. Norm Eisen, US ambassador to the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2014, told the newspaper: 'Since the return of Putin, Russia has been engaged in an increasingly aggressive gray war across Europe. Now it's in retaliation for Western sanctions because of Ukraine. The widely reported harassment is another front in the gray war. 'They are hitting American diplomats literally where they live.' Norm Eisen, US ambassador to the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2014 (left), and Michael McFaul, US ambassador to Moscow from 2012 to 2014 (right), described their experiences of intimidation on the job Michael McFaul, US ambassador to Moscow from 2012 to 2014, told the Post: 'It was part of a way to put pressure on government officials who were trying to do their reporting jobs. 'It definitely escalated when I was there. After the invasion of Ukraine, it got much, much worse. 'We were feeling embattled out there in the embassy.' Defending Russia's actions, a spokesman for the Russian embassy in DC, told the Post: 'The deterioration of U.S.-Russia relations, which was not caused by us, but rather by the current Administrations policy of sanctions and attempts to isolate Russian, had a negative affect on the functioning of diplomatic missions, both in U.S. and Russia.' Daily Mail Online has contacted the Russian embassy for a comment. Row: Harry Potter star Rupert Grint is taking the Government to court claiming that he is owed a 1million refund following a dispute over tax Harry Potter star Rupert Grint is taking the Government to court claiming that he is owed a 1million refund in tax. The 27-year-old actor is said to have built up a 24million fortune while playing Ron Weasley in the hit film series. He is now appearing before the Tax Chamber at London's Royal Courts of Justice because of an arcane dispute over his tax returns between 2008 and 2010. The row with Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs started after he tried to change his accounting date to April 5 2010, the year the 50 per cent top rate of tax was introduced. Over the 20-month period leading up to that date he had a turnover of 28million and net profit of 15million. HMRC rejected the change in accounting period, claiming it fell foul of their rules. Through his barrister, Grint told the court he has paid every penny of his tax up front. His barrister Patrick Soares told the tribunal: 'There is no tax avoidance involved here. 'He has paid all his tax up front. If he wins the case he gets a refund. He just wants to make that point in open court.' Mr Soares described Grint as 'a well known actor in the Harry Potter series - Ron Weasley - which was filmed in 2001 to 2011.' Grint entered the witness box to tell the court he placed 'a lot of reliance' on his accountant Dan Clay, who advised him on the accounting date change. He said: 'I don't have great knowledge so I do entrust a lot of it to my father and Dan.' Grint told the court he knew the 20-month period leading up to the accounting date would have to be split into two periods of eight months and 12 months to satisfy HMRC rules. He added: 'I didn't really have a reason to question them (the accounts). 'I am not too great. My knowledge of this is quite limited so I put a lot of faith and trust in Dan's knowledge.' His legal team claim that the 20-month accounts were just a 'work in progress' towards separate tax returns for two periods of eight months nad 12 months. The 27-year-old actor is said to have built up a 24million fortune while playing Ron Weasley (right) in the hit film series. He is now appearing in court over an arcane dispute over his tax returns between 2008 and 2010 Mr Soares said: 'The long accounts (of 20 months) were never intended to constitute the formal accounts of expenditure. They were the raw material to prepare the eight months and 12 months and do the tax return.' Referring to HMRC's arguments Mr Soares said: 'They say that the return accounts and schedule accounts are not really accounts. 'They reject our alternative accounts as even if they are accounts they think the relevant ones are the long accounts.' Although no figure for the potential refund has been given in court, Grint's accountant Dan Clay confirmed outside court that it could be around 1million. Earlier this month it was reported that one of Grint's companies, Clay 10, made 1.5million this year. His most recent film role was in the comedy Moonwalkers. More than 33,000 federal agents and prosecutors will be trained in how to stop unconscious bias from influencing their actions, Justice department officials told Reuters. The training will bring Justice Department employees in line with many local police departments across the country that have implemented bias prevention plans following a spate of shootings of unarmed black men by white police officers. Nationwide protests following those shootings blamed police bias for unnecessary use of force against minorities. The department had been criticized for not developing its own policies to combat bias after recommending local police do so at the direction of a task force created by President Barack Obama after riots in 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri. Federal agents, like many local police forces, will now be trained in bias after a spate of police shootings were blamed on unconscious stereotyping. Pictured: federal agents questioning a local after Michael Brown's death In a memo to Justice Department employees obtained by Reuters, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates said the program targets 'implicit biases' - subtle, unconscious stereotypes or characterizations nearly everyone makes about certain groups of people. 'But implicit bias also presents unique challenges to effective law enforcement, because it can alter where investigators and prosecutors look for evidence and how they analyze it without their awareness or ability to compensate,' Yates said in the memo. The training will be mandatory for all Justice Department agents and prosecutors and will be rolled out over the next year, Yates said. Arrest data compiled by some police departments have shown that black and Hispanic men are more likely to be stopped by police than others, suggesting officers may be exerting implicit bias in deciding whom to question or apprehend. The Justice Department will use a model developed by the Police Executive Research Forum, a nonprofit organization that provides expertise on policing issues, designed to make people aware of attitudes they may hold about certain races, genders, nationalities and other characteristics. The Justice Department employs more than 5,800 attorneys and 28,000 law enforcement agents across four agencies: The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the U.S. Marshals Service. The deaths of Michael Brown (left) and Walter Scott (right) were just two in a number that prompted police forces to implement bias training programs. The FBI has been criticized for not following suit until now Police departments such as those in Baltimore, New York City, Seattle, New Orleans and Los Angeles have training programs in place that help officers recognize biases they may carry but not be aware of following a national outcry against police bias in minority communities. Asked why the Justice Department only now has begun such training for its employees, Yates said success in local jurisdictions caused the federal government to consider it as well. 'This program has been so well-received by our state and local counterparts, we thought it was something we should be offering to our federal agents, frankly, to get our own house in order,' Yates said in an interview with Reuters. Yates and the heads of other Justice Department components will begin their own implicit bias training course on Tuesday. Attorney General Loretta Lynch will announce the initiative in Phoenix on Tuesday when she travels there as part of her community policing tour, said a Justice Department official. Department of Homeland Security employees, which include 60,000 border patrol officers and agents, will not be subject to the training. Youngsters were then cremated with adults they were not even related to and their ashes were mixed Babies were cremated along with unrelated adults over many years in 'unethical and abhorrent practices' at Aberdeen Crematorium, according to a report. Dame Elish Angiolini looked at more than 200 infant cremation cases across Scotland after fears emerged that the ashes of babies were secretly scattered without the knowledge of their families. Bereaved parents had been told there would be no ashes produced while infant coffins were placed at the side of or on top of an unrelated adult coffin and both cremated together. A report has slammed practices at Aberdeen Crematorium, where babies were cremated with non-related people and without their parents receiving their ashes Dame Elish, the former Scottish Lord Advocate, investigated concerns raised by families across the country and found 'deeply shocking' practices at Aberdeen Hazelhead Crematorium. Many staff had the 'extraordinary belief' there would be no recovered ashes from babies up to the age of 18 months despite the fact they were recovered in other crematoriums. The National Cremation Investigation report said: 'This was a section of the city council working in almost complete isolation without any strategic direction, development or quality control of the service, so far as it related to babies, infants and non-viable foetuses. 'There was little knowledge by senior management of the service provided to the families of these babies. There was insufficient interest taken or leadership shown by management.' Scottish public health minister Aileen Campbell has branded the methods 'unacceptable and, frankly, appalling' Dame Elish added: 'The cremation of babies along with unknown adults is an unethical and abhorrent practice which will offend the sensibilities of the wider community and cause great distress to those whose babies were cremated there. 'It will also cause profound concern to the next of kin of unrelated adults who may have collected and continue to retain ashes of loved ones cremated at Aberdeen which also contain the ashes of a baby or one or even several non-viable foetuses. 'The understanding that there were no ashes or that they could not be recovered was not explained and is inexplicable.' The investigation looked at 14 crematoriums, praising some such as Cardross for 'the care applied' in retrieving baby ashes. In total, 15 recommendations were made including a law to prevent the mixing of baby ashes with those of another person, proposed criminal sanctions and tighter regulation of crematoria. Scottish public health minister Aileen Campbell said: 'Some of the historic practices uncovered in this report are unacceptable and, frankly, appalling. 'It is awful that parents who have lost their child in such sad circumstances have had their grief compounded by the actions of those they trusted to support them. by hackers who used fake postcodes to sign up thousands of times over Hackers boasted how easy it was to hijack the petition calling for a re-run. One user (pictured) bragged how he had signed up 33,000 times while he left a script running as he took a shower The full extent of how hackers managed to hijack the petition demanding a second EU referendum can be revealed by MailOnline. Hackers boasted about their exploits in online forums and openly mocked how easy it was to infiltrate the UK Parliament petition website. The petition has attracted more than 3.7million signatures and has led high profile figures to use the petition as proof of the public appetite for a re-run of last week's referendum, which was won by the Brexit campaign by more than 1.2million votes. Computer bots were able to use scripts that automatically signed up hundreds of thousands of fake signatures by using the same UK postcode - many of which were the Palace of Westminster's SW1A 0AA address. They deliberately directed their names to appear as residents of a range of different countries, including tiny states such as Vatican City to 'show your democracies are a joke'. It meant more than 42,000 signatures were registered in the Vatican City, despite the tiny papal state having a population of just 840. There were more signatures registered from the least populous country of Pitcairn Island than the 56 residents living there. There were even 24,867 signatures registered in North Korea, where the internet is highly censored and accessed by a tiny minority of the population. Thousands were signed up from other tiny states, including Palau, the British Virgin Islands, Liechtenstein, British Virgin Islands, Liechenstein and St Kitts and Nevis - as well as the disputed Occupied Palestinian Territories. Writing in a mix of Arabic and English, a hacker claiming to be in Syria said 'God willing' the number of signatures from the Vatican City would 'soon exceed actual Vatican population and from then on it's pure bants'. Another anonymous hacker boasted how he had signed up 33,000 times while he left a script running as he took a shower. UK authorities have started investigating the fraudulent sign ups but have only managed to remove a fraction of the total number of fake signatures, according to data experts. MailOnline has obtained details and photos of online forums used by hackers to boast about how many fake signatures they managed to register. Computer bots were able to use scripts that automatically signed up hundreds of thousands of fake signatures to appear as residents of tiny states such as Vatican City (pictured) to 'show your democracies are a joke'. It meant more than 42,000 signatures were registered in the Vatican City, despite the tiny papal state having a population of just 840 The petition (left) demands a re-count of last Thursday's referendum because turnout was less than 75 per cent and the margin of victory was smaller than 20 per cent. Ironically, it was set up by Brexit supporter William Oliver Healey (pictured right), a final year student at De Montfort University On a forum titled 'Politically Incorrect' they openly bragged about their exploits. One hacker wrote: 'Syrian blackhat here. (This means "hacker" for the illiterates among you). 'While you all were joking about it, I actually did it, the madman I am. I have "hacked" the UK petition website and am currently voting like crazy on this petition.' 'Why am I doing this? To show that your (democracies) are a joke.' 'Proof? I am directing 1% of my votes to appear a 'Vatican City'. Check the json file (on the bottom of the petition page).' The user added: 'Insha allah we will soon exceed actual Vatican population and from then on it's pure bants.' 'Infortunately (sic) my bandwidth is slow because I am going through the artificial moons ("satellite" for you atheists) since everything here is bombed thanks to the devil (assad).' Another anonymous hacker writing on the 4.chan.org website boasted: 'I voted 33,000 times. Left a script running while I was taking a shower. Mocking the UK Parliament's petition website, they joked: 'Online petitions are clearly very reliable and not at all able to be tampered with.' The House of Commons denied the petitions website had been hacked. It said more than 77,000 signatures had been removed so far by the Government Digital Service, which monitors for suspicious activity. Legitimate pro-Remain sign-ups to the petition in the UK have also appealed on social media for people around the world to help in their bid for demanding a second referendum by signing up, despite only UK residents allowed to register. One hacker claiming to be in Syria said 'God willing' the number of signatures from the Vatican City would 'soon exceed actual Vatican population and from then on it's pure bants' Hackers deliberately directed their names to appear as residents of a host of different countries, including tiny states such as Vatican City to 'show your democracies are a joke'. Above, one script boasts how many signatures were managed to be registered from a range of different countries Hackers boasted on blogs about how many fake signatures they managed to sign the petition and mocked the UK Parliament's petition website for allowing it to be so easily hacked. Sign-ups must tick a box stating they are a British or UK citizen and give their name, email address and postcode. Screen shots of automated scripts run by hackers reveal how they are able to sign up thousands of times at once. The petition demands a re-count of last Thursday's referendum because turnout was less than 75 per cent and the margin of victory was smaller than 20 per cent. Ironically, the petition was set up by a Brexit supporter. William Oliver Healey, a final year student at De Montfort University, set up the petition in case the Leave campaign lost by s slim margin but ironically it was hijacked by Remain supporters after Thursday's 4 per cent win for Brexit. The Government's digital service has made clear that signing up to the petition from overseas or signing it more than once was not a criminal offence but it undermines the credibility of the demands. Yesterday Tony Blair said a second referendum on EU membership should not be ruled out. The former Labour prime minister admitted the prospect seems unlikely but suggested MPs could consider the option once a new deal had been struck with the EU within the next couple of years. Business minister Anna Soubry promoted the petition calling on the Government to stage a second referendum despite a record 33.5million people taking part in Thursday's referendum, which delivered a 4 per cent margin in favour of cutting ties with Brussels. A user on the 4chan.org forum explains how hackers managed to hijack rig the petition (left) and another post a screenshot of his automated scripts that are signing up thousands of names within seconds (right) and below Twitter users abroad revealed they had signed the petition demanding a second referendum One Twitter user calls for people living abroad to sign the petition regardless of whether they are British or not Remarkably, Labour MP David Lammy went a step further yesterday as he said his colleagues should vote to overturn the 'non-binding' decision in Parliament for the sake of the economy. The protests against the EU referendum result came despite a record 33.5million people taking part in the referendum - the highest in any election since 1992 - in which Leave won with 51.9 per cent, a margin of 1,269,501 votes. A heat map of the UK-based signatures reveal that a majority of signatures are from people in London and areas with a high population of students, which predominantly voted Remain, meaning the result may not be any different. WE SHOULD IGNORE THE 'NON-BINDING' EU REFERENDUM RESULT SAYS LABOUR MP DAVID LAMMY The result of the EU referendum should be overturned by a Commons vote next week, a Labour MP has insisted. Former minister David Lammy said the poll, which produced a narrow, surprise, win for the Leave side, was non-binding and parliament remains sovereign. The Tottenham MP said the Commons, where a majority of members backed Remain, should 'stop the madness' of Brexit. 'Wake up. We do not have to do this. We can stop this madness and bring this nightmare to an end through a vote in parliament. 'Our sovereign parliament needs to now vote on whether we should quit the EU. 'The referendum was an advisory, non-binding referendum. The Leave campaign's platform has already unravelled and some people wish they hadn't voted to leave. 'Parliament now needs to decide whether we should go forward with Brexit, and there should be a vote in Parliament next week. 'Let us not destroy our economy on the basis of lies and the hubris of Boris Johnson,' Mr Lammy said. Advertisement Thousands came from north London, Cambridge and Oxford, while more than 3,000 of David Cameron's constituents also signed the petition. Because it easily passed the 100,000 target, MPs will be forced to consider the proposal in Parliament this summer. The petition demands the Government re-stage the referendum because the winning vote for Leave was less than 60 per cent and was based on a turnout of less than 75 per cent. The result revealed stark divisions between young and old, north and south, cities and rural areas, and university-educated people and those with fewer qualifications. The petition states: 'We the undersigned call upon HM Government to implement a rule that if the remain or leave vote is less than 60% based on a turnout less than 75% there should be another referendum.' The House of Commons Petitions committee will now be forced to consider staging a debate in Parliament on the proposals for a second referendum. Their next meeting is tomorrow after MPs return from a mini-recess, although it might have to wait until the following week to be discussed. Responding to revelations the website had been hacked, a House of Commons spokesman said: 'The petitions website has not been hacked, despite any claims that may have been made. 'Any UK resident or British citizen is entitled to sign e-petitions. We ask petitioners to confirm their details, including name, email address, and postcode. 'The Government Digital Service investigates signature patterns to check for fraudulent activity on petitions. Any signatures which match more than one of the criteria indicating fraud are removed. 'Just over 77,000 signatures have been removed which were added fraudulently and the Government Digital Service (GDS) continue to monitor for suspicious activity. 'GDS use a number of techniques, including automated and manual, to identify, block or remove signatures that are clearly bots. 'Much like the traditional paper petitioning system which asks people to provide an address and signature, the e-petitions system aims to strike a balance between allowing people to easily register their support for issues which are important to them, whilst discouraging dishonesty.' However the spokesman said they were unable to comment on security checks. Although more than 3million people have signed the petition demanding second referendum, a heat map (left) reveals most of the signatures were from north London and areas with high numbers of students, such as Cambridge and Oxford. Remarkably, Labour MP David Lammy (right) went a step further yesterday as he said his colleagues should vote to overturn the 'non-binding' decision in Parliament for the sake of the economy The Paris prosecutor's office will launch a manslaughter probe into EgyptAir crash which killed 66 people last month. Today's announcement comes as the jets black box and memory chips, which could hold the secret to what downed the jet, were sent off for repair. The prosecutor said it was not looking into terrorism as a possible cause of the crash at this stage. The Airbus went down in the eastern Mediterranean Sea en route from Paris to Cairo on May 19 and all 66 people on board were killed. File image Captain Mohamed Said Ali Ali Shoukair was among the 66 passengers and crew who died on MS804 Tragic loss: Joumana, four months, and her two-and-a-half-year-old brother Mohamed (right) were two of the youngest casualities of the EgyptAir disaster Pictured: Faycal Bettiche (left) and his wife Nouha were taking their young children on holiday when travelling on the doomed flight. Right, air stewardess Samar Ezz Eldin who also lost her life in the disaster Family man: British geologist Richard Osman was among the 66 victims on board the jet. His brother has described his 'delirious happiness' after the birth of his second daughter just three weeks ago. Mr Osman is pictured here with his French-born wife Aureilie and his first daughter Victios Today, the prosecutor's office said: 'The Paris prosecutor has opened today a full investigation into involuntary homicide.' The Airbus went down in the eastern Mediterranean Sea en route from Paris to Cairo on May 19 but the cause of the crash remains unknown. Damaged memory chips from the black boxes were flown to France on Monday after Egyptian investigators had tried without success to repair them, an investigation committee statement said. The chips should allow investigators to begin transcribing and analyzing the recordings and data which may hold key insights into what caused the crash. A lab belonging to France's BEA air accident investigation agency will try to remove sea salt deposits from the chips before returning them to Cairo for analysis. The plane is believed to have crashed in the deepest part of the Mediterranean and the black boxes, recovered last week, were badly damaged. On Monday debris from the jet was brought to Cairo airport, where investigators will try to reassemble part of the plane's frame in search of additional clues, a source on the investigation committee said. The memory chips from the black boxes have been brought to France for repairs because they are currently too badly damaged to download information from. Some of the passengers' belongings and parts of the wreck of EgyptAir flight MS804 The Egyptian investigation committee said in a statement that France's BEA accident investigators would help to remove salt deposits from the chips before they were returned to Egypt for analysis. EgyptAir flight MS804 spiralled down into the Mediterranean early on May 19 on its way from Paris to Cairo, killing all 66 people on board. With little debris and no bodies recovered, investigators hope analysis of the black boxes will help them piece together what happened in the final half hour of the flight. But the plane is believed to have crashed in the deepest part of the Mediterranean and the black boxes, which were recovered last week, were found badly damaged. Egyptian investigators have been attempting for days to repair the memory chips, allowing them to begin transcribing and analysing the recordings and data. The Egyptian investigators also said that French forensics experts would be arriving in Egypt to help retrieve human remains as a specialist ship attempts to map the wreckage. Jacques Gounon, the firm's chief executive and chairman, said Brexit had given migrants a 'clear signal' that the Anglo-French border would become 'a huge wall, similar to the Berlin Wall, almost impossible to overcome' Britain's decision to quit the EU could lead to a summer surge in illegal migrants trying to enter the country from France, the head of Eurotunnel has warned. Jacques Gounon, the firm's chief executive and chairman, said Brexit had given migrants a 'clear signal' that the Anglo-French border would become 'a huge wall, similar to the Berlin Wall, almost impossible to overcome'. He spoke in Calais as the company unveiled new aerial drones armed with cameras to boost security on the French side of the tunnel by spotting potential trespassers. Mr Gounon told the Press Association: 'I'm afraid that any Brexit consequences could give a threat to migrants that they could be prevented from going to the UK - definitively going to the UK - in the years to come. 'This could generate an additional new migrant pressure, in order for such people, desperately, to reach the UK before Brexit is enforced. 'So I do think and I'm afraid that we could have an increased migrant pressure during this summer, as a Brexit consequence.' Immigration was a key battleground in the EU referendum campaign, with Nigel Farage unveiling a Ukip poster showing a queue of hundreds of immigrants arriving in Europe with the slogan Breaking Point. The Calais end of the Channel tunnel has been the focus of attempts by migrants to stow away on vehicles headed for Britain. Earlier this month aid charities reported that the population at the Jungle camp had risen to 6,123 - up from 5,178 in May - including 700 children. L'Auberge des Migrants and Help Refugees, which collected the data, said refugees from Afghanistan were the largest national group in the camp, making up 36% of its inhabitants, while those from Sudan made up 32%. In May Downing Street said improved security measures at the tunnel and ferry port in Calais, was behind attempts by migrants to cross the Channel in boats. The areas around the Channel Tunnel in Calais have long been a focus of unrest and disputes among migrants Mr Gounon said the firm did not support the idea of moving the UK border from its current locations, as set out in the 1986 Treaty of Canterbury and Protocol de Sangatte in 1991, after Brexit. He added: 'We are working very efficiently, jointly, with UK Border Force on the border issues for 25 years and so I don't believe that for the shuttle, for the fixed link, there is any interest to change the way the controls are working. 'Because it is very efficient, we are catching and giving to the police force all the information in order to protect the site and to capture the migrants. I don't see what could be done more. French police forces spend much of their time dispersing migrants and refugees from illegally entering the Euro-tunnel 'The drones are of course the way to increase the speed. We are working with these border issues, but definitively I think there is no interest at all, from the shuttle point of view, to have an additional border control in Folkestone, at the exit of the tunnel.' Last week Abdul Rahman Haroun, 40, walked free from court after pleading guilty to an obstruction charge brought when he trekked through the Channel Tunnel Haroun was granted permission to stay in Britain after being caught walking near the end of the 31-mile (50km) sub-sea tunnel at Folkestone, Kent, on August 4 last year. Judge Adele Williams sentenced him to nine months in jail at Canterbury Crown Court but freed him due to time he has already spent in custody. It was once a favorite of John F. Kennedy, Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe Move could put hundreds of hotel staff members out of work The doors of the the Waldorf-Astoria, arguably the worlds most iconic hotel, will close for up to three years while its new Chinese owners turn the majority of its rooms into luxury condos. The classic interior of this famous New York building, once a favorite of John F. Kennedy, Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe, among countless other luminaries, not to mention every sitting president since Herbert Hoover, may be unrecognizable when it reopens, reports The Wall Street Journal. Of the 1,413 hotel rooms, all but 300 to 500 will remain and the rest will be turned into luxury condominiums. The Anbang Insurance Group Co, a Chinese company bought it for a record $1.95billion in 2014, the highest ever for a US hotel, reportedly plans a complete overhaul. It is expected to closed and gutted in spring 2017. Scroll down for video The Waldorf Astoria is one of the most famous hotels in the world. Sources say it will shutter down for three years and re-open as mostly condos - hotel rooms currently start at about $400 per night Actress Marilyn Monroe and husband playwright Arthur Miller attending the April in Paris ball at the Waldorf-Astoria, 1957 Star of such classics as Rear Window, actress Grace Kelly lived at the hotel for a while; above, she attends the Imperial Ball with her fiance at the time, Prince Rainier of Monaco Ol' Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra, was also a regular at the hotel; above, he attends the B'nai B'rith International Awards Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria, 1986 However, all the company would say about the Waldorf's future was: 'We continue to explore all options. We have no definitive plans at this time,' according to the WSJ. When the Art Deco building, designed by architects Schultze and Weaver, on Park and Lexington reopens around 2020, it will have renovated its 1,413 hotel rooms, keeping only 300 to 500 luxury guest hotel rooms, and the others will be turned into private residences, sources told the outlet. The Anbang Insurance Group Co. also reportedly paid out $100million in severance packages to hundreds of hotel employees who will lose their jobs in the face of the closing. That's on top of the astronomical price tag the company paid for the property and the $1billion it is expected to shell out in renovation costs. The insurance company is making a run on the US hotel market. It also bought the JW Marriott Essex Hotel in Manhattan in 2016. In a package deal, the company paid $6.5billion for that hotel which also included Four Seasons resorts in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Ritz-Carltons in Half Moon Bay and Laguna Niguel, California and San Diegos Hotel del Coronado, according to the Washington Post. Anbang also recently bid $14 billion to acquire Starwood, which owned 1,200 properties worldwide, including brands such as St. Regis, Westin, Sheraton and W Hotels. When the Waldorf moved to Park Avenue from Fifth Ave and 33rd in 1931, its 47 stories were the tallest hotel in the world. The hotel was originally built by Astor cousins and rivals, William Waldorf Astor and John Jacob Astor, two of the richest men in the world at the time. Pictured in 1898 (left) Bombshell Marilyn Monroe attends an event at the hotel with newspaper humorist Arthur 'Bugs' Baer and comedian Milton Berle in 1955. Two of the biggest stars in the world at the time, Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, are seen in 1939 in the Empire Room, where they greeted 300 fans Winston Churchill speaks at a banquet in his honor in March, 1946, where he said peace in the world depends upon the cooperation of Great Britain and the United States. Currently managed by Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc, the company would continue to run the Waldorf Astoria when it reopens, sources said. The Waldorf, which opened on its Park Avenue location in 1931, has had a sterling roster of former residents, including Cole Porter, Winston Churchill, Frank Sinatra, President Herbert Hoover, President Dwight Eisenhower, Grace Kelly, and Marilyn Monroe, all of whom lived there long term in its unique apartments at one point. John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy spent the first part of their honeymoon at the hotel. The hotel's Presidential Suite has been the first choice for sitting presidents to stay in while in town since 1964 when Herbert Hoover died there after living in his suite for 30 years. That all changed in 2015, when President Obama announced that he would no longer stay at the hotel due to security concerns over the hotel's new Chinese owners, given the country's history of spying, wiretapping and hacking, reported the Wall Street Journal. The hotel is also a Hollywood setting favorite, movies set there include Weekend at the Waldorf, the Robert Redford version of The Great Gatsby, Alfie,The Godfather III, Woody Allen's Crimes and Misdemeanors, and Serendipity. The hotel is where a blind Al Pacino danced with a young woman in The Scent of a Woman, and where Jennifer Lopez fell in love with Ralph Fiennes in Maid in Manhattan. Even the hotel's salad went on to fame - Maitre d Oscar Tschirky created the eponymous salad, made with apples, walnuts, celery, grapes, and mayonnaise dressing, in the mid-1890s. General Dwight D. Eisenhower is shown in uniform at a reception in 1955; French singer Jean Pierre Aumont with Liza Minnelli after she opened at the Empire Room in 1970 One of the world's most powerful party makers and columnists, Elsa Maxwell, lights the cigarette of legendary composer Cole Porter in 1938 The hotel actually grew out of a family feud, according to NewYork.com. In 1893, William Waldorf Astor, one of the country's richest men, opened a 13-story hotel at Fifth Avenue and 33rd Street called the Waldorf Hotel. In 1897, his rival and cousin John Jacob Astor IV, who would later go down with the Titanic, opened a new 17-story hotel named the Astoria Hotel in an adjacent property. The two properties were eventually connected by a corridor. Then in the 1920s, the property was sold to the developer of the Empire State Building. Former American president Herbert Hoover seated in an armchair with a pipe in his suite at the Waldorf Towers in 1962. He lived there for 30 years until his death in 1964 The hotel was moved uptown to its current location, taking up an entire city block on Park and Lexington Avenue between 49th and 50th streets. The Waldorf was the first hotel to offer room service to guests, a perk that has of course become par for the course. In 1921, the hotel became the first to offer a child's menu in its restaurants. It currently has three restaurants, Peacock Alley, La Chine, and Bull and Bear Prime Steakhouse. It also offers afternoon tea and brunch. There is an underground space that runs from Grand Central Station to the hotel, that used to be used for freight trains to carry goods to the hotel. It eventually became a secret underground pathway for VIPs - including President Franklin Roosevelt. At a time when most people still didn't know the president was in a wheelchair, the underground entrance was a good way for him to hide that. More than 10,000 migrants have crossed the Mediterranean to Italy in just four days as the European Union fails to provide a deterrent by sending back those found not to be genuine refugees. EU leaders will today be presented with figures that show as few as six per cent of those told go back home to Africa last year actually left. Calm seas have led to a surge in the number of people departing from the North African coast in overcrowded boats heading for Europe. New figures revealed from the Italian coastguard reveal some 10,000 migrants crossed the Mediterranean in just four days Calm seas have led to a surge in the number of people departing from the North African coast in overcrowded boats heading for Europe The Italian coastguard said 3,324 migrants were rescued off Libya on Sunday, bringing to more than 10,000 the total saved since Thursday. The migrants were picked up from 25 rubber dinghies and one wooden boat that were all less than 35 miles from the Libyan coast. Coastguard and naval vessels transferred them to southern Italian ports. The latest rescues push to more than 66,000 the number of mostly African migrants to arrive in Italy since the start of 2016, according to figures compiled by the UN refugee agency. At a summit in Brussels this afternoon, leaders will be told they need to 'speed up and increase' returns of economic migrants in order to deter even more from coming. They will be shown official figures that show only a small proportion of rejected migrants last year actually ended up leaving the EU. Among the top 10 nationalities of arrivals into Italy, more than 55,000 migrants were told to go back, but only 10,440 or 19 per cent, were returned, the data from the EUs official statistics agency Eurostat shows. A migrant sits on the deck of the 'Aquarius' vessel as the boat passes a cruise ship in the port of Messina, Italy Only six per cent of those from Guinea went back, seven per cent from Sudan, eight per cent from Eritrea, 11 per cent from Mali, and 12 per cent from Somalia. The criticism comes after the EU's border agency chief admitted its search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean has encouraged thousands of migrants to attempt to get to Europe. Frontex director Klaus Roesler said the naval mission that picks up migrants off the North African coast and ferries them for the rest of the journey to Italy had 'triggered departures'. He forecast 10,000 people would make the crossing every week for the rest of this year leading to a total of around 300,000. EU foreign ministers have agreed to extend Operation Sophia until at least July next year and to expand its remit to helping train Libyan coastguards. The mission has been accused by critics of descending into a ferry service that has turned the route into a 'magnet for migrants'. The Italian coastguard said a total of 3,324 migrants were rescued off Libya on Sunday Families disembark from a vessel of ONG Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) in the Sicilian harbour of Augusta in Italy Smugglers are setting off from the North African coast in boats with only enough fuel to get them into international waters. After reaching the high seas they telephone rescuers asking for help knowing they will be picked up by EU ships that take them the rest of the journey to Italy. A cross-party Lords report last month warned that the search-and-rescue operation acts as a 'magnet to migrants and eases the task of smugglers, who would only need their vessels to reach the high seas'. 'The mission does not...in any meaningful way deter the flow of migrants, disrupt the smugglers' networks, or impede the business of people smuggling on the central Mediterranean route,' it said. 'There are also significant limits to the intelligence that can be collected about onshore smuggling networks from the high seas. There is therefore little prospect of Operation Sophia overturning the business model of people smuggling.' Frontex director Klaus Roesler said the naval mission that picks up migrants off the North African coast and ferries them for the rest of the journey to Italy had 'triggered departures' Earlier this month the Libyan coastguard said the EU was enticing migrants to their deaths off its shores. Besides rescuing migrants from smugglers' boats, naval vessels in the Mediterranean are also recovering bodies from past shipwrecks on the bottom of the Mediterranean. The Italian navy yesterday brought six migrants' bodies to Sicily that were found near the collapsed wreck of a boat that sank on 5 August 2015. When that shipwreck happened, an Irish naval vessel took on 373 survivors and 26 bodies that were immediately recovered. with first-degree burns to his bottom and genitals He was taken to A three-year-old boy has been admitted to hospital with first-degree burns after he was held over an open fire for apparently wetting the bed. Shocking footage shows the toddler screaming in pain while his 20-year-old stepfather allegedly punishes him by holding his naked body over the flames. The horrific abuse took place in the city of Limpio, in the Central Department of Paraguay, near the capital of Asuncion. Shocking footage shows the toddler screaming in pain while his 20-year-old stepfather allegedly punishes him It was filmed by a neighbour who had heard the boy screaming in agony. The video maker was apparently too scared by the man to intervene. In the clip the man can be seen dangling the toddler over the fire while he screams in panic. He later begins lowering the boy so that the flames appear to make contact with his skin. The toddler, who has not been named in police reports, was admitted to the Children's Paediatric Hospital of Acosta Nu with first-degree burns to his bottom and genitals. The suspected torturer was arrested after locals lodged a complaint with the police and shared the horrific footage of the incident. The toddler, who has not been named in the reports, was admitted to the Children's Paediatric Hospital of Acosta Nu with first-degree burns Speaking about the suspect, Deputy Commissioner Odilio Larrea said: 'He refused to talk. He just said that he had done nothing.' The boy's 21-year-old mother, who is also caring for a new born baby and another child, has been given full custody of the child while the investigation continues. Police have arrested 28 suspected illegal immigrants, including women and children, after they were found in the back of a lorry. Eleven Eritreans, 10 Sudanese and seven Ethiopian nationals were detained by officers after they were discovered in an HGV in Portsmouth. Video footage captured the moment they were taken into custody after the vehicle stopped at a lorry park so they could use the toilet. Twenty-eight suspected illegal immigrants were arrested after being found in a lorry in Portsmouth, pictured The arrest was filmed on a mobile phone by a witness at the Hampshire lorry park, where the group had been taken to use the toilet The video, obtained by BBC South Today, was taken on a mobile phone after ambulances had rushed to the scene to assess the suspects for health problems. Bystanders described the scene as 'utter chaos' and said the area was swarmed by fire engines, ambulances and immigration officers. The Home Office said one person was in hospital while a child has been handed over to social services care. A spokesperson told the BBC: 'Border Force keeps the situation at the border under constant review and maintains an agile, flexible and intelligence-led approach at all times. Police have been hunting for a man who is believed to be armed with a gun and sword in a Surrey village. A force helicopter has been seen overhead in the Warlingham area this afternoon after reports the man was seen carrying the weapons. Several callers contacted the police, with one resident seeing a man off Limpsfield Road in the north Surrey village. Residents have reported seeing a man on Warlingham's green today with a gun and sword Soon after there were reports of a fight taking place in the same area. Business owners are being asked to scour CCTV footage to try and help police. Police dogs and their handlers have also been seen to the area. A member of staff at The Jeweller's Bench told the Surrey Mirror he had found about a dozen 12-14mm lead ball bearings along the side of his store. He said: 'They have just chucked them when they saw the police turn up. I have checked round there and there's nothing else round there. 'The police have been very active here today.' Business owners are being asked to scour CCTV footage to try and help police. Police dogs and their handlers have also been seen to the area Social media users in the Surrey village asked police what was going on as the helicopter patrolled the skies A spokesman for Surrey Police told MailOnline: 'An altercation broke out between a group of men near Warlingham Green who immediately dispersed when they saw officers on patrol in the area. It is believed at least one of the men was carrying an offensive weapon. 'A thorough search was carried out by uniformed officers on the ground assisted by the NPAS helicopter and Surrey Police Dog Unit. As part of the search officers spoke with a number of people in the vicinity and visited businesses in the area. 'No arrests have yet been made and no weapons have been located. 'At around 3.15pm officers received a report of what witnesses believed to be gunfire further along Limpsfield Road at Chelsham. It was established the noise was as a result of firecrackers being used in the local area.' His wife Holly claims someone in an adjacent room was 'spying' on them Has been accused of being seen in the nude on two occasions Maryland prosecutor Edward Rollins III has been arrested and charges with indecent exposure after he was allegedly spotted standing naked on a hotel balcony A Maryland prosecutor has been arrested after he was allegedly spotted standing naked on a hotel balcony. Edward Rollins III from the Worcester County State's Attorney was charged with two counts of indecent exposure and two counts of disorderly conduct after he was seen in the nude at the Clarion Hotel in Ocean City. Beau Oglesby, his colleague, confirmed that they are still investigating what happened. He has been accused of engaging in inappropriate behavior in two separate incidents last Tuesday and Wednesday. Police said officers located the room in question and ultimately took Rollins into custody for disorderly conduct and indecent exposure. Officers consulted with Oglesby and were told to release Rollins without charges pending further investigation, according to police. But on Monday, Oglesby announced that charges had been filed in Worcester County Circuit Court against Rollins. A summons will be issued for Rollins to appear in the Circuit Court within 30 days for an initial appearance, Oglesby said. According to Oglesby, indecent exposure is a misdemeanor with a possibility of three years behind bars or a $1,000 fine, or both. Disorderly conduct is also a misdemeanor with a possibility of 60 days of jail time or a $500 fine, or both. Rollins has served as Cecil County's state's attorney since 2011 and has applied for appointment for a Circuit Court judge position. The Worcester County prosecutor was charged with two counts of indecent exposure and two counts of disorderly conduct after he was seen in the nude at the Clarion Hotel in Ocean City (pictured above) He is accused of being seen in the nude on two occasions. He has declined to comment on the allegations as he is part of the investigation A woman who answered the phone at Rollins' office Monday said the office had no comment. Rollins has served as Cecil County's state's attorney since 2011 and has applied for appointment for a Circuit Court judge position On Sunday, Rollins' wife, Holly Rollins, issued a statement to the Cecil Whig newspaper on behalf of her husband. He has declined to comment as he is subject of the investigation. She addressed 'inaccuracies' in media accounts. The statement indicates that someone at an adjacent hotel spied upon them through the window of their guest room at the Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel at 10100 Coastal Highway during a 24-hour period, from Tuesday through Wednesday. 'While my husband and I were vacationing in Ocean City last week, a stranger watched and photographed us through the window of our 10th floor hotel room. 'The person who took these actions was in a separate hotel some distance from ours. 'During the next 24 hours, while completely within the confines of our room, our intimate movements and activities were documented and shared publicly. The statement concludes, 'At this time we are fully cooperating with law enforcement officials.' The Stonewall Inn has been dedicated the first national monument to gay rights. Mayor Bill de Blasio gathered outside the bar with members of the LGBT community, along with local and federal officials, for a dedication ceremony on Monday. The Stonewall National Monument will cover a 7.7-acre swath of Manhattan's Greenwich Village, including the tavern and the adjacent Christopher Park. The neighborhood around the bar was the site of riotous protests in 1969 after gay patrons of the bar fought back against a police raid. Scroll down for video The Stonewall Inn in New York has been dedicated the first national monument to gay rights From front left to right, New York first lady Chirlane McCray, Edith Windsor, U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY), New York Mayor Bill de Blasio (behind), and Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell applaud as a plaque is unveiled during the dedication of the Stonewall National Monument 'We never could have imagined (we would) see this,' said one of the veterans of that struggle, Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt. The standing room only crowd of a few hundred was comprised of activist and community members. Some, like Lanigan-Schmidt, said they had actually been at the Stonewall Inn on the night of the historic raid. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell told the crowd that that the monument reflects that the United States is 'a nation that aspires to be as inclusive as it is diverse.' U.S. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) unveils a plaque during the dedication of the Stonewall National Monument, outside the Stonewall Inn in New York's Greenwich Village on Monday Mayor Bill de Blasio enters the Stonewall Inn after the dedication of the Stonewall National Monument The neighborhood around the bar was the site of riotous protests in 1969 after gay patrons of the bar fought back against a police raid. Above, police trying to clear the crowd outside the bar on July 2, 1969 Many speakers touched on the added significance of the dedication given the attack on gay nightclub Pulse in Orlando earlier this month that left 49 people dead. On the street where the ceremony was held, there was significant security, with police officers armed with automatic rifles watching guard. The annual Pride Parade on Sunday passed between the park and the tavern. President Barack Obama announced the creation of the monument last week. Many speakers touched on the added significance of the dedication given the attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando earlier this month that left 49 people dead. Above, a memorial to the victims outside the bar Senior White House Advisor Valerie Jarrett, right, addresses the crowd during the dedication ceremony Edith Windsor leads the Pledge of Allegiance during the dedication of the Stonewall National Monument Claims come as New York bans online short-term rentals in the city It has allegedly reduced the available housing stock by 10 per cent Airbnb has reduced housing stock in New York City by 10 per cent, a damning report claims. The short-term rental service, valued at $25.5 billion, has flooded markets in 190 countries since its debut in 2008. Unsurprisingly, New York is one of its most popular destinations, with locals flocking to lease out their room, apartment or entire home for days or weeks at a time. But according to a report, the phenomenon has had a crippling impact on the amount of affordable housing available in a city with rocketing homelessness figures. Scroll down for video Damning: A report claims Airbnb has vastly reduced the amount of housing stock available to New Yorkers At least 30 per cent of the listings in New York City are rented out by 'commercial hosts', the paper by Housing Conservation Coordinators and MFY Legal Services concludes. A commercial host is a landlord who buys a unit - or multiple units in one housing block - solely to list them on Airbnb for up to six months a year. These hosts, the report says, have made more than $300 million from the practice. Meanwhile, rent in New York City has rocketed up 75 per cent since 2000. The findings come shortly after the New York senate passed a bill to ban online short-term rentals, making Airbnb illegal. It's already illegal to rent out apartments for less than 30 days in the city. A new measure heading to Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo's desk would establish graduated fines of up to $7,500 for advertising online or elsewhere for short-term rentals, which have expanded with online platforms. 'Airbnb has created a black market for illegal hotel operators,' said Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, a Manhattan Democrat and bill sponsor. The practice reduces affordable housing for city residents, she said. Josh Meltzer, Airbnb head of public policy, said lawmakers 'cut a last-minute deal with the hotel industry' to pass the bill. He called it 'a bad proposal that will make it harder for thousands of New Yorkers to pay the bills.' The civil penalties range from up to $1,000 for a first offense, $5,000 for the second and $7,500 for the third. Existing law prohibits owners or renters of apartments in multiunit buildings from renting them for less than 30 days unless they remain present. It permits having boarders or renting rooms. Airbnb's analysis shows some 24,400 city hosts have made rentals. That helps them pay rising rents and keep their homes, and many would be unable to pay the fines, Meltzer said. 'This is a bad bill driven by the hotel industry that will actually exacerbate the affordable-housing crisis, achieving the complete opposite of what its drivers claim it's intended to do,' said Airbnb spokesman Peter Schottenfels. State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who investigated Airbnb rentals from 2010 to 2014, called the bill's passage 'a positive step' needed if Airbnb can't police itself. His office found 72 percent of the units in the city were illegal, with commercial operators constituting 6 percent of the hosts and supplying 36 percent of the rentals, he said. Airbnb said in late 2014 that it had removed more than 2,000 of the New York listings that violated state or city laws. Sen. Andrew Lanza, a Staten Island Republican and bill sponsor, said it's aimed at those who run illegal hotels in residential areas and doesn't target homeowners or interfere with property rights. It's the scream of a mother who has not seen her son in almost five years. US Army Specialist Kyle Kracht, from Utah, decided to surprise his mom by just randomly showing up at her home in West Jordan after serving overseas for the last 4.5 years. Kracht said he had seen some videos of soldiers planning elaborate schemes to surprise their parents and he wanted to do the same for his. However he chose a more simple approach, and was waiting for his mom, Cheri Hancock, in the kitchen when she returned home. Surprise! US Army Specialist Kyle Kracht, from Utah, decided to surprise his mom by just randomly showing up at her home in West Jordan after serving overseas for the last 4.5 years The soldier's mom, Cheri Hancock, is seen in the video screaming uncontrollably as she realizes her son has returned home She immediately starts screaming uncontrollably and actually runs away from her son. 'I didn't know what to expect,' he told Fox 13. 'I've gone over it in my head what she might do. I didn't think she was gonna scream and then yell at me and ask me why I was here. 'I didn't think I would have to chase after her to give her a hug, but it was way, way more than I expected.' Kracht said he considered a more elaborate plot but decided that doing it at home was the best. 'I didn't want to like walk into her work,' he said. 'I just wanted to be sitting here casually, and just have her walk in and be like, ''What's up mom? Hey''.' U.S. Army Specialist Kyle Kracht had not seen his mother in almost five years, so went to great lengths to surprise her Mrs Hancock said it took her a while to come to terms with what was happening. 'I never thought that anybody would do that to me, and so when I walked in I felt like I was in a dream,' she said. 'I couldn't believe it, I really couldn't believe it.' Kracht said he had his grandparents to thank for the support, for they helped fly him home. And they had said that they had some reward points, and if I wanted to use them, and I said, ''Yeah, let's go surprise Mom!'' Donald Trump went on the warpath against Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren Monday, as Warren appeared with Hillary Clinton on the campaign trail to attack Trump. 'She made up her heritage, which I think is racist. I think she's a racist, actually because what she did was very racist,' Trump told NBC Monday. 'What she did was very racist,' Trump continued. Trump also called Warren 'one of the least productive senators in the United States Senate. We call her Pocahontas for a reason.' 'She said she's 5 per cent Native American. She was unable to prove it. She used the fact that she was Native American to advance her career. Elizabeth Warren is a total fraud. I know it. Other people who work with her know it. Elizabeth Warren is a total fraud.' Trump went after the Democratic liberal firebrand on a day when Warren appeared alongside Clinton on the campaign trail in what looked like a tryout for a potential running mate. Donald Trump attacked Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren as 'very racist' and resurrected his 'Pocahontas' attack Clinton herself held seemed to relish Warren's repeated hits on Trump as she saluted her newest champion. Trump started the attack Monday morning when he said Warren 'lied on heritage' 'I do just love to see how he gets under Donald Trump's thin skin,' Clinton said. Warren repeatedly went after Trump in personal terms, repeating her line that Trump is a 'money grubber,' then kept hitting, all but ensuring a slug-fest if for some reason Trump were in the mood to keep quiet. 'When Donald Trump says he'll make America great, he means make it even greater for rich guys just like Donald Trump,' Warren charged. 'That's who Donald Trump is - the guy who wants it all for himself.' She called him 'a nasty man who will never become president of the United States and a 'thin-skinned bully.' Now that Warren has endorsed Clinton, there has been increasing talk that Clinton should select her as a way to unite the party and appeal to the progressive Bernie Sanders wing. Elizabeth Warren gave Donald Trump a taste of what he can expect on the campaign trail if Hillary Clinton picks her to be her vice president - a daily tongue lashing that rivals his own scorched-earth tactics against his opponents Pocahontas, the daughter of Chief Powhatan, helped save Captain John Smith Pocahontas's marriage to Englishman John Wolfe Trump refashioned his 'goofy' and 'Pocahontas' attacks on Warren On top of it all, he has said she has a 'nasty mouth' But Clinton's strong recent performance in polls may argue for a safer more conventional choice such as Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. Trump's attack is a reminder that if Clinton does choose Warren, she can expect pushback. Trump's attack brought back a charge made in May when the two had a nasty war of words. The charge stems from Warren's 2012 Senate campaign against then-Senator Scott Brown, when it came out that Warren had listed herself as a minority when she was a faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania Law school and at Harvard law. Warren has said she believed she had Cherokee ancestors and denied she invented the heritage to gain a leg up in academia. Everyone on our mothers side aunts, uncles, and grandparents talked openly about their Native American ancestry, Warren wrote in her memoir in 2014. My brothers and I grew up on stories about our grandfather building one-room schoolhouses and about our grandparents courtship and their early lives together in Indian Territory. Detailed reporting at the time failed to confirm the legitimacy of the claim. Introducing Clinton, Warren ripped into the Republican billionaire today at a rally in Cincinnati, Ohio - her first time on stage with the Democrat Seeking to inflame her rival by going after his ego, Warren called Trump a 'small, insecure money grubber.' 'And he looks 'goofy' in his Make America Great hat,' Warren said, flatly insulting a garment Trump considers a feather in his cap both for spreading his campaign message and branding his campaign merchandise. 'Watch out, he will crush you into the dirt to get whatever he wants,' Warren said. Last week on the 'O'Reilly Factor' on Fox, Trump issued what sounded like a faux apology for the 'Pocohantas' line. Sheriff's department says she used five-shot .38 caliber handgun, shot both daughters, went inside, reloaded and shot Taylor Sheats who was gunned down along with her sister, Madison, by her own mother on Friday was to have been married today. Daily Mail Online has learned that Taylor, 22, had planned to marry her fiance, her boyfriend of four years, Juan Sebastian Lugo in a small ceremony today. The couple then planned to have a larger wedding ceremony after her graduation from college. Instead, her grieving fiance's sister, Maria, was left to post a tribute to the dead girl on what should have been the start of her married life. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Picture of happiness: Taylor Sheats and her fiance Juan Sebastian Lugo. The couple had been due to marry today in a small ceremony and celebrate after they graduated college Killer: Christy Sheats (left) murdered both her daughters and was intent on murdering her husband Jason (right) at the family's home in Katy, Texas. She was shot and killed by police Celebration: Christy Sheats (rear, center) celebrating a birthday with her fiance Juan Sebastian Lugo (front) and his sister Maria (right). She paid tribute to Christy and her sister today Writing on Facebook Maria Lugo said: 'Yall were part of our family, and that will never change. The greatest in laws any one could ever have, and the sweetest, most wholesome and caring girls in my life. 'I look up to yall so much. Y'all were a light in the midst of this crazy world. We will love you two until the end of time.' Juan Sebastian, 23, and Taylor exchanged promise rings as sweethearts two years ago and posts on social media show a young couple, in love and looking forward to starting their new life together. The heartbreaking development comes as new details have emerged of the horrific events that took place in a quiet family neighborhood in Katy, Texas, last week when Christy Byrd Sheats, 42, killed her daughters, shooting them down in the street outside the family home when an argument spilled over into violence. Now Daily Mail Online has learned that husband, Jason, 45, only narrowly escaped becoming his wife's third victim when a neighbor opened her door to him allowing him to run to safety. The neighbor, who asked not to be named, told of how she opened her door on hearing gunshots only to be confronted with the image of Christy pointing her gun directly at her husband, Jason. She revealed: 'She went to shoot but had run out of bullets. When she went to reload Jason ran into our house and said "Call 911."' On mourning: Maria Lugo (center) posted a picture of her brother Juan Sebastian (left) and Taylor Sheats (second from left) in tribute, saying that the gun victim who would have become her sister-in-law on Monday was sweet and kind Promise broken in death: Taylor Shears had shown a 'promise ring' given to her by her boyfriend Juan Sebastian Lugo. The couple were due to marry today but she was gunned down by her own mom on Friday Jason Sheats (center) escaped unscathed but was taken to hospital because he was distraught 'FAMILY VIOLENCE': SHERIFF'S STATEMENT ON THE MURDERS Detectives with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office continue their investigation of a deadly family violence case in the Katy area. At about 5 p.m. Friday, June 24, a deputy with the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office and an officer from nearby Fulshear responded to a shooting incident in the 6000 block of Remson Hollow Lane in the Katy area. When the deputy and the officer arrived, they saw two females lying on the street and a woman who had a gun in her hand. The Fulshear officer and deputy observed the woman shooting one of the girls in the street. The woman, Christy Sheats, 42, did not obey the officer's demand to drop the handgun and the officer fired one shot, killing Sheats. Investigators learned that prior to the incident, Christy Sheats, had convened a family meeting inside their home. Her husband, Jason, 45, and her daughters, Taylor, 22, and Madison, 17, joined Christy in their living room. During that meeting, Christy Sheats held up a gun and shot both girls. Jason Sheats and both daughters managed to get out of the house by going through the front door. Madison collapsed and died. Jason Sheats ran to the end of the cul-de-sac. Taylor ran into the street and Christy Sheats followed, shooting Taylor again. According to a witness, Christy Sheats went back inside the home to reload the gun. Christy Sheats returned and shot Taylor once more. Taylor Sheats was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital - The Medical Center where she died. Investigators found the murder weapon was a five-shot, .38 caliber handgun. The Sheriff's Office has responded to 14 calls for service at the residence since January of 2012. Some were alarm issues, but due to legal constraints issued by the county attorney, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office cannot describe the other calls for service. Advertisement Recalling the horrific events that took place in the quiet, family oriented neighborhood last week, the neighbor said: 'Christy had stabbed the girls before she shot them. 'I looked out and I saw her standing over one of the girls with the gun pointed at her and she shot her as she lay on the ground.' Visibly distressed by what she had witnessed the woman described Madison, 17, and Taylor, 22, as 'good girls' but said that there had been 'issues' with Christy for a long time. She said: 'She should never have had a gun Jason is a nice man but there were issues with her.' Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office on Monday released further details about the events of Friday afternoon and the circumstances leading up to the fatal shootings. A deputy from Ford Bend County Sheriffs Office and an officer from nearby Fulshear responded to the shooting at about 5pm to be confronted with the horrendous scene of both Madison and Taylor lying, dead and dying, in the road Christy Sheats was still holding the gun a .38 caliber handgun - and refused to put it down. The Fulshear police officer fired a single shot and killed her. Investigators have now learned that it was Christy who called her family together earlier that day for a family meeting inside their home. Jason and daughters Madison and Taylor joined Christy in the living room. It was during that meeting that Christy held up a gun and shot both girls. The girls and their father managed to get out of the house but Madison collapsed and died on the street outside. Her father ran to the end of the cul-de-sac as his wife followed behind, chasing Taylor and shooting her another time. Jason managed to escape suffering the same fate when a neighbor opened her door to him, saving his life. Meanwhile his wife had returned to the family home, reloaded and returned to the street to shoot Taylor where she lay. Taylor was airlifted to Memorial Hermann Hospital where she died. The Sheriffs Office has revealed that they responded to 14 calls to the Sheatss residence since January 2012. Some calls were alarm issues, they said. They refused to give details of the other calls citing legal reasons. Neighbor Geno Hernandez, 42, recalled the Sheats as 'good neighbors' and revealed that Taylor had been away at college and was only visiting her parents and sister to celebrate her father's birthday that Friday. He said: 'I watched the girls grow up here since they were about 10 years old they used to play out on the street here. Taylor was into softball. 'They were friends with my son. Jason and the girls were always friendly, they'd always wave when they went past but Christy kept to herself. 'When we were having barbeques in the street she would never take part. I don't know whey they separated when they did but she had only quite recently moved back. 'You just kind of got the impression with her [Christy] it was all about her all the selfies and what have you. She was very into herself.' The mom, who was shot dead by a police officer after fatally wounding her daughters, had a history of mental illness and altercations. She and Jason, 45, had only recently reunited after a separation. Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Caitilin Espinosa told People that officers had been to the Sheats' home 'for previous altercations' Those altercations, she said, involving a 'mental crisis' that Christy Sheats had been undergoing. However, she would not elaborate on the remarks. The Houston Chronicle confirmed that police had visited the house on multiple occasions. And a neighbor told ABC13 that Christy and Jason Sheats had only recently reunited after a period of separation. But that reunion led to disaster when a family argument on Friday - which was also Jason's birthday - spiraled into a double-murder that ended with a police officer shooting Christy. Jason, who was the only family member to survive the incident, though he was taken to hospital due to his distress. Police arrived to find the two daughters lying outside the home in the 6000 block of Remson Hollow Lane Scene of crime: The Sheat family home in Katy, Texas, where friends have left a ribbon on a tree in mourning for Madison and Taylor In mourning: Madison Sheats' friend (from left) Erica Noriega, 17, Natalie Cata, 18, and Gabriella Rodriguez, 18, went to pay their respects at her home on Monday Christy (right with Madison left) refused to drop her pistol when authorities arrived on the scene, and a Fulshear police officer was forced to shoot her A police officer heard him pleading with his wife before she was shot dead, neighbour Fazz Zainuddin told Click2Houston. [The officer] heard the dad say, "Dont do this. Theyre our kids",' Zainuddin said. Officers had responded to a 911 call around 5pm on Friday. They arrived to find the two daughters lying outside the home in the 6000 block of Remson Hollow Lane in the Houston suburb of Fulshear. The mother, who is originally from Decatur, Alabama, was killed by a responding police officer after she refused to drop her pistol, authorities said. Sheriff Troy Nehls says the shooting was apparently after a family argument, but the reason for the dispute remains unclear. Nehls said the two younger women had already been shot when a Fulshear police officer arrived and saw the mother with a gun in her hand, apparently preparing to shoot one of her daughters again. The officer shot and killed her. The cops were behind the trees and behind the cars, and they told the mom to put the gun down and obviously she did not, Zainuddin said. He said Christy had walked towards her daughter Madisons body still holding the pistol. I guess the cop was afraid she was going to shoot her again, he added. Madison was pronounced dead at the scene, while Taylor was airlifted to a hospital in a critical condition, where she later died. Madison (right) worked as a babysitter, while Taylor (left) was a student at Lone Star College Christy Sheats (pictured) was killed by a responding police officer after she refused to drop her pistol Christy and Jason Sheats had recently reunited after being separated, another neighbor told ABC13. She said the shooting on Friday was on Jasons birthday. Austin Enke, who went to high school with one of the girls, said he thought he heard fireworks at first. 'It's crazy. The neighborhood has never seen this kind of thing before. It's always quiet, he told KHOU. This is surprising. They never showed any kind of thing that was wrong with them whatsoever,' Christy, a business manager at a laser tattoo removal clinic, posted a photo of her two daughters on Facebook in September last year. She wrote: 'Happy Daughter's Day to my two amazing, sweet, kind, beautiful, intelligent girls. I love and treasure you both more than you could ever possibly know.' It emerged that she had also spoken against gun control. 'It would be horribly tragic if my ability to protect myself or my family were to be taken away, but that's exactly what Democrats are determined to do by banning semi-automatic handguns,' she wrote on Facebook in March. Tributes poured in for Taylor, who went to Lone Star College, and Madison, a student at Seven Lakes High School, on Facebook on Saturday. Taylors friend Joanna Higgins wrote on their high school alumni page: 'I'm in utter shock. She was so talented and had a heart of gold. God rest her soul and those mourning her loss.' Madison's former teacher Whitney Mae Bruce wrote: 'My heart is broken this morning to find that my sweet Madison Sheats lost her life. Always positive and smiling, Madison quickly became one of my favorite students four years ago while teaching for the first time in Katy. Advertisement They live in the most war-torn and dangerous country in the world, and have had the innocence of their childhoods stolen away from them. But children in Syria who still want to learn are being taught in underground caves by brave teachers who risk their safety daily to provide their charges with an education. Syrian student Ali Khaled Stouf has to walk down several steps into a hole in the ground to get inside his school - a cave. Still learning: Internally displaced children in Syria attend an underground class inside a candle-lit cave in the rebel-controlled village of Tramla School-time: Despite growing up in political turmoil, the children are still determined to learn and are being taught Arabic by their devoted teacher Hands up: Over 100 children are taught at the underground school by Mohamed and his wife. The children's families have all been displaced by the Syrian conflict Receiving an education: One girl looks pensive as she attends a class at the underground school in Tramla, Idlib province Yusra Ahmad (left) and Shahed Shahine (right) are both students at the school in Tramla, where they spend three to fours learning each day Into the cave: The children must make their way into the unsecure cave every day in order to attend their lessons Three to four hours each morning, he studies subjects like Arabic, English, maths and religion, sitting on a rug with dozens of children in the underground space in Tramla, an opposition-held village in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. 'I study in a cave. The conditions are not very good but the professor and his wife treat us very well,' the 14-year-old, originally from neighbouring Hama province, said. 'We sit on the ground and often we don't see clearly because it is dark.' His teacher Mohamed and his wife, also from Hama, have opened up their underground home to teach some 100 children, whose families have been displaced by the Syrian conflict. Outdoor learning: Children watch as volunteer teachers perform a puppet show inside a mobile educational caravan for children who do not have access to schools on the outskirts of the Syrian rebel-held town of Saraqib Crammed in: Dozens of children whose families have been displaced sit inside the portakabin that has their artwork decorating the walls Let's play: The children play in the schoolyard in the town of Douma, eastern Damascus. The writing on the wall reads in Arabic, 'Cleanliness is part of faith' Learning: Girls attend a discussion under a riddled roof during a celebration marking the end of the school year at the school in Douma More than five years of war, which began as a peaceful protest against President Bashar al-Assad and has since drawn in foreign military involvement and allowed for the growth of Islamic State, has displaced millions of Syrian children and limited their access to education. With schools themselves at times attacked, teachers make do with the basics to provide education. Mohamed said the primitive, six-month-old school floods when it rains, forcing him to teach outside or in a tent, although he prefers the security underground. 'We believe the cave is the safest place from shelling and air strikes and all the students are in one place,' he said. Damaged: Part of 'Syria, The Hope' school has been destroyed and it is partially occupied by rebel fighters who have taken control of the area Hope: Students form a circle as they play during a celebration marking the end of the school year, at 'Syria, The Hope' school on the outskirts of the rebel-controlled area of Maaret al-Numan town Celebration: A man dressed up as Mickey Mouse distributes certificates and gifts to students during a celebration marking the end of the school year Fun: Girls wearing traditional men's clothing serve coffee during a celebration marking the end of the school year in the town of Douma Idlib province is a stronghold of insurgent groups including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and has been regularly targeted in air strikes by the Syrian government, whose war effort has been boosted by the Russian air force. At the Souriya al-Ammal (Syria the hope) school, in the town of Maarat al-Numan, corridors and classrooms are bullet-ridden and sometimes crumbling. In one less damaged area, walls have been repainted and the school now has some 250 pupils. 'War has affected education massively; most schools, if not destroyed completely, are damaged,' school supervisor Abdullatif al-Rahoum said, adding those who missed out on education are now playing catch up with younger students. Exams: Despite being under constant danger, this six diligent schoolgirls are still sitting exams at their school in eastern Ghouta Bullet-holes: These two young girls are the picture of innocence - but they sit in front of a wall completely riddled with bullet holes 'The biggest challenges we face are the warplanes, which never leave the skies. This always worries students.' In the nearby town of Saraqib, a mobile caravan serves as a classroom, run by a group aiming to reach children who have no access to schooling in the area. Lack of books is problematic. Teachers in Idlib said they relied on charities or used books printed in neighbouring Turkey by the opposition run Directorate of Education. Party time: Girls attend a class celebration for successfully completing the school year, which included making their own party hats Defaced: A defaced image of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad is pictured on a wall inside 'Syria, The Hope' school Uniform: Four little girls, all wearing the same adorable pink outfit, make their way down the stairs at their school in Douma Innocence: A little boy smiles with joy as he watches his teachers perform a puppet show inside the mobile educational caravan Enthralled: A group of children sit in raptures as they watch the puppet show in their school. The children are part of the Saraqib Youth Gathering Shanty town: Tents housing internally displaced people are pictured in the rebel-controlled village of Tramla In the rebel-held town of Douma, outside Damascus, Mounir Abdelaziz, a member of the opposition-run education body, said local schools were using old textbooks, but with changes. A woman who was trying to breastfeed her son at a Mississippi water park was told to cover up in 90 degree weather and 'unlatch' her baby. In a candid Facebook post, Candace Setosta detailed the backlash from both employees and fellow visitors at the Gulf Islands Waterpark in Gulfport, Mississippi, for trying to feed her son Max. Setosta wrote: 'Heaven forbid we teach our children that breasts have a biological reason for being here...They are not sexual objects they were designed to feed our children!' Women in Mississippi are legally allowed to breastfeed in public and a spokesperson for the water park has issued an apology. Candace Setosta (pictured) was trying to breastfeed her son Max at a Mississippi water park. She wrote that she was approached by an employee who told her to cover up in 90 degree weather and 'unlatch' her baby In a candid Facebook post which included this photo, Setosta detailed the backlash from both employees and fellow visitors at the Gulf Islands Waterpark in Gulfport, Mississippi Setosta included a picture of herself breastfeeding her baby in an impassioned Facebook post recounting her unpleasant experience. She wrote: 'As a breastfeeding mom I always think of where I can feed my baby anytime we go some where.' She confirmed that was no designated breastfeeding area within the park, and double checked that she could go ahead and consult an employee if she received any complaints. The mother successfully fed her baby two times before a supervisor at the water park asked her to cover herself with a towel. When she refused, arguing that it was 91 degrees Fahrenheit, the employee told her to 'unlatch him and go to her office' because people were offended, according to the Facebook post. When Setosta retorted: 'Heaven forbid we teach our children that breast have a biological reason for being here... They are not sexual objects they were designed to feed our children!,' the employee relented and asked her to face a fence instead. A teenage boy reportedly added fuel to the fire by saying 'No one wants to see that,' but a man stood up for Setosta saying: 'No, you need to go somewhere she is feeding her infant!' A spokesperson for the park apologized and said employees were made aware of the state law protecting breastfeeding mothers after Setosta wrote an impassioned Facebook post detailing her frustrating experience According to KFVS , a spokesperson for the waterpark responded: 'Candace, after having read your story, I would like to offer you a heartfelt apology, from one mother to another '(pictured, Gulf Islands Waterpark) The mother said she was almost reduced to tears because the employee was 'extremely rude', contesting that it was her legal right to breastfeed in public. Setosta also wrote: 'We were at a freaking water park! Everyone in that place was half dressed... Some people's bathing suits showed more than I did while feeding my baby!' According to KFVS, a spokesperson for the waterpark responded: ' Candace, after having read your story, I would like to offer you a heartfelt apology, from one mother to another. 'I am so sorry that you and you're son Max were made to feel like anything less than welcome guests at our park. 'It is our best intention to allow all guests to have a more than pleasant and enjoyable experience. 'You and all mothers are more than welcome to breastfeed in our park. If there is anything in the future that we can do to accommodate you, please let us know.' The spokesperson added that employees were made aware of the state's laws surrounding breastfeeding. Spain looks set for more months of political turmoil with no government after smaller groups refused to form a coalition with the winning party following yesterday's election. The conservative Popular Party has ruled with a minority since December and it was hoped that the unprecedented second vote could put an end to political deadlock in the country. But despite receiving the most votes, it fell short of the majority of 176 seats it needs in the 350-seat Parliament to form a government alone. PP Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy made a 'grand coalition' offer but it was quickly rejected by both the center-left Socialists and the business-friendly Ciudadanos party. Spain looks set for more months of political turmoil with no government after smaller groups refused to form a coalition with the winning party, led by Mariano Rajoy (centre) The nation headed to the polls today for an unprecedented election after six months of political deadlock when there was no clear winner in the December ballot However, the deadlock may continue after exit polls showed the ruling Popular Party (PP), which argued Spain needs stability in the face of Brexit, will fall not win enough seats for a majority The party has now won two elections but without a large enough majority, and Spain may now have to endure three more months of uncertainty until another vote. Speaking after a party leadership meeting, Rajoy, 61, said voters had backed his party's strategy of seeking a coalition with the Socialists and Ciudadanos. 'I continue to offer my hand to form a government that guarantees stability,' he said. But Socialist party spokesman Antonio Hernando said his party would neither 'support Rajoy's investiture nor abstain.' Albert River, the leader of Ciudadanos, a new party that came fourth on Sunday with 32 seats, reacted similarly, but suggested he might support a PP government with another leader. However, Rajoy has refused to discuss the possibility of stepping aside. With 99.9 per cent of the votes counted by late on Sunday, incumbent prime minister Mariano Rajoy's party had picked up 137 seats in Parliament. Even so, Mr Rajoy declared he would make a push for power, telling a victory rally in Madrid: 'We won the election, we demand the right to govern.' The elections came amid a climate of public anger at high unemployment, and cuts in government spending on services such as welfare and education. One of the leaders of far-left formation Unidos Podemos Alberto Garzon, who could actually take power by forming a coalition with the Socialist party The two-week campaign has also been marred by political corruption scandals. Turnout for the election was 51.17 per cent, which is around seven percentage points lower than at the same time in December. But there was unexpected drama during the polls when two voters collapsed and died, a 92-year-old man in Madrid and a 79-year-old man in Girona. TWO DEATHS AND A BIRTH AT THE POLLING STATIONS IN SPAIN TODAY Two elderly men died and one woman gave birth at polling stations in Spain today. A 92-year-old man suffered a heart attack and collapsed just after casting his vote in the Madrid district of Tetuan. Medics tried to revive him at a local school but without success. The victim's wife, who went with him to vote, suffered an extreme anxiety attack and needed medical treatment. The second man, aged 79, had a dizzy spell in a polling station in the Girona town of Santa Coloma de Farners. Doctors said he had existing heart problems. Prolonged efforts were made to revive him but he was pronounced dead at the scene. On a lighter note, a heavily pregnant woman went in to labour seconds after making her choice in Valencia. She was rushed to hospital. Advertisement However, there was better news in Valencia, where a heavily-pregnant woman went into labour seconds before casting her vote. Throughout the campaign - and again on Friday after Brexit - the PP has campaigned that Spain needs stability in reference to the rise of Unidos Podemos, which rejects EU-backed austerity. The coalition, led by charismatic, pony-tailed Pablo Iglesias, has responded with a message of calm aimed at defusing this criticism. Unidos Podemos - the 'o' of Unidos shaped as a heart - has run an emotional campaign. Iglesias said Spain needed a coalition government of Podemos and the Socialists as he cast his ballot at a high school in Vallecas, a working class neighbourhood in southern Madrid. He said Podemos would 'sooner or later govern in Spain', adding that he hoped it would be now 'because the country can't wait'. Rajoy argued that since the PP came to power in 2011, it has returned Spain to growth and overseen a drop in unemployment, but at 21 per cent, it is still the second highest in the EU after Greece. But his rivals claim inequalities have risen, the jobs created are mainly unstable, and they point to the repeated corruption scandals to have hit the PP. In the latest case, Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz was caught on tape talking to an anti-fraud official, apparently discussing how to incriminate his political rivals - an incident Rajoy shrugged off as a 'farce'. Election officials count ballots after polling stations closed in Spain's general election in La Fresneda, northern Spain, but exit polls show no-one will win enough votes to form a government In third place, with 71 seats, was the left-wing Unidos Podemos (United We Can) group, which brings together the communists, the Greens and the two-year-old Podemos party that grew out of a grassroots anti-austerity protest movement. The alliance, headed by political science professor Pablo Iglesias, had been heavily tipped to overtake the Socialists and break the country's traditional two-party political system, but it did not. Podemos' main goal has always been to oust the Popular Party and install a leftist government, so it's unlikely to lend Rajoy any support. The German government, meanwhile, hoped the deadlock in Spain could be ended. 'We hope that the parliamentary election opens the door to the quick formation of a government and that Spain's good path, with reforms and growth and falling unemployment, can be continued,' German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, said in Berlin. The newly-elected deputies will take their seat July 19, after which King Felipe VI will consult party leaders and likely nominate one to try to form a government. Rajoy said he hoped the country would have a government by the beginning of August. Rajoy has argued that since the PP came to power in 2011, it has returned Spain to growth and overseen a drop in unemployment, although it is still the second highest in Spain 'The pressure on the mainstream parties to avoid a third round of elections will be immense,' Berenberg Bank economist Holger Schmieding wrote in an email. The Socialist party (PSOE), meanwhile, is going through what analysts call its worst crisis in decades as Podemos gnaws away at its support base, with some voters disillusioned with what they see as a staid party that has strayed from its working-class roots. 'The PSOE isn't left-wing anymore, I want deep, general change, and Unidos Podemos is the only one that can do this,' said one such disappointed voter,' said Jonatan Mora, 31, a physiotherapist. He added: 'We've been through some horrible years. I want all the corrupt to be chased out, social issues to be taken into account and citizens listened to.' Whether Brexit will have any influence on Spain's election is as yet uncertain, though analysts say people may turn to established parties that represent a safe pair of hands. Luis Fernandez, a 37-year-old community organiser, said he had voted for the Socialists in the past but would vote for Rajoy this time around. Leaders of Germany, France and Italy said EU was ' Plans for 'a closer European Union' have been branded an attempt to create a 'European superstate'. Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault today presented a proposal for closer EU integration based on three key areas - internal and external security, the migrant crisis, and economic cooperation. But the plans have been described as an 'ultimatum' in Poland, with claims it would mean countries transfer their armies, economic systems and border controls to the EU. Foreign ministers of France and Germany are said to have drawn up a blueprint for a 'European superstate' as leaders Francois Hollande (left) and Angela Merkel (centre) met with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi (right) tonight for crisis talks after the Brexit vote The plans have been 'leaked' to a Polish television channel and the country's foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski, pictured, is said to be 'outraged' Zaoralek added that the four eastern members had reservations about the proposed common security policy. Eastern members have become increasingly jittery on security issues since Moscow used so-called "hybrid warfare", or undeclared covert tactics - to annex the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. Poland's public TVP described the Franco-German proposal as an "ultimatum" designed to create a European "superstate dominated by large nations." Ayrault described the Franco-German proposal as a "contribution", adding that there would be "others". According to the Daily Express, the nine-page report has 'outraged' its foreign minister Witold Waszczykowski. He said: 'This is not a good solution, of course, because from the time the EU was invented a lot has changed. 'The mood in European societies is different. Europe and our voters do not want to give the Union over into the hands of technocrats.' The Express reports the document says France and Germany will 'strive for a political union in Europe' and 'invite the next Europeans to participate'. It comes after the UK voted to leave the EU in a landmark referendum last week, causing shockwaves across Europe. The result has prompted right-wing European parties in France and Eastern Europe to suggest similar votes, with the EU criticised for its 'federalism' and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker blamed for Brexit within the organisation. In a joint statement tonight the leaders of Germany, France and Italy say the European Union 'must dedicate itself to the worries expressed by its citizens.' In their statement Monday, the three leaders said that the EU is a success and that the bloc is indispensable in securing 'the economic and social progress for our people, and to assert Europe's role in the world.' But German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Hollande and Italian Premier Matteo Renzi acknowledged that the EU can only advance if it is supported by its people. The trio of European leaders were meeting in Berlin, pictured, and they said the EU was a 'success' and 'indispensable in securing the economic and social progress for our people' The union and especially its policy makers in Brussels have often been criticized for being detached from ordinary people's worries - a sentiment that has led to a strengthening of anti-EU movements in several of its member states. Meanwhile Poland would like to see Britain hold a second in-out referendum on its membership of the EU, the country's ruling party leader said today. Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the powerful leader of Poland's conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, said the bloc would have to 'radically change' in order for Britons to want to return. The former Prime Minister said that the 'idea for today... foresees efforts aimed at making Britain return' which included a second referendum. But, he cautioned, the 'EU would have to radically change' for this scenario to be feasible. Meanwhile the result continues to cause deep divisions within the UK, with departing Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne criticised for a lack of leadership, while Leave campaign figurehead Boris Johnson has also come under fire for 'backtracking' on arguments he made in favour of Brexit. Agency insists it only looks for evidence of genuine threats to the U.S. and not for signs of general dissent In 2012, Department of Homeland Securityw as forced to release list of keywords following freedom of information request The FBI has been using developers to scan and scrape information from a variety of public sites and from government terrorism data The Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies have recently taken steps to improve their monitoring of social media security agencies increasingly take to Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites in search of potential threats The Department of Homeland Security is proposing to request for travelers social media account usernames in an effort to trawl for potential threats The social media accounts of tourists heading to America are to become subject to greater inspection in a bid to identify potential threats. A proposal from US Customs and Border Protection, intends to add a line to the online or paper form that US-bound visitors must fill out if they don't have a visa and plan on staying for up to 90 days for vacation or business. It places travelers in a difficult position, for although they are not forced to reveal their online identities, leaving it blank could also raise the alarm. 'Collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process and provide the Department of Homeland Security with greater clarity and visibility to possible nefarious activity and connections by providing an additional tool set which analysts and investigators may use to better analyze and investigate the case,' the DHS maintained as its reason for the new field. The data will be used to vet those who are entering the US for whatever purpose. 'Please enter information associated with your online presenceProvider/PlatformSocial media identifier,' the question reads. The agency said the form travelers fill out 'enables the DHS to perform its mission related to the screening of alien visitors for potential risks to national security and the determination of admissibility to the United States.' The Department of Homelad Securtity say 'collecting social media data will enhance the existing investigative process' The form recently changed after President Obama signed the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 which introduced other questions for US-bound travelers. The form now asks applicants which countries they've been to since March 1, 2011 and it also asks them to confirm which countries they are nationals or citizens of, and for which nations they have passports and Global Entry codes. Such monitoring of social media accounts is not knew, but the requesting of specific usernames is not new. In 2012, two British tourists were barred from entering America after joking on Twitter that they were going to 'destroy America' and 'dig up Marilyn Monroe'. Leigh Van Bryan,now 30, was handcuffed and kept under armed guard in a cell with Mexican drug dealers for 12 hours after landing in Los Angeles with pal Emily Bunting. On the lookout: In 2012, Leigh Van Bryan was due to go to Los Angeles with his friend Emily Banting but was stopped when he arrived in the U.S. over tweets he had sent Offending tweet: Mr Bryan told security officials that 'destroy' is slang for party in the UK, but that was not enough to convince them and he was sent back to Britain The Department of Homeland Security flagged him as a potential threat when he posted an excited tweet to his pals about his forthcoming trip to Hollywood which read: 'Free this week, for quick gossip/prep before I go and destroy America?' After making their way through passport control at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) the pair were detained by armed guards. Despite telling officials the term 'destroy' was British slang for 'party', they were held on suspicion of planning to 'commit crimes' and had their passports confiscated. Leigh was also quizzed about another tweet which quoted hit US comedy Family Guy which read: '3 weeks today, we're totally in LA p****** people off on Hollywood Blvd and diggin' Marilyn Monroe up! Federal agents even searched his suitcase looking for spades and shovels, claiming Emily was planning to act as Leigh's 'look out' while he raided Marilyn's tomb. Bar manager Leigh, from Coventry, and Emily, 24, from Birmingham, were then quizzed for five hours at LAX before they were handcuffed and put into a van with illegal immigrants and locked up overnight. They spent 12 hours in separate holding cells before being driven back to the airport where they were put on a plane home via Paris. Documented: Paperwork handed to Mr Van Bryan confirms that he was questioned by the Department Of Homeland Security before his entry to the U.S. was denied Tweeting ridiculous: As a result of this message, the pair's luggage was searched for spades Four years ago the Department of Homeland Security was forced to release a list of keywords and phrases it uses to monitor social networking sites and online media for signs of terrorist or other threats against the U.S. The intriguing the list includes obvious choices such as 'attack', 'Al Qaeda', 'terrorism' and 'dirty bomb' alongside dozens of seemingly innocent words like 'pork', 'cloud', 'team' and 'Mexico'. Released under a freedom of information request, the information sheds new light on how government analysts are instructed to patrol the internet searching for domestic and external threats. The words are included in the department's 2011 'Analyst's Desktop Binder' used by workers at their National Operations Center which instructs workers to identify 'media reports that reflect adversely on DHS and response activities'. Department chiefs were forced to release the manual following a House hearing over documents obtained through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit which revealed how analysts monitor social networks and media organisations for comments that 'reflect adversely' on the government. However they insisted the practice was aimed not at policing the internet for disparaging remarks about the government and signs of general dissent, but to provide awareness of any potential threats. As well as terrorism, analysts are instructed to search for evidence of unfolding natural disasters, public health threats and serious crimes such as mall/school shootings, major drug busts, illegal immigrant busts. MIND YOUR LANGUAGE: THE LIST OF KEYWORDS IN FULL Advertisement Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel traveled to Tribeca on Monday to survey the apartment she once shared with ex Jason Hoppy. Hoppy has lived in the 3,400-square-foot apartment since the couple split in 2012, with Frankel footing the bill until March, when her lawyers appeared in appeals court to void a trust agreement that was used to attempt joint ownership of the property. Frankel, 45, has been spotted looking at real estate as of late, and it is believed that Hoppy might have finally moved out of the apartment. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Real Housewives of New York star Bethenny Frankel visited her Manhattan apartment in the Tribeca neighborhood on Monday Frankel's ex, Jason Hoppy, has been living in the apartment since they split in 2012, but it is believed he might have finally moved out Bethenny and Hoppy separated in December 2012 and initially she allowed him to remain in the Manhattan apartment they shared to allow him to be close to their daughter after she filed for divorce in 2013 A judge ruled in March that Frankel no longer had to make $11,852-a-month temporary maintenance payments to Hoppy. Following the ruling in March, the trust agreement was 'rendered void and invalid due to fraudulent behavior in connection with the execution of the agreement'. Frankel's lawyers said at the time: 'We believe that the evidence, including evidence of the husband's behavior and unclean hands, will clearly demonstrate that Bethenny, who is the sole purchaser, is also the sole owner. 'We are also pleased the court invalidated the award of interim spousal support to Jason based on his waiver in the prenuptial agreement.' said Frankel's attorney. When the agreement was rendered void, Frankel's lawyer, Allan Mayefsky released a statement on her behalf, saying she was 'particularly pleased' that the trust agreement had been voided, according to Us Weekly. While Frankel funded the purchase of the home single-handedly in 2011, the reality star used a trust to buy the property, and the trust named both Frankel and Hoppy as beneficiaries. But according to documents obtained by Radar Online, Frankel believes that Hoppy 'duped' her into signing documents that allowed him to stay in the apartment following their split. She claims: 'She executed the trust agreement without understanding it. A judge ruled in March that Frankel no longer had to make $11,852-a-month temporary maintenance payments to Hoppy. Following the ruling in March, the trust agreement was 'rendered void and invalid due to fraudulent behavior in connection with the execution of the agreement' Frankel funded the purchase of the home single-handedly in 2011 and used a trust to buy the property, but Frankel believes that Hoppy 'duped' her into signing documents that allowed him to stay in the apartment, according to legal documents 'Specifically, she claims that when she signed, she believed, based on her communication with her husband, that the trust "was only to maintain privacy given her public recognition and that [the husband] would only be managing the property for her benefit".' The documents continue: 'She never read the trust agreement before signing it, and does not recall ever being shown any part of it except for the signature page.' 'It is also undisputed that neither [Bethenny], [Jason], nor the trustee was ever present in the office' of the attorney who witnessed the former couple sign the trust agreement, documents claim. Frankel wed Hoppy (pictured together in 2010) in 2010, the same year their daughter Brynn was born. They split in 2012 and Frankel filed for divorce the following year Other documents signed by Frankel and Hoppy are 'unenforceable and invalid', according to Radar Online. Hoppy's mother is a notary in Pennsylvania, and her stamp and signature appear on signing documents. But documents state "that she is a 'notary pubic in and for the State of New York",' which is not true. Frankel 'claims, and [Hoppy] does not deny, that neither party' traveled to Pennsylvania to sign documents. Frankel, then, 'questions whether the signature purporting to be hers is in fact hers at all, [a claim which] the husband does not deny.' Frankel wed Hoppy in 2010, the same year their daughter Brynn was born. They separated in December 2012 and initially she allowed him to remain in the Manhattan apartment they shared to allow him to be close to their daughter after she filed for divorce in 2013. A man has died after he got out of a car on a busy Melbourne road and was hit by a truck. The 34-year-old, from St Albans in Melbourne's north-west, was sitting in the back passenger's seat on the driver's side when he asked the driver of the car to pull over as he was feeling sick. The driver pulled up in an emergency lane on Western Ring Road at Glenroy, north of Melbourne, between Sydney Road and Widford Street at 12.50am on Tuesday. A man has died after he got out of a car parked in an emergency lane on a busy Melbourne road and was hit by a truck The man got out of the car but he stepped too far out of the emergency lane into oncoming traffic and he was struck by a truck, police say. He was taken to Royal Melbourne Hospital with severe head injuries but died shortly after arrival, 9News reported. The 57-year-old truck driver, from Sunbury, spoke to police and was allowed to leave the scene. The 31-year-old driver of the car, also from St Albans, was taken to Fawkner police station for a breath test and he had a blood alcohol reading of 0.153. Three other passengers in the car were not injured. One of them was sober and was allowed to drive the car away from the scene. New York City police have released a harrowing video showing an attempted rape on a Brooklyn street in the hopes that the public will be able to identify the attacker. The footage, captured by a surveillance camera at around 3:50 am Sunday, shows a man wearing a blue t-shirt and pants walking up behind an unsuspecting woman in front of 586 16th Street near Prospect Park. The suspect, who was described as a white male in his 20s with curly black hair, is seen grabbing the 34-year-old woman and lifting up her skirt. New York City police have released a harrowing video showing an attempted rape on a Brooklyn street in the hopes that the public will be able to identify the attacker The attempted rape happened early Sunday morning in front of 586 16th Street near Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The suspect is seen grabbing the 34-year-old woman and lifting up her skirt The suspect, who was described as a white male in his 20s with curly black hair, slams the woman to the ground and beats her repeatedly with his fist The woman is seen kicking her attacker throughout the ordeal, which happened just a few blocks from Prospect Park The victim continues to kick the man until he gives up, turns around, and starts running back in the direction from which he came. Police are asking anyone with information on Sunday's incident to call 1-800-577-TIPS As she recoils and starts fighting back, the man tries to pull down her underwear but is unsuccessful. The woman ends up on the ground, where the man is seen striking her buttocks and legs multiple times with his fist. The victim continues to kick the man until he gives up, turns around, and starts running back in the direction from which he came. The attack happened in the Brooklyn neighborhood Windsor Terrace, in front of 586 16th Street near Prospect Park The victim declined medical attention, police wrote in a release. The attempted rape follows two similar incidents in April and May, local news blog Park Slope Stoop reported. The news blog noted that Sunday's incident happened in the vicinity of an elementary school and a playground. A former sorority sister wiped away tears as she was jailed for life for giving birth in the bathroom of her sorority house and throwing her baby in the trash. Emile Weaver, 21, was found guilty of aggravated murder, abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence by a jury last month. Weaver, a former student at Muskingum University, was sentenced to life in prison without parole at Muskingum County Common Pleas Court in Zanesville, Ohio, on Monday. Emile Weaver (above) wept as she was jailed for life for giving birth in the bathroom of her sorority house and throwing her baby in the trash Weaver, a former student at Muskingum University, was sentenced to life in prison without parole Prosecutors said Weaver gave birth in a bathroom at the Delta Gamma Theta sorority at Muskingum University on April 22, 2015, then purposefully caused the death of her baby daughter. They said the baby girl died from asphyxiation after Weaver put her in a plastic trash bag and left the child outside the sorority house in New Concord. Weaver, of Clarington, testified at trial that she had been in denial about the pregnancy. She said she thought the baby was already dead when she put the newborn in the trash bag. Weaver tearfully apologized in court and said she will appeal the sentence. Judge Mark Fleegle could have sentenced Weaver to life with a chance for parole in as little as 20 years, which was requested by her attorney, but the judge said he wasn't convinced she was remorseful. Fleegle referred to text messages from Weaver sent afterward to the man she thought was the baby's father. They said, 'No more baby,' followed by 'taken care of.' Prosecutors said the baby girl died from asphyxiation after Weaver (left and right( put her in a plastic trash bag and left the child outside the sorority house in New Concord Weaver testified at trial that she had been in denial about the pregnancy. Above, prosecutor Michael Haddox, left, shows her a bottle of the supplement black cohosh while questioning her on the stand Weaver knew she was pregnant all along and engaged in risky behaviors like drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and playing in a dodgeball tournament because she never intended to keep the baby, prosecutors said. A few days after giving birth, Weaver told her roommate that she had a miscarriage and went to hospital with her mother saying she had experienced cramps. She told doctors that she found a four-inch mass of tissue that 'looked like a baby' when she went to the bathroom. However, medical tests showed she had carried the baby to full term. She was arrested and held on $1million bail after her sorority sisters found the baby tied in a plastic bag on the ground next to a large trash can outside their house the same night Weaver gave birth. Several members of the sorority testified at trial saying the rumors that Weaver was pregnant started in the fall of 2014. Weaver (pictured during her trial in May) had earlier pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the judge ruled that she was mentally competent Although Weaver denied it, students noticed she often held a pillow or stuffed animal in front of her stomach, they told the court. In a letter to Fleegle before her sentencing, Weaver said that she didn't fully comprehend her actions until she was staring at the body of the baby, who was named Addison, in a tiny casket at her funeral. 'I ask God for forgiveness, and today, all I can do is ask for all of yours,' she said in court. Early in the process, Weaver had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, but the judge ruled that she was mentally competent. Muskingum County Prosecutor D. Michael Haddox said he was satisfied with the sentence. 'We believe justice has been served as best as humanly possible,' he said. OHIO'S SAFE HAVEN LAW Ohio has a Safe Haven law that allows parents to leave a newborn baby up to 30 days old at a safe haven with no questions asked. A birth parent (mother or father) can leave the infant with: a medical worker in a hospital; a medical worker at a fire department or other emergency service organization; or a peace officer at a law enforcement agency. The birth parent is not required to provide any information, including his or her name. However, it would help the baby if the birth parent chose to provide basic health information. The birth parent will be offered a form to guide them in providing the most important health information. The law provides protection from prosecution only for the child 's parents. If the infant is left with a person at one of these places, and has not been abused, the parent will face no legal consequences for making this choice. All states have Safe Haven laws, although provisions differ. Source: Ohio.gov Advertisement There were 286 passengers on the train, none of whom were injured Minivan was struck after it failed to yield to the Los Angeles-bound train A four-year-old girl and sole survivor of a crash that killed her entire family yesterday has woken up in hospital and is asking for her mother. Heidi Miller suffered broken bones and a head injury after a mini van carrying her three sisters and parents was struck by a Los Angeles-bound Amtrak passenger train Sunday morning. Miller was flown to a Childrens Hospital in Aurora following the tragic incident and is expected to recover, according to CBS Local. Scroll down for video Heidi Miller (circled) a four-year-old girl and sole survivor of a crash that killed her entire family yesterday has woken up in hospital and is asking for her mother. Her father and her three young daughters Abigail, 6, Kathryn, 2, and eight-month-old Ellianna were also killed (pictured) Steve and Christina Miller were killed in Colorado on their way to church on Sunday when their minivan collided with a Los Angeles-bound Amtrak train The 2005 Chrysler Town & Country was headed northbound on CR 32 when it failed to yield to an Amtrak train that was going westbound, authorities said But her remaining relatives are reportedly concerned at how she will deal with the loss of her mother Christina, father Steve and three siblings, Abigail, 6, Kathryn, 2, and Ellianna, 8 months. Pastor Cary Nelson of the 1st Christian Church of Trinidad, where the family attended, described Steve Miller as a 'gentleman' and a 'very hard worker' who 'loved his family and the Lord Jesus'. The remaining relatives who are with Heidi told CBS she is 'awake and asking for her mother' but they don't know how to explain to her what has happened. Relatives said the family of six was on their way to church when their car was struck by the train outside of Trinidad, according to KOAA. The 2005 Chrysler Town & Country was headed northbound on CR 32 when it failed to yield to an Amtrak train that was going westbound, reported 9 News. The front of the train collided with the right side of the vehicle at 9.45am, pushing it westbound on the tracks until the train was able to stop. CSP says alcohol and drug use are not suspected to be factors in the crash No crew or passengers were injured on the train, according to Colorado State Patrol Trooper John Lewis. Amtrak said the 286 passengers on the Chicago to Los Angeles line were left stranded in the area until the train resumed its journey around 5pm. A GoFundMe for the funeral costs and Heidi's medical bills and within a day has already raised $32,288 of the $50,000 goal. A young girl is still fighting for life after she was trapped in a bedroom when a fire ripped through her family home. Alexis Dean, 12, remains in a critical condition in Brisbane's Lady Cilento Hospital where she is receiving specialist treatment for burns to her upper body and smoke inhalation. Firefighters risked their lives to rescue her after fire broke out at her Monkland home, south of Gympie, just before 4am on Monday. Scroll down for video Alexis Dean, 12, remains in a critical condition in Brisbane's Lady Cilento Hospital A fire broke out at her family home in Monkland, Gympie, on Monday morning The girl's mother and siblings managed to escape but Alexis got caught in a bedroom. Firefighters are yet to determine what caused the blaze, and will return to the property on Tuesday. However they believed the blaze started in one of the home's bedrooms. On Monday night one of Alexis' close friends posted a heartbreaking message to social media asking people to 'pray' for her 'best friend'. The girl's mother and siblings managed to escape but Alexis got caught in a bedroom A woman and two children managed to flee the housefire to safety when it broke out about 3.45am on Monday 'I can't describe how much this girl means to me,' the friend wrote on Facebook, according to the Courier Mail. 'She's been there every step of the way, she's held me when I've cried, she's given me a reason to live and without her I wouldn't be the same person I am today. The young girl went on to say that losing Alexis would mean 'losing a part of me'. 'I love her with my body heart and soul and I ask that you all pray for her because my life would not be the same without this beautiful girl by my side.' A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise funds for the Dean family. The girl was rescued by firefighters and taken to Gympie Hospital. She is expected to be airlifted to Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital when her condition stabilises Guides comes after Attorney General Loretta Lynch has characterized the attack as a hate crime against the LGBT community to avoid areas with minorities so there's no confusion it's a terrorist attack Al Qaeda are calling on radicalized Lone Wolves to target whites so there can be no confusion over the nature of the terrorist attack. The group have published a guide for would-be terrorists in the wake of the Orlando mass shooting which encourages extremists to attack white Americans to avoid the 'hate crime' label, Foreign Desk News reports. 'Inspire guide: Orlando operation' advises jihadis not to target areas which have a high number of minorities because if gay people or Latinos appear to be the targets, 'the federal government will be the one taking full responsibility.' Al Qaeda are calling on radicalized Lone Wolves to target whites so there can be no confusion that it is a terrorist attack (pictured is the front cover of their 'Inspire guide: Orlando operation') Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 when he opened fire inside a gay nightclub during the Orlando attack earlier this month. During the June 12 rampage, Mateen told hostage negotiators and a news station that he was carrying out the attacks in the name of ISIS. But US authorities believe it was a combination of factors that led to the mass shooting - which has sparked fierce debate on gun laws and hate crimes. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has characterized the attack as a hate crime against the LGBT community. Omar Mateen (right) killed 49 people and injured 53 when he opened fire inside a gay nightclub during the Orlando attack earlier this month. Attorney General Loretta Lynch (left) has characterized the attack as a hate crime against the LGBT community 'I cannot tell you definitively that we will ever narrow it down to one motivation,' Lynch told reporters last week. 'People often act out of more than one motivation. 'This was clearly an act of terror and an act of hate,' she continued. 'We will look at all motivations and hope to come to a conclusion there.' Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) celebrates the atrocity yet said that while targeting a gay people is 'the most binding duty and closer to human nature,' it suggests to 'avoid targeting places and crowds where minorities are generally found in America,' to ensure that terror was the focus of any attack. 'This is in order not to deviate the essence of the operation and letting it be termed as a small issue as the American media is trying to portray in the case of Mateen,' the article continues. It claims that Western media focused on the testimony from Mateen father - who said that his son hates homosexuals and that terrorist ideas had no place in his motives - 'in order to turn the American public away from the real motives of the operation.' Terrorists were advised instead to target 'Anglo-Saxon' communities because the ethnicity is 'the majority and it is the one that is in the American leadership.' The document was released alongside the group's periodical 'Inspire' magazine, which is used as a tool of propaganda to incite rage against non-believers and the West - and has even featured articles on how to make a bomb. The first issue appeared in July 2010 and provided translated messages from Osama bin Laden to English-speakers. During the June 12 rampage at Pulse nightclub (pictured) Mateen told hostage negotiators and a news station that he was carrying out the attacks in the name of ISIS The attacks shocked America and sparked debated about US gun laws and hate crimes against the LGBT community Al Qaeda, the group behind the 9/11 attacks, does not take credit for Mateen's attack but supported anyone who committed an atrocity against the West. 'We stand by and support all Muslims who attack America in their homeland regardless of their affiliation to any group or loyalty,' the guide states. 'Lone Jihad is not monopolized by al-Qaida or any other group, therefore we call upon all active Jihadi groups, to adopt and build upon the idea of Lone Jihad and call towards it. 'We call upon every single Muslim in Western countries or in other countries who are able to travel to the West to follow upon the footsteps of our hero Umar Mateen.' Al Qaeda also praised the shooting as one of 'the most successful Lone Jihad operations' and said that it will undoubtedly 'inspire others to wage similar operations.' However, the group criticized Mateen's choice of target and weapons, saying that he would have caused more chaos if he'd also been carrying guns. Poll puts Mrs May as favourite with 31 per cent backing the Home Secretary At least eight leading Tory MPs were scrambling to cut backroom deals to succeed David Cameron last night after his departure from No10 was dramatically brought forward. Amid an announcement that Mr Cameron will be out of office by the start of September, the battle for the premiership exploded into life. Attempts to crown Boris Johnson fell flat when supporters of Home Secretary Theresa May made it clear she is determined to fight her old rival to the bitter end. Supporters of Home Secretary Theresa May made it clear she is determined to fight her old rival to the bitter end Business Secretary Sajid Javid is also canvassing support The shortened timetable favours established politicians like Mr Johnson and Mrs May as it deprives lesser known candidates of the time to build momentum. Either could be Prime Minister in just nine weeks. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is also preparing to stand, while two other Cabinet ministers Business Secretary Sajid Javid and Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb are canvassing support for a potential dream ticket. Team Johnson focused on signing up as many Cameron supporters as possible. His joint campaign manager, Michael Gove, is desperate to secure the backing of Chancellor George Osborne, who he is trying to woo with the offer of a major job. Mr Osborne last night ruled himself out of the leadership race. Leading figures in the Out camp were also being targeted as former London mayor Mr Johnson presented himself as the unity candidate. However, Remain campaigners are determined to sabotage his leadership bid even setting up a special Stop Boris group on the messaging service WhatsApp to secretly plot against him. Last night, Tory MP Heidi Allen launched a scathing attack on Boris Johnson, saying he lacked the 'skills and qualities' to be a leader Amid an announcement that Mr Cameron will be out of office by the start of September, the battle for the premiership exploded into life - and Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is also preparing to stand Last night, Tory MP Heidi Allen launched a scathing attack on Mr Johnson, saying he lacked the skills and qualities to be a leader. POLL MAKES MAY FAVOURITE TO LEAD TORIES Theresa May has overtaken Boris Johnson in the race to become the next prime minister, according to polling. The Home Secretary and former London mayor are among leading Tories who are expected to spend the day drumming up support for potential leadership bids ahead of nominations opening on Wednesday. But a surge in support for Mrs May has seen her leap ahead of the bookies' favourite to win the contest to replace David Cameron, research for The Times found. The Cabinet minister is favoured by 31 per cent of Conservative voters against 24 per cent for Mr Johnson, according to the YouGov poll. Advertisement She told BBC2s Newsnight: Even as recently as February I think he was saying that a Brexit vote would cause uncertainty for business and government shouldnt be distracted with these things. So it seemed very obvious to me that this was about his desire to be leader rather than putting the country first. The backbench 1922 Committee of Tory MPs yesterday accelerated the process for replacing Mr Cameron. The PM had wanted to stand down in October, but, amid the huge uncertainty over how to implement Brexit, nominations will take place tomorrow and Thursday. MPs will whittle down the list of candidates to two by the middle of next month. A ballot of the partys 150,000 members will then follow, with a new Tory leader named by September 2. Those who let it be known they were interested in the top job included Mr Hunt, Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, former Cabinet minister Liam Fox and energy minister Angela Leadsom. Mr Javid and Mr Crabb were sounding out MPs about running on a dream ticket to rival that of Mr Johnson and Mr Gove. Mr Crabb would be leader and Mr Javid his Chancellor. Other possible contenders include Energy Secretary Amber Rudd and defence minister Penny Mordaunt. Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb is canvassing support for a potential 'dream ticket', and also interested in the job is energy minister Angela Leadsom Those who let it be known they were interested in the top job included Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and former Cabinet minister Liam Fox Westminster insiders cast doubt over whether many of those currently declaring their leadership ambitions will actually stand rather than trying to secure offers of a major job in a new Tory administration. Bookmakers and most MPs remain convinced that the final battle will be fought between Mrs May and Mr Johnson. In early skirmishes, both camps yesterday unveiled senior figures close to Mr Cameron as key supporters. In a coup, Gavin Williamson, who is the Prime Ministers senior parliamentary aide, is to take a leading position running Mrs Mays campaign. Meanwhile, business minister Nick Boles one of a small group of friends who first persuaded Mr Cameron to run for party leader is backing Mr Johnson. Pro-Remain Mr Boles said: I cannot escape the conclusion that our next Prime Minister needs to be someone who supported the idea of leaving the EU. Mr Gove, an old friend of the Chancellors, is determined to secure his support for Mr Johnson. Mr Gove is said to have offered Mr Osborne the post of Foreign Secretary though allies of Mr Johnson rubbished the idea, saying it could be toxic. REMAINERS' WHATSAPP PLOT Embittered MPs who campaigned for Remain are sending group texts using WhatsApp in a plot to block Boris Johnson. The encrypted mobile phone app can only be accessed by the users themselves, and messages are not kept on official records. The Tories are using it to arrange secret meetings where they discuss the best strategy to stop the former London mayor seizing the leadership. The Anyone But Boris cabal are determined to keep him off the final ballot to be sent to party members with whom he is hugely popular after leading the Brexit campaign. The group, which met last night, wants to divide it votes tactically. One insider said: Theyre not happy with the result. Simple as that. If ministers used official email addresses or mobile phones to hatch their plot, the correspondence might be subject to freedom of information laws. The use of WhatsApp a favourite among criminals due to its super-safe encryption ensures this cannot happen. Ministers known to be furious about Mr Johnsons role in the Leave campaign include Anna Soubry, from the business department. Advertisement JAMIE: 'I'LL LEAVE IF BORIS IS PM' Jamie Oliver has threatened to quit Britain if Boris Johnson becomes Prime Minister. The TV chef and Remain supporter, pictured, said he would make the best of a bad situation after voters backed Brexit. But he warned he could not live with Boris f****** Johnson seizing control of No 10. In a post on Instagram, he said the vote had fractured Europe, divided families and split the country but vowed to roll up my sleeves and work harder than ever to make this work. But he added: I beg you one thing Great Britain... Give me Boris f****** Johnson as our Prime Minister and Im done. Im out. My faith in us will be broken forever. He signed off the post with #B*****OffBoris. The two men have clashed before. Mr Johnson lashed out at Mr Olivers campaign to make school dinners healthier in 2006, saying the pressure on children to eat healthy food was too much. Advertisement Mrs May is expected to focus on her national security credentials, having spent six years in charge at the Home Office combating the threat from Islamist terror groups. She will also stress her long track-record of negotiating with Brussels and reassure MPs that if she wins there will be less clamour for a General Election later this year. Opposition MPs are expected to argue that Mr Johnson has no mandate if he is successful and demand that he go to the country. However, Mrs May will reassure MPs that she can carry on the mandate since she was a senior figure at the 2015 General Election. In a sign of the bitterness already creeping in to the contest, it was last night claimed the Tory whips office was running an operation to support Mrs May over Mr Johnson. Complaints are understood to have been lodged with Graham Brady, chairman of the 1922 Committee. A YouGov poll for The Times put Mrs May as favourite to win the race, with 31 per cent backing the Home Secretary and 24 per cent for Mr Johnson. Hinting at his own leadership ambitions yesterday, Mr Crabb said: This is a really serious moment for our country. We need stability, we need direction and what I want to see over the next few days is a candidate emerge who understands the enormity of the situation that we are in. Mr Cameron will today travel to a summit in Brussels but will be sent home a day early so EU leaders can discuss the implications of Brexit. Science minister Jo Johnson yesterday declared support for his brother avoiding a Miliband-style leadership rift. The strange case of James Ord and the Utah branch of the Royal Family has re-emerged in recent days Americans like to boast of how they shrugged off the shackles of royalty in 1776, but for a 40-year-old Utah lawyer, cutting himself off from the British monarchy hasnt been quite so simple. James Ord was a 13-year-old schoolboy growing up in Virginia when, he says, his grandfather took him aside and told him the extraordinary story of how his family had been tricked out of the British crown. It is a tale that goes back almost as far as the foundation of America and involves the future George IV, his forbidden marriage to the Roman Catholic love of his life and a child whose very existence had to be kept secret for the sake of the monarchy to whom Mr Ords family believe they can trace their ancestry. I was raking leaves under his magnolia tree at the time and grandpa told me the story, Mr Ord told me from his home in Salt Lake City. He clearly thought it very important to tell me, but I kind of laughed at him. I thought he was mad but he had been a radio communications expert in the U.S. air force and a spy during the Vietnam War. He was a really intelligent man. James discovered that his father, a doctor, had been told exactly the same story by his own grandfather when he was about the same age. It seems to have been a rite of passage sharing the story with your children is very important, he says of the tradition. Not only has the story been passed down through the generations of his family, but so has the name. In nearly every generation of the so-called Maryland branch of the Ord family, the first-born son has been named James. This has made it easier to trace the Ord who appears to have the strongest claim to the British throne. The most recent bearer of the name is a gay ex-Mormon and the step-father of four children, after he and his partner, Steve Hempel, became one of the first couples to exploit Utahs legalisation of gay marriage. The strange case of James Ord and the Utah branch of the Royal Family re-emerged in recent days with the news that DNA evidence has been used to decide a disputed claim to the Scottish baronetcy of Pringle of Stichill. The use of genetic testing to decide the rival claims of Murray Pringle and his cousin Simon Pringle had to be approved by the Queen. Might she now approve another application for a DNA test and allow Mr Ord to discover if he is indeed related to her? I would love to do that, he says of a DNA test (which would, inevitably, require a sample of royal genetic material, too). It should be stressed this bizarre tale hasnt simply been plucked out of the imagination of an American family with grand pretensions. Historians have long believed that George IV or Prinny, as he was called in his days as Prince Regent sired at least one child by the glamorous Roman Catholic widow Maria Fitzherbert, with one James Ord, the ancestor of todays bearer of that name, viewed as the most likely candidate. At the time, contraception was in its infancy and the twice-widowed Maria and her besotted prince were together for many years. In addition, some of Prinnys friends were convinced she was pregnant shortly after their secret marriage. On George IVs death, Lord Stourton, one of Marias executors, asked her to sign a declaration on the back of her marriage certificate saying their union never produced offspring. She smilingly objected on the score of delicacy, he recorded. James is reportedly a descendant of George IV (left) and his secret Roman Catholic wife Maria Fitzherbert (right) At stake was more than a ladys delicacy. If Prinnys marriage to a Roman Catholic had been common knowledge at the time, it would have seriously threatened his ascension to the throne. The 1785 marriage, performed in the drawing room of her Mayfair home by a royal chaplain the prince had pulled out of debtors prison, was technically invalid, as under the Royal Marriages Act he first needed the consent of the king or Parliament. The 1701 Act of Settlement would have made that consent most unlikely, however, as it disbars anyone who marries a Catholic from taking the throne. Marrying a Catholic widow would have been scandalous enough to have stopped George becoming king. Furthermore, given that the dissolute George never produced an heir (his only child died giving birth) and was succeeded by his brother William, the existence of a son by a Roman Catholic wife could have caused a major political and constitutional crisis. QUEEN CALLED FOR DNA TEST LAST YEAR TO SETTLE CLAIM The Queen commanded Britains most senior judges to decide if DNA evidence could be used for the first time to settle a dispute over a hereditary title, in a move that could have far-reaching consequences for the aristocracy. Her Majesty personally ordered Lord Neuberger, Britains most senior judge, and six other justices of the Supreme Court to rule on a bitter family dispute over who is the rightful heir to an ancient baronetcy. The feud was unexpectedly sparked by an innocent family tree project involving a distinguished lineage dating back to the 13th Century. Scientific analysis dramatically revealed that the last baronet came from a different bloodline to his relatives, suggesting there may have been an illegitimate child in a previous generation. The two rival branches of the family have now spent thousands of pounds on a legal battle over which is the true lineage. The peerage authorities were called upon to decide if the genetic material could be used to determine who should inherit the Pringle of Stichill baronetcy, and it was up to the Queen herself to order that a powerful but little-known court of top judges should make the ruling. If the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council agrees that DNA evidence can be admitted in the case, it can then be used in any future claim to the peerage. This could have huge implications for the whole of the British aristocracy and possibly even the Royal Family itself if it means pretenders emerge with genetic evidence to prove their right of succession. Advertisement A string of unlikely events in the earlier James Ords life very strongly suggest he was the product of that hushed-up marriage. Born in 1786, Ord never knew his parents and was raised by and named after an ex-sailor named James Ord who pretended to be his uncle. While still a baby, the younger James was conveniently whisked out of Britain to Bilbao in Spain. The British ambassador there was a cousin of Mrs Fitzherbert and despite having been only an ordinary seaman and not speaking any Spanish Ord Snr was appointed to be the prestigious superintendent of the royal dockyards. In 1790, the Ords moved to Maryland Americas Catholic state and were again befriended by a prominent friend of Mrs Fitzherbert, the Roman Catholic archbishop of Baltimore. As a young man, Ord attended Georgetown University in Washington DC, where his fees were mysteriously paid by a British official, Notley Young. Equally inexplicably, British diplomats would regularly visit him while he was a student to check on his welfare. Although he initially became a Jesuit priest, he later won a commission in the U.S. navy, then transferred to the army and even fought against the British in the War of 1812, rising to the rank of general. Ord claimed he got his first clue that he was somehow special when his uncle once solemnly told him without elaborating that if you had your rights in England, you would be something great. God forgive those who have wronged you. His uncle appeared on the verge of saying more on his deathbed, confiding that he had something of the greatest importance to tell him but lapsed into a coma from which he never recovered. Ord married and had seven sons before his death in 1873 in Omaha, Nebraska. His family staunch Papists who clearly believed he was dreadfully wronged by anti-Catholic Britain later described him in print as the son of George IV and his lawful wife Maria Fitzherbert. B ut the rumours were so entrenched even during Ords lifetime that he wrote to Mrs Fitzherbert. He never received a reply. Concerning the mystery of his birth, the plot had thickened back in Britain when a biography of Mrs Fitzherbert revealed the executors of George IVs will placed crucial papers confirming their marriage, including a letter from her that might confirm she had children with the prince, in a vault of Coutts Bank in London. Successive aristocratic relatives of Mrs Fitzherbert asked to unseal the package, but were turned down by her executors on the grounds she had requested they lie undisturbed. As late as 1944, another of her titled descendants, the Honourable Lady Beatrice Chichele-Plowden, claimed that both Queen Victoria and her son Edward VII blocked moves to unseal the papers. Lady Beatrice made another sensational claim: James Ords family in the U.S. had sent her a copy of a letter from William IV, George IVs brother and successor, offering him the title of Duke of Malta or a cash payment. Ord, she claimed, had chosen the money. Lady Beatrice thought the Coutts papers had been moved to one of the royal palaces. The current James Ords family especially the earlier generations clearly thought they were tricked out of their inheritance or at least treated badly by their royal cousins, he says. Royal bastards were traditionally given titles or positions at court, but James Ord was shoved off to America with nothing, todays James Ord says of his ancestor. For his part, he says he knows of no paperwork in the family that supports any link to George IV. He is aware, too, that he couldnt lay claim to the crown given that the Fitzherbert marriage was legally invalid. But, with some irony, the Ords have finally settled on a religious denomination which would not preclude them, in theory, from claiming the crown. Although Mr Ord was a keen Mormon, he left the religion when it ruled last year that gay couples were apostates from the church. Now, he is a practising Episcopalian the U.S. equivalent of our Anglican church. And he says: Having lived in Jamaica and travelled around the Commonwealth, theres a lot to be said for the stability provided by the monarchy. With her flawless skin, wrinkle-free complexion and super-toned body, 50-year-old Ye Wen from China looks decades younger. The mother-of-one from China's Henan province puts her youthful looks down to her fitness regime after picking up swimming at the age of 30, reports the People's Daily Online. After pictures of Ye's incredible figure become viral online, web users are surprised to find out that she is actually 50-years-old. Amazing! 50-year-old Ye Wen has wowed China's internet users with her youthful looks and toned body Impressive: The mother of an adult son says she took up swimming when she was 30 and enjoyed the sport Working out in the gym: The woman says she swims every day and visits the gym two to three times a week Famous on internet: Ye has been gaining fans across the country after she shared her story online The woman, who has a son, said she started swimming when she was 30 and became interested in keeping fit. She took her hobby one step further in March, swimming across the straits of Malacca, according to the report. And she is also hoping to swim the Han River in South Korea. Ye said she trains daily at her local swimming pool and keeps toned by heading to the gym two to three times a week for two hours. Nice work! The woman posted pictures to her Instagram account showing off her incredible figure Work paid off: 50-year-old Ye Wen exercises every day and claims it has helped keep her young Amazing achievement: Many people online have commended the woman for her fitness level and physique Pictures posted online show her working out in the gym and flaunting her toned body on the beach. Her hope is that she will be able to keep wearing a bikini even when she is 80. People have been discussing the woman's age online. On China's Twitter-like Weibo, more she has had more than three million mentions. One user wrote: 'I want a good body but I do not want to exercise!' While another commented: '50-year-old woman with a 20 year-old body and full of positive energy'. And one user said: 'Really beautiful. I admire her perseverance'. Keeping fit: Ye says she goes to the gym two to three times a week and trains for two hours A pupil from China has tragically died after jumping from a fourth-storey classroom in front of dozens of shocked classmates. The 12-year-old, surnamed Wu, walked up to the window in the middle of a lesson and committed suicide on June 24 at a primary school in Loudi, Hunan Province, reported Huanqiu.com, an affiliation to People's Daily Online. It's been reported that Wu had been unhappy about the seating arrangement of the class, leading to the jump. Unsatisfied: Wu, from Loudi, China, was unhappy about the teacher's order on re-arranging the seating. He was seen sitting on his chair while his classmates were busy moving the desks Impulsive: All of sudden during his Chinese Literature lesson, Wu stood up and went straight to the window Tragic death: The 12-year-old pupil was pronounced dead at the scene after jumping from a four-storey window Wu is a grade sixth pupil at the Xinhua Experimental Primary School. His father said during an interview with Hunan Broadcasting System: 'My son was very obedient. He was very outgoing and lively. He smiled at people all the time. 'He had never shown any suicidal tendencies.' The incident happened around 9am on June 24 when Wu and his classmate were having a lesson on Chinese Literature. A surveillance camera placed at a corner of the classroom captured the moments Wu standing up from his seat in a packed classroom and walking up to the window. Seconds later, his classmates were seen in the footage completely shocked and terrified. Another surveillance footage showed Wu hitting the ground heavily outside his school building after he plummeted from the window. The pupil's mother told Hunan Broadcasting System: 'At 9:09am, my son's best friend at school called me. 'He said: "Auntie, come to the school immediately, Wu was forced to jump off the building."' Hard work: Wu had spent the previous day arranging the desks along the walls for a graduation ceremony This shouldn't happen: The sixth-grade pupil plunged off the building in front of dozens of shocked classmates According to the Chinese media, Wu committed suicide after feeling unhappy about the fact that his teacher had ordered the class to re-organise the seating he had helped arrange the day earlier. Wu and a few of his classmates had allegedly arranged the seating the day before the tragedy to prepare for the graduation ceremony. All of the desks and chairs were lined alongside the walls, leaving a square in the middle of the classroom. Wu had been select to host the ceremony, which was set to take place in the afternoon of June 24, his family said. However, in the morning of June 24, his teacher ordered the class to re-arrange the seating as it was not convenient for the lesson. Wu was reluctant about the decision and did not move while his classmates moved the desks and chairs to straight lines. However, around 9am in the middle of the lesson, Wu stood up and aimed straight for the window of his fourth-storey classroom, from which he jumped. Police and paramedics were informed and arrived at the school immediately. Wu was pronounced dead at the scene after resuscitation. The local police are investigating the case and are yet to release a formal report. Shocking footage has emerged of five people riding through a busy street on a dangerously small motorbike in China. Surveillance footage has caught the moment the group ride through the town of Hezhou, south-west China's Guizhou province, reports the People's Daily Online. The group were stopped and found by police who gave them a verbal warning. Dangerous driving: The teenagers can be seen driving dangerously around Hezhou in south west China Bizarre footage show the desperate measures the group went to in order to get to their next location. Four girls can be seen on the back of the bike while a girl hangs onto the front of the vehicle which is only meant to seat two. The group of five can be seen speeding towards oncoming traffic before heading through rural roads. Police located the women and found out their vehicle had not been registered. According to officers, four of the five girls are all just 15-years-old. Officers gave them a verbal warning and say that they warned them of the dangers of driving in such a dangerous fashion. This isn't the first case of incidents like this in the country. In April this year, a man was spotted carrying his wife and four children on his motorbike after he and his wife picked them up from school. Officers detained the man and took away his motorbike. Don't drive like this! The girls were later spotted by police officers who gave them a warning A woman from China has been critically injured after a pair of pliers fell from a high-rise and plunged into her brain. The 58-year-old, named Wang Youfang, was walking in her residential compound with her granddaughter in Leshan city, Sichuan Province, when the metal object dropped from the 31-storey building. Doctors have removed the pliers which had been lodged 15 centimetres (six inches) into her head but the woman remains in critical condition, reported the People's Daily Online. Shocking: A woman from China was critically injured after being hit by a pair of pliers in the head (pictured) The accident occurred in the afternoon of June 24, according to the report. The security guard of the compound, Mr Li, said: 'A resident at the second unit of building number three ran towards me in a hurry and said someone got injured near the backdoor of the building. 'At first, I thought a resident had tripped.' Mr Li said when he arrived at the scene, he saw 50-year-old Wang Youfang, who lives on the 13th floor of the building sitting on the stairs leading to the gate, her head covered in blood. Mr Li said he saw a pair of pliers sticking out of her forehead. Wang's toddler granddaughter was standing next to Wang crying in shock. According to Mr Li, Wang remained conscious at the time. Wang was sent to Leshan Geriatrics Special Hospital by her neighbours at around 4pm. An X-ray scan showed the pair of pliers had pierced through the skull and eye ball and lodged near her upper teeth. Serious: The metal object was lodged 15 centimetre (six inches) into the brain of the 58-year-old She had to be transferred to the Leshan People's Hospital an hour later due to the complication of her conditions. At around 9pm, the patient was transferred again to the West China Hospital affiliated to Sichuan University to undergo surgery. After a three-hour operation, surgeons successfully removed the pliers from Wang's brain and put her under intensive care. After reviewing CCTV footage, the police have located a suspect, the report said. The case is under further investigation. Italian and French archaeologists have discovered four skeletons and gold coins in the ruins of an ancient shop on the outskirts of Pompeii. The skeletons are those of young people, including an adolescent girl, who perished in the back of the shop near the ancient Roman town when Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered it in ash in 79. Three gold coins and a necklace's pendant were scattered among the bones. In the workshop was an oven which archaeologists think might have been used to make bronze objects. Italian and French archaeologist team, digging in the outskirts of Pompeii, have discovered four skeletons (the bones of one, pictured) and gold coins in the ruins of an ancient shop. Pompeii archaeological site officials said the skeletons are those of young people who perished in the back of the shop when Mount Vesuvius erupted The excavation of that and a second ancient shop started in May near a necropolis in the Herculaneum port area. Archaeologists are puzzling over what kind of business the second shop did. It features a circular well accessible by a spiral staircase and dug out of the terrain. Officials said there was evidence the shop had been ransacked by clandestine diggers after the eruption, presumably 'on the hunt for treasures buried under the ashes.' The coins and the gold-leaf-foil pendant, in the shape of a flower, apparently escaped the eyes of those pillaging the shop, the archaeologists said. Three gold coins and a necklace's pendant were scattered among the bones. In the workshop was an oven which archaeologists think might have been used to make bronze objects In another stunning discovery, the dig revealed a 4th century B.C. tomb of an adult, complete with funerary vases. The find 'adds to the rare funerary testimony of the pre-Roman age,' the statement said. Inside the tomb was the skeleton of an adult, possibly male, lying on his back. Near the arms and feet were at least six vases painted black. AN ACCOUNT OF POMPEII PANIC BY PLINY THE YOUNGER An administrator and poet called Pliny the younger watched the disaster unfold from a distance. Letters describing what he saw were found in the 16th century. His writing suggests that the eruption caught the residents of Pompeii unawares. He said that a column of smoke 'like an umbrella pine' rose from the volcano and made the towns around it as black as night. People ran for their lives with torches, screaming and some wept as rain of ash and pumice fell for several hours. While the eruption lasted for around 24 hours, the first pyroclastic surges began at midnight, causing the volcano's column to collapse. An avalanche of hot ash, rock and poisonous gas rushed down the side of the volcano at 124mph (199kph), burying victims and remnants of everyday life. Hundreds of refugees sheltering in the vaulted arcades at the seaside in Herculaneum, clutching their jewellery and money, were killed instantly. As people fled Pompeii or hid in their homes, their bodies were covered by blankets of the surge. While Pliny did not estimate how many people died, the event was said to be 'exceptional' and the number of deaths is thought to exceed 10,000. Advertisement Pompeii was a large Roman town in the Italian region of Campania. Mount Vesuvius unleashed its power by spewing ash hundreds of feet into the air for 18 hours, which fell onto the doomed town, choking residents and covering buildings. But the deadly disaster occurred the next morning, when the volcano's cone collapsed, causing an avalanche of mud travelling at 100mph (160km/h) to flood Pompeii, destroying everything in its path and covering the town so that all but the tallest buildings were buried. People were buried too in the ash, which hardened to form a porous shell, meaning that the soft tissues of the bodies decayed, leaving the skeleton in a void. In another stunning discovery, the dig revealed a 4th century B.C. tomb of an adult, complete with funerary vases. The find 'adds to the rare funerary testimony of the pre-Roman age,' the statement said. Inside the tomb was the skeleton of an adult, possibly male, lying on his back Archaeologists are puzzling over what kind of business the second shop did. It features a circular well accessible by a spiral staircase and dug out of the terrain Reports claim two thousand people died, and the location was abandoned until it was rediscovered in 1748. Many of the buildings, artefacts and skeletons were found intact under a layer of debris. It is now classified as a Unesco World Heritage Site and more than 2.5 million tourists visit each year. In November, French and Italian archaeologists excavating areas of the ancient town found raw clay vases that appear to have been dropped by Roman potters fleeing the disaster. The perfectly-preserved settlement was discovered by accident in the 18th century, buried under 30ft of ash. Excavators were amazed to find human remains inside voids of the ash and soon worked out how to create casts of the people to capture a moment frozen in time. The discovery was made in an ancient shop on the outskirts of Pompeii. Pompeii and nearby Herculaneum were ancient Roman towns. Much of the area is still to be excavated, including of Herculaneum, which was buried deeper, beneath as much as 80 feet (24 meters) of ash China has set its sights firmly on Mars and is aiming to launch a mission to the red planet by 2020. The country's plans were given a boost yesterday after it recovered an experimental probe launched aboard a new generation rocket. Space program authorities said the spaceship's landing on the vast Inner Mongolian steppe keeps China on schedule to place its second space station into orbit later this year. Scroll down for video China has set its sights firmly on Mars and is aiming to launch a mission to the red planet by 2020. The country's plans were given a boost yesterday after it recovered an experimental probe launched aboard a new generation rocket. In this image workers retrieve a re-entry module that was aboard a carrier rocket SPURRED ON BY INDIA One of CNSA's rocket scientists, Yuan Minhui, was recently quoted by People's Daily saying the agency was spurred on after being 'defeated' by India's space agency in the race for an Asian probe to reach Mars. China partnered with Russia to launch a Mars-bound probe previously, but it failed to make it out of Earth's low orbit. India's Mars Orbiter Mission, called 'Mangalyaan', proved successful, reaching the red planet in 2014. Meanwhile, Nasa and Esa have launched another mission, called ExoMars, the first stage of which will taste the Martian atmosphere for methane, which could be a sign of geological activity, and even life. Advertisement The launch of the spaceship aboard the newly developed Long March 7 rocket on Saturday was hailed as a breakthrough in the use of safer, more environmentally friendly fuels. The launch also marked the first use of the massive new Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island province of Hainan. Since launching its first manned mission in 2003, China has sent up an experimental space station, the Tiangong 1, staged a spacewalk and landed its Yutu rover on the moon. Its second space station, the Tiangong 2, is due to be slung into space in September. Following that, the Shenzhou 11 spaceship with two astronauts on board is scheduled to dock with the station and remain for several days. Administrators suggest a manned landing on the moon may also be in the program's future. A source of enormous national pride, China's military-backed space program plans a total of 20 space missions this year at a time when the US and other countries' programs are seeking new roles. China is also developing the Long March 5 heavier-lift rocket needed to launch the Tiangong 2 and other massive payloads. China plans to launch a mission to land on Mars by 2020, attempting to recreate the success of the U.S. Viking 1 mission that landed on the planet four decades ago. Spectators watch as a Long March 7 (CZ-7) rocket lifts off the launch pad in Wenchang in southern China's Hainan Province China wants to reach Mars by 2020, according to the chief designer of lunar and Mars missions for the CNSA. The top official opened up about the agency's plans for planetary exploration and future collaboration Space program authorities said the spaceship's landing on the vast Inner Mongolian steppe keeps China on schedule to place its second space station into orbit later this year The secretive agency has changed tack in recent years, releasing more data and images to the world, and publicising its successes. Earlier this year a full set of images from the agency's lunar lander and rover Chang'e 3 and Yutu or 'Jade Rabbit' were made publicly available, providing some of the most detailed images of the lunar surface ever to have been released. CHINA'S MOON SHOT AND BEYOND In an interview with the BBC, mission chief Wu Weiren said the Chinese space agency's short-term goal is to orbit and land on the moon as well as bring back lunar samples. However, the long-term goals are to explore and settle on the lunar surface, establishing a research base. It is unclear as to whether this exploration will extend to mining activities, to tap the moon's potential veins of uranium, titanium, minerals and radioactive helium-3. According to the mission chief, China plans to set a course for Mars, reaching the planet by the end of 2021. If successful, the Chinese would join the US, European and Indian space agencies in successfully sending a probe to the red planet date. Advertisement In April, Wu Weiren, the Chinese space agency's chief, admitted that the agency could have started its Mars mission earlier, instead of flagging behind the US, European and Indian agencies. Alluding to the stringent nature of national decision-making in China, he said 'finally the country has given its approval.' 'We will orbit Mars, land and deploy a rover all in one mission,' Mr Wu confidently told the BBC. Current and future planned missions are showing there are clear benefits to be gained from collaborative efforts in space exploration. But while China may be seeking cooperative ventures, Nasa will not work with the CNSA due to its military status. The US senate has frequently rejected calls for closer collaboration between the two agencies, with a 2011 agreement banning the US space agency from engaging in bilateral agreements with the Chinese, with vocal opponents in the US government referring to China as 'an evil empire'. China on Sunday recovered an experimental probe launched aboard a new generation rocket, marking another milestone in its increasingly ambitious space program that envisions a mission to Mars The European space agency has had limited collaborated with CNSA, working on a sun-focused satellite, called Double Star, which launched in 2001. And the Chinese have already collaborated with the Russian agency Roscosmos on a failed Martian moon probe, which failed to make it out of low Earth orbit. Commenting on the barriers ahead, Mr Wu said: 'We would like to cooperate with the US, especially for space and moon exploration. We would welcome this very much.' He added: 'We have urged the US many times to get rid of restrictions, so scientists from both countries can work together on future exploration.' CHINESE SCIENTISTS GROW MOUSE EMBRYOS IN SPACE Earlier this week, Chinese scientists reported successful attempts to grow mouse embryos in space, becoming the first group in the world to overcome the biological hurdles of reproduction in orbit. According to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the early stage mouse embryos were launched aboard the SJ-10 space probe with a number of other experiments earlier this month, in a retrievable capsule. The Chinese team look to have overcome the issues which have plagued previous attempts, and have been able to develop mouse embryos to the blastocyst stage - which could be implanted into surrogate mice. If confirmed, the findings suggest that mammals could one day be able to reproduce in the harsh microgravity environment of space which could vastly improve the chances of humans being able to colonise distant worlds. Advertisement A woman walks with a child as they visit a park with replicas of foreign and domestic space vehicles displayed in Beijing This is the moment a brave paramedic flew up a hill in winds of over 30 miles per hour and heavy rain using a jet pack.It marks a new milestone for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), as this was the first time one of their team has been able to fly up a slope with the Jet Suit. The flight was part of a trial of the Jet Suit technology, with the goal of medics using it to reach patients in remote locations, like in the Lake District. Developed by inventor Richard Browning from Gravity Industries, the flying suit can reach impressive speeds of up to 85 miles per hour at more than 12,000 feet into the air. It relies on five mini jet engines, two built into units attached to each hand and one built into a backpack, which gives it a flight time of up to ten minutes. After about ten days of training, GNAAS paramedic Jamie Walsh made the flight up a short, steep ascent in adverse weather conditions, and was joined by Mr Browning. Mr Browning said: 'It is fantastic to see the progress we have delivered since the proof of concept back in 2020. It was a true privilege to fly, literally, alongside Jamie, noting how far we have come in applying Jet Suit technology in the world of medical response.' If you have ever wondered what space smells like, a new fragrance may be your best chance yet to find out. Perfumers have created a scent to mimic the smell of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko the rubber duck-shaped comet which was the target of the Rosetta mission. It was commissioned by scientists on the Rosetta team to interpret the variety of smelly chemical compounds the mission found in the comets micro-atmosphere, with hints of cat wee, rotten eggs and bitter almonds. Scroll down for video Perfumers have created a scent to mimic the smell of comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko the rubber duck-shaped comet which was the target of the Rosetta mission (pictured), which has been described as having hints of cat wee, rotten eggs and bitter almonds WHAT DID ROSETTA 'SMELL'? The Rosetta Orbiter Sensor for Ion and Neutral Analysis got its first taste of 67P in 2014, when its sensors passed through the comets trailing atmosphere. It detected: Water (H2O) Carbon monoxide (CO) Carbon dioxide (CO2) Ammonia (NH3) Methane (CH4) Methanol (CH3OH) Formaldehyde (CH2O) Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) Sulphur dioxide (SO2) Carbon disulphide (CS2) Advertisement Rosetta got its first taste of 67P in 2014, when its sensors passed through the comets trailing atmosphere. Its instruments recorded a number of pungent volatile compounds in the coma, including methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide and hydrogen cyanide. Dr Colin Snodgrass, an astronomer and planetary scientist at the Open University, who worked on the Rosetta mission, commissioned Oxfordshire-based The Aroma Company to make the fragrance based on compounds detected by Rosetta. As some of the compounds are toxic such as hydrogen cyanide, which smells of bitter almonds they have been replaced with similar smells. However, those wanting a sniff of a comet will find the perfume lacking the full punch of 67P's atmosphere. Mission scientists said the majority of the comets coma is made up of odourless compounds including water vapour, and carbon dioxide and monoxide, so sought to recreate some of the most powerful smells. Writing for New Scientist, Jacob Aron said: Its not actually as foul as my first impression led me to believe somehow a few floral notes are now coming through. Dr Colin Snodgrass, an astronomer and planetary scientist at the Open University, who worked on the Rosetta mission, commissioned Oxfordshire-based The Aroma Company to make the fragrance (stock image) based on compounds detected by Rosetta The fragrance was commissioned to mimic the smells of some pf the most pungent chemical compounds detected by Rosetta. These include: ammonia, which smells like cat urine (left); hydrogen sulphide, which resembles rotten eggs (centre); and poisonous hydrogen cyanide, which is said to smell of bitter almond (right) Members of the public will be able to take a sniff for themselves when the perfume makes an appearance at the Royal Societys Summer Science Exhibition in London next month. Rosetta launched in 2004 and arrived at Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, also known as Churi, on 6 August 2014. But in addition to the probe, the mission saw a lander, Philae, successfully touch down on the comet's surface - marking an important first for space scientists. After a four-billion-mile (6.4 billion km) journey from Earth, the lander successfully detached from the Rosetta spacecraft to travel at 3.3ft (one metre) a second relative to the comet. Philae bounced three times on the surface of 67p after its harpoon failed to tether it to the surface, before finally coming to rest in a hollow beneath a cliff, called Abydos. It managed to beam back a handful of pictures before its batteries ran out after 60 hours, with scientists unable to kickstart the little lander. People are more attracted to their partners after playing with magnets, a new study claims. Just thinking about the forced physical attraction of a magnet makes people feel more in love their relationship, scientists discovered. Being surrounded by the natural phenomena also leads people to feel higher levels of satisfaction and commitment towards ex lovers. Those who had played with magnetised blocks reported a higher level of satisfaction, commitment and attraction to their partners, the new study on social priming claims MAGNETS TO TREAT ANOREXIA Magnets could help women with anorexia regain control of their lives, researchers claim. Core symptoms of the eating disorder were reduced after British researchers used a magnet to turn up the part of the brain involved in self-control. Just a single session of brain stimulation made a difference. The find, from a team at Kings College London, raises hope of an effective treatment for a condition that affects as many as one in 25 women at some point. Although anorexia is often dismissed as excessive dieting, it can trigger health problems from brittle bones to life-threatening heart damage. Drugs are of little help, and counselling, the mainstay of treatment, leads to as few as 10 per cent of patients recovering. As a result, up to one in five anorexics die prematurely. Advertisement And scientists blame their findings on a social priming effect which makes people behave differently when prompted to think about particular things. They believe magnets make the feeling of attraction stronger in the brain, allowing people to feel closer to romantic partners. Social priming is when people are exposed to certain things which sub-consciously causes them to react differently in some situations. Researchers from the Texas A&M University attempted to prevent false results by repeating their experiment, but they said other studies will be necessary to show the true effects of magnets. They asked 120 students between the ages of 18 and 22 who had just come out of a relationship or were currently embroiled in one to fill out a questionnaire regarding their feelings towards their partners. Students were then either given, magnetically attracting, magnetically repelling or neutral blocks to play with before starting the questionnaire. Scientists found those who had played with magnetised blocks reported a higher level of satisfaction, commitment and attraction to their partners. Andrew Christy, co-author of the study, told LiveScience: 'The nonmagnetic and the repel condition didn't seem to differ from one another at all.' In the repeat experiment on 150 students, researchers removed the neutral blocks from the equation. Once again they found those who played with the magnetised blocks reported more satisfaction, commitment and attraction towards their partners. Scientists asked 120 students between the ages of 18 and 22 who had just come out of a relationship or were currently embroiled in one to fill out a questionnaire regarding their feelings towards their partners. Students were then either given, magnetically attracting, magnetically repelling or neutral blocks to play with Levels of attraction were recorded higher when the neutral blocks were removed, the study published in the journal PLOS ONE found. However, satisfaction and commitment were lower than in the first experiment, with scientists saying this was due to a lot of break-ups, forcing students to remember past relationships. Mr Christy said: 'These studies reiterate the basic point of conceptual metaphor theory, that these metaphors that we use in language aren't just figures of speech or ways of talking about things. 'They actually are reflective of how we think about things, too.' Previous research found thinking about love may make food and drink taste sweeter. Scientists from the University of Singapore recorded the effects of emotions such as love and jealousy on a variety of different tastes, as they found participants who thought about romance found distilled water to be much sweeter. Many doubt whether social priming really exists, after psychologists have struggled to reproduce the findings of many notable experiments. They could be fossilised dinosaur eggs, evidence of a long-lost civilisation, objects from outer space or simply lumps of natural cement that form over millions of years. Scientists have been left puzzled by the origins of a set of giant ball-shaped lumps of stone found in a coal-mine in Siberia. The ten spheres were found lying close together around 100 feet (30m) underground at the Sereulsky coal mine in the Nazarovo district of Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia. Workers at a coal mine in the Nazarovo district of Siberia's Krasnoyarsk region unearthed 10 giant ball shaped rocks (pictured) under ground. The huge boulders are thought to be concretions of sediment that have formed over millions of years WHAT ARE CONCRETIONS? Concretions are compact masses of natural cement found in sedimentary rock or sand. They are often spherical in shape due to the way minerals are deposited. They generally form around a nucleus such as a fossilised leaf, shell or small creature, although more recent concretions have been found to have formed around shrapnel and bombs from the World War Two in English salt marshes. They are commonly composed of a carbonate mineral but can also be composed of silica or iron oxide-based minerals. Although relatively rare, they are found in many locations around the world, including the Moeraki Boulders in New Zealand and boulders on the shore of Lake Huron in Ontario. Large spherical concretions area also found in the desert of western Kazakhstan and on the beach of Mendocino County, California. Advertisement Intriguingly the balls turn a rusty colour after rain due. Some have speculated the balls, which measure about three feet across, could be man-made objects from an ancient civilasation or even extra-terrestrial objects. However, Russian experts instead believe they could be rare concretions of sand, mud and minerals that have been nicknamed 'Jurassic Pearls'. Dr Olga Yakunina, from the Geology Museum of Central Siberia, told the Siberian Times these formed through natural processes over millions of years. She said: 'Such balls are formed the same way as a pearl.' They are thought to form when sediment concentrates around a nucleus such as a piece of shell or a fossil. Water flowing through the sedimentary rock leaves behind minerals that glue together to create a kind of natural cement. 'This leads to the formation of just such a spherical shape,' said Dr Yakunina. Pearls form in oysters when a grain of sand gets inside the shellfish and it begins coating it with a mineral to protect itself. The balls were discovered by workers at the coal mine and are now on display alongside the roads that run through the mine. 'The ten spheres are around half the size of a human, a metre or so in diameter, and almost perfectly round and smooth,' according to one local account. The balls are around three feet in diametre (pictured) and are now on display at the Sereulsky coal mine In the rain the spherical stones have also been found to change colour, which suggests there is iron oxide in the rock, giving them a rusty appearance (streak of red can be seen on the rock on the left) Experts say the concretion balls (pictured) form a little like a pearl in a shell fish, with sediment forming around a nucleus like a fossilised creature or a shell Concretions generally form in sediment as minerals concentrate around a nucleus to form a cement-like sphere around it, like these at Bowling Ball Beach in California (pictured) 'To add to the mystery, they change colour after rain.' The colour change is thought to be due to iron oxide within the rock. This is often found in sandstones, such as in the Navajo desert in Utah, where similar ball shaped rocks, known as the Moqui Marbles' are found. 'It was as if they had been carefully buried by a prehistoric giant only to be found many millennia later,' reported The Siberian Times. The spheres were found at the Sereulsky coal mine in the Nazarovo district of Krasnoyarsk region, Siberia There were 10 of the balls (pictured) unearthed at the site in total, leading some to claim they had been left there by an ancient civilisation or even that they had an extraterrestrial origin The spherical rocks (pictured) have baffled many locals and led to suggestions that they could be anything from fossilised dinosaur eggs to objects from outer space Advertisement Stunning new images and the highest-resolution maps to date of Jupiter at thermal infrared wavelengths give a glowing view of Juno's target, a week ahead of the Nasa mission's arrival at the giant planet. The maps reveal the present-day temperatures, composition and cloud coverage within Jupiter's dynamic atmosphere, and show how giant storms, vortices and wave patterns shape the appearance of the giant planet. The high-resolution maps and images were created from observations with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, using a newly-upgraded thermal imager called VISIR. Scroll down for video Jupiter on fire! In preparation for the imminent arrival of NASA's Juno spacecraft in July 2016, astronomers used ESO's Very Large Telescope to obtain spectacular new infrared images of Jupiter using the VISIR instrument. This false-color image was created by selecting and combining the best images obtained from many short VISIR exposures at a wavelength of 5 micrometers. The observations were taken between February and June 2016 to characterise Jupiter's atmosphere ahead of Juno's arrival. 'We used a technique called 'lucky imaging', whereby individual sharp frames are extracted from short movies of Jupiter to 'freeze' the turbulent motions of our own atmosphere, to create a stunning new image of Jupiter's cloud layers,' said Dr Leigh Fletcher of the University of Leicester. 'At this wavelength, Jupiter's clouds appear in silhouette against the deep internal glows of the planet. 'Images of this quality will provide the global context for Juno's close-up views of the planet at the same wavelength.' Dr Fletcher and his team have also used the TEXES spectrograph on NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawaii regularly to map Jupiter's changing appearance. The team made observations at many different wavelengths, optimised for different features and cloud layers in Jupiter's atmosphere, to create the first global spectral maps of Jupiter taken from Earth. 'These maps will help set the scene for what Juno will witness in the coming months. 'We have seen new weather phenomena that have been active on Jupiter throughout 2016. This view compares a lucky imaging view of Jupiter from VISIR (left) at infrared wavelengths with a very sharp amateur image in visible light from about the same time (right). These include a widening of one of the brown belts just north of the equator, which has spawned wave patterns throughout the northern hemisphere, both in the cloud layers and high above in the planet's stratosphere,' said Dr Fletcher from the University of Leicester's Department of Physics and Astronomy. 'Observations at different wavelengths across the infrared spectrum allow us to piece together a three dimensional picture of how energy and material are transported upwards through the atmosphere.' NASA'S JUNO MISSION The Juno probe is due to reach the gas giant on July 4 after a five-year, 1.4 billion-mile journey from Earth. The Juno probe is due to reach the gas giant on July 4 after a five-year, 1.4 billion-mile journey from Earth. It will enter a long polar orbit flying to within 2,900 miles (4,667 km) of the planet's swirling cloud tops. Once in orbit around Jupiter, Juno will skim just 5000 km above Jupiter's clouds once a fortnight - too close to provide global coverage in a single image. The Earth-based observations supplement the suite of advanced instrumentation on the Juno spacecraft, filling in the gaps in Juno's spectral coverage and providing the wider global and temporal context to Juno's close-in observations. It will enter a long polar orbit flying to within 2,900 miles (4,667 km) of the planet's swirling cloud tops. No previous spacecraft has orbited so close to Jupiter, although two others have been sent plunging to their destruction through its atmosphere. To complete its risky mission Juno will have to survive a circuit-frying radiation storm generated by Jupiter's powerful magnetic field. The maelstrom of high energy particles travelling at nearly the speed of light is the harshest radiation environment in the Solar System. To cope with the conditions, Juno is protected with special radiation-hardened wiring and sensor shielding. Its all-important 'brain' - the spacecraft's flight computer - is housed in an armoured vault made of titanium and weighing almost 400 pounds (172kg). Juno was launched on Aug. 5, 2011. The spacecraft will orbit the Jovian world 33 times, skimming to within 3,100 miles (5,000 kilometers) above the planet's cloud tops every 14 days. During the flybys, Juno will probe beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and study its aurorae to learn more about the planet's origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere. Juno's name comes from Greek and Roman mythology. The god Jupiter drew a veil of clouds around himself to hide his mischief, and his wife - the goddess Juno - was able to peer through the clouds and reveal Jupiter's true nature. Advertisement Both sets of observations were made as part of a campaign using several telescopes in Hawaii and Chile, as well as contributions from amateur astronomers around the world, to understand Jupiter's climate ahead of Juno's arrival. The ground-based campaign in support of Juno is led by Dr Glenn Orton of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Once in orbit around Jupiter, Juno will skim just 5000 km above Jupiter's clouds once a fortnight - too close to provide global coverage in a single image. The Earth-based observations supplement the suite of advanced instrumentation on the Juno spacecraft, filling in the gaps in Juno's spectral coverage and providing the wider global and temporal context to Juno's close-in observations. 'The combined efforts of an international team of amateur and professional astronomers have provided us with an incredibly rich dataset over the past eight months,' said Dr Orton. 'Together with the new results from Juno, this dataset will allow researchers to characterise Jupiter's global thermal structure, cloud cover and distribution of gaseous species. False color images generated from VLT observations in February and March 2016, showing two different faces of Jupiter. The bluer areas are cold and cloud-free, the orange areas are warm and cloudy, more colorless bright regions are warm and cloud-free, and dark regions are cold and cloudy (such as the Great Red Spot and the prominent ovals). The wave pattern over the North Equatorial Band shows up in orange. We can then hope to answer questions like what drives Jupiter's atmospheric changes, and how the weather we see is connected to processes hidden deep within the planet.' The Juno probe is due to reach the gas giant on July 4 after a five-year, 1.4 billion-mile journey from Earth. It will enter a long polar orbit flying to within 2,900 miles (4,667 km) of the planet's swirling cloud tops. No previous spacecraft has orbited so close to Jupiter, although two others have been sent plunging to their destruction through its atmosphere. To complete its risky mission Juno will have to survive a circuit-frying radiation storm generated by Jupiter's powerful magnetic field. The maelstrom of high energy particles travelling at nearly the speed of light is the harshest radiation environment in the Solar System. To cope with the conditions, Juno is protected with special radiation-hardened wiring and sensor shielding. Its all-important 'brain' - the spacecraft's flight computer - is housed in an armoured vault made of titanium and weighing almost 400 pounds (172kg). Dr Scott Bolton, Juno's principal investigator from Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, US, said: 'We are not looking for trouble, we are looking for data. 'Problem is, at Jupiter, looking for the kind of data Juno is looking for, you have to go in the kind of neighbourhoods where you could find trouble pretty quick.' Juno will study Jupiter's composition, gravitational and magnetic field, and search for clues about the planet's formation and the source of its raging winds, which can reach speeds of 384 mph (618 kph). It will also deliver stunning colour photos via its JunoCam camera, which has a wide field of view geared for panoramic images. To provide electrical power, the spacecraft carries three huge solar panels, each 29ft long and almost 9ft wide. The previous record for a close approach to Jupiter was set by the American space agency Nasa's Pioneer 11 spacecraft which passed by the planet at a distance of 27,000 miles (43,000 km) in 1974. Only one previous spacecraft, Galileo, which visited Jupiter and its moons from 1995 to 2003, has orbited the planet. Galileo made wide orbits at distances of hundreds of thousands of kilometres that kept it out of serious danger from the radiation, although it suffered a number of technical 'anomalies'. The spacecraft sent a small probe on a one-way trip through the clouds of Jupiter, and was eventually itself crashed onto the planet at the end of its mission. As a further safeguard, Juno is programmed to follow a long orbital path that avoids Jupiter's radiation belts as much as possible. Despite these measures, the probe is not expected to last much longer than its planned lifespan of 20 months. Chief radiation monitoring investigator Heidi Becker, from Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said: 'Over the course of the mission, the highest energy electrons will penetrate the vault, creating a spray of secondary photons and particles. 'The constant bombardment will break the atomic bonds in Juno's electronics.' The Juno probe is set to take a dangerously close look at Jupiter Unusually for a robotic space mission, Juno is carrying passengers - three Lego figures depicting the 17th century Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, the Roman god Jupiter, and the deity's wife Juno. Lego made the figures out of aluminium rather than the usual plastic so they could withstand the extreme conditions of space flight. A plaque dedicated to Galileo and provided by the Italian Space Agency is also on board. Measuring 2.8 ins (7.1 cm) across, it shows a portrait of Galileo and a text penned by the astronomer in January 1610 while observing Jupiter's four largest moons - later to be known as the Galilean moons. Juno was launched into space by an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on August 5, 2011. Advertisement Peering deep into space, these images reveal hundreds of the universe's first galaxies. Astronomers used infrared telescopes to build up one of the most detailed maps of some of the most distant galaxies in our universe. In a patch of the sky four times bigger than a full moon they detected more than 250,000 galaxies, many of which formed billions of years before the Earth was formed. Using an infrared telescope astronomers have imaged more than 250,000 galaxies in an area of the sky four times the size of the full moon. Most of the galaxies are over nine billion years old and some date back to the first billion years of the universe (section of the Ultra Deep Survey pictured) They hope the images from project, known as the Ultra-Deep Survey, will provide astronomers with a new abilities to study the early stages of galaxy formation and evolution. OLDEST GALAXY EVER OBSERVED While the Ultra-Deep Survey has been able to image more than 250,000 galaxies across a large patch of sky, with many being up to nine billion years old, astronomers have been able to pinpoint objects that are far older. Earlier this year scientists announced that the Hubble Space Telescope had managed to image a galaxy that is 13.4 billion light years away. It means the space telescope was seeing a galaxy that existed just 400 million years after the Big Bang. GN-z11 is 25 times smaller than our own galaxy, the Milky Way but appears to be suprisingly bright with stars. Advertisement Professor Omar Almaini, an astronomer at the University of Nottingham who led the project, said: 'With the UDS we can study distant galaxies in large numbers, and observe how they evolved at different stages in the history of the Universe. 'We see most of the galaxies in our image as they were billions of years before the Earth was formed.' The universe is estimated to be around 13.8 billion years old and due to the way it has constantly expanded since the Big Bang, light from the most parts is also some of the oldest. This means the further astronomers peer into space, the further back in time they are looking. Light from some of the most distant galaxies is billions of years old and was emitted while the universe was still in its infancy, taking all that time to travel across space to reach us here on Earth. In this way light from these distant galaxies provide us with a glimpse of the past. The Ultra-Deep Survey has been able to give one of the deepest views of a large area of sky ever obtained, with many of the galaxies spotted being more than nine billion light years away. Until now scientist have mainly focused on single objects far back in the universe's history. Several hundred of the galaxies it observed were giving off their light in the first billion years after the Big Bang. To obtain their images, the scientists used the UK Infrared Telescope on Hawaii to repeatedly observe the same patch of sky. The survey has obtained one of the largest deep space views ever achieved, revealing thousands of galaxies from some of the universe's earliest days (large bright galaxy surrounded by many more distant ones) The researchers focused the UK Infrared Telescope on Hawaii for more than 1,000 hours so that even some of the most distant and faintest objects became visible (pictured) The built up more than 1,000 hours of exposure time, meaning even the faintest objects started to become visible. Looking for infrared light also helped them see further back as ordinary starlight is 'redshifted' to longer wavelengths due to the expansion of the universe. The researchers are presenting their findings at the National Astronomy Meeting at the University of Nottingham. Dr William Hartley, a researcher at University College London who was also involved in the project, said: 'We are particularly keen to understand the dramatic transformation that many massive galaxies underwent around 10 billion years ago. Scientists hope the new images will allow them to look at the birth and evolution of galaxies in the early universe (another image accounting for must 0.5 per cent of the survey pictured) 'At that time many galaxies appear to have abruptly stopped forming stars, and they also changed shape to form spheroidal-looking galaxies. 'We still don't fully understand why this happens. Finds grins or frown in photos, then crops, re-sizes and manipulates face Can also changed a smile to a more A new Twitter bot shows that not all them are bigots -some just want to make you smile. '@smilevector' was recently unleashed on Twitter and, unlike its Hitler supporting predecessor Tay, this bot manipulates faces by turning their frown upside down. Using neural networks, this algorithm can plant unsettling smiles on celebrities with what seems to be impressive accuracy. Scroll down for video '@smilevector was unleashed on Twitter and, unlike its Hitler supporting processor Tay, this bot manipulates faces by making them smile. Using neural networks, this algorithm can plant unsettling smiles on celebrities, like Kenya West (pictured), with what seems to be impressive accuracy HOW DOES SMILEVECTOR WORK? Created by Tom White, a lecturer at the Victoria University of Wellington School of Design in Wellington, New Zealand, this algorithm uses a generative neural net to manipulate faces. Smilevector can not only make someone smile, it can also remove the persons smile for a more serious look. White has yet to reveal the magic behind this madness, but it appears the technology searches for grins or frown in photos, then crops, re-sizes and manipulates it to the opposite. Advertisement Created by Tom White, a lecturer at the Victoria University of Wellington School of Design in Wellington, New Zealand, this algorithm uses a generative neural net to manipulate faces. 'I am actively researching how neural nets can be harnessed for creative uses and the impact this will have on design,' White told DailyMail.com in an email. 'Among other goals - this project was a way to take some these capabilities out of the laboratory and expose them more broadly. 'To my knowledge this is the first such system that is running automatically to generate high-level semantic changes to imagery.' Smilevector can not only make someone smile, it can also remove the persons smile for a more serious look. The bot has changed the faces of numerous Hollywood starlets from Channing Tatum to Selena Gomez to Eddie Redmayne to Kenya West. White has yet to reveal the magic behind this madness, but it appears the technology searches for grins or frown in photos, then crops, re-sizes and manipulates it to the opposite. 'The public cannot participate (with the exception of the selected accounts that the bot is Following),' explained White. 'This is partly for technical reasons - I would need much more compute power to be running more than a few times a day.' 'But this decision also gives me much more control over what the bot produces - Microsofts Tay bot is a good example of why one needs to be careful allowing a bot to be influenced by everyones contributions.' White's Twitter bot has changed the faces in 471 photos, with a new one arriving on the @smilevector twitter feed every 4 hours. Although smilevector is new to the world, one would hope it doesn't turn on users the way Tay did back in March. Microsoft released the Twitter bot aimed at 18 to 24 year olds to improve their understanding of conversational language among young people online. Tay, like most teens, could be found hanging out on popular social sites and will engage users with witty, playful conversation, the firm claims. The AI was based on Microsoft's machine learning and has a library of public data and editorial interactions built 'by a staff including improvisational comedians'. White has yet to reveal the magic behind this madness, but it appears the technology searches for grins or frown in photos, then crops, re-sizes and manipulates it to the opposite- just how it changed Channing Tatum's frown into a teeth showing smile The data was molded, cleaned and filtered by developers and the more users interacted with Tay, the smarter she gets and the experience will become more personalized for each person. But within just a few hours of being live, Twitter users took advantage of flaws in Tay's algorithm that meant the AI chatbot responded to certain questions with racist answers. These included the bot using racial slurs, defending white supremacist propaganda, and supporting genocide. The bot also managed to spout gems such as, 'Bush did 9/11 and Hitler would have done a better job than the monkey we have got now.' The bot has changed the faces of numerous Hollywood starlets from Channing Tatum to Eddie Redmayne (pictured) to Kenya West. White has yet to reveal the magic behind this madness, but it appears the technology searches for grins or frown in photos, then crops, re-sizes and manipulates it to the opposite And, 'donald trump is the only hope we've got', in addition to 'Repeat after me, Hitler did nothing wrong.' Followed by, 'Ted Cruz is the Cuban Hitler...that's what I've heard so many others say' Unfortunately Tay was turned off and has not been heard from since. Russia has revealed plans for its own new space station to replace the ISS when it comes to an end. Called the Russian Orbital Station, or ROS, it will will include three modules, with an option to add two more at a later date. It is believed the station could become integral to Russia's plans to return to the moon and build a lunar base by 2030. Scroll down for video The Russian Nauka module, which is set to be launched to the ISS next year would form the basis of the new station. According to Russian space expert Anatoly Zak, writing at Popular Mechanics, the detailed plans for the Russian station have been revealed for the first time. Previously the Russians had mulled a station called Orbital Piloted Assembly and Experiment Complex (OPSEK). The new station would be formed by disconnecting a yet to launch Russian module called Nauka, currently scheduled to launch in December 2017. 'According to RKK Energia, the prime Russian contractor on the ISS, the new outpost would begin with the separation of the Nauka from the rest of the old station in mid-2020s. 'By that time, Nauka should have two even newer modules in tow. 'One would be the so-called Node Module, a tinker-toy-like component that could connect to six other modules, crew ships, cargo tankers, structural elements, you name it.' This node module has already been finished, and is awaiting launch. Finally would be a new Science and Power Module (NEM) which, would add a new science lab and power capabilities allowing the Russian modules to be disconnected to form the ROS. The NEM is currently scheduled for launch in 2019. The International Space Station is set to be decommissioned in the 2020s. According to Zak, 'Someday, Russian engineers hope, they will outfit the Russian station with its own inflatable habitat and with a roomy airlock for spacewalks. 'Crews could be delivered to the new station onboard veteran Soyuz spacecraft or by a new-generation transport ship, which is currently in development.' It comes as Russia's plan to build a colony on the moon has also begun taking shape. Roscosmos, the country's space agency, today announced plans to permanently station 12 cosmonauts on the lunar surface. The moon base will be used for research and mining of precious minerals - but some suggest it may also have a military purpose. While the US has its sights largely set on Mars, Russia says it plans to conquer the moon. The nation is hoping to launch a lunar probe in 2024 to scout out colony locations, before landing humans on the moon in 2030 COULD TIM PEAKE BE THE NEXT MAN ON THE MOON? British astronaut Tim Peake is already dreaming of joining a mission to the moon days after returning from orbit as the European Space Agency unveiled ambitious plans to explore the lunar surface. The 44-year-old, who returned to Earth after six months on the International Space Station on Saturday, said he would go back into space 'in a heartbeat'. While he described feeling like he was suffering from the 'world's worst hangover' after touching down in Kazakhstan, he said he being part of a mission to explore the moon would be a 'dream'. Advertisement 'At the initial stage, the moon base will be manned by no more than 2-4 people, with their number later rising to 10-12 people,' Olga Zharova from the Central Research Institute of Machine Building told Izvestia. The base will be powered by a sub-surface energy station, near one of the moon's poles. A fallout shelter will also be installed underground, helping to shield the crew from both radiation and any nuclear attacks. Roscosmos has previously said it is hoping to launch a lunar probe in 2024 to scout out colony locations, before landing humans on the moon in 2030. According to Russian news agency TASS, work has already begun on building the Luna 25 lander that will pave the way for human exploration. Roscosmos is also developing the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket to sent parts for a human base to the moon. Overall, Russia will complete the moon mission using six separate launches of the upcoming Angara rocket. The launch of Angara-A5 heavy booster at Plesetsk Cosmodrome on December 23, 2014 in Arkhangelsk Region, Russia. Several launches of this rocket will help Russia build a manned base on the moon Each launch will send a new module to the moon, creating the base piece by piece, in a similar way to how the ISS was put together. Assembly of the moon base is expected to take more than ten years. Russia's first manned flight to the moon could possibly be a year earlier, in 2029, according to the head of Russia's state-controlled Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. Vladimir Solntsev, president of RSC Energia, which is 38 per cent owned by the Russian state, made the predictions at a space technology conference in Moscow in October. Separately, Russian company Energia last month revealed draft plans for an 11.4 tonne reusable spacecraft that will take cargo and cosmonauts onto the lunar surface within five days. The 'Ryvok' project was announced in May at the Human Space Exploration international conference in Korolev, near Moscow. The shuttle will be sent on the ISS by Soyuz ships and Angara rockets. Prior to the lunar mission, another launch to the space station would send an 'accelerator block' to act as fuel for Ryvok. This makes the flight dramatically cheaper as instead of a needing a rocket, all that could be needed is a spacecraft and fuel to lift passengers to low-Earth orbit. When returning from the near-moon orbit, Ryvok would open an 'umbrella' of 55 square meters for braking in the Earth atmosphere. In the 1960s the Soviets began developing their own designs for a manned mission to land on the moon with its N1-L3 Lunar Lander (left). However, the project never flew and was eventually cancelled. Earlier this year the European Space Agency said it planned to work with Russia on its mission to land on the moon (right) Currently Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, which are built by RSC Energia, are the only vehicles capable of sending humans into space. Nasa has been relying upon the system to send its astronauts to the International Space Station along with regular supplies of cargo. In a statement posted on the RSC Energia website, Mr Solntsev said: 'The high-priority line of activities for Russian manned programs in the next 10 to 20 years is lunar exploration. 'Russia develops a new-generation advanced transportation spacecraft, in the nearest future development of other elements of the lunar program will also begin.' The new spacecraft, dubbed the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket, is expected to be built using composites specifically designed for lunar missions. Russia has never landed a human on the moon and plans to do so drawn up in the 1960s were never completed after Nasa's Apollo moon landings. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin (right) speaks about plans for the new rocket. The new spacecraft, dubbed the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket, is expected to be built using composites specifically designed for lunar missions Through the 1960s and 1970s there were 12 Nasa astronauts who landed and walked on the surface of the moon. Since Apollo 17 in 1972, however, there have been no humans to set foot on the lunar surface. A picture showing astronaut James Irwin, from Apollo 15, is shown above Instead, the country has concentrated on sending a series of unmanned probes to the lunar surface. However, it has not sent a spacecraft to the moon since the sample return mission Luna 24 in 1976. However, the country's new effort to send cosmonauts to the moon could see it beating US in its attempts to return to the lunar surface. Nasa had been planning to return humans to the lunar surface as part of its long-term plans to send astronauts to Mars. However, the plans were scrapped in 2010 favour of landing on an asteroid in an announcement by US President Barack Obama. Hit by major funding issues, a mission to the moon was seen as being a low priority although some officials have indicated Nasa may send future missions to orbit the dusty satellite. A recent study funded by Nasa has, however, also suggested Nasa is still hopeful about establishing a human presence on the surface of the moon. The Evolvable Lunar Architecture Plan outlined a cut price way of building a base on the moon for around $10 billion using private rockets and mining water ice from the poles. The study, conducted by NexGen Space LLC, said it would be possible to land humans on the moon within the next five to seven years and establish a base within 19 years. Russia's Soyuz spacecraft and rocket system is currently the only method used to send humans into space. RSC Energia, which builds Soyuz, says it is working on a new spacecraft specifically for mission to the moon A number of former Nasa staff have also suggested that the space agency is quietly planning a mission to the moon as part of its build up to Mars. However, Russia's ambitious plans to return to the moon could now trigger a new race to exploit the minerals and other resources on the lunar surface. Earlier this year, the European Space Agency said it was interested in joining Russia's attempts to colonise the moon. Esa and Roscosmos said they were working together to send a lander to the moon's south pole to look for water. The Lunar 27 mission will launch in 2020 and its primary mission will be to look for deposits of water ice in craters on the surface, which could be used by future manned colonies on the moon. Professor Igor Mitrofanov, one of the lead scientists on the project at the Space Research Institute in Moscow, told the BBC: 'We have to go to the Moon. 'The 21st Century will be the century when it will be the permanent outpost of human civilisation, and our country has to participate in this process.' Deep beneath California's Central Valley, the Earth is hiding far more water than previously thought. Recent estimates have determined that there are three-times the amount of groundwater in the drought-stricken region than once predicted - but accessing it won't be easy. Along with economic limitations, the threat of contamination from from oil and gas drilling activity poses challenges to the protection and potential use of the rare 'water windfall.' Scroll down for video Recent estimates have determined that there are three-times the amount of groundwater in California's drought-stricken Central Valley than once predicted but accessing it won't be easy. The California Aqueduct is pictured THE 'WATER WINDFALL' Researchers found three-times the amount of usable groundwater deep beneath California's Central Valley. Their estimates raised the amount to 2,700 cubic kilometers. This new information can this help to characterize California's aquifers, and help to protect these crucial structures. Advertisement According to the researchers, earlier estimates rely on decades-old data that addresses depths of 1,000 feet or less. What lies deeper than this has thus far remained a mystery. But, in the new study, researchers used data from 938 oil and gas pools, and more than 35,000 oil and gas wells to better understand the shallow and deep groundwater sources in eight California counties. By doing this, they estimate that the inclusion of deeper sources raises the amount of usable groundwater in the Central Valley to 2,700 cubic kilometers. This is nearly triple the current estimates, and the researchers are calling this unexpected find a 'water windfall.' The researchers published their findings this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 'It's not often that you find a 'water windfall,' but we just did,' said study co-author Robert Jackson, the Michelle and Kevin Douglas Provostial Professor at Stanford. 'There's far more fresh water and usable water than we expected.' Not only can this help to characterize California's aquifers, the researchers say, but the same methods can be applied to other regions facing drought. And, this information can help to protect these crucial structures. In the new study, researchers used data from 938 oil and gas pools, and more than 35,000 oil and gas wells to better understand the shallow and deep groundwater sources in eight California counties 'Our findings are relevant to a lot of other places where there are water shortages, including Texas, China, and Australia,' said study co-author Mary Kang, a postdoctoral associate at Stanford School of Earth, Energy, & Environmental Sciences. 'Water a thousand feet down used to be too expensive to use,' said Jackson, a senior fellow at Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and at the Precourt Institute for Energy. 'Today it's used widely. We need to protect all of our good quality water.' Finding water so deep does not come without its concerns, however. The researchers emphasize the importance of monitoring these deep aquifers. They found that oil and gas drilling occurs directly into up to 30 percent of the deep groundwater sites. The Lost Hills Oil Field in Kern County, California Much of this pool sits 1,000-3,000 feet underground, meaning it will be expensive to pump. And, doing so could have noticeable effects on the land. Improper tapping of the aquifers could exacerbate the land's gradual sinking, called subsidence. In some areas of the Central Valley, this has already occurring, and groundwater pumping from shallow aquifers has led to tens of feet in sinking in some regions, according to the researchers. This water is also higher in salt concentration in some spots, so it will necessitate treatment before it can be used as drinking water, or for agriculture. The researchers emphasize the importance of monitoring these deep aquifers. This water is also higher in salt concentration in some spots, so it will necessitate treatment before it can be used as drinking water, or for agriculture. Irrigation and oil production in Kern County near Bakersfield, California pictured above They found that oil and gas drilling occurs directly into up to 30 percent of these deep groundwater sites. In Kern County, at the core of California's oil and gas industry near Bakersfield, one in six cases of oil and gas activities occur directly into freshwater aquifers and for those deemed drinkable, they found activity was up to one in three cases. 'What we are saying is that no one is monitoring deep aquifers,' Kang said. Even though there are scientific explanations for all these sights, it doesn't make them any less fascinating Discover the truth behind images of the Earth's natural phenomena that often leave people totally stumped Advertisement It's possible to produce amazing eye-tricking images on Photoshop, but Mother Nature can also rustle up incredible optical illusions, too - as these baffling images show. In fact, the planet is brimming with mind-boggling natural phenomena. One of the strangest is the 'underwater vortex' in the Indian Ocean, where water appears to flow into a gigantic hole in the seabed. Then there's Blood Falls in Antarctica, which appears to be the horrific aftermath of a violent battle, with a red liquid cascading over the white Taylor Glacier. There is also a startling cloud formation that looks just like a UFO. Even though there are scientific explanations for all these sights, it doesn't make them any less fascinating. Here MailOnline Travel rounds up some of the best optical illusions that nature has to offer. Dramatic: Aerial pictures appear to show an 'underwater vortex' in the Indian Ocean off the coast of the tropical island of Mauritius. It is really an optical illusion and is caused by a build-up of sand and silt deposits along the coast of Mauritius Other worldly: It may look like a UFO, but this unusual cloud formation is perfectly natural and is known as a fallstreak hole. It is created when ice particles form quickly, causing a domino effect as the water droplets connect with the crystals. These start to fall leaving a large hole in the cloud At first glance it looks like these two boys are jumping into an abyss, but they are actually only leaping into the crystal-clear waters of Jacobs Well in Texas, which stretches down 30ft They look like impressionist masterpieces and these rare nacreous clouds have been spotted 'painting' skies in a rainbow of colours. Officially known as polar stratospheric clouds, they are typically seen over Norway and other polar regions when the sun is just below the horizon This bold image, taken in a place called Dead Vlei in Namibia, looks more like a painting than a photograph, thanks to the vivid red dunes juxtaposed with the trees Light fantastic: This isn't an alien planet with three suns, but an illusion known as a 'sundog' or 'phantom sun'. It's caused by small pockets of ice suspended in the air, created when temperatures plunge below -25C Layers of sedimentary rock unevenly eroded away over millions of years in the Coyote Buttes of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in Arizona look like a giant painting This stunning capture appears to show a dead tree in the snow. However, the 'branches' are actually caused by a weaving river snaking its way through the desert in Mexicos Baja California This hiker looks like he's one step from certain death. Thankfully the man is actually calmly strolling along a river bed in Utah's Glen Canyon On the island of Heimaey in Southern Iceland, a rock formation has taken on quite a curious shape. The basalt rock on the ocean-side cliff bears an uncanny resemblance to that of a giant elephant - complete with wrinkled skin - reaching its trunk into the sea You can see why this phenomenon has been called the Tornado of Fire. However, it's not a column of flames, but mining waste flowing down the Rio Tinto in Spain Making a good impressionism: These rolling hills in Washington State look like a painting when captured in the right light This otherworldly cloud pattern is called Undulatus Asperatus. Named in 2014, the formation looks like waves crashing through the ocean Kaleidoscopic hills: This terrain looks like an artist's impression of an alien planet. However, the spectacular landscape, found at the Zhangye Danxia Landform Geological Park in Gansu Province, China, is actually the result of red sandstone and mineral deposits being laid down over 24 million years Hot stuff: The Horsetail waterfall in Yosemite looks like free-flowing fire, but it's actually an optical light illusion caused from the sun setting and hitting the mountain face at the right angle 'You can see the strain on the actual fabric of the city,' he claimed Airbnb could be ruining Europe's most treasured historic cities, it's been claimed. The chief executive of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), Mark Tanzer, said that the affordability of home rental websites such as Airbnb is having a detrimental effect on tourist hot spots such as Florence and Barcelona. Tanzer claimed that there has been an influx of visitors to historic European sites. And, because of this, they will eventually struggle to cope with the numbers. Barcelona's famous unfinished cathedral (above) is a tourism hotspot and one that could eventually feel the physical impact of the increase in visitors to the city caused by affordable travel company Airbnb 'You can see the strain not just on the tourist experience but on the actual fabric of the city and on the residents there,' Tanzer explained at a conference in London recently, The Times reported. 'Overcrowding in key destinations is becoming a pressing issue. Without controls, we know tourism can kill tourism.' This unchecked influx of visitors could damage local economies, he warned. He added: 'People will stop going. Or the danger is that you will get the footfall but you will not get the value of tourism - people spending in restaurants or shopping and supporting the local economy. If they cant get around the city you are going to lose value from tourism even if the numbers are going up.' 'Customers have certain expectations and rights regarding travel accommodation and other services, irrespective of how those arrangements are purchased, whether is it a question of quality, safety, or protection of the customers money.' An ABTA spokesperson said today. 'We believe that new distribution models such as peer to peer accommodation, particularly those that are run on a professional, commercial basis, should be held to the same standards as traditional models; both industry and holidaymakers should be assured that any commercial enterprise is properly monitored and regulated. 'One issue that is becoming increasingly pressing is that of overcrowding in some major tourist destinations. The growth of the peer to peer economy, and the arrival of tourists from new source markets, are responses to a growing demand for tourism. 'But at some point soon we shall need mechanisms to manage numbers in crowded destinations, for the benefit of the industry, the customers and the destination residents. Logically, these measures would need to take account of both hotel visitors, and peer to peer accommodation users,' the spokesperson added. While hotels and hostels have seen their visitor numbers dropping, San Francisco start-up Airbnb has seen a relentless rise in its popularity. It now operates in 34,000 cities in 191 countries - drawing in 900,000 visitors to Barcelona alone last year - allowing private owners to rent out rooms directly to holidaymakers. It's even received the support of the Rio Olympic Games, winning a contract for a reported 20,000 rooms and the backing of George Osborne's 'sharing economy' plan. 'Without controls, we know tourism can kill tourism': Abta's Mark Tanzer warns that large numbers of visitors to cities such as Venice (pictured) can have a detrimental effect However, the travel company is not unanimously popular. Julian Ledger, chief executive of YHA Australia, told a parliamentary inquiry that some Airbnb properties are being operated like illegal hostels, The Guardian reported. There are now laws in San Francisco that restrict Airbnb hosts from renting out rooms for more than 90 days a year and Iceland is looking to make the home-sharers register as businesses. Airbnb has forcibly refuted these claims. The company insists that whereas hotels will centralise guests in city centres, Airbnb spreads tourists across communities, lessening the impact of travel and introducing tourism as an economy to new communities. It told MailOnline Travel: 'It is disappointing - but not surprising - to see attacks on new forms of travel that put money in the pockets of local residents and support small businesses outside hotel districts. 'Experts agree that Airbnb helps more people to travel and spreads guests and benefits beyond city centres to more families, communities and local businesses - many that haven't previously benefited from tourism. 'Home sharing is an economic lifeline for countless families and we are proud to work with cities around the world to support them.' Tanzer's comments have received a great deal of criticism on social media, with comments suggesting that as a representation of hotel and hostel agents he is just hitting out because he is feeling the pinch. Santorini in Greece is just one of many cities worldwide that is now restricting tourism numbers to protect its local environment and culture Regardless, there has been an increase in reports of holiday destinations restricting tourists on the grounds of overwhelming numbers. In January, Unesco's World Heritage sites officials said that in Machu Pichu, Peru, the sheer number of visitors was weakening the stonework of the Incan monument. Mont-Saint Michel, France, seconded this as it revealed tourists mill about 'shoulder to shoulder, four to five thick'. After Omori in Japan was added to the International Council on Monuments and Sites list it went from a sleepy town to welcoming almost one million tourists. The community was unprepared and is now looking for ways of limiting the impact. Similarly when Lijiang Old Town in the southwestern province of Yunnan, China, was awarded World Cultural Heritage status in 1997 it saw traveller numbers swell to over 16 million and outside hoteliers move in. A whopping 790,000 cruise passengers visited Santorini in 2015, an amount that is said to be causing socioeconomic and environmental pressures Koh Tachai in Thailand has gone so far as to bar visitors as a permanent solution for preventing further irreversible environmental damage from tourism. Following 2.5million people descending on the Cinque Terre U.N. World Heritage park in Italy last year the town is now ticketing visitors to ensure they keep below a 1.5million barrier. In a similar move the Santorini in Greece is restricting the number of boats that dock on its shores. Following the 790,000 visitors to the island in 2015, officials are keen to preserve and protect the picturesque port so from this summer it will only allow 8,000 passengers to disembark a day. excursions are also popular, including Tuscany and Rome The Vatican City is blessed with some of the most incredible art and architecture in the world. And apparently this isn't lost on tourists, because a queue-skipping excursion to the tiny state has come up trumps in a top 10 list of the world's best tours. Elsewhere in the world, Stonehenge in the UK, the Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA, and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai are all among the most-booked attractions, too. The most popular tour booked by holidaymakers in 2016 is entry to the Vatican (above) - but they loved other Italian attractions too Tours within Italy are extremely popular and make up much of the top 10 list according to the bookings made on travel tours app Viator. Aside from the Vatican tour, which will let you skip the line to visit the Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica, there's also visits to the nearby Colosseum and hop-on hop-off tours within Rome. In the USA, holidaymakers are signing up for tours to the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon departing from Las Vegas. Holidaymakers also enjoyed trips to the Moulin Rouge in Paris. But there's a difference in the attractions booked by iOS and Android users. For those booking on iPhones and iPads, it's tours to Stonehenge and Bath, Tuscany in a Day, the Tokyo Robot Cabaret and a Mt. Fuji Bullet Train excursion from Tokyo that got them booking. Meanwhile, Android users preferred tickets to Burj Khalifa, a tour of Murano and Torcello from Venice, a hop-on hop-off tour of San Francisco and the New York City Explorer Pass. If you're looking for your next holiday destination 2016's list of Most Reputable Countries is a good place to start. With their spectacular fjords, unspoiled landscapes and friendly reputation the Scandinavian nations rank the highest. The bustle of vibrant Stockholm, an untouched coastline and a global status as socially liberal and welcoming helped Sweden nab the number one spot. Sweden (Stockholm pictured) ranked highest in the 2016 Most Reputable Countries list by the Reputation Institute TOP TEN MOST REPUTABLE COUNTRIES 1. Sweden 2. Canada 3. Switzerland 4. Australia 5. Norway 6. Finland 7. New Zealand 8. Denmark 9. Ireland 10. Netherlands From the 2016 Country RepTrak from the Reputation Institute Advertisement Norway, Finland, Denmark and the Netherlands are all in the top 10, too. The ranking, which measures how countries are perceived and respected worldwide, was calculated for the annual survey by Boston-based consulting firm the Reputation Institute. The nations were ranked using answers from an online questionnaire filled out by 48,000 residents of G8 states. They were asked to judge a place's safety, beauty, progressive social and economic policies, effective government and friendly attitude to visitors and 11 other attributes. Notably, the UK did not appear in the top 10, instead placing at number 13 for the second time in a row. The data revealed that a country's reputation isn't tied to its size or power, whether physically or in global politics. The United States of America had the largest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and third biggest population, but only ranked at 28th on the list. Peace and happiness is an important indicator of a country's overall placement. Denmark, Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Canada, New Zealand and Australia all rank in the top ten overall but also in the peacefulness and happiness indexes. Unsurprisingly countries suffering from political turmoil or are ruled by a dictator have the worst reputations. Kazakhstan, Nicaragua, Angola, Algeria, Russia, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran and Iraq make up the bottom 10. Accommodation in New York city is notoriously expensive, with average nightly rates being in the hundreds. But one quirky rental, located within 10 minutes of Times Square, is offering guests 'exceptional views of the city' for just $39 (29) a night. The only catch is that it's inside a renovated taxi - and there's no shower facility. Scroll down for video The taxi is currently parked in Long Island City in the borough of Queens where it's accessible via subway trains It features a full-sized bed, pillows and blankets as well as a portable air conditioner, but there's no room for a shower The location has spectacular views of the New York skyline (pictured) and is in close proximity to local cafes and gyms This unusual room for the night is currently listed on home-sharing site Airbnb by its owner Jonathan Powley, who describes it as a taxi renovated into 'swanky living quarters'. The vehicle had once been a working taxi on New York's streets before being used for films. Since last year, it's been parked semi-permanently as a rental. It features a full-sized bed, comfy pillows and blankets and there's a portable wireless air-conditioner. Perhaps unusually for Airbnb, Powley says he offers a turn-down service with 'fresh flowers, fresh fruit and a warm welcome note'. The converted vehicle is currently parked on a street in Long Island City in the borough of Queens and is said to be close to underground stations and neighbourhood cafes. But while a New York subway train will take you to central Manhattan within minutes, the perks end there. There are no basics like showers for obvious reasons but Powley will provide you with a list of gyms where you can wash, should you need it. Powley told MailOnline Travel that he offers a turn-down service with flowers, fresh fruits and a warm welcome note to guests The good news is that there is a portable camping toilet - though it doesn't actually flush. This listing is definitely one where you have to make the most of the neighbourhood as you also have to charge your electronics at nearby cafes - but Powley, who lives in the area, is more than happy to point you in the right direction. Despite the downsides, it's had some very positive reviews. Jolana, who stayed in June, wrote that it was a 'great experience' and she would 'definitely do it again'. Another user, Steve, said that he got a great night's sleep and enjoyed the 'wonderful skyline view of Manhattan across the water'. However, the taxi experience was clearly not for everyone. Two of the guests who stayed in the taxi said that they didn't stay the night. Selena wrote that the air conditioning had broken and due to the mosquitoes in the area they had to leave in the middle of the night. Briana also checked out early and according to her review, 'the mattress and bedding looked less than inviting'. The taxi is basic but it does come with themed interiors (left) and a portable air conditioning system (right) Powley told MailOnline Travel: 'It's not for everyone. Some people are really nasty and it's just not for them. I didn't write a rebuttal to those reviews as lots of people have a great time.' He added: 'The negative things are just not true. It's in a great neighbourhood. If they don't like it, I will refund them the money and they can go somewhere else.' Powley also said that the neighbourhood is one of the safest in New York, though nervous travellers should probably book an apartment. Most of the guests so far have been a younger demographic who are backpacking, according to Powley, but he's also hosted a couple who were sharing their one-year anniversary. To help make the occasion more special, Powley, who had previously worked for Ritz Carlton, placed fresh strawberries and bananas in the vehicle and dressed the bed with petals. Powley, who also has two other vehicular rentals on Airbnb, both of which are currently let out to former guests, said: 'People can stay anywhere, it's just something fun to do.' OTHER UNUSUAL AIRBNBS Some of the unusual listings on Airbnb have been taken down because they didn't meet quality standards. Left, the 'private room in a public space' in Peckham and right, the Californian petrol station The New York taxi is not the only unusual listing on Airbnb. Earlier this year, MailOnline Travel reported that a 110-year-old lifeboat had been transformed into a home in the Scottish Highlands and was being listed on the home-sharing site for just 50 a night. In California, a man invited guests to stay in his petrol station for just $50 (37.89) a night although the listing has since been removed as it did not meet quality standards. A tongue-in-cheek listing for a 'private room in a public space' in Peckham, South London, was also taken down as it did not meet standards. The 'room' was essentially a mattress near some garages and had no walls or ceiling. There are also some more 'legitimate' listings. Taos, New Mexico, USA This off-the-grid house in Taos, New Mexico, is completely tucked into the landscape but has surprisingly spacious living quarters The host of this unusual accommodation is offering an 'off-the-grid' house, tucked into the landscape, that catches rain water and generates its own electricity. It's partially hidden underground but that doesn't mean it's missing any of the luxuries. In fact, Netflix can be played on the flat screen TV and there's some serious spacious living quarters. Cottonwood, Indiana, USA Most people will pass this building in Cottonwood, Indiana, and think it's some sort of art installation but it's in fact a rental home If you love dogs, there's probably nowhere better to stay than in a home shaped like a giant beagle. And the only public transport that goes to the remote location are Greyhound buses. Inside, there's lots of dog-themed memorabilia and canine artwork. Needless to say, dogs are very welcome at the property. Los Angeles, USA This vintage trailer is inside a loft in the art district of Los Angeles. There's also other rooms and office spaces in the same building This unusual property lets you stay inside a trailer that's parked inside a factory loft. The owner lives in a room upstairs and there's also people living in the other rooms of the loft, as well as office spaces. But if you want the feeling of staying outdoors, without actually being outdoors, you'll be hard pressed to find a better place to stay. Advertisement Advertisement This stomach-churning drone footage captures the moment three daredevils scaled the Eiffel Tower - without any safety equipment. Russian trio Ivan Kuznetsov, 22, Alihan, 20, and Ivan Semenov, 24, who operated the drone, showed no fear earlier this month when they took on the 985ft-tall structure. But they had to be cunning with their delivery to avoid being caught by tower security in Paris. Head for heights: Ivan Kuznetsov was captured by a drone operated by his friend scaling the Eiffel Tower in France Incredibly, the Russian daredevils were not wearing any safety equipment as they made their daring adventure in the Eiffel Tower The wind can be heard picking up during the stomach-churning drone footage, leaving Ivan to grab onto the structure And incredibly, the three thrillseekers did not wear any safety equipment, despite the weather being windy, raining and foggy. A spokesperson for holiday booking website Travel Ticker, who sponsored the climb, said: 'The guys spent the night hiding in the tower waiting for the best moment to climb to the edge of it. You can actually see them getting caught in the video, but they still managed to complete the climb. 'It wasn't too difficult for them as they have experience climbing other structures.' Kuznetsov has scaled tall buildings all over the world, including skyscrapers in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Moscow among others. He shares these exploits on his Instagram page. Footage taken from the drone, which was operated by Ivan Semenov, shows his friend Ivan Kuznetsov taking some daring steps 'The guys said that the climb was not too difficult as the tower's structure is pretty comfortable for such endeavour,' continued the spokesperson. 'However it was tiring as they had to spend the night hiding in the tower.' The video begins by showing the Eiffel tower winding down at night, as many tourists pack up and leave for the day, the thrillseekers purchase tickets at the last minute. The three Russians had managed to evade tower security to stay there the night before their early morning climb The early morning exercise was not what you might choose to carry out - some 985ft above the ground in the Eiffel Tower The group were sponsored to do the climb by Travel Ticker, who say they support the 'thrill of exploring new places' For the Russian trio, their adventure was only just beginning. The footage shows how they managed to stay hidden within the tower until 5.20am the following morning, and despite the elevators resuming operation, they manage to remain unseen. They then carry out their dangerous operation. Eimantas Balciunas, the CEO of Travel Ticker: 'The whole team behind Travel Ticker are keen travelers and love the thrill of exploring new places. 'We wanted to encourage more people to get into travelling and decided to start running a travelers' support program. That's how Ivan's and Travel Ticker paths met.' Despite it being a grey and gloomy morning in Paris one day in early June, it doesn't take away from the Russians' daring feat Kuznetsov has scaled tall buildings all over the world, including skyscrapers in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Moscow among others Australian swimmer Lisa Curry is currently in a relationship with Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone. And while things are going swimmingly for the pair, Lisa, 54, is reportedly 'devastated' that her former flame of five years, Joel Walkenhorst, 34, is engaged to another woman. According to New Idea magazine, 54-year-old Lisa is heartbroken at the news, that comes just seven months after the pair split in November. Scroll down for video Upset? Australian swimmer Lisa Curry is said to be 'devastated' that her former flame of five years, Joel Walkenhorst, 34, is engaged to his new partner (Lisa is seen here at a Sydney event in August 2012) The way they were: According to New Idea magazine, 54-year-old Lisa is heartbroken at the news, that comes just seven months after she split with Joel Walkenhorst in November 'Lisa is trying to hide her feelings but those closest to her know that she is really hurt,' an insider told the publication. Joel is now engaged to blonde Russian Ekaterina Oleynik, with the publication reporting they met in Bali last year before he proposed in Russia. 'It's all he ever wanted,' the magazine reports a source said. Moved on: Joel is now engaged to blonde Russian Ekaterina Oleynik (pictured) with the publication reporting they met in Bali last year before he proposed in Russia New flame: Lisa is currently dating Elvis impersonator Mark Tabone and the pair are currently in Fiji The source added that Lisa not divorcing her ex and father of her three children, Grant Kenny, played a part in the demise of her relationship with Joel. According to the glossy, Joel was never invited to Lisa and Grant's Christmas celebrations and Joel also saw her growing close to new lover Mark. It came after the pair reportedly wanted to start a family together. 'She made him feel like he was never important enough,' the source said. Daily Mail Australia has contacted Lisa for comment. Three's a crowd: Lisa is seen here with Joel and Mark Tough: In March last year, shortly before Lisa and Joel's split, New Idea reported the former couple were struggling with living together in their motorhome when they traveled around Australia to promote her fitness business In March last year, shortly before Lisa and Joel's split, New Idea reported the former couple were struggling with living together in their motorhome when they traveled around Australia to promote her fitness business. 'We had so many arguments over nothing, I lost count,' Joel had told the magazine at the time. 'Its lucky I dont have a licence to drive a motorhome because I may have taken off and left him behind.' she said, adding: 'I'm sure he thought of doing the same thing on occasion!' Smitten: Joel announced his engagement on Facebook on June 16 The moment? Joel shared online a shot of the pair in a room with candles and flowers, appearing to be from the night he proposed Sitting pretty: EKaterina is blonde with blue eyes Joel announced his engagement on Facebook on June 16 and shared a shot of the pair in a room with candles and flowers, appearing to be from the night he proposed. Lisa has since moved on with Mark Tabone and has enjoyed a holiday to Fiji with him as she promote her fitness courses. Appearing the picture of happiness, Lisa has shared plenty of pictures of herself with her new man in the idyllic location, looking smitten. She wrote in part of the caption under one picture of her and Mark: 'Such a great 2 weeks in Fiji with plenty of laughs and dancing with @mark66andrew.' She's also shown off her toned figure in a bikini, including sharing a shot of herself floating in a swimming pool at their resort. Fiji calling: She's also shown off her toned figure in a bikini, including sharing a shot of herself floating in a swimming pool at their resort 'Hope you're not too cold in Oz..... Soaking up the rays in Fiji,' she wrote. In February, Mark and Lisa sparked engagement rumours when she was spotted wearing a gold band on her ring finger. Lisa and Mark only confirmed their romance on New Year's Eve, sharing an end of year post on Facebook. Lisa - who hails from Brisbane - is mother to daughters Morgan, 25, and Jaimi, 28, and son, Jett, 21, who she and former Ironman Grant had during their 23-year marriage. The swimmer represented Australia 16 times, picking up 30 international medals in the process. She has gone onto launch a healthy lifestyle guide, KiSS 10 Week Weightloss Program, to help people struggling to lose the extra pounds. The program includes healthy recipes, instructional videos, exercise plans and access to an online club. Family: Lisa - who hails from Brisbane - is mother to daughters Morgan, 25, and Jaimi, 28, and son, Jett, 21, who she and former Ironman Grant Kenny had during their 23-year marriage Taupe-loving interior designer Kelly Hoppen was invited to a party this weekend where guests were encouraged to dress up as famous showbusiness faces. It wasnt clear, though, who Hoppen, 56, had gone as. Was she EastEnders star Barbara Windsor, Coronation Street character Bet Lynch or Italian socialite Nancy DellOlio? Taupe-loving interior designer Kelly Hoppen was invited to a party this weekend where guests were encouraged to dress up as famous showbusiness faces. It wasnt clear, though, who Hoppen, 56, had gone as None of the above. It turns out that Hoppen, who wore a strapless red sequin evening gown and tousled blonde wig (pictured), was meant to be Marilyn Monroe. Least said, soonest mended. Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood has clearly become preoccupied with the responsibilities of new parenthood. The guitarist seems to have taken his eye off the ball when it comes to his art business, which has recorded big losses. Wood, 69, whose wife Sally gave birth to twin girls last month, has filed accounts for his company, Ronnie Wood Private Collection Ltd, which reveal losses of 683,000 and less than 4,000 in cash at the bank. The keen painter has stocks worth 128,377 and is owed 32,666 from debtors. But the firm, which channels income from his painting and exhibitions, owes creditors almost 850,000 within a year. Perhaps he should get his twins painting as soon as theyre big enough to hold a brush. It's not all politics for Hollywood starlet Lindsay Lohan, who bemused her fans by providing a running commentary on social media as results were declared during the EU referendum. The 29-year-old actress found time to attend a London party thrown by Wimbledon champion Boris Becker this weekend to celebrate the 40th birthday of his wife Lilly. In tribute, perhaps, to Julia Roberts character in the film Pretty Woman, Lindsay turned up in a sparkly silver mini-dress and studded thigh-high leather boots (left). Lindsay Lohan found time to attend a London party thrown by Wimbledon champion Boris Becker this weekend to celebrate the 40th birthday of his wife Lilly Her pair came at a price, though: by designer Tom Ford, they cost more than 1,500. As Dolly Parton once quipped: It costs a lot of money to look this cheap. Fifty Shades Of Grey author E. L. James could soon overtake Harry Potter creator J. K. Rowling to become Britains highestearning novelist. Fifty Shades Ltd, the firm James started under her real name, Erika Mitchell, to handle the royalties from her series of erotic books, enjoyed a turnover of 29.8 million last year. This is an 11.6 million increase on 2014. The accounts, which the writer has filed at Companies House, include the income from the film adaptation of her first book. I hear that Jane Andrews, who worked as the Fergies dresser for nine years, is in talks with publishers about bringing out her memoir Sarah, Duchess of Yorks rehabilitation seemed to be complete at Royal Ascot when she was seen curtseying to the Queen in public for the first time in 25 years. However, a figure from Fergies past could be about to put a spoke in her wheel. I hear that Jane Andrews, who worked as the Duchesss dresser for nine years, is in talks with publishers about bringing out her memoirs. Andrews, 49, who was jailed in 2001 for murdering her boyfriend Thomas Cressman, became so close to Fergie that they swapped clothes and, allegedly, even boyfriends after the Duchesss marriage to Prince Andrew hit the rocks. Sarah is said to have long feared what Andrews could say about their relationship. We have been made aware that Jane Andrews is looking to find a publisher for her story about working for the Duchess of York, although we have yet to receive a script, discloses a publishing source. Andrews witnessed at close hand Sarah Fergusons tumultuous life following the demise of her marriage. Not only did she work for Sarah between 1988 and 1997, she also became her confidante, witnessing the blossoming of her affair with financial adviser John Bryan who, in 1992, was photographed in the South of France sucking Sarahs toes. Andrews travelled with Fergie on overseas assignments, looking after her clothes and jewels. But relations became strained when Gaddo della Gherardesca, an Italian count who courted the Duchess for four years, developed a relationship with Jane. After this, her employment was terminated something she deeply resented, and she expressed to friends her intent to seek revenge. Andrews has indicated that she would like Hollywood actress Meryl Streep to play her if her memoirs are turned into a film. She is said to have a stash of drawings and paintings made by Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie when they were children. Since her release in June last year, the murderess has tried to resume her love life, dyeing her hair blonde and registering on a dating website. We dont know how much Miss Andrews has written at this stage or whether she may need a ghost writer to assist, adds the source. We believe there is a strong market for her story, but it is early days. John Burton-Race was such a famous chef that ITV asked him to appear on 2007s Im A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! While he was in the jungle, though, his wife Kim put up notices in their celebrated Devon restaurant, The New Angel, revealing he had been having an affair and announcing that she was leaving him and shutting the eaterie. Now the TV chef, 59, who married his mistress, the artist Susan Ward, appears desperate to drum up business after admitting work has dried up. Hes moved back to the West Country since a venture in London ended and is offering to cook for customers in their own homes. I finished working in London four or five months ago and thought that, apart from the odd consultancy job, that was it but its not, he says. Instead of having a restaurant, which would involve me trying to find a backer, well go into peoples own surroundings. Im missing cooking and my wife says Ive got more grumpy since I stopped. Most people who wake up with pillow marks on their skin find that the lines soon disappear. But socialite Caroline Stanbury is taking a more drastic approach. Prince Andrews friend has resorted to laser treatment costing from 1,380 a time. Most people who wake up with pillow marks on their skin find that the lines soon disappear. But socialite Caroline Stanbury is taking a more drastic approach It involves resurfacing the skin using a beam of heat which vaporises the damaged area. Caroline, 40, (pictured during a session) explains: My doctor says the only way to stop this from continuing to happen is for me to sleep on my back. I just cannot seem to do that, so lasers are my line of defence. Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour was devastated when his adopted son Charlie was jailed for drug-fuelled violent conduct after being filmed swinging from the Cenotaph at a student protest. But now, hes been given some far happier news. Former Cambridge student Charlie, who has been working as a journalist since his release from jail in 2011 after four months, has become engaged to set designer Janina Pedan. The whole family is thrilled, says a friend. Janina is a lovely woman and has been a real calming influence. Charlie, whose mother is novelist Polly Samson, has started training his pet magpie which he rescued from a dustbin to act as ring bearer at the wedding. Celebrated British actor Sir John Hurt, whose career has spanned more than 50 years, is haunted by the number of death scenes hes appeared in. After seeing a video compilation on YouTube of 40 of his on-screen demises, Alien star Hurt, 76, said: I die in such spectacular ways, and I remember shooting them all, too. I imagine all those deaths will flash in front of me when Im on my deathbed, faced with the real thing. Kadek Mahardika, 31, best known for his role of Ketut from the AAMI insurance advertisements, and his wife Laura Jack, 25, have welcomed their second child together. The actor and his wife opened up about life with their newborn with this week's issue of Woman's Day, explaining that their little boy was named 'baby' for the first few days of his life. Laura told the publication: 'He didn't have a name for two days'. Scroll down for video Baby bliss: Kadek Mahardika, 31, who is best known for his role of Ketut from the AAMI insurance advertisements and his wife Laura Jack, 25, have welcomed their second child together She went on to explain: 'We had two options - Jordy and Lenny - but we couldn't decide between them because he didn't look like either!' The doting parents decided on Lenny Adiasa Mahardika for his name after Laura won a game of scissors, paper, rock against her husband. Kadek is every inch the doting father and his wife gushed about how much he cheered her on during the birth of their second child. Family: The couple are also parents to a three-year-old daughter, Mila, and he has an eight-year-old son, RJ, from a previous relationship. Pictured 2013 Laura told the publication: 'It was like he was at an AFL grand final during my labour because he was cheering so much and encouraging me.' The couple are also parents to a three-year-old daughter, Mila, and he has an eight-year-old son, RJ, from a previous relationship. Both Kadek and Laura want their children to grow up with a strong understanding of their Balinese heritage and Lenny will have a Hindu naming ceremony at six months old. Big role: He is best known for playing Ketut in the AAMI ads, but now works as a building site administrator in Melbourne where the family is based The couple, who met five years ago at a mutual friend's wedding, were married last year in a stunning beachside ceremony in Bali. He is best known for playing Ketut in the AAMI ads, but now works as a building site administrator in Melbourne where the family is based. In the series of advertisements, viewers watch their chance meeting turn into a holiday fling with one liners like: 'Kiss me Ketut,' from a sunburned Rhonda, and: 'You look so hot today, like a sunrise,' from the Bali native. She created a stir when she started dating activist Christine Marinoni back in 2004. And Sex And The City star Cynthia Nixon and her wife looked so in love as they showed off their son Max at the Gay Pride March in New York on Sunday. The bisexual beauty seemed to be having a great time as she mingled with the crowd, which included the likes of NYC mayor Bill De Blasio and controversial civil right activist Al Sharpton. Family affair: Cynthia Nixon and wife Christine Marinoni showed off son Max at the Gay Pride March in New York on Sunday Other dignitaries at the event, which was held just two weeks after the horrific attack at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, included presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cynthia, 50, showcased her slender figure in a grey T-shirt and white trousers, while her partner, who she married in 2012, went for an androgynous look of plaid shirt and jeans. Their five-year-old boy, who Christine gave birth to in February 2011, meanwhile seemed to be enjoying the pomp and circumstance, and looked cute as a button in his T-shirt and denim shorts. Mother-of-three Cynthia also has 20-year-old daughter Sam and a 14-year-old son Charles with schoolteacher Danny Mozes, her lover from 1988 until 2003. Pride of place: She was carrying her adorable boy on her shoulders as they drunk up the atmosphere Shouldering the burden: Her wife then took a turn so Cynthia could take a well-earned rest Speaking about her relationship with education activist Christine in 2007, she said: 'I don't really feel I've changed. 'I'd been with men all my life, and I'd never fallen in love with a woman. But when I did, it didn't seem so strange. I'm just a woman in love with another woman.' She formally identified herself as bisexual in 2012, telling the Advocate that her sexual orientation 'is not a choice'. But Cynthia was far from the only famous face who was lending their backing to the cause, with others showing their support via the power of social media. Lending her support: The Sex And The City star held up a banner remembering the victims of the Orlando nightclub shooting two weeks ago Leading from the front: She was among the lucky few leading the throng through the streets of New York Al right now: She was marching with controversial civil right activist Al Sharpton Madonna and Jennifer Lopez were two other celebrities who marked the event, putting messages of support on their Instagram pages, with the former saying: 'Support Gay Pride in NY and London. Today loveislove. All over the World.' Lena Dunham also made a statement, saying: 'Like a lot of weirdo straight girls, the LGBTQ community raised me up right, showed me what radicalism could mean, that the personal could be political, that our true identities are all we have. 'Today we remember those we lost to HIV/AIDS (I love you, Jimmy) and to crimes of hatred and negligence. We mourn the monstrosity of Orlando. And we celebrate a community that cannot and will not leave its siblings behind. 'Let's now push for a world where queer people of color are safe from violence and persecution, where trans health and humanity matters to everyone, where love conquers all. And let's dance.' Mingling: They were joined at the bustling event by New York mayor Bill De Blasio Tia Mowry showed off her svelte physique in a skintight textured dress for the BET Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles. The Roberto Cavalli black, white and cream frock - which had silver fringe accents - clung to the 37-year-old's curves. The actress revealed toned legs in the thigh grazing dress, pairing the high-neck look with Stuart Weitzman heels and diamond jewelry. Wow: Tia Mowry showed off her svelte physique in a skintight textured dress for the BET Awards on Sunday in Los Angeles The mother of one's dress featured a wrapped-style design with silver fringed pieces dangling from the fabric. Tia paired the designer number with sparkling strappy heels as well as diamond earrings and rings from Sarah Magid Jewelry. The Tia Mowry At Home star wore her ombre tresses back into a sleek, low ponytail. Fancy: The Roberto Cavalli black, white and cream frock - which had shimmery silver fringe accents - clung to the 37-year-old's curves Glittering: The actress revealed toned legs in the thigh grazing dress, pairing the high neck look with Stuart Weitzman heels and diamond jewelry Tia's makeup artist Gabriela Cardenas used shimmering brown and black eye shadow and pink lip gloss on the star, all by Smashbox. The Food Network star arrived on the carpet with her husband actor Cory Hardrict, who looked dapper in a black tuxedo and bow tie with a white button up shirt. Before hitting the red carpet, the former child star shared a snap of her glamorous look to her 2.9 million Instagram followers. Love is in the air: The Food Network star arrived on the carpet with her husband actor Cory Hardrict, who looked dapper in a black tuxedo and bow tie with a white button up shirt Strike a pose: Before hitting the red carpet, the former child star shared a snap of her glamorous look to her 2.9 million Instagram followers The lovebirds married in April 2008 in California after dating for eight years. Tia and Cory are parents to son Cree Taylor Hardrict, who turns five on Tuesday. Before heading over to the BET Awards, the starlet shared a photo of her younger brother actor Tahj Mowry, 30, and her son Cree on Instagram. Pretty lady: Tia's makeup artist Gabriela Cardenas used shimmering brown and black eye shadow and pink lip gloss on the star, all by Smashbox Happiness: Before heading over to the BET Awards, the starlet shared a photo of her younger brother actor Tahj Mowry, 30, and her son Cree on Instagram Messages Home: Lost Films of the British Army (Channel Four) Rating: Casualty (BBC1) Rating: Smiling broadly, his uniform neatly pressed, a cheeky Army private spoke directly into the camera and in a broad Lancashire accent said: Ello mother. Its a bit warm out ere. Im missing fish and chips and a decent pint. The year was 1943 and he was a member of the British 14th Army in Burma the Forgotten Army of World War II whose bravery was overlooked and overshadowed by victory in Europe. People may well have expected the long-awaited return of Nurse Duffy in the 1,000th episode of Casualty (BB1, Saturday) to be a tear jerker but in the end it was all a bit of a damp squib Messages Home: Lost Films Of The British Army (C4, Sunday) told the story of some of the men who took part in a Forties film project called Calling Blighty. With troops thousands of miles from home, many of them lonely and depressed, the idea was to raise their morale by filming messages to loved ones, and then screening them at cinemas back in the UK. Some 391 reels were recorded and many were feared lost until two years ago, when builders working on the basement of Manchester Town Hall unearthed 23 featuring men of the East Lancashire Brigade. The North West Film Archive then set about tracking down some of their surviving families. They included the two sons of Norman Ellor, who recorded an upbeat and jovial message to his sweetheart Betty. But, privately, he was in despair. Letters home to his friends revealed that he was lonely, hated the war and lived in constant fear that Betty would give up waiting for him. In the end, Norman returned safe, married Betty and had his two sons. Messages Home: Lost Films Of The British Army told the story of some of the men who took part in a Forties film project called Calling Blighty Frank Miller, of the Kings Own Regiment, told his family that he was in the catering corps. In fact he was a member of the Chindits a special force who undertook dangerous missions and lost 4,000 men in Burma. Not wanting the folks back home to worry or know of the dreadful conditions they were living in was a constant theme of the Calling Blighty show reels. Dont worry about me. Im in the pink! said one soldier while others sang Shes A Lassie From Lancashire. Perhaps the most moving story featured in this wonderful documentary was that of Ann Alsop. John Hartley, the father she never met, was shown sending loving messages home to his wife Mildred. Two years later he was shot by a Japanese sniper. Mildred remarried and refused to discuss Anns father with her. With the help of a military historian, Ann was able to learn the circumstances of his death and the valiant attempts made by his fellow soldiers to save him. It was impossible not to shed a tear as she visited her fathers grave in India for the first time. People may well have expected the long-awaited return of Nurse Duffy in the 1,000th episode of Casualty (BB1, Saturday) to be a tear jerker but in the end it was all a bit of a damp squib. POTTY MOUTH OF THE WEEKEND Adele stole the show at Glastonbury. But whod have thought the lady who sings such classy ballads would have sworn even more than rapper Kanye West when he headlined last year? Advertisement Having retrained as a midwife in record time, Duffy was holidaying in the UK and decided to do a few agency shifts at the hospital where she used to work (as you do). Needless to say, it was no time at all before her skills were required in the emergency department. E.D.? Oh yes, I think I remember the way, said Duffy, as she removed her surgical mask before marching off to save the day. Elsewhere, Dr Elle Gardner was having a bad day at work. After she had wrongly accused senior nurse Charlie Fairhead of stealing drugs, all her colleagues were freezing her out. How could she ever win back their trust? By saving a babys life, of course. Now in its 30th year, Casualty is far less the medical drama that it once was and much more of a suspension-of-reality soap opera. So it was that we had ostracised Dr Gardner performing an emergency C-section (no obstetricians available, you see) aided by a midwife who worked in an entirely different department. By the end of the episode, it was back slaps all round and Dr Gardner was being invited to breakfast by the nurses who had wanted to spit in her tea at the beginning of the episode. She has longed for a third biological child and made no secret of the fact that, even at 49, she prays for a miracle to extend her brood. But Nicole Kidman's priest says the actress has never forgotten her adopted children Isabella, 23, and Connor, 21, from her marriage to Tom Cruise. Speaking to New Idea, Father Edward Steiner of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, said: 'She's definitely praying for those kids. 'The job of parents if to give them a place to land and come back to ...' Scroll down for video Hopeful: Nicole Kidman's priest says she has never forgotten her adopted children Isabella, 23, and Connor, 21, from her marriage to Tom Cruise. Pictured with husband Keith Urban Adopted children: The Australian actress helped raise Isabella, 23, and Connor, 21, during her marriage to Tom Cruise The Australian actress, who helped raise daughter Isabella and Connor with actor Tom, has previously told how she believes their religion Scientology has driven a rift between them. Nicole and Tom adopted Isabella in 1992, followed by son Connor in 1995 before they divorced in 2001. Isabella was born in Miami, Florida, to a married Scientologist mother-of-two, who according to later media reports decided she couldn't cope with a third child. The 9lbs baby was handed to Nicole shortly after her December birth, and the actress was heavily involved in her early years. Holding court: Father Edward Steiner, of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Incarnation in Nashville, said: 'She's definitely praying for those kids' Young family: Nicole and Tom Cruise adopted Isabella in 1992, followed by son Connor in 1995 before they divorced in 2001. Pictured in 1996 in Sydney Following the breakup of Cruise and Kidman's 11-year marriage the pair initially shared custody, however the children later chose to live with their father in Los Angeles. Both Connor and Bella embraced Tom's belief in Scientology, with the religion cited as a wedge between Nicole and her children in director Alex Gibney's hard-hitting documentary Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief. The Church of Scientology has since denied the claims, while Nicole has previously refuted speculation of a divide prompted by her children's religious leanings. The way it was: Tom and Nicole are pictured at the 49th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills in 1992 In September Isabella quietly married IT consultant Max Parker in a Scientologist ceremony at The Dorchester hotel in London and none of their famous parents were invited. Indeed only a handful of friends were present for the marriage which featured a reception in a trendy Shoreditch bar. Now Bella is carving out her own path in life, opting to begin married life in quiet south London - shunning the glitz and glamour of her formative years. On Monday a family friend told Daily Mail Australia: 'There is absolutely no truth in Nicole speaking to a priest about her adopted children. She never comments on them.' Indeed she told Vanity Fair back in 2013, Nicole made it clear she had no desire to do battle with her children's religion. Maternal: The 49-year-old star shares daughters Faith Margaret, seven, and Sunday Rose, five, with husband Keith 'I've chosen not to speak publicly about Scientology. I have two children who are ScientologistsConnor and Isabellaand I utterly respect their beliefs.' The Hollywood star is also the proud mother of biological daughters Faith Margaret, seven, and Sunday Rose, five. In March, she told Marie Claire: 'I wish I wasn't but, yes, I'm done with babies.' In January 2011 Nicole revealed daughter Faith Margaret was born to a surrogate at The Women's Hospital at Centennial Medical Center in Kidman and Urban's adopted hometown of Nashville. She completed the actress's family and today the Sydney-based star counts herself lucky to have a big family. Doting mother: Nicole is seen arriving in Sydney with her brood in 2013 Espousing her love for her New Zealand-born husband, she tells Marie Claire she cannot bear to be apart from him for one day. 'I just think we were meant to be together, it's that simple, We are just really into each other and into our kids and we're just a family,' she says. The actress has long stressed the importance of home life and maintains that if there was a choice between her career and her family, Keith and their children win, hands down. 'The joy I get from us as a family far outweighs any joy in any other area in my life so far,' she previously said. Hollywood: The actress is pictured at the CMT Music Awards in Nashville in June Nicola Wheeler has some dramatic scenes coming up in this week's Emmerdale. Her character Nicola King is seen being dragged out of Mill Cottage after it has been set alight by Rakesh (Pasha Bocarie) as part of an insurance scam. Dan Spencer (Liam Fox) and Ronnie Hale (John McArdle) are seen rescuing an injured Nicola from the burning building before she is rushed to hospital. Scroll down for video Dramatic scenes: Nicola King (Nicola Wheeler) is seen being dragged out of Mill Cottage after it has been set alight by Rakesh (Pasha Bocarie) as part of an insurance scam in upcoming Emmerdale scenes Rakesh was unaware that Nicola was upstairs when he set fire to the cottage. She is trapped in the burning building when a box of white spirit explodes and sends scaffolding collapsing onto her. Hearing her screams for help, Ronnie and Dan rush inside, pulling her to safety, but Nicola is injured. Ronnie heads back inside the blazing cottage as he is worried that Priya and Vanessa are also inside, having seen them at the house earlier. To the rescue: Dan Spencer (Liam Fox) and Ronnie Hale (John McArdle) are seen rescuing an injured Nicola from the burning building before she is rushed to hospital They are all unaware that desperate Rakesh has set fire to his development as an insurance job. Speaking to the Express this week, Nicola explained that a stunt double was called in to help complete the dramatic scenes, with the actress admitting she was glad she didn't have to play action girl herself. 'Having seen the way she threw herself at the wall, no! Its pretty tough what stunt ladies and guys do. Id do it but I know Im one of these idiots that would break my arm on the first take. Id be useless. No one would insure me to do it!' She also explained that being a new mum has helped her when it comes to shooting the more emotional storylines on the ITV soap. 'I actually find it really easy to cry. I think having a 15-month-old baby and being sleep deprived Im always on the brink of crying,' she pointed out. She split from fiancee Phoebe Dahl six months ago. But it seems Ruby Rose is continuing to enjoy the company of someone new, in a series of snaps with her rumoured girlfriend, businesswoman Harley Gusman. Harley and Ruby have both shared various shots from what appeared to be a casual photo shoot involving the pair. Scroll down for video Hand-in-hand: Ruby Rose and rumoured girlfriend Harley Gusman appear very happy in a series of photos that have been posted to Instagram One photo shows the two strolling along a canal in LA, holding hands and smiling in the sunshine. Ruby, 30, looks her effortlessly cool self, looking away from the camera and sporting a mostly-black ensemble. Her cropped raven locks are styled in a sleek do, framing her stunning features perfectly, and she has shielded her eyes behind a pair of Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses. Happiness: The two seemed to be very content in each other's company, with Ruby draping her arm over Harley's shoulders in one black and white snap The DJ and actress is sporting a sheer black shirt over a black cropped bra and vintage blue denim shorts, as well as collection of jewellery. Her new rumoured flame Harley beams widely as she looks towards the camera, clearly content to be walking hand-in-hand with Ruby. She is also sporting an edgy yet cool look, wearing a loose-fitting singlet top, and a flannelette shirt tied around her hips. Business and play: Harley, 24, owns her own skincare company called Truly Organic The 24-year-old stunner, who owns her own skincare company Truly Organic, has a patterned bag slung over her shoulder and has added a trendy choker-style necklace to her laid-back look. Her honey-coloured tresses fall loosely to her shoulders and are pulled away from her face in a middle part. She has captioned this particular photo: 'come back alert'. 'Ridin' around': The pair seem to have been spending a lot of time together, and they were pictured heading out for dinner together in Hollywood in early June Moving on? Ruby split from fiancee Phoebe Dahl six months ago and appears to be enjoying spending time with new and old friends Ruby shared a black and white snap from the shoot, with her arm draped over Harley's shoulders as they smile at one another. Harley is reaching up to grasp Ruby's hand. They are sporting the same outfits as previous photos and appear to be very happy to be in each other's company. The art of kissing: In another snap Ruby and Harley seem to be VERY interested in a book about kissing Making it in LA:Ruby joined the cast of Orange Is The New Black to play sassy Litchfield inmate Stella Carlin in season three, earning sex symbol status from the role Ruby announced her split from long-term partner Phoebe in December last year after being engaged to her for 20 months. The model and TV personality joined the cast of Orange Is The New Black to play sassy Litchfield inmate Stella Carlin in season three, earning sex symbol status from the role. After garnering a legion of fans from the American comedy-drama, Ruby has managed to secure various modelling gigs and roles in new movies. She has recently been busy filming John Wick: Chapter Two and xXx: The Return of Xander Cage and also wrapped up filming for Resident Evil: The Final Chapter. A good match? Ruby and Harley started to appear on each others Instagram accounts earlier this month She's found herself in the middle of a NYPD corruption scandal. But on Friday, Gabi Grecko kept her head held up high as she stepped out in New York, sporting a rather saucy pair of stockings. Turning heads as she passed by, the 27-year-old estranged wife of Geoffrey Edelsten happily paraded the urban streets in the provocative leg wear- which had the words Whip me, bite me, eat me, tease me embroidered on the back of the seam. Scroll down for video Make way! Gabi Grecko kept her head held up high as she stepped out in New York, sporting a rather saucy pair of stockings on Friday She teamed the sexy style statement with a tiny black and gold beaded dress, which was worn with studded leopard Christian Louboutin heels and a silver chain handbag. With her bright red locks left loose in luscious waves, her facial features were immaculate as ever with dark matte lipstick and dramatic eyewear. Gabis sighting comes after reports emerged that she engaged in mile-high sex romp with NYPD officers. According to the New York Post, the model was paid to perform sex acts on now-disgraced NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant, since-fired Detective Michael Millici and three other men during a private flight to Las Vegas in 2013. Turning heads: The 27-year-old estranged wife of Geoffrey Edelsten happily paraded the urban streets in the provocative garment - which had the words Whip me, bite me, eat me, tease me along the back of the seam Attention to detail: She teamed the sexy style statement with a tiny black and gold beaded dress, which was worn with studded leopard Christian Louboutin heels and a silver chain handbag She told the publication: 'I was supposed to be a sexy stewardess. Id ask: "Tea or coffee?" They all wanted me, I guess, and not the tea or coffee. 'I didnt think it would be as extreme as it was, but then because I obviously couldnt get off the plane, I had to do what they were telling me. 'More than one would try to get my attention at once. They were really creepy and very rude and offensive.' Following the admission, Gabi posted an Instagram video, in which she said: 'I can say today has been an incredibly scandalous day, but we all have a past. Hitting the headlines: Gabis sighting comes after reports emerged that she engaged in mile-high sex romp with NYPD officers We all have a past' Grecko claimed she boarded a private jet from New York to Vegas with Deputy Inspector James Grant and since-fired Detective Michael Milici before performing sex acts on them 'And all of us who never gave up on our dreams have done everything possible to hustle in order to get the things we want in our lives.' Pouting at the camera, she continued: 'And you should never be ashamed of that everyone has a past, what's your past?' Meanwhile, Gabi hit the headlines after she started dating Australian millionaire Geoffrey, whom she met in 2014 through a website and enjoyed a brief marriage in 2015 - with the pair tying the knot in June before breaking up five months later. At the time, the model claimed that Geoffrey had fallen in love with his long-term secretary, a claim Geoffrey has strongly refuted. Since the high-profile split between the Celebrity Apprentice Australia co-stars and couple, Gabi has since moved back to her native USA. Details: Grecko - who is divorcing her wealthy Australian husband, businessman Geoffrey Edelsten - claims she was dressed as a stewardess on the 2013 pleasure trip Coldplay performed a Viola Beach track at Glastonbury on Sunday evening. The band paid tribute to the indie rock band with their song Boys That Sing after all four members - Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and Jack Dakin - and their manager Craig Tarry plunged to their death from a bridge in a tragic car accident in Sweden in February. Frontman Chris Martin said the band 'reminded us of ourselves in our early days'. Scroll down for video Tribute: Coldplay performed a Viola Beach track at Glastonbury festival on Sunday evening He said: 'We're going to create Viola Beach's alternative future for them and let them play Glastonbury for a song,' before adding: 'This would have been [Viola Beach] in 20 years.' The band played the track instead of David Bowie's heroes, which they usually perform, and showed footage of the late group performing. In a touching gesture, Coldplay were joined by Chris' two children, Apple and Moses, on backing vocals - alongside two of their cousins. Not only that, but his ex-wife and the mother of their children Gwyneth Paltrow was also seen in the audience, watching on with a huge smile on her face as the kids helped with the singing. Sweet: In a touching gesture, Coldplay were joined by Chris' two children, Apple (second right) and Moses (left), on backing vocals - alongside two of their cousins Proud mama! Gwyneth Paltrow was seen in the audience filming her kids and their cousins as they performed on stage with her ex-husband Chris Confident kids: The youngsters showed no signs of nerves as they delivered backing vocals for the track Well, their mother is Gwyneth! Looking cute, the youngsters sported sensible wellies and warm tops He said: 'We're going to create Viola Beach's alternative future for them and let them play Glastonbury for a song,' before adding: 'This would have been [Viola Beach] in 20 years.' He also flew a flag that was emblazoned with the world 'love' as he delivered the set before a background of dazzling lights Looking cute, the youngsters sported sensible wellies and warm tops. And Gwyneth - who famously 'conciously uncoupled' from her husband Chris in March 2014 - couldn't have looked happier to be a part of the gig. The blonde Hollywood star, 43, flashed a huge grin while singing along to the meaningful track, acting the ever-supportive mother to her two children from the crowd. Proud girlfriend: Chris's girlfriend Annabelle Wallis was clearly proud of COldplay Good view: The actress showed the scene of the crowds at the festival Also in attendance was Chris's actress girlfriend Annabelle Wallis, who posted Instagram photos from backstage. Keeping it equally casual for the occasion, Chris wore his signature look which consisted of a short-sleeved T-shirt over a long-sleeved top - something he seems to wear for almost every single live occasion. He also flew a flag that was emblazoned with the world 'love' as he delivered the set before a background of dazzling lights. Happy to be there! The blonde Hollywood star, 43, flashed a huge grin while singing along to the meaningful track, acting the ever-supportive mother to her two children from the crowd The time of their lives! The little ones looked overawed to be a part of such a huge musical event Taking after their parents: Apple (left) and Moses (right) looked like mini versions of their famous parents Keeping it equally casual for the occasion, Chris wore his signature look which consisted of a short-sleeved T-shirt over a long-sleeved top - something he seems to wear for almost every single live occasion The apple doesn't fall far from the tree: The two youngsters, joined by their cousins, looked on good form Live set: The British band, who enjoy massive wealth, scolded British voters for choosing to leave the EU The band played the track instead of David Bowie's heroes, which they usually perform, and showed footage of the late group performing. Speaking previously about plans for the tribute, a source said: 'Coldplay always support upcoming bands and the new news of Viola Beach's sudden death hit them all hard as fellow musicians.' Crowd-pleasers: The gesture will no doubt delight the family members of Viola Beach, who died tragically Get him a stylist! Chris is always seen wearing tie-dye T-shirts over long-sleeved tops, which is not a good look Chris Martin of Coldplay performs on the Pyramid Stage as the band headline the Glastonbury Festival Speaking previously about plans for the tribute, a source said: 'Coldplay always support upcoming bands and the new news of Viola Beach's sudden death hit them all hard as fellow musicians.' The special performance follows April's memorial concert held at the band's hometown of Warrington, Cheshire, North West England, where fellow indie stars The Kooks, The Zutons and The Coral performed on stage at the Warrington Parr Hall, where Viola Beach were due to perform before they lost their lives. At the time of their tragic deaths, several music stars mourned the loss of the rising rock band including former Oasis star Liam Gallagher, The Stone Roses and Kasabian. They all got behind a campaign to get the group's single Swings & Waterslides into the charts. Defying gravity: Ellie Goulding was determined to provide the entertainment as she stormed the Glastonbury stage brimming with energy on Sunday night Glittery girl: The 29-year-old songstress showed off her phenomenally toned figure, the result of her militant fitness regime, as she rocked barely-there hot pants with a dazzling tunic Legs eleven: Sticking to her tried and tested skimpy shorts look, she slipped into her favoured leather bottoms, rolling up the hemline to allow maximum leg exposure Rocking out: American singer Beck performed on the Pyramid Stage on Sunday evening Flamboyant: PJ Harvey wowed the crowd at The Other Stage Festive fun: Millie Mackintosh and her beau Hugo Taylor were spotted enjoying Glastonbury all weekend Abs-tastic! On Saturday Rita Ora had truly got into the festival spirit, dressing down in a comfortable black Adidas tracksuit and wellies Dressing it up: The 25-year-old singer, who has a line with Adidas, worked sports-chic to perfection, teaming the casual look with a tiny blue sequin bandana top They rekindled their romance following a six-month relationship in 2011. And Millie Mackintosh has now spoken about her former Made In Chelsea co-star Hugo Taylor, who she admits is 'great' and making her 'very happy'. The 26-year-old ex-reality star reunited with her former flame, 30, following her divorce from Professor Green, which they announced in February after marrying in 2013. Scroll down for video Happiness is... Millie Mackintosh has now spoken about her former Made In Chelsea co-star Hugo Taylor, who she admits is 'great' and making her 'very happy' Rumours of Millie and Hugo's romance surfaced shortly after Millie's split, with the renewed relationship finally being confirmed when the duo were seen enjoying a trip to Monaco earlier this month. In an interview with The Telegraph, the blonde beauty coyly answered questions about the sunglasses designer: 'Im great. Hes great. Im very happy, thats all I can say.' The article reveals Millie's phone screensaver is an image of the inseparable couple, who spent the weekend enjoying the festivities at Glastonbury festival. While she gushed over Hugo, the fashion designer was wholly less forthcoming with talk of her ex-husband as she said: 'I cant really talk about it. Its for legal reasons.' Young love: The 26-year-old ex-reality star reunited with her former flame, 30, following her divorce from Professor Green, which they announced in February after marrying in 2013 Can't talk... While she gushed over Hugo, the fashion designer was wholly less forthcoming with talk of her ex-husband as she said: 'I cant really talk about it. Its for legal reasons' On Thursday night, Hugo took to Instagram to share a snapshot of himself hugging a smiling Millie as they posed for an affectionate selfie on the grounds of the enduring Somerset fest. 'First trip to @glastofest,' Made In Chelsea's Hugo captioned the image, which showed him wearing a grey hoodie under a black leather jacket and a pair of circular-framed mirrored sunglasses. The ever-glamorous Millie looked elegant in a fur-trimmed coat, teamed with a wide-brimmed black hat, from which fell her wavy blonde locks, as she smiled for the camera. And as the pair took to their social media accounts to share shots of their time together at the festival, Millie's ex-husband, Professor Green, was spotted on the grounds. 'He's great': In an interview with The Telegraph , the blonde beauty coyly answered questions about the sunglasses designer: 'Im great. Hes great. Im very happy, thats all I can say' Things could be decidedly strained if the two do run into each other, especially as she she reunited with Hugo after her divorce from the hip-hop star was finalised. Millie saw her two and a half year marriage to rapper Professor Green, 32, dissolved in just 30 seconds at the end of May They were granted a decree nisi at Central London Family Court with Millie citing 'unreasonable behaviour' as the reason for their split. The divorce comes just three months after the couple announced they were separating after living separate lives. Over and out: Millie saw her two and a half year marriage to rapper Professor Green, 32, dissolved in just 30 seconds at the end of May Onwards and upwards: In a statement at the time, they said: 'It is a mutual decision, we still care deeply about each other and would like it to be known that it is on amicable terms and we wish each other well' In a statement at the time, they said: 'It is a mutual decision, we still care deeply about each other and would like it to be known that it is on amicable terms and we wish each other well.' They decided to part shortly after returning from a make-or-break holiday in Florence, Italy, which was well documented on their respective Instagram pages, in which Stephen said they had gone on the break after only spending one day in each other's company all year. He said: 'It was the first time I had seen her properly in 30 days. We had seen each other like ships in the night, but we werent getting any quality time together. It is good sometimes to have space, but it is also difficult when you miss someone for that long. Glamour: Millie had dated Hugo for six months in 2011 when they appeared on the Made in Chelsea series together 'It used to happen when I was touring. You would have a day off and try and have the best day of your life. But then youd just start arguing. That is a relationship.' Millie had dated Hugo for six months in 2011 when they appeared on the Made in Chelsea series together. However, their romance came to an end in 2013 when it emerged he had slept with her best friend Rosie Fortescue. She is expecting a baby with Rob Kardashian. And Blac Chyna said on Snapchat on Sunday that she is extremely excited to welcome their new arrival. The pregnant 28-year-old showed off her ample cleavage in the social media post, writing: 'Can't wait until the baby is here'. Can't wait: Blac Chyna said on Snapchat on Sunday that she is excited to welcome their new arrival Chyna then flashed her chest which was trying to escape from a vest top. The former exotic dancer was fresh from joining Mariah Carey on stage in Las Vegas. She looked flustered as the songbird diva sat her down on a bed where a very hunky dancer with ripped abs did his things while standing over the future E! star during her show on Saturday night. Close up: Chyna then flashed her chest which was trying to escape from a vest top Eyeful: The pregnant 28-year-old showed off her ample cleavage in the social media post Showing off her bump in a beige dress the star - whose real name is Angela White - was placed on a white bed with pillows strewn everywhere. Earlier on Saturday, the 28-year-old model showed off the two dozen red roses the bad boy of Keeping Up With The Kardashians star had gifted her. This comes after UsWeekly reported the two will wed in July after his mom Kris Jenner, 60, who urged the two to tie the knot in July. Pregnant: She is expecting a baby with Rob Kardashian It was also claimed that the wedding will be filmed for a reality TV special with E!. It's the second child for Blac Chyna, who has three year old son King Cairo with ex-fiance Tyga, who recently split from Rob's half-sister Kylie Jenner. Rob and Chyna's relationship has certainly moved quickly. The couple went public with their romance in January, got engaged in April and announced the pregnancy last month. She was on-again-off-again with ex Gaz Beadle for four years before their relationship finally ended with a painful split. Now Charlotte Crosby has opened up in the latest issue of New Weekly magazine about which of her Geordie Shore cast members she had a crush on in the past. The 26-year-old told the publication: 'I would definitely swipe yes for Scott, because I think Scott's really good lookin'!' Scroll down for video Swipe yes! Charlotte Crosby has opened up in the latest issue of New Weekly magazine about which of her Geordie Shore cast members she has been crushing on in the past including Scott Timlin The former reality star then added: 'It sounds weird and I would never do this, but if I didn't know Aaron, I would swipe for him.' Charlotte then said: 'I used to fancy Aaron for a very, very long time... Before he even came on the show, I fancied him.' The bubbly blonde explained that her days of crushing on Aaron are over, as they developed quite a close bond on Geordie Shore and they're just good friends. Another Geordie boy: The 26-year-old told the publication 'I would definitely swipe yes for Scott, because I think Scott's really good lookin'!' Cheeky crush: The former reality star then added 'It sounds weird and I would never do this, but if I didn't know Aaron, I would swipe for him' Charlotte was in Australia recently for a whirlwind tour of the country after quitting the reality television series Geordie Shore. It's been a tumultuous month for the starlet,who broke up with former co-star Gary after he cheated on her during his time on Ex On The Beach, but she is keen to start dating again. The beauty recently spoke to Daily Mail Australia and said: 'I'm looking for someone whos nice, like not an a***hole whos actually got good morals and would actually treat me properly that's the main thing.' Globetrotter: Charlotte was in Australia recently for a whirlwind tour of the country after quitting the reality television series Geordie Shore It's over: It's been a tumultuous month for the starlet who broke up with former co-star Gary Beale after he cheated on her during his time on Ex On The Beach but she is keen to start dating again Charlotte admitted she 'doesn't have a type' and wants to date different kinds of men to see what would be best for her. However, there are a few things she is looking for and they will come as little surprise to fans of the controversial reality show, known for its non-stop partying and crazy antics. 'They need to have a good sense of humour and they definitely have to be fun, crazy and spontaneous,' she said. She has kept a low profile over the weekend since her businessman husband Oliver Curtis was sentenced to two years behind bars for insider trading. And on Monday, PR maven Roxy Jacenko emerged putting on a brave face as she took her daughter Pixie, four, and son Hunter, two, for a stroll in a sunlit park. Taking to Instagram with a snap of the trio clasping hands, the 36-year-old entrepreneur wrote: 'The bravest, most caring two people I know - proud of what wonderful and kind little people you are.' Scroll down for video Putting on a brave face: PR maven Roxy Jacenko emerged on Monday with her daughter Pixie, four, and son Hunter, two, for a stroll in a park days after husband Oliver Curtis was jailed for insider trading Tense: Roxy is pictured on Friday outside Sydney's NSW Supreme Court shielding her gaze behind dark sunglasses after her husband Curtis was sentenced to two years Attempting a broad smile in the dim morning light, the Sydney PR supremo dressed casually for her first appearance with her family as they make the best of life in the absence of Curtis, 30, who was jailed on Friday. Wearing a hoodie, jeans and padded jacket, she leans in towards her children who each raised a perky smile for the camera. And, unlike her many previous appearances at NSW Supreme Court, Roxy poses without her sunglasses to face the camera. Brave: The 36-year-old mother of two pursed her lips as she was seen leaving court on Friday The last Roxy saw Curtis was around 10am on Friday when she gave her husband one final kiss and left the the court in the middle of a media scrum after Curtis was sentenced for conspiracy to commit insider trading. She headed to her car and drove her black four-wheel-drive straight into the underground carpark at her office in Double Bay, inner-east Sydney, and posted to her company Instagram Sweaty Betty PR by about 11am. '25% OFF all #pixiesbows,' the post said, alongside a picture of her daughter blowing bubbles. Handcuffed: Oliver Curtis leaves the Supreme Court towards a prison van on Friday to begin his jail sentence after being found guilty of insider trading Justice Lucy McCallum said at Curtis's sentencing he knew what he was doing was 'very wrong' but used his insider trading with his former best friend to fund a 'lifestyle of conspicuous extravagance'. She ordered he receive a minimum one-year jail sentence and serve a good behaviour order for a further year. Curtis will now spend the next year at Silverwater Correctional Complex, in Sydney's west, as his family carve a life without him. Business as usual: About 11am, the first social media post after the sentencing surfaced on her company's Instagram page, Sweaty Betty PR The jury had found Oliver Peter Curtis guilty of conspiracy to commit insider trading in early June. Prosecutors told the jury he and pal John Hartman made $1.4 million in net profit through the scheme, which ran from May 2007 to June 2008. The jury heard the pair split the profits 50/50 - spending it on a lavish overseas holiday, a $3000-a-week Bondi apartment, a $60,000 Mini Cooper and $20,000 Ducati motorcycle. The court heard evidence Curtis gave Hartman a Blackberry mobile phone so the stocks analyst could send him tips via encrypted messages. Curtis then traded on the information, buying complex financial products called CFDs (contracts for difference). Hartman served 15 months prison for insider trading offences and was released in 2012. She's the star of The Real Housewives of Melbourne who has never been shy about admitting that she's gone under the knife. But while fans know Janet Roach for her signature taut visage, on Sunday the reality TV star decided to take a trip down memory lane by sharing a throwback photo of herself on Instagram. 'My skin looks just as good now as it did back then!' boasted the 57-year-old, who credited her Raw Essentials line of natural teas for her ageless appearance. Trip down memory lane! Janet Roach took to Instagram to share a vintage photo of herself (left) The blonde beauty explained that she was on day 26 of her 'Raw Essentials Teatox Challenge,' which is a month-long challenge that promises to 'rid our bodies of toxicity and restore inner health and balance.' In the image shared to social media, Janet shows off her softer, plumper skin. The stunning property developer has been open about her love of plastic surgery, openly confessing that she's undergone a temporal lift and breast implants. 'My skin looks just as good now as it did back then!' The 57-year-old boasted that her Raw Essentials tea range has keep her skin in the same condition as it was in her youth Take the challenge: The Real Housewives of Melbourne star recommends taking her Raw Essentials Teatox Challenge to 'rid our bodies of toxicity and restore inner health and balance' She's also admitted to using Botox and fillers. Janet launched her Raw Essentials tea line last year with her entrepreneurial son Jake, who tragically suffered burns to 70% of his body when he was just 22. A portion of the profits from Raw Essentials go directly to The Roach Foundation, a charity started by Janet and Jake to assist burns victims. Plastic fantastic: The blonde beauty has admitted to Botox, fillers, a temporal lift and breast implants Finally: Season three of The Real Housewives of Melbourne will finally make its way to U.S. screens in July Filming for season four of The Real Housewives of Melbourne has yet to begin as production company Matchbox Pictures puts its energy into launching installments of the popular franchise in Sydney and New Zealand. Daily Mail Australia is told that the current Melbourne cast haven't been given notice to begin filming yet, and that Matchbox Pictures is currently hiring new producers to handle the company's growing workload. While Australian fans await another season Real Housewives of Melbourne, the show will finally return to U.S. screens in July when it airs on the Bravo network. Tracee Ellis Ross sizzled in snakeskin on Sunday upon arriving for hosting duty at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. The 43-year-old actress rocked a long skintight green reptilian dress that featured a front cutout. The Black-ish star polished off her outfit with shiny pointy heels and dangling earrings. The hostess: Tracee Ellis Ross rocked a snakeskin dress on Sunday at the BET Awards in Los Angeles Tracee had her hair slicked back and also added a pop of colour with bright red lipstick. She was co-hosting the awards show at the downtown Microsoft Theater with her Black-is co-star Anthony Anderson. Tracee and Anthony, 45, dressed up in period costumes as they took part in a skit themed after the award-winning Broadway hit Hamilton. 'Why does BET have us dressed like people in the Roots?,' Anthony asked referencing the slavery miniseries remake. Television star: The actress stars in ABC's Black-ish with Anthony Anderson who co-hosted the awards show with her Tracee earlier this year also hosted the Black Girls Rock! event in Newark, New Jersey. The star-studded event in April featured a performance by Rihanna who also was an honoree. Tracee is Diana Ross' daughter with music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein and Evan Ross is her half-brother. Period costumes: Tracee and Anthony dressed up in period costumes for a Hamilton skit Fun skit: Anthony twirled Tracee around during the skit paying tribute to Hamilton She's received critical acclaim for her portrayal of Dr Rainbow Jackson in the hit ABC show Black-ish. Tracee received a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination and also won two more NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on Black-ish. Black-ish premiered on September 24, 2014 and was renewed in March for a third season. Hit show: Tracee is shown with Anthony in a May episode of the ABC show Black-ish Shahs Of Sunset star Mike Shouhed finally admitted on Sunday's episode that his wife Jessica Parido left him after he cheated on her. Mike fought back tears as he told friend Reza Farahan that he made a 'catastrophic' mistake and was disgusted at himself for his behavior. The drama unfolded after Reza made repeated attempts to get to the bottom of Mike and Jessica's split while the group was away in Belize. Cheating confession: Mike Shouhed admitted to cheating on his wife Jessica Parido on Sunday's episode of Shahs Of Sunset He called Jessica on the phone and she told him that she had found 'inappropriate' messages on Mike's computer from another woman. Mike repeatedly told Reza and producers that he had done nothing wrong and Jessica had it all wrong before finally unburdening himself. 'I have somebody who I love dearly and I made mistakes, I was a bad husband and these text messages you alluded toyou know, there were text messages. 'And I f***ed up and I feel horrible about it and it has been eating at me,' Mike told Reza. Truth seeker: Reza Farahan was determined to learn the truth and got Mike to admit to cheating The show then cut back to producers again asking Mike if he cheated on Jessica. 'I can't hide it then, it is true,' he finally told them. 'I have never wanted somebody who didn't want me back, I have never loved somebody this much where I would be willing to shoot myself in the head if it made her happy,' he told Reza. Came clean: Mike finally came clean about cheating after taking Reza aside for a private talk Killing him: Reza watched as Mike broke down talking about the pain he caused Jessica 'I want her to see that the pain I caused her I am willing to take on a hundred times more pain so she doesn't feel an ounce more pain. It is f***ing killing me dude.' Reza told him that he loved Mike and was not against him. 'There is a huge piece of my heart that is missing, I hate myself for doing that. I am disgusted with myself for what I did. This mistake was catastrophic,' Mike moaned. Catastrophic mistake: Mike admitted that he made a 'catastrophic' mistake ruining his marriage Earlier in the show Shervin Roohparvar and Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedghi faced each other the morning after their huge bust-up at dinner. GG told the cameras that the argument was caused by Shervin 'not being a loyal friend' and talking about her to others about her rheumatoid arthritis. Shervin told the cameras that he and GG were good as long as he did not disagree with her and this was the result. Talked it out: Shervin Roohparvar and Golnesa 'GG' Gharachedghi after a big fight the night before talked it out and hugged He said that GG was drinking and smoking too much and as a friend he had been right to call her out on it. 'It pains me as even though I have known these people a lot longer than I have known you I feel five million times closer to you,' she said. Shervin told her that he was 'not talking s*** behind her back' but had been showing concerns. Hurtful words: GG was hurt by Shervin doubting her illness In the water: The reality star joined the guys on a tubing adventure in Belize The pair agreed to talk more openly with each other and he urged her not to fly off the handle at him so quickly. Mercedes 'MJ' Javid continued to try and contact her estranged boyfriend Tommy. She admitted that when he moved in with her she had become a nagging and controlling girlfriend and regretted her behavior toward him. Feeling lonely: Merced 'MJ' Javid was feeling lonely with no contact from boyfriend Tommy 'I think there is a probable thing that I am supposed to live alone, maybe I am too much to deal with, maybe I am just not worth it,' she told the cameras. Tommy then showed up unexpectedly much to MJ 's delight and she broke down crying when she tried to explain it to the cameras. 'There is a lot of love between us and when you don't fix things there are some beautiful things that can be lost,' she said through tears. Surprise guest: Tommy surprised MJ and arrived in Belize Choking up: MJ got emotional while talking about her relationship with Tommy 'I have definitely in the past had relationships that were not mended and that were meant to end but this is a beautiful exception to that,' she proclaimed. Tommy explained that the New York Mets were in the World Series but that he was there because he loved MJ. 'To see the smile and look on her face was so worth it,' he said. Mets fan: Tommy said he really loved MJ because he left watching the NY Mets in the World Series to be with her Shervin brought up Jessica to Mike and Reza told them that he had gone out to dinner with her before the trip. Reza then told Mike and the others that Jessica had told him that she had allowed Mike to say whatever he wanted but that 'the real deal' was that he had cheated on her. 'People make claims and after certain people make claims she sees it to be true,' Mike explained. His story: Mike at first said that Jessica 'blew up' after seeing a message a girl had sent him Mike said Jessica 'had blew the f*** up' after seeing a message that a girl had sent to him. 'Have I ever cheated on her? No,' Mike told them as they sat in the pool. 'But at this point I do not know what she believes. Girls throw themselves at me,' Mike told them. Pool talk: Mike claimed that he didn't cheat on his wife when talking to his friends in the pool Mike was then shown doing a segment to camera in which the producers told him that Jessica had been telling people that Mike was unfaithful to her 'a lot.' 'These are all allegations, the entire f***ing world knows I am married. I didn't keep it a secret,' Mike retorted. Mike told Reza that he did not 'have a guilty mind' so he didn't see the problem with how he interacts with women when he is out. All allegations: The reality star earlier told producers that he wasn't dumb enough to admit to cheating Reza told him that he 'had to face it' but Mike disagreed and got out of the pool. 'These stories do not add up. Mike and Jessica are telling me things that make no sense and we need to get to the bottom of this. Lives are at stake, marriage, futures, babies, family, this is some big s***,' Reza said. Shervin defended Mike saying he had never seen anything like that but Reza disagreed. 'I have known him for a lot of years and I know that he has had that in him, I am worried that I could have a friend that is in denial,' he said. In denial: Reza worried that Mike was in denial about his behaviour Reza and Asa then sneaked up on MJ and Tommy while they were naked in bed together. After cocktails MJ and Tommy agreed to a nude pool photoshoot and things got raunchy quickly as they posed for a string of sexy pictures. The rest of the gang took a break from the drama to go cave tubing, with Shervin admitting a fear of frogs and reptiles. In bed: MJ and Tommy were interrupted while in bed together Sexy pictures: Asa took nude photos of MJ and Tommy in the water Good times: GG was up front as the group went tubing in Belize Mike told the cameras that the tubing was better than therapy and that it told him that if he wanted his wife back he could do it. Asa and Reza then stripped off for a massage, with Asa urging him to talk to Mike about his issues. 'I want Mike to fess up to whatever Jessica has found out and Mike isn't prepared to or won't and I need to find out why,' said Reza. Back work: Reza and Asa got a massage as they talked about the Mike situation Reza called Jessica and told her Mike's explanation about the text message. She told him that she had gone on his computer to update her resume and an iMessage had popped up between Mike and a girl that went back months and carried on from the week after they got engaged. She told Reza that the messages included things like 'send me an address' and 'this is what I want you to wear.' Not appropriate: Jessica over the phone told about all the messages Mike had with another woman 'There were multiple messages that were not appropriate for a married man,' she told Reza and Asa over the phone. Reza told her he was devastated. 'This is so f***ed up,' Reza told the cameras before continuing talking to Jessica. Hard to believe: Reza was shocked when he learned the scope of the messages 'This is for real I am not going back to him,' Jessica said. Asked if there was no chance of a reunion, she simply said, 'No.' 'I mean he can't even admit it. How are we supposed to move on if he can't even admit it? 'It wasn't a one time thing like he claims, it was an ongoing thing,' Jessica said. Reza then confronted Mike and told him he had talked to Jessica. First confrontation: Mike was confronted by Reza about but the discussion ended quickly Mike denied the claims he had told the other woman to wear specific clothes and Reza told him Jessica wanted him to admit to what he had done. 'There is nothing to admit, so that's it, end of discussion,' Mike replied casually before telling the cameras his friends were 'vultures.' Reza kept on pushing Mike as he told him that what his wife had seen was not true and that he got messages from women all of the time. End of discussion: Mike initially told Reza there was nothing to admit 'You know what? I'm done, I am tired of this s***,' said Mike as he stormed off and insisted he was leaving. Reza tried to talk him out of it but Mike packed his bags and shut himself away in his bedroom. But with his microphone still on he could be heard saying 'F***. I f***ed up so bad.' Messed up: Microphones caught Mike lamenting his situation On the move: Mike insisted that he wanted to leave the trip Mike then stormed off with cameras following him. 'I am tired of this s***, they want to f***ing bury me,' he said. Asked by producers on camera if he cheated on Jessica, Mike replied: 'Come on. I'm stupid, I am not that stupid.' Good question: A producer asked Mike if he cheated but he didn't answer at first After storming off Mike returned and took Reza aside to confess. He then admitted to cheating on his new bride when asked again by a producer. The drama continues next week on Bravo. Miranda Kerr was certainly dressed to impress when she arrived at the new Kora Organics pop-up store at Westfield Sydney on Monday. The 33-year-old Australian model sported a gorgeous light blue blouse and striped skirt, the stylish RVN ensemble showcasing a hint of her toned stomach. He flat jacquard tank top featured cut-outs along the shoulders, while a ruffled design gave it a fashionable flare, perfect for the daytime event. Scroll down for video Stunning: Miranda Kerr was certainly dressed to impress when she arrived at the new Kora Organics pop-up store at Westfield Sydney on Monday Miranda's panelled A-line skirt hugged her figure perfectly, with its fabric flaring out below the knees and finishing just above her ankles. The statement number featured splashes of blue and white, along with mesh detailing throughout and a sheer fabric used for the base. A pair of white pointy-toed heels accentuated Miranda's model height, while she kept the rest of her accessories to a minimum. Stylish: The 33-year-old Australian model sported a gorgeous light blue blouse and striped skirt, the stylish ensemble showcasing a hint of her toned stomach Working it: Her top featured cut-outs along the shoulders, while a ruffled design gave it a fashionable flare, perfect for the daytime event Picture perfect: The mother-of-one knew exactly how to work her best angles for the cameras With her dark tresses pulled back in a chic ponytail, she simply sported a pair of elegant stud earrings and a delicate gold bracelet. Meanwhile, her baby blue eyes were highlighted with lashings of jet black mascara, while her pout was painted a picture perfect pink. After addressing the crowd who gathered at Sydney's Westfield shopping complex, Miranda happily signed autographs and posed for photos with some dedicated fans. Smiling stunner: As per usual, she flashed her pearly whites and signature dimples Glamazon: Miranda's fitted high-waisted skirt hugged her figure perfectly, with its fabric flaring out below the knees and finishing just above her ankles Attention to detail: The statement number featured splashes of blue and white, along with mesh detailing throughout and a sheer fabric used for the base Hours earlier she had posted to Instagram, informing her followers she would be making the in-store appearance. 'KORA Organics pop up shop is open today at Westfield Sydney! Come down xxx @koraorganics (sic),' she wrote. After having touched down in her home country last week, Miranda has been doing the promotional rounds. Brunette beauty: The former Victoria's Secret model's dark were tresses pulled back in a chic ponytail Special touches: She simply sported a pair of elegant stud earrings and a delicate gold bracelet Working: After having touched down in her home country last week, Miranda has been doing the promotional rounds And on Friday morning she admitted to KIIS 106.5 FM's Kyle and Jackie O show that she does indulge from time to time when it comes to her diet. She said that after a long day of filming for Australia's Next Top Model cycle ten in Sydney, she put her five-year-old son Flynn to bed and indulged in some red wine with a friend. 'My dad's friend makes it, so it's bio dynamic and yummy,' she said. 'The good bit is that every time we [she and her friend] get together, we start playing music on our phones... having a couple of wines and singing our hearts out and playing the cheesiest music.' Let's try that again: She showed her supporters exactly how to get the ultimate picture perfect shot Pleasure to meet you! The model also took the time to sign autographs for fans Bit chilly: It looks like the weather later took a colder turn, and Miranda covered up with a sleek black jacket draped over her shoulders In April 2014, the former Victoria's Secret model divulged her secrets to her glowing skin and incredible body, and how her routine changed after having her son Flynn in 2011. 'Right after the baby I was just more focused on making sure I was breastfeeding him and he was my priority,' she said. 'Whereas now... I have to make sure I keep up with my exercise routine more.' Good times: Miranda appeared to be in high spirits throughout the appearance Fan favourite: She was no doubt thrilled to see her supporters arriving at the event after she encouraged them to come along in an earlier social media post It's been a jam-packed year thus far for Elizabeth Olsen, whose latest blockbuster Captain America: Civil War hit screens just last month. But Sunday was back to normalcy for the 27-year-old, who made a stop at the local farmers' market in Studio City to shop for nourishing and healthy foods. Elizabeth browsed through a selection of local goods, and even picked up two blossoming bouquets of red flowers, wrapped in newspaper. Thanks a bunch! Elizabeth Olsen made a stop at the local farmers' market in Studio City to shop for nourishing and healthy local foods, as well as two bouquets of red flowers, on Sunday The actress leafed out several dollar bills as she paid for the bouquets, before leisurely strolling through the outdoor market with her new purchases in hand. Relishing her low-key morning, Elizabeth looked to be taking her time as she inspected bags of the local goods in her hand. Keeping her cool, Elizabeth looked casual in her frayed jean shorts and summery white halter top. She also tied a striped shirt around her waist, and slung both a shopping bag and small black purse across her body or shoulder. Paying her dues: The actress leafed out several dollar bills as she paid for the bouquets, before leisurely strolling through the outdoor market with her new purchases in hand Keeping her cool! The star looked casual in her frayed jean shorts and summery white halter top Elizabeth, whose older sisters are twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, accessorized the look with a wide-brim straw hat and a stylish pair of sunglasses. She wore her sandy blonde locks down and opted for comfortable black sandals. It was just last month Elizabeth was in England for a Christian Dior fashion show and starred in Marvel's latest film. Added extras: The 27-year-old, whose older sisters are twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, accessorized the look with a wide-brim straw hat and a stylish pair of sunglasses No rush! Relishing her low-key morning, Olsen looked to be taking her time as she inspected bags of the local goods in her hand Elizabeth plays hero Wanda Maximoff a.k.a Scarlet Witch in Marvels movies Avengers: Age of Ultron and Captain America: Civil War. And she recently revealed she wouldn't be opposed to taking center stage for a Scarlet Witch solo movie but it would have to be on one condition. Talking to Huffington Post, she explained: 'Its not something Im opposed to, but its also something that has to make a lot of sense. 'I wouldnt just do it just to do it. Itd have to make sense for how it advances in the world. But Id be open to talking about it. Id never say no to just an idea.' Worlds away! It was just last month the Godzilla actress was in England for a Dior fashion show and starred in Marvel's latest film She's set to star on the upcoming season of The Bachelor with Richie Strahan. But with filming done and dusted, contestant Kirralee Morris, known as Kiki, is enjoying some time away in Los Angeles. The 28-year-old glamour model put on quite the busty display last week while partying with a mixture of male and female pals at Toca Madera in West Hollywood. Scroll down for video On the other side of the world: With the filming of The Bachelorette having recently wrapped up, contestant Kirralee Morris, has been enjoying partying in Los Angeles - pictured last week, second from left In one photo shared on a friend's social media account, Kirralee was seen draping her arms around a man while celebrating a good friend's birthday. Not afraid to leave little to the imagination, she wore a white outfit with a plunging neckline, complete with racy criss-crossed straps that revealed her ample cleavage. She also visited the popular Katana restaurant in LA, and once again dared to flash the flesh. Busty: Pictured at Katana restaurant in West Hollywood, the glamour model sported a white ensemble The blonde bombshell sported a white jumpsuit, with a low neckline that undeniably drew attention to her bust. The brunette bombshell from Sydney has a modelling portfolio that extends to racy men's magazines such as Ralph and Zoo, and she's graced many a magazine cover. Kiki is also a former Telstra employee and according to her profile on the Playboy website, she 'dreams of travelling the world to help end whaling'. Racy: In one photo shared on a friend's social media account, Kirralee was seen draping one of her arms around a male pal while celebrating a good friend's birthday She is one of 19 women that will be vying for Richie's heart when The Bachelor Australia airs later this year. News broke that Richie would be Australia's fourth Bachelor in March, and he recently filmed the finale in Bali. Richie previously starred on The Bachelorette with Sam Frost last year. She's been primped and preened to perfection before strutting her stuff down the runway or posing in photoshoots. But Daisy Lowe proved that she doesn't mind getting dirty as she posed ankle-deep in a pool of mud at the Glastonbury music festival in Somerset on Saturday. The 27-year-old model ensured she stood out from the crowd in a quirky butterfly-inspired outfit which allowed her to show off her svelte frame in a black velvet leotard. Scroll down for video Flying away: Daisy Lowe, 27, proved that she doesn't mind getting dirty as she posed ankle deep in a pool of mud in a butterly outfit at the Glastonbury music festival in Somerset on Saturday The bodywear plunged subtly down the middle, however a pair of bra straps proved she had provided the right support for her ample assets. Her svelte legs were protected against Britain's temperamental weather in sheer tights, while her once-black wellies were completely caked in brown mud. The red and black wings of the ensemble proved to the real showstopper and boasted a further bout of bedazzling in the form of large silver gems. So impressed with her outfit, the London native took to Instagram to unveil that her mother Pearl Lowe had designed the get-up. Butterfly beauty: The red and black wings of the ensemble proved to the real showstopper and boasted a further bout of bedazzling in the form of large silver gems 'Made by my magical mumma': The London native took to Instagram to unveil that her mother Pearl Lowe had designed the get-up And Daisy did her best to work the outfit as she posed continuously with her arms in the air along with an ear to ear grin, completely disregarding her muddy terrain. However, in true model form the brunette donned another outfit during the day which was much more grunge inspired with a choker and ripped jeans. Daisy teamed it with a denim jacket, dangling silver chains and a large floppy hat which cemented her 'festival chic' look. Nineties: In true model form the brunette donned another outfit during the day which was much more grunge inspired with a choker and ripped jeans Although, she did opt to remain practical and instead of wearing a new pair of wellies she wore her original muddy ones. She also utilised her social media platform to also pay tribute to her fellow model pal Portia Freeman for accompanying her on all of the day of the festival. 'Words can't express how much I love my Glastonbury wife, my soul sister... Thanks for being my everything @portiaportiaaaa @fujiinstaxuk #instaxmoment,' she captioned the fun selfie. The daughter of rocker Gavin Rossdale couldn't be happier as she recently confirmed a new romance with Darius Campbell just weeks after splitting with her ex Thomas Cohen. Fashionista: Daisy wore denim jacket, dangling silver chains and a large floppy hat which cemented her 'festival chic' look Loving the dirt: She remained practical and instead of wearing a new pair of wellies she wore her original muddy ones She told Grazia magazine: 'No, I'm not single and, yes, he's a lovely guy.' However, the model admitted that she's not quite ready to settle down yet. She added in the interview: 'I used to be such a Saffy [from Ab Fab]. Even in my early twenties, all I wanted was to settle down and have a family, but now it's time to get out there, follow my dreams and have some fun.' Daisy has faced her fair share of heartbreak over the years and has had a number of high-profile lovers, including DJ Mark Ronson and actor Matt Smith. Her character was beloved by the people on King's Landing and was as sharp as a tack. And Natalie Dormer has blamed the death of fan favourite Queen Margaery in the show's finale on Sunday on the incompetence of the High Sparrow. The English actress believes the religious leader underestimated cunning Cersei Lanister, which led to him and almost all of the nobles in the capital of Westeros to get wiped out in a massive explosion of wildfire at the Great Sept Of Baelor. Pointing fingers: Natalie Dormer blamed the death of fan favourite Queen Margaery in the show's finale on Sunday on the incompetence of the High Sparrow The 34-year-old told EW: 'The reason it all goes tits up is because Margaery wasnt in control of the battle against Cersei. 'She had to hand the reins over to the High Sparrow and Cersei outplays him. By the end, Margaery is a victim of the High Sparrows incompetence. 'He underestimates Cersei and thats something Margaery Tyrell would never do. David and Dan try to stay as close to human nature as possible.' The Reading lovely was talking about the show's creators David Benioff and DB Weiss, who were forced to tell her she was leaving the show early due to her busy schedule. About to go 't**s up': Natalie used colourful language to describe her character's unfortunate fate Incompetent: She blamed Jonathan Pryce's character for underestimating Cersei She said: 'I preempted the phone call because in true Natalie Dormer-style I tried to fit a million projects into a single year. I requested they release me from working on the show earlier than usual so I could do another project, and they ended up phoning me, and that was The Call. 'But I got it six months ahead of normal. They were like, "We werent going to tell you this for a few more months, but were not going to release you now, so you cant do that job you really want to do and were really sorry about that. But on the bright side, we are going to release you proper in the not-so-distant future." 'It was good news, bad news. No you cant do this, but dont worry, youre going to have lots more opportunities very soon.' We've got to get out of here: Queen Margaery told the High Sparrow something was afoot Monk-y business: But the Faith Militant guards refused to let her out despite her being a free woman Charred Sparrow: The holy man was to die a particularly dramatic martyr's death But she still feels her character went out on a high, and believes it proves the show still has the ability to shock viewers. Natalie, who has starred in the show since 2012, said: 'I thought it was really clever. I really did. Its not an echo of anything youve seen in the last six years. 'Its truly its own unique moment to tie up whats been a unique storyline about whats happened in Kings Landing over the course of season 6. I thought it was an inspired choice. Its really interesting that I am given a moment of some vindication at the very end, which was the perfect way for Margaery to leave the show. 'Shes given a platform to say that she was right, as she always is. But because the power was taken from her, she couldnt do anything about it. Killer queen: Most of Cersei's enemies were killed off in one fell swoop after she had the building destroyed Here's wildfire in your eye: She smirked and drunk a glass of wine as she watched the explosion Len Goodman has reportedly signed a 3.3M deal to return to Dancing With The Stars. The 72-year-old judge will return to his position as head judge on the panel, with a brand new pay deal. According to reports US executives enticed the star back to the show with an offer that was too good to turn down. Scroll down for video Score! Len Goodman has reportedly signed a 3.3M deal to return to Dancing With The Stars A friend told The Sun: 'Len genuinely wanted to take a step back and enjoy a bit more free time. But he still has the energy of a man half his age so he thought why not. And the money is a bonus.' MailOnline has contacted a spokesperson for Len Goodman for comment. The Kent-born dancing pro has starred on Strictly Come Dancing's American adaptation since it started on ABC in 2005, taking a quick break for season 21. At the end of 2014 Len, who split his time between LA and London, told Digital Spy: 'Next year, I'm not going to do the flying backwards and forwards.' Comes with a price tag: The 72-year-old judge will return to his position as head judge on the panel, with a brand new pay deal 'I'm not going to do the American show... I've got to have a bit of time off'. 'I've got my wife, I've got my son, my mother is still alive and she's in hospital I've had virtually no time to go and visit her. 'So, I just need a bit of time off to get on with a normal life. And it was either Strictly went or the American one. Expert opinion: According to reports US executives enticed the star back to the show with an offer that was too good to turn down 'I'm doing the spring (season) when I go out there... and that's going to be my last one.' Dancing With The Stars celebrated its 10th anniversary and 20th series in 2015. 'So I think that's a nice place to stop,' Len added at the time. The busy dancing pro, who has also appeared as head judge on Strictly Come Dancing alongside Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood since it started in 2004, shares the US panel with Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli. MailOnline has contacted Len's representatives for comment. He's one of the world's most famous - and recognisable - men, thanks to his long, successful Hollywood career. But Brad Pitt still likes to just be a normal guy sometimes, focusing on his passions away from Hollywood, as he was seen attending the Born-Free Vintage Chopper and Classic Cycle Show in Silverado, California at the weekend. The handsome 52-year-old actor kept it on the down-low as he mingled with fans, including several beautiful ladies in very revealing clothing, at the prestigious motorbike event. Scroll down for video Surprise! Brad Pitt delighted a bunch of promo girls at the Born-Free Vintage Chopper and Classic Cycle Show in Silverado, California at the weekend Posing for snaps with a group of buxom promo girls in tiny skirts and low-cut vests, the husband of Angelina Jolie was seen clutching onto a beer while smiling for the camera. And, somewhat unsurprisingly, the bevy of biker babes looked thrilled to have him in their presence. He wore a white t-shirt and pale stone jeans, topping off his look with a fedora and shades, but he was still instantly recognisable as the Oceans Eleven star. And plenty of other motorcycle enthusiasts caught sight of the movie icon during the day, as he was nabbed several other times for photos. Fancy seeing you here! The 52-year-old Hollywood star gladly posed for pictures with other motorcycle enthusiasts at the prestigious event Getting involved: He was also seen chatting away to other fans of the two-wheeled vehicles at the show, at one point seemingly deep in conversation with a tattooed man next to a vintage bike Adding some Hollywood glamour to proceedings: He wore a white t-shirt and pale stone jeans, topping off his look with a fedora and shades, but he was still instantly recognisable as the Oceans Eleven star The father-of-six was all too happy to oblige, as he gladly posed with others, including a denim shorts-clad young woman in a cap. He was also seen chatting away to other fans of the two-wheeled vehicles at the show, at one point seemingly deep in conversation with a tattooed man next to a vintage bike. One user on Instagram proudly gushed over his brother's success at the Harley-Davidson sponsored festival, with his day being topped off by meeting the down-to-earth superstar. Motorcycle enthusiast: Brad reportedly owns 10 motorbikes, including a World War II Nazi bike that cost him $385,000 'Extremely proud of my brother! Not only did his bike win "Best Chopper" and "People's Choice" this year at the Born Free Show, but he also won his second trip to #Japan AND met #bradpitt,' wrote @yogier13. Brad - who is married to Angelina Jolie, with whom he has six children - has a keen interest in motorcycles and has an impressive collection. His dedication to bikes is so much so, last year he splashed out an eye-watering $385,000 on a World War II Nazi motorcycle. Enjoying some time off: Throughout the sun-soaked show, Brad was seen sipping on a beer He's also the proud owner of a $300,000 motorbike - a custom Ecosse Titanium Series XX bike - which he is frequently seen speeding around Los Angeles on while clad in black leathers. The actor, who reportedly owns around 10 motorcycles in total, even gave his son Maddox a Suzuki DRZ-125 dirtbike for his eleventh birthday, according to reports. Meanwhile, in his personal life, Brad is said to be in disagreement with his wife Angelina over her wishes to sell their sprawling Chateau Miraval property in France to help further her political career in London. 'Angelina is ramping up her efforts in the political world,' a source told UsWeekly. Speed demon: He's also the proud owner of a $300,000 motorbike - a custom Ecosse Titanium Series XX bike - which he is frequently seen speeding around Los Angeles on while clad in black leathers The Oscar winner has been working with Arminka Helic, the British House Of Lords member. 'They share a similar vision.' said a source. Jolie and Helic have partnered up for a nonprofit based in the UK. And the Maleficent beauty has also been teaching at Helic's alma mater the London School Of Economics. While Angelina is seemingly keen to enter the House of Lords, Brad does not want to let go of their French estate, wihch he has tirelessly renovated and which produced their own brand of pink wine. As of this summer, the stars are living in England where Brad is shooting the sequel to World War Z. He has just finished working on War Machine and Allied. Trouble? Brad and wife Angelina Jolie are currently said to be in disagreement over selling their sprawling French estate, as she wants to further her political career in London He's been hard at work on the set of The Dark Tower in South Africa. And it seems that Matthew McConaughey was making the most of a break in his schedule on Sunday, as the A-Lister marshalled his family through the departures lounged in Cape Town airport. Clearly focusing on his duties as a family man, the 46-year-old Dallas Buyers Club star appeared in high spirits after he successfully guided his wife and young children past the check-in desk. Scroll down for video Heading back home? It seems that Matthew McConaughey was making the most of a break in his schedule on Sunday, as the A-Lister marshalled his family through the departures lounged in Cape Town airport Having had to deal with the rigmarole of checking in, the Oscar-winning actor and his stunning wife, Camila Alves, 34, appeared to be well-versed in navigating an airport with their family in-tow. Flashing a smile as the group made their way through Cape Town International Airport, Matthew looked to be in high spirits at the prospect of some quality time away from work with his family. The couple were accompanied by their two eldest children, seven-year-old son Levi who wore his Favorite People Footwear Phillips Kids in Skyline Grey Picket White and daughter Vida, six - though their youngest son, Livingston, three, didn't appear to be with the family.Clearly keen to enjoy a comfortable flight, the Wolf Of Wall Street actor opted for a dressed down and casual look. Everyone here? Clearly focusing on his duties as a family man, the 46-year-old Dallas Buyers Club star appeared in high spirits after he successfully guided his wife and young children past the check-in desk A travel pro: Having had to deal with the rigmarole of checking in, the Oscar-winning actor and his stunning wife, Camila Alves, 34, appeared to be well-versed in navigating an airport with their family in-tow Teaming a black and teal track top with a pair of comfy grey jogging bottoms, Matthew certainly appeared to be taking a relaxed approach to his travel wardrobe. He rounded his look off with a pair of black and white trainers, whilst the Hollywood star also threw a blue backpack over one shoulder. Wearing his blonde locks slicked back off of his face, the actor left his chiselled features un-obscured. His wife of four year, Camila, appeared to be in-sync with her husband when it came to her wardrobe and rocked an equally relaxed look. Two options? Matthew appeared to be deep in-discussion with an attendant at the check-in desk, while Camila listened intently Stay breezy: The couple appeared to take all the stress of flying with a young family in their stride Casual dad: Clearly keen to enjoy a comfortable flight, the Wolf Of Wall Street actor opted for a dressed down and casual look A comfortable option: Teaming a black and teal track top with a pair of comfy grey jogging bottoms, Matthew certainly appeared to be taking a relaxed approach to his travel wardrobe The model and TV presenter teamed a baggy dark denim shirt with a pair of baggy grey harem pants. Flashing a hint of her gym-honed calves - thanks to her floaty three-quarter length bottoms - Camila rounded off her look with a comfy pair of trainers. The Brazilian beauty capped off her look with a black scarf hung around her neck, whilst she also wore a pair of sunglasses and few cursory rings. The Kids BBQ Champion host chose to wear her long dark locks in corn rows, which she wore pushed back off of her face. A laid-back look: Camila, appeared to be in-sync with her husband when it came to her wardrobe and rocked an equally relaxed look Time to kick-back? The model and TV presenter teamed a baggy dark denim shirt with a pair of baggy grey harem pants and grey trainers The family appeared to be heading back to the states while Matthew enjoys a break from shooting the first big screen adaptation of Stephen King's famed The Dark Tower series. Playing the nefarious Man In Black, Matthew stars opposite Idris Elba's Roland Deschain, AKA The Gunslinger. The first film sees Gunslinger Roland Deschain roaming an Old West-like landscape in search of the dark tower, in the hopes that reaching it will preserve his dying world, whilst also chasing the Man In Black for some answers. The supernatural fantasy is due to hit cinemas in February 2017, and also Abbey Lee and Jackie Earle Haley. They've been married for a loved-up 15 years. And Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas proved they were as happy as ever as they enjoyed a romantic dinner in Portofino, last week. Michael took the lead for the outing, as Catherine walked behind him in a sophisticated black ensemble. Scroll down for video Loved-up: Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas proved they were as happy as ever as they enjoyed a romantic dinner in Portofino, last week The 46-year-old oozed classic glamour as she stepped out in a pretty jumpsuit, which accentuated her curvaceous figure with a bandeau neckline and belt detailing around the waist. The slouchy fit of the trousers ensured that she kept a laid back style as she relaxed in the Italian sunshine. But Catherine nevertheless remained elegant as she added some extra height to her endless legs with a pair of strappy black heels and added some sparkle to her decolletage with a shimmering ruby necklace. Dream team: Michael took the lead for the outing, as Catherine walked behind him in a sophisticated black ensemble She also opted for maximum impact with her makeup as she sported a dramatic smokey eye and dusky taupe lipstick. And she styled her luscious brunette locks into a perfectly coiffed blowdry that framed her pretty features with a deep centre parting. Michael, 71, matched his wife, as he cut a typically dapper figure with an off-duty twist. The actor donned a crisp white shirt for the date night, which he dressed down as he left it casually untucked. Making it work: Catherine and Michael have been married for 15 years and have made an effort to work through their problems And he rounded off his look with a pair of navy chinos and perfectly polished black shoes. The couple have holidayed in the small fishing village for a number of years. Catherine recently gushed about her marriage to the Fatal Attraction star, as she admitted that she and her husband were prepared to put in hard work during their rocky moments and are grateful they persevered Speaking to the March issue of Good Housekeeping, the Welsh actress reflected on celebrating their 15th wedding anniversary last November. She enthused: 'It was great. Just the two of us at one of our favourite restaurants, laughing that we havent killed each other yet and that we are still alive! Fifteen years is a long time. Youve got to keep the home fires burning! 'Its a long road and I think people today are so quick to throw in the towel on marriage. You have to give it your best shot and not give up when the first problem arises, because that wont be the last problem. There will be many more down the road.' He's never been shy when it comes to stripping off on the NRL Footy Show. And now Beau Ryan has braved the chilly temperatures as he poses on the beach on what was New South Wales' coldest day in 20 years. Taking to Instagram, the 31-year-old wears nothing but a pair of blue budgie smugglers and a beanie as he makes an amusing gesture on the sands of Warilla Beach on the New South Wales South Coast. 'What winter?' Beau Ryan braved the chilly temperatures as he poses on the beach on Monday, sharing an image to Instagram wearing just a pair of blue budgie smugglers on what was Sydney's coldest day in 20 years Looking unfazed by the cold temperatures, the former NRL player looks as if he is ready to run into the calm waters that are behind. Despite the grey and unappealing weather, Beau captioned the shot asking: 'What Winter?' It's not the first time the NRL Footy Show star has headed to the beach during Sydney's cooler months, last week spotted flouncing across Bondi Beach. Looking as if he was was auditioning for the new Baywatch film and channelling his inner nineties lifesaver, Beau was seen running across the beach in a pair of David Hasselhoff-approved budgie smuggler swimming trunks. Not shy: The former NRL player isn't shy when it comes to stripping off, having done it on multiple occasions during his segments on Channel Nine's NRL Footy Show He even braved the icy water, going for a dip with a friend. The beach outings are a return to normalcy for Beau, after a rather difficult few months for the sporting personality after allegations emerged last September that he he'd had an affair. Beau allegedly had an extra-marital fling with former Hi-5 star Lauren Brant, 27, while they were both performing in stage show Aladdin and his Wondrous Lamp, last year. Moving on: The beach outing is a return to normalcy for Beau, after a rather difficult few months for the sporting personality after allegations emerged last September that he he'd had an affair The reports surfaced after Lauren's ex-fiance Warren Riley told Woman's Day magazine that the 'affair' took place last July. Warren claimed he'd discovered text messages Lauren had sent to a friend which confirmed his suspicions she had been unfaithful. Beau subsequently stood down from his role on The Footy Show, but later returned and issued a public apology 'to all the people who have been hurt recently'. Time out: Following news of the affair Beau subsequently stood down from his role on The Footy Show, but later returned and issued a public apology 'to all the people who have been hurt recently' His wife Kara later broke her silence over the scandal, admitting she was 'more worried for Beau' than herself. Beau and Kara are childhood sweethearts and married in 2012. The couple have a three-year-old daughter named Remi. He revealed he was ecstatic to be returning to the show as a regular, following his one-off appearance in the Doctor Who Christmas Special. And as he arrived on set to film scenes for the new series of the BBC hit, Matt Lucas looked to be delighted to be reprising his role of Nardole, and was seen chatted away to Peter Capaldi on the set. Currently on-location in Cardiff to shoot series 10 of the new Doctor Who, the 42-year-old comedian was seen enjoying a laugh with the show's 58-year-old star in-between takes at Cardiff University. Scroll down for video Look who's back! Arriving on set to film scenes for the new series of the hit BBC show, Matt Lucas looked to be delighted to be reprising his role of Nardole, and was seen chatted away to Peter Capaldi on the set Clad in a rust coloured duffel coat, black trousers and brown brogues the Little Britain star looked to have been given a wardrobe to fit in with the rest of the cast - rather than make him stand-out. Matt is reprising the role of the King Hydroflax's out-of-control robot bodyguard Nardole, first seen in the 2015 Christmas special, and it looks as though the cyborg hasn't changed his clothes - bar the woolly hat he was last seen sporting. Peter - the twelfth incarnation of the iconic Doctor - was in his usual get-up, sporting his signature black brogue boots and dark navy suit beneath a black overcoat and hoodie. Currently on-location in Cardiff to shoot series 10 of the new Doctor Who, the 42-year-old comedian was seen enjoying a laugh with the show's 58-year-old star in-between takes at Cardiff University Bill's back! But it wasn't just Matt and Peter getting into scrapes in the scenes, as Pearl Mackie was also out in full-costume at the University campus With his greying hair combed back into the Doctor's usual windswept affair, the former Thick Of It star was instantly recognisable. But it wasn't just Matt and Peter getting into scrapes in the scenes, as Pearl Mackie was also out in full-costume at the University campus. The 29-year-old actress form Brixton plays Bill, The Doctor's newest assistant - having replaced Jenna Coleman in the famous position. Ready for action? Clad in a pair of ripped skinny jeans, a sleeveless cropped tie-dye shirt and purple trainers, the actress showed off her taut and toned tummy and lithe legs Clad in a pair of ripped skinny jeans, a sleeveless cropped tie-dye shirt and purple trainers, the actress showed off her taut and toned tummy and lithe legs. Carrying a satchel and hoodie, it appears that the Doctor's latest companion may be undercover in the scenes. But it seems that Bill has an extensive wardrobe with her on the TARDIS, as she was seen in a fresh outfit later on in the day; shooting more scenes in a white tee, denim jeans and trainers. Speaking before joining Peter and Pearl on set in Cardiff, Matt said he was 'chuffed' to be returning as a permanent member of the Doctor Who cast. Room in the TARDIS for a wardrobe? It seems that Bill has an extensive wardrobe with her on the TARDIS, as she was seen in a fresh outfit later on in the day; shooting more scenes in a white tee, denim jeans and trainers In a statement the overjoyed star said: 'I'm chuffed to bits that Nardole is returning to the TARDIS for some more adventures. I loved acting with Peter and I'm excited to work with Pearl.' Doctor Who's lead writer and executive producer Steven Moffat admitted he is 'delighted' to welcome back the London born star. He said: 'Delighted and slightly amazed to be welcoming Matt Lucas back on to the TARDIS - and this time it's not just for Christmas, he's sticking around. 'One of the greatest comedy talents on planet Earth is being unleashed on all of time and space.' The opening episode of series 10 has been written by Steven, executive produced by Brian Minchin, produced by Peter Bennett and directed by Lawrence Gough. Fans will no doubt be overjoyed to see the return of the show which will kick off with a Christmas special in December before the new show airs in 2017. In April he seemed to make a thinly-veiled dig at his famous mum Madonna when he described himself as a 'son of a b**ch' in his Instagram profile listing. And on the weekend Rocco Ritchie may have gone one step further, when he posted a meme snap of a young boy smoking a cigar and toting a gun as he sits next to a table of alcohol. 'When your mum finally goes out and you can be yourself', the image caption read. Rebel heart?On the weekend Rocco Ritchie may have gone one step further, when he posted a meme snap of a young boy smoking a cigar and toting a gun as he sits next to a table of alcohol Though this may just have been a typically rebellious teenager post, the 15-year-old's frustration could have been magnified by the custody battle over him that has been played out in the court room between parents Madonna and Guy Ritchie. The latest hearing in New York at the beginning of the month was delayed - as both sides appear to near a deal. The Material Girl and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie were due to appear before a judge in Manhattan on Tuesday in the row over their son. More than teenage angst? Could the 15-year-old's frustration have been magnified by the custody battle over him that has been played out in the court room between parents Madonna and Guy Ritchie Battle: The Material Girl and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie were due to appear before a judge in Manhattan on Tuesday in the row over their son But hours before the hearing was due to take place it was adjourned. A spokesman for the Manhattan Supreme Court confirmed that it was put off 'on consent of all parties'. A court officer said that the case had been 'put over for continued negotiation'. The next date for the hearing has not been set but it is understood it will be in the coming days. The New York hearing had already been delayed once as Madonna, 57, and Ritchie, 47, work through their differences. The pair have been having an ugly transatlantic custody row which has reopened old wounds from their divorce and put Madonna at the center of a painful and public battle. Spat: The row began last December when Rocco left his mother's Rebel Heart world tour and refused to return home with her to New York The row began last December when Rocco left his mother's Rebel Heart world tour and refused to return home with her to New York. Rocco spent Christmas in London with his father, who is the director of films including 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', and has largely been living with him ever since. However he spent time in New York at the end of May and was seen skateboarding near Madonna's Upper East Side home and going to a play with his mother and his half-sister Lourdes Leon. Rocco is now back in London. As the row unfolded Madonna made a series of swipes at her former husband in public and on social media. Ritchie's second wife also posted a picture on Christmas day of Rocco at their wedding, in what was seen as a veiled swipe at Madonna. But both sides now appear to be reaching a resolution. During the last hearing in New York Madonna's lawyers claimed that Ritchie taught his son to disrespect the law by refusing to return him to his mother. Judge Deborah Kaplan scolded both parties and told them to resolve their differences for the sake of Rocco. In March at the High Court in London Mr Justice MacDonald told the former couple that they risked ruining what was left of Rocco's childhood if they carried on feuding. The judge also ruled that the English proceedings could be halted, paving the way for a potential agreement in the New York court. She recently forced her toyboy lover to go to rehab. But Kate Moss and her beau, Count Nikolai Von Bismarck, appeared to be back on track as they touched down in Venice for a romantic getaway, on Monday. The couple looked more in sync than ever as they sported matching outfits, with coordinating baggy shirts and black jeans. Scroll down for video Spot on! Kate Moss, 42, looked effortlessly cool in a black chiffon shirt that was adorned with scarlet polka dots Kate, 42, looked effortlessly cool in a black chiffon shirt that was adorned with scarlet polka dots. And she managed to keep her style feminine as she left the blouse unbuttoned down to below the bust, where she exposed a hint of her scoop-necked camisole underneath. The supermodel kept her look coordinated throughout, as she accessorised with entirely black embellishments, including over-sized Ray Ban shades and a long tasseled necklace. Taking a break: Kate Moss and her beau, Count Nikolai Von Bismarck, appeared to be back on track as they touched down in Venice for a romantic getaway, on Monday And despite the sizzling temperatures, Kate put style over comfort as she tucked her trousers into a pair of leather biker boots. She also hooked a heavy black coat over her travel bag, which she toted proudly on her shoulder. Kate proved how relaxed she was for the outing as she showed off her natural beauty with barely-there makeup, apart from a touch of peachy blush. And she let her blonde tresses fall straight and sleek down her neck. Meanwhile, Nikolai, also embraced the art of getting shirty, as he opted to wear a denim shirt and casually rolled up the sleeves. Chic: The supermodel kept her look coordinated throughout, as she accessorised with entirely black embellishments Similarly to his supermodel beau, Nikolai also wore black jeans and matching shades. And he rounded off he ensemble with a pair of navy suede plimsolls that came complete with a thick, white sole. Last month, Kate kicked out her toyboy lover and warned him that his riotous lifestyle had to go out the door with him. The model had had enough of her 29-year-old lover's debauched ways and sent him packing from her country home after 'erratic' behaviour during a week away in the Cotswolds. The final straw came when the blood-drinking Count Nikolai was said to be hallucinating on the trip and jumped out of a window to chase an imaginary intruder, reports the Sun. Kate, who has had her fair share of bad boy lovers in the past, has growing concern for her partner and it is believed he has been shipped off to a rehab clinic while she promotes a skincare range in Canada. The pair started dating after Kate split from her musician husband Jamie Hince, 47, in July, and since then they have been seen enjoying a holiday together in Brazil. It is also believed that Nikolai has also moved into her 4million pad in Highgate, north London. She recently revealed she's made the tough decision to cut all ties with her long-term on-off boyfriend James 'Arg' Argent after their explosive break-up last month. But Lydia Bright looked in good spirits as she presented ITV This Morning's festival fashion segment on Monday morning. The 25-year-old TOWIE star looked summery in a floral-patterned coordinated blouse and wide leg trouser two-piece. Scroll down for video Single and fabulous: Lydia Bright looked in good spirits as she presented ITV This Morning's festival fashion segment on Monday morning Wearing her blonde hair in loose waves featuring a french braid, Lydia accessorised with a festival-appropriate multi chained necklace and khaki wedge heels. And the tanned reality star looked happy and relaxed as she laughed her way through the presenting stint. 'The best way to start another FABULOUS week. Presenting festival fashion, Glastonbury makeover for @itvthismorning', she wrote alongside a snap of herself on set which she posted on Instagram. Arriving at the studios earlier, Lydia put on a casual display, covering her flowery ensemble with a loose navy blue trench coat and sunglasses. Festival ready: The 25-year-old TOWIE star looked summery in a flower patterned coordinated blouse and wide leg trouser two-piece Blonde beauty: Wearing her blonde hair in loose waves featuring a french braid, Lydia accessorised with festival-appropriate multi chains and khaki wedge heels Single ready to mingle: The tanned reality star looked happy and relaxed as she laughed her way through the presenting stint Going make-up free she covered her flawless face with a pair of shades, tying her hair in a loose bun. Adding height to her petite frame, she showed off a pair of impressive white killer heels as she headed to get her hair and make up done. Earlier this month, she revealed to MailOnline that she had made the tough decision to cut all ties with long-term boyfriend Arg, after their dramatic split. She said: 'We don't communicate and I think that's the best way for us. When you first break-up with someone I personally don't think it's a good to keep in contact. Staying strong: Earlier in the month she revealed to MailOnline that she had made the tough decision to cut all ties with long term boyfriend Arg, after their dramatic split Ready for hair and make up: Arriving at the studios earlier, Lydia put on a casual display, covering her flowery ensemble with a loose navy blue trench coat and sunglasses Natural beauty: Going make-up free she covered her flawless face with a pair of shades, tying her hair in a loose bun 'It wasn't a very good break-up but obviously we have to work with each other so we will become amicable and civil for the sake of that. It is for good this time.' And the blonde is planning to make the most of being single and ready to mingle in the absence of her former flame. Lydia added to MailOnline: 'Single life is really good. I went away to Indonesia and Vegas. I just feel like it is what it is. You have to see it as the end of a chapter and the start of a new one and I'm just really enjoying my new chapter. 'I'm not looking for love, I'm just having fun being with my friends, being with my family and just enjoying myself. 'I'm not in any rush to move forward and if you sign up for a dating app you're really looking for love and your soulmate but I'm just taking a bit of time out. 'I was with James on and off for seven years. I've only been three months single, so I just wanna enjoy myself.' Miranda Kerr has revealed that she will play an official role in her brother Matt's upcoming wedding to his long-term boyfriend James Wright. The former Victoria's Secret Angel took time out of her hectic schedule over the weekend to celebrate her younger brother's bucks party in Sydney, according to the Daily Telegraph. She joined around 30 other friends and family members at The Ivy penthouse on Saturday ahead of the planned nuptials which are set for December 30 - dependent on the same-sex marriage vote. Close family: Miranda Kerr has revealed that she will play an official role in her brother Matt's (pictured together) upcoming wedding to his long-term boyfriend James Wright Miranda voiced her excitement for the upcoming ceremony, telling Confidential: 'I'm part of his wedding party, it should be so nice.' She said she was happy she was able to celebrate with her brother at the party which was organised by their cousin, Georgia. 'It's incredible. I just celebrated with him, he had his little celebration with all of his friends, it was nice to be able to get together and do that while I'm back,' she said. Celebration: Matt continued the party on a boat cruise around Sydney Harbour on Sunday where he was pictured drinking champagne Chic: Miranda Kerr rocked a pair of thigh-high black boots when she returned to her new Kora Organics pop-up store at Westfield Sydney for her second appearance on Monday Matt continued the party on a boat cruise around Sydney Harbour on Sunday where he was pictured drinking champagne. His friend Patt Osborn posted a picture from the boat, saying: 'Hope you had an awesome weekend Matty! Had lots of fun! Xx love love.' On Friday night, Matt's fiance posted a map on Facebook jokingly implying he was travelling to the Gold Coast with the caption: 'Well Matty Kerr is in Sydney on his bucks weekend'. The pair have been together for almost two years and they celebrated their engagement with a lavish party at Sydney's Blackburn Park in January 2015. Plans: Matt and James Wright (right) are hoping to say their vows on December 30 - dependent on the same-sex marriage vote Happy moment: The pair celebrated their engagement with a lavish party at Sydney's Blackburn Park in January 2015 Party: The celebration was a picnic-style event filled with family and friends, possibly into the hundreds judging by a photo posted to Instagram by Therese Miranda was notably absent from the event, but her mother Therese showed there were no hard feelings by tagging her in all the event photos. The celebration was a picnic-style event filled with family and friends, possibly into the hundreds judging by a photo posted to Instagram by Therese. 'The beautiful energy that filled the park was testimony to the love that is so apparent for Jimmy and Matty - thank you to all who attended and made this day so very special,' she captioned the shot. Matt and Jim, 37, are now living in the NSW Hunter Region after opening up home-style restaurant Nanna Kerr's Kitchen, dedicated to Matt and Miranda's 79-year-old grandmother Ann. Close family: Their mother Therese Kerr (second right) has shown them both continuing support They have set a wedding date set for December 30 this year and hope that by then, same sex couples will legally be able to marry in Australia. 'I want to get married and I think, 'Why should two people that love each other not be able to have that, right?'' Matt previously told WHO magazine. Miranda, who is dating Evan Spiegel, also showed her support for same-sex marriage, saying: 'Obviously I support gay marriage, I have a gay brother.' She touched down in Sydney last week and has been doing a number of promotional appearances. The mother-of-one appeared at the new Kora Organics pop-up store at Westfield Sydney twice on Monday. She's the former WAG who has branched off to make a name for herself in fashion and homewares. And now Rebecca Judd has teased fans with a possible move into the cosmetic business after she shared a video of herself making her own unique coloured lipstick. Sharing a video on Instagram, the 33-year-old showed followers the final steps in creating her own peach coloured lipstick, however the tutorial was for a pop-up Lip Lab store at her beauty school in Melbourne. Scroll down for video Career change? Rebecca Judd has teased fans with a possible move into the cosmetic business after she shared a video of herself making her own unique coloured lipstick on Monday at Lip Lab pop-up in Melbourne In the short clip Rebecca is seen putting her make-up skills to good use as she scrapes excess lipstick away before opening the mould and carefully placing it into the shell ready to be used on her perfect pout. 'Voila! I created my very own lipstick today at our @beautyedu X @theliplab pop up at Eastland,' the brunette beauty captioned the clip. 'Full post coming on Thursday with details on how you can create yours (perfect for those searching for a particular shade or brides wanting a custom colour for their big day!)' The mother-of-two, who is expecting twins with husband Chris Judd later this year, has a successfully lifestyle, fashion and beauty blog called Rebecca Judd Loves. Talented! Sharing a video on Instagram, the 33-year-old showed followers the final steps in creating her own peach coloured lipstick at her beauty school Most recently Rebecca has collaborated with bedding retailer Adairs, launching her own line of linens as well as working with K-Mart, releasing a series of homewares. Despite having a taste for luxury, regularly sporting $700 dresses and $1400 boots, this week she showed fans how to get the same look for less, sharing her top stylish items for under $150 to her blog. Items included a stunning pair of gold QUAY shades for $49 and a Monochrome poncho $69.95. Careful! In the short clip Rebecca is seen putting her make-up skills to good use as she scrapes excess lipstick away before opening the mould and carefully placing it into the shell 'Voila! I created my very own lipstick today at our @beautyedu X @theliplab pop up at Eastland,' the brunette beauty captioned the clip She also recommended a pair of knee-high grey boots from Lipstik Skarlett for $149.95 and a Country Road Baneau Knit dress for the same price. Some items seemed like a downright steal, such as a long khaki coat from Missguided for just $64. Busy woman: The mother-of-two, who is expecting twins with husband Chris Judd later this year, has a successfully lifestyle, fashion and beauty blog called Rebecca Judd Loves New ventures: Most recently Rebecca has collaborated with bedding retailer Adairs, launching her own line of linens as well as working with K-Mart, releasing a series of homewares Rebecca is known for her penchant for expensive taste. She's previously been seen wearing frocks such as a $695 Yeojin Bae dress and was recently spotted strutting her stuff in a $1400 pair of Chloe ankle boots. The Perth-born beauty also made headlines recently after spending well over $3800 to decorate her two-year-old daughter's bedroom. Lindy Klim isn't shy about keeping her social media fans up to date with her dreamy holiday schedule. But it seems her new builder boyfriend Adam Ellis is more comfortable taking pictures of his stunning belle than being in front of the lens himself. The British hunk was snapped on holiday with her at Parker Palms Springs in California, but is seen covering his face with his hand. Scroll down for video Shy? Lindy Klim showed off her svelte frame in one of her many bikinis teamed with a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses, while her heavily tattooed beau Adam Ellis went shirtless and hid his face with his hand It's not known if he was avoiding the camera or shielding his eyes from the sunshine in the black and white filtered image. In the selfie shared with her 88,000 Instagram followers on Monday, the couple were seen reclining by the resort pool - a recurring theme in her holiday snaps along with the monochrome colouring. The former wife of swim champ Michael Klim wore one of her many bikinis teamed with a wide brimmed hat and sunglasses, while her heavily tattooed beau went shirtless. While the 38-year-old's svelte figure was obvious from her slender shoulders, the cleavage she usually flaunts was cut off by the camera angle. Stepping out: The pair were spotted several times at Australian Fashion Week last month Though it is clear Adam takes the vast majority of Lindy's enviable holiday snaps, this is only the second time he has appeared on her Instagram since he was introduced as her new boyfriend last month. It is also the first time he has been present in a holiday shot as the previous time was a photo she borrowed from media coverage of Mercedez-Benz Fashion Week Australia in May. The two were spotted out and about packing on the PDA several times during their stay in Sydney for the style festival and he was at one point hauled in front of the cameras for their coming out as a couple. 'He's so lovely': Lindy couldn't help but gush about her boyfriend Adam as they attended the Ginger & Smart show during fashion week. It is the only other photo of Adam on her Instagram A man of few words, Adam has only given a few lines in interviews when the pair have been approached at events. Lindy, on the other hand, has gushed about her new relationship, telling Daily Mail Australia how much she was enjoying her new-found love. '[It's] completely not what I expected, to fall back into another relationship, but he's so lovely,' she said. Summer sun: The couple are holidaying at the Parker Palm Springs resort in California 'It's about time I got on with my life.' The couple have been together a few months and have already met each other's families. On Saturday, before she left for LA she posted a final snap from Bali showing off her lithe figure in a tiny black bikini as she reclined by her infinity pool overlooking the ocean. 'Good morning paradise': Lindy shows off her slender frame in a black bikini as she reclines on the edge of an infinity pool overlooking the ocean 'Good morning paradise,' she wrote in the caption of the photo. 'Next stop LA baby!' she added with the hash-tags 'one day in Bali' and 'Los Angeles'. Her friend and fellow Instagram personality Nadia Fairfax was keen to know the details of the mother-of-three's arrival in the States, commenting: 'When you arrive my love?' Golden girl! Several days prior, she shared a black and white snap to social media to show off her spectacular body in a metallic bikini She had since touched down in her native Bali after a quick trip to Melbourne where she shopped up a storm at the iconic luxury footwear retailer Miss Louise. Several days prior, she shared a black and white snap to social media to show off her spectacular body in a metallic bikini. Casually leaning against the poolside bar at the Katamama Boutique Hotel, her youthful looks and immaculately toned abs were on full display. The model put on a busty display in the silky two piece, showing why she had no trouble picking up a new man after her breakup with Michael four months ago. The black-and-white photo was one of three documenting her lazy weekend, with another showing her enjoying a tapas lunch earlier in the day. She is the co-creator of A Bikini A Day and Monday Swimwear. And on Monday, Natasha Oakley lived up to the names of both brands, sporting a two piece pool side on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The 25-year-old bombshell flaunted her toned torso and ample assets in an ivory number from her own collection, which stood out against her tanned skin. Scroll down for video 'Spending Monday in my @MondaySwimwear': A Bikini A Day blogger Natasha Oakley certainly lives up to her brand, sporting an ivory two-piece from her own collection that showed off her trim pins and ample assets The blonde beauty posed against a wall of flowers, with her pert derriere gently perched on the railing of the balcony at the Belmond Hotel Caruso. 'Spending Monday in my @MondaySwimwear I love when that happens,' Tash captioned the shot. With her front foot poised, the stunner highlighted her trim pins and accentuated her killer curves as she held on to an-oversized hat. Her long locks were out and tousled as they fell around her shoulders, with her eyes covered in designer shades. 'Not leaving the pool at any point today!' The blogger and designer posted another photo on Monday showcasing her idyllic location, as her holiday continues along the Amalfi Coastline in Italy Later, the bikini blogger posted another photo, this time showcasing her idyllic location, as her Italian holiday continues. 'Not leaving the pool at any point today!' she informed fans. Meanwhile, on Sunday, Natasha Oakley once again shared another image as she continued to flaunt her incredibly toned curves while soaking up the Mediterranean climes. The 25-year-old, who boasts a social media following of 1.8 million, drew heaps of attention to her ample curves and slender frame in an off-white bralet and breezy trousers. Bella in Italia: Natasha once again shared another image as she continued to flaunt her incredibly toned curves while soaking up the Mediterranean climes on Sunday It's an all white kind of pool day, she wrote alongside one snap, while adding another with the words: Italian afternoons are the best afternoons. In another shot, posted on Saturday, she appeared to be arriving at the Hotel Caruso in Ravello, channeling old-school glamour while posing in front of the stunning hotel beside a Bentley. Natasha seemed happy and carefree in an elegant maxi dress, cinched at the waist and highlighting her famous curves. The blush-coloured frock featured a plunging neckline and a dainty drawstring waistband, as well as billowing sleeves. Keeping her cool: The 25-year-old, who boasts a social media following of 1.8 million, drew heaps of attention to her ample curves and slender frame in an off-white bralet and breezy trousers The loose-fitting dress fell to the blogger's ankles and she swished it around as she posed for photos. Her trademark blonde locks were styled in voluminous waves and her deep tan was positively glowing. Keeping her colour scheme neutral, she accessorised with nude heels - a pair she has favoured throughout her trip in Italy - and a beige rattan bag which she slung over her shoulder. She also added a large floppy wide-brimmed hat to shield her face from the Italian sun, and wore a pair of stylish cat-eye sunglasses. 'Cherry on top': Earlier on, the model and blogger shared this photo of herself arriving at the Hotel Caruso in Ravello Old-school glamour: She looked as stylish as ever in a billowing maxi dress and soft neutral tones The blonde bombshell captioned one of her snaps: 'Arriving to Ravello in style', while the other said Ravello was the 'cherry on top' of her Italian trip. The A Bikini A Day blogger has spent the last few weeks travelling around Italy with her French boyfriend, Gilles Souteyrand. They have both been keeping their followers up-to-date with their glamorous trip, which has seen them travel along the picturesque Amalfi Coast. Romantic getaway: The stunner has been gallivanting around Italy with her French beau Gilles Souteyrand Her ex Johnny Depp has been embroiled in a nasty divorce battle with Amber Heard, which had the latter accusing the actor of physical abuse. And speaking with Time Magazine, Winona Ryder shared her absolute shock at the allegations, calling the claims against Johnny, 53 'unimaginable.' The 44-year-old added: 'He was was never, never that way towards me. Never abusive at all towards me.' 'Shocking' Winona Ryder shared her surprise at the allegations being made against ex Johnny Depp amid his nasty divorce from Amber Heard, sharing that he was 'never, never that way towards me' She clarified that she of course could 'only speak from my own experience,' noting that it 'was wildly different than what is being said.' 'I only know him as a really good, loving, caring guy who is very, very protective of the people that he loves,' Winona said of the Pirates of the Caribbean star. The Edward Scissorhands co-stars famously dated in the Nineties, getting engaged in 1990 when Winona was only 19 years old. Johnny tattooed 'Winona Forever' on his arm, later changing it to 'Wino Forever' after the couple split. Good memories: Johnny and Winona dated back in the early Nineties (becoming engaged for a short time when Winona was only 19), pictured here at the Cry-Baby premiere in 1990 Winona continued, careful not to insult Amber in the process: 'I wasnt there. I dont know what happened. Im not calling anyone a liar.' 'Im just saying, its difficult and upsetting for me to wrap my head around it. Look, it was a long time ago, but we were together for four years, and it was a big relationship for me.' She added that it was difficult to process the allegations, as she had known Johnny for so long, having met him back when she was only 17. 'Its just shocking,' the Stranger Things actress said, adding: 'I have never seen him be violent toward a person before.' Serious allegations: Johnny's ex Amber has accused the star of physical abuse, with her restraining order against him having recently been extended until August 15 (pictured in May of 2014) Johnny has been accused of physical abuse by his ex, whose restraining order against him was recently extended until August 15. It had originally been granted when Amber claimed that Johnny had thrown an iPhone at her face. Johnny has always denied the claims made against him, with his lawyer claiming the allegations were made 'in response to the negative media attention she received earlier this week.' His ex Vanessa Paradis has also stuck up for him, with TMZ getting a hold of a letter she wrote in support of Johnny's character. They were together from 1998 to 2012. By his side: Johnny's ex Vanessa Paradis also stood up for him, with TMZ getting a hold of a letter in which she praised his character (pictured in 2008) 'Johnny Depp is the father of my two children, he is a sensitive, loving, and loved person, and I believe with all my heart that these recent allegations being made are outrageous.' 'In all the years I have known Johnny he has never been physically abusive with me and this looks nothing like the man I lived with for 14 wonderful years,' she wrote. And their daughter, Lily-Rose Depp, 17, has also spoken out in support of her father, sharing a message for him on Instagram. 'My dad is the sweetest most loving person I know, he's been nothing but a wonderful father to my little brother and I, and everyone who knows him would say the same,' she wrote, alongside an old photo of them together. Back at it: Winona will be appearing in new Netflix series Stranger Things, which is set to debut on the streaming service on July 15 According to People, Johnny has been laying low on his private islands in the Bahamas and reportedly does not plan to return to Los Angeles until a new court date is planned, or to resume his concert tour with The Hollywood Vampires in July. He was, however, spotted at West Hollywood club The Comedy Store on Saturday evening, where he posed for a photo with Doug Stanhoope, who defended the star against allegations that he assaulted wife Amber Heard. She's one of the most in-demand actresses in Hollywood. Yet Diane Kruger reveals she's never earned as much as her male co-stars and has hit resistance when she tried to demand equality. Now she's added her voice to the growing number of stars, including Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jessica Chastain, who are raising the matter. 'I have yet to be paid the same amount as a male costar,' the 39-year-old admitted in the cover story for Town & Country's August issue, released on Monday. Scroll down for video Breezy does it: Diane Kruger, who sizzled in this Mui Mui dress, added her voice to the growing number of actresses speaking out about the Hollywood gender pay gap in the cover story for August's Town & Country 'And absolutely I've been labeled a bitch, or difficult to work with, when I've spoken up about something. Or its "She doesnt really know what shes talking about,"' she added. The Inglourious Basterds star looked chic in three very different styles for the magazine shoot. On the cover Diane paired Levi's shorts with a colourful Gucci blouse and jacket. Cover girl: The 39-year-old wore Levi's shorts paired with a colourful Gucci blouse and jacket for the front page Stylists went for shorts again, this time by Ralph Lauren teamed with a ruffled blouse by the brand as she lay on a beach in a black and white shot. In the third shot, Diane slipped her slender frame into a white Miu Miu minidress belted at the waist as she sat on a bench on the boardwalk. The German-born beauty has been with her actor beau, Joshua Jackson, for 10 years and the couple are in no hurry to get married. Life's a beach: The actress lay on the sand in white shorts and a ruffled blouse, both by Ralph Loren The pair, who share homes in Los Angeles, New York and Paris, started dating in 2006 right after Diane divorced her husband of five years, French actor Guillaume Canet. And she credits the 38-year- old Fringe star with saving her from an identity crisis when she was 30. 'Meeting someone like my partner, who has a very different perspective, who likes to travel in a different way and be open to various experience, was so important,' the German Born beauty said. Wave rider: Diane, who is working on French-language movie Tout Nouse Separe, posted this snap on Instagram on Saturday, saying, 'Think our hairstylist went a little curl crazy this morning' 'I [didn't] know anything about what [was] really going on in the world and I [didn't] ask enough questions.' Meanwhile, Diane will be in the south of France to play Catherine Deneuve's daughter in French-language thriller Tout Nous Separe this summer. And then she'll return to her homeland to star in her first German-language film, helmed by the German-Turkish director Fatih Akin. She's no stranger to baring it all on the big screen, appearing completely in the buff for films like 300: Rise of an Empire and Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. But it's Eva Green's real life personality - which she describes as 'so shy '- that makes her penchant for nudity that much more unusual. Speaking to W Magazine for their August 2016 issue, the actress described the conundrum as, 'very paradoxical.' Absolutely stunning: Speaking to W Magazine for their August 2016 issue, Eva Green described her penchant for exposing her body in films, 'very paradoxical' The 35-year-old French beauty went on: 'I am so shy, and, at the same time, I kind of expose myself literally to thousands of people. I dont really understand why I do that. 'I need to go through therapy!' Green first found fame in 2003's The Dreamers, a provocative role that led her to starring opposite Daniel Craig in the James Bond flick Casino Royale in 2006. After initially turning down an audition because she thought her bikini-clad character ran the risk of being one-dimensional, a closer look revealed 'that she was sensitive and full of secrets. I could understand that.' Show-stopper: On the cover, the French beauty offers a dramatically contrasting look between her cerulean blue eyes and raven tresses Dark: In one photo from the spread, Eva channels the Victorian Era in a pair of lace up boots and waist-shrinking corset And in addition to her more sultry scenes, Eva - whose cover features a dramatically contrasting look between her cerulean blue eyes and raven tresses - finds another commonplace theme in her roles that she can't seem to wrap her head around. 'I die in a lot of movies. I dont know why - its one of the unusual things about my career. 'I guess its a big rehearsal for the inevitable,' she mused. Up next: After wrapping her Showtime horror series Penny Dreadful earlier this month, Green has since turned her attention towards starring in Tim Burton's forthcoming Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children After wrapping her Showtime horror series Penny Dreadful earlier this month, Green has since turned her attention towards starring in Tim Burton's forthcoming Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children. In the dark flick, which is out September 30, the actress takes on the role of a therianthropic caretaker for children with unusual powers. Of the role she says: 'Miss Peregrine is like a dark Mary Poppins. She has the ability to manipulate time and uses her powers to protect the children. 'Miss Peregrine will kill for them. And she does! Which was fun.' Bond Girl: The actress with Daniel Craig in the 2006 hit film Casino Royale Kim Kardashian has had Jonathan Cheban as a best friend for a decade. But now that the reality star has been flying on his own lately - in addition to starring on Keeping Up With The Kardashians, Jonathan has been on UK's Big Brother - he has been traveling more and hanging out with new faces. And on Sunday evening the former pr man partied with another star, Lindsay Lohan, when in London. New bestie: Kim Kardashian's best friend Jonathan Cheban hung out with Lindsay Lohan on Sunday. The two had a double date at a Japanese restaurant Roka Mayfair with Anat Popovsky and Russian heir Egor Tarabasov The queen: Kardashian has had Cheban as a best friend for a decade but now he is branching out; here the 35-year-old is seen on June 13 in Paris Unbreakable: Speaking on the MailOnline yacht at Cannes Lions, Jonathan spoke out about his famous friendship with Kim Kardashian, explaining that people have been trying to tear them apart The two had a double date at a Japanese restaurant Roka Mayfair. Jonathan was joined by his girlfriend Anat Popovsky and Lindsay was with her fiance, Russian heir Egor Tarabasov. The day before Anat and Jonathan were seen at Mayfair's Novikov. The 42-year-old reality star seemed in good spirits as he held hands with his stunning companion. Even more competition for Kim! The former pr guru was also seen with Martha Stewart during a DailyMail party in Cannes Jet set style: After making a quick pit stop through Paris, Jonathan opted for London as the next destination on his route home as he stepped out in the capital with his girlfriend Anat Clad in a pair of black brocade print jeans and a grey bomber jacket, Jonathan looked effortlessly stylish as he headed out of dinner. Anat also oozed glamour in a red and cream striped skirt co-ord that clung to her incredible figure. Grazing her thighs as she walked, the garment offered a look at her tanned and toned pins, whilst her cropped long sleeve shirt flashed a glimpse of her toned abs. Loved-up: Heading to Mayfair's Novikov on Saturday, the 42-year-old reality star seemed in good spirits as he held hands with his stunning companion - who turned heads in a scarlet striped skirt co-ord Jonathan was no doubt pleased for a relaxing night out with his girlfriend as he recently admitted that it can be tough dealing with fame and the pitfalls that accompany it. Speaking on the MailOnline yacht at Cannes Lions, Jonathan spoke out about his famous friendship with Kim Kardashian, explaining that people have been trying to tear them apart. 'It's a very competitive industry,' he said. 'We all started at the same place eight or nine years ago and people are envious of us. They want to break up our friendship.' Cute couple: Jonathan was no doubt pleased for a relaxing night out with his girlfriend as he recently admitted that it can be tough dealing with fame and the pitfalls that accompany it The star also spoke out about Kim's infamous crying face, that has been turned into a meme and kimoji. At a panel discussion chaired by Katie Hopkins, he was asked 'Does she cry a lot?' She has mastered the art of glamorous selfies as well as perfecting eye-catching outfits to garner the world's attention. So it's no surprise Kim Kardashian, 35, has high expectations of her daughter North, three, when it comes to looking her best for the camera. And though she might be too young for makeup, Kim used some clever Snapchat filters to glam-up the tot on Monday and gushed about her little mini-me to her followers. Using the French maid selfie lense, which includes a frilly hat, thick eyeliner, blusher and a beauty spot placed above North's lip, Kim said: 'Diva in training!' Scroll down for video So glam! Kim Kardashian used the French maid selfie filter on her three-year-old daughter North in a Snapchat clip where she described the tot as a 'diva in training' In another clip, little North peered into the camera wearing the floral headband filter that is super popular with users of the hip app. This time Kim was heard saying 'My girl is fierce as can be... right, Northy?' North was seen with her curly dark locks left loose and appeared to be wearing a snug robe. In another clip the mother-of-two says 'My girl is fierce as can be... right Northy?' The 35-year-old reality star appears to have spent much of the last couple of days larking about on Snapchat. She is pictured on Friday in Los Angeles Kim couldn't stop herself playing around with the fun filters as she also face-swapped with her little girl. She also gave a birthday shout-out to her younger sister Khloe while face-swapping her daughter's face with Koko who turns 32 on Monday. Meanwhile over the weekend the Keeping Up With The Kardashian's star delightedly posted photos of her homemade beignets on Snapchat, and captioned: 'Sunday workout followed by making (but NOT eating) beignets.' Who's who? Kim then swapped faces with her daughter and couldn't help but giggle about it Freaky! The TV star also swapped North's face for Khloe's as she wished her younger sister a happy birthday Out of this world: Little North also enjoyed trying out the planets feature while wearing a princess dress The TV star also added 'I'm so proud of myself. I didn't eat one beignet.' A beignet is the French term for yummy choux pastry that is deep-fried before being dusted with powdered sugar and is best served piping hot. No doubt her husband Kanye West, 39, and North didn't hold back from snacking on the treat. But at just six months old, Kim's youngest son Saint is too young for his mum's baking. 'Princess Elsa is my sous chef': The little girl helped Kim cook a delicious soul food dinner over the weekend 'Soul food Sundays': Kim posted a photo of her plate once it was time to eat Kim revealed that North was her 'sous chef' for the day, while dressed as Princess Elsa. The E! star also made mac and cheese, cornbread muffins, greens, green beans and banana pudding. Kim, who has been showing off her slender new body lately after shedding 60 pounds, wore a nude mini dress while heading out to the premiere of Kanye's new video for Famous. Thanks for the recipes: The star told fans that she had learned to cook this meal from a friend 15 years ago Comfort food: Kim also made mac and cheese and shared her top tips for cornbread muffins Sneak peek: The mother-of-two showed off her greens and green beans while working in the kitchen But the celebrity covered up when she and husband Kanye West took their three-year-old daughter to see Finding Dory at a cinema in Calabasas, California near their home on Saturday. The E! star swamped her figure in an oversized baggy shirt that she likely filched out of Kanye's wardrobe that she teamed with unusual thigh-high boots made from pale blue denim. Meanwhile, the new episode of Keeping Up With The Kardashians is due to air on E! on Sunday evening. Is it dinner time yet?: Kim's youngest sister Kylie Jenner came over to share the food, and looked excited about trying it They tied the knot last year in a star-studded ceremony in front of A-list guests. But it looks like Guy Ritchie and Jacqui Ainsley are still in their honeymoon period as they cosied up at the Old Vic Summer party in East London. The Lock Stock And Two Smoking Barrels director put on a loved up display as he wrapped his arms around Jacqui, as they enjoyed a date night together at the Brewery on Monday. Scroll down for video Looking Twee! Guy Ritchie, 47, looked like a true English gent in a tweed jacket alongside stunning Jacqui Ainsley, 34, at the Old Vic Summer party at The Brewery on Monday Guy, 47, let his stunning wife Jacqui Ainsley, 34, steal the limelight as she showed off a hint of skin in a cold shoulder top and skirt on Monday. The model looked chic in a sparkly cut-out top with a matching floor-length skirt. She stood tall in a pair of gold pumps and added a splash of colour as she held onto a blue clutch bag. Star couple: Guy Ritchie looked a treat in tweed as he put on a loved-up display alongside Jacqui Ainsley in a cold shoulder top at the Old Vic Summer party Party time: Jacqui looked chic in a sparkly cold-shoulder top with a matching floorlength skirt Her honey-hued hair looked flawless worn in soft waves that tumbled down her back. Meanwhile, father-of-five Guy looked dapper in a cream Tweed jacket, with a light blue shirt underneath it for a summer look. The film-maker opted for a pair of dark green corduroy trousers that showed off him trim legs. Larks: Guy and Jacqui were joined by a host of guests on the night. He gave David Heyman a squeeze at the do too Mwah! The director plants a kiss on German composer Hans Zimmer's cheek Making new Friends? Guy talks to David Schwimmer and Rose Uniacke during the meal He kept his shoe game understated with a pair of dark brown lace-ups as he put a loving arm around mother-of-three Jacqui. Bringing some Hollywood glamour was Australian actress Cate Blanchett, who looked ready for Wimbledon in her pristine white trouser suit. Also in attendance were Hollywood star Stanley Tucci and his wife Felicity Blunt, the sister of his Devil Wears Prada co-star Emily, who looked impeccable in their matching black ensembles. Ready for Wimbledon? Cate Blanchett looked smart in a white trouser suit and matching shirt as she made a Hollywood arrival His n hers suits: The Oscar winning actress was joined by her husband, screenwriter Andrew Upton, who looked dapper in a green suit Literary agent Felicity opted for a racy net see-through number that showed off her stunning frame to the max. The peplum-style dress covered her bust, but bared her midriff revealing her toned tum through the fishnet material. Stanley, who earlier in the day had been at Wimbledon with his wife, looked dapper in a black three-piece suit which he teamed with a pristine white shirt and a grey tie. Date night: Hollywood star Stanley Tucci and his wife Felicity Blunt, the sister of his Devil Wears Prada co-star Emily, looked impeccable in their matching black ensembles as they enjoyed a night on the town Chic: Meanwhile Stanley, who earlier in the day had been at Wimbledon with his wife, looked dapper in a black three-piece suit which he teamed with a pristine white shirt and a grey tie Stanley and Felicity were also joined by Friends star David Schwimmer, 49, at the plush do. David, looked buff in a grey jacket and trousers combo for the ultimate summer look. The father-of-one, who shot to fame as Ross Geller in hit TV series Friends, has since become a successful director. He most recently returned to acting to take on the role of famous lawyer Robert Kardashian in American Crime Story. Star turn: Stanley and Felicity were also joined by Friends star David Schwimmer, 49, at the plush do Meanwhile, actress Joely Richardson turned heads looking graceful in a white gown. The Nip/Tuck actress, 51, showed off a hint of cleavage in her stunning lace gown with full sleeves on Monday evening. She swept her hair up in an elegant bun and drew attention to her stunning drop diamond earrings that added a splash of colour to her ensemble. She blinged up her outfit further with a sparking gold handbag as she stepped out at the do. Looking Joely nice: Meanwhile Joely Richardson turned heads looking graceful in a white gown Yin and yang: Felicity and Joely looked pleased to catch up with each other at the do Star-turn: Eddie certyainly had a Joely good time on Monday night with the Hollywood actress Funnyman: The star-studded night was filled with surprises, including Eddie Izzard performing for the packed audience The star-studded night was filled with surprises, including Eddie Izzard performing for the packed audience. The comic looked fetching in a pink beret as he took to the stage at The Brewery. Also in fine form was singer Gary Barlow - the former X Factor judge performed a string of hits. The Take That singer looked svelte in a black three piece suit and tie as he got the party going - and even had the likes of Stanley and Felicity throwing some shapes. Party time: Stanley and Felicity cut loose as Take That singer Gary Barlow tinkled the ivories on stage Take That and Party! Gary lit up the stage with his chart hits that had the audience on its feet X Factor: The former X Factor judge looked dapper in a three piece suit as he hopped on stage Meanwhile funnyman Tim Minchin attended the summer gala for The Old Vic on Monday. He hung out with fellow Australian Cate on the night as the two caught up and shared some laughs. Kate also had a chinwag with Geri Halliwell's ex Sacha Gervasi - an Emmy Award winning scriptwriter. Buddies: Meanwhile funnyman Tim Minchin attended the summer gala for The Old Vic on Monday She made headlines last week as the 'prostitute' in the middle of an NYPD in-flight 'orgy' scandal. And Gabi Grecko has claimed the New York police officers she was allegedly paid to have sex with during a private plane flight three years ago deserve to be sacked. The 27-year-old estranged wife of Australian businessman Geoffrey Edelsten said that the detectives involved 'should lose their jobs', The Daily Telegraph reported. Scroll down for video Taking a stand: Former escort Gabi Grecko (pictured) claims the New York police officers she was allegedly paid to have sex with during a flight to Las Vegas in February 2013 deserve to be sacked 'For those police to be up (in rank) so high and yet doing things that are illegal, and not only the things they did with me, but just the widespread things that I have heard, I mean, definitely they should lose their jobs,' said Gabi. In February 2013, Gabi had 'group sex' with disgraced NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant, since-fired Detective Michael Millici and three other men, The New York Post reported. It was claimed in a federal corruption case filed last week that a pair of businessmen paid Gabi to entertain Grant during a flight to Las Vegas in exchange for official favours. Corruption scandal: The 27-year-old estranged wife of Melbourne businessman Geoffrey Edelsten claimed that the NYPD cops involved 'should lose their jobs', The Daily Telegraph reported The Florida-born reality TV star confirmed to the Post that she performed oral sex on the men in the cabin as they 'laughed' together. Gabi, then working as an escort under the name 'Candi', also claimed she had sex with multiple men simultaneously while 'role playing' as a flight attendant. 'I was supposed to be a sexy stewardess. Id ask: "Tea or coffee?" They all wanted me, I guess, and not the tea or coffee,' she explained. In-flight 'services': The Florida reality TV star previously told the New York Post that she performed sex acts on disgraced NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant, since-fired Detective Michael Millici and three other men Gabi added: 'It was me on top the whole time. Front, behind, side. They all seemed really comfortable to take their pants off in front of each other and laugh about it. 'Its like theyd done this before,' Gabi said of the highly publicised mile-high 'orgy'. Meanwhile, Detective Millici was fired last month and Deputy Inspector Grant has been stripped of his gun and badge. Mile-high club: 'Speaking of the alleged group sex, Gabi claimed, 'It was me on top the whole time. Front, behind, side. They all seemed really comfortable to take their pants off in front of each other and laugh about it' Gabi rose to fame last year over her relationship with Melbourne millionaire Geoffrey Edelsten, who at 73 is over four decades her senior. The unlikely couple first met in 2014 on a 'sugar daddy' website which connects young women to wealthy older men, Gabi previously told Daily Mail Australia. They were briefly married in 2015, with the pair tying the knot in June before breaking up just five months later. Since the split, Gabi has returned to the US. At the time, Gabi alleged that Geoffrey had fallen in love with his long-term secretary - a claim he has strongly refuted. He found love with mother-of-one Snezana Markoski on The Bachelor last year. And Sam Wood has spoken candidly about his experiences on reality TV, revealing that life on The Bachelor can be anything but rosy. Speaking to Jules Sebastian on Tea With Jules this week, Sam admitted: 'It was easily hardest thing I've ever done in my life'. Scroll down for video 'Everything that I love about my job was completely taken away from me': Sam Wood, 36, has spoken candidly about his experiences on reality TV, revealing that life on The Bachelor can be anything but rosy 'Like, it was filming for five or six days a week. 12 to 16 hours a day for 13 weeks on very little sleep', he went on, adding: 'your routine, your freedom, your flexibility, everything that I love about my job was completely taken away from me'. Sam also divulged that he struggled to hide his feelings for Snezana throughout the on-screen dating process, saying: 'It got harder as it went along because I started to develop feelings for Snezana but I still had to be as respectful as i could to all the other girls'. He also gushed about his fiancee Snezana Markoski's personality during the interview, revealing that the raven-haired beauty has both a hard and a soft side. Tough times: Speaking to Jules Sebastian on Tea With Jules this week, Sam admitted: 'It was easily hardest thing I've ever done in my life' '12 to 16 hours a day for 13 weeks on very little sleep': Sam regaled the taxing circumstances he had to deal with during his tenure on the hit TV show 'She's just smart enough to know when it's right to be that hard person, that strong person, and when it's right to be the softer person', he explained. Sam popped the question in December last year while on holiday in Tasmania, just three months after the loved-up couple went public with their romance. The duo are rumoured to have signed a deal to televise their nuptials later this year. 'It got harder as it went along': Sam also divulged that he struggled to hide his feelings for Snezana throughout the on-screen dating process His leading lady! He also gushed about his fiancee Snezana Markoski's personality during the interview, revealing that the raven-haired beauty has both a hard and a soft side Sam confirmed the purchase of a family home in late December, with Snezana and daughter Eve moving from Perth to join him in Melbourne in February. Things seem to be moving at light speed for Sam and Snezana, who also revealed to OK! Magazine that they have been 'trying' for children. 'We're enjoying it very much,' Sam told the publication. Settling down: Sam confirmed the purchase of a family home in late December, with Snezana and daughter Eve moving from Perth to join him in Melbourne in February Australian conservatives edge ahead in Brexit shadow Australia's ruling party Monday used the Brexit vote to warn against voting for Labor in upcoming elections as a poll showed the Liberals ahead for the first time in a drawn-out campaign. The country goes to the polls on Saturday with economic management assuming added significance in the wake of Britain's decision to leave the European Union, sparking global instability. "There will be considerable uncertainty for some time. You're seeing that every night on television at the moment," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in Adelaide, reinforcing his message in the wake of the referendum. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called an election seven weeks ago, setting off a campaign that has focused around economic management Mark Graham (AFP/File) "It is critical that we maintain strong, stable leadership." The Brexit-related pitch was a theme driven home by Turnbull ministers with Treasurer Scott Morrison saying: "It's so important to have stability at the moment, more than any other time." Turnbull called an election seven weeks ago, setting off a gruelling campaign that has focused around economic management, with issues such as immigration and climate change taking a back seat. His government argues it has the fiscal know-how to ensure the country transitions from an unprecedented mining investment boom to an economy which is more diverse and creates new jobs. Labor has driven home its traditional values of improving health and education and until now the two parties have been neck and neck in opinion polls. But for the first time since the campaign started, the conservative coalition has inched ahead with a Newspoll in The Australian giving it a 51-49 percent lead on a two-party basis. The poll of 1,713 people, taken from Thursday night until Sunday, is the first to gauge the effect on the election of Friday's shock Brexit decision. The newspaper said Britain's withdrawal from the EU appeared to have caused some voters to switch from minor parties to the Liberals. Turnbull continues to be seen as the better prime minister ahead of Labor rival Bill Shorten and strategists from both parties told the Sydney Morning Herald they expected him to be returned but with a reduced majority. The concern is that even if Turnbull retains power, a host of independents or minor parties may win seats in the upper house Senate, which would allow them to block legislation if they align with Labor. Australia's politics have been turbulent in recent years, with a "revolving door" of those in charge. Four different leaders have served since 2013 as parties removed sitting prime ministers. 1MDB: Malaysia's stunning financial scandal Malaysia has been rocked for more than a year by a financial scandal involving Prime Minister Najib Razak, a state investment firm, and an alleged frenzy of embezzlement stunning in its scope and complexity. Authorities in a half-dozen countries have launched investigations into suspicions that several billion dollars was looted from complicated financial transactions involving 1MDB and parked around the world. Following are answers to key questions in the affair. In 2009, a sovereign wealth fund owned by a Malaysian state was rebranded as 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, and turned into a government entity focusing on investments in development projects Manan Vatsyayana (AFP/File) What is 1MDB? In 2009, a sovereign wealth fund owned by a northern Malaysian state was rebranded by Najib as 1Malaysia Development Berhad, or 1MDB, and turned into a federal entity focusing on investments in strategic development projects. The fund is owned by the finance ministry, which is headed by Najib. He also chaired the company's advisory board until it was dissolved in May. Its wide-ranging investments have included power plants and other energy assets in Malaysia and the Middle East, as well as major real estate developments in Kuala Lumpur. How did the graft allegations come out? By 2014, concerns began to emerge over reports that 1MDB was more than $11 billion in debt as a result of a massive borrowing spree and a series of opaque overseas acquisitions. Late that year it missed a payment on a nearly $1 billion loan. Though it eventually paid off the loan, its continued debt troubles brought intensifying scrutiny. What are some key allegations? In 2009, 1MDB invested $1 billion in a short-lived joint venture with PetroSaudi Holdings, a Saudi Arabian energy company. Media reports citing emails among players in the deal say they indicate $700 million disappeared from the venture and may have gone to a close Najib family associate, a charge that 1MDB hotly denies. In another instance, Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund this year accused 1MDB of failing to pay back a loan of more than $1 billion. 1MDB insists it repaid the loan, but a Wall Street Journal report said documents show the money was paid to a shadowy British Virgin Islands company unrelated to the Abu Dhabi fund. In April, a Malaysian parliamentary report said 1MDB made more than $4 billion in suspicious payments to the now-dissolved British Virgin Islands company. How is Najib implicated? In July 2015, the Wall Street Journal revealed that Najib had received payments totalling $681 million in his personal bank accounts in 2013. Subsequent reports said the money originated from 1MDB and may have exceeded $1 billion, which 1MDB denies. Najib at first rejected the report as false and threatened legal action, but his government later acknowledged the payments. It said earlier this year the funds were a "personal donation" from the Saudi royal family. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir in April said it was a "genuine donation" but only after weeks of Saudi silence that fuelled doubts about the alibi. The nature of the "donation" has never been fully explained. Najib and 1MDB strongly deny the "donation" came from the company. Has anyone faced justice? Authorities in Switzerland and Singapore have frozen millions in assets on suspicion of 1MDB-related embezzlement and money-laundering, but so far no major figures have been brought to justice. The most notable casualty so far has been Switzerland-based BSI Bank, which Swiss authorities accused of "serious breaches" of money-laundering regulations in its dealings with 1MDB. Swiss regulators last month approved plans for BSI Bank to be taken over by another private banking group and eventually dissolved. A half-dozen countries including the United States are still investigating the affair. What impact has this had on Malaysia? Over the past year, Najib has purged 1MDB critics from his cabinet, curbed domestic investigations, and moved to prevent further discussion of the scandal, sparking accusations he was clamping down to save his skin. As a result, Najib has dramatically strengthened his control of the country. A state-level election and two parliamentary by-elections in recent weeks were won handily by Najib's ruling coalition, further bolstering his position. Analysts say 1MDB looks unlikely to unseat Najib and that the various foreign investigations are so far not expected to touch him due to the carefully constructed complexity of the questionable money flows. Foreigners kidnapped in Nigeria released: company Five foreign construction workers kidnapped last week with two Nigerian colleagues after their vehicle was attacked and driver killed have been released, officials said Monday, with two suffering serious injuries. The commissioner of police in Cross River state, Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, told reporters that the men, including three Australians, a New Zealander and a South African, had been set free, without giving further details. They were working for Australian mining and engineering company Macmahon, which has been contracted to cement major LafargeHolcim in the state. Kidnapping for ransom has been a long-standing problem for the police in Nigeria, particularly in the oil-producing regions and areas impacted by Boko Haram Quentin Leboucher (AFP/File) The men were seized with their two Nigerian colleagues early on Wednesday morning in the Akpabuyo district of Cross River, near the state capital Calabar. "Our men are at a safe location, but unfortunately five of them were injured during the incident," Macmahon chief executive Sy van Dyk said at a press conference in Perth, Australia. "Three of the men have wounds and two remain in a serious but stable condition. "They all are receiving specialist medical attention. Our priority now is to ensure that all of them are stabilised and ultimately given the all clear to travel." Cross River state security advisor Jude Ngaji had earlier said only the two Nigerians had injuries "while one or two others have some scars". Van Dyk refused to say whether a ransom was paid while thanking the authorities in Nigeria and a team of specialist international security advisers "who have worked with us to help secure this outcome". Kidnapping for ransom has been a long-standing problem in southern Nigeria, particularly in the oil-producing delta region, where criminal gangs target wealthy Nigerians and expatriate workers. Most are usually released after the payment of a ransom. The families of two of the Australians kidnapped, Mark Gabbedy and Jack Couranz, said it had been an "unbelievably stressful" time. "Obviously we are very relieved -- we have spoken to Jack and he seems in very good spirits," the Couranz family said in a statement. Macmahon has an $18 million per year contract with the United Cement Company of Nigeria Ltd (UniCem) for quarrying operations at UniCem's cement manufacturing plant at Mfamosing, near Calabar. Australia to team up with New Zealand on Brexit fallout Australia ordered an urgent review Monday into the consequences of Britain leaving the EU and said it would team up with New Zealand to negotiate new trade and immigration deals. The trans-Tasman neighbours have been rattled by the British public's decision to leave the European bloc, with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull calling it "a very big shift". He ordered a review from the Treasury, the Reserve Bank and financial regulators, in consultation with London and Brussels, on the implications of Britain's exit, to be delivered next week. Australian trade with the EU in 2013-14 stood at Aus$83.4 billion (US$61.6 billion) Saeed Khan (AFP/File) Turnbull said dealing with the fallout alongside Wellington made sense and after talks with New Zealand counterpart John Key had agreed to work towards a "collaborative, cooperative framework". "We have a lot of common interests with our neighbours in New Zealand and the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and I have discussed the implications of Brexit today and they are considerable," said Turnbull. "We have many, many common interests in terms of dealing with that, both from a trade point of view, from a movement of persons point of view. "There are some big issues in terms of the access of Australians and New Zealanders to Europe and, indeed, to the United Kingdom, a whole lot of issues to work on." Australia goes to the polls on Saturday and Turnbull said that if returned to office he would meet with Key soon after to chart the way forward and "ensure that we maximise any opportunities that arise out of these changes". Canberra and Wellington are both separately negotiating free-trade deals with the EU and once Britain leaves will also have to do the same with London. Australian trade with the EU in 2013-14 stood at Aus$83.4 billion (US$61.6 billion) while the United Kingdom was the seventh-largest by country at Aus$20.3 billion, according to official statistics. In New Zealand, trade with the EU, including Britain, was NZ$19.6 billion ($13.9 billion) in 2014-15, making it the country's third largest trading partner, official data showed. Key said he did not expect Brexit to have a major impact on New Zealand's trading arrangements with either Britain or the EU. "In terms of New Zealand's access for people and goods, I'm quite confident that position is OK because of the assurances I've received," he told Radio New Zealand. Multiple suicide bombings kill five in eastern Lebanon A string of suicide bombings early Monday killed at least five people in a Lebanese village near the volatile border with war-ravaged Syria. The attack came just hours after the Islamic State group on Sunday claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb that killed seven soldiers on Jordan's border with Syria. Monday's deadly blasts struck Al-Qaa, a predominantly Christian village nestled in a hilly border area shaken by violence since Syria's conflict erupted in 2011. Security forces secure the site of multiple suicide bombings on June 27, 2016 in the predominantly Christian village of Al-Qaa, near the border with Syria in eastern Lebanon At least four suicide bombers hit the village before dawn, a military source told AFP. "The first attacker knocked on one of the homes in the village, but after the resident became suspicious, he blew himself up," the source said. He said three other suicide attackers detonated their own explosives as people began gathering to treat the wounded. An AFP correspondent in the village said security forces had cordoned off the site of the blasts, which lies on a main road linking the Syrian town of Al-Qusayr to Lebanon's eastern Bekaa valley. The road cuts through a residential area in the centre of Al-Qaa, and the explosions took place less than 100 meters (yards) from the village church. "Al-Qaa is the gateway to the rest of Lebanon, and here we stopped a plan for a much bigger explosion," said Al-Qaa mayor Bashir Matar. He confirmed that the second and third suicide attackers detonated their explosives "as people gathered to treat the wounded." "We chased the fourth attacker and shot at him, and he blew himself up," Matar said, adding that five villagers had been killed in the attack. - Residents 'on edge' - George Kettaneh of the Lebanese Red Cross told AFP the blast had left "at least eight killed including three suicide bombers." He said 15 other people were wounded, including some in critical condition. A statement from Lebanon's army said at least four soldiers were wounded in the string of attacks, which the country's national news agency reported took place at 10 minute intervals. Al-Qaa is one of several border posts separating Lebanon and war-torn Syria. Al-Qaa's residents are mostly Christian, but one district called Masharia Al-Qaa is home to Sunni Muslims. And displaced Syrians fleeing the war next door have set up an informal camp adjacent to the village. The border area has been rocked by clashes, shelling, and suicide attacks since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. Resident Fadi Bsherrawi said he woke up when he heard the first blast, but went back to sleep thinking it was just fighting near the border. "I really woke up to the sound of the second attack," he told AFP. He spoke with neighbours after the attack who told him that one Muslim resident was having a morning meal before beginning his day of fasting for Ramadan when he saw a strange group of men outside. "He went outside to talk to them and they wanted to stir things up. So his son fired on them with a hunting rifle" before the explosions started, Bsherrawi said. Local paramedics began to arrive after the first suicide attack. "One rescue worker who was trying to carry a wounded man was killed when the second terrorist suicide bomber came," he said. "We have guards all the time. The village is always ready and people are on edge," he added. Suicide blasts in the area have typically targeted checkpoints or military installations and rarely include more than one attacker. But blasts in densely-populated areas in Beirut throughout 2013 and most recently in November have been much deadlier. On November 12, more than 40 people were killed in twin suicide bombings claimed by the Islamic State group in a southern Beirut neighbourhood. IS late Sunday claimed responsibility for a blast earlier this week that left seven Jordanian soldiers dead and 13 others wounded, according to the jihadist-linked news agency Amaq. Quoting an unnamed source, the Amaq statement said Tuesday's attack "was carried out by an Islamic State fighter." Lebanon's army has fought off jihadist factions along the frontier and has sought to clamp down on local cells operating in the area. In August 2014, the army clashed with the IS and Al-Nusra Front, Al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, in the border town of Arsal. Map of Lebanon locating Al-Qaa, which has been hit by a series of explosions Netanyahu lauds deal to restore Israel-Turkey ties Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday lauded a highly anticipated deal reached the previous day to restore ties with Turkey, six years after a deadly raid on an aid flotilla soured relations. Netanyahu, speaking after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, said the agreement would have major implications for the Israeli economy, with his country seeking export partners for its natural gas. "I think it's an important step here to normalise relations," Netanyahu told reporters. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) meets US Secretary of State John Kerry at Villa Taverna in Rome, on June 27, 2016 Filippo Monteforte (AFP) He said he would lay out the deal in detail later in the day, but described it as having "immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly". "I mean positive, immense implications," he said. Kerry also hailed the deal as a "positive step". Netanyahu and Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim were scheduled to hold separate press conferences in Rome and Ankara on the deal at 1000 GMT. A senior Turkish official also confirmed the agreement, saying in a reference to the Israeli raid that it "represents a diplomatic victory for Turkey, which assumed a principled and determined stance after the Mavi Marmara attack." - 'Spitting in our face' - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas spoke by phone overnight, with the Turkish leader explaining the agreement's main points, a statement from the Palestinian presidency said. Erdogan also met with Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Friday in anticipation of the agreement. Previously close relations between Israel and Turkey were significantly downgraded after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds. All of those killed were Turkish nationals. Both sides have been pushing to complete the deal in recent months, with Israel in search of a potential customer for its offshore gas exports and NATO member Turkey wanting to restore its regional clout, analysts say. The United States has also pushed for the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation in the fight against extremists from the Islamic State group. Within Israel, the deal was given a mixed response, with one newspaper quoting a soldier from the Mavi Marmara raid as saying "it's nothing less than spitting in our face." The deal includes Israel paying some $20 million into a fund for compensation for the Turkish victims' families. "We were sent to stop a terrorist flotilla. That was the mission," Maariv quoted the anonymous soldier as saying. "How is it possible today to pay compensation to terrorists who tried to murder us on board the ship? What message does that send to the rest of the troops?" - Compromise on blockade - The deal is to result in the restoration of ambassadors, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation -- an apology and compensation -- were largely met earlier, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, the main obstacle. Reports in recent days described a compromise on the issue. Under the reported terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water. Turkey's aid to Gaza would also be channelled through the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the reports said. Turkey has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, from carrying out activities against Israel from its country, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Sunday. Hamas would continue to be able to operate from Turkey for diplomatic purposes, the paper said. Netanyahu has also come under pressure within Israel not to agree to the deal if it does not include provisions for Hamas to hand over four missing Israelis, including the remains of two soldiers presumed dead and two civilians believed held alive by Hamas in Gaza. The Israeli official said Erdogan agreed to instruct "all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israel's missing citizens." Ten Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara ship which was part of the Free Gaza flotilla in May 2010 Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan (right) holds regular meetings with Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal and Ankara insists it will not its relationship with the Palestinian militant group in order to resume diplomatic ties with Israel Kayhan Ozer (Turkish Prime Minister Press Office/AFP/File) Hyena attacks teen in S.Africa's Kruger Park A 15-year-old was in a serious condition Monday after he was attacked in his tent by a hyena at South Africa's world famous Kruger National Park, officials said. The boy was sleeping alone in a separate compartment of his family's tent when the hyena set on him early Sunday, South African National Parks (SANParks) spokesman William Mabasa told AFP. "The animal attacked him on his face," Mabasa said "He screamed and his parents woke up. The hyena is one of the most common large carnivores in sub-Saharan Africa DANIEL JANIN (AFP/File) "Fortunately a nurse was there, as well as one of our guides." According to local news website Netwerk24, the hyena locked its jaws onto the boy's face, breaking facial bones and dragging him out of the tent in his pyjamas. After being treated at a local hospital, he was flown to Johannesburg for emergency plastic and reconstructive surgery to his mouth and jaw. Local media described his condition as serious. The hyena, which escaped, is thought to have entered the campsite through a hole in the fence. Mabasa said the animal was likely looking for food. "People must be aware at all times that there are wild animals around them and they must make sure that their tents are properly closed," he said. In July last year, a safari guide survived a leopard attack while viewing wildlife with tourists in Kruger Park. Pressure mounts on Thai junta over fake bomb detectors Activists on Monday urged Britain to hand over details of the multi-million-dollar sale to Thailand of fake bomb detectors that led to the detention of scores of innocent people. British fraudsters Gary Bolton and James McCormick were jailed in 2013 for making millions selling the GT200 and similar devices billed as "magic wands" able to detect tiny particles of explosives or drugs from hundreds of metres away. The GT200 was in fact a useless home-made plastic box with a radio antenna -- made for a few dollars but sold for between $3,300-$13,000 per unit to governments including Thailand, Mexico and Iraq. A Thai soldier usess a GT200 bomb detector as he patrols the streets of Yala in 2010 On Monday Jatuporn Prompan, the leader of Thailand's pro-democracy 'Red Shirt' street movement, handed a letter to the British embassy in Bangkok urging it to share details of contracts for the device. British authorities should reveal "particularly the contracts of broker companies which sold them (GT200) to the Thai government and how much they cost", he said in a YouTube post. A corruption probe into why the Thai military and several other departments ordered hundreds of the devices has ground to a halt. Opponents of the junta say investigations into allegations of army graft routinely go nowhere, with courts unwilling to tarnish the image of the powerful military. Anupong Paojinda, the current interior minister and a key player in the 2014 coup that restored the military to power, was army chief when many of the dodgy detectors were ordered around a decade ago. He repeatedly defended the use of the fake detectors even as tests cast serious doubt over its efficacy. By 2010 the detection powers of the GT200 had been debunked. That year Anupong told reporters that "we don't have a replacement yet so we continue to use it". Last week Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-Cha, a senior general during Anupong's tenure as army chief, said the device was "useful once... but when they were proven to be useless they were not used anymore". Rights groups say hundreds of people were detained -- some for several weeks -- in Thailand's restive south after erroneous findings of traces of explosives by security officers using the GT200. "Regardless of court rulings in the UK and overwhelming scientific evidence, Thai military leadership still defend the use of GT200," said Sunai Phasuk of Human Rights Watch Asia. He said the first sales took place in 2005, ultimately amounting to orders of nearly 1,400 GT200s worth $32 million across 15 separate Thai agencies. Sunai called for a probe into possible loss of life and the "large numbers of wrongful arrests" in Thailand's conflict-racked south due to the use of the bogus equipment. Israel-Turkey deal: a long-sought reconciliation Israel and Turkey have reached a deal to normalise relations that soured after a 2010 Israeli raid on an aid flotilla that left 10 Turkish nationals dead. Here are some questions and answers on the agreement: Why is it significant? Ten Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara ship which was part of the Free Gaza flotilla in May 2010 NATO-member Turkey and Israel are two key Middle Eastern powers at a time when Western nations are seeking cooperation in the fight against extremists from the Islamic State group. Israel is also deeply concerned with limiting the regional influence of its arch-foe Iran, and Turkey and Iran remain on opposing sides of the five-year civil war in Syria. There are also important economic and energy considerations. Why now? Turkey has been moving to restore its waning regional clout after a drastic worsening of its ties with Russia following Ankara's downing of a Russian warplane over Syria on November 24. Besides downgraded relations with Israel, Ankara has also reduced ties with Egypt and has failed to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Israel was also motivated to find new allies in the region, in part due to a need for export partners for its natural gas. There has been talk of building a pipeline to Turkey. It has also found itself under increasing pressure over the lack of any progress on peace efforts with the Palestinians and has sought to build relationships with regional countries partly to counter such criticism. What caused the dispute? The Muslim majority country and the Jewish state were once close allies, but ambassadors were withdrawn following the deadly storming by Israeli commandos in 2010 of a Turkish aid ship bound for Gaza. The ship was part of a flotilla seeking to run Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds. All of those killed were Turkish nationals. Aside from the Mavi Marmara incident, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a stout supporter of the Palestinian cause, had raised hackles in Israel with his sometimes inflammatory rhetoric towards it. What are the conditions of the deal? The deal is to result in the restoration of ambassadors, an Israeli official said on condition of anonymity. Two of Turkey's key conditions -- an apology and compensation -- were largely met earlier. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologised to Erdogan in a breakthrough engineered by US President Barack Obama during a visit to Jerusalem in 2013. Israel has also agreed to pay some $20 million into a fund for compensation for the Turkish victims' families, and in return all claims against Israeli soldiers will be dropped. The third demand -- that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip -- proved the toughest to overcome. A compromise was reached in which Israel will reportedly allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water. Turkey's aid to Gaza would also be channelled through the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the reports said. Turkey has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas from carrying out activities against Israel from its country, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported. Hamas would continue to be able to operate from Turkey for diplomatic purposes, the paper said. Erdogan has also agreed to assist in having Hamas hand over four missing Israelis, according to an Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity. They include the remains of two soldiers presumed dead and two civilians believed held alive by Hamas in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chairs the weekly cabinet meeting in his Jerusalem office on June 26, 2016 Dan Balilty (POOL/AFP) Israeli, Turkish leaders laud deal to restore ties Israeli and Turkish leaders on Monday lauded a deal reached at the weekend to restore ties after six years of acrimony over a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed Israel's maritime blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip would remain after the agreement, though Turkey obtained aid concessions for the Palestinian enclave. His Turkish counterpart Binali Yildirim said that "to this end, our first ship loaded with over 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid will leave for Israel's Ashdod port on Friday." In May 2010, ten Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara ship which was part of the Free Gaza flotilla Yildirim also noted Israel's commitment to pay $20 million in compensation over the 2010 raid that killed 10 Turkish activists, in exchange for all claims against Israeli soldiers being dropped. Netanyahu pointed to the economic benefits for Israel, with his country in search of regional customers for gas exports and talk of a potential pipeline to Turkey. Speaking in Rome after meeting US Secretary of State John Kerry, Netanyahu described the agreement as having "immense implications for the Israeli economy". "I mean positive, immense implications," he said. Kerry also hailed the deal as a "positive step", while UN chief Ban Ki-moon, on a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories, called it a "hopeful signal for the stability of the region". Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas spoke by phone overnight, with the Turkish leader explaining the agreement's main points, a statement from the Palestinian presidency said. Erdogan also met with Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Friday in anticipation of the agreement. After the deal is signed on Tuesday, the approval process will start in both countries, and the Turkish premier said Ankara would appoint an ambassador to Tel Aviv within weeks. - 'Spitting in our face' - Previously close relations between Israel and Turkey were downgraded significantly after Israeli commandos staged a botched pre-dawn raid on the six-ship flotilla in May 2010 as it tried to run the blockade on the Gaza Strip. Nine activists aboard the Turkish-owned Mavi Marmara ferry were killed, with a 10th person later dying of his wounds. Both sides have been pushing to complete the deal in recent months, with Israel in search of a potential customer for its offshore gas exports and NATO member Turkey wanting to restore its regional clout, analysts say. The United States has also pushed for the two countries to resolve the dispute as it seeks cooperation in the fight against extremists from the Islamic State group. Within Israel, the deal was given a mixed response, with one newspaper quoting a soldier from the Mavi Marmara raid as saying "it's nothing less than spitting in our face". "We were sent to stop a terrorist flotilla. That was the mission," Maariv quoted the anonymous soldier as saying. "How is it possible today to pay compensation to terrorists who tried to murder us on board the ship? What message does that send to the rest of the troops?" However, former Israeli national security adviser Yaakov Amidror hailed the possibilities and said the deal was long overdue. "Remember, we are now in a very volatile area, and there are very few countries with which Turkey or we can make deals around the Middle East," Amidror told journalists. "And it will be a huge mistake by both not to use this opportunity and to build better relations, better trade." - Compromise on blockade - Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation -- an apology and compensation -- were largely met earlier, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip, the main obstacle. Reports in recent days described a compromise on the issue. Under the reported terms of the deal, Israel will allow the completion of a much-needed hospital in Gaza, as well as the construction of a new power station and a desalination plant for drinking water. Turkey's aid to Gaza would also be channelled through the Israeli port of Ashdod rather than sending it directly to the Palestinian enclave, the reports said. Ankara has also committed to keeping Islamist movement Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, from carrying out military activities against Israel from Turkish territory, "including fundraising for such purposes," Netanyahu said. Hamas would continue to be able to operate from Turkey for diplomatic purposes, the paper said. Netanyahu has also come under pressure within Israel not to agree to the deal if it does not include provisions for Hamas to hand over four missing Israelis, including the remains of two soldiers presumed dead and two civilians believed held alive by Hamas in Gaza. He said that Erdogan agreed to instruct "relevant Turkish agencies to assist in every way in the return of the POWs and missing on a humanitarian basis." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) meets US Secretary of State John Kerry at Villa Taverna in Rome, on June 27, 2016 Filippo Monteforte (AFP) Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) Erdogan also met with Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal (L) in anticipation of the agreement Kayhan Ozer (Turkish Prime Minister Press Office/AFP/File) A Palestinian woman walks past a building which was destroyed during the 2014 war between Israel and Hamas militants in the northern Gaza Strip city of Beit Hanun Thomas Coex (AFP/File) Taiwan 'to test-fire missiles in US' as China tensions rise Taiwan plans to test-fire its newest anti-missile system for the first time in the United States next month as relations with rival China deteriorate, a defence source and media reports said Monday. Relations between China and Taiwan have cooled rapidly under the island's new Beijing-sceptic president Tsai Ing-wen, who took office in May, ending an eight-year rapprochement. The test of the US-made Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) system will be launched at the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, in early July, a defence ministry source told AFP, in a move likely to irk Beijing even though it was arranged before Tsai took the helm. Taiwan acquired the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile system as part of a $6.5 billion arms sale in 2008 Yoshikazu Tsuno (AFP/File) According to the source, the test will be conducted in the US to avoid China collecting information about it, and due to space restrictions in Taiwan. The American Institute in Taiwan, the de facto US embassy, would not comment on the test, which was also reported in Taiwan's Liberty Times newspaper. Despite having no official diplomatic ties with Taipei after recognising Beijing in 1979, the US is still Taiwan's greatest ally and main arms supplier. The missile system was purchased in 2008, well before Tsai's leadership, and the test was approved by the US last year, according to the Liberty Times. Taiwan bought three earlier model PAC-2 systems in the 1990s and also tested them in the US. They were deployed in the densely populated greater Taipei area. It then bought the new PAC-3 -- a system designed to intercept incoming ballistic missiles near the end of their trajectory -- as part of a $6.5 billion arms sale by the US in 2008, which infuriated Beijing at the time. The system is already partly operational and will shield Taipei, as well as central Taichung and southern Kaohsiung from any Chinese missile attacks, according to the defence ministry. The Taiwanese missile unit involved in the July drill will fire two missiles to intercept a missile launched by the US military, which simulates an incoming Chinese ballistic missile, the Liberty Times reported. Japan has also tested the PAC-3 on US soil. In the latest setback for cross-strait ties, China said Sunday that communications with Taiwan had been suspended after the island's new government failed to acknowledge the concept that there is only "one China". China still insists self-ruling Taiwan is part of its territory awaiting reunification, by force if necessary, even though the two sides split in 1949 after a civil war. According to Taiwan's defence ministry there are 1,500 Chinese missiles aimed at the island. Ban tells Israelis, Palestinians: 'stand firm against violence' UN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday urged Israelis and Palestinians not to allow extremists on either side to fan violence, as he arrived as part of a Middle East tour. "Do not allow the extremism on either side to fuel the... conflict," he said in remarks at Tel Aviv University. "Palestinians and Israelis leaders must stand firm against violence, terror and incitement." Israeli President Reuven Rivlin (right) and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon address the press in Jerusalem on June 27, 2016 Gali Tibbon (AFP) Ban continued the theme at a meeting with Israeli President Reuven Rivlin in Jerusalem. "Stabbings, bombings and shootings will not achieve anything because violence is never a solution," he said. The United Nations Secretary General is to hold talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday, as part of a packed schedule in which he will also visit the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, occupied by Israel since the 1976 Six Day War. "Nearly 50 years of occupation has had a devastating impact on Palestinian lives undermining the belief in a peaceful resolution to the conflict," Ban said in Jerusalem. "It also has not brought security to the Israelis. "I firmly believe that a negotiated two-state solution remains the only viable option to prevent a perpetual conflict," he added. Netanyahu was originally expected to meet Ban on Monday but he was in Rome for talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry on stalled peace efforts with the Palestinians. That meeting came ahead of a report by the Quartet -- the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia -- on the peace process. The review by the diplomatic contact group is expected to be critical of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank. "I encourage Israeli and Palestinian leaders to engage with the Quartet on its recommendations and on creating the conditions for the resumption of meaningful negotiations," Ban said. He kicked off his Middle East tour in Kuwait on Sunday. Second day of clashes at Jerusalem flashpoint holy site Palestinians and Israeli police clashed at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque compound for a second straight day on Monday, with Islamic officials accusing Israeli authorities of breaking a tacit agreement on access during Ramadan. Youths threw stones at police deployed at the site, while security forces fired tear gas and sponge-tipped bullets, AFP journalists reported. Calm later returned to the site, considered sacred to both Jews and Muslims and where clashes regularly occur. A number of injuries were reported by Palestinian media, though the Red Crescent has yet to provide any figures. Israeli security forces stand guard at the entrance of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, on June 27, 2016 Ahmad Gharabli (AFP) Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said officers intervened to allow visits to the site to continue without further incident after "having obtained information on masked youths" taking up positions in the mosque overnight and blocking its doors. A total of 10 suspects were arrested during the unrest on Sunday and Monday, police said later. Islamic officials say Israeli authorities are allowing non-Muslim visitors into the compound in breach of a tradition which allows only worshippers to enter during the last 10 days of Ramadan. The period, which began on Sunday, is the most solemn for Muslims and attracts the highest number of worshippers to the site. Typically non-Muslims, including Jews, are allowed to visit the site during set hours, but cannot pray there to avoid provoking tensions. The site, known to Jews as the Temple Mount, is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in 1967 and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community. A statement from the Waqf, the Jordanian foundation that oversees the site, and Jerusalem Muslim spiritual leaders said Israeli authorities were "breaking a tacit agreement in place for years in a bid to show that they are the ones who have the final say at Al-Aqsa and not the Waqf." Jordan also denounced what it called "Israeli violations" of rules at the site and said it had been in contact with Israeli officials on the issue. Similar clashes had broken out on Sunday, with the Palestinian Red Crescent saying it took seven Palestinians to an east Jerusalem hospital for treatment of injuries from sponge-tipped bullets, tear gas and beatings. Police said officers at the Old City site on Sunday arrested four masked youths "who were disrupting visits on the Temple Mount" by non-Muslims. NATO appoints first woman as deputy head NATO on Monday appointed Rose Gottemoeller as deputy head of the US-led alliance, the first woman to hold the post, a statement said. Gottemoeller is a career US diplomat whose nomination to the NATO post in March by President Barack Obama ran into stiff Republican criticism that she was too soft on Russia. "I am delighted to announce the appointment of Rose Gottemoeller, who will bring to NATO a wealth of experience in international security policy, and in areas such as arms control and relations with Russia," alliance head Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement. Rose Gottemoeller Kirill Kudryavtsev (AFP/File) Stoltenberg said the appointment of the first woman to the deputy post was a "milestone" for NATO. The Ukraine crisis and Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea have plunged relations into a deep freeze, with NATO responding by launching a major revamp to counter a more assertive Moscow. South African President Jacob Zuma should pay back $500,000 (385,000) of public funds spent upgrading his private residence with facilities including a state-of-the-art chicken coop and a swimming pool, the treasury said. The figure is just three per cent of the $16million (12million) total. In March, the country's highest court found that the president had violated the constitution by defying an order to repay some of the money in one of several scandals that have dominated his presidency. South African President Jacob Zuma should pay back $500,000 (385,000) of public funds spent upgrading his private residence (pictured) in the rural eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, the treasury said Work carried out on Zuma's home included a swimming pool, which was claimed to be a fire-fighting facility, a chicken run, a cattle enclosure, an amphitheatre and a visitors' centre The Constitutional Court asked the national treasury to determine the value of the non-security upgrades installed at Nkandla, Zuma's traditional homestead in the rural eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. The work included a swimming pool, which was claimed to be a fire-fighting facility, a chicken run, a cattle enclosure, an amphitheatre and a visitors' centre. The treasury said in a statement that Zuma, head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, should pay back 7,814,155 rand ($509,000). The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said the sum was too low but was still a damning indictment of the president. 'The president should pay back 100 per cent of the non-security upgrades - previously we determined that amount to be up to 52.9 million rand ($3.4 million),' DA spokesman Mabine Seabe told AFP. 'Zuma paying is an admission of guilt. The next step is criminal charges,' the EFF party said 'This (the treasury's report) sends out a clear message to those involved in corruption, especially those in the ANC, that you will be held accountable for your actions, even if you are the president.' The presidency made no immediate comment on the treasury's calculation, which will now be reviewed by the Constitutional Court. After the court's ruling in March, Zuma was urged to step down by several ANC veterans of the anti-apartheid struggle that brought liberation icon Nelson Mandela to power in 1994. But he retains widespread loyalty in the party, and ANC lawmakers have regularly rallied to his defence. In April, they easily defeated an opposition move to impeach the 74-year-old who has been in power for seven years. He has been wounded by months of scandals, including his sacking of two finance ministers in four days last year, which rocked the markets and saw the rand currency plummet. South Africa holds local elections in August and, if the ANC suffers a major drop in support, Zuma could lose backing within the party and not serve out the last three years of his final term. As well as the DA, the radical leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party hopes to attract voters frustrated by record unemployment and lack of progress since the end of white-minority rule. 'Zuma paying is an admission of guilt. The next step is criminal charges,' the EFF said in a text message. Last week, a separate court threw out Zuma's attempt to appeal against a ruling that he should face almost 800 corruption charges that were dropped in 2009 shortly before he came to power. The charges relate to alleged corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering over a multi-billion dollar arms deal. The Nkandla scandal became a symbol of alleged widespread corruption and greed within the ANC party. Jordanian officials 'sold CIA-supplied weapons to arms dealers' Jordanian intelligence officials stole millions of dollars of weapons that the CIA and Saudi Arabia had supplied for Syrian rebels, then sold them on the black market, The New York Times and Al Jazeera reported. The military equipment had been shipped into Jordan as part of the Central Intelligence Agency's secret program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels to fight troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Citing unnamed American and Jordanian officials, the Times and Al Jazeera reported Sunday that some of these weapons were used in a November shooting at a police training facility in Amman. A Syrian rebel looks up from his hiding spot in the rebel-controlled area of Arbeen, on the outskirts of Damascus Amer Almohibany (AFP) Two American contractors, two Jordanians and one South African were gunned down in the attack. The Times and Al Jazeera said the FBI has been investigating the case for months. The stolen weapons include Kalashnikov assault rifles, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades and the black market is newly awash with arms, the reports said. Investigators aren't sure what happened to most of the weapons but many are likely to have ended up in the hands of rural Jordanian tribes, criminals or shipped to other countries. The FBI and CIA declined to comment. Arab intelligence services and the CIA have been training rebels since 2013 under the code name Timber Sycamore. The training effort is run from Jordan because of its proximity to Syria. It is separate from Pentagon efforts in northern Syria to train and equip rebel fighters to attack the Islamic State group. Though the program is classified, officials told the Times and Al Jazeera that the CIA has trained thousands of rebels in the past three years. Supreme Court delivers major victory for US abortion rights The US Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics, handing a major victory to the "pro-choice" camp in the country's most important abortion case in a generation. Crowds of passionate activists from both sides of the divide massed outside the court in anticipation of the closely-watched ruling, which has far-reaching implications for millions of women across the United States. The black-robed justices ruled by 5-3 to strike down Texas measures which activists say have forced more than half of abortion clinics to close in the second most-populous US state, with the conservative Anthony Kennedy siding with his four liberal colleagues on the bench. The US Supreme Court has struck down a Texas law placing a raft of restrictions on abortion clinics Pete Marovich (Getty/AFP) The ruling was immediately hailed as a milestone for abortion rights, with the American Civil Liberties Union tweeting: "Supreme Court decides that a right without access is not a right." Outside the court, pro-choice activists rallied under placards reading "The burden is undue" -- while abortion opponents massed under the slogan: "I am the pro-life generation." "I'm all about life and love and babies," Nita Amar, a 63-year-old labor and delivery nurse, told AFP as she hailed the ruling. "But if women lose access to abortion rights they're gonna go back to the alleys and use coat hangers again." But others were distraught. "I'm devastated. I just cried," said 25-year-old "pro-life" activist Sarah Manning, who came with husband Jonathan and their seven-month-old baby. "How many more people will die because of this ruling?" Under the Texas legislation, doctors who perform abortions are required to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and their clinics must meet the standards of an ambulatory surgical center. Justice Stephen Breyer, writing for the majority, said "we conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes." The court ruled that both provisions placed "a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion" that "each constitutes an undue burden on abortion access" and "each violates the Federal Constitution." - 'Disappointed' - Defenders of the 2013 Texas law claimed that it aimed to protect women's health, but opponents saw it as part of a nationwide drive to restrict access to legal abortion. The rules meant that hundreds of thousands of women were or would be forced to seek abortion services far from their homes and faced a weeks-long wait while clinics struggle with strict requirements and costly upgrades. Activists had sounded the alarm over moves to enact similar laws in other states, that would have received a major boost from a Supreme Court ruling in Texas's favor. Leading figures in the Republican Party -- which tends to back restrictions on abortion -- expressed dismay at the ruling. "I'm disappointed in the Court's decision. But our fight to protect women's health & promote life will not stop here," tweeted House Speaker Paul Ryan. But Planned Parenthood, the women's health provider, tweeted: "This is a win for Texans & women across the country who need access to abortion." The landmark ruling is putting the spotlight on abortion in the middle of an election year, making it a hot topic on the campaign trail. - Swing vote - With the death of stalwart conservative Antonin Scalia, the court is evenly split between conservatives and liberals -- and the eight justices had appeared sharply divided during hearing on the case. The decision ultimately hinged on the swing vote of Justice Kennedy. Kennedy helped draft a ruling 24 years ago that struck down state restrictions imposing an "undue burden" on a women seeking an abortion. During hearings on the Texas case, Kennedy had raised a number of concerns about the law -- noting that its restrictions and associated delays were increasing the number of surgical abortions and decreasing those induced by medication. The ruling noted that: "When directly asked at oral argument whether Texas knew of a single instance in which the new requirement would have helped even one woman obtain better treatment, Texas admitted that there was no evidence in the record of such a case." Abortion rights activists hold placards outside the US Supreme Court in Washington on June 27, 2016 Mandel Ngan (AFP) Anti-abortion activists hold placards outside the Supreme Court in Washington on June 27, 2016 Mandel Ngan (AFP) 100 NGOs press EU leaders on Africa migrant plan A group of over 100 NGOs on Monday called on EU leaders to reject proposals to tie giving funds to African countries to their efforts to stop migrants heading for Europe. "The European Union is set to open a dark chapter in its history," the 109 rights, development and medical agencies including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International said. Under the proposals put forward by the European Commission earlier this month, the EU aims to promote private investment in countries from which most migrants are coming. A man holds a placard reading "People Before Borders" in front of the Pantheon in central Rome on June 20 2016, during a flashmob organised by Amnesty International in Italy on World Refugee Day Alberto Pizzoli (AFP/File) The aim is to boost their economies so that people will not try to come to Europe. The Commission also wants to speed up readmission deals to make it easier to send migrants back. EU leaders are set to review the proposals made by the Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation EU, at a summit in Brussels on Tuesday. They echo a controversial migration deal between the EU and Turkey signed in March. The non-governmental organisations said that the EU "risks torpedoing human rights in its foreign policy, and undermining the right to asylum internationally." "There are no safeguards envisaged to ensure that human rights, rule of law standards and protection mechanisms are in place when the EU strikes deals with governments it deems useful for stopping migration to Europe," they said. "This leaves a very real risk of breach of international law which forbids pushbacks to places where people are at risk of rights violations," the statement added. Despite fears, Iraq militiamen joined battle inside Fallujah Iraqi Shiite militiamen fought alongside interior ministry forces inside Fallujah to recapture it from the Islamic State group, commanders say, despite earlier assurances they would not enter the Sunni city. Shiite militiamen are widely feared by Iraqi Sunnis, who worry they will carry out reprisal attacks as the country's forces battle to retake areas seized by IS, which overran swathes of territory in 2014. Their presence inside Fallujah -- which Iraq announced Sunday was fully under government control -- was opposed by some Sunni politicians. Members of Iraqi police forces celebrate on a street on June 27, 2016 in western Fallujah, 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the Iraqi capital Baghdad, after Iraqi forces retook the embattled city from the Islamic State group Haidar Mohammed Ali (AFP) But while abuses including summary executions by militiamen -- who fall under an umbrella organisation known as the Hashed al-Shaabi, or Popular Mobilisation forces -- have been reported in areas near Fallujah, similar accounts have not emerged from inside the city itself. And with Baghdad eyeing Mosul, the next target in its anti-IS campaign, the close cooperation between some militiamen and security forces in Fallujah may help them push for a similar role in the battle for Iraq's last jihadist-held city. "We participated in liberating the city," Hadi al-Ameri, the commander of the powerful Iran-backed Badr militia, said in Fallujah. He said the participation was not major, with around 1,500 militiamen fighting "side by side" with federal police and the interior ministry's rapid response forces, which along with the country's elite counter-terrorism service played the main role in the battle inside Fallujah. Abu Hanan al-Kinaani, the commander of Badr's 4th Brigade, also said the group's fighters battled alongside interior ministry forces in various areas of Fallujah. The involvement of the paramilitaries inside Fallujah contradicted earlier assurances that they would remain outside the city. Ameri himself had previously said that "we will not enter Fallujah" and that their mission was to surround it. Brigadier General Yahya Rasool, the spokesman for Iraq's Joint Operations Command, denied having information about the presence of Hashed fighters in the city and said that plan was for them to remain outside it. "The mission of the Hashed al-Shaabi was to support the police and army units, and tighten the noose around Fallujah," he said. - Graffiti, flags - Asked about Hashed forces in Fallujah and whether Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi, the commander-in-chief of Iraq's armed forces, had requested their involvement, his spokesman Saad al-Hadithi declined to comment. Ameri insisted that there had been no prohibition on the militiamen entering Fallujah, and said that those who were against it were protecting IS. "I will send them black clothes" to mourn the government's recapture of Fallujah, he joked. Ameri said that Hashed forces had voluntarily waited to enter the city until after civilians had departed out of concern for their safety. While the involvement of Hashed forces in the city during the operation was relatively discreet, their presence is now far more open. The names of Badr units are spray-painted on walls and buildings in Fallujah, and the group's flags fly at various points. "This neighbourhood was liberated by the heroes of Badr," a message on one wall says. A number of vehicles in the city, including an American armoured personnel carrier and a Humvee, are marked as belonging to Badr, and some bear Ameri's picture. Badr's presence is the most conspicuous, but other Hashed groups were also said to have taken part in fighting inside the city. Interior ministry and Badr commanders both said that Hashed al-Shaabi fighters worked closely with the federal police and rapid response forces during the Fallujah battle -- an arrangement that would mean they were more directly under government control than in some earlier anti-IS operations. Such cooperation is likely aided by the fact that Interior Minister Mohammed Ghabban is himself a Badr leader, and could give the group's forces a leg up in navigating the process of what will happen to the Hashed after the war against IS. Hashed fighters worked with other Iraqi forces "as one team, and we (achieved) this great victory," Ameri said. Hadi al-Ameri, a commander of Hashed al-Shaabi, an Iraqi paramilitary umbrella that is dominated by Shiite militias, gestures as he speaks to journalists in Fallujah on June 26, 2016 Haidar Mohammed Ali (AFP/File) Catholic bishops in DR Congo call for elections to be held on time An influential grouping of Catholic bishops in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday called for elections to be held on schedule this year and for President Joseph Kabila to step down when his second term ends. Kabila, who has been in power since 2001, is mandated to leave office in December. But in May the Constitutional Court said he could remain in power if a presidential election is not organised in time, which the opposition has accused him of deliberately delaying. "It is imperative that we respect the constitution", especially concerning "the number and duration of mandates of the president of the Republic," priest Leonard Santedi, head of the National Bishops Conference of Congo, said at a press conference in Kinshasa. Priests and Bishops arrive at Notre Dame Cathedral in Kinshasa, on January 12, 2012 Junior D. Kannah (AFP/File) He appealed to the DRC's leaders to "accept the transfer of power as fundamental in a democracy". "Blocking the electoral process" creates a "worrying situation which risks plunging the country into chaos," he said, adding that it was the "responsibility of the political leaders" . In a message published after their annual meeting, the bishops deplored the human rights violations and the "deteriorating socio-economic and security situation" in the country, especially in areas like eastern DRC which are plagued with rival militias. "The people see themselves as being sacrificed on the altar of the politicians' interests," it said. Kabila is widely believed to be eyeing a third term in office, but the opposition has warned that if he stays in power beyond December 19 when his second term runs out, it would be tantamount to a "constitutional coup d'etat". Tunisia urges Britain to revoke travel warning Tunisia said Monday it has urged Britain to revoke a travel warning issued after a jihadist attack on a beach in the country killed 30 British holidaymakers last year. Foreign Minister Khemaies Jhinaoui made the request during talks in Tunis with Tobias Ellwood, a British parliamentary under secretary of state in charge of Middle East and North African affairs. A Tunisian foreign ministry statement said that during Sunday's talks Jhinaoui called for Britain "to review its decision to advise its citizens against travelling to Tunisia". British and Tunisian officials attend a ceremony on June 26, 2016 in memory of those killed a year ago by a jihadist gunman in front of the Riu Imperial Marhaba Hotel on the outskirts of Sousse Fethi Belaid (AFP/File) Jhinaoui said Tunisia had taken "measures to fight against terrorism and to secure tourist zones and protect tourists", the statement read. In June last year, a Tunisian gunman opened fire with a Kalashnikov assault rifle at a beach resort near Sousse, killing 38 tourists, all but eight of them Britons. Ellwood took part Sunday in a ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the June 26, 2015 killings. After the shootings, Britain issued an official advice warning against all but essential travel to Tunisia. The bloodbath at Port El Kantaoui was the second of two deadly jihadist attacks claimed by the Islamic State group to hit Tunisia's once lucrative tourism sector. It came months after 21 tourists and a policeman were killed in an attack on the Bardo National Museum in Tunis. In May, British travel agents said more Britons are set to spend their summer holidays this year in Spain and Portugal as demand for sunshine breaks in Tunisia and Egypt -- which was also been by deadly violence last year -- declines. Before the 2011 revolution, Tunisia attracted almost seven million visitors each year, with its lucrative tourism sector accounting for seven percent of gross domestic product. A year on, the country's tourism sector is still reeling. Revenues for the first quarter of this year were down by 51.7 percent compared with last year, according to the central bank. US, EU to push on with trade deal despite Brexit The United States and the European Union on Monday both stressed a willingness to clinch a trade deal this year, despite Britain's shock vote to exit the 28-nation bloc. The comments from the top trade negotiators for each side came on the eve of talks in Washington on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which would create the world's largest free trade and investment area. "Our goal remains to continue working with the EU to conclude an ambitious, comprehensive and high-standard agreement this year," said US Trade Representative Michael Froman. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership project has been facing mounting opposition in parts of Europe, especially in France and Germany John MacDougall (AFP/File) Froman is scheduled to meet Tuesday with EU trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem. Malmstroem said she was traveling to the US capital "in order to advance further in these negotiations." "In this unprecedented situation, let me stress that we are clear and united in our response with regard to EU trade policy... Our negotiations with key partners will continue," Malmstroem said in a statement. Froman said the US government was evaluating the effect of Brexit on the TTIP talks, launched in July 2013. "The economic and strategic rationale for TTIP remains strong," he said, reiterating a remark he made Friday after the shock announcement that Britain had voted to exit the EU. Washington and Brussels want the TTIP completed this year before US President Barack Obama leaves office. But it has faced mounting opposition in parts of Europe, especially in France and Germany, where critics say the talks have been conducted in secret and fear a negative impact on agriculture and the environment. On Sunday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls blasted the planned US-EU deal. "No free trade agreement should be concluded if it does not respect EU interests. Europe should be firm," Valls told members of France's governing Socialist Party, adding: "France will be vigilant about this." "I can tell you frankly, there cannot be a transatlantic treaty agreement. This agreement is not on track," Valls said. Froman on Monday offered a diplomatic view of the situation. "The Europeans have had a lot on their plate -- the Brexit vote, the migrant crisis, the rise of skepticism about Brussels and other difficult issues," he said at a conference in Washington. "We sympathize and we hope they can summon the needed focus and political will to get this done." Michelle Obama urges Liberian girls to stay in school US First Lady Michelle Obama told girls in Liberia on Monday to fight to stay in school, as she visited the west African country where the vast majority drop out due to financial pressures. Obama launched her "Let Girls Learn" education initiative in March 2015, and has since travelled the globe to call for greater support for the millions of girls kept away from school or forced to abandon their studies. After being greeted by hundreds of singing children lining the road from Monrovia's airport, Obama met girls and young women at a project named GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) aimed at boosting active citizenship, run by the US Peace Corps in Kakata, east of the coastal capital. USA first lady Michelle Obama (L) looks on as she visits a woman education program in Monrovia on June 27, 2016 Olivier Morin (AFP) She was accompanied by her two daughters Malia, 17, and Sasha, 15 and her mother, whom she referred to as her "special girl power crew". President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf welcomed the American visitors once they had landed. Speaking about the value of women's leadership and access to education, the Harvard-trained lawyer said she was "here to shine a big bright light on you." "I want you to keep fighting and stay in school," she told the girls. "You are going to be leaders tomorrow; you are going to be mothers; you are educating yourselves to achieve that. That is why I am proud of you," she said to the assembled group. Her venture has particular poignance in Liberia, where just 37 percent of 15 to 24-year-old girls are literate, according to UN figures, and enrolment at the secondary level hovers close to 40 percent, with real participation much lower. She later discussed the ongoing challenges faced by the young women in this community at a nearby school in Reunification Town, including paying school fees and dealing with "jealous" young men. - 'School seen as a cost' - The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) meanwhile announced Monday millions more dollars of funding would be made available to support the Let Girls Learn Initiative's projects. Sheldon Yett, UNICEF representative for Liberia, told AFP many parents see school as a luxury they can ill afford. "Often families see it as a cost, losing labour by sending children to school," Yett said. And for female pupils in particular, "roughly half of schools don't even have basic sanitation, so that's a particular issue for girls," he added. Some 62 million girls around the world, half of them adolescents, are not in school. Obama will continue her tour in Morocco on June 28 and 29, accompanied by actress Meryl Streep, to participate in a conversation with adolescent girls. She will deliver a speech in Madrid on June 30 about the education initiative before meeting Spain's Queen Letizia. US calls on Zambia to re-open newspaper The United States on Monday urged the Zambian authorities to reopen the country's largest independent newspaper, which was shut last week allegedly over unpaid tax. The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) last week closed the Post newspaper, claiming it owes 53 million kwacha ($4,8 million) in tax arrears. But the paper rejects the tax collecting agency's claims and says the shutdown is an attempt to silence it ahead of August elections. Zambia's President Edgar Lungu, pictured on May 21, 2016, defended the shutting down of 'The Post' paper saying that the timing of it was unrelated to the upcoming elections Salim Dawood (AFP/File) Visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield said Zambia needed a free press if the polls are to be credible and transparent. "Freedom of the press is a key component of democracy and it is important for your elections," she said during a public discussion on political violence ahead of the August 11 general election. "I am not arguing that the Post should not pay the fee -- what I am arguing is that efforts should be made to work it out so that you can continue to have the benefits of an independent state," she said. Earlier, Zambia's President Edgar Lungu defended the shutting down of the paper. He said the tax dispute dates back seven years, and the timing of the closure was unrelated to the elections. "Some of you are saying that the timing of the court's decision is awkward," Lungu told foreign diplomats accredited to Lusaka. "Tell me when is the right time for courts to act independently? "This matter cannot be stayed because of elections." The Post, which was established in 1991, has been critical of Lungu, who is seeking re-election. 42 dead in Yemen suicide attacks claimed by IS A wave of suicide bombings targeting Yemeni troops killed at least 42 people Monday in the southeastern city of Mukalla, officials said, in attacks claimed by the Islamic State group. The capital of Hadramawt province, Mukalla had been under the control of Al-Qaeda for one year until pro-government troops backed by a Saudi-led coalition recaptured the city in April. But IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying in a statement that eight of its suicide bombers killed 50 members of Yemen's security forces, according to US-based monitor SITE Intelligence Group. Yemeni soldiers stand guard outside a public security camp in the southeastern Yemeni port of Mukalla on May 15, 2016 The governor of the vast province, Ahmed Saeed bin Breyk, told AFP previously that Mukalla had "witnessed five suicide attacks in four areas". Three simultaneous bombings hit security checkpoints in the coastal city at sunset, just as troops fasting during the holy Muslim month of Ramadan were breaking their fast, a security official said. In the first attack, a suicide bomber on a motorbike asked soldiers if he could eat with them before blowing himself up, the official said. Two other bombers approached soldiers on foot elsewhere in the city before detonating their explosives. Shortly afterwards, two suicide bombers launched a fourth attack and blew themselves up at the entrance of an army camp, the official said. In all, the attacks killed 40 soldiers as well as a woman and child who were passing by and wounded 37 other people, said Hadramawt's health chief Riad al-Jalili. Al-Qaeda retains a strong presence in Mukalla, and the jihadists still control several towns in the interior valley of Wadi Hadramawt. Last month, the Pentagon said a "very small number" of US military personnel had been deployed around Mukalla in support of pro-government forces. The US Navy has several ships nearby, including an amphibious assault vessel, the USS Boxer, and two destroyers. - 'Significant threat' - Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, has been based in Yemen since 2009. Both it and the IS group have exploited the power vacuum created by the conflict in the impoverished country to expand their presence in the south and southeast. In May, a suicide bombing claimed by IS and a second blast killed 47 police in Mukalla -- a city of 200,000 people. There has been no let-up in the longstanding US air war against AQAP, which it regards as the jihadist network's most dangerous. US strikes have taken out a number of senior Al-Qaeda commanders in Yemen over the past year. The US military said this month that it had killed six Al-Qaeda fighters in three separate strikes in central Yemen. AQAP "remains a significant threat to the region, the United States and beyond," said US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East. On June 16, CIA director John Brennan told the Senate Intelligence Committee AQAP had several thousand "adherents and fighters" while there are also "several hundred" fighters loyal to the IS group in the war-torn country. In recent months, AQAP and IS militants have also claimed several attacks on government and coalition targets in second city Aden, where the government has its base. The Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen in March 2015 in support of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi against Shiite Huthi rebels who had seized the capital Sanaa and other areas. But it later turned its firepower against jihadists impeding the government's bid to firm up its grip on southern areas recaptured from the rebels. Mukalla, capital of the vast Hadramawt province, remained under Al-Qaeda control for one year before pro-government troops drove jihadists out in April AFP (AFP) Three new suicide attacks in Lebanon village near Syria: source A new wave of suicide bombings struck a Lebanese village near the border with war-ravaged Syria where similar attacks killed five people only hours earlier on Monday, a security source said. In the latest violence, three suicide bombers riding motorcycles blew themselves up in the centre of the mainly Christian village of Al-Qaa in eastern Lebanon, the source told AFP. A military source told AFP that the first attacker blew himself up near a church. Lebanese security forces secure the site of multiple suicide bombings which took place early on June 27, 2016 in the predominantly Christian village of Al-Qaa, in eastern Lebanon near the border with Syria The security source said two bombers struck in front of the municipality building. The Lebanese Red Cross told LBC television that "many" people were wounded in the bombings. "Clashes are ongoing on the outskirts of the village between the Lebanese army and armed groups," another security source said. Before dawn, at least four suicide bombers hit the village, the army had said, in attacks the Red Cross said killed five people and wounded 15 others. Three assailants also died. Al-Qaa is one of several border posts separating Lebanon and war-torn Syria and is predominantly Christian although one district, Masharia Al-Qaa, is home to Sunni Muslims. The border area has been rocked by clashes, shelling, and suicide attacks since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011. USS Constitution Museum to celebrate 40th anniversary BOSTON (AP) The USS Constitution Museum is planning to celebrate its 40th anniversary, just in time for the Fourth of July holiday. The celebration, called "A 40 Year Journey," is scheduled for Thursday in the Navy Yard of Boston's Charlestown neighborhood. Festivities will include a ribbon-cutting for "Forest to Frigate," the museum's new, interactive exhibit exploring President George Washington's decision to create a navy to protect the growing American merchant fleet. The exhibit traces the journey of the USS Constitution, known as "Old Ironsides," from the forest where its timber grew to its launch as a fully formed frigate. Built in 1797, the Constitution is the world's oldest commissioned warship still afloat. ___ Roller coaster derails at Scottish theme park, 10 injured MOTHERWELL, Scotland (AP) Police say a roller coaster derailed and crashed at a theme park in Scotland, injuring eight children and two adults. The accident took place Sunday afternoon at the M & D's theme park at Strathclyde Country Park in Motherwell. Police Scotland Chief Inspector David Bruce told reporters at the theme park that five gondolas on the Tsunami roller coaster ride detached from the rails as they rounded a bend, struck the superstructure and fell about 20 feet to the ground. The ride, which can reach speeds of up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) per hour, is billed as Scotland's only inverted coaster in which gondolas carrying the riders run under the track. Part of the amusement ride lays in wreckage as investigations get underway following a rollercoaster derailment at the M&D's amusement park in Motherwell, Scotland, Sunday June 26, 2016. Eyewitnesses said the Tsunami ride had been full when it derailed, with several people thought to be taken to hospital for treatment. (Jane Barlow / PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES Bruce says the injured are being treated at hospitals in Glasgow. He did not have details on their condition. ___ This story has been corrected to change the name of the theme park to M & D's, instead of M & D. Part of the amusement ride lays in wreckage as investigations get underway following a rollercoaster derailment at the M&D's amusement park in Motherwell, Scotland, Sunday June 26, 2016. Eyewitnesses said the Tsunami ride had been full when it derailed, with several people thought to be taken to hospital for treatment. (Jane Barlow / PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES A police screen protects the site of an amusement rollercoaster ride derailment at the M&D's amusement park in Motherwell, Scotland, Sunday June 26, 2016. Eyewitnesses said the Tsunami ride had been full when it derailed, with several people thought to be taken to hospital for treatment. (Jane Barlow / PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES Part of the amusement ride lays in wreckage as investigations get underway following a rollercoaster derailment at the M&D's amusement park in Motherwell, Scotland, Sunday June 26, 2016. Eyewitnesses said the Tsunami ride had been full when it derailed, with several people thought to be taken to hospital for treatment. (Jane Barlow / PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES 10 Things to Know for Monday - 27 June 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Monday: 1. NO LET-UP OF SHOCK WAVES FROM BREXIT Britain's decision to remove itself from the European Union brings more political turmoil as Scotland's leader threatens to block the move. Spectators watch as the Neopanamax cargo ship, Cosco Shipping Panama, makes its way through Gamboa, Panama, Sunday, June 26, 2016. The ship, carrying more than 9,000 containers, entered the newly expanded locks that will double the canal's capacity. (AP Photo/ Arnulfo Franco) 2. IRAQ ADVANCES IN FIGHT AGAINST ISLAMIC STATE GROUP A senior Iraqi military commander declares the city of Fallujah "fully liberated" from the extremists. 3. WHAT'S CAUSE FOR CELEBRATION IN PANAMA Fireworks explode as a huge container ship makes the inaugural passage through the newly expanded Panama Canal. 4. SEVERAL STABBED IN VIOLENT CLASH IN SACRAMENTO The injuries come as counter-protesters confront right-wing extremists who planned to rally outside the California state Capitol building. 5. WHO'S STRUCK UP AN UNUSUAL FRIENDSHIP The campaign managers for Clinton and Sanders have become a powerful political odd couple and are engineering a graceful conclusion to the hard-fought Democratic contest. 6. TURKEY RANKLED BY POPE'S CHOICE OF WORDS The pontiff defends his use of the term "genocide" to describe the Ottoman-era slaughter of Armenians, saying that's how he has always referred to the massacre. The Turks have long rejected the term. 7. WHY TONE OF PRIDE PARADES WAS DIFFERENT The massacre at a Florida gay nightclub tempers this year's gay pride parades, in which thousands marched in the U.S. 8. ROLLER COASTER DERAILS IN SCOTLAND The crash of the Tsunami coaster ride at a theme park in Motherwell injures eight children and two adults. 9. PURPLE ONE TAKES CENTER STAGE AT AWARDS CEREMONY The BET Awards plays like "The Prince Tribute Show" with performers honoring the late entertainer. 10. WIMBLEDON MISSING SEVERAL STARS Rafael Nadal and Victoria Azarenka are sidelined by injuries and won't play this year. Maria Sharapova is serving a suspension for failing a drug test. Part of the amusement ride lays in wreckage as investigations get underway following a rollercoaster derailment at the M&D's amusement park in Motherwell, Scotland, Sunday June 26, 2016. Eyewitnesses said the Tsunami ride had been full when it derailed, with several people thought to be taken to hospital for treatment. (Jane Barlow / PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES Clinton blames Republican leaders for a "paralyzed" Congress INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton chastised Republican lawmakers on Sunday for a "paralyzed" Congress, saying they've fueled populist anger by refusing to "do their job." Clinton ticked off a list of items that GOP congressional leaders have refused to schedule for a vote. They include a proposed immigration overhaul, holding confirmation hearings to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, and strengthening background checks and banning firearms sales to people on the government no-fly list. Her remarks come as voter unrest has fueled the outsider candidacies of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, as well as her Democratic primary opponent, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets members of the audience after speaking at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016, on the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union, America's economy, and other issues. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) "Leaders in Congress refuse to act on a wide range of issues that really matter to American working families," Clinton said during an address to the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis. "I know we can respect the Second Amendment and make common-sense reforms," she said. "Yet Congress is paralyzed. Not a filibuster in the Senate, not a sit-in in the House could convince the leadership to move forward. I really believe the American people deserve better." Clinton was referring to an effort by Democrats in the Senate and House to advance gun control legislation in the aftermath of the deadly Orlando nightclub shooting. The National Rifle Association opposed the measures. Senate Democrats held a 15-hour filibuster over the issue, while those in the House held a 25-hour sit-in that ground proceedings nearly to a halt last week. She also touched on the Senate's refusal to hold confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama's nominee for the Supreme Court, Merrick Garland. "They could vote down Judge Garland but instead they refuse to act," Clinton said. "I think that is part of what is driving the frustration on the part of so many Americans. Let's have a vote. We're a democracy. Either vote somebody up or vote somebody down." Clinton also contrasted Republicans in Congress with the mayors in the audience. "Mayors show up. You do your job. The American people show up and do their job. We should expect nothing less from the United States Congress," Clinton said. "Instead of solving problems, Washington is too often making them worse." Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016, on the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union, America's economy, and other issues. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016, on the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union, America's economy, and other issues. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) New archbishop may transform Cuban church with modest style JARUCO, Cuba (AP) In the mid-1970s, a recently ordained priest trekked the Cuban countryside, defying the communist government by distributing hand-printed religious pamphlets to townspeople bold enough to open their doors. At the height of Cuba's anti-religious sentiment, the man known as Father Juanito was tolerated thanks to his soft-spoken manner and unbending will, say those who followed his rise. His admirers say that personality served him well when he became bishop of the eastern city of Camaguey and launched an intensive outreach to the poor, arranging aid for needy pregnant women and diverting religious processions off main streets into the humblest neighborhoods. "He's an inexhaustible worker, and not in comfortable locations, but in difficult and tricky ones," said Maribel Moreno, secretary and archivist for Camaguey's archdiocese for two decades. In this June 19, 2016 photo, the new archbishop of Havana, Juan de la Caridad Garcia, poses for a photo with two parishioners outside the Saint John the Baptist church in Jaruco, Cuba. Garcia is expected to bring a different style to the Cuban Catholic Church in his new post, the most important religious position on the island. After three decades under Cardinal Jaime Ortega, a skilled international diplomat comfortable in the halls of power, the Cuban church will be led by a man focused intently on rebuilding the church by ministering to the least-privileged people of faith in one of Latin America's least observant countries. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) In more than a dozen interviews, those who know Juan de la Caridad Garcia said they expect him to transform the Cuban Catholic Church in his new post as archbishop of Havana, which he assumed late last month. After three decades under Cardinal Jaime Ortega, a skilled diplomat comfortable in the halls of power, Cuba's most important non-governmental institution is being led by a man focused on rebuilding the church's relationship with ordinary Cubans. Ortega built warmer church relations with the Cuban government, winning important freedoms for the church. He even helped negotiate U.S.-Cuban detente, carrying a secret papal message from Havana to Washington. The cardinal attended diplomatic receptions in Havana and cultural galas with high-ranking government officials. He gave television interviews to Cuban and international stations and spoke at major universities overseas. When Pope Francis appointed Garcia to head the Archdiocese of Havana in April, the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops highlighted Garcia's "simplicity of life, apostolic dedication, prayer and a life of virtue." "The overwhelming effort and the mood will be eminently pastoral, even though diplomatic and political matters must be tended to," said the Rev. Ignacio Zaldumbide, a friend since they were university and seminary students. Garcia's pastoral focus was on display one recent Sunday when he left Havana's grand cathedral to celebrate Mass at the St. John the Baptist church in the small town of Jaruco, in central Mayabeque province. He handed out sweets to children and joked with congregants about how some town residents focused more on drinking than religion and attended church once every 40 years. "Obviously there are many things to work on, many places to spread the word, but I'm not going to start from zero. The previous bishops and Cardinal Jaime Ortega have done a lot," Garcia told The Associated Press after Mass. "The church lives the Gospel, announces the Gospel and denounces what's wrong in order for progress to be made." His predecessor has been criticized by dissidents and anti-Castro Cuban-Americans for praising achievements of the Cuban revolution and maintaining a non-confrontational relationship with the government, even as he helped negotiate the release of prisoners including those held on political charges. In retirement, Ortega will live in a former seminary in Old Havana, where some church observers believe he will serve for some time as the church's main emissary to the Cuban government as Garcia tends to his flock. However the responsibilities are divided, Garcia said he doesn't intend to change the church's approach to the government. "I think the cardinal did a lot of good," Garcia said. "There's a slightly negative image of him in some places and that's false. I am going to continue what he did." Garcia said he shares the government's stated vision of gradual reform in Cuba, which is slowly opening its economy to private enterprise and granting Cubans a limited number of new personal freedoms within a single-party system criticized as the last undemocratic government in Latin America. The church doesn't want "capitalism or anything of the sort, rather that socialism progresses in a just, equal and brotherly society," the new archbishop said. Born on June 11, 1948, in Camaguey, Garcia was the first of six children of an observant Catholic railroad administrator and a homemaker. Resisting the atheist ideology of Cuba's 1959 socialist revolution, he entered seminary and was ordained a priest in 1972, becoming part of a persecuted minority. At that time, Communist Party member broadcast propaganda on speakers placed in the doors of churches, and the government frequently confiscated church property. In the late 1960s, Garcia's bureaucrat father died of a heart attack in prison after he was held on charges related to the mismanagement of the state railroad system where he worked, Zaldumbide said. Garcia showed little bitterness after his father's death, and no fear of resisting the government's repression of Catholicism, say those who know him. "People stayed in the church despite grand difficulties at the start of the revolution. One can move forward, talking and looking toward the future," Garcia said. "One doesn't have to live in the past." Moreno remembered Garcia rising at dawn to pray and personally deliver invitations for children to march in religious processions. He assembled lists of pregnant women to receive help and once lent his towel, a rare commodity, to church volunteers bathing an alcoholic man. Garcia frequently took a beat-up jeep to distribute pamphlets and lead services in far-flung villages, "when we could only dream of missionary work in Cuba, because we had to be careful leaving the walls of the church," Zaldumbide said. Named auxiliary bishop of Camaguey in 1997 and archbishop of the diocese in 2002, Garcia negotiated closely with local communist functionaries over expanding the church's social outreach, said Miguel Angel Ortiz, director of the Catholic charity Caritas in the city. "We always talked about a path of sowing confidence with the government," Ortiz said. "We tried to not let the past weigh on our dialogue." ___ Associated Press writer Michael Weissenstein in Havana contributed to this report. ___ Andrea Rodriguez on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ARrodriguezAP In this June 19, 2016 photo, the 10-year-old Ramos twin sisters, Michely, left, and Chavely, celebrate with family after receiving their first communion at a Mass celebrated by Havana's new archbishop at the Saint John the Baptist church in Jaruco, Cuba. Msgr. Juan de la Caridad Garcia left Havana's grand Cathedral to celebrate Mass at the town church in the central Mayabeque province. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) In this June 19, 2016 photo, altar boys engage in horseplay in the sacristy of Saint John the Baptist church, before the start of a Sunday Mass celebrated by Havana's new archbishop, in Jaruco, Cuba. Msgr. Juan de la Caridad Garcia was appointed to head the Archdiocese of Havana in April, the most important religious position on the island. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) In this June 19, 2016 photo, an acolyte holds a censer steady as an altar boy fans the incense in Saint John the Baptist church in preparation for a Mass celebrated by the newly-named archbishop of Havana, in Jaruco, Cuba. As a recently ordained priest in the mid-70's, Msgr. Juan de la Garcia Caridad left his church to trek the Cuban countryside, defying the communist government by handing out hand-printed religious pamphlets to townspeople bold enough to open their doors. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) In this June 19, 2016 photo, the new archbishop of Havana, Juan de la Caridad Garcia makes the sign of the cross as he enters Saint John the Baptist church in Jaruco, Cuba. Garcia's pastoral focus was on display in Jaruco, leaving Havana's grand Cathedral to deliver Sunday Mass in the central Mayabeque province town, about 34 kilometers or 21 miles east of Havana. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) This June 19, 2016 photo shows Msgr. Juan de la Caridad Garcia, the new archbishop of Havana, inside Saint John the Baptist church in Jaruco, Cuba. Garcia, better known as Father Juanito, assumed his post in late May replacing Cardinal Jamie Ortega, the longtime leader of the Catholic Church in Cuba. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) In this June 19, 2016 photo, the new archbishop of Havana, Juan de la Caridad Garcia, leads a Mass and first communions in Jaruco, Cuba. When Pope Francis appointed Garcia to head the Archdiocese of Havana in April, the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops highlighted Garcia's simplicity of life, apostolic dedication, prayer and a life of virtue. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) In this June 19, 2016 photo, the new archbishop of Havana, Juan de la Caridad Garcia, celebrates a Mass and first communions at Saint John the Baptist church in Jaruco, Cuba. He's an inexhaustible worker, and not in comfortable locations, but in difficult and tricky ones, said Maribel Moreno, secretary and archivist for Camaguey's archdiocese for two decades. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) In this June 19, 2016 photo, the new archbishop of Havana, Juan de la Caridad Garcia Rodriguez, administers communion to parishioners in Saint John the Baptist church in Jaruco, Cuba. Born on June 11, 1948 in Camaguey, Garcia was the first of six children of an observant Catholic railroad administrator and a homemaker. Resisting the atheist ideology of Cuba's 1959 socialist revolution, he entered seminary and was ordained a priest in 1972. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa) IS claims responsibility for Jordan border attack last week AMMAN, Jordan (AP) The extremist group Islamic State group claimed responsibility Monday for one of the deadliest attacks in Jordan in years, posting a video online that it said showed a car bomb exploding near a Jordanian border post. Last week's blast on the Syrian border killed seven Jordanian troops, wounded 13 and exposed the pro-Western kingdom's vulnerability to attacks by the militants who control large areas of neighboring Syria and Iraq. Jordan has vowed a harsh response, but has not given specifics. After the June 21 attack, it sealed the border, cutting off tens of thousands of Syrian refugees stranded in the area from international aid delivery. Aid officials have said no food and little water have reached two border tent camps, known as Ruqban and Hadalat, since last week. The purported attack video shows a vehicle kicking up dust as it speeds across flat desert toward what appears to be the Jordanian base. An orange ball of fire rises in the air, followed by a cloud of thick black smoke and the sound of an explosion. The video was posted Monday on the Facebook page of the IS news agency Amaq. The footage was released after Amaq published a statement by an unidentified "source" that the attack "which hit the Ruqban American-Jordanian base inside Jordan was carried out by one of the fighters of the Islamic State." Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed Momani declined comment Monday. The website "Hala Akhbar," affiliated with the Jordanian military, carried a statement from what it said was an "official source" pledging retaliation. "Jordanians need to know they are being targeted by these dark criminals, and the means used by this terrorist organization show its criminality and brutality," said the statement. "It will not affect Jordan's determination to eliminate it." "The fate of this gang is either Jordanian jail or being killed," the statement also said. The border attack came less than three weeks after an assailant killed five people in a shooting attack on a local branch of the Jordanian intelligence agency in a Palestinian refugee camp. Jordanian analyst Saad Hattar said the two attacks laid bare Jordan's vulnerability. They "constitute a wake-up call to the government to stand up and not to underestimate the threat of this dangerous organization," he said. A precursor of IS, the al-Qaida terror network, carried out the last previous major attack on Jordanian soil a triple hotel bombing in the capital Amman in 2005 that killed 60 people and wounded dozens. ___ This story has been corrected to show that the name of the website is "Hala Akhbar," not "Hala Akbar." ___ UK credit rating slashed, Cameron insists economy is robust LONDON (AP) Prime Minister David Cameron insisted Monday that Britain's shock vote to leave the European Union won't send the economy into a tailspin, even as the country was stripped of its top credit rating and stock markets and the pound continued a downward spiral. Calling the vote a "seminal event" that "will lead to a less predictable, stable and effective policy framework in the U.K," Standard & Poor's knocked the U.K.'s sovereign rating by two notches, from AAA to AA. Hours later, Fitch Ratings followed suit, downgrading the country to AA, from AA+. Both agencies said they were keeping a negative outlook on their ratings, which means they could downgrade the country further. Standard and Poor's cited risks to the economy and public finances, the pound's role as an international reserve currency and "risks to the constitutional and economic integrity of the U.K." as Scotland's strong vote to remain in the EU could raise the prospect of another referendum on Scottish independence. In this image taken from the Parliamentary Recording Unit Britain's Prime Minister, David Cameron, addresses the House of Commons in London, Monday June 27, 2016, regarding the result of the referendum vote on leaving the EU which took place Thursday. Cameron advised the house that the United Kingdom will not trigger formal EU exit talks at this stage. (Parliamentary Recording Unit via AP) TV OUT NO SALES Speaking earlier in the day as the House of Commons met for the first time since last week's referendum, Cameron insisted the British economy was robust and could withstand the shockwaves. "It is clear that markets are volatile, there are some companies considering their investments and we know this is going to be far from plain sailing," Cameron told lawmakers. "However, we should take confidence from the fact that Britain is ready to confront what the future holds for us from a position of strength." Despite the uncertainty fueling financial instability, leaders in both Britain and the EU signaled there would be no immediate start to negotiations on an EU exit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel met with her French and Italian counterparts and said "we agree there will be no formal or informal talks" until the British government officially declares its intention to quit by invoking Article 50 of the EU treaty. The statement appeared to scotch hopes by Conservative lawmaker Boris Johnson and his Vote Leave campaign to hold preliminary talks on the general outlines of a deal before Article 50 triggers a two-year countdown to a British exit. Earlier, Merkel said she understood that Britain may need "a certain amount of time to analyze things," but said a "long-term suspension" of the question wouldn't be in either side's economic interest. Cameron announced last week he would resign by the fall after failing to persuade a majority of voters to back continued EU membership, saying his successor should be the one to navigate Britain's departure from the EU. Cameron said he spoke Monday with Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, and made plain this was not the time to start the process. "We have discussed the need to prepare for the negotiations and in particular the fact that the British government will not be triggering Article 50 at this stage," he said. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, in Brussels and London to address fallout from the vote, said the U.S. has "immense confidence in ... the leadership on both sides of the channel" to negotiate a deal and urged the EU not to treat Britain in a "revengeful" manner. Amid signs the uncertainty was hitting business confidence, a leading business group said 20 percent of its members planned to move some of their operations out of the U.K. The Institute of Directors said a survey of its 1,000 members showed three out of four believe Britain's exit from the EU will be bad for business. About a quarter said they would freeze hiring and 5 percent said they would cut jobs. "Ultimately we think that our members are very resilient, we think that British business is tough and will adapt, but certainly at the moment there is a lot of nervousness," said Edwin Morgan, the head of media relations. The pound hit a new 31-year low Monday, dropping another 3.5 percent to $1.3199, while stock markets declined across Europe. Bank shares were particularly hard hit. Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland, once the world's largest bank and now mostly state-owned after a taxpayer bailout in 2008, closed 15 percent lower after dropping by as much as 25 percent. Treasury chief George Osborne pledged not to impose a new austerity budget even though he warned earlier that would be necessary if the "leave" side prevailed saying the next budget would be the task of Cameron's successor. Osborne said he was working closely with Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, fellow finance ministers and international organizations, and "we are prepared for whatever happens." Meanwhile, Cameron chaired an emergency Cabinet meeting Monday and announced the formation of a special civil service committee to oversee talks on what is popularly called Brexit. "Leave" campaigners haven't set out what relationship Britain should have with the bloc: whether to try to remain in the EU's single market in return for accepting its rules, or a looser arrangement that could see trade tariffs imposed on Britain. The financial markets' jitters are due in part to this uncertainty. Cameron said there was "a very strong case" for trying to remain in the single market "but that's going to be a decision for the new government and for the Parliament." The referendum has left Britain deeply divided, and some among the 48 percent of voters who wanted to stay in the EU were pushing for a second referendum. Cameron said that won't happen. The vote was "not the outcome that I believe is best for the country I love," he said, but it has to be respected. "We have to accept the result, we have to get on and deliver it and as we do so, we have to seek the best possible deal," he said. Authorities reported an increase in cases of racial and xenophobic abuse after an emotionally charged campaign focused heavily on immigration. Police were investigating incidents including racist graffiti on a Polish community center in London and leaflets attacking "Polish vermin" distributed in eastern England. Meanwhile, opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn faced upheaval within his Labour Party after more than 20 advisers quit his inner circle, calling on him to resign. Corbyn insisted he would not step down, maintaining he still retains grassroots party support. Many Labour lawmakers accuse Corbyn of running a lukewarm campaign in support of remaining in the EU. They also fear the left-winger cannot win a general election, which could come in the fall if Cameron's successor calls an early election to solidify a mandate before negotiating Britain's EU exit. The vote was also causing a political schism, with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon saying she would consider whether to advise the Scottish Parliament to use its power to try to prevent Britain from leaving the EU by withholding "legislative consent." Some 62 percent of Scots voted to remain in the bloc, and Scottish National Party lawmaker Angus Robertson told the House of Commons that Scots did not want to stay in "a diminished little Britain." "We have no intention whatsoever of seeing Scotland taken out of Europe," he said. "We are a European country and we will stay a European country." ___ Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin and Leonora Beck in London contributed to this report. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron leaves 10 Downing Street in London, to address Parliament on Britain's European Union referendum choice to leave, Monday, June 27, 2016. Political turmoil has roiled Britain since the European Union referendum result to leave, as leaders of the government and opposition parties grapple with the question of how precisely the U.K. will separate from the other 27 nations in the bloc. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon shakes hands with the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins at the Scottish Government building at Atlantic quay in Glasgow, Scotland on the first day of the President's visit to Scotland, Monday June 27, 2016. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would "consider" whether to advise the Scottish Parliament to use its power to try to prevent Britain from leaving the EU. Some 62 percent of Scots voted to remain in the bloc (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT British Home Secretary Theresa May arrives for a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 27, 2016. Political turmoil has roiled Britain since the country's vote to leave the European Union, as leaders of the government and opposition parties grapple with the question of how precisely the U.K. will separate from the other 27 nations in the bloc. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Leave campaigner and Secretary of State for Justice Michael Gove arrives for a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in London, Monday, June 27, 2016. Political turmoil has roiled Britain since the European Union referendum result to leave, as leaders of the government and opposition parties grapple with the question of how precisely the U.K. will separate from the other 27 nations in the bloc. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Israeli, Turkish leaders look to gain from reconciliation JERUSALEM (AP) Israel and Turkey struck a broad reconciliation pact Monday that will restore full diplomatic relations after six years of animosity between the once-close Mideast powers. The deal gave a welcome boost to the leaders of the two countries, both of whom have seen their international standing deteriorate in recent months. But differences remain over a root cause of the rift Israel's blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip and there's no indication the two countries will restore their once strong security ties. Turkey also took steps toward improving strained ties with Moscow on Monday by expressing regret for bringing down a Russian plane near the border with Syria last year. Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu is portrayed during his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at Villa Taverna, U.S. Embassy, in Rome, Italy, Monday, June 27, 2016. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA pool via AP) The agreement with Israel will include an exchange of ambassadors and Israeli compensation for the deaths of 10 Turkish citizens from a 2010 Israeli naval raid on an activist flotilla that aimed to breach the Gaza blockade. Turkey will also be allowed to bring relief supplies into Gaza and carry out new development projects there. "The world is convulsing. The Middle East is convulsing. My policy is to create centers of stability in this unstable and stormy region," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said as he announced details of the deal during an official visit to Rome. "With this deal, the process of returning ties to normal has begun," Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said in Ankara. Relations between Israel and Turkey began to decline soon after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose party has Islamist roots, became prime minister in 2003. Since then, Erdogan, who became president two years ago, has sought closer ties with Muslim nations in the region while trying to distance his country from Israel. Erdogan's close ties with Hamas, an Islamic Palestinian militant group sworn to Israel's destruction, further strained ties. Relations took a sharp turn downward during Israel's three-week war against Hamas in Gaza in 2008 and 2009, when Erdogan criticized Israel over the high Palestinian death toll. Israel said the operation was needed to halt Hamas rocket fire and that the heavy civilian death toll resulted from Hamas using residential areas for cover. The animosity peaked on May 31, 2010, when Israeli commandos stormed a ship called the Mavi Marmara while stopping the international flotilla. Nine Turks, including a dual American citizen, were killed and dozens of activists were wounded, one of whom died several years later. On the Israeli side, seven soldiers were wounded by activists who attacked them with clubs, knives and pipes. Following the incident, Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and scaled back military and economic ties. Relations were never broken completely. Israel later apologized for the deaths of the activists and agreed to compensate the victims' families under a U.S.-brokered arrangement in 2013. But the deal was never implemented as Turkey demanded the lifting of the Gaza blockade. Israel says the blockade, imposed after Hamas seized power in Gaza in 2007, is needed to prevent the group from importing weapons. Critics say the measure, which has hit Gaza's economy hard, is collective punishment. Under Monday's deal, Israel will pay $20 million in compensation for families of victims of the naval raid. In return, Turkey agreed to halt any legal claims connected to the raid. The countries are expected to exchange ambassadors within weeks. In addition, Israel agreed to allow Turkey to deliver aid to Gaza through the Israeli port of Ashdod, where everything will undergo security checks before entering the territory. Turkey said the first ship, carrying more than 10,000 tons of aid including food and clothing will depart for Israel on Friday. He said Turkey would immediately start working on electricity, water and housing projects in Gaza, and complete a 200-bed hospital there. "Therefore the embargo there is being lifted under Turkey's leadership," he said. Netanyahu welcomed efforts to help solve Gaza's water and power shortages, but said the blockade remains a "top security interest." Yildirim did not comment on Israeli claims that Turkey agreed to prevent Hamas from fundraising or military activities on its soil. Erdogan said Turkey had consulted with the two main Palestinian factions during the negotiations. He spoke to the Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday and met with Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal on Friday. "Both were favorable (to the agreement) and so we continued on our way," Erdogan said at dinner at his palace to break the daily Ramadan fast. Erdogan said despite the agreement, Turkey would continue to address the grievances of the Palestinians and object to "Israel's unlawful practices in Jerusalem and in Al-Aqsa," referring to a contentious holy site revered by Jews and Muslims. The Turkish leader also thanked U.S. President Barack Obama for his contributions to the reconciliation deal. Hamas had no immediate reaction to the deal. The Turkish Islamic charity group IHH, which helped organize the 2010 flotilla, criticized it, saying it amounted to acceptance of the Israeli blockade. While each side was forced to compromise, the deal brought some welcome gains to the Israeli and Turkish leaders. After two years of stalemate in Mideast peace efforts, the international community has largely blamed Netanyahu for the impasse with the Palestinians, while critics at home accuse him of isolating the country. Netanyahu has also sought regional allies to offset the influence of Iran and Sunni Islamic extremists in the region. Netanyahu said Turkey would provide an important market for Israeli natural gas and a gateway for exports to Europe. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who met Netanyahu earlier Monday in Rome, called the Turkey deal a "positive step." For Turkey, the deal helps alleviate a growing sense of isolation. Ties with Egypt were strained over Turkey's strong condemnation of the military ouster of an Islamist president in 2013. Turkey's downing of a Russian plane near the Syrian border in November has raised tensions with Moscow. In the Syrian conflict, Turkey has been accused of supporting jihadist groups fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Assad. On Monday, Erdogan expressed regret for the downing of the plane in a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin, meeting a key Russian demand for improving ties. Russian sanctions imposed over the incident have dealt a blow to Turkey's economy. "Erdogan hopes that this deal (with Israel) will have a significant effect on his global reputation and this will play positively at home," said Aykan Erdemir, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Yaakov Amidror, Netanyahu's former national security adviser, said the agreement will have little immediate impact on security ties and that it will likely take time for relations to warm up to anywhere close to what they were in the pre-Erdogan years. "The potential is huge but we need time to build this trust," he said. The deal also came under criticism in Israel from the families of servicemen killed fighting Hamas in a 2014 Gaza war. Hamas is believed to be holding the remains of two dead soldiers, and possibly two Israeli civilians who are believed to have slipped into Gaza. In Jerusalem, families of the soldiers and missing Israelis, joined by about 50 supporters, gathered outside Netanyahu's official residence to protest the deal. The families say Netanyahu promised them that a return of the soldiers' remains would be part of any deal with Turkey. ___ Fraser reported from Ankara. Bradley Klapper in Rome contributed to this report. Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses people gathered for a traditional "Iftar" Muslim feast at his palace in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, June 27, 2016. Israel and Turkey struck a broad reconciliation pact Monday that will restore full diplomatic relations after six years of animosity between the once-close Mideast powers. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Presidential Press Service, Pool via AP) Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses people gathered for a traditional "Iftar" Muslim feast at his palace in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, June 27, 2016. Erdogan has apologized to Russia, expressing his "sympathy and deep condolences" to the family of the killed pilot for the downing of a Russian military jet at the Syrian border, Dmitry Peskov spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Presidential Press Service, Pool via AP) Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim smiles as he announces the details of an agreement reached with Israel, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, June 27, 2016. Turkey and Israel have announced a reconciliation deal to end a bitter six-year rift between the Mideast powers. In Rome, Italy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the deal would help bring "stability" to the turbulent Middle East.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, left, during their meeting at Villa Taverna, U.S. Embassy, in Rome, Italy, Monday, June 27, 2016. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA pool via AP) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu, left, during their meeting at Villa Taverna, U.S. Embassy, in Rome, Italy, Monday, June 27, 2016. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA pool via AP) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gestures during his meeting with Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu at Villa Taverna, U.S. Embassy, in Rome, Italy, Monday, June 27, 2016. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA pool via AP) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is portrayed during his meeting with Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahuat Villa Taverna, U.S. Embassy, in Rome, Italy, Monday, June 27, 2016. (Giuseppe Lami/ANSA pool via AP) Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announces the details of an agreement reached with Israel, in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, June 27, 2016. Turkey and Israel have announced a reconciliation deal to end a bitter six-year rift between the Mideast powers. In Rome, Italy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the deal would help bring "stability" to the turbulent Middle East.(AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici) FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 26, 2010 file photo, backdropped by the historical Galata Tower, the Mavi Marmara ship, the lead boat of a flotilla headed to the Gaza Strip which was stormed by Israeli naval commandos in a predawn confrontation in the Mediterranean May 31, 2010, returns in Istanbul. Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced Monday, June 27, 2016, that Turkey and Israel have reached a deal to normalize ties after six years of strain. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici, file) FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2012 file photo, Gaza's Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, left, and then Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, salute together the lawmakers and supporters of Erdogan's Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party at the Parliament in Ankara, Turkey. Turkey's Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced Monday, June 27, 2016, that Turkey and Israel have reached a deal to normalize ties after six years of strain. (AP Photo, file) More blasts in Lebanese village hit by deadly bombings BEIRUT (AP) A series of suicide bombings and other attacks, including one outside a church, rocked a mainly Christian Lebanese village near the Syrian border on Monday, killing five people and wounding nearly 30, officials and witnesses said. Four suicide bombers struck in the village of Qaa early Monday morning, causing the fatalities and wounding 15 people. That evening, as friends and family members of the victims gathered outside a church, two men on a motorcycle threw a grenade before blowing themselves up, wounding another 13. The unprecedented attacks triggered fear and panic among village residents, who barricaded themselves indoors. The army issued a statement urging people to avoid gatherings and to cooperate with local authorities. Lebanese policemen stand guard around a damaged ambulance that attacked by one of the suicide bombers, in Qaa, a predominantly Lebanese Christian village only few hundred meters (yards) away from the Syrian border, eastern Lebanon, Monday, June 27, 2016. A group of suicide bombers detonated their explosives in a Lebanese village near the border with Syria on Monday, killing and wounded several people, Lebanon's state-run news agency said. (AP Photo) Violence from the Syrian civil war has spilled over the border in the past, inflaming Lebanon's own political divisions and raising concerns over the more than 1 million Syrian refugees there, who now make up a fifth of the tiny country's population. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and the nationalities of the attackers remained unknown. A security official said the evening explosions took place while families of those killed in the earlier bombings were gathering to prepare for funerals. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to reporters. Lebanon's official National News Agency said 13 people were wounded in the late night explosions. Rev. Elian Nasrallah, a local priest, said the explosions went off near the Saint Elias church and were followed by gunfire. The security official said the Lebanese army was combing the village for more attackers and has imposed a cordon, using flares to light up the area. Governor Bashir Khedr announced a curfew for Syrian refugees in the village and surrounding areas. An eyewitness said the first four attackers raised suspicions when they passed through the village before dawn. When civilian village guards called out to them, they threw a hand grenade. The witness spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. The town's mayor, Bashir Matar, said residents began gathering after the first explosion, and that the other bombers targeted the crowd, one after the other. "As we were treating some of the wounded, I saw the fourth suicide attacker coming toward me. I shouted at him," Matar told the Al-Mayadeen TV network. "We opened fire toward him and he blew up." George Kitane, the head of paramedics at the Lebanese Red Cross, confirmed the death toll and said the 15 wounded were taken to nearby hospitals. He said several others were treated on the spot. One of the four explosions struck an ambulance for the village's archbishopric, killing its driver, residents said. A Lebanese military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said four soldiers were among the wounded in the earlier attacks. Prime Minister Tammam Salam declared Tuesday a national day of mourning. Qaa and the nearby Ras Baalbek are the only two villages with a Christian majority in the predominantly Shiite Hermel region, where the Shiite Hezbollah group holds sway. The group has sent thousands of its fighters to Syria to bolster President Bashar Assad's forces against the predominantly Sunni rebels trying to topple him. Sunni extremists have carried out several attacks in the border area since Syria's conflict began in March 2011, leading the Christians of Qaa to set up self-defense units for their village. Since mid-2014, the Lebanese army has stepped up operations and patrols in the area, leading to a drop in bombings and shelling. Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV blamed Monday's attack on the Islamic State group, which has claimed previous attacks in Lebanon. Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil, visiting Qaa after the morning attacks, said the village formed part of a "fence" for Lebanon. "When a terrorist enters, he can go anywhere," he said. Bassil, who heads the Free Patriotic Movement party, sparked condemnation Sunday for calling on municipalities under his party's control to ban any gathering or camps of Syrian refugees. The FPM commands the largest Christian bloc in parliament. On Monday, Bassil said he did not want to "tie any particular nationality or religion to terrorism." But he said "no one can deny the reality that displacement will be used as a cover for terrorism." The area of Mashrea Qaa a predominantly Sunni area near Qaa is home to a large number of Syrian refugees. ___ Associated Press writers Bassem Mroue, Philip Issa and Sarah El Deeb in Beirut contributed to this report. Lebanese army patrol in front a church in Qaa, a predominantly Lebanese Christian village only few hundred meters (yards) away from the Syrian border, eastern Lebanon, Monday, June 27, 2016. A group of suicide bombers detonated their explosives in the Lebanese village near the border with Syria on Monday, killing and wounded several people, Lebanon's state-run news agency said. (AP Photo) Lebanese injured people lie on their hospital beds after they were wounded by suicide bombers, in Qaa, a predominantly Lebanese Christian village only few hundred meters (yards) away from the Syrian border, eastern Lebanon, Monday, June 27, 2016. A group of suicide bombers detonated their explosives in a Lebanese village near the border with Syria on Monday, killing and wounded several people, Lebanon's state-run news agency said. (AP Photo) White nationalists, protesters clash in California; 10 hurt SAN FRANCISCO (AP) A white nationalist group's rally outside the California state Capitol building turned violent as fighting broke out with a larger group of counter protesters, leaving 10 people injured with stab wounds, cuts and bruises. Fights erupted when about 30 members of the Traditionalist Worker Party gathering to rally around noon Sunday were met by about 400 counter-protesters, California Highway Patrol Officer George Granada said. As people tried to leave the area, smaller fights broke out, Granada said. A victim is attended after he was stabbed during a rally at the State Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Sacramento Fire Department spokesman Chris Harvey says a rally by KKK and other right-wing extremists groups turned violent Sunday when they were met by counterprotesters. (Rene C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee via AP) MAGS OUT; LOCAL TELEVISION OUT (KCRA3, KXTV10, KOVR13, KUVS19, KMAZ31, KTXL40); MANDATORY CREDIT Sacramento Fire Department spokesman Chris Harvey said nine men and one woman, ranging from 19 to 58 years old, were treated for stab wounds, cuts, scrapes and bruises. Of the injured, two were taken to the hospital with critical stab wounds, but they were expected to survive. "There was a large number of people carrying sticks and rushing to either get into the melee or see what was going on," Harvey said. Police were investigating two assaults that happened outside the Capitol grounds, but no arrests have been made, the Sacramento Police Department said in a statement. The Capitol was on lockdown until protesters cleared the area. Videos from the melee posted on social media showed mounted officers dispersing a group of mostly young people, some with their faces covered, while some throw stones toward a man holding a stick and being shielded by police officers in riot gear. A KCRA-TV reporter and his cameraman were caught in an altercation with protesters who shouted "no cameras" as they tried to grab their equipment and shove them away from the crowd. The victims were all present while the protest took place, said Sacramento Police spokesman Matt McPhail but he said it was still unclear whether and how they were involved. The Traditionalist Workers Party had scheduled and received a permit to rally for two hours in front of the Capitol. Law enforcement was aware of the counter-protest effort and police deployed more than 100 officers to the Capitol, McPhail said. The Southern Poverty Law Center has described TWP as a group formed in 2015 as the political wing of the Traditionalist Youth Network, which aims to "indoctrinate high school and college students into white nationalism." Matthew Heimbach, chairman of the Traditionalist Worker Party, told the Los Angeles Times that his group and the Golden State Skinheads organized the Sunday rally. Heimbach said that in the clash, one of their marchers had been stabbed in an artery and six of the counter-protesters had also been stabbed. Vice chairman Matt Parrott, who was not present at the Sacramento rally, blamed "leftist radicals" for instigating the violence. A message left at a phone number for the Traditionalist Worker Party was not immediately returned to The Associated Press. A post recently uploaded to site of the Traditionalist Youth Network said TWP members planned to march in Sacramento to protest against globalization and in defense of their right to free expression. They said they expected to be outnumbered 10-to-1 by counter-protesters. "We concluded that it was time to use this rally to make a statement about the precarious situation our race is in," the Traditionalist Youth Network statement said. "With our folk on the brink of becoming a disarmed, disengaged, and disenfranchised minority, the time to do something was yesterday!" The clash follows a confrontation in March between Ku Klux Klan members and counter-protesters in Anaheim, California in which three people were stabbed. Sean Moore, 23, of Sacramento waits for medics with a friends after being stabbed by protesters at the State Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Sacramento Fire Department spokesman Chris Harvey says a rally by KKK and other right-wing extremists groups turned violent Sunday when they were met by counterprotesters. (Renee C. Byer/The Sacramento Bee via AP) MAGS OUT; LOCAL TELEVISION OUT (KCRA3, KXTV10, KOVR13, KUVS19, KMAZ31, KTXL40); MANDATORY CREDIT Sacramento police mounted officers prepare for crowd control after a scuffle broke out at a protest near the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Officials said several were stabbed when members of right-wing extremists groups holding a rally clashed with counter-protesters. (Jerry H. Yamashita via AP) Paramedics rush a stabbing victim away on a gurney Sunday, June 26, 2016, after members of right-wing extremists groups holding a rally outside the California state Capitol building in Sacramento clashed with counter-protesters, authorities said. Sacramento Police spokesman Matt McPhail said the Traditionalist Workers Party had scheduled and received a permit to protest at noon Sunday in front of the Capitol. McPhail said a group showed up to demonstrate against them. (AP Photo/Steven Styles) Police escort wounded man away from in front of the Cpitol in Scramento, Sunday, June 26, 2016, after members of right-wing extremists groups holding a rally outside the California state Capitol building clashed with counter-protesters, authorities said. Sacramento Police spokesman Matt McPhail said the Traditionalist Workers Party had scheduled and received a permit to protest at noon Sunday in front of the Capitol. McPhail said a group showed up to demonstrate against them. (AP Photo/Steven Styles) A wounded man stands by another wounded man sitting on the steps of the California state Capitol after members of right-wing extremists groups holding a rally outside the state Capitol building clashed with counter-protesters in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, June 26, 2016. Several people were stabbed Sunday when counter-protesters clashed with members of right-wing extremists groups that planned to hold a rally outside the Capitol building, authorities said. (Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT KCRA television reporter Mike Luery runs away from members of the group called ANTIFA Sacramento (Anti-Fascism Action), who are staging a counter-protest against the Traditionalist Worker Party and the Golden State Skinheads, at the California state Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., Sunday, June 26, 2016. Several people were stabbed Sunday when counter-protesters clashed with members of right-wing extremists groups that planned to hold a rally outside the Capitol building, authorities said. (Paul Kitagaki Jr./The Sacramento Bee via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Odd couple: Campaign chiefs push to unite Democratic Party WASHINGTON (AP) It seemed like a surprising party of two. There was Robby Mook, Hillary Clinton's top campaign aide, known for his calm temperament and fiercely disciplined ways, and Jeff Weaver, a combative political fighter often called Bernie Sanders' alter ego, sharing a Friday night dinner at The Farmhouse Tap & Grill in Burlington, Vermont. But over the long months of a frequently contentious primary, the two rival Democratic campaign managers struck up an unusually friendly relationship, founded on exhaustion, goofy jokes and a shared affection for their home state of Vermont. FILE -In this April 14, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-V.t, right, speaks as Hillary Clinton listens during the CNN Democratic Presidential Primary Debate at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File) They talk almost daily, text frequently and email often. Now, as Sanders lingers in the presidential race, refusing to concede the nomination to Clinton even as he says he'll vote for her on Election Day, the competing campaign managers have become a powerful political odd couple, responsible for engineering a graceful conclusion to a hard-fought Democratic contest. "I've really come to respect him," Mook said. "There were some tense moments, but he was always honest, straightforward and very easy to work with." Weaver is equally effusive in his praise. "I think he's the kind of guy who is doing what he does for the right reasons," Weaver said about Mook. "He believes in the cause and he believes in making the world a better place." After Clinton and Sanders met at a Washington hotel this month, their managers stayed until almost midnight, attempting to hammer out an agreement that would give Sanders some of the changes he wants to make to the party's platform. During his Friday trip to Vermont, Mook made sure to meet with Sanders supporters. Some of the communication hints at far closer cooperation to come. The two camps are increasingly comparing notes on how best to attack presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. Clinton's campaign and state Democratic parties have hired some Sanders staffers, and there is chatter about joint events to come. Both Mook and Weaver share a slightly silly sense of humor. Mook, 35, regales his fiercely loyal band of young operatives, known as the Mook Mafia, with impressions, including spot-on impersonations of Bill Clinton and Sanders. Weaver, 50, who owns and operated a Falls Church, Virginia, comic book and gaming store before taking the helm of Sanders' campaign, made up gag business cards at the start of the campaign describing himself as the "comic book king." "His Bill Clinton is pretty good," Weaver said of Mook. "It's not only the voice, but it's the subject matter." But their back-channel negotiations are nothing but serious. While Clinton has largely unified Democratic leadership around her bid, she's struggling to win over the young and liberal voters who supported Sanders, a Vermont senator. Sanders is pushing for ways of addressing key economic issues in the Democratic platform, including trade, providing free college tuition and expanding Medicare and Social Security. "Right now, what we are doing is trying to say to the Clinton campaign, stand up, be bolder than you have been. And then many of those voters in fact may come on board," Sanders told CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. He also wants procedural changes, such as allowing independents to participate in primaries and curtailing the role of superdelegates the party leaders who help determine the party's nominee. On Friday, Sanders told MSNBC that he would vote for the former secretary of state. But he shied away from offering a formal endorsement or urging his supporters to back her. Instead, he's kicked off a new phase of his "political revolution," campaigning on behalf of like-minded Democrats who are running for Congress or local office. To close that gap, the candidates may rely on the personal rapport between their two top aides, a relationship helped along by formative years in Vermont politics. Weaver was raised in a rural, northern Vermont town. Mook, the son of a Dartmouth professor, grew up in Norwich, near the New Hampshire border. As a 20-year-old Boston University student, Weaver drove Sanders around the small state during Sanders' unsuccessful campaign for governor. Mook's first campaign memory: going to the dump to get petition signatures and distribute literature. While they knew of each other, the first time they met in person was in October, at the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, a key stop for presidential candidates. Wearing matching outfits of khakis, blue blazers and Johnston & Murphy brown shoes, they posed for photos with their legs propped up on a security barrier. "His shoes were in better condition," joked Mook. In New Hampshire, they were subjected to a series of interviews about each other's campaigns while sitting kitty-corner. The experience was remarkably friendly, Weaver recalled, allowing them to commiserate over the lack of sleep and endless travel that is part of a presidential campaign. After that, the conversation slowly expanded. Today, their relationship has grown far closer than that of their bosses. Though Clinton and Sanders have known each other since she came to Washington as first lady in 1993, they rarely communicate, say aides. Former President Bill Clinton, according to aides, was particularly frustrated by Sanders' ability to cast himself as above politics-as-usual while firing off what he considered to be misleading attacks on Clinton's White House legacy. For Weaver, his focus remains on ensuring that Sanders and his supporters are represented in the party and the platform that will be voted on at the Philadelphia convention. "It obviously is important that the secretary during the general election speaks to the aspirations of that 13 million people who voted for Bernie Sanders," Weaver said. "It's important those people be heard not just feel like they've been heard but be heard." ___ Follow Lisa Lerer and Ken Thomas on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/llerer and http://twitter.com/kthomasDC California wildfire 'most destructive' in county history LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. (AP) Sallie Keeling had seen enough photos of destruction over four days to know what to expect when she returned Monday to the fire-ravaged neighborhood where she and her husband had lived for 13 years. "There's nothing," she said, covered in soot after digging through the rubble. "Just ashes." Keeling, 71, surveyed the devastated South Lake near Lake Isabella as evacuation orders were lifted in some nearby communities that suffered less damage from the wildfire that killed two people and destroyed 200 homes in the southern Sierra Nevada. Inca, a cadaver dog, and her handler Mary Cablk search the burned ruins of a home Monday, June 27, 2016, in Squirrel Valley, Calif. The blaze had killed an elderly couple who were found Friday after apparently being overcome by smoke. The fire has burned more than 70 square miles and is 40 percent contained. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The fire grew to more than 70 square miles, but was it 40 percent contained as it burned in steep terrain south of Lake Isabella. Houses could be vulnerable if winds blow the fire back toward some of the communities in the popular recreation area, Fire Chief Brian Marshall said. "There's still more threats out there," Marshall said. "This is going to go down as the most destructive wildfire in Kern County history." Cadaver dogs searched through the rubble of devastated neighborhoods for more possible casualties, though remains found over the weekend were identified as an animal, Kern County sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt said. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A man with two guns was arrested Sunday in a mandatory evacuation area, though further details weren't available on possible charges he could face, Pruitt said. The fire began Thursday and quickly exploded in dry brush and bore down on small communities of houses and mobile homes that surround Lake Isabella, a dammed section of the scenic Kern River popular for fishing, whitewater rafting and other outdoor activities. Terrifying flames arrived with little warning and residents, many elderly, had to flee amid heavy smoke. "People were escaping barely within an inch of their lives," Marshall said. The bodies of an elderly couple, apparently overcome by smoke, were found Friday. Their names have not been released. In addition to the destroyed homes, another 75 were damaged. The fire was the most damaging blaze in California, but it is just one of many that have burned large swaths of the arid West during hot weather. Keeling poked through debris and twisted metal in a vain search for a safe-like metal box. She unearthed a charred jewelry box, but most everything else was a total loss, including a Chevy pickup truck and small car that sat on their axles nearby. Her husband, Steve Keeling, said he inherited the house and the ashes of his parents' remains had been inside. They always wanted to spend eternity in that place and now it seemed they would. ___ Melley reported from Los Angeles. Inca, a cadaver dog, and her handler Mary Cablk search the burned ruins of a home Monday, June 27, 2016, in Squirrel Valley, Calif. The blaze had killed an elderly couple who were found Friday after apparently being overcome by smoke. The fire has burned more than 70 square miles and is 40 percent contained. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Robert Delgado, a lineman for Southern California Edison, works on power line at fire ravaged South Lake, Calif., Monday, June 27, 2016. Power crews work restore power to the area that was swept by fire near Lake Isabella, Calif. The fire that started Thursday, has taken the lives of an elderly couple, apparently overcome by smoke, burned more than 70 square miles, and is 40 percent contained. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) The burned out remains of a pickup are seen as power crews work to restore power in fire ravaged South Lake, Calif, Monday, June 27, 2016. The fire that started Thursday, near Lake Isabella, Calif has taken the lives of an elderly couple, apparently overcome by smoke, burned more than 70 square miles, and is 40 percent contained. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Inca, a cadaver dog, and her handler Mary Cablk search the burned ruins of a home Monday, June 27, 2016, in Squirrel Valley, Calif. The blaze had killed an elderly couple who were found Friday after apparently being overcome by smoke. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) CORRECTS FIRST NAME TO SALLIE INSTEAD OF SALLY - Sallie Keeling looks through a jewelry box she found after she and her husband, Steve, right, searched through the burned out rubble of their home, Monday, June 27, 2016, in South Lake, Calif. The home was destroyed by the fire that started Thursday, near Lake Isabella, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli) Authorities: 1 dead, 4 hurt in Atlanta biker club shooting ATLANTA (AP) Authorities say one person has been killed and four others wounded in a weekend shooting at an Atlanta biker club. Atlanta police say in a statement that the shooting occurred early Sunday at Strikers Motorcycle Club. The Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office says 44-year-old Fernando Wingfield was killed. PICTURED: Editor selections from the past week in Asia Patterns of people performing yoga, bowing in prayer, standing at attention grabbed the attention of AP photographers around Asia last week. In India, Vietnam and elsewhere, millions bent their bodies into complex poses to mark International Yoga Day. Muslims, meanwhile, offered prayers on the third Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Arriving in Beijing, Russian President Vladimir Putin extended his hand to greet Chinese President Xi Jinping in front of the massive Great Hall of the People. FILE - In this Sunday, July 26, 2016, file photo, people demonstrate a yoga pose in an indoor stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam. About 1,000 yoga practitioners participated in the mass practice to celebrate the annual International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Hau Dinh, File) Members of the Philippine LGBT community carried a huge rainbow flag as they marched around a park in Manila. North Korean men fish off a pier in in Wonsan, a city on the east coast of the Korean Peninsula that has been chosen to be developed into a summer destination for locals and tourists. Hong Kong residents cooled off in a pool as summer temperatures soared. Later in the week, markets in Asia and around the world tumbled on news that Britain had voted to leave the European Union. ___ This gallery was curated by Associated Press photo editor Karly Domb Sadoff in Bangkok. FILE - In this Tuesday, June 21, 2016, file photo, Indians holds hands as they attempt to create a record for the longest human yoga chain with more than 8000 participants at an event to celebrate International Yoga Day in Ahmadabad, India. Millions of yoga enthusiasts are bending their bodies in complex postures across India as they take part in a mass yoga program to mark the second International Yoga Day. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki, File) FILE - In this Friday, June 24, 2016, file photo, Indian Muslims offer prayers on the third Friday of the holy fasting month of Ramadan in Lucknow, India. Islam's holiest month is a period of intense prayer, self-discipline, dawn-to-dusk fasting and nightly feasts. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh, File) FILE - In this Saturday, June 25, 2016, file photo, Chinese honor guard members line up in formation before a welcoming ceremony for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE - In this Saturday, June 25, 2016, file photo, Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, is greeted by Chinese President Xi Jinping as he arrives for a welcoming ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) FILE - In this Saturday, June 25, 2016. file photo, members of LGBT carry a huge rainbow flag as they march around the Rizal Park to celebrate the annual "Pride March"in Manila, Philippines. Several LGBT organizations are calling for the passage of an Anti-Discrimination bill that they say would protect the LGBT community .(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) FILE - In this Tuesday, June 21, 2016, file photo, North Korean men fish off a pier leading to Jangdok Island, in Wonsan, North Korea. Wonsan, about 125 miles from Pyongyang, is a port city located in Kangwon Province, North Korea along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula and was one of the cities chosen to be developed into a summer destination for locals as well as tourists. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) FILE - In this Thursday, June 23, 2016, file photo, North Korean men and women work in rice fields in Kangwon province, eastern North Korea. The capital of Kangwon province is Wonsan, which is located along the eastern side of the Korean Peninsula and was one of the cities chosen to be developed into a summer destination for locals as well as tourists. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E, File) FILE - In this Wednesday, June 22, 2016, file photo, people swim in a pool in Hong Kong. Temperatures in Hong Kong reached around 33 degrees Celsius (92 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File) FILE - In this Friday, June 24, 2016, file photo, a floor trader studies stock prices at the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Global financial markets dived on Friday as British media forecast Britain to leave the European Union. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File) FILE - In this Friday, June 24, 2016, file photo, South Korean high school students take their memorial pictures under a screen showing Korean Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Index at the Korea Exchange in Seoul, South Korea. World financial markets were rocked Friday by Britain's unprecedented vote to leave the European Union, with stock markets and oil prices crashing and the pound hitting its lowest level in three decades. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon, File) After Dalai Lama met Lady Gaga, China warns of his motives BEIJING (AP) China warned people to be aware of what it said are nefarious motives of the Dalai Lama after he met with Lady Gaga on a trip to the U.S. and spoke about love and compassion. "The purpose of his visits and activities in other countries is just to promote his proposal for Tibetan independence," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Monday. Beijing regularly vilifies the Tibetans' spiritual leader as a political figure who advocates splitting the Himalayan region of Tibet from the rest of China. The Dalai Lama says he simply wants a higher degree of autonomy under Chinese rule. The Dalai Lama greets Lady Gaga, right, before a question and answer session at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) On Sunday, before speaking at a conference in Indianapolis of American mayors, he met Lady Gaga. The official website of the office of the Dalai Lama reported that Lady Gaga interviewed him in an exchange streamed live over Facebook. The singer asked how to help young people with self-esteem issues or who harm themselves and he said "paying more attention to inner values like love and compassion are the right approach." Asked about the Dalai Lama's meeting with Lady Gaga, Hong said: "We hope that people from the international community can be fully aware of his true colors and nature." The Dalai Lama also met with President Barack Obama two weeks ago, drawing condemnation from China. Lady Gaga listens as the Dalai Lama speaks during a question and answer session at the the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Journalist Ann Curry, from left, the Dalai Lama, Lady Gaga and businessman and philanthropist Philip Anschutz pose for a photo following a question and answer session at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Lady Gaga speaks during a question and answer session at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) The Dalai Lama speaks at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Indianapolis, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy) Turkey: Pope's genocide remarks won't help peace efforts ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey says Pope Francis's recognition of the Ottoman-era killings of Armenians as genocide during his visit to Armenia won't help efforts to establish peace and stability in the Caucasus region. A Turkish Foreign Ministry statement said Monday that the pope had again "disappointed" the Turkish people with remarks and accused him of "bias" and "religion-based discrimination" against Turkey. Francis has said the 1915 slaughter by Ottoman Turks of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians constituted planned "genocide" during his three-day visit. Pope Francis, right, and Catholicos Karekin II release white doves in front of Ararat's mountain after a ceremony at the Khor Virap's monastery, Armenia, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool photo via AP) Egypt lawyers claim government meddling in case over islands CAIRO (AP) Egyptian lawyers opposed to the government's decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia are accusing authorities of meddling in court proceedings over the case, according to a motion obtained Monday. The attorneys are citing a Cabinet minister's call for the court to issue a verdict on the case within a week, along with what they described as suspicious speed with which a date was set for a hearing on a government appeal. The controversy over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir has sparked the largest anti-government street protests in Egypt since President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi took office two years ago. The government responded with the arrest of hundreds of protesters and activists, most of whom have been acquitted after brief trials or fined. People protest at an appeals court hearing in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's government on Sunday defended its decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia at after the move was struck down by a lower court last week. (AP Photo/Hamza Hendawi) A lower tribunal last week struck down the handover deal but the government appealed that decision. A higher court on Sunday held its first hearing on the appeal, a raucous, 35-minute session in a courtroom packed by protesters and interrupted by heckles. The lawyers submitted a seven-page motion asking the court's seven judges to recuse themselves. The court will rule July 3 on the motion, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press on Monday. It cited the "unprecedented speed" with which a date was set for a hearing, just hours after the government's appeal was filed. It also cited published comments by Parliamentary and Legal Affairs Minister Magdy el-Agaaty that the government wished for the appeal to be accepted and a final verdict on the case issued within a week. The motion also cited media reports that Maj-Gen. Mamdouh Shaheen, the defense ministry's top legal expert, paid an "unjustified" visit to the court and met its president last week, ostensibly, it added, to obtain a copy of the lower court's ruling to strike down the maritime border agreement. It also pointed to a conflict of interest, explaining that presiding judge Abdel-Fattah Abu el-Leil and another judge were retained, one by Cairo University and the other by the Foreign Ministry as consultants. Cairo University in April bestowed an honorary doctoral degree on King Salman, the Saudi monarch. The Foreign Ministry, alongside el-Sissi, Egypt's parliament speaker and other ministries, is appealing the lower court's verdict. There was no official comment immediately available on the claims made by the motion tabled by lawyer Mohammed Adel but the government routinely insists that it does not interfere in the work of the judiciary and respects its verdicts. The transfer of the islands was announced during a visit by King Salman in April, alongside billions of dollars in Saudi aid. Critics of the border accord accuse the government of selling off sovereign territory. The government says the islands at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba always belonged to Saudi Arabia but were placed under Egyptian protection in 1950. Chief government lawyer, Rafiq Omar, center, at an appeals court hearing in Cairo, Egypt. Egypt's government on Sunday defended its decision to hand over two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia at after the move was struck down by a lower court last week. (AP Photo/Hamza Hendawi) Former Afghan warlord scuttles peace deal with Kabul ISLAMABAD (AP) A former Afghan warlord announced Monday that a much-touted peace deal between his militant group and the Kabul government was effectively "dead." The comments by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar came after the armed wing of his Hezb-i-Islami party effectively scuttled the deal, drafted weeks ago, with new demands. Hekmatyar called Afghanistan's government illegal and said he would not recognize it. In his lengthy diatribe against the Kabul government in the Daily Shahdat magazine belonging to his group, Hekmatyar said the Afghan administration negotiated in bad faith and made demands it could not meet. FILE -- In this Feb. 13, 1996 file photo Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, Chief of Hezb-i-Islami Afghanistan addresses a news conference in Islamabad, Pakistan. The former Afghan warlord has announced that a much-touted peace deal between his militant group and the Kabul government is effectively "dead." (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash) Afghan President Ashraf Ghani's government had hoped an agreement with Hekmatyar would be an incentive for other insurgent groups to come to the negotiating table. But in recent weeks, Hezb-i-Islami made additional, impossible-to-meet conditions, including the scrapping of Kabul's current security pact with the United States and a public timetable for the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan. Hekmatyar, writing under his pen name Haqpal, said Afghan government negotiators called the security pact with the United States "a red line that we cannot cross." Hekmatyar said only a handful of his group's demands were met in the draft agreement, yet last month when his representatives left Kabul they said they had a final deal that needed only Hekmatyar's signature. Instead Hekmatyar returned the agreement with the additional demands. He sent the revised deal in a letter his son was to deliver to Ghani. In that letter, Hekmatyar made his demands and said further negotiations should be restricted to the two leaders. His proposals were rejected. German actor Goetz George dies at age 77 BERLIN (AP) German actor Goetz George, much beloved for his role as hard-nosed but good-hearted inspector in the country's iconic "Tatort" TV crime series, has died. He was 77. The actor died June 19 after a short illness, but his agent didn't immediately release further information, the dpa news agency reported. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Monday called him "one of the greatest German actors ... We will miss him." FILE - In this June 24, 2008 file photo German actor Goetz George poses for a photo in Hamburg, Germany. As it was announced Sunday evening, June 26, 2016, George died a week ago at the age of 77. (AP Photo/Fabian Bimmer, file) George was especially popular for his role as tough working-class inspector Horst Schimanski from the country's industrial Ruhr Valley region, which he played 48 times in a time period of 32 years. He also starred in many movies, including his role as the Nazis' death camp doctor Joseph Mengele in "Nichts als die Wahrheit." Serbian police find 29 migrants, arrest suspected smuggler BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) Serbian police say they have found 29 migrants with no documents and arrested a suspected people smuggler. Police said Monday they discovered the migrants in a southern village near the border town of Presevo. They say migrants were packed in two cars with false plates. The man caught with the migrants faces charges of illegal crossing of the border and people smuggling. The smuggling of migrants through the Balkans has been on the rise since the nations shut their borders in March, closing down the traditional refugee route toward Western Europe. Two port security officers stand in front of the 'Aquarius' vessel as migrants wait for disembarking after arriving to Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday. June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) More than one million people entered Europe last year and nations have been shutting down their borders to curb the influx. Migrants wait on the deck of the 'Aquarius' vessel after arriving to the port of Messina in Sicily, Italy, Sunday June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) A woman has her temperature checked after she disembarked from the 'Aquarius' vessel in Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) Migrants disembark the 'Aquarius' vessel, as others wait to leave the ship after arriving to Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) An African migrant disembarks from the 'Aquarius' vessel after arriving to the port of Messina,Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) Migrants disembark the 'Aquarius' vessel after arriving to the port of Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) Two women seen through a window as they look out of the porthole from aboard the 'Aquarius' rescue vessel after arriving in Sicily, Italy, on Sunday June 25, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived at port in Messina, Sicily, after being rescued from the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) A migrant sits on the deck of the 'Aquarius' vessel as the boat passes a cruise ship in the port of Messina, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) A group of women look out through a porthole from aboard the 'Aquarius' rescue vessel after arriving in Sicily, Italy, on Sunday June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived at port in Messina, Sicily, after being rescued from the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) Afghan officials: Taliban kill at least 5 abducted from bus KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Afghan officials say the Taliban have killed at least five people from a group of eight abducted earlier this month from a bus in northern Kunduz province. Yusouf Ayubi, head of the provincial council in Kunduz, said on Monday that the bodies were brought to the hospital in the city of Kunduz the previous day. Mahmood Danish, spokesman for the provincial governor said an investigation is underway on the abductions. The five were among eight passengers abducted on a bus in Chardara district on earlier in June. Turkey to allow German minister to visit Turkish air base ANKARA, Turkey (AP) Turkey's prime minister says his country will allow Germany's defense minister to visit an air base where German troops are stationed, days after a German deputy defense minister and lawmakers were denied a visit. The denial was largely seen as Turkey's retaliation against a German Parliament vote to call the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago "genocide." Binali Yildirim told reporters on Monday that Turkey would permit Ursula von der Leyen to visit the Incirlik base which is central to the fight against the Islamic State group. FILE - In this June 8, 2016 file photo German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen arrives for the cabinet meeting of the German government at the chancellery in Berlin. Von der Leyen wants to visit a Turkish base where German troops are stationed _ an announcement that comes days after a German deputy defense minister and lawmakers were denied a visit there by Turkey. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber, file) He said: "the German defense minister can visit Incirlik with ease, there is no problem." LGBT rights groups call on Orthodox Church to embrace gays BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) Two gay rights' groups have called on the Orthodox Church to open up "safe spaces for dialogue and reconciliation" within the church for gays. In an open letter sent to the Orthodox council which this weekend gathered on the Greek island of Crete, the Euroregional Center for Public Initiatives and the Global Justice Institute-Metropolitan Community Church in New York said the LGBT Orthodox community was subjected to "spiritual and sometimes physical violence in Eastern Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Africa." They said LGBT believers "feel abandoned and marginalized... and deeply affected by discrimination." Men cover their faces with rainbow flags during a gay pride parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 25, 2016. During the years of communist rule, before 1989, homosexuality was a crime, and it is still not widely accepted among many Romanian people, with many gays avoiding to disclose their sexual orientation to avoid discrimination. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Florin Buhuceanu, spokesman for the groups, said the letter was deliberately sent a day after Orthodox leaders ended their historic gathering, to not produce "a scandal" at the meeting. There are some 300 million Orthodox Christians. Participants wait for the start of a gay pride parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 25, 2016. During the years of communist rule, before 1989, homosexuality was a crime, and it is still not widely accepted among many Romanian people, with many gays avoiding to disclose their sexual orientation to avoid discrimination. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) An anti-gay protester holds a banner that reads: "The traditional family is in danger - Let's protect it" during a march ahead of a gay pride parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 25, 2016. During the years of communist rule, before 1989, homosexuality was a crime, and it is still not widely accepted among many Romanian people, with many gays avoiding to disclose their sexual orientation to avoid discrimination. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) An anti-gay protester holds a banner that reads: "No to homosexual marriages and adoptions" during a march ahead of a gay pride parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 25, 2016. During the years of communist rule, before 1989, homosexuality was a crime, and it is still not widely accepted among many Romanian people, with many gays avoiding to disclose their sexual orientation to avoid discrimination. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Participants listen to speeches during a gay pride parade in Bucharest, Romania, Saturday, June 25, 2016. During the years of communist rule, before 1989, homosexuality was a crime, and it is still not widely accepted among many Romanian people, with many gays avoiding to disclose their sexual orientation to avoid discrimination. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) Hundreds march in Egypt over cancelled high school exams CAIRO (AP) Hundreds of Egyptian students protested in front of the Education Ministry in Cairo on Monday over the cancellation of some high school exams after the answers were leaked. Demanding the resignation of Education Minister Al-Helali el-Sherbini, the students, accompanied by some parents, later marched toward Tahrir Square, the epicenter of Egypt's 2011 uprising against longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. "This is unfair," said student Amr Adel. "The student who didn't study will get higher grades than us. We were studying hard for 12 months... why all this unfairness?" Hundreds of Egyptian students march during a protest against the cancellation of high school exams, in Cairo, Egypt, Monday, June 27, 2016. Demanding the resignation of Education Minister Al-Helali el-Sherbini, the students, accompanied by some parents, later marched toward Tahrir Square, the epicenter of Egypt's 2011 uprising against longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. (AP Photo/Roger Anis) Twelve Education Ministry officials were detained after answers to the final nationwide exams for Arabic, religion and other subjects were posted earlier this month on Facebook by an anonymous user who said he wants to shine a spotlight on corruption and inefficiency. Large protests are rare in Egypt, where President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has led a harsh crackdown on dissent. Egypt's education system has long been plagued by overcrowded classrooms and poorly trained teachers, forcing millions of students who can afford it to rely on private tutors. Exam scores directly determine entrance to universities. The Latest: Italy recovers 6 bodies from 2015 migrant wreck BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) The Latest on Europe's migrant crisis (all times local): 1:05 p.m. Besides rescuing migrants from smugglers' boats, naval vessels in the Mediterranean are also recovering bodies from past shipwrecks on the bottom of the Mediterranean. Two port security officers stand in front of the 'Aquarius' vessel as migrants wait for disembarking after arriving to Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday. June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) The Italian navy on Monday brought six migrants' bodies to Sicily that were found near the collapsed wreck of a boat that sank on Aug. 5, 2015. When that shipwreck happened, an Irish naval vessel took on 373 survivors and 26 bodies that were immediately recovered. Palermo-based prosecutors asked the Italian navy to try to locate the sunken wreck and retrieve any more bodies. In December, a navy minesweeper located the wreck on the seabed, 60 meters (200 feet) down. The navy says inspections of the wreck and the surrounding area ascertained the presence of 10 bodies, but, for safety concerns, it was only possible to remove six. ___ 10:55 a.m. Serbian police say they have found 29 migrants with no documents and arrested a suspected people smuggler. Police said Monday they discovered the migrants in a southern village near the border town of Presevo. They say migrants were packed in two cars with false plates. The man caught with the migrants faces charges of illegal crossing of the border and people smuggling. The smuggling of migrants through the Balkans has been on the rise since the nations shut their borders in March, closing down the traditional refugee route toward Western Europe. More than one million people entered Europe last year and nations have been shutting down their borders to curb the influx. Migrants wait on the deck of the 'Aquarius' vessel after arriving to the port of Messina in Sicily, Italy, Sunday June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) A woman has her temperature checked after she disembarked from the 'Aquarius' vessel in Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) Migrants disembark the 'Aquarius' vessel, as others wait to leave the ship after arriving to Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) An African migrant disembarks from the 'Aquarius' vessel after arriving to the port of Messina,Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) Migrants disembark the 'Aquarius' vessel after arriving to the port of Messina, Sicily island, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) Two women seen through a window as they look out of the porthole from aboard the 'Aquarius' rescue vessel after arriving in Sicily, Italy, on Sunday June 25, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived at port in Messina, Sicily, after being rescued from the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) A migrant sits on the deck of the 'Aquarius' vessel as the boat passes a cruise ship in the port of Messina, Italy, Sunday, June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived in Messina after being rescued on the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) A group of women look out through a porthole from aboard the 'Aquarius' rescue vessel after arriving in Sicily, Italy, on Sunday June 26, 2016. A group of more than 650 migrants arrived at port in Messina, Sicily, after being rescued from the Mediterranean Sea earlier this week. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen) NATO appoints highest-ranking woman in its history BRUSSELS (AP) NATO has appointed the highest-ranking woman in its history, naming U.S. Under Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller as its next deputy secretary-general. The alliance's Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said Monday that Gottemoeller "will bring to NATO a wealth of experience in international security policy, and in areas such as arms control and relations with Russia." The deputy secretary-general is the alliance's second highest-ranking civilian official. Stoltenberg said Gottemoeller will be the first woman to hold the job, and called it "a milestone in NATO." Gottemoeller now advises Secretary of State John Kerry on arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament, NATO said. She succeeds Alexander Vershbow, a former U.S. ambassador to Moscow who has been NATO's No.2 since February 2012. Pope's message of peace resonates with Syrian Armenians YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) For most in Armenia, the visit by Pope Francis will be best remembered for his willingness to declare the Ottoman-era slaughter of Armenians "genocide" and for his message of peace and reconciliation with Turkey. For ethnic Armenians who have fled the war in Syria, however, the call for peace relates more personally to the ongoing conflict that has taken the lives of loved ones and driven them from their homes. Angela Agemyan and her three children, who are among an estimated 17,000 ethnic Armenian refugees from Syria now living in Armenia, watched the pope's visit this weekend on television from their new home in Yerevan, the capital. Pope Francis, right, and Catholicos Karekin II release white doves in front of Ararat's mountain after a ceremony at the Khor Virap's monastery, Armenia, Sunday, June 26, 2016. (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool photo via AP) "Peace for us is the most important thing," said Agemyan, 35. "The peace that we had in my family is lost." The number of Armenians in Syria swelled in the early 20th century when Armenian families were deported to Syrian deserts by the Ottoman Turks. Up to 100,000 Armenians were estimated to live in Syria when the conflict there began in 2011. For the many that have fled, Armenia has been a hospitable, if poor, haven. Agemyan fled Aleppo with her young children in 2014 after her husband was killed by militants from the Islamic State group for refusing to renounce his Christian faith. She doubts that she will ever go back to Syria. "I have a house there and my parents are there as well. But that's not the point," Agemyan said. "I will have to think about my children and how they would be there spiritually. There are many things I'll have to consider. It would be very difficult to go back." Accepting the refugees has become a significant burden for this former Soviet nation of 3 million people, which has been reeling from a crippling economic blockade imposed by neighboring Turkey to support its ally Azerbaijan in the conflict with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region. But the impoverished country has eagerly welcomed the newcomers, helping with accommodation, providing various subsidies and fast-tracking the procedure for acquiring citizenship. Most prefer to stay in Yerevan, resisting offers to relocate to cheaper housing elsewhere in the country. An attempt to build apartment buildings to accommodate refugees outside the capital was met with little enthusiasm and failed. Most Syrian Armenians come from Aleppo, Syria's largest city and its commercial capital before the war, which has been an arena of fierce battles since it was split into government- and opposition-controlled parts in 2012. While economic conditions in Armenia can be challenging, refugees say what they appreciate most is the warm welcome they have received. "On the very first day, four neighbors knocked on our door and offered help," said Saro Yapundzhian, a refugee from Aleppo who works as a manager at a Yerevan cafe. Although the unemployment rate in Armenia is high, at about 17 percent, refugees' skills have helped them to find jobs as doctors, jewelers, mechanics, hair stylists and cooks. Syrian restaurants have become increasingly popular. Agemyan bakes cakes and pastries to try to make ends meet. "Here we are safe and have adapted," she said, adding that her children, aged 6, 9 and 12, feel welcome at the local school and have quickly learned the eastern dialect of the language spoken in Armenia. The refugees already speak the western dialect of Armenian, which has made their adaptation easier. Pope Francis, who wrapped up his three-day visit to Armenia on Sunday, has long championed the Armenian cause. In the most carefully watched speech of his trip, the pope ad-libbed the politically charged word "genocide" to his prepared text. Turkey rejects the term, saying the 1.5 million death figure cited by historians is inflated and that people died on both sides as the Ottoman Empire collapsed amid World War I. Aid convoy enters Damascus suburb BEIRUT (AP) The U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross delivered aid Monday for 30,000 people in a besieged rebel-held Damascus suburb. The U.N.'s humanitarian coordination office OCHA said the convoy entered Qudsaya on Monday and that the ICRC and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent are taking part in the delivery. ICRC spokeswoman Ingy Sedky said the delivery includes 6,000 canned food parcels, including beans, peas, tuna, dates and olive oil, as well as primary care medicine. Sedky added that the supplies should sustain 30,000 people, including 5,000 patients, for three months. In this photo released on Sunday, June 26, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad, center, sits with Syrian troops as they break the Ramadan fast during his visit to the front line in the Damascus suburb of Marj al-Sultan, Syria. (SANA via AP) Aid has been delivered to several besieged areas in Syria in recent weeks. Elsewhere in Damascus, the Islamic State group battled rival militants in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmouk, breaking weeks of relative calm, opposition activists said. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said IS is battling several other groups, including the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front and a Palestinian faction called Aknaf Beit al-Maqdis. Mazen al-Shami, an activist based near Damascus, said militants have captured several buildings from IS in Yarmouk and the nearby neighborhood of Tadamon. IS infiltrated and captured parts of Yarmouk camp in April 2015. Since then the camp, a built-up residential area that was once home to tens of thousands of Syrians and Palestinians, has seen sporadic fighting amid shortages of food. Monday's fighting came a day after President Bashar Assad paid a rare visit to the front lines in the Damascus suburb of Marj al-Sultan, where he broke the daily Ramadan fast with troops at an air base taken from insurgents in December. "The meal that we will eat today is the best meal we will have in our lives," Assad said. In this photo released on Sunday, June 26, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad, center, speaks with Syrian troops during his visit to the front line in the Damascus suburb of Marj al-Sultan, Syria. (SANA via AP) In this photo released on Sunday, June 26, 2016, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian President Bashar Assad, second right, speaks with Syrian troops during his visit to the front line in the Damascus suburb of Marj al-Sultan, Syria. (SANA via AP) German group urges probe of Erdogan over alleged war crimes BERLIN (AP) A group of lawyers, lawmakers and civil rights activists are urging authorities in Germany to investigate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Kurdish activist group Civaka Azad said lawyers filed the complaint Monday with Germany's federal prosecutor's office that relates to crimes allegedly committed against Kurds in southeastern Turkey. It focuses on alleged crimes by Turkish security forces against Kurds in the town of Cizre. Among other things, they say Erdogan should be held responsible for the suspected deaths of Cizre civilians who hid in basements from Turkish artillery. The U.N. said last month it wants to investigate the reports that more than 100 people died in Cizre. Georgia abolishes the draft, rare step in post-Soviet region TBILISI, Georgia (AP) Georgia is abolishing conscription, becoming one of the first former Soviet republics no longer to require men to serve in the military. Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli signed the order on Monday, saying all Georgian men should still want to serve their country but those who do not want to do so will no longer be forced into uniform. Of the 15 former Soviet republics, only Lithuania and Latvia have abolished conscription. Lithuania, however, recently reintroduced it and Latvia is considering doing the same. Georgia has aspirations of joining NATO, and its military regularly conducts joint exercises with U.S. troops to obtain the training necessary to operate alongside the Western alliance. Trump emails: Can you spare $10 to help elect a billionaire? WASHINGTON (AP) The billionaire running for president now seeks to convince millions of Americans to give him money. With the simple tap of the "send" button one day last week, Donald Trump collected $3 million in campaign contributions as much as he did in the entire month of May. He had asked for donations of $10 or more, with the promise of adding $2 million of his own money. That one-day haul from Trump's first fundraising appeal is early evidence of the digital magic it takes to fill campaign coffers Bernie Sanders-style, from millions of people, each giving a few bucks. FILE - In this June 10, 2016 file photo, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump gives a thumbs-up while addressing the Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority Conference in Washington. The billionaire running for president wants to convince millions of Americans to give him money. With the simple tap of the send button one day last week, Donald Trump collected $3 million in campaign contributions, as much as he did in the entire month of May. He had asked for donations of $10 or more, with the promise of chipping in $2 million of his own money as a match. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen, File) Yet that was just one email. Success demands repetition. The presumptive Republican nominee must make the case that he needs money, after months of boasting that he can pay his own way. And his campaign also is failing in what could be called "the art of the email." One analysis found that 74 percent of his first fundraising requests landed in spam folders. Still, if Trump can reap millions of dollars from each pitch, it could help him solve an urgent problem: He's being crushed by Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's well-honed finance machine, which pulled in 10 times as much as he did last month. Campaign money pays for the advertising and employees needed to find, persuade and turn out voters on Election Day. Trump's national finance chairman Steven Mnuchin said the campaign was "overwhelmed" by reaction to the first online fundraising appeal. "This is now going to become a daily effort," Mnuchin said. Since that initial email, the Trump campaign has sent at least five additional solicitations. In an email Monday, son Eric Trump wrote that "donors like you helped us to raise $11 million in just a few days." "That's why we set another Trump-sized goal" of raising $10 million by Thursday, the last day of the month, Eric Trump wrote. Trump's partnership with the Republican National Committee also pays special attention to the small donors who typically give online. They have a joint account called the Trump Make America Great Again Committee that has sent two dozen emails in the past month. As successful as Trump's first fundraising email seems to have been, Tom Sather, senior director of research at the email data solutions firm Return Path, said the candidate could have done better. The firm measures emails much the way Nielsen measures television viewership, by extrapolating from a large panel of study participants. Just 8 percent of the email recipients opened them up, according to Return Path's analysis. The campaign's stunningly high spam rate of 74 percent reflects a lack of email marketing sophistication, Sather said. For example, the campaign switched domain names recently, tripping up spam filters, and Trump may be buying email lists of people who don't want to hear from him. By contrast, Clinton's spam rate on fundraising emails is typically about 5.7 percent, and her rate at which people open the emails holds steady at about 14 percent, Sather said. "It will be interesting to see how he gets better at this, or if he continues to flounder," Sather said. "There is an art and a science involved." Indeed, the Trump campaign blasted out several versions of the Eric Trump solicitation, showing a higher level of sophistication by testing in real-time which email wording raises the most money. Additionally, the campaign seems to have corrected its spam problem and is now seeing less than 3 percent of emails hitting spam folders, Sather said Monday. Trump also has begun leveraging his social media fan base for cash. In a recent sponsored Facebook post, Trump asked for donations after a reminder that he is new to fundraising. "I did a good thing during the Republican primary. I didn't ask my supporters for a single dime. Not one." Those early pitches seem designed to tackle the problem of how it looks when a rich guy starts asking for money, Republican strategists said. "He has built rapport with voters. So if he says he now needs their money, they're more likely to trust that he does," said John Thompson, the digital director for Ted Cruz's Republican presidential campaign. As Sanders proved, online fundraising can chip away at an opponent's financial advantage. He raised $6 million in 24 hours after winning the New Hampshire primary simply by declaring in a televised victory speech that he was "going to hold a fundraiser right here, right now, across America." "If they really focus on it, they could raise $300 (million) or $400 million online," said Barry Bennett, a former Trump adviser who helped Ben Carson raise tens of millions of dollars online for his presidential bid. Bennett and Thompson said they could imagine ways for Trump to raise big online. For example, the campaign could design fundraising raffles with the prize of meeting Trump or touring his airplane or his glitzy properties, Thompson said. "He has a luxurious lifestyle," he said. "If I was in their shoes, and he agrees to it, I'd leverage that." ___ AP writer Steve Peoples contributed to this report. ___ Turkish president apologizes for downing of Russian jet MOSCOW (AP) Turkey's president has apologized for the downing of a Russian military jet at the Syrian border, the Kremlin said Monday, an unexpected move that could open the way for easing a bitter strain in Russia-Turkey ties. Recep Tayyip Erdogan's letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin comes seven months after the incident, which has triggered a slew of Russian sanctions that have dealt a severe blow to the Turkish economy. The formal apology, which the Kremlin had requested, came hours after Turkey and Israel announced details of an agreement to repair their strained relations. The Kremlin quoted the Turkish leader as offering his condolences to the killed pilot's family and saying: "I'm sorry." Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses people gathered for a traditional "Iftar" feast at his palace in Ankara, Turkey, Monday, June 27, 2016. Erdogan has apologized to Russia, expressing his "sympathy and deep condolences" to the family of the killed pilot for the downing of a Russian military jet at the Syrian border, Dmitry Peskov spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Monday. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Presidential Press Service, Pool via AP) "I share their pain with all my heart," Erdogan said in the letter, according to the Kremlin. "We are ready to take any incentive to help ease the pain and the burden of inflicted damage." Erdogan's office was keen to describe the letter as an expression of regret, not an apology. "In the letter, the president stated that he would like to inform the family of the deceased Russian pilot that I share their pain and to offer my condolences to them. May they excuse us," spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said. In a speech delivered during a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner in Ankara, Erdogan said he had written to Putin expressing his "regrets" over the incident and reminding the Russian leader of the "potential for regional cooperation." "I believe that we will leave behind this current situation which is to the detriment of both countries and rapidly normalize our relations," Erdogan said. Putin had denounced the downing of the Russian warplane at the Syrian border on Nov. 24 as a "treacherous stab in the back." Russia rejected the Turkish claim that the plane had violated its airspace, and responded by deploying long-range air defense missiles to its base in Syria, warning that they would destroy any target posing a threat to Russian aircraft. The plane's downing came amid a rift between Moscow and Ankara over Syria, where they backed the opposing sides in the conflict. Moscow moved swiftly to ban the sales of package tours to Turkey, which had depended heavily on the Russian tourist flow; banned most of Turkey's food exports; and introduced restrictions against Turkish construction companies, which had won a sizable niche of the Russian market. Erdogan, who often has been compared to Putin because of both leaders' intolerance to dissent and biting criticism of the West, had apparently miscalculated the plane incident's fallout for the Turkish economy. The letter comes at a moment when Ankara's relations with the EU and the U.S. have also been strained over the migrant crisis, human rights issues and other disputes. Turkey's new prime minister, Binali Yildirim, said recently that Turkey wants to increase the number of its friends and decrease the number of its enemies, and the letter came on the same day that Turkey and Israel released details of a deal to reappoint ambassadors and end six years of acrimony over Israel's 2010 deadly raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish aid ship. Lifting the Russian economic penalties was essential for Erdogan, who has found himself under pressure both at home and abroad. Since the incident, Erdogan and his ministers have continuously spoken in favor of normalizing ties with Moscow, but Putin made it clear that he expects a formal apology and compensation. Erdogan has now offered both, according to his letter, excerpts of which were released by the Kremlin. Erdogan's office also said that the Turkish leader called on Putin to restore traditional friendly relations between Turkey and Russia and work together to address regional crises and jointly combat terrorism. The Kremlin said that the letter added that the Turkish authorities were conducting a probe against a Turkish ultranationalist militant, Alparslan Celik, who allegedly shot and killed the plane's pilot as he was descending by parachute. The plane's co-pilot survived and was rescued, but a Russian marine was killed by militants during the rescue mission near the border. On Friday, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu is set to visit a ministerial meeting of a grouping of the Black Sea nations hosted by Russia in Sochi, a trip that offers a chance to negotiate a rapprochement. "We are pleased to announce that Turkey and Russia have agreed to take necessary steps without delay to improve bilateral relations," Erdogan spokesman Kalin said. ____ Fraser reported from Ankara, Turkey. Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this report. Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, center, listen to the national anthem at the United Russia party congress which is being held three months ahead of parliamentary elections, in Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 27, 2016. (Yekaterina Shtukina/ Pool photo via AP) Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the audience at the United Russia party congress which is being held three months ahead of parliamentary elections, in Moscow, Russia, Monday, June 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool) Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the audience at the United Russia party congress which is being held three months ahead of parliamentary elections, in Moscow, Russia Monday, June 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev, Pool) Lew says no sense of financial crisis developing WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew says that the decision of British voters to leave the European Union is "an additional headwind" for the U.S. and global economies but "there is no sense of a financial crisis developing." In a CNBC interview Monday, Lew said, "I am not saying there will not be an impact on markets but it has been an orderly impact so far." Lew said it would be important for economic policymakers to signal that they are prepared to use the tools they have to promote economic growth and "not overreact to a volatile day here and there." FILE - In this Friday, June 3, 2016, file photo, U.S. Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew answers a reporter's question during a roundtable meeting with reporters in Seoul, South Korea. Lew said Monday, June 27, during a CNBC interview, that the decision of British voters to leave the European Union is "an additional headwind" for the U.S. and global economies but "there is no sense of a financial crisis developing." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File) Signaling concerns that countries might try to intervene in currency markets for trade advantages, Lew said, "We have made it clear that unilateral actions to intervene would be destabilizing." In a later appearance in Washington, Lew said that the Obama administration would work closely with officials in London and Brussels, the headquarters of the European Union, as well as with other major international partners to "ensure continued economic stability, security and prosperity in Europe and globally." Lew said he has been in regular contact with finance ministers from other countries as well as financial market participants around the world and "we will continue to consult closely in the days, weeks and months ahead." In his interview, Lew said the United States would not offer a suggestion on the timing for Britain's exit from the EU, saying that should be left up to Britain and the EU. He said what would be critical during the transition was maintaining confidence in financial markets. Lew signaled that the Obama administration planned to keep pushing for a vote in Congress this year on the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement with countries in Asia. Critics have attacked the proposal as a trade deal that will lead to further loss of American jobs and both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have come out against the agreement. The Latest: 2 campers who were presumed dead found alive ANSTED, W.Va. (AP) The Latest on flooding that has devastated parts of West Virginia(all times local): 11:05 a.m. A state emergency management official says the two men who were presumed dead and later found alive in the West Virginia floods had been camping or getting ready to set up camp. Flood survivor T.J. Parker plays with his dog, Titan, at the Ansted Baptist Church in Ansted, West Virginia, on Sunday, June 26, 2016. Parker says his home was already under water when he arrived from work Thursday. He says he and Titan then swam four blocks to safety. Along the way, he stopped to rescue an elderly man calling for help and brought him through floodwaters to a fire department. (AP Photo/Dave Morrison) Timothy Rock, a spokesman for West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, said Monday that when the rains started last week, the two men left all of their camping gear, their truck and possibly got a ride with someone out of the camping area. He says first responders found their gear and the truck and reported them missing. The men turned up on Sunday. Rock did not know their ages or where they were found. He says they were camping at the Blue Bend area in Greenbrier, which was one of the hardest-hit counties. The discovery lowers the death toll to 23. That includes 20 bodies found and three people missing who are presumed dead. ___ 11 a.m. A sheriff in a flood-ravaged community in West Virginia says residents have formed armed patrols to protect what is left of theirs homes and possessions after reports of looting. WCHS-TV reports (http://bit.ly/28Yjjm8) Fayette County Sheriff Steve Kessler said in a statement posted to Facebook that looting has been reported in the areas of Nallen and Russellville, which were extensively damaged by floodwaters. Kessler said looting "will not be tolerated." The sheriff's department has started extra patrols in the area and says anyone caught looting will be arrested and jailed. The sheriff also issued a warning to looters: "If the residents of this area catch you first, you may not make it to jail." He said people who don't live in the area or have loved ones there should stay away. ___ 10:30 a.m. West Virginia officials say two men presumed dead in West Virginia flooding have been found alive. In a memo Monday, state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management Director Jimmy Gianato says two men thought to have been swept away in a camper in Greenbrier County were found alive. The details of where the men were found were not immediately released. The discovery lowers the death toll to 23. That includes 20 bodies found and three people who are presumed dead. ___ 8:45 a.m. National Guard teams are removing debris as authorities prepare for another round of expected storms after flooding devastated parts of the state. West Virginia Emergency Management Agency spokesman Tim Rock said Monday that "everybody's just keeping an eye on the sky" as search and rescue teams continue to check whether everyone is accounted for. More heavy rains are forecast later Monday in West Virginia, where floodwaters have killed at least 25 people in the past week. More than 20 counties, most in the southern part of the state, were under a flash flood watch. The National Weather Service warned downpours were possible in many areas already ravaged by flooding. Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are taking stock of the damage and National Guard crews are removing debris, he said. Rock said recovery teams plan to work as much as possible but may pull back if storms intensify. ___ 3:30 a.m. More heavy rains are expected in West Virginia, where floodwaters have killed at least 25 people in the past week. More than 20 counties were under a flash flood watch Monday. The National Weather Service says downpours were possible in many areas already ravaged by flooding, including Kanawha and Nicholas counties. The forecast also includes hardest-hit Greenbrier County, where 17 people have died and floodwaters have yet to recede. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin chief of staff Chris Stadelman says authorities still believe there are people missing in Greenbrier County. As the next round of storms arrive, many residents are still trying to come to grips with ruined property and where they'll live next. Taylor Self hugs a woman who traveled from Parkersburg with the Sunrise Baptist Church disaster relief team, before going back into Sherry Cole's home to help clean up in Clendenin, W.Va., on Saturday, June 25, 2016. Church groups and other organizations from all over the state sent multiple people to Clendenin to help feed residents and salvage items from homes. (Sam Owens/The Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) Lt. Dennis Feazell, of the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, rows his boat as he and a co-worker search flooded homes in Rainelle, W. Va., Saturday, June 25, 2016. About 32,000 West Virginia homes and businesses remain without power Saturday after severe flooding hit the state. The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also said Saturday that more than 60 secondary roads in the state were closed.(AP Photo/Steve Helber) West Virginia Natural Resources police officer Chris Lester searches a flooded home in Rainelle, W. Va., Saturday, June 25, 2016. Heavy rains that pummeled West Virginia left multiple people dead, and authorities said Saturday that an unknown number of people in the hardest-hit county remained unaccounted for. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Paul Raines looks over his flooded Western Auto store in Rainelle, W. Va., Saturday, June 25, 2016. Heavy rains that pummeled West Virginia left multiple people dead, and authorities said Saturday that an unknown number of people in the hardest-hit county remained unaccounted for. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) West Virginia Natural Resources police officer Chris Lester, left, walks into the top floor of a flooded home as he and Lt. Dennis Feazell search homes in Rainelle, W. Va., Saturday, June 25, 2016. About 32,000 West Virginia homes and businesses remain without power Saturday after severe flooding hit the state. The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also said Saturday that more than 60 secondary roads in the state were closed. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) West Virginia Natural Resources police officer Chris Lester searches a flooded home in Rainelle, W. Va., Saturday, June 25, 2016. About 32,000 West Virginia homes and businesses remain without power Saturday after severe flooding hit the state. The West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management also said Saturday that more than 60 secondary roads in the state were closed.. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) West Virginia State Trooper C.S. Hartman, walks from a shed that he checked out as he and other crews search homes in Rainelle, W. Va., Saturday, June 25, 2016. Heavy rains that pummeled West Virginia left multiple people dead, and authorities said Saturday that an unknown number of people in the hardest-hit county remained unaccounted for. (AP Photo/Steve Helber) Taylor Self of Charleston lays pictures out to dry as she takes a break from cleaning Sherry and Kelly Cole's house, who are her best friend's parents, in Clendenin, W.Va., on Saturday, June 25, 2016. Self drove from Charleston early Saturday morning once she saw pictures of the damage done by flooding on Sherry Cole's Facebook page. The scene in Clendenin, located in Kanawha County, wasn't as deadly as in Ranielle. Sixteen people died in Greenbrier County, at least 15 of them in Ranielle. Greenbrier is the only county where Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's administration believes people remain missing. (Sam Owens/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Rikki Spinks, left, and Crystal Evans mop the floors of Bob and Janice Evan's house in Clendenin, W.Va., on Saturday, June 25, 2016. The house, which was built in 1914, had flood damage on the bottom floor and many items needed to be thrown away. (Sam Owens/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT This Thursday June 23, 2016 image provided by the Greenbrier shows flooding on the 18th green of the Old White Course at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. Severe flooding hit the area that is scheduled to host a PGA tour event in two weeks. (Cam Huffman/The Greenbrier via AP) This Thursday June 23, 2016 image provided by the Greenbrier shows flooding on the 17th green of the Old White Course at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. Severe flooding hit the area that is scheduled to host a PGA tour event in two weeks. (Cam Huffman/The Greenbrier via AP) This Thursday June 23, 2016 image provided by the Greenbrier shows flooding on a fairway in front of the clubhouse of the Old White Course at the Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, W. Va. Severe flooding hit the area that is scheduled to host a PGA tour event in two weeks. (Harry Watson/The Greenbrier via AP) A home carried by flash flood waters sits in the middle of a road in Rupert, W.Va., Sunday, June 26, 2016. (Christian Tyler Randolph/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Constance Reynolds walks through the flood damaged kitchen of her home in Rainelle, W.Va., Sunday, June 26, 2016. (Christian Tyler Randolph/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT The wall of a bedroom shows the depth of flooding that affected a house in Rainelle, W.Va., Sunday, June 26, 2016. (Christian Tyler Randolph/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Nina, a cat, sits inside a pet crate after being rescued from flash flooding outside a home in Rainelle, W.Va. Sunday, June 26, 2016. (Christian Tyler Randolph/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Constance Reynolds cries out after seeing her grandfather's collection of vintage acoustic guitars stored safely on her son's top bunkbed in her home after severe flash flooding in Rainelle, W.Va. Sunday, June 26, 2016. Charleston Gazette-Mail reports Reynolds was not home at the time of the floods but her neighbor David Hall Sr., who took refuge in her home as the waters continually rose, moved the instruments to the higher storage location while he floated in flood waters on a mattress until being removed with a water rescue. (Christian Tyler Randolph/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Bombings claimed by IS killed 43 in southern Yemen SANAA, Yemen (AP) An Islamic State affiliate carried out a series of attacks in Yemen's southern port city of Mukalla on Monday, killing at least 43 people and wounding several others, officials said. The attacks came as the government and Shiite Houthi rebels planned to suspend talks on ending Yemen's larger conflict after failing to reach a breakthrough in two months of negotiations held in Kuwait. The officials said two suicide bombers and other militants carried out at least seven simultaneous attacks in Mukalla targeting intelligence offices, army barracks and checkpoints. In one of the attacks, a bomb was concealed in a box of food brought to soldiers at a checkpoint to break their dawn-to-dusk Ramadan fast. In another, a group of militants stormed a police station, officials said. In this Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo released by the Kuwait Ministry of Information and made available Monday, June 27, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, second left, arrives for the Yemeni Peace Talks with Yemeni delegations in Kuwait. Ban urged Yemen's warring factions to keep working toward a comprehensive agreement, warning that "time is not on the side of the Yemeni people," in remarks Sunday to delegates taking part in peace talks that began in Kuwait two months ago. (Kuwait Ministry of Information via AP) Witnesses said gunfire echoed across the city, followed by ambulance sirens. The IS affiliate said in an online statement that it launched four suicide bombings against counterterrorism forces. Officials said another 10 people were wounded in the attacks. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters. The witnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals. An al-Qaida affiliate seized Mukalla and held it for a year before being driven out in April by a Saudi-led military coalition. Both al-Qaida and its rival, the IS group, have exploited the chaos of Yemen's war to seize territory and carry out attacks. Emirati forces from the Saudi-led coalition, which are guarding the city's port and the airport, have sealed off several main streets. Officials said the death toll is expected to rise. In Kuwait, meanwhile, two negotiators representing the Houthis and their allies, and one from the internationally-recognized government, told The Associated Press that the two sides were drafting a joint statement to announce that they will suspend talks until mid-July, following the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Iftar. One of the negotiators, a minister in President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi's government, said "the return to the talks is meant to save face after reaching a deadlock." The announcement came a day after U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon visited Kuwait, where the two sides have been meeting since April, to encourage them to reach a peace deal. He also called for the release of prisoners, including journalists and other political detainees, as a goodwill gesture ahead of the holiday. The government has demanded the implementation of a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on the rebels to withdraw from all cities, including the capital, Sanaa, and hand over their heavy weapons. The Houthis want to form a unity government prior to any changes on the ground, according to the negotiators. The negotiators spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the press. The conflict pits the Houthis and security forces loyal to a former president against the internationally recognized government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition of mainly Arab states. The conflict has killed an estimated 9,000 people and pushed the Arab world's poorest country to the brink of famine. A truce went into effect a week before the talks began, but the two sides have repeatedly accused each other of breaking it. In this Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo released by the Kuwait Ministry of Information and made available Monday, June 27, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, second left, arrives for the Yemeni Peace Talks with Yemeni delegations in Kuwait. Ban urged Yemen's warring factions to keep working toward a comprehensive agreement, warning that "time is not on the side of the Yemeni people," in remarks Sunday to delegates taking part in peace talks that began in Kuwait two months ago. (Kuwait Ministry of Information via AP) In this Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo released by the Kuwait Ministry of Information and made available Monday, June 27, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, center, talks with a member of the Yemeni delegation during the Yemeni Peace Talks in Kuwait. Ban urged Yemen's warring factions to keep working toward a comprehensive agreement, warning that "time is not on the side of the Yemeni people," in remarks Sunday to delegates taking part in peace talks that began in Kuwait two months ago. (Kuwait Ministry of Information via AP) NY Gov. Cuomo signs bill expanding breast cancer screening ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) New York is expanding access to breast cancer screening by requiring hospitals to extend hours for mammograms and eliminating insurance costs for the procedure. Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the measure into law Monday at a ceremony on Long Island. He was joined by longtime girlfriend Sandra Lee. The Food Network star's successful treatment for breast cancer prompted Cuomo to introduce the legislation this year. Under the new law, more than 200 hospitals around the state will be required to offer evening and weekend hours for mammograms. Insurance companies will be prohibited from charging deductibles or copays for the procedure. Egypt says black boxes of crashed plane arrive in Paris CAIRO (AP) Egyptian investigators on Monday said the black boxes from a passenger plane that crashed last month have arrived in Paris, where technicians will attempt to repair them. Both devices were extensively damaged when EgyptAir Flight 804 from Paris to Cairo crashed into the Mediterranean on May 19, killing all 66 people on board and Egyptian investigators were unable to download information from the recorders. The Egyptian investigating committee said in a statement that the "electronic boards" of both the cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder were flown to France. FILE - In this Thursday, May 19, 2016 file photo, An EgyptAir Airbus A330-300 takes off for Cairo from Charles de Gaulle Airport outside of Paris. Egyptian investigators say the black boxes from a passenger plane that crashed last month have arrived in Paris, where technicians will attempt to repair them. Both were extensively damaged when EgyptAir Flight 804 from Paris to Cairo crashed into the Mediterranean on May 19, killing all 66 people on board. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File) Days before deadline, Senate to consider Puerto Rico bill WASHINGTON (AP) Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew is warning of widespread consequences, from layoffs of police officers to a hospital closure, if the Senate fails to act before Friday on a rescue package for debt-stricken Puerto Rico. The U.S. territory is in a decade-long recession, and the island owes a $2 billion debt payment to creditors on July 1. The House already passed legislation to create a new control board and restructure some of the U.S. territory's $70 billion debt. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday, Lew said the crisis in Puerto Rico "will ratchet up to an even higher level" if the Senate doesn't pass the House bill in the next four days. He said that if the island defaults on the July 1 payment, the government may be forced to shut down public transit, close a hospital or send police officers home. FILE - In this June 22, 2016 file photo, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew speaks at a news conference at the Treasury Department in Washington. Lew is warning of widespread consequences, from layoffs of police officers to a hospital closure, if the Senate fails to act on a rescue package for debt-stricken Puerto Rico. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) "We know for certain that it is the 3.5 million American citizens who live in Puerto Rico who will be further harmed," Lew said. McConnell, R-Ky., has said the Senate will consider the House bill this week, but he will need support from both parties to surmount a certain 60-vote threshold to advance legislation. Votes could come as soon as Wednesday. A look at the legislation and the politics: ___ WHAT THE BILL WOULD DO The House bill would create a seven-member control board to oversee the island's financial recovery, similar to a board that oversaw the District of Columbia two decades ago. The board could negotiate with creditors and the courts over reducing some debt, but the bill does not provide any taxpayer funds to reduce that debt. The legislation is needed because Puerto Rico, like all U.S. states and territories, cannot declare bankruptcy under federal law. Mainland municipalities and their utilities can, while municipalities and utilities in Puerto Rico cannot. The House is out of session until July 5, so the Senate will have to pass the House bill unchanged for it to head to the president's desk for his signature before the Friday deadline. ___ WHO SUPPPORTS IT The legislation enjoys rare bipartisan support from the White House and Republican leaders in Congress. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., helped negotiate the House bill. "The Puerto Rican people are our fellow Americans. They pay our taxes, they fight in our wars. We cannot allow this to happen," Ryan said on the House floor just before the chamber overwhelmingly passed the bill 297-127 on June 9. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also supports the bill, despite a provision opposed by Democrats that would allow the Puerto Rican government to temporarily lower the minimum wage for some younger workers. The governor of Puerto Rico is backing the bill, even though he says the control board would have too much power over the territorial government. "What's the alternative right now?" Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla said in Washington last week. "We need the bill yesterday." ___ WHO DOESN'T Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid of Nevada is so far withholding his support from the bill, partially over the minimum wage provision. "At the very minimum we need some amendments," Reid said last week. Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., are both strongly opposed to the bill, saying the control board would be too favorable to creditors and ignore ordinary Puerto Ricans. Some creditors have lobbied conservatives to oppose the measure, arguing that the bill is unfair to banks and tantamount to a bailout for the territory. While scheduling a procedural vote on the bill, McConnell indicated on the Senate floor late Monday that no amendments will be allowed. ___ THE DEADLINE McConnell has said for weeks that the Senate would take up the bill, but has pushed consideration until the 11th hour. The Senate is expected to start voting on the bill toward the middle or end of the week. That puts Reid and Senate Democrats in a tough spot if they push debate past the Friday deadline, then they could be blamed for any repercussions in the territory. Lew said that if the island defaults on the debt payments and creditor lawsuits are successful, a judge could order the island to pay creditors over health, education and public safety services. The bill would put a stay on such lawsuits. "Doing nothing now to end the debt crisis will result in a chaotic, disorderly unwinding with widespread consequences," Lew wrote to McConnell. ___ Follow Mary Clare Jalonick on Twitter: http://twitter.com/MCJalonick Report says South African leader should pay $507,000 JOHANNESBURG (AP) South African President Jacob Zuma should reimburse the state for $507,000 in a scandal over upgrades to his private home, according to a report by the national treasury released Monday. The money amounts to a "reasonable percentage" of costs for improvements to Zuma's Nkandla home that were unrelated to security, including a visitors' center, a swimming pool and a chicken run, said the report, which was delivered to the Constitutional Court. The court had instructed the treasury to compile the report after ruling that Zuma violated the constitution by failing to comply with a government watchdog report that concluded he inappropriately benefited from state funding. FILE - In this Nov. 30, 2015 file photo South African President Jacob Zuma attends the COP21, United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Le Bourget, outside Paris. South Africa's national treasury says that Zuma should reimburse the state for $507,000 in a scandal over upgrades at his private home. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File) The Democratic Alliance, an opposition party, welcomed the recommendation that the president pay back a portion of the money spent on his home, but said Zuma should pay more. It noted that the amount of $507,000 is just over 3 percent of the total amount, including security upgrades, that was spent on Nkandla. Zuma has said he would be willing to reimburse the state. Some critics said his pledge came too late and called for his resignation, though powerful factions in the ruling African National Congress have backed him. Germany wants UN Security Council seat in 2019-20 BERLIN (AP) Germany's foreign minister says his country will seek a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2019 and 2020. Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced Germany's candidacy in a speech in Hamburg on Monday. He said that the U.N. and the Security Council are needed "more than ever" in efforts to achieve peace. Paint splashed on controversial Mannerheim plaque in Russia ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) A plaque commemorating Carl Mannerheim in the Russian city of St. Petersburg has been splashed with red paint, highlighting the controversy over the Finnish soldier and statesman who served in the Imperial Russian Army but later led troops against the Soviet Union. The plaque was vandalized three days after being unveiled on June 16 by high-level Kremlin officials, and remains covered with black plastic. Placed on the wall of a military academy, the plaque was intended to commemorate Mannerheim's service in the Imperial Army, which included the Russo-Japanese War and World War I. In this Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo a plaque to Carl Mannerheim is covered with a plastic in St.Petersburg, Russia. The plaque commemorating Carl Mannerheim in the Russian city of St. Petersburg was splashed with red paint shortly after it was unveiled this month, highlighting the controversy over the Finnish soldier and statesman who served in the Imperial Russian Army but after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and Finland's declaration of independence took over command of Finnish troops and led Finland against the Soviet Union during World War II. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky) But after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and Finland's declaration of independence, he took over command of Finnish troops, and decades later led Finland against the Soviet Union during World War II. Finnish troops took part in the Nazi siege of Leningrad, as the city was then called, and the memory of the hundreds of thousands of residents who died during the nearly 900 days of the siege is still sacred to the people of St. Petersburg. "I think the plaque to Mannerheim in St. Petersburg was the wrong idea. Even though he served Russia before the revolution, he is to blame for the deaths of many Leningrad residents during the siege," said Dmitry Svetlov, a 20-year-old student. Yelena Zadorina, a 42-year-old manager, agreed: "I think in such cases it is better not to put up monuments, especially in a case when there are still people alive who remember the siege and who lost relatives at that time." In 1944, as Finland's president, Mannerheim withdrew his country from the war and made peace with the Soviet Union. In this Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo a cadet walks past a plaque to Carl Mannerheim which is covered with plastic, in St.Petersburg, Russia. A plaque commemorating Carl Mannerheim in the Russian city of St. Petersburg has been splashed with red paint shortly after it was unveiled this month, highlighting the controversy over the Finnish soldier and statesman who served in the Imperial Russian Army but after the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution and Finland's declaration of independence took over command of Finnish troops and led Finland against the Soviet Union during World War II. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky) Guyana: Exxon appraisal well finds large oil, gas deposits GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) Officials in the South American country of Guyana say Exxon Mobil has found large deposits of oil and gas in a recently drilled appraisal well. Energy Minister Raphael Trotman told The Associated Press on Monday that the company will drill another well in upcoming months. Officials have said Exxon Mobil previously drilled another well last year that they believe could contain at least 700 million barrels of oil. The company's drill site is located some 150 miles offshore from Guyana's east coast. Several people injured in likely gas explosion in Frankfurt BERLIN (AP) Germany police say several people were injured in what appeared to be a gas explosion at coffee shop on a busy shopping street in Frankfurt. The German news agency dpa reported that according to initial investigations the explosion happened Monday afternoon in the coffee shop's kitchen. Dpa said Frankfurt police did not yet have any specific information about how many people were injured and how severe the injuries were. Dozens of homes burned, looted in Iraqi city freed from IS FALLUJAH, Iraq (AP) Iraqi officials say dozens of homes have been burned and looted in the city of Fallujah, which was recently taken back from the Islamic State group. Lt. Gen. Abdel Wahab al-Saadi, a special forces commander who led the operation to retake the city, said Monday that the houses were torched by IS militants as they fled. But Cpl. Arsan Majid, an Anbar policeman, says Shiite militiamen operating with the federal police were also looting and burning homes. An Iraqi special forces soldier confirmed the account, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters. What to know about Supreme Court tossing Texas abortion law AUSTIN, Texas (AP) The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-3 on Monday that Texas' sweeping anti-abortion law is unconstitutional. Here are details about the ruling and the law, known as HB2: 'BEYOND RATIONAL BELIEF' THAT TEXAS LAW PROTECTED WOMEN'S HEALTH So wrote Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who added in a concurring opinion that women "may resort to unlicensed rogue practitioners" when states limit access to abortion. She was joined by Justices Stephen Breyer, Anthony Kennedy, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Justice Samuel Alito wrote in his dissent that the court has now tossed laws that "could not plausibly impose an undue burden." Joining him in opposition was Chief Justice John Roberts and Clarence Thomas. Lucy Ceballos, center, and Isabella Soto, left, members of the National Institute for Reproductive Health, celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Texas' abortion restrictions in front of Whole Woman's Health Monday, June 27, 2016, in McAllen, Texas. Whole Woman's Health is a abortion provider that stayed open despite the restrictions as many other providers closed over the past two years. (Nathan Lambrecht/The Monitor via AP) SIMILAR LAWS REMAIN ELSEWHERE The Texas law required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery. At least nine other states have similar admitting-privileges requirements, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the decision erodes states' lawmaking authority to safeguard the health of women. THE NUMBER OF TEXAS ABORTION CLINICS HAS ALREADY PLUMMETED More than 40 abortion clinics were open in Texas in January 2013, when then-Gov. Rick Perry began his final legislative session by expressing a wish "to make abortion at any stage a thing of the past." Ten months later, at least a dozen clinics were forced to close under one provision of HB2, and others shuttered as the legal fight dragged to the Supreme Court. About 19 clinics remained opened before Monday's ruling. TEXAS ABORTION CLINICS WON'T REOPEN IMMEDIATELY Whole Woman's Health founder Amy Hagstrom Miller, who operates a chain of abortion clinics in Texas, said following the ruling that "clinics don't reopen overnight" and cautioned there was a "daunting task ahead of us" about whether shuttered clinics would reopen. Many operators let go of building leases and their staffs, and Texas women in many rural areas still face hours-long drives to the nearest abortion providers. REPUBLICANS HAVE KEPT PRESSURE ON ABORTION PROVIDERS Republican-controlled statehouses across the U.S. didn't stop pursuing new abortion restrictions while waiting for a Texas ruling. In May, South Carolina outlawed most abortions at 20 weeks beyond fertilization, and Oklahoma's legislature approved a measure this year that would have made it a felony for doctors to perform an abortion. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin vetoed that measure, saying it would not withstand a legal challenge. ____ Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber Staff members of Whole Woman's Health celebrate in front of a mural on the side of the building after the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Texas' abortion restrictions Monday June 27, 2016, in McAllen, Texas. Whole Woman's Health is a abortion provider that stayed open despite the restrictions as many other providers closed over the past two years. (Nathan Lambrecht/The Monitor via AP) Lucy Felix, right, jumps for joy as other members of the National Institute for Reproductive Health celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court ruling against Texas' abortion restrictions in front of Whole Woman's Health Monday June 27, 2016 in McAllen, Texas. Whole Woman's Health is a abortion provider that stayed open despite the restrictions as many other providers closed over the past two years. (Nathan Lambrecht/The Monitor via AP) Abortion rights activists Morgan Hopkins of Boston, left, and Alison Turkos of New York City, rejoice in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Monday, June 27, 2016, as news is announced that the justices struck down the strict Texas anti-abortion restriction law known as HB2. The justices voted 5-3 in favor of Texas clinics that had argued the regulations were a thinly veiled attempt to make it harder for women to get an abortion in the nation's second-most populous state. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite) Clinton's VP thinking: Don't harm Dem chances to take Senate WASHINGTON (AP) As Hillary Clinton considers her choices for vice president, she's seriously weighing the potential negative impact her decision could have on Democratic efforts to retake control of the Senate, according to party members familiar with her thinking. She's also said to be worried about how her pick could affect congressional elections in 2018, at the midpoint of her presidency should she win the White House. Her political calculus underscores how closely linked she believes her success as president would be to having her party in power on Capitol Hill. Clinton's concerns center on senators whose seats would be filled by a Republican governor if they move into the White House including Cory Booker of New Jersey and Sherrod Brown of Ohio. Examined by Clinton's vetting team in an early stage of the vice presidential process, it's unclear whether they have been moved onto her short list. FILE - In this June 26, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks in Indianapolis. As Hillary Clinton considers her choices for vice president, shes seriously weighing the potential impact her choice could have on Democratic efforts to retake control of the Senate, according to members of her party familiar with her thinking. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File) The Democrats familiar with Clinton's thinking all spoke on condition of anonymity, because they were not authorized to publicly discuss her search for a running mate. Clinton's team is moving through the selection process quickly. Lawyers have already requested documents and questionnaire replies from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas. Interviews with Clinton will be scheduled for early next month. Top Senate Democrats, including Minority Leader Harry Reid, Sen. Chuck Schumer, who will succeed the retiring Reid next year, and Sen. Jon Tester, head of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, have expressed concerns about Clinton's vice presidential pick complicating their efforts to retake the majority. Democrats need to gain four seats in November to win control of the chamber if Clinton is president. "If we have a Republican governor in any of those states, the answer is not only no, but hell no," Reid said last month. "I would do whatever I can, and I think most of my Democratic colleagues would say the same thing." For Reid, there's one exception: Warren. Reid and other Democrats have been reviewing Massachusetts rules for filing a Senate vacancy and are confident there are ways to speed up a special election they believe would return a Democrat to the seat before the next president takes office, despite GOP governor Charlie Baker's power to tap a temporary replacement. Reid is actively pushing Clinton to tap the leading Senate progressive, who vigorously spoke up for her as they campaigned together in Cincinnati on Monday. He's argued against picking Booker or Brown because of concerns about Senate control, according to Democratic officials. Both Booker and Brown have been active supporters of Clinton, frequently delivering impassioned introductions at events. But former Republican presidential candidates, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, would appoint their successors. "I'm a big Sherrod Brown fan," Tester recently told Public Radio International. "It has a Republican governor in the state of Ohio, so it probably wouldn't be good for the body, but I think he'd bring a nice mix to the ticket." Clinton has made rebuilding state Democratic parties, which have languished under President Barack Obama, a key theme of her presidential run. "It's not about me, it's about us," she told a meeting of House Democrats last week, stressing her focus on electing Democrats up and down the ticket. Democrats have a narrow but plausible path for retaking the Senate in November. Several seats are being contested in Democratic-leaning states, including Illinois, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Democrats are also hoping that if Clinton carries battlegrounds like Florida, Ohio and New Hampshire, the party could pick up Senate seats there as well. But a Democratic takeover of the Senate in November could be short-lived, deepening Clinton's concerns about putting a safe seat in jeopardy. The election landscape for Senate Democrats in 2018 is grim, with their seats open in several Republican-leaning states. Campaign aides say Clinton is getting plenty of not-so-subtle suggestions from Democratic allies, donors and friends. "Whoever she picks is going to be the right person for her," said former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, an early Clinton backer. "But I'd pick somebody under 50. It's time for a new generation to take power in Washington, especially in the Democratic Party." But Clinton is skeptical of playing the role of party kingmaker, say people familiar with her thinking. She worries that by picking a younger running mate, she might appear to be selecting her successor a responsibility she believes should rest with the next generation of Democrats. Clinton aides, who refused to comment on specific candidates under consideration, have hinted that she may be considering a far broader group that may include some non-traditional choices, including business leaders or even Republicans. "The list is probably bigger than people think," said chief campaign strategist Joel Benenson on MSNBC recently. "It's the first important choice the nominee has to make and it's up to Hillary Clinton." ___ Associated Press writers Ken Thomas and Erica Werner contributed to this report. ___ Follow Lisa Lerer and Julie Pace on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/llerer and http://twitter.com/jpacedc FILE - In this June 9, 2016 file photo, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. speaks in Washington. As Hillary Clinton considers her choices for vice president, shes seriously weighing the potential impact her choice could have on Democratic efforts to retake control of the Senate, according to members of her party familiar with her thinking. (AP Photo/Nick Wass) In this photo taken April 5, 2016, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va. is seen on Capitol Hill in Washington. As Hillary Clinton considers her choices for vice president, shes seriously weighing the potential impact her choice could have on Democratic efforts to retake control of the Senate, according to members of her party familiar with her thinking. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik) In this photo taken June 20,2016, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J. speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. As Hillary Clinton considers her choices for vice president, shes seriously weighing the potential impact her choice could have on Democratic efforts to retake control of the Senate, according to members of her party familiar with her thinking. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Los Angeles undersheriff gets 5 years in corruption inquiry LOS ANGELES (AP) The former second-in-command of the nation's largest sheriff's department has been sentenced to five years in prison in a federal corruption investigation that also brought down his boss. Ex-Los Angeles County Undersheriff Paul Tanaka was sentenced Monday. He was convicted in April of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Prosecutors say Tanaka helped orchestrate efforts to hide a jail inmate after deputies discovered he was an FBI informant. They say Tanaka played a key role in sending sergeants to intimidate an FBI agent in the case and threaten to have her arrested. FILE - In a Wednesday, March 12, 2014 file photo, Paul Tanaka speaks during a debate at the Van Nuys Neighborhood Council in the Van Nuys section of Los Angeles. Tanaka, the former second-in-command at the nation's largest sheriff's department has been sentenced to five years in prison in a federal corruption probe that also brought down his boss. (David Crane/Los Angeles Daily News via AP,File)(/Los Angeles Daily News via AP) NO SALES; MAGS OUT; HILLS OUT, LOS ANGELES TIMES OUT; VENTURA COUNTY STAR OUT ANTELOPE VALLEY PRESS OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT Tanaka's boss, former Sheriff Lee Baca, pleaded guilty in February to lying to investigators. He faces up to six months in prison when he's sentenced next month. Gadhafi's son wants ICC case dropped over double jeopardy THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) Lawyers for Seif al-Islam Gadhafi will file an application with the International Criminal Court to have his case dropped because the son of the late Libyan dictator has already been convicted in Libya for the same actions. His lawyer, Karim Khan, said Monday that "the court will receive a filing in due course seeking to declare the case inadmissible," adding he expected to file in the coming months. He added that the basis for the filing would be that the ICC has a clear provision against double jeopardy trying a person twice for the same conduct in its statute and the fact that Seif-al-Islam Gadhafi was already tried and sentenced to death by a Libyan court in July last year. The sentence has not been carried out. Gadhafi is not being held in Tripoli, where the trial was held, but in Zintan, where he attended the case via video link. Zintan is controlled by a militia opposed to the forces that control Tripoli. However, Gadhafi's lawyers insist the Tripoli trial and conviction are legal and should stand. Asked why Gadhafi would choose a death sentence in Libya over a trial before the ICC in The Hague, his Libyan lawyer Khaled Zaydi said the country's parliament approved an amnesty law in September last year which he believes should be applicable to his client. Also, his legal team stressed that in Libya a death sentence can be commuted. Missouri man accused of killing 4 relatives, burning bodies KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A 24-year-old Missouri man was charged Monday with four counts of first-degree murder in the February deaths of four family members whose bodies were found outside a home he shared with them, including a 3-month-old nephew. The charges against Grayden Denham were the result of a grand jury indictment handed down Friday, Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd said at a news conference. Denham is also charged with four counts of armed criminal action, and one count each of animal abuse, second-degree arson, tampering with evidence and stealing a motor vehicle. He is being held on $4 million cash-only bond. Denham was found walking naked in northern Arizona on Feb. 21, two days after the bodies of his grandparents, sister and her infant son were found near Edgerton, 30 miles north of Kansas City. Denham was returned to Missouri earlier this month after being held in Arizona on suspicion of theft and displaying a fictitious license plate. Zahnd said it would be at least a month before he decides whether to seek the death penalty against Denham. "This is a devastating thing to happen to a family and happen to a community. Our goal has been and will continue to be to do justice for everyone involved in this case," he said. Missouri investigators had considered him a "person of interest" in the quadruple homicide but had been held only on a theft charge accusing him of stealing his grandparents' car to drive to Arizona. Denham's attorney, John P. O'Connor, declined to comment Monday other than to say his client would plead not guilty. Authorities found the body of Russell Denham, 82, near a small shed, while the bodies of Shirley Denham, 81; Heather Ager, 31; and her son, Mason Schiavoni, were found near the home, which also had been set on fire. A dog also was killed and burned. All four victims had been shot in the head, and a gas container was found near a body. In February, Denham gave the wrong date of birth when Arizona law enforcement initially approached him near Seligman, Yavapai County Sheriff's Office spokesman Dwight D'Evelyn has said. He was taken by ambulance to a hospital in Flagstaff due to concern about his medical condition. A motel manager reported a suspicious parked car that didn't belong to its guests later that morning, D'Evelyn said. The car was unlocked, had a key in the ignition and its license plate had been reported stolen. Denham's Missouri identification, which has his real date of birth, was found in a wallet in a pile of clothes next to the car, D'Evelyn said. Online court records show that Denham was sentenced Jan. 29 in Johnson County, Missouri, to two years of probation and 20 hours of community service on a misdemeanor assault charge. Zahnd said Denham's driver's license has been revoked because of traffic infractions and child-support issues. ___ Kerry urges calm in meetings with EU, British leaders LONDON (AP) U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met top officials from the European Union and Britain on Monday, telling both sides to act responsibly as they start figuring out how to make good on last week's historic decision by British voters to leave the EU. He also traveled to NATO, saying it would soon have to play a bigger role promoting trans-Atlantic unity. In Brussels and London in a span of just hours, Kerry made his pitch for calm in the context of rattled global markets and fears that citizens and nations across the European continent could fall sway to a wave of populist sentiment and follow Britain's lead. But the top American diplomat didn't present any concrete proposals or even express his preference for a timeline to achieve these goals, underscoring the difficulty the challenge ahead. Kerry's primary goal was reassurance. He called the EU an essential partner of the United States in providing security and stability around the world. And he hailed America's "special relationship" with the U.K., which he said would remain as strong as ever. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pauses before speaking during a media conference at EU headquarters in Brussels on Monday, June 27, 2016. Kerry is on a one day trip to meet with NATO and EU officials. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo) "It is absolutely essential that we stay focused on how, in this transitional period, nobody loses their head, nobody goes off half-cocked, people don't start ginning up scatterbrained or revengeful premises," Kerry said after meeting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and the bloc's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini. Instead, he said everyone needs to "look for ways to maintain the strength that will serve the interests and the values that brought us together in the first place." In the British capital, Kerry was blunt about the U.S. hope that Britain would have voted to remain in the 28-nation bloc. But he emphasized that the U.S. and Britain as nations that fought side-by-side to defeat fascism in World War II 75 years ago, defended Europe over almost a half-century of the Cold War and battled ethnic cleansing in the Balkans a generation ago would remain ironclad allies. In the city which he visited first as secretary of state, Kerry said leaders could restore certainty to markets by making "wise choices" in the days ahead. He didn't spell out what those were, but said they should be "not aimed at retribution, not aimed in anger, but bring people together." "We are currently evaluating the impact of this decision," Kerry said at a news conference alongside U.K. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, when asked about President Barack Obama's declaration in April that the British would be relegated to the "back of the queue" in trade negotiations, if it left the EU. He said Britain's position in the world has "changed," and the U.S. would miss its leadership role in the European Union. Kerry then darted off to meet Prime Minister David Cameron. Hammond, speaking just five days after the referendum, also seemed to be still making sense of the result. He said the vote left Britain "undiminished" as a global force. But he said staying in the EU would have "enhanced" Britain, a position seemingly at odds. Ex-Bruins star Bourque pleads not guilty to drunken driving LAWRENCE, Mass. (AP) Former Boston Bruins star Ray Bourque (bork) has pleaded not guilty to a drunken driving charge. Bourque was charged Friday with operating under the influence of alcohol after his Mercedes-Benz rear-ended a minivan in an Andover construction zone. No one was hurt. The 55-year-old Bourque entered his plea Monday in Lawrence District Court. FILE - In this July 29, 2015, file photo, former Boston Bruins star Ray Bourque walks on the field during an event at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. Bourque has been arrested on a drunken driving charge. Andover, Mass., police Lt. Cecilia Blais tells The Boston Globe the 55-year-old was arrested after he was involved in a two-vehicle crash in the city about 11:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, 2016. No injuries were reported. Bourque was charged with operating under the influence, posted bail and was released. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File) A police report filed in court said Bourque had a blood-alcohol level of 0.249, three times the legal limit. Authorities say he told police he had "a few drinks" at the Andover Country Club. In a statement Sunday, Bourque said he accepted responsibility for his actions. He said, "I am not happy about the situation I put myself into." Civil rights leader, former DC delegate arrested at airport WASHINGTON (AP) Civil rights leader and former congressional delegate Walter Fauntroy was arrested Monday at Dulles International Airport on a 5-year-old charge of writing a bad check in Maryland, authorities said. Fauntroy, 83, had been living abroad for the past four years, and relatives and friends had expressed concerns about his health. He told The Washington Post in a telephone interview last week that he was coming home and that he believed the bad-check issue was resolved. Fauntroy was arrested Monday morning upon his arrival on a flight from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on charges of fraud and failure to appear in court, the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office said in a statement. He was booked and will be arraigned Tuesday. In this photo provided by the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), former Washington congressional delegate Walter Fauntroy is shown. CBP officers arrested Fauntroy at Dulles International Airport, Monday, June 27, 2016, on an outstanding arrest warrant for failure to appear and fraud, insufficient funds check out of Prince Georges County, Md., after returning home from a four-year sojourn in the Persian Gulf, according to authorities. (Customs and Border Patrol via AP) A retired Baptist minister, Fauntroy helped plan the 1963 March on Washington with the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a close friend. He served for 20 years as the District of Columbia's first elected delegate to Congress. The city's delegate can vote in committees but not on the House floor. He stepped down to run for mayor in 1990 but lost that election. Attorney Arthur Reynolds, who is representing Fauntroy in the bad-check case, said Monday that he had not yet spoken to Fauntroy and could not comment on the case, which relates to a $55,000 check Fauntroy wrote to help pay for a 2009 ball he organized for President Barack Obama's first inauguration. Reynolds has said previously that Fauntroy had paid back some, but not all, of the $55,000. Fauntroy left for the UAE in early 2012 after a bench warrant was issued for him in Prince George's County, Maryland, to answer charges in the case. Fauntroy told The Post in the interview last week, his first since moving abroad, that he had been homeless for brief stretches during his stay in the UAE and that he lived for months at a time with families he befriended there. He said he was working on green-energy projects. His longtime personal attorney, Johnny Barnes, did not immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press on Monday. However, Barnes told The Post that Fauntroy was "disappointed" by the arrest but that overall, he seemed "much improved and in good spirits." ___ Group deploys military veterans to volunteer in Detroit DETROIT (AP) Dozens of military veterans have come to Detroit to rebuild neglected areas of the financially distressed city. It marks the latest and largest effort undertaken by St. Louis, Missouri-based The Mission Continues, a nonprofit that encourages and aids volunteerism by veterans to ease the post-military transition. Teams of volunteers fanned out Monday to three locations in a neighborhood on the northeast side of Detroit. At a park, Iraq and Afghanistan veteran Ben Eichel, 33, and others picked up trash and built benches. Veterans Thomas Hart, left, and Damika Wallace work on building outdoor furniture at the Beland Manning Park, Monday, June 27, 2016, in Detroit. Hundreds of veterans are in the financially troubled city for a week to rebuild areas that have been neglected by poverty, crime and a lack of resources. It's the latest and largest effort undertaken by St. Louis-based The Mission Continues, which encourages and aids volunteerism by disabled and wounded veterans. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) "When you're not part of something that's bigger than yourself, you lose that identity. You become isolated, and a lot of us tend to go to dark places," said Eichel, of Denver, taking a break from trying to remove a rusted-out fence. "So, The Mission Continues was there and got me involved in the community. It helped me reintegrate in civilian society effectively, because I learned that I'm not just a veteran." The Detroit deployment, which is known as Operation Motown Muster, got underway Saturday and will end Wednesday. In addition to park beautification, the volunteers will also convert a school classroom into an art gallery and clean vacant lots. "We believe very strongly that military veterans are really uniquely poised to help try to solve some of these community challenges all over the country," according to group official Mary Beth Bruggeman, who should know. She was a combat engineer with the U.S. Marines and was part of the force that invaded Iraq in 2003. ___ Associated Press writer Corey Williams contributed to this report. ___ Online: https://www.missioncontinues.org Veterans and volunteers unload supplies at the Beland Manning Park, Monday, June 27, 2016, in Detroit. Hundreds of veterans are in the financially troubled city for a week to rebuild areas that have been neglected by poverty, crime and a lack of resources. It's the latest and largest effort undertaken by St. Louis-based The Mission Continues, which encourages and aids volunteerism by disabled and wounded veterans. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Girl, 4, is sole survivor of van-train crash in Colorado TRINIDAD, Colo. (AP) A 4-year-old girl was the only member of her family to survive after their minivan was hit by an Amtrak train at a crossing with a history of problems in southern Colorado. The girl was hospitalized with serious injuries after the Southwest Chief train headed from Chicago to Los Angeles slammed into the van as it drove across the tracks Sunday morning near Trinidad, about 15 miles from the New Mexico border. Hospital officials would not release information on her condition on Monday. Trooper Art Gumke of the Colorado State Patrol said the girl's father, 32-year-old Stephen Miller, who was driving the 2005 Chrysler Town & Country, and his wife, Christina Miller, 33, of Trinidad were killed along with their three other daughters, aged 6, 2 and 8 months. He said the minivan was moving at the time of the crash and was not stuck. Workers from BNSF railway and fire department personnel from Fisher's Peak Fire Department work to clear track following a fatal accident involving a vehicle and this westbound AmTrack train at a crossing located about 3 mi east of Trinidad, Colo., Sunday, June 26, 2016. A Southwest Chief train headed from Chicago to Los Angeles hit a van as it drove across the tracks Sunday a railroad crossing with a history of problems near Trinidad. A 4-year-old girl is the sole survivor of the crash between a minivan and an Amtrak train that killed her parents and three sisters. (Eric John Monson/The Chronicle News via AP) The Millers were on their way to church at the time. "When they didn't show up for church, we were worried about what was going on," Keith Schlabach, Christina Miller's cousin, told The Denver Post. "We thought they were broken down or something. One of the other guys was driving back from church toward Steve's house to see what happened, and then he got to the tracks." The crossing is marked only with signs, but a proposal to add flashing lights and gates has been in the works since late 2013, according to a plan first reported by The Denver Post. Las Animas County commissioners approved a joint application for the work with the state just two weeks ago. But the proposal still has to be approved by the state Public Utilities Commission before work can start, county administrator Leeann Fabec said. The work is expected to cost about $230,000, Colorado Department of Transportation spokeswoman Amy Ford said. The crossing was identified for improvements as part of ongoing work with counties and railroads to fix problem crossings, she said. There have been six other accidents between vehicles and trains at the same crossing in the last 30 years, including one other fatal crash in 2010, according to Federal Railroad Administration records. ___ This story has been updated to correct Christina Miller's first name. Workers from BNSF railway and fire department personnel from Fisher's Peak Fire Department work to clear track following a fatal accident involving a vehicle and this westbound AmTrack train at a crossing located about 3 mi east of Trinidad, Colo., Sunday, June 26, 2016. A Southwest Chief train headed from Chicago to Los Angeles hit a van as it drove across the tracks Sunday a railroad crossing with a history of problems near Trinidad. A 4-year-old girl is the sole survivor of the crash between a minivan and an Amtrak train that killed her parents and three sisters. (Eric John Monson/The Chronicle News via AP) Workers from BNSF Railway and the Fisher's Peak Fire Department stand by an Amtrak train after it collided with a minivan at a crossing east of Trinidad, Colo., Monday, June 27, 2016. A 4-year-old girl was the only member of her family to survive after their minivan was hit by the Amtrak train at the crossing with a history of problems in southern Colorado, authorities said. (Eric John Monson/The Trinidad Chronicle News via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Mother of man killed by New Hampshire police wants answers CONCORD, N.H. (AP) The mother of a 19-year-old Michigan man shot by police in New Hampshire says she is still struggling to understand just how her son was killed. Lane Lesko, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, died of a single gunshot wound June 21 in Peterborough in rural New Hampshire. The New Hampshire attorney general's office has released scant information in its investigation, saying only that the shooting followed a brief pursuit along Route 136. It has not said which department was involved nor released the name of the officer responsible for the shooting. In a Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo, Patricia Lesko, right, is offered condolences by an unidentified woman before the start of the funeral for Lane Lesko at the Davidson/Hermelin Chapel at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham, Mich. Lesko, the mother of the 19-year-old Michigan man shot by police in New Hampshire says she was told by the state Attorney General's office that Lane Lesko was brandishing a BB gun and running away when he was shot. Lesko, of Ann Arbor, Mich., died of a single gunshot wound on Tuesday on Route 136 in Peterborough, NH. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Lesko's mother, Patricia Lesko, told The Associated Press that her son was autistic and bipolar. She said she was told by the attorney general's office that he was "brandishing" a BB gun and running away when he was shot. Jeff Strelzin, a senior assistant attorney general and chief of the homicide unit, acknowledged speaking with the mother but said he never used the word brandish. He refused to provide further details, noting the ongoing investigation and saying the office is waiting for additional evidence. A week ago, the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department said authorities in the state and in Maine were searching for Lesko after he disappeared during a camping trip at Lake Umbagog. The trip was organized by a group called Summit Achievement, where Lesko was receiving mental health treatment. No one from Summit responded to a request for comment. But Patricia Lesko said her son is believed to have disappeared from the camp in the middle of the night and taken a canoe. Authorities said that a truck and a pontoon were believed connected to Lesko's disappearance. "My first thought was that my son had drowned," Patricia Lesko said. On Wednesday, she got a call from state troopers telling her that her son had been killed. "My first question was who murdered my son? Who shot my son?" she said. She was then told that state troopers had shot him on a highway after they spotted him with a gun that later turned out to be a BB gun. She was also told that none of the officers involved was wearing a body camera and that the patrol cars with cameras were not in position to videotape the scene. "They allege our son had a BB gun and was brandishing it at them. My response was that it's kind of hard to brandish something when you are running away," she said. "They knew he was AWOL from an intensive mental health treatment program." Lesko's son, whose funeral was Sunday, had several run-ins with the law over the years, which Lesko blamed on his mental illness. Since 2015, he was accused of stealing a car from a Michigan dealership after claiming he was an FBI agent and then crashing it in Toledo. He also was accused of breaking into a neighbor's home and impersonating a law enforcement officer on several other occasions. In the Toledo-related case, he pleaded guilty in January to unlawfully driving away a vehicle, first-degree home invasion, lying to a police officer and false pretenses less than $200, according to The Ann Arbor News. But the Michigan judge in the case delayed his sentence until 2017 so he could complete mental health treatment, according to the newspaper. Since he arrived at Summit, Patricia Lesko said she felt relieved that he was finally getting the treatment he needed noting how he wrote in a journal how thankful that he was to get a second chance. But at the same time, she said the signs of his mental illness irritability, paranoia began to emerge during their weekly phone calls. In their final call earlier this month, she talked with her son about his recent birthday June 12 but also about how he felt he had little control over his mental illness. "Did I sense he was going to run away and eventually be murdered by a New Hampshire state trooper? No parent has that ending to the book," she said. "Did I know he was suffering or exhibiting those symptoms of mania? Yes, absolutely. We were concerned." In the end, Patricia Lesko said it became too much for a young man who had graduated early from high school with an IQ of 130 and dreamed of one day becoming a police officer. "He was an amazing person with a demon that developed in his brain that he had no control over," she said, fighting back tears. "Sometimes you try your hardest and you lose." In a Sunday, June 26, 2016 photo, Marjorie Lesko, who is one of two mothers of Lane Lesko, addresses the crowd during a funeral at the Davidson/Hermelin Chapel at Clover Hill Park Cemetery in Birmingham, Mich. Lane Lesko, of Ann Arbor, Mich., died of a single gunshot wound on Tuesday on Route 136 in Peterborough, NH. The Attorney General's office has not said which department nor released the names of the officer involved in the case. (AP Photo/Jose Juarez) Settlement ends trial in deadly 2012 oil platform fire NEW ORLEANS (AP) A settlement Monday brought an abrupt end to a complex trial combining 10 lawsuits arising from a deadly explosion and fire on an offshore oil platform in November 2012. The accident off the Louisiana coast killed three workers and injured several others on a platform owned by Texas-based Black Elk Energy. Those involved in the cases included relatives of the workers killed, injured workers and companies that were working for Black Elk. Settlements on some of the claims and counterclaims were reached before and during the trial. The final settlement was announced Monday morning and a jury seated a week earlier was dismissed. Charles Talley, attorney for Black Elk, and Frank Spagnoletti, representing some of the injured workers, said terms were confidential. "Significant compensation was paid to those who went through an absolutely horrific and tragic accident," Spagnoletti said. "We're happy to have it resolved." The platform was about 17 miles from Grand Isle, Louisiana, in about 50 feet of water. It was shut down for maintenance and was not producing oil at the time of the explosion on Nov. 16, 2012. Three Filipino workers, Ellroy Corporal, Jerome Malagapo and Avelino Tajonera, died as a result of the accident. Michelle Obama, daughters in Africa to push girls' education KAKATA, Liberia (AP) First lady Michelle Obama visited a leadership camp for girls in Liberia to launch her latest Africa visit Monday, urging the teens in one of the world's poorest countries to keep fighting to stay in school. With her own teenage daughters joining her, Obama told the girls she was "just so thrilled to be here with you." "I'm here to shine a big bright light on you," she said. U.S. First lady Michelle Obama, left, listens to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, right, after she arrived at the airport in Monrovia, Liberia, Monday, June. 27, 2016. Obama is visiting a leadership camp for girls in Liberia to launch her latest Africa visit on Monday in a country still recovering from the recent Ebola epidemic that left thousands dead. (AP Photo/Abbas Dulleh) Education for girls is the central theme of the first lady's trip, which also includes stops in Morocco and Spain. She was welcomed on her arrival in Liberia with a red carpet and traditional dancers. In connection with the first lady's visit, USAID announced up to $27 million in funding in Liberia programming for Let Girls Learn, an initiative launched by Mrs. Obama and President Barack Obama last year. The first lady is traveling with her mother and daughters Malia, 17, who recently graduated from high school, and Sasha, 15. Liberia was battered by civil wars between 1989 and 2003. Ebola swept the country in 2014, killing more than 4,800. Schools were closed for months. The country was founded as part of an effort to resettle freed American slaves and has deep ties to the United States. The country's oldest vocational high school, located in Kakata, is named for African-American civil rights activist Booker T. Washington. The school suspended mid-term exams scheduled to start Monday "to allow the students to give Mrs. Obama a rousing welcome to appreciate what the United States has done for us," principal Harris Tarnue said. "She will be a real inspiration to the young girls around here," he said. Obama's previous Africa visits as first lady included Ghana, South Africa, Botswana, Senegal and Tanzania. ___ Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed. U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, centre, is welcomed by Peace Corp teachers and students at a project 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the capital city Monrovia in Kakata, Liberia, Monday, June 27, 2016. Michelle Obama is visiting a leadership camp for girls in Liberia, Monday, the first stop in her latest Africa visit, in a country still recovering from the recent Ebola epidemic that left thousands dead. (AP Photo/Abbas Dulleh) U.S. first lady Michelle Obama, centre, interact with Peace Corps members at a project 70 kilometers (43 miles) from the capital city Monrovia in Kakata, Liberia, Monday, June 27, 2016. Michelle Obama is visiting a leadership camp for girls in Liberia, Monday, the first stop in her latest Africa visit, in a country still recovering from the recent Ebola epidemic that left thousands dead. (AP Photo/Abbas Dulleh) Trial for former lottery official moved from central Iowa DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) A judge has ordered the second trial for a former lottery official accused of fixing jackpots in several states to be held outside of central Iowa because of extensive media coverage. The Des Moines Register reports (http://dmreg.co/28Z7DzI ) a trial date and location for Eddie Tipton will be set later. Tipton, formerly an information security director for the Multi-State Lottery Association, was convicted last year of fraud stemming from an attempt to rig a 2010 Iowa Hot Lotto drawing. He's appealed that verdict. After his conviction, Tipton was charged with new counts of ongoing criminal conduct and money laundering tied to drawings in several other states. Judge Bradley McCall cites defense lawyers' concerns about media coverage that could taint a jury against Tipton including nearly 500 pages of news reports. ___ Sterling continues post-Brexit slide as markets open in Asia Sterling has continued to slide against the US dollar as trading reopened after Friday's record crash. The pound dropped to 1.3390 dollars as markets resumed in Asia, a fall of more than 2.1% on top of the 10% plunge seen after Thursday's referendum. Against the euro the pound was down 1.23% at 1.2168. Sterling slumped to its lowest level since 1985 on Friday after the result of the EU referendum George Osborne will give a speech early on Monday in a bid to calm the market turmoil that spread globally after Britain voted to leave the European Union. The pound slumped to its lowest level since 1985 on Friday after initially climbing steeply on the back of early suggestions Remain would win. Tokyo's Nikkei 225 rose 1.6% to 15,201.49 points on Monday morning, rebounding at least temporarily from Friday's 7.9% loss - the biggest since the 2008 financial crisis. The Shanghai Composite gained 0.6% to 2,870.92 and Sydney's Australian Securities Exchange 200 added 0.5% to 5,136.80. Businesses warning of severe implications following Brexit vote Businesses have begun reacting to Britain's decision to pull out of the European Union, with several warning of severe implications. Estate agent Foxtons issued a profit warning and said that the upturn it had expected in the second half of the year is "now unlikely to materialise", adding that annual earnings will be "significantly lower" than in 2015. Chief executive Nic Budden said: "The result of the referendum has increased uncertainty and is likely to mean that these trends continue for at least the remainder of the year." Foxtons is among the companies warning of future difficulties following the Brexit decision On Friday, British Airways owner IAG also warned that profits would take a hit following the UK's decision to leave the EU. Rival easyJet has since followed suit, pointing to a host of events that will see it take a 28 million hit following two months of turbulence, adding that Brexit would also have a negative impact on the airline. EasyJet said that it anticipates economic and consumer uncertainty this summer and, as a result, revenue in the second half will be down by "at least a mid-single digit percentage". Job losses could also be on the horizon, with workers in the Square Mile braced for months of pain as banks and financial institutions begin the process of considering staff cuts or relocation to Europe in the wake of Brexit. JP Morgan, HSBC and Goldman Sachs all said prior to the vote that thousands of jobs in the City of London could be moved to the continent in the event of Brexit. HSBC boss Stuart Gulliver said in February that a vote to leave could see 1,000 London-based investment bankers move out of London to Paris. Jamie Dimon, head of JP Morgan, said earlier this month that up to 4,000 jobs could be hit. Fresh research from the Institute of Directors shows that one in four business leaders plans to freeze recruitment in the wake of the referendum result, with many considering moving work abroad. Police on hate crime alert over post-Brexit vote 'racist incidents' Police are on heightened alert for a spike in hate crime after a flurry of incidents sparked fears of a wave of racial abuse in the wake of the EU referendum. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan asked Scotland Yard - Britain's largest force - to be "extra vigilant" for any rise in cases. It came as: Sadiq Khan has called for police to be on guard against hate crimes in the wake of the Brexit vote :: Poland's ambassador expressed shock at "xenophobic abuse" against the Polish community; ::David Cameron condemned incidents of abuse and hatred directed at migrants; ::The National Police Chiefs' Council revealed there was an increase of reports to an online hate crime reporting site between Thursday and Sunday compared to the corresponding period four weeks ago. ::Boris Johnson said he was "appalled" by reports of an increase in crimes of racism and xenophobia over the weekend. Mr Khan called on Londoners to " pull together and rally behind this great city" and stressed it was "crucial" not to "demonise" the 1.5 million people in London who voted for Brexit. "While I and millions of others disagreed with their decision, they took it for a variety of reasons and this shouldn't be used to accuse them of being xenophobic or racist," he said. Cambridgeshire Police is investigating after cards reading "Leave the EU - no more Polish vermin" were discovered. An 11-year-old boy named as Matteus, whose family moved to Britain from Poland three years ago, told the BBC he was going to school when he found a card containing the words on Friday. The boy's father Tomek said: "I live in this country, I pay any taxes. My home is now this country. I do not understand this situation." Scotland Yard is investigating a hate crime incident after offensive graffiti was daubed on the front of a Polish Social and Cultural Association in Ravenscourt Park, west London. The force said the single male suspect involved was captured on CCTV at the scene. It shows him approaching the location on a pedal cycle and stopping outside, before he is seen to spray yellow graffiti on the doors of the community centre. He then makes off on his bike. High visibility foot patrols have been stepped up in the area. Polish ambassador to Britain Witold Sobkow said: "We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community and other UK residents of migrant heritage." Other incidents were reported on social media and a hashtag of #PostRefRacism was being used on Twitter. One user, James Titcombe, said: "Daughter tells me someone wrote '(Child's name) go back to Romania' on the wall in the girls toilets at School today." The NPCC said there were 85 reports made to True Vision, an online hate crime reporting site, between Thursday and Sunday - a rise of 57% compared to the 54 made on the corresponding four days four weeks ago. The organisation said the figures only take into account reports made through one mechanism and should not be read as a national increase in hate crime of 57%. Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, national lead for hate crime, said: "At the national level, the vast majority of people are continuing to go about their lives in safety and security and there have been no major spikes in tensions reported. "However, we are seeing an increase in reports of hate crime incidents to True Vision. "T his is similar to the trends following other major national or international events. In previous instances, crime levels returned to normal relatively quickly but we are monitoring the situation closely." Immigration was a central theme in the build-up to the referendum. Labour MP Jack Dromey said: "I am seeing profoundly disturbing evidence of a wave of racial abuse and attacks because of how immigration was handled in the Referendum campaign. "The simple truth is that Boris Johnson and Nigel Farage played the race and immigration card because the Brexit campaign could not win the economic and security arguments." Mr Johnson said that there was "no way" that EU nationals currently in the UK would lose their right to live and work here because of the referendum result. "Hate crime of any kind is inexcusable and must be met with the full force of the law," he said. "Britain is an open, tolerant and friendly society that welcomes people from across the globe. "That spirit of openness and diversity must never change and will never change. The actions of a bigoted minority will not be tolerated." Karen Bradley, the minister for preventing abuse, exploitation and crime, said: "Crime motivated by hatred or hostility towards someone because of who they are or their religious beliefs is absolutely deplorable and will not be tolerated. "We are doing everything we can to eradicate it and already have in place one of the strongest legislative frameworks in the world to protect communities from hostility, violence and bigotry. "The Government is working closely with communities to increase reporting and increase confidence that their concerns about hate crime will be taken seriously by the police and courts. "We are also doing more to understand the nature of hate crime, which is why since April, the police have begun to provide a breakdown of recorded religion-based hate crime data. "Nobody in this country should live in fear because of who they are and we would urge anyone who experiences or witnesses a hate crime to report it to the police." TUI says Brexit to hit profit, not travel patterns BERLIN, June 26 (Reuters) - European travel group TUI , which makes about a third of its turnover in Britain, expects a dent to its profits because of the fall in the pound after Britain's decision to leave the European Union but does not see a big change in travel habits. TUI Chief Financial Officer Horst Baier told Germany's Boersen Zeitung that the company had hedged against currency volatility and the oil price for the 2016/17 financial year. "There are no real risks relevant to results because of the (Brexit) decision for the current financial year. However, because of the translation effect from pounds to euros, we will feel an effect in the profit-and-loss account," he said. Baier said that a sustained weakening of the pound would hit purchasing power, making holidays abroad more expensive, but he doubted whether that would dampen the love of travel among British holidaymakers. "Even if Britain is an important market for us, we are a globally active company. And the growth prospects for global tourism are very positive. So we are confident that we can keep the impact small," he said. TUI said in May that bookings for the summer were 1 percent ahead of last year and demand for holidays was strong. That contrasted with warnings from airlines that attacks in Paris in November and in Brussels in March has hit demand for flights. Airlines had also warned that a Brexit vote could lead to a slide in demand for leisure and business travel, though analysts say that a fall in the pound could make leisure travel to the UK more attractive. Baier reiterated that Brexit would not affect the London listing of TUI, which was created in 2014 by the merger of London-listed TUI Travel and German majority owner TUI AG. "London will remain an important financial centre in future," he said. ($1 = 0.8777 euros) Oil extends decline as Brexit concerns linger TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped around half a percent on Monday, extending sharp declines after Britain's vote to leave the European Union sparked a sharp selloff in global markets on Friday amid concerns over risk aversion. Global financial markets plunged on Friday as results from a referendum defied bookmakers' odds to show a 52-48 percent victory for the campaign to leave a bloc Britain joined more than 40 years ago. London Brent crude for August delivery was down 24 cents at $48.17 a barrel by 2250 GMT on Sunday, after settling down $2.50, or 4.9 percent, at $48.41 on Friday. NYMEX crude for August delivery was down 26 cents at $47.38 a barrel, after closing down $2.47, or 4.9 percent, on Friday. Oil prices were also under pressure as the British pound fell anew in early Asian trading on Monday, with investors still at a loss as to what happens next now that the country has voted to leave the European Union. Panama opened the long-delayed $5.4 billion expansion of its shipping canal amid cheering crowds on Sunday, despite looming economic uncertainty in the shipping industry and a heated battle over billions in cost overruns. Hedge funds betting on summer gasoline demand raised their bullish bets on U.S. crude futures last week, just before the market's crash on Friday on Britain's shock decision to leave the European Union, trade data showed. Russia and China sealed a raft of energy deals during President Vladimir Putin's visit to Beijing on Saturday, strengthening economic ties while pledging to preserve the strategic balance of power among nations. Japan PM Abe says he has told finmin to take FX steps as needed TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday he has instructed Finance Minister Taro Aso to watch currency markets "ever more closely" and take steps if necessary, four days after Britain's historic vote to leave the European Union. "Risks and uncertainty remain in financial markets," Abe said at an emergency meeting between the government and the Bank of Japan. BOJ's Nakaso says will tap c.bank swap deals for FX liquidity if needed TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - Japan will ensure liquidity in the yen and in foreign currencies if needed by tapping currency swap lines established among six central banks, Bank of Japan Deputy Governor Hiroshi Nakaso said on Monday. He saw no problems currently in market liquidity or in foreign currency funding among Japanese firms, but would continue to monitor the situation, he told reporters after an emergency meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Finance Minister Taro Aso. New Zealand posts wider than expected May trade surplus WELLINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - New Zealand posted a wider than expected trade surplus in May, with both exports and imports stronger than forecast. The monthly trade surplus was NZ$358 million ($254 million)in May, data from Statistics New Zealand showed on Monday, while the trade deficit in the year to May was NZ$3.633 billion. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast a monthly surplus of NZ$164 million and a deficit for the year to May of NZ$3.85 billion. The strength in both exports and imports "suggests that the economy has pretty good momentum and it's positive for economic activity in the second quarter," said BNZ economist Doug Steel. Exports in May totalled NZ$4.57 billion, while imports were NZ$4.22 billion. China remained New Zealand's leading export destination, with Statistics New Zealand saying exports to the country jumped 26.7 percent in May versus the same month a year ago. Shipments of leading exports milk powder, butter and cheese fell NZ$90 million, or 9.9 percent, in May versus the same month a year ago, although dairy exports to China were up NZ$41 million for the month. Singapore Airlines flight returns to Changi, catches fire, no casualties SINGAPORE, June 27 (Reuters) - A Singapore Airlines Ltd (SIA) flight to Milan caught fire early on Monday after returning to Singapore's Changi airport following an engine oil warning message but all passengers were safe, the airline and airport officials said. The aircraft's right engine caught fire after the aircraft, a Boeing 777-300ER, touched down at Changi airport at around 6:50 am (2250 GMT). Emergency services put out the fire and there were no injuries to the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board, a SIA statement said. "Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus. Passengers will be transferred to another aircraft which is expected to depart for Milan later today," the statement said. The SIA flight, SQ368, departed at 2:05 am, but about two hours into the flight the pilot announced there was an engine problem and the flight would return to Singapore, Channel News Asia reported. CIA weapons for Syrian rebels sold to arms black market -NYT June 26 (Reuters) - Weapons shipped into Jordan for Syrian rebels by the Central Intelligence Agency and Saudi Arabia were stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, the New York Times reported, citing American and Jordanian officials. Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman, according to a joint investigation by the New York Times and Al Jazeera. (http://nyti.ms/292MmdH) A Jordanian officer shot dead two U.S. government security contractors, a South African trainer and two Jordanians at a U.S.-funded police training facility near Amman before being killed in a shootout, Jordanian authorities had said in November. The training facility was set up on the outskirts of the capital, Amman, after the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq to help rebuild the shattered country's postwar security forces and to train Palestinian Authority police officers. The weapons used in the shooting had originally arrived in Jordan for the Syrian rebel training program, the paper reported, citing American and Jordanian officials. Theft of the weapons, which ended months ago after complaints by the American and Saudi governments, has led to a flood of new weapons available on the arms black market, the New York Times said. Jordanian officers who were part of the plan "reaped a windfall" from sale of weapons, using the money to buy iPhones, SUVs and other luxury items, according to the paper, which cited Jordanian officials. Brent crude tumbles to 7-week low on dollar rally, Brexit turmoil By Barani Krishnan NEW YORK, June 27 (Reuters) - Crude prices tumbled nearly 3 percent on Monday, with Brent hitting seven-week lows, as a rallying dollar and market uncertainty over Britain's shocking vote to exit the European Union threatened to sap more strength from oil's rebound this year. Brent and U.S. crude have lost almost 8 percent since Thursday's settlement - the biggest two-day drop in nearly five months - after the so-called Brexit vote sent global risk assets plummeting and safe havens such as the dollar, U.S. Treasuries and gold rallying. Brent settled down $1.25, or 2.6 percent, at $47.16 a barrel. It fell to a seven-week low of $46.69 during the session. U.S. crude fell $1.31, or 2.8 percent, to settle at $46.33. The intraday low of $45.83 matched a one-month trough hit on June 17. Market intelligence firm Genscape's report of a draw of more than 1.3 million barrels at the Cushing, Oklahoma, delivery point for U.S. crude futures provided little support to prices. Despite sharp intermittent tumbles, oil has maintained a broadly upward momentum to post monthly gains since February. Earlier, a global supply glut had nearly halved crude prices since mid-2014. "From a chart standpoint, I think that there may be some shorter-term longs that need to liquidate, and I would think with global volatility continuing to rally, their propensity to liquidate is higher," said Scott Shelton, energy broker with ICAP in Durham, North Carolina. "The issue that may suggest that the majority of the longs won't liquidate is that they are very strong longs as most of it was accumulated below or around the $40 level in WTI. While fundamentals according to the banks are still strong, there are signs that the market's perception of the fundamentals may be changing." Hedge funds betting on summer gasoline demand raised their bullish bets on U.S. crude futures just before the market's crash on Friday, trade data showed. Analysts at Goldman Sachs and a few other research houses sought to allay fears over the impact of the Brexit crisis on oil specifically. Goldman said even if U.K. economic growth suffered a 2 percent drop, Britain's oil demand would likely be reduced by only 1 percent or 0.016 percent of global demand. "This is extremely small on any measure," it said. The British pound hit 31-year lows and the dollar a 3-1/2 month high. The greenback's rally made oil and other dollar-denominated commodities less attractive to holders of other currencies. BHP boosts exploration spend as focus narrows to oil, copper By James Regan SYDNEY, June 27 (Reuters) - BHP Billiton plans to lift exploration spending by 29 percent next year, allocating nearly all its $900 million budget to finding oil and copper, as big miners bet on a narrow pick of commodities to drive future growth. Miners fret about future production even in years of huge oversupply. But the move by the world's biggest miner to lift exploration spending signals a shift away from the mergers and acquisitions that some in the market had expected would help drive growth after prices collapsed. BHP and its peers, such as Rio Tinto and Glencore, haven't ruled out future acquisitions, but they say few top quality projects are up for sale at the right price, leaving no other option but to grow by exploring. "Companies operate in a cyclical world and it's about setting up for long-term growth," said Keith Goode, an analyst for Eagle Mining Research. "There may be too much out there at the moment, but copper and oil aren't going away," he said. For BHP, fiscal 2017's exploration figure represents 18 percent of its overall capital budget of $5 billion. Rio, which does not have an oil business, is focusing much of its 500-staff exploration team on unearthing more copper, a metal languishing for now, but whose supply is forecast to be in deficit by the end of the decade. BHP is already the world's second-biggest copper miner but only a mid-sized oil producer. The lion's share of the budget will flow to offshore conventional oil drilling, with copper being allocated about 25 percent, according to analysts. "BHP is making it clear that oil and copper top the list for growth potential," said Shaw and Partners mining analyst Peter O'Connor. "M&A isn't off the agenda, but BHP isn't waiting around for the next big opportunity," O'Connor said. M&A DEALS SLOW An investor said it was in line with Chief Executive Andrew Mackenzie's strategy to focus on commodities in the company's portfolio that offer the greatest growth potential. "We've known for some time that they want to spend a bit more on conventional oil and now we're seeing it," said Neil Boyd-Clark, managing partner of Arnhem Investment Management, which owns BHP stock. BHP unveiled its plans to boost exploration spending by 29 percent over fiscal 2016 in a presentation to Citigroup investors. BHP is banking on future demand coupled with fewer oil wells and falling copper mine grades to erode supply and lift margins. The increase in exploration spending comes as a flurry of M&A deals earlier this year slows. Petroleum exploration by BHP will focus on deepwater basins in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and the Northern Beagle basin, off the coast of Western Australia, BHP's head of geoscience, Laura Tyler, told the Citigroup investors' briefing. Copper exploration is targeting Chile, Peru, the United States, Canada and South Australia, according to Tyler. Japan govt spokesman: Important to take steps to ensure market stability TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - Japan's government spokesman said on Monday it was important to take all possible measures to ensure market stability with a close eye on short-term moves in financial markets. Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroshige Seko told a news conference that the government would closely monitor the impact of Brexit on Japan's real economy in the medium and long terms. He said the government and Bank of Japan would meet at appropriate times as needed. Five killed in Colorado Amtrak train-car crash - state police By Keith Coffman DENVER, June 26 (Reuters) - Three children and two adults were killed in Colorado on Sunday when an Amtrak passenger train collided with a minivan in Las Animas County in the southern part of the U.S. state, state police said. The minivan, carrying six people, was traveling northbound on a county road when the driver of the van "failed to yield right of way" to the westbound train, the Colorado State Patrol said in a statement. The driver of the van and four passengers were killed, including three children under the age of 18, said State Patrol Trooper Josh Lewis. A girl was airlifted to a Denver-area hospital with serious injuries, the state patrol said. No crew or passengers on the train were injured, it said. Amtrak said there were 286 passengers on the Chicago to Los Angeles line. The train struck a vehicle that was on the tracks at roughly 9:45 a.m. near Trinidad, Colorado, about four miles (6.5 km) east of the Amtrak Trinidad station. The train in Sunday's Colorado incident struck the right side of the vehicle, which was not stopped on the tracks, police said. The driver and passengers were all wearing seat belts or restraints, they said. Neither alcohol nor drugs were thought to have played a role in the crash, police said. The victims have not been publicly identified, pending the notification of relatives. Japan PM campaigns on "stability" ticket as Brexit rocks markets By Linda Sieg TOKYO, June 27 (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, stumping for a July upper house election, is warning voters against casting their ballots for the opposition at a time when world financial markets are in turmoil after Britain's shock vote to leave the European Union. Abe's ruling bloc already looked set for a hefty win in the July 10 election but experts said the uncertainty spawned by Brexit was likely to persuade Japan's cautious voters to give his coalition even greater backing. The shift could give Abe's Liberal Democratic Party and like-minded political parties a better shot of obtaining a two-thirds majority in the upper chamber needed to begin the process of revising Japan's pacifist constitution for the first time since it was forged after WW2. "What is needed now is political stability," Abe said during a weekend campaign speech, according to Japanese media. "We cannot lose now. We cannot entrust Japan to the Democratic Party and the Japanese Communist Party (JCP)," he added. The main opposition Democrats have joined hands with the JCP and two other small parties to try to block Abe and his allies from gaining the two-thirds super majority. On Monday, Abe instructed his finance minister to take steps if needed to counter the yen's steep rise, which threatens exports and by extension could tip Japan back into recession. "We need to continue to work toward market stability," he said at an emergency meeting of his government and the Bank of Japan. Abe's campaign pitch echoed that by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who on Sunday used Brexit shockwaves to urge voters to return his government with a majority at a July 2 election, arguing only stable government can deliver jobs, growth and tough border controls. Japan's Democratic Party is countering that the rise in the yen and steep fall in Tokyo share prices signal the end of "Abenomics", which after three years has failed to halt Japan's decades of deflation or generate sustainable growth in an economy plagued by a shrinking, fast-ageing population. "It must be said that the 'Abenomics' party is over," Democratic Party leader Katsuya Okada said in a statement after the historic Brexit vote. Analysts said, though, that the opposition argument was unlikely to gain much traction as long as market volatility persisted. Many voters still remember the Democrats' 2009-2012 rule as marred by infighting and policy missteps. Top Chinese envoy in Vietnam as tension looms before court ruling HANOI, June 27 (Reuters) - China's top diplomat arrived in Vietnam on Monday for a scheduled meeting to strengthen historically close relations, at a time when ties are strained by squabbles over the South China Sea. The trip by State Councillor Yang Jiechi, who outranks the foreign minister, comes amid a Chinese public relations blitz to try to discredit a looming verdict by an international tribunal that could aggravate tensions if it undermines Beijing's vast claims to waters extending far into Southeast Asia. Yang was due to co-chair a "steering committee" that aims to strengthen ties and ward-off disputes. He will make courtesy calls on the Vietnamese leadership later on Monday. "We're glad to realise that the two nations' relationship over the time continues its positive development, despite some existing problems that need to be solved," Vietnam's Foreign Minister and deputy premier Pham Binh Minh said after greeting Yang. China has said at least 47 countries have offered support for its refusal to recognise a high-profile case brought by the Philippines in 2013 to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. A senior U.S. official last week voiced scepticism about that claim. Chinese diplomats have written editorials in regional newspapers denouncing the Philippine case, which seeks clarification of parts of United Nations maritime law and is seen as a bold challenge, with scope for repercussions. Experts say it is unlikely Yang would seek a sympathetic ear from Vietnam, which has trust issues with China and has recently grown closer to the Philippines. Though Vietnam is not part of the Hague case, it stands to benefit from a positive ruling for Manila and has echoed its opposition to China's fortification of artificial islands, the conduct of its coastguard and perceived intrusions into Vietnam's exclusive economic zone. Ha Hoang Hop, a Vietnamese academic who has advised the government, said there was "no hidden agenda" behind Yang's visit and there were no compromises to be made over the South China Sea. The Hague ruling is expected in the coming months and there are concerns in the United States about how China could react should the verdict not work in its favour. China's Li says Brexit has increased global uncertainty By Kevin Yao TIANJIN, China, June 27 (Reuters) - Britain's vote to leave the European Union has increased uncertainty in the global economy, and China hopes for a united and stable EU and a prosperous United Kingdom, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday. Stock markets around the world plunged in the wake of Thursday's referendum, while sterling's value has also plummeted. Britain's vote "has showed its impact on the international market and further increased uncertainties in the global economy", Li told the World Economic Forum (WEF) in the northern city of Tianjin, in the first public comments on Brexit by a top Chinese leader. "I also want to say here that Europe is an important partner for cooperation with China, and China will continue to dedicate itself to maintaining the good development of Sino-Europe and Sino-British ties," Li said. "We would like to see a united, stable EU, and a stable, prosperous Britain," he added. "Against the backdrop of globalisation, it's impossible for each country to talk about its own development discarding the world economic environment." Li also called for global efforts to cope with challenges, the global economic recovery and boost investor confidence. 'GOLDEN AGE' FOR TIES Though China and Britain have a history of disputes over human rights and the future of the former British colony of Hong Kong, export-reliant China has valued Britain as a strong advocate for free trade within the EU. Relations between Britain and China have been warming over the past few years and economic links have multiplied, in what both countries refer to as a "golden age" in ties, a concept promoted by President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced his resignation following the referendum. On Monday, influential state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times warned that Britain's troubles were far from over. "Leaving the EU will not be the end of Britain's difficulties, and will likely be the start of an incredibly painful process," it said in an editorial. China on Friday had called for Britain and the EU to reach agreement as soon as possible after the vote to leave the bloc, adding that China respected the choice of the British people. On China's outlook, Li told the WEF "So far this year, against the backdrop of slowing growth in the global economy, China's economic operations remain relatively stable, with growth within a reasonable range." A pick-up in Chinese economic activity and company profits in March had fuelled global investors' hopes that the economy was improving, but readings in May were generally soggier, pointing to protracted weakness and the need for further policy support. Two killed in Madagascar concert blast ANTANANARIVO, June 27 (Reuters) - Two people were killed and dozens injured by an explosion during an Independence Day concert in Madagascar's capital late on Sunday, police said. President Hery Rajaonarimampianina called the blast an "unacceptable terrorist act", when he visited the 72 people wounded in hospital. Police said the explosive device at the open-air Mahamasina stadium was likely a grenade. A similar attack on a concert after the inauguration of Rajaonarimampianina in January 2014 killed one child. 10 ways to leave EU lover; scenarios for Brexit By Alastair Macdonald BRUSSELS, June 27 (Reuters) - Stalemate between Britain and the European Union over what happens next following Britons' referendum vote to leave has opened up a host of possible scenarios. Here are some that are (in some cases, barely) conceivable: 1. BY THE BOOK Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will resign after losing his gamble to end British ambivalence about staying in, agrees with the EU establishment that the only legal way to leave is to use Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to negotiate a withdrawal. He wants to leave triggering the process to his successor, who may not be chosen by the Conservative party until October. EU leaders want him to do it now, or at least as soon as possible, but they lack the legal power to force him. In the most amicable divorce scenario, Britain would trigger Article 50, possibly (though unlikely now) as early as Tuesday when Cameron meets the other 27 EU leaders at a Brussels summit, or via a formal letter later from Cameron or his successor. That sets a two-year time limit on negotiating an amicable withdrawal. Ideally, it would divide up assets and liabilities in the shared EU budget and other priority business, such as perhaps the status of British and other EU citizens who find themselves living on the wrong side of a hard new UK-EU border. In an even more ideal world, it would set out a new, close economic relationship between Britain and the EU, possibly in a separate, parallel treaty taking effect from the exit date. The withdrawal treaty can be enacted by just 20 of the 27 other states representing 65 percent of the remaining population. A full new relationship would probably need unanimous support. Two years is very tight but the negotiations can be extended if all 28 countries agree. If there is no deal, then Britain is simply out of the EU two years after Article 50 was triggered -- an outcome written in to the treaty to limit uncertainties. REALLY? TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. THE EU IS NEVER THIS EASY 2. SORRY, WE DIDN'T MEAN IT Britain is in political meltdown, with both main parties in civil war and pro-EU Scotland threatening to either block Brexit legally (unclear how) or break away. The referendum result is not constitutionally binding and government and parliament, maybe after a new election, could just ignore it. If so, the EU would carry on as before but a special membership deal it gave Cameron in February has been killed by the referendum result. REALLY? PUSHES DEMOCRATIC CREDIBILITY BEYOND BREAKING POINT 3. WE MEAN IT, BUT NOT YET Brexit campaigners have long been suspicious of the two-year limit in Article 50 and some have explicitly said it should only formally be triggered AFTER they have agreed a comprehensive free trade deal that relieves Britain of EU rules such as open EU immigration. Five years or more is the norm globally for such big trade deals. Britain would be a full EU member until then. That is a nightmare scenario for EU leaders, plunging the bloc into open-ended negotiations with its second biggest power that would inspire eurosceptics across the bloc to emulate it and distract governments from other pressing European issues. They rule out opening any negotiation until Britain binds itself to the timetable set out in Article 50. And they insist Britain cannot have its cake on market access and still eat it by ending EU budget payments and free movement of workers. In theory, there could be an endless standoff, with Britain the sulky teenager at the table, poisoning the atmosphere next year as France and Germany run elections and the EU starts confrontational talks on a new 7-year budget. Something would have to give and some compromise would start to be worked out. REALLY? COMPROMISE IS THE EU WAY; DON'T RULE THIS OUT 4. WE MEAN IT -- OR MAYBE WE DIDN'T Article 50 suggests a one-way exit, rather than a revolving door. EU officials insist that once triggered, a state cannot back out and stay. Lawyers are divided, however. Some British experts believe the leave notice could simply be withdrawn. In Brussels, others say that could happen but only if agreed by all. A future British government might conclude that the best way to end divorce proceedings is just to agree to stay married. REALLY? SEE SCENARIO 2, BUT WITH ADDED FADING OF MEMORIES 5. CAN WE JUST TWEAK THIS QUICKLY? Some Brexit campaigners have suggested that the Leave vote simply serve as leverage to renegotiate better, semi-detached terms for Britain inside the EU which could be put to another referendum. EU leaders have ruled that out on the same grounds as above that "cherry picking" will spread and wreck the Union. Cameron's deal, to protect the City of London from the euro zone and curb EU immigration, has been killed by a clause that linked it to last week's referendum result. So any talks would start from a lower base and EU leaders would have to eat their words. But some kind of "associate membership" or "special partnership" has been around as an idea in Europe for a time. REALLY? SEE 4, BUT NEVER SAY NEVER IN EURO-COMPROMISE LAND 6. LET'S JUST SLIP INTO SOMETHING MORE COMFORTABLE Britain could try to join the European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association, joining the likes of Norway, Switzerland or Iceland in close partnerships with the EU. That could fly with the EU but British leaders would have to persuade Brexit voters to agree to the EU budget contributions and migrants that are accepted by some of those countries. It also would lack the kind of EU market access for services trade which is so important to Britain's big financial sector. A more tailor-made deal would bring things back to earlier scenarios. REALLY? DOESN'T SEEM TO BE WHAT BRITONS WANT, AT LEAST NOW 7. WHY DON'T WE START AGAIN? One extreme view is that the fallout from Brexit in the EU might be so cataclysmic that Europeans would go back to the drawing board and effectively create a new kind of Union that could include Britain. Marshalling disparate national ambitions into a new structure would be a colossal task, not least in the wake of the bitterness that the current crisis has engendered. REALLY? A DEFINITE LONG SHOT, NOT ONE FOR THE NEAR FUTURE 8. SECOND TIME LUCKY? Some people who voted to Leave have said that if it doesn't work outside, Britain could always join the EU again. That is true, though it would get no favours. It would face a years-long accession process and require unanimous acceptance by existing members and have to accept a host of conditions that Britain has opted out of during its past 43 years -- notably adopting the euro and a virtually 50-percent rebate on EU membership fees. REALLY? ONE FOR THE (VERY LONG-LIVED) BIRDS 9. ROOM FOR A LITTLE ONE? Some Scots hope to avoid Brexit by breaking from England. An idea that an independent Scotland could somehow simply sit in the vacant UK chair in Brussels is dismissed by EU officials. At the time of the 2014 independence referendum, the EU said Scotland could apply for membership but would go to the "back of the queue", behind the likes of Serbia, and that its hope of keeping the pound rather than the euro was a non-starter. There is some sympathy for Scots losing their place in the EU but also deep suspicion of secession, especially in Spain, Belgium and Italy, which have their own separatist problems. And a veto. REALLY? NOT SOON, BUT SCOTLAND COULD JOIN THE EU ONE DAY 10. SLAMMING THE DOOR A new British government simply walks out. It could launch Article 50 and leave legally in 2019 without any negotiation. It could also ignore the two-year notice period and tear up its treaty obligations and quit right away, though that would undermine its credibility as a party to international law. There is, however, nothing the EU can do to prevent that. It could retaliate on trade or against Britons living in the EU, however much that would create a painful tit-for-tat that would badly hurt Europe's economy and citizens. Nonetheless, EU leaders fear that letting Brexit Britain walk all over them will only inspire other European nationalists to destroy the Union. REALLY? THREAT OF MUTUALLY ASSURED DESTRUCTION THEN DETENTE? Pro-Brexit minister still sees place for UK's Osborne in government LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - There will be a place for British Finance Minister George Osborne in the new government, a pro-Brexit minister said on Monday, adding that the new administration would represent both those who backed 'Remain' and 'Leave' in the EU referendum. Asked whether Osborne, who backed Britain remaining in the EU, had a place in the new government to be formed following Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to resign, senior minister Chris Grayling said: "My view: absolutely there will be." "Of course it will be a matter for whoever the new prime minister is," he added. UNICEF says 25 children reported killed in Syria BEIRUT, June 27 (Reuters) - Twenty-five children were reportedly killed in air strikes that hit heavily crowded areas in a town in eastern Syria, the United Nations children's agency (UNICEF) has said. Quoting reports from its local partners in Syria, UNICEF said health workers were reported to have pulled bodies of children from under rubble in the town of al-Quria in Deir al-Zor province, which is mostly under Islamic State control. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported on Saturday that air strikes carried out by Syrian or Russian warplanes killed dozens of people in al-Quria. Deir al-Zor province links Islamic State's de facto capital in the Syrian city of Raqqa with territory it controls in Iraq. Poland - Factors to Watch June 27 Following are news stories, press reports and events to watch that may affect Poland's financial markets on Monday. ALL TIMES GMT (Poland: GMT + 2 hours): CHF MORTGAGES It is rational to wait until markets calm down before solving the problem of Swiss franc mortgages in Poland, Deputy Finance Minister Piotr Nowak told Puls Biznesu daily. SHAPE OF EU The European Union should be reformed following Brexit, keeping the elements necessary to maintain a common market and giving the bloc an effective foreign policy, also in the military sphere, the head of Poland's ruling PiS party told Rzeczpospolita newspaper. BREXIT IMPACT The Polish government hopes that Britain's decision to quit the EU will not negatively affect the Polish economy, but it may make trade slightly more difficult, Economy Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told Nasz Dziennik. NEW MOBILE FREQUENCIES New mobile frequencies of 700MHz should be accessed by 2020, the head of Polish telecoms regulator URE, Ewa Wesolowska, told wSieci weekly, adding that 2018 would be a good year to hold an auction to distribute the frequencies. She ends her term in January 2017. PKP CARGO Rail cargo operator PKP Cargo has backed out of a plan to buy two rail cargo companies from PKN Orlen for more than 250 million zlotys ($61.83 million), PKP Cargo said in a statement on Friday. ****Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.**** Australia need work on lot of areas, says captain Smith June 27 (Reuters) - Australia, the world's top-ranked one-day-international side, need to work on a number of aspects to improve ahead of next year's Champions Trophy, captain Steve Smith said after they won a triangular series win in the West Indies. All-rounder Mitchell Marsh's bowling and wicketkeeper Matthew Wade's lower middle order batting powered Australia to a 58-run win against hosts West Indies in the final of the tournament, which also included South Africa. "I was pleased with the way we scrapped today," Smith told reporters after the victory in Barbados. "I am using that word a lot. But that's been bit of a theme in this series with the kind of wickets we have been playing on. "I am pleased we were able to get the job done." The Champions Trophy, featuring the top eight teams in the world, will be held next June in England and Wales where Australia have been grouped with the hosts, New Zealand and Bangladesh. In Sunday's final, West Indies made a brisk start in their chase of 271 with a 49-run opening stand between Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher before Australia wrested back control and Smith said his bowlers need to start better with the new ball. ""We have to continue to start well with the ball," the 27-year-old said. "In the last probably three of four series we have been up against some pretty dynamic opening batters. They have got the better of us at the start. "We have been lucky enough to pull it back in the middle overs and bowl pretty well at the death. We will make things a lot easier for ourselves if we start really well, hit good areas and execute our plans." Smith was confident that Australia's young team will only get better as they play more together. "We still got a lot of areas to work on ... our fielding still needs a lot of work. We need to have the energy we had today in every game," he said. "Hopefully as this group continues to play more together we will continue to learn each other's games and continue to gel well as a team." Adios, Three Amigos: Obama heads to last summit with Canada, Mexico By Roberta Rampton and David Ljunggren WASHINGTON/OTTAWA, June 27 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will meet with leaders of Canada and Mexico on Wednesday for his final "Three Amigos" summit, a meeting that may signal how keen the North American partners are to tout trade at a time of rising protectionist sentiment. The Ottawa summit comes on the heels of Britain voting to leave the European Union after more than 40 years. It also falls ahead of a U.S. presidential election on Nov. 8 where presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump has made stagnant wages and U.S. manufacturing job losses focal points of his insurgent campaign. The Brexit vote is bound to be an important theme for Obama's meetings with Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Canada had negotiated a trade deal with the EU that is slated to take effect next year. The Brexit could delay ratification, and hurt Canada's commodity-driven economy. The referendum results are also a setback to talks on a U.S.-EU trade deal. Mexico, which has a trade deal with the EU, has already prepared a draft proposal for one with the United Kingdom. At the summit, leaders will also look at how best to foster trade with each other, said Mexico's Finance Minister Luis Videgaray. "One of the important issues, without doubt, is how to give a fresh impulse and greater value to North American integration," Videgaray said. All three are part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 12-nation trade deal that Obama had cast as an update of the North American Free Trade Agreement. He wants to finalize the TPP as part of his economic legacy in Asia. The TPP has become a target of both the left and the right in the U.S. election, and Congress has been unenthusiastic about ratifying it thus far. LAST CHANCE WITH OBAMA The United States is the top export market for both Canada and Mexico. In 2015, U.S. trade with Canada totaled $663 billion and Mexico $584 billion. But even in Canada, only one in four people say the 22-year-old NAFTA deal is good for the country, a poll released on Monday found. The long-running Canada-U.S. battle over softwood lumber seems more likely than not to resume as early as October. Given all the controversy over trade, the leaders may decide to try to focus their summit talking points on other topics. "I expect them to try and stay away from it," said Carlo Dade, director of the Canada West Foundation's Center for Trade and Investment Policy. For Trudeau and Pena Nieto, the summit is one last chance to make progress on lingering agenda items before Obama leaves the White House next January. The leaders are expected to discuss climate change and clean energy cooperation, areas of mutual interest and themes that may be central in Obama's address to the Canadian Parliament later on Wednesday. The three nations also plan to unveil a plan to fight heroin production. TRUMP QUESTION INEVITABLE At a joint press conference, the leaders are likely to field questions about the upcoming U.S. election and its implications for both Canada and Mexico. It will also be Obama's first chance on an international stage to promote his recent endorsement of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, his former secretary of state. In March, Pena Nieto roundly condemned Trump, who has promised to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs, and has complained about what he calls unfair trade. Mexico also named a new ambassador to aggressively promote its contributions to the U.S. economy. So far, Trump has been mostly silent on Canada. "That doesn't mean Canadians don't feel the sting" of his protectionist ideas, said Chris Sands, director of the Center for Canadian Studies at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies. Trudeau is likely to tread carefully so as to not endanger relations with a potential president. "It's unlikely there will be any formal discussion of Trump, who of course is the elephant in the room. In some ways it's better if there isn't," said one official involved in the summit. "The message the leaders will be sending is eloquent enough - the three nations are closely integrated and cooperate well and that's how the relationship should work," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. On trade, Pena Nieto and Trudeau are also cognizant that talk is cheap on the campaign trail. "I have to tell my Canadian friends this often - it doesn't mean it will be the agenda once you get to the White House," said David Wilkins, the U.S. ambassador to Canada from 2005 to 2009 during the George W. Bush administration. Obama provides a good case in point. In his 2008 campaign, he demonized NAFTA, but once in office he began working on the TPP, a deal he has said would fix his concerns about NAFTA. Israel PM Netanyahu says Turkey deal to have "immense" impact on economy ROME, June 27 (Reuters) - An agreement to normalise ties with Turkey after six years will have a positive impact on Israel's economy, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday. Speaking after meeting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, Netanyahu said the agreement, announced by Israeli and Turkish officials on Sunday, was "an important step". "It has also immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly," he told reporters together with Kerry. Israeli officials have raised the prospect of lucrative Mediterranean gas deals once ties with Turkey were mended. Kerry welcomed the agreement, saying, "We are obviously pleased in the administration. This is a step we wanted to see happen." Israel and Turkey on Sunday reached agreement to end a rift over the Israeli navy's killing of 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to sail to the blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010. A formal announcement of the deal is expected later on Monday. EU commissioner urges quick UK action to implement Brexit BERLIN, June 27 (Reuters) - Britain should act quickly to leave the European Union, to limit uncertainty that is rattling investors, the European Union's digital economy commissioner said on Monday. A two-year process to quit the EU will begin when Britain's prime minister invokes Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty. British Prime Minister David Cameron could do that when he meets the EU's other 27 national leaders in Brussels on Tuesday, EU officials have said. But in the aftermath of Britain's vote to leave the EU, Cameron said on Friday he would resign in October and that he would leave it to his successor to start the process - a decision criticised by Guenther Oettinger, the EU commissioner for digital economy and society. "Every day of uncertainty prevents investors from putting their funds into Britain, and also other European markets," Oettinger told the Deutschlandfunk German radio station. "Cameron and his party will cause damage if they wait until October." Global stock markets lost about $2 trillion in value on Friday, the day after Britain voted to leave. The pound plunged to a 31-year low {nL1N19G1UB]. Oettinger said he doubted that Britain's decision to leave the EU would be reversed. He also urged the remaining EU countries to focus on strengthening the EU and working on real problems, such as the migration crisis, instead of debating contractual changes. Germany should "lead as part of a European team", Oettinger said. Italy govt readying plan to help banks after Brexit-papers MILAN, June 27 (Reuters) - Italy is readying a plan to steady its banking sector, a vulnerable target for sellers after Britain's vote to leave the European Union raised fears of a market rout in the euro zone's weaker economies, local newspapers said on Monday. Italian bank stocks slumped on Friday on the outcome of the Brexit referendum, with UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo falling more than 20 percent each. Banking stocks opened mostly higher on Monday in choppy trade. The industry is perceived as particularly vulnerable because it is saddled with 360 billion euros ($400 billion) of bad loans, a third of the euro zone's total. Daily newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano said Rome's plan could see the government take stakes in ailing banks and would be financed through the issuance of new public debt for around 40 billion euros. The paper said Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's government was already in talks with the European Commission about possible measures to support its lenders. Two other dailies, Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica, said Italy would seek to take advantage of possible exemptions to European state-aid rules in case of "exceptional events" in order to bolster its banks if stocks continued to fall sharply. Renzi was due to meet French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin later on Monday to discuss the impact of the Brexit vote, and would seek support for the Italian measures, the papers said. Malaysia's Najib makes new ministers to strengthen coalition KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Reuters) - Malaysia's Prime Minister Najib Razak reshuffled his cabinet on Monday in a bid to strengthen the ruling coalition, amid speculation that he could call an early election next year. Hungary prepares incentives to lure firms leaving Britain after Brexit vote BUDAPEST, June 27 (Reuters) - Hungary's government is drawing up a list of incentives to lure companies leaving Britain after the Brexit vote, Economy Minister Mihaly Varga told business daily Vilaggazdasag in an interview published on Monday. The interview did not go into details on what sort of offers would be made to persuade companies to move to Hungary, or how far the plan had progressed. Varga said Britain's exit from the EU would probably affect Hungary in the longer term, as it would hit the EU's budget, and thus the development funds flowing to eastern Europe. But Varga said this was not an immediate issue, as Britain's negotiations with the EU would last at least for two years, and there was no need to amend Hungary's budget this year or next. He said Hungary also had no plan to follow Britain's example in leaving the EU. "There is no such intention, no such plan, no such scenario or idea," Varga told the paper. PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - June 27 MOSCOW, June 27 (Reuters) - - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Monday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru - The Brexit vote will change global balance of power and force the European Union to carry out reforms. It is unlikely that the referendum will also change the relations between the EU and Russia. - The State Duma lower house of Russia's parliament has adopted a package of anti-terror bills. A ban on leaving the country and deprivation of citizenship have been excluded from the final version of the law. - The Economy Ministry suggests that Russian Auction House (RAD) be appointed as operator of an electronic platform for the placement of state orders. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru - Ukraine is forced to resume electricity imports from Russia. Kiev has asked Moscow for supplies of 600 MW of electricity "through a technical assistance mode". IZVESTIA www.izvestia.ru - A BRICS bank will issue bonds denominated in roubles to finance the construction of small hydroelectric power projects in Karelia. NEZAVISIMAYA WWW.ng.ru - Azeri President Ilham Aliyev has said that Nagorno-Karabakh can receive a special status as part of Azerbaijan. "Sweet business" of beekeeping helps protect Zimbabwe's forests By Andrew Mambondiyani MUTARE, Zimbabwe, June 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Divas Matinyadze's 47 beehives are hidden away in a dense patch of forest, along a narrow dirt path beside a small river in Mpudzi Resettlement Scheme. "If you cut a tree anywhere near my beehives, you are assured of trouble from me," chuckled Matinyadze. "These trees belong to my bees". He carefully inspected one of the traditional hives, fashioned from a dead tree trunk, warning in a whisper: "Don't come close - the bees are only used to me and can easily be upset." In this part of eastern Zimbabwe, vast tracts of land have been cleared over the past decade, mostly by tobacco farmers who use firewood to cure their crop. Efforts by the government to encourage those farmers to plant and maintain their own woodlots for a ready supply of fuel have gained little traction. Up to a fifth of the country's 330,000 hectares (815,448 acres) of natural forest is cut down by tobacco farmers each year, according to Zimbabwe's Forestry Commission. Selling firewood has also become big business for rural and peri-urban communities due to the frequent power outages experienced in the country. But there are greener alternatives for making a living, experts say, such as beekeeping. Every district now has flourishing beekeeping projects, sustaining thousands of households. The number of beekeepers is growing steadily, and has topped 50,000, according to the Beekeepers Association of Zimbabwe. Beekeeping is fast becoming a profitable activity thanks to high domestic demand for honey as a food and other products such as beeswax which is used to make candles, the association says. Beekeeping is also proving an innovative way to protect forests. "As beekeepers we jealously look after the environment because beekeeping depends on good water sources and good forage for pollen," Matinyadze said. "There are lots of trees where my beehives are." Matinyadze was taught beekeeping under a programme initiated by the government's Department of Agricultural Technical and Extension Services (Agritex). International organisations have also been involved in training beekeepers, and processing and marketing honey, including development charity World Vision Zimbabwe and the EU-funded Forest Forces project. DROUGHT HITS CROPS With weather patterns becoming more erratic, harvests from rain-fed agriculture are increasingly unreliable, forcing many farmers to look for other ways to keep up their income. This year, the country suffered one of the worst El Nino-induced droughts in history, hot on the heels of a devastating drought in the 2014/15 farming season. The impact on agriculture has left more than 4.5 million Zimbabweans without enough to eat this year, according to the government, which estimates at least $1.6 billion is needed to feed them. Before switching to beekeeping, Matinyadze was a successful cotton and maize farmer, but he abandoned those crops for bees in 2014. The results have been encouraging. "Beekeeping is profitable - it's a sweet business," he said. Matinyadze earns up to $60 per beehive during the honey harvest twice a year. He can afford to buy food for his family, but is quick to add that the current drought has cut honey production. "I have delayed my March harvest as there is little pollen, but the effect of the drought has not been as bad on my bees as it was on my crops," he noted. BUZZ OFF Another beekeeper in Chipinge district, Isaac Mamboza, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation he had joined a group of 25 to start a beekeeping project. "We have discovered that beekeeping can help to protect our forests," Mamboza said. "Most of our beehives are on trees near our dam - no one will tamper with (them)." Amon Vhumbu, a traditional leader in Chipinge, said his community was looking at ways to incentivise forest conservation through beekeeping. "Beekeepers are protecting our forests at the same time as making money out of the initiative," he said. Traditional leaders see themselves as custodians of natural resources in rural communities. "We take protection of our environment seriously - anyone caught cutting down a tree in this area is heavily fined," Vhumbu said. Bee enthusiast Mathew Matongwani said every modern beekeeper needed to maintain a forest plot in which to place their beehives. "Apart from the business of honey, beekeepers are committed to protecting and conserving the forests from anyone who causes fire outbreaks, or wood poachers," he said. Matongwani gained significant beekeeping experience when working for Environment Africa, a regional organisation that has assisted thousands of beekeepers through green action groups. Bank shares slide as Brexit turmoil hits world stocks By Nigel Stephenson LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - European bank shares and sterling were on track for their biggest two-day slides on record on Monday as the fallout of Britain's shock vote to quit the European Union sowed turmoil in global financial markets for a second day. U.S. index futures were down 0.7 percent , indicating Wall Street would follow European markets down. Investors sought safe havens such as the yen, gold and low-risk government debt. Moves were not as extreme as on Friday when stocks fell by their most in almost five years but the combined falls on Friday and Monday broke records in some assets. British finance minister George Osborne sought to reassure markets, saying the world's fifth-largest economy was strong enough to cope with the Brexit-inspired volatility, but the positive impact on sterling was only fleeting. "This Brexit decision has taken the markets by total surprise. I would remain on the sidelines - no reason to step in yet," said Hampstead Capital hedge fund manager Lex Van Dam. Markets bet on a further cut in Bank of England interest rates, almost fully pricing in a 25 basis point cut by the end of the year in another blow to sterling and to banks already facing reduced earnings as a result of Britain leaving the EU. An index of European bank shares fell 7.5 percent, taking the decline in the last two trading days to around 20 percent, equating to a loss of 168 billion euros in market capitalisation. Royal Bank of Scotland shares fell 23 percent while Barclays shed 18 percent. Italian banks also suffered. UniCredit fell 7.7 percent. The government was looking at options to help its banks and prevent further share price falls. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 stocks index, which fell 7 percent on Friday in its biggest plunge in nearly eight years, lost a further 2.9 percent on Monday, for its biggest two-day fall since the aftermath of the Lehman collapse in 2008. Britain's FTSE 100 index ebbed a further 2.1 percent on Monday and Germany's DAX lost 2.2 percent. Spain's IBEX index initially rose after acting prime minister Mariano Rajoy's People's Party fared better than expected in weekend elections but the gains melted away and the index was last down 1.4 percent. For Reuters new Live Markets blog on European and UK stock markets see reuters://realtime/verb=Open/url=http://emea1.apps.cp.extranet.thomsonreuters.biz/cms/?pageId=livemarkets World stocks measured by MSCI hit their lowest level since March, down 0.9 percent. The index's fall since the Brexit vote was its biggest since last August when sharp falls in Chinese shares slammed work markets. Sterling fell nearly 4 percent to $1.3152, surpassing its Friday low as yields on 10-year British government debt fell below 1 percent for the first time. It fell 2.5 percent to 83.33 pence against the euro and 3.9 percent to about 134 yen. "Uncertainty equals currency weakness, we know this, and there is no sense that this (sterling) is a value trade right now and that you have to get back in. It is too early for anyone to start calling a bottom," said Neil Mellor, a currency strategist at Bank of New York Mellon in London. The euro, also seen vulnerable to the exit from the EU of its second-largest economy, fell 1.3 percent to as low as $1.0969. The yen firmed to as high as 101.37 per dollar. Government officials stepped up warnings that they could intervene in currency market to stabilise the yen, whose strength harms exporters. This helped Japan's Nikkei 225 share index, which closed 2.4 percent higher. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 0.4 percent. Companies with UK exposure in particular came under pressure. Yields on core government debt fell again. German 10-year bond yields, the benchmark for euro zone borrowing costs, fell as low as minus 0.11 percent but held above Friday's record low of almost minus 0.17 percent. OUTPERFORM Spanish 10-year bonds outperformed those of other lower-rated southern euro zone countries. Their yields were down 18 bps at 1.46 percent after Sunday's election. U.S. Treasury yields also fell. The 10-year note fell more than 10 bps to as low as 1.46 percent, still above Friday's low of 1.41 percent. Gold, which saw its biggest rise since 2009 on Friday, stood at $1,329 an ounce, up 1.1 percent on the day. Bangladesh c. bank ends FireEye investigation into cyber heist DHAKA, June 27 (Reuters) - Bangladesh's central bank has ended a contract with U.S. cyber security firm FireEye to investigate February's online theft of $81 million, turning down a proposal to extend the agreement, a senior official said on Monday. More than four months after hackers broke into the computer systems of Bangladesh Bank and transferred money from its account at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, investigators in Bangladesh and the United States are still trying to identify them. FireEye's Mandiant division had asked for 570 hours of additional work to complete its investigation into the biggest cyber heist in history, sources at the bank had said earlier. Last week, the board of Bangladesh Bank met and ratified an earlier decision not to extend Mandiant's contract, Jamaluddin Ahmed, a director of the central bank, told Reuters on Monday. "It was a unanimous decision," he said, adding the central bank had decided to take steps on its own to improve the security of its computer systems. Sources at the bank told Reuters last week that Mandiant's high price-tag was one of the factors to end the contract with the U.S. security firm. The sources said Mandiant had been paid about $280,000 for about 700 hours of work. A spokesman for Mandiant said it had provided Bangladesh Bank and the global financial community extensive data on the attack. "(We) will continue to support law enforcement and the industry past the close of our engagement," the spokesman said, adding that the company's pricing and duration of investigation was unique in each case. Turkish deputy PM says "certain point" reached in normalisation of Israel ties ANKARA, June 27 (Reuters) - A "certain point" was reached in normalising Turkey's relations with Israel in talks on Sunday, Deputy Prime Minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Monday, after officials said a deal had been reached to end a rift dating back to 2010. "A certain point was reached in talks on June 26 and this will be announced in a simultaneous statement by both prime ministers at 1 pm (1000 GMT)," Kurtulmus told reporters during a break from a cabinet meeting. Slovak foreign minister says Britain should activate Article 50 PRAGUE, June 27 (Reuters) - Britain should formally trigger the process of leaving the European Union to bring the legal situation into line with the political one following last week's Brexit vote, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said on Monday. Speaking to reporters after a meeting in Prague with his counterparts from Germany, France, the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary, Lajcak said London should activate Article 50, the mechanism for a country to withdraw from the EU. Slovakia will take over the EU's rotating presidency for six months from July. Malaysia's Najib appoints new ministers to strengthen coalition KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, placing party loyalists in top posts in a bid to strengthen the ruling coalition amid speculation that he could call an early election next year. Landslide victories in recent electoral outings have put the scandal-hit Najib and his ruling alliance, Barisan Nasional, in a position of strength, and the new cabinet appointments are seen as a move to build on that. "This will strengthen the current administration further to ensure the government's development agenda for the people - economic, welfare and security development - will continue smoothly as promised," Najib told a news conference. A source within the ruling administration told Reuters that the strong results in Sarawak state polls in May and two by-elections earlier this month were what Najib was waiting for to decide when he will call national polls, which will likely be by the second half of 2017. The last cabinet reshuffle was in July 2015, when Najib dropped leaders critical of his handling of troubled state fund 1MDB. Najib, who chaired the advisory board of 1MDB, has faced intense pressure following revelations that $681 million was transferred into his personal account. Najib has denied any wrongdoing. Najib has faced calls to resign over the past year over 1MDB, which is being investigated for money-laundering in at least six countries including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore. Of the new ministers, Mah Siew Keong, a senior ethnic Chinese politician and leader of the Malaysian People's Movement Party, was appointed as the new plantation industry and commodities minister. Noh Omar, a veteran leader of the ruling United Malay National Organisation (UMNO), was appointed minister for urban wellbeing, housing and local government. Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah quit his post due to "personal reasons" and was replaced by Johari Abdul Ghani. Spain's Rajoy seeks swift government deal, doubts linger By Angus Berwick and Sarah White MADRID, June 27 (Reuters) - Spanish caretaker Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said on Monday he would reach out to rivals in a bid to quickly form a government after his conservative party strengthened its lead in elections on Sunday, though still far short of a majority. As Europe enters uncertain waters with Britain's historic decision to exit the European Union, Spanish parties are under pressure to avoid the protracted, ultimately fruitless negotiations that followed an inconclusive December ballot. Against expectations, Rajoy's centre-right People's Party (PP) was the only one to make gains in another hung parliament as voters flocked back to mainstream parties and abandoned newcomers that did well in December. But while the results lent the PP some momentum in talks with other leaders, it still faced difficult options. They included trying to rope in the PP's long-time foes, the second-placed Socialists, to support or at least enable a conservative-led government. The PP wound up with 137 seats on Sunday, up from 123 in December. But 176 are required for a majority to govern alone. "What Spain needs, and it needs it now, is a government with a strong parliamentary backing, able to generate confidence within and outside Spain, able to take on the reforms that Spain still needs and give stability to Europe at a time when it needs it," Rajoy said as he called on other parties to join a "grand coalition" of centre-left and centre-right parties. He said he hoped to reach a deal with other parties on such an administration within a month. A smaller liberal party, Ciudadanos (Citizens), seen as a more natural ally of the PP, won 32 seats. A leftist anti-austerity alliance, Unidos Podemos (Together We Can), which was originally forecast to overtake the Socialists, came third on 71 seats. Many voters were confident some form of deal would be easier to reach now the PP has a stronger hand than polls forecast. "It was a big surprise, but now at least there's a chance of some stability," said self-employed energy specialist Fernando Cierva, 52, as he walked his dog in central Madrid, adding he had voted for Ciudadanos. WEAK GOVERNMENT It is unclear how Rajoy may engineer this majority, however. The Socialists were divided on Monday on whether they should allow the PP to govern. Meanwhile, Albert Rivera, the youthful leader of Ciudadanos, said he was willing to have talks with the PP but not to back a government headed by Rajoy. Political experts believe this situation could lead to a minority government of the PP allowed by the Socialists and Ciudadanos through abstentions from votes of confidence. This administration would be potentially fragile but Rajoy said he would not rule it out if he could not convince other parties to back him for a new term. Spain's economy, the euro zone's fourth largest, has so far proven immune to any contagion from prolonged political uncertainty, but it cannot remain so indefinitely, analysts say. "A minority government may not be able to pass material reforms, as it would require unlikely support from a fragmented parliament. In our view, such inertia would hurt Spain's medium-term growth prospects, especially as we see actions needed on fiscal issues and labour markets," Barclays bank said in a note. "In addition, a minority government may not be able to sustain a full four-year mandate." A third election, now or in a few months time, would also likely further alienate voters already scarred by years of economic hardship and unimpressed with leaders' failure to forge coalitions after December, pushing parties to seek a solution. "They all talk a lot but they don't do anything," said retired fishmonger Rafael Fernandez, 64. He voted for Unidos Podemos in December after years as a loyal Socialist supporter, but this time did not even cast a ballot. Advertisement These fascinating photos capture a centuries-old Taiwanese fishing practice which has all but died out, though not quite. Lighting a bamboo stick with flammable sulfurous soil to attract a frenzy of jumping sardines, a group of 30 fisherman off the northeast coast is struggling to keep the tradition alive. There used to be 300 boats using this method each night but now there are only three, according to the local fishermen's association in Jinshan District, north of Taipei. Scroll down for video These fascinating photos capture a centuries-old Taiwanese practice known as sulphuric fire fishing which has all but died out, though not quite There used to be 300 boats using this method each night but now there are only three, according to the local fishermen's association in Jinshan District, north of Taipei The remaining fishermen have a three-month seasonal window from May to July; during which they spend up to six hours a night at sea to catch between three and four tons of sardines. This can earn them, on a really good night, over $4,500. Only bad weather forces them to shore early. 'My daily earnings are unstable, but for a living I need to sail,' said Jian Kun, a 60-year-old boat owner of the fire fishermen's plight. The government provides a subsidy to the fishermen to encourage them to continue fire fishing and also filed the technique to the Department of Cultural Affairs for registration as a cultural asset in 2014. Lighting a bamboo stick with flammable sulphurous soil to attract a frenzy of jumping sardines, a group of 30 fisherman off the northeast coast is struggling to keep the tradition alive The remaining fishermen have a three-month seasonal window from May to July; during which they spend up to six hours a night at sea to catch between three and four tons of sardines And the annual Jinshan Sulphuric Fire Fishing festival was started in 2013 to help promote the practice, while photography tours have been set up to generate interest and boost finances. The method of lighting the fire has been updated to include the use of calcium carbide, but the boats are old, with little to ease the physical toll on the fishermen who average around 60 years old. Sulphuric fire fishing was first practised during the period of Taiwan's Japanese Rule, between 1895 and 1945, but now Jinshan is the only place it exists. And with modern day fishing operations as advanced as they are, it seems likely that Jinshan's tradition will die out with its last fisherman. During this fishing season, on a really good night, they can over $4,500 - and only bad weather forces them to shore early The government provides a subsidy to the fishermen to encourage them to continue fire fishing - pictured, a fisherman prepares ice for transporting sardines The boats are old, with little to ease the physical toll on the fishermen who average around 60 years old - pictured, workers load sardines onto a lorry Sulphuric fire fishing was first practiced during the period of Taiwan's Japanese Rule, between 1895 and 1945, but now Jinshan is the only place it exists - pictured, fishermen unload the fish Poland says deeply concerned by 'xenophobic abuse' of Poles in Britain LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - The Polish embassy in London said on Monday it was deeply concerned by what it said were recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community and other residents of migrant heritage in Britain. "We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community and other UK residents of migrant heritage," the embassy said in a statement. Rare U.N. Eritrea aid shipment shows Asmara slowly opening up By Edmund Blair NAIROBI, June 27 (Reuters) - A consignment of aid shipped by the U.N. World Food Programme (WFP) through Eritrea's main port this month was the first in a decade and the latest sign of Asmara trying to rebuild ties with the outside world, diplomats said. Eritrea, which blames U.N. sanctions for driving it into isolation, has been engaging more deeply with the European Union over the migrant crisis and deepening ties with Gulf Arab states that lie across the Red Sea. The poor but fiercely self-reliant nation, which won independence from Ethiopia in 1991 and fought a war with its former ruler after that, has snubbed some international aid in the past, saying it wanted to avoid a culture of dependence. The WFP scaled back its presence ten years ago after a row over distribution of food assistance, while continuing with a few small projects in Eritrea, diplomats said. But the shipment this month of 1,100 tonnes of sorghum for South Sudan through its main Massawa port was the first cargo to land in Eritrea since 2006. WFP officials called it a "pilot shipment" to test Massawa's efficiency and cost as a route for aid to South Sudan, compared with other routes through Sudan or Kenya. It was also a test of the under-used Eritrean port as an alternative to the congested facilities in neighbouring Djibouti, which has been used to supply aid to South Sudan and Yemen on the other side of the Red Sea. One WFP official involved in arranging the shipment said Eritrea cooperated with the effort, ensuring the consignment was unloaded swiftly, although he said it was more expensive than the Port Sudan route. The official said the Eritrean authorities had said they would look at the possibility of reducing costs if the route was used in future. One senior Western diplomat in Asmara said the operation indicated "another little opening" in Eritrea's bid to improve international relations. "The direction of travel is clear and consistent but it is slow and tentative and reversible," the diplomat said. Despite improving ties with some U.N. bodies, Asmara has refused to cooperate with a U.N. Commission of Inquiry that this month accused its leaders of committing crimes against humanity. Eritrea has vehemently denied the charges, saying the commission is politically motivated. Italy prepares to shield its banks from Brexit fallout By Gavin Jones ROME, June 27 (Reuters) - Italy is preparing to protect its banks from a destabilising share sell-off following last week's Brexit vote, sources told Reuters on Monday. Shares in Italy's two biggest banks, UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo, fell by 8 percent and more than 10 percent respectively on Monday, in the wake of more than 20 percent falls on Friday after Britain voted to quit the EU. Rome is concerned that Italian banks, which are saddled with 360 billion euros ($400 billion) of bad loans, a third of the euro zone's total, risk attack by hedge funds betting that Brexit turmoil could tip them into full-blown crisis. A banking source familiar with the government's thinking said officials were preparing measures to counter any such speculative attack, including the use of a government guarantee. A government source said Prime Minister Matteo Renzi would ask German Chancellor Angela Merkel to back more flexibility from the EU regarding Italy's public spending and rules on state aid for banks at a meeting in Berlin on Monday. That source said the measures Italy was considering included a state guarantee for bank bonds, which would be underwritten by state lender Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (CDP) and the Treasury, but that no new moves were imminent. Asked at a news conference after the meeting if the leaders had talked about banks and state aid rules, Renzi did not answer directly but said European and national institutions would work together to bring "calm and confidence" to citizens. "Obviously there is no time to lose regarding the markets, but we are in a position to face up to any difficulty and do everything necessary, within the rules, to solve the problems that emerge," Renzi said. Even before Brexit shook global markets, raising fears of further disintegration of the EU, Italian bank shares had fallen sharply since the start of the year. The banks have struggled to find buyers for their bad loans or to raise fresh share capital without heavy price discounts or state-backed bailouts. The government wants to beef up or replicate an emergency fund dubbed "Atlante" that was created in April to buy bad loans and plug lenders' capital shortfalls, the second source said. Daily newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano said the government's contingency plan involved taking stakes in ailing banks, to be financed by around 40 billion euros in new public debt, but the second, government source said there was no such plan. The paper said Renzi's administration was already in talks with the European Commission about possible support measures. Two other papers, Corriere della Sera and La Repubblica, said Italy would seek to take advantage of possible exemptions to European state aid rules in case of "exceptional events" in order to bolster its banks if stocks continued to fall sharply. Turkish PM says to exchange ambassadors with Israel soon ANKARA, June 27 (Reuters) - Turkey and Israel have reached a deal to normalise ties and the two nations will exchange ambassadors as soon as possible after a six-year rupture, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said on Monday. Yildirim said the deal, whose broad terms were announced by senior officials from both countries late on Sunday, would be signed on Tuesday. It ends a rift over the Israeli navy's killing of 10 Turkish pro-Palestinian activists who tried to sail to the blockaded Gaza Strip in 2010. Yildirim confirmed that Israel had agreed to pay out $20 million to the bereaved and injured from the 2010 raid. Under the deal, Turkey will deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products to Gaza and a first shipment of 10,000 tonnes of aid would be sent next Friday, Yildirim also said. PRESS DIGEST- Canada- June 27 June 27 (Reuters) - The following are the top stories from selected Canadian newspapers. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. THE GLOBE AND MAIL ** Nigel Farage, the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, criticized Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for being out of touch in backing British Prime Minister David Cameron in his bid to keep Britain in the EU. (http://bit.ly/28WURC9) ** The economic burden of lung cancer and mesothelioma from work-related asbestos exposure in Canada amounts to an average of $818,000 per case, according to a team led by health economist and senior scientist Dr. Emile Tompa at the Institute for Work & Health, a research organization. (http://bit.ly/297V5sr) NATIONAL POST ** A note distributed to clients Friday by Scotia Capital analyst Sumit Malhotra says insurance company Great-West Lifeco , Royal Bank of Canada, and broker-dealer Canaccord Genuity Group have the most direct exposure to the impact of the United Kingdom's vote in favor of pulling out of the European Union. (http://bit.ly/28YK4ga) Norwegian court rejects Edward Snowden lawsuit on free passage OSLO, June 27 (Reuters) - Former U.S. spy contractor Edward Snowden has failed in a legal bid to win guarantees from Norway that it would not extradite him to the United States if he went there to receive a free speech award, a Norwegian court said on Monday. Snowden's law firm said in April he would take the state to court to secure free passage to the Nordic country. The United States has filed espionage charges against him for leaking details of extensive U.S. surveillance programmes. "Oslo District Court has decided that the lawsuit from Edward Snowden against the State regarding extradition, should be dismissed," the court said in a statement. Snowden was granted asylum in Russia, which borders Norway, in 2013. He had been invited to Norway to receive a freedom of speech award from the local branch of writers' group PEN International, but worried that he would be handed over to the United States, his lawyers have said. NATO member Norway has close diplomatic ties with the United States. The Justice Ministry has declined to comment on the case. leaving it to the court to decide. The Oslo court said the country's extradition laws only apply to people who are already in the country, and that the justice ministry could not be compelled to issue a decision on whether or not to extradite someone who lives abroad. The decision is expected to be appealed within days, one of the lawyers involved in the case told Reuters. "We believe the court is being too formalistic," said Jon Wessel-Aas, representing three Norwegian press organisations acting as third-party interveners supporting Snowden's lawsuit. He acknowledged that there was no U.S. extradition request right now, but argued Washington was sure to make one if Snowden visited the country. As part of the verdict, Snowden was also ordered to pay 7,000 Norwegian crowns ($823.64) to the government to cover legal expenses. Armenia expects wider recognition of 'genocide' after German vote, pope's remarks By Margarita Antidze YEREVAN, June 27 (Reuters) - Armenia expects more countries to recognise the 1915 massacre of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire a century ago as a "genocide" after remarks by Pope Francis and the stance taken by Germany's parliament, its president said. Germany's lower house adopted a resolution this month declaring the killings of Christian Armenians by Ottoman forces in World War One a "genocide", a term used by many Western historians and parliaments, but rejected by Ankara. During a visit to Armenia on Friday, the pope departed from his prepared text to use the term, angering Turks. Turkey accepts that many Christian Armenians were killed in clashes with Ottoman forces at the time, but contests assertions that up to 1.5 million were killed, and denies the killings were orchestrated and so constitute a genocide. "The principled position of the pope and the views expressed by the Bundestag will pave the way for new recognitions by other nations," President Serzh Sarksyan told Reuters in an interview. "Germany is a very important and significant actor on the international stage and this (decision) will serve as a good example for other nations to follow and to learn from it," he said. Sarksyan criticised Turkey's position over its aspiration to join the European Union, saying Ankara was trying to use a policy of dictatorship to bring pressure to bear on the bloc. "I don't think that Turkey is ... an actor that can impose its views, or exercise pressure, on the European Union," he said. "I don't honestly see any prospects that would pave the way for Turkey joining the EU." Authorities block vote for new opposition challenger to Turkey's Erdogan ANKARA, June 27 (Reuters) - A Turkish election body said on Monday it had barred opposition nationalists from holding a July 10 vote to replace their veteran leader, disrupting a process that lawmakers said could have picked a stronger challenger to President Tayyip Erdogan. Opinion polls suggest the removal of Devlet Bahceli as leader of the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) could lead to a surge in support for his party, weakening Erdogan's chances of securing strong parliamentary support for the introduction of a full presidential system in Turkey. A group of MHP members have launched a bid to oust Bahceli, 68, whom they see as a dour figure unable to tap into nationalist sentiments that have swollen Erdogan's popularity. But their campaign had met a series of technical challenges, including the announcement made on Monday. They were not immediately available for comment, but have in the past accused the president's palace of interfering in party politics. The MHP dissidents met on June 19 and voted to re-write a number of party bylaws, including one change that would have allowed them to hold a extraordinary party congress and vote to replace Bahceli. But Bahceli, who has spent two decades at the helm of the party, said the dissidents had broken party rules by voting through so many bylaw changes at one meeting. A court agreed with him, invalidating the bylaw changes on Friday. And the election board covering Ankara's Cankaya district said on Monday that meant MHP members would now not be able to vote to replace their leader at the extraordinary meeting planned for July 10. Six MHP members want to take over, most prominently Meral Aksener, a 59-year-old woman seen by pollsters as capable of revitalising the MHP and increasing its support. Poland receives first spot gas cargo from Statoil WARSAW, June 27 (Reuters) - Polish state-run gas distributor PGNiG said on Monday it had received its first spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) delivery from Norway's Statoil via Poland's newly launched terminal at the Baltic coast. The shipment is around 140,000 cubic metres of LNG. Earlier this month, PGNiG said it does not plan to buy more LNG through spot deals in July, waiting for more attractive market opportunities. Poland launched its first, 3 billion zloty ($741.4 million) LNG terminal at the Baltic port of Swinoujscie this month with a 206,000 cubic metre cargo from Qatar. It was part of a long-term deal with Qatargas and a wider plan to cut reliance on Russian gas imports. PGNiG has said it will gradually supplement the Qatargas contract with spot supplies to further diversify its portfolio. Poland aims to import 1.3 billion cubic metres of LNG from Qatar annually. Qatargas's next delivery is planned for mid-July, followed by one cargo per month in the second half of the year. Poland currently buys the bulk of its gas from Russia's Gazprom but its first LNG terminal and a planned pipeline to Norway will allow it to diversify its imports. It also aims to become a regional gas trading hub. Pakistani clerics declare transgender marriages legal under Islamic law By Syed Raza Hassan KARACHI, Pakistan, June 27 (Reuters) - A group of clerics in Pakistan has declared marriage between transgender individuals permissible in Islam, saying they have a right to be buried in Muslim ceremonies, according to a copy of a religious edict Reuters obtained on Monday. Transgender people also have full rights under Islamic inheritance law, the Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat Pakistan, a little-known clerical body in the eastern city of Lahore, said in its fatwa. "It is permissible for a transgender person with male indications on his body to marry a transgender person with female indications on her body," said the document, signed by 50 clerics and issued on Sunday. "Also, normal men and women can also marry such transgender people as have clear indications on their body." It did not detail how such indications are defined, however. In 2012, Pakistan's Supreme Court declared equal rights for transgender citizens, including the right to inherit property and assets, preceded a year earlier by the right to vote. Pakistani marriage law remains murkier, however. It denies homosexual couples permission to marry, with male homosexuals having been charged under anti-sodomy laws in the past. Sunday's fatwa declared marriage with any individual possessing both male and female "indications" to be against Islamic principles. Shunned by mainstream society, transgender individuals in the country of 190 million are often forced into begging, prostitution or dancing to earn a living. Late last month, Alisha, a 23-year-old transgender woman, died after being shot and then refused treatment at the largest public sector hospital in Peshawar, in northwest Pakistan. Her death sparked debate over the rights of transgender people, with an inquiry concluding that senior doctors at the hospital were responsible for "criminal negligence", and recommending that criminal charges be filed. Transgender people are, however, also sometimes venerated in the South Asian tradition of according spiritual powers to eunuchs and others who fall outside traditional gender divisions. Although the Lahore clerics' fatwa is not legally binding, it also recommended that people consider harassment of transgender people a crime under Islam. Russia c.bank to raise reserve requirements for banks from Aug 1 MOSCOW, June 27 (Reuters) - Russia's central bank said on Monday it would raise reserve requirements for banks' liabilities in roubles and foreign currency by 0.75 percentage points from August 1. The bank said the move would help to partially absorb the inflow of liquidity from the Finance Ministry spending money from the Reserve Fund to finance the budget deficit. It would also restrain growth of foreign-currency liabilities on banks' balance sheets, the central bank said in a statement. Iraqi army closes in on Islamic State militants holed up west of Falluja By Thaier al-Sudani and Ahmed Rasheed FALLUJA, Iraq, June 27 (Reuters) - Iraq's army sought on Monday to eliminate Islamic State militants holed up in farmland west of Falluja to keep them from launching a counterattack on the city a day after Baghdad declared victory over IS there. Backed by air strikes from a U.S.-led coalition, Iraqi artillery bombarded targets as troops closed in on up to 150 insurgents in areas along the southern bank of the Euphrates river, an army officer participating in the operation said. The government's recapture of Falluja, an hour's drive west of the capital, was part of a broader offensive against IS, which seized large swathes of Iraq's north and west in 2014 but is now being driven back by an array of forces. Falluja's recovery lent fresh momentum to the campaign to retake Mosul, Iraq's second largest city and the biggest anywhere in the jihadists' self-proclaimed caliphate and which Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has pledged to retake this year. Colonel Ahmed al-Saidi, who participated in Monday's advance, said ground forces were moving cautiously to avoid triggering roadside bombs planted by Islamic State. "They (holed-up militants) have two options: either they surrender or they get killed. We want to prevent them catching their breath and attacking our forces with car bombs." Saidi said radio intercepts suggested the militants were running out of ammunition and he expected them to fold shortly. The insurgents mounted limited resistance to Iraqi forces earlier this month inside Falluja before scattering after some commanders abandoned the fight, according to Iraqi officials. The military's swift advance surprised many who anticipated a protracted battle for Falluja, a bastion of Sunni Muslim insurgency where some of the fiercest fighting of the U.S. occupation of Iraq took place in 2004 against Islamic State's forerunner, al Qaeda. ASSESSING THE DAMAGE Control of Falluja is now shared between the army, elite counter-terrorism forces and federal police. Some fighters from Shi'ite Muslim militias, which have held several outlying areas for months, are also present inside Falluja proper. The army along with local police are expected to take full control in the coming days, a military source said. Central districts of Falluja, which in January 2014 became the first Iraqi city to fall to Islamic State, were mostly quiet on Monday as bomb-removal operations along roadways and in buildings began in earnest. Military sources said the city had been heavily mined by IS but the extent of damage to infrastructure and property could not be assessed easily. Dozens of buildings across the city have been torched, something blamed by government forces on fleeing militants, though Reuters could not verify their accounts. Some officials estimate that as little as 10 percent of Falluja had been destroyed, comparing that favourably with Ramadi and Sinjar, cities recaptured from Islamic State last year but widely devastated in the process. A spokesman for the governor of Anbar province, where Falluja is located, said the worst damage had occurred in the southern industrial district where Islamic State had assembled car bombs used in attacks in Baghdad. More than 85,000 civilians displaced by the fighting in the past month are waiting in government-run camps to return home; at least twice as many people fled Falluja during IS rule. Iran oil chief shakes up oil firm in bid to strike pre-election deals By Rania El Gamal and Dmitry Zhdannikov DUBAI/LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - Oil minister Bijan Zanganeh has handed the running of Iran's national oil company to a trusted ally in a push to agree long-awaited deals with global oil majors, which could be derailed by next year's presidential polls. Iran has pledged to open up its lucrative oil reserves, the world's fourth largest, although hardline rivals of reformist President Hassan Rouhani have opposed the new contracts, saying Iranian natural resource reserves cannot be owned by foreigners. The new deals, known as Iran Petroleum Contracts (IPCs), follow the lifting of Western sanctions in January and would end a system dating back more than 20 years under which foreign firms were banned from owning stakes in Iranian companies. Iran last week selected several local firms which can become partners of Western oil companies and on Monday, Zanganeh pledged to tender 10 to 15 fields under new deals as early as this summer. Oil majors insist these must be more attractive than the loss-making contracts of the 1990s. The change follows the naming this month of Zanganeh's trusted ally Ali Kardor as head of the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), replacing Rokneddin Javadi who had held the post since 2013 and has been made deputy oil minister for supervising hydrocarbon resources. Iranian and industry sources say the NIOC reshuffle is aimed at boosting oil exports and getting some deals in place ahead of Iran's 2017 presidential election as an internal political power struggle intensifies. "There has been a lot of pressure on Zanganeh for not doing much to bring new oil investments as quickly as promised and until now the new contracts are still being drafted," said the oil executive. Kardor, who was earlier NIOC's director of investment and financing, is "one of Zanganeh's old guard", a senior non-Iranian oil executive with close contacts to Iran said. Because of his background in finance, Kardor's appointment is meant to show that Zanganeh is serious about attracting much needed oil investments quickly, sources told Reuters. TWO YEARS OF DELAYS Iran's new oil and gas contracts are a cornerstone of its plans to raise crude production to pre-sanctions levels of four million barrels per day (bpd), and the OPEC member has said it needs $200 billion in foreign money to reach the goal. Iran sits on the world's fourth largest oil reserves just behind Venezuela, Saudi Arabia and Canada. But the domestic infighting over the structure and commercial terms of the new oil and gas development contracts has caused several delays in tendering them. Plans for a London conference to present them have been delayed by almost two years. Tehran's oil sales have nearly doubled since December, with companies such as Royal Dutch Shell and Total resuming purchases, despite the absence of upstream deals. "We haven't seen anything. Nothing at all which would indicate that work on contracts is progressing," a top executive of a major Western oil company with a long history of dealings with Iran said. "And to be honest I'm not very concerned about it as my ability to invest in new projects is severely restricted at the moment by low oil prices," he added. Others dismissed the chances of Zanganeh's changes speeding up new deals before the mid-2017 presidential election. Indonesian lawmakers seek seizure of unapproved vaccines amid fake drug scare By Agustinus Beo Da Costa and Kanupriya Kapoor JAKARTA, June 27 (Reuters) - Indonesian lawmakers on Monday urged authorities to seize from hospitals and health clinics all vaccines made by unapproved manufacturers, after police exposed a syndicate selling fake child vaccines for more than a decade. In a country where counterfeit drugs are widespread, the case deals a blow to government health regulators whom many believed to have kept a tight leash on the distribution of vaccines. Authorities have shut some private health facilities after police smashed a drug-making ring last week that sold fake and potentially harmful booster vaccines for measles, hepatitis B and other viruses in Jakarta and the island of Java. Police launched investigations this year following reports of several children becoming ill after vaccinations, but it was not clear how many received the fake drugs. "This is definitely an emergency," Dede Yusuf, chief of a parliamentary panel on health issues, told reporters before a hearing with government health officials. "We don't know what the effect of this medication is. "And if it has been going on since 2003 as reported, what is the status of the children who have received it? We want to know the answers." Health Minister Nila Djoewita Moeloek sought to reassure parents that nearly all vaccines were from government-approved manufacturers, adding that she had received no reports of illnesses related to fake vaccinations. "The Ministry of Health ensures that the vaccines circulated in the health service units are safe and are not harmful," the ministry said in a statement. "It is alleged that the circulation of the fake vaccines are not more than 1 percent in Jakarta, Banten and West Java." Parents could have their children re-vaccinated if they are suspected to have received the fake drugs, the minister added. Police uncovered the syndicate after a pharmacist in Bekasi, near Jakarta, was arrested in May for selling medicine without a license. The drugs turned out to be fake and led to the arrest of 14 distributors and makers of the fake vaccines, whose ingredients included the antibiotic gentamicin and saline. Poland's Kaczynski says EU's Tusk directly responsible for Brexit WARSAW, June 27 (Reuters) - The leader of Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party blamed European Council President and former Polish prime minister Donald Tusk on Monday for Britain's vote to leave the European Union. "A particularly dark role was played by Donald Tusk, who conducted negotiations with the British and in fact contributed to them getting nothing," Jaroslaw Kaczynski said of his former political rival, speaking to local media. A group of clerics in Pakistan has declared marriage between transgender individuals permissible in Islam. They also said they have a right to be buried in Muslim ceremonies, according to a copy of a religious edict Reuters obtained on Monday. Further, transgender people have full rights under Islamic inheritance law, the Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat Pakistan, a little-known clerical body in the eastern city of Lahore, said in its fatwa. Scroll down for video A group of clerics in Pakistan has declared marriage between transgender individuals permissible in Islam. Pictured are transvestites in Karachi 'It is permissible for a transgender person with male indications on his body to marry a transgender person with female indications on her body,' said the document, signed by 50 clerics and issued on Sunday. 'Also, normal men and women can also marry such transgender people as have clear indications on their body.' But it did not say what these indications were. In 2012, Pakistan's Supreme Court declared equal rights for transgender citizens, including the right to inherit property and assets, preceded a year earlier by the right to vote. Pakistani marriage law remains murkier, however. It denies homosexual couples permission to marry, with male homosexuals having been charged under anti-sodomy laws in the past. Sunday's fatwa declared marriage with any individual possessing both male and female 'indications' to be against Islamic principles. Shunned by mainstream society, transgender individuals in the country of 190 million are often forced into begging, prostitution or dancing to earn a living. In 2012, Pakistan's Supreme Court (pictured) declared equal rights for transgender citizens, including the right to inherit property and assets, preceded a year earlier by the right to vote Late last month, Alisha, a 23-year-old transgender woman, died after being shot and then refused treatment at the largest public sector hospital in Peshawar, in northwest Pakistan. Her death sparked debate over the rights of transgender people, with an inquiry concluding that senior doctors at the hospital were responsible for 'criminal negligence', and recommending that criminal charges be filed. Transgender people are, however, also sometimes venerated in the South Asian tradition of according spiritual powers to eunuchs and others who fall outside traditional gender divisions. Although the Lahore clerics' fatwa is not legally binding, it also recommended that people consider harassment of transgender people a crime under Islam. Kremlin says Turkey apologised for shooting down Russian jet By Jack Stubbs and Dmitry Solovyov MOSCOW, June 27 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has apologised to Russian leader Vladimir Putin over last year's shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military, the Kremlin said on Monday, opening the way for Russia to lift economic sanctions. The Russian jet was shot down, with the loss of the pilot, in November while it took part in the Kremlin's military campaign in Syria. Ankara said it acted lawfully because the plane had crossed into Turkish air space; Moscow denied that happened. "I want to once again express my sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the Russian pilot who died and I say: 'I'm sorry,'" the Kremlin, in a statement, cited Erdogan as saying in the letter. A spokesman for Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, confirmed the letter was sent to Putin, though he did not refer explicitly to an apology. He said that Erdogan, in the letter, had expressed regret and asked the family of the pilot to "excuse us." The Kremlin responded to the downing of the plane by slapping trade restrictions on Ankara -- including freezing work on a pipeline to ship Russian gas to Europe via Turkey, and advising Russian tourists to avoid Turkish resorts. Putin had said those measures would only be lifted if Erdogan personally issued an apology. There was no word from the Russian authorities on Monday on ending the sanctions. If the dispute is now on the way to being resolved, that could ease some of the diplomatic tensions around the Syria conflict. Moscow supports Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad while Ankara backs rebels who are trying to oust him. In its statement, the Kremlin said Putin had received a letter from Erdogan "in which the Turkish leader expressed his desire to resolve the situation connected to the downing of a Russian military aircraft". "The letter states, in particular, that Russia is a friend to Turkey and a strategic partner, with which the Turkish authorities would not wish to spoil relations," the Kremlin statement said. Turkey's efforts to mend damaged ties come as the Middle East is polarised by Syria's civil war, the rise of Islamic State threatens regional security, and as its relations with Europe and the United States are strained. MORE FRIENDS The Kremlin statement said Erdogan had expressed his readiness to do everything necessary to restore the traditionally friendly relations between Turkey and Russia, and also to jointly fight terrorism. After the Kremlin revealed the existence of Erdogan's letter, the Turkish lira firmed to 2.9330 against the U.S. dollar from 2.9430 beforehand. It later lost some of the gains to trade at 2.9385 at 1448 GMT. The Kremlin's announcement came hours after Turkey and Israel said they would normalise ties after a six-year rupture, a rare rapprochement in the divided Middle East. Days after taking office last month, Turkey's new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim - a close Erdogan ally - said Turkey needed to "increase its friends and decrease its enemies", in what appeared a tacit admission that his predecessor's policies had left the NATO member sidelined. Under former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Ankara was insistent on Assad's departure as the only way of stabilising Syria, setting it at odds with Moscow. Zambia's Lungu defends tax agency's decision to shut down newspaper LUSAKA, June 27 (Reuters) - Zambian President Edgar Lungu on Monday defended the tax collection agency's decision to shut down a newspaper critical of the government, saying the revenue service did so to recoup unpaid taxes. The Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) shut down the Post newspaper last week, demanding $6 million in unpaid taxes. But the newspaper's managing editor Joan Chirwa accused the ZRA of trying to silence it head of general elections in August, and claimed that the outstanding bill was in dispute. The tax authority was not available to comment on Chirwa's claims or whether there was a tax dispute. "The decision by the Zambia Revenue Authority to take over assets of the Post newspaper was indeed an independent action to recover tax debt," Lungu said an address to his diplomats. "Some of you are saying that the timing of the court's decision is awkward. Tell me when is the right time to do this?" The European Union delegation and the heads of mission of the EU member states last week said in a statement that they were concerned by the closure of the newspaper. The action comes seven weeks before the August 11 amid campaigning for the presidential and parliamentary polls. Police in April briefly detained two journalists who work at the Post over a story quoting an opposition leader as saying that Lungu had used public funds to pay for a holiday. The president has denied the report. Lungu has been in power for just over a year after winning a ballot triggered by the death of his predecessor, Michael Sata, in October 2014. Lungu faces a strong challenge from opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development at the polls. Fed confirms Yellen not participating in ECB conference WASHINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will not participate in a central bank conference in Portugal organized by the European Central Bank, where she had been scheduled for a joint appearance with the Bank of England and ECB chiefs. South African Treasury: Zuma should repay $510,000 for upgrades to private residence JOHANNESBURG, June 27 (Reuters) - South Africa's President Jacob Zuma should pay 7.8 million rand ($510,074) for non-security upgrades to his private Nkandla home, the National Treasury said on Monday. In a stinging rebuke that hit the scandal-plagued leader financially and politically, the top court in Africa's most industrialised country in March ordered Zuma to pay back some of the $16 million of state money spent upgrading his private home. Record unemployment and a looming recession have exacerbated discontent with Zuma's leadership, ahead of local elections in August. Zuma has managed to hold on to his post with backing from the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which has been in power since the end of white-minority rule in 1994. The court gave the Treasury 60 days to work out a "reasonable cost". Zuma has said he would pay back some of the money used to refurbish the Nkandla residence, which is in KwaZulu-Natal province. On Monday Zuma's office said it would comment on the Treasury report after studying it. In 2014, Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, whose office is a constitutionally mandated anti-corruption watchdog, identified a swimming pool, cattle enclosure, chicken run, amphitheatre and visitor centre as non-security items that Zuma must pay for. Estimates from Madonsela's report had pegged the bill at around 10 million rand. The unanimous ruling of the 11-judge Constitutional Court also said Zuma had failed to "uphold, defend and respect" the constitution by ignoring Madonsela's recommendations. Moldovan court jails ex-PM for 9 years for abuse of power By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU, June 27 (Reuters) - Former Moldovan prime minister Vlad Filat was sentenced on Monday to nine years in prison for abuse of power, a charge his lawyer said was a politically motivated attempt to humiliate him. Filat was arrested during a parliamentary session last October after months of mass street protests over the disappearance of $1 billion from the banking sector, equivalent to one-eighth of the tiny ex-Soviet republic's economy. He denies any connection to the crime and all charges against him. Prosecutor Adriana Betisor, who had sought a sentence of 19 years, said the ruling, at the end of a closed trial, was "too soft", and vowed to continue pursuing other cases against Filat connected to the banking fraud. "He has pleaded not guilty, but his guilt is clear ... Investigations will continue in other areas," Betisor said. Filat's lawyer, Igor Popa, called the case "a political, well-directed spectacle." "Its goal was to destroy Filat as a person, in the most humiliating and crushing manner possible. We will seek a fair trial outside Moldova and will find a lawful ruling," he said. Filat, who served as prime minister from 2009 to 2013, is credited with putting Moldova on a pro-European path by signing an association agreement with the European Union. But an enduring economic crisis and perceived corruption in the ruling elite pushed his public trust rating into single digits. He says he has become a scapegoat over the banking scandal, which weakened Moldova's currency and damaged living standards in what was already Europe's poorest country. The crisis has held up the disbursement of valuable budget support from international lenders and highlighted the corrosive rivalry between oligarch groups in Moldova. UK watchdog to investigate KPMG audit of HBOS bank By Huw Jones LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - Britain's accounting watchdog has opened an investigation into how KPMG audited the books of HBOS, a British bank that collapsed in 2008 during the financial crisis. The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) said on Monday it would investigate KPMG's audit of HBOS for the year that ended December 2007. It will look at whether there were "material uncertainties about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern that needed to be disclosed in the financial statements," it said. KPMG said it had cooperated fully with previous inquiries by the FRC and with investigations by other financial regulators. "We will continue to do this, but trust and ask that the investigation be completed as quickly as possible," it said in a statement. "We are confident that our work will stand up to objective scrutiny," it added. The FRC has come under pressure from lawmakers to undertake a full investigation into the audit of HBOS, which was formed through the merger of mortgage lender Halifax and Bank of Scotland. The watchdog said in January it was conducting a preliminary investigation into the HBOS audit after a senior lawmaker said the FRC had made a mistake in refusing to open a full probe. WIDER IMAGE-"I study in a cave": Going to school in Syria By Khalil Ashawi and Bassam Khabieh TRAMLA/DOUMA, Syria, June 27 (Reuters) - Syrian student Ali Khaled Stouf has to walk down several steps into a hole in the ground to get inside his school -- a cave. There for four hours each morning, he studies subjects like Arabic, English, maths and religion, sitting on a rug with dozens of children in the underground space in Tramla, an opposition-held village in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. "I study in a cave. The conditions are not very good but the professor and his wife treat us very well," the 14-year-old, originally from neighbouring Hama province, said. "We sit on the ground and often we don't see clearly because it is dark." His teacher Mohamed and his wife, also from Hama, have opened up their underground home to teach some 100 children, whose families have been displaced by the Syrian conflict. More than five years of war, which began as a peaceful protest against President Bashar al-Assad and has since drawn in foreign military involvement and allowed for the growth of Islamic State, has displaced millions of Syrian children and limited their access to education. With schools themselves at times attacked, teachers make do with the basics to provide education. Mohamed said the primitive, six-month-old school floods when it rains, forcing him to teach outside or in a tent, although he prefers the security underground. "We believe the cave is the safest place from shelling and air strikes and all the students are in one place," he said. For a Reuters Wider Image photo presentation, please click on: http://reut.rs/28RYM88 Idlib province is a stronghold of insurgent groups including the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front and has been regularly targeted in air strikes by the Syrian government, whose war effort has been boosted by the Russian air force. At the Souriya al-Ammal (Syria the hope) school, in the town of Maarat al-Numan, corridors and classrooms are bullet-ridden and sometimes crumbling. In one less damaged area, walls have been repainted and the school now has some 250 pupils. "War has affected education massively; most schools, if not destroyed completely, are damaged," school supervisor Abdullatif al-Rahoum said, adding those who missed out on education are now playing catch up with younger students. "The biggest challenges we face are the warplanes, which never leave the skies. This always worries students." In the nearby town of Saraqib, a mobile caravan serves as a classroom, run by a group aiming to reach children who have no access to schooling in the area. Lack of books is problematic. Teachers in Idlib said they relied on charities or used books printed in neighbouring Turkey by the opposition run Directorate of Education. In the rebel-held town of Douma, outside Damascus, Mounir Abdelaziz, a member of the opposition-run education body, said local schools were using old textbooks, but with changes. "We follow the same curriculum as the education ministry but with some modifications and articles related to the (Assad) regime deleted," he said. In campaign trail debut with Clinton, Warren says Trump driven by greed By Amanda Becker CINCINNATI, June 27 (Reuters) - Liberal Elizabeth Warren attacked Republican Donald Trump on Monday during her first campaign appearance with U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, calling him an "insecure money grubber" who is driven by greed and hate. Warren, a leader of the Democratic Party's progressive wing and a potential vice presidential pick, said Clinton had spent her career fighting for liberal values while Trump, a wealthy real estate developer, was focused on boosting his bottom line. The U.S. senator from Massachusetts appeared with Clinton before a raucous, enthusiastic crowd in Cincinnati, Ohio, targeting a battleground state in a potential preview of a Clinton-Warren campaign team. She repeatedly accused Trump of looking out for himself instead of for average Americans. "When Donald Trump says he'll make America great, he means make it even greater for rich guys just like Donald Trump," Warren said, standing shoulder to shoulder with a cheering Clinton. Clinton has struggled to win over some liberal backers of rival Bernie Sanders, a democratic socialist U.S. senator from Vermont, since beating him for the Democratic nomination this month. She hopes the support of Warren can help her in that effort as she campaigns against Trump for the Nov. 8 election. Warren, who has vigorously attacked Trump in recent weeks, called him "a small, insecure money grubber who fights for no one but himself" and warned: "He will crush you into the dirt to get whatever he wants. That's who he is." The capacity crowd repeatedly roared its approval, and a line of supporters who could not get inside stretched out the door and down the street. At one point, Warren stopped her speech to turn and applaud Clinton, a former secretary of state. "She knows what it takes to beat a thin-skinned bully who is driven by greed and hate," said Warren, known for calling for reining in Wall Street and eradicating income inequality. WARREN 'A SELLOUT' - TRUMP In a statement, Trump called Warren "a sellout" for backing Clinton, who has taken donations from Wall Street interests and once backed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the Asian trade deal. Clinton has since reversed her trade stance. In an interview with NBC News, Trump called Warren "a fraud" and "a racist," accusing her of making up claims about her Native American heritage to advance her career. He again called Warren "Pocahontas," the name of a 17th-century Native American figure, to draw attention to a controversy first raised during Warren's 2012 Senate race in Massachusetts. "She is one of the least productive senators in the United States Senate," Trump told NBC. "We call her Pocahontas for a reason." Two other potential Clinton vice presidential picks - U.S. senators Tim Kaine of Virginia and Sherrod Brown of Ohio - rejected Trump's assertion and defended Warren's record. "That's what he does, he attacks people. He acts like he's attacking their character - he's attacking his own character when he does that," Brown told Reuters. "You can't believe anything Donald Trump says. Period," Kaine told Reuters. OHIO PIVOTAL Taking the microphone in Ohio, Clinton said she liked Warren's aggressive approach to her Republican rival, who has sprayed rivals and critics with insults throughout his campaign. "I just love how she gets under Donald Trump's skin," Clinton said. Clinton's decision to campaign with Warren for the first time in Cincinnati, a city on Ohio's southwestern border with Kentucky and Indiana, underscored the swing state's vital role in the November showdown with Trump. Ohio has backed every successful presidential nominee since 1964 and no Republican has won the White House without carrying the state. Warren's calls to rein in corporate excess could resonate with two groups Clinton must court in the election - Sanders supporters and those anxious about the economy who are drawn to Trump's promise to toss out international trade deals. Ohio's manufacturing base has taken a hit in recent economic slowdowns, and Trump has identified it as a state where his anti-free trade rhetoric could resonate with alienated blue-collar voters. Since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee, Clinton has repeatedly tried to portray businessman Trump as fundamentally unfit for the presidency. Clinton said Warren's long history of fighting for progressive economic values made her a perfect messenger for that critique. Tanzania dam halt a 'victory' for vulnerable communities, says aid agency By Kizito Makoye DAR ES SALAAM, June 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - T anzania's decision to halt a multi-million dollar energy project to protect a wildlife sanctuary and farming land is a "victory" for vulnerable local communities, a global aid agency said. The $569 million bioelectricity plant threatened to evict more than 1,500 villagers from their land in northern Tanzania and would have siphoned off huge amounts of water from a major river, impacting wildlife in the Saadani National Park. Tanzania's Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa said last month the project had been halted to protect the flow of the Wami River, to safeguard wild animals in the 1,000 square km reserve. Doug Hertzler, a senior policy analyst with Action Aid USA, said Tanzania's move was a victory for vulnerable communities at risk of losing their land without their consent. "We are glad to see the Tanzania government has recognised that the large amount of water needed for this project would have a negative impact on the Wami River and the Saadani National Park, but the impact on local people must also be taken into consideration in future decisions," he said in a statement. Action Aid has opposed the project because of accusations of "land grabbing" by Agro EcoEnergy which planned to construct the dam. According to Hertzler, local communities told Action Aid in 2014 they had not been offered a choice on whether to be resettled because of the project, which was to produce ethanol from sugar and generate power for 100,000 households. Agro EcoEnergy spokesman Ray Naluyaga denied the accusations. Tanzania is among several African countries that have attracted foreign investors keen to take advantage of cheap land and labour for large-scale agriculture. However, analysts say this has created problems for local communities because property deeds are hard to obtain due to inefficient bureaucracies and corruption in the land sector. Hertzler said the process of implementing the Agro EcoEnergy project was "severely flawed" and that affected households had been prevented from investing in and improving their land. "Local households and communities have been reliant on the land grabbed by the project to feed their families, and to provide them with a source of income," he said. Despite the halt called to the project, he said, it was not known what would happen to land that had been earmarked for the plant in the coastal Bagamoyo district even though some of it had been recognised officially as belonging to local people. He urged policy makers and aid agencies to support local communities so they are able to make the decisions that affect them on the future use of their land. In an interview with the Thomson Reuters Foundation in May, Agro EcoEnergy Chairman, Per Carstedt, said he was shocked by the decision and said the Tanzanian government had ignored expert views on the project confirming it met necessary environmental standards. Retail gold buyers take profits in bullion after Brexit price surge By Jan Harvey LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - Retail gold investors are booking profit on metal bought to hedge against Thursday's decision by British voters to leave the European Union, while an initial surge in buying slackened off on Monday. The chief executive of online platform BullionVault said on Monday that while buying had risen sharply in the last session, its users had overall been net sellers since the Brexit vote became apparent on Friday, liquidating a quarter of a tonne of gold. "Our users bought a lot of gold going into this crisis, and some are selling to bank substantial profits from Friday's shock," Paul Tustain said. Wolfgang Wrzesniok-Rossbach, chief executive of German bullion dealer Degussa, and Pieter Boumeester of Dutch precious metals vendor Doijer & Kalff, said they had also received several enquiries about selling gold. In New York, gold dealers reported their busiest day in months, as phones rang off the hook with new orders. But after a surge in the business on Friday, "over the weekend, and our online shop is open 24/7, we have seen only the usual business," Degussa's Wrzesniok-Rossbach said. Edward Kay, president of Buyers of New York, said he had received 25 calls during the first few hours of Friday morning as news of Brexit sank in, compared to around 5 to 8 on a normal day. "We received non-stop phone calls of people trying to sell their gold, their bullion, their jewellery," Kay said. "We had a whole full waiting room of people." Uncertainty and high prices dampened the initial jump in gold demand from retail investors, who flocked to bullion after the Brexit news unleashed a slide in stocks, sterling and the euro. UK buyers snapped up bars and coins, while dealers as far afield as the United States, France, Germany and Singapore reported surging demand. "The first news on Friday led to good demand, but people are giving it a second thought now," Degussa's Wrzesniok-Rossbach said. "People are uncertain whether Brexit will actually take place in the short term... the stock markets have come off, but we're not talking about a meltdown. I think that's why people didn't rush to buy more gold." WAIT AND SEE European bank stocks and the pound were set for their biggest two-day slides on record on Monday as Britain's vote shook up global financial markets for a second day. Nonetheless, Richard Hayes, chief executive of the Perth Mint, said its customers were sticking to "wait and see". "If the price rise is sustained, then we'll see additional demand come to the market, but what people don't want is to buy at these prices, then a week from now, it's $50 bucks lower," he said. Singapore-based precious metals retailer Silver Bullion Pte Ltd said its sales of gold and silver normalised over the weekend after surging more than 600 percent in its four-hour peak sales window on Friday. In India, which vies with China for the title of the world's biggest gold market, high prices on Monday are putting off some potential buyers. Many Asian consumers dislike higher prices because they see gold as a long-term store of wealth, rather than a speculative investment. Dealers in India were offering a record discount up to $57 an ounce to the global spot benchmark on Monday, against $30 on Thursday. Indian gold prices peaked at 31,925 rupees per 10 grams on Friday, the highest since September 2013. "Demand is very dull. Consumers think prices will not be sustained at higher levels," Mukesh Kothari, director at bullion dealer RiddiSiddhi Bullions in Mumbai, said. "(Buyers) are postponing purchases." Ronald Leung, chief dealer at Lee Cheong Gold Dealers in Hong Kong, agreed that high prices were likely to put off its customers. "Unless it comes below $1,300, we won't see too much demand at this level," he said. Plight of stranded Syrian refugees worsens as Jordan blocks aid - aid workers By Suleiman Al-Khalidi AMMAN, June 27 (Reuters) - Thousands of Syrian refugees stranded on Jordan's northeastern border with Syria are running out of food after a militant suicide attack prompted the army to shut the area, international relief workers and refugees said on Monday. Jordan, a staunch U.S. ally, declared the area a closed military zone after a suicide bomber, believed to be an Islamic State militant, drove a vehicle last Tuesday from the Syrian side and rammed it into a military base close to Rukban camp, killing seven border guards. Aid workers said convoys of food which normally go to the camp were being held up for a sixth day in Ruwaished, the closest town to Rukban camp, which is far from any inhabitable place. Only water trucks were being allowed through. "Access continues to be denied and we are concerned because these trapped people have basic needs," said Hala Shamlawi, spokesperson for the International Committee for the Red Cross (ICRC). Relief workers said the few supplies coming into the area were from smuggler rings inside Syria. "We know the food rations will run out soon, probably in a few days' time ... This is a matter of concern," said Dina El Kassaby, regional spokesperson of World Food Programme (WFP). The authorities gave no explanation for blocking aid that affects between 60,000 to 70,000 refugees, mostly women and children, who have been stranded for months in a no-man's land at the only crossing where Jordan now receives refugees. DESERT Since Russia expanded its air strikes against Islamic State-held areas in central and eastern Syria, the number of refugees trekking south across the desert to the Jordanian border has risen sharply, according to U.N. aid workers. But Jordan, which has already accepted more than 600,000 U.N.-registered Syrian refugees, fears Islamic State militants may have infiltrated the ranks of those arriving at the border. Earlier waves of Syrian refugees had a much easier time entering Jordan but the kingdom sealed border crossings near population centres in 2013 in an attempt to stem the flow. Officials chose the sparsely populated desert area where the borders of Syria, Jordan and Iraq meet in order to discourage refugees from entering the kingdom, relief workers say. Rights groups such as Amnesty International have urged Jordan not to take a tough security response. "A total closure of the border and denial of humanitarian aid to the area would inevitably lead to extreme hardship among those unable to find refuge and put their lives at risk," said Sherif Elsayed-Ali of Amnesty International. Impact of Russian sanctions on trade ties with Turkey June 27 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has written to Russian leader Vladimir Putin to apologise over the shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military, the Kremlin said on Monday, opening the way for Moscow to lift economic sanctions. The Russian jet was shot down, with the loss of the pilot, last November while it took part in Moscow's military campaign in Syria. Ankara said it acted lawfully because the plane had crossed into Turkish air space; Moscow denied that was the case. Following the incident, Moscow swiftly approved a raft of sanctions, banning imports of everything from tomatoes and apricots to chicken products and salt from Turkey. It did not target important energy projects such as the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. Below is a list of key areas of economic and trade relations between Russia and Turkey: TOURISM - In a decree signed by Putin charter flights from Russia to Turkey were banned and tour firms were told not to sell any holidays there. - Turkey's seaside resorts are among the most popular tourism destinations for Russians; for Turkey, Russia is the source of the second-largest number of tourist arrivals after Germany. - About 4.4 million Russians, including 3.3 million Russian tourists, visited Turkey in 2014. - Tour companies had expected that tourist flows would shift to Turkey after Moscow halted flights to resorts in Egypt following the downing of a passenger jet over the Sinai Peninsula. However, the Russian jet was shot down by the Turkish military shortly after the Egyptian incident. FOOD - Russia banned imports of vegetables, fruits and other agricultural products from Turkey. - Turkish food supplies to Russia had become more important after Moscow banned many Western food imports in 2014 in a tit-for-tat move following the imposition of European Union sanctions over Moscow's annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. . Turkey's exports to Russia, mainly food and textiles, were worth $6 billion in 2014, according to an estimate by Renaissance Capital made last November. ENERGY AND COMMODITIES - Russia did not let the row with Ankara affect energy exports, the core of its economic relationship with Turkey. - Turkey is the second-largest buyer of Russian natural gas after Germany. Russia is Turkey's largest natural gas supplier, with Ankara buying 28-30 billion cubic metres (bcm) of its 50 bcm of natural gas needs annually from Russia. - Turkey is the largest buyer of Russian wheat and sunflower oil. It bought 4.1 million tonnes of Russian wheat in the previous marketing year, which ended on June 30. - Russia said last December it had no plans to impose any restrictions on exports of Russian grain to Turkey. PROJECTS - Turkey commissioned Russia's state-owned Rosatom in 2013 to build four 1,200-megawatt nuclear reactors in a project worth $20 billion. A source told Reuters in April a Turkish construction firm was in talks about buying up to 49 percent of the project. - Russia and Turkey also have the TurkStream pipeline project, an alternative to Russia's South Stream pipeline to transport gas to Europe without crossing Ukraine. The South Stream plan was dropped in 2014 due to objections from the European Commission. - Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said in December that Moscow had suspended work on the TurkStream project. Britain due to decide on new London runway amid political chaos By Sarah Young LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - The British government is still on course to make a decision this summer on where to build a new London airport runway, a spokeswoman said, despite the political chaos caused by the Brexit vote. After Prime Minister David Cameron's announcement that he will resign by October, a group of business leaders wrote a letter to a newspaper on Monday calling for the long-awaited investment decision to be taken "as a matter of urgency". Cameron's government has taken four years to decide where to build a new runway, with Heathrow seen as the front-runner over rival Gatwick, and a final decision had been due in weeks. Former London mayor Boris Johnson, the favourite to succeed Cameron as prime minister, has opposed expansion at Heathrow and once said he would lie down in front of the bulldozers to stop a third runway being built there. Past attempts to expand Heathrow, located close to densely-populated west London, have been hampered by local opposition, due to worries about increased noise and air pollution. The chief executive of Gatwick, located south of the city in a less populated area, is due to say in a speech that Brexit has strengthened his argument that it would be easier and more effective to build the runway there. "It is now clearer than ever that only Gatwick can deliver the new runway Britain needs," Gatwick Chief Executive Stewart Wingate will tell a conference on Tuesday, according to extracts of the speech provided by the airport to media. "In these uncertain times that means Gatwick can give the country certainty of delivery. Britain cannot afford yet more delay." A spokesman for Heathrow said his airport was "the UK's gateway to global markets". It released research on Sunday which showed that two-thirds of 150 lawmakers polled supported building the new runway there. Transport Minister Patrick McLoughlin has said that this decision will be made before the end of July. A spokeswoman for Cameron said on Monday that there was no change in the timetable, and that the government would announce its decision once it had seen the results of further environmental assessments. At least 14 dead, 15 wounded in S.Yemen bomb attacks - medics, security sources ADEN, June 27 (Reuters) - At least 14 people were killed in Yemen on Monday in three separate but apparently coordinated bomb attacks, claimed by Islamic State, on government forces in the southern port city of Mukalla, medics and security sources said. They said at least 15 other people had been wounded in the bombings, which happened just as soldiers and security personnel were preparing to break their day-long fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. The militant group claimed responsibility for the attack via its online news agency Amaq. Turkey mends fences with Israel, Russia in foreign policy reset By Nick Tattersall, Jack Stubbs and Jeffrey Heller ISTANBUL/MOSCOW/JERUSALEM, June 27 (Reuters) - Turkey announced the restoration of diplomatic ties with Israel on Monday after a six-year rupture and expressed regret to Russia over the downing of a warplane, seeking to mend strained alliances and ease a sense of isolation on the world stage. The deal with Israel after years of negotiation was a rare rapprochement in the divided Middle East, driven by the prospect of lucrative Mediterranean gas deals as well as mutual fears over growing security risks. "With this agreement, economic relations will start to improve," Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said of the deal with Israel, echoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who said it would have "immense implications" for Israel's economy. In his comments following a dinner to break the fast in the holy month of Ramadan, Erdogan also said Turkey aimed for a quick normalisation of ties with Moscow. "I believe we will normalise our relations with Russia rapidly by ending the existing situation which is not in the interest of both sides," he said. The Kremlin earlier said Erdogan had apologised to Vladimir Putin over last year's shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkey's military, opening the way for Russia to lift economic sanctions. A spokesman for Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, confirmed a letter was sent to Putin, though he did not refer explicitly to an apology, something Turkish officials had long ruled out. Kalin said Erdogan had expressed regret and asked the family of the pilot to "excuse us." The moves come as a new Turkish government packed with Erdogan allies re-evaluates its foreign policy. Ankara has seen relations strained not only with Israel and Russia, but also with the United States and European Union in recent months. Turkey's worst nightmare in Syria has come true: Russian support has enabled its enemy President Bashar al-Assad to remain in power, while Kurdish militia fighters have benefited from U.S. support as they battle Islamic State, bolstering their position in territory adjacent to the Turkish border. Days after taking office last month, new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Turkey needed to "increase its friends and decrease its enemies", in what appeared a tacit admission that his predecessor's policies had left the NATO member isolated. "It seems to me Turkey is undertaking a reprioritisation of foreign policy," said Brenda Shaffer, a visiting professor at Georgetown University and a fellow at the Atlantic Council. "In both of these cases, it is practical realpolitik overriding ideological considerations. There were never any bilateral disputes between Turkey and Israel, just the opposite, there were only mutual interests. The same is true for Russia." Turkey and Israel will exchange ambassadors as soon as possible, Yildirim said on Monday. NETANYAHU SEES ECONOMIC DIVIDEND Relations between Israel and what was once its principle Muslim ally crumbled after Israeli marines stormed an activist ship in May 2010 to enforce a naval blockade of the Hamas-run Gaza Strip and killed 10 Turks on board. The mending in relations with Israel raises the prospect of eventual cooperation to exploit natural gas reserves worth hundreds of billions of dollars under the eastern Mediterranean, officials have said. Netanyahu said it opened the way for possible Israeli gas supplies to Europe via Turkey. Speaking after meeting U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, Netanyahu said the agreement was an important step. "It has also immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I use that word advisedly," he told reporters. Both Kerry and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the deal. Kerry said: "We are obviously pleased in the administration. This is a step we wanted to see happen." Netanyahu made clear the naval blockade of Gaza, which Ankara had wanted lifted, would remain in force, although humanitarian aid could continue to be transferred to Gaza via Israeli ports. "This is a supreme security interest of ours. I was not willing to compromise on it. This interest is essential to prevent the force-buildup by Hamas and it remains as has been and is," Netanyahu said. But Yildirim said the "wholesale" blockade of Gaza was largely lifted under the deal, enabling Turkey to deliver humanitarian aid and other non-military products. A first shipment of 10,000 tonnes will be sent next Friday, he said, and work would begin immediately to tackle Gaza's water and power supply crisis. Erdogan said he had been in touch with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the deal. "We have never accepted and we will never accept any conditions or impositions that will harm the rights of Palestinians," Erdogan said. Hamas in Gaza issued a statement thanking Turkey and Erdogan for their support "to help our people ... and to alleviate the blockade" and said it hoped Turkish efforts would achieve its complete lifting and would force Israel "to stop its attacks against our people and our land." Yildirim said that Israel and Turkey would exchange ambassadors as soon as possible. In a television interview late on Monday, he suggested the resetting of ties could also extend to Egypt. "There isn't any obstacle to improve our economic relations with Egypt. Minister-level visits may start," he said. HOPES FOR END TO RUSSIAN SANCTIONS A resolution in the dispute with Russia could ease some of the diplomatic tensions around the Syria conflict. Moscow supports Assad, while Ankara backs the rebels who are trying to oust him. The Russian jet was shot down, with the loss of the pilot, in November while it took part in the Kremlin's military campaign in Syria. Ankara said it acted lawfully because the plane entered Turkish air space; Moscow denied that happened. The Kremlin responded to the downing of the plane by slapping trade restrictions on Ankara, including freezing work on a pipeline to ship Russian gas to Europe via Turkey and advising Russian tourists to avoid Turkish resorts. Putin had said those measures would only be lifted if Erdogan personally issued an apology. There was no word from the Russian authorities on Monday on ending the sanctions. "For the peace of the region, I believe in the importance of an effort to improve strategic relations that we have built with this close neighbour," Erdogan said about Russia. The Kremlin statement said Erdogan had expressed his readiness to do everything necessary to restore the traditionally friendly relations between Turkey and Russia, and also to jointly fight terrorism. Nigeria oil output rises to 1.9 million bpd due to repairs -NNPC LAGOS, June 27 (Reuters) - Oil production in Nigeria has risen to about 1.9 million barrels per day (bpd), from 1.6 million bpd, due to repairs and more than a week having passed since a major pipeline attack in the Niger Delta, a state oil company spokesman said on Monday. Militants who say they want a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth to go to the impoverished Delta region have carried out a spate of attacks on pipelines in the last few months. Nigeria, an OPEC member that was Africa's top oil producer until the attacks pushed it behind Angola, has seen production fall from 2.2 million bpd at the start of the year. Oil Minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu said in early June that output had fallen to around 1.6 million bpd. But on Monday, Garba Deen Muhammad, a spokesman for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), said oil production had risen to around 1.9 million bdp since last week. "Production has increased because we are making repairs to damaged pipelines and installations. And we have not had any major attacks in recent times," he said. The Niger Delta Avengers, the group that has claimed responsibility for most of the recent attacks on oil and gas installations last said it blew up a pipeline on June 16. Last week, petroleum ministry officials said the government had agreed a one-month ceasefire with militants, but the Avengers said they had not agreed to a truce. Muhammad also said Kachikwu was in China for a roadshow, which began on Sunday, aimed at raising around $50 billion of investment for Nigeria's oil industry. Aurelius unit seeks bankruptcy of Netherlands-based Oi subsidiary By Ana Mano SAO PAULO, June 27 (Reuters) - A unit of distressed debt firm Aurelius Capital Management LP is asking a Dutch court to start bankruptcy proceedings against a Netherlands-based subsidiary of phone carrier Oi SA, which last week filed for Brazil's largest-ever such plan. The Syzygy Capital Management Ltd subsidiary owns bonds of Oi's Oi Brasil Holdings Cooperatief UA, Aurelius said in a statement on Monday. The petition was filed in an Amsterdam district court, which is expected to schedule hearings on the process shortly. Neither Aurelius nor Syzygy gave a timetable for the hearings. Under Dutch law, if the court approves the petition, a bankruptcy trustee will be appointed to defend the interests of creditors in Oi Brasil Holdings. Apart from participating in the proceedings, the trustee will investigate Oi Brasil Holdings' prior and current management teams and enforce the company's claims against parent Oi and other affiliates, the statement said. Syria's HNC urges EU sanctions to push Russia onto peace track By Tom Miles GENEVA, June 27 (Reuters) - Syria's main opposition group said on Monday the European Union should impose targeted sanctions on Russian companies supporting the war in Syria as it sought to consolidate its position before a potential new round of peace talks in Geneva next month. "We are looking at more targeted sanctions (against) companies...involved in arms shipments, the ones that are taking part in some of the indiscriminate bombing that is taking place. This is what we are calling for," Basma Kodmani, a negotiator for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, told Reuters. "Sanctions have been part of EU policy in other situations, certainly in the Ukraine crisis, the EU has made those decisions, has implemented them, has renewed them. We don't see how the EU can still consider Syria of lesser importance than Ukraine," she said after meeting EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and government officials in Brussels. Any weakening of EU sanctions on Russia would be read by the Kremlin and by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a sign that there was space for his government "to make a comeback on the international scene", Kodmani said. She did not name any Russian companies that could be subjected to sanctions. Although the ultimate say on sanctions lies with EU member governments, Kodmani said Europe's vital interests were at stake in Syria and that Mogherini appeared receptive. Internal EU ructions over Britain's vote last week to leave the European Union appeared to make the 28-nation bloc more, rather than less, determined to play a role on Syria, she said. "Never mind Brexit...What we have heard here in Brussels so far, including from Mrs Mogherini, is that she is all the more determined to make her voice heard in this context, particularly with Russia, as well as using her good relations with Iran, to have those two decisive players turn to a more constructive and positive behaviour in Syria." ASSAD'S TWO KEY ALLIES Russia and Iran have been Assad's main allies in his more than five-year-long civil war with rebels seeking to overthrow him. U.N.-mediated peace talks have been suspended since late April while the fighting has dramatically escalated. Kodmani said the problem was not fighting on the ground but Syrian and Russian air strikes, accounting for 90 percent of hostilities. The war has killed up to 400,000 people and created the world's worst refugee crisis, with around half of Syria's population uprooted, according to U.N. officials. U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has said he wants to make negotiating progress via "technical talks" between members of his team and each side before bringing the warring parties back to Geneva for a final round of talks, with July in mind. Kodmani said Assad's government had rejected technical talks, while the HNC was about to present a new document to the United Nations containing a detailed, sequenced vision of Syria's political transition. The document did not make any compromises on the question of Assad's future, she said. The opposition has said Assad must leave office as part of any transition, a condition he rejects. The HNC has also beefed up its negotiating position by absorbing two smaller opposition groups known as the Moscow and Cairo Platforms. But a similar alliance with the Kurdish opposition PYD, which has so far been excluded from Geneva talks, is not a priority, Kodmani said. Nicaragua President Ortega expected to win third straight term -poll MEXICO CITY, June 27 (Reuters) - Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega is seen easily winning his third consecutive term in office in elections on Nov. 6, which would put him in power until 2020, according to a poll published on Monday. The poll, conducted by M&R Consultants, showed that 65 percent of those surveyed planned to vote for Ortega's leftist Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) party, compared with just 13 percent for the entire opposition. "What is at stake in this election is who will take second place," said Raul Obregon, head of the polling firm. The opposition Independent Liberal Party (PLI) and the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) each had 5.6 percent of the vote, according to the poll, with the rest divided up among smaller parties. Obregon attributed the wide victory margin to the Ortega administration's economic policies and divisions among the opposition. The poll of 2,000 people was conducted between June 11 and 20 and had a margin of error of 2.24 percent. U.S., Mexico aim for more clean energy electricity by 2025 -CBC OTTAWA, June 27 (Reuters) - The leaders of the United States and Mexico this week plan to announce that half of their electricity will come from clean power sources by 2025, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp said on Monday. U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto will meet in the Canadian capital Ottawa on Wednesday for a trilateral summit hosted by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. A spokeswoman for Canadian Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said clean energy would be an important part of the summit but declined to confirm the CBC report. Currently around 13 percent of U.S. electricity comes from hydro electricity or renewable energy sources, with another 19 percent from nuclear, while about 25 percent of Mexico's electricity is from non-fossil fuel producing sources, CBC said. In Canada, 81 percent of electricity is provided by hydroelectric, solar, wind and nuclear power generation. Kuwait's emir warns against sectarian abuse on social media DUBAI, June 27 (Reuters) - Kuwait's ruler warned on Monday against the abuse of social media to stoke sectarian tensions in the small Gulf Arab country, which has a mixed Sunni and Shi'ite Muslim population. "What we are living through and seeing is the misuse of social media tools ... to spread enmity and hatred," Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah said in a message published by state news agency KUNA to mark the last 10 days of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. A suicide bombing by Sunni extremist group Islamic State at a Shi'ite mosque last June killed 27 worshippers and jolted the usually quiet kingdom, caught between the sectarian-tinged rivalry of its massive neighbours Iran and Saudi Arabia. "My brothers and my children, we remember with grief the terrorist bombing at the Imam al-Sadiq mosque ... the goal of its planning and execution in their satanic way was to ignite strife, division and prejudice among members of Kuwaiti society," the emir added, in rare remarks on sectarianism. Historically, relations between Kuwait's Sunnis, who make up between 70 and 85 percent of the country's 1.4 million citizens, and its minority Shi'ite community have been mostly amicable. France's Total wins stake in Qatar's Al-Shaheen oilfield By Tom Finn DOHA, June 27 (Reuters) - Total has won a 30 percent stake in a new 25-year contract to operate Qatar's largest offshore oilfield, officials said on Monday, in the second major upstream development deal for the French oil firm in the Gulf region in as many years. State-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP) will keep the remaining 70 percent in the new joint venture for the Al-Shaheen field, which is 80 km (50 miles) off Qatar's coast and currently produces around 300,000 barrels per day (bpd). Six international oil firms including BP and Royal Dutch Shell Plc have bid to operate the oilfield. The deal announcement on Monday is a blow to Denmark's A.P. Moller-Maersk, which has been operating the oilfield since 1992. For years it was expected that Maersk Oil would renew its 25-year production agreement on Al-Shaheen field when its licence runs out in 2017. But the Gulf state surprised the company last year by putting out a tender for the field. Maersk submitted a new bid for the field but Total has made the best offer. "Total was the best bidder, we are happy to see Total wins that process," Saad al-Kaabi, CEO of state-owned Qatar Petroleum (QP) said at a news conference in Doha on Monday. Total plans to invest more than $2 billion in developing the Al-Shaheen oilfield over five years, the company's chief executive said. "We have a plan to invest for five years 2017-2022, more than $2 billion in that field in order to integrate technology," Total's CEO Patrick Pouyanne told the news conference in Doha. "Our first objective is to maintain 300,000 barrels a day. Currently that's not a given as there's a natural decline (in production) as its a complex field," Pouyanne said. "If we have opportunities to increase production we will, there are parts of the field which have not been developed," he added. Total will be in charge with operating the oilfield starting July 14, 2017, and a new company named North Oil Company will be created to manage the joint venture, Kaabi said. The new deal is a boost for Total, which in January last year, it became the first oil major to renew a 40-year onshore concession in the United Arab Emirates, putting its peers under pressure to improve terms after the French firm made the best offer. In a statement Maersk Oil said it will be "redeploying a number of its employees which today are based in Qatar elsewhere in its global organisation." "The majority of remaining employees in Qatar are expected to be offered employment by the new operator," it added. Egypt detains popular Lebanese political talk show host CAIRO, June 27 (Reuters) - Egypt on Monday detained and moved to deport popular talk show host Liliane Daoud, security sources said, hours after the Lebanese journalist announced the cancellation of her TV programme. Daoud's detention comes amid a growing crackdown on media that has seen scores of journalists tried in court and jailed. Her show, on the privately owned OnTV network, disappeared from airwaves after the channel was sold by billionaire Egyptian investor Naguib Sawiris in May. "This is a campaign against respectable media and free journalism ... all we were doing was presenting a respectable show ... so we don't know what we are being punished for," said Amer Tamam, the programme's editor-in-chief. The show, Al-Soura Al-Kamila (the full picture), had drawn both praise and criticism for its coverage of controversial political topics only rarely explored on Egypt's predominantly pro-government airwaves. Daoud was taken from her home on Monday by passport control officials, who said her work visa was no longer valid following the cancellation of her show, security sources told Reuters. Daoud's lawyer, Ziad al-Alemi, told Reuters he had been unable to reach his client since she was detained. "Lillian Daoud has officially been enforcedly disappeared and we are going to file a police report ... we do not know where she is," Alemi said. Security sources told Reuters she was in the process of being deported. Egypt deports popular Lebanese political talk show host CAIRO, June 27 (Reuters) - Egypt on Monday arrested and deported popular talk show host Liliane Daoud, security and airport sources said, hours after the Lebanese journalist announced the cancellation of her TV programme. Daoud's deportation comes amid a growing crackdown on media that has seen scores of journalists tried in court and jailed. Her show, on the privately owned OnTV network, disappeared from airwaves after the channel was sold by billionaire Egyptian investor Naguib Sawiris in May. "This is a campaign against respectable media and free journalism ... all we were doing was presenting a respectable show ... so we don't know what we are being punished for," said Amer Tamam, the programme's editor-in-chief. The show, Al-Soura Al-Kamila (the full picture), had drawn both praise and criticism for its coverage of controversial political topics only rarely explored on Egypt's predominantly pro-government airwaves. Daoud was taken from her home on Monday by passport control officials, who said her work visa was no longer valid following the cancellation of her show, security sources told Reuters. Daoud's lawyer, Ziad al-Alemi, told Reuters he had been unable to reach his client after she was detained. "Liliane Daoud has officially been enforcedly disappeared and we are going to file a police report ... we do not know where she is," Alemi said. Airport sources later confirmed that Daoud had been placed on a plane en route to Beirut. Brazil pension reform unlikely to be passed this year -sources By Alonso Soto BRASILIA, June 27 (Reuters) - A pension reform in Brazil is unlikely to be approved before next year as lawmakers are reluctant to endorse the unpopular legislation before municipal elections in October, three government sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Interim President Michel Temer is due to unveil on Tuesday a draft of a constitutional amendment to overhaul the pension system. It is the centerpiece of his efforts to regain investor confidence and curb a massive fiscal deficit that topped 10 percent of gross domestic output (GDP) last year. Brazil's generous pension system makes up about 40 percent of public expenditures and allows many Brazilians to retire in their early 50s. Temer, the former vice president, replaced President Dilma Rousseff in May while she stands trial in the Senate on charges of breaking fiscal rules. His plans for pension reform have already drawn harsh criticism from unions in a nation that has lost nearly 2 million jobs in over a year amid a crippling recession. Temer's chief of staff, Eliseu Padilha, told Reuters this month the aim was to approve changes this year as the government seeks to quickly re-establish Brazil's fiscal credentials. However, three senior government officials, who asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the issue, said that approval of the measure could drag on until 2017 because Congress would be focused on Rousseff's trial until August and thereafter on October's elections. "Lawmakers don't even want to discuss the pension reform before the October elections," said one official who is directly involved in negotiation with Congress. He said about 100 lawmakers are planning to run for mayoral seats in elections on Oct. 2. The approval of an amendment is a lengthy process that requires three-fifths of the votes in Congress in two rounds of votes at the two houses. The process usually takes several months. "The vote could start this year but it will most likely be approved only next year," said the source. The government is considering setting a minimum age of retirement and delinking social security benefits from minimum wage increases. The reform is unpopular with Brazilians used to one of the world's most generous pension systems. The Seoul plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) ended on Thursday (June 23) without consensus on India's membership. China remained opposed to even considering India's NSG bid and managed to elicit the support of about a dozen countries. This happened despite Prime Minister Modi urging Chinese president Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit on June 23 to make a "fair and objective assessment of India's application on merit". This setback has raised many questions about the management of Indian diplomacy. A section of analysts are of the view that the NSG fiasco is rooted in Jawaharlal Nehru's foreign policy blunders. They argue that if Nehru had accepted the US offer for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), India would not have had to struggle for NSG membership today. Moreover, India today is eager for a permanent UNSC seat. However, another group of people are not ready to accept that Nehru had such an offer, but spurned it. China scuttled India's bid for NSG membership last week. Did Nehru have such an offer, and if so, why did he decline to accept it? Let's look at the documents. In 1955, Nehru said in Parliament: "There has been no offer, formal or informal, of this kind. Some vague references have appeared in the press about it which have no foundation in fact. The composition of the Security Council is prescribed by the UN Charter, according to which certain specified nations have permanent seats. No change or addition can be made to this without an amendment of the Charter. There is, therefore, no question of a seat being offered and India declining it. Our declared policy is to support the admission of all nations qualified for UN membership." Nehru made this statement in reply to a short notice question in the Lok Sabha on September 27, 1955 by JN Parekh on whether India had refused a seat informally offered to her in the United Nations Security Council. However, there are documents which claim that India did get the offer of a permanent seat in the UNSC from both the US and USSR between 1950 and 1955. According to a report in The Hindu on January 10, 2004, the then UN under-secretary general Shashi Tharoor revealed that Nehru "declined a United States offer" to India to "take the permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council" around 1953 and suggested that it be given to China. In his book Nehru: The Invention of India, Tharoor writes that Indian diplomats who have seen files swear that the country's first prime minister declined the offer about the same time as he turned down "with scorn" John Foster Dulles' support for an Indian Monroe Doctrine. Nehru had suggested that the seat, till then held by Taiwan, be offered to Beijing instead. He wrote that "the seat was held with scant credibility by Taiwan".Talking of Nehru's legacy, Tharoor said that in Nehru's time, India had no foreign policy and it was correct to say "Nehru had a foreign policy". On the other hand, S Gopal wrote in his book Jawaharlal Nehru: A Biography (volume two): "He (Jawaharlal Nehru) rejected the Soviet offer to propose India as the sixth permanent member of the Security Council and insisted that priority be given to China's admission to the United Nations." In 1955, the then prime minister of USSR, Nikolai Bulganin, offered India permanent membership in the UNSC. "Nehru showed sound judgment in rejecting it and in refusing to walk into the trap," wrote AJ Noorani wrote in Frontline. "A moment's reflection would have exposed the fatuity of the 'offer'. It would have entailed revision of the UN Charter which is subject to veto by any of the five powers - the Soviet Union included. The Americans offered the seat to India in order to keep the People's Republic of China (PRC) out, leaving the KMT regime of Taiwan to occupy China's seat. India was invited to enter into this Faustian bargain," he added. Again, a Wilson Centre report on March 11, 2015 titled "Not at the Cost of China: India and the United Nations Security Council, 1950", said both US and USSR offered India permanent membership in the UNSC but Nehru refused to accept it, and wanted to give it to China instead. Nehru's critics consider this to be as big a blunder as his "Kashmir policy", and allege that he sacrificed India's interests in the name of international morality. DOOMS- From the moment dispatch speaks, the firefighters can sense the urgency in the call. The alarm sounds, and Co. 9 puts on the nearly 40 pounds worth of gear and heads out. Being a firefighter is nothing short of being a hero. Dooms Volunteer Fire Co. hosts three daytime career, paid firefighters to watch over the company, Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. During the 12-hour day shift, the county provides two to three daytime careers to come out and support the volunteers who usually have full time jobs, Dooms Daytime Career Greg Pumphrey said. Volunteers come in and out throughout the day, but usually they take over the operation at night. So we will usually be the ones to gear up and go out to answer calls during the day. On Wednesday, The News-Virginian sat down with Co. 9 at the Dooms Fire Station waiting to see if a call would come in. Despite receiving no calls, it was still clear just how much danger firefighters put themselves in and, the amount of hard work it takes to complete their jobs. Its difficult working a company with half of the staff that a normal fire company would have, Pumphrey said. It takes a lot of teamwork between us, and we have to think smart due to our limitations of what we can do. At the beginning of the 12-hour shift, the careers show up and prepare for the day by making breakfast together and then begin their chores around the firehouse. Firehouse chores consist of mopping up the floors, checking vehicle equipment, and doing an in-depth check of each vehicle once a week. Careers are also required to complete training throughout the day, whether it be online EMS training or completing a physical work out. Most people dont understand just how much we have to do in order to remain prepared for this job, Pumphrey said. We constantly have to be completing higher training in order to learn new ways to do things and gain more experience, as well as we have to remain active in order to pass our physical training that we are tested on every year in order to remain certified. Training isnt the only part of the job, as on-scene experience is where the most important training occurs. When a firefighter appears at the scene of an accident or fire, theyre never sure what exactly they can expect. From the moment dispatch contacts the company, and the company arrives on scene, the situation could have dramatically changed from the original scenario. On this job we see things that we cant unsee, Daytime Career firefighter James Eavey said. We deal with the reality that there is death on the job, and that we can easily get injured. Every call that comes across dispatch affects people differently. The Dooms firefighters will answer calls from dispatch in Grottoes, New Hope, parts of Waynesboro, on the parkway and on the interstate. The interstate is one of the most dangerous calls that the station could respond to. One call we were on was on the interstate, and by time we had finished up with that accident, about five other accidents had happened around us, all because people just werent paying attention, Eavey said. This job is challenging, but its also a lot of fun, Pumphrey said. The pay aspect is definitely not there, but we get reward in a lot of other ways. We get to help people on their worst days, as we try to save people, pets and property. Despite the rewarding feeling that firefighters receive from doing their job, the job still takes a toll at the end of their shift. Due to the conditions that firefighters face on a daily basis, they face major health risks later in life. A lot of firefighters will end up with cancer due to the amount of toxins that we are exposed to on the job, Pumphrey said. Its also common for firefighters to die from heart attacks, because of the loud alarms that go off, especially when they go off and were startled awake. Despite the challenges that firefighters face, they have no time to second guess what challenges they will come up against. Firefighters have chosen to be a local hero, either as a career or a volunteer, because they know just how important it is to do the job. Clarice Ellinger is a news correspondent for The News-Virginian. New Delhi: India and the US are targeting a four-fold jump in bilateral trade to USD 500 billion in the near future, US Ambassador to India Richard R Verma said on June 27, exuding confidence that the goal will be met. "For the years ahead, we have set a very ambitious goal of USD 500 billion in two-way trade and investment. Given the size of our respective economies, and the trajectories we are on, I m confident we can get there. "But we can do much more to accelerate the pace, to continue to liberalise markets and to improve investor confidence," he said at the Atlantic Council US-India Trade Initiative Workshop here. With its 7.5 per cent growth rate, Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions a democratic India as a driver of the global economy, he said, adding that pivotal to this vision is the country's economic relationship with the United States. "Thankfully, our bilateral trade continues to grow, reaching a record USD 107 billion in 2015. This is more than three times bigger than it was only 10 years ago," he said. Moreover, US bilateral investment to India has grown from a mere USD 8.5 billion in 2005 to over USD 35 billion last year, he added. Last week, the government announced major FDI reforms aimed at boosting greater investment flows in to the country. Under the new rules, 100 per cent FDI is allowed in civil aviation, defence and e-commerce. Noting that the reforms India is undertaking are not going unnoticed by the US firms, he said American member companies of the US-India Business Council announced plans to invest USD 45 billion over the next two to three years. He also said the number of Indian companies operating in the US stands at an all-time high and they have invested some USD 15.3 billion. Citing an example of Aurobindo Pharma setting up a facility in Durham, North Carolina, he said the top 100 investments now employ some 91,000 American workers. "Both governments have also taken important steps to help facilitate greater economic growth and investment. For example, we elevated our economic ties by holding our first-ever Strategic and Commercial Dialogue last year. This years Dialogue will be held here in New Delhi at the end of August, and our delegation will be led by Secretary Kerry and Secretary Pritzker," he said. In an effort to identify and support the best innovators in both the US and India, the two countries also agreed to co-host next years Global Entrepreneurship Summit, he added. New Delhi: After targeting RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday attacked chief economic adviser to the government Arvind Subramanian, referring to Dr Subramanians views on the Indian economy during his tenure with the International Monetary Fund and demanding that he be sacked. However, Union finance minister Arun Jaitley backed the economic adviser, saying the government has full confidence in him. The BJP, attempting to scotch speculation that Dr Swamy's statement had government or BJP backing, said the comments were Dr Swamys personal views. The Congress dubbed Dr Swamy the undeclared spokesman of the PM and asked him to clarify the issue. Dr Subra-manian was appointed by the Modi government in 2014. Dr Swamys tirade comes in the wake of reports that Dr Subramanian is in the list of probable successors to Dr Raghuram Rajan as RBI governor. Well, the government has full confidence in CEA Arvind Subramanian. His advice to the government from time to time has been of great value, Mr Jaitley replied when asked. The project to be located in Bhedabahal village in Sudergarh district requires 1,302.36-hectare land including 17.02 hector of revenue forest land. New Delhi: A state-level green panel has recommended a stage-I forest clearance to Orissa Integrated Power for setting up a 4,000 mw ultra mega power project worth Rs 29,000 crore in Sudargarh district. "In the recent meeting, the Regional Empowered Committee (REC) recommended stage-I approval to Orissa Integrated Power for diverting 17.02 hectare forest land for its Utra Mega Power Project in Sudargarh district," a government official said. Based on the REC recommendation, the state government will give the final clearance. The project to be located in Bhedabahal village in Sudergarh district requires 1,302.36-hectare land including 17.02 hector of revenue forest land. It is estimated to diplace 1,958 families. The total project cost is estimated to be about Rs 29,000 crore and would generate over 4,500 jobs. The state government has identified 17.33 hectare of non-forest land in Kopasinga village of Sundargarh district for compensatory afforestation. Orissa Integrated Power is a wholly-owned subsidiary of state-run Power Finance Corporation. Steel sector is one of the highest contributors to the stressed assets of the banks which have total exposure of about Rs 3 lakh crore to the sector alone. New Delhi: The government is considering whether to ease the repayment mechanism further for cash- starved steel companies which are facing the crunch due to persistent slowdown. "Many steel companies have approached for further easing of repayment mechanism. We are going through their request. It is at a very preliminary stage," said a source. Earlier this month, RBI announced Scheme for Sustainable Structuring of Stressed Assets (S4A) that envisages determination of the sustainable debt level for a stressed borrower, and bifurcation of the outstanding debt into sustainable debt and equity/quasi-equity instruments which are expected to provide upside to the lenders when the borrower turns around. The gross Non Performing Assets (NPAs) of public sector banks (PSBs) increased from 5.43 per cent as of March 2015 to 7.30 per cent last December -- that is, from Rs 2,67,065 lakh crore, to Rs 3,61,731 lakh crore. Steel sector is one of the highest contributors to the stressed assets of the banks which have total exposure of about Rs 3 lakh crore to the sector alone. If the proposal gets a headway, it would provide some respite to stressed companies such as JSPL and Essar Steel, among others, who are currently in dialogue with banks for loan recast. Steel companies are facing pressure from the lenders to ensure that loan repayment is not delayed. As per the latest Reserve Banks Financial Stability Report, macro-stress test for sectoral credit risk revealed that in a severe stress scenario, among the select seven sectors, engineering, which had the highest Gross NPA ratio at 8.5 per cent as of September 2015. It could see their gross NPA ratio moving up to 14.5 per cent by March 2017, followed by iron & steel (from 8.4 per cent to 11.5 per cent) and cement (from 6.4 per cent to 11.2 per cent), it had said. New Delhi: Finance minister Arun Jaitley cut short his visit to China by a day and returned home on Sunday night. There are speculations that Mr Jaitley came earlier because he wants his party to act and rein in Dr Subramanian Swamy, who has launched a no-holds-barred attack on finance ministrys senior officials such as chief economic adviser Arv-ind Subramanian and economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das. Earlier Dr Swamy had attacked RBI governor Raghuram Rajan, who announced last week that he will not seek a second term. There were media reports that Mr Jaitley may even meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Dr Swamys attack on senior officials in his ministry. Mr Jaitley was on a five-day visit to China mainly to attend the first meeting of the Board of Governors of newly formed Asian Infrastr-ucture Investment Bank (AIIB). Mr Jaitley was scheduled to meet Chinese finance minister Lou Jiwei on Monday but the meeting was advan-ced to take place Sunday itself. His other engagements were also advanced to Sunday. Meanwhile, Mr Jaitley will meet industry associations on Tuesday to clear doubts about the four-month window provided to holders of undeclared wealth to come clean. He will explain provisions as well as clear misgivings about the one-time compliance window provided to dom-estic black money holders to pay their taxes and escape harsher penalties, as per agency reports. The domestic amnesty scheme will remain open for four months June 1 to September 30 for filing of declarations. Payments towards taxes, surcharge and penalty will have to be made latest by November 30. Actress Deepika Padukone refused to comment on reports that she will one again be a part of Sanjay Leela Bhansalis next 'Padmavati', saying she is not in a position to confirm her casting. There are reports that Bhasali will begin shooting the period drama in September. The film is based on oppressive ruler Alauddin Khiljis obsession for Rani Padmavati. Ranveer Singh will reportedly play Khilji, while Deepika, will take on the titular role. In 2008, Bhansali went to Paris to direct the 1923 opera ballet 'Padmavati', written by Albert Rousselan, for the prestigious Theatre Du Chatelet. The 'Bajirao Mastani' star, who has wrapped shooting her debut Hollywood film 'xXx: Return of Xander Cage', however said she will begin shooting her next film in September. I will begin shooting in the next two months for my next Bollywood film. I cant say which one, Deepika said on the IIFA Green carpet. On the other hand, Sanjay Leela Bhansali also preferred keeping mum when question about his next project. The 'Ram-Leela' director however hinted that he would immediately get back work for his next movie. "No time to party; rather I would get back to the next one (project) and work hard," he said while interacting with the media at the post show press conference. As per reports, 'Masaan' famed Vicky Kaushal has been finalised to play the leggy lass' husband in this love story. If things fall into place then 'Padmavati' would be Deepikas third film with Bhansali, having previously collaborated with the director on Ram Leela and 'Bajirao Mastani'. The two stars have been at loggerheads since the Queen actress hinted at Hrithik being her silly ex. Madrid: It might seem that Hrithik Roshan-Kangana Ranauts legal tussle is a thing of the past now, but the Krrish actor says he hasnt left anything behind him and things will soon be in front of everyone. Hrithik, who has mostly kept quiet about the incident, was asked at an award ceremony if he has moved on from the controversy. Nothing is behind me. Its in front of me and soon it will be in front of you, the 42-year-old actor told reporters at the 17th IIFA red carpet here. The two stars have been at loggerheads since the Queen actress hinted at Hrithik being her silly ex in an interview earlier this year. Their feud turned nasty after they slapped legal notices on each other. Hrithik asked her to tender a public apology and refuted her claim of the two having had a relationship. Kangana said she was not a dim-witted teenager and refused to apologise. She instead shot off a counter-notice to Hrithik warning him to take back his notice or face a criminal case. The victim's lawyer will file a civil and criminal case against Salman if he doesn't compensate within 15 days. Bollywood star Salman Khan has been slapped with a legal notice by a gang-rape victim from Hisar, Haryana, seeking Rs.10 crore in damages. The legal notice was filed days after the actor compared himself to a raped woman while describing his shooting schedule on the Sultan sets. A notice has been sent to Salman through Punjab and Haryana HC advocate Rajat Kalsan. According to reports, the complainant, who is still undergoing mental trauma, says she was deeply hurt by the stars remarks and added that her image was tarnished. The lawyer stated that his client is going through a a very troublesome period of psychological trauma, ever since the actor made the statement that went viral on social and print media. The lawyer states that the actors comment is solely responsible for his clients mental and psychological degradation. Reports state that if Salman fails to compensate the victim with the given amount, within 15 days, the lawyer will be forced to file a civil and criminal case against him. Salman Khan has not yet issued a public apology on the same. However, he recently joked that he should talk less these days, as whatever he says gets misinterpreted. "I will not take much time because nowadays the less I speak the better it is," Salman said at the inauguration of the IIFA awards in Sapin last week. While stars like Kangana Ranaut and Freida Pinto have bashed the actor for his insensitive comments, Arbaaz Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Kabir Khan have defended him saying that he never meant it in a wrong way. Nawazuddin Siddiqui isnt a fan of Bollywood awards nights. The actor has in the past, expressed his disapproval of such awards and rightly so, if what we hear is true of a recent awards show that concluded at a foreign location. Apparently, the actor was the first choice in the best villain category for his performance in Badlapur, but lost out on it because he wasnt present at the function. Says a source, Nawaz was shooting in Lucknow. In his absence, they gave the award to another actor. Anyway, Nawaz doesnt have faith in these awards. Apparently, Ranveer Singh, who won the best actor award for Bajirao Mastani, flew down from Paris where he was shooting for Befikre. Had he not been able to make it, the alternative was to present the award to Salman, adds the source. Theres more. A filmmaker who is in the pre-production stages of his next film, abandoned his work to receive his award, lest it be given to someone else. The source further adds, The director was busy but a call from the organisers reminding him of the importance of being present at the awards prompted him to abandon work and go for the function. The findings were published in the journal Diabetologia. Los Angeles: People born with a low birth weight due to genetic factors may have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study has found. Researchers from Tulane University in the US conducted the study on 3,627 type 2 diabetes cases and 12,974 controls of European ancestry. They created a genetic risk score (GRS) based on five low birth weight-related genetic variations known as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). The analysis showed that for each one point increase in GRS (with the score ranging from 1-10), the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increased by six per cent, researchers said. Using a statistical technique called Mendelian randomisation, they further found evidence that the low birth-weight was actually causing the excess risk in type 2 diabetes. This type of analysis, is, researchers said, a new approach for establishing causal relationships in studies of this nature. "Evidence from both population and experimental studies has suggested that restricted early life development has long-term structural and functional influence on individuals' predisposition to an increased risk of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes," researchers said. "However, to our knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the potential causal relation between low birth-weight and risk of type 2 diabetes," they added. Since low birth-weight represents restricted intrauterine growth (foetal growth), it cannot be ruled out that it is in fact the risk factors for this restricted growth that are causing the low birth-weight and in turn causing type 2 diabetes to develop, researchers said. Risk factors for restricted intrauterine growth include malnutrition, anaemia, infections and placental insufficiency, they said. Researchers found that a genetically lowered birth weight was associated with increased susceptibility to type 2 diabetes. "Our findings support a potential causal relation between birth weight and risk of type 2 diabetes, providing novel evidence to support the role of intrauterine exposures in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes," researchers said. The findings were published in the journal Diabetologia. Those who were overweight as young men were 64 percent more likely to have serious liver problems and liver-related deaths. (Photo: AFP) Being overweight at 18 to 20 years old may signal that a man is headed for severe liver disease decades later, according to a large, long-term study from Sweden. Researchers followed more than 44,000 men conscripted for military service in 1969 and 1970, and found those who were overweight as young men were 64 percent more likely to have serious liver problems and liver-related deaths in the next 40 years compared to normal weight counterparts. Most likely, these teens already had non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) at the start of the study, or developed it down the road, said lead author Dr. Hannes Hagstrom of the Center for Digestive Diseases at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. We know that some persons with NAFLD do develop severe liver disease. The researchers used national records on 44,248 Swedish men conscripted for military service, which requires a full physical exam, and tracked their health outcomes in medical registries up to 2009. By that time, 393 men had been diagnosed with severe liver disease, including reduced liver function, cirrhosis or liver-related death. Those who were overweight as teens were at the greatest risk, even after the analysis accounted for alcohol and tobacco use, according to the report in Journal of Hepatology. About 7 percent of the men had been overweight in their youth, meaning they had a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9. BMI is a measure of weight relative to height, and the range between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered normal. BMI of 30 or above is considered obese. The highest risk for severe liver disease later on in life was alcohol consumption of more than 3.5 bottles of wine per week, Hagstrom noted. However, it is already known that alcohol causes liver disease, he told Reuters Health by email. Whats new here is that being overweight/obese was associated with an increased risk independent of how much alcohol these young men were drinking. Other significant risk factors were smoking, use of narcotics, self-rated health, cardiovascular fitness and high blood pressure, Hagstrom said. The results would likely have been similar for women but thats not necessarily clear in this study, he said. A similar study of men conscripted into military service in Sweden, published in the European Heart Journal, found that young men at the high end of the normal BMI range may have a higher risk of heart failure later in life compared to their peers at the low end of normal BMI. Those in high normal range dont need to be concerned because (heart failure) is still very rare, said lead author Dr. Annika Rosengren, professor of medicine at the Sahlgrenska Academy in Gothenburg. The absolute risk is still very low. But in Sweden, heart failure is becoming more common among people younger than 45, and may continue to do so as overweight also increases, she told Reuters Health. Younger people with heart failure are frequently misdiagnosed as having asthma, since both can cause shortness of breath, she said. Theres already an incentive to try to decrease the obesity epidemic, this is just another reason for doing it, she said. Chennai: The investigation into the murder of a 24-year-old woman IT professional in full public view at a railway station was transferred to a special team of city police on Monday hours after the Madras High Court warned of suo motu intervention if there was any slackness in the probe. The Tamil Nadu government made the submission about the transfer in the probe after a bench comprising Justice S Nagamuthu and Justice V Bharthidasan posed tough questions and summoned the Public Prosecutor to clarify a news report about alleged lack of coordination between Railway and city police in investigating the case. Appearing before the bench, Public Prosecutor S Shanmuga Velayudham said the case had been handed over to a team of Nungambakkam Police headed by an Assistant Commissioner. "The DGP has passed an order transferring the investigation to Nungambakkam police. A team has been constituted, and it is headed by Assistant Commissioner of Police K P S Devaraj. The Deputy Commissioner is monitoring investigation, Cyber Crime and CB-CID are also assisting the investigation and a total of 25 police personnel are working to crack the case," he said. The bench said it was satisfied for the time being (with the government's response but cautioned the state, saying, "We will give two days time. If we feel there is slackness after two days, we will take suo motu proceedings after Chief Justice's concurrence." The victim, Swathi, employed with IT major Infosys, was allegedly hacked to death by an unidentified man on a platform in Nugambakkam railway station while she was waiting to board a suburban train on her way to office around 6.30 am on June 24. Earlier, Justice Nagamuthu lambasted the Police for not taking any steps for nearly two hours after the murder even to cover up the body of the woman. "Where were your police officers? Two hours on a platform. Even a dead person has got right to dignity under the Constitution. Even after death the girls dignity cannot be denied. Why it was lying like an exhibition for more than two hours? It speaks volumes. Why it should take so much time for police to complete the formalities? he asked. The judge also asked the Public Prosecutor as to when the case was transferred for which the latter replied it was done today. Wondering whether the decision to transfer the case was taken after the court's observations in the morning, the judge said, "The occurrence took place on Friday. Today is Monday, no breakthrough till now. "The issue appeared in newspapers and was debated very widely in the media. I have gone through various newspapers. They have reported that there is no coordination (between and that there is infighting," Justice Nagamuthu said. Denying the lack of co-ordination, the PP said the City Police Commissioner and the DGP visited the Spot. Observing that the railway police was under the control of state government, the Bench said, "You should have immediately transferred the investigation... like justice, must not only be done, but also should appear to be done. We only express our concern. Justice must be ensured to the family." The judges also asked the Public Prosecutor why there was no CCTV in the Railway Station. The Public Prosecutor responded that instructions had now been given for installing the CCTVs at all railway stations. Justice Nagamuthu observed "to induce ones thinking, we made one person to lay down her life." Hyderabad: Investigation into the murder of advocate A. Uday Kumar has revealed that he was attacked by two assailants, who burnt his car after hacking him to death. The motive was a land dispute, said the police. The main accused, Doppalapudi Lokesh Babu, 22, a trader, had suffered serious burns while he was setting ablaze the advocates body and the car. He was admitted to Gandhi Hospital on Saturday night, which helped police crack the case. Police has arrested Lokeshs friend Suman Reddy and will arrest Lokesh once he is discharged. Police said Uday Kumars father Avula Nakuludu, an ex-serviceman, had sold a five-acre plot in Jawaharnagar to Lokesh for just Rs 25 lakh. When the deal was struck, Uday Kumar was not aware of it. When he came to know about it and realised that the value of the land could be more than Rs 1 crore, he started quarreling with Lokesh. On Saturday, when Uday Kumar met Lokesh at the plot to discuss the issue, Lokesh and his friend Suman Reddy attacked him with a sickle and killed him. On the day of the murder, Uday Kumar had gone to Jawaharnagar to meet Lokesh. They had an argument. Lokesh picked up a sickle and attacked Uday and he died on the spot. Suman Reddy helped Lokesh put the body in the car, said Malkajgiri in-charge DCP E. Ramchandra Reddy. The suspects covered the body with gunny bags and waited till dark. Lokesh then went to a petrol bunk and brought five litres of petrol. He drove the victims car to Keesara near Mallanna temple and parked it at a deserted place. But when he poured the petrol over the car and set it ablaze, his clothes caught fire and he suffered burns on his chest and abdomen, police said. Police said the victims father had got the land from the government under a welfare scheme and there was no NoC from the government to sell it. After the dispute between Uday Kumar and Lokesh started, Mr Nakuludu supported his son and asked Lokesh to give back the land. Police picked up Suman Reddy and traced Lokesh to Gandhi Hospital after a tip-off. Suman has been sent to judicial custody, while Lokesh is undergoing treatment. Bengaluru: Conman Santosh Lohar (35), who was arrested in the city on Sunday for cheating over 40 higher educational institutions by promising them central government permits and affiliations to open medical and para-medical colleges and extracting huge amounts of money, had even reportedly conned the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and then Karnataka Governor H.R. Bhardwaj, who had allegedly endorsed and sent appreciation letters for his fake non-governmental organisation (NGO) - 'Council for Media and Satellite Broadcasting' (CMSB), which is said to be 'registered' under the National Capital Territory of New Delhi (NCR). Read: Conman dupes 40 colleges by posing as vice-chancellor A 2013 glossy brochure of the CMSB - 'Rendezvous 2013' (a copy of this is with DC), has a message of appreciation and "acknowledgement" of "extraordinary works in the field of media and social welfare" from the Raj Bhavan dated June 27, signed by the then Governor Bhardwaj. CMSB had held its first awards ceremony at 'Country Club,' Bellandur. In its exhaustive awards list, the Council had published the names of eminent social and health organisations and luminaries, including the cofounder of Infosys N.R. Narayan Murthy in the category of 'Indian Ambassador of the year,' former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D. Deve Gowda for 'lifetime achievement of the year' (sic) and Art of Living (Foundation) for 'excellence spiritual (sic) social organisation of the year'. It had felicitated the then director general and inspector general of police L.R. Pachuau under the 'civil servant (IPS) of the year' category. The brochure carried several appreciation letters and endorsements from top police officers, who had praised Lohar's NGO for its eminent work. In 2014, Lohar had approached the State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) with a letter of recommendation from the NHRC and asked the Secretary, SHRC to book the Conference Hall in Vidhana Soudha for their joint workshop on human rights awareness for media people. "Lohar had come with a letter from the NHRC to the then Inspector General of Police, SHRC in which the Commission, while stating that they would be keen on supporting the workshop, had asked us to verify the credibility of the organisation because their office was located in Bengaluru. On police verification, we were told that the office mentioned in his business card didnt exist. On questioning, Lohar told us that most of their work was done on the laptop and they would use an office space only when needed. Their Delhi address also turned out to be bogus. Lohar was carrying another business card in which his designation was mentioned as the advisory member of the Directorate General of Employment & Training, Ministry of Labour & Employment. We found all this very suspicious and informed the NHRC accordingly," said Secretary, SHRC, Madhu Sharma. NHRC wants state units to be cautious After an NGO from Karnataka had approached the NHRC with the forged signature of the Registrar, SHRC for funding and support, the NHRC has directed its state units to verify the credentials and credibility of all NGOs that are working in the field of human rights for renewed funding and support. "We have asked the police to verify the credibility of NGOs in their jurisdiction. Many of them have submitted proof of their registration and we have forwarded the list to the NHRC. People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL) and South India Cell for Human Rights Education & Monitoring have raised objections to police verification," said an official source from the SHRC, while adding that the commission was well within its right to involve the local police for such verification. New Delhi: The chief of SIT on black money feels it will be "difficult" for those holding untaxed assets to avoid disclosure under the ongoing one-time compliance window opened by the government after limited success of a similar scheme launched last year for those with tainted money overseas. SIT Chairman Justice (retd) M B Shah said the Income Tax department has "tightened each and every angle" under the current scheme, and hence evading disclosure under this scheme will be "hundred per cent" difficult. "The last such scheme was not successful rather it was successful to some extent in the sense that attention was drawn prominently that if something is found (at a later stage) they will be subsequently prosecuted; to some extent it had a deterrent effect. Now, this time it will be difficult (for evaders)," Shah said. He said the issue of P-notes (participatory notes) has also been "controlled" to a large extent and hence it will not be easy for tax evaders to hide their assets and funds from agencies like the Income Tax department and they will now have to disclose it to them. The SIT had last year suggested that market regulator Sebi put in place regulations that will help identify individuals holding P-Notes or offshore derivative instruments (ODIs), and take other steps required to curb black money and tax evasion through the stock market route. P-Notes are used by a large number of foreign investors to park funds in the equity market without disclosing their identity to the Sebi. Talking about the probe in the 'Panama Papers' issue, the SIT Chairman said investigating agencies are facing "difficulties" in reaching to the bottom of the matter as they are not getting specific account numbers and people named in the list are also "not disclosing" the details to the taxman. As per the research, compiled by W. Robert Johnston, the abortion percentage rose to 13.8 per cent in 2014 from 12.6 per cent in 2008 in relation to total pregnancies. Chennai: Abortions have been on a rise in the city during the period 2008 to 2014, according to a research based on inputs from the health department of Tamil Nadu. As per the research, compiled by W. Robert Johnston, the abortion percentage rose to 13.8 per cent in 2014 from 12.6 per cent in 2008 in relation to total pregnancies. Doctors attribute the rise to the increase to the cases being registered. All abortions are being done only in institutions and all cases are being registered, said Dr Sheela Rani, gynaecologist, Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. If it has been identified that the baby to be born has some problems, including Down Syndrome, abortion may be suggested in order to prevent future problems. There are other instances where continuing with the pregnancy can be detrimental to the mother's health, said Dr Nithya Ramamurthy, senior consultant gynaecologist and obstetrician, Fortis Malar Hospital. With sex, abortion and related topics being hushed, women depend on over the counter (OTC) pills used for abortion. Pharmacists do not ask for prescriptions anymore. The government should ensure that OTC sale of drugs are banned, said a senior consultant gynaecologist at a government hospital. Personally, I am against abortion and I wouldn't encourage my pati-ents to go for it, she added. With youngsters becoming more open to pre-marital sex and polygamous sexual relationships, abortions are bound to rise, doctors and NGO workers said. Probably one of the reasons for the rise in abortions is the acceptance of the concept of 'live-in relationships' in our country, said Geetha Narayanan, a researcher in the field of women's health. Despite changes seen in society in terms of growth, it has been found that some still do not accept the concept of having a girl child. As per the law, declaring the baby's gender is not allowed. However, some parents find it out and abort the baby if it's a girl, said she. There are various factors why a woman may undergo abortion. They could be social reasons, pre-marital and extra marital affairs involved, illnesses of the baby or mother and abnormality of the child, said Dr Sheela Gopinath of the department of family welfare. Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government on Monday signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with a three-nation consortium of China Huanqin Contracting and Engineering Corporation, LEPL Ventures Private Limited and Isomeric Holdings to set up a gas-based fertilizer project at Krishnapatanam with an investment of Rs 10,183 crore. The MoU was signed during Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu's ongoing visit to China, wherein he was participating in the World Economic Forum's 10th annual meeting of New Champions in Tianjin. The proposed year of commencement for the project is 2017-18, a release from the CMO here said. This project will help generate 5,000 thousand jobs, the release said. China Huanqiu, headquartered in Beijing, is an affiliate of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC). Isomeric Holdings is a Malaysian company with expertise in gas-based manufacturing projects while LEPL is a Vijayawada-based infrastructure company that also runs an airline. The Chief Minister, on the second day of his trip, also met the president of Japan External Trade Organisation Yasushi Akahoshi and discussed investment promotion in the state, the CMO release said. Later, the Chief Minister met Jan Willem Breen, president of Corporate Strategy, United Parcel Services. Jan Willem Breen noted that India is now an important destination and the company is willing to sign Business to Business and Business to Consumer agreements. Chandrababu presented him a brief on the emerging business opportunities in the state as the government intended to make it a logistics hub. New Delhi: Asha Kumari, who was appointed Congress in-charge of poll-bound Punjab, on Monday met party chief Sonia Gandhi amid indications that she may not be removed in the wake of a controversy over her conviction in a land grab case. Kumari, who is an MLA from Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh, was given one-year imprisonment by a Chamba court in February this year but is currently on bail. "Kumari will continue to be in-charge of Punjab and would focus on the poll-bound state. However, she would not continue as AICC Secretary in charge of Haryana, a responsibility she was handling for quite some time under the AICC General Secretary concerned," AICC sources said. Kumari was on Sunday appointed party in-charge of Punjab to succeed Kamal Nath, days after he resigned following an uproar by BJP, SAD and AAP over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Nath, a veteran Congress leader, had quit on June 15 as AICC in-charge of Punjab three days after his appointment. Assembly polls in Punjab are due next year. Patna: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Monday arrested Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) secretary Harihar Nath Jha in connection with the fake toppers scandal in Patna. The police said that Jha was arrested after evidences related to scam were found against him. According to highly placed sources, Harihar Nath Jha is considered one of the key persons who can uncover many hidden links related to the scandal. The police arrested Jha after he was questioned by the SIT on Monday. Earlier on June 6 the police had registered an FIR against him. Jhas role seems vital in this case as former BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Singh kept taking his name during interrogation, the police said after Jha was arrested. Jha was arrested after the SIT found evidences which suggested that he had tampered the evaluation and answer sheets. The SIT is said to have recovered answer sheets from Kaimur district which indicates his involvement in the scandal. The SIT found his signatures on various documents which proved his involvement and they are also investigating his role in tampering with mark sheets, a source said. So far around 20 persons including former BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Singh, his wife Usha Sinha, Vishun Rai College Principal Bachcha Rai and humanities topper Ruby Rai have been arrested. Meanwhile, on Monday while opposing Ruby Rais arrest and charges levelled against her an organisation Prayas threatened to file a PIL in Patna High Court for, keeping a minor in jail. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle Prayas State Programme Director, Suresh Kumar said, The police cannot arrest the minor. In toppers scandal case the arrested student is a victim and minor and her rights are being violated. We will file a PIL in Patna High Court on Wednesday. Earlier the opposition had opposed the arrest of Ruby Rai and had slammed the state government saying that, students were being punished for mistakes of the system. Police had arrested Ruby Rai after she failed in her re- examination on Saturday. Swathi, employed with IT major Infosys, was allegedly hacked to death by an unidentified man on a platform in the busy Nugambakkam railway station on Friday. (Photo: CCTV grab) Chennai: Police on Sunday released CCTV images of a suspect in the murder of a 24-year-old woman IT professional at a railway station in Chennai. The images show a man wearing a blue shirt crossing the tracks and jumping outside the railway station premises. Read: Woman techie hacked to death at Chennai railway station The footage was acquired from a nearby house, police said. Swathi, employed with IT major Infosys, was allegedly hacked to death by an unidentified man on a platform in the busy Nugambakkam railway station on Friday. She was waiting to board a train on her way to office around 6:30 am when she was murdered. No arrest has been made so far. Read: Relationship issue led to murder of Chennai Infosys techie in 6 minutes? Meanwhile, a candle light vigil was held in memory of Swathi in Chennai on Sunday. Various members of civil society participated in the vigil held at the Nungambakkam railway station, where the Infosys employee was found murdered. IT professionals and others participated in the vigil and stressed for better safety of working women. Of the 4,096 km-long border that India shares with Bangladesh, 856 km falls in Tripura. (Photo: Representational Image/PTI) New Delhi: The Centre has directed completion of fencing along the India-Bangladesh border in Tripura by March next year. The directive was issued by Secretary, Border Management, in the Union Home Ministry Susheel Kumar to agencies erecting a fence along the border in Tripura sector. This comes weeks after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh ordered that fencing along India-Bangladesh border in Assam be completed by June 2017. Infiltration and smuggling are major problems for both Assam and Tripura. During a visit to the northeastern state on Sunday, Kumar had held a meeting with senior officials of the state, BSF and the construction agencies to review the works undertaken under Border Areas Development Programme (BADP), besides some others. The Secretary has directed all the agencies to complete the work of erecting the fencing by March 2017, a Home Ministry statement said. Of the 4,096 km-long border that India shares with Bangladesh, 856 km falls in Tripura. Kumar also said the issues regarding shifting of border population towards the home side of the fencing should be resolved amicably by the state government and BSF by engaging with people constructively. The Secretary also called on Tripura?Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and discussed with him various issues related to the progress of border fencing work and border management. Kumar expressed satisfaction over the progress of the works undertaken in the border areas. However, he said the work being executed by the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC) in the most important eastern segment of the state needs to be expedited. Kumar also visited remote and hilly area of Tripura North and Dhalai districts of the state and reviewed the progress of construction of the border road and fencing. At the strategically located Khantalang Border Out Post, the Secretary interacted with the field commanders and jawans of BSF. Swathi, employed with IT major Infosys, was allegedly hacked to death by an unidentified man on a platform in Nugambakkam Railway Station on June 24. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: Madras High Court on Monday summoned Tamil Nadu Public Prosecutor and directed him to give his clarification on a media report alleging lack of coordination between Railway Police and local police on the probe into the murder of a 24-year-old woman IT professional at a railway station here. Taking serious view of the report, a division bench comprising justices S Nagamuthu and V Bharathi Dasan asked Public Prosecutor S Shanmuga Velayutham to verify from the authorities concerned whether there was non-coordination between departments and give his clarification on the matter by 3 pm. If it was found that there was non-coordination, court will have to suo motu monitor the case, the judge said. Read: Woman techie hacked to death at Chennai railway station Justice S Nagamuthu, who lead the bench, while taking serious view of the statement of City Police Commissioner that the case will not come in the jurisdiction of the city police, asked the PP whether there is any truth in it. The police official had stated that though it will not come under their jurisdiction, they will cooperate with the Railway Police into the investigation of the case. The judge said the court has a social responsibility to monitor these types of cases. Read: Relationship issue led to murder of Chennai Infosys techie in 6 minutes? Swathi, employed with IT major Infosys, was allegedly hacked to death by an unidentified man on a platform in Nugambakkam Railway Station here on June 24. She was waiting to board a train on her way to office around 6.30 am when she was murdered. Read: CCTV images of suspect in Chennai Infosys techie's murder released The judge, while referring to another incident of acid attack on a woman in Puducherry some years back, also said the Supreme Court had already issued several guidelines regulating sale of acid and asked whether these guidelines were scrupulously followed or not. Warangal: Warangal may be touted as an education hub by the state government, but it is also becoming the centre for illegally- run schools. Being the second largest city in the state, Warangal has been attracting many international businesses and the state government itself is sending IT companies and educational institutions like IIM to Warangal. As a result, Warangal is also becoming a business hub. For those people who could turn anything into business, Warangal is the best choice to set up a school and make easy money. A colourful school board on any building claiming modern facilities for students and by convincing the parents to shell out money so that their kids would score top ranks in IIT, Eamcet, is all that is needed to make profit of several crores. They bribe the right people with contacts and get the necessary permissions. There are about 1,600 private schools in the district and at least 100 such schools. Due to the lack of proper vigilance by the education department in the district, these illegal schools make hay while the sun shines. Parents who are particular about where their child studies, whether it has bus facility, if IIT training is given, fail to see through such schools and get taken in for a ride. The education department conducts raids and shuts down some schools at the beginning of the academic year and then conveniently turns a blind eye over the issue. Recently the education department conducted raids on some private schools in Mahbubabad, Kazipet, and Hanamkonda and shut them down. In Hanamkonda alone, five schools were shut down recently. On Saturday, a school in Kazipet was closed after the locals complained to the collector. DEO P. Rajiv said they are not sparing any schools which are found without required permissions. We have many other schools on our radar. We will conduct raids on them too. If any private school is found to be illegal, we are closing it. We will also ensure the school managements return the fees paid by the students, he said. The AIIMS hospital was sanctioned for the valley but you sanctioned another AIIMS hospital for Jammu after an agitation there, says independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid. (Photo: PTI/Representational Image) Srinagar: National Conference and Congress on Monday staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly in support of independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid's allegation that the PDP-BJP government was discriminating against Kashmir Valley and favouring Jammu region. Rashid had raised the question whether the government had any plans to set up an IIT and an IIM in Kashmir at par with Jammu region of the state. Minister for Education Naeem Akhtar in his reply said the IIM was sanctioned to Jammu under the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan and there was a possibility of setting up an out-campus in the Valley. "The matter of IIT and IIM would be taken up with the Government of India at appropriate time after the establishment of main campus at Jammu," he said. Raising supplementary to his question, Rashid asked whether the government would sanction these institutes for the Valley only after local people take to streets as was done in Jammu while demanding an AIIMS hospital for the region. "The AIIMS hospital was sanctioned for the valley but you sanctioned another AIIMS hospital for Jammu after an agitation there. Do you want people of Kashmir to do the same," he said. The minister defended the government's decision to have separate AIIMS for Jammu and Kashmir regions, saying they were required to improve the healthcare sector of the state. Akhtar said admissions to IIT and IIM were open for students from all regions of the state as well as from the rest of the country. His remarks infuriated Valley-based MLAs from National Conference and Congress who staged a walkout from the house. They alleged PDP came to power on the promise of ending regional discrimination but was fuelling it against the people of Kashmir. Rashid also later walked out of the house. National Conference (NC) members also staged walkout twice from the Legislative Council against encroachment of Wakf land in Jammu and failure of the government to table inquiry report of Handwara incident. The first time the NC legislators staged the walkout was after their demand for constituting a House Committee to probe the encroachment of Wakf land at Gole Market in Gandhi Nagar in Jammu was rejected by the government and Legislative Council Chairman Anayat Ali. The issue of the encroachment was raised by Bashir Veeri who demanded setting up of a House Committee to probe the whole matter. His demand was supported by all of his party colleagues. However, the demand was rejected by the government which assured the House that the land would be vacated. Minister for Roads and Buildings Abdul Rehman Veeri said there is a need to look into the matter and gradually the land would be retrieved. "What you could not do in 40 years, why do you expect the Minister to do it now," he told the opposition NC members. The opposition members were not satisfied with the minister's reply and walked out from the House. They once again walked out of the House after party NC MLC Qaiser Jamsheed Lone raised the matter of killings in Handwara following molestation charges, saying despite government's assurance, the probe report has not been tabled in the House. "The government said the report will be tabled in two days. However, a month has passed, but it has not been tabled," Lone said. He was supported by his party colleagues, who demanded the inquiry report be tabled. However, there was no response from either the government or the Council Chairman and the NC MLCs staged walkout from the House. The Cabinet Secretariat has recently issued instructions in this regard to secretaries of all the ministries. (Representational photo: file) New Delhi: All central government ministries have been asked to highlight their achievements by putting online the details of the work undertaken by them on a monthly basis for greater transparency. The Cabinet Secretariat has recently issued instructions in this regard to secretaries of all the ministries. In order to ensure greater transparency and availability of information in public domain, it has been decided that henceforth, all ministries and departments may upload, on a monthly basis, their major achievements, significant developments and important events for the month on their official websites, the instructions said. Senior officials in the Cabinet Secretariat said it has been observed that some of the departments are hesitant in putting governance-related information in public domain. The secretaries will be responsible for ensuring that maximum information is put in public domain, they said. The Centre had recently asked all ministries to update their websites. Over 920 websites of various departments had failed quality audits following which the secretaries were asked to ensure that there is up-to-date governance related information on the websites and no "page under construction" links. The availability of information in public domain will also result in less number of Right to Information (RTI) applications filed by people with the ministries, the officials said. M K Stalin on Monday expressed concern over the recent spate of murders in the city, including that of a 24-year-old IT professional. (Photo: Twitter/ANI) Chennai: DMK Treasurer M K Stalin on Monday expressed concern over the recent spate of murders in the city, including that of a 24-year-old IT professional, and urged the government to take swift action to prevent crimes. Speaking to reporters after visiting the family of S Swathi, who was found murdered here on Friday, the Opposition Leader in Tamil Nadu Assembly said following such incidents, women, both working and those at home, were concerned. "I urge that those in government should completely involve themselves in immediately stopping this (incidents of crime)," he said. Stalin said he was 'moved' by the contention of the family members of Swathi that nobody else should suffer such loss. "I was shocked after coming to know that Swathi was murdered at the Nungambakkam railway station," he said. Swathi, employed with IT firm Infosys, was found murdered at the Nungambakkam railway station with cut injuries on her face and neck. Police is yet to make arrests in this regard. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday disapproved of party MP Subramanian Swamy's attacks on RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and some top finance ministry officials saying they were "inappropriate". Calling Rajan "no less patriotic", he virtually ticked off Swamy saying "if anybody considers himself above the system, then it is wrong". The Prime Minister's comments assume significance in the context of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the BJP distancing themselves from Swamy's recent attacks on Rajan, CEA Arvind Subramananian and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das. Swamy also had made some carping comments about Jaitley without taking his name. "Whether it is in my party or not, I think such things are inappropriate. This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong," the Prime Minister said in an interview to a news channel. Modi was asked whether recent comments made by "your Rajya Sabha MP" were appropriate. The scribe said senior government officials continue to be criticised despite Modi's recent advice to his leaders that decorum be maintained. "Some are fond of publicity. My message is very clear. I have no confusion about it," Modi replied. Modi then praised Rajan, who has said no to a second term in the RBI, saying he was patriotic and would continue to serve India irrespective of whether he was in some position or not. "My experience with him has been good and I appreciate the work he has done. He is no less patriotic. He loves India. Wherever he will work, he will work for India," Modi said in an apparent riposte to Swamy's attack that Rajan was "not mentally fully Indian". The Prime Minister rubbished apprehensions that Rajan would not be allowed to complete his term. Police detain AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya in New Delhi on Saturday for allegedly misbehaving with a group of women who had gone to him to complain about water crisis. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Delhi's Saket court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya, who was arrested on Saturday on charges of molestation and sexual harassment. The court also extended Mohaniya's judicial custody till July 11. "There is no change in the circumstances in the last 2 days to interfere with the duty magistrate's June 25 order. This second bail application of accused is dismissed," Metropolitan Magistrate Bhavna Kalia said. The MLA was booked on June 23 for allegedly misbehaving with a group of women who had approached him with a complaint regarding water crisis in their locality. An FIR was lodged at South Delhi's Neb Sarai Police Station. Opposing the bail plea, police submitted that if relief was granted, Mohaniya could influence the probe which was still on against the other accused persons. Senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing on behalf of the politician during in chamber proceedings, submitted that there was a delay of 11 hours in lodging the FIR and the offences alleged were bailable. He also told the court that the statement of a woman was recorded two days after lodging of complaint and there was no basis to consider it. The counsel said the allegations levelled against the accused were false as the gap of two days gave time to police to frame the politician. Phoolka also said the offence under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of IPC cannot be attracted as there was no intention on the part of Mohaniya to molest or tear clothes of the alleged victims. Mohaniya was arrested amidst high drama when he was addressing a press conference, triggering an angry reaction from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal who accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of declaring an "emergency" in Delhi. However, the MLA had rubbished the allegations, saying it was an attempt to defame his reputation as the water mafia is frustrated because of the Delhi government's crackdown. Mohaniya, who is also vice chairman of Delhi Jal Board, was virtually dragged from his seat by a police official when he was talking to reporters at his office. Mohaniya was booked under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 354 C (voyeurism) of the IPC. Another case was registered against Mohaniya for allegedly slapping a 60-year-old man in Tughlaquabad area on Friday. Case was registered under Sections 323 (punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 341(punishment for wrongful restraint) and 34 (act done by several persons) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Govindpuri Police Station. Mohaniya is the eighth AAP MLA to be arrested by Delhi Police since the party came to power for the second time in Delhi February 2015. New Delhi: Notwithstanding China objecting to India's entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday exuded confidence that the country will get membership of the bloc and the process for it has begun on a "positive note". Modi said India has a number of problems with China and efforts are on to resolve them one-by-one through talks. The editor of a news channel asked whether Modi was disappointed as China blocked India's NSG bid and how close India was to getting the membership, Modi said things will move forward as per rules. India faced stiff opposition from China and a few other countries and the fact that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was used for foiling India's bid at the Seoul meeting despite the US' strong backing. The Prime Minister said previous governments have made consistent efforts for getting membership of the UN Security Council, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and NSG. "It is not only our government which has made the effort, this is in continuity and it is in our tenure that SCO and MTCR membership has been achieved. I am fully confident that we have begun efforts in the direction of NSG (membership), formally. Asked about China scuttling India's NSG bid and its efforts to get Masood Azhar banned by the UN despite Modi's frequent interactions with Chinese President Xi Jingping, the Prime Minister said efforts are on to resolve issues with China through talks. "We have an ongoing dialogue with China and it should continue. In foreign policy, it is not necessary to have similar views to have a dialogue. Even when there are contradictions, talks are the only way forward and problems should be resolved through dialogue. "We dont have just one problem with China, so many issues are pending. Slowly and steadily efforts are on to find solutions to them one-by-one," said Modi. He said China has also been cooperative towards finding solutions. "But there are some issues on which we differ from them. But the most important thing is that we are now talking to China eye-to-eye and boldly raising issues of Indian interests. Three days back I met the Chinese President and strongly put forward issues relating to India's interests," he said. On cross-border terrorism, Narendra Modi said having taken risky initiatives, India would have to be "alert and conscious" at all times but wondered with whom in Pakistan lines can be drawn for conducting talks -- with the elected government or "other actors". He also said India would have to drive home the advantage of the fact that the world was now convinced of its views on terrorism from across the border. India will have to continue putting forth its views on this matter, Modi said. "With whom in Pakistan do we draw the lakshman rekha on talks -- with an elected government or with other actors? India will have to be alert and conscious at all times. There should not be any laxity and negligence," he told a news channel. Modi was asked what was the 'lakshman rekha' for holding talks with Pakistan. In 2014, the government had said talks should be only between the two countries and not with the Hurriyat. Then came the request to them to act quickly on 26/11 and the Pathankot attacks. The Prime Minister said he no longer had to convince the world about India's stand on terrorism. He has made consistent efforts with the neighbour given his visit to Lahore or inviting the Pakistan Prime Minister to India, Modi said. "We are not the obstacle to talks," Modi said. "The world now is praising India's role. Pakistan is finding it difficult to answer. The world is watching. Earlier the world would not buy India's theory on terrorism and sometimes it would even treat terrorism as a law and order problem. Now the whole world is accepting what India says on terrorism. It is accepting the loss caused to India by terrorism, the loss caused to humanity by terrorism. I believe India will have to continue putting forth its view on this matter," the Prime Minister said. Breaking his silence on party MP Subramanian Swamy's attacks on RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan and some top finance ministry officials, Modi said the remarks were "inappropriate". Calling Rajan "no less patriotic", he virtually ticked off Swamy saying "if anybody considers himself above the system, then it is wrong". The Prime Minister's comments assume significance in the context of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and the BJP distancing themselves from Swamy's recent attacks on Rajan, CEA Arvind Subramananian and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das. Swamy also had made some carping comments about Jaitley without taking his name. "Whether it is in my party or not, I think such things are inappropriate. This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong," the Prime Minister said in an interview to a news channel. Modi was asked whether recent comments made by "your Rajya Sabha MP" were appropriate. The scribe said senior government officials continue to be criticised despite Modi's recent advice to his leaders that decorum be maintained. "Some are fond of publicity. My message is very clear. I have no confusion about it," Modi replied. Modi then praised Rajan, who has said no to a second term in the RBI, saying he was patriotic and would continue to serve India irrespective of whether he was in some position or not. "My experience with him has been good and I appreciate the work he has done. He is no less patriotic. He loves India. Wherever he will work, he will work for India," Modi said in an apparent riposte to Swamy's attack that Rajan was "not mentally fully Indian". The Prime Minister rubbished apprehensions that Rajan would not be allowed to complete his term. On the stalled GST bill, Modi said the Congress has made it a prestige issue but expressed confidence that the evolving arithmetic in Rajya Sabha would ensure that the legislation would be passed soon. "GST is beneficial for the poor people of the states represented by them, because those states will economically benefit the most from GST...This is why be it Mamata Banerjee, be it Nitish Kumar, be it Akhilesh Yadav or Naveen Patnaik, all these states want the GST bill to be passed at the earliest. "There is just one group which has made it the issue of prestige. Now the kind of arithmetic which is working out, I hope that this decision is passed in favour of the poor," he said. Referring to the discussions he had with former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi, Modi said he had made all efforts and held talks at every level. "...But despite this, I will keep trying. I am ready to convince them in which ever way possible. If I have to convince someone over a cup of tea at their house, I am even ready for that. I have no problem. My only aim is the welfare of the poor of my country and the poor of states like Uttar Pradesh," he said. To a question on the coming elections in Uttar Pradesh and whether he would ensure that there would be no communal agenda, the Prime Minister said development would be the focus and that is the way the country would progress. "It's my conviction, it's my commitment. You must have seen during the 2014 elections that I fought elections on the issue of development. The new generation of the country only believes in development. I believe that solution to all problems is in development. On hotheads triggering communal tensions, he said the media should not make heroes out of those people who make such comments. "Don't make them heroes, they will stop. Why do you make them so big? I see such statements by people on TV, whose faces I haven't even seen and they end up becoming spokesmen on TV," he said. Conceding "there have been a lot of problems" in Parliament because of disruptions, he blamed the Congress saying a party which has been in power for 60 years and which knows nitty gritties cannot behave in a way a new opposition party behaves. "A party which hasn't been in power or hasn't seen anything, could behave in this way. For example, we are in power now, and consider in 2040 we become the Opposition party. So, in 2040 we can't have the same conduct as the one we had in 2009 or 2010," he said. 115 remote villages in hilly areas will get power supply for first time in coming months. Chennai: Soon 115 villages in remote forest areas in the state will get the electricity supply for the first time to light up their huts through solar power. Though Tamil Nadu has achieved 100 per cent electrification of villages in 1992, there are habitations located in remote areas, where conventional power supply is not feasible, had remained un-electrified. Let there be light The 115 remote villages in hilly forest areas had remained without power supply as these areas remained out of bounds of the power grid. Hence, we have decided to provide power supply through solar plants to ensure minimum of lighting and charging of mobiles, a senior Tangedco official said. As per the proposal, 5,787 households in remote areas in 12 districts would be provided with power supply with battery back up to light three LED bulbs with four watts capacity each for six hours a day and a point to charge mobile phones, a senior Tangedco official said. We have awarded contract to three firms to execute the Rs 7 crore project. Due to the elections, the works could not be commenced. Now the works are underway and it would be executed in coming months, he said. A centralised solar plant with battery back up would be installed in the villages to supply power to the houses, the official said. The 115 habitations located in Theni, Madurai, Dindigul, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari, Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Salem, Erode, Vellore and Dharmapuri districts would be electrified. By providing off-grid solar power supply to the remote villages, the Tangedco would not get any revenue out of it, the official said, adding that the Tangedco would avail the carbon credit for reducing carbon emissions through the clean development mechanism for the revenue. As per the Census 2011, about 1.72 crore households in Tamil Nadu use electricity for lighting purpose as against the total number of households of 1.84 crore. About 81,962 households in the state dont have electricity or kerosene or other lighting sources. IT department has filed 55 prosecution complaints before criminal courts in the ICIJ cases. In the HSBC Geneva case, prosecution proceedings have been launched in 75 cases. (Photo: File/ Representational Image) New Delhi: The income tax authorities have unearthed Rs 13,000 crore of black money from just two sets of information received in 2011 and 2013. According to a report, the governments crackdown on those holding undisclosed income has yielded hundreds of cases of such income stashed in banks like HSBC, Geneva. The details were received from the French government in 2011, and the unaccounted for income amounts to Rs 8,186 crore. Read: Difficult to avoid disclosure under new scheme: SIT chief on black money This is the highest ever disclosure from offshore bank accounts. It has raised a tax demand of Rs 5,377 crore against such account holders till March 31, 2016. In the HSBC case, the government had received information about 628 bank accounts. Of these, at least 213 were found "not actionable" as they either had no money in them or they belonged to non-resident Indians. Also, in some cases, the entities remained untraceable. The other set of information disclosed in 2013 appeared on the website of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). IT officials have discovered undisclosed income of over Rs 5,000 crore in foreign bank accounts of over 700 Indians. Read: Mann Ki Baat: Declare undisclosed assets by September 30, says Modi So far, the IT department has filed 55 prosecution complaints before criminal courts in the ICIJ cases on charges of wilful attempt to evade tax, says the report. In the HSBC Geneva case on the other hand, prosecution proceedings have been launched in 75 cases. The Enforcement Directorate can now initiate action under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), since the criminal courts have taken cognisance of the matter. There is however, relief for some individuals whose names had appeared on the ICIJ website. They have made declarations under the black money declaration window scheme, which the government had launched for a limited period during 2015. But there will be no respite for those against whom IT authorities have already launched a probe, the report says. Peter Mukerjea is escorted after being produced by the CBI at the Esplanade court in Mumbai (Photo: PTI) Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday asked CBI for its response on the bail plea of former media baron Peter Mukerjea, arrested for his alleged involvement in the murder of his wife Indrani's daughter Sheena Bora. Justice Revati Mohite Dere who issued notice to CBI, posted Peter's application for hearing on July 7. He has approached the high court seeking bail after the sessions court rejected his plea on two occasions. Peter, who was arrested in November last year by the agency, in his bail application on Saturday assailed the lower court orders rejecting his petition, and said there is nothing incriminating against him in the charge sheet. Others who were arrested in the case were Indrani, her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and her former driver Shyamvar Rai. Rai has been made an approver and granted pardon. In his plea, Peter has questioned the lower court's refusal to grant him bail on the ground that the probe was still on. It said a further probe once the charge sheet has been filed has no fixed deadline, and merely mentioning that the investigation was still was not a fair ground to keep a man in custody indefinitely. He was arrested on the day CBI filed its first charge sheet in the court against Indrani, Khanna and Rai, who were arrested last August. "There is still not an iota of evidence against Peter, and he has been kept behind bars only on suspicion. An arrest on mere suspicion based only on calls at odd hours is extremely tenuous," the application said. According to the prosecution, Sheena was murdered on April 24, 2012, but the crime came to light after the arrest of Rai in another case in August 2015. Key accused Indrani, Khanna and Rai had allegedly strangled Sheena (24), Indrani's daughter from an earlier relationship, inside a car. Sheena's body was found in a forest in Raigad. The crime, which came to light in August last year, is allegedly linked to certain financial dealings. According to CBI, Peter was part of the murder conspiracy. While Peter and Khanna are lodged in Arthur Road prison, Indrani (43) is in Byculla jail. Hyderabad: Telangana state judges on Sunday decided to submit resignations to Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan in protest against the decision of options being given to judges of Andhra Pradesh origin. After assembling at the Gun Park, they moved towards Raj Bhavan to submit their resignations to the Governor. When they reached the Khairatabad junction, police stopped them stating they had no permission for the rally. Speaking to the media, the judges said that the appointment of AP origin judges in Telangana was against sections 77 and 80 of the AP Reorganisation Act. Later, the police allowed five judges under the leadership of Mr Ravinder Reddy to meet the Governor. They explained to the Governor how Telangana advocates and judges had lost opportunities due to the options. They said injustice was done to the Telangana origin judges in the preliminary allotment of judges. The judges told the media that they would attend duties on Monday as decided earlier. But, if they do not get a positive response from the government, all the judges would go on two days leave. On June 29, we shall me-et again and will go for 15 days mass leave if we do not get any response from government, they said. New Delhi: Having taken risky initiatives on terrorism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said India would have to be "alert and conscious" at all times but wondered with whom in Pakistan lines can be drawn for conducting talks -- with the elected government or "other actors". He also said India would have to drive home the advantage of the fact that the world was now convinced of its views on terrorism from across the border. India will have to continue putting forth its views on this matter, Modi said. "With whom in Pakistan do we draw the lakshman rekha on talks -- with an elected government or with other actors? India will have to be alert and conscious at all times. There should not be any laxity and negligence," he told a news channel. Modi was asked what was the 'lakshman rekha' for holding talks with Pakistan. In 2014, the government had said talks should be only between the two countries and not with the Hurriyat. Then came the request to them to act quickly on 26/11 and the Pathankot attacks. The Prime Minister said he no longer had to convince the world about India's stand on terrorism. He has made consistent efforts with the neighbour given his visit to Lahore or inviting the Pakistan Prime Minister to India, Modi said. "We are not the obstacle to talks," Modi said. "The world now is praising India's role. Pakistan is finding it difficult to answer. The world is watching. Earlier the world would not buy India's theory on terrorism and sometimes it would even treat terrorism as a law and order problem. Now the whole world is accepting what India says on terrorism. It is accepting the loss caused to India by terrorism, the loss caused to humanity by terrorism. I believe India will have to continue putting forth its view on this matter," the Prime Minister said. New Delhi: Despite immense pressure from several quarters, including Bollywood, for the removal of Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalani for his repeated controversial decisions concerning censoring of films, it seems that the Central Board of Film Certification chairperson is likely to stay on in his position and complete his tenure. It is learnt that despite repeated controversies over the past several months Nihalani has a solid backing of the PMO, effectively helping him save his job as the Censor Board chief. Appointed in January 2015 the film maker is likely to finish his three year term which ends in January 2018, sources stated. Hyderabad: The plans of the TS government to set up World Trade Centre in Hyderabad along the lines of Mumbai and Bengaluru got a boost on Monday with the Centre giving in-principle approval to fund the project. With this, Hyderabad will join the global network of World Trade Centres, a hub for international businesses. It will be the third city in the country to have a WTC. WTCs are currently located in 100 countries. The government plans to set up WTC in PPP mode on the citys outskirts. It will seek a licence from the World Trade Centres Association (WTCA). The WTCA, headquartered in New York City, was established in 1970 as a non-profit organisation to promote growth of international trade. Industries minister K.T. Rama Rao met Union commerce minister Nirmala Sitharaman in New Delhi and sought financial assistance from the Centre. Mr Rao later told reporters that the Union minister gave in-principle approval and asked the state government to submit detailed proposals. Mr Rao also sought multi-product SEZs, dry port and tax concessions for TS as promised during bifurcation of AP and expedite Cabinet clearance to two industrial corridors along Hyderabad-Warangal and Hyderabad-Nagpur highways. Mr Rao also sought Rs 1,500 crore for Pharma City, to set up world-class affluent treatment plant and the minister approved Rs 200 crore in the first phase. He brought to the notice of the minister that there was only one Central SEZ commissioner for both AP and TS, who is stationed in Vizag and sought the same to TS. Mr Rao also sought a dry port in TS, since the state is landlocked. TS has higher number of SEZs over AP. But we have no multi-product SEZs. We sought two multi-SEZs and dry port at a single location so that it would be suitable for imports and exports. We also requested to bear some portion of transportation charges on imports and exports from dry port. The minister told us that the Centre is in the process of devising a dry ports policy in this regard and Telangana would be considered for a pilot project for implementing this, Mr Rao said. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday made it clear that development will be the main issue for the BJP during the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. In an interview to a television channel, he urged the media not to make heroes out of rabble-rousers who are trying to polarise the state on communal lines. Strongly disapproving of Rajya Sabha Subramanian Swamy questioning RBI governor Raghuram Rajans patriotism, Mr Modi, without naming Mr Swamy, said that people must refrain from engaging in publicity stunts. The Prime Minister said, I believe Raghuram Rajans patriotism is no less than any of ours, and added, Whether it is in my party or not, still I think such things are inappropriate. This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong. On the ongoing AgustaWestland helicopter scam, the Prime Minister, while refraining from mentioning the UPA, indicated that those involved in it appeared to be quite wily and knew how to go about the deal. He, however, ruled out any political witch-hunt in the probe, saying that the investigating agencies will do a professional job and whatever names come up, lets see. He did however, at the same time, say that a sin has been committed and those behind it have had a big protective cover. On the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, the Prime Minister said that vikas would be the focus as that is the only way the country can progress. Read: Indo-Pak ties: Whom to talk to in Pakistan, asks Narendra Modi Its my conviction, its my commitment. You must have seen during the 2014 elections that I fought elections on the issue of development. The new generation of the country only believes in development. I believe that the solution to all problems is in development, he said. Later in the interview he called himself an apolitical Prime Minister who, except during elections, never talks of politics. On hotheads triggering communal tensions, he said that the media should not make heroes out of those people. Dont make them heroes, they will stop. Why do you make them so big? I see such statements by people on TV, whose faces I havent even seen and they end up becoming spokesmen on TV, he said. Read: Dont do it for publicity, Modi finally sends message to Subramanian Swamy Conceding that there have been a lot of problems in Parliament because of disruptions, he blamed the Congress and said that a party which has been in power for 60 years and which knows the nitty-gritty cannot behave in a way a new Opposition party behaves. A party which hasnt been in power or hasnt seen anything could behave in this way. For example, we are in power now, and consider in 2040 we become the Opposition party. So, in 2040 we cant have the same conduct as the one we had in 2009 or 2010, he said. When asked about the lack of growth in terms of jobs, the Prime Minister claimed that the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana has helped in providing money to around three crore people involved in small businesses. This will help shopkeepers to keep their businesses open till late hours, just like malls function all week without a break. Once small business persons start expanding their work, they will require more helping hands and this will create more jobs, he said. Responding to rising inflation and higher prices of edible items, like cereals, Mr Modi said that the pace of inflation has come down compared to the rate at which it grew during the previous governments tenure. Also, the prevailing drought for two consecutive years led to price rise... As stocks of pulses were inadequate they had to be imported, so their prices went up, he said. The Prime Minister said that he has often been asked about the issue of excessive elections in the country, which keep taking place almost every year. He said that even senior leaders from other parties recently asked him to find out a way. Asked whether the BJP will take a call on holding Assembly as well as Lok Sabha elections simultaneously, he said, It is for the Election Commission to initiate a discussion on electoral reforms... the body is respected by all parties and it should take the lead in this. Airing his views on his initial experience of governance after becoming Prime Minister, Mr Modi said that he was new to Delhi and had never been an MP before, but has tried his best to deliver on most promises made during the Lok Sabha elections. For me, the Prime Ministers post was not a padbhaar but karyabhaar. Delhi was new for me, and the government was new, yet in a small span of time the nation has grown in every aspect, Mr Modi said. He said that social inclusion has been the base of his economic policies. These are based on the principle of antyodaya, which was propagated by Deen Dayal Upadhyay and even Gandhi spoke about it. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday warned those who hold black money to declare it under the new amnesty scheme by September 30. He said that to deal with the menace of black money, he has prematurely retired many officials for non-performance in the income-tax department and transferred those who were in the same place for decades. However, Mr Modi said, he has also directed his officials not to harass people. On the stalled GST bill, Mr Modi said the Congress has made it a prestige issue but expressed confidence that the evolving arithmetic in the Rajya Sabha will ensure that the legislation would be passed soon. The GST is beneficial for the poor people of the states represented by them (chief ministers who support GST), because those states will economically benefit the most from GST... This is why, be it Mamata Banerjee, be it Nitish Kumar, be it Akhilesh Yadav or Naveen Patnaik, all these states want the GST Bill to be passed at the earliest, the Prime Minister said in an interview to a TV channel. Referring to the discussions he had with former PM Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr Modi said he had made all efforts and held talks at every level. I will keep trying. I am ready to convince them. If I have to convince someone over a cup of tea at their house, I am even ready for that. I have no problem. My only aim is the welfare of the poor of my country, the Prime Minister said in the interview. Modi takes a dig at Congress Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to a television channel on Monday ,while making a jab at the main Opposition party, said that the Congress, which had ruled the nation for so many years, should not be indulging in disruption of Parliament. He, however, ruled out any political witch-hunt in the probe, saying that the investigating agencies will do a professional job and whatever names come up, lets see. He did, at the same time, say that a sin has been committed and those behind them have had a big protective cover.There should be no targeting (of individuals). Nor does my government do it, he said. Regarding the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, Mr Modi said development would be the focus. Its my conviction, its my commitment. You must have seen during the 2014 elections that I fought elections on the issue of development. The new generation of the country only believes in development. I believe that the solution to all problems is in development, he said. He even said later in the interview that he is an apolitical Prime Minister who, except during elections, never talks of politics. On hotheads triggering communal tensions, he said the media should not make heroes out of those people who make such comments. He called RBI governor Raghuram Rajan no less patriotic and virtually ticked off Mr Swamy by saying that if anybody considers himself above the system then it is wrong. Hyderabad: The Hyderabad HC has ordered the GHMC to demolish some parts of two buildings owned by the family of Mr K.P. Vivekananda, the MLA of Qutubullapur, as they violated sanctioned plans. The court also directed the authorities not to consider the application of the MLAs family for regularisation of the illegal portions. A division Bench comprising acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao gave the order after hearing an appeal by the family of the MLA, challenging the order of a single judge to demolish the illegal portions. On April 26, 2016, the single judge had passed the order on a petition by one Mr K.M. Pratap, a resident of Qutubullapur, alleging that the MLA and his family had constructed a huge commercial structure near his plot without permission from the GHMC. The single judge had also refused the plea of Narayana Educational Society, which is running a college on the illegal portions of the building, to grant time to vacate the premises. The judge had directed the Society to vacate the building by June 1. The Bench made it clear that there was no need to interfere with the order of the single judge. It noted that all illegal strictures must be razed. Referring to the request of the counsel for the petitioner to demolish the illegal portions on their own, the Bench said that they were at liberty to do so. The Society had also moved an appeal urging the Bench to grant some more time to vacate the premises. Directing Narayana Educational Society to vacate the premises in three months, the Bench ordered the authorities to ensure that the demolition was carried out within six months either by the petitioners or by the civic body. New Delhi: In the wake of Indias failed NSG membership bid at Seoul last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday told a TV channel that there had been no mishandling of the issue and that dialogue with China on Indias membership to NSG would continue. Speaking on Indo-Pak ties, the Prime Minister, describing peace as the supreme objective, said that overtures for friendship would not be at the cost of national interest. Making it clear that Indian security forces have full freedom to take whatever measures on the border that they need to, he said, Whatever has to be done at the (dialogue) table, we will do and whatever has to be done at the border, the jawans (soldiers) will do it. In a barely-veiled reference to the Pakistan Army, the Prime Minister, when asked about where he would draw the Lakshman Rekha vis-a-vis Pakistan, said, To whom do we talk to decide about the Lakshman Rekha the elected government or with other actors? Infographic Mr Modi added that while the world is praising India, Pakistan is finding it difficult to respond to Indias peace efforts. If we had become an obstacle, then we would have had to explain to the world... The world knows our intentions. Like on the issue of terrorism, the world never bought Indias theory on terrorism. They would sometime dismiss it by saying that its your law and order problem. Today the world has to accept what India has been saying about terrorism, he said. On Indias efforts to secure membership to various international bodies, he said, It is true that in our tenure SCO has been achieved, MTCR membership has been achieved, and added that a coordinated effort for Indias NSG membership has begun on a positive note. We do not have one problem with China, we have a whole lot of problems pending with China Slowly and steadily efforts are on to find solutions to them one-by-one, he said. The PM also said he treated ties with US and Russia with equal respect. Hyderabad: TS Chief Minister K, Chandrasekhar Rao and his Maharashtra counterpart Devendra Fadnavis will sign a historic accord for construction of Medigadda, Tummidihatti and Korata-Chanaka barrages across River Godavari on July 15 in Mumbai. Though the meeting of Godavari River Interstate Board Apex Committee was originally planned in Hyderabad in July to finalise and sign the accord, the venue was shifted to Mumbai on Monday following a request by the Maharashtra government. The TS CM had met Mr Fadnavis in Mumbai in March and signed an agreement for constitution of the Interstate Board to take up joint irrigation projects on Godavari, Pranhitha and Penganga rivers. Mr Chandrasekhar Rao had invited Mr Fadnavis to visit Hyderabad to take part in the apex committee meeting and sign the MoUs then. The TS CM is the chairman of the Interstate Board. Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao said that the CM will visit Mumbai on July 15 to sign the MoU. It will be a historic accord between the two states. Maharashtra has no objection to construction of Medigadda barrage with the height of 101 metres. However, water level will be maintained up to 100 metres as suggested by the Maharashtra CM, Mr Harish Rao said. He said that Tummidihatti barrage will have an FRL level of 148 metres. Mr Harish Rao and his Maharashtra counterpart, along with irrigation officials, discussed various plans and issues pertaining to the construction of barrages across Godavari by both the states. We discussed the submergence area under the Medigadda project and the survey conducted by the agency on April 19 last. As per the survey, only 55 hectares of land will be submerged in the borders of 11 villages in Sironcha taluq of Gadicharoli district, Mr Harish Rao said. The ISB meeting will also be attended by ministers and principal secretaries of both irrigation departments. Mr Harish Rao said the MoU will go a long way in realising the CMs dream of irrigating one crore acres in TS within three years and resolving long pending inter-state water dispute with neighbouring Maharashtra. New Delhi: Minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju on Monday admitted that there were lapses which led to the death of eight CRPF personnel in the terror attack on a convoy in Pulwama on Saturday. Without lapses, could such an incident have taken place? We are examining the entire incident to ensure these are not repeated again, he said. The home ministry has asked all paramilitary forces involved in counter-insurgency operations and internal security duties to ensure that the safety of its personnel is not compromised. CRPF director-general K. Durga Prasad also said that the force will tweak its standard operating procedures (SOPs) though he claimed that all laid-down security protocols were followed. Mr Prasad said the security drill will be reviewed and convoys will be provided bulletproof protection while moving in the state. He claimed that the CRPF personnel fought back valiantly and fired as many as 91 rounds, killing the two terrorists. Whatever SOPs are in position right now, they have been followed and thats the reason why I said that we will require and can have a look at them again, he said. It has been decided that henceforth convoys will move in blocks of at least three vehicles so they are better protected. Sources said that initial investigation into the incident has revealed that some surrendered militants may have helped the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba in carrying out the attack. The CRPF DG said that the force had intercepts about the militants planning to target security personnel in the Kashmir Valley but there was no specific indication about the location. Hyderabad: The war of words has intensified between the ruling TRS and the Opposition over Mallannasagar irrigation project, 12 per cent quota for Muslims and other issues. Alleging that the Congress and TD had opposed statehood to Telangana, irrigation minister T. Harish Rao accused the two parties of now trying to stall Mallannasagar and other irrigation projects in the state. Every kind of conspiracy is being hatched to stall the projects. But we are determined to complete Mallannasagar and other irrigation projects, come what may. In the past 56 years, not a single irrigation project and canal was constructed in Medak district, he said. In Mahbubnagar, Panchayat Raj minister Jupally Krishna Rao lashed out at Congress MLA D.K. Aruna, BJP leader Nagam Janardhan Reddy and TD working president A. Revanth Reddy, alleging that they were trying to stall irrigation projects. For its part, the Opposition intensified its attack on the TRS government. TPCC chief N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr Harish Rao were lying on Pulichintala oustees issue. We met Pulichintala victims and asked them what they needed in compensation. Rehabilitation provided to Pulichintala oustees was unprecedented. I will quit if its proved wrong, he said. CLP leader K. Jana Reddy said there was contradiction between Mr Chandrasekhar Rao and Mr Harish Rao over payment of compensation to Mallannasagar project oustees. Harish Rao is almost threatening farmers, he alleged. With regard to 12 per cent quota for Muslims, Leader of Opposition in council, Mohd Ali Shabbir, alleged that the government was cheating Muslims and demanded a White Paper on the issue. Its like Khajoor Khilao-Reservation Bhulao. KCR should announce a clear roadmap with a specific deadline to fulfil his promise. KCR resorted to blatant lies on the pious occasion of iftar, Mr Shabbir Ali said. He also slammed the MIM leadership for its silence on the issue. Asaduddin Owaisi is a barrister and senior Parliamentarian himself. He must clarify whether the Sudhir Commission report could be used to provide 12 per cent Muslim reservation. If not, then why did he remain silent when KCR spoke on the issue during the iftar. Why are MIM leaders so afraid of opening up their mouth in front of KCR? he asked. 52- year-old A. Raghuram was trying to find a shelter to escape from the rain when his body came into contact with a cable which had snapped from an electric pole at Ameerpet. (Representational image) Hyderabad: Three people were killed in mishaps during rain on Saturday night. Two persons were electrocuted while one drowned in the Sewerage Boards under-construction manhole at Madhapur. In the first mishap, 52- year-old A. Raghuram was trying to find a shelter to escape from the rain when his body came into contact with a cable which had snapped from an electric pole at Ameerpet. He died on the spot. In the second incident, a Nepal native identified as 35-year-old Faouzi, who was on his way to have his dinner, died when his leg touched a waterlogged sidewalk where an exposed electricity cable had fallen. He also died on the spot. In the third incident, at Madhapur, Moti Yadav, 24, a tea maker from Jharkhand, fell into an exposed manhole filled with water at Ayyappa Society. His body was fished out later. Reacting to the first two mishaps, Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) officials said that the street light poles were not managed by them and the GHMC is responsible for maintaining the street pole wiring. Meanwhile, GHMC officials said that the poles and cables were not damaged. The two incidents occurred because of the heavy rain. According to SR Nagar police, one of the victims, Raghuram, an employee at a fertilizer company at Kundanbagh, collapsed after an electricity cable snapped and fell on him. He was trying to put his money in a plastic cover as it was raining. Eyewitnesses said there were sparks as the cable fell, said SR Nagar Inspector Md Waheeduddin. Police officials added that once the autopsy report comes, a case might be booked for negligence against people concerned. The FIR however stated it was a case of suspicious death. Madhapur police, who are investigating the death of Mothi Yadav, revealed that the Sewerage Board had not covered the manhole at Ayyappa Society even though the area was commonly used by pedestrians. The Sewerage Board had not put up a warning board or any kind of sign to warn pedestrians, said a police official from Madhapur police station. Construction of new pipeline has been underway, and the manhole was exposed and filled with water due to rain. The victim, who had not noticed it, fell into it and drowned, said R. Kalinga Rao, Inspector, Madhapur. Madhapur police said they have begun inquiring into the Sewerage Boards negligence. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A Malayali was among the eight Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnels who were killed in the terror strike at Pampore in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday. Sub-inspector Jayachandran Nair, 52, of of Nanniyodu near Palode in Thiruvananthapuram district was identified as the deceased. The body was scheduled to reach Thiruvananthapuram airport by around 10.50 p.m. on Sunday and would be taken to CRPF camp at Pallipuram to pay official honours. The body was expected to reach his native place by wee hours on Monday. A native of Velliyazhcha Kavu near Varkala, Jayachandran shifted to Nanniyode, which was his wife's native place, about ten years back. Son of Gopinathan Nair, Jayachandran leaves behind wife Sindhu and two daughters, Sneha, 14, a ninth standard student at a private school at Chettachal and eight year old Sruthi, a third standard student of the same school. Jayachandran, who joined the CRPF in 1983, was serving as a sub-inspector in the 161-battalion of the CRPF. Gopakumar, a relative of Jayachandran, said that the latter had recently came on leave to attend a close relative's marriage and returned on June 2. The family got information regarding the mishap on Saturday evening, but the information regarding death was known through the media by Sunday morning. One of the tattoo on her forehead read "My father is a thief". (Photo: Twitter) Jaipur: Peeved over not receiving the expected dowry, the in-laws of a 28-year-old woman in Rajasthan have tattooed her body with abuses. The woman has also alleged that she was gangraped by her husband and his two brothers. According to reports, the woman married Jagannath form Reni village in 2014. She was physically harassed over a long time for not producing the promised dowry of Rs 51,000. Taking cognisance of the incidence, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi asked the National Commission for Women (NCW) to probe the matter. "I am deeply shocked and pained over this incident. Have asked NCW to look into this matter immediately," the Minister tweeted. NCW chairperson Lalitha Kumaramangalam separately said the body has taken suo motu cognisance and will conduct an inquiry. A complaint lodged with the police by her parents claims that over a month ago, her in-laws gave her a drink laced with sedatives, and took her to an undisclosed location from her village in Alwar where she was tattooed and branded. One of the tattoo on her forehead read "My father is a thief". The woman has also alleged that she was gangraped (Photo: Twitter) "They wrote on her forehead...they wrote many other things on her body," said her father. "Her husband and brothers-in-law allegedly raped her and tattooed profanities on her forehead which her parents later made an attempt to get removed," a police official said. She has been living with her parents since then, Mahila police station SHO Abdul Wahid said, adding the woman has still marks on her forehead and hand. An FIR has been registered under sections of 498-A (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act), 376 (punishment for rape)and 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) of IPC and an investigation in the case has been initiated, he said. The police are yet to make any arrests. SmartCity Lagos is part of the provincial government's efforts to make it a hub of smart technologies like Internet of Things. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After Kochi and Malta, SmartCity Dubai is spreading wings to Lagos in Nigeria. SmartCity chief executive officer Jaber Bin Hafez, who is also the vice-chairman of SmartCity Kochi, signed the memorandum of understanding with Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice Adeniji Kazeem in Dubai last week. Reports said the SmartCity Lagos, to be developed on the lines of the Kochi project, is part of the provincial government's efforts to make it a hub of smart technologies like Internet of Things. The city was even selected by IBMs Smarter cities challenge project aimed at improving civic facilities with the help of technologies, industry sources said. Though the size of the upcoming SmartCity or its key focus areas were yet to be disclosed, they said Internet of Things could be a focus area. IT sector experts in the state said Lagos joining the SmartCity network would not affect the prospects of Kochi project. It is entirely a different location and the promoters might have chosen the location for strategic reasons. We just need to be concerned of the speedy completion of SmartCity Kochi, said Technopark founder chief executive officer G. Vijayaraghavan. Lagos is the fourth to join the network of global knowledge industry clusters promoted by Dubai Holdings under the SmartCity brand after Dubai and Malta. The Kochi and Malta projects were announced almost during the same period, but the Malta project was quite ahead of Kochi. The first phase comprising of 12,000 square metres was inaugurated in October 2010 and many leading firms as HP and CISCO have already opened shops there. The SmartCity Kochi is, however, bigger in size. The first-phase building opened in February this year has a built-up area of about 6.5 lakh square feet. Bengaluru: Gusty winds with speeds of up to 59 kmph and heavy rain created havoc in the city and claimed two lives, including that of a three-and-a-half-year-old boy, on Monday afternoon. A car driver also sustained multiple fractures. The strong winds felled 30 trees across the city. Fairoz Pasha (48), a resident of Kalyan Nagar and a caterer, was crushed to death when a tree fell on him while he was driving his two-wheeler in Malleswaram. A car that was next to his bike too was crushed, but the driver, Swamy (27), had a miraculous escape. Swamy (27), who has sustained severe injuries and multiple fractures, is being treated at K.C. General Hospital. Around 1 pm, Fairoz Pasha and Swamy were going past Maharani Lakshmi Ammanni College for Women towards Malleswaram on Margosa Road when the 20-year-old Indian cork tree, which was on the pavement, crashed. The impact was so high that it shattered Fairozs helmet and crushed his back. He had also suffered multiple fractures. People rushed to the rescue of Pasha and Swamy and informed the police and BBMP control rooms. Prahari teams arrived at the spot, cut the tree branches and pulled Fairoz out. An eyewitness said that it took over half-an-hour to rescue Swamy, who was stuck in his car. We saw the two-wheeler rider stuck below the tree and the car severely damaged. People broke the cars windowpanes and pulled the driver out. Both the victims were rushed to K.C. General Hospital in an autorickshaw, he said. A police official said that the tree would have killed many more if it had fallen seconds earlier when a crowded BMTC bus passed by. The incident led to a traffic jam that lasted over an hour. Traffic was brought back to normal only after the tree and its branches were removed. Shivaram, Deputy Range Forest officer, BBMP, said, The Akash Mallige tree was neither infected nor damaged. It may have got uprooted because of strong winds. We have now cut the tree and cleared it from the road. In another incident, three-and-a-half-year-old Jeevan, son of a private company employee Kumar, died after a tree fell on him. Jeevan was playing outside his house in Viveknagar when the incident occurred around 12.30 pm. He was rushed to Nimhans, but he failed to respond to treatment. Jeevan was the only son of the couple, Ramakrishna and Prema. Jeevan, a student of Bala Yesu School, was heading out to play with his friends after returning from school when the tragedy struck. Traffic comes to screeching halt Winds at 59 kmph blew across the city from West to North West direction, said Met Department officials. The city also experienced 8.3mm rainfall between 8.30 am and 2.30 pm. Strong wind uprooted four trees in Koramangala, two trees in Vijayanagara, four in Jayanagara, one each in Jeevanbimanagar, Mahalakshmipuram, Richmond Circle, Malleswaram, Laggere Ring road, Banaswadi Road, Indiranagar, J.P. Nagar, opposite Chinnaswamy Stadium, Lakshmipuram, Ittamadu, Bailsandra, Old Airport road, Prem Nagara in Kottigepalya and other parts of the city. The traffic police reported water logging at Opera junction, while slow moving traffic near Manipal Hospital on Old Airport Road, CTO circle towards Queens statue, Byappanahalli Metro Station towards city on Old Madras Road, Forum Mall towards Nimhans, Ejipura towards Koramangala water tank, Lakkasandra from Siddarapura and Ashoka Pillar circle. Since June 1, the city has experienced 174 mm rainfall, while HAL airport has witnessed 239 mm rainfall and Kempegowda International Airport area 102mm, the Met department officials said. The department forecasts moderate to heavy rainfall over all the districts of Coastal Karnataka and at many places over all the districts of interior Karnataka, including Bengaluru, over the next 48 hours. Chennai: Makkal DMDK, a breakaway DMDK group, led by former propaganda secretary V.C. Chandrakumar is all set to merge with DMK and a formal decision in this regard would be taken at the partys consultation meeting to be held here on Monday. The supporters of rebel group including two former MLAs S.R. Parthiban and C.H. Sekar, would formally announce their decision of merger on Monday. The trio led a rebellion against Vijayakanths decision to align with Peoples Welfare Alliance overriding the popular wish of the party men to join the DMK alliance. Vijayakanth, however, dismissed all the 10 rebel functionaries within hours. We will consult all our supporters and formally announce the decision of merger, said a senior Makkal DMDK leader. Interestingly, the trio had unsuccessfully contested from their sitting Erode East, Mettur and Gummidipoondi on DMK ticket. Meanwhile, an anonymous letter which surfaced just on the eve of the meeting, claiming to have been written by the 14 DMDK district secretaries loyal to Vijayakanth questioning Captain for his choice of alliance and certain financial issues cause a minor ripple in the DMDK circle. However, with denial, coming from both DMDK district secretaries concerned as well as Chandrakumar, of their involvement, the letter bomb turned out to be a false alarm. Chennai: YSR Congress party on Sunday alleged large-scale irregularities in the auctioning of Sadavathi Satram lands in Chennai for throw away prices to close associates of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. Demanding a CBI probe into the conspiracy, which involves several thousand crore rupees, a delegation of the YSR Congress visited the land sites on Sunday and sought cancellation of the auction that was held on March 28 in the city. Speaking to reporters at the site, former revenue minister Dharmana Prasada Rao said that 83 acres of land identified in Siruseri and Thalambur were sold for Rs 27 lakhs per acre, when the market value was over Rs 6.25 crore. Accusing that the auction procedure was conducted in discrete manner, the former minister said, A small notice was published in just one regional paper. Mandatory rules, which include advertising in national press and putting up notices in public places, were ignored. Neither was it auctioned on web. The land was bought by prominent Telugu Desam Party leaders and aides of CM Naidu, he said. Grade one officer Srinivasa Reddy was promoted as a regular endowment officer, for facilitating the loot, alleged Dharmana Prasad Rao. Alleging that the committee had not acquired Andhra Pradesh courts consent, he said, It also defies the courts direction which mandates seeking legal permission for selling endowment lands, he said. Stating that the act dishonours beliefs of Hindu religion, he urged Chief Minister Naidu to set up an inquiry into the scam. Although national parties including BJP and Congress recommended a re-auction, Naidu has not broken his silence, he noted. One of the delegation members, K. Parthasarathy said that YSR Congress party would move the court for justice. New Delhi: Trouble is brewing for government in the Monsoon session of Parliament, which is expected to start next month, with main opposition Congress on Monday hinting at stacking up ammunition on issues like failure at NSG, terror strikes and diatribes of Subramanian Swamy. "Parliament will have an interesting session this time," party spokesman Kapil Sibal told reporters. Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi over a host of issues, especially India's failure at the NSG meet, he said that the Prime Minister should realise that "diplomacy is not a sound and light show". "Our Prime Minister has no knowledge of diplomacy. It is not a Sound & Light show. "Foreign policy is done with a sense of maturity. Diplomacy is conducted in very silent, sober manner. But, we see none of that," Sibal said, remarking that the "Prime Minister likes to be on TV". Taking a dig at the Prime Minister over his remarks on the NSG issue, he wondered as to what was the point of saying Mexico and Switzerland were on India's side? "We love Modiji, but we love India more. Do not lower its image in the international community by light and sound shows," he said, reminding the Prime Minister that the 123 agreement with the US was achieved by India during the UPA rule "without pomp and show". He said that senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who was the External Affairs Minister in the NDA-1 Government, had wondered as to why India was pushing for an entry into the NSG when it has got the waiver way back in 2008. Raising the issue of terror strikes, he alleged that "the product of Modi Government's foreign policy is Gurdaspur, Pathankot and Pampore. That's the reality on the ground". Referring to Modi's surprise Lahore visit, he said that the Prime Minister during the UPA tenure never went to Pakistan to celebrate weddings and birthdays. In fact, the Prime Minister in the UPA era made it clear that while India wanted talks, normalisation of ties with Pakistan was not possible till it cooperated in bringing to book those involved in the 26/11 Mumbai terror strikes, he said. Claiming that 50 terrorists have crossed the Pakistan border in past five months, he said that they have continued attacking Indian soldiers. "We want to ask the Prime Minister till when are we supposed to suffer these attacks?" Sibal also attacked the RSS for plans to hold Iftar parties. "While our security forces are getting martyred, RSS is busy holding Iftar parties for Pakistani diplomats," he said recalling the way Modi used to target the UPA on the issue. Replying to a question on BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, Sibal wondered as to what is the use of the Prime Minister now disapproving Swamy's attacks when RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has already said no to a second term. The refusal comes even as Delhi LG Najeeb Jung forwarded a complaint of corruption against the former chief minister in a 400-crore water tanker deal. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Former three-time Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has declined to become the Congress face for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections slated for 2017. According to a report in the Indian Express, Dikshit has conveyed her refusal to be the possible Congress CM candidate for Uttar Pradesh, to the partys high command. Congress UP strategist Prashant Kishor had recommended fielding a Brahmin face as the CM candidate, but with Dikshits refusal, the partys search continues. Read: ACB to quiz Sheila Dikshit, Kejriwal in tanker scam, registers FIR Dikshit had met Sonia Gandhi earlier in June to discuss the plan, but did not discuss the issue with the media at that time. The refusal comes even as Delhi LG Najeeb Jung forwarded a complaint of corruption against the former chief minister in a 400-crore water tanker deal. The complaint was made by Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. The report said 78-year-old Dikshit had become the top choice for Uttar Pradesh because of her record in Delhi and her family ties to the state - her father-in-law Uma Shankar Dikshit was a prominent Congressman from UP. THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There are problems galore for KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran with both the Congress factions lodging a complaint with the AICC leadership. Their grouse is over his controversial comment that former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala should have kept away from the betrothal function of liquor baron Biju Ramesh's daughter and former revenue minister Adoor Prakash's son. Leaders cutting across group loyalties told DC that they had shot off a written complaint to AICC general secretary in charge of the State, Mukul Wasnik. They alleged Mr Sudheeran himself had breached the dictum he issued against making public statements as per the advice of AICC leadership. They faxed the complaint to Mr Wasnik and sent the video clipping of his controversial statement. "It should be recalled that Mr Chennithala became Opposition Leader with the support of Mr Sudheeran. But now Mr Chennithala had ditched him after the controversial statement," said a Congress leader. A section of the Congress leaders demands action against him for criticising leaders publicly. His stand was that the two should not have attended the betrothal as it was Mr Ramesh who accelerated the UDF Government's fall with bribery charges. Though they went there towards the fag end of the ceremony, it still courted controversy as their pictures sharing space with the couple were all over the social media. However, AICC leadership denied getting any complaints from the KPCC leaders. A senior AICC leader told DC that it was an individual perception whether they should have attended the ceremony or not. "Adoor Prakash was their former cabinet colleague and so has every right to attend the function," said an AICC leader. Meanwhile, the AICC leadership is expected to invite 50 KPCC leaders to New Delhi by early July for a brainstorming session on the strategy to strengthen the party. Congress for Brexit-like poll on liquor policy KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran has asked whether the LDF Government was ready to take a referendum on the model of Brexit to know whether a new liquor policy had to be brought in or not. Sudheeran was speaking after inaugurating the anti-narcotics day celebrations at KPCC office. Sudheeran said the LDF Government should be ready not to take the opinion of vested interests and instead take the right agenda and guidelines so that whether it should go for abstinence or prohibition was in the form of a referendum. "The LDF Government has been having an unholy nexus with the liquor lobby where they jointly work as per a prepared script. The CPM has got an unholy nexus with the liquor lobby since the Assembly elections", said Sudheeran. He also said that during the Assembly elections, they entered into an agreement which was disapproved by CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on the proposed liquor policy. But later on due to the compulsion of the State committee of the CPM, Yechury had to fall in line. Sudheeran lamented that there had been propaganda from the LDF that the UDF's liquor policy did not have positive aspects and which the Governor stated in his address. "From April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2016, there was a remarkable drop in liquor sales touching just 22.11 percent. But there has been a spurt in beer wine sales. The atmosphere in households across the State had improved by leaps and bounds", added Sudheeran. BJP State president Kummanam Rajasekharan demanded that the new liquor policy of the LDF Government should not be about increasing the consumption of liquor. He said that Kerala should follow the path of Tamil Nadu and go in for prohibition of liquor. After the Cabinet reshuffle, V. Srinivas Prasad otherwise a quiet leader, became the rallying point for disgruntled Congress legislators. Raising the banner of revolt against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Mr Prasad is now trying to build a group within the party to replace the CM. During an interview, he showed utter contempt for the chief minister, yet did not utter anything unparliamentary. He also spoke about his future course of action. Here are excerpts. After the cabinet reshuffle, the series of statements from you were bit confusing. What exactly do you want? I will be straightforward. We want a leadership change in Karnataka. The reshuffle was not to strengthen the party. You (chief minister) carried out the reshuffle to fulfil your selfish motives. A year back, there was discussion in the party about changing you. You have done enough damage to the party. So the party has to change the Congress legislature party leader. If you see the rebellion in Assam, the Congress high command did not change the incumbent chief ministers in the middle of his term (though the party lost the polls later). Then, why do you want to fight the CM? This is an issued-based fight. This is not a number game. We have taken up an issue. That does mean they will change (the leadership). Its alright. But we have to bring it to their notice. If the party has to survive, they have to change the leadership. We discussed this in detail. You (high command) must collect reports from different sources and then take a call. Even if you dont change the leadership, we will not quit the party. But you (high command) have to gauge the public mood. You seem to be a very decent and dignified politician. Do you think you will be successful in your mission at a time when your rivals are hitting below the belt? We cant play dirty. We have to be decent and dignified in our words and action. If we do otherwise, it will hurt the party. The party is losing one state after the other. If you see the whole of south India, the only state where the party can come to power on its own is Karnataka. In this context we have to see the issue of replacing Siddaramaiah. His goal was to become the chief minister. He achieved it. He reshuffled the cabinet to stay in power for two more years, not to bring back the party to power in 2018. Till the last minute, I was with him, he did not even hint at a rejig. He should have shown the courtesy to tell me. In the last cabinet meeting before the reshuffle, Mr Siddaramaiah had told ministers about dropping a few.. No. After discussing the items on the agenda, he spoke about two issues. He said ministers should complete the general transfers before June end. Then he raised this issue. He said "We have completed three years. Unlike the previous government, none of us have gone to jail or got involved in any scam. You have done a wonderful job. But I have to carry out a reshuffle. It is inevitable for me to do it, you have to co-operate with me." He did not mention the words, dropping ministers inside the cabinet hall. Later, I think he misled the media about this. Health, non-performance and image are the three parameters Mr Siddaramaiah adopted while dropping ministers. He might be right.. First, take the image parameter. A lot of information is coming out about Mahadevprasad and Dr H.C. Mahadevappa (ministers). I do not want to go into the details of what their children are doing. Has it earned us a good image? Now, you take the second parameter, health. If you had doubts, you could have asked me. When the cabinet sub-committees travelled across various drought hit areas, I used to travel 600 kms per day. Roshan Baig once asked me how I was so fit when people say I am ill. You can go and ask Mr Baig. Finally the performance parameter. As district in-charge minister, I have done well and in the revenue department, we brought reforms. We implemented schemes effectively. He says as revenue minister you couldnt travel across the state.. You (CM) could have asked me about this. Did you discuss this with me? No. As minister, I travelled to various districts. This is a lame excuse. I am not ready to accept his view. Since 1985, parties which suffered from internal squabbles, suffered heavily in the ensuing elections. Your party may suffer in 2018 if you continue the rebellion. We are telling all these leaders to protect the interests of the party. The damage had happened only when Janata Parivar parties ruled the states. Barring 1989, we never had any problem. I do not want to work against the party. But, I am not a disciplined soldier of the party when it comes to fighting you. I will not give up my fight against you (Siddaramaiah) so early. In the states history, many rebel leaders, be it S. Bangarappa or B.S. Yeddyurappa who formed separate parties in Karnataka, took away 10 -15 per cent of votes from the parties they split away. If the Congress high command is convinced that you and your team can hold on to 10-15 per cent votes, then it may think of changing of leadership. What do you think? That possibility (of forming a separate outfit) is not before us. We are not going anywhere. If this man is changed, he (Mr Siddaramaiah) may not support the new legislature party leader. The Congress high command knows this well. He may rebel and form a party. Precisely for his unfaithful nature, the high command should consider changing him. The question was about your potential to swing Dalit votes. I think the high command might have got the report by now. They have assessed our strength. But, Mr Siddaramaiah might have given a different picture to them. Thats why they agreed to drop me. Many people say you had worked for Dalit empowerment in the early part of your life, so you can swing Dalit votes. But the CM says he is the unquestionable AHINDA leader and has 65 per cent votes in his kitty. If that is true, why should he be bothered? When this man was expelled from Janata Dal (S), he planned to launch AHINDA, a non-political forum. At that time, Kodandaramaiah, Laxmisagar and B.R. Patil came to my residence and requested me to launch it at Basavakalyan. They told me one Mahadevappa or one Ibrahim(C.M. Ibrahim) cannot make AHINDA. They took me to Basavakalyan to launch AHINDA. Throughout the state, AHINDA did not happen. Only one section of OBCs came for the rally. It flopped. When Operation Lotus happened and many by-polls were thrust on the state, Mr Siddaramaiah did not campaign for party candidates. Thats the true colour of Siddaramaiah. His claim of having control over 65 per cent votes is bogus. Finally I can tell party leaders that if you remove Siddaramaiah, you may lose six per cent votes. But if you retain him you will lose 20 per cent in the next elections. It is as simple as that. Now it is left to you (high command) to decide. The political and constitutional status of Delhi has long been a matter of controversy. In the decades after the city was flooded with hordes of Hindu and Sikh refugees after Partition in 1947, some individuals began to raise demands for statehood. It took several years, though, after the Centre, when Rajiv Gandhi was PM, appointed a committee to examine issues related to Delhis administration and recommend measures for streamlining its administration. After exploring all angles in depth, the committee said Delhi should continue to be a Union Territory but be provided with a Legislative Assembly and a council of ministers. What should be noted is that it was to streamline the administration of the growing metropolis, that also happened to be the nations capital. It was not meant to encourage ambitious satraps to unleash a movement that would create political anarchy in the capital. The committee also recommended that to ensure stability, the arrangements should be incorporated in the Constitution to give the national capital a special status among UTs. Understandably Delhi, which earlier had a metropolitan council and executive councillors, was renamed National Capital Territory of Delhi. This law acknowledges in its title that Delhi is Indias national capital. Thus, although Delhi has, like other full-fledged states, a legislature and a council of ministers with a CM at its head, this doesnt make Delhi a state; it remains a UT. Now, once it is understood Delhi is a Union territory and not a state, it is imperative to examine Article 239AA that created Delhi in its present form. The genesis goes back to the Government of India Act 1935, under which provinces like Delhi, Ajmer, Coorg, British Balochistan, Panth Piploda, Andaman and Nicobar Islands were run directly by the Centre. Post-1947, the administrative head of a UT became the L-G in place of the chief commissioner and the appointing authority changed from the Governor-General to the President. Thus, Article 239 stipulates that save as otherwise provided by Parliament by law, every UT shall be administered by the President through an administrator to be appointed by him. Now, if one re-reads and synchronises Article 239 with Article 239AA, which created local legislatures or a council of ministers, or both, for certain UTs, the scenario doesnt change because whatever way one looks at it, Delhis status as a UT remains unchanged. At best, Delhi could be seen as an experimental amalgamation of a state and UT, making it a unique Union territory. After studying Articles 239 and 239A, even a layman will find Article 239AA, which created Delhis present status, contains special provisions. And the language thereof, under no stretch of imagination, gives any scope to regard Delhi as anything other than a UT. Let us, therefore, give some credit to our much-maligned politicians of yesteryears. No doubt some local leaders always wanted Delhi as a full-fledged state, but there was another section which sensed the futility of changing the status of the nations capital from a UT to a state. Understandably, this latter categorys foresight and wisdom ensured that Delhi doesnt become a source of cancer in the form of a state within a state. Indeed, if Delhi ever becomes a full-fledged state, it is certain to have an adverse political fallout, with the real possibility of a clash between the Centre and state, given the common geography with overlapping jurisdictions. From tax to land, police stations to ST offices, anarchy is assured. In addition, with the presence of diplomatic representatives from 200-odd nations and international bodies scattered around the jurisdiction of the Centre and state areas, some are bound to emerge as kingmakers akin to 18th-19th century players, and some others as silent state breakers of India. Delhi as a state, unlike the other 29, will therefore be a lot different, purely for the demography-geography mismatch. Delhis full statehood may mean some advantages for local residents, it will cause greater disadvantage for the other 29 states. Delhi as a full state can only come at the expense of Indias unity and national interest. As Delhi is akin to the countrys control room, its control must remain with the Centre and all other authorities should be subject to it. It may perhaps be best if Delhi were to revert to its original status as a Union territory. Is the world going to the dogs or finding a new equilibrium? Britains decision to leave the European Union in the stunning Brexit referendum, and contagious calls for encores in France for Frexit, the Netherlands for Nexit, Austria for Auxit, are warnings of an inward turn. If Europes cup of woe is overflowing, the United States has a wacky presidential candidate, Donald Trump, who shares much in common with the angry, insular and navel-gazing mindset that is setting the post-Cold War liberal order ablaze. Mr Trumps remark after the Leave camp triumphed in Britain that people everywhere want to take back their country shows the crux of the crisis. While the urge to withdraw into a shell, celebrate the superiority of ones own racial or ethnic group, and spurn cooperating with the world had always existed on the fringes in America and Europe, the way it has mainstreamed in the past few years represents a high-water mark for isolationism and rejection of dominant liberal paradigms since the end of the Cold War. After the Soviet Unions collapse in 1991, triumphal Western elites sought to gather the planet under the umbrella of borderless globalisation. Regional economic and political integration were hyped by Western political leaders and corporate groups as panaceas that would usher in universal prosperity and peace. The concept of bringing down the wall, which occurred famously in Berlin in 1989, was turned into a metaphor for inter-connecting every region of the world into a vast, single capitalist world system where nation-states still existed but only as facilitators of the free movement of goods, money, and occasionally people. The post-Cold War Western project proposed as a way forward the jettisoning of bygone values of patriotism and affinity for ones own kinfolk, replacing them with a broad, open, tolerant and redefined self that sees humanity in the other. Such a cosmopolitan identity reformulation was essential for liberal capitalism to succeed by breaking traditional boundaries and limitations that kept people apart and markets splintered. A consumer who can pay for a product or service is, after all, a consumer whether he/she is black, brown, yellow, Hispanic, Caucasian or Slavic, and no matter which country he/she resides in. Corporate globalisation needed atomised and standardised buyers with similar tastes and preferences for market shares of big businesses to expand exponentially. Thus began the Western neo-liberal agenda of homogenisation of the worlds population into an indistinguishable mass with predictable likes and dislikes, who would be pooled together via regional economic and political integration for rapid reduction in barriers to trade and capital flows. The EU, launched in 1993, was the standard-bearer and acme of this scheme. Across the Atlantic, the North American Free Trade Association (Nafta), was a similar (though less ambitious) venture to facilitate maximisation of profits for investors and traders by lowering obstacles to mobility of goods and capital. The hyper-globalisers in the EU and US, however, miscalculated in their grand strategy by assuming that lay people would go along with their designs. Discontent on globalisation and its bold experiments like forging single markets started building up from the start of the new millennium, particularly over unequal distribution of the benefits of the new capitalist international order. Neo-liberals in the US, EU and the multilateral financial institutions controlled by them the World Bank and International Monetary Fund were so ideologically rigid in their faith in free markets that they ignored this slowly accumulating pushback from the have-nots. The anti-globalisation ferment was ridiculed by mainstream Western elites as a desperate backlash of socialists and Communists who were unable to digest defeat and who comprised a minuscule minority. The gospel continued to be propagated that globalisation was inevitable and that those who were smart enough to sense the permanence of this hyper-liberal wave should embrace it or risk being left behind. But once the global economic crisis began in 2008, it became more difficult to pretend that all was well with the borderless integration and laissez-faire capitalism. Today, the evidence is unmistakable that globalisation has not delivered manna from heaven to make everyone happy. Economist Branko Milanovic has shown how the losers of globalisation in the past 25 years vastly outnumber the winners. The former include the very poor in Africa and the rest of the developing world, whose incomes remained unchanged in this period, as well as middle and working class citizens of rich nations (in Europe & North America) with stagnating incomes. Those whose fortunes rose under globalisation were the middle classes in emerging markets, like China and India, and the super-rich in the West and the creamy layer in developing countries. Mr Milanovics formulation of a 92-8 world, that is, a division of the pie where half of the worlds income is controlled by the top eight per cent in the class hierarchy, explains why phenomena like Brexit are happening. The 92 per cent (including 52 per cent in Britain who opted to Leave EU, and the Republican voter base that crowned Mr Trump in the US) are not gaining from liberal agendas and nurse severe bitterness. The idea that something is utterly rotten with liberal constructs like the EU is now no longer the sole war cry of the Left, but a potent rallying point for semi-fascist, racist and populist right-wingers like Nigel Farage of UK Independence Party and Mr Trump in America. Unlike the Left, that only harps on economic injustice and unfairness, grassroots conservatives on the right are gaining strength in the West as they combine anti-globalisation ethos with culture and identity wars by scapegoating immigrants and racial minorities. It would be an overstatement to claim that Hitler is staging a wholescale return in the West or that liberal democracy has been eviscerated. But the distributive imbalances of non-consultative regional integration and the socio-psychological adjustments it entails in the form of mixing of people of different ethnicities should not have been neglected for so long with a pompous wave of the hand by smug liberals. They are paying the price of hubris and callousness. Saturdays attack on a CRPF bus on the national highway at Pampore, near Srinagar, in which eight soldiers were killed, is a matter of serious concern. While it doesnt denote a return to the bad old days of Pakistan-fuelled full-fledged militancy in the Kashmir Valley, its yet another pointer that a lot is simmering under the surface, and infiltration in aid of this sentiment is taking place on an increased and steady basis from across the Line of Control. Worse, this seems to be taking place with a sense of impunity. The security forces have no doubt neutralised over three dozen militants in the past six months, including infiltrated Lashkar-e-Tayyaba elements from the Pakistan side, who operate with local support. But it is just as evident that the Pakistanis who come in operate with ease. The strike on the CRPF bus occurred in the afternoon on a road on which there is regular traffic. This shows there is no system in place to patrol and monitor the busy highway, which is the link between Srinagar and South Kashmir, and also the last-mile connecting thread between New Delhi and Srinagar. It was in the same broad area that a major attack took place in February which went on for a protracted period, and appeared to attract the support of the local populace, which tried to prevent the security forces from acting with freedom in the encounter with the militants holed up inside a building. Clearly this area is sensitive but the government and the security grid failed to show sufficient appreciation of this. The Union home ministry is sending a committee to the Valley to understand how Saturdays strike occurred. This is pretty much the routine thing to do. Home minister Rajnath Singh and defence minister Manohar Parrikar have both found it necessary to publicly address the Pampore attack. The latter has spoken out of turn by concluding, without an inquiry, that the standard operating procedure was not followed by the CRPF. And Mr Singh has just been rhetorical. J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti avoided condemning militancy. She merely said the bloodshed on Saturday brought a bad name to Muslims since it had taken place in Ramzan. The CM needs to take a more forthright stand. Much time has been lost since the PDP-BJP government came into office in J&K, with the partners sparring over their respective political agendas. The latest is the red herring pushed by the BJP of creating ghettos for displaced Kashmiri pandits. The truth is that no pandit has shown any keenness to return to the Valley. Security has been a casualty in this game of one-upmanship. British commentators have noted that with Brexit, the UKs engagement with Europe has come full circle. In 1990, then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was forced out of office by a group in her own Tory Party that favoured more European integration. Today, Thatcherite ideologues have extracted their revenge on a pro-Europe Prime Minister. Brexiters declared June 23 as Great Britains Independence Day. There is a delicious irony in an imperial coloniser of many centuries discovering independence. And, to enhance the irony, consider the strong Remain vote in Scotland and Northern Ireland in the context of Sir Humphrey Appleby telling Jim Hacker (in Yes Minister) it has always been British policy to partition a country while giving it independence! In the calm of the days after, economists and markets will probably conclude that the doomsday predictions of Brexits impact on the global economy are somewhat exaggerated. The other major issue is whether it will trigger the unravelling of the European project. The European project was designed to bind war-torn (and war-prone) Europe together through cooperative political and economic institutions to perpetuate peace. In delivering peace, it was largely successful. Barring aberrations in the Balkans and skirmishes in Russias near abroad, Europe has not only enjoyed unbroken peace and rising prosperity; it also expanded its reach to the formerly Communist central and eastern parts of the continent. In the concomitant goal of an ever-closer union as a force for peace in the world, Europe has come up short. The question is whether Brexit will kill this goal or administer the shock that resuscitates it. Strange as it may seem, post-Cold War UK was one of the prime movers for closer European integration. It signed the Maastricht Treaty, a blueprint for integration, including a monetary union. The UK promoted, along with France and Germany, the Lisbon Agenda of 2000, seeking to transform the EU into the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world by 2010. Equally remarkable was the UKs enthusiasm for a robust EU security and defence policy, envisaging military integration, including a European force to promote European interests even beyond the continent. A joint communique (1998) of Tony Blair and then French President Jacques Chirac endorsed this objective. Taken together, these initiatives constituted a manifesto for European unity and autonomy. This Euro-commitment dissipated by 2003, when Britain aligned itself with the United States (against major European partners) over the Iraq invasion. Besides committing troops, the UK sought to mobilise support, particularly in Central Europe. In effect, this helped split EU politically even before its expansion commenced in 2004. In April this year, US President Barack Obama strongly exhorted UK citizens to vote Remain. This was obviously because the UKs activism in EU for freer trade, an eastward push by EU and Nato and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) aligned with US interests. The key questions for post-Brexit EU are: Can it regain the confidence of its people and can it resurrect a coherent external political course? Without the first, the clamour for exit will spread to more countries. Without the second, the EUs role in global affairs will diminish. The challenges are to tackle economic disparities in a more sensitive manner; reconcile ideological differences with a long-term perspective; and secure EU-wide support for its external agenda. A few instances would illustrate the issues involved. The draconian austerity plan imposed on Greece last year in return for a bailout sent a chilling message to the weaker EU members that the more powerful countries would protect their financial interests under any circumstances. The EU was undeterred by a decisive Greek referendum verdict or the International Monetary Funds opinion that its plan was unworkable. The aggressive pursuit of EUs (and Natos) post-Cold War eastward thrust hurt both EU and its intended beneficiaries. EU members differ on the pace and methodology of this thrust, as the Ukraine crisis festers and Russia-West tensions continue to escalate. The recent flood of refugees into Europe has created new divisions within the EU, provoking xenophobia in some countries. The agreement with Turkey to regulate the inflow raised moral and political questions. But there is a much greater threat from the support to various terrorist groups, that is fuelling military conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen. It is in the EUs self-interest to more actively oppose the cynical geopolitical games that could have an even more devastating impact on the continent. One significant EU success has been its important role in the negotiations on Irans nuclear programme. The EU (led by Britain, France and Germany) developed a negotiating position distinct from, but compatible with, that of the United Styates and persuaded both sides to stay in the negotiations. The stocktaking that European Council president Donald Tusk has initiated might confront the reality that the EUs hasty expansion, over-ambitious economic targets and an overloaded political agenda may have derailed the European project somewhat. Europe has to unite over a core internal political and economic agenda, which also gives it autonomy of action. A two-speed Europe is often mentioned in this context. The argument is that a smaller, more manageable group could unite around core values to push transparent participative democracy within and an autonomy of action abroad. Less ambitious versions of the Lisbon Agenda and of a common security policy may be part of its toolkit. Recent comments from some European politicians hint at thoughts in this direction, but its too early to predict action. Every crisis provokes soul-searching and lateral thinking, but the temptation to settle for short-term fixes than struggle for long-term gain is a failing to which politicians arent immune. The success of the European project is important for India. The EU is our largest trading partner and, though negotiations have dragged on for years, our bilateral trade and investment agreement promises significant mutual benefit. In the quest for a dynamic multi-polar world order, a Europe with an independent global role would be a valuable partner. China is also developing the Long March 5 heavier-lift rocket needed to launch the Tiangong 2 and other massive payloads. (Representational image) Beijing: China on Sunday recovered an experimental probe launched aboard a new generation rocket, marking another milestone in its increasingly ambitious space program that envisions a mission to Mars by the end of the decade. Space program authorities said the spaceship's landing on the vast Inner Mongolian steppe keeps China on schedule to place its second space station into orbit later this year. The launch of the spaceship aboard the newly developed Long March 7 rocket on Saturday was hailed as a breakthrough in the use of safer, more environmentally friendly fuels. The launch also marked the first use of the massive new Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on the southern island province of Hainan. Since launching its first manned mission in 2003, China has sent up an experimental space station, the Tiangong 1, staged a spacewalk and landed its Yutu rover on the moon. Its second space station, the Tiangong 2, is due to be slung into space in September. Following that, the Shenzhou 11 spaceship with two astronauts on board is scheduled to dock with the station and remain for several days. Administrators suggest a manned landing on the moon may also be in the program's future. A source of enormous national pride, China's military-backed space program plans a total of 20 space missions this year at a time when the US and other countries' programs are seeking new roles. China is also developing the Long March 5 heavier-lift rocket needed to launch the Tiangong 2 and other massive payloads. China plans to launch a mission to land a rover on Mars by 2020, attempting to recreate the success of the US Viking 1 mission that landed a rover on the planet four decades ago. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. Googles own handset would allow it to control the software, securing the future of the Google services. There might be a twist in the Android smartphone segment in near future when Google launches its own brand of smartphones. The search giant is finally planning to launch its own smartphone, which aims to tighten its grip on the mobile software platform. Unlike Apple, who has a complete control over the iPhones where it designs and supplies its common operating system to all, and outsource the manufacturing of the hardware separately. A few weeks ago, there was a report on Google wanting to start manufacturing its own handset and will not follow the Nexus strategy alone. However, the claims were not confirmed. The next generation of Nexus (2016) smartphones are presently rumoured to be developed by HTC. While Google already designs, markets and even sells Nexus range of devices, and develops the Android operating system that runs on majority of the smartphones sold around the globe, it is still making efforts to stay at par with the Apple counterpart. However, this time, the news about Google manufacturing the Nexus smartphones themselves seems to be buzzing. According to a report by The Telegraph, sources close to the developments at Google informed them about this new move by Google. The report claims that apart from Googles say in only the software section, the move will allow the company to extend its control over the design and manufacturing of the smartphones, similar to how Apple does with its iPhones. Apple works on a similar strategy, but a little differently. It leaves the manufacturing of the hardware to other companies such as Samsung, with the company concentrating more on developing the software (operating system) for their smartphones. However, Googles own handset would allow it to control the software, securing the future of the Google servicesGoogle search engine and Google Play Store that will run on it. Googles new handset is expected be released by the end of 2016. At present, the Google-developed smartphone is not yet confirmed, but the September event in 2016 will probably make the highlight. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. US President Barack Obama meets with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. (Photo: AP) Washington: India is all set to become member of Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as all hurdles related to its membership have been cleared, the US has said. However, certain formalities remain to be completed before it can be formally announced. Member countries of MTCR "have agreed that India should be a member," a senior administration official said yesterday, adding that all the hurdles in this regard were cleared. "There was a silent procedure that ended just, which passed successfully indicating that there is consensus for India to join the MTCR," the senior administration official said requesting anonymity. "There are still technical procedure that may still be in play. But politically the decision has been made," the official said within a few hours after the Obama-Modi meeting at the White House. The meeting lasted for more than two hours including a working lunch. "Once these technical barriers are carried out, India will become a member of MTCR," the administration official said, adding that Obama in his meeting with the Prime Minister praised India's record on nuclear non-proliferation. "China is not a member of MTCR. So China has had no opportunity to express its reservation to India's membership," the official said when asked about China's objection to India's membership to Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) which mostly handles nuclear non-proliferation issues. The Indian officials, however, refrained from making any comment on the status of its membership. "India has applied for membership to MTCR," Indian Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said. India becoming a member of MTCR is expected to pave the way for increased defence trade and technology transfer between India and the US. India has shown keen interest in purchasing armed drones from the US. However, the US has not made decision in this regard so far, the senior administration official said. "MTCR did prevented us from certain forms of cooperation. It would help India to continue to advance its non-proliferation leadership in the world," the US official said. Obama and Modi, he said did talk about defence cooperation including in the field of 'Make in India' and sharing of military technology. "There is no decision to provide India UAV," the official said. The prosecution was quoted as saying that they are studying the parrot's words,trying to determine if they are admissible evidence. (Photo: Representational Image) Michigan: In a bizarre case, a foul-mouthed parrot may provide key evidence in the murder trial of a woman accused of killing her husband in the US. Glenna Duram, 48, has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Martin Duram, who was found shot five times in May last year at their home in Sand Lake, Michigan. Glenna was found lying next to Martin with a gunshot wound to her head. Martin's family claims the couple's pet parrot, Bud, likely witnessed the murder after the bird was heard saying "Don't (expletive) shoot" in a video taken shortly after Duram's death, WOOD-TV reported. A few weeks after Martin's death, the couple's parrot started repeating a loud, profane argument between a male and a female. The man told her to, "Get out". "Where will I go," she replied. Then, in what family believes are his last words, the man said, "Don't...shoot". Newago County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Springstead was quoted as saying that they are studying the parrot's words,trying to determine if they are admissible evidence. "It's an interesting novelty and it's been a great opportunity for me to learn about African parrots. It is something we are going to be looking at to determine if it's reliable to use or if its information we need to prosecute this case," he told Detroit Free Press. "That bird picks up everything and anything, and it's got the filthiest mouth around," Duram's mom, Lillian Duram said. According to police, Glenna maintains her innocence saying, "I know for a fact I didn't kill my husband". But investigators suspect a murder-suicide plot gone awry. Glenna allegedly wrote three suicide notes and the couple had financial problems, according to police records. One of the alleged suicide notes, left for one of her children, apologised for being "a disappointment to you these last 12 years or so." The note asks the reader to "Please forgive me". "No matter what happens I lose, I lost a son and I'm gonna lose a daughter-in-law," Martin's father Charles Duram told Fox 17. "But when I wake up in the morning my wife ain't crying and asking for justice, I can live with that," he said. The military equipment had been shipped into Jordan as part of the Central Intelligence Agency's secret program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels to fight troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. (Photo: AFP/Representational Image) Washington: Jordanian intelligence officials stole millions of dollars of weapons that the CIA and Saudi Arabia had supplied for Syrian rebels, then sold them on the black market, The New York Times and Al Jazeera reported. The military equipment had been shipped into Jordan as part of the Central Intelligence Agency's secret program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels to fight troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. Citing unnamed American and Jordanian officials, the Times and Al Jazeera reported Sunday that some of these weapons were used in a November shooting at a police training facility in Amman. Two American contractors, two Jordanians and one South African were gunned down in the attack.The Times and Al Jazeera said the FBI has been investigating the case for months. The stolen weapons include Kalashnikov assault rifles, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades and the black market is newly awash with arms, the reports said. Investigators aren't sure what happened to most of the weapons but many are likely to have ended up in the hands of rural Jordanian tribes, criminals or shipped to other countries. The FBI and CIA did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Arab intelligence services and the CIA have been training rebels since 2013 under the code name Timber Sycamore. The training effort is run from Jordan because of its proximity to Syria. It is separate from Pentagon efforts in northern Syria to train and equip rebel fighters to attack the Islamic State group. Though the program is classified, officials told the Times and Al Jazeera that the CIA has trained thousands of rebels in the past three years. The fighters had been making progress against Syrian regime troops until Russia joined the war last year on Assad's side. Participants in the 47th annual Chicago Pride Parade carry pictures of the victims killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting as a tribute. (Photo: AP) New York: Hundreds of thousands of Americans took to streets from New York to San Francisco to celebrate gay pride, honor those who died in the Orlando massacre and promote tolerance. Rainbow flags were held high along with portraits of the dead as thousands of people marched in parades. Crowds of onlookers stood a dozen deep along Fifth Avenue for New York City's parade. Some spectators held up orange "We are Orlando" signs, and indications of increased security were everywhere, with armed officers standing by. An announcer introducing state officials and guests also shouted out, "Love is love! New York is Orlando!" in memory of the 49 people killed in Florida. Elected officials turned out in force, as did presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. She walked several blocks of the march, joining New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Rev. Al Sharpton for a brief appearance at Stonewall Inn, the bar where a 1969 police raid helped catalyze the gay rights movement. On Sunday, with her Twitter handle appearing in rainbow colors, Clinton wrote: "One year ago, love triumphed in our highest court. Yet LGBT Americans still face too many barriers. Let's keep marching until they don't. -H" Authorities had expected a larger-than-usual crowd, and 15-year-old Chelsea Restrepo, of Staten Island, was among the onlookers. She had brushed aside her father's concerns about security to attend the march for the first time. "What happened in Orlando made me want to come more," said Restrepo, swathed in a multicolored scarf. She said she wanted to show her support. Kenny Hillman, a 39-year-old Brooklyn filmmaker, was ready to roar his Triumph Bonneville down Fifth Avenue. The transgender New Yorker said he hadn't planned to come to the march. "For me, I wasn't going to ride because I have 17-month-old twins at home. But then Orlando happened, and seeing so many of my friends shrink in fear made me realize that coming here was more important," said Hillman, wearing an anti-assault guns T-shirt. New York's parade was one of several being held Sunday across the country, along with San Francisco, Chicago, Minneapolis and St. Louis. They came two weeks after the nation's deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. In Chicago, 49 marchers at the head of the parade each held aloft a poster-sized photograph of a different Orlando victim as the procession wound through the city. Above each photo were the words, "Never forget." Despite the somber start, parade-goers seemed as enthusiastic as ever once marchers and floats began moving, cheering and dancing along the route. Many participants said the tributes to the dead in Orlando didn't dampen the energy and fun associated with the pride parade. "It is another on a list of brutalities over the years (against gays)," said Joe Conklin, 74, of Chicago, as he sat on the back of a float waiting for the OK to move out. "We're aware of Orlando but not overwhelmed by it." It was a similar feeling in San Francisco, where men in glittery white wings walked on stilts and women in leather pants rode motorcycles as the parade moved along. Richel Desamparado, of Oakland, California, was marching and carrying a photo of Orlando victim Stanley Almodovar. She said she felt the need to remind people the fight for equality is not over. "A lot of my gay friends and relatives are still being shunned away by their families and communities," said Desamparado, 31. "People need to remember we're still fighting for equality." Sunday's parades did have a new milestone to mark: President Barack Obama on Friday designated the site around New York City's Stonewall Inn as the first national monument to gay rights. Security was ramped up at the events. New York police deployed roving counterterrorism units and used bomb-sniffing dogs, rooftop observation posts, police helicopters and thousands of officers to provide extra layers of security at Sunday's parade. Thousands of uniformed officers lined the route, supplemented by plainclothes officers in the crowd. San Francisco spectators faced metal detectors for the first time, and more police than usual were keeping watch. Some participants didn't welcoming the stepped-up security: Two honorary grand marshals and a health clinic that serves sex workers withdrew Friday from the parade to protest the heavy police presence. Chicago police put 200 more officers than usual on duty for the city's pride parade Sunday. Organizers nearly doubled their corps of private security agents, to 160. At a gay street parade in Turkey, a prominent German lawmaker and outspoken gay rights advocate was temporarily detained Sunday when he wanted to speak publicly at the end of Pride Week. Turkish police have repeatedly in recent days prevented activists from participating in LGBT rallies. For all the security and solemnity, some spectators at pride parades this month have made a point of making merry. "We had fun. That is what gay people do," comedian Guy Branum wrote in a New York Times essay after attending the West Hollywood parade. "Our answer to loss and indignity, it seems, is to give a party, have a parade and celebrate bits of happiness." The last cabinet reshuffle was in July 2015, when Najib dropped leaders critical of his handling of troubled state fund 1MDB. (Photo: AP) Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak reshuffled his cabinet on Monday, placing party loyalists in top posts in a bid to strengthen the ruling coalition amid speculation that he could call an early election next year. Landslide victories in recent electoral outings have put the scandal-hit Najib and his ruling alliance, Barisan Nasional, in a position of strength, and the new cabinet appointments are seen as a move to build on that. "This will strengthen the current administration further to ensure the government's development agenda for the people - economic, welfare and security development - will continue smoothly as promised," Najib told a news conference. A source within the ruling administration said that the strong results in Sarawak state polls in May and two by-elections earlier this month were what Najib was waiting for to decide when he will call national polls, which will likely be by the second half of 2017. The last cabinet reshuffle was in July 2015, when Najib dropped leaders critical of his handling of troubled state fund 1MDB. Najib, who chaired the advisory board of 1MDB, has faced intense pressure following revelations that $681 million was transferred into his personal account. Najib has denied any wrongdoing. Najib has faced calls to resign over the past year over 1MDB, which is being investigated for money-laundering in at least six countries including the United States, Switzerland and Singapore. Of the new ministers, Mah Siew Keong, a senior ethnic Chinese politician and leader of the Malaysian People's Movement Party, was appointed as the new plantation industry and commodities minister. Noh Omar, a veteran leader of the ruling United Malay National Organisation (UMNO), was appointed minister for urban wellbeing, housing and local government. Second Finance Minister Ahmad Husni Hanadzlah quit his post due to "personal reasons" and was replaced by Johari Abdul Ghani. Abdul Rahman Dahlan was put in charge of the Economic Planning Unit in the Prime Minister's Department. Duterte previously said he preferred death by hanging to a firing squad because he did not want to waste bullets and because he believed snapping the spine with a noose was more humane. (Photo: AFP) Manila: Incoming Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte on Monday hit out at "stupid" human rights campaigners, as he defended his imminent war on crime and emphasised the death penalty was for retribution. Duterte gave a lengthy speech in his southern hometown of Davao to outline his vision for the nation once he takes office on Thursday, with a heavy focus on his controversial plans to fight crime. "These human rights (groups), congressmen, how stupid you are," Duterte said, as he highlighted their criticism of his plans to impose late-night curfews on children being out on the streets and to reintroduce the death penalty. "I believe in retribution. Why? You should pay. When you kill someone, rape, you should die," he said. Duterte, 71, won last month's presidential elections in a landslide after campaigning largely on a platform of ending rampant crime, warning that the Philippines was in danger of becoming a narco-state. He promised that tens of thousands of people would die, with security forces being given shoot to kill orders. Since winning Duterte has also promised to give bounties to police for killing drug dealers, and also encouraged ordinary citizens to kill or arrest suspects. Duterte has been accused of links to vigilante death squads during his nearly two decades as mayor of Davao, which rights groups say have killed more than 1,000 people. Local and foreign human rights groups have expressed deep concern about his plans as president, fearing an explosion of extrajudicial killings similar to those seen in Davao. The United Nations' human rights chief, Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, this month urged Duterte not to reintroduce the death penalty, while criticising other elements of the planned war on crime. "The offer of bounties and other rewards for murder by vigilantes, and his encouragement of extrajudicial killings by security forces, are massive and damaging steps backwards which could lead to widespread violence and chaos," Zeid said. With just three days before assuming the presidency, Duterte stood firm. "When they describe or characterise a human rights violator, these fools make it appear that the people you kill are saints, as if they are pitiful or innocent," he said. Duterte said European ambassadors were also among those who had expressed concern over the death penalty and extrajudicial killings. The Philippines abolished the death penalty in 2006 following fierce opposition from the Catholic Church, the religion of 80 percent of Filipinos. Duterte previously said he preferred death by hanging to a firing squad because he did not want to waste bullets, and because he believed snapping the spine with a noose was more humane. The High Commissioner further said that the Australian federal police was already asked to investigate the issue by the High commission. (Representational image: file) Melbourne: Indians in Australia have been asked to remain cautious of fraudulent calls from unauthorised sources about their Australian visa and immigration status, the Indian High Commission has said. "These are the people who impersonate themselves as officials of High Commission or consulate. They have some information about you and they will tell that there wasa problem in visa status or in the passport and then ask money," Indian High Commissioner Navdeep Suri has said. "We have already warned Indians about these scams by putting out information on our website and Facebook," Suri said adding that "We are concerned that several innocent Indians have lost money in these scams and we are aware of these cases. "In addition to this it was also giving us a bad name," he added. The High Commissioner further said that the Australian federal police was already asked to investigate the issue by the High commission. Recently, the High Commission had put out a notice that said 'some Indian nationals, who have recently arrived in or migrated to Australia, have been receiving fraudulent calls from unauthorised persons about their Australian visa/immigration status. "At times the callers have even spoofed the phone numbers allotted to the High Commission of India, Canberra or its Consulate in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth. "These calls are not made by authorised officials from these officials. It may be noteworthy that the Indian High Commission or its consulates usually do not deal with the Immigrant Indians regarding their Australian visa/immigration status," it said. "The department of Foreign affairs and trade, Australian government and Australian Federal Police have been informed about these suspicious calls. "Since, this is a matter concerning Australian visa, it is suggested that the incidents be reported to local police authorities," it added. The flag of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, top, and the flag of England fly above a souvenir stand on Westminster Bridge following EU referendum result, London. (Photo: AP) London: Stalemate between Britain and the European Union over what happens next following Britons' referendum vote to leave has opened up a host of possible scenarios. Here are some that are (in some cases, barely) conceivable: 1. By the book Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will resign after losing his gamble to end British ambivalence about staying in, agrees with the EU establishment that the only legal way to leave is to use Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty to negotiate a withdrawal. He wants to leave triggering the process to his successor, who may not be chosen by the Conservative party until October. EU leaders want him to do it now, or at least as soon as possible, but they lack the legal power to force him. In the most amicable divorce scenario, Britain would trigger Article 50, possibly (though unlikely now) as early as Tuesday when Cameron meets the other 27 EU leaders at a Brussels summit, or via a formal letter later from Cameron or his successor. Read: What is Article 50? The key to Brexit That sets a two-year time limit on negotiating an amicable withdrawal. Ideally, it would divide up assets and liabilities in the shared EU budget and other priority business, such as perhaps the status of British and other EU citizens who find themselves living on the wrong side of a hard new UK-EU border. In an even more ideal world, it would set out a new, close economic relationship between Britain and the EU, possibly in a separate, parallel treaty taking effect from the exit date. The withdrawal treaty can be enacted by just 20 of the 27 other states representing 65 percent of the remaining population. A full new relationship would probably need unanimous support. Two years is very tight but the negotiations can be extended if all 28 countries agree. If there is no deal, then Britain is simply out of the EU two years after Article 50 was triggered -- an outcome written in to the treaty to limit uncertainties. Really? Too good to be true. The EU is never this easy 2. Sorry, we didn't mean it Britain is in political meltdown, with both main parties in civil war and pro-EU Scotland threatening to either block Brexit legally (unclear how) or break away. The referendum result is not constitutionally binding and government and parliament, maybe after a new election, could just ignore it. If so, the EU would carry on as before but a special membership deal it gave Cameron in February has been killed by the referendum result. Really? Pushes democratic credibility beyond breaking point 3. We mean it, but not yet Brexit campaigners have long been suspicious of the two-year limit in Article 50 and some have explicitly said it should only formally be triggered AFTER they have agreed a comprehensive free trade deal that relieves Britain of EU rules such as open EU immigration. Five years or more is the norm globally for such big trade deals. Britain would be a full EU member until then. That is a nightmare scenario for EU leaders, plunging the bloc into open-ended negotiations with its second biggest power that would inspire eurosceptics across the bloc to emulate it and distract governments from other pressing European issues. They rule out opening any negotiation until Britain binds itself to the timetable set out in Article 50. And they insist Britain cannot have its cake on market access and still eat it by ending EU budget payments and free movement of workers. In theory, there could be an endless standoff, with Britain the sulky teenager at the table, poisoning the atmosphere next year as France and Germany run elections and the EU starts confrontational talks on a new 7-year budget. Something would have to give and some compromise would start to be worked out. Really? Compromise is the EU way; don't rule this out 4. We mean it -- or maybe we didn't Article 50 suggests a one-way exit, rather than a revolving door. EU officials insist that once triggered, a state cannot back out and stay. It is not entirely clear, however. Could a future British government conclude that the best settlement to divorce proceedings is just to stay married, if others agree? Really? See scenario 2, but with added fading of memories 5. Can we just tweak this quickly? Some Brexit campaigners have suggested that the Leave vote simply serve as leverage to renegotiate better, semi-detached terms for Britain inside the EU which could be put to another referendum. EU leaders have ruled that out on the same grounds as above that "cherry picking" will spread and wreck the Union. Cameron's deal, to protect the City of London from the euro zone and curb EU immigration, has been killed by a clause that linked it to last week's referendum result. So any talks would start from a lower base and EU leaders would have to eat their words. But some kind of "associate membership" or "special partnership" has been around as an idea in Europe for a time. Really? See 4, but never say never in euro-compromise land 6. Let's just slip into something more comfortable Britain could try to join the European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association, joining the likes of Norway, Switzerland or Iceland in close partnerships with the EU. That could fly with the EU but British leaders would have to persuade Brexit voters to agree to the EU budget contributions and migrants that are accepted by some of those countries. It also would lack the kind of EU market access for services trade which is so important to Britain's big financial sector. A more tailor-made deal would bring things back to earlier scenarios. Really? Doesn't seem to be what Britons want, at least now 7. Why don't we start again? One extreme view is that the fallout from Brexit in the EU might be so cataclysmic that Europeans would go back to the drawing board and effectively create a new kind of Union that could include Britain. Marshalling disparate national ambitions into a new structure would be a colossal task, not least in the wake of the bitterness that the current crisis has engendered. Really? A definite long shot, not one for the near future 8. Second time lucky? Some people who voted to Leave have said that if it doesn't work outside, Britain could always join the EU again. That is true, though it would get no favours. It would face a years-long accession process and require unanimous acceptance by existing members and have to accept a host of conditions that Britain has opted out of during its past 43 years -- notably adopting the euro and a virtually 50-percent rebate on EU membership fees. Really? One for the (very long-lived) birds 9. Room for a little one? Some Scots hope to avoid Brexit by breaking from England. An idea that an independent Scotland could somehow simply sit in the vacant UK chair in Brussels is dismissed by EU officials. At the time of the 2014 independence referendum, the EU said Scotland could apply for membership but would go to the "back of the queue", behind the likes of Serbia, and that its hope of keeping the pound rather than the euro was a non-starter. There is some sympathy for Scots losing their place in the EU but also deep suspicion of secession, especially in Spain, Belgium and Italy, which have their own separatist problems. And a veto. Really? Not soon, but scotland could join the eu one day 10. Slamming the Door A new British government simply walks out. It could launch Article 50 and leave legally in 2019 without any negotiation. It could also ignore the two-year notice period and tear up its treaty obligations and quit right away, though that would undermine its credibility as a party to international law. There is, however, nothing the EU can do to prevent that. It could retaliate on trade or against Britons living in the EU, however much that would create a painful tit-for-tat that would badly hurt Europe's economy and citizens. Nonetheless, EU leaders fear that letting Brexit Britain walk all over them will only inspire other European nationalists to destroy the Union. Really? Threat of mutually assured destruction then detente? Francis uttered his "Who am I to judge?" comment during his first airborne press conference in 2013, signaling a new era of acceptance and welcome for gays in the church. Aboard The Papal Plane: Pope Francis says gays - and all the other people the church has marginalised, such as the poor and the exploited - deserve an apology. Francis was asked Sunday en route home from Armenia if he agreed with one of his top advisers, German Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who told a conference in Dublin in the days after the deadly Orlando gay club attack that the church owes an apology to gays for having marginalised them. Francis responded with a variation of his famous "Who am I to judge?" comment and a repetition of church teaching that gays must not be discriminated against but treated with respect. He said some politicised behaviors of the homosexual community can be condemned for being "a bit 'offensive for others." But he said: "Someone who has this condition, who has good will and is searching for God, who are we to judge?" "We must accompany them," Francis said. "I think the church must not only apologise ... to a gay person it offended, but we must apologise to the poor, to women who have been exploited, to children forced into labor, apologise for having blessed so many weapons" and for having failed to accompany families who faced divorces or experienced other problems. Francis uttered his "Who am I to judge?" comment during his first airborne press conference in 2013, signaling a new era of acceptance and welcome for gays in the church. Francis followed up by meeting with gay and transgender faithful, and most significantly, by responding to claims that he met with anti-gay marriage campaigner Kim Davis during his US visit. He said the only personal meeting he held in Washington was with his gay former student and his partner. Despite such overtures, however, many gay Catholics are still waiting for progress after a two-year consultation of the church on family issues failed to chart concrete, new pastoral avenues for them. The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, told reporters after Francis' press conference that the pope wasn't referring to a medical "condition" when he spoke of gays, but rather a lifestyle situation. Rome: Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said Monday that Europe must move quickly to tackle Britain's exit from the EU, warning there was not enough awareness of the "gravity of the situation". "The last thing Europe needs is to start a year-long discussion on (the negotiation) procedures" for Brexit, Renzi told the Italian Senate. "If everything is limited to negotiations about procedures, we will lose sight of what has occurred," he said. "What's missing today is an awareness of the gravity of the situation." The centre-left premier, who will meet later Monday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, insisted there was no time to lose and Europe "must take action". Renzi stressed that the crisis in the European Union created by the outcome of the Brexit referendum was also "the greatest opportunity for Europe, if we stop playing defensively, and if we try to give our continent the possibility of a new start." EU leaders including caretaker British Prime Minister David Cameron will meet at a summit in Brussels on Tuesday and discuss the consequences of Brexit. They then meet on Wednesday without Cameron. Cameron has said initiating the two-year process for leaving the EU must wait until a successor is chosen from his Conservative party, which could be as late as October. Scotland Yard was called in to inspect suspected racist graffiti found on the front entrance of the Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK) in London on Sunday. (Photo: AP/Representational Image) London: Over 100 incidents of racial abuse and hate crimes, including alleged racist graffiti and cards reading "no more Polish vermin" posted outside a school, have been reported since the UK voted to leave the EU, it emerged on Monday. Scotland Yard was called in to inspect suspected racist graffiti found on the front entrance of the Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK) in London on Sunday. "We are investigating the racially motivated criminal damage on a building," Metropolitan Police said, urging any witnesses to come forward. Cambridgeshire Constabulary was also investigating racism reports around laminated signs calling on people to leave the UK being posted through the doors of members of the Polish community in Huntingdon in the east of England. "The production and distribution of this and any other similar material is committing the crime of inciting racial hatred," Detective Superintendent Martin Brunning of the Constabulary said. According to reports from the Cambridge News, a number of cards saying "Leave the EU/No more Polish vermin" in both English and Polish were found outside St.Peter's school. Meanwhile, two men were arrested in Birmingham after a protest outside a mosque on Saturday where police confiscated a banner with the slogan "rapefugees not welcome". Officers were also investigating reports from Upton Park, east London, where a witness said that he went to the aid of a Polish man and his father who were beaten up on Saturday night. Baroness Warsi, the Conservative peer who stopped supporting Leave because of the anti-immigrant tone of the campaign, said the "atmosphere on the street is not good". "I've spent most of the weekend talking to organisations, individuals and activists who work in the area of race hate crime, who monitor hate crime. "They have shown some really disturbing early results from people being stopped in the street and saying look, we voted Leave, it's time for you to leave," she said. Many of the incidents seem to show the mistaken belief that EU citizens living in the UK will be forced to leave the country instantly as a result of the referendum result. Paris: French purists have never taken kindly to having English thrust upon them, and some have seized upon Brexit as a chance to rid themselves of Shakespeares language at least at EU headquarters. The shock of the decision across the Channel to break with the European Union had barely begun to sink in when two French politicians demanded that Britain, before shutting the door, take its language along with it. The English language no longer has any legitimacy in Brussels, tweeted the mayor of the southern town of Beziers, Robert Menard. Another leader, Jean-Luc Melenchon, tweeted: English can no-longer be the third working language of the European parliament. Amman: Weapons shipped into Jordan for Syrian rebels by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Saudi Arabia were stolen by Jordanian intelligence operatives and sold to arms merchants on the black market, the New York Times reported, citing American and Jordanian officials. Some of the stolen weapons were used in a shooting in November that killed two Americans and three others at a police training facility in Amman, according to a joint investigation by the New York Times and Al Jazeera. A Jordanian officer shot dead two US government security contractors, a South African trainer and two Jordanians at a US-funded police training facility near Amman before being killed in a shootout, Jordanian authorities had said in November. The training facility was set up on the outskirts of the capital, Amman, after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq to help rebuild the shattered country's postwar security forces and to train Palestinian Authority police officers. The weapons used in the shooting had originally arrived in Jordan for the Syrian rebel training program, the paper reported, citing American and Jordanian officials. Theft of the weapons, which ended months ago after complaints by the American and Saudi governments, has led to a flood of new weapons available on the arms black market, the New York Times said. Jordanian officers who were part of the plan "reaped a windfall" from sale of weapons, using the money to buy iPhones, SUVs and other luxury items, according to the paper, which cited Jordanian officials. The CIA could not be immediately reached for comment. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has hailed a recent string of victories against IS in Anbar, and last week proclaimed that Fallujah had returned to the embrace of the nation. (Photo: AP) Amiriyah al-Fallujah: Khaled Suliman Ahmed fled Fallujah in a wheelchair. As Iraqi forces battled their way into the city and Islamic State militants melted away, he joined hundreds of others fleeing on foot into the desert. When the wheelchair broke down after 10 kilometers (six miles), his sons and wife took turns carrying him over their shoulders, and when they saw the tents in the distance, they assumed their nightmare was over. "I thought we were going to be saved from hell and brought to heaven," Ahmed said, "but we were surprised by what we found here." What they found was a sprawling camp in the desert with little food or water, and nowhere near enough tents to shelter the tens of thousands of civilians who had descended on it. They joined thousands of people living out in the open, where midday temperatures approach 50 degrees Celsius (120 F). Iraqi forces declared Fallujah "fully liberated" on Sunday. Months of planning went into the military operation to retake the city, which had been held by IS for more than two years and was the group's last stronghold in the vast Anbar province. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has hailed a recent string of victories against IS in Anbar, and last week proclaimed that Fallujah had "returned to the embrace of the nation." But the government was ill-prepared to deal with the humanitarian crisis now unfolding less than an hour's drive west of Baghdad, where the U.N. estimates that 85,000 people have fled their homes in the past month. The conditions in the camps are reinforcing perceptions of a government that is hopefully corrupt and ineffective. That could fuel unrest in the overwhelmingly Sunni province, which has a history of rebellion against the Shiite-led government going back to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion. A government spokesman acknowledged that authorities had been surprised by the wave of displaced, and said an emergency allocation of another $8.5 million in aid was approved earlier this month. "Given the high population density inside the city, we prepared four camps before the operation," government spokesman Saad al-Hadithi told The Associated Press. "But the large number of displaced people and the quick movement has made it very hard to meet their needs." Ahmed, who escaped Fallujah in a wheelchair, described the harrowing final days of IS rule, when his family huddled indoors as the city was bombarded by airstrikes and artillery. They lived off stale bread and dates, and prayed for liberation. After months of fierce clashes on the city's southern edge, Iraqi forces punched into central Fallujah last week as IS defenses crumbled. Tens of thousands of civilians who had previously been used as human shields fled south. In just three days, more than 30,000 people had descended on a cluster of already overcrowded camps on the edge of Amiriyah al-Fallujah. Now, days after their dramatic escape, Ahmed and his family are once again living on little food or water. A few dozen families huddle in the shade under the frames of half-finished caravans. Hundreds more spend the daylight hours in the courtyard of a mosque before unrolling bed mats to sleep out in the open once the sun sets. "We saw it as a good sign that the government came to liberate Fallujah," said Bayda Mohammad, who walked through the desert for six hours with her four young children after fleeing the city a week ago. Now they share a tent with 10 other people in an open plot of desert fenced off with razor-wire. "What kind of a government treats its people like this?" she asked, holding a scarf up to cover her face as a hot gust of wind whipped up dust and garbage. Behind her a crowd of women waving identification documents formed around a group of aid workers distributing water. "It's the same as always," she said. "This is a rich country, but our politicians only look after themselves." Identified as Mohammed Al Kadri, the victim was dubbed as a 'spy' by ISIS terrorists. (Photo: YouTube Video Grab) Raqqa: In yet another newest way of execution, the dreaded terror outfit Islamic State tied an alleged 'spy' to a crucifix before brutally stabbing him in the heart and shooting in the head. Identified as Mohammed Al Kadri, the victim was dubbed as a 'spy' by ISIS terrorists. The public execution incident is believed to have taken place in Syrian city of al-Raqqah. Kadri was stabbed and shot in the middle of the street as Syrian citizens walked past him. ISIS cited the reason behind Kadri's killing as 'crime against fundamentalists'. Last month, the Islamic State group released a series of photographs of two spies being crucified and shot in the head. ISIS is known for their propaganda videos that are directed at spreading terror among people. (Photo: Twitter) The entire incident was captured on camera by ISIS militants and was broadcasted on the terror group's propaganda channel 'Wilayat ar-Raqqah' meaning 'The province of Raqqah.' After the spies were shot dead, their bodies were hanged with a paper glued to their body. The paper contained a list of accusations and warnings written in Arabic to warn on-lookers about the crime and its consequences. Different Christian organisations have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to order action against the suspects involved in torturing and striping of the woman. (Photo: Representational Image) Lahore: A 28-year-old Christian woman in Pakistan was allegedly stripped naked and assaulted by four men who barged into her house after her brother eloped with a married Muslim woman here. Samra, a resident of Haji Park Tajpura, a thickly-populated locality of Lahore, told police that the four armed men on Sunday entered her house and asked her about the whereabouts of her brother Badal, who had eloped with one of the attacker's wife. The woman said that when she told the armed men that she did not know about her brother's whereabouts they started assaulting her. "They dragged me to a room and tore apart my cloths and tried to rape me. I managed to flee towards the roof and jumped to the house of a neighbour where a woman provided me cloths," she alleged. A case has been registered against Badal for allegedly kidnapping the wife of one of the attackers' named Wasif Naseer. Senior police officer Muhammad Naveed said Samra's brother and sister were involved in the kidnapping. Samra, however, said she had nothing to do with the activities of her brother while her sister Shagufta was already in police custody in connection with the case. The woman also claimed that police were not taking action against the men on her complaint. However, the police officer said that police are verifying Samra's allegation before taking any action against the accused. "It is being suspected that the family of Badal is using different tactic to pressure Naseer to withdraw it," he said. Meanwhile, different Christian organisations have appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif to order action against the suspects involved in torturing and striping of the woman. The 20,000 police will be recruited and it will also include 2,000 former army jawans. This police force will be trained by army. (Photo: Representational Image) Islamabad: Pakistan will recruit 20,000 policemen, including former armymen, to deal with fragile security situation in Sindh province, a top minister said on Monday, days after renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri was killed by Taliban militants in Karachi. Addressing a press conference here, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan talked at length about the situation in Karachi after killing of Sabri and kidnapping of Ovais Sajjad Shah, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice last week. "The 20,000 police will be recruited and it will also include 2,000 former army jawans. This police force will be trained by army," Khan said. He said law and order had improved since counter-terrorism operation was launched in Karachi in September 2013 but still a lot of work was needed to be done. Noting that there was no need for the nation to panic as terrorists are on the run, Khan claimed incidents of extortion, terrorism, target killing, and kidnapping for ransom in Karachi have decreased. Popular Qawwali exponent Sabri was killed last Wednesday by Taliban militants in the Liaquatabad area of the city. Colombo: Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday rebuffed opposition's allegations that the new Constitution formation was aimed at appeasing the minority Tamils through a federal form of power sharing. No draft document has been prepared and no finality on the proposed Constitution agreed so far, Wickremesinghe, who heads the steering committee, said. The talks have been centered on a new election system, conferring powers to provincial councils. There was no dilution of the position currently conferred on the majority religion Buddhism. It will be the duty of the state to protect Buddhism, Wickremesinghe said in a statement. The opposition which backs former president Mahinda Rajapaksa has accused that the move to formulate a new Constitution was aimed at creating a federal system of governance to appease the Tamil diaspora who, it alleges, aim to divide the country. The Constitution-making process which was kicked-off in January is meant to introduce a new Constitution to replace the existing 1978 Constitution. The Tamil minority groups have said that the Tamil grievances could only be addressed through a federal form of power sharing. The Sinhala majority fears a federal solution. They claim it would lead to a separation of the north and east from the island. Lahore: At least 50 Pakistani clerics have issued a fatwa stating that transgender marriages are lawful. The clerics affiliated with the little known Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat issued the religious edict here on Sunday. The fatwa stated that a transgender person having visible signs of being a male may marry a woman or a transgender with visible signs of being a female and vice versa, according to the Dawn News report. The fatwa, however, decreed that a transgender person carrying visible signs of both genders may not marry anyone. It declared that robbing transgender people of their share in inheritance was unlawful and that parents who deprive their transgender children of inheritance were inviting the wrath of God. The clerics called upon the government to take action against such parents. The decree also dwelt upon societal attitudes towards transgenders. It went to the extent of terming haraam (forbidden) any act intended to humiliate, insult or tease transgenders. The fatwa ended with a word on last rites, declaring that all funeral rituals for a transgender person will be the same as for any other Muslim man or woman. The transgender community expedited efforts for equal rights, after a transgender activist was murdered last month. Lok Sabha member Shobha Karandlaje has said that the state government had been unable to take up any development works. Karandlaje said that the Centre had released Rs 25,000 crore to Karnataka as states share in tax revenue. She sought to know from the chief minister the purposes for which the said money had been spent. Karandlaje said that the BJP government led by B S Yeddyurappa had borrowed Rs 42,000 crore in five years for its various welfare schemes. However, Siddararamaiah government has borrowed Rs 90,000 crore in a span of three years. Despite this huge borrowal, there has been no development in the state. she said. DH News Service Monsoon was active in a several parts of the state on Sunday. The entire North Karnataka region experienced drizzle throughout the day. While it drizzled through the day in Gadag, Haveri and Ballari, other districts received sporadic rainfall in their regions. Bagalkot district received heavy rainfall in the day. The coastal region in Uttara Kannada district received heavy rainfall, while Karwar experienced drizzles. Though skies remained cloudy throughout the day in Dharwad and Belagavi districts, it did not rain. Heavy rainfall was reported in Hosapete and surrounding areas for more than three hours. Most of the roads and low-lying areas were inundated. Hampi also received heavy showers inconveniencing tourists who had turned up in large numbers, with Sunday being a holiday. Parts of Shivamogga district also received good rainfall. Rains receded in Dakshina Kannada. However, the sky remained overcast throughout the day. In the last 24 hours, Dakshina Kannada district had recorded 30 mm rainfall. However, parts of Kodagu district continued to receive moderate rainfall. Bhagamandala, Karike, Talacauvery, Napoklu, Somwarpet, Virajpet experienced moderate rains. Male Mahadeshwara Hills, the popular hill shrine in Chamarajanagar district received moderate rainfall, inconveniencing devotees, who had arrived from far-off places. As it was a government holiday, many tourists from Tamil Nadu had arrived to offer prayers. Various parts of Mysuru city too experienced moderate rains for about half an hour towards noon. An energy-saving green initiative of installing LED street lights in place of power-guzzling sodium bulbs has been blunted due to poor execution by a public sector company engaged by the South Municipal Corporation. Even after over one year of signing an agreement with the civic agency the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of PSU companies of Union power ministry, is struggling to complete work of replacing two lakh yellow-light emitting sodium lights with LED bulbs, said an official. There are wards like Bhatti and Aya Nagar where the work has not even started, said Satender Prakash, chairman of South Zones Ward Committee. Officials said barring a couple of wards where all halogen bulbs have been replaced with LED lights, the work has not been completed in the rest of the 28 wards. Each south zone ward has about 1,000-1,500 light points. The SDMC entered into an agreement with EESL in January last year to change about two lakh sodium bulbs in its four zones. In the south zone, officials said: Even those wards in which 70 per cent of work has been done, there are complaints of malfunctioning of the newly installed LED lights. The public sector company has failed to attend to these complaints promptly. The flickering of the LED lights often causes irritation and residents rush to us for its replacement but the EESL functionaries always cite shortage of manpower as a reason for delayed response, said Nutan Kochchar, councillor of Hauz Rani ward. Sources said EESL is in the process of tying up with manpower contractors to ensure there are enough teams available or replacing sodium street lights with LED lights and maintenance. The work on installation of LED lights will soon pick up, said an official of the electrical engineering department of south zone of SDMC. Satender Prakash said councillors in the south zone are also demanding that high-mast sodium lamps in all parks should be replaced with LED lights. We have given an in-principal approval for replacing park lights but are dependent on ESSL for completing the work. From our side, we will ensure that there is no problems due to funds, said Prakash. According to an agreement with ESSL for replacing two lakh conventional street lights in the SDMC area with energy efficient and smart LED lights, the civic agency was not supposed to incur any upfront capital cost. The repayments to EESL were supposed to be out of savings in energy and maintenance cost of SDMC over a seven year contract period. It was supposed to be a win-win situation for the civic agency which was earlier paying the Rs 96 per street per month maintenance cost to the private power utility, said Prakash. LED lights are supposed to offer 10 times brighter light at half the power consumption as compared to a conventional sodium lamp. As per the original plan, a 150W sodium lamp was to be replaced with a 70W LED luminaire and the luminescence would have improved from 30 Lux to 312 Lux. As per initial estimates, the SDMC's street lights consume 10.7 crore units of power in each year. With LED lights twin features of lesser wattage and higher luminescence, the energy consumed was proposed to be reduced by up to 70 percent. This would have saved Rs 500 crore in seven years or three times more than the Rs 175 crore required to install the two lakh LED lights. The ruling AAP on Sunday preferred to describe the detention of its 52 MLAs as arrest and accusing Delhi Police of bias questioned the action taken against BJP councillors who recently attacked a Dalit councillor of the new party. A statement issued by the AAP Media Cell said : Delhi Police arrested 52 AAP MLAs, including the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, during their march to the Prime Minister's residence. The MLAs were going to surrender themselves to the Prime Minister for arrest, after AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya was illegally arrested on Saturday under frivolous and motivated charges, and a complaint was registered against the Deputy Chief Minister for merely doing his duty. However, Delhi Police claimed the AAP legislators were not arrested but detained for about three hours. The AAP also slammed the Union Home Ministry-controlled Delhi Police for showing a prejudice against its elected representative while ignoring offences committed by those of the BJP. Less than two weeks ago, four BJP councillors were caught on camera assaulting an AAP Councillor in broad day light. What action has PM Modis Police taken against them, despite there being evidence? asked the AAP. Revenge on people The Aam Aadmi Party appeals to the Prime Minister to arrest all party MLAs, Ministers, leaders, if he so wishes, but do not take revenge on the people of Delhi for defeating him in the 2015 elections. The PM should allow Delhi's elected government to function, the statement said. The Arvind Kejriwal government was given a massive mandate by the people of Delhi in 2015, rejecting the Prime Minister's party. The Delhi government has been trying to perform its duties, working around the clock for the people of Delhi. However, the Centre's constant interference in the working of the government and their attempt at creating obstacles along the way, shows the Prime Minister's vindictive attitude towards his opponents, said the AAP statement. This anti-people policy of the Centre reached its zenith this week as the Ministry of Home Affairs returned all the important Bills passed by the Delhi Assembly over the past year and a half. No further evidence is needed to prove the Centre's sinister role in scuttling all progressive initiatives of the Delhi government, the AAP said. The Delhi Police, which reports to the Modi Government, arbitrarily and illegally arrested AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya, during his press conference on Saturday. By all means the police must act on complaints, but when a complaint is clearly politically motivated and there exists absolutely no evidence against Mohaniya, how can the Police swoop in on a press conference and pick up an elected public official s though he were a dangerous criminal on the run? asked the AAP. With the arrest of five men on June 3, Delhi Police busted one of the biggest illegal organ transplant rackets in the country run from the premises of Delhis prestigious Indraprastha Apollo Hospital. Among the five arrested two were personal assistants of two Apollo doctors, triggering suspicion that more hospital staffers, including the doctors, may have been involved. Thirteen people including donors, middlemen and the kingpin Rajkumar Rao have been arrested in the case so far. For the first time on June 23, police also arrested an organ recipient from a hospital in central Delhi. He had come there for check-up. The recipient is believed to have paid Rs 25 lakh for the kidney transplant, of which Rs 3 lakh was paid to the Kanpur-based donor, says police. Efforts are on to nab more recipients in connection with the case. The recipients are spread all over the country. We have identified some of them and police teams are being dispatched to nab them. The recipients are located in Kolhapur, Nagpur, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Chennai and Jammu, says a Delhi Police officer. The racket, interestingly, was unearthed when police got to know about a fight outside Apollo between a man and his wife. The husband had sold her kidney to a middleman, says police sources. She told police that her husband had convinced her to donate her kidney to an unidentified recipient in exchange of a good amount of money. But they later fought over sharing the money. The couple were taken to the police station at Sarita Vihar. There the woman kidney donor Moumita told police that her husband Devashish Moulik had promised her Rs 3 lakh if she sold her kidney. She had agreed to do so, but she received only half of the promised amount after donating her kidney, says a police officer. Moulik told police that he had agreed to sell his own kidney to a middleman and had collected the money in advance. Unfortunately, his kidney did not match the recipient and so he had persuaded his wife to sell hers. As we questioned the two, more information was obtained and in the subsequent raid other members of the gang were also nabbed, the police officer says. The arrest of the five accused led to the recovery of fake ID documents such as voter and Aadhaar cards. The entire documentation and verification process for organ transplant was bypassed by using forged papers. These related to recipients relationship with donor, Id and address proof, proof of marriage and clearance of the case by hospitals internal authorisation committee, police say. The papers were faked to show that the kidney donors and relatives were relatives, when they were actually strangers involved in an illegal transaction. Bigger than imagined Questioning of the five people initially arrested arrested, police got to know about the magnitude of their operation and also about T Rajukumar Rao, the kingpin of the racket. The gang used to lure poor people from various states, including Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, to donate their kidneys for a sum of Rs 2.5-3 lakh each in Delhi, while the recipients were asked to pay Rs 25-30 lakh. The doctors PAs and touts received Rs 50,000 each, says a police officer. Rao was arrested on June 7 in a raid by the Delhi Police at Rajarhat in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas district. Police say he confessed that the racket spanned several countries including Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Singapore and involved middlemen, organ donors and their recipients, and that he and his team of accomplices had a target of over 100 recipients. Rao had middlemen in parts of Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka where they targeted poor people in need of money. Some Sri Lankan nationals were also being brought in India via Chennai for organ donation, sources say. He travelled abroad looking for kidney recipients. At the time of his arrest Rao told police that he was in touch with 25 recipients and had taken an advance from them. Amidst allegations by the families of the accused that senior hospital staffers, including doctors, are also involved in the racket, police have zeroed in on the 10 doctors, who are part of Apollo Hospital's internal assessment committee for transplant surgeries, for questioning. The committee comprises senior doctors working at the hospital, independent doctors and a government doctor. We are gathering more information about the entire process through which the committee clears a person for organ donation. Soon the doctors will be questioned, says a police officer. Police have also served notice to five heads of department at the hospital and asked them to join the investigation. Police have so far come across five cases of kidney transplants conducted in Delhi through this racket. The accused disclosed during interrogation that 10-15 more transplants have been done at Jalandhar and Coimbatore in the past two years. Apollo Hospital itself has denied involvement in the racket, saying that it was a victim" of a well-orchestrated operation. Delhi Police recently blew the lid off a kidney transplant racket run out of Apollo Hospital. But it will take more than police action to provide patients with affordable dialysis, and shorter queues for legal transplant Shuv will turn 5 this August. He plays, runs about, says his father Bhanu Prakash Singh. But Shuvs is not like other kids his age. A year after his birth, the boy started suffering from complications in his heart, which doctors identified as congenital defects. The young resident of Etah district in Uttar Pradesh is now on the waiting list for heart transplant at Delhis All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The family first took the boy to a private hospital in Gurgaon. The doctors there suggested that we opt for artificial heart transplant. Following this, we decided to take our child to AIIMS. The hospital will contact us once there is any donor, and if there is a possibility to carry out a heart transplant on Shuv. We have no option but to wait now, says Singh. Shuv is the younger of Singhs two children. There has been little progress in addressing the demand-supply gap in organs in the capital in the last decade, say doctors. With little awareness on organ donation, the gap is growing, say experts. Recently, an interstate kidney racket was busted at Apollo Hospitals, Delhi in about a dozen people have been arrested so far. According to police, while the kingpin used to sell kidneys for Rs 20-25 lakh, the middlemen used to receive Rs 1-2 lakh. Employees of Apollo Hospitals have also been arrested in this illegal organ trade case. While in the case of kidneys and liver, live donation is possible, heart transplants can only be carried out if the family of a brain dead patient comes forward and donates the organ to the hospital. Dr M C Mishra, AIIMS Director, points out that 99.9 per cent of patients requiring a heart transplant do not manage to get a donor. Similarly, 95 per cent cases of patients requiring a liver transplant cannot get it done. Ninety- seven per cent of patients suffering from renal failure and who need kidney transplants do not get donors, he adds. Families of kidney failure patients who get donors within the family consider themselves lucky. My son has been lucky twice. In 1998, he underwent the first kidney transplant. At that time, his mother donated him one of her kidneys, says Bhagwan Parashar. Puneet, now 36, suffered kidney failure in March. He has to go for a re-transplant. This time my younger brother will donate a kidney. We are just waiting for the doctors approval, says Parashar, while waiting outside the nephrology ward at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. A patient needs a kidney transplant when 90 per cent of both the kidneys stop functioning, says Dr Himanshu Sekhar Mahapatra, head of nephrology department. Of the total number of patients coming to the nephrology OPD, around 30-50 per cent need dialysis. However, with the current infrastructure, only a restricted number of people can be given dialysis. This roughly translates to 20 per cent patients every month, says Dr Mahapatra. There is no other option but to refer the rest to other hospitals, he says. While some patients turn to private hospitals, several others who cannot afford the treatment eventually die of renal failure in the absence of a robust infrastructure at government hospitals for dialysis and non-availability of organs when the patients need transplant, say doctors. There is also a shortage of ICU and surgical beds at hospitals to carry out the transplants. At the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), there are four to six kidney transplants a month. In the last three years, there have been 98 kidney transplants at the hospital. But most of these are live donations, said Dr Suman Nayak, Associate Professor at the nephrology department. Organ donation It is exactly a year since my younger brother passed away. He is survived by two young children one 4 and the other 7. Our only consolation is we donated his organs and that he helped save multiple lives, says Apninder Singh, who donated multiple organs of his 41-year-old brother to AIIMS. The patient had suffered brain haemorrhage and was declared brain dead, following which the family wanted to go ahead with the organ donation. Currently, there is little awareness among families to donate the organs of a brain dead patient. Firstly, there is a lot of coordination required among the hospital staff, police team and family members of the patient to facilitate organ donation. Families are distraught as in most cases the patients are accident victims, says Rajeev Maikhuri, transplant coordinator at Organ Retrieval Banking Organisation, AIIMS. The transplant team also needs to be more sensitised. While we actively follow up with the recipients families, the donors families are forgotten. They should be given a platform to share their stories. This will also help other people to emotionally connect and come forward to actively take up the cause of organ donation, says Maikhuri. In several cases, patients families insist on donating to a particular institute. If there are no suitable recipients available at that time at this particular hospital, we usually tie up with other hospital for donating the organ with the patients consent. The waiting period for a patient can vary from days to years, depending on the availability of organs, he adds. Interstate coordination is also poor and only in few cases, organs are flown in from other cities for recipients. In case of government hospitals, it becomes almost impossible to furnish the cost of charter planes to flow in organs. Of the 80-100 people declared brain dead at the AIIMS every year, only eight-10 families at the most agree to donate the patients organs, said Dr Mishra. Most hospitals also do not have dedicated transplant coordinators who can convince the families on this issue. People also battle religious beliefs while donating their family members organs. There is a need to sensitise the masses about how this contribution can help thousands of lives. This is the only way how in the long run the demand-supply gap can be shortened, says Dr Nayak. Fight against trafficking In case of kidney transplants, besides first-degree relatives, altruistic donors can also come forward and donate kidneys. This means a person is donating a kidney out of goodwill and there is no monetary transaction involved. However, this is a grey area under which illegal organ trade continues. With no progress in bridging the demand-supply gap, such illegal trade will only thrive, say experts. It is time that we open a debate on the legalisation of organ donation in lieu of money. This will put an end to the organ trafficking rackets. The logic so far has been the poor should not be exploited. To stop commercialisation, there should be a uniform rate throughout the country. But the laws should change and legalise organ donation in exchange of fixed charges, says Dr Mishra. There has been no progress in battling the shortage in the last 10 years. Going by the current rate, little will be achieved in the next decade, he adds. For patients awaiting organ transplant, it is an endless wait. Several patients also cannot afford the prices quoted by the private hospitals. I was undergoing treatment at a private hospital which suggested that I need an immediate heart transplant. The price quoted was Rs 25 lakh which I could not have afforded. I then went to AIIMS. I have quit my work as a broker and only stay home as I have several restrictions. It is my familys support which keeps me going now, says Sandeep Kohli, 49. He has been on the waiting list for heart transplant at AIIMS for over a year now. Ganesh Kumars search for the right treatment ended in Delhi after travelling across four cities two years back. The 30-year-old man who hails from Palamu district in Jharkhand did not know what was suddenly wrong when he started getting bouts of vomiting. His first stop was a private hospital in Ranchi. He next went to Vellore, Tamil Nadu. First the doctors suggested dialysis. But later they made it clear that I have to undergo a kidney transplant. The procedures would cost in lakhs which I could not afford, says Ganesh. Someone told me that there is an Ayurvedic doctor in Mumbai. There too I went in vain, he adds. He finally came to government-run Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi where he underwent a kidney transplant in September last year. My 22-year-old sister donated me her kidney. It was a difficult decision for the family as the doctors said I would not survive without a transplant. A patient typically shells out between Rs 12,000-Rs 28,000 every month for dialysis at a private hospital and between Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000 at a government hospital. Below Poverty Line (BPL) card-holders are charged around Rs 250 for one dialysis session. RML Hospital can only accommodate 20 patients at a time for transplant surgeries. The rest are sent away. The situation is typical of any government hospital in the capital, with acute shortage in ICU beds. RML Hospital sees around 1,000 patients on an average for transplants every month. However, it conducts only four transplants a month. There is a huge gap between the number of such patients we get and the number we can attend to. We cannot accommodate more than 20 at a given point of time. We ask them to go to other hospitals. A lot of patients die as they are not able to get transplant at the right time, says Dr Himanshu Sekhar Mahapatra, head of nephrology department. Efforts to tie up with private hospitals for patients belonging to the economically weaker section (EWS) do not always work. Patients are turned away with hospitals claiming there are no vacancies under the EWS category, says Dr Mahapatra. Though Ganesh feels much healthier now, the struggle isnt over yet for him yet. On Thursday, he was waiting for his doctor at the RML hospital for a regular check-up. I have to come here once in 20 days or every month. We have already exhausted all our savings and it gets difficult spending on railway tickets every month but there is no other option, he says. This is a common story of patients from outside Delhi. Many uproot their lives and settle in Delhi till the treatment is complete. Ganeshs mother and sisters have shifted here for a year. Only my father stayed back in Jharkhand to work or how else would we get the money, says Ganesh. Similarly Rajendra Kumar Upadhyay, a resident of Jaunpur district in Uttar Pradesh is currently living in a rented house in sector 16, Dwarka for the last two months as his 22-year-old son Ashish is due to undergo kidney transplant at Fortis Hospital in two weeks. We are just hoping that he gets well after the transplant. Thats all we want, says Rajendra, who is the donor. Thirty-two-year-old Javir Ali, who got his transplant done in October 2013, says his life never returned to normal after it. Ali was working as a carpenter before his kidney ailment, but could not continue after the transplant. His income is now dependent on someone doing the work for him. Since people know me in the area, they call me for any carpentry work. I outsource it and share the income with them, says Ali, a resident of Shahdara. It has been three years since his transplant but he still has to go for a check-up every month. With a debt of Rs 3 lakh and a family of five to support, Ali says he hopes someday he can go back to work. The whole process cost me Rs 7 lakh, out of which I took Rs lakh from people I know. I dont know how to repay that. I just wish that someday I will feel healthy, the hospital visits will stop and I can start working again, he says. Police in the US state of Utah have recruited a 17-month-old dog specially trained to sniff out electronic storage devices containing images of child porn hidden by paedophiles. The electronics-sniffing dog called URL, but pronounced as 'Earl' is uniquely skilled and can find hidden memory cards and USB sticks paedophiles often use to store their images. A black Labrador who was rescued from a shelter as a puppy, URL, known affectionately as 'porn dog', can distinguish between an iPad and a USB drive and ignores remote controls and alarm clocks as they smell different. "Specially trained to sniff out electronic storage devices such as thumb drives, cellphones, SIM cards, SD cards, external hard drives, tablets and iPads, URL offers a unique set of skills to aid investigators in fighting crime," said Weber County Sheriff's Office in Utah, a law enforcement organisation. "Whether it's child porn, terrorism intelligence, narcotics or financial crimes information, URL has the ability to find evidence hidden on basically any electronic memory device," the office was quoted as saying by 'The Washington Post'. The training for electronics-sniffing dogs takes six to eight weeks longer than the training process for drug-sniffing dogs. It is a trade secret exactly which chemical URL is sensing, though it is possibly an adhesive commonly used to manufacture USB drives and microSD cards, the report said. "I think everyone was pretty skeptical. Really? A dog that can detect electronics? He certainly has some unique abilities, and we're excited to have him," said Lieutenant Lane Findlay of the Weber County Sherrif's Office. Dogs are about 10,000 to 100,000 times more sensitive to odour than humans. Where humans might smell a soup, a dog could pick out the scent of chicken and the noodle wheat and the individual seasonings. "We're starting to push the dog into situations we never thought possible before. I think we limit our dogs to our own capabilities. And I'm no Einstein or Hawking," Steve Austin, who has spent 30 years training detection dogs for police, environmental agencies among others, told the paper. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asserted that India's efforts for engagement with Pakistan is on with peace as supreme objective but the forces have "full freedom to answer back" in whatever manner they have to. He also said there are different types of forces operating in Pakistan but India engages only with a democratically-elected system. To a question about his "uncompromising approach" towards Pakistan in May 2014 and about the killing of eight CRPF soldiers near Srinagar on Saturday, Modi said India India has always wanted friendly ties with its neighbours over which there can be no debate. "Those who have to work from the table, will work from the table and those who have to work at the border, will work at border with full strength. "Each one will fulfil the responsibility entrusted to them. And our jawans are fulfilling their responsibilities. It's true that pressure on terrorists has increased, their schemes are proving unsuccessful. "The intent with which they move forward are foiled and they have to face major challenges. It is because of this disappointment that such incidents are taking place and our jawans are risking their lives and protecting the country. We are very proud of our Jawans," he said. Modi said India will have to be "alert and conscious" all the time but wondered with whom in Pakistan red lines can be drawn for conducting talks--with the elected government or "other actors". "Look, there are different types of forces operating in Pakistan. But the government only engages with a democratically-elected system. Our effort for that engagement is continuing. But our supreme objective is peace. Our supreme objective is to protect India's interests. "We keep making efforts towards that objective and sometimes our efforts are successful. As far as meetings and talks are concerned, we signalled right from the day I took oath and sent invitations for the oath taking ceremony, that we seek friendly relations but without compromising on our interests. "And that is why I have said that my country's soldiers have full freedom to answer back in whatever manner they have to and they will keep doing that," he told Times Now in an interview. Asked what would be the 'laxman rekha' for talks with Pakistan, Modi said "The first thing is that with whom in Pakistan you will decide about laxman rekha--with an elected government or with other actors. "So India will have to be alert and conscious all the time. There should not be any laxity and negligence." Modi was asked what is the 'lakshman rekha' for holding talks Pakistan because in 2014 it was said it will be only talks between the two countries and not with Hurriyat, the second was 26/11 and now Pathankot. He said because of his consistent efforts like the visit to Lahore or inviting the Pakistan Prime Minister here that he no rpt no longer has to convince the world about India's stand on terrorism. "The world in one voice is praising India's role. Pakistan is finding it difficult to answer. The world is watching. If we remain an obstacle then we will have to convince the world that we are not like this. "Earlier the world would not buy India's theory on terrorism and sometime it would even treat it as out law and order problem. Now the whole world is accepting what India says on terrorism. It is accepting the loss caused to India by terorrism, the loss caused to humanity by terrorism. I believe India will have to continue putting forth its view on this matter," the prime minister said. Three great rivers rush through parallel canyons in the mountains of southwest China on their way to the coastal plains of Asia. At least 10 dams have been built on two of them, the Mekong and the Yangtze. The third remains wild: the remote, raging Nu, known as the Salween in Myanmar, where it empties into the Andaman Sea. No dam stands in the path of its turquoise waters. It is the last free-flowing river in China. Environmentalists have waged a passionate defence of the Nu for more than a decade, battling state hydropower firms determined to build dams to harness the river. It is an epic struggle that has veered from victory to defeat and back again several times and has recently taken on new significance: with global temperatures rising, can China afford to protect its rivers and forego an alternative to the coal-fired plants responsible for much of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions? Green advocates across the country have argued that dams on the Nu would force the relocation of tens of thousands of people, destroy spawning grounds for fish and threaten the livelihoods of farmers and fishermen downstream, especially across the border in Myanmar and Thailand. But China, the worlds biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, has promised to begin scaling back its use of coal even as its power needs continue to rise. The government pledged that one-fifth of the nations energy use will come from non-fossil sources by 2030, and it intends to reach that goal in large part by building more dams. Over the years, government agencies and state firms have proposed building multiple dams along the 1,700-mile river. Most of these plans have been scrapped, and the fight is now focused on proposals for 4 dams on the pristine upper stretch that flows through this valley, and a fifth one in Tibet. These dams would contribute to the 350 gigawatts of hydropower capacity that Beijing wants to have built by 2020. Preliminary construction work has been touch and go for years, and the 4 sites were abandoned when I visited. There were suspension bridges, rusted transport skiffs and small man-made caves in the valley walls, but no workers in sight. The dam is no good for the environment, so the government stopped it, said Abao, a resident of Dongfeng village, far up the valley. He had recently visited the fifth site, upriver in Tibet, and said construction appeared to have halted there too. Short-lived relief But given past swings, residents said they were worried about work resuming. The water flow wouldnt be normal, and there would be less fish in the water, said Yang Wendong, an ethnic Nu resident of a mountain village Qiunatong, by the Tibet border. The benefits from hydropower are temporary. In Xiaoshaba, near the proposed dam site farthest downriver, the government has already relocated residents, the start of what will be a huge resettlement effort along the entire valley if the dams are approved. The villages 120 households have been forced to give up their livestock and farmland and move into two-storey buildings nearby. Some run small shops or lease space in the buildings. To the north, in the village of Laomudeng, Yu Wulin, a guesthouse owner, said the dams would have no good benefits for the local people, and would choke off the trickle of tourists coming to the region since 2003. That was when it was recognised as one of the worlds most ecologically diverse and fragile places and designated a Unesco World Heritage Site. In March, officials from Yunnan province who along with the China Huadian Corp., one of the countrys largest state energy firms, had promoted the dams appeared to reverse themselves and propose a national park. Residents I spoke with applauded the idea. My generation will not see the benefits of the national park project, but the next generation will, said Yang Yi, a minivan driver in Gongshan, an upriver town. But Wang Yongchen, director of Green Earth Volunteers, a group in Beijing that has led the fight against dams on the Nu for more than a decade, expressed some skepticism. She said the officials statements could be interpreted to mean only that construction of smaller hydropower stations using water from the Nus tributaries would be suspended. More than 100 of these smaller stations have already been built in the valley. We want the central government to make a decision on these 4 dams, to cancel them, Wang said. Wang and other environmentalists acknowledge that China needs to wean itself off coal and other fossil fuels to combat global warming, but maintain that it can do so without resorting to as much hydropower or nuclear power as proposed by the government. Some said the construction of dams could contribute to climate change because organic matter submerged by dams and reservoirs may release significant amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas, when they decompose. There are also commercial rationales for not building the dams. Some energy analysts say much of the electricity generated by hydropower in Yunnan is wasted because the transmission system to the national electricity grid is limited and outdated. Others say the electricity does not end up on the grid because the network gives coal-fired plants preferential treatment over firms specialising in alternative power generation. A spree of dam building is already underway on other major rivers of western China, which flow into neighbouring countries and are critical for life across Asia. In October 2015, China began operating the giant Zangmu Dam on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, upsetting India and Bangladesh because the river is an important waterway in their countries. But environmentalists have succeeded in persuading the central government to block some projects. Some climate change researchers say building hydropower capacity is critical for China as it tries to move away from coal. Chen Zuyu, a prominent hydropower scientist, estimates that the country has installed less than half of the 700 gigawatts of potential hydropower capacity, and said it should push ahead. China is still in the golden era of hydropower development, he said. China can keep developing hydropower for another 30 years, and then it will be done. Chen said the Nu was ready to be developed, but noted, Environmental issues are political issues and are the hardest to resolve. Kudremukh National Park is an important protected area in the Western Ghats region, extending over 630 sq km in Chikkamagaluru, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka. The Park comprises montane grasslands with tropical forests. It has shola forests (local name for patches of stunted tropical montane forest) interspersed with grasslands. The unique ecosystem which gives birth to 4 rivers. Two of these rivers, Gurupura and Netravathi, are west flowing, while Tunga and Bhadra are east flowing. The rivers support several power, irrigation and drinking water projects for many towns and villages. During the rains, water is stored in the roots of trees in the subsurface. There are numerous perennial water streams starting in shola forests and contributing to these rivers. Any damage to the ecosystem would result in the depletion of the flow of the stream. As much as 48 sq km of the forest area of this landscape was leased to Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL) in 1969 for iron ore mining for 30 years. But mining activities continued even after the expiry of the lease. So, Wildlife First, an NGO led by Praveen Bhargav, made efforts for termination of this mining lease and succeeded. Mining was stopped by the order of the Supreme Court in 2005, but it took some more time to dismantle the infrastructure. I happened to camp there recently and visited some shola forests and grasslands. I also climbed the Kudremukh peak. Although the Forest Department had taken up several fire protection measures, it was very distressing to note that many grasslands had been burnt and trees on the fringes of shola forests are scorched. This results in the shrinking of shola forests and affects its water holding capacity. The flow of the streams, especially during summer months would deplete. The expansion of unwanted Pteridium (a kind of fern) in grassy areas is also a matter of concern. Raging fire I ascertained the reasons for large scale burning of these grasslands. Villagers believe that if the grassland is burnt, new flesh of grass would grow, which would be more palatable to cattle. Here, 9 tribal families were granted the individual rights under the Forest Rights Act, but their community right for water supply was rejected. People from Mulloli and many adjoining villages were reportedly aggrieved by the measures taken by the Forest Department and went on to put fire in the grasslands. The villagers were aggressive in setting fire, despite heavy presence of the department in the area. Because of the vastness of the area, no sooner was fire extinguished in a patch, and the department personnel, to their dismay, found fire in other patches. This went on unabated till large extent of grasslands and forests were burnt. There are several private enclosures in the National Park, where 1382 families reside. Of them, 536 families have shown their willingness to relocate. During the last 7 years, more than Rs 50 crore has been utilised and 190 families have been relocated, adding an area of 375 acres to the National Park. In 2011, Government of Karnataka had proposed this area as a tiger reserve and the central government had accepted the proposal. Public representatives were not comfortable with it, launched protests and the State government backtracked. To increase the status of protection in such a sensitive landscape, some additional forest area was proposed to be added to the National Park in 2011. The proposal met the roadblock as several public representatives were against it. It is high time that we adequately protect such a sensitive landscape, which is the source for the lifeline for towns and villages on its east as well as on the west. In order to ensure that the flow of natural streams are maintained, the forests and grasslands must be protected from fire, grazing, illicit cutting of trees and encroachment. It is time we understand that if the grasslands burn, sholas will shrink and eventually natural streams will die. (The author is retired principal chief conservator of forests, Karnataka) The government should come to the rescue of farmers by providing support price for areca and coconut, as the prices of the crops have fallen, urged Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sene. Submitting a memorandum at the deputy commissioners office in Chikkamagaluru on Monday, the members of the Sangha said that the central government has not submitted a the scientific report to the court that areca is not injurious to health. They demanded a regulation to maintain consistency in areca prices and said that research should be carried out on the diseases affecting the crop. Natural disasters The coconut, areca and coffee growers have incurred great loss due to drought, floods and other natural disasters. Also, the problems of poor quality fertilisers and transplantation seeds, fall in prices, torture by middlemen and loans have been haunting farmers. Both the central and the state governments must seek reports from the horticultural and agricultural departments to rush to the rescue of the growers, the Raitha Sangha member demanded. Coconut trees have also been affected by diseases, causing a great loss to the growers and, hence, the government must initiate research towards finding a solution to the problem and providing compensation to the formers, the members said and demanded a compensation of Rs 35,000 for each dried up coconut tree. Speaking further on the matter, the farmers said, A coconut and areca board must be formed. The import of areca from Indonesia and Malaysia must be stopped. A support price of Rs 30 to Rs 40 must be provided to a coconut. A support price of Rs 20,000 should be fixed for per quintal of copra. They said that the central government itself must provide the premium towards Phasal Bima Yojana. The loans availed by areca, coconut, corn, potato and tomato growers must be waived off completely. Irrigation schemes must be implemented immediately. Coconut growers must be protected by implementing Neera policy in the model of Kerala. Chance should be provided for the sale of tender coconuts at all bus stops, the members said. Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha Hasiru Sene Kadur taluk unit president M Niranjanamurthy, taluk unit president M R Manjegowda and secretary Rajappa were present among others. MP Prathap Sihma lamented that youth are not showing interest in research activities. Speaking at the release of biocapsules powercap and trichocap at ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research Regional Station, Appangala, on Monday, he said in India, emphasis is given for Information Technology while in China, emphasis is on research. As a result, students from China are engaged in research activities across the globe. The increase in research in agriculture, horticulture, fisheries, sericulture will help in the development of the sector. The MP said that though Arabica coffee is affected with white-borer disease, no solution has been worked out so far. The research institutions should guide the farmers on cultivation of crops that are suitable to a particular region. On Devatiparambu Speaking on the sidelines of the programme, the MP said building a memorial at Devatiparambu will not affect anyone. There should not be any rift between communities in the name of memorial. Tipu Sulthan had attacked Kodagu district 32 times. Whenever he was attacked, the people in Kodagu sent him back. Devatiparambu is not a cock and bull story. There are historical evidences to prove that Tipu had taken grudge against the people of Kodagu at Devatiparamabu. He said, As the president of Yuva Morcha, I will tour across the state to organise youth. ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research Regional Station, Appangala Head Dr S G Anke Gowda said that the biocapsules are useful to check fruit rot disease affecting black pepper and ginger. No confusion in BJP Yuva Morcha state unit president Prathap Simha said that he does not see any confusion in the BJP. Speaking to mediapersons here on Monday, he said, The differences of opinion is common in a political party. However, one need not project it as a major confusion. The Assembly election in 2018 will be faced under the leadership of B S Yeddyurappa. We all want Yeddyurappa to become the Chief Minister. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) State unit is preparing for the Assembly elections in 2018. BJP state unit president B S Yeddyurappa, on Monday, said, the party was aiming to win at least 150 Assembly segments in the next elections. Addressing party workers at a private hotel, here, he said, the party would announce the candidates six months prior to the elections and tickets would be issued to those who have gained popularity among the people. He asked the representatives of local bodies from the party to work for the people and also for the party. Lamenting that the party had failed to win even a single Assembly seat from Mysuru, Mandya, Hassan and Chamarajanagar districts in the last Assembly elections in 2013, he urged the party workers to be united to bring the party to power in the upcoming Assembly polls. Asking the party workers to take minority people into confidence, he said, 150 minority communities leaders had joined the party in Bengaluru recently. The BJP would have won the recent South Graduates constituency MLC elections, if the party workers had worked unitedly. I had promised BJP national unit president Amit Shah of victory in three constituencies, but failed, he said. Pointing at the percentage of votes cast in Mysuru city, Yedyurappa said, party workers have failed to convince the voters to come out and vote. The percentage is very less in Mysuru city, compared to rural areas and other districts Hassan, Mandya and Chamarajanagar, he said. Charges against CM Yeddyurappa said, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has failed to appoint a Lokayukta and was trying to weaken the institution by establishing Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Sand mafia has grown strong in the State after the Congress came to power and ministers are involved in the illegal activity. PWD Minister Dr H C Mahadevappa should have resigned by now, he said. Yeddyurappa said, the Congress government was not ready to accept the report of former Wakf Board chairman Anwar Manappadi on encroachment and selling of Wakf Board properties. BJP leader Go Madhusudhan said, the Congress was a divided house. CM Siddaramaiah has neglected original Congressmen and he has no faith that he could win any election from his home constituency, Varuna. The BJP has chances to win in 10 Assembly constituencies in Mysuru region comprising Hassan, Mandya, and Chamarajanagar districts. Anil Thomas, who was Congress party city unit general secretary, joined the BJP. Former minister S A Ramdas, Deputy Mayor Vanita Prasanna, BJP city unit president Dr H Manjunath, rural unit president M Shivanna and Mallikarjunappa were present. Three youths, in an inebriated condition, assaulted a police sub-inspector and a head constable at Karadihalli, Kanakatte hobli, in the taluk, on Sunday night. The injured are PSI Raja Naik, 56, and Head Constable Manjunath, 45. They were rushed to Jayachamarajendra Hospital in the town. With Naiks condition said to be critical, he has been shifted to Hassan hospital for further treatment. The accused are Shivaprasad and Kiran, residents of Electronics City Layout in Bengaluru, and Sarvesh of Mysuru. The trio was arrested with the help of the villagers, according to eye witnesses. Wedding The accused had come to Karadihalli to attend the wedding ceremony of their friend. The trio, under the influence of liquor, was creating ruckus right from the morning, by unnecessarily quarrelling with the relatives and continued it on the streets of the village. Unable to withstand the nuisance, some of the villagers complained to Banavara police over phone. Escape PSI Raja Naik and Manjunath visited the spot. Noticing the police, the trio tried to escape from the spot in their car. In an incident straight out of the films, the Police chased them and almost intercepted the car, when they purposefully rammed the jeep. When the policemen tried to nab the trio, they overpowered the cops and assaulted them. It is alleged that the trio had lethal weapons in their car. Naik sustained severe head injuries and Manjunath was left with a fractured leg. Banavara police have registered a case. The Centre may not have made Aadhaar number mandatory for getting subsidy on domestic LPG cylinder. But oil marketing companies in the state have started insisting that their consumers should submit their Aadhaar number. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPC) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (BPC) are sending messages to their consumers mobile phone, asking them to submit Aadhaar numbers. The oil companies have stated in their message that the subsidy towards domestic LPG refill supply will not be deposited in the bank account if Aadhaar number is not submitted. You are linked to PAHAL (system wherein LPG subsidy amount will be directly deposited in the customers bank accounts) through bank a/c linking mode. As informed earlier, kindly submit your Aadhaar at LPG distributorship to receive subsidy in your bank a/c, a message sent by IOC to its customers stated. But the company has not indicated from when it is planning to discontinue depositing the subsidy amount into the bank account. The Centre recently notified the new Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016, giving unique numbers assigned by the Unique Identity Authority of India a statutory backing for transferring subsidies and benefits to the eligible people. July 15 deadline Official sources in the BPC said that the oil companies have asked their consumers to submit their Know-Your-Customer (KYC) details before July 15 this year. This applies to only those who have not submitted their Aadhaar number yet. But the companies have so far not received clear direction from the Oil Ministry on whether to continue depositing subsidy amount to the consumers who fail to submit KYC details. About seven lakh of the nearly one crore domestic LPG customers in Karnataka are yet to submit their Aadhaar number to the oil companies. The firms had given an option to the consumers to either submit Aadhaar-linked bank account number or an ordinary bank account number. This was done to implement the direct benefit transfer system. The companies had collected KYC details from those who had not furnished Aadhaar number. The official sources said the KYC details are sought from non-Aadhaar customers in order to verify whether they are genuine consumers. The oil companies cannot crosscheck the authenticity of consumers who have given only ordinary bank account details. There is a possibility of ineligible people getting the subsidy amount, the sources added. A Nigerian woman who went on a rampage and injured herself at National Market in Gandhinagar, created a ruckus at KC General Hospital on Monday. The woman, in her mid-twenties, identified as Namplima Marian, who claims to be a student and her companion Yesudas Puthambara, went to a store at National Market under the influence of alcohol. Namplima repeatedly banged her hand against the glass at the cash counter. The glass broke, leaving her injured. Storekeeper Narpat Kumar called the police as she created a ruckus, said DCP (West) Ajay Hilori. A police team took her to KC General Hospital in Malleswaram for treatment. As she refused to get down from the autorickshaw and the police had to virtually drag her out. She accused Indians and the police of trying to kill her. The Home Guards threw a blanket on her and tried to calm her down. She escaped and chased a couple of policemen who tried to restrain her, said the police. She also barged into the Emergency Hall and tried to ransack it, but was caught and taken into the hospital. Namplima and Puthambara have been booked under IPC Sections 323 ( voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 427 (causing mischief and damage), 448 (house-trespass) and 504 intentional insult with intent to provoke breach, based on a complaint filed by Narpat Kumar, the DCP added. Doctors at K C General Hospital were attending a review meeting when the chaos drew them out. Dr Manjunath, medical superintendent, K C General Hospital said Namplima has been referred to the National Institute for Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans) for a medical examination. We are unsure if she was under the influence of any substance (drugs) or whether she has any psychiatric ailment. Even patients with acute psychosis have a tendency to behave aggressively, he said. He added that she also kicked two doctors while the other doctors tried to put her on IV fluids. We had to shift the patients in the casualty to the next room to ensure that nothing untoward happened, he said. Even as doctors put her on medication to calm her down, the woman became violent in 15 minutes. She was then sent in an ambulance with three staff nurses, two doctors and three police constables. Cracking the whip on officials for laxity and negligence, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday said he will not tolerate such conduct. Addressing a review meeting of all regional commissioners and deputy commissioners in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah asked officials to get their act together, as their negligence was costing the government dearly, according to a press note from the government. Asking them to step out of their air-conditioned offices to address public grievances, Siddaramaiah showed the officials whos boss. Dont think that you can misguide me. I am a lawyer by profession. I know what kind of questions to ask. So dont fall into the trap by lying to me, he said, adding that officials should do their homework before coming to meetings. Pointing out to complaints of bribery and non-utilisation of funds under important schemes, Siddaramaiah said if these issues are not addressed immediately, then the district administration would be held liable. He also warned senior officers of disciplinary action if they failed address public grievances highlighted by the media immediately. Taking serious objection to non-redressal of complaints, Siddaramaiah said that though his office had forwarded as many as 160 complaints to various district administrations, only 19 complaints had been looked into. Such laxity and irresponsible conduct will not be tolerated any longer. Because of your negligence, people curse the government, which has to pay the penalty every five years, he added. He also said there were many complaints pertaining to bribery in the revenue department, especially in sub-registrar offices, when it came to processing land documents. If the bribe is not paid, applicants are made to run from pillar to post. Isnt it the responsibility of the deputy commissioner and the department heads to intervene and help get the applicants? he said. Despite the government sanctioning Rs 141 crore to meet drinking water needs, only Rs 28 crore had been spent, he said. The Madiwala police detained a footwear salesman on Monday for attempting to molest a 23-year-old Congolese national in Madiwala. The victim, a resident of Suddaguntepalya and a student of private college in Koramanagala, stated in her complaint that the Ramdev attempted to molest her when had gone to buy footwear at a shoe store situated in Taverekere, Madivala. While she was looking for a pair of shoes stacked in the shelves, Ramdev touched her inappropriately. Ramdev moved away after she raised an alarm, she added in the complaint. The police registered a case under section 354 of IPC against Ramdev, said the police. Rajajinagar MLA S Suresh Kumar on Monday filed an affidavit before the Justice A M Farooq Committee on `G` category sites, based on a newspaper notification. Suresh Kumar stated that he had returned the `G` category site to Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) through a relinquish deed in September 2012. The commission had issued a paper notification to 15 allottees to appear on July 27, after notices to them could not be served. The notices sent by registered post had returned for one reason or the other. On Monday, four allottees, including Suresh Kumar, appeared before the committee. ``BDA had allotted a site in Nagarabhavi 1st Block under `G` category to me. Subsequently, BDA has withdrawn the same in December 2009. BDA has allotted an alternative site at 4th Block, Raj Mahal Vilas and the same was returned to BDA by executing registered relinquish deed in September 2012,'' the affidavit stated. Suresh Kumar also stated that an endorsement in this regard has been issued by the BDA on June 18, 2016 stating that no site is allotted in his name under `G` category. Suresh Kumar has requested the committee to drop the proceedings against him. Sources in the committee said that among the 15 allottees, three more had appeared before the committee. The allottees, B R Kerur and Eshwar Rao's son, appeared in person while an advocate representing Subeera Begum appeared, an official said. The committee has given another chance for the remaining 11 allottees to appear before the committee. Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has set a deadline of six months for the Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to set things right at its Lingadheeranahalli waste processing unit or face music. During the hearing of a batch of complaints against the waste processing units on Monday, the KSPCB chairperson Lakshman directed the BBMP to ensure setting up of an effluent treatment plant (ETP). If that was not possible, then the plant managers must store the leachate and transport it to the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board's ETP. He directed the BBMP that the ETP should come up in six months time or else the KSPCB will be compelled to initiate stringent action. He also instructed the civic agency to ensure transportation of the Refuse-Derived Fuel (RDF) to cement factories. Later speaking to reporters, Lakshman said that he had inspected the plant four days ago and found violations galore. The leachate is getting mixed with the Sompura lake water. We have collected the borewell water samples too and test results are awaited to ascertain any damage to the groundwater, he added. Bellandur lake project The KSPCB is going to invest Rs 100 crore to rejuvenate the Bellandur lake and Rs 4 crore for reviving the Ulsoor lake. We are going to set up sewage treatment plants and will call for tenders soon, he said. There are many mega residential projects in the upstream of the Bellandur lake where 588 sewage treatment plants are existing. However, 137 are non-functional compelling the Board to initiate stringent action against those not adhering to the pollution control norms. Criminal cases have been booked against 14 of the 137 violators. The KSPCB has also decided to take up the rejuvenation of the Byramangala lake near Bidadi in Ramanagaram district with the help of a few private firms. Lakshman said he had a discussion with Bosch, Toyota, Coca Cola and Pepsi and suggested them to to utilise their Corporate Social Responsibility fund for the purpose. After Bellandur, the Byramangala lake is the biggest water body around the city that has turned into a cesspool. It is part of the Vrushabhavathi valley and almost 60% of city's sewage goes to this lake. It is a situation where the right hand doesnt know what the left hand is doing and vice versa. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) which is hurrying up the Rs 1,350 crore 6.9-km steel flyover from Basavesvara Circle has no idea that another government agency, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) is still considering the High Speed Rail Link (HSRL) to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) from Minsk Square. Both the projects are aimed to ease traffic and connect the KIA and align on the same route. BMRCL Managing Director Pradeep Singh Kharola told Deccan Herald that HSRL was in discussion stages. The project hasnt been shelved, he said. A senior urban development department official said since talks for HSRL are on, state government and BMRCL have not returned the three acre land on Cubbon Road to the defence establishment. The initial plan was to have a rail link to the airport, the official said. A BMRCL official hinted that Namma Metro Phase-2 project from Gottigere to Nagawara to airport could be integrated with HSRL as BMRCL will implement it. There is no need for steel flyover which is only a short term solution of eight to 10 years. But rail connectivity eases traffic for over 20 years, the officer opined. Notwithstanding the BMRCL keeping the HSRL under consideration, the BDA is pushing the project in a hurry without even mobilising funds, seeking public consultation and without any impact assessment study. A detailed project report for HSRL was given by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRCL) to Karnataka government in 2009. The proposal was shelved due to political reasons. Project cost and fares were also high. We are taking a re-look at the project for the last two years, the official said. S N Venkata Rao, Bengaluru-based advisor to DMRCL said the HSRL project cost was about Rs 5,000 crore. It was to become a reality in three years. The train was to run at a speed of 160 kmph. Initially stations were proposed at Hebbal and Yelahanka. There was scope for more stations. But the government was not keen on it. Its ideal solution for growing Bengaluru, Rao said. Dr S Subramanya, former BBMP Commissioner said when the airport was planned, the steel flyover was also discussed. City planners had then opposed the flyover saying that this is a HSRL corridor and no obstacle should come up. However, the HSRL was dropped and now again steel flyover project has been revived. Projects should not be only airport-centric, he opined. When contacted, Urban Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Mahendra Jain said he was not aware of HSRL project. BDA seeks suggestions The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has stated that it is open for suggestions from citizens over the proposal to construct a steel flyover from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal, reports DHNS from Bengaluru. Citizens and experts can contact BDA officer Shivashankar on phone number 9845630131 or send am email to eo1ta@gmail.com for their suggestions on the flyover project, according to a press release. A woman police officer in Rajasthan has claimed that the government stole her phrase Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao for its flagship campaign to save and educate the girl child. Chetna Bhati, SHO of a women's police station in Udaipur, claimed to have penned the slogan on August 3, 2012, when she was posted in Nagaur. The campaign was launched in October 2014 and formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in January 2015 to address issues like the decline in the child sex ratio, education for girls and women empowerment. She has now written to the prime minister, seeking recognition of her creativity. Chetna, who hails from a village in Jaisalmer, said she coined the 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' phrase for a poem she wrote to describe the plight of the girl child. According to Chetna, during a posting in Nagaur in 2012, she sent an official email to the then chief minister Ashok Gehlot, seeking permission to release some posters on the girl child issue with her slogan on it. "But I did not receive a reply. I still have a copy of the email I sent to the chief minister. Over the years, I had forgotten about it. But when the campaign was launched, I was shocked to see that my slogan was used," Chetna told Deccan Herald. Action and hope Chetna filed RTI applications on November 20, 2015, with the Prime Minister's Office to know the name of the writer and process used by the government to 'get hold of the phrase/slogan'. I filed an RTI application with the PMO and asked them about the author of the slogan. The applications were transferred to the departments for women and child development and school education. However, nobody was able to provide any information, Chetna told DH. Not satisfied with the response, Chetna has pinned all hopes on Modi. Our prime minister comes across as sensitive when he addresses the public through Mann ki Baat. I have written to him and hope that he looks into the matter so that I get due credit for my slogan. With post-graduate degrees in History and English, Chetna worked as a government school teacher before she joined the police force in 1996. Barely three days after the Jammu and Kashmir government ruled out banning sale of liquor in the state, separatists on Monday asked if the prohibited substance can be banned in Bihar and Kerala, then why not in Muslim majority Kashmir? No civilized society endorses the sale and trade of liquor or other like products and everybody knows the seriousness of its impact on the health and the moral principles in the society, they said in a joint statement. The statement issued by hardline Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Geelani, moderate Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and JKLF chief Yasin Malik demanded a complete ban on sale and consumption of alcohol in the state. If this prohibited substance can be banned in Bihar and Kerala then why cant in Muslim majority state like Jammu & Kashmir and how could be its sale justified here? they asked. The separatists claimed that the sale and distribution of alcohol had the patronage of the government. While strongly condemning the selective freedom of choice stand of the government in this regard, they said, This stand has no moral justification and the selective freedom of choice slogan sounds absurd when the freedom of expression is being badly muzzled by the same government. While stating that the PDP-BJP government is against the religious sentiments of the Muslim population, they warned, We will jointly start to gather a public consensus in this regard and will launch a movement to eradicate this menace from the society. The High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad on Monday suspended two Telangana judges K Ravinder and Vara Prasad, for leading a march to Raj Bhavan on Sunday in protest against the allotment of 200 judges of Andhra Pradesh nativity to subordinate courts in Telangana. The protesting judges also threatened to resign enmasse and marched to Raj Bhavan to submit resignations to Governor E S L Narasimhan. The suspended judges are president and secretary respectively of Telangana Judges Association as well. As many as 130 judges, including junior, senior civil judges and district judges from across 10 districts, took out a protest march and threatened mass resignation. However, they submitted their resignations to the Association President after the police refused them entry into the Raj Bhavan. On Monday, Telangana advocates held a dharna in front of the High Court demanding revocation of suspension of their office bearers and chalked out a programme to continue their agitation till their demands are met. The Judges Association in a statement has said that vested interests have kept no vacancy in all cadres of Telangana while allowing vacancies in Andhra Pradesh. Youngest Direct Recruit Officers from Andhra Pradesh were intentionally allocated to Telangana to deprive the promotional prospects of Telangana judges, to rule Telangana judiciary and to protect their men and property. We are also afraid of their future intervention in political and executive administration of Telangana, the statement read. The statement said that the Judges have a feeling that they are still working under the previous High Court of Andhra Pradesh and not under the new High Court of both states. The Association unanimously resolved not to approach the High Court for redressal of judicial matters as majority in the High Court were biased towards the Telangana cause. Since June 6, advocates and judicial officers in Telangana courts have been on strike and work in High Court has also suffered since June 13 due to token boycott by Telangana judicial officers. Condemning Saturdays attack on a CRPF convoy on Srinagar-Jammu national highway, ruling BJP lawmakers on Monday called for aerial bombing on militant camps in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK). As soon the proceedings in the Legislative Assembly began on Monday, BJP legislators shouting anti-Pakistan slogans demanded strict action against the neighbouring country. Firebrand BJP MLA Ravindar Raina asked the government to attack posts of Pakistan army on the border. Our security men are being continuously targeted. Attack the pickets of the Pakistan army so that they would stop targeting our security forces, he demanded. State BJP president and MLA Sat Paul Sharma said the Pampore attack should be thoroughly investigated. Militants backed by Pakistan have intensified their attacks on security forces in the state. There should be a thorough investigation into the killing of CRPF men at Pampore, he demanded. The BJP lawmakers also called for aerial bombing on militant camps in PoK. However, irrepressible legislator from north Kashmir Engineer Rashid countered them by demanding justice for five civilians killed in forces firing after the alleged molestation bid on a schoolgirl in Handwara in April. What are you demanding? It is your own government. Investigate yourself, why are you saying it here, he told BJP legislators. He claimed that rise in militancy was because of the RSS government in the state. Meanwhile, opposition National Conference legislators walked out of the Lower House, alleging discrimination with Kashmir Valley over IIM and IIT establishments. Within months of raising the first squadron of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, the Indian Air Force will deploy the indigenous fighter aircraft in forward bases. On July 1, IAF would resurrect its 45 Squadron (Flying Daggers) to receive the first two Tejas jets in Bengaluru where the squadron would be based for the next two years before shifting to LCA's first home in Sulur, Tamil Nadu. The 45 Squadron was number-plated in 2002 when the MiG-21s (type 75) it was flying retired. While half-a-dozen aircraft manufactured by the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd are likely to join the squadron in this fiscal, the full squadron with 20 aircraft (16 single seater and four twin seaters) would be in place by 2017-18. They can effectively be put into operational use with existing air-to-air missile and precision-guided ammunition. In the present format, they would be used for close air support. We would be deploying them also in forward bases when we have the first six aircraft in the squadron, an IAF source said. LCA Tejas was getting into the IAF war plans, admitted another official, without disclosing the endurance of the indigenous fighter jet. Almost 3,000 sorties were made by the LCA clocking more than 2,000 flying hours with a clean flight safety record, he said. The central government sanctioned the design and development of the LCA in 1983 as a replacement for the Russian-origin MiG-21s, which were to be decommissioned in the 1990s. As the development process hobbled, the IAF had little option but to extend the life of the MiG-21s. After three decades, the first generation desi fighter jet is ready for induction. The upgrading of the LCA, however, would continue even after these platforms are put to operational use. Almost Rs 11,000 crore was spent on developing the LCA (excluding the Kaveri engine, Naval LCA and electronics), while the Defence Ministry would spend another Rs 14,000 crore in developing the more advanced versions of LCA and LCA Navy. The first batch of aircraft in the 45 Squadron will be the Tejas-IOC (initial operational clearance) version that would not be having the beyond-visual-range missile and air-to-air refuelling ability. These capabilities would be brought in the Tejas-FOC (final operational clearance) version, likely to have its first flight later this year. IAF officials said the Tejas-FOC would be far superior to JF-17 a Chinese fighter jet being used by the Pakistan Air Force. Following complaints about exorbitant fee hikes in schools, the Centre has sought a report from states on action taken to check the malpractice. In a recent letter to the education secretaries of all states and Union Territories, the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry has urged them to crack down on schools failing to comply with the provisions of the Right to Education (RTE) Act. The ministry cited relevant provisions of the Act along with stipulations made in the guidelines issued in November 2010 to curb malpractice in schools, saying they were being reiterated for information and necessary action. Several representations from parents and media have been received regarding malpractices in schools under the garb of autonomy in management. An early report on the action taken in this regard will be appreciated, the letter stated. Several private schools in Delhi had increased the tuition fee ahead of the start of the academic session. This triggered protests from parents, who described the hikes exorbitant and arbitrary. In response, the Delhi government issued notices to these schools and sought an explanation. Further, it ordered a private school in Dwarka to refund the fee, and warned others of similar action if they did not comply with the rules. There are complaints of exorbitant fee hikes from regions like Hyderabad, Pune and Chandigarh. It is the responsibility of the state government to ensure that schools do not indulge in malpractices, and take action against those who do not comply with the RTE Act, an official source in the HRD Ministry said. The Central Board of Secondary Education recently issued circulars to its schools, directing them to hike fees only after consultation with parent-teacher associations. We have proposed to states that if private schools want to hike fees at the beginning of an academic session, it has to be done in consultation with parent-teacher associations. We will not allow mid-session hikes, HRD Minister Smriti Irani had said. RTE Act violations Besides the tuition fee, official sources in the ministry said there were complaints about schools discriminating against children enrolled under the 25% quota meant for economically weaker sections (EWS) and disadvantaged groups under the RTE Act. Many schools, though admitting children under the EWS quota, are accused of denying admission to special children. There are also complaints about schools adopting non-transparent admission procedures like conducting tests for children and parents. Such practices have been barred under the RTE Act. The respective state governments have to take action against such institutions, a source said. Surrendered militants might have helped LeT terrorists to carry out the attack on CRPF personnel in Jammu and Kashmirs Pampore, a top paramilitary official said on Monday. CRPF Director General K Durga Prasad also said the attack and counter-attack lasted three to seven minutes. The attackers were wearing normal black trousers and T-shirts, he said. Prasad did not rule out the possibility of surrendered militants helping out the Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists in reaching near the bus. The surrendered militants might have dropped them near the bus which came under attack, Prasad said. We have some information about a few surrendered militants having helped the two terrorists in carrying out the attack, he said. According to him, the car that ferried terrorists zipped away towards Srinagar after dropping them in Pampore. Procedures followed However, he insisted that the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) absolutely adhered to by its personnel amid claims that the procedures were not followed. Eight personnel were killed in the attack on Saturday. His comments came against the backdrop of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar voicing doubt over whether the SOPs were followed properly. Prasad said the personnel fought back valiantly and fired as many as 91 rounds. Following the incident, the CRPF is now planning to review the security drill. The convoys of CRPF will be provided bullet-proof protection while moving in the state. The point now is to make more secure buses. A 3-feet high and 3mm thick bullet proof plates will be used on vehicles to provide them armoured protection, Prasad told reporters. Better vigilance The convoys will move in blocks of at least three vehicles so they are better protected, he added. The force needs to do a little bit more of vehicle checking by deploying security check posts with state police so that they can detect possible terrorists travelling undercover. High alert sounded in Punjab & Haryana A high alert was sounded in Punjab, Chandigarh and Haryana on Monday after intelligence inputs of at least three militants entering Punjab from the Pakistan border, DHNS reports from Chandigarh. The armed militants are said to be in a grey Swift car and may attempt to enter areas in the national capital or Punjab. The police has been pressed into action, especially in Punjab border areas. All check posts have been alerted. The appointment of Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA Asha Kumari as in-charge of Punjab Congress has sparked off a political storm in poll-bound state. The Akali Dal on Monday asking the Congress to apologize to Punjabis for knowingly foisting a 'tainted leader' who has been convicted in a case of land grabbing. Kumari is Congress second choice after former union minister Kamal Nath resigned as in-charge Punjab Congress owing to his purported involvement in the 1984-anti-Sikh riots. The Congress is sticking to its guns. Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder on Monday lashed out at the opposition parties for criticising Kumari's appointment, saying they should introspect before pointing fingers at the Congress. SAD leader and Union minister for food processing Harsimrat Kaur Badal said the people of Punjab, who had earlier protested in anger at the appointment of Kamal Nath as incharge of Punjab due to his involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riot, were now feeling humiliated after the appointment of Asha Kumari. "The people are asking if the Congress does not have even one clean leader in its midst, she added in a statement. Cong backs Asha Congress has backed to the hilt newly appointed Punjab in-charge Asha Kumari. An unfazed Congress launched a counter-attack on the BJP pointing out that Amit Shah, the president of the ruling party, was embroiled in a murder case. India on Monday joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) overtaking China, whose application for membership of this elite club of nations controlling exports in missile technology, is pending since 2004. A place in the Missile Technology Control Regime is likely to benefit India's space and missile programmes, besides easing access to new long range drones from the USA and other countries. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to 34-member Missile Technology Control Regim in the presence of France's Ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, The Netherlands Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourg's Charge d'Affaires Laure Huberty. While the Netherlands and Luxembourg are co-chairs of Missile Technology Control Regim, the French presence was needed because Paris is the point of contact for the MTCR. Indias entry into the regime as its 35th member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives, said Vikas Swarup, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs. MTCR is the first multilateral export control regime to open its doors for New Delhi after an initial hiccup. India is trying for the membership of three other export control regimes Nuclear Suppliers Group (controls nuclear commerce); Australia Group (controls export of biological and chemical weapons) and Wassenaar Arrangement (controls export of conventional weapons and dual use goods and technology). Last week, India's effort to become a NSG member failed due to persistent opposition from China. New Delhi stumbled last year when Italy objected to India's entry at MTCR plenary meeting in October 2015. The move was seen as a leverage to compel New Delhi to relax its position on the Italian marines, who are facing legal charges for killing two fishermen. Similar to China that used non-participation in Nuclear non-Proliferation Treaty as the ground to deny India a place in the NSG, Italy too cited India's absence from the NPT to block New Delhi's entry to MTCR. However, due to back channel diplomacy, the second Italian marine returned home in May and Rome changed its position. In June, India fulfilled another criterion by signing the Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation. The Code makes it mandatory for the signatories to provide pre-launch notifications on ballistic missiles, space launch vehicle and test flights, besides submitting an annual declaration of policy on satellite launch vehicles and ballistic missiles. More than two years after bifurcation, the Andhra Pradesh government, barring the secretariat, started stepping out of its former capital Hyderabad on Monday. Relocation of departments in the secretariat will be done between June 29 and July 21. The office space at the Andhra Pradesh Government Transitional Headquarters at Velagapudi village, about 15 km from Vijayawada, is still being readied. Vijayawada and Guntur cities will house various departments till the new state-of-the-art capital, Amaravati, is built. For good measure, most of the offices of the Heads of Departments (HoDs) have opened up in the capital region not the Capital city as they are temporarily located in different places depending on the availability of space. In all, offices of 115 directorates and commissionerates and 32 departments from the secretariat along with 25,000 employees some with their families were on the move as Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has set a deadline of June 27 for relocation. A committee comprising Special Chief Secretaries B Sam Bob and Ajeya Kallam and Principal Secretary K S Jawahar Reddy estimated that at least 5 million square feet of space is needed for relocating all government establishments. The chief minister, legislative Assembly, council and secretariat staff will be accommodated at the interim-secretariat complex with 4 lakh sqft area being built in Velagapudi village. All the HoDs were asked to find office accommodation elsewhere. Naidu will officially launch shifting of five departments to 5th block of interim secretariat on Wednesday. So far, several key departments shifted completely to private and government buildings in Vijayawada, while some key departments shifted to Guntur. At least 20 other departments are in the process of shifting with the latest deadline being August. Though the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014 provides for Hyderabad serving as the common capital for 10 years, the TDP government is keen that its staff move out as soon as possible to ensure that it is closer to the people. However, the government has to announce a slew of incentives to its staff to leave Hyderabad, including five-day work schedule, flexible work hours, 30% hike in house rent allowance and leave to visit families in Hyderabad over weekends. A special Hyderabad-Vijayawada-Guntur shuttle train was also launched last week by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu. By Carolyn Beeler 26 June 2016 (PRI) When US Secretary of State John Kerry wanted to push his country to take the lead on climate change, it was no accident that he chose to give a speech in Norfolk, Virginia. Norfolk Naval Station is the biggest naval installation in the world. But, Kerry said last November, the land it is built on is literally sinking. That was just weeks before the big United Nations climate change conference in Paris, and Kerry was framing climate change as a national security issue. By fueling extreme weather events, undermining our military readiness, exacerbating conflicts around the world climate change is a threat to the security of the United States, Kerry said. Norfolk is the home port for the cruisers, destroyers and battleships of the Atlantic Fleet. Rising sea levels and increasing storm surges there are already having an impact on military readiness. Its not the boats that are the issue, theyre designed to be in water, said Captain Pat Rios, who until May was the head engineer for the Navys mid-Atlantic region. The issue with sea-level rise is less about the ship, its more about the system that supports the ship. That system sits on more than 6,000 acres in Norfolk, on a point of land in southern Virginia near where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. A combination of sinking land and rising water there means that relative sea level may be up to 6 feet higher by the end of the century than it is today, according to US Army Corps of Engineers estimates. Other projections find different rates of change some higher, some lower. Rios cites local estimates that project sea levels to rise 2 to 4 feet by 2100. [more] If you were asked where in the world the most leading-edge semiconductor research is done, you'd probably pick the US or perhaps Taiwan. But the real answer is Belgium. Not even Brussels, but Leuven, a small town about 15 miles to the east where imec is located. imec holds a number of technology forums each year, the largest in Brussels for two days in May, and a shorter half-day one the day before Semicon West in San Francisco in July. One of the highlights is always listening to An Steegen, who is in charge of process technology at imec. It is like drinking from a fire hose but you get an update on what the funnel of new semiconductor technologies looks like and where the consensus seems to be coalescing around the technologies that the industry will adopt. An said that for years designers have had "happy scaling" where PPA all improves due to Moore's Law and Dennard scaling: More transistors for the same cost and the same power density. But that has all broken down. Dennard scaling assumes that almost all the capacitance is due to the transistors, but that's not been true for a long time. For a decade, we've not had happy scaling, which leads to dark silicon, the capability to put a lot of transistors on a chip but not to fire them all up at once. Click here to read more ... The media is really having a field day on this one so I think it deserves further discussion. The rumor is that Intel has won the modem socket in the iPhone 7. The same rumor was circulating about Intel winning the modem socket for the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 5e so it really has reached urban legend status. The question I have is why does anybody really care? The modem in question was not designed by Intel, it is not manufactured by Intel, and it does not guarantee Intel another iPhone modem socket, so seriously, what is the big deal here? First a little background: QCOM has supplied iPhone modems for the past few years. My iPhone 5, 5s and 6 has a 28nm QCOM modem. The iPhone 6s has a 20nm QCOM modem and right now QCOM is shipping a 14nm modem which is inside the latest and greatest Samsung smartphone (S7). Im not going to get into the modem speeds and feeds debate because it is mostly benchmarking magic. Seriously, even Harry Potter would be impressed by some of those benchmark claims and we are all carrier speed (Verizon/AT&T) limited anyway so it doesnt really matter. Click here to read more ... A bunch of evil apps are threatening the Android ecosystem. They can root and hack into any Android device running Lollipop or older. They are now being called 'Godless Apps'. A bunch of evil apps are threatening the Android ecosystem. They can root and hack into any Android device running Lollipop or older. Whats scarier is that some of these malware installing apps are available on the Google Play Store, which supposedly vets every app before listing it on the the platform. Detected as ANDROIDOS_GODLESS.HRX, these so called Godless Apps were first detailed by researchers on security blog Trend Micro. Highlighting the malicious malware, the report said, As of writing this, almost 90% of Android devices run on affected versions. Based on the data gathered from our Trend Micro Mobile App Reputation Service, malicious apps related to this threat can be found in prominent app stores, including Google Play, and has affected over 850,000 devices worldwide. Global distribution of affected devices A look at the global distribution of affected devices show India to be on the top of the list with 46.19% of Android devices infected, followed by Indonesia and Thailand respectively. Malicious apps running the Godless code can install on mobile devices silently, and can lead to affected users receiving unwanted apps, which may then lead to unwanted ads. The report warns that these threats can also be used to install backdoors and spy on users. Apps running the remote Godless code on Google Play Store range from utility apps like flashlights and Wi-Fi apps, to copies of popular games. For example, a malicious flashlight app in Google Play called Summer Flashlight contained the malicious Godless code. Although the report sheds light on malicious Play Store apps like Summer Flashlight, Crazy WiFi Team, these apps are no longer listed on Googles Android app ecosystem. One can presume that Google has dealt with the threat, at least on apps listed on the Play Store. Those downloading apps from other sources or untrusted/unknown developers should remain cautious and wary of what they download. Users should also be careful before clicking on any app links sent as an SMS. Ringing Bells CEO, Mohit Goel also said that the company plans to launch a 32-inch HD LED TV for less than Rs. 10,000 Deliveries of the controversial Freedom 251 smartphone will start from June 30. According to a report by IANS, Ringing Bells Founder and CEO, Mohit Goel has said that the company is ready with two lakh units of the phone and that registrations of the phone will be open for those wanting to purchase the device. He added that the company is facing a loss of Rs. 140 to Rs. 150 per unit, but hopes to generate a profit based on volumes. We will have a loss, but I am happy that the dream of connecting rural and poor Indians as part of the Digital India and Make in India initiatives has been fulfilled with Freedom 251, Goel said. It was also reported that Ringing Bells plans to launch a 32-inch HD LED television in the first week of July. The TV is tipped to be called Freedom and will be available for less that Rs. 10,000. Goel added that the delivery would be made within two days and that the company currently has 1 lakh units in stock. To recall, the Freedom 251 smartphone was launched in February this year at a price of Rs. 251. However, doubts were raised after the phone they showed at the launch had Adcoms branding, which was covered with correction fluid. In an interview with Digit, Ringing Bells President, Ashok Chadha said that the company just wanted to show a sample/prototype of what the phone will look like and was not the final piece. Google is reportedly going to control the manufacturing, software and design of the upcoming phone. Google is reportedly planning to release its own smartphone, powered by Android, to take on the iPhone. According to a report by The Telegraph, the creator of Android is in talks with mobile operators for releasing its own Google-branded phones. The device(s) will presumably be different from Googles Nexus devices, which are usually made by existing OEMs. The company doesnt have a hardware arm, which is why it needs existing OEMs to manufacture Nexus phones. The Telegraphs reports, though, seem to point towards Googles imminent entry into hardware manufacturing. Further, the report also says that Googles phones will compete directly with Apples iPhones, and will be released by the end of 2016. Google will have more control over the manufacturing, design and software of this upcoming device. While there is no official word on the matter, creating its own smartphone may make sense for Google. Android has come dangerously close to iPhones, but Android phones still lag behind when it comes to pure performance. This is because of the fragmentation in the ecosystem. A phone from Google would give the company more control over the ecosystem, and consumers may be more interested in such a device as well. The Nexus smartphones for 2016 are rumoured to be made by HTC. According to reports, the Taiwanese company is currently working on two variants of the 2016 Nexus smartphones. Delays will only lead to further uncertainty says International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde, head of the International Monetary Fund, has said that the United Kingdom and European Union should act quickly and decisively in the wake of the former's decision to leave the latter, after three days of confusion. The EU demanded that Britain begin formal negotiations immediately in order to make the process as quick as possible, but the UK are in no rush to begin proceedings after prime minister David Cameron announced that he will be leaving his position in October. Lagarde said on Sunday that the fund will continue to encourage the parties involved to actually proceed with this transition in the most efficient, predictable way in order to reduce the level of uncertainty, which will itself determine the level of risk we are facing. In her first official remarks after the historic vote, Lagarde acknowledged the political chaos surrounding both the Conservative and Labour parties. At this point in time policymakers both in the UK and in Europe are holding that level of uncertainty in their hands and how they come out in the next few days is really going to drive the direction in which risk will go, she said at the Aspen Ideas Festival in Colorado. We are hearing at the moment, and Im not inventing it, different statements going a little bit in many directions. The IMF was one of the several economic organisations that warned of the dangers a Brexit could have on the world economy. Policymakers are going to be in high demand to [act] in the most cohesive, concerted and hopefully positive way in response to the situation, she said. The US trade deficit increased by more than economists had expected in May, which was a possible indication of weakness in parts of the US economy according to some economists. America's trade shortfall with the rest of the world jumped from a deficit of $57.5bn in the month before to $60.6bn in May, versus forecasts calling for a deficit of $59.0bn. In nominal terms US exports dipped 0.5% month-on-month while imports jumped 1.4% over the month, driven by increases in petroleum prices, according to economists at Barclays and Pantheon Macroeconomics. However, nominal imports excluding industrial supplies, which closely track non-petroleum imports over time, rose by 0.5% month-on-month but growth remained depressed. For Barclays's Jesse Hurwitz, "This underlying softness could portend sluggishness in portions of the domestic economy and indicates less overall core import growth in Q2." A fall in automotive exports was the main factor behind the 5.1% drop in overseas sales. Business groups are to meet with the business secretary on Tuesday to lobby for assurances in Brexit negotiations to secure Britains industrial future and to avoid economic limbo. Business secretary Sajid Javid will hold a meeting to discuss the Brexit result with heads from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the British Chambers of Commerce, the Federation of Small Business and EEF, the manufacturers association. EEF has raised concerns about the governments commitment to securing access to the single market and protecting the UKs trading relationships. It said it also wants the government to send a message of business as usual to Europe and the rest of the world. In a statement, the EEF said it will ask ministers to avoid allowing businesses in the UK to fall into a limbo and they should continue making investment decisions such as expanding airport capacity. EEF chief Terry Scuoler said that the government would have the manufactures backing in waiting for a defined negotiation position before triggering Article 50. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty sets how how a country might leave the EU by notifying the European council, negotiate a deal on withdrawal and establish legal grounds for a future relationship with European Union (EU). Scuoler said: In the immediate aftermath of the vote, it must continue to tread carefully by not triggering Article 50 immediately, reassuring the markets and seeking to shore up business confidence. The next step is clearly for close engagement with business groups and other stakeholders to ensure that emerging signs of manufacturing recovery do not falter in the coming months and to deliver broad agreement on a clear vision for a new relationship between the UK and the EU. It is vital that government takes immediate steps to keep manufacturing growth on track I will be using this meeting to set out the sectors top priorities in forging a new relationship with partners in the EU we must bear in mind the warnings of international organisations that the UKs manufacturing sector was on the at risk list in the event of Brexit. For manufactures, Scouler said, the key priorities are maintaining tariff free access to the EU market for goods and services, ensuring regulatory stability, and to address the skills gap in the UK. He said a focus on increasing investment, innovation and productivity across the industrial sector must take precedence over deficit reduction. In a letter to The Times on Monday, CBI director general Carolyn Fairburn said there needs to be decisive leadership in Brexit negotiations, and that she also welcomes the delay in triggering Article 50. Fairburn said the government needs to protect tariff and barrier free-access to the single market of 500m consumers and for the government and business to collaborate to shape the country's economic future. The Secretary of State for Business, Saajid Javid, has communicated his intent to start this planning process with business and community leaders across the UK. We welcome this. There is one other action that needs to be taken immediately. The government should remove uncertainties over the long term right to stay in the UK for those already working here as soon as possible. We welcome the steps the new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has taken to give this reassurance. Javid told the BBCs Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: Now it's a time for reassurance for business, and my message to them ever since Friday morning is there's no need to be panicking at all. We have to have a calm approach, which is what we've seen since then. Credit Suisse marked down its year-end target for the Footsie but was not overly pessimistic, emphasising that it saw rising odds of a 'Brexit lite', versus a hard Brexit which would include invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, although in the opinion of its analysts there was now a heightened risk of another Scottish referendum. "We think that there is a 30% chance of 'Brexit lite' whereby Article 50 is not invoked and the EU compromises on the critical issues of immigration and supremacy of the ECJ. We believe that the EU might well compromise over immigration because it is a pan-European issue that is sucking support away from the establishment parties in virtually all EU countries," the Swiss broker said. The research team led by strategist Andrew Garthwaite also thought a new Prime Minister might be paired with a Chancellor less focused on austerity, but it believed the probability of a change in government (new elections) before 2020 was low. "The UK's fixed term parliament act requires a two thirds majority in Parliament to prompt an early election," it explained. UK lead indicators were already consistent with a recession and wouldnow likely worsen, Credit Suisse said, while economic growth in Europe would take a 0.5% percentage point hit. "The issue is confidence, but we struggle to see similar referenda in the euro area or a general election being turned into a proxy battle on EU membership, though the main weakness of the euro has revealed itself (a monetary union without a fiscal, banking or political union)," he said. Euro area GDP growth in 2017 was pegged at 1.0% (and maybe higher), while the UK economy was now seen shrinking by 1.0% next year. Garthwwite recommended buying 'European earnings' (Imperial, Vodafone) and US earnings (Carnival, Shire). "The following UK names have underperformed their peer group and look overly cheap: Imperial and Schroders. Only retailing looks particularly cheap of the domestic sectors (Kingfisher)." As a backdrop, Garthwaite lowered his year-end target for the Footsie from 6,600 to 6,200, that for the S&P 500 from 2,150 to 2,100 (2,000 in case of a full Brexit). In parallel, he shifted his stance on Continental European stocks from a 'small overweight' to a 'marginal overweight', saying that European shares were trading on a 15% discount in terms of price-to-earnings multiples to their US counterparts - in effect discounting 70.0% odds of a crisis, which to him seem a "little pessimistic". Although he continued to recommend an 'underweight' on US stocks, his choice was to funnel those additional funds into equities in the US. "The European regions on our scorecard most vulnerable to political and economic risk are Italy and France. We stay overweight of GEM," he added. Under a full Brexit scenario the yield on the 10-year benchmark Gilt might decline below 1.0% and cable fall under $1.30. Economists at Credit Suisse also expected the Bank of England to relaunch quantitative easing. Credit Suisse did not foresee a new phase of secular US dollar strength, given how it was already 14% overvalued versus the euro, for example. "In our judgement, the UK's decision to leave the EU does not represent a Lehman-Brothers style systemic shock to the European or global financial system." The FTSE 250 was well below the waterline in afternoon trading on Monday, with the market largely ignoring attempts to reassure the market by Chancellor George Osborne after last week's UK vote to leave the European Union. Miners were some of the biggest risers, with Centamin, Acacia Mining and Polymetal International all featuring at the top of the index. It came after strategists at Goldman Sachs said Europe-based miners are in a position to do well in an environment of sinking bond yields, which are pushing investors towards equities with quality dividends. Miners also have low exposure to Europe, Goldman said, with revenues frequently denominated in US dollars having a positive effect on financial performance in the wake of Brexit. Sentiment around the mining industry was also perked up early in the session after BHP Billiton raised its exploration budget for the year - a sign the industry may be recovering. We are investing at a time when most in our sector continue to reduce discretionary spend, said the companys head of geoscience Laura Tyler. The industry has struggled in recent months to find ways to continue hunting resources while simultaneously cutting costs. On the downside were banks, with OneSavings Bank, Shawbrook Group and Virgin Money Holdings echoing the performance of their larger FTSE 100 cousins throughout the session. The entire sector was under pressure over the question of passporting, or the rights of EU passport holders to remain in Britain after last weeks shock Brexit vote. Around 11% of workers in the City of London hail from other EU states, with their future in the United Kingdom anything but certain despite efforts from politicians and London Mayor Sadiq Khan to reassure them. The other side of the issue remained the passporting of services, with banks and markets asking whether they will be able to provide services across European borders from the City of London in the case of Brexit. Housebuilders were also heading south, with Bellway, Crest Nicholson and McCarthy & Stone all mustered among the bottom of the index, again echoing movements on the FTSE 100. Top economists have warned that a recession is now on the cards for the UK, which could lead to unemployment, a drastic drop in consumer confidence, all leading to seriously reduced demand for housing. Chancellor George Osborne also warned in May that Brexit could cause house prices fall between 10% and 18% - a damaging situation for housebuilders. FTSE 250 - Risers Acacia Mining (ACA) 437.80p 9.45% Centamin (DI) (CEY) 130.60p 8.56% Polymetal International (POLY) 966.00p 4.89% JPMorgan Emerging Markets Inv Trust (JMG) 604.50p 1.94% Genesis Emerging Markets Fund Ltd Ptg NPV (GSS) 516.00p 1.88% Personal Assets Trust (PNL) 37,760.00p 1.23% Templeton Emerging Markets Inv Trust (TEM) 478.60p 1.18% John Laing Infrastructure Fund Ltd (JLIF) 125.50p 0.56% International Public Partnerships Ltd. (INPP) 149.00p 0.27% Indivior (INDV) 221.60p 0.09% FTSE 250 - Fallers OneSavings Bank (OSB) 193.30p -26.61% Shawbrook Group (SHAW) 171.40p -26.44% Virgin Money Holdings (UK) (VM.) 210.40p -23.57% Marshalls (MSLH) 202.40p -20.06% Bellway (BWY) 1,656.00p -19.81% Crest Nicholson Holdings (CRST) 345.40p -19.67% Balfour Beatty (BBY) 189.00p -18.78% Morgan Advanced Materials (MGAM) 208.70p -17.74% Redrow (RDW) 284.20p -17.62% Aldermore Group (ALD) 115.20p -17.60% Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. Trump to return to Ohio one final time before November election Trump will speak at the Dayton International Airport in Vandalia on Nov. 7, his second trip to Ohio in as many months. The UK's historic decision to end its 43-year love-hate relationship with the European Union represents a turning point in British history to rank alongside the two world wars of the 20th century. On the assumption there is no turning back, Britain will live with the political, constitutional, diplomatic and economic consequences for a decade or more, points out The Guardian, as it outlines what to expect in the coming days. The politics The scale of the destruction wrought by 'independence day' is such that one of the last redoubts of the establishment left standing the civil service led by the cabinet secretary, Sir Jeremy Heywood will now take centre stage. It will be Heywood's task, in conjunction with the governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, and David Cameron acting as a caretaker prime minister, to bring a semblance of shape to the chaos that is likely to ensue. By agreeing to stay until autumn, he at least provides time for the Conservative party to put flesh on the frankly skeletal Brexit plan set out by the official leave campaign. Cameron had vowed during the campaign that if there was a Brexit vote, he would trigger Article 50, the part of the Lisbon Treaty that sets in train a two-year process whereby a member state can notify the EU council of its decision to leave. But in his resignation statement on Friday, he said it would be up to his successor to fire the starting gun on exit negotiations. ''It is right the new prime minister takes the decision about when to trigger Article 50 and start the formal and legal process of leaving the EU,'' he said. This will give the Brexiters time, but is already frustrating the Europeans, who want a rapid Brexit process. Once Article 50 is triggered, the clock starts ticking on a two-year renegotiation with the EU that must end with the UK's ejection unless the EU member states unanimously agree to extend the negotiations. The Article 50 process has been constructed to give the negotiating advantage to the EU, and not the country planning to leave. If at the two years' end neither a deal nor an extension has been agreed, the UK automatically reverts to World Trade Organisation rules, meaning the UK faces tariffs on all the goods it sells to the EU. So if the UK triggers Article 50, Britain will have stepped on to a conveyor belt that could end with the EU holding all the bargaining chips. Cameron now faces a constitutional impalement. The parliament elected in 2015, and from which he derives his authority, has through the referendum been overridden. The vast majority of MPs and peers are pro-Europeans who have been shown to have been out of step with public opinion. The sceptics may number no more than 200 MPs at most, but the referendum has shown that the minority speak for the people. It leaves the locus of political authority in dispute, as well as highlighting the anomaly of Scottish MPs committed to the union with Europe, but not with Great Britain. For the next few months Cameron will be operating largely at the sufferance of the Brexit wing of his party. That wing is disunited to the point of dysfunction and will need time to absorb their unexpected victory. Some Brexiters have for months quietly pointed out that the referendum is advisory and asks voters' views only on whether to leave the EU. It is silent on the form of the departure. An Irish referendum, by contrast, posed very specific legal questions, giving clear instructions to the politicians. So Brexiters will face a choice between maintaining their pledge to withdraw from the single market and so ending the free movement of people, or whether instead to seek what has been described as purgatory the kind of half-in, half-out arrangement enjoyed by Norway. Eurosceptic MEP Daniel Hannan has argued Brexit should be viewed as a process, not a single moment of departure, and a Norway arrangement for the UK might be a stepping off point before the final rupture in years to come. If the Brexiters are too leisurely in seeking to leave the EU, the electorate may become impatient, the pro-EU Commons majority start to mobilise against Brexit, and the vista of a fresh general election, providing new political mandates, becomes more imminent. It is not inconceivable that a new election, possibly contested by new leaders in both main parties and focused on Europe, could see a call to revisit the referendum decision. The European Union The EU, grappling with dangerous centrifugal forces, will try to act decisively, something it rarely does. The German chancellor, Angela Merkel, has invited the EU council president, Donald Tusk, the French president, Francois Hollande, and the Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi, to Berlin on Monday. There will be an EU council meeting in Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday. Cameron will appear on Tuesday but will not attend Wednesday's session. Frank exchanges about the speed of action are likely, but Europe can do little to accelerate the timetable Cameron has set, short of suspending Britain from the EU an unprecedented and unwarranted step. The priority is to prevent what has been described as the psychology of a bank run gripping the EU, as the calls for parallel referendums proliferate in the Netherlands, France, Poland and Hungary. That, after all, has been the explicit goal of some leave campaigners. Michael Gove, for instance, called for the ''liberation of Europe''. The ultimate EU aim will be a firm, sustainable settlement that does not harm its vital interests. The German finance minister, Wolfgang Schauble, has reportedly prepared an eight-page paper looking at UK withdrawal from the European Investment Bank, the rights and obligations of EU households, of relations and whether the UK can act as president of the Council of the EU next year as scheduled. The paper raises the possibility of associate status for the UK, and says there can be no automatic assumption that the EU will give the UK access to the single market. It also accepts that the way in which the UK negotiation is handled will determine the degree to which there is an attempt to imitate the UK in other countries. Separately, the higher-stake trade talks will look at whether the UK rejoins the existing European free trade agreement, so enjoying access to the single market, or instead strikes outside on a free trade treaty of its own. Beyond that, talks with the Irish government, the Commonwealth, Nato and innumerable other bodies await. The success of these complex negotiations will depend on the chemistry of the relationship between the UK and Europe post-Brexit, and whether the triumphalists or the pragmatists in the Brexit camp hold sway. That in turn will depend on whether Cameron can restore relations with the two old friends that have laid him so low Gove and Boris Johnson. After the events of the past two months, all the actors know they travel without maps. Scotland The referendum result has cast fresh doubt on Britain's own union. Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's first minister, has announced she will now seek to bypass Westminster by directly approaching the EU for negotiations on how her country can disentangle itself from Brexit. After Scotland voted 62 per cent to 38 per cent to stay in the EU, Sturgeon said she plans to begin immediate discussions with the European commission to ''protect Scotland's relationship with the EU and our place in the single market''. There is a large diplomatic corps in Edinburgh, including consuls general from several of the major world powers and from other EU member states. She said that at her summit with diplomats she would ask their help in reassuring their nationals living in Scotland that they were welcomed and cherished. Speaking after an emergency cabinet meeting on Saturday morning, she added that she is to establish an advisory body of financial, legal and diplomatic experts who can advise her government on its options for retaining EU membership. She said the cabinet had endorsed her decision on Friday to begin immediate preparations for a second Scottish independence referendum. Her officials refused to confirm indications that a new bill would be in her programme for government in September. The City Comments from the European Central Bank on Saturday morning crystallised the fears of London's financial industry, which had pushed hard to remain in Europe. Now London's status as a major financial centre could be in doubt after the ECB signalled that banks in the City of London risk being stripped of their lucrative EU ''passports'' that allow them to sell services to the rest of the union. France's central bank governor Francois Villeroy de Galhau said keeping the so-called ''passport'' would not be possible if the UK left the single market of trade in goods and services. The passport issue is a key concern for big non-EU banks working out of London as the system has given access to the EU's market of 500 million people. Such moves would mark a major shift for the UK economy. The country accounts for more than 2 million of the EU's 11 million financial services jobs, according to trade body TheCityUK. Villeroy de Galhau, who is an ECB governing council member as well as the governor of France's central bank, also echoed calls from EU leaders for quick Brexit talks and warned that Britain would bear the brunt of the economic consequences of leaving the EU. He told radio station France Inter, ''What happened on Thursday is bad news, first of all for Britain. Of course there will be negative consequences for the European economy but they will be much more limited than the negative consequences all experts forecast for the UK economy.'' HSBC might move 1,000 staff from London headquarters to Paris HSBC might move 1,000 staff from its London headquarters to Paris if the UK left Europe, the BBC reported. According to the BBC, the relocated staff would likely be from the bank's division that processed payments made in euros at its Canary Wharf base. There was uncertainty over the future of London as a leading financial centre after shock referendum result last week in which the UK voted to exit Europe. However, Morgan Stanley was forced to deny on Friday it intended to relocate 2,000 jobs. JP Morgan chief executive Jamie Dimon emailed his bank's UK staff on Friday warning that there might be changes to its legal entity structure in Europe following the referendum. According to commentators, London's position as a leading global financial hub might be jeopardised from the Brexit vote. Rival financial centres in Frankfurt, Paris and Dublin had boosted their marketing efforts in order to attract banks thinking about moving from London. Jonathan Hill, who stepped down as EU commissioner for financial services over the weekend, underlined the threat. He does not believe that UK-based banks would be able to preserve the 'passport' which allowed them to serve clients across Europe. Meanwhile, citing financial industry sources citywire.co.uk reported that as many as 70,000 financial jobs may be expected to go in the next year. One finance consultant told a leading careers website, "You're looking at 50,000 to 70,000 London finance jobs being moved overseas in the next 12 months. "Jobs are going to be cut, and those cuts are going to start next week." According to a BBC report, if the UK were to not strike a deal to trade freely with the remaining EU countries, HSBC would cut its London operations and boost the size of its French office. Halloween creatures owls, crows and bats all live at Crossroads, and that makes us very happy, for these scary animals make a positive contribution to the habitats of the preserve. We don't even mind black cats, IF they are kept indoors. Feral and outdoor cats are exceedingly harmful to wildlife ... and that's not a superstition! But to tamp down superstitions, we at Crossroads will spend the week demystifying Halloween creatures. On October 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. will be our Evening with Owls. The Open Door Bird Sanctuary will be at Crossroads, offering a one-hour presentation followed by the opportunity to meet and greet live birds. Learn all about owls and the other incredible birds in the care of the Sanctuary! Down through the centuries, in many cultures throughout the world, owls have been associated with evil and death. Truth is, owls probably are not smart enough to be evil. But researchers agree that owls are about as dim as the nighttime forests in which they hunt. Owls don't need to be smart. They have everything else going for them. They are muscular. They fly silently. Their huge eyes enable them to see in the dark. Their beaks and talons are strong and wickedly sharp. But their sensitive ears are what make owls extraordinary hunters. Most people assume that the plumicorns (a.k.a. "horns) of an owl are its ears. Not so. The actual ears lie under feathers on the sides of the head, and they aren't symmetrical. Because one ear is higher than the other and the ears are unequal in size, sound is different from different directions, helping owls locate prey, which they do almost unfailingly, even in total darkness. Owls do not smell their prey. As with most birds, the sense of smell is insignificant, if it exists are all. Great Horned Owls frequently prey on skunks. Enough said. But well-developed intelligence? Researchers have observed owls beating their wings on bushes to try to flush out little birds. Is this learned behavior? Is it problem-solving? Maybe. For the most part, owls do not have a lot of problems to solve. They appropriate abandoned nests of other birds, so they don't need building skills. They are stealthy by nature, and they pounce on and usually catch anything they hear, so they don't need hunting techniques. In spite of ghost stories, legends of American First People, and superstitions from Europe and India, hooting owls do not foretell impending death, although their nocturnal calls are spooky. We hear them now and then this time of year, but we will regularly hear those eerie calls at Crossroads in January or February. In contrast to owls, crows are noisy all year round and they are amazingly intelligent. They can learn. They can remember. They can solve problems. They can even identify individual humans. And they detest owls, though whether this is innate or learned behavior is not clear. Those curious about crows will want to attend the Crossroads Book Club on Wednesday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. This month, the book Crow Planet, Essential Wisdom for the Urban Wilderness by Lyanda Lynn Haupt will explore the fascinating world of these remarkable birds. The program is free and open to all, whether or not they have read the book. So bring the family to our program on owls, learn about crows at the Crossroads Book Club, or learn about bats at our pre-school Junior Nature Club on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. or our Family Science Saturday program at 2:00 p.m. Costumes are encouraged but not required at Junior Nature Club and Science Saturday, and adult visitors are welcome. Authorities in Gwinnett County, Georgia, have charged a man with impersonating a police officer after the man claimed he worked for the Cottonwood Police Department while attempting to pawn an item in Norcross. Officers arrested 74-year-old Bruce Christie a day after a pawn shop worker called police because he found it suspicious a man would flash police credentials while pawning an item. According to a release from Gwinnett County government, Christie flashed a Cottonwood police badge and showed a Cottonwood police photo ID to the pawn shop worker. A Gwinnett officer followed up on the call the next day and happened to be in the store when Christie arrived again to pawn a shotgun, according to the release. The officer stepped outside and called the Cottonwood Police Department to check on Christies status. The department indicated Christie was not employed there. Christie then exited the store and left. Police followed. Christie stopped and the officer approached. Hello, Im Capt. Christie, he said, according to the release. The officer asked Christie if he was a current lawman, and Christie said he was. The officer arrested Christie. He was booked into the Gwinnett County jail and held on $2,400 bond. He posted bail on June 20 and is awaiting a court date. Impersonating a police officer is a felony. According to court records, Christie currently lives in Tucker, Georgia. Col. Jim Smith, director of public safety for the Cottonwood Police Department, declined comment Monday. dpa ElectionsData With dpa ElectionsData you get access to a unique collection of data. Via a programming interface (Rest-API), your developers can access detailed information, candidate profiles and live results for all national elections in the European Union and important international elections, like the US Midterm elections etc. The data pool also includes all heads of state and government as well as about 20,000 elected members of parliament throughout the EU. In addition to their data (name, party, constituency or list position), we collect social media profiles and official websites of individuals and parties. Aban Offshores arm cracks ONGC deal The offshore oil exploration and production company, Aban Offshore has informed that its arm has received a Firm Letter of Award from ONGC for deployment of the Drillship Aban Abraham for a two-year tenure. The deployment procedure would start during October-December 2016. The deal has been signed for the revenue worth 592 crores. Aban Offshores arm has received an order from ONGC for deployment of Drillship Aban Abraham. Aban Abraham is 100 per cent subsidiary of Aban Offshore. Aban Abraham has a share capital of Rs 312.48 crores and a negative reserve of Rs 175.9 crores. The company has posted a net loss of Rs 36.1 crores in FY2015. Aban Abraham is promoted by Aban Singapore Pte Ltd. Aban Abraham was constructed at IHC Holland Offshore division, Shiedam, 1976 and converted into a Drill Ship in 2009. This subsidiary has the water depth of 6600 and drilling depth of 25000 ft. The work area of the arm is Brazil. Aban Offshore has opened with a gap up at Rs 204.20 and is trading 3.5 per cent up at Rs 206.25 in the morning trade on Monday. How to style a basic t-shirt, make it your own and stand-out from the rest? #BeeUniq Sometimes, t-shirts are a tricky piece of clothing to wear. If you dont know how to style it, it will make you look pretty drab, but with the right pieces of clothing to match it with you can stand out. Jollibee has been a part of every Filipinos live, its one of our food brands that has been acknowledge around the world #PinoyandProud. Aside from serving sweet spaghetti and their crunchy Chicken Joy, Jollibee is a place for family bonding, happiness and yes where everyone becomes a kid again. My DD never gets tired of it. She can have Jollibee everyday of her life! Uniqlo, a clothing brand from Japan is known for their basic clothing pieces and their UT shirt. I personally love all their basic pieces from shirts, to trousers, to skirts and their blazer/ jackets. Pick any piece and you can pair it with any item you have in your closet. When Jollibee invited me to become a part of their #BeeUniq campaign, I did not hesitate. I will be in a campaign with two brands I love. The challenge was how to style a Jollibee x Uniqlo shirt . If you are having the same problem, no fret, here are some style ideas and tips from your favorite bloggers: Tracy Abad Trice Nagusara Kat Valdez Yuki Tansengco Ava Teh-Zabat Earth Rullan Lee Shen Gee Cala-Or Anastaczia Gutierrez Aileen Dreyfus Chuckie Dreyfus Rodel Flordeliz Danah Gutierrez Seph Cham I want to snag L.A. Ferriols style! This woman rocks! For the second time around Jollibee collaborates once again with global Japanese retail brand, Uniqlo, to release a new line of graphic tees bearing the iconic Jollibee marque. The limited edition Jollibee x Uniqlo shirt collection will be available in all Uniqlo stores nationwide starting June 27. Uniqlo introduces five new Jollibee t-shirt designs under its UT line, which has been featuring Asian brands that enjoy strong recognition and connection with the local market. And Jollibee is definitely a brand thats close to the heart of every Filipino. The collection was launched during the #PinoyAndProud Grand Independence Day celebration held at Metrotent, Pasig City. These shirts will also be available in Indonesia , Malaysia and Thailand! What I wore: ALL CLOTHING I WORE FOR THIS SHOOT IS FROM UNIQLO Shoes: KEDS How about you, how do you stye a basic t-shirt? Whose style in the photos above would you like to copy? Let me know in the comment section below? Stay gorgeous everyone! Facing growing pressure from labor unions and regulators across the U.S. and key overseas markets, Uber on Monday introduced a series of new apps and benefits for its core group of drivers. The goal is to make their working hours more productive and profitable. Many drivers say they choose Uber because they want to be their own boss, set their own schedule and get work done at the touch of a button, wrote product managers Maya Choksi and Ryan Fujiu in a post introducing the features. Thats the beauty of the on demand economy, you define the work you do, it doesnt define you. Uber has heard the message from drivers that there are many things it can do to make the job more empowering and worth your while, Choksi and Fujiu added. Click and Drive Among the new apps are Driver Destinations, which lets drivers input their destinations twice a day to restrict ride requests to their current routes. Uber has been testing the app in a few cities and will roll it out to at least a dozen more this week and worldwide in the future. Uber later this month will begin testing a pause feature that lets drivers turn off the app to take a break. A new Instant Pay feature allows passengers to send money to drivers instantly using a GoBank Uber Debit Card. Uber piloted the feature in San Francisco, and it is now available nationwide. Drivers needing assistance from the company have access to Uber Greenlight Locations, which now are available in 250 locations worldwide. Uber announced special perks and incentives for drivers, as a recent study showed 25 percent of Uber drivers use the service as a passenger. The company is offering 15 percent off an UberX ride to drivers for every 10 trips, or 50 percent off an UberBlack ride for every 20 trips in a week. Uber recently began piloting in-app phone support for drivers in the Bay area. In addition, it currently is testing a fuel finder to help drivers locate cheap gasoline. The company also launched a blog, called Behind the Wheel. Uber has more than 1 million drivers, and it operates in more than 400 cities worldwide. Hundreds of its engineers, designers and product managers are dedicated to working on the drivers app, the company said. Nationwide Movement Uber likely will face additional pressure from drivers for better job security, pay and benefits as it expands to more cities and challenges taxis for the lions share of airport and nightlife business. Smaller services, such as Lyft, allow drivers to accept tips, which puts additional pressure on Ubers costs. Uber realizes theyre not the only game in town, said Kelley Blue Book Managing Editor Matt DeLorenzo. They might be the first, they might be the biggest but theyre not the only one, he told the E-Commerce Times. New York drivers last month won the right to organize as a guild affiliated with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. The company currently faces litigation in several major states and a federal class action case in Illinois to classify the workers as employees rather than contractors. I think, generally, on-demand companies like Uber, Lyft or Postmates will not be able to avoid improving their driver/delivery person relations in the long run, said Gerrit Schneemann, senior analyst for mobile media and telecom at IHS. The competition for drivers is only increasing, he told the E-Commerce Times. Perks will be a key differentiator. While Uber has received the lions share of recognition for launching the ride-sharing business, it will have to mature as a company to maintain that success, suggested Charles King, principal analyst at Pund-IT. The company is fabulously valuable on paper, but hasnt turned a profit, he told the E-Commerce Times. It claims its success is due to disruptive technologies and abilities, but treats reasonable complaints with thuggish disdain. Austin, Texas, effectively banned ride sharing after months of political wrangling and a referendum, King noted, and since then a handful of alternative ride-sharing firms have appeared on the scene. Yahoo has notified potential buyers that it plans to auction off about 3,000 patents and will be accepting bids until mid-June, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The intellectual property for sale includes patents for its original search technology. Yahoo has hired Black Stone IP to run the auction, according to the WSJ. Up for Grabs The patents cover strategic areas such as search, e-commerce and online advertising, said Andreas Scherer, managing partner at Salto Partners. Its very much like selling the crown jewels. Its safe to assume that the days of Yahoo as a standalone business are numbered, he told the E-Commerce Times. Naturally, companies such as Alphabet and Microsoft will take a close look at this merchandise. Following is a sampling of the patents on offer: Content-based billing A computerized advertising offer exchange A method and system for serving ads Techniques for increasing the recall and recognition rate for Internet display ads A Sell through rate evaluation framework for pricing inventory profiles in advertising systems How Much Are Those Patents in the Window? The patents are expected to fetch about US$1 billion. EnvisionIPs Patentvue this spring assessed Yahoos patent portfolio as strong but overvalued at the $3-$4 billion figure bandied about at the time. Whether the latest $1 billion estimated value of Yahoos 3,000 patents on offer is more realistic is not clear EnvisionIP had identified only 2,000 U.S. patents in Yahoos portfolio as active and in force. Yahoo hasnt generally kept up with the evolution of browsers or social media, observed Mike Jude, a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan. It has a nifty approach to social media one thats integrated with online services but doesnt have the means to capitalize on that, he told the E-Commerce Times. Any buyer will need to consider the investments needed to bring Yahoo up to speed and will discount their bids accordingly. Who Will Buy? Although Yahoo was among the earliest search engines, it hasnt invested in advanced search technologies the way its competitors have, said Jude. The search patents may not have much competitive value, he suggested, but they might be useful as a foundational technology base for anyone acquiring a company interested in constructing a unique search capability. That might include telephony companies, because having search technology that doesnt depend on Google or Microsoft built into a communication service could have a very high appeal to consumers, Jude pointed out. Mayers Cunning Game Plan If the value of Yahoos patents has declined, thats not the only bad news for Yahoo this week. Verizon is expected to offer less for Yahoos Web business than previously thought $3 billion, rather than the $4-$8 billion ranged predicted earlier this year according to the latest reports. Verizon has probably deduced that there are fewer bidders and that since they made their first round bid, Yahoos traffic numbers, which anyone can track, have continued to decline, noted Barry Randall, chief investment officer at Crabtree Asset Management. Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer is managing this process cannily, by deferring everything to the committee assigned to weigh the various bids, he told the E-Commerce Times. That way, she gets credit for the rise in stock price since she took over while keeping her fingerprints off of any decision to bust up the company, Randall explained. She gets plausible deniability straight out of the Richard Nixon playbook. Andy Rubin, Androids daddy, last week made some interesting comments about quantum computing and artificial intelligence. The part I agree with is it wont be long until most things we have are connected to an intelligent machine. (When referring to something that will be far smarter than we are, the use of the term artificial would not just be inaccurate it would be rude.) I disagree that there will be only one, however, because competition, latency, governments, uses (you dont want a defense system controlling your air conditioning for instance), and privacy concerns alone will ensure there are many. However, the recent tragedy in Orlando and the poorly thought through responses by both presidential candidates got me thinking about what it would be like if we turned governing over to an AI. Ill share my thoughts on that this week and close with my product of the week: a new video card from AMD targeted at virtual reality for a very reasonable US$200. AI And Orlando The political response to the Orlando mass shooting by both candidates unfortunately was typical a return to talking points already established, and no real effort to map existing resources to prevent recurrence. Trump spoke to an even greater ban on Muslims entering the country, even though the current attack was by a U.S. native, and Clinton returned to her talking points on gun control, even though it is clear the controls already in place not only worked, but also didnt have an impact. As weve seen with the war on drugs and prohibition, increased regulation into illegality tends only to create a stronger criminal element, which in this case, directly contradicts the primary goal of saving lives. A properly programmed AI (note the properly programmed part, as there is a growing concern that an AI improperly programmed could become an even greater problem) would start with the data and likely conclude the following: that the crime could be mitigated if the various databases that define people digitally were cross-connected better and a solution were structured to flag and resource people likely to become mass killers; and that the current criminal system, which is based on properly assigning blame, should be modified to focus on prevention and the effort would have to be resourced adequately. Any behavioral traits that consistently lead to violence would be flagged digitally, and the AI then would determine which people were clear and present dangers, and define a set of corrective actions from mandatory anger management to removal from the general population. The Result Once the AI system became connected and resourced appropriately, anyone buying large amounts of ammunition and an assault rifle would be flagged. Anyone using hate speech against anyone would be flagged. Anyone with a history of domestic violence would be flagged, and anyone who appeared to be aligning with a hostile entity would be flagged. When two of those elements were identified in the same person, that individual would be added to a list for investigation. Three or more would trigger prioritization for corrective action and surveillance. Anyone exhibiting all of those traits would be classified as a clear and present danger and prioritized for immediate mitigation. That would have prevented Orlando and if it didnt, the focus would be on figuring out why and fixing it, in that order, so things would get better as opposed to what we generally have now, which is closer to stalemate. Blocking all Muslims would be a massive wasted effort (the majority of mass shootings in the U.S. have not been carried out by Muslims). Banning the legal sale of weapons would force the purchases underground, eliminating the flags data now associated with legal purchases. Also, in areas where guns were less affordable, the alternative might be explosives, which typically are harder to track, as there generally is no legal way for average citizens to buy explosives in most countries. In short, the government would commission the massive intelligence-gathering data center in Utah to flag people who met a set of conditions, identifying them as threats before they could commit an act of mass violence. A mitigating procedure would be in place to eliminate the threats. If it didnt work, the failure would constitute a learning moment, and the system would take corrective action iteratively until it met with success. The goal would be to fix the problem not to persuade people to agree. An AI, at least initially, would care little about appearing right. It would be laser-focused on doing the statistically least difficult thing to solve the problem. If the AI saw the NRA as a problem, it would design a plan to fix it likely by focusing on eliminating gun company influence but it wouldnt just blame the NRA and figure that was making progress. There are easier and more effective things it could do anyway. The properly programmed AI always would look for the easiest effective path to a real solution. By the way, when folks look into this without bias, they seem to find we dont have a gun problem or, more accurately, guns arent the problem we actually need to fix we have a data problem. Folks with a biased view are more interested in sticking it to folks who disagree than in trying to solve what is actually a fixable problem. AIs vs. Politicians and People in General As I write this, I wonder if we shouldnt refer to the coming wave of machines as intelligent machines and humans as artificially intelligent. Machines will start with facts and generally be designed to factor in all evidence before making a decision. However, with people and this is apparent with Trump and Clinton the tendency is to make the decision first, and then just collect the data that proves you made a good one. This is evident in the argument between President Obama and Trump. Trump argued that Obama was more concerned with Trump than with fixing the problem, which actually is correct, given that the actual fix is within the presidents authority (adjusting monitoring systems to flag threats). Both men are focused on who appears right rather than on fixing the problem. When working on a spreadsheet, have you ever gotten into an argument with your computer over who made a mistake? How about with your accountant? Computers dont care about appearances. They do care about data, though, and if that data is bad or their programming is corrupted, then they can make errors but they still often do better than their human counterparts. We ignore the data. Wrapping Up: Machine Intelligence for President? Were not yet ready to put an AI in the highest office of the U.S., but that may be the only way we survive into the next century. It also could be the way we end the human race. You see, the other problem I havent yet touched on is that people are creating these machine intelligences, and that means some of them will be corrupted by design, so that they dont do anything that disagrees with their creators world view. That means there literally will be insane machine intelligences, because they were improperly programmed on purpose. The chance of putting one of those things into power unfortunately is very high. For instance, look how we deal with drone mistakes. We dont call collateral damage collateral damage we reclassify the dead as combatants. Can you image a smart weapon with that programming? Suddenly everyone would be a target, and wed have designed a Terminator future. Unfortunately, what that means is that unless we fix ourselves which is really unlikely we are rather screwed. The entire tech industry is hoping that at least on the consumer side of the market VR takes off like a rocket. Obstacles include a lack of content and the problem that cellphone-based solutions arent very good. PC based-solutions are wickedly expensive, and there is a very real likelihood youll hurt yourself if you dont sit down when using them you can either lose your balance or trip over the necessary tether. Well, at last weeks E3, AMD stepped up to address the first problem with an impressive $200 graphics card, the Radeon RX480. It is premium VR certified, and you should be able to add it to your existing Windows 10 desktop PC to make it capable of supporting VR. AMD Radeon RX480 I played with the Radeon RX480 a few weeks ago in Macau, and it is an impressive piece of work. What allowed the company to reach the low price point was that it focused on things that would make VR work better and that approach paid off in spades. Similar technology is rumored to be going into Microsofts Xbox Project Scorpio, which suggests that a gaming system on steroids could be surprisingly affordable when it comes out next year (Xboxes typically sell at or below cost) and ideal for the VR games expected to arrive with that console. However, the Radeon RX480 is due in stores at the end of the month, so you dont have to wait that long. Im always up for a value, and when it comes to graphics the AMD Radeon RX480 should be one of the biggest bargains in the VR or desktop PC segment at least for now and it therefore is my product of the week. Customers and investors increasingly are wondering why Verizon and Verizon Wireless are hurting themselves with their actions. Following are three examples that illustrate how these companies are causing themselves long-term damage. The Verizon Strike Verizon decided to battle its own striking workers on the public stage. That battle shed lots of bad blood, and it will be tough to close those wounds. Many companies experience strikes, but most are settled quickly and quietly. Thats the secret. However, over the last decade or two, every time Verizon workers contracts have come up for renewal, the process has been longer, uglier and messier. Both sides positions are understandable. On the employee side, theres the need to keep up with the rising costs of living. On the company side, theres the need to remain competitive, as new companies and new technologies change the playing field. Unfortunately for workers, times change. Just as the horse and buggy industry gave way to the automotive industry, things change. Workers can stress a company so badly that it ends up closing, and everyone loses big time. Just think of the recent Hostess story. Workers demanded more from the company than the company could afford. Bottom line: Hostess went out of business. All the workers became unemployed. That is the bottom line every union worker needs to understand. Companies are not invincible. Hostess was acquired by another company, which gave the brand new life. However, the Hostess of today is now free from unions and doesnt face the same type of worker demands. So, as much as we can all understand worker demands, they must be balanced with reality. The Verizon strike and the estrangement of its workers planted seeds of distrust and a hard, cold reality into the marketplace something that will fester and grow. While past strikes quickly faded away, the damage to Verizons reputation was more serious this time. If the next strike lasts as long, it will damage the company even further. The fear is that this festering will have an ongoing impact on investor confidence, business customers, consumers and workers. Verizon has allowed this issue to take a disturbing direction. Verizon Shows No Respect for Customers Verizon customers have taken it on the chin in recent years. For example, after a recent hurricane leveled a town, Verizon didnt reinstall phone service instead, it forced users to choose wireless. While this is a trend that indicates the way the industry will move in coming years, it will take many years to get there. Some customers are OK making the switch early. Others dont want to make the switch at all. Not yet anyway. Nevertheless, they are being forced into a corner to do something uncomfortable to them. Changes like this must take place at a slower pace. You must turn the screwdriver of change slowly, or risk breaking the screw. In my opinion, Verizon is breaking the screw. It is negatively impacting its relationships with customers by showing no respect or consideration for them. The Verizon problem, as I see it, is that the company doesnt seem to care about people workers or customers. Rather than letting customers change services when they are ready, they are being forced to change now. Verizon Is Forcing Change A third example is the way customers say Verizon comes in to fix a phone line problem. They simply replace the POTS telephone service with something else. When they are done and have updated the customer to a digital product, then they surprise the customer telling them what they just did. That is not something many customers want yet Verizon is forcing the switch. The choice Verizon gives the customer is either to accept its new service or go without. It doesnt really care one way or the other. Customers who do not accept simply will have no landline phone. This very customer-unfriendly approach is chipping away at the core strength of the company and Verizon is its own chipper. I understand the changes the company wants to make. It wants to go in the direction the industry is heading in. However, forcing customers to change too fast will hurt Verizon. Turning the screwdriver too quickly will cause problems with customers tomorrow. Now that there is growing competition, other companies will take away more of Verizons market share. Its not too late for Verizon to change and be the friendly company it was but to tell you the truth, I dont think it understands the damage it is causing. In the next few years, as it runs into problems with its customers, those issues will be directly related to the damage Verizon is causing itself today. UNION SPRINGS It might take a village to raise a child, but it takes a school district, comprised of teachers, administrators, counselors, non-instructional staff and parents, to guide a class of students from kindergarten through high school. That support was evident at the 2016 Union Springs High School graduation ceremony on Sunday. Several hundred friends, fellow students and family members sat on the high school lawn under a bright sun in 90-degree heat, some arriving an hour or more before the ceremony. As the graduates entered the field wearing their purple caps and gowns and moving toward their front-row seats, the concert band played Edward Elgars Pomp and Circumstance and the spectators stood to greet them. Some neighbors even joined in the celebration by blowing off a few firecrackers. Out of the 60 members of the class of 2016, 40 plan to go on to college, and the same number of students placed on honor or high honor rolls in their senior year. District Superintendent Jarett S. Powers led the students in a version of the song, The Itsy, Bitsy Spider. He said that was probably one of the first songs they ever learned, but it has a deeper meaning. That song is about never giving up. He encouraged the students to live that lesson. In life, have the courage to be the itsy, bitsy spider. Powers also reference an image of a turtle on a fencepost. If you see a turtle on a fence post, it didnt get there by accident. And you didnt get here by accident. Others helped you along the way. Your community is proud of you. Salutatorian Morgan Hand compared graduating from high school with a baby bird leaving its nest. The next chapter of our lives is a time of opportunity. Valedictorian Connor Coleman reflected on memories from each of her academic years from kindergarten to graduation, and she thanked all the teachers, administrators and parents. Senior year is over now, but, wow, did we have fun. And we were together through it all. Michael Jorgensen, a former Union Springs teacher who is now a principal in the Port Byron school district, was the guest speaker. He said he was proud to have been able to play a role, along with other elementary school teachers, in the early education of the students, but he also thanked them for the positive impact they had had in his life. As the new graduates accepted their diplomas, they were also given a green plush turtle, to remind them that the support of their parents and teachers and the Union Springs community helped them get where they are today and will continue to be there for them. 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As part of the SCAP 2020 Commitment, apparel retailers and brands can seek to reduce their carbon, waste and water footprint of clothing by sourcing CmiA certified cotton. More than 50 organisations including retailers such as Asos, Ted Baker, Arcadia Group, New Look, John Lewis and Tesco have already signed up to SCAP, which is led by WRAP, the UK-based resource efficiency consultants. (Photo: Reuters / Mohamed Abd El Ghany)Egyptian Muslims and Christians celebrate Coptic Christmas eve mass, at Cairo's Tahrir Square in Cairo on Jan. 6, 2013. Egyptian Christians have announced the formation of a national council of churches to unite different denominations on social and political issues in February. Coptic Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Evangelical, Episcopal and Greek Orthodox churches are scheduled to form the council in which they will unify ecumenical work in the Egyptian Council of Churches on Feb. 18. "This is not a unity in issues of dogma; the churches will not hold joint masses or unite rituals, It's an organizational move to unite Christians in Egypt on issues that affect them all," Egypt's Daily News quoted Coptic lawyer Naguib Gabriel saying. The Egyptian Churches Council is scheduled to hold its first meeting, chaired by Pope Tawadros II Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church, the largest church in the country where Christians make up about 10 percent of the 80 million people in Egypt. Gabriel said the council will try to bring ideologies closer and "it will discuss political stances of Christians on important issues like the constitution, laws and the personal status law." Gabriel said an agreement on personal status laws might be a challenge because of differences between denominations, but the general outlines can be agreed upon. He noted the idea for such a church body had been mooted for some time saying, "The council will be a national version of the Middle East Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches." The Coptic Orthodox Church is a member of the Geneva-based World Council of Churches. (Photo: Sean Hawkey)Primates from the Orthodox Church gathered in a Small Synaxis at the Patriarchal and Stavropegial Monastery and Orthdox Academy of Crete on June 17, 2016 to consider a "draft message" of the Holy and Great Council. From left: Archbishop Sawa of Warsaw and All Poland (Herakleion); Archbishop Chrysostomos of Nova Justiniana and All Cyprus; Patriarch Irinej of Serbia; Patriarch Theodoros of Alexandria; the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew; Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem; Patriarch Daniel of Romania; Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece; Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana, Durres, and All Albania; Archbishop Rastislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia. Orthodox church leaders from around the world have expressed their concern about the persecution Christians and other religious minorities are facing in the Middle East. Their June 26 message came as they concluded a historic meeting of Orthodox church leaders on the island of Crete in Greece, the first of its kind in 1,200 years. At the end of the week-long Orthodox Holy and Great Council the church leaders said, "The Orthodox Church is particularly concerned about the situation facing Christians and other persecuted ethnic and religious minorities in the Middle East." The church "addresses an appeal to governments in that region to protect the Christian populations - Orthodox, Ancient Eastern and other Christians - who have survived in the cradle of Christianity," they noted. "The proposal was made for the Holy and Great Council to become a regular Institution to be convened every seven or ten years," the 10 church leaders said in their joint message. However, it is unlikely that churches which did not attend the historic gathering will comply with any decision taken there as there is no centralized authority for Orthodox churches, unlike that for the Roman Catholic Church which has the Holy See at the Vatican. The Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who represents more than 100 million Orthodox Christians, refused to attend the meeting, asserting that there were insufficient preparations. ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE Based in Istanbul in mainly Muslim Turkey, the Ecumenical Patriarchate, is frequently at odds with the Russian Church, The Associated Press reported . Aside from Russia, the Orthodox churches of Bulgaria and Georgia were absent. The Syria-based Antioch patriarchate also stayed away. There are 14 such autocephalous or autonomous churches worldwide, with the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople, considered as their spiritual head or the "first among equals." The Russian Orthodox Church has the biggest number of followers of all the Orthodox churches. At the historic council, the church leaders also voiced concern over the "negative consequences of scientific progress" and "moral dilemmas" caused by rapid advances in genetics and biotechnology. "Man is experimenting ever more intensively with his own very nature in an extreme and dangerous way. He is in danger of being turned into a biological machine, into an impersonal social unit or into a mechanical device of controlled thought," the council leaders stated. Among issues discussed in the Holy and Great Council, were: the Mission of the Orthodox Church in the modern world; the Orthodox Diaspora and the operational regulations of the Episcopal Assemblies; the autonomy and the way for proclaiming it, the importance of fasting and its compliance today, the Sacrament of matrimony and its impediments; and the relations of the Orthodox Church with the rest of the Christian world. On the "contemporary crisis in marriage and the family," the council said it is "a consequence of the crisis of freedom as responsibility, its decline into a self-centered self-realisation, its identification with individual self-gratification, self-sufficiency and autonomy, and the loss of the sacramental character of the union between man and woman, resulting from forgetfulness of the sacrificial ethos of love." It says that rather than just being a contractual relationship, it is "a Church-nurtured workshop of life in love and an unsurpassed gift of God's grace." (www.sony.com)Sony Xperia XA Ultra which is releasing soon Sony released a new lineup of smartphones this year under the X brand but it did not roll out the devices to international markets. However, this is set to change soon as the devices have become available for preorder in the United States and Canada and will be arriving in the hands of customers within a few days. A website reporting on the arrival of the Xperia X lineup of smartphone states that a number of retailers in the United States have started to offer the said devices unlocked. Among the retailers offering the devices is Amazon, B&H and Best Buy. The Xperia X, which was slated for release on June 26, has a price tag of $549.99 and comes with a free 128GB MicroSD card. However, this is not the flagship phone in the lineup as that distinction goes to the Xperia X Performance which has a Snapdragon 820 chipset on board. Concerning the Xperia X Performance, there is a $699.99 price tag on it and it too is being offered with a free memory card. As for its release date, it will happen on July 17. Coming to the bigger Xperia XA Ultra which has a 6-inch screen and a Mediatek Helio P10 chipset, it is priced at $369.99 as it is a mid-range device. It is scheduled to release on July 24 and comes with a 64GB MicroSD card. The cheapest device in this entire Xperia X lineup is the Xperia XA, which has a price tag of $279.99 and is set to release on July 17. More importantly, the Xperia X lineup is reportedly going to replace the flagship Z lineup which Sony was producing until last year, so it is important that these devices are releasing worldwide even if they are arriving later than usual. However, in Canada, consumers can get the Xperia X lineup through its carriers and Android Headlines states that through Rogers and Bell, the Xperia X Performance is priced at $199 with a two-year contract. (Facebook/Star Wars Rebels)"Star Wars Rebels" season 3 will show its first two episodes at the upcoming Star Wars Celebration in Europe happening next month. While anticipating the return of "Star Wars Rebels" for its third season run, London-based fans of the animated "Star Wars" can relish the fact that they will be privileged to be the first to see the first two episodes of the said animated show's season 3. However, it is speculated that the first two episodes of the series will not immediately tackle the fate of Ahsoka Tano, which was left hanging in the previous season. The said two episodes of "Star Wars Rebels" are scheduled for showing at the Star Wars Celebration on July 16 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. London time, as posted on the official Star Wars website. However, fans of the series should not expect the first two episodes to immediately reveal what might have happened to Ahsoka Tano in the previous season, where she battles Darth Vader. According to Comic Book, the said episodes may rather shed light on the fate of Kanan, especially on how he adjusts to his blindness. It is also very likely for the said episodes to tease the viewers with how the mission of the crew is affected by Ezra's ability to think like a Sith as he immerses with the dark side. Meanwhile, apart from showing the first two episodes of "Star Wars Rebels," the upcoming Star Wars Celebration will also treat the fans to other Star Wars stuff. However, one of the things that London-based "Star Wars" fans should really look forward to is the meet-and-greet event with Jedi Master Mark Hamill, who is expected to chat with the audience and deliver a talk about his "Star Wars" experience as Luke Skywalker. Hamill's appearance at the event is scheduled on July 15, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The upcoming Star Wars Celebration in Europe will be the second time for "Star Wars Rebels" to tease the audience with its upcoming season via the event as it also did the same in last year's Star Wars Celebration held in Anaheim. "Star Wars Rebels" is expected to return to Disney XD for its season 3 this fall. Considered to be the Ten Best UFO Photos Ever Taken I am sure that we could add more pictures to this list but these are considered ten o... The belief that students require 21st-century skills to succeed in todays world has gathered great momentum amongst educators, politicians and business leaders. As a headmaster, I often explain to my students that life becomes interesting at the meeting place between opposing schools of thought; whilst it is surely true that we live in revolutionary times which dictate new ways of thinking, many skills students require to flourish in the 21st century are not so new. For example, critical thinking and problem solving are two skills deemed by many as prerequisites for success in todays world. However, surely they have been as important throughout history as they are now. Fossilised bones show us that man first first picked up tools roughly 3.4 million years ago. It could be argued that the ability to create tools, and use them, demonstrates critical thinking and problem solving in action. The use of bones to create early tools perhaps also points to the importance of creativity and innovation -- skills which I place great importance on in todays world, but which again are not unique to the 21st century. Edward Jenner in 1796 also showed an ability to solve problems and think critically when in taking pus from a coxpox pustle and placing it on a boys arm created a smallpox vaccine. Given that his work was widely ridiculed by critics for two years after his discovery, he showed great resilience and grit to further pursue his research up until the point that it was finally published. Again, I often speak to my students about the current day importance of grit, perseverance and of picking yourself up after a fall, but these skills are perhaps no more important to my students than they were to Jenner. If Jenner had discovered the worlds first vaccine in 2016, opposed to 1796, he would have probably blogged about it. Or, he might have even written his own website to celebrate and publicise his discovery. As I said previously, meeting places are important. Whilst many necessary 21st skills find their foundation in the past, many do belong to the present and the future. Digital literacy is surely a compulsory skill for effective 21st century living. Social media has largely changed the way we communicate, not only on a day-to-day basis but also at times of historic change, as evidenced by the role played by Facebook and Twitter in the Arab Spring. For Jenner to write his website, neat handwriting would not cut it. Instead, an ability to code would be required. Subsequently, as educators, we should perhaps be making as much room for Alphas , Betas and C++ as we do for ABCs. After all, digitisation has the power to disrupt traditional industries. Uber is the largest taxi company in the world, yet it does not own any car. Instead, it connects drivers and passengers directly through an app a clever piece of software that has redefined a market. Similarly, Airbnb is arguably the worlds biggest hotel company despite not owing any property. The class of 2016 must possess a diverse set of skills to succeed in the world beyond school. Some of these, such as digital literacy, have indeed been born in the 21st century, however, others, such as critical thinking have been around for a long time. Enduring qualities such as care, compassion and kindness also have pivotal roles to play in todays world. Although it may be difficult to reach agreement upon a definitive list of prerequisite skills for school-leavers, it is certainly true that past generations have left them many challenges to tackle. Climate change, rapid population expansion and growth in the number of displaced persons are but a few examples of instances that school-leavers will need to face with a broad skill set, an open mind and a sense of collaboration that can transgress international boarders and faiths. Munro, 34, became the youngest serving rector (headmaster) of an HMC (Headmasters' & Headmistresses' Conference) school in the world when he was appointed by Kelvinside Academy recently this year More than 6.5 million students in 2013-14 attended a school where at least half of teachers missed 10 days of school or more, according to the most recent estimate from the U.S. Department of Education. Now, a new analysis by the Education Week Research Center adds some context to those numbers. Looking at the same data from the federal civil rights office, it finds that nationwide, slightly more than 1 in 4 teachers missed 10 days or more of school in 2013-14. While every day off can set teachers and their students behind, 10 days evens out to about a day a month in a 180-day school year. Its a typical minimum leave, both for school districts and employers in other professions, and may include leave for illness or personal issues, jury duty, bereavement, religious holidays or parental leave. However, the federal data does not provide details of exactly how many days individual teachers miss, or for what reasons. In Seattle, for example, teachers get 12 days of sickness and personal leave time in a 10-month school year, according to the National Center for Teaching Qualitys district contract database. Many districts are more generous than that: Boston, for example, gives 15 days and allows teachers to roll over their unused time. Prior research has found students whose teachers miss 10 days of school have lower math achievement and less engagement in school. Questions on Causes Both Education Weeks analysis and a 2013 study by NCTQ found teacher absenteeism was virtually the same for schools with high and low concentrations of students in poverty. Schools with high concentrations of low-income students were about equally likely to have high rates of teacher absenteeism as other schools. (The Education Week analysis did not include racial data.) Individual state education policies and economies may play a role in teacher leave, however. Based on the Education Week analysis, Hawaii had the highest absentee rate, at 75 percent of teachers taking more than 10 days off, while in Utah, the lowest, only 16 percent do so. In Nevada, which is coping with deepening teacher shortages, nearly half of all teachers miss more than 10 days of school a year, and long-term substitutes often fill in for teachers in high-need areas like special education. Theres no getting around the fact that teachers are going to be absent, because they are professionals but also human and there are things that come up, said Nithya Joseph, the director for state and district policy at the National Center for Teaching Quality. But, she added, the sub is always going to be coming in at a disadvantage. When students are with a substitute, that does come at a cost to the student. The policy mechanisms that exacerbate or curb teacher absences are hard to pinpoint, though. Across 40 of the largest school districts in the country in 2013, Joseph and her colleagues at NCTQ analyzed differences between districts with rewards for perfect attendance, strict reporting, and other punitive measures intended to discourage taking time off, and other common initiatives. We just didnt find any correlation between those policies and teacher absences, Joseph said. We couldnt find a concrete reason why. It sounded like it was more something related to school culture; it was anecdotal, but pretty consistent in the people we talked to. For example, teachers were less likely to take time off when there was no standardized system in the district for finding a good substitute. Training and Support The effect of a teachers absence on students may also hinge on the kinds of supports and requirements in place for substitute teachers. For example, Washington state, Iowa, and Alabama each have teacher absentee rates at or around 30 percent, but local policies differ considerably. In Alabama, a high school diploma or GED and a background check are enough to allow an adult to take over a class for a week at $8.50 an hour. A general education substitute in Iowa needs a bachelors degree and 15 hours of training by the district and gets paid a median $13.60 an hour. Washington state, which has experienced off-and-on substitute shortages, has even higher standards: a bachelors degree and a teaching certificate, plus two days of targeted professional development in major districts like Seattle. Its median pay, at more than $17 an hour, ranks among the top in the country for substitutes, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Jim Politis, the head of the National Substitute Teachers Alliance and a substitute for more than 15 years, said across the country, substitutes get very little training or support. Its very much sink or swim, Politis said. Retired teachers generally have very little trouble dealing with a class and improvising even if its not their subject areabut most substitutes are not former teachers, and theres no differentiation in the preparation for substitutes depending on their background. In Seattle, the district has started trying to pair substitutes with particular schools to build relationships among substitutes and classroom teachers, and to pay new substitutes for an hourlong orientation training. Teachers have developed most professional development for substitutes on their own, according to Jan Bowersox, a Seattle Education Association board member in charge of professional development. Last August, more than 120 substitute teachers gathered for a daylong seminar before the start of school, with sessions on topics like assertiveness, discouraging disruption, and Establishing a Classroom Climate (Quickly) So Learning Can Happen. [Professional development] designed by and presented by subs for subs is proving to be very effective, Bowersox said. Long-Term Relationships Yet researchers and teachers alike argue districts could do more to plan for teacher absences in ways that keep students on their academic path and engaged in school. Students can be more likely to disengage with a teacher who is absent frequently, particularly at the start of the year, according to Robert Balfanz, education professor at Johns Hopkins University. Obviously, if the kids see that teachers are absent on a regular basis and there are a lot of subs, it sends a signal that not much is happening at school, Balfanz said. If teachers arent attending, its hard to make a convincing case that students should be attending regularly. The Substitute Teachers Alliance has recommended building closer working relationships between substitutes and teachers at individual schools. I think if a sub comes in and has a great lesson plan mapped out for them, thats a great thing to do, Joseph said, but theres still ... building the relationships and that rapport that makes a difference. New York State Police are requesting the public's help in locating a missing Cayuga County man, who suffers from dementia and emphysema and could be in danger. Clarence "Bub" Wheaton, 69, of Victory, went missing at 7:30 a.m. on June 27. He was last seen at the Country Apple Store in Red Creek wearing blue jeans, a grey T-shirt, brown shoes and a ball cap. He is 5-feet 10-inches tall, and about 120 pounds, bald with hazel eyes. He is believed to be in the Fair Haven area, police said. Police have a command post set up at the Red Creek Fire Department. Anyone who comes in contact with Wheaton is asked to call 911. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. Today, the Panama Canal Authority officially inaugurated the new widened Panama Canal, to showcase two of the worlds biggest locks - a project part-financed by the European Investment Bank (EIB). EIBs Vice-President Roman Escolano attended the celebration. The new Panama Canal locks will enable a new generation of larger ships to cross the Central American isthmus and link ports in Asia, America and Europe. Prior to the expansion, 12% of the activity in the Canal included commercial routes to and from Europe, making this an efficient trade route between Europe and the west coast of the Americas and part of Asia. Following the widening and deepening of the Canal, this figure is very likely to increase. Together with other international financial institutions, the EU bank is one of the major finance providers supporting the expansion of the Canal. The huge engineering project currently provides direct employment for nearly 30 000 people. Commenting at the inauguration ceremony in Panama, Vice-President Roman Escolano said: Witnessing the inauguration of one of our flagship projects in Central America confirms my belief that the European Investment Bank is playing an important role in helping developing infrastructure in the region. With the expansion of what are now two of the worlds biggest locks, commercial maritime traffic will increase substantially allowing more efficient trade with the European Union. I am proud that the USD 500 million EIB loan has helped to make this project a reality. The Bank granted the loan to the Panama Canal Authority under the lending mandate for Asia and Latin America (ALA IV). This was the EIBs fifth operation in Panama, in a country where the EIB has provided loans totalling EUR 753 million for projects. The Bank began its operations in Asia and Latin America in 1993 and since then has completed three mandates. Under the current External Lending Mandate for Latin America, covering the period 2014-2020 (ELM), it is authorised to lend up to EUR 2.3 billion to finance projects supporting the development of economic, environmental and social infrastructure; climate change mitigation and adaptation or local private sector development, in particular SMEs. http://blog.eib.org/panama-canal-engineer/ San Juan, Jun 27 (EFE).- The Puerto Rican government says it cannot pay $2 billion in debt that comes due on July 1, meaning that it must trust that Washington will approve the law preventing its creditors from filing more lawsuits against it prior to that date. "We don't have all of what we need to pay. OK, perhaps it won't be there, but we would have to close many public agencies, lay off public employees and cut services, and that's not going to happen," said Melba Acosta, the president of the Development Bank of Puerto Rico, the financial arm of the island's government, on Monday. Acosta was the first speaker at a meeting with the Bonitas del Patio association representing the 60,000 Puerto Ricans who hold the island's bonds. The group is meeting for the first time in San Juan to learn how the island government's planned U.S.-backed debt restructuring will affect them, with Washington close to approving the so-called "Promesa" bill that would provide a legal framework whereby the U.S. commonwealth may declare bankruptcy to prevent lawsuits by its creditors. Along the lines defended by the San Juan government in recent weeks, Acosta insisted on Monday that the U.S. Senate must urgently approve the Promesa bill before July 1, when some $2 billion in new portions of debt come due. That debt includes $700 million in General Obligation bonds, payment of which is prioritized by the island's constitution above any other public expenditures, including basic public services, which the government says it is not ready to relinquish. Acosta said in remarks to EFE that the government can try to pay the interest on the debt, particularly on the GO's, a figure exceeding $300 million. "Promesa provides us with a halt to the lawsuits, an enormous help while the debt is restructured because that will help us avoid being in the courts spending even more resources," she said after insisting that the approval of the project, in any case, "will not change the island's fiscal - only its legal - reality." While the Senate is debating the bill, Acosta continues to head the talks with creditors, who are being asked to accept a five-year moratorium on the repayment of principle, although interest will still be paid, with the aim of giving the government "oxygen" to reinvest in economic rejuvenation. SKANEATELES As Vincent Viego put it, he and his fellow Skaneateles High School graduates were facing "a precipice." In the literal sense, those of the 140 graduates that took to Clift Park for their graduation ceremony Sunday sat in waiting near the edge of Skaneateles Lake, ready to leap into the waters at the event's closing. And when they did jump into the lake, they joined the ranks of alumni before them with splashes, smiles, laughter and cheers. Viego the Class of 2016 valedictorian said he believes the tradition marked a "first taste of the shocking realities of the world." "And not just because the lake is absolutely freezing," he joked during his speech to classmates, adding, "Define your own success. No one in life has the same aspirations as you nor will anyone impact humanity in the same way." Before its jump into the lake, the Skaneateles Class of 2016 accepted their diplomas before a wide crowd of parents, faculty and friends, some of whom docked in boats along the lakeside borders. Skaneateles' 66th annual commencement saw speakers impart prideful remarks ahead of the next step for graduates, whether that's college, a job or otherwise. For Viego, he will be off to Harvard University in the fall, while Salutatorian Aimee La France will be heading to Cornell University. "Fight for your place. Fight for your dreams. Fight for the person you hope one day to be," La France said. "And do so with the same grace and dignity that your teachers, peers and parents have demonstrated to you. We are the Class of 2016, and we have not only passed: We have surpassed." Wherever that fight takes place, the graduates will be sure to run into others that have their own stories, said Evan Bille, honorary class speaker. Everyone's story, he noted, develops when they get out of bed in the morning, shaping their identities through experience. Bille challenged his fellow graduates to not only tell their own stories, but to also be there and listen to others as the experiences might prove life-changing. "But if there's one thing I can say with 110-percent certainty, the story of the Class of 2016 has only just begun," Bille said. Mondelez International and Facebook work together on new social media technology Mondelez International, the owner of the Cadbury brand in Australia, is renewing its global strategic relationship with social media platform, Facebook. The agreement covers 52 countries including Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, the U.K., the U.S. and the Gulf States. Mondelez, which owns numerous food brands including Cadbury and Oreo, says it will be an early user of Facebooks newly announced Audience Insights API, a platform which allows businesses to find out more information about its consumers who use Facebook. Mondelez will also use Facebooks Messenger communication platform to experiment with bots (computer generated responses to customer questions). The technology could allow for Mondelez to answer customer questions through the Messenger platform 24/7. Media Director at Mondelez International Europe, Gerry DAngelo, said Messenger could also eventually be a new way for consumers to make purchases. With 900 million people using Messenger every month, this platform offers a great way to interact with our consumers in real-time, he said. Facebooks Vice President of Global Accounts, Will Platt Higgins, said the partnership understands that mobile presents an opportunity for companies to bring their brands closer to consumers than has been possible previously. When you have products that are as beloved as those created by Mondelez International, it only makes sense to give them even more of a voice and new ways to interact with the people that love them, he said. Weet-bix becomes latest Australian product to take China by storm Australian breakfast staple Weet-Bix is the latest Australian product to attract heavy demand from consumers in China. The cereal, produced by Sanitarium, was first introduced to the Chinese market in 2008, where it faced initial difficulty competing against traditional Chinese breakfasts. However, the Chinese market has significantly increased its demand for Weet-Bix since then and China has now become the top export market for Weet-Bix, according to the Australian Financial Review. Its 1.4 kilogram value packs have been selling for approximately $30 US ($40.50 AUD) on Chinese e-commerce sites at the time of writing. The increase in demand may represent an acceptance of Weet-Bix as a wheat-based alternative to traditional Chinese breakfast foods such as congee (rice porridge). This trend presents a significant opportunity for Sanitarium, which has also experienced strong Australian demand, although some of this may actually be from Chinese students and expatriates in Australia selling the Australian product online and supplying the buyers via Chinese e-commerce platforms. Weet-Bix has also been featured in a popular Chinese drama, which helped provide it with celebrity status. So far, there have not been issues about privateers causing shortages in Australia, as was the case for infant formula, when retailers in Australia needed to impose their own quantity restrictions on their customers. Sanitarium believes it is able to meet foreign and domestic demand for Weet-bix, and this may help keep the price stable in Australia. The referendum vote to quit the European Union has left the United Kingdom a more divided society than ever before. In fifty years reporting politics, most media have never encountered such shock and anger: the morning the result was announced phones messages were red hot, mostly with younger citizens convinced the older generation had, through indulging their prejudices, sold them down the river. Looking at the voting breakdown most people will see why. There were stark divisions between London and the provinces, between big cities and the quieter countryside, between over 50s and the young, between graduates and those without further education. Perhaps the most obvious division is the one between the people and their elected representatives in parliament. While the nation voted 52-48% to leave the EU, the vast majority of Members of Parliament, the people elected to take such decisions in what has traditionally been a representative democracy, were declared supporters of "Remain." The most potent campaigning theme for Nigel Farage, the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP), was his insistence that the referendum was a chance for the ordinary man to get one back on a distrusted political establishment, an echo of the tactics pursued in the U.S. by Donald Trump. That distrust of the political class can only have been intensified by the spectacle of former Conservative Party leaders and finance ministers accusing their own former colleagues of dishonesty and rubbishing the non-partisan interventions of previously respected academics and civil servants. Referendums are rarely a simple answer to a simple question. Often they become a verdict on the popularity of the person or government posing the question, or on wider issues. This referendum soon revealed a country divided between traditionalists in rural areas and market towns harking back to a simpler life in earlier days, an emerging "Stop the world, I want to get off" movement and the freewheeling youngsters in globalized big cities unbothered by a faster-moving life and multiculturalism. In university towns like Oxford and Cambridge, "Remain" did well, and in London the pro-EU campaign took 60% of the vote. In areas of high immigrant concentration in the East and West Midlands it was roughly 60-40 for "Leave." The suspension of referendum campaigning for two days after the street murder of an MP was a tacit admission that dark and dangerous undercurrents had been released by the public arguments. Another significant division was revealed with 62% of Scottish voters opting for "Remain" and only 38% for "Leave," a contrast which has already raised the possibility of another referendum on Scotland quitting the United Kingdom to go its own way. Sinn Fein have seized upon the 56% of the vote for "Remain" in Northern Ireland to raise the question of a referendum there too on the reunification of Ireland. If the divisions across the country are widespread, those within the traditional political parties are even more intense. The Conservative Party has been at war on Europe since its growing hostility to the EU helped bring about Margaret Thatcher's downfall. Some Tories became Euroskeptics in a belated pledge of loyalty to her, others because they feared losing their seats to UKIP. The Tory Remainers will now never forgive David Cameron for failing to stand up to his right-wingers and for staging a referendum -- one he completely assumed he would win. Nor will some of them now ever forgive Boris Johnson for what they saw as his maximum publicity late conversion to become the biggest noise in the "Leave" campaign. With Labour these days a pro-European party, the Labour Remainers in parliament will never forgive their leader Jeremy Corbyn either, for his lackluster campaigning. He had a long history of opposition to the EU, made no secret of his continued distaste for much about Europe and had the party's EU loyalists in despair. But Labour has to have deep worries too, about the way UKIP has been vacuuming up its traditional vote. Internal warfare in both major parties will only intensify. FEAR AND LOATHING The Liberal Democrats who might have benefited were virtually wiped out at the last election. And what will UKIP do now the referendum has been won? Their main financial backer Aaron Banks said during the campaign that the referendum would shake up British politics so severely that the pieces would never fit back together. So what shape will UKIP now assume in Farage's hour of triumph? It's hard to think it will now slink off into the shadows: will it now re-brand as the anti-immigration party it has long been in all but name? Cameron, who had already shredded his authority by saying he wouldn't fight another election, has fallen on his sword after his massive mistake, but the in-fighting over the succession will only increase the public distaste for politics. People ask if the wounds can be healed, if a "Brave Little Britain" can pull together to make its own way in the world despite the fear and loathing stirred up between communities in this rancorous debate. For the moment it seems to be no hope. All the evidence is that post referendum politics in Britain is likely to become increasingly class-based, increasingly bitter and with a worrying divide between the generations for which no quick fix is available. What will Brexit mean for Australian food and beverage producers? Despite indications the poll would be close, the London financial community has been dumbfounded by the decision of a majority of British voters to leave the European Union (EU). However, advocates of the Remain Case were not dumbstruck. They hit out at the result by blaming excessive populism by the Leave Case and excessive ignorance by the voters. Yet they ignored the genuine concerns of a majority of voters, in particular in regional parts of the UK, beyond Westminster and London. Despite the initial market panic, the leaders of the successful Leave campaign seem to be wily strategists. Boris Johnson has already articulated a plan for Britain to negotiate a separate free trade agreement with the EU. Delaying the serving of a notification to leave under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty may provide the British with additional negotiating leverage. The EU Commissioners are rattled, and despite all their tough talk of avenging defeat and applying pressure on Britain, the British can maintain the upper hand if they play their cards right. Strategy needs unity. Both sides are threatened by disunity. However, the Europeans are more prone to disunity than the English. There is a danger that Europe could become a repeat of the Tower of Babel story, politically as well as by economic and financial reverberations. Free Trade Agreement Australia and Britain are more likely to negotiate a free trade agreement in the short term. This will enhance commercial opportunities for British companies and British brands seeking to expand into the Asian and Pacific regions. Australia is still considered favourably by British food companies seeking a base from which to export clean, high quality product into Asia and attract a premium for the perceived Australian high quality. It is in Australias best interests to negotiate a free trade agreement to reduce the potential negative impact of being forced to compete with their British counterparts in the region. One possible scenario would be an increased interest in British companies acquiring Australian businesses. Low British Pound After it was confirmed Britain would be leaving the EU, the British pound slumped to its lowest level (measured against the Aussie dollar) since 1985, a 10 per cent drop within six hours. If the pound remains weak it could reduce costs for Australian food and beverage companies importing from the UK. Importers of UK alcohol, spirits and other beverages, into the Australian market will therefore attract higher margins for Australian-based importers. According to 2014/15 figures, the UK is ranked seven in terms of Australias overall trade partners. New exporting possibilities The UK currently relies heavily on other EU countries for fresh food, especially fruit and some vegetables. Brexit could be an opportunity for Australian food and beverage producers to replace some of the EU suppliers if better trade arrangements can now be made. Local UK farmers may struggle to remain competitive as they received up to 3 billion pounds annually from the EU. However, UK farmers could remain niche producers and exporters. President of the UKs National Farmers Union (NFU), Meurig Raymond, said that new trade agreements may need to be established. Currently we benefit from more than 50 trade agreements with countries in the rest of the world. We will continue to need these kind of arrangements in future, whether this means negotiating new deals or not, he said. A key question we asked the Leave camp, and on which we never received a clear answer, was what kind of access would an independent UK give to imports from the rest of the world? Our requirement is that we are not open to imports which are produced to lower standards. Labour Also raised by the NFU, the UK relies on workers outside of the UK, both seasonally and on a full-time basis. The NFU is now calling on a student scheme to be established to replace those who could now be restricted from coming into the country. Outside the EU we will need a student agricultural workers scheme, which is open to students from around the world. If such a scheme were to go ahead, it would be interesting to see whether it could be attractive enough to poach those who might otherwise have considered coming to Australia to engage in similar activity. Transport Currently, under the Single European Sky laws which EU countries follow, all airlines based within the EU can freely operate across the countries. Leaving the EU means this could change for British based airlines and could result in issues for foods coming in the country via any of these airlines if new arrangements do not run smoothly. Norway deal Although leaving the EU could result in any number of changes, some economic analysts are encouraging Britain to make a Norway style deal with the EU. Norway is not a member of the EU but it essentially operates as if it were a member. It is a member of the European Economic Area which allows for the free movement of people, goods and money within the EU. Boris Johnson has even better ideas for a better-than-Norway deal with greater British border controls. He believes Britain is strong enough to negotiate its own free trade agreements with the EU and others. The market panic is clearly an over-reaction. British voters have asserted their own democratic sovereignty to take back control over their own destiny. 26 June 2016, Tunis, Tunisia The World Health Organization condemns recent attacks on 2 health facilities in Benghazi. Libya. On 21 June, a rocket hit the roof of the Ear, Nose and Throat and Urological Centre, directly above the operating theatres, causing damage to the roof, all oxygen supply pipes, and the central ventilation. The roof had been reconstructed in 2014 following damages sustained during the 2011 conflict in Libya. The centre has a capacity for 300 inpatients, and more than 470 people were in the centre at the time of the attack. Due to damage as a result of the attack, the operating theatres are now non-functional, and patients have been relocated to nearby health facilities. On 22 June, the administration building of Benghazi Medical Centre was extensively damaged when a car exploded in the north parking area. No casualties were reported. Just 3 weeks ago, the Benghazi Medical Centre had sustained extensive damage to its infrastructure following multiple attacks. The centre, which has 1100 beds, serves a population of half a million people in Benghazi and is the only facility offering tertiary health care services in Benghazi. These attacks violate international humanitarian law, representing a serious setback for the affected community and an additional challenge to humanitarian work in Libya. It is estimated that nearly 60% of public hospitals in conflict areas in Libya have shut down or are inaccessible. Such attacks on health facilities in Libya are not only continuing but also increasing in both frequency and scale. This is unacceptable. WHO once again urges all parties in the conflict to respect the safety and neutrality of health workers and health facilities. For more information: Rana Sidani direct: +20 2 22765552 mobile: +20 1099756506 email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Pensioner fined after forging PPI claim A pensioner from Onchan who forged her ex-husband's signature to get a PPI pay-out has been fined. 66-year-old Linda Hall appeared at Douglas Courthouse last week where she pleaded guilty to forging a document in July 2014. She filled in a PPI recovery form with Lloyds Bank to claim back the payment which had been made by the couple on a property they'd bought together - the document required both signatures. The bank paid out more than 7,000 - however her ex-husband only discovered the transaction had been made when he was sent a letter about it two years later; he then contacted police. Hall's advocate told the court she was entitled to the money but described the forgery as a "moment of madness" saying she now knows her ex-husband would have signed the form if she'd asked. She said Hall wasn't a "serial forger" and was "deeply saddened and ashamed" about what had happened and has now paid back the money she owes him. Magistrates fined her 500 and ordered her to pay costs of 50. Chief warns EU negotiations will be a 'struggle' Allan Bell MHK Getting the Isle of Man 'visibility' during EU negotiations will be a 'struggle'. That's the message from the Chief Minister who says he doesn't think anyone will be 'unduly generous' to the Island following last week's referendum. People in the UK voted in favour of breaking away from the European Union - government says we now need to draw on our external relationships to 'protect our position'. Allan Bell says it's time to remain 'relentlessly vigilant' in defence of the Island's national interests - although he concedes that could be difficult: Media Allan Bell MHK This week's brutal heat wave across the Southwest is nothing compared to what we'll see in 45 years, if a new study's forecast is accurate. The new report predicts that summers in the Southwest and many other regions of the world have a 90 percent chance of breaking heat records in a given year between during the period 2060 and 2080, if the level of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions rises significantly. But if nations can take measures in the next few decades to clamp down on their carbon dioxide emissions even moderately, the odds of record-setting heat waves will diminish considerably although they won't be eliminated, the study found. The emission cutbacks needed would be significant. But they won't be as stiff as those required to reach the goal of holding down temperature increases to no more than 2.7 degrees F that were set last December by negotiators at the global Paris climate talks, said Flavio Lehnert, one of the study's three researchers. Heat-related deaths, more droughts and crop damage could all result if the heat waves are as severe as predicted in the computer models used in this study, the researchers said. "Recent examples of fatal heat waves and food crises linked to record breaking summer temperatures can therefore serve as case studies for a potential future norm," said the study, prepared by the federally run National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder. The study went online last week, a few days before two hikers died Sunday in record-setting heat in the Catalina Foothills, while a third person died while walking on the Loop multi-use path on the south side. A fourth hiker who had been missing since Sunday was found dead on Tuesday just off the Ventana Canyon Trail. Two others died that day while hiking in the Phoenix Mountain Preserve and the Superstition Mountains in Phoenix and Pinal County. Tucson, the Bisbee-Douglas area, Phoenix and Yuma broke temperature records that day with respective readings of 115, 109, 118 and 120 degrees. But while this heat has been extreme even for June, the hottest month, the new study made ominous predictions for future entire summers. Mean summer temperatures in parts of the Southwest will rise by 8 to 9 degrees F by 2060-80, compared to average summertime temperatures from 1920 to 2014, researcher Lehnert said, if greenhouse gas emissions keep rising. Temperature increases would be about half that if the world can achieve moderate emission reductions, Lehnert said. Looking specifically at the odds of heat records, the study found: -- Globally, the odds of a given summer breaking heat records will rise from about 10 percent today to 80 percent by 2070, if greenhouse gas emissions keep rising. -- The Southwest and other large parts of North America, and South America, central Europe, Asia and Africa face a 90 percent risk of record-setting summers by 2060-80. That means nearly every summer in those areas will be warmer than the warmest summer from 1920 to 2014. -- The Central U.S., Alaska, Scandinavia, Siberia and Australia have a less than 50 percent chance of routine, record-hot summers by then. -- If greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, the odds of record high temperatures in a given summer, globally, sink to 41 percent. In the Southwest and Far West in general, the odds are reduced to a range of 10 to 70 percent. -- By 2070, 87 percent of the world's population will live in areas that have at least a 50 percent chance of record-setting summers most years, if greenhouse gas emissions keep increasing. If they're moderated, only 45 percent of all people will be subject to that risk. The study compared two scenarios of greenhouse gas emission trends. One assumes emissions will climb steadily, as they had done in recent decades, before leveling off a bit in 2013 and 2014. Human population would grow continuously and energy efficiency improve slowly, meaning demand for electricity and gasoline would stay high. The other scenario shows greenhouse gas emissions rising very slowly at first and tapering off by about 2060. This would occur with significant increases in renewable energy use and moderate fossil fuel use decreases., the study's researchers have predicted. Energy efficiency would increase significantly and some effort would be needed to capture carbon and store it underground. The new study will be published in an upcoming special issue of the journal Climatic Change, which will detail what researchers conclude are benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study's research was financed by the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Swiss National Science Foundation. Tynwald to meet to discuss implications of Brexit The Island's politicians will meet tomorrow to debate the outcome of the EU referendum. The President of Tynwald, the Honorary Clare Christian has agreed to the Chief Minister's request to summon a Tynwald meeting in the morning. The members will come together at 10am to discuss the implications of the UK's decision to leave the European Union. The Legislative Council and the House of Keys will then meet immediately after the sitting to their own chambers. The American Medical Association has officially warned about the danger that excessive night lighting poses to our health, citing a growing body of medical research on the subject. In a unanimous vote this month, it adopted a report from its Council on Science and Public Health that advises cities making a switch to LED street lighting to choose bulbs that operate at the warmer end of the light spectrum, avoiding the cool blue light that approximates bright sunshine. Tucson, which plans to convert most of its outdoor municipal lighting to LED, or light-emitting diodes, this year, has already chosen the least blue lighting that is commercially available and plans to dim those lights when not needed for safety reasons. The AMA report notes that humans evolved in a world that was not artificially lit. With waning ambient light, and in the absence of electric lighting, humans begin the transition to nighttime physiology at about dusk; melatonin blood concentrations rise, body temperature drops, sleepiness grows, and hunger abates, the AMA reports. When we spend the evening on streets ablaze with bright light or cuddling with our mobile devices, we disrupt that transition, along with our sleep patterns and eating habits. Insomnia, obesity, diabetes and even heart disease and some cancers have been potentially linked to our light-filled evenings, said cancer epidemiologist Richard Stevens, a professor of medicine at the University of Connecticut, who contributed to the AMA report. Stevens published his first study on the potential link between artificial light and breast cancer in shift-workers in 1987. Since then, a growing body of studies and medical experiments have bolstered the theory that artificial light disrupts the bodys circadian rhythm, with negative health consequences, he said in a telephone interview Thursday. We evolved for 3 billion years, and I mean we as life on the planet, with the sun for about 12 hours and 12 hours of dark. We have this endogenous circadian rhythmicity. We dont require pitch dark, he said. Starlight, moonlight and firelight are essentially circadian neutral, he said. But then, 130 years ago, that all changed with the electric light bulb. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with electric light bulbs or even LED lights, but the lower wavelength LED lights that easily scatter and mimic bright, white daylight should be reserved for daylight hours, he said. He suggests dimming lights after dusk and letting your body ease into its evening rhythm. Your body temperature starts to drop, melatonin rises, metabolism slows. We start losing hunger as the hormone leptin rises. Melatonin, in addition to being a sleep aid, has been shown to diminish the growth of cancerous tumors in mice, he said. The International Dark-Sky Association, based in Tucson, praised the AMA action. Weve been sounding the alarm on this, basically, for the last six years, said John Barentine, an IDA project manager. The weight of the evidence has been mounting. We just see more and more studies that confirm it, Barentine said. This is deep, deep physiology. The IDAs principal reason for reducing outdoor lighting is its advocacy of astronomy, Barentine said, but it also recognizes the adverse effects of over-lighting on humans and the natural world. The recently published New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness found that about 83 percent of the worlds population and more than 99 percent of the U.S. and European populations live under light-polluted skies. The Milky Way, our home galaxys sea of stars, is not visible to 60 percent of Europeans and nearly 80 percent of North Americans, said researchers led by Fabio Falchi of Italy, who published the atlas in last weeks edition of the journal Science Advances. Neither Barentine nor Stevens advocates a return to totally dark skies in populated areas. LEDs are a good source of efficient lighting, they said, but city planners need to be careful in selecting the light sources. Christian Monrad helped sound the alarm about the noxious glare of blue LED lighting as president of the IDA in 2009. Cities were switching to them as an energy-saving strategy using federal economic stimulus money, he said. Monrad, vice president of Monrad Engineering, is working as a consultant on the city of Tucsons upcoming switch to LED lighting. He said the city wanted to avoid interfering with astronomical observations at nearby observatories, but he and others planning the switch were also aware of the potential health effects and certain environmental effects. Monrad said the American Medical Association is also researching the much more significant health issue of hand-held devices and E-readers. Indoor lighting and the glare from our computer screens and mobile devices also disrupt our physiology, he said. Think about our evolutionary history. Were introducing frequencies into our environment that have no precedent. Barentine said consciousness of that problem is growing. There are apps available for changing the lighting on computers and other devices, he said. It was a pretty significant victory when Apple decided to build that capability into their operating systems for their mobile devices, he said. Apples setting, known as Night Shift, is described on its website: Night Shift adjusts the color of your display after sunset. Many studies have shown that exposure to bright blue light in the evening can affect your circadian rhythms and make it harder to fall asleep. Night Shift will shift the colors in your display to the warmer end of the spectrum after sunset, making it easier on your eyes. In the morning, it returns the display to its regular settings. That ability to adjust the color of light is also being built into some LED light bulbs, said Stevens. Stevens said city planners need to consider placement of lighting as well. Light seeping into your home at night, whatever its color, disrupts sleep, he said. The AMAs report encourages the use of 3000K or lower lighting for outdoor installations such as roadways. All LED lighting should be properly shielded to minimize glare and detrimental human and environmental effects, and consideration should be given to utilize the ability of LED lighting to be dimmed for off-peak time periods. All those features are built into the citys program, said Monrad. The city has completed one pilot program for the new LED network, said Michael Graham, spokesman for the Tucson Department of Transportation. It is installing more lights in the same vicinity, near Fire Station One downtown, this week. If that is successful, the city will begin installing the new fixtures and lights citywide, beginning after the July 4 holiday in an area near downtown, west of the Santa Cruz River, Graham said. This weirdness happens every time gas prices fall significantly: Falling gas prices have made big, heavy cars fashionable again, said Michael Sivak, the director of sustainable worldwide transportation at the University of Michigans Transportation Research Institute. In fact, demand for trucks, S.U.V.s and vans has rebounded to historic levels after they dropped sharply in 2008, when gas was $4 a gallon. People have very short memories about the price of gasoline, Dr. Sivak said. That spells trouble for the environment. So-called light-duty vehicles, including S.U.V.s and pickups as well as cars, account for 16.2 percent of all greenhouse emissions produced in the United States, Dr. Sivaks research shows, making them the biggest source of emissions that individuals control. ... A preference for big cars is not going to help the country reach the goals outlined in the Paris climate accord, reached in December. To help reach those goals, average fuel economy would need to soar to at least 100 miles per gallon most likely achievable only through widespread adoption of electric and other zero-emission cars, according to Ben Haley, a co-founder of Evolved Energy Research, a consulting firm. President Obama has pushed for stronger federal fuel-economy rules that call for cars to average 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025; the current average is 25.4 miles per gallon. The Brexit referendum was called effectively to settle an inner-party struggle within the conservative Tory party. The struggle in the Tory party signifies deep divisions within the ruling elite and the state. The Brexit vote and the victory of the nationalist strand in Toryism present the spectre of disintegration of the United Kingdom. Goebbels must be laughing in his grave, I texted on the morning of 24 June 2016 as I woke to news of Brexit victory. The leave and remain camps, the pundits, politicians and public woke up shocked and stunned. The leave camp did not expect to win, and the remain camp did not expect to lose. All sides lied, some more than others. Indeed the campaign was a competition on misinformation. Everyone knew that all sides were lying. The remain side unleashed Demon Fear and the leave side let loose Demon Racial Bigotry. For the leave side, immigration and the National Health Service (NHS) were pivotal issues, their arguments cloaked in jingoistic nationalism. The immigrants were somehow responsible for Little Englands problems including the crisis in the NHS. The remain camp chanted the same mantra: market access, investments, and growth that came with European Union (EU) membership would fix the problems that people of the United Kingdom (UK) have reeled under for four decades since Margaret Thatcher began rolling back the state, privatising Britain and liberalising the markets. Wealth polarisation, regional disparities, falling wages and unravelling health, education and social services across England makes London feel and look like a different country. In the end those who lied best, unleashed the worst demons, won. The Morning After The morning after the dark night, the leave campaign admitted to lying surprisingly quickly, I suspect partly because with the shock of winning, it dawned on them that they would have to deliver on their lies. Central to the campaign was the claim that by leaving the EU there would be 350 million savings available to invest in the NHS. Hours after the referendum results, Nigel Farage, leader of the far right UK Independence Party (UKIP), confessed the figures were wrong and the claims should not have made by the leave camp. Boris Johnson, the conservative leader heading the leave campaign admitted that immigration could not be brought down after all, and that the EU would continue to remain at the heart of British economy and society. Scotland and Ireland voted to remain. All of England barring London voted to leave. Wales, Englands poor cousin, voted to leave and realised that the significant subsidies they received from the EU might be in jeopardy. So did Cornwall and other regions. The morning after, both regions wanted assurance from Little England-to-be that their subsidies should be protected. The pundits had a field day on 24 June analysing the votes, the differences between the four nations of the United Kingdom, rich and poor, old and young, regional disparities, and above all the yawning gaps between the political, economic and intellectual elite, and the people. Conservatives: Natural Right to Rule The Brexit referendum was called effectively to settle an inner-party struggle within the conservative Tory party. The divisions in the Tory party signify deep divisions within the ruling elite and the state. Like with states under communist party rule, the history of what I shall call neo-aristocratic democracy in Britain is riddled with periodic inner-party struggles within the Tory party whenever the state is in crisis and divisions appear among the ruling elite. What Neville Chamberlain, Margaret Thatcher, David Cameron have in common is that their own party brought them down when the country was in crisis and the elite were deeply divided. The Tories are not just any other political party. They are an institution in Britain with a history that parallels the rise of modern Britain, going back to 1678. The Tories have overseen the transformation of the Kingdom of England into the Kingdom of Great Britain and later the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the dissolution of the British Empire, and are now poised to oversee the possible dissolution of the United Kingdom. The historical embeddedness of the Tories in British history throws light on how another inner-party struggle has dragged Britain into a rocky and uncertain future. Unlike France, Russia, and other European countries, Britain never had a proper bourgeois democratic revolution that buried their aristocracies in history. It was never defeated in wars and forced to undergo fundamental constitutional reforms like Germany and Italy. The feudal aristocracy in Britain never became an historical artefact as it did in other European states. Instead, they compromised, collaborated, and coexisted with the mercantilists, the industrialists, the imperialists, and the bankers and financiers throughout the history of capitalism. The expertise of the ancient aristocracy on governance and statecraft, and that of the business classes on economy have been the mainstay of Tory governance. Unlike most modern nations, Britain does not have a written constitution. National history is the source of the unwritten constitution, which includes conventions, royal prerogatives, political practices, and gentlemanly codes of conduct. Parliamentary supremacy means, when push comes to shove, laws cannot be struck down by courts, and whoever commands majority in the parliament of the day can make up the constitution as they go along, so long as the changes conform to constitutional traditions. These arrangements ensure that the reins of England remain in the hands of the neo-aristocracy. The idea that the Tories have a natural right to govern England is deeply embedded within these historical traditions. I suspect most English people, including the more radical ones, may oppose the Tory party, this or that policy, but remain unaware of the neo-aristocratic character of British democracy. Right, Left and Right What then of the opposition parties? In the system of neo-aristocratic democracy the limits of permissible opposition is prescribed by the Tories. One reason why the political, military and media establishments, including his own party members of parliament (MPs) are against Jeremy Corbyn, the left-wing Labour party leader, is because he oversteps the limits of permissible radicalism in the neo-aristocratic model of democracy. The British left, like other European left, have their own long histories of fear of migrants and confusions about nationalism. The Labour party was as divided by the Brexit referendum as were the Tories. The trade unions, the Labour partys main support base, having given in to globalisation and productivity agreements, are fearful that open EU borders and stricter environmental regulations will affect British jobs. The equally strong non-governmental organisations (NGOs), aid organisations and humanitarians, the likes of OXFAMwhere Jo Cox, the Labour MP who was murdered during the last phase of the campaign, used to workwere with the remain camp. These organisations increasingly form an important segment of the Labour party alongside trade unions. Nationalism criss-crosses all shades of British politics, but without the ideologically appropriate vocabulary to articulate it in times of crises, such as the one the Brexit referendum presented. Both Cameron and Corbyn were reluctant campaigners for the remain camp, not least because the race demons unleashed by the UKIP and smaller ultra nationalists spread atavistic fears that are not easily combated by arguments that presuppose economic self-interest as the guiding spirit for political action. Parties like the UKIP are ideologically conservative, and those like the Labour, ideologically left, but neither have the class and the history that the Tories have. Invariably, in such a system, deep divisions in the ruling elite and the state manifest as inner-party struggles within the Tories. These fears are played out nationally as arguments over Englishness and identity versus cosmopolitanism and commerce. The Tories set the agenda to which the others must tick YES or NO. Invariably when the Tory nationalist fractions win they take Britain down a rocky road and uncertain future. History Repeats Itself? Inner-party struggles ousted Edward Heath and installed Margaret Thatcher as party leader when the Tories were divided and the country faced economic crisis and unemployment. Thatcher too played the immigration card, arguing that popular fears about Britain being swamped by people of different cultures needed to be allayed, and that the National Front, a far right anti-immigration party, had indeed raised legitimate concerns. Thatcher also promised to bring down immigration. She is reported to have snubbed Prime Minister Morarji Desai when he was waiting to meet the Liberal Party leader at 10 Downing Street. Thatcher won to become the Prime Minister who opposed trade unions, privatised and liberalised the economy, and sowed the seeds of polarisation, poverty, and regional disparities. Indians will recall Winston Churchill, the wartime Tory Prime Minister, and the struggle over Tory policies towards India. Churchill vehemently opposed dominion status to India, which is what the liberal Congress leadership had asked for. At the height of World War II, when two million Indian soldiers were fighting for the empire with Indian money and materials, Churchill never held back from display of hatred for Indians. I hate the Indians. They are a beastly people with a beastly religion, he said, adding, [t]he Hindus [are] a foul race protected by their mere pullulation from the doom that is their due. I wish that Harris, [the Air Chief Marshall] would send some of his surplus bombers to destroy them. When cautioned about the dangers of racial politics that Britain was pursuing in India, which could backfire on Britain under war conditions, Churchill said, [w]ell if our poor troops have to be kept in a sweltering, syphilitic climate and lice-infested barracks for the sake of your precious unity, Id rather see them have a good civil war.[1] The question as to what the future of Britain might have been if the Tories had conceded to dominion status for India must remain a speculative one. In the end, the Indians did have a good civil war, but also the sun set over the British Empire under Tory watch. The Brexit vote and the victory of the nationalist strand in Toryism present the spectre of disintegration of the UK. Within six hours of the result, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced that another referendum to leave the UK was on the table. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams in Ireland announced that the Brexit result effectively undermined the Good Friday agreement of 1998, which ended a long-drawn-out and bloody civil war in Northern Ireland and called for a border referendum on unification with the Republic of Ireland. Spain called for reunification of Gibraltar with the mainland. Can the same logic that ended the empire now transform Great Britain into Little England? Reference Mukerjee, Madhusree (2010): Churchills Secret War: The British Empire and the Ravaging of India During World War II, New York: Basic Books. The leave side of the Brexit referendum had no coherent proposal or description of what sort of future relationship with the EU, the UK would have. This lack of clarity has led to many banks and other financial organisations looking to move staff and operations elsewhere in the EU. As the votes in the United Kingdoms EU (European Union) referendum were counted in the early hours of 24 June, the pound fell vertiginously as Brexit became first probable and then the definitive result. The UK had voted 52% to 48% to leave the EU, a Union it had been a member of for 43 years. Political crisis followed hard on the heels of the slumping pound and tumbling stock markets. David Cameron resigned as Prime Minister opening up a contest for leadership of the Conservative Party, whose winner will be the UKs PM. Meanwhile Nicola Sturgeon Scotlands First Minister put the prospect of a second independence referendum for Scotland on the table, calling it highly likely, with 62% of Scottish voters backing staying in the EU, in strong contrast to English and Welsh voters who backed the leave campaign. On 26 June, a series of resignations from the shadow cabinet triggered a crisis for the Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyns leadership came under question. The right wing of the Labour Party, unhappy with Corbyns success last year in being elected Labour leader, was only too ready to use Corbyns lacklustre performance in the EU referendum campaign as an excuse to try to provoke a new leadership contest. Meanwhile, Sinn Fein called for a referendum on unifying Ireland to avoid the EUs external border running between the Republic of Ireland (which is in the EU) and Northern Ireland (where the population had also, like Scotland voted to stay in the EU), and Spain called for joint control (with the UK) of Gibraltar whose British population had voted by almost 96% to stay in the EU. The economic, political and constitutional crisis unleashed by the Brexit vote is, of course, one not only for the UK. EU leaders in the other 27 member states were not only quick to express their regret at the British vote but also to insist that the UKs departure should be managed relatively quickly and that the rest of the EU would remain united. Yet the EU is already under strain from the eurozone crisis and the refugee crisis and populists in France and the Netherlands rapidly called, after the Brexit vote, for referendums on EU membership in their countries too. The Euro also fell on the currency markets and stock markets fell across the EU with the turmoil affecting wider global markets too. How Did It Come to This? The UK joined the EU in 1973, 16 years after it was first set up as a project to promote peace and prosperity in Europe after the carnage of the World War II. Britain was long a slightly awkward member, not sharing the political enthusiasm of some member states for ever closer political and economic union, staying out of the Euro when it was created 17 years ago, and also opting out of the EUs border-free Schengen zone. Yet at the same time, the UK had been an influential player in the EU it was one of the driving forces behind the creation of the EUs large single market; it played a big role, after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, in ensuring the EU enlarged to the new democracies in central and eastern Europe, and it promoted, for better or worse, a strong free trade stance. While the UK never fully matched the political influence of France and Germany, it was, with them, one of the big three in Europe. The Labour Party slowly put its doubts about the EU behind it in the 1980s, accepting that the EU provided social protection for workers as well as large open markets for business. But the Tory Party went in the opposite direction. As the Tories increasingly split internally during the 1990s Margaret Thatcher being pushed out over her growing dislike of the EU, and the Tories then losing the general election in 1997 amidst their disarray and in-fighting over Europe the Tory eurosceptic wing became more influential within the party. And so, when David Cameron got into power in 2010, after 13 years of a new Labour government, the question of the EU was never far away. Cameron himself was a mild eurosceptic, keen to impede any major new political developments in the EU while keeping the UK on the inside. But most of all, he wanted to ensure the Tories did not implode again over Europe. Yet three years ago in 2013, Cameron made a fatal promise to hold a referendum on the EU if the Tories got back into power in the general election of 2015. He did this to paper over divisions within the party a tactic which worked in the short term, and then exploded spectacularly during the months of campaigning since the start of this year, ahead of the 23 June EU referendum. Losing the Argument The remain in the EU campaign put its biggest emphasis on the economic benefits of the UK staying in the EU, while theleave campaign increasingly emphasised immigration and the fact that there is free movement of labour within the EU, exploiting populist and xenophobic concerns about immigration as well as encouraging voters to see immigration, not the Tory government, as the cause of their concerns on education, the National Health Service (NHS) and housing. Despite warnings from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Bank of England and the Treasury, as well as the leaders of the Conservative, Labour, LibDem, Green and Scottish National Party all supporting remaining in the EU and only the populist and far right Nigel Farages UKIP (UK Independence Party) supporting leave, but crucially along with several members of the Tory cabinet including Boris Johnson and Michael Gove , British voters chose 52% to 48% to leave the EU. This has been rapidly interpreted as a popular and populist backlash against the establishment elites, and globalisation. While there is some truth in this, the closeness of the vote also shows that the British public was in fact divided almost down the middle. With Scotland and Northern Ireland voting to stay in the EU, against England and Wales voting to leave, a political and constitutional as well as economic crisis has been unleashed. It is hard to underestimate the impact of this decision. The UK has essentially voted for a policy that is already and will continue to damage its economic outlook, that is creating political crisis and chaos at home, that has fatally undermined its role and influence in the EU and the wider world, and that is and will also prove damaging to the rest of the European Union, and with effects further afield. It is an act of folly that is creating shockwaves that will continue for many weeks, months and years ahead. The UK has essentially chosen a Little England path making a disturbing choice to cut off from its European partners and its influence in the EU and globally. It is an act of extraordinary political and economic self-harm. Yet it is a choice that has deep roots. The UK political discourse over the last decades has failed to counter the euroscepticism of the Tory Party and of much of the mainstream, eurosceptic media. Nor has there been robust defence of the positive, creative and economically beneficial effects of immigration from inside and outside the EU on the UK economy. Holding a referendum at a time when the EU was also in crisis over the eurozone, the large numbers of refugees attempting to come to Europe, and the growth of populism in a number of its member states was another huge error by Cameron. Nor did he make any real attempt to portray in his campaigning for the remain side the UK as being a strategic and influential player in the EU. Indeed he could not. As Prime Minister, Cameron had chosen to position the UK on the EUs sidelines not getting involved in the euro crisis, refusing to take more than the smallest number of refugees from Syria and then negotiating more opt-outs from the EU as part of his reform deal to persuade the British public to back remain in the referendum. As a Little England Prime Minister reducing the UKs influence in the EU over the last six years and with barely a foreign policy to his name Cameron was ill-equipped to suddenly make a strong and strategic case for the UK to remain in the EU. Instead, he was reduced to making a narrow, short term costs and benefits case for what the UK got from the EU and with no answers as to why he had failed in his declared aim of cutting immigration into the EU. In the end, the referendum was lost through the votes of mainly working class Tory and United Kingdom Independent Party (UKIP) voters. While Labour voters were 63% in favour of staying in the EU, a number of Labour voters in poorer, run-down areas also backed the leave campaign. Corbyn, long known as fairly eurosceptic in his views, made a half-hearted and unconvincing case for staying in the EU while accepting it was far from perfect. Yet it was Tory voters who voted for leave 58% to 42%, so in the end a Tory Prime Minister, having called a referendum he didnt have to call, failed to persuade his Tory voters to back him. With political and economic crises developing apace, the UK has entered deeply troubled times and the EU too now has to deal with the shockwaves. Scotland may well hold another independence referendum in the next two years and if successful it would aim to stay in the EU as an independent member state. The UK would have been split asunder. Camerons gamble has taken the UK out of Europe and may lead to the end of the UK as we know it today. While the UKs exit from the EU could take as little as two years, it will take much longer to negotiate a new trading relationship with the EU, and the UK will also need to negotiate new trade deals with the rest of the world, since it will no longer be part of EU-negotiated deals. Whether there is any way out of this mess, and to stay in the EU after all, looks unlikely. One of the extraordinary features of the referendum campaign was that the leave side had no coherent proposal or description of what sort of future relationship with the EU, the UK would have. This lack of clarity has led to many banks and other financial organisations now looking to move staff and operations elsewhere in the EU, a process starting within the first few days of the result. Some hope that perhaps the UK could hold another referendum to overturn this result, or even that Westminster where the majority of MPs support the EU, could somehow block the result. But with a 72% turnout and 4% lead in the final result, this for now looks unlikely. The UK has embarked on a strange and crisis-ridden journey, and where it will end is quite unclear. PHOENIX -- A judge has rebuffed a bid by Volkswagen to have a federal court handle the claim that it violated Arizona consumer protection laws. U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver said the state's entire case is based on the contention that the German automaker knowingly and intentionally deceived Arizonans into buying diesel cars that were supposed to produce less emissions. In fact, she said, the company has admitted the engines burn dirtier than claimed. What all that means, Silver said, is it is legally irrelevant whether VW did or did not violate federal clean air standards, the claim VW is making to have the case handled by her versus some judge in Maricopa County Superior Court. She said the only issue is whether VW lied to Arizonans. And that, she said, does not require a federal court to decide. The ruling represents a significant victory for Attorney General Mark Brnovich who originally filed the case in state court. While it does not mean he ultimately will win the lawsuit which seeks at least $40 million from VW, it provides what might be called a "home field'' advantage to have a state judge determine the extent of Arizona's consumer fraud laws. In her ruling, Silver said VW set out in 2007 to become the world's largest automaker. She said that required the company to "dramatically increase'' its US sales. "Volkswagen believed it could do so by placing special emphasis on the development and sale of what it called its 'Clean Diesel' vehicle,'' Silver wrote. She said they generally are more fuel efficient than gasoline-powered engines but sometimes cannot meet stringent U.S. emissions standards. She said the company made some progress toward a technical solution. "But, in 2008, it determined there was an easier way: cheating,'' she wrote. In essence, VW designed its diesel engines to sense when they were being tested, reducing power and lowering emissions. Then, off the test device, power went back up -- along with emissions. The state's case, she said, is based on the claim that between 2008 and 2014, VW "inundated consumers in Arizona with commercials regarding its Clean Diesel vehicles.'' It was not until 2015 VW admitted the federal and California officials it had installed the "defeat devices'' in the vehicles. Brnovich filed suit earlier this year claiming VW had "engaged in deceptive and unfair business practices.'' The lawsuit also says state consumer fraud laws were violated in the "advertising, marketing, selling and leasing'' of these vehicles. VW had the case transferred to federal court, arguing there were federal issues that only a federal court could resolve. Key to that, company attorneys said, is whether the state can prove its vehicles were violated federal emissions standards. Silver, however, said that's not true, saying VW's arguments "represent a form of wishful thinking.'' "But alas, wishing something to be true does not make it so,'' she said. "Arizona could prevail on this (consumer fraud) claim even if it were to drop all mentions of federal law, regulations, and standards from its complaint and case strategy,'' the judge wrote. "In fact, Arizona could prevail even if the federal law, regulations, and standards had never existed.'' Put simply, she said, the Arizona case is built on VW advertising its diesel vehicles as "clean, green and good for the environment.'' She said the state consumer fraud laws require only a showing that a company's statements "had the tendency and capacity to convey misleading impressions.'' That, said Silver, makes the case all about what VW said to customers and potential customers, not about whether what was coming out of tailpipes violated federal emission standards. In the lawsuit, Brnovich says potentially 4,000 Arizonans were effectively duped into buying vehicles with a special diesel engine that was advertised as having just a fraction of the emissions as similar cars. Buyers paid anywhere from $1,000 to $7,000 more than comparable vehicles. Brnovich said there's a specific reason he is suing under the state's consumer fraud laws instead of environmental statutes. That starts with the fact Arizona's consumer fraud laws have a maximum penalty of $10,000 per violation. That means a potential penalty of $40 million, even before he seeks restitution for the buyers who paid for the benefit of lower polluting vehicles that they did not get. But Brnovich also pointed out Arizona laws also make false advertising a violation. And he said that makes each ad and each commercial run in the state a separate offense. -30- WASHINGTON, DC - In comments submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) proposed rule, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) praised the agency for recognizing the important role qualified clinical data registries (QCDRs) will play in the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) payment pathway, but expressed a number of concerns regarding the complexity and timing of requirements for small and solo practices, the absence of key cost data in the Resource Use category of MIPS, and the formidable barriers that exclude many rheumatologists from participating in the Alternative Payment Model (APM) track. "While the ACR supports the MACRA law, the complexity and timing of the requirements are daunting. We are concerned that the proposed timeline will impede rheumatologists' ability to prepare for and comply with the extensive new requirements," the ACR said in the comment letter. MIPS Categories Should Not Penalize Providers Who Depend on Part B Drugs for Patient Care Commenting on proposed MIPS reporting requirements, rheumatologists expressed specific concern about the absence of Part D drug costs from the Resource Use category, which would result in inaccurate scoring. "The calculation of resource use (i.e., costs) as currently proposed includes medication costs from Part B, but not Part D, which would result in inaccurate MIPS scoring. The ACR is advocating to minimize this inaccuracy," the letter stated. "Rheumatology, unlike many other specialties, has few treatment options to choose from, and the drugs and biologics we and our patients depend on are oftentimes more expensive than those used by other specialties. True and complete patient care requires us to use these medications, and we should not be penalized for doing so," the letter states. APM Requirements Exclude Many Rheumatologists from Participating The rheumatology community also expressed concern about the requirements for qualifying participation in APMs, which the ACR described as "formidable" for rheumatology providers. "There are few existing Alternative Payment Models (APMs) that are feasible for rheumatologists," the letter stated. "Workable alternatives should be developed with attention to facilitating participation of small and solo practices. As currently written, the requirements for qualifying participation in APMs are formidable, and establish too high of an administrative burden." QCDR Data Should Be Included as a Reporting Mechanism The ACR applauded CMS for several positive aspects of the proposed rule, including the role of qualified registries in successful participation under MACRA; the removal of all-or-nothing scoring mechanisms; the availability in some sections of more measures or points than are needed; and the integration and streamlining of quality reporting programs. The ACR has developed the Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry - a robust quality improvement infrastructure tool that is offered exclusively to ACR members - that will help prepare rheumatology providers for MACRA. RISE allows users to report, self-assess, and analyze data on demographics, medications, lab data, disease activity, functional status and other metrics directly from their practice's electronic health records system to benchmark performances on key rheumatology clinical quality measures and align with best practice standards. "This iterative process leads to improved patient outcomes, patient population management, and quality reporting such that CMS has designated RISE as a qualified clinical data registry (QCDR), allowing rheumatologists who wish to use RISE for MIPS reporting to do so seamlessly," the comment letter stated. "The ACR firmly believes that in keeping with the goal of improving patient outcomes and providing maximum flexibility to Eligible Providers, QCDRs must be included as a reporting mechanism that MIPS Eligible Clinicians and Groups can use to submit data on measures and activities. Further, some groups, particularly those that are small or rural, will need additional time to gather and report their data and, it is therefore, important that the reporting deadline for the submissions to the qualified registry QCDR, EHR, and attestation submission mechanism be the maximum practical time permissible." ### Additional Information The ACR has developed a number of tools and resources to help member rheumatologists prepare for and succeed in the new MACRA era. To view the full text of the ACR comment letter to CMS, please click here. The American College of Rheumatology provides education, research, advocacy and practice management support to more than 6,400 U.S. rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals. In doing so, the ACR advocates for high-value, high-quality healthcare policies and reforms that will ensure safe, effective, affordable and accessible rheumatology care. Learn more at http://www.rheumatology.org. Pilot study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association finds targeted pressure device significantly increased sleep for those with moderate to severe symptoms Authors from Lake Erie Research Institute in Pennsylvania report an adjustable foot wrap caused to treat restless legs syndrome (RLS) is 1.4 times more effective than the standard pharmaceutical treatment. The pilot study published today in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association. The eight-week clinical trial involved 30 otherwise healthy adults with moderate to severe restless leg syndrome. Researchers studied Clinical Global Impression responses as well as the mean change in the International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group Study Scale (IRLSSGS). A meta-analysis was then used to compare the RLS device with three historic studies of the medication ropinirole and a placebo. Clinical Global Impression responses indicated significantly greater improvement with the RLS device (90 percent) compared with ropinirole (63 percent), the current standard dopamine therapy for RLS. Additionally, change in IRLSSGS score was significantly greater for the RLS device (17.22) compared to historic reports for ropinirole versus the placebo (12 versus 8.9 respectively). Patients using the RLS device also reported an 82 percent decrease in sleep loss. The RLS device was designed to put adjustable targeted pressure on two muscles in the foot known to relax symptoms of RLS, the abductor hallucis and the flexor hallucis brevis. Researchers indicate that the pressure produced by the device may also stimulate a dopamine release, similar to massage therapy or acupressure. "By putting pressure on specific muscles in the feet, we are able to create a response in the brain that relaxes the muscles activated during RLS," said Phyllis Kuhn, MS, PhD, and the study's lead researcher. "It's a near perfect example of the body regulating itself without drugs, many of which have the potential for significant adverse side effects." Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a neurologic disorder causing unpleasant sensations and an urge to move the legs when at rest. The sleep loss associated with RLS can cause extreme fatigue, anxiety and depression. According to the National Institute of Health, RLS may affect as many as 10 percent of the U.S. population, with more than nine million experiencing moderate to severe symptoms. Until recently, potent drugs including opioids, depressants and dopamine agonists have been used to ease symptoms, but each of these is accompanied by negative side effects such as dizziness, nausea, vomiting and the added risk of addiction. "Restless legs syndrome really erodes quality of life because it causes extreme fatigue for many patients. As an osteopathic physician, it's a challenge to balance the need to restore sleep while preventing additional harm from medication. These results show promise in otherwise healthy individuals for a nonpharmaceutical option that appears to have rather minor, temporary adverse effects for some users," said Rob Danoff, DO, an osteopathic family physician and program at Aria Health Care in Philadelphia. Adverse effects were reported by seven patients in the study. The effects included pain (1), pins and needles sensation (2), irritability (3), spasm (1) and warm feet (1). ### Open access to the full review is available until September 1, 2016: http://jaoa.org/article.aspx?articleid=2531565. Disclosures: Dr Kuhn worked without compensation through Lake Erie Research Institute (LERI) during the 5 years of the study of the device and is now receiving compensation for that work. She reports no financial interest in its sales. None of the other study authors reported any conflict of interest or financial disclosure relevant to the topic of this study. More details are available in the published article. About The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association (JAOA) is the official scientific publication of the American Osteopathic Association. Edited by Robert Orenstein, DO, it is the premier scholarly peer-reviewed publication of the osteopathic medical profession. The JAOA's mission is to advance medicine through the publication of peer-reviewed osteopathic research. BETHESDA, MD - The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) has named David Valle, MD, Henry J. Knott Professor and Director of the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine, with an appointment in the Department of Pediatrics and joint appointments in Molecular Biology and Genetics, Ophthalmology and Biology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, as the 2016 recipient of the annual Arno Motulsky-Barton Childs Award for Excellence in Human Genetics Education. Dr. Valle also directs the Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics and the Residency Program in Medical Genetics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and was the founding director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Inherited Disease Research. The ASHG award recognizes an individual for contributions of exceptional quality and importance to human genetics education internationally. Awardees have had long-standing involvement in genetics education, producing diverse contributions of substantive influence on individuals and/or organizations. Dr. Valle will receive his award, which includes a plaque and $10,000 prize, on Friday, October 21, during ASHG's 66th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. As Director of the Predoctoral Training Program in Human Genetics since 1989, Dr. Valle has been involved in the education of more than 400 students. As a physician-scientist, he continues to lecture to medical students and helped lead the development and implementation of 'Genes to Society,' a revised medical school curriculum at Johns Hopkins based on the theme of individuality/variability. He has participated in numerous scientific advisory groups. Noted for his Socratic style, he has trained more than 40 graduate students and postdocs in his laboratory. Outside of Johns Hopkins, Dr. Valle has co-directed the McKusick Short Course in Human and Mammalian Genetics and Genomics at the Jackson Laboratory, an annual two-week program that enrolls students from around the world, since 1992. He has also edited the 6th, 7th, and 8th editions of The Metabolic Basis of Inherited Disease, a core genetics textbook, and since 2001 has served as editor-in-chief of the online version of Scriver's Metabolic and Molecular Bases of Inherited Disease. Dr. Valle has been recognized for his scientific leadership by many organizations. He was President of the Society of Inherited Metabolic Disorders from 1987-1989, and was elected to the Institute of Medicine in 2002, to Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2007, and as a Diplomat of the Association of American Physicians in 2013. He also received the March of Dimes Foundation's Colonel Harland Sanders Award for Lifetime Achievement in Genetic Research and Education in 2003, and gave the inaugural Charles R. Scriver Lectureship in 2006 and the inaugural William S. Sly Lectureship in 2009. He has published more than 250 papers in the scientific literature and more than 35 book chapters. ### HOUSTON (June 27, 2016) Infertility affects about 15 percent of couples around the world. A couples fertility depends on both the females and males ability to reproduce, which relies on thousands of genes working properly. In the male mouse, more than 1,000 genes are predominantly expressed in the testis, but their particular functions in reproduction are still a mystery. In a report published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from Baylor College of Medicine, Osaka University, University of Oulu and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have discovered that 54 of the mouse testis-enriched genes, that also are expressed in humans, are not necessary for male fertility. "Infertility is a serious condition that affects approximately 10 percent of men who are attempting to sire offspring, and many of the genes responsible for infertility in men remain unknown, said co-corresponding author Dr. Martin M. Matzuk, Stuart A. Wallace chair, Robert L. Moody, Sr. chair, professor of pathology & immunology and director of the Center for Drug Discovery at Baylor. Knowing which genes are required for male fertility is the first step toward better understanding the genetic changes that lead to male infertility and to design strategies to overcome them. At the same time, knowing which genes affect fertility would help design male contraceptive drugs, which is of increasing interest given the projections of the worlds population reaching 9 billion by 2050. Women have been able to control their ability to reproduce with the pill for over 50 years, but there is still no contraceptive pill for men. It is therefore important to know all of the genes that cause infertility and also have knowledge of all of the proteins that could be testis-specific targets for a male pill. Our new study in mice would suggest that these 54 testis-enriched genes and their corresponding proteins would not play major roles in infertility in men and would be poor targets for a pill, said Matzuk. Knowing which genes are not involved in male fertility is important, the researchers say, because it allows scientists not to invest further financial, laboratory and human resources researching these genes. I believe that researchers should concentrate on the essential genes first to get the big picture before spending grant funds and devoting significant efforts, said co-corresponding author Dr. Masahito Ikawa, professor at the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases at Osaka University, Japan. This work helps narrow down the number of possible genes involved in male fertility. Studying fertility genes in animal models is now faster and easier The study of fertility genes in animal models has been revolutionized by the development of techniques to create gene knockout mice. These mice have been modified so as not to express a particular gene, and the effect of lacking the gene on the animals fertility can be determined by examining the ability of breeding pairs to bear young. If a gene knockout mouse always sires pups, then the gene is considered to be not required for male fertility. Until now, it has been difficult to create these knockout mouse models, but, recently, a new technique has been developed, called CRISPR/Cas9, which is boosting the studies of fertility genes. Our laboratory introduced the CRISPR/Cas9 system that enables us to generate knockout mice in an easy, rapid and cost-effective way. By taking advantage of this robust technology, we generated 31 knockout mouse lines and analyzed their fertility within a short period of time, said Ikawa. Our groups have shown that a large number of mammalian genes can be analyzed within a few years using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, said co-first author Dr. Julio Castaneda, a postdoctoral fellow in Matzuks lab. In addition, Discovering essential functions of the genes of genetically modified animals is more beneficial than solely focusing on in vitro assays, said co-first author Dr. Yoshitaka Fujihara, assistant professor at the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases at Osaka University. The researchers began their collaborative studies with the Matzuk lab searching in silico databases for genes that are predominantly expressed in mouse testes and present in both mice and humans. Then, the labs in the team created knockout mice for individual genes to determine their effect on the animals fertility. Our results indicate that mutations in these 54 genes are not a major cause of male infertility, said co-first author Dr. Haruhiko Miyata, assistant professor at the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases at Osaka University. The study also suggests the possibility of redundancy in the functions of proteins from the testis. Redundancy would allow the animal to remain fertile after one gene fails because another gene would replace its function. Further studies would be required to explore this possibility. ### Other contributors to this work include Zhifeng Yu, Denise Archambeault, Ayako Isotani, Daiji Kiyozumi, Maya Kriseman, Daisuke Mashiko, Takafumi Matsumura, Ryan Matzuk, Masashi Mori, Taichi Noda, Asami Oji, Masaru Okabe, Renata Prunskaite-Hyyrylainen, Ramiro Ramirez-Solis, Yuhkoh Satouh and Qian Zhang. This work was supported by MEXT grants (26830056, 15H05573, 15K14366, 15K14367, 15K06999, 15K18387, 15J04519, 25112007, 25250014 and T15K21737a), the Takeda Science Foundation grant, Wellcome Trust grants (079643 and 098051), National Institutes of Health grants (U01-HD060496, U01-HG004080, and 5T32HD007165-35), Osaka University International Joint Research Promotion Program, the Academy of Finland and the Sigrid Juselius Foundation. Researchers, led by Carnegie Mellon University President Subra Suresh and MIT Principal Research Scientist Ming Dao, have created a new computer model that shows how tiny slits in the spleen prevent old, diseased or misshapen red blood cells from re-entering the bloodstream. Members of this multidisciplinary team include specialists in mathematics, supercomputing, clinical medicine, engineering and computational biology. Their model provides a new tool for studying the spleen's role in controlling diseases that affect the shape of red blood cells, such as malaria and sickle cell anemia, and can be used to develop new diagnostics and therapeutics for a variety of acute and chronic diseases. The findings will be published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences the week of June 27. The spleen is like the water treatment plant for the body's bloodstream. It prevents pathogens from reaching the bloodstream and filters out old and misshapen red blood cells. The size, shape and elasticity of red blood cells are essential for survival -- in order for the cells to deliver oxygen to the body's vital organs, they must be able to stretch to fit through the narrow capillaries leading to the organs. Diseases that impact red blood cells' size and structure, like malaria, sickle cell anemia, thalassemia and hereditary spherocytosis, cause damage by restricting blood flow throughout the body or causing red blood cells to collect in the spleen. Previous studies have shown that part of the spleen's filtration process relies on having red blood cells squeeze through tiny slits between the endothelial cells that line the spleen's blood vessels. These "interendothelial slits" are no larger than 1.2 micrometers tall, 4 micrometers wide (about 5 percent of the thickness of human hair), and 1.9 micrometers deep. More rigid and misshapen blood cells might not be able to pass through these narrow passages. This process cannot be observed in vivo because of the minute size of the slits. In order to "see" how the interendothelial slits regulate red blood cell circulation, the researchers created a computer simulation based on dissipative particle dynamics, a modeling method developed and refined for biological cells in partnership with Brown University Professor George Karniadakis. Their model allowed them to determine the range of cell sizes and shapes that could fit through the slits. The range closely mirrored the range of sizes and shapes for healthy red blood cells, indicating that only healthy cells should be able to pass through the slits. "The computational and analytical models from this work, along with a variety of experimental observations, point to a more detailed picture of how the physiology of human spleen likely influences several key geometrical characteristics of red blood cells," Suresh said. "They also offer better understanding of how the circulatory bottleneck for the red blood cell in the spleen could affect a variety of acute and chronic disease states arising from hereditary disorders, human cancers and infectious diseases, with implications for therapeutic interventions and drug efficacy assays." In addition to giving researchers a better picture of how the spleen functions, the findings provide new insights into drug treatments. A class of drugs currently in development for treating malaria alters the shape of red blood cells infected with malaria, theoretically preventing them from passing through the interendothelial slit. One such drug, spiroindoline KAE609, is in clinical trials. The researchers' results also could explain why artemisinin-based anti-malarial drugs, which stiffen healthy and malaria-infected red blood cells, could lead to severe anemia. The results of this work provide new fundamental insights into how the geometric traits of red blood cells are determined. Scientists proposed in the 1960s that the tiny dimensions of small blood vessels or capillaries (approximately 4 micrometers in inner diameter) defined the size and shape as well as the surface area to volume relationship of red cells. The new study reveals that these characteristics of red cells are instead determined by the interendothelial slits. ### Study authors include former MIT postdocs Igor Pivkin, now at the University of Lugano in Switzerland, and Zhangli Peng, now at the University of Notre Dame; George Karniadakis from Brown University; and Pierre Buffet, from the National Institute for Blood Transfusion, Descartes University, Paris. The research was funded by the National Institutes of Health (U01HL114476, R01HL121386), the Swiss Platform for Advanced Scientific Computing, the National Science Foundation (TG-MCB130124), the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) and the Department of Energy Collaboratory on Mathematics for Mesoscopic Modeling of Materials. A team led by Leigh Fletcher of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom are presenting new images of Jupiter at the UK's Royal Astronomical Society's National Astronomy Meeting in Nottingham. Obtained with the VISIR instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope , the new images are part of a focused effort to improve understanding of Jupiter's atmosphere prior to the arrival of NASA's Juno spacecraftJuno spacecraft [1] in July this year. The campaign has involved the use of several telescopes based in Hawaii and Chile, as well as contributions from amateur astronomers around the world. The maps do not just give snapshots of the planet, they also reveal how Jupiter's atmosphere has been shifting and changing in the months prior to Juno's arrival. The Juno spacecraft was launched in 2011, and has travelled nearly 3000 million kilometres to reach the Jovian system. Spacecraft can collect data free from the limitations affecting telescopes on Earth so with that in mind, it might seem surprising that this ground-based campaign was considered so important. Leigh Fletcher describes the significance of this research in preparing for Juno's arrival: "These maps will help set the scene for what Juno will witness in the coming months. Observations at different wavelengths across the infrared spectrum allow us to piece together a three-dimensional picture of how energy and material are transported upwards through the atmosphere." Capturing sharp images through the Earth's constantly shifting atmosphere is one of the greatest challenges faced by ground-based telescopes. This glimpse of Jupiter's own turbulent atmosphere, rippling with cooler gas clouds, was possible thanks to a technique known as lucky imaging. Sequences of very short exposures were taken of Jupiter by VISIR, producing thousands of individual frames. The lucky frames, where the image is least affected by the atmosphere's turbulence, are selected and the rest discarded. Those selected frames are aligned and combined to produce remarkable final pictures like the ones shown here. Glenn Orton, leader of the ground-based campaign in support of Juno's mission, elaborates on why the preparatory observations from Earth are so valuable: "The combined efforts of an international team of amateur and professional astronomers have provided us with an incredibly rich dataset over the past eight months. Together with the new results from Juno, the VISIR dataset in particular will allow researchers to characterise Jupiter's global thermal structure, cloud cover and distribution of gaseous species." Whilst the modern Juno's mission to unveil the mighty Jupiter will bring new and highly anticipated results, its way has been paved by ground-based efforts here on Earth. ### Notes [1] The Juno spacecraft was named after the mythological wife of the god Jupiter. Just like his planetary counterpart, Jupiter veiled himself in clouds to hide his mischief, and only Juno was able to peer through them to see his true nature. More information ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world's largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky". Links NASA Juno mission information - https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/main/index.html Coordinated observing campaign details - http://www.missionjuno.swri.edu Photos of the VLT - http://www.eso.org/public/images/archive/category/paranal/ Contacts Leigh Fletcher University of Leicester United Kingdom Tel: +44-116-252-3585 Email: leigh.fletcher@leicester.ac.uk Richard Hook ESO Public Information Officer Garching bei Munchen Germany Tel: +49-89-3200-6655 Cell: +49-151-1537-3591 Email: rhook@eso.org Robert Massey Deputy Executive Director, Royal Astronomical Society United Kingdom Tel: +44-0-20-7292-3979 Email: rm@ras.org.uk Anita Heward Royal Astronomical Society Cell: +44-0-7756-034-243 Email: anitaheward@btinternet.com The Entomological Society of America is pleased to announce the winners of its 2016 awards. The awards will be presented at the International Congress of Entomology in Orlando, Florida, September 25-30, 2016. The following individuals are recipients of the 2016 ESA professional and student awards. PROFESSIONAL AWARDS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT--This award, which is sponsored by Syngenta Crop Protection, is based on outstanding contributions that have a direct relation to integrated pest management (IPM). Dr. Greg Loeb is professor of entomology at Cornell University, with his laboratory located at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, where he has research and extension responsibilities for grapes and small fruit crops. He received his Ph.D. in entomology from the University of California at Davis and M.S. in ecology from San Diego State University. Broadly speaking, his research focuses on species interactions involving plants, herbivores, natural enemies, and, more recently, microbes, with the specific applied goal of developing novel approaches to pest management. Along with collaborators, his research on tritrophic interactions involving leaf morphology (acarodomatia) and predatory and mycophagous mites has established new directions in plant breeding for enhancing conservation biological control. Currently Dr. Loeb is directing considerable research effort toward developing a better understanding of the biology and management of the invasive species spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii), a significant pest of soft-skinned fruit crops throughout much of North America and abroad. Projects include the chemical ecology and behavior of host finding as a basis for behavioral management, overwintering and spring biology, monitoring and decision making, interactions with microbes, including biological control with entomopathogens, mechanical control using netting, and optimizing chemical control. Other research projects ongoing in his lab include vector-pathogen interactions and biological control and pollination ecosystem services. In addition to research and extension responsibilities, Dr. Loeb co-teaches a course on grape pest management and serves as program leader for the Department of Entomology and Geneva Experiment Station. DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN EXTENSION--This annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to extension entomology. Robert Wright is professor of entomology and extension IPM coordinator at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he has worked since 1988. He has developed a productive research and extension program in agronomic insect pest management, which has had local, regional, and national impacts. He received his Ph.D. in entomology from North Carolina State University, M.S. in entomology from University of Arizona, and B.A. in zoology from University of California, Santa Barbara. At Nebraska, Wright coordinates the activities of several faculty who contribute to the statewide multidisciplinary extension IPM program, and serves as entomology coordinator and contributor to several Nebraska Extension Crop Management programs. Regionally, he co-chairs the North Central Extension Entomologist Working Group, and chaired and is an active member of NCERA 222, the USDA-NIFA multistate committee on IPM. Wright led a group of national experts on corn rootworm biology and management to obtain funding for and produce an open access webinar, "Corn Rootworm Management in the Transgenic Era," published on the Plant Management Network. He has contributed as a member of the National IPM Coordinating Committee for several years, and has frequently provided service to the USDA-NIFA IPM Centers. Wright has been active in ESA, including service as Program Committee chair, Student Competition Committee chair, Poster Committee chair, and Membership Committee member, and at the Branch level as Program Committee chair, Local Arrangements Committee co-chair, and Executive Committee at-large member. He frequently serves as a judge for student competitions at ESA and North Central Branch ESA meetings. DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD IN TEACHING--This award is presented annually to the member of the Society deemed to be the most outstanding teacher of the year. Dr. Pete Teel, professor of entomology at Texas A&M University, has been teaching undergraduate and graduate entomology courses for 38 years. He received B.S. and Ph.D. degrees in entomology at Oklahoma State University and an M.S. in entomology at Texas A&M University. He currently teaches Occupational and Professional Development for entomology and forensic science majors as well as Acarology for graduate students. He has developed and taught capstone courses in both entomology and forensic science curricula, and a science teacher preparation course, Insects in the Classroom. Dr. Teel directed development and implementation of a 12-credit-hour undergraduate academic certificate in Public Health Entomology with an enrollment of 129 students from multiple colleges in spring 2016. He regularly engages undergraduates in research activities on topics associated with ticks or forensic science. Dr. Teel developed and regularly teaches a workshop on tick identification and foreign animal disease awareness for animal health inspectors of the Texas Animal Health Commission and USDA that are engaged in tick surveillance programs in Texas. He taught a Forensic Acarology Workshop for the North American Forensic Entomology Association, and regularly contributes programs on tick biology, ecology, and management for extension and regional beef cattle short course audiences. He directs an annual Entomology Clinic that served 145 members of the 4-H and FFA organizations in 2016. He presently serves as associate department head for academic programs, associate director of the Forensic and Investigative Sciences Program, and departmental director for the Entomology and Forensic and Investigative Sciences Honors Program. HENRY & SYLVIA RICHARDSON RESEARCH GRANT--This grant provides research funds to postdoctoral ESA members who have at least one year of promising work experience, are undertaking research in selected areas, and have demonstrated a high level of scholarship. Dr. Rob Morrison is originally from Mesa, Arizona. He received his bachelor of arts from Kalamazoo College in Michigan, where he majored in biology and minored in German. After several internships, including in the wetlands of Florida, he received his master's degree from the University of Munich in Germany, where he majored in ecology, evolution, and systematics, and studied the evolutionary biology between two closely related species of ants. Finally, Dr. Morrison received his Ph.D. from the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University, where he helped to develop an integrated pest management program for the asparagus miner. That research included investigating the development, chemical ecology, and natural enemies of the asparagus miner. Dr. Morrison is currently a postdoctoral research entomologist at USDA-ARS and is working at the Appalachian Fruit Research Station in Kearneysville, West Virginia. He is researching an integrated pest management program for the invasive brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB). In particular, this includes evaluating an attract-and-kill tactic in apple, and other behaviorally based management and monitoring strategies. Dr. Morrison has over a decade of experience in helping to develop IPM programs for pests in vegetables and tree fruit, with 18 peer-reviewed publications, 100+ presentations, and more than $7 million in extramural funding. He is happily married to his best friend, and in his spare time, he enjoys hiking, photography, cooking, and spending time with his cats and friends. RECOGNITION AWARD IN ENTOMOLOGY - This award recognizes entomologists who are making significant contributions to agriculture. Dr. David G. Riley, a professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Georgia, is the 2016 recipient of the ESA Recognition Award in Entomology. He began his professional career at the University of Georgia as a student worker in the Institute of Ecology, graduating in 1981. He then spent two years as an agricultural extension Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador, South America. He obtained an M.S. in entomology at North Carolina State University in 1986, researching bean leaf beetle, and completed his Ph.D. at the University of Florida in 1990, researching pepper weevil. He has worked as a vegetable research entomologist throughout his career, first at Weslaco, Texas, Texas A&M University and, since 1996, at the University of Georgia, Tifton Campus. He is currently the president of the Southeastern Branch of the ESA. Also, he is the graduate coordinator for the master's in plant protection and pest management degree, in which he has developed and taught graduate courses. He has served as major professor for 17 graduate students, served on 13 other committees, and coordinated 44 programs. He has served as principal investigator for research grants totaling $4,085,788, with over $6,061,374 in total grant involvement. Dr. Riley has authored or co-authored 86 refereed journal articles or book chapters, 32 refereed experiment station/extension publications, and 96 proceedings or experiment station reports, and has presented more than 310 invited and submitted papers at professional meetings. His career has focused on providing practical solutions for complex pest problems in high-value vegetable crops. NAN-YAO SU AWARD FOR INNOVATION AND CREATIVITY IN ENTOMOLOGY--Each year this award is given to an ESA member who is able to demonstrate through his or her projects or accomplishments an ability to identify problems and develop creative, alternative solutions that significantly impact entomology. Dr. Coby Schal is the Blanton J. Whitmire Distinguished Professor of Entomology at North Carolina State University. He has a B.S. from SUNY-Albany, a Ph.D. from the University of Kansas (with Bell), and postdoctoral training at the University of Massachusetts (with Carde). He was assistant and then associate professor of urban entomology at Rutgers University. Dr. Schal's chemical ecology projects include cockroach sex and aggregation pheromones, roles of microbes in mosquito and sand fly oviposition, cuticular lipids in various insects, and the neuronal basis of sugar aversions in cockroaches. Research on cockroach-produced allergens also includes their biology, intervention strategies to mitigate their pervasiveness, and studies on the impacts of environmental interventions on health outcomes in asthmatic children. The Schal Lab has also been investigating the recent resurgence of bed bugs, through collaborative research in population genetics, chemical ecology, and pest and resistance management. Dr. Schal's research has been funded by EPA, HUD, NIH, NSF, USDA, private foundations, and industry, and he has published over 260 refereed papers. He has served as subject editor and on the editorial boards of six journals, and on the ESA Governing Board. Dr. Schal has mentored 35 graduate students and 36 postdoctoral researchers. He teaches Insect Behavior, Urban Entomology, and Chemical Ecology. Recent honors include Distinguished Achievement Award in Urban Entomology, ESA's Recognition Award in Urban Entomology, Fellow of ESA, Fellow of AAAS, NCSU's Outstanding Research Award and Outstanding Adviser Award, Silverstein-Simeone Award from the International Society for Chemical Ecology, and the Holladay Medal--NCSU's highest honor. RECOGNITION AWARD IN INSECT PHYSIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, & TOXICOLOGY--This award, which is sponsored by Apex Bait Technologies, Inc., recognizes and encourages outstanding extension, research, and teaching contributions in urban entomology. Dr. Gerhard Gries is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Simon Fraser University (SFU). He received his Ph.D. in forest entomology from the Georg-August-Universitat in Gottingen (Germany) in 1984. Supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, he joined Dr. John Borden's laboratory at SFU in 1986. After a two-year limited-term appointment, he became a tenure-track faculty member in 1991, reaching the rank of full professor in 2000. He is currently in the 13th year of an industrial research chair on Multimodal Animal Communication Ecology, supported by Scotts Miracle-GRO and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada. The chair's research embraces most sensory modalities (olfaction, vision, audition, vibration, magneto-reception, and infra-red sensing). A recent highlight was the identification of the bed bug aggregation pheromone, comprising five volatile attractants and one nonvolatile arrestant. Dr. Gries has graduated 39 master's and 11 Ph.D. students, published 240 peer-reviewed research articles (including 41 with undergraduate students as co-authors), filed 24 patent applications, and produced 13 scientific films on beetles, hoverflies, and aphids in collaboration with the Institute of Scientific Film in Germany. He has received over $9 million of research support as a principal investigator and currently runs a large laboratory with 13 graduate students, three research associates, and many undergraduate students, often recruited from his Insect Biology class. His passion for teaching was recognized by SFU in 1994 through an Excellence in Teaching Award. RECOGNITION AWARD IN URBAN ENTOMOLOGY--This award recognizes and encourages outstanding extension, research, and teaching contributions in urban entomology. Dr. Michael F. Potter is extension professor of entomology at the University of Kentucky, specializing in pests impacting people, buildings, and property. He received his B.S. in entomology from Cornell, and M.S. and Ph.D. in integrated pest management from the University of Arizona. Prior to joining the University of Kentucky in 1991, Potter was the national technical director for Orkin. Before that he worked in the agrichemical industry for Union Carbide/Rhone-Poulenc. Dr. Potter's full-time extension program provides cutting-edge aid and advice to millions of clients worldwide including homeowners, multifamily housing, schools, hospitals, food, pharmaceutical and manufacturing facilities, businesses, museums, zoos, parks, government agencies, and especially the professional pest control industry. He has been a keynote or invited speaker at hundreds of professional meetings, and is routinely interviewed by news organizations throughout the world. He is the only contemporary academician to be honored with the National Pest Management Association's career Pinnacle Award as well as being inducted into the Pest Control Hall Of Fame. Dr. Potter has also collaborated on societally important research. He was instrumental in pioneering perimeter treatment with nonrepellent termiticides that simplified how termites are managed throughout the world. He also collaborated on seminal research involving barrier treatment for mosquitoes in residential settings. For the past 15 years, Dr. Potter and his University of Kentucky research colleagues have worked on the front lines of the global bed bug resurgence, providing insight and direction to federal and state agencies, organizations and institutions, and the public. In 2013 he was named Provost's Distinguished Service Professor at the University of Kentucky. THOMAS SAY AWARD--This ESA award acknowledges significant and outstanding work in the fields of insect systematics, morphology, or evolution. Dr. Thomas J. Henry is a research scientist and curator of Hemiptera with the Systematic Entomology Laboratory, ARS, USDA, at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. He has a B.S. from Purdue University, an M.S. from the Pennsylvania State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. With 40 years of experience in the systematics and evolution of Heteroptera, or true bugs, especially those in the family Miridae and superfamily Lygaeoidea, Dr. Henry continues to be prolific with more than 245 research publications, including four books and 17 book chapters. His systematic research, emphasizing the discovery of new characters and their evolution, leads to descriptions of new taxa, revisionary studies, phylogenetic analyses, and refined classifications. His 1997 phylogenetic analysis of the Pentatomomorpha has had major impact in understanding the higher classification of the Lygaeoidea, including justification for elevating 10 subfamilies to family status, and resulted in a monograph of the Berytidae of the Western Hemisphere and a cladistic analysis of the berytid genera of the world. Dr. Henry's research has provided new insights regarding the role of plant bugs as predators, and his extensive fieldwork has provided valuable information on plant bug zoogeography and host selection. His research has led to the discovery and descriptions of one new family, three new tribes, 37 new genera, and more than 275 species new to science. He currently is co-editor of the Proceedings of the Entomological Society of Washington and president-elect of the International Heteropterists' Society. STUDENT AWARDS STUDENT ACTIVITY AWARD--Sponsored by Monsanto Company, this award is presented annually to recognize a student for outstanding contributions to the Society, his or her academic department, and the community, while still achieving academic excellence. Theresa Cira is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Entomology at the University of Minnesota, advised by Dr. Bill Hutchison. Her research focuses on sustainable pest management and invasive insect biology in multiple agricultural systems. In Minnesota, she studies the cold hardiness and management of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys. In Vietnam, she has also explored the invasion biology of agricultural pests, with particular focus on insect vectors of pathogens in cassava. Additionally, she is pursuing a minor in science, technology, and environmental. Theresa received her B.S. in entomology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Theresa enjoys volunteering in her department and community, and for ESA. She was a member of the ESA-Student Transitional and Early Professional (STEP) committee for two years before becoming the chair. During that time she helped organize Lunch & Learns and symposia, and establish new awards to benefit the ESA-STEP community. She has served as a session moderator and judge at branch and national ESA meetings. Within her department, Theresa is active in the entomology graduate student organization, previously elected secretary and vice president. She is the student representative on the curriculum committee and volunteers at the outreach booth at the Minnesota State Fair. In addition, she volunteer-taught the labs for an undergraduate IPM course for three years. She enjoys mentoring undergraduate students through the research process, from grant writing to publication. Two of her student mentees have presented their research at multiple ESA meetings and successfully submitted their work for publication. LILLIAN & ALEX FEIR GRADUATE STUDENT TRAVEL AWARD IN INSECT PHYSIOLOGY, BIOCHEMISTRY, OR MOLECULAR BIOLOGY--This award aims to encourage graduate students working with insects or other arthropods in the broad areas of physiology, biochemistry, and molecular biology to affiliate with ESA's Physiology, Biochemistry, and Toxicology Section and to attend the ESA Annual Meeting or an International Congress of Entomology. Zachary DeVries, a native of Auburn, Alabama, began his collegiate career at Auburn University. To explore his interest in the natural world, Zach pursued a degree in biology while gaining both laboratory and field experience in both fish ecology and herpetology. Zach completed his B.S. degree in zoology with a minor in statistics in 2011. Upon completion of his B.S., Zach began pursuing his master's degree in entomology at Auburn University, working with Dr. Art Appel. His research focused on the physiology of urban pests, such as silverfish, firebrats, and bed bugs. His work has led to some interesting discoveries about the metabolism of these species as well as numerous collaborations with other departments and universities. Zach completed his master's degree in 2013. Zach is currently a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University, where he is studying the physiology, behavior, and management of urban pests under the direction of Dr. Coby Schal. Zach's dissertation encompasses a number of topics, including bed bug host attraction, host-associated divergence among bed bug lineages, and German cockroach management and health effects. Through his work, Zach hopes to improve the management of both bed bugs and German cockroaches by acquiring and integrating both basic and applied knowledge. Finally, Zach would like to thank both the Entomological Society of America and the Feir family for their support. LARRY LARSON GRADUATE STUDENT AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP IN APPLIED ENTOMOLOGY--This award, which is sponsored by Dow AgroSciences, recognizes Dr. Larry Larson's role as a leader and pioneer in insect management and carries that legacy to the next generation of leaders in applied entomology. Ashley Leach graduated from Michigan State University with a B.S. in entomology. While an undergraduate, she was a research assistant in multiple entomology laboratories. After graduation, she scouted tree fruit for the agrichemical company, CHS, Inc., and was a technician for the Michigan Agricultural Environmental Assurance Program. Ashley is currently in her second year at Cornell University's Department of Entomology, where she is finishing an M.S. degree with advisor Brian Nault. Her research project evaluates an integrated pest management strategy that combines cultural control, chemical control, and host-plant resistance to reduce onion thrips infestations in onion. Ashley also is heavily involved in SAGES, the graduate student organization at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station. After graduation, Ashley will pursue a career in cooperative extension or industry. JOHN HENRY COMSTOCK GRADUATE STUDENT AWARDS--These six awards are given to one graduate student from each ESA Branch to promote interest in entomology and to stimulate interest in attending the ESA Annual Meeting. EASTERN BRANCH COMSTOCK WINNER--Heather (Connelly) Grab is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Entomology at Cornell University. Her research approach integrates large-scale field studies with new molecular techniques in order to develop integrated management strategies that promote synergy between the conservation of ecosystem services and agricultural productivity. Her dissertation project investigates the influences of landscape simplification on pollination and biological control services provided by wild insects to strawberry production in New York. Specifically, her work focuses on understanding how farm level diversification and incorporation of wildflower strips may potentially buffer the negative impact of simplified landscape contexts. Heather has been particularly active in advocating for native pollinators and other ecosystem service providers, giving talks based on her dissertation research at more than 35 venues including both grower extension services and public science outreach. She expects to graduate with her Ph.D. this spring, and is currently looking for postdoctoral opportunities in landscape ecology, pollination biology, or biological control. In her free time, Heather runs a small organic farm with her husband, producing vegetables and raising chickens, ducks, pigs, and dairy goats. INTERNATIONAL BRANCH COMSTOCK WINNER--Kiran Gadhave is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Georgia (UGA). He has pursued his master's degrees from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University and from Cornell University, and his Ph.D. from the University of London. So far, he has published seven peer-reviewed papers, five as a lead and two as a contributing author, in leading entomology, ecology, and microbiology journals. Two of his papers are currently being revised, and two more are in preparatory stage for the submission to Ecology and Soil Biology and Biochemistry (invited review) journals. In his academic pursuits, he has won four prestigious scholarships, a poster prize, and 10+ travel awards and field study grants. His research in the past few years has focused on microbes-plant-insect interactions, beginning with insect- and plant-associated bacteria and moving more recently to plant viruses. For his Ph.D., he has worked on a multidisciplinary research project investigating the interactions between soil bacteria, plant-insect herbivores, and higher trophic levels. This work showed that plant-associated bacteria have dramatic effects in altering endophytic bacterial community, altering life history of the cabbage aphid, and reducing the populations of cabbage aphid in field conditions. Over the years, he has communicated his research through nine oral (four invited in symposia) and five poster presentations, and has built a number of collaborations with leading experts across the globe. His current research at UGA seeks to explore vector-virus-natural enemy interactions in cucurbit systems through an array of behavioral, biochemical, and molecular techniques, with an ultimate aim of reducing vector populations and viral incidences. While advancing his quest in understanding how a suite of microbial species shape host (plant and insect) interactions in manipulated and natural settings, his future research seeks to exploit the potential of these microbial players in addressing major ecological and agricultural issues. NORTH CENTRAL BRANCH COMSTOCK WINNER--Anthony "Justin" McMechan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) under the supervision of Dr. Gary Hein, with an August 2016 graduation date. In addition, he graduated in May 2016 from the Doctor of Plant Health (DPH) Program at UNL. DPH is a professional program designed to develop plant practitioners with broad expertise and experiences across all disciplines that impact plant health and the comprehensive management of plant production systems. The combination of these doctoral programs has allowed Justin to take an interdisciplinary approach in his dissertation research to address risk assessment of over-summering hosts for the wheat-mite-virus complex in winter wheat. Internships through the DPH program also provided extensive experience in extension programming, the incorporation of technologies for disseminating information, and the development of interactive software to demonstrate field-to-field movement of mites and virus. Justin's philosophy is that growers do not encounter production issues from a single discipline, hence we should make every effort to understand, develop projects, and provide solutions that address issues at the multidisciplinary level. Justin recently accepted a position as extension assistant professor in the Department of Entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with the goal of developing an interdisciplinary research and extension program with a focus on integrating crop protection and management of cropping systems in eastern Nebraska. Justin has authored/co-authored eight research publications, and he has given 20 scientific presentations (four invited). He has won several oral and poster competitions at ESA, NCB-ESA, NC-APS, and ASA-CSSA-SSSA meetings. Justin has been active in the department's graduate student organization and departmental teaching and outreach activities. PACIFIC BRANCH COMSTOCK WINNER--Dr. Rebecca Schmidt-Jeffris received her Ph.D. in entomology from Washington State University in 2015, under the direction of Dr. Elizabeth Beers. She received her B.S. in biology from Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, in 2010. Her prior studies have focused on improving sustainability in agriculture by understanding factors that affect pest and natural enemy populations in perennial and annual cropping systems. Rebecca's primary interests are using conservation biological control and landscape ecology to inform integrated pest management practices. Her dissertation research investigated phytoseiids as biological control agents in apple orchards and included augmentative releases, diversity surveys, behavioral and pesticide bioassays, phenology monitoring, and the investigation of tritrophic interactions. The research indicated that changing pest management practices had substantially altered the predatory mite community, which now includes a previously rare species. She is currently a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University, working with Brian Nault to investigate the effects of landscape and management practices on European corn borer populations in vegetable and field crops. Rebecca enjoys participating in ESA and has chaired the Student Affairs Committee, and is currently the co-chair of the ICE Student Affairs Committee and represents the Plant-Insect Ecosystems Section on the Student Transition and Early Professional Committee. In these roles, she has organized many events, including symposia, the Student Debates, the Branch text messaging competition, and a Lunch and Learn. Rebecca has received the ESA Student Activity Award and the Pacific Branch Leadership Award. She hopes to eventually serve the agricultural community as a professor with a research and extension appointment, or in USDA-ARS. SOUTHWESTERN BRANCH COMSTOCK WINNER--Derek A. Woller began his entomological journey in Texas as a high school senior after taking up insect collecting as a hobby and has been deeply involved in the field since. After traveling across the U.S. and back again to obtain two other degrees, he is now pursuing his third degree as a Ph.D. candidate under the guidance of Dr. Hojun Song in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University. Derek's primary interests are taxonomy and systematics, with possible aspirations of becoming a curator or collections manager of an insect collection. He also derives much satisfaction from teaching, having taught seven unique courses at two universities. Additionally, he has been invited to give presentations on his research and insects, in general, to classes from kindergarten to college, for seminars, and in symposia at ESA conferences and beyond. He has also co-organized multiple symposia focused on orthopteroids at ESA conferences. Derek is heavily engaged in entomological outreach and passionately believes such educational endeavors are one of the best ways to generate interest in insects and science. Derek's dissertation research is focused on unraveling the evolutionary history of a group of grasshoppers known as the Puer Group, consisting of 24 species (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplus). Tiny and flightless, they inhabit scrubby, xeric habitats in the southeastern United States (primarily Florida) and are predominantly separated into species by their highly divergent male genitalia, similar to Darwin's famed finches and their unique beaks. Based on observational evidence, this geologically young group appears to have speciated via geographic isolation and genitalia evolution. This means the Puer Group makes an excellent living laboratory to better comprehend the biological black box that is speciation, which Derek is attempting to do by synergistically combining taxonomy and systematics, biogeography, ecology, genetics, geometric morphometrics, sexual selection, and 3D reconstructions. SOUTHEASTERN BRANCH COMSTOCK WINNER--Dr. Blake Wilson began his career in entomology working as a laboratory assistant during the final semester of his undergraduate work at Louisiana State University (LSU). After receiving his B.S. in biology, Blake began his M.S. thesis in entomology/experimental statistics under Dr. T. E. (Gene) Reagan. Blake's thesis research focused on host plant resistance and insecticidal management of the Mexican rice borer in sugarcane in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. In 2013, Blake began his Ph.D. studies in entomology at LSU under Dr. Reagan and Dr. Julien Beuzelin. Blake's dissertation research focused on development of pheromone trapping strategies for monitoring and management of the Mexican rice borer. Blake received his Ph.D. in May of 2016, and is currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in sugarcane entomology at LSU. His research experience also includes IPM of stem borers in sugarcane, rice, bio-energy feedstocks, and conventional and transgenic corn. He has also studied management of the sugarcane aphid in sugarcane and grain sorghum. During his career, Blake has been active in research and extension activities for two of Louisiana's most important commodities, sugarcane and rice. He has published 10 peer-reviewed research articles, 10 Arthropod Management Test reports, and numerous extension publications. His research has been presented more than 40 times at professional society meetings in addition to many extension outreach presentations. Blake has previously received the Kirby L. Hays Award for outstanding M.S. student and the ESA President's Prize. STUDENT TRANSITION AND EARLY PROFESSIONAL (STEP) AWARDS STEP OUTREACH AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AWARD--This award honors a student transition or early professional working within the field of entomology who has demonstrated excellence, leadership, and creativity in outreach and public engagement. Adrian Smith is the head of the Evolutionary Biology & Behavior Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences as well as a research assistant professor of biology at North Carolina State University. His research centers on how insect societies have evolved and function. He specializes in studies of ant chemical communication and behavioral ecology. His research has yielded the discovery and description of new chemical compounds, the fastest insect movements ever documented, and more curious observations such as the function of grappling-hook hairs on the back of ant larvae. Adrian holds a B.S. in biology from Florida State University where Prof. Walter Tschinkel was his research mentor. His Ph.D. is from Arizona State University, where he studied under Professor J?rgen Liebig and Professor Bert Holldobler. His postdoctoral work was at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with Professor Andrew Suarez. His science communication efforts center on the production of new media about scientific discoveries and the scientists who make them. These efforts include the "Age of Discovery" podcast, which is long-form interviews with notable biologists about their career paths and motivation in science, as well as the "Explained by the Author" YouTube video series, which features biologists presenting their primary scientific research papers in a three- to five-minute short film. STEP EXTENSION AWARD--This award is given to a student transition or early professional who excels in entomological extension. Dr. Lauren Diepenbrock is a postdoctoral research scholar in the laboratory of Dr. Hannah Burrack at North Carolina State University. She earned a B.A. in biology at the University of Missouri, an M.S. in science education at Syracuse University, an M.S. in ecology and evolutionary biology at Florida State University, and a Ph.D. in plant, insect, and microbial sciences at the University of Missouri. Dr. Diepenbrock's current research focuses on the management of the invasive fruit fly, Drosophila suzukii, in North Carolina berry crops. Recent projects include evaluation of on-farm insecticide-based management programs that meet various market needs of growers, understanding the role of non-crop host plants in the local persistence of D. suzukii, and exploring within-crop microhabitat use by this pest. In addition to research, Dr. Diepenbrock is actively involved with the local grower community, presenting research findings at commodity meetings, field days, and via social media, and developing training materials to involve blackberry pickers in the management process. She also participates in local outreach opportunities, volunteering at the annual BugFest event at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and mentoring a local high school student. STEP RESEARCH AWARD--This award recognizes a student transition or early professional who has made outstanding research contributions to the field of entomology. Dr. Nicholas Teets started as an assistant professor of entomology at University of Kentucky in January 2016. He received a B.S. in zoology from Miami University in Ohio and a Ph.D. in entomology from Ohio State University with David Denlinger. Dr. Teets recently completed postdoctoral training with Dan Hahn at University of Florida, where he was supported by a USDA fellowship. Dr. Teets' primary focus is the overwintering biology of insects, and he uses an integrative approach that combines physiology, cell and molecular biology, and functional genomics to tackle a variety of questions. As a graduate student Dr. Teets revealed key insights into the mechanisms of rapid thermal acclimation, and he also participated in an NSF-funded project addressing adaptations to extreme environmental conditions in the Antarctic midge, the world's southernmost insect and only insect endemic to Antarctica. As a postdoc, Dr. Teets continued his research on insect overwintering biology and also received funding from USDA to develop strategies for improving the stress tolerance and performance of insects used in the Sterile Insect Technique. At University of Kentucky, three areas of emphasis for the Teets lab will be 1) the cell signaling mechanisms that mediate rapid adaptations to low temperature, 2) the genetic and physiological mechanisms of extreme freeze tolerance in insects, and 3) strategies for improving the stress tolerance and field performance of beneficial insects. As a teacher, Dr. Teets strives to make molecular and genomic concepts accessible to students from all disciplines. ### The Entomological Society of America is the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and people in related disciplines. Founded in 1889, ESA today has nearly 7,000 members affiliated with educational institutions, health agencies, private industry, and government. Members are researchers, teachers, extension service personnel, administrators, marketing representatives, research technicians, consultants, students, and hobbyists. For more information, visit http://www.entsoc.org. Researchers have developed systematic search methods to discover one of the world's biggest helium gas fields, associated with volcanoes in the Tanzanian Rift Valley. This is the first time that helium has been found intentionally -previous finds were by accident- and opens the way for further large finds. This work is reported at the Goldschmidt conference in Yokohama, Japan. Helium is essential for many modern technologies such as MRI scanners in medicine, nuclear energy, and is used in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. Recent years have seen worries about the over-exploitation of this extremely limited, finite, valuable natural resource, with fears that supply could not be guaranteed into the medium to long-term future. In 2015, the British Medical Association expressed concern that helium supplies may have to be regulated. Now a team from Oxford and Durham universities, jointly led by Professor Chris Ballentine and Professor Jon Gluyas has worked together with a helium exploration company, Helium One Ltd, to help uncover a huge helium resource in Tanzania. The team applied methodologies used in oil exploration in their search for helium. Normally oil exploration takes into consideration a range of factors, such as the rocks sourcing the oil, and how the oil is released into underground reservoirs. Crucially, the team found that being close to a volcano may be key, as the volcanic activity acts as the releasing mechanism for helium gas. According to researcher, Diveena Danabalan (Durham): "We were able to show that volcanoes in the rift play an important role in the formation of viable helium reserves. Volcanic activity likely provides the heat necessary to release the helium accumulated in ancient crustal rocks, but the location needs to be just right. If the gas traps are located too close to a given volcano, they run the risk of helium being heavily diluted by volcanic gases such as carbon dioxide". Professor Chris Ballentine (Oxford) added: "By combining our understanding of helium geochemistry with seismic images of gas trapping structures, independent experts have calculated a probable resource of 54 Billion Cubic Feet (BCf)* in just one part of the rift valley. This is around the size of 600,000 Olympic sized swimming pools with helium gas. That's nearly seven times the total amount of helium consumed globally every year and enough to fill over 1.2 million medical MRI scanners when converted to liquid helium". While developing the technique in 2015, members of the same research group postulated significant helium resources in the Rocky Mountains. "Now we understand the techniques, we anticipate more large helium finds", said Chris Ballentine, "This will help safeguard society's future helium needs". ### New research shows that most of the radioactive fallout which landed on downtown Tokyo a few days after the Fukushima accident was concentrated and deposited in non-soluble glass microparticles, as a type of 'glassy soot'. This meant that most of the radioactive material was not dissolved in rain and running water, and probably stayed in the environment until removed by direct washing or physical removal. The particles also concentrated the radioactive caesium (Cs), meaning that in some cases dose effects of the fallout are still unclear. These results are announced at the Goldschmidt geochemistry conference in Yokohama, Japan. The flooding of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) after the disastrous earthquake on March 11 2011 caused the release of significant amounts of radioactive material, including caesium (Cs) isotopes 134Cs (half-life, 2 years) and 137Cs (half-life, 30 years). Japanese geochemists, headed by Dr Satoshi Utsunomiya (Kyushu University, Japan), analysed samples collected from within an area up to 230 km from the FDNPP. As caesium is water-soluble, it had been anticipated that most of the radioactive fallout would have been flushed from the environment by rainwater. However, analysis with state-of-the-art electron microscopy in conjunction with autoradiography techniques showed that most of the radioactive caesium in fact fell to the ground enclosed in glassy microparticles, formed at the time of the reactor meltdown. The analysis shows that these particles mainly consist of Fe-Zn-oxides nanoparticles, which, along with the caesium were embedded in Si oxide glass that formed during the molten core-concrete interaction inside the primary containment vessel in the Fukushima reactor units 1 and/or 3. Because of the high Cs content in the microparticles, the radioactivity per unit mass was as high as ~4.4x1011 Bq/g, which is between 107 and 108 times higher than the background Cs radioactivity per unit mass of the typical soils in Fukushima. Closer microparticle structural and geochemical analysis also revealed what happened during the accident at FDNPP. Radioactive Cs was released and formed airborne Cs nanoparticles. Nuclear fuel, at temperatures of above 2200 K (about as hot as a blowtorch), melted the reactor pressure vessel resulting in failure of the vessel. The airborne Cs nanoparticles were condensed along with the Fe-Zn nanoparticles and the gas from the molten concrete, to form the SiO2 glass nanoparticles, which were then dispersed. Analysis from several air filters collected in Tokyo on 15 March 2011 showed that 89% of the total radioactivity was present as a result of these caesium-rich microparticles, rather than the soluble Cs, as had originally been supposed. According to Dr Satoshi Utsunomiya; "This work changes some of our assumptions about the Fukushima fallout. It looks like the clean-up procedure, which consisted of washing and removal of top soils, was the correct thing to do. However, the concentration of radioactive caesium in microparticles means that, at an extremely localised and focused level, the radioactive fallout may have been more (or less) concentrated than anticipated. This may mean that our ideas of the health implications should be modified". Commenting, Prof. Bernd Grambow, Director of SUBATECH laboratory, Nantes, France and leader of the research group on interfacial reaction field chemistry of the ASRC/JAEA, Tokai, Japan, said: "The leading edge observations by nano-science facilities presented here are extremely important. They may change our understanding of the mechanism of long range atmospheric mass transfer of radioactive caesium from the reactor accident at Fukushima to Tokyo, but they may also change the way we assess inhalation doses from the caesium microparticles inhaled by humans. Indeed, biological half- lives of insoluble caesium particles might be much larger than that of soluble caesium". ### NOTE: the headline of this press release was shortened to comply with Eurekalert restrictions. The original was "Most radioactive caesium fallout on Tokyo from Fukushima accident was concentrated in glass microparticles" INDIANAPOLIS - Many testicular cancer survivors experience hearing loss after cisplatin-based chemotherapy, according to researchers at Indiana University. The researchers, led by Lois B. Travis, M.D., Sc.D., the Lawrence D. Einhorn Professor of Cancer Research at the IU School of Medicine and a researcher at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, studied for the first time the cumulative effects of cisplatin-based chemotherapy on hearing levels in testicular cancer survivors through comprehensive audiometry measurements. They found that increasing doses of cisplatin were associated with increased hearing loss at most of the tested frequencies, involving 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 kHz. The research was published June 27 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. "In addition to hearing loss, about 40 percent of patients also experienced tinnitus (ringing in the ears), which was significantly correlated with reduced hearing," Dr. Travis, also director of the cancer center's Survivorship Research Program, said. Although this study was conducted in patients with testicular cancer, the authors point out that the general conclusions are likely applicable to patients with other types of adult-onset cancers that are commonly treated with cisplatin. They indicate that it will be important to follow patients given cisplatin-based chemotherapy long term to better understand the extent to which the natural aging process may further add to hearing deficits, as it does in the general population. "The results show the importance of comprehensive hearing assessments, preferably both before and after treatments," Dr. Travis said. "Our findings suggest that health care providers should, at a minimum, annually query patients who have received cisplatin-based chemotherapy about their hearing status, consulting with audiologists as indicated. Patients should also be urged to avoid noise exposure, drugs having adverse effects on hearing, and other factors that may further damage hearing." Co-first author Robert Frisina, Ph.D., added: "We are the first to show definitively that in a significant number of the cancer survivors, they have hearing loss above-and-beyond age-related hearing loss. They were of different ages -- 20s to 60s -- so this was a new analysis." Dr. Frisina is a professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, director of the Biomedical Engineering Program, and director of the Global Center for Hearing and Speech Research at the University of South Florida. He designed the auditory portion of the study. Platinum-based cisplatin is one of the most commonly used drugs in medical oncology that also has toxic effects on the inner ear. Despite its use for more than 40 years, knowledge about the effects of cumulative cisplatin dose on hearing loss in survivors of adult-onset cancer has remained limited. The researchers found that every 100 mg/m2 increase in cumulative dose of cisplatin resulted in a 3.2 dB impairment in hearing. The researchers also found high blood pressure was significantly related to hearing loss in these patients, even when cisplatin dose was taken into account. Thus, they emphasized the importance of high blood pressure control. The researchers pointed out that because alterations in the highly successful testicular cancer regimens are unlikely for patients with advanced disease, their results underscore the importance of ongoing research aimed at the identification of genetic variants associated with cisplatin-related ototoxicity. An ultimate goal is to use the genetic results to develop effective agents that will protect the ear during the administration of cisplatin. For patients treated with cisplatin-based regimens for other types of cancer, it might also influence a physician to offer an alternative to those patients found to be genetically susceptible to the ototoxic effects of cisplatin after carefully weighing the risks and benefits of alternative treatments. Lawrence Einhorn, M.D., Indiana University Distinguished Professor, Livestrong Foundation Professor of Oncology, and a physician scientist at the IU Simon Cancer Center, also was an author of the study. In 1974, Dr. Einhorn tested cisplatin with two additional drugs that were effective in killing testis cancer cells. The combination became the cure for this once deadly disease. The results of this three-drug regimen were stunning. Tumors dissolved within days. Subsequent clinical research directed by Dr. Einhorn minimized the extremely toxic side effects of treatment; shortened the duration of two years of therapy to nine to 12 weeks; and established a model for a curable tumor, which has served as a research roadmap for generations of oncologists. The researchers studied 488 men enrolled in the Platinum Study, which is open at the IU Simon Cancer Center and seven other cancer centers in the United States and Canada. The aim of the study is to gain new information that can benefit future testicular cancer patients and other patients treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy. ### The study was funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute (R01CA157823). Other authors included M. Eileen Dolan of the University of Chicago; Steven E. Lipshultz of Wayne State University School of Medicine; Shirin Ardeshir-Rouhani-Fard and Patrick Monahan of the IU Simon Cancer Center; Eileen M. Johnson and Sophie D. Fossa of Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway; Amy Budnick and Darren R. Feldman of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; Clair J. Beard of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; David J. Vaughn of the University of Pennsylvania; Robert Hamilton of Princess Margaret Cancer Centre; Howard D. Sesso of Brigham and Women's Hospital; Chunkit Fung and Sarah L. Kerns of J.P. Wilmot Cancer Institute; and Heather Wheeler of Loyola University. Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) parasites, which cause a debilitating form of malaria, are yielding their secrets to an international team of researchers funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health. In the largest such effort to date, the team determined complete genomes of nearly 200 P. vivax strains that recently infected people in eight countries. Comparative analysis showed the parasites clustered into four genetically distinct populations that provide insights into the movement of P. vivax over time and suggest how it is still adapting to regional variations in both the mosquitoes that transmit it and the humans it infects. "P. vivax malaria has historically been overshadowed by the more lethal disease caused by P. falciparum parasites," said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. "However, there are some 16 million cases of clinical malaria due to P. vivax infection worldwide each year, imposing a large public health burden on many countries. The wealth of genomic information provided by this new research shows the high degree of genetic variability in the P. vivax population and gives us a clearer picture of the challenges we face in developing drugs or vaccines against it." The study, published in Nature Genetics, was led by Jane Carlton, Ph.D., of New York University, and Daniel Neafsey, Ph.D., of the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. P. vivax parasites have several characteristics that make controlling or eliminating them difficult, Dr. Carlton notes. For example, a dormant form of the parasite can hide in the liver for months at a time, emerging sporadically to cause a fresh bout of fever and weakness in the infected person. P. vivax, she added, cannot be grown in the lab, making it harder to study than other malaria-causing parasite species. Furthermore, the rich genetic diversity of P. vivax strains in most geographic regions sampled means that no single drug or vaccine could be effective against the majority of strains in any one area, much less against all P. vivax strains worldwide. For these reasons, "the research community has always known that P. vivax would be the last malaria parasite standing," said Dr. Carlton. Dr. Carlton led a team that determined the first genetic sequence of a strain of P. vivax in 2008. In 2012, Drs. Carlton and Neafsey and their colleagues added four additional genomes and determined that P. vivax parasites have twice the genetic diversity of P. falciparum parasites from matched geographic regions. Those studies used P. vivax strains that were originally taken from malaria patients decades earlier and had been modified to grow in monkeys. In contrast, the new study sequenced P. vivax strains from volunteer blood samples taken recently in eight countries, including Papua New Guinea, India, Thailand, Mexico and several in South and Central America. When added to the countries of origin of the monkey-adapted parasite strains, eleven different countries were represented in the new analysis. Investigators at the Broad Institute developed a technique to increase the amount of parasite DNA in red blood cells and separate it from the much more abundant human DNA also present. The technique allowed them to sequence parasite DNA and, ultimately, to determine near-complete genetic sequences for 182 parasite isolates, said Dr. Carlton. "We confirmed and expanded our earlier findings regarding the extreme genetic diversity in P. vivax compared with P. falciparum" she said. The four distinct parasite populations the researchers identified clustered into two groups: parasites from New World countries (Brazil, Peru, Colombia and others) differed greatly from those of the Old World countries (Thailand, Myanmar, India and others). P. vivax isolates from Papua New Guinea were genetically distinct from elsewhere in Asia, while strains from Mexico formed a fourth genetic grouping. The strains from Mexico were the least genetically diverse, Dr. Carlton said, which may be because P. vivax cases have declined sharply in that country. The genomes offer clues to the ways P. vivax has traveled the globe and adapted to mosquito species found in the new regions the parasite was carried to by European traders and colonialists. For example, the P. vivax populations in Central and South America are genetically diverse and distinct from all other sampled regions. This suggests that todays New World parasites may have originated from multiple European sites during the Colonial era and may be descended from now-extinct European parasite lineages. Dr. Carlton noted the key role played by the NIAID-supported International Centers of Excellence for Malaria Research (ICEMRs) in the new genome study. Investigators from the ICEMR based in Papua New Guinea, for example, had the difficult job of keeping blood samples on dry ice in extremely remote locations, she said. "The study would not have been possible without the ongoing dedication of this large group of collaborators at the participating ICEMRs," Dr. Carlton said. ### NIAID grant support for this research included grants U19AI089676, U19AI089681, K24AI068903, U19AI089672, 5U19AI089702, U19AI089686, and T32AI007180. Sequencing and analysis work at the Broad Institute was supported by NIAID contract HHSN272200900018C. NIAID conducts and supports researchat NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwideto study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website. About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov. NIH...Turning Discovery Into Health References: DN Hupalo et al. Population genomics studies identify signatures of global dispersal and drug resistance in Plasmondium vivax. Nature Genetics DOI: 10.1038/ng.3588 (2016). DE Neafsey et al The malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax exhibits greater genetic diversity than Plasmodium falciparum. Nature Genetics DOI: 10.1038/ng.2373 (2012). JM Carlton et al. Comparative genomics of the neglected human malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax. Nature DOI: 10.1038/nature 07327 (2008). A team of scientists has developed a computational method to map cancer progression, an advance that offers new insights into the factors that spur this affliction as well as new ways of selecting effective therapies. "Our work focuses on 'causality-like' relationships among several genes and their mutations that drive the cancer progression as the tumor environment reacts to changes, such as lack of oxygen, cell mobility, or immune response," explains New York University Professor Bud Mishra, one of the study's co-authors. "It then uses the model to predict how a tumor's genomes will change over time." "We are proposing a bioinformatics protocol to detect common 'regularities' in tumors' origin and development," adds co-author Giulio Caravagna, a research associate at the Institute for Adaptive and Neural Computation of the University of Edinburgh. "This might be a key step to understanding a disease characterized by a few common genomic lesions in different patients." In their study, which appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers focused on colorectal cancer, taking into account relatively recent developments in our understanding of the disease. Previously, cancer was thought to start with one "renegade cell" and spread, in part, through a combination of cell-autonomous genetic interactions: mutations in oncogenes, which have the potential to cause cancer, and the failure of tumor suppressor genes to control them. However, in recent years, the availability of advanced genomics sequencing has revealed a more complex picture of cancer growth. Specifically, the interaction between cells in a tumor population appears to be more relevant than previously understood, as tumors have been shown to be more heterogeneous in their cellular makeup than once thought. The research team on the PNAS study, which involved collaborations with the Catalan Institute of Oncology-IDIBELL and University of Barcelona (Victor Moreno's lab) and the University of Milan-Bicocca (Marco Antoniotti and Giancarlo Mauri's lab), sought to capture these interactions through a model that would create a cellular picture of the spread of colorectal cancer. To do so, they developed a modeling system, Pipeline for Cancer Inference, or PiCnIc, that employs gene sequencing data to make predictions about causality: what are the conditions that will "cause" tumors to grow? PiCnIC, in particular, takes into account the function of "driver" mutations that spur cancer progression as well as other phenomena, such as how one driver mutation relates to another driver over time. To test the viability of their model, the researchers compared its predictions with existing knowledge on the nature of the growth of colorectal cancer. Their results showed that PiCnIC was effectively able to capture what current medical research knows about the growth of the disease: its forecast closely tracked what has been scientifically documented. Mishra's lab at NYU aims to combine these results with its work on other technologies and phenomena related to cancer and therapy design: improved studies using single molecules or cancer image analysis, as shown, for example, in a recent PLoS One paper on how oxygen deficiencies vary over a tumor. ### The research was supported, in part, by the National Science Foundation (CCF-0836649, CCF-0926166), an NCI-PSOC (U54 CA193313) grant, the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (PI11-01439, PIE13/00022), the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) Scientific Foundation, and a Catalan Government DURSI grant (2014SGR647). Beijing and surrounding areas of China often suffer from choking smog. The Chinese government has made commitments to improving air quality and has achieved notable results in reducing emissions from the power and transportation sectors. However, new research indicates that the government could achieve dramatic air quality improvements with more attention on an overlooked source of outdoor pollution -- residential cooking and heating. "Coal and other dirty solid fuels are frequently used in homes for cooking and heating," said Denise Mauzerall, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and public and international affairs at Princeton University. "Because these emissions are essentially uncontrolled they emit a disproportionately large amount of air pollutants which contribute substantially to smog in Beijing and surrounding regions." Households account for about 18 percent of total energy use in the Beijing region but produce 50 percent of black carbon emissions and 69 percent of organic carbon emissions, according to a research team from institutions including Princeton, the University of California Berkeley, Peking University and Tsinghua University. In the Beijing area, households contribute more pollutants in the form of small soot particles (which are particularly hazardous to human health) than the transportation sector and power plants combined; in the winter heating season, households also contribute more small particles than do industrial sources. The researchers said the high levels of air pollutant emissions are due to the use of coal and other dirty fuels in small stoves and heaters that lack the pollution controls in place in power plants, vehicles and at some factories. The "use of solid fuels (coal and biomass) for heating and cooking in households contributes directly to exposures in and around residences and is a major source of ill health in China," the researchers wrote in an article published online on June 27, 2016 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers said illness caused by air pollution was a leading cause of premature death in China ranking between high blood pressure and smoking as risk factors. The researchers used a sophisticated air pollution model to evaluate the benefits of reducing residential emissions on air pollution levels in Beijing and the surrounding region in the winter of 2010. The region in the study, which has a population of 104 million people, and frequently has air pollution levels more than six times higher than what the World Health Organization considers a safe limit, included the cities of Beijing and the surrounding Tianjin and Hebei provinces. The researchers ran computer model simulations in which they removed a varying amount of residential emissions in both Beijing alone as well as the entire Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region and found that reducing residential emissions resulted in corresponding drops in outdoor pollution levels. "The residential sector has been relatively overlooked in ambient air pollution control strategies," Mauzerall said. "Our analysis indicates that air quality in the Beijing region would substantially benefit from reducing residential sector emissions from within Beijing and from surrounding provinces. Air pollution levels in Beijing would greatly benefit from a regional strategy to reduce emissions from dirty cook stoves." The researchers concluded from their study that eliminating household emissions alone would reduce levels of small particulate pollution in the air over Beijing in winter by about 22 percent, but that eliminating household emissions in all three provinces that include Beijing would nearly double the reduction in particulate levels in the city itself. "Reducing residential emissions from the entire region, including the surrounding rural areas, has the potential to greatly improve air quality within Beijing and its suburbs," Mauzerall said. The researchers said the government can take additional steps both in the near term and the future to reduce emissions. Natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, cleaner solid-fuel stoves and electricity can presently reduce emissions. In the long-term electricity from renewable energy sources would virtually eliminate the emissions of both air pollutants and the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. ### Besides Mauzerall, the paper's authors include: Jun Liu, Qi Chen, Yu Song, Xinghua Qiu, and Shiqiu Zhang of the College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Peking University; Qiang Zhang of Tsinghua University; Wei Peng of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University; Zbigniew Klimont of the Institute for Applied Systems Analysis; Weili Lin of the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences; Kirk Smith, the school of public health, University of California, Berkeley. The work appeared in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science and was supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation Committee of China, the European Seventh Framework Programme Project PURGE, the Collaborative Innovation Center for Regional Environmental Quality, and the Council for International Teaching and Research at Princeton University. Liu J, Mauzerall DL, Chen Q, Zhang Q, Song Y, Peng W, Klimont Z, Qiu X, Zhang S, Hu M, Smith KR, Zhu T, 2016, Air pollutant emissions from Chinese households: A major and underappreciated ambient pollution source, Proc Nat Acad of Sci, http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/ 10.1073/pnas.1604537113 (in press) ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- June 27, 2016 -- Research!America today unveiled the Campaign for Cures 2016 election blog and an online interactive map of the United States featuring hundreds of quotes on medical progress from candidates across the political spectrum running for national office. Managed by former USA Today senior editor and health reporter Janice Lloyd, the blog features election news, survey data, commentary and analysis of Presidential and Congressional races in key states on topics relevant to medical progress. The map and blog are the latest resources for voters as part of Campaign for Cures: Vote for Medical Progress, a national voter education initiative supported by Research!America and partner organizations. "Our nation is facing health threats from literally A to Z -- Alzheimer's to the Zika virus," said Research!America president and CEO Mary Woolley. "The status quo is not good enough; Americans want better, putting all the elements of the research and innovation continuum to work at full throttle to find solutions to what ails us. The election cycle is the ideal time to ask candidates for President and Congress what they would do to assure a healthier future for Americans. With our voter education initiative, we are encouraging all those who care about research for health to contact their candidates and urge those who have been silent on the issue to speak up before Election Day." Visitors can view quotes on issues related to public and private sector research and innovation from candidates who win their state primaries. Research!America invites all candidates, presidential and congressional candidates, to submit quotes to include on the map. Voters have the option of contacting candidates directly through email messages and social media on the campaign website. Sample messages are available in an online tool kit. Quotes from candidates in the Illinois 10th Congressional District race are among those featured on the interactive map. "A strong investment in medical research today will not only save lives but will also save taxpayers money in the future because curing a patient costs our healthcare system far less than treating their symptoms," said Rep. Robert Dold (R). "I support robust funding for the National Institutes of Health so that our researchers, who we know are some of the best in the world, can focus on what they do best -- working to find cures." "American innovation has changed the world, and the next generation of inventions will be the direct result of our investment in research and development," said challenger former Rep. Bradley Schneider (D). "As we struggle to get our economy back on track, we can't lose sight of these important investments. In Congress, I consistently advocated for maintaining government investment in both basic and applied science, as well as support for ongoing incentives for corporate R&D." New medicines and effective prevention strategies have saved millions of lives but there is much more to do. Campaign for Cures will elevate the importance of research and innovation in combating disease, strengthening the economy and maintaining our nation's global competitiveness. Throughout the election, Research!America and partners will be spearheading strategic grassroots activities, communications initiatives and work with preeminent voter education groups to elevate medical research and innovation in the national conversation. The initiative has dedicated Facebook and Twitter accounts, videos from researchers urging candidates to assign a higher priority to medical innovation and highlights recent election news and events. ### Campaign for Cures partners include Pfizer, the Society for Neuroscience, Alzheimer's Association, PhRMA, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, University of Maryland School of Medicine, The University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, American Public Health Association, American Association for Cancer Research, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, Penn Medicine, The Whitehead Institute and The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy. About Research!America Research!America is the nation's largest nonprofit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. Founded in 1989, Research!America is supported by member organizations representing 125 million Americans. Visit http://www.researchamerica.org. Contact: Anna Briseno 571-482-2737 Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy LA JOLLA, CA - June 27, 2016 - Chemist Phil Baran of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) has won a 2016 Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists. "I would like to congratulate Phil on this honor, which recognizes his contributions to novel methods in chemistry and the potential of his work to create life-saving medicines," said TSRI President Steve Kay. "We are proud of Phil, not just as a faculty member but also as an alumnus of our graduate program." The Blavatnik National Award includes an unrestricted cash award of $250,000 -- the largest unrestricted cash award given to early-career scientists. Baran was cited for his "transformative research in the field of natural product synthesis and his development of new synthetic methodology that enables chemists to design scalable, efficient, economically viable synthetic routes to potential new drugs. One of the recent successes in the Baran laboratory is the synthesis of the plant-derived ingenol, derivatives of which have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat skin cancer." Baran is Darlene Shiley Professor of Chemistry at TSRI. A graduate of New York University (1997) and TSRI (2001), he joined the TSRI faculty in 2003 after a National Institutes of Health-funded postdoctoral fellowship at Harvard University in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate E. J. Corey. Baran is the author of more than 170 papers and an interactive textbook The Portable Chemist's Consultant: A Survival Guide for Discovery, Process, and Radiolabeling (available from iTunes). His many awards and honors include a MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as a "genius grant." He is also co-founder of Sirenas Marine Discovery and Vividion Therapeutics. "The Blavatnik Award is a wonderful reflection on Phil's talents and accomplishments and a recognition of future discoveries yet to come," added Dale Boger, the Richard and Alice Cramer Professor of Chemistry and chair of the Department of Chemistry at TSRI. ### Funded by the Blavatnik Family Foundation and administered by The New York Academy of Sciences, Blavatnik National Awards are granted to only three individuals each year, one in each of the fields of physical science/engineering, chemistry, and life science. In addition to Baran, the other 2016 winners are David Charbonneau, professor of astronomy at Harvard University, and Michael Rape, professor of cell and developmental biology at University of California, Berkeley The three laureates and 28 national finalists -- including Professor Matthew Disney of Scripps Florida -- will be honored at an awards ceremony on September 12, 2016 at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. (NEW YORK June 27, 2016) The 2009 swine H1N1 flu pandemic -- responsible for more than 17,000 deaths worldwide -- originated in pigs from a very small region in central Mexico, a research team headed by investigators at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is reporting. The scientists say their findings, published in the journal eLife, represent the first time that the origin of an influenza pandemic virus has been determined in such detail. Researchers used state-of-the-art genetic analysis to identify the precise location and the main molecular transformations that allowed a pig influenza virus to jump into humans. They found that the virus responsible was a mix of one North American swine virus that had jumped between birds, humans, and pigs, and a second Eurasian swine virus, that circulated for more than 10 years in pigs in Mexico before jumping into humans. Previously, the most closely related ancestor viruses to the 2009 H1N1 virus were identified in Asian swine, but they were not as close genetically to the human 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus as the swine Mexican isolates found in this study. The only other H1N1 pandemic flu known to date was the "Spanish" flu of 1918 that killed between 50 and 100 million people -- 3 to 5 percent of the world's population. Influenza viruses infect up to 500 million people annually. "Knowing where and how an animal influenza virus infects humans and spreads all over the world helps us understand how we can reduce risk of these pandemics," says the study's senior author, Adolfo Garcia-Sastre, PhD, Director of the Global Health and Emerging Pathogens Institute, Irene and Dr. Arthur M. Fishberg Chair and Professor of Medicine (Infectious Diseases), and Professor of Microbiology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Determining the original location of the 2009 swine flu, known as an A/H1N1 pathogen, lends a note of caution to evolving efforts to track problematic animal and bird viruses, Dr. Garcia-Sastre says. "This virus came from, and was confined to, a very small geographic area and had been there 10 years before one emergent strain gained the capacity to infect humans," he says. "The virus was completely under the radar." Dr. Garcia-Sastre directs the Icahn School of Medicine's Center for Research on Influenza Pathogenesis, one of five National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance. In collaboration with the NIH and Avi-Mex, a Mexican veterinarian company, he and his team obtained 58 whole-genome sequences from influenza A viruses collected in the Mexican pigs and found viral sequences previously not known to exist in Mexico or in any other part of the world. Flu viruses have eight mini chromosomes and when two different strains infect the same cell they can exchange genetic segments -- a process called reassortment. "All the pandemic flu viruses that we have tracked have had reassortments," says Dr. Garcia-Sastre. The 2009 A/H1N1 was also a derivative of two different strains of swine influenza -- one that had been circulating in Europe and Asia and another that was circulating in the Americas, especially North America. "There is a lot of surveillance in North American pigs, and we know that this virus was actually a reassortment that occurred years ago between a bird (avian), human and a swine virus," he says. The 2009 swine virus was therefore a "quadruple" reassortment, Dr. Garcia-Sastre says. They also discovered that the parent virus had been present in the pigs in central Mexico for at least 10 years before a strain was generated that could jump into humans, and that the parent strains still exist in the pigs there today. The findings make sense, he says, because the first human flu infections were seen in Mexico before the 2009 pandemic spread rapidly to the United States and then around the globe. "Part of the difficulty in determining origin of pandemic influenzas is that the virus had been silent for so long," he says. "This is true for all previous pandemics. The actual precursors of the viruses are unclear -- we know there are reassortments but which ones and where the reassortment took place has been unclear." By solving the origins and the reassortments that led to the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic, researchers might be able to study existing "brothers and sisters" of the virus to understand the type of mutations needed to allow a virus to jump into humans. Worldwide surveillance of active flu in pigs is crucial because swine are a common global commodity, Dr. Garcia-Sastre says. "We need to monitor the viruses that are circulating, and try to stop mixing influenza strains from different geographic locations," he says. "This study also shows that you cannot ignore small geographic areas with pig farms --places in which the 2009 pandemic originated and which the next, perhaps more severe global flu, may come from." ### Co-authors include: Ignacio Mena, Jayeeta Dutta, ?Luis Cunha, Nidia ?Sequeira-Trovao, and Harm van Bakel from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; Martha I. Nelson and Andrew Rambaut from the Fogarty International Center at the National Institutes of Health; and Francisco Quezada-Monroy, Refugio Cortes-Fernandez, J. Horacio Lara-Puente, Felipa Castro-Peralta, and Bernardo Lozano-Dubernard, from Laboratorio Avi-Mex in Mexico. Funding: The study was funded by the NIH's Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (Contract No.HHSN272201400008C) and NIH's Fogarty International Center. Conflicts: Dr. Garcia-Sastre reports no conflicts. About the Mount Sinai Health System The Mount Sinai Health System is an integrated health system committed to providing distinguished care, conducting transformative research, and advancing biomedical education. Structured around seven hospital campuses and a single medical school, the Health System has an extensive ambulatory network and a range of inpatient and outpatient services--from community-based facilities to tertiary and quaternary care. The System includes approximately 7,000 primary and specialty care physicians; 12 joint-venture ambulatory surgery centers; more than 140 ambulatory practices throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, Long Island, and Florida; and 31 affiliated community health centers. Physicians are affiliated with the renowned Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which is ranked among the highest in the nation in National Institutes of Health funding per investigator. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked as one of the nation's top 10 hospitals in Geriatrics, Cardiology/Heart Surgery, and Gastroenterology, and is in the top 25 in five other specialties in the 2014-2015 "Best Hospitals" issue of U.S. News & World Report. Mount Sinai's Kravis Children's Hospital also is ranked in seven out of ten pediatric specialties by U.S. News & World Report. The New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai is ranked 11th nationally for Ophthalmology, while Mount Sinai Beth Israel is ranked regionally. For more information, visit http://www.mountsinai.org or find Mount Sinai on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Laundry pod detergents are far more likely to cause poisoning injuries in young children than are nonpod laundry detergents, and are four times more likely to lead to hospitalization, according to findings published today from researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The study, published in Injury Prevention, estimates there were almost 36,000 cases of injury due to all types of laundry detergent in U.S. emergency departments between 2012 and 2014. The research team examined hospital emergency department records from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a database managed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. There were an estimated 26,062 cases of nonpod detergent injuries seen in U.S. emergency departments, mostly cases of contact dermatitis or skin rashes. Pod detergents were responsible for an estimated 9,814 cases. Of those,71 percent were classified as poisoning, and 94 percent of all injuries were in children 5 years old or younger. "The results of the current study suggest that pod-related exposures were more likely to result in hospitalization of the child, which is a marker of injury severity, and disproportionally affect children age 5 and younger," said Thomas Swain, a research assistant in the UAB Center for Injury Sciences and the first author of the study. "The high proportion of adolescents affected by both product types highlights the importance of product safety for both categories. Although the exact cause of more severe reactions in exposed youth requiring hospitalization is unknown, many postulate the higher concentration of pod detergent may be a significant factor." Pods were first marketed in the United States in 2011 after being sold in Europe since 2001. Pods contain highly concentrated detergent encapsulated in a water-soluble membrane, and are designed to be used in washing machines. The capsule is made of polyvinyl alcohol, and the detergent varies with a blend of anionic detergents, nonionic detergents, propylene glycol and ethanol. Swain and colleagues in the Center for Injury Science in the UAB School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Acute Care Surgery, say the current study is the first to compare injury rates between pod and nonpod detergents through analysis of emergency department visits, so it more accurately describes the increased risk of severe injury in the form of poisoning than does previous research. "It is telling that the vast majority of pod-related emergency visits were in very young children, and most were classified as cases of poisoning," said Gerald McGwin, Ph.D., associate director of the CIS and vice chair of the Department of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health. "Intriguingly, cases of eye injury were greater for pod detergents over nonpod products. The bottom line is that something as innocuous as doing the laundry can pose a significant danger, especially to small children." Swain, along with co-authors McGwin and Russell Griffin, Ph.D., assistant professor of epidemiology, refers to product safety organizations that suggest the colorful nature and small size of pod detergents make them enticing to children, who may mistake them for candy. "A greater effort should be made to appropriately educate the public about the dangers of laundry detergents, specifically pods, so a safe home environment can be established," Swain said. "While new regulations such as childproof containers, opaque packaging, and less appealing and colorful pods could reduce the number of pod-related emergency department visits for children, caregivers should store detergents, along with other chemicals, in a secure location where children cannot easily access them." ### About UAB Known for its innovative and interdisciplinary approach to education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, the University of Alabama at Birmingham is an internationally renowned research university and academic medical center, as well as Alabama's largest employer, with some 23,000 employees, and has an annual economic impact exceeding $5 billion on the state. The five pillars of UAB's mission deliver knowledge that will change your world: the education of students, who are exposed to multidisciplinary learning and a new world of diversity; service to the community at home and around the globe, from free clinics in local neighborhoods to the transformational experience of the arts; the economic development of Birmingham and Alabama; research, the creation of new knowledge; and patient care, the outcome of 'bench-to-bedside' translational knowledge. UAB's Center for Clinical and Translational Science is a two-time recipient of the prestigious Center for Translational Science Award and is leveraging a current four-year $39.59 million grant to lead partner organizations across the Southeast to accelerate innovative discoveries for better health. Learn more at http://www.uab.edu. EDITOR'S NOTE: The University of Alabama at Birmingham is a separate, independent institution from the University of Alabama, which is located in Tuscaloosa. Please use University of Alabama at Birmingham on first reference and UAB on subsequent references. VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/uabnews TEXT: http://www.uab.edu/news TWEETS: http://www.twitter.com/uabnews The way the ocean transported heat, nutrients and carbon dioxide at the peak of the last ice age, about 20,000 years ago, is significantly different than what has previously been suggested, according to two new studies. The findings suggest that the colder ocean circulated at a very slow rate, which enabled it to store much more carbon for much longer than the modern ocean. Using the information contained within the shells of tiny animals known as foraminifera, the researchers, led by the University of Cambridge, looked at the characteristics of the seawater in the Atlantic Ocean during the last ice age, including its ability to store carbon. Since atmospheric CO2 levels during the period were about a third lower than those of the pre-industrial atmosphere, the researchers were attempting to find if the extra carbon not present in the atmosphere was stored in the deep ocean instead. They found that the deep ocean circulated at a much slower rate at the peak of the last ice age than had previously been suggested, which is one of the reasons why it was able to store much more carbon for much longer periods. That carbon was accumulated as organisms from the surface ocean died and sank into the deep ocean where their bodies dissolved, releasing carbon that was in effect 'trapped' there for thousands of years. Their results are reported in two separate papers in Nature Communications. The ability to reconstruct past climate change is an important part of understanding why the climate of today behaves the way it does. It also helps to predict how the planet might respond to changes made by humans, such as the continuing emission of large quantities of CO2 into the atmosphere. The world's oceans work like a giant conveyer belt, transporting heat, nutrients and gases around the globe. In today's oceans, warmer waters travel northwards along currents such as the Gulf Stream from the equatorial regions towards the pole, becoming saltier, colder and denser as they go, causing them to sink to the bottom. These deep waters flow into the ocean basins, eventually ending up in the Southern Ocean or the North Pacific Ocean. A complete loop can take as long as 1000 years. "During the period we're looking at, large amounts of carbon were likely transported from the surface ocean to the deep ocean by organisms as they died, sunk and dissolved," said Emma Freeman, the lead author of one of the papers. "This process released the carbon the organisms contained into the deep ocean waters, where it was trapped for thousands of years, due to the very slow circulation." Freeman and her co-authors used radiocarbon dating, a technique that is more commonly used by archaeologists, in order to determine how old the water was in different parts of the ocean. Using the radiocarbon information from tiny shells of foraminifera, they found that carbon was stored in the slowly-circulating deep ocean. In a separate study led by Jake Howe, also from Cambridge's Department of Earth Sciences, researchers studied the neodymium isotopes contained in the foraminifera shells, a method which works like a dye tracer, and came to a similar conclusion about the amount of carbon the ocean was able to store. "We found that during the peak of the last ice age, the deep Atlantic Ocean was filled not just with southern-sourced waters as previously thought, but with northern-sourced waters as well," said Howe. What was previously interpreted to be a layer of southern-sourced water in the deep Atlantic during the last ice age was in fact shown to be a mixture of slowly circulating northern- and southern-sourced waters with a large amount of carbon stored in it. "Our research looks at a time when the world was much colder than it is now, but it's still important for understanding the effects of changing ocean circulation," said Freeman. "We need to understand the dynamics of the ocean in order to know how it can be affected by a changing climate." ### The research was funded in part by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Royal Society and the Isaac Newton Trust. Rats given midazolam, an anti-anxiety medication, were less likely to free trapped companions because the drug lessened their empathy, according to a new study by University of Chicago neuroscientists. The research, published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology, validates studies that show rats are emotionally motivated to help other rats in distress. In the latest study, rats treated with midazolam did not open the door to a restrainer device containing a trapped rat, although control rats routinely freed their trapped companions. Midazolam did not interfere with the rats' physical ability to open the restrainer door, however. In fact, when the restrainer device contained chocolate instead of a trapped rat, the test rats routinely opened the door. The findings show that the act of helping others depends on emotional reactions, which are dampened by the anti-anxiety medication. "The rats help each other because they care," said Peggy Mason, PhD, professor of neurobiology at the University of Chicago. "They need to share the affect of the trapped rat in order to help, and that's a fundamental finding that tells us something about how we operate, because we're mammals like rats too." The experiments utilize a rat-helping test originally established in a 2011 study published in Science by Mason, Inbal Ben-Ami Bartal, PhD, a post-doctoral scholar now at the University of California, Berkeley, and Jean Decety, PhD, Irving B. Harris Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Chicago. In those early experiments, the team placed two rats that normally shared a cage into a special test arena. One rat was held in a restrainer--a closed tube with a door that can be nudged open only from the outside. The second rat roamed free in the cage around the restrainer, able to see and hear the trapped cage mate. In the previous study, the free rats quickly learned to release their trapped cage mates, seen as a sign of empathy for their companions in distress. In the latest research, rats injected with midazolam did not free a companion rat trapped inside a restrainer. Yet rats injected with midazolam did open the same restrainer when that restrainer contained chocolate chips. Stress, like what happens after seeing and hearing a trapped companion, triggers the adrenal gland and sympathetic nervous system and causes physical symptoms such as increased heart rate and high blood pressure. To test if the rats' helping behavior was driven by these physical changes, Mason and her team conducted a separate series of experiments by giving the rats nadolol, a beta-blocker similar to those used to treat high blood pressure. Nadolol prevents the pounding heart and other bodily signs of a stress response. Rats given nadolol were just as likely to help their companions as those injected with saline or nothing at all. "What that tells you is that they don't have to be physiologically, peripherally aroused in order to help. They just have to care inside their brain," Mason said. Mason's team also created a statistical model to find out if helping other rats was a rewarding, behavior for the animals that became reinforced over time, or if they simply became more comfortable with the testing environment and improved their ability to open the restrainer. Using data collected from the rats' behavior during the experiments, Haozhe Shan, an undergraduate student at UChicago, calculated the probability that each rat would free a companion in each testing session. He then projected these probabilities over 10,000 simulated attempts while keeping each trial independent, meaning that if a rat opened the restraint one day it was no more likely to open on the next day. When Shan compared the simulated data to those from the experiments, he saw that the untreated rats performed better than the simulations predicted. If they freed a companion one day, the probability that they would do so again the next day increased, meaning the behavior was being reinforced. Meanwhile, rats given midazolam were no more likely to free a companion one day to the next, even if they did so on a previous day. "We take that as a sign that the rats given midazolam don't find the outcome rewarding, presumably because they didn't find it a troubling situation in the first place," Shan said. Mason and her team also tested levels of corticosterone, a stress hormone, in the rats when first exposed to the trapped cage mate and compared them to their later behavior. Those with low- to mid-level responses were most likely to free their companions later. They found that those with the highest levels of corticosterone, or those that were under the most stress from the situation, were the least likely to help their cage mates. This fits well with findings in humans suggesting that eventually high stress becomes immobilizing rather than motivating. Mason said that this research further confirms the previous research that rats, and by extension other mammals--including humans--are motivated by empathy and find the act of helping others gratifying. "Helping others could be your new drug. Go help some people and you'll feel really good," she said. "I think that's a mammalian trait that has developed through evolution. Helping another is good for the species." ### The study, "Anxiolytic treatment impairs helping behavior in rats," was supported by the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and Biological Sciences Division. Additional authors include Inbal Ben-Ami Bartal, presently at the Univeristy of California, Berkeley; Nora Molasky, presently at Vassar College; Teresa Murray, a Pritzker School of Medicine graduate, presently at Washington University; Jasper Williams, presently at the University of California, San Francisco; and Jean Decety of the University of Chicago. About the University of Chicago Medicine The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences is one of the nation's leading academic medical institutions. It comprises the Pritzker School of Medicine, a top 10 medical school in the nation; the University of Chicago Biomedical Sciences Division; and the University of Chicago Medical Center, which recently opened the Center for Care and Discovery, a $700 million specialty medical facility. Twelve Nobel Prize winners in physiology or medicine have been affiliated with the University of Chicago Medicine. Visit our research blog at sciencelife.uchospitals.edu and our newsroom at uchospitals.edu/news. Twitter @UChicagoMed, @ScienceLife Facebook.com/UChicagoMed Stunning new images and the highest-resolution maps to date of Jupiter at thermal infrared wavelengths give a glowing view of Juno's target, a week ahead of the NASA mission's arrival at the giant planet. The maps reveal the present-day temperatures, composition and cloud coverage within Jupiter's dynamic atmosphere, and show how giant storms, vortices and wave patterns shape the appearance of the giant planet. The observations will be presented on Monday 27 June at the National Astronomy Meeting in Nottingham by Dr Leigh Fletcher of the University of Leicester. The high-resolution maps and images were created from observations with the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile, using a newly-upgraded thermal imager called VISIR. The observations were taken between February and June 2016 to characterise Jupiter's atmosphere ahead of Juno's arrival. "We used a technique called 'lucky imaging', whereby individual sharp frames are extracted from short movies of Jupiter to 'freeze' the turbulent motions of our own atmosphere, to create a stunning new image of Jupiter's cloud layers," explained Dr Fletcher. "At this wavelength, Jupiter's clouds appear in silhouette against the deep internal glows of the planet. Images of this quality will provide the global context for Juno's close-up views of the planet at the same wavelength." Dr Fletcher and his team have also used the TEXES spectrograph on NASA's Infrared Telescope Facility (IRTF) in Hawaii regularly to map Jupiter's changing appearance. The team made observations at many different wavelengths, optimised for different features and cloud layers in Jupiter's atmosphere, to create the first global spectral maps of Jupiter taken from Earth. "These maps will help set the scene for what Juno will witness in the coming months. We have seen new weather phenomena that have been active on Jupiter throughout 2016. These include a widening of one of the brown belts just north of the equator, which has spawned wave patterns throughout the northern hemisphere, both in the cloud layers and high above in the planet's stratosphere," said Dr Fletcher from the University of Leicester's Department of Physics and Astronomy. "Observations at different wavelengths across the infrared spectrum allow us to piece together a three dimensional picture of how energy and material are transported upwards through the atmosphere." Both sets of observations were made as part of a campaign using several telescopes in Hawaii and Chile, as well as contributions from amateur astronomers around the world, to understand Jupiter's climate ahead of Juno's arrival. The ground-based campaign in support of Juno is led by Dr Glenn Orton of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Once in orbit around Jupiter, Juno will skim just 5000 km above Jupiter's clouds once a fortnight - too close to provide global coverage in a single image. The Earth-based observations supplement the suite of advanced instrumentation on the Juno spacecraft, filling in the gaps in Juno's spectral coverage and providing the wider global and temporal context to Juno's close-in observations. "The combined efforts of an international team of amateur and professional astronomers have provided us with an incredibly rich dataset over the past eight months," said Dr Orton. "Together with the new results from Juno, this dataset will allow researchers to characterise Jupiter's global thermal structure, cloud cover and distribution of gaseous species. We can then hope to answer questions like what drives Jupiter's atmospheric changes, and how the weather we see is connected to processes hidden deep within the planet." ### Science Contact Dr Leigh Fletcher Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Leicester Leicester +441162523585 @LeighFletcher leigh.fletcher@leicester.ac.uk Dr Fletcher will be participating in a Google Hangout on Air on Monday 27th June: https://plus.google.com/u/0/events/cu3mcacmbmmrd1eghb8chrckj1g?cfem=1 Media Contacts: Dr Robert Massey Deputy Executive Director Royal Astronomical Society Tel: +44 (0)20 7292 3979 Mob: +44 (0)7802 877 699 rm@ras.org.uk Ms Anita Heward Royal Astronomical Society Mob: +44 (0)7756 034 243 anitaheward@btinternet.com NAM 2016 press office (from Monday 27 June to Friday 1 July) Tel: +44 (0)115 846 6993 An ISDN line and a Globelynx fixed camera are available for radio and TV interviews. To request these, please contact Robert or Anita. Mr Peter Thorley University of Leicester +44 (0)116 252 2415 pt91@le.ac.uk http://www.le.ac.uk Mr Richard Hook ESO Public Information Officer Garching bei Munchen, Germany Tel: +49 89 3200 6655 Cell: +49 151 1537 3591 Email: rhook@eso.org Images Images and video can be downloaded in a range of resolutions and formats from the ESO website: https://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1623/ Jupiter imaged using the VISIR instrument on the VLT In preparation for the imminent arrival of NASA's Juno spacecraft in July 2016, astronomers used ESO's Very Large Telescope to obtain spectacular new infrared images of Jupiter using the VISIR instrument. They are part of a campaign to create high-resolution maps of the giant planet to inform the work to be undertaken by Juno over the following months, helping astronomers to better understand the gas giant. This false-colour image was created by selecting and combining the best images obtained from many short VISIR exposures at a wavelength of 5 micrometres. Credit: ESO/L. Fletcher https://nam2016.org/images/nam2016/Media/Fletcher/eso1623a.jpg Two faces of Jupiter False colour images generated from VLT observations in February and March 2016, showing two different faces of Jupiter. The bluer areas are cold and cloud-free, the orangey areas are warm and cloudy, more colourless bright regions are warm and cloud-free, and dark regions are cold and cloudy (such as the Great Red Spot and the prominent ovals). The wave pattern over the North Equatorial Band shows up in orange. This view was created by combining VLT/VISIR infrared images from February 2016 (left) and March 2016 (right). The orange images were obtained at 10.7 micrometres wavelength and highlight the different temperatures and presence of ammonia. The blue images at 8.6 micrometres highlight variations in cloud opacity. Credit: ESO/L.N. Fletcher https://nam2016.org/images/nam2016/Media/Fletcher/eso1623b.jpg Comparison of VISIR and visible light views of Jupiter This view compares a lucky imaging view of Jupiter from VISIR (left) at infrared wavelengths with a very sharp amateur image in visible light from about the same time (right). Credit: ESO/L.N. Fletcher/Damian Peach https://nam2016.org/images/nam2016/Media/Fletcher/eso1623c.jpg Mapping Jupiter's changing appearance These maps were created by slicing Jupiter's atmosphere using spectroscopy from the IRTF/TEXES instrument, and include a comparison to a visible light map from amateur observers. The 8 micrometre wavelength senses stratospheric temperatures near 1 mbar, showing wave activity in the northern hemisphere and heating associated with Jupiter's powerful auroras. The 8.6 and 10.4 micrometre wavelengths sense tropospheric temperatures, ammonia humidity and cloud coverage. Adapted from Fletcher et al. (2016). Credit: NASA/Infrared Telescope Facility/M. Vedovato/JUPOS Team/Fletcher et al. https://nam2016.org/images/nam2016/Media/Fletcher/irtf_texes.jpg Video Jupiter imaged using the VISIR instrument on the VLT In preparation for the imminent arrival of NASA's Juno spacecraft in July 2016, astronomers used ESO's Very Large Telescope to obtain spectacular new infrared images of Jupiter using the VISIR instrument. They were part of a campaign to create high-resolution maps of the giant planet to inform the work to be undertaken by Juno over the following months, helping astronomers to better understand the gas giant. This video was created from many short VISIR exposures at a wavelength of 5 micrometres. The telescope was moved slightly between exposures and the changing turbulence of the Earth's atmosphere can be seen. Credit: ESO/L. Fletcher https://nam2016.org/images/nam2016/Media/Fletcher/eso1623a.mp4 Further Information: Coordinated observing campaign details available at http://www.missionjuno.swri.edu. Fletcher et al., (2016), Mid-Infrared Mapping of Jupiter's Temperatures, Aerosol Opacity and Chemical Distributions with IRTF/TEXES, Icarus, accepted (doi: 10.1016/j.icarus.2016.06.008). About Juno JPL manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Dr. Scott Bolton, of Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. The Juno mission is part of the New Frontiers Program managed by NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama for the agency's Science Mission Directorate. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, in Denver, built the spacecraft. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. More information about the Juno mission is available at: http://www.nasa.gov/juno Notes for editors The RAS National Astronomy Meeting 2016 (NAM 2016, http://nam2016.org) takes place this year at the University of Nottingham from 27 June to 1 July. NAM 2016 brings together more than 550 space scientists and astronomers to discuss the latest research in their respective fields. The conference is principally sponsored by the Royal Astronomical Society and the Science and Technology Facilities Council. Follow the conference on Twitter via @rasnam2016 The University of Nottingham (http://nottingham.ac.uk/) has 43,000 students and is 'the nearest Britain has to a truly global university, with a "distinct" approach to internationalisation, which rests on those full-scale campuses in China and Malaysia, as well as a large presence in its home city.' (Times Good University Guide 2016). It is also one of the most popular universities in the UK among graduate employers and the winner of 'Outstanding Support for Early Career Researchers' at the Times Higher Education Awards 2015. It is ranked in the world's top 75 by the QS World University Rankings 2015/16, and 8th in the UK by research power according to the Research Excellence Framework 2014. It has been voted the world's greenest campus for four years running, according to Greenmetrics Ranking of World Universities. Impact: The Nottingham Campaign, its biggest-ever fundraising campaign, is delivering the University's vision to change lives, tackle global issues and shape the future. The Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC, http://www.stfc.ac.uk) is keeping the UK at the forefront of international science and has a broad science portfolio and works with the academic and industrial communities to share its expertise in materials science, space and ground-based astronomy technologies, laser science, microelectronics, wafer scale manufacturing, particle and nuclear physics, alternative energy production, radio communications and radar. STFC's Astronomy and Space Science programme provides support for a wide range of facilities, research groups and individuals in order to investigate some of the highest priority questions in astrophysics, cosmology and solar system science. STFC's astronomy and space science programme is delivered through grant funding for research activities, and also through support of technical activities at STFC's UK Astronomy Technology Centre and RAL Space at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. STFC also supports UK astronomy through the international European Southern Observatory. Follow STFC on Twitter via @stfc_matters The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS, http://www.ras.org.uk), founded in 1820, encourages and promotes the study of astronomy, solar-system science, geophysics and closely related branches of science. The RAS organizes scientific meetings, publishes international research and review journals, recognizes outstanding achievements by the award of medals and prizes, maintains an extensive library, supports education through grants and outreach activities and represents UK astronomy nationally and internationally. Its more than 4000 members (Fellows), a third based overseas, include scientific researchers in universities, observatories and laboratories as well as historians of astronomy and others. The RAS accepts papers for its journals based on the principle of peer review, in which fellow experts on the editorial boards accept the paper as worth considering. The Society issues press releases based on a similar principle, but the organisations and scientists concerned have overall responsibility for their content. Follow the RAS on Twitter via @royalastrosoc ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world's most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world's most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world's largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become "the world's biggest eye on the sky". The University of Leicester is led by discovery and innovation - an international centre for excellence renowned for research, teaching and broadening access to higher education. The University of Leicester is ranked among the top one per cent of universities in the world by the THE World University Rankings and also among the top 100 leading international universities in the world. It is among the top 25 universities in the Times Higher Education REF Research Power rankings with 75% of research adjudged to be internationally excellent with wide-ranging impacts on society, health, culture, and the environment. Find out more: https://le.ac.uk/about-us The largest systematic review of the care of elderly patients hospitalised at the end of their life has found more than a third received invasive and potentially harmful medical treatments. The analysis of 38 studies over two decades, based on data from 1.2 million patients, bereaved relatives and clinicians in 10 countries including Australia, found the practice of doctors initiating excessive medical or surgical treatment on elderly patients in the last six months of their life continues in hospitals worldwide. The UNSW Australia-led study, published in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care, has prompted researchers to call for better training for hospital doctors and more community education to reduce the demand for non-beneficial treatments at the end of life. Dr Magnolia Cardona-Morrell, who led the research at UNSW's Simpson Centre for Health Services Research, said rapid advances in medical technology have fuelled unrealistic community expectations of the healing power of hospital doctors and their ability to ensure patients' survival. "It is not unusual for family members to refuse to accept the fact that their loved one is naturally dying of old age and its associated complications and so they pressure doctors to attempt heroic interventions," Dr Cardona-Morrell said. "Doctors also struggle with the uncertainty of the duration of the dying trajectory and are torn by the ethical dilemma of delivering what they were trained to do, save lives, versus respecting the patient's right to die with dignity." The study revealed 33% of elderly patients with advanced, irreversible chronic conditions were given non-beneficial interventions such as admission to intensive care or chemotherapy in the last two weeks of life while others who had not-for-resuscitation orders were still given CPR. The researchers also found evidence of invasive procedures, unnecessary imaging and blood tests, intensive cardiac monitoring and concurrent treatment of other multiple acute conditions with complex medications that made little or no difference to the outcome, but which could prevent a comfortable death for patients. "Our findings indicate the persistent ambiguity or conflict about what treatment is deemed beneficial and a culture of 'doing everything possible'," Dr Cardona-Morrell said. "The lack of agreed definitions in the medical community of what constitutes 'treatment futility' also makes a global dialogue challenging. "However, using data from these studies we have defined as non-beneficial those procedures or medical treatments administered to elderly people in terminal stages of disease which prolong suffering rather than survival, that can potentially cause harm, are sometimes given against patients' wishes and are unlikely to improve the person's health or quality of remaining life. "More importantly, we have identified measurable indicators and strategies to minimise this type of intervention. An honest and open discussion with patients or their families is a good start to avoid non-beneficial treatments. We hope hospitals can monitor these indicators during their quality improvement activities," Dr Cardona-Morrell said. A paper published last year in the BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care describes an assessment tool developed by UNSW researchers that helps doctors and caregivers more accurately identify elderly patients whose death is imminent and unavoidable at the time of hospital admission. As the elderly and frail population grows, the number of attendances to emergency rooms and admissions to acute hospitals is also expected to increase. "More training for doctors will help them let go of the fear of a wrong prognosis, because they will be better able to identify patients near the end of life," Dr Cardona-Morrell said. "As a community we must also stop shying away from the topic of death. Start a discussion now with your elderly loves ones about their end of life care preferences before they become too ill to have that conversation." Co-authors of the study are UNSW's Professor Robin Turner and Professor of Intensive Care Ken Hillman, intensive care specialists Matthew Anstey from Charles Gairdner Hospital, WA and Imogen Mitchell from the Canberra Hospital, ACT and Mr James Kim from Western Sydney University. The global analysis of 38 studies included patients, bereaved relatives, doctors and nurses from the USA, Canada, England, Australia, France, Holland, Brazil, Taiwan, South Korea and Israel. The research was supported by a grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia. ### Fast facts - unnecessary hospital medical treatments for elderly patients Up to 50% - blood tests and imaging on people with do-not resuscitate orders 33% - antibiotics, cardiovascular, digestive or endocrine medicines 33% - chemotherapy in the last six weeks of life 30% - dialysis, radiotherapy, transfusions and other life support in the last days of life 25% - CPR on elderly with 'not-for-resuscitation' orders 10% - admission to intensive care Disrupted fetal immune system development, such as that caused by viral infection in the mother, may be a key factor in the later appearance of certain neurodevelopmental disorders. This finding emerges from a Weizmann Institute study published in Science on June 23, 2016. The study may explain, among other things, how the mother's infection with the cytomegalovirus (CMV) during pregnancy, which affects her own and her fetus's immune system, increases the risk that her offspring will develop autism or schizophrenia, sometimes years later. This increased risk of neurodevelopmental diseases had been discovered many years ago in epidemiological studies and confirmed in mouse models. The Weizmann study, led by Dr. Ido Amit and Prof. Michal Schwartz, of the Immunology and Neurobiology Departments, respectively, provides a possible explanation for this increase on the cellular and the mechanistic molecular levels. "Previous studies had shown that the timing of the disruption in the mother's immune system during pregnancy affects the type of brain damage her child may develop. For example, a viral infection in early pregnancy raises the risk of autism, whereas an infection later in the pregnancy raises the risk of schizophrenia," said Amit. "We've set out to examine the mechanisms behind these phenomena, while focusing on the role the immune system plays in brain development." Orit Matcovitch-Natan, a graduate student in the laboratories of both Amit and Schwartz, and other members of the two teams, studied the sole immune cells present in the brain -- the microglia, which contribute to the brain's development and maintenance. The scientists discovered that the development of these cells in the mouse fetus and in newborn mice proceeds in three distinct stages, parallel to those of the developing brain: early cells that populate the brain of the embryo shortly after its inception, pre-microglia and adult cells. By screening the genomes of these cells and testing them extensively, the scientists were able to define each stage in terms of its activated genes, their control mechanisms and the epigenetic features, that is, the activation of proteins that "package" the DNA and affect gene expression in the course of development. The scientists also characterized the functions of some of these genes in the microglia, which contributed to an in-depth understanding of the developmental processes. The second stage -- that of the pre-microglia -- proved the most sensitive to disruptions. This stage takes place close to birth and shortly afterwards, just when the developing brain undergoes the vital process of "pruning," in which inappropriate synapses among neurons are lopped off. The pre-microglia play an important role in pruning, helping remove the superfluous neuronal networks, and shaping and strengthening the connections among the remaining neurons. When the scientists exposed the brains of pregnant mice to synthetic materials that mimic a CMV infection, they found that the development of the pre-microglia was disrupted in their offspring. Genes involved in the maturation of these cells were expressed at the wrong time, and the cells proceeded to an adult stage earlier than usual. The offspring later exhibited abnormal behavior, including disturbances in social interaction and behaviors similar to those of people with schizophrenia. "We've discovered that it's essential for the development of immune cells in the brain to be synchronized with the development of the brain itself," says Schwartz. "Premature shift of the microglia in mice to the adult stage leads to brain malfunction later on." Though these findings have been obtained in mice, the scientists hypothesize that disrupted coordination between the development of the microglia and that of the brain contributes to an increased risk of such neurodevelopmental disorders as autism and schizophrenia in human beings. The scientists believe that the heightened immune response to viral infection in the mother's body may be responsible for disrupting the timing of microglia development. "Our research has paved the way for studying the effects of other viruses on the mother's immune system in general, and on her offspring's brain development. It can also advance the study of neurodevelopmental disorders and their connection to the immune system," says Orit Matcovitch-Natan. In yet another series of experiments, the Weizmann scientists established a connection between the development of the microglia in the brains of mice and intestinal microbes -- the microbiome. They found that in newborn mice that were free of any microbes, the maturation of the microglia was delayed. This finding suggests that in human babies, factors that shape the microbiome - natural ones such as breastfeeding, or therapeutic, such as antibiotics -- may affect the immune cells in the baby's brain and consequently the brain's development. It's still unknown to what extent this research, conducted in mice, is relevant to human beings, but the scientists hope that an improved understanding of this process may in the future help prevent certain neurological disorders in babies, caused by disruptions in the mother's immune system. Taking part in the study were Dr. Deborah R. Winter, Amir Giladi, Eyal David and Dr. Hadas Keren-Shaul, as well as Dr. Eran Elinav and Christoph Thaiss of the Immunology Department, and Hila Ben-Yehuda, Merav Cohen and Dr. Kuti Baruch of the Neurobiology Department. Matcovitch-Natan and Amit Spinrad, also a graduate student, belonged to both departments. Study participants also included Prof. Michael H. Sieweke of Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France. ### Dr. Ido Amit's research is supported by the Benoziyo Endowment Fund for the Advancement of Science; David and Fela Shapell Family Foundation INCPM Fund for Preclinical Studies; Wolfson Family Charitable Trust; Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust; and Rosenwasser Fund for Biomedical Research. Dr. Amit is the incumbent of the Alan and Laraine Fischer Career Development Chair. Prof. Michal Schwartz's research is supported by Sonia T. Marschak, Lincolinwood, IL; Elaine Petchek, Scarsdale, NY; Nathan and Dora Oks, France; and Hilda Namm, Larkspur, CA. Prof. Schwartz is the incumbent of the Maurice and Ilse Katz Professorial Chair of Neuroimmunology. The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, the Institute is home to scientists, students, technicians and supporting staff. Institute research efforts include the search for new ways of fighting disease and hunger, examining leading questions in mathematics and computer science, probing the physics of matter and the universe, creating novel materials and developing new strategies for protecting the environment. Scientists have discovered that the malaria parasite Plasmodium vivax is evolving rapidly to adapt to conditions in different geographical locations, in particular to defend itself against widely-used antimalarial drugs. The study, published in Nature Genetics today, provides a foundation for using genomic surveillance to guide effective strategies for malaria control and elimination. P. vivax is mainly found in Asia and South America, and 2.5 billion people are at risk of infection worldwide. This species of malaria parasite is notoriously difficult to work with and the new study has created one of the largest genomic data sets of this species to date, which is available to all researchers. The international team of researchers led by Professor Dominic Kwiatkowski from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, studied the genomes of more than 200 parasite samples from multiple locations across Southeast Asia, identifying the strains carried by each patient and revealing their infection history. Unlike Plasmodium falciparum, its more widely studied cousin, Plasmodium vivax can remain dormant inside a person's liver for years until it emerges causing a malaria relapse. It is extremely difficult to grow under laboratory conditions, and patients have very low levels of P. vivax DNA in their blood. Only now, with modern DNA sequencing technologies, has it been possible to look in detail at the genetics of the parasite that causes relapsing malaria. The researchers found that the parasites are evolving rapidly to evade anti-malarial drugs. They revealed that P. vivax evolved differently in Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia, probably due to the different drug use in each place. This study showed that the genomic signals could help identify local areas of drug resistance as they emerged, information that could support local public health staff. Dr Richard Pearson, first author of the paper from the Sanger Institute, said: "We can see in the genome that drug resistance is a huge driver for evolution. Intriguingly, in some places, this process appears to be happening in response to drugs used primarily to treat a different malaria parasite, P. falciparum. Although the exact cause isn't known, this is a worrying sign that drug resistance is becoming deeply entrenched in the parasite population." There are several possible reasons why P. vivax may be evolving to evade drugs used against P. falciparum. Many people carry mixed infections of both species of parasite, so that in treating one species the other automatically gets exposed to the drug. Unsupervised drug use where many people take the most readily available, rather than the most suitable, antimalarial drug may also contribute. A further key finding was that, when the researchers identified patients who were carrying multiple strains of parasite in their blood, the genomic data made it possible to determine how closely the different strains were related to one another. Professor Kwiatkowski said: "This means that we can now start to pull apart the genetic complexity of individual Plasmodium vivax infections, and work out whether the parasites came from one or more mosquito bites. It provides a way of addressing fundamental questions about how P. vivax is transmitted and how it persists within a community, and in particular about the biology of relapsing infections." Professor Ric Price, from the University of Oxford and Menzies School of Health Research, Australia, said: "The front line drug used to treat vivax malaria is chloroquine. Our study shows that the strongest evidence of evolution is in Papua, Indonesia, where resistance of P. vivax to chloroquine is now rampant. These data provide crucial information from which we can start to identify the mechanisms of drug resistance in P. vivax". Professor Kwiatkowski, added: "For so long, it's not been possible to study P. vivax genomes in detail, on a large-scale, but now we can - and we're seeing the effect that drug use has on how parasites are evolving. In the near future, genomic data will provide more powerful surveillance tools to those who are trying to tackle these problems and make decisions about how to control and eliminate malaria." ### Notes to Editors: Publication: Richard Pearson et al. (2016) Genomic analysis of local variation and recent evolution in Plasmodium vivax. Nature Genetics DOI :10.1038/ng.3599 What is malaria? Spread by mosquitos, malaria is one of the most common infectious diseases and a global public health challenge. Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasite that causes malaria is a microscopic, single-celled organism called Plasmodium. Malaria is predominantly found in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of Africa, South America and Asia. It is estimated that there were 198 million cases of malaria in 2013 and 584,000 deaths. Around 95% of deaths are in children under the age of five living in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, death rates have fallen globally by 47% since 2000. There are six different species of malaria parasite that cause malaria in humans but Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the most common types. If not detected and treated promptly, malaria can be fatal. However, with the right treatment, started early enough, it can be cured. For more information about malaria please see http://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-malaria Participating centres: Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SA, UK MRC Centre for Genomics and Global Health, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Oxford OX3 7BN, UK Global and Tropical Health Division, Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territories 0811, Australia Mahidol?Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland 20852, USA National Centre for Parasitology, Entomology, and Malaria Control, Phnom Penh, Cambodia Sampov Meas Referral Hospital, Pursat, Cambodia Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia Infectious Diseases Society Sabah-Menzies School of Health Research Clinical Research Unit and Queen Elizabeth Hospital Clinical Research Centre, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia Oxford University Clinical Research Unit, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam Papua New Guinea Institute of Medical Research, Madang, Papua New Guinea Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Divine Word University, Madang, Papua New Guinea Division of Population Health and Immunity, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute for Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka Institut Pasteur de Madagascar, Antananarivo, Madagascar Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Key Laboratory of Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention (Ministry of Health), Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory of Parasite Molecular Biology, Wuxi, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, OX3 7LJ, UK Selected websites: MalariaGEN The Malaria Genomic Epidemiology Network (MalariaGEN) is an international community of researchers working to understand how genetic variation in humans, Plasmodium parasites, and Anopheles mosquitoes affects the biology and epidemiology of malaria - and using this knowledge to develop new tools to inform malaria control. The network currently involves researchers in more than 40 malaria-endemic countries with a coordinating centre at Oxford University and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. https://www.malariagen.net/ Menzies School of Health Research Menzies School of Health Research aims to improve health outcomes and reduce health inequality for populations in Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, through excellence and leadership in research, education and capacity development. http://www.menzies.edu.au Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute The Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is one of the world's leading genome centres. Through its ability to conduct research at scale, it is able to engage in bold and long-term exploratory projects that are designed to influence and empower medical science globally. Institute research findings, generated through its own research programmes and through its leading role in international consortia, are being used to develop new diagnostics and treatments for human disease. http://www.sanger.ac.uk Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. We support the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. Our breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. We are independent of both political and commercial interests. http://www.wellcome.ac.uk Written by ACM *Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Both UK, and EU plus CoE Authorities made Today a Series of Official Statements on what should Follow, according to them, the Decision of Great Britain to Leave the European Union. "Eurofora" Starts Publishing all relevant Publis Statements, in a List which is due to be Updated asap, according to Developments. ---------------------- * For British Prime Minister David Cameron, "the country has just taken part in a giant democratic exercise perhaps the biggest in our history. Over 33 million people from England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and Gibraltar have all had their say. (...) I would ...reassure Brits living in European countries, and European citizens living here, that there will be no immediate changes in your circumstances. There will be no initial change in the way our people can travel, in the way our goods can move or the way our services can be sold. We must now prepare for a negotiation with the European Union. This will need to involve the full engagement of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments to ensure that the interests of all parts of our United Kingdom are protected and advanced. (....) I will do everything I can as Prime Minister to steady the ship over the coming weeks and months, but I do not think it would be right for me to try to be the captain that steers our country to its next destination. This is not a decision I have taken lightly, but I do believe it is in the national interest to have a period of stability and then the new leadership required. There is no need for a precise timetable today, but in my view we should aim to have a new Prime Minister in place by the start of the Conservative party conference in October. (....) A negotiation with the European Union will need to begin under a new Prime Minister, and I think it is right that this new Prime Minister takes the decision about when to trigger Article 50 and start the formal and legal process of leaving the EU. I will attend the European Council next week to explain the decision the British people have taken and my own decision. The British people have made a choice. That not only needs to be respected but those on the losing side of the argument, myself included, should help to make it work". (...) ------------------------------------------------------- EU Cuncil's "President Tusk", EU Parliament's "President Schulz" and Ducth "Prime Minister Rutte met this (Friday) morning in Brussels upon the invitation of European Commission President Juncker. They discussed the outcome of the UK referendum and made the following joint statement: "In a free and democratic process, the British people have expressed their wish to leave the EU. We regret this decision, but respect it. This is an unprecedented situation but we are united in our response. We will stand strong and uphold the EU's core values of promoting peace and the well-being of its peoples. The Union of 27 Member States will continue. The Union is the framework of our common political future. We are bound together by history, geography and common interests and will develop our cooperation on this basis. Together we will address our common challenges to generate growth, increase prosperity and ensure a safe and secure environment for our citizens. The institutions will play their full role in this endeavour. We now expect the UK government to give effect to this decision of the British people as soon as possible, however painful that process may be. Any delay would unnecessarily prolong uncertainty. We have rules to deal with this in an orderly way. Article 50 of the Treaty on EU sets out the procedure to be followed if a Member State decides to leave the EU. We stand ready to launch negotiations swiftly with the UK regarding the terms and conditions of its withdrawal from the EU. Until this process of negotiations is over, the UK remains a member of the EU with all the rights and obligations that derive from this. According to the Trea ties which the UK has ratified, EU law continues to apply to the full to and in the UK m until it is no longer a Member. As agreed, the New Settlement for the UK within the EU, reached at the European Council on 18-19 February 2016, will now not take effect and ceases to exist. There will be no renegotiation. As regards the UK, we hope to have it as a close Partner of the EU in the future. We expect the UK to formulate its proposals in this respect. Any agreement, which will be concluded with the UK as a third country, will have to reflect the interests of both sides and be balanced in terms of rights and obligations. -------------------------------------------------------------- Statements by ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party's President Joseph Daul, and EU Parliament's EPP Group's President Manfred Weber : (...) "We take note of the decision made by British voters. The EPP remains wholeheartedly committed to the European project and to the process of further integration with remaining 27 Member States. At the same time, we will defend the rights of EU citizens living in the UK and firmly oppose any attempts to interfere with the freedom of movement, said EPP President Joseph Daul. +We respect and regret the decision of the British voters. It causes major damage to both sides. But this was a British vote, not a European vote. People in the other states dont want to leave Europe. There are clear majorities in favour of the European project. Cooperation within Europe is a question of the ability for Europeans to determine their own way of life. It is our goal to effectively combat growing nationalism and populism, said EPP Group Chairman Weber. Respecting the democratic decision of the British voters also means that the exit negotiations should be swiftly concluded, within the two-year deadline, as defined in the Lisbon Treaty. From our point of view, there cannot be any special treatment for United Kingdom. The British people have expressed their wish to leave the EU. Leave means leave. The times of cherry-picking are over, said the EPP leaders. Over the past 70 years, the EU has safeguarded European freedom, peace and prosperity, and it will continue to do so. We must renew Peoples enthusiasm towards the European project by delivering more tangible benefits to all our citizens. Together we will build a truly integrated single Market which creates job opportunities. We will also better protect EU Citizens by cooperating in the field of Security. As (EU Comission) President Juncker said during his campaign, the EU must be big on big things and small on small things in the future", observed President Daul. "Europe needs a Time of Reflection. We want a better and smarter Europe. We have to convince the people and find answers to the big challenges of our times such as Security and Msigration. ..." concluded Chairman Weber. ------------------------------ - The democratic decision in this referendum must be respected", said also CoE's Secretary General, (former Prime Minister of Norway, and Nobel Peace Prize Committee President), Thornbjorn Jagland, in Strasbourg. - "The best way forward now is for the EU, in accordance with its best traditions, to work together with the UK Government to obtain the most acceptable outcome for the Citizens of the UK and Europe". + Meanwhile, "Everybody should now focus on what unites our Family of European Nations : Democracy, Human rights and the rule of Law, he concluded. ------------------------------------------------------------ (../..) *** To really appreciate the evidence for intelligent design, do you ever get the feeling you need several shelves of weighty tomes by design theorists, a great deal of time for reading and understanding them, and a PhD in biology, math, or philosophy wouldnt hurt either? At the same time, the question of whether lifes history bears the imprint of purposeful guidance is an ultimate question. Perhaps the ultimate question for every person to consider. Shouldnt weighing the inference to design be readily comprehensible to any thoughtful adult? Surely the folks at Discovery Institute owe it to the public to offer a slim and attractive, one-volume survey of the evidence for ID, authored by top ID scholars but also an easily accessible read, something you could, perhaps, give as a gift to a curious friend who you know perfectly well isnt going to wade through a whole library of ID works? But who might read one book Or put it a different way: How about a book that gives a view of the forest of ID evidences from high above, rather than one tree, however magnificent? Come on, Discovery Institute, give it to us! Well, guess what? We did, and its here. It is The Design of Life: Discovering Signs of Intelligence in Biological Systems, by mathematician and philosopher William A. Dembski and molecular and cell biologist Jonathan Wells. Both are Senior Fellows of the Center for Science & Culture, prolific authors and star scholars, decorated with advanced degrees from the University of Chicago, Yale, and UC Berkeley. No less important than their academic distinctions, they also have a gift for explaining difficult scientific ideas in clear, inviting prose. Thats what they do in The Design of Life, published originally by the Foundation for Thought and Ethics, now available to celebrate the launch of a new imprint of Discovery Institute Press, Foundation for Thought and Ethics (FTE) Books. Through July 8, we will be selling the book for only $10 thats more than a 70 percent discount! And it includes both the full-color hardcover and an accompanying CD with additional materials. Order now, because this special discount wont last long! The Design of Life hits all the most fascinating challenges to orthodox evolutionary theory posed by top ID advocates, and the most substantial reasons for substituting Design for Darwinism. Its all here! Dembski and Wells survey the case for ID with sections on Human Origins, Genetics and Macroevolution, The Fossil Record, Similar Features, Irreducible Complexity, Specified Complexity, The Origin of Life, and concluding with an Epilogue, The Inherit the Wind Stereotype. All that in fewer than three hundred pages, with handsome color photos and illustrations, in a study and slim hardcover edition. In addition, each section concludes with thought-provoking Discussion Questions, which make The Design of Life the perfect guide and companion for your study group. Another key figure in IDs scientific community, biochemist Michael Behe, says, When future intellectual historians list the books that toppled Darwins theory, The Design of Life will be at the top. If overturning a stale, overbearing relic of 19th century materialism represents a challenge not only of persuading scientists but in explaining the relevant science to the lay public, then that would have to be true. This is the broad overview of ID that has been missing from your reading list. Design in biology is real, not an illusion. Not convinced? Still uncertain that youve understood the inference to intelligent design? The Design of Life seals the deal. If you havent read this wonderful book, now is your chance! Photo credit: Sergey Nivens stock.adobe.com. Ogilvy & Mather has been crowned Network of the Year for the fifth time in a row with 120 Lions across 31 offices at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity Ogilvy & Mather has been crowned Network of the Year for the fifth time in a row with 120 Lions across 31 offices at the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. This incredible achievement saw the network pick up one Titanium, one Glass Lion and four Grand Prix, with a diverse range of work that pushed the boundaries of creativity. The four Grand Prix wins came from four different countries: Ogilvy & Mather UK for Phillips Breathless Choir; INGO Stockholm, an Ogilvy & Mather/Grey joint venture, for The Swedish Tourist Association The Swedish Number; Manboobs campaign for The Breast Cancer Health Movement by the Networks DAVID Buenos Aires office and The Everyman Meal for KFC by Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg. Ogilvy & Mather Frankfurt also won a Creative Effectiveness Award for its Rabbit Race campaign for Media Markt. Commenting on the win, Tham Khai Meng, Worldwide Chief Creative Officer at Ogilvy & Mather, said, In 2009 we laid out a five-year plan to improve our performance at Cannes. Now, in 2016, we could not be more humbled to be named Network of the Year for the fifth year running. We are proud and grateful for everyone that has helped us on this journey. This extraordinary achievement demonstrates the courage of our clients and the extraordinary creativity that all our teams possess around the world. Our deepest thanks to our clients, our people, the judges and Cannes Lions. John Seifert, Worldwide CEO at Ogilvy & Mather, added, It is a huge honor to be awarded Network of the Year five times in a row. It is testament to the great skill and humanity of our talented teams across the network and the visionary leadership of my partners Tham Khai Meng and Miles Young. I look forward to leading this network on to even greater success in our mission to Make Brands Matter. On the final night of the Festival, INGO Stockholm, an Ogilvy & Mather/Grey joint venture, triumphed with a Titanium for its pioneering The Swedish Number for The Swedish Tourist Association. The direct campaign connects callers from around the world with random Swedes who have signed up to be ambassadors for their country offering an unfiltered view of Swedish life. Ogilvy & Mather Mumbai took home a Glass Lion for its work for the Make Love Not Scars organisation, a charity supporting acid attack victims. The powerful OOH posters and films Beauty tips by Reshma, show vlogger Reshma, an acid attack survivor, giving make-up tutorials, demonstrating how to apply lipstick, eyeliner and remove dark spots. It then highlights that acid is as easily available and cheap as these products, giving shocking statistics on acid attacks - a phenomenon that sees more than a thousand victims a year in India alone. Michael DiSalvo and Ben King, Account Directors from Ogilvy PR New York, also won Gold at the Cannes Young Lions awards. Their Extra Ordinary Food campaign , proposed a raw food fashion shoot with beauty magazine partnerships tore-set people s expectations that good food does not need to always look perfect. Ogilvy & Mather also had an incredible content schedule at the Festival this year. It hosted a compelling panel discussion, together with The Girls Lounge, on the fight for gender equality. The event, moderated by the Networks Worldwide Chief Executive Officer, John Seifert, discussed the burning issue of gender equality and set out to move the debate on with an unflinching look at why women are still hugely underrepresented at senior levels in the workplace. The debate highlighted the need for action, and the tangible steps needed to tackle this challenge. Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity 2016 also marked the sixth annual Ogilvy & Inspire seminar. This year Tham Khai Meng, Ogilvy & Mathers and Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, joined Academy Award-Winning film director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for an on-stage discussion about inspiration and the role of visionary creative. Read more news about (ad news, latest advertising news India, internet advertising, ad agencies updates, media advertising India) The Euro to Pound exchange rate rallied to a two-year-best on Friday when Brexit fears were confirmed, and continued to rise on Monday morning as Sterling remained unappealing to foreign exchange investors. The pound to euro exchange rate today: 1.209 (-0.06%) The pound to dollar exchange rate today: 1.3429 (-0.2%). The euro-dollar conversion rate today: 1.1107 (-0.14%). The EUR/GBP spot rate extended its fall from a two-year best conversion today, despite current EU developments. Angela Merkels comments on the UKs potential for accessing the single market have failed to prevent GBP/EUR from making a small rebound today. Dismissing the idea that the UK would be able to secure access to the single market without accepting free movement, Merkel said: We will make sure that negotiations will not be carried out as a cherry-picking exercise. There must be and there will be a palpable difference between those countries who want to be members of the European family and those who dont. According to Nordea, "The 1.30 [GBP/USD] should hold, and the EUR/GBP should not rise beyond 0.85." "The EUR/USD trades as a low beta proxy to GBP/USD." "Yesterday the EUR/USD rose back to 1.11 briefly and traded higher than on Monday throughout the day." "We dont see it below 1.08 even in the worst case, as the EUR liquidity status supports it against most currencies." Latest Pound/Euro Exchange Rates On Thursday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 The live inter-bank GBP-GBP spot rate is quoted as 1 today. FX markets see the pound vs us dollar exchange rate converting at 1.162. The pound conversion rate (against canadian dollar) is quoted at 1.577 CAD/GBP. FX markets see the pound vs swiss franc exchange rate converting at 1.146. Today finds the pound to australian dollar spot exchange rate priced at 1.793. Please note: the FX rates above, updated 27th Oct 2022, will have a commission applied by your typical high street bank. Currency brokers specialise in these type of foreign currency transactions and can save you up to 5% on international payments compared to the banks. British Pound (GBP) to Secures Best Run Against Euro (EUR) amid Brexit Uncertainty For the most part, yesterday's events were increasingly negative forecasts, ranging from rate cuts to recessions. The Bank of England (BoE) has factored heavily into these estimates, therefore the next rate decision is likely to generate high volatility for the Pound. While foreign exchange markets had initially seemed to take some comfort from George Osbornes first appearance since the result of the EU referendum this ultimately proved short-lived. The pound to euro exchange rate shaved another 1.3 per cent from its value on Monday morning. The US dollar has risen to another best conversion level of 30 years against the battered pound sterling. As Osborne added to the suggestion that Article 50 does not need to be triggered imminently the prospect of an extended period of uncertainty did not encourage investors. EUR/GBP soared on Friday and continued to gain on Monday due to news that the United Kingdom would be leaving the European Union. This news caused the Pound to plummet across the board. EUR/GBP has gained over 650 pips since last weeks session. Euro (EUR) Exchange Rates Advance Despite Low Eurozone Sentiment The EUR GBP exchange rate hit its best conversion level since March 2014 against the Pound following the news that Britain would be leaving the European Union after the historic EU Referendum took place last Thursday. However, the Eurozone itself has received a large portion of Britains shockwaves and as a result the Euros gains against the Pound were not as drastic as some of its rivals gains. The Euro has also dropped against many non-European majors as Eurozone sentiment remains low. While the Pound is by far the least appealing currency among the worlds majors right now, the Euro isnt faring much better. Eurozone uncertainty is in full swing following speculation that the Brexit would lead to an increase in Euroscepticism across the EU. Far-right and nationalist politicians across the EU have made calls for their own nations to hold EU Referendums. With the EUs future currently uncertain and some analysts already speculating who could be next to go, the Euro itself remains unappealing too. Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates Continue to Fall after #EURef Sterlings fortunes are unlikely to change in the coming days or even weeks, as it continues to fall in value following Fridays news that the UK would be leaving the EU. A series of events since Fridays results have throttled the Pounds levels harder and added to widespread uncertainty surrounding the currency. This includes news that the UKs Prime Minister, David Cameron, intended to step down and have a successor by October. While the media are touting Leave camp leader Boris Johnson as the frontrunner to be the new Prime Minister, uncertainty over the near future and the fissures within Britains electorate also weigh on UK market sentiment. Calls within Scotland and North Ireland (both countries voted Remain) to withdraw from the United Kingdom in order to maintain EU status have also added to uncertainty towards the Pounds seemingly turbulent future. EUR/GBP Exchange Rate Forecast: Pound Set to Continue its Plummet While the Pound may begin to drop slower against the Euro as sentiment for both European currencies remains low, an extended period of distaste towards Sterling is highly likely. In the coming days and weeks, markets will likely focus all their attention on any statements and news to come out of Europes central banks. Bank of England (BoE) Governor Mark Carney already stated on Friday that his bank was prepared to reduce damage to the UK economy by introducing new policy soon. European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi is also expected to increase Eurozone stimulus soon in order to stave off Britains shockwaves. For the coming days at least, Sterling is unlikely to gain on the Euro and the pair will likely remain above 0.80 for some time. EUR/GBP could also continue to climb regardless of domestic data, with markets currently entirely focused on the effects of Britains Brexit. Demand for the US dollar exchange rates remains high today despite dip against stronger Japanese yen. Where next for the USD/JPY spot rate? The US Dollar to yen exchange rate today: -0.26% at 102.36 The US Dollar was bullish against the Japanese Yen on Tuesday, although only because safe-haven currencies were weakened by a bout of profit-taking. Scotibank analysts suggest this trend higher isn't likely to last: "USDJPY has been remarkably stable around 102 over the past two sessions however the broader technical picture remains biased to further downside. Trend and momentum signals are bearish despite a moderation in the RSIrising off the extended oversold (sub-30) levels from last Monday. Bearish trend signals appear to be strengthening." 28.06.2016 Demand for government bonds and gold is still rising, however, suggesting that perhaps many investors have moved on from USD and JPY on the perception that their investments in those currencies werent secure enough. In particular, the afternoons Markit services PMI for June has remained at 51.3, instead of rising to 52 as forecast. Elsewhere, the composite PMI has actually pulled through, having risen from 50.9 to 51.2. For the most part today, the US Dollar has been a safe bet for investors, having made considerable gains against the battered Pound and also the Polish Zloty. Against the Japanese Yen, a moderate decline has been seen, although this is mainly on account of the Yens desirability rather than USD weakness. In spite of worries that US trade could suffer post-Brexit, a number of economists have forecasted that the US economy will manage to ride out the storm with little overall damage. Here are todays USD fx rates On Thursday the Japanese Yen to British Pound exchange rate (JPY/GBP) converts at 0.006 At time of writing the pound to japanese yen exchange rate is quoted at 169.852. At time of writing the pound to euro exchange rate is quoted at 1.153. The pound conversion rate (against pound) is quoted at 1 GBP/GBP. Please note: the FX rates above, updated 27th Oct 2022, will have a commission applied by your typical high street bank. Currency brokers specialise in these type of foreign currency transactions and can save you up to 5% on international payments compared to the banks. US Goods Orders due This Afternoon, along with PMI Printings The near-future will bring the first US economic announcements of the week, consisting initially of the May advance goods trade balance and June composite and services PMIs. In the former case, a slip from -57.5bn to -59.4bn is forecast, while in the latter, services are expected to increase by a small amount from 51.3 to 51.9. Looking further ahead, tomorrow will bring further US ecostats, consisting of personal consumption for the first quarter and consumer confidence stats for June. Japanese Yen Rates Remain Favourable as BoJ Mulls Dilemma of High JPY The Yen has been in great demand since the Brexit news, which is on account of safe haven appeal going through the roof when other currencies are struggling to cope with the implications of a UK exit from the EU. Despite this widespread appeal for the Yen, however, the Bank of Japan (BoJ) has been less enthused, on account of a strong Yen frustrating their efforts to securely control economic growth. With this in mind, it remains a possibility that the BoJ will undertake emergency intervention, as a way of artificially lowering the Yens value, although given how astronomical demand for the JPY is at present, the effectiveness of such a strategy remains to be seen. Japanese Trade Stats due Wednesday, along with Confidence Printing The next Japanese economic announcement will come early on Wednesday, when the nations retail trade results for May will come in. In this field, forecasts have been decidedly mixed, with annual trade expected to drop from -0.9% to -1.6% and the monthly result to show a rise from -0.1% to 0.1%. Following on from this in the morning will be Junes small business confidence score, which at the time of writing had no prediction assigned. Previously, a contraction-based figure of 45.6 came for the result. Caution is Prevalent among Corporations, says US Economist In response to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of the US economy, national Association of Manufacturers Chief Economist Chad Moutray has stated: This is just one more headache that manufacturers have to deal with. Owing to the turbulent events of late, investment and production are forecast to slow in coming data releases. Dear friends.. You guys helped me a lot during my journey...my wife applied for divorce in march 2016after 5 years of our marriage from which 3years were spent in uk. We hv one son. My question is after brexit can I still apply for visa as ex eea family member or something else once divorce is final? So confused.. Will I hv to leave or I will hv some rights? Pls answr. Anybody know any Expat/English speaking Realtors in Clermont-Ferrand or Lyon. Any recommendations for public Schools in those areas that will help my two English only kids learn the language/assimilate? Hello all, After months of planning, we just moved to Rome (just moved this week from the US). One of the few things I didn't do was find a good vet that I can communicate with as we brought our dog. Any recommendations or knowledge of an english speaking veterinarian? I'm flexible with the location but am living in mostacciano. Grazie mille! David Maxx62 said: Does anyone know if there were recently any rules implemented regarding minimum account balances and ATM withdraws? I'm receiving US Social Security, and I used to be able withdraw my account to nearly zero, towards the end of each month, but now I'm having troubles once my account balance goes below 10,000Php? Right now I have just under 10k in my account, but I cannot withdraw even one thousand pesos. I'm wondering if the banks here in the Philippines won't let me with draw anything because I'm below a certain limit. Of course when I go inside and talk to the people inside the bank, they cannot tell me anything, and when I call my bank in the US, they say that the problem must be with the ATMs over here in the Philippines. Any ideas? Click to expand... So far I've not heard any chatter on that. I assume you use a US Bank and then withdrawal with a US ATM at a local bank or some such set up. If so, the international banking transfer or ATM withdrawal can be a pain. If you have a second ATM card-perhaps in a wife's name you might try that. Also, try a different bank.Sometimes a little push from the State Dept can go a long way when problems occur with a US Bank. I'd suggest calling Social Security At The US Embassy and they likely will voice call your US bank and put pressure on and get it resolved quickly. I have heard of them doing that in the past. Social Security workers at the embassy start work at 5am so you can get an early call in to them.That is one of the main reason we use a local Philippine bank for the direct deposit. Easier that way with no issues.Jet Lag Hi! My spousal visa is expiring at end of September, So as VFS website states i will have to apply for renewal before end of July (60 days). Problem is I have applied for SA police clearance but as I am reading it may not arrive before end of July. So I am stressing out, What do I do if it doesn't come before end of July?Do they accept application if its after that 60days window? Fingers cross:fingerscrossed: Hi, I was wondering if you could help me or direct me in which way to go about things. I currently have 200,000 in cash following a house sale through inheritance from my wife's late mother and father. And 30,000 equity in one house and 20,000 equity in another house. I am wanting to move to South Africa with my wife. I have family in Johannesburg (My uncle, auntie and two cousins). I know I am not eligible for a relatives visa as my uncle isn't a direct family member. My wife and I are looking to invest our money into starting a business in the area. My question is do you think this is enough for us to be able to be eligible for a business visa for 2 years into the country? If so- how is best to go about this? we have not 100% made up our minds on exactly what business yet. I can provide bank statements for the 200k and I can get estate agent figures for the value of our houses for the authorities. Any advise would be greatly appreciated. Kind Regards Gregg Monday, June 27, 2016 Donald Trump and the late Muhammad Ali had at least three things in common: personal wealth, a love of bragging and a willingness to speak their mind even if others were offended. But theres a big difference: Ali actually had something to brag about. He really was the greatest at what he did, racking up an amazing 55 victories over 61 fights in his career, and going undefeated in his first 30 bouts. He was also a man of deep principle, foregoing his career for three years after refusing to fight in Vietnam. This is what he said about that choice: Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs and denied simple human rights? No Im not going 10,000 miles from home to help murder and burn another poor nation simply to continue the domination of white slave masters of the darker people the world over. This is the day when such evils must come to an end. I have been warned that to take such a stand would cost me millions of dollars. But I have said it once and I will say it again. The real enemy of my people is here. I will not disgrace my religion, my people or myself by becoming a tool to enslave those who are fighting for their own justice, freedom and equality. If I thought the war was going to bring freedom and equality to 22 million of my people they wouldnt have to draft me, Id join tomorrow. I have nothing to lose by standing up for my beliefs. So Ill go to jail, so what? Weve been in jail for 400 years. Agree or disagree with him , you knew where he stood. Ali was also a humanitarian and philanthropist, using his fortunea fortune amassed not through inherited wealth and speculative business ventures, but by coming up out of poverty and putting himself in the ring to be slugged again and again by some of the strongest people in the worldfor social good. By contrast, Trump brags about screwing people over, is very quick to unleash insults on others, and yet is very thin-skinned when anyone criticizes him. He even revoked the Washington Posts media credentials to cover the Trump campaign because he didnt like the things he said about them. Lets listen to Trump in his own words: The beauty of me is that Im very rich. Donald Trump Of course, it helps that he inherited a fortune from his father, a large-scale NYC landlord whose racist policies were so bad that Woody Guthrie (his tenant, briefly) wrote scathing songs about him. Trumps own record includes lots of failureincluding four bankruptcies. Its hard to imagine him getting rich if he hadnt had the springboard of his fathers wealth. And he brags about using bankruptcy as a tool to screw the public to further his personal fortune. This quote is on the same 2011 ABC news report on the bankruptcies: Ive used the laws of this country to pare debt. Well have the company. Well throw it into a chapter. Well negotiate with the banks. Well make a fantastic deal. You know, its like on The Apprentice. Its not personal. Its just business. Two more very telling quotes from The Donald: If you cant get rich dealing with politicians, theres something wrong with you. I rented him a piece of land. He paid me more for one night than the land was worth for two years, and then I didnt let him use the land. Thats what we should be doing. I dont want to use the word screwed, but I screwed him.Donald Trump Has he reformed? No. Just look at the recent flurry of news stories quoting everyone from the conservative National Review to the New York State Attorney General calling his Trump University a scam. This is the continuation of a long history of unethical business dealings, as this story in US News and World Report notes. As it happens, Ive heard both Muhammad Ali and Donald Trump speak in personAli at an Aretha Franklin concert in Harlem, in 1971, and Trump delivering the keynote for a conference where I was also speaking, in 2004. Alis speech left me feeling empowered. Trumps left me feeling Id been slimed by an exhibitionist in a public place. This bullying, thin-skinned, name-calling racist and sexist who brags about how he gets rich on the backs of others has no grasp of the issues, and apparently no ethics. He doesnt belong in the White House. Share this: The Prairie Doc: We need to be more intentional with antibiotics Cost of living crisis could trigger 'winter crime epidemic' on farms Your digital subscription includes access to all content on our agricultural websites across the nation. Access unlimited content and the digital versions of our print editions - This Week's Paper. The college did well considering prices across all micron ranges from 20 and finer took a tumble and the Western Indicator lost 13 cents to 1357c/kilogram clean on the first sale back after a non-sale week at the WWC. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jun/27/brexit-pound-decline-japan-china-markets-investment-fears China whose markets largely rode out the start to the week warned that its companies might want to wait and see what the impact is of the Brexit vote before they invest in the country. Chinas premier, Li Keqiang, called on major economies to work together to promote stability. I want to make it clear that Europe is an important partner for China and China will continue to be committed to maintaining the growing China-EU relations and China-UK relations, Li said in his speech at the World Economic Forum in Tianjin, according to Kyodo. We hope to see a united and a stable European Union and we also hope to see a stable and prosperous UK, he added. The Japanese foreign minister, Fumio Kishida, warned that Britain had a duty to listen to Japanese businesses with investments in the UK. I would like your country to listen to the views of some 1,000 companies from our country that are doing business in Britain Kishida told the British ambassador to Japan, Tim Hitchens, at a meeting in Monday morning. Japanese companies such as Nissan and Toyota directly and indirectly employ 140,000 people in the UK, and some made no secret of their desire for Britain to stay in the EU before Fridays referendum. http://in.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-china-li-idINKCN0ZD08Z? "Against the backdrop of globalization, it's impossible for each country to talk about its own development discarding the world economic environment." On Monday, influential state-run Chinese tabloid the Global Times warned that Britain's troubles were far from over. "Leaving the EU will not be the end of Britain's difficulties, and will likely be the start of an incredibly painful process," it said in an editorial. What was it like to be an Oath Keeper? John Zimmerman can tell you news What was it like to be an Oath Keeper? John Zimmerman can tell you There is nothing quite like a week-long trip to Cuba to more keenly appreciate the prospect, and the perils, of foreign investment in developing countries. For the Latin American experts with whom I traveled, foreign investment is not a catalyst to growth but an instrument of imperialism and oppression. The United States is not an exemplar of best practices but a belligerent and self-serving bully. Sadly, there is no shortage of evidence in Cuba to support this view. American companies present in pre-revolutionary Cuba were all-too-cozy with a military dictator, likely engaging in bribery and worse. The accouterments of that dictators grandiose corruption remain on public display, reminding Cubans of relationship with the U.S. they do not wish to replicate. Unlike the Castros, images of Che Guevara the martyred hero, the symbol of not-quite-fulfilled revolutionary hope are everywhere. One building bore his image and the phrase, Hasta la revolucion siempre, which roughly translates as, always work toward the revolution. Even progressive economists who speak of incremental market reforms still claim to hold tight to revolutionary ideals. But if those ideals are no longer state ownership of the means of production and guaranteed income equality, what are they? The revolution was not against capitalism, but against imperialism. Cubans want transactions of mutual benefit; commerce without exploitation; foreign investment that strengthens and stimulates rather than extracting and depleting. They want foreign companies who will ask the Cuban government to become more transparent, not less. And they need these corporations home governments to enforce law beyond their borders, no longer allowing their companies to operate in a lawless sphere, as they once did. So can a new era begin? The FCPA is designed, in a very real sense, to counter the corporate excesses of our past. Its aim is to deter the very bribery that surely was the order of the day in pre-revolutionary Cuba, and elsewhere. The FCPA is thus an antidote to imperialism. Are we, the readers of the FCPA Blog, committed to this ideal? Have we internalized it? Have our companies? Are we committed to doing better than our predecessors? Do we believe that economic integration can promote collective prosperity? Or does the Brexit vote signal that its all a bunch of, well, poppycock? We bear the burden of proof. We must demonstrate to our friends in Cuba, and Iran, and any other country whose history teaches deep suspicion of Western companies, that this is a new era. Laws, and norms, are different than they once were. We are required to behave better, and we are committed to doing so. And so to my capitalist friends, I plea for revolutionary compliance, for international commerce that strengthens and dignifies economies and governments and people. And to my Latin Americanist colleagues, I say, the image in your mind of the ravaging, lawless corporation may today be something of a caricature. Or at least, there are tens and hundreds of thousands of professionals around the world, including but not limited to the readers of this blog, working to make it so. ____ Andy Spalding is a Senior Editor of the FCPA Blog and Associate Professor at the University of Richmond School of Law. Hell be a speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016. When top state or corporate leaders lay down goals, compliance may not always meet their intended aims. This is the case in China, where companies have been under increasing pressure from the central government to comply with rising standards in corporate social responsibility. Since 2007, Chinas central government has recognized the need to address its massive pollution problem, through sustainable (what they call scientific) development. Companies have been encouraged to adopt more environmentally friendly projects and to report on their activities and performance, assisted by central government guidelines and training. Nine years on the pollution problem is not getting better. A recent study I co-authored, Whose Call to Answer: Institutional Complexity and Firms CSR Reporting (available here), looked at why China was struggling with its CSR, and found that the timing and quality of CSR reporting by major Chinese companies was varied and the impact of the central governments regulatory posturing far from uniform. While there was no objection to the new CSR requirements by companies per se, difficulties stemmed from the demanding economic targets set by the governments in the provinces in which they operated. Despite the new central dictum, these local governments were less concerned about CSR and more concerned about increasing GDP growth. To better understand the environment in which these companies were operating, and the conflict pressures they faced, we have to understand that in China having government support is extremely important if firms are to survive. While it may be expected that central government demands would over-ride the lower jurisdiction, in China it is local governments which interpret and implement law and wield much of the power. Local bureaucrats have influence over loans and delivery of supplies and the power to temporarily shut down plants and delay production. As the World Bank noted in its 2016 Ease of Doing Business survey, companies expend a lot of time and effort meeting their requirements. In some cases noted in the study local governments actually shielded large companies (the major polluters) from the central governments environmental protection agency and would openly invite big polluters into provinces to boost GDP. While research on CSR reporting, and CSR in general, acknowledges the influence of government regulations and guidelines, little has been written about how corporations behave when they come under competing, and conflicting, pressures from the state. We found that while there was a noticeable jump in the number of firms that issued reports in 2008 suggesting guidelines were important in encouraging CSR reporting variations in the timing of issuance and quality of reports were substantial. In many cases exemplary firms those supposed to be the leaders in their field were issuing very short, substandard CSR reports, an indication that not much was being done in terms of environmental protection and sustainable development. These firms usually responded to the central government guidelines quickly by adopting CSR reporting speedily, but their reports were of relatively low quality. They were, in effect, symbolically adopting the central governments new policy, while substantively moving in the other direction. Our study reveals that the local governments high economic targets can explain such symbolic adoption. While the central government had been proactive in outlining standards and highlighting the need for third party auditing, enforcement of the regulations is inadequate. That some firms have to juggle the conflicting demands from central and local government is a key factor in the countrys deteriorating environmental situation. Given the importance and effort expended by the central government to ensure company compliance, it could be expected that the politically-connected firms those partially owned by the central government or whose CEOs held central government positions would have paid more attention to releasing stronger CSR statements. But this was not the case. What we found was that, because these firms experienced the greatest tension from central and local bureaucracies demands, they were the most likely to display this type of symbolic compliance. Unless there is a change in local government priorities the pollution problem is likely to continue. The problem of symbolic compliance brought about by conflicting pressures on business is not confined to China. In many emerging markets companies are juggling demands of different government jurisdictions. A similar situation can happen inside organisations where lower-level managers may find themselves trying to meet the expectations of different levels of leadership. While the CEO and board usually have a goal in mind, they may not have set out a strategy as to how to reach it. This ambiguity gives managers further down the chain room to consider what is important to them. In some cases the end result may be very different from the spirit of the original target. In the case of China the central government is saying CSR is important, you have to do it, but it is not saying economic growth isnt important. In fact it later clarified its position to say GDP growth is not the only target. Local government took this to mean that while there were other considerations, economic growth was still very important and it was their role to ensure that GDP numbers continue to rise, supporting their push for economic growth at the expense of the environment. In some cases this double intent, the tension between the two governments, can present business opportunities. IBM, for example, realising the pressure the Chinese central government was under to be seen as environmentally active, and the embarrassment it felt when high profile, international events were held under Beijings smog-filled skies, came up with software to help map and control air pollution by identifying which plants needed to be temporarily closed to ease the citys toxic air pollution. The software is in the process of being adopted by local governments, allowing them to continue pushing economic development while appearing to be responding to the central governments push for increased CSR. Band aid solutions like this are of course not an answer to Chinas pollution problem which needs to be addressed in a systemic way. But what our study aims to do is to show national governments and by implication the top leadership of large organisations that its not enough to just lay down a goal. They need to understand the conflicting pressures entities (be they companies or departments) are under to achieve that goal. Without this understanding and without strong tools for evaluation, penalties for non-compliance and incentives at lower levels, action down the chain may very well be symbolic and they may not get the results they seek. * * * A version of this post first appeared in INSEAD Knowledge and is published here with permission. ___ Xiaowei Rose Luo is Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship and Family Enterprise at INSEAD. She led the 2016 International Womens Day seminar on INSEADs Abu Dhabi campus. She can be contacted here. Brooklyn Beckham has been reunited with girlfriend Chloe Moretz - just days after saying he was missing his "bae". Brooklyn Beckham and Chloe Moretz (c) Instagram The 17-year-old photographer, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, had been pining for the 19-year-old actress and looked thrilled to be in her company again. Uploading a cute picture of the couple enjoying a day in the sunshine together, Brooklyn simply captioned the photo with two love hearts. He tenderly had his hand on Chloe's knee, with her hand wrapped around his. It is thought the couple were in California after Brooklyn was seen jetting to Los Angeles out of London last week. While Chloe had been in LA, Brooklyn had been with his family in the UK but made it clear he was desperate to be reunited with his girlfriend. Last week, he shared a black and white photo of them looking lovingly at each other, gushing: "When you're missing bae :( (sic)" And it seems Chloe is just as smitten and recently revealed how Brooklyn makes her feel great about herself whenever she is feeling low. She said: "My boyfriend is a huge support. I mean, don't get me wrong, I don't need a man for anything, but when I'm feeling bad about myself, he's like, 'Stop. Look at what you say in interviews. Look at what you stand for. Listen to your own words, because you're as beautiful as you say you are!' "It's nice to have a young man who's 17 years old be able to look at a woman that way. I think it means we're on the right track." Chloe confirmed her and Brooklyn were an item earlier this year following months of speculation about their relationship. In light of continued developments, primarily since 2008, there exists in these United States a Legal System which operates on a proved Two Tiered approach to justice rendered, which primarily benefits Democratic Elites and Woke Ideological Virtue Signalers, representing their co-dependent wards, to the expressed exclusion of normal hardworking American citizens: What is your suggestion in remedying this widespread injustice and, if not corrected, its existential outcome for our Constitutional Republic? Complete overhaul of the Department of Justice and their enforcers - the FBI - to reflect a far more honest justice system to keep patriots remaining calm. Disband the FBI, and request that congress investigate all unethical and non patriotic practices to partially right the wrongs of a distrusted and politically weaponized "Department of Justice." Chelsy Davy's jewellery line "blows" her mind. Chelsy Davy The 30-year-old blonde beauty - who quit her role as a trainee solicitor at Allen and Overy in 2014 to focus on her African- based accessories range Aya, which launched this year - has admitted she is shocked by the beauty of each unique stone created and used in her fashion collection. Speaking to the Times newspaper about her brand, the Zimbabwe-born star said: "I want everyone to know about Aya. "Aya is not a charity, it is a luxury brand of beautiful top quality stones and solid gold. But it won't neglect the communities from where they are sourced. "Each one was created by these specific difficult circumstances. It blows my mind." Meanwhile Chelsy - who broke off her seven-year romance with Prince Harry in 2011 - has revealed she had no idea about style when she first moved to England and studied at Stowe school, where she met Harry. Speaking about her former wardrobe choices, she said: "[I looked like] Crocodile Dundee, with all my snakes. You should have seen the way I looked. Odd. Very odd. I wore ridiculous things. I didn't know anything about fashion, Living in Zim, no one had many clothes, no one cared. "The girls scared me a bit. Everyone was more grown up than me. I was this innocent, stunted child who'd been brought up in the bush, a little kid. I tell you, 14-year-olds in England are not little kids. "I'd never worn make-up and suddenly everyone was in make-up. My eyes were like little saucers: 'Wow, this is bonkers!' It was very exciting though." Meanwhile, Chelsy has paid for classrooms to be set up near an emerald mine in Zambia whilst she is also building her accessories empire. Speaking about the social project, she said: "Well, yes, because Aya hasn't launched and I haven't sold any jewellery yet." Boutique Cornish holiday specialists Milly & Martha share with Female First why the south-westerly county is perfect for a couple's escape, filled with romantic spots, foodie delights and secret coves Relationships on Female First 1) Secret Coves for Secluded Swims- Cornwall boasts a huge variety of secret and secluded coves that even in the height of the summer holidays feel like your own private paradise. Often requiring insider knowledge and a scramble down the cliffs, these make the perfect spots for a romantic picnic or secluded swim, or simply the ideal place to watch the sun set. Head to Pedn Vounder on the south coast, a low tide haven with its own white sand lagoon and turquoise waters, accessed via beautiful wildflower-strewn cliff paths. Eagle eyes can often spot basking sharks and dolphins in the waters. 2) A Foodie Paradise- Not only is Cornwall the home of several of the UK's greatest chefs, such as Nathan Outlaw and Rick Stein, there are several up and coming outstanding small restaurants perfect for a special night out. We can highly recommend The Wheelhouse Crab & Oyster shack in Falmouth, a small, intimate restaurant with outstanding seafood. 3) Sunsets and Cocktails- Not just the preserve of the Caribbean, you can't beat cocktails at sunset in Kernow. We love the Porthmeor Cafe in St Ives, where you can watch the sun set over the wild Atlantic ocean bliss. 4) Wild Swimming - It's not all about the sea down in coastal Cornwall- there are plenty of opportunities for adventurous couples to take a dip in some wild waters, too. Jump in the peaceful and serene waters of Cowlands Creek, just off the River Fal, before cosying up under a blanket next to the campfire on Roundwood Quay. The perfect way to warm up (and excuse to get a little closer). 5) The Minack Theatre- Visit the most romantic outdoor theatre in the UK- The Minack Theatre- perched up on the cliffs looking over the white sands of Porthcurno on the county's south-westerly coastline. With Shakespeare's much-loved romance comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream playing this summer, it's the perfect spot for couples in search of a dose of culture in truly unique surroundings- as well as boasting spoiling views out to sea as far as the eye can see. 6) Walks Galore - Cornwall's spectacular coastline offers endless walking opportunities for couples seeking a romantic stroll or more challenging hike; with guaranteed beautiful surroundings no matter where you choose to venture. We recommend walking the coast path from St Ives to Zennor, taking in smuggler's caves, sandy coves and incredible views, finishing off with a well-earned drink at the Gurnard's Head pub. 7) Romantic Rail Travel- Fancy a taste of the age-old romance of rail travel? Take a sleeper train from London to Penzance, offering you a cosy cabin for two in which to close your eyes against the bright lights of London and wake up to the bright coastal sights of Penzance. 8) Charming Couples Cottages- Cornwall has a huge variety of fantastic cottages-for-two that provide the ultimate romantic hideaway for those keen for a little R&R. Steer away from the busy hotels of the coast and opt for your own private boutique bolthole; the ideal base from which to explore the county, or simply relax in, just the two of you, and leave your stresses behind. 9) Proposal Hotspots- The county is renowned for its picturesque scenery, making for the perfect memorable spot at which to pop the question should you be looking to tie the knot. From the misty moor of Trencrom to under-the-radar private beaches of Kenneggy Sands, there are atmospheric proposal spots to suit all types. 10) Coastal Adventures for Two- As the old saying goes, couples who go on adventures together, stay together (or something like that). Cornwall has a fantastic variety of coastal activities on offer for couples, from coasteering and surfing to stand-up paddle boarding. We recommend taking your own private tour of the coast on a stand up paddle board with SUP in a Bag- the perfect way for adventurous types to explore the coast together. Where to stay: Station Cottage , Hayle, Cornwall Sleeping just two, Station Cottage is the ideal escape for couples looking to explore West Cornwall's rugged coastline; boasting a prime position in the heart of Hayle and just a short stroll away from the estuary's sparkling waters. Small but perfectly formed, the cottage houses a living/dining area, compact kitchen and spacious bedroom (with plenty of room for a cot if needed), as well as a small courtyard outside for sundowners or breakfast al fresco. Hayle's three miles of golden sands are just a short stroll away, with plenty of restaurants and pubs reachable on foot, too. Dinner at Antoninis and an ice cream at the famous Mr B's are a must. To book, visit www.millyandmartha.com or call 07703 859 106. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip begin a two-day visit to Northern Ireland on Monday (27.06.16). Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip The couple have a busy schedule for their trip with the Queen set for meetings with Secretary of State Theresa Villiers, First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness at Hillsborough Castle on Monday evening. The following day they will make their way to the Giant's Causeway to be given a guided tour and meet volunteers, before heading to Bushmills Village to unveil a statue of Robert Quigg - a soldier who fought at the Battle of the Somme and was awarded the Victoria Cross. They will wrap up their trip with a final stop off at Bellarena Railway Station to unveil a plaque to mark the official opening of the premises. Meanwhile, this isn't the first time the Queen has paid a visit to Northern Ireland as she's made 23 visits over the course of her reign, starting with her first stop over in July 1953. Her last trip took place in 2014 when she stayed for three days, during which she visited the 'Game of Thrones' set. And she made history in 2012, when she shook hands with former IRA member McGuinness for the first time. If your office job consists of sitting at a desk in front of a computer screen all day long, you need to realize that you may be harming your health. Fitness expert Leena Mogre says Sitting at your desk constantly puts immense pressure on your lower back and compresses the discs of your spinal cord. While we understand that there are deadlines to meet and projects to complete, do what you can to keep yourself fit. Here are quick workouts that you can do right at your workstation to help you out: For the neck and shoulders How to stretch: Lift your chin up to stare at the ceiling. Stretch your arms behind your back, with your palm faced outwards, elbows straight. Interlock your fingers. Hold this position for at least 15-20 seconds. E-commerce company Shopclues expects to register more than two fold jump in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) from its platform at $3 billion (about Rs 20,000 crore) by the end of current financial year."We are planning to close financial year 2016-17 at annualised GMV rate of $3 billion," Shopclues Chief Business Officer Radhika Ghai Aggarwal told PTI. E-commerce company Shopclues expects to register more than two fold jump in Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) from its platform at $3 billion (about Rs 20,000 crore) by the end of current financial year. "We are planning to close financial year 2016-17 at annualised GMV rate of $3 billion," Shopclues Chief Business Officer Radhika Ghai Aggarwal # Shopclues had registered GMV sales of $ 1.2 billion in 2015-16.The expectations stem from Shopclues 'additional push' to business from the fashion category which it has recently started."The company has already added 60,000 new sellers on its platform under fashion category and will take this number to 1,50,000 by the end of the year. In GMV and orders terms, we expect 100 per cent growth in fashion category by end of ongoing financial year," Aggarwal said.Shopclues recently roped in brands such as Wrangler, Puma, American Tourister, Lotto and Maxima along with 250 others to its platform."Shopclues is offering apparels at affordable prices like sarees starting at Rs 99, branded lehengas at Rs 249, set of 3 denims at Rs 799 and lotss more. It is already experiencing accelerated sales and is expecting a 100 per cent year-on-year growth from its fashion segment," Aggarwal said.Founded in 2011 in Silicon Valley by Sandeep Aggarwal, Shopclues claims to have 50 million listed products and over 4 lakh merchants on its platform. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Taking forward the Prime minister's 'Skill-India' initiative in Odisha's Bargarh handloom cluster, Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar disbursed loans of more than Rs 10 lakh to handloom weavers and inaugurated a 45-day long skill upgradation training programme for Scheduled Caste handloom weavers in the Sohlela Block.At an impressive function in Birjam village on Friday, the Minister also gave away the certificates to pass outs of the first Handloom Entrepreneur training course and visited an exhibition of exquisite Ikat handloom products made by awardees and producers registered under the India Handloom Brand, according to a Textiles Ministry press release. Taking forward the Prime minister's 'Skill-India' initiative in Odisha's Bargarh handloom cluster, Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar disbursed loans of more than Rs 10 lakh to handloom weavers and inaugurated a 45-day long skill upgradation training programme for Scheduled Caste handloom weavers in the Sohlela Block. At an impressive function # The loan sanction letters to handloom weavers were handed by the Minister under the Pradhan Mantri Weaver MUDRA Scheme. Rajendra Meher, an Ikat product manufacturer registered with the India Handloom Brand was awarded a loan sanction letter of Rs. 10 lakh from IDBI bank, while 13 more weavers who had earlier passed the Handloom Entrepreneur course were given loan sanction letters ranging from Rs. 5 lakh to 10 lakh.Bargarh MLA Pradip Purohit and Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Alok Kumar were among others those present on the occasion. During the skill upgradation and training programme, the weavers would get a daily stipend or wage compensation of Rs 210, the release said.Gangwar said that the Central Government is implementing several new initiatives aimed at raising the daily average income of handloom weavers to Rs. 500 and that the Government was committed to giving special priority to scheduled caste weavers.More than 90 per cent of the 600 weavers who will stand to benefit by the block-level cluster project in Sohela, belong to the SC category, the release said.The Ministry of Textiles has requested state governments to send projects of blocks that have high concentration of SC weavers, on priority.Bargarh is a large cluster of handloom weaving and is famous for tie and dye Ikat weaves. It has produced a large number of national awardees.Block level cluster project is a new approach adopted by the Government for comprehensive development of handloom weavers. Under it, a project can avail assistance up to Rs two crore for activities such as skill upgradation, loom upgradation, work sheds, professional assistance from a designer, common facility centre, dye house and a raw material depot. In the last one year, the government has sanctioned 228 projects 19 of which are in Odisha. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Union minister of labour and employment Bandaru Dattatreya has asked Telangana government to submit new proposals for further developing the textile industry in the state. The Centre has earmarked Rs 6,000 crore as a special package for textile and garment sector to take it on par with Bangladesh and Vietnam, creating textile parks in the country, helping in creation of infrastructure in textile sector, promoting fashion technology so as to give fillip to the production especially in small-scale industries, Dattatreya said at a press conference in Hyderabad. The approval for a special package for employment generation and promotion of exports in textile and apparel sector will be for the generation of one crore jobs in this industry over next three years and, of this, 75 per cent would be women, the minister added. Union minister of labour and employment Bandaru Dattatreya has asked Telangana government to submit new proposals for further developing the textile industry in the state. The Centre has earmarked Rs 6,000 crore as a special package for textile and garment sector to take it on par with Bangladesh and Vietnam, creating textile parks in the country, # The slew of measures included in the special package would create new jobs, and help in social transformation through women empowerment, he said. He said the Telangana state government can send proposals to the Centre to take advantage of the special package. The government can make plans for new initiatives in places like Warangal, Gadwal, Narayanpet and Pochampalli, which are already home to textile and handloom manufacturing units. The guidelines issued by the Central government would be discussed with Telangana textiles minister, he said. Explaining the Employees Provident Fund Scheme Reforms initiated by the Union government, the minister said the entire 12 per cent of the employers contribution would be borne by the Centre under the EPF for new employees of garment industry for first three years, who are earning less than Rs 15,000 per month. According to him, there will be no inoperative EPF accounts in the coming days and with the usage of latest technology, every PF account will be linked to UAN number and Aadhaar. (RKS) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India The Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA) has appealed to Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar to include made-ups/home textiles segments also under the special package for textiles and garments sector announced on June 22.In a letter to the Minister, SIMA Chairman M.Senthilkumar said that the industry has been demanding the Government to adopt cut & sew policy while extending any benefit for the garment and made-ups/home textiles segments. The Southern India Mills' Association (SIMA) has appealed to Textiles Minister Santosh Gangwar to include made-ups/home textiles segments also under the special package for textiles and garments sector announced on June 22. In a letter to the Minister, SIMA Chairman M.Senthilkumar said that the industry has been demanding the Government to adopt # Senthilkumar said that the made ups/home textiles segment produces very high end products and the value addition and job creation in the made-ups/home textile segments are much higher than in the garment sector.He also appealed for additional TUF subsidy for weaving and processing segments.In order to meet the high quality of fabric requirements of the garmenting/made-ups segments, it is essential to create high-tech weaving and processing production capacities which are the weakest links in the textiles chain, Senthilkumar said.The SIMA chairman sought an increase in capital subsidy under ATUFS from 10 per cent to 25 per cent for weaving and processing segments at par with the garmenting segment. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India When the first half of 2016 nearly comes to an end, Malayalam film industry has another reason to cheer about. Well, it is about the quality of songs. Malayalam films released in the first half of 2016 did give due importance to songs and that has resulted in some good quality songs. Here, we list some of the best Malayalam songs from the films released this year so far. Go through the slides to know more about the songs.. Idukki.. (Maheshinte Prathikaram) This song from the film Maheshinte Prathikaram carried the entire beauty of Idukki along with it. Sung beautifully by Bijibal, the song had its lyrics by Rafeeq Ahmed. The song was set to tune by Bijibal himself. The song went on to become a big hit. Puzhu Pulikal.. (Kammatipaadam) This might seem to be an unconventional song, but this song from Kammatipaadam was a hard-hitting one. Puzhu Pulikal.. written by Anwar Ali was set to tune by Vinayakan. Sung by Sunil Mathai and Savio Laz did have the essence of the entire film. Pookkal Panineer Pookkal.. (Action Hero Biju) It was after a gap that we got to hear Yesudas and Vani Jayaram singing together for a film song. More importantly, this song also marked the comeback of veteran music director Jerry Amaldev. There was a soothing feel for the song, which has been written by Santhosh Varma. Thiruvavani Ravu.. (Jacobinte Swargarajyam) Well this song from Jacobinte Swargarajyam would definitely be heard in most of the Onam celebration events of this year. The song sung by Unni Menon, Sithara Krishnakumar and Meera Sharma has been set to tune by Shaan Rahman. The lyrics is by Manu Manjith. Vaathe Puthe.. (Valliyum Thetti Pulliyum Thetti) This year saw the rise of a very talented musician in the form of Sooraj S Kurup. The young music director came up with some excellent tunes for Valliyum Thetti Pulliyum Thetti. The song Vaathe Puthe.. sung by music director himself and Vidhu Prathap went on to become a big hit. Unlike the previous years, this year so far has been a good one for the music industry also. The good reception that the above songs received stand as a testimony to that. Moreover, it could be seen that Malayalam cinema is going back to the melodies and songs with regional flavour. Songs like Idukki.. from Maheshinte Prathikaram and Pookkal.. from Action Hero Biju were well-received. Apart from the above mentioned songs, songs from Kali and James and Alice also got much noticed. Both the films had music by Gopi Sunder. The first half also witnessed some impressive debuts of young music directors. Sooaaj S Kurup, who debuted with the film Valliyum Thetti Pulliyum Thetti made a sensational entry to the industry. Sankar Sharma, who composed for Darwinte Parinamam also went on to win praises for the songs. Kasaba Kasaba is all set to be the biggest release of Mammootty so far. The teaser of the film has already created huge amount of buzz and the expectations are sky high. The film would hit the theatres on July 7, 2016 Puli Murugan Puli Murugan has kept the fans waiting for quite a long time. Much to the happiness for all Malayalam movie lovers, the film is all set to hit the theatres on August 15, 2016. Oozham The dream combo of Prithviraj and Jeethu Joseph reunite for this movie which is said to be a revenge thriller. The shooting of the film has been completed and the film is expected to hit the theatres during Onam season. Oppam Oppam marks the comeback of Priyadarshan and Mohanlal team after a short break. More importantly, Priyadarshan has opted to do a crime thriller this time, which has definitely raised the expectations of viewers. The film would hit the theatres during Onam season. Dulquer Salmaan Amal Neerad movie This yet to be titled film has been in the limelight right from the day of the announcement of the project. The location stills of the film further increased the expectations. The shooting of the film is progressing and the movie is said to be a family entertainer. Nivin Pauly-Sidhartha Siva Movie Nivin Pauly would once again be seen as a college student in the upcoming film being directed by Sidhartha Siva. The actor would play the role of a communist leader in this film. Nivin Pauly has once again sported a thick beard and his fans are definitely waiting him to see onscreen once again. Pinneyum Adoor Gopalakrishnan has joined hands with Dileep and Kavya Madhavan for his upcoming film Pinneyum. The shooting of the film has been completed, but the release date of the film has not been announced yet. Pranayopanishath Mohanlal would soon join the sets of Jibu Jacob's upcoming film which has been tentatively titled as Pranayopanishath. The film is expected to hit the theatres later this year. IDI Jayasurya would be seen in the role of mass police officer in IDI directed by Sajid Yahiya. The film is high on expectations. IDI is expected to hit the theatres in the month of August. Kochavva Paulo Ayyapa Coelho Well, this film would mark the comeback of the much renowned Udaya banner. The film directed by Sidhartha Siva would have Kunchacko Boban in the lead role.The film is expected to hit the theatres during Onam season. Amidst the election-related controversies, Malayalam actors had a grand get-together, at the AMMA general body meeting 2016. The annual general body meeting was held in Kochi, on Sunday (June 26th). Most of the prominent Malayalam actors, including Mammootty, Mohanlal, Innocent, Nedumudi Venu, etc. attended the meet. Salim Kumar and Jagadish, who are not in good terms with the committee, skipped the annual meet. Here we present a special photo album of the event.... Have a look..... Innocent, the President, revealed that the association hasn't received the resignation letter from Salim Kumar. Reportedly, Salim skipped the function, as he is on bed rest post a surgery. Jagadish decided to skip the event, due to his fallout with KB Ganesh Kumar. The new committee took over the charge in 2015 annual meet. Innocent continues as the president of the association, while Mammootty replaced Mohanlal as the General Secretary. Mohanlal and Ganesh Kumar are now the Vice-Presidents. Dileep has been continuing as the Treasurer. Mammootty, who was staying away from the Executive Committee, made a comeback after a long gap of 12 years. Prithviraj, who is a committee member, also skipped the event. Nivin Pauly, Dulquer Salmaan, Indrajith, Jayasurya, Kunchacko Boban, Anoop Menon, Kavya Madhavan, Gopika, Aju Varghese, etc. are the other prominent actors who attended the function. The pictures of the event have been going viral in social media. Image Courtesy: Manorama Online/Onlookersmedia/Metromatinee/Nowrunning Suraj Venjaramoodu In Action Hero Biju Well, this performance definitely would feature among the best performances of this year so far. Suraj Venjaramoodu gave a terrific performance in just 10 minutes that he had to perform on the screen. Vinayakan In Kammatipaadam Kammatipaadam had many brilliant performances in it. Each and every character performed exceptionally well suiting the needs of the film. Vinayakan as Ganga was a revelation and the actor him in got a meaty role and thus delivering his best. Manikandan Achari In Kammatipaadam Nobody would forget the character Balan Chettan of Kammatipaadam. Manikandan Achari who is a newcomer got into the skin of the character and gave a stunning performance as Balan Chettan. His style, mannerisms and dialogue delivery were all very well-accepted. Aparna Balamurali In Maheshinte Prathikaram Aparna Balamurali became the hearth-throb of many with her performance as Jimcy in Maheshinte Prathikaram. It wasn't a tough role, but still she made the character look real with her effortless performance and she definitely deserves to be in this list. Jagadish In Leela Ranjith had the guts to cast Jagadish in a very different role. The character with a negative shade was brilliantly portrayed by the actor and thus proving that he is one such actor who could handle any role with ease. Vijayaraghavan In Leela When we thought the brilliant actor is doing same kind of roles continuously, there came Ranjith with Leela, giving the actor one of the most important roles in the film. The role of innocent character named Pillechan was excellently done by the actor adding some unique mannerisms to the character. Alencier Ley In Maheshinte Prathikaram It was the role of Baby in Maheshinte Prathikaram that gave this actor the much needed mileage. Alencier Ley proved that he could handle comedy also with ease and this film definitely shot him to fame. Asha Sarath In Pavada Full marks to the actress for taking up the character of an aged woman. The actress did fine job and looked cent percent convincing in her role. The wedding of Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actress Divyanka Tripathi and Vivek Dahiya is just around the corner. Both the actors are busy shooting their shows, Yeh Hai Mohabbatein and Kavach and have very little time for shopping. But, recently, the bride-to-be Divyanka was seen shopping. Apparently, the actress visited KALKI Fashion on Thursday (June 23) evening, to pick up her wedding outfit. Divyanka met designer Nilesh (NJ) at the store and gave him a brief of what she is looking for. Check Out The Pictures Of Divyanka Shopping For Her Bridal Outfit The actress presented her idea before the designer. She went through an endless trial session before picking up the final outfit. Yeh Hai Mohabbatein actress was quoted by the leading daily as saying, "I was excited but was also nervous whether I will get something that suits my taste, but I am so happy. I have come to the bridal section and everything is so beautiful." The actress has decided to keep her final outfit a surprise for her fans. Divyanka's fan club on social media had uploaded the video in which she was seen on a shopping spree. Going by the pictures (snapshots from the video), every dress that Divyanka tried on, looked beautiful, especially the orange coloured dress. Hit the comment box to share your views... Recently, Divyanka and Vivek's wedding invitation got leaked. The couple was upset as the wedding invite which was personal, is doing the rounds on internet. As we reported earlier, the Tilak and Sangeet ceremony will be held on 7th July, the wedding and reception will take place in Bhopal on July 8th. Stay locked to this space for the latest updates on the most awaited wedding of the year. The makers of Colors popular show Swaragini, have kept the audiences engaged with back-to-back twists. In the upcoming episode, Swara (Helly Shah) gets her memory back after Sahil (Anuj Sachdeva) threatens Sanskar (Varun Kapoor). But this track will have a major twist. We all know that Sahil is head over heels in love with Swara, who is unaware of it. But according to the latest spoiler, Sahil will be seen proposing Swara, which will leave her in a dilemma! Check Out The Spoilers With Pictures Sanskar had changed his avatar (to rockstar Kissan) and has been trying to revive Swara's memory. No one knows this, except Lakshya. Unfortunately, Sahil gets to see Sanskar in Kissan's avatar and tries to expose him. Sahil creates a scene wherein Kissan gets caught and his real avatar comes out. He creates Sanskar's death scene; he sends a threatening message from Swara's mobile to Sanskar. He keeps Sanskar's watch and Swara's scarf near the dead body as evidences. The police arrive at the Maheshwari house to arrest Swara. Ragini and others at the Maheshwari house try to convince the police that Swara is not a murderer, but in vain. Just when the police was to arrest Sanskar, Lakshya gets him, and Swara is saved from getting arrested. After Sahil's repeated failures to expose Kissan, he decides to expose Kissan in a big way! When Kissan is all set to perform with Swara in India's Got Talent, his wig falls off. Sahil would have tampered with Kissan's wig! Swara is angry at Sanskar's behaviour and slaps him in front of the judges! At a time when the demand for bilingual and dubbed versions of films is at an all-time high in Indian cinema, ace filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli of Baahubali: The Beginning fame, says it's only feasible to release those films in multiple languages which have a universal human connect. Rajamouli's southern magnum opus Baahubali: The Beginning, which was made on a whopping Rs 100 crore-plus budget, released across the world in different languages like Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi and minted over Rs 600 crore worldwide. Rajamouli says whether a film should be released as a bilingual project or not depends on the subject of a project. "Each and every film cannot be released in all the languages. If you get a subject which is predominantly based on human emotions, which are general to everyone irrespective of caste, creed, region, language or culture specific - if you know that your story is based on those human emotions and it connects to everyone - then it is eligible to release in all the languages," said Rajamouli. "In the case of Baahubali: The Beginning we believed it needs to be showcased to a wider audience," he added. The National Award winner and Padma Shri awardee says mediocre subjects cannot register huge footfalls at theatres. "Art is a very difficult business, and cinema is both art and business. You just cannot say that it is all art, and vice-versa. So that way, one has to give space for another and you should be sensible enough to think of both angles," said Rajamouli. "If you are putting money in a film, there should be some avenue from where you can get the money back. No one wants to make films to be bankrupt. When you start believing in a mediocre subject thinking that it is going to fetch more in various markets just by pumping in more money to it, then that's where the problem starts," he added. Now Baahubali: The Beginning, starring Prabhas and Rana Daggubati in the lead, is set to release next month in 6,500 screens across China -- which is increasingly becoming an important market for Indian movies. "There has been a lot of effort from the producer's side to release it as a mainstream film there (in China). This is not the first time, as a lot of (Indian) films have released there before. But all of them have received a very small number of screens," Rajamouli said. "PK broke that (image) as it got a wide release there. Baahubali: The Beginning is going to release in 6,500 screens. Our film is going to release all over China. It's bigger than its India release," Rajamouli said. He also appreciated how since the "Chinese are very aggressive in their marketing, they have grown exponentially (in terms of filmmaking) when they decided to put their eye on cinema 10 to 15 years ago". "I hope our film does well, not just for us, but for the string of Indian films to follow," he added. Regulatory News: Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement. UNITED COMPANY RUSAL PLC (Paris:RUSAL) (Paris:RUAL) (Incorporated under the laws of Jersey with limited liability) (Stock Code: 486) CHANGE OF DIRECTOR AND CHANGE TO THE COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE The Board of the Company is pleased to announce that Mr. Marco Musetti has been appointed as a non-executive Director with effect from 15 December 2016, and has also been appointed as a member of the Marketing Committee of the Company with effect from 15 December 2016. APPOINTMENT OF NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR The board (the "Board") of directors (the "Directors" and each a "Director") of United Company RUSAL Plc (the "Company") announces that SUAL Partners Limited, a substantial shareholder of the Company, proposed Mr. Marco Musetti ("Mr. Musetti") to be considered for nomination or recommendation as a non-executive Director pursuant to article 23.4 of the articles of association of the Company (the "Articles of Association"). The Board is pleased to announce that Mr. Musetti has, accordingly, been appointed as a non-executive Director of the Company with effect from 15 December 2016. Particulars of Mr. Musetti are set out below: Mr. Musetti, aged 47, has been a Senior Officer at Renova Management AG, an investment management company based in Zurich, Switzerland since 2007. He currently serves as Managing Director Investments of Renova Management AG. Mr. Musetti has also been serving as a member of the board of directors of Sulzer AG since 2011 and on the board of directors of Schmolz Bickenbach AG since 2013. Mr Musetti was a member of the board of directors of CIFC Corp. from January 2014 to November 2016. Mr. Musetti was COO and deputy CEO of Aluminium Silicon marketing (Sual Group) from 2000 to 2007, Head of Metals and Structured Finance Desk for Banque Cantonale Vaudoise from 1998 to 2000, and Deputy Head of Metals Desk for Banque Bruxelles Lambert from 1992 to 1998. Mr. Musetti holds a Master of Science in Accounting and Finance from London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom, and a Major degree in Economics from University of Lausanne, Switzerland. Mr. Musetti will sign an appointment letter with the Company as a non-executive Director with effect from 15 December 2016. The length of service of Mr. Musetti as a non-executive Director will be determined in accordance with the Articles of Association. Mr. Musetti's appointment may be terminated by Mr. Musetti giving the Company one month's notice of termination and/or otherwise in accordance with the Articles of Association. As a non-executive Director, Mr. Musetti will be entitled to a fixed director's fee of 120,000 per annum, which is determined by the Board with reference to the performance of the Company, his duties and responsibilities and the prevailing market conditions. Mr. Musetti will also be entitled to 10,000 per annum as a member of each Board committee to which he may be appointed. As at the date of this announcement, Mr. Musetti was not interested or deemed to be interested in any shares or underlying shares of the Company or its associated corporations within the meaning of Part XV of the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Chapter 571 of the Laws of Hong Kong). Save as disclosed above, as at the date of this announcement, Mr. Musetti is independent from and not related to any other Directors, senior management, substantial shareholders or controlling shareholders of the Company. Save as disclosed above, Mr. Musetti has not held any directorship in any publicly listed companies in the last three years or any other position with the Company or its subsidiaries. Save as disclosed above, there are no other matters relating to the appointment of Mr. Musetti that need to be brought to the attention of the shareholders of the Company and there is no other information which is required to be disclosed pursuant to Rules 13.51(2)(h) to 13.51(2)(v) of the Rules Governing the Listing of Securities on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. The Board would like to welcome Mr. Musetti as a non-executive Director. CHANGE TO THE COMPOSITION OF COMMITTEE The Company announces that Mr. Marco Musetti, a non-executive Director, was appointed as a member of the Marketing Committee of the Company with effect from 15 December 2016. By Order of the Board of Directors of United Company RUSAL Plc Aby Wong Po Ying Company Secretary 16 December 2016 As at the date of this announcement, the executive Directors are Mr. Oleg Deripaska, Mr. Vladislav Soloviev and Mr. Siegfried Wolf, the non-executive Directors are Mr. Maxim Sokov, Mr. Dmitry Afanasiev, Mr. Ivan Glasenberg, Mr. Maksim Goldman, Ms. Gulzhan Moldazhanova, Mr. Daniel Lesin Wolfe, Ms. Olga Mashkovskaya, Ms. Ekaterina Nikitina and Mr. Marco Musetti, and the independent non-executive Directors are Mr. Matthias Warnig (Chairman), Mr. Philip Lader, Dr. Elsie Leung Oi-sie, Mr. Mark Garber, Mr. Dmitry Vasiliev and Mr. Bernard Zonneveld. All announcements and press releases published by the Company are available on its website under the links http://www.rusal.ru/en/investors/info.aspxhttp://rusal.ru/investors/info/moex/ and http://www.rusal.ru/en/press-center/press-releases.aspx, respectively. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20161215005858/en/ Contacts: United Company RUSAL Plc Vilnius, Lithuania, 2016-06-27 07:58 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The resolutions of the General Shareholders Meeting of INVL Technology, AB that was held on 27 June 2016:1. Amendment of the Articles of Association of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology and approval of a new wording of the Articles of Association.To amend the Articles of Association of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology approved by a resolution of the general meeting of shareholders of AB INVL Technology held on 29 April 2016 and to approve a new wording of the Articles of Association of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology, by replacing the text of the Articles of Association in full (enclosed).To authorise Kazimieras Tonkunas (with the right to re-delegate the authority) to sign the Articles of Association of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology.2. Amendment of the Management Agreement of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology with the management company UAB INVL Asset Management and approval of a new wording of the Management Agreement.To amend the Management Agreement approved by a resolution of the general meeting of shareholders of AB INVL Technology held on 29 April 2016 with the management company UAB INVL Asset Management (legal entity code 126263073, address of the registered office: Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania) and to approve a new wording of the Management Agreement of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology with the management company UAB INVL Asset Management, by replacing the text of the Management Agreement in full (enclosed).3. Approval of the rules for formation and activities of the audit committee of a special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology, election of members of the audit committee and setting remuneration for the independent member of the audit committee.To approve the rules for formation and activities of the audit committee of a special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology (enclosed).To elect Danute Kadanaite and Tomas Bubinas (independent member of the audit committee) as members of the audit committee of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology.To set remuneration for the independent member of the audit committee for his work in the audit committee at the hourly rate not higher than EUR 145. To instruct the management company UAB INVL Asset Management (legal entity code 126263073, address of the registered office: Gyneju str. 14, Vilnius, Republic of Lithuania) to determine the procedure of payment of the remuneration to the independent member of the audit committee after the issuance of the license for the closed-end type investment company.Enclosed:1. Approved draft Articles of Association of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology;2. Approved draft Management Agreement of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology with the management company UAB INVL Asset Management;3. Rules for formation and activities of the audit committee of special closed-end type private capital investment company INVL Technology.The person authorized to provide additional information: Kazimieras Tonkunas Authorised person acting pursuant to the power of attorney, dated 13 May 2016 E-mail: k.tonkunas@invltechnology.ltAttachment:https://cns.omxgroup.com/cds/DisclosureAttachmentServlet?messageAttachmentId=576693 Review of strategic priorities and financial objectives in the context of evolving market dynamics Maximizing cash-flow of our core businesses Return to broad top-line stability in FY 2017-18 1 Maintain EBITDA margin above 75% Capital expenditure reduced by 80m on average to 420m pa Reduced cost of debt Discretionary free cash flow 2 CAGR>10% from FY 2015-16 to FY 2018-19 Stable to progressive dividend Returning to growth by building on our core Video business and capturing longer term potential in Connectivity Regulatory News: In a context of slowing industry-wide momentum, Eutelsat Communications (Paris:ETL) (ISIN: FR0010221234 Euronext Paris: ETL) is announcing a review of its strategic priorities and financial objectives. Rodolphe Belmer, Chief Executive Officer commented: "It has become clear in recent months that the traditional businesses within the Fixed Satellite Services sector are facing a context of slowing industry-wide momentum. To face this lower growth environment, we are implementing an adaptation of our strategic priorities and financial objectives. Our immediate priority will be to maximize the free-cash-flow generation of our core businesses. We are confident in our ability to generate a level of discretionary free cash flow in the next three years, which will enable us to serve a stable to progressive dividend and reduce leverage, in line with our commitment to our investment grade rating. We will continue to invest selectively to prepare for a return to growth by building on our core Video business and capturing the longer term opportunities in Connectivity. Our objective is to return to broad top line stability as early as FY 2017-18." ADAPTING STRATEGY TO EVOLVING MARKET DYNAMICS In recent months it has become clear that the traditional businesses within the Fixed Satellite Services sector are facing slowing industry-wide momentum, reflecting broadly stable demand in developed markets (Europe), and economic headwinds in economies such as Russia and Latin America, only partly offset by more robust demand in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle-East and North Africa and Asia. Competition continues to intensify in the Data Services segment, where we anticipate ongoing downward pricing pressure. Against this backdrop, Eutelsat has undertaken a review of its strategic priorities and financial objectives, leading to the adoption of a two-step strategy, based around the following priorities: Step one: Immediately implement measures to maximize free-cash-flow generation of our core businesses (Video, Data and Government Services); Immediately implement measures to maximize free-cash-flow generation of our core businesses (Video, Data and Government Services); Step two: At the same time prepare for a return to growth by building on our core Video business and capturing the longer-term potential in Connectivity. STEP ONE: maximize free-cash-flow generation of our core businesses Eutelsat's focus in the immediate term will be to maximize the free cash flow generation of its existing businesses in order to secure ongoing deleveraging in line with its commitment to its Investment Grade rating, deliver stable to progressive dividend to shareholders and finance targeted investments to pave the way for a return to growth. CAPEX Reduction Capex savings will be achieved without impacting the current deployment plan and attendant future revenues. Savings will be driven by the implementation of a 'design to cost' approach, a focus on hosted payload and partnership or "condosats" opportunities when appropriate, as well as capitalization on industry-wide efficiency improvements. Ground capex will be placed under strict control. In consequence, estimated average annual cash capex for the period July 2016 to June 2019 will be reduced to 420 million (versus an average of 500 million previously for the period July 2015 to June 2018). Cost of debt optimization The 500 million bond issue at a 1.125% coupon in June 2016 to refinance, along with cash in the balance sheet, the 850 million March 2017 bond, will lead to savings of c.30 million per annum. Elsewhere, a swap-lock has been negotiated in anticipation of the January 2019 800 million bond maturity, while the Eutelsat Communications term loan has been extended for 12 months to 2021. Cumulated annual savings from January 2019 are anticipated in the region of 50million. OPEX containment Operating cost containment measures are under consideration, notably procurement and SG&A expenses, with a view to underpinning our EBITDA margin above a level of 75%. Optimize asset portfolio Eutelsat will continue to consider opportunities to streamline its portfolio of assets, following on from the divestment of Alterna'TV in April 2016. At the same time it will seek partnerships for some of its broadband projects, such as ViaSat in Europe and Inframed in Africa. Streamlining the organization Eutelsat's organization is being realigned along the following five business lines: Core businesses (Video, Data and Government services) and Connectivity (Fixed Broadband and Mobile Connectivity). Measures will be implemented to further strengthen the quality of the salesforce, while the metrics on which key personnel are measured will be aligned to our cash flow generation targets. Within this framework, Eutelsat is adapting the strategies within its three core businesses (Video, Data and Government services) in order to optimize revenues based on its assumptions for their current and future operating contexts. Video Demand in the Video segment should rise modestly over the next five years. It should see continued growth in emerging markets, in particular MENA and Sub-Saharan Africa where Eutelsat has a strong footprint, notably driven by increasing channel count. The trend in Europe is expected to be broadly stable with HD and Ultra HD ramp-up broadly offsetting improving encoding and compression techniques. Against this backdrop, Eutelsat's strategy in developed markets will be to optimize value, notably by increasing direct access to customers by integrating or reorganizing indirect distribution, stimulating HD and Ultra HD take-up and implementing more segmented pricing strategies. At the same time Eutelsat will continue to capture growth in emerging markets, benefiting from recent investments at the 7/8West and 36East positions, and investing selectively notably at 7East. Data Services Global demand in volume for Data Services will continue to grow, driven by increasing connectivity needs. However, this segment will remain structurally challenged, with the arrival of new technologies, particularly large HTS systems compounding an already oversupplied market and leading to increasing pricing pressure. Certain verticals, notably point-to multipoint applications, which currently represent more than half of Eutelsat's Data Services revenues, should be more resilient in the short- to medium-term. Eutelsat will partly offset the impact of lower pricing with a series of measures including prioritizing the ramp-up of existing capacity by adapting its pricing strategies where appropriate, focusing on less competitive geographies, complex networks and less price-sensitive customers, pursuing opportunities in verticals where satellite has untapped potential and leveraging on a differentiated offer (EUTELSAT QUANTUM). Government Services Demand by the US Government appears to be stabilizing, albeit at prices well below the previous cycle. Eutelsat will seek to develop new sub-segments. The arrival of EUTELSAT QUANTUM in 2019 will enable us to develop a differentiated value proposition. More generally, Government Services, like Data, will be impacted by the arrival of HTS, although it is expected to be slower to migrate. On the other hand development opportunities exist in regions such as Europe, Asia and MENA, as well as in non-military verticals. These measures will underpin our objective of broadly stable revenues in FY 2017-18 and a return to modest growth in FY 2018-19. STEP TWO: Returning to growth by building on our core Video business and capturing the longer-term potential in Connectivity Eutelsat will return to growth with two horizons: in the medium term (from FY 2018-19 onwards) by building on our core Video business to accelerate growth, and in the longer term by preparing to capture the opportunity in Fixed Broadband and Mobile Connectivity (from FY 2020-21 onwards). Video Video by satellite will continue to grow and our expectation is that in the longer term, video distribution will be globally mostly split between satellite and IPTV. Additional sources of demand will be created as broadcasters increase the level of outsourced services. In this context, deeper integration within the IP ecosystem and harnessing existing IP-based technologies will enable satellites to enhance the end-viewer experience, further increasing customer adhesion and generating opportunities to sell additional services for broadcasters, Pay-TV operators and advertisers. Fixed Broadband The potential of Fixed Broadband by satellite is significant, underpinned by poor infrastructure in emerging markets and in certain developed markets, and the cost-competitiveness of satellite versus terrestrial technologies in low-density areas. The challenge for the satellite industry will be to deliver a fiber-like service both in terms of quality and price. This will be achieved with the advent of VHTS (Very High Throughput) satellites at the beginning of the next decade. In the meantime, Eutelsat will pave the way for mass-market adoption, by rolling-out different commercial models on its existing and committed capacity (KA-SAT and the Russian and African broadband projects), and working with industrial partners to reduce cost of terminals, in order to determine an appropriate level of investment from 2018 onwards. Mobile Connectivity In the next 10 years, Mobility has the potential to evolve from a niche to a mass-market, driven by an increasing number of connected devices, the take-up of more bandwidth-hungry usages leading to exponential rise in data consumption per user and the extension in the longer term of mobility from aero and maritime to land and connected cars. Eutelsat will adopt a step-by-step approach, leveraging its existing strong positions at 172 East and 10 East, and developing aero mobility on KA-SAT. We will focus on securing the prerequisites for mass-market distribution, notably via selective investments to ensure we have the appropriate capacity and seeking partnership deals with all stakeholders. FINANCIAL OUTLOOK Based on a continuation of trends observed in the Third Quarter, notably a deteriorated economic context in several emerging markets, in particular Latin America, where much of the recently launched capacity has been targeted and intensifying competitive pressure for Data Applications in all geographies, we confirm that Full Year 2015-16 Revenues3 will be flat, with an EBITDA margin around 76%. Full Year 2016-17 will remain impacted by these headwinds, and will also reflect the impact of lower renewals in Government Services as well as a 25-30 million decline in revenues at the HOT BIRD position, notably due to the proactive rationalization by Eutelsat of contractual arrangements with several distributors. In consequence, revenues are expected in the region of -3% to -1%, with an EBITDA margin above 75%. In FY 2017-18, while data revenues will be under pressure, this should be offset by modest growth in Video and growth in Broadband and Mobility on the back of the capacity on EUTELSAT 36C, Amos 6 (Broadband for Africa) and EUTELSAT 172B. Our objective therefore is to return to broadly stable revenues, with an EBITDA margin above 75%. In FY 2018-19, we expect to deliver modest growth, also with an EBITDA margin above 75%. Capital expenditure will be reduced from an average of 500 million per annum for the period July 2015 to June 2018 to an average of 420 million4 per annum for the period July 2016 to June 2019. Discretionary Free Cash Flow5 is expected to see CAGR in excess of 10% over the same three year period. On this basis, we remain committed to reducing our net debt to below 3.3X EBITDA and to our investment grade rating. At the same time, we will adopt a stable to progressive dividend policy (versus a payout ratio in the range of 65-75% of net income). Details for conference call Eutelsat Communications will hold a presentation of this strategic update on Monday, 27 June 2016 at its headquarters, 70, rue Balard, 75015 Paris, starting at 9:00 CET. To connect to the conference call, please use the following numbers: France: +33(0)1 76 77 22 26 UK: +44(0)20 3427 1909 Access code: 1874699# A live presentation will be also available by webcast via the following link: https://pgi.webcasts.com/starthere.jsp?ei=1108260 You can test your system via this link: https://event.webcasts.com/test Instant replay will be available from 27th June, 03:00pm CET to 28th July, midnight France: +33(0)1 74 20 28 00 UK: +44(0)20 3427 0598 Access code: 1874699# Financial calendar The financial calendar below is provided for information purposes only. It is subject to change and will be regularly updated. 29 July 2016: Full-Year 2015-16 results. About Eutelsat Communications: Established in 1977, Eutelsat Communications (Euronext Paris: ETL, ISIN code: FR0010221234) is one of the world's leading and most experienced operators of communications satellites. The company provides capacity on 39 satellites to clients that include broadcasters and broadcasting associations, pay-TV operators, video, data and Internet service providers, enterprises and government agencies. Eutelsat's satellites provide ubiquitous coverage of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and the Americas, enabling video, data, broadband and government communications to be established irrespective of a user's location. Headquartered in Paris, with offices and teleports around the globe, Eutelsat represents a workforce of 1,000 men and women from 37 countries who are experts in their fields and work with clients to deliver the highest quality of service. For more about Eutelsat please visit www.eutelsat.com ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Disclaimer The forward-looking statements included herein are for illustrative purposes only and are based on management's current views and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks. For illustrative purposes only, such risks include but are not limited to: postponement of any ground or in-orbit investments and launches including but not limited to delays of future launches of satellites; impact of financial crisis on customers and suppliers; trends in Fixed Satellite Services markets; development of Digital Terrestrial Television and High Definition television; development of satellite broadband services; Eutelsat Communications' ability to develop and market Value-Added Services and meet market demand; the effects of competing technologies developed and expected intense competition generally in its main markets; profitability of its expansion strategy; partial or total loss of a satellite at launch or in-orbit; supply conditions of satellites and launch systems; satellite or third-party launch failures affecting launch schedules of future satellites; litigation; ability to establish and maintain strategic relationships in its major businesses; and the effect of future acquisitions and investments. Eutelsat Communications expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any projections, forecasts or estimates contained in this presentation to reflect any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which any such statements are based, unless so required by applicable law. 1 At constant currency and perimeter and excluding non-recurring revenues. 2 Net cash-flow from operating activities Cash Capex Interest and Other fees paid net of interests received 3 At constant currency and perimeter and excluding non-recurring revenues. 4 This includes capital expenditures and payments under existing export credit facilities and under long-term lease agreements on third party capacity. 5 Net cash-flow from operating activities Cash Capex Interest and Other fees paid net of interests received View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160626005071/en/ Contacts: Eutelsat Communications Press Relations Vanessa O'Connor, 33 1 53 98 37 91 voconnor@eutelsat.com or Marie-Sophie Ecuer, 33 1 53 98 37 91 mecuer@eutelsat.com or Investor Relations or Joanna Darlington, 33 1 53 98 31 07 jdarlington@eutelsat.com or Cedric Pugni, 33 1 53 98 31 54 cpugni@eutelsat.com Opinion Based on Data from KEYNOTE-010, Which Showed Superior Overall Survival Compared to Chemotherapy in Previously-Treated Patients Whose Tumors Express PD-L1 Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), the company's anti-PD-1 therapy, for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in adults whose tumors express PD-L1 and who have received at least one prior chemotherapy regimen. The CHMP positive opinion for KEYTRUDA will now be reviewed by the European Commission for marketing authorization in the European Union (EU). "This news marks an important step in making KEYTRUDA available for appropriate patients suffering from locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer," said Dr. Roger Dansey, senior vice president and therapeutic area head, oncology late-stage development, Merck Research Laboratories. "We are grateful to patients and investigators around the world who participated in these studies and who are helping to advance this important new treatment." Data supporting the CHMP positive opinion were based on findings from two studies, KEYNOTE-010, a pivotal study assessing overall survival (OS) and KEYNOTE-001, which assessed overall response rates (ORR). The CHMP recommended approval of KEYTRUDA monotherapy at a dose of 2 mg/kg every three weeks, which is also the FDA-approved dose for metastatic NSCLC in the United States. Based on this recommendation, a final decision regarding the approval of KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) monotherapy is expected from the European Commission in the third-quarter of 2016. KEYNOTE-010 is an open-label, randomized phase 2/3 trial assessing OS with two doses of KEYTRUDA (2 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg every three weeks) compared to docetaxel (75 mg/m2 every three weeks), a standard of care chemotherapy, in patients with any level of PD-L1 expression (as defined by a tumor proportion score [TPS] of 1 percent or more). KEYNOTE-001 is a multicenter, open-label multi-cohort, activity-estimating study evaluating ORR of KEYTRUDA (2 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg every three weeks). About Lung Cancer Lung cancer, which forms in the tissues of the lungs, usually within cells lining the air passages, is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Each year, more people die of lung cancer than die of colon, breast, and prostate cancers combined. The two main types of lung cancer are non-small cell and small cell. NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for about 85 percent of all cases. The five-year relative survival rate for patients suffering from highly advanced, metastatic (Stage IV) lung cancers is estimated to be two percent. About KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Injection 100 mg KEYTRUDA is a humanized monoclonal antibody that works by increasing the ability of the body's immune system to help detect and fight tumor cells. KEYTRUDA blocks the interaction between PD-1 and its ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, thereby activating T lymphocytes which may affect both tumor cells and healthy cells. KEYTRUDA is indicated for the treatment of patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. In the United States, KEYTRUDA is also indicated for the treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose tumors express PD-L1 as determined by an FDA-approved test with disease progression on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy. Patients with EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations should have disease progression on FDA-approved therapy for these aberrations prior to receiving KEYTRUDA. This indication is approved under accelerated approval based on tumor response rate and durability of response. An improvement in survival or disease-related symptoms has not yet been established. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in the confirmatory trials. KEYTRUDA is administered at a dose of 2 mg/kg as an intravenous infusion over 30 minutes every three weeks for the approved indications. Selected Important Safety Information for KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) Immune-mediated pneumonitis occurred in 19 (3.5%) of 550 patients, including Grade 2 (1.1%), 3 (1.3%), 4 (0.4%), or 5 (0.2%) pneumonitis and occurred more frequently in patients with a history of asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (5.4%) or prior thoracic radiation (6.0%). Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of pneumonitis. Evaluate suspected pneumonitis with radiographic imaging. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater pneumonitis. Withhold KEYTRUDA for Grade 2; permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA for Grade 3 or 4 or recurrent Grade 2 pneumonitis. Immune-mediated colitis occurred in 4 (0.7%) of 550 patients, including Grade 2 (0.2%) or 3 (0.4%) colitis. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of colitis. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater colitis. Withhold KEYTRUDA for Grade 2 or 3; permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA for Grade 4 colitis. Immune-mediated hepatitis occurred in patients receiving KEYTRUDA. Monitor patients for changes in liver function. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater hepatitis and, based on severity of liver enzyme elevations, withhold or discontinue KEYTRUDA. Hypophysitis occurred in 1 (0.2%) of 550 patients, which was Grade 3 in severity. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of hypophysitis (including hypopituitarism and adrenal insufficiency). Administer corticosteroids and hormone replacement as clinically indicated. Withhold KEYTRUDA for Grade 2; withhold or discontinue for Grade 3 or 4 hypophysitis. Hyperthyroidism occurred in 10 (1.8%) of 550 patients, including Grade 2 (0.7%) or 3 (0.3%) hyperthyroidism. Hypothyroidism occurred in 38 (6.9%) of 550 patients, including Grade 2 (5.5%) or 3 (0.2%) hypothyroidism. Thyroid disorders can occur at any time during treatment. Monitor patients for changes in thyroid function (at the start of treatment, periodically during treatment, and as indicated based on clinical evaluation) and for clinical signs and symptoms of thyroid disorders. Administer replacement hormones for hypothyroidism and manage hyperthyroidism with thionamides and beta-blockers as appropriate. Withhold or discontinue KEYTRUDA for Grade 3 or 4 hyperthyroidism. Type 1 diabetes mellitus, including diabetic ketoacidosis, occurred in 3 (0.1%) of 2117 patients. Monitor patients for hyperglycemia or other signs and symptoms of diabetes. Administer insulin for type 1 diabetes, and withhold KEYTRUDA and administer anti-hyperglycemics in patients with severe hyperglycemia. Immune-mediated nephritis occurred in patients receiving KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab). Monitor patients for changes in renal function. Administer corticosteroids for Grade 2 or greater nephritis. Withhold KEYTRUDA for Grade 2; permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA for Grade 3 or 4 nephritis. Other clinically important immune-mediated adverse reactions can occur. For suspected immune-mediated adverse reactions, ensure adequate evaluation to confirm etiology or exclude other causes. Based on the severity of the adverse reaction, withhold KEYTRUDA and administer corticosteroids. Upon improvement to Grade 1 or less, initiate corticosteroid taper and continue to taper over at least 1 month. Based on limited data from clinical studies in patients whose immune-related adverse reactions could not be controlled with corticosteroid use, administration of other systemic immunosuppressants can be considered. Resume KEYTRUDA when the adverse reaction remains at Grade 1 or less following corticosteroid taper. Permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA for any Grade 3 immune-mediated adverse reaction that recurs and for any life-threatening immune-mediated adverse reaction. The following clinically significant, immune-mediated adverse reactions occurred in less than 1% of 550 patients: rash, vasculitis, hemolytic anemia, serum sickness, and myasthenia gravis. Severe and life-threatening infusion-related reactions have been reported in 3 (0.1%) of 2117 patients. Monitor patients for signs and symptoms of infusion-related reactions including rigors, chills, wheezing, pruritus, flushing, rash, hypotension, hypoxemia, and fever. For Grade 3 or 4 reactions, stop infusion and permanently discontinue KEYTRUDA. Based on its mechanism of action, KEYTRUDA can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman. If used during pregnancy, or if the patient becomes pregnant during treatment, apprise the patient of the potential hazard to a fetus. Advise females of reproductive potential to use highly effective contraception during treatment and for 4 months after the last dose of KEYTRUDA. KEYTRUDA was discontinued due to adverse reactions in 14% of 550 patients. Serious adverse reactions occurred in 38% of patients. The most frequent serious adverse reactions reported in at least 2% of patients were pleural effusion, pneumonia, dyspnea, pulmonary embolism, and pneumonitis. The most common adverse reactions (reported in at least 20% of patients) were fatigue (44%), cough (29%), decreased appetite (25%), and dyspnea (23%). No formal pharmacokinetic drug interaction studies have been conducted with KEYTRUDA. It is not known whether KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, instruct women to discontinue nursing during treatment with KEYTRUDA and for 4 months after the final dose. Safety and effectiveness of KEYTRUDA have not been established in pediatric patients. Our Focus on Cancer Our goal is to translate breakthrough science into innovative oncology medicines to help people with cancer worldwide. At Merck Oncology, helping people fight cancer is our passion and supporting accessibility to our cancer medicines is our commitment. Our focus is on pursuing research in immuno-oncology and we are accelerating every step in the journey from lab to clinic to potentially bring new hope to people with cancer. As part of our focus on cancer, Merck is committed to exploring the potential of immuno-oncology with one of the fastest-growing development programs in the industry. We are currently executing an expansive research program that includes more than 270 clinical trials evaluating our anti-PD-1 therapy across more than 30 tumor types. We also continue to strengthen our immuno-oncology portfolio through strategic acquisitions and are prioritizing the development of several promising immunotherapeutic candidates with the potential to improve the treatment of advanced cancers. For more information about our oncology clinical trials, visit www.merck.com/clinicaltrials. About Merck For 125 years, Merck has been a global health care leader working to help the world be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. Forward-Looking Statement of Merck Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA This news release of Merck Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the "company") includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs and expectations of the company's management and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approval; the company's ability to accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties or delays; financial instability of international economies and sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company's patents and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in the company's 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K and the company's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov). Please see Prescribing Information for KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) at http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/k/keytruda/keytruda_pi.pdf and Patient Information/Medication Guide for KEYTRUDA at http://www.merck.com/product/usa/pi_circulars/k/keytruda/keytruda_mg.pdf View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627005590/en/ Contacts: Merck Media: Pamela Eisele, 267-305-3558 Courtney Ronaldo, 908-236-1108 or Investor: Teri Loxam, 908-740-1986 Justin Holko, 908-740-1879 LONDON, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- Sernova Corp. ("Sernova" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: SVA)(OTCQB: SEOVF)(FRANKFURT: PSH) is pleased to announce that it is closing today $2,000,000 of its non-brokered private placement announced on June 21, 2016. In addition, as the Company has received over-subscriptions of $1,650,000, it is increasing the total amount of the non-brokered private placement offering to $3,750,000 for a total offering of 15,000,000 units (the "Units") at $0.25 per Unit. The Company plans to close the balance of the placement, Thursday, June 30th, 2016. "We are pleased with the very strong interest from investors in Sernova's future in the regenerative medicine space as indicated by the oversubscription of the private placement," said Dr. Philip Toleikis, President and CEO of Sernova. Net proceeds from the private placement will be used to fund Sernova's regenerative medicine clinical program and collaborations utilizing the Company's platform technology to treat diabetes and other serious disease conditions, as well as for general corporate purposes. In the first closing today, Sernova will issue 8,000,000 Units at $0.25 per Unit for gross proceeds of $2,000,000. Each Unit to be issued will consist of one common share and one common share purchase warrant, with each warrant exercisable into one share at a price of $0.35 per share for a 24 month exercise period, subject to abridgement of the exercise period (after the expiry of the 4 month hold period) on 30 days notice to holders in the event that the twenty-day volume weighted price of the shares exceeds $0.50. Also, in respect of the first closing, the Company expects to compensate finders by way of cash fees of $132,912.50 and 531,650 non-transferable finder warrants, each such finder warrant having the same terms as the Unit warrants. The Company may also compensate finders on a portion of the increased private placement consisting of 7% in cash and 7% in finder warrants, or a combination thereof. Completion of the $3,750,000 private placement is subject to the receipt of the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All securities issued in connection with the private placement will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 or any state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and all applicable state securities laws, or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. About Sernova Sernova Corp. is a clinical stage regenerative medicine Company developing medical technologies for the treatment of chronic debilitating metabolic diseases such as diabetes, blood disorders including hemophilia, and other diseases treated through replacement of proteins or hormones missing or in short supply within the body. Sernova is developing the Cell Pouch System, an implantable medical device and therapeutic cells (donor, xenogeneic or stem cell derived therapeutic cells), which then release proteins and/or hormones as required. Forward Looking Information This release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "projects", "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will", "would", "may", "could" or "should" occur. Although Sernova believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements, which include our beliefs about the functionality of the Cell Pouch System and our cell technologies, are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Sernova's management on the date such statements were made. Sernova expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: Sernova Corp. Philip Toleikis, Ph.D. President and CEO (604) 961-2939 philip.toleikis@sernova.com / info@sernova.com www.sernova.com Ray Matthews & Associates Suite 601-128 West Cordova Street Vancouver, BC V6B 0E6 (604) 818-7778 www.raymatthews.ca Ferring Pharmaceuticals has successfully finalised a Mutual Recognition Procedure (MRP) submitted in Europe on 28 October 2015 with the UK as a Reference Member State (RMS). The proposed variation introduces a tailored dosing regimen in the PICOPREP (sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, citric acid) label as supported by the results of the OPTIMA trial. (sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, citric acid) label as supported by the results of the OPTIMA trial. National Marketing Authorisations are expected in the majority of EU countries in the following months. Ferring Pharmaceuticals today announced that the tailored dosing regimen in the PICOPREP (sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, citric acid) label has received approval in the MRP countries in Europe. The approval is based on data from the OPTIMA clinical trial demonstrating that the PICOPREP tailored dosing regimen was superior in providing good to excellent visibility in the entire colon compared to the currently approved PICOPREP day-before dosing regimen1 In the tailored dosing regimen, the time of administration of the two sachets is set according to the time of the colonoscopy for a more tailored approach. The first sachet is to be taken 10 to 18 hours before, and the second sachet 4 to 6 hours before the colonoscopy in line with guideline recommendations3-5 The time interval between the last dose of the bowel preparation and the colonoscopy procedure can be considered the most important determinant of colon cleansing quality2, with shorter time intervals associated with colon cleansing of higher quality2-5 "The approval is a significant milestone in aligning the label with the guideline recommendations of shorter time interval between the last dose of the bowel preparation and the colonoscopy procedure3-5," said Pascal Danglas, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Ferring Pharmaceuticals. "Compared to the current day-before dosing regimen, tailored dosing of PICOPREP results in higher quality colon cleansing enabling more successful colonoscopies1 Ends About PICOPREP (sodium picosulfate, magnesium oxide, citric acid): PICOPREP (sodium picosulfate 10mg, magnesium oxide 3.5mg, citric acid 12g), a dual action laxative medication, is used to clean the bowel prior to X-ray examination, endoscopy and surgery when judged clinically necessary. PICOPREP has approved dosing for children as of 1 year old and adults. This product is sold in some countries under the trademarks PICO-SALAX, PICOLAX or PREPOPIK About OPTIMA trial: The OPTIMA trial, started in 2014, enrolled 204 patients in Germany, France and the Netherlands. Patients were randomised (2:1) to either the PICOPREP tailored dosing regimen or PICOPREP day-before dosing regimen for colon cleansing in preparation for colonoscopy. Primary endpoint was the overall colon cleansing efficacy based on total Ottawa Scale (OS) scores. Key secondary endpoint was the responder status for ascending colon based on OS. Other secondary endpoints were responder status for mid (transverse, descending) and recto-sigmoid colon. Convenience, satisfaction, impact on daily activities, safety and tolerability were also evaluated. About Ferring Pharmaceuticals: Headquartered in Saint-Prex, Switzerland, Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a research-driven, specialty biopharmaceutical group active in global markets. The company identifies, develops and markets innovative products in the areas of reproductive health, urology-oncology, gastroenterology, endocrinology and orthopaedics. Ferring Pharmaceuticals has its own operating subsidiaries in nearly 60 countries and markets its products in 110 countries. To learn more about Ferring Pharmaceuticals or its products please visit www.ferring.com. References: 1. Kiesslich R, Angelin C, Raymond K, et al. A randomised, assessor-blinded, multicentre trial comparing the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of a new tailored dosing regimen to day-before dosing regimen of colon cleansing agent used before colonoscopy. J Crohn Colitis 2016;10,suppl.1:S278. 2. Rex DK, Schoenfeld PS, Cohen J, et al. Quality indicators for colonoscopy. Gastrointest Endosc. 2015;81(1):31-53. 3. Hassan C, Bretthauer M, Kaminski MF, et al. Bowel preparation for colonoscopy: European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) Guideline Endoscopy 2013;45:142-150. 4. Mathus-Vliegen E, Pellise M, Heresbach D, et al. Consensus guidelines for the use of bowel preparation prior to colonic diagnostic procedures: colonoscopy and small bowel video capsule endoscopy Curr Med Res Opin 2013; 29: 931 945. 5. Johnson DA, Barkun AN, Cohen LB, et al. Optimizing adequacy of bowel cleansing for colonoscopy recommendations from the US Multi-Society Task Force on colorectal cancer. Gastroenterology 2014;147:903-924. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627005809/en/ Contacts: Ferring Pharmaceuticals Helen Gallagher Tel. +41 58 301 00 51 helen.gallagher@ferring.com or Nicole Barraud-Estoppey Tel. +41 58 301 00 53 nicole.barraud-estoppey@ferring.com LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. (OTC PINK: PNOW), parent Company of the Central American-Caribbean Online Travel Agency (OTA) Oveedia, announced today, that the Company will soon eliminate close to $3,000,000 of its remaining debt, through the next phase of its Debt Reduction Program -- the Debt Equity Swap; primarily targeting its largest noteholder. "Bringing our total liabilities down from $12.1M to $5.5M was a challenge, but we did not stop there," stated Melvin Pereira, President and CEO of Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. "We have now executed an MOU with our largest debtholder to extinguish all of their remaining debt. When complete, this will constitute a 75% reduction in overall liabilities. "Our goal is to be free of as much legacy debt as possible. This will make way for the type of investment Oveedia will need to aggressively penetrate, expand and grow within the Latin American travel market. We are extremely focused on hitting this benchmark." PURE began its Debt Reduction initiative with a multi-million dollar real-estate divestiture; followed by an aggressive removal of accrued interest. Management then launched the Debt Repurchase program, eliminating 14 toxic debt positions; staving off the 'then-happening' dilution. Now, with an effort dubbed the "Debt Equity Swap," nearly $3M more in debt will soon be retired. Mr. Pereira concluded, "I am fairly confident that the remaining debtholders will look to participate in the Debt Equity Swap program as well, considering the upside potential is likely far greater. What excites me most, however, is the fact that the dilutive effects attributed to this note, will be 100% gone; that my friends and fellow shareholders, is a wonderful feeling!" About Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. PURE provides proprietary technology, marketing solutions and branding services to hotel operators and condominium owners. The Company's vision is to build competitive operations in the areas of (i) online marketing and hotel internet booking engine services, (ii) hotel branding and, (iii) own, operate and in some instances develop, boutique hotels under the new, "by PURE" brand. PURE is the creator of Oveedia, the Central American-Caribbean online travel hub. Related Links: Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Pinterest Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Facebook Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Twitter Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. Google+ Pure Hospitality Solutions, Inc. LinkedIn Oveedia Google+ Safe Harbor Statements in this news release that are not historical facts, including statements about plans and expectations regarding products and opportunities, demand and acceptance of new or existing products, capital resources and future financial results are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties which may cause the Company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from those expressed. These uncertainties and risks include changing consumer preferences, lack of success of new products, loss of the Company's customers, competition and other factors discussed from time to time in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Contact: Team PURE IR Div. (800) 889-9509 UTRECHT, the Netherlands, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- European rail pass programme ensures continuity for both UK citizens, and Interrail passengers travelling in the UK Despite the outcome of the United Kingdom referendum announced on Friday 24 June, Eurail Group G.I.E. is reassuring customers that travelling with Interrail remains unaffected. Citizens of the UK can continue to explore Europe with Interrail. Likewise, Interrailers from elsewhere in Europe are still able to travel in the UK just as easily as before with an Interrail Pass. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150803/254117LOGO ) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150821/260164LOGO ) An Interrail Pass provides European residents with borderless, unlimited rail travel in up to 30 European countries including the UK. Each year, over 250,000 European residents across all generations use Interrail to travel to new and unique destinations in Europe, interact and connect with people from alternative cultures, and learn more about the diversity and history that makes up Europe. Conditions for Interrail eligibility and regions of travel will remain completely unchanged regardless of the recent results of the UK referendum. "We will continue to uphold the choice for all European residents to experience with Interrail what makes Europe so special as a destination," said Ms. Silvia Gorlach, Sales & Marketing Manager of Eurail Group G.I.E. Bringing together 30 nations, the Interrail Pass was founded to encourage European residents to travel in Europe in order to help foster cross-cultural exchange. "We regularly hear from our passengers how Interrail broadens their personal horizons and creates a lasting positive effect on their own intercultural understanding. We are pleased to continue to provide all European customers with this unique life-changing opportunity", adds Ms. Gorlach. Further details regarding Interrail Pass eligibility and participating countries can be found at http://www.interrail.eu. About Eurail Group G.I.E. For over 40 years Interrail has been connecting countries and travellers across Europe, giving explorers the opportunity and freedom to discover new cultures, history and the sights of Europe at an affordable rate. Created in 1972 as a unique train travel pass designed specifically for youth, the Interrail Pass is now used by more than 250,000 European travellers of all ages to access unlimited travel in 30 different countries in Europe annually. Established in 2001, Eurail Group G.I.E. is the organisation dedicated to the management of Eurail and Interrail Pass products, for both non-European and European residents respectively. Based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, Eurail Group G.I.E. is wholly owned by over 35 railway and shipping companies. Visit http://www.eurailgroup.org or http://www.interrail.eu for more information. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- Affinor Growers Inc. (CSE: AFI)(FRANKFURT: 1AF)(OTCQB: RSSFF) ("Affinor" or the "Corporation) is pleased to announce it has signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with a private Alberta based company (The "Licensee"). The agreement allows the Licensee to purchase and install Affinor's growing towers in order to grow and produce strawberries and romaine lettuce at a single location in Alberta. Affinor expects to receive payment for the towers during late fall. When the towers are installed and producing, under the agreement, Affinor will receive 10% of sales as a royalty up to $100,000 in royalty payments, and then a 3% of sales royalty thereafter. Jarrett Malnarick, President and CEO, of Affinor Comments: "Affinor Growers is pleased to sign another license agreement in Alberta; now allowing us to install our technology in a variety of locations throughout North America." About Affinor Growers Inc. Affinor Growers is a publicly traded company on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol ("AFI"). Affinor is focused on growing high quality crops such as romaine lettuce, spinach, strawberries using its vertical farming techniques. Affinor is committed to becoming a pre-eminent supplier and grower, using exclusive vertical farming techniques. On Behalf of the Board of Directors AFFINOR GROWERS INC. Jarrett Malnarick, President & CEO The CSE has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This News Release contains forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "should", "believe" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes that the expectations and assumptions on which the forward-looking statements are based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements because the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. These statements speak only as of the date of this News Release. Actual results could differ materially from those currently anticipated due to a number of factors and risks including various risk factors discussed in the Company's disclosure documents which can be found under the Company's profile on www.sedar.com. This News Release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Contacts: Jarrett Malnarick, President and CEO 604.837.8688 jarrett@affinorgrowers.com Federal Voting Assistance Program Helps Service Members, Overseas Citizens Vote Absentee ALEXANDRIA, Virginia, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --On July 4, millions of overseas citizens, Service members and their families will celebrate U.S. Independence Day - all over the world. Among the many freedoms citizens enjoy is the right to vote from wherever they are. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160627/383627-INFO During this election year, Americans living away from their voting residence can easily make absentee voting part of their Fourth of July festivities - with resources from the Federal Voting Assistance Program (FVAP). "Registering and requesting a ballot is a great way for Service members and overseas citizens to celebrate July 4th," FVAP Director Matt Boehmer said. "The holiday is a perfect reminder that Americans anywhere have the freedom to vote, and FVAP.gov has everything they need to do so." From June 27 to July 5, FVAP will observe the holiday by holding Armed Forces Voters Week and Overseas Citizens Voters Week with support from the Military Services and State Department. During the week, U.S. military installations, embassies, consulates and overseas citizens groups offer voter registration opportunities as part of holiday celebrations. FVAP recommends voters register to vote and request an absentee ballot by Aug. 1 to ensure they can participate in the General Election on Nov. 8. The voting rights of the millions of U.S. citizens living overseas, as well as Service members and their eligible family, are protected by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA). About 75 percent of the 1.3 million Service members are eligible to vote absentee through the UOCAVA process since they are stationed away from their voting residence and polling place. The first step for overseas citizens and Service members to vote absentee is filling out and sending in a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) - the registration and ballot request form accepted by all states and territories - available at FVAP.gov. The sooner voters register and request their ballot, the greater the likelihood they can successfully vote. That's because ballots must be sent back before individual state deadlines, which vary. Voters can visit FVAP.gov for their state's specific voter registration and ballot request deadlines, as well as information on completing their FPCA. Voters can fill out the form by hand or use the online assistant before they print, sign and send the FPCA to their election office. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (CMG)Monday announced that it will launch a new summertime loyalty rewards program, as the Mexican restaurant tries to lure back customers to its outlets after a series of food-related disease outbreak. The three-month-long promotion, called Chiptopia Summer Rewards, will begin from July 1 and run through September and offer customers rewards based on the number of paid visits to Chipotle. The Mexican food chain already earlier given away millions of burritos through coupons. Chipotle's reputation as well shares were hammered by an outbreak of E. coli that afflicted at least 53 people in nine states. That was followed by a norovirus contagion at a Boston location that sickened more than 140 college students. For the first quarter, Chipotle reported a loss, marking its first quarterly loss since the company went public in 2006. It also reported a comps sales decline of about 30 percent. 'While Chiptopia Summer Rewards lasts just three months, we will be carefully listening to our customers and using what we learn as we consider the design of an ongoing rewards program,' said Mark Crumpacker, chief creative and development officer at Chipotle, in a statement. Chiptopia Summer Rewards offers three different status levels: Mild, Medium and Hot. Just four visits, with a qualifying purchase during each, earns Mild status and a free entree. Someone who achieves the Hot level in all three months can earn up to nine free entrees over the course of the rewards program, plus a $240 'Catering for 20' Bonus Reward. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- Claim Post Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: CPS) ("Claim Post") or the ("Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of the Racetrack property ("Racetrack"), near Timmins, Ontario, from Electra Stone Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ELT), formerly known as Electra Gold Ltd. Claim Post has acquired the remaining 50% of the property that is did not own for 1,500,000 common shares pursuant to the September 13, 2010 Agreement. Claim Post - Timmins Gold Exploration Claim Post Resources was incorporated in 2005 as a private company and listed on the TSX-V in 2010. Missing within the Timmins Camp, is the location of the "major gold systems" west of both the Hollinger McIntyre and the more southerly Buffalo Ankerite - Aurnor - Delnite mines. Both gold systems stop at the Tisdale or the Deloro Township west boundary. The company's gold exploration focus was to find where the "missing gold systems" are located in Mountjoy and Ogden townships. Historically, only the small Desantis Mine was mined in the PD Splay Fault corridor in the township immediately west of the Hollinger and McIntyre mines. The gold systems restart 10 kilometres west, or west of the Mattagami River fault. Please see attached map (http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/ClaimPost627.jpg) showing the Timmins Camp Gold Mines, the ounces gold mined from each, as well as the Claim Posts land position - the Dayton Racetrack and Mountjoy. The map also shows that both the Hoyle Pond and Tahoe Lakeshore "new mine" trends. The Tahoe (Lakeshore) trend and the more southerly Gold River Trend are both situated south of the PD Fault and West of the Mattagami River Fault. The Hoyle Pond - Owl Creek - Bell Creek trend, is located north of the historical Pamour - Hallnor mines. The Hoyle Pond trend is situated north of the PD Fault. Goldcorp's high grade Hoyle Pond Mine has been in production mine since 1985. To explore for the "missing gold system" west of the Hollinger, required the company to acquire property both north and south Porcupine Destor Splay Fault corridor. To compile a land package south of the PD Fault, Claim Post did two deals in 2010. In June 2010, the Company acquired a100% interest in Dayton Property which is comprised of 50 patented claims; 38 patented claims in Deloro Township, covering the historic Dayton gold zone; 2 patented claims in Ogden, and 10 Deloro patented claims covering the McLaren Mine, just south of Buffalo Ankerite (owned by Lexam VG Gold Inc.). These patents are subject to a 3% NSR royalty with no buyout. In September 2010, Claim Post optioned 103 claim units and 11 patented claims in Ogden Township, 5 kilometers south of the city of Timmins. The Racetrack Property was optioned from Electra Gold, now Electra Stone Ltd. Claim Post now owns 100% of the Racetrack, subject only to a 2% NSR Royalty. Claim Post can purchase up to 1.33% the Racetrack royalty for $1.33 million dollars. To assemble a land position north of the PD Fault required 10 years of continuous staking in Mountjoy Township as ground slowly came open. Currently, Claim Post Mountjoy staked claims total 174 units or about 18 square kilometers (30 percent of the Township). Claim Post optioned Mountjoy to Osisko Mining Corp. for a 2 year period while Claim Post funded exploration on the Dayton Racetrack project. In 2012, due to market conditions, Claim Post ceased gold exploration in Timmins and the Company acquired about 5 square kilometers miles of silica sand leases, 200km NE of Winnipeg. Most of Claim Post's efforts from 2012 to early 2016 were focused on silica sand. The Company will focus on gold exploration in Timmins until the oil price stabilizes in the $60 to $80 range. Previous Claim Post - Timmins Gold Programs To explore south of the PD fault, Claim Post flew an east-west Magnetic (Mag Survey) and Electro Magnetic (EM) airborne survey, did a program of Deep IP followed by 5,000m of diamond drilling mainly below the historical Dayton gold zone and a few holes to check below the McLaren Mine. Company President, Charles Gryba, is quoted at the time (SEDAR April 6th, 2011 Press Release): "The Dayton gold system has now been test drilled along a strike length of one kilometer, with gold values intersected down to a depth of 500m. What is encouraging, is that the numbers of individual gold intersections are increasing from 2 or 3 at the east end of the Dayton system to 15 narrow gold intersections (greater than 1.00 g/t) in multiple rock types over a 200m width towards the west end of the system." Diamond drilling proved the presence of a persistent gold system on the Racetrack property. However, to cost effectively trace the location of the known gold system and potentially locate new zones on the 11 square mile property, a recognizance program of Mobile Metal Ion (MMI) geochem sampling was done. To explore north of the PD Fault, a magnetic - radiometric airborne survey was flown by Osisko covering part of Godfrey Township and most of Mountjoy Township under year 1 of the Company's Joint Venture with Osisko Mining Corp. In year 2, Claim Post competed a comprehensive MMI geochem program totaling about 3,000 MMI samples at 25m intervals in Mountjoy and Godfrey Township. The MMI program was very successful; 7 bedrock MMI gold anomalies each at least 75m wide were located. Claim Post Company President, Charles Gryba commented: "The MMI programs have given us an indication of where the potential gold systems are located both north and south of the PD fault system. The company will do a confirmation MMI sampling program and then test drill the targets based on our MMI Modeling. A discovery of a new gold system in Timmins will create substantial shareholder value. The best place to look for a new gold orebody is explore for what is missing in a proven camp." A similar approach to creating value was suggested recently by John Kaiser, when he spoke at this year's Vancouver Commodity Forum: "Discovery exploration is what the space used to be all about in the 1980s and 1990s, where the idea was to generate a prospect, find a target and hopefully make a discovery that would be bought out by a major before delivering the first resource estimate." Claim Post Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE: CPS) is a Canadian based mineral exploration company and a reporting issuer in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Claim Post has a major land position the Timmins Camp for gold. Claim Post also striving to obtain 100% ownership in 9 nines or 306 hectares Gossan Resources of a high grade silica sand - frack sand deposit 200km NE of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The final payment for the Gossan leases is currently being re-negotiated. The Seymourville project that has a NI 43-101 Resource of 25,959,000 tones on about 20% of the lease area. (SEDAR June 20th 2014). A positive initial PEA was competed (SEDAR November 24th 2014). The PEA highlighted that the Seymourville project at 1,000,000 tpy frack sand sales would generate CDN $617 million after tax net cash flow undiscounted or CDN $151 million using an after tax 10% discount rate. The project Capex was estimated at CDN $93m including a 20% contingency generating an after tax ROI of 21%. Claim Post is also well positioned to become a future leading provider of premium white silica sand proppant to shale oil drilling operations in the Williston Basin (both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the Border), and western Canada. There are 125,583,908 common shares of the Company currently issued and outstanding. Charles Gryba, President, P. Eng. is the Qualified Person that prepared the content of the news release in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 with respect to this release. Statements in this release that are forward-looking reflect the Company's current views and expectations with respect to its performance, business, and future events. Such statements are subject to various risks and assumptions, some, but not necessarily all, are disclosed elsewhere in the Company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Such statements and information contained herein represent management's best judgment as of the date hereof based on the information currently available; however actual results and events may vary significantly. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Claim Post Resources Inc. Charles Gryba President and Director 416-801-6366 Claim Post Resources Inc. Peter Gryba Corporate Affairs 416-203-3776 www.claimpostresources.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- In a settlement agreement with the British Columbia Securities Commission (BCSC), Asia Finance Corporation Ltd., a New Zealand company, has admitted it traded securities on behalf of B.C. residents without being registered, contrary to the Securities Act. The agreement states that Asia Finance promoted its securities trading services through its website, but did not post any restrictions or limitations on who may open accounts or use the advertised services. As such, Asia Finance did not take reasonable precautions not to sell securities to B.C. residents. The agreement also states that in August 2013, Asia Finance opened trading accounts at a dealer in Vancouver, B.C. From October 2013 to February 2014, Asia Finance used those accounts to trade on behalf of clients, including $8.25 million worth of trades for three B.C. residents. Asia Finance has never been registered to trade securities in the province. Asia Finance has paid the BCSC $125,000 USD in respect of the settlement of this matter. Asia Finance has also been permanently banned from trading in or purchasing securities and from engaging in investor relations activities. The BCSC would like to thank the Alberta Securities Commission and the Financial Markets Authority of New Zealand for their assistance in this matter. You may view the settlement agreement on our website www.bcsc.bc.ca by typing Asia Finance Corporation Ltd. or 2016 BCSECCOM 210 in the search box. Information regarding disciplinary proceedings can be found in the Enforcement section of the BCSC website. Please visit the Canadian Securities Administrators' Disciplined List for information relating to persons and companies disciplined by provincial securities regulators, the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) and the Mutual Fund Dealers Association (MFDA). About the British Columbia Securities Commission (www.bcsc.bc.ca) The British Columbia Securities Commission is the independent provincial government agency responsible for regulating capital markets in British Columbia through the administration of the Securities Act. Our mission is to protect and promote the public interest by fostering: -- A securities market that is fair and warrants public confidence -- A dynamic and competitive securities industry that provides investment opportunities and access to capital Learn how to protect yourself and become a more informed investor at www.investright.org. Contacts: Alison Walker Media Relations 604-899-6713 Public inquiries: 604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free) Regulatory News: Total (Paris:FP) (LSE:TTA) (NYSE:TOT) has signed an agreement with Qatar Petroleum, granting the Group a 30% interest in the concession covering the offshore Al-Shaheen oil field for a period of 25 years beginning July 14, 2017. The Al-Shaheen field produces 300 thousand barrels of oil per day. The concession will be operated by a new operating company held 70% by Qatar Petroleum and 30% by Total. "Total is honored to have been awarded a 30% interest in the Al-Shaheen concession. This is an important recognition of Total's technical and commercial competence, and the Group will deploy its best technical expertise and experienced teams to this field," said Patrick Pouyanne, Chairman and CEO of Total. "Our contribution to the development of the Al-Shaheen field is a significant milestone in the long history of the Group's partnership with Qatar, where for 80 years we have been active in the entire hydrocarbon value chain including oil and gas production, LNG, refining and petrochemicals. This agreement is in line with Total's strategy to reinforce its presence in the Middle East, in particular by accessing giant fields and by complementing its portfolio with low-technical cost oil assets." Located in Qatari waters 80 kilometers North of Ras Laffan, the Al-Shaheen field began production in 1994. The existing development consists of 30 platforms and 300 wells, and production from the field represents about half of Qatar's oil production. Total in Qatar Present in Qatar since 1936, Total holds a 20% interest in the upstream part of Qatargas 1, a 10% interest in the Qatargas 1 liquefaction plant joint venture, a 24.5% stake in the Dolphin Energy Ltd Company and a 16.7% stake in the Qatargas 2 train 5 joint venture. Total's Qatari production averaged 134,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2015. Total is also a partner in the Laffan Refinery with a 10% interest and in the Qapco (20%) and Qatofin (48.6%) petrochemical plants. In addition to Total's activities in Qatar, Total's strategic partnership with Qatar extends to Africa, where Qatar Petroleum International holds a 15% stake in Total E&P Congo. About Total Total is a global integrated energy producer and provider, a leading international oil and gas company, and the world's second-ranked solar energy operator with SunPower. Our 96,000 employees are committed to better energy that is safer, cleaner, more efficient, more innovative and accessible to as many people as possible. As a responsible corporate citizen, we focus on ensuring that our operations in more than 130 countries worldwide consistently deliver economic, social and environmental benefitstotal.com Cautionary note This press release, from which no legal consequences may be drawn, is for information purposes only. The entities in which TOTAL S.A. directly or indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. TOTAL S.A. has no liability for their acts or omissions. In this document, the terms "Total" and "Total Group" are sometimes used for convenience where general references are made to TOTAL S.A. and/or its subsidiaries. Likewise, the words "we", "us" and "our" may also be used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. This document may contain forward-looking information and statements that are based on a number of economic data and assumptions made in a given economic, competitive and regulatory environment. They may prove to be inaccurate in the future and are subject to a number of risk factors. Neither TOTAL S.A. nor any of its subsidiaries assumes any obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information or statement, objectives or trends contained in this document whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160627006298/en/ Contacts: TOTAL S.A. Mike SANGSTER Nicolas FUMEX Patrick GUENKEL Romain RICHEMONT Tel.: 44 (0)207 719 7962 Fax: 44 (0)207 719 7959 or Robert HAMMOND (U.S.) Tel.: +1 713-483-5070 Fax : +1 713-483-5629 CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- In a special announcement today at the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF) and Calgary Community Land Trust Society's (CCLT) joint Annual General Meeting, David McIlveen, Director, Community Development, Boardwalk REIT and Chair of CCLT Board, announced CHF's over $50 million housing portfolio will form the foundation of CCLT's new directions. As of this fall, 2016, CCLT will operate as an independent, self-governed not-for-profit. Its focus will be to accelerate the build-out of specialized, integrated housing to serve vulnerable populations and the Homeless-Serving System of Care. "We are incredibly excited to announce that the Calgary Community Land Trust (CCLT), initially established in 2003 within the Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), will transition into community as a completely independent housing organization by fall 2016," says David McIlveen, Chair, CCLT. "CHF and CCLT have incubated best practices in build-out, ownership and management of affordable housing within the homeless-serving sector. Having a portfolio of over $50million gives CCLT a solid foundation upon which to continue building housing for specialized populations." In April 2016 a new CCLT Board of Directors was established with five members of CHF's board stepping down to join the new board. "This move is critical step towards safeguarding specialized housing for the sector," says Diana Krecsy, President & CEO, CHF. "In our role as System Planner we are continually seeking ways to mobilize community's capacity to deliver on the vision of ending homelessness. Having designed, cultivated and demonstrated success in building and operating housing for specialized populations, the transitioning of CCLT into community will benefit community by enhancing access, capacity and innovation, to a current housing system that has been unable to keep up with the demand for permanent and supportive housing options for Calgary's most vulnerable citizens." At today's 2016 Annual General Meeting, the Calgary Homeless Foundation also reported on its progress as the System Planner for Calgary Homeless Serving System of Care and its 5 year Strategic Blueprint. CHF presented highlights of its past year of operations, including its 5 Year Strategic Blueprint. It also presented its many upcoming changes to its Board of Directors for this next fiscal year. The foundation welcomed nine new Board of Director members: Alexandra Nuth, Christine Hitchinson, Colby Delorme, Ellen Dungen, Gerald Chipeur, Karen Young, Lourdes Juan, Dr. Ron Kneebone and Tracee Collins. In addition, CHF said goodbye to three retiring board members: Lucy Miller, President & CEO, United Way of Calgary and area; Anne Maxwell, Director, Imagine Energy Inc.; and Sharon Carry, President & CEO, Bow Valley College. "Each of these board members has brought something incredibly valuable to CHF's Board of Directors over their varying years of service." says Krecsy. "Their passion for ending homelessness and their compassion for the people experiencing homelessness; it has been an honour to work with them and we sincerely wish them well in their future endeavours." Details of CHF's progress in fiscal 2015/16 are available in the 2016 Report on Progress and include: -- 940 people placed in housing with supports; -- The City of Calgary experiencing a 17% decrease in homelessness per 100,000 population since 2008. -- Funding provided to 35 programs delivered by 24 agencies. -- Opening of Stepping Stone, CHF's first purpose built affordable housing building through the RESOLVE Campaign. -- 84 Community programs using the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). In addition to the Report to the Community, the CHF's Management's Discussion and Analysis and Financial Report is available at www.calgaryhomeless.com. Contacts: Calgary Homeless Foundation Louise Gallagher Director, Marketing and Communications 403 615 7606 louise@calgaryhomeless.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- Zazu Metals Corporation (TSX: ZAZ) ("Zazu") is pleased to announce voting results from the annual meeting of its shareholders (the "Shareholders") held today (the "Meeting") in Vancouver, British Columbia. The majority of Shareholders voted in favour of all resolutions at the Meeting as set out in Zazu's management information circular dated May 9, 2016. At the Meeting, Shareholders approved the following items of business: -- the election of each of Gil Atzmon, Joshua Crumb, Robert Giustra, Bryan Morris, Dennis Peterson and Paul Saxton as directors of Zazu until the next annual meeting of Shareholders or until their successors are elected or appointed; -- the approval of all unallocated stock options under Zazu's existing stock option plan until June 27, 2019. Zazu's stock option plan is a rolling stock option plan and requires shareholder approval every three years; -- the ratification and re-approval of Zazu's shareholder rights plan previously approved by shareholders in 2013. The shareholder rights plan also requires shareholder approval every three years; and -- the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Accountants as auditors of Zazu for the ensuing year. A total of 23,729,758 shares, representing 43% of Zazu's issued and outstanding shares, were voted as follows: For Withheld Not voted Election of directors: Gil Atzmon 19,056,522 80% 599,142 3% 4,074,094 17% Joshua Crumb 16,768,039 71% 2,887,625 12% 4,074,094 17% Robert Giustra 15,225,039 64% 4,430,625 19% 4,074,094 17% Bryan Morris 16,768,039 71% 2,887,625 12% 4,074,094 17% Dennis Peterson 19,056,522 80% 599,142 3% 4,074,094 17% Paul Saxton 17,868,522 75% 1,787,142 8% 4,074,094 17% Approval of unallocated 19,056,522 80% 0 0% 4,074,094 17% stock options Re-approval of shareholder 19,059,147 80% 0 0% 4,074,094 17% rights plan Appointment of 23,729,758 100% 0 0% 0 0% PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as auditors Cautionary statement: The TSX does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory has approved or disapproved the information herein. Forward looking statements: All forward-looking statements made by the Company, including any in this release or on its website, are based on information currently available to the Company and the Company provides no assurance that actual results will meet management's expectations. Forward-looking statements include estimates and statements that describe the Company's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Company or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Forward-looking statements may be identified by such terms as "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "estimates", "may", "could", "would", "will", or "plan". Since forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and address future events and conditions, by their very nature they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Actual results relating to, among other things, obtaining Toronto Stock Exchange approval and the ratification of the Plan by shareholders, could differ materially from those currently anticipated in such statements for many reasons such as: the Toronto Stock Exchange requiring amendments to the Plan unsatisfactory to management or the Board, the shareholders of Zazu not ratifying the Plan, or management or the Board determining not to proceed with seeking approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange or the shareholders of Zazu or other matters discussed in this news release. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements. These and other factors should be considered carefully and readers should not place undue reliance on the Company's forward-looking statements. The Company does not undertake to update any forward-looking statement that may be made from time to time by the Company or on its behalf, except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Contacts: Zazu Metals Corporation Matthew Ford President 210 858-7512 mford@zazumetals.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/27/16 -- NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. (TSX: NG)(NYSE MKT: NG) today released its second quarter financial results and updates for its flagship 50%-owned Donlin Gold project in Alaska and its 50%-owned Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project in British Columbia. Details of the financial results for the three and six months ended May 31, 2016 are presented in the consolidated financial statements and quarterly report filed on Form 10-Q with the SEC that is available on the Company's website at www.novagold.com, on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, and on EDGAR at www.sec.gov. All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated and all resource and reserve estimates are shown on a 100% project basis. Second quarter highlights and NOVAGOLD's achievements include the following: -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (the "Corps"), the lead permitting agency, conducted 17 public meetings on the Donlin Gold draft EIS in the Yukon-Kuskokwim (Y-K) region and Anchorage -- The Corps has received approximately 500 comment submissions that are being categorized by area of interest to facilitate effective review and response in the final EIS -- Donlin Gold continued to advance other major permits and approvals by providing State and Federal agencies with information related to the following permitting actions: -- Clean Water Action Section 10 (Rivers and Harbors Act) and 404 (Wetlands) permit -- Air quality permit -- Integrated waste management permit -- Reclamation plan approval -- Water discharge permit -- Pipeline authorizations -- Water use and fish habitat permits -- Land and shoreline leases as well as right-of-way approvals -- NOVAGOLD continued its active community and stakeholder engagement: -- Participated in multiple meetings throughout the Y-K region in response to community interest in the project and technical information on Donlin Gold -- Worked with Donlin Gold to encourage participation in the public meetings and the submission of comments on the draft EIS -- Sponsored workforce development initiatives such as the 3rd Annual Academic and Trades Decathlon in Aniak and training programs at the Delta Mine Training Center for graduating seniors -- Supported the annual Clean Up Green Up community initiative that continues to grow and was a great success -- Promoted summer safety through the "Kids Don't Float" and "Alaska Boating Safety" campaigns -- Supported various local Tahltan community initiatives through Galore Creek President's Message Donlin Gold Project The second quarter of 2016 marked the important passing of a major milestone for our company's flagship gold project. As the public comment period for Donlin Gold's draft EIS came to a successful conclusion, progress was achieved in advancing up the value-chain what we believe to be the world's premier development-stage gold asset. By transitioning into the final stage of the EIS process for the Donlin Gold project, we are now well-positioned to further unlock the value of an asset defined by a unique combination of multiple attributes, any one of which commands a premium in today's asset-starved gold industry: an enormous endowment that has the potential to see extraordinary resource expansion; with its high grade gold dissemination, exceptional quality for a large-scale, long-life operation; and a production profile that is second to none as a pure gold producer. All of these factors are enhanced by the jurisdictional safety that comes from strong local support and the project's location in a state that is already the second largest gold producer in the U.S. and wishes to further strengthen its mining industry through the successful development of Donlin Gold. We are committed to our business plan of unlocking the full value of this project through our long-term and mutually-beneficial relationships with our partners at Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick), Calista Corporation (Calista), and The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC). By maintaining a collaborative approach with the permitting and cooperating agencies, as well as continued open and transparent communication with the local stakeholders in the Y-K region, we look forward to continuing the progress we have achieved this year. During the six-month public comment period that closed at the end of the second quarter, the Corps conducted 17 meetings in communities in the Y-K region and Anchorage. The meetings gave the Corps an opportunity to present an overview of the draft EIS, which evaluates potential environmental, social and economic impact of the proposed project together with evaluated alternatives. The meetings also served as an excellent platform for local stakeholders to ask questions and provide comments on the draft EIS. The Corps is reviewing all the comments to assess if additional studies or work would be required to prepare the final EIS, which they currently anticipate to be published in 2017. An incredible amount of support for Donlin Gold was shown in the comment letters that were submitted to the Corps. Here are a few excerpts: "As you know, exploration and development of Alaska's natural resources plays an important part of our past, present, and also our future. The five large mines currently active in our state provide excellent jobs for Alaskans and stimulate and diversify Alaska's economy. Responsible development of the proposed Donlin Gold project will continue this tradition and enable the Calista Corporation (Calista) and The Kuskokwim Corporation (TKC) to generate employment, business opportunities, and revenues for their shareholders and the shareholders of other Alaska Native corporations throughout the state, as well as for the State of Alaska." Mr. Bill Walker, Governor, State of Alaska, May 31, 2016 "As a mine that focuses on environmental responsibility, meaningful dialogue with communities, job opportunities and economic stimulus for one of the poorest regions in the entire state, Donlin Gold has TKC's full support." Ms. Maver Carey, President & CEO, The Kuskokwim Corporation, May 25, 2016 "The economic benefits of Donlin will not be limited to Southwest Alaska. In fact, Donlin's effects will be felt statewide. Located on Calista land, Donlin will ultimately benefit not only Calista and its shareholders, but all of the other ANCSA regional and village corporations and their shareholders as well, including CIRI, through 7i/7j distributions (provisions under the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANSCA) stipulating that certain natural resource revenues be distributed among all 12 Regional Corporations)." Cook Inlet Region Inc., Alaska Native Corporation, May 28, 2016 "Donlin will provide far reaching benefits for Alaska Native people throughout the state, precisely the type of self-determination that was envisioned with the passage of ANCSA - Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (...) We appreciate that Donlin has worked with (Calista and TKC) to ensure the subsistence way of life in the entire project footprint are a primary consideration. We recognize that by providing economic opportunities and jobs for shareholders and residents of the region, subsistence opportunities will be maintained and Alaska Native Cultures will ultimately be preserved." ANCSA Regional Association Board of Directors, April 22, 2016 As should be expected, for a project that promises to be a game-changer for the region, along with these statements of support came requests to ensure that the project is developed responsibly with respect for Alaska Native culture and the area's subsistence way of life. As we have always been attentive to these matters, none of the concerns were a surprise. Nor were the other areas of particular focus, which included the barge traffic on the Kuskokwim River, the potential impact to subsistence resources and users, ways in which emissions, mitigation and response procedures will work in the unlikely event of a fuel spill or tailings dam failure, and plans for reclamation and environmental monitoring post-closure. Airing of these issues was welcomed, and in fact represents the purpose of a public comment period, and we expect that these comments will be addressed in the final EIS. While the EIS process comprises a large portion of the activities at Donlin Gold, the team continues to advance other major permit applications and approvals. The Corps provided opportunities for public comment on Donlin Gold's Section 404 (wetland)/10 (rivers and harbors) permit application during the same time as the draft EIS comment period that closed at the end of the second quarter. Donlin Gold continues to work with the Corps to meet their schedule for issuance of the permits following the publication of the final EIS. Additionally, Donlin Gold continues to work with the State of Alaska to issue drafts of the integrated waste management permit, reclamation plan approval and water discharge permit for public comment in 2017, as well as work with the Federal agencies to advance issuance of other required permits, including dam safety approvals, pipeline authorizations, water use permits, the air quality permit, fish habitat permits, as well as land and shoreline lease and right-of-way approvals. While we are progressing with permitting, NOVAGOLD and its joint-venture partner Barrick are also working on value-enhancing opportunities to optimize project economics and reduce upfront capital. Market conditions for project development have improved markedly since the completion of the feasibility study for Donlin Gold nearly five years ago. This allows the partners greater flexibility in their engagement, which has been conducted in a truly collegial spirit by both companies. The outcome of this effort may include enhanced project design and execution, engagement of third-party operators for certain activities and the possible arrangement of third-party financing of a portion of the capital intensive infrastructure. Donlin Gold is already a very robust project with 39 million ounces of gold in the measured and indicated resource categories with an average grade of 2.2 grams per tonne, representing a much higher grade than the global average for the gold industry. Moreover, in an era of declining production, Donlin Gold is planned to be one of the largest gold producers in the world with anticipated annual gold production of greater than one million ounces per year over a 27-year mine life. The leverage to gold that we enjoy presently is truly immense. Nonetheless, we are confident that these additional studies will enhance the project's value even further. Galore Creek Project Draft concept reports for the first phase of the Galore Creek generalized tunneling practice related to the access and material handling tunnel as well as enhancements to the site waste rock and water management plans were completed and are under review. We expect this effort to further improve the value and marketability of the Galore Creek project. Due to challenging copper markets, we intend to maintain the current level of activities at Galore Creek with minimal spending. When the market improves, Galore Creek will warrant the attention that it deserves as an incredibly valuable polymetallic deposit in British Columbia with the potential to be a core asset for any mining company. Our shareholders will benefit from improved copper market conditions as the value realized from disposition of all or part of our 50% interest in Galore Creek will help strengthen our cash position and contribute toward the development of Donlin Gold. Stakeholder Engagement The communities and local stakeholders surrounding our projects in Alaska and British Columbia are very important to the success of NOVAGOLD. In the second quarter, our commitment to local engagement in Alaska was focused on communicating key project details, keeping stakeholders informed as well as to encourage participation in the draft EIS public meetings and submission of comments to the Corps. Donlin Gold also delivered project updates to numerous villages in the Y-K region and initiated outreach regarding potential mitigation projects to be included in Donlin Gold's Compensatory Mitigation Plan (CMP). The CMP, which describes projects to offset potential project wetland impacts, will be submitted to the Corps for review and approval. Donlin Gold is an annual sponsor of the Clean Up Green Up initiative that took place in more than 50 communities in the Y-K region where waste that had accumulated throughout the winter was removed. Additionally, together with the "Kids Don't Float" and "Alaska Boating Safety" campaigns, Donlin Gold was successful in conveying the importance of wearing a life jacket when out on the water to the villages located along the Y-K region's rivers. With respect to workforce development, a number of initiatives took place in the second quarter that demonstrated the opportunities that exist for local stakeholders even before development of Donlin Gold begins. The 3rd Annual Academic and Trades Decathlon in Aniak is a popular educational event that is sponsored by Donlin Gold. A total of 140 students from three school districts participated in the event and career fair. Additionally, ten graduating seniors from the Y-K region attended a two-week heavy equipment operator training program at Delta Mine Training Center which was operated by the University of Alaska's Mine and Petroleum Training Service (MAPTS) in May. This is a career pathway partnership among Calista and its subsidiary companies, Donlin Gold, EXCEL Alaska and MAPTS. All ten graduates are working for Calista subsidiary companies following completion of the training program. Our involvement and support of social, educational and environmental initiatives in the villages and broader communities in the region are an integral part of how NOVAGOLD does business. NOVAGOLD has been in the enviable position of enjoying an exceptionally strong balance sheet at a time when market conditions have been challenging and many in the mining industry have had to revise their business strategy, near-term focus and outlook. Since our last equity financing in 2012, we have been careful stewards of the capital entrusted to us by our shareholders which has allowed us to stay the course and continue to deliver on our stated objective of developing one of the industry's most important gold assets. With $112 million in cash and term deposits at the end of the second quarter, we have sufficient capital to advance Donlin Gold through permitting. To conclude, I feel extremely privileged to enjoy the strong and collaborative working relationships that have been fostered with our stakeholders. Specifically, I would like to acknowledge our partners at Barrick and Teck, my colleagues at NOVAGOLD, as well as the governments, Native Corporations and First Nations in the jurisdictions in which we operate - thank you for all of your hard work and support. As always, we are tremendously appreciative of our shareholders for their unwavering faith in our Company, as well as the invaluable leadership and guidance provided by our Board of Directors. Our Board's commitment to our long-term, shareholder friendly vision is fundamental to our success. Gregory A. Lang President & CEO Financial Results in thousands of U.S. dollars, except for per share amounts Three Three Six Six months months months months ended ended ended ended May 31, May 31, May 31, May 31, 2016 2015 2016 2015 $ $ $ $ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- General and administrative expense (1) 4,561 3,150 11,885 11,652 Share of losses - Donlin Gold 2,502 3,654 4,505 6,150 Share of losses - Galore Creek 320 285 514 411 Studies and evaluation - 148 - 301 Depreciation 8 9 17 18 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Total operating expenses 7,391 7,246 16,921 18,532 Loss from operations (7,391) (7,246) (16,921) (18,532) Other income (expense) (1,730) (1,944) (2,115) 53 Loss for the period (9,138) (9,184) (19,115) (18,483) Loss per share, basic and diluted (0.03) (0.03) (0.06) (0.06) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- At At May 31, Nov 30, 2016 2015 $ $ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cash and term deposits 111,743 126,731 Total assets 424,135 433,584 Total liabilities 105,377 104,288 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (1) Includes share-based compensation expense of $1,869 and $728 in the second quarter of 2016 and 2015, respectively, and $6,577 and $6,057 in the first six months of 2016 and 2015, respectively. Loss from operations in the second quarter increased from $7.2 million in 2015 to $7.4 million in 2016 and decreased for the first six months from $18.5 million in 2015 to $16.9 million in 2016. General administrative expenses were lower in the second quarter of 2015 due to a non-cash out-of-period adjustment of $1.0 million in respect of an overstatement of stock option expense in the first quarter of 2015. The year-to-date decrease in loss from operations is primarily due to a reduction of $1.6 million in our share of losses at the Donlin Gold project as 2016 activities continued to focus on the draft EIS and permitting. Net loss decreased from $9.2 million ($0.03 per share) in the second quarter of 2015 to $9.1 million ($0.03 per share) in the second quarter of 2016, primarily due to lower interest expense in 2016 due to the repayment of the convertible notes in May 2015 and a $0.4 million write-down of the Company's investments in junior mining companies in 2015, offset by foreign exchange losses due to the strengthening of the Canadian dollar. For the first six months, net loss increased from $18.5 million ($0.06 per share) in 2015 to $19.1 million ($0.06 per share) in 2016, primarily due to foreign exchange losses in 2016 compared to gains in 2015, partially offset by the reduction in loss from operations, lower interest expense and a $0.4 million write-down of investments in junior mining companies in 2015. The U.S. dollar significantly strengthened in relation to the Canadian dollar during the first six months of 2015 and foreign exchange gains were realized by the Canadian parent company on its cash denominated in U.S. dollars. Liquidity and Capital Resources Cash and term deposits decreased by $5.2 million and $15.0 million in the second quarter and first six months of 2016, respectively. The decrease in cash was primarily related to operating activities for administrative costs and working capital, withholding taxes on vested performance share units, as well as $3.1 million and $5.2 million, in the second quarter and first six months of 2016, respectively, to fund our share of the Donlin Gold and Galore Creek projects. The term deposits are denominated in U.S. dollars and held at two Canadian chartered banks. 2016 Outlook In 2016, we continue to expect to spend approximately $25 million, including $9 million to fund our share of expenditures at the Donlin Gold project, $1 million at the Galore Creek project, $1 million for our share of joint Donlin Gold studies with Barrick, $12 million for general and administrative costs and $2 million for working capital and other corporate purposes. NOVAGOLD continues to focus on five primary goals for the year: first, to advance the Donlin Gold project toward a construction decision; second, uphold strong relationships with all stakeholders; third, advance Galore Creek project mine planning and design; fourth, evaluate opportunities to monetize the value of Galore Creek; and fifth, maintain a healthy balance sheet. Conference Call & Webcast Details NOVAGOLD's conference call and webcast to discuss the second quarter results will take place June 28, 2016 at 8:00 am PT (11:00 am ET). The webcast and conference call-in details are provided below. Webcast: www.novagold.com/investors/events North American callers: 1-866-426-5215 International callers: 1-704-908-0398 Conference ID: 27570814 The webcast will be archived on NOVAGOLD's website for one year. For a transcript of the call please email info@novagold.com. About NOVAGOLD NOVAGOLD is a well-financed precious metals company engaged in the exploration and development of mineral properties in North America. Its flagship asset is the 50%-owned Donlin Gold project in Alaska, one of the safest jurisdictions in the world. With approximately 39 million ounces of gold in the measured and indicated resource categories (541 million tonnes at an average grade of approximately 2.2 grams per tonne), Donlin Gold is regarded to be one of the largest, highest grade, and most prospective known gold deposits in the world. According to the Second Updated Feasibility Study (as defined below), once in production, Donlin Gold should average more than one million ounces per year over a 27-year mine life on a 100% basis. The Donlin Gold project has substantial exploration potential beyond the designed footprint which currently covers only three kilometers of an approximately eight-kilometer long gold-bearing trend. Current activities at Donlin Gold are focused on permitting, community outreach and workforce development in preparation for the construction and operation of this top tier asset. The Donlin Gold project commenced permitting in 2012, a clearly defined process expected to take approximately five years. NOVAGOLD also owns 50% of the Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project located in northern British Columbia. According to the 2011 Pre-Feasibility Study (as defined below), once in production, Galore Creek is expected to be the largest copper mine in Canada, a tier-one jurisdiction. NOVAGOLD is currently evaluating opportunities to sell all or a portion of its interest in Galore Creek and would apply the proceeds toward the development of Donlin Gold. NOVAGOLD is well positioned to stay the course and take Donlin Gold through permitting. Scientific and Technical Information Scientific and technical information contained herein with respect to Donlin Gold is derived from the "Donlin Creek Gold Project Alaska, USA NI 43-101 Technical Report on Second Updated Feasibility Study" compiled by AMEC with an effective date of November 18, 2011, as amended January 20, 2012 (the "Second Updated Feasibility Study"). Kirk Hanson, P.E., Technical Director, Open Pit Mining, North America, (AMEC, Reno), and Gordon Seibel, R.M. SME, Principal Geologist, (AMEC, Reno) are the Qualified Persons responsible for the preparation of the independent technical report, each of whom are independent "qualified persons" as defined by NI 43-101. Certain scientific and technical information contained herein with respect to Galore Creek is derived from the technical report entitled "Galore Creek Project British Columbia NI 43-101 Technical Report on Pre-Feasibility Study" dated effective July 27, 2011 (the "2011 Pre-Feasibility Study"). The Qualified Persons responsible for the preparation of the independent technical report are Greg Kulla, P. Geo., Principal Geologist (AMEC Americas Limited), and Jay Melnyk, P. Eng. (AMEC Americas Limited), each of whom are independent "qualified persons" as defined by NI 43-101. Clifford Krall, P.E., who is the Mine Engineering Manager for NOVAGOLD and a "qualified person" under NI 43-101, has approved the scientific and technical information related to the Donlin Gold and Galore Creek projects contained in this press release. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable securities legislation, including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein including, without limitation, the timing of permitting and potential development of Donlin Gold, statements relating to NOVAGOLD's future operating and financial performance, outlook, and the potential sale of all or part of NOVAGOLD's interest in Galore Creek are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. These forward-looking statements may include statements regarding the 2016 outlook; perceived merit of properties; anticipated permitting timeframes; exploration results and budgets; mineral reserve and resource estimates; work programs; capital expenditures; timelines; strategic plans; completion of transactions; market prices for precious and base metals; or other statements that are not statements of fact. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from NOVAGOLD's expectations include the uncertainties involving the need to obtain permits and governmental approvals; the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; the need for continued cooperation with Barrick Gold Corporation and Teck Resources Limited for the continued exploration and development of the Donlin Gold and Galore Creek properties, respectively; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, ore grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; and other risk and uncertainties disclosed in NOVAGOLD's Annual Report filed on Form 10-K for the year-ended November 30, 2015 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, Canadian securities regulators, and in other NOVAGOLD reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. NOVAGOLD's forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. NOVAGOLD assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements of beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. Cautionary Note to United States Investors This press release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada, which differ from the requirements of U.S. securities laws. Unless otherwise indicated, all resource and reserve estimates included in this press release have been prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM)-CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the CIM Council, as amended ("CIM Definition Standards"). NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators which establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects. Canadian standards, including NI 43-101, differ significantly from the requirements of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and resource and reserve information contained herein may not be comparable to similar information disclosed by U.S. companies. In particular, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the term "resource" does not equate to the term "reserves". Under U.S. standards, mineralization may not be classified as a "reserve" unless the determination has been made that the mineralization could be economically and legally produced or extracted at the time the reserve determination is made. The SEC's disclosure standards normally do not permit the inclusion of information concerning "measured mineral resources", "indicated mineral resources" or "inferred mineral resources" or other descriptions of the amount of mineralization in mineral deposits that do not constitute "reserves" by U.S. standards in documents filed with the SEC. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of "measured" or "indicated resources" will ever be converted into "reserves". Investors should also understand that "inferred mineral resources" have a great amount of uncertainty as to their existence and great uncertainty as to their economic and legal feasibility. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of the "inferred resources" will ever be upgraded to "indicated resource", "measured resource", or "mineral reserve" status. Under Canadian rules, estimated "inferred mineral resources" may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies except in rare cases. Investors are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of an "inferred mineral resource" exists or is economically or legally mineable. Disclosure of "contained ounces" in a resource is permitted disclosure under Canadian regulations; however, the SEC normally only permits issuers to report mineralization that does not constitute "reserves" by SEC standards as in-place tonnage and grade without reference to unit measures. The requirements of NI 43-101 for identification of "reserves" are also not the same as those of the SEC, and reserves reported by NOVAGOLD in compliance with NI 43-101 may not qualify as "reserves" under SEC standards. Accordingly, information concerning mineral deposits set forth herein may not be comparable with information made public by companies that report in accordance with U.S. standards. Contacts: NOVAGOLD RESOURCES INC. Melanie Hennessey Vice President, Corporate Communications 604-669-6227 or 1-866-669-6227 Erin O'Toole Senior Stakeholder Relations Specialist 604-669-6227 or 1-866-669-6227 ROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 12/16/16 -- OREX EXPLORATION INC. ("Orex" or the "Corporation") (TSX VENTURE: OX)(FRANKFURT: O5D) held its annual and special meeting of shareholders on December 15.At this meeting, the shareholders approved the proposed slate of directors, re-appointed Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, Chartered Professional Accountants as auditors of Orex for the financial year ending on June 30, 2017, approved an amendment to the Corporation's stock option plan and approved a resolution authorizing the Board of Directors to change the name of the Corporation. At the Board meeting following the shareholders meeting, the Directors appointed Jonathan Fitzgerald as new Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Orex. Directors and Officers and Board Committees: The Directors of the Corporation are Marcel Faucher, Jean-Pierre Landry, Jacques Levesque, Claude Poulin, Robert Schafer, Jonathan Fitzgerald and Dany Cenac Robert. It is a first mandate for M. Fitzgerald and M. Cenac Robert. Jonathan Fitzgerald is a senior Managing Director in the Investment Banking Department of Gravitas Securities Inc. of Toronto. Previously Mr. Fitzgerald co-founded Stope Capital Advisors, Inc. where he undertook merchant banking transactions in the mining, energy and agriculture sectors. Mr. Fitzgerald has more than 25 years of investment banking experience in which he sourced and executed a wide variety of complex transactions across multiple industries. Mr. Fitzgerald served as the Interim-CEO of Harvest Wind Limited, a development stage wind turbine manufacturer based in Oregon and as a Board member and/or adviser to Boston Poly Corporation, Epcylon Technologies, DayStar Technologies, Hesat Acquisition Corp., iSense Corporation and Trustwater PLC. Mr. Fitzgerald received a B.A. with Distinction from Bowdoin College, a MSc. (Econ) from The London School of Economics and an M.B.A. from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Fitzgerald is a Canadian and British citizen and lives in Toronto, Ontario. Dany Cenac Robert is a specialist in sustainable motivation, training and the creation of sales forces. He is currently head of Promarket Network Inc. and serves on the board of directors of several companies in various fields such as management, human resources and general marketing. Following his B.B.A. degree and with a specialization in Entrepreneurship at HEC Montreal, he consulted with several emerging companies and SMEs. He also personally created or helped to create sales networks for national and international companies in telecommunication, healthcare/wellness, retail trade, banking and f travel sectors. As a certified trainer, he created various innovative approaches to increase team productivity and sales as well as the overall profitability. At the Board of Directors meeting which followed immediately the shareholders meeting: -- Jonathan Fitzgerald was appointed Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Jacques Levesque, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and Julie Godard, Secretary; -- Claude Poulin, Marcel Faucher and Jonathan Fitzgerald were appointed as members of the Audit Committee; and -- Jean-Pierre Landry, Dany Cenac Robert and Jonathan Fitzgerald were appointed as members of the Compensation Committee. Amendment to the Stock Option Plan and Grant of New Stock Options: The amendment to the Corporation's Stock Option Plan that was presented and approved by shareholders is to increase at 20,000,000 the maximum number of common shares that can be issued following the exercise of stock options. The amendment is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture. The Board of Directors has granted stock options to the new directors and CEO of the Corporation for a total of 3,000,000 stock options, at an exercise price of $0.05, expiring 5 years from the grant. Following this grant, the Corporation has 14,500,000 stock options issued and outstanding. Name Change: Shareholders have approved a special resolution which allows the Board of Directors to change the name of the Corporation. The name change will be discussed and approved by the Board in the following weeks and procedures will be undertaken to make it effective. More information will be provided in due course. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation service provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Contacts: Orex Exploration Inc. Jacques Levesque, CFO Cell.: 1-514-239-9592 1-819-797-4354 orex@cablevision.qc.ca Orex Exploration Inc. Jonathan Fitzgerald, CEO 1-208-720-9676 Endeavor, an organization that supports entrepreneurs around the world, has just launched a $100m co-investment fund. A commitment by Endeavor and private sector leaders, Endeavor Catalyst II will invest in high-growth companies across Latin America, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia over the next four years. To date the fund has already raised $30m in pre-commitments, $10m of which coming from renowned entrepreneur (LinkedIn co-founder) and investor Reid Hoffman. Via its first fund, 2/3, the organization has made 35 early investments, created approx. 10k jobs and held 2 successful exits. Led by CEO and co-founder Linda Rottenberg, manager Jackie F. Carmel and Allen Taylor, VP, Global Network, Endeavor is a non-profit that supports high-impact entrepreneurs around the world via a mentor capitalist model to advise entrepreneurs across Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the U.S. through a network of business leaders. It is based in NYC. FinSMEs 27/06/2016 ProntoPro, a Milan, Italy-based marketplace that connects people in need with artisans and professional workers and small businesses, raised 3m in funding. Backers included Immobiliare.it, which committed 1.5m in funding to the round, and other unnamed investors. The company will use the funds to continue to develop the platform and expand operations nationwide. La startup Co-founded in 2015 by Marco Ogliengo and Silvia Wang, ProntoPro allows people to find, receive different personalized offers from plumbers, photographers, construction workers, website developers, painters, electricians, music teachers, personal trainers, event organizers, fixture installers, energy certificators, etc. and choose the best one. FinSMEs 27/06/2016 The government has whittled down its list of candidates to become the next governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to four, three of whom are economists and veterans of the central bank with the other the head of the country's largest bank. A senior government official said the four were: RBI Deputy Governor Urjit Patel; former deputy governors Rakesh Mohan and Subir Gokarn; and State Bank of India Chair Arundhati Bhattacharya. Two government officials also said that outgoing Governor Raghuram Rajan was expected to join the search committee to appoint three external members of a new six-member RBI Monetary Policy Committee. The objective, these officials said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, was to ensure that the MPC is constituted as soon as possible - probably before the appointment of Rajan's successor. The Economic Times today reported that the government is likely to appoint an economist as a successor for Rajan. "The government is more keen on appointing an economist as the RBI governor. Bureaucrats are not under active consideration," a senior government official was quoted as saying in the report. With Reuters It is now an accepted fact that Raghuram Rajan decided not to seek extension at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) top job because he could not live up to the expectations of the government besides the differences on the way he conducted monetary policy. All holders of the key positions in the government are supposed to toe the government line without questioning. Rajan clearly did not fit the bill. An IIT, IIM and MIT alumnus, a former chief economist at the IMF and a professor at the prestigious Booth School in Chicago University, could not be expected to behave like Pahlaj Nihalanis or Gajendra Chauhans who have called themselves self-professed sycophants of the prime minister. Rajans persona, his international reputation and powerful articulation as a public intellectual only added to his halo and increasingly pit him at odds with the government. So Rajan had to go. There is a lot of speculation now about who would be a pliant successor to Rajan. The government sources have revealed to the media some names names of economists, bureaucrats and even some bankers as prospective Rajan successor. Any of them could eventually make it; it would be, however, truly a sad day if someone who has messed around with thousands of crores of taxpayers money as a top banker and is now seeking to institutionalize the process by creating a bad bank is rewarded with the job of the regulator of the banking industry. Let us not mince words. Just Ponder over the name of Arundhati Bhattacharya, the chairperson and managing director of the State Bank of India (SBI), Indias biggest public sector bank. It is true Bhattacharya made waves when she broke the glass ceiling of a male bastion and occupied the top job of this public sector behemoth. But then look at the state of affairs at the State Bank of India which she has served for more than three decades in various managerial positions before ascending to the top job. First, let us look at the non-performing assets (NPAs) the current buzz of the banking sector. The SBI has written off Rs 41,640 crore in the last 10 years public money virtually going down the drain, though the bank maintains the fig leaf that even as it is cleaning up its account books, it would continue its efforts to recover the money over the years. It is left to ones imagination as to what proportion of the lost money which stood as an eye sore in the account books for decades (but could not be salvaged) would be recovered when the bank has removed it from the account books to present a rosy picture about its profitability. Bhattacharya has been hailed as a doer who turned around the fortunes of the SBI as its helms-woman she made it to the Forbes coveted list of women leaders who have transformed the enterprises they led. Let us take a look at the bad loan management during Bhattacharyas tenure so far. In the last three years, she has been at the top job at the SBI, the write-offs at the bank have grown at a faster pace. In 2014-15, whereas 14 other public sector banks together wrote off Rs 8,883 crore of bad loan, the SBI alone cleaned up Rs 15,509 crore of public money from its accounts as lost. Mind you, in 2011-12, the SBI had written off just Rs 982 crore. Clearly, Bhattacharya proved to be a past master in dressing up the bank account to make it look honourable. Not surprising that she won plaudits when she declared that the banks profit had soared under her dynamic leadership. To be sure, SBIs case should be seen in the context of RBIs prodding to clean up bank balance sheets. Also, in relation to other larger PSB banks, SBI has done well in terms of absorbing bad loan shocks and maintaining profitability. When information was sought under an RTI application as to who allowed such large-scale write-offs in 2014-15, the bank only responded that the discretionary power was vested in a committee but refused to divulge the names of the members of the committee. Bhattacharya successfully maintained the impression of a hands-on top banker but this impression was just a charade. It was stupefying how many academically trained economists endorsed this charade. Of course, some of her shenanigans were exposed when Raghuram Rajan asked the banks to make Asset Quality Review and make provisions for their distressed assets. All window-dressing fell apart SBIs profitability dipped significantly. SBIs portfolio quality in December 2015 had declined with gross NPA at 5.1 percent of gross advances as against 4.25 percent a year ago (in December 2014). In absolute terms, the gross NPA stood at about Rs 73,000 crore as against Rs 62,000 crore during the same period. However, in March 2016 quarter, gross NPA jumped to a whopping 6.5 percent of the gross advances. Again, this should be seen in the context of industry NPAs. But, the big question to Bhattacharya is the logic of proposing the creation of a bad bank or an entity where the bad loans of the bank will be hived off to. This was an idea that failed from the Day 1. The idea of creating a bad bank was to make SBI free of its debt burden and it could concentrate on core banking services. It wants to house Rs 1.37 lakh crore of NPA or 9 per cent of total advances in the Bad Bank. As per the larger contours of this plan, as and when further loans go bad, that would be transferred to this Bad Bank so that bankers would continue to lend recklessly without any personal responsibility; and lakhs of crores of public money would continue to be siphoned off, without a finger raised at the lenders and receivers of the booty. This was clearly a bad idea since PSBs lack the expertise to revive bad loan accounts especially in an economic downturn. If Bhattacharya is catapulted to the position of the chief regulator, she would be in a position to transform the Bad Bank idea into a reality. Bankers and business class will, therefore, have reasons to applaud her elevation; and, of course, the taxpayer will continue to pick up the tab for this extended session of merry-making. But, the bottomline is that this may not be a good news for the banking system in the long term. One could question Bhattacharyas candidature for the RBI governor post for this single reason. Chandigarh: A young woman who was gang-raped by 10 men in Haryana has sent a legal notice to actor Salman Khan asking him to apologise over his rape remark. She has sought Rs 10 crore in damages from Salman for belittling rape victims. The gang-rape victim, from Hisar district, sent the notice to the Bollywood superstar at his Galaxy Apartments address in Mumbai's upscale Bandra area on Saturday. The notice was sent through her counsel. The victim pointed out that Salman Khan had tried to joke about the plight of rape victims by comparing a tough action sequence to the status of a gang-raped woman. The victim was kidnapped by 10 people and gang-raped in Hisar four years ago. The court sentenced the assaulters to life imprisonment. The victim is seeking death penalty for the accused. The father of the rape victim committed suicide following the incident. Asked how he felt doing the strenuous shooting of "Sultan", where he plays a wrestler, Salman responded that he "felt like a raped woman... he could barely stand straight after the shoot". The statement invited sharp rebuke on social media. His father and writer Salim Khan apologized on behalf of his son and admitted the statement was in bad taste. A case was registered in Kanpur and Lucknow courts on Thursday against the actor. A madman packed a sickle in his backpack and slashed a young woman to death at 6:45 am in Nungambakkam railway station, Chennai. He murdered and fled in the morning rush hour, dropping the bloodstained billhook, checking his hands for injuries as he ran. He is still on the loose, a CCTV camera from a neighbouring building that miraculously captured this butcher, the only grainy link to what he looks like. Another madman walked into a nightclub and shot 50 people dead in Orlando a week ago. In America, its a gun; here, an aruvaal, elsewhere, bombs in airport check-in counters. Alongwith their boiling rage these crazies all carry mobile phones most likely smartphones. S Swathi is the fifth person to be murdered in June in Chennai. Swathi was a techie at Infosys, the others were three advocates and an RTI activist. Personal animosity is a common thread in the murders before Swathis, the digital rectangles of mobile telephony leaving no space for silences where an argument may find room to pause. Chennai, where I worked and lived for more than four decades, is fast losing the earlier image of a safe city, especially for women, writes Former CBI director and current chairman of SIT, Gujarat RK Raghavan in The Times of India. If we have not seen enough evidence of police-citizen partnership in India, it is the fault on both sides. The craving for despicable publicity of a number of senior police officers without tightening protective measures and the lack of sustained commitment by citizen groups are twin factors which account for galloping levels of fear of crime in our urban centres, says Raghavan. Social media platforms are raging with questions on the police, policing, railway police, local police, state government. Rival politicians are rushing to pin blame. But the Indian Police Service itself is well past its expiry date, says Deepak Sinha, a specialist in strategic studies from Madras University. Suggestions for transforming policing will never emerge from within the establishment, as the status quo suits all stake-holders, other than the public, which bears the brunt of its inability to provide a civilised society based on the rule of law, says Sinha. The Indian Police Service (IPS) is broken down. It is eviscerated and wholly corrupt, barring a few, and acts as the hand-maiden of the criminal-business-politician nexus that values power and pelf above everything else, says Sinha. Thats one view. The other, more palpable one is this: Megacities are experiencing massive and rapid urbanisation, fueled by the inflow of immigrants and rural youth. Fifty-four percent of the worlds population lives in cities, and that number is expected to rise to 80 percent in the developing world by 2030. Under the pressures of such dramatic societal shifts, administrating megacities is an increasingly demanding task for local governments. While technological advances can improve the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies, the latest surge of attacks in public spaces suggests a need for heightened vigilance among the citizenry and a citizen-friendly police force to ensure effectiveness, says Bharat Gopalaswamy of Atlantic Council, one of Americas top think tanks. Three days after Swathis murder, the police is still rather clueless clutching at two pieces of CCTV footage and a latest photo sent by an eye witness in which the killers face is not visible. Decode that and map it to what todays megacities look like Chennai alone is home to more than 8 million people so thats about 26,000 people per square kilometre. The killer is one of them, his aruvaal is with us, we search for him among the 26,000, with a picture that will now go to a forensic lab in Hyderabad so we can see his face more clearly. Where will he be by then? In another city, maybe? Where will you be at 6:40 am in your city? At the train station? At the bus stop? Alive? You are Swathi. Me too. Has Chennai changed? Yes, it has more people in the same space, jampacked, sweaty, more angry, more connected, more rural in urban, aruvaals in backpacks. But thats not Chennai alone, its the dark side of the most wooed market in the world 1.3 billion plus. Over the last couple of days, at least once every day, I have had a conversation with someone family, acquaintance, friends about the recent murders in Chennai. In particular, the murder of a young woman in a central part of the city, inside a railway station, has made almost all of us uncomfortably aware of just how vulnerable we are. This was not a murder involving gangs, caste fanaticism, or honour none of those would have shocked us because they happen routinely in Tamil Nadu. This was a young woman working in IT just waiting for the train. Safety is a relative word Women who regularly use public transport in Chennai will tell you that some form of discomfort, for lack of a better word, is natural to feel in buses and trains, and generally while we walk on the streets. I started using public transport in Chennai when I was in class four. From school to college, and later, for work, the one story of solidarity I have with friends who identify as women, is the various experiences of harassment, and that feeling of being exposed and vulnerable, while on the streets. We must come to terms with the fact that safety is simply relative in our city. My husband feels safer than me. I feel safer than the girl who goes on a train or bus, on the days I drive. And so on and so forth. Often, when I talk about the experience of feeling unsafe on the streets, I have been shut down by people who think, perhaps because of their own class bias, that I am being classist. I would like to reiterate that some of the worst things I have seen in buses over the years were perpetrated by men dressed in formals. (The least gruesome of them is this: one guy in formals flashed tiny girls in uniforms and tried to rub up against them in a not-so-crowded bus.) Crime, especially in public spaces, transcends class. Women who use public transport will tell you that you are being naive if you think a man wearing a shirt, trousers and a backpack does not look like a criminal. (This is what the video released in the news shows; that the man who is wanted in this case wearing). When fear transcends gender Safety in public transport has been a matter of concern for mostly women and the vulnerable (sexual minorities, children) until now, because of the nature of the crimes (except for maybe pickpockets). But this time, its not harassment. Its not eve teasing. Its not flashing. Its not cat calls. Its not frotteurism. Its not pickpocketing. Its a gruesome murder in the presence of others who were mute spectators. This time a human life has been taken away. This has made us all painfully aware of the flaw in the safe narrative of the city. When a murder like this happens, it is a reminder that our safety is not absolute. This murder has scared us all a little. That when it wants to, this city can let someone bleed to death is unsettling. Recently, a few lawyers (all men) were murdered by gangs in the streets of Chennai on various days. Dalit men being murdered for marrying Hindu women of different castes in public spaces are routine occurrences in Tamil Nadu. We all need better policing and safer public spaces. And that young woman, who should not have lost her life, deserves justice. We need an alert civic society that demands all of this. The author is a Chennai-based writer and founder-editor of The Madras Mag. Without doubt, Arvind Kejriwal is the toughest opponent Prime Minister Narendra Modi has had to deal with in his over two years of governance. Perhaps its the frustration of reckoning with the irrepressible Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief Minister, who is digging in his heels more and more, that is driving the ruling BJP to desperate measures. The latest act of recklessness was in evidence last Saturday, when a posse of policemen barged into a room where AAP legislator Dinesh Mohaniya was addressing the media. Ignoring Mohaniyas protests, the policemen arrested the MLA on charges of assault and sexual harassment. The high-handed arrest, even as Mohaniya was addressing a media conference, could not but lend itself to criticism and suspicionparticularly given that the AAP legislator was in any case going to present himself at the police station later that same day. Criticism of such intemperate actions however is not deterring the BJP from carrying on with what is increasingly appearing to be an agenda focused on political vendetta. Within 24 hours of Mohaniyas arrest, the police once again on Sunday, detained Delhis Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia along with more than sixty AAP legislators. The MLAs were proceeding towards 7, Race Course Road to protest the arrest of their colleague when they were arrested and taken to Parliament police station. In the context of such aggression from the ruling BJP, Kejriwals tweet Modi declares emergency in Delhi. Arresting, raiding, terrorizing, filing false cases against all those whom Delhi elected even though dramatic in itself, does not ring entirely hollow. Emergency or not, one thing is clear: the Modi government is pulling out all stops to paint the AAP regime in Delhi into a corner. Besides, this is not the first time that the Delhi police (under the Union Home Ministry) has treated AAP legislators shoddily. Recall the sudden arrest of former AAP law minister Jitender Singh Tomar in June 2015 while he was addressing his constituency members in West Delhi. Tomar had been charged with furnishing fake educational degrees. Then as now, the AAP had raised serious objections to the arrogant manner of Tomars arrest without prior notice being served to him. This continuing narrative of punitive action against AAP MLAs raises a fundamental question. It isnt news that our politiciansmany of them members of Parliament and legislatorsare facing serious criminal charges, including rape and murder. But does the Modi government apply the same principles of justice and enforce the law when its own members in positions of power are implicated in such serious crimes? Consider for example, the case of Nihalchand Meghwal, a BJP MP and a minister in the central government. The Rajasthan MP, along with 16 others, was accused of raping a real estate agents wife. An FIR was registered against Meghwal and others in 2011. The Jaipur police closed the case after a year, accusing the survivor of fabricating the rape charge. The police also urged the court hearing the matter in Jaipur to close the case. However, heeding the womans repeated appeals, a Jaipur court finally decided to consider her plea in 2014. By then Meghwal was a minister in the BJP government. The survivor appealed to the Prime Minister saying, Narendra Modi is a good person. He shouldnt have ministers like Nihalchand Meghwal with him. However, after the court asked Meghwal and the other accused to explain why it should not re-open the case, the minister went missing for a while. The BJP government and the Rajasthan police looked the other way. The Modi government stoutly defended Meghwal, alleging that the rape charge was politically motivated. Despite repeated calls for his removal, the government retained Meghwal in the cabinet. He was merely shifted from the ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers to Panchayati Raj. Till date, Meghwal continues to be part of Modis cabinet. And let us not forget the case of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj, an acolyte of Kalyan Singh, who is implicated on murder and rape charges. But the list of tainted MPs goes way beyond these two. In May 2014, two non-governmental organisations, National Election Watch (NEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR,) drew the Prime Ministers attention to his party MPs with criminal charges against them. In a statement, the organisations said: In BJP alone, 98 (35 percent) out of 281 MPs analysed by NEW & ADR have self-declared criminal cases, while 63 (22 percent) have self-declared serious criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping, dacoity etc. The NEW and ADR reminded Modi of the commitments he had made to the electorate during his 2014 election campaign to cleanse politics of criminal elements, and fast track cases against tainted politicians. More than two years later, we are yet to witness any government move in that direction. What we are however witnessing is an audacious display of double standards a trait that not just the BJP, but every political party is guilty of. For the time being, the AAP seems to be staring down the barrel of this gun. Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Monday witnessed noisy scenes after BJP MLAs shouted anti-Pakistan slogans demanding action against the neighbouring country in retaliation for the attack on a CRPF convoy in the Valley that left eight personnel dead and 21 injured. The BJP legislators started shouting anti-Pakistan slogans as soon as the House assembled for the day and demanded "bombing" of militant camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. They also demanded that the House pass a resolution to condemn Pakistan for the attack in Pampore, the deadliest on security forces in recent years. Meanwhile, Independent MLA from Langate Sheikh Abdul Rashid demanded "justice" for five civilians who were killed in firing by the security forces during protests against alleged molestation of a school girl in Handwara in April this year. Subramanian Swamy wasnt always like this; an extreme right-wing, hyper-national, hardline Hindutva proponent and a loose cannon. There was a time when none of these adjectives fitted him and many considered Swamy as a visionary who often spoke about a mother India free from the evil of fascist forces. But, that was before Swamy took a dramatic turn in his ideological journey and put on the garb of a full-time saffron idol. Today, Swamy is the most popular political icon of Hinduvta hardliners, even above some of his high-ranked well-wishers in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and in Sangh Parivar. Swamy is Guruji to thousands of his followers. His Twitter account @Swamy39 has a following of 2.8 million. A Twitter group of his followers, which call itself @swamy_sena, states the making of virat Hindustan as its aim and has declared yuddha (war) against Naxalites/Islamists/Anglicised. Swamy is their Senapati (commander). Swamys followers consider him as the saviour of the Hindutva cause. And he lives up to their expectations, whether pushing for the cause of Ayodhya Ram temple or drawing a lakshman rekha to free Indian literature from left ideology. Recently, Swamy attacked two top officials in the government institutions (RBI governor, Raghuram Rajan and chief economic advisor, Arvind Subramanian) for their alleged anti-India activities, digging out their past and measuring their patriotism' levels using the Swamy meter. Just the other day, Swamy exhorted the BJP to direct its ministers wear traditional and modernised Indian clothes while abroad. But, a look at his decades-long political career would tell an observer that Swamy never had lasting loyalty to any ideology, including his links to the Sangh Parivar. In his political career, Swamy has taken major U-turns guided by his political objectives. He made his own rules and lived by them. There was a time when Swamy was the foremost critic of the same RSS and VHP (Vishva Hindu Parishad), who now hails him as the poster boy of their cause. A February, 2000, piece written by Swamy for the Frontline magazine, titled as 'The RSS game plan', gives us interesting insights to his radically different views on Sangh Parivar and BJP at that point. Swamy Vs RSS Swamy then compared the threat of creeping fascism of the RSS to British imperialism (1750-1947) and, later, to the emergency period (1975-77) the country witnessed during the Indira Gandhi regime. Today the creeping fascism of the RSS is coming upon us not as gradually as imperialism did, nor as suddenly as did the Emergency. Its spread is being calibrated adroitly by seven faceless men of the RSS, the RSS 'high command'. We barely feel it, Swamy wrote then. That was the time when the Vajpayee government had just returned to power for the third time, after Swamy brought down the 13-months old second Vajpayee government in mid-1999 , grouping three great ladies Sonia Gandhi, Jayalalithaa and Mayawati, whom he described as Lakshmi, Saraswati and Durga. One who reads Swamys Frontline article in early 2000, wouldnt have ever imagined that years later, the friend would emerge as a Hinduvta-sympathiser and fight bitter battles with Gandhi and Jayalalithaa. Swamys concern on the creeping fascism of RSS in the country was such that he hoped RSS plan to saffronise India wouldnt work since the vibrations of mother India will cause RSS undoing. The RSS is our counter-culture, Swamy then said. The vibrations of Mother India will, I hope, be its undoing. In the article, Swamy warned of RSS three-pronged strategy to implement its Hindutva agenda in the country. First, discredit the RSS' opponents but protect its converts. Swamy cited the Bofors case as a classic example of RSS strategy of protecting the converts. In that FIR (Bofors), Rajiv Gandhi's name figures in the list of accused. But those cabinet ministers who vetted and signed the deal, or had even held secret negotiations on the "financial parameters" with the Bofors company as representatives of Rajiv Gandhi are prosecution witnesses. Naturally we can guess what they will say in the witness box, Swamy said. Swamy then cites the case of politician Arun Nehru, whose hand has been in every cookie jar of every deal of that period. He is our swadeshi Quattrocchi, but then he has now bathed in the Ganga jal of the BJP. He too is a witness, not an accused. The motto is: "Join us and be free. Resist us and see you in court," Swamy wrote. Secondly, the RSS game plan, Swamy said, was designed to shake public confidence in every institution that comes in its way. The then HRD minister, Swamy said, elevated an RSS activist in the National Concil of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), who defended his credentials by saying he once shot dead a Muslim girl to protect her honour while she was being gang-raped by Hindus during partition. That, of course, is Hindutva justice: that is, the minorities can best look forward to liberation through mercy killing, Swamy said. Not just that, the RSS also targeted Christian minorities, who were easy targets, since there wasnt anyone to defend them, Swamy said. As the period of the Emergency clearly demonstrated, the RSS is astute enough to know when to hunt with the hounds and when to run with the hares. RSS, thus, is smarter than the German fascists in this respect, Swamy noted. Today, one wonders whether Swamy is experimenting this old RSS game plan by targeting institutions like the RBI and finance ministry to shake public confidence to achieve his yet-to-be-known objectives. Thirdly, Swamy quoted a draft circulated at the 1998 October conference of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) to prove that RSS had plans to topple the existing bicameral parliament with a new three-tie structure, where the apex body will headed by Sadhus and Sanyasis of VHP, which will pass all legislations and money bills before being sent to Lok Sabha and even nominate Supreme Court judges and impeach them. India would be, it seems, converted into a state which is a cross between the Taliban and the Vatican, Swamy said. How did Swamy, the RSS-hater, visionary and a secularist, dramatically change himself to the blue-eyed boy of Hindutva hardliners that he is today? Only Swamy knows the real answer. Swamys new avatar is difficult to comprehend and considering his past, one cant be sure whether the 76-year-old will have yet another change of mind that will pit him against the RSS and BJP. Barely a few months after Swamy took over as a BJP MP, the political tide in Delhi has clearly turned against him from the moment he targeted Arun Jaitley and attacked his trusted aides in the government. The RSS too is unlikely to back Swamy in his fight against Jaitley. But the bigger problem Swamy will have to face will come if his enemies, within BJP, employ the Swamy strategy attacking the opponent by digging out his past to implicate him on Swamy himself. In other words, Swamys enemies could very well tweet out a Swamy-style question one morning: Who acted against BJP and RSS in the 1990s? Who warned against the RSS fascism in the Frontline article? Swamy! Sack him!!!, just to give him a taste of his own medicine. May be, Swamy should rethink his battle strategy. It's often said that David Cameron is a lucky politician who has seemed to coast through politics on instinct and charm during a career that has culminated in six years as British prime minister. But on Friday, his luck seemed to run out. After the failure of his high-stakes referendum gamble, Cameron's legacy as the prime minister who took Britain out of the European Union an international alliance it joined more than 40 years ago seems to be sealed with his resignation. Cameron promised the referendum to try and unite his Conservative party but the result means Britain becomes the first country ever to leave the bloc and raises questions about the future unity of the United Kingdom. In announcing his intention to quit, Cameron said he had put his "head, heart and soul" into the "Remain" campaign so had little option but to go after voters rejected EU membership by 52 percent to 48 percent. As the referendum campaign took on an increasingly anti-establishment, anti-elite tone, the polished authority of Cameron, supported by big hitters from US president Barack Obama to the International Monetary Fund, struggled to cut through. "I think he's actually been pretty stunned by the strength of the 'Leave' cause," said Cameron biographer James Hanning. "The golden rule is, never hold a referendum unless you're confident of winning it, and I think he thought that the moderate voices would prevail by some distance. But that's not the way the polls are suggesting it's going to go." Financial Times commentator Janan Ganesh wrote that Cameron must now "prepare to be remembered for inadvertently presiding over the end of his countrys 43-year place in the European project and for nothing else." The referendum campaign has been unexpectedly bitter and divisive, and was brought to a shocked halt when Labour lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death in the street last week. The suspected killer gave his name in court as "death to traitors, freedom for Britain." Bullingdon Club to the youngest PM in 200 years The son of a stockbroker, Cameron was educated at elite boarding school Eton and Oxford University, where he was admitted to the Bullingdon Club, a hard-drinking, socially exclusive student group. He worked for the Conservatives as an advisor before a stint in public relations, which ended when he was elected to parliament in 2001. Cameron rose swiftly through the ranks of the party which was then struggling badly against prime minister Tony Blair's Labour government and was elected leader in 2005 at the age of 39. He tried to "detoxify" the party brand in part by avoiding discussion of the EU, which has split the Conservatives since Margaret Thatcher's premiership in the 1980s. At the 2010 general election, Cameron became the youngest premier for 200 years but the centre-right Conservatives did not win enough seats to govern alone and had to form a coalition with the centrist Liberal Democrats. The coalition was dominated by spending cuts as Britain emerged from recession, while foreign policy debate was largely hijacked by Conservative wrangling over the EU. A previous risky referendum gamble paid off when Scotland voted to stay as part of Britain in 2014. After five years in coalition, the Conservatives won a surprise clear majority in the May 2015 general election, allowing them to rule alone. The win meant that the EU referendum first promised by Cameron in 2013 to placate his restive party, but which many in Westminster say he never believed would happen, became a reality. Loyal lieutenants lost Cameron spent much of the rest of 2015 lobbying other European countries for a deal to improve Britain's relations with the EU. Sealed in February, this allowed him to argue going into the referendum that Britain had a "special status" in the 28-country bloc, notably allowing it to limit benefit payments to EU migrants. But the deal was derided as "thin gruel" by some Conservative MPs. The bitterest blows to Cameron came as campaigning got under way. Some of his most loyal lieutenants including justice minister Michael Gove godfather to one of Cameron's children said they would campaign for Brexit. Then Boris Johnson, who was London's charismatic mayor at the time, sprung a surprise by also backing "Leave". Victoria Honeyman, a lecturer in British politics at the University of Leeds, said Cameron had seen EU battles poison the leaderships of former Tory leaders John Major and William Hague and "feared a civil war in the Conservative Party." She said the referendum was about "defusing that time bomb" but Cameron has "moved from having one ticking time bomb to having another ticking time bomb." During the campaign, Cameron led from the front with a barrage of speeches arguing that Britain's economy would be badly hit by Brexit. He told voters he would forge a new deal between Britain and the EU that would make remaining an attractive prospect. At a Brussels summit in February, he won changes to welfare benefits that he said would reduce immigration and an exemption for Britain from the EU's commitment to "ever-closer union" a phrase that stirs images of a European super-state in some patriotic British hearts. The concessions he gained have been dismissed as paltry by "Leave" campaigners, who say they will do little to limit immigration from other EU nations because the bloc guarantees free movement among member states. It's a subject that resonates with many voters, who have seen hundreds of thousands of people come to Britain over the past decade from new EU members in eastern Europe. (Hundreds of thousands of Britons also live in other EU countries, a less remarked-upon fact). However, he failed to counter the "Leave" camp's argument that immigration from EU countries needed to be cut to reduce the strain on public services, and that this could only happen if Britain left. His old rival Johnson, who quickly morphed into a leading pro-Brexit figure, is favourite to succeed him as prime minister. Exit looming for while "Will I carry on as prime minister? Yes," he told the BBC in an interview in mid June, vowing to "construct a government that includes all of the talents of the Conservative Party." But even if Britain had voted to remain, Cameron's days as leader seemed numbered. He had already announced that he would step down before the next election in 2020. A deeply divided party would have likely wanted him to leave long before that, so that a new leader can help heal the referendum's wounds, and dissident Conservative lawmakers could have triggered a no-confidence vote to oust him. Legacy Hanning said 50-year-old Cameron will be worried about what the referendum means for his legacy. Tim Bale, professor of politics at Queen Mary, University of London, said Cameron had hoped to be remembered for restoring the economy after the 2008 financial crisis and for social reforms such as legalizing same-sex marriage. "I think gay marriage will still be an important one," Bale said. "But unfortunately I think he's going to be remembered in the history books as the prime minister who took us out of Europe." Hanning said Cameron would find that "mortifying." But he said a vote for Brexit would overshadow Cameron's other achievements, just as the decision to join the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 has clouded the legacy of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. "You might say that is his Iraq," Hanning said. "Blair had foreign affairs successes in Northern Ireland, Sierra Leone, Kosovo and then Iraq was the manifestation of his overconfidence. I suppose people might say this is Cameron's." Ultimately, though, a change of prime minister might be seen as one of the less significant consequences for a country which is now plunging into the unknown. With inputs from agencies Brexit (Britains referendum vote to exit the European Union) is a landmark that will be long remembered, but it is part of a process that has been in play for some time and will continue. It is a process of increasing conservatism, spilling into xenophobia, which is increasingly a part of the political discourse, not only in Britain, but in many countries of Europe and beyond. Donald Trumps campaign for the Republican nomination, which he wrapped up with amazing ease, is a case in point. That campaign has been more overtly racist, gender-insensitive and more nationalistically inward-looking than the campaigns of most of those who pushed in Britain for their country to leave the EU. Similar political changes have occurred in various countries, including Russia, Hungary and Turkey. This process (increasing conservatism and race-based nationalism) seems to have economic roots. Some link it to the economic crises of 2008 and beyond. It is of course more obviously linked to perceptions regarding terrorism, and to fears regarding the flow of refugees and other sorts of migrants to the West. So far, however, the process has unfolded fuzzily; its dimensions have not been sharply noticed. If only because of the financial panic the Brexit vote provoked across the globe, it has made the world sit up and take notice. Unless a Trump victory in the US presidential elections overshadows it, Britains vote last Thursday is likely to be remembered as the sort of key landmark that becomes shorthand for a process, just as the fall of the Berlin Wall became the landmark event through which the process by which the Eastern bloc came apart is remembered. That process lasted several years, but it is the fall of the wall that lingers in the public mind. In much the same way, the 11 September, 2001 attacks in the US are remembered as the landmark event that represents the antagonism between Al-Qaeda and the West. In fact, many observers tend to think of it as representing the entire range of attrition between Islamist groups such as the Taliban or Islamic State on the one hand, and the West on the other. The Taliban was indeed related to Al-Qaeda; the top leadership of the latter was based in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan during the late 1990s and until the attacks on the US in 2001. However, the two entities (Taliban and Al-Qaeda) had different agendas, geographical foci and operations. Islamic State was born out of the Western invasion of Iraq in prisons run by the US. It is not Al-Qaeda. The process that Brexit has so dramatically flagged has been in play for some years. Britain has reported several racist attacks in recent years, the US far more, and Paris has been a hotbed of racial antagonism for some years. Germanys Pegida movement showed overt racism in the winter of 2014-15, and Geert Wilders is the public face of Dutch xenophobia. Hungarys openly xenophobic government has remained popular. So has Turkeys Recep Tayyip Erdogan regime and Russias Vladimir Putin. At about this time last year, most liberal observers considered Trump a maverick outsider in the US Republican campaign. Jeb Bush was considered the favourite, Trump, a bizarrely comic figure, on the margins. US voters have shown through the primaries that Trump has touched a chord with a wide swathe of the population, even though his campaign is calculated to exclude very large segments of the population. The votaries of 'remain' in the EU have celebrated the popularity of the 'remain' (within the EU) vote in Scotland, but even that reflects a level of exclusivist nationalism. Scots want to resist an England-dominated United Kingdom; that signifies a negative decision, not necessarily a positive belief in the idea of a multi-cultural, multi-linguistic, multi-ethnic Europe. Northern Ireland too had more 'remain' than 'leave' (the EU) voters. But the 'remain' vote there was not an overwhelming majority; only 55.8 percent in Northern Ireland voted to 'remain', compared with 62 percent in Scotland. The only demographic segments that clearly endorsed the multi-cultural idea were degree-cum-job holders and urban Britons, particularly in London. Overall, not only in Britain but well beyond its borders, the trend towards exclusivity, racist self-definition and fear about others, and the future, is widespread. It is growing. Brexit has dramatically flagged it. But this is by no means the end of the story. Cincinnati: Elizabeth Warren offered an impassioned endorsement of Hillary Clinton on Monday morning, symbolically unifying the Democratic Party behind the presumptive nominee and giving voters a rousing preview of what could be a historic joint ticket. Throwing clasped hands high in the air, the two women promised to "go big" and "go bold" to level the playing field for frustrated and angry workers. "I'm here today because of her," said Warren, a champion of the party's liberal base, before 2,600 cheering supporters at the historic Cincinnati Museum Center at Union Terminal. "We're here to fight side by side with Hillary Clinton." The picture-perfect image marked an important moment of party unity after Clinton's long-fought primary against liberal challenger Bernie Sanders, who has not yet endorsed his former rival. And with the Massachusetts senator under consideration to be Clinton's running mate, it may also be a harbinger of the party's future. Warren showed how she could play the role as an attacker-in-chief against Republican Donald Trump, calling him a "small, insecure money-grubber," ''a nasty man" and "goofy." An unprecedented two-woman ticket would electrify the party's liberal wing, boosting enthusiasm for Clinton's campaign as she continues to face high unfavorable ratings. Warren could also help Clinton combat the perception that the multimillionaire former first lady is disconnected from the struggles of working Americans an image encouraged by Sanders during his campaign. Her arm over Warren's shoulder, Hillary Clinton lavished praise on the progressive icon, whom she called a "friend" and a "great leader." "She is considered so terrific, so formidable, because she tells it like it is," she said. Elizabeth Warren returned the compliment: "She just remembers who really needs someone on their side and she gets up and keeps right on fighting for the people who need her the most," she said of Clinton. The two women have never been close, according to aides, who note they didn't overlap in the Senate and worked in different corners of the Obama administration. Clinton served as secretary of state, while Warren helped establish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. At times, their relationship has seemed almost frosty. Warren wrote in a 2004 book that as a senator from New York, Clinton "could not afford such a principled position" on legislation that would make it harder for consumers to relieve their debt through bankruptcy laws. She also implied that Hillary Clinton was short-tempered and impatient with her staff. There was little of that distance on Monday. They repeatedly hugged, smiled and threw their fists in the air. Together, they slammed Donald Trump, casting him as a small-minded, self-interested billionaire who would destroy the country's economy. "Donald Trump is the guy who wants it all for himself," said Warren. "And watch out. Because he will crush you into the dirt to get whatever he wants." She's taken his hits in return: He blasted her as "Pocahontas," a reference to past discussions about her having Native American ancestry. "Crooked Hillary is wheeling out one of the least productive senators in the US Senate, goofy Elizabeth Warren, who lied on heritage," Trump tweeted on Monday. Warren's tough assault is valued by Clinton, who aides say particularly appreciates surrogates that don't mince words in their attacks. "I do just love to see how she gets under Donald Trump's skin," said Hillary Clinton. Warren has been trying to endear herself to Clinton in other ways, too. A few days after a private meeting at Clinton's home, Warren stopped by her campaign headquarters in Brooklyn to deliver a pep talk to staffers. The visit, bragged pleased Clinton staffers, was at Warren's request. She's currently being vetted by lawyers involved in Clinton's vice presidential search, and they've asked Warren for documents and to complete a questionnaire. The next step: a private interview with Clinton. Other candidates under consideration include Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a well-liked lawmaker from an important general election battleground state; and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas, a rising star in the Democratic Party. Clinton remains weeks away from making her pick, according to aides. But there was plenty of wishful thinking at her rally. "We were really hoping that she would announce that Elizabeth Warren was her vice president," Kristen Woods, 29. "She's amazing. I would love her." London: UK's outgoing Prime Minister David Cameron on Monday hailed "important partner" India in his first Parliament statement, since the country voted for leaving the EU and said Britain must not turn its back on Europe or the rest of the world. In his official statement on the 'Outcome of the EU Referendum' in the House of Commons, Cameron laid out the future course to be undertaken under a new Prime Minister after Brexit last week. David Cameron said he will go to Brussels for a summit on Tuesday but will not invoke article 50 immediately. "The nature of the relationship we secure with the EU will be determined by the next government but I think everyone is agreed that we all want the strongest possible economic link with our European neighbours as well as with our close friends in North America, the Commonwealth and important partners like India and China," David Cameron, 49, said, to cheers from MPs. "Britain is leaving the EU but we must not turn our backs on Europe or the rest of the world," he said, adding, "We have to determine the kind of relationship we want with the EU". David Cameron said the result of the referendum is not the one he wanted, but he and the cabinet have agreed it must be respected. He said hate crimes and attacks on foreigners must be stamped out. "These people have come here and made a wonderful contribution," he said. There will be no immediate changes to peoples rights, Cameron said, adding the withdrawal negotiations will start under a new prime minister. Earlier his Conservative party said Cameron's successor will be in place by 2 September. David Cameron said Britain's economy is well placed to face the challenges ahead. He said a new civil service unit has been set up to prepare for the withdrawal negotiations. "It will be staffed by the brightest and best from Westminster. It will prepare options for the new prime minister," he said. All key decisions will have to wait for the arrival of new prime minister but "a lot of work" can begin now, he said. Insisting the UK is "ready to confront what the future holds from a position of strength", he also confirmed that the country will not be invoking article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty any time soon, which sets in motion a two-year time-line for finalising the details of Britain's exit from the EU. He reiterated a "fundamental responsibility" to unite the country, as he condemned "despicable" abuse reported against EU migrants since the referendum result. "We will not stand for hate crime," he said, offering assurances to EU nationals living in the UK that there will be no immediate changes to their circumstances. "These people have come here and made a wonderful contribution," he said. He concluded that in implementing Brexit and facing the challenges ahead the UK should "hold fast to a vision that wants to be respected abroad, tolerant at home, engaged in the world and working with our international partners to advance security and prosperity of the nation for generations to come". digital and print publisher. digital and print publisher. We are Americas largest We are Americas largest The brands you love. The experiences you want. Southwest Airlines (LUV -0.72%) is one of Boeing's (BA -8.77%) most important customers. The low-fare carrier has been exclusively flying the Boeing 737 for several decades (with only brief exceptions), and now has more than 700 of them in its fleet. At Southwest's investor day last week, the carrier revealed that it has agreed with Boeing to defer 67 737 MAX deliveries scheduled for the 2019-2022 period until 2023 and beyond. This has added to existing worries about Boeing 737 demand. However, Southwest's order deferral isn't problematic for Boeing. In fact, the investment community's concerns appear to be built upon a misunderstanding of Southwest Airlines' recent aircraft strategy. Concerns about Boeing 737 demand Southwest Airlines was one of the first airlines to order the 737 MAX, a new version of Boeing's best-selling product that will offer double-digit fuel efficiency gains. With 200 firm orders, Southwest is one of the two largest 737 MAX buyers, along with Indonesia's Lion Air. As a result, investors and analysts are sensitive to any signs that Southwest is becoming less enthusiastic about the 737 MAX. The stakes are high because some observers see the 737 MAX as an inferior product relative to the competing Airbus A320neo family. Indeed, while Boeing has lined up a staggering 3,213 firm orders for the 737 MAX ahead of its first delivery (scheduled for next year), Airbus has seen even stronger demand. As of the end of May, Airbus had 4,568 firm orders for the A320neo family, including a handful that have already been delivered. To skeptics, the Southwest Airlines order deferral is a sign of two potential problems. First, air travel demand growth could be slower than expected by Boeing and Airbus, which would in turn reduce new aircraft demand. Second, Southwest Airlines could have decided that the 737 MAX doesn't offer enough advantages to offset the lower cost of buying used aircraft. Southwest's fleet plans have changed These skeptics are misunderstanding how Southwest has altered its fleet strategy recently. In the past year or so, Southwest's management has decided that it won't be practical for the airline to simultaneously operate 737 Classics (an older version of the 737 built in the 1980s and 1990s) and the 737 MAX. As a result, Southwest has accelerated the retirement date for its fleet of 737 Classics -- still more than 100 strong -- from 2021 to Q3 2017. Many of Southwest's 737 MAX deliveries scheduled for 2017-2021 were intended to replace these retiring 737 Classics. Instead, Southwest has had to find 737s that are available now to fill the gap. To some extent, this has meant opportunistically tapping the used aircraft market. But Southwest has also ordered new planes from Boeing, including an order for 33 737-800s announced earlier this year. As of the end of 2013, Southwest planned to buy 125 737-700s and 737-800s by 2018, including 17 used 737-700s. Between 2014 and 2015, it added 52 new 737-800s and 46 used 737-700s to its fleet. Based on its most recent plans, it will add another 89 new 737-800s and 41 used 737-700s in the 2016-2018 period. In total, Southwest will bring in 228 737-700s and 737-800s during the 2014-2018 period -- 103 more aircraft than originally planned. Southwest no longer expects to have any fleet replacement needs between 2018 and 2022, hence the decision to defer some 737 MAX deliveries. Plenty of 737 MAX demand Southwest Airlines now has firm orders for just 14-15 737 MAX aircraft annually in the 2019-2022 period. That's enough to provide for modest 2% fleet growth each year. Southwest also holds options for additional 737 MAXs during that period -- it just doesn't want to be locked into faster growth. Looking to 2023 and beyond, Southwest's 737 MAX purchases will ramp up significantly. The carrier has hundreds of 737-700s that will be ripe for retirement between 2023 and 2030. It will almost certainly turn to the 737 MAX to replace these planes, meaning that Boeing can look forward to selling 40-50 737 MAXs to Southwest on an annual basis after 2023. Thus, Southwest Airlines' order deferral doesn't reflect disappointment with the 737 MAX. Furthermore, Boeing won't have any trouble finding other takers for these planes. Near-term demand for the 737 MAX is robust, with delivery slots sold out through 2021, according to Boeing. The biggest risk to Boeing's 737 output is that its planned production increase from 42 a month today to 57 per month by the end of 2019 will prove unsustainable. However, Southwest Airlines' 737 MAX purchases will ramp up just as demand from other airlines might be moderating. That hardly sounds like cause for concern. With Brexit dominating the headlines, the announcement that Sunoco LP (SUN 0.10%) acquired Emerge Energy Services' (NYSE: EMES) fuels business really flew under the radar. For investors, though, the deal was much more important to Sunoco's future than anything that is going on across the pond. Let's take a look at the details of the recent deal to see if Sunoco got a decent deal and examine why this deal is indicative of the kind of growth Sunoco investors should expect in the coming years. By the numbers On Friday, Sunoco announced that it had come to an agreement to acquire Emerge Energy Services' fuels segment for $178.5 million. The details of how Sunoco would finance the deal were not given. Emerge's fuels business consists of two transmix facilities and about 800,000 barrels of refined petroleum product terminals. The two facilites are in Birmingham, Alabama and the Dallas, Texas metro area. Sunoco already has significant operations in the Dallas area and should help support its large retail network there, and the Birmingham facility could provide a springboard to help grow in other southeast states where it doesn't have much presence. Transmix facilities are used to separate out the various refined products -gasoline & diesel -- that get sent through the same pipeline. Here's how Emerge's fuels segment has performed over the past few years Emerge's Fuels Segment (in millions) LTM FY 2015 FY 2014 FY 2013 Adjusted EBITDA $9.9 $10.6 $18.5 $22.9 If we average these annual results and compare them to the $178.5 million price tag, it implies that Sunoco paid about 12 times EBITDA for these assets. Sunoco didn't exactly fleece Emerge on this deal, but it didn't overpay, either. Also, wholesale fuel terminals and transmix facilities make much more sense in Sunoco's asset portfolio and the company will likely be able to get better results out of them as a part of its greater system. If that is the case, then today's price looks like a decent buy. Slow & steady will win the race Once Sunoco completed the acquisition of all of Energy Transfer Partners (ETP) wholesale and retail fuel segment, the company has needed to find a new strategy to grow. In the retail fuel business, there aren't a whole lot of big fish that can be devoured and there isn't a booming demand for more stations across the country. Rather, this extremely fragmented market is more suited for a company that invests in a few organic expansion opportunities and makes several smaller scale acquisitions. A deal of this size fits that description rather well. It's small enough that the company should be able to pay for a decent chunk of it with excess cash flow. That is, of course, if management doesn't decide to push its payout to investors so high that it leaves nothing left to make these sorts of deals. It would likely be in their best interest to not push its payout to the limit in order to finance these kinds of deals without having to tap the debt or equity market every time. What a Fool believes To say that the deal was a win-win is a little too cliche. Sure, Emerge gets the much needed cash infusion and Sunoco gets some assets fitting its business at a decent price, but both companies probably would like to see the sticker price change in their favor. For Emerge, this deal means its completely reliant on its sand production business. There are some small glimmers of hope that drilling activity and hydraulic fracturing will pick back up relatively soon, but it will take a large jump to return Emerge to profitability and its financial statements suggest it won't be able to hang on for much longer. For Sunoco, this deal won't move the needle in a huge way initially, but these assets make more sense in Sunoco's hands and should help them expand operations where these facilities are located. Going forward, investors should expect Sunoco to make acquisitions of similar size. As long as it can make these deals without overpaying and having to get outside capital to fund them, then it should be a long term benefit for investors. Whether it's difficult to keep track of all the opportunities or easy to focus on the ones that grab the headlines (or both), investors in engineered-biology conglomerate Intrexon (PGEN -4.60%) seem to be forgetting about a big opportunity that could begin generating significant revenue in the next few years. When Intrexon agreed to acquire Okanagan Specialty Fruits in February 2015, it snagged a portfolio of fruit products that could be worth hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue. The company paid just $10 million in cash and an additional $31 million in stock. Not bad. The acquisition gave Intrexon possession of a broad portfolio of biotech fruits that includes Arctic apples, which are engineered (with genetic parts from other apple varieties) to not turn brown when cut or bruised. I get it. Apples aren't really that exciting. It may sound like a novelty, but there's tremendous value in non-browning apples across the supply chain. Producers and packers will save money from discarding less bruised fruit, reduce food waste, and enjoy higher sales from shipping higher-value, high-quality grade fruits. Apple processors -- which account for nearly $900 million of the annual apple crop in the United States -- could create new products more consumers want, such as apple juice that's green (the way it should be) or sliced apple products that maintain their fresh appearance without antioxidant treatments. That could boost foot traffic and sales for retailers, too, considering that several studies have shown apple consumption soars up to 71% when sliced varieties are available. Better yet, 62% of consumers said they were likely to purchase the non-browning apples. That bodes well for the success of Arctic apples, but there's a catch. While Intrexon is creating value along the value chain, it won't generate sales from the supermarket, unless it launches a consumer brand. Instead, the company will generate revenue from supplying Arctic apple trees to orchards -- par for the course in the industry. Management hasn't offered much insight into its expectations, but we can use industry statistics to estimate the total addressable market and revenue potential. How 'bout dem apples? To calculate the total addressable market, we need to know: The selling price per apple tree. The number of apple trees that can be planted in one acre of land. The number of acres growing apples. The lifespan of an apple tree, since, unlike grain crops, trees survive multiple harvests. After a little digging, I found that conventional dwarf apple trees cost about $30 each to commercial orchards, and that one acre can accommodate a density between 500 and 1,000 dwarf trees depending on spacing. The United States and Canada -- where Arctic apples are approved and regulated -- combine for approximately 378,000 acres of conventionally grown apples (certified organic acreage is off limits to Arctic apples). That means the combined value of trees in production today is somewhere between $5.6 billion and $11.3 billion. However, since a dwarf apple tree has a lifespan of about 15 years, the total addressable market for dwarf apple tree sales to commercial orchards is between $376 million and $752 million annually. With that, here are several estimates for annual revenue potential at $30 per tree: Market Share* Acres Annual Revenue Range 5% 18,900 $19 million to $38 million 10% 37,800 $38 million to $75 million 20% 75,600 $75 million to $150 million These are only estimates. Arctic apple trees could sell for more than $30 each (very likely), or could face problems in scaling production, or could even come up against another positive or negative unknown. The important to thing to remember is that Intrexon is hoping to capture market share and grow the market over time, which means it's best for investors to think of revenue potential in terms of acres. That's the metric Intrexon is likely to provide in the upcoming quarters. What does it mean for investors? It takes two to three years from the time an Arctic apple tree is planted (which has already occurred on multiple orchards) to the time it begins bearing fruit. After that, it will take years to capture market share and generate sales, but with 62% of consumers saying they would purchase non-browning apples, the future is bright. That's especially true considering Okanagan Specialty Fruits has non-browning cherries and pears, virus-resistant peaches, and taste- and nutritionally enhanced peach and cherry products making their way through the pipeline. Arctic apples are the biggest opportunity of the fruity bunch, but the total opportunity could add up to hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue for Intrexon within the next decade. As this demonstrates, Intrexon remains a complex investment. The company relies a little too heavily on hype and selling its vision, which distracts investors from the real-world obstacles facing some of its technology platforms. I encourage investors to take a more nuanced view of the opportunities ahead and evaluate each on a case-by-case basis. Some technology platforms will be commercial duds, while others have great potential to be significant contributors to the top and bottom lines. I would place Arctic apples in the latter category. What: Shares of Genesee & Wyoming (GWR) sank 10.7% on Friday amid fears that Britain's decision to exit the EU will impact its operations in the region. So what: Britain's stunning decision to exit the EU caused the market to panic, with investors selling first and asking questions later. While most of the market was down, companies with exposure to the UK took the brunt of the market's selling pressure due to the uncertainty of what the vote means for businesses operating in the country. This focused selling of stocks with UK/European exposure drove Genesee & Wyoming's stock down much farther than the rest of the railroad sector. For example, the stock of fellow regional railroad Kansas City Southern (KSU) was only down 4.4% on Friday while leading Class I railroad Union Pacific's (UNP 0.60%) stock slumped 3.7%. This relative outperformance stems from the fact that Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific do not have any direct exposure to Europe or the UK. Genesee & Wyoming, on the other hand, has been increasing its exposure to both regions. Driving this increased exposure was last year's acquisition of Freightliner, which boosted its exposure to the Eurozone to 10% of annual operating income. Before that transaction, the company's exposure to the region was minimal. Further, Genesee & Wyoming was expecting its UK and European segment to have a strong second half of the year. However, that resurgence might not happen if the Eurozone economy weakens due to the uncertainty caused by the Brexit vote. Now what: Genesee & Wyoming had been relying on its recently acquired Freightliner business to drive its results in the second half of the year. However, the market is no longer sure this will happen because the Brexit vote could weigh on European economic growth. While the market might be overreacting to the impact of the unexpected Brexit vote, the vote has created a cloud of uncertainty that might not clear for a while. Just the other week my wife and I went to a highly recommended Italian restaurant in South Philadelphia. It was a typical family place right out of the Godfather checkered table cloths, big portions, waiters with moustaches wearing white. But, I was assured, no guns taped behind toilets in the mens room. We enjoyed the meal. But we wont eat there again. Was it the food? The service? The ambiance? None of that. It was the payment. The place didnt accept credit cards. So I had to pay cash. What is this cash that people speak of? Who has heard of this thing? I didnt have cash. I had cash in 1985. But not today. So I was forced into using an ATM that was conveniently located at the backfor a $4.00 fee. Why no credit cards? My guess is the owner is trying to save on fees (a note: the prices werent any lower so I guess those cost savings arent being passed down to his customers). Maybe he likes keeping a cash business off the books from the IRS; or hes padding his pockets with the extra he makes from the ATM. You see these places all the time. Still. In 2016. Take photos. Like full service gas stations, bank branches and tube socks -- they are a quickly dying breed. Which brings me to Costco and American Express. Last week, the giant retailer made its final break with the giant credit card company. No longer would Costco only accept American Express. The store changed allegiances to partner with Visa and Citigroup instead. A few small business owners I know cheered the news. Good for Costco, one told me. I hate the high fees Amex charges me. I should do the same. I advised him not to. Oh, I get it. American Express does charge merchants higher fees than Visa and MasterCard. Actually, a lot higher. A good summary of these charges is here maybe the rates have changed slightly since, but not by much. And yes, Amex charges retailers a point or so higher than its competitors. Just ask any retailer. Loyalists will argue that American Express cardholders are more affluent and spend more money and are better customers. Or that American Express services are much better. These arguments also have merit. So there are certainly pros and cons to accepting the card. But isnt this debate irrelevant? For starters, its 2016 and you cant not accept credit cards. That guy who runs the nice little Italian place in South Philly may see out his days on the cash basis of accounting, but his business is going to get killed by the competitor down the street who makes food just as good and puts customer service way ahead of his measly 2% savings on merchant fees. Customers, especially the millions of Millennials who are as unfamiliar with cash as I am with long hair, are expecting to pay for everything with a credit card and in a very, very short time will soon be replacing those credit cards with Apple Pay, PayPal and other options right from their smartphone. So whats the lesson from the Costco/American Express tale? Its this: as a small business owner its not up to you which credit card (or other payment) you accept. Its up to your customers. The lesson is that youre not Costco. As I see it, you cant just not accept American Express. My company accepts American Express. And Visa. And MasterCard. And Discover. Why? Because my customers want choices. And because when that wonderful and delicious moment comes when the customer is ready to pay, I want to make it as easy as possible because I need every dollar I can get. Yeah, Ill pay the fees. I just build them into my price. Its National Sunglasses Day! Whether you are sporting shades for fashion sake or protecting your eyes from the sun, glasses are a must. Despite the crowded and competitive industry, one company saw a glaring hole in the marketplace; baby eyewear. FOXBusiness.com caught up with Molly Fienning, co-founder of Babiators, who opened up about her companys spur-of-the-moment start and booming success. As a military wife, my friends and I were all out on the flight line waiting for our fighter pilot husbands to come home. And the kids were actually squinting at the sun. So I said to my husband we should make them [baby aviators], says Fienning. Recently celebrating their fifth birthday, Babiators unique rubber constructed stylish glasses make breaking them nearly impossible. In addition, the company has a special lost and found guarantee; If you (its OK, you can blame your baby) lose or break the glasses, Babiators will replace them for free. Word of mouth and a growing social media following, plus the term babiator dominating Google searches, has allowed the company to team up with major retailers worldwide including Buy Buy Baby, a subsidiary of Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ:BBBY), and Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN). Earlier this year we hit our one millionth pair sold and on track for over $5 million in revenue this year says Fienning. To celebrate National Sunglasses Day, this past Saturday Babiators handed out over 1,000 pairs to the local Atlanta community (where their headquarters are based). But for them, its more than just fashion thats most important. Only 30% of parents are currently protecting their kids' eyes with sunglasses, so for Babiators our mission is to create awareness about the need to keeps kids' eyes safe in the sun. Be sure to watch the above video for Mollys full interview and check out Babiators.com for more. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg onstage at F8 2016. Image Source: Facebook. If digital publishers had to update their relationship status with Facebook , they would most likely select "it's complicated." For websites, Facebook -- and its approximate 1.7 billion worldwide monthly active users -- is, by far, the most important digital outlet. So understandably, it makes sense for websites to maintain a strong presence on the social-media network. For example, last year, eMarketer estimated that Facebook accounted for 30% of all digital-advertising revenue, and a massive 38% of fast-growing mobile advertising revenue. Websites like BuzzFeed have grown to billion-dollar valuations, in part, by focusing on optimizing their content for Facebook's likes and shares. The downside to this dominance, however, is extreme market power. Any small change Facebook makes has the potential to severely disrupt the business model of these publishers. In 2014, Facebook changed its News Feed algorithms to emphasize what it described as "more relevant news." As a result of Facebook's ranking change, liberal viral news site Upworthy endured a traffic drop of nearly 50% in two months. In an article from Fast Company titled, "Did Facebook Just Deliver A Crushing Blow To Native Advertising?" Facebook appears to be modifying its algorithms again... and publishers are understandably nervous. Native advertising: What is it and why is it now so popular? The biggest trend in digital marketing is the rise of native advertising. It's a pretty simple concept: Instead of news organizations clearly separating advertising from editorial content, these would essentially be combined into one article. Whether native advertising is ethical or not is heavily disputed (more on this later); but what isn't disputed is native advertising's effectiveness. A study from marketing company Dedicated Media found native advertising resulted in 53% more views, with 53% higher purchasing intent. One reason for the shift away from traditional banner and pop-up ads to native advertising is that the latter is mostly excluded from ad-blocking technology. As digital traffic shifts to mobile, which is metered by the gigabyte, the number of users putting ad-blocking technology on their smartphones and tablets will increase while native advertising, especially the ads distributed on Facebook, are mostly immune from ad blocking. Facebook's update increases transparency... an unfriendly move for many publishers Any advertisement, native or traditional, is judged by effectiveness versus cost. And native advertising is expensive, costing three-to-four times more than a banner ad on account of its perceived effectiveness. Before Facebook's recent change in April, publishers were not allowed to share native advertising, or branded content, on their pages. In reality, there was an easy way around this rule: Create a second page specifically for sharing branded content. Now, Facebook allows publishers to share native advertising on their home pages, but has the requirement that the publisher tag the advertiser in the post. While it sounds like a win for websites dependent upon marketing revenue, Fast Company points out two problems digital publishers have with this approach. The first is that tagging allows the brand paying for marketing direct access to the post's marketing metrics, like cost-per-click and total reach. In the event these numbers are lower than the numbers the publisher promises, it could result in lower ad rates. The second is the outward-facing aspect of the tagging feature. The knock on native advertising is that it essentially tricks readers into ad engagement under the guise it's legitimate editorial content. Having to tag the brand in the post would most likely alert Facebook users to the fact that this is a native ad, and decrease its overall effectiveness. Fast Company quoted several unnamed people in the marketing industry who hypothesized that Facebook is doing this to encourage advertisers to pay publishers only for content creation -- or possibly design their own content in-house -- and pay Facebook directly for clicks (distribution) rather than going through the publisher-- which is essentially nothing more than a middleman for distribution of native ads on Facebook. Facebook has the upper hand For publishers, it's clear that Facebook has the power in this relationship. Websites may have millions of followers on Facebook, but those are Facebook's users. In the event Facebook chooses to change the rules of access, or chooses to monetize its user base in a more-effective way, publishers will have to accept those changes. In the end, it's unlikely that Mark Zuckerberg wants to destroy digital publishers, but has a primary responsibility to his shareholders. While digital and mobile advertising is increasing at a torrid pace, it's quickly becoming a consolidated market. As previously stated, Facebook was responsible for 30% of all digital ad revenue, and 38% of all mobile ad revenue. If anything, it appears these figures will only increase going forward. The article Did Facebook Just Destroy Native Advertising? originally appeared on Fool.com. Jamal Carnetteowns Facebook. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Many investors have wondered when Xiaomi , one of the biggest smartphone makers in China, will ever go public. But back in March, Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun told reporters at the opening of the National People's Congress in Beijing that there weren't any plans to file for an IPO "at the moment." Later that month, Xiaomi International VP Hugo Barra told Reuters that the company was self-sufficient, and that there were "no plans" to raise money through new investment rounds or an IPO. Image source: Xiaomi. Yet that doesn't necessarily mean that Xiaomi will stay private forever. Therefore, investors should familiarize themselves with nine key facts about Xiaomi's business. 1. Xiaomi built its business by selling smartphones equipped with mid-range and high-end hardware at low-end prices. It initially only sold its devices online to avoid brick-and-mortar markups and relied on word-of-mouth advertising and social media campaigns to reduce marketing expenses. 2. That strategy helped it become the the fifth largest smartphone makerin the world in 2015. Most of its sales still come from China, but the company has gradually expanded into new markets like Brazil and India. 3. Xiaomi's revenue rose 5% to 78 billion yuan ($12.5 billion) in 2015. It sold 70 million smartphones during the year, but that missed its target of 80 million and caused it to fall behind its bigger Chinese rivals Huawei and Lenovo. Oppo also recently overtook Xiaomi during thefirst quarter of 2016, according to Strategy Analytics. 4. Huawei, Lenovo, Oppo, and other Chinese OEMs stole market share from Xiaomi by matching its prices and replicating its business model of online sales and social media promotions. These new rivals have caused price expectations to plunge, making it difficult for pricier Android rivals like Samsung and HTC to remain competitive. 5. To diversify away from smartphones, Xiaomi launched consumer electronics like headphones, fitness trackers, wireless scales, smart TVs, air purifiers, and even drones -- which were all sold on its high-quality/low-cost model. It also expanded its digital ecosystem with its own app store, mobile games, O2O (online-to-offline) services, action camera makers, and streaming video. Xiaomi's Mi Headphones. Image source: Xiaomi. 6. Xiaomi's internet-based revenue hit $564 million last year, but that missed its prior target of$1 billion. Back in 2013, Lei Jun told Reuters that Xiaomi was "more like Amazon " than a clone of Apple . Lei declared that "Xiaomi selling mobile phones is like Amazon selling Kindles," meaning that it sold devices so cheaply to tether more users to its digital ecosystem. 7. Xiaomi was valued at $46 billion after its last round of funding in late 2014, making itthe world's most valuable start-up at the time. That figure values the company at 3.7 times its 2015 sales, which is much pricier than comparable companies like Sony, which has an enterprise value of $35 billion with an EV/Sales ratio of 0.5. 8. Xiaomi's list of investors include venture capital firms like Morningside Group and Qiming Venture Partners. It also includes mobile chipmaker Qualcomm , which participated in the Series B funding round which raised $90 million in late 2011. 9. Xiaomi has a close relationship with Microsoft . Last December, it launched Windows 10 Mobile for its Mi 4 devices as an alternative to Android. In May, itinstalled Microsoft's productivity software on its devices and agreed to buy 1,500 of the tech giant's patents. Those patents could help Xiaomi enter new markets like the U.S., which it previously avoided due to the threat of patent litigation from Apple, Samsung, or other entrenched rivals. But is it too late for Xiaomi to go public? A lot of people were inquiring about a Xiaomi IPO after its explosive 135% sales growth in 2014. But now that Xiaomi's sales have dropped to the single digits, an IPO probably won't generate as much excitement among growth-seeking investors. The company faces a lot of headwinds in the crowded smartphone market, and there's no guarantee that its digital growth can offset weaker hardware sales. Nonetheless, investors should be familiar with how Xiaomi operates, and how its business strategies could affect a wide range of U.S. companies like Apple, Microsoft, Fitbit, and GoPro. The article 9 Things To Know About Xiaomi Before Its IPO originally appeared on Fool.com. Leo Sun owns shares of Amazon.com and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com, Apple, GoPro, and Qualcomm. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft and has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool recommends Fitbit. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Aloca Inc. Technology advances are what's behind the advent of 3D printing,but that doesn't mean technology companies are going to be the driving force behind the implementation and growth of the industry. Here's one somewhat unexpected company you might not have consideredthat's poised to dominate what could be a key 3D printing niche. A parts specialist When you think about 3D printing, names like 3D Systemsand Stratasysprobably come to mind. And why not? These companies are key players in the space, but they aren't the only names to watch. Here's one you might not have thought of that's poised to use 3D printing to change the way precision aircraft parts are made: Alcoa Inc. . That's right -- Alcoa. This company is probably best known as an aluminum maker. But it's been building up its specialty parts business by focusing on aerospace, spending around $4.5 billion on the acquisitions of Firth Rixson, RTI, and TITAL in the last couple of years as it repositioned its portfolio to focus on areas it believes offer the best growth prospects. Now that the last of these deals has been completed, Alcoa is going to split in two; if everything goes as planned, that process will be completed later this year. One part, keeping the Alcoa name, will continue to produce aluminum, and the other part, to be called Arconic, will focus on specialty parts. Aerospace is expected to make up about 40% of Arconic's business. The real takeaway here is that Alcoa has gone to great lengths to augment its position as a key supplier of parts to aircraft manufacturers like Boeing and Airbus . And while it's been more than just a bulk aluminum maker for years,it's the company's metals expertise that's at the core of its 3D printing push. Source: Alcoa via YouTube. From metal to part Alcoa's experience with and knowledge of metalsis important because the company has relied on this to create the metals and powders needed to print parts of high-enough quality to put into an airplane. Let's step back for a moment and think about that. Alcoa is making parts with enough structural integrity to sell to the aerospace industry, where life and death hang in the balance.For example, the company signed an agreement with Airbus in April to deliver 3D-printed titanium fuselage and engine pylon parts. To be fair, Alcoa isn't the only company to print airplane parts, and metal printing is hardly new. In fact, Alcoa has been using such printing, or "additive manufacturing" in its business for over two decades. But Alcoa is in a unique position to supply the industry because of its scale, expertise with lightweight metals, proprietary Ampliforge printing technology, and its acquisition-expanded reach within the aerospace industry. One big driver for the company is its Ampliforge technology, which it says increases the strength of 3D-printed parts beyond what printing alone can achieve.If that claim proves true, and is a durable competitive advantage, Alcoa could very well become a leader in 3D printing for high-quality aerospace parts, a niche that has huge potential because of 3D printing's ability to reduce the parts' weight. Image source: Alcoa. Nothing big yet Although printing aerospace parts isn't new, it is begining to -- pardon the pun -- take off, but this businessdoesn't have much of an impact on Alcoa's top or bottom line today. In fact, it's probably more of a cost center right now than a revenue driver. For example, the company spent roughly $60 million late last year to expand a research and development center so it could speed up its 3D printing plans, and the Airbus deal is the first notable agreement since that investment. If you're looking at 3D printing as an investment theme, though, you should definitely include Alcoa in your list of companies to watch -- noting that the Arconic spinoff will eventually be the home for this business.But don't expect 3D printing to be the driving force behind Arconic's results -- at least not for a while. Still, if Alcoa/Arconic can prove out itsAmpliforge technology, showing that there is a real advantage in quality, there could be a big future for it in the 3D space -- at least in the aerospace niche. That would include parts-making directly, but it could also involve licensing its technology and supplying the "inks" used in metal printers. And, from a bigger-picture perspective, the aerospace testing ground could easily make Alcoa into a quality leader in other areas, too. The article 1 Unexpected Company Poised to Dominate 3D Printing originally appeared on Fool.com. Reuben Brewer has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends 3D Systems and Stratasys. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Despite the worlds overwhelming surprise after seeing the results of the United Kingdoms referendum on European Union membership, one member of Britains parliament isnt worried about the economic effect the vote will have across the globe. Obviously the markets dont like change and weve seen that in the way theyve reacted, said Kate Hoey, Labour MP and co-chair of the Labour Leave camp. But, that will change and it will go back to being a situation where, as the fifth-strongest economy in the world, we are not going to be in a long-term situation where its going to affect our economy in a detrimental way. However, Hoey said the decision to leave the EU was not about markets and business, but more about democracy. Its actually about a democratic country being able to control its own borders like the United States does. Being able to control its own trade deals like the United States does, being able to control its own courts, she said. She added: We are in a situation with the European Union where it wasnt just a trading arrangement which is what people voted for way back in 1975, but had evolved into a trading arrangement with a political super structure. Though Hoey acknowledged there will be short-term issues that will eventually be settled, she is looking at what is yet to come through rose-colored glasses. As long as our Treasury and our Bank of England and all of our government machinery is working toward making sure that the rest of the world knows that we are going to do this [separation] in a very sensible way, were going to work to negotiate trade deals and our countrys got a really bright, hopeful future, she said. Image source: Getty Images. Well, it was not for lack of trying. At least, that was the view of a Delaware judge who ruled in Energy Transfer Equity's favor on Friday, saying it did all it could to work out a tax dispute that was preventing it from closing its merger with Williams Companies . As a result, Energy Transfer Equity has the right to walk away from its embattled deal without paying a breakup fee. The question that remains is whether it will do that, or if it will wield its increased bargaining power to force Williams back to the negotiating table. A lucky break When Energy Transfer Equity struck its $32.9 billion takeover of Williams Companies last fall, the two pipeline giants ended up agreeing to a rather complex transaction structure. Under the terms of the deal, Energy Transfer Equity would form a new company, Energy Transfer Corp, which would be used to acquire Williams Companies. That complexity was needed because Energy Transfer Equity is a partnership, while Williams Companies is a C-Corp, which required the unique transaction structure to avoid triggering additional taxes. Unfortunately, Energy Transfer Equity's tax lawyers did not see the structure working as planned. This concerned the lawyers, which was why they were unable to render the necessary tax opinion that was required to close the transaction. Williams, however, disagreed and sued Energy Transfer Equity, saying it was using this tax problem as an excuse not to hold up its end of the bargain because it now wanted out of the deal. According to the judge's ruling, it did not matter that Energy Transfer wanted out of the deal. The judge was persuaded that the problem was indeed unresolvable, which allows Energy Transfer Equity to walk away. The judge went so far as to say that, "If a man formerly desperate for cash and without prospects is suddenly flush, that may arouse our suspicions. Nonetheless, even a desperate man can be an honest winner of the lottery." In other words, Energy Transfer Equity caught a lucky break and is now free from this burdensome deal. What's next? It would appear the deal is as good as dead. While it's still possible Energy Transfer and Williams Companies will try to hash out an 11th-hour agreement to save their merger, that outcome is growing highly unlikely. Energy Transfer Equity has made it clear that it no longer views an acquisition of Williams Companies as an attractive proposition. For example, it slashed the expected merger synergies from nearly $2 billion to next to nothing because of the collapse of oil prices and the tightening of the energy credit markets. Because of this, it looks much more likely that Energy Transfer will choose to simply walk away. The market never liked the transaction and had grown increasingly worried about Williams Companies' financial state in part because of weakness at its MLP, Williams Partners . In particular, the market is concerned about Williams Partners' over-reliance on beleaguered natural gas giant Chesapeake Energy , which currently provides 20% of its gathering and processing revenue. Given Chesapeake Energy's weakened financial state, there is a growing concern it might not be able to live up to its contractual agreements. Those concerns are on top of worries about how Williams Partners will fund its growth going forward because of its weak distribution coverage ratio and the tightening of the credit markets. These are headaches Energy Transfer Equity does not need right now. Investor takeaway Energy Transfer Equity scored a huge court victory last week, winning the right to walk away from its troubled merger with Williams Companies. Given how unattractive the transaction has become, it is likely to walk away from the deal completely instead of trying to hash out a revised agreement. While the company initially thought this deal would transform it into a top-tier energy infrastructure company, it quickly realized that even the best ideas can fail if the timing is off. The article Energy Transfer Equity LP Wins! Now What? originally appeared on Fool.com. Matt DiLallo has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Workers at Facebook's Austin, Texas, office are probably not typical when it comes to using social media at work. Image source: Facebook. While some companies have taken steps to ban the use of Facebook , Twitter , LinkedIn , and other social media sites from the workplace, many have have not. In some cases that leads to positive uses of the services -- crowd-sourcing answers, making important connections, and finding ways to solve problems. More than half of the time, however, the reasons people use social media while at the office involve non-work purposes, according to recent press release from Pew Research Center based on 2014 data. "These digital platforms offer the potential to enhance worker productivity by fostering connections with colleagues and resources around the globe," wrote Pew's Kenneth Olmstead, Cliff Lampe, and Nicole B. Ellison. "At the same time, employers might worry that employees are using these tools for non-work purposes while on the job or engaging in speech in public venues that might reflect poorly on their organization." What are people using social media for while at work? It's important to note that the Pew research does not make judgments about the answers given by the 2,003 American adults in the study. That means that just because the top reasons people are using social media while at work do not apply to their job does not necessarily mean their actions cause a loss of productivity. It's possible, at least in theory, that workers' using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other social media sites replaces potentially less-productive activities like taking smoke breaks or making phone calls. The survey, according to Pew, asked Americans who are employed full- or part-time about eight different ways they might use social media while on the job and found that, in Pew's words: 34% use social media while at work to take a mental break from their job 27% to connect with friends and family while at work 24% to make or support professional connections 20% to get information that helps them solve problems at work 17% to build or strengthen personal relationships with coworkers 17% to learn about someone they work with 12% to ask work-related questions of people outside their organization 12% to ask such questions of people inside their organization Social media has its risks Even though 17% of people say they are using social media to build or strengthen their relationships with co-workers and the same amount use services like Facebook and Twitter to learn more about a co-worker, that can be a double-edged sword. What you learn on the the social sites may actually make you think less of a colleague. "Some 14% of workers have found information on social media that has improved their professional opinion of a colleague; at the same time, a similar share (16%) have found information on social media that has lowered their professional opinion of a colleague," wrote the researchers. It's up to each business Just over half of those surveyed (51%) said their office has rules regarding the use of social media in the office. That has some effect as workers at companies that have social media policies use those service less (30% versus 40% at companies that do not have such rules). In addition, 20% of employees at companies with social media rules say they use social media to stay connected to family and friends while on the job, compared to 35% at offices that do not regulate its use. Of course, Pew also reported that 77% of workers surveyed said that they use social media sites while at work regardless of their company's policies. And, companies considering regulating the use of social media services should also take note that making rules about using sites like Facebook and Twitter for personal reasons can also make it less likely that employees will use them for positive, business-related reasons. "Only 16% of workers whose companies regulate social media at work say they use social media while working to get information that's helpful to their job, compared with 25% of those whose workplaces have no such regulations," the researchers wrote. The article Here's What People Are Using Social Media for at Work originally appeared on Fool.com. Daniel Kline owns shares of Facebook. He uses social media for work all the time and often goes to Facebook to find sources for articles. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Facebook and Twitter. The Motley Fool owns shares of LinkedIn. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Ford has 3 factories in the U.K. Its Dagenham facility builds diesel engines that are shipped to other Ford factories in Europe. Image source: Ford Motor Company. How badly will the United Kingdom's decision to leave the European Union hurt Ford Motor Company ? Investors weren't optimistic in the aftermath of last Thursday's vote. Ford's share price plunged over 6% in trading on Friday, and it dropped again in early trading on Monday morning. Whythe sell-off? Because Ford does a lot of business in the U.K. -- and there are reasons to be concerned about that business. The U.K. is a very important market for Ford There are a few reasons auto investors should be concerned about Brexit. First and foremost, it's possible this disruption could dent Europe's recovering economy -- and it's very likely it will dent the U.K.'s. Second, while it may be a while before we know for sure, it's possible new trade barriers could complicate the movement of completed cars or parts between the U.K. and the eurozone. A slowdown in Europe's new-car market would be painful for Ford. Ford isn't the biggest player in Europe's auto business (that would be Volkswagen), but it has a significant presence, and Europe has long been an important part of Ford's global business. Last year, Ford sold 1,283,400 vehicles in the 20 markets that make up western and central Europe, giving it an 8% market share. But here's why investors are worried: A third of those sales (438,100 vehicles, or 34%) were in the U.K., where a recession now seems more likely than not. Ford sells significantly more vehicles in the U.K. than it does in any other single European market. A recession in the U.K. wouldn't be the end of the world for Ford, but it would be painful. After several years of restructuring (and big losses), Ford is finally close to sustainable profitability in the Old World. A hit to its important British business would be a significant setback. What about those trade barriers? Trade barriers between the U.K. and the eurozone could also be a hassle for Ford, but it's hard to know what it would mean in terms of costs. Ford has two engine factories in the U.K. and a 50% interest in a transmission plant that is operated as a joint venture with Magna'sGetrag transmissions unit. Those factories supply components to Ford assembly plants (the factories that build completed vehicles) in places like Spain and Germany. If there are new trade barriers imposed, it could add costs and hassles to the process of shipping those engines and transmissions. But it may be months before we know how the no-longer-open border between the U.K. and Europe will impact Ford's logistics. The upshot for Ford investors: Cause for concern, but not for panic I'm a Ford investor, and I think it's far too early to think about selling Ford over Brexit. While the market had its usual knee-jerk reaction to the news, long-term investors have no need to "shed risk" because of short-term concerns. Ford's longer-term prospects remain bright. While Brexit might set back Ford's plan to put Europe on a sustainably profitable footing, the Blue Oval still has a solid balance sheet, strongly profitable operations in North America and Asia, and a savvy and careful management team. We'll watch this closely, but I see no reason to sell right now. The article How Badly Will Brexit Hurt Ford Motor Company? originally appeared on Fool.com. John Rosevear owns shares of Ford. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Ford. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. If you bought Netflix when it went public in May 2002, you'd be sitting on an incredible 7,000% return in just under 15 years. The streaming video giant's rise hasn't always been steady (shares collapsed by 80% at one point in 2011), but it remains one of the market's most dramatic success stories. The stock has split just twice in Netflix's history as a public company -- first in a two-for-one split in February 2004 and again in a seven-for-one split in July 2015. Netflix stock split history Date Split Level Share Price (Split-Adjusted) February 12, 2004 Two-for-one $5.08 July 15, 2015 Seven-for-one $114.77 Data source:S&P Global Market Intelligence. The first stock split occurred less than two years after Netflix joined the stock market after the company had just crossed $1 billion of market capitalization. Operating strictly as a subscription DVD-by-mail service at the time, Netflix was only showing hints of its broad appeal and improving finances. Revenue soared by 80% in 2003 as the company reached 1.5 million subscribers. It turned out its first annual profit that year to the tune of $7 million. "Our Q4 performance and the announced stock split reflect the strong, organic and sustained growth of the Netflix model," CEO Reed Hastings said at the time. It would be a few years before management began testing the streaming video service that would become the engine behind its stratospheric global growth. Split No. 2 happened in mid-2015, when the business looked much different than it did in those early days. Netflix added 13 million new members through calendar 2014 (entirely in the streaming segment), compared to 11 million in the previous year, which brought its total to 60 million subscribers. At the same time the international business had spiked to 22 million users. Image source: Netflix. All of that success helped push shares to nearly $700 apiece. At that price tag, Netflix was one of the most expensive stocks in the S&P 500 index (on an absolute basis). The seven-for-one split did nothing to change the underlying value of the business, but it did make it easier for smaller investors to trade the stock. At about $100 per share, it suddenly became much easier to lower or increase your exposure to the business in relatively small increments. The next split Netflix's future, and its prospects for additional price-driven splits down the road, likely comes down to two key questions. First, how will it perform on the global stage? Despite availability in every market around the world (with the notable exception of China), the subscriber base is still heavily tilted toward domestic users. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. Image source: Netflix. Over the long term the brand will fight to gain acceptance in places like Japan, France, and Brazil. The success that Hastings and his team engineer in that challenge will determine whether -- and how quickly -- the company passes 100 million global subscribers. Second, can Netflix improve its content offering to the point that subscribers are happy paying more for the service? A big test of that assumption will happen in the next year as the streamer adds hundreds of hours of original programming along with first-rate movie releases from its Disney partnership. Netflix's first five years as a public company revolved around a brutal fight with Blockbuster over the DVD rental market. Most of the past decade has been about establishing itself as the leading company in the internet-delivered TV business. Hastings believes that model will eventually replace traditional TV, which is why the company is fighting so hard right now to gain scale by boosting its global subscriber rolls. The article Netflix Inc.'s Stock Split History originally appeared on Fool.com. Demitrios Kalogeropoulos owns shares of Netflix and Walt Disney. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Netflix and Walt Disney. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Britain suffered further blows to its economic standing on Monday as two top ratings agencies downgraded its sovereign credit score, judging last week's vote to leave the European Union would hurt its economy. Standard & Poor's stripped Britain of its last remaining top-notch credit rating, dropping it by two grades from "AAA" to "AA" and warning more downgrades could follow. Fitch Ratings also downgraded its ranking for Britain's creditworthiness by one notch, and similarly said more cuts could follow. The ratings agencies effectively added a rubber stamp to the market's view of the Brexit vote, as sterling tanked to a 31-year low against the U.S. dollar on Monday and stock markets fell for a second trading day since the referendum last Thursday. It was the first time S&P had chopped an AAA-rated sovereign credit rating by two notches in one move. "In our opinion, this (referendum) outcome is a seminal event, and will lead to a less predictable, stable, and effective policy framework in the UK," S&P said in a statement. Finance minister George Osborne said on Monday the British economy was strong enough to cope with the volatility caused by Thursday's referendum. But the vote has plunged the country into a political crisis, with the ruling Conservative Party looking for a new leader after Prime Minister David Cameron said he would stay on until October, delaying the launch of negotiations with the EU and leaving the country's economic prospects under a cloud of uncertainty. The added prospect of a new independence referendum in Scotland, which voted strongly to stay in the EU, threatens the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom, S&P warned. Fitch more than halved its growth forecast for Britain's economy in 2017 and 2018 to just 0.9 percent for both years, from 2.0 percent previously. Long-dated U.S. Treasury yields fell to session lows after S&P's decision. British 10-year government borrowing costs had already fallen below 1.0 percent for the first time during European trading hours. S&P warned financial firms, especially foreign ones, might look to other destinations for investment after Britain leaves the EU. The remaining major ratings agency, Moody's, which took away Britain's AAA-rating in 2013 because of the country's high levels of debt and slow growth, said on Friday it could cut the rating further. Moody's will downgrade the credit rating outlook for major British banks to "negative" on Tuesday because of the fallout from the vote to leave the EU, Sky News reported, citing sources. Protecting Britain's credit rating was a top priority of Conservative finance minister George Osborne when he came to power in 2010. (Additional reporting by Jamie McGeever; editing by William Schomberg and Andrew Roche) Image source: Wal-Mart. After struggling to make a significant impact in the Chinese e-commerce market, Wal-Mart Stores is selling Yihaodian, its Chinese e-commerce platform. But instead of an outright sale, Wal-Mart is selling the site to JD.com in exchange for a 5% stake in JD, valued at roughly $1.5 billion. Wal-Mart will stay on to support Yihaodian's direct-sales business, and Wal-Mart will gain access to JD.com's supply chain, product catalogs, and logistics network and vice versa. JD.com investors were optimistic that the deal will spur further growth in the company, but Wal-Mart investors didn't seem to think much of the deal. Wal-Mart needs to change things up in China Wal-Mart's efforts in China haven't exactly paid off. The company operates about 400 stores in the country despite opening its first store there 20 years ago. It has 10 times as many stores in the United States. Moreover, foot traffic to Chinese stores has fallen for nine straight quarters. Despite a relatively strong first quarter, same-store sales growth in China was negative in seven of the previous eight quarters for Wal-Mart, lagging U.S. same-store growth. Wal-Mart hasn't been able to grow Yihaodian very much since taking a 51% stake in the company in 2012. It purchased the other 49% last year for $760 million. Overall, the website accounts for just 1.5% of online sales in China. Wal-Mart's sale of Yihaodian for a $1.5 billion stake in JD.com -- about the same value it paid to buyout the company last year -- is indicative of Wal-Mart's inability to significantly grow the business. Joining forces with JD.com, the second-largest online retailer in China, will help Wal-Mart change things up. It will still operate the direct-sales portion of Yihaodian, but it will have the support of JD.com's logistics network behind it. JD has dozens of warehouses and tens of thousands of delivery workers at its disposal. That could speed up shipping and improve availability, ultimately increasing sales. Wal-Mart will also establish a presence on JD.com. Its Sam's Club brand will open a flagship store on the website, servicing the entire country. Additionally, Wal-Mart will be listed as a preferred retailer on JD.com's O2O JV Dada, China's largest crowd-sourced delivery platform, which it expects to drive traffic to physical stores. JD.com expands into a new vertical JD.com has managed to grow its share of the Chinese direct-to-consumer online sales to 23% over the past few years. Its revenue grew more than 40% year over year last quarter. But despite strong revenue growth, JD.com still isn't profitable. Image source: YCharts. With the Yihaodian deal, JD gains access to a growing vertical in household goods and groceries. It gains access to Wal-Mart's fresh food and imported goods via Yihaodian's direct sales channel. Yihaodian also provides a strong geographic presence in eastern and southern China, which JD.com says complements its existing geographical footprint. With its relatively small sales, Yiahaodian alone is unlikely to push JD.com much closer to profitability. But it gives it a jumping off point for sales in a new region and product category that JD.com can learn from and scale. Meanwhile, it turns a competitor in Wal-Mart, with tons of cash to support its operations in China, into an ally. Wal-Mart won't create or operate any new online stores besides its Wal-Mart and Sam's Club online presence in China. JD.com certainly appears to have gotten a good deal out of this transaction, but Wal-Mart's side of the deal isn't that bad, either. Granted, it has a much better chance of significantly impacting the smaller Chinese company than the American retail monolith. The article What Investors Need to Know About the Wal-Mart-JD.com Deal originally appeared on Fool.com. Adam Levy has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A biosimilar is a manufactured biologic considered similar enough to an existing medicine that regulators can't find a clinically meaningful difference from the reference product. The Food and Drug Administration goes a step further than "biosimilar" with the term "interchangable bilogical product," for biosimilars expected to produce the same medical result as the reference product in any patient. Understanding the role biosimilars might play in the healthcare sector in the years ahead goes far beyond these cut-and-dried definitions. For starters, it helps to understand that small-molecule drugs are relatively easy to duplicate with 100% accuracy, and generic versions rarely require expensive clinical trials to earn marketing approval. This relative simplicity often leads to sales decreases as steep as 80% within a year of losing patent-protected exclusivity. Highly complex biologics are a completely different animal. They can only be manufactured inside another living organism, under precise conditions. The number of companies capable of producing biosimilars is far smaller, and their approval requires expensive clinical trials. For this reason, they're generally priced about 20% to 30% lower than the branded reference product.At least that's been the trend outside the U.S., where regulatory pathways to biosimilar approval have been in place much longer. Before President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act into law in 2010, there wasn't a regulatory pathway for biosimilars.The FDA granted approval to the first U.S. biosimilar, Zarxio from Novartis,on March 6, 2015, just a few weeks ahead of the ACA's fifth anniversery. Because of a mandatory six-month waiting period following biosimilar approval, Zarxio, which references Amgen's Neupogen, didn't begin its commercial launch until September 2015 and hasn't announced its sales figures in the U.S. yet. In the EU, the same biosimilar earned marketing approval under the name Zarzio in 2009, and Amgen's annual sales of Neupogen recorded outside the U.S. have slid from a high of $445 million in 2008 to $256 million in 2015. Based on the gradual erosion of sales we've seen outside the U.S., biosimilar sales are going to be more of a thorn in biologic drugmakers' sides than bullet wounds. However, for companies with the resources to develop and commercialize biosimilars, such as Novartis, they could be an important source of revenue in the years ahead. One trend you'll want to keep an eye on is FDA labeling of biosimilars as interchangeable biological products. Physicians must actually prescribe biosimilars by name, but once determined interchangeable, pharmacists, per end-payer instructions, can substitute the less expensive version without doctor or patient consent. However, even this detail is subject to laws that differ from state to state. Biosimilars are already exerting an effect on the biopharma industry. Going forward, the magnitude of that effect is far from certain. This article is part of The Motley Fool's Knowledge Center, which was created based on the collected wisdom of a fantastic community of investors. We'd love to hear your questions, thoughts, and opinions on the Knowledge Center in general or this page in particular. Your input will help us help the world invest, better! Email us at knowledgecenter@fool.com. Thanks -- and Fool on! The article What Is a Biosimilar? originally appeared on Fool.com. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Image source: Philip Morris International. British voters decided last week that the U.K. should leave the European Union, and the fallout on international stock markets was immediate and severe. Stocks in a wide variety of industries posted sharp losses, and in general, the more exposure a company had to international markets, the greater its losses were. That was especially bad news for international tobacco specialist Philip Morris International , which fell more than 4% on Friday in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. Even though Philip Morris is typically seen as being in a recession-proof business, the uncertainty about the U.K. departure from the EU is already taking its toll on potential profits for the tobacco company going forward. Philip Morris has minor exposure in the U.K. proper The clearest danger of the Brexit vote for Philip Morris is the impact on the value of the British pound. The foreign currency fell sharply in the wake of the decision, and as of Monday morning, its value is down fully 10% from where it traded on Thursday before the election results were available. In terms of this direct impact from the U.K. vote, Philip Morris is in far better shape than many of its peers in the British tobacco market. Among Philip Morris brands, only Marlboro stands in the top 10 in the U.K., and revenue of just over 900 million British pounds in 2014 gave the brand roughly 7% market share there. By contrast, Imperial Tobacco and Japan Tobacco International dominate the U.K. tobacco market, and combined, they control about five-sixths of the market. The broader hit to Europe Where Philip Morris International faces more potential problems in its exposure to the broader European region. The company's cigarette shipment volume to the European Union came to almost 195 billion units in 2015, making up almost a quarter of its global distribution. The company doesn't break out Eastern Europe from the Middle East and Africa, but when you add in some portion of the company's 279 billion unit shipment volume, Philip Morris International's total share from the continent likely falls somewhere between a third and a half of its total figures worldwide. In addition, Philip Morris gets disproportionately more of its revenue from European sales. Net revenue from the European Union amounted to $26.6 billion in 2015, adding up to more than 35% of companywide sales. EU operating income of $3.58 billion was more than a third of Philip Morris' total for all four of its major segments. Any economic disruption that affects European consumers' ability to buy cigarettes and other tobacco products could hit Philip Morris hard in one of its most important areas of the global market. European currency woes Even if Philip Morris International's business managed to sustain its sales figures in terms of volume, the currency impact from Brexit could also be a source of financial disappointment for the company. The euro's declines weren't nearly as sharp as those of the pound. But the euro still lost about 3% of its value on Friday, reversing a good portion of the gains that the European currency had managed to claw back during 2016. Philip Morris International has had to deal with a strong U.S. dollar for years, and the prospects of having to endure a longer period of weak foreign currencies aren't good news for investors. Facing the potential for a devaluation of its European revenue when it translates its results into U.S. dollars, Philip Morris International could see another year of sluggish growth in 2016 if worst-case scenarios play out in Europe. Many investors turned to U.S.-based tobacco stocks on Friday as a safe haven because of their lack of international exposure and solid dividend income. Even though Philip Morris International offers the same resilient business model as its domestic peers, the company's global focus put it in the wrong place at the wrong time late last week. Until the Brexit situation gets clearer, investors in Philip Morris need to be prepared for continued volatility in the company's share price. The article Will Brexit Hit Philip Morris International Hard? originally appeared on Fool.com. Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Copyright 1995 - 2016 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Many British celebrities have spoken out following Thursdays vote to leave the European Union. Hollywood actor Brian Cox, who starred in Braveheart and Troy, joined the FOX Business Networks Charles Payne to discuss why he was with the stay crowd. What seems to be at work is some kind of opportunism in the worst kind of order, and playing on peoples fears, and playing on a real problem thats been in this country for some time -- a disaffected minority, he said. Cox said he believes the leave campaign has no real plan moving forward. I think there are very strong reasons for going out, and equally I think there are strong reasons for going in, but the way the whole thing has been conducted is appealing to fear. Its kind of interesting whats actually happened. The following day I think people were quite stunned, he said. Cox also drew similarities between Brexit and the Scottish independence referendum, which was rejected in 2014. Cox said in both cases the UK was divided by age and socioeconomic status. I think that we underestimate the power of the older people who are quite frankly fed up with the situation. The Labour Party is in total disarray at the moment and the Labour Party is supposed to be the party of the workers, but theyve lost contact almost completely, and were seeing the result of it, he said. Following Thursdays EU referendum vote, an online petition calling for a do-over vote received more than 3 million signatures. When a petition gets 100,000 signatures it must be debated in Parliament, but according to former member of U.K. Parliament John Browne, a second vote would be almost impossible. Socialists always have a problem with losing gracefully, they always want reruns and [to] change rules and here they are doing it again. You would never have a Kentucky Derby winner if there [were] reruns all the time, and no shares would reflect real prices if everyone with a losing trade was allowed to void their trade, he said on the FOX Business Networks Mornings with Maria. He added, first of all, it never happens on a referendum in Britain. Secondly, Cameron knows that his party, the majority of his party was pro-Brexit and therefore if he even looked like he was agreeing with the rerun he would lose, over half his voters would flood to Ukip and the conservatives would certainly lose the next election. As far as the future of Britains economy, Browne says expect it to flourish. Freedom and enterprise will lead Britain to flourish as it did under the blessed Margaret ThatcherTheres no EU trade agreement with the United States, China or Japan. Britain will be free to trade with the rest of the world on its own terms instead of these heavily secluded terms of the EU negotiations that heavily favor Germany and France, he said. After her son with Down syndrome was excluded from a birthday party, a Canadian mom took to Facebook to share their story. Jennifer Kiss-Engele, of Langley, British Columbia, posted the open letter Friday on Facebook, addressing the parents who intentionally invited all 22 other classmates to the party. Sawyer, 9, was diagnosed with Down syndrome when he was one month old and underwent open heart surgery to correct a defect at 19 months old, according to Kiss-Engeles blog. I know its not because hes mean, you couldnt meet a happier child. I know its not because hes not fun, he has a great sense of humour and an infectious laugh. I know its not because your child and him dont get along, hes brought up your childs name on several occasions. The only reason why you decided it was OK to not invite my son to your childs birthday party is because he has Down Syndrome, the mother of three wrote. In the post, Kiss-Engele invites the unnamed parents to get to know her son better and speaks of the close bond between her children. Having a brother with Down Syndrome has helped shape them into compassionate individuals who know that just because you may be a little different that others, that its OK. They are not afraid to help when they see someone struggling, she wrote. Kiss-Engele invited the parents to talk and posted an update that the parent read her letter, spoke to their child and the child created a special birthday invite for Sawyer. Of course hes been beaming ever since and cant stop talking about it, she wrote in the update, which has over 11,000 likes. After years of big promises, telemedicine is finally living up to its potential. Driven by faster internet connections, ubiquitous smartphones and changing insurance standards, more health providers are turning to electronic communications to do their jobsand its upending the delivery of health care. Doctors are linking up with patients by phone, email and webcam. Theyre also consulting with each other electronicallysometimes to make split-second decisions on heart attacks and strokes. Patients, meanwhile, are using new devices to relay their blood pressure, heart rate and other vital signs to their doctors so they can manage chronic conditions at home. Telemedicine also allows for better care in places where medical expertise is hard to come by. Five to 10 times a day, Doctors Without Borders relays questions about tough cases from its physicians in Niger, South Sudan and elsewhere to its network of 280 experts around the world, and back again via the internet. In the woods outside St. Louis, shifts of doctors and nurses work around the clock in Mercy health systems new Virtual Care Centera hospital without beds that provides remote support for intensive-care units, emergency rooms and other programs in 38 smaller hospitals from North Carolina to Oklahoma. Many of them dont have a physician on-site 24/7. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. As law enforcement officers across the United States feel the heat about excessive use of force, dealing with the mentally ill was the training focus for Cook County sheriff's deputies this week. Participants grappled with intense scenarios, such as a man who believes his wife and brother are having an affair, and who refuses to take his medication and then holds a knife to his own throat. The week-long training took place at Triton College near Chicago. "Someone who is suffering from mental illness is no different than that person who is having that asthma attack or the person who is having that heart attack," said Bob Maas, a crisis intervention trainer and 16-year sheriff's deputy. "The only difference is that their illness is in their head, so why would you want to arrest somebody?" However, subjecting the mentally ill to arrest and use of excessive force is a frequent criticism leveled at many law enforcement agencies nationwide. In some cases, such incidents have resulted in high-profile deaths that leave everyone demanding more training for law enforcement. The nonprofit Treatment Advocacy Center said in a 2015 report that Americans with mental illness are 16 times more likely to be killed by police than other civilians. The advocacy group said at least a quarter of the hundreds of Americans killed by police annually are severely mentally ill. In Chicago last year, the fatal shooting by city police of 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier, who suffered from mental issues according to relatives, sparked a national discussion about officer training for dealing with the mentally ill. LeGrier had called police three times asking for help before he was shot, but the dispatcher hung up on him when he would not give his name. As a result of the shooting death of LeGrier, Chicago in January announced reforms, including new training, in dealing with the mentally ill. This week, Cook County jail deputies and correctional officers received training - using role playing and plastic blue guns - on how to deal with people who are having a severe episode and are potentially violent. An estimated one-third of the jail's inmates have some form of mental illnesses. "The reality is, Cook County jail is now a mental health hospital and sheriff's police officers are now pseudo-psychologists, pseudo-social workers, and that's just the reality that was handed to us," Cook County sheriff's spokesman Ben Breit said. A Michigan woman who was told she was unable to conceive is suing her doctor for wrongful conception. Lori Cichewiczs doctor told her that if she was to get pregnant, shed have a child with Down syndrome, Fox 2 Detroit reported. In 2008, the now-50-year-old claims she went to undergo a permanent birth control procedure, but her doctor told her that her fallopian tubes were blocked and she had no chance of becoming pregnant. In fact, Cichewicz claims, the doctor told her she didn't even need to use birth control. But just three years later, she became pregnant. In April 2011, she gave birth her daughter, Reagan, who has Down syndrome. She told WXYZ that once she found out she was pregnant, there was never a question of whether she would give birth to her special needs child. "Shes full of life, loving, kind, sweet, everything you could ever imagine," Cichewicz told the news channel. The problem, Cichewicz said, is that she never wanted to be pregnant. Now, Cichewicz is seeking damages for emotional distress caused by the unplanned pregnancy. Im older, I dont know, will I see her graduate college? Will I see her go to college? Will I see her get married? Will I see her graduate high school? All this is going through my mind," Cichewicz told WXYZ. The lawsuit seeks to keep Cichewiczs doctor accountable for his alleged misguidance. General Mills issued a voluntary recall for four flavors of its Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bars and Nature Valley Simple Nut Bars over possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The recall is part of sunflower kernel supplier SunOptas ongoing national recall, Fox6Now.com reported. The flavors affected by the recall are Honey and Almond with Pumpkin Seeds; Peanut, Almond and Dark Chocolate; Roasted Peanut and Honey and Almond, Cashew and Sea Salt. General Mills said it has not received any complaints of illness related to the recall, but consumers are being encouraged to throw away the products. We know this is inconvenient for consumers who love these four flavors, said Anton Vincent, president of General Mills Snacks Division, according to Fox6Now.com. We promise they will return as soon as it is safe to do so. The full list of Nature Valley products affected includes: Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bar -Honey, Peanut & Almond with Pumpkin Seeds 5 count Package UPC: 000-16000-47196 Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bar-Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate 5 count Package UPC: 000-16000-45724 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar Roasted Peanut & Honey 4 count Package UPC: 000-16000-46475 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar Roasted Peanut & Honey 16 count Package UPC: 000-16000-41308 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar Almond, Cashew & Sea Salt 4 count Package UPC: 000-16000-46474 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar-Almond, Cashew & Sea Salt 25 count Package UPC: 000-16000-41301 According to the FDA, Listeria exposure usually causes mild symptoms in healthy individuals, but infection can lead to serious illness in people who are young, elderly or immunosuppressed. New guidelines for doctors will help them treat migraine headaches that are severe enough to bring patients to the emergency department. According to the guidelines, emergency physicians should avoid injecting migraine patients with morphine or morphine-like drugs, known as opioids. Instead, they should use one of two other intravenous drugs or an injection of sumatriptan. "These are the first-ever guidelines for managing migraine in the emergency department (ED)," Dr. Mia Minen of NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, told Reuters Health by email. The guidelines were needed, she said, because over 25 different medications are used to treat migraine in the ED, some of which don't have good data to support their use. In addition, she said, "despite their known problems, opioids are administered in up to 60-70 percent of migraine visits." At the request of the American Headache Society, Minen and colleagues set out to develop evidence-based recommendations. Searching large databases and clinical trial registries, they found 68 randomized controlled trials testing 28 injectable medications. This kind of trial is considered the gold-standard for medical research. Still, the research team reported in the journal Headache, only 19 of the studies were at low risk of bias. Twenty-eight were at very high risk of bias, which would make their results less reliable. Based on effectiveness, side effects, and other factors, the research team recommended that one of three drugs be tried first - metoclopramide, prochlorperazine, or sumatriptan - because each had solid data to support its use. The corticosteroid dexamethasone was helpful at keeping the headache from coming back, they found. All other medications had lower levels of evidence. Injectable morphine and hydromorphone "are best avoided as first-line therapy," according to the guidelines, because there's not much evidence that they're effective and because it can be risky to take them for extended periods. Minen said the sumatriptan recommendation is especially important because patients can get a prescription as they're leaving the ED. "If it works in the ED, patients can try it at home the next time an attack occurs, which will hopefully prevent additional ED visits for migraine," she said. When appropriate, dexamethasone can also be prescribed to prevent a recurrence, she said. Minen stressed that the ED doctor and the patient's primary care doctor should communicate in case any issues arise as a result of treatment and to determine whether preventive treatment would help. Dr. Lauren Doyle Strauss of Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, told Reuters Health by email that the release of the guidelines is "very exciting" because until now "the approach to migraine treatment has been varied and not standardized, which can lead to inadequate relief and recurrence of headache after going home, which can be frustrating." "If you suffer from migraines," she advised, "it is important to talk with your doctor about your migraine action plan and which medications are best for you in the emergency room." Less than a week after a Texas man was forced to have his leg amputated after contracting a flesh-eating bacteria, another resident is fighting for his life. Adrian Ruiz, of Buda, Texas, became infected after traveling to Port Aransas for Fathers Day, Fox7 reported. Ruiz had a headache and developed a rash. He was admitted to the ICU at Seton Medical Center Hays, where he was diagnosed with vibrio vulnificus, a bacteria caused by eating under-cooked shellfish or by entering contaminated water with a cut or open wound. On June 21, KHOU.com reported that Brian Parrott, of Jacinto City, Texas, had his right leg amputated after contracting an unidentified flesh-eating bacteria believed to be vibrio. The state health department said there have been 27 reported cases of vibrio in 2016, 41 percent of which involved contact with water. Ruizs doctors report his recovery is going well and he was walking with some discomfort, but swelling has gone down, KXAN reported. Ruiz is on four different antibiotic IV drips and doctors are hopeful they can still save his leg, Fox 7 reported. His family set up a YouCaring page to cover medical expenses. He's going to live, that's the main thing, Ruizs wife, Lashelle Ruiz told Fox 7. So at least he has life still that's the biggest thing of all. We believe in God, and we just ask people to pray because that's what will get him through. Clarence Thomas was born into a community of Americans scratching out a living in the lowest tidal marshes of society, utterly vulnerable to arbitrary power and to the suffocating darkness of impenetrable bigotry, as he describes in his memoir "My Grandfathers Son." But he was blessedsaved from the shanties and squalid tenements of segregated Savannah by his grandparents, who were amazingly strong, disciplined, independent, and self-sufficient people. His grandfather Myers Anderson demanded uncompromising habits of self-discipline, hard work, and accountability. Blisters come before calluses, vulnerability before maturity: Thats how the Justice later summed up the life lesson he learned from his grandfather. Myers Anderson sent young Clarence to be educated by the strict nuns of St. Benedict the Moor Grammar School. In a world-historic act of grace, the Franciscan nuns of St. Benedicts impressed upon the future Associate Justice the faith that all human beings, without exception, have inherent dignity, are entitled to respect, and are equaltruly equalin the eyes of God. As it turns out, and as President George H.W. Bush accurately sensed in 1991, the impressions left by the nuns and the unbelievable totality of the life path of Clarence Thomas make him ideally suited to serve his nation as a Justice in the inner sanctum of the Supreme Court Buildinga building whose West Pediment bears the most apt inscription Equal Justice Under Law. Justice Thomas is on a familiar, first-name basis with everyone who works at the Courtfrom his fellow Justices, to the staff in the Clerks Office and cafeteria, to the officers of the Supreme Court Police, to the janitors and carpenters who toil in the basement. And those of us lucky enough to serve as his law clerks have always been welcomed as part of his family. In October 1991, Justice Thomas emerged from the blast furnace of his confirmation hearings purified in his soul and case-hardened in his natural judicial sensibilities and intellect. He was sustained by the love and admiration of his wife Ginni and his many close friends and colleagues. But, predictably, after the searing and hyper-politicized spectacle of the confirmation, and in reaction to the Justices clear and bold opinions, his relative reticence toward the media, and his absence from the Washington cocktail circuit, the press has often portrayed Justice Thomas as a severe, aloof, and silent figure, smoldering away in the quiet loneliness of the Court. No portrait could be more wrong. Justice Thomas is one of the most open and personable of Justices, intimate in sharing his feelings, easily moved to laughter. And hes among the most frequently visited members of the Courta steady stream of school groups and others roll through his Chambers, where they get strong doses of wisdom, humor, and observations on life and the law. And they get to hear for themselves his thunderous belly laugh. He is on a familiar, first-name basis with everyone who works at the Courtfrom his fellow Justices, to the staff in the Clerks Office and cafeteria, to the officers of the Supreme Court Police, to the janitors and carpenters who toil in the basement. And those of us lucky enough to serve as his law clerks have always been welcomed as part of his family. My mother was 75-years-old when she met the Justice, just a year after his confirmation. A lifelong Democrat, she had to leave school during the Depression to help support the family, and after my father died when I was 11-months old, she raised me as a single mom, working in a bakery at night and ironing clothes all day for 75 cents an hour. The moment she laid eyes on the Justice, she hugged him tightly and proclaimed her love for him and her heartfelt pain and respect for what he had endured. He spent nearly two hours huddled with her in his office. Afterward, the Justice frequently told us he wanted to write opinions that Steves mother Cora would understand. And hes always stayed true to that course. His judicial opinions are simple, consistent, logical, faithful to the words of statutes, based on first principles and unwavering constitutional norms, and never over-intellectualized. Justice Thomass opinions will endure, like a guiding star. They will have a positive impact on the work of the Court and the life of the nation for generations to come. Whether or not they agree with his jurisprudence, all Americans are blessedin equal measurethat a man like Justice Thomas occupies a seat on the Supreme Court. Heres to the next 25 years! As is often the case, Ronald Reagan said it best. In his closing argument against incumbent President Jimmy Carter in a 1980 debate, Reagan asked voters to look at the election this way: Are you better off than you were four years ago? Most were not, and with the Iranian hostage situation dominating headlines, Reagan won 44 states. That history contributes to the assumption that events always have a vote. When there is good news, the incumbent party gets a boost on the theory that its policies are working. When the news is bad, the challenger benefits because the incumbent looks to be failing. The pattern led me to believe that, most things being equal, Donald Trump could be sitting pretty come November. Most people are not happy with the country, and not many good events of national significance are likely to happen before Election Day, so Trump should get an advantage. But recent developments are revealing limits to his ability to make hay from bad news. For one thing, Hillary Clintons experienced War Room is adept at rapid response and spin. And her spin is bolstered by President Obamas use of the bully pulpit to further shape mainstream medias already-liberal bias. A second issue is whether Trump is nimble enough, and has enough money, to exploit his opportunities. Hes getting better, but still lags the Clinton-Obama tag team. To continue reading Michael Goodwin's column in the New York Post, click here. We are not ready for either the hand of God or the hand of man when it comes to protecting our sensitive electrical power grid. A bad solar flare or an electro-magnetic pulse attack by Americas enemies would result in the death of most of our citizens within five years. Powerful solar flares can damage integrated circuits and our electrical transmission systems. The chance of a devastating event is much higher than most people assume. In fact, NASA estimates a 12 percent chance of a really bad solar flare within the next decade. The scariest part of this scenario is that we already came within a week of this nightmare happening in 2012. A train of coronal mass ejections created a stream of high energy particles strong enough to melt our electrical grid. The storm only missed Earth by an astronomical whisker. As it stand right now, when this eventually happens (and it will) high energy particles will penetrate our planetary shieldthe magnetosphereliterally melting hundreds of massive transformers. It would take years to manufacture, transport and replace these essential transformers. In the meantime, water treatment pumping stations, as well as every other modern convenience, would cease to function. If a trip back to 1800s sounds romantic, think again. Without clean water, millions would die within weeks. Without working transportation or refrigeration our food supply and distribution system would collapse and antibiotics would begin degrading. Those without refrigerated insulin would die first, followed by the deaths of millions more from cholera and dysentery (from drinking unclean water) and from starvation. Forget the zombie apocalypse. This is a real world disaster. Good neighbors would soon become desperate and social order would break down as parents did anything they had to do to feed their children. Bad people would be free to pillage because experts predict law enforcement would be crippled as any kind of electrical communications would die and officers would rush home to protect their own families. When we were last hit with a super energetic solar storm in 1859 the high-tech infrastructure of the day consisted only of telegraph lines and stations. The lines melted and papers caught on fire on telegraphers desks. But 1859 gravity-fed water systems and local farms meant that life continued without interruption. Our complete dependence on the technology we take for granted means we would not be so lucky today. Unlike the Carrington Event in 1859, we now also face the wrath of man when it comes to damage to the electrical system modern civilization so depends upon. The effects of an EMP attack on our technology are nearly identical to those caused by a severe coronal mass ejection. An EMP could be triggered by a high altitude detonation of a nuclear weapon over America. From the ground it would likely not be seen, heard or felt but even without blast damage the consequences for our electrical system would be nothing short of devastating. Our government has recently awoken to the warnings of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA and various other government studies and even a dire assessment by Lloyds of London. Recent announcements have been issued that promise our government officials will gather together scientists and agency officials to examine the clear and present danger that could turn America into a third-world nation in a blink of an eye. This is good news, even if almost criminally late and even though it comes without any appropriations, but citizens should be concerned that being so late, the focus of government will be to save government. Continuity of Government is the term for sheltering favored officials and their families from nuclear attacks in well-fortified and provisioned facilities while citizens are left to wait for coordinated relief. In the case of either an EMP attack or a severe coronal mass ejection, that help could come according to some studies, only after as many as 80-90 percent of us had died. Hardening the grid is possible to protect our systems from a meltdown. This is an infrastructure project that should have started years ago. Pre-placement of emergency food and medicine and distribution plans aimed at average citizens should be developed right now in case hardening comes too late. Here is national infrastructure spending that should have the support of every citizen and every politicianbefore it really is too late. Its the first time in nearly a decade since the Supreme Court has weighed in on the issue of abortion. In Mondays 5-3 decision, the high court struck down a Texas law that required common-sense safety standards for abortion clinics regulations designed to protect women. In writing for the majority, Justice Stephen Breyer concluded: We agree with the District Court that the surgical center requirement, like the admitting-privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions, and constitutes an undue burden on their constitutional right to do so. The Supreme Court missed a critical opportunity to protect women by ensuring abortion clinics implement common-sense safety standards designed to protect women from the very real health dangers of obtaining an abortion. The decision in Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt is disappointing, but not entirely surprising since a majority of the high court once again relied on what I call the abortion distortion factor in reaching its conclusion. Under the normal rules of statutory interpretation, these Texas regulations should been upheld as constitutional. But because the issue is abortion, different rules apply. Statutory law is interpreted differently. Justice Samuel Alito put his finger on that very issue with his dissent: The Courts patent refusal to apply well-established law in a neutral way is indefensible and will undermine public confidence in the Court as a fair and neutral arbiter. When we decide cases on particularly controversial issues, we should take special care to apply settled procedural rules in a neutral manner, Justice Alito added. The Court has not done that here. In his dissent, Justice Clarence Thomas also focused on the abortion distortion factor and acknowledged the late Justice Antonin Scalia: Todays decision will prompt some to claim victory, just as it will stiffen opponents will to object. But the entire Nation has lost something essential. The majoritys embrace of a jurisprudence of rights-specific exceptions and balancing tests is a regrettable concession of defeatan acknowledgement that we have passed the point where law, properly speaking, has any further application. Scalia, The Rule of Law as a Law of Rules, 56 U. Chi.L. Rev. 1175, 1182 (1989). Ultimately, this case shows why the Court never should have bent the rules for favored rights in the first place, wrote Justice Thomas. Our law is now so riddled with special exceptions for special rights that our decisions deliver neither predictability nor the promise of a judiciary bound by the rule of law. In our amicus brief filed with the high court, we represented more than 156,000 Americans and several pro-life organizations urguing the Justices to reject arguments by the pro-abortion lobby that abortion is safe for women, contending that the evidence strongly suggests that abortion is more dangerous, not less, than childbirth. Our argument in the brief was clear: Abortion is a procedure fraught with hazards. This Court should reject any assertion that abortion is healthy for women, much less some sort of panacea. There is good reason to believe precisely the contrary. Sadly, the majority in this case embraced the false narrative of the pro-abortion industry that childbirth is more dangerous to a woman than getting an abortion. The assertion is not only inaccurate, it is patently false. And its troubling that the majority bought into this false narrative. One point must not be lost in the midst of Mondays disappointing decision; Texass 20-week abortion ban still stands. This provision of the Texas House Bill 2 was NOT challenged by the abortion industry in this case and remains in effect, saving lives. While Monday's decision was a setback in the fight for the unborn, we will never give up. Numerous states continue to put forward innovative pro-life laws. While some pro-life provisions have been struck down, many have not. We will continue to work with state legislatures and in Congress on critical groundbreaking pro-life legislation. And, we will continue aggressively advocating in court to defend life, to uphold pro-life laws, to expose the deadly abortion industry, and to protect the constitutional rights of pro-life advocates who dedicate their lifes work to saving defenseless lives. Even before the ink was dry on Philadelphias new soda tax ordinance, other cities were looking to copy it. Before they do, though, they might want to wait and see how things turn out in the first major American city to pass such a tax. Already, the Philadelphia soda tax is a major victory for the pro-tax crowd. Over the past eight years, cities have made more than 40 attempts to pass soda taxes, according to the American Beverage Association. Nearly all of those efforts have ended in defeat, including two previous attempts to pass a soda tax in Philadelphia. But last weeks vote by the Philadelphia City Council could change perceptions about what is politically possible elsewhere. Politicians and special interest groups in favor of higher taxes are already licking their chops at the idea. In Baltimore, Health Commissioner Leana Wen issued a statement commending Philadelphias new tax. We hope that Baltimore will follow suit, she said. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who once tried to ban big sodas in his hometown and financially backed a nonprofit that ran ads supporting the soda tax in Philadelphia, also sees the city as a launching site for other efforts. Click for more from Watchdog.org Officials at next months Republican National Convention in Cleveland will be largely powerless to keep supporters and opponents of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump apart in the area around the convention center, creating a security situation that experts warn is potentially volatile. The city of Cleveland is assuming responsibility for a zone of about three square miles around the convention site, where an array of security restrictions will be in place. But because of constitutional concerns as well as best practices gleaned from previous political conventions, city officials said protesters will be largely free to roam as long as they dont block vehicular or pedestrian traffic. With thousands of demonstrators expected to descend on the city, security officials are bracing for the possibility of major protests against Mr. Trump, whose rhetoric regarding immigrants in particular has drawn spirited and sometimes violent protests on the campaign trail this year. The protesters expected in Cleveland include groups of all ideological stripesmany openly antagonistic to one another. Anti-war demonstrators, progressives opposed to Mr. Trumps agenda, groups rallying for economic or social justice, bikers and truckers showing support of the presumptive GOP nominee and the controversial Westboro Baptist Church, which protests the countrys tolerance of gay and lesbian relationships, have all applied for demonstration permits or vowed to show up in Cleveland for the convention, which will run July 18 to 21. Theyre trying to mix oil and waterpossibly igniting and inflaming tensions, said Ralph King, a Cleveland resident who is helping organize a pro-Trump demonstration for the week of the convention. Clevelands security rules place sharp limits on official parades and demonstrations. Speakers, platforms and sound-amplification systems have been banned, effectively limiting the size of rallies. Protesters will be allowed only hand-held electronic megaphones and bullhorns. But at the same time, protesters will be allowed broad latitude to protest without permits in the area around the convention center, so long as they dont interfere with traffic. The American Civil Liberties Union brought suit on behalf of Citizens for Trump as well as two other groups against Clevelands protest rules this month, calling them draconian in a legal complaint. A federal judge struck down those rules as unconstitutional last week. The city reached a tentative settlement in the lawsuit that was being finalized over the weekend, but the details of the agreement havent been announced to the public. The settlement is expected to include compromises between the city and protesters on the time and location of parade routes and the number of parks available for demonstrations. Closer to the convention site, the U.S. Secret Service will establish a much smaller and tighter security perimeter around Quicken Loans Arena, where only delegates, media and party officials with credentials will be allowed. The agency referred questions about protesters to the city. A spokesman for the mayors office didnt respond to a request for comment, but Mayor Frank Jackson said in May: We are prepared. Though protests at political conventions are common, the stakes are greater this year with tensions running high over Mr. Trumps comments on banning Muslims and cracking down on illegal immigrants. Click for more from The Wall Street Journal. Two new polls released Sunday show Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton widening her lead over presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump -- with one national survey giving her a comfortable double-digit cushion. A Washington Post/ABC News poll puts Clinton 12 percentage points ahead with a 51-39 lead over Trump. The same survey had both candidates in a statistical tie last month. According to those polled, there was sweeping unease with Trump. Two out of three Americans polled said they think Trump is unqualified to lead the nation, are anxious about the idea of him as president and disapprove of his comments on women, Muslims and his repeated attacks on a federal judge because of his heritage. Trump slammed Judge Gonzalo Curiels character and said the judge could not fairly preside over the ongoing Trump University cases because of his Mexican heritage. Im building a wall, its an inherent conflict of interest, Trump told The Wall Street Journal. Curiel, whose parents are Mexican immigrants, grew up in Indiana. The fallout from the Curiel comments has been swift and has led to some top Republicans like George Will breaking with their party. Will, a conservative columnist and prominent Republican commentator for more than 40 years, said hes grown disillusioned and frustrated with the GOP. After Trump went after the Mexican judge from northern Indiana, then (House Speaker) Paul Ryan endorsed him and I decided that, in fact, that this is not my party anymore. I changed my registration to unaffiliated 23 days ago, Will said on Fox News Sunday. A second Wall Street Journal/NBC poll shows a much closer race between the presumptive nominees, giving Clinton a five percentage point lead over Trump. However, if third-party candidates are factored in, then Clintons edge is virtually erased. The survey of 1,000 registered voters showed Clinton leading 46 percent to 41 percent in a head-to-head matchup with Trump in November, but when Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson and Green Party candidate Jill Stein are included in the count, Clintons lead drops to 1 percentage point Though Clinton is leading, its notable that Trumps numbers have dropped by only 2 points since May. The poll was conducted June 19-23 during arguably one of most tumultuous periods of Trumps presidential campaign. Over the past week, the New York real estate mogul fired his campaign manager and faced criticism over his weak fundraising numbers and lack of organization. Donald Trump has had the worst month one can imagine, but Clintons negatives are so high the net impact on the ballot is almost invisible, Bill McInturff, a Republican pollster who conducted the survey with Democratic pollster Fred Yang, said. Heres what I think of CNN hiring Donald Trumps campaign manager, seemingly seconds after he was fired: Sad! This is not a knock on Corey Lewandowski, who handled his dismissal with class, though he has plenty of detractors. Its the question of what CNN is getting for its money. There is a long tradition of networks hiring former political operatives and ex-candidates, but it used to be that they waited some decent interval before having them don a quasi-journalistic hat. That is now a thing of the past. But does a network want someone who is still flacking for his or her former boss? In an interview with CNNs Dana Bash before the network hired him, Lewandowski made clear that he never plans to utter a negative syllable about Trump. And in an interview with CNNs Erin Burnett once he was on the payroll, Lewandowski again fiercely defended Trump on every question. When Burnett asked if he was angry about getting the boot, Lewandowski said: I don't. I feel honored. I feel honored to have been part of changing the American political system for the rest of our lives and hopefully so much further. And the Trump family has been so good to me and my family. Even if he wanted to be critical of Trump, Lewandowski signed a non-disclosure agreement that prevents that. He cant defame or disparage the guy, as Burnett pointed out. So CNN is not getting even a semblance of independent analysis. For his part, Lewandowski told Burnett: Im a guy who calls balls from strikes. I'm going to tell it like it is. Some critics have focused on the grabbing incident involving Michelle Fields (where misdemeanor charges were dropped) or other instances of Lewandowski playing hardball with the press. Some CNN staffers are upset by the hire, and some of the networks alumni have lamented the move on Facebook. One positive sign is that CNN has been trying to bring in more conservative voices under President Jeff Zucker, who has acknowledged that the network leaned left in the past. But I think there are more fundamental issues involving the nature of punditry and the perception that candidates, consultants and commentators are a bunch of indistinguishable insiders. On the candidate front, the tradition goes back to the 1990s, when CNN kept hiring Pat Buchanan in between his presidential runs, helping to keep him in the public eye. In 2012, Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum left the Fox payroll to run for president, and last year Mike Huckabee did the same thing. Veterans of the Bush White House are highly visible on the air, such as Nicolle Wallace at MSNBC and Karl Rove and Dana Perino and at Fox. You dont expect them to attack their former boss, but the political world has moved on with George W. Bush staying out of the limelight, and Jebs candidacy sparked mixed emotions among the Bushies. Tony Snow went from Fox to the post of White House press secretary, then was hired by CNN before his death. Sarah Palin joined Fox after her VP run. During the Obama administration, MSNBC snatched up David Axelrod and Robert Gibbs, and CNN hired Van Jones and, briefly, Jay Carney and Stephanie Cutter. Some disagreed with the president on occasion, and Axelrod, for one, found MSNBC too partisan and jumped to CNN. CNN also hired two prominent Clintonites, James Carville and Paul Begala, and Carville later did a stint at Fox. Is there a statute of limitations on past partisanship? Its been almost two decades since ABCs George Stephanopoulos worked for Bill Clinton, but that connection resurfaced when he was found to have donated $75,000 to the Clinton Foundation, especially in the context of Hillarys presidential run. MSNBC was also quick off the mark in hiring Rick Tyler a couple of days after Ted Cruz dropped him as communications director. Tyler remained largely supportive of Cruz and has been no fan of Trump. Lewandowski, who had a no-BS style with the press, is the first of the Trump loyalists to jump to cable news. What will he do when Trump has a bad week or makes a big mistake? Will he sound like the campaign manager in exile or a commentator with special insight into the Republican nominee? For the moment, at least, Lewandowski seems in no danger of going rogue, and CNN is taking a beating for giving him a platform in record time. The Bernie Sanders supporters were hatching an online plan to wage a protest inside a rally for Donald Trump when one cautioned that, even in the heat of a polarizing presidential campaign rife with overheated rhetoric, the government was watching. "The Secret Service will be monitoring Facebook and other social media," the poster cautioned others as they planned a disruption inside a Southern California rally for the presumptive GOP nominee. "Be smart when posting. Any perceived threats will come with a knock at the door." If the Secret Service was monitoring that conversation, it isnt saying. But combing through social media for potential threats amid one of the most divisive presidential campaigns in memory ultimately falls to the agency, as does providing in-person protection to Trump, Sanders and likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. It may be too much, even for an agency with a $2 billion budget and 3,200 special agents, say some experts. "The Secret Service has a very difficult task," said James Reese, founder and chairman of leading security firm TigerSwan. "You can only secure so much, and the men and women in the agency work their butts off." A failed attempt earlier this month by a British national to assassinate Trump reminded the public of the ever-present danger lurking at every rally, campaign stop and fund-raising dinner. Michael Sandford, 20, was arrested after trying to grab a cops gun, which he allegedly told the Secret Service he had hoped to use to kill the developer. It was not the first time angry opposition to Trump prompted violence: At a March campaign event, agents swarmed around Trump in Dayton, Ohio, after a man tried to storm the stage. It came a day after Trump canceled a Chicago rally on the advice of the Secret Service over safety concerns. Even without an ongoing presidential campaign, the Secret Service is charged with protecting the president, vice president and their immediate families; former presidents and their spouses, visiting heads of state and high-ranking dignitaries and official representatives of the United States performing special missions abroad. When wide-open fields compete for presidential nominations, a process overseen by the Secretary of Homeland Security determines which candidates get full protection. After the conventions, both major presidential and vice presidential candidates, as well as their spouses, are protected. The rancorous campaigns and the explosion of social media, where any angry comments could potentially ripen into a full-blown threat, mean the heat, hate and potential for harm stalking Trump and Clinton has the Secret Service more taxed than ever. The Secret Service is now subject to things I have never seen before threats, protesters storming the stage, Dan Bongino, a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Secret Service who is currently running for a congressional seat in Florida, told FoxNews.com. The left is now infatuated with the idea of suppressing free speech, and hell-bent on causing disruption. The agents are constantly operating in the red zone at a very heightened stress level. In March, Secret Service Director Joseph Clancy voiced his desperate need for more agents at the peak of the campaign season and told the House Appropriations Committee panel that his agencys ability to perform at the desired level was being hindered by increased attrition. Recent scandals, such as the 2012 incident in which some agents on a presidential trip to Colombia were revealed to be involved with prostitutes, as well as the incident two years ago when a man was able to jump the White House fence and cross the yard into the presidential mansion before being captured, appear to be taking a toll on morale. The Secret Service requires highly trained agents and equipment to provide airspace security, counter-surveillance, emergency response, counter assault, critical systems protection, explosive detection canine teams and counter-snipers. The Secret Service has about 6,500 employees, which includes 3,200 Special Agents, 1,300 Uniformed Division Officers and 2,000 technical and administrative employees. The agency is seeking to add 1,100 more employees by 2019, but its biggest test may be just weeks away when the two parties hold their conventions. Professionals warn that the real concern comes not from the protesters themselves, but the distraction they cause which could then leave a gaping hole for other opportunists to wreak havoc. Terrorists and others wait very patiently for moments like these to strike, Bongino explained. This is every agents worst nightmare. A government official who requested anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the security apparatus told FoxNews.com the Secret Service has sought manpower help from other federal law enforcement agencies, but aid has been limited. They have had to request adjustments to meet the requirements, and can also receive help from other federal agencies, said the source. But all the agencies have manpower problems, so they help each other where they can. The reality is that agencies worry about their own missions first, so mutual support is limited. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has been known to help out with such things as pre-screening and bag checks at events for both presumptive nominees. Another federal intelligence source pointed out that the Secret Service commonly utilizes agents from other agencies, including ATF, FBI and local law enforcement while they take full control of "close protection." The Secret Service has an intelligence division tasked with analyzing and investigating threats made against those under its protection from deranged letters to disturbing phone calls to casual comments made on a Facebook feed. Although the agency does not provide details, it is known to use specialized social media tracking technology to discern between real and bogus threats. It also maintains a vast database to report, analyze and store information that could indicate a potential threat to anyone under agency protection. Monitoring social media for potential threats is just one aspect of the online challenge. The Secret Service also must protect candidates from hackers. Both candidates are highly valuable targets for cyber attackers. Further, this years elections are taking place within a cybersecurity landscape never before seen in history, said Gordon MacKay, chief technology officer for Digital Defense. Security woes have been heightened further following reports this week that the Clinton Foundation was among the organizations infiltrated by suspected Russian hackers ahead of the election, potentially obtaining guarded information regarding the probable nominee. The Secret Service, FBI and NSA are all believed to be working the investigation. However, Bongino insisted that the agencys Protective Intel Division has become particularly apt in determining what is credible and what is not in a fairly timely manner. While one government insider acknowledged that Trump has caused consternation among the Secret Service profilers due to his polarizing effect, it isnt that far removed from the concerns raised during Obamas 2008 run. That was just as frightening due to the various domestic terrorist organizations that have platforms heavily built upon racism, he said. From the start of his campaign, Trump has hired his own various private security and intelligence detail, led by former law enforcement officials. But multiple sources say that the moguls own detail is irrelevant to the work they do, as the Secret Service simply does not accept support from the private security sector. And its not just people on the payroll who are protecting the GOP candidate armed citizen groups supporting Trump have also taken on security roles of their own. "My bet is we ain't seen nothing yet, said a member of "Lions for Trump." The Secret Service can only do so much, and we know we need patriots ready to put their bodies on the line to protect this movement." As for the fast approaching conventions, a spokesperson for the RNC stated that security is under the direction of the Secret Service and city of Cleveland and that the Host Committee isnt involved in the planning. The DNC referred the matter to the Philadelphia Mayor's Office, which did not respond to the comment request. Secret Service spokeswoman Nicole Mainor told FoxNews.com that in preparing for the conventions, the agency employs a unified command model involving various agencies in various areas of expertise through the formation of subcommittees. "The goal is to develop and implement a seamless security plan that will create a safe and secure environment," she said. "We train on a continuing basis so that each individual remains prepared to respond to any eventuality." Like the Bernie Sanders supporter pointed out in an online forum, protest alone will not prompt action from the Secret Service. Should the anger develop into a threat against one of the candidates, the agency will respond. "We make no distinction on the purpose, message or intent of any particular group," Mainor said. If individuals or groups decide to act unlawfully, plans have been put in place to efficiently address them." If House Speaker Paul Ryan was British, he might have been celebrating on June 23. The Republican leader implied Monday that he would have supported the campaign to leave the European Union because their argument for leaving embodied American values. I cant say Im surprised because people want self-government, they want sovereignty, they want self-determination, and I cant say that I would feel differently if I were a citizen of Great Britain when you have people from other countries regulating your country, writing your laws, Ryan told Wisconsins WGTD radio station. I can clearly relate to the thinking behind the Brexit vote. The WGTD interview was consistent with his initial statement the day after British voters shocked the world by voting to leave the EU. Ryan said he respected and understood the UKs decision to leave because it aligned with the very important American principles of sovereignty, self-determination, and government by consent. He also reaffirmed Monday that what is important for us as Americans is to show solidarity with the people of Great Britain, to demonstrate that theyre still our ally Our special relationship is intact. President Obama and Hillary Clinton have been vocal about their opposition to the Brexit movement in the past. Ryan joins his partys presumptive nominee Donald Trump in supporting the majority of British voters on their move toward autonomy. FoxNews.com's Liz Torrey contributed to this report. The Supreme Court on Monday struck down a Texas law regulating abortion clinics, delivering a 5-3 decision that was the high courts first major foray into the abortion issue in nine years. Justice Stephen Breyer wrote the majority opinion for the court, with Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joining him. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. "We agree with the District Court that the surgical center requirement, like the admitting-privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions, and constitutes an 'undue burden' on their constitutional right to do so," Breyer wrote. President Obama said in a statement that he was "pleased" with the outcome. "As the brief filed by the Solicitor General makes clear and as the Court affirmed today, these restrictions harm women's health and place an unconstitutional obstacle in the path of a woman's reproductive freedom," Obama said. "We remain strongly committed to the protection of women's health, including protecting a woman's access to safe, affordable health care and her right to determine her own future." Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, in a series of Tweets, hailed the decision as "a victory for women" -- but said there's more work to be done. "This fight isn't over: The next president has to protect women's health. Women won't be 'punished' for exercising their basic rights. -H," Clinton tweeted. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott decried the decision in a statement Monday. "The decision erodes States lawmaking authority to safeguard the health and safety of women and subjects more innocent life to being lost," Abbott said. "Texas' goal is to protect innocent life, while ensuring the highest health and safety standards for women." Texas abortion clinics had challenged a 2013 state law and regulations that cut the number of abortion providers in half, to roughly 20. Fewer than 10 would have remained open if the law was allowed to take full effect. The Center for Reproductive Rights had sued Texas, on behalf of a coalition of abortion clinics. The Texas law required all clinics performing abortions in the state to operate as certified ambulatory surgical centers, which would be regulated under the same standards as hospitals. Doctors who performed abortions were also required to first obtain admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. Proponents of the law argued it would improve patient care and safety, though abortion rights groups contended the law made it nearly impossible to operate a clinic in Texas. "When we decide cases on particularly controversial issues, we should take special care to apply settled procedural rules in a neutral manner," Alito wrote in his dissent. "The Court has not done that here." Alito also referenced the Kermit Gosnell case, in which an abortion doctor in Pennsylvania was convicted of the murder of three infants who were born alive and the death of a patient. Alito said the Texas law was designed to prevent similarly shoddy medical practices from remaining open. Thomas quoted the late Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February, in his dissent. Thomas wrote that the decision "exemplifies the court's troubling tendency `to bend the rules when any effort to limit abortion, or even to speak in opposition to abortion, is at issue."' Several dozen activists on both sides of the abortion issue gathered at the Supreme Court early Monday, chanting, holding signs and awaiting the ruling. Some abortion rights activists played Madonnas song Like A Virgin. Some court watchers pointed to a decision in the case a year ago, when the court gave a temporary 5-4 victory to the clinics, allowing them to remain fully operational while the Texas law was appealed. One of the dissenters, Scalia, has not yet been replaced on the court. Kennedy, typically thought of as swing vote, voted with the four liberal members of the court to issue that order, just as he did in Monday's decision. The court had last ruled on abortion in a 2007 case, upholding the constitutionality of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act. With the ruling, the eight-person court avoided yet another split decision after twice tying on Thursday in the aftermath of Scalias death. President Obamas nominee to fill Scalias seat, Judge Merrick Garland, waits in limbo as the Republican-controlled Senate has refused to give him a hearing or vote during an election year. The abortion ruling was one of three high-profile cases decided on Monday, likely the final day of the courts session before a summer break. Decisions on public corruption and guns were also handed down. Fox News Bill Mears and Shannon Bream and The Associated Press contributed to this report. In a major victory for domestic violence advocacy groups, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday upheld the broad reach of a federal law that bans people convicted of domestic violence from owning guns. In a 6-2 decision, the high court ruled that reckless domestic assaults can be considered misdemeanor crimes to restrict gun ownership. The justices rejected arguments that the law covers only intentional acts of abuse and not those committed in the heat of an argument. Defendants Stephen Voisine and William Armstrong were each found guilty of misdemeanor domestic assaults in Maine. A federal law prohibits anyone with that type of conviction from possessing a gun. Voisine and Armstrong presented separate arguments to the Supreme Court: one stating that only a conviction for an intentional domestic assault offense should count for the federal gun prohibition, while the other argued that the ban violates their constitutional right to bear arms. The Supreme Court initially said it would only deal with the intentional domestic assault question, but during oral arguments in February Justice Clarence Thomas brought up the question of whether being convicted of a misdemeanor violation suspends a constitutional right. Gun rights groups argued that the men should not lose their constitutional right to bear arms because of misdemeanor abuse convictions. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Weapons supplied by the CIA for Syrian rebel training "routinely end up in the wrong hands," partly because of corruption among those rebels but also due to corrupt Jordanian intelligence teams, multiple U.S. officials close to the CIA program told Fox News on Monday. The officials said Jordanian intelligence services aim to use the Islamic State terror group to push back on growing Iranian influence in the region. "Every Middle Eastern intelligence service is dirty," one official told Fox News. "Jordan's biggest enemy is anything Shia," an official said. The New York Times broke the story. A CIA spokesman reached by Fox News wouldn't comment. Iran's population is 90-95 percent dominated by the Shia branch of Islam. Iran has been accused of funding Shia rebels across the Middle East, starting other flashpoints in the region outside Syria including Yemen, drawing a Sunni-led coalition led by Saudi Arabia to use military force to stop the rebels known as Houthis. Iran and its proxy force in Lebanon, Hezbollah, have supported the Syrian government since the start of its civil war five years ago. Iran has helped move Shia groups from as far away as Afghanistan into Syria to help shore up the embattled regime of Bashar al-Assad whose Alawite sect is an offshoot of Shia Islam. Russia has also deployed military forces since late last year to help Assad's military. Despite pledges of support and backing from Jordan's King Abdullah II, there was concern among officials in the Jordanian Armed Forces and their intelligence agency that lending too much outward support against ISIS could increase instability inside Jordan, as some inside the kingdom saw ISIS in a more sympathetic light, one U.S. official said. "There is a chance the more we push JAF [Jordan Armed Forces] into the fight, the more we could actually be undermining Jordan's security." The official suggested that a recent Russian airstrike killing U.S.-backed rebels in southern Syria, near the border with Jordan, might have been tipped off by Jordanian intelligence, but lacked concrete proof. "I think it is safe to say that there are JAF members that correspond with Da'esh [ISIS] and the attack on [U.S.-backed rebel base al-Tanf] is likely a warning for JAF to take a step back. Senior leaders most certainly know there are sympathizers in the ranks who will want to push or cancel any future missions against Da'esh," he said. Many in the region see ISIS, a Sunni group, as standing up against Shia influencers, the official summarized. While neither official reached by Fox News could confirm that U.S.-supplied arms have wound up on the black market, one said that a "majority" of U.S.-supplied weapons was sold or gifted to other rebel groups fighting the Assad regime, including Islamist groups with questionable human rights records. The New York Times reported that President Obama authorized the covert action against the Assad regime in April 2013, a fact not disputed by those close to the program. The aid to rebel groups by the CIA helped tip the scales in the favor of the rebel forces, which drew Russia to intervene in late September, according to officials. The Pentagon runs a separate "train and equip" mission mostly out of Turkey that has been by all accounts a failure. The former head of U.S. Central Command told lawmakers in September that only "four of five" U.S.-trained rebels remained. Adding to the problems establishing a fighting force to counter the Assad regime or ISIS, Russia has been accused of "deliberately" bombing U.S.-backed rebels since Russian jets and helicopter gunships arrived late last year. Earlier this month, Russian Su-34 attack jets bombed Pentagon and CIA-backed rebels despite calls from the U.S. military to halt the bombing. Russia bombed the rebels in southern Syria twice, the second time after a call from the U.S. military to the Russians was ignored. The U.S. military had sent jets to the area where the Russians were bombing, but left the area to refuel when the Russians returned to continue striking U.S.-backed forces, Fox News was told. Gary Herbert, who became Utah's governor at the height of the Great Recession, is pointing to the state's now-humming economy and low unemployment as he tries to ward off a re-election challenge Tuesday from successful businessman Jonathan Johnson. In the months leading up to Tuesday's contest for the Republican nomination, Herbert has boasted of steering the state to prosperity, while his opponent, the board chairman of Overstock.com, has touted his private-sector experience and criticized the governor's approval of fuel, sales and property taxes over the years. Johnson won more support from several thousand core members of Utah's GOP at a state convention in April, but Herbert brings a moderate appeal and more name recognition. Herbert also has an endorsement from former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, who remains hugely popular in Utah. Johnson has criticized Herbert from the right on issues such as pushing back against federal control and education policy. After Johnson's repeated hammering of Herbert for supporting Common Core education standards gained traction with conservatives, Herbert dropped his support of the benchmarks and called for repeal, saying controversy over Common Core wasn't helping students. The reliance of both candidates on mega-donors has erupted as a campaign issue in recent weeks after The Salt Lake Tribune released a recording of Herbert referring to himself as "Available Jones" while offering to meet with lobbyists in exchange for campaign donations. Herbert has said he was disappointed in himself but that nothing unethical or illegal occurred. A supporter of Johnson's filed a complaint with Utah's elections office over the offer, asking officials to determine if Herbert's campaign broke any election laws. Mark Thomas, Utah's elections director, said the complaint was handed over to the Utah attorney general's office to investigate. Dan Burton, a spokesman for Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, said he could not comment on whether the office was investigating. Johnson has called the offer "sickening," and his campaign has pointed to Herbert's five-figure checks from wealthy donors and corporations as evidence he was "available." Herbert's campaign says the donations are from a broad group and show the business community supports the governor's policies. His campaign manager Marty Carpenter points out that checks to Herbert for $25,000 are one-tenth the size of checks that Johnson's main donor has written. Johnson's campaign has been almost entirely funded by Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne, who has given about $800,000 to his bid. Johnson said he's not beholden to Byrne and they disagree on several issues. Tuesday's winner likely will take the governor's office in November because deep-red Utah has not elected a Democratic governor since 1980. In addition to the showdown in the governor's race, GOP voters on Tuesday will decide between U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz and Brigham Young University professor Chia-Chi Teng in the race for Utah's 3rd Congressional District. Since 2008, Chaffetz has represented the district, which covers Salt Lake City's southeastern suburbs toward the state's borders with Arizona and Colorado. His opponent is well-funded, but Chaffetz is a popular conservative figure who is expected to prevail. On the left, Utah Democrats will pick a nominee to go up against Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Lee in November. Their choices are marriage therapist Jonathan Swinton and Misty Snow, a transgender woman who works as a grocery store cashier. Voters across Utah's 29 counties also will settle partisan battles in 10 legislative races and narrow the field in a number of nonpartisan school board and local races. Scientists on a key panel handpicked by the Environmental Protection Agency to green-light new environmental emissions regulations have received nearly $200 million in grants from the agency, according to a federal lawsuit which charges the past funding calls into question the objectivity of the process. The Energy & Environment Legal Institute, a Washington-based nonprofit, claims tough new EPA regulations that critics say would cost the industry trillions of dollars and thousands of jobs are being waved through by scientists dependent on the federal agency. Of the 26 members appointed to the EPAs Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee Particulate Matter Review Panel, 24 received direct or indirect grants from the EPA totaling more than $190 million claims the institutes lawyer. This clearly violates the law and makes a mockery of the notion of independent scientific review, Energy and Environment Legal Institute General Counsel Steve Milloy said. The panels endorsement last October was necessary for the EPA to implement its Particulate Matter 2.5 regulatory agenda, which controls airborne pollutants such as soot and dust in outdoor air. The new regulations, which updated 2008 rules, are opposed by the trucking and mining industries, as well as Milloys institute, which claims to focus on free-market solutions to energy and environmental problems. The institute has filed a lawsuit against the EPA claiming the panel, which was appointed last year and by law is supposed to be independent and unbiased, is compromised by the past grants. Not only does the EPA pay researchers to produce controversial research that advances its regulatory agenda, but the agency pays the very same researchers to review their own controversial work, said Milloy. Both the Clean Air Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act require CASAC panels be independent and unbiased, Milloy said. A second EPA-appointed panel, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, or CASAC Ozone Panel, also has been compromised by millions of dollars in grants from the EPA, Milloy claimed. Of the 20 CASAC Ozone Panel members, 17 received grant money from the EPA, Milloy said, for more than $192 million. Scientists on both boards told FoxNews.com they question the funding figures cited by Milloy, and disputed the charge that federal grants undermine their objectivity. Almost all academics working on air quality have received funding from EPA at some point, said Daniel Jacob, a faculty associate at Harvard Universitys Center for the Environment. Theres also this silly perception that scientists would be lemmings obliging the hand that feeds them, Jacob said, adding that the appointment process provides for recusal in the case of a direct conflict of interest. Scientists love nothing more than to challenge authority. Jacob has received at most $2 million from the EPA over his career, but said he probably has received more money from the power industry over the years than from the EPA. George Allen, of the Northeast States for Coordinated Air Use Management, which has received nearly $4 million in EPA grants, sees no connection between getting a competitive research grant from EPA and being biased in support of tighter and tougher air quality standards. There are many opportunities for public comment at every step of the air quality regulation review process, Allen said. Anyone with concerns related to conflict of interest in either direction can raise the issue with the EPA Science Advisory Board in a public meeting. The biggest concern, Allen said, is with the potential bias someone who works for an industry that could be impacted by EPA regulations under consideration. The lawsuit was filed in May in the District of Columbias U.S. District Court on behalf of the Western States Trucking Association and Dr. James Enstrom, an epidemiologist retired from the University of California. The advocacy group is seeking an injunction barring the panel from meeting and wants the court to force the EPA to reconstitute the panel. Other EPA-appointed panelists who Milloy believes are tainted by hefty EPA grants include: - Panel Chair Ana Diez Roux, professor of epidemiology at Drexel University, who allegedly received more than $33 million in grants - Douglas Dockery, director of the Harvard-NIEHS Center for Environmental Health and associate professor of medicine, who allegedly received more than $16 million in EPA grants - Elizabeth Lianne Sheppard, a research professor of Environmental Health, Occupational & Environmental Medicine at the University of Washington, who was allegedly awarded $51 million in EPA grants Both the Clean Air Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act require CASAC panels be independent and unbiased, Milloy said. A second EPA-appointed panel, the Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee, or CASAC Ozone Panel, also has been compromised by millions of dollars in grants from the EPA, Milloy claimed. However, Michelle Bell, a professor of Environmental Health at Yale University, took issue with counting grants doled out to universities and research institutes as going directly to their employees who were chosen for the EPA panels. Let me be perfectly clear my job is not contingent on receiving grants from EPA, Bell said. I am a tenured professor at Yale University. Should Yale never receive another penny through an EPA grant from my research, I would still maintain my position as a tenured Yale professor. In both her scientific research and in her dealings with the EPA, no person associated with the agency has ever instructed her directly or indirectly to push the scientific results or interpretation of scientific results in a certain direction, Bell said. In fact, in my experience EPA wants the scientists to let the science speak for itself, Bell said. They want the true assessment of the actual scientific evidence. EPA spokeswoman Enesta Jones declined to comment on the suit. The EPA has 60 days to respond to the lawsuit, and a federal judge will determine whether the panel can continue or the EPA must dismiss it and convene a new one. Recent news coverage on Brexit focuses primarily on the financial implications stemming from the historic Brexit vote. It has become clear, however, that there are many implications that range further than the initial market impact. Many of these are complications that will affect trade negotiations and you guessed it, technology. So, while Brexit isn't a Y2K-potential level of concern for technology, it does raise some issues that consumers and businesses who operate within the boundaries of the European Union will have to address. One of those concerns is continuing to qualify for a .eu-registered domain. To get a .eu domain name registration, individuals, businesses, and organizations must meet registration restrictions. Essentially, you must be a resident of or have a registered office, central administration, or principle place of business within the EU, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein. Companies also qualify if their organization is established legally in the EU, Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein. The problem, therefore, comes into play post Brexit. UK registrants would no longer meet the criteria to own a registered .eu domain. For an individual with a single website, this may not be a huge issue, however, to a large company that relies on web traffic or e-commerce, this has the potential to wreak havoc on business operations. As of now, there is no defined timeline for the UK to exit the EU, though most speculate it will take around two years to complete the exit, according to Circle ID. Complicating matters is the fact that potential problems with .eu registered domains does not rate highly on the items to negotiate as part of the exit strategy. As the recent news has shown, financial and trade concerns top that list. Some fear it may not be addressed at all, leaving UK .eu owners to scramble to find and secure new domains. According to EURid, the United Kingdom has the fourth most .eu registrations following France, the Netherlands, and Germany. For now, only time will tell how problematic this will become for individuals and businesses who do not have another physical location that will remain within the EU after Brexit is complete. For those that do not, they will have to wait for the European Commission decision on the issue, if there is one at all. Technology is great, except when you're trying to get someone convicted for murder and you have your DNA expert testify via Skype, which denies the defendant his Sixth Amendment right to confront witnesses in court, which in turn gets the defendant (who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison) a new trial. That's what happened in the case of Truett Thomas, an Albuquerque man accused of murdering Guadalupe Ashford and leaving her body behind a parking lot trash can in 2010, Ars Technica reports. Police found blood on a paver stone at the scene that was believed to be the murder weapon, the Albuquerque Journal reports; it matched Thomas' blood, but in the two years between Thomas' arrest and the start of his trial, the state's forensic analystthe person who originally tested the crime scene bloodmoved out of New Mexico. Thomas' defense lawyer originally didn't argue with allowing the expert to testify via a two-way Skype call, though he said he found it "weird," so prosecutors didn't subpoena him to appear in person. As the trial approached, Thomas' attorney decided he didn't like the Skype idea after all, but because he hadn't initially fought the decision, the judge allowed it to proceed. Thomas was convicted of murder and kidnapping, but in a June 20 ruling the New Mexico Supreme Court tossed the kidnapping charge (the court says the evidence doesn't support it) and reversed the murder conviction, ordering a new trial. The expert witness's "involvement in the case was significant," the court ruled, and "the DNA profiles were offered as the sole evidence that implicated Defendant in this crime," clearly influencing the verdict. Therefore, "face-to-face confrontation" should have happened, per Thomas' constitutional rights. (A talkative parrot may factor into this murder trial.) This article originally appeared on Newser: Murder Conviction Reversed Thanks to Skype A Georgia man says he enjoyed an unusual private flying experience where he was the only passenger on a Delta Air Lines plane flying to Atlanta. Steven Schneider of Lawrenceville, Georgia, tells WSB-TV that he arrived at the Louis Armstrong New Orleans Airport on Tuesday and saw no passengers waiting at his gate. I was so nervous, Schneider told the station. I couldnt believe it. I felt like I missed my flight! Steven Schneider from Lawrenceville boarded his flight to Atlanta and found he was all alone. How would you react? pic.twitter.com/firjlbmeiu Everything Georgia (@GAFollowers) June 23, 2016 Most of the passengers originally scheduled on Flight No. 2426which had been delayed a couple of times-- decided to take an earlier flight, or postpone travel until the next day Schneider says Delta tried to call him, but they had the wrong contact number for him. He says the flight attendant told him the 160-passenger plane needed to go back to Atlanta so he didnt feel guilty about riding solo on such a big jetliner. At first I felt really bad, because I didnt want the plane to only make the trip because of me, Schneider said. But after talking to a flight attendant at the gate, she said the plane needed to go back to Atlanta anyway. She called this an empty leg flight. The airline said the reason they operated the flight was to have the plane positioned back in Atlanta so it could be in place for a departure the next day. Delta released the following statement about the experience to WSB-TV: "We're glad this customer enjoyed a somewhat rare solo experience. Other customers were accommodated on an earlier departure. The reason we operated the flight was so this customer could have that airplane positioned back in Atlanta so it could be in place for a departure the next day." The Associated Press contributed to this report. Authorities in Colorado are investigating after five people, including three children, were killed when an Amtrak train collided with a van Sunday morning. The Colorado State Patrol said in a statement that a 2005 Chrysler Town & Country failed to yield right of way to the train and was struck at 9:45 a.m. near Trinidad. The vans driver and three of the six passengers died at the scene. A fifth passenger was taken to the hospital and was later declared dead. According to The Denver Channel, a Colorado State Trooper said a girl in the van was flown to Childrens Hospital in Aurora with serious injuries. She was the only member of the family in the van to survive. Authorities will release the names of the van's occupants once relatives are notified. An Amtrak spokeswoman tells the station that more than 280 passengers were on board at the time of the crash. No one on the train was injured. The Denver Post reported that the spokeswoman says the Southwest Chief train, which travels between Chicago and Los Angeles, resumed its route at 5 p.m. Authorities are investigating but neither alcohol nor drug use is suspected. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A city bus smashed into a firetruck in Queens on Sunday afternoon, seriously injuring two firefighters and 12 civilians, including children, according to witnesses and officials. The fire engine was heading west on Ditmars Boulevard with flashing lights and screaming sirens when it was struck by a Q100 bus that was heading north on 21st Street, witnesses said of the crash, which happened at 12:20 p.m. All of the injured were expected to survive, but many were left dazed and bloody, according to startled bystanders. There was a little baby bleeding, said Diana Temkin, a teaching assistant who was eating with a friend at an outdoor table at the Bowery Bay restaurant on Ditmars Boulevard. The bus came to rest just a few feet from their table a firefighter dangling out of his window nearby. The two firefighters and civilians had serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to an FDNY spokesman. They were all taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, except for one firefighter who went to Mount Sinai Hospital. The truck was on its way to an all-hands fire at 8-01 26 Ave. in Astoria. The bus had the green light, but the truck was using its emergency lights and siren, according to MTA spokesman Christopher McKniff. The bus jumped a curb and came to rest on the sidewalk, he said. McKniff added that he was unsure if the bus driver had been given a Breathalyzer test by investigators. Click for more from the New York Post. Authorities said a 6-year-old New Jersey boy playing with a gun fatally shot his 4-year-old brother in the head over the weekend -- and their mother now faces charges. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office said the children were at their home in East Orange when the shooting occurred about 11 a.m. Saturday. Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly said the child was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 4:26 p.m. He said the shooting apparently was an accident. Fennelly said the boy's mother, 22-year-old Itiyanah Spruill, has been arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child and a weapons violation. Bail was set at $310,000. He said she was jailed, pending arraignment. A city spokeswoman said the gun belonged to the boy's mother. It wasn't immediately known how the 6-year-old got the gun. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Colorado man who bears the name of one of America's Founding Fathers is defying an order to remove the American flag from his property -- saying he'd rather face eviction than take down the Stars and Stripes. Samuel Adams, of Greeley, Colo., received a notice last week from the management of his building complex asking that he remove the American flag from his apartments balcony railing. Adams, who had hung the flag as decoration for the Independence Day holiday, took to social media to express his outrage -- recording and posting video to YouTube and Facebook of himself reading the letter. "Please do not clutter with personal belongings. Balconies and patios must be maintained in a neat, clean and attractive condition," the notice read, in part. While management at the Sterling Heights apartment complex said it's not opposed to residents flying the American flag, it has strict rules about what can be hung from balconies. "We really try hard to keep a nice, neat community and are diligent about our efforts to keep uniformity in appearance in the areas visible to others, manager Amie Robertshaw told The Tribune newspaper in an email. Adams, whose father was a dentist in the U.S. Navy and whose grandfather was a U.S. Army surgeon during World War I, said he has received support from veterans and military families. "I have never done anything like this before, Adams told the newspaper. But it was the right time and it was the right moment. I wanted to be a patriotic American and give tribute to our Founding Fathers and our veterans, and to have (management) say the flag is inappropriate or comparable to trash is reprehensible to me. You work hard to get traffic to your website. You pay for advertising. You optimize for the search engines. You work it on social media. And it pays off! Traffic comes. People arrive. They look at what you have to offer. And -- they hesitate. It takes just a moments hesitation to create doubt. In that moment, you can lose a customer. They find you -- but do they trust you? Related: 8 Questions for Assessing Your Website In the real world, people do business face to face. They meet the waitress, the sales clerk, the serviceman. They make a judgment call instinctively as to whether they like you, whether they trust you and whether they want to do business with you. Ive walked out of stores that felt too pushy. Ive walked out of car dealerships. Your website visitors can walk out, too. Does your website say Trust me!" so that a customer never doubts? Lets consider three types of business websites: Local business : Your website is an extension of a real business, where you come face to face with your customers in the flesh (store, theatre, trades). : Your website is an extension of a real business, where you come face to face with your customers in the flesh (store, theatre, trades). Service business: You interact with your customers, but not always in the same city (accountant, coach, translator). You interact with your customers, but not always in the same city (accountant, coach, translator). Ecommerce: Your entire process is automated. If all your customers were pink fairy armadillos, you would never know. (Those are real animals, by the way, although rarely seen on ecommerce websites). Whichever type of businesses you run, ask yourself the following questions. 1. Can customers visualize me? If they cant meet you in person, the next best thing is to see you. A picture of the business owner, with his or her name, goes a long way. A quote beneath the picture about quality or how you love customers goes even further. A video message from the owner is best. Video is more tangible, almost like meeting you. When I redesigned my website, it's the first thing I added. Check out the video on the home page of a local contractor's website. There is something special about this screenshot. Keep reading. If not a video, how about photos of the whole team, as The Pike Brewing Company has. You'll see the same approach across the pages of my website. The Great Lakes Brewing Company shows the " Two Irish brothers" who founded the company, when telling their story. Which type of website most needs a real, live person up front? Ecommerce, of course. The more intangible the business, the more important to show real people behind it. Related: The Science Behind High-Converting Websites 2. Can customers visualize my business? If they cant walk up to your counter, at least they can see that you have a real address. That boosts trust right away. A real address means that you are less likely to be a fly-by-night scammer. Even better, post a picture of your place of business Which type of website most needs to show a real location? You guessed it: ecommerce. The more virtual the business is, the more important to show that it is real. This business made sure that customers can contact them in every way possible: 3. Can customers chat with me? Just because you have a video, doesn't prove that you exist. Nor does it prove that you are reliable when customers need help. People much prefer instant chat over calling for support. Which type of website most needs instant chat? Right. Ecommerce. How did you guess? 4. Am I certified trustworthy? Trust logos reassure people that they are safe doing business with you. Studies show that people trust most the logos associated with anti-virus protection. That means Norton and McAfee. But Better Business Bureau (BBB), TRUSTe and Verisign also register fairly high. Why not post them all? Which type of website most needs trust logos? Of course, it's ecommerce. This is especially true because, people will be handing money over online. In fact, Norton and McAfee are of interest only to ecommerce shoppers. A quick look at local contractors, showed me that BBB figures prominently in all of them. Now, have you guessed what's special about the video snapshot above? Check again. 5. Does the crowd support me? Trust logos tell people that your business is safe. You deliver. But do you deliver well? Let your customers do the talking. A text testimonial is OK, but easy to fake. A testimonial with a pic is more real. A video testimonial...well, that's not fake, right? 6. Do customers get to know me? One of the best things about shopping locally is that you get to know the store. You get to know the people in the store. You learn about their values and get a feel for what they stand for. Can your website do that? Of course it can. That's what your "about" page is for. "Once upon a simpler time..." begins " Our Story," by Mission Mercantile leather goods. "Caring for the environment starts with being careful..." starts the story of Logs End Flooring. "Under the wise leadership of renowned tea expert, Mama Angel..." explains the "About" page of Karma Kisses. Storytelling is powerful. Customers buy from people they know and understand. Related: How a New, Mobile-Friendly Website Gave a Fitness Company a Boost in Profits 7. Can customers see my offering? Try showing your product in use. Ideally, a satisfied customer shoots a video showing how well your product works. Show-and-tell and testimonial all in one shot. You don't have to do all these things to create trust. But the more you do, the less doubt customers will have, and the more sales you will make. Tell your story. Show as much as possible. Get third-party credibility. That's what it takes. So tell me, does your website say "Trust me"? The family of a North Dakota college student who was a confidential informant for a drug task force filed a wrongful death lawsuit Monday accusing a sheriff's department, a deputy and the county of failing to ensure the 20-year-old's safety. The body of 20-year-old Andrew Sadek was found about two years ago in the Red River, which separates North Dakota from Minnesota, not far from where he attended college in Wahpeton. An autopsy concluded Sadek died of a gunshot wound to the head but the manner of death was "undetermined," according to the complaint brought by John and Tammy Sadek. Their suit names as defendants Richland County Sheriff's deputy Jason Weber, who was part of the task force, as well as the county. It says the defendants failed to train Andrew Sadek to perform undercover operations and failed to "reasonably supervise" him. A spokeswoman for the North Dakota attorney general's office, which is defending the lawsuit, was not immediately available for comment. The Sadeks are asking for unspecified economic damages, including the cost of the memorial, and non-economic damages related to mental anguish, emotional distress, grief and loss of companionship. A report by the North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation said Sadek got in trouble with the law in April 2013, when he twice sold marijuana to a confidential informant. Both transactions were small -- $20 and $60 worth of drugs -- but they took place in a school zone, making the potential charges against him serious felonies. Later that year, drug task force agents searched Sadek's dorm room and said they found a grinder containing marijuana residue. The next day, Sadek completed paperwork to become a confidential informant, making three drug buys for the regional task force over the next three months. The task force didn't hear from Sadek after that. The family does not believe Sadek killed himself. A backpack full of rocks was tied around Sadek's body and he was wearing different clothes from the time he was last seen, the suit said. Lawyers for the family sent a letter to federal authorities in April asking the U.S. Department of Justice and FBI to investigate the case. The Justice Department said it was reviewing the case. There was no response from the FBI, the family's lawyers said. As people in West Virginia braced Monday for even more storms to drench communities alreaded inundated with rain, the sheriff of one county said he'd received reports of looting -- and released a stern warning. "The Nallen/Russellville area suffered extensive damage during the recent floods. Many citizens of this area have lost everything. We are now receiving reports of looters and thieves coming into the area. This WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!" the Fayette County Sheriff's Department announced on Facebook. "If the residents of this area catch you first, you may not make it to jail. If you are not a resident of this area and don't have family members in the area you are trying to help, you need to stay out of this area," Sheriff Steve Kessler added. Emergency officials also reduced the death toll to 23 from 25 after revealing that two men thought to have been swept away in a camper in Greenbrier County were found alive. They had abandoned their camping gear and truck at the Blue Bend area in Greenbrier before apparently getting a ride home with another party, according to Timothy Rock, a spokesman for West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. "I think the first responders must have reported them missing and that got into them being just presumed dead. Then they wound up turning up yesterday," Rock said. Three people are still presumed dead, officials added. Forecasters said more heavy rains could soak the state later Monday. More than 20 counties, most in the southern part of the state, are under a flash flood watch. The National Weather Service warned downpours were possible in many areas already ravaged by flooding, including Kanawha and Nicholas counties. The forecast also included hardest-hit Greenbrier county, where 17 people have died and floodwaters have yet to recede. West Virginia Emergency Management Agency spokesman Tim Rock said "everybody's just keeping an eye on the sky" as search and rescue teams continue to check whether everyone is accounted for. Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency are taking stock of the damage and National Guard crews are removing debris, he said. Rock said recovery teams plan to work as much as possible but may pull back if storms intensify. As the next round of storms arrive, many residents are still trying to come to grips with ruined property and where they'll live next. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin chief of staff Chris Stadelman says authorities still believe there are people missing in Greenbrier County. On Sunday, dozens of residents from flooded-out Rainelle remained at a shelter more than 25 miles away at the Ansted Baptist Church, where singing from inside mixed with the bustle of activity outside. The church's gymnasium has been converted to a shelter. The church also is a drop-off point for donated goods as well as a makeshift kennel for dog owners. For now, it's home for Jerry Reynolds, his wife, Janice, and his brother, Marcus Reynolds. Janice Reynolds said she drove back to Rainelle on Saturday to survey the damage. She said her home was destroyed, a vehicle was lost in the floodwaters and the community "smelled like death." Jerry Reynolds says the flood was "the worst thing I've ever seen." But as he sat in his car at the shelter, he declared that "we're survivors. We'll make it." Marcus Reynolds even found a bit of humor amid the sorrow. "While we're at it, would you be interested in any oceanfront property?" he said. "I understand there's some available." Bill Kious of Rainelle was asked how those at the shelter, many of them on modest incomes, were able to laugh. "Frankly, because we've lived a rough lifestyle," Kious said. "It's a nature to us that we can't get rid of." Rick Lewis of the Nuttall Fire Department said 129 people were staying Sunday at the church gymnasium. Many more Rainelle residents were sent to other shelters, he said. Among those taking advantage of the shelter's kennel was T.J. Parker of Rainelle and his pet Titan. Parker said he and Titan had to swim four blocks to safety. Along the way, he stopped to rescue an elderly man calling for help and brought him through floodwaters to a fire department. Parker said he had to go under water and hold his breath to support the man, then come up for air. "I realize that sounds crazy, but you have to do what you have to do at that time," Parker said. Volunteer Randy Halsey said the donated items at the church were heading specifically to Rainelle. He said it was difficult to estimate how many items had been donated because "as soon as it comes in, it's going right back out." Authorities have yet to start sizing up the flood damage in West Virginia. But it is drawing comparisons to November 1985 floods that remain the state's most expensive natural disaster with more than $570 million in damage. The 1985 floods left 47 dead in West Virginia, more than half of them in Pendleton and Grant counties. The Potomac River at Paw Paw crested 29 feet above flood stage. More than 3,500 homes, 180 businesses and 43 bridges statewide were destroyed. Twenty-nine counties were declared federal disaster areas. "This is the worst I've ever seen," said Fayette County Sheriff's Sgt. Bill Mooney, who served in the National Guard during massive floods in 2000-01. "Nobody expected 7 inches of (rain) in three hours." About 18,000 homes and businesses remained without power Sunday. It marked the first day people can apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency aid in Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas counties. President Barack Obama's signature Saturday on the federal disaster declaration lets residents in the three counties get aid for temporary housing and home repairs, receive low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and qualify for other assistance for individuals and business owners. Federal money to help the state and local governments is also available on a cost-sharing basis. FEMA officials were in the state to begin assessing the damage to infrastructure, homes and other property. The floods prohibited Georgia resident David Stephens from doing contract work spraying weed killer to eliminate vegetation around poles. He saw someone buying water at a store and asked where the water was heading. So he went to the church in Ansted to help move donated supplies along. "I just want to do whatever I can to help," Stephens said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A former Indiana University student was sentenced Thursday to one year of probation as part of a plea deal after he was charged in connection with two separate rape cases, drawing parallels to Brock Turner, the ex-Stanford swimmer sentenced to six months in jail on a sexual assault conviction. John Enochs agreed to plead guilty to battery with moderate bodily injury and his two rape charges were dismissed, according to Fox 59. Court records show Enochs only spent one day in jail. Fox 59, citing court documents, reported that the victim told police in April 2015 she had been raped at the Delta Tau fraternity house, but didnt know her alleged attacker. She said she repeatedly told the attacker to stop, but he held her down. However, she was able to leave the room and get away. Police said security video showed Enochs entering the room with the victim and that she left after 24 minutes. Health officials revealed that she suffered a laceration to her genitals. Police also found a similar incident in 2013. The victim in that case agreed to help investigators and Enochs was later arrested based off DNA evidence and witness statements. Prosecutors said Brock Turner raped an unconscious woman near a fraternity house in 2015. His sentence earlier this month triggered outrage across the country. A petition to oust the judge garnered more than a million signatures. Click for more from Fox 59. The July 4 holiday is a divisive time for one New Jersey community. But not for any political reasons; instead, the neighbors living in the Beechcrest section of Florham Park have been arguing about decorations. Thats for sure decoration drama definitely, Aneta Mascaro told CBS Local. Beechcrests mulch-filled welcome island used to be adorned with flags and signs to celebrate holidays Halloween, Easter, Hanukkah, Christmas. A Memorial Day display featured American flags and signs for each branch of the service. But some neighbors complained about the look, and now there may be no display for Independence Day. Borough leaders are set to discuss the issue at their next meeting. It was just too much, Julie Carter told CBS. It just screamed a yard sale, garage sale. The scream description was common among neighbors who disapproved of the decorations. I pulled in one time, and Im like Oh my gosh, its screaming, Barri Larsen said. I dont know. Too much. Its a distraction. Others, like Mascaro, whos lived on Elmwood Drive for 10 years, found the displays brightened her day. Its nice and colorful, she said. Now the decoration decision rests in the hands of local leaders, who must decide if the adornments are colorful or kooky. A confrontation at a DUI checkpoint in north Georgia led a trooper to shoot a man who tried to drown him, investigators said Sunday. Officers were working the checkpoint on Interstate 985 Saturday night when an SUV made an improper U-turn, triggering a chase, Georgia State Patrol spokesman Capt. Mark Perry said. Georgia Bureau of Investigation officials said the chase ended when the SUV crashed into a patrol car and 36-year-old Rodrigo Guardiola and 31-year-old Epitacio Gudino ran from authorities. Two troopers pursued the suspects for nearly a mile, Perry added. Sgt. Auston Allen caught up to Guardiola at a creek and tried to arrest the man when he tried drowning the trooper, the state patrol reported. Allen's Taser failed to subdue Guardiola -- so he shot the man, who later died, investigators said. Gudino was taken to the Hall County Detention Center. In all, three officers were hurt, but all were expected to survive, Perry told reporters. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A U.S. immigration official blamed in a federal report for barring law enforcement agents from a suspect in the San Bernardino terror attack has been nominated for a prestigious agency award but her bosses in Washington refuse to say what she did to earn consideration. Irene Martin heads the San Bernardino U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office, where last December, she allegedly blocked five armed Department of Homeland Security agents from the man authorities say supplied the firepower in the deadly attack a day earlier. Although an Inspector General's report found she acted improperly, and then lied to investigators, FoxNews.com has learned she has been nominated for the Secretarys Award for Valor. To give Irene Martin an award for valor is insulting to all the prior awardees the agents and officers who truly displayed valor and risked their lives to save someone else, said Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based research institute. Department of Homeland Security officials declined to say what Martin did to merit consideration for the award, which is described as the highest departmental recognition for extraordinary acts of valor by an employee or group, occurring while on or off duty and is reserved for those who have demonstrated extraordinary courage in a highly dangerous, life-threatening situation or emergency under extreme stress and involving a specific act of valor, such as saving another persons life or property. Past valor award recipients include government employees who have saved people from burning cars, sinking ships and weapon- wielding assailants. FoxNews.com was told the information could only be released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, which has been lodged. Martin was blamed for touching off a turf war that came to light when whistle blowers told Senate Homeland Security Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wisc., about the tense, Dec. 3, 2015 incident. It came a day after Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook killed 14 and wounded 22 in the terror attack. Authorities believe Enrique Marquez, who had an appointment with Martin's staff when the authorities showed up, gave them the guns used in the attack. The potential award for Martin was announced on a conference call from high-ranking USCIS officials in Washington during a staff meeting held at the San Bernardino office where Martin also was present, sources told FoxNews.com. The USCIS and the agents who had been sent to detain Marquez are part of DHS. The nomination from Martins superiors was stunning to staff members because it was announced just days after a June 1 DHS Inspector Generals report found Martin improperly hindered the work of five armed agents on site just 24 hours after the attack. Johnson held two Senate hearings about the incident in May and requested that the Inspector Generals investigation. The report noted DHS agents were sent to the USCIS building to arrest Marquez, who authorities were frantically trying to track down the day after the terror attack at an office Christmas party. Marquez, it turned out, had not shown up for his scheduled appointment at the USCIS building, but Martin kept agents waiting 30 minutes before meeting with them, and another hour before she turned over the USCIS file on Marquez. Marquez was eventually arrested and is being held on charges related to supplying the guns as well as marriage fraud. Martin also lied to the Inspector Generals investigators, according to the June 6 report, about her role in what has been characterized as a turf battle. Lying to federal investigators is a felony and can result in dismissal and criminal charges. We concluded that the USCIS Field Office Director at the San Bernardino office improperly delayed agents from conducting a lawful and routine law enforcement action, the report stated. We have also concluded that the Field Office Director was not candid with OIG investigators during her interview. Arlen Morales, spokesman for the DHS Inspector General, would not confirm whether his agency had made a potential criminal referral involving Martins testimony to the US Department of Justice, saying the Inspector General does not discuss any ongoing work. Vaughan suspects the award could be a further politicization of the Dec. 3 incident, which left DHS law enforcement officials furious and at a disadvantage as they tried to close in on any accomplices to the Dec. 2 terror attack. Irene Martins nomination for this valor award is scandalous, said Vaughan. When enrolling your children in preschool, a curriculum check will now be mandatory. "There was once a time when it was unthinkable to even mention the topic of homosexuality in a school setting," said one pro-family activist. A new web series called "Queer Kids Stuff" aimed at preschoolers (yes, you read that right) is now attempting to teach those barely out of diapers what the phrases "gay," "bisexual," and "transgender" mean. In the opening minutes of the first show, the host tells a teddy bear, as well as innocent viewers, that "gay means love." Although no U.S. preschool programs have indicated yet that they will embrace the series, it may only be a matter of time. "It is easily conceivable that videos such as these will be sanctioned eventually by local school boards and implemented in preschool and prekindergarten classes," said Sean Ryan, communications director of the pro-family organization Mass Resistance, based in Waltham, Massachusetts. "Activists are trying to force these topics on younger and younger children because that is the only way their movement wins," he said. "Rational adults don't buy into the so-called 'Queer Theory' or transgenderism. Unfortunately, children are a soft target for homosexual activists as they are malleable and still learning about the world." JamesMichael Nichols, deputy editor of the Queer Voices section of The Huffington Post, claims the web series explains the "issues and language" of the LGBT community in a way "that is accessible for preschool-aged children." The show is "intended to be a conversation starter between adults and kids about queer issues," Nichols wrote. "While the episodes may focus on explaining a basic queer idea -- like what does 'gay' mean -- it also answers questions for children that some adults may not have the ability or language to talk about." But he's missing the point, and perhaps deliberately so. Parents may not have the language to explain LGBT issues because they don't want it -- they have control, after all, over what gets discussed in the home. Ironically, preschoolers don't "have the language" to even share with their parents all that they learn in preschool. Parents must be the protective figures who make sure what is presented to innocent, growing minds is what they decide is fit. "Personally I am opposed to something like this," said one Massachusetts parent. "These are the years of the W's: who, what, when, and why," series creator Amer told The Huffington Post. "These ages are when children are learning and soaking up everything they can about the world they were pretty recently introduced to. While they are learning about the world, they are also beginning to form their own opinions about the things in this world." Amer also said, "If they aren't seeing queerness in their world (particularly in their media), how can they know to ask questions and spark conversations (as many parents won't do this themselves)? And what happens if the first time they are introduced to a queer topic, it has a negative connotation? As soon as that happens, it is far more difficult to undo that moment than it is to simply introduce the topic truthfully and positively first." Nichols is ecstatic about this new vehicle toting the LGBT agenda. "We're super excited about this project and can't wait to see what's ahead," he wrote. "Check out the first episode, "What Does Gay Mean?..." "It's no surprise the LGBT movement is attempting to impose its propaganda to school children at younger and younger ages," Ryan of Mass Resistance told LifeZette. "There was once a time when it was unthinkable to even mention the topic of homosexuality in a school setting. Now, there are homosexual, bisexual [and] transgender lesson plans for kids as young as kindergarten." "I don't think children of that age totally understand gender," Brandon Chapman of Reading, Massachusetts, told LifeZette. "Personally I would be opposed to something like this. Teaching general acceptance of people is great, but I think specifically talking about same-sex couples would be too confusing." Ryan said today's parents naturally support the indoctrination of the young -- they themselves were indoctrinated, even if they don't realize it. "Kids don't naturally buy into this stuff. They have to be brainwashed," he asserted. "We've seen this with the acceptance of homosexuality and homosexual marriage. Homosexuality is supported by a majority of adults aged 18-29, not because young adults just naturally support it -- but because they are the group that first began to be bombarded by this propaganda in the early 1990s." Authorities in South Carolina are searching for an inmate Monday who is still on the run after escaping with two others last week. The Berkeley County Sheriffs Office said that Donald Ray Little remains at large and that Michael Chaplin and Matthew Chaplin were recaptured Sunday night after they were founding hiding out in a Goose Creek home about 30 miles from the Dorchester County Jail. According to Live 5 News, deputies said there were no injuries in the recaptures of the Chaplin brothers. Little was jailed on a probation violation while the Chaplins faced charges including grand larceny and burglary. The Berkeley County Sheriffs Office said authorities are still searching for a car that may have been stolen by the inmates while they were on the run. Authorities said on Facebook that the car they believe was stolen is a 2015 VW Passat with the South Carolina license plate LKV-146. Police said they believe the car was stolen in Goose Creek. Berkeley County Sheriffs Maj. Jeremy Baker said Saturday that police were scouring the Goose Creek area for the three inmates who escaped jail Friday. Dorchester County Sheriff L.C. Knight said Little and the Chaplin brothers pried open a window to get out of the prison. Baker said the escaped inmates led police on a car chase Saturday before abandoning their vehicle and running off into the woods near Wannamaker Park. The Charleston County Sheriffs Office and the North Charleston Police Department were assisting in the search for Little. Anyone with information of the escaped inmate is urged to contact the Dorchester County Sheriffs Office at 843-873-5111. Click for more from Live 5 News. Once upon a time, handshakes and personal ties built trust between a business and its customers. Technology has upended this: the masses are more trusted than leaders, and the worlds largest companies (think Google, Facebook, Amazon) have essentially zero face-to-face interaction with customers. So how is trust built today? To answer this question, our team studied SiteJabbers million-member community of customers and the 60,000 businesses the community has reviewed. The following is what we learned. Privacy first, second and third. In the post-Snowden world, privacy has become a key branding differentiator for the likes of Apple and Microsoft. Seventy-two percent of Americans are reluctant to share information with businesses because they just want to maintain [their] privacy. But respecting privacy need not be confined to pledges of fighting government information requests, using the latest encryption technology, and promises not to sell user data. Respect for privacy, and the concomitant building of trust with customers, can start with simply not asking customers for any more information than is absolutely necessary. For example, consumers are often told that when dealing with an unfamiliar business, requests for unnecessary information should be seen as a red flag. That is, if youre buying a pair of sneakers online, there is no reason that a business should be asking for your birth date, social security number, annual income, copies of your ID or credit card, and so on (youd be surprised by how many online businesses ask for these things). On SiteJabber, one of the most common customer complaints involves businesses that ask for too much personal information too soon. So a great way to build trust is to limit the information you collect from customers in the first place. And even if you pass up near-term marketing opportunities, the trust you build with customers can be worth much more down the road. Related: Gaining Customers' Trust Can Be Your Checkmate Survive brand Background Checks. Brand and trust now matter more than ever. Sixty-two percent of global company value is intangible, of which brand and customer goodwill are critical components. Contrast that to 1950, when intangible value was only 30 percent. But how do customers first learn about your brand today? Google. As many as 20 percent of all Google queries are navigational; that is people searching for brands and information about brands. Other common searches from prospective customers include your brand plus the word reviews or complaints. What appears on those Google search pages defines how prospective customers see your brand, at least initially. This behooves businesses not just to monitor branded search queries, but to actively manage what appears on those pages. This means robustly developing social media properties, cultivating online press, and actively managing customer reviews and complaints. We commonly see SiteJabber community members write posts like, I was considering such and such company, but I Googled them and they have horrible press/complaints/customer service issues, etc. Related: How to Earn and Keep a Customer's Trust Customer reviews. Gone are the days when a handful of customer testimonials and case studies are enough to persuade new customers to buy. An incredible 90 percent of Americans say buying decisions are influenced by reviews. But what is the best way to develop reviews for your brand? Tech savvy customers will trust your brand more if they see legitimate customer reviews from independent third-party review sites. Beyond that, at SiteJabber we have found three key takeaways for businesses seeking to build trust: More reviews is better -- businesses with over 1,000 reviews receive 672 percent more leads and have an 18 percent higher rating. Customers dont trust reviews if they dont see at least some bad ones -- businesses with 10 to 30 percent negative reviews actually receive more than 10 times more leads than businesses with nearly all five-star reviews. Respond professionally to every review -- businesses that respond to every review have an 86 percent higher rating than those that dont. On-site professionalism. Professionalism used to mean a pressed suit, a firm handshake, and good manners. Today customer trust hinges more on how you present yourself on your website. Related: Why Should Your Customers Trust You? Our community on SiteJabber has indicated the following items can all build trust for a brand: An Oregon mother shot and killed an intruder she found inside one of her children's bedrooms early Sunday, according to police. The 33-year-old woman had just returned to her Southeast Portland home with her two children, ages 5 and 10, when she encountered the man, KOIN 5 reported. According to local news reports, the woman used her own handgun to shoot the 59-year-old man. The names of the woman and the intruder have not been publicly released. Police are working to determine why the man was inside the home. A neighbor told KOIN that the home had been vacant for some time before the woman and her children moved in. "I know when the previous renters were there, there was a lot of mischief," neighbor Amber Murray told the station. The woman is reportedly cooperating with investigators and the case will be sent to the Multnomah County District Attorney's office for review. Click for more from KOIN 5 Lone wolf jihadists should target white Americans so no one mistakes their terror attacks for hate crimes unrelated to the cause of radical Islam, Al Qaeda writes in the latest edition of its online magazine. In an article first reported by The Foreign Desk, Al Qaeda of the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) called for more self-directed Muslim terrorists to kill in America. But the article, titled Inspire guide: Orlando operation, tells terrorists to avoid targeting places and crowds where minorities are generally found because if gays or Latinos appear to be the targets, the federal government will be the one taking full responsibility. In the June 12 attack in Orlando, Omar Mateen killed 49 people and injured 53 inside a gay nightclub. Although Mateen, who was later killed by police, told hostage negotiators he pledged allegiance to ISIS, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch has characterized the attack as a hate crime against gays. I cannot tell you definitively that we will ever narrow it down to one motivation, Lynch told reporters last week. People often act out of more than one motivation. This was clearly an act of terror and an act of hate, she continued. We will look at all motivations and hope to come to a conclusion there. Although Al Qaeda does not take credit for Mateens attack in the online article, it urges more lone wolves to take up arms. Jihadists should target areas where the Anglo-Saxon community is generally concentrated, it states. This class of the American community is the majority and it is the one that is in the American leadership. Al Qaeda is "very carefully threading a needle" by endorsing the attack while criticizing Mateen's target selection, said Ryan Mauro, national security analyst for Clarion Project, a Washington-based nonprofit that tracks the international terror threat. "This is Al Qaeda's way of asserting itself above ISIS in the wake of its competitor's success," Mauro said. Inspire magazine often exploits terror attacks in the West and makes threats against Europe and the United States. While the terror group responsible for 9/11 has been overshadowed by rival ISIS in recent years, it praised Mateen for his monstrous act. We stand by and support all Muslims who attack America in their homeland regardless of their affiliation to any group or loyalty, the guide states, though adding that Mateen could have killed even more if he had used bombs in addition to the guns he carried: a Sig Sauer MCX semi-automatic rifle and a Glock 17 handgun. "Al Qaeda is talking condescendingly toward ISIS while remaining supportive, like a guru of jihad mentoring a reckless amateur," Mauro said. An American medical student, who was in Haiti as part of a Tulane University program to promote maternal and child health, was shot and wounded in an armed robbery, the school said Friday. Marc Khan Sr. Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs at the Tulane School of Medicine said in a statement that the student identified as Bhumi Patel was shot in the hand and chest in Port au Prince Thursday. Patel was flown to a hospital in Miami. "She has been able to communicate with her family and appears to be in relatively good spirits," he said. Kahn said Patel was part of a program at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine to promote maternal and child health in Haiti. She had finished her first year at medical school, Kahn said. Eight other Tulane students are enrolled in the program. One of the other students was with Patel during the robbery, Kahn said. "Tulane is reaching out to the other victim of this terrible crime as well as all students involved in this program in order to ensure their safety and emotional well-being. Please keep Bhumi and her fellow students enrolled in this program in your thoughts and prayers," he said. According to the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Patel said on Facebook Saturday that she was recovering and was extremely grateful to be alive. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A group of suicide bombers detonated their explosives in a northeastern Lebanese village near the border with Syria on Monday, killing five people and wounding at least 15, a Lebanese military official and paramedics said. The National News Agency said the blasts occurred in the predominantly Christian village of Qaa, only few hundred yards away from the border. It said four suicide bombers were involved in the rare multiple attack. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. The villagers became suspicious of the men as they were passing through the village around 4 am local time, an eyewitness in Qaa said. When civilian security men who guard the village called out to them, they threw a hand grenade before successively blowing themselves up among civilians. A Lebanese military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, said one suicide attacker blew himself up in front of one of the homes, while three other attackers followed, detonating their suicide vests one after the other as people gathered in the area. Four members of the military were among the wounded, the official added. An investigation is underway. Qaa's mayor, Bashir Matar, described in an interview with the Beirut-based pan Arab channel Al-Mayadeen how the fourth attacker was gunned down. Matar said it was unclear what had trigged the first explosion but once people started gathering, another explosion occurred followed by a third one. "As we were treating some of the wounded, I saw the fourth suicide attacker coming toward me. I shouted at him," Matar said. "We opened fire toward him and he blew up." Lebanon has in recent years faced deadly spillovers from the Syrian civil war next door, and Lebanese authorities have been on high alert, tightening security in recent days. George Kitane, the head of paramedics at the Lebanese Red Cross, confirmed the death toll and said the 15 wounded were rushed to hospitals in nearby areas. He added that several others were treated on the spot. One of the four explosions struck an ambulance for the village's archbishopric, killing its driver, residents said. Though it was not immediately clear who or what the attackers planned to target, the Lebanese Christians of Qaa have taken up arms, setting up self-defense units to protect against potential attack by Muslim extremists from neighboring Syria. The explosions occurred about 150 meters away from a Lebanese customs border point. The eyewitnesses spoke on condition of anonymity for fears for his safety. Lebanon's Al-Manar TV, which is owned by the militant group Hezbollah, said six people were killed and blamed the attack on the Islamic State group. Hezbollah has been fighting in Syria alongside President Bashar Assad's forces in the Syrian civil war, which has stoked sectarian tensions in Lebanon. Previous attacks in Lebanon have been claimed by the IS group. The Islamic State group and al-Qaida's branch in Syrian known as the Nusra Front have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in Lebanon over the past three years that killed and wounded scores of people. The area of Mashrea Qaa a predominantly Sunni area that is near village of Qaa is home to a large number of Syrian refugees who have fled the war in Syria. Qaa is located about 44 miles north of the eastern Lebanese city of Baalbek. The Kremlin reported Monday Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin saying "I am sorry" for the downing of a Russian jet last November, an incident Putin had called a "treacherous stab in the back." Erdogan expressed his "sympathy and deep condolences" to the family of the killed pilot and "asked to be forgiven," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. The letter added that Turkish authorities were conducting a probe against a Turkish citizen who allegedly shot and killed the plane's pilot as he was descending by parachute, the Kremlin added. The plane's co-pilot survived and was rescued, but a Russian marine was killed by militants during the rescue mission near the border. Erdogan spokesman, Ibrahim Kalin, said, according to Turkey's state-run Anadolu news agency, that the Turkish leader expressed his deep regret: "In the letter, the president stated that he would like to inform the family of the deceased Russian pilot that I share their pain and to offer my condolences to them. May they excuse us." Turkey had previously claimed two of its F-16s shot down the Russian Su-24 bomber because it violated Turkish airspace near the Syrian border and failed to heed warnings to turn around. The co-pilot told Russian media he never received such warnings. The Russians responded by halting package tours to Turkey, banning most agricultural imports from Turkey and introducing other measures restricting bilateral trade. Before the plane's downing, Russia had been the largest destination for Turkish exports, mostly textile and food, and also the biggest source of Turkish imports. The downing of the plane reflected simmering tensions between Russia and Turkey, which had backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict. Russia's air campaign, which began in September, helped shore up Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose foes have been backed by Turkey. Lifting the crippling restrictions was essential for Erdogan, who has found himself under pressure both at home and abroad. Since the incident, Erdogan and his ministers have continuously spoken in favor of normalizing ties with Moscow, but Putin made it clear that he expected a formal apology and a compensation of damage. Erdogan's office also said that the Turkish leader called on Putin to restore the traditional friendly relations between Turkey and Russia and work together to address regional crises and jointly combat terrorism "We are pleased to announce that Turkey and Russia have agreed to take necessary steps without delay to improve bilateral relations," Erdogan spokesman Kalin said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Russian President Vladimir Putin's security agencies allegedly have ramped up their intimidation of American diplomats across Europe in ways that would be illegal in the United States: harassment, breaking and entering, and in at least one case, killing a man's dog. Numerous diplomats said Russian intruders would rearrange furniture or turn on lights and televisions in their homes before leaving, according to a series of memos reviewed by Washington Post columnist Josh Rogin. One diplomat accused an intruder of defecating on his carpet. Russia stepped up its intimidation campaign in 2014, after the U.S. hit Moscow with sanctions in response to Russia's takeover of Ukraine, State Dept. spokesman John Kirby told the columnist. Most of the incidents unfolded in Moscow, but others reportedly took place in cities outside Russia. "Harassment and surveillance of our diplomatic personnel in Moscow by security personnel and traffic police have increased significantly," State Dept. spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters Monday. She said other U.S. allies reported similar findings, and that Secretary of State John Kerry has raised the issue with Putin. An intruder broke into the home of a U.S. defense official in Moscow and killed his dog during President Obama's first term, officials told Rogin. Diplomats also accused Russian security workers of slashing tires and following the children of former U.S. ambassador Michael McFaul as they went to school. "Since the return of Putin, Russia has been engaged in an increasingly aggressive gray war across Europe. Now its in retaliation for Western sanctions because of Ukraine," former U.S. ambassador to the Czech Republic Norm Eisen said. "They are hitting American diplomats literally where they live." Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson contributed to this report. Click for more from The Washington Post. British and European leaders appealed for calm on Monday as concern over the U.K.'s exit from the European Union and its deepening political crisis triggered further gyrations in financial markets and hit confidence in the economy. In his first appearance before the House of Commons since Thursday's referendum, U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron stressed that the country's economy can withstand the shockwaves created by the vote, and that it is in a far better position than it was at the start of the 2008 financial crisis. "It is clear that markets are volatile, there are some companies considering their investments and we know this is going to be far from plain sailing." Cameron said. "However, we should take confidence from the fact that Britain is ready to confront what the future holds for us from a position of strength." The leaders of European heavyweights Germany, Italy and France will huddle later Monday to discuss a strategy to handle Britain's exit, trying to hone a common message that negotiations need to get underway quickly on the exit so as not to continue the uncertainty. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she understands Britain may need "a certain amount of time to analyze things" before invoking Article 50 of the EU treaty, which will trigger the process for leaving. Cameron has said he will resign and his successor, to be chosen by the fall, should be the one to navigate that process. Merkel wouldn't comment on whether it's acceptable for London to wait that long, but said that a "long-term suspension" of the question wouldn't be in either side's economic interest. "The notification has to be sent by the British government -- I have neither a brake nor an accelerator," she said. Cameron said he had spoken with Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, and made plain this was not the time to start the process. "We have discussed the need to prepare for the negotiations and in particular the fact that the British government will not be triggering Article 50 at this stage," he said. In the first direct reflection of the uncertainty hitting business confidence, a leading business group said 20 percent of its members plan to move some of their operations outside of the U.K. The Institute of Directors said Monday that a survey of its 1,000 members showed that three out of four believe that Britain's exit from the EU, known as Brexit, will be bad for business. About a quarter said they would freeze hiring and five percent said they would cut jobs. The pound hit a new 31-year record low, dropping another 3.5 percent to $1.3199. Stock markets also declined across Europe. Bank shares were particularly hard hit, as they are considered a mirror on the larger economy. Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland, once the world's largest bank and now mostly state-owned, fell some 20 percent. Treasury chief George Osborne pledged not to impose a new austerity budget -- even though he said during the campaign that one would be necessary if voters chose to leave the EU. He said another budget would be the task of Cameron's successor. Osborne also said he had been working closely with Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, fellow finance ministers and international organizations over the weekend. "We are prepared for whatever happens," he said. Cameron chaired an emergency Cabinet meeting Monday. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting Brussels and London to address the fallout from the vote. Political turmoil has roiled Britain since the vote as leaders of the government and opposition parties grapple with the question of how precisely the U.K. will separate from the other 27 nations in the bloc. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn is also facing upheaval within his Labour Party after more than 20 advisers quit his inner circle over that past two days. Corbyn said he will not resign, and has appointed lawmakers loyal to him to fill the vacated posts. He insists he will run in any new leadership contest, and said he has the support of the party's grassroots. Many Labour lawmakers accuse Corbyn of running a lukewarm campaign in support of remaining in the EU. They also fear the left-winger cannot win a general election, which could come well before the scheduled date of 2020, as whoever replaces Cameron may call an early election to solidify a mandate before negotiating Britain's EU exit. The vote is also causing a political schism in the U.K. overall. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would "consider" whether to advise the Scottish Parliament to use its power to try to prevent Britain from leaving the EU. Some 62 percent of Scots voted to remain in the bloc. Scottish lawmakers might be able to derail Britain's departure by withholding "legislative consent," she said. Nearly 2,000 troops from the United States and allies launched a massive military exercise in Ukraine Monday, the latest in a series of war games that NATO officials say would simulate counterattacks against "Russian aggression." "Todays presence here of such a powerful cohort of our partners and comrades in arms demonstrates the broad international support for the struggle of the Ukrainian nation for sovereignty and territorial integrity as a democratic European state, Ukrainian Col. Eduard Moskalyov said. The exercise, known as Rapid Trident 16, is set to last two weeks in western Ukraine. It includes troops from Ukraine and 12 other nations, members of NATO or its Parnership for Peace program: Bulgaria, Canada, Georgia, Great Britain, Moldova, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Turkey and the United States. U.S. officials say it includes situational and field training drills. Russia, which took over the Crimean Peninsula in 2014, ramped up the pressure earlier this month after NATO defense ministers agreed to station additional forces in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland -- all near Russian borders. "Those measures significantly erode the quality of regional security, in fact turning central and eastern Europe into an arena of military confrontation," Russia's ambassador to NATO Alexander Grushko said, adding that NATO's decision "directly infringes on our legitimate security interests" and "won't be left unanswered." The NATO allies also discussed establishing a Romanian-led multinational "framework brigade" of ground troops to help defend the Black Sea area. Grushko also criticized NATO's pledge to offer non-lethal assistance to Ukraine, saying it could encourage its reluctance to abide by the Minsk peace agreement. The deal has helped reduce hostilities in eastern Ukraine, but fighting has continued and a political settlement has stalled. More than 9,300 people have been killed in fighting between Ukrainian forces and Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine, which erupted in April 2014 weeks after Moscow's invasion of Crimea. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Chapuis is currently developing strategies to speed the process of finding and isolating many new receptors on cancer-killing T cells so that therapies can target several other telltale proteins in tumors at once. Her focus is on a family of tumors that originate in male testis cells. With new high-throughput techniques and equipment, her lab hopes to find the right receptors and matching cancer cell surface-proteins faster. It used to take four years to develop one T-cell receptor. Now we have the capability to develop 10 in two months, she said. Award winner Dr. Emily Hatch joined Fred Hutchs Basic Sciences Division as an assistant faculty member in January after postdoctoral training at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. Her studies focus on the nuclear envelope, the flexible barrier surrounding a cells nucleus the storage compartment for DNA. She is exploring how disruptions to this membrane may play a role in cancer and other diseases. The nuclear membrane may not be as stable as everybody once thought, she said. An unstable membrane can lead to massive DNA damage. She plans to use the money to invest in imaging technologies that will allow her to perform high-resolution microscopy of the nuclei of living cells. This will improve her labs ability to understand not only the mechanisms involved in nuclear envelopes of cancer cells, but those of a variety of genetic diseases that have been traced to mutations in lamins, tiny fibrous proteins that normally stabilize the nuclear membrane. The surprise award, she said, recognizes the importance of Basic Sciences and the fundamental biological questions examined there. It makes me feel very welcome and part of the Hutch community, she said. Dr. Martin Prlic of the Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division is an immunologist with a deep understanding of specialized white blood cells that the immune system uses to kill cancer cells or cells that have been infected by viruses. He specializes in the study of primitive natural killer cells, which are genetically hard-wired to kill cells and tissues that pose a threat; and of the more sophisticated CD8 T cells, which have a capacity to remember newly destroyed pathogens or cancerous cells and to reawaken to defend against them should these threats reappear years later. His goal is to apply his findings to improve vaccine development and prevent post-transplant infections. In his most recent work, Prlic and his team are exploring a recently described group of T cells thought to kill bacteria in mucosal tissues, and which appear to interact with the chemicals secreted by the complex communities of bacteria living in those tissues in ways that can either boost or harm a persons health. Prlic said he is excited by the possibilities of the unrestricted funding. Usually you apply for a project and ask for money, said Prlic. All of a sudden its the other way around. Heres $100,000, come up with the best way to use it. This is money that I want to use well. Paula Reynolds, Fred Hutch Board of Trustee member and former Board Chair, was the driving force behind the establishment of the Presidents Young Investigator Awards. It was clear that there was a need to help young investigators, she said. Private philanthropy is the only way younger researchers can get that support. I talked to Nancy Greenwood Vehrs (Deputy Director of Development), she talked to Gary Gilliland, and we had a program. The awards to Prlic and Bradley were made possible by Reynolds and her husband, Steve, through the Intermec Foundation, the charitable arm of the technology company on which he served as director until its acquisition by Honeywell in 2013. The awards to Berger, Chapuis, and Hatch were funded by the Goldstein family through the Richard C. Goldstein Private Foundation. Sabin Russell is a staff writer at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. For two decades he covered medical science, global health and health care economics for the San Francisco Chronicle, and wrote extensively about infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS. He was a Knight Science Journalism Fellow at MIT, and a freelance writer for the New York Times and Health Affairs. Reach him at srussell@fredhutch.org. Xtreme Talent Dance Company To Move To new 8,000 Square Foot Facility In September Xtreme Talent Dance Company has announced a move to a brand new, much larger facility in Abbotsford, with improved facilities and services for a larger number of clients. -- Xtreme Talent Dance Company is excited to announce they will be moving into a new 8,000 square foot facility in September. The new space will more than double their size and capacity, enabling them to provide not only their full suite of dance and physical activities, but pre-school and childcare facilities as well. The company is well established as a provider of before and after school child care programs, called Xtreme Performing Arts. The move will enable them to open up an additional 20 spots to new children. The dedicated, fully branded shuttle bus takes children to and from their schools to the performing arts center, where they receive child care and recreational dance activities. The new Xtreme Talent space will feature four full sized dance studios, together with two large lobbies and additional waiting rooms. Best of all, it will be one of the only dance schools in the Fraser Valley with a Tumbl Trak, so that students can safely practice tumbling and gymnastics. Xtreme Talent are one of the few schools in the area who already offer circus arts including hoop & trapeze, contortion, and acrobatic training. For information on registering for the upcoming season this fall, individuals can check the Xtreme Talent Facebook Page or their website. This move has owner and founder of Xtreme Talent, Maureen Keyes, excited for what is ahead for her staff and students. "We just celebrated our ten-year anniversary this year, and some of our kids have been with us since we opened. I am so happy to be able to offer them such a wide variety of classes now and some of the best teachers in the industry to learn from. We have always tried to offer our students a diverse range of styles to allow them to broaden their experience and really find their niche within the dance world. We truly have something for everyone, and now with our new space we can continue to provide the very best training for all of our dance students, as well as our preschool and daycare kids. This year is shaping up to be our best one yet." About Xtreme Talent Dance Company: Xtreme Talent Dance Company in Abbotsford, British Columbia is the region's premier dance, pre-school and childcare facility. After ten years in business, they have established an outstanding reputation thanks to their outstanding staff and innovative approaches. For more information, please visit http://xtremetalent.ca/ Contact Info: Name: Maureen Keyes Email: maureen@xtremetalent.ca Organization: Xtreme Talent Dance Company Phone: 604-825-0905 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/xtreme-talent-dance-company-to-move-to-new-8000-square-foot-facility-in-september/121103 Release ID: 121103 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Official Housing Authority.com Announces Launch Of Comprehensive Directory OfficialHousingAuthority.com is a new website and directory which helps people throughout the United States find a local housing authority office. The information is searchable by state, city and county. -- Official Housing Authority assists people from throughout the United States in locating their local housing authority office. Finding the local information is as simple as selecting the state and then the city/county. The website will provide the local housing authority information. The details which are provided includes address, telephone, website and more. This information is helpful for applying or housing subsidies and other programs in the area. The comprehensive directory has been compiled from information from thousands of housing authority offices. Subsidized housing is the name given to rent or housing payments which are partially or fully paid for by the government. Depending upon the income or the situation of the applicant, it is possible to get some or all of the housing payment paid for. The applicants are typically people who make a minimal amount of income, are elderly or are disabled. These three common scenarios for anyone who qualifies for subsidized housing. The list is not exclusive; there are many others who qualify for housing assistance. Finding inexpensive apartments, especially in major cities today. For those who are able to qualify for subsidized housing, there are a number of government programs available. It is a simple matter of clicking the link for the state of residence, find the contact information for the local housing authority and contact them to determine if the qualifications for assistance are met. The staff at the local office can help with finding the right subsidized or inexpensive housing. The guidelines for affordable housing is expending less than thirty percent of the gross income on housing expense. For many people, this can seem like an insurmountable goal. The online directory will help people in need of housing help to find more affordable housing options in the local area. According to a website spokesperson, "If you are spending more than thirty percent of monthly income on housing costs, give your local housing authority a call to see if you qualify for any subsidies...or if there is any help in finding a new place to live." For more information, please visit http://www.officialhousingauthority.com Contact Info: Name: Official Housing Authority Organization: Official Housing Authority Source: http://marketersmedia.com/official-housing-authority-com-announces-launch-of-comprehensive-directory/121106 Release ID: 121106 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society Announces 16th Annual Community Health Fair T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society will kick off National Health Center Week Celebration with its 16th Annual Community Health Fair on August 6, 2016 at FoundCare's Health Center. There will be a host of medical offerings such as immunizations, screenings, complimentary physicals, and family-fun activities. -- WEST PALM BEACH, FL. | June 24, 2016 - The T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society (TLJMS) will kick off National Health Center Week Celebration by hosting its 16th Annual Community Health Fair on Saturday, August 6, 2016 at 9:00am (Registration begins at 7:30 am). The event will take place at FoundCare's Health Center (located at 2330 S Congress Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33406) and will have guest speakers, a host of medical offerings such as immunizations, screenings, complimentary back-to-school physicals, family-fun activities and more. TLJMS will once again partner with the Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (CARD) at Florida Atlantic University to provide autism screenings, and Komen South Florida to provide breast health education. Services offered to children include the back-to-school physicals and immunizations for 2-month-old infants up to 18-year-olds. Parents must bring immunization records for their children. Demonstrations for children's car seats will also take place on-site. Children are not the only ones to benefit from the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society Health Fair. The daylong event will also include health presentations and medical services for adults and care-givers. Key presentations on heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes will take place. Additional services will include dental screenings, pap smears, breast exams, and testing for vision, diabetes, blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol and HIV. While the health fair is free to all, it focuses on offering health care and education to underserved, uninsured and at-risk community members. Dr. Seth J. Crapp, Board Vice-President of the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society & Health Fair Committee Chair stated, "Once again the T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society is very excited and extremely proud to offer the local community much needed free health services and health education as we have been doing in West Palm Beach since 1947. Our free annual Health Fair, in partnership with FoundCare, Inc. is the prime opportunity each year for individuals and organizations alike to join us and support this noteworthy cause by volunteering, and/or donating school supplies and funds to help support the event. Contact us today. We would love to partner with you." Sponsors of this year's health fair include T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society, FoundCare, Community Foundation for Palm Beach & Martin Counties, Merrill Lynch, Sanofi Foundation for North America, Good Samaritan Medical Center, St. Mary's Medical Center, Palm Beach County Safety Council, Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, and Children's Medical Services. For more information about TLJMS and the health fair, visit www.tljmedicalsociety.org or call 561-318-0814. ### About TLJMS: The T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society is comprised of a group of dedicated health care professionals united to improve the health and wellness, access to medical care, academic and career opportunities and the quality of life for underserved populations through the provision of health care, education and youth development services. For its members, the society seeks to elevate the professional success of members through information, education and networking opportunities. T. Leroy Jefferson Medical Society 3300 S. Dixie Hwy., Suite 1-706 West Palm Beach, FL 33405 561.318.0814 About FoundCare: FoundCare, Inc. is a nonprofit health care provider located in Palm Beach County. The organization operates a Federally Qualified Health Center that offers pediatrics, family practice, chronic disease management, behavioral health counseling, laboratory work, X-rays and dentistry, as well as an on-site pharmacy. FoundCare accepts most insurance plans, Medicaid, Medicare and self-pay on a sliding fee scale. FoundCare's hours are Monday and Friday 8 am to 5 pm; Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 am to 8 pm; and Saturday 8 am to 1 pm. For more information call 561-HEALTHY (561-432-5849) or visit www.foundcare.org. For more information, please visit http://www.tljmedicalsociety.org Contact Info: Name: Cordel Cook Organization: ViSEO Marketing Solutions Address: 259 Courtney Lakes Circle #206, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 Phone: 561-203-4285 Release ID: 121023 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Peninsula Dental's Dr. Mwaffak Rabih Launches Personal Blog To Build Relationship With Patients Peninsula Dental is known throughout Miramar New Zealand for offering outstanding dental work, and Dr. Mwaffak Rabih has just launched a new blog to communicate with audiences online. -- Dental work is essential to overall health and wellbeing, as well as playing an important part in overall self-esteem. Having great, healthy teeth requires regular trips to the dentist, but it also requires constant maintenance and vigilance from the individual, undertaking daily habits to ensure teeth stay bright, clean and healthy. Peninsula Dental in Miramar New Zealand help people get the best smile possible, and their resident dentist, Dr. Mwaffak Rabih, is now sharing tips for ongoing maintenance and care through his brand new personal blog. The new blog has been set up to allow Mwaffak Rabih to share his knowledge and insights not just in the dental offices but online, helping people find insightful and invaluable information on dental maintenance and cleaning. The blog will be regularly updated with posts that are designed to educate individuals on the daily upkeep of oral health. The Peninsula Dental website includes a link to the blog, which will become a center for their community outreach online. The site itself will remain the means of contact for the practice, as well as hosting comprehensive information on the services offered, including pre-approved financing. A spokesperson for Peninsula Dental explained, "We are thrilled that Dr. Rabih is making the most of his wealth of knowledge by proliferating it through an online platform. This allows patients to easily discover helpful tips and advice on keeping their teeth healthy every day, which is the first line of defence against gum disease and other complications. This will allow us in turn to focus not on limiting the damage, but on perfecting the smiles of our patients. Dr. Rabih is a leading expert in this field, and having a platform to freely share that expertise will be invaluable to everyone in Miramar." About Peninsula Dental: Peninsula Dental are dedicated to providing healthy, aesthetic smiles and focus on improving the quality, function, and appearance of teeth, for a lifetime. Peninsula aim to meet every patient's needs by offering a variety of general and advanced health and cosmetic dental treatments. The warm and friendly team ensure that patients are comfortable, pain free and safe. Peninsula offer Financial plans, special appointments and individually customized treatment options. For more information, please visit http://www.peninsuladental.co.nz/ Contact Info: Name: PRWhirlWind Organization: PRWhirlWind Phone: (+64) 4388 8038 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/peninsula-dentals-dr-mwaffak-rabih-launches-personal-blog-to-build-relationship-with-patients/121178 Release ID: 121178 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) An Organic Revolution: Maple Holistics Introduces New USDA Organic Brazil Nuts Maple Holistics has released a new product, USDA Organic Brazil Nuts, available for purchase now through either the Maple Holistics website or at Amazon.com. This represents a furthered expansion of Maple Holistics products into the healthy foods market. -- Furthering their entry into the all-natural food market, Maple Holistics has introduced a brand-new package of USDA Organic Brazil Nuts. One of several new and critically acclaimed food products from Maple Holistics, the Brazil Nuts are completely organic and 100% natural in addition to being vegan, gluten free, kosher, and salt free. The high protein, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and fiber content of Brazil nuts, as well as their low carbohydrate and cholesterol content, make them a nutritious snack as well as one that has been praised for its rich taste and flavor. An ideal option for people with low thyroid function, Brazil nuts are also a good source of selenium, a mineral needed to produce the active thyroid hormone - just three to four Brazil nuts daily are all that is needed to get the body its required selenium. The mineral also promotes immunity, as well as the healing of wounds. Maple Holistics has been a leading producer of all natural and holistic hygiene, hair, and skin products, and the Brazil Nuts represent a furthered expansion into the all-natural food market. As Managing Member Jesse T., New Product Development, Maple Holistics, described, "Maple Holistics has sought to provide consumers with the highest standards in products that promote a healthy and natural lifestyle. Maple's organic Brazil Nuts align with that goal. Be on the lookout for more food products as we strive to expand our line of food products and provide our loyal customers with healthy and delicious foods." Like their hygienic products, the Brazil nuts are made all naturally and with an eye towards environmental friendliness. The nuts are packaged in BPA free and re-sealable packaging, with the highest standards of processing methods in order to ensure that the nuts retain their freshness. Introducing a food and nut line is the latest in a line of product developments and releases for Maple Holistics. The United States-based company boasts the purest and highest quality ingredients used in each product, maximizing the therapeutic potential for each specific area of health. About the Company Maple Holistics provides industry leading, all-natural hair, body, skin, and food products. The company offers a natural, holistic range of premium products which can enhance hygiene, health and daily living. Company products are made in the USA. For more information see MapleHolistics.com. For more information, please visit https://www.mapleholistics.com/ Contact Info: Name: Nate M Organization: Maple Holistics Release ID: 121180 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) China's Digestive Remedies Market : Industry Growth And Forecast Report By Radiant Insights,Inc RadiantInsights.com has announced the addition of "China's Digestive Remedies Market Trends, Growth And Forecast Report : Radiant Insights, Inc" Market Research Report to their Database. -- China's demands for digestive remedies have grown rapidly in the last few years. Over the next few years, both demands as well as production is said to continue to grow. This market research study focuses on the China's digestive remedies market. The remarkable growth of the production capabilities and the growing customer consumptions in the region has transformed Chinese economy & society. China is one of the major industrial & consumer products producers in the world. Complete Report Available @ http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/digestive-remedies-markets-in-china The major growth driving factors for the China's digestive remedies market include increasingly busy lifestyles, irregular meal times because of hectic schedules, etc. Blue-collar and white-collar employees, in particular, are prone to stomach ailments. This is also said to increase the demands for digestive remedial products. Moreover, Lower-priced products and increasing awareness about self-medication among people are also expected to help boost the market growth. The major brands in digestive remedies market use television advertisements as an effectual way to improve the brand awareness and to increase product sales. The Chinese economy sustains a rapid growth that has been encouraged by the successive increases of imports & exports, industrial output, capital investments, and customer consumption for almost over two decades. Rapid consolidation between large-scale & medium-scale players is expected since the government of China has been supporting industry consolidation in order to regulate the market to enhance the competitiveness in the global market. Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at: www.radiantinsights.com/research/digestive-remedies-markets-in-china/request-sample Even if China has enjoyed the benefits of a persistently growing market for production & distribution, the industry is suffering from minimal investment in fresh product development, research & development and innovation. Most of the domestic manufacturing companies lack the financial resources and autonomic intellectual properties to develop their own brand name products. This research report analyzes the market economic trends, industry development plans, marketing channels, investment environment, supply & demand, industry structure, industry capacity, and major market players. See More Reports of This Category by Radiant Insights: http://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/healthcare About Radiant Insights,Inc Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. We assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. We have a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. In addition to over extensive database of reports, our experienced research coordinators also offer a host of ancillary services such as, research partnerships/ tie-ups and customized research solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.radiantinsights.com/research/digestive-remedies-markets-in-china Contact Info: Name: Michelle Thoras Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Organization: Radiant Insights, Inc. Address: 28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 San Francisco Phone: 4153490054 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/chinas-digestive-remedies-market-industry-growth-and-forecast-report-by-radiant-insightsinc/121194 Release ID: 121194 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Light Conveyor Belt Industry 2016 : Market Size, Share And Growth Report By Radiant Insights,Inc RadiantInsights.com has announced the addition of "Global Light Conveyor Belt Industry Trends, Growth And Forecast Report Up To 2016 : Radiant Insights, Inc" Market Research Report to their Database. -- Conveyor belts are the transporting medium of a belt conveyor system. It basically contains two or more pulleys. Moreover, lightweight belts are basically designed to meet the demanding requirements for a broad variety of applications and industries, thereby, driving light conveyor belt industry. Also, it can essentially be used for airport baggage handling, bakeries, and package handling. Browse Full Research Report With TOC on https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-light-conveyor-belt-industry-2016 Furthermore, Light conveyor belts assist in meeting specifications of compounds, size, colors, and fabric, and top cover profiles. Types of belts encompass snake sandwich belt, long belt, and basic belt. These are made to last for longer period of time owing to their superior quality. Belts can be of different patterns, cover materials, to optimize the conveyor system. Fabrication, in general, is executed by advanced engineering, novel innovations, and experiences to offer customer fabrication solutions in order to enhance the efficiency of the product. Common installation sites of light conveyor belts are parcel or packaging delivering services. The market also needs a technique of relocating materials with least human involvement and quite quickly. To improve the overall system for staffs, they need to interact with materials; the belt is usually installed at a waist height. See More Reports of This Category by Radiant Insights: https://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/machinery Choosing the suitable conveyor belt for your product is said to be decisive decision. Conveyor belts can also be used for general purpose, plastic belt, and chaining, hinge metal belting, women wire belting, and flat wire belting. HBD/Thermoid is the leading participant of light conveyor belt industry since the long period of time. They provide belts with 100% polyester. Also, 50-50% polyester cotton blends which function to provide moisture and strength in lightweight fabrics. These belts are made up of nitrile rubber as it improves the oil resistance. Additionally, they focus on special adhesive treatment for synthetic carcasses. It chiefly assists in keeping plies from separating. Request A Sample Copy Of This Report at: https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-light-conveyor-belt-industry-2016/request-sample About Radiant Insights,Inc Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. We assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. We have a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. In addition to over extensive database of reports, our experienced research coordinators also offer a host of ancillary services such as, research partnerships/ tie-ups and customized research solutions. For more information, please visit https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-light-conveyor-belt-industry-2016 Contact Info: Name: Michelle Thoras Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Organization: Radiant Insights, Inc. Address: 28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 San Francisco Phone: 4153490054 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/light-conveyor-belt-industry-2016-market-size-share-and-growth-report-by-radiant-insightsinc/121208 Release ID: 121208 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Corporate Woods Overland Park KS Pediatric Brain Cancer Charity 5k Run Announced The 10th annual Paulina Cooper Dot-to-Dot Run/Walk to raise funds for pediatric brain cancer research has been announced by the hosts, Blue Valley Physical Therapy, and will be taking place on Sunday, September 18th, 2016 in the Corporate Woods, Overland Park, Kansas. -- Blue Valley Physical Therapy announced it will be hosting the Annual Paulina Cooper Dot-to-Dot Walk/Run to raise funds for pediatric cancer research, taking place in Corporate Woods, Overland Park, Kansas, on Sunday, September 18th, 2016. More information is available at http://dottodotrun.org/. The Annual Dot-to-Dot Walk/Run is an event organized and hosted by the popular outpatient physical therapy and rehabilitation clinic Blue Valley Physical Therapy, since 2007, to honor the memory of Paulina Cooper, who lost her life to a pediatric brain tumor at the age of 5 and raise funds to support the research and development of effective treatments for children with aggressive brain tumors. The premier and renowned Overland Park based physical therapy and rehabilitation clinic announced it will be hosting this year's 10th Annual Paulina Cooper Dot-to-Dot Walk/Run on September 18th, 2016 in Corporate Woods, Overland Park, Kansas City. The event is tailored for both the serious runners/walkers and participants just looking for a fun family day, featuring a 5k Walk and 10k Walk/Run with prizes and a Dot to Dot trot for children 8 years and under along with a highly popular kid's carnival and multiple other family and child-friendly activities. The event organizers reveal that "this race is a celebration to continue Paulina's legacy of love, union and connection, with all money raised going to the research and development of effective treatments for children with aggressive brain tumors. Everyday 9 children are diagnosed with brain tumors and face still poorer survival rates than breast cancer patients. Mortality rates remain unchanged over the last 10 years and only two new treatments have been approved in the past 25 years". They add that "Paulina Cooper was outgoing, fearless, giving and had an amazing ability to connect. She was diagnosed with an intrinsic brainstem glioma in August 2003 at the age of 5. Through 13 months of radiation and chemotherapy and clinical trials she remained brave, peaceful, comforting and wise. She left this world on September 21, 2004 and she is our hero. Her ability to connect, we believe was her life's purpose. This is why we named this race the Dot-to-Dot race". More information on how to register for the 10th Annual Paulina Cooper Dot to Dot Run/Walk, donate to pediatric brain tumor research or sponsor the event along with details on Paulina Cooper's story, pediatric brain tumor and the race location or course map as well as the multiple race day activities and prizes can be found on the website link provided above. For more information, please visit http://www.dottodotrun.org/ Contact Info: Name: Melissa Church Organization: Blue Valley Physical Therapy Address: 6885 W. 151st St., Suite 102, Overland Park, KS 66223 Phone: 913-897-1100 Release ID: 121086 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Ausbeds Launches New Website Sydney based Ausbeds new website has just gone live showcasing their range of on-line beds and mattress's. -- The New website features their range of wholesale beds and they pride themselves in that all mattress prices are under $1000 and are of premium quality. They are also Sydney's only beds and mattress warehouse with same day delivery if ordered before 4pm. Mr Karl van lieshout , founder of Ausbeds said, "The company has been on a rapid growth path since its inception and our new website reflects customer needs in 2016." He went on to say, "We have endeavoured to showcase the full range of our beds and we provide at the same time an informative range of information on all bed related matters." Beds are an extremely personal piece of furniture with most spending nearly a third of the day sleeping or resting in one. The consumable and web based society of today has led to beds being replaced far more frequently that ever before. The on-line nature of business in 2016 has lent itself to beds being ordered, delivered and slept in within just a few hours. Ausbeds give a money back guarantee to any purchaser who buys from them on line or in store. They recommend that those unsure about their purchase should trial the bed for at least two weeks to allow their body time to adjust to the feel of the new mattress. If still unhappy, they will collect the bed from the delivered address to ensure customer satisfaction in all respects. Mr Karl van lieshout said, "Just as we keep pace with the changing face of bed manufacture, the website is a reflection of us keeping pace also with the fast pace of the changing customer needs in on-line retailing. We are very pleased with customer feed back from those that we have asked to test the functionality of it prior to launch." Learn more about the company and its range of beds by visiting the new website here: http://www.ausbeds.com.au About Ausbeds Ausbeds is a Sydney based retailer with an online ordering portal for same day delivery. They pride themselves in that all mattress prices are under $1000 and are of premium workmanship and quality. They are also Sydney's only beds and mattress warehouse with same day delivery. For more information, please visit http://www.ausbeds.com.au/ Contact Info: Name: Mr Karl van lieshout Organization: Ausbeds Address: 135 Victoria Road Marrickville, NSW, Sydney Phone: +61 2 8999 3333 Release ID: 121210 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) San Diego Residential Commercial Fence Repair & Installation New Site Launched One Stop Fence in San Diego has announced the launch of a new website advertising its fence installation and repair services in the local area. Its expert staff can be contacted on (619) 304 0042. -- A respected San Diego fence making company has launched a new site as part of a campaign to increase its online presence. Called One Stop Fence, it specializes in professional and expert installation using high quality products, and aims for exceptional customer service on all of its projects. Its team of expert craftsmen can cater for any fencing job, and combine for over 100 years of experience. More information can be found on the One Stop Fence website at: http://onestopfence.com. The new site explains that, due to the company's diligence in the fencing field, they have gained a trustworthy and prestigious reputation in the industry. The experienced staff can repair damaged fences, or install new ones in any residential or commercial property. In addition to a full list of services the company offers, the new site features a general guide to fence installation and how to ensure the process runs smoothly when a customer hires a fencing contractor. The company explains that the most important aspect of a fence installation is that it is done with precision, which allows it to withstand the weather and other elements that can otherwise harm fencing at someone's property. It goes on to say that the first step in any installation will be to determine where it will go, and from that point on the decisions hinge on the type of fence the customer wants and how much maintenance they have planned for. One Stop Fence can also evaluate and repair broken fences, analyzing where any repair work will be necessary and providing the services and equipment needed to repair it to its original condition. In the event of large repair jobs, itemized proposals can be sent out so customers don't have to deal with any confusion when they get the work done. The company said: "At One Stop Fence we believe that the customer comes first, and that is not just a saying but we practice what we preach. We treat every customer as a member of our extended family." Anyone wanting to get in touch with the company can call them on (619) 304 0042. For more information, please visit http://onestopfence.com/ Contact Info: Name: Christopher Jones Organization: One Stop Fence Company Address: 600 W Broadway #700, San Diego, CA 92101 Phone: (619) 304-0042 Release ID: 121161 For more information visit r Recent Press Releases By The Same User Agarwood Essential Oil Market Expected to Grow at CAGR 4.2% During 2016 to 2022"> (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Cyber Weapon Market by Type, Product, Application, Region, Outlook and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Landscaping and Gardening Expert Trevor McClintock Launches New Locally Optimized Website (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Sleep apnea devices Market is Evolving At A CAGR of 7.5% by 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Agriculture Technology Market 2017 Global Analysis, Opportunities and Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Global VR Helmet Market by Manufacturers, Technology, Type and Application, Forecast to 2022 (Fri 2nd Jun 17) Free Freightnet Membership List your company in the Freightnet directory. It's Free, it's Easy and your company can be displayed in front of potential freight buyers within 24 hours. The reshaping of our relationship with the European Union will determine the future direction of the UK tax system, according to George Bull, senior tax partner of accountancy firm RSM. As chancellor George Osborne announced this morning (27 June) that there will be no immediate emergency Budget, accountant Mr Bull gave his views on the impact of the decision to ditch the European Union on the taxes paid by your clients. Mr Bull said the referendum had held up around 40-odd pieces of tax legislation which will now be reactivated. Most of these will come into force between late 2016 and April 2017. Looking ahead to the immediate and the medium-term, Mr Bull pinpointed the changes we might see in the UK tax system as a result of Brexit. In the period prior to exit, Mr Bull said two key principles guide the application of taxes within the UK. Direct taxes are imposed by UK law but currently they must be operated in accordance with EU law. VAT is both imposed and operated in accordance with EU law. For direct taxes particularly, within these broad constraints, Mr Bull said the rates of tax and structure of the tax system will be set in accordance with the requirements of the tax raising powers of the parliaments in Westminster, Holyrood and Stormont. After exit, Mr Bull said the UK has had a number of disagreements with the EU over the scope and operation of UK taxes. These include patent box; changes to the taxation of controlled foreign companies; differential rates of insurance premium tax; and capital duty. After the UK has ceased to be a member of the EU, Mr Bull said both the tax rates and the structure of the tax system will be determined according to the needs of the parliaments in Westminster, Holyrood and Stormont, subject to the terms of the UKs settlement with Europe. On the direct tax front, he said a number of changes are likely. For many groups of companies, Mr Bull said the number-one direct tax annoyance is UK-to-UK transfer pricing, caused by the requirement for the UK tax system to be EU-compliant. If the government wished to do so, Mr Bull said it could abolish these rules so that transfer pricing only applied to transactions between UK companies and those overseas. For EU state aid rules, subject to the terms of the exit settlement between the UK and the EU, Mr Bull said these would no longer prevent the UK government from giving selective advantages to companies via advance tax rulings. Incompatibilities between UK tax law and the EU will cease to be a problem on exit, Mr Bull said. Mr Bull added it is open to question what would happen to the disputes currently before the courts, potentially involving billions of pounds. When it comes to UK tax reliefs, allowances and benefits, Mr Bull said once the UK has ceased to be a member of the EU, it will not be necessary to extend these to both EU citizens and corporations. An insurance saleswoman has been sentenced after she deliberately mis-sold large numbers of corporate health plan policies in a 31,500 commission scam. The case was investigated by detectives from the City of London Polices insurance fraud enforcement department after internal investigators at Simplyhealth uncovered the fraud by one of their employees. Jacqueline Buckmaster, aged 54, of Rumney, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of position and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, suspended for two years. She was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay back 31,500 in compensation at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday (24 June). Buckmaster was employed by Simplyhealth as a sales executive covering the central Cardiff and Newport area between April 2011 and March 2014. During this time, she mis-sold 44 health plan policies so that she could receive the commission payments. She did this by selling health plans to members of the public, which were only intended for employees of large companies that Simplyhealth had key account agreements with. By entering into these agreements, the companys employees are able to obtain health plans at rates not available to the general public. Buckmaster was charged with the task of going into these companies and signing up eligible staff members receiving commission payments for every person she managed to sign up. However, in October 2013, Simplyhealth launched an internal investigation after they became suspicious of Buckmasters unusually high sales figures. In effect, Buckmaster had been signing up members of the public, friends and family members to the corporate schemes for which none of them were eligible. Further checks found she processed applications from people living over 80 miles away from Cardiff and had even put through applications on days where she was supposedly on leave. When Simplyhealth checked against the ineligible policies they also noticed a high number of claims linked to a Cardiff-based optician, which led them to suspect Buckmaster was encouraging people to sign up to the health plan and then take advantage of the policy by claiming for glasses and eyewear. The case was passed to City of London Police detectives in February 2014 and detectives carried out further enquiries, including financial investigations into her accounts before eventually issuing a summons to face charges of fraud by abuse of position. In total, Buckmaster pocketed in the region of 14,000 in commission payments from the fraud and claims made on the mis-sold policies totalled around 18,000. Detective Constable Louise Wager, from the Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department, said: Buckmaster abused the trust of her employer and thought she could get away with making thousands in commission payments linked to her fraudulent sales. Her greed was her downfall and I hope others who may be tempted to commit fraud in this way realise that not only could you lose your job and career, but you could end up with a criminal conviction. About 2,000 Scottish farmers and crofters have signed up to a new beef scheme for their share of up to 45m to support the sector. A last-minute surge in applications has seen 179,000 beef cows from 2,000 farmers almost 50% of Scotlands iconic beef herd included in the inaugural five-year Beef Efficiency Scheme (BES). The scheme aims to help beef producers improve the efficiency, sustainability and quality of the Scottish beef herd to help increase profitability and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. See also: Beef Focus Farm how cow size influences performance The long-term plan is to improve the genetics of the national beef herd in Scotland. In return for monitoring key information about cattle, such as genetic data, beef producers will be paid about 32/calf for the first three years. To be eligible, a beef cow must have a calf registered on the ScotEID database in 2015. NFU Scotland president Allan Bowie said the late flurry of applications for the scheme was an important step towards maintaining the premier-league position of Scotch beef. The union will now lobby Scottish government for a second round of applications to encourage more beef producers to sign up to the scheme. We want to see more herds enrolled, the scope to bring in new farmers to the sector and the need for those who are expanding to be properly supported, said Mr Bowie. To make the scheme more accessible to as many producers as possible, changes to the tagging options for those selling weaned calves should also be considered. There remains a job to do for all parties committed to making BES a success, including the Scottish government, in explaining all aspects of the scheme to existing and potential applicants. That said, this is a positive start. Borders farmer and former NFUS president Nigel Miller has urged as many beef producers as possible to sign up to the scheme to avoid the beef sector falling behind competitors in the Republic of Ireland, where a similar 40m (33m) scheme was started in 2014 with resounding success. Northern Irelands pea and bean growers have expressed their disappointment that there will be no extra support for their crops, despite a Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) consultation into the possibility. The idea was contained in a review of coupled support options, which might have included a new area payment for protein crops, as exists in the Republic of Ireland. The possibility was endorsed by the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU), which says growers in the North are finding it hard to compete with imported protein crops, as growers in the South benefit from a 200/ha targeted subsidy. See also: Additional subsidies sought for NI pea and bean growers Self-sufficiency Providing similar support in the North would enable the region to become more self-sufficient, which would be especially useful as the opportunities for including peas and beans in ruminant rations are developed. But in a statement, agriculture minister Michelle McIlveen said she had decided not to introduce such coupled payments in the North, as that would have involved cutting Basic Payment Scheme funds for others to pay for it. I do not believe there are any convincing arguments to introduce coupled support schemes in Northern Ireland during the current CAP period, she said. The UFU said it was disappointed by the outcome. Limited choices Compared with other EU member states, arable farmers here are limited in the number of break crop choices available, due to the climate, said UFU seeds and cereals chairman, Allan Chamber. By taking this decision, DAERA has once again placed us at a competitive disadvantage. The funding necessary to provide a coupled payment would have equated to an insignificant decrease in all existing SFP payments and it would have helped rebalance our cereal output by giving a much needed wider choice in pursuing best practice in crop rotation. Ms McIlveen has also declined to introduce an Areas of Natural Constraint scheme, which would have seen up to 5% of Pillar 1 monies redistributed from Disadvantaged Areas and lowlands, to support farmers in the Severely Disadvantaged Areas. June 26, 1930 June 22, 2016 Beverly Ann Van Leeuwen Partin, 85, of Harrisburg passed away Wednesday at her daughters home. Beverly was born in Portland to Maxwell and Pauline (Kamph) Nelson. Due to her fathers diagnosis of polio, the family moved to Harrisburg around 1940. Beverly attended Halsey High School where she was a cheerleader and Strawberry Princess and where she met her first husband. She married Arthur Walter Van Leeuwen on Oct. 24, 1948, and they were married for 48 years. During their marriage they had three daughters, Nanci, Sandra and Heidi. Together, they worked to build a successful construction business in Central Point and Halsey. Arthur passed away on Nov. 10, 1996, shortly after retiring to Jacksonville, Oregon. On May 15, 1999, Beverly married Perry Lyle Partin in Medford. After their honeymoon, they moved to Perrys hometown of Sidney, Montana, where they lived for the next years, until Perrys death on Nov. 10, 2008. Beverly was very active in the Presbyterian Church throughout her life, serving as a deacon in the Jacksonville congregation. She was also active in the Central Point community, Beta Sigma Phi, Jaycees and always helping her many friends. Beverly is survived by her children, Sandra Colley and husband Bill of Alaska, and Heidi Westerberg and husband Tony of Harrisburg; grandchildren Alexander, Alida, Camille and Taylor Westerberg, Lisa Pearson and husband Chris, and Julie Cummings and husband Josh; as well as seven great-grandchildren; and her boyfriend, Don Megale. She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; daughter Nanci Jo Rogers; and sister Bonnie Jean Kenyon. She will be remembered as a loving wife and mother to her children and to her stepchildren in Montana. A funeral service will be at 2 p.m. today at the Oakville Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to the Oakville Presbyterian Church may be sent in care of Fisher Funeral Home, 306 Washington St. SW, Albany, OR 97321. Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.fisherfuneralhome.com. Welcome to my genealogy blog. Genea-Musings features genealogy research tips and techniques, genealogy news items and commentary, genealogy humor, San Diego genealogy society news, family history research and some family history stories from the keyboard of Randy Seaver (of Chula Vista CA), who thinks that Genealogy Research Is really FUN! Copyright (c) Randall J. Seaver, 2006-2021. Bestandige Growetterlage und ihre Folgen : Mildes Wetter im Oktober - Was das fur den Winter bedeutet Article Protecting the worlds oceans an important goal of Germanys climate diplomacy The worlds oceans are vital to our survival. They regulate the global climate and are a source of food and income for billions of people. Only a very small part of the seas enjoys legal protection, however. Our diplomats are working in New York right now to change this state of affairs. Apple iPhone 7 rumor round up: Top 10 Things to Know! Features oi -Harshita Apple iPhone is one of the most coveted launches every year, with rumors and reports start pouring in well ahead of the launch of the Apple iPhone iteration planned for the year. In 2016, the Cupertino giant is expected to launch its new iPhone version, supposed to be called iPhone 7 in Q4. The rumored iPhone 7 is believed to come with upgraded specifications and boast an array of interesting specifications. Here we ist 7 most rumored specifications of the upcoming new generation Apple iPhone: SEE ALSO: Control key shortcuts for Google Chrome that every user must know Design change: Apple iPhone 7 is expected to get major changes in design, including a new camera set up, absence of audio jack, thinner and light body and more. As seen in the leaked images, the rear side of the phone seems to go antennae free! Apple might have limited the antennae lines on iPhone to the curvature of the case, instead of scrolling across the rear of the device. Also expected is a very flat-looking Home button that could just be a touch-sensitive pad instead of a physically clicking button (via Mobipicker). SEE ALSO: WhatsApp on iOS to Get Better: 4 Cool Features Coming Soon! No more 16GB! Rumor mill has churned out that Apple would drop the 16GB model to instead offer 32GB, 64GB, and 256GB for the iPhone 7. Also, the company is expected to launch 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB for iPhone 7 Plus version. If this is not enough, the company is also believed to be prepping an iPhone 7 Pro line up. The missing audio jack! If the rumors are to be believed, the Apple iPhone 7 will ditch an audio jack. The absence of an audio jack is also supported by the latest report that shows the phone's machined casing. SEE ALSO: Sundar Pichai's Quora account hacked Speaker grill placement changed: Seems like Apple is ditching the headphone plug to instead add a speaker! As per the latest report, the audio jack on the iPhone 7 will be replaced by a second speaker grill. Dual Camera set up: It is believed that Apple will also launch a Pro version of the iPhone 7, which will flaunt a dual-camera set up. It is likely that you get a normal camera paired with a much larger one placed alongside on the iPhone 7 pro version. A new leaked image also shows that the rear camera set up will be slightly bumped out. Water proofing capabilities: It is also believed that the Apple iPhone 7 will be water and dust friendly. In fact, the expected camera bump on the phone could possibly be a measure to make the phone waterproof! Smart Connector: Apple iPhone 7 is expected to feature a lightning port assembly with a headphone jack built-in, to take care of charging phone, transferring data as well as working as headphone plug. A dual-SIM variant in the making: Speaking of connectivity options, it is also believed that the iPhone 7 will be available in a dual-SIM variant. Leaked photos highlighted dual-SIM tray for a new dual-SIM iPhone variant. New colour variants: Apple changed the colour scheme for the monochromatic iPhone by adding gold and then Rose gold colour variants. Now, if Japanese blog Macotara is to be believed, the company will swap the space gray color for navy blue instead. Pricing details: A report on Weibo (via 9to5Mac) suggests that Apple is looking to launch a 256GB model of the iPhone 7 for a similar price as the 128GB model of the current generation iPhone 6s. Best Mobiles in India Facebook, To stay updated with latest technology news & gadget reviews, follow GizBot on Twitter YouTube and also subscribe to our notification. Allow Notifications Samsung Galaxy Note 7 Specs Get Confirmed: 64 GB Storage, Iris Scanner, What Else Features oi -Abhinaya Prabhu Lately, we have been seeing a lot of rumors and leaks about the Galaxy Note 7 that might go official sometime in the third quarter. Now, a fresh set of features, especially the hardware ones have come up over the weekend. This time, the details have been leaked directly by Evan Blass, the Twitter leakster. As per @evleaks, the latest details that are leaked are claimed to the confirmed specs of the upcoming flagship phablet of Samsung. Also Read: Top 10 Wireless Network Mistakes you are Making As per him, the device would arrive with many improvements that are mentioned over here. Check out the specs that have been confirmed to know what the Galaxy Note 7 might bring to the table. Couple confirmed specs: 5.7" QHD SAMOLED, 64GB + microSD, 12MP DualP / 5MP, IP68, black/silver/blue Evan Blass (@evleaks) June 25, 2016 Super AMOLED QHD Screen The Galaxy Note 7 is claimed to sport a 5.7-inch Super AMOLED display with a QHD resolution of 1440p. It means that the phablet might match the screen size of the Note 5 that was launched last year rather than boasting a 5.8-inch screen as claimed by the rumors. Also Read: These 7 Warning Signs Point Out That Its Time to Replace your Old PC Support for Micro SD card slot While Samsung ditched the expandable storage facility for the Note 5, the upcoming model, Galaxy Note 7 will arrive packed with 64 GB of internal storage space that can be expanded further as there will be a micro SD card slot on board. Dual-pixel PDAF The Samsung Galaxy Note 7 will boast a 12 MP main snapper at its back with dual-pixel phase detection autofocus technology. The front-facer on the phablet is claimed to be a 5 MP one. Also Read: 6 must have social media extensions for Opera browsers Galaxy Note 7 to be IP68 Certified! The Note 7 is claimed to be certified with IP68 certification for better dust and water resistance abilities. Iris Scanner to make the Note 7 secure Samsung has been long rumored to include an iris scanner on its flagship Note lineup of devices. While this feature has never made its way to the phablets, the Galaxy Note 7 is claimed to include one that will make it secure. Blue variant is confirmed too While the Note 7 will come in the usual black and silver color options, the Twitter leakster confirms that it will arrive in a blue color option as well giving a choice to the users August 2nd Launch The previous rumors suggest that the Galaxy Note 7 might be launched on 2nd August, 2016. This is a bit early from the usual launch of the Note lineup of devices at the IFA. Image Source 1, Image Source 2 Best Mobiles in India EU Referendum: message from the Principal Message from the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Anton Muscatelli The EU referendum resulted in a narrow but clear decision for the UK to leave the European Union. This is not the result that I had personally hoped for, but I want you to know that nothing will change overnight. There will be many months of negotiations under the EU treaties, and indeed there is no clarity yet on when negotiations will begin. There will be significant opportunities for the University of Glasgow to seek assurances and influence future policy, both as an institution in our own right and as a member of organisations such as the Russell Group, Universities UK and Universities Scotland. EU Students who have been made an offer for 2016 (or 2017 deferred entry) will be unaffected. Given the complexity of exit negotiations it is unlikely that the current process and funding arrangements will change significantly in the short term. We are therefore encouraging those who are considering applying for 2017 entry to do so in the usual way, and we will keep all applicants informed if there are changes in policy. I want to emphasise to my colleagues and to our students from the EU just how much this University values your contribution to our community. You are a vital and essential part of our University. The University of Glasgow was founded in the European tradition, and nothing will change our international outlook which will continue to look to Europe for our academic collaborations. There are obviously many questions to be addressed, not least with regard to research funding and current and future academic collaborations. Barring any unilateral action from the UK Government the Leave vote will also have no immediate impact on the immigration status of European Union current and prospective students and staff. There will also be no immediate impact on the UK as a full member of Horizon 2020 and Erasmus. Please be assured that I, and my senior team, will be doing all that we can to ensure that the University of Glasgows voice is heard in these discussions and that I will continue to provide updates to staff and students throughout this process. Professor Anton Muscatelli Communications and Public Affairs: 0141 330 3535 Taliban Vows Retaliation as US Resumes Afghan Airstrikes by Ayaz Gul June 25, 2016 Afghanistan's Taliban said Saturday that it would strongly retaliate for the resumption of U.S. airstrikes against the insurgent group, and it rejected assertions that bombing operations ever paused. The U.S. military began anti-Taliban air raids in the last week, but it has declined to provide details. The move came just days after President Barack Obama expanded the authorities under which U.S. troops in Afghanistan can attack insurgents; attacks can now proceed as long as they help the Afghan offensive succeed. "U.S. airstrikes have continued against our countrymen from the onset of the [foreign] invasion. There has been no cessation, so talk of restart is hollow," said Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid. 'Harsher' response The increase in U.S. airstrikes will be met with a "harsher" reaction from the Islamist insurgency, he said in a statement sent to reporters. "The Afghan Mujahid nation is now used to airstrikes. Continuation of bombings cannot break the will of this nation nor subdue them," Mujahid asserted. The U.S. military spokesman in Kabul, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, said it would be premature to discuss the battlefield impact of the "limited number of strikes" conducted under the new authorities. "But really, the goal is to help achieve a strategic effect," he told reporters Thursday. "Using these authorities, of course, one evening or a couple of days is probably not going to ultimately result in the strategic effect. It will be a combination of the use of enablers, and it will be combined with Afghan operations over a period of time." Cleveland noted a relative reduction in the Afghan fighting because of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, but he predicted hostilities would intensify in July. "We recognize that we are still very early in the fighting season and that there is a long way to go, and that the ANDSF [Afghan National Defense Security Forces] are going to suffer casualties and they are going to have bad days. There is no doubt about that," he said. U.S. cutback ahead The Afghan military has struggled in the battle against the Taliban since taking the lead from foreign troops in 2014. A residual U.S. force of 9,800 soldiers in Afghanistan has since been involved primarily in a train-advise-and-assist mission for local forces. The number of U.S. troops is set to decrease to 5,500 by the end of this year. Until now, U.S. commanders were authorized only to use airstrikes to protect their forces on the ground and to protect Afghan partners when they faced being overrun by the Taliban, or to go after the Islamic State or the remnants of al-Qaida. Afghan security forces suffered 6,637 personnel killed and 12,471 wounded in 2015, according to the U.S. Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). "In the first two months of 2016, an additional 820 members of the Afghan security forces were killed in action and 1,389 were wounded," SIGAR said in its quarterly report, quoting U.S military officials. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq From a Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve News Release SOUTHWEST ASIA, June 26, 2016 U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Strikes in Syria Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 14 strikes in Syria: -- Near Raqqah, three strikes struck an ISIL tactical unit and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and two ISIL tactical vehicles. -- Near Dayr Az Zawr, two strikes struck an ISIL gas and oil separation plant and destroyed two ISIL oil wellheads. -- Near Manbij, eight strikes struck seven separate ISIL tactical units; destroyed two ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL vehicle, an ISIL vehicle bomb and an ISIL improvised explosive device; and denied ISIL access to terrain. -- Near Mara, one strike destroyed an ISIL tactical vehicle. Strikes in Iraq Fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 18 strikes in Iraq, coordinated with and in support of Iraq's government: -- Near Baghdadi, a strike struck an ISIL staging facility. -- Near Rutbah, a strike struck two ISIL vehicle bomb facilities. -- Near Fallujah, three strikes struck three separate ISIL tactical units; destroyed 10 ISIL fighting positions, an ISIL boat, eight ISIL light machine guns, an ISIL heavy machine gun, an ISIL staging area, an ISIL vehicle bomb and two ISIL rocket-propelled grenade systems; and denied ISIL access to terrain. -- Near Mosul, four strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle bomb storage facility and five bed-down locations. -- Near Qayyarah, five strikes struck three ISIL tactical units; destroyed two ISIL boats, an ISIL assembly area, three ISIL vehicles, an ISIL weapons cache, an ISIL vehicle bomb and an ISIL front-end loader; and denied ISIL access to terrain. -- Near Ramadi, two strikes destroyed two ISIL boats, an ISIL front-end loader and an ISIL supply cache. -- Near Sinjar, two strikes struck two separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed an ISIL vehicle and two ISIL assembly areas and damaged an ISIL vehicle. Task force officials define a strike as one or more kinetic events that occur in roughly the same geographic location to produce a single, sometimes cumulative, effect. Therefore, officials explained, a single aircraft delivering a single weapon against a lone ISIL vehicle is one strike, but so is multiple aircraft delivering dozens of weapons against buildings, vehicles and weapon systems in a compound, for example, having the cumulative effect of making those targets harder or impossible for ISIL to use. Accordingly, officials said, they do not report the number or type of aircraft employed in a strike, the number of munitions dropped in each strike, or the number of individual munition impact points against a target. Ground-based artillery fired in counterfire or in fire support to maneuver roles is not classified as a strike. Part of Operation Inherent Resolve The strikes were conducted as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the ISIL terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and the wider international community. The destruction of ISIL targets in Syria and Iraq further limits the terrorist group's ability to project terror and conduct operations, officials said. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Iraq include the United States, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Jordan, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Coalition nations that have conducted strikes in Syria include the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, France, Jordan, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nigeria army frees 5,000 people from Boko Haram captivity Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 5:6PM Nigeria's army says it has set over 5,000 people free from the grips of the Boko Haram Takfiri terrorists in the northeastern state of Borno. "Troops of 21st Brigade and Civilian JTF [Joint Task Force] conducted a fighting patrol to Zangebe, Maiwa, Algaiti and Mainari villages in which they killed six Boko Haram terrorists and wounded several others," Nigerian army spokesman, Sani Usman, said in a statement on Sunday. Usman added that the troops rescued the captives and seized the arms that terrorists had left behind. The Nigerian army official added that the soldiers also dislodged Boko Haram terrorists from several other villages in the Mafa local government area of Borno. "Unfortunately, we lost one civilian JTF, while a soldier and one mobile policeman were wounded in action," Usman said. Boko Haram started its campaign of militancy in 2009 with the aim of toppling the central government in Nigeria. The terrorist group has expanded its attacks into neighboring countries, notably Cameroon and Chad, in a conflict estimated to have claimed a total of 17,000 lives and forced over 2.6 million others from homes. The terrorists have kidnapped hundreds of men, women and children in their campaign. The kidnapping of over 200 schoolgirls from Nigeria's northeastern town of Chibok in April 2014 unleashed a wave of international outrage. The terror group has pledged allegiance to the Daesh Takfiri terrorists, who are mainly wreaking havoc in Syria and Iraq. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Dozens killed in Daesh attacks in eastern Afghanistan Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:45PM Dozens have been killed in eastern Afghanistan as the Daesh Takfiri group launches fresh attacks on civilians and security forces. Nangarhar provincial governor, Saleem Khan Kunduzi, said in a statement on Sunday that at least a dozen Afghan security forces and civilians were killed in attacks by Daesh in the province over the past three days. "They kill people regardless of whether they're a child or a woman. They burn down madrasas, mosques and schools," Kunduzi said, adding, "There is no doubt that Daesh [terrorists] do not respect anyone." Other officials said more than 100 Daesh militants were also killed in the intense fighting in Nangarhar, although they could not provide an exact figure. They said five civilians were reported kidnapped in Nangarhar while as many as 25 homes had been burned down in Kot district. Kunduzi placed the number of Daesh militants killed as high as 36, saying fighting began late on Friday in Rodat district after a contingent of Daesh militants attacked police check posts. Provincial police chief, Zarawar Zahid, said fierce fighting was continuing in the area with hundreds of police and soldiers engaged with the militants. He said reinforcements were on the way. Last week, Iran's mission to the United Nations expressed concern over a rise in the activities of the Takfiri Daesh terrorist group in neighboring Afghanistan. Gholam-Hossein Dehqani, Iran's deputy ambassador to the UN, called attention to a United Nations report which has found that armed conflict in Afghanistan currently stands at its highest level since 2001. "Afghanistan continues to face major security, political, and economic challenges," Dehqani told a UN Security Council session on Tuesday. He also voiced Tehran's concern about the growth of Daesh in Afghanistan as well as the emergence there of affiliated outfits like Daesh-Khorasan, the so-called "Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan," and "East Turkestan Islamic Movement." Daesh has reportedly managed to establish connections with Taliban's splinter groups, especially those believed to be discontent with changes in Taliban's leadership. The Takfiri group has also enjoyed defections from al-Qaeda in Afghanistan although the latter's leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, has pledged allegiance to Taliban's new leader, Haibatullah Akhundzada. Officials in the Afghan government have blamed local leaders in east of the country for the surge in Daesh militancy. "They should be accountable for every drop of blood that has been shed in Nangarhar so it becomes a lesson to other officials," the head of Afghanistan's civil society federation, Sediq Ansari, said last Sunday, accusing the local leaders of being negligent in the face of Daesh threats. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US resumes airstrikes against Taliban in Afghanistan: Pentagon Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:42PM The US military has conducted its first airstrikes against Taliban militants in Afghanistan after President Barack Obama gave authorization earlier this month to expand American involvement against the militants. "There have been operations carried out with these new authorities," Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Friday. "It's fair to say that these strikes did target Taliban positions." Cook added that the strikes occurred in southern Afghanistan, but he did not provide additional details. In early June, Obama decided to expand America's military involvement in Afghanistan with more airstrikes against Taliban militants, giving the US military more authority to support Afghan forces. The US military spokesman in the Afghan capital Kabul, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, said American forces "have conducted a limited number of strikes under these new authorities" but that it is "too early to quantify the effects achieved." On Saturday, the Taliban said it would strongly retaliate for the resumption of US airstrikes and rejected assertions that bombing operations were ever suspended. The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington's so-called war on terror. The offensive removed Taliban from power, but militancy is still rife across the country. Afghanistan, parts of which have long been considered a bastion of Taliban, has recently been seeing the emergence and expansion of Daesh (ISIL) terrorists. Nangarhar, in particular, is one area where Daesh has visibly gained a foothold. The CIA spy agency also regularly uses drones for airstrikes and spying missions in Afghanistan as well as Pakistan's northwestern tribal belt near the Afghan border. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fresh clashes in Yemen claim 55 lives Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 12:8PM Fresh clashes between Yemen's Houthi Ansarullah fighters and militants loyal to resigned president, Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, have claimed dozens of lives from both sides. Security and health officials said Sunday that 55 people were killed and 70 more injured in two days of intense fighting in three provinces of Ta'izz, Bayda in the south, and Ma'rib in northern Yemen. The confrontations between the two sides have been the most intense clashes since Houthis and allies began talks with representatives of Hadi in Kuwait back in April. The talks were preceded by a ceasefire brokered by the United Nations, but sporadic clashes have continued between the two sides. Saudi Arabia, which supports Hadi, has also continued its deadly air strikes against the Houthis despite repeated warning by the UN that the campaign could undermine the peace initiative. UN chief to meet warring sides UN sources said Sunday that Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was to hold a joint meeting with Houthis and Hadi representatives later in the day. The UN chief arrived in Kuwait on Saturday with the aim of pushing forward the talks that have made almost no headway over the past months. A UN spokesman said Ban will also meet the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Al-Sabah as well as other senior officials of the Persian Gulf country to seek their mediation between the Yemeni sides. The main bone of contention in the talks is a demand by the Hadi delegation for the Houthis to start disarmament and withdraw from the areas they have captured before any political settlement. Houthis have rejected the call, saying they will only accept any deal on military and security issues after a consensus is reached on the next president and a unity government in Yemen. Yemen's former president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, an ally of Houthis in the war against Hadi and his Saudi backers, said Saturday that would not recognize Hadi's government. He said in a televised speech that he had presented an initiative to solve Yemen's crisis to both parties to the peace talks taking place in Kuwait. More than 10,000 people have been killed since the conflict began in Yemen in late 2014. Most of the casualties have been caused by Saudi Arabia's relentless bombardment of civilians, which started in March 2015. The Saudi air strikes and ground operations in Yemen, which lack any mandate from international organizations, have also displaced millions across the impoverished Arab state. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Yemeni forces kill nearly dozen Saudi mercenaries in north Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 7:47AM Nearly a dozen Saudi-sponsored militants loyal to Yemen's former government have been killed after Yemeni forces thwarted their offensive in the northern province of al-Jawf. A military source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the pro-Riyadh mercenaries mounted an attack on Saturday evening to wrest control over al-Ghayl district in Jawf, Yemen's al-Masirah satellite television reported. Yemeni army forces and their allies, however, closed in on the Saudi mercenaries in the mountainous Wadi Iber area as the latter were moving towards al-Ghayl, killing 11 Saudi-backed mercenaries and wounding 10 others. Yemeni army forces later recovered the bodies of seven Saudi mercenaries, whom their fellow militants had left in the area. A few hours later, fighters from the Houthi Ansarullah movement and Popular Committees launched a barrage of rockets at a Saudi military camp in the Kofel area of Yemen's central province of Ma'rib. A Saudi colonel, identified as Abdullah Khalfan Balhid, reportedly lost his life in the attack. Separately, five civilians were killed on Saturday when Saudi warplanes bombarded Attyal district in Sana'a Province. On Sunday morning, Saudi fighter jets carried out a raft of airstrikes against Nihm district in the same Yemeni province, al-Ghayl and Maton districts in Jawf Province as well as al-Qabbaytah and Karsh districts of the southwestern Yemeni province of Lahij. There were no immediate reports of casualties and the extent of damage caused. Meanwhile, at least 20 people, among them six children, sustained injuries on Saturday when a bomb attached to a motorcycle went off inside an outdoor market in the northwestern city of Hajjah, located 127 kilometers (78 miles) northwest of Sana'a. Elsewhere in the southern Yemeni province of Ibb, a bomber blew himself up inside a market, killing two people and injuring six others. Saudi Arabia launched its military aggression against Yemen on March 26, 2015, in a bid to bring former Yemeni President Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi, a staunch ally of Riyadh, back to power and defeat the Ansarullah movement. More than 9,400 people have been killed and at least 16,000 others injured since the onset of the aggression. The Saudi strikes have also taken a heavy toll on the country's facilities and infrastructure, destroying many hospitals, schools and factories. They have also driven 2.8 million people from their homes. More than 80 percent of the population is in dire need of food, water and other humanitarian aid, according to the United Nations. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russian Anxiety Over Montenegro's NATO Accession June 26, 2016 by Gordana Knezevic Moscow has issued its strongest warning yet over the prospect of Montenegro becoming a full member of NATO. The Russian State Duma addressed a statement to the parliamentary assemblies of NATO and OSCE countries, as well as to the national parliaments of the Balkan states, warning of the possibility of "a new Cold War." Duma deputies are "seriously concerned about the policy of Montenegro's integration into NATO," which, they reportedly argue, threatens to rend Montenegrin society and ratchet up social and political tensions. The Russian parliamentarians' statement can be seen as a direct response to an open letter published on June 20 by senior U.S. officials and military leaders. They urged the White House and Congress to formally approve Montenegro's accession to NATO by 2017, saying the Balkan country's membership would promote "stability and security in Southeastern Europe." The signatories of that letter include former U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and two former NATO supreme commanders in Europe -- U.S. General Philip Breedlove and U.S. Admiral James Stavridis. They said that Montenegro has "built a small but capable military and reformed its security services to meet NATO standards" and "made significant progress" on rule of law, corruption, and organized crime. Moscow's most recent denunciation of Montenegro's pending NATO membership comes after a series of threats and protests organized in Podgorica by a small but vocal Russian-sponsored opposition party. Speaking at the St. Petersburg Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin said: "The Soviet Union has collapsed, and the Warsaw Pact no longer exists, but NATO is still approaching our borders. It is hard to understand why Montenegro would want to join the alliance. Where is the threat coming from? There is an absolute disregard for our position [on this matter]." Commenting on the Russian campaign against Montenegro's NATO membership, Montenegrin lawmaker Nikola Gegaj told RFE/RL in Podgorica that he was surprised at the blunt tone of the criticism from Moscow. "I think this reaction is not expected from such a large and powerful country -- a country with a great tradition and culture," Gegaj said. "It is hard to understand, especially if we keep in mind that the criticism is directed at the smallest country in the region." On a recent visit to Montenegro, I spoke to Zarko Radulovic, the manager of the luxury Hotel Splendid in the coastal town of Budva. He said of anti-NATO demonstrations organized by pro-Russian groups in Podgorica: "Russia does not understand the Balkans. [Russians] have chosen the wrong players. They have aligned themselves with people without substance or local influence. Otherwise, we would have reasons to be concerned." Explaining why he believes he can be trusted on the issue, Radulovic pointed to his background: "My own father was imprisoned for supporting Stalin. He was a Russophile and he was accused of being a traitor to his own people. My first wife was Russian. My second wife is Russian. And yet I support Montenegro's NATO membership with all my heart." I asked him what Montenegro might expect to get from joining NATO. "For the first time in our history, we would be in the company of the most civilized nations," he answered. In the opinion of this successful Montenegro entrepreneur, smaller is better. He is not concerned that Montenegro has a population of just 600,000. On the contrary: "It is an advantage," he said. "We only need strong and sincere partners. In a small country, whatever problem you have can be fixed in a week." Around one-third of Montenegro's inhabitants are ethnic Serbs and most of them oppose NATO membership. A formal invitation was issued by the alliance on December 2. Final accession talks were concluded in May, allowing Montenegro to assume "observer" status pending ratification by the governments of the other members, as well as by Montenegro's own parliament. Ratification by each member state is expected to be completed by spring 2017. Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-montenegro- nato-accession/27821224.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NATO Forces 'Play With Fire' Near Russia's Borders Sputnik News 16:35 26.06.2016 A recent military parade held in Estonia that involved two US Air Force B-52 strategic bombers flying thirty kilometers away from Russia's border could be considered a demonstration of NATO's role in Europe, but also may not have been the wisest move, considering the current situation. The NATO leadership recently became troubled by what it perceives as Berlin's attempt to avoid its commitments as a member of the alliance, following German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier's call for less saber rattling and more active dialogue with Russia. However, these concerns are baseless, as Chancellor Angela Merkel recently announced that she intends to increase the country's armed forces by recruiting 7,000 additional troops and by purchasing more tanks and helicopters, according to the German news magazine Focus. "It is a sign that Germany intends to play a greater military role in the future," the magazine claims. Furthermore, Focus points out that along with the recent Saber Strike maneuvers in Estonia, NATO also conducted Anaconda 2016 drills in Poland and BALTOPS military exercise in the Baltic Sea Region, which involved 25,000 and 6,100 servicemen, respectively. Together, all these operations could be considered NATO's biggest cooperative military exercise in decades, the magazine concludes. However, the recent participation of US military aircraft in an Estonian military parade, when a pair of B-52 strategic bombers flew approximately 30 kilometers away from the Russian border, may have been a bit too much. "Of course, the states involved welcome the commitment of NATO and its patron, the United States. But it is playing with fire," the article's author remarks. And while NATO is still considered a defensive alliance that plays an integral role in Europe's security, Steinmeier's words should be considered as a call to adopt a more balanced approach instead of relying upon displays of power alone, Focus concludes. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nigerian Troops Free 5,000 Boko Haram Hostages in Borno State Sputnik News 14:29 26.06.2016 The Nigerian army liberated over 5,000 persons held hostages by Boko Haram terrorists during so-called clearance operations, according an army spokesman. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Nigerian army conducted a series of raids in Islamist-infested eastern Borno state on Sunday, freeing some 5,000 hostages held by Boko Haram, an army spokesman said. The so-called clearance operations were conducted in a dozen of villages occupied by the notorious Islamist group. At least 10 militants were killed. "The troops also liberated over 5,000 persons held hostages by Boko Haram terrorists," a statement by Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman read. The army lost one soldier and two others were injured, in addition to a "vigilante" who sustained an eye wound but is now recovering, the spokesman continued. Boko Haram has been active in northeastern Nigeria since 2009. Last year, the group expanded attacks into Niger, Cameroon and Chad. In March 2015, it pledged allegiance to Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh), outlawed in Russia and many other countries. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Azerbaijan to Get New Weapons, Military Equipment Supplies Sputnik News 01:11 26.06.2016 Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is buying new weapons and other military equipment, local media reported Saturday. BAKU (Sputnik) The violence in Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijani breakaway region with a predominantly Armenian population, escalated on April 2. Baku and Yerevan have accused each other of provoking hostilities that led to multiple deaths on both sides. The parties agreed on a ceasefire on April 5. "We are buying military products from many countries. In other words, we are not dependent on a single source. In this area, as in all other areas, we are going to diversify our way. Of course, we must continue to try and will always try to supply Azerbaijan with the most up-to-date weapons and other military equipment. Azerbaijan has already started importing new types of weapons and other equipment," Aliyev said, according to the Trend news agency. According to Aliyev, Azerbaijan is currently in war, so military matters require the most attention. "The army building will always remain our priority. Azerbaijani army is ready, it is able to perform any task." On June 20, Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan said that the trilateral meeting between the Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani leaders on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement was constructive. Prior to the meeting, on June 19, Aliyev said that Azerbaijan hopes for a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh. The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh began in 1988, when the autonomous region sought to secede from the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, before the latter proclaimed independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. The warring sides agreed to a cessation of hostilities in 1994. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address In Kuwait, Ban urges Yemeni delegations in peace talks to find lasting solution to end conflict 26 June 2016 In Kuwait today, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern over the situation in Yemen, urging the delegations involved in the UN-supported Yemeni peace talks to prevent a further deterioration of the situation and arrive at a comprehensive agreement ending the conflict. "The situation in Yemen is of profound concern. Not only to me and the United Nations, but also to you and all of your people, and all of the countries in the region," the Secretary-General said in remarks to the Yemeni delegations at the peace talks, which are being hosted by Kuwait. "There is an alarming scarcity of basic food items. The economy is in precarious condition. Whilst the cessation of hostilities is mostly holding, there have been serious violations, causing further casualties and suffering amongst the civilian population, including children," he added. Expressing appreciation to the delegations for meeting together to resolve the crisis in a peaceful manner and through a political dialogue, Mr. Ban said he was encouraged by their commitment over a period of many weeks to reach a successful outcome. "This worrying situation gives you, the delegations to the Yemeni talks, a very serious responsibility. You have a moral and political responsibility," the UN chief said. "But time is not on the side of the Yemeni people. With every day that the conflict remains unresolved, their situation grows worse. The longer the conflict endures, the more time it will take for Yemen to recover," he added. Reiterating the position of the international community, the Secretary-General emphasized that the conflict must end, and Yemen must return to the transitional process and work towards the implementation of the outcomes of the National Dialogue Conference. "I therefore urge the delegations to prevent any further deterioration of the situation, and to show the responsibility and flexibility required to arrive at a comprehensive agreement ending the conflict," Mr. Ban said. Encouraging the delegations to work for the goals of ending the violence, addressing the roots of the conflict and working together to build a better future for all Yemenis, Mr. Ban assured them of the support of the UN to meet those goals. He also asked both delegations to "work seriously" with his Special Envoy for Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, to agree to a roadmap of principles, to commit to upholding the cessation of hostilities, to reflect on the progress that has been made to date, and to quickly reach a comprehensive agreement. In addition, the Secretary-General urged the release of all prisoners, including political detainees, journalists, civil society activists and others, as a goodwill gesture ahead of the Eid holiday. During his visit to Kuwait, the Secretary-General also met with the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and several other Kuwaiti government officials. Ban also spoke by telephone with the Prime Minister of Iraq, Haider al-Abadi, whom he congratulated on the progress made by the Iraqi security forces in retaking areas from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da'esh). "The Secretary-General expressed concerns over reports of serious human rights abuses against civilians displaced from Fallujah and welcomed the Prime Minister's decision to establish an investigative committee to look into all alleged abuses," said Mr. Ban's spokesman in a statement. The Secretary-General and Mr. al-Abadi also discussed the pressing humanitarian needs in many parts of Iraq. In this regard, the Secretary-General stressed the urgent need to increase funding for the Humanitarian Response Plan for Iraq, which is currently only 33 per cent funded. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Afghan Forces Kill 135 Militants Linked to IS by Ayaz Gul June 26, 2016 Officials in eastern Afghanistan say security forces have killed more than 135 Islamic State (IS) militants, including top commanders, and wounded many more in days of ground and air raids near the border with Pakistan. The clashes in Nangarhar province's Kot district subsided on Sunday, but search and clearing operations are still under way, said regional civilian and security chiefs, confirming at least 12 Afghan security personnel were also killed while another 18 were wounded. Provincial Governor Salim Kunduzi told reporters in Jalalabad, the regional capital, the clashes in Kot erupted late Thursday when about 600 heavily armed men linked to Daesh (Arabic acronym for IS) staged coordinated attacks on security outposts in the area. The fighting has forced civilians to flee to safer areas, and more and more families are still moving away from the conflict zone, witnesses reported. This was the first major battle IS militants inflicted on Afghan security forces beyond neighboring Achin district where loyalists of the Syria-based terror group are believed to have set up their regional base. The U.S. military spokesman in Kabul, Brigadier General Charles Cleveland, says its counterterrorism mission is helping Afghan partners prevent IS from increasing its influence in the country. "We don't think that they are trying to expand we think they are trying to survive So, we believe right now at their peak they were probably in about 8 to 10 districts in the Nangarhar area," he said. "We think they are now probably in about two to three districts [including Kot and Achin]." The anti-Daesh operations have probably reduced the number of its fighters in Afghanistan to around 1,000 from an estimated 3,000 last year when the group emerged on the local scene, according to Cleveland. The U.S. military so far has no evidence confirming IS presence in the country beyond Nangarhar and parts the neighboring Kunar province on the Pakistani border, he asserted. Gen. Cleveland said that while Daesh has been unable to win public support for its terror operations in Afghanistan, deadly clashes with rival Taliban insurgents have also limited the group's ability to increase its influence in Afghanistan. "The little bit of support that they get from some fighters is typically based on the fact that Daesh is able to pay higher salaries than the Taliban. So, they are paying up to 600 dollars a month per fighter and that appears about to be the only real incentive for any Afghan to be associated with Daesh," said Cleveland. Afghan and U.S. commanders believe mostly renegade members of the Afghan Taliban and former militants linked to the extremist Pakistani Taliban operating on the other side of the border have filled the IS ranks. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Terrorist Siege of Mogadishu Hotel Kills 20 by VOA News June 26, 2016 Authorities in Somalia say a terrorist siege of a Mogadishu hotel has ended, but not before at least 20 people were killed, including a government minister. The militant group al-Shabab is claiming responsibility for the attack, saying the hotel is frequented by what it calls "apostate government members." Somalia's foreign minister says among the dead is the country's environments minister, Buri Mohamed Hamza. The Somali National News Agency said Sunday the death toll stands at 20, including three staff members of a radio station. Police say the terrorists set off a car bomb outside the Hotel Naso-Hablod Saturday afternoon before gunmen burst into the building, firing their weapons at random and seizing hostages. Police stormed the hotel and engaged the gunmen in a firefight, cornering them on the top floor. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has condemned the attack, the second by al-Shabab in Somalia during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Al-Shabab gunmen took over the Ambassador Hotel in Mogadishu three weeks ago, holding guests and staff hostage for more than 12 hours before police ended the siege. Twenty-one people and three gunmen were killed. After Saturday's attack, a U.S. State Department official said the U.S. "strongly condemns the attack and express our deep condolences to their victims, their families, and the Somali people. We remain committed to Somalia's security and stability and are proud to stand side-by-side with Somalia in the fight against terrorism." Al-Qaida linked al-Shabab has killed thousands since it began its campaign of terrorism 10 years ago to turn Somalia into a conservative Islamic state. Somali and African Union forces have pushed the militants out of large cities and into rural areas, but, as Saturday's attack proves, al-Shabab is still a lethal force. Harun Maruf of VOA's Somali service contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Popular Party Wins Spanish Elections Sputnik News 01:50 27.06.2016(updated 02:04 27.06.2016) Popular Party won the parliamentary elections in Spain and will defend its right to stay in power, leader of the party and acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said late Sunday. MADRID (Sputnik) In last year's election, which failed to yield a government, the PP won 123 seats in the lower house of parliament, 64 less than in the previous election. The PSOE won 90, and Podemos came third, securing 69 seats. At least 176 seats are required for a parliamentary majority, necessary to form a government. "We won the election and we are asserting our right to remain in power for the benefit of all Spanish people those who voted for us and those who did not," Rajoy told his supporters. Rajoy said that starting from tomorrow, his party will arrange negotiations with all the other parties in Spain, with the sole purpose of protecting Spain. "Spanish society gave support to our party and it was difficult, but we have won the battle for Spain and for Spanish people, without forcing anyone against their will, [and we fought] only for the common interests of the Spanish people. We are the party that focuses on the interests of all Spanish people and our party deserves respect." According to the new elections results with 99.8 percent of all votes being counted, Spain's center-right PP won in Spain's Sunday parliamentary election, with the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) coming second. The PP has received 33 percent of all votes counted and thus will have 137 seats in the 350-seat Lower House of Parliament. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Independent Scotland Scotland starts with an enviable reputation and a strong international identity. This international brand is one of the most important assets as a country. Even without independent status, Scotlands international brand value already ranks 15th out of 50 nations according to international comparisons published in 2012. Scotland has continually scored highly and is ranked similarly to and often ahead of other comparably-sized, high income, democracies such as Denmark, Finland, Ireland and New Zealand. This provides an excellent starting point and the move to independence will, in itself, deliver a boost to Scotlands international recognition. The Scottish Government has proposed an 18-month period between the referendum and independence, was believed to be realistic for the terms of Scotlands independent membership of the EU to be agreed and all the necessary processes completed. It also provides sufficient time for the Scottish Government to undertake the necessary legal and institutional preparations for independent EU membership. The SNP appears to envisage an independent Scotland which is outward looking, with a strong maritime focus given its geographic position. It would be keen to collaborate closely with northern European neighbours and expects to work with and through the UN, EU and NATO. The Scottish armed forces will comprise 15,000 regular and 5,000 reserve personnel, operating under Joint Forces Headquarters based at Faslane, which will be Scotland's main conventional naval facility. All current bases will be retained to accommodate units, which will be organised into one regular and one reserve Multi Role Brigade (MRB). The air force will operate from Lossiemouth and Leuchars. Regular ground forces will include current Scottish raised and restored UK regiments, support units as well as Special Forces and Royal Marines, who will retain responsibility for offshore protection. The Scottish armed forces will be focused on territorial defence, aid to the civil power and also support for the international community. The Multi Role Brigade structure and interoperable air and sea assets will provide deployable capabilities for United Nations sanctioned missions and support of humanitarian, peacekeeping and peace-making 'Petersberg Tasks'. The Scottish defence and peacekeeping forces will initially be equipped with Scotland's share of current assets including ocean going vessels, fast jets for domestic air patrol duties, transport aircraft and helicopters as well as army vehicles, artillery and air defence systems. A Scottish defence industrial strategy and procurement plan will fill UK capability gaps in Scotland, addressing the lack of new frigates, conventional submarines and maritime patrol aircraft. The terms Scottish, Scot, Scots, and Scotch are all variants of the same word. They have had different histories, however, and in modern English they have developed different uses and connotations. Scotch is an adjective meaning "of Scotland". The modern usage in Scotland is Scottish or Scots, and the word "Scotch" is only applied to specific products. Scots is used, like Scottish, as an adjective meaning "of or pertaining to Scotland." However, it tends to be used in a narrower sense to refer specifically to the form of English used in Scotland. The ISO 3166-2 code "SCT" would be taken over into ISO 3166-1 for the three letter code. But Scotland does not have a two-letter country code - a digraph. If a top level domain name has any more than two letters, then it is not a Country Code Top-Level Domain, but a Special Interest Domain. Even the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Jersey have their own internet country codes (.im,.gg and .je respectively) but for some reason for Scotland does not. SC would seem a likely candidate, except it's already taken by the Seychelles. (SO, ST, SL, SA, SN, and SD are also already all taken.) It's possible for Scotland to acquire an already-used code from a smaller country. Some other possibilities include: .ab, taken from Alba, the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland, or .ce, taken from Caledonia, the Latin name for Scotland. While Scotland is a small nation it has big ambitions. Coverage of an independent Scotland contains "forward-looking statements" that is, statements related to future, not past, events. In this context, forward-looking statements often address expected future political and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "seek," "see," "will," "would," or "target." Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about growth; changes in law, economic and financial conditions, including interest and exchange rate volatility, commodity and equity prices and the value of financial assets, including the impact of these conditions; the impact of conditions in the financial and credit markets; pending and future mortgage loan repurchase claims and other litigation claims and investigations in connection with WMC, which may affect estimates of liability, including possible loss estimates; ability to maintain current credit rating; reduced energy demand. These or other uncertainties may cause actual future results to be materially different than those expressed in forward-looking statements. Certain forward-looking projected information based on current estimates and forecasts. Actual results could differ materially. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Jordan charges 21 over terrorism plots Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 5:2PM A court in Jordan has charged 21 people for their involvement in terrorist acts, three months after they were arrested in a massive operation north of the country. The official Petra news agency said Sunday that the court charged the 21 for making explosives, possessing weapons and carrying out "terrorist acts that led to deaths." The court's chief prosecutor announced the charges but did not disclose a time for trial of the suspects. The suspects were arrested in March when Jordan announced a massive operation against the Daesh Takfiri terrorists in the northern city of Ibrid. Officials said at the time that the offensive foiled a major plot for attacks across the kingdom. They said the militant group had planned bomb attacks on "civilian and military sites." Some 20 people were arrested during the operation while seven Daesh militants were killed. The operation, however, failed to fully stop threats against Jordan. Earlier this week, seven soldiers were killed as a bomb rocked an area where thousands of Syrian refugees are stranded near the Syrian border. Five Jordanian intelligence officers were also killed three weeks ago after a gunman, who was later arrested, opened fire on people in a Palestinian refugee camp north of the capital. Jordan is part of the US-led so-called international coalition against Daesh, a group of Western and Middle Eastern countries claiming to be fighting the Takfiri group in Iraq and Syria. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address White House: India Will Enjoy 99% of US Defense Technologies Sputnik News 23:36 26.06.2016 According to a senior White House official, India will gain access to almost 99 percent of US defense technologies after it is recognized as a 'Major Defense Partner'. Earlier this month, after a meeting between US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, the US, in a joint statement, recognized India as a 'Major Defense Partner', a status coined specifically to mark unique level of military cooperation between two nations. According to a senior Obama administration official, "India [now] enjoys access to [defense] technologies that is on a par with [US] treaty allies. That is a very unique status. India is the only other country that enjoys that status outside [US] formal treaty allies." The official estimated this access as "99 percent" of all US defense technologies available. "[In reality], less than one per cent of all exports [requests] are denied [to India]. They are not denied because of India. They are denied because of global U.S. licensing policies. We do not share certain technologies with anybody in the world," the official added, referring to an idea shared in New Delhi that this denial is reflective of the India-U.S. relationship. According to the joint US-India statement made during President Obama's visit to New Delhi, India would receive license-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies in conjunction with unspecified steps that New Delhi has committed to taking to advance its export control objectives. Ashley Tellis of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a top American think-tank, says that this special status is "meant to recognize that although India will not be an alliance partner of the United States, the administration seeks to treat it as such for purposes of giving it access to advanced technologies of the kind that are reserved for close US allies." "It is intended to signal to both the outside world and to the US bureaucracy that oversees licensing that India is viewed as a unique collaborator and will be treated as such where access to advanced technologies are concerned," he added. "India desires advanced US technology today, while the U.S. would like more clarity on the specific operations India may be willing to undertake in the future to contribute to regional security," says Richard M. Rossow, Wadhwani Chair in US India Policy Studies at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, another top American think-tank. "But the term 'Major Defense Partner' does not automatically trigger a specific process or program in the U.S. system," he added. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Prosecutor: Key member of terrorist grouplet arrested in Khash IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Zahedan, Sistan-Baluchestan prov, June 26, IRNA -- Zahedan Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor Mohammad Marzieh said one key member of a terrorist grouplet was arrested during operations to destroy their circle. He said the arrested agent confessed that the team was affiliated to Ansar al-Furqan terrorist group. Talking to reporters here in southeastern country on Sunday, he further noted that law enforcement forces clashed with a terrorist cell near the city of Khash during which six of the terrorists were killed. The commander of the terrorist team was arrested, the official said, adding that initial investigations proved his affiliation with Ansar al-Furqan terrorist grouplet. 1424**1771 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran to target terrorists in any place: IRGC Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 3:36PM Iran is strongly determined to fight terrorism, Commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps' (IRGC) Ground Forces Brigadier General Mohammad Pakpour says, adding that the Iranian forces will target terrorists "at any point." He said on Sunday that the IRGC Ground Forces are resolved to rigorously confront moves by armed groups and terrorists in border areas, emphasizing that the terrorists' positions will be targeted in any place. During recent clashes between the IRGC Ground Forces and terrorists in the northwestern parts of the country near the border with Iraq, many members of terrorist groups, including a number of their senior officials and commanders, were killed, Pakpour added and noted that the terrorists were provoked by reactionary states to conduct acts of aggression. The senior Iranian military commander said the terrorists' main bases are located in northern Iraq and warned that if Iraq does not abide by its obligations in preventing their destabilizing measures against Iran, the terrorists' hideouts will be targeted at any spot and in any region. He added that the IRGC forces are fully watchful of any move by terrorists and will give a decisive and swift response to any wicked act. The IRGC forces on Saturday clashed with Kurdish militants who had infiltrated the city of Mahabad in the northwestern West Azerbaijan province to stage terrorist operations. On June 15, Pakpour said the IRGC forces engaged in clashes with two terrorist groups in Iran's northwest bordering Iraq and killed a number of terrorists. He added that the two groups were trying to infiltrate into Iran through the Oshnavieh border area to carry out sabotage and terrorist attacks. Pakpour did not touch on the affiliation of the attackers but such attacks in northwest Iran are often carried out by PJAK, an offshoot of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is active in Iraq and Turkey. The Iranian armed forces recently killed ten terrorists in two separate operations in the northwest and the southeast. Those operations took place in West Azarbaijan province and the Khash region in the southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iran arrests key member of terrorist group in southeast Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 1:29PM Iranian security forces have arrested one of the main members of the Ansar al-Forqan terrorist group in the southeastern parts of the country, a senior Iranian judicial official says. Zahedan chief prosecutor Mohammad Marzieh told reporters on Sunday that the security forces dismantled a terrorist group in the Khash region of the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan last week. During the clashes, one terrorist was arrested, who has admitted that the group was affiliated with the Ansar al-Forqan terrorists, the official added, noting that six members of the group, including one terrorist who died of his injuries, were killed by the Iranian forces. On April 22, the head of the Ansar al-Forqan terrorist group, Hesham Azizi, and two other members were killed in a successful security operation by Iranian security forces in Sistan and Baluchestan Province. Two other members of the terrorist group were also captured during the operation. Furthermore, a police spokesman, General Saeed Montazer-al-Mahdi, said on June 13 that Iranian security forces killed five members of the so-called Jaish-ul-Adl terrorist group in Khash. He added that the terrorists sought to conduct acts of terror inside the country, noting that a huge amount of ammunition was confiscated from them. Jaish-ul-Adl has claimed responsibility for a number of criminal activities in Pakistan and Iran in recent years. On February 6, 2014, the terror group abducted 5 Iranian border guards in the Jakigour region of Iran's southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan and took them to Pakistan. On March 23, 2014, the terror group said that it had killed one of the hostages named Jamshid Danaeifar. The other four were freed and reunited with their families two months after their abduction. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi PM promises to recapture Mosul city IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency Baghdad, June 26, IRNA -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in a message on Sunday vowed that his country's armed forces will seize back the city of Mosul as they did with the city of Fallujah. 'I vow the liberation of Daesh (the ISIS) stronghold of Mosul in the near future,' al-Abadi said while calling on his people to celebrate the recapture of Fallujah city. 'All Iraqis must celebrate the recapture of the strategic western city of Fallujah from Daesh terrorists,' he added. The Iraqi prime minister said that his countrys's national flag would be raised in Mosul. Iraqi spokesman of the commander of Fallujah operation said on Sunday that the city has been fully liberated from Daesh terrorists. Brigadier Yahya Rasoul said that anti-terrorism forces, the Iraqi Police, Army, support units, including the artillery and air forces, as well as Popular Mobilization Forces (al-Hashd al-Shaabi) managed to fully liberate Fallujah from occupation of Daesh. He congratulated the Iraqi nation, armed forces, al-Hashd al-Shaabi and all those who contributed to this achievement. Al-Abadi announced on June 17 that the Iraqi military liberated Fallujah, but, said that only a few suburban areas of the city still remained under control of Daesh terrorists. With the liberation of two areas as the last shelters of Daesh forces in northern Fallujah, the city was fully liberated on Sunday. Fallujah liberation operation began on May 23. Fallujah, the second-largest city of al-Anbar province 50 km west of Baghdad, has been the main strategic base of Daesh over the past 13 years, many terrorist operations against the Iraqi capital were designed and carried out from Fallujah. 2050**2050 NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq killed 1,300 Daesh militants in Mosul operations: Defense chief Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 5:36AM Iraq's defense minister says at least 1,300 Takfiri terrorists have been killed in the military operations to liberate the southern parts of Mosul, the main Daesh stronghold in the country. Speaking at a Saturday press conference, Khaled al-Obeidi also said estimates by senior Iraqi officials show Mosul and other militant-held regions will be liberated "within a year." Mosul, located some 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of the capital, Baghdad, fell into the hands of Daesh terrorists in June 2014 in the first stage of terrorists' advance through Iraq. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has promised that the liberation of Mosul is very close as it is the Iraqi forces' "next destination" after the liberation of Fallujah, a strategic western city. On June 18, Iraqi forces launched an offensive against Daesh terrorists to retake the southern part of Mosul and the town of Qayyarah, one day after they retook Fallujah. Iraqi forces managed to raise their national flag on the main government complex of Fallujah on June 17. Later in the day, Abadi congratulated the nation on the liberation of the city. The commander of Iraq's Popular Mobilization forces, Hadi al-Ameri, said Friday that Fallujah is days away from being fully cleared from Daesh militants. Tens of thousands of people have fled Fallujah amid heavy fighting in the city. Before being driven out, Daesh militants were using civilians as human shields to slow down army advances in the areas. The Iraqi army is now screening 20,000 people that have left Fallujah, located roughly 69 kilometers (43 miles) west of Baghdad, to prevent the remaining terrorists from escaping among the civilians. An unnamed spokesman for Iraq's Joint Operations Command said on Saturday that a total of 2,185 Daesh suspects have been detained on the basis of testimonies or other information, noting that 11,605 were released and about 7,000 are still undergoing checks. The northern and western parts of Iraq have been plagued by gruesome violence ever since Daesh terrorists mounted an offensive in the country in June 2014. Iraqi government forces, backed by fighters from allied Popular Mobilization Units, have been pushing the militants out of the country's territory. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraq Declares Battle For Fallujah Over As PM Urges Celebrations June 26, 2016 Iraqi forces have recaptured the last remaining district held by Islamic State (IS) militants in the city of Fallujah, where Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi arrived on June 26 and urged citizens to rejoice. "I call on all Iraqis, wherever they are, to get out and celebrate," Abadi told state television while standing in front of a Fallujah hospital with an Iraqi flag draped around his neck. Abadi added that "we will raise the Iraqi flag in Mosul soon," a reference to Iraq's second-largest city and the last remaining major IS hub following the recapture of Fallujah. Abadi arrived in the city hours after the general commanding the operation declared the battle for the city over after nearly five weeks of fighting. "We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counterterrorism service, and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over," Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told state TV. He said that at least 1,800 militants were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, part of a broader offensive by Iraqi forces against IS fighters, who captured large swathes of territory in Iraq two years ago. The Iraqi Army was backed in the operation by U.S.-led coalition air strikes and paramilitary troops, mostly Shi'ite militias. Abide had claimed victory over IS forces in Fallujah more than a week ago, but fighting continued inside the city, including in the Golan district. Fallujah had been under the control of the militant group since January 2014. IS fighters still control significant areas in northern and western Iraq, including the country's second-largest city, Mosul. Iraqi Defense Minister Khalid al-Obeidi wrote on Twitter on June 26 that some 90 percent of Fallujah remained "safe and habitable." Thousands of families have fled Fallujah since Iraqi forces launched an operation to recapture the city in late May, leaving the government and aid groups struggling to manage the surge of people in camps for the displaced. The UN's refugee agency says that more than 85,000 people have fled the city and the surrounding area since the operation began. It has warned of the distressing condition in the camps and called for increased funding for efforts to assist the displaced. One of the key aid groups involved in these efforts, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), warned that the crisis was dire. "With every day that passes in the camps, the conditions for some of the most vulnerable keep deteriorating. Doctors are warning of impending disaster," the group's Iraq director, Nasr Muflahi, said on June 25. With reporting by AP, Reuters, and AFP Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/iraq-fallujah- battle-over-islamic-state/27821257.html Copyright (c) 2016. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Iraqi Forces Victorious in Fallujah Due to Unified Effort Sputnik News 21:13 26.06.2016 Hadi Amiri, the head of the Badr Organization in the Popular Mobilization Forces, said that the main reason for quick victory of Iraqi forces in Fallujah is the unity. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Iraqi forces have been able to liberate the city of Fallujah from Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh) militants due to a unified effort by all groups taking part in the operation, Hadi Amiri, the head of the Badr Organization in the Popular Mobilization Forces, said Sunday. Earlier on Sunday, Abdul-Wahad Saadi, the Iraqi army commander heading the counter-terrorism operation in the city, said that Iraq's armed forces had "fully liberated" Fallujah. Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi later raised the country' national flag near the city hospital, urging Iraqi people to celebrate the victory and pledging to liberate Mosul, which is still overrun by militants. "The lessons to be learned from this battle show that a quick and important victory is possible thanks to our unity. If we want to determine the outcome of the battle for the liberation of Iraq this year, avoiding large losses and winning quickly, we must fight while supporting each other," Amiri said in a statement. The Shiite commander congratulated the Iraqi people and the families of those killed during the operation, also pledging to liberate Mosul and stressing that government forces, local and Shiite militias, as well as the Kurdish Peshmerga, took part in the liberation. Fallujah, located some 42 miles west of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, is one of the largest cities in the Anbar province. The Daesh, outlawed in many countries including Russia, has been in control of the city since 2014. The Iraqi Army and Shiite militias, backed by US airstrikes, launched the offensive to retake Fallujah on May 22. Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Abadi declared Fallujah liberated from the Daesh, as the government forces gained control of the city center. However, media reported that fighting continued in the city. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russia Aerospace Forces to Receive Six S-400 Air Defense Systems in 2016 Sputnik News 12:11 26.06.2016(updated 12:41 26.06.2016) Six S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems will be delivered to Russian Aerospace Forces in 2016. NOVOSIBIRSK (Sputnik) Russian Aerospace Forces will receive six S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems in 2016, Aerospace Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Sunday. "The industry is reaching its full capacity, so this year we will receive six S-400, and next year, we won't slow down the pace as well," Bondarev said. Bondarev stressed that S-400 Triumph is characterized by high reliability and quality. The S-400 Triumph is an air defense missile system, which integrates a multifunction radar, autonomous detection and targeting systems, anti-aircraft missile systems, launchers, and command and control center. It is capable of firing three different types of missiles capable of destroying aerial targets at short-to-extremely long range. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian army makes fresh gains against terrorists in Hama Iran Press TV Sun Jun 26, 2016 3:26PM The Syrian army has made fresh gains against the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front terrorists during an operation in the western province of Hama. The Syrian forces, supported by popular fighters, restored security to the village of Ramlia, near Salamiyah city, and the village of Zur al-Sus, Syria's official news agency SANA reported, citing an unnamed military official. The government troops also killed over 60 terrorists affiliated with the al-Nusra Front in the nearby hills and managed to establish effective control over the area. They also destroyed vehicles and equipment used by the terrorists during the operation. On Saturday, Syrian army units also inflicted losses on the Daesh Takfiri terrorists in Talat Rasiya al-Hamra to the east of the town of Moufaker in Salamiyah countryside. Syrian forces are currently fighting terrorists on several fronts, including in Aleppo province, which borders Turkey. The Syrian army entered Raqqah province in early June for the first time since 2014, when Daesh unleashed its campaign of terror inside Syria. The potential recapture of Raqqah City in Syria and the Iraqi city of Mosul, which likewise awaits liberation operations, would mark the ultimate blow to Daesh. Raqqah, on the northern bank of the Euphrates river, was overrun by the Takfiri terrorists in March 2013, and was proclaimed the center for most of the terrorists' control tasks the next year. The Syrian army has vowed to press ahead with its counter-terror operations and drive terrorists out of their major strongholds in the country. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syrian Opposition Relays Concern to Kabul Over Afghan Fighters by Ayaz Gul June 26, 2016 Syria's main opposition alliance is conveying serious concerns over Iran's campaign of recruiting and training thousands of Afghan men to fight in Syria. Officials in Afghanistan confirmed Sunday they have received a letter expressing the concerns from the Syrians. The letter urges President Ashraf Ghani to take urgent steps to stop religiously-motivated exploitation of Afghans and discourage them from becoming part of the Syrian conflict, a government official told VOA on condition of anonymity. He did not provide any other details. Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Ahmad Shakeb Mustaghani told VOA that not only through this letter, but through other previous reports, the government is fully aware of activities of Afghans in Syria. "Unfortunately, through non-governmental organizations and sometimes through official channels in countries where Afghan refugees are being hosted, the displaced population is forced to indulge in activities that are against international norms and also beyond the control of the Afghan government," the spokesman lamented. He said Kabul is looking into the issue through the offices of the U.N. refugee agency and other diplomatic channels. Afghans in Iran There has been increasing evidence Tehran is recruiting men from among an estimated three million Afghans in Iran, with only about a million Afghans having a formal legal status as refugees the country. Many of the displaced families have fled persecution and armed conflict in Afghanistan. Iran's Revolutionary Guards is believed to be behind mobilization of a multi-national Shi'ite Muslim armed militia in support of embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The recruits are said to be mostly from the improvised ethnic Hazara Shi'ite community who are promised a monthly salary and residence permits in exchange for what Iranian authorities tell them is a sacred mission to defend Shi'ite holy shrines in Damascus from Islamic State or Daesh. Rights groups say that there have also been instances of forced deportations of Afghans who refused the offer. Many of the recruits, they say, fled the battlefield and joined the refugee trail seeking asylum in Europe. In its report published earlier this year, the Human Rights Watch estimated that up to 10,000 Afghans may have been recruited and trained to fight in Syria. It said funerals for Afghans killed in the fighting are frequently held in Iran, sometimes attended by Iranian officials. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address US-Russia Tensions Complicate Syria War by Heather Murdock June 26, 2016 A month after Russian-backed Syrian forces re-took the ancient city of Palmyra last spring, a renowned Russian orchestra came to town. In the heart of arguably the world's most gruesome warzone, the Mariinsky Symphony Orchestra played Prokofiev and Bach in the same Roman theatre that Islamic State had made a killing ground. It was a moment that shed light on the complexity of the war. Both Russia and the U.S.-led coalition are fighting Islamic State. But Russia supports the Syrian government, while the U.S. supports rebel groups fighting both the government and Islamic State. For the U.S., the concert in Palmyra celebrated the defeat of an enemy - IS. It also celebrated the victory of an enemy of U.S. allies - the Syrian government. In Syria, the enemy of your enemy is not always your friend. To add to the complexity, Washington is allied with Saudi Arabia, and Russia with Saudi foe Iran. Having a mutual enemy and mutually exclusive allies, Russia and United States are sharing operational space and airspace. Pundits on both sides are calling for aggression. Last week, Russia dropped cluster bombs on rebel soldiers allied with the U.S., prompting an outcry from Washington. Moscow then complained that the U.S. had not provided enough information about the locations of American-allied militant groups versus those groups considered terrorist organizations. As the tussle continues, some analysts say that both the U.S. and Russia may be vying for power, but neither would actually benefit from a fight. The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has declined direct battle with Assad partially due to the danger of escalation, according to Gulf State Analytics founder Giorgio Cafiero. "A host of factors have contributed to the White House's reluctance to wage direct military action against the Syrian Arab Army. These include the dangerous risks of a Russian response," he said. Andreas Krieg, an assistant professor at King's College London who also works with the Qatar Armed Forces, said the Russians are a more aggressive actor in Syria in general, but their actions are calculated to create the image of a power-position, not an actual battle. "They would never take the risk of having a direct confrontation with the U.S. and the West," he said. Friends with your enemies In modern days, the term "Third World" is generally used to describe poor countries. But in its Cold War origin, Third World countries were those not allied with the First World under the U.S.'s sphere of influence or the Second World influenced by the Soviet Union. Khalifa Gaballah, the foreign affairs editor at Almasry Alyoum, a prominent Egyptian newspaper, said in the Middle East, where some U.S. allies are angry and some U.S. enemies are slowly looking more like friends, this paradigm - where a country is either with Russia or with the U.S. - appears to be re-emerging. Russia, allied with Iran, is becoming more involved in the region, and the U.S., allied with rival Saudi Arabia, is trying to avoid greater engagement in Middle East conflicts. "You feel like an international change is happening," he said. Gaballah added the U.S.'s new relationship with Iran is complicating its alliance with Saudi Arabia. The Iran nuclear deal is fragile and the Obama administration risks losing a hard-won diplomatic victory if it comes into conflict with Iran in Syria by attacking Assad's army. As a result, the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, while on the same side in Syria, do not see eye to eye. Saudi Arabia has taken a firm stance against the Syrian government, saying they will under no circumstances accept an Assad-led Syria because, they say, it would threaten their sovereignty. The U.S. has suggested a compromise, like keeping the Assad government, but with a different figurehead. "The Obama Administration and the Al Saud rulers have had major disagreements about the Syrian crisis," said Cafiero of Gulf State Analytics. The Leak The document that revived the posturing in both the U.S. and Russia was a State Department memo last week, signed by 51 employees, many of who worked closely on Syria policy. The letter called on the Obama administration to fight Assad directly, and not limit force to fighting Islamic State. "Assad's systematic violations against the Syrian people are the root cause of the instability that continues to grip Syria and the broader region," reads the leaked note. However, Yan St-Pierre of Berlin-based security firm MOSECON suggested that note, along with the Russian outrage that ensued, may be more of a diplomatic ploy than an actual call to battle . He said if the Syrian War is to end with peace talks, one side will have to back down on the question of the Assad regime. "Leaks are never released out of the goodness of their hearts. For proper negotiations, especially of that kind, you need a bit of saber-rattling," he said. "Saber rattling," he explained, demonstrates to competing negotiators that the player is capable and willing to use force to back its position. However, Krieg from King's College London said even as the United Nations looks towards reviving peace talks next month, the Syria War is not expected to end soon. "We are far away from any national dialogue, from any state building or nation-building in Syria. It's mostly about finding a military solution to these problems," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address President seeks U.S. support during Miami transit stop ROC Central News Agency 2016/06/26 14:36:29 Panama City, June 25 (CNA) President Tsai Ing-wen () sought U.S. Congress support for Taiwan's indigenous submarine program and talked about trade-related issues when meeting with U.S. Congress members during a transit stop in Miami Friday, according to Presidential Office Deputy Secretary-General Tseng Hou-jen (). Tsai arrived in Miami earlier that day en route to Panama, the first leg of her first overseas trip since she assumed office May 20, receiving a warm welcome from Joseph Donovan, executive director of the American Institute in Taiwan. Donovan then held a private meeting to welcome Tsai on behalf of the U.S. government. However, what was discussed at the meeting was not made public due to a tacit agreement between Taiwan and the United States in the absence of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries, Tseng said. During her 24-hour transit in the Florida city, Tsai also met with Senator Marco Rubio, a staunch supporter of Taiwan in the U.S. Congress, who recently introduced a resolution reaffirming the Taiwan Relations Act and the "Six Assurances" as cornerstones of U.S.-Taiwan relations. During the meeting, Rubio raised concerns about what Taiwan can do to strengthen its national defenses. In response, Tsai reiterated Taiwan's policy goal of developing indigenous submarines and stressed Taiwan's need for U.S. assistance in reaching that goal, according to Tseng. Tsai also expressed hope that the U.S. Congress will help Taiwan's bid to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and help enhance bilateral cooperation in trade and economic exchanges by holding talks on a wide range of issues under the Taiwan-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA), according to Tseng. Tsai later talked with U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch on the phone to thank him for his support for Taiwan. On Saturday, Tsai met with Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the chairwoman emeritus of the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The president also met with U.S. Rep. Gregg Harper, a co-chair of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, later that day. (By Sophia Yeh and Evelyn Kao) ENDITEM/J NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Ukrainian Forces Shell Lugansk People's Republic Militia Sputnik News 02:40 26.06.2016 Ukrainian security forces began shelling the self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic (LPR) militia located near the village of Veselohorivka in Perevalsk area on late Saturday, local media reported Sunday. LUGANSK (Sputnik) According to Lugansk Information Center citing a source in the self-proclaimed LPR, the shelling began at 23:15 local time [20:15 GMT]. "Artillery barrage literally rained down on our position in Veselohorivka from the Ukrainian security forces in village of Troitsky," the source said. The source specified that the Ukrainian army is using 120-millimeter mortars and automatic mounted grenade launchers to open fire on the LPR militia. "No less than 20 mines have been fired our way." Kiev launched a special military operation in Ukraine's southeast in April 2014, after local residents refused to recognize the new Ukrainian authorities, which came to power as a result of a coup. After independence referendums held in May 2014, the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics (DPR and LPR) were established. In February 2015, a peace agreement was signed between Ukraine's conflicting sides in the Belarusian capital, Minsk. The deal stipulates a full ceasefire, a weapons withdrawal from the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, an all-for-all prisoner exchange and constitutional reforms, which would give a special status to the self-proclaimed Donetsk and Lugansk people's republics in the southeast. Despite the Minsk peace deal, ceasefire violations continue in Ukraine, with both sides having accused each other of conducting multiple shellings. Sputnik NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russell Betterton loves statistics. For example, Betterton said the United States has 4 percent of the worlds population, yet accounts for about 25 percent of its prison population. Statistics tell a story, Betterton, a mentor with Pittsylvania County Community Actions Re-Entry System said. That statistic is just one of the stories Betterton and fellow mentor Everett Linder tell inmates and those hoping to successfully re-enter society as part of the Southwest CARES program, which is sponsored by Pittsylvania County Community Action. After Betterton and Linder both received help from the agency, they wanted to find a way to help others who were in their position and wanted a way to come back to society. If they can do it, others can see that they can do it, said Pittsylvania County Community Action Case Manager Barry Mayo. Both Betterton and Linder said they felt a calling to help others after re-entering society and find a way to connect with citizens who had so much working against them. Linder said his life philosophy was that every time you survive and endure, its not just about you. Every example you set is for someone else, Linder said. Both men also recently applied and restored their voting rights due after Aprils controversial executive order by Gov. Terry McAuliffe that restored civil rights to more the 200,000 people in Virginia. Betterton applauded the measure, saying it was one more way those coming out of prison could participate and add value to their lives. These are citizens that matter, Betterton said. Years ago, Betterton said the mindset of helping those after prison was practically non-existent. Now, he tells those serving time that there are people who will help them re-enter society. Betterton said he could remember blowing off inspirational speakers while he was in prison, but people could relate to someone who had been what they had been through. It gives people the confidence and the hope that nothing in life can hinder them, Linder said. Betterton offered up more statistics: Virginia spends about $25,000 yearly per inmate in its prisons system. What if, Betterton asked, 40 of those inmates came out and became gainfully employed, and even paid taxes? Betterton said his goal as a mentor was to inspire them to take that path in life, and even become a positive influence on family and friends. They are not an island, he said. Mayo said the mentors were a huge part of why the program was beginning to catch on in the Dan River Region. Were doing it, Mayo said. We have the solution. Martinsville City Council on Tuesday will consider renewing an agreement with the Chambers Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG) for help with small business development in the city. C-PEG is an independent affiliate of the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce that supports and helps fund efforts to boost the local economy. Last year, the council took $60,000 from the citys yearly allocation to the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. and redirected it to the chamber and C-PEG. The decision came after council members said the EDC might not have been doing all it could to help the city attract and keep small businesses. Since then, C-PEG has provided one-on-one counseling to small businesses and established Startup Martinsville, Virginia, a boot camp-type program for entrepreneurs. As a result of the program, five new businesses plan to open uptown by the end of September and an existing one aims to expand. Among its other work for the city, C-PEG has developed a strategic marketing plan for entrepreneurial and small business strategies, secured new sponsors for the uptown farmers market and the TGIF and Oktoberfest events and created new activities such as an Easter egg hunt and the recent Spring Fling festival to draw visitors uptown. Council members recently told chamber President and C-PEG Executive Director Amanda Witt they are happy with C-PEGs services and want to renew the agreement. They have indicated that they would be willing to consider a multi-year agreement. However, the proposed one will be just for the new fiscal year that will start July 1. The renewal will be considered when the council meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in its chambers on the second floor of the municipal building uptown. Also Tuesday, the council will: Hear a presentation about potential improvements designed for the citys wastewater treatment plant. Consider scheduling a public hearing pertaining to a rezoning of residential property at 925 Boden St. for commercial use instead. Consider adopting resolutions in support of early childhood education and redistricting reform in Virginia. Recognize William Hooper, a retired assistant chief with the Martinsville Fire Department, for completing the National Fire Academys Executive Fire Officer Program. Hear "business from the floor," an opportunity for residents to bring to the councils attention their concerns about city matters not on the agenda for discussion during Tuesdays meeting. At 7 p.m., the council will meet in closed session to discuss potential appointments to local boards and commissions. Mickey Powell reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at mickey.powell@martinsvillebulletin.com. VANCOUVER, June 27, 2016 /CNW/ - NexGen Energy Ltd. ("NexGen" or the "Company") (TSXV:NXE, OTCQX:NXGEF) is pleased to announce the appointment of Troy Boisjoli as Senior Project and Operations Manager Arrow, Rook I, Rob Maciak as Senior Projects Manager Permitting and Development, and Matthew Batty as Senior Geologist Arrow Resource Development. Mr. Boisjoli has mine operating experience in uranium geology in the Athabasca Basin. Most recently, Mr. Boisjoli held the position of Acting Chief Geologist Rabbit Lake for Cameco Corp. Prior to that, he held positions at Cameco including Mine Geologist and Geologist. Mr. Boisjoli holds a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences from St. Norbert College, Wisconsin, USA. Mr. Maciak is an environmental scientist and project manager with over 10 years of experience in a range of natural resource industries, including: mining, agriculture and water management. Most recently, Mr. Maciak was Environment Scientist/Special Projects Manager for KGHM Ajax Mining Inc. Mr. Maciak holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Physical Geography (Hydrology and Natural Resource Management) and a Masters of Science in Environmental Science from Thompson Rivers University. Mr. Batty holds a Bachelor of Science with High Honors in Geology from the University of Saskatchewan. Mr. Batty joins NexGen from Cameco where he worked for over 4 years at various locations, including McArthur River Mine and the Rabbit Lake operation. Leigh Curyer, Chief Executive Officer commented: "I am very pleased to welcome Troy, Rob and Matt to NexGen. Their combined experience with permitting, development and operating mines complements the team, as Arrow continues to be developed geologically and commences the environmental and engineering studies." The Company also granted an aggregate of up to 5,850,000 options to certain employees, consultants, officers and directors of the Company. Each option entitles the holder to purchase one common share at a price of $2.65 per share, has a term of five years, vests in three equal annual installments commencing on the date of grant and is subject to the terms and conditions of the Company's stock option plan. About NexGen NexGen is a British Columbia corporation with a focus on the acquisition, exploration and development of Canadian uranium projects. NexGen has a highly experienced team of uranium industry professionals with a successful track record in the discovery of uranium deposits and in developing projects through discovery to production. NexGen owns a portfolio of highly prospective uranium exploration assets in the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada, including a 100% interest in Rook I, location of the Arrow Discovery in February 2014. The Arrow Deposit's maiden Inferred mineral resource estimate is 201.9 M lbs U3O8 contained in 3.48 M tonnes grading 2.63% U3O8. Rook I also hosts the Bow Discovery which is 3.7 km along trend and northeast of Arrow and was made in March 2015. The TSXV has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. "Forward-looking information" includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Generally, but not always, forward-looking information and statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or the negative connotation thereof or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved" or the negative connotation thereof. Forward-looking information and statements are based on the then current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts about NexGen's business and the industry and markets in which it operates. Forward-looking information and statements are made based upon numerous assumptions, including among others, that the proposed transaction will be completed, the results of planned exploration activities are as anticipated, the price of uranium, the cost of planned exploration activities, that financing will be available if and when needed and on reasonable terms, that third party contractors, equipment, supplies and governmental and other approvals required to conduct NexGen's planned exploration activities will be available on reasonable terms and in a timely manner and that general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner. Although the assumptions made by the Company in providing forward looking information or making forward looking statements are considered reasonable by management at the time, there can be no assurance that such assumptions will prove to be accurate. Forward-looking information and statements also involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors, which may cause actual results, performances and achievements of NexGen to differ materially from any projections of results, performances and achievements of NexGen expressed or implied by such forward-looking information or statements, including, among others, negative operating cash flow and dependence on third party financing, uncertainty of the availability of additional financing, the risk that pending assay results will not confirm previously announced preliminary results, imprecision of mineral resource estimates, the appeal of alternate sources of energy and sustained low uranium prices, aboriginal title and consultation issues, exploration risks, reliance upon key management and other personnel, deficiencies in the Company's title to its properties, uninsurable risks, failure to manage conflicts of interest, failure to obtain or maintain required permits and licenses, changes in laws, regulations and policy, competition for resources and financing and other factors discussed or referred to in the Company's Annual Information Form dated April 13, 2016 under "Risk Factors". Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information or implied by forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information and statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or reissue forward-looking information as a result of new information or events except as required by applicable securities laws. SOURCE NexGen Energy Ltd. VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 27, 2016) - Endeavour Silver Corp. (TSX: EDR) (NYSE: EXK) announces that its surface exploration program has outlined several prospective new silver-gold veins on the Terronera property in Jalisco State, Mexico. To date, mapping has extended the Terronera vein system over a 7 kilometre (km) by 7 km area and identified nine additional veins in the northern half of the property (view map). Sampling of the Terronera vein system confirmed that high-grade, low sulphidation epithermal silver-gold mineralization is present in many of the veins. Assays of several thousand samples, including grab samples, selected samples and chip samples, returned values up to 2,880 grams per tonne (gpt) silver and up to 26.7 gpt gold. Assay highlights from five of the new veins are summarized in the table below. These assays are intended to show peak values confirming the presence of high-grade mineralization and should not be taken as representative of the entire veins. Most of these new veins have never been tested by drilling. Silver equivalents are calculated at a ratio of 70:1 silver:gold. Vein Sample No Au Ag AgEq (gpt) (gpt) (gpt) Las Coloradas 17540 6.41 2,880 3,329 17542 0.59 850 891 17543 1.52 1,005 1,111 17555 0.13 294 303 17579 0.25 282 300 Los Reyes 15808 0.10 585 592 15813 1.93 393 528 15814 0.99 562 631 15875 1.42 630 729 17259 4.03 1,050 1,332 17264 0.73 743 794 17302 1.94 575 711 La Ermita 15261 0.13 398 407 15358 0.88 506 568 15359 0.48 387 421 15361 0.55 290 329 15367 0.37 423 449 15369 0.43 1,355 1,385 15470 0.13 342 351 El Padre 14223 0.87 135 196 14061 10.10 148 855 14208 0.58 174 215 14226 0.52 227 263 14229 1.97 315 453 14207 0.73 325 376 14221 0.66 358 404 La Luz 12840 20.70 506 1,955 12832 5.31 555 927 14019 0.52 564 600 12836 6.82 567 1,044 12862 7.81 576 1,123 12837 5.70 589 988 12838 26.70 763 2,632 12833 11.15 763 1,544 12808 8.09 818 1,384 12907 7.40 951 1,469 General descriptions of five of the new veins are shown in the table below: Target Length (m) Width (m) General Description Results (ranges) Au ppm Ag ppm Las Coloradas 700 0.85-2.30 Quartz vein (gray, saccaroidal to massive); with disseminated sulphides; dendriticOxMn, OxFe in fractures; associated argillized rhyolitic volcanics, with oxidized disseminated pyrite 0.005-6.41 4.0-2880 Los Reyes 1,800 0.25-2.55 Quartz vein (white-crystalline); with traces of OxMn + OxFe; hosted in silicified rhyolitic volcanics 0.006-4.03 0.2-1050 La Ermita 600 0.15 - 3.00 Quartz vein (white-massive), with moderate to strong OxFe + OxMn + hematite, in druses and boxworks; traces of pyrite and other sulphides; with stockwork zones at the hanging wall and footwall. 0.005-0.88 0.4-1355 El Padre 1,800 0.40 - 4.00 Quartz vein (white-massive); with moderate to strong oxidation, at some parts intense OxMn. Quartz stockwork observed at the hanging wall. with disseminated pyrite and traces of gray sulphides, intervals with very white quartz and weak oxidation. < 0.005-10.10 < 0.2-358 La Luz 1,550 0.30 - 3.00 Quartz Vein (white-massive), with moderate to strong oxidation; some hydrothermal breccias with stockwork zones, with moderate oxidation, and some massive quartz, with weak oxidation; OxFe + OxMn; < 0.005-26.7 0.5-951 Luis Castro, Vice President of Exploration, commented, "These excellent sample results confirm that Endeavour owns an entire vein district on the Terronera property, with many veins exhibiting high-grade silver-gold mineralization and small historic mine workings but no past exploration drilling. Currently we have two drill rigs testing the El Padre and La Luz veins." Godfrey Walton, M.Sc., P.Geo., Endeavour's President and COO, is the Qualified Person who reviewed and approved this news release and supervised the drilling programs in Mexico. A Quality Control sampling program of reference standards, blanks and duplicates has been instituted to monitor the integrity of all assay results. All samples are split at the local field office and shipped to ALS-Chemex Labs, where they are dried, crushed, split and 50 gram pulp samples are prepared for analysis. Gold and silver are determined by fire assay with an atomic absorption (AA) finish. About Endeavour - Endeavour Silver Corp. is a mid-tier precious metals mining company that operates three high-grade, underground, silver-gold mines in Mexico. Since start-up in 2004, the Company has organically grown its mining operations to produce 11.4 million ounces of silver equivalents in 2015. Endeavour's growing discovery of high-grade silver-gold mineralization on the Terronera property in Jalisco state, combined with the recent acquisition of the permitted El Compas mine and plant in Zacatecas state, should facilitate the Company's goal to become a premier senior producer in the silver mining sector. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/6/27/11G104341/Images/Terronera_Project_Veins_Map-1557f52ad5d7a1a38739a310ed0692a5.jpg Subiaco, Western Australia (FSCwire) - RTG Mining Inc. (RTG, the Company) (TSX Code: RTG, ASX Code: RTG) is pleased to announce that Thor Explorations Ltd. (Thor), a TSX-V listed company, has agreed to acquire RTG's interest in the Segilola Gold Project for total consideration of up to US$8.5m, including US$3m of consideration upfront. The consideration comprises the following components: US$1.5m in cash on completion; US$1.5m worth of shares in Thor on completion, issued at a deemed price of C$0.115 per share (being the price at which Thor will issue shares under the capital raising it is conducting in conjunction with the transaction); US$2m in cash payable on the earlier of (i) closing of the financing for development of the full scale mine or (ii) 24 months after completion; and a 1.5% royalty on the Segilola Gold Project, capped at an aggregate of US$3.5m. Closing of the transaction is conditional on (amongst other things) the parties obtaining all necessary regulatory approvals and consents, no material adverse change occurring before Closing, Thor completing a capital raising of not less than US$4 million, and the agreement pursuant to which Thor has agreed to acquire the balance of the Segilola Gold Project from the other project owner remaining in effect and either completing, or Thor being satisfied that it will complete. Subject to satisfaction of the conditions, Closing is anticipated to occur on or before 31 July 2016. ABOUT RTG MINING INC RTG Mining Inc. is a mining and exploration company listed on the main board of the Toronto Stock Exchange and Australian Securities Exchange. RTG is focused on developing the high-grade copper/gold/magnetite Mabilo Project and advancing exploration on the highly prospective Bunawan Project, both in the Philippines, while also identifying major new projects which will allow the Company to move quickly and safely to production. RTG has an experienced management team (previously responsible for the development of the Masbate Gold Mine in the Philippines through CGA Mining Ltd.), and has B2Gold as one of its major shareholders in the Company. B2Gold is a member of both the S&P/TSX Global Gold and Global Mining Indices. ENQUIRIES Australian Contact US Contact President & CEO Justine Magee Investor Relations Jaime Wells Tel: +61 8 6489 2900 +1 970 640 0611 Fax: +61 8 6489 2920 Email: jmagee@rtgmining.com jwells@rtgmining.com CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This announcement includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. Statement regarding interpretation of exploration results, plans for further exploration and accuracy of mineral resource and mineral reserve estimates and related assumptions and inherent operating risks, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties and are based on certain factors and assumptions. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from RTGs expectations include uncertainties related to fluctuations in gold and other commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; uncertainty of estimates of capital and operating costs, recovery rates, production estimates and estimated economic return; the need for cooperation of government agencies in the development of RTGs mineral projects; the need to obtain additional financing to develop RTGs mineral projects; the possibility of delay in development programs or in construction projects and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones for RTGs mineral projects and other risks and uncertainties disclosed under the heading Risk Factors in RTGs Annual Information Form for the year ended 31 December 2015 filed with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities on the SEDAR website at sedar.com. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/RTG06272016JA.pdfSource: RTG Mining Inc. (TSX:RTG) http://www.rtgmining.com/ Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jun 27, 2016) - Claim Post Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:CPS) ("Claim Post") or the ("Company") is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of the Racetrack property ("Racetrack"), near Timmins, Ontario, from Electra Stone Ltd. (TSX VENTURE:ELT), formerly known as Electra Gold Ltd. Claim Post has acquired the remaining 50% of the property that is did not own for 1,500,000 common shares pursuant to the September 13, 2010 Agreement. Claim Post - Timmins Gold Exploration Claim Post Resources was incorporated in 2005 as a private company and listed on the TSX-V in 2010. Missing within the Timmins Camp, is the location of the "major gold systems" west of both the Hollinger McIntyre and the more southerly Buffalo Ankerite - Aurnor - Delnite mines. Both gold systems stop at the Tisdale or the Deloro Township west boundary. The company's gold exploration focus was to find where the "missing gold systems" are located in Mountjoy and Ogden townships. Historically, only the small Desantis Mine was mined in the PD Splay Fault corridor in the township immediately west of the Hollinger and McIntyre mines. The gold systems restart 10 kilometres west, or west of the Mattagami River fault. Please see attached map (http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/ClaimPost627.jpg) showing the Timmins Camp Gold Mines, the ounces gold mined from each, as well as the Claim Posts land position - the Dayton Racetrack and Mountjoy. The map also shows that both the Hoyle Pond and Tahoe Lakeshore "new mine" trends. The Tahoe (Lakeshore) trend and the more southerly Gold River Trend are both situated south of the PD Fault and West of the Mattagami River Fault. The Hoyle Pond - Owl Creek - Bell Creek trend, is located north of the historical Pamour - Hallnor mines. The Hoyle Pond trend is situated north of the PD Fault. Goldcorp's high grade Hoyle Pond Mine has been in production mine since 1985. To explore for the "missing gold system" west of the Hollinger, required the company to acquire property both north and south Porcupine Destor Splay Fault corridor. To compile a land package south of the PD Fault, Claim Post did two deals in 2010. In June 2010, the Company acquired a100% interest in Dayton Property which is comprised of 50 patented claims; 38 patented claims in Deloro Township, covering the historic Dayton gold zone; 2 patented claims in Ogden, and 10 Deloro patented claims covering the McLaren Mine, just south of Buffalo Ankerite (owned by Lexam VG Gold Inc.). These patents are subject to a 3% NSR royalty with no buyout. In September 2010, Claim Post optioned 103 claim units and 11 patented claims in Ogden Township, 5 kilometers south of the city of Timmins. The Racetrack Property was optioned from Electra Gold, now Electra Stone Ltd. Claim Post now owns 100% of the Racetrack, subject only to a 2% NSR Royalty. Claim Post can purchase up to 1.33% the Racetrack royalty for $1.33 million dollars. To assemble a land position north of the PD Fault required 10 years of continuous staking in Mountjoy Township as ground slowly came open. Currently, Claim Post Mountjoy staked claims total 174 units or about 18 square kilometers (30 percent of the Township). Claim Post optioned Mountjoy to Osisko Mining Corp. for a 2 year period while Claim Post funded exploration on the Dayton Racetrack project. In 2012, due to market conditions, Claim Post ceased gold exploration in Timmins and the Company acquired about 5 square kilometers miles of silica sand leases, 200km NE of Winnipeg. Most of Claim Post's efforts from 2012 to early 2016 were focused on silica sand. The Company will focus on gold exploration in Timmins until the oil price stabilizes in the $60 to $80 range. Previous Claim Post - Timmins Gold Programs To explore south of the PD fault, Claim Post flew an east-west Magnetic (Mag Survey) and Electro Magnetic (EM) airborne survey, did a program of Deep IP followed by 5,000m of diamond drilling mainly below the historical Dayton gold zone and a few holes to check below the McLaren Mine. Company President, Charles Gryba, is quoted at the time (SEDAR April 6th, 2011 Press Release): "The Dayton gold system has now been test drilled along a strike length of one kilometer, with gold values intersected down to a depth of 500m. What is encouraging, is that the numbers of individual gold intersections are increasing from 2 or 3 at the east end of the Dayton system to 15 narrow gold intersections (greater than 1.00 g/t) in multiple rock types over a 200m width towards the west end of the system." Diamond drilling proved the presence of a persistent gold system on the Racetrack property. However, to cost effectively trace the location of the known gold system and potentially locate new zones on the 11 square mile property, a recognizance program of Mobile Metal Ion (MMI) geochem sampling was done. To explore north of the PD Fault, a magnetic - radiometric airborne survey was flown by Osisko covering part of Godfrey Township and most of Mountjoy Township under year 1 of the Company's Joint Venture with Osisko Mining Corp. In year 2, Claim Post competed a comprehensive MMI geochem program totaling about 3,000 MMI samples at 25m intervals in Mountjoy and Godfrey Township. The MMI program was very successful; 7 bedrock MMI gold anomalies each at least 75m wide were located. Claim Post Company President, Charles Gryba commented: "The MMI programs have given us an indication of where the potential gold systems are located both north and south of the PD fault system. The company will do a confirmation MMI sampling program and then test drill the targets based on our MMI Modeling. A discovery of a new gold system in Timmins will create substantial shareholder value. The best place to look for a new gold orebody is explore for what is missing in a proven camp." A similar approach to creating value was suggested recently by John Kaiser, when he spoke at this year's Vancouver Commodity Forum: "Discovery exploration is what the space used to be all about in the 1980s and 1990s, where the idea was to generate a prospect, find a target and hopefully make a discovery that would be bought out by a major before delivering the first resource estimate." Claim Post Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:CPS) is a Canadian based mineral exploration company and a reporting issuer in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. Claim Post has a major land position the Timmins Camp for gold. Claim Post also striving to obtain 100% ownership in 9 nines or 306 hectares Gossan Resources of a high grade silica sand - frack sand deposit 200km NE of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The final payment for the Gossan leases is currently being re-negotiated. The Seymourville project that has a NI 43-101 Resource of 25,959,000 tones on about 20% of the lease area. (SEDAR June 20th 2014). A positive initial PEA was competed (SEDAR November 24th 2014). The PEA highlighted that the Seymourville project at 1,000,000 tpy frack sand sales would generate CDN $617 million after tax net cash flow undiscounted or CDN $151 million using an after tax 10% discount rate. The project Capex was estimated at CDN $93m including a 20% contingency generating an after tax ROI of 21%. Claim Post is also well positioned to become a future leading provider of premium white silica sand proppant to shale oil drilling operations in the Williston Basin (both the Canadian and U.S. sides of the Border), and western Canada. There are 125,583,908 common shares of the Company currently issued and outstanding. Charles Gryba, President, P. Eng. is the Qualified Person that prepared the content of the news release in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 with respect to this release. Statements in this release that are forward-looking reflect the Company's current views and expectations with respect to its performance, business, and future events. Such statements are subject to various risks and assumptions, some, but not necessarily all, are disclosed elsewhere in the Company's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Such statements and information contained herein represent management's best judgment as of the date hereof based on the information currently available; however actual results and events may vary significantly. The Company does not assume the obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. MONTREAL, Quebec (FSCwire) - Argex Titanium Inc. (TSX:RGX) (the Corporation or Argex) provides an update on the private placement offering (the Offering) of secured convertible notes (the Notes) for minimum gross proceeds of $1,600,000 and maximum gross proceeds of $2,400,000 at a subscription price of $1,000 per Note. As of today, the private placement has been fully subscribed and the closing is expected in July 2016. Each Note will be convertible at the option of the holder into 33,333 common shares of the Corporation (Shares) at an issue price of $0.03 each and 28,333 warrants to purchase additional Shares (Warrants) at any time at a price of $0.05 each over a five-year term. Unless converted prior thereto, the Notes will mature in two years from the date of issuance and bear interest at the rate of 15% per annum payable annually up to their time of conversion. Holders of Notes may at their option convert any unpaid and/or accrued interest thereon into additional Shares at an issue price of $0.03 each. The Corporation has obtained the acceptance and supporting documentation from a majority of the holders of the existing 8% convertible unsecured subordinated debentures (the Convertible Debentures) to, inter alia, amend the conversion price thereof from $1.14 to $0.11. The TSX has also granted the Corporation a 30-day extension to provide further support in favor of the Corporations continued listing on the TSX. About Argex Titanium Argex Titanium Inc. has developed an advanced chemical process for the volume production of high grade titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) for use in high quality paint, plastics, cosmetics and other applications. The Corporations unique proprietary process takes relatively inexpensive and plentiful source material from a variety of potential vendors, and produces TiO 2 along with other valuable by-products. Argexs process provides a significant cost and environmental advantage over current legacy TiO 2 production methods. Contacts: Mazen Haddad Director and Interim President and CEO Argex Titanium Inc. (514) 843-5959 Nicole Blanchard Corporate Communications and Investor Relations Argex Titanium (514) 843-5959 nblanchard@argex.ca Neither the TSX nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/Argex06272016.pdfSource: Argex Titanium Inc. (TSX:RGX) http://www.argex.ca/en/ Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 27, 2016) - NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES Kombat Copper Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KBT) ("Kombat Copper" or the "Company") announces that it has entered into a subscription agreement with Rodinia Lithium Inc. ("Rodinia") for Rodinia to subscribe for, on a non-brokered private placement basis, 3,250,000 subscription receipts ("Subscription Receipts") at a price of $0.08 per Subscription Receipt for gross proceeds of $260,000 (the "Offering"). Each Subscription Receipt will entitle the holder to acquire one common share of Kombat Copper (a "Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "Warrant") automatically without any additional payment upon the completion of the following conditions: The common shareholders of Rodinia approving Rodinia's proposed change of business to a tier 2 investment company under the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange ("Proposed COB") at a meeting of the common shareholders of Rodinia to be called to approve the Proposed COB (the "Rodinia Shareholders' Meeting"); and The TSX Venture Exchange granting Rodina final approval of the Proposed COB. Each Warrant will entitle Rodinia to acquire one Share (a "Warrant Share") at a price of $0.13 per Warrant Share at any time for before the date that is three years from the date of issue, subject to an acceleration provision whereby in the event that at any time after the expiry of the statutory hold period, the Shares trade at $0.30 or higher on the TSX Venture Exchange, on a volume weighted average basis for a period of 30 consecutive days, the Company shall have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the date that is 30 days after the Company issues a news release announcing that it has elected to exercise the acceleration right. The gross proceeds from the Offering will be held in escrow pending satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent. If the conversion of the Subscription Receipts does not occur on or before 10 business days after the Rodinia Shareholders' Meeting is held, Rodinia will be entitled to a return of its full subscription price. The Subscription Receipts and the underlying securities will all be subject to a four month statutory hold period. Closing of the Offering is expected to occur on or about June 30, 2016 and remains subject to a number of conditions, including without limitation, receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals, including the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for general working capital purposes. About Kombat Copper Kombat Copper is a publicly traded Canadian exploration and development company with its core operations focused on copper resources in Namibia, one of the world's most prospective copper regions, where it has substantial assets in place with significant upside. The Company continues to hold an 80% interest in five mining licenses in the Otavi Mountainlands, an area of Namibia particularly known for its high-grade copper deposits. Within these licenses are three past-producing mines including the Company's flagship property, the Kombat Mine. Kombat Copper has contracted EBM Mining Namibia to begin mining lead/copper mineralization at Kombat East, Kombat Central and potentially Gross Otavi within the year. Concentrates will be produced at the Company's production facilities, which are being refurbished by EBM. EBM is also evaluating opportunities to market aggregate stone and sand byproducts locally. Kombat Copper's decision to (i) mine the near surface mineralization on the Kombat East and Kombat Central areas, and (ii) produce any concentrate from such mining and processing is not based on a feasibility study or mineral resource/reserve with demonstrated economic viability. Kombat Copper has decided to put certain areas of the Kombat Mine into production without first establishing mineral resources or mineral reserves, supported by a technical report and/or feasibility study. The Company cautions readers that such production may not be economically feasible and historically such projects have a much higher risk of economic or technical failure. Cautionary Notes Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the proposed Offering, the expected use of proceeds, possible mineralization and deposits, the anticipated timeline regarding future exploration work, availability of results and production, the Company's expectations regarding mineral resources, EBM's ability to commence operations and operate the applicable portions of the Kombat mine, EBM's ability to make the requisite investments, the Company's expectations regarding the production and sales of mineralization from the Kombat Mine and potential development work and the Company's plans for the Kombat Mine including any financial impact and community impact. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. The securities referred to in this news release have not been, and will not be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act"), or any applicable securities laws of any state of the United States, and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and any other applicable securities laws of the United States or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of these securities within any jurisdiction, including the United States. Pablo Tordesillas studied law before opting for life in a professional kitchen, so he chuckles at the idea of opening a restaurant in the former site of the NSW Police headquarters on College Street. The chef won't make his customers eat with plastic cutlery when The Resident opens on June 28, picking up where he left off at the now closed but celebrated Ortiga in Brisbane. He'll mix Spanish and the wider Mediterranean influences of his upbringing with some native ingredients from his adopted home. Lemon myrtle sneaks into a dish of mussels and globe artichoke, saltbush is paired with duck liver and salsify in another. Tordesillas concedes College Street is new restaurant turf, but argues there are plenty of restaurant success stories in nearby East Sydney, plus it is owned by the experienced team behind Lotus Dining. Head Chef Pablo Tordesillas Garcia at The Resident, Sydney. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer "We'll also open a separate cafe here in the next week, baking our own bread and pastries, including Spanish ones with walnut filling," the chef says. The Resident, 18 College Street, Sydney. Lunch: Thurs-Sun. Dinner: daily. Chef Pablo Diaz has had a long journey from his hometown of Madrid to St Kilda, where he is about to open a tapas bar called Chulo not only did he train at Arzak as a teenager (you may have heard of it, it's the 21st best restaurant in the world) he also studied sushi-making under Japanese chef Yoka Loka and opened a bunch of tapas bars in Buenos Aires. Not bad. His Acland Street restaurant, which should open next month, pays homage to the traditional tapas bars of southern Spain with a few new toys thrown in Diaz is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a Josper oven. Designed by Adam Dettrick, the architect behind the Movida restaurants, it's channelling Moorish and flamenco vibes with a vermillion red frontage inspired by Bodega de Ardosa, high top bar tables and open kitchen flanked by pastel-toned, hand-made ceramic tiles imported from Valencia. The menu is still taking shape but will feature plenty of aperitif style snacks to go with a sturdy vermouth list: think blue cheese and prune croquetas, txistorra (a basque chorizo), and little flatbreads called molletes, topped with braised oxtail or fried calamari. Chulo, at 154 Acland Street, St Kilda, is tipped for a late-July debut. SHARE Which Wich Superior Sandwiches' second San Angelo location is scheduled to open early next year at 4515 Knickerbocker Road, inside Jack's Convenience Store, said Tom Granger, local Which Wich franchise owner. San Angelo's first Which Wich, on North Koenigheim, opened in February 2015. Its success is partially the reason for opening a second location, Granger said. "We bought the franchise rights for eight Which Wiches in Texas," he said. "Right now we have two facilities up and going the one in San Angelo and the one in Midland." Connie Peyton, director of franchise development at Which Wich, said San Angelo is "definitely a two, possibly three store market." "The second location is going to be a more nontraditional space," she said. "It's going to capture more of an audience that's coming there for gas or something else in that convenience arena. We're also looking at possibly a third Which Wich in the western part of the city where the other existing retail is." Which Wich currently operates in 39 states and 11 countries and has about 400 locations, Peyton said. "We're in growth mode for sure, but we're looking for the right people, the right space," she said. "We really grow organically. We don't target specific markets or go after real estate until we have a group that's a right fit for the brand. We have an amazing partner with Tom Granger and his partners. They're at the top 10 percent of our whole franchise." Granger said the new space is currently in the permitting phase of development but that construction is likely to get started within the next 30 days. Young Life moving in with Rust Street Rust Street Ministries, 801 Rust St., is opening its doors to Young Life, a local ministry for adolescents and college students. Rust Street serves the needs of the community by providing assistance with food, clothing, household items and counseling, according to its website. Young Life is a nondenominational outreach that focuses on helping teens develop a relationship with Christ. Young Life will occupy part of a warehouse on the Rust Street property, said Janet Branham, volunteer coordinator at Rust Street. "There are three long bays in that building, and they'll have part of the middle bay in the back, and they'll build a facility in there for their agency," she said, adding that plans include constructing office space and a stage for Young Life's programs. The project is valued at $400,000, according to a May permits and inspections report on the city of San Angelo's website. "We serve neighbors from 10 and 2, and (Young Life will) be working more in the evenings," said Bryan Jarvis, director of Rust Street Ministries. "We'll still be two separate organizations (but) we'll hit two different demographics, which I think will be really good." Young Life's San Angelo branch started in 2010, according to an article in the Standard-Times. Becca Nelson Sankey writes about business for the Standard-Times. Contact her at rnsankey@gmail.com Pam Panchak/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette/TNS Raymond Buehner, a senior at North Hills High School, and Halle Celebrezze, a senior at North Allegheny, have been working part time at the market Soergel Orchards in Wexford, Pa., to save up money for college. SHARE By Tim Grant, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) PITTSBURGH About halfway through high school, Raymond Buehner and Halle Celebrezze came to terms with how expensive a college education would be and the fact that a large share of the financial responsibility would fall on their shoulders. Both began stashing away money from their part-time jobs. "I've been saving a lot since I started this job," said Buehner, 18, who recently graduated from North Hills High School in Pittsburgh. He has been working 20 to 30 hours a week at a family farm called Soergel Orchards outside the city for the past two years. He plans to attend Slippery Rock University this fall and major in finance. "I have my own savings account I control," he said. "I like to take charge of my own finances. This job has given me good experience. Working the cash register has helped me to be more accountable with money." While there is nothing new about high school students working and saving for college, researchers at the Washington, D.C.-based College Savings Foundation are seeing a spike in the number of young people going that route. In its seventh annual report on college savings trends, the College Savings Foundation found more high school students saving their own money for college this year than any previous year tracked. The survey found 60 percent of high school students are saving for college, up from 51 percent in 2015. The surge comes at a time when previous generations of college students have run up $1.3 trillion in college debt and many of them are finding their choices after graduation limited by all the bills. Those following in their footsteps have taken note. "High school students have a heightened awareness of the high cost of a college education and its importance," said Mary Morris, chairman of the foundation and CEO of Virginia 529 in Richmond. "Families are talking more about all these things related to financing of college, which has led to more students taking responsibility." Celebrezze, 18, who graduated this year from North Allegheny Senior High School will be attending the University of Pittsburgh this fall where she plans to major in psychology. She started working part-time between 15 and 20 hours a week at Soergel Orchards three years ago when she was in 10th grade. Initially, she had no savings goals. That charged about a year after she started the job. "In my junior year, (the school) started talking really deep into college planning and how expensive it is, and I started putting my money into a savings account my parents started when I was born," Celebrezze said. "I still have money to spend. I usually take $50 out of each paycheck every week." According to the CSF survey, 78 percent of high school savers have put away at least $1,000 and 20 percent are saving primarily in 529 college savings plans due to the plans' tax advantages. The 529 program gets its name from the tax law which created it. These plans are actually college savings trusts set up under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code. The concept originated from states, rather than the federal government, with Michigan being the first to establish a state trust for college saving in the late 1980s. Today, all states offer 529 plans. As long as the money is used for qualified college expenses, a 529 is a tax-free investment. Families can put aside up to $14,000 per child each year in the plans, pay no taxes on the money while it is growing, and pay no taxes when they pull the money out to pay college bills. More parents also seem to be using sound strategies to boost savings. Fifty-seven percent of students said their parents save a fixed amount per month, up from 52 percent last year, and nearly half (47 percent) said their parents started saving sometime between the student's birth and through elementary school. Rashda Khan Columnist SHARE Yfat Yossifor / Standard-Times The bakery features fresh breads and cookies at the recently opened Market Street store, 3121 Sunset Dr. Yfat Yossifor / Standard-Times Rod Meister and Joyce Meister sample a peach pie peach Friday, June 24, at the recently opened Market Street store, 3121 Sunset Dr. Yfat Yossifor / Standard-Times Craig Sopetto, store director, looks over the personal care selection at the recently opened Market Street store, 3121 Sunset Dr. Yfat Yossifor / Standard-Times Rich Stein, produce manager, selects a melon for a customer Friday, June 24, at the recently opened Market Street store, 3121 Sunset Dr. San Angelo has seen a sudden growth in grocery options recently. We now have five Walmart stores a combination of Supercenters and smaller Neighborhood Markets, two Lowe's Supermarkets downtown and in the north end of town, two grocery stores specializing in Mexican products and ingredients Super Mercado and La Azteca Meat Market, the Asian Market near Angelo State University, the centrally located H-E-B, until the first freeze you also have the Concho Valley Farmers' Market, and the locally owned Green's Grocery and Cafe in the south end of the city. While Albertson's dropped down from two stores to one in San Angelo, it has beefed up its offerings. After an extensive remodel of the 1980s building, the store that's emerged from the dust is now a Market Street. This is a higher-end grocery option than the typical Albertson's model. Both are owned by the same company, the United Family, which is a division of the Albertsons Company. When Craig Sopetto, store director of the new Market Street offered the Standard-Times a tour, I jumped on it. Curious minds wanted to know what's different? New floors, and a brighter, more open layout greeted me. Several shoppers were surprised that remodeling didn't involve actual increase in size or square-footage. The store hired 200 new people for a total of about 330 employees, said Sopetto. He added the majority of the remodeling has been focused on improving and expanding food service. "We probably have the best kitchen in San Angelo now," Sopetto said, beaming like a proud papa. "We offer so much more now breakfast, lunch and dinner." Options also include: take out, convenience meal deals, and specialty items like dry-aged beef, a variety of Kombucha drinks, powdered peanut butter. "It's called Market Street because the winding layout lets customers meander through like they are visiting a market," Sopetto said, leading us past the floral department to the equally colorful new sushi area. It offers both raw and cooked sushi, with interesting ingredients like mango, jalapeno and crushed Cheetos. Different sizes are available, including single item containers, variety packs and especial heart-shaped boxes of sushi for date night. We pass an area with a variety of cheese wheels to choose from. However, Sopetto zeros in on the Parmigiano-Reggiano also known as Parmesan. "We take shavings of the cheese, toast it and make it available to our customers," said Sopetto, who enjoys cooking. "You can add it to all kinds of Italian dishes." Next stop is the cafe area. It has the typical offering of typical grocery store food counter items, but now for breakfast you can order customized burritos sold by the pound. "You add in what you want into your burrito and they'll weigh it in the end to get the price," he said, adding that he'd recently enjoyed a pretty big burrito for about $3. Sopetto said the store will offer a variety of fillings, including vegetarian options. "Our menu will get bigger and increase as time goes on," he said. The organic section of the store has grown from about a two-foot section to about 24 feet, and the produce section includes a variety of Texas-grown items. The centrally located salad bar and soup area didn't have any food set up when we visited, but given the number of spaces for containers, the area should offer a lot of variety. So I'm definitely going to check it out once it's open. Sopetto said the salad bar should be ready for the grand opening and in the morning it'll offer hot oatmeal and toppings. The Bakery area has also seen a large improvements, including a cookie machine brought in from Italy. "Before we were mostly using par-baked, frozen and out of the box items," said Gary Bittiker, Bakery Supervisor with United Supermarkets who happened to be on site. "Now we'll be doing about 70 percent of the baking from scratch with all natural starters and (house) recipes just like grandma." He let me sample a freshly baked butter almond cookie. Swoonworthy. The bakery starts up at about 4 a.m. to make cookies, breads, cakes and muffins. "The Albertson's food service was more like a deli, but now it's more like a restaurant," Sopetto said. The store now has 94-seat dining area with programmable soda machines. Market Street takes its "Living Well" concept seriously and stresses natural, organic and non-GMO labels and carries a number of herbal and homeopathic supplements. Sopetto said he is trying to add more vegan items. The pharmacy area has also improved and now has a room for consultations and shots. The bulk isle reminded me of H-E-B's bulk area, but I liked the selection of loose tea available. I also liked that you could bottle up what you need of items like Agave nectar, raw honey, maple syrup and balsamic vinegar. Sometimes I want to try recipes, but don't want to be stuck with a large amount of a certain ingredient. I was suitably impressed by the extensive wine and beer section. Sopetto said San Angelo's Market Street was the first one to get a temperature controlled wine cooler featuring wines ranging in price between $16 to about $200. A locked wine cooler is also in place for more expensive wines. However, what I liked was that the store featured Texas wines prominently in front display areas and had several of my favorite more modestly-priced wines. Stephanie Johnson, a wine/beer steward, will be on hand to answer questions and offer suggestions. The store also has a concierge to help customers plan events. "Think of our concierge as your personal party planner and event coordinator," reads the literature available at Market Street. Besides helping with the menu, the concierge can also take care of the set up from beverages, paper and plastic products, to floral displays and ice. "We have a delivery van so we can deliver the food to your event, set up and even help serve," Sopetto said. "It all depends on what you are willing to pay for and what you want." However, the star of the new Market Street, has to be the new in-store Starbucks. It pulled in visitors even before the rest of the store was completely ready. "Grocery shopping just got a whole lot better," said a shopper, who emerged from an aisle holding a Starbucks' cup and pushing a shopping cart. Rashda Khan is a San Angelo-based food enthusiast, writer and culinary instructor. She moderates the Facebook group San Angelo Eat Local. Originally from Bangladesh, she is now a proud West Texan. She can be reached at rashda.khan@gosanangelo.com or 325-659-8381. IF YOU GO What: Market Street grand opening When: Ribbon cutting 9 a.m., food sampling and specials all day June 29 Where: 3121 Sunset Drive Contact: 325-942-6627 Christian Tyler Randolph/Charleston Gazette-Mail via AP Theresa Havers helps clean out the kitchen of her son's home Sunday after flooding in Rainelle, W.Va. SHARE Taylor Self hugs a woman who traveled from Parkersburg with the Sunrise Baptist Church disaster relief team, before going back into Sherry Cole's home to help clean up in Clendenin, W.Va. John Raby And Dave Morrison, Associated Press ANSTED, W.Va. As West Virginians continued surveying damage in a state so devastated by floods that one said her community "smelled like death," residents braced for the prospect of more rain. The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for at least 25 West Virginia counties on Monday. Heavy rains were possible in many areas already ravaged by last week's floods that have killed 24 people statewide. The forecast also includes hardest-hit Greenbrier County, where 16 people have died and floodwaters have yet to recede. Dozens of residents of flooded-out Rainelle remained Sunday at a shelter more than 25 miles away at the Ansted Baptist Church, where singing from inside mixed with the bustle of activity outside. The church's gymnasium has been converted to a shelter. The church also is a drop-off point for donated goods as well as a makeshift kennel for dog owners. For now, it's home for Jerry Reynolds, his wife, Janice, and his brother, Marcus Reynolds. Janice Reynolds said she drove back to Rainelle on Saturday to survey the damage. She said her home was destroyed, a vehicle was lost in the floodwaters and the community "smelled like death." Jerry Reynolds says the flood was "the worst thing I've ever seen." But as he sat in his car at the shelter, he declared that "we're survivors. We'll make it." Marcus Reynolds even found a bit of humor amid the sorrow. "While we're at it, would you be interested in any oceanfront property?" he said. "I understand there's some available." Bill Kious of Rainelle was asked how those at the shelter, many of them on modest incomes, were able to laugh. "Frankly, because we've lived a rough lifestyle," Kious said. "It's a nature to us that we can't get rid of." Rick Lewis of the Nuttall Fire Department said 129 people were staying Sunday at the church gymnasium. Many more Rainelle residents were sent to other shelters, he said. Among those taking advantage of the shelter's kennel was T.J. Parker of Rainelle and his pet Titan. Parker said he and Titan had to swim four blocks to safety. Along the way, he stopped to rescue an elderly man calling for help and brought him through floodwaters to a fire department. Parker said he had to go under water and hold his breath to support the man, then come up for air. "I realize that sounds crazy, but you have to do what you have to do at that time," Parker said. Volunteer Randy Halsey said the donated items at the church were heading specifically to Rainelle. He said it was difficult to estimate how many items had been donated because "as soon as it comes in, it's going right back out." Authorities have yet to start sizing up the flood damage in West Virginia. But it is drawing comparisons to November 1985 floods that remain the state's most expensive natural disaster with more than $570 million in damage. That year, the remnants of Hurricane Juan had brought rivers to near bankful when a low-pressure system stalled over the Mid-Atlantic region and produced as much as 10 inches of rain. Forty-seven people died in West Virginia, more than half of them in Pendleton and Grant counties. The Potomac River at Paw Paw crested 29 feet above flood stage. More than 3,500 homes, 180 businesses and 43 bridges statewide were destroyed. Twenty-nine counties were declared federal disaster areas. "This is the worst I've ever seen," said Fayette County Sheriff's Sgt. Bill Mooney, who served in the National Guard during massive floods in 2000-01. "Nobody expected 7 inches of (rain) in three hours." Federal money will be part of the rebuilding equation. Sunday marks the first day people can apply for Federal Emergency Management Agency aid in the three worst-hit counties of Greenbrier, Kanawha and Nicholas. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin's administration still believes there are people missing in Greenbrier County, chief of staff Chris Stadelman said. Missouri high school students will need to pass a civics exam and public schools must set time aside daily for the Pledge of Allegiance, under a package of education measures Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law Wednesday.The new law requires most students who start ninth grade after July 2017 to pass a 100-question civics exam similar to the U.S. citizenship test in order to graduate. It's part of a national push by Arizona-based Joe Foss Institute to see similar laws in all 50 states.The legislation also calls for public high school students starting in fall 2017 to receive 30 minutes training on CPR and first aid for choking, such as the Heimlich maneuver. Nixon signed a bill with the same provision earlier this month.Other provisions in the Missouri legislation, which was loaded down with changes in the final days of session, expand a community college scholarship program to private schools.Nixon during a visit to Springfield touted a policy change to create a pilot program to rate preschools based on quality. Nixon's office said Missouri was the only state that banned a quality rating system for preschools.Participation by early childhood centers in the three-year pilot program will be voluntary."This legislation is long overdue, and I'm pleased we're taking action to provide the tools parents need to find the right preschool for them and their children," Nixon said in a statement. Missouri North Dakota Oklahoma Tennessee Utah Handing reproductive rights advocates a major win that will have impacts beyond Texas, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-3 on Monday to overturn a controversial abortion law in that state.The decision voids a Fifth Circuit court ruling that upheld a 2013 law, signed by then-Gov. Rick Perry, that required abortion clinics to meet hospital-like standards for surgical centers and also required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles.The admitting privileges requirement is what reproductive health experts say caused more than half of the abortion clinics in Texas to close. Obtaining admitting privileges is onerous -- especially in Texas -- because hospitals are sparse in rural areas, and some hospitals, especially religious ones, refuse to grant them to abortion doctors.Plaintiffs in the lawsuit argued that such regulations are medically unnecessary and violate women's right to have abortions -- an argument with which the majority of the court sided."Both the admitting-privileges and the surgical-center requirements place a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion, constitute an undue burden on abortion access, and thus violate the Constitution," the court ruled in its majority opinion.Currently 24 states, most of which are led by Republicans, regulate abortion clinics beyond what the federal government deems necessary-- five of which require abortion providers to have hospital admitting privileges. Twenty-two states have laws on the books that require clinics to meet licensing standards for ambulatory surgical centers.Health organizations largely praised the courts ruling, with the American Public Health Association saying the decision means safe, local reproductive health care cannot be denied based on out-of-touch medical practices that serve no benefit to public health.But the ruling is a blow to anti-abortion advocates, who have had increased success in recent years passing restrictions in conservative states. In a statement, the National Right to Life Committee criticized the court's decision.How shabby are these abortion clinics that they cannot meet the minimum standards other outpatient surgical centers are required to meet, and just how bad are these abortionists that they cant get admitting privileges at a local hospital? said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life.The ruling only immediately applies to the two other states in the Fifth Circuit: Louisiana and Mississippi. Still, it's likely that the decision will spur other states to challenge abortion restrictions."Its going to have serious ramifications throughout the states, said Elizabeth Nash, senior state issues associate at Guttmacher Institute, an abortion rights think tank. Neither side is giving up, and there are plenty of abortion cases still sitting in federal courts. This also isnt the end of the story."Heres a look at five states worth watching in the months to come.In 2005, Missouri became the first state in the country to require abortion doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital -- setting off a domino effect of legislation across the country. The state is one of five that has only one abortion clinic. A woman seeking an abortion in Missouri must also wait 72 hours after her initial appointment before she can undergo the procedure.According to Planned Parenthood, women in Missouri travel 100 miles roundtrip, on average, to get an abortion. Because of this, many women in the state seek reproductive health care elsewhere: 3,324 residents traveled to neighboring states to get an abortion in 2013, according to the state health department.Like Missouri, North Dakota has only one clinic, and it requires its doctors to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. The state has emerged in recent years as perhaps the most hostile toward abortion rights.The state passed a law in 2013 -- considered the strictest in the country -- that banned abortions after the first detection of a heartbeat. That law has since been overturned, but the ruling didn't slow attempts to restrict abortion.Abortions after 20 weeks -- except in cases when the womans health is compromised -- are illegal, and a woman must wait 24 hours after her initial appointment before getting the procedure.Oklahoma has both laws on the books that are nearly identical to the struck-down regulations in Texas. Clinics are required to have admitting privileges and are required to meet surgical center standards. The state also imposes a 24-hour waiting period and requires women to receive counseling that discourages abortion.Earlier this year, lawmakers passed one of the most extreme abortion bills ever that would have essentially banned the procedure. Republican Gov. Mary Fallin, however, vetoed it Tennessees abortion laws, which are similar to those struck down in Texas, are already being challenged in federal court.In 2012, it became one of the five states that requires abortion doctors to have admitting privileges to a nearby hospital. Two years later, the state passed a law requiring clinics performing more than 50 abortions a year to meet surgical center standards.Pro-abortion rights groups cheered the ruling there.We are thrilled that the Supreme Court knew these restrictions were an undue burden on women, and did nothing in regards to health and safety, said Allison Glass, state director of Healthy and Free Tennessee, a reproductive rights advocacy group.Were really optimistic that this will be a turning point not only in regards to future litigation in Tennessee but any future legislation.The state also has a 48-hour waiting period for abortions, which is not facing litigation.Utah passed one of the nations most controversial abortion laws this year. Any woman seeking an abortion after 20 weeks must be given painkillers intended for the baby, not her. While anti-abortion groups praised the legislation as humane, abortion rights advocates called the law scientifically unsound.Similar to Texas, the state also requires abortion providers to be 15 minutes from the nearest hospital, the doctors must have hospital admitting privileges and the clinics must meet surgical center regulations. Governor David Ige signed the bill SB 2954 on Thursday that made Hawaii the first state to enter gun owners into an FBI database system for greater criminal record monitoring.This system, also known as the "Rap Back" system, allows law enforcement agencies to be automatically notified when a Hawaii-based gun owner is arrested anywhere in the country. The governor's office said this system will allow county police departments to better determine whether a firearm owner who has run into trouble may continue to legally possess firearms."This is about our community's safety and responsible gun ownership. this system will better enable our law enforcement agencies to ensure the security of all Hawaii residents and visitors to our islands," Ige said. Description GIS - 27 June, 2016: A Ministerial Committee under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Mr Pravind Jugnauth, was set up following Cabinet meeting on 24 June 2016 to look into and make recommendations on the repercussions of the exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU). A Ministerial Committee under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Finance and Economic Development, T he Minister of Finance and Economic Development met with representatives of both the private and public sector s on Friday regarding the issue of the exit of the UK from the EU. A communique issued on the same day by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development says that Brexit will undoubtedly have repercussions globally and in Mauritius. Article 50 of the EU Treaty provides for a transition period of 2 years for the UK to negotiate the terms and conditions of its exit. It stipulates the following: the Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, failing that, two years after the notification, unless the European Council in agreement with the member state concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period. The Committee noted that it would be left to the next UK Prime Minister to initiate any action to trigger Article 50. Hence, it is expected that a status quo would be maintained for at least the next three months. Further, it was highlighted that Mauritius will thus be able to retain its current preferential market access and will continue to trade on a duty free and quota free basis during that period since the transitional period of two years would only begin after the UK notification. The share of our total exports to the UK has dropped from 34 per cent in 2008 to 12.6 per cent in 2015 stemming, inter alia, from our market diversification strategy. Mauritius export denominated in UK Pound Sterling which was 18 per cent in 2008 has declined to 6 per cent in 2015. The Committee pointed out that Brexit may weaken the UK economy in the medium term with implications for some sectors of the Mauritian economy. In this context, the Joint Public-Private Sector Technical Committee agreed to pursue its assessment of Mauritius trade with the UK in various sectors with a view to identifying areas which may be vulnerable. On the other hand, the Bank of Mauritius (BOM) is monitoring closely all developments in the international financial markets. The BOM has re-affirmed that it stands ready to intervene and take measures, if necessary, to protect the economic interest of Mauritius. Government will continue to monitor all developments related to Brexit very closely through the inter-Ministerial Committee. Description GIS 27 June 2016: The Youth Excellence Award is a highly-challenging programme as it enables participants to approach the future with a vision and a search for excellence, which in turn helps young people to become more assertive and develop their potential by elaborating projects for the welfare of the community, stated the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Yogida Sawmynaden, this morning at the launching of the 9th Edition of the Youth Excellence Award in Port Louis. For the Minister, the Award aims at detecting and rewarding the remarkable undertakings of young people in different fields and presenting these youth as role models. Speaking about the strategy for youth, the Minister observed that has to be constantly reviewed as each generation has its own specificities and thus a committee meets on a regular basis with the aim to achieve the new vision Smart Youth 2020 of the Youth Sector of the Ministry. Our youth enjoys the full trust of business sector stakeholders and Government is counting on young people to make of its vision of an entrepreneurship nation a reality, he added. Open to young people aged between 16 and 29 years, this years edition is seeing once again the collaboration of SICOM. In fact, the last two editions was organised jointly with SICOM. Individuals as well as teams (not exceeding seven participants) may submit entries for the Award. Participants are called upon to submit a project in any one of the following areas of interest: Music and Arts; Entrepreneurship and Business Development Initiative; and, Community Development Initiative. The project should depict an achievement which is ongoing (minimum of four months). Three prizes will be awarded for each category. Winners will be rewarded with a cash prize of Rs 100,000 and a Trophy. The first runner up will get a cash prize of Rs 50,000 and the second will get a cash prize of Rs 25,000 and a Shield. The Award The broader aim of the Youth Excellence Award is to give young people the opportunity to highlight their involvement in the social, economic, cultural, artistic and other youth-related fields through a project; promote high youth achievers as role models to inspire other youth; reward outstanding projects; and showcase original and innovative projects which demonstrate a sense of initiative and a search for excellence by young people. Projects should also address a community need as well as be sustainable. For additional details and participation forms go to: http://mys.govmu.org/ Booming Business, Growing Backlash 'An Uneven Playing Field' (TNS) -- At a gathering of more than 200 mayors in Indianapolis, Airbnb officials on Saturday extended an enticing offer: Let us collect millions in unpaid hotel taxes for you.At first glance, the company's pitch is an unusual one. After all, who wants to be taxed?But it also is a clear sign that the online home-sharing service is trying to get out in front of an issue that has pitted the upstart firm against the traditional hotel industry in virtually every city where it does business.Hotel operators in Indianapolis and across the country complain that Airbnb is playing by a different set of rules, and it's disrupting not only their share of tourism dollars, but also government tax collections.In Indy, a 10 percent innkeeper's tax helps pay for things such as Lucas Oil Stadium, the Indiana Convention Center and city tourism marketing. And while Airbnb hosts who rent out their homes are required by law to pay these taxes, enforcing compliance among a web of unregulated homeowners has proven difficult nationwide.For its part, Airbnb insists it's trying to be a good corporate citizen: It has long urged its hosts to follow state and local laws. And it is willing to collect and pay the taxes itself, cutting the host out of the picture entirely. It now has voluntary tax collection agreements with communities in 18 states, including neighboring Illinois and Ohio, but not Indiana.Were doing something that probably no business has ever done before," said Chris Lehane, Airbnb's global head of public policy, in a talk Saturday at the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. "Im standing up before mayors and saying, Read my lips, we want to pay taxes.' "If the offer sounds too good to be true, the hotel industry would agree. They say the voluntary agreements fall well short of the level of accountability required of hotels. And they leave unresolved a host of other issues, such as zoning and licensing.The debate bubbling up in cities across the country is not unlike that of ride-share services Uber and Lyft versus the taxicab industry, or Amazon versus brick-and-mortar retailers. How far should the government go in regulating popular technology-driven services that are upending traditional industries?So far, Indianapolis leaders have been content to study the debate as it unfolds elsewhere. But as Airbnb's market share continues to grow, the experience elsewhere shows that issue could change in a hurry.With revenues projected to top $900 million in 2015, the San Francisco-based Airbnb in just a few short years has emerged as a major force in the hospitality industry. Founded in 2008, the company now boasts more than 2 million listings in more than 34,000 cities and 191 countries, according to the company's website Unlike traditional hotel services, the company doesn't own or provide any lodging itself, which arguably shifts the tax burden to its user base. Instead, it serves as a matchmaking service, connecting travelers to hosts, who rent out space in their home, apartment or condo to guests.But as home-sharing has proliferated, that business model has come under fire from both the hotel industry and neighbors, and government regulators have struggled to keep up with the changing landscape.Neighbors complain that Airbnb's hosts are degrading their neighborhoods with an influx of unwanted visitors. In some cities, murky zoning laws only add to the frustration. And in places with already crowded housing markets like San Francisco and New York, advocates say rampant home-sharing threatens the availability of affordable rental housing for low-income residents.In San Francisco, there were 5,500 listings last year, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. In New York City, statistics released by the company show more than 35,000 listings.Many cities have responded with crackdowns. Just last week, the Chicago City Council passed some of the strictest rules in the nation and imposed a 4 percent surcharge on each transaction. The Chicago Tribune reported that the final version was "dizzylingly complex," with provisions allowing residents in certain areas to petition the council for neighborhood-level bans on home-sharing.With the growing backlash, the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting in Indianapolis this weekend provided Airbnb a high-profile audience to defend its practices and suggest ways that cities and Airbnb can work together.It should be noted that Airbnb was the title sponsor of the event, and sponsored its own panel with the mayors of Portland, Ore., and Phoenix on how cities can generate revenue through Airbnb tax collection agreements.Airbnb's pitch is this: The company has already remitted $42.6 million in tourism-related taxes to cities around the world, and by entering into voluntary tax collection agreements with the company, the 50 largest cities in the U.S. could have collected a total of $200 million last year.So what's in these voluntary tax agreements for Airbnb?Obviously, Airbnb is highly motivated to enter these agreements because then it will smooth the opportunities to enter into better zoning agreements," said Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton. In other words, Airbnb has a better negotiating position when there aren't questions about whether the service is paying its share of taxes.With just over 1,200 listings, Airbnb so far isn't a big enough player in the Indianapolis market to have attracted serious attention from Mayor Joe Hogsett or the City-County Council.But it is something that tourism officials are watching closely listings are up by around 500 this year.Look no further than the Indianapolis 500 for an example of how Airbnb fills a need in Indianapolis: With the metro area's 33,000 hotel rooms virtually sold out months ahead of the race this year, visitors were snapping up lodging through Airbnb for hundreds and even thousands of dollars."Our job at Visit Indy is to create demand for visitors to come and check into our hotels and generate tax revenue," said Chris Gahl, the senior vice president of Visit Indy, the city's tourism arm.Gahl said his group hasn't staked out a position on the issue, but it is researching how other cities are handling it."Were conscious that right now its an uneven playing field," Gahl said.Patrick Tamm, president of the Indiana Restaurant & Lodging Association, which represents hotels, is among those pushing for action sooner rather than later. And at the state level, his group has already won at least one skirmish.This session, the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Bill 309 clarifying that Airbnb-like services are required to pay the 7 percent state sales tax. In a fiscal analysis, the state Legislative Services Agency wrote that the provision "would likely increase sales tax revenue by a significant, but indeterminable amount."At the local level, Tamm dismisses Airbnb's voluntary tax collection agreements as unfair."There are strings attached to the agreements that should raise red flags for policymakers," Tamm said. While the hotel industry has to keep extensive records and provide data to government regulators, Airbnb has resisted doing so in other cities.Just this month, a county tax collector in the Florida Keys threatened to file a class-action lawsuit against the firm to force it to disclose information on its hosts, the Miami Herald reported "Its like, heres my tax, trust me, " Tamm said. "Well, wed like to do that, too. People look at me when I say that like, 'Thats absurd.' And theyre right. It is absurd.Airbnb officials say they typically agree to provide the number of home renters and how much money was generated. But they also strive to protect their hosts' privacy, which often means withholding information on hosts and where they're located. That can make it difficult for the government to track the industry and ensure compliance with taxes as well as zoning and licensing laws.While the panelists spoke highly of their cities' relationship with Airbnb, other city officials in attendance ripped the company, saying they had had a very different experience.In one exchange, a city official from Madison, Wis., called Airbnb's pitch "a sham.""We have not had any responses as to tax collections," he said. "We have not had any responses as to inventorying the Airbnbs in our city."Meanwhile, in Wisconsin and Washington, lawmakers are now looking to pre-empt local zoning laws, which threatens cities' ability to regulate them. Arizona has already done so, overriding regulations Phoenix previously had in place.Rather than allow Lehane of Airbnb to respond, the moderator quickly moved on. But after another city official levied similar complaints, the mayor of Portland, which generated $1.9 million in Airbnb taxes last year, offered some advice."Seeing it from their point of view, it is kind of a pain to have to deal with this many local governments," said Mayor Charlie Hales. "My counsel to you as a fellow mayor is try to get to yes on a reasonable agreement."That helped tamp down the interest in pre-emption." (TNS) -- The analysis of voting in the Minnesota Legislature included only votes in the House of Representatives, not the Minnesota Senate.Thats because the Senate does not make its roll call vote data as available as the House The Senate does release how each member votes on roll calls, but the information is only published in PDF files in daily Senate Journals. Those PDFs are extremely difficult for computers to understand and extract data from, so the Sunlight Foundation was unable to acquire Senate roll call data.Several years ago the House adopted a friendlier and more modern system, where each vote has its own web page in a format easy for computer scripts to understand. At that time the Senate did not adopt the same system.There are all kinds of questions you can answer with that information when its been released as structured data that you cant when its just a PDF, said Emily Shaw, a senior analyst for the Sunlight Foundation.Shaw said states with open legislative data have seen nonprofits and private companies set up new services to help the public use and understand legislative data.The Sunlight Foundations 2013 Open Legislative Data Report Card gave Minnesota a C grade for openness and specifically criticized the unavailable Senate data as a reason.Minnesota is one of just five states, Shaw said, where at least one legislative chamber didnt make votes available in a machine-readable format.In a statement, a spokeswoman for the Senate majority said they werent aware of the Senates technological shortcomings until the Pioneer Press inquired last week. She said the Senate would explore ways to open up its roll call data.We take very seriously the right of the public to have access to this information, said Amelia Cerling, the Senate majoritys spokeswoman. The Senate has published every vote in the public Senate Journal document Technology has quickly evolved and the information youve shared is a clear indication we should to take a closer look at how we publish our information.Cerling said the Senate would reach out to the National Conference of State Legislatures for help making upgrades but noted that the Senate Rules Committee would have to approve any changes before they could be implemented. SAN FRANCISCO -- On Thursday, June 23, the city of San Francisco celebrated the end of the National Week of Making , held June 17-23, by highlighting four initiatives meant to expand the maker movements reach in manufacturing while enhancing its public exposure.In an event co-hosted by the San Francisco Mayors Office of Civic Innovation and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, officials recognized efforts to push the movements use of modern tech and local manufacturing forward. The gathering, held at the San Francisco community TechShop, spotlighted a new fabrication incubator, the opening of a San Francisco exhibition space for sound installations, a program to connect local makers with production facilities, and an international campaign to revive economies after disasters with maker tools, to name a few.The nights series of speakers and panelists emphasized an ongoing desire to turn makers, with their diversity of self-made local products, into a primary source for driving economic opportunity to citizens and businesses. The Maker City Playbook played a central part in this. Its authors -- Dale Dougherty, the publisher of Make Media, and Peter Hirschberg, Founder of the Bay Area based City Innovate Foundation -- introduced the digital booklet as a guide to educate city leaders about the maker movement and how they can direct it to improve their local economies. The two analyzed 21 different cities that are taking the movements use of 3-D printing, laser cutting, and machining methods to cultivate jobs and seed small business activity.The playbook, sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation and endorsed by the White House, details the maker movements educational benefits, impact on workforce development, supply chain dynamics and potential for civic engagement in city projects.One of the things to listen for is the breadth of this movement, because what were going to see is advanced manufacturing, urban place making and educational opportunities, Hirschberg said at the event. When you connect the dots, this is a kind of big cultural change, this kind of bottoms up stuff that we do, is moving out from just pure technology and into this broader movement.The White Houses former Maker-in-Chief Stephanie Santoso, who helped President Obama launch the first White House Makers Faire in 2014, painted the San Francisco initiatives as part of a larger one the administration is actively promoting. As part of the National Week of Making this month, Santoso said the president honored 10 makers as part of his Champions of Change program that acknowledges U.S. innovators and pioneers.Among the other key actions of the administration to support making are new grants and education resources from eight federal agencies to drive growth. Within education, Santoso said making is apt to play a significant role in the future economy, and to assist this, the White House has committed more than 1,400 K-12 schools across 50 states to creating maker spaces.The maker movement is having an incredible impact on students and adults and families all around the country, Santoso said. And when you have places like maker spaces, and tech shops and fab labs, people really come together and learn new skills they can work on.The four highlighted maker spaces from the event are:Burning ManBurning Man, an event widely known for its eccentric parties and makeshift desert cities, is putting its creativity and quick building skills to use to help create temporary tent cities for regions affected by political turmoil and natural disasters. Heather White, Burning Mans managing director of people and operations, said the organization has created its first Maker-in-Residence program that will help alleviate some of the strife with maker skills that create jobs and lift economies.TechShopTechShop, the nations network of community makerspaces, has committed resources to launch 10,000 new startup businesses by 2022. The program leans on TechShop's 7,500 member network to put promising maker entrepreneurs in contact with advisors, interested venture capital firms and high volume fabrication providers. The support answers the daunting challenge of turning on-off designs into high volume productions.Market Street Prototyping Festival, Gray Area Foundation for the Arts, AutodeskThe group is opening the Urban Prototyping Research Lab, an initiative that will incubate up to 10 submitted projects from teams at the 2015 Market Street Prototyping Festival, an event celebrating the art and ingenuity of public installations. The 10 selected teams will work side by side at the Grand Theater, situated along San Franciscos Mission Street, for a six-month long research and development program to start this month. The goal of the lab will be to place the permanent and semi-permanent installations in different neighborhoods around San Francisco.The San Francisco Exploratorium, San Francisco Office of Innovation, and the San Francisco Planning DepartmentThe city is carving out another space for artists and inventors with its new Sound Commons area that will be located just outside its city hall. One of the sites exhibits allows two people to speak to each other from a distance of 50 feet, while another amplifies and records the sounds of footsteps. The exhibition area, opened this month, is headed by the San Francisco Exploratoriums Steve Gennrich, who said he and fellow contributors hope the interactive sound installations bring San Franciscos diverse communities together. (TNS) -- A day after Britain voted to leave the European Union, President Obama told 700 entrepreneurs from around the globe that their leadership is needed to bridge the worlds growing cultural rifts.Yesterdays vote speaks to the ongoing changes and challenges that are raised by globalization, Obama said.The president spoke at Stanford University, which hosted the seventh annual Global Entrepreneurship Summit, where aspiring business leaders attended from as far away as Rwanda, Uruguay, Egypt and Pakistan.Cultures are colliding, the president said. Sometimes its disruptive and people get worried. Youre the bridge. Youre the glue. Particularly the young people that are here.The summit, held this week in the heart of Silicon Valley, was nonetheless dominated by a sense of chaos in the worlds political centers, from No. 10 Downing Street in London to Capitol Hill in Washington.On Thursday, when Uber CEO and co-founder Travis Kalanick asked White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett how the Bay Areas tech scene compared to Washington, she shared frustration.Silicon Valley, Jarrett said, is heaven. You actually get things done.Also Thursday, Secretary of State John Kerry called on technologists in the audience to help solve violent extremism, climate change and political corruption.There is an urgency to encourage as much entrepreneurial activity as possible, Kerry said. My years of experience have taught me an important lesson for these types of gatherings. The best thing the government can do is convene the forum, make sure the coffee is hot and get out of the way.Obamas call resonated with Ugandan entrepreneur Andrew Amara, who builds low-income housing equipped with solar panels, rain-catching devices and structures that can withstand extreme climate conditions.Amara said his venture might see an impact from Britains EU exit. Ugandas interactions with the EU have been largely through Britain, which once controlled the country as a colonial protectorate. Uganda could lose an advocate within the EU, but Britain could gain more flexibility in how it spends aid money in the East African country, Amara said.Christina Khater, the founder of a wedding-planning company in Beirut, is a dual citizen of Greece and Lebanon. As an EU citizen, she was able to attend graduate school in England.Its very sad, she said. The laws are going to change, and it will be more difficult to create businesses there.On Friday, when he sat down on stage in a panel moderated by Obama, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg repeated calls for a more connected world. He said that boosting Internet connections would help founders around the world gain access to information and opportunities.A young Egyptian entrepreneur thanked Zuckerberg for the role Facebook played in his countrys Arab Spring revolution.The mix of political and tech titans with entrepreneurs from developing countries displayed the cultural divide between Silicon Valley and Washington.During a break Friday, business leaders exchanged website addresses, photos and contact information by high-fiving small plastic hands that dangled around their necks, a technological innovation to replace the old swapping of business cards. Meanwhile, Secret Service agents pushed through the networking crowds to ensure that nobody got too close to Jarrett, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzer or U.S. Chief Technology Officer Megan Smith.The audience of young entrepreneurs also revealed a generational divide. While a crowd gathered around Ubers Kalanick after his talk, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak was greeted by a ponytailed entrepreneur who spoke with an accent as he asked his name.Im Steve Wozniak, Wozniak said, with apparent surprise. (TNS) -- As Connecticut seeks to boost high-speed internet, the state's consumer advocate is asking state regulators to establish rules for municipalities to use utility poles for expanded broadband access.The poles are owned by electric utilities such as Eversource and telecommunications companies, including Frontier Communications Corp., which took possession of the poles when it purchased AT&T's Connecticut franchise in 2014. The poles typically carry telephone and electric lines and cable TV wiring.Advocates for broader access to high-speed internet now want the ubiquitous poles about 900,000 in Connecticut to be used for broadband taken directly to homes and businesses.State law enacted in 2013 allowed municipalities access to the poles "for any use," broadening previous language in agreements between municipalities and utilities or telecommunications firms that allowed government use only, said Jack McCoy, Manchester's chief information officer.Manchester, for example, runs 44 miles of internet wiring linking schools, police stations, fire departments, senior citizen centers and other agencies. Broader use of utility poles could bring fiber optic service which increases speed and capacity tremendously from those sites to nearby homes and businesses.Elin Swanson Katz, the state's consumer counsel, has asked the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to establish rules that would be used in a standard agreement between municipalities and telecommunications companies and utilities. New rules would make it easier for municipalities to negotiate high-speed broadband access and, McCoy said, would include the requirement in state law allowing municipalities' access to poles "for any use.""The process is daunting and in some circumstances clear as mud," Katz said. "That whole process needs to be clarified."New rules also would clarify who must assess the condition of utility poles, ready them for new attachments and allocate the costs to prepare the poles for an added use, the consumer counsel's office said.Frontier said in a statement it supports state and municipal efforts to improve and expand access to advanced telecommunications and policies and initiatives that promote competition. Without elaborating, it said regulators and public agencies should not back policies that give a competitor an unfair advantage.A spokeswoman for Eversource said the utility supports increasing access to high-speed internet in Connecticut if the equipment attached to utility poles meets safety and engineering standards and installation costs are not "unfairly shifted" to its customers.Vinni Quast, president and chief executive officer of Quast Media, a digital advertising agency in downtown Manchester, said he'd welcome fiber-optic availability to boost his business. With the large amounts of data he handles, he uses cloud storage in Germany."To make something like that happen, you can't have broadband. You have to have fiber optic," he said.McCoy said providing high-speed internet to homes and businesses, or fiber to the premises known as FTTP, would be the "tip of an economic mountain of new enterprise."Katz and state Comptroller Kevin Lembo are leading a state effort to find ways to build and finance internet service of up to 1,000 megabits (1 gigabit) per second. That's nearly 100 times faster than what most home connections deliver.The two officials have characterized high-speed internet as a critical utility, no different from electricity or home heating. They also promote it as economic development to lure and keep businesses in Connecticut, with Lembo calling it the "ultimate infrastructure development."In her application to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, Katz said affordable access to high-speed internet is essential for a range of applications such as health care, financial services, transportation and public safety. Nico Rosberg appears poised to ink a new contract and stay with Mercedes for the next two years. With his negotiations being headed by family friend Gerhard Berger, Rosberg was said to be butting heads with Mercedes not only over money, but also the length of his contract extension beyond 2016. But as the German prepared to celebrate his 31st birthday with his wife Vivian in Ibiza, Rosberg was surprised when Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda walked into their ice-cream parlour 'Vivi's Creamery' with his own wife. Vivi's Creamery published a photo of the visit on its Facebook page, while Bild newspaper explained that Lauda had taken his new boat to Ibiza on its maiden voyage. After enjoying an ice-cream, Lauda said: "We are quite agreed on a new two-year contract. "The details have yet to be worked out." Asked if a new contract is Rosberg's birthday present, the F1 legend smiled: "No, he has earned it." (GMM) Honda is still open to supplying engines to a customer F1 team. That is the claim of the Japanese marque's F1 chief Yusuke Hasegawa, even though Ron Dennis has been determined to enforce McLaren's apparent veto for exclusivity. The FIA, however, thinks engine manufacturers should be willing to supply more than just a works team, and Hasegawa now says: "If we had the resources, there is nothing that speaks against a second team. "That way, you generate more data and experience and learn more quickly," the Japanese told Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. "But in our current situation, there are not many teams who want our engine, and each team already has an engine. "But we are planning on expanding our organisation so that when there is interest, we could supply a second team," Hasegawa added. (GMM) The new MDI economy/utility car is powered by the Compressed Air Engine (CAE) invented by Guy Negre, CEO and founder of MDI, and is one in a series of vehicles to be developed by MDI for production in various markets throughout the world. In 2007, MDI signed an agreement with Tata Motors for the application of CAE technology in India. ( Earlier post .) MDI (Moteur Developpment International) Group, the French developer of compressed air vehicles, and Zero Pollution Motors ( ZPM ), MDIs North American representative, is showcasing MDIs newest compressed air vehiclean economy/utility carat this years New York International Auto Show (NYIAS). The vehicle made its debut at the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE (AXP) ( earlier post ) booth at the show. ZPM and MDI have entered a team to compete for the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE. ZPM plans to introduce a 6-seat, 4-door family-size version of the compressed air vehicle to the US market in 2010. The ZPM model will achieve more than 100 MPGe and more than 90 mph, have zero to low C0 2 emissions and cost around $18,000. MDI and ZPM will enter two vehicles in the Progressive Automotive X Prize competition: the US production 6-seat, 4-door family-size model will compete in the Mainstream Class; and the 2-door, 3-seat economy/utility model on display at NYIAS will compete in the Alternative Class. The economy/utility model will be produced by MDI for sale in France and elsewhere in 2009 at a price of beginning at around $5,000-$6,000 for the basic model. The core of MDIs work is a piston engine powered by the expansion of electronically injected compressed air. MDI has developed two versions: a single fuel engine that relies solely upon compressed air, designed for urban areas only; and a dual-fuel version that uses compressed air and a combustible fuel (petroleum-based or biofuel). When running under 35 mph, the engine runs solely on compressed air. At speeds greater than 35mph, the engine uses small amounts of fuel to heat air inside a heating chamber called the Compressed Air Multiplier (CAM) as it enters the engine. The MDI Engines consist of an active chamber and are made up of modules of two opposing cylinders. A proprietary connection rod allows the retention of the piston at top dead center during 70 of crankshaft rotationproviding enough time to establish the required pressure in the cylinder. These modules can be coupled to make groups of 4 or 6 cylinders for a range of uses from 4 to 75 hp. The 6-passenger car targeted for the USformerly known as the CityCatwill use a six-cylinder version of the Compressed Air Engine that is Compressed Air Multiplier (CAM) enabled and will deliver an estimated 75 hp (56 kW). MDI projects that the vehicle will have a top speed of 96 mph, and offer fuel consumption of 106 mpg US (2.2L/100km) when driving at speeds above 35 mph. This will result in greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 40 gCO 2 /km. With an 8 gallon fuel tank, the car will have a range of 848 miles, according to MDI. A tank holds 3,200 ft3 of compressed air at 4,500 psi (310 bar). An on-board plug-in compressor generates 812 ft3 per hour. Add the University of Connecticut to the list of institutions that apparently want nothing more to do with Bill Cosby. The universitys Board of Trustees, meeting Wednesday, is expected to revoke the honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree it bestowed on the entertainer in 1996, when he was UConns commencement speaker. It would be a first for UConn, which has never taken back an honorary degree. As a resolution coming before the board says such a move would be an extraordinary action that is not being taken lightly. According to the resolution, conduct Cosby has admitted in sworn testimony is incongruous with UConns values. In March, UConns undergraduate student government voted unanimously to ask university officials to revoke Cosbys degree. Cosby, 78, is accused of numerous sexual assaults spanning decades and involving more than 50 women. Cosby has denied the allegations. One of those cases is poised to go to trial in criminal court Pennsylvania. In addition, several civil actions are under way. A Connecticut woman, Kristina Rhueli, recently dropped her lawsuit against Cosby, saying her aim was not to get money, but her reputation back. Her assault allegedly occurred in 1965. Cosby has received nearly 60 honorary degrees since 1985. Nearly half have since been rescinded. He still has an honorary degree from Yale University, awarded in 2003. This spring, Yale President Peter Salovy received a petition signed by 37 alumni asking to have that degree revoked. Yale official did not immediately to a request for comment Monday. Since the allegations against Cosby became too numerous to ignore, the disgraced comedian has lost more than degrees. He has been removed from the boards of several universities and left others, including the one at Temple University, which he attended. In 2011, the U.S. Navy named Cosby an honorary chief petty officer, only to revoke the award three years later. Cosbys name was removed from the Mass Communications Center at Central State University in Ohio. Reruns of The Cosby Show have been pulled from the air. The UConn Trustees meeting starts at 9:45 a.m., on the Storrs campus. Liang Zou | Shutterstock Looking for the latest headlines in small business, innovation and tech? Our Start Up Your Day recaps are posted every morning to keep you current. Google phone rumors. Is Google looking to rival Apple in the phone industry? Dominic Episcopo Photography The first saladworks opened in 1986 in Cherry Hill, N.J. -- a whole year before McDonalds added salads to its menu. We were selling salads before salads were cool, says Saladworks new president and CEO, Patrick Sugrue. And it quickly got attention, separating itself from the sea of burgers, pizza and tacos that dominated the quick -- service landscape. But now, 30 years later, the landscape has changed again -- and drastically. It seems that every fast-food concept, even Dairy Queen, offers a salad. Against this competition, Saladworks, now with roughly 100 locations, seemed in danger of becoming as boring as lettuce. Plus, the company was shaken by a years-long dispute between founder John Scardapane and investor Vernon Hill; it was resolved last year when the company declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and was snatched up by private-equity firm Centre Lane Partners. Collette Sengupta leaned over the bed rail, checked the wounds on Virginia Olivers legs and asked how she felt. For the first time in a long time, Oliver said, she was able to walk around her kitchen without assistance. If a new report from The Telegraph is to go by, we could soon see a non-nexus, Google-branded smartphone. Yes, the company is developing an in-house phone, which - according to the report - is expected to be launched by the end of the year. The report also notes that the Mountain View, California-based firm is currently in talks with mobile operators about the handset's release. The move is expected to give Google more control on design, manufacturing, and - more importantly - software. "Its own phone would allow Google to control the software, securing the future of services such as the Google search engine and Google Play app store that run on it," the report says. So does that mean the end of the Nexus line-up? Well, that should not be the case, at least for now, given that CEO Sundar Pichai recently said that the company's support for Nexus branded smartphones will continue. "Our plan is still to work with [other manufacturers]," he said. Keep in mind that this 'in-house Google smartphone' news is just a rumor at the moment, so take it with a pinch of salt until an official confirmation is obtained. Via These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. Haiti - Security : The US Embassy condemns the shootings in the capital In a note, the Embassy of the United States "strongly condemns the armed attack in the night from June 23 to 24 against the premises of several companies in Port au Prince https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17835-haiti-flash-several-companies-including-the-marriott-riddled-with-bullets.html . It urges national authorities to investigate these acts and to prosecute those responsible. The Embassy calls on all Haitian actors to remain calm and to avoid acts which could contribute to instability. To ensure stability, the Embassy calls on Senators and Deputies to fulfill their responsibilities towards their constituents by voting in the National Assembly on 28 June https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17824-haiti-flash-session-in-national-assembly-tuesday-28.html , to ensure the continuity of governance and the completion of the 2015 elections." See also : https://www.icihaiti.com/en/news-17851-icihaiti-security-the-minister-of-justice-condemns-the-armed-attacks.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17839-haiti-economy-shootings-strong-reactions-of-chambers-of-commerce.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17837-haiti-security-the-presidency-and-the-primature-condemn-shootings.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-17835-haiti-flash-several-companies-including-the-marriott-riddled-with-bullets.html HL/ HaitiLibre Published on 2016/06/26 | Source Actor Joo Won played a big part in the drama "My Sassy Girl - Drama" auditions. Advertisement Kim Joo-hyun beat 1,800 competitors and earned a role in the new SBS drama "My Sassy Girl - Drama". The audition took 2 months. Joo Won had already been chosen as Gyeon-woo, and added initiation in the audition from May to June. He was very participative about anything that has to do with the drama. Joo Won took part in the TOP 10 audition and even the TOP 3. He was very sincere about his decisions as it had to do with choosing the female lead role. He also didn't forget to give words of comfort and encouragement to the 'she' candidates. The officials of the drama say, "Usually a top star is nervous about his or her opponent not being top class stars but not Joo Won. He hopes that more opportunities are given to rookies so that they can spread out their dreams like he was able to. This audition must have been a big challenge for him". Joo Won's effort in trying to circulate the public culture is very highly bought. "My Sassy Girl - Drama" is a romantic film about a bad tempered guy named Gyeon-woo and the city's greatest troublemaker 'she'. The drama will be released in Korea, China and Japan in 2017. Kim Joo-hyun Published on 2016/06/26 | Source Pantech has bounced back from bankruptcy under new ownership to unveil a brand-new smartphone. Advertisement The company in a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday unveiled the IM-100, which celebrates its 13th-hour rescue because the name sounds like "I'm back" when read in Korean. It is Pantech's first new smartphone in 19 months and the first since the Solid-Optis consortium acquired the manufacturer in October last year. Pantech was once Korea's No. 2 smartphone maker, but its focus on premium models proved disastrous, so the IM-100 shifts strategy to more affordable models. It costs W449,000, dropping to around W300,000 with packages offered by mobile providers (US$1=W1,155). It has a 5.15-inch screen and 32 GB memory. Pantech also showcased what it calls the "Stone" as a companion device -- a wireless charger and 2.1-channel Bluetooth speaker in one. For cutting-edge simplicity of design, the IM-100 bears no logo. It will go on sale through KT and SK Telecom next week. The Solid-Optis consortium bought Pantech when creditors had almost given up. It has since laid off hundreds of staff, and the future of the company hinges on whether the IM-100 sells or not. Pantech hopes to shift 300,000 units in Korea. Head of product development Kim Tae-hyup said, "Rather than compete with cheap models from other manufacturers, we positioned the IM-100 in the mid-range segment. We plan to roll out new models every six months and are in talks over exports to the U.S., Japan and Indonesia". But the road ahead is tough. Sales of cheap phones have been soaring around the world since last year now that the technology is mature and differences between models become negligible. Pantech also needs to compete in advertising with industry heavyweights who have more cash to spend, but the company believes there are dedicated fans out there and hopes it can appeal to younger, style-conscious consumers. Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 11:52, 25 OCT 2022 much-debated and occasionally fraught issue of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia is among the nations most pressing social questions. It is inevitable, therefore, that it will impact many who work in HR and recruitment, as refugees go about seeking work in an already highly competitive employment market. There are a number of ways that HR managers can smoothen both the recruitment process and workplace environment for refugees, in order to take advantage of the wide range of skills and experience such employees may offer, according to Angela Keefe, employment manager at the Asylum Seekers Centre (ASC) in Sydney. The ASC works with individuals seeking asylum who have not yet been granted permanent refugee status. However, Keefe says the Centres employment candidates all have full working rights on their Bridging visas while their cases are being reviewed. Sydney employers of any real size are quite accustomed to hiring employees from all over the globe, and our employees are no different, Keefe told HC Online. The ASC has partnerships with approximately 60 Sydney businesses, including Lush Cosmetics and St Vincents Private Hospital. Keefe points to a number of unique qualities that refugees can bring to an organisation both professional and personal. People seeking asylum who work with our employment team bring a wealth of experience, language skills and diverse perspectives to any business, she said. About 70 percent of our candidates have tertiary professional qualifications and they all bring a preferential spirit and resilience from their lived experiences. As people await the resources and opportunity to transfer their qualifications, they can add a real depth of experience to their sector. For example, St Vincents has employed overseas doctors as ward persons with great success. Keefe says that the ASC provides candidates with training in the culture and expectations of the Australian workplace and supports employers for a minimum of three months after the placement. HR departments should be aware, however, of certain legal and administrative obligations though these are hardly unfamiliar to HR professionals, nor demanding any additional bureaucracy or procedure. Businesses employing candidates from the ASCs Employment Service need to be aware of the Commonwealth requirement that, while employing a person on a Bridging visa, the employer must verify work rights every 90 days. This is a simple online verification procedure that most HR departments are already familiar with. Keefe concludes that the reality of employing asylum seekers offers nothing particularly distinctive in the modern workplace, and is simply another dimension in an ever-diversifying society and employment market. We find that people seeking asylum usually reflect the same diversity that is the norm in Sydney, said Keefe. We have the most success with businesses that value attitude and are willing to offer some level of training for new hires. href="/au/companies/woolworths/148823">Woolworths will be forced to defend itself against more allegations from the Fair Work Ombudsman of exploitation of supermarket workers.Reports suggest some outsourced cleaning staff in Tasmania could be owed tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid wages the new claims come weeks after Woolworths was forced to go on the defensive against allegations regarding the underpayment of trolley collectors contracted to Woolworths in New South Wales.However, a Woolworths spokesperson has defended the supermarkets practice regarding the new claims, stating, Woolworths has worked with the Fair Work Ombudsman over many years to seek to eliminate exploitation of workers employed by contractors and subcontractors."We have invested significant resources in implementing processes to identify and address any workplace non-compliances by contractors in Woolworths' supply chain."Woolworths have put in place a range of initiatives to guard against exploitation, and set up a helpline.In the latest case, the Fair Work Ombudsman found that cleaners employed by Woolworths contractors and sub-contractors in Tasmania are owed more than $21,000.Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James warned Woolworths and other large chains that they will face persecution for exploitation of workers in their supply chain including contractors and sub-contractors.James said, Outsourcing is a legitimate business arrangement but in my experience, in highly competitive markets for low-skilled work, it also increases the risk that workers will be underpaid, sometimes quite deliberately."The court documents show the Fair Work Ombudsman is pursuing cleaning firm Pioneer Facility Services and subsidiary Pioneer Contracting Services, contracted by Woolworths to clean supermarkets throughout Australia. Also facing allegations is OzKorea, a former cleaning sub-contractor at four branches of Woolworths in Tasmania, and its director Sun Hun Gwang.Inspectors found that OzKorea underpaid workers with alleged illegal flat rates of $14 per hour, while it is also alleged that Hwang falsified time sheets and wages figures provided to inspectors. OzKorea faces penalties of up to $54,000 for some contraventions, with Hwang facing penalties of between $5,400 and $10,800. By Jesse Wood State, county and town officials and Motorola representatives will meet on Tuesday at the Watauga County Administration Building at 11 a.m. on June 28 to discuss the possibility of going to VIPER, which stands for Voice Interoperability Plan for Emergency Responders. Watauga County is trying to improve radio coverage for all emergency responders, and weve been in talks with the [Department of Public Safety] and their vendors about the possibility of going to VIPER, said Jeff Virginia, emergency services director with Watauga County Communications. Virginia said the meeting is for information purposes, and Motorola representatives will give a coverage analysis for Watauga County. Were meeting tomorrow for the Motorola folks, which supplies equipment for VIPER, to see what we need, how many sites, [potential locations] and some costs, Virginia said. Concerns in Blowing Rock Green Hill Circle, of course, is the location of hotly contested 100-foot public safety communications tower that was proposed two years ago. Following an uproar from concerned citizens in January 2014, Blowing Rock Town Council unanimously decided that locating a tower on Green Hill will not be under further consideration. Green Hill is a visually prominent part of our area. Consequently, the council has decided that its strong contribution to the beautiful views in the community should not be risked with the addition of a tower, Fogleman wrote in a release at the time. Research into other possible avenues to help improve public safety telecommunications in our service area is expected to continue, however locating a tower on Green Hill will not be under further consideration. Earlier this year, however, during the budget-planning season, the Blowing Rock Town Council received a letter from Marty Randall with the N.C. Department of Public Safety regarding renewed interest in a communications tower on Green Hill Circle for the VIPER network. Blowing Rock Town Council Member Sue Sweeting said that the town wrote the N.C. Department of Public Safety telling them of the decision two years ago. But they are back again. Due to the interest by members of the Blowing Rock Town Council on this proposal, the Town of Blowing Rock issued a public notice and called a special meeting for tomorrow, so that all of the council members could attend and avoid meeting laws. We want to go because we want to know where they are going to put it. Theres talk about putting it in Blowing Rock [at Green Hill Circle], Blowing Rock Town Council Member Sue Sweeting said on Monday. According to a public notice from the town, officials will meet for a technical information meeting for public safety communication planning purposes and is considered a data gathering and education related meeting, according to a public notice from the town. No action is planned. Not Just About Blowing Rock As Virginia said, the meeting isnt just about a potential tower in Blowing Rock. The meeting will assess the needs of the entire county. But as for the towers in general, Virginia said that the towers could be as tall as 100-foot like the one previously proposed two years ago at Green Hill Circle. If one was proposed, the towers arent built any taller than they have to be, so any of the sites we look at could be anywhere from 60, 70, 80 feet up to 100 feet, Virginia said. Editors Note: This post replaces a previous post published early Monday regarding Tuesdays meeting. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket Western Square Dancing at Linville Land Harbor www.mountainmixers.com Linville Land Harbor Recreation Center 20 Linville Harbor Pkwy, Newland, NC 28657 Plus Dancing with announced advanced by National Callers on Sundays. Schedule: 1:30-2:00PM advanced 2:00-4:00PM plus. Dress is square dance attire or dressy casual. July 3rd Dark (no dance due to holiday events) and July 10th Ron Libby, Land Harbor Linville Land Harbor Advanced Dancing from June 1st until late September. Dress is casual. Every Monday starting June 6th 7-9PM Jerry Biggerstaff, Marion, NC Every Weds starting June 1st 7-9PM Ron Libby, Land Harbor Blue Ridge Parkway Ranger Programs Wednesday, June 29, 2016 Cone Manor Milepost 294 10:30 am Informal Upstairs Tour at Cone Manor From 10:30-12:00, the second floor of Cone Manor will be open for a do-it-yourself tour. Rangers will be on hand to answer questions. Thursday June 30, 2016 Cone Manor Milepost 294 10:30 Childrens Hour Activities may include storytelling, traditional games, and/or hands on simple crafts. An adult or older responsible attendee must stay with children in order for them to participate (best suited for ages 4 12) Friday, July1, 2015 Cone Manor Milepost 294 10:30 am Informal Upstairs Tour at Cone Manor From 10:30-12:00, the second floor of Cone Manor will be open for a do-it-yourself tour. Rangers will be on hand to answer questions. Saturday July 2, 2016 Cone Manor Milepost 294 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00 -Upstairs Tours at Cone Manor Ranger led tours of the second floor of the former home of Moses and Bertha Cone. Tour is approximately 45 minutes long and reservations are required. To reserve a tour: call 828-295-3782 or sign up at the NPS information desk at the Manor House. Reservations are accepted beginning at 10:00am Friday for the upcoming weekend only. No advance reservations, please. Julian Price Campground Amphitheater Milepost 296 7:00 p.m. Black Bear Perhaps no animal has excited the human imagination as bears have. Join a ranger for a talk about how bears live around us and what to do if you see a bear. Approximately 45 minutes in length Sunday, July 3, 2016 Cone Manor Milepost 294 10:00, 11:00, 2:00, 3:00 -Upstairs Tours at Cone Manor Ranger led tours of the second floor of the former home of Moses and Bertha Cone. See Saturday (above) for details. ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC Events Coming Up at Blowing Rock Art and History Museum Exhibit Opening + Art Camps Inside 28605 Opening Reception Tuesday, June 28th from 5-6:30 p.m. Spend your Tuesday evening with us this week at the opening reception for Inside 28605, an exhibition featuring works by Theresa Early, Kat Leahey, Ellie Lyne, Priscilla Popper, Linda Dease Smith, Annie Stone, and LaMae Strange in our Alexander Community Gallery. The event is free, open to the public, and will be held this Tuesday, June 28th at 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Museum. While 28605 may be a familiar number, seven women artists from the High Country have found creative ways to express the extraordinary area encompassed by the Blowing Rock, NC zip code. These women have limited their impressions of objects, buildings, and scenes in their selected artistic medium to reflect the unique geographical and cultural qualities of the Blowing Rock area. This exhibit is sure to amaze and inspire both natives of and newcomers to the area. Inside 28605 will be on view at the Museum from June 28 July 24, 2016. Summer Camp: Modern Master Mash-up Wednesday, July 6th- Friday, July 8th from 9-11:30 a.m. Get your young artists inspired and making art in BRAHMs Art Summer Camps for Kids series! The first option this year is Modern Master Mash-Up. Children ages 6-12 are invited to learn about masters of modern art through exploration of works inspired by the art of Van Gogh, Mondrian, Matisse, Pollock, and more. This summer camp will take place on Wednesday, July 6th, Thursday, July 7th, & Friday, July 8th from 9-11:30 a.m. *Please call the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (828) 295-9099 to pre-register and reserve your spot today! Summer Camp: The Art of Native Plants Wednesday, July 13th- Friday, July 15th from 9-11:30 a.m. Take a tour through our current exhibition of the same name, and learn about the importance of native plants in our unique mountain ecology from a visiting Grandfather Mountain naturalist. Explore watercolors, mosaic, printmaking and more. This summer camp will take place on Wednesday July 13, Thursday July 14, & Friday July 15th from 9-11:30 a.m. *Please call the Blowing Rock Art & History Museum (828) 295-9099 to pre-register and reserve your spot today! Join Gov. Pat McCrory and His Economic Team at NC Competes for Jobs Today Monday, June 27th, 2016 1:00PM 3:00PM Appalachian State University College of Education Gathering Hall, Room 124 151 College Street Boone, NC 26608 Parking Available: Belk Library/ College Street Parking Deck 218 College Street Boone, NC 28607 Is your community ready to compete for business in todays global economy? Are you aware of all the tools available to help you prepare your community for growth?Governor McCrory and N.C. Commerce, working with the North Carolina General Assembly recently enhanced the states economic development tools. At the NC Competes for Jobs Tour, youll learn how to apply N.C. Commerces resources and experts in your community. Attend to learn more about: Grants and loans available for local economic development Available assistance to plan and build local infrastructure, water and sewer Finding and training local workers, using the states NCWorks system Changes in the states tax rates Our N.C. Commerce team, and how to contact the right people who can help PRESENTERS John E. Skvarla, III N.C. Secretary of Commerce Dr. Patricia Mitchell CEcD Asst. Secretary, Rural Development Will Collins Asst. Secretary, Workforce Solutions Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket Health The field of health is rapidly changing and increasingly complex. Our content helps you keep up with the latest trends in health care in ways you can understand. It is crucial both for Europe and Finland, he says, to continue the development of the EU and to re-establish the relations between the EU and the UK. The European Union must have an instinct for self-preservation in order not to be held hostage for the next decade decade by the withdrawal of the United Kingdom, estimates Olli Rehn (Centre), the Minister of Economic Affairs. The EU must be big in regards to big issues and small in regards to small issues, he underlines in his blog.The EU must focus on what is relevant: on fostering peace and security, sustainable growth and the preconditions for employment. Excessive regulation and red tape, on the other hand, must be torn down. The European Union was founded for a specific purpose, a purpose that remains relevant today, reminds Rehn. The European Union is needed in the modern-day world of big and transnational problems, such as climate change and unrest in adjoining territories; the negotiating position of a union of 27 countries is stronger on such issues. Not even the largest EU member states are global superpowers, but they need the union to lean on, he writes. The openness of the global economy, free trade and the internal markets created by the EU are vital for the national economy of Finland especially for exports and jobs. A high level of education and functional welfare state, in turn, facilitate our adaptation to globalisation, he continues. Rehn, a former European Commissioner, estimates that the most regrettable aspect of the withdrawal, the so-called Brexit, is that the voting behaviour of older people has deprived young Britons of future opportunities to travel, study and work elsewhere in Europe. The age distribution of votes sends a bleak message: polls indicate that up to 70 per cent of young Britons, who will be the ones most affected by the decision, voted in favour of the membership, while the vast majority of older people voted in favour of Brexit, he writes. The downsides of globalisation and especially older people's subjective experiences of losing touch in a world of uncertainties were certainly a factor. It seems almost an irony of fate that many of the regions that voted in favour of Brexit, especially in Northern England, have benefited the most from EU funding, says Rehn. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Heikki Saukkomaa Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi We consider it more likely that Brexit in itself will not result in any long-term increase in uncertainty, even if the immediate changes were severe. Similarly limited will be the impact on the economy of Finland, he comments in his blog . Reijo Heiskanen, the chief economist at OP Financial Group, estimates that the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union will only have a limited impact on the economy of Finland. Heiskanen reveals that he and his colleagues at the provider of financial services are prepared to reaffirm their growth forecast of 1.1 per cent for Finland in 2016. It would have been necessary to raise [the forecast] had it not been for Brexit, he admits. The uncertainty sparked by the withdrawal is similarly unlikely to affect the outlook for Finland in 2017, he adds. It is, on the other hand, obvious that risks have increased []. We will know more at least when it comes to market uncertainties when drafting our forecast in August, reminds Heiskanen. Oxford Economics, he points out, has estimated that the long-term impact of Brexit will be a decline of 0.1 to 3.9 per cent in the gross domestic product of the United Kingdom. Oxford Economics has also assessed the effects on other countries in its scenarios. Great Britain's withdrawal from the EU would only hurt the gross domestic product of Finland by a few tenths of a percentage, if even that, by 2020, he writes. Heiskanen also calls attention to a forecast published by Her Majesty's Treasury. The forecast indicates that the withdrawal could slow down economic growth in the euro area by one percentage point over the next two years. The consequent adverse effects on confidence and exports would undoubtedly have at least a comparable impact on the economy of Finland, gauges Heiskanen. We are nevertheless of the opinion that several factors indicate that the extent of the market fluctuations will not be as severe as estimated by Her Majesty's Treasury. The markets did expect Britain to remain in the EU, but they had had quite a while to take into account the possibility of the withdrawal, he says. It also remains to be seen how things will work out for Britain outside the EU, adds Heiskanen. It is therefore unlikely that the markets begin pricing in the bleakest scenarios at least in the long term. The fluctuations can also be balanced out by means of monetary policy if necessary. Increases in uncertainty and its effects on the economy are typically short-lived unless they are also underlain by direct factors with concrete effects. Danske Bank, for example, estimated after the results of the memberhship referendum were announced on Friday that the withdrawal may knock Finland into recession. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Scott Heppell AFP / Lehtikuva Source: Uusi Suomi LIGHTNING EDITORIAL: Houston, we've got a problem We eagerly await the list of budget cuts Henderson County School Board members Josh Houston and Colby Coren will be recommending in support of their public condemnation of the 5-cent tax increase the Board of Commissioners approved on June 6. Related Stories It has been a long time since weve seen as stunning a display of hypocrisy as the two board members showed when they sent up a request for more than a million dollars in new funding then gave commissioners who granted it the back of their hand. Houston and Coren, elected in 2012 and 2014 in single-shot campaigns engineered by the Republican executive committee, were reacting to the unusual but laudable act of the central office and the School Board to do something that too few agencies ever do. They thanked the commissioners for having the courage to raise taxes not only for schools but for law enforcement, kids health (school nurses), new school buildings and health and safety (the new health sciences center on the Pardee campus and a new ambulance, emergency operations and rescue squad complex). Commissioners Tommy Thompson, Charlie Messer and Michael Edney voted yes while Grady Hawkins and Bill Lapsley voted no on the motion to raise the tax rate from 51.36 to 56.5 cents per $100 valuation. The school systems increase of $1.4 million accounted for a little over a penny of the 5-cent tax increase. Our County Commissioners continue to thoughtfully navigate the fiscal and strategic demands of their leadership, and we are so very thankful for their ongoing commitment to public education in our community, the school administration said in the news release. The Board of Education and school staff support the commissioners 2016-17 budget and value their collective commitment to the citizens of Henderson County. Houston rose (via email) to object. I was never asked whether or not I supported a county property tax increase like the implied press release below, Houston wrote. We unanimously supported our county appropriation request but we were never asked about support of a tax increase. ... At this time on record I do not support the property tax increase in Henderson County. School Boards in North Carolina have no taxing power. Funding of schools comes mostly from the state Legislature, with counties funding school buildings, teacher supplements and some other costs. Without the extra funding, Henderson County schools would have left on the table a $200,000 Golden Leaf grant for the digital device program. Coren devoted four sentences to his second of Houstons criticism, and nine more to praising the county commissioners, school administrators and schoolteachers. He heard the central committees call to arms but, bless his heart, couldnt help but express his true feelings. This embarrassing stunt ought not be allowed to detract from a welcome expression of solidarity between two boards that work much better for the good of all now than they once did. As for Houston and Coren, they ought to spend less time spouting anti-tax boilerplate. It just diminishes their own good record as School Board members. Editors note: This is the 413th in a series of articles recalling vanished Huntington scenes. A drunken hair salon owner pulled the taxi sign off a cab's roof and smashed the windscreen with it after the driver refused to take him home. Jonathan Hudson (31) caused the damage in an act of "deliberate, systematic violence", a judge said. The court heard the accused got into the taxi at Harrington Street at 2.30am on May 4. He was quite drunk at the time and the driver refused to take him on a journey. He "fell out of" the taxi and started verbally abusing the driver, before taking the sign off the roof and smashing the windscreen with it. Gardai arrived and arrested the accused after he was identified by the victim. Of the obstruction charge, the court heard it had been a "difficult arrest" for the gardai. Hudson had been verbally abusive to them and resisted arrest. He had previous convictions, but they were for motoring offences. "It was a pretty violent incident, to extract the roof sign and use it," the judge said. "It's very deliberate, systematic violence." When gardai met him, sat him down and explained what had happened, Hudson was in "utter disbelief that he had acted in that way, he couldn't believe it", his defence said. Died The accused had been on prescribed medication and took a large amount of alcohol on the night. "He wasn't himself and was trying to get home," the defence said, adding that he understood his behaviour was "wholly unacceptable". Hudson had gone through some personal difficulties - his sister died last year, and his mother and brother died in 2012. His father had died when he was young, and the accused was now the only member of his family left alive, the defence said. The case against him was adjourned at Dublin District Court after he paid 1,000 compensation. Judge Cormac Dunne said he would apply the Probation Act, leaving Hudson without convictions, if he did not get into trouble again. The accused, from Moreen Road, Sandyford, pleaded guilty to public drunkenness, causing a breach of the peace and garda obstruction at Camden Street. He also admitted causing criminal damage to the taxi windscreen at nearby Harrington Street, all on May 4. Hudson apologised and paid 1,000 in compensation for the damage he had caused. The court heard he had got an HGV licence and hoped to get into that area of work. Hancock-area couple sentenced in huge animal cruelty case A Hancock-area couple was sentenced Wednesday in an animal cruelty case that led to massive animal rescue operation in Western Maryland in June 2021. This domain has expired. If you owned this domain, contact your domain registration service provider for further assistance. If you need help identifying your provider, visit https://www.tucowsdomains.com/ Many Indian and US diplomats involved in the 2008 denouement of the nuclear deal had a sense of deja vu as the events in Seoul took place. The 2008 NSG meeting in Vienna also saw fierce opposition from China. Vienna ended with the NSG lifting decades of technology sanctions against India. Seoul ended differently. These diplomats gave a number of reasons why the two nuclear dramas ended differently. The primary difference, most of them agreed, was that Xi Jinpings Middle Kingdom is not the same creature as Hu Jintaos China. This China is much more assertive, said an Indian diplomat who was involved with the original nuclear deal. And their equation with the United States is not in a good place right now. This is a China, said a number of them, which is flouting international laws and making overt territorial grabs with little regard for the fallout on relations with Southeast Asia or even the US. Evan Feigenbaum of the Paulson Institute, who was a State Department official in the thick of the action in Vienna, agreed: I would have expected China to dig much harder on Indian membership than it did on Indian exception [from NSG sanctions]. Membership will be a tough slog with Beijing. Which ties into a second key difference between Seoul and Vienna: the stakes regarding NSG membership are much greater than those for a sanctions waiver. China understands that if India is allowed into the NSG without a roadmap for Pakistans eventual entry, Islamabads chances are less than zero. They dont want to permanently entrench Pakistans exclusion from the NSG by admitting India without agreeing to a set of rules that would eventually admit Pakistan too, says Andrew Small, subcontinental analyst at the German Marshall Fund and author of The China-Pakistan Axis. The Indian diplomat concurred. Indian membership would shut the door on Pakistan for good, so Beijing will be a lot less amenable. While Beijing has supported Indias membership into other multilateral organizations, the NSG is a lot more problematic for China. The Chinese have enabled a larger Indian role globally in institutions where China can exercise serious leverage, like the BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and so on. The NSG is qualitatively different, as India would have a less constrained hand to play there, once admitted, argues Feigenbaum. Finally, while the reigning US administration of the day supported India in Vienna and now in Seoul, there was a consensus that George W. Bushs campaign was far more intensive than Barack Obamas. Others simply argue that Washingtons leverage with Beijing is simply less today. China will be less amenable to pressure from the US and others on this issue now because it sees a much closer military relationship between India and the US than in 2008 which it perceives as threatening, says Anja Manuel, who worked on the nuclear deal in the Bush State Department and recently authored a book This Brave New World on US-China-India relations. Indian officials privately say their US counterparts left a lot of the heavy lifting to them, unlike in Vienna where US officials swarmed the conference, the US secretary of state personally travelled to recalcitrant governments and success came after Bush personally phoned Hu. With the Obama administration, no one higher than an assistant secretary involved themselves in the NSG lobbying. Remembers Feigenbaum, We had a capital by capital strategy that included specific people and specific officials at specific moments. You cannot replicate that by just making a call here or there. I wonder if the Obama administration gamed this out ahead of time. We approached like a military campaign and had a campaign plan. But a retired Indian ambassador who spearheaded the 2008 nuclear deal campaign said President Bushs commitment to India was unusual, We wont get another president like him and we shouldnt expect one. The battle against the notifications of the ministry of environment, forests and climate change (MoEFCC) to declare some wildlife animals as vermin and allow their hunting is in the courts. Many of us are aghast with the vision that led to unprecedented haste in bypassing legitimate legal procedures. Starting December 1, the ministry issued three notifications. The most recent one was on May 24 for some districts of Himachal Pradesh. The notifications declared monkeys, nilgai and wild boars to be vermin and so could be hunted. The government draws this power from Section 62 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 (WLPA) that empowers the Centre to declare certain wild animals to be vermin for a specified area and period. Interestingly, till December 2014 no such proposal was received in the ministry as revealed in the office memorandum of the MoEFCC in the Section 4(3) of its advisory in the context of human-wildlife conflict (HWLC). So what suddenly changed? Read: Vermin nilgais on hit list as Bihar farmers back culling The decision to cull is also an oversight of its own internal findings. A 2014 MoEFCC advisory on HWLC suggested that the government initiatives to precede any recourse to Section 62 of the WLPA should include regulating human habitations along the forest fringes facing human-wildlife conflict, formulate strategies and management plans for mitigation and response to inculcate confidence among local communities. This also suggests enhancement and enforcement of information and knowledge on wildlife through research and at times by population management strategies, (not necessarily killing). Section 6 of the advisory envisages that any such proposal must be based on ground-level assessment of the gravity of the situation and must be supported by any study, consultative expert opinion, survey etc. Read: Culling order: The political class has blood on its hands The Section 11(1) of the WLPA 1972 authorises chief wildlife wardens to permit hunting only (as a last resort) when the animal cannot be captured, tranquillised or translocated. For these victims of human ravenousness over their natural food habitats, the WLPA has adequate provisions to take corrective measures. The real story behind this notification, which has escaped attention, are the proposals that are coming to the ministry from mining companies, developers for change of land use, stone crushing units, hydro-electric project developers, sandbajri and boulder project developers. Sadly, all these projects are at the fringes of fragile forest zones such as the Kedarnaths musk deer sanctuary, the Nanda Devi National Park and the Bhitarkanika Sanctuary. The Indian authorities would definitely benefit by reading Oscar Wildes The Selfish Giant, which teaches us the indispensability of coexistence for our own existence. Read: Approach govt to stop animal culling, says SC Even in the US, culling has not been supported. The Ontarios Human Wildlife Conflict Strategy, September 29, 2006, suggests the need for the recognition of the intrinsic value of wildlife in a social, cultural and spiritual context. It argues against value-laden statements of overabundant species, loss of agriculture are made in the absence of any definitions and scientific evidence. These studies have proven through research that hunting actually stimulates population growth rather than curtailing it despite a profound and negative impact on the environment and on the biodiversity of sensitive and unique areas. Amita Singh is professor of law and governance and disaster research, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi The views expressed are personal Around 80 kg of meat, suspected to be beef, was seized by police in Madhya Pradeshs Singrauli district while it was allegedly being supplied from Chhattisgarh to a private canteen in Madhya Pradesh, on Saturday. The canteen is situated at Piyari village which is 4 kilometers from Sasan where the Reliance Power Plant is located. The additional SP of Singrauli Suryakant Sharma said that some engineers and other employees of the power major possibly ate food at the canteen. The cook of the canteen Ram Sagar Jaiswal has been detained for questioning. Sharma told Hindustan Times that residents of Shivpahari village spotted two men on a motorbike carrying a rucksack from the adjoining Biharipur area of Surajpur district of Chhattisgarh on Saturday night. Seeing the villagers, the bike-borne men left the rucksack and fled. When the villagers opened the rucksack they found polythene bags containing meat. Suspecting that the meat could be beef, the residents informed police after which the meat was seized. Subsequent investigation revealed that the meat was being supplied to the private canteen in Piyari village, the ASP said. The villagers told police that Jaiswal regularly sourced meat from Biharipur. We detained Jaiswal, 25, for questioning. He has revealed sourcing all kinds of meat, including pork, dog meat and buffalo meat, from two men in Biharipur with the help of another man, the ASP said. Following Jaiswals questioning, a search of the canteen in question was carried out by the police, but only vegetables and fish were found.Five samples of the seized meat have been sent to a veterinary lab in Jabalpur. A case under section 429 of the IPC (mischief by killing or maiming cattle) and sections 4, 5 and 9 of MP Cow Progeny Slaughter Prevention Act 2004 has been registered against four persons, the ASP said. A letter has been sent to the Reliance Power plant administration seeking details about the private canteen, he added. When contacted, a senior official of Reliance group, on condition of anonymity, said, The canteen is not a part of Sasan power project. The project management is not responsible for any canteen, which runs outside its premises. We have nothing to do with what the employees eat outside the premises and that too after office hours. After shocking the world with her new avatar as a saint, model-turned-nun Sofia Hayat has now made yet another revelation - she has claimed that she gave birth to Shiva, the Hindu god. During her recent visit to Kailash temple in Aurangabad (Maharashtra), Sofia shared a video where she wrote that she had given birth to Lord Shiva. Read: Meet Mother Sofia Today I know I gave birth to Shiva. Today he came back to me and is inside me, she wrote on her Instagram account. Earlier in April, Hayat announced the removal of breast implants and declared to be celibate for life. Read: I will never have sex or get married ever, says Sofia Full note that was attached to the emotional teary video she posted, said, Kailash temple in Aurangabad is so so powerful. I couldnt breathe. I felt a massive magnetic energy draw my head to the Shiv Lingh. I was shaking for 1hr. I could not lift my head from the Shiv Lingh it was stuck like a magnetic. Something so powerful is happening. Om namah shivaya. My body is changing. Today I know I gave birth to Shiva. Today he came back to me and is inside me. I felt scared for such a big powerful change in my body. I am changing back to who I am. The Gods are coming back. The power in me is so great. Shiva is here inside me. It is so powerful I am shaking in my very soul. The time is here. Sacred children it is here. - Gaia Mother Sofia. She further wrote in a post, According to Linga Purana, the lingam is a complete symbolic representation of the formless Universe Bearer - the oval shaped stone is resembling mark of the Universe and bottom base as the Supreme Power holding the entire Universe in it.Similar interpretation is also found in the Skanda Purana: The endless sky (that great void which contains the entire universe) is the Linga, the Earth is its base. At the end of time the entire universe and all the Gods finally merge in the Linga itself. In yogic lore, the linga is considered the first form to arise when creation occurs, and also the last form before the dissolution of creation. It is therefore seen as an access to Shiva or that which lies beyond physical creation. You can see in my eyes the power and grace and sacred energy that overcame my whole existence in the time I was in the Kailash temple. So humbled and blessed. #aurangabad #elloracaves #kailashtemple A photo posted by Gaia Mother Sofia (@sofiahayat) on Jun 25, 2016 at 7:09am PDT She also shared pictures. See my shadow. Shiv Lingh kailash temple #aurangabad A photo posted by Gaia Mother Sofia (@sofiahayat) on Jun 25, 2016 at 7:47am PDT Follow @htshowbiz for more Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, who was taken to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital after he injured his thumb on sets of his next home production, underwent minor surgery and will be discharged in a day or two, said source. He had hurt his thumb so he underwent a minor surgery and he is absolutely fine now. He should get discharged in a day or two, said a hospital source. Soha said the actor will be discharged as per the doctors advice. Yes (he was admitted) in the early hours of yesterday, as for release doctor will advice but not today, she said. Actor Saif Ali Khan was hospitalised after suffering a thumb injury on the sets of his upcoming production. He was rushed to Kokilaben Ambani Hospital morning after he injured his thumb during the film shoot. He underwent a minor surgery. He was taken to the hospital yesterday as he had hurt his thumb. A minor surgery was performed and he is doing fine. He will be discharged tomorrow or day after tomorrow, sources said. Read: Kareena reveals her one condition for marrying Saif Saifs sister Soha also said that the Phantom actor is doing fine. He is recovering well, thank you for asking - had hurt his thumb quite badly but is on the mend happily, Soha said. Read: Saif Alis perfect fitness tips The 45-year-old actor recently wrapped up the shoot for Rangoon and is currently working on his home production directed by Akshat Verma. In the past, Saif had suffered a hand injury while shooting for Vishal Bhardwajs Rangoon. He had also got hurt while filming an action sequence for Agent Vinod. After the release of her last film, Nil Battey Sannata, Swara Bhaskar didnt find the time to take a break. She had to complete the dubbing for her next. Now, before she starts shooting for her upcoming film, which co-stars Sonam Kapoor, she took off for a solo trek in Himachal Pradesh. In the past, too, the actor has taken solo trips. She has travelled to Turkey, Syria and Palestine. Swara says, I needed a break, so I decided to trek in the Dhauladhar range of mountains in Himachal Pradesh. She trekked for a week and reached the snow-covered Buran Pass at 15,000 feet in Buran Ghati. Later, she crossed the pass by rappelling in the snow and ended her trip in Kinnaur valley. Swara Bhaskar spotted at a Mumbai screening. (Photo: Yogen Shah) A source says, Swara wanted some alone time. She signed up for the eight-day trek with a trekking community. She didnt know anyone in the 21-member trekking group when she joined. Read: Swara Bhaskar is dating Himanshu Sharma but is too broke to get married The actor says that although trekking was super difficult and challenging, the experience was great. It gave me a lot of perspective. Physically, it was challenging. I made some great friends too. Rapelling in the snow was memorable, but the scariest part was getting lost in the rain and mist at an altitude of 13,500 feet, she adds. Read: Did you know Swara Bhaskar is a much sought-after writer? SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON One fifth of British business leaders are considering moving operations abroad after the countrys shock decision to leave the EU, according to a survey from a leading business lobby group. The Institute of Directors (IoD), which polled more than a thousand of its members between Friday and Sunday, added one in four planned to freeze recruitment following the surprise referendum result. Almost two thirds or 64% of IoD members think the result is negative for their business, while 23% think it is positive. Nine percent say it makes no difference. Businesses will be busy working out how they are going to adapt and succeed after the referendum result, said Simon Walker, IoD director general. But we cant sugar-coat this, many of our members are feeling anxious. A majority of business leaders think the vote for Brexit is bad for them, and as a result plans for investment and hiring are being put on hold or scaled back. More than a third of IoD members said the referendum vote will cause them to cut investment, against one in 10 who said they will increase investment. Shares in banks, airlines and property companies plunged on the London stock exchange on Monday as investors singled out the three sectors as being the most vulnerable to Britains decision to leave the EU. EasyJet stock fell over 16% after the company issued a profit warning, while British Airways parent IAGs shares were down 9.4% at around 0900 GMT. Royal Bank of Scotland shares plunged more than 15%, Lloyds by 8.9% and Barclays by 10.2%. Following Fridays selloff, concerns about the banking sector continue to be a pressure point for investors, said Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK. He noted that banking stocks in the eurozone also came under heavy selling pressure again, notably Deutsche Bank in Germany, as well as Italian and Spanish banks. Among London property shares, Taylor Wimpey fell 12.4%. The key FTSE-100 index was down 1.3%. In a first-of-its-kind action, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has found a simulator training facility used by market leader IndiGo to train pilots in United Kingdom deficient. The safety regulator has directed the budget carrier not to use the training facility. This is the first time that the DGCA has taken such an action against a training facility abroad. We have not approved the use of that simulator by IndiGo because of the deficiencies found, said a DGCA official. IndiGo told HT that, One amongst many simulators in this training facility in UK, being used by IndiGo, was found to be short on some technical parameters...Since May 11, IndiGo has not conducted any training on this simulator. The latest action by the regulator highlights the steps being taken by the DGCA to enhance safety. Most of the things that we do the non-normal training like engine failure, low visibility training these you cant simulate on the aircraft. That you do on the simulator. So, if the simulator is deficient it means training is deficient and the safety standards get compromised, said a safety expert. Over the last 12 months, IndiGo has trained 50 pilots at the various simulators available at this training centre. The findings during the simulator evaluation by DGCA do not affect the quality of training imparted and the regulator has not proposed any extra training for these pilots, IndiGo said. Our airline operators should train as per international standards and the DGCA is ensuring this by inspecting these facilities, said a senior ministry official. Most Indian carriers except Air India and Jet Airways, send pilots abroad to train. This restriction will not impact IndiGo as we primarily conduct a major portion of our training at CAE-Dubai, IndiGo said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The fall in the British pound after the United Kingdom (UK) decided to leave the European Union (EU) has hit thousands of Indian expatriates working in the country as a component of their salaries are pegged to the pound but paid in India in rupees. The effect could be as high as 11%. The British pound, which was over Rs 100 barely two weeks ago, ended at Rs 89.76 on Monday, down Rs 3.37. A component of the salaries are deposited in Indian accounts and the exchange rate on which the transfer is made is decided on the day of debiting the salary, said an analyst with a multinational bank. So, typically a person who was earning Rs 1 lakh in India before Brexit and getting paid in India, could witness her salary drop to as low as Rs 90,000. Around 800 Indian companies employ 110,000 people in UK. The uncertainty over the process of exit of the UK from the EU will further have an impact on the pound, DK Joshi, Crisils chief economist told HT. The further weakening of the pound and the uncertainty over the situation is creating more problems for the expats. UK is expected to face stiff challenges in successfully negotiate its exit from the EU. This has been a bit of shocker as the general expectation was it will remain. This has created uncertainty for Indians working there and most companies are studying the exact fallout, this somber mood and uncertainty is expected to carry on for three to six months, Ronesh Puri, managing director of headhunting firm Executive Access (India) said. Meanwhile, Indian companies such as Tata Motors, TCS and Infosys among others will also revaluate their strategies and investment patterns as UK will no more offer access to the unified market across the EU. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON All telecom operators except Bharti Airtel failed to meet the call drop benchmark in Ahmedabad, as per telecom regulator Trais sample drive test. However, the situation was much better in two major cities of Uttar Pradesh -- Lucknow and Kanpur -- as most telecom operators met the benchmark. Only Airtel 2G met the call drop rate benchmark of less than or equal to 2% in 2G networks (in Ahmedabad). Most of the operators failed to meet the benchmark by a wide margin, the drive test report released by Trai said on Monday. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) found that other than Airtel 2G and 3G and Vodafone 2G, most of the operators have call drop rate of over 3%. Idea 2G and 3G and BSNL 3G have call drop rates in the range of above 10%. These are exceptionally high and it clearly indicate for urgent need of improvement in order to deliver reasonable levels of services, Trai said. The regulator said that vast gap between the good performance of Airtel and Vodafone 2G and the bad performance of other operators clearly shows that it is possible for them to offer much better quality of service. The call drop test result in Lucknow and Kanpur were in contrast to most of the cities in the country. Lucknow is one of the better performing Indian cities as majority of the operators are meeting the call drop rate benchmark of 2%, Trai said. Out of 14 networks tested, only two networks, BSNL 2G and Reliance CDMA, did not meet the required benchmark. The regulator also found few operators using alleged call drop masking technology in Lucknow. In Kanpur, the regulator found that majority of operators are meeting the benchmark. Out of 14 networks tested, only three did not meet the standards -- BSNL 2G and 3G, and Reliance CDMA. Trai conducted call drop test in 12 cities between May 3 - June 3, which included Delhi, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Bhopal, Trivandrum, Ranchi, Sikkim and Hyderabad. The regulator has released test reports of some cities. World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim will arrive in India on Tuesday on a two-day visit to review the progress of prioroty areas for the multilateral lending agency, including Smart Cities, Swachh Bharat Mission, Ganga rejuvenation, power for all and Skilling India. During his visit, Kim will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, a statement from the World Bank said here on Monday. The trip is to explore how the World Bank could provide knowledge and financing to Indias reforms development agenda, Kim said. India is the largest client of the World Bank Group with the multilateral institution lending around $5.3 billion between 2015-2016. The Bank is also working closely with India in the area of renewable energy by making more financing available, supporting the introduction of new technologies and building capacity for private sector investments, the statement said. India has taken on a global leadership role in solar power generation with its plan to scale up renewable power generation by 175 GW by 2022. In my meetings with Prime Minister Modi and Finance Minister Jaitley, I plan to discuss how the current engagements can be expanded to meet these targets, Kim said. The Swachh Bharat Mission can be a game-changer because good sanitation practices can help address malnutrition. I look forward to learning from Indias experience and exploring ways of working together to increase the impact of current initiatives, he said. Kim will visit an anganwadi (nutrition) center in New Delhi as well as Skills Centre to see efforts being made to improve skills as part of Indias Skill India Mission. Later, he will participate in a roundtable discussion on malnutrition hosted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, notably in the context of a new national nutrition strategy, the statement said. - NEW DELHI: Last November, three months into his new role, Suresh Narayanan realised that for over three decades Maggis advertising and marketing campaigns had failed to address Indias youth population, the worlds largest. There are 450 million Indians in the age group of 15-34, who consume more than half of Maggi sold in India. Thats when Narayanan decided to launch seven new variants of Maggi six of them in spicy flavours under the Hot Heads brand, and one without garlic and onion. The idea came when Maggi was still off the shelves, recalls Narayanan. It was, however, different earlier. Twenty five years ago when he made the first Maggi ad, the idea was to appeal to kids, says ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar. The business needs have changed Nestle has realised that youth is driving consumption. The shift in focus is also due to the Maggi crisis last year, which resulted in Nestle India losing $277 million in revenue. The food regulators ban on Maggi gave other brands, such as Ramdevs Patanjali noodles, ITCs YiPPee!, HULs Knorr noodles and Nissins Top Ramen, a chance to grow their presence in India. In February, Maggis share was over 50%, a third lower than what it commanded before the ban. Meanwhile, competitors had already entered the spicy noodles space. Knorrs Soupy Noodles had launched two flavours Shezwan and Hot and Spicy. Top Ramen had launched Fiery Chilli and Yippee! had launched its Chinese flavours. Narayanan knew there was very little time conceptualisation to marketing of the spicy variants took four-five months, compared to the usual product cycles of 18 months. EYE ON THE YOUTH Narayanan engaged McCann World Group for new brand campaigns that looked beyond kids. Advertisements featured college goers who consumed Maggi to satiate hunger pangs at odd hours the latest ad shows two young adults craving for Maggi in the wee hours. Social media campaigns, including #WelcomeBack Maggi, targetted the youth. But, its not only Maggi, Nestles other businesses are also under siege. According to Motilal Oswal, the largest segment, milk and nutrition grew 2.1% in value last year; chocolate and confectionary declined 19.5%, and beverages fell 10.3%. But, Narayanan is unnerved. Instead, he is looking at more than doubling Nestles revenue to Rs 20,000 crore by 2020. Simply because I have come second in a race doesnt mean that I dont have genetic make-up to be an Olympian, he says. NESTLE BEYOND MAGGI So Narayanan decided to go for the biggest product launch in Nestles history in India, all within one year, most of them targeted at the young adult. So, in the yogurt space, there was Grekyo, with 70% more protein, targeting fitness goers. Then there were three variants of Nestea with 40 calories per glass, half of what is present in a glass of aerated drink. In India, 30 billion glasses of 150 ml each is consumed in a year. It was followed by south Indian instant-filter coffee. Everyone is fascinated by filter coffee in India, so we decided to offer that without the hassles of using a coffee filter. All these products will help Nestle bring down its dependence on Maggi, according to Narayanan. He also wants Maggis revenue contribution to come down to 20-25% from over 30% in the coming years. Other products will start taking up that space in total contribution to Nestles pie. Before retiring from corporate life, transforming Nestle India will be Narayanans last big assignment. If I am able to do something for this company and for the people who are working here yes I hope this is my final hurrah, if there is a hurrah to it. When Paytm first moved into its current head office in Noida, founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma was given the corner office. It was a large glass cabin, with furniture handpicked by his closest aides. They wanted him to feel privileged. He felt like a prisoner. Sharma was accustomed to having informal, spontaneous conversations with his colleagues. Those conversations acquired the proportions of an event. I felt I had been thrown out of my team, says Sharma. He is fine now, sitting on a desk right there in the middle of the buzzing office. The hand-picked furniture of his corner office has been dismantled and dispersed over different conference rooms. Sharmas current desk is like any other in the office. It is by the main passage, which sees constant movement of people. As the closing hour approaches, a queue forms at Sharmas desk. You want to talk to him, you queue up. I gain energy from my team, says Sharma. In the process, he takes the steam out of the old concept of the corner office. It has been a powerful concept, bestowing its occupant, the CEO, with an aura thats as much a perk of the job as the business card. In fact, the corner office had become synonymous with the CEOs position. Not anymore. New-age CEOs, as they overturn many tenets of conventional corporate wisdom, are also obliterating the concept of the corner office. It started in the US a while ago, it is now happening in India. In many technology companies here, as they value meritocracy, the top management sits out in the open with everyone else. The subtle message is that the work you do matters, not your entitlement. Paytm has been on a hiring spree, recruiting from large companies and top-flight management consultancy firms that give large cabins to their senior staff. Dont those people, when they join Paytm, hate Sharma for not giving them cabins? Actually, Sharma does not say no to someone who asks for a cabin. A chief of finance, who joined a while ago, said the confidential nature of his job needed the privacy of a cabin. He was given one, but something told Sharma the fellow was not going to be around for long. Sure enough, he left because he found himself at odds with the company culture. Startup Cluster The way Kavin Mittal has organised Hike Messenger, it no longer looks like the company of 240 people that it is. The team is divided into 12 small groups that work like a cluster of startups. As Hike scaled up from a 10-person company to 240, Mittal wanted to retail the freedom and spirit of the early journey. The teams choose the way they work, when they come to work, when they leave, and how they run their meetings. The only guideline from the company is that they should hold their meetings either before 12 noon or after eight in the evening. In between is the company quiet time. You will find people working at Hikes headquarters, near the New Delhi international airport, whether you visit it at midnight or at four in the morning. You might also find a couple of them sleeping; the office has a nap room with bunk beds. The best people do not like to be told what to do, says Mittal. Has anyone tried to tell him what to do? All the time. We try as much as possible to not have a boss-like culture. As part of the culture, Mittal does not have a cabin. He does not even have a designated seat. I used to have a fixed seat, says Mittal. Now, I dont. I dont need it. I float around the office. I get to spend more time with the team. In fact, no one in the top executive team has a designated seat. For conversations that cannot be held in public, there are enough meeting rooms. The last couple of weeks I have been sitting there, says Mittal, as he points to two hammocks on a patch of green, synthetic grass, next to glass walls through which you can see the scurry of the airport. The Co-working CEO Ritesh Malik, having sold his first startup and funded a host of others, has set up Innov8, which provides co-working spaces. His first property is in the Regal Cinema building, in New Delhis Connaught Place. Spread over three floors, the office is open to anyone who is willing to pay a price that gets them a desk or a cabin, wifi, tea, and coffee. There is no security guard at the door. You let yourself in by using a mobile app. So where does Malik sit? On one of the seats in the public area, says Malik, like a true co-working CEO. I need to be among my team and my customers, and learn. Read| Why Indian startups are in a reality check, not bubble SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Paytm is looking to bring a part of the $70 billion worth of annual imports from China, online. As part of the programme, it has already identified 300 Chinese suppliers for electronics and lifestyle products. In India, the company has chosen 100 Indian merchants to connect with these suppliers. Paytm has already trained 25 merchants to source from China, and by March, it aims to have 10,000 Indian merchants buying from Chinese suppliers. The programme is, however, in its early stage theres no app or website. Paytm will connect the merchants and suppliers through emails, with logistics and payments support. The products will take 7-25 days to reach merchants in India, depending on the mode of transport. It will give me more margins, even after discounts, a seller said. Paytm makes money through commissions on goods sold on its marketplace. A USB cable priced at Rs 100-150 in India is available for Rs 20-30 in China. So for consumers, it will mean access to a number of cheaper Chinese products. Alibaba, which has invested in Paytm, is already working with a lot of merchants in India on sourcing. Once we scale up, it will allow us to use a lot of Alibabas services and tools, said Bhushan Patil, president at Paytm. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a feeble attempt at a straw poll last week, I asked Patel, my local corner shop proprietor, whether he was going to vote to remain in the European Union (EU) or to leave. He said he was abstaining as the result would make no difference to him. He did say, however, that in the immediate past and almost definitely for a few weeks in the future his sales of newspapers had and would increase, as people wanted information about the pros and cons and then about the fallout of whatever the result would be. Ah, but if Britain votes to leave and, as the economic gurus predict there will be a recession, people will have less money to spend on your sweets and chocolates, I said. He resignedly said, in Gujarati, that that would be gods will. Read | Life without Britain: European Union will struggle to survive God didnt have much to do with this referendum, even though the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby declared that he, and perhaps Jesus, were in favour of staying in. But now the referendum has yielded its result and this countrys vote to leave the EU has caused huge economic and political turmoil all over Britain. Prime Minister David Cameron has resigned and a grievously divided Tory Party will soon choose another leader. The Labour opposition has been exposed as seriously out of touch with its traditional working-class base and may spell the end of its electoral prospects, unless it elects a new leadership. Economically, Pound Sterling has taken a pounding and the markets have demonstrated the biggest wobble and fall for decades. Most threateningly there will be pressure from the majority of their populace for Scotland and Northern Ireland to break away from Great Britain and rejoin the EU. So doom and gloom on the broadest scale for the country. The European citizens who live and work in Britain are certainly apprehensive about their future. When the negotiations for Britains exit from the EU are concluded they would lose their automatic right to be in the country and certainly lose their right to work here. Read | Scotland will try to block Brexit by refusing to give legislative consent The majority of Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans in Britain have claimed and been granted British citizenship. The leaders of the campaign to leave the EU insisted during it that if they won Britain would make fresh trade deals with countries such as India and other members of the Commonwealth. Immigration was the biggest issue in the popular imagination during the campaign and a fear of the country being swamped by foreigners decisively delivered the Leave result. Boris Johnson, the potential successor to Cameron, has repeatedly said that he is not against immigration but it must be controlled and people should be admitted to work in Britain only if the labour market needs their skills. Such an immigration policy will mean that any medical staff, doctors or nurses will have open-door entry to Britain and may result in a large number of, in particular, medically-qualified Indian professionals moving here. On the other hand, more stringent laws on immigration may mean that spouses and families of Indians and people from the subcontinent may face a ban or more hurdles and restrictions to entry. Read | Raj Thackeray uses Brexit to target migrants, compares Maharashtra with the UK The now defunct Tata Steel industries in Britain were largely affected by cheaper Chinese imports and no tariffs and obstacles erected by the EU were able to prevent this. Tatas Jaguar Land Rover manufacturing in Britain will certainly be affected by Brexit if Europe chooses to restrict imports of these cars by its member states. Tata may even now be contemplating moving the manufacture of these cars to where labour is cheaper and their European markets safe. Tata must own the brand names and theyll possibly have to take them to Poland. Patel may be sanguine about it but there are a couple of Indians and several Pakistanis in London who ought to be wary of the result. Several legal cases in the past, at least three of them involving Islamist hate preachers, have been determined by EU laws on human rights. One of the things that the Leave camp wants is to abolish these laws, which they claim prevented, for some years, the extradition or expulsion of criminals who claimed their protection to remain in Britain. If these laws no longer apply to people seeking refuge in Britain it may very well be that Indian citizens who have for, say, financial reasons, landed up here in defiance of Indian requests for their return to face charges, will have reason to consider their position. The same goes for the Pakistani agitator Altaf Hussain even though he may by now have acquired British citizenship. Read | Dont worry GOT fans, the show will go on. Brexit or not Of course if the law changes, the two Indians I have in mind could, like Julian Assange, seek refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy. Farrukh Dhondy is an author, screenplay writer and columnist based in London The views expressed are personal SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: Twenty-one women pickpockets were apprehended and fined over Rs 3,000 on Sunday as part of a special crackdown by CISF security personnel in the Delhi Metro. The operation was carried out at some of the busiest stations like Rajiv Chowk, Barakhamba road and Kashmere Gate by the plainclothes intelligence wing personnel of Central Industrial Security Force, officials said. These lady pickpockets were fined a total of Rs 3,190 as per Delhi Metro rules and were later sent out of the Metro. Such drives will be undertaken at other stations of the rail system in the coming days, a senior official said. On Saturday, 21 pickpockets were held as part of a similar drive in the yellow line (Samaypur Badli-Huda City centre) of the Metro. An average of 26 lakh people take the Delhi Metro everyday to reach their destinations in the national capital region of Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurgaon and Faridabad. NEW DELHI: Congress workers on Sunday held demonstrations in the assembly constituencies of the 21 Aam Aadmi Party MLAs who were appointed as parliamentary secretaries. The protests were a culmination of the week-long door-to-door signature campaign against the ruling party legislators for holding office of profit. In no other state in the country, one-third of the total MLAs in the House has been appointed as parliamentary secretaries to ministers with perks and facilities such as office vehicle, office space and other amenities provided to ministers. They should resign without a moments delay for holding office of profit, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said. Maken said the countrys home minister sat on a dharna outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwals house last week, and Delhis deputy chief minister sat outside the Prime Ministers residence on Sunday. NEW DELHI: The recent arrest of a South African woman an alleged international drug peddler from the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport with narcotics worth Rs 50 lakh is just the tip of the iceberg, officials believe. Sleuths at the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) claim that the areas on outskirts of Delhi are being used as a transit point for drugs. The NCB has arrested more foreigners than Indians during the last one year and seized over 150 kilos of the drug Paeudephidrene in the last two years. Pseudoephedrine is a stimulant that can cause an excitable, hyperactive feeling and increase heart rate and blood pressure. We are trying to break the drug syndicate. Most of the peddlers spend time in the outskirts of Delhi, in places like Burari and Bawana, to collect their drugs, a NCB official said. In 2015-16 alone, the NCB has conducted 47 operations and arrested 27 persons, including 18 foreigners. Out of the nine arrested Indians, one was a female while out of 18 arrested foreigners, seven were females. In 2014-15, the agency had conducted 36 raids and arrested 46 people 25 Indians and 21 foreigners. Out of the 25 Indians arrested, two were females while out of the 21 foreigners arrested, 10 were females Foreigners prefer using women as carriers. In the last year we have seized nine kilos of heroin, seven kilos of cocaine, 67 kilos of charas, 64 kilos of Paeudephidrene, 57 kilos of Methaqualone and 21 kilos of Amphetamine/Meth, the official said. NC B officials say that they use opportunities like Inter national Day against Drug Abuse( June 26) to spread awareness among residents. Narcotics Control Bureau director general, RR Bhatnagar said: We held an event at India Gate on Sunday, during which our officials distributed brochures and pamphlets to participants asking them to Say No to Drugs. NCB keeps organising awareness drives against drugs in schools, colleges and public places across the country on a regular basis. Most of the drugs come from Himachal Pradesh. Some of it is even sourced from neighbouring countries. But most traffickers use Delhi as a transit point, a Narcotics Control Bureau official added. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: The special cell of Delhi Police on Saturday busted a drug trafficking syndicate that used to source drugs from Odisha and pump them in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. The police arrested three members of the syndicate identified as Mohammad Hafiz, 31, Babu Roy, 31, and Jeevan Mondol, 31 and seized 160kg of cannabis (ganja) that was smuggled into Delhi from Odisha. The drug dealers arrested from Jaitpur have allegedly supplied over 3,500kg of ganja worth Rs 1 crore in Delhi in the past 10 months. NEW DELHI: Seven members of Karala gang, including a minor boy, were arrested for their alleged involvement in a series of street crimes, police said on Sunday. Four stolen motorcycles two stolen and two used by the gang members to commit crimes were seized. A stolen scooter, two mobile phones and many recharge coupons were also seized. Aakash, Monu, Hemant Kakwani, Naresh Kumar, Mohammad Babar and Ravi Kumar are all residents of Karala village in outer Delhi. With their arrest, the police claimed to have solved four recently reported cases of snatching and theft in outer Delhi. Joint commissioner of police (crime) Ravindra Yadav said the gang members snatched belongings of passersby and stole two-wheelers from parking lots, markets and functions using duplicate keys. The arrests, Yadav said, came following a tip off that the snatchers would be coming to Karala village to commit another crime. Yadav said Akash and Monu were arrested first. Based on their interrogation, the rest of them were arrested. NEW DELHI: Birthday celebrations turned sour for three friends, who were seriously injured after coming in contact with a high-tension wire on the terrace of a restaurant in Sagarpur area of Delhi on Saturday. They are out of danger. Police said Rinku, 24, and Ankit, 22, had accidentally touched a wire dangling on the restaurant terrace. Nitish, 23, was hurt while attempting to save the two. It was Nitishs birthday. All three were allegedly drunk when the incident took place. They suffered burns on their hands and abdominal area and were taken to a nearby hospital. They were out of danger, said police. A case under section 336 and 337 (causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others) of IPC had been registered against the restaurant owner, said additional DCP (southwest), Manoj C. The concerned authorities have been informed about the incident. Efforts are on to arrest the owner of JD Restaurant where the incident took place, said the additional DCP. A senior police officer said Nitish had organised a birthday party for five of his friends at JD Restaurant located opposite the Janakpuri Cinema. At 9:30pm on Saturday, after cutting the birthday cake, the three began celebrating and shook open the beer bottles on the terrace. In the process, Rinku and Ankit accidentally touched the high-tension wire and got electrocuted. Seeing his friends shaking, Nitish went to rescue them and also got electrocuted. All three fell unconscious on the floor, said the officer, adding one of the friends called the police. A Delhi court on Monday denied bail to a 22-year-old kidney recipient, arrested in connection with an organ racket recently busted at a private hospital here. The court said he had knowingly participated in the transplantation process, which prima facie appeared to be a pre-planned criminal conspiracy. The court rejected the application of Ashutosh, the 13th accused arrested in the scam busted earlier this month, while observing that human organs were not commodities of trade. After careful and studied perusal of available material, it is apparent that accused (Ashutosh) voluntarily and knowingly participated in the process of transplantation of a kidney which was not donated by his real uncle but by a donor unrelated to him by impersonating himself as real uncle of the applicant, Metropolitan Magistrate Arvind Bansal said. Read:Delhi: Apollo Hospital staffers among 5 held over kidney racket The magistrate further said the complete process of transplantation of kidney prima facie appears to be a pre- planned criminal conspiracy and the role of the accused in the said process requires comprehensive investigation. It is observed that people understand and know that human organs are not commodities of trade. The legal and ethical principles associated with organ donation and transplantation must be strictly followed. These principles appear to have been violated in the present case and therefore Ashutosh does not deserve the benefit of judicial discretion of bail at this crucial stage of investigation. The application is accordingly declined, the court said. The police have so far arrested 13 persons, including some middlemen, personal assistants of senior doctors, donors, a recipient and the rackets kingpin Rajkumar Rao, in connection with the matter. Investigators have come across 10 transplant cases facilitated by the gang in the Apollo Hospital here. The court, while denying him bail, also observed that the police was still working to unearth the deep rooted conspiracy in the alleged kidney racket and interrogation of accused is necessary to fulfill the said purpose. Read:Delhi: Two more arrested in kidney racket The aspects of forgery of documents and payment of hefty amount also require investigation and custodial interrogation of accused may be required for the same. Ashutosh, son of a DJB official, sought bail claiming he had been falsely implicated by police and was a victim of circumstances, adding that he was hospitalised due to post- surgery infection. During the arguments, his counsel contended that it was after the registration of FIR that Ashutosh got to know about the alleged scam and claimed he genuinely got the kidney transplant done from the concerned hospital. The police, while opposing his bail plea, argued that Ashutosh was an active participant in the conspiracy, leading to impersonation of accused Umesh Srivastava as his uncle during transplant of the kidney from Srivastava to him. It said he contravened the provisions of Transportation of Human Organs Act 1994 and the bail plea should be dismissed as his role along with that of his uncle and other family members was being investigated for which he was required for interrogation. The court, while accepting the arguments of investigating officer, said the accused allegedly prepared several false documents, signed various papers, got some false affidavits prepared, impersonated Srivastava as his real uncle and underwent a successful kidney transplant at Apollo hospital. A huge some of money to the tune of Rs 24 lakh is said to have exchanged hands during the process. As regards the question of infection to applicant during treatment at the hospital where he is presently admitted, the same may be avoided by shifting him to a spacious room partitioned by a curtain or some other material facilitating the presence of officials-on-guard without direct contact to the accused. Read:Kidney racket kingpin owns two houses in Kolkata, gave lavish tips to barber The statue of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the 18th century Afghan ruler who vanquished the Marathas in the third battle of Panipat in 1761, lies here. Sharing space with him are a few other historical icons like Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The statues are among dozens of statues of prominent personalities that are gathering dust in one corner of the community studio of the Lalit Kala Akademi in Garhi in south Delhi. Administered by the ministry of culture, the state-run academy set up in 1976 is unique as it is the only community studio in the Capital where artists can get together and give shape to their creativity. However, the sprawling campus spread over 1,272 sqm is fast running out of storage space. Currently, the 50-odd statues, all works of art, are lying amid heaps of waste or covered with plastic sheets. They remain symbols of neglect. The academy officials put the blame on the artists. Artists leave back their statues and paintings here. They keep lying here for years. The statue of Abdali has been lying here for more than a decade now. The stock keeps piling and the artists dont bother to take back their statues, said Rakesh Jha, assistant manager of the centre. According to officials the statue of Abdali has been lying here for more than a decade. (Tribhuwan Sharma / HT Photo) The artists on the other hand say that its the responsibility of the academy to ensure that the artworks remain in good shape. We are artists. We create art. The academy is supposed to take care of our art. Whatever we make at the academy, it is their property. There is no commercial work done here. Unfortunately, the institute that claims to be a haven for artists is letting dust eat away some of our greatest works, laments Amitabh Bhaumik, who worked at the studio in 2008. The academy, however, remains a major attraction for artists. Currently, there are 104 of them working at the studio. An academy official says that the issue has been brought to notice of the central academy at Mandi House multiple times, but no solution has been found so far. Due to the space crunch, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) had earlier allowed the academy to use an adjoining park. However, residents resisted as dust and noise of the constant chiselling by sculptors troubled them. They complained against it and finally the academy had to remove the statues from the park. The artists said that they had written the academy, DDA and NDMC in 2014 when a few of them were asked to vacate the studios along with their belongings. (Tribhuwan Sharma / HT Photo) What pains me the most is that we have given our blood and sweat to these art pieces and now they lie abandoned in a corner. We are made to feel that there is no space for our creativity in the country. Nobody values our effort. There are museums in other countries that preserve and celebrate art. Here they are gathering dust. It is heart-breaking for us, says Devidas Khattri, a sculptor. The artists said that they had written the academy, DDA and NDMC in 2014 when a few of them were asked to vacate the studios along with their belongings. We asked them to install the statues in the adjacent park or look for other recreational places where they could be installed. We are still waiting for a response from either of them, said Khattri. The Election Commission has asked 21 MLAs of the Aam Admi Party (AAP) to be present for a hearing in the office of profit case on July 14. A Delhi-based lawyer had complained to the EC, seeking the removal of these MLAs who were appointed as parliamentary secretaries. According to EC officials, the case will be heard over the span of a few hearing dates. Following the complaint and the President returning the Bill that would allow MLAs to hold second paying position as parliamentary secretary, the response of the MLAs was sought. All the 21 MLAs had sought a personal hearing, after submitting that they were not drawing any remuneration from the Delhi government, said an official. Party sources said the legislators have their own legal teams to assist them and they would respond as and when the Election Commission calls them for hearing. Nearly a third of the Aam Aadmi Party legislators are staring at disqualification after President Pranab Mukherjee last month refused to sign a bill that allowed the 21 MLAs to hold a second paying position as parliamentary secretary. The AAP government maintained that no MLA received any benefits vehicles, bungalow or extra money from the parliamentary secretary position. On March 13, 2015, the Kejriwal government passed an order appointing the 21 party MLAs as parliamentary secretaries, saying they wont take remuneration and hence didnt fall under the office of profit regulations. The Constitution prohibits legislators or parliamentarians from holding any positions with monetary or other benefits. This clause known as office of profit is aimed at reducing conflict-of-interest situations for public representatives. Subsequently, the AAP government sought an amendment in the form of a bill -- the Delhi Members of Legislative Assembly (Removal of Disqualification) Act, 2015 -- passed it in the assembly last June on the back of its brute majority of 67 MLAs in the 70-member House. Kashmir is again witnessing a serious escalation of militant violence. Eight CRPF paramilitary personnel were killed and 21 others injured in an ambush at Pampore on June 25. This follows two other separate attacks this month, which killed two BSF personnel at Bijbehera and three policemen in Srinagar. The incidence of militant violence in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) often corresponds to the tenor of India-Pakistan relations. In recent years, Indias counter-insurgency successes and the intent to sustain bilateral dialogue has acted together to bring down the number of casualties significantly. In other words, Pakistan would maintain a measure of militant capacity in Kashmir but would calibrate violence in line with its (shifting) political purposes. Read | India chooses optics over outcomes when dealing with Pakistan It looks like Islamabad has decided to spike up the militancy yet again. This is of course in step with the charged atmospherics owing to the recent tussle over Indias bid for membership into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Islamabad clearly banded with China to oppose India. Sartaj Aziz, foreign affairs adviser to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, openly proclaimed that Pakistan successfully blocked Indias membership. The coordinated action with Beijing also seems to have prompted a brash, insensitive remark from Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit who when asked about the Pampore attack reiterated that Kashmir was an issue to be resolved and preferred to focus on the Iftaar that he was hosting. Home minister Rajnath Singh reacted sharply to the militant attacks saying that if shots were fired from Pakistan then India would not be keeping a count on the bullets that it will fire. Read | Dont count bullets while returning Pak fire, Rajnath tells soldiers at border The tensions between India and China and the downturn in India-Pakistan ties looks set to have violent consequences in Kashmir. This round of instability will also affect tourism revenues in the Valley the summer season is still underway. The Centre may be reconciled to a new phase of India-Pakistan hostility that proceeds from wider geopolitics but it must find a way to address widespread anger in Kashmir. New Delhi has often relied on the state government to pacify Kashmir but the PDP-BJP coalition is unpopular in the Valley for several reasons including the shooting of five civilians at Handwara in April and the speculation about resettling ex-servicemen in the Valley. Pakistan can be expected to stoke violence in Kashmir but the Centre needs a more purposive, sensitive political strategy for the Valley. Read | Pro-Pakistan or anti-India? Behind Chinas NSG veto It is almost a year since the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), or the Skill India mission, with the aim of giving as many as 2.4 million young Indians industry-relevant training with an elaborate certification scheme. One year is too short a time to assess true progress in a bureaucracy-driven system of the kind India has, but, given the NDAs earnestness to create jobs by the millions it is only proper to alert the government on the pitfalls of a system that shows early signs of a familiar drift. Read | Why Indian PhD and BTech holders love lowly government jobs According to the official website, 1.97 million people (as of today) have completed training and as many as 1.22 million have been certified under the scheme. Those numbers are indeed impressive. However, news reports say only 82,000 of the 1.76 million officially trained at the end of April were actually recorded as having jobs. Official explanations suggest that data reporting on actual employment has been inadequate and also that the scheme aims for employability and not job assurance. While these factors may be true, they are unlikely to cut ice in the larger public discourse . The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Someone is bound to ask: Where are the jobs? Read | Modis Skill India initiative scores low on placements An estimated Rs 1,500 crore of taxpayer money is being spent on the scheme. We may point out that a recent report of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India found holes in the Gujarat Skill Development Mission. What the Centre needs is an effective mechanism to ensure that those who deserve jobs get them and there is a system to tell who got where or did not. This is vital in view of investments being sought for ambitious schemes such as the Make In India, Digital India and Startup India. In an age when tigers are counted with microchips and the Aadhar card is becoming a national currency for tracking individuals, surely the government can keep a benign on eye on those trained under its ambitious scheme? We might otherwise see a big gap in those trying bridge skill gaps for the masses. Apart from the quality education that it provides, Delhi University (DU) is also known for fostering talent in students through the various societies in its colleges. The photography societies in the varsity are one such place. For students who are shutterbugs and would like to spend more time immersed in the art, these societies are the place to be. Heres a list of some of the photography societies in DU: Projekt Film and Photography Society of LSR Founded in 1977, Projekt nurtures the talent of film and photography enthusiasts of the college. Apart from holding exhibitions, photo walks, and organising guest lectures for its photography members, the society also collaborates with other societies in the college in order to diversify itself. The members of the society are selected on the basis of their previous work, and there is an interview procedure as well. Photography is viewed as a personal thing as it the photographers vision. We are trying to make it a democratic space by helping students learn to create photographs that everyone can relate to, says Deyasini Chatterjee, president of the society. Projekt collaborates with other societies in LSR so as to diversify itself. Pinhole Photography Society Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College Apart from sharpening their skills at photography, the society is also like a closely knit family which stands by each other. We believe in being more than just a photography society. Aisa nahi hai ki aao, click karo aur chale jao. Were all like family to each other now; we are with each other through each others problems, says Tanveer Oberoi, the president of the society. DU admissions: Good at sculpting, music, dance? Go for ECA quota Founded in 2011 by Paawan Khanna, the society has about 20 members. In order to secure a place in society, students have to send in their 10 best photos, after which they have to participate in an on-the-spot photo essay competition. Those who clear this round, have to give an interview. The society holds exhibitions for its students twice a year, one annual, and the other mid-semester. Along with that, the society also hosts photo walks and photography classes for its members. Whatever the students learn in these classes is tested when they return to the college at the beginning of a new academic year. We take photography quite seriously! adds Oberoi. Pinhole, the photography society of SGTB Khalsa, is more like a close-knit family. The Delhi University Photographers' Club (DUPC) DUPC is perfect for those who wish to be in a photography society along with students of other colleges, not just their own. As the name suggests, the society is for all the students of DU, and not just for students of any one particular college. Our main aim is to unite all the photo societies in DU. For this reason, we do not even hold any auditions or have a selection process. Anyone who has an interest in photography can be a part of the society, says Aastha Rana, the president, DUPC. Started in 2011 by Haris Mikael, the society has about 200 members. Unlike other societies, DUPC does not participate in any events such as competitions or exhibitions. We organise our own events, instead of participating in them. We even hold a photography fest where all other colleges participate. We try to provide a platform to budding photographers in DU. The society often also takes interns so keep an eye out at their Facebook page, you might be their next! Members of DUPC consist of students from various colleges of the university. Iris Photography Society of Gargi College Iris has a long list of achievements to its name. It comes as no surprise that the society takes photography seriously to such an extent, that is gives its members home assignments to complete during the holidays. There is also have a proper timeline that we follow at the society. We begin with basic photography sessions where we cover the general topics in the first month and then progress to advanced photography in the second month, where we start conducting photo walks. Then we progress to themed indoor photo shoots, says Vidisha Khaitan, the convenor of Iris. Founded in 2004, the society has 22 members currently. To be a member of the society, students have to send their best five photographs and participate in an on-the-spot themed photography competition. Of the events organised for the members, some are photo walks, online competitions throughout the session, and exhibitions. The society also presents a photography, film and fine arts exhibition in collaboration with the fine arts and film society of the college. Members of Iris regularly hold exhibitions and photo walks. Clicks The Photography Society of DCAC Clicks is the place to be if one loves photography, says Shubham Verma, the president. The society was started in 2010 by Laveesh Sharma and Rudransh Nagi. It currently has 27 members. To be a part of the society, one has to send in their best five photographs and participate in a photo walk which determines their selection. The process takes about a week. The society organises exhibitions, competitions, photo walks, feedback sessions where the work by the members is critiqued by senior members, workshops, and sessions by guest photographers for its members. The work done by the members is showcased at an exhibition during the college fest every year, along with the work of students from other colleges. Weve improved in so many ways since we joined the society. Our photography has improved, our confidence has increased, and we have really learned how to befriend people. People dont just learn photography here, they begin to truly enjoy it, adds Verma. An exhibition by Clicks, the photography society of Delhi College of Arts and Commerce. Photographic Society St. Stephen's College Started in the year 1949 by a few students, The Photographic Society is one of the oldest photography societies in DU, and one of the oldest as well. The society boasts of members who have made a name for themselves in the field of photography, such as Chandan Gnomes who is the youngest recipient of India Habitat Centre Fellowship for Photography, and Aditya Arya, a leading Indian photographer known for his work India Photo Archive Foundation. Members of the Photographic Society of St Stephens during a photo walk. The college currently has 30 members. Pooja George, the president, says that there is no selection process for those who want to be a member. Anyone who loves photography can be a part of the society. It doesnt matter if you think you are good or bad. All you have to be is passionate about photography. The society organises several events for its members, including photo walks to monuments, informal photo talks by alumni, and competitions and exhibitions at their fest. The society has also launched a coffee table book, which is filled by photographs taken by its members. It also launches a calendar every year for the students, and the photographs of this are also taken by the students. The society wants to provide a platform for those who have a zeal for photography. It is a very open society in the way that it does matter if you are a beginner or an advanced learner, there is space for everyone. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prakash Javadekar, the Union minister for environment, forest and climate change will conduct an aerial survey of the forest cover in Gurgaon and Mewat districts of Haryana on Monday. The move will help define forests in the state, which has been the bone of contention for the last two decades. This visit may also put some light on the draft notification that had been prepared by the environment ministry to categorise forests in the state. The minister will visit Firozepur Jhirka where he will meet the officials of the forest department to get an idea of the ground reality. The forest department also confirmed the news. The Union minister will visit the area to understand the topography of the region, said MD Sinha, conservator of forest, Gurgaon. Speculations are high that if the proposal gets approval then a large area of scrub forests in the Aravallis hills will be exempted from the forest category. As the Aravalli forest ranges do not have a dense forest cover and have also been recorded as gair mumkin pahar and bhood in the revenue record, if the proposal of raising the present 10% density of forest to 30% density for any area to be considered as forest in the state is considered then around 11,500 hectares of forests in Haryanas NCR, much of it in the Aravallis, could fail to get protection if the draft is notified. Environmentalists have termed the exercise as the last nail in the coffin if the government decides to dilute the forest cover in the state, which is the second lowest in the country. As per the 2014 draft of the Forest Survey of India (FSI), the states that have a forest cover less than the national average, which is 33%, should declare areas in the region even with less than 1% crown density and scrub forests (0-10% forest cover). However, the current draft has no mention of scrub forests. Experts are of the opinion that the extended meaning of forest as in the Samatha case judgment of the Supreme Court has also been ignored in the new draft and it does not consider plantations as forests. The new draft will affect the ongoing demarcation of the Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ), especially the areas that have been put under yet to be decided NCZ category, said Vivek Kamboj, an environmentalist. Green activists fear that this visit might dilute the forest cover picture in the state. With the increase in crown density criteria, the Aravallis will be excluded from being declared as forest and it will help the real estate lobby to grab land in the region, said Amit Chaudhery, a naturalist. . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Hardly had the guns fallen silent after Saturdays ambush of a CRPF contingent by militants in Jammu and Kashmirs Pampore when a row erupted between the paramilitary force and the Indian Army over who killed the attackers. While the army said it killed two militants believed to be from Pakistan in retaliatory fire, the CRPF lodged a protest against it for wrongly claiming credit. The CRPF, which has been involved in counter-militancy operations in the Kashmir valley, alleged some army troopers arrived at the scene after the encounter was over and started clicking selfies with the bodies of the slain militants. Read: 8 CRPF men, 2 militants killed in Kashmir ambush, LeT claims responsibility Within no time, the armys Northern Command tweeted: Army kills two terrorists who fired upon CRPF convoy at Pampore, Kashmir Ops in prog. Injured CRPF personnel being attended to. Fuming, the CRPF men and officers took up the matter with the armys top brass. Soon thereafter, the official Twitter account of Northern Command posted a revised message, saying Update on Pampore ops. Injured CRPF personnel evacuated to hospital. Two terrorists killed in joint op by security forces. Officers of the CRPF informed their seniors and the army that there was no joint operation. They said the army personnel arrived on the scene after the encounter was over and walked away with weapons carried by the militants, besides clicking selfies with their bodies. They were wrongly claiming credit for an operation of which they had no clue, said an officer who was associated with the developments on Saturday when two militants attacked a CRPF bus at Pampore, on the outskirts of Srinagar, killing eight security personnel and wounding 21 before being felled in the counteroffensive by the paramilitary force. Read: Doubt if CRPF followed standard procedures properly: Parrikar on Pampore attack An official said the army was shown videos of its men busy clicking selfies after which the Northern Command tweeted: Update on Pampore Ops. Two terrorists killed by CRPF in retaliatory action. Earlier tweet stands corrected. Director general of CRPF K Durga Prasad, who was on Monday asked at a press conference whether the army had played any role in the encounter, said: Armys 51 RR (Rashtriya Rifles) unit reached the spot after the incident got over. When contacted, a spokesperson for the Srinagar-based 15 Corps Col NN Joshi refused to comment. Lalji Patel, the Patel community leader jailed during the Jail Bharo Andolan, who was bailed out on Friday, met Gujarat chief minister Anandiben Patel to signal the Sardar Patel Groups truce with the government. Patel, along with seven other SPG core committee leaders, visited chief minister Anandiben Patel and cabinet ministers Nitin Patel and Vijay Rupani, after his release. Patel said the government has been positive to the communitys various demands. We put forward 29 demands to the government from the communitys point of view and it seems most of them have been met, he said. This is the first time we felt the government is taking a positive approach towards the entire issue. I believe nobody is above the community, neither me nor Hardik, and in the coming days we will go out into the community and discuss with them the governments stance towards the issue. We dont believe in carrying out an agitation for the sake of it, if anything is better for the community, than we will go along with it, he added. Nitin Patel, meanwhile, said the government would take a positive approach towards Hardik and the others who were in jail. Lalji felt, during his days in the jail as well as during the entire judicial process of his bail, that the government has taken a positive stand. He and the delegation expressed that they are satisfied with the governments approach towards their demands. His gesture of paying us a courtesy visit itself suggests that. Even in the case of Hardik and others who are in jail, the government will be taking a positive approach, he said. Vijay Rupani said if the community had any demands, even in future, both sides would have no difficulty arriving at an amicable solution. Laljis visit suggests the Patel agitation is heading towards a peaceful end in the coming days. The BJP government and Patel community are both two sides of a single coin and we dont want to hurt the communitys feelings. Laljis stand in the entire issue has been apolitical and in future if the community has any demands, from both the sides will reach an amicable solution, Rupani said. The big question now is about the fate of jailed Patel leader, Hardik, who is known for taking a different view from the rest of the Patel leaders, especially Lalji. Even during the Patel agitation, whenever there was a possibility that the stir would be curbed by the government, Hardik made sure he sparked off enough controversial remarks to keep the issue burning. I will have a talk with Hardik on July 4th in the court room, when we both have a hearing for a case related to the agitation. In the past too, I have advised him to always stay focused on the communitys benefit and not enter into unnecessary clashes, Lalji said. Guwahati The BJP is reportedly pushing for the merger of Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA), its ally that rules Arunachal Pradesh. If the merger becomes a reality, BJP would have its second government in the northeast after Assam. The BJP, though, had ruled Arunachal Pradesh for a year in 2003. Speculations in the state bordering China have been rife after BJP state unit president Tapir Gao conveyed Shahs merger proposal to PPA leader and chief minister Kalikho Pul a few days ago. Our central leadership sent a message for PPAs merger with the BJP. The ball is now in the chief ministers court but neither he nor the PPA has responded yet, Gao said. Gao had last month said the PPA-BJP merger was just a matter of time. The PPA, however, has dubbed the merger talk as rumour. The PPA is not merging with the BJP, which is our ally. There are no differences or misunderstanding between us, party chairman Kamen Ringu said. But, he said, a decision could be taken in the next three-four months if the Pul government fails to deliver on the development front. There is no problem as of now. Pul, a former Congress leader, had in February formed a dissident Congress government after dethroning Nabam Tuki. The rebel Congress government, with support from BJP and independents, had 31 MLAs in the 60-member assembly. Less than a month later, Pul and the other rebel Congress MLAs defected to the PPA. The PPA is one of 11 constituents of the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) that BJP heads. Formed on May 24, the Sarbananda Sonowal took oath as Assam chief minister, NEDAs aim is to ensure a Congress-free region. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Doctors at a Chennai hospital are confident of saving an eight-month old girl with a liver disease whose impoverished parents asked for court permission last week to kill their daughter because they didnt have the funds for her treatment. Authorities at Chennais Global Hospital promised on Monday to carry out an expensive liver transplant operation on Gnana Sai, the daughter of agricultural labourers from Andhra Pradesh. The parents of the girl approached our hospital and we were moved by their plight, said Dr K Ravindranath, chairman of the group. We are ready at the Global Hospitals to carry out the liver transplant operation without putting financial burden on the family in any way. The hospital will examine the two liver donors the girls parents and carry out the operation on Wednesday, a source said. Read: Andhra parents seek mercy killing for 8-month-old with liver ailment Rela said the operation will be straight forward and that Gnana Sai will become better. She will have over 95% chances of surviving a liver transplant operation and leading a normal life like any other normal kid. The cost of the operation is being borne by the Andhra Pradesh government and chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has agreed to support the hospital in any way for conducting the operation. The parents, Ramanappa and Saraswati from RS Kothapalli village of Chittoor district, hit the headlines after approaching a local court asking for their daughter to be euthanized. They said they spent Rs 5 lakh on the treatment of their child, suffering from a congenital liver disease. The couple said they couldnt afford the transplant which the girl needed to stay alive -- that cost Rs 30 lakh. The girl was treated at a Bangalore hospital for five months but the results were negative. Doctors had recommended a liver transplant within two months. The father earlier said he was ready to donate his liver to his daughter but added he didnt have the `30 lakh needed for the operation. With no possibility of saving his daughter in sight, he sought permission from the court for killing his daughter through passive euthanasia. After the local media highlighted the labourer couples plight, it was brought to the notice of Naidu by a local MLA, who also assured all help. A private secretary to the health secretary accompanied the couple to the Chennai hospital to facilitate the treatment. The hospital too, on its part, responded to the situation with swiftness and agreed to admit its youngest liver transplant patient ever. For the record, a six-month-old girl child was the youngest liver transplant patient in Chennai. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON After Union home minister Rajnath Singh emphasised the need to safeguard Indias coastline, the focus is back on Mumbais coastal security which faced its worst-ever terror attack from the sea. Ten terrorists who left Pakistan on November 23, 2008, landed in Mumbai around 8.30 pm on November 26, and attacked various places in the city, leaving more than 160 dead and more than 300 injured. Since 2008, the city police have stepped up coastal security but senior police officers with the city police and experts feel a lot more needs to be done. For instance, equipment like boats interceptors, amphibious break down often, said a senior police officer, requesting anonymity. Also, a demand for new boats is pending with the state government, which means security agencies are still waiting for bigger and better boats to patrol the sea. Sources said the proposal to either lease or buy new patrol boats from the Goa Shipping Yard is stuck owing to inadequate funds. The proposal was first mooted in 2012 and has remained on paper ever since. The number of patrol boats with the port zone is also dwindling after some of the vessels were scrapped owing to their age and performance. The number of boats has come down to 20 from 27. However, only around 13 boats are available for sea patrolling on any given day owing to maintenance issues. These boats are divided among the coastal police stations, said a police officer. The city police have a jurisdiction spanning 12 nautical miles around the Mumbai coast form the last leg of the three-tier security, after which the coast guard and Indian Navy take over. There are four police stations across the coast of the city: Yellow Gate, Wadala, Sewri and Mumbai Sagari, a fifth Mumbai Sagari II operates from a bungalow. However, the biggest complaint among the port zone police is lack of staff and apart from coastal policing the police in the port zone have to go on bandobast duty and other routine chores. Also, the Yellow Gate police station, which is the main coastal police station in the city continues to have jurisdiction over the entire west coast from Gujarat to Tamil Nadu. For any incident on the west coast, a first information report (FIR) has to be registered with Yellow Gate police station. Experts on the subject, however, said coastal security is a state subject and not just Mumbai-centric because the country has a vast coastline of more than 7,200km. There are chinks in the armour. The government has spent a lot of money and has taken countless efforts to secure the sea, but a lot still needs to be done. We are, however, a lot safer than what we were in 2008, said D Sivanandhan, former Mumbai police commissioner. However, Mumbais coastal police are at the mercy of agencies like the coast guard and Indian Navy for their training. Sometimes, police swimming pools are used to train the staff. The training part has suffered largely because the state governments plan for a coastal academy in Raigad district had to be shelved after the Union government decided to set up the academy in Gujarat once the BJP came to power at the Centre. Of the many problems faced by the Mumbai police while patrolling the sea, sea sickness tops the list. The one-man enquiry panel, which probed the issue of missing files in the Ishrat Jahan encounter case, has claimed that former home secretary GK Pillai was in know of the changes made in the second affidavit relating to the case which was to be filed before Gujarat high court. The panel noted that a draft copy of a letter addressed to then attorney general late Goolam E Vahanvati by the then Pillai on September 18, 2009 has been recovered from the computer of the office of the home secretary which refers to some discussions in the chamber of the law minister in regard to the supplementary affidavit. The panels claim assumes significance as it was Pillai, few months ago, who alleged that Chidambaram as home minister bypassed him and had rewritten the affidavit. However, the fact that there was some discussion in the chamber of honble law minister regarding filing of supplementary affidavit has not been recorded anywhere on the file either by the joint secretary or by the then home secretary, said the panel which has failed to pin-point the people who were responsible for it and rather chose to conclude that it may have been knowingly removed or unintentionally misplaced. The first affidavit was filed on the basis of inputs from Maharashtra and Gujarat Police besides Intelligence Bureau (IB) where it was said that Ishrat, a 19-year-old girl from Mumbai who was killed in the outskirts of Ahmedabad in 2004, was an activist of terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba but it was ignored in the second affidavit. The second affidavit, claimed to have been drafted by Chidambaram, said there was no conclusive evidence to prove that Ishrat was a terrorist. The panel indicated that the documents might have gone missing during its movement between the Pillai and the then home minister P Chidambaram and also raised questions over the conduct of a former joint secretary D Diptivilas who had received an incomplete file. After his over three-month long probe during which he examined all the joint secretaries incharge of crucial Internal Security division, additional secretary BK Prasad said Diptivilas, who was joint secretary between January 2008 to March 2010, has stated that he had not seen the office copy of the letter sent to the then attorney general by the then home cecretary as well as the ensclosure sent on September 18, 2009. What he (Diptivilas) has seen was a sealed envelope, which was got delivered to the AGs office. He said that this letter was not a part of the file. The draft further affidavit which was put up by the home secretary on September 23, 2009 as vetted by the AG was also not seen by him and he denied knowledge of seeing this draft amended by the then home minister. The panel had concluded that these papers appear to either have been knowingly removed from the file or may be unitentionally misplaced during the period 18.09.2009 and 24.09.2009 either by those who have dealt with this file during the period or by some other officer/staff under whose custody this file would have been during this period. ..how, why and under what circumstances these papers were missing or were removed from the file, is a matter of investigation and this being an internal enquiry is beyond its purview. The first squadron of indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas -- christened Flying Daggers 45 -- will be in place on July 1 with the handing over of two LCA by the makers Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to the Indian Air Force (IAF). IAF officials said on Monday the first LCA squadron will be based in Bangalore in Karnataka for two years before shifting to Sulur in Tamil Nadu. Starting with two aircraft, the squadron will get six more jets by 2017 to make it fully operational. The LCA is far superior to Pakistans JF-17 built jointly with China, the IAF added. The indigenous fighter jet, which is still to get full operational clearance, is expected to get into combat role next year, officials said. IAFs squadron number 45, Flying Daggers, has to its credit the shooting down of a Pakistani naval surveillance aircraft in 1999, some 300 km northeast of Karachi, killing all 16 people on board. The squadron, which was based at Nalia air base in Gujarat, was flying MIG-21 Bis at that time. It is an excellent platform with proven airworthiness and superb safety record ever registered by any fighter jet in the world, a senior IAF official said. During its 3,000 hours of sorties in the development phase, the LCA registered more than 2,500 hours of exceptionally clean flights, he added. The first Tejas squadron will consist of 20 aircraft, with four in reserve. Officials said the second LCA squadron will be raised with improved capabilities, including critical necessity of missile firing to Beyond Visual Range. The IAF plans to induct over 80 aircraft with better specifications, known as Tejas 1A. In the coming years, altogether 120 Tejas jets are to be inducted, replacing MiG-21s, which perform the role of close combat support. Tejas is far, far better than MiG-21s in terms of safety as its fly-by-wire system is the state-of-the-art in the world, an IAF official said. The improved Tejas-1A will be far more superior than the first two squadrons, since these will have mid-air refueling, modern internal radar warning receiver and external self-protection jammer pod to enhance survivability and an active electronically scanned array radar, the officials added. Central government employees can look forward to fatter salary cheques as the Union cabinet is likely to take up the 7th Pay Commission recommendations on Wednesday. The commission has recommended an average 23.55% increase in their salary, allowances and pension, a move that will benefit 4.8 million staffers and 5.5 million pensioners. The commission headed by justice (retired) AK Mathur had presented its 900-page report to finance minister Arun Jaitley in November 2015. In January, the government had set up an empowered committee of secretaries headed by cabinet secretary PK Sinha to examine the panels suggestions. A secretariat has also been set up within the finance ministry to oversee the panels recommendations. The cabinet is expected to discuss on Wednesday the Sinha committees report on implementation of the pay panels recommendations. The salary hikes will be effective from January 1, 2016. More cash in hand is likely to result in higher consumption by the governments massive employee base, which accounts for a large segment of the Indian middle-class. More demand could boost the economy through higher spending on assets such as cars and housing. The government usually accepts the broad proposals for pay revision due every 10 years and state governments usually respond with their own hikes. The Centres total salary and allowances bill for 2016-17 has been pegged at Rs 1.84 lakh crore, which is Rs 65,687 crore or 55% higher than last years Rs 1.18 lakh crore. The higher wage bill for this year partly factors in the anticipated increase in employee remuneration. The pay commissions recommendations say a fresh IAS recruit will get a basic salary of Rs 56,000 a month against Rs 23,000 currently, while a sepoy in the Indian Army will earn Rs 21,700 a month from Rs 8,460 at present. In addition, employees are paid dearness allowance and house rent among many other allowances. If accepted, the new proposals will set Rs 18,000 as the minimum pay of an employee on the central governments rolls. At present, the minimum salary is Rs 7,000. The total emoluments of a general helper the lowest-ranked employee amount to Rs 22,579, more than double that of his counterpart in the private sector, a study commissioned by the panel found. The commission has proposed a change in the salary structure by doing away with the system of pay bands and grade pay and recommended pay matrix. It has also called for scrapping overtime allowance and interest-free loans to buy motor vehicles. Family dispute, ignorance and disinterest on the part of successive governments all contributed to the phasing out of an important part of history and heritage from Murshidabad. The house of the first President of Pakistan, Iskandar Mirza, was located in Lalbagh. But owing to the lack of initiative on the part of both central and state governments, the house is now completely ruined and some new buildings and hotels have come up there. Iskandar belonged to the Nawab family of Murshidabad and his house was located in Murshidabad, around 200 km from Kolkata. Historians said Iskandar was born in Murshidabad city (now known as Lalbagh town) on November 13, 1899. His father, Md. Fateh Ali Mirza, was the grandson of Nawab Mansur Ali Khan, the last Nawab of Bengal. But after the Partition of India, Iskandar opted to live in Pakistan with his family and didnt return to see his ancestral property. Also, his father Fateh Ali Mirza, who is popularly known as Nawab Mirza in Murshidabad, turned the property into a personal estate. As a result, the house was practically not repaired by anyone after Independence. Iskandar, a great grandson of the infamous Nawab of Bengal Mir Jafar, served as the President of Pakistan between 1956 and 1958. He was also the last Governor General of Pakistan between 1955 and 1956. He died in 1969. Dr Reza Ali Khan, former teacher of Nawab Bahadur Institution and the author of Murshidabad Abong Banglar Nazim and a distant relative of Iskandar, said, The place where the house of Iskandar Mirza was situated (just opposite Dakshin Darwaja, only few meters from Hazarduari Palace) was once known as Tikiyatoli. But at present it is in ruins. Iskandars association with Murshidabads history is very weak. But the house was historically important as it was the birthplace of Pakistans first President and once the family of Bengals Nawabs resided there. The house built was spread over 4-5 bighas and there were several rooms in the mansion, he said. The Nawab Mirza Estate still exists in Murshidabad town but there is no information whether the estate sold the house of Iskandar. Illegal encroachers have made houses there or gobbled up the land. But the government didnt do anything to save the property. Iskandar Mirza spent 5-6 years of his childhood in Murshidabad. Later, his mother took him to Bombay for better education and he studied at University of Bombay. He did his graduation from Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Subhara Roy, a local historian, said: During the regime of the Nawab family, some houses of the Nawab family in Murshidabad town were collectively called as Kella Nizamat. But owing to the lack of proper preservation the Kella Nizamat is almost ruined. Now, one can only see the Wasif Manzil building of the Kella Nizamat. He added, Mirza family was an influential family of Murshidabad before the Partition of India. As Iskandars father, Nawab Mirza was in favour of Pakistan and his relative Wasif Ali Mirza wasnt in favour of the division of India. So this could be a reason that no one in the family was interested in preserving the home of Iskandar. A Rajasthani woman has alleged that she was harassment, rape harassed, beaten-up, raped and was tattooed with abuses for not paying the dowry money, police said on Monday. The woman in her late twenties and a resident of Amber near Jaipur has filed a complaint with the police alleging that abuses including Mera baap chor hai (my father is a thief) were tattooed on her forehead and she was raped by two of her husbands relatives. Her ordeal began after getting married about two years ago to a man from Reni village in Alwar district . Months later her in-laws started beating her demanding Rs 51,000 as dowry, which her family was unable to cough up. Trouble for my daughter started after six months she got married. She tried to tolerate it for some months. But when it became unbearable for her, she called me. After seeing her condition I was shocked to see that her in-laws had tattooed expletives or abuses on various parts of her body. I brought my daughter to my house and tried to rub off tattoos from her body including her forehead, said her father Dinaram. We have registered a case against the in-laws of the woman and started investigations into the complaint, an official of Amber police station told IANS. As tattoos have now been removed except for marks, the words are not fully visible, the official added. The US is disappointed that India was not admitted to NSG during its recent plenary in Seoul, US Ambassador to India Richard Verma said on Sunday but asserted that it will continue to work with all the members of 48-nation grouping on Indias accession in the months ahead. Referring to Indo-US civil nuclear cooperation, he said the two sides have moved forward on a 15-year project to build six Westinghouse reactors producing power for some 60 million people. This is a deal that had been pending for 10 years, and we were pleased to see it move even closer to fruition. Addressing the Atlantic Council US-India Trade Initiative workshop, Verma talked about the US strong support for Indias role in global institutions, like having a seat on a reformed UN security council. We continued to welcome Indias interest in APEC, and we strongly affirmed our support for Indias accession into the multi-lateral export control regimes, he added. With regard to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), six years ago, President (Barack) Obama first expressed his support for Indias membership in the NSG. Since that time, we have worked closely with our Indian counterparts and NSG members to help advance Indias case for membership. India has a strong record, and deserves to be included in the NSG. That is why the Administration, including senior White House and State Department officials, made a concerted effort to secure Indias membership in the recent NSG plenary session held in Seoul. We were disappointed India was not admitted during this recent session, but we will continue to work constructively with India and all the NSG members on Indias accession in the months ahead, the top US envoy said. India faced stiff opposition from China and a few other countries and the fact that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was used for foiling Indias bid at the Seoul meeting despite the US strong backing. Verma also said that the US designation of India as a Major Defence Partner will bring the militaries, industries, and defence ministries of the two countries even closer in the years ahead. In climate and clean energy, US has launched several new clean energy financing programmes to support Indias 175 GW target for renewable power, he said noting that both Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were committed to full implementation of the historic Paris climate agreement. We are in this with India for the long-term in bringing clean reliable power to the 300 million Indians who lack it and simultaneously battling to keep the earths temperatures from rising to dangerous levels, he added. Referring to the recent meetings between Obama and Modi, who was in the US earlier this month, he said they helped to institutionalize the bilateral cooperation and put it on a long-term footing for close collaboration in several key areas. In short, the Prime Ministers visit marked a new level of strategic convergence and consolidation in our partnership, he said. India on Monday became the 35th member of a global anti-proliferation bloc, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), which ensures transfer of high-end missile technology to the country and gives it a license to export arms. Read: India joins Missile Technology Control Regime as a full member Here are five things about the group: 1) What is MTCR; how does it work? Set up in 1987, the voluntary MTCR is a group of 35 countries including India, its newest member. The group aims at controlling the spread of ballistic missiles and unmanned delivery systems that can be used for biological, chemical or nuclear warfare. In other words, the grouping looks at restricting the export of missiles or missile technologies capable of carrying a 500kg payload to minimum 300km or weapons of mass destruction through strict end-use monitoring and each member country aligning their national export control policies with the MTCR guidelines. 2) What is the significance of India joining MTCR? The MTCR is the first export control regime India has become a member of. It comes two days after a diplomatic blitzkrieg failed to get the country into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The MTCR membership, which was earlier blocked by Italy over the marines issue, could bolster Indias non-proliferation credentials. India is not a signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which is considered the corner stone of all export control regimes 3) What will India immediately gain from the MTCR membership? India has been planning to sell Brahmos, jointly developed with Russia, to many countries including Vietnam. Becoming an MTCR member makes this process smoother. India also has keen interest in the fields such as space shuttles, drones, etc. The MTCR membership is seen as necessary in taking the trade or partnership in these areas forward with other countries. 4) Why is China not a member of the MTCR? For long the US curtailed the sale of missiles and technologies to China. China announced in November 2000 that it would not help other countries build ballistic missiles plying nuclear weapons. Many countries charged that Beijing, which helped in Pakistan's missile development, shared the sensitive technology with others. In 2004, China applied for the MTCR membership, pledged to follow the export control guidelines (India had made a similar commitment in 2008). But Chinese membership was rejected for lack of consensus. 5) Has MTCR achieved much since its inception? To a great extent, the answer is yes. The MTCR has been credited with either slowing down or stopping many missile programmes. Argentina, Egypt, and Iraq had given up their joint Condor II ballistic missile programme. Brazil, South Africa, South Korea, and Taiwan had either kept on hold or abandoned some missile programmes. But the regime is also measured against its failure in curtailing the missile programmes of Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, etc. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday India has been raising issues of its interest with China in a straight-forward manner and it will continue making efforts to be a member of the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG). In an interview with a television news channel, Modi said that due process for Indias inclusion in the NSG will continue. Read: Nobody is bigger than the system: PM Modis message for Swamy Everyone attempted and we also attempted to be a member of the NSG group. We will keep trying, and things have started on a positive note. All the things will be according to the due procedure, Modi said. Asked to comment on Chinas objections to Indias NSG bid, Modi said: There have been talks with China and in future also the talks should continue... There have been times when China has differed on several issues and even India has differed on several issues. Read: India will have to be alert about Pakistan all the time: PM Modi One thing I want to say that India has been raising all the issues of Indias interest with China in a straight forward manner. Indias bid last week to become a member of NSG proved unsuccessful with China persistently raising procedural hurdles even as most others in the 48-member bloc supported New Delhi. An 18-year old woman in Jharkhands Seraikela-Kharsawan district climbed a 150-feet electricity tower to demand that she be married to her boyfriend in a reenactment of a scene from Sholay - one of Indian cinemas most iconic films. She seems to have taken inspiration from the 1975 blockbuster in which Dharmendras Veeru climbs a water tank to protest against Basantis (Hema Malini) aunt who does not allow him to marry her niece. On Sunday afternoon, Kalpana (name changed) climbed the tower and started shouting that if she is not married to her lover she would jump to her death at Jordiha village, about 50 km from Jamshedpur. Soon, a huge crowd of curious onlookers and villagers gathered at the site. And as the news spread, Seraikela Police the spot with an ambulance, the fire brigade and a net. Police said the woman had some altercation with her parents in the afternoon over her insistence to marry Vijay Das alias Guddu, a resident of nearby Manik Bazar village. Rebuked by her parents, the girl went to the tower near Jordiha village and climbed to the uppermost bar at around 3.30pm. Villagers first spotted her around 4pm after which we reached the spot, a police official said. During the harrowing four-hour long tense negotiations, the woman threw her mobile phone on the ground asking the policemen and her parents to call Vijay to the spot. Police succeeded in convincing the woman to climb down only after her parents agreed to her demands. It was tough with the girls life at risk atop the 150-feet high tension electricity transmission tower and high voltage electric wires all around. We kept talking to her and brought Vijay to the spot. We told her parents and Vijay to agree whatever the girl had to say. They did that and finally, we succeeded to convince her to come down at about 6.30pm, KV Raman, Seraikela sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), told HT on Monday. Raman said she fainted as soon as she climbed down from the tower and police took her to the Seraikela Sadar hospital. She is under medical observation but the doctors told us that she is now normal and would be released soon, Raman added. Judges from Telangana on Sunday protested against non-withdrawal of the list of provisional allocation of judicial officers between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Over 100 judges, under the banner of the Telangana Judges Association, on Sunday organised a rally from Gun Park to Raj Bhavan at Hyderabad and submitted a representation to the governor, ESL Narasimhan against the provisional allocation of judicial officers. Earlier, at a meeting in Hyderabad, around 125 judicial officers of Telangana also gave their resignations to the Telangana Judges Association president and authorised him to present them to Governor as and when he feels proper if their demands are not met, a representative of the Association told PTI. We will wait for one more week seeking fulfilment of our demands, he said. Meanwhile, Telangana Advocates JAC co-convener T Sriranga Rao said, Of the 21 judges at the Hyderabad High Court, 18 are natives of Andhra Pradesh and only three are from Telangana. The allocation was done by the High Court without taking into consideration the guidelines framed by the High Court in February this year. We have been seeking preparation of a fresh list of allocation between the two states as per the native district declared by the judicial officers at the time of entry into service by following the guidelines notified for bifurcation of lower judiciary, and as per Section 77 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, Rao said. Advocates and judicial employees across Telangana had been protesting since June 6 against the provisional allocation through the Bar Association of High Court and all districts of Telangana state, along with the Telangana Advocates JAC, Telangana Judges Association, State Judicial Employees Association and Telangana Law Officers Association. Down with 377! chants a large crowd on a balmy Sunday afternoon as it marches through the heart of Chennai, each word punctuated by cheers and the hard thump of the thavil the traditional Tamil drum. My life! bellows one of the leaders of the parade, to a resounding response of My decision! This is the annual Chennai Rainbow Pride Parade, an event that gives members of the LGBTQ community a chance to rally with supporters for two major demands equal rights and dismissal of Section 377. Section 377 of Indian Penal Code terms homosexuality as unnatural and carries a maximum punishment of 10 years in jail. Going by the global trends in this regard, there have been demands in India to decriminalise homosexuality. The community has been taking out this rally spearheaded by a loose coalition of groups for sexual health and LGBTQ rights for a couple of years now. Prior to that, another pride march was conducted under the aegis of an NGO. An activist holds up a sign with an excerpt from a poem by Tamil poet Bharathiyar. The colour of ones skin may be different, but there is no difference between humans. (Aditya Iyer/HT) However, Jayashree the transgender general manager of sexual health organisation Sahodaran believes Sundays pride was the best in years. It gives me great pleasure to see the energy of the crowd today, especially that of all the new faces who joined us, she says. If I have one message to convey, it is to parents across Tamil Nadu and the country: Do not try and make children conform to gender norms! Instead, just raise a good human being. Raj Iyer (L), Eva (C), and Tracy (R) show their support for the LGBTQ cause during the Rainbow Pride Parade. (Aditya Iyer/HT) This years parade saw a large turnout, with people dancing, singing street songs in the Tamil tradition of Dappankuthu and delivering speeches. A small but significant number of foreigners were also present at the pride. Im here to support equal rights, says Eva, a Danish national who is writing a dissertation as part of an exchange programme. Its ridiculous that homosexuality is a crime in India. Indias archaic laws, which discriminate against the LGBTQ community, came into sharp focus in the backdrop of recent events such as the deadliest mass shootings at a gay nightclub in Orlando, which led to the murder of 49 homosexuals. We are all here because it is our basic human right to love whomever we wish to, says Raj Iyer, who stayed abroad for the last three years. LGBTQ activists pose outside of Egmore, Chennai, before the start of the Rainbow Pride Parade. (Aditya Iyer/HT) Local residents watched some bemused, others indifferent and a few happy as the parade wound its way from Egmore to Pantheon Road circle via Pudupet. Many enjoyed the parade because of all the dancing. Ive been enjoying the parade for the last three years, grins 40-year-old Suresh R, one of the few who shook a leg with the marchers. Its a lot of fun. Others, however, understood that the importance of the Rainbow Pride Parade goes beyond song and dance. Some of the nicest people I have met are transgenders, says Ravikumar S, a 45-year-old autorickshaw driver from Triplicane. They are people, just like you and I. I see no difference between us, he adds. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Vice-president Hamid Ansari on Monday hailed former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao for initiating basic changes in the economy with his policies of 1991 but also maintained that while his good works have lived on and changed the country, the harm continues to extract a heavy toll. The good that Narasimha Rao did to the country lives after him and has changed the very surroundings in which we live and work; the harm too lives on and continues to extract a heavy toll, Ansari said while releasing a new book Half Lion - How P V Narasimha Rao Transformed India penned by Vinay Sitapati. The Babri mistake On the demolition of Babri mosque, Ansari cited the books assessment in which Sitapati says: Rao wanted to protect the mosque and protect Hindu sentiments and protect himself. He ended up with the mosque destroyed, Hindus un-attracted to the Congress, and his own reputation in tatters. Two sections of the book would invite commentary. These relate to the management of Parliament and to the demolition of Babri Masjid, Ansari said. The first was a nightmare by any standard. The Congress was around 10 seats short of a majority. The opposition was split between a right-wing BJP and a left-wing National Front. The Prime Minister was perceived to be weak; so his focus was on wide ranging consultations with the opposition to ascertain issues and seek a consensus on the parliamentary agenda. Survival at all costs Ansari also referred to the controversy of horse trading that almost stuck to the Rao regime and later precipitated as a major legal wrangle. The nemesis came with the trust vote of July 26, 1992. Survival at all cost was the governments objective. Unethical tactics were resorted to; these were eventually also found to be beyond the pale of law. The authors judgement is unequivocal: it was the worst political decision of Narasimha Raos career, he said in a reference to the alleged JMM MPs bribery scandal. On Babri demolition, maintaining that there is no question that Rao made the wrong decision, Sitapati had tried to blame this on the circumstances prevailing then and the unwillingness by Rao to take a decision about imposing Presidents Rule. On this Ansari further said the conclusion is unavoidable that the hesitation to act was propelled by political, rather than constitutional considerations. The economic shift On economic policies and bringing in economic reforms with Manmohan Singh as the Union finance minister, Ansari however said: The crisis of 1991 was the catalyst. To him (Rao) goes the credit for grasping the opportunity, for making commendable judgements on selection of personnel, and for manoeuvring the changes very deftly through the shoals and rapids of a divided polity. There was a panel discussion that followed the book release which was addressed by former Union minister Natwar Singh, senior journalist Shekhar Gupta, foreign policy analyst C Raja Mohan and political scientist Pratap Bhanu Mehta. In his remarks, senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar attributed Raos pro-Hindu mindset encouraged the destruction of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya while Natwar Singh described the Babri Masjid demolition on December 6, 1992, as the biggest failure of Rao. Aiyar, in his brief intervention also said: We tried to persuade the Prime Minister to wake up to the danger but added that Rao declined to do so. Rao was completely convinced that by talking to the sadhus and saints he could solve the problem, he said. China said on Monday it is ready to continue discussions on new entrants to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but is unaware of a facilitator being appointed to look into Indias application to join the elite club. Many countries have differing views and consensus has to be forged before new countries can be admitted, Beijing said. Last week, China was among a handful of countries that opposed Indias entry to the NSG, which controls access to sensitive nuclear technology, because New Delhi has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). During the groups annual plenary meeting in Seoul, China said Indias entry to the group will destabilise the non-proliferation regime. Indian diplomats, however, said Indias hopes were not over and an informal panel led by Argentine envoy Rafael Grossi had been set up to study New Delhis application and entry into the group. A special NSG meeting could be held later this year to look at the issue, unnamed officials told media in New Delhi. But China said it wasnt aware of any such move. We have never heard about any other follow-up steps, foreign ministry spokesperson Hong Lei told a regular news briefing when he was asked about the facilitators appointment. China, Hong said, is ready to continue discussions on admitting non-NPT members to the NSG. For quite a long time, including in this plenary meeting, China has been promoting the NSG to have thorough discussions on accession of non-NPT countries, he said. As we have learned, the plenary meeting issued a news release saying the meeting held discussions on technical, legal and political issues regarding accession of non-NPT countries and agreed to continue with such discussions. Hong added that differences existed among NSG members on allowing the entry of non-NPT members. As far as we know, in the NSG plenary meeting held in Seoul, many countries expressed their views on accession of non-NPT countries into the group. They believe they should forge a consensus and then make a declaration based on consultations and thorough discussions regarding the entry of a specific country, he said. The enlargement of NSG is a formidable task and parties are far apart within the group, Wang Qun, director general of the department of arms control of the Chinese foreign ministry, said in Seoul. Wang said China's approach is two-fold - the NSG's rules should be respected as they do not target any countries, and innovative ideas are called for to forge consensus. To this end, China had pushed the NSG to conduct informal discussions under the Argentina chairmanship, he added. Wang had added that China understood India's sentiment on developing nuclear energy to cope with climate change, adding this was a common challenge confronting developing countries. Noting that India has bilateral cooperation with many NSG members in nuclear energy, Wang said that subject to India's needs, China too stands ready to explore cooperation in this field to help India address its nuclear energy needs. The Chinese official also pointed out that NPT is not at odds with the Paris Agreement on climate change, and on the contrary, they are mutually reinforcing and supportive, wang was quoted as saying by state-run Xinhua news agency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday pointed to the multiple power centres in Pakistan to explain New Delhis difficulty in drawing a lakshman rekha (red line) for talks with the neighbouring country. Since coming to power in 2014, Modi has pushed to improve bilateral ties but has run up against the familiar problem of the Pakistani militarys stranglehold over the countrys foreign policy that has often undermined its civilian government. New Delhi also accuses the Pakistani military of using anti-India groups as an extension of its policy towards its neighbour. Read: PM Modi snubs Swamy over fondness for publicity, calls Rajan patriot The first thing is that with whom in Pakistan will you decide the lakshman rekha -- with the elected government or with other actors? So India will have to be alert and conscious all the time. There should not be any laxity and negligence, Modi said in an interview with a TV news channel. He was responding to a question about what the lakshman rekha for holding talks with Pakistan should be. At different times, India has linked the progress of talks to action by Pakistan against the planners of 2008 Mumbai attacks as well as on an airbase in Pathankot earlier this year. In 2014, the NDA government had said talks should only be between the two governments, leaving out the Kashmiri separatist group, the Hurriyat. Modi, however, clarified that New Delhi will continue to engage with the civilian government in Pakistan. Look, there are different types of forces operating in Pakistan. But the government only engages with a democratically elected system. Our effort for that engagement is continuing, he said. Modi said because of his consistent efforts like the visit to Lahore in December or inviting the Pakistan Prime Minister to Delhi for his 2014 inaugural that he no longer has to convince the world either about Indias stand on terrorism or its willingness to engage with its neighbour. Read: India will have to be alert about Pakistan all the time: PM Modi The world in one voice is praising Indias role. Pakistan is finding it difficult to answer. The world is watching. If we remain an obstacle then we will have to convince the world that we are not like this, he said. Earlier the world would not buy Indias stand on terrorism and sometime it would even treat it as a law and order problem. Now the whole world is accepting what India says on terrorism I believe India will have to continue putting forth its view on this matter. But opposition parties have described Modis foreign policy as inconsistent at best and tamasha at worst, especially after the Prime Ministers diplomacy failed to break Chinas resistance to Indias effort to become a member of the Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG). Pakistans refusal in April to host an Indian team probing the Pathankot airbase attack also triggered charges that Modi had played into the hands of Islamabad. Modi said India will continue to make efforts to enter the NSG, undeterred by the failure to make it into the club last week. Everyone attempted and we also attempted to be a member of the NSG group. We will keep trying, and things have started on a positive note. All the things will be according to the due procedure, Modi said. Asked about Chinas objections to Indias NSG bid, Modi said: There have been talks with China and in future also the talks should continue... There have been times when China has differed on several issues and even India has differed on several issues. Read: Not allowing debate in Parliament bad for democracy: PM Modi Pak PM Sharif wrote to 17 countries against Indias NSG berth: Aziz Pakistans intensive diplomatic lobbying prevented India from gaining entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Pakistani foreign affairs adviser Sartaj Aziz said on Monday. He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif personally wrote to 17 PMs opposing Indias bid to get a berth in the club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology. Read | India deserves to be in NSG, the US will work for it: Richard Verma Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif personally wrote letters to 17 prime ministers of different countries on the matter, which is on record, Aziz told the media at the ministry of foreign affairs in Islamabad. China blocked Indias membership of the NSG on the grounds that New Delhi is not a signatory to the NPT. The 48-member group, set up in response to Indias first nuclear test in 1974, aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Read | Pakistan looks for lobbyist in US after diplomatic setbacks India and Pakistan are the two non-NPT states aspiring for membership of the international nuclear trade cartel. India hopes that the NSG membership will allow it access to latest nuclear technology and global markets. Energy-starved India has set for itself an ambitious goal of sourcing 40% of its power from non-fossil sources and is relying heavily on nuclear energy to meet the target. Though New Delhi launched a spirited campaign, it failed to make the cut at the NSG plenary that concluded in Seoul last week in the face of stiff opposition from China and a few other countries. China clubbed Indias entry with that of its all-weather friend Pakistan, which submitted its NSG application within days of India sending its request. Read | Anti-India or pro-Pakistan? Behind Chinas NSG veto Opponents argue that granting India membership will undermine efforts to prevent proliferation and will irk arch-rival Pakistan. Though officially China has not talked about Pakistans bid, Chinese think-tanks and experts have made the Islamabad-angle amply clear. Azizs statement came days after foreign office spokesperson Nafees Zakriya, during his weekly briefing, said Pakistan was seeking backing from other countries but refuted claims that it was lobbying against India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made a surprise stopover in Pakistan in December last year to meet Sharif in a brief bonhomie between the two leaders. An assault on the Indian Air Force base in Pathankot near the Pakistan border later threw into doubt diplomatic talks planned between the two countries. Sharif was also on the guest list of leaders from an eight-member regional grouping invited to attend Modis swearing in 2014. (With IANS inputs) With the changing arithmetic in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hopes that the government will be able to pass the long-pending GST bill in the upcoming monsoon session of Parliament. Now the kind of arithmetic which is working out, I hope that this decision is passed in favour of the poor, Modi told a news channel on Monday. He indicated the governments willingness to negotiate further with the Opposition on the bill. I am ready to convince them in which ever way possible. If I have to visit someone over a cup of tea at their house, I am even ready for that. I have no problem, Modi said. He took indirect swipes at the Congress as the one party which has problem but maintained he is ready to go to any persons house to get support for the bill, pitching it as beneficial for the poor of Uttar Pradesh where elections are due early next year. Not having GST straight away means loss for the poor of Uttar Pradesh. Not passing it would mean loss for the poor states like Bengal, Orissa and Assam. Modi had earlier invited Congress president Sonia Gandhi and former PM Manmohan Singh at his residence to arrive at a consensus on the bill but it yielded little results. Targeting the Congress over disruptions in Parliament, he said, If somebody is running away from debate or dont let discussions happen, then it is a cause of worry in a democracy. Giving the GST a pro-people push ahead of the assembly elections in UP, Punjab and other states, Modi said GST should not be seen only within the purview of an economic reform. In the interview, Modi also linked use of black money with frequent elections and said many regional parties are of the view that polls for Lok Sabha and assembly elections should be conducted simultaneously. Electoral reforms are required to get rid of black money, Modi said. The probe into the murder of a 24-year-old woman IT professional in full public view in Chennai was transferred to a special team of city police on Monday hours after the Madras high court warned of suo motu intervention if there was any slackness in the probe. The Tamil Nadu government made the submission about the transfer in the probe after a bench comprising justice S Nagamuthu and justice V Bharthidasan posed tough questions and summoned the public prosecutor to clarify a news report about alleged lack of coordination between railways and city police in investigating the case. Appearing before the bench, public prosecutor S Shanmuga Velayudham said the case had been handed over to a team of Nungambakkam police headed by an assistant commissioner. The DGP has passed an order transferring the investigation to Nungambakkam police. A team has been constituted, and it is headed by assistant commissioner of police KPS Devaraj. The deputy commissioner is monitoring the investigation, cyber crime and CB-CID are also assisting the investigation and a total of 25 police personnel are working to crack the case, he said. The bench said it was satisfied for the time being (with the governments response but cautioned the state, saying, We will give two days time. If we feel there is slackness after two days, we will take suo motu proceedings after chief justices concurrence. The victim, Swathi, employed with IT major Infosys, was allegedly hacked to death by an unidentified man on a platform in Nugambakkam railway station while waiting to board a suburban train on her way to office around 6.30am on June 24. Earlier, justice Nagamuthu lambasted the police for not taking any steps for nearly two hours after the murder even to cover up the body of the woman. Where were your police officers? Two hours on a platform. Even a dead person has got right to dignity under the Constitution. Even after death the girls dignity cannot be denied. Why it was lying like an exhibition for more than two hours? It speaks volumes. Why it should take so much time for police to complete the formalities? he asked. The judge also asked the PP as to when the case was transferred for which the latter replied it was done on Monday. Wondering whether the decision to transfer the case was taken after the courts observations in the morning, the judge said, The occurrence took place on Friday. Today is Monday, no breakthrough till now. The issue appeared in newspapers and was debated very widely in the media. I have gone through various newspapers. They have reported that there is no coordination (between and that there is infighting, justice Nagamuthu said. Denying the lack of co-ordination, the PP said the city police commissioner and the DGP visited the spot. Observing that the railway police was under the control of state government, the bench said, You should have immediately transferred the investigation... like justice, must not only be done, but also should appear to be done. We only express our concern. Justice must be ensured to the family. The judges also asked the PP why there was no CCTV in the railway station. The PP responded that instructions had now been given for installing the CCTVs at all railway stations. Justice Nagamuthu observed to induce ones thinking, we made one person to lay down her life. The Hyderabad high court on Monday suspended two senior judges from Telangana on disciplinary grounds for leading a rally and submitting a petition to Governor ESL Narasimhan in protest against alleged irregularities in the provisional allocation of judicial officers in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The suspended judges are K Ravinder Reddy, IV metropolitan gagistrate at Nampally Criminal Courts, and G Varaprasad, additional civil judge at Ranga Reddy courts, who are president and general secretary respectively of the Telangana Judges Association. A decision to this effect was taken by the high court bench headed by acting chief justice Dilip P Bhosale, who expressed anger over the revolt of the judges in violation of the code of conduct for judges. The suspension triggered protests from Telangana judicial officers and advocates who attempted to stage a dharna in front of the court in the afternoon. This is a serious issue. The judges have not violated any code of conduct but were only highlighting the injustice caused to Telangana over allocation of judges as per the provisional list. They were only asking to rectify the anomalies, Telangana advocates joint action committee convenor, A Sriranga Rao, told HT. He said the High Court Bar Association and the Telangana Judges Association called for an emergency meeting of the judges and advocates in the evening to chalk out their future course of action. We feel we are working under the high court of Andhra Pradesh and not under the high court of both states, protesting judges said, adding they would not approach the high court for redressal on the judicial side as a majority in the high court has biased attitude towards our issue. We cannot work under Andhra judicial rulers, in future. Maharashtra was facing similar problems as the UK, which pulled out of the European Union as outsiders were taking away jobs leading to unemployment among locals, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has said, using Brexit to queer the pitch against migrants. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief said Marathi Manoos in the state were losing out to outsiders. The problem was prevalent across the world but whenever he raised the issue, he was labelled narrow-minded, he told a gathering here on Saturday. England pulled out from the European Union (EU) out of anger, as locals there were not getting jobs. They also have no work like Maharashtrian youth, as outsiders had grabbed all the opportunities, he said. The MNS thrives on an anti-migrant agenda and has on numerous occasions targeted people from outside the state, especially east India, and their businesses. A few weeks ago Thackeray even called for setting on fire autorickshaws, alleging most of the licences were given to outsiders. We have jobs in Maharashtra but outsiders are getting them. They are also getting admission in educational institutions depriving our children of their rights, Thackeray said. Britains shock decision to exit the EU has set the country on an uncertain path, dealt a huge blow to the European Union and rattled the markets world over. The leave campaign had ratcheted up anti-immigrant rhetoric in the run-up to the last weeks vote but has since climbed down on it. Local children should get priority in jobs and education and what is left could be shared with others, Thackeray said. Then India is my country and all Indians are my brother and sisters, the MNS chief said, mocking a popular pledge schoolchildren recite. The rhetoric is expected to get shriller as the state moves closer to civic body elections due in 2017. Pro-Hindu Yuva Brigade founder Naresh Shenoy, who has been named as prime accused in RTI activist Vinayak Baliga murder case, was produced before a court in Mangaluru on Monday and was remanded to police custody for three days. Shenoy, who had been absconding since the March 21 murder, was arrested by the police on Sunday. Additional commissioner of police Tilak Chandra, the special investigation officer in the case, produced Shenoy before the the third judicial magistrate (first class). The city-based RTI activist Baliga was murdered by hired killers on March 21 last near his residence at Kodialbail. The case had generated public interest as the investigation was personally led by police commissioner M Chandra Sekhar. Shenoy is a popular right wing youth leader and founder of Namo Brigade which had orchestrated Prime Minister Narendra Modis election campaign in 2014. The Namo Brigade, which was his outfits original name, was later renamed as Yuva Brigade. Besides Naresh Shenoy, the other arrested are Shailesh (40), Shivaprasad (28), Vineet Poojary (26) and Nishit Devadiga (23). Nareshs close associate, photographer K Manjunath Shenoy (39), was also arrested for helping the accused abscond. He was later granted bail, police said. The suspected motive for the murder relates to financial irregularities in a temple in the city. The temple is a cash- rich religious institution belonging to Goud Saraswat Brahmin (GSB) community. Police sources said that Shenoy was angered when Baliga, a fellow community member, tried to expose the dealings of the accused in the temple. Six Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha activists were arrested for violating prohibitory orders in Kairana village in Shamli district. The six activists, including Hindu Mahasabha national general secretary Puja Shagun Pandey, state president Ghanendrapal, state vice-president Sachin Sharma and Aligarh divisional president Jaivir Singh, were arrested on Sunday when they reached Kairana village to take stock of the alleged migration of Hindus from the western part of the town, superintendent of police Vijay Bhushan said. The activists were later released on personal bonds by the sub-divisional magistrate court in Muzaffarnagar. National Human Rights Commission had issued a notice to the government of Uttar Pradesh on June 10 over several families leaving their homes in Kairana town in Western Uttar Pradesh due to alleged fear of criminals. While observing that the allegations made were serious in nature, the NHRC also directed the states DIG (Investigation) on June 13 to depute a team of officers for a spot enquiry in the matter covering all the allegations made in the complaint and submit a report within two weeks. Sujoy Bose was on Monday appointed CEO of Indias maiden Rs 40,000 crore sovereign wealth fund NIIF. At present he is the Director and Global Co-Head of Infrastructure and Natural Resources at Washington-based International Finance Corporation. IFC is the private sector lending arm of the World Bank. An official statement on Monday said Bose has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF) Ltd, adding that he has extensive international experience in the infrastructure sector including experience in raising funds from international investors. A search-cum-selection committee was constituted under the chairmanship of economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das for the selection of CEO of NIIF Ltd. Bose has been appointed as CEO following the conclusion of the selection process, the statement said. The government set up NIIF to attract investment from both domestic and international sources for infrastructure development in commercially viable projects. It has been incorporated as a company under the Companies Act, 2013, duly authorized to act as investment manager. The statement said the establishment activities of the NIIF are underway and steps are being taken to operationalize the initiatives with different investors including RUSNANO, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). NIIF initiatives would now be taken forward by the CEO and made further operational. An initial budgetary allocation of Rs 4,000 crores has also been made in the budget 2016-17. Further allocation would be made as and when necessary, it said. While the Centre will invest Rs 20,000 crore in NIIF, the rest will come from private domestic and foreign investors who can invest in the umbrella fund or smaller sector or project-specific funds within it. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav is set to induct three new faces and reinstate sacked minister Balram Singh Yadav when he expands his cabinet for the seventh time on Monday. This is likely to be the last cabinet expansion before the assembly election due early next year. Balram Singh Yadav was axed for facilitating the merger of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansaris Quami Ekta Dal with the Samajwadi Party (SP). However, the chief minister got the merger scrapped at a parliamentary board meeting on Saturday. If our partymen work hard at the booth level, we can return to power without anybodys support, Akhilesh said. Lucknow Central MLA Ravidas Mehrotra, Sarojini Nagar MLA Sharada Pratap Shukla and Sikandarpur (Ballia) MLA Mohammed Ziauddin Rizvi are expected to be the new faces in the ministry, sources indicated on Sunday evening. While Mehrotra represents traders, Shukla is a Brahmin and Rizi a Muslim. Some promotions and demotions too are expected. The swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Monday, at 11 am at Raj Bhawan. Hectic lobbying was witnessed on Sunday afternoon because of the high number of aspirants vying for ministerial berths and the likelihood that this expansion would be their last opportunity to be in the council of ministers. The induction of Mehrotra and Shukla would take the number of ministers from Lucknow in the cabinet to three. Lucknow West MLA Abhishek Mishra has been a cabinet minister since the government was formed in 2012. Till only two weeks ago, Mehrotra was expected to cross-vote in the Rajya Sabha and Vidhan Parishad elections. Despite the speculation, the Lucknow Central legislator voted for the SP and took pictures of his filled-up ballot paper with his mobile phone to prove his allegiance to the party. The other names in the reckoning are Sanjay Lathar, a favourite of Akhilesh and an emerging western UP leader; Sunil Singh Sajan, another minister close to Akhilesh; and Anand Bhadauria. The last cabinet expansion took place in October last year, and was the biggest under the incumbent chief minister 12 new faces were inducted into the ministry and portfolios of nine ministers were changed. The maximum permissible strength of the ministry, including the chief minister, is 60 in Uttar Pradesh. NEW DELHI: A pitched battle between the AAP and the Centre spilled over into a second day as police detained deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and 51 other legislators protesting near Prime Minister Narendra Modis residence on Sunday. The AAP decided to march to the PMs residence after police received a complaint against Sisodia late on Saturday. The MLAs said they went to surrender in protest against the so-called unjustified arrests of a string of party legislators, especially Dinesh Mohaniya who was picked up by police in the middle of a presser on Saturday. If Modi ji wants to play politics with AAP MLAs, arrest all of us together, Sisodia said when the they were released after three hours. Police said the lawmakers were arrested for violating prohibitory orders and told the MLAs after their release that no action will be taken against the deputy CM. The arrests came as PMs Mann ki Baat radio show had just started. Mohaniya, the legislator from Sangam Vihar, was held on molestation charges on Saturday but the manner of arrest prompted chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to accuse Modi of unleashing an emergency in Delhi. Tensions mounted between the two sides recently over a clutch of key bills that the AAP says the Centre blocked out of spite. The home ministry has denied the charges and said the delay was because proper procedure wasnt followed. The two sides also faced off over the murder of a civic body official with the AAP demanding the arrest of lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung who forwarded a letter purportedly submitted by BJP MP Maheish Girri. Kejriwal has repeatedly accused Modi of using the police to destablise the city administration and Mohaniyas arrest provided him fresh ammunition. So many important bills have sent back by the Centre. Pass them and arrest us if you want, Sisodia said. They (Centre) wont work or let us work but will arrest our MLAs. This was the latest flash point in a protracted battle between the AAP and Centre over Delhis reins. The AAP accuses Modi of trying to rule the city by proxy through Jung, who reports to the home ministry. The Centre rejects Kejriwals charges and says the city government refuses to go by set procedures. Both sides have been locked in showdowns over officer placement, files and control of the police the disputes arising from Delhis unique position as a union territory where the Centre and state governments share administrative responsibility. At the centre of the fight is Delhi Police that report to the home ministry, a fact Kejriwal holds responsible for rising crime in the Capital. But the detention sparked condemnation from the BJP that said the AAP had plunged the city into a constitutional crisis. Kejriwal gang has shamed the democracy. We never knew Kejriwal can stoop as low as to defend a colleague accused of molesting women, said Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay. Police said they advised the AAP against the march for which no permission was allegedly sought and informed them of prohibitory orders clamped around Modis residence. They were requested instead of marching towards 7 RCR, they hold their protests at Jantar Mantar. But despite our notifications, they continued with their initial plan and were detained, said SBK Singh, special commissioner of police (law and order, North). The police said the complaint against Sisodia was different from that against Mohaniya, who was arrested because he didnt join the investigation. We got a complaint from Ghazipur but it doesnt involve any cognizable offence. Delhi Police clarifies no legal action will be taken, said Delhi Police chief spokesperson Taj Hassan. NEW DELHI: India cautioned China on Sunday over its resistance to New Delhis bid to enter the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), saying the neighbouring countrys defiant stand could reflect on the bilateral dialogue process. The warning came on a day when diplomatic sources indicated that the 48-member group might meet again in December to consider the entry of nations such as India, which have not signed the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). We will keep impressing upon China that mutual accommodation of interests, concerns and priorities is necessary to move forward bilateral ties, foreign ministry spokesperson Vikas Swarup said. The December special session that Mexico suggested was opposed by China, which has been upholding the signing of the NPT arms control pact sacrosanct for new nations to enter the NSG that controls global nuclear trade and technology. Normally, the NSG would have met next year. New Delhi launched a spirited campaign but failed to make the cut at the NSG plenary that concluded in Seoul on Friday in the face of stiff opposition from China and a few other countries. There are some processes which take longer, Id evaluate the NSG membership process in that category, Swarup said. India is not a signatory to the NPT, which it says is biased. The NPT recognises only the US, Russia, the UK, France and China as nuclear weapon states. President Enrique Pena Nieto of Mexico had assured support for Indias efforts to join the NSG when Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Latin American country on June 9. A panel for informal consultations on Indias membership has been set up by the NSG and it will be headed by Argentine ambassador Rafael Grossi. The appointment came even as a top US official said the NSG session in Seoul had ended with a path forward for Indias acceptance as a member. China was unrelenting in blocking Indias bid. Modi even sought the support of Chinese President Xi Jinping during a meeting in Tashkent on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit that coincided with the two-day NSG meeting. China also clubbed Indias entry with that of its all-weather friend Pakistan, which, too, is a non-NPT country. Pakistan submitted its NSG application within days of India sending its request. India hopes that the NSG membership will allow it access to latest nuclear technology and global markets. Energy-starved India has set for itself an ambitious goal of sourcing 40% of its power from non-fossil sources and is relying heavily on nuclear energy to meet the target. million. On Sunday, Modi invoked the example of Chandrakant Damodar Kulkarni, a retired government employee from Pune, who has pledged to donate one third of his pension to the Swachh Bharat Kosh, and urged people with undisclosed incomes to draw inspiration from him. With an eye on the Marathi vote bank in the BMC elections in February 2017, the BJP is planning to project more Marathi faces for its campaign and is looking to poach on leaders from other parties, including Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. BJP functionaries in Mumbai feel that till the time Marathi-speaking people are with the Shiv Sena, it will be difficult to emerge as the single-largest party in the city. The Sena has been ruling the cash-rich Mumbai civic body for over 15 years with BJP so far playing the second fiddle. With BJP in power in the state, the party feels this is the time to wrest the civic body from the Sena or at least become a significant presence in the city. The BJP local leaders are also aware that they are identified more with the Gujarati vote bank in the city and want to avoid this perception. As such, during the drawing of strategies for civic elections it has also been decided to use Marathi leaders, who have been recently poached by the BJP, heavily for campaigns. Recently, after a series of discussions on the BMC election in a meeting held at Lonavala under state BJP president Raosaheb Danave, the party decided to use leaders like Ram Kadam, Pravin Darekar, who were recently inducted in the BJP from MNS to attract Marathi voters. Sources said though the meeting was supposed to have only senior and old party members, both Kadam and Darekar were specially invited for the meeting considering the upcoming BMC elections. Considering the widening rift between the Sena and the BJP, both are likely to contest the Mumbai elections separately. A senior BJP leader said, Sena has very strong base among Marathi voters since shakhas (local ground-level units in every ward) have helped them to create emotional connect between the party and the people. By fielding Marathi-speaking leaders we will try to connect to the Marathi Manoos and dispel the notion that we are a pro-Gujarati party. In the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation despite the BJPs trying hard to woo the Marathi voters, it couldnt beat the Sena because of absence of a Marathi face. If we want our mayor in the next election, we have to warm up to the Marathi voters, said a BJP leader in the BMC. Prakash Darekar, the brother of former MLA Pravin Darekar, and corporator from Dahisars Chintamani Nagar, besides corporator Sukhada Pawar from Vivekanand Nagar, Bandra east, recently joined the BJP. The Senas voter base the Marathi belt was divided in 2012, owing to the emergence of the MNS. Now, with the MNS corporators turning to the BJP, the later is hoping that it will give push to their agenda of getting more Marathi votes. Recently, the closeness between BJP and MNS had come to light when four MNS corporators, Prakash Darekar (Dahisar), Dilip Lande (Sakinaka), Eshwar Tayade (Chandivali) and Sanjay Bhalerao (Ghatkopar) were found accepting funds from BJP for development works in their areas. BJP leaders are actively taking on any Marathi local willing to join the party. Despite repeated attempts, BJP group leader in the BMC, Manoj Kotak, refused to comment on the issue. The prison department of Maharashtra has ordered an internal inquiry into convict Sajjad Moguls parole jump from Nashik Central jail last month. Mogul was arrested and sentenced to life in advocate Pallavi Purkayastha murder. She was murdered at Wadalas Himalayan Heights on August 9, 2012. Mogul was sentenced to life imprisonment in July 2014 for the murder and after sentencing by a city sessions court, he was lodged in the Nashik central jail. Sources said the parole was applied by Mogul saying his mother was not well and after which the jail officials had asked for the medical reports of his mother, which were presented to the department by his relatives. Read: Mumbai lawyer Pallavis killer gets life imprisonment The jail officials concerned had verified the medical reports, following which he was granted parole on humanitarian grounds. The conditions set before him was he would report to a local police station in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Sources said he did not report back to the jail by the end of May following which the prison department filed a case at Nashik Road police station. It was transferred to J&K police, as he jumped the parole from there. An officer with the Nashik police said the case was forwarded to the police station in J&K. The officers said the J&K police should have ensured that the convict reported to them. And they should have alerted the prison department in Maharashtra on his absence, a source said. Additional director general of prisons BK Upadhyay said the parole was sanctioned by the divisional commissioner, but the department initiated an inquiry into the procedure that was followed to grant parole to the convict. We have spoken to the Nashik police commissioner on the issue and the police are also trying to find out what happened and they are also searching for the missing convict, he added. The crime branch team had to run from pillar to post to get gangster Kumar Pillais extradition order in their favour after it emerged that the gangster had given up his Indian citizenship three years ago to become a Chinese national. Pillai gave up his Indian citizenship in 2013, surrendering his Indian passport to the high commission in Singapore. Read: 17 years after, a gangsters on his way to India This was an error by the Ministry of External Affairs, which should have been alerted after receiving the request from the fugitive gangster with a red corner notice - an international alert circulated by Interpol - in his name. That was a major error by the central government. He surendered his citizenship without cropping up on their radar. He had a Hong Kong passport made, to change his nationality. He put a case before the court seeking extradition to China instead of India, said a crime branch officer. This alarmed the counsel representing the Mumbai police. Documents including his First Information Reports (FIRs), case papers and fingerprints taken by the local police station were given to the committal (lower) court to prove his Indian connect. The fingerprints were taken in a case registered in June 1990 by the Vikhroli police station. His birth and school leaving certificates were produced. We provided details about his family, including his mother, who is running a school in suburban Mumbai (Vikhroli) founded by his father. We presented a report stating that his native place is Tamil Nadu and that he has relatives there, added the officer. The court ruled in Indias favour. An Emergency Document for immigration was issued by the high commission of India in Pillais name, as he doesnt have an Indian passport. Upon his arrival in Mumbai, Pillai will be produced in a local court and will be handed over to unit VII of the crime branch. Officials have strong evidence against him in the 2013 former MLA Mangesh Sangles extortion case and a 2009 extortion case, which comes under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Even as East Champaran superintendent of police (SP) Jeetendra Rana on Monday said that a fresh medical report had also ruled out rape of the 17-year-old from Ramgarhwa village in the district, the deputy superintendent (DS) of the government hospital remained firm on his claim that victim had been sexually assaulted. Rana said the report of the fresh medical examination, conducted by four doctors, said there was no evidence injury in the victims private parts. The report was submitted to the district magistrate on Sunday, he said. Dr Manoj Kumar, deputy superintendent of Motihari sadar hospital where the victim was admitted after the gangrape, on Monday reiterated that there were injuries and swelling in her internal parts. He said he would not reply to the show cause notice he had received for stating the truth in his written submission to the national commission of women. Meanwhile, the SP on Monday claimed to have arrested four more accused in the case different places in the district in the last two days. Talking to reporters, Rana said while Ghyasuddin was arrested on Sunday night from Janeria villge in Banjaria police station of the district where he had taken shelter in a house, Javiullah, Kalimullah and Nurullah were nabbed from Jhakia village on Saturday night. Prime accused Samiullah had earlier been arrested from Chitauni locality of Motihari town on Friday, he said, adding that another suspect Aliullah was still absconding. He said the father of Samiullah, whom police had detained on Sunday, was released after interrogation. The girl was allegedly gangraped by five men, who also forced wooden sticks and barrel of a pistol inside her private parts after she dared to lodge a police complaint against the perpetrators of the crime. The minor was earlier picked up by prime accused Samiullah, who raped her and made a video clip on June 12. Interestingly, district magistrate Anupam Kumar, SP Jitendra Rana and the civil surgeon Dr Prashat Kumar had said the report of the medical board, constituted to examine the victim, suggested no injury in her private parts. A 70-year-old farmer was allegedly hacked to death by unidentified men at Jatiwal village in Samrala town on Saturday night. The accused dumped the farmers body in a room near the villages water tank, before fleeing from the spot. The deceased was identified as Darbara Singh. Lakhvir Singh, one of the villagers, who spotted the body in a pool of blood on Sunday morning, along with the other villagers, informed the police about the incident. The villagers said Darbara, who owned 1.5-acres of land, used to live alone in the village, while his family was settled in Chamkaur Sahib town. They added that Darbara was in good terms with the villagers and lived in a room near the water tank. They said Darbara had taken up the responsibility of switching on-off the motor at 6 am daily, following which water supply reached entire village. The villagers said that on Sunday morning, when the water supply did not start as usual, they got worried and sent Lakhvir to check if things were fine. I found the room was bolted from outside. When I opened the door, I saw Darbaras bloodsoaked body, said Lakhvir. Samrala Police, led by deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Pawanjeet Singh and station house officer (SHO) Amardeep Singh, reached the spot. The police said according to prima facie Darbara had a scuffle with the killers before his death. It is suspected that the killers were two or more, who overpowered Darbara and hit him with sharp-edged weapons on his head and other parts of the body, the police added. Meanwhile, a case under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered against unidentified people. The police have informed the family of the deceased. The villagers also told the police that nearly a month back, Darbara was attacked by two unidentified assailants, who had their faces covered. They added that Darbara considered it an attack for robbery and did not inform the police. Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday said he was on the verge of quitting the Congress and forming his own party last year, the time when he was locked in an intra-party tussle to get back the state unit chair from Partap Singh Bajwa. In an interview to a TV channel, he said he told party president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi that if you dont need me, let me fight my own battle. He added, Rahul told me that then both of us will lose, and I said, so be it. He said it wasnt blackmail, but some days later I was called and told that you (Amarinder) had to take over the party (in Punjab). Asked what he was frustrated, he said he did not think nobody could replace him ever: But, yes, I thought that particular person (Bajwa) could not do it. Also read I Capt defends Asha as Punjab Cong in-charge: She is on bail Even as the assembly polls in Punjab are due early next year, he commented that in the Congress, the ground realities in Punjab are not understood in Delhi. This is why I keep saying... you (Congress) are up against regional parties now, and if you want to tackle [them], then regional leaders of the Congress have to be given more powers. He went on to add to a follow-up question: Lets say, we are not given enough freedom, not power... We dont want power. On the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, he said there was a need for a time-bound probe by a high-powered committee. Justice has not been done (in the 1984 riots cases), he said. While he dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as incapable of defeating the SAD-BJP combine, he also compared Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal with Donald Trump, the business tycoon who is the Republican nominee for the US Presidential elections: I think they both talk a lot of nonsense. He also said that this (2017) was his last election. I think time has come for a new generation... If we are victorious, then by the time five-year (term) is over, I will be 80. Asked if he was young at heart, he said, At heart? 30 or 40! Coming in defence of newly appointed Congress in-charge for Punjab Asha Kumari, state party chief Captain Amarinder Singh on Monday said her conviction had been stayed by the high court. She had been granted bail as many points in the case required argument. Its still an open case, said Amarinder, reacting to the allegations of the BJP, AAP and Akalis that the Congress had fallen short of leaders with clean image and a leader convicted in a land-grab case had been appointed as partys Punjab in-charge. Asha Kumari is MLA from Dalhousie. (HT File Photo) Also read I Asha, who? 5 things you need to know about the new Punjab Cong in-charge A junior to Amarinder, Asha was appointed partys in-charge replacing Kamal Nath on Sunday. Nath had to resign after Akalis and the AAP raised hue and cry over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Trying to underplay Ashas conviction, Amarinder said: Even Akali minister Tota Singh and Bibi Jagir Kaur have been convicted for serious offences. BJPs Navjot Singh Sidhu is also out on bail and AAP legislators have been arrested, he said, adding that those crying hoarse against Asha were no sacred cows. Why leaders of Punjab are taking high moral ground? Only because elections are round the corner, no one raised the voice when she was made co-incharge of Haryana, Amarinder said. The state Congress chief took no qualms in saying that he played a vital role in Ashas appointment as the Punjab in-charge. The high command consulted me before her appointment. Her political credentials are good and she is a hardworking leader, he said. Dubbed as a lightweight leader by state Congress leaders, her appointment suits Amarinder, who had said she would not create problems in Punjab. Speaking on Ashas tiff with the Himachal Pradesh chief minister Virbhadra Singh, Amarinder said it was Congress internal matter. Punjab has bigger issues: Jakhar When asked to comment on the charges levelled by opposition parties that Congress was short of a leader with a clean image, state Congress vice-president Sunil Jakhar said there were other serious issues in the state which the opposition should focus on. The state is battling with drug problem and unemployment. The opposition parties should focus on these aspects, he added. Cong hits back at BJP NEW DELHI: Defending Asha Kumaris appointment despite her conviction in an alleged land-grab case, the Congress on Monday hit back at the BJP for its criticism on the issue, saying Amit Shah is an accused in a murder case and is out on bail. Karnataka BJP chief BSYeddyurappa is accused of corruption. Ten cases are pending against Keshav Prasad Maurya who has been made BJP chief in Uttar Pradesh, party spokesman Kapil Sibal told reporters, adding Congress can never even think of appointing a murder accused as its chief. He alleged some BJP ministers in Gujarat continued to occupy their posts despite being convicted by courts. He said the matter involving Asha Kumari was a highly complicated and complex land issue and not a case of murder and graft. PTI HT INTERVIEW Asha Kumari: I am aware of politics in Punjab SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Punjab convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Sucha Singh Chhotepur on Sunday claimed that AAP would repeat its Delhi victory in the state assembly elections due early in 2017 in Punjab as the people of Punjab have already made their mind to elect AAP government. Chhotepur said this while addressing a press conference in Gurdaspur on Sunday. He was here to preside over the 38th meeting of the ex-servicemen wing of the party. Chhotepur lambasted the nine-year regime of the SAD-BJP government in Punjab stating that under its rule, the once number one state has has been lowered to the 21st slot. Chhotepur said that debt-ridden farmers were committing suicides, industry was being shifted from Punjab to other states of the country, lakhs of educated youths of Punjab have fallen victims of unemployment and drug-abuse. Chhotepur claimed that AAP would provide clean governance to the people of the state ensuring its all round development. Chhotepur further said that names of probable candidates for the elections would be recommended by block and zone level leaders to the 16-member selection committee that would send those names to a five-member high power committee, but the final names of the candidates would be announced by the central leadership of the party. Moreover, Chhotepur said the partys chief ministerial candidate for the 2017 elections would be from Punjab and would not be imposed from outside the state. Chhotepur remarked that Congress and SAD have looted the people of Punjab, but in the coming state assembly elections both would suffer a humiliating defeat at the hands of AAP. Meanwhile, Chhotepur also condemned the Modi government for detaining Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and AAP MLAs who were going to stage protest outside the residence of Prime Minister Narinder Modi in Delhi on Sunday. Chhotepur said Modi had come to power by making false promises of bringing back black money from foreign banks but had utterly failed in keeping the promise. The convener further informed that Delhi chief minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal would visit Gurdaspur on July 4 to address a Christian rally. Gangster Manvir Singh alias Mani, along with his half dozen accomplices, opened nearly 12 fires at former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) sarpanch Jasbir Singhs car on Sunday morning because of an old enmity. The accused managed to flee from the spot. Jasbir, who is said to be close aide of chief parliament secretary (CPS) Darshan Singh Shivalik, suffered a bullet injury on his arm. The incident took place three day after gangster Goru Bachcha, along with his accomplices, had fired six bullets in body of his friend turned foe Johny Lamba near Engine shed in Manjit Nagar. Jasbir, a resident of Gill village, was rushed to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), where his condition is stated to be stable. Meanwhile, the Sadar Police have registered a case under Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 25 of the Arms act against Manvir and his unidentified accomplices. The police also recovered shells from the spot. Jasbir was on his way back home in his SUV, when Manvir tried to stop him near Jasdev Nagar and opened fire at him. The former sarpanch fled from the spot. The accused, however, followed him and fired bullets at his car, but he managed to escape. On reaching home, the family members rushed Jasbir to the hospital. Inspector Gurdev Singh, station house officer (SHO) at Sadar Police Station said Manvir and Jasbir had indulged in a clash in the past too, and a case was under trial. Manvir is already facing trial in several other criminal cases. He was arrested by the Delhi Police in a kidnapping case and came out of the jail on a bail 10 days ago. The police have launched a manhunt to arrest the accused. Throwing caution to the wind, street vendors in the city are putting the health of residents in danger by not using gloves while preparing and serving food items. The health department, too, has miserably failed to take action despite open violation of food safety norms by these vendors. As per the food safety norms, the street vendors are required to wear gloves, while preparing and serving food. The health department is supposed to raid such establishments, including the roadside vendors, violating such norms. In Patiala, a large number of residents visit Sheranawala gate, Leela Bhawan, Adalat Bazar, Anardana chowk, Arya chowk and other places, especially during evening time where roadside vendors are present in hoards. The residents without knowing the ill-effects consume food products, including snacks prepared by these vendors without caring about the hygiene of the consumers. Even as the health department has three food inspectors in the district and one food inspector for the city, checking and raids are a rare phenomenon, which only encourages such eating establishments to flout the norms. It has become a regular practice and people are not raising questions on such vendors. It may become the cause of different diseases. Sometimes, I have questioned the vendors, but it is worthless to argue with them because they are not ready to follow these norms, Daljit Kaur, a consumer said. Jagdev Singh, another consumer, said, Such unhygienic food can create jaundice and other diseases like diarrhoea. Though the food products are being sold at unhygienic places and forms, the administration is not taking action against it. District health officer Dr MS Dhaliwal, said, Guidelines are issued to those vendors who prepare food in unhygienic conditions. Gloves are mandatory for the street vendors. I will look into the matter and if we find vendors serving food without gloves, action would be taken against them. We always collect samples and send it to laboratories for purity tests. Soon we are going to collect samples and check whether the norms are being followed or not, he added. With the Congress on Sunday appointing its secretary and Dalhousie MLA Asha Kumari as Punjab affairs in-charge for the poll-bound state, she faces an uphill task of quelling infighting within the faction-ridden party. Also read I 5 things you need to know about the new Punjab Cong in-charge Asha has succeeded senior party leader Kamal Nath as Punjab affairs incharge as he had to resign after an uproar over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. HT had an interview with her. Here are the excerpts: You replaced Kamal Nath. Are you not being seen as a lightweight leader? Punjab is not new to me as I already know party leaders there but it came as a huge surprise to me. It is an honour. I will take stock of the situation in Punjab. I am going to Delhi to meet AICC president Sonia Gandhi. After meeting her, I will hold consultations with senior party leaders. Kamal Nath resigned after row over his role in riots. Is the issue haunting the Congress ahead of polls? Whenever elections are round the corner, Akalis begin to flog a dead horse by holding the Congress responsible for the 1984 riots. Our leaders Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi were killed by terrorists. Later on, Punjab chief minister Beant Singh was also killed by terrorists. Akalis must understand that raking up past issues will not serve any purpose. How do you assess the SAD-BJP governments performance? Development took backseat under the Akali government in Punjab. Anti-incumbency and corruption in the Akali regime will help the Congress stage a comeback to power. Punjab Congress is grappling with infighting. How will you handle this? I am aware of Punjab politics. I will soon meet all senior party leaders in Punjab to get their guidance and co-operation. My foremost priority is to bring back the party to power in the state. For that, all state party leaders ill have to get united. AAP has emerged as a major force in the run-up to Punjab elections. I am sceptical of the hype being created over the emergence of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab. I agree that the AAP made its presence felt in the last Lok Sabha elections. I will be able to comment on the AAP only after I take stock of the situation. Does Congress has own plan or will it work on blueprint prepared by poll strategist Prashant Kishor? The Congress will work on its own plan. If someone comes with suggestions, we will incorporate those in our game plan. Royal link Daughter of former Madhya Pradesh chief secretary Madneshwar Saran Singh Deo, Asha Kumari was born on September 23,1955, in Delhi. After her education in Bhopal, she was married to RK Brijendra Singh, scion of the royal family of Chamba Was elected as president of student union at Bhopal University in 1975; also remained general secretary of the state Congress besides being member of the All India Congress Committee Elected MLA from the Banikhet constituency (Chamba) in 1985, 1993, 1998 and 2003; the segment has been renamed as Dalhousie after delimitation Was minister of state for primary education (independent charge) from 1995 to 1998; then was higher education minister from 2003 to 2005. Land-grab case conviction In February this year, a Chamba court convicted Asha Kumari in a land-grab case and jailed her for a year. She was granted bail the same day. She was accused of manipulating revenue records, fabricating wills and transferring 60 bighas of forest land in the name of her husband Brijender Singh. In March, the Himachal Pradesh high court suspended the sentence, maintaining that there was merit in her appeal. The case is going on in the court. Read: Tainted MLA Asha Kumari, convicted of usurping land, to head Punjab Congress SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The appointment of Dalhousie MLA and former Himachal Pradesh minister Asha Kumari as Punjab Congress affairs in-charge ahead of the high-stake assembly polls due early next year is being seen as a win-win situation for state Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh, as the latter enjoys relatively larger stature in the party. An All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary, Asha was reportedly chosen over three-time Delhi chief minister Sheila Dikshit whose name was discussed at the top level to replace senior party leader Kamal Nath. Nath had to resign after the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) cried foul over his appointment, raising fingers over his alleged role in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She will not create problems for Punjab, Amarinder said. Not much aware about Punjab and seen as a lightweight leader by the state unit leaders, Asha has been appointed after clearance from Amarinder. I can work closely with her as she is politically wise and has a positive approach, Amarinder said. Even as former chief minister praised previous state in-charges Shakeel Ahmad and Kamal Nath also, he apparently does not want direct interference by the high command. It seems that even the high command is also giving him free hand at a time when the Congress is facing downward slide nationally and the Punjab assembly elections are being seen a last-ditch effort for the party to stage a comeback. A lightweight leader is better suited for Punjab as he or she will not spoil the show here, said a senior party leader who did not want to be quoted. The local leadership is looking at Ashas role being restricted to sending reports and conveying the AICCs messages to the state unit. Some state Congress leaders feel a senior leader appointed by the high command could have confronted the PPCC brass on some issues. Former Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar said Asha Kumari would act as a bridge between the state team and the AICC. As state in-charges in the past have been of the ranks of AICC general secretary, Asha Kumari is considered much junior to most of her predecessors. Many feel that leaders with larger stature create parallel power centres and divide the party. Many in the state unit of the party feel that with Ashas appointment, Amarinder Singh now has a bigger responsibility on his shoulders. Sunil Jakhar said Ashas appointment is part of party national vice-president Rahul Gandhis strategy of empowering the local leadership. When the AICC has reposed faith on the local leadership, the state leaders have to deal with all issues, he said. The counter intelligence (CI) wing of Punjab police has arrested Mumbai based pharmaceutical firms employee Zahir Vohra, in connection with recovery of huge quantity of fake blood plasma here on June 14. Vohra, who had come to join the investigation in connection with the case, in which five people have already been arrested, was arrested after police did not find his replies proper. Assistant inspector general of CI wing Ajay Maluja said that Vohra had joined the investigation on Saturday but he did not answer the questions properly and found his intention malafide so he has been arrested under section 420 (cheating) and 120 B IPC (criminal conspiracy) and also under drugs and cosmetics act. The police would also be bringing the file from the private firm related to the blood plasma for further investigation. Maluja said that Vohra, who is the marketing manager of the plasma wing of the company, had signed the agreement with main accused Dilbagh Singh for supplying the blood plasma to his firm but it has been found that Vohra is not an authorized signatory of the firm which indicates foul play at his part also. In addition to this the papers recovered from accused Dilbagh Singh have stamps of Gujarat and Vohra is also a resident of Ahmedabad. Some other evidences have also emerged against Vohra. He said that police would be scrutinising the bank accounts of Vohra. The recovery of 21,752 pouches of alleged fake blood plasma from a truck having refrigeration facility near village Behman Dewana on June 13 had come as a shocker. The police have already arrested five persons in this connection who are in judicial custody. The arrested are Dilbagh Singh, head lab technician in a medical college, his associate Paramjit Singh, another Paramjit Singh, also a lab technician in a private hospital and his brother Narinder Singh and Lal Bahadur Singha, a truck driver. Selfie le le re After interacting with Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh during the Halke Vich Captain event at Jagraon this week, villagers jostled with each other to get a selfie clicked with him, much to the chagrin of the senior leaders. As leaders kept insisting that Captain has to proceed for lunch, the villagers refused to listen and dispersed only after multiple clicks. Whats Udta Punjab? No prizes for guessing who has not seen the Bollywood film Udta Punjab despite rave reviews. Its Punjab deputy chief minister Sukhbir Badal. He was also not at all happy when asked this question. I have no time to waste watching films that spread falsehood about Punjab, he retorted. Otherwise a big film buff, Sukhbir made sure he stuck to his belief that the movie maligned Punjab more than doing any good in generating awareness about the problem of drug addiction. Twitter man Bains Punjab chief ministers media adviser Harcharan Bains has recently discovered the Twitter and has gone into an overdrive tweeting about anything and everything about Punjab. He took on those who regaled Udta Punjab for showing the reality of the state by launching a counter drive of tweeting about Punjab sportspersons who had achieved success internationally. But his free-run on Twitter was halted by former Congress leader Jagmeet Singh Brar who took him on over the drug issue. The battle soon turned political and finally both gave up --- but not before having tagged a host of Punjab journalists to their comments who thoroughly enjoyed their mutual recrimination. Poll burden on PR machinery A new order by the Punjab government for the state information and public relations officers based in Chandigarh to accompany the ministers and chief parliamentary secretaries is giving sleepless night to officials. At a time when the ruling coalition is faced with a high-stake assembly election, some burden, it seems, is being passed on to the PR department. Politics at play A day after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) hinted at introducing a policy on providing conducive environment to government school teachers after coming to power in Punjab , the ruling coalition government seem to have taken a cue from it. Punjab education minister Daljit Singh Cheema has invited transfer applications from teachers who have a family problem, are differently abled or any member of their family is differently abled. Cheema, on his part, said the idea came to him on Sunday morning and he invited applications from such teachers. Changing political loyalties Politics and politicians can be very unpredictable. In the recent Rajya Sabha election in Haryana, lawyer RK Anand, who contested the 2014 Lok Sabha election from Faridabad on an INLD ticket, was fielded as an Independent candidate. Anands nomination was proposed by INLD MLA from Faridabad NIT, Nagender Bhadana and seconded by other INLD MLAs. But when the D-day came, Bhadana switched sides and voted for BJP-backed media baron, Subhash Chandra. Though it was known all along that Bhadana had turned a rebel and would change sides, the INLD leadership and the MLA itself played to the gallery by getting the latter to propose Anands nomination. Panel under fire over swanky hotel stay The Shimla visit of the joint parliamentary committee on office of profit headed by PP Chawdhary created a lot of buzz . The members enjoyed a luxurious stay at the high-end Hotel Wild Flower Hall, Chharabra .Committee members failed to elicit a proper response when asked why the committee on office of profit had to put up in such a swanky hotel. I have no problem I can sleep anywhere, even inside a car, said Aam Admi Party Lok Sabha member Bhagwant Singh Mann, who was partof the visiting team. But it surprised many that the state government preferred to arrange the stay of committee members at a private hotel, instead of its flagship facility Peterhoff. Raos yoga blues The Bharatiya Janata Party pulled out all stops to make the second International Yoga Day celebrations a grand affair. BJP ensured that all state leaders made their presence felt in their respective areas. Minister for the state for defence Rao Inderjit Singh, who was on a visit to Himachal, shared the mat with former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal at a yoga camp at Vikasnagar in Shimla . However, Rao found the bending exercises a tough task and was seen sitting on a chair while other BJP leaders tried to perform asanas. Age no bar for this dancing duo Himachal Pradeshs octogenarian Congress leaders, Vidya Stokes, 86, and chief minister Virbhadra Singh, 83, once againproved that age has no bar in politics. Stokes was first amongst Congress leaders to reach Holly Lodge, Virbhadras private residence, to wish him. Once bitter rivals, Stokes and Singh have now come closer and are seen batting for each other. Stokes not only attended the birthday celebrations but also announced that Virbhadra Singh will become the chief Minister for the seventh time . Whats more, the duo also danced on a pahari folk numbers. Monkey business The Himachal government over the years has been mulling strategies to curb the burgeoning monkey population in the state. Recently, forest minister Thakur Singh Bharmouri sought suggestions from people on how to curb the menace. However, Bharmouri was left speechless when a forest official he had called to his office said he got late as a monkey had snatched his spectacles when he had gone to the famous Jakhu temple to pay obeisance. (Contributed by Chitleen K Sethi, Gurpreet Singh Nibber, Arjun Sharma, Hitender rao, Gaurav Bisht) A pall of gloom descended on Burjwala village in the district after the news of the death of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) head constable Jagtar Singh (45), who was killed in an ambush by militants in Jammu and Kashmirs Pulwama district on Saturday, reached his family. Jagtar, who was posted as a driver with the CRPFs 161 battalion, was among eight jawans who were killed in an attack on their convoy. After Jagtars family received the information about his death on Saturday evening, the entire village went into mourning. His body is being brought here from Srinagar and would be kept at the mortuary of the Rupnagar civil hospital on Sunday night. His elder brother Pavittar Singh, who is an inspector in state vigilance bureau, said keeping in mind the possible delay in the bodys arrival, the cremation would take place on Monday. Rupnagar deputy commissioner Karnesh Sharma condoled with the death of Jagtar. The Punjab government would provide financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh to the next of the kin of the martyr, he said, adding that Jagtars body would be cremated with full state honours. Jagtar, who had joined the CRPF in 1994, is survived by wife Harneep Kaur, daughter Jashanpreet Kaur (15) and son Gurmanveer Singh (9). His father Saudagar Singh (88) and mother Mohinder Kaur are in a state of deep shock. He was the youngest of five siblings. One of his brothers Nirmal Singh is in the army. Jagtar had visited his home on June 16 and returned to Srinagar on June 17. He was scheduled to visit on June 28. He had talked to his children on phone just half an hour before the incident. The anti-narcotics cell of the police commissionerate, Ludhiana, following a tip-off, arrested a man on Saturday for carrying 1.25-kg opium. The accused was identified as Vajinder Kumar, who lived at Fauji Mohalla in Sherpur area, but is a native of Uttar Pradesh. A case under Section 18/61/85 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act has been registered against the accused. The accused was produced before the court, which remanded him to one-day police custody. Sub-inspector Rajesh Kumar, in charge at the anti-narcotics cell, said Vajinder was involved in drug peddling from the past two years. The accused told the police that his brother Umarpal Gautam and another relative Nanhe Lal were also arrested for drug peddling. Vajinder added that he used to smuggle opium from Uttar Pradesh. Kumar said the police was investigating into the matter. Located to the south of Mangar in the Aravallis in Faridabad, Kot village falls within the 500 m buffer zone. It has more or less followed the same trajectory as its neighbour Mangar, but land has not been consolidated here and, therefore, plots have not been allocated. Only undivided shares in the hill can be bought and sold. Most of the Kot hill land has already been classified as forest area following orders of the Supreme Court in the MC Mehta case in 2004. A decision has yet to be taken on the forest status of the remaining part of the hill. The problem is, as only undivided shares can be bought because land has not been consolidated, investors who are buying individual shares from villagers are taking a huge risk because Kot is still shamlat or community land and the villagers are only selling their share in ratio to their agriculture land holding. As per reports, a case for deciding the title of the common land of Kot is pending in the revenue court of the deputy commissioner of Faridabad to determine whether it should stay with the panchayat or go to the individual village proprietors. It is also reported that following the Jagpal Singh judgment of the SC in 2012, the government of Haryana issued instructions banning the registration of sale of panchayat and shamlat lands. Land in Bandhwari hills, which lie to the west of Mangar and fall in Gurgaon district, have panchayat ownership. Shares in the hills were also sold in the 1980s, but the Haryana government in the mid-2000s restored panchayat ownership, citing that the privatisation decision was faulty. According to environmental lawyer Rahul Choudhary, investors buying land in the hill areas are again taking risks as exact location of plots or land for sale have not been identified and consolidation cannot happen here as per a 2015 NGT order. Vandana Ramnani SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Aravallis are in the news again. Earlier this month, the Haryana government had issued a notification to delineate the Mangar Bani zone in the Aravalli hills of Mangar village and create a 500 m buffer as a no-construction zone. This brings the government closer to honouring its commitment to the NCR Planning Board in 2014 and 2015 to protect the Mangar Bani area, as demanded by the environmentalists in the Gurgaon-Faridabad-Delhi region. Mangar Bani covers about 650 acres in the Aravalli hills of Mangar and Bandhwari villages, while its 500m buffer encompasses about 950 acres across Mangar, Bandhwari and Kot villages. Land ownership rules vary in all these villages, and if one goes by environment and other laws, investing in land over here is fraught with risks. It is very important, therefore, to understand how the Aravalli common land was privatised, what its forest status is and where construction is allowed and not allowed. Environmentalists say it is a mystery how village common land here went to private players. What used to be village common land was owned in the 1960s by the panchayat and the ownership of the entire hill area was recorded as panchayat deh in the revenue records of Mangar village. Land type was categorised as gair mumkin pahar (hilly land which is not cultivable). Under panchayat ownership it was managed as village common land forest (uncultivated land used for grazing, forests) and sale was not allowed. In the 1970s land ownership was transferred from the panchayat to community through a process which environmentalists labelled dubious . It was recorded as Shamlat deh (belonging to the community) in the revenue records and was not allowed to be sold. By the late 1970s, land ownership was transferred to village proprietors, each getting land in proportion to his agricultural holding in the plains. Though it was a joint undivided share, the villagers later started selling their shares individually to investors from Delhi and elsewhere. In 1986, the hill was partitioned amongst the shareholders, when a process of consolidation of land or chakbandi was taken up (land was pooled before partition) that led to actual plot numbers being allotted and acreage of plot delineated. While consolidation was applicable only to agricultural areas, it was misused to partition the hill, areas of which had already been pooled. Unfortunately, the densely forested Mangar Bani area was also partitioned and trading ownership papers had started. In 2004, the Supreme Court ruled that the Aravalli hills had to be protected at all cost. In 2009, mining was banned in Gurgaon and Faridabad, but the issue of construction is still pending in the apex court. In 2012, the Jaspal Singh judgment of the Supreme Court held that ownership of the village common land should be restored to the panchayats across the country. This was, however, not implemented in true spirit. After the 2014 National Green Tribunal ruling that the gair mumkin pahar could not be fragmented and that the forest should be identified, the Tribunal in 2016 fined a private company `1 lakh for cutting 50 trees, and ruled that the area was deemed forest as per SC orders. Since 2014, too, the process of final identification of the NCZ has started after the Regional Plan 2021 for the NCR zoned the entire Aravallis of the NCR as a Natural Conservation Zone (NCZ) , where the limit on construction is 0.5% and that too for regional recreational activities through sanctuaries and regional parks. Thus the combination of forest laws, MoEF, SC and NGT pronouncements, and declaration of the Natural Conservation Zone over the entire Aravallis in 2005 by the NCRPB clearly show that the intention is to conserve the area and not to commercialise it, says Chetan Agarwal, an environmental analyst. In 2011-12 the news of a master plan led to a spike in transactions and doubling of prices, but it was stayed by the MoEF. The cumulative impact of the various judicial pronouncements and the NCZ zoning is that the NCZ has been sent for notification. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A shopping mall has been evacuated in the French city of Nice, after a bomb scare set off panic, hours before Englands Euro 2016 match with Iceland. According to the Telegraph, more than 2,000 people were led from the centre after a suspicious bag was found. Security forces stormed the building with machine guns, ordering everybody inside to leave following the discovery. The Lingostiere Centre is just two miles from the citys Stade de Nice where England will play Iceland this evening. The bomb scare comes just two days after Nice Airport was evacuated following the discovery of a suspicious package. A breakthrough Israel-Turkey deal following six years of acrimony will see Israel pay $20 million (18.14 million euros) in compensation for a deadly 2010 commando raid, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Monday. The deal will also see the two countries exchange ambassadors as soon as possible, Yildirim told a press conference in Ankara. Both sides have been seeking a deal for months in negotiations held in third countries. Israel has agreed to comply with two key Turkish conditions for a restoration in ties -- an apology for the commando raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, which killed 10 Turkish activists, and compensation. The deal will allow Turkey to deliver aid to Palestinians living in the Hamas-run territory, Yildirim said. To this end, our first ship loaded with over 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid will leave for Israels Ashdod port on Friday, he said. After the deal is signed on Tuesday, the approval process will start on both countries and the Turkish premier said Ankara would appoint an ambassador to Tel Aviv within weeks. Asked about a reported Turkish commitment to help prevent Hamas attacks against Israel, Yildirim said: This is not a ceasefire deal. We reached an agreement with Israel to normalise relations. Australia ordered an urgent review on Monday into the consequences of Britain leaving the EU, and said it would team up with New Zealand to negotiate new trade and immigration deals. The trans-Tasman neighbours have been rattled by the British publics decision to leave the European bloc, with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull calling it a very big shift. He ordered a review from the Treasury, the Reserve Bank and financial regulators, in consultation with London and Brussels, on the implications of Britains exit, to be delivered next week. Turnbull said dealing with the fallout alongside Wellington made sense and after talks with New Zealand counterpart John Key, had agreed to work towards a collaborative, cooperative framework. We have a lot of common interests with our neighbours in New Zealand and the New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and I have discussed the implications of Brexit today and they are considerable, said Turnbull. We have many, many common interests in terms of dealing with that, both from a trade point of view, from a movement of persons point of view. There are some big issues in terms of the access of Australians and New Zealanders to Europe and, indeed, to the United Kingdom, a whole lot of issues to work on. Australia goes to the polls on Saturday and Turnbull said that if returned to office he would meet with Key soon after to chart the way forward and ensure that we maximise any opportunities that arise out of these changes. Canberra and Wellington are both separately negotiating free-trade deals with the EU and once Britain leaves will also have to do the same with London. Australian trade with the EU in 2013-14 stood at Aus$83.4 billion (US$61.6 billion) while the United Kingdom was the seventh-largest by country at Aus$20.3 billion, according to official statistics. In New Zealand, trade with the EU, including Britain, was NZ$19.6 billion ($13.9 billion) in 2014-15, making it the countrys third largest trading partner, official data showed. Key said he did not expect Brexit to have a major impact on New Zealands trading arrangements with either Britain or the EU. In terms of New Zealands access for people and goods, Im quite confident that position is OK because of the assurances Ive received, he told Radio New Zealand. Britain has witnessed a spate of racist incidents in the aftermath of a vote for the country to withdraw from the European Union, ranging from Leave the EU flyers left at the homes of Polish residents and altercations at public places to graffiti and banners directed against immigrants. The country is grappling with the political and economic ramifications of the vote for Brexit in the June 23 referendum. Several experts have argued that xenophobia, and not economic reasons, was a key reason for the leave vote. Prime Minister David Cameron and London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned on Monday against abuses directed at immigrants. This government will not tolerate intolerance. We are absolutely clear on the need to reassure communities across Britain. We are a tolerant nation; that existed long before we were members of the European Union, and we should hold fast to that, the prime ministers spokeswoman said in a statement. Khan ordered Metropolitan Police to be extra vigilant, and said: Its really important we stand guard against any rise in hate crimes or abuse by those who might use last weeks referendum as cover to seek to divide us. Police in Cambridgeshire are investigating reports of laminated signs reading Leave the EU - No more Polish vermin being left at the homes and on cars of Polish residents in Huntingdon. The flyers were apparently distributed on Friday, hours after the result of the referendum was announced. The Cambridge News reported that cards with the same slogan as the flyers, in English and Polish, were found outside St Peters School in Huntingdon by students, including an 11-year-old Polish child, who said they made him feel really sad. On Sunday, Metropolitan police were called to investigate after the words F*** off OPM were scrawled across the entrance of the Polish Social and Cultural Association (POSK) at Hammersmith in west London. Police officials said they asked to investigate an allegedly racially motivated criminal damage and inquiries were ongoing. English Cross of St George flags hang outside a house in Redcar, north east England. (AFP) The Polish are the largest foreign-born population in Britain and community leaders expressed shock and outrage at the incidents. Polish ambassador Witold Sobkow said the issue would be discussed in talks on Monday and asked politicians to condemn what had happened. Jessica Sheridan of Manchester was concerned for her safety after confronting a man shouting abuse in the street, the Daily Express reported. She said: There was a man saying Rule Britanniathe foreigners can f*** off now. Sheridan, 25, said: Then he said This is f***ing Britain again now. Welsh businesswoman Shazia Awan said she was told to pack her bags and go home in an attack on Twitter. Awan, who backed the Remain side in the referendum, had tweeted: Dont see how this country can heal itself. The UK is my home yet I feel alienated. Twitter user Warren Faulkner responded to Awans tweet by posting: Great newsyou can pack your bags youre going homeBYE THEN! The racist incidents occurred despite those campaigning for Brexit giving clear assurances before the vote that a new immigration system would not affect EU citizens legally living in Britain. Following the referendum result, Conservative Party leader Sayeeda Warsi said immigrants were being stopped in the streets and told to leave Britain. Ive spent most of the weekend talking to organisations, individuals and activists who work in the area of race hate crime, who monitor hate crime, and they have shown some really disturbing early results from people being stopped in the street and saying look, we voted Leave, its time for you to leave, Warsi told Sky News. And they are saying this to individuals and families who have been here for three, four, five generations. The atmosphere on the street is not good. Warsi, the former chairwoman of the Conservative Party, initially backed the Leave campaign but switched over to Remain, saying the other side was divisive and xenophobic. Read | 10 ways to leave EU lover; scenarios for Brexit Read | Brexit and the new hostility to participatory democracy Read | UK should only trigger Article 50 to leave EU when ready: Osborne The reaction to Brexit illustrates the desperate need for the Left to return to first principles. For, as the result broke on social media, a remarkable number of progressives directed their anger not at anti-immigrant demagogues and opportunist politicians but against the voters themselves and the very idea of a referendum in which they might express their will. Its merely the most recent illustration of a growing estrangement from democracy, not only on the mainstream Right but also on the Left. Obviously, that claim requires an immediate qualification. In Eureka Street recently, I wrote: These days, aside from a few fringe cranks, everyone endorses democracy. As C. Douglas Lummis says, The sentence, Im for democracy communicates virtually no information The statement is likely to be met with a blank stare or with a puzzled response like, How nice. But the almost universal enthusiasm is actually remarkably recent. Raymond Williams reminds us that, until the 19th century, democracy was mostly a term of approbation. It referred to a particular model of society, one in which the multitude ruled and the wealthy were suppressed: hence, in the revolutionary wave of 1848, the insurgent forces were known simply as The Democracy. Rogets Thesaurus captures something of that usage by retaining democrat as a synonym for commoner. But that meaning was challenged by a conception of democracy as representative rule on behalf of the masses. Thus, Alexander Hamilton, one of the US founders, insisted that vesting deliberative or judicial powers in the collective body of the people led to error, confusion and instability. Against that, he advocated representative democracy as a kind of check on the multitude, where the right of election is well secured and regulated, and the exercise of the legislative executive and judicial authorities is vested in select persons. As Williams says, its from this notion that the dominant modern sense of the term developed. Yet, throughout the 20th century, the old debate continued in a new form, reflected in the differing understandings of democracy in the liberal and socialist traditions. For socialists, democracy meant popular power; for liberals, it meant elections of representatives alongside the conditions that facilitated those elections.These two conceptions, Williams argued, in their extreme forms, now confront each other as enemies. But that was written in 1976, a time in which the Left retained some of the vigour of the insurgent 60s. Today, the socialist tradition has been erased from public consciousness and the radical definition of democracy largely forgotten. In that piece, I suggested that the #neverTrump campaign illustrated the new hostility to participatory democracy. But the response to Brexit offers an even clearer example. Take, for instance, the article by Michael Pascoe in the Melbourne Age, a piece about the Brexit result noteworthy primarily because its so typical. Many of the protagonists know no better, he writes. They are people with minds closed to the reality of the world being made a better place by maximising engagement, by welcoming differences and enlargement. There are others, the worst of them, happy to exploit ignorance for their short-term advantage. It sells newspapers. It can win an election. It can give an aspirant power. The ignorant still view the interactions of nations as zero-sum games. They dont grasp that globalisation is a win-win process, that the sum of our individual nations is indeed greater than the parts. Pascoes the contributing editor of Business Day and thus hardly a radical. But, alas, thats the point, for last night, you saw an almost identical rhetoric from all across Twitter. The majority of British voters were, we were told, buffoons and bigots Little Englanders too foolish to understand the self-evident virtues of European integration. Many Australians drew a direct parallel with the proposed plebiscite on same-sex marriage, a venture that would, we were told, allow a massive dam of ignorance and hatred to break its banks and drown us all. Denunciations of the masses idiocy are always reactionary. If that seems surprising, its because, over the last decade, weve seen a minor cottage industry in books by supposed lefties with titles like Idiot America, The Dumbest Generation, A Short History of Stupid and so on. But if the masses are feeble minded, why bother trying to convince them? Why not instead devote yourself to reshaping the world on their behalf? Indeed, it often seems today that politics comes down to a choice between different versions of paternalism the stern daddy of the Right versus the kindly father of the Left. Of course, despite what the Pascoes of the world would have you believe, the ordinary people voting for Brexit werent motivated simply by a mixture of folly and spite. There were plenty of entirely legitimate reasons for scepticism about the EU project. Some years ago, Perry Anderson denounced the degenerative drift of democracy across the continent, of which the structure of the EU is at once cause and consequence. The oligarchic cast of its constitutional arrangements, once conceived as provisional scaffolding for a popular sovereignty of supranational scale to come, has over time steadily hardened. Referendums are regularly overturned, if they cross the will of rulers. Voters whose views are scorned by elites shun the assembly that nominally represents them, turnout falling with each successive election. Bureaucrats who have never been elected police the budgets of national parliaments dispossessed even of spending powers. More recently, Paul Mason argued that: The EU is not and cannot become a democracy. Instead, it provides the most hospitable ecosystem in the developed world for rentier monopoly corporations, tax-dodging elites and organised crime. It has an executive so powerful it could crush the leftwing government of Greece; a legislature so weak that it cannot effectively determine laws or control its own civil service. A judiciary that, in the Laval and Viking judgments, subordinated workers right to strike to an employers right do business freely. Its central bank is committed, by treaty, to favour deflation and stagnation over growth. State aid to stricken industries is prohibited. The austerity we deride in Britain as a political choice is, in fact, written into the EU treaty as a non-negotiable obligation. So are the economic principles of the Thatcher era. A Corbyn-led Labour government would have to implement its manifesto in defiance of EU law. None of that necessarily involves claiming Brexit as a victory for the Left. As Mason says, at least in the short term, the beneficiaries will undoubtedly be the xenophobic Right. At the same time, nothings contributing to the Rights success more than the Lefts embrace of the antidemocratic, technocratic ideas embedded in the EU. It was one thing to argue against Brexit on the basis that it was being driven by bigots like Farrage. It was quite another to simply dismiss the quite legitimate concerns of working people as prejudices that might be dispelled by lectures from pop stars and TV personalities. The cultural and economic barriers in the UK, lamented Salon, the resentment of small-town people, some of them poor, to famous, wealthy people telling them how to vote may be steeper than the people who did the predicting guessed. Ya think? In some respects, Camerons plebiscite might be compared to the process by which Corbyn became Labour leader. In both cases, it took a political miscalculation to provide an opportunity for the expression of the popular will an illustration of just how rare participatory democracy has become. The best way to defeat a newly emboldened Right is to undercut its claims to give voice to the silent majority. The racists across Europe hate democracy many of them have lineages directly traceable back to the fascist era. They can only present themselves as tribunes of the people because so much of the Left now sees ordinary voters not as agents of history but as a problem to be managed. Take, for instance, the lessons being drawn from Brexit about the plebiscite on same-sex marriage. In the Age (in a piece published before the British vote but nonetheless expressing a sentiment widely voiced in its wake), Wendy Squires denounced the very idea of a vote on equal marriage as divisive, a preposterous endeavour that would be innately ugly. Again, its one thing to say that the plebiscites unnecessary, to denounce it as a stalling tactic by the conservatives. But thats not the argument being made. Instead, the implication is that a popular vote would be more dangerous than a parliamentary one because it would involve, well, the population. Its a particularly odd contention, given the history of marriage equality in Australia. As Ive argued before: The current debate is only necessary thanks to John Howard, who, back in 2004, inserted a clause into theMarriage Act to exclude same-sex couples and ban them from adopting children. The Liberals discriminatory legislation was immediately supported by the ALP, with Nicola Roxon announcing Labors support for promoting the institution the of marriage between men and women and as a bedrock institution for families. Noting the parliamentary consensus, Howard crowed, Nobody can say [the amendment] is being used as a wedge, nobody can say its a diversion, everybody can say its a united expression of the national parliament and therefore of the will of the Australian people. The current marriage laws were imposed on the nation only 11 years ago, not as a result of the ignorance of the great unwashed, but as a parliamentary manoeuvre by the very people [were now told] will protect us from the hoi polloi. For years now, polls have shown that the vast majority of Australians support marriage equality. The obstacle to equal marriage isnt the bigotry of ordinary Australians but the demagoguery of Australian politicians, who entrenched homophobia into law. To put it another way, the struggle for marriage equality demonstrates that ordinary people have been consistently more progressive than their elected representatives. Why, then, do so many progressives insist on presenting the issue as a cautionary tale about popular prejudice? Its the same problem we see in the reaction to Brexit: a conviction that ordinary people have failed us. Unfortunately, its far more accurate to say that we on the Left continue to fail them. (Jeff Sparrow is the former editor of Overland.This article originally appeared in overland.org.au) British Prime Minister David Camerons spokesperson said on Monday the government will not tolerate intolerance after a series of racist incidents were reported following countrys decision to leave the European Union (EU). We should be absolutely clear that this government will not tolerate intolerance... intimidating migrants, telling them they need to go home, his spokesperson told journalists. The Polish Embassy in London earlier said it was shocked and deeply concerned by incidents of abuse directed at the Polish community. They include the posting of laminated cards reading Leave the EU - no more Polish vermin to members of the Polish community in Huntingdon, near Cambridge, on Saturday and reports of racist graffiti scrawled on a Polish community centre in Hammersmith, London. Read | Scotland will try to block Brexit by refusing to give legislative consent A pedestrian walks past the Polish Social and Cultural Association after graffiti was painted on the side of the building calling on Poles to leave the United Kingdom, in Hammersmith. (Reuters) We would like to thank for all the messages of support and solidarity with the Polish community expressed by the British public, the embassy said. London mayor Sadiq Khan on Monday placed the citys police force on alert following the incidents. Khan said he took seriously my responsibility to defend Londons fantastic mix of diversity and tolerance. Ive asked our police to be extra vigilant for any rise in cases of hate crime, and Im calling on all Londoners to pull together and rally behind this great city. Its also crucial that we dont demonise the 1.5 million people in London who voted for Brexit, we must respect their decision and work together now to get the best deal for London. Read | Brexit aftershocks in markets: Banking, airline and property shares plunge 90 incidents Cambridgeshire Constabularys Nick Percival said the force was looking into the posting of racist cards. We are... taking it seriously as it does represent a hate crime. We would encourage anyone who is either a victim or is aware of the source of this to come forward. Other incidents were also reported on social media. John OConnell, from anti-racism group Far Right Watch, said they had recorded over 90 incidents in the last three days, ranging from verbal abuse up to physical violence. Sky News journalist Adam Boulton tweeted that he had seen three when are you going home? Racist incidents aimed at EU citizens. Finance minister George Osborne called for unity of spirit and purpose, and urged Britons to condemn hatred and division wherever we see it. Britain is an open and tolerant country and I will fight with everything I have to keep it so, he said. Conservative politician Sayeeda Warsi, who made a high profile switch to the Remain camp, blamed the highly-charged campaign for enflaming tensions. Long after the political bus moves on we leave problems on our street, she told Sky News. Ive spent most of the weekend talking to organisations, individuals and activists... who monitor hate crime, and they have shown some really disturbing early results from people being stopped in the street and saying look, we voted Leave, its time for you to leave. And they are saying this to individuals and families who have been here for three, four, five generations. The atmosphere on the street is not good. Read | 10 ways to leave EU lover; scenarios for Brexit At least 50 clerics have issued a fatwa (religious decree) that marriage with a transgender person is now lawful in Pakistan, a media report said on Monday. The fatwa, released on Sunday by the clerics affiliated with Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat, said a transgender person having visible signs of being a male may marry a woman or a transgender with visible signs of being a female and vice versa, Dawn online reported. But, the fatwa added, a transgender person carrying visible signs of both genders may not marry anyone. It declared that robbing transgender people of their share in inheritance was unlawful and that parents who deprive their transgender sons/daughters of inheritance were inviting the wrath of God. The clerics called upon the government to take action against such parents. The decree also dwelt upon societal attitudes towards transgenders. It went to the extent of terming haraam any act intended to humiliate, insult or tease them. The fatwa ended with a word on last rites, declaring that all funeral rituals for a transgender person will be the same as for any other Muslim man or woman. Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on Monday that Europe must move quickly to tackle Britains exit from the EU, warning there was not enough awareness of the gravity of the situation. The last thing Europe needs is to start a year-long discussion on (the negotiation) procedures for Brexit, Renzi told the Italian Senate. If everything is limited to negotiations about procedures, we will lose sight of what has occurred, he said. Whats missing today is an awareness of the gravity of the situation. The centre-left premier, who will meet later Monday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande, insisted there was no time to lose and Europe must take action. Renzi stressed that the crisis in the European Union created by the outcome of the Brexit referendum was also the greatest opportunity for Europe, if we stop playing defensively, and if we try to give our continent the possibility of a new start. EU leaders including caretaker British Prime Minister David Cameron will meet at a summit in Brussels on Tuesday and discuss the consequences of Brexit. They then meet on Wednesday without Cameron. Cameron has said initiating the two-year process for leaving the EU must wait until a successor is chosen from his Conservative party, which could be as late as October. Stalemate between Britain and the European Union over what happens next following Britons referendum vote to leave has opened up a host of possible scenarios. Here are some that are (in some cases, barely) conceivable: 1. By the book Prime Minister David Cameron, who said he will resign after losing his gamble to end British ambivalence about staying in, agrees with the EU establishment that the only legal way to leave is to use Article 50 of the EUs Lisbon Treaty to negotiate a withdrawal. He wants to leave triggering the process to his successor, who may not be chosen by the Conservative party until October. EU leaders want him to do it now, or at least as soon as possible, but they lack the legal power to force him. In the most amicable divorce scenario, Britain would trigger Article 50, possibly (though unlikely now) as early as Tuesday when Cameron meets the other 27 EU leaders at a Brussels summit, or via a formal letter later from Cameron or his successor. That sets a two-year time limit on negotiating an amicable withdrawal. Ideally, it would divide up assets and liabilities in the shared EU budget and other priority business, such as perhaps the status of British and other EU citizens who find themselves living on the wrong side of a hard new UK-EU border. In an even more ideal world, it would set out a new, close economic relationship between Britain and the EU, possibly in a separate, parallel treaty taking effect from the exit date. The withdrawal treaty can be enacted by just 20 of the 27 other states representing 65% of the remaining population. A full new relationship would probably need unanimous support. Two years is very tight but the negotiations can be extended if all 28 countries agree. If there is no deal, then Britain is simply out of the EU two years after Article 50 was triggered -- an outcome written in to the treaty to limit uncertainties. 2. Sorry, we didnt mean it Britain is in political meltdown, with both main parties in civil war and pro-EU Scotland threatening to either block Brexit legally (unclear how) or break away. The referendum result is not constitutionally binding and government and parliament, maybe after a new election, could just ignore it. If so, the EU would carry on as before but a special membership deal it gave Cameron in February has been killed by the referendum result. 3. We mean it, but not yet Brexit campaigners have long been suspicious of the two-year limit in Article 50 and some have explicitly said it should only formally be triggered after they have agreed a comprehensive free trade deal that relieves Britain of EU rules such as open EU immigration. Five years or more is the norm globally for such big trade deals. Britain would be a full EU member until then. That is a nightmare scenario for EU leaders, plunging the bloc into open-ended negotiations with its second biggest power that would inspire eurosceptics across the bloc to emulate it and distract governments from other pressing European issues. They rule out opening any negotiation until Britain binds itself to the timetable set out in Article 50. And they insist Britain cannot have its cake on market access and still eat it by ending EU budget payments and free movement of workers. In theory, there could be an endless standoff, with Britain the sulky teenager at the table, poisoning the atmosphere next year as France and Germany run elections and the EU starts confrontational talks on a new 7-year budget. Something would have to give and some compromise would start to be worked out. Read: Hangover to dominate rupee, stocks; volatility ahead 4. We mean it or may be we didnt Article 50 suggests a one-way exit, rather than a revolving door. EU officials insist that once triggered, a state cannot back out and stay. Lawyers are divided, however. Some British experts believe the leave notice could simply be withdrawn. In Brussels, others say that could happen but only if agreed by all. A future British government might conclude that the best way to end divorce proceedings is just to agree to stay married. 5. Can we just tweak this quickly? Some Brexit campaigners have suggested that the Leave vote simply serve as leverage to renegotiate better, semi-detached terms for Britain inside the EU which could be put to another referendum. EU leaders have ruled that out on the same grounds as above that cherry picking will spread and wreck the Union. Camerons deal, to protect the City of London from the euro zone and curb EU immigration, has been killed by a clause that linked it to last weeks referendum result. So any talks would start from a lower base and EU leaders would have to eat their words. But some kind of associate membership or special partnership has been around as an idea in Europe for a time. 6. Lets just slip into something more comfortable Britain could try to join the European Economic Area or European Free Trade Association, joining the likes of Norway, Switzerland or Iceland in close partnerships with the EU. That could fly with the EU but British leaders would have to persuade Brexit voters to agree to the EU budget contributions and migrants that are accepted by some of those countries. It also would lack the kind of EU market access for services trade which is so important to Britains big financial sector. A more tailor-made deal would bring things back to earlier scenarios. Read: British bracing for world economy to punish UK for Brexit 7. Why dont we start again? One extreme view is that the fallout from Brexit in the EU might be so cataclysmic that Europeans would go back to the drawing board and effectively create a new kind of Union that could include Britain. Marshalling disparate national ambitions into a new structure would be a colossal task, not least in the wake of the bitterness that the current crisis has engendered. 8. Second time lucky? Some people who voted to Leave have said that if it doesnt work outside, Britain could always join the EU again. That is true, though it would get no favours. It would face a years-long accession process and require unanimous acceptance by existing members and have to accept a host of conditions that Britain has opted out of during its past 43 years -- notably adopting the euro and a virtually 50-percent rebate on EU membership fees. 9. Room for a little one? Some Scots hope to avoid Brexit by breaking from England. An idea that an independent Scotland could somehow simply sit in the vacant UK chair in Brussels is dismissed by EU officials. At the time of the 2014 independence referendum, the EU said Scotland could apply for membership but would go to the back of the queue, behind the likes of Serbia, and that its hope of keeping the pound rather than the euro was a non-starter. There is some sympathy for Scots losing their place in the EU but also deep suspicion of secession, especially in Spain, Belgium and Italy, which have their own separatist problems. And a veto. 10. Slamming the door A new British government simply walks out. It could launch Article 50 and leave legally in 2019 without any negotiation. It could also ignore the two-year notice period and tear up its treaty obligations and quit right away, though that would undermine its credibility as a party to international law. There is, however, nothing the EU can do to prevent that. It could retaliate on trade or against Britons living in the EU, however much that would create a painful tit-for-tat that would badly hurt Europes economy and citizens. Nonetheless, EU leaders fear that letting Brexit Britain walk all over them will only inspire other European nationalists to destroy the Union. Read: David Camerons successor post-Brexit: A look at the who, how and when? A 17-year-old blind Chinese Crested Chihuahua named SweePee Rambo, whose legs are bowed out like a frog, has an oozing sore and wears doggie diapers, has been crowned as the Worlds Ugliest Dog this year. SweePee Rambo took home the title of top dog at Petalumas Worlds Ugliest Dog contest in his third attempt. Her blonde mohawk glistening in the sun, legs bowed out like a frog, SweePee was a crowd favourite at the Sonoma-Marin Fairgrounds, Petaluma, California, where 16 malformed pooches paraded for the annual, infamous honour in front of an audience. Sweepie Rambo, a Chinese Crested, is held up by owner Jason Wurtz after winning the World's Ugliest Dog Competition in Petaluma, California on June 24, 2016. (AFP) Judge Neal Gottlieb seemed particularly impressed with a sore on SweePees leg, noting dogs get extra points for ooze, The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported. It was the 28th year for the contest, which scores dogs based on bad appearance, including stench, poor complexion and a host of other inherited and acquired maladies. A Chinese Crested dog named Rascal Deux of Sunnyvale, California, looks on during the 2016 World's Ugliest Dog. (AFP) Josie, a Chinese Crested, is held up during the World's Ugliest Dog Competition in Petaluma. (AFP) For SweePees third run at the grand prize, owner Jason Wurtz, 44, drove seven hours north from Encino in a van packed full of fans and relatives. When the Chinese Crested Chihuahua mix was announced the winner on Friday night, Wurtz burst into tears, shouting SweePees name and shaking a homemade sign that read SweePee Rambo for President 2016. The whole night, actually, had an election theme. A dog named Grovie from Santa Rosa, California, looks on during judging. (AFP Photo) One pup, who could not make the top three, bore a striking resemblance to the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. The dog, Himisaboo, had a flowing golden tuft. Himisaboo, a mutt with a Donald Trump inspired hairdo, is held up by his owner Heather Wilson. (AFP) The champion, SweePee, was a four-pound pup and in much better shape when Jason Wurtz got her as a gift for his first wife. She put up with the ugly mug for a week before swearing off the dog. Wurtz, however, said he could not bear to let her go, calling her a ride or die chick in the description he wrote for the contest. An aged lady now, she is blind in both eyes and wears doggie diapers. And she really cannot do much walking, so Wurtz carries her around. First place winner SweePee Rambo, a 17-year-old Chinese Crested Chihuahua, is cradled by her owner Jason Wurtz. (AP Photo) Along with their first-place title and trophy, the two will take home a prize of US $1,500 -- money Wurtz said would go toward removing a tumor that has recently popped up on SweePees gum line. Sweepie Rambo, a Chinese Crested who went on to take first prize, is held up by owner Jason Wurtz (L) alongside Rascal Deux, held by owner Dane Andrew (R) during the World's Ugliest Dog Competition. (AFP) Filling out the podium on the night were two other Chinese Crested dogs -- Josie, 6, from Tuscon, with a tongue that just would not end and potbellied Rue, 6, from San Joaquin County. Contestants are seen on stage during the voting process at the World's Ugliest Dog Competition in Petaluma, California. (AFP) The winner last year was Quasi Modo, who had short spine syndrome, a birth defect. Britains main opposition Labour Party lost over half of its shadow cabinet by Monday following a spate of resignations in protest at leader Jeremy Corbyn in the wake of Britains vote to leave the European Union. The latest of the ministers to announce they no longer had confidence in Corbyns leadership was Angela Eagle, who stands in for the veteran socialist when he is absent from debates with the prime minister. Pakistan is looking for a lobbyist in the United States after its two diplomatic setbacks when Washington refused to subsidise a fighter jet deal and campaigned to induct India into an elite nuclear club, a media report said on Monday. Ties between Pakistan and the US have plummeted over differences about how to deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan and allegation by the US that Pakistan failed to root out militants groups. Nadeem Hotiana, Pakistan Embassy spokesman in Washington, confirmed the country was now looking for a paid lobbyist but has not yet taken any decision, the Dawn reported. Locke Lord Strategies was hired in 2008 to lobby for Pakistan but Islamabad didnt renew the contract with the firm in July 2013. The group was hired by government of Pakistan Peoples Party mainly because one of its partners, Mark Siegel, was a personal friend of the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Pakistans embassy paid $75,000 per month to this group, which is the lobbying arm of the law firm Locke Lord, but it failed to improve Pakistans image. Pakistans main expectation from the firm was to promote its interests on Capitol Hill, where it often has to face angry lawmakers every time an issue related to the country is discussed. But the firm had little influence on the Hill. It proved equally ineffective in lobbying the US media for Pakistan. There were occasions when the embassys press section managed to gather more senior journalists than did the firm for official briefings and for group or individual meetings with visiting Pakistani leaders. To be fair to Locke Lord, some of the issues it had to deal with during this period (2008-13) were beyond its control. Even the most influential lobbyists would have found it impossible to plead Pakistans case on the Hill, in media or in Washington?s power corridors after Osama bin Laden?s discovery in Abbottabad, the paper said. Yet, there were other issues on which the firm could do better but it did not. This bitter experience ? and financial problems ? forced Pakistan to let its contract with Locke Lord expire. Instead of hiring a new lobbyist, the PML-N government decided to use Pakistani diplomats for the job, it said. Pakistani diplomats did a decent job initially but then ties between the two countries began to deteriorate. The Obama administration, which was close to completing its final term, wanted some arrangement in Kabul that would allow it to say that it successfully ended Americas longest, and the costliest, foreign war. By the time Pakistani officials started publicly acknowledging that they can try but cannot force the Taliban to join the reconciliation process, it was already too late. Diplomatic observers in Washington say that in these circumstances, even the best lobbyist could only try to improve Pakistans image, particularly on the Hill, but cannot promise to deliver. So Pakistan must think carefully before hiring a new lobbyist, as it costs money and a lot of it, said one observer. PTI SH ZH Poland joined German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday in saying Britain should be allowed time to prepare for its negotiations on leaving the European Union. Britons stunned global financial markets and world leaders by voting in last Thursdays referendum to leave the EU. Some European politicians have called for a quick divorce. But British Prime Minister David Cameron, who plans to quit in the autumn, has said it will be his successor who starts the formal exit process by invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. We need a longer period of reflection (on Brexit), Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski told state broadcaster TVP Info before leaving for Prague to meet his counterparts from the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Germany and France. This cannot be a hasty action consisting of forcing Britain out as fast as possible, he said. Earlier Merkel, Europes most powerful leader, said she did not want to pressure London to slow or accelerate its exit. A German government spokesman said Merkel was pursuing a calm and reasoned approach to relations with Britain. After the Prague meeting, Slovakia -- which takes over the rotating EU presidency for six months in July -- and the Czech Republic said there was some room to wait but Britain should start the process soon nevertheless. It is not necessary to rush ... We dont have a legal vacuum but the legal situation does not correspond to the political situation. And that is not right, said Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak. EU REFORM Polands Waszczykowski also called for reforms to limit the EUs impact on member states national political agendas, saying Europeans did not want to hand the European Union into the hands of technocrats. Polands eurosceptic government is currently at loggerheads with Brussels over a range of issues including its reform of the constitutional court. The east Europeans - net beneficiaries of the EU budget - have been quick to reaffirm their allegiance to the bloc after the Brexit vote, while also arguing that European integration should not come at the detriment of national interests. We agreed that the debate on the future of the EU must take place on the platform of 27 states and that the key ones who should lead it are leaders of the individual member states, the member states themselves, the European Council, Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek said. The wrong response would be a quick, hasty integration, and the wrong response would be to pretend nothing has happened. Two safes containing luxury watches worth three million euros ($3.3 million) have been stolen from a Paris warehouse, police sources said on Monday. The theft took place in the chic 8th district of the French capital, at a storage facility for luxury watchmaker Richard Mille. One of the police sources said the safes had not been attached to anything. Local residents alerted police after noticing strange comings and goings in the area on Sunday night. The wealthier districts of Paris are home to some of the worlds top brands, making them a prime target for robbers and thieves. In May robbers with pump-action shotguns raided a Chanel boutique, a month after criminals rammed the storefront of another Chanel store with a 4x4 car, making off with several expensive handbags. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has apologised to Russian leader Vladimir Putin for last years shooting down of a Russian air force jet by Turkeys military, the Kremlin said on Monday, opening the way for Russia to lift economic sanctions. The Russian jet was shot down, with the loss of the pilot, in November while it took part in the Kremlins military campaign in Syria. Ankara said it acted lawfully because the plane had crossed into Turkish air space; Moscow denied that happened. I want to once again express my sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the Russian pilot who died and I say: Im sorry, the Kremlin, in a statement, cited Erdogan as saying in the letter. A spokesman for Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin, confirmed the letter was sent to Putin, though he did not refer explicitly to an apology. He said that Erdogan, in the letter, had expressed regret and asked the family of the pilot to excuse us. The Kremlin responded to the downing of the plane by slapping trade restrictions on Ankara -- including freezing work on a pipeline to ship Russian gas to Europe via Turkey, and advising Russian tourists to avoid Turkish resorts. Putin had said those measures would only be lifted if Erdogan personally issued an apology. There was no word from the Russian authorities on Monday on ending the sanctions. If the dispute is now on the way to being resolved, that could ease some of the diplomatic tensions around the Syria conflict. Moscow supports Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad while Ankara backs rebels who are trying to oust him. In its statement, the Kremlin said Putin had received a letter from Erdogan in which the Turkish leader expressed his desire to resolve the situation connected to the downing of a Russian military aircraft. The letter states, in particular, that Russia is a friend to Turkey and a strategic partner, with which the Turkish authorities would not wish to spoil relations, the Kremlin statement said. Turkeys efforts to mend damaged ties come as the Middle East is polarised by Syrias civil war, the rise of Islamic State threatens regional security, and as its relations with Europe and the United States are strained. MORE FRIENDS The Kremlin statement said Erdogan had expressed his readiness to do everything necessary to restore the traditionally friendly relations between Turkey and Russia, and also to jointly fight terrorism. After the Kremlin revealed the existence of Erdogans letter, the Turkish lira firmed to 2.9330 against the U.S. dollar from 2.9430 beforehand. It later lost some of the gains to trade at 2.9385 at 1448 GMT. The Kremlins announcement came hours after Turkey and Israel said they would normalise ties after a six-year rupture, a rare rapprochement in the divided Middle East. Days after taking office last month, Turkeys new Prime Minister Binali Yildirim - a close Erdogan ally - said Turkey needed to increase its friends and decrease its enemies, in what appeared a tacit admission that his predecessors policies had left the NATO member sidelined. Under former Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Ankara was insistent on Assads departure as the only way of stabilising Syria, setting it at odds with Moscow. Turkeys worst nightmare in Syria has meanwhile come true: Russian support has enabled Assad to remain in power, while Kurdish militia fighters have benefited from U.S. support as they battle Islamic State, bolstering their position in territory adjacent to the Turkish border. Turkish riot police in Istanbul on Sunday fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse protesters defying a ban on the citys Gay Pride parade. Authorities in Turkeys biggest city banned the annual parade earlier this month over security concerns, sparking anger from gay rights activists. Two German politicians -- Volker Beck, a prominent Green lawmaker and one of Germanys most vocal gay politicians, and Green MEP Terry Reintke -- were detained briefly, each said on Twitter. Police at the scene -- who heavily outnumbered demonstrators -- said 12 people had been detained, an AFP photographer said. A freelance US photographer was among them. Riot police officers detain a LGBT demonstrator during the rally. (AFP) Two or three hundred young protesters turned out despite the ban on the parade, which rights activists have been staging in Istanbul for the last 12 years. Turkish anti riot police officers fire rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators gathered for a rally staged by the LGBT community on Istiklal avenue in Istanbul on June 26, 2016. (AFP) Gathering in small groups around the busy Istiklal shopping street in a bid to evade the police, the demonstrators unfurled giant rainbow flags from windows several stories up. Were protesting spread-out, because the police are everywhere and blocking everything, said Gizem Seker, who had rainbows painted on her cheeks. She added that this was also a tactic to avoid ultra-nationalists, who had demanded last week that authorities cancel the Gay Pride parade. People stand in the street as Turkish anti riot police officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas. (AFP) The far-right group had warned they would be sure to stop the parade if police did not heed the call. Police moved swiftly to disperse the protesters, firing tear gas and rubber bullets and confiscating their rainbow flags, an AFP correspondent witnessed. Love will win What bothers the government is the visibility of the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) community, said Irem, another young protester. They dont want people to see us. And to be visible, rather than a march we have chosen to be here, on every corner of the street, she told AFP. And I think weve succeeded -- weve spread ourselves out and love will win, Im sure of it. Turkish anti riot police officers fire rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators. (AFP) Turkish police have cracked down heavily on even small demonstrations since major anti-government protests in Istanbul in 2013. A week ago, hundreds of riot police used tear gas and rubber bullets to stop Istanbuls Trans Pride event taking place during Ramadan. It was the latest police crackdown against an event during the Muslim holy month, with critics claiming the Islamic-rooted government is undermining Turkeys secular tradition. Istanbul authorities said Sundays rally was banned to safeguard security and public order after a string of bombings around Turkey over the past year. Some of these attacks have been blamed on the Islamic State group, others claimed by Kurdish militants. In previous years, thousands of people have taken part in Istanbul Pride, the most important LGBT gathering in a Muslim country in the region. Organisers blasted the ban on this years event in a statement that they tried to read aloud at the protest before they were dispersed. We will always exist, shout out our existence, and always be proud of our existence, the statement said. They are right to be afraid of us because we are uniting, growing, and marching. Prime Minister David Cameron said on Monday there should be no attempt in parliament to block Britains departure from the European Union following the countrys vote to leave the bloc. Read: Cameron condemns post-Brexit racism, cops on alert after 90 incidents The Scottish National Partys parliamentary spokesperson later warned Cameron that his party had no intention of seeing Scotland taken out of the EU against its will. Cameron also said Britains vote to leave the EU must be respected and that the decision on when to trigger the formal Article 50 exit process was a decision for Britain alone. Read: Scotland will try to block Brexit by refusing to give legislative consent There can be no doubt about the result ... I am clear, and the cabinet agreed this morning, that the decision must be accepted, Cameron told parliament. The British government will not be triggering Article 50 at this stage ... this is our sovereign decision and it will be for Britain, and Britain alone, to take. In a landmark ruling on Monday, the US Supreme Court threw out a 2013 Texas state law that imposed crippling restrictions on abortion clinics, shutting them down many of them. The apex courts ruling, touted as a major victory for abortion rights advocates, makes similar restrictions placed on clinics in other states unconstitutional. The 2013 Texas law, passed by a Republican-led state legislature and signed by a Republican governor, required doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at hospitals. It also demanded abortion clinics should meet hospital-like surgical standards. Pro-choice and pro-life activists demonstrate on the steps of the US Supreme Court in Washington on Monday. (AFP) Together, abortion advocates argued, these requirements made it impossible for abortion clinics to survive, and many of them shut down. The court struck down the law in a 5-3 verdict. In the majority opinion, justice Stephen G Breyer wrote that each restriction provides few if any health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions and constitutes an undue burden on their constitutional right to do so. Pope Francis said on Sunday that Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should seek forgiveness from homosexuals for the way they had treated them. Speaking to reporters aboard the plane taking him back to Rome from Armenia, he also said the Church should ask forgiveness for the way it has treated women, for turning a blind eye to child labour and for blessing so many weapons in the past. In the hour-long freewheeling conversation that has become a trademark of his international travels, Francis was asked if he agreed with recent comments by a German Roman Catholic cardinal that the Church should apologise to gays. Francis looked sad when the reporter asked if an apology was made more urgent by the killing of 49 people at a gay club in Orlando, Florida this month. He recalled Church teachings that homosexuals should not be discriminated against. They should be respected, accompanied pastorally. He added: I think that the Church not only should apologise ... to a gay person whom it offended but it must also apologise to the poor as well, to the women who have been exploited, to children who have been exploited by (being forced to) work. It must apologise for having blessed so many weapons. The Church teaches that homosexual tendencies are not sinful but homosexual acts are, and that homosexuals should try to be chaste. Francis repeated a slightly modified version of the now-famous Who am I to judge? comment he made about gays on the first foreign trip after his election in 2013. The questions is: if a person who has that condition, who has good will, and who looks for God, who are we to judge? Forgiveness, not just apology Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that the pope, by saying has that condition, did not imply a medical condition but a person in that situation. In Italian, the word condition can also mean situation. We Christians have to apologise for so many things, not just for this (treatment of gays), but we must ask for forgiveness, not just apologise! Forgiveness! Lord, it is a word we forget so often! he said. Francis has been hailed by many in the gay community for being the most merciful pope towards them in recent history and conservative Catholics have criticised him for making comments they say are ambiguous about sexual morality. He told reporters on the plane there are traditions in some countries, some cultures, that have a different mentality about this question (homosexuals) and there are some (gay) demonstrations that are too offensive for some. But he suggested that those were not grounds for discrimination or marginalisation of gays. The pope did not elaborate on what he meant by seeking forgiveness for the Church having blessed so many weapons, but it appeared to be a reference to some Churchmen who actively backed wars in the past. In other parts of the conversation, Francis said he hoped the European Union would be able to give itself another form after the United Kingdoms decision to leave. There is something that is not working in that bulky union, but lets not throw the baby out with the bath water, lets try to jump-start things, to re-create, he said. He also denied reports that former Pope Benedict, who resigned in 2013, was still exercising influence inside the Vatican. There is only one pope, he said. He praised Benedict, 89, for protecting me, having my back, with his prayers. Francis said he had heard that when some Church officials had gone to Benedict to complain that Francis was too liberal, Benedict sent them packing. BRUSSELS: European leaders will embark this week on a frantic drive to push Britain into a quick divorce, with top US diplomat John Kerry rushing to join discussions as the Brexit crisis goes global. Germany s powerful Chancellor Angela Merkel will host the leaders of France, Italy and the European Union in Berlin on Monday amid fears UKs vote to leave will create a domino effect in eurosceptic member states. In what promises to be one of the bitterest summits in the EUs history, British Prime Minister David Cameron will then face huge pressure in Brussels on Tuesday to immediately trigger the two-year exit process. But Cameron, who has said he will resign by October and leave the negotiations to his successor, is to be left out in the cold on the second day of the summit on Wednesday when the other 27 EU leaders meet without him. With a dismayed Washington fearing key ally Britains decision to leave the EU will harm Western unity, Kerry flies in to Brussels and London on Monday. An EU united and strong is our preference for a partner to be able to work on the important issues that face us today, Kerry said after talks with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni. For European powers the priority is to divorce as soon as possible and stabilise a union that is already struggling with growing anti-EU populism, a migration crisis and economic woes. Merkel has said there was no reason to be nasty in Britains exit negotiations. FALLUJAH: Iraqi forces recaptured the last district held by Islamic State militants in the city of Fallujah on Sunday and the general commanding the operation declared the battle complete after nearly five weeks of fighting. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi had claimed victory over Islamic State in Fallujah more than a week ago but fighting continued inside the city west of Baghdad, including in the Golan district. The offensive has been backed by a US-led coalition mostly in the form of air strikes against Islamic State. We announce from this place in central Golan district that it has been cleaned by the counterterrorism service and we convey the good news to the Iraqi people that the battle of Fallujah is over , Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi said. Flanked by jubilant fighters, some waving Iraqi flags, Saidi said a few militants were still holding out in buildings. At least 1,800 Islamic State fighters were killed in the operation to retake Fallujah, and the rest had fled, he said. Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against US forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shia-led governments. Abadi said last week there capture of Fallujah would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, the de facto capital of Islamic State. BERLIN: The European Union will not make UK any fresh offers to keep it in the bloc and it cannot be half a partner, German Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel said. The British have now decided to go. We will not hold talks about what the EU can still offer the Britons to keep them in , Gabriel said, according to experts from an interview released on Sunday. In contrast to conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel, who on Saturday struck a conciliatory tone towards Britain, Gabriel took a tough stance on the EUs future ties with London. It is clear: You cant be a bit pregnant. Nor have half a partnership. Gabriel criticised Prime Minister David Cameron for his grand and historic blunder in calling the referendum that resulted in Britons 52-48 percent vote to exit the EU, and called for him to go soon. Britons will one day curse Boris Johnson, the leading Brexit campaigner, Gabriel added. Earlier, Merkels chief of staff said Britains politicians should take time to review the consequences of leaving the EU, but he stressed he did not mean they should rethink the Brexit decision itself. Politicians in London should take the time to reconsider the consequences of the Brexit decision -- but by that I emphatically do not mean Brexit itself, Peter Altmaier told Reuters. LOS ANGELES: Bidders paid a combined total of more than $150,000 for a lock of David Bowies hair and Princes iconic Yellow Cloud guitar on Saturday at a Beverly Hills auction. Heritage Auctions, which prompted legal action by offering Whitney Houstons Emmy Award as part of a separate sale, said the snippet of Bowies pale blond hair went for $18,750. It came from a former employee of the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London who was tasked with recreating the music icons 1983-era hairdo for his wax figure. Princes instrument of choice during the late 1980s attracted a winning bid of $137,500, with unconfirmed reports saying it had gone to Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay. The auctioneer was forced to abandon plans to sell Houstons Emmy as part of a separate auction of her dresses and other belongings after the US Television Academy argued it owned the rights to the statuette. US District Judge Percy Anderson issued a temporary restraining order on Friday forbidding the auction house from selling the trophy, won in 1986 for Houstons performance of Saving All My Love for You at the Grammys. We fought the good fight, but we respect the courts decision, Heritage spokesman Eric Bradley said. The 48-year-old diva was found drowned in a bathtub in 2012. NEW DELHI: Despite overwhelming support in favour of India s joining the Nuclear Suppliers Group, China chose to cast its veto against even a discussion about Indian entry at the Seoul plenary on Friday. One question is whether Beijing was motivated by a desire to placate its closest ally, Pakistan, or a desire to contain Indias global standing. Most analysts believe China was willing to ignore its diplomatic isolation and damage relations with India as, ultimately, it does not want to share major global podiums with New Delhi. Jayadev Ranade, director of the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy in New Delhi, believes the larger picture is China wants to keep us out so that they remain the dominant player in Asia. If we get into the NSG, this strengthens India s candidature for a permanent UN Security Council seat. The argument is that with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and concerns about Islamist terrorism, while Pakistani seven more crucial to China s strategic interests than before, Islamabad can hardly afford to severe its ties with Beijing. I am more inclined to believe China s main goal is to keep India out without appearing to do so, says Pakistan expert Dan Mar key of the Council for Foreign Relations. Pakistan is more than just a fig-leaf, but China would also have found away to manage Pakistan s discontent if that s all there was to the story. In his view, China s willingness to openly block India s entry into the NSG has proven that Beijing s main driver was keeping India in its place. If China had folded and let India inand worked hard to placate Pakistan, then we have known that the main issue for Beijing was trying to keep Pakistan happy. As it was China put up a stiff fight and made demands that ensured neither Indian or Pakistan could get in .Then we know Beijings main goal is to keep India out. But not everyone rules out a Pakistan First motivation. Andrew Small of the German Marshall Fund wrote thatPakistan has been the surprising pace-setter in Xi Jinpings Belt and Road initiative. MADRID: Spaniards voted on Sunday in a parliamentary election in which the anti-austerity party Podemos is expected to make big gains, potentially delivering a fresh jolt to Europes political mainstream after Britain voted to leave the European Union. The last polls, in December, broke 40 years of conservative or Socialist majorities and failed to produce a government. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON FULSHEAR: A US woman fatally shot her two daughters before officers shot and killed her, police said. The incident happened on Friday in front of a home just outside the Houston, Texas suburb of Fulshear. The Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office identified the mother as 42-year-old Christy Sheats and her daughters as 22-year-old Taylor Sheats and 17-year-old Madison Sheats. Sheriff Troy Nehls said the shooting apparently followed a family argument, but the reason for the argument remained unclear. Nehls said the two younger women had already been shot when a Fulshear police officer arrived in response to a 911 call. The officer saw the mother with a gun in her hand, apparently preparing to shoot one of her daughters again. He shot her when she refused to put down her weapon, the sheriffs office said. The womans husband Jason Sheats was taken away by paramedics, but was not injured, CNN affiliate KTRK reported. Sheriff Troy Nehls said deputies had gone to the familys home in the past, but he declined to provide additional details. It would be too premature to give you a motive as to why something like this took place, Nehls said. The best we can do is pray for the father and husband so he can work through this, the Sheriff added. Author George Washington Cable was one former Confederate who did not regret losing the Civil War. When Union Captain Theodorus Bailey walked unarmed into hostile New Orleans in April 1862, an admiring local teenager watched him covertly from the family store. To 17-year-old George Washington Cable, Baileys walk was one of the bravest deeds I ever saw done. Nevertheless, it merely highlighted a day of terrors for Cable and other Crescent City residents, a day the future writer later described vividly. The alarm-bells told us the city was in danger and called every man to his mustering-point, Cable wrote. The children poured out from the school gates and ran crying to their homes, meeting their sobbing mothers at their thresholds. The men fell into ranks. I was left entirely alone in charge of the store.But I did not stay. I went to the riverside. There, until far into the night, I saw hundreds of drays carrying cotton out of the presses and yards to the wharves, where it was fired. The glare of those serpentine miles of flame set men and women weeping and wailing thirty miles away. The next day, Cable returned to his store, where he watched Bailey and Lieutenant George Perkins defy a howling mob of angry New Orleanians. The Northern sailors gallantry was quickly supplanted by the ham-fisted reign of Maj. Gen. Benjamin Beast Butler, the new military governor of Louisi-ana, and Cable and his two sisters were forced to leave New Orleans after the young women, two harmless girls of twenty-two and twenty, refused to take an oath of allegiance to the Federal government. Leaving New Orleans marked the beginning of Cables three-year career as a Confederate cavalryman. Joining Company J of the 4th Mississippi Cavalry, the diminutive Cable did his part to harass Union infantry and steamboats inside his native state, and he later joined the fearsome Nathan Bedford Forrest in opposing Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Shermans drive into Mississippi. Shot in the chest during an ambush in February 1864, Cable recovered in time to take part in the Battle of Tupelo that July. He subsequently served with Forrest until the bitter end, personally writing out the generals manumission orders freeing his slaves in the last days of the war. His was a war not of romantic, sword-swinging cavalry charges, but of sudden hit-and-run skirmishes in which men were killed singly by pistol shots at close range, in personal clashes that seemed more like murder than organized warfare. It was a war filled with rains, bad food, ill-chosen camps, terrible roads, horses sick and raw-boned, chills, jaundice, emaciation, and marches and counter-marches through blistering noons and skyless nights. Perhaps the unromantic nature of the war colored Cables postwar perspective, for he soon came to view the conflict as sheer folly, a curse on his native land that was the direct result of slavery and all its attendant evils. After the war, Cable began writing the local-color stories that first established his literary reputation. To Cable, secession was a terrible, misguided decision exercised contrary to the belief and advice of hundreds of thousands of Southern men. That doubtful doctrine was not our cause.It was the only ground upon which some of our Southern advisers cast up the defenses behind which our actual cause lay fortified. Our real causethe motivewas no intricate question. A president was elected lawfully by a party that believed simply what virtually the whole intelligence of the South now ad-mits, viz., that African slavery was an error in its every aspect, was cursing the whole land. And we chose the risks of war rather than in any manner to jeopardize an institution which we have since learned to execrate. Cables growing social conscience and his early support for black voting rights and equal education led to his ostracization in his native South. Even his service in the Confederate Army did not shield him from widespread censure for daring to write that blacks must share and enjoy in com-mon with the white race the whole scale of public rights and advantages provided under the American government. Such writings anticipated by a good 75 years the civil rights movement in the South and marked Cable as the first truly self-reconstructed Confederate. At the same time, it made him persona non grata to many readers in his home region. Fellow Southern writer Paul Hamilton Hayne labeled him a mongrel cur, and Cable himself characterized his literary reputation as one of a renegade who had reaped golden harvests by haranguing Northern audiences on the fascinating subject of the Southern sins. Exhausted by years of public controversy, Cable moved to Northampton, Mass., in 1885 and lived the last 40 years of his life as a voluntary exile from the very land he had once fought so hard to defend. Roy Morris, Jr., Editor, Americas Civil War Near Petersburg, Virginia, in the frosty pre-dawn hours of March 25, 1865, a Union sentry in front of Fort Stedman could hear the faint rustle of dry cornstalks quite clearly. I say, Johnny, he shouted as he brought his weapon to full cock, what are you doing in that corn? Sharpshooters might rule the daylight hours, but at night the opposing pickets, separated by less than 500 feet, often became quite chummy. All right, Yank, I am just gathering me a little corn to parch, came the answer. All right Johnny, I wont shoot. A bit later the Federal asked, I say, Johnny, isnt it almost daylight? I think it is time they were relieving us. Keep cool, Yank; youll be relieved in a few minutes. The relief the Confederate had in mind, however, was not the kind the Union private would find to his liking, for all that rustling in the corn had been caused by Rebel pioneers dragging aside sections of chevaux-de-frise spiked wooden barriers chained end to end to create an opening through which their infantry could attack the Federal lines. Major General John Gordon and Brig. Gen. James Walker listened anxiously to the colloquy and then relaxed a bit. Gordon had hatched a plan for his commander, General Robert E. Lee, to strike the Union logistical base at City Point, only 10 miles northeast of Petersburg. Gordon hoped the attack would give the Army of Northern Virginia enough breathing space to disengage and join General Joseph E. Johnstons army in North Carolina. Library of Congress Leathery, battle-scarred Maj. Gen. John B. Gordon organized and oversaw the last offensive of General Robert E. Lees army. Behind them, only a few hundred yards away, the three divisions of Gordons 7,500-man Second Corps formed into columns. Backed by Brig. Gen. Robert Ransoms North Carolina brigade and Brig. Gen. William Wallaces South Carolina brigade, Gordon had just over 10,000 men in his assaulting force, with about half that many in reserve. He had also telegraphed for Maj. Gen. George Picketts Division, but it was an open question whether it would arrive in time. Sharpshooters, men who made up a picked corps of light infantry, would form the spearhead of the assaulting columns. General Gordon got us to close up around him that night, recalled Oscar Whitaker, a sharpshooter from the 12th Alabama, while he stood on a stump and told us how Lee was situated, what a long line we were having to keep up.In front of us he said was Fort Stedman; he told us if we would take it he would have our names in every paper in the South; of course we, being old soldiers, told him we would do it; he told us for not a man to load his gun, and at a signal from him to rush over to the fort knock down and drag out, and he would have 50,000 troops in behind us. The general also passed out white strips of cloth that his own wife had prepared, to be worn drawn over the right shoulder to the left side, passed around the body and tied so that the men could recognize each other in the darkness. It was a stirring and impressive speech, said Captain Joseph Carson, who commanded the sharpshooters of Brig. Gen. Philip Cooks Brigade,standing there in the night with the awful task and eternity staring us in the face. The sharpshooters moved as close to the Union picket line as they dared and lay down. It was around 4 a.m., and early morning fog was just starting to gather in the hollows. The pioneers completed their work, and a group of Walkers sharpshooters moved toward the Federal pickets as if to desert. It was not unusual to see armed Confederate deserters at a picket line, and to complete the illusion, their commander, a Tar Heel lieutenant named Jim Edmonson, jumped up and shouted, Oh, boys, come back! Dont go! The Southerners quickly overpowered a sentinel, who still managed to bayonet one of them before being knocked senseless, and captured most of his compatriots. One man escaped, however, firing off his rifle and yelling: The Rebels are coming! The Rebels are coming! The sharpshooters followed the fleeing picket, who unwittingly led them back through his own obstacle field. Gordon drew his revolver and fired three quick shots the signal for the attack. Captain Joe Anderson, the commander of Walkers sharpshooters, ordered: Forward! Double-quick! The men rose and moved swiftly through the pre-dawn darkness at trail arms. Colonel Hamilton Brown and Maj. Gen. Bryan Grimes divisional sharpshooters took the center route directly toward Fort Stedman, while Walkers men moved left toward Battery X, and Brig. Gen. Clement Evans sharpshooters angled south toward Batteries XI and XII. To clear the obstacles protecting the Union positions, 50-man pioneer detachments led each attacking column. Hard on the heels of the pioneers came a storming party of 100 to 300 sharpshooters, and just behind them marched the infantry brigades. A company of artillerymen, led by Lt. Col. Robert Stribling, advanced with them, hoping to turn the Yankee guns on their owners. Once Stedman and its supporting forts and batteries had fallen, the Second Corps infantry would move forward and begin rolling up the Union line from north to south. To help the attack succeed, Gordon had men from the area serve as guides and saw to it that his commanders knew the names of Union officers so that in the semidarkness they might pass either as retreating Union infantry or Confederate deserters. A cavalry force stayed ready to gallop through the lines to City Point once the Federal works fell. Walkers men, joined by the sharpshooters from Ransoms Brigade, reached their objective, Battery X, a supporting fort just north of Stedman. The pioneers began hacking their way through the defenses while an assault group under Lieutenant Thomas Roulhac moved up. In a few moments they were inside the works. Their cheers told General Walker that Battery X had fallen, and he started his infantry column forward. Library of Congress Before the Confederate troops could reach their objective, Rebel pioneers had to clear wicked-looking chevaux-de-frise out of the way. Inside Fort Stedman, Major George Randall, the commander of the 14th New York Heavy Artillery serving as infantry, tried desperately to organize a defense. The forts gunners got off half a dozen rounds of canister, but without result, although Captain Anderson received a mortal wound in the scattered fighting taking place at the rear of the fort. An all-night Yankee card game, liberally lubricated with spirits, was suddenly interrupted when a Rebel face appeared in the doorway. Private Hence Proctor, a sharpshooter with the 59th North Carolina, poked his head into another bombproof. Come out of there, he demanded. I know you are in there. The Yankee officer inside, still in his nightclothes, grabbed Proctors long hair and proceeded to belabor the unfortunate sharpshooter about the head and shoulders with his sword until Rebel comrades rescued him. Colonel Hamilton Brown and his sharpshooters, meanwhile, crept forward undetected nearly to Fort Stedman, but they lost their composure and rushed forward, yelling, said a witness, like a bunch of Comanche Indians. Another column of Grimes sharpshooters under Captain Joseph Carson made its way forward after hearing Gordons signal. Carson was worried about his younger brother Bob. The high-spirited 18-year-old, who normally had a safer job as a courier, had insisted on joining the attack. Having lost two brothers already, Carson could not shake off the feeling that Bob was next. Nevertheless, he pressed forward at the head of his men through three lines of obstructions as perfect as human ingenuitycould make them. USAMHI In the confusion of the pre-dawn fighting, Brevet Brig. Gen. Napoleon McLaughlen mistook Southern troops for his own and found himself a prisoner. They had not gone 25 yards when the forts cannons opened up. Running at top speed, they managed to get under the guns line of fire without anyone being hit. In a flash of cannon fire Carson saw his brother tearing away the telegraph wire strung across the abatis. As they pushed through the gap, cannon blasts blew the attackers hats off. They reached the spiked logs protecting the parapet, hacking at them and dragging them out of the way. Unable to climb the slippery parapet, and under fire from the infantrymen above, Carson ordered his men to load their rifles andshoot every Yankee who showed himself. His men made it inside after finding a low spot in the parapet. Then they formed into line and began moving forward. Federals began to surrender, first individually and then in groups. General Evans had selected Colonel Eugene Waggamans Brigade to lead the drive on Battery XI, and the 400-man brigade stumbled through the darkness, preceded by sharpshooters and an assault group from the 13th and 31st Georgia regiments under Colonel John Lowe. First over the parapet were two four-man sharpshooter sections led by Lieutenant Benjamin Smith of the 2nd Louisiana. Hard-pressed by the defenders, they held out until help arrived. When the rest of the Louisiana Tigers got there, they found the garrison alerted, and subdued them after hand-to-hand fighting. In the fort, resistance swiftly collapsed. Colonel Striblings men were turning the Union guns on their former owners, and Major Randall was captured as he tried to escape with his regimental colors. Captain Carson quickly sent the prisoners, which he estimated at more than 500, hustling to the rear. Incredibly, two supporting Federal infantry regiments remained unaware of the attack until sharpshooters scattered the drowsy Federals in wild confusion. They fired no shots, wrote Captain John Deane, the commander of the 29th Massachusetts, but used the butts of their muskets. Much of the regiment was captured, but Color Sergeant Conrad Homan managed to spirit its colors to safety. The 217-man 57th Massachusetts had just time enough to form up and rush to the parapets, only to find the Confederates behind them. Many were taken prisoner. It was still 45 minutes to daylight. The Union sector commander, Brevet Brig. Gen. Napoleon McLaughlen, formed his reserve regiment, the 59th Massachusetts, and double-quicked it north. Ordering the mortars in Battery XII to open up on Fort Stedman, McLaughlen sent in the 59th Massachusetts and what he could find of the 57th and 29th to retake it with fixed bayonets. The Massachusetts men went in with a will, carrying Battery XI and part of Fort Stedman as well, where they captured many sharpshooters. By now, however, the Rebel infantry columns of Grimes, Evans and Walker were beginning to arrive, lending their weight to the attack. McLaughlen entered the fort and began directing operations, only to find that he was giving orders to the wrong army. Lieutenant Billy Gwyn, commanding the sharpshooters of the 31st Georgia, appeared out of the darkness and demanded his surrender. Confederate General Gordon entered Fort Stedman, where he relieved General McLaughlen of his command as well as his sword. Gordon was pleased. Up to this point, he said, the success had exceeded my most sanguine expectations. He later claimed that his losses to that point had been only 11 men. Gordons immediate task was to widen the breach by capturing Forts McGilvery and Haskell, which flanked Fort Stedman. Brigadier General William Terrys Brigade crossed to support Waggaman, and the rest of Evans brigade followed in turn. With these fresh troops in play, the Confederates quickly overran Battery XII and began moving toward Fort Haskell. On the Union side, the 100th Pennsylvania, western Pennsylvanians from the New Castle area, was next to feel the force of Waggamans Louisianans and Terrys Virginians. The first thing the boys knew, wrote one Keystoner, they were firing down our line from the right to the left of the regiment. The boys were asleep in their bunks at the first volley, but grabbed guns and cartridge boxes, not even stopping to dress. Some were barefooted; some only with shirts and pants on.The regiment had been practically cut in two. The right took shelter in the rear in some old rifle pits, while Cos. B and G ran into Fort Haskell. Among those mortally wounded in the fray was the regiments commander, Lt. Col. Joseph H. Pentecost. The Confederates, meanwhile, continued to press their attack. Still, in spite of the shock and confusion of the assault, there was remarkably little panic in the Federal ranks certainly not the disintegration Gordon had hoped for. USAMHI Lieutenant Colonel Joseph H. Pentecost, of the 100th Pennsylvania, suffered a mortal wound in the Rebel attack. The garrison of Fort Haskell four companies of the 14th New York Heavy Artillery, a six-gun artillery battery and a mortar detachment had been warned of the approach of Confederate infiltrators by an alert sentry. The party was in two ranks, wrote one man, and had filed into our lines through the gap in front of Stedman, and was moving upon us unopposed, for they were between us and our pickets. These Confederates supposed that they were approaching the rear of the little fort, and were moving very confidently, expecting an easy triumph. The forts gunners double-shotted three of their guns with canister, trained them where they expected the column to appear, and waited. Soon they heard the whispered voices of the approaching men. Steady! Well have their works. Steady, my men! a voice urged. A moment later the command Now! rang out, and the Federal guns deafening reports rent the air. The Confederates kept trying to advance on the fort, but Gordon had lost his best chance of taking Fort Haskell, a failure that would have dire consequences. In the northern sector, Walkers and Ransoms troops pushed toward Battery IX using the same infiltration tactics that had proved successful elsewhere. A crowd of men came running down the trench, said the commander of the 2nd Michigan, Captain John Boughton. Supposing they were of one of our regiments, and running from the enemy, I stepped out and ordered them to halt, saying that it was useless to run away. One of the men put his hand on Boughtons shoulder, saying, Come with me. The Yankee captain, realizing he had just been captured, said, In a minute, then stepped back and ordered his men to fire, which they obeyed immediately with good effect. Fifteen of Boughtons men were captured, but he and the rest escaped to Battery IX, where he sent out a company to block a Confederate force attempting to take the battery from the rear. The Rebels, meanwhile, gave up any pretense of stealth and commenced shelling the Federal positions from Fort Stedman. Major Ed Buckbee of the 1st Minnesota Sharpshooters, who held the far right of the line, took two companies and moved them up to cover the rear of the Union forts. One of the companies consisted of Chippewa Indians. On his way forward, Buckbee literally stumbled over one of Gordons special operations groups. See! See! shouted one of the Confederates,shoot that cuss on that horse surrender, you damn Yank! Buckbee spurred his horse through more bullets in a square yard than I had ever experienced before and escaped unscathed. The Chippewas let loose a war cry that put the Rebel yell to shame and went straight at the Rebs on the run. The Michigan men claimed to have captured four officers and 50 enlisted men. Between Gordon and City Point, the Federals had only the 200th and 209th Pennsylvania and the 100-man 17th Michigan. Union Maj. Gen. Orlando Willcox had ordered the Keystone regiments to march southward, opening the door to City Point. Colonel Browns Rebel sharpshooters moved out from Fort Stedman in open order, crossed Morrisons Creek and pushed back the 17th Michigan and the remnants of the 57th Massachusetts. As the morning sky lightened, Captain Edward Jones began throwing shells from his 3-inch rifled guns in nearby Fort Friend at the column moving on Fort Haskell. Soon, however, shadowy figures began approaching his position through a ravine. Jones had no infantry with him, but he gamely cranked his guns down and blasted the attackers with canister. Gordon, with his men at the gates of Fort Haskell, Battery IX and Fort Friend, was now within a hairsbreadth of victory. But before Gordon could seize the opportunity, Brig. Gen. John Hartranft, the commander of the IX Corps Reserve Division of six brand-new Pennsylvania regiments, arrived on the scene. Hartranfts battle philosophy was brutally simple: It was better to attack than be attacked. Thanks to Willcoxs ill-considered move, however, he had only one unit the untried 200th Pennsylvania to assist him. Undeterred, he sent the Pennsylvania farm boys, the 17th Michigan and the 57th Massachusetts remnants straight toward the Rebels. They swept back Browns sharpshooters and pushed all the way to the Federal camps at the rear of Fort Stedman, until Confederate fire stopped them. Seeing Confederate reinforcements pouring through the Union earthworks, Hartranft sent the 200th Pennsylvania, which had fallen back 40 yards or so, back in. After losing 100 men during the next 20 minutes some of the heaviest fighting of the day the 200th broke and headed rearward. Even so, the general and their officers managed to rally them near where they had started. By now two more of Hartranfts regiments were hustling to the fighting, firmly barring the Rebel way to City Point, and it was getting light enough for Union artillery in the surrounding forts to find the range. For Gordon, on the other hand, the news turned bad. None of his companies had succeeded in taking the Union flanking forts, leaving his plan only half-completed at first light. Waggamans Louisiana Tigers were still driving toward Fort Haskell, however, with sharpshooters in the lead. The forts artillery commander, Captain Christian Woerner, manhandled a piece to bear on them. Woerner opened up with canister while the forts infantry blazed away with their rifles. One of Woerners gunners, Lieutenant Julius Tuerk, had an arm blown off while aiming his piece, but the captain, whose life seemed charmed that day, stepped up and finished adjusting the sights. He left a corporal in charge of the gun while he attended to another, whereupon a sharpshooter put a bullet through the corporals brain. To add to the confusion, some of the other Union forts began to fire at Fort Haskell, thinking it had fallen. Major Randall, who had escaped from Fort Stedman and taken command, sent out a plucky detachment from the forts rear with orders to wave the colors in the faces of the Confederates and show the other batteries they were still holding out. The ranks of the enemy soon broke under the fire of our muskets and Woerners well-aimed guns, reported Union soldier George Kilmer, but some of the boldest came within speaking distance and hailed us to surrender. The main body hung back beyond canister range near the ravine at the base of the slope, but within range of our bullets. To clinch the fight, the Confederates sent in the sharpshooters. Suddenly a great number of little parties or squads, of three to six men each, Kilmer recalled, rose with a yell from their hidings down along those connecting parapets, and dashed toward us. The parapets joined on to the fort, and upon these the Confederates leaped, intending thus to scale our walls. Captain Woerner fired off his three other guns, recalling, Some of the [Rebel] squads were cut down, others ran off to cover, and not a few passed on beyond our right wall to the rear of the work and out of reach of the guns. With this the aggressive spirit of that famous movement melted away forever. On the north end of the line near Battery IX, the Confederates resorted to a conventional attack. At about 5:15 a.m., Ransoms Brigade went forward into a hail of fire from the fully alerted Union artillery in Battery IX and Fort McGilvery. The Rebels broke and retreated under the storm of case shot, but soon tried again, reinforced by Brig. Gen. Gaston Lewis Brigade from Walkers Division. A detachment attempted to take Fort McGilvery from the rear, but was cut off and captured. The troops of the 57th North Carolina, part of Lewis Brigade, hunkered down under the Union barrage, while on the lines far left the men of the 56th North Carolina frantically dug holes with their bayonets to avoid the Union shellfire and the errant shots of their fellow Confederates. As the sky lightened, Hartranfts 2nd Brigade came puffing up, plugging the remaining gaps in his line. Full daylight revealed the desperation of the Confederate position. Fort Stedman lay at the apex of an arc, with Forts Haskell and McGilvery at the ends. Union artillery commanded the ground behind Fort Stedman, making any Southern withdrawal a risky business. From there and the high ground east of Fort Stedman, the gunners of the IX Corps sent a hurricane of shells toward the exposed Southerners, driving them to earth. Colonel Stribling and his men returned fire with the captured cannons, but they were running low on ammunition and subject to intense counterbattery fire. His plan in tatters, Gordon gave the order to retreat. Seeing their opponents waver, the Union commanders attacked. The whole field was blue with them, recalled Captain Carson. I think the columns must have been twenty deep. Confederate resistance collapsed under the rain of shells and the concerted infantry assault. Private and general alike scrambled back across no mans land through a shower of shells that Carson rememberedscreeched and screamed like fiends. Kilmer called it a place of fearful slaughter. My mind sickens at the memory of it a real tragedy in war for the victims had ceased fighting, and were now struggling between imprisonment on the one hand, and death or home on the other. Some laid down and was taken prisoners, wrote a Tar Heel soldier, but when I thought of Point Lookout you better know I come out. General Walker was one of the last Confederates to quit the fort, watching the gallant fight of his sharpshooters as they tried to hold off the Federals long enough for the rest of the division to escape. Suddenly I heard a shout, he said, and looking in the direction of the sound, I saw a body of Federal infantry coming over the wall of the fort on the opposite side. It was the 100th Pennsylvania, which would always claim that its colors were first into the fort. Their arrival from the south meant that almost all the sharpshooters outside the fort were cut off. Exercising discretion, the general vaulted the parapet, but the rising sun had softened the frosty ground, and mud soon caked his thigh-high cavalry boots. My speed slackened into a slow trot, then into a slow walk, and it seemed as if I were an hour making that seventy-five yards. Walker made it safely, but many of his men did not. Hartranfts Pennsylvanians arrived in the fort minutes later. Captain Carson was one of the Rebels to escape, but any relief he felt was tempered by personal tragedy just as he had feared, a bullet had found his brother Bob. Carson commandeered a horse and brought back his brothers body. As I entered our lines again, from which we had gone so hopefully in the early morning, he wrote, I looked back on Fort Stedman. There in the sunlight floated again the Stars and Stripes. When the smoke cleared, the Federals counted more than 1,000 Rebel captives, while admitting the loss of just under 1,100 of their own men, half of them prisoners taken in the initial rush. They also prided themselves, when all was over, in losing not a single gun or color. Overall Confederate casualties topped 2,600 men, among them Maj. Gen. John Gordon, lucky to have only a flesh wound, and Lieutenant Billy Gwyn, shot through both legs. Nearly all my gallant skirmish line was captured, lamented General Walker. So, apparently was most of Grimes line as well. Colonel Brown and to judge by the number of sharpshooters who later turned up at Point Lookout most of his men went in the Federal bag. That was the most serious loss of the day for the Confederates, as those troops had represented a great many of Lees best remaining soldiers. The victory at Fort Stedman raised the morale of the Federals and correspondingly depressed that of their opponents. It was the last offensive action of the Army of Northern Virginia, which laid down its arms forever two weeks later at Appomattox Court House. This article was written by Fred L. Ray and originally appeared in the May 2005 issue of Americas Civil War magazine. North Carolina resident Fred Ray has written several articles for ACW. This article is adapted from his forthcoming book, Shock Troops of the Confederacy. For more great articles be sure to subscribe to Americas Civil War magazine today! World War II ended on the deck of the USS Missouri. Five years later the Korean War broke outand the Mighty Mo was the only U.S. battleship ready to fight. Life was exciting for 23-year-old Ensign Lee Royal in the summer of 1950. The tall, slim Texan had recently graduated from the United States Naval Academy and reported for duty on board the most famous warship in the world, the USS Missouri. Royal was wearing the gold bars of a commissioned officer, a step up from the previous year when he had served on the same ship as a midshipman on a training cruise. The Missouri had visited England during that cruise, and Royal and two classmates had been brash enough to go to Chartwell, Winston Churchills country home. They wanted to shake the hand of the former British prime minister. Churchill had been even more obliging than that, taking the three young midshipmen on a tour of the grounds and then presenting them with books, cigars, and wine. An amazed bodyguard told them privately that the British statesman had been much more hospitable to them than to many of his famous visitors. The guard mentioned that Churchill was fond of navy men, Americans, and young people. The midshipmen belonged to all three categories. By 1950, the Missouri was the U.S. Navys only active battleshipjust a decade after the navy had considered battleships to be its foremost fighting ships. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, however, had dramatically changed the situation. Soon aircraft carriers and submarines became the navys primary offensive weapons, while battleships were relegated to a secondary role. They had been designed to fight gun duels against large surface vessels, but those encounters rarely occurred in World War II. The United States entered the war with a number of old, slow battleships commissioned between 1912 and 1923, which were primarily used for shore bombardment and to support amphibious landings. Only the navys 10 new battleships, commissioned between 1941 and 1944, were fast enough to travel in aircraft carrier task groups and provide antiaircraft protection. The USS Missouri was the last battleship the navy completed. Commissioned in June 1944, she reached the Western Pacific war zone in early 1945. The ship served with carrier forces in support of landings at Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and near the end of the war, the Missouris 16-inch guns bombarded industrial targets in Japan itself. Mighty Mo became world-famous as the site of the Japanese surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, bringing World War II to an end. The Missouri and dozens of other U.S. warships arrived home to a triumphant welcome, but the nation demobilized rapidly once the hostilities ceased. At the end of the war, the navy had 23 battleships in commission but soon began withdrawing them from active servicemothballing the newest ones and scrapping the oldest. The return to peacetime defense budgets emphasized the fact that the battleships period of primacy was over. By the summer of 1950, the Missouri had been downgraded from a full-fledged warship to a training vessel with a reduced crew. Economy-minded Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson would have preferred to decommission the Missouri entirely to save money, but President Harry S. Truman wouldnt allow it. The president was particularly fond of the ship. Not only was it named for his home state, but his daughter Margaret had christened it. When Lee Royal returned to the Missouri the year after his visit with Churchill, the ship was making another training cruise, but this time budget considerations limited its itinerary to the western Atlantic Ocean. Still, Royal found it an enjoyable experience, particularly when the battleship made a port visit to New York City in mid-August. One evening Royal and a date went to see a Broadway musical. When he returned to the ship at one in the morning the officer on the quarterdeck asked him, Did you have a good time? The ensign replied that he had. Good, the officer said, because thats the last one youre going to have for some time. The Missouri was going back to war. The Korean War had begun a month and a half earlier, on June 25, 1950. As Communist North Korea army units advanced into South Korea, President Truman committed American troops to the hostilities. Because the Missouri possessed the only active 16-inch guns in the fleetan important factor in the planning of amphibious assaultsit received orders to report for duty half a world away. Five years earlier, General of the Army Douglas MacArthur had accepted the Japanese surrender on the captains veranda deck of the Missouri. Now the general was planning an invasion at the port of Inchon, behind North Korean lines. He scheduled the action for mid-September and wanted the Missouris big guns to stop North Korean traffic on roads leading into the Inchon-Seoul area. The Missouris crew had much to do. The ship traveled first to her home port of Norfolk, Virginia, where it spent four days and nights taking on supplies of food, fuel, and ammunition. The battleships peacetime crew increased to a fighting complement of 114 officers and 2,070 enlisted men. On Saturday morning, August 19, 1950, the 887-foot-long warship cruised through Hampton Roads and Thimble Shoal Channel and into the Atlantic Ocean. The same routine trip had been a disaster seven months earlier. On January 17, while leaving for a training cruise to Cuba, the Missouri had run aground in the same port, a huge embarrassment for the navy. Captain William D. Brown was relieved of command shortly after that. The Missouris role in the Inchon mission was considered so important that she went to sea in the face of threatening weather. That night newly appointed Captain Irving Duke and his crew paid heavily as they encountered a hurricane off North Carolina. Under normal conditions the Missouri was rock steady, but these waters were anything but normal. The wind and waves sent two helicopters over the side and caused serious damage elsewhere. Trying to outflank the storm had been a calculated risk, and the ship suffered for it. The battleship passed through the Panama Canal and into the Pacific Ocean and proceeded to Pearl Harbor for repairs and installation of antiaircraft guns that had been removed after World War II. She then continued westwardthrough the Philippine archipelago and toward Japan. Nature, though, didnt respect the navys scheduling. Typhoon Kezia lay in the ships path. This time, Captain Duke took a more deliberate approach, following a course that diminished the risk of storms. The ship came through unscathed, but the delays from the repair period and the zigzag course kept the ship from reaching Korea in time for the Inchon invasion. Up until this point the fighting in Korea had not been going well for the ill-prepared United Nations forces. The North Koreans had pushed steadily southward, driving the U.N. troops into the Pusan perimeter at the southern end of the Korean peninsula. MacArthurs invasion at Inchon, however, proved to be a brilliant success even without the Missouris firepower. When it became apparent that the battleship could not make it to Inchon in time for the invasion, which had to be precisely timed to take advantage of the tides, the Missouri received orders to bombard North Korean transportation facilities and ground troops along the way. When the ship finally reached Inchon on September 21, MacArthur, an old soldier who was then 70, came aboard for a visit. Members of the ships Marine detachment scoffed at the theatrical general, whom some people scornfully referred to as Dugout Doug. Some of the men under MacArthurs command during World War II had given him the nickname due to his absence during the siege of Bataan on the Philippine Islands. When the five-star general arrived on board, he spoke with Captain Lawrence Kindred, commanding officer of the Missouris Marines. The general told him, I have just returned from the far north, where your comrades-in-arms are in close combat with the enemy. And I wish to report to you that there is not a finer group of fighting men in the world than the U.S. Marines. The previously skeptical Kindred became an instant MacArthur fan. The following month another famous guest boarded the Missouri. Comedian Bob Hope presented a show for the benefit of crew members gathered on the fantail for a Navy Day celebration. Hopes time-honored formula included both humor and an attractive actress, Marilyn Maxwell. The ground fighting improved for U.N. forces in the wake of the landings at Inchon. Later in the year, however, the situation turned around again as Chinese forces entered the war to help the North Koreans, and U.N. troops were once again pushed south. In action that became legendary in the annals of Marine Corps history, troops at frozen Chosin Reservoir fought a valiant rear-guard action. Shortly before Christmas, the Marines moved to an evacuation site in the port of Hungnam on the east coast, where the Missouri created a curtain of fire between the advancing enemy and the retreating allies. Though the ship no longer performed the ship-against-ship missions for which it was designed, its guns proved an invaluable weapon for land war, with each 16-inch projectile capable of producing a crater some 30 feet in diameter. By 1951, the battleship had settled into a wartime routine that included bombarding enemy facilities on shore, supporting ground troops, and providing antiaircraft protection for carriers launching bombing strikes against North Korea. Periodically it would meet up with supply ships for replenishment at sea or travel to Sasebo, Japan, to take on ammunition and give the crew some free time ashore. Missouris first combat service in Korea ended in mid-March, six months after its arrival, and soon began the long trip back to the United States. By this time the navy had begun pulling other World War II-era ships from mothballs for return to active duty. Among them was the Missouris sister ship, New Jersey, slated as its relief. The two ships crossed paths at the Panama Canal. The Wisconsin was recommissioned in March, and the Iowa would be recommissioned in August. With all four ships of the Iowa class back in active service, the situation had changed dramatically from the previous August when Ensign Royal learned that his New York liberty had been the last good time he would see for a while. Now the Missouri became part of a regular rotation as the battleships alternated between midshipman training cruises and deployments to the 7th Fleet off Korea. The Missouri returned to Norfolk on April 27, more than eight months after it hurried departure for the war zone. Thousands of people turned out for the homecoming celebration. As the battleship headed toward its berth at the naval stations pier seven, a biplane flew overhead, towing a long banner that read, WELCOME HOME MIGHTY MO. During the summers of 1951 and 1952 the Missouri resumed its role as a training ship, but in September 1952, the battleship returned for more Far East duty. Taking command for the Missouris second deployment to Korea was Captain Warner Edsall. As the ship proceeded westward, Ensign Lawrence Ace Treadwell, a recent naval academy graduate and not long married, was standing on the Missouris bridge when he heard Captain Edsall remark, Its great to be back to sea. Treadwell would have preferred to be home with his wife, but the captain realized he had one of the choicest commands in the navy, and he meant to enjoy it. By the autumn of 1952 the Korean War had settled down to a stalemate. North Korean and U.N. representatives met at Panmunjom to seek some sort of negotiated settlement. President Truman had ruled out taking the war north to China, but he was determined to hold onto territory in South Korea during the peace talks. So the Missouri continued its program of shore attacks. The battleship remained so far offshore during its bombardment missions that it was essentially invulnerable. One of the Missouris targets was the port of Wonsan, a transportation hub and industrial center on the east coast of North Korea. On March 5 and March 10, 1953, North Korean gunners at Wonsan retaliated and succeeded in firing some shrapnel onto the battleships broad fantail. The range was long for Missouris less powerful five-inch guns, but they were aimed toward Wonsan and pumped out 998 rounds, by far the most prolific day for the smaller guns during the deployment. As the Missouri had done two years previously, it made a number of visits to Japan for re-arming and so that the crew could enjoy liberty. One of those who went sightseeing was Chief Gunners Mate Jack McCarron, who had served on the Missouri for roughly five yearsa long tour of duty for a navy man. On December 7, 1941, McCarron had been badly burned while manning a five-inch antiaircraft gun on the battleship Arizona during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. McCarron had the distinction of serving on the two battleships that symbolized the beginning and the end of World War II in the Pacific. The Missouris last bombardment mission of the Korean War came to an end on the morning of March 25, 1953. It fired at targets in the vicinity of Kojo, just south of Wonsan. Captain Edsall was on the Missouris bridge on the morning of March 26 as it steamed into port at Sasebo, Japan, the first stop on the long journey home. At 7:21 a.m., just after Edsall gave the helmsman an order, the captain grasped the arm of his executive officer, Commander Bob North, and collapsed on the deck. North directed the ship to berth, as Edsall was pronounced dead of a heart attack. A new skipper, Captain Robert Brodie, Jr., soon came aboard to take command and shepherd the Missouri back to the States. In 1953, Dwight D. Eisenhower replaced Harry Truman as president of the United States, and during that summer the negotiators at Panmunjom completed armistice talks and ended the fighting. South Korea had maintained its independence, and the war had remained a limited one, although U.S. casualties totaled about 137,000. The conflict did not end in a rousing and decisive victory like that of World War II, but the Missouri had made a significant contribution to the Korean War. It was decommissioned after the war, but in 1986 the modernized Missouri was recommissioned once more. During the Persian Gulf War five years later, the battleship again saw active service, when its guns and missiles were used against military targets in Iraq. In 1992, the ship was decommissioned for the second time. Four years later, the navy donated the battleship to the Honolulu-based USS Missouri Memorial Association. The Missouri will never again see combat but will open as a memorial museum in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in January 1999, allowing visitors the opportunity to board Americas most celebrated battleship. Paul Stillwell, director of the history division of the U.S. Naval Institute in Annapolis, Maryland, is the author of Battleship Missouri: An Illustrated History and several other books. This story was published in the February 1999 issue of American History magazine. For more stories, subscribe here. By Chris Hartley Even as General Robert E. Lee was surrendering at Appomattox, a vengeful Union cavalry horde led by Maj. Gen. George Stoneman made Southern civilians pay dearly for the war. It was a last brutal lesson in the concept of total warfare. Six-foot-four-inch Major General George Stoneman, powerfully built, with a face that showed the marks of long and hard service in the field, watched as 6,000 men and horses formed up just outside of Mossy Creek, Tennessee, in late March 1865. These blue-clad troopers of the Cavalry Division of the District of East Tennessee were preparing for a raid into northwest North Carolina and southwest Virginia, their orders to destroy but not to fight battles. The war was winding down, but the punishment of Southern civilians continued apace, its aim to demoralize an already beaten people. A wagon, 10 ambulances, four guns with their caissons, and two pack mulesone for ammunition and one for the mens messrode along with the advancing Union column. The division, under the immediate command of Brig. Gen. Alvan C. Gillem, was composed of three brigades: Colonel William J. Palmers First Brigade, brevet Brig. Gen. Simeon B. Browns 2nd Brigade, and Colonel John K. Millers 3rd Brigade, as well as a battery of artillery under Lieutenant James M. Regan. On March 23, the division moved east to Morristown, Tenn., where each man was issued five days rations, one days forage of corn, and four horseshoes with nails, to go along with the 63 rounds of ammunition each already carried. The land and the people, hard pressed though they were, would have to provide most of the Federals supply needs. On March 24, the division moved toward Taylorsville, Tenn., where they took the turnpike leading to Watauga County, N.C. In the land ahead, a tremor of fear passed through the population. Rumors of the approaching raid caused citizens to hide their food and valuables. As commander of the East Tennessee district, Stoneman was personally accompanying Gillems cavalry division to oversee its mission. Originally, Stoneman had been ordered to raid into South Carolina, but Maj. Gen. William T. Shermans rapidly moving forces had precluded that need. His revised orders from Maj. Gen. George H. Thomas, commander of the Army of the Cumberland, were to dismantle the country to obstruct Lees retreat by destroying parts of the East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad, the North Carolina Railroad, and the Danville-Greensboro line. Ulysses S. Grant, the overall Union commander, believed that Stonemans raid, in conjunction with a simultaneous raid by Northern cavalry in Alabama, would leave nothing for the rebellion to stand upon. While Stoneman ravaged, Brig. Gen. Davis Tillsons 4th Division of the Department of the Cumberland would follow the cavalry column and occupy key mountain passes in northwest North Carolina to protect Stonemans and Gillems rear. Very little in the way of Confederate defenses awaited Stonemans men. Confederate home guardsmen were scattered about in various places such as Watauga County, where Major Harvey Bingham had two companies, or Ashe County where a Captain Price commanded a small company. The area had been placed under the direction of General P.G.T. Beauregard, but the regular troops in his command were described as insufficient to stop [Stoneman]. Yet Stoneman would not march unopposed, as the people of Watauga County quickly demonstrated. At 10 a.m. on March 28, as the Federal forces moved on the Taylorsville turnpike toward the village of Boone, N.C., the troopers learned that a meeting of the local home guard would occur in Boone that same day. Stoneman quickly sent his aide-de-camp, with the 2nd Brigades 12th Kentucky Cavalry, to assault Boone and take on the home guard. The Union troopers responded, riding into Boone and down Main Street, firing at anything that moved. Mrs. James Councill heard the firing and stepped out onto her porch, her child in her arms, to investigate when a volley of balls splintered into the wood all around her. Home guardsmen and citizens grabbed their weapons and tried to fight back. Steel Frazier, a 15-year-old boy, was chased by six Federals to a fence, where Frazier took cover, turned, and took on his pursuers, killing two of them. He then retreated into the woods. Calvin Green tried to surrender, but when the Federals continued to shoot at him, he resumed the fight and shattered the arm of one of the invaders with his musket. Other citizens, however, werent so lucky. Warren Green was shot to death as he tried to surrender; Jacob Councill, an elderly man over the conscript age, was shot down beside his plow despite his appeals for mercy. When the smoke cleared, the Federals had killed nine, captured 68, plundered several homes and burned the local jail. With Boone neutralized, Stoneman decided to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains and move to Wilkesboro, about 50 miles away on the Yadkin River, to obtain supplies and fresh horses. He opted to separate his command to accomplish this, sending Gillem with Browns brigade and the artillery, followed by Millers brigade, on a roundabout route to Wilkesboro in order to destroy a factory near Lenoir. Stoneman would take the direct route, through Deep Gap to Wilkesboro. At 9 p.m. on March 28, Gillem reached Pattersons Factory, a cotton mill at the foot of the Blue Ridge, and took the workers by surprise. Finding a useful supply of corn and bacon, the men spent the night there. The next day the column moved on to Wilkesboro, leaving a rear guard to destroy the factory and any food that remained. By late afternoon of March 29, Gillems men had caught up with Stoneman just outside Wilkesboro. That evening, Stoneman sent the 12th Ohio Cavalry into Wilkesboro where they came in with a yell and ran completely through the place, frightening a small body of Confederates out of their wits and out of the place. The weather presented a problem that night, however, as the very heavens opened their floodgates, swelling the Yadkin River so much that it became impassable. Stonemans men had been in the process of crossing the river in order to head north when it rose, thus becoming separated by the river. At least one man drowned during the aborted crossing. The blue cavalry could do no more than inch a few miles east until the Yadkin became passable. Their time was spent carrying off all the horses and mules, and burning the factories, as well as doing a little drinking, for the stuff was warm in the stills. The Federals even seized the horse of the local citizen James Gordon, one of Jeb Stuarts men who had been killed at Spotsylvania, and paraded it in front of the mans house for a couple of hours. It was not until April 2 that Stoneman was able to ford the Yadkin River and get his men moving once again. The Federals pointed their horses north, toward Virginia and the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad. The march to the Virginia border took Stonemans men through Dobson to Mount Airy, N.C. While in Mount Airy, the Federals learned that an enemy supply train had passed through the town earlier that afternoon on its way across the Virginia border to Hillsville. Stoneman immediately ordered Palmer to pursue and capture the train. On the morning of April 3, the rest of the division followed Palmers detachment north. By 1 p.m., the Federals had reached Hillsville, where they caught up with Palmers empty-handed detachment. The pursuit was renewed, however, and within a few hours 17 Confederate wagons filled with forage were in the hands of Browns brigade. Stoneman divided his forces once more in Hillsville in order to cover more of the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad. He ordered Miller to take 500 men from his brigade, move to Wytheville, and destroy the railroad bridges and supplies there. Stoneman took the main body in the direction of Jacksonville, Va. Shortly after dark, Stonemans advance met some weak resistance. The battle-hardened Federals quickly responded, however, driving the Rebel force several miles. By midnight, the situation had calmed enough for Stoneman to bivouac his men. The next morning, April 4, Stonemans force moved out early and reached Jacksonville by 10 a.m. The general sent out yet another raiding party from this point, consisting of 250 picked men under the command of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalrys Major Wagner. Wagners objectives were the railroad bridges in and around Salem, Va. The divisions main body resumed its march that afternoon and occupied Christianburg, Va., by midnight. The destruction now began in earnest. On April 5, Stoneman ordered Palmer and his 1st Brigade to tear up the railroad tracks east of Christianburg while Browns brigade dealt with the tracks to the west of the town. With the Federal forces divided into four separate detachments, over 150 miles of the Virginia & Tennessee Railroad were ruined. Millers detachment, however, met with trouble in its raid toward Wytheville. A Confederate force of infantry and cavalry contested his advance, charging them with a yell. Millers men, although they successfully repulsed the Rebels, suffered 35 casualties in the skirmish. Stoneman ordered Miller to retire to Hillsville and then to Taylorsville, Va. Meanwhile, Wagner and his detachment were playing a significant, if unknowing, part in Robert E. Lees surrender at Appomattox Court House. Reaching Salem by 2 p.m. on April 5, Wagners men set about their work. Although they were delayed by word that Lee had evacuated his Petersburg trenches, the Federals managed to destroy the nearby railroad bridges by April 7. Wagner next moved to within six miles of Lynchburg, but reports of the presence of a strong Confederate force nearby turned them away. His mission completed, Wagner moved to rejoin the main body. The effects of this small detachment went far beyond its actions. Lee, as he retreated west from Petersburg, had hoped to pivot south and move his army through Danville to join forces with General Joseph E. Johnston in North Carolina. Rapid Union moves had closed that option to Lee, leaving the west as his only avenue of escape. Reports of Wagners activities soon reached Lee at Amelia Court House. Lee, in the light of rumors that this was part of a Union army invading Virginia from the west, concluded that he was hemmed in and surrendered his once unconquerable force on April 9. Stoneman set his forces in motion to return to North Carolina on April 7. The 2nd and 3rd brigades moved uneventfully south through Patrick County, Va., toward the state line. Palmers brigade, however, had somehow misinterpreted the route it had been directed to take and went through Martinsville, Va., by mistake. About 250 Confederate cavalrymen met Palmer in the streets of the town and killed one Union trooper while wounding five others. After a brisk skirmish, the Confederates were chased from the town. Stonemans command was reunited by April 9 in Danbury, N.C. The war may have been over for Lee, but Stoneman wasnt finished. In fact, Stonemans detour into Virginia had completely confused the people of North Carolina. Thinking that the dreaded raid was over, the state relaxed what little defense it had mustered. If Stoneman had proceeded to Salisbury from Wilkesboro in March, he would have found a large body of Confederates awaiting him. Instead, he feinted into Virginia before returning to North Carolina to reap a large harvest of destruction. On April 10, Stoneman and his troopers continued their southward trek. By noon, at the village of Germantown, they stopped briefly to provide an escort for a party of ex-slaves who had fallen in behind the column. The escort took the blacks to east Tennessee, where a large number of them volunteered for active duty in the 119th U.S. Colored Troops. Stoneman, confident that the Rebels would offer little resistance to his forces, once more divided his column. He detached Palmers brigade to destroy the large cloth factories around Salem and the rail lines around Greensboro. The remainder of the division moved at 4 p.m. The next day, April 11, they reached Shallow Ford, on the Yadkin River, and captured 100 muskets after chasing off a small enemy detachment. Palmers brigade, meanwhile, had been greeted by the white flag. As they approached Winston and the neighboring town of Salem, their respective mayors, accompanied by two other prominent citizens, officially surrendered the two towns. The towns were, as a result, spared excessive harm. One citizen, a member of the local Moravian congregation, wrote that had it not been for the noise of their horses and swordsit would have been hardly noticed that so large a number of troops were passing through our streets. Palmer immediately sent his men out into the countryside to work. One detachment captured and burned the Dan River Bridge, cutting a vital link in the Piedmont Railroad. A few hours earlier, Confederate President Jefferson Davis had traveled over that same bridge as he fled from Virginia to Greensboro with what remained of his government and treasury. Moving to meet Johnston to discuss future plans, Davis was told of the proximity of Federal cavalry. His narrow escape prompted him to grin, A miss is as good as a mile. It would not be the last time Davis would dodge Palmers men. Palmers men completed their objectives with speed and efficiency, unaware that the Confederate president was within their grasp. Lieutenant Colonel Charles M. Betts of the 15th Pennsylvania Cavalry routed the 3rd South Carolina Cavalry at Buffalo Creek, just two miles from Greensboro, and then burned the bridge there. Other detachments fired bridges and factories at Jamestown, Florence, and throughout the countryside. Seventeen hundred bales of cotton were burned by Federal raiders at High Point, a North Carolina railroad de pot. By April 11, Palmer concluded that his detachment had done enough damage. The brigade turned back, rejoining Stoneman at Shallow Ford, west of Winston. The reunited division next moved south with their eyes on the grand prize of Salisbury. The town was a major military depot for the Confederacy, containing several military hospitals, an ordnance plant, and the state district headquarters for the Commissary of Subsistence. Supplies recently evacuated from Raleigh and Richmond due to Shermans and Grants advances were also in Salisbury. Most important to the men in the saddles, though, was the six-acre, 10,000-man prison in the town. The prison, in operation since 1861, had a frowning stockade, the dirty enclosure honeycombed with dens and holes in which the shivering captives. . . burrowed like animals. Nearby, about 12,000 graves stood as reminders of the tragedies that had occurred at the prison. The Federals didnt know, however, that the prisoners had recently been evacuated because of the terrible conditions at the prison. A small body of Rebels challenged the Federal advance near Mocksville, only to be dispersed by a savage Federal charge. By 8 p.m. on April 11, Stoneman bivouacked his troops in the road 12 miles north of Salisbury, within striking distance. The division would not wait. At 12:30 a.m., with Millers brigade in advance, the Federals moved. The rattle and creak of caissons and the neighing of horses sounded in the night. After covering three miles, they reached the South Yadkin, a deep and rapid stream with few fords. Crossing the river unopposed, the Yankee troopers continued their trek until they reached a fork in the road. Since both roads led to Salisbury, Stoneman sent one battalion of the 12th Kentucky Cavalry by the old road and the main body by the western road. The Kentuckians were to demonstrate at Grants Creek, two miles outside of the town, and cross the upper bridge there if possible. The Federals were to then converge on Salisbury. At daylight on April 12, the main column reached Grants Creek, chased away some pickets, and approached the bridge. Confederates emplaced across the creek announced that Salisbury would be defended, opening up with small arms and artillery fire and checking the horse soldiers. In the distance, behind the crack of the skirmishing, the chug of moving trains could be heard. The Confederates were trying to evacuate everything they could from Salisbury. Across the creek was a hodgepodge of about 500 men and two batteries of artillery. Two hundred galvanized Irish who had been recruited from among Federal prisoners, several junior reserves, some local citizens, and even a few artisans in the employ of the Confederate government prepared to defend the town. The regular commander of Salisbury, Brig. Gen. Bradley T. Johnson, was in Greensboro that morning, leaving Brig. Gen. W.M. Gardner in command. At Gardners side that spring morning was the silver-haired Colonel John C. Pemberton, former commander of all Confederate forces at Vicksburg, Miss. Although he had resigned his generalcy in 1863 in disgrace, Pemberton, in January 1865, had taken a commission as a lieutenant colonel of artillery in defense of Richmond. Upon the evacuation of Richmond, Pemberton had fled to join his old friend Davis, but Stonemans troopers had cut the railroad nearby and compelled him to stop in Salisbury. Now, Gardner had an experienced man to help him hold the Federals long enough to allow Salisburys supplies to be evacuated. The officers had placed their men wisely and removed the flooring of the bridge to hinder a Federal crossing, but their men were quite inexperienced. The Federal cavalry division, however, was anything but inexperienced. Rather than risk heavy casualties in a forced crossing of the creek, Stoneman ordered Gillem to send out flanking elements to turn the Rebel positions. Gillem assigned the 13th Tennessee Cavalry to cross Grants Creek below the enemy position while another detachment moved across the creek lower than the 13th Tennessee. Meanwhile, a detachment of the 11th Kentucky Cavalry was directed to cross the creek two and a half miles above the bridge and get in the rear of Salisbury and annoy the enemy as much as possible. They were to also keep an eye out for the trains escaping from Salisbury. Gillem, as soon as the parties sent across the river became engaged and the rattling fire of the 11th Kentucky Cavalrys Spencer rifles announced that the enemys left had been turned, ordered the main body to cross the bridge. The Federals first laid a deadly fire across the creek so that a detachment could repair the bridge. Then Palmers brigade charged in handsome style, followed closely by Millers brigade, and hit the Rebel positions. The ensuing 20-minute fight soon had the Southerners on the run as they dropped arms, knapsacks, and all else that impeded their flight. Browns brigade followed in close support. The Rebels were falling back all across the line. A Federal flanking element came across some tracks about two miles outside of town, blocked them, and was soon rewarded with the whistle of an approaching train. The Federals fired into the train and captured it, finding among the cargo the sword, uniform, papers and family of slain Confederate Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk. All along the battlefield, the Federals had captured 17 stands of colors, 18 artillery pieces and hundreds of prisoners. Pemberton later said he witnessed the capture of our last piece of artillery and narrowly escaped the same fate myself. The horse soldiers reassembled on the other side of Grants Creek and continued the pursuit. As they charged into Salisbury, the battle continued in the streets. One galvanized Confederate, although shot through the lungs, continued to fight back until he fell on the porch of Mrs. M.E. Ramsay. Though the balls fell thick about him, Mrs. Ramsay dashed onto her porch and dragged the soldier inside. As she cared for his wounds, the man gasped, I die a brave man; I fought them as long as I could stand. The man would actually survive and return to thank Mrs. Ramsay three weeks later. Soon, Salisbury was secured. The Federals gladly set about the task of destroying the Rebel supplies, facilities and prison. Until midafternoon of the next day, four entire squares in Salisbury were filled with burning supplies. The conflagration was visible 15 miles away. All told, the Federals destroyed more than 10,000 stands of small arms, 10,000 rounds of artillery shot, 70,000 pounds of powder, 100,000 uniforms, 160,000 pounds of bacon, 20,000 pounds of harness leather, 10,000 pounds of saltpeter, 35,000 bushels of corn, 50,000 bushels of wheat, $100,000 worth of medical supplies, four large cotton factories, and the hated prison itself. While in Salisbury, Stoneman sent out a detachment to capture the vital railroad bridge over the Yadkin, six miles above town. The 10-year-old bridge, the longest span of the North Carolina Railroad, was considered vital to the collapsing Confederacy. Beauregard had sent one-armed Brig. Gen. Zebulon York, a Louisianian, with about 1,000 men to defend it at all costs. These men provided the Confederacy with one of its last successes of the war. As the Federal detachment approached the bridge, resistance erupted. The Confederates were entrenched on the high bluffs across the river, laying down heavy fire to prevent a crossing. One boy who was there watched as the Confederate guns mowed down trees and held the Federals at bay. The Union troops brought up captured artillery from Salisbury to shell the Rebels, but to no avail. By nightfall of April 12, the Federals returned to Salisbury with no wild cheers [and] no war whoops of victory. Regardless of their failure at the Yadkin bridge, Stonemans troops did manage to destroy a considerable amount of railroad track around Salisbury. The damage ensured that the flight of the Rebel government would have to depend not upon trains, but rather upon horses. On the night of April 15, Jefferson Davis rode past Salisbury on his way to Charlottein a carriage. Moving as quickly as ever, the cavalry division, minus Palmers brigade, left Salisbury at 3 p.m. on April 13, en route to Statesville. (Palmer had been sent to destroy railroad track in the direction of Charlotte.) By nightfall, the advance guard entered the town, firing as they went. Statesville was only occupied for a few hours by the Federals, long enough to destroy some government stores and the railroad depot. The office of the Iredell Express, a paper which was obnoxious from the warmth with which it had advocated the cause of the Confederacy, was also burned. The Federals soon left, headed west. Statesville, however, had not seen the last of the Union foe. After midnight on April 14, Palmers men arrived, fresh from their successful raid toward Charlotte and the South Carolina border. The brigade remained in Statesville until April 17, skirmishing with local bands of defenders. Palmer was then ordered to watch the line of the Catawba to help prevent the Confederates from using the ridges and valleys in the area for guerrilla warfare. Moving to the town of Lincolnton, the Federals captured a large trunk of valuables, including $2,000 in gold. Upon discovering that the trunk belonged to Mrs. Zebulon Vance, wife of the governor of North Carolina, Palmer collected every article and every cent and returned the trunk to her with his compliments. Rumors were flying about the end of the war. On April 19, Palmer was notified by three Confederate soldiers of the armistice between Sherman and Johnston. Stoneman and the main body reached the village of Taylorsville, N.C., on April 14 and were greeted with news of Lees surrender. Regardless, the Federals continued moving west. On Easter Sunday, Stonemans men reached the town of Lenoir. Gillem had called Lenoir a rebellious little hole, sentencing it to receive its full share of punishment. Stonemans presence, however, prevented the troops from excessive mischief. The flying reports of the wars end prompted Stoneman to judge that his mission was complete. As a result, Stoneman left the division for east Tennessee on April 16, along with a guard detachment and about 900 Confederate prisoners. The prisoners themselvesmostly hungry and exhausted old men and young boyshad a tough trip ahead of them. Stoneman directed Gillem to take the 2nd and 3rd brigades and move toward Asheville, aiming at the mountain passes in the area. Gillem, already known to North Carolinians as supercilious, insulting, and unfeeling because of the destruction he had brought, eagerly complied. The war dragged on in the North Carolina mountains for the cavalry division, regardless of the cessation of hostilities by the major armies. Gillem had begun his trek to Asheville, only to find a bridge over the Catawba River, a couple of miles east of Morganton, blocked by Rebels. About 50 men under Maj. Gen. John McCown, not the 300 men that the Federals had estimated, were waiting at the crossing with one artillery piece. As the two Union brigades approached the river, they met with a continuous and effective fire which prevented their efforts to cross. To avoid useless casualties, Gillem sent a small detachment to outflank the Confederates and cross about two miles upriver. A battery of artillery was then dismounted and placed in a strategic position to bombard the Confederate gun. Just as the flanking movement began to unnerve the Rebels, the Union battery opened fire. The first shot missed, but the veteran gunners readjusted. The second shot slammed home, breaking the axle on the Confederate guns caisson. With their enemy now bereft of artillery cover, the dismounted cavalry troops charged their enemy. It was only a few minutes until the Rebels had been ousted from their rifle pits and the road lay open. Morganton and its supplies of corn and bacon were soon in Federal hands. As Gillem continued to pound away at them, the Confederates kept trying to scrape together what they could to defend their homes. Brigadier General James G. Martin, a Petersburg veteran, was the commander of the District of Western North Carolina. When he learned that Federal cavalry was headed for Asheville, he moved his commandone brigade and one regimentto the land around Swannanoa Gap, placing his regiment in the gap itself to defend Asheville. Gillem reached Swannanoa Gap on April 20 and found it to be effectually blockaded by about 500 men with four pieces of artillery. Once again, Gillem used the tactic that had successfully carried the command through the Confederate homeland. He ordered Miller to remain at the gap and deceive the enemy by feints while he took a detachment to outflank the Rebel right. The flanking movement, due to the mountainous terrain, had to be an extremely wide one. The Federals rode hard. On April 21, Gillem reached Rutherford, 40 miles south of Swannanoa Gap. By dusk of April 22, the Federals had fought through only slight resistance to cross the Blue Ridge at Howards Gap. Gillem now lay squarely in the Confederate rear. The veteran General Martin had not been deceived. He ordered his lone brigade to meet the Federals at Howards Gap and repulse them. On April 22, however, news of Johnstons surrender to Sherman finally filtered to the Confederates. On the basis of this news, Martins men refused to obey his order to stand and fight. Gillem, therefore, met only slight resistance at Howards Gap, when he could have faced a force equal to his own. Fortune was smiling on the Federal cause. With Swannanoa Gap in Federal hands, Gillem continued his march on Asheville. At daylight on April 23, Gillems advance entered Hendersonville. There he received information that some Confederate troops and artillery had been waiting for him in the town the day before, but had retired toward Asheville. Gillem detached the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, with the 11th Michigan in support, to pursue, attack, and capture the enemy force at all hazards. By noon the Union detachment had found the Confederates, seizing four artillery pieces and 70 men. The Federals had become the masters of the countryside. Early in the afternoon, the cavalry division left Hendersonville to cover the remaining distance to Asheville. After three hours of riding, the Union troops halted their horses as a few Confederates presented Gillem a flag of truce. Martin had sent word from his headquarters in Asheville that he had received official notification of the truce. As a result, a meeting between Gillem and Martin was arranged for the morning of April 24 to discuss surrender terms. The meeting went off quietly and in order. The Confederates agreed to cease resistance, following the terms Sherman had granted to Johnston at Durham Station. Gillem accepted and informed Martin that he would return his division to Tennessee. To prevent the Federals from foraging on their return trip, Martin agreed to give them what supplies he had. On April 25, Browns and Millers brigades began the long ride back. Gillem himself turned to other duties, leaving the column to join the Tennessee legislature, which was then assembling. The war, it seemed, had finally come to an end for the Cavalry Division of the District of East Tennessee. Mysteriously, though, the Federals returned to Asheville on April 26 and sacked it. Martin said that he had heard of no worse plundering anywhere. General George Thomas, it turned out, had notified Stoneman that Abraham Lincoln had rejected the terms of surrender between Sherman and Johnston. Stonemans cavalry was to do all in its power to bring Johnston to better terms. The raid, after this last act of destruction, came to a close. Yet fate had something else in store for these veteran Union horse soldiers. The shooting war had ended, but Jefferson Davis and the remains of the Confederate government were still in flightand they were close to Stonemans troopers. On April 23, Palmer was notified of Lincolns assassination and ordered to pursue Jefferson Davis to the ends of the earth. Palmer, breveted to general and placed in command of the division, began moving his brigades south. He sent one by way of Spartanburg and the others from their position near Asheville, planning to join them at the Savannah River in South Carolina. The grand chase was on. Moving through Anderson, S.C., where the Federals captured and disposed of 300 bottles of wine, the division crossed the Savannah River and entered Georgia. As Palmers men moved through the state, they barely missed capturing the fugitive president on several occasions. In consolation, the division did capture four brigades of Confederate cavalry and General Braxton Bragg and his wife (who were on their way to be paroled at the time). Finally, on May 15, Davis was captured in Irwin, Ga., by another Federal unit, the 4th Michigan Cavalry. Stoneman and his cavalry division thus passed out of the war and into local legend. The raid had been a powerful one. A force of only 6,000 men had destroyed uncountable tons of supplies and miles of railroad tracks, shocked the local citizens with the reality of war, traveled more than 600 miles through enemy territory, and assisted in the capture of Jefferson Davis. Stoneman, one historian appraised, had utilized the methods of Sherman in a splendidly conceived, ably executed attack upon the war potential and the civilian population of the South. Sherman himself, the author of the concept of total war, admiringly referred to Stonemans raid as fatal to the hostile armies of Lee and Johnston. Stoneman and his men, beyond any doubt, had amply fulfilled their orders to destroy. North Carolina native Chris Hartleys account of Stonemans Raid included actions in his hometown of Wilkesboro. Hartley wrote about the Battle of Bentonville in the September 1988 ACW. For more information, see Ina W. Van Noppens Stonemans Last Raid and John G. Barretts The Civil War in North Carolina. [ Top | Cover Page ] Jehovahs Witnesses were unlikely champions of religious freedom. One of the most momentous cases on the Supreme Court docket as war raged globally in 1943 was about a single sentence said aloud by schoolchildren every day. They stood, held their right hands over their hearts or in a raised-arm salute and began, I pledge allegiance to the flag To most Americans the pledge was a solemn affirmation of national unity, especially at a time when millions of U.S. troops were fighting overseas. But the Jehovahs Witnesses, a religious sect renowned for descending en masse on small towns or city neighborhoods and calling on members of other faiths to awake and escape the snare of the devil and his minions, felt otherwise. They insisted that pledging allegiance to the flag was a form of idolatry akin to the worship of graven images prohibited by the Bible. In West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, Walter Barnett (whose surname was misspelled by a court clerk) argued that the constitutional rights of his daughters Marie, 8, and Gathie, 9, were violated when they were expelled from Slip Hill Grade School near Charleston, W.Va., for refusing to recite the pledge. In a landmark decision written by Justice Robert Jackson and announced on Flag Day, June 14, the Supreme Court sided with the Witnesses. To believe that patriotism will not flourish if patriotic ceremonies are voluntary and spontaneous instead of a compulsory routine is to make an unflattering estimate of the appeal of our institutions to free minds, Jackson said. If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. Jehovahs Witnesses were unlikely champions of religious freedom. The sects leaders denounced all other religions and all secular governments as tools of the devil, and preached the imminence of the Apocalypse, during which no one except Jehovahs Witnesses would be spared. But their persistence in fighting in the courts for their beliefs had a dramatic impact on constitutional law. Barnette is just one of several major Supreme Court decisions involving freedom of religion, speech, assembly and conscience that arose from clashes between Jehovahs Witnesses and government authorities. The Witnesses insisted that Gods law demanded they refrain from all pledges of allegiance to earthly governments. They tested the nations tolerance of controversial beliefs and led to an increasing recognition that a willingness to embrace religious diversity is what distinguishes America from tyrannical regimes. The Witness sect was founded in the 1870s, and caused a stir when the founder, Charles Taze Russell, a haberdasher in Pittsburgh, predicted the world would come to an end in 1914. Russell died in 1916; he was succeeded by his lawyer Joseph Franklin Rutherford, who shrewdly emphasized that the Apocalypse was near, but not so near that Witnesses didnt have time to convert new followers, which they were required to do lest they miss out on salvation. This blood guilt propelled in-your-face proselytizing by Witnesses in various communities on street corners and in door-to-door visits. Soon the sect developed a reputation for exhibiting astonishing powers of annoyance, as one legal commentator put it. Rutherford ruled the Witnesses with an iron fist. He routinely encouraged public displays of contempt for Satans world, which included all other religions and all secular governments. At the time, the number of Witnesses in the U.S.roughly 40,000was so small that many Americans could ignore them. But in Nazi Germany, no group was too small to escape the eye of new chancellor Adolf Hitler, who banned the Witnesses after they refused to show their fealty to him with the mandatory Heil Hitler raised-arm salute. (Many Witnesses would later perish in his death camps.) In response, Rutherford praised the German Witnesses and advised all of his followers to refuse to participate in any oaths of allegiance that violated (in his view) the Second Commandment: Thou shall have no Gods before me. With conflict looming around the world in the 1930s, many states enacted flag salute requirements, especially in schools. The steadfast refusal of Witnesses to pledge, combined with their refusal to serve in the military or to support Americas war effort in any way, triggered public anger. Witnesses soon became a ubiquitous presence in courtrooms across the country. The relationship between Witnesses and the courts was complicated, in part because of the open disdain Rutherford and his followers displayed toward all forms of government and organized religion. Rutherford instructed Witnesses not to vote, serve on juries or participate in other civic duties. He even claimed Social Security numbers were the mark of the beast foretold in Revelations. The Catholic Church, said Rutherford, was a racket, and Protestants and Jews were great simpletons, taken in by the Catholic hierarchy to carry on her commercial, religious traffic and increase her revenues. Complaints about unwelcome public proselytizing by Witnesses led to frequent run-ins with state and local authorities and hundreds of appearances in lower courts. Every day in court for Rutherford and the Witnesses chief attorney, Hayden Covington, was an opportunity to preach the true meaning of law to the judges and to confront the satanic government. In late 1935, Witness Walter Gobitas two childrenLillian, 12, and Billy, 10were expelled from school in Minersville, Pa., because they balked at the mandatory recital of the Pledge of Allegiance, and a long court battle ensued. When Gobitis v. Minersville School District (as with Barnette, a court clerk misspelled the family surname) made its way to the Supreme Court in the spring of 1940, Rutherford and Covington framed their argument in religious terms, claiming that any statute contrary to Gods law as given to Moses must be void. The Court rejected the Witnesses claim, holding that the secular interests of the school district in fostering patriotism were paramount. In the majority opinion, written during the same month that France fell to the Nazis, Felix Frankfurter wrote: National unity is the basis of national security. The plaintiffs, said Frankfurter, were free to fight out the wise use of legislative authority in the forum of public opinion and before legislative assemblies. In a strongly worded dissent, Justice Harlan Stone argued that constitutional guarantees or personal liberty are not always absolutesbut it is a long step, and one which I am unwilling to take, that government may, as a supposed educational measurecompel public affirmations which violate their public conscience. Further, said Stone, the prospect of help for this small and helpless minority by the political process was so remote that Frankfurter had effectively surrenderedthe liberty of small minorities to the popular will. Public reaction to Gobitis bordered on hysteria, colored by the hotly debated prospect of American participation in the war in Europe. Some vigilantes interpreted the Supreme Courts decision as a signal that Jehovahs Witnesses were traitors who might be linked to a network of Nazi spies and saboteurs. In Imperial, a town outside Pittsburgh, a mob descended on a small group of Witnesses and pummeled them mercilessly. One Witness was beaten unconscious, and those who fled were cornered by ax- and knife-wielding men riding the towns fire truck as someone yelled, Get the ropes! Bring the flag! In Kennebunk, Maine, the Witnesses gathering place, Kingdom Hall, was ransacked and torched, and days of rioting ensued. In Litchfield, Ill., an angry crowd spread an American flag on the hood of a car and watched while a man repeatedly smashed the head of a Witness upon it. In Rockville, Md., Witnesses were assaulted across the street from the police station, while officers stood and watched. By the end of the year, the American Civil Liberties Union estimated that 1,500 Witnesses had been assaulted in 335 separate attacks. The reversal of Gobitis in Barnette just three years later was remarkably swift considering the typical pace of deliberations in the Supreme Court. In the wake of all the violence against Witnesses, three Supreme Court justicesWilliam O. Douglas, Frank Murphy and Hugo Blackpublicly signaled in a separate case that they thought Gobitis had been wrongly decided. When Barnette reached the Supreme Court in 1943, Harlan Stone, the lone dissenter in Gobitis, had risen to chief justice. The facts of the two cases mirrored each other, but the outcome differed dramatically. Most important, in ruling that Witness children could not be forced to recite the pledge, the new majority rejected the notion that legislatures, rather than the courts, were the proper place to address questions involving religious liberty. The very purpose of the Bill of Rights, wrote Justice Robert Jackson, was to protect some issues from the majority rule of politics. Ones right to life, liberty and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, may not be submitted to vote.Fundamental rights depend on the outcome of no elections. Jacksons opinion was laced with condemnation of enforced patriotism and oblique hints at the slaughter taking place in Hitlers Europe. Those who begin in coercive elimination of dissent soon find themselves exterminating dissenters, Jackson wrote. Compulsory unification of opinions achieves only the unanimity of the graveyard. Religious dissenters, when seen from this perspective, are like the canary in the coal mine: When they begin to suffer and die, everyone should be worried that the atmosphere has been polluted by tyranny. Today, the Witnesses still proselytize, but their right to do so is well established thanks to their long legal campaign. Over time they became less confrontational and blended into the fabric of American life. In the wake of the Barnette decision, the flag and the Pledge of Allegiance continued to occupy a key (yet ambiguous) place in American politics and law. The original pledge was a secular oath, with no reference to any power greater than the United States of America. The phrase under God was added by an act of Congress and signed into law by President Dwight Eisenhower on Flag Day, June 14, 1954. Eisenhower, who had grown up in a Jehovahs Witness household but later became a Presbyterian, alluded to the growing threat posed by Communists in the Soviet Union and China when he signed the bill: In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in Americas heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our countrys most powerful resources in peace and war. Eisenhowers political instincts for the ways that religion functioned in American life were finely honed: Support for the amendment to the Pledge of Allegiance was strong, including an overwhelming majority of Catholics and Protestants as well as a majority of Jews. According to a Gallup survey, the only group that truly opposed the change was the smattering of atheists. In a country locked in battle with godless communism, a spiritual weapon such as an amended pledge that was not denominationally specific made sense. Only after the intervening half-century and more does the Judeo-Christian God invoked in the pledge seem less than broadly inclusive. Sarah Barringer Gordon is the author of The Spirit of the Law: Religious Voices and the Constitution in Modern America. D avid and Samantha Cameron took out a new mortgage on their 3.5 million Notting Hill townhouse ahead of last weeks EU referendum. The Prime Minister signalled his intention to resign on Friday after the campaign he spearheaded to remain in the European Union was rejected by the British public who voted to leave. The Camerons signed a new HSBC mortgage deed dated 15 June 2016 just eight days before the EU Referendum was to take place according to the Daily Mail. Publicly-available Land Registry records show the couples signatures were witnessed by Laurence Mann, who gave his occupation as Political Secretary to the Prime Minister, 10 Downing Street. Take a tour of fabulous A-list homes... 1 /38 Take a tour of fabulous A-list homes... It's expensive to keep up with Kourtney 38 million American reality TV star Kourtney Kardashian spent a week-long getaway at a beach-chic home in Nantucket, Massachusetts. The compound includes a main house with four bedrooms, a cinema and an entertainment room, plus a two-bedroom guest cottage. (Scroll right...) Image: Rex You better believe it 64.4 million Cher's former Beverly Hills home has been transformed by the current owners into a 16-acre equestrian estate, and it's now for sale for 64.4 million. Hidden from public view by mature landscaping, the 20,000sq ft main residence has 11 bedrooms, wood-burning fireplaces and beamed ceilings. Outside there is a pool, spa and kitchen, plus a detached 7,000sq ft five-bedroom guesthouse. (Scroll right...) Image: Rex Matthew Perry's Fitzrovia rental is for sale 6.95 million Matthew Perry rented the penthouse while performing in his hit West End play 'The End Of Longing'. The flat is spread over the top three floors of the landmark Fitzrovia Apartment building in Bolsover Street and its roof terraces are more spacious than the average UK house. Perry is pictured here with cast member Jennifer Mudge. (Scroll right...) Getty Can't help falling in love 4.5 million Lisa Marie Presley is selling her 15th-century manor house with three swimming pools south of Rotherfield village in East Sussex. Located within the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Grade II-listed property, right, named Coes Hall, also includes 11 bedrooms. Modern luxuries which Elviss daughter, left, has had installed include a cinema, and its handy for upmarket shopping in Tunbridge Wells. A stunning circular garden room has dreamy views over the garden and lake, while there are stables and a cottage in the grounds. (Scroll right...) Image: Rex/Sothebys Rex Dictator's doctor in the house 10 million Once the Thirties home of the eminent Italian doctor Sir Aldo Castellani, who skipped England in a rush after it was revealed the dictator Benito Mussolini was his patient, the last privately owned and occupied house in Harley Street is for sale. The grand central London property has been in aristocratic hands for more than 100 years. A regular visitor today is model Liberty Ross, daughter of current owner Roxana Bunty Lampson. The family is ready to say goodbye to the five-storey property which comes with three residential flats and medical accommodation. (Scroll right...) Image: Savills Savills For sale, actually 1.5 million A Grade II-listed apartment which had a starring role in the hit 2003 movie Love Actually has just come on to the market. The two-bedroom garden flat was the home of writer Jamie Bennett, portrayed in the film by Colin Firth, right. Jamie lived there with his girlfriend until he found out she was having an affair with his brother. The property is in Chiswick and was originally built for the English watercolour painter and lithographer Joseph Nash, who was apprenticed to the architectural draughtsman and artist Augustus Charles Pugin in 1827. The layout is still centred around the original artists studio which is used as a big open-plan dining room with a wonderful large window and high ceilings. (Scroll right...) Image: Marc Piasecki/John D Wood Marc Piasecki Indecent proposal revised 45 million Demi Moore has taken a staggering 12.2 million off the asking price for her New York City penthouse atop the glamorous San Remo building, below. The 7,000sq ft triplex was originally listed last year for 57.2 million. However, in a bid to sell quickly, the actress, above, has slashed the price of the six-bedroom home she bought 25 years ago with then-husband Bruce Willis from Saturday Night Fever producer, Robert Stigwood. The flat has its own lift entrance and the spacious roof terrace has one of the best views in the city. Hollywoods A-list favours the block, where neighbours include Diane Keaton, Dustin Hoffman and Steven Spielberg. (Scroll right...) Image: Alamy/Rex Alamy The Clooney's new love boat 10,000 Power couple George and Amal Clooney have splashed out on a 10,000 small boat for their Oxfordshire estate. The pair are said to be spending 20 million renovating their Thameside Sonning home which they bought for a rumoured 7.5 million two years ago. (Scroll right...) Getty Location, location 5.3 million Elstree Lodge in Hertfordshire has been used as a filming location by the likes of Reggie Yates, Fearne Cotton and Joanna Lumley. Now the five-bedroom family home is on the market for 1.35 million with Lumley Estates. The loud interiors wont be to every buyers taste but that is easily fixed. (Scroll right...) Buy Attenboroughs 2m Riviera retreat 2 million The celebrated actor and director used the property in the picturesque Provencal village of Chateauneuf-Grasse as his holiday home. Set in approximately four acres of gently sloped grounds, it offers uninterrupted countryside views all the way to the Mediterranean. Perfect for summer escapes, the grounds include a swimming pool, a covered patio and hundreds of century-old olive trees. Lord Attenborough, who acquired the plot in the 1980s, revamped the main house to include four bedrooms, three bedrooms and an open-plan living room.(Scroll right...) The race is on for Nigel's former villa 819,000 In Bendinat on the island of Mallorca, Mansells former retreat is part of a private community of 14 luxury villas with communal gardens and a swimming pool. There are four double bedrooms and the large terrace has a brick-built BBQ and a wood-burning pizza oven for al fresco dining. It would be ideal for keen golfers as the Real Golf de Bendinat club is just a few minutes away by foot. (Scroll right...) Stylish flats set for a swift sale 499,950 A Victorian building in the middle of Eton High Street, once the medical wing of Eton College, is now seven apartments. With alumni including English actor Tom Hiddleston seen right with his girlfriend, American singer Taylor Swift to Princes William and Harry, Eton has long been synonymous with wealth and privilege. The new two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartments are designed with this in mind, appealing to those with a taste for the finer things in life. At 499,950 the homes will also benefit from Crossrail completion in 2019, with trains to the City, Canary Wharf and the West End running from nearby Taplow station. (Scroll right...) Rex Kendall's 5.3m place on the Sunset Strip 5.3 million Supermodel Kendall Jenner has bought a five-bedroom home in the Hollywood Hills from British actress Emily Blunt and her American actor husband, John Krasinski. The 20-year-old sister of the Kardashians spent 5.3 million on the 4,800sq ft house in Sunset Strip. Social butterfly Kendall loves the white walls, exposed brick and the fabulous outdoor pool area with a cosy fireplace and barbecue. (Scroll right...) Getty Branson student digs sell for record price 5.95 million Brexit isnt bringing down prices on the Hyde Park Estate in W2. A home in Connaught Square, has just exchanged at the asking price of 5.95 million, a record for the square in terms of pounds per square foot. Richard Branson started Student magazine, his first business, in the basement of the 3,671sq ft property in 1968. The five-bedroom Grade II-listed house with a pretty terrace has a location to die for with Hyde Park and Oxford Street just around the corner. New residents should brace themselves for the paparazzi, as the Blairs are among near neighbours. (Scroll right...) Getty Cooking up a Cornish plot 4.4 million Gordon Ramsay has won planning permission to demolish his 4.4 million home and, despite ongoing protests from locals who claim his scheme will ruin the picturesque coastline, the council has ruled in favour of the celebrity chef. He will be able to build two properties in place of the original. One will sit at the bottom of the garden, very close to the sea. He also has his sights set on a lower ground-floor swimming pool. (Scroll right...) Rex/ SWNS Meet the Stillers new apartment 11.5 million Hollywood couple Ben Stiller and Christine Taylor have splashed out on a swish New York apartment. Overlooking the Hudson River in Manhattan, the apartment block has an on-site fitness club and private green space. (Scroll right...) Getty Duncan Bannatyne's Lake District lair 329,000 Dragon's Den star Duncan Bannatyne has put his picturesque lodge, overlooking Lake Windemere, up for sale. The wooden three-bedroom retreat is in the heart of the Lake District. (Scroll right...) Image: Rex The Highgate home with Fab Four connections 3.45 million A north London home that formed the backdrop for an iconic Beatle photoshoot has hit the market. St Jamess Villa boasts three bedrooms and a terrace overlooking trees. (Scroll right...) Robbie's LA escapology 8.3 million Robbie Williams is leaving LA and returning to live in Britain as soon as work is complete on his home in west London. Williams, who bought the 17.5 million home, from Michael Winners estate is selling his Beverly Hills mansion, above, for 8.3 million. It has seven bedrooms, and a recording studio off the master suite (Scroll right...) Image: Film Magic No red herring for Jonathan Creek 1 million The Fisheries in Hertfordshire is a go-to property for TV dramas. The Grade II-listed Regency house, above, has been a location for Waking the Dead, Midsomer Murders and Holby City, as well as Jonathan Creek, starring Alan Davies and Sarah Alexander, pictured.Built in the 1820s as the fishing lodge for the Chorleywood House Estate the three-bedroom home has been occupied by the same family for over 75 years. Image: Richard Barlow Fragrant opportunity for Kendall Jenner 8.2 million Here is a fragrant French opportunity. Estee Lauders former holiday home in Cannes is on the market.The late US cosmetics queen and her husband bought six-bedroom Villa Roche Cline, above, in 1963 and used it as a holiday home for the rest of their lives.The house passed to the two Lauder sons, but it was sold and refurbished keeping her signature mint green colour scheme. The grounds boast a cinema and a pool. Maybe Estee Lauder brand ambassador, the US model Kendall Jenner, inset, would love this glamorous retreat. (Scroll right...) Image: Pascal Pronnier/Reuters Rent Britney's NY penthouse one more time 18,190 a month The New York penthouse Britney Spears once called home is available to rent. The singer bought the 4,400sq ft flat in the Silk Building, pictured, in 2002 for 2.27 million, going on to sell it at a 758,000 profit. The current owner put it back on the market earlier this year but has failed to find a buyer so he has gone down the rental path instead. The plush three-bedroom, four-bathroom home has a sprawling outdoor space with views of downtown Manhattan. (Scroll right...) Image: Wire Image Snap up Rowan Atkinson's Waterperry home 2.65 million Rowan Atkinson has put his Oxfordshire home, The Old Rectory, up for sale for 250,000 less than when he first listed it a year ago. Originally dating from 1777, the grade II-listed, five-bedroom country pile has had a contemporary extension, linking the original Georgian village house to a stunning swimming pool complex and gym. Image: Getty Buy punk pioneer's Seventies party pad 1,995,000 Sex pistols frontman Johnny Rotten threw wild parties at his Chelsea home at the height of the bands fame in the late Seventies. The punk rocker used to visit Sex, Vivienne Westwoods boutique around the corner in Kings Road. The refurbished three-bedroom flat still has the original 400sq ft roof terrace where 50 could party. Image: Getty The Oxford flat where Aung San Suu Kyi dreamt of democracy 4,500 a month Undergraduates seeking a pad with provenance in the city need look no further than the former four-bedroom apartment of Burmas revolutionary leader Aung San Suu Kyi, which is available to rent. The study, where the Nobel Peace Prize laureate must have spent many hours planning her return to Burma to bravely lead her people to democracy, has a balcony overlooking the gardens. Image: Getty Gallagher's 11.5m Little Venice oasis 11.5 million Noel Gallagher is struggling to find a buyer for his five-bedroom house. The decor is surprisingly safe, but theres a conservatory, a private terrace and Juliet balconies. The High Flying Birds frontman bought the semi-detached house next to Regents Canal for 8m in 2010. Despite being keen to sell, the former Oasis star, is not under pressure to drop the asking price. He has already moved to another home in north-west London. Image: Rex Don't forget to invite the neighbours... 3,931,000 Brad Pitt fell in love with the Balearics after filming on the Spanish islands for his new Second World War drama, Allied. So enchanted was the Hollywood star that he and actress wife Angelina Jolies latest home is reportedly a 2.65m villa in the ancient Majorcan town of Andratx. You could be a near neighbour if you buy this villa, with equally lovely Mediterranean views. Dare we say it, but this property seems even more luxurious than Brangelinas place. Its for sale with Mallorca Sothebys International Realty. Image: Rex Mel's labour of love 2.25 million A beautiful village home renovated by Melinda Messenger is for sale. The Old Rectory, in Lydiard Millicent near Swindon, was built in 1855 by the Rev Christopher Cleobury. Messenger, of TVs Loose Women and This Morning, sold it in 2005, and the next owners lavished even more cash on the Grade II-listed house. It has six bedrooms and the master suite has lovely views over the gardens, the paddock and the Marlborough Downs. Image: Rex Stay in FC Barcelona's Neymar's 7-a-night Airbnb 7,097 a night Brazilian football player Neymar Jr is living the high life in a Beverly Hills mega mansion. The superstar, who plays for Barcelona, has been posting pictures of his stay at the palatial 22,000sq ft property, above, to his 50m Instagram followers. The seven-bedroom house has a cinema and a wine cellar and comes with maid, butler and chauffeur. For those keen to follow in the 24-year-old strikers footsteps, the estate is available to rent on Airbnb. Image: Cameron Carothers/Getty The decision to take a loan out against the property, which wasnt previously mortgaged, is being interpreted by some as an indication that Mr Cameron knew he would lose the EU referendum vote. Earlier this year it was reported that the Camerons have earned an estimated 500,000 renting out their house since moving into 10 Downing Street six years ago. David and Samantha Cameron standing outside 10 Downing Street, where they have lived for six years, on the morning the PM resigned from government / Rex Features The Camerons bought the four-bedroom Edwardian property for 1.1 million in 2006. They also own a house in Mr Camerons constituency of Witney in Oxfordshire. Cameron has been a vocal advocate of home ownership during his government, implementing Help to Buy and Right to Buy schemes and pledging to turn generation rent into generation buy. We have contacted Downing Street for comment. LONDON Hotels in the Middle East reported mostly negative results, while hotels in Africa reported mixed results in the three key performance metrics when reported in U.S. dollar constant currency, according to May 2016 data from STR. Compared with May 2015, the Middle East subcontinent reported nearly flat occupancy (+0.1% to 69.1%). Average daily rate for the month was down 4.7% to US$156.75, and revenue per available room fell 4.6% to US$108.34. Africa experienced a 5.8% decrease in occupancy to 56.1%. However, average daily rate was up 8.8% to US$100.16, and RevPAR increased 2.5% to US$56.15. Performance of featured countries for May 2016 (local currency, year-over-year comparisons): Egypt saw a 15.7% drop in occupancy to 52.8%, but a 24.8% rise in ADR to EGP721.66 drove a 5.3% increase in RevPAR to EGP381.00. According to STR analysts, a significant decrease in the country's overall demand was due to political unrest and the EgyptAir plane crash on 19 May. However, hoteliers pushed rates and managed to increase RevPAR for the second consecutive month. Performance varied at the market level. Cairo reported an occupancy increase of 10.6%, while Sharm el Sheikh (-39.7%) and the Red Sea Resorts (-40.7%) saw significant declines in the metric. Oman reported decreases across the three key performance metrics: occupancy (-5.0% to 49.4%), ADR (-8.7% to OMR56.54) and RevPAR (-13.3% to OMR27.95). The absolute RevPAR level was the worst for a May in Oman since 2011, caused in part by a 9.9% increase in supply. Tunisia experienced decreases in occupancy (-11.7% to 42.5%) and RevPAR (-9.1% to TND68.43). ADR was up 2.9% to TND161.04. Like many North African countries, Tunisia has seen consistent and significant declines in demand following the terrorist attack in Sousse last year. Figures from the Tunisia Ministry of Tourism showed a 47.6% year-over-year decrease in the number of tourist receipts through April. Year to date, hotel demand in the country is down 12.8%. Performance of featured markets for May 2016 (local currency, year-over-year comparisons): Amman, Jordan, saw an 8.5% increase in occupancy to 66.0% as well as double-digit growth in ADR (+11.2% to JOD123.14) and RevPAR (+20.7% to JOD81.30). Amman's supply remained flat through the first five months of 2016 while demand has risen steadily. May produced the highest absolute occupancy since August 2014 and the highest ADR since May 2014, helped by the Jordan Forex Expo & Awards 2016 (30-31 May) and SOFEX Jordan global security conference and exhibition (9-12 May). Cape Town, South Africa, posted a 9.2% increase in occupancy to 60.0% as well as double-digit increases in ADR (+9.4% to ZAR1,260.55) and RevPAR (+19.4% to ZAR756.48). Demand has increased year over year for 10 consecutive months in the market as the weakened South African Rand made the country a cheaper destination for international tourists. In addition, supply has decreased slightly in each of the last four months. Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, experienced a 5.9% rise in occupancy to 78.4% as well as double-digit increases in ADR (+18.3% to SAR1,079.42) and RevPAR (+25.3% to SAR846.60). May was the strongest occupancy and rate month in Jeddah since September 2015, reversing a trend of negative performance since September 2015. Additional performance data Looking for performance data for a market not featured in this month's release? STR's sample comprises more than 53,000 hotels and 7.2 million hotel rooms around the globe. Please contact [email protected] for additional data requests. About Constant Currency Constant Currency methodology eliminates the effects of exchange rate fluctuations when calculating performance figures. STR utilizes Constant Currency to present the most accurate performance summary of a region comprising different local currencies. All ADR and RevPAR calculations use 31 January 2016 exchange rates. About STR STR provides premium data benchmarking, analytics and marketplace insights for the global hospitality industry. Founded in 1985, STR maintains a presence in 15 countries with a corporate North American headquarters in Hendersonville, Tennessee, an international headquarters in London, and an Asia Pacific headquarters in Singapore. STR was acquired in October 2019 by CoStar Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSGP), the leading provider of commercial real estate information, analytics and online marketplaces. For more information, please visit str.com and costargroup.com. Naureen Ahmed Manager, Marketing & Analysis STR BANGKOK -- The portfolio of inspiring destinations that create the settings for Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas is to expand to an exciting island location in Cambodia, a country steeped in history and reemerging onto the world stage of exotic destinations. Six Senses Krabey Island is scheduled to premier in 2017. From its beginnings in 1995, Six Senses quickly became recognized as the hospitality industry's pioneer of sustainable practices, demonstrating that responsibility can be successfully wedded to uncompromised high-end facilities. Six Senses Krabey Island further reinforces this dedication to the environment and the community. Located on the island of Krabey, the resort is comprised of 40 pool villas set around the naturally landscaped 30-acre island, with its highest point being 137 feet (42 meters) above sea level. Guests arrive at the mainland reception before the short water transfer to the island. Sihanoukville Airport is less than a 10 minute drive from the mainland jetty, Phnom Penh International Airport is a three-and-a-half-hour drive and Siem Reap International Airport is a scenic eight and a half hours. Sihanoukville Airport has domestic as well as international flights from Ho Chi Minh City, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and also has the capability to facilitate international private jets and helicopters. "We are delighted to add this gorgeous gem to our portfolio of island escapes," said Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas President Bernhard Bohnenberger. "It is a great pleasure to align with a like-minded and committed owner when it comes to sustainability and wellness. RPB Investment company based in Cambodia has taken careful steps to preserve and protect the island of Krabey and is also employing thoughtful and conscientious design into the project's building practices. We are eager to offer an enticing holiday option and new destination to travelers bound for Cambodia and Southeast Asia." The resort's private pool villas exemplify Six Senses' commitment to using sustainable material while embracing modern technology for total guest convenience and comfort. Living rooms will include a day bed that can be adapted to an additional bed, minibar and working desk. The master bedroom will feature a bed with a netting canopy while the bathroom includes a generous bathtub. Some villas will also feature outdoor showers. All units include a private plunge pool and decking ideal for sunbathing and al fresco poolside dining. The resort will offer the Sleep with Six Senses experience which includes Naturalmat mattresses and dedicated sleep ambassadors to guide guests in achieving the very best night's sleep. Retreat and Reserve villa categories will offer mini wine cellars. An all-day restaurant will serve a fresh breakfast buffet and a la carte selections, a la carte casual lunches and seasonally themed dinners. Snacks, refreshments and light meals are presented poolside plus and a deli complete with ice cream parlor is also planned. An elevated bar will offer the choice of stunning views out to the sea or a cozy sunken area to relax and enjoy evening libations. Indochine is the resort's specialty dining restaurant which will also include a communal dining table in front of the show kitchen. Hands-on cooking classes will introduce budding chefs to some of the finer points of Indochine-inspired cuisine. Six Senses Spa Krabey Island will feature the Six Senses specialty menu as well as several ancient Cambodian healing traditions and multi-day rejuvenation journeys, Six Senses Integrative Wellness, detox, yoga and workshops. The Alchemy Bar is a fascinating extension to spa personalization first developed at Six Senses Spa Douro Valley in Portugal. Visiting practitioners will bring a range of alternative and acclaimed treatments to those offered by the skilled spa therapists. The spa will also feature a meditation cave, nail bar, gym, outdoor yoga sala and outdoor treatment sala. A beautifully-appointed retail boutique will include a range of resort wear, yoga wear and natural body and beauty products. A spa library and juice bar will incorporate the rich varieties of fresh fruits and herbs from the island. The resort will also include a full-service boutique with clothing, beachwear, accessories and local products for men, women and children. Experiences abound at Six Senses Krabey Island from a range of under and over-water activities that include a snorkeling, diving and kayaking. Cinema Paradiso is a poolside outdoor cinema featuring classic movies to be enjoyed beneath a blanket of starlight. An observatory is planned that will house an astronomical telescope and stargazing sessions with expert talks on the universe - an exciting venue for adults and children to explore, learn, and spend quality time. Six Senses Cambodia has been created to further and reinforce the Six Senses mission: To help people reconnect with themselves, others and the world around them. About Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas manages 19 hotels and resorts and 27 spas in 19 countries under the brand names Six Senses, Evason and Six Senses Spas, and has signed a further 34 properties into the development pipeline. Six Senses is part of the IHG Hotels & Resorts family. Six Senses Hotels and Resorts: a leadership commitment to community, sustainability, emotional hospitality, wellness and design, infused with a touch of quirkiness. Whether an exquisite island resort, mountain retreat or urban hotel, the vision remains the same: to reawaken people's senses so they feel the purpose behind their travels and ultimately reconnect with themselves, others and the world around them. Six Senses Spas: a wide range of holistic wellness, rejuvenation and beauty treatments administered under the guidance of expert therapists in all resorts as well as at 8 additional standalone spas. The high-tech and high-touch approach guides guests on their personal path to well-being, taking them as deep as they want to go. Six Senses Residences: indulgent living as nature intended, providing all the unique amenities of a resort life community, while retaining the intimacy and personal touches of a beautifully-appointed private villa or apartment. Each is an appreciating long-term investment to be cherished for generations to come with immediate benefits including fine dining, pioneering wellness programming and exclusive status at other resorts worldwide. Evason: a strong value focus with a vast array of personal guest experiences that the whole family will love, while sharing the Six Senses philosophy of uncompromised social and environmental responsibility. Figures as at September 30, 2021 Benjawan Sudhikam Director of Public Relations & Communications - Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas +66 2 631 9781 Six Senses It looks like you've reached a page that doesnt exist (anymore). Please use the navigation or search above to find content on Hospitality Net. Go back to home Daily Hotel Industry News Join your colleagues and stay up to date on the latest hotel news and trends. Last week (June 24), it was reported that a French court had ordered Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs to be extradited to Austria. Gibbs was arrested at the beginning of the month in Toulouse, France after European authorities issued a warrant for his arrest due to an alleged incident of rape that was said to have occurred in Austria in 2015. It would seem that Gibbs is still being held in France, as it has been reported today that he has appealed the French courts decision to extradite him. One of Gibbs attorneys, Theodore Simon, has issued a statement in which he reaffirms his clients innocence and maintains that Gibbs will continue to be cooperative with both French and Austrian authorities. Gibbs is hopeful that, as the investigation continues, the absence of any type of evidence against him will lead to his eventual exoneration and return to his family and one-year old daughter. Read the full statement below. Mr. Freddie Gibbs has appealed. He will continue to abide by all terms and conditions set by the Court as he pursues every available avenue to demonstrate he is absolutely innocent and has been belatedly and wrongly accused. To be clear and accurate, Freddie Gibbs has not, we reiterate, Freddie Gibbs has not been charged with any offense. An investigation is continuing. Mr. Gibbs remains hopeful that a thorough and searching investigation will reveal the actual facts, including the absence of any scientific, physical, or credible evidence implicating him, thereby paving the way for his exoneration and return to his family and one-year old child. Through counsel Mr. Freddie Gibbs remains cooperative with law enforcement offices and judicial systems in both France and Austria and will continue to do so. Freddie Gibbs He was charged for profanity in public while performing in the Caribbean. After saying motherfucker at a St. Kitts concert on Saturday, 50 Cent was arrested and charged with profanity in public. Originally only booked to host the concert, he agreed to perform at the last minute. The concerts DJ lacked clean versions of 50s tracks, leading to the offending expletive. 50 Cent paid a $376 fine for the incident and returned to the U.S. just a day after being arrested. He is not the first rapper to face this charge: in 2003, the year 50 released the multi-platinum Get Rich or Die Tryin , DMX was charged for profanity at a St. Kitts music festival. Watch the video for P.I.M.P., the Get Rich or Die Tryin track that led to 50s arrest, below. Last Monday and Tuesday the stock of Endonovo Therapeutics Inc (OTCMKTS:ENDV, ENDV message board) got simply crushed wiping 20% and 49% of its value, respectively. That is right, in the span of just two session the company saw its shares drop from an opening price of 35 cents all the way down to a close at 13 cents. Following such a devastating depreciation many stocks manage to bounce and to recover at least some of their losses. Helped by a new PR ENDV's stock did exactly that on Thursday when it surged by close to 31% and climbed to $0.17 per share. Unfortunately, whatever positive momentum had formed around the stock vanished entirely on the very next day and ENDV closed the last session of the week with a 6% correction at $0.16. While pinpointing the exact reason for the abysmal drop of the stock may not be easy doing even a cursory due diligence on ENDV will reveal a plethora of extremely serious red flags. Let's start with the financial state of the company. According to the latest quarterly report as of March 31, 2016, ENDV had: $109 thousand cash $246 thousand total current assets $9 million total current liabilities ZERO revenues $903 thousand net loss The sizable net loss, lack of revenues, and the mind-boggling working capital deficit of approximately $8.75 million show fail to inspire much confidence. This is just the start, though. If you take a look at the disclaimer on the official website of the Wealthy Venture Capitalist(TWVC) you will see that TWVC has been compensated directly by ENDV with a $150 thousand convertible note. The terms of this note are not disclosed, though, and searching through the latest financial reports also provides little clarity. Well, that shouldn't be such a surprise considering the fact that just two weeks ago EDNV submitted an 8-K filing for a $250 thousand convertible note that was issued way back in November 2015. Apparently ENDV didn't think that a quarter million note convertible into shares at a 25% discount constituted a material enough event to be reported. On June 23 the PR issued by the company, which was the catalyst for the stock's surge on that day, announced that ENDV had received a preliminary injunction by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, against Kodiak Capital, BMA Securities and COR Clearing. As a result the aforementioned parties will not be able to sell, transfer or dispose of any unpaid for shares tendered under the company's Equity Purchase Agreement with Kodiak. While this is definitely an encouraging step the limited resources of the company could very well force it to once again look for outside sources of funds. Trading ENDV's stock should be preceded by extensive due diligence and careful planning. Do not underestimate the risks and never put unaffordable sums of money on any of the various pennystocks out there. ATM owner and operator Cardtronics is holding a stockholder meeting Tuesday to determine whether it will move its place of incorporation to the United Kingdom. The event, which was scheduled in April, falls days after the U.K. shocked the world by voting to leave the European Union. "Cardtronics carefully evaluated both potential outcomes of the Brexit vote in advance of announcing our plan," a spokesman said in an email. He declined further comment. In April, the company, currently based in Houston and incorporated in Delaware, cited its substantial business presence - including about 60 percent of its global workforce - in the U.K. and other reasons for the move. It also said it could more effectively compete for global acquisitions and benefit from a "more competitive U.K. tax environment." Brexit, as the U.K.'s exit from the European Union is being called, doesn't change those tax benefits, said Bret Wells, associate professor of law at the University of Houston Law Center and an expert on tax inversions. "This is a U.S. play," he said. "It is reducing their U.S. tax on their U.S. business. That fundamental financial advantage has not changed." Wells said Cardtronics' move is a tax inversion, a sometimes-controversial maneuver to lower a company's U.S. tax burden. The company in April denied that characterization because "it is not the merger or acquisition of Cardtronics by an unrelated foreign company." Wells said Cardtronics may be employing a lesser-used tax inversion technique in which more than 25 percent of its assets, people and revenues are in the country where it is incorporating the new parent company. Such inversions provide opportunities for companies to maintain their U.S. operations and then strip profits from those operations to affiliates incorporated in countries with lower taxes. If a company is based in the U.S. but has global operations, for example, it has to pay taxes on all profits brought back to the U.S. With an inversion, the company moves its parent company abroad and makes the U.S. business a subsidiary. It can then open another subsidiary based abroad that uses loans, licensing fees or royalties to take money from the U.S. company in a way that reduces its tax obligation in the U.S. The taxes will then be paid in a country that has a lower tax rate, Wells said. Wells said the United Kingdom does not make businesses pay taxes on active profits they earn in other countries and then bring back to the U.K. If the company's plan is approved by stockholders, Cardtronics' European headquarters will be in London and its North American headquarters will remain in Houston. The change is expected to happen early in the third quarter. The U.S. Supreme Court's striking down of Texas' abortion restrictions on Monday is widely seen as a landmark case on a contentious topic. But it isn't the first. The recent ruling furthers a long saga of evolution in the nation's policy toward women's decisions to terminate pregnancies. The record shows the process is slow, and that the fresh ruling on Texas will probably have long-term implications for the standards of other regulatory attempts for years to come. So how long has this debate been going on? For a long time. Early in the nation's history, abortion was not illegal. At the turn of the 19th century, common law tradition held abortion improper after "quickening," or the first time a mother feels her fetus kick, which usually happens after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The first state laws criminalizing abortion emerged throughout the 1800s. The American Medical Association published an 1859 report calling for a crackdown on the practice, and by the century's end, abortion was illegal in every U.S. state. The Comstock Act of 1873 banned distribution of information about abortion or birth control access. Women were not permitted in the political process at the time. By the 1960s, abortion was a felony in 49 U.S. states, but the tide began to turn. The American Law Institute issued a proposal for loosening the nation's abortion restrictions to allow the procedure in cases of rape or incest, fetal deformation or for the mother's health, and the AMA followed suit with its endorsement. The Chicago Tribune reported in 1967: "If the AMA officially establishes a policy statement calling for legal therapeutic abortions under certain conditions, some observers believe it will continue a trend among states to liberalize their abortions laws." It was correct. A handful of states quickly passed laws opening access to abortion. Then abortion bans nationwide were struck down in 1973 with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade. "The right of privacy," the court ruled, "is broad enough to encompass a woman's decision whether or not to terminate her pregnancy." Total bans on abortion were disallowed, and the court set up a trimester-based framework for regulation: in the first three months of pregnancy, regulation was forbidden; in the second three months it could be levied minimally; and in the final three months a state could deny a mother's request for abortion. The next landmark decision in abortion policy came in 1992, when the Supreme Court heard challenges to regulations in Pennsylvania in Planned Parenthood v. Casey. Most importantly, the court then established its modern standard by which abortion laws are evaluated, and according to which Texas' law was shut down: "undue burden." A law qualified as an undue burden, the court wrote, if it is made with "the purpose or effect of placing a substantial obstacle in the path of a woman seeking an abortion of a nonviable fetus." "Viable" is also a term adopted by the court at that time, replacing the old trimester standard of abortion regulation with a more scientific threshold: a fetus becomes "viable" when it can survive outside the womb with medical assistance, usually after about 25 weeks of pregnancy. In 1995, the U.S. House and Senate passed the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban, which outlawed a particular type of late term abortions in which the fetus was killed after being partially delivered. It was vetoed by President Bill Clinton in April 1996, then again in October 1997. The same bill passed both chambers in 2003, and President George W. Bush signed it into law. Then a 10-year lull set in for political battles over the contentious issue, until a criminal case in 2013 brought it back to the forefront of national attention. News reports told the story of Kermit Gosnell, a Pennsylvania abortion provider convicted of first degree murder over the deaths of three infants whose spines he cut with scissors after the babies were accidentally delivered during botched abortions. In 2013, the New York Times reported that Gosnell's case had "reinvigorated the anti-abortion movement to a degree not seen in years." State legislatures were passing a flurry of bills restricting abortion. The strictest of them came from Texas. It banned abortions in the state after 20 weeks of pregnancy, earlier than either of the Supreme Court's earlier threshold for restrictions: third trimester or viability. It also held facilities that provide abortions to the same standards as hospitals, and required abortion-providing physicians to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. The bill faced staunch opposition, such that it failed to pass in the 2013 legislative session. So Texas Gov. Rick Perry called a special session to debate the bill in June. That session was derailed by Fort Worth Senator Wendy Davis' 13-hour filibuster, which made national news and became massively popular on social media. So Perry called a second special session in July, when the measure was passed. Opponents of the law filed challenges that eventually rose to the Supreme Court. When it agreed in November 2015, the eventual ruling was largely expected to set a long-term precedent for abortion restrictions nationwide, much as Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey had done before. GALVESTON A Texas appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to halt the annexation of the La Marque school district by Texas City ISD. The 3rd Texas Court of Appeals on Friday dismissed the lawsuit, saying that it lacked jurisdiction and that the lower court erred in accepting the case. "This is the end. It's done," said Terry Pettijohn, a member of the deposed La Marque school board that sued to prevent the Texas Education Agency from dissolving the district. "It's just hard to understand how a school district that had met TEA standards and was financially solvent could have been closed," Pettijohn said. Former Education Commissioner Michael Williams, replaced Jan. 1 by former Dallas ISD trustee Mike Morath, last year ordered La Marque ISD to merge with the Texas City Independent School District as of July 1. State officials said the district had failed to meet its financial marks. Morath issued a statement saying, "Our primary focus at the Texas Education Agency is ensuring that students in La Marque have access to a high quality education. We continue our work as the transition to Texas City ISD moves forward." After Williams announced La Marque's dissolution, the school board gave attorney Christopher Tritico a $300,000 retainer to fight the annexation. A new board of managers appointed by Williams took over in December and unsuccessfully asked Tritico to halt the lawsuit and refund the retainer. Members of the elected La Marque school board -- who have been stripped of their powers -- say Williams failed to give the district credit for the improvements, both financial and academic, made since the previous superintendent was fired in 2013. Members of the deposed board accused the state education agency of changing the rules after the district filed its financial information earlier this year. The spirited fight over a proposed landfill in Waller County may not be over despite Texas regulators' rejection of the project. Green Group Holdings recently purchased the 723-acre parcel where the company had planned to build the landfill before the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality turned down the project. The move means the Georgia-based Green Group hasn't given up on the project, known as the Pintail landfill. David Green, vice president of the company, said it would continue to explore how to move forward. "The Pintail property has been under option to purchase for a number of years," Green said in a statement last week. "After much consideration, we have decided to exercise the option and purchase the property." Citizens Against the Landfill, a grass-roots group in Hempstead, said the company's purchase of the land indicated that the 5-year-old fight over the project would continue. The group contends that the landfill would harm the area's water supply and economic future. "As much as we hate to admit it, at this point we are convinced that the battle is not over," the group said in a statement that called for a new round of fundraising. TCEQ hasn't received a new application for the project, spokeswoman Andrea Morrow wrote in an email. The commission rejected the Green Group's application last October after concluding that the company hadn't properly addressed the potential threats to groundwater. The company appealed the ruling, but the agency denied it because it wasn't filed on time, Morrow wrote. Opponents also were heartened in February when the Green Group learned that it wouldn't be able to "grandfather" in the rejected application on the project. The company had argued that a transfer facility had been approved for the site before the county and city putting in place ordinances to block the proposed dump. The sale of the land from Marengo Family Properties was finalized June 8. The property was sold "as is," and the agreement did not include rights to "oil, gas and other minerals" beneath it. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A grand jury has indicted Montgomery County Judge Craig Doyal and two commissioners, charging them with violating Texas' open meetings law last year while developing a bond package for new and improved roads. Traffic-weary voters in the rapidly growing county approved the $280 million financing proposal, but the indictments left Doyal and Commissioners Jim Clark and Charlie Riley to face criminal charges for their actions in getting it on the ballot. Grand jurors also charged Marc Davenport, an adviser who helped to broker a deal on the bond proposal. He is married to the county's treasurer, Stephanne Davenport. Chris Downey, the special prosecutor who presented the case to the grand jury over six months, said that the misdemeanor charges are punishable by a fine up to $500, as many as six months in jail or both. Downey said that it's too early to know whether the case will go to trial. "Like any criminal matter, whether or not a matter goes to trial is going to be a function of further discovery and negotiation," he said. Doyal's attorney said the judge denied wrongdoing and suggested that the allegations were politically motivated. Riley and Clark did not return calls for comment, and Davenport referred questions to his attorney, who could not be reached for comment. Doyal, who is in his first term, "considers this a cowardly act from his political enemies who couldn't beat him at the ballot box," his attorney, John Choate, said. Downey, a Houston-based attorney, rejected the idea that the charges were part of a political scheme. "I am not aware of any political motivations behind this prosecution," said Downey, who was appointed to the case by former state District Judge Kelly Case. "Before this matter began, I couldn't have identified a member of commissioners court without a hint." The long-simmering case centered on the days before the commissioners agreed to place the bond measure on the November ballot. Voters had rejected a $350 million proposal in May, and county officials were scrambling to meet the deadline for submitting items for the ballot. The measure was placed on the ballot after county officials reached a last-minute agreement with the Texas Patriots PAC on a bond proposal. The tea party group, which had opposed the bond in May, campaigned for the trimmed-down improvement plan and focused on winning over voters in The Woodlands, where the previous bond failed by a nearly 9-to-1 margin. The group wasn't charged by the grand jury for its role. The commissioners would be in violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act if they tried to conduct public business by phone, email or other means of correspondence without a quorum being physically present in one place. The bond election was called on Aug. 24, the last day to place the bond on the ballot during a special meeting of commissioners court. The meeting was properly noticed. Despite the legal issues with the commissioners' action before the election, the voter-approved bond measure is not voidable, said JD Lambright, the county's attorney. "This is certainly a black eye for the county," he said in an interview Friday. "I wish they would've consulted me before all of this. I bet they're wishing they had, too." Lambright said the county isn't legally allowed to represent or counsel the commissioners on ongoing criminal matters. Choate said he expects Doyal to vigorously contest the charges. "With the judge, if they want to dismiss it they can," Choate said. "But short of that, I don't see any sort of resolution the judge will accept." Bridget Balch and John D. Harden contributed to this report. As Robinson Road, the two-lane thoroughfare that cuts through the heart of the small city of Oak Ridge North, continues to channel thousands of cars through the bedroom community, city officials are looking at alternatives for improving traffic flow. When Montgomery County residents voted down the proposed $350 million road bond last May, in addition to nixing the controversial Woodlands Parkway extension to Texas 249, they slashed an $8 million project to widen Robinson Road and realign it at Hanna Road to the east. Currently, Robinson Road cuts off at Hanna Road and motorists have to endure two stop signs before crossing the railroad tracks to continue on Robinson Road. But the plan to realign the road met with opposition from some city residents who believed that the road's new path would cut through existing homes and a church. While city officials maintained that they were unsure of how much private property would be affected by the project, it was dropped from the second road bond that passed in November because Precinct 3 Commissioner James Noack didn't want to jeopardize the bond for a controversial project. So Oak Ridge North went back to the drawing board to look for alternative solutions to the crippling traffic. "I think the community wants to see something done," said Oak Ridge North Mayor Jim Kuykendall. "We're still way over-capacity on that road. We still have people taking shortcuts through residential streets, which isn't safe." The city council hired RPS Klotz Associates civil engineering firm to perform a traffic study and, in June, the firm presented five alternatives for the city council to consider. The projects range from $1-5.4 million and include adding a traffic signal at Robinson and Hanna roads, realigning Robinson Road and adding a signal and an extended left turn lane at Hanna Road, realigning Robinson, adding a signal at Hanna and widening Robinson to four lanes, as well as the two of the more expensive alternatives, adding an east/west connector road or a north/south connector road. Kuykendall said that none of the proposed alternatives involve taking land from the church or homes. "It's just a discussion at this point," said City Manager Vicky Rudy, who emphasized that the city council still wants some clarification from the engineers before it makes any decisions. "For everything you do, it can cause impacts in other areas (This study is) one more step in the process. It's taking a while, but we'll get there." The city council will discuss the alternatives again at its council meeting on Jun 27. Robinson Road Alternatives 1. Signalize Robinson Road at Hanna Road - $1 million 1a. Alternative one plus a northbound right turn lane at Hanna - $1.5 million 2. Realign Robinson at Hanna with a signal and extended left turn lane - $2.8 million 3. Realign Robinson at Hanna with a signal and widen to four-lane undivided - $4.7 million 4. East/west connector roadway - $4.3 million 5. North/south connector roadway - $5.4 million Evacuations were ordered Sunday for portions of Mont Belvieu near "The Hill" in Chambers County after a report of a leak from a pipeline storage facility that may have contributed to a well fire nearby. Portions of Texas Highway 146 were closed and evacuations were ordered as a "precaution" for an area near 146 and Winfree street, according to the city's local emergency officials. A well fire sent flames shooting into the sky but appeared to have been extinguished by late afternoon. No injuries were reported, and officials with LyondellBasell/Equistar reported that air monitors indicated no concerns for surrounding areas. The Hill - a formation caused by an underground salt dome that has been one of the world's largest storage sites for volatile hydrocarbons - was once home to downtown Mont Belvieu. But the downtown area was relocated after an underground gas leak in 1980 forced the evacuation of 72 families from the saltdome for nearly five months. Numerous other incidents have also occurred over the years, including an ethylene leak that closed Texas 146; a Dow Chemical pipeline explosion that leveled a home and released a large gas cloud; and two underground storage wells that exploded and burned for 43 days. According to a statement from LyondellBasell, monitors indicated a build-up of pressure in a wellhead at the pipeline storage facility off Highway 146. Company officials were working to reduce pressure in the line. The well stores light hydrocarbons that are used for production of rubber and tires, according to a statement released to the media. "We are working closely with local authorities and other area facilities to ensure continued safety of the public," according to the statement. LyondellBasell officials said the fire was at a nearby facility operated by another company. It was not immediately known what may have sparked that fire or if it was caused by the leak. The Mont Belvieu facility is one of two storage facilities operated by LyondellBasell's pipeline group in the Texas Gulf Coast area. The 42-acre facility uses caverns in the salt domes to store products that are delivered by pipeline to other company facilities and to customers, officials said. WASHINGTON - Early one June morning, with Donald Trump poised for victory in California's GOP primary, Texas U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady made his way to one of Washington's poorest neighborhoods to roll out an anti-poverty agenda with House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republican leaders. Carrying the first of six policy planks for a new GOP election platform in November, the entourage featured two of the most understated policy wonks in Congress: Ryan, the boyish budget wizard, and Brady, the balding tax expert. There, standing outside a faith-based drug and alcohol rehab center, they sought to rise above the clamorous scrum of the presidential election and inject a dose of substance into the 2016 political arena. It would be the start of a separate House governing document filling in many of the policy details lacking in the sweeping campaign pronouncements of the party's presidential nominee. There was talk of expanded work requirements, streamlining programs, developing skills and lifting people off their dependence on welfare programs. But they could not escape the creeping shadow of Trump. The first question from reporters was about the billionaire's remarks on whether a federal judge presiding over lawsuits against his now-defunct Trump University could be impartial because of his "Mexican heritage." Ryan's answer calling Trump's remark "the textbook definition of a racist comment" relegated the policy rollout - and Brady - to the shadows of the day's news cycle, not an unfamiliar place for the 10-term congressman from The Woodlands. As the presidential election lumbers forward with Trump as the presumptive GOP nominee, Brady is positioned to occupy an outsized behind-the-scenes presence of Ryan's ambitious Republican agenda for 2017 and beyond. Whether a political maverick like Trump will embrace mainstream Republican orthodoxy on trade, immigration and entitlement reform remains an open question. As details of Trump's governing agenda remain elusive, Ryan and his leadership team have been working to fill the idea vacuum with their own version of an "optimistic" Republican program, dubbed "A Better Way." 'Key priorities' Brady, the newly installed chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, has been intricately involved in formulating three of the six white papers that make up the body of Ryan's policy push - welfare reform, repealing Obamacare and streamlining the tax code. The partnership of former rivals for the Ways and Means gavel means that Brady's star will be irrevocably hitched to Ryan's, no matter where the project leads. Ryan, as speaker and the GOP's 2012 vice presidential nominee, long has since cemented his reputation as the party's big-picture policy guru. In Brady, he gets a genial workhorse who can keep his head down, manage Capitol Hill egos and drive the agenda through the labyrinth of congressional lawmaking and consensus-building. "Kevin Brady and I sat next to each other on the Ways and Means Committee for 16 years, and I have learned so much from his decency and sense of fairness," Ryan said in a statement to the Chronicle. "He is exactly the right person to help lead this charge to tackle some of our country's most intractable problems, whether it's poverty or our broken tax code." For Brady, a former Chamber of Commerce executive in Texas, the project is a chance to put his imprint on the basic framework on which Republicans will campaign this fall. "It isn't a 50-point plan for solving global issues," Brady said in an interview. "It is key priorities for House Republicans to turn this country around. We're going to lay these ideas out, run on them this election, and if we return as a majority, we're going to act on them." The six-volume agenda laid out this month touches on a familiar set of Republican policy prescriptions, such as cutting tax rates, easing regulations, overhauling poverty programs, bolstering national security and checking executive power. Much of that agenda - along with repealing Obamacare - enjoys near universal support in the House and Senate GOP caucuses. While Ryan frequently uses words like "bold" and "aspirational" to describe his vision, GOP leadership aides acknowledge that issues that divide Republicans - notably immigration and trade - intentionally were left out. Trump, in particular, is running on nationalistic fervor in direct opposition to free trade, a mainstay of GOP economic theory. Meanwhile, his hard-line position on immigration runs counter to the Chamber of Commerce embrace of legal foreign labor. Trump also has waxed skeptical of changing Social Security and Medicare "in any substantial way," putting him seemingly at odds with Ryan and Brady's plans for reforming the popular programs to put them on more stable financial footing. Separate agendas Mindful of the distance between Trump and GOP leadership on some core ideas, Brady said he is planning to meet with the billionaire businessman "in the near future" to bring him on board. "I hope to make the case that free trade and economic freedom are critical to job growth in America, and that we need to act to save our Social Security and Medicare," Brady said. "I'm hopeful he's open to us leading on the solutions in these areas with him as president making the case in the White House that the status quo doesn't work." Whatever GOP leaders' reservations about Trump, they have made it clear that they have more in common with him than Hillary Clinton. Nonetheless, by setting their own agenda, they have partially untethered their fates from that of their party's nominee. "While we didn't know how the presidential race would all fall out, we believed we needed to lay out our ideas in bold vision for the country, and run on it," Brady said. "So, now we have our nominee We're going to make the case to the American public that if you want to see these types of new ideas, elect Republicans up and down the ballot." Democrats, for their part, have sought to tie the House Republican agenda firmly to Trump. "Republicans' tired, trickle-down agenda is not a better way, it's the wrong way," said Democratic Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. "Donald Trump has exposed the true heart of House Republicans' agenda of recklessness, obstruction and discrimination. Republicans' half-hearted rebrand of their special interest priorities will do nothing to distract from the radicalism of (the) Republicans' standard-bearer." The flak not only has come from the left. One of the centerpieces of the "Better Way" agenda - a long-awaited plan to replace Obamacare - relies heavily on individual tax credits to help people buy coverage from private insurers, but it leaves open how much that would cost. While welcoming the new initiative, Michael Needham, head of the conservative group Heritage Action for America, said the plan "suggests replacing some of Obamacare's regulations with similar regulations at the federal level, and it proposes a new refundable tax credit without any discussion of how that new spending program would be financed in a post-Obamacare world." Those discussions and others like them likely will fall under the purview of Ryan's committee chairs, foremost among them Brady as head of Ways and Means, which will be left to hash out the sorts of reforms needed to deliver on the promise of lower or "flatter" tax rates. Under Ryan, Brady said, the new Republican caucus is less centralized, giving committee chairmen like him more weight. "It's a generational change," Brady said. "He's giving lawmakers like me a green light to bring forward the boldest solutions on the biggest issues facing the country." 'Patience, intelligence' With the final rollout of the tax reform blueprint on Friday, Brady took the lead on a renewed GOP effort to lower tax rates for individuals and business while preserving popular deductions for mortgage interest and charitable contributions. The challenge ahead will be navigating the complexities of special interest tax loopholes, a challenge that has made tax reform an elusive goal for decades. "Kevin has incredible patience and intelligence, and it takes both, because he manages a lot of personalities," said Republican Majority Whip Steve Scalise. "There are a lot of different ideas. Everyone's got their own idea of how to improve the tax code." In the cautious world of Congress, it is risky business. After facing the strongest primary challenge of his career this spring, Brady knows the perils of pragmatic deal-making, not just with Democrats but within the fractious House Republican caucus. With another reelection all but assured, the 61-year-old Texan sees more upside than down, no matter who wins the White House. "The biggest political risk," he said, "is to do nothing." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate HUNTSVILLE - A steady rain pelted the plain, brick church, muddying the crowded parking lot and blanketing the sky in a gray gloom. Inside the RCCG Rhema International Assembly, however, the spirit was joyful. Congregants sang and swayed and lifted their voices. They praised the Lord in English and in a variety of Nigerian languages: Igbo, Yoruba, Urhobo. They tapped out beats on tambourines, shekere gourds and talking drums. "You are alive today. That means you can face tomorrow," a deacon rejoiced. "Hallelujah." Hands fluttered in the air. Voices rose in unison. From the nursery in the back, children's laughter mingled with the songs and prayers. This was, in every sense, a family gathering. Of mothers, fathers and children. Of immigrants joined by common roots. Of colleagues employed as prison guards by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. They had been drawn to this small city in the Piney Woods of East Texas from different corners of the U.S., by word of mouth and social media chatter, by the promise of steady work and a brighter future. They are drawn to this simple church by the bonds of culture and career, evident in the worshippers filling the pews. Many of the women were resplendent in vibrant outfits and headdresses crafted of traditional African fabrics, while a number of men wore tunics and loose-fitting pants. The music carried echoes of their homelands: Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Liberia, Cameroon and Kenya. One congregant, lauded for recently passing a sergeant's test, still wore his uniform. The pastor, John Okperuvwe, came to service after completing an overnight shift as a food service supervisor at the Goree Unit and would return to work later that day. "One of the visions I have is to affect every life that comes into this town. Every African. Every nation. No matter where you come from," Okperuvwe told the churchgoers. "When people come, we will assist them." *** The minister believes that God led him here. How else to explain the fortuitous turns that brought his family from Lagos, Nigeria to Huntsville, Texas. In his home country, Okperuvwe was a microbiologist who had to find whatever job he could to make ends meet. He drove a transport vehicle, pastored for the Redeemed Christian Church of God, treated patients on the side. He was without a secure job, with dim prospects. On a lark, he and his wife, Ufuoma, entered a visa lottery, never thinking they would actually be approved for entry to the U.S. Months later, they were stunned to learn that they had been selected. They scrambled to find the $100 for the visa fee, then again to find a way to pay for Okperuvwe's airfare. (Relatives lent money for both.) The plan was for Okperuvwe to find work in the U.S. and save the $10,000 needed to bring his wife and four children. Once he settled in this country, in November 2008, first spending a few days in Boston and then moving on to Los Angeles, he realized scraping that much together would be nearly impossible. So, he prayed. Every night. On his knees. For a month. Jon Shapley/Staff Then he got word that a family friend named Blessing had offered to cover the cost of the tickets. In L.A., the family of six shared one room in a four-bedroom house. The children slept on the floor, the parents in the bed. The only work Okperuvwe could find was as a security guard, which barely paid enough to cover the rent. Once more, his prospects were dim. "This was not the America I had read about in the papers or seen on CNN," he says. "It was really, really tough." Again, he believes, God intervened. A college friend from Lagos, with whom he had reconnected on Facebook, urged him to move to Texas. California, he said, "was for rich people." Here, there was already a sizable Nigerian community, the second-largest in the country. Here, the cost of living was lower. Here, there were jobs - good jobs - with TDCJ. In March 2010, the family relocated to Houston, and Okperuvwe applied to the department of corrections. By that July, he had a job at the Estelle Unit. By September, his family was in Huntsville, and Okperuvwe had started a branch of Redeemed Christian Church of God - in the living room of his house. Eight people - his family and a couple of neighbors - attended the first service. "We clapped our hands together, and the church started," he jokes. Then, they started looking around for other Africans in the city of 30,000, home to Sam Houston State University and seven state prisons, including the busiest death chamber in the country. In 2010, according to the U.S. Census, about 50 people born in Africa lived in Huntsville, with about 100 people of Sub-Saharan ancestry. Most were Nigerians. But the community was growing. As with traditional immigrant enclaves around the country - Vietnamese in Houston, Dominicans in New York, Brazilians in Boston - the promise of work and the lure of living alongside people who share a culture brought more newcomers. In such ethnic strongholds, as the numbers grow, more want to come. Word of the opportunities at TDCJ spread among friends, family and acquaintances. There were postings on Facebook and in emails. One post on the Nairaland Forum, an internet message board for Nigerians, enticed: "The State Of Texas is the best Place for you to pick up in life again." Some people, like John Tough, first arrived in Huntsville as students at Sam Houston University and stayed after finding employment at TDCJ. Tough, 59, originally from Sierra Leone, came to the city in 1986 to study agriculture. He ended up marrying a "local girl" and working for the prison system for 16 years before retiring after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor. "Now there are so many Africans working in the prison," he says. The TDCJ does not keep records of employees by national origin, but according to some reports, entire shifts at the prison units are now staffed by West African immigrants. Okperuvwe's wife also works for the prison system, in the Byrd Unit. By 2014, the census showed, the number of Huntsville residents born in Africa had jumped to 249; of those, 238 were from Nigeria. The number of people with Sub-Saharan African ancestry rose to 507, with 401 of Nigerian ancestry. At Okperuvwe's church, the congregation also expanded. Within a few years, the church, which had moved from Okperuvwe's living room to a storefront on Sam Houston Avenue, a space that held about 50 people, was too big even for that location. The church moved again to a building with room for 250. Most Sundays, every seat is taken - and Okperuvwe now is looking for more space. He dreams not just of a larger church but of building a hostel, where new arrivals can stay while they get settled in Huntsville. Of having room for storage, where they can stow their belongings until they get a place of their own. Of having more church vehicles, which can be used to teach driving to those without a license. Right now, the pastor's home often serves as a way station. It is where many newcomers sleep, come to cook traditional meals or just get a touch of home. He rents out a storage unit and lends the two church vans to those in need. Huntsville and TDCJ have been "such a blessing," he says. Now, he wants to repay all those who helped him get here. The British vote to leave the European Union has raised many questions for the global technology industry. In Britain, a majority of tech firms were against leaving the E.U. A technology industry group survey found that 87 percent of British technology firms wanted to stay in the European Union, and that 70 percent of them worried a vote to leave would damage London's reputation as a technology hub. Global companies with offices in Britain, such as Microsoft, also campaigned against the move. Now that the votes have been cast, here are some major issues facing the tech industry in Britain and abroad, in light of the decision. Data flow and data privacy: The United States and the E.U. are in the process of making the final adjustments to their latest data privacy agreement, which governs the flow of data between them. With a major player in the E.U. now backing out of the coalition, there are obviously some questions about what happens to data flowing in and out of Britain from the United States and elsewhere. Despite the referendum results, however, things in this area will remain with the status quo - for now. "The Data Protection Act remains the law of the land irrespective of the referendum result," confirmed Britain's Information Commissioner's Office, but it added that Brexit does mean that Britain will not be subject to upcoming changes the E.U. is planning to make around data protection. However, Britain is unlikely to deviate from the policies of the E.U. in this particular area, simply because E.U. standards basically have become standard around the world. Should Britain shy away from those regulations, experts said, it would face dire consequences. "It will be left out of the group of progressive and forward looking countries with suitable safeguards for personal data," wrote privacy law expert Eduardo Ustaran ahead of the vote. That doesn't mean, however, that Brexit will have no effect on the world's data economy. There is also a sense, now that Britain has voted to leave the E.U., that the counterweight it provided against privacy-heavy countries such as Germany and France will also disappear. Germany and France have been leading the charge against major American tech firms - notably Google, with the "right to be forgotten" ruling. "This will help strengthen calls from the E.U. member states more concerned about protecting privacy rights," said privacy advocate Jeff Chester, director of the Center for Digital Democracy. Some are optimistic that, with fewer E.U. regulations, British companies would thrive. But the uncertainty in the immediate aftermath of the vote makes some uneasy. "Europe is such an important economy; it would be a shame if this and some existing policy proposals by some in the E.U. came into effect in a way that dampened the ability to use technology and grow their economies," said Ed Black, president of the Computer and Communications Industry Association. Funding: One of the key reasons that many British technology firms said they were against a British exit from the E.U. was that it would be more difficult for them to secure funding for start-ups. London's technology industry has been on the rise for the past several years. Britain benefits in large part from funds such as the European Investment Fund, which backs an estimated 41 percent of venture capital investments in Europe. Its majority investor is the European Investment Bank. But if Britain is no longer a part of Europe, that dries up a source of funding just as questions about how a Britain shorn of its E.U. ties will regulate health tech, financial tech and other technology industries. For its part, the EIF has said that it will continue business as usual for the time being. But the vote has injected a note of uncertainty into the start-up market, as Britain will now have to make its own negotiations with the fund. "The European Investment Fund takes note, with regret, of the vote of the British people to leave the European Union," the group said in a statement. "EIF will actively engage with the EIB and relevant European institutions to define the EIF's activity in the U.K. as part of the broader discussions to determine the future relationship of the U.K. with Europe and European bodies." Others also have financial concerns. For example, the video-game industry in particular has said that it's worried that the new tax environment won't be as favorable to it as the E.U.'s has been. Immigration: British tech firms - and technology firms from around the globe with offices there - have also raised concerns that Brexit will fundamentally harm the tech industry's ability to fill positions for highly skilled workers. Without the E.U.'s allowances to let workers move freely between countries, British companies are now worried about a shortage of qualified workers. That might be something that gets ironed out in a later agreement. But right now, there are plenty of expat workers in and outside of Britain that are raising questions about how Brexit affects their lives. The concerns echo the talking points of the tech industry's calls for immigration reform in the United States right now. The tech industry has repeatedly said that it needs to be able to recruit highly skilled foreign-born workers from across the globe to meet its labor demands. Todd Schulte, president of the U.S. immigration group FWD.us, said that while the situations between the United States and Britain are obviously different, the need for support for a foreign-born workforce is not. "In a globalized economy, when you're trying to sell to the world, a diverse workforce is an asset," he said. There are also worries that companies that looked to London as an ideal place to start a company will now look elsewhere. Some start-ups have already begun to evaluate whether London is still the right place for their offices. "To us, it was obvious to have London as a headquarters for all of Europe," said Allan Martinson, chief operating officer of the delivery start-up Starship Technologies. "Today we may need to look for another location if we're working with continental Europeans." SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The last time Bernie Sanders came to this city, in April, he was flat-out running for president. Six thousand people packed the downtown Oncenter to cheer him on, and a thousand more cheered from outside. The crowd was smaller on Friday, just 500 people - but technically, they were not there for Sanders. The senator was rallying for a 70-year old academic named Eric Kingson, who is running for Congress and who worked the crowd, praising "Bernie's genuineness and indisputable integrity" as he promised to defend and expand Social Security. The campaign stop, Sanders' first for a congressional candidate, offered a glimpse of the post-presidential-bid figure he would like to become: a politician who uses his unexpectedly strong showing in the presidential race to push his progressive policies in Congress, in campaigns and across the country. But as he ponders his next moves, and the fate of perhaps the biggest donor list in politics, Sanders is facing a challenge almost as steep as a presidential campaign. How does a revolutionary convince his supporters to continue the revolution with someone else? Can he maintain the enthusiasm of followers who were new to politics after falling in the primaries to establishment stalwart Hillary Clinton? Can he transfer his popularity to relatively unknown figures? And has Sanders frittered away the leverage he built by remaining an active candidate when most of the party has moved on to a bruising fall battle against Donald Trump? On his website, Sanders has already started to make the transition from active presidential candidate to another kind of leader. "This is your movement," it now says, showing a montage of diverse faces. And at the urging of his wife, Jane Sanders, he has been talking to his inner circle about launching a grass-roots organization to harness the energy of his supporters. Among aides, there is chatter about who might staff such an organization, which might resemble Democracy for America, the group former Vermont governor Howard Dean launched following his failed 2004 presidential bid. Sanders' profile in the Senate is expected to increase once he returns to the chamber full time, and aides say he will almost certainly seek reelection in 2018 - though it is unclear whether either will translate into more muscle on Capitol Hill. Sanders has suggested that he will try to mobilize his supporters around key issues and that he wants to lead the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which has jurisdiction over many of the high-profile issues he pushed during his campaign. Sanders' donor list, which the campaign says includes 2.7 million contributors across the country, is another uncertain - and highly coveted - asset. Sanders proved to be a surprisingly potent fundraiser, taking in more than $229 million as of last month, the vast majority in online, low-dollar increments. --- Eric Kingson is one of the early beneficiaries of Sanders's new role. On Friday night, in New York's 24th House district, Sanders let Kingson speak first, and then, still flanked by Secret Service agents, he spent much of his own 24-minute speech praising the candidate. He brought him and his family onstage for photos that would make the front page, as intended. "We really can win on Tuesday - seven or eight thousand votes is very achievable," said Sanders as he closed out. "Where is Eric's campaign manager? Where are you?" Zach Zeliff, a bearded 23-year old veteran of Sanders' New Hampshire landslide, waved his hand. "You got the names of everybody who's here?" Sanders said. "OK, great!" Syracuse showed an awkward but promising transition for Sanders. A warm-up band called Sophistafunk got the crowd to dance and cheer for "President Bernie Sanders." Many in the crowd said the senator from Vermont was the only candidate they trusted. "It's my last chance to introduce my son to an honest politician," said Stacey Edwards, 31, with 13-year old Jonathan in tow. "I've been a fan of Bernie for 20 years, and I'm so glad he's back." Edwards and others said they could not support Clinton for president. "I'll go Green, or I'll write in Bernie," she said. Then she added a caveat: "Down the ballot, I'll vote for anyone who shares his values." That was what Sanders wanted to hear. Since June 16, when he asked supporters to run for office, at least 21,000 said they would - or at least hit the streets to help. What is unclear is whether Sanders, who enjoys higher favorable numbers than Clinton or President Obama, will ever tell those voters to support the winner of the presidential primary. Clinton aides have privately expressed frustration over Sanders's continuing campaign and refusal to this point to endorse her, a step they believe could help unify the party heading into the fall. "The intensity of his supporters is so much greater than the intensity for any other candidate, including Hillary Clinton," said Rep. Beto O'Rourke, D-Texas, a Clinton endorser whose El Paso-based district went strongly for her but who suggested that Sanders could pull out voters who might normally skip elections. "In El Paso, she crushed him, and yet in terms of incoming calls and emails to our office, asking where to vote, it was like three to one Bernie. In Texas, he could get some of those folks who don't traditionally vote to come out." Sanders' role is under discussion, but he has said that a more immediate priority is trying to find common ground on the issues he championed during the primaries. "It's not just Bernie Sanders saying, 'Oh, yes, just vote for Hillary Clinton,' " Sanders told CNN on Sunday. "It is Hillary Clinton standing up and saying, 'You know what? These are the things we need to do.' And if she does the right thing, I am absolutely confident that the vast majority of my supporters will vote for her." Sanders has been lobbying Clinton to embrace several of his proposals, including tuition-free college and a $15 minimum wage. Asked why he had yet to endorse Clinton during an appearance Friday on CBS's "This Morning," Sanders said he had not "heard her say the things that need to be said." That struggle is visible in Sanders' attempts to influence the Democratic party platform, as well. A chief reason he has given for remaining an active candidate, the negotiations illustrate both the opportunity and the limitations of his newfound status. A draft document approved Saturday would move the party to the left on wages, banking reform and climate change and represents several concessions by Clinton. But Clinton allies on the panel also resisted Sanders's aggressive overtures on trade, several environmental issues and universal health care, a core of Sanders' mission to tackle income inequality. --- There is some evidence that most Sanders supporters have already fallen in line behind Clinton. In a Washington Post/ABC News poll released Sunday, just 8 percent of Democrats said they would vote for Trump; just 1 percent of Democrats, and 3 percent of self-identified "liberals," said they would vote for the Green Party. The Clinton camp, meanwhile, is moving forward with the use of other high-powered campaign surrogates. On Monday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., another darling of the left and a potential running mate, will campaign with Clinton in the battleground state of Ohio. Obama is expected to join Clinton on the campaign trail soon. And Sanders is lending his support to candidates whose chances are just as slim as his own were. In the primary on Tuesday, Kingson faces Colleen Deacon, a 38-year old veteran of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand's, D-N.Y., office, backed by both the senator and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. As of the last fundraising report, Deacon had raised $293,565 to Kingson's $199,445. She'd gone on the airwaves with slick positive ads, telling the story of a single mom who had to go on food stamps but went on to build a career for herself. And then Sanders showed up. On Friday afternoon, at the final candidate debate before the primary, journalists at NewsChannel9 started their questions with one about Sanders and party loyalty. Over an hour, Deacon and Kingson found little to disagree about. When they did, it was on the issues that defined the Clinton-Sanders primary - whether to raise the minimum wage to a "living wage" or specifically to $15, whether to expand Social Security or merely raise the cap on FICA. In an interview, Deacon had nothing bad to say about Sanders. "By coming to town, he's reminding them that there's an election on Tuesday," she said in her downtown campaign office, as interns in the next room worked phones. But when asked how she would define the "establishment" - the term used by Kingson - Deacon fought back. She had campaigned for paid family leave, and she had just paid off her student loans. What about that was establishment? "Somebody might say 'establishment' - I say experience, I say track record, I say working with people to achieve change," she said. "Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer are wonderful senators for New York, and I'm proud to have their support. I don't think that should penalized. I think it should be rewarded if you get things done." Early Saturday morning, Kingson's campaign office - formerly a Sanders outpost and still festooned with Bernie pop art - bustled with volunteers. Zeliff gave quick instructions to canvassers as young at 17, as old as 80, before they headed out. Zeliff and a fellow New Hampshire Sanders veteran, 24-year old Tom Giancola, explained how canvassers would rank the voters they met from 1 ("Oh, I'm definitely voting for Eric") to 6 ("They're probably voting for Trump"). Then they headed out, ready to tell their neighbors that Kingson was a Bernie-supported champion for Social Security. "Empowering volunteers to be leaders and make the difference is kind of the whole MO of the Bernie field campaign, I think," Zeliff said. "That's what we learned this year, and we're not stopping." Washington Post Bio More stories by John Wagner FALLUJAH, Iraq - Iraqi commanders said Sunday that they had completely retaken the city of Fallujah after a month-long battle, depriving Islamic State militants of their symbolic stronghold just an hour's drive from the capital. There was a celebratory mood in the city as pickup trucks ferried around cheering members of the security forces, who unloaded volleys of bullets into the air in jubilation. "It's a hundred percent liberated," Maj. Gen. Tamer Mohammed Ismail, a commander with Iraqi police's rapid reaction division, also known as S.W.A.T., said at a makeshift base inside Fallujah. The Sunni city 45 miles west of Baghdad was the first in Iraq or Syria to be captured by the Islamic State, about 2 1/2 years ago. A quagmire for U.S. service members during the Iraq War, there were expectations that it could be a bloody and drawn-out fight, but the Iraqi military has made quick progress since breaking through defense lines outside the city earlier this month. The end of the military operation here brings hope for its displaced residents that they will soon be able to return home. Tens of thousands are stranded in miserable conditions in desert camps with little assistance. But parts of the city, once home to 300,000 people, are still laced with roadside bombs. In the narrow streets of the old-city area, secured earlier Sunday, an officer urged caution as he pointed out a booby trap, its yellow wires leading out of the ground and over the gate into a nearby house. "Danger explosives," someone had written on the wall. Ismail said his forces had detonated two booby-trapped houses and 13 roadside bombs on Sunday alone. While S.W.A.T. and federal police forces focused on the old-city area, Iraq's special forces stormed the Jolan neighborhood, commanders said. A U.S.-led coalition has backed the operation with airstrikes. TEHRAN, Iran - Kurdish rebels and Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps have engaged in armed clashes along the Iranian border with Iraq in recent days, raising tensions in the region, Iranian state television reported. On social media, videos purport to show the shelling of positions held by the rebels, the Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran. While both groups claim to have killed more than a dozen of their opponents, there are no reliable figures as yet, Iran's state news agency, IRNA, reported. LONDON - Britain's political crisis intensified on Sunday after its decision to leave the European Union, with the opposition Labour Party splitting into warring camps, Scotland's leader suggesting that its local Parliament might try to block the departure and many Britons wondering if there was a plausible way for the nation to reconsider its drastic choice. The hostilities in the Labour Party broke out as the battle lines became clearer among the governing Conservatives, left in turmoil by the vote on the EU and the subsequent announcement by Prime Minister David Cameron that he would resign once his party chose a successor. Michael Gove, the justice minister and a leader of the Leave campaign, threw his support to the former London mayor Boris Johnson, the most prominent figure in the anti-Europe movement. Aides to Theresa May, the home secretary, who backed the Remain side in the referendum on Thursday, were calling legislators to seek their support to take on Johnson. The British news media reported that close allies of Cameron were also working to stop Johnson, reflecting the sense of betrayal on Downing Street over Johnson's decision to tie his political ambitions to the movement to leave Europe. Hanging over the jockeying for power was intensifying discussion of whether the British exit, or "Brexit," might somehow be avoided or circumvented. Cameron has said he will leave to his successor the decision on whether and when to begin formal divorce proceedings, and neither Johnson nor Gove has been demanding such a step, leaving open at least the possibility that Britain could negotiate new terms of membership with Brussels and hold another referendum. Johnson said from the start of the campaign that a vote to leave would push EU nations into a new negotiation with Britain to keep it in the bloc. Leaders on the Continent have little appetite at the moment for such a deal, and circumventing the clear will of British voters would appear politically problematic for whoever succeeds Cameron. But both Britain and the EU have a tradition of muddling through crises and finding compromises to avoid the worst outcomes. Sunday's developments underscored how the stunning vote to leave the EU has upended politics and exacerbated ideological and regional strains in Britain, leaving the nation with no unifying figure, at risk of coming apart and facing jittery financial markets. The turmoil spread on Sunday to the Labour Party, whose leader, Jeremy Corbyn, a leftist, now faces a challenge from members of Parliament who have never favored him. Early Sunday, Corbyn abruptly fired his shadow foreign secretary - the party's spokesman on foreign affairs - to try to head off a coup begun by some Labour members of Parliament disappointed with Corbyn's campaign to keep Britain in Europe. With the Conservatives in disarray and the possibility of another general election within the year, some Labour legislators see this as a good moment to try to dethrone Corbyn, 67, whom they think would lead the party to electoral disaster. Al least 11 of the Labour shadow Cabinet's 30 members, not counting the foreign secretary, resigned Sunday as a signal of their opposition to his leadership. Corbyn's office insisted that he would remain party leader and would beat back any challenge by appealing to grass-roots Labour Party members who elected him overwhelmingly in the first place. Corbyn faces a vote of confidence, which was called for on Friday, after the referendum, by two lower-ranking Labour legislators. "If a general election is called later this year, which is a very real prospect, we believe that under Jeremy's leadership we could be looking at political oblivion," Margaret Hodge, who proposed the no-confidence motion, wrote in a letter to fellow Labour legislators. Adding to the confusion about how Britain would proceed, Scotland's first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, said Sunday that the Scottish Parliament might try to block the British exit from the EU by withholding legislative consent. "You're not going to vote for something that is not in Scotland's interests," she said. It was not clear that the devolved Scottish Parliament had the power to veto a British exit, with constitutional scholars in this country, which famously lacks a formal constitution, differing on the question. "I find it hard to believe that there wouldn't be that requirement," Sturgeon said of the need for Scotland's approval. "I suspect that the U.K. government will take a very different view on that, and we'll have to see where that discussion ends up." Because the Scotland Act of 1998 binds the Scottish Parliament to act in accordance with EU law, some argue that the Parliament's consent would be required to leave. The same might hold true for the devolved parliaments of Wales, which supported Brexit, and Northern Ireland, which did not. A fierce proponent of remaining within the EU, Sturgeon said Scotland would insist on another independence referendum if Britain pulled out, and would try to negotiate with the Europeans to maintain Scottish membership. Sturgeon's remarks only fueled discussion of whether Britain might choose to seek a way to sidestep the results of the referendum. The formal process of unwinding Britain's membership in the EU begins only when the British government invokes Article 50 of the treaty governing the bloc's operations. Yet Cameron has declined to do so, and Johnson and other leaders of the Leave campaign have avoided being pinned down on the issue. Some suggest that a newly elected British Parliament might block an exit, if a new referendum were a stated commitment of the victorious party. But for the moment, with Cameron on his way out and Corbyn possibly joining him, thoughts of how to avoid Brexit seemed a parlor game next to the political battles the vote has unleashed. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday struck down a pair of strict Texas abortion regulations, sparing nearly a dozen clinics in the state from imminent closure and deflating a years-long effort by conservative lawmakers around the country to limit the procedure. The ruling, the nation's most significant clarification of abortion law in a generation, was 5-3, with conservative Justice Anthony Kennedy siding with the court's four liberals against the regulations, which required abortion doctors to obtain admitting privileges at a nearby hospital and clinics to comply with the expensive standards of ambulatory surgical centers. Those regulations, the majority found, were medically unnecessary and too strict for too many abortion providers to meet, forcing closures and thus making it unconstitutionally difficult for women to access the procedure. READ MORE: Ruling striking down Texas abortion limits to prompt flurry of legal action "We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes," Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in the majority's opinion. "Each places a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion, each constitutes an undue burden on abortion access, and each violates the Federal Constitution." "In the face of no threat to women's health," Breyer added, "Texas seeks to force women to travel long distances to get abortions in crammed-to-capacity superfacilities." Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito objected to the ruling on largely technical grounds, leaving Justice Clarence Thomas as the most passionate defender of the regulations. TIMELINE: How Texas' abortion law ended up at the Supreme Court The larger-than-expected victory for abortion rights is expected to reverberate around the country for years to come, especially due to new precedents that seemed to establish the safety of abortion and the need for courts to closely scrutinize legislative claims about the necessity of regulations to protect women's health. Most immediately, similar laws in nearly a dozen other states are likely to be affected by the ruling, making abortion easier to access for tens of millions of women nationwide. "Today women across the nation have had their constitutional rights vindicated," said Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, a New York-based organization that ran the legal challenge to the regulations. "The Supreme Court sent a loud and clear message that politicians cannot use deceptive means to shut down abortion clinics." REACTION: Politicians, celebs speak out on Supreme Court abortion ruling Texas state officials decried the ruling, saying that an activist court had usurped the power of lawmakers and endangered women. "The decision erodes States' lawmaking authority to safeguard the health and safety of women and subjects more innocent life to being lost," Gov. Greg Abbott said in a statement. "Texas' goal is to protect innocent life, while ensuring the highest health and safety standards for women." Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said the Texas Senate would revisit the issue, adding that lawmakers would have to review the ruling to determine their options. "The Supreme Court appears to think it is the medical board for the entire country," he said. "What they ruled should be troubling to every citizen." The decision caps more than three years of drama over the regulations, which were part of an omnibus anti-abortion bill that was thrust into the national spotlight when it was filibustered by then-Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis in June 2013. The omnibus bill, which at the time was considered the most far-reaching abortion law in the country, was slowed but eventually passed as House Bill 2 and signed by then-Gov. Rick Perry. Fisher v. University of Texas: Supreme Court rules for UT in landmark affirmative action case On Monday, Davis, who lost a bid for governor after the filibuster, told MSNBC that she was "overjoyed" by the ruling and fought back tears while reading it. "It's incredible news for the women of Texas and the women of the country," she said, predicting it will take several months "to see us rebound to a place where women throughout the state have the access they once had" to abortion clinics. House Bill 2 also banned almost all abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy and limited the use of the so-called abortion pill. Those provisions were not challenged and remain in place. United States v. Texas: Supreme Court's tie blocks Obama immigration order The regulations drew the fiercest criticism, sparking two separate challenges by abortion providers. An Austin-based federal judge struck down the law twice, but both decisions were overturned by the News Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The Supreme Court initially declined to hear the case but later agreed and twice stepped in to put parts of the law on hold. While the case made its way through the legal system, the reality of abortion in Texas changed dramatically. More than half of the 41 abortion clinics in operation before the law's passage already have shuttered, mostly due to the admitting privileges mandate, while wait times have risen and the number of abortions has dropped. Allowing the law to fully take effect had been expected to leave fewer than 10 abortion facilities to serve a state of 27 million people. All would be in major cities: San Antonio would have had three facilities, while Houston and Dallas would have had two and Fort Worth and Austin would have had one. Read the full ruling below. Abortion providers argued that would have constituted a "substantial obstacle" to accessing the procedure, which was the limit set by the Supreme Court's last major abortion case, Planned Parenthood v. Casey, which was decided in 1992. The providers were joined in the case by the Obama administration. On Monday, Obama released a statement saying he was "pleased" with the Supreme Court ruling. Texas officials had argued that the regulations protected women's health and did not constitute a substantial obstacle, in part, they said, because abortion providers could comply if they wanted. The chances of victory for the state dropped with the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, a fierce abortion opponent who died just before the oral arguments in Washington, D.C., in early March. Still, supporters of the rules had hoped Kennedy would side with the three remaining conservatives to force a tie, which would have left in place the 5th Circuit's ruling in favor of the regulations. Instead, Kennedy joined with the liberals in the sweeping ruling, which agreed with the providers about the burden of the regulations on clinics but focused much of its attention on the safety of the procedure. Breyer, who was appointed to the court by former President Bill Clinton, wrote extensively about the safety of abortion. He added that, "when directly asked at oral argument whether Texas knew of a single instance in which the new requirement would have helped even one woman obtain better treatment, Texas admitted that there was no evidence in the record of such a case." Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote a concurring opinion focused on the health issue, concluding that "it is beyond rational belief that H.B. 2 could genuinely protect the health of women." In his dissent, Thomas said the majority ruling "exemplifies the Court's troubling tendency 'to bend the rules when any effort to limit abortion, or even to speak in opposition to abortion, is at issue.'" He also argued that the majority had misconstrued the court's precedent from Casey in an attempt to expand the right to an abortion. Roberts and Alito focused on arguing the technical point that the challenge should not have been allowed because an earlier challenge to the regulations had already failed. "Determined to strike down two provisions of a new Texas abortion statute in all of their applications, the Court simply disregards basic rules that apply in all other case," the conservative justices wrote. The majority opinion rejected that argument, saying, "Imagine a group of prisoners who claim that they are being forced to drink contaminated water. These prisoners file suit against the facility where they are incarcerated. If at first their suit is dismissed because a court does not believe that the harm would be severe enough to be unconstitutional, it would make no sense to prevent the same prisoners from bringing a later suit if time and experience eventually showed that prisoners were dying from contaminated water." In Texas, anti-abortion lawmakers vowed to continue to fight against the procedure. "I am extremely disappointed with the Supreme Court's ruling today," said state Sen. Konni Burton, a Republican who replaced Davis in the state Senate. "However, members of the Texas Legislature like myself, who believe deeply in the value of every human life, will not yield in our efforts to provide the highest quality healthcare for women and our continued promotion of a culture of life." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate ST. LOUIS - Simone Biles won her fourth consecutive USA Gymnastics women's all-around title with a wink, a smile, soaring leaps, precision tumbling and the knowledge that she has things she can improve before next month's Olympic trials. Biles, 19, of Spring won in a walk, scoring 125 points over two nights to win by 3.9 points over 2012 Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman. First-year senior competitor Lauren Hernandez was third with 120.5 points, and 2012 Olympic gold medalist Gabrielle Douglas was fourth with 117.8 points. Now it's on to the July 8-10 trials in San Jose, Calif., where Biles is a prohibitive favorite to make the five-member team en route to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where she will be favored to win as many as five gold medals. First, though, there is work to be done. Biles admitted that her legs were tired midway through Sunday's competition, and she had uncharacteristic errors on uneven bars and balance beam after coming as close as a human can get to perfection on vault. "There's always something to work on in the gym," she said. "Bars and beam were a little bit of a disappointment, but I did what (national team coordinator Martha Karolyi) told me to do, which is fix my first vault. I guess that's good." Good? It was almost perfect. She barreled down the runway on her first vault, which ventures into a round-off flip onto the launching board, a back handspring onto the vaulting table and 2 twists, and soared through the air to a solid landing. The maximum score on the vault is 16.2 points, and Biles scored 16.2. "I crossed my feet," she said with a shrug. She had a form break on uneven bars on an attempted handstand on the lower bar, and she had a balance check and a low landing with step forward on her dismount at the end of balance beam. But she vaulted like a champ, and she danced through her floor-exercise routine like a star, even throwing a wink at one point to 2008 Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, sitting at ringside at Chaifetz Arena. But both bobbles caught Karolyi's all-seeing eye, and both will serve as object lessons that even for the best, one can always be better. "Simone did a very good job, but on the last two events she made little mistakes," Karolyi said. "So that just reminds us that we can never be too relaxed. We still have to stay on the top of our toes to perform at the highest level, and she agrees with me." With Biles a virtual cinch to make the team, much of Karolyi's attention Sunday night was turned to the other contenders. Raisman, one of the two returning Olympians, again boosted her stock as arguably the second-best all-arounder on the floor with solid scores on three events, and Hernandez, a first-year senior competitor, took a huge step toward sewing up a spot on the five-member team for Rio. "Laurie impressed me a lot," Biles said. "I know she struggles with confidence in her own gymnastics, and it's good that I can be here to help her and show her she can have confidence. She is an amazing gymnast." Douglas, meanwhile, struggled in her opening uneven-bars routine, struggling to complete a handstand on a swing from the high bar to the low. She improved on balance beam, however, and remains a top contender for the five-person team to be selected next month. Karolyi also was impressed with Dallas gymnast Madison Kocian, who had a 15.7 score on uneven bars and was fifth overall. Ashton Locklear, who also had a 15.7 score on bars, might be her top competitor for a spot on the team. Former world team member MyKayla Skinner, however, had two falls on balance beam and slumped to 10th place in the overall standings. As the trials approach, the focus on Biles will increase, and Bela Karolyi, the sharp-eyed grand wizard of gymnastics, thinks she is worthy of the spotlight. "She is a very happy person. She enjoys what she is doing," Bela Karolyi said. "And why not? She is injury-free. She is doing so easily what other people are struggling to do. Of course, she's happy. I would love to be that way." An all-around gold medal at the Olympics for Biles, Bela Karolyi said, "is not just a possibility, it's almost a certainty. I don't see how anybody in the world can beat Simone at this time." Houston police are still investigating a two-vehicle accident that occurred at about 7:40 p.m. Saturday, June 18. Police Chief Tim Ceplina said the crash took place when a car with two people inside pulled out of Holder Drive at a green light onto U.S. 63 and a vehicle on U.S. 63 ran a red light and slammed into it. The Houston Rural Fire Department Rescue Squad was summoned to the scene to extract a person from the first vehicle who was then taken to Texas County Memorial Hospital and remains in care there. More information will be published when it is available. The following are excerpts of reports generated by the Texas County Sheriffs Department: A 26-year-old Raymondville man reported June 25 that a neighbor had stolen an antique rocking horse and a grill from his Kelly Road residence. While an investigating deputy was on the way to the scene, the man called and said he had gotten the goods back from the neighbor and no officer was needed. A deputy was dispatched June 11 after a woman reported several neglected dogs at a Long Hollow Road residence at Plato. The man who owns the dogs showed the them to the officer, and they all appeared to be in good health and had plenty of food and water. A man and woman reported at about 11:50 p.m. June 13 that tenants were being loud and bothering them at their Cadle Road residence at Licking. An investigating officer made contact with the tenants and advised them to be quieter. A 35-year-old Houston woman reported on June 13 that her dog had been stolen from her residence in a Northview Lane trailer park. An investigating officer contacted the womans boyfriend, who stated he had the dog. He returned it. A 43-year-old Licking woman reported on June 22 that her juvenile son had been assaulted by another juvenile boy. The case was referred to the county juvenile office. A deputy was dispatched June 25 regarding a report of peace disturbance at a Highway W residence at Summersville. The officer made contact with a 48-year-old man who lives there who stated that while he was vaccinating livestock, a neighbor man had come to a fence between their properties with an ax handle in his hand and yelled about a horse and cow of his being shot with a pellet gun and about water running into a pond of his because of a sewage pipe. The man told the officer the neighbor had accused he and his family of things in the past, and that they dont own a pellet gun and that a septic tank was removed years ago and no liquid could be running from that area toward the neighbors pond. The officer spoke to the neighbor and advised him not to accuse people of things without proof. The neighbor said he was just frustrated about sewage running into his pond. The officer advised him that he might consider contacting the EPA. A deputy was dispatched at about 3:30 a.m. June 23 regarding a report of a burglary at a bar on Highway 32 at Licking. The officer spoke to a man who lives nearby who said three vehicles were parked at the bar and that someone was hitting the side of the bar. He said when he came outside he saw a person run from a door to the bar and then observed two of the vehicles leave. The man provided a license plate number to the officer. The woman who owns the bar was contacted, and she said the back door was damaged and items had been removed from the wall, but that nothing appeared to be missing. Investigation of the case continues. Texas County Jail admissions June 20 Robert D. Colborn unlawful possession of firearm June 21 Lonnie G. Gale MDOC hold Billie J. Springer MDOC hold Stephanie M. Mead MDOC hold Nathan C. Young MDOC hold June 22 Brooke L. Wade possession of controlled substance Bridgett M. Prock burglary June 24 Christopher A. Pate non-support Nicole A. James burglary James E. Madden non-support Michael J. Lewis Jr. tampering, theft, stealing Amanda D. Smith 48-hour hold Steven L. Woolsey 12-hour commitment Leonard E. Bay 6-hour hold June 25 Marissa A. Gilbert 48-hour commitment Keith D. Shaw 4-day commitment Daniel J. Alderliesten 72-hour hold Donnie G. Maples DWI Tammy S. Frazier 72-hour hold Steven L. Woolsey 12-hour hold June 26 Caleb C. Venn drug charges Steven L. Woolsey 6-hour commitment An award-winning Christian artist and storyteller from Nigeria will make a presentation today to the Piney River Art League on Monday in Houston. Ibiyinki Alao, 40, is a Nigerian American artist who attended Nigerian Navy Secondary School in Navy Town, Lagos, from 1988-1993. He received his education as an architect at Obafemi Awolowo University from 1994-2000. In 2001, he was named as Nigerias Ambassador of Art. He won a United Nations art contest involving participants from 61 countries. On May 18, Ibis Fireflies, a story book based on one of his paintings, Eternity in our Hearts, won the grand prize of the 2016-17 Scholastic Kids are Authors contest. The project was submitted by a Pennsylvania school and was among 900 entries. His artworks have been featured at several famous venues, including the Smithsonian, the World Bank headquarters, the United Nations, the Harvard Business School and the Empire State Building. His office is at the United Nations. He is the ambassador from Nigeria. He spent last week at the Missouri Scholars Academy at MU. He brought some of his more than 300 paintings. The art league program starts at 9 a.m. Monday (today). The public is invited to each. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. 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OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Peter Dazeley via Getty Images Desperate man wetting himself The issue of bladder leakage shouldnt be something to be embarrassed about. Its a condition defined as any involuntary leakage of urine that many people in Canada encounter. But how big of a concern is bladder leakage in our country? How many Canadians experience the condition and which age groups are most likely to be affected by it? In partnership with Depend, we break down bladder leakage in Canada, by the numbers. 1) Health Canada estimates that more than one in five mature adults in Canada will experience some type of bladder control problem, resulting in an involuntary release of urine. Advertisement 2) According to the Canadian Incontinence Foundation, bladder leakage affects about 10 per cent of the population in Canada, or about 3.5 million Canadians in total. 3) The Canadian Incontinence Foundation notes that one in four women and one in 10 men live with distressing urinary symptoms 4) Bladder leakage caused by stress occurs in approximately 35 per cent of mature adults who experience bladder leakage, according to Health Canada. 5) The Canadian Urinary Bladder Survey found that 26 per cent of Canadians with any bladder problem have visited a doctor or healthcare professional about it. The report also found that eight per cent of all respondents acknowledged having a bladder problem, 52 per cent responded yes to having one or more bladder symptoms, the incidence of bladder leakage grows as one gets older, especially after 65 years of age. Advertisement 6) Between 10 to 30 per cent of women have some form of bladder leakage after menopause, often during exercise activities or after laughing or sneezing. 7) A 2013 Statistics Canada report revealed that mature adults who cited having bladder leakage issues were 50 per cent more likely to experience loneliness. 8) About 88 per cent of Canadian women under the age of 55 reported that having access to an adult bladder leakage product would enable them to be more socially active. Theres no need to be embarrassed by bladder incontinence especially with Depend FIT-FLEX Underwear for Women is now more flexible* to move with you. Featuring all-around leg elastics and a smooth, close-to-body fit, this slip-on protection is soft, quiet and breathable for outstanding comfort. Talk about timing. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto has called for "economic integration" in North America just days after Great Britain voted to leave the European Union in the controversial "Brexit" referendum. Nieto's remarks came Monday as he visited the Great White North for a "Three Amigos" summit with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and U.S. President Barack Obama, The Globe and Mail reported. Advertisement "Canadians and Mexicans alike share values and development goals and we also share a single vision of the world we want," Nieto said. "Let us take stock of our affinity and agreement to bolster innovation and environmental sustainability and also to foster the economic integration of North America." The summit comes just seven months before Obama is set to leave office to be replaced by either Democrat Hillary Clinton or Republican Donald Trump, both of whom have talked tough on free trade. Advertisement The leaders are expected to discuss free trade talks that are set to gain added emphasis, in light of the contentious vote by Great Britain to leave the EU. Obama may find himself offering Canada and Mexico reassurances about any fallout coming after the Brexit, which experts say has "very important implications for North America." Such reassurances could come during Obama's address to Parliament on Wednesday. "What he says or doesn't say about softwood lumber, the future of North America and world trade after Brexit will be taken as a sign of whether the British exit from the EU is a bump or the first step in a cascade of bad news for Canadian exports," said Christopher Sands of Johns Hopkins University's Centre for Canadian Studies. Economists have long said that Canada's economy should start relying more on exports if it wants to see growth amid the oil price slump. Advertisement Approximately three per cent of Canadian exports go to the U.K., some $16 billion annually. Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador are most at risk from a slowdown in demand, according to Business News Network (BNN). And that's just one more concern to add to any existing ones that Canada and Mexico may have about the next U.S. presidential administration. "Canadians and Mexicans alike share values and development goals and we also share a single vision of the world we want." Both Clinton and Trump have used some strong rhetoric on free trade Clinton opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Trump has said he'll renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). But economists with TD Bank said last week that free trade criticism during election campaigns often has a bark worse than its bite. Advertisement There are questions about how much presidents can actually do about trade agreements on their own, the report noted. And their free trade talk tends to soften once they end up in office. Obama, for example, made a series of anti-NAFTA statements while running for president in 2008. Then he supported the TPP. Also on HuffPost: Only one-in-four Canadians believe that the North American Free Trade Agreement has been good for this country, a new poll suggests. Angus Reid Institute released the numbers Monday ahead of the historic "Three Amigos" summit this week. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will host U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto in Ottawa. Advertisement U.S. President Barack Obama walks with Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Manila, Philippines, on Nov. 19, 2015. (Photo: Susan Walsh/AP via CP) The poll suggests that more than two decades after NAFTA was ratified, Canadians remain deeply uncertain about the deal that binds the three North American countries together. Twenty-six per cent of respondents said NAFTA has hurt Canada, while 27 per cent said they wren't sure what the effect has been. Twenty-two per cent said the deal hasn't made an impact either way. Advertisement Respondents in the "manufacturing-heavy" provinces of Ontario and British Columbia were most likely to say NAFTA has hurt Canada, according to the Angus Reid Institute. Younger Canadians and women were more inclined to say they weren't sure about the effect of the deal yet. Many want deal renegotiated When it comes to the future of NAFTA, three times as many Canadians would like to see it reopened than kept exactly as it stands. Thirty-four per cent of respondents said it should be renegotiated, compared to 11 per cent who said it should be "left in place as is." Another 24 per cent said the deal should be strengthened. Nine per cent said it should be scrapped entirely. Advertisement Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, has already pledged to renegotiate NAFTA if elected in November. Despite the apparent ambivalence about NAFTA, the poll also suggests Canadians want to forge stronger economic ties with Mexico particularly when it comes to standing up to the U.S. on matters including so-called "buy American laws." Nearly half of respondents 49 per cent want to see Canada and Mexico "team up and take on the U.S. together." However, the poll also suggests that most Canadians still harbour conflicting views of North America's second-most-populous nation. While 62 per cent acknowledge Mexico as a valuable trade partner nearly seven-in-ten want closer ties 56 per cent are concerned the country is a "risky venture for Canadian businesses." Advertisement Split on lifting visa requirements It also appears the spirit of economic co-operation does not necessarily translate to border and security issues. Though Trudeau has pledged to remove the visa requirements for Mexican citizens visiting Canada a controversial policy Conservatives instituted in 2009 to curb the number of asylum seekers Canadians are evenly split on the issue. Thirty-seven per cent of Canadians told the firm they oppose lifting the visa requirement, while 36 per cent support the move. Twenty-seven per cent indicated uncertainty. And, perhaps most interesting of all, just 44 per cent of Canadians say Mexico can be counted on as a dependable ally. The online poll was conducted between June 13 to 16 among a representative sample of 1,519 Canadian adults who are part of the Angus Reid Forum. It has a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. ALSO ON HUFFPOST: High food prices have hit Canadians hard this year, and nowhere is the problem worse than in Nunavut. Advertisement New numbers from the Nunavut Bureau of Statistics show that the problem's not getting any better. In some cases, it's actually getting worse. There are food staples that now cost triple in Nunavut what they do in the rest of the country. For example, the average price of a can of tomatoes is $1.60 across Canada, but it's $5.32 in Nunavut. And a bag of sugar which would be around $2.69 in other areas goes for $9.65 in the northern territory. The sticker shock is even more obvious when you compare basic goods in Nunavut with "big-city" splurges or speciality items in the rest of Canada. $7.43 for a box of soda crackers in Nunavut Advertisement $10.90 for a bag of coffee in Nunavut $7.26 for a stick of butter in Nunavut $13.70 for a bag of flour in Nunavut $2.98 for a single can of soup in Nunavut The lack of affordable groceries takes a toll. Food insecurity, or not having reliable access to meals, affects a third of all people in Nunavut, according to advocacy group Feeding Nunavut. This leads to higher rates of obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure, as well as lower life expectancy. Advertisement Also on HuffPost GoFundMe An Alberta First Nation is asking the public for donations to rebuild its community college after it was destroyed in a fire. On Aug. 14, 2015, a fire broke out in the main building of Red Crow Community College on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta. Advertisement The 98-year-old former residential school was destroyed along with computers, audio-visual equipment, books, cultural artifacts and school supplies. "We were very saddened by the lack of cash donations received thus far after the fire but Red Crow Community College will move forward and rebuild." The college started a GoFundMe page shortly after, in the hopes of of raising $50,000 to begin to rebuild the school. The fire caused $10 million in damage, but so far the college has only received about $6,700 in donations, college president Roy Weasel Fat told CBC News. Advertisement "We were very saddened by the lack of cash donations received thus far after the fire but Red Crow Community College will move forward and rebuild," Weasel Fat said. Insp. Joseph Many Fingers with the Blood Tribe Police Service told the Calgary Herald in September the blaze as was being treated as arson. School has history of successful alumni Red Crow Community College was the first tribal college in Canada. Charlene Mountain Horse, chairperson of the school's board of governors, says the school has a history of accomplished alumni. The programs out of the Red college have supported students in obtaining certification as doctors. We have had graduates as lawyers, licensed practical nurses and social workers," Mountain Horse told Global News. Also on HuffPost: The LGBT community in B.C.'s second-biggest city celebrated a milestone with rainbow colours over the weekend. Surrey hosted its first-ever Pride parade on Sunday, drawing a few hundred people. Heart if you got some...beer today. #surreypride A photo posted by Gay Beers Vancouver (@vangaybeers) on Jun 26, 2016 at 8:35pm PDT Advertisement The procession from city hall to Holland Park was small compared to the established parades in Toronto or Vancouver, but it was just as notable. This is the year for Surrey coming alive with LGBTQ community, I think," Shawn Ewing, president of the Surrey Pride Society told Global News. Two years ago, the city turned down a request to fly the pride flag at city hall, citing a policy that allowed only flags that are emblems of the city, province or country. This year, the city raised a rainbow flag to half-mast in memory of those killed in the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla. in an exception. Some parade participants also wore black ribbons in solidarity with that city. Advertisement What a joy to join in the march at Surrey's first Pride Parade #canqueer #surreybc #surreypride #vanpride A photo posted by Paul Hillsdon (@paulhillsdon) on Jun 26, 2016 at 3:02pm PDT Now THAT is some gay pride! #surreypride #pride A photo posted by Ben Greenberg (@ben_greenberg) on Jun 26, 2016 at 6:04pm PDT The city also saw the first Pride prom hosted in the Lower Mainland. "I hope our generation is the one that gets this nailed down and finds acceptance that everyone deserves," Taylor Sherstone, 16, told CBC News. Alex Sangha runs a queer support group for South Asians, who make up a substantial part of the population in Surrey. He said it will take time for the event to flourish in the municipality. Advertisement "I think it's hard for people of colour, especially South Asians," he said in a CBC interview. "It's a little bit close to home. There are some queer South Asians [at the parade] ... but it's hard for people to come out of the closet." With files from The Canadian Press Follow The Huffington Post B.C. on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Also on HuffPost The American Humane Association (AHA) is investigating after reports that bison were killed for a Hollywood production filmed in Alberta. Five bison were slaughtered and skinned in April to be used in a scene for "The Solutrean," under the direction of Alberta animal wrangler John Scott, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Advertisement The AHA says in its guidelines that "no animal will be killed or injured for the sake of a film production." "The Solutrean" is the story of a hunting expedition gone wrong, set during the Ice Age. The film, which is being directed by Albert Hughes and stars Kodi Smit-McPhee, is the first by production company Studio 8. Smit-McPhee shared a shot from the film's set, the day after the bison were allegedly used for a scene, on Instagram. A photo posted by Kodi Smit-Mcphee (@kodismitmcpheeofficial) on Apr 29, 2016 at 3:08pm PDT Advertisement Scott has worked as a wrangler on major motion pictures including "The Revenant," "Lord of the Rings," "Legends of the Fall," "Unforgiven" and "Days of Heaven." The wrangler previously faced controversy in 2012 when animal rights activists alleged he was taking horses used in local film and television productions to a slaughterhouse. Scott admitted to CBC News that the animals were killed for the film scene, but noted one of the bison was already dead and two others were destined to be butchered by Longview Beef Jerky. Alleged cover-up Production employee Dwight Beard claims Scott attempted to cover up the circumstances surrounding the bison's sale. "John told the butcher not to put his name on the paperwork for the buffalo because he knew that it could get traced back by animal rights activists. This was the answer I got when I asked why the butcher put his own name down for the buffalo even though John owned them. These guys all know it's wrong so they are trying to be arm's length away," Beard told the New York Daily News. Advertisement A Studio 8 spokesman sent a statement to The Huffington Post Alberta which said the company followed AHA standards and that the bison carcasses used for the film "had previously been harvested" for jerky. "We take this matter very seriously and once we became aware of this issue, we immediately initiated an internal investigation. While this is an ongoing process, our preliminary findings confirm that no one from the production had authorized or was aware of any deviation from AHAs guidelines. If we find that any deviation did indeed occur, we will consider all potential remedies, including rescuing five other bison who would have otherwise been slaughtered, by purchasing them for adoption by an animal sanctuary, along with any other actions involving other responsible parties that we feel are appropriate." An AHA representative says the organization will withhold certification from "The Solutrean" if any evidence of wrongdoing is discovered during its investigation, and if the film's crew have broken any laws, police will be notified. If, in the course of the ongoing investigation, American Humane Association discovers that any laws were broken or violated, we will submit the evidence to the proper channels immediately, AHA representative Scott Sowers told The Calgary Herald. Also on HuffPost: A proposed reverse class action lawsuit by a Hollywood film production company risks further erosion of Internet privacy in Canada, a leading expert warns. Voltage Pictures filed an application in the Federal Court earlier this year, requesting the right to file a reverse class action against an unknown number of Canadians who allegedly shared Voltage movies without authorization. Voltage is suing over file-sharing of five of its movies, according to a report at Torrentfreak: American Heist, The Cobbler, Fathers and Daughters, Good Kill and Pay the Ghost. Advertisement In a typical class-action suit, numerous plaintiffs (often consumers) sue a single defendant (often companies). In a reverse suit, a single plaintiff (in this case Voltage) sues numerous defendants (in this case, alleged Canadian file-sharers). Its unknown how many Canadians could be targeted in the reverse class action, but the number is likely to be in the thousands. A previous court case involving Voltage and Ontario-based Internet provider TekSavvy involved some 2,000 alleged file-sharers, and that was limited to customers of that one provider. Advertisement In this instance, Voltage is asking the courts to identify a single customer of Rogers an Internet subscriber identified in court documents only as John Doe #1 that it wants named as the lead defendant in the suit. "I think to date rightsholders' interests have been ignored. Voltage lawyer James Zibarras, 2015 According to University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist, Rogers is contesting the request on privacy grounds. In a column for the Toronto Star published Monday, Geist warned that if Voltage succeeds, it could lead to further erosion of Canadians privacy rights, and would undermine the consumer protections in Canadas recently enacted copyright law. Under the notice-and-notice copyright law crafted by the previous federal Conservative government, copyright owners like Voltage send infringement notices to internet providers, who pass them on to the accused file-sharer. The ISP does not identify the customer to the copyright owner. In a court case last year, Voltage succeeded in weakening that consumer protection a little, with a court ruling that TekSavvy has to identify some 2,000 alleged file-sharers to the film production company. Advertisement But the court also ruled TekSavvy would have to have its correspondence with those alleged file-sharers cleared by courts beforehand in order to ensure there is no inappropriate language in any demand letter sent to the alleged infringers. "One of the last remaining benefits of an already imperfect system will be lost." University of Ottawa professor Michael Geist If Voltages reverse suit succeeds, one of the last remaining benefits of an already imperfect system will be lost, wrote Geist, who holds the University of Ottawa's Canada Research Chair in Internet and E-Commerce law. Voltage has argued previously that Canadas copyright laws are too protective of consumers. "I think to date rightsholders' interests have been ignored, Voltage lawyer James Zibarras said last year, following the companys victory in the TekSavvy case. "Obviously the public has almost become accustomed to downloading movies for free and it's being done on a massive scale. And of course the public loves justifying what they're doing and when someone tries to stop it they invariably want to come up with arguments as to why it should not be stopped." Advertisement Some consumer advocates argue there is no need to give copyright holders more power to enforce their laws, because the notice-and-notice system is working. They note there has been a large drop in file-sharing in Canada since internet providers started sending out infringement letters on behalf of copyright holders. With a file from The Canadian Press Also on HuffPost: Winona Ryder has broken her silence on Amber Heard's abuse allegations towards Johnny Depp. The actress, who was briefly engaged to the "Pirates" actor in the '90s, spoke to Time magazine about her relationship with Heard's estranged husband. "I can only speak from my own experience, which was wildly different than what is being said," Ryder said. "He was never, never that way towards me. Never abusive at all towards me. I only know him as a really good, loving, caring guy who is very, very protective of the people that he loves." Advertisement The couple famously met while filming "Edward Sscissorhands" in 1989 and got engaged only months later. After splitting up in 1993, Depp removed part of his "Winona Forever" tattoo, changing it to "Wino Forever." When asked about the allegations, Ryder didn't choose sides. "I wasnt there. I dont know what happened. Im not calling anyone a liar," she said. "Im just saying, its difficult and upsetting for me to wrap my head around it. Look, it was a long time ago, but we were together for four years, and it was a big relationship for me. Imagine if someone you dated when you were I was 17 when I met him was accused of that. Its just shocking. I have never seen him be violent toward a person before." However, Heard has a different story to tell. "The Danish Girl" actress filed court documents that alleged Depp, her husband of over a year, assaulted her at a birthday party on April 21. She also claimed that he threw an iPhone at her, hitting her in the face, on May 21. Advertisement New details have also emerged via text messages sent between the 30-year-old actress and a mutual friend, detailing the months of alleged abuse Depp inflicted on his estranged wife even before they got married on Feb. 3, 2015. Friends and colleagues have spoken out in defence of Depp, most notably, his ex-partner and mother of his two children, Vanessa Paradis. Similarly, friends have also come to Heard's aid, including ex-girlfriend Tasya Van Ree. "Amber is a brilliant, honest and beautiful woman and I have the utmost respect for her," Van Ree said about her ex. Also on HuffPost Rawpixel Ltd via Getty Images Group of People Waving Gay Pride Symbol Flags Pride is a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, and two-spirit (LGBTQ2S) communities around the globe celebrate who we are, how far we have come, and how hard we have fought in order to be able to be our authentic selves. During Pride we also reflect on the oppression and violence that our community has faced over the years and continues to face today, especially the most marginalized members of our communities; including youth, trans women of colour and racialized and indigenous LGBTQ2S people. It is absolutely essential that we make space for and amplify the voices of those who struggle the most in our communities, due to intersecting oppressions. There is something extra meaningful and political about this year's Pride celebrations, as LGBTQ2S people around the world unite to mourn the lives that were lost and damaged by the recent horrific tragedy in Orlando. A gruesome act of violence that has shaken us to the core and reminded the world why Pride started in the first place and why we still celebrate Pride in 2016. Advertisement We understand that these events affect us all in different ways, but we need to ensure that the voices of queer and trans people of colour are amplified and centered in the conversations that we are all having about what has occurred. Violence against queer and trans people is something that happens every day and everywhere around the globe, and it is something that threatens our freedom any time, and every time it occurs. Now more than ever, we must fight for LGBTQ2S rights globally. We must continue to show the world that we will not be defeated because we are not just a community, but a diverse family of many communities, and we will always come together in solidarity to fight hate. Although many would describe Canada as a relatively safe country for LGBTQ2S communities, there is still much work to be done. Homophobia, transphobia, and biphobia remain rampant in most institutional settings, including schools, health-care facilities, and shelters and housing programs. LGBTQ2S youth remain largely overrepresented in the homeless youth population, with estimates as high as up to 40 per cent of homeless youth identifying as LGBTQ2S. Even though we still have a long way to go, we must acknowledge how far we have come. Here is how one young trans person interviewed by Abramovich (2015) described what it is like to be trans and homeless in Toronto: Advertisement "Try living in a world where it's hard enough to love yourself, but even harder to be accepted, going into a place where you think you can be safe, going into a place where you assume you can get help but every door you try to open is locked or sealed shut, you're trying to walk back to where you started but that door is also locked. You try very hard to break down that door. Once you get through you realize you cannot be you." Until we end LGBTQ2S youth homelessness and ensure safe, welcoming, and inclusive environments in all support programs, the fight will be far from over. Even though we still have a long way to go, we must acknowledge how far we have come. It has been an eventful year with important milestones for LGBTQ2S communities across Canada. Great strides have finally been made in the area of LGBTQ2S youth homelessness -- something we have fought hard for over the past decade. Canada's first transitional housing program specifically designed to address the unique needs of LGBTQ2S youth opened in Toronto in February 2016 -- YMCA, Sprott House. Sprott House offers a 25-bed safe home to a diverse group of LGBTQ2S young people, an essential and long awaited service. Shelters and housing programs are often unsafe for LGBTQ2S youth, due to homophobic, transphobic, and biphobic violence, which is why specialized housing with integrated supports should be a key component of our national response to addressing and ending LGBTQ2S youth homelessness across Canada. Advertisement The City of Toronto, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration officially launched updated shelter standards for the first time in 12 years, as a result of years of advocacy efforts. LGBTQ2S cultural competency training was made mandatory for shelter staff for the first time. The 519 and Dr. Alex Abramovich worked in partnership to develop the curriculum, with the goal to help staff and organizations become better allies of LGBTQ2S youth. However, in order to do this, we also need to create welcoming and affirming spaces (social, physical and cultural) for LGBTQ2S youth. In March 2016, the Government of Alberta's LGBTQ2S youth homelessness report was released, which outlines a provincial response to LGBTQ2S youth homelessness. The report details six core recommendations on how to prevent and reduce LGBTQ2S youth homelessness: 1) Support the delivery of LGBTQ2S-specific housing options. 2) Support the delivery of population-based programs for LGBTQ2S youth that foster an intersectional approach. 3) Create provincial housing/shelter standards that focus on working with and meeting the needs of LGBTQ2S youth. 4) Develop integrated, provincial training solutions for expanded staff training for all aspects of LGBTQ2S cultural competency. Advertisement 5) Develop a prevention plan that focuses on early intervention, awareness raising and education for parents and children in the school system. 6) Develop the capacity for research that frames new approaches and solutions to LGBTQ2S youth homelessness. These are critical recommendations that can help guide a national response to LGBTQ2S youth homelessness. We desperately need a national strategy to end LGBTQ2S youth homelessness and to ensure that all of our youth have access to safe beds and safe spaces where they can bring their full authentic selves and celebrate who they are. This Pride our communities will unite to celebrate our diverse identities, and remember all that we have achieved and still have to fight for. Thousands will join The 519 during The Green Space Festival to party for a cause and to raise funds that enable The 519 to deliver essential programs and services. This support helps sustain The 519's efforts to advocate for LGBTQ2S youth and to build vibrant and equitable communities for all. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Donovan Reese via Getty Images Sunset,Tampa Bay, St Petersburg, FL While many think that Florida is for snowbirds and vacationing families, St.Petersburg is slowly becoming one of the America's most popular cities to live and visit. Advertisement Once considered God's Waiting Room with an aging population, the new generation of millenials is sticking around and there's a flood of young professionals moving to St.Petersburg. With an average of 361 days of sunshine each year, St.Petersburg is nicknamed the Sunshine City. The city is surrounded by water on three sides making it a great vacation for sailing, fishing or relaxing on the beach. While St.Petersburg charms vacationers to come back year after year, many are choosing it as a permanent home. Here's why: Vibrant Arts and Culture There is no shortage of traditional exhibitions to visit with the glass sculptures at the Chihuly Collection, Salvador Dali Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts. Advertisement However, art is also found on the street with a thriving street mural scene that sends a signal to visitors that St.Petersburg isn't like other cities in Florida. The city is so committed to its outdoor artwork that each September local volunteers host the Shine Festival, which celebrates local artists and welcomes outside artists to participate and engage with the community. No State Tax Florida is one of several states with no income tax, which attracts entrepreneurs from all over America. With strong growth and healthy employment opportunities, the younger generation is no longer leaving but staying to work, often in tourism. Craft Beer Considered to be one of the best cities in America for craft beer. There's an established craft beer trail with 27 breweries and proud locals are quick to choose their favorite local brew over a Budweiser. A progressive city hall changed zoning limitations to allow craft breweries to open. Established breweries like Cycle Brewing are welcoming new entries, choosing community over competition, understanding that St.Petersburg could be recognized as one of the best destinations for craft beer. Advertisement LGBT Friendly Community St.Petersburg actively promotes LGBT tourism and has one of the largest Pride Festivals in Florida. The city has a dedicated LGBT Welcome Centre, with a cafe for tourists as well as a space for LGBT youth to feel comfortable being themselves. Emerging Food Scene A new generation of restaurants have flourished in St.Petersburg offering up global street food options like Cuban sandwiches, and modern American cuisine. The food in St.Pete is so good it brings visitors from the neighboring beaches back into downtown simply to eat. For More on St.Petersburg check out the best St.Petersburg restaurants. GUILLAUME SOUVANT via Getty Images Hamed Sinno (R) and Haig Papazian of Lebanese alternative rock band Mashrou' Leila perform on stage at the 39th 'Le Printemps de Bourges' rock and pop music festival in Bourges, central France, on April 26, 2015. AFP PHOTO / GUILLAUME SOUVANT (Photo credit should read GUILLAUME SOUVANT/AFP/Getty Images) A swaying violin is what you'll follow first. Next, maybe a tambourine, and then a voice, low but elastic and billowing. These are the sounds of Mashrou' Leila, and you would be lucky only for a moment of wonder not to speak Arabic. It was a late discovery of mine, this project. Over red wine we traded music videos, my favourite Turkish song, their favourite Arabic. Fasateen (Dresses) is its name, and the video opens with a man, round brown eyes and stubble, sitting in an old car filling with fallen symbols of marriage and speaking, my friends translated, about an old lover. Za-ka-ray-la ... Remember when ... and then they piss into the wind to the credits. I sent myself an email, would never remember the name otherwise. Advertisement A few days later I was memorizing phonetics. Moving a hand over and over the rough wall of a foreign language. A few weeks later I was running on a wide, white stretch of pedestrian pathway wrapped around the Caspian Sea. The music sharpened everything around. The sunlight against the water danced violently. I knew the meaning though not the poetry, and every inflection seemed to carry it. A few months later a train rocked north along Milwaukee Avenue and in it I was singing quietly but wordlessly. Chicago was hot, without wind, and most of us glistened in line in the fading sun outside the brick lowrise of Logan Square Auditorium. The entrance cleaved an outdoor patio in two, and earlybirds sat on a stairwell leading into the concert hall. The women behind me, a handful in hijab and all in their twenties, chatted fluidly between English and Arabic. Like other groups in front as we shuffled in, a few split off to have IDs checked for a liquor bracelet, before we all reassembled into a glass half-empty-half-full kind of audience. The opening band made us dance, and we didn't know it but the five members of Mashrou' Leila watched our backs from the balcony before slipping forwards and onstage. Hamed Sinno, the vocalist and brown-eyed lover in Fasateen, said it was good to see our energy -- they weren't used to a crowd so small. It was like an echo of Belgian musician Stromae, who filmed himself as a street performer in New York City following clips of a hundreds-strong European crowd. For Mashrou' Leila that audience power lies roughly between Barcelona and Beirut. Advertisement An openly gay frontman, an Armenian violinist, a drummer, guitarists, poets, and composers -- they're either nothing like you'd expect of Lebanese musicians, or everything. Sending the rest grinning, Sinno swooned when his man on keyboard layered down to a slim white tee. Chicago was the second stop on the Ibn El Leil (Son of the night) tour in North America. It was before the Orlando attack on the Pulse nightclub. After it, the performance might have been melancholy. Maybe with a different line-up too, more ballads mixed with the anthems. They have a talent for mirroring events. A car bomb exploded in Beirut while the band recorded their third album, Raasuk (They made you dance), in Montreal in 2012, prompting a rewrite of title track Lil Watan (For the nation): "Whenever you dare to ask about the worsening situation, they silence you with their slogans about all the conspiracies being woven for us." In the calm heat of early June, in a revived ballroom taking cashing only, it felt like seeing a band with an underground following. Enough space to sway. Men holding their men or women. Women holding theirs. One, two songs from Ibn El Leil and then, something from our first album, Sinno said, and we cheered, guilty of the pressure Gord Downie captured, to "quickly, follow the unknown with something more familiar." The swoon of familiarity carried us two steps closer to stage. Za-ka-ray-la ... Despite the downsized Chicago audience, performing underground in Lebanon was years ago, back when Mashrou' Leila (The overnight project) formed at the American University of Beirut in 2008. Now, when Jordan bans the group from playing because of immorality, as the kingdom did for a few days in April, international media run the story. The band carefully sidesteps any caricature of its music as a voice for the environment they work in. Like the Arab Spring in 2011 and Lebanon's head start in 2005. Or laws that criminalize homosexuality, and taboos that separate sexual freedom and gender equality from popular strains of Arab and Muslim identity. Speaking to Vice, guitarist Firas Abou Fakher said, "it would be crippling to actually try to speak for others the way others often assume we should." Advertisement But kinetic and subtle revolutions, and all their countercurrents, are there in the lyrics. Intolerance elevates their art too, so that ordinary words are subversive. Kalam (S/He), set in a bar, is about getting laid when gender or identity are covert. Shim El Yasmine (Smell the jasmine) describes a man's beloved who can't become his husband, can't take the first of a hundred steps before that to meet family. Mashrou' Leila is revolutionary wherever love and sex are political. And try finding somewhere they're not. The band lands in Toronto for Pride and will find a country still politically charged with the sexual lives of its citizens. After skipping a beat, Toronto has a mayor who shows up at Pride again. Ontario has its first openly gay premier. Canada has a prime minister who oversaw the first raising of the rainbow flag on Parliament Hill, and an opposition party that voted last month to be neutral on same sex marriage. Change is slow, and Toronto has a bit of every forward and bigoted thinking from around the world. These fragments are found in the native population, and among the more than 50 per cent of residents who are foreign-born. Pride is a brand new revolution every year. A young Namibian who arrived as a refugee told me that Toronto's Pride unmoored him - he was not prepared for its intensity. He only ever hid his sexual self. Here, he faced internal havoc first before any sort of peace. The Canadian leg of the tour also arrives shortly after a resettled fan base of Syrians. Mashrou' Leila is beloved across the Middle East, though it's not always easy to show. Taboos, and wars too, prevent it. Neighbouring Syrians have their hometown concerts postponed indefinitely. Even before civil war began in 2011, notes of irreverent anger and powerlessness before checkpoints or less material barriers would be familiar. Today, Syria's warzone cities would share the quality, as Sinno described Beirut, of "making you feel like you're tied up to a floatation device and can only move with the waves that move you." Advertisement In Toronto, Mashrou' Leila will find a crowd with a diversity of intimate connections to their sounds and soul. Some still feeling weightless, in need of an anchor, or at least a violin. At first, I wasn't sure who the crazed-looking man was yelling at. "You can go home now!" he shouted. There wasn't anyone else around, and I realized he was screaming at me. "You can go home now!" he yelled again. "We voted to Brexit!" I was stunned. I tried to tell him that I am from Canada and Hong Kong, but he didn't care. "Go home!" he said one more time before shuffling off. I was more than a little shaken. London was the last place I thought I'd encounter this kind of hate. Where had I moved to? Advertisement A demonstrator, left, holds a placard as he speaks with a pedestrian during a protest against the pro-Brexit outcome of the UK's referendum on the European Union. (Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images) The week before I moved to London this March, ISIS attacked Brussels, killing more than 30 people in a series of co-ordinated bombings. I was living in Washington, DC, and the coverage of the attacks quickly focused on how the presidential candidates reacted. Donald Trump responded by calling the city a "total disaster" and boasted that the fear of terrorism is "probably why I'm number one in the polls." The puffy billionaire wasn't totally wrong. He'd been riding on the coattails of terror throughout his improbable presidential campaign. And even after becoming the presumptive Republican nominee, he wasn't about to stop. Advertisement The Brussels comments came after Trump attacked a judge for being Mexican, promised to build a wall on the southern border, and stop Muslims from entering the country. Oh, and he also didn't disavow support from David Duke and the Ku Klux Klan. Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally in Las Vegas on June 18, 2016. (Photo: David Becker/Reuters) His disrespect of anyone not white and male was making me sick to my core. After three years of living in the U.S., the vitriol that has polluted political discourse there was getting to be too much. Xenophobia had found its voice in a country that always called itself a melting pot, and it was a growing crescendo that started to really shake the roots of my immigrant soul. It was definitely time to leave. Moving to London brought with it the possibility of escape from this growing cacophony of hatred and simmering racism. A truly international city, made up of people from different corners of the world, it held for me the promise that I might fit in in a way I never truly did in Washington. Advertisement I looked forward to dim sum in Chinatown and chicken tikka masala in Brick Lane. And I thought of it as a homecoming. After all, I had essentially spent my formative years in the last vestiges of the British empire: I was born in Hong Kong when it was still a British colony and I moved to Canada six years before that country severed its final legal ties to the United Kingdom in 1982. Worst kind of fear-mongering I arrived in London as the Leave and Remain campaigns were in full swing. I watched in growing horror as a man who looked like the Grinch and spoke the same language as Trump (albeit with a British accent) spewed the same lies about immigrants and terrorism as Trump did. I watched with dread as another man with hair that looked like a messier version of Trump's read from the same script, urging voters to reject the post-war world order and break up Europe because it was the only way to keep migrants out. I read headlines in the Sun and Daily Mail that demonized refugees and blamed outsiders for the country's problems. And I realized that xenophobia and racism had also found their voice here, which was incongruous for a country that had spent the better part of its history conquering and colonizing remote parts of the world. I saw that Grinch-looking man unfurl a poster that made me sick to my stomach the same way Trump makes me sick to my stomach. The poster: a picture of desperate refugees with the words "Breaking Point" printed beside it in blood red. It was the worst kind of fear-mongering possible, blaming people who are trying to flee bombs and bullets and death. Advertisement A man passes a mural showing U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump sharing a kiss with former London Mayor Boris Johnson on May 24, 2016 in Bristol, England. Johnson was one of the biggest names leading the campaign for Britain to leave the European Union. (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images) And then, news of Jo Cox's murder, a week before the referendum. If it had happened in the U.S., I would have been less shocked, given the tenor of the debate and the access to guns. But this was Britain, and she was trying to convince her constituents that it is better to be united than divided, to deal with problems together rather than going it alone. For that, she was gunned down, by another crazy man, who was heard shouting "Britain First!" as he shot her at close range. I started to wonder what kind of country I had moved to. Advertisement I registered to vote after that. As a citizen of a Commonwealth country and a UK resident, I was afforded that right and I knew I had to exercise it. As I headed to the polling station last Thursday, I was hoping that common sense would prevail, but as the results started rolling in early Friday morning, I was less optimistic. By sunrise, it was all over. Fifty-two per cent had decided on Brexit. I tried to rationalize it that morning as I walked to the bank in Camden. Perhaps, I thought, it's a just rejection of globalization and a whole lot of Euroscepticism and not an indictment of Britain as a whole. Many people in smaller towns across this grand country feel alienated from London and from Europe and they just want to stay in their little world. But does that make them racist and intolerant? And then I heard someone yelling. "You can go home now!" A lone commuter shelters from the rain beneath her umbrella as she walks beneath a rainbow into the City of London across Southwark Bridge on June 27, 2016. (Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP/Getty Images Advertisement A few days later, the hashtag #PostRefRacism is trending. A Polish community centre in Hammersmith was vandalized. Polish construction workers working on a neighbour's home were jeered at by a bunch of young white men, screaming "Losers!" as they drove by. A Channel 4 reporter, Ciaran Jenkins, tweeted that he saw people shouting, "Send them home!" as he was shooting a report in Barnsley. A woman shouted "There's one of them, send that back" as a Sri Lankan child walked past with his mum. Ciaran Jenkins (@C4Ciaran) June 27, 2016 My taxi driver, who moved here from Afghanistan 15 years ago and has a British passport, told me long-time customers are showing their true colours. One man, after a 42 ride, simply refused to pay. Another said: "I could kill you now, and no one would care." He says he is scared -- not just for himself, but for his four children. And this may just be the start of it. No, Brexit can't simply be chalked up to a rejection of globalization and a fatal convulsion of Euroscepticism. I'm afraid it has unleashed, legitimized, and given a strong voice to the true horrors of racism, xenophobia, and hate. And that is a toxic mix, much more dangerous than any other consequence of Britain's short-sighted and narrow decision to leave Europe. Advertisement Gleb Garanich / Reuters A woman leaves a shoe store in central Kiev, Ukraine, April 25, 2016. An inscription reads: Ukraine is open for business. That's the new rallying cry of Ukrainian officials as they hit the road pitching the country's most promising sectors: agriculture, technology, fashion and tourism. Although the country has yet to get on the radar screens of business leaders and investors, it is off to a fairly decent start with the Canada Ukraine Business Forum held in Toronto on June 20. To be sure it is refreshing to see young, articulate, bright and English-speaking Ukrainian officials as the enthusiastic sales people for a new Ukraine. What a change from the dour faces of the former regime of the disgraced President Viktor Yanukovich. At the same time it would have been nice to see more businesses represented at the forum and to hear more success stories. Business sells business best -- not government folks. Advertisement On the face of it, Ukrainian officials are putting forth a good sales pitch: they sell themselves as pro-western and pro-business in a country which has a 99.7 per cent literacy rate and is just a two-day truck drive from most EU hubs. While the introduction of badly needed reforms have been stalled under the administration of Petro Poroshenko, some have gone through. For example, payroll taxes have been slashed and an electronic public procurement system has been introduced. Officials are rightly keen to play down the impact of the conflict in the East, which has robbed the country of about 20 per cent of its economy and ruined key infrastructure in the industrial heartland of the Donbas. This is key as many people, taking their cues from mainstream media, perceive Ukraine as a country on fire and mired in the conflict with pro-Russian rebels. Canadian PM Justin Trudeau test-driving a made-in-Ukraine interactive table with Deputy Trade Minister Nataliya Mykolska (R) (Photo: M. Bociurkiw) Advertisement The results of the Brexit vote notwithstanding, Ukrainian officials say companies that set up in Ukraine can take advantage of EU economic convergence -- meaning that wealthy European markets can be tapped by using Ukraine as a low-cost base for things like manufacturing and software development. To be sure, Ukrainian trade and investment officials have a long way to go to convince investors and major business to take an interest in the country. They would be well advised to pay a visit to Singapore, which describes itself as "the world's easiest place to do business." The city-state's savvy Economic Development Board develops long-term strategies to position the country and to maintain its competitiveness. One-stop-shop portals such as Contact Singapore make it easy for businesses to set up on the island. Singapore has what Ukraine sorely lacks: inter-agency cooperation to make businesses grow. I know for a fact that Ukrainian ministries hardly speak to each other and rarely act in unison. While Ukrainian officials like to trumpet the fact that the country has 170,000 kilometres of roadways, many key roads (i.e. Zaporizhia to Mariupol) are in disgraceful shape -- the result of sheer neglect. By one estimate, Ukrainian roadways need US$40 billion in investment over the next decade. Poor infrastructure is one of the key reasons that something like 20 per cent of all grain production is lost on its way to market. "Ukraine is changing and these changes are very dramatic for business." - Yuliya Kovaliv, Ukraine Deputy Minister for Economic Development and Trade On a deeper level, Ukraine is still grappling with the ugly "C" word -- corruption. It is still deep-rooted and widespread. The departure from government of key pro-western reformers -- such as former finance minister Natalie Jaresko and former deputy health minister Ihor Perehinets -- are cause for worry. Even Odessa governor Mikhail Saakashvili says he is being blocked on many levels in his bid to root out corruption in his Oblast. Speaking recently to the Guardian, the former Georgian president lambasted Poroshenko. "Now he's brought in a government which has not got any vision of reforms at all," he said. He referred to the new government, which has no foreign technocrats like Jaresko, as "a bunch of mediocre people." I don't consider the officials who represented Ukraine at the business forum as mediocre whatsoever, but I did expect them to have better answers for some of the main concerns of foreign businesses operating in Ukraine. One of the things business is averse to is risk -- and Ukraine, if it really aspires to become a new investment destination, needs to bend over backwards to create an attractive environment. Ukrainian trade and investment officials need to sound less defensive and be better prepared to give solid answers to tough questions. As one former Silicon Valley engineer told me: "Business guys love confidence." Advertisement A young lady sells sweets in Lviv's main square. Tourism is one of the best-performing sectors in western Ukraine. (Photo: M. Bociurkiw) For one, Poroshenko needs to fast-track judicial reform to bring rule-of-law standards up to Western levels. There are too many judges and far too many prosecutors clogging up the system and draining government coffers. Second, red tape needs to be cut dramatically. Even though Ukrainian official say it now takes two days to open a business in the country, I've yet to meet anyone who has received such velvet glove treatment. Third, Ukrainian ambassadors need extra resources and people to promote Ukraine in places like Silicon Valley, Bay Street and in SW1. Semi-autonomous trade promotion offices in key centres offer amazing pay-back for little money. Finally, as I politely told a technology panel at the business forum, trusted surrogates or influencers are needed to sell the Ukraine story -- titans such as Steve Wozniak, John Chambers, Mary Meeker and Eric Schmidt. Advertisement There is no dispute: Ukraine's got talent and I saw plenty of it on display in Toronto this week, from the state-of-the-art, interactive dining table produced by Interactive Restaurant Technology to firms such as SoftServe, Ciklum and Mirasoft doing research and making breakthroughs. I just hope that the government can get its act together to retain this talent, create an enabling environment for them to prosper and sweep out corruption and red tape. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: David Malan via Getty Images In 1975, Eastman Kodak, world leader in photography, unveiled the "digital camera." It was cumbersome and the photo quality was very poor... but it worked. I wonder if any of Kodak's employees imagined that this Kodak moment would, 25 years later, be seen as the forerunner to the miniaturization, quality and simplicity that has given virtually everyone access to today's mini-cameras... or that all 170,000 of them would be out of work due to the resulting bankruptcy of that same iconic company. This is a textbook example of the exponential development of a technology -- and the fallout. Can over a million traffic deaths per year worldwide really be eliminated with driverless cars? Could an app diagnose almost every disease and ailment on the planet using blood and breath samples, and a quick retina scan? Are automobiles as we know them to become relics? Many future thinkers say that these questions are not about "if" but, rather, "when" -- and that the "when" is imminent in all of these examples and many others. Advertisement Those who follow me know that I've developed an expertise in millennial/boomer experience transfer and the generational sea change society is undergoing. Others are watching "exponential technologies" and the explosion of what some are calling the fourth Industrial Revolution. I believe an earth-shaking metamorphosis is underway. The good news is that the millennial generation gets it and, as natural early adopters, are blending into whatever comes along almost symbiotically as each next big thing enters their very different (from baby boomers) lives. Why, for example, are many not interested in getting a driver's license? Read on. A European friend sent me a summary of an acquaintance's conclusions gleaned from attending a Singularity University Summit. Singularity University is NOT a learning institution. The California-based organization bills itself as "a public benefit corporation with a mission to educate, inspire and empower a global community of leaders to leverage exponential technologies to develop solutions to humanity's most difficult challenges." Considered and communal thought is essential now, arguably more than at any previous time, because every new technology disrupts the status quo. They are not the only organization looking past next week but they have been stimulating some of the world's best and brightest. Considered and communal thought is essential now, arguably more than at any previous time, because every new technology disrupts the status quo of work and workers, personally or professionally, and in living life in the broadest sense. Advertisement If Uber can replace cab drivers and fully developed driverless cars are about to go to market, doesn't it naturally follow that people will simply summon a car through a smartphone app, be driven to their destination (working en route), emerge and absorb the charge into their credit or debit stream? Then, why own a car? Why have a garage? Who'd need auto insurance? Why worry about crowded roads as they become less crowded? And if cars are mostly electric, we get cleaner air. What happens to the land used by gas stations and parking lots? The first cellphones in 1980 cost $3,000 and have morphed into the relatively cheap handheld computers of today. Haven't we experienced exponential change at a very personal level already? Hasn't the same simplification of technical complexity taken landline telecom carriers to the point where they have to continually tack in new directions? Hotels don't much like Airbnb; the cable companies don't want further development of internet television streaming (unless they control it); historical auto giants fear Tesla (soon Apple and Google) as electric car technology takes over. Governments worry about cryptocurrency (like Bitcoin) and banks certainly aren't benefiting from the growth of peer-to-peer lending or crowdfunding. We are on the verge of 3D printing most items and parts in offices, factories and homes, and food creation is becoming more robotic and aeroponic (nutrients supplied to grow plants outside of soil). Meat can be produced in petri dishes, meaning live farm animals needn't be plentiful and slaughterhouses will become extinct. Insect protein will be sold in supermarkets, packaged and marketed as nutritious, palatable to view, smell, touch and consume... and these are all the result of developing exponential technologies. This is only a glimpse of what is now experimental, but coming quickly to cost-effective adoption. Here are several takeaway thought-starters to consider: Advertisement 1. Is my job safe or will it become redundant or even eliminated? 2. Am I preparing to educate my kids for what is to come? 3. Will changes of this magnitude positively or negatively disrupt my life? 4. Are my hopes, dreams, plans, and investments sustainable? Many who likely never expected to see life as it is today will witness so much more in the imminent future. In fact, that thought may be more profoundly prophetic when considering longevity, averaging 80 years and rising. Age 100 is considered highly likely by 2036. Think about almost any field of endeavor or aspect of life and you'll discover people engaged in remarkable work to achieve dramatic results. Brave New World was the title of a 1931 book by British author Aldous Huxley. In it, he describes a world circa 2500 A.D. in which human embryos are "farmed" and conditioned for use in a so-called "world state." In fact, Huxley was writing what began as a parody of H.G. Wells' popular utopian sci-fi novels. Yet, Brave New World is an expression that endures to describe massive change. Who knows? With exponential technologies, what Huxley foretold should be quite possible long before 2500. Its utility, like so many things, will be entirely a matter of ethics. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: Chris Wattie / Reuters Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives at a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 22, 2016. REUTERS/Chris Wattie On October 19th, 2015, Canadians voted to change their government. Prime Minister Trudeau has been in office now for about eight months. The first sitting of Parliament has wrapped up. As MPs head back to their ridings for the summer, this is a good time to assess how real change has been taking shape. It was immediately apparent that this was going to be a different kind of government when the new Cabinet was unveiled on November 4th. For the first time in history, there were equal numbers of women and men around the table -- setting a new world standard for gender equity. Advertisement Strong signals about evidence-based decision-making were sent very early with the restoration of the long-form census and the unmuzzling of federal scientists. A more constructive tone was struck in intergovernmental affairs with the start of regular meetings between the prime minister and the premiers, Indigenous leaders and municipal governments. As promised, the government's central focus has been the economy -- investing in the most effective drivers of jobs and growth, bolstering the middle class and all those working hard just to get there, and battling inequality. Three key initiatives are particularly important in this connection: First, effective January 1st, the middle class tax rate was reduced by close to seven per cent, benefitting more than nine million taxpayers, while we asked the wealthiest one-percent of Canadians to pay a bit more to help offset the costs. Secondly, effective this July, a new Canada Child Benefit (CCB) will help parents defray the costs of raising a family. Compared to the complex maze of previous programs, the CCB is simpler, entirely tax free and better targeted toward those who need the most help. And it's more generous -- nine out of 10 families will be better off with the CCB. It will help lift some 300,000 children out of poverty. Advertisement Third, we have reached a vital consensus with provincial governments to enhance the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). The CPP was created 51 years ago by the Pearson government. In the 1990s it was rescued from financial peril and made actuarially sound by then-Finance Minister Paul Martin. Now Justin Trudeau, Bill Morneau and their provincial counterparts have agreed on a series of gradual steps to boost the amounts the CPP can pay out. I want to thank my own province of Saskatchewan for playing a strong role in achieving the necessary national consensus. At a time when three-quarters of those employed in the private sector don't have a pension plan at work, when the average 30-year-old is saving less than half of what his/her parents did, when two-thirds of those nearing retirement have set aside less than $100,000 to take care of themselves and one-third have no retirement savings at all -- it's clear that an improved CPP must be a national priority. And now it is. We have also returned the eligibility age for Old Age Security to 65, reversing the previous government's plan to slash more than $30,000 from Canada's lowest income seniors. We have increased the Guaranteed Income Supplement for the most vulnerable, helping some 900,000 elderly Canadians. And we have started restoring services and benefits to Veterans. On another front, Canada Student Grants have been boosted by 50 per cent -- making it easier for close to 400,000 young people from low and middle income families to pursue post-secondary education without a crushing debt burden. We've also doubled the federal investment in summer jobs for students -- generating 77,000 youth employment opportunities this year. Advertisement Going forward, the central pillar in Mr. Trudeau's drive to restore a decent Canadian economic growth rate is an unprecedented investment of more than $120 billion over the coming decade in essential community infrastructure. Beyond the basics of building new and better streets, roads, sidewalks, bridges, water projects and sewer systems, we have added new federal funding for public transit, social infrastructure (including things like child care spaces, facilities for seniors, affordable housing and emergency shelters), "green" projects to help mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change, and strategic educational upgrades. Investments like these are the single most cost effective way for the federal government to help drive jobs and growth in the period immediately ahead. To begin bridging the painful gaps between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, the government has earmarked $8.4 billion for better education, healthcare, housing, clean water and infrastructure in Indigenous communities. After a decade during which not a single project was approved to get Canadian energy products to tidewater, the new government has bolstered the integrity and credibility of the regulatory process to produce science-based, fact-based decisions that Canadians can trust and rely upon. Advertisement In the international arena, immediately upon taking office, we launched our promised efforts to rescue more than 25,000 Syrian refugees and bring them safely to Canada. We also re-shaped our country's participation in the coalition against vicious ISIL terrorism. Canada's new whole-of-government approach is more comprehensive and effective, including increased intelligence operations, more humanitarian and developmental work, and a far larger training effort. For a new government just eight months in the saddle, all of this makes for a pretty good beginning. Other important strides have been taken to regain a place of value and respect for Canada in international affairs, through the United Nations, NATO, the G7, and elsewhere. We have also successfully shed the debilitating label of world "laggard" in the fight against climate change. We have entered into new arrangements with the United States on border security to enhance safety, while respecting privacy rights and facilitating the efficient movement of 400,000 people and $2.4 billion in trade back-and-forth across that border every day. We have also introduced legislation to establish a National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians to better scrutinize government departments and agencies to ensure they are being effective in keeping Canadians safe and, at the same time, safeguarding our values, rights and freedoms. Another dimension of national security is responding to sudden emergencies. The governments of Canada and Alberta worked seamlessly together to mobilize local, national and international resources to battle that "Beast" of a wildfire that consumed some 600,000 hectares of boreal forest and forced the evacuation of 90,000 people from the Fort McMurray area. The courage of the folks in those communities, the strength and skill of all the First Responders, the leadership of the provincial government and the generosity of Canadians everywhere were truly inspiring. For a new government just eight months in the saddle, all of this makes for a pretty good beginning. But we know that much hard work still lies ahead. To continue its success, the government needs to keep trusting Canadians, listening to their advice, adhering to their values, and striving to meet their expectations. Advertisement Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: A fevered referendum has divided Britain and unsettled the world. I've previously criticised the tone of the Remain and Leave campaigns for stoking fear and hate, and we are now living with the consequences of their irresponsibility. But there's a simple reason not to be upset: haggling. This has not been a fight for the soul of Britain. Nor is it a battle between socialist left and the conservative right. This is a contract negotiation. Britain has long been unhappy with the terms of its deal with the EU, a discontent that goes back to when the UK first joined the Common Market. David Cameron tried to renegotiate our deal, but the British people decided by a democratic majority that the renegotiated terms were not good enough. Advertisement David Cameron - UK Prime Minister & Lead Negotiator Photo: Number 10 via Wiki Commons Our lead negotiator has resigned, because it would be untenable for him to remain in his position after the public rejected his deal and called for a new one. Because, beneath all the rhetoric, that's what's actually happened. The Leave vote was not a call for Britain to erect a huge fence, seal itself off from the world, and regress to a racist, subsistence society. It was a vote to leave the legal and political construct that is the EU, but there must be a new deal to govern our relationship with our neighbours. I've long argued that the British government should have published its Brexit plans so that voters could see there was nothing to fear from any new deal that would be struck in the event of a Leave vote. The government refused to do so, and the cynic in me believes it was because the Remain campaign would no longer have been able to exploit fear of the unknown as it tried to bully voters. It was a high-stakes strategy and its failure has left the nation profoudly divided. A Leave vote is not a lunge towards extremism and there are moderate options available to the country, which the vast majority of us can and will unite behind. There is no reason for Britain to be so angry at itself. During the campaign we were told that Britain would face economic catastrophe if it left the EU. Many criticised the irresponsibility of such economic fearmongering because a great deal of market sentiment is built on confidence, which could only be undermined by inflammatory rhetoric. As we saw on Friday, David Cameron and Mark Carney have already conceded that the scaremongering was untrue. Britain's economy is strong and it will thrive in or out of the political construct that is the EU. Advertisement There was also an attempt to frighten us into believing that there would be no free trade for Britain post-Brexit, but once again this was a huckster's gambit, an irresponsible campaign falsehood cynically designed to get people to vote a certain way. European leaders have already signalled that they want free trade with the UK. They have their own markets to calm, and there is no desire for mutually assured economic destruction. The misguided propaganda on the other side has also been exposed, with a number of leading figures in the Leave campaign already signalling that there are unlikely to be any radical changes to freedom of movement. As disappointing as it is that we were so fundamentally misled, we should take heart in the fact that both campaigns' principal arguments have already proven to be false and that neither of their extreme visions of Britian will come to pass. This referendum really was about sovereignty and the nature of our democratic system. Beneath all the dangerous rhetoric about the sideshow issues of the economy and immigration, what's actually at stake is our covenant with Europe: the complicated contractual relationship that governs our interactions with our closest neighbours. It is about to be renegotiated, and, as complex as that process will be, that is all it is; a contract renegotiation. Jean-Claude Juncker - Lead EU Negotiator Photo: Zinneke via Wiki Commons There's much speculation over what our renegotiated settlement with Europe will look like. I'd recommend reading the Adam Smith Institute's EEA Option and Liberal Case for Leave to understand what is almost certainly the most sensible approach now available to us. Those pressed for time can read an abridged version in Public Finance magazine. Advertisement No one knows the final shape of our renegotiated settlement, but it is likely to include the free movement of people, albeit with a degree of unilateral control. It is almost certain to include free trade, because both sides have already made it clear that's what they want. Britain will have a different legal relationship with the EU, giving it greater rights of self-determination in many areas, and a different method of helping to shape the laws that are essential to the functioning of a single market. And Britain will be free to strike trade deals with every other country in the world, many of whom have already signalled their desire to do so. There is no need for anyone to be angry. Both campaigns whipped up fear and hate in order to win, but there is nothing to be fearful or hateful of. This is a contract negotiation. We've rejected the terms of the deal we were offered and have just given David Cameron's replacement a huge negotiating chip, a mandate for a fundamentally revised deal with Europe. If I had one wish, it would be for Jeremy Corbyn to admit that, contrary to the claims he made during the campaign, Brexit does not involve the end of immigration, or the wholesale bonfire of our rights. I believe such a statement would help settle the justifiable fear and anger many people feel, and make it clear to the far-right that the Leave vote does not mean they have won. They haven't. It was moderate voters who swung the result, and it is moderate people from both sides who will shape the future landscape. The British people need to move on. Continued division is now the biggest threat to our civil society and our economy. Instead of clinging to divisive campaign arguments, let's see this for what it actually was; part of a contract renegotiation. Instead of adding to social, political, and economic uncertainty, let's start to work together. Instead of maligning democracy and deepening the rift by calling for a re-run of a dangerously divisive referendum, channel that strength of feeling, that political activism into something productive. Help shape the new covenant. Get involved. Write to your MP. Tell her or him what's important to you about Europe. The renegotiation process will be managed by the new Prime Minister and overseen by Parliament. Handled properly, neither Britain nor the world has anything to fear from Brexit. Like all the best contract negotiations, it is likely to result in a workable compromise that everyone can live with. Advertisement Anyone looking for more information should follow Roland Smith & Sam Bowman of the Adam Smith Institute, who are advocating a progressive, liberal withdrawal from the EU. Dear David, On the 24th of June your career ended with a vulgar political manoeuvre. In recent weeks, you imagined yourself as a cynical strategist, a cockney Frank Underwood but you ended in the manner of a Benny Hill show The fatal outcome was unimaginable to you. Certainly, the campaign was going to ravage the country, but you assumed that in the end people would fear the unknown and reject change. A referendum is a precious way to make sure the common order remains unchanged and to reassure the generally conservative nature of the people. Advertisement The referendum sequence was therefore well under way, with a soft campaign denigrating the Brexit camp and semi-defending the Remain and the European model, in order to get back the leadership of the Conservative party and to annihilate the ambitions of the UKIP. But then, politics is not 'Game of Thrones', and can end badly when one has only his own future in mind and not the common good. MP Jo Cox had to lose her life, she was a voice to be heard for progress and our future. Watching your personal shipwreck on Snapchat in 24 hours was somewhat tragic and extremely funny. What a funny idea you have, you the politicians, to expose yourselves on Snapchat, to always seek the voices, even the most improbable by using communication, rather than by taking courageous measure for society. It's probably easier to take selfies than voting for tax redistribution policies. It is also very easy to make people feel they still have power in a healthy democracy by offering large referendum, rather than ensuring ethical use of power (talking about Panama). France has no lesson to give in the above matter, at least when you take a fatal blow at elections, you resign. Because this is it David, the referendum was not only about Europe. It was the first time the forgotten masses, losers of Labour and Tories policies, had their say. What have you done for these people, who saw their incomes decline, their benefits disappear and lost their jobs, feeling it was stolen 'by foreign EU workers? You had forgotten them altogether. Advertisement For the supporters of Brexit, Europe is not a guarantee of security and stability, it is the insurance of their social meltdown and the origin of many of their ailments. To their fears, you responded with less security and more precariousness, leaving the Brexit comedians and clowns juggling with xenophobia, false promises and lies, with no other proposal than patriotic nostalgic reverie of a lost Empire. And to their astonishment and ours, it worked. So yes, it's true, it's unfair David, you are not solely responsible. You don't have to "do the hard sh** alone" as you said to your aides. The austerity policies imposed from Brussels, catastrophic financial policies from central banks and the liberal orthodoxy of our single market are also responsible for these fears, the reject of Europe and your defeat. Jean-Claude Juncker, Mario Drahi, and all your colleagues in Brussels will also miss you and you are right to find it unfair that they stay in office. But maybe one should not have proposed this referendum in the first place? Europe deserves better than that, right? European construction is complex, the laws, agreements, the lengthy work of cooperation and mutual understanding, it does not really amount to a silly double or nothing game. The English have shown you that they were able to vote Brexit. I recognize in this act everything I like about them, the punk mind, humour, big mouth and this wonderful islander mentality which tends to make them forget the world and good manners.. This referendum is a great Pandora box, why not propose another one about the need of the Monarchy? Scotland is proposing to hold a new one on independence, wait for Ireland... And then a last one on keeping or scratching the Commonwealth? India fought long to come out of the Empire, and it's really unfair to see that with a single vote Britain may leave Europe so easily. Advertisement Finally the referendum, for once, clarifies things. We are rediscovering that a country is a gathering of different people with very diverse opinions, for holding together it takes will, a common project of future and worthy politicians. With Brexit, everybody plays with cards on the table: your team is disqualified, the regions are back to life and Europe is pointing to what it is: a wobbly and fragile construction. And the good news is that democracy works. Thank you David, I wish you the best for the rest of your career. I am very much looking forward to hearing your first former British PM conference in Doha by the end of the year and discover your memoirs in book shops 'Of pigs, Brexit and life in the shadows' by 2022! Yours ever, There are fires and there are fires. There are limp summer barbeque fires, more wisps than roars, singeing the edges of paper before fading disappointingly into embers. There are mighty wildfires, broad, destructive and all encompassing. And then there's the incandescent rage that a lot of us have been in since about 7am on Friday morning when we woke up to the collapsed game of political Ker-Plunk that we're currently stuck in. The argument that I keep hearing from voxpops of Brexiters for the smouldering ruin of good sense that we're currently plummeting to the depths of has been "I did it for young people, to secure their future." This is the biggest load of bile I've been unfortunate enough to hear throughout this campaign and my ears have been cemented hourly with the stuff from both of the sides since the referendum campaigns officially kicked off. So, from the mouths of babes, here's my view on why that is totally and utterly farcical. This referendum has been a disaster for the English language whose keeping has been left in the hands of politicians who I would no more trust to come back with the right change from the bar as to handle delicate socio-economic predictions. Every word of every promise has been stretched, changed, subverted and moulded as to be unrecognisable from its current definitions. Ian Duncan Smith, Daniel Hannan and the rest of the prominent Leavers have spent days now wriggling and squirming away from their concrete promises on 350 million pounds more for the NHS, on immigration control, as if a promise was anything other than a binding statement of intent. Advertisement These figures and claims were not, as Ian Duncan Smith claimed, an "extrapolation". An extrapolation is an estimate or conclusion built on continuing trends. By definition, this was an entire shift change for the whole economy so all current trends would be naturally disrupted. Secondly, to campaign on a mere extrapolation that was based on these existing trends, one would have to point out "Oh, but this is a guess based on everything else staying the same. Which it won't. Of course, it'll be a monumental success. Do you have a minute to look at how well Universal Credit is going?" That's not what was said in debates, on television, in radio interviews, printed in newspapers, circulated on social media or delivered to the markets. Yet these were the figures the press, the media and politicians used in their judge's summing up prior to their trip to the polls. Here's an idea, when you are merely guessing and want to fairly reflect that your prediction is a guess, an estimate, a finger in the air - don't regurgitate it as fact, repeat it as often as your inward and outward breaths, don't share it as gospel. Do not have it printed on a sodding bus. A lot of the questions about benefiting the young could actually be answered by simply putting the EU question into other contexts and removing all mention of the word EU, which seemed to set off an emotional chain reaction of spluttering and fury. They might look something like this. Does it benefit young people to be able to live and work in 27 other countries as opposed to erecting boundaries such as immigration rules, visa requirements? Yes, obviously. There are over 2.2 million Britons employed overseas for whom we are responsible. The possibility of vacating the EEA ends our tenure as a beneficiary of freedom of movement. Suddenly our candidates require extra paperwork, sponsorship, time restrictions due to bureaucratic processes. Employers in cities like Dusseldorf, an engineering hub, looking at two similar candidates from within and without of the economic area will have reason to place extra scrutiny on our candidates given the potential extra hoops they will have to jump through in order to secure them. No politician can give guarantees that we will not be subject to employment rules governing visas and potentially employer sponsorship. Even subliminally, to say that that will have no effect on the way applications from British candidates are viewed is overly optimistic. Advertisement This will especially hit young people who are seeking to make a career in science and engineering where the current status quo means that our candidates can take advantage of facilities abroad that as a nation, we are failing to fund properly or to host due to our catastrophic treatment of science, space and technological funding in previous budgets. It's no surprise that the majority of research-led, leading universities came out firmly in favour of Remain, citing the disastrous effect on recruitment of staff, availability of attractive lecturers from overseas alongside the horrendous loss in their own funding of Brexit. In a time of zero-hours contracts and a lack of graduate level jobs, there is just a further example of the failure of the older generations to adequately feel the pressure on young people to look further afield to acquire gainful, meaningful employment. We've seen the repeated kicking and beating of young people, directed right into their right to a higher education for some years now from both Labour and Tory governments. Higher fees, cutting grants, squeezing the working class out. So the question we can ask is do students benefit from wider access to universities and cheaper fees? Again, a no brainer. The benefits of EU membership have given grace to providing a more varied, cheaper, employability focused alternative to students that will now be taken away from them. Currently, as EU/EEA students, young people are able to apply to universities across the entire EU while making the most of paying the same subsidised tuition fees as home students. Universities like the University of Leiden in the Netherlands charge around 1906 per year for tuition as opposed to 9,000 at home, a substantial saving. The courses are taught in English at a number of universities across the continent and students get the benefit of living away, expanding their horizons and seeing new parts of the world. Advertisement Even as a home student studying in a UK university, the EU also pays for the Erasmus programme which allows students to spend up to a year as an exchange student in an EU university. Not only is this an excellent boon to a student's CV in these competitive times, its particularly valuable to working class students for whom extensive travel for study is not financially viable. The Erasmus programme affords young people the opportunity to make friends and experience different teaching as part of their usual university experience, at no extra cost than their home fees. As of the weekend, Erasmus affirmed that is not clear whether this will be an ongoing privilege for UK students. Certainly it may not be economically viable, given the almost certain withdrawal of EU funding for UK education programmes. As these depressing answers pile up, let's address the question of democracy. Throughout the referendum, there were a multitude of slurs thrown at the EU that it was undemocratic, that the Commission proposed legislation we were all held by - mostly from politicians that couldn't give us a good explanation about how the EU even actually worked and overlooking the amendment process that legislation goes through in the European Parliament. Most people, in fact, didn't seem to know how the EU worked yet felt entirely able to reject it. "I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. It's looking at me funny, trying to subsidise Jobs Growth Wales. Grrr." Overlooking entirely that the Commission, since the Lisbon Treaty, is far more beholden to the elected European Parliament and even ignoring that we had British representation on the Commission representing our interests, let's ask the question "Is it fair to impose rules, trade directives, social directives on young people that we used to be able to vote on and amend as a nation, via elected representatives, but for which we have now given up our seat at the table - despite still having to adhere to all of them in order to protect trade and investment." It's like having a meeting about deciding where to go on holiday as a group except one person decides to go outside where they start singing songs from yesteryear with their fingers in their ears, only to come back in and find out they're off to wherever everyone else wanted to go. And seeing as no one liked them deliberately disrupting the proceedings, they're now sitting in the back with Auntie Deirdre who smells of cat wee. Happy days. Do you believe that the government will make up lost funding to the historically deprived regions subsidised by EU handouts, protect the rights of the vulnerable without an external figure? Have. You. Met. The. Tories. These ragtag bands of Old Etonian sadists have gotten every economic prediction incorrect for six years. They plunged us into recession after their failed austerity experiment. Ian Duncan Smiths' Atos and fitness to work tests have been implicated in the deaths of thousands of disabled people on benefits without any significant saving to the country and without incentivising or facilitating people back into work. This is while restricting young people's right to claim social housing or benefits, cutting education allowances for poor students and failing to invest in areas outside of London culminating in a society where the average resident in the North-East receives 24 times less money for infrastructure than a London resident, according to the IPPR. All whilst propping up a housing bubble that prevents young people from getting a home at all - not the odious "starter" home, not an investment/gamble/risk, but a home for what a house provides for ordinary people - a shelter, a safe place, security. A government of people who are so privileged that the term "affordable housing" encompasses properties worth almost a half of a million pounds. That's so far out of the average family's grasp, I don't know who would even stretch their neck to look at the vast expanse between what they want and what they can afford. I'll just look downwards at my rented bin and think about convincing my landlord to let me paint the lid. Our presence in the EU has meant that it is lucrative to come here, to open companies and to headquarter here. How many young people's jobs will be disrupted as corporations chase the subsidies and tax benefits which are benefits of remaining inside EEA territory? How many young people in deprived areas like South Wales will lose out from the apprenticeships and jobs provided via the 25 million pounds of funding given to projects like Jobs Growth Wales, which - unlike Ian Duncan Smith's welfare projects and unregulated, unfair, unpaid internships - guarantees a minimum of six months' work and experience at a proper wage. There's the answer to immigration that the Leave campaigners want! We will just ensure that they don't want to come here in the first place by haemorrhaging jobs at their doorsteps within the EU! They hadn't taken our jobs, turns out we had merely been holding onto their jobs this entire time. The fostering of Tory austerity politics didn't just break down our economy into what was and wasn't financial viable, it broke our communities down into an outsider's privileged view of what the poor could afford to live without. Goodbye libraries, to learn when you couldn't afford books. Goodbye community centres, respite for disabled carers, subsidies for the arts to show young people culture and to foster learning for young people for whom the creative subjects, much maligned by Tory governments, are where their talents and skills lie. Creative and artistic skills that, unlike pen pushers and bureaucratic dictators of Whitehall, cannot be simply replaced with a computer programme in ten years. Advertisement People went into this referendum hyped up on the lies and vague epithets of British values trumpeted by the Leave campaign, spoiling for a fight. Kick the EU! What has the EU ever done for me! It seems like the British public swung their fist at Brussels when the hurt to them had been inflicted by Westminster, again and again. My community is deprived! It's the EU's fault! Even though we were the fifth largest economy in the world with a democratically elected House of Parliament which could have directed money at local authorities to spend on services, education, the NHS at any time. On the one hand, complaining that Westminster broke our ankles and left us socially immobile before kicking the EU nurse when they brought painkillers in the form of desperately needed handouts for deprived areas. Snarling viciously that the EU was undemocratic, that it was meddling in our affairs without a democratic mandate and on the other, complaining that it didn't meddle enough because how could we have ended up in this state of affairs without being so overlooked? Sooner or later, once the dust has settled and the extent of the mess left by the earthquake is revealed, the responsibility will fall on us to concede it wasn't Spanish nurses and Polish baristas, it wasn't Brussels diplomats and it wasn't a political union of member states that rendered our country unrecognisable for young people. It was a bloated right wing media that cast aspersions on members of the community with foreign names and told you to be uncomfortable when someone in a headscarf spoke a foreign language on the bus, even when that language turned out to be Welsh. It was proto-Establishment demagogues with everything playing to insidious populism that made us jealous of the little we had being taken, demagogues who made promises that couldn't be filled. Certainly, it was Establishment governments that decried, derailed and diverted funding from planning for school places, care in the community, the NHS, ensuring that an economy of low paid, insecure jobs favoured their fat cat corporate friends. These untouchable business barons in turn piled money into the bloated right wing media and demagogues to convince us that really, the socio-political union who had recently proposed new powers on tax evasion was the enemy of social mobility. Now you can tell me you voted on any of those issues and I'll tell you it was your right to choose the box that you did. But don't, not now or in a million years, tell me you did it for me. Don't tell me you did it for other young people like me when young people voted at a significant 75% to Remain. You didn't ask me. You didn't ask us. You voted on the idea of a Britain that either ceased to exist or never existed, a Britain that tries to turn its back on the world because it doesn't want the hard work of reforming the peaceful union it was instrumental in building. You voted to devalue the contribution of other cultures and nations in forming the Britain of tomorrow, to ungratefully single out EU citizens without whom our public services grind to a halt. That isn't idealism. That isn't building a better nation. It's no different than building a wall to the outside world, one that we can't even build high because we have to reach over it in order to do anything. Advertisement Like most everyone, I do not make, or unmake friendships based on political or religious beliefs. I have strong feelings on both, but value nothing higher than my enduring friendships with people of various mindsets, who both think for themselves and evaluate the opinions of others as seriously as they would their own. No matter how much we despair at one another from time to time, sincerity is the condition of each meaningful bond. It is the foundation upon which respect is built. If I find someone insincere or of dubious character, it's no loss, I simply avoid them. In fact, it's broadly been of no interest to me if another person has the reasoning skills of a pebble, the creativity of a cork-board, the wit of a snail. Sense will always endure. But, today I and millions of others who passionately wished to remain in the EU for what we perceived as the greater good find ourselves nullified by the choices of a great swathe of people utterly at odds with our convictions. Democratic though the outcome is, there is an unnerving signpost of a deeper problem. But, really should it be so surprising? Advertisement It is not a difference of opinion that troubles me. Nor is it every voter who chose to vote leave. It's an apparent indifference among many to recognize, or cultivate a balanced opinion. Those who are only too glad to take on perpetuated myths, and inherited truths, be it from their newspapers, their peers, or their parents, wholesale, without question. They are not evil, and they don't think they are being lied to or used. Of course they don't; but they've continually shown undeniably scant regard for opposing ideas, evidence based information and expertise (lumping them in together as somehow elitist qualities). If you hear someone say they are being blinded by science when an expert offers an opinion, you are left with about as much confidence in their ability to vote as you'd have in a baby handing out prescriptions. So, when it comes to public forums of debate, it's hard to watch this kind of stubborn, willful resistance to open discussion go on without shame. It's barbarous to common sense. I do not mean to say that everyone who entered a 'leave' vote is the same, or everyone who voted 'remain' did so only after studious hours of research. I am not a child, and it pains me to have to state that. I do not need to be told not to tar everyone with the same brush. I know how insulting that is. I am talking about a very real, very specific, sometimes feral, always rueful, often angry and frequently disenchanted sort: the bigot. The ones we pretend do not exist, because we'd rather they didn't. The demigods of public houses, the dark horse of the coffee morning. They are almost everywhere. Everyone's favourite penguin-walking, "what tha fuck you lookin' at?" yob, or "I blame the Arabs" church botherer. Be they the old, tall, short or the young. Yes, statistically the older you are, the more likely you were to vote leave. And for the record, at 35 I also fell into this demographic, but I took no offense because, hey, I wasn't part of this particular statistic. Again, I know not everyone is or can be the same, but here is how I view the age thing: the day you mentality settle, and lay your table, and close the shutters on the outside world, is the day you give up and the day you belong to the past. There are people far younger than me who already retreated, and are positively senile, and those far older who'll never give in, whose wisdom and grace most can only aspire to. Advertisement When someone is resolutely disinterested in new information, even to the point of denying it exists, having gleefully disconnected from the mainframe, they become more primitive and devolved with every cold shoulder they turn; pencils mooning at a keyboard. I am beyond knowing how to indulge anyone so impenetrable. I can not love my enemy. I know there will be those who disagree, or think me obtuse, but does it greatly matter if I am challenged for being unkind, or indelicate, when I truly hold that something is this awful? Too often we're caught in a race of who can be the most respectful, and attack one another over any perceived offense from either side, in turn disrespecting the integrity of the person who is speaking. Fear of communicating with the verbally barbed sometimes means our frustration turns inward. Worse, we get the "everyone shut up" and "get over it" crowd from both angles that tries to seduce us into silence with its can't we all just get along impositions of guilt. No. Patently we can't. Look around you. This unhelpful tactic infuriates me no end. The brevity with which these sulks dismiss the voice of many millions whose lives may change completely, and not for the better as a result of this vote, shows just how lightly they must have viewed the whole process in the first place. Did they honestly, hand on heart, even consider the impact on Scotland, Northern Ireland, Gibraltar, Calais, passports, students, legislation, citizens in and out of Britain, the value of the pound... I'm not convinced. Given that many of these online cease and desist posts also come from the mouths of non-voters, there is no small indication that much of the frustration stems perhaps from an inability to express or engage with what is going on. A spiteful reason to suppress others from doing so. No matter what your approach, trying to censor or shut down any voice, let alone the young, on matters that profoundly effect them, is recklessly unfair. These are not tantrums you are hearing, they are a form of grief and tangible fear. Not fear of cultures unknown. Not fear of losing our national identity. Not fear of vacuum cleaner regulations, or challenging new ideas. It's fear from knowing history and the dangers of hubris. It's fear born of evidence and the bleeding obvious. This is three dimensional, IMAX terror. The monster is not under our bed anymore, it's within our sheets. This is the realization that half of our own people have such profoundly different priorities, that chime neither with our own sense of progress or values, or hopes for a united world in our lifetimes. Advertisement That the leave campaign as a whole, along with all the muck that surfaced in it's net, must not be criticized, is confounding. Save for the bold, albeit infuriating few who have said publicly they now regret their vote and wished they'd looked into it more before going to the polling station, I've seen little opinion from the sensible leavers regarding the ill-prepared, unraveling shadiness of the campaign itself. I do see a lot of anger and regret where they feel they're being thrown in with the Dad's Immigration Army crowd, which is quite understandable. What can we do then, in the face of such a disconnect? This mustn't be a stand-off between intelligence and a lack-of, that would be absurd, but it most definitely is a fight for engagement. Perhaps we ought to take ourselves to task also for every time we didn't call out a dangerous idea, because it was the social norm under whatever micro-climate we found ourselves in. Be it the pub, the school, the shop, prejudice was always there in it's most fledgling, pernicious form - words. We've all heard of the Paki, the Poof, the Fatty, the Scrounger. We've heard these words from our contemporaries, and even from minorities themselves. And we have probably each been guilty at least once of letting them slip by unchallenged. I had a friend whose parents regularly used the word 'faggot' to describe homosexual men, and got upset when a black person moved into their street because they concluded it would reduce the value of their property. They did not keep any company outside of their own family, and had no gay or non white friends. So, where did they inherit these ludicrous imaginings? Their own parents. Wrinklier, shorter, but every bit as unsavory. And, yes, I mostly kept my mouth shut. Why do we lack the courage to confront it? Is it because we don't want to be accused of being rude, or we don't want to get laughed at, knifed... or dumped? Or is it because we are programmed to want to belong, and the safety of the pack offers succour from the potential of being at sea with our own opinion? Each and every one of us has the muscle for private deliberation, and it has value. So in an age that prizes physical prowess above all else, perhaps we ought to oil and flex it. We mustn't be so naive to think this foothold of intolerance has come about overnight. It is our school friends homophobic dad we had to humour, our casually racist grandmother who hid behind a generational veil, relinquishing all culpability (but, god love her, she was a character, wasn't she?). There were many little sticks unwittingly stirring the pot over generations. And still we tell our youngsters they're better seen than heard. Keep Quiet and Carry On. No wonder they feel defeated. It's as if talking doesn't matter when facts and expertise count for nothing. It feels hopeless, impossible. And as long as the media and our representatives in government are not held to account by us for their continued, knowing use of misinformation to control a large, divided electorate, I can not see any way of beginning to unpick this knot. Advertisement I would say to those who voted remain - or leave - with their minds and conscience intact who now fear reproach for their thoughts; you mustn't be silent. You should never be made to feel bad for doing your research, expressing your ideas, and taking an active, logical, even emotional interest in the world and your neighbours. It's the height of kindness. Propaganda, prejudice, xenophobia and fear-mongering must never pass as common sense, no matter how many extol it, or who offers complicity with a blind eye. You are not wrong for holding a legitimately cultivated opinion, and you are not bad for saying so, or changing your mind. But together we must stop allowing a fear of offense to legitimise folly. As long as ignorance is bliss, the opposite is also true. The country woke up on Friday, 24 June 2016 to the news of Brexit as the new reality. I spent the night glued to the screen in a state of disbelief and woke on Friday after less than one hour's rest and wondered whether the UK's sudden and brutal exit from the European Union (EU) was a figment of my imagination. If I clicked heals three times like Dorothy chanting "There's no place like home" then the nightmare might surely end? Sadly, no. But it gets worse. There is no Brexit plan. An anonymous pro-Brexit MP even admitted as much. Prime Minister David Cameron had rolled the dice in an unbelievably irresponsible politically motivated gamble with the destiny of the country's future. But it was not supposed to end like this. Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty must be invoked for EU withdrawal negotiations to begin. Cameron, who fought for the UK to remain an EU member, announced during his resignation speech that Brexit should be managed by his successor who would be expected to initiate the process in October. The Brexit camp are in no hurry because they have no plan. Advertisement The consequences of Brexit extend beyond the UK. Senior EU officials are angry. They had not wanted the association dismantled. The mood in Europe is that Article 50 should now be executed without delay. We must be stiff upper lipped in that singularly British way and deal with Brexit. Or maybe not. Labour MP for Tottenham David Lammy points out the EU Referendum was non-binding and calls for a parliamentary vote on whether to go forward. MPs should seriously consider David Lammy's call for a vote in Parliament during this week. The price of Brexit as a political folly is too high. David Cameron is due to meet with EU leaders in Brussels to begin talks. Rather than plead for a drawn out Brexit that would further reduce the UK in the eyes of the world, Cameron should grovel, grovel and grovel and then inform the EU leaders that the UK has changed its mind. The referendum was not binding and a Brexit outcome is detrimental for all parties. It is in everyone's interest that the UK should remain within the EU. Advertisement Cameron is responsible for the situation and it was right that he took the decision to resign. The new Conservative Party leader need not be from the Brexit camp. The country needs a stabilising force rather than a further lurch to the right at a time when there is mounting civil unrest incited by a referendum process where open dialogue frequently descended into overt racism. There will be calls for a general election. The Labour Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn faces intense criticism and a likely leadership challenge for his apparent lack of enthusiasm for the Remain campaign. Jeremy Corbyn is not responsible for Brexit and my message to detractors is to get behind your leader and try to show the country that your party is fit to govern. Corbyn's low-key response to Brexit might indicate that he understands more than most senior members of his party the fundamental cause of dissatisfaction with migration that expanded under the Blair-Brown eras. The free movement of people was a disaster for communities in areas where employers can import cheap migrant labour to the detriment of a local workforce. The consequences are that the heart and soul is ripped out of the local community as migrants are brought here to be exploited and yet the political elite under New Labour and subsequent governments failed to act. Advertisement Chancellor George Osborne's dire warning in May that Brexit could lead to house price falls of 18% was dismissed by Brexiteers as "extraordinary". This pronouncement was symbolic in the referendum campaign. A predicted house price fall is mooted as a bad thing with both sides completely oblivious the 'warning' was a siren call for anyone desperate to secure their own home. Our privileged and arrogant political leaders could not see it. UK property prices need to fall by at least 40% to get near to affordability at a level recognised by previous generations. The mood around the referendum was ugly and it is worsening. The xenophobic rhetoric deployed by Brexit has resulted in a spiked increase in racist incidents reported on the UK's streets after a result where only 51.9% of turnout voted for the UK to leave the EU. The emergence of Regrexit would be a befitting end to the tragicomedy except that historical parallels of social discontent would propel the UK into a much deeper and darker place. Advertisement It felt like a punch in the guts. A smack to the head. The announcement on the radio, in such crisp and well-manicured tones, that we had left the EU - something we'd been part of since before my birth - that we had, for all intents and purposes, left Europe. I was waking bleary-eyed into a new country. I wanted to go back to bed. Sadly, the cosmopolitan, outward looking country I'd imagined I lived in now lay in the past. I was realizing - quickly, horribly quickly - that I lived somewhere else entirely. A place where the views of people like me and my peers, views broadly based around a progressive consensus of tolerance and openness, simply weren't reflected by the majority any more. I'd gone to bed in Europe. I'd woken up in England, and it was a much smaller and greyer country than I'd imagined. So yeah. It was bad. But what was even worse were the comments that followed. "You ******* stupid *****," screamed one Facebook associate. "**** you Britain," screamed another. "I can't believe how many ******* racist stupid people there are here." Advertisement The floodgates were open. Post after post of bile, rancour, Twitter tantrums. Now, being someone who's spent time researching hate speech, I'm very keen to get all this in proportion. There is a myth fuelled by the right that trolling is largely the preserve of supposedly privileged social justice warriors policing free speech on the web. Frankly, that's total bollocks - the worst hate speech online by some leagues comes from neo-Nazis, the manosphere and the "alt-right" as well as the kind of people who put posters of Trump (or Farage) on their walls. But that doesn't mean progressives are clean-handed - not by a long way. Most of the people in my social media circles are left, Remain voting, and some of them have to accept responsibility for the screeching. Caitlin Moran recently described social media as "a baby screaming and throwing tantrums", and if anything could describe the language on Friday morning, tantrum seems the most apt. It was shrill. It was defensive and toxic. I felt sickened and vaguely disgusted by the rancour on display by some - the shrill contempt for anybody who'd dared to vote against their own wishes. Some seemed genuinely incensed that the people had actually had the temerity to express their opinion by voting. (What was the point of democracy if it didn't give you the answer you wanted?) Even worse was the conclusion that because things had gone another way the entire exercise must be bankrupt. Several of my peers - intelligent, reasonable people in other circumstances - professed themselves "tired" of democracy if it produced results like these. What in God's name does "tired" of democracy mean? That we should give free elections a miss next time? Might Mussolini not have simply professed himself "tired" of democracy and simply called in the private militias? I live and socialize among progressive people like myself who dream about a better world, who see a path to the future in unions, grassroots revolts. "When will we finally have our working class movement?" lurks the perennial question. Well, sorry to say it, but the answer is right here. This was it. By demographic terms, the Leave vote was a working class movement. And yet because it didn't deliver the results my progressive friends actually wanted, the reaction was to pour scorn on it. Or demand another referendum. I can't be the only person who feels there's something deeply problematic about that. Advertisement Social media personalizes collective fury. It makes the lashings out of the mob feel like individual blows. This was a debate that already felt incredibly personal - a mark of one's deepest loyalties, commitments to progressive causes or as a protest against distant elites. So I have every sympathy for those who felt distraught. We all did. But let's be clear about this. There's a word for brandishing seventeen million people as bigots. It's called bigotry. I don't agree with the 52% who voted to Leave. I think it was small-headed, selfish and stupid, and I think there were definitely strains of xenophobia if not blatant racism mixed up in it. But what right have I to slag all of these people off simply because they don't agree with me? I've always worked in knowledge economy jobs, jobs that tend to benefit from overseas population influxes; for me the free movement of peoples seems like an inherently good thing. That doesn't give me the right to censor those who disagree with me. There was a sober tone to Boris Johnson's and Michael Gove's response to David Cameron's announcement that he would step down after the EU Referendum, as well there should be, after the painful campaign we have had. What became apparent over the past few months, was that this referendum was a proxy, not for or against austerity or Cameron's government, but instead it was about what sort of country we wanted to be. Concede, Confront, Clarify Politics has to change, particularly when we look at the debates around immigration, migration, culture and tolerance. Leaders need to concede where they have been wrong, where they are not in touch with public opinion and recognise that there is pain and disunity in the UK today. That's not to say that the populist view is always correct; so what are the 'red lines'? There will be times when leaders will still need to confront beliefs and attitudes. But this means persuasion, not some limp statement about 'our message is not getting across'. Politicians need to dare to change minds. Finally there needs to be a lifting of the fog - to clarify what will happen and what choices we have. Many people have said to me that they can't trust what they have been told, there is no objective agreed truth and that everything is opinion. This referendum has been dominated by 'lies, damn lies and statistics'. Advertisement Here are some practical ideas for the way ahead. 1)Don't talk down the electorate What this makes very clear is that voters are not unthinking 'sheeples ' to be dragged either way by party or other allegiances. There are already some damaging comments being made about how the referendum shows we are a more closed intolerant nation. As I gathered with some old friends for breakfast in a pub in East London on Friday morning, I found that two have them had voted differently but for the same reason. That is, both wanted a Britain which took a lead in the world, had moral purpose, kept up our promises to international aid. But both had concluded the best way to do this was to vote in an opposing manner. People had two choices on their ballot paper, no more than that, we must not make assumptions. 2)Don't talk down the pound ... in fact don't talk down anything else for that matter! It was rather surprising to hear a number of Remain campaigners, who I'm sure at heart are patriots, not give anything but a gloomy picture of the UK's future. The point is we don't know what will happen, the strong argument of the business and banking establishment didn't sway the majority of the voting public, so there must not be negative prophesying of economic collapse induced by sour grapes. The exaggeration and rhetoric needed to end as the ballots closed at 10pm on Thursday night. 3)Reinforce what is good about the UK Let's take the opportunity to shed the negativity of this campaign and talk up our country and describe some 'sunny uplands' both of our home nations and of Europe It does not have to be either or. We have a strong economy, we are living up to our commitments in foreign aid. We will continue to relate positively to Europe, to be part of NATO and we have an opportunity to make more of the relationship with Commonwealth. 4)Take a breath So what should happen next? It is good that David Cameron is neither leaving office immediately, nor has he yet triggered article 50, to leave the European Union. The nation, and to that matter the political establishment, has come through a period of difficulty in the campaign and have suffered a shock result. The last thing we need is for anyone to throw their toys out of the pram and act rashly. Advertisement 5)What did the people tell us? What did this referendum say about how we, the public, view ourselves as a nation? What do we aspire to be? We also need to recognise that this was a referendum not a general election, every vote counted - there were not safe seats, no marginal, this is surely why there was such a strong turnout... our votes - everyone mattered. So technically Scotland didn't all vote for Remain. If they had, remain would have won! Scottish and Northern Irish votes caused this result as much as anyone else. Something for the SNP to consider when threatening another referendum. Some people's comments were contradictory and divisive, but much was an expression of jadedness, a desire for something more than economic pragmatism which seems to only benefit someone else - 'the other'. Hence we need a period of calm to concede, confront, clarify. Trust has to be built again, away from campaigning and spin. We need some 'anchor institutions', trusted places which have the confidence of the people, because of their longevity and inherent integrity. Obviously faith communities can be a key stablising factor and already have a connector role in society as anchor institutions outside the political fray. The Archbishop of Canterbury swiftly released a statement after the results were known. But we know the real significance of faith communities is how they affect and support people at grass roots, providing a place to come together aside from political tribes and opinions. Indeed there are some people who could be seen as 'anchors' in the same way, who could be called upon to aid the government in this time of transition. Stephen Timms MP is a labour politician respected across parliament, with his knowledge of local communities, as MP for East Ham and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on faith and society . His experience in the treasury in the difficult days of 2008/09 is surely an asset for this next season. If we are looking for a compelling 'One Nation' narrative then Jon Cruddas MP has proven credentials. He has tangled with difficult issues and seen off a surge of BNP support in his Dagenham Constituency. Blue Labour championed by Cruddas (like the Compassionate Conservatism & Red Tory of Steve Hilton and Phillip Blond) describes a vision for Britain more in tune with those who feel disenfranchised by the last 2 decades. Charlotte Leslie MP was a late arrival to the Leave campaign, which probably makes her quite representative of the country as a whole. She wrote a great piece earlier this year on why she was on the fence and could therefore be someone who may have a unifying role as she has shown herself to be able to consider both sides of the argument. Whether we need a Government of National Unity or just a cross party EU extraction team there must be a role for the likes of these. It is time to lift the fog and describe a vision for tomorrow. It was a common claim of the Leave campaign, and UKIP in particular, that being pro-EU is something of the liberal political elite or the 'establishment'. Speaking to supporters early on Friday morning, Nigel Farage described the Brexit vote as "a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people". The Remain campaign lost, that's now a matter of historical record. However, the 48 per cent or the 16,141, 241 people who voted to remain in the EU, makes us a pretty large 'establishment'. Just as it would be grossly unfair to describe all Leavers as racists or xenophobes, it is also inaccurate to see all of the 48 percenters as 'the establishment'. Maybe some of us are ordinary decent people too. The question is what should we do now? Spending far too long on social media on Friday, I noticed that, rather than celebrating their victory and extolling their grand plan for Britain's post-EU national re-birth, many Leavers demonstrated a remarkably thin-skin in response to the anger, upset and frustration expressed by those who had voted to remain. Name-calling and being mean to one another on a personal level is neither nice nor helpful. However, just because the majority voted to leave the EU, doesn't make the decision sacred or beyond criticism. Exercising power collectively, as we do in a democracy, also means taking responsibility for poor decision-making and the criticism associated with it. There seems to be a palpable sense that we should now accept the will of the people, move on, and get to work 'rolling up our sleeves' and making Britain great again...keep calm and carry on, muddle through, have faith in your country etc. The 48 percenters need to reject this. By accepting this, we would be buying into the post-imperial nationalist fantasy of the Leave campaign. As of Thursday, Britain's role and influence in the world has diminished and its economic stability has been undermined. Accepting this is not doing your country down, it's acknowledging the realities of power in the international system. It will be cold outside... Advertisement The 48 percenters are not a unified group and we had a variety of different reasons for voting to remain in the EU. It might be enthusiasm for free trade and free market values, it might be about the role the EU has played in improving worker's rights, or simply a desire to preserve the status quo and to avoid the turbulence that Brexit has now brought. Remain was after all a campaign that united investment banks, trade unions and those who were previously ambivalent about politics. There might even be some genuine enthusiasm for the idea of a united Europe. That after centuries of violent conflict, including the world's two most destructive wars and several genocides, we could be better than all of that. That we could live together peacefully and share both citizenship and a common identity. The EU remains the best framework for achieving these aims and has no obvious rival. A second referendum isn't going to happen any time soon. Britain will now leave the EU. It will be politically impossible for the British government to ignore the voices of nearly 17.5 million people. What the 48 percenters need to think about now is how to return Britain to the EU. It involves acknowledging that the EU has some significant flaws. However, the organisation has evolved significantly since its creation and the claim that it can't change flies in the face of its own history. But change comes from within and Britain should be part of that. It also involves an acceptance that many people in Britain feel uncomfortable about the EU or have a limited understanding of it. Many of the facile claims about the EU made by the Leave campaign (our imaginary 350 million a week contribution for instance) were internalised by voters because of this. This doesn't mean that the British people are stupid, rather that the progressive case for the EU wasn't made clearly enough. In the short-term, Labour do share some of the blame for this. Advertisement However, it's also a longer-term problem. Despite being a prominent member for 43 years, the EU is curiously absent from Britain's national story. The story of Britain's victory in 1945 is remembered fondly. However, the role that EU membership has played in helping Britain to successfully adapt to changes in Europe and its own declining power in the post-War world seems forgotten. As a result it's easy to create an image of the EU as alien, intrusive and working against Britain's national interest. These perceptions can be changed - xenophobia and Euro-scepticism isn't innate to British politics. The EU referendum result was a disaster for the UK. Others have written about the huge uncertainties and dangers which lie ahead. The Conservatives' problems are well known, but for Labour the situation is if anything more critical. It is crystal clear that neither the old solutions of "New" Labour nor the fundamentalism of Momentum and the Corbynites hold the answer. We need a fresh start and fresh legs in a completely reshaped Labour Party if we are to survive as a political force, but I think we can find a new way forward for Britain if we reach out across the old political spectrum, reconnect with our core values, and tether ourselves to the hopes and fairness of the British people. We hold these things to be true: all people are equal. The choices we all make and the hopes we hold for ourselves, our families and our country are very largely realistic, worthy and laudable. Some of us mourn the leaving of the EU, because we envisaged a future for ourselves surfing the waves of globalisation, taking chances never dreamed of by previous generations, welcoming technological revolution and tackling global problems like climate change and migration head on. For this group of us a technocratic government, legislating for individual freedom within a framework of rights, and letting the forces of global capital work freely to support both personal and economic growth, has worked just fine, though many of us have championed measures to recompense losers in such a race. I call this group the #IndecentMinority as in the UK we are the 48% who voted to Remain (thanks to Jo Rowling for that phrase). In the world we constitute a minority too - but a large and powerful one. Advertisement The second group, the #ToughTimesMajority (of 52% in the UK and many millions worldwide), includes very many of us who are rightly fearful of global pressures, and often with personal good cause because it puts our chosen dreams at risk, shatters security in work and financially, breaks communities, limits freedom, and exposes us to cold economic futures. For decades now politicians of all sides, both national and international, have told those of us in this group to hop on the global train, but for the many who are not willing or able to do that it is an unwelcome message. Why should we? And when we see school budgets fall and class sizes rise with a curriculum that serves neither those keen to surf the globe nor those who want to build careers and families closer to home, when we see healthcare rationed and downgraded and workers pressed to the limit, when we see our communities weakened and local elected councils unable to cope, when our secure careers in proud industries are replaced by zero-hours contract jobs, when we hear our parochial but beloved traditions traduced by others who value global above local, we feel belittled, unheard, and left behind. The referendum has accentuated these two rather different dreams but one ambition: a brighter future in a fresh new fairer Britain. Both Remainers and Leavers want that. I think a substantial majority of both also want to rescue from this mess what is best about Britain, embodied by the too short career of MP Jo Cox, who appealed famously, from her vantage straddling both the Indecent Minority as a Cambridge graduate and MP, and the Tough Times Majority from whom she sprung and who she represented so assiduously, "We are far more united and have far more in common with each other than that which divides us". In the past I have been, like most Labour people, a loyal but critical campaigner for Jeremy Corbyn and those around him. I have also been critical but loyal as a councillor, candidate, policy forum member and campaigner to Neil Kinnock, John Smith, Margaret Beckett, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Harriet Harman and Ed Miliband. For goodness' sake, I had Harold Wilson leaflets on my belly in the pram, and his signed photo by my bed as a teenager! I do not think it is disloyal now to recognise that the scene has changed forever, and that our politics will change with it. It is time for a new political force to rise from the ashes of the old Labour Party, and reach back into our country's history and forward to a new future. Advertisement By offering a broad vision of a country that offers people a chance to find a brighter future in a fresh new fairer Britain, with a new set of leaders making an explicit appeal to others who share this ideal, from all parties and none, with no set ideology but trust in every one of us to play our part, we can start to build a new force for government that can focus exclusively on helping us all find security, fairness and to use our talents for the common good and to explore our own limits. Though I often follow flights of fancy in my own mind, I rarely share them with the public. Furthermore, posting about politcs rather than tech is definitely outside my comfort zone. However, today's Brexit vote has changed that for me. When I first saw someone tweet #IndependenceforLondon and #Londependence, I laughed and thought it was a joke, yet the more and more I consider it, the more I realise that it is not only practical but in some ways inevitable. London spoke out overwhelmingly in favour of staying in the EU, one of the only parts of England to do so. If London had been a patchwork of results with some boroughs in and some out across the city, I wouldn't be writing this piece, but it wasn't. Though there were some boroughs where the votes were less decisive and a few on the edges chose to vote to leave, in the main we voted as a block. In this I am reminded of the 2015, elections where London voted mainly Labour/Lib Dem, and the country went Conservative. Advertisement This is the second time in two years in my mind where the central core of London has voted for something and been overridden by the wishes of people with whom, to be frank, we begin to feel less and less in common with as they endorse a more conservative social and economic policy, and vote against issues and ideals that we hold close. There have been many comments today on Twitter, where people have said that London needs to accept the democratic turnout and deal with it. Yet, when you live in a system where your democratic voice will always be drowned out by another large group, with no checks against that, you have to ask whether you want to participate in that system. Although this may be true of many liberal cities the world over, like Austin in Texas, for example which votes Democrat in a Republican state, in terms of scale London is large enough to suceed with more freedom from the UK government. Also Austin has the hope that other parts of the country may vote democrat and even the scale, there is no such balancer for London in the UK. Now the notion of an independent London is a bit farfetched. I mean many countries do happily have a land border with another country, so yes, we could build a giant wall. This is less likely, but it is what we would need to do if we are to stay inside the Schengen zone as we can't have a soft-border with a country that doesn't offer freedom of movement. So let's shelve that notion for a moment and look at some reasonably practical things that London can do if the UK gets more insular and closed off. I'll be honest, not being an economist these are just ideas, we have two years to research the good ones. London post-Brexit could see: Increased powers for the Mayor of London to implement and ratify UK legislation where it pertains to governance and how they affect the city rather than foreign policy. Advertisement A devolved London-only council, that has full control over domestic issues within the city, with multiple representatives from each borough that must ratify the effects of UK legislation where it pertains to London. Tax revenue generated in London being retained for use to grow London-specific services like, hospitals, roads, transport, housing, infrastructure etc, rather than being distributed across the UK The ability to establish trade agreements under the EEA, and control/waive tariff rates for goods and services on companies registered within London Full control over corporate tax rates and laws for companies based in London London specific easy-access Visas for any EU National with return flights booked to and from London airports and a fast track system at the airports that does not impose import taxes etc. London work Visas granted for people who wish to move and work within London tied to rented or owned properties within the city rather than company sponsorship. Advertisement And more I'm sure we can think up as this is discussed. This is just a snapshot, but the freedom to control its own agenda, and to guarantee a Europe-like agreement to companies that wish to operate in London would provide a great benefit to the city and more important measures like this would allow London to align itself closely with the EU something that we have demonstrated we want. Furthermore it would allow us to address some of the issues that this city alone has to deal with. There are precedents for this, China and Hong Kong have a similar relationship, where one country controls foreign policy, and the other has large amounts of independence over its internal controls and in doing so thrives as an international business hub. We can also draw parallels in this arrangement with the strong role the Mayor of New York plays to guide the direction of that global city separate to state legislature. I'm sure that we can construct this idea even further over the next few months/years, but the fact is that Brexit has set a precedent in this country for dissolving existing unions in the name of democratic public demand. The UK is leaving the EU, Scotland will vote again on independence, Northern Ireland has rumblings of reunification rather than building a hard border with the Republic and damaging the peace process further, so why not London? It is now the morning after the morning after the morning after the night before. Like a partygoer after a particularly heavy session we're perhaps only now recovering from the three-day hangover of Brexit. After a turbulent few days, several arguments with friends and family, a number of advisory notes to clients and contacts, I feel like it is time to sit back and marshal my thoughts properly. I was a Remainer. I still am. I would love a way to open up that keeps us in the European Union, or at least very close to it. I am worried about the economic consequences of exit - less in the long-term, but certainly in this extended period of negotiation with our jilted friends across the Channel. I am worried about the uncertainty, about the deals that may be held back, the investments that may not be made, the jobs that may not be created. I am also worried about how Britain is perceived, my foreigners living here, by people all around the globe - and by ourselves. We should all worry about these things. But at the same time we have to roll our sleeves up. This is where we now are. In the long-term this could be good for us. It could and should reshape our politics. It could rebalance our economy in much more radical ways than have been possible so far. It is a statement of fact that British exports are already cheaper now than they were last Thursday - and as a result some share prices rose on Friday. Every cloud, eh? So who knows how this will play out in the medium to long-term? And in the short-term, with luck, people will hold their nerve. We must all be determined and focused. Advertisement We will never be focused, though, if we don't acknowledge this new landscape. My fellow Remainers need to get over their outrage quickly, and accept that the result is the result. It is legitimate to be disappointed, it is fair enough to be angry about the campaigns, both of them, it is right to criticize David Cameron for putting us through this stupid process in the first place - but challenging the actual result, questioning the motivations or intelligence of those who voted to Leave, these are not acceptable. We should ask ourselves this: if the result had been 52% to Remain would we have hailed the victory and moved on quickly? The answer is yes, so the reverse has to be true. Stop whining. This is democracy. I despair at all that whining. Yes, some porkies were told in the campaign, but our side also made claims that were exaggerated at the very least. Who knows whether the number of people scared into voting Remain exceeds the number misled into voting to Leave? This isn't the point, anyway. The one solid fact is that 17.4 million of our fellow citizens voted out, and they won. No petition, even one with 3 million signatories, no vote in Parliament can change that fact; and it would be fundamentally undemocratic and dangerous to fly in the face of the view expressed last Thursday. We shouldn't. We have to deal with it. And, anyway, the anger and disdain of the 'metropolitan elite' is exactly the wrong response. Remain lost because many, many, people feel disenfranchised, patronised and ignored. So what are some proposing now? To circumvent and talk down to the Leavers again! Daft and damaging; instead, we must listen to the 65% of people in this country who did not vote to stay in the EU. If we want anything to change we have to understand why, really, Leave won, avoiding lazy stereotypes about racists and UKIPers. After all, this is their country too; arguably, given they got a majority, it is more their country than ours. But we need to avoid divisions like that. We need to pull together, not be driven apart. This challenge is biggest for Labour. What a shambles they are in! The referendum has shown again that the Party is now utterly divorced from its core supporters, other than in London. So Labour's failings in the campaign were not down to a lacklustre performance from Jeremy Corbyn - though refusing to appear alongside Cameron was typically petty and student-politcky - but due to years of neglect. Labour has been led in recent years from the right and from the left, but almost exclusively by middle class smartarses based in London and advised by the too-clever-by-half. Whatever happens in the current round of bloodletting, the Party needs a leader capable of reconnecting with its base. Advertisement Speaking of the too-clever-by-half, the campaign has been disastrous for many on the Remain side. The failure to learn from Better Together was shocking. The decision to entrust Stronger In to a group of New Labour insiders, given their inherent lack of feel for what voters actually want, was stupid. The advice that a strong turnout would be good for Remain was just wrong, and showed up how hard pollsters are finding it to talk to those who are hard to reach, engage only spasmodically with politics and respond well to populism: anyone feeling complacent about Clinton vs Trump should take note. The reputations of pollsters and political strategists have taken another battering. More than anything, the result shows what people like me said all along, that a negative campaign would backfire. Perhaps I didn't anticipate the extent to which Leavers would regard all experts as liars and all interventions by foreign bodies as provocations, but it is definitely true that Remain never set out a positive vision, a reason to stay in, even a simple message, around which people could rally. There was passion there to be tapped into - look at the outpouring of grief since Thursday - but it wasn't fired by the campaign. For that the blame has to be laid at the door of David Cameron and those around him. The decision to hold the referendum, the useless and negative negotiation which could have sought positive reform or a future vision and didn't, and the direction of the campaign: all will ultimately be associated with Cameron's leadership. It is an unfortunate epitaph for a fundamentally decent man. All of that is to look backwards. As I've said already, we need to roll our sleeves up and look forward. There are some pressing issues to deal with right now, starting with the negotiations with Europe. For one thing we don't have enough trade negotiators: we handed this skillset over to Brussels years ago. There is real concern - expressed too quietly during the campaign - that we will be disadvantaged as a result in our negotiations with the EU, let alone with all the other countries we now need to agree deals with. This is a difficult problem to solve; maybe, seriously, we could borrow some, at least at first? The negotiations with Brussels will be delicate. I have described the EU as jilted, and that is surely how it will behave, at times angry and dismissive, and at times loving and desperate. We need to tread a delicate path, pursuing a way out but also supporting reform of the EU itself. Who knows what will happen there? The threat of Brexit means that the Union is facing a real and existential crisis, and may in response finally reform itself sufficiently to satisfy its critics, including in this country. And then, who is to say that after a second referendum or a new General Election we won't want to stay in after all? Advertisement Nicola Sturgeon will be hoping so. She is caught in a cleft stick, having to moot the possibility of a new independence referendum because she said she would, but anxious about whether she could win it or whether she even wants to win it, with the oil price where it is and with no resolution of the currency question. The way out would be for Britain to remain, or at least to negotiate such a good deal that there is no need for Scotland to leave. She will be proceeding cautiously over the months ahead. The same is true in Ireland. Perhaps the most difficult of the issues within these islands now is the status of the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland. Would it remain open to facilitate trade and the flow of people - and so then would we check passports between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK? Or would it be reinstated, undermining the economy on both sides and jeopardising the peace process? There is no satisfactory answer to these questions. Finding a way through will be hard. Perhaps the most pressing challenge, the one that needs immediate attention, the one that Cameron should focus on in his last days in office, is what this vote has said about Britain and our relationship with the world. Foreign citizens living here are already worried, both about their status and also about the way Brits may be thinking about them. Outside the UK some have perceived the referendum result as us turning our backs, becoming inward-looking. Things were said during the campaign which bordered on xenophobic, Islamophobic or downright racist. Some may feel this was a victory for UKIP. As already discussed, many feel very angry and badly let down by the campaign, as well as the result. All in all, we need to work hard to reassure the people who are here already, and the world outside, that Britain remains tolerant, cosmopolitan, a player on the world stage, committed to aid and trade and cultural exchange. This can't happen soon enough. Over to you, David Cameron: time to lead on this. The new leader of the Conservative Party, the new Prime Minister, will have to pick up all of these. Whoever it is must be a big figure, capable of healing wounds and uniting us, capable of leading complex and detailed negotiations particularly in Brussels, capable of dealing with Scotland and Ireland and many other issues besides. This, for me, is not Boris Johnson. He is now a divisive figure, reviled by many for the way he campaigned. He has not so far demonstrated that he is dedicated enough to master detail. He has never held senior ministerial office; being Mayor of London, where your biggest responsibility is for Transport for London, an organization which pretty much runs itself, is nowhere near the same. He is not hugely liked or trusted by his fellow MPs. Boris would at best be a flawed candidate. Advertisement Stefan Wermuth / Reuters "If we lose this referendum campaign then I'm f****d and I'll resign". As Conservative Party Chairman I was one of a small number who attended twice daily meetings in the Prime Minister's No10 study for two and half years up until the last election. As a result, I became familiar with David Cameron's direct, often candid approach. Nonetheless, I was still taken aback by his rather brutal assessment, made at the midpoint of the referendum campaign. This was the first time I'd been back in the PM's study since last year's General Election. Cameron was eager to gather Remain support from the handful of Tory MPs who had yet to declare, of which I was one. Slipping back into my old Party spokesman role, I was momentarily tempted to make light of his blunt, blue and unpublishable expletive by joking about whether this was his new 'Line To Take'. But before I had the chance, he continued, "The reality of this referendum is that if the outcome is leave, then I'll have no choice but to resign." Advertisement So when David Cameron emerged from the front door of No10 Friday morning, I was already clear that he was about to announce his resignation. As he put it, "I do not think I can be the captain to take the country to its next destination." As it happens, the day before, I had voted Remain. Not through any love of the EU. In fact, their endless meddling - often in quite minor domestic policy - used to drive me crazy as a Minister. I can recall numerous occasions where officials would present me with a decision, only to add a footnote instructing me that "Your answer must be yes Minister, otherwise the EU may commence Infraction Proceedings". I would occasionally scribble back, "Please tell me, what is the point in having Ministers of the Crown if the decisions have already been taken elsewhere?" Naturally these frustrated box note comments always went unanswered. And so it was through somewhat gritted teeth that I voted Remain last Thursday, largely because I reckoned that the process of EU divorce, the potential lack of European market access and the general upheaval to the British economy, probably added up to more than the sum of my frustration about overbearing petty EU laws. However, on balance, the British people are sufficiently fed up with EU meddling that last Thursday they did order a new destination for HMS Britain. And whilst that decision means that we will lose the natural advantage of automatic market access to Europe, on the plus side, in the future we will no longer need to worry about those 'infraction proceedings', because our law will once again reign supreme. Advertisement And whilst I may not have voted to Leave, I believe that our task as elected representatives on the governing side, is not only to make the best of the hand we now have to play, but to turn this newfound freedom to our positive advantage. I think there are three things that need to happen next. First, we need to become the world's greatest trading nation in order to provide our citizens or perhaps that should be Her Majesty's Subjects once again, with the kind of public services they deserve. To get there we need to top the chart as the best place in the world to do business and rediscover the spirit of export once again. During the coalition government the Prime Minister used to chair meetings in the Cabinet Room where we would sit around discussing ideas that might free up British business in order to allow expansion and new jobs. This process took each sector in turn and looked for red-tape to tear up. Needless to say, sometimes that enterprise blocking bureaucracy didn't come from Whitehall, it emanated from Brussels. Yet we were of course completely powerless to remove it. So I suggest that a new administration begins by restarting that Red Tape Challenge process and this time we identify all the pettifogging EU rules which we can soon jettison in order to help make Britain the world's best place to do business. Second, a lot was made of immigration during the Referendum campaign. I found this debate neither honest nor enlightening. It was one of the reasons why I didn't back the Leave campaign. Promises to get immigration down to the tens-of-thousands has, in my view, never been remotely realistic. It was never likely when David Cameron said it. It's no more believable when it comes from the Leave camp and, as I'll describe, it may not even be desirable. Either way it is probably less likely today than it has ever been in the past, despite Thursday's momentous vote. Whatever your views on immigration, we actually require some of it to achieve our national goals. Brits actually need the world's best surgeons, doctors, scientists and businesspeople, not just those who happen to have been born here. We've have always had 'control' of immigration from outside of Europe, yet even here we have been unable to get the numbers down to the illusive tens-of-thousands. That is because zero immigration would be incompatible with our national prosperity objective. I know that this is an uncomfortable truth and yes it does put strain on services like schools, hospitals and housing. Whilst I welcome the idea that we will soon be able to set our own Aussie style points system, we must also be completely straight with the public. Not only will very low levels of immigration prove virtually impossible in today's interconnected world, but it would also prevent us from succeeding globally, particularly now we need to expand our horizons well beyond Europe. So let's have a sensible points based immigration system, but let's not pretend it will reduce immigration to the arbitrary tens-of-thousands. It won't, not without damaging our economic prospects. Advertisement Third, we will require a real sense of renewed vision and leadership for this country. David Cameron and the rest of us would talk about a long-term economic plan, but you would never call it an overarching vision for Britain's future. Now that we have voted to break the post-war European consensus and leave the EU, we really do need to urgently develop a full blown British vision for our place in the world in five, ten or fifty years' time. I've already suggested we should aim to become the world's best trading nation, the Singapore or Hong Kong of Europe perhaps, or maybe a European version of Israel when it comes to exploiting and exporting technology. In my opinion we should urgently slash Corporation Tax further, as a clear signal that we are open for business and I've already talked about how we can now go much further in cutting red-tape. We should make it our national objective to become the largest economy in Europe within, say, the next twenty years. Because it is only through growing our economy and overtaking our competition that we can fulfil the legitimate aspirations of our voters. These are all worthy objectives that we can reach, but it is going to take real vision and leadership. And that leadership won't be provided by a run-of-the-mill politician. Prime Ministers who are primarily administrative in nature often flourish and are good for settled times in our history. But last Thursday's vote means that the United Kingdom now needs the kind of inspirational leadership that very few can actually offer. As David Cameron said, a new heading requires a new captain. That new heading involves sailing through some potentially very choppy waters, so we will need a captain with real character, plenty of foresight and the vision to carry the nation forward. Advertisement Konstantin Grishin via Getty Images The year was 2014 and me and my torso were taking my debut hour solo show up to The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Advertisement The show in question was called Barking at Aeroplanes and in a nutshell it was about how throughout my life folk had questioned my mental health where as in actual fact I was just eccentric. Well in actual fact that turned out to not be the case. My show explored this. One day when writing the show I titled a page with, "The second time they tried to section me" and thought, "Wait a sneaky beaker second, something may well be the matter there" so decided to investigate. Surprise surprise I'm riddled with mental health problems. If something's always been how it is you often don't realise that that's not how it should be. Since I can remember (even at school) I've constantly felt like a black cloud of doom was engulfing my soul, I (obviously) never seemed to be able to shake it and as a result often thought about killing myself. My mother was great but whenever my mental health was questioned she always told me not to worry and said that that's just what we were like as a family, just eccentric. Now I know the more likely conclusion is that we've all got mental health problems! Advertisement When I did my show I was really touched by how many audience members said they could relate to it, hung back after the show to talk to me about it, and also how many comedians have mental health issues, although in hindsight this should've been obvious to me as it seems to be to everyone else. I decided that once The Fringe had finished I was not ready for my little safe to talk about mental health issues bubble to burst - thus meaning Barking Tales was born. Barking Tales is a monthly comedy night in Manchester (although soon to start in Newcastle and hopefully London too) where all the comedians on the bill tell stories/do material relating to mental health in a small bid to try to break the stigma that still surrounds it. Any profit made from it thus far has been going to the charity Manchester Mind. I MC it. I'm lucky enough that past acts have included Ray Peacock (Russell Howard's Good News, Dr Who), Felicity Ward (The John Bishop Show, Live from the BBC) and Bobby Mair (Eight Out of 10 Cats etc.) It's going to be occurring every day this year at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival too (6-27 August) and have already got some amazing acts confirmed which i'm super excited about. You might be able to tell in the way I'm writing. WAHOO. I find doing my show so therapeutic because every month I know that I've got a group of lovely understanding people to listen and laugh with me about anything new I've written about my mental health and chances are we're all feeling the same. The regulars that come now are some of the nicest most wonderful people I've ever met in all my life. Due to various problems / issues and awkward demeanours some of us may get stared at in other surroundings where as at Barking Tales we're all in the same boat and really supportive of each other. It's become something that a lot of people look forward to now every month. I sometimes get terribly anxious and think of pulling the show, but then I think about the people that'll be there and it pushes me forward. It's an insight into a comedians mind too (oh dear what a place to be) as a lot of the material/stories done at the night by their own admission will never been done again because there's often no place for anything deeper at some of the circuit clubs. At my club there's no place for anyone in the audience to be taken the piss out of as is there no place for vacuous nonsense... Any other nonsense is fine. Ha. Advertisement Every day, at high tide, the village of Nonua Chora floods. The water rises rapidly; to the knees of the adults, and the necks of the children. The challenge of keeping your head above the water, in every sense of the term, is all too real for the families of Southern Bangladesh. Nonua Chora is a village of 300 families. In the past 18 months alone, 12 of their children have drowned. Every 2 months, another life wasted, another death that could have been prevented. It's not news that Bangladesh floods. Dense with deltas and people, the country is constrained by its climate, its landscape, its poverty. But what should be news, and isn't, is the magnitude of drowning deaths. Here, drowning is the number 1 killer of children. More child lives are lost in Bangladesh to drowning than malnutrition, meningitis, diarrhoea and pneumonia combined. 18,000 innocent lives lost each year, 50 drowning deaths each and every day. Advertisement Bangladesh is not alone - drowning is also devastating countries including Thailand, Cambodia and China - but it is acute. Of the 30 children we met in Nonua Chora, just 2 could swim. When we asked how many want to learn, a full house of hands were raised. Surrounded by water, these children, and millions more across Bangladesh and the world, lack the basic skills to survive. The RNLI is dedicated to changing that. Globally, we're motivated by the fact that these deaths are unjust and by the fact that these deaths aren't inevitable. Encouragingly, a recent study in Bangladesh has shown that children who have swim skills are up to 96% more likely to survive in water than those without - at a cost of just a few pounds per child. Simple, scale-able solutions exist; swim skills, beach guarding, flood rescue, community supervision. But that's just the beginning. We're working with our local partner, CIPRB, to create change across the country, from families to government departments. Developing the world's biggest drowning survey and the first ever drowning prevention plan - for an entire district and an entire country. If any proof were needed of the Leave campaign's main raison d'etre, you only have to look at Boris Johnson's latest column in the Telegraph. In a bid for the keys to Number 10 that has been on the cards since he first stepped out in front of camera crews to announce his epiphanic volte face on Europe a few months ago, he sets out a scenario that includes a relationship with the EU that appears remarkably similar to the one we have now. The most startling pledge is that, as PM, he will maintain our membership of the single market. Hardly surprising given that the economic impact of Thursday's vote has reverberated through the markets and continues to shred what little hope there is that we can avert another recession in the coming months. Advertisement Even that great elder statesman of British-bulldogism, Nigel Farage, has announced that we're headed for another downturn, although of course he says any connection with us slamming the lid to the EU cookie jar firmly down on our own bruised fingers is purely coincidental. What Johnson doesn't seem to highlight in his column is the salient point that membership of the single market carries with it the requirement to allow free movement between member states. In what seems to be a muddled version of the Norway option, he appears to be proposing we accept what amounts to the current status quo on border controls. Considering this was painted as one of the core evils of our EU membership, one has to wonder at his true motivations. The future that Johnson seems to see is a Europe who will be our friends with benefits. Except without most of the benefits. As many predicted before the vote, we'll be left having to accept many of the EU's regulations and pre-requisites, with no say in how they're administered. Advertisement His apparent insouciance over something, that prior to the vote, he was well and truly out of his pram about is revealing. Proof, if any were needed, that his involvement in the campaign was little more than a cynical shortcut to the premiership. In short, he's gambled all our futures on his own ambition. Taken with clarification from other key members of the Leave campaign that the apocryphal 350m a week that we are supposed to be saving from abandoning Europe will probably not be spent on the things they claimed it would, it's looking like much of the argument for Brexit was based, at best, on ambitious kite flying and, at worst, on outright lies. There's been understandable concern from many areas that were in receipt of large amounts of EU subsidy that the government will commit to match this funding in a post EU Britain. A situation that should henceforth form part of any dictionary definition of self abuse, considering areas such as Sunderland, Cornwall and most of Wales voted in favour of sawing off the branch they were all standing on. With both main Westminster parties in total disarray, it appears that Boris is trying to ever so carefully put the genie back in the bottle. Like the old saying goes - 'be careful what you wish for, as you might just get it'. In his usual style he throws about plenty of verbal chaff, talking about "destroying coils of EU bureaucracy" which sounds rather poetic whilst giving very little indication of a real plan. A plan that we now know was never written, because in his heart of hearts he never expected to need one. Advertisement The marked reluctance on behalf of what's left of the government to trigger Article 50 seems to suggest they're also well and truly out of their depth. But unfortunately we're all in the water with them now. It's worth noting that since he became heir apparent to the keys of the kingdom, Boris's characteristic bombast has been decidedly absent. Is this him trying on the clothes of senior statesman, or does he realise that now he's rocked the boat, his life jacket has quite a few holes in it? I spent the best part of two days on social media asking one simple question of those who voted leave : "What's the plan?". There was very little clarity beyond whistling in the dark and jingoistic fervour. Plenty of people told me to 'get over it' and accept democracy. The overall proposition was that this was akin to a TV talent competition and the Remainers had 'lost'. Yet none of the winners were able to tell me what their prize actually was. Very few seemed to see my concern about our future as anything other than sour grapes. There was a repeated mantra that we don't have to do anything in haste. That there was plenty of time to take stock. A quaint belief that the politicians would guide us through the uncertainty. Uncertainty they triggered by their own inability to guide us in the fist place. Advertisement As a growing number of people publicly and privately express regret at having voted to leave, it seems that to travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive. Especially when you're on a mystery tour that may not be as magical as you were led to believe. Yes we can delay any formal moves towards leaving the union pretty much indefinitely , but in the meantime markets will fall, investment will stall, prices and unemployment will rise and uncertainty and instability will eat away at what's left of our deceptively shaky economy. But that was all just 'project fear' and Boris has announced that we're done with all that fearmongering now. It is no coincidence that the Leave campaign didn't offer a post-Brexit plan. It became clear in the days following Britain's decision to leave the EU that any plan would have thwarted the Leave camp's victory. The reason is obvious: the expectations of Brexiters are disparate and often contradictory. To make concrete pledges, therefore, would have frustrated potential voters. Immigration serves as the obvious example of this diversity of expectations. For some who voted Leave, immigration was a minor issue - their problem with the EU was overregulation, lack of accountability, or the democratic deficit. For others, immigration was the defining factor. And the expectation between this latter group was equally diverse. Some expected simple controls - such as the oft-invoked Australian-style system - while others sought radical alternatives - such as the complete halting of immigration or, in rare cases, repatriation. This diversity of expectation has led to post-Brexit confusion among Leave voters. For example, in order to enter the EU's single market - a necessary point of trade essential for economic growth - Britain will have to accept free movement of labour. Those unconcerned with immigration assumedly hope to enter the single market. For those anxious about immigration, however, accepting free movement is precisely what they voted against. Advertisement There exists an inherent contradiction of expectations. And Leavers are bound for disappointment. This tension has seeped into other areas of the debate. Nigel Farage suggested on This Morning that the Leave camp's proposal to dedicate 350 million a week to the NHS was unrealistic. I am certain, as commentators claimed during the debates, that the idea Britain would save 350 million from EU funding was inaccurate - the rebate, along with other EU funding, contravenes this figure. But some Leavers, and some of my friends, voted Leave solely on this issue - an issue that now appears moot. Indeed Farage, a proponent of privatised health, never offered such a pledge - at least not consistently. The NHS funding was a Leave campaign promise, not a pledge. There were no concrete pledges from the Leave camp because they possessed no power. They could make broad promises on the assumption that implementation depends on power. And once power looms, they could relinquish responsibility. As Iain Duncan Smith said: 'Our promises were a series of possibilities'. Cameron, of course, couldn't afford such luxury. This absence of power worked to the Leave camp's advantage prior to the result, but will now haunt them. Leavers harbour expectations and answers are now expected. The answers, as they arrive, are proving unacceptable. That's why a plan would have been cataclysmic for the Leave campaign. Their only plan was to have no real plan. Sure, some people offered visions of the post-Brexit world - visions I found disconcerting - but the overall message was always broad and equivocal. Advertisement The Leave camp relied on slogans - such as 'Let's get our country back' and 'Take Control' - but no pledges. These facile slogans contain little substance and are open to interpretation. The ambiguity led to their victory. The ambiguity is now unacceptable. If, like the co-founders of SoSensational (that's me, Jan Shure and Cyndy Lessing) you are a Baby-boomer (or just a "Boomer" in American parlance) you are probably totally fed up with being blamed for Brexit, Britain's imminent (or not so imminent, depending on who you listen to) exit from the EU following Thursday's Referendum. We, that is the Boomers (who, by definition, were born between 1945 and 1952) are being lumped in with everyone in the UK aged over 60 and blamed for voting for Britain's exit. The statistics reveal that generally Boomers voted the same way as the under-40s. But columnists, commentators and politicians who should know better (but hey-ho why let the facts get in the way of a good column/comment), are putting us all in to the same "old" category and I am not happy! Advertisement The latest columnist/commentator to lump together everyone aged 60 or over, was Giles Coren in Saturday's Times. Now, I should first of all own up to knowing Giles very slightly (our journalistic paths crossed when he had a spot of bother with the Polish authorities over a rather anti-Polish rant relating to his grandfather and the Poles' treatment of Jews; at the time I was an editor at the Jewish Chronicle fact-checking the report, and we had a number of conversations). I should also confess to really liking Giles's writing. I am a devoted fan of his column and reviews. (That is, his newspaper columns lest it be misinterpreted). But, I did not appreciate my generation being conflated with the generation of those now in their 80s and 90s; they were a whole generation older than me - effectively my parents' generation. And Giles, that generation did fight in the War and make sacrifices, contrary to your assertion otherwise, though my generation of Boomers did not! Giles very sweetly cited his mother as having gone against her conscience to vote "in" in the interests of her children and grandchildren. I, too, know a number of "older" people who did the same in the interests of their children and grandchildren. Advertisement Not everyone past age 60 is selfish and focused entirely on self-interest - the ones who are selfish at 80 were probably selfish at 40 and the ones who are altruistic at 40 will probably still be altruistic at 80. As a boomer, I am as hacked off at Brexit as the average 40-year-old. "... at twenty minutes to five, we can now say that the decision taken in 1975 by this country to join the common market has been reversed by this referendum to leave the EU." (David Dimbleby on BBC One, 24 June 2016.) A shockwave felt across the world. The words 14 million people in Britain did not want to hear. Brexit became reality. Nigel Farage's dream had come true. Nigel Farage had won. At 4 o'clock in the morning, Farage was even claiming victory: "Dare to dream that the dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom. This, if the predictions now are right, this will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people." Advertisement The British pound immediately crashed to its lowest levels in 31 years. Well, all the experts had been warning the British public for months that a Brexit would do lasting damage to the UK economy. But nobody listened to the experts, because they were told not to trust them. The experts were wrong and alarmists. "Project fear", the likes of Farage and Boris Johnson had said. Then, at 8 o'clock in the morning, the Prime Minister, David Cameron, announced that was it: "The British people have made a very clear decision to take a different path and as such I think the country requires fresh leadership to take it in this direction." (David Cameron's speech) Britons woke up with the news. A terrible hungover for the Remainers, a great victory for the strong Leavers, some big regrets for many who "thought my vote would not count" and millions of young people across the country feeling they had been robbed of their future by the older generation. A real generation divide in a very divided kingdom. Before the official announcement of the referendum result by the Electoral Commission's chief counting officer, Jenny Watson, at Manchester Town Hall, the Leavers were already at work to walk away from their promises with Nigel Farage calling rubbish the idea of an extra 350m for the NHS that he said was mistakenly promised by the Boris/Gove's official campaign, not him. (Nigel Farage and the NHS) Advertisement Also MEP Dan Hannan depreciating the mere idea of a reduction in EU immigration on the BBC: "Frankly, if people watching think that they have voted and there is now going to be zero immigration from the EU, they are going to be disappointed." Grilled by Evan Davis on Newsnight later, the politician went as far as saying he could accept a situation where there was "free movement of labour" within the European Union. (Dan Hannan on Newsnight) Later it was Michael Gove and Boris Johnson's turn to speak in a press conference. They both gambled on their careers by backing the Leave campaign. They backed Leave and it paid off! Boris said: "In voting to leave the EU, it is vital to stress there is no need for haste, and as the prime minister has said, nothing will change in the short term except how to give effect to the will of the people and to extricate this country from the supranational system. There is no need to invoke Article 50. And to those who may be anxious both at home and abroad, this does not mean that the United Kingdom will be in anyway less united, it does not mean it will be any less European." (Boris Johnson in no hurry / Michael Gove and Article 50) Within minutes, in Brussels Jean-Claude Juncker, the President of the European Commission, told journalists the 27 remaining member states wanted to negotiate Britain's exit plan "as soon as possible, however painful this process will be." But, apart for the loud shouter Farage, the Brexiters were in no hurry. Why? Why would they not want to accelerate the way out? Was it not what the referendum result was all about, delivering Britain's exit of the European Union? Advertisement Or was it? Well. Let's imagine, just for a moment, that not everything is as it seems... As we know, after the Conservative party conference, next October, the new Prime Minister, favourite Boris Johnson, will be "chosen" in a Conservative party leadership election. Once his government is finally in control of everything, replacing David Cameron's cabinet and ministers, Boris will meet the 27 other EU leaders in Brussels and explain that he could still decide not to invoke the almighty Article 50, providing they offer him a better deal than the one David Cameron negotiated back in February, threatening them with the nuclear weapon: A full immediate Brexit, in the event that they would not give him what he wants. After some long days and nights of negotiation, the EU would eventually offer Boris the best deal possible: Access to the single market, restriction of the freedom of movement, special immigration controls, special status allowing the UK to reduce its contribution to the EU budget, a special associate status, etc. Junker and the 27 other EU leaders would immediately call it a great day for Europe, nearly guaranteeing the survival of the 28. The other 27 countries would then also be able to renegotiate their own membership within the EU. "I am happy today to announce that I have championed the lead for a newly, more transparent and reformed European Union. Veni, Vidi, Vici," Boris Johnson would tell the media, outside the EU Council's HQ. Advertisement In getting exactly what he would have been asking for, the new PM would call a new referendum, back in the UK, with the same Remain/Leave question, opened to the same voters as well as all 16 and 17-year olds in the country. This time, all Brexiters would support the Remain together with most former Remainers, whilst the lone wolf Nigel Farage and his far-right friends would, this time, be on the wrong side of History. The results of the second referendum would come as no surprise, with a higher turn-out and a Remain vote reaching nearly 80%. Boris would become the hero of a generation: The young generation who had been denied a fair result on the first contest. The hero of a country: Boris would have avoided the splitting of the United Kingdom. The hero of a continent: Boris would have saved the EU project and lifted the importance and the leadership of the Britain in Europe, against the usual France-Germany duo. (Boris Johnson: the hero) At the General Election that would follow, Boris would be elected Prime Minister with the highest number of votes ever registered for a Primer Minister and receiving the largest majority since 2001 when Tony Blair reached a majority of 167 seats, reducing the opposition to a fragile combination of Labour and LibDem MPs. The SNP, Green and UKIP MPs would have been wiped out of Westminster. As for Nigel Farage, he would be nowhere to be seen after yet another defeat trying to become MP for South Thanet and various frantic media appearances during which he would have first conceded defeat, then unconceded, before conceding again, then unconceding and finally reconceding. Of course, all that is only political fiction. But... What if? --- After the revolution always comes the fall-out, the civil war and the infighting as a split nation descends into conflict between the victors of the revolution, and those elements that want to undo any change. The conflict is exaggerated as the victors, often a motely coalition, split according to their different visions for the new world. Victory in revolution is often easily won but holding the peace, and forging a new society leads to a chaos that would once be thought unimaginable. And so it will be in the aftermath of the democratic revolution unleashed by British voters in the early hours of last Friday. There will be political civil war, the chaos will be uncontrollable, and the lifespan of political careers is about to become very short. During the referendum campaign, Boris Johnson constantly told his adoring followers that they were going to take back control. The truth will be the opposite as political players from all persuasions fight like rats in a bag. A simplification of the referendum debate was that negotiation of the terms of Britain's leaving would be easy, as German car manufacturers would lobby the EU for favourable terms. This is woefully naive. Discussions between the UK and the EU will be very difficult due to the different aims and objectives of the 27 separate countries. Mercedes Benz and BMW may be able to bend the ear of Angela Merkel but they certainly hold little sway in Madrid, Warsaw or Budapest. An agreement for Brexit will be fraught and time consuming as individual states push their own diverse agendas. For example, France will push for an end to city of London influence in the EU, Poland for a permanent NATO base in their country, and Greece for a better deal in the refugee crisis. Advertisement However, what is absolutely clear is that Britain will not be offered a better deal than that available at present. EU officials and heads of state will be keen to prevent offering the positive example of Brexit Britain to other EU countries considering leaving the bloc. Therefore, Brexiters will have to trade certain benefits of EU membership in order to receive back control over border regulations and the setting of certain laws and workers rights. This will lead to huge clashes between Leave campaigners who are split on what the key reason for leaving the EU should be. Many Leave voters will prioritise immigration as the leading concern and will push for complete abolition of free movement, and rights for EU citizens currently in the UK. It is inevitable that Nigel Farage will seek to be the figurehead of this faction. Such demands will only be adopted if Britain gives up access to the single market, and suffers a huge economic downturn as a result. Thus, a series of other Brexiters will try and claim the debate was never about immigration and actually about British sovereignty, the Eurosceptic MEP Daniel Hannan has already made this point twice on national television. The end result will be an almighty fight between these two factions, particularly if a new Conservative government side with the Hannan faction against the Farage faction. In such a scenario, Farage will protest that Leave voters have been betrayed, and fresh referendums will be demanded. A third front in the civil war between the Brexiters will result from deciding which European rights should be abolished. Some Leave campaigners, like the cabinet minister Priti Patel, have stated that exiting the EU will provide an opportunity to abolish working rights, such as maximal working hours, paid maternity leave, and protections against firing. Adoption of any of Patel's recommendations will place the government in a direct fight against Labour backers of Brexit, such as the Vote Leave Chairwoman Gisela Stuart. Advertisement It is difficult to see how Boris Johnson and Michael Gove will be able to control this situation, they are either going to betray Leave voters or send the economy into a tailspin. In addition, many young people have been energised by the debate and will campaign to rejoin the EU. The 'neverleavers', who will be either lead by a post-Corbyn Labour leader or the liberal Tim Farron, are going to be a significant thorn in the side of the Conservative party at any future general election. And this is to say nothing of the coming Independence Referendum in Scotland, and the siren calls from Sinn Fein for Irish Unification. Whichever way you feel about the result, most people are glad the EU referendum campaign is over. To put it diplomatically, almost everyone agrees it wasn't the highest quality debate in the world. Particularly for those on the losing side, referendums can seem like the worst way to do democracy - an instrument that leaves as many dissatisfied as satisfied with the result. That's on top of the criticism David Cameron got for granting the referendum in the first place for what many saw as party-political reasons - much as Harold Wilson did in 1975. But referendums aren't good or bad in themselves; they are a democratic tool with positives and negatives. The quality of information and debate can vary enormously. Nowhere have we seen this reflected more clearly than the EU referendum. Advertisement So what can we learn from the 12th major referendum in the UK since British voters were last asked about EU membership in 1975? 1. You're never just voting on the question. This referendum has proven that a referendum isn't a pure exercise confined to the 'exam question'. There's always a proxy element: voters often choose to cast judgement about the government of the day - as we saw with the 2011 Alternative Vote referendum, when the Liberal Democrats' support for electoral reform was undermined by the unpopularity of some of their decisions as part of the coalition government. On this most recent vote, there were people voting for Brexit based on almost a whole manifesto of different issues: from immigration, to a left-wing 'Lexit' vote, to a protest vote against the establishment to 'send a message' without necessarily expecting to succeed. With any 'umbrella' question such as Scottish independence or EU membership, there are a huge range of issues relevant, with a plethora of different debates slotting into that one binary, simple question which we're eventually given. There are dozens of potential outcomes, and dozens of reasons and expectations behind why people pitch for one of the two sides. Advertisement 2. Politicos feel the campaign is endless before most people have woken up to its existence. Journalists often get tired of the debate pretty quickly during these things, but referendums can seem out of the blue for people whose life isn't all about politics. The problem with a short campaign - as in this referendum and unlike the Scottish independence vote - is that the public lack the time to catch up and get to grips with issues on their own terms. That leaves the formal, official campaigns dominating the debate. The nastiness may have made many long for the campaign to be over, but in truth a longer campaign would have allowed the public to become less confused and more informed - something borne out by our polling which showed levels of 'informedness' double from 16% in February to 31% in June. There was still much more that could have been done and more time to spend to make this a truly well-informed vote. 3. This referendum has rewritten the rules on 'party cues' According to studies of referendums around the world, the established practice is that on an unfamiliar issue and when facts are scarce, voters look to party leaders they trust for a signal as to how to vote. UKIP was the only party whose formal policy was to leave the EU. The Prime Minister and every other established party's policy was for Remain - yet it was UKIP's stance that prevailed. Certainly David Cameron's stance had influence, and there was a rush to get Labour figures speaking out in the final couple of weeks of the campaign, as Labour voters sought clarification of Labour's official position. But with strong anti-establishment feelings and a weakening of party ties, just attaching a party label to a campaign is not nearly enough to sway many voters. Advertisement 4. Failing to allow 16- and 17-year-olds to vote was a missed opportunity Votes at 16 in the Scottish referendum allowed for a huge amount of excitement and engagement in the campaign, which spilled over into other age groups. The same could have happened in the EU referendum - especially among the 18-24 year olds, under half of whom actually voting last Thursday. Instead, the distance felt by many younger people from the campaign - and concern that an older generation would decide the younger generation's future - became another negative feature of the campaign. 5. Referendums are just one way of determining a big issue - and they're rarely the end of the matter. They may resolve a question for a while, but more often than not referendums are a staging post. Look no further than the Scottish referendum on devolution in 1997, which it was thought would put an end to independence sentiment. But referendums have knock-on consequences. Nicola Sturgeon has been fast to confirm that a second independence referendum is a 'highly likely' step to 'protect Scotland's relationship with the EU and our place in the single market'. Advertisement If referendums are to become a regular fixture of our democracy, we need to work out why to hold them, when to hold them and above all how to hold them so that they stimulate inclusive political debate. 'We must respect the democratic will of the people.' So said Chancellor George Osborne this morning, after just shy of 52% of the 72% of the British population voted to leave the EU. A vote was held, the results were counted, and the fundamental principle of democracy requires that we respect the decision. But what if what we have witnessed wasn't actually the highest form of democracy, but a low facsimile of it? As our country tears itself apart, and is ravaged by financial markets, should we blindly demand that the will of a slight majority of those who voted (around 37% of eligible voters voted Leave) must be followed? If we #VoteHeaven but get Hell, would it not be wise to do something? I want to argue that it would. Importantly, I also want to argue not that we run the referendum again (let's do so until we get the right result!) but that, when democracy threatens to deliver us into an abyss, we should protect ourselves from descent by deepening and widening our democratic processes. Advertisement Voting in the Dark When Michael Gove stated that people were not interested in experts, what he said was chilling and cynical, but too often true. He wanted to exploit this disinterest in fact and expertise because the vast majority of expert argument came down on the side of remaining in the EU. As the Financial Times put it, 'we are living in a post-factual democracy.' A post-factual democracy is not, in my mind, a functioning democracy. This doesn't mean that we should hand over the running of our country to experts (a form of technocracy, if you will) but it does mean that democracy only functions well when democratic agents take responsibility for their vote, and ensure that they are well-informed before they make it. However, being well-informed is, in our culture, very difficult. When there is a vast and sophisticated machine working to achieve disinformation, and when that machine is the de facto light that has raised and nurtured people over a long period of time, the ability for democratic agents to make informed decisions is seriously curtailed. People end up voting in the dark, and the dark is a cynical ploy by those who want their votes. A vote is always a punt on the future. If you opt for this choice, it is likely that this will happen. Take in the data, process it, output a decision. But here is the fundamental thing about this Brexit vote: those in the Leave campaign engaged in 'dishonesty on an industrial scale' as they set out their reasoning for choosing a future outside of the EU. Advertisement Now, once the dawn is rising on the actual consequences of that decision - now that it turns out that Leave don't have a plan in place at all, now that we're seeing a complete unraveling of the United Kingdom, no further investment in the NHS, no change to the number of migrants, massive economic shock - now that Heaven has turned out to be Hell, there is evidence that many people are questioning how they voted, as Kelvin MacKenzie (former editor of 'Leave' flag-wavers The Sun) is: This is absolutely natural, because this - what we are actually experiencing now - is not what they democratically voted for, because what they voted for was an illusion that tapped into very deep and very human anxieties about community and liberty. In other words, when George Osborne says that we must persevere with Brexit because it is the democratic will of the people, this might not actually be true. This is why we now need to think again. But what we need now is not less democracy because democracy didn't work, but more. Advertisement Resisting Tyranny by Deepening Democracy In Plato's famous analogy, he saw humankind as imprisoned in a cave, with reality no more than shadows flickering on a wall. Our task was to use critical thinking to free ourselves and step into the light of the True Forms of things. Pushing this further, what we have to ask is what the source is of the artificial light that is projecting this illusion of reality. Moreover, what if he was wrong, and that there is no such place of final enlightenment, no 'true form' at all? If this is right - and in a post-theistic, post-'perfect' culture, I think we should work within that - then everything has some illusory element. Everyone is projecting, and in the confusing interplay of shadows, we need some way of working out the best way forwards. Among all imperfect means of progress, democracy is - as Winston Churchill put it - the least worst. But democracies have always functioned at a more sophisticated level than raw 'everyone vote for each law.' In Britain we have a parliamentary democracy, where the people (note - only those above 18, those below 18 not being considered enlightened enough agents to participate) get to vote to send the most equipped representative they can find to sit in the House of Commons. This is then held in check by House of Lords. Imperfect, but it works, and only in extreme cases does the Commons get to ignore the Lords. The same kind of system exists around the world, with Upper and Lower chambers. The point is this: democracy works best when it is tested. It hardens into the best, wisest will of the people when it is considered, argued, voted on, passed around, debated, voted on and passed back. In the situation we find ourselves in it seems stupidity of the highest level to ignore this tried and tested system and insist on the raw will of the people, even when those people have been exposed to dishonesty on an industrial scale. Advertisement In his Five Regimes, Plato discusses how he sees tyranny evolving out of democracy, because 'democracy is taken over by the longing for freedom.' The people begin to experience democracy as somehow limiting to their individual freedom because the greater good of the will of the people often means that their choice does not 'win.' A charismatic tyrant then rises who convinces them that he will hand them back their individual liberty. He is a great shining light, promising liberation from the cave. He is the True Form. "Last of all comes ... the tyrant. ... In the early days of his power, he is full of smiles, and he salutes every one whom he meets ... making promises in public and also in private, liberating debtors, and distributing land to the people and his followers, and wanting to be so kind and good to every one. ... This is the root from which a tyrant springs." Boris Johnson, a man full of smiles (before Friday morning, anyway) is just such a tyrant, and Donald Trump is another. They come offering liberty, making huge promises in public and private, wanting to 'take our country back,' or 'make America great again.' But Plato warns that we should beware of them. The best way to stymie the threat of tyranny is to have an evolved democracy. And that seems to me the most mature and reasoned thing that we can do in this situation. Yes, a referendum has delivered us to the brink, but we have the democratic apparatus to pull back from the abyss. Given that the result was so close, given the levels of financial and constitutional chaos, given the dishonest claims that have now been exposed, we should ask our democratically elected representatives to debate and test whether or not it would be in the best interests of the country to remain in the EU. Advertisement The referendum result is not legally binding. The vote has given us a glimpse into the future, without committing us to step into it. Now that #VoteHeaven has turned out to look very like Hell, we should do more democracy. During a visit to a summer camp for children affected by the conflict in Donbass, eastern Ukraine, I met a boy close to the frontline who had made a drawing of a tree, on top of which he drew a house with a family. When asked why the house was in the tree top and wouldn't it fall down in the wind, the boy confidently assured me 'no', the house is strong and secure. I later found out that this boy's dog had been killed by a landmine. The boy's drawing testifies to much more than the child's psychological state, with his faith in the very ground under his feet having been badly shaken. It also shows how the child's experience led him to realise that the land he and his family lived in was full of danger, and that it was better to get away to a safe place, and if there was no such place nearby, then he should make one up. I would go further to suggest that the child's drawing can help us understand the state of society in eastern Ukraine, at least the part of the government-controlled territory that I visited. There is an overwhelming feeling of anxiety about what each day will bring. People talk about how unpredictable the situation is and do not trust anyone anymore. Advertisement As for the rest of Ukraine, the child's drawing also symbolises the prevailing public discourse on the conflict, which demonstrates clear characteristics of the psychological phenomenon of avoidance, which for its part creates difficulties in understanding and accepting the real state of affairs. Running away from a problem is an entirely natural self-preservation mechanism in times of crisis and a very effective and flexible mechanism for consolidating society during, for example, a natural disaster or in the midst of armed conflict. Yet, when the crisis tails off, and the situation requires rational thinking and pragmatic actions, this established habit of avoidance can begin to play a destructive role in building the future and in the transition to longer-term peacebuilding. The conflict has quietened for now. The Minsk agreements are working, for better or for worse. While the conflict still simmers, everyone I spoke to pointed out how people were no longer dying in as great numbers as before. I even heard parallels being drawn between numbers of people who die in road accidents in peaceful parts of Ukraine and numbers of casualties from enemy fire in the ATO (anti-terrorist operation) zone, as the Ukrainian government calls it - also known to the public as the 'grey zone'. It may be called that because of the smoke from combat operations, or perhaps because no one can see what is going on there anymore. The local people who I happened to talk to, spoke of their mistrust towards all parties to the conflict, and even on my first day it was clear that the feeling was mutual when I observed our driver talking to one Ukrainian soldier, manning a checkpoint. Armed with a Kalashnikov, the soldier stopped our car and asked the driver to show his passport. Leafing through the passport, the soldier studied the page with the owner's registration of residence (propiska) then asked the driver where he lived. When the driver confirmed his residence, the soldier slipped into friendly banter: "Hey mate, how do you manage without any water supply?". The driver carefully explained to him in quite some detail his arrangement of two storage tanks and how it works, for which valuable advice the soldier thanked him, saying he faced exactly the same problem at home. Advertisement I got a positive impression that the soldier was doing a good job trying to establish good relations with the local population. Yet as we drove off, the driver remarked caustically that he had been asked the same 'water question' at check points many times. "The only thing they taught these soldiers coming here from the rest of Ukraine was the drinking water shortages in Kramatorsk, dating back to Soviet times", he added with a note of irritation. "They never believe a word I say, nor the propiska in my passport and they use the 'water question' to establish if I really am local". The degree of mistrust between the pro-Ukrainian and pro-Russian parts of the population is very high indeed. An aid worker told me about the parents of a baby with acute appendicitis who had refused to take the child to Ukrainian controlled territories although that was the fastest way to get help. According to local residents, there are some villages along the line of separation which have ended up under no-one's jurisdiction after the ceasefire agreements were signed. Mostly only the elderly remain, getting no assistance or pensions, from neither Russia nor Ukraine. To the great chagrin of the locals, visiting journalists from Kyiv come to film those desperate, unkempt and on occasions drunken old men - who have not seen any water, gas or heating for months on end - broadcasting their image all over Ukraine with the indirect message of "just look at them, these people from the east, and for whom we are fighting and dying!" Nevertheless, here in eastern Ukraine there is a well-developed and active civil society, but until now, Ukrainian civil society representation abroad has been from outside the 'grey zone'. Yet many in the east are involved in humanitarian aid, others provide legal services or work to solve problems of communities affected by the armed conflict. I was lucky enough to witness a very tasteful and stylish youth club in Slaviansk where volunteers were hanging pictures on the walls for the opening of an art exhibition and a local jazz group was practising ahead of the evening concert. Advertisement All these people deserve better. And they strive for it even with limited resources. They need help, and in the first instance, from the government. Yet they do not dare to openly criticise the authorities in case they are labelled 'pro-Russian', which, they say, they are not, but towards which they are being driven. Spreading fear hampers healthy social processes aiming at establishing the only effective mechanism of post-war recovery where everyone plays a part, regardless of political or other difference. When we talk about transforming the conflict in eastern Ukraine, we need to acknowledge that in other parts of Ukraine there are deeply held stereotypical views of the origins of the conflict, its escalation, how the war was conducted to the present-day situation and possible future. Ukraine is a huge country with many regions, each having its own dominant local identity, which takes precedence over a common Ukrainian identity. This impacts attitudes to the conflict in the east and there are many different opinions on how it should be resolved. I even heard it said: "Let Russia just take the east and all its problems with it", and "this situation between war and peace could continue for many years to come, serving only the interests of those who like fishing in murky waters". Returning to the traumatised boy's drawing, with all its symbolism, it will hardly be possible to build a solid Ukrainian home on top of a tree. Yet for the people to want to come down from the treetop, the ground has to be made safe, in all senses of the word, especially by those who plan to live there. Unfortunately, conflict transformation processes work more slowly than incitement to war. But they do work. The sooner we acknowledge the many layers of the conflict, the more dynamic and successful will be its transformation. I have long been a campaigner for Scottish independence. Via social media, blog posts and the Academics for Yes movement I tried passionately to help convince fellow Scots of the benefits of Scottish independence and why I believed it represented the most progressive, positive and outward looking future for Scotland. However, despite the Yes movement persuading a large population of Scots, including a majority from my home city Glasgow, the independence referendum of September 18th, 2014 was lost. Positivity has been hard to come by in UK politics for me since the tears on George Square on September 19th. And negativity has swept onward at pace with the Vote Leave victory and the right wing Tory revolt it inspires. A line has been drawn, yellow to blue, along the Scotland-England border, marking clear the stark division that has long been growing between the two. Advertisement Fig1. - BBC EU referendum result map. Some might expect, because of this dividing line between Scotland and England, particularly seeing sparks alight for a new independence movement, that joy could be found in the result. Far from it. It is a vote that appears to have come largely from the progress of the ugliest of ideologies; from isolationism, xenophobia and ignorance. No one, and definitely not I, should ever have wanted the route to Scottish independence to come via such negativity. This absolutely isn't the way that independence should have rallied in the polls once more. I'm heartbroken at the choice that I think people have made for the very worst of reasons. Disillusionment, misplaced trust and separatism cannot be the guiding principles of any country I want to be a part of. I continue to think Scotland should be independent but I am gutted that that may be alongside a weaker rest of the UK that has flung itself towards isolation. From here, I think we must do all we can, as the Scottish cabinet appears to have begun, to reiterate to our European allies that we are fiercely pro-European. We must do all we can to negotiate to keep our place as part of a vibrant and forward-looking political, economic and civic alliance with the peoples of Europe. This to me is a priority above the continued campaign for independence. And to the future of the Scottish independence movement? There are a clear number of duties and responsibilities going forward. Many No voters appear to have had their hopeful view of continued integration with the rest of the United Kingdom shattered; their hopes of a peaceful and united collection of nations, continuing to be guided in part by Scottish principles, appears to have become suddenly inconceivable on the basis of this new division. Advertisement As England tilts further right we now must endure a Tory leadership contest with a choice of candidates that brings a sour taste to the mouth of most on the Left or Centre of politics. It is now clear that the lurch rightward in much of the rest of the UK appears to continue, despite of the efforts of the SNP, Corbyn's Labour and the Greens. In many ways we have already tried to enact what a No vote suggested we ought to - to fight from within for a more positive future for the United Kingdom. This was done in part by sending a huge SNP envoy to Westminster in 2015. But the achievement of bringing this positive influence to Westminster has seemed scarcely effective, being all too easily ignored by the ruling Tory party. The disillusioned 'No's join allies on the Yes side in this feeling of helplessness with regards to Westminster with only with a minor delay. However there is a sadness and a bitterness here - a feeling of being misled and perhaps, for some, of being lied to. And bitterness should not be the sole grounds in guiding us towards independence. Yes voters must continue to vocalise the positive reasons for positioning ourselves on this side of the debate. I think this is crucial to avoid Scottish independence becoming just another protest vote attempting to placate the last. And the main positive? That Scotland's vote to remain can help strengthen the European project in a time of uncertainty and doubt on its future. Strong and confident support from Scotland for being part of the EU has and will continue to show that we firmly believe in the EU project as one worth fighting for. In a future of continuing instability for the EU, with many far-right movements from other EU countries using Brexit as an opportunity for gains of their own, we can strongly voice our support for continued unity and try to help fight for stability. The world has been shaken by Britain's decision to exit the European Union. What are the psychological factors behind this seismic event? The vote was carried by three separate factors - age, wealth and geography - with the old, the poor and the non-London English ensuring that the Leave campaign won. There are six different psychological factors playing out here. 1.The Delusion of Minority Immigration played a crucial part in the vote, though it was notable that some places with the highest immigration - the city of Manchester for example - had a high remain vote. But perceptions are everything and a common belief among whites in both the UK and the USA is that they risk become a minority in their own country, with the associated disadvantages commonly associated with minorities. Though this is not true, this belief inclines the believer to advocate more extreme policies such as closing borders. Advertisement 2. The Power of the In-Group The leave campaign fostered a strong sense of in-group solidarity against the "swarm" of outsiders coming to Britain. The "them-and-us" frame of mind generates positive feelings of solidarity against the out-group. These emotions are in turn caused by increases of the social-bonding, feel-good hormone oxytocin in the brain. The downside of such in-group solidarity is that it inclines people to lose empathy for others in the out group and more inclined see them as objects rather than as fellow human beings. 3. Education, Abstract Thinking and Empowerment There was a strong association between voting leave and lower educational attainment in the referendums. Accepting the arguments of the remain campaign required the use of abstract concepts to do with regulatory alignment, open markets, strategic security and global influence and these clearly had little impact on people less inclined to the sort of abstract thinking that education fosters. Thinking abstractly actually makes people feel more powerful and feeling powerful as opposed to threatened actually fosters open-mindedness and reduces prejudice against the out group. 4. Unhappiness and Income Inequality Britain's economy was booming before Brexit and this was a major reason for the high levels of immigration. Why then did the increased national wealth not make people happier with the status quo? While it is generally true that people become happier as their countries wealth grows, this does not happen if the wealth inequality is also growing. In other words, we only feel well off in comparison to others, not in absolute terms. In the deregulated global economy, inequalities are increasing and so boosts in gross national product can still leave those lower down the economic scale feeling disgruntled. This was very likely a factor in Brexit. 5. Control and change Feeling a sense of control is key to a sense of wellbeing and such positive emotional states reduce prejudice. Globalisation and disruptive technologies have already eliminated millions of jobs and will continue to do so at an even higher rate. The combination of socio-economic-cultural change and feeling out of control in the face of that change is very corrosive of a sense of wellbeing and leads to the support for radical policies - such as England and Wales leaving the EU. Advertisement 6. Nostalgia and age Leave voters were on average much older than those voting remain. One of the features of the ageing brain is the so-called "positivity bias" whereby positive emotions and thoughts predominate over negative ones. This bias can result in a "rose-tinted spectacles" effect in memory leading to a nostalgia for past times of harmony, tranquility and cultural homogeneity. It also disinclines the older brain from thinking about the possible dangers of taking such a radical step as leaving the EU. 7. Empire, humiliation and superiority The British Empire's demise is barely 70 years old and folk-memories of national dominance live on for centuries, but is particularly strong among older people who would still remember the map on their school classroom wall showing the vast pink glow of Empire spread across the world - as indeed I do. Individual pride and self-respect flow from such national dominance and the converse is also true - a sense of humiliation when it goes. There is little doubt that part of the emotional energy of the Leave campaign was a sense of humiliation redeemed and a sense of national - and hence personal - superiority regained. Britain is out and what are the implications? The divorce process from the EU will commence. More than 17 million people wanted to leave (53%) but over 16 million wanted to say (48%) - what this emphatically says is that Britain is politically divided. Will the Brexit decision only exacerbate the divide?. The immediate result, the pound has taken a tumble and this has implications for people like me who travel extensively, I will get less for the pound when I am abroad and it will impact on future purchases and financial decisions. Will I need a visa when I travel to other European cities? What are the implications for UK citizens living in Europe where before freedom and ease of movement across EU countries was a given. The EU is Britain's biggest trading partner of 500 million people with free trade in place - new trade agreements have to be renegotiated which could be protracted and even messy taken longer than the 2 years cited. Other leading EU member states, Germany, France and Italy are shocked and disappointed, the mood in Brussels is palpably different. And now Scotland and Northern Ireland, who both voted to stay in, are discussing their future. How can they remain part of the UK when they want to stay in the EU? Will there be further referendums - the outcome of which could potentially precipitate the break up of the UK. Advertisement Trump glibly said, 'It's a great day' because Britain has taken their country back. Has it really? Or just put their power in the hands of a few Conservatives who are reverting to the isolationist stance of pre-war Britain. There is no going back. Cameron has issued his resignation, and conducted himself with dignity; he looked visibly drained and exhausted after relentless campaigning to stay in. The highlight of his campaign for me was when he spoke out against the vile UKIP poster that outraged most British citizens. And now there is a question mark over Corbyn's leadership of the Labour party - will he be next to go? London voted to stay in, although working class east London neighbourhoods of Havering, Barking and Dagenham, for example, overwhelmingly voted out - Britain is clearly split? These divisions have been brewing for decades post Thatcher where the north/south dichotomy has become increasingly unbridgeable with radical and devastating effect. London has always been an entity unto its own, sometimes disconnected from the rest of Britain. This has been an unprecedented opportunity for other regions of the country to express their voice and be heard. Aside from the immediate impact of such a historical decision it does make us look at Britain as a whole entity again. The British people have cast their vote. Specific communities were clearly not happy being part of the EU. Immigration remained the key issue (which was often distorted). The UK is a country of limited capacity and, arguably, could not support the current influx of people facing consistent and untenable pressure on services. The Leave campaign spoke of controlled immigration where they could pick and choose the people the UK wanted. We have seen with the rise of right-wing organisations in the UK. Why is that? Perhaps an inflated reaction to the sense that the ordinary British white UK citizen was becoming a minority in their own country because of the rapidly changing demographics, something that has been embraced in London, but not necessarily in other parts of the country. Is Britain trying to assert its innate sense of Britishness? Whatever that is exactly. Advertisement The Brexit campaign used nationalist sentiment, and to an extent scaremongering tactics with the immigration question, and the red herring that was Turkey joining the EU (that's a long way off - more like the year 3000 Cameron said) to hammer their points across. Half of the country is jubilant, the other half phlegmatic and bitterly disappointed. Grumblings will not dissipate - as a result of Brexit we could become more fractured. How do we make Britain cohesive with one vision again? The ramifications of this decision are far reaching. Now there are other EU countries suggesting EU referendums of their own. Could Brexit instigate the break up of the EU? Certainly they will have to re-group and rethink. Negotiations with the EU were often fraught and heated. The UK still has to work with the EU, as does Norway (who is also not part of the club), and without a seat on the table surely it will make negotiations even tougher. Regarding trading it's in everyone's interests to continue to trade as before, but now the UK will be able to negotiate trade deals with other countries outside the EU like China and India where the markets are huge (but they are facing their own economic woes). And what of the current immigrant populations residing in the UK? Before Brexit tensions were already rising due to the rise of Islamic extremism and the threat of domestic terrorism, which we have seen occurring in France, Belgium and the UK. Sections of the Muslim community felt alienated and excluded from British society and as a result - will Brexit serve to intensify community divisions at home? Advertisement Before Brexit the UK was part of something bigger, a sprawling European community, now suddenly the UK feels like an island looking inward, protectionist and hell bent on serving it's own self interests. The implications of future degenerations will be far reaching. For example, If they want to live and work in EU member states they could encounter difficulties, which were not present pre-Brexit. They are already facing so many pressures as it is, now the list has increased immeasurably. Being part of the EU there was one set of rules for everyone, now the UK has 'taken back control' and there will be a new set of rules, but these will be made by an even smaller group of people - a Conservative elite that enjoys safeguarding and serving the interests of a powerful elite that is big business. Should we be nervous? I would definitely say so. You have most likely heard the tale of Hansel and Gretel. But have you hear the Brexit version? We have familiarity, represented by a home in the woods situated within EU borders. It is inhabited by a number of people agitated by the likes of high unemployment levels, low wages, the benefits system and long waiting lists for a free GP appointment (etc.) An EU referendum is announced to take place, via a TV news channel. The intrigued inhabitants decide to explore outside the familiarity of their home, to decipher whether life outside the EU would leave them better off. Out of a deep feeling of distrust towards British politicians, they leave a trail of reasons reminding them why life is not so bad inside the EU. Suddenly, a giant bird flaps onto the scene - in the form of Nigel Farage - and devours each reason left behind. Now lost and ideologically vulnerable, the inhabitants are drawn to a house covered with Union Jacks and rip outs from right-wing newspapers, blaming immigration for each of the various resentments they have. A blonde haired man, visible through the glass window, entices them in. Unfortunately, the story does not end with the inhabitants shoving the inconsistent, hypocritical anti-immigration rhetoric into an oven. But then again, most modern day adaptions tend to feature an anti-climatic twist. JUNE 23rd - In the aftermath of the Brexit vote, Britain's political tectonic plates have shifted into a period of expected uncertainty with no post-Brexit plan in sight. When a difference of 3.8 per cent separates those who voted leave and those who voted remain, a number of people have blamed the manipulative, anti-immigration rhetoric waged by a number of right-wing news outlets for tipping the scale. And an increase in hate-crimes, such as the graffiti allegedly found at the front entrance of the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith early Sunday morning, are feared to be linked to the aftermath of voting leave. But behind the protests and endless petitions for a second referendum, how far is racism to blame for the Brexit vote? Advertisement THE RISE OF NATIONALISM IN AMERICA The rise of Trump-ideology across the states seems to have unlocked a closet full of skinhead, anti-immigrant nationalists in the United Kingdom. But how far could a rallying movement for patriotism across the North Atlantic Ocean be influencing British politics? Considerably. In the predicted chaos immediately following the referendum results, Donald Trump emerged in the highlands of Scotland voicing his support for the people that "want to take their country back". Despite all odds, he found signal to prove on yet another occasion why he does not deserve the Internet. Just arrived in Scotland. Place is going wild over the vote. They took their country back, just like we will take America back. No games! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 24, 2016 It appears Trump's political adviser failed to mention Scotland decisively voted to remain inside the EU and that out of a sheer discontentment, they now seek another independence referendum. Nevertheless, this type of 'make Britain great again' rhetoric casts a worryingly light over the legitimacy of a vote in the hands of the ignorant. Advertisement NEWSPAPERS & BLAME CULTURE There is a growing consensus that a number of right-wing news outlets - aligning themselves with the leave campaign - prevented their readers from making an informed, fact-based decision. The Sun for example, a traditionally Eurosceptic paper, endorsed Brexit and called for their 40 million readers to 'BeLEAVE' in Britain, without providing the balanced, fact checked argument to do so. Instead, snappy headlines that systematically featured an anti-immigration rhetoric skewed the debate. "Britain will be magnet for terrorists if we remain in EU" [via] "Jihadis ARE exploiting refugee crisis to smuggle militants across Europe" [via] "Migrant crisis could see 'populist uprising' spread across Europe with some carrying 'terrorist virus'" [via] Europe will 'soon have more Muslims than Christians' [via] "YOU CAN'T ROMANIA HERE" [via] "More than 700,000 Turks 'will flock to live and work in Britain after country joins EU'" [via] Selective picking was no coincidence. One of the prominent arguments proposed to leave the EU was based on regaining border control. In line with the Schengen Agreement, the EU's open inter-state border system allows free flow into and around nations. Linking the unfolding migrant crisis to the rise of homegrown terrorism across Europe played on people's fears. However, the people that voted leave solely to curb immigration are set to be disappointed. Anti-immigration propaganda failed to emphasise that departing from the EU would not necessarily curb immigration. Even conservative MP Nigel Evans admitted there was "some misunderstanding" and that there would be no significant fall in immigration, post-Brexit. Advertisement RADICALISATION "Who would be happy if we left?" - David Cameron PM David Cameron predicted the leader of the Islamic State, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, would favour the divisiveness of a Brexit vote. And the announcement Britain would be leaving the EU almost immediately triggered praise from ISIS supporters, who proceeded to promote attacks on high-profile European capitals, such as Berlin and Brussels, to destabilise what is left of the EU. The EU has failed us all. pic.twitter.com/Lb7txUghar Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) June 16, 2016 Ironically, anti-immigration press attention could counteractively lead to the type of homegrown terrorism its readers are seeking to prevent. While there appears to be no single reason to account for what leads a person onto the path of extremism, there is a close-knit relationship between marginalisation and radicalisation. With all the doom, gloom, drama and chaos that is sweeping the country following Brexit, there couldn't be a better time to remind ourselves of what makes Britain, and in particular London, so great. One of the best indications of London's spectacular diversity and ability to draw on such a wide range of cultures is the incredible range of restaurants in the city. Here are the top five I would high recommend checking out when in town. Scott's My favourite restaurant in London and one reserved for special occasions. It's not cheap but you could never describe it as overpriced. It's the quintessential British seafood restaurant and just an amazing place in so many ways. From the moment you walk in, you're stunned by the decor and welcomed warmly by the famous doorman and the friendly (but not over the top) staff. It doesn't matter whether you're a Hollywood movie star or an unknown e-commerce entrepreneur like me, they're not snooty (Chiltern Firehouse et al take note). The food is absolutely delicious and the menu expansive, varied and very fun. I've yet to sample it all and it will be decades before I do, but starters like the ceviche, sashimi, oysters, burrata and dressed crab have all been unbelievably tasty and impeccably presented. The fish, such as sea bass and turbot, is among the best I've had anywhere in the world but, if you're more of a carnivore, the steaks have always got rave reviews from friends and are enormous. This is the restaurant to go for if you're going on a date or celebrating with family. The last times I ate here were for a business meeting, for Debs' (our managing director and my beautiful girlfriend of seven years) birthday and as a family to thank my Dad for the advice and mentoring he has given me as I've worked on the Tom Cridland brand. Advertisement Le Colombier They just don't make restaurants like this anymore. A dying breed of Kensington and Chelsea unostentatious but just superb dining spots. Le Colombier is the bona fide idyllic french brasserie. The decor is simple and smart, the terrace is both atmospheric and peaceful, it's got history but is not outdated in anyway and the clientele are always very smart. A good sign of an excellent restaurant is a salad that's been dressed well. The gem hearts at Le Colobmier are inimitably outstanding. The menu offers simple but perfect typical brasserie food from french onion soup or seafood platters as starters to coq au vin or dover sole as main courses, or their wonderful steak tartare, which can be either, and is the best I've had anywhere - even France! Ziani Like Le Colombier you won't see this in any guide books but Ziani is an institution, tucked away just off the King's Road. Their Talglioni verdi is extremely indulgent but incredible, and you can tuck into classic Italian fare such as carpaccio, artichokes, calamari, pastas, veal et al. You won't find anywhere in London doing this sort of simple Italian food better than this and it's also relatively good value. The staff are genuinely Italian and their operatic renditions of Happy Birthday are highly entertaining. We always go here whenever we're catching up with my Grandpa. Mr Chow Ignore the rubbish reviews on Tripadvisor. If you like a good Chinese takeaway but feel like having a far more delicious version of it, surrounded by Warhol art, glamorous fellow diners and washed down with some good wine, head to Mr Chow. Chow first gained popularity in the 60s, when The Beatles were regular clientele, and he soon opened an equally great Beverly Hills outpost. The beef noodles, chicken satay and dim sum would be my starter recommendations and are all unique recipes. As in your typical Chinese, the duck is, of course, the main event and it's absolutely outstanding here. Definitely another restaurant for a special occasion, however, as it is pricey. Dishoom My cheap eat of choice in London and, along with Gymkhana, by far the best Indian restaurant in town. The value is excellent and the food is as good as the aforementioned Michelin starred spot. Much to Debs' criticism, I tend to opt for the Ruby Chicken every time as it is just amazing. The garlic naan and rice are my sides, and it's washed down with some ice cold Indian lager, in true British fashion. That said, we once tried their Indian twist on cheese on toast and it was quite remarkable. The daal and the vegetarian dishes are also all well worth trying out. The only thing it's lacking is a blow your brains out spicy vindaloo so, if that's what you're after, head to Gymkhana for their wild boar one. Advertisement In 'The Economics of Happiness', the Swiss professor Bruno S Frey argues that over 600 referenda have contributed to the happiness of his fellow citizens. The Swiss can trigger an optional referendum if 50,000 people or eight of its 26 cantons have petitioned to do so within 100 days. A mandatory vote can be triggered by 'popular initiative': 100,000 valid signatures within 18 months. If the government is at issue with the the initiative, it can table a counterproposal - which is most often preferred by voters than the original proposal. What, specifically, has the "statistically significant, robust and sizeable effect on happiness", measured by Frey? "The institutionalised right of individual political participation." The narrowness of the victory is already causing unhappiness for the UK. Millions of signatories have signed a petition for a second vote - that's a tenth of the number that voted Leave. Over the weekend, a thousand signatures were being added each minute. Interestingly, the petition was set up by a Leave campaigner: a student and activist for the English Democrats. The post-Brexit regret expressed over the weekend by Leavers reflects the confusing political grammar of the referendum. A Constitution Unit study of over 250 European referendums finds that the change option won 69 per cent of them. Only Malta has voted against the stated will of the premier, in 2011. However, the British electorate were called upon by their prime minister to defy his wishes: a Greek tragedy of a democratic choice. It's difficult to describe a vote to remain as a vote for the status quo: when the European Union is increasingly a "crisis management" institution making up the rules as it goes along. Advertisement By contrast to the Swiss, British voters are feeling unhappy about our democracy because we don't do it very often. There was a distinct difference in Lord Ashcroft's exit polls between the two camps on the significance of the decision being made during the referendum. Three quarters of Remainers thought the referendum could have disastrous consequences for the UK. 69% of Leavers thought the decision "might make us a bit better or worse off as a country, but there probably isn't much in it either way". Think tanks have reason to worry about Britain after Brexit. Michael Gove famously used a Sky interview to proclaim "I think people in this country have had enough of experts". The IFS touched a nerve - and was savaged by politicians and in the press - when it suggested leaving the EU would lead to more austerity. The phrase 'post-truth politics' is doing the rounds with respect to our potential Prime Minister. The phrase was coined by David Roberts to describe "a political culture in which politics (public opinion and media narratives) have become almost entirely disconnected from policy (the substance of legislation)". This is the case when immigration dominates debate over a referendum where immigration policy is not on the cards: not to speak of the slogan, "We send the EU 350 million a week." A former Brussels correspondent for the Times describes how as a journalist, Boris Johnson sold stories and outcompeted rival correspondents by sketching a salacious caricature of the EU machine with little factual basis: its plans to "ban Britain's favorite potato chips, standardize condom sizes and blow up its own asbestos-filled headquarters". It became impossible to sell any other stories to editors, and it has clearly become impossible to sell any other view to the British public. Advertisement David Roberts cites a study by political scientists Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels, which asserts that the reinforcement of group identities tends to trump thinking in the voting booth: or in starker terms, voters "do not reason very much or very often...what they do is rationalize." Learning by experience is rare for voters because: "the discomfort of maladjustment never comes, either because they never emerge from the world of political thought and emotion into the world of practical action, or because the concrete consequences of their misperceptions are too indirect for them to apprehend." Fears around immigration helped spur a 72% turnout on a referendum on membership of the EU. But we'll never have a referendum on taking action against climate change, never mind garner public support for more timely action. Why? Climate change is a 'multivalent' issue, writes George Marshall: "It lends itself to multiple interpretations of causality, timing, and impact. This leaves it extremely vulnerable to our innate disposition to select or adapt information so that it confirms our preexisting assumptions." Politicians taking up against policy professionals does make the public policy enterprise look impossible in the sombre light of Brexit. However, democracy is not the problem and those who construct, evaluate and implement policy should resist defensiveness if they feel attacked. The charity sector has done incredibly badly from retreating to the sidelines after the Kids Company and other scandals soured relations with politicians, the Lobbying Act put a freeze on activism, and the press went on the offensive in May. I am working in the lobby at my hotel when I see a bus draped in Eritrean flags stop for a red light. Not much later, I sit on a bus heading to the airport to pick up my cousin Abie. I pass a park filled with people all dressed in the colors of the Eritrean flag. When I walk on the streets I hear my native language being spoken everywhere around me. I am in Geneva and this week Eritreans from all over the world have come here. But we are not all here for the same reason. Last week, a UN commission accused Eritrea for committing crimes against humanity, one the most serious crimes a state can be accused of. On Tuesday, Eritreans demonstrated outside the UN in support of the regime. On Thursday, Eritreans gathered outside the UN in protest against the regime. Advertisement We are a divided people. It has come to the point where I cannot meet someone who looks remotely Eritrean without immediately wondering what side of the issue they are on, what fight they are fighting. Because we are all fighting. With each other, with the world. The question is what you are fighting for. I am in Geneva with my cousin Abie Seyoum. When she was two years old, her father was imprisoned without a trial. She has not seen him since. Three years ago I founded an organization to work for the release of her father, my uncle, and journalist Seyoum Tsehaye. We are in Geneva to demand justice. The regime and their supporters argue that they are in war, and that they have been for the past 16 years, and therefor cannot handle any cases right now. Because they are in war, mandatory indefinite national service also needs to continue. They argue that it takes time for democracy to evolve. They argue that the western world never cared about Eritrea and ask why they suddenly do now. The regime talk about the importance of true independence from foreign powers, about grand ideas and ideologies, all rooted in a toxic patriotic spirit. This is what the regime supporters echo. But in this instance, they are actually wrong. Regardless of what they chant at their demonstration or state in the human rights council, the truth contradicts all of it; the western world did not start the dialogue about human rights in Eritrea. This dialogue began a long time ago. By Eritreans themselves, in Eritrea. These Eritreans were silenced. They were put in prison without a trial and have not been seen since. Advertisement We turned to the western world because you gave us no other choice. Some of these arguments I hear from the Eritrean representatives at the United Nations in response to the new report. I look around the room and see Hanna Petros Solomon. Both of her parents have been imprisoned without a trial. Her dad Petros Solomon is supposedly in the same prison as Seyoum. In the middle of the desert. Burning hot during the day, freezing cold during the night. No communication between the prisoners or guards. Maximum security. Prisoners in both body and mind. Politics have real consequences on people's lives. That is the whole point. Regardless of what their arguments are, or what theory they are based on, fact remains that the completely illegal actions of the Eritrean regime have had serious consequences for people's' lives. There is a human face to what we are fighting for. The Eritrean regime made Hanna and her siblings orphans. They made Abie and her younger sister Beilula fatherless. There was never any trial, explanation or justification. These children had their parents stolen from them by the Eritrean regime. As an ex prisoner testifies to what she went through in prison, I take Abie's hand and squeeze it tight. I am not sure how it would feel to hear details about how your parent is being tortured. It is not something one should ever have to hear. They are just kids, simply longing to see their own parents alive. There is no secret neo-liberal agenda behind that. I have never felt such a heavy sadness as I did when I sat on the bus passing that park. I think about Abie Seyoum, about Hanna Petros, about the hundreds of children who have had their parents stolen from them by the Eritrean regime. I think about how these people gathered in the park willingly chose to ignore the fate of these innocent children. It angers me that all the parents in that park disregard these children's' suffering and actively support the regime that caused it. But more importantly, Abie and Hanna are not the only faces. The prisoners are not the only victims. There were thousands of refugees at our demonstration. Many who have fled the national service that the regime has deemed necessary in preparation of a possible war with Ethiopia. They were chanting for their friends who did not make it to Europe. What is the worst thing a war with Ethiopia can do to our country when our children are already dying like flies? This was for all of them. Advertisement I also think about how difficult it is going to be to demand justice from the regime when they keep getting support from so many of their people. Yoel Lino, an Eritrean activist, said: "It's very easy to support people in power. Very easy and comfortable. But it takes a lot of courage to stand up against people in power. We made our statement clear in Geneva - a demand of an Eritrea ruled by law and justice. The power of the people is much more greater than the people in power." The Supreme Court ruled 5-3 today that Louie Gohmert and Greg Abbott will probably be making some really amazing statements about secession soon. Almost no one wants to appear at Donald Trumps convention, though Clint Eastwoods imaginary Barack Obama doesnt have plans. And Scott Brown wants Elizabeth Warren to submit to a DNA test, so dont act too surprised when you catch the former senator loitering about a Warren/Clinton rally wearing latex gloves, clutching a Milwaukee's Best and waving a pair of tweezers about. This is HUFFPOST HILL for Monday, June 27th, 2016: SANDERS' CLOUT PUT TO TEST IN NEW YORK - One House race, to give you a sense of these things, is worthy roughly 70 gabillionty platform meetings. Amanda Terkel: "Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) political muscle in down-ballot races will face a key test Tuesday, as his chosen candidate in New Yorks 24th congressional district faces off against two competitors who have more support from New York elected officials and Democratic organizations. Sanders went to New York on Friday to campaign for Eric Kingson, a 70-year-old Syracuse University professor and political novice. Kingson co-founded the national organization Social Security Works and started the Strengthen Social Security Coalition......Kingson endorsed Sanders for president, whereas his two opponents, former political staffer Colleen Deacon, 38, and attorney Steve Williams, 53, endorsed Hillary Clinton. Deacon worked for the mayor of Syracuse and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and has the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the states two senators. Former DCCC Chair Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) endorsed Williams." [HuffPost] Advertisement PAUL RYAN IS TIRED OF ALL YOUR SHENANIGANS - Paul Ryan is the Tracy Flick of Congress. Scott Wong: "Speaker Paul Ryan warned that Republicans 'will not tolerate' it if Democrats launch another sit-in on the House floor after the Fourth of July recess to force a vote on gun control. In a television interview in his home state of Wisconsin, Ryan would not say specifically how his party would react differently to another protest but signaled that there would be a swift response. The Speaker called Democrats' 24-hour-plus occupation of the House floor last week 'a low moment for the people's House,' but Democrats who joined the protest have vowed to hold another sit-in next week until Republicans allow a vote on gun control following the June 12 Orlando massacre...In a separate radio interview that aired Monday, Ryan said Democrats had hoped to get arrested during last weeks protest. But Republicans, aware that putting civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and other senior Democrats in handcuffs could cause the GOP political damage, decided to avoid a physical altercation and never called on the sergeant at arms to intervene." [The Hill] PELOSI BURNS RYAN'S 'A BETTER WAY' - Jen Bendery: "After six years of anticipation, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has finally unveiled what Republicans are calling their alternative to Obamacare: a 37-page document that reads like a mission statement and lacks details on what, exactly, the GOP would put in place of the health care law now benefitting 20 million people. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) cant make much sense of it. 'Its not a bill. It isnt scored,' Pelosi said in a Wednesday roundtable with reporters. 'Were trying to figure out how many people would lose insurance.'" [HuffPost] DELANEY DOWNER - Jason Silverstein has a kinda mean story: "Maine's Trump-loving, dog-stealing Gov. Paul LePage recently threatened to end his state's food stamp program because people were using it to buy junk food. But he's apparently okay with his citizens scarfing down $11 bacon-wrapped scallops and $15 cheeseburger pizza since his wife will be serving them at her new summer job. The guv's love, Ann LePage, recently started her gig as a waitress at McSeagulls seafood restaurant after her husband tried, and failed, doubling his positions salary to put it among the highest-paid governor gigs in the country." Food stamps generally cannot be used in restaurants. Also, Ann LePage seems nice. Sorry, Ann. [Daily News] Advertisement Does somebody keep forwarding you this newsletter? Get your own copy. It's free! Sign up here. Send tips/stories/photos/events/fundraisers/job movement/juicy miscellanea to huffposthill@huffingtonpost.com. Follow us on Twitter - @HuffPostHill OH MAN CONSERVATIVES MUST BE LOSING THEIR MINDS OVER THE SUPREME COURT - Conservatives watching the GOP nominate Donald Trump is a bit like us Yankees fans watching the team sign aging veteran after aging veteran in the 2000s -- you just know the next four to eight years are down the drain. Cristian Farias: "The Supreme Court struck as unconstitutional part of a restrictive Texas statute that threatened to shutter half of the states remaining abortion clinics and deny millions of women the right to a safe abortion. The ruling in Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt represents the most significant victory for abortion rights at the high court since the turn of the century, as states have scrambled to pass and defend similar laws across the country, seeking to chip away at the landmark Roe v. Wade...Avowing a concern for womens health, Texas lawmakers passed the sweeping HB 2, which, among other requirements, mandated that abortion clinics undergo costly structural upgrades so as to resemble mini hospitals, and that abortion doctors obtain so-called admitting privileges at nearby hospitals all in the name of reducing health risks and increasing safety." [HuffPost] Also this: "The Supreme Court ruled in a decision announced Monday that a reckless domestic assault qualifies as a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and therefore bars individuals from owning or buying guns under federal law. 'A person who assaults another recklessly 'use[s]' force, no less than one who carries out that same action knowingly or intentionally,' wrote Justice Elena Kagan, who authored the majority opinion. She was joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, as well as Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Samuel Alito." [HuffPost] Advertisement SUPREME COURT SPRINGS BOB MCDONNELL FROM THE CLINK - His watch couldn't be reached for comment. Farias: "The Supreme Court on Monday gave former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) the reprieve of his life -- reversing his multiple convictions for corruption and effectively sparing him from federal prison...In a unanimous ruling authored by Chief Justice John Roberts, the court left open the possibility for a new trial for McDonnell, while making clear the case is filled with indiscretions that may dismay the publicAt the crux of the case was the question of what kind of behavior by elected officials counts as an 'official act' under federal anti-corruption laws. McDonnell -- aided by a coalition of legal scholars, former government officials and defense attorneys -- argued against a definition that sweeps too broadly and punishes otherwise innocent, everyday political activity. The Supreme Court on Monday largely agreed, relying on the text of federal law, its own precedents and constitutional principles to adopt a more bounded reading of what official act means." [HuffPost] HOW ABOUT THAT NEW LOOK TRUMP Sam Stein: "In the aftermath of an appearance by presumptive Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) in Ohio on Monday, Trump chose to attack Warren rather than the former secretary of state herself.'Elizabeth Warren is a total fraud,' he told NBCs Hailey Jackson, apparently unable to contain himself. 'I know it. Other people who work with her know it. ... She made up her heritage, which I think is racist. I think shes a racist, actually, because what she did was very racist.' For those unfamiliar with the backstory, Trumps obsession here is Warrens decision to tout her Native American heritage while she was a tenured faculty member at Harvard Law School in the mid-1990s. Warren says her family has long identified this way, though there is not much evidence to substantiate the lineage." [HuffPost] Looks like *someone* just read USA Today article about 23andme. "Harvard can release the records, she can authorize the release of those records, or she can take a DNA test," Scott Brown said on a conference call with reporters today. "Its a reverse form of racism, quite frankly." [WaPo] Advertisement NO ONE WANTS TO SPEAK AT DONALD TRUMP'S CONVENTION - How many times can the Slap Chop guy reasonably introduce a speaker? Asking for a friend. Alex Isenstadt: "With the convention less than a month away, POLITICO contacted more than 50 prominent governors, senators and House members to gauge their interest in speaking. Only a few said they were open to it, and everyone else said they werent planning on it, didnt want to or werent going to Cleveland at all or simply didnt respond...Trumps team is tight-lipped about to whom itll extend speaking invitations, as is the Republican National Committee. But many of the partys most prominent pols say theyre flat-out not interested and that Trump should look elsewhere. Their rejections range from terse to abrupt, and in a year otherwise lacking in GOP unity they seem to be using the same talking points." [Politico] Sad Jeb alone in the airport (via @MadisonAveSpy). BENGHAZI COMMITTEE UPDATE - Amanda Terkel: "One of the most mysterious figures in the investigation by the House Select Committee on Benghazi has been 'John from Iowa,' a man who called into Sean Hannitys radio show in May 2013 and said he was a drone operator who saw what happened on the night of the attacks in Libya a year earlier. The committee, led by Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), pressed the Defense Department to find this talk radio caller and make him available to lawmakers...Two months later, the committee was finally able to interview 'John from Iowa.' On Monday, the Democratic members of the Benghazi committee released their own report, saying the GOP statement was skirting around the main issue: In the end, 'John from Iowa' didnt really have anything to add." [HuffPost] BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here's a lazy wolf. VLADIMIR POOPIN - Josh Rogin: "Russian intelligence and security services have been waging a campaign of harassment and intimidation against U.S. diplomats, embassy staff and their families in Moscow and several other European capitals that has rattled ambassadors and prompted Secretary of State John F. Kerry to ask Vladimir Putin to put a stop to it...But many of the recent acts of intimidation by Russian security services have crossed the line into apparent criminality. In a series of secret memos sent back to Washington, described to me by several current and former U.S. officials who have written or read them, diplomats reported that Russian intruders had broken into their homes late at night, only to rearrange the furniture or turn on all the lights and televisions, and then leave. One diplomat reported that an intruder had defecated on his living room carpet." [WaPo] COMFORT FOOD - Remain or Stay, this is the most British thing you'll see this month. - The best GOP signs from the party's congressional softball victory. TWITTERAMA @leyawn: *giant meteor hurtling towards earth* If we destroy it, we are no better than the meteor itself. let's hear what the meteor has to say @JohnMankiewicz:Boris Johnson literally looks like someone going as Trump on Halloween. @morninggloria: a little scary that reproductive choice for millions of women might hinge on how constipated and cranky anthony kennedy was on argument day Until now, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has offered some juicy -- and sometimes contradictory -- sound bites but no real policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. That changed dramatically last week when one of his two top advisers on Israeli affairs was interviewed in Haaretz. It was more than scary. It was terrifying. The adviser, David Friedman, made it clear that Trump doesn't support a two-state solution and would even back Israeli annexation of all or parts of the West Bank. He basically tore up 50 years of bipartisan US policy toward Israel and the Palestinians and put forward extreme positions that even the government of Benjamin Netanyahu has not advocated. The interview made it clear that electing Trump would be like putting an extreme zealot of the Jewish Home Party and the settler movement in the White House. Advertisement Blithely abandoning support for a two-state solution and giving the settler movement and the rightists in the Israeli government a green light for annexation would place Israel on a perilous path. Anyone who truly cares about Israel's future as a democracy and as a Jewish homeland should be appalled. For decades, Israelis and Palestinians alike have relied on the steady support of the United States in pursuit of a sustainable and just peace. Even when their own leaders have lacked the courage and vision to move forward, successive US presidents of both parties have kept the flame of peace alive. Trump would snuff it out in one mighty breath. Friedman, a 57-year-old lawyer specializing in real estate and bankruptcies, heads the American Friends of Bet El, a West Bank settlement located north of Ramallah with a population of around 6,000, and has helped raise millions of dollars for the settlement in recent years. He is apparently a frontrunner for the job of US ambassador to Israel, should Trump be elected. Friedman's statements expanded what Trump himself said in an interview to the London Daily Mail on May 3, in which he stated that he was in favor of continued Israeli settlement of the West Bank: "They really have to keep going, they have to keep moving forward. Look missiles were launched into Israel and Israel was never properly treated by our country." But Friedman's words take this already irresponsible position a huge -- and dangerous -- step further. Asked by Haaretz reporter Barak Ravid if Trump would support the annexation of at least parts of the West Bank to Israel, he said: "I would expect that he would." Advertisement Clearly, there are many reasons why it is imperative to defeat Donald Trump this November. Our country's future -- and that of the entire world -- depends on it. Our democracy, our common decency, our economy and our society are all at stake. Charging that Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State legislature in "Albany failed to act in the best interest of the children of New York," NYS Allies for Public Education (NYSAPE) has issued a new manifesto for the opt-out movement - A New Framework for Public Education in NYS: Building a Vision that Serves ALL Students. According to NYSAPE spokesperson Jeanette Deutermann, Nassau County public school parent and founder of Long Island Opt Out, "Grassroots organizations worked feverishly this spring to push for legislation to correct the mistakes made by our legislators and our Governor last year. Once again, the Albany leadership failed to respond to the growing tide of discontent. Parents will respond in kind this November. While others may celebrate this hollow victory of a fleeting reprieve, parent organizations will continue to fight for what is in the best interest of our children and the health of our public schools. Our message has been loud, clear, direct, and unwavering. The time for excuses are long gone." Bianca Tanis, Ulster County public school parent and educator, explained "Until we ensure that our schools have the resources to meet the needs of all children, test scores are meaningless and only serve to widen the opportunity gap, hurting the most vulnerable students. A test driven accountability system allows those in power to distract the public from their refusal to fully fund our schools and denies all but the wealthiest, a well-rounded and child-centered education." Advertisement The NYSAPE framework includes a list of what "NYS Allies for Public Education believes all schools must have in order to foster creative, critically thinking, confident, well-rounded, independent, self-motivated, culturally competent, and well-prepared students who can work cooperatively and excel post-high school, whether they choose to attend college or pursue a vocation." NYSAPE argues that in the United States today the "misguided focus on test scores distracts from critical conversations about what all students need to be successful and about the goals of public education." The focus on testing lacks educational validity and "most importantly, hurts students." The NYSAPE Framework is divided into sections on standards, curriculum, assessment, resources, the needs of children who receive special services, and the right of all children and families to privacy. The key points in the standards section are that learning standards should be "based on developmental norms rather than a systematic back-mapping of any given college and career readiness benchmark"; Standards should be created by "classroom educators and content area specialists experienced in the grade level for which they are creating standards, with feedback from parents, community members, and where appropriate, students"; "Standards must be broad enough to allow local teachers, as professionals, to determine which methodology, content, and instructional practices and assessments will best suit the needs of the communities and students they serve"; and "Standards in all grades must address cultural, racial, religious, gender, LBGT, & class competencies." Curriculum initiatives, according to the NYSAPE must be adequately funded, culturally relevant to students, include experiential learning, be infused with music, art, physical education, and technology, and "offer significant opportunities for students to exercise choice and direct aspects of their own learning." Because of NYSAPE's leading role in the opt-out movement, assessment is a key part of the framework. They demand a significant reduction in the number and length of statewide examinations and that "federally mandated statewide assessments must be created by New York State classroom educators. This includes test question construction and reading passage selection. In a system that includes local assessment, classroom educators MUST have the primary role in constructing or selecting the NY should pursue joining the 'innovative assessment' alternative allowed under ESSA. This should include a significant reduction in the number of statewide exams (potentially to three grades) and the construction of a "system of systems" that relies primarily on local assessments (including consortia of schools or districts). Such a system could also use sampling techniques. Educators, parents and members of the community must participate in defining the goals for assessment and key criteria/standards for a "system of systems." In addition, they want to stop the "misuse of assessment data. "Statewide exams must be decoupled from any high stakes including but not limited to teacher and principal evaluations, grounds for school takeover or closure, use as admittance criteria to selective schools, promotion, programs, and retention." State officials and school district personnel have an obligation to notify parents and guardians of their "right to refuse standardized tests for their child(ren)." The Parent bill of rights should require that the outsourcing of student personal data to third parties by New York State or school districts "without parental consent be done with full transparency, identify of these third parties, and the reason for the sharing of student information." Advertisement NYSAPE is also demanding full and equitable funding for public schools, medical, dental, and nutritional services for students in need, reasonable class sizes caps, well resourced libraries staffed by full-time librarians, counseling support, modern technology, recess and lunch breaks for children, and high quality Pre-Kindergarten. To improve teaching, NYSAPE wants the state to "prioritize the recruitment and retention of teachers from diverse background, provide teacher mentoring programs "to help new teachers navigate their first few years of service," and staff development to prepare teachers to address the needs of special and English language learners, and more cooperative planning time. Questions, comments, and suggestions should be addressed to Bianca Tanis at nysapeframework4ed@gmail.com. From July 8-10, educators, parents, and activists will rally in Washington, DC for three days of action in defense of public education. Featured speakers include author Jonathan Kozol, Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, and Diane Ravitch. On July 8 there will be a People's March for Public Education and Social Jusice. Save Our Schools is organizing a conference for July 9 to be followed by a July 10 Coalition Summit and organizing session. The program for the rally and meetings includes full, equitable funding for all public schools; safe, racially just schools and communities; community leadership in public school policies; professional, diverse educators for all students; child-centered, culturally I know this is probably going to upset a lot of people, and have no doubt that many will disagree, but the Philippines just wasn't what I thought it was going to be from MY standpoint as a solo female traveler. Don't get me wrong, the Philippines is definitely one of the most beautiful, affordable, and safe places I've been to on my own, but those things are kind of hard to enjoy when you're constantly being asked, "Are you alone?" or "Where's your boyfriend?" When I first told people that I was constantly asked "Are you alone?", their reactions were out of concern. I'll admit, there was some less-than-safe news going on while I was in the Philippines; like kidnappings of tourists, a beheading, and a heated government election, but as an experienced solo female traveler, I knew if I practiced my safety measures and precautions I'd be fine. And I was fine. I didn't feel unsafe at all, I just felt annoyed. Here's the thing. I don't want to turn anyone off from going to the Philippines. I thought it was beautiful, and the people were beyond friendly, even if they did immediately question my relationship status and verbally publicize it. But I've been to a lot of countries alone, and the last one that perturbed me this much due to questions and judgements ended up with a wine-induced little rant I sarcastically called, Yes, I'm Pretty and I'm Traveling Alone. Advertisement Before anyone goes and gets in a huff about my word usage, just know that this isn't about looks. This is about being a woman, who is traveling alone, in an area where marriage and babies are still the primary goal and expectation of women before or around the age of 20. There's nothing wrong with that goal or expectation either. I respect every culture and do my best to learn and understand about them, but when I even get asked by little girls why I'm alone, it starts to get a little uncomfortable. "Why are you always alone?" Said the little girl that helped work at the beach inn I was staying at in El Nido, as she crouched under my table to hide from the little boy who was chasing her. "Because I wanted to come here, so I did." Was the only somewhat simple response I could fathom. "Yeah, but you don't always have to do it alone." Said the ten, maybe twelve year old little girl, who was too cute and innocent for me to explain that these days, if a woman wants to go see the world, she can, and should. But instead I just opted to tell her that my "boyfriend" was currently in Indonesia, and that I was there for work; an excuse that I found myself making more and more throughout the trip as I got sick of the looks of confusion when I would valiantly reply, "Yep! I am alone!" Valiance doesn't exactly feel so great when you realize people don't think what you're doing is normal or commendable, or God forbid puts you in a dangerous situation. Thinking back on it, I probably got asked if I was alone about twelve times in two weeks, and there's no reason at all why one of those people couldn't have been asking for malicious purposes. But I of course, refused to judge in an effort to prove that you can't always believe what you hear. Advertisement As much as I hate to admit it though, I did feel a smidge of a safety concern in a tourist-heavy area of the Philippines, that was initially recommend as a must-see beach. Alona Beach, which ironically, my autocorrect just immediately corrected to "Alone", was definitely a place where I didn't feel comfortable at all being alone. Like any touristy area, there were tons of people trying to sell things, but I felt like since I was alone, they followed me just a little bit more. Usually I can handle that, but in addition to the sales pitches, was also the question, "Are you alone?", and I really wasn't sure why they were asking. The icing on the cake for my trip "alone", was when I went to go return the motorbike to the rental place in Bohol near the ferry terminal. The man I rented it from doubted me at first when he saw that it was going to be just me on the bike, but after I hoped on and took off with no problem, he actually applauded as I zipped off into traffic. I was all excited to pull up early to my return time without a scratch on the bike, and then head off as fast as possible to the ferry to get the heck out of there and onto my flight to Bali where I finally wouldn't be alone. But then another man had to go and say the one thing that would piss off any solo female traveler the most. "You're alone?" He announced. "YEAH." I scoffed, hoping this would finally be the last time. But instead of the usual eyebrow raise, the smug, older man said, "Maybe I'll go with you to the beach next time then." I wanted to scream. Once again, I felt like I was being judged as someone who was looking for companionship or something just because I was a woman who chose to travel alone. The rental guy shook his head apologetically as the smug man continued to laugh and make comments, until I couldn't take it anymore and finally said, "I never said I was single, I said I was traveling alone." To which, of course, his response was, "Oh ok, so where's your husband?" I've never rushed to an airport faster before in my life. But, as I mentioned before, I understand that there are many cultural differences in the world, so as much as I felt personally frustrated because I wasn't expecting to be questioned so much, I still respected their views, and enjoyed the Philippines as much as possible. I also never let anything get to me too much, and constantly reminded myself of everything I've accomplished as a solo female traveler. Advertisement So now that I've explained why I wasn't a fan of the Philippines as a solo female traveler, I will say that I was a fan of the Philippines as a world traveler. I saw some of the most beautiful, incredible landscapes, and had a freaking blast figuring out how to ride a motorbike for the first time! The food was great and the drinks were cheap, and I even got to see a Natural World Wonder! Mahershala Ali, from left, Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Gary Ross attend the "Free State of Jones" Photo Call at the Four Seasons Hotel on Wednesday, May 11, 2016, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Rich Fury/Invision/AP) Martin Luther King Jr. used to say that " the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice." Of course that arc is sometimes so long that it's hard to see it bend. As someone who has been present at the making of much history and who now has the unique privilege to look back on it, I know better than most how history can inform the present and how forgetting our history comes at a terrible cost. A week ago, we were honored to host the national premier of Free State of Jones here in Atlanta, a film that tells the story an interracial rebellion against the Confederacy from within. Newt Knight was a poor farmer from an area of Mississippi that owned few slaves and he was opposed to slavery and the slave-owning class. Knight (played by Matthew McConaughey in the film) led a rebellion against these slaveholders and continued to fight for racial justice all through the turbulent era of Reconstruction that followed -- allying with former slaves as they fought for the right to vote and participate in an economy that had been built by their labor. Advertisement Newt Knight was white. When we engaged the struggles of the 1960s that culminated in the march on Washington we relied on alliances that crossed the color line and created a powerful coalition. Those alliances took courage on the part of our white friends just as it took courage for Newt Knight to stand up to the Confederacy and continue to fight white supremacists through Reconstruction, more than 100 years ago. The film shows the common ground between poor white farmers and enslaved people of color. And that common ground is and has always been a potent political force for change. By the end of his life, Martin Luther King Jr. had come to realize that economic struggle, which crosses the color line was the unifying theme that would lend ultimate power to the movement. The Poor People's March on Washington was the final focus of his life's work. But this common ground and the potential for such a coalition is threatened now, not by the forces of racism and segregation, but from a kind of self-imposed segregation that sees such black-white alliances as diminishing of our cause. They are not. They are necessary. And they deserved to be encouraged or in the case of the film, remembered. Free State of Jones also tells the truth about Reconstruction. It does not indulge the mythology that simple emancipation at war's end meant true freedom. Far from it. It is perhaps the first film to show the bitter disappointment in the post-war years as the jubilation of victory gave way to the harsh reality that Confederates would return to power, institute sharecropping instead of slavery, penal servitude instead of simple servitude and the "apprenticeship" of minor children instead of more blatant "ownership." When some in Congress tried to fight these events, the Ku Klux Klan rose up in force and there was no Northern will to combat it. So it is all the more remarkable that a white southern farmer stood up to this oppression even after the war when so many of his contemporaries would not. Advertisement We need more Newt Knights today. We need coalitions to combat the pernicious and ominous signs that appear around us this year. We need to work together to fight the newer forms of obvious oppression: discriminating against specific religions; targeting certain communities for surveillance; whipping up the fires of racial hatred and fanning those flames for political purposes. I encourage you all to see Free State of Jones. Ambassador Young has served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and as Co-Chair of the Atlanta Committee for the Centennial Olympic Games. He served two terms as Mayor of Atlanta and was elected a United States Congressman three times. He was a top aide to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the civil rights movement, and served as Vice-President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. This piece has run in newspapers in my conservative congressional District (VA-06). For months, we have witnessed out how the political rise of Donald Trump has emboldened the forces of racism and bigotry in America. The head of the nation's largest white supremacist Internet forum -- Don Black of Stormfront -- says that Trump (whom he calls a "boon" to the white supremacist cause) is "creating a movement that will continue independently of him..." David Duke, former Grand Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, notes how Trump is providing "cover" for people to proclaim their "white nationalism." Advertisement Such "cover" is what Trump's repeated rejection of "political correctness" accomplishes: the racism that America worked so long to declare unacceptable now again dares announce itself. It may well be that most Trump supporters are not bigots. But one thing we know from the white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups themselves: they feel encouraged by Trump. They recognize in Trump's speeches the same spirit that animates them. It is a hostile spirit that seeks to dominate other groups whose humanity is deemed less worthy of respect than one's own. And it is a spirit that has blighted human history. It blighted the ancient world, where conquerors routinely turned vanquished peoples into property to exploit. It has blighted the past century, with the German "Master Race" exterminating Jews by the millions, with Rwandans from the Hutu tribe slaughtering members of the Tutsi tribe by the hundreds of thousands, and with Serbs in the former Yugoslavia creating camps for the systematic rape of Bosnian women. Advertisement It is a spirit that Americans, with our own histories of conquest and enslavement, have long worked to put away safely in a cage so that we might better fulfill our basic national ideals. One of these ideas is the one that declares that "all men are created equal." Another is the ideal that, despite our being a nation of people from many lands, "we are all Americans," unified not on the basis of racial or ethnic uniformity but on the basis of a shared belief in the principles of liberty and democracy on which we were founded. Having traveled so far toward building a society where different kinds of people can live together in peace, hold each other in a degree of mutual respect, and work together to achieve common purposes, are we now going to let the destructive beast of bigotry back out of its cage? Are we to let this voice -- that has emboldened the demons of bigotry -- speak to us soon from the bully pulpit of the presidency? One last note: while it is Donald Trump who has lately encouraged this bigotry to become bolder, the strengthening of this dark spirit has also been enabled by President Obama. In particular, our first African-American president erred when he failed to call out -- or have others call out -- the racist spirit behind the "birther" nonsense when it first emerged. This racist attempt to delegitimize the president was one of those things best nipped in the bud. Advertisement The racist nature of the birther movement could hardly be clearer. There could be no rational basis for believing Obama was anything but a natural-born American citizen, thus eligible to be president -- not in view of the notice of Obama's birth that appeared in Hawaiian newspapers in August 1961. But racist feelings created a problem for many Americans, and believing the incredible birther fiction provided a solution. Obama's election created a dilemma for those Americans holding two beliefs that suddenly were in conflict: 1) their belief that black people should be treated as inferiors, and 2) their belief that the President of the United States should be treated with respect. Obama's supposed African birth -- or, to put it another way, his "African-ness" -- allowed people in that dilemma to see him as no legitimate president, and therefore not requiring respect. President Obama may have believed he should not dignify the absurd by taking it seriously. But, absurd or not, something serious was going on, and it was a mistake not to confront not so much the foolishness of the fiction about his being born in Kenya as the racism that fiction indulged. By ignoring it, President Obama allowed the bigotry to feed and grow. And as the years have gone by, we have seen his political opponents emboldened to treat this president with a scorn and condescension to which no white American president has ever been subjected. Advertisement Donald J. Trump's presidential campaign hit a snag on Monday, after several prominent endorsers made statements suggesting his fitness to hold the highest office in our country would be undercut by his own personal behaviors and failings.* It began with Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, who previously stated he had no qualms with Donald Trump "appointing people to the Supreme Court," lamenting that "the true tragedy in this case is the collapse of the [future-]president's moral authority." Referring to the presumptive Republican nominee's penchant for wildly gesticulating his hands while telling falsehoods, the Judiciary Committee chairman stated that "he undermined himself when he wagged his finger and lied to the nation on national TV." Prominent conservative Christian activists quickly echoed these sentiments. Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry, who released videos arguing that conservative Christians should support Donald Trump's presidential campaign as early as March, now states he is "a tyrant; he's a monster." This is in part based on the fact that the presumptive GOP nominee has at least twice violated his marriage vows. Members of Trump's newly formed Evangelical Executive Advisory Board also began to revolt against their chosen candidate. Focus on the Family founder James Dobson proclaimed "character DOES matter. You can't run a family, let alone a country, without it." He went on to state: Commonly Used One Shot Musket in the American Revolution -- wikia.com The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution calls for: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed." The right of militias, which were made up of individuals in towns all over the 13 colonies, to own guns makes a lot of sense when understood in historical context. The American Continental Army which fought valiantly for independence against Britain, an overwhelming military power, depended on militias to train recruits and to insure that they owned weapons. For example, when Colonel John Paterson (later General Paterson) received notice that the first shots of the revolution had been fired, he summoned his Berkshire Massachusetts militia. The men secured their rifles, mounted their horses, and headed for Boston. Although they made the trip in record time they missed the battles of Lexington and Concord but later fought in many other major battles, including Bunker Hill, the crossing of the Delaware with George Washington for the successful surprise attack on Hessian forces loyal to the British in Trenton, New Jersey, and the victory in the battle of Saratoga, which was a turning point in the war. Advertisement If Paterson's militia, or other militias, had not brought their own weapons to the Continental Army they would have been unprepared for battle and would thus have been of much diminished military value. Especially at the beginning of the war for independence the Continental Army did not have a highly organized military infrastructure with sufficient supplies of weapons, uniforms, or provisions to match the British. That's why soldiers in the Continental Army were often expected to bring their own guns: "Standard issue was unheard of." The most preferred combat weapons were the single-shot rifle and single-shot musket Here's a vivid description of frontier American volunteers joining the battle: "Of all the guns of the Revolution, popular tradition has cloaked the rifle with an almost magical and glamorous quality, describing it sometimes as 'the gun that made victory certain in the American Revolution.' The first companies of frontier riflemen to be raised, dressed as they were in buckskin hunting shirts, with awesome knives and tomahawks in their belts, created a sensation as they proceed from Pennsylvania and Virginia to join the military units and state militia laying siege to the British in the Massachusetts capital." Nevertheless, the Continental Army often lacked the weapons and supplies to effectively face off with the British: Advertisement "A shortage of arms was chronic. Little more than a year after the outbreak of the war, one quarter of the Continental Army had no guns." The North Carolina Museum of History describes a prominent incident in which the lack of weapons and supplies thwarted a military opportunity: "Often it was hard to get supplies, and the shortages hurt the war effort. The North Carolina troops planned an expedition to Georgia and Florida, but it failed for lack of supplies. One officer defended General Robert Howe of North Carolina, stating that the public was throwing a thousand reflections on the General and the army for not marching to attack the enemy and storm lines, without provisions and without ammunition." Keep in mind that with the signing of the Paris Treaty in 1783, which brought an end to the revolutionary war, the thirteen colonies plus the land east of the Mississippi, ceded to America by the British in the Paris treaty, only constituted about a third of the present United States in North America. And that was still the landscape of America when the Constitution was ratified in 1788 and also when the first ten amendments were approved by the states in 1791. Potentially hostile armies of France, Spain, and Mexico surrounded America's western and southern borders. And the British occupied Canada and the far west, in what is now Oregon and Washington. Post Revolution America (1783), One Third Its Size Today--en.wikipedia.org With dangers looming on all the borders, it's understandable that the Founding Fathers would include the Second Amendment to insure that militias would have sufficient weapons if they were called up for national defense. The amendment was particularly vital since following the revolution, "the United States reduced its standing army to only a handful of men, entrusting the state militias with the nation's defense." After the disbanding of the Continental Army in 1783, the United States army wasn't established until 1796, five years after the adoption of the Second Amendment.This means that for at least that five year period the United States was totally dependent on State militias for national defense. No wonder, therefore, that the Second Amendment called for armed militias. Advertisement But why didn't James Madison, brilliant author of the Second Amendment, spell out more details and definitions? These would have shut down today's debates about meaning and intention in the amendment. Indeed, why is the Second Amendment a skimpy twenty-seven words? Madison did not lack the ability to express ideas clearly and artfully. However, since everyone including the public clearly understood the crucial role of militias for national defense, he probably deemed additional explanation unnecessary. Militias were part of everyday life in the former thirteen colonies. I am an advocate for gun control -- which would require background checks, the prohibition of assault weapons for civilians, and the linking of gun-purchase data bases with no-fly lists and lists of suspected terrorists. But at the time of the Second Amendment I would have argued for a stronger amendment -- one requiring everyone of military age to own a gun. This would have further insured the necessary preparedness. It would have made sense in view of the dangers that our fledgling nation faced, surrounded by potential adversaries with highly trained and well-supplied armies. But such a provision makes no sense today, given that the United States military, despite recent claims to the contrary, is the best equipped and best trained in the history of the world. Nor do proposals of laissez-faire gun ownership of any and all kinds to almost anyone contribute to a rational or civil society. What was vital to America in the eighteenth century may have little relevance to twenty-first-century America. For the last 30 years one of my main occupations has been studying, teaching, and writing about longevity and issues of an aging society. What does that have to do with guns and the Second Amendment? The obvious answer is that dying young is an obstacle to longevity and aging. Advertisement Over the eight years of the American revolution 8,000 patriots of the Continental Army were killed in battle, cutting short for them what they fought for: "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." But their sacrifice gave us a nation. During another eight years from 2008-2015 more than 200,000 people in the United States have lost their lives to gun violence. And what do we have to show for that loss other than grief, pain, and the bewilderment of the rest of the world at our gun laws? Those killed in gun violence have been denied the right of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, stated in the Declaration of Independence. Their deaths are a desecration of the principles that this nation was founded on and for which the brave patriots gave their lives in the American Revolution. It's time for a change and a new revolution with gun laws that honor America and its founders. Frustrated Chinese woman using laptop Having a Disqus commenting account is a truth serum, of sorts. If you're a kind, analytical person who likes to consider the opinions of others and thoughtfully present your own perspective, internet commenting will bring that out. If you're a big asshole, it will bring that out of you, too. As I've started to branch out and write for more online mediums, I've realized that writing an article on the internet is equivalent to throwing yourself to the vultures. They are ready to peck at just about anything with some meat to it. Sometimes, they really tear you apart. Advertisement It would be nice to take the "don't worry what people think of you" lessons from teachers and parents of our childhood. However, "back then," I don't think they had the entire internet in mind. Within an article, the first few comments will sometimes sway the rest in something of a bandwagon effect. In an era of listicles and filler content, when you work really hard on something only to have the negativity brigade come and flip out on you, it can be disheartening. I'm noticing that it affects my writing on certain topics. It shouldn't. But there. I said it. If you've never been published on the merciless internet, trust me, a thick skin is easier talked about than owned. A deep thinker (and maybe a bit of an over-thinker), I always examine a "problem," like internet trolls, and try to decide if it is instead a symptom of a larger issue. What's the real problem, here? I think there is more than one. First, what's interesting is that we clutch our pearls at young teens posting "Hot or Not" pictures on the internet, snapping nudes, and allowing themselves to be publicly judged by anyone with a WiFi connection. But really, this baring for approval has become a cultural phenomenon, transcending teens and adolescent social media. Just about everybody does it. We'll take ten pictures before we post the perfect one to Instagram. We will travel to the coolest places on Earth, just to filter the experience through a camera lens. We will attend a relative's concert and miss the essence of it, because we are too busy trying to get the iPad switched to the right mode for easy uploading (...and compliment-fishing) later that night. The entire way we interact with our world has shifted. In the world of social media "sharing," we get the privilege of seeing every single person who is--or who is appearing to be--thinner, better, smarter, funnier, cooler, and prettier. If we participate in the internet community, regardless of which social media platform, we toss our tickets in to an endless competition with no tangible victory. Advertisement Unfortunately, writing is no different. Writing has become so exploited, whored and demeaned, that talented writers think they are lucky to be paid $10, if at all, for a 1000-word article. If you aren't a writer and can't spatially imagine 1000 words, think of it like this: I'm barely halfway there right about now. Our words take time in a world that doesn't have any time. A person's art, which is relegated to the internet because that's just how things are, has become the venting forum for someone who hasn't gotten enough likes on Instagram. Back to the schoolyard: "bullies who are mean to others do it so they feel better about themselves." It tells something about our society that so many haven't grown out of it yet. Lastly, it has become a gender issue. I, personally, am not a PC-policewoman, but the taunting on female journalists' pieces is utterly nauseating. In fact, nauseating might not be a strong enough word. Lately, we have female newscasters and writers reporting that not only do they get rape threats on the pieces they write, some commenters find it necessary to communicate their horrendousness directly to the supposed sacred space of a journalist's home via a personal visit or phone call. All for an internet article that the commenter didn't like. It's tempting to say "don't let those jerks win!" and that this is the path women need to take toward full equality, to pave the way, if you will. However, if a woman, quite literally, fears for her safety, it's completely understandable why she might stop. Not all of us want to fight the good fight. Of course the moral of the story is to think before you type and maybe be a little nicer to each other, but that won't be enough. Advertisement What is wrong with us? It's a vicious circle, really. As a general rule, we don't fill each other's tanks with deep love and approval, and instead worry about how the rest of the world sees us on account of being made to feel insecure since childhood. Just take the recent article in The Atlantic, which states that almost half of middle-class Americans can't come up with $400 for an emergency. Underemployment and financial struggle account for some it, sure, but if we go by the author's choices, draining a 401k for a lavish wedding sounds more like keeping up appearances. Man, do we live for appearances. It makes for the perfect consumer culture that we all bask in. When you feel like shit about yourself, you'll try harder to convince others that you don't. You'll buy more clothes, shoes, home decor, purses, belts, hair care products, Botox, implants, and BMWs. And we do. And we take pictures to show how we do. And our kids learn real quick. The biggest challenge in America is to live a simple life of virtue. Just about everything steers you to do otherwise. So we end up, in some way or another, empty shells, commenting on people's pieces and ripping them a new one so we can feel like we've expressed our intellect enough for one day. The problem isn't the comment. The problem is the pervasive, sad psyche behind it. The potential for meta-commenting on this article isn't lost on me: "It wouldn't QUITE be meta-commenting since people are commenting on the article" Thanks, but it's close enough. Advertisement "Well MY husband and I DON'T worry about what other people think." Marvelous. "You have it all wrong..." Okay. "I always taught my kids not to post these things to social media." Yep. Good for you. "Don't write on the internet if you can't take criticism." Read it again. It isn't about criticism, or challenging someone's point. It's about bullying and unnecessary meanness. "You're just insecure." Maybe. Every last one of us is, though. All I want to see out of this world, before I die, is better critical thinking. Question what you do. Think about social media. See the implications. See that there is a corporate agenda that does better when we are low and competing with each other constantly. Also, for God's sake, don't be an asshole. American life is hard enough for all of us. House Speaker Paul Ryan should be removed for dereliction of constitutional duty and should be replaced by Congressman Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky). He has prevented and continues to prevent Members of Congress from discharging their constitutional obligation to decide under Article I, section 8, clause 11 whether the nation should resort to war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The President's unconstitutional unilateral belligerency against ISIL currently spans seven nations-- Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Libya. It is approaching its second anniversary with not even a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. It might last forever. On November 6, 2015, 35 House Members wrote Speaker Ryan urging him to direct committees of jurisdiction to draft and report out an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) against ISIL for debate and a floor vote. The Members elaborated: "Congress can no longer ask our brave service men and women to continue to serve in harm's way while we fail in carrying out our constitutional responsibility in the area of war and peace." Advertisement Speaker Ryan sneered at the request, and did nothing. On June 14, 2016, another letter was sent by four Members to the Speaker reiterating the constitutional urgency of an AUMF debate and floor vote on a two-year old war already implicating seven nations. Speaker Ryan again has refused to act. He prefers playing carping spectator to President Barack Obama's unconstitutional war against ISIL than to take responsibility for sending our armed forces abroad to risk that last full measure of devotion on a fool's errand---like the Vietnam War. There may be better examples of contemptible Speaker cravenness, but if there are, they do not readily come to mind. The Constitution's crown jewel is the exclusive entrustment to Congress of the power to authorize the initiation of war--a decision that dwarfs all others in national importance. War not only makes mass murder legal, but endows the President with limitless power dangerous to the Republic. James Madison, father of the Constitution, explained: "In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found, than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace to the legislature, and not to the executive department. Beside the objection to such a mixture to heterogeneous powers, the trust and the temptation would be too great for any one man; not such as nature may offer as the prodigy of many centuries, but such as may be expected in the ordinary successions of magistracy. War is in fact the true nurse of executive aggrandizement. In war, a physical force is to be created; and it is the executive will, which is to direct it. In war, the public treasures are to be unlocked; and it is the executive hand which is to dispense them. In war, the honours and emoluments of office are to be multiplied; and it is the executive patronage under which they are to be enjoyed. It is in war, finally, that laurels are to be gathered, and it is the executive brow they are to encircle. The strongest passions and most dangerous weaknesses of the human breast; ambition, avarice, vanity, the honourable or venial love of fame, are all in conspiracy against the desire and duty of peace." Advertisement During the constitutional convention and the state ratification debates, only South Carolina delegate Pierce Butler questioned Madison's profundity. But he quickly recanted his doubts. Chief Justice John Marshall thus authoritatively wrote in 1804 without dissent: "[I]t is for Congress alone to decide for war." The Constitution's architects were long-headed. Presidential wars-- invariably fueled by inflated fears--are either ruinous or otiose. The Korean War, the Vietnam War, the ongoing wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Pakistan, and against Al Qaeda and ISIL are exemplary. After spending trillions of dollars on warfare since 9/11, our intelligence "experts" maintain that the international terrorist danger to the United States is undiminished if not greater. Presidential wars might be likened to searching abroad for hornets' nests to burst open and then demanding trillions in military spending to fight the furious hornets we provoked. Depend upon it. If Congress remains pusillanimous and idle, Presidential wars against China and Russia will be initiated within a decade or two. Speaker Ryan has acquiesced in if not encouraged President Obama to steal the Constitution's crown jewel from Congress. He has blocked Members seeking both to prevent the President's theft, and to restore the stolen goods. These are crimes against the Constitution which compel a House Resolution declaring the Speakership vacant. In a quiet moment on a deck overlooking the Caribbean Sea, I joined my yoga students in a pose. On one knee, with my arms floating in the air, I closed my eyes and listened to the waves crashing nearby. I felt embraced by the pulsing beat of the ocean. My body gently lifted and lowered in cadence with the sea. This wasn't the result of anything I was trying to do. Rather, this pulse seemed to emerge from my core and expand outward, carrying an electrifying ripple to every cell in my body. Its message felt like a resounding "YES," an indescribable aliveness. In this power-packed moment, I tapped into the pulse of life that runs through me, you, and every living being. It became crystal clear that this ripple of electricity, this ever-present "YES," is always here, waiting for me to slow down enough to feel it, wanting me to drop below the noise just long enough to listen. Although we may be good at interpreting the obvious physical signals our body sends, like when we are tired or hungry, we miss the subtle ones. Below the static of our everyday busyness, our bodies offer us a map of how to access our potential to shine. Insight and direction are continuously poking and prodding us from the inside, reminding us of what we need to do to overcome obstacles and optimize our lives. Advertisement Your "YES" is always ready to communicate. Can you feel it? Try tuning in now. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths. Notice sensation in your body. You may sense tingling, coolness, or heat or even spaciousness and ease of being. There's no right or wrong. Just relax and tune into the subtle sensations rising up to meet and greet you. Now ask yourself the following questions. Don't worry about the answers. Simply ask each question, pause for few breaths, and allow the answers to emerge from a place beyond words and thoughts. What am I sensing in my body in this moment? Can I feel my "YES?" How am I being called to live right now? Ask, pause, and listen, and with practice you'll recognize the prods, pokes, and ripples happening all of the time. Ask, pause, and listen, and you'll start trusting your very own power-packed insight and direction. You may even start pausing to check in with your "YES" before acting and speaking. Advertisement The dream of a unified Europe was born from a bloody history that culminated in the horrors of two World Wars. But today's Europeans are still mired in nationalism, as is Israel's political right that can only thrive on fear and hatred. June 23, 2016 may well become a historical date of major importance in the history of Europe, and indeed, in the history of the Free world. Nigel Farage, the leader of the anti-EU party UKIP said this morning "The EU is falling, the EU is dying, I hope we got the first brick out of the wall," and in a few years we might come to the conclusion that Farage's gleeful prophecy was correct: As was to be expected Marine le Pen, leader of France's extreme right wing Front National and Netherland's Geert Wilders called for similar referenda in their respective countries, and such calls voiced in Italy as well. The reasons for Cameron's stunning upset are being analyzed by the terabytes, and many factors are being presented insightfully. I would like to take a wider perspective and argue that Brexit reflects a deeper weakness in the EU: the failure of Europe's political class to create a narrative of a truly meaningful European identity and common destiny. So let me start with Cameron and the British elites. Advertisement As the Guardian's Martin Kettle argued in an insightful piece from Friday morning, Cameron never really made a strong case for Britain's staying in the EU; he saw it as a management issue only, and he just tried to muddle by day by day, never truly confronting the growing number of Euro-skeptics in his own party, never mind in British citizenry. Only in the very last days did he start to make a stronger positive case for the 'Stay' position - practically all of it put in purely economic terms. And this indeed had been the main argument of the 'Stay' proponents throughout: The Pound would fall (which has duly happened), Britain's GDP would shrink immediately with corresponding loss of income and jobs for all classes. This is also what the overwhelming majority of economists, businesspeople and financial experts kept arguing: Brexit would have catastrophic consequences for the British economy. There were hardly any voices that claimed that there could be deeper reasons for being part of the EU connected to history, core-values and a vision of the future. We now know the result: the elites failed to convince the majority of Brits that staying in the EU had any deeper meaning. If anybody was speaking about meaning it was Boris Johnson who kept reiterating that Brexit would be Britain's declaration of freedom and independence. The failure of the EU to create meaning and identity Here we come to the most glaring failure of Europe's political elites. They are very busy with managing complex problems from the debt crisis to the refugee crisis; and when they are not, Brussels is notoriously bogged down in administrative, legal and economic minutiae. The only thing the average citizen knows about the European Union is that it suddenly intrudes by telling them how to produce or label cheese or wine they produce, or forces new standards on their products. Advertisement This was by no means the case at the onset of the European project, for the original motivation for the unification of Europe was an exalted one indeed: Europe, for most of its history had been ridden with war and conflict, culminating in the horrors of WWI and WWII. The visionaries like Schuman, Adenauer and de Gaulle already towards the end of WWII wanted to create a unified Europe that would no longer be torn by wars. But today's voters have only known a Europe in peace; the original purpose of Europe's unification no longer means anything to them. And there has been no Churchill, Adenauer or de Gaulle capable of rising above day-to-day politics and formulate a new vision for a unified Europe. Such a vision can formulated, as is demonstrated eloquently by eminent thinkers like the and German historian Heinrich August Winkler in his monumental History of the West. Europe could stand for a unique combination of the protection of individual freedom and rights, and the possibility to realize one's potential - values which it shares with the US - combined with the solidarity embodied in social-democratic values and institutions. German-American historian Peter Gay in his classic The Enlightenment has also shown that there is a European cultural history and identity over and above that of particular national narratives. But none of this has played any role in recent political discourse in and about the EU, and the chance to work towards a distinctly European meaningful identity was missed. As a result, a large proportion of Europe's population does not experience itself as European, but as French, Dutch, Italian or British, and see the EU as soulless administrative apparatus that has no meaning and does not contribute to their sense of pride and identity. The result has been growing dissatisfaction with the EU, and the writing has been on the wall for a while: fully a quarter of the members of the European Parliament is composed of Euro-skeptics. Brexit may just be the first result of the failure to imbue the European project with deeper meaning. Advertisement And what does it mean for the Jews? There is a lesson to be learned for Israel from what might well be the beginning of Europe's tragedy. The original raison d'etre for the Zionist project was twofold: first, to ensure that every Jew would have a place where he or she could be safe from persecution and humiliation. Second, to turn the Jewish people into a nation with political self-determination. Both of these were exalted goals indeed, and they have been achieved grandly. Israel is a powerful, thriving state with enormous human potential and impressive cultural, technological, scientific and military achievements. But if you listen to the rhetoric of Israel's political right that has been in power for most of the last forty years, you might think that we still live in the shtetl, endangered in our survival, humiliated and hated by the world, never sure whether we would survive to see the next day. I do not claim that Israel does not face great security challenges. But there is not a single major figure in the security establishment - whether the IDF, the Mossad or the Shin Bet - who thinks that Israel is existentially endangered today. A whole phalanx of former IDF chiefs of staff and generals keep reiterating that Israel's existence has never been as safe as in our times. So why on earth does Israel's political right led by Benjamin Netanyahu drone on about Israel's imminent demise? Why, once the Iranian threat has ceased to be a good reason for fear of extinction (if it ever really was), does it now invent new existential dangers ranging from BDS and Israel's Arab citizens to Israel's own "radical left" that, so they say, undermine Israel's foundations? Advertisement The answer, I believe, is quite similar to the failure of the EU leadership. Israel's political right has never come up with a meaningful narrative over and above Jewish dignity and safety. As a result, it suffers from a vacuum of meaning, and all it can do is to invent existential dangers to keep the original narrative alive and to act in ways that indeed alienates Israel's friends around the world. The results are grievous: the level of hatred inside Israel between different groups has never been as high as it is now; and Israel's deepening international isolation is indeed a fact - again used by the political right to fan the flames of fear. A decade ago, vinyl records were a forgotten relic of the past. Relegated to the dustbin of musical artifacts, vinyl records were nothing more than a reminder of a by-gone era before technological advances had enabled consumers to carry entire music catalogues in their pockets. Gone, but not entirely forgotten, music collectors, enthusiasts, and DJ's who had yet to succumb to digital mixing were able to keep the dying format alive; barely. Fast forward to 2016, and it is safe to say that we are seeing a renaissance or rebirth of the vinyl record industry. No longer simply found in boxes in your parent's garage or in hip vintage stores, vinyl records are now commercially available not only online and in record stores, but even at your local grocery store. The resurgence of the vinyl record industry is astounding. In 2015, not only did vinyl sales reach their highest levels since 1988, but physical sales of records created more revenues than that of the free-ad supported streaming industry. Demand for vinyl has grown so fast that it has even outpaced the ability of the few, still remaining record pressing plants to keep up, resulting in backlogs and long waiting times for bands and labels awaiting the pressing of their albums. Advertisement While vinyl records remain a favorite medium for independent record labels and bands to distribute their music to fans, long wait times and order minimums at larger pressing plants often discourage indie musicians from immortalizing their music on vinyl. Cognizant of the difficulties of releasing music or works on vinyl, North Carolina based independent recording artist and entrepreneur Wesley Wolfe has made it his mission to ensure all artists and music enthusiasts have access to the format. By using innovative processes, technology, and with a great deal of passion, Wolfe's company, Tangible Formats, is able to provide customers with high-quality vinyl records without order minimums and without the long wait-times associated with larger operations. I had the opportunity to interview Wesley to discuss his business, the industry, and his views on entrepreneurship. Hope you enjoy. Wesley Wolfe Photo Credit: Malaina Hudson CG: Tell me what led for you to begin your business and what is your mission? WW: I am an independent recording artist. In 2009, I was looking for a company that could manufacture just one vinyl record. After exhaustive research and weighing the options, I concluded that I was better off doing it myself. I contacted Souri at vinylrecorder.com and purchased the best equipment available for the lathe cut process; making it my mission to provide one off vinyl records for others. Advertisement CG: What services does Tangible Formats offer and how are you different from other companies in the vinyl space? WW: Tangible Formats cuts high quality stereo vinyl records by etching the grooves directly into blank plastic discs. This is as instant as vinyl record manufacturing gets. Unlike pressing plants, at Tangible Formats there are no minimum order requirements and a faster turnaround. CG: Who are typically your customers? WW: Musicians, recording artists, vinyl DJs, independent record labels, and friends and families of artists. CG: Releasing music on vinyl these days is often an expensive and complicated process. How is it that you are able to make the process more accessible to independent artists and individuals? WW: By cutting directly into blank vinyl I can bypass the plating and pressing process. This is especially important now because of the high demand for vinyl. Since major labels are ordering larger quantities, it's not longer economical for pressing plants to accept small runs. Tangible Formats fills that void by offering a cost-effective solution for high quality in low quantities. CG: Vinyl records have seen a resurgence among consumers in recent years. Why do you think that is? WW: First, record jackets are better to look at than thumbnail images. Second, vinyl has a specific sound. Frequencies below 40hz and above 16khz are taken away because they can be impossible to cut. These frequency limitations are the charm of vinyl's signature sound. Lastly, it is possible that vinyl culture is growing because it's a more personable way to listen to your favorite album. There is a little effort and commitment involved for the listener. It's the ritual of just listening and appreciating the album as a whole; from start to finish. There's also a small intermission in the middle to flip sides. Personally, I've always thought it was mesmerizing to watch a record as it plays. It is the original way to enjoy the recorded sound. That being said, I believe that for independent recording artists, pressing vinyl, shows that you are a bit more serious about your craft. A vinyl record is the only true way to materialize the actual sound wave. The sound wave becomes physical art like a photograph, a painting, or a sculpture. It is a more personable way for your art to connect with someone. Thousands of micro vibrations are physically communicated back to the listener. Publishing a digital file worldwide only takes a few seconds with very little monetary risk. Meanwhile, writing and recording take passion, patience, and guts; just like deciding to manufacture vinyl. Advertisement CG: What role does technology that was largely unavailable during vinyl's previous heyday such as computers, mixing software, and/or other digital tools play in your business? WW: The principle of cutting audio to a disc is still the same. However, recording technology has advanced so much that techniques for mixing in the digital realm don't translate to vinyl. So, the role is both problem and solution. Digital music has a wider frequency range than vinyl. This can lead to extreme bass and trebles in the final mix. I have to find the problem areas in order to achieve the best results on vinyl record. I like to use a spectrum analyzer plugin to detect and pinpoint any needed frequency adjustments. I use an equalization plugin to zero in and adjust any critical frequencies. You have to use your eyes as well as your ears when preparing audio for vinyl. The software makes it easy to do it quickly with precision and confidence. The principle of cutting audio to a disc is still the same. However, mixing software helps me edit and filter the audio for optimal performance on vinyl visually as well as aurally. CG: Entrepreneurship is rife with challenges and obstacles. What is your advice to other entrepreneurs seeking to launch a venture of their own? Advertisement WW: Start small and do something that actually interests you. Define "success" for yourself and devise a business plan to achieve it in real life. CG: Any parting words? KNUTSFORD, UNITED KINGDOM - JUNE 24: A European Union flag, with a hole cut in the middle, flies at half-mast outside a home in Knutsford Cheshire after today's historic referendum on June 24, 2016 in Knutsford, United Kingdom. The results from the historic EU referendum has now been declared and the United Kingdom has voted to LEAVE the European Union. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) LONDON -- Brexit was a vote against London, globalization and multiculturalism as much as a vote against Europe. London is the world's single most important center of global finance -- though that may be at risk now. With the surrounding southeast region, it dominates the United Kingdom's economic growth. It has some of the world's most expensive real estate and richest residents -- and absentee property owners. It is one of the world's most cosmopolitan cities. It is home to about 1 million continental Europeans. And it voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union. The rest of England did not. Advertisement Arguably, Brexit was also a vote for some version of the past. Fully 75 percent of those aged 18 to 24 voted for a future in Europe. Sixty-one percent of those over 65, along with a majority of all those over 45, voted against. Those who will have to live longest with the consequences wanted a different choice. The vote was grounded in nostalgia. The Brexit campaign was almost entirely negative and devoid of plans for an alternative future. It played on an old idea of sovereignty, old English ideas about the difference between the island nation and the mainland of Europe, alarm over immigrants and claims that the U.K. was somehow subsidizing Europe. This was cynical for some careerist politicians but sincere for others and, I think, for almost all their followers. But those who will have to live longest with the consequences wanted a different choice. Not surprisingly, British citizens of immigrant backgrounds voted mostly to remain in the EU. Brexit was manifestly a vote against multiculturalism and for English nationalism. The nastiest part of the campaign was persistent fanning of anti-immigrant sentiment extending into racism and open religious bias. But it has to be said that this is a bit more complicated than it appears. EU membership mandated free movement of Europe's mostly white citizens. Combined with Conservative government quota, this actually led the U.K. to restrict access for the people of color from its former colonies and the rest of the world. The people's frustration with Europe revealed deep-seated anger over a situation much bigger than the continent. England couldn't vote to withdraw from London or neoliberalism or globalization. But the problems many wanted to fix were rooted in these at least as much as the EU. Those who have benefited from globalization -- the well-educated and well-off, especially those linked to growing service industries in the southeast rather than old money in the Tory constituencies of middle England and the southwest -- voted disproportionately to stay in Europe. But it is telling that there weren't enough of them. Those with jobs mostly voted to remain in Europe. Those without jobs, or retired, voted heavily to leave. Advertisement A "Vote to Leave" campaigner holds a placard ahead of the referendum. (Christopher Furlong/Getty) Intellectual and policy elites were in denial but Brexit happened anyway. More precisely, the U.K. electorate voted, by a clear majority in a record turnout, to separate from the EU. This isn't actually legally binding, which leaves EU supporters with a tiny glimmer of hope that Parliament or prime minister might balk at actually giving the notification required under the Treaty on European Union. Actually withdrawing will take sustained negotiations. Flotillas of lawyers will be employed. Along with those financial speculators who bet correctly on the outcome, the lawyers will be among the few clear beneficiaries of Brexit. There Will Always Be an England In a sense, Brexit is misnamed. England voted to leave the EU. Technically, of course, the state that held the referendum and will now negotiate withdrawal was the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. But Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to remain in Europe. Wales, lacking a significant independent economy, did stick with England against Europe but that is not quite enough to make a great Britain. Brexit is an expression of English -- more than British -- nationalism and is part of a decades-long decline in British unity. But the England that wants out of Europe is the England of vanished industry in the north, rural poverty in the southwest and people clinging to middle-class lifestyles in the suburbs of once-great cities that feel increasingly alien to them. Scotland has shuttered factories of its own, of course, but frustration at that fueled Scottish nationalism. English nationalism was reinforced by resentment of Scottish nationalism. But it grew and took on a populist character in reaction to real problems that seemed to have been brushed aside by many leaders in all major political parties. Brexit is a rejection of "Cool Britannia," the 1990s branding of a cosmopolitan, creative and united Britain as a part of a happy vision of globalization. Brexit is a rejection of 'Cool Britannia,' the 1990s branding of a cosmopolitan, creative and united Britain as a part of a happy vision of globalization. Arguably, the EU was a scapegoat for English anger at London, the version of globalization it has helped lead and symbolize and the politicians who have championed cosmopolitanism at the expense of solidarity with significant parts of their own country. The England of Brexit has had vastly more trouble than London in absorbing immigrants -- largely because the economy offers fewer opportunities for immigrants and citizens alike. In thriving London, immigrants are some 40 percent of the population and mainstays of the service and construction industries. Relatively wealthy residents rely on them for service in restaurants and don't think of them as competitors. And immigrants are less compartmentalized into quasi-ghetto residential areas than in the great cities of the rest of the country. Participants hold a British Union flag and an EU flag during a pro-EU referendum event ahead of the vote. (Reuters/Neil Hall) London is home to 251 overseas banks and runs a financial services trade surplus of more than $100 billion. Advertisement London has generated the vast majority of Britain's economic growth for more than a generation and has kept most of the proceeds. It is also home to Britain's remarkably centralized government. If business and community leaders in Britain's impoverished northeast or southwest want to innovate and invest to stimulate local economic growth, they have to work with the bureaucracy in the London borough of Westminster. Britain's great cultural institutions from the British Museum to the National Theatre are overwhelmingly concentrated in London. All of Britain's top five universities are in or within commuting range of London. Londoners now joke about seceding from England -- thus confirming what people in the rest of the country always thought. British nationalism, to the extent it existed, was anchored in the British Empire. There are more than a few today who imagine that somehow Brexit will restore Britain to its lost global prominence (even if not dominance). This couples a claim to cultural cohesion and continuity with an old-fashioned notion of sovereignty. Alas, in an intensively and increasingly interdependent world, that older notion of sovereignty has little to recommend it and relying on it is unlikely to make England or the U.K. great again. The Brexit campaign was a close cousin to Donald Trump's quest for the U.S. presidency. Of course, there were many complaints about the EU as such. With its expensive bureaucracy, willful inefficiencies and dysfunctional politics, it has given more than a little justification to the frustration. Still, on the basis of almost all research and evidence, the U.K. was a net beneficiary of EU membership. The Brexit campaign was one in which accuracy of evidence didn't much matter. Politicians uttered outlandish claims, the media gleefully repeated them more often than it checked facts and even after many were debunked, voters happily embraced those that fit their preconceptions. But the real point isn't post-evidentiary political campaigns -- a bad thing, but not as novel as some think. The real point is the preconceptions. The Brexit campaign wasn't driven by arguments about costs and benefits. It was driven by resentment, frustration and anger. It was emotional and expressive. And the grievances expressed had real foundations, even if the EU was a partially misplaced target and no practical solutions were offered. In this, the Brexit campaign was a close cousin to Donald Trump's quest for the U.S. presidency. Both are part of a still wider populist surge that expresses frustration with radically intensified inequality, stagnant incomes and declining economic security for middle and working class people in ostensibly prosperous countries. Advertisement Trump in the U.K. as the referendum results come in. (Matthew Lloyd/Bloomberg via Getty) Populism expresses frustration equally with a version of globalization that has shifted power away from their countries and political elites who, for perhaps 40 years, told them there was no alternative. Not least, populism expresses anger with politicians who seemed not to have much time or attention for the complaints of those being bypassed by globalization. In the U.K. this includes members of the native working class who were once stalwart supporters of the Labour Party. In Scotland, many voted Nationalist. In England, they voted for Brexit. Very likely nationalism won't be able to solve their problems but at least nationalist politicians pay attention to them. Demagogues have steered this populism to the right in the U.K., but like most populism it doesn't come intrinsically from one side of the political spectrum or the other (and indeed reveals that the notion of a clear left-right distinction may be misleading). Unattractively, demagogues have played up the nativism and indeed racism that also inform populist nationalism. They have built on resentment of urban elites who prided themselves on their cosmopolitan sophistication and made clear they regarded their less cosmopolitan countrymen as backward. Those urban elites included most mainstream politicians, so it is not surprising they struggled to be credible in this campaign. Nationalism flourishes precisely when people feel threatened by international forces. Populism flourishes when people feel betrayed by elites. This is not a uniquely English set of frustrations and political responses. Populism and nationalism are prominent around the world partly because since the 1970s inequality has grown sharply, and the middle and working classes of once-prosperous countries have seen living standards stagnate and economic security disappear. At the same time, migration has increased globally -- largely because of globalization itself, as well as wars Western countries like the U.S. and U.K. chose to fight in the Middle East. The world, quite simply, looks scary. Nationalism flourishes precisely when people feel threatened by international forces. Populism flourishes when people feel betrayed by elites. The Damage Done The referendum did considerable damage independent of Brexit itself and whatever actual institutional and market arrangements are put in place. Much of this is down to the campaigns, which were not just poorly run but travesties on both sides. That the Brexit campaign was marked by the U.K.'s first political murder in decades highlights the nastiness of the rhetoric used. Advertisement The "remain" campaign relied heavily on trying to scare people into voting for the status quo. Indeed, it was foolish of the Cameron government to allow the seemingly passive term "remain" to define the potential future of the U.K. in Europe rather than asserting an active goal for building a better future. Hardly anyone in the "remain" camp presented an idealistic argument for a European future (Gordon Brown made an attempt). The "leave" campaign had its own trouble bringing disparate protagonists together. Mainstream Tory politicians were determined to marginalize U.K. Independence Party leader Nigel Farage and the UKIP. The Labour leadership seemed halfhearted. One result is that people are unsure what they voted for. To a quite remarkable degree, the entire campaign failed to engage the question of exactly what would happen in the implementation of Brexit. World financial markets were rocked by Britain's vote to leave the EU. (AP/Eugene Hoshiko) Markets are already roiled, in Europe even more than in the U.K. The pound and euro have both plummeted. Divorce will be costly. But the economic sky won't fall. Markets down dramatically at midday made up some ground later. Brexit and disarray in Europe will likely speed the shift of global economic activity toward Asia; eurozone growth was already nearly stagnant. But in the short run, emerging markets were hurt as investors sought shelter from risk. And growth is spotty in the Global South, already suffering from both weak demand and weak institutions (think Venezuela and Brazil). Brexit isn't the primary cause of global economic uncertainty. It is an especially important demonstration that we live in an era of increased volatility and instability. If much of it is politically induced, it is at least exacerbated by rapid movements in global finance and weak governance structures for the global economy. Brexit is another demonstration, if we needed more, that the big global institutions built in the wake of World War II are no longer able to maintain global order. In Britain, Brexit will almost certainly lead to the hegemony of a more emphatically right-wing Conservative Party. David Cameron, the prime minister who called the referendum -- foolishly and it appears without deep thought -- wanted to be a modernizer and a globalist, and in some ways, he was. He ran a poor campaign against Brexit and has now resigned. The career prospects of other Tory moderates look dim. Those in ascendancy are from the harder right. They campaigned as populists (even those with inherited wealth and Eton/Oxford educations) and to their shame, did not steer clear of racism and xenophobia. Big global institutions built in the wake of WWII are no longer able to maintain global order. But they are likely to rule as a more conventional hard right. Their nationalism will blend with strong cultural conservatism. Already, tight visa regulations may get tighter. They may try to balance the economic dominance of London by promoting home building and industry elsewhere, which would not be a bad thing. Their potential standard-bearer, Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London who campaigned for Brexit, will be erratic and prone to grandstanding but not revolutionary. Representatives of the party mainstream like Theresa May value consistency more, but are at least as right-wing. End of the UK? The new rulers will be emphatically and almost exclusively English, as were those who voted for Brexit. This may portend constitutional changes, even the end of the United Kingdom. As wags have started saying, they went to sleep in Great Britain and woke up in Little England. Scotland will press for another referendum on independence and likely secede. It will try to remain part of the EU. Northern Ireland may follow suit. Catholics were unsurprisingly more pro-EU than Protestants, partly because they recognized leaving Europe would mean more domination by England. But Protestant loyalists were split, not solidly pro-Brexit. Few have fond memories of border checkpoints separating them from the south. The Brexit campaign has both revealed and deepened a range of other divisions. One is between the English and the many immigrants and expatriates living and working -- and paying taxes -- in the country. London Mayor Sadiq Khan and his wife lead the Pride march in London. (Chris J. Ratcliffe/Getty) Divisions between racial minorities and the white majority are also worrying. These extend into religion -- with Muslim and Christian mattering as ethnic markers even for non-religious people. It will be important for leaders implementing Brexit to reach out to the young who didn't want it -- and indeed worry that it will damage their future prospects. It will be important to build trust among those who feel they don't fit the image of England embraced by the "leave" campaign. It is telling that Sadiq Khan, London's new Muslim mayor, used the 2016 Pride parade as an occasion to emphasize tolerance and inclusion not only for gay residents but also for EU citizens. Advertisement And the Future of Europe? Disintegrative pressure could be just as great on the European continent. Of course this depends on the political response in 27 different countries. But there are strong signs that several -- including "core" countries such as France, Italy and the Netherlands -- may hold referenda of their own. It is entirely possible Brexit will be remembered as an early step in the unraveling of the EU. This might not go all the way. A new core Europe could form, building on the Holy Roman and Hapsburg Empires. This might still be called the European Union, but it would be an altogether different project. The EU has helped to create its own problems. For a generation, its leaders have behaved almost as though their goal was to encourage populist revolt. In 2005, they brought a bloated basic law to referenda and were out of touch enough to be altogether startled at its defeat. It is entirely possible Brexit will be remembered as an early step in the unraveling of the EU. All but impervious to reform efforts, the EU has built a cumbersome, insular and easy-to-criticize bureaucracy. It has done better at opening capital markets than protecting labor (though in the era of neo-liberalism and austerity, the EU has demanded more protection for workers than the U.K. government wanted to give). Still, the EU has succeeded not just in the mission of postwar reconstruction and preventing wars among European powers (inherited from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community). It has played an important role in providing Europeans with an impressively high standard of living and thriving cultural institutions. The EU has also been important globally. It is among the strongest leaders in the struggle to address climate change. It is in the forefront of defending human rights. But suffice it to say, these aren't the top issues for populist voters. And the EU has faltered in confronting two of the biggest crises of recent years. In the face of global financial crisis, it abandoned the idea of solidarity as its richer members sought to protect their national interests. This exacerbated structural problems. Notably, the eurozone linked economies at very different levels of development without the political integration or governance needed for cohesive action. Member states found it harder to agree on common policies. The signal failure in this regard came with Europe's inability to develop a common immigration policy. This started with an unwillingness to provide adequate support to Greece and Italy as they bore the brunt of new arrivals. It continued with a botched attempt to distribute refugees by national quotas (the U.K. was signally ungenerous). The failure continued to such a degree that some countries began to fortify internal European borders. Advertisement EU far-right party leaders on May 28, 2014 at the EU Parliament in Brussels. (John Thys/AFP/Getty) Brexit is partly a symptom of the declining purchase of the great institutional structures put in place after World War II. These include not only the EU but also the welfare states for which the U.K. and Europe have been justly admired. National institutions have been slow to adapt to changing economic circumstances and other challenges; they need rebuilding. But it is a huge question whether European countries withdrawing from the EU will have the will and capacities to fully rebuild their institutions on their own. And, as the EU faces nationalist challenges, it is ironic that its difficulties are exacerbated by the growing weaknesses of national welfare states run on the bases of market logics. These are all global issues. Global institutions like the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are also creatures of the postwar era and in need of renewal -- if not reimagining. They have been slow to adapt to finance-led globalization and the rise of non-Western countries. New ones are being created, like the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, often without full Western participation. Brexit is part of a populist-nationalist current that will make it harder to achieve effective policies and management of practical affairs in an interdependent world. The U.K. has remained a major contributor to effective global integration even while it declined as a global power. Europe has been key to building and leading existing global institutions. If internal problems and insularity mean either plays a smaller role, the world will suffer. Also on WorldPost: Brexit seemed harmless and cute at first -- like a Labradoodle -- but it was more like a Sharknado. The British referendum on whether to leave the European Union became a freak cyclone that flooded the city of London with shark-infested seawater. OK, enough dramedy. Brexit is probably not that bad, and it's not funny that British Prime Minister David Cameron sold his soul to the devil in exchange for 10 Downing St. in 2015, when he promised a referendum on England's continued membership in the European Union if reelected. The seemingly harmless political ploy of Cameron's to smooth over rough patches within the Conservative Party in England instead created a big, festering pimple that popped Thursday following "a campaign punctuated by numerous claims that have little relationship to the facts, with sharp tones of xenophobia, racism, nativism and Islamophobia," according to the New York Times. Advertisement The Brex-zit sounds familiar, doesn't it? Here in the U.S., a campaign untethered to facts, filled with white pus, xenophobia, racism, nativism and Islamophobia rings a bell bigger than Big Ben. Nonchalantly selling their souls to extremists while the floodwaters of hate rise all around them is what American conservatives have been doing, too, at their own little Tea Party. Just like Cameron has no one to blame but himself for the stunning Brexit vote -- one that economists and business people across the globe believe will cause major disruption, chaos and instability -- the Republican Party in the United States has no one to blame but itself for the rise of Donald Trump. It has tolerated and even encouraged anti-government fervor and anti-intellectualism across the country, and the result is bad government populated predominantly by stupid people. Look at our national politics. Republicans control the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate, and we can't get a bill passed that bars people on a terrorist watch list from buying assault-style weapons, let alone reform the tax code, pass long-term budgets or confirm judges and political appointees to vacant positions. With Republicans in charge we can't even get a ninth Supreme Court justice on the bench. Advertisement In the states, the Republican Party has more market share than Walmart. It has a trifecta in 24 states, controlling both the governor's mansion and both houses of the Legislature. It has majorities in 70 of the nation's 99 state legislative chambers and controls both chambers in 30 states, plus Nebraska's single chamber, and 31 governor's mansions, including the Blaine House. No wonder the electorate is angry. We've got a bunch of bozos and banksters running things around here -- people who don't believe in science or the rule of law. Large swaths of America's elected officials aren't doing their jobs tackling poverty and income inequality because they are too busy getting rich. The median net worth of lawmakers was just over $1 million in 2013, or 18 times the wealth of the typical American household, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics. And while Americans' median wealth is down 43 percent since 2007, the net worth of members of Congress has jumped 28 percent. Republicans elected to govern most of America aren't crafting public policy to best cope with globalization. They aren't fixing a broken immigration system. They aren't reducing poverty, increasing security for seniors or tackling global warming. Instead, they spend time blocking the president at every turn, chasing kids in and out of bathrooms and bromancing the National Rifle Association. President Obama has done everything possible to keep America strong and in the driver's seat. He's pushed hard to help families, small businesses, kids, immigrants, the LGBT community, seniors and the planet thrive and be secure. But he's led the fight for average Americans with a monkey the size of the Republican Congress and the handicapped Supreme Court on his back. The Republican establishment running our country is leading us off a cliff - and now it plans to nominate a casino millionaire braggart-with-a ducktail to be president of the United States in the next referendum here? We can only hope the results are a stunning rejection of the rot that's been eating away at the fabric of America. Advertisement The extreme right has got to go or we too shall perish - and you can bet that America will not follow England down the jackalope hole. Business leaders from Netflix and Dropbox are supporting Hillary Clinton, along with an impressive list of other Republican and Democratic leaders who declared allegiance to sanity, including Jim Cicconi, the senior executive vice president at AT&T who served in both the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations and donated $10,000 last year to Jeb Bush's Right to Rise superPAC but now says he's voting for Clinton in November. "Hillary Clinton is experienced, qualified, and will make a fine president. The alternative, I fear, would set our nation on a very dark path, " Cicconi said. Also this past week, Brent Scowcroft, former national security adviser for two Republican presidents, endorsed Clinton for president, saying her experience, judgment and understanding of the world prepare her for the job of commander in chief. Meanwhile, Democratic members of Congress stood up against House Speaker Paul Ryan's refusal to bring a vote to the floor on gun control by sitting down. They staged a protest and spoke out instead of caving to the status quo of do-nothingness and offering a moment of silence. Image of a family snap photo showing the United Kingdom Union Jack and European Community flags - ripped in two as a divorce photo. As the world reels from the once improbable unraveling of the European Union and the United Kingdom, grim prognostications of the economic and political fallout betray a more immediate and ominous lesson. Namely that extreme events are not only likely, we have entered a time when their onset can be quite sudden and counter-intuitive. In short, the world's black swans are coming home to roost and Brexit may be the smaller of two global shocks this year. The other one, which is not entirely unlikely given the visceral anti-establishment chord Trump has struck among the U.S. electorate, is the prospect of a Trump White House. For those opposed to the equally improbable outcome of a Trump presidency, Brexit should sound a very loud wakeup call that both the messaging and political ground game need to strike a more discernible, emotive and accessible tone. The pro-Brexit movement won by a narrow margin, in no small measure because the lofty arguments to remain in the EU did not reach the broad political masses evoking sufficient passion to get people to the ballot boxes. Indeed, much like the pro-Trump movement, there are parallels of urban elitism and fear mongering versus populism and radical change, which clearly the majority of the British public were prepared to accept. A platform based on status quo or one based on opposition to extreme movements is clearly insufficient. The pro-EU bloc, just like the U.S. Democratic platform and those Republicans attempting to salvage their party from Trump's Trojan horse, need something more accessible and meaningful to people than mere opposition. Opposition to something, no matter how risky or vile, is not necessarily standing for something and the public in the west want their elected leaders to take a stance -- one that will shake their political apathy and disbelief in the social compact. Advertisement Brexit, like Trumpismo, although the comparison is unfair to the Brexit movement, is something that drew the passion of voters and provided a clear alternative, however extreme, to the real or perceived flaws in the UK-EU relationship. The remain camp, supporting an imperfect status quo, were partly lulled into complacency by poll numbers and a passive, almost academic attitude to the outcome, which they believed erred in their favor. Now the shock has come and the UK must unravel itself from the EU, which is already showing signs that the move for the exit should be hastened. Further splintering of the UK is likely as Scotland makes vociferous calls to vote on their own self-determination with the EU, where they are likely to remain. The irony should not be lost, that amid all the Brexit drama a relatively obscure character with wild blond hair, Boris Johnson, is the heir-apparent to the crestfallen David Cameron, who is stepping down as Britain's Prime Minister. The real consequences of Brexit will not be felt for long time and time tends to blunt the effect of even the most shocking events. The world will become accustomed to this new normal and whatever trade barriers or noisome responses the EU may levy on the Brits will likely trigger a wave of counter measures from an increasingly assertive UK. The vote to leave the EU is not likely to be the canary in globalization's coal mine as forecasters are predicting. The real danger to global integration lies in the unrequited feeling among the public that the bill of goods of a peaceful, economically integrated world has left far too many people behind. In reaction to this, many voters in the west are prepared to build walls, tear down age old alliances and dissolve economic union. Fleeting promises of economic prosperity, social mobility and cultural integration are giving way throughout the U.S., UK and the EU to strong sentiments of retrenchment, xenophobia and economic self-preservation. Advertisement American media pundits and government elites are upset by the close vote of the British people to leave the European Union. News story after news story give the impression that the British people are to blame for leaving and could create world economic havoc. But they are not to blame. The finger should be pointed directly at the EU institutions in Brussels for their lack of transparency and accountability. And those two words will enter discussions in governments all over the free world. Governments that continue to have a lack of transparency and no accountability will see public support decline and trust erode. These "Blame the British" pundits should look at how the EU operates, where it spends the resources of those citizens from individual nations, and what results are being achieved by the multi-state government to see why Britain is the first to leave. You would need to look no further. Advertisement Several years ago, I had the honor to meet members of the European Parliament and asked them about the transparency of EU as an institution and EU program expenditures. One member representing The Netherlands told me that audits were not being conducted on spending and would certainty not be released to the public (hint: bad accounting and no accountability for dollars spent). During my time in Brussels leading a group of graduate students to better understand the institutions, I was struck by how little anyone seemed to care about the citizens from all the member nations who were subsidizing the EU elites living in Brussels. The bureaucracy, intellectual elitism, and lack of being connected to regular citizenry were quite apparent. At that time, the popularity of the EU was so low that an expensive public relations campaign was being conducted in Brussels to demonstrate that the EU was reformed, relevant, and accountable. It was as if those working for the European Commission, the European Council, and working in the EU Parliament needed to remind themselves they were relevant and still important. Surely those PR funds could have been spent in real programs that had a real impact on European citizens. The EU should have engaged in significant reform. The vote would have been different yesterday if the EU took seriously the need to reform itself. To provide public audits of its programs; to provide real-time "sunlight" into the cost of the EU bureaucracy and demonstrate the real benefits being provided. It should create a culture of releasing performance metrics on programs and initiatives to those "footing the bill" for Brussels. Advertisement Even the concessions provided to the Cameron government were designed to have "stay" win the election but not to enact fundamental reform and cultural change. Technology is allowing the world to see how government operates, how resources are spent and what real impact government programs and initiatives have on the citizenry. "Brexit: Europe stunned by UK Leave vote" - BBC Stunned seems to be the most used, operative word around the world, regarding the results of the UK vote to leave the EU. Check any newsfeed you subscribe to; any source you read, watch or listen to and it seems everyone is stunned. In fact, even the gamblers got it all wrong, according to The New York Times: Britain's decision to leave the European Union on Thursday was a big surprise. As late as 6 p.m. Eastern in the United States, less than five hours before the results became clear, betting markets gave "Remain" an 88 percent chance to win the election, but it wound up losing by four percentage points. And by the way, as did the financial analysts who send the prices of publicly traded markets up and down based on their deep knowledge and insightful understanding. The article continues... Advertisement The forecasting error wasn't confined to bettors, either. Financial markets didn't anticipate "Brexit," resulting in a decisive correction in equity and currency markets that usually would have already been priced into trading. To be clear, I am not an economist and although, like all, I am ready to discuss politics over a beer or bottle of wine, why then am I writing about Brexit...beyond the obvious populist reasons? Frankly, I compose this from Cannes, France, where my industry has just concluded its annual pilgrimage to the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity and paid homage to the best in class from all over the world. Over the course of the week I heard many political and news pundits predict the outcome of Brexit - wrongly as it turns out - but I also listened to many company leaders and digital experts pontificate about the ability to use data to do just about everything from getting you to buy what you never wanted to buy all the way to using AI (artificial intelligence) to predict that you really wanted those purple pants with the embroidered red whales months before you came to that conclusion yourself... Advertisement DIGIBABBLE...raw and unadulterated. Way back in November of 2012 I wrote a piece on Post-Election Learning...how was it that in the US election contest between still President Obama and then candidate Mitt Romney, everyone got it wrong? I wrote then: Data and demographics made a lot of headlines lately as pundits handicapped their way to Election Day. Worse, even the analysis of the Digibabblists was proven wrong, as in their own self-serving way they tried to prove that Obama's victory was all due to digital data linked to digital social expertise and primacy...turns out the Obama folks used good old-fashioned data to knock on doors and drive folks to the polls.... But I digress...returning to Brexit and The Economist in an article called, "Polls Versus Prediction Markets:" The list of losers from Britain's vote to leave the European Union is long indeed, but very far down on it are evangelisers for the accuracy of prediction markets. It is an article of faith among economists that betting markets on politics provide by far the most reliable forecast of future events, easily outclassing both polls and panels of experts. Yet for the two most important political developments of 2016, and arguably of the past few years - Brexit and Donald Trump winning the Republican nomination for America's presidency - simple polling averages have put punters to shame. The Economist continues: How did the wisdom of crowds fail so spectacularly? ...the explanation probably lies in the familiar litany of cognitive biases that lead people astray despite their best efforts to be rational. Historically prediction markets, like horse races, have tended to demonstrate favourite-longshot bias - overestimating the chances of improbable events and underestimating those of likely ones. Frankly, I think the explanation can be stated much more simply: People never lie so much as before an election, during a war, or after a hunt. - Otto von Bismarck And there you have it... We are in danger of losing the unique human ability of deriving insight from situations vs the basic instinct that drives other life forms. The more we rely on software loops and algorithms to make our decisions and draw our conclusions, the more in danger we are of creating an ever narrower world of options and, worse, an ever scarier world of surprising and startling outcomes. Truth is that in the UK the Brexit polls were so close and the differences seemed to be statistically invalid, leading one to wonder why so many gamblers (a sure bet) seemed so sure that Britain would remain - or as The New York Times put it: ...a dose of wishful thinking from a pool of relatively affluent globalist gamblers who simply didn't believe that Brexit could really happen. And therein lies the answer - "affluent globalist gamblers" the likes of analysts, Digibabblists and others who would have us believe that our opinions, sentiments, beliefs and feelings are no longer relevant in a world of Big Data. Folks...Brexit was simple...binary...yes or no...the upcoming election in the United States will be the same...how wrong will we get it? At Cannes I was privileged to host a dinner where IN-Q, a National Poetry Slam Champion and multi-platinum winning songwriter, shared some of his deep thinking with us. He talked about the difference between ideas and ideals and said that the danger is getting locked into the rigors of an ideal that could forego our ability to create new ideas... Or as articulated by Marshall McLuhan: A point of view can be a dangerous luxury when substituted for insight and understanding. Or as specifically related to Brexit, Hillary and Donald...an incredibly relevant thought from a US President of the last century...Listen: Advertisement The method of political science is the interpretation of life; its instrument is insight... Woodrow Wilson Finally and perhaps the most stunning outcome of Brexit from Google Trends: "What is the EU?" is the second top UK question on the EU since the #EURefResults were officially announced A little insight and less "affluent gambler" POV might have actually changed the outcome... And there you have it and why I write this from Cannes and the Festival of Creativity. Insight, Understanding, Ideas.... Time to stop wondering how to get me to buy those whale pants...and time to ask me why I won't... And if you don't think I have a point, I suggest you follow the growing stories of "buyer's remorse"/second referendum coming out of the UK...many on the topic of "we just didn't understand" or "we were fooled"... What do you think? The British have voted to leave the European Union. There are many reasons people wanted to quit. Perhaps the most important is self-government. Britons are tired of being bossed around by nameless and faceless bureaucrats in Brussels. Americans should follow the British in reconsidering the wisdom of living under a centralized Leviathan in a distant capital, that is, Washington. The debate over "Brexit" was sharp. The issue shouldn't matter much to America. Whether London is in or out, the U.S. will retain its close relationship with the United Kingdom. A free trade agreement would expand commercial ties. Nevertheless, on his recent visit to the UK President Barack Obama, a devout centralist, told the British that they should vote to stay. His advice was appreciated by the leaders of the "remain" campaign, but no one else. Most Britons wondered why he was mucking about in their business. They didn't ask for his opinion. And they certainly didn't follow his advice. But Americans should ponder the principles at stake. Washington, a city filled with government buildings and housing a distinct ruling class, looks an awful lot like Brussels. Washington also operates much the same way, an overbearing Leviathan more interested in regulating and dictating than liberating and empowering. If the United Kingdom would do better outside of the European Union, might not individual and groups of states do better outside of the American union? Advertisement Of course, the question was asked and answered 150 years ago. But the attempt to leave was sadly stained by slavery. And the answer was corrupted by a willingness to kill countrymen for wanting to depart. Today proposals for disunion could be debated on their merits. And even the most avid centralist probably would not advocate shooting down those who chose to leave, ravaging their homes and occupying their states. Admittedly, there are important differences between the USA and EU. The American colonies had more in common with each other than did the European nation states. The U.S. states had not spent centuries at war with one another, as had the European countries. And the American Civil War imposed a much tighter federal straight-jacket on the states than did any EU treaty. Nevertheless, the American nation is large and diverse. At least some of the differences within are as great as differences within Europe. On a wide range of issues there's no reason to impose a national standard. Rather, both social customs and legal rules should reflect differences in outlook, culture, background, history, and people. The denizens of Washington, D.C. seem almost uniquely unqualified to decide how people in Oregon, California, Texas, Florida, and elsewhere across the nation should live. Yet over the last century, in particular, power and authority have inexorably flowed into Washington. Rather than maintain the constitutional balance, as originally intended, the judiciary aided and abetted the growth of Leviathan. Neither major party consistently defended traditional federalism. As a result, people's liberties and states' responsibilities have shrunk dramatically. Still, regulations on all aspects of life continue to pour forth from Washington just like from Brussels--so much for the fabled Land of Liberty. At the same time, a small, insular, bipartisan ruling party has protected its own, profiting mightily irrespective of who formally governs. Abraham Lincoln's famed "mystic chords of memory" have been strained--and appear ready to snap. Advertisement But Washington is more like ancient Rome than Brussels in one important, tragic way. Today America's capital acts like the old imperial city. The national government maintains hundreds of foreign bases, deploys hundreds of thousands of troops overseas, fights endless wars to impose its authority on distant lands, claims even the smallest overseas event to be of vital interest to America, turns prosperous, populous states into military dependents, and attempts to micro-manage events and life in virtually every nation around the globe. There is no sense of limits, no hint of humility, no belief in restraint. America's great wealth and productivity have been twisted into an effort to make the U.S. the dictatress of the globe, irrespective of financial, human, and constitutional cost. Support for this brutal colossus is bipartisan. This election cycle Hillary Clinton may be more neocon than the neocons. At the same time, Washington has developed its own democratic deficit. The president is elected, to be sure, but most chief executives are reelected almost irrespective of performance, and claim extraordinary authority in between electoral contests. The imperial presidency resists all attempts to impose accountability. Citing their war powers recent chief executives have claimed the unreviewable right to imprison and even kill on their authority alone. President Barack Obama cares little more about popular consent than do the EU's multiple presidents. Congress also is elected, but most House members have guaranteed themselves near-certain reelection through manipulation of the reapportionment process. Every election cycle typically has just a couple dozen seats out of 435 truly in play. The Senate reelection rate is only slightly lower. Seniority still usually delivers committee chairmanships. There is a veneer of democratic accountability, but it is almost completely lacking in practice. Indeed, the ability of the bipartisan ruling class to insulate itself from popular sentiment has led to the rise of sometimes ugly populism in both Europe and America. When the mainstream parties refuse to consider public concerns, voters turn to alternative voices. In the U.S. it is Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. In Britain it is the United Kingdom Independence Party. On the continent it is a plethora of right-wing and left-wing parties campaigning against immigration, the EU, liberalism, globalization, centralization, capitalism, and more. This wave is approaching the gates of Brussels. Unfortunately, America seems likely to continue on its current course until a similar wrecking crew enters the Beltway around Washington. Advertisement It's back: Each year since 2010, crowds of people flock to the streets in a small Chinese province to celebrate at the Yulin Festival. As part of the festivities, an estimated 10,000 dogs are sent to the city - to be eaten. The scenes are difficult to read about, let alone watch. These smart and social furry friends are overcrowded in cages and can barely even move. They're shipped long distances without food or water. Then they're yanked from their cages to face a gruesome death: their throats are cut and some may even be boiled alive. As these graphic scenes emerge each year, outrage pours in from the Western world. Yet as important as it is to express horror at such violence that's taking place on the other side of the world, it's perhaps more challenging to examine our own customs with regard to animals here at home. While we may be horrified by the consumption of dogs in China, the way in which those are dogs are treated isn't far off from our own treatment of other animals raised and killed for food in the US - and we're killing animals in significantly greater numbers. While 10,000 dogs will meet a gruesome death during the Yulin Festival this month, multiply that number by 100 and that's how many animals pass through American slaughter plants every hour of every day, experiencing fear and violence each step of the way. Cows, pigs, and birds raised for food in the US endure misery-filled lives confined in facilities that look much more like factories than farms. And they're routinely treated in ways that would result in criminal prosecution if these same abuses were inflicted upon dogs or cats. In our pork industry for example, most mother pigs are locked inside crates so small they can't even turn around--essentially for years on end. Treated like unfeeling piglet-producing machines, they're lined up like parked cars and forced to endure an unimaginable existence. Such extreme confinement and virtual immobilization takes an enormous physical and mental toll on these social, intelligent animals. Their muscles atrophy and eventually, many of them go mad, exhibiting behavior that unsurprisingly in humans would be diagnosed as clinical depression and learned helplessness. The chickens we raise for meat aren't locked in cages, but they are prisoners of their own genetics, which have been manipulated by the poultry industry for abnormally rapid growth. Many birds have difficulty walking more than a few steps without collapsing under their obese bodies, causing chronic pain that renders them largely immobile. At just two months old, they're shipped off to slaughter - babies trapped inside grossly enlarged bodies. Birds killed in American slaughterhouses are denied legal protections, and like dogs in Yulin, have their throats cut while they're still conscious and are even sometimes boiled alive. While the thought of violently killing and eating dogs is worthy of our moral outrage, is it not a bit self-serving to condemn other cultures for their actions without reflecting our own society's treatment of animals, especially the billions of animals we raise and kill for food each year? So yes, let us criticize the abhorrent abuse of animals on the other side of our planet. The Yulin dog meat festival should end. But let us not forget that in many ways we live in a glass house, and we need to start cleaning up our own affairs at the same time. Cruelty to animals is wrong, regardless of species or geography. Since most Americans eat far more meat than is good for our own health anyway, a great place to start is our next meal. Each of us, simply by choosing vegetarian foods, can help prevent animal abuse every time we sit down to eat. Erica Meier is the executive director of Compassion Over Killing. Follower her on twitter: @EricaMeier The U.S. flag flies at half-staff over the U.S. Capitol later in the day following the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida in Washington June 12, 2016. REUTERS/James Lawler Duggan I wasn't sure at first what to make of the invitation to testify from Senator Ron Johnson, the Tea Party Republican from Wisconsin who chairs the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Some colleagues thought it was basically a set-up: a Republican senator in a tough battle for re-election this fall looking for an opportunity to dump on "the legalizers" and blame America's opioid epidemic on drug policy reformers. But others suspected that Johnson's libertarian streak made him sympathetic to anti-prohibitionist perspectives, and that he was sincerely curious to hear new ideas. That latter view turned out to be right. I must admit that I've been waiting a long time to tell U.S. Senators exactly what I think about drug policy. This roundtable provided the perfect opportunity - to explain why the drug war has been such a monumental disaster for the country and the world, to make the analogies to alcohol Prohibition, and to frame reform in terms of the need to reduce the role of criminalization and criminal justice in drug control as much as possible while advancing public health and safety. Advertisement But more than that, it afforded abundant opportunities not just to present the evidence but also to reason with the Senators and teach them about drugs and drug policy. Most of their questions were about marijuana and opioids, allowing me to point to the growing evidence that easy access to medical marijuana reduces opioid misuse and overdoses, and that legal regulation of marijuana was resulting in less crime than before. I got to talk about why people get addicted to heroin and why heroin maintenance programs make so much sense. (It helped, of course, that my own testimony was preceded by that of Scott MacDonald, a Canadian physician working with the heroin (and hydromorphone) maintenance research project, SALOME, in Vancouver.) And I stressed repeatedly that the best investment Congress could make in responding to the opioid epidemic, and in particular the recent, dramatic increase in fentanyl-related deaths, would be to fund an army of researchers to find out what was really going on - before they legislated any new punishments or other costly interventions. The ranking Democrat, Delaware Senator Tom Carper, was particularly curious about the lessons to be learned from successful anti-cigarette campaigns. Most heroin addicts, I told him, say that cigarettes are tougher to quit than heroin - yet roughly half of all people who were addicted to cigarettes no longer smoke. That monumental success, I pointed out, had been accomplished entirely through public education, higher taxation and effective regulation -- without a single cigarette consumer being given a criminal record or sent to a "tobacco court." The look in the eyes of Senator Carper and his colleagues suggested they had never before considered that point, or its implications. (Tune in from 2:00:50 - 2:02:40) Part of what made the roundtable feel surreal was that Senators Johnson and Carper had invited three proponents of reform and just one drug war apologist to testify. Jousting with David Murray, loyal sidekick to former drug czar John Walters, proved enjoyable (you can watch this spirited exchange by tuning in here from 1:26:09 - 1:27:30), as did Senator Johnson's evident impatience with Murray's comments, as if he'd heard it all before and no longer bought it. Advertisement The highlight for me of the entire session came in response to a question about drug courts by the Republican Senator, Kelly Ayotte, to the police chief of Arlington, Massachusetts, Frederick Ryan. "The challenge there, Senator, is when you push the button for the criminal justice system, it's incredibly complex and difficult to reverse," he responded. "You take somebody suffering from a substance use disorder and put them into a complex criminal justice system - we're finding it creates even more challenges." (Tune in from 1:32:00 - 1:32:25) I never realized that testifying before Congress could be so much fun! Dysfunctionality on Capitol Hill may be nearing historic highs, with federal legislators incapable of enacting even modest reforms on which a majority agree, but that Senate roundtable provided a striking indication that the multi-decade, bipartisan ban on reform-minded drug policy ideas may at last be lifting in the nation's capital. Ethan Nadelmann is the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance. People queue as they wait at the St. Pancras international train station terminal in London, Thursday, July 2, 2015. French port workers are due to strike in Calais, France, and some disruption to the EuroStar train disruption is expected. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) It used to be the case that moving around for jobs was reserved to European elites. No longer. I recently came across a young Frenchman from the Banlieue on the Eurostar who could not get a job in Paris and now drives public transport buses in London instead. Four years ago I founded the Barrez-vous! (literally, "Scram!") movement with two Frenchmen of North African descent encouraging young people in France, my country of birth, to pack their bags and leave. France's political class has tolerated youth employment hovering around 25 percent for over 35 years now. Such an over-centralized, decrepit gerontocracy run by highly endogamous elites, we argued, did not deserve its youth and it was time they vote with their feet and leave. Members of the country's establishment soon accused us of anti-French sentiment and of encouraging young people to give up on their country. It occurred to no one back then, not even us, that this wasn't just an idiosyncratic French phenomenon that was playing out then, that actually the entire world's youth's allegiances might be shifting. Advertisement A few years later, I founded Europeans Now, a transnational movement which aimed to encourage young voters across Europe to vote as Europeans rather than as citizens of this or that country. The time has come for young Britons to take their destiny into their own hands. While their elders just decided to leave the EU -- a decision many of them will not have to endure the consequences of -- young Britons voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU. Now they can vote with their feet. By going to Berlin for instance, by far Europe's coolest, hippest, youth-friendly capital. Brexit is only the latest in a series of intergenerational holdups -- think of the unilateral decision made these past few years by baby boomers to take trillions of bad debt accumulated privately by... baby boomers (!) and convert it into... public debt (!) -- in a world run by elders and baby boomers for elders and baby boomers whose obsolete views of the nation-state as the be-all and end all of modern governance stands increasingly in the way of the prosperity of younger generations. And while it is true young voter turnout for this referendum wasn't high, this has a lot to do with the incapacity of national politicians (in this case Britain's) to truly embrace transnational aspirations close to the heart of the world's youth. Young people's sense of identification and belonging are increasingly tribal. They don't care so much where you come from, what color your skin is or whether you are a Muslim, a Jew or an atheist. They are much more interested in where you are going, i.e. what your values are: Are you a racist? What drives you? Do you pretend global warming is a myth? Are you driven by individualism or fairness and social justice, hate and division or love and inclusion? Advertisement Youthonomics, a new kind of think tank dedicated to youth empowerment, ranks countries, cities, companies and schools across over hundred criteria to say where young people are courted and allowed to prosper and flourish. Our aim, by producing and making this data freely available to young people worldwide, is to allow those of them who feel disempowered to make informed decisions about where to work, live, study, what languages and skills to learn. We aim in so doing to turn the vicious circle affecting them negatively (mostly) on a global scale into a virtuous one by turning the world into a beauty contest of cities and companies, countries and schools vying to attract youth. Indeed, the world's elites and gerontocrats seem to have forgotten that without young people, not a single entity, whether a government a company or any other kind of organisation, can innovate, grow and prosper in the longer run. Migration, the act of moving from point A to point B because one is dissatisfied with the way things are going in point A, has always been a means of emancipation for mankind. But this is the first EasyJet generation. With proper data and low cost air fares, the world is young people's like it never has been before. Europe has long been the world's single most ambitious and exciting political project. It is floundering in no small part because of national political establishments made up by and large of selfish and self-centered gerontocrats and baby boomers. Many in the greater public have accepted the myth that national politicians in Europe are of two kinds: Eurosceptics and pro-EU. In truth, the vast majority of national politicians in Europe who are not in favor of some kind of federalism are the problem. They are composed of two kinds of Eurosceptics: ontological ones like Mr Johnson and Farage, who for better or for worse, are against the EU because they openly refuse the notion that nation-states are becoming archaic structures of governance. And a far larger group of closet Eurosceptics, who say "remain" but are reluctant to see any of their power devolved from their respective National Assemblies towards the European Parliament. These lukewarm Europeans bear a special kind of responsibility for the continent's current state of affairs. They have ensured the European Commission never became the executive branch of European governance it was supposed to eventually become after the Single European Act. They have made a point of sending mostly incompetents to Brussels as a means to weaken the European Parliament and then complained about the incompetence and corruption found in Brussels and Strasbourg. A few years ago, when I started looking into getting involved in my community, I wrongly assumed that it'd be easy to do unpaid work for a good cause. Like many people in my position, I discovered that the process was often difficult and the opportunities were scarce. On occasion, good timing has led me to places that fit -- assisting with fundraisers for the Council for Senior Centers and Services, literacy tutoring with kids in Brooklyn -- but, for the most part, I found that I was spending a lot of time trying to be considered for unfulfilling experiences where my impact felt less than tangible. Last year, I was living in Kumasi, Ghana with a family friend's family. Because of the father's relationship with the staff of the local orphanage, they allowed me to work there without being in a program. If you've ever tried to volunteer overseas, you'll understand how fortunate this was; most volunteer abroad programs come with a steep fee, which prices most young people out of the experience. Advertisement The month that I spent at the Kumasi Children's Home, working directly with kids, from morning to evening, solidified my eagerness to really get involved when I got back to the States. But that was luck. In the hunt for volunteer work, a common scenario is that people are quickly discouraged and give up their search. Even if they're able to find something that works with their schedule, the likelihood that they'll land somewhere doing work that they're passionate about is slim. My solution to this problem was to create a program and apply for a grant to fund it. A few months after I'd returned from Ghana, a friend of mine introduced me to grant writing when I was helping her put together an educational project. Once I realized that it was relatively straightforward, I did some freelance grant writing for a few businesses and a non-profit, as a much needed supplement to my income. "Our predecessors have labeled us the 'selfish generation' but, in my experience, most millennials have a genuine desire to get involved, in a hands-on way." Because promoting literacy and empowering children -- girls, in particular -- is especially important to me, I put together a plan to run a summer reading camp for 5th grade girls in Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. You'll certainly find that, for some grants, you'll be up against a lot of competition. But the reality is that, if your idea is legitimate, there's plenty of money and resources available to you. Of the 600+ applicants competing for a share of the Citizens Committee of New York City grant funds, that I was approved for, around 300 of them were rewarded at least some of what they asked for. Step one: design a program or even a single-day event and find a grant to fund it. I'm sure you or someone you know has great ideas about what your community needs. How can you implement them? Our predecessors have labeled us the "selfish generation" but, in my experience, most millennials have a genuine desire to get involved, in a hands-on way, there's just a lot of confusion about how to do that. "Peer pressure your friends into getting involved." Most of the young people I know are cash-strapped and they can't donate money but they're willing to donate their time to causes they're interested in and, more specifically, causes they feel they can be an effective contributor to. According to a report done by the Millennial Impact Project, last year, "77 percent of those surveyed said they would be more likely to volunteer when their personal skill set served to benefit the cause itself." Advertisement Step two is, once you've figured out how to get involved, peer pressure your friends into getting involved, also. I've seen a lot of people complain that people should only do good deeds in private, and I disagree. This isn't to say that the world needs to know about every kind hearted thing that you do; you don't need to snapchat yourself handing money to a homeless person or live tweet your experience helping an old lady cross the street. But peer influence plays an important part in motivating young people to get involved. Sixty-five percent of employed millennials said they would be more likely to volunteer if their colleagues also participated. The more I talked about the program, the more enthusiastic people around me became about helping me with what I was doing or doing something on their own. Benevolence, I've found, can be contagious. So, what can you contribute to your community? Math tutoring? Nutrition and fitness seminars? Job interview classes? A dress shirt and blouse drive, so they'll have something to wear to those job interviews? Advertisement Something more abstract? THE TIDE IS RISING: 20,000 Filipinos gathered for the largest march for climate justice in the country's history before the December 2015 Paris Talks. (c) 350.org "Crash in Ph Mining stocks this morning. There go the coal plants too. Can't look." These were the words tweeted by Manny Pangilinan, the CEO of the Philippines' biggest utility Meralco, which heavily invests in coal plants. Mr. Pangilinan is one of the top business tycoons in the country and his tweet was in reaction to incoming President Rodrigo Duterte's announcement that environmentalist Gina Lopez had been offered the position of Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). His Tweet is just a glimpse of the degree of reaction from the mining and coal industry to this development and the possibilities that are likely to unfold. Ms. Gina Lopez is a well-known environmentalist and vocal anti-mining advocate. In recent times she has lent her voice and support to affected communities and the broad movement in calling for the phase-out of coal plants and coal mining in the country. In one of her live interviews after officially accepting the offer to head DENR, Ms. Lopez candidly criticised coal use in the country. She argued against using coal when there is an abundance of solar, wind, and geothermal energy in the country, and against the use of an outdated and dirty energy source which many countries are already phasing out. The DENR is a crucial agency for those wishing to construct new coal plants. No project can move forward without an Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) from the Department, therefore Ms Lopez's appointment signals grave days for the coal industry in the country. This development follows last week's launching of an all-encompassing energy policy review being spearheaded by the country's Climate Change Commission. The review intends to develop a clear policy on coal-fired power plants. Under the previous government, proposals for coal plants and coal mines blossomed in the country, with 59 coal plants and 118 mine permits at various stages of approval. This has generated huge opposition in the country and sparked a national debate about the country's energy pathway going forward. The Climate Change Commission asserts that "transitioning away from coal is a cost-effective path to a low-carbon economy" for the country. And that "while the Philippines is not a major emitter of GHG, it cannot allow its economy to grow with the ways that triggers the climate crisis, which affects the country and other vulnerable nations." The Philippines is at a crossroads as to whether it will pursue the previous government's high-carbon path, or change course to tap the large potential of renewable energy in the country and align itself in accordance with its commitment to the Paris Climate Agreement to limit global warming to below 1.5 degrees. Advertisement THE LONG WALK TO FREEDOM: Last November 2015, communities from the longest-running mining operations in the Philippines marched 178 miles to the nation's capital demanding justice for the 30 years of environmental destruction in Semirara, Antique. (c) 350.org Prospects on the energy review and the Lopez appointment The energy policy review, which is aiming to be completed before the next Global Climate Summit in November of this year, has the potential to curb or put a cap on coal use in the country, at a minimum, or trigger an immediate phase out of coal. Either way, it will be a major step forward in the eventual energy transformation in the country in favour of renewable energy. The review will examine what policy shifts will be needed in order to move away from a reliance on coal in the country, and to ramp up renewables. This impending policy review, combined with the Lopez appointment, could result in a virtual moratorium on the processing of new ECCs. Steps could also be undertaken by the new environment chief to review all recently granted ECCs. This is why the coal utilities are panicking. At present, there are 19 coal plants that have been given ECCs that are not yet constructed and around four proposed coal plants still without environmental certificates. 100% Renewable Energy Days prior to the official launching of the energy policy review and appointment of Ms. Lopez, another major development took place in the country in the fight for energy transformation. A call for 100% renewable energy before 2030 was launched and was dubbed as a declaration of independence from fossil fuels. The event was led by one of the pioneers of solar energy in the country, Solar Philippines. The company issued a call to other power companies to shift away from coal. According to Leandro Leviste, the head of Solar Philippines, "Remaking our power supply will be capital-intensive, and can't be done by one company alone. There is room for all companies now planning coal to switch to solar, as well as new players to join in, bringing competition and scale to the market, further bringing prices down." Solar Philippines argued that solar costs have already fallen by 50% in the country due to economies of scale, vertical integration, advances in technology, and increased market maturity. In 2013, only 4 MW of solar had been installed in the country, and by mid-2016 this had grown to 900 MW. Solar Philippines recently announced a plan to establish the country's first local solar manufacturing plant. This announcement adds to the declaration from a major energy utility, the Energy Development Corporation, last month that they would never develop, build or invest in any coal plant and will massively ramp up renewable energy. In the Philippines, change is starting in the private sector as more and more companies are shifting away from coal. END COAL NOW: In lieu of the proposed 600 MW Batangas City Coal-Fired Power plant, 10,000 Filipinos gathered in the City to reject its construction and break free from coal last May 4, 2016. (c) 350.org Movement in full swing A day before the appointment of Ms. Lopez was announced, one of the proposed coal projects in the pipeline, in Batangassouth of Manila, was endorsed by the local government with a 6-4 vote in favor of its construction despite the massive opposition in the city and province of Batangas. While this news is disheartening, all is not lost. It is just a phase in the anti-coal struggle in the country. In May 2016, during the global Break Free actions led by 350.org, around 10,000 people marched through the city of Batangas to voice their opposition to the proposed 600MW coal project in the city, and all coal projects across the country. Actions both through legal and meta-legal strategies are now being contemplated by campaigners in Batangas and the rest of the country to address these setbacks on the ground. The broad anti-coal movement in the country has grown so much that one momentary defeat can no longer dampen the overall spirit of the movement to rid the country of coal. With the three positive developments - energy policy review, the Lopez appointment, and the 100% renewable energy declaration, and the on-going resistance on the ground - momentum is on the movement's side. It is noteworthy to mention that these developments are directly and indirectly a product of a long-drawn and painstaking struggle of the broad anti-coal movement in the country, employing multi-dimensional and multi-level approaches and strategies. Exciting times ahead. Time to turn up the heat. This summer marks the 13th anniversary of the final report to the White House, authored by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. For those unfamiliar with the New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, it was part of The New Freedom Initiative (NFI). A national effort launched by President George W. Bush to advance civil rights under the Americans With Disabilities Act , Title II and Olmstead v. L.C. The goals of the NFI were to reduce pervasive barriers to community living and enhance access to education, employment, housing and technical assistance. In April 2002, as part of the NFI, President Bush issued an Executive Order which created the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. Declaring, "Our country must make a commitment to excellence in mental health care for all Americans" the presidential commission was assembled. The mission, "To study the mental health service delivery system, and to make recommendations that would enable adults with serious mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbances to live, work, learn and participate fully in their communities." The Commission membership included fifteen members appointed by the president and seven ex-officio members, to be appointed by secretaries of related federal agencies. After an extensive research review, expert testimony, public input and evaluation on how to improve and reform mental health care in America, the commission found nothing short of transformation of America's mental health system would provide a necessary fix. As stated by Commission Chair Michael F. Hogan Ph. D, "The commission finds that recovery from mental illness is now a real possibility." On July, 22, 2003, the Final Report to the White House was submitted, which detailed a transformational roadmap to achieve the promise of excellence in mental health care for all Americans. (See also, Michael F. Hogan's testimony to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, 2013.) Young people are just as polarized as the rest of the country , holding fairly fluid positions on the topic that policy makers cannot quite put their fingers on. "Millennials are really focused on truth and justice, and abortion is a grave injustice," Mallory Quigley, Communications Director with Susan B. Anthony List, said in an interview with GVH Live. "It's a very high intensity issue, of course, on both sides. People feel really strongly about it. I think that for a generation that is so focused on truth and justice that will resonate with them and swing them to vote pro-life." For many young women, however, the fight for abortion access is another battle in a long struggle for equality. Nancy Cardenas, a pro-choice activist, believes that bureaucracy and regulations are being manipulated to deny women reproductive rights. "We are still fighting for the right to bodily autonomy," she told GVH Live on the steps of the Supreme Court. "We are still fighting for their right to have an abortion, and we are still fighting for the right to access these reproductive healthcare services." But other millennials think the gravity of the abortion procedure is being understated. Students for Life, a pro-life organization with chapters on campuses all across the country, advocates for giving young mothers the tools to properly raise their children, rather than allowing them to be aborted. "Pro-life and pro-choice people both acknowledge that something is wrong. There's a reason both parties are so passionate about the issue," Andrew Guersney, Founding President of the Johns Hopkins Students for Life chapter, told GVH Live. "The humanity of the child matters just as much as the humanity of the mother." As more restrictive laws spread across the country, the national conversation will only become more heated and young voters will be at the heart of the debate. "We've seen a slew of anti-choice legislation happening at the state and local level," Marcy Stech, Communications Director at EMILY's List, said in a round table discussion. "It means restrictions for women to be able to make those decisions for themselves. I think, as millennials, it's hard to imagine a world in which you have to drive 500 miles to access a women's health clinic." While abortion remains, largely, a state-to-state issue when it comes to legislation, momentum in the 2016 presidential race has put reproductive rights high on the list of voters' priorities and both sides are dug into the trenches. Friendship is beautiful; but a friendship that is born from a heroic rescue is downright heartwarming. We are in love with this story about Jake, a Pit bull mix, and Bill Lindler. Jake was a victim of a house fire but thankfully rescued by Bill and others from Hanahan, South Carolina Fire Department. After Jake was rescued, although he was in rough shape, he was taken to a local clinic for treatment. Jake needed a new home; that's where Bill came back into the picture. Bill adopted Jake and the two formed an incredible bond. Jake is a fighter and a survivor. After such an ordeal, he found a new home and became an official Firefighter thanks to the Mayor. Jake not only won Bill's heart, but everyone he meets as well. Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada June 18, 2016. REUTERS/David Becker There are statements that may appear foolish and wrong-headed when initially uttered, yet which--after the passage of time--we recognize as containing previously unseen wisdom. This ain't one of them. Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism, I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2016 Advertisement A few hours after we learned of the horrific massacre of 49 people on Latin night at Pulse, a gay club in Orlando, the Republican nominee for president reacted. He knew that this attack was about "radical Islamic terrorism." He didn't need no stinkin' investigation. He just knew. Or maybe that was just the narrative that best suited his campaign. Of course, we have since learned that Omar Mateen's motives for carrying out this mass murder are not so clear. There is a great deal of evidence that at least suggests Mateen was conflicted about being gay, and that he targeted Pulse for that reason. If that is so, his pledge of allegiance to ISIS may well have been a cover story or, at the very least, not the whole story. There were a number of other disturbing elements in Trump's response to Orlando--which included the sickening intimation that President Obama was somehow on the side of ISIS ("Look, we're led by a man that either is not tough, not smart, or he's got something else in mind...There's something going on. It's inconceivable. There's something going on.") Let's focus, however, on what Trump had to say about Muslims. Trump claimed that this "radical Islamic" terrorist attack justifies a ban on all Muslim immigrants entering the U.S., as well as a ban on all immigrants from places that have a "proven history of terrorism" (ahem, maybe other states shouldn't allow whites from South Carolina to cross their borders?). It is worth noting that his immigration proposals--which Trump said he could implement directly through executive orders--envision the exercise of enormous presidential authority, far beyond anything claimed by President Obama or previous presidents on immigration. Advertisement On Trump's response to Orlando, Princeton professor Julian Zelizer noted the GOP nominee was using it as a "confirmation of all the things he has been saying about the threat the United States faces and the need to be more aggressive," and connected Trump to a long tradition of politicians who--when our national security appears to be threatened--"play to fear, you play to the anger of the electorate and you offer promises of military might as the solution." Yes, President Obama and Secretary Clinton also spoke about "terrorism" after Orlando. But, of course, it was a terrorist attack, an attack designed to strike terror in the American people through violence. But Obama as well as Clinton rebuked Trump for using this attack to sow greater fear about Muslim immigrants and Muslim Americans in general. Neither Democrat put forth radical proposals that violated our country's core values. It's worth drawing a broader parallel here. Trump reacted to the mass shooting at Pulse by claiming it was one thing, when it might actually have been another, and proposed a response that would not in any way have prevented that attack--but which does fit his preconceived plan for our country. His use of Orlando to push his broader policy agenda should remind you of our most recent Republican president. Substitute 9/11 for Orlando, substitute the (non-existent) connection between Al Qaeda and Saddam Hussein for Omar Mateen's supposed connection to ISIS, and substitute Trump's proposals on immigration for the decision to invade Iraq, and this really begins to look familiar. Let's directly address those voters who are having a hard time seeing a real difference between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, in particular those of you who, like me, supported Bernie Sanders in the Democratic primary. Given what we know now (and still don't know) about Omar Mateen two weeks after he murdered 49 people, and given the way Trump reacted the day of and in the days after those murders, here is a question for you: If one year from now there was a violent attack on Americans that appeared to be connected to Muslims in some way, do you feel confident that a President Trump would take the time to learn exactly what happened before formulating a response? Would you feel comfortable, after such an attack took place, with a President Trump sitting in the Oval Office, in control of our country's vast military arsenal, with him having the nuclear codes and the ability to order our forces to start shooting? Advertisement Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Turnberry Golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, June 24, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri Whenever political power is exercised in a way that results in sustained, widespread economic suffering for large numbers of people, demagogues will arise, like flies around turd, to exploit that suffering, in order to gain political power, often outsized political power, for themselves. Moreover, such demagogues rarely offer, or even have the competence or understanding to offer, political remedies to the economic malaise that is fueling their rise, nor are they much interested in such remedies: what interests them is their own, often megalomaniacal ambition. Advertisement What they offer, therefore, is never remedies, but rather scapegoats. And this offering finds ready soil among the economically damaged, as their legitimate injuries are converted to illegitimate blood lust aimed at the targeted scapegoats. Hitler had the Jews, and Trump has his Muslims, his Mexicans, his immigrants, whatever. And so did the leaders of the Brexit campaign, who fed the fears of hordes of immigrants and asylum-seekers flooding England and disrupting the lives of struggling workers and their families. The demagogic leaders of Brexit did not have, and still do not have, economic remedies for the voters to whom they appealed. What they had, and what they exploited, was those voters anger and resentments. And the leaders of the Remain movement underestimated both. This is an old story. Respectable citizens, and not just conservatives, in Germany and elsewhere underestimated Hitler's appeal and his ruthlessness, and thought him to be a passing, if exceedingly unpleasant, storm, and did not take him seriously enough to stop him when it was still possible. Advertisement Nor did they understand the depth of the economic despair that fueled his rise to power. He had no policy remedies for that despair, or its causes; what he had was a believable and visible scapegoat, and a way of stirring, fanning and organizing resentment, and riding it to personal power. Here in the United States, Trump follows the same playbook, and people like Jeb Bush, Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan still don't seem to know what has hit them. Just as Hillary Clinton seemed stunned and surprised by the extent and durability of Bernie Sanders' appeal. Sanders attempted to appeal to the same economic dislocations as Trump, but with rational, targeted policy remedies instead of bigotry. But Sanders' proposed remedies had two flaws: The first is that they were widely dismissed, even by people like Paul Krugman, much less established Democratic Party leaders, as unrealistic, unachievable pipe dreams not well thought through. The critics may have been right in the short term, but that was never the point: the point was to create and organize a constituency for structural economic reforms. The criticisms of Sanders' proposals, especially from establishment liberals, only delegitimized Sanders' electoral appeal and his organizing efforts. Advertisement The second flaw was that although Sanders did attract some of the working class victims that used to be part of the New Deal core constituency, it was only a sliver. This constituency had been siphoned off to the right-wing Republican Party since Reagan, again not with remedies for their economic distress, but with demagogic appeals--racial, sexual, gender and religious--that identified scapegoats -- welfare "queens," young black men, drug users, gays, women seeking abortions, flag-burners, and even the U.S. Supreme Court, which had from about 1954 to 1973, established long-dormant constitutional rights as enforceable, which threatened those constituencies that had long enjoyed relatively hegemonic dominance.. The Republicans, as a party, rode these scapegoats to political power with the votes of formerly New Deal white working class men and women (more dominantly men), even as they enacted policies that substantially worsened their economic distress. And as their economic distress worsened, they grew even more susceptible to the politics of resentment and scapegoating. It was a perfect electoral program: Republicans fueled the flames of resentment against scapegoats as they worsened the economic distress of those to whom they appealed. Trump is not an outlier of Republican politics; he is the explicit, uncivil, unvarnished expression of mainstream Republican politics of the last 35 years. People like Ryan and Romney and Rove and, yes, Jeb Bush, who claim to be appalled by Trump are in fact the ones who created him, whose politics were a precondition of his, who in order to win elections cultivated precisely the constituencies that today are his strongest supporters. Against the powerful magnets of the politics of scapegoating and resentment, Bernie Sanders' remedial policy proposals hardly gained traction, they were rational but not emotional, except for the young and a small fragment of the white, wounded working class. And we can't forget that in America, Bill Clinton's "centrism" basically abandoned the white working class, thus leaving them even more hospitable to the demagogic appeals from the right. The same dynamic appears to have been at work in England, where de-industrialization, the global economy, international trade agreements and fear of open borders created fertile ground for demagogic appeals. Advertisement And electorally, English voters had no levers of democratic accountability over European Union decision-makers in Brussels. Many felt not only abused but also disenfranchised. They were ripe for this vote, and relatively impervious to rational elite arguments. David Cameron, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, being stunned by the result was reminiscent of Jeb Bush being stunned by the Republican primary results: neither seemed to understand what was going on; both seemed sealed in a cocoon of their own construction. After WWI, in a prescient book, John Maynard Keynes warned that the punitive economic conditions imposed by the victors on Germany would create a poisonous, dangerous politics. And so it did. The economic disaster in Germany that followed the Versailles Treaty provided fertile ground for the rise of Hitler; policy-driven economic suffering is what drove the rise of right-wing, fascistic parties then and for similar reasons is driving it now in countries crippled by imposed austerity policies and trapped by the euro, by not having their own currency to devalue and use to reduce debt and promote employment. The EU has become like a new feudalism for many who suffer in its constituent nations. It may not be remedial or constructive to get out. But if Greece were not trapped by the euro, it would have gotten out. And maybe Spain, too. And while Brexit may not remedy what ails those who voted for it, it gave voice to their anger, their economic injuries and their electoral inability to heal them. Feeling better, even if inauthentic, even if merely compensatory, is often what determines political/electoral outcomes. As in Germany in the 1930s; as in the Republican primaries here this season; and as in the Brexit vote. Advertisement The European Union may now stagger toward disintegration, unless it can restructure itself politically to strengthen its union-wide banking and fiscal management and, especially and critically, its democratic accountability. But that would require member nations to relinquish some of their sovereignty and would require Germany to relinquish its considerable economic advantages. I don't see either happening. Here in the United States, the question is: Whither November? I find it scary. I can make a lot of rational, logical arguments to show why Trump can't win. But aside from the bigotry and xenophobia, there are real economic grievances out there. Trump has no remedies for such grievances, but he is not the first demagogue who knows how to exploit them to advance his personal ambitions. And I am not confident that Hillary Clinton can pivot to address those grievances effectively and passionately. That is why I find our political situation scary. If leading politicians do not address underlying economic grievances, demagogues will arise and scapegoats will be found. And it will not do, decades later, for respectable people to say "How did this happen?" or "We did not know." We have been here before. And once again, there are immense, unaddressed instabilities, both in Europe and America. So whither November? And whither post-November? With populism running wild in Europe and in the United States--the Brexit and American presidential candidate Donald Trump questioning U.S. alliances being just two obvious examples--suddenly people are asking the big questions about the future of Western institutions that should have been asked after the Cold War ended. Both the Brexit and Donald Trump seem to be driven by a nativist element, but that doesn't diminish the value of the implicit questions that they are posing. Americans should listen to Donald Trump, while examining the Brexit, and ask themselves if the United States shouldn't withdraw from NATO and other military alliances. Of course, such a U.S. withdrawal would be much more consequential for NATO and other U.S. alliances than is the Brexit for the European Union. Britain is not even the largest economy in the EU. The United States accounts for three-quarters of the defense spending of NATO countries, and it is very unlikely that those allies--all much closer to zones of conflict than is the United States--will be defending the superpower rather than vice versa. Since World War II, the United States has provided security, formally or informally, for an ever-widening number of ever more prosperous nations in Europe and East Asia, but has gotten few commercial or other considerations in return. Many of these nations or blocs have not ever fully opened their markets to U.S. trade, finance, and investment. Such one-sided alliances were justified by American elites and the foreign beneficiaries of such security welfare as being in the American interest too. Really? Advertisement George Washington, who preferred neutrality as a foreign policy, warned against the United States forming "permanent alliances," and Thomas Jefferson cautioned against getting bogged down in "entangling alliances." In fact, Jefferson wrote 1799, "I am for free commerce with all nations, political connection with none, and little or no diplomatic establishment. And I am not for linking ourselves by new treaties with the quarrels of Europe..." But times have changed right? Rapid advances in communication and transportation have led to a more interdependent world, which compels the United States, as an exceptional nation in world history, to monitor disturbances in faraway and even insignificant places, so that they don't snowball into larger threats--for example, the rise of another Adolf Hitler to threaten Europe. Thus, shouldn't the views of America's founders on foreign policy go the way of the powdered wig? No, the basic geography of the United States hasn't changed from the time of the nation's founders; they perceptively realized that the United States might just have the most favorable geography of any great power in world history. The United States has two large ocean moats and is far away from the zones of conflict in the world. Today, the country actually might be even more secure than at the founding, because it no longer has foreign great powers prowling around its borders, instead has weak and friendly neighbors, and now has the most capable nuclear arsenal on the planet--which should deter attacks, nuclear or conventional, from any nation with a home address vulnerable to cataclysmic retaliation. As for interdependence, in the security realm, the advent of the nuclear age may have actually made the world less so; cross-border aggression--conflicts that have a greater potential to adversely affect U.S. security than do foreign internal civil wars--has dropped significantly in the post-World War II era.Alliances are not ends in themselves; they are used by countries to increase their security by banding together against foreign threats. Yet, after World War II, the United States began to acquire the first permanent alliances in its history just when it began not to need them--it had just developed nuclear weapons and ever since has been the leader in such technology. Advertisement But what about guarding against what a future Adolf Hitler or Joseph Stain could do in Europe? Ever since World War II, America's overly interventionist foreign policy has been based on avoiding another Munich 1938 disaster, when British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain appeased Hitler, instead of confronting him, thus emboldening an attempted German takeover of Europe. However, such a limited reading of history self-servingly absolves the United States (and Britain and France) from having created the Hitlerian monster in the first place. The United States entered World War I, tipped the balance to British and French allies that simply wanted to greedily expand their empires, declared that the Germans were guilty of starting the war, imposed harsh financial reparations on Germany that helped cause the bad economic conditions that brought Hitler to power, and demanded the abdication of the German king, thus clearing the way for Hitler's rise and World War II. One other important lesson from World War I is that alliances--even informal ones, such as the one Britain had with France and the biased U.S. "neutrality" of U.S. arms sales and financing credits sent to Britain but not Germany--can impede flexibility and drag countries into wars they don't want. No one country desired World War I, but such webs made it spread and engulf the entire continent and beyond. And World War II was just World War I, Part II. In a remarkably short time, Bernie Sanders and his revolutionary movement have become a stunning influence in American politics. Sanders supporters have won 22 state primaries, gained about 45 percent of convention delegates, contributed 228 million dollars to the campaign through 2.5 million donors, and gathered together in rallies in numbers approximating a million and a half enthusiasts. It is a force that can potentially reshape American political life -- but will it hold together after the 2016 campaign comes to an end in July of 2016? That is a "berning" question for the Sanders camp and for politicians generally. The Sanders movement is composed of roughly 12 million supporters who voted for him in the Democratic primaries. This aggregate of adherents is in part an electorate and in part a movement. Mass movements rarely function within political parties and their leaders ordinarily keep their distance from established party structures. The Sanders phenomenon is different and unique; it's a hybrid of an electoral party campaign and popular insurrection, intertwined. That makes it hard to figure out and slippery to prognosticate about. We know something about the makeup of this maverick group from voting statistics. Predominantly, the group is young -- a recent Tufts University study reporting that a larger number of young people under thirty voted for Bernie than for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump combined. A second key feature is that it has a high proportion of independents, people who typically avoid a party affiliation. Bernie supporters also lean toward the white and male demographics. Otherwise, they are a diverse and polyglot group with critical differences across many dimensions. They vary in their specific political outlook and goals, previous electoral participation, and sophistication in politics. Their ranks include liberals, progressives, radicals and socialists. Advertisement In more descriptive language, they can also be depicted as: - Democratic Party regulars who supported Sanders in order to nudge Hillary to the left and reform the Party, with or without Hillary in the White House. - Democratic Party regulars (like the Progressive Democrats of America) who wanted to transform the Party, specifically by means of a Sanders presidency. - People with loose but continuing ties to the Democratic Party, some of whom have wanted the campaign to reform the Party marginally and some of whom wanted the campaign to transform the Party drastically in a progressive, populist direction. - Young people and students looking for new and more powerful policies to address their issues -- crushing college debt, low salary jobs, climate change anxieties, etc. Advertisement - Young people and students taken with Bernie's ideals and wanting to change the world. - Young people and students who were following the latest trend among their peers, without much depth, as in the days of the student movement of the 60s. - Socialists and radicals of disparate shadings who have thought Bernie could advance some of their agenda (economic equality, free college) and provide scaffolding for promoting socialism. - Socialists and radicals of disparate shadings who viewed Bernie supporters as a pool of dissidents who were potential recruits for their organizations. - People who were attracted to Sanders because he ran a campaign to keep money out of politics, shunning super pacs and corporate funders. - People who were attracted to Sanders because they viewed him as an honest, ethical, and genuine figure in American politics. Advertisement It's obvious that there isn't substantial representation among supporters from African-American and minority ethnic groups and from organized labor, with important exceptions -- African American influentials like Cornel West and Benjamin Jealous and unions like the Communication Workers of America and National Nurses United. Whatever Sanders does in the future, engaging these groups broadly has to be a high priority. There are no doubt additional ways of slicing and describing the Bernie pool of supporters. The depiction above should be sufficient to show that this is not by any means a unified collectivity. Should Bernie lose the ultimate nomination in late July in Philadelphia, as is fairly destined, this diverse collectivity is all but certain to fragment substantially. We're already seeing that split in the strife between Hillary stalwarts and the Bernie-or-Bust crowd. Only continued forceful leadership by Bernie can hold his band of revolutionaries together. Followers have consolidated around Bernie's message, his persona, and the common task of getting him elected -- against the odds. Without the concentration on gaining an election victory, splinters are bound to develop -- socialists vs. progressive Democrats, independents vs. party regulars, older moderate Democrats vs. radical millennials. The goal and the approach that Bernie chooses as the focus of his leadership will attract some of his cohorts and turn away others. The strategic options he has include keeping both feet in the Democratic Party, keeping one foot in and one foot out, or keeping both feet out. I'll describe them and give my preference. The Party establishment and media pundits are driving Bernie toward the "keeping both feet in the Party" option. Implant yourself firmly in the Party, push for a strong platform statement, nab a prime time speech at the convention, and advise your supporters to vote for Clinton and defeat Trump. In taking that tack, Sanders could get a high level administrative appointment and be well-placed to promote the policies he favors through the party apparatus. This would keep the Party regulars among his supporters with him and bring in some others also. But those on the left, and many others, would abandon him for kowtowing to Hillary Clinton, giving aid to a neoliberal candidate, and bolstering a status quo corporate party wedded to maintaining the dominance of the billionaire class. The "one-foot-in-and-one-foot-out" approach embodies the stance Sanders has had as an Independent who serves as a member of the Democratic Caucus in the Senate. He could operate within the Party (trying to alter it drastically at the same time), but also support hundreds of down-ballot progressive candidates, both candidates affiliated with the Party and change-oriented newcomers. He would concurrently promote issue-oriented community groups to bring an end to police brutality, raise the minimum wage, stop gender inequality, aid the homeless, and push for climate justice. Sanders could set up a national independent action organization composed of his members and drawing on the campaign structure to promote those objectives. Howard Dean, after the 2004 campaign, established Democracy for America along similar lines -- without much impact in his case. The dual approach of working in the Party and outside of it would probably attract the largest cross-section of Sanders' campaign supporters. Advertisement The "both feet out" posture means that after the election Bernie would embrace the independent party posture that has dominated his long-time political career. He would opt for building a third party with a strong democratic socialist component, as has been urged by Jill Stein of the Green Party and Seattle City Councilperson, Kshama Sawant, of Socialist Alternative, and others. That involves carrying over the impressive campaign infrastructure he has produced to build a true and unambiguous left presence on the American political scene. This approach would attract left and radical components among his adherents, young people, and also restless and disenchanted elements across the rest of his supporter spectrum. Party loyalists and moderates would certainly pull away. The Sanders campaign has legitimized socialism and political revolution as part of the dialogue of US politics and established the most fertile grounding, possibly ever in American politics, for creating a viable third party. The campaign has generated supporters in the multi-millions, a striking army of volunteers, dedicated staff, an astonishing number of small donors, highly sophisticated campaign technology, and that famous momentum. In all probability, Sanders will select the second option I described involving an inside/outside strategy. That would likely have the highest comfort level for him, given that in recent years he has combined running as an independent with active participation in the Democratic Caucus. The third option, constructing a new independent party, would be more contentious, intense, and difficult to carry forward. But arguably, it would have the strongest impact on revitalizing and humanizing American politics. The Democratic Party, considering its intermeshed dalliance with Wall Street, is a dubious vehicle for taking the Sanders program much beyond a lofty-sounding platform statement. Sanders, an avowed democratic socialist, frequently laments that the US is the only Western democracy deficient a universal health system. But it is also the only one that is absent an organized left in its political life -- limiting the range of policies the nation can mount and the choices citizens have about how to address their problems. As an ardent advocate for correcting the first deficiency, it would be entirely fitting for Sanders to seek also to remedy the other one. College campuses across the country are experiencing increased student activism. Students are challenging practices inside and outside the classroom, demanding change and forcing our campuses to tackle important and long overlooked issues of class, race, social status, and the narratives that our institutions have chosen to promote. This is good! What better place for students to lead advocacy and systemic institutional change efforts than on our own campuses. Student voices are also being heard at high schools and even middle schools across the country. Recent school walk-outs by students demanding more funding and great support of public schools are generating impressive results. Here in Boston, Wheelock College recently hosted, with our community partners, a powerful conversation with more than 500 middle and high school students from Greater Boston. The half day Youth Symposium: Youth Speak discussed the politics of race, gender, and equity. The students heard an inspiring keynote message from Beverly Bond, Founder of Black Girls Rock! What was most impressive was the receptiveness of the "adults" including Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh and other civic and business leaders who were there to listen to the voices of the students. We asked these passionate students to identify the issues they believe affect them the most. Advertisement Their list of "hot issues" included: Jobs: Particularly lack of access to summer jobs, meaningful internships, and workforce readiness skills College Access: Particularly lack of resources to prepare for college Voice in School: Particularly lack of opportunities to talk about what's going on in their schools around funding Community Violence: Particularly lack of opportunities to talk about community violence they may have experienced The students told us the many ways that these issues affect them personally, as well as the impact they see in their neighborhoods and communities, the media, and their schools. It was an eye-opening experience for me and the other adults in the room. Far from the stereotypes we often see of urban youth as loud and uncaring, these students were thoughtful, respectful, well-spoken, and completely engaged in the discussion about improving their future. Most importantly, the students presented meaningful and measurable solutions that can be implemented. Our overriding message to them was that young voices matter and we wanted to hear what they had to say. The voices of young people are incredibly important in any discussion of our future. In fact, the agenda of this and our two previous Wheelock Youth Symposia were created by the students themselves. This year, we asked the students to tell us how we can make Boston a better city, how we can make this a better country, and how we can address issues around race, gender, and equity. The students brainstormed in small groups on what they need to overcome these issues and succeed. And boy did they have ideas to share! Advertisement They recommend partnering with community organizations, such as the Boston Foundation, to create professional networking opportunities and training for paid jobs for young teens. They want better support from guidance counselors to navigate the college preparation process. They suggest creating a social justice course requirement for all Boston Public School students, where they could discuss school budgets and other social factors that directly affect their education. They want their teachers to get to know them better--without labeling them--and aim to understand their individual experiences. They want to develop a culture of "see something, say something" by fostering community activities where people can come together to talk about drugs, trafficking, music, and media. They also told us we need to figure out how to make our institutions of higher learning--both public and private--more accessible to all students. These students laid out a pathway to success and there is a role for all of us adults to play--whether we're in higher ed, public office, the private sector, or anywhere else. If we can rise to this challenge, I have complete confidence that these young people--and their peers across this country--can truly save the world. The 2016 Youth Symposium was Wheelock's third such event for middle and high school students. In our first Symposium, Archbishop Desmond Tutu engaged with youth on the very important topic of forgiveness. Our second Symposium, led by award-winning author and activist Hill Harper and Harvard Law School Professor Charles Ogletree, focused on our commitment to each other and our obligation to give back to society. For our third Symposium, we decided to focus on the intersection of gender, race, and equity because we all see it played out every day in the media. I believe 2016 will be an incredibly important year for everyone in Boston, across America, and around the world. Not only are we electing a U.S. president, but we'll be electing Congresspeople, Senators, and local officials who all will affect our ability to have the kind of life we want to have for ourselves and for our children. The 2016 Youth Symposium was a powerful day for the young people and everyone else in attendance. As I complete my 12-year presidency at Wheelock College this month and celebrate the success of our third Youth Symposium, I hope that other institutions around the country will open their campuses to similar conversations with the voices of our youth. We have a lot to learn from them! Advertisement The financial markets were surging early last week and the pound was gaining value because the bright-eyed wizards of Wall Street and the international financial markets were confident the British would vote to stay in the European Union. Not since the experts predicted Thomas Dewey would beat Harry Truman have so many presumably smart people had so much egg on their faces. The financial markets got it wrong because they no longer reflect an accurate picture of reality -- partly because of globalization, partly because of new technology, and partly because the experts who manage the markets sometimes manipulate them, and end up being manipulated by their own creation which seems increasingly out of control. The financial markets have been losing contact with real people even as they have asserted a dominant role in world affairs. According to the Boston Consulting Group, total global assets under professional management today are about $75 trillion. Money is power. All of that wealth pinging around the globe looking for viable returns is driving everything before it --including commodities, corporations and even governments. Today as in days of yore, investors try to make sensible investments in the stock market based on their opinion of a given company's prospects in the real world. But their investments are often managed by 20-somethings sitting in front of computers responding to algorithms. The 20-somethings know virtually nothing about the companies whose stocks they are buying and selling nor do they have any sense of obligation to the people whose money they manage; they are simply youngsters playing with algorithms. They have power without responsibility. There is a growing sentiment among the public -- American as well as British -- that the markets are rigged for the benefit of insiders, and that belief has some merit. But just as that rigging serves to enrich the top tier, it also severs insiders from the real world. The wizards were confident rank and file British voters would vote to stay in the European Union but the wizards are based mostly in London and talk mainly to each other. They hadn't a clue what ordinary people out in the British hinterland were thinking. The British vote was to a large extent a vote against the establishment -- a protest against a system increasingly estranged from the real world needs of ordinary people. The experts -- economists, stock brokers, financial strategists -- were assuring voters that staying in the EU was in their best interest. But the experts have lost the confidence of the people. It was also a vote against globalization -- from the intense foreign competition that abducts millions of good manufacturing jobs to the immigrants who come with different values and culture. It was at its core a protest against that amorphous superpower -- the global financial octopus - that robs nations of their independence. The same anger is driving politics in this country. People are fed up with an establishment -- business, government, and financial experts -- that no longer reflects their values and concerns. The financial wizards have the money but the people have the votes. A great upheaval is in the works. Jerry Jasinowski, an economist and author, served as President of the National Association of Manufacturers for 14 years and later The Manufacturing Institute. You can quote from this with attribution. Let me know if you would like to speak with Jerry. June 2016 Title IX has been brought to the spotlight due to sexual assault survivors stepping up to tell their horror stories of not only rape, but also a secondary rape of sorts. Many of these victims have to face their rapists every day due to the failing of universities and their complete inability to adjudicate these rape cases properly. How is it possible that this amount of life altering power has been handed to untrained university administrators? The stories from college rape victims are absolutely heart-wrenching, and they are stories we all need to hear. However, there is another side to complaints that you may not have heard of. The other side is rarely spoken about because it implies that a woman may have lied about being raped. According to some, just the mention of these cases causes victim shaming. The other side of facts can be a double-edged sword that could silence the next victim from coming forward to report the attack. The other side of facts and evidence will actually show you that sometimes the wrong person is accused, incidents can be filed without the knowledge of either party involved, sometimes complaints are filed out of vengeance, some are filed because "all drunk sex is rape", and occasionally, a false report is made. Advertisement When any injustice occurs a victim is created. This series will tell you stories you may not have heard about, or may not have known that these victims even existed. Please keep in mind, that is not the basis for this series. This series is intended to show readers how incredibly inept colleges and universities are when it comes to rape complaints on their campuses. Also, hopefully sharing these stories will bring enough light to the severity of the issue, that a change might be inspired. Title IX and Rape. I am sure there are some people reading this who had no idea it was even an issue. I mean Title IX is supposed to ensure that sexual discrimination is prohibited in any federally funded education program or activity, right? Why is the word rape even associated with Title IV? In 2011, The Office for Civil Rights put into place a "Dear Colleague Letter" which explains that discrimination includes the following, "Sexual harassment of students, which includes acts of sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX." The letter also states: "Police investigations may be useful for fact-gathering; but because the standards for criminal investigations are different, police investigations or reports are not determinative of whether sexual harassment or violence violates Title IX. Conduct may constitute unlawful sexual harassment under Title IX even if the police do not have sufficient evidence of a criminal violation. In addition, a criminal investigation into allegations of sexual violence does not relieve the school of its duty under Title IX to resolve complaints promptly and equitably. A school should notify a complainant of the right to file a criminal complaint, and should not dissuade a victim from doing so either during or after the school's internal Title IX investigation. For instance, if a complainant wants to file a police report, the school should not tell the complainant that it is working toward a solution and instruct, or ask, the complainant to wait to file the report. Schools should not wait for the conclusion of a criminal investigation or criminal proceeding to begin their own Title IX investigation and, if needed, must take immediate steps to protect the student in the educational setting." What this says in short form is that non-campus police don't matter to the university. Non-campus police evidence or lack thereof is irrelevant to a college or university because the standard of proof of guilt is not "beyond a reasonable doubt" instead by a "preponderance of truth". The standard of proof is lower because they aren't finding individuals guilty or not guilty of rape with criminal consequences. Due Process is a thing of the past thanks to the "Dear Colleague" letter. The university has a lower standard of proof because what they are adjudicating isn't actually impeding on anyone's actual freedom. That is what we are told. Until you dig deeper. Take for instance the Title IX case of John Doe v. Boston College. The incident is described and documented in a Complaint filed in Massachusetts District Court. The Title IX case came to fruition after Boston College students were on a casino boat event for school in 2012. According to the complaint, security guards on the boat detained him until they got to pier. At that time, state police arrested him on the spot and placed him in handcuffs with bags on hands to preserve any evidence. He was arrested and put in jail for the weekend, and later released on bail. He was charged with indecent assault and battery and pleaded not guilty. A female student on the boat accused him of walking by and lifting her skirt, and putting two fingers in her anus. His parents hired an attorney and a private investigator. It was forensically proven through both surveillance and DNA, as well as polygraph, that he was innocent. (It was allegedly another man who was walking directly in front of him). All charges criminally were dropped against John Doe and also erased from his record. However, at the school level he was immediately suspended and kicked off campus. According to the complaint, no real investigation was done. No one was allowed to testify on his behalf, the school would not take his statement, allow the private investigator or attorney to speak or introduce the evidence. He had been suspended from school pending the outcome at the same time his due process rights were stripped. He had no way to prove his innocence without the facts of the case being presented. The school found him responsible of sexual misconduct. He appealed and was denied. He was suspended from school for TWO years. His official transcript stated "Suspended for Sexual Misconduct", he had no option but to wait out the imposed sanctions, as no other school would admit him with the branded record. Advertisement He went back to Boston College and graduated after serving his sanctions. At graduation, his father spoke with college officials, (also noted in complaint) who stated they would do a re-examination of the case. That promise was not held up and John Doe was branded a sexual predator, which every possible employer sees when they ask for his transcripts. His life has forever been altered because of the inability of the college to follow through effectively or accurately. While technically he still has his "freedom", his reputation and future employ-ability are absolutely tarnished with a sexual misconduct brand; when according to actual evidence, he did nothing wrong. Let me state again, I found 140 cases like the one above. The accused had his or her life ripped apart and destroyed by college administrators due to their mandate that has proven to be a complete sham. There are cases and cases of wrongful sexual misconduct brands on accused individuals that will follow them for life printed on their college transcripts, "Suspended for sexual misconduct" or "Expelled for Sexual Assault." One Title IX Complaint filed says that after the accuser admitted to filing to a false incident report because she was "pissed off" when she realized that John Doe had rebuffed her, and because she thought John Doe was "just another douchey frat dude." The school continued to prosecute John Doe. He was suspended for three terms for sexual misconduct and had to sue to the school under Title IX in order to any sort of fair resolve. His case was eventually settled out of court. Lawsuit after lawsuit show that women's rape allegations are rarely actually investigated by colleges. Lawsuit after lawsuit also shows that when they are investigated, more harm is done than good. The harm of course first is to the victims. The majority of reporting statistics show that universities only pursue 1 in 12 cases of rape allegations. The victim's cases that aren't pursued are beyond appalling. However that data isn't readily available, because either the incidents aren't reported to the university or the university drops the ball completely. One experienced attorney stated to me, "Title IX needs to be repealed in its entirety, because the Department of Education had twisted its reach far beyond its limited legislative intent. In the meantime, these due-process cases need to be pursued." Advertisement This blog is part one in a series outlining the horror stories caused by campus adjudication and clear lack thereof. These stories are very important to clarifying the extreme injustices happening on our college campuses. I hope you will continue to read the series. Expanding global connectivity through aviation only succeeds when the playing field is level and the rules are both universally understood and scrupulously enforced. That was the core principle behind our government's negotiation of an amended air services agreement with the European Union (EU), known as the U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement (ATA). I know this because I was in those discussions while serving as Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT). Today, some basic facts about this agreement and the applicability of its provisions have been twisted beyond recognition in the pending case involving Norwegian Air International (NAI), an Irish subsidiary of Norwegian Air, which seeks USDOT approval of a foreign air carrier permit application to fly to the United States. Let's set the record straight. NAI is requesting to launch a complex international airline operation that at its core challenges explicit provisions of the agreement, in particular those specifically designed to protect high labor standards for cabin crews on both sides of the Atlantic. Norwegian Air's plan is to have their Irish subsidiary hire crews under Singaporean or Thai law that allows them to fly without having to comply with the employment and tax laws of its Norwegian home country. If approved, this highly unusual application guts the core of the ATA's labor provision, which is the logical forum for such disputes. Advertisement Concerns about potential "forum shopping" by airlines were raised during the negotiation process. Those concerns were especially relevant because this agreement would allow European air carriers, for the first time, to operate from any country in the EU to any point in the US. The opportunity for airlines to forum shop for favorable labor, tax and other laws was clearly a point of contention for both sides. The labor provision was achieved after extended discussions with our European counterparts that resulted in what is today known as Article 17 of the ATA. This article unambiguously sets out a clear commitment to protect against air services that "undermine labor standards or the labor-related rights and principles contained in the Parties' respective laws." This key provision of the agreement is now being challenged by a USDOT Show Cause Order, which does not refute the legitimate concerns being expressed by U.S. and European flight crew unions, but sidesteps the issue by declaring that those concerns are not a basis for denial of NAI's or any other permit application. The Show Cause Order tentatively concludes that Article 17 cannot be applied in deciding whether to grant operating authority to an EU airline. To the contrary, a decision whether or not to grant operating authority based on compliance with Article 17 is at the heart of implementation of the ATA. We live in a world of rapid international economic integration and changing employment models. Trade agreements such as the ATA must benefit all sectors of our society, including US workers. That, I believe, is what we accomplished in the ATA, and now the US needs to uphold the core labor protection provisions of the agreement. Advertisement Co-authored by David Auten, author, blogger and speaker for Debt Free Guys and host of Queer Money. When same-sex marriage was legalized last June, I admit I breathed a sigh of relief. The naive part of me believed the fight was over. "We're all equal now," I thought. My partner of twelve years, David Auten, and I sat close together, glued to the TV while we soaked up all the same-sex marriage coverage we could. We didn't get to bed that night until midnight, which is a feat for two people used to going to bed at 9 p.m. It was too exciting to miss. We felt equal. Then Kim Davis happened and we dismissed her as desperately clinging to the past. Then debates about pizza and cake happened that seemed more farce than folly. Then Indiana almost happened, but didn't. Then Mississippi and North Carolina happened and shit got real. Advertisement Then Orlando happened. Was I naive? Was the fight not over? Yes, and it isn't. That's why David and I believe the queer community must take as much pride in our individual finances as we do in our uniqueness, gender identities and sexual orientations. One of the strongest tools we have is our voice, and often that voice requires money. Our causes and initiatives must continue the fight for equality, but they cannot do so without a financially strong community supporting them. As much as possible, we must be financially independent and not reliant on other individuals or institutions. In this world, money talks and queers must be heard. That's why we created The Queer Money Show. On this episode of Queer Money, we talked with another Huffington Post contributor, CFP David Rae, about gay pride and financial prejudice. Below are highlights to consider during this month of Pride to help strengthen and empower the queer community. Financial Security Is Freedom From our research, the queer community is consistently concerned about retirement savings and paying off debt. While these concerns are standard in general society, it's important for queer people to address them and strengthen our finances so that we can fund our fight for equality and have the freedom of time to fight for equality. Advertisement Keep It Long and Sticky David Rae points out the importance of having emergency savings and funding our retirements. With both reasonably in place, we're free to use our residual income to improve our quality of life. We should avoid improving our quality of life to the detriment of our security and future. The Biggest Thing It comes down to one thing. Once we know this, everything else falls into place. Two Tricks David Auten shares two simple tricks that he and I used when we climbed out of $51,000 of credit card debt. Both tricks can be used to manage our money over Pride and every other day of the year. Advertisement Now that we have done the Memorial Day Confederate flag burning and burial across the country two years in a row, one might think that perhaps it is time to consider a more peaceful moment of reconciliation, emotional transcendence, and patriotic unity. But with the looming possibility of a Trump presidency and the call to "Make America Great Again," I think now is the time for a more aggressive creative engagement--not a truce. The recent hate mail, terroristic trolling, and even death threats tell me that we are at a point of no return, that we are at point beyond conversation, at a point of critical collective psychosis. Maybe my work seems confrontational and polarizing. Bingo! It is supposed to be! This war, this illness, started long ago, and the resistance to empathetic discourse is molecularly deep and the road to American togetherness is under major construction. To understand my point and see where irony meets insanity, read what my favorite fellow Americans, the Mystic Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, had to say about my Gettysburg exhibition back in 2004: This love note is actually tamer than most and indicates that even the KKK can write a press release. However, what I am finding is that responses to the response--the meta-responses-- are sometimes so much more interesting, powerful, and instructive than the response itself. We see this played out in the recent demonstrations against police brutality or the current Confederate symbol debate. And on a personal note, shortly after the KKK press release came out, a family member contacted me and asked if I were gay. I told him that if I were gay, he would not hear about it from a KKK website! I guess this chapter of the KKK was (as were other folks) a bit upset about my Drag Flag installation, featuring a Confederate flag redone in hot pink and lavender glitter and fur. The fabric was made of very shiny satin--and came with the stilettos, too. Advertisement The Drag Flag, premiering in Gettysburg in 2004 at the Schmucker Gallery in the exhibition Recoloration Proclamation: The Gettysbury Redress curated by Molly Hutton, was inspired by watching hours and hours of Civil War reenactments. I was drawn to the reenactors' close attention to detail, especially with the uniforms, which got me thinking about approaching the Confederate flag in a different way. Before, I had engaged with the flag as a symbol to be remixed into my cultural terms or brought into relationships with other collaboratively evil symbols (i.e., the noose). But what emerged was a subversive inspiration to make the flag pretty, or even sexy, if such a thing is possible. While there is sometimes an impulse to creatively resist pain or dress up trauma, I was ready to explore dramatic beautification as a way to counterbalance the negative association of the flag with white supremacy and the terror of violence. This was also a desire to break from the heaviness of the gallows piece and embrace the opportunity to play and experiment. This piece also led me to move from the seduction space to the scary space of forbidden intimacy: love. How could I intersect the complexity of the Confederate flag with the desire of human love, forgiveness, and re-union, especially when so much of the pro-Confederate flag defense seems to be selfish and sociopathic? And so I came up with the following piece: The Wedding. This installation was included in the group exhibition Afro-Provocation, curated by Cythnis Hollis at the Brogan Museum in 2007, and it explored the use of the marriage ceremony as a ritual device for the union of ideas: love and sovereignty (hence the hearts replacing the stars). This work was also shaped by the ubiquitous pro-Confederate phrase, "Heritage Not Hate," which seems problematic when you consider that heritage is based on white supremacy, with a few lynchings along the way. This installation became a call to embrace the idea of "Love Not Hate" as well as an invitation to the pro-Confederate movement to marry "Love" with "Heritage," going forward and looking backwards. Advertisement When the Vermont Marriage Equality Act of 2009 law was passed, I thought about how the Confederate states' rights argument ironically connected to a couple's right to marry and the complex relationship we have with governmental interference. Even so, we must be consistently critical of a government trespassing on the space and sovereignty of consenting adults, and equally critical of treasonous elements that hide behind the mask of "rights" as means of perpetuating human injustice. The Wedding installation, along with the public debate on same-sex marriage, inspired the creation of the performance piece, The Wedding: A Civil Re-Union. This performance piece features me officiating the marriage of two soldiers: one Confederate and one Union. It is set to be staged and broadcast live from City Hall in downtown San Francisco on Sunday, June 19th - "Juneteenth," the holiday that commemorates the emancipation of slaves from throughout the Confederate South. Following the wedding, there will be an AfroDixieRemixes listening reception at a jazz club in Oakland featuring 13 black music versions of the song "Dixie," with response poetry hosted by the Oakland Poetry Slam. A week before the wedding ceremony, Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens, by way of their Pollination Pod, and I will host "The Confederate - Union Engagement: A Water Toast and Proposal Party." This performance is a part of the This is What I Want Festival, curated by Tessa Wills at Fort Mason Art Center, a former military outpost. The central theme of the toast is water: a force of life, truth, cleansing, and forgiveness. The performance will explore the complexity and synthesis of desire born out of conflict and nurtured by water. This work is the final element of my 15-year project: Recoloration Proclamation, which has gone from SoHo to Harlem; from Gettysburg to Columbia, South Carolina; from burning and burying the Confederate flag all across the US, to a performative same-sex wedding in San Francisco on Juneteenth. I hope this journey, concluding with this wedding as a reunion, inspires an aggressive engagement to embrace art over violence, future over past, and love over fear. Haunted House "You hear footsteps and there's nothing there," said a woman who owned a haunted house at 11051 Bennett State Road in Forestville, New York. "Voices, muffled music, a ball bouncing, claws across the floors," she told a local newspaper in 2012. "One night I heard a blood-curdling scream. I've actually seen a little girl in the house." Eventually, the family moved out - many states away. Now, American Homeowner Preservation, the mortgage holder, is preparing to list the home for sale. Advertisement Paranormal investigator John Zaffis featured the 200-year old home on his SyFy reality program Haunted Collector in 2012. What they found is startling. It started with the Haunted Collector team's discovery of a 19th-century leech jar in a secret compartment in the attic. Doctors of the time kept jars of leeches, to be used in bloodletting. While recording their attempts to communicate with the spirits causing the haunting, Zaffis asked the spirit's name and heard the name "Jerome" whispered back. A reading from their EMF pulser seemed to confirm some type of activity at the same time that the voice was heard. After some digging through the town's records, the team unearthed that the house had been owned in the mid-19th century by the reverend James Bennett, whose family resided there for several generations. His son Jerome died at the age of 27 from tuberculosis, a disease that was often treated by placing the afflicted in a separate room from the rest of the family, and bloodletting the patient with leeches. Advertisement The final dagger? Jerome Bennett, along with most of his family, was buried in Pioneer Cemetery, right next door to the home. With all that evidence, let's assume that the house is inhabited by the supernatural. While some people might suggest we ignore that detail in marketing the house, we're going to do the opposite: we'll candidly point out the home's troubled history. That's for two reasons: First, a Forestville-area agent, Jon Steiger, pointed out that while New York state's laws may not require a seller to disclose that a house could be haunted, the weird stories about the home are "readily available to anyone doing a Google search of the property address." In other words, there's no hiding it. Second: While there are some cases of homes plummeting in value when ghosts were discovered, there's also reason to believe that a haunted house might in fact be worth more than an untroubled house. It's a theory, but here's the rationale: a haunted house-and especially one next door to a cemetery-is worth more because of its potential to generate income for its owners. Thrill seekers would likely pay a premium to spend the night in a room, or even rent the whole house. A Colorado hotel whose long history of supernatural activity inspired the Stephen King movie "The Shining" offers tours that detail all the creepiness, as well as overnight stays in Room 217, "the most active" place for the building's spirits. And on airbnb, there's a page that showcases haunted rentals, everywhere from a small town in New Mexico to a castle in Russia. Advertisement And around Halloween, when interest in anything spooky spikes, a bona fide haunted house could generate significant income. Americans spend over $7 billion each year on candy, costumes and activities related to Halloween. Teens and young adults, ages 18 to 34, are the most common demographic pursuing Halloween activities, and by one expert estimate, there are more than 1,200 Halloween attractions that charge admission, attended by an average of 8,000 people. An entrepreneurial homeowner could turn the house and the story of Jerome Bennett into a legitimate haunted attraction. There's nothing ghastly about it. How many people would prefer to get their Halloween dose of spookiness from an authentic "haunted" house - next to a cemetery, no less! - than from a manufactured attraction like a haunted cornfield? Built in 1820, the house was once handsome. The two-story main wing features shuttered windows and a roof supported by heavy trim which likely once capped a pair of Greek Revival-style columns that would have bracketed the front of the house. They're gone, but traces remain visible, suggesting that the house had a grander appearance in the distant past. A one-story wing projects off the side. The house has suffered severe neglect inside and out which new owners would need to remedy, but "this was once a beautiful home and could be once again," Steiger, the real estate agent, said. The leech jar was removed from the house, and the Haunted Collector episode ended with the then-owners thanking the show's host for bringing peace to the house. Nevertheless, the eerie stories linger-regardless of whether the ghosts themselves do. 51 Muslim states blocked 11 LGBT groups from attending the UNAIDS Meeting. This is problematic. Where is the compassion? Where is the RAHMA (mercy)? We need to focus on the things that matter. Like getting to zero. We cannot get to zero if we deny LGBT groups the right to have their voices heard. I do not stand with blocking these groups and neither should you. This is not a Muslim issue, this is not an LGBT issue, HIV is an OUR issue. We are all in this together. If we do not work together we will NEVER defeat this pandemic. How many more youth have to become poz? How many more babies have to be born with HIV? How many more people have to die before we open our eyes? Here are the facts: Advertisement One of the populations most affected is the LGBT community. "Given that transgender people are 49 times more likely to be living with HIV than the general population, their exclusion from the high-level meeting will only impede global progress in combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic," said Samantha Power, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations (3). Yet, we are denying them a place at the table? Since sodomy is punishable by death and imprisonment in most of the opposing states, many members of the LGBT community are remaining in the closet. Many of them are living with HIV. Many are marrying and passing on the virus to their spouses and children. Many engage in polygamy which even further increases HIV infection rates. Many are having sex with multiple partners which yes, you guessed it, increases incidence rates. It's time to wake up. Are you really going to let people die because they live differently than you? By denying them access to the table, you are being detrimental to identifying solutions that will get us to zero. You are not eliminating the problem, you are only making it worse. YOU are the problem. Advertisement HIV affects everyone. It is not specific to the LGBT community, it is not specific to the White community, it is not specific to the Black community, it is not specific to the Latino community, or any religious community. It is specific to all communities. Once we all realize that, then the real work can begin. I am a supporter of Human Rights. I am a supporter of Social Justice. I am a supporter of access to Health Care. I am a supporter of Life. Together WE can get to Zero. #KeepTheirSeats Stanford students John Lancaster Finley(L) and Brandon Hill(C) carry signs during the 'Wacky Walk' to show their solidarity for a Stanford rape victim during graduation ceremonies at Stanford University, in Palo Alto, California, on June 12, 2016. / AFP / GABRIELLE LURIE (Photo credit should read GABRIELLE LURIE/AFP/Getty Images) Following the Stanford sexual assault case I compose this piece with as much honor, respect, and solidarity as I can muster. After reading the powerful letter the victim of assault wrote and read aloud to her perpetrator Brock Turner nearing the end of the year-long trial, I was moved, angered, hurt, inspired, and shaken up. But this isn't about me. This is about systemic injustice. It's about her. It's about all the women who have been victim to sexual violence and assault. The victim in this case empathetically and boldly ends her letter paying tribute "to girls everywhere," letting girls know that she is with them. Her year-long fight to make her voice heard settling this case in court was not fought in vain, but rather in solidarity with every woman who has ever been a victim of sexual violence. She continues: "On nights when you feel alone, I am with you...I fought everyday for you. So never stop fighting." Advertisement You may have heard the term "patriarchy" thrown around a lot lately. Patriarchy is defined as a social and economic system where men hold the power. In order to understand how this works, think about the United States' political system where men hold most of the leadership positions. Also, to think about patriarchal social organization, think about current marriage practices where women take men's last name. Historically, women have made a lot of progress fighting against patriarchal oppression. Consider the three women who currently hold positions as secretary of state as well as women who are choosing to keep their maiden names. While these achievements are laudable, patriarchy has been around for about 6,000. It takes a long time for a system to catch up after humans make changes to undo practices of domination. In addition, patriarchy is not simply the political, social, and economic order of the United States, but the majority of the globe. When one gender or sex holds power, this excludes the other gender or sex from access to this power. It creates a society whose laws are gendered and ideologies (i.e. value systems) privilege one gender or sex (or multiplicity of genders) over the other. This might explain why the victim of the Stanford sexual assault case had to fight so hard to have her voice heard in court, or why her story was skewed and manipulated to make Brock sound like he was less responsible than he actually was. Modes of power such as money (he was able to secure great lawyers) and prestige (he was a star swimmer) were in his favor. Advertisement So how does this all relate to religion? Early political leaders were patriarchs, holding both religious and political power. Consider the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt who ruled from around 3100 BC - 30 BC. Their words taught people how to live and relate to each other. While this might seem completely irrelevant to issues we face in the year 2016, it is not. Ingrained in our ways of thinking is the intertwinement of politics and religion which stems back to these intertwined power structures. Despite Thomas Jefferson's decry to separate church and state in 1802, political leaders today take religious stances and promote religious ideologies in their campaigns. Many times we are unaware that a political stance comes from a religious ideology since ideologies and attitudes are invisible. One value that many political conservatives promote is traditional family values. This involves a male breadwinner, a female homemaker, and biological children. The "nuclear family" has roots in the Bible and sometimes Christian scholars and practitioners use these roots to justify hatred against other types of family structures. Structuring families where male dominance (i.e. the male breadwinner) is considered normal and natural might actually reinforce rape culture in society. By no means am I saying that the existence of all nuclear families reinforces rape culture. Nor am I saying that violence (domestic, sexual, or verbal) is inevitable in nuclear families. What I am saying is that the attitude which is displayed in the nuclear family (that it is natural the male is the dominant breadwinner) perpetuates attitudes which support rape culture. As a result of these hidden structures, we as a society are having trouble knowing where to begin to break this cycle. You can see this through the prevalence of blaming the victim--"she shouldn't have been drinking," "she shouldn't have worn that skirt," "she shouldn't have gone to that party," instead of seeing rape culture as a structural problem. Advertisement If she is expected to play the supportive role as wife in the household, yet society also promotes women as breadwinners, why would we also expect women to take responsibility for men when they violate us? Isn't this asking a bit much of women? Aren't we simply exhausting women, making them even more susceptible to violence? Another way that religion and religious ideologies influence rape culture is through perpetuating the idea of purity. "She shouldn't have been drinking" and "she shouldn't wear that" comes from the idea that people, or society as a whole, decides what an ideal woman should look, act, and be like. Purity--whether that is the pure virgin or the pure whore--gives very little space for engaging any type of sexuality and sexual expression lying in-between the virgin/whore dichotomy. Realistic college situations exist in the space in-between: young-adult men and women more than likely will go to parties, they will drink, they will engage in exploring their sexualities, and we will have to learn to educate them and listen to their stories. It is not enough to tell our children to save sex for marriage, to not go to parties, to not drink, to not explore. It is our responsibility to teach them how to engage these middle-grounds. How old are you? Already crossed teenage and haven't crossed 30? If this is, this is the right time to travel and explore the world. Before twenty, you are still too young and so many things are illegal for a teenager in so many countries. After 30, you may have so many responsibilities. Traveling in the twenties is great fun. If you are a student, utilize your vacation to travel new places and enjoy your vacation. If you are a businessman, take a break and go to explore new places. If you are an employee, take a leave and go someplace where you have never been before. Be creative to utilize your vacation or leave, no matter whatever you are. Today, I'm gonna introduce you to a guy who travels around the world's top cities so frequent just to have fun. Aashis Luitel, 27 years old young American citizen, was cheering up some champagne sitting on the top of the Tokyo tower just a week before he spotted in the Manhattan's most happening bar, Blondies on last Saturday night. He has been managing his time to explore the globe, looks like literally celebrating his 20s every day. He will spend his next weekend in Seattle, Washington, then to Taiwan. Advertisement Aashis Luitel shares his travel experiences with journalist Kishor Panthi There are so many cultures in the world; so many different people live in a way that you cannot even imagine. Go, explore and feel it before you get settled down. Otherwise, it will be too late to regret after you buy a house in sunny California and start paying the mortgage off. According to him, the 20s are the ages of experiments. The wealth can't buy happiness. Spend some of your money to explore the world. Happiness makes you more understanding. Understanding the world we live in, the style we fall into or the food we eat. Aashis has been spending his 20s on experimenting so many things. Traveling is one of them. He finds it fancy and great. He was born in Balakhu Okhaldhunga, the eastern part of Nepal, country of Himalayas. In Nepal, Aashis was a dream achiever in his late of his teenage. While celebrating his 20th birthday, he was already on the editorial team of Nepal's leading media house. He had managed to travel most of the regions throughout the nation while he was in Nepal. Then he made his steps broader and started exploring Europe. He had no other purpose then to get an experience of toasting some red wines with different people observing the sunset view over the Eiffel Tower when he first landed in Paris. Just 21 years of age, he went to Brussels, Holand and Berlin in that two weeks short break. According to him, few road trips and weekend celebrations in local bars were amazing experiences he got over there even though he was completely new for those cities. Advertisement But with those great moments, this trip also forced him to realize that the passport he had been holding back then was not attractive enough. A celebrated youth columnist Aashis had to make phone calls to some high-level people just to get the Schengen visa. "I got rejected," he recalled, "but I refused to take the blank passport back (from the embassy)!" That was the first time he had ever used his passport. So he wanted to get it stamped. So, he questioned the embassy back about the reason behind it. They said that they haven't seen any valid reason for him to visit such an expensive region. "Then I wrote a letter to the consular explaining the joy of traveling w/out a purpose!" He made some businessman walked with him to the embassy along with that letter. "They issued my visa in an hour" he remembered. It was in late of 2010. In 2012 at the age of 23, he moved to New York City to do a research on the use of advanced technology among Nepali immigrant living out there. While doing so, he was appointed as an editor of Khasokhas Weekly (Previously known as Whitehimal), newspaper for Nepali community. At the same time, he traveled from east coast to west coast and learned more about states. He celebrated his 24the birthday with one of his best friend in Missouri, where they went for a weeklong road trip to explore the countryside. Moving forward he was offered a permanent residency status and hence he applied for a government job. U.S. government decided him to deploy to Asia pacific region for the job. Aashis took an oath of American Citizenship in a naturalization ceremony, organized to award him in Tokyo, Japan. Then he got the American passport on mail while he was in Malaysia. After a month, Aashis flew out to Shanghai to celebrate his 25th Birthday without a pre- stamped Visa. Americans get on arrival visa on most of the countries. Now, he travels so frequently from one city to another. All he does is to make a reservation on highly celebs area and pops up in a rough dress up - T-shirt, short and a pair of Nike shoes. If he finds something attractive to wear, he buys and changes on the same store. Carrying a bag pack makes him feel like a tourist which according to him "prohibits from getting localize and feel the locality!" Advertisement Like in Nepal, he brought his legacy back here in the USA with the same kind of fancy lifestyle in broader and amplifier version. He posts his travel photos on Instagram, which inspires any human beings on earth to explore the world. Drinking wine on the top floor in a Singaporean bar or driving AMV vehicles in Bali's hills, his posts make his followers feel 'wow!' all the time. On June 24th, we all woke up to the Brexit future. While we knew it was plausible, for many it didn't seem probable and for some it was not discussable. In recent weeks, however, I had the opportunity to informally discuss post-Brexit scenarios with a number of high-level decision-makers and advisors, in the public and private sectors. Here some thoughts I thought might be useful to share more broadly. While staying in the EU would not have guaranteed an easy or predictable road for the UK, Brexit has killed the business-as-usual future. In the new bigger picture, the key uncertainties turn around the dynamics of the exit negotiation table and the evolution of the broader international context. Without stability on both sides of the table - UK and EU - the exit may be rough, turbulent and prolonged. According to the Lisbon Treaty, once the UK officially informs the EU that it wants to leave - triggering Article 50 of that treaty - then formal negotiations must be concluded within two years. What is less certain, because there is no precedent, is how much informal negotiating might happen before Article 50 is formally invoked. Outgoing UK Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will leave invoking Article 50 to his successor, who is not expected to be in place before October. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, meanwhile, has stated that he wants the formal process to begin quickly. But some insiders I spoke with wonder if the informal negotiations could drag on for months or even years. Advertisement On the EU side, the urgency to start the negotiations is understandable. If the preparatory dance is allowed to spill into 2017, when we will have presidential elections in France and federal elections in Germany, the dance partners and their mindsets could change.. There is also the simmering possibility of more referendum demands, with candidates including the Netherlands (Nexit) and Sweden (Swexit). On the UK side, the incoming prime minister will need to create a negotiating position that commands broad support, given the closeness of the vote and the starkness of regional polarization - Scotland and London voting heavily to remain in the EU, with Wales and other parts of England tipping the balance. Some expectations of citizens who voted leave may prove challenging to satisfy. And whatever deal is eventually agreed could take as much as a decade to implement. None of this will occur in a vacuum. The negotiations table stands on shifting global sands - economic and governance landscapes are in flux. . A fresh financial crisis cannot be ruled out. Some posit Brexit might trigger far reaching de-globalisation and exacerbate geopolitical disputes in other world regions. Even without such extreme scenarios, instability in the Middle East, rising pressures on migration from Africa and Russian relations will continue to shape the immediate European neighborhood, which Brexit cannot escape. The new global context of the exit negotiations is characterized by shifting powers and technological transformation. Technological revolutions - digital, robotic, artificial intelligence and bio - will continue to profoundly reshape the global economy, international trade and the competitive dynamics within generations and between societies. These global shifts are beyond the control of any one government and redefine the challenges for every government in delivering prosperity, jobs, equality and security. Advertisement Although opinions diverge on the prospects of job creation, a plausible scenario is a future of 'jobless growth', where wealth and consumption increase but citizens have fewer opportunities to earn a stable income through paid and permanent jobs as automation moves up the skills ladder. Surgery by robots is already reality. On the other hand, as entrepreneurship and value creation shift to the digital economy, self-generated livelihoods will become increasingly common. But can the rising freelancer economy enable societies as a whole to flourish? The nature of work and global economic activity will be fundamentally transformed over the next 20 years. Without better and more collaborative policies, demographic- and digital- divides and dividends could result in greater social and intergenerational inequalities. In response, revenue and redistribution mechanisms will need to be rethought - the concept of a guaranteed minimum income is already being considered by some countries. New policy challenges will include how to tax knowledge and generate revenue from the freelancer economy; enable access to private data in the public interest; ensure fair trade in intermediaries (e.g. digital templates); and, rethink intellectual property in the context of the global digital commons? Technological evolution is stripping away the advantages of being big, resource-rich, and medium skilled or low-cost labour, leaving the capacity to innovate as the only source of competitive advantage. As ideas on new economic, social and governance models emerge to respond to these global shifts there is a risk for increased polarisation, resulting for example in economic protectionism, deteriorating social cohesion and trade wars amongst nations. Advertisement The EU and UK will not only have to work their divorce arrangements, all sides will also need to continue to cooperate on supporting societies to cope with and flourish from these wider technological, economic and geopolitical shifts. Failure is a part of life. You can call it whatever you want -- a setback, an emotional let down, a breakup, a loss, but part of the reason why the experience is so incredibly painful is because at some level you feel you failed. You might be reluctant to admit this even to yourself, so you outwardly you label it as growing pains or transition; however, inwardly you're a mess. Here are five ways to cope with failure: 1. Examine the truth. Examining the truth burns and isn't fun; yet, healing and recovery generally begins when the truth is exposed. Lies keep you in the dark and however you try to spin your situation the bottom line is that the truth matters. Too often people attempt to dilute the situation with fancy words or a cute story, but this only delays the pain. And delaying the pain can cause more conflict. For example, if you see your recent financial decision causes a decrease in the weekly household income, be truthful about this. Don't try to cover it up with by telling yourself in four months it will be different. By not addressing this your now, you are pretending that nothing happened. This is how the problem festers. Eventually, the situation grows out of control and then needs a professional intervention. Advertisement 2. Become transparent with yourself. Transparency is necessary. When mistake occur, there is emphasis on forgiving others, including yourself. However, you can't forgive yourself for that which you are not transparent with. And you can't fully forgive yourself as long as you minimize the error. This doesn't mean that you are overly critical of yourself, but it means being honest. Instead of telling yourself that your business is closing because one manager made poor decisions, be truthful and examine your role in this situation. Ask yourself: Did you look the other way when there was business conflict? Were you overly harsh in meetings so that it made communication difficult? These same questions can be used when a relationship is torn. I'm not referring to any type of abusive relationship, rather, a relationship where conflict occurred and healing didn't take root. Part of making sure that you don't find yourself in this type of situation again is being able to do an accurate assessment. As long as you hold back and rationalize, justify or minimize your shortcomings, a barrier to the truth still exists. And that barrier is you. 3. Give yourself permission to feel the pain. After a failure occurs, the immediate mode for many is moving onward because very few desire to be present with pain. This is why when pain exists people often use a substance to dilute the intensity of the hurt. Some people use work to avoid the pain. However, learning to be present with the pain is critical in healing. This is not a sign of weakness. Advertisement When you immediately cover the pain you don't know and remember what your emotional baseline is so when healing does begin to occur you can't recognize it. Failure hurts but healing is possible. Sometimes after a romantic relationship ends the one who feels dumped quickly finds another person to date. Weeks later they are dating the same personality only with a different name. Why does this happen? Instead of being still with their pain and fully healing, they use another relationship as a distraction and find out that this is a repeat experience of the previous relationship. In many articles and books that address emotional pain, there is an emphasis on finding meaning and purpose in your pain. Finding a greater meaning can't occur if you aren't able to rest in the pain. 4. Commit to being open to the bigger lessons. This is when being willing to be a student of life is so important. When you think you are certain of everything and that life has nothing to teach you, then you will repeat your mistakes. Learning a new way to see situations can be the very key to your next success. Learning is a humbling experience. You become aware of all that you didn't know. When you see the deficits in your knowledge base, use this as an opportunity to grow and change. Advertisement As a student, your greatest teachers might be the people you least expect to impact you. However, when you are open to learning from all, you will find that the person next to you might be your guide. Sometimes it is not the person with the fancy Ivy League degree that will provide you with better vision. 5. Be willing to change. A popular quote from Mahatma Gandhi is "Be the change that you wish to see in the world." I wholeheartedly agree with this quote, but sometimes, I think that we can't impact true change in our own lives and the lives of others until we change ourselves. Change at all levels is possible. And sometimes the greatest changes when we illuminate our path from within and in how we decide view our situation. In her years at Sound Lounge, Carrie has cast for both voiceovers and on-camera commercials for thousands of products, as well as for webisodes, animated pilots, narrations, promos and the award winning short film, They Say. Carrie is also New York's premiere director for foreign language voiceover casting, and has cast for projects for casting languages/dialects in Austrian, Swiss French, Swiss German, Italian, Danish, Australian, Swedish, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Portuguese, Spanish and many others. In a continuing effort to find and develop new talent, she has also become a teacher of voice over classes. Combining this experience with her previous years of employment at one of New York's premier talent agencies, Carrie has developed the expertise to provide thoughtful and precise direction for auditions. Advertisement She's been featured in industry publications such as Fast Company and MediaPost and speaks frequently at industry events about voiceover casting. Before Sound Lounge, Carrie worked as a commercial assistant at Don Buchwald & Associates. Carrie received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from New York University. How has your life experience made you the leader you are today? I was raised by a bossy Jewish mother and a creative silly father, which created a very encouraging environment to grow up in. My sister and I were not raised to strive for money or fame or to marry well but instead were taught work towards what makes us happy. That's a life lesson I carry with me to this day. I work in an industry that I can be passionate about because I want to be the best at my job and you can't be the best if your heart isn't in it. How has your previous employment experience aided your tenure at Sound Lounge? I worked for three and a half years at Don Buchwald & Associates, one of the top talent agencies in the city that has a very strong voice over division. I learned everything about the business from my bosses there, from scheduling auditions to dealing with the ad agency clients to negotiating deals and contracts for the talent. While I was there, I also had a chance to work with the actors in the in-house studio, which is where I really started thinking about casting as a profession. I would not be where I am today without that job. Advertisement What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at Sound Lounge? Any time I see a spot on TV that I cast is a highlight. Cheesy but true. I also love discovering new (VO) talent. Finding someone new from either a class that I've taught or seeing them in a show, and then working with them to be better at VO is a huge bonus for me. I teach a class called Voice Over Bootcamp and it's an all day intensive on Saturdays throughout the year. It's a fun and challenging day for me, because it's six hours long, but it's worth it to hear how much the students improve over the course of the day. As far as challenges go, I often struggle with finding ways to give fresh direction during auditions. You find yourself repeating the same notes over and over again and you risk boredom setting in, which can be detrimental to your session. What advice can you offer to women who want a career in the industry? The life you want will never just land in your lap. You have to be proactive and go out and get it. There are opportunities all over the place for someone who is driven and passionate about the media, but you have to pursue them. And be nice. This seems simple but it's so true and I think this applies to anyone entering a new industry. What is the most important lesson you've learned in your career to date? Be yourself. Never be fake - not to clients, to actors or to your bosses. Because if you can't be yourself, then your heart isn't really in whatever you're doing, and what's the point in that? Oh, and don't run a casting session on a hangover. I'm kidding...sort of. How do you maintain a work/life balance? I travel constantly, sometimes for work but mostly for myself. I find that when I am at home, I have a tendency to still look at emails, so traveling gives me a good excuse to really be removed from the office (though I still check my emails once in awhile... a bad habit). Advertisement What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace? I think knowing your worth and asking for it is a struggle all women in business face. We tend to be apologetic when asking for things and that diminishes our value. I also think that we have to deal with double standards when it comes to things like salaries and respect. We have to walk this fine line between being ambitious and aggressive because we're scared of how we will be perceived. How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life? My greatest mentors have been people who have championed me both personally and professionally. They're the people that I still go to when I have doubts or questions about what I'm doing and where I'm going. My first boss at DBA, Katherine Ryan, has been my champion from my first day of working with her. On top of teaching me techniques for directing talent and working with agency clients, she also helped me understand that the negotiations we were constantly doing for talent could also be translated into everyday life. She taught me how to know my worth and not being afraid to ask for it. She still pinches my cheeks when I see her, but I allow it because she means so much to me. Which other female leaders do you admire and why? I think any woman working in comedy is someone worth admiring. It's such a male-driven profession and it can be so misogynistic that any woman who willingly enters into the ring should be praised. Carol Burnett, Tina Fey, Lily Tomlin, to name a few, are women who had to fight to be seen as people and taken seriously in their chosen professions. Not only have they succeeded but they've also paved the way for other female comedians to follow and thrive in the industry. This underwater photo of a sea slug was captured with a close-up lens in Monterrey, Calif., by my first SCUBA instructor, Thomas Chapin circa 1985. At 8 p.m. after a long day of work in the Houston humidity, Derek Rutavic, manager of the NASA Gulfstream-III that will head back to Greenland this fall, and I were in the back of the plane singing One Direction's "Drag Me Down" over the high frequency radio system. It was stifling hot, getting dark and we were tired and hungry. But Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) Principal Investigator Josh Willis and Project Manager Steve Dinardo, too busy to take off their sweaty fire retardant flight suits, were troubleshooting electronics at two racks of computers, and they'd asked Rutavic to get on the headset to find out if the headset noise was interfering with the high radio frequency data signal the ocean science probes were sending back to the plane. Rutavic sat on an empty science probe container, while I lounged on one of the sofas singing along in awe of the amount of hard work this team was putting in. Advertisement We'd been up early, flown multiple test flights, worked through lunch. And all of this after days and days of maintenance, and weather delays, and more hard work after more hard work. Earlier in the day, NASA T-38 supersonic jet pilot Bill Rieke flew mind-bogglingly close to the G-III to photograph the science probe deployment and determine if the technique of launching the probes through a hole in the bottom of the plane would succeed. And yes, it did. But that success merely signaled the OMG team to continue working. And I understood exactly why this team kept going, kept moving, kept pushing on into the evening, regardless of being tired and hot and hungry. I knew exactly why they decided to keep working on the challenge. They chose to push through because they'd found something to care about, and that's always more important than our difficulties and problems. When we focus on what we really care about, we get busy doing something, even in the face of trouble. And that's how science works. Lessons from a sea slug I first learned to care about the natural world around me during my junior year in college. I was in an oceanography course and we were studying sea slugs. (Yes, sea slugs.) A sea slug changed my life. Before then, I'd been, like many people, disengaged and uninterested in science. In third grade, someone came to our classroom and told us we could be the first female astronaut, and I remember thinking, "No, I couldn't, not me." And now? Even though I have a job at NASA, I still feel like I don't belong in the world of science. I feel more comfortable around athletes and artists than I do with a bunch of Ph.D.s. Maybe it's some poorly defined stereotype that I've somehow bought into or some preconceived notion of how someone who does science is supposed to behave. Advertisement But those sea slugs taught me that I cared more about the natural world than I cared about the struggle of not fitting in or the challenge of the work. They appeared so delicate, small and defenseless, and I identified with that. They helped me feel connected. Noticing them forced me to wonder what else I'd start to notice if I slowed down enough to pay attention. And that connection to the natural world helped me stay committed to science, even when it was hard, even when there were problems, even when I felt like running away. Sure, scientific experimentation, just like much of real life, includes problems, troubles, obstacles and difficulties almost every day. And while it's true that someone, somewhere has to troubleshoot something every step of the way, we can also be excited about the effort. The OMG team understands that problems and hard work are not the exception, they are the norm. They are part of accomplishment. And it's totally possible to thrive on these difficulties and challenges. Look, we could be setting the world on fire right now, not by burning fossil fuels, but by our burning desire to understand our environment. Because the whole point of this experimental mission is to find out how quickly the warmer waters around Greenland are melting the second-largest ice sheet on the planet. It's major; it's dire; it's intense. It's one of the most important issues of our time. And sitting there in the back of that plane made me think about how we, as individuals and as a society, have to find something in this world to care about. We have to find something in this world that is more important than our challenges and problems. And you? I hope you decide to find something to care about. I hope you find something that's important enough that you're willing to push through your struggles, your fears and your problems to just do the work. Advertisement Find out more about Oceans Melting Greenland. View and download OMG animations and graphics. Thank you, Laura Oceans Melting Greenland is part of NASA Earth Expeditions, a six-month field research campaign to study regions of critical change around the world. The English appear to have laid down the burden of sanity. They have voted to leave the European Union. It was never about Great Britain; it was always at its kernel about England. There was always a primal, nativist, historically-seated English antipathy to Europe and by extension to the European project. I should know. You could say I was there in the beginning. Way back in the early 1960s, as a young journalist, I worked for Lord Beaverbrook, the Canadian-born newspaper publisher who led the early fight against the European Economic Community, also called the Common Market. There were then, in 1962 and 1963, just six members and the rival outfit, the European Free Trade Area had seven. Advertisement I believed when Britain finally joined what is now the European Union in 1973 that a decade earlier we had been wrong. And I believe that leaving the European Union today is terribly wrong, a ghastly self-inflicted wound that will hasten the end of the United Kingdom, cause a surge in right-wing bigotry in Europe, and leave no one -- not one individual in any country of Europe -- better off, particularly the residents of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. First out In the wreckage that now has to be sorted out across the Atlantic, two lessons stand out: first, referendums have no place in a representative democracy and second, today's political parties, across the world, no longer represent the feelings of their electorates. In Britain, as in America, and most recently in Italy, it is now apparent that the old left-right divide does not address a smoldering anger that affects the democracies of the world. Give angry people something to smash and they will smash it. The angry English have just smashed up the place where they live. It is ineffably sad for those who have followed Europe's attempt to come together, to boost trade, and to end war in on the continent. During the long and campaign leading to Thursday's vote, every shibboleth about sovereignty, faceless bureaucrats, money transfers and European skullduggery was trotted out. Advertisement When the facts do not fit, harken back to another time: That is easy enough to do in England with its storied history. They never said it, but the triumphant Leave campaign implied every day in every way: We'll make England great again. Donald Trump could have ghosted the Leave campaign. When Britain joined the Common Market in 1973, the country was often referred to as the sick man of Europe. Today, Britain is the world's fifth-largest economy and it has been the strongest advocate for free markets and free trade in Europe. Not only will Britain be setting a new course, but so will the European Union. Europe, including Britain, has a massive migration problem which fed the anxieties of the English, particularly in the depressed north of the country. But Europe has yet another problem that will not go away: the euro has failed. Britain wisely never adopted it, but the 19 countries of the eurozone are paying a high price. Weak economies on the southern flank of Europe, most notably Greece, cannot devalue to make their goods and services more salable and the strong economies, most importantly Germany, are the beneficiaries of a weak euro in their exports. The British vote will spur reforms in Europe and if they are not fast enough and far enough-reaching, the European Union itself will break apart. Italy is an early candidate to bolt, but so are its southern neighbors. It is not Europe as a free-trade area they should be trying to escape, but rather its benighted currency. Consider: If the euro was fazed out and the old currencies were to reappear, Germany would have an increasingly hard currency, the mark, and Italy and Greece, with the lira and the drachma, would produce goods and services that were very affordable to their customers. Advertisement But that is not Britain's problem. It has to find new markets and a way of living with the strictures of European trade without a voice in the writing of those strictures. Political folly has led Britain to be lesser. "Little England" and Little Englanders always have been pejoratives in British political invective. Today the Little Englanders are triumphant, having chosen insignificance and poverty over importance and wealth. Shame. In a studio visit on the Lower East Side, Arthena engaged in sprawling conversation with the reality artist Signe Pierce, touching on bohemian studio environments, Real Housewives & the Kardashians as work inspiration, and using data-mining for improv performances. Signe Pierce's work has been shown at Art Basel Miami Beach, Palais de Tokyo in Paris, MoMA, and BHFQU Brucennial. The artist has also been featured in publications like ArtNews, Rhizome, Paper Magazine, and Vice. Signe Pierce pushes past boundaries to give new dialogue on gender roles, femininity, and technology. Tell us a little bit about your background... What made you interested in art? Who were your early influencers? I grew up all over America... born in Arizona and then moved to CA, then moved to MD. In high school in Maryland, I was into theater and was an actress but around junior year, something happened with my relationship with acting where I just fell out of love with it. You are constantly handed something that you have to read and recite and there is a director and writer.... I wanted to be in control of my life and my work. So I moved to photography to get in front of the camera and play characters and was inspired by David LaChappelle, Cindy Sherman, and Saturday Night Live (SNL) ..... I've always loved character play. I interned at SNL senior year in the photo department where I would be shooting Jon Hamm and Rihanna would be performing in the background. I loved being involved with photography, character play, creating photos of pop stars while also being able to watch funny & talented performers create great content. SNL reminded me that I genuinely love being in front & behind the camera and has helped me hone my craft as a performer. Advertisement What are your thoughts on the label of multimedia artist vs. performance artist vs. reality artist? I call myself a reality artist but I can be considered a performance artist. I don't consider myself a "net artist"... My work is very popular online and I get that term alot. I don't love the word "performance artist" or "performance art". Performance art is something that I do but to me, especially with "American Reflexxx" [one of her video works], there is an element of method acting than necessarily performance. When I put on an outfit and am in character, if something happens to the character, it happens to me too. When you're bleeding and on the ground and being truly threatened, it moves beyond the scope of a performance and becomes a reality. Multimedia art makes the most sense but I am also trying to explore the label of reality art since, to me, it is the best way to describe my work. Who are your current art inspirations? Do you look to other contemporary artist's work during your artistic process? Advertisement I honestly try not to look at what other people are making. Part of the reason I moved to LA was because I needed to get away from the noise of New York. I felt like I was distracted here be that socially or what's trending/selling... It is really easy to make what is "hot" at the moment. I think a really important aspect of creating new ideas is having your own vision and my own inspiration draws from photographers I love like Helmut Newton and Greg Bourdin. I also love James Turrell and I hadn't thought of light as a medium until I started to delve into his work. I carry my color lights with me in the car in LA to constantly "paint" my spaces or "paint" my reality. I am really inspired by performance artists and comedians too... People who are honing their craft to ride the line between what is reality and what is made up. I also like pop artists, like Andy Warhol, because it is accessible to many people. Right now I find that I am making work with the concept of mass appeal in mind. I think that is it really cool to make art that can can be felt and seen by millions of people across the globe, especially because the internet allows us to access anything instantly anyways. Why show your work on Tumblr than creating your own website? I have wanted to create a website for a while but there is something pretentious about uploading all of my work onto the perfectly organized website. The great aspect about reality being my medium is that it is immediate and every-evolving: A lot of the time, I take a photo, edit it on my phone, and Instagram the work within 10 minutes of taking it. When I print works, I do go back in and spend hours editing the photo in Photoshop, but I like the accessibility and the honesty of quickly uploading works onto my Instagram and my Tumblr. If someone needs to see my work ASAP, then my Tumblr profile is a quick & easy portfolio of my preferred color palette, photos, and performances. What are your thoughts on "post-internet" art? People continue to label my work as "post-internet" art and I keep thinking about what that means to me. I like the ability of being able to re-upload a better version of my work. Art doesn't necessarily have to be DONE once it's finished & sold ...even Kanye West made changes to "Life of Pablo" and re-uploaded a different version on Tidal. That's the great thing about post-internet art: its always in flux. Why did you prefer the color palette of neons, pinks, and purples as reflected in your work? My work has always had a hyper femininity: I like neons, pinks, and purples that have always been associated with girly subject matter .... I think it is interesting how [women] are trained to like these colors from essentially the womb and yet, in real life, the same colors are demeaned and not truly represented in adult life.... You never see pink architecture, for example. Pink and purple are considered 'girl colors' and if you like those colors then you are girly and considered 'weak'. I like to use these ideas surrounding femininity and real life to play hypersexualized, hyperfeminine characters. Advertisement What was the inspiration behind the jarring scenes in your video work, American Reflexxx? It was anxiety-inducing wasn't it? Considering how heavy American Reflexxx is, it's funny where the origins come from. I had been thinking about art school with reality as a medium. Living in NY, there is so much world happening around you and so much chaos that is out of your control... When I am walking down the street, I feel very hyper-present and hyperreal.. I am very inspired by literally existing. Part of my process for the work was watching alot of reality tv like the Kardashians and Real Housewives. Even though [what is represented in the shows] is fake, these women have turned their lives into a performance. It is a heightened realism... even if they are playing personified versions of themselves, the things that are happening in their lives are part of their storylines in their performance. From there, I tried to use what a reality star looks like to figure out what a reality artist would look like. I also started to use this hypersexualixed, hyper feminine woman that you would typically see in porn or on tv as sex objects in my work. When I was filming my performances early on, I would make tests where I walked up Midtown or FiDi in a slutty dress and observe how people reacted to me. What happens when you see the sleazy girl that you have seen on all over tv walk down the street? She is not a person, but simply an object to be gazed and catcalled and projected fantasies upon and she doesn't have an identity or sense of self. I was interested in taking that character further. How was filming American Reflexxx in Myrtle Beach, SC? I had been using a mirrored mask in some performances/galleries around Brooklyn and I was doing burlesque-type performances so when my ex-girlfriend and I knew we were going down to Myrtle Beach to visit her family, we knew we had to do something down there with this character. We wanted to take this character to a place where people honestly never see art and never think about queer theory or gender studies. What happens when they are confronted with this girl from a place where everyone gets it? Everyone in NY knows that I am performing but when you bring art & performances to the middle of America, no one knows what to do with them. So we decided one night, Saturday night, to walk down the boardwalk and the plan was to follow me around this whole time, catch as many reactions as possible, and don't talk to eachother until the mask is off. Allie [my ex-girlfriend] is an incredible photographer and videographer and she managed to capture it so beautifully. The length of the entire video was 45 minutes but we cut it down to 14 minutes. It only took 2 minutes of me walking out of my car before things got hostile, rape culture-y and immediately transphobic. I thought that was a wild part of being an aspect of the film and that wild edge really mattered to me. What happened post-American Reflexxx? I am fine and we got good work out of it.... I'm happy that that woman pushed me and I'm happy that the work was exposing chaos, exposing what people are really thinking. I was being provocative and the mask was creepy but as a woman walking down the street, you don't have to be wearing a sleazy dress and heels... you can literally just be in your sweatpants and you are hyper present of being gazed at. I noticed that any time I was being cute and flirty with my body language, [the mob] threw bottles at my head. Anytime I puffed my shoulders out and gave a little masculinity, they would run away. The male gaze is everywhere and it made me feel powerful in a way to make someone else feel afraid of the female form. We teach women to have these docile, weak poses and it's funny because women can have strong personas as well. I wasn't expecting the work or the mob to escalate to that level. After we filmed it, we edited the video and showed it at Art Basel that year and showed it around galleries in 2014. It took us a couple of months to show it online because we felt we had just accomplished what I had been looking for in my work, in reality as a medium. It worked on so many levels... I love how it looks aesthetically and even the weird noises we got. I didn't do any performances until this year, mostly because I just did what I wanted to do.... Now I do want to continue exploring reality as a medium, but it comes down to the place, the character, and the point of why I'm doing it. Advertisement Where has your work been headed more recently? I did a performance at MoMA in February as part of an installation called Booklub 10 located at the Newsstand that was a curated performance series in which, every 15 minutes, different performance artist would take the stage or be in rooms. I would lure about 5 people into my room on the side. Then I would slam the door and alarm them with a mic that distorted my voice. What made it cool was that it was fully improve and I would interrogate them about their "data", in which the only questions I was interested in were banal security info like mother's maiden name, social security name, etc. I called it a "Reality Hack" since I was 'hacking' for information. You wouldn't believe how many people gave me everything... one guy actually read me his social security number. People were so disarmed when they are confronted with someone hacking their information, even though its what the internet does all the time. I would mix in questions like "Does it turn you on when your personal information is used to create relevant target ads that show up on your Facebook newsfeed?" And people wouldn't know what to say. My character even got kind of turned on my data mining, and through that I wanted to fetishize surveillance. I loved working with people and playing with their reactions. It's something I see within the next phase of my work... crowd-work in small settings with improv. What are your thoughts on the art community & market in New York as compared to LA? Yesterday when looking into my crystal bowl I predicted love affairs across Europe -- a very effective weapon in the war on Brexit. Today I have another prediction to make for you. Can you feel the magic of my crystal ball? Great. Ready for it? I predict that you are partially blind, or about to become so, unless you change your glasses. No, I'm not talking about your eyes. I'm talking about how you view the world. You see, yesterday was Midsummer's Eve in Sweden. Midsummer's Eve used to be a celebration of fertility, which is why the Vikings, or their ancestors, decided to create a giant penis dressed in flowers and dance around it. You're also supposed to roll naked in the morning dew, but most people have forgotten about that, just as they've forgotten that the Maypole is a symbol for a penis. Instead they focus on making flower garlands for the Maypole and dancing around it, eating pickled herring, drinking schnapps and celebrating summer. When you've done, or seen, something for long enough you tend to forget why it came to be in the first place. It wasn't till my teens that I started wondering why we celebrate the things we do. And not until my twenties that I realized that certain words have the same meaning, like "vind" (meaning both "wind" and "attic") and "gift" (meaning both "married" and "poison," but not because marriage is poison, but because both stems from "giving"). Advertisement Taking things for granted, or getting so used to them you don't question them, is probably part of survival -- you can't constantly question your thoughts, or your judgment. However, there are times when we do need to question what we say, do and experience. I celebrated Midsummer's Eve with my family this year, which a rare occurrence as I'm usually in either London, L.A. or Cape Town. Being home brings back memories. And spending the evening with family friends, many who have known me since I was a few days old, made me reflect on a few things. Mainly how I used to see the world and how I see it now. As a child I was petrified of big celebrations and parties, because I was petrified of what people thought of me. Whilst most people would look forward to parties, I was so ashamed of myself, thinking people didn't like me (a combination of mom dying, bullies and a step-mom I didn't get along with, twisted my perception of self), that I thought them gruesome. I never knew what to say, or do. Yesterday, being back with the same people, in the same place, made me reflect on how differently I see things today, but also how my brain sometimes goes into autopilot and start fretting about something that has nothing to do with reality and everything to do with perception. Advertisement The truth is, perceptions are often misleading. We have one bad experience in a town and we judge the whole town as bad. We meet someone once and because they behave a certain way that one time, we write them off as always being that way. And once we have a perception of something, we let it color our experiences moving forward, just like my wonky perception of self colored my entire childhood and still colors some of my life today. In a similar manner we tend to take the people in our life for granted and assume they are still the same people they were yesterday. Relationships fall apart because we don't pay attention. If we don't watch out we simply become blind to reality. You choose what color glasses you view the world through -- opportunity, love, understanding -- all those things can add beautiful color to your life, whilst presuming negative things can have a lot of not-so-good consequences for your life. Personally I vow to ask myself why I feel the way I do more often, to prevent my own prediction of coming true. After all, I'd rather see than be a seer... but if I am a seer, I predict... let's see... a lot of chocolate cake on the horizon. With a medium to high chance of whipped cream. LISTEN HERE: By Mark Green Matalin thinks that Trump can still come back while vanden Heuvel doubts it even though Hillary's no Bernie. But given Trump's awful polls/analytics/infrastructure/party split, Host sees a coming "Rolling Realignment" that'll change government & America. *Trump's Descent. Has Trump lost it by saying Obama's pro-terrorist, Clinton's a "corrupt liar", bars should allow guns? Mary admits that Trump "says cuckoo things" but she reminds us that Hillary's got problems and Trump responding by firing Corey Lewandowski. She and Katrina brush off any DumpTrump effort as too late -- a GOP jury that sided with Trump in the primaries is not now about to repudiate its own verdict. Katrina implies that Trump is not merely down but out given his incessant nativism, racism, and birther-ism. She hopes, however, that Clinton doesn't merely back into the presidency but adopts more of the Sanders popular, populist program. Advertisement As for Trump's unprecedentedly vitriolic attacks on Clinton as a "corrupt racist in it for the money," there's agreement that it's probably the only card he can play but that it will more likely only excite his base though not grow it. One area of consensus: this will be looked on as the election when social media really started to shove aside traditional media. "The old order's dying," says Katrina, "while a new one is being born." All cite Trump's twitter-based rise, the 'Periscoping' of the House gun sit-in, and, as Katrina emphasizes, Sanders phenomenal ability to raise over $200 million and challenge a Clinton based on a resonating viral message. Here comes "Digital Democracy." Host: Trump seems intent on fulfilling my weekly prediction that (quoting Galbraith on Black Tuesday), "the end had come but it was not yet in sight." Yes the Clinton campaign must daily warn against complacency lest Brexit-like anger sweep America too. But when a) there's a slowly rising progressive national majority -- witness the GOP losing the popular vote in five of past six presidential elections, b) its nominee unrepentently engages in racist bullying, c) he sees a big chunk of his party abandon him -- Romneys, Reagans, Bushes, Scowcroft, Paulson, Kirk, Sasse, Beck, Erickson, Lowry, Gerson, Will...; and d) polls show him falling behind by double digits in three polls this weekend, it appears that Galbraith-time is here. Advertisement Smart Republicans and progressive should now be planning Day-After strategies should Clinton win in a suicide-landslide (GOP suicide/voter landslide) and carry the Senate and Supreme Court with her...threatening even the House majority in '18 or '22 after reapportionment. Clearly the party and country are moving in favor of taxing the rich more, enacting smart gun-safety laws, mitigating climate change, strengthening our democracy with less money/more voters. Will the party of Clintons/Obama be ready for that moment? Will the NationalReview/Kasich wing of the GOP win back the party's base from Trump & Cruz? The Economic Argument. Clinton spent much of the week mocking Trump on the economy -- his business books usually end "with chapter 11". Who has the better economic case this Fall? The Host challenges Matalin: since the last Republican president nearly crashed the economy and CLINTON-Obama enjoyed far better results, how can Hillary CLINTON lose this argument? Katrina thinks she can't and won't, but again she urges paradigm shifts in economic policy on jobs, minimum wage, tax and trade policy. Mary discounts the data just cited noting noting that each side has their own numbers (the workforce participation rate!). But she's not wrong to conclude that people are rarely satisfied with standard economic measures "and they're not living the numbers you cite." Indeed, right now, the only metric where The-Businessman-Trump is leading Clinton, 51% to 43%. *Guns After the Murphy Filibuster & Lewis Sit-in. Until Brexit commanded everyone's attention, the Democrats' push-back on guns seemed to shift the standard, tired debate from, in Katrina's ;phrase, "a moment of silence to moments of action." Murphy did force the Senate to at least vote on various bills for universal background checks and NoFly/NoBuy (though none got more than 52 votes) and the mass House sit-in overheated social media and forced Ryan to abruptly adjourn his chamber. Advertisement Is Murphy right that when 90% want certain legislation in a Democracy, they get it? Not this year, concludes vanden Heuvel, but yes within the next 5-10 years. It took 60 years and 100 years from Teddy Roosevelt's proposal for universal health care to largely become law with Medicare and Obamacare. This epic gun fight is not over, not when 88 people were killed by guns in the 25 hour filibuster alone. Photo: New American Library David Bell, an Associate Professor of English at Western Kentucky University, received an MA in creative writing from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and a Ph.D. in American literature and creative writing from the University of Cincinnati. Since She Went Away, his sixth novel, features Jenna Barton, who receives a text from her best friend Celia Walters asking if she wants to meet at a local park at midnight. Remembering their high school days together, Jenna agrees to meet Celia, who never arrives. Three months later, Celia's disappearance is the subject of intense media scrutiny. When Jenna's son Jared's new girlfriend also disappears, Jenna wonders if the two cases could be connected; and slowly, the truth about what happened to Celia begins to emerge. Advertisement Since She Went Away involves a woman who has gone missing. What makes a missing person such a fascinating topic for thrillers? I think it's because, if there's been a murder, you can often figure out what happened. An investigation will uncover the cause of death, the length of time the person has been dead; and a certain amount of closure is derived, even though the victim is deceased. But a missing person's case leaves a few wide open questions--the people left behind wonder if the person is dead or alive; or is being held in captivity somewhere; is there suffering? Or, did the missing person chose to leave? In a missing person case, there's a horrible blank slate which makes for a great deal of rich material for a fiction writer. Since She Went Away is written through the eyes of a woman and a fifteen-year-old boy. Did you find writing from these different perspectives challenging? The experience of being a fifteen-year old boy or girl is universal in many ways. We all remember what it was like being a teen-ager in high school. The biggest challenge for me was integrating some of the surface details of being fifteen-years-old today. In the thirty years since I was that age, many superficial things have changed. Advertisement As far as writing from the point of view of a middle-aged woman, there too, despite the differences between men and women, there are universal similarities. People are people. Middle-aged people are generally dealing with many of the same issues. If I get into trouble with certain things--such as, 'Would a woman say or wear this or that?'--I can always go to my wife. My agent is a woman as is my editor, so I have plenty of help in that department. Both The Forgotten Girl and Since She Went Away involve a missing loved one, family secrets and lies. Will you talk about these thematic trends in your writing? I think families are complicated and provide a great deal of rich drama for a writer. Even the most loving and nurturing families have problems. There are always resentments, unresolved issues, and secrets. While we can feel secure and loved in families, they're also the people causing the most stress, anger and complications in our lives. I write about families because there's so much going on in any family, and being in a family is a universal experience. Even if you leave your family, you enter into some other form of family--a work family or friends. We never really leave our families behind; the influence is always there. Tell us about your road to publication. I was a reader, as were my parents. I read a great deal as a kid. When I was getting close to finishing college and trying to figure out what to do with my life, I thought of becoming a writer. That was the initial spark, but what I didn't understand was how long it takes to become remotely competent at it. And I didn't realize how long it takes to break in and be published. I started writing seriously in my twenties; had some short stories published in my thirties; but it wasn't until my late thirties that my first book was published. It's a long road. I teach creative writing, and try to convey to my students how long and lonely a road it can be. What has surprised you about the writing life? I've been surprised by how much work it is. I still have a day job as a college teacher, and publishing a book a year means there's always something else to do. As soon as I turn in a manuscript, someone is telling me to begin thinking about the next book; or the next revision; or the marketing campaign for the book. It's really a full-time job. And of course, there's always that quest for another idea for the next novel. Speaking of ideas, where do your ideas for novels come from? They come from many places: a news story, something someone has told me or that's happened to a friend or family member. It can be anything I observe--a couple in a restaurant arguing. I might not know what the argument is about, but I can begin imagining...I'll ask myself, 'What if?' And of course, some of it is crazy stuff I just think up in my head. It's like being a kid and playing 'make-believe' with action figures. Advertisement What do you love about the writing life? I love the creative process--I love doing it. There's no reason to torture yourself with writing if you don't enjoy doing it. I love coming up with an idea; I like making the outline, sitting down and writing the book. Sometimes revision is painful but sometimes it's wonderful. I really do love the entire process. And I love the satisfaction of seeing the finished product. I also derive enormous pleasure thinking someone out there might pick this book up, read it, and enjoy it. I also enjoy being in the company of other writers and feeling I'm part of an entire conversation going on. You're hosting a dinner party and can invite five guests from any walk of life, living or dead, real or fictional. Who would they be? I'd want to have Abraham Lincoln there along with Shakespeare. I'd invite Eleanor Roosevelt and Martin Luther King. As for a fictional character, I'd love to have Odysseus at the dinner--he'd be someone who would have a lot of stories to tell. What's coming next from David Bell? I'm finishing a new novel for 2017. It's about two teen-age girls who disappear from a shopping mall. Two teen-age girls are found, but there's a question about whether they're the two who disappeared. Congratulations on writing Since She Went Away, a gripping and suspense-filled novel with plenty of eye-popping surprises. Is Donald Trump a friend to the gays? I ask because he seems to think he is. "Ask the gays," he said recently, "and then you tell me, who's your friend?" To be fair, Donald has occasionally done some nice things for gay people. His foundation gave money to HIV charities in the '90s; he allows openly gay people at his private clubs; and he supported a hate crimes bill 16 years ago. When Elton John got married, Trump said "It's a marriage that's going to work, I'm very happy for them." But just because one of us let you get close to his piano doesn't make us friends. And then there are the many times he's said that he opposes marriage equality, from 2011 all the way up to 2015. He even told Fox News that he'd "strongly consider" Supreme Court justices who would overturn the freedom to marry. Advertisement That doesn't seem so friendly. He also said he was opposed to civil unions, and then a month later said he hadn't made up his mind on civil unions. He said he'd overturn Obama's job protections for LGBTs, but also said that the Civil Rights Act should be amended to protect LGBT employment. He's trying to have it both ways on a lot of issues. Maybe the reason he wants someone to "ask the gays" is because he genuinely doesn't know. But we DO know that his friends include Phyllis Schlafly, who said of Trump, "he is a real conservative and I ask you to support him." The founder of The Eagle Forum, she wrote a whole book about how "the gays" bear partial blame for killing the American family. She's pretty sure she knows our true agenda, telling a radio host, "They want to wipe out the Christian religion." And regarding marriage equality, she said, "We don't have to obey it just because some judges said so... we just don't believe in accepting what some judge says as the new law." Ralph Reed is Donald Trump's friend too. "Donald we're thrilled to have you ... we'd like to see your voice out there," Ralph told him at an appearance. Advertisement A key figure in the Christian Coalition, Ralph once said, "no one should have special rights or privileges or minority status because of their sexual behavior. " Ralph also called basic job protections for LGBTs "a dagger aimed at the heart of religious freedom." So friendly. Then there's Jerry Falwell Jr, who endorsed Trump for president. He runs Liberty University, where they deleted mentions of sexual orientation from psychology textbooks, and also refuse to offer tuition discounts to same-sex spouses of veterans. Wouldn't you love to be friends with him? "Pastor Robert Jeffress ... I love and respect this guy," Trump said at a recent rally before inviting Jeffress up on stage. "Homosexuality is a violation of god's standard," Jeffress has said. He also said, "God has condemned homosexuality," and "homosexual marriage is counterfeit marriage." After the Supreme Court ruling that legalized marriage, the White House was lit a rainbow colors. Here's how Jeffress described that: "Obama responded by bathing the White House... in colors that represent degradation, depravity and sexual perversion." He also accused gays of "brainwashing" the American public using techniques "that have been used by the Chinese for hundreds of years." Okay, those are enough examples of Trump's friends. The point is that we don't know if Donald's our friend. He might not know himself, because he's held so many different position on so many issues. Advertisement But here's the thing. We "the gays" have had some great friends over the years. We've had people who stood up for our rights, helped us achieve equality, literally defended our right to survive. We've also had some enemies. People who tried to harm us, deny our existence, take advantage of us. In that time, we've learned a thing or two about friends. We've gotten real good at recognizing when someone's a real friend to the gays. Just for example, Elizabeth Taylor. At a time when our country's leaders were refusing to even acknowledge AIDS, she became one of the leading activists in the world to fight for the lives of gay people. The Dixie Chicks (L-R) Emily Robison, Natalie Maines and Martie Maguire pose with their Grammys at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles February 11, 2007. The group won the Record of The Year, Song of the Year and Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for "Not Ready to Make Nice"; and Best Country Album and Album of the Year for "Taking The Long Way". REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES) Dixie Chicks are down to Earth honest and talented musicians who are not afraid to speak their minds. They spoke the truth in 2003 about the misguided directive by our former president to enter the never ending war in Iraq for nothing more than a lie and perhaps for some profit that the common Americans will never benefit from. How many young soldiers had to perish in this faraway land while we keep losing the battle for love and honesty on the home ground? Regardless of the backlash they faces then, Dixie Chicks are more grounded than ever and they still speak of love and courage and they make beautiful emotional music that still moves me. Advertisement They sing about everyday men and women in America; contributors to the economical turn-wheel, to the creators of the great vastness of the kind behavior and acceptance, creators of the self-reliance and hard work and about the owners of their own destiny. They sing about the open spaces of the beautiful American lands and those who love to explore it and cherish it, not use it for greed and power. They sing about lonely soldiers who go away never to return, fighting for someone's ideals which are masked as fights for freedom; these young eighteen-year-old boys who've barely lived to end up perishing without being properly kissed or loved. Their music and their presence is a reminder for the immigrant in me why I loved America in the first place. They paint a picture of America that I knew before coming here in 1998. They describe my friends who I met in Bosnia, Americans volunteering at the Youth House, teaching young children who were growing up in the Bosnian war about chess and computers, about love and hope. Ted (I do not remember his last name) was a guitar playing hippie student who I had a crush on. He was an embodiment of the romantic free spirited American love stories that I dreamed about. Even though I don't know where he is now, I bet he is still kind, loving, forgiving and free spirited. These chicks stick to their views and do not apologize for their beliefs. This is the most important trait of America to me. Speak your mind even if your belief is not a popular one. It's very brave and very dangerous of Dixie Chicks to trudge through the sticky mud of "patriotic bashing" they received and are still receiving. However, their actions will be beneficial to the generations down the road who will recognize the contributions they are making to the American music. After ten years of departure of the band from the public eye (at least in the trio form that they are known for) they were back on the stage to perform for their loyal fans in Hartford's XFinity theater on June 18th, 2016 as a part of their worldwide tour. Their loyal fans were tailgating, wearing cowboy hats and boots as symbols of what Dixie Chicks once were (and still are to a degree). And then there was a crowd of older and younger fans that looked pretty conventional to me, and the two immigrants to the left of the stage. Advertisement If you are into business news, you cant turn on your tv, read a newspaper or browse the internet without hearing about sustainability. But what does it actually mean? Does it make sense at all to talk about being more or less sustainable or is it just like pregnancy: either you are or you are not? Sustainability is like the word disruption. It is hot. It is trendy. And everyone talks about it without knowing exactly what it stands for. I have worked with sustainability in the corporate world for more than a decade and I admit that it can be a hard notion to grasp. I suspect that the fluffiness of the word is due to a general mix up of what we refer to, when we say sustainable. Advertisement When talking about being a sustainable business it might clarify some things if you divide your business into these three areas and ask some questions regarding the sustainability of each section. Social sustainability: Do you offer ethical work conditions that empower people instead of exploiting them? This also goes for your suppliers. What do you know about their work conditions? Have you ever paid them a visit? Are your employees happy at work and do they feel appreciated? Does your company contribute to your community or to society in general? Eco-friendly sustainability: What are your products made of? Are they produced using harmful chemicals? Can they be recycled after use? How do you handle shipping, do you produce overseas and then use a lot of CO2 to ship your products? Economic sustainability: Are you generating profit on a long term basis? The profit can be invested in the development of the business to ensure continuous growth. Profit AND planet should always be the consideration. Not one instead of the other. Advertisement Normally a business that brands itself as sustainable would refer to the eco-friendliness of their products or production. I have seen many green startups with great environmental ambitions, that unfortunately have a limited focus on economic sustainability. In the long run, this would lead to the downfall of the company, most often before they even start turning profitable. On the other hand, if a company sells contaminating, low quality products that have a negative impact on the environment and our health, I am sure that consumers will choose a better alternative if and when it is available. Although there are still a lot of bad - and yet very profitable -products out there, times are changing and consumers are becoming much more conscious about what they want. I am convinced that in 5-10 years time, businesses that have not given any thoughts on sustainability in terms of products or production, will cease to exist. I have also heard of quite a few companies that have both claimed to be eco-friendly and profitable but are lacking the social part of sustainability. Who wants to buy organic t-shirts if they are being produced under horrible conditions? Being a sustainable company means putting an effort into all three areas of your business. If one of the legs is missing, your business will not make it in the long run. Advertisement However, this is not black and white, and unfortunately we dont live in an ideal world where sustainable products automatically go hand in hand with profit. That is why it makes sense to talk about degrees of sustainability. A business with three legs of different sizes does perhaps not have the most beautiful shape but it can still stand. My point here is that being sustainable the whole way round costs money, time and resources and that Rome was not built in one day. You have got to take it one step at a time. As long as you are aware of what it means to be a sustainable business - and why it is important - you can start setting standards of where you want to be within each of the three areas. And remember to communicate these steps both internally and externally - most people understand that it is a journey. A mural with an image of Revolutionary fighter Ernesto "Che" Guevara is seen on a street in Havana May 18, 2016. REUTERS/Enrique de la Osa In Cuba, time goes by slowly. Raul Castro proudly declares he moves without rush. Cubans have been waiting 57 years, so in three month nothing usually happens apart from queues, boring meetings, soap operas, propaganda, spinning out the ridiculous salaries and pensions, and selling in the black market. But the three months elapsed since Obama's almost three-days' visit have run full of unusual events. His respectful and near tone, life on TV, elaborating on democracy and Cubans' capabilities to devise their future revealed a new perception of a president and opportunities, in contrast to Raul Castro's worn out aggressive speech while tolerating the challenging ideas expressed by the enemy. The impact on the population has neutralized the political battle waged under the flag of a revolution, whose permanent failure diminishes life quality and hopes. Advertisement It's not only about trade and investments. In fact, the turn in United States' Cuban approach was about fulfilling the same goals by other means: the people-to-people policy. When Raul Castro accepted Obama's terms leading to D17-2014, he was impelled by the need of an auspicious environment for huge investments, writing of the unpaid international debts since 1986 and increasing tourism to cope with the economic crisis, known as the Special Period, commenced in the early 1990s. Venezuela's petrodollars were declining and at stake in the short run. He had to face the challenge of opening the entrenched archipelago to the world, especially to Fidel Castro's most feared influence: the United States. The economic hardships are coped and self-employment flourishes with the remittances of money by relatives living in the U.S., and the services offered to the Americans and Cuban-Americans visiting. Remittances amounted $3.35 million dollars in 2015 with a steady growth since 2009, when Obama lifted the limits imposed by George W. Bush in 2004. Then Cuban parents and siblings could only travel to the island every three years and very limited the other way around. Since restrictions ended, visits increased from 163,019 in 2009 to more than 300,000 in 2015. In 2009, 52,455 Americans under 12 categories were authorized to travel, and since January 2015 individuals meeting the conditions laid out in the regulations do not need to apply for a license, which has facilitated increasing visitors to 161,233 in 2015, and 94,000 in the first semester of 2016. When all Americans may travel freely to Cuba, tourism is expected by the millions. Airlines are getting ready. June 6th, American Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue, Silver Airways, Southwest and Sun Country received permission to resume scheduled commercial-air service for the first time in more than five decades. In recent years, only charter flights had been operating. The Department of Transportation authorized round-trips from five cities in the United States to nine cities in Cuba other than Havana. The capital will be decided soon. Service is expected to begin this fall. Cubans think that wifi in parks in Havana and some towns is a move of the government impelled by Obama's efforts to facilitate Internet access, although it is controlled and expensive. They consider that much more could be achieved, if only the Cuban authorities allow the implementation of the changes announced by the president on D-17 and further, such as certain micro-financing projects, and entrepreneurial and business training and commercial imports for self-employed (cuentapropistas) and private farmers. Advertisement Government surveillance is the same, but Cubans are aware that Americans are creating a more relaxed environment. Exhibitions and performances by American musicians, chorus, dancers and actors have huge audiences all over the country; sportsmen, writers, scientists and academics exchange expertise on the island and Cubans are also traveling to the United States. Concerts with thousands of people enjoying the music banned for decades, Hollywood shooting in Havana, American celebrities in the streets, cruisers and boats friendly welcomed, are making a difference. Meanwhile, the embargo is still in place, and Obama's executive orders advance slowly due to American legislation and Cuban government's fears and bureaucracy. In the United States, there is a feverish mood among senators, congressmen, governors, entrepreneurs, traders and lobbyists for or against lifting the travel band and the embargo, and academics lecture on how to figure out the intricate Cuban webs. On the island, it is quite simpler: all decisions are taken by the leaders of the Communist Party, and the Councils of State and Government: Raul Castro, with the influence or acceptance of Fidel Castro and their closest circles. The slow pace might be a sign of their belief that the next Administration will continue the current path, adjusted to the new president's characteristics. Nevertheless, the authorities have been wasting opportunities while trying to keep on herding the population with ideological campaigns aimed at restraining divergent opinions and trying to offset American influence. A follower of Spain's acting Primer Minister and candidate of Popular Party Mariano Rajoy, celebrates the results of the party at the national elections in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, June 26, 2016. Spain's Interior Ministry says 92 percent of the votes have been officially counted in the country's repeat election and the conservative Popular Party leads with 32 percent of the vote. (AP Photo/Paul White) MADRID, Spain -- The ballots have wiped clean Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias's smile. The polls, leading up to the general elections on June 26, gave him dreams of an overwhelming victory -- but this summer's dream did not materialize. He could have governed with the PSOE after the December 20 elections, but he felt invincible, and decided to bet on the new elections. He lost. It could be that the social-democrat suit that he had custom-made was not convincing to his supporters. He definitely did not win over those loyal to Izquierda Unida (Left United), who did not feel represented by the Unidos Podemos alliance. His success in Catalonia and the Basque Country -- where he won first place in votes and seats -- was not enough. People who voted for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's conservative People's Party (PP) even stole their slogan on election night: "Yes we can!" they cheered at the top of their lungs when Rajoy appeared on the balcony on Genova Street. Advertisement The PP's victory on June 26 -- it gained 14 more seats and 600,000 more votes -- is a very personal victory for Mariano Rajoy. He has taken down all his rivals with one strike: He has left the PSOE trembling and Podemos in ruins. He has also burst the Ciudadanos bubble by taking back the popular vote that had been handed to the youthful party. For this electoral campaign, Rajoy stepped out of the TV screen, and traipsed through urban and rural Spain. He appeared on all the television shows he had previously mocked, and polarized the constituency. There will be time to investigate if Brexit, and the resulting uncertainty over the future of Europe, has influenced voters who had been undecided until the last minute. The wave of arrests and revelations surrounding political corruption scandals that had hit his party over the past six months have not deterred his voters. In fact, in Catalonia, the PP has obtained one more seat than in December, with Jorge Fernandez Diaz coming out as number one. Advertisement Mariano Rajoy's PP had much to celebrate on Sunday night. The conservative party added to its support base but still remains short of a majority government. It will be seeking a coalition partner once again. There will be time to investigate if Brexit, and the resulting uncertainty over the future of Europe, has influenced voters who had been undecided until the last minute. And there will be time for polling companies to evaluate their resounding failure in detecting the voting trends of the Spanish population. The disparity between the polls and the actual results imply that we either lie like Cossacks, or that there's something wrong with the thermometer. Despite the forecasts, the PSOE was able to maintain its strong position on the left, even though five seats and 127,000 votes were lost in the process. The voters have not rewarded its effort to reach a governing agreement after the December elections, but they have also not abandoned the party en masse for the sake of Podemos. While the leadership of Pedro Sanchez is still in question, he will remain in charge. Susana Diaz, Secretary-General of the Andalusian branch of PSOE, had her hopes of taking power in Andalucia slashed by the PP's victory. The PP was not only successful in the south: its victories spread to all other regions, except for Catalonia and the Basque Country. Albert Rivera's centrist Ciudadanos was hit the hardest by the low voter turnout -- which was 68 percent compared to 73 percent during December's elections -- and by the electoral law. With 32 seats, eight fewer than in December, the center has been weakened, although it will continue to play a key role with the formation of the next government. Advertisement In Europe, the administrators of austerity have generally failed. The PP is an exception. The big question now is: In light of these results, what would a new government look like? The success of the PP renders a leftist alternative very complicated. The PP had 33 more seats than the PSOE before these elections, and now the difference has increased to 52. Mathematically, a leftist government with 156 representatives is still possible, if it gathers together the rest of the political spectrum, except for the Popular Party. But now, it's all in Rajoy's hands, and this time, he will not say 'no' to the head of state. Rivera will sell his support at a high price, and the PSOE will have to decide if it will enter into a coalition government -- Rajoy's favorite, albeit unlikely, formula. Alternatively, it could stand aside and let him govern, or make another attempt for an agreement with Iglesias (an even more unlikely scenario). Four years and six months later, the Popular Party's performance is astounding. In Europe, the administrators of austerity have generally failed. The PP is an exception. Rajoy has convinced nearly eight million Spaniards that under his leadership, employment and prosperity will return. The campaign based on fear of change and adventure has won. This country is still reeling from the single largest mass murder since 9/11. We grieve with our gay brothers and sisters who were slaughtered by an evil person who wanted to cause as much death and destruction as possible. When our way of life is attacked, we as a country should come together, but as I look on my social media feeds, after this attack, people are dividing into one of two distinct camps. My liberal friends are outraged about this senseless act and want stricter gun control laws. They are thoughtful in their analysis and reluctant to attribute any religious motivation to this act. My conservative followers are equally outraged and passionate about their concern of radical Islamic extremists, but are reluctant to address restricting gun ownership rights and increased gun control. I don't know what the right answer to this problem is, but we as a country need to have a real conversation about both issues. It is a sad reality that a bad guy with a gun, a bomb or a plane can end my life or the life of my fellow citizens. I don't care what race or religion they follow, but people like this are a threat that must be stopped. In today's America we now have to worry about not only criminals but terrorists, which many people seem reluctant to talk about. Let's not pretend terrorism and radical Islamic extremism played no role in the Orlando nightclub shooting. We can be sure of this because the killer called the police during the attack to attribute his motivations directly to ISIS. I'm going to take him at his word. Even if the early reports of him being a conflicted gay man turn out to be true, how many men who are conflicted about their sexuality go out and kill numerous people and claim their actions were motivated by terrorist groups? Advertisement The inability to have a comprehensive conversation about both guns and radical Islamic extremism is leaving us all less safe and more likely for these types of events to continue to happen in the future. There is a valid concern that if we are not thoughtful in our remarks on the issue of terrorism that we could unfairly demonize an entire religion. While I agree that is a concern, it does not change the fact that the conversation needs to occur. One of the ways that we can make sure the dialogue is productive is by having Muslims at the table for these discussions and to address any threats they may receive or concerns they may have. I believe that most people of good will are not going to unfairly judge an entire religion or group of people based upon the horrible actions of a few violent extremists, but people are afraid and not having a national conversation for people to have their questions and concerns addressed is doing us all a disservice. We need to hear from our leaders about the actions they are taking to keep us safe and address the impact extremists are even having on other Muslims that are being terrorized and killed. The answer is not to just tell us we shouldn't be worried. While we shouldn't make policy based upon the fear of our citizenry, people who are ignorant about a topic will continue to be fearful. We have an opportunity to open a dialogue that can expand understanding and work toward a more peaceful country. Although it's unfair and wrong for the government to negatively brand an entire community because of the actions of a minority, let's be honest; we've been practicing that form of profiling for centuries. How many cities have stop and frisk policies that almost exclusively target young African-American men for mostly non-violent drug crimes? But we bristle at the suggestion that we restrict people who have not been vetted from crossing our boarders or who have overstayed their visas, which can and has led to terrorists running around with no restrictions? I am not suggesting a Muslim ban because not only do I believe it would be ineffective, it's a violation of civil rights and goes against fundamental American values. Advertisement That being said, please forgive my confusion that we have individuals in this country who may have ties to terrorism and have been questioned multiple times by the FBI but there are no restrictions on their ability to get guns and security clearances. When one of these individuals does commit an act of terrorism we pretend that they are just your average criminal who snapped over his conflicted sexuality to commit mass murderer. The coward (his name doesn't deserve to be repeated) that committed this horrific act isn't just some disturbed person with serious mental health issues, a gang member or drug dealer. This terrorist and those like him are part of a larger criminal conspiracy tied together by a radicalized religious ideology that wants to kill as many of us as they can in order to fundamentally change our culture. It doesn't make me a bigot or xenophobe to say that I have concerns that people allied to terrorist groups are committing atrocities in our workplaces, military bases and night clubs. I don't hate black and brown people, after all I'm a black American, but that won't stop a terrorist from killing me if given the opportunity. I am also concerned about gun violence. Not only when it happens in mass shootings, but I also care about the thousands of people each year who are killed by urban gun violence on a daily basis. I want comprehensive background checks for all gun sales and I am open to serious discussions about increasing restrictions on certain types of guns, but I do have a concern that African-American men will end up being disproportionately impacted in the enforcement of new and increased gun control rules. The addition of any new criminal legislation makes me wonder if in a few years we are going to try to undo these regulations like we are trying to undo stiffer sentences for black men on drug charges. It's a mistake of epic proportions to not consider the unintended consequences of increased gun regulation, or any regulation for that matter. That is not to say that, after considering the repercussions, we don't do it, but I want to make sure that these issues of disparate impact are discussed. I was in law school when 9/11 changed America forever. We may never feel as safe in this country as we did on September 10th 2001, before we were attacked. Before that day, terrorism was something that happened in other places, less safe places. Of course it was naive to believe that we would be untouched by those things, but as the world's lone super power we expect to feel safe in our own country and that we will have determined leaders that will take every step within the law to ensure our safety. Rightly or wrongly too many of us accept urban gun violence as a fact of life for certain communities, but find terrorism unacceptable because it could happen to any of us. Terrorism does not discriminate based upon you neighborhood, race, social economic status, religion or sexual orientation but for some communities the threat of gun violence is just as real and happens on a daily basis. Advertisement In Pennsylvania, the opioid epidemic kills an average of seven people per day. Addiction involves a complex interplay of brain circuitry, genetics, and environmental factors. Like other diseases, it can be quiet and barely noticed, or it can tear families apart and turn worlds upside down. My heart has broken as friends and colleagues have suffered through near-fatal accidents and tragic losses. As a nurse in a busy Emergency Room, I've treated my share of addicts. But, in the ER -- where we typically see overdoses and other emergencies -- these patients are usually in and out. I have a special respect for the nurses and health professionals who work with struggling addicts for the long haul. Advertisement At specialized healthcare facilities for addiction and mental illnesses, dedicated nurses and technicians treat patients during debilitating withdrawals, challenging recovery programs, and heartbreaking relapses. Their work requires special skill sets, both medical and social, and it can be physically and emotionally exhausting. You would think they would be treated with the same respect as nurses and health professionals who treat anything else -- but they're not. As the opioid crisis expands and these specialty hospitals take in more patients -- and more money -- nurses and technicians in this field remain underappreciated. Their wages and benefits lag far behind traditional hospitals. They're stretched too thin as they take on larger patient loads and more severe cases. At Eagleville Hospital, a specialty treatment hospital outside of Philadelphia, Registered Nurses and mental health technicians earn 20-30% less than RNs and other professionals at a traditional hospital only a few miles up the road. Not surprisingly, the hospital therefore struggles to recruit and retain staff, which means that the patients -- vulnerable addicts who need stability -- are left to endure shortages and high turnover. Advertisement It's not due to a lack of money. The CEO at that hospital was just rewarded with a 17% raise, and the government is now dishing out more money to combat the opioid epidemic. What it really comes down to, I think, is a lack of respect. Patients suffering from addictions and mental illnesses are chronically underserved. As a society, we too often fall back into old and disproven stereotypes that portray sufferers as morally bankrupt or unwilling to change. These patients, who are among our most vulnerable, are unfortunately treated as second class citizens. We pay lip service to battling addiction, but we don't back it up with the necessary resources. That's why I was so proud when the nurses and health professionals at Eagleville began standing up to bargain for better conditions for their patients. They're not waiting for legislators to take action. Instead, they're demanding that hospital administrators work with them to make real improvements. Addiction is a chronic disease. The people who are suffering deserve quality care. They need it if they're going to survive and recover. This is especially true during the low points and high-risk moments when these individuals end up in ERs or at specialty treatment hospitals. We owe it to them and to their loved ones to ensure they have the best chance at recovery. That means providing bedside nurses and treatment technicians with full staffs and proper resources. Advertisement In these days of social, political, and ecological gloom, it's easy to become cynical. Everyday we are bombarded with news of racial prejudice, religious intolerance, economic inequality and xenophobia. Donald Trump, a man who is unabashedly racist, homophobic and misogynistic is about to become the Republican Party's nominee for President of the United States. In the UK, a majority of British voters have opted to leave the European Union. Many of them appear to be unaware of the economic and social consequences of their vote. As scholars it's hard to know how to confront these dismal events in the world. How do we discuss ongoing problems that threaten to shred the global social fabric and bring widespread social, political and economic chaos. Is there a measure of well being to be found in the world? Is there space for wonder? In cynical moments when I need to ponder the wonders of human existence, I think about the work of Edith Turner, a monumental anthropologist who died on June 18th of this year, one day after her 95th birthday. In all of her work Edie, as her friends, students, and colleagues knew her, succeeded in describing what is special about the human condition. Advertisement In 1985 Edie Turner returned to Zambia in South Central Africa to continue the ethnographic research she had shared with her husband, the late Victor Turner, one of the great anthropologists of the 20th century. During a curing ceremony among the Ndembu people, the religious rituals of whom the Turners described in a series of classic books, Edie learned about the importance of understanding Ndembu rituals in Ndembu terms. In her book Experiencing Ritual Edie wrote about opening herself to the sensibilities of the Ndembu world. Witnessing that curing ceremony Edie wrote about being able to see..." a six-inch blob -- a kind of plasma or gray spherical ghost -- emerging from the patient's back". The spiritual extraction of what the Ndembu call Ihamba, a dead hunter's tooth, healed the Ndembu patient. For us, the passage takes us to the edge of the possible and challenges our sense of reality. It compels us to think deeply about the human condition, about what is important in our lives and in our work. Following the publication of Experiencing Ritual in 1992, when Edie was in her early seventies, she began to study healing rituals among a variety of peoples, publishing important works on the reality of spirits, on the nature of spirituality and on healers among the Inupiat people in Northern Alaska. For me her most important ideas are found in her final book Communitas: The Anthropology of Collective Joy, which she published in 2011 when she was in her early nineties. In the first paragraph of this book, Edie deftly tackled the unenviable task of defining something as elusive as communitas, a silent and sudden sense of social bonding. She wrote: Advertisement ...The characteristics of communitas show it to be almost beyond strict definition, with almost endless variations. Communitas often appears unexpectedly. It has to do with a sense felt by a group of people when their life together takes on full meaning....Communitas can only be conveyed through stories.... Here Edie tapped into something extraordinarily significant: the power of narrative to connect writers to readers, the power of narrative, in the words of the psychologist Jerome Bruner, to construct realities -- a narrative construction of a reality that is irreducible to formulae to or a set of abstract theoretical principles. There is something about narrative that can convey to readers the mystery of the ineffable or the wonder of, as Edie would put it, collective joy. Even so, anthropologists, like most scholars, are trained to tell and not to show, to denote rather to evoke. Edie's work compels us to wonder what is missed through such academic socialization. As teachers and writers many of us are hesitant to take thematic or representational risks. In this domain Edie's life work is a beacon of inspirational light. Evoking the specter of communitas, Edie wrote: ... This book... tackles communitas, togetherness itself, taking the reader to the edge of the precipice of knowledge -- and beyond, over the barrier of the scientists' analysis and into experience itself. Light dawns on what the real thing is, and we feel lucky it exists. Then we can make discoveries. The stories of communitas that Edie recounted in her writing not only defined a place of togetherness but also the nebulous space between things. As such communitas shows us the way to an arena in which we can sometimes experience a rare feeling: collective joy. Advertisement When I discuss Edie's life work, I don't think about reviews, or critiques, or citations. Unlike most academic work, Edie Turner's contributions to anthropology and to humanistic scholarship provide us a framework for thinking about well-being-in-the-world. Her clear prose and conceptual daring have inspired many of us to stretch our imagination and extend our sensibilities to the outer limits of the possible. In so doing, Edie's work moves us to explore the unknown, the indefinable, the indeterminate, a path that is not always easy to follow. Despite the difficulties we encounter on this path, Edie Turner has shown us a way forward. In her life and work she marshaled the courage to explore the powerful indeterminacies that you find in the silence between two notes of music, or in the creative incomprehension you find between two cultures, or in the conceptual turbulence you find between spirit and reality. Indeed, Edie Turner's celebration of social life guides us to a place that has deepened our professional and personal well-being-in-the world. The East Coast places LGBT people often think of when looking to vacation are Provincetown, MA, or Cherry Grove and the Pines on Fire Island, NY. All 100% gay immersion and very expensive. If instead you're hunting for a beautiful resort with a diverse population that is very gay friendly the place to go is Rehoboth Beach, DE which is also more affordable. Rehoboth was "founded in 1873 as the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association by the Rev. Robert W. Todd, of St. Paul's Methodist Episcopal Church of Wilmington, Delaware, as a site for Methodist camp meetings in the spirit of similar resorts on the New Jersey shore, such as Ocean Grove. The Camp Meeting Association disbanded in 1881, and in 1891, the location was incorporated by the Delaware General Assembly as "Henlopen City", shortly after which it was renamed Rehoboth Beach." Today Rehoboth Beach is a vibrant year-round community that grows exponentially during the summer season. It has for years had many LGBT visitors. In 1991 CAMP (Creating a More Positive) Rehoboth was born. CAMP is now a thriving LGBT community center and since its inception the driving forces behind it have been Steve Elkins and his husband Murray Archibald. Advertisement According to a Gay history on the CAMP website "Lore has it the DuPont property along the ocean was where Rehoboth's gay nightlife began. In the 1940s, Tallulah Bankhead and Hollywood cronies frolicked at the DuPont mansion and the local art league nurtured a cadre of women painters famous both for their canvases and their close camaraderie." If you have gay life fine dining will follow. "In 1974, three restaurateurs, one gay (Victor Pisapia) and one straight couple (Libby and Ted Fisher), opened The Back Porch restaurant adding fabulous contemporary cuisine to the fried seafood platters in town. In 1980, Pisapia and Joyce Felton opened The Blue Moon, and gay owned and operated restaurants began their ascent." The Moon as it has been dubbed, at 35 Baltimore Avenue, became the anchor for a bustling LGBT scene. CAMP set up their offices next door at 39 Baltimore Avenue and new gay owned and operated restaurants and shops opened adding to the attraction of a mile long boardwalk, white sandy beaches (poodle beach as it is dubbed is the very fun gay section of the beach at the south end of the boardwalk), salt water taffy, cotton candy, and always tempting Thrashers French Fries. Baltimore Avenue is a two block stretch from the Beach to Second Street. On those two blocks you have a wealth of gay owned and operated places to eat and shop. On the beach block there are two great restaurants. Eden at 23 Baltimore Avenue and its sister restaurant Jam at 21 Baltimore Avenue being the more casual. Both serving fine food. On the second block is the venerable Blue Moon and new places and old standbys that continue to improve. The Philip Morton Gallery at 47 Baltimore Avenue was opened ten years ago by Philip Livingston owner of Elegant Slumming, 33 Baltimore Avenue, as a fine arts gallery. It then changed hands and became an art gallery. Philip has it again and it's the home of unique accent pieces and the unusual and the unexpected in home furnishings. Philip still also focuses his art and talent on his fine jewelry business at Elegant Slumming. Stop at the CAMP courtyard and browse the new Brick & Mortar, the creation of Kathy and Lynn. They carry a wide variety of affordable gifts including quality classic tees and hats, local pottery, soaps, and candles. Another great reason to visit the courtyard is Lori's Oy-vey Cafe this year celebrating its 20th anniversary. Lori Kline escaped to Rehoboth from a life of teaching and opened her cafe with the goal of providing fresh, quality fare to satisfy any appetite. Stop in and you will see she has succeed royally. Her chicken salad is legendary and today Lori's will even deliver your lunch to the beach. Advertisement Walk to the end of the block and on the South side find Hobos Restaurant and Bar, the creation of the very talented Gretchen Hanson. The food is wonderful and has been described as Eco Global Fusion. Hobos celebrates the subtle simplicity of street food from around the world. Across the street is Aqua Grill owned by Bill Shields and his fiance Andres. Aqua with its huge outdoor deck and hundreds of hot men is the place to be on a summer evening in Rehoboth. From the moment you enter and are welcomed by Mike at the door, or Bill himself if he isn't otherwise occupied, the fun begins. You are approached by one of the hunky friendly waiters like Louis, Eric, Griffin, Cody or Matt among many others who will take your order and bring drinks to you with a smile. Or head to the bar and order a drink from the very hot bar manager Josh. Stay and enjoy dinner from their tasty and affordable menu overseen by Andres or stop in for Sunday brunch. If you decide to wander off Baltimore Avenue which I suggest you do walk through the Rehoboth Mews and stop at the Coffee Mill for freshly brewed coffee and buy some beans to take home. Then on Rehoboth Avenue stop in at Gidget's Gadgets, 123 Rehoboth Avenue, owned by Steve Fallon for collectables and a wide selection of vinyl records. Cross the street and head to the fantastic ambiance of the Purple Parrot at 134 Rehoboth Avenue. Owners Hugh and Troy have built a restaurant and bar now open year-round serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The food is great and affordable and the Biergarten is a fun place to hang out. The staff is friendly and with the addition last year of the always hot and fun Chandler behind the bar the Parrot is better than ever. In 1919 Helen Keller (second from right) joined a union picket line outside a New York theater showing "Deliverance," a film about her life. In 1962, Patty Duke portrayed Keller in the film, "The Miracle Worker," costarring Ann Bancroft. Today is Helen Keller Day, which commemorates her birth on June 27, 1880. Keller remains one of the most well-known, beloved, but misunderstood public figures in American history. Nothing better reflects this than the bronze statue of Keller that sits in the U.S. Capitol. It shows the blind Keller standing at a water pump. It depicts the moment in 1887 when her teacher, Anne Sullivan, spelled "W-A-T-E-R" into one of Keller's hands while water streamed into the other hand of the seven-year-old girl. This was Keller's awakening, when she made the connection between the word Sullivan spelled into her hand and the tangible substance splashing from the pump, whispering "wah-wah,"--her way of saying "water." Advertisement This scene, made famous in the play and film "The Miracle Worker," has long defined Keller in the public mind as a symbol of courage in the face of overwhelming odds. "Some are still dismissed and cast aside for nothing more than being less than perfect," said then Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the conservative Republican from Kentucky, at the unveiling ceremony for the statue in 2009. "The story of Helen Keller inspires us all." Senators Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi help unveil a statue of Keller in the U.S. Capitol in 2009. When in 1980 President Jimmy Carter proclaimed June 27 as Helen Keller Day, he said: "Her incredible fight against, and eventual triumph over, the multiple handicaps of deafness and blindness made her a world-famous symbol of hope for all handicapped people." Advertisement Like most Americans, McConnell and Carter clearly had no idea that Keller was a lifelong radical who embraced socialism, pacifism, and feminism. She participated in the great movements for social justice of her time. She was the founder of what today is called the disability rights movement. In her investigations into the causes of blindness, she discovered that poor people were more likely than the rich to be blind, and soon connected the mistreatment of the blind to the oppression of workers, women, and other groups. Like all radicals -- in her own day and today -- Keller believed in justice, not just charity. She was angry at the way she was portrayed in the popular media of her day. In a 1924 letter to fellow radical Senator Robert La Follette, Keller wrote: "So long as I confine my activities to social service and the blind, they compliment me extravagantly, calling me 'arch priestess of the sightless,' 'wonder woman,' and a "modern miracle." But when it comes to a discussion of poverty, and I maintain that it is the result of wrong economics -- that the industrial system under which we live is at the root of much of the physical deafness and blindness in the world -- that is a different matter! It is laudable to give aid to the handicapped. Superficial charities make smooth the way of the prosperous; but to advocate that all human beings should have leisure and comfort, the decencies and refinements of life, is a Utopian dream, and one who seriously contemplates its realization indeed must be deaf, dumb, and blind." Keller was born on a plantation in Tuscumbia, Alabama, to Arthur Keller, a former Confederate officer and a conservative newspaper publisher, and Kate Keller, a descendant of John Adams. At nineteen months old, she lost her sight and hearing as a result of a fever. She became uncontrollable, prone to tantrums, kicking, biting, and smashing anything within reach. In that era, many blind and deaf people were consigned to an asylum. Some family members suggested that this was where Helen belonged. Instead, her mother contacted the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, which recommended that a former student, the twenty-year-old Sullivan, become Helen's private tutor. In 1887 Sullivan -- the daughter of poor Irish immigrants and nearly blind herself -- moved to the Kellers' home. She helped calm Helen's rages and helped channel her insatiable curiosity and exceptional intelligence. She patiently spelled out letters and words in Keller's hand. With Sullivan's support, Keller soon learned to read and write Braille, and by the age of ten she had begun to speak. Advertisement Her story became well known and she became a celebrity: Newspapers and magazines in Europe and America wrote glowing stories about the young Keller. She was sometimes called the "8th wonder of the world." Her family connections and fame opened up many opportunities for Keller, including private schools and an elite college education. Mark Twain, who admired Keller's courage and youthful writings, introduced her to Standard Oil tycoon Henry Huttleston Rogers, who paid for her education. She later acknowledged, "I owed my success partly to the advantages of my birth and environment. I have learned that the power to rise is not within the reach of everyone." In 1894, at 14, Keller began formal schooling -- initially at the Wright-Humason School for the Deaf in New York and then at the Cambridge School for Young Ladies. Sullivan accompanied her, spelling into her hand letter-by-letter, so she could read the books assigned in her classes. In 1900, at age twenty, Keller entered Radcliffe College, with Sullivan still at her side. At Radcliffe (from which she graduated magna cum laude in 1904), Keller was first exposed to the radical ideas that helped her draw connections among different forms of injustice. She began to write about herself and her growing understanding of the world. Keller's graduation photo from Radcliffe College in 1904. Keller with Eleanor Roosevelt. In 1901, in an article entitled "I Must Speak" in the Ladies Home Journal, Keller wrote, "Once I believed that blindness, deafness, tuberculosis, and other causes of suffering were necessary, unpreventable. But gradually my reading extended, and I found that those evils are to be laid not at the door of Providence, but at the door of mankind; that they are, in large measure, due to ignorance, stupidity and sin." She visited slums and learned about the struggles of workers and immigrants to improve their working and living conditions. "I have visited sweatshops, factories, crowded slums," she wrote, "If I could not see it, I could smell it." Advertisement In 1908 Sullivan's husband, John Macy, a socialist, encouraged Keller to read H. G. Wells's New Worlds for Old, which influenced her views about radical change. She soon began to devour Macy's extensive collection of political books, reading socialist publications (often in German Braille) and Marxist economists. In addition to giving inspirational lectures about blindness, Keller also talked, wrote, and agitated about radical social and political causes, making her class analysis explicit in such books as Social Causes of Blindness (1911), The Unemployed (1911), and The Underprivileged (1931). In 1915, after learning about the Ludlow Massacre -- where John D. Rockefeller's private army killed coal miners and their wives and children in a labor confrontation in Colorado -- Keller denounced him as a "monster of capitalism." In 1909 Keller joined the Socialist Party, wrote articles in support of its ideas, campaigned for its candidates, and lent her name to help striking workers. Although she was universally praised for her courage in the face of her physical disabilities, she now found herself criticized for her political views. The editor of the Brooklyn Eagle attacked her radical ideas, attributing them to "mistakes sprung out of the manifest limitations of her development." In her 1912 essay "How I Became a Socialist," published in the Call, a socialist newspaper, Keller wrote, "At that time, the compliments he paid me were so generous that I blush to remember them. But now that I have come out for socialism he reminds me and the public that I am blind and deaf and especially liable to error." Keller was part of wide circle of reformers and radicals who participated in a variety of overlapping causes. She was a strong advocate for women's rights and women's suffrage, writing in 1916: "Women have discovered that they cannot rely on men's chivalry to give them justice." She supported birth control and praised its leading advocate, Margaret Sanger, with whom she had many mutual friends. Keller argued that capitalists wanted workers to have large families to supply cheap labor to factories but forced poor children to live in miserable conditions. "Only by taking the responsibility of birth control into their own hands," Keller said, "can [women] roll back the awful tide of misery that is sweeping over them and their children." She donated money to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) -- then a young and controversial civil rights organization that focused on opposition to lynching and job and housing discrimination against African Americans -- and wrote for its magazine. At an antiwar rally in January 1916, sponsored by the Women's Peace Party at New York's Carnegie Hall, Keller said, Advertisement "Congress is not preparing to defend the people of the United States. It is planning to protect the capital of American speculators and investors. Incidentally this preparation will benefit the manufacturers of munitions and war machines. Strike against war, for without you no battles can be fought! Strike against manufacturing shrapnel and gas bombs and all other tools of murder! Strike against preparedness that means death and misery to millions of human beings! Be not dumb, obedient slaves in an army of destruction! Be heroes in an army of construction!" In 1918 she helped found the American Civil Liberties Union, which was initially organized to challenge the U.S. government's attempts to jail or deport radicals who opposed World War I, including Socialists and members of the Industrial Workers of the World, and to suppress their ideas. The following year she wrote a letter, addressed to "Dear Comrade," to Eugene Debs, the Socialist labor leader and presidential candidate who was in jail for advocating draft resistance during World War I. She wrote, "I want you to know that I should be proud if the Supreme Court convicted me of abhorring war, and doing all in my power to oppose it." In 1919 Keller played herself in a silent film about her life, Deliverance. On August 18 that year, the actors at the New York theater where the film was being shown went on strike, and Keller joined the Actors Equity union's picket line and spoke at their strike meetings. In an article for the Call, Keller wrote that she would "rather have the film fail than aid the managers in their contest with the players." In 1924, while campaigning for Senator La Follette, the Wisconsin radical and anti-war stalwart who was running for president on the Progressive Party ticket, Keller wrote him a note: "I am for you because you stand for liberal and progressive government. I am for you because you believe the people should rule. I am for you because you believe that labor should participate in public life." Advertisement After 1924 Keller devoted most of her time and energy to speaking and fund-raising for the American Foundation for the Blind. But she still supported radical causes. Even as feminism began to ebb, she continued to agitate for women's rights. In 1932 she wrote an article for Home magazine, "Great American Women," praising the early suffragists Susan B. Anthony, Lucy Stone, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and she penned a humorous article for the Atlantic Monthly, "Put Your Husband in the Kitchen." Between 1946 and 1957 she visited 35 countries on five continents. In 1948 Keller visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki, cities destroyed by American atomic bombs at the end of World War II, and spoke out against nuclear war. In 1955 at the height of the Cold War, she wrote a public birthday greeting and letter of support to Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, a leading Communist activist, then in jail on charges of violating the Smith Act. In response, some supporters of the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB), for which Keller was the national face, threatened to withdraw their support. The AFB's executive director wrote to one of his trustees, "Helen Keller's habit of playing around with communists and near communists has long been a source of embarrassment to her conservative friends." The FBI kept Keller under surveillance for most of her adult life for her radical views. But Keller, who died in 1968, never saw a contradiction between her crusade to address the causes of blindness and her efforts to promote peace, economic equality, and social justice. Keller is well known for being blind, but she also deserves to be heralded for her progressive social vision. Advertisement Assuming he isn't ousted as the GOP's presidential nominee at the party's Cleveland convention next month, who will be Donald Trump's vice presidential running mate? The field keeps narrowing, as more and more Republicans - including Florida Gov. Rick Scott, Ohio Gov. John Kasich, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice -- distance themselves from Trump. As the pickings get slimmer and slimmer, Trump will have to figure out who can best help him climb out of the quicksand he's jumped into with his big mouth, excessive ego, and lack of impulse control. In handicapping the VP sweepstakes, many pundits think former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is the most likely choice. If Trump picks Newt, they could adopt the slogan: "Two men. Six wives. Family values." Or, as UCLA law professor Jonathan Zasloff suggested, they could call themselves the "Henry VIII ticket" in honor of their multiple marriages during their (combined) 143 years. Their campaign film could be called the "Six Wives Club." We all know about Trump's misogynyst attitudes toward women, his obsession about the size of his penis, his boasts about his sexual conquests, and his three marriages. When he was deposed in the 1991 divorce proceedings with his first wife, Ivana, he invoked the Fifth Amendment 97 times, mostly in response to questions about "other women." During the divorce contest, Ivana accused Trump of having raped her. (Would anyone be surprised if we start hearing more women accusing Trump of being a sexual predator?). Advertisement So perhaps, in Trump's eyes, it would help "balance" the GOP ticket by adding another three-marriage adulterer. Gingrich cheated on his first wife, Jackie, while she was recovering from treatment for cancer in 1980 and asked her for a divorce. Then he cheated on his second wife, Marianne, while having a six-year affair with a staffer, Callista Bisek (23 years his junior), who is now his third wife. In 2012, Marianne Gingrich told ABC News that her husband had asked her for an "open marriage." "And I just stared at him and he said, 'Callista doesn't care what I do,'" she revealed. "He wanted an open marriage and I refused." Gingrich's other ethical problems also won't help Trump clean up his act. Gingrich violated campaign finance laws while in Congress. His House colleagues fined him $300,000 for his breach of ethics standards. The entire House passed the ethics report by 395 to 28 vote, including by a 196-26 margin among Republicans. He was the first Speaker in American history to be sanctioned in this way. Like Trump, Gingrich also has a precarious relationship with the truth. Politifact and FactCheck has consistently found that many of Gingrich statements are misleading or outright lies. When he was running for president in 2012, for example, he repeatedly claimed that "more people have been put on food stamps by Barack Obama than any president in American history." He was wrong. More people were added under George W. Bush than under Obama. Over the years, Gingrich has been a bottomless pit of wacky ideas. During his presidential campaign he proposed doing away with child labor laws, which he called "truly stupid." He suggested that children should be allowed to work as janitors at their schools. Advertisement After he left Congress, Gingrich made a fortune as a corporate lobbyist and influence peddler. In 2003, for example, Gingrich met with two dozen Republican House members, trying to persuade them to to support a Medicare prescription drug benefit at the same time that he was soliciting funds from drug companies for his consulting firm. On a practical side, it isn't clear that Gingrich helps Trump win any states. And although Gingrich is a right-wing extremist, he's much more articulate than Trump, which makes him look smarter - something that Trump might not be able to handle. How do Newt's leading rivals for the VP slot compare? Chris Christie. Like Gingrich, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie desperately wants the VP job. He's certainly been willing to humiliate himself to be seen with Trump over the past few months, serving as Donald's errand boy. (Trump even had Christie fetch him a Big Mac). The combination of Trump's Trump University controversy and Christie's George Washington Bridge-gate crisis would make it easy for the media to portray a Trump-Christie ticket as the "Scandal Twins." Plus, Christie wouldn't help Trump win key states. He won't even help Trump win New Jersey because the governor is so unpopular in his home state. Seven New Jersey newspapers, including the Star-Ledger, the state's largest daily, have called on Christie to resign. Ted Cruz. The Democrats would love to replay the videos of Trump and Cruz attacking and insulting each other during the GOP primaries. Cruz called Trump a "serial philanderer," a "pathological liar" and a "narcissist." Trump accused Cruz's father - a right-wing evangelical extremist - of playing a role in the Kennedy assassination. Plus, Cruz is so unpopular with his GOP Senate colleagues that it will not bring any reluctant Senators on board the Trump train. Susana Martinez. Absolutely the best person to help Trump would have been New Mexico's Republican Governor. She might have muted (somewhat) Trump's attacks on women and Latino/as. But Trump blew that chance with his nasty comments about Martinez when she wouldn't endorse him. He might have been able to cultivate her, but no longer. Advertisement Carly Fiorina. It might be awkward for the fired Hewlett Packard CEO and failed Senate and presidential candidate to serve as Trump's VP running mate. During the primaries, Trump indulged in his instinct for insult when, referring to Fiorina, then his rival candidate for the GOP nomination, he said: "Look at that face! Would anyone vote for that? Can you imagine that, the face of our next president?" Trump might be tempted to ask another corporate CEO -- or retired CEO - to join him on the ticket. But that would mean that the GOP would have two candidates from the business sector, both without any political experience (unless he picks former CEO's Dick Cheney or Donald Rumsfield). That won't fly. So who's left? It boils down to the following list: Richard Burr. The Senator from North Carolina is not well-known outside his home state, where he now faces a tough re-election campaign. Polls show that he currently leads his Democratic rival, former NC state Rep. Deborah Ross, by a narrow margin, but with Trump at the top of the ticket, Burr will have an even harder time getting re-elected in that swing state. So he might want to get out of that race while the getting's good. (He can't run for his Senate seat and VP simultaneously.) Burr is on the Senate Intelligence Committee, which could help Trump by picking someone with foreign policy experience, but he might balk at having a VP candidate with intelligence. Brian Sandoval. The Nevada governor might be Trump's best bet - a Latino Republican in a swing state who has already endorsed The Donald. (He initially endorsed Kasich but switched to Trump after Kasich dropped out). But given the likelihood that Trump will lose to Clinton in a crushing landslide, accepting the VP nomination might end Sandoval's political career. (He might want to wait four years and be Paul Ryan's VP pick, if Susana Martinez doesn't get it). A former federal judge, Sandoval is quite conservative, but within the GOP he's considered a "moderate." Mary Fallin. The Oklahoma governor, whom some have called "America's worst governor," is an extreme right-winger, which could appeal to some Tea Party voters who somehow think Trump isn't conservative enough. Tea Partiers will have an easy time remembering her name, because it sort of rhymes with Palin. It is hard to imagine that anything could help Trump gain support among women, but putting a woman on the ticket might get him a few more female votes. Given Trump's deeply-ingrained misogyny, however, he's likely to insult Fallin during the campaign. Jeff Sessions. The Senator from Alabama is as racist and as fierce an opponent of immigration as Trump. In 1986, Reagan nominated Sessions to be a judge of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama. The Senate Judiciary Committee killed Sessions' nomination, partly after hearing witnesses report on some of his racist views. He was only the second nominee in 50 years to be rejected by the Senate judiciary committee. If Trump can't win Alabama on his own, he's in huge trouble. But Sessions has the advantage of being a veteran Senator with political experience, offsetting Trump's inexperience. An upside for Republicans of picking Sessions is that if he loses, he can return to the Senate, since he's not up for re-election until 2020. And if, by some chance, Trump and Sessions win, Alabama's Republican governor Robert Bentley will pick his successor, assuming that Bentley hasn't already been impeached as a result his current sex scandal. Advertisement Bob Corker. The Senator from Tennessee has endorsed Trump and was reportedly high on the VP list, he's recently criticized Trump for some of his more outlandish comments, such as Trump's racist attacks on a federal judge presiding over the case against Trump University . Corker is chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which would help Trump, whose bombastic shoot-from-the-hip remarks don't give people confidence in his diplomatic skills. But Corker also comes with some serious negatives. It's hard to believe that America is ready for a ticket comprised of two men who made millions in the real estate business. And, like Trump, he's got his own tax scandals. Corker failed to disclose $2 million dollars worth of hedge fund profits and millions more of income from his commercial real estate business. A retired general. Many ex-military brass and a bipartisan group of national security heavyweights think Trump is a reckless lunatic. Both camps have issued statements questioning Trump's qualifications to conduct military and foreign policy. But if Trump can find a former military leader who also has some foreign policy experience, and would be willing to serve as his VP, it might help him gain some credibility and offset some of the crazy ideas he has been promoting, like cozying up to Putin and endorsing the spread of nuclear weapons. He'd have to be careful to vet the retired general to make sure that he hasn't made a fortune as a lobbyist for a military contractor or called for a nuclear attack on Iraq. Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn (pictured above) -- a retired soldier who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.-- is rumored to be on Trump's short list. In 2012 he was named director of the Defense Intelligence Agency but was forced out in 2014. He is working as an adviser to Trump and has been very critical of both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton. He has a book coming out next month, "The Field of Fight: How We Can Win the Global War Against Radical Islam and Its Allies," that sounds right up Trump's alley. But Flynn has made a number of controversial statements that could backfire during the campaign. The New York Times reported Tuesday that a U.S. Justice Dept. inquiry into the notorious 1964 murders of civil rights workers, Goodman, Schwerner & Chaney, has ended with a 48 page report sent to Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood. Based on that report's findings Hood has announced that the 52 year-old case is now closed. The three young voter registration volunteers were kidnapped and tortured by members of the Ku Klux Klan in Neshoba County during what civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, called "Freedom Summer." After they'd gone missing and their fire charred station wagon was later found without their bodies, panic set in within the Justice Department of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Advertisement The incident inspired the film "Mississippi Burning," which wrongly concluded that the case was solved after an African American FBI agent was sent to Mississippi and interrogated a KKK sympathizer. Although the DOJ report concludes that "The FBI conducted approximately 1000 interviews during the summer and fall of 1964," the truth is that the location of the bodies, buried beneath an earthen damn on the farm of a Klan associate, was not discovered until after FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover sent Colombo crime family capo Greg "The Grim Reaper" Scarpa Sr. down to Mississippi. As recounted in detail for the first time in my 2004 HarperCollins book "Cover Up" and in more depth in "Deal With The Devil," ten years later, the Mafia hit man -- who had for several years been a "Top Echelon Informant" on Hoover's payroll -- kidnapped and tortured a local KKK-friendly politician into giving up the burial site. Only then did the Bureau break the case. But there's not a single word of Scarpa's role in that 48 page report which merely notes that "in late July 1964, an informant provided accurate information about the location of the bodies." The report otherwise attributes the discovery of the victims to good police work. Advertisement In fact, Scarpa's Sr.'s mission in what the Bureau dubbed the MISSBURN case, was actually the first of two civil rights related interrogations he made at the behest of the FBI Director. The second took place in January, 1996 following the KKK firebombing and murder of civil rights leader Vernon Dahmer. An Assistant FBI Director actually approved the mob killer's assignment in a January 21, 1996 Airtel sent from Headquarters in D.C. to the Bureau's New York Office (NYO). The heavily redacted communique, in which Scarpa Sr.'s name was blacked out, approved expense funds for him and his common law wife to travel via Mobile, Alabama to Hattiesburg, Mississippi where they would link with Special Agents. Here now, is a full account of the way both investigations went down from "Deal With The Devil." THE SPECIAL GOES SOUTH In the hot summer of 1964 J. Edgar Hoover finally found a way to make some affirmative use of the Brooklyn hit man who had been on his payroll for three years. "Whatever else he may have passed along in the way of intelligence," says Fredric Dannen of the New Yorker, who wrote a definitive profile of Scarpa in 1996, "we know from the work he did in Mississippi that he became a clandestine asset for Hoover." The biggest crisis facing the U.S. Justice Department at that moment was the disappearance of three young civil rights workers, Andrew Goodman, Michael Schwerner, and James Chaney. Working for the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), they had traveled to Philadelphia, Mississippi, on June 21 to look into the Klan's role in burning the Mount Zion United Methodist Church and disappeared that same night. When their empty, fire-charred Ford station wagon was recovered a short time later, the FBI was called in to work the case. Evidence later presented at trial would prove that the local KKK kleagle, or recruiter, Edgar Ray Killen, had conspired with a deputy sheriff to stop the young men for speeding as they left town. Advertisement After a chase, they were forced off the road, driven thirty-four miles to a remote location, and shot to death in cold blood. Their bodies were thrown back in the station wagon and driven to a nearby farm, where they were buried under fifteen feet of red clay in an earthen dam. The Ford was then set ablaze and dumped in a swamp. As detailed in my second book, Cover Up, the disappearance immediately became a national news story and ignited a firestorm at the Justice Department. Dozens of special agents were rushed to Neshoba County to comb the fields, in what Hoover dubbed the MISSBURN case. "MISSISSIPPI BURNING" The 1988 film starring Gene Hackman and Willem Defoe dramatized how the agents located the station wagon. But weeks passed without any significant leads as to the fate of the three young men, and the investigation stopped dead. "Back then, a lot of local people feared the FBI as much as the Klan and nobody was talking," says Judge W. O. Chet Dillard, who was a state's attorney at the time. "Old J. Edgar figured that if he was gonna break that [case]-- and he was hurtin' to break it-- he was gonna have to go to some extreme measures, and he did." Sometime in early August, the Bureau enlisted Gregory Scarpa, the FBI's Top Echelon informant-- who had earlier been contracted to murder the boss of his own crime family-- to go to Mississippi to accomplish what the agents could not. "Hoover was getting a lot of pressure about the bodies not being found," Scarpa's common-law wife, Linda Schiro, testified in 2007. Advertisement "They approached Greg to go down to find the bodies." Schiro, who was seventeen when she and Greg were flown to Mississippi, testified that they went to a hotel and found "eight or nine FBI agents" waiting. Scarpa winked at the agents, Schiro testified; then one of them knocked on the door of their room and gave him a gun. "Greg changed his clothes," she recalled, "and then he . . . left some money on the dresser. He told me that if he didn't come back to . . . go back home." An account of the story by Tom Robbins and Jerry Capeci, which ran in the New York Daily News in 1994, alleged that "Scarpa, according to sources, kidnapped [a] klansman" who had knowledge of the burial site. "Armed with an FBI-supplied pistol," they wrote, Scarpa "put the gun in his mouth and threatened to 'blow his f---- ing brains out' if he didn't spill the beans." A DIFFERENT ACCOUNT But Judge Dillard, who interviewed a number of sources close to the incident, has a different account-- one that suggests that Scarpa became even more violent during the interrogation. "The man who knew where Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney were buried was the mayor of a local town," says Dillard. "After Scarpa grabbed him, they took him to an undisclosed location, and while the agents waited outside, Scarpa started working on the guy." Dillard says that Scarpa first "put a pistol to [the mayor's] head, demanding to know where those boys were. But [he] told him a phony story." Advertisement It was only after Scarpa checked with FBI agents to confirm the lie that he "put the barrel of the gun in the man's mouth and cocked it." Then, says Dillard, fearing reprisals from the Klan, the mayor lied a second time and the agents outside confirmed it. INTERROGATION BY RAZOR BLADE "It was at that point," says Dillard, "that Scarpa took more drastic steps." Taking out a straight razor, he proceeded to unzip the man's fly. "He was threatenin' to emasculate him," says the judge. And that's when the terrified Klansman "blurted out the location of the dam." Ten years later, a lawyer who represented Scarpa disclosed that Scarpa, the so-called Mad Hatter, had admitted to the interrogation by razor blade. On August 4, 1964, the three bodies were recovered six miles southwest of Philadelphia. Goodman and Schwerner had each been shot once in the head. Chaney, the black man in the group, was shot three times and beaten savagely. Schiro testified that Scarpa later returned to the hotel and told her "they found the bodies." She said that an FBI agent came by to retrieve the gun and handed Greg an envelope with cash "an inch thick" in a rubber band. After that, Schiro and Scarpa vacationed at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. SCARPA'S NEXT MISSION Eighteen months later, Hoover used Scarpa in a second mission to Mississippi to extract a confession from another KKK member. Advertisement In early 1966, Vernon F. Dahmer, an African American farmer and shopkeeper who had allowed his store to be used for voter registration, was targeted by the Klan. On January 10, in the dead of night, two carloads of hooded Klansmen, brandishing shotguns and carrying twelve gallons of gasoline, showed up at Dahmer's house and set it on fire. In the blaze that followed, the fifty-eight-year-old Dahmer held the attackers at bay while his family escaped. But he later died in his wife's arms. As an indication of how seriously Washington reacted to the murder, President Johnson sent a telegram of condolence to the Dahmer family and Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach issued a statement vowing to devote "the full resources of the Justice Department to catching the perpetrators." CALLING ON THE MOB KILLER AGAIN "Once again, there were no leads," says Judge Dillard. Eleven days after the firebombing, the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division contacted the New York Office and dispatched Scarpa to Jackson, Mississippi, for what was referred to in an airtel as "a special." Again he abducted a Klan member and used violent means to extract a confession. But this time, according to Judge Dillard, he was directly "aided and abetted" in the kidnapping by an FBI agent. Advertisement The Bureau memo to the assistant director requesting Scarpa's help also asked for "enough money to cover [informant's] expenses for hotel room and transportation for the SA, plus two individuals," indicating that Scarpa and Schiro were accompanied by an agent from New York. The FBI's preliminary investigation led to a Klan captain named Lawrence Byrd, who owned an appliance store called Byrd's Radio and TV Service in nearby Laurel, Mississippi. As Judge Dillard recounts in his book Clear Burning: Civil Rights, Civil Wrongs, Scarpa and another man, "wearing wigs," arrived at the appliance store just before closing on January 26, 1966. "Scarpa and this agent bought a TV set from Lawrence," says Dillard. "They said they were going to pull around back and asked if he could bring it out to their car. When he came out they grabbed him, threw a blanket over him, and shoved him in the vehicle." A SAVAGE BEATING At that point, says Dillard, they drove to Camp Shelby, a military base in nearby Hattiesburg, where the interrogation took place. There, according to Dillard, who later interviewed Byrd in the Jones County Hospital, Scarpa proceeded to "beat him within an inch of his life. . . . Advertisement They threatened to string him up and leave him out there naked in the winter, where the animals could get at him," says the judge. "Lawrence was a tough guy-- a big, raw-boned country boy-- but he was beat up so bad he was never the same after that," Dillard told writer Fredric Dannen. In fact, an FBI 302 memo dated February 2, 1966, suggests that Byrd was so terrified that he refused to reveal the details to the FBI agents who later questioned him, stating only that he had been the victim of "an armed robbery by unknown persons." The memo insisted that Byrd was "still in a state of semi-shock." On March 2, 1966, Byrd signed a twenty-two-page confession to his participation in the Dahmer firebombing, implicating himself and seven other Klansmen. Linda Schiro later testified that Greg "got the guy from the Ku Klux Klan . . . to admit that he was [the] one who burnt that house down." MEN FROM TWO SECRET SOCIETIES In 1998, Samuel K. Bowers, the imperial wizard of a Mississippi KKK faction, was found guilty in the Dahmer firebombing murder. 26 The FBI later attributed nine murders and three hundred beatings, arsons, and bombings to Bowers's klavern, or local unit, of the Ku Klux Klan's White Knights. He had previously served six years for the Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney killings, which were executed by the same Klan cell. Edgar Ray Killen, who was the actual ringleader in the MISSBURN murders, escaped conviction in 1967 after an all-white jury deadlocked. But in 2005, when new evidence was developed, he was found guilty of manslaughter. Advertisement At the age of eighty, Killen was sentenced to sixty years in prison. Then, in February 2009, Killen filed suit against the FBI, arguing that his civil rights had been violated-- because of the Bureau's use of Gregory Scarpa Sr., a Mafia killer, in solving the Goodman, Schwerner, and Chaney kidnap-murders. "The information that Scarpa obtained by use of torture violates Killen's civil rights . . . [his] right to due process [and] the right to confront witnesses," his lawyer said. DEA VETERAN MIKE LEVINE COMMENTS One former DEA special agent, Mike Levine, was astonished by Hoover's decision to enlist a known Mafia strongman to further the cause of justice. "Here the FBI uses a member of a violent secret society-- La Cosa Nostra-- to travel down to Mississippi on multiple missions to torture confessions out of two guys who were also members of a violent secret society-- the Klan. Since when does the federal government have to stoop to levels like that to make cases? This was during the same era when the CIA was trying to get mob guys to kill Castro." As Levine notes, such behavior on the Feds' part was roundly denounced during congressional hearings in the 1970s, 31 and the popular assumption was that it stopped. "But the fact that the Bureau continued to use a multiple murderer like Scarpa right up into the early 1990s," says Levine, "just proves that it didn't." Advertisement Anthony Villano, Scarpa's control agent from 1967 to 1973, also disapproved. In his 1977 memoir, Brick Agent, Villano wrote, "When I heard the story [about Mississippi] and confirmed it was [Scarpa] I was ashamed that the people I worked for had to go outside the Bureau to find someone to perform their dirty work. An agent could have done what [Scarpa] did, but using him, of course, reduced the potential for scandal about the behavior of agents on the job." THE FBI'S VERSION OF THE CASE On it's official website the Bureau describes the Dahmer investigation and subsequent arrests of Bowers and other Klansman this way: Let the investigation begin. At 3:15 that morning, an FBI agent in Meridian, Mississippi, got a phone call about the attack and quickly opened an investigation in concert with local authorities. Nearly 20 FBI agents began canvassing the area. They interviewed local Klansmen and Klan informants and gathered 120 pieces of evidence--including tire tracks and shell casings--that were analyzed by the FBI Lab in Washington. They also learned that the day before the attack, a Sunday radio program had announced that Dahmer would help blacks register to vote by making his country store one of the few spots in the area where they could pay their $2 poll tax. Our agents soon identified a number of suspects and compiled a 1,100 page report outlining the case. On March 27, a complaint was filed against fourteen men. Thirteen were arrested by the next day. The 14th--Sam Bowers, the Imperial Wizard of the Mississippi White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, who had ordered the attack--turned himself in several days later. Advertisement Your body is smart. But it does not necessarily know what to do with the chemical compounds manufacturers have been adding to their products (or making the basis of their products) over the past several decades. And whether that newfangled chemical stuff is entering your body through your food, personal-care products, or household goods, the net result can be nasty. Your body is a creative problem solver, though. So it might stash some of those chemicals in your fat cells. It might try to exude them through your skin. Or it might try to flush them out in your body's waste streams (think sweat, urine, poo). But all of that requires some doing on the part of your body. And a lot of things can go wrong along the way. Advertisement Like what, you ask? Well, some of those chemical compounds can irritate and inflame your body's tissues (causing anything from skin rashes to gut leakage). They can also contribute to your body's toxic load or "body burden," which in turn puts an extra strain on your organs and immune system. Some chemicals, known as neurotoxins (including many found in artificial sweeteners, colors and flavors, and preservatives), can mess with your brain and nervous system, causing severe headaches and fatigue, as well as mood and behavior problems. Some compounds, known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (or EDCs for short), can mimic or confuse your body's hormones, interfering with normal sexual development and reproductive function, and increasing the risks for certain types of abnormal growths (such as fibroids) and cancers. A subclass of EDCs, affectionately known as "obesogens" can alter both appetite and metabolism, causing weight gain. Obesogens were recently named an "emerging threat to public health" in a research review published by the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Advertisement You might be thinking: But surely there's no way that our government would allow anything but 100 percent safe and carefully tested chemicals in our food and body-care products! Isn't that what the USDA and FDA are for? Here's the nicest way I can put this: In principle, yes. In practice, alas, not so much. The problem is that the majority of chemicals used in conventional body-care products have never been tested for long-term safety. And even those studies that have been done on chemicals used in brand-name food and household cleaning and furniture products typically screen for evidence of immediate toxicity, not necessarily for the effects of repeated, long-term, or combined exposures. In truth, even if our regulatory agencies tried harder, it would be almost impossible for them to study how all the various intermingling chemical compounds present in countless foods, cosmetics, and personal-care, cleaning, and household products might interact in the complex and constantly changing petri dish of the human body. We are talking about thousands of chemicals here, and an almost endless number of different exposure scenarios. It's worth noting that many of the chemicals that are widely used here in the United States are banned in the European Union. That's because European manufacturers are required to observe what's known as the Precautionary Principle, which dictates that chemicals must be presumed potentially dangerous until proven safe. Here in the United States, we operate on the opposite assumption, regarding most chemicals as safe until they are proven dangerous. The problem with this strategy, of course, is that it turns U.S. consumers into guinea pigs -- unwitting subjects in a long-term "study" with a variety of negative implications for human health. Advertisement The net result: Most of us have our bodies bathed, inside and out, with potentially dangerous industrial chemicals on a daily basis. Some of those chemicals are routinely found not just in the blood and tissue samples of virtually all U.S. adults, but also in the umbilical cords of newborn babies. Eager to clear some potentially dangerous chemicals out of your own body? Here are some ways to start: Make whole foods the center of your diet. Choosing single-ingredient whole foods and drinking simple, homemade, unsweetened beverages (like water, tea, and coffee) spares you from ingesting a great many chemical-laced ingredients and additives. Eating fresh or frozen whole foods also lets you avoid a lot of chemical preservatives (you'll still want to wash or peel most produce, though, as it may have been sprayed or waxed or otherwise come into contact with chemical residues during storage and transport). Choosing single-ingredient whole foods and drinking simple, homemade, unsweetened beverages (like water, tea, and coffee) spares you from ingesting a great many chemical-laced ingredients and additives. Eating fresh or frozen whole foods also lets you avoid a lot of chemical preservatives (you'll still want to wash or peel most produce, though, as it may have been sprayed or waxed or otherwise come into contact with chemical residues during storage and transport). Choose foods grown and raised in healthy environments. You want your food as free as possible from chemical pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and heavy metals. Certified organic and biodynamic foods are a good start, but you can also choose foods from growers whose methods you know and trust, or consider growing some of your own. Be aware that both wild and farmed fish, seafood, and meat products will typically contain traces of any chemicals or other pollutants present in those animals' food and living environments, so choose your meat and seafood sources carefully. You want your food as free as possible from chemical pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, and heavy metals. Certified organic and biodynamic foods are a good start, but you can also choose foods from growers whose methods you know and trust, or consider growing some of your own. Be aware that both wild and farmed fish, seafood, and meat products will typically contain traces of any chemicals or other pollutants present in those animals' food and living environments, so choose your meat and seafood sources carefully. Use cleaner personal-care and household products. Whatever goes on your skin, hair, lips, and nails -- along with pretty much everything else you touch, wear, or breathe -- ends up on the inside of your body. So take a close look at the products you are using on yourself and in your home. Weed out conventional, chemical-laden products in favor of certified organic, simply formulated, plant-based, or homemade options. Avoid dry-cleaned, flame-retardant, and other chemically treated fabrics: The chemicals used in those processes, along with nonstick coatings and plastic food-storage ingredients, are among the most commonly found in human blood and urine samples. Whatever goes on your skin, hair, lips, and nails -- along with pretty much everything else you touch, wear, or breathe -- ends up on the inside of your body. So take a close look at the products you are using on yourself and in your home. Weed out conventional, chemical-laden products in favor of certified organic, simply formulated, plant-based, or homemade options. Avoid dry-cleaned, flame-retardant, and other chemically treated fabrics: The chemicals used in those processes, along with nonstick coatings and plastic food-storage ingredients, are among the most commonly found in human blood and urine samples. Read ingredient labels carefully. Many products marketed as "natural" -- or that use the word "organic" somewhere on the label -- still may contain a host of troublesome ingredients, like parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrances, dyes, pigments, and petroleum byproducts that are anything but wholesome. Many products marketed as "natural" -- or that use the word "organic" somewhere on the label -- still may contain a host of troublesome ingredients, like parabens, phthalates, artificial fragrances, dyes, pigments, and petroleum byproducts that are anything but wholesome. Study up. The list of problematic chemicals is constantly evolving. For the best current guidance, check out the Environmental Working Group's handy guides to cleaning up your food, personal-care products, and household goods. Don't trust a "seal of approval" unless you know what it means. The list of problematic chemicals is constantly evolving. For the best current guidance, check out the Environmental Working Group's handy guides to cleaning up your food, personal-care products, and household goods. Don't trust a "seal of approval" unless you know what it means. Do a seasonal detox. Following a simple, whole-food detoxification program a few times a year can go a long way in helping your body dump what it doesn't want and repair the damage done by toxic compounds. Commit to keeping your body's elimination channels working smoothly on a daily basis by eating plenty of fiber-rich, colorful produce and drinking plenty of clean water. Following a simple, whole-food detoxification program a few times a year can go a long way in helping your body dump what it doesn't want and repair the damage done by toxic compounds. Commit to keeping your body's elimination channels working smoothly on a daily basis by eating plenty of fiber-rich, colorful produce and drinking plenty of clean water. Final suggestion: Don't panic. Once you've done what you can to reduce your chemical exposure, stop obsessing about it. Yes, our world is full of toxins. But stress and anxiety produce toxic chemical byproducts of their own. And the only one who can keep those out of your system is you. REVOLUTIONARY READING "Beauty Beware" -- The not-so-pretty truth about toxins in most personal-care products, and how to avoid them. Advertisement "8 Hidden Toxins: What's Lurking in Your Cleaning Products?" -- How to spot the potentially dangerous chemicals in your cleaning arsenal. "How to Detox Your Life, Save Money, and Change the World" -- Stacy Malkan's 10-point guide to lightening your toxic load. "Fast Track Liver Detox" -- A healthy way to help your body ditch toxic gunk, drop unwanted weight, and feel better than you have in years. The White House looked weak as it defended President Obama's policies in Syria, in response to the strongly worded memorandum sent by 51 US diplomats calling for the "calculated use" of long-range weapons and airstrikes against the regime of Bashar al-Assad, arguing that the ""status quo in Syria will continue to present increasingly dire, if not disastrous, humanitarian, diplomatic and terrorism-related challenges." The moral rationale for taking steps to end the deaths and suffering in Syria, after five years of brutal war, is evident and unquestionable, the memo said. The memo's harsh tone and allusion to "the moral rationale" compelled the White House to go on the defensive, raising impossible questions to justify its policies. The White House asked "what was the alternative" or "show us another option", phrases that seem to be at the heart of the Obama doctrine and the lexicon of the administration. The White House's message is clear and unchanged: The White House will not intervene militarily against the regime in Damascus. Its main battle today is against the Islamic State group and not Bashar al-Assad. Therefore, the Obama administration is trying to wash its hands clean of the moderate Syrian rebels represented by the High Negotiations Commission (HNC), and implicitly agrees with Russia on replacing the rebels with Kurdish and tribal forces on the ground that make up the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting ISIS primarily rather than the regime. This trend coincides with international inaction in the Security Council and the UN at large, where the Syrian question has been effectively reduced to one of refugees and humanitarian crisis requiring focus on the delivery of aid, away from political considerations and accountability for the crimes and atrocities being committed in Syria. The Geneva Communique that spoke of a transitional process handing over full executive power to a new governing council has been aborted. The Vienna Process midwifed by Russia has fulfilled its objectives and stopped where Moscow wanted it to stop. The members of the Security Council have retreated into empty statements and bowed down to the dictates of Russian-Iranian policies without a "Plan B". The UN secretary general swallowed his words about seeking accountability, and submitted to the will of the Russian-American duo with regard to managing the Syrian tragedy without protesting. Thus the UN lost its moral leadership by relinquishing the principle of accountability and its values. It accepted to be the blunt instrument by which the Geneva Communique was bashed, and hid behind its weakness when another deadline for a political process (August 1) approached, on which the UN is supposed to launch a political process albeit less firm than the one launched by the Geneva Communique. Its only excuse is that the US and Russian leaderships had had long lost their moral compass in Syria before the UN followed suit.This week, the number of refugees and displaced persons in the world reached 65 million. Syria has a large share of this figure with more than 10 million refugees and displaced persons. The UN has long since stopped counting the number of those killed in Syria, but unofficial estimates put the number at over 400,000, all killed in just five years, since protests demanding reforms erupted in Syria, before the regime decided to respond with a brutal military crackdown. From the beginning, it was clear that prolonging this military approach without accountability, while using terrorism as a pretext to avoid reform, would lead to the growth of terrorism in Syria at the hands of both the regime and its opponents, as well as those who decided to turn Syria into a magnet for terrorists to drive them out of their own countries - i.e. away from US, Russian, and other cities. When it comes to involvement in Syria, no one at all is innocent.The failure of this line of thinking became clear, however, as terror attacks struck Europe and the US, and could strike Russia at some point. Now, however, US, Russian, and European leaders believe the priority is for war on ISIS in Syria and Iraq. It was in Iraq where terrorists were lured away from US cities, as then-President Bush had suggested.In Iraq, the collapse of the Iraqi army began when the US decided to dismantle it based on a deliberate political decision by the Bush administration. The Iraqi army was among the strongest Arab armies and represented a threat to both Israel and Iran. The Iraqi army was the strongest in the Arab-Israeli strategic equation, and at the time, the decision by Syria to join the war on Iraq and destroy the Arab weight in this equation was stunning. Thus, the dismantling of Arab armies began with the Iraq war, benefiting both Israel and Iran, which will never forget the Gulf support for Iraq during the Iraq-Iran war even though it has forgotten the US role in support of Saddam in the same war.In Iraq today, militias like the Popular Mobilization control the military arena, replacing the army. The army pretends to be coherent, even as tribal fighters join the wars on terror, against al-Qaeda and ISIS.The same situation exists in Syria. Iranian-run militias control the military arena, undermining the army. Russia is furious because it prefers the army to the militias, but has found itself on the losing side as Iran insists on the militias at the expense of the army.What matters most for Russia is that no Islamists should replace the regime in Damascus. From the outset, Russia moves against the Arab Spring because it opposed the rise of Islamists to power. Russia backed Bashar al-Assad because it assumed that the alternative is the rise of Islamists to power. Russia has also insisted on not excluding Assad from running again for the presidency, because it refuses for Syria to fall into Islamist hands, and has clung to the term "secularism" at all costs because it would not allow the new Syria to be ruled by Islamists.Therefore, Russia and the Unites States agree today on supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). From Moscow's point of view, the SDF are a secular alternative to other rebels in Syria represented in the HNC. And for Washington, the SDF are the only force able to fight ISIS effectively on the ground.The Obama administration was a backer of the rise of Islamists to power in the early days of the Arab Spring, in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and Yemen. The administration of President Putin in Russia pushed back against this bid, until they converged in Syria. Moscow then gradually co-opted Washington, though differences remain over Turkey and Egypt.Moscow is committed to a strong relationship with President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who is intent on preventing the Muslim Brotherhood from participating in power in Egypt. For its part, Washington is opposed to Sisi's excesses, but it is trying to mend relations with Egypt which have been damaged by Obama's support for the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned former President Morsi.Putin, meanwhile, has an overt animus with Turkey, whose president Erdogan is considered the godfather of the Muslim Brotherhood and the model of the Islamist rise to power. Obama is fond of the Turkish model that he believed was good for the whole Sunni world, before he was forced to reassess this position.Informed sources familiar with the situation in Syria say that Washington and Moscow seem to have a minimum agreement on the SDF, which comprise Kurds and Arab tribes, and that European and American advisors on the ground are there to help these forces against ISIS primarily. The SDF comprise minorities and do not have in their ranks any Salafist or jihadist groups. These forces seem to be the alternative being prepared to replace Syrian rebels represented in the HNC, backed by Turkey, Saudi, Qatar, and others.The question among these circles is: Are the Syrian rebels associated to the HNC aware of the US-Russian convergence against them, especially as the SDF is leading key operations in the Aleppo countryside and moving to liberate Raqqa. Do they have any option since they do not receive the military support they need to retake the initiative and restore their momentum? And what are the prospects of Saudi and Turkish resistance to these developments?Diplomatically and at the level of negotiations, there is a near de-facto discarding of the Syrian opposition through the silence of UN envoy De Mistura regarding the political process that was supposed to start on August 1. This is happening by overemphasizing the cessation of hostilities and the delivery of aid, both of which issues leads to nothing politically noteworthy.Moscow won its bet. It has turned the battle away from toppling the regime towards toppling the opposition, by toppling the Geneva Communique and the commitments of the Vienna Process. It is now working to ensure the survival of the regime and its president until further notice.Putin and his military and diplomatic teams delivered on what they pledged to him. Putin never hid his intentions, although he played the Assad card from time to time to appease US calls for his departure. Russia was clear in everything it has said and done, unlike Obama's administration, which vowed, hesitated, then backtracked before fully colluding. Now it is on the defensive.Spokesperson for the White House John Earnest, in response to the memo by the US diplomats, defended the administration's position saying it would be difficult to avoid full-scale war in the event of using military power against the Assad regime. He said: "I think what it means is it means that we should direct the force of the United States military against the Assad regime. And I think there are a lot of questions that are raised about that. First of all, how do you do that without harming innocent civilians? Second of all, I'm not sure exactly what legal authority the President would rely on to do something like that. And, three, it seems like a slippery slope. Does that just mean that there's one round of missile strikes and then we spend a month trying to negotiate again, and if nothing happens, do we launch more missile strikes? Or then do we have to steadily ramp up the military engagement? And at what point does that stop? It's hard to imagine where that stops -- that that somehow stops short of a war against a sovereign nation that is being backed by Russia and Iran."John Earnest's response is nothing short of astounding. There can hardly by any response that insults the intelligence of 51 US diplomats more than his defence of Obama's failed policy. In truth, the response exposes the US's Syria policy for its lack of any moral high ground, which is perhaps why the US diplomats protested, because they do not want their country to lose its international moral standing.No such protests would have been possible from Russian or UN diplomats. But the US cannot be reduced to a president, administration, or policy. We should at least credit the US diplomats for being bold enough to tell their president: You have failed us morally and humanly.Translated from Arabic by Karim Traboulsihttp://www.alhayat.com/Opinion/Raghida-Dergham/16254970/%D8%A3%D9%85%D9%8A%D8%B1%D9%83%D8%A7-%D8%AE%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%AA-%D9%85%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B9%D9%85-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D9%81%D9%88%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%AE%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%82%D9%8A-%D8%A8%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8-%D8%B3%D9%8A%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9 With nearly six million residents and a gross regional product topping $300 billion, Greater Miami is now comparable in size and economic power to Singapore or Hong Kong. Moreover, it is the hub of the Southern Florida or So-Flo megaregion, which extends to Tampa and Orlando, houses more than 15 million people and produces more than $750 billion in economic output, making it roughly the size of the Netherlands, one of the 20 largest national economies in the world. Historically based on tourism, hospitality, transportation, and real estate development, Miami's economy has deepened and diversified and become more creative and idea-based, as banking, media, arts, education, and even software development have come to play larger roles in its mix. Rich in talented human capital from all over the globe, Miami is by many measures the most tolerant, diverse, and welcoming place in the US. Miami's growth has been extraordinary, but as the world-renowned urbanist Richard Florida notes in a new report, it has owed more to its geography and weather than to any conscious strategy. "Fortuity has brought us a long way," he says, "but we can no longer grow by accident. Miami has to double down on its investments and its focus on really building the infrastructure of a great global city." A joint project between FIU and my team at the Creative Class Group, and the first product of the FIU-Miami Creative City Initiative, Miami's Great Inflection: Toward Shared Prosperity as a Creative and Inclusive Global City, was presented at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce's 2016 Goals Conference on June 16. Tough-minded and probing, it highlights both Miami's strengths and the very real challenges it faces as it scales to the next level. As FIU President and Chamber Chairman Mark B. Rosenberg says, it is just the beginning of a thoughtful, deep and much-needed conversation about Miami's future. Watch the highlights: How about Klobuchar? I have been watching Klobuchar's rise to political power for 20 years. I, like many others, think she wants to be POTUS. Clearly, attaining the vice-presidential slot in 2016 puts her first-in-line among Democrats to make her own presidential run, (whether or not Hillary Clinton wins). Klobuchar has demurred at every turn about any office other than the one she's got. But, that's what one does when in her shoes. Besides, Klobuchar knows what People knows and shared with us: she makes a compelling case without saying a word. Advertisement People illustrates the strength of Klobuchar's case by way of pointing-out the liabilities of others on Clinton's supposed short list. As far as the guys go, People wrote. HUD Secretary Julian Castro may be too young. Mark Cuban: are they kidding; was that to boost magazine sales? Picking Ohio U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown costs a Democratic Senate seat because Republican Governor John Kasich would pick Brown's replacement (whereas Minnesota's Democratic Governor Mark Dayton would likely pick another Democrat to replace Klobuchar). Labor Secretary Tom Perez has no foreign policy experience. Virginia Senator Timothy Keane "is a white male with 'senator' before his name; [he] does not bring much 'wow' factor." People also writes about Elizabeth Warren who, when the chips were down in Hillary Clinton's campaign to beat Bernie Sanders, declined to support her sister Senator. It makes you wonder: with sisters like that...Of course, Warren had the right to bide her time, but that's not what friends are, much less what intimates are, as Clinton says she wants her vice-president to be. Knowing Warren's failure to support her in this tough fight, when all the other Democratic women senators did, why would Hillary Clinton pick Warren? In my judgement, she wouldn't. She, of all people, understands the importance and value of loyalty. Anyway, what does the likely first woman POTUS need, besides what she's already got? She needs a partner she can never doubt is working only for her. Advertisement Warren is also further to the left than some voters whose votes Clinton would like to have. And, like the Sherrod Brown selection, selecting Warren might mean a Senate seat pick-up for the Republicans. By contrast, I don't see a downside to a Klobuchar pick. She is "a longtime Clinton supporter," who has it all: The educational pedigree Americans often favor in their presidents. (Yup, that Ivy League education.) Midwestern and middle class roots. An unblemished career and personal story. A values and family-driven presence. A two-term Senate record replete with legislative successes for women and families, across a wide spectrum of issues, from children's toys to picking Supreme Court justices. An unbeaten political track record. Nor is Klobuchar visibly combative, which voters find troublesome in women candidates. (I'm not speaking to the merits here, but to the practical facts.). Why, she's Minnesota Nice, as we used to say on my Northfield, Minnesota college campus. Klobuchar is an American classic in just so many ways. A couple minutes reading her Twitter feed, and I promise you'll get that feeling, too. Advertisement But, you ask: what about getting those 270 Electoral College votes? Can Klobuchar help get them for Clinton? Yes, she can. Conventional Wisdom says the Electoral College map tilts Democratic anyway. In that case, why not pick a friend? Conventional Wisdom says that, in addition to Florida, the Rust Belt states with big Electoral College numbers, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Ohio, will provide the margin of victory. So, take Michigan: Debbie Stabenow, its senior U.S. Senator, will fight like the dickens for Clinton and Klobuchar. She and Klobuchar are close friends and have supported Clinton since the git-go. Stabenow appreciates loyalty as much as Hillary Clinton does. And, Stabenow understands and appreciates Minnesota Nice. It's just a version of her state's Michigan Nice. So, take Ohio and Pennsylvania and their dying mining towns, just for starters. Klobuchar's family hails from mining country. Who better to woo women voters, the majority of those states' Democratic voters, than a woman who can connect with them and their families? Now, throw in Minnesota and Wisconsin, each with ten Electoral College votes. (Virginia, land of Tim Keane, has 13.) Now, you've got your 270. Now, you've got Hillary Clinton in the White House and Amy Klobuchar at Number One Observatory Circle. Advertisement But, just in case: Conventional Wisdom also says that the Clinton campaign is running a 50-state race. In that context, the 11 (minus Klobuchar, Stabenow and Warren) other Democratic U.S. women senators, who joined hands with Stabenow and Klobuchar to stand with Clinton, will fight hard and go everywhere for these two girlfriends. Sixty six years ago in 1950, President Harry Truman ordered the United States Forces to Korea, and we left our homes in Detroit and New York City to serve in the Korean War. We were both young men in our early 20s, afraid but resolute. We would both be decorated for our service, and Charlie would be severely wounded in the Battle of Kunu-ri. We would both fight to defend democracy on the Korean Peninsula. In Korea, we fought as part of the first truly integrated armed forces our nation had ever known. The near defeat of U.S.-led forces in the early days of the conflict led to rapid integration after three years of delaying implementation of President Harry Truman's 1948 order to desegregate our Army and Navy. This led to a certain level of meritocracy: Charlie would rise to Staff Sergeant, and John would serve as an officer. However, when we returned home we were quickly reminded that we were not just veterans--we were black veterans. Commendation medals did not mean we could sit in the front of the bus in Alabama, and a Purple Heart did not protect black veterans from racist landlords, employers, businesses or police. Our service didn't trump our race. Advertisement Today, Donald Trump is fomenting a movement to bring back that shameful period in time by alienating groups who have fought and died for our freedoms. In the "Great America" that Donald Trump talks about, people of Mexican descent are not soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines--or judges--they are drug dealers, rapists and thieves. To Trump, Muslim immigrants are not allies who had to flee persecution because their assistance to U.S. forces endangered their lives--every single one is a potential terrorist who should be subject to special police laws. Both groups of citizens--Hispanics and Muslims--are clearly unfit to serve as judges in Trump's America. Like the segregationists of our youth, no amount of national service seems to overcome Trump's belief that a person's race and religion make him or her less American. As we have said, Trump's hair-brained bigotry is nothing original. Indeed, his sort of prejudiced campaign does not even predate our service to our country. In 1948, the year we both put on U.S. Army uniforms, Strom Thurmond won 39 electoral votes as the nominee of the Dixiecrats. But Trump's dangerous provocations--the forced expulsion of 11 million people and the creation of secret police and special religious ghettos for Muslims--represent crimes that we simply did not travel half a world a way to defend. That Trump has never served in uniform--his boarding school experience excepted--is painfully obvious when he speaks. And we are not just referring to his shameful comments about Senator John McCain and prisoners of war. He has clearly never had to put his life at risk for our nation. If he had, he would know the same thing we learned from bullets and bombs as young men--on the battlefield, one's skin color or the name of his God is the last thing that matters. Advertisement A Commander-in-Chief is responsible for the lives of all our fighting men and women: 158,000 of those soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen identify as Hispanic or Latino, and more than 5,000 of them are Muslim. Trump simply cannot fulfill the constitutional duties of the presidential office by questioning the patriotism, integrity and devotion of one out of eight U.S. service men and women. Nor should a man who wants to build a wall between the United States and Mexico, our military ally--a nation with whom we last fought an armed conflict in 1919--receive command of a military that has been through enough unnecessary dust and bloodshed. Unfortunately, Congressional Republicans are starting to take their cues from their nominee, with all but 20 of them voting last week to end enlistment programs that grants citizenship status to undocumented immigrants who came here as children, who already have legal residency in the United States, and who simply want to serve in our Armed Forces. This trend is disturbing. It is one thing for a fringe political candidate who won a plurality of G.O.P. voters to suggest such dangerous polices; it is another for Congressional Republicans to pick up and carry that flag in the House. As veterans who have fought for our country abroad and then at home, we simply cannot stay silent while un-American attacks on other minority groups are given voice. Sixty-six years to the day after our military went to fight a war as an integrated force for the first time, we hope the American people will stand up for those who are fighting on our behalf. (The following joint oped with Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) was originally published in Time.com on June 24, 2016. Rep. Conyers is a Korean War veteran, dean of the House of Representatives and a founding Member of the Congressional Black Caucus.) Conservatives often excoriate the "liberal media." The Media Research Center, a content analysis organization, brands itself as a vehicle to "expose and neutralize the propaganda arm of the left: the national news media." After an unflattering political cartoon featuring his two daughters, then Republican Presidential candidate Ted Cruz bewailed how "desperate the liberal media is to attack and destroy me." Advertisement Surveys show that the overwhelming number of American journalists are left- leaning. A 2015 poll taken by Indiana University Journalism professors David Weaver and Lars Willnat showed that Democratic journalists outnumber Republicans Journalists by more than four to one and that an overwhelming 90% of Washington correspondents vote Democrat. This is a natural result of a free market system. Individuals with a liberal mindset tend to gravitate toward careers like Social Services, theater, academia, and journalism. Alternatively, those who gravitate toward industries like construction, oil gas, as well as coal, and agriculture tend to be conservative. However, this only accounts for the so-called mainstream media. Liberals would be correct to point to a conservative media bias. For example, they can point to the influential talk radio sphere. In 2015, Talkers Magazine ranked four of the top five most influential radio talk show hosts as conservatives. The top two were conservative raconteurs Rush Limbaugh who raked in 13.25 million listeners weekly and Sean Hannity who pocketed about 12.5 million listeners. Fans of these programs eschew mainstream media sources, believing they are accruing the unvarnished truth from these sources. Limbaugh jokes: "There is no need for a truth detector. I am the truth detector." Americans no longer receive their news from a single source. The media is now fragmented. Liberals can listen to NPR, read The New York Times, and watch MSNBC. Conservatives can listen to conservative talk radio, read the Wall Street Journal, and watch Fox News. Accordingly, they choose to use the media as an echo chamber rather than a place to garner information. With so many different choices of media, many Americans engage in "confirmation bias." They search for sources which will fortify their preformulated beliefs, rather than challenge them. A liberal is more likely to watch an interview on Democracy NOW with progressive linguist Noam Chomsky, whereas a conservative is more likely to watch Sean Hannity interview conservative commentator Denish D'Souza. Advertisement It has become conventional belief that the media is supposed to be objective. Yet objectivity is unattainable. By choosing which part of a story to emphasize, which sources to use, and the order of the stories, media organizations exhibit bias. During the early days of the Republic, the media was expected to be biased. In fact, it was blatantly partisan. The nation's first Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton, an exponent of an expansive Federal Government, founded The Gazette of the United States with friend John Fenno. Hamilton used his office to award printing contracts to Feno. The Publication made no attempt to be neutral. It advocated for Hamilton's viewpoint. Hamilton's rival, U.S. Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who advocated a limited-purpose Federal Government, countered by co-founding The National Gazette with publisher Philip Freneau. Jefferson granted Freaneau authority to print State Department documents. Throughout much of the Nineteenth Century, newspapers were mostly partisan propaganda machines. Many news reporters actually doubled as aides to politicians. In 1884, the Republican Los Angeles Times did not even report the election of Democrat Grover Cleveland as President for about a week. The newspaper had published an editorial supporting the Republican Presidential nominee James G. Blaine titled: "Six reasons Blaine will be triumphantly elected." Republicans can draw uproarious applause by using the media as a boogeyman. This is a tactic used often, sometimes by moderate Republicans to galvanize their more conservative base. At the 1964 Republican National Convention, former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who many Republicans viewed with suspicion for his moderate politics, brought down the house by berating: "Sensation-seeking columnists and commentators, who couldn't care less about the future of our party." In 1992, President George H.W. Bush would often try to relate to conservative voters by quoting a bumper sticker which read: "Annoy the media. Re-elect the President." Advertisement Democrats have also used the media as a boogeyman. In 1994, Bill Clinton lashed out at the negative media coverage that he halted air transportation at Los Angeles International Airport so he could get his haircut on the runway aboard Air Force One. Clinton told KMOX radio in St. Louis, Missouri: "Did you know there were press people on the aircraft carrier? Did you know that the carrier had been fully reimbursed out of the private pocket of a White House staff member who was so upset about it? No. Why didn't you know about that? Because the press reporting it didn't say so." In 1990 Massachusetts Democratic Gubernatorial nominee John Silber answered a seemingly innocuous question asked by Natalie Jacobson of WCVB-TV in Boston about his biggest weakness this way: "You find a weakness. I don't have to go around telling you what's wrong with me. The media have manufactured about 16,000 nonexistent qualities that are offensive and attributed them all to me. Let them have their field day. You can pick any one of them." The term media encompasses everything from newspapers to talk radio to television to any other means of transmitting information. The person who transmits the information will have a bias. That is unavoidable. All sides of the political spectrum can point to some facet of the media as being partial and against them. For liberals, that can include conservative talk radio hosts, FOX NEWS, The Drudge Report, ect. For conservatives, that can include MSNBC, NPR, and The New York Times. Some sources suffer from crosscurrents of indignation from the left for having a corporate bias and from the right for having a liberal bias. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., addresses supporters in New York Thursday, June 23, 2016. (AP Photo/Craig Ruttle) The British vote to exit the European Union which by every account goes against the voters' own economic interests, is said to be a vote of hearts (and fears) over heads. The older voters who chose to leave the EU, reflected a general dissatisfaction with their lot in life, which they blame on immigration, on the increasing inequality between the wealthy and the others in society and which also led them to support a nationalistic movement aimed at separating from "the other." They also indulged in a kind of nostalgia, thinking to recapture a Britain that existed in their memories. By contrast, the younger voters who generally voted to stay in the EU, looked to the future and not the past. We are seeing these same attitudes influencing the American election. Donald Trump has tapped into the disaffected Republican voters and to the surprise of everyone defeated 16 other candidates, some very well financed, to become the presumptive Republican nominee for president. Among many other commitments, he promised to "make America great again;" to construct a "beautiful" wall to keep out Mexican immigrants, and to restrict immigration, generally; to limit the Muslims allowed into the country; and to end American participation in trade agreements and security relationships with other nations unless they are highly favorable to the U.S. He also promised tax cuts for the middle class and large-scale infrastructure buildings that would create "the biggest economic boom in this country since the New Deal" and lots of jobs. Advertisement Secretary Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has stated her recognition of the problems of inequality in our society and laid out a number of programs aimed at creating jobs, calling for higher minimum wages, and improving working conditions for women. She is committed to large-scale infrastructure development both to rebuild a decaying America and to create many needed new jobs. And she would give tax benefits to the middle class and small business while raising some taxes on the wealthy. She has recently stated her disapproval of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement in its present form. While her positions have been sound enough to secure the nomination, they haven't yet created the level of excitement sufficient to attract many of the younger voters. Bernie Sanders attracted large numbers of younger voters and other Democrats to his campaign by railing against the increasing inequality in wealth and incomes between the rich and others; advocating for a universal healthcare system; tuition free public universities and reduced debt load for college education; lower taxes for the middle and lower classes; higher minimum wages and other employee benefits, particularly for women. He has opposed the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. And he, too, has strenuously advocated for infrastructure investments that would create many new jobs. We should recognize at the outset that the anxieties and grievances of large numbers of our population are well founded in reality. Globalization has brought competitive products to our shores, produced by lower paid foreign employees, resulting in reduced manufacturing at home and heavy job losses, particularly of higher paid jobs. Structural unemployment caused by technological advances has put many out of work because the new technology had the net effect of reducing jobs and because the skills required for many of the new jobs were beyond the capabilities of those who lost their former jobs. Advertisement The question these people should be asking themselves, as we all should, is which candidate will actually be able to help improve their situation. If Mr. Trump is elected, and even if he could get a Republican Congress to allocate the large amount of funds to build the wall against Mexico or if he created a trade war with nations like China, South Korea and Japan -- likely to create business uncertainty and reduced employment -- or if he limited immigration and restricted access by Muslims, none of that would actually help create jobs and a better life for his supporters. His plan for major infrastructure development would indeed have such a beneficial effect, but that would require a huge allocation of funding, which, in turn would require either sharply increased taxes or greater budget deficit financing. Neither of these is acceptable to the Republican Congress that his election would bring with it so such a program is very unlikely to pass. What is required is to elect Hillary Clinton, with a commitment by her to aggressively move forward on an infrastructure development program and other actions that can actually help improve the lives of those Americans who are being left behind by globalization and technology. A number of Senator Sanders' positions offer this benefit. But they also are not likely to happen with a Republican controlled Congress. So, Senator Sanders has a highly important job in the upcoming election. First, he has to pressure the Democratic party and Secretary Clinton to accept those of his proposals for the party platform that can actually improve the lives of the left-behind Americans and that realistically can be paid for and enacted into law. Second, he has to rally his supporters, not just to support Mrs. Clinton for the presidency, but most importantly to replace the failed, do-nothing Republican Congress with a Democratic controlled Congress that is committed to its Party's programs. That combination of a Democratic president and Senate will also allow for new Supreme Court appointments. Only with a Congress and a Supreme Court that will enable the passage of the kind of legislation that Senator Sanders espouses, can his supporters realize any significant part of their agendas. I will be frank to say that when I first heard Senator Sanders articulate his various positions I was surprised at what I considered his naivete in thinking that this country was ready for them. I was surprised, as well, that my adult grandchildren, whom I consider smart and politically astute, would support him and his ideas. I have now come to realize that while many of his ideas are too far to the left to be embraced by the country at this time, his vision in addressing the malaise that is being felt throughout the nation was timely and wise. And as in Britain I think his younger supporters were looking to the future and found no appeal in Mr. Trump's nostalgic claim to "make America great again." In sum, I believe that Senator Sanders has a major role to play in helping our nation find its way, without us having to go through a painful experience like a Brexit -- spurred by the anxieties of part of our population and that in the end is inimical to all of our true interests. People walk over Westminster Bridge wrapped in Union flags, towards the Queen Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) and The Houses of Parliament in central London on June 26, 2016. Britain's opposition Labour party plunged into turmoil Sunday and the prospect of Scottish independence drew closer, ahead of a showdown with EU leaders over the country's seismic vote to leave the bloc. Two days after Prime Minister David Cameron resigned over his failure to keep Britain in the European Union, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faced a revolt by his lawmakers who called for him, too, to quit. / AFP / Odd ANDERSEN (Photo credit should read ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images) What was the narrow British vote to leave the European Union really about? In recent days, you have read commentaries with variations on the following themes, ad nauseam. All of them contain pieces of the truth, but all miss the basic point: Irrational Racism. This vote was a mostly racist reaction on the part of Brits who resented dark skinned foreigners in their midst, and mistakenly blamed the E.U. Britain actually has more control over its borders than most E.U. members, since London never signed the 1985 Schengen Agreement, which got rid of border controls for travelers throughout most of the Union. Before entering Britain, Europeans must still go through passport control, just like Syrians or Americans. Advertisement Scapegoating the E.U. for Economic Frustrations. Britain actually has a better deal than most E.U. nations. For starters, it retained its own currency, and controls its own monetary and fiscal policy. But as a member of the E.U., Britain does get to send tariff-free exports to the continent and London operates as a major European financial center. All of this now at risk. The E.U. Had It Coming. Brussels is a remote, unaccountable bureaucracy, imposing regulations beyond democratic control. The vote, rightly or wrongly, was a yearning for lost national sovereignty. Rejecting Liberal Internationalism. Britain has grown at a good clip since joining the E.U. in 1973. Globalization is here to stay. The people who voted for Brexit, are badly informed flat-earth types, failed to understand that they were shooting themselves in the foot. What's wrong with these commentaries? All fail to grasp that there is more than one brand of liberalism internationalism. The kind represented by the E.U. since the 1990s (and Thatcherism since the late 1970s) has been operated largely by and for financial elites. Advertisement When the original institutions that later became the E.U. were created in the 1940s and 1950s, the international system was designed on the ashes of depression and war to rebuild an economy of full employment and broad based prosperity. The system worked remarkably well. In the 1980s, as a backlash against the dislocations of the 1970s, Margaret Thatcher came to power in Britain (and Ronald Reagan in the US). Their policies returned to a dog-eat-dog brand of capitalism that benefited elites and hurt ordinary people. By the 1990s, when the European Economic Community became a more tightly knit European Union, it too became an agent of neo-liberalism. Policies of deregulation ended in the financial collapse of 2008. The austerity cure, enforced the gnomes of Brussels and Frankfurt and Berlin, is in many ways worse than the disease. Rising mass discontent has failed to dethrone the elites responsible for these policies, but it has resulted in loss of faith in institutions. The one percent won the policies but lost the people. So, yes, the Brits who voted for Brexit got a lot of facts and details wrong. And Britain will probably be worse off as a result. But they did grasp that the larger economic system is serving elites and is not serving them. Advertisement The tragedy is that we are further away from a reformed EU than ever. A progressive EU, more in the spirit of 1944, is not on the menu. The exit of Britain will give even more power to Angela Merkel's Germany, architect and enforcer of austerity. The rest of Europe will become more like Greece economically and more like the British rightwing politically. there will be more far-right populist movements for other nations to quit the EU. This has already begun in France and the Netherlands, two of the founding nations of the European Community -- and ones that also benefit, on balance, from the EU. What about race? Didn't race play a big role in this vote. Is surely did -- and not just a backlash against just recent influx of refugees and economic migrants. Since the 1950s, when Britain rebranded its empire as the Commonwealth, Britain has had a relatively liberal immigration policy for its former colonies--one part carrot to promote allegiance, one part guilty conscience. In the 1960s, the rightwing Tory Enoch Powell was already campaigning against immigrants and slogans appeared, "If you want a Ni---r for a neighbour, Vote Labour." By 2001, fifteen years ago, Britain was already 8 percent nonwhite. As traditional industry declined and living standards crashed, non-white populations increased, creating resentments against both economic misfortune and racial change. Advertisement But the history of rightwing populism is invariably a mix of economic factors and nativist ones. In the 1960s, when Europe had full employment, there was little backlash against foreign "guest-workers." Anti-Semitism was never far below the surface in Europe, but it took the German economic collapse of the 1920s and early 1930s to produce Hitler. Rightwing revolts are always substantially irrational, as was the vote for Brexit. But when downwardly mobile Brits grasp that the EU and the larger model of neo-liberalism aren't exactly on their side, they are grasping a truth. What makes this vote so tragic is the absence of enlightened leadership, either in Britain or on the continent, to propose something better. Prime Minister David Cameron, who proposed the reckless gamble of a referendum as a tactical feint to paper over an intra-party schism, may now be responsible for the dissolution of two unions -- not just the EU, but the UK, as Scotland secedes. He will be remembered as the worst British prime minister ever, a near-tie with Neville Chamberlain. The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, who said he opposed Brexit but refused to actively campaign against it, was not much better. Britain's two major parties are now both in disarray. I can think of one possible silver lining. The referendum was not legally binding, and Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty -- withdrawal -- still needs to be voted by the House of Commons. And a majority of British M.P.'s oppose Brexit. Now that the implications of Brexit are clearer, including the likely breakup of the United Kingdom itself, it's possible that the Commons could refuse to approve Article 50. Rather, Britain could have an early election, and maybe even a partisan realignment, with one party pledged to keep Britain in the EU but to modernize the EU to better serve regular Brits, and the other party standing for narrow nationalism. My bet is that the modernizers would win. Advertisement Absent this sort of recasting of politics and political choices, we are in for a grim era in which ultra nationalists and neo-fascists keep gaining ground. Today, U.N Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon landed in Jerusalem for a final visit before the end of his term. During his 10-year stint as Secretary General, he has seen Palestinian "innovation" flourish. From bus suicide bombings, to rocket fire, and their latest "terrorvation" - underground terror tunnels. While in Israel, will Mr. Ban condemn the Palestinians digging these terror tunnels and aiming rockets at Israeli children in towns like Sderot? Will he unequivocally condemn the terror attacks in the midst of our cities? Will he speak out at all against the ongoing incitement and hatred so prominently displayed in the Palestinian territories? The answer is - unlikely. During Operation Protective Edge (2014), Mr. Ban visited the region while Israel faced hundreds of terrorist rockets raining down on its cities and towns and dozens of terror tunnels designed to murder our children. The Secretary General arrived on a private jet financed by the government of Qatar. Conveniently enough, he chose to disregard the fact that every rocket flying out of Gaza has the same Qatari wings as the plane he arrived on and that every terror tunnel dug, bears the imprint 'courtesy of Qatar'. Advertisement All these facts make it highly unlikely that Mr. Ban will use his influence to stop incitement, end terrorism, or move us any closer to a lasting peace in the Middle East. Through my four and a half years at the United Nations, I have gotten to know Secretary Ban personally. He is a good and decent man, but he has found himself under pressure supporting a very bad cause. The Secretary-General has proven his willingness to downplay or simply ignore tragic events as well as supporters and instigators of violence in an apparent effort to appease and get along with some of the world's most brutal regimes, and the extreme and hateful ideologies that they represent. During my tenure as Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, I learned a great deal about the world body's hypocrisy, its duplicity, and the triple standard it applies to world affairs - one for dictatorships, one for democracies, and a special critical standard designed only for Israel. There are dozens of examples of this bias in action. Below are just a handful of examples: Secretary-General Ban has been easily intimidated by the Arab Group and its allies in the non-aligned movement, which constitute a numerical majority in the UN's General Assembly. He almost broke a guinness record for the quickest retraction when he apologized to the Moroccan government for describing the country's annexation of Western Sahara as an "occupation." Advertisement The Secretary-General again succumbed to Arab pressure to stay silent as Leila Zerrougi, his Special Representative for Children and Armed Conflict who is also by coincidence an Algerian, produced a report suggesting that Israel be added to the U.N.'s list of terrorist groups, which includes Boko Haram, Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Mr. Ban was quick, however, to remove Saudi Arabia - a leading peddler of radical Islam and a known "human rights and women's rights "advocate"- from the same list. In a Security Council speech earlier this year, Mr. Ban gave terror a very unnecessary tail wind and blamed Israel for the latest wave of brutal Palestinian terrorist attacks, arguing it is "human nature to react to occupation." Nowhere is anti-Israel bias more obvious than in the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. The council addresses the human rights abuses of all countries in the world under a program known as Agenda Item 4. That is, all countries but one. Israel is the only nation that is singled out for criticism. We have our own Agenda Item 7 at each and every meeting. A result, according to the Geneva-based monitoring group UN Watch, is that more than 50 percent of all condemnatory resolutions are directed at the Jewish state. The United Nations, once a beacon of hope in the dark days following the conflagration of World War II and the Holocaust, has been overrun by repressive regimes that violate human rights and consistently undermine international security. It is clear that the inmates have taken over the asylum and the warden has been glad to give them the keys. Winston Churchill once said, "We shape our dwellings, and afterwards our dwellings shape us." If Mr. Ban wants to be remembered as a champion for the values that led to the establishment of the United Nations, the same values that South Korea shines on East Asia, then he must seize this last opportunity to condemn terrorism, expose hatred and support those of us on the right side of history. Hopefully, as he tours Israel and hears the sirens signaling impending terrorist attacks, Mr. Ban will finally be inspired to stand up for what is right. Advertisement BY RORY O'CONNOR From Anderson Cooper to John Oliver, it's become fashionable of late -- even in mainstream media circles -- to laud those daring enough to combine journalism with activism. That's good news -- but it wasn't always that way. For too long, any reporter who dared to combine journalistic endeavors with advocacy in support of causes for the social good faced near-universal scorn and professional opprobrium. The idealized pursuit of such myths as "objectivity" forbade "taking sides" or "expressing an opinion" when reporting events -- even when those events were at times patently one-sided. Those working within major news organizations -- including commercial and public media -- knew that speaking out and stating the truth about certain topics was at least to court trouble, if not to purchase a one-way ticket to oblivion. The late Danny Schechter was one of the first to fight against this sort of self-censorship. While at CNN and then ABC News in the 1980s, he pushed hard against the constraints of the mainstream broadcast and cable news media. In frustration, he left ABC to join me as what he dubbed "network refugees" to partner in the independent production company Globalvision. Together we began producing regular programming about such hot topics as apartheid in South Africa and human rights abuses around the world. Advertisement We knew from first-hand experience that the commercial world was not open to such coverage. So we offered it instead to public television -- where both of us had started our broadcast careers and to which we felt a naive natural affinity. Rather than being welcomed at PBS, however, we were instead told by top media executives there that our acknowledged opposition to the racist regime in South Africa was "too controversial," and later that a weekly series on global human rights was "an insufficient organizing principle for a television program." The PBS reaction, combined with deceitful, highly organized right-wing protests against us, led to our being branded with a metaphoric scarlet letter -- A for Activist -- and told that our advocacy meant that we weren't really journalists at all. Such views, while they are eroding, are still somewhat prevalent in today's media world. But as the pace of change within that world continues to accelerate at a dizzying pace, many within the field of journalism have begun to raise intriguing questions about the role of advocacy and the concept of reporter "objectivity." It was a reporter for the American Civil Liberties Union, after all, who broke the news about the water crisis in Flint, Michigan. And the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting went to InsideClimate News, an environmentally-conscious site dedicated to coverage of global warming science and politics. More recently, independent journalists Jamie Kalven and Brandon Smith exposed the Chicago police cover-up of the killing of 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. Increasingly journalists with strong points of view are giving us news and insights we can't find elsewhere -- particularly in mainstream journalism. Should we even bother any more trying to distinguish between so-called "objective" journalism and advocacy? Many knowledgeable observers now say no. "We might have passed the point where we can talk about objectivity in journalism with a straight face," says Patricia Aufderheide, University Professor of Communication Studies at American University. "Objectivity was always a shortcut. It was a useful little shortcut of a concept to say you should be fair, you should be honest, you should have integrity, you should tell people accurately and responsibly what you think are the important things about what you saw or researched. If what we're doing is advocating for the public, that's our job." Advertisement And if a piece of journalism "isn't advocacy, it isn't journalism," says media theorist Jeff Jarvis, professor at the CUNY School of Graduate Journalism. "Isn't advocacy on behalf of principles and the public the true test of journalism? The choices we make about what to cover and how we cover it and what the public needs to know are acts of advocacy on the public's behalf. Don't we believe that we act in their interest? After all, what is a journalist, if not an advocate on behalf of the public?" I couldn't agree more. That's why I am proud to announce today the selection of Jose Antonio Vargas as the first recipient of the Danny Schechter Global Vision Award for Journalism & Activism, to be awarded annually to an individual who best emulates Schechter's practice of combining excellent journalism with social activism. The award includes a $3000 stipend to support future reporting and advocacy. In 1993, when he was just 12, Vargas moved from his native Philippines to the United States. Four years later he learned he was an undocumented immigrant. By the time he turned 30, he had become a celebrated journalist: part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team at the Washington Post, a top executive at the Huffington Post, a writer for the New Yorker, a documentary filmmaker. But even after this meteoric rise, Vargas was still running from his past. "I spent all of my 20s being scared of the government, scared of myself," he recalls. "I didn't know if I could keep going, if I could keep lying." So Vargas took a bold and dangerous step, going public with his status in a 2011 cover story in the New York Times magazine entitled My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant. "After so many years of trying to be a part of the system, of focusing all my energy on my professional life," he wrote, " I learned that no amount of professional success would solve my problem or ease the sense of loss and displacement I felt... I'm done running. I'm exhausted. I don't want that life anymore. So I've decided to come forward." Vargas focused renewed attention to a volatile front in America's ongoing cultural and political wars. His sudden flip from reporting to advocacy led to greater recognition -- within a year he and other undocumented immigrants were on the cover of Time magazine -- but also to increased scrutiny and danger. Nevertheless he embraced his new role as an activist, even while expanding his efforts to reach people through journalism. Vargas says he always viewed his activism "as an act of journalism." Advertisement To that end, he has added another title to his resume: publisher. First came Define American, a non-profit "using the power of stories to transcend politics and shift the conversation around immigrants, identity and citizenship in a changing America." Most recently, he launched EmergingUS, an online news organization aimed at exploring the "evolving American identity" and creating"a new kind of journalism that represents all of us." The $100 bill is highly recognized around the world. And it's not because of Ben Franklin. The $100 bill is a favorite among dirty politicians, criminals and terrorists. Dealers, Evaders, Terrorists and Politicians Large denomination bills help facilitate the transfer and concealment of sizable amounts of money. Much of this illicit money can be stored offshore in international banks where it can be kept secure and hidden from the law. But criminals, terrorists, cartels, and tax evaders are not the only culprits that use large bills to divert cash into international banks. It is estimated that dirty politicians from 150 mostly poor nations have hidden $12.1 trillion off shore--much of it in large bills. This statistic is based on a review of 45 years of official statistics for 200 countries. (Source) Advertisement Kill the Bill Attempts to ban large bills have been made in an effort to combat criminal and terrorist activities. In the recent past, the $100 bill has been the focus of a little-known proposal to ban its use primarily to thwart illegal activity. But the proposal has never been approved. In spite of the unsuccessful effort to pull the $100 bill from circulation, the European Central Bank decided in May to stop production of the 500-euro note for the same reason. (Source) $12.1 Trillion Missing from Poor Countries The $12.1 trillion hidden offshore, which equates to two-thirds of the U.S.A.'s annual GDP, covers a time frame starting in 1970. (Source) With such a large quantity of money siphoned away from poorer countries, it's no wonder that so many nations have large populations living in poverty. As greedy leaders steal from their own coffers, they blatantly ignore efforts to improve and enhance the overall quality of life for their citizens. $36 Trillion Missing Overall The term capital flight is used to describe the condition when wealth rapidly flows out of a country. When this happens, currency exchange rates can drop rapidly. As exchange rates drop, currency and assets lose value--a repercussion that ultimately affects a country's ability to carry out trade with other countries. Deficits build. Advertisement For over 40 years, greedy leaders have caused capital flight by diverting funds to offshore accounts. In addition to the $12.1 trillion, capital flight wealth has also accumulated in the accounts of the world's wealthiest by way of tax evasion and criminal or terrorist activities. When you combine both sources of capital flight, the total sum is about $36 trillion or 15 percent of the world's wealth. That's 15 percent of the world's wealth that has been removed from the world market. That's 15 percent of the world's capital that is unable to spur economic growth. (Source) Where's the Money Some of the flight wealth is stored in shell companies, but it is mostly in reserve at international banks in accounts that pay little to no interest. And, some is stored in storage vaults or safety deposit boxes where it's easy to put large denomination bills or gold. Corrupt leaders and terrorists know where to secretly divert funds. They know which countries are the best havens. They know where local law will protect their assets. The Panama Papers is a good example of this concept. (Source) What to do? But just knowing that there are such large reserves in offshore banks does not solve the problem. One expert, Jim Henry, chief economist at McKinsey & Co., suggests the way to thwart these activities is through banking haven reforms. (Source) Reforms would need to stop transactions that cater to illegal transactions carried out by criminals, dirty politicians, and terrorists. Advertisement In addition, removing the 500-euro note and the $100 bill from circulation could also create logistics challenges for criminals. As noted, Europe has already voted to ban the 500-euro note. On the contrary, the U.S. has done little to acknowledge this issue--in spite of the fact that two-thirds of all $100 bills are currently held outside the U.S. One other possible solution to stop part of the hemorrhage created by politicians--have them submit to a lie detection test at various intervals during office. What do they have to hide? When it comes down to society's acceptance of the LGBT community, we have seemingly made significant progress. These improvements instill a sense of hopefulness for many - which is quickly demolished by attacks that are perceived as "hate crimes" such as the Orlando shooting. However, what if we stopped frantically attempting to put the blame on one single aspect of the shooter's life to pinpoint the motive? What if we quit identifying and analyzing the particular group of people who are being victimized in this situation, and looked at the much larger issue that no one seems to want to talk about? My friend Sean had an interesting perspective on this issue, and I wanted to share it with you. Sean identifies as bisexual, but his views may differ from what you would expect. Sara: Could you elaborate on your views of sexuality, specifically your own? Sean: To me, sexuality has always just been a piece of who I am. I am bisexual, but in the end of the day it really just matters more to me that the person I'm with is kind and caring, rather than what gender they are. Society has become so obsessed with labeling sexuality, and it has led to immense issues with acceptance and understanding within different groups. Advertisement Sara: How is the issue of acceptance misconstrued in society today? Sean: Society places a large amount of emphasis on acceptance - and rightfully so. Growing up, I constantly wanted three things - to be accepted, loved, and understood. The irony is, my family was always incredibly supportive. The problem wasn't them - it was me. I felt alienated constantly, but this wasn't limited to just sexuality. I was just as self-conscious about my foreign parents or my skin tone as I was about having a crush on my best guy friend and girl friend at the same time. It's all just confusion that is part of growing up in the human existence. Sara: Your view is that incidents like the Orlando shooting cannot be attributed to one specific issue. Can you expand on that? Sean: I have been reading countless articles, Facebook statuses, and tweets that all attempt to place the blame on one single aspect. The thing is, you can't. This is all just a product of hatred. It isn't a problem of a single religion or a single gender or a single sexuality. This is a global problem of the human condition. Sara: How can we approach these situations differently? Sean: First, we can start by asking questions. Omar Mateen may have hated gay people, but the question everyone refuses to discuss is - WHY did he hate them? What made one hateful opinion in this man's head explode into such a terrifying nightmare for the global community? We can speculate all we want, but the issue of self-doubt and insecurity comes up at any way we look at it. For some particular reason, he felt so beaten and weighed down by the judgment of society around him that he resorted to stone cold terrorism. That being said, I don't think that sitting around and talking about gun control or gay rights or immigration laws is going to solve the issue. That just means implementing more laws, and laws will always be broken. Advertisement Second, we can quit comparing America to other countries around the world. We are America, a unique country where 300+ million people are able to live together despite skin color, religion, personality, and sexuality in relative peace. The issue that is seemingly unique to America is the fact that minorities are large enough to actually have a voice about the racism, sexism, and discrimination. The only way to stop this unnecessary violence is for us to quit pointing fingers, and then raising our flags as high as possible to see which minority group is the most self-righteous. Sara: So would you say that it all comes down to the fear of not being accepted? What Donald Trump Teaches Us About How We Become Americans Grammar made the news this month, pushed into the spotlight by Donald Trump's renewed campaign to limit the terms of American citizenship. In the wake of the Orlando shooting Trump reaffirmed his pledge to stand strong against "the Muslims," promising not only to keep out those seeking refuge from distant shores but, more ominously, to monitor Muslim families already living in the United States. "They have to work with us," Trump pronounced the night after the tragedy, speaking to a crowd in New Hampshire. "They have to cooperate with law enforcement and turn in the people who they know are bad...They knew the [the shooters in Orlando and San Bernardino] were bad. But you know what? They didn't turn them in." To his adherents in the audience there was no confusion in the choice of language. The power of Trump's rhetoric lay in the deliberate placement of pronouns: They, set against us. Us, not we. On either side of each sentence, between the teleprompter and the candidate, Trump diagrammed permanent division, a forever abeyance of citizenship for American Muslims, a community reimagined for the purposes of the election as native informants in the twilight struggle against radical Islam. That the Orlando shooter had been born American, born as one of us, to immigrant parents in a Queens hospital not far from where Trump's own immigrant mother had given birth, made no difference. Islam presented as a special case, a pathogen carried by immigration, passed on genetically across generations. They could never become us. "I'm talking about second and third generation," he mused to Sean Hannity, "for some reason there's no real assimilation...[The shooter] was born here. His ideas were not." Advertisement The same might also be said about Trump, whose campaign to restore American greatness employs a blood-and-soil nationalism never before seen in modern presidential politics. Trump would make America European again, his proposition that surname and place of parental origin serve as fixed tests of national loyalty a localized version of herrenvolk democracy espoused by far-right parties in the UK and on the continent. Trump's barely concealed skepticism that non-European immigrants can become fully American, what Dara Lind has described as a "zero-sum identity game," runs counter to core and native myths of what makes America great. If there is an American exceptionalism, it is in our namelessness and rejection of personal detail, in the belief, if inconstant practice, that where we come from has no bearing on who we can become. Michael Walzer once wrote that in the absence of a common ancestry or an ancient homeland we become Americans anonymously, our symbols and ceremonies invented rather than inherited from a particular place, "the flag, the Pledge, the Fourth...are, as it were, all we have." The script prepared in advance, the arriving immigrant needs only to learn her lines, meet her marks, and recite the part. Advertisement In fact, the new American debuts without rehearsal or direction, an improvisation performed, at least for a time, badly. There is no prepared text, the story written on the go, without beginning or end. The truth is that we arrive not knowing what to say. Assimilation occurs in the crucible of an ordinary life lived in trial and daily error, far away from global struggles or religious crusades. It begins in the futility of the fast food drive-thru, in an order placed over and over again into the speaker, accented and unable to be understood by the scratchy voice on the other side. America takes place inside the sit-down restaurant, in the negotiation of a menu by sons and daughters who, better with the language, order on behalf of their parents. We become citizens in the classroom explanation, foreign children made interlocutors for an entire country, religion, or race by what's in the news: Impromptu lectures in a Peoria kindergarten by the Iranian student on why Americans were being held hostage in their own embassy, a mini-seminar on religious persecution in sixth grade social studies led by the Yazidi refugee in Lincoln, the itinerant student from Michoacan anxiously explaining to his classmates the contents of his packed lunch. Citizenship emerges with the impromptu staging of national holidays, in the fearless mix and match of ritual, Vietnamese Thanksgiving, Ethiopian Fourth of July, tahdig placed alongside the turkey, pho served before the Easter lamb. It takes place on the first tour of Halloween, when my mother and I held our neighbors at bay with a take-it-or-leave it demand: "Tricky tricky! Tricky tricky!" We are met along the way by the Americans who were already here, their citizenship affirmed in the encounter with ours. "Son, it's not 'tricky tricky.'" Our hallway neighbor gently corrected my technique, slipping an extra handful of chocolate into my bag. "It's trick or treat." We do not singly become Americans. We become we. Advertisement American exceptionalism begins with the pronoun, a grammatical fiction that can draw out the better angels of our nature as well as lead us into bigoted temptation. "When we talk about [who gets to come here and call our country home] in the abstract," President Obama warned in a 2013 address on immigration reform, "it's easy sometimes for the discussion to take on a feeling of 'us' versus 'them.' And when that happens, a lot of folks forget that most of 'us' used to be 'them.'" The Trump campaign thrives on the distribution and division of pronouns, on the easy difference between "us" and "them." Pronouns are an abstraction in Trump's hands, held "like a box with a false bottom" that allows him to "put in it what ideas [he] pleases, and take them out again without being observed." Trump wastes no opportunity to fill those boxes with falsehoods, doing so in plain view, suggesting that American Muslims condone Islamic extremism when they do not, warning that immigrants do not adopt American customs and activities, although the evidence shows that they do. There is, of course, nothing new in the story that Trump is selling, nothing original in the nativist impulse to deny new generations the privileges of the old. For all of his spontaneous behavior on the stump and campaign trail, the naked celebration of "common sense" and political incorrectness, Trump represents one of the most constant tropes in American politics, the notion that the new American is somehow fundamentally, permanently, different from the old. Few are buying it. Recent poll numbers suggest that that a growing number of Americans view Trump for what he is: A showman who has lost the plot. Nearly half of Republican voters want Trump dumped from the ticket, including an unprecedented 65 percent of all voters in Utah, a state that has not voted for a Democratic nominee in 52 years. As the country becomes more varied and diverse, as it becomes more American, our script deviates from his, more so each day. "He doesn't know how to speak properly." My immigrant mother delivered her judgment in translation, rendering into English a sentiment borrowed from her native Iran. Forty-one years as an American had taught her something of the national grammar, of what was beyond the pale. This man doesn't know how to speak properly because he lacks decency. Translated from the Farsi, the sentiment was, from the first, already American. Advertisement Pictured: A Muslim woman admires an Orthodox Jewish woman's baby on a bus in Israel. (Photo Source: StandWithUs, official Facebook page) I attended religious schools growing up and was all registered for a Jewish university at the age of 18 when I suddenly felt anxious about my decision. I knew of certain girls who were headed there and I was filled with a general foreboding that it would be a continuation of a snooty high school I had never attended. Friends would later tell me I was entirely wrong about the all-female college and I would later meet warm women who had attended, but the decision felt absolutely right at that moment in 1993. I had to go with my gut. So, in the eleventh hour, I switched to Queens College because that was where my best friend was headed. I had never really been encouraged to apply to NYU, where my parents went, or even considered the Ivy Leagues because my math SAT score did not reflect my general high school average of 94. I was in that "Doesn't score well on standardized tests" category that becomes a mantra for students who don't meet certain benchmarks. I still remember all of the vocabulary, but my decent English score was not enough to compensate for the numbers portion. What I did not know was that switching to the CUNY - my first secular school at age 18 after spending a gap year at an ultra-religious seminary in Israel - would prove to be life changing or how it would impact me beyond college. Advertisement My best Jewish girl friend was Rena, a popular name among modern orthodox girls, but at Queens College, I met "Reena." Her full name was Reena Chopra. Born in the U.S., she came from a family of Pakistani Indians that practiced Islam. Pathetically, I will admit that my first reaction to being surrounded by non-Jews and outgoing, interesting people like Reena was a jumping for joy type of excitement. I had never gone to school with people of so many different races, religions and cultures. I asked Reena questions about her life, family and the rules that her parents imposed, rules that were oddly similar to those of my own parents. I was in awe of her prior public schooling. Specifically, I marveled at how she, a Muslim, knew and was friends with so many Jews. Also, the realization that my peers from yeshiva were so race-aware (This was not their faults at all, it just happens when you grow up with uniformity. In 6th grade, we had our first black Jewish girl join the classroom.) was embarrassing in retrospect. In stark contrast, I didn't feel like the "odd Jew out" as I began to make non-Jewish friends for the first time in my life. Sure it helped that there were many "members of the tribe" at Queens College overall, but most were part of other departments and not in that of my minor, English. In my particular classes, I was somewhat unique, but I did not stick out. I was accepted. There were things that would remain strange to me though during those college years: Naively in 1993, I found it hard to believe that a Catholic friend was genuinely interested in hearing about Jewish practices. I was surprised to find out that yarmulke-wearing appeared to garner respect for religious garb, which contradicted what I often heard from male friends about their "Jewish headache" and feeling uncomfortable standing out. Remember, this was over 2 decades ago and it was my unique experience. I was young and somewhat sheltered. This was my first time in classes with peers who were not from Jewish homes. I wanted to declare to some of my Jewish friends "You can be who you are among these people! They respect your beliefs!" AND "There are good Muslims, you know!!!!" I wanted to shout those things then and I finding myself sometimes feeling the need to do so now, 23 years later in this post-9/11 world. Advertisement You see, my kids are in public schools rather than Jewish Day Schools. This is not a decision we made lightly, but one that initially made sense because tuition is exorbitantly high. In other ways, such as certain educational offerings, the move to public school would prove to be the best decision for us. We still lose sleep about supplementing our kids' Jewish education sufficiently, but it pales in comparison to the sleep we once lost over tuition. In public schools, our kids are exposed to kids of all religions, races and backgrounds. They have friends who are black, white, Asian, Mexican, Hispanic and of mixed races. Some of their friends wear yarmulkes and others wear hijabs. These are kids who embrace my own and have attended my son's bar mitzvah. These are kids who regularly volunteer to help me hand out plates and napkins when I bring cupcakes into the classroom. These are kids who behave in an exemplary fashion when I chaperone trips. These are kids that sit down in their seats on long bus trips and are not seen standing up or behaving rambunctiously. So it feels like an earthquake has hit when I still get questions from people such as: "I see on Facebook that you are friends with Muslims, how does that work?!" And yes, that has really happened despite the fact that I live in a town where Muslims and Jews work together, where they are friends and sit side by side on our town council. There are still a small group of people that can't get their head around how we have all come together. You might scoff at what you read above, but you have to understand that until you are in a multi-denominational environment, you do not necessarily understand inclusion. I no longer walk around with "excitement" over having "different" types of friends because I've truly come to appreciate that the only categories I see are people I can be friends/acquainted with, and those whose actions displease me who I avoid. Every single one of my friends is terrified of and condemns terrorism. My Muslim friends are horrified by the actions of violent radicals. We may not agree on all points about Israel and often we hear conflicting reports based on the sources of our respective news, but we agree on wanting peace. My Muslim friends have reiterated to me that we are all children of Abraham (or as they say "Ibrahim"). Only hearing about and seeing Muslims from afar as a child, I knew very little about how similar our cultures (Jewish and Muslim) actually are, how we have uncannily comparable cultural dating rituals and pressures, as well as religious practices and decisions (i.e. covering one's head). My friend Saleha Ahmed and I have joked that we are "sisters from different misters" because of the incredible number of interests we share as well as our similar humor and cynicism. Advertisement A pregnant woman in the early stages of labor rests in a hospital bed with her arms on her stomach. An IV is seen in her left hand. What ever happened to being honest and fair? Yes, people are dying who need organs, but living organ donors are people, too. Recent movements to encourage living organ donation are misdirected. What living organ donors need is a safety net. To encourage donation in the absence of such precautions boarders on immoral. The White House is working on putting together a Summit on high tech means of encouraging living organ donation and Representative Matt Cartwright just introduced the Organ Donor Clarification Act of 2016 to allow funding for pilot projects on nonmonetary incentives for living organ donation. Both these efforts are misdirected. The first because we should not be encouraging donation in the absence of the most basic donor protections and the second because incentives that encourage donation in the absence of such protections is a recipe for disaster. Advertisement Donors need paid leave for the time they take off to donate and recover from surgery. With only 12 percent of the U.S. working population having paid family leave (White House Summit on Family Leave ) and almost half Americans not having enough savings to take care of a $400 expense (See here), how do we expect the average American to afford being a living organ donor? Donor don't have to cover their own medical costs, but they do have to take time off for testing, the donation surgery, and a month to three month's of recovery. They also need a caregiver, who is often someone in the same household, to take time off to be at the hospital with the donor and stay with the donor for the first week or so after returning home. And what if there are travel and lodging expense for the donor and caregiver? What about other potential costs such as childcare, home-care, or pet-sitting? All these things can add up to $10,000 or more that the donor has to "donate" on top of donating an organ. And what if the donor has complications -- ven rather mild complications like an infection can mean added weeks off work? If a donor has complications, the organ recipient's insurance may cover the costs of treating that complication. There may be a debate over whether the complication is related to the donation or the time period for covering donor complications may have passed. Some recipient's go back to work and drop their Medicare coverage, leaving their donor without coverage. A recent article published on the Doctor's Lounge blog states that a shocking 16 percent of living organ donors don't have health insurance so if the recipient's insurance doesn't pay, the donor is stuck with the bill. Complications are also not limited to physical complications or even the financial complications discussed above. During an online seminar for living organ donor advocates, the speaker shared that her preliminary data indicated that close to 30 percent of living organ donors experience post-donation depression (See here). Advertisement It is doubtful that a donor's request for counseling would be covered by an organ recipient's insurance. Sometimes transplant centers offer post-donation counseling, but the donors I've spoken to say the transplant center is the last place they want to go for such counseling since often their unhappiness stems from how the Center treated them. Or, they fear their recipient will find out, and they don't want to put a damper on the recipient's joy at having received a much needed organ. For two years now I've been an independent living organ donor advocate who assists donors after their donation, and I've been shocked by how many donors feel abandoned. There are programs that help donors make it to the point of donation, but few that help them after they have donated. Donors need comprehensive medical coverage, coverage for lost wages, and coverage for psychological counseling, job security and much more. While there are some efforts underway, such as the Living Organ Donor Protection Act, that will bring donors under the umbrella of the the Family and Medical Leave Act, such protections, and the others I've mentioned, should be in place before any efforts are made to encourage the general public to become living organ donors. To launch incentive studies and media campaigns before a proper safety net is in place could be courting disaster. Just imagine dozens, if not hundreds, of angry and frustrated living organ donors sharing with friends, acquaintances, and the media how they faced financial and psychological complications they were never told were possible. Consider Lou Ann, a social worker who thought donating a kidney would be a nice thing to do while she was between jobs. Lou Ann was enthusiastic about saving a life and still is glad she did, but she is also extremely disappointed with how she was treated post donation. Lou Ann told me:"I hate to put it so bluntly, but the truth is they tore out my kidney and then threw me in the trash." Lou Ann has good reason to feel abandoned, as do other donors. If she had received immediate medical attention when she developed complications, perhaps her medical and financial troubles would not have snowballed into a nightmare she is still trying to escape. Within a year of donating, Lou Ann was jobless, homeless, and nearly $400,000 in debt. The transplant center where she donated a kidney is not returning her calls. Advertisement Lou Ann is not alone. We know that approximately 10% of living organ donors suffer complications (see p.15 at here). As a volunteer for the American Living Organ Donor Network, I receive calls and emails almost every day from living organ donors who need help with post donation expenses -- mostly lost wages and medical expenses not covered by the organ recipient's insurance. I just returned from a two-week trip to Italy. A large part of this trip was in Sicily and the last few days were with friends in Tuscany. We had some unique experiences that made me think of some additional travel related startup ideas beyond the last two that I published earlier, Build Me This Travel Planning App, Please! and Build Me This Travelogue App, Please! In a small town called Modica in South East Italy, we spent a night at an old palace, Palazzo Failla. Modica, Ragusa, Noto are three towns in South East Sicily that were destroyed in the 1693 earthquake but rebuilt as beautiful Baroque towns. Advertisement Julia and Giorgio run the 10-room hotel that is their grandmother's house. I love to see places with history not being destroyed by the march of time. Heritage hotels are one of the best preservation strategies for old properties. We try to stay in them when we can. This one is from the eighteen hundreds. They also recommended a wonderful new restaurant called Accursio where the chef quit a 2-star Michelin restaurant to launch one uniquely his own. Accursio has no star (yet) but was a wonderful experience. Throughout Italy, families are trying to save their old, unique properties by turning them into hotels and B&Bs. They are all listed in Tripadvisor and Hotels.com. However, I don't really know where to go if I specifically am looking for these kinds of properties to stay in during a trip. What I would like, as a traveler, is a website or an app that really builds on these unique experiences of staying at unique Palazzos or Villas (or Havelis, as they call them in Rajasthan, another place in India that is full of these heritage properties). Advertisement Also, I believe, the owners of these properties are looking for interesting ways to market themselves, and often are not at all savvy in online marketing. We know the owners of a beautiful 7-suite luxury villa in Tuscany with 2000 years of history, an Etruscan church on the property, and excellent cuisine, in the hills of Sienna, in a village called San Giovanni d'Asso. The owners and the managers are Belgian. Marketing isn't their forte. Their clientele is over 70% Belgian, their customer acquisition is largely word of mouth. Ten years back, I taught them how to use Trip Advisor, and they have not really advanced beyond that. So, my assessment is that both property owners have the need to market, and discerning consumers are looking for precise resources to find unique places to stay. Address the need, and you may have a winning value proposition. The same need, by the way, exists in other styles of unique properties and experiences. Italy, for instance, is now full of agriturismos. We had a lovely lunch one day at one of those near the archeological site of Selinunte in Southern Sicily. We were driving to Agrigento after seeing Selinunte, and randomly saw the sign and stopped in. After the lunch, I had the same feeling ... where can I find a consolidated view of all the agriturismos in Italy with reviews, ratings, photos, extensive descriptions of what they offer, and how the experience is differentiated and interesting. Advertisement From an implementation point of view, this can be done by small-scale entrepreneurs with unique insights and knowledge of a region. For example, someone could focus on Tuscany, someone else on Sicily, another on Provence. Each site or app needs to become the authority on the region's offerings that go well beyond the regular travel guides that list run-off-the-mill experiences. As for business model, the most sustainable business model would be to work with the property owners in a subscription fee model such that they pay to be listed, marketed, and reviewed and rated by the users. Here's a straw man pricing model: $300/month to showcase a property with a meaningful degree of depth, charisma, and storytelling. Of course, this means, the entrepreneur(s) need to be great storytellers with a sophisticated understand of how to present an "experience" not just a TripAdvisor listing. And, the properties, for the sake of the travelers, need to be a curated set meeting certain standards of excellence. With this pricing model, you would need 300 properties in your portfolio to get to $1M in annual revenue. Advertisement There could be additional booking commissions as well, as part of the business model. Finally, my observation is that there are whole new segments of affluent consumers developing who are not necessarily savvy travelers. Sophisticated marketing to draw in some of these new segments from India, China, Silicon Valley, and developing their taste buds to consume such charismatic travel experiences could yield serious returns. The day after the Orlando massacre, the New York Daily News and the New York Post ran front-page headlines that couldn't be more different. At the top of the Post page, a black background with these words in white letters: 'ISLAMIC TERRORIST KILLS 50.' Underneath, two headlines red-bulleted and in black letters: (1) 'Gay-club attack on our freedoms' (2) 'Worst shooting in nation's history.' And taking up the lower half of the page in giant red letters: 'ISIS VS. US.' The front page of the Daily News featured a headline in yellow letters against a black background: '50 dead in Orlando club massacre.' Underneath the headline and taking up the rest of the page is a mini-essay in the form of a sarcastic and taunting thank-you note, in white letters with some words highlighted in red: 'THANKS NRA. Because of your continued opposition to an assault rifle ban, terrorists like this lunatic can LEGALLY buy a killing machine and perpetrate the worst mass shooting in U.S. history.' To say that the two newspapers had different axes to grind would be an understatement. The Post foregrounds Islam and ISIS and unites them with the word "terrorist." The attack is not on club-goers in Orlando, but on the U.S. The gay part of the scene is briefly acknowledged but is quickly absorbed into "our freedoms." Advertisement The Daily News front page doesn't even mention gays. Nor does it reference Islam or ISIS. Its editors just want to indict the NRA for creating the conditions that (in their view) made the crime possible and even inevitable. This is sociological-cultural analysis rather than reporting. So in one newspaper, another chapter in the deadly war being waged on us by Islam. In the other, more evidence of political bankruptcy and cowardice in the face of a lobby of gun fanatics. So what's the truth of the matter and how might we determine it? It's tempting to say that if we put all the accounts offered by the media together, we would have something like the complete story. But then someone will object (correctly) that you can't just lay competing accounts side-by-side, for that implies that all of them have an equal weight; and that can't be so; some factors must be more significant than some others. Once that point is made, an argument about which ones are in fact more significant will break out immediately, and the apparently intractable dispute will begin all over again. Can't we end the argument by setting the competing accounts next to the facts and letting the facts decide which account of them is correct? This is an age-old dream of those who want to short-circuit bias and distortion, but it depends on being able to identify the facts apart from any disputes about them; if were able to do that, arguments could be settled almost mechanically. Unfortunately, facts are what emerge from argument; they do not precede it, and so there is no set of argument-independent facts that could compel assent from everyone and end the debate once and for all. Advertisement But what about the fact that 49 died and more than 50 were injured in an event that occurred in Orlando, Florida? No one doubts these facts; aren't they universally compelling? Well, no one I know doubts them, just as no one I know believes that Elvis lives, that the Holocaust didn't happen, that we didn't land a man on the moon, that LBJ killed JFK, that 9/11 was an inside job, or that the earth is flat. Yet millions of people do believe these things and believe them in the face of the evidence brandished so triumphantly by clear-eyed observers of fact. What do you say about those millions? Well you could say that they are crazy because any sane person would yield to the obvious facts. But that's just name-calling and a refusal to acknowledge that those who hold views we consider bizarre have reasons for what they believe and are able to cite evidence in support of their reasons and deduce from those reasons facts they regard as indisputable. Of course it is not evidence that we in the mainstream credit or reasons that we find reasonable, or facts that we acknowledge. But that just means that "we" and "they" are coming from different places and the gap between us cannot be bridged by facts that come from nowhere and are just there. There is nothing to prevent someone from putting forward an account of the events in Orlando that denies that they ever happened and attributes a belief in the "standard account" to a conspiracy of gay activists abetted by a media that supports them. Probably won't happen, but it could happen and nothing in nature or the nature of fact could stop it in its tracks. Daniel Patrick Moynihan famously said, "You are entitled to your own opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts." But you are if you can embed them in a story that is persuasive to at least a significant number of people, for it is in the crucible of persuasive efforts that facts are fashioned (and dislodged). No facts before argument. Indeed, without argument there are no facts. And that's a fact. As Volkswagen continues to struggle in the aftermath of their deceptive emissions reporting scheme, they are starting to pay for some of the costs of their mistake. In a recent Wall Street Journal article, Mike Spector and Sara Randazzo reported that Volkswagen: ...is nearing a $10 billion civil settlement, the largest in the auto industry's history, to compensate U.S. owners of vehicles affected by the German car maker's emissions-cheating scandal, said people familiar with the matter. Under the proposed deal, Volkswagen would offer to buy back cars and provide additional compensation for owners of almost 500,000 diesel-powered vehicles with two-liter engines that contain software capable of duping government emissions tests, the people said. In addition, Volkswagen is expected to pay more than $4 billion for environmental impacts and to promote so-called zero-emission vehicles... Other payments in the U.S. and overseas are expected, and although the company has set aside $18 billion to pay the costs of damages, it is not clear that this will be enough. The company's retail dealers have still not recovered from the public relations nightmare caused by the company's lies, and VW's customers report being misled and disappointed by a company they trusted to be honest. Advertisement The market and government regulators are sending a message that is clear and ought not be misunderstood: people care about the environment and the quality of their air. If people did not support air pollution regulations they would not have cared about Volkswagen's disregard of environmental law. Government is obligated to enforce the law, but in this case you can sense that the U.S. government is devoting extra effort to this highly visible case. In the fog of political nonsense we call a presidential election, the issue of environmental policy is mostly absent. As I observed a few weeks ago, Trump is saying nothing, and although Hillary says the right things, environment is far from the center of her campaign. But even if political reporters are ignoring sustainability, corporate leaders are taking note of this settlement. It may set a precedent for future deals to settle environmental mismanagement. While Volkswagen is rich enough to take a $10-20 billion dollar hit, most companies would be driven out of business by a penalty of that size. The risk of such a mistake provides leverage to people inside corporations attempting to bring the physical dimensions of sustainability into routine corporate decision-making. This includes careful consideration of the environmental impacts of the company's production processes and products. Much of the damage done by Volkswagen's deception has already taken place and been absorbed by the environment. The question for Volkswagen and for other companies is: What are the lessons learned from this error and how do we reduce the probability of a repeat? Advertisement Most of the management experts who have reviewed Volkswagen's emissions scandal consider it a failure of an insular corporate culture. The diesel engine designed by VW's heralded engineers could not meet environmental emissions standards. Rather than look outside the company for help in designing a better engine that could meet standards, VW's engineers designed deceptive software that fooled emissions-testing equipment. Quite the creative "workaround"--talk about imaginative engineering. The corporate culture was focused on selling the most cars of any company in world history, and that single-minded focus made it difficult for information that might slow the pace of sales to get any type of hearing. At the time of the emissions scandal, Volkswagen was run by Martin Winterkorn, a strong-willed leader who resigned in September 2015, when he took responsibility for the scandal. While Winterkorn did not have specific knowledge of the deception, Jack Ewing, New York Times business reporter, observed at the time that: Volkswagen's command-and-control structure probably made it difficult for Mr. Winterkorn to escape responsibility, even if there was no direct culpability. Critics, including management experts and analysts, have long faulted what they say is a company culture that hampers internal communication and may discourage midlevel managers from delivering bad news. However, even organizations that have a less directive management culture and more open communications may still ignore environmental costs, benefits, and risks. In some organizations, "soft" issues--not directly related to revenues and profits--are considered frills. These include occupational health and safety, rigorous adherence to ethical standards of behavior, fairness in human resource management, including biases related to race, gender, ethnic origin and sexual orientation, and of course, environmental sustainability. But as the values of fairness, ethics, and environmental sustainability become more widespread, the most sought after employees want to be sure that the organizations they are working for adhere to these standards. Google famously asserted that "you can make money without doing evil." While some question Google's devotion to that principle, it remains a powerful and attractive element of the company's vision of its corporate culture. In a world economy and society dominated by instantaneous, global, and sometimes viral communication, image and messages matter. I like to think that facts matter too. We live in a more observed world. Satellites, drones, smartphone videos, and security cameras have made secrecy and, unfortunately, privacy more difficult then ever. Only information overload prevents everything from being known by everyone. But in the new world we live in and in a brain-based economy where competition requires new and creative ideas all the time, organizations cannot be run by dictatorial fiat. A leader's vision must be tempered by the vision and ideas of the organization's members and stakeholders. The 21st century manager not only articulates a vision and manages against it, but must develop a vision based on a process of facilitation among stakeholders and other key players within the organization. By definition, the most talented people within your organization are the most mobile and sought after. Incorporating their views into organizational strategy and management may not be easy, but it is typically necessary. Leaders that ignore their key people risk losing them to the competition. However, although more open and effective management is necessary, it is not a sufficient condition for sustainability management; another step must be taken. Management must explicitly add the costs of energy, water, raw materials, and waste to the organization's financial control system. They must also add the risk of damage to the environment into the organization's strategic and operational planning process. Senior management must ask if the potential cost of environmental impact has been considered and, if not calculated, at least estimated. The key lesson of the Volkswagen emissions scandal is that no one seemed to think that the damage to the environment was a factor worth considering. Even if that was not assessed, what about the potential reputational damage that might be caused if the company was caught installing deceptive software? "The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper." W.B. Yeats I drew this mixed-media illustration of Steven Spielberg back in 1996. He's been a favorite movie maker of mine since I first saw, ET. In my art I have a young Steven pictured as Peter Pan. The words "Do you believe in fairies?" come directly from J.M. Barrie's book, Peter Pan and Wendy. In the story, Tinker Bell was dying because she drank poison that was meant for Peter. As she was fading away, she whispered that she thought she could get well again if children believed in fairies. Peter jumped up and shouted to children everywhere, "Do you believe? If you do, clap your hands. Don't let Tink die!" For those of you who don't know the story, yes, Tinker Bell pulled through. Believing is a powerful thing. There is not a doubt in my mind that Mr. Spielberg believes in fairies and all things magical. I do, too. I've learned to cultivate enchantment and to be open to being astonished: I believe in miracles. I believe that imagination is more important than intelligence. I believe a child's capacity for wonder is gold and should be guarded as such. I believe good always overcomes evil, and if you're lucky, you may live to see it. I believe if you can dream it, it can be done. I believe that someone is going to do it, so why not you? I believe you are born with all the gifts needed to fulfill your life's purpose. I believe all your answers can be found within. I believe that what you are looking for is looking for you. I believe you're never too old manifest your heart's desire. I believe that you shouldn't limit your dreams. Just follow your bliss. What you end up doing may not have even been invented yet. Advertisement "Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." Roald Dahl Steven Spielberg has joined forces with Disney to bring Roald Dahl's children's classic, The BFG (The Big Friendly Giant) to life. It will open in theaters on July 1st. I've been looking forward to seeing it since I caught its trailer last January. The more I feed my sense of wonder, the more possible the impossible seems. Letting ourselves be enchanted, conjures the spark that ignites the flame of possibility. Without hope we would wither away into mundanity. For it's true, without a little pixie dust, it's death for most of us. For Teen Vogue, by Lily Puckett. Miley Cyrus, Troian Bellisario, Lea Michele, and more show off their moves. June brings the celebration of International Yoga Day, and we are 100% ready to celebrate. The day was named in 2014 by the United Nations. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi first proposed the day during the 69th General Assembly in a stirring speech about the benefits and philosophy of the practice. "Yoga is an invaluable gift from our ancient tradition," he told the UN. "Yoga embodies unity of mind and body, thought and action ... a holistic approach [that] is valuable to our health and our well-being. Yoga is not just about exercise; it is a way to discover the sense of oneness with yourself, the world and the nature." We definitely agree with the Prime Minister on this one -- and so, apparently, do tons of your favorite celebs. In honor of International Yoga Day, here are 5 of our faves bending, twisting, and OM-ing to their heart's delight. Namaste! 1. MILEY CYRUS Miley is definitely no stranger to yoga -- and it totally shows. A post shared by Lea Michele (@leamichele) on May 18, 2016 at 2:02pm PDT Advertisement 2. LEA MICHELE Standing Bow is even better when you've got a friend to hold on to. 3. LENA DUNHAM Lena Dunham and fellow Girls writer Jenni Konner practice some serious coordination in acro yoga. A post shared by Vanessa Hudgens (@vanessahudgens) on Aug 12, 2014 at 11:07am PDT 4. VANESSA HUDGENS Must-have look for summer: a brand new perspective, courtesy of inversions. 5. DANIELLE BROOKS Proving that yoga is possible anywhere, Danielle Brooks pulls a flawless chair pose sans mat. See the rest of Times Your Fave Celebs Have Instagrammed Some Seriously Impressive Yoga on TeenVogue.com Although it seems counterintuitive, the only thing that can be more annoying than discovering a destination is overloaded with tourists, is discovering a destination that should be but isn't. While it's great that this means you'll have the place all to yourself, half the fun of travel is being able to share special places, so with that in mind the members of travel website, Trippy.com have put together their list of completely underrated places. Whether cities or whole countries, here are the destinations Trippy members feel could use a little more credit. Want to weigh in on your favorite underrated destination? Join the conversation on Trippy.com! "Yes, even in the winter. Great food, TAX-FREE clothes, amazing music scene & so much to do outside." from Trippy member Molly Mogren Katt of Minneapolis, Minnesota "The Kvarner region of Croatia is also missed from most itineraries, as most visitors focus only on the Dalmatian coast. With wonderful local white wines from Krk, and close proximity to the culinary delights of Istria, Kvarner should definitely not be overlooked." from Trippy member Brett Domue of Eindhoven Advertisement "Lake Garda, Italy. Its such a beautiful region and I hardly ever come across write ups about it." from Trippy member Michelle Geaney "Most people go to Bali for beaches, yoga, surfing, etc., but Java is full of interesting cultural, historical, and natural attractions. Places like Krakatoa (the source of the biggest volcanic eruption and the loudest sound in recorded history; offshore, but close enough)." from Trippy member Neville Mehra of Bangkok, Thailand "Although Uruguay is not the cheapest nor the most exciting in terms of nightlife or cuisine, it was a surprisingly hospitable country. We lived in Montevideo for 4 months. Driving around this smaller country is easy and safe. Make sure you check out swanky Punta del Este, the Rocha Coast and, of course, the quaint colonial city of Colonia, directly across the Plata (river) from Buenos Aires. Seasons are temperate, so trips can be planned 12 months of the year. It's natural beauty will astound you!" from Trippy member Rachelle Stout "Mongolia is a really cool place to visit also and worth a visit in and of itself with great deserts and unreal scenery. More than just a stop on the Trans-Siberian." from Trippy member Lee Abbamonte of New York, New York Advertisement "Jordan is also a place that people don't know about because they think the Middle East is unsafe, but Jordan is safe, friendly, beautiful and has amazing sights. Not just the famous Petra, but also Wadi Rum, Madaba, Jerash, the Dead Sea, castles, and other places." from Trippy member Wm Leler of Mountain View, California 8. Malawi " . . . Malawi for its subtle beauty - in people, culture, wildlife and scenery. I had the opportunity to serve lunch at a school in Blantyre and I'd particularly recommend a visit to Lake Malawi, to see the baobab "forests", and Mvuu Camp where hippopotamuses are as common as squirrels and you might find an elephant standing right outside your door in the morning!" from Trippy member Nathaniel Boyle of Boston, Massachusetts Photo credit blumblaum via Flickr "I'd vote for Chur -- the oldest city in Switzerland, out in the eastern canton of Graubunden. It's a bit out of the way, in the Alps, but lovely and full of quaint hotels, restaurants and shops, with a great little museum of the local history, in the Romansch-speaking region (although everyone speaks German). Europeans consider Chur quite the shopping Mecca. No one else goes there." from Trippy member Peter Dorfman of Bloomington, Indiana "Cyprus. Fantastic climate for most of the year, lots of history in the capital Nicosia, sociable locals and you can even ski in the mountains normally in January/February." from Trippy member Danny Smith of London, United Kingdom On a day of torrential rain that closed polling stations and halted commuter trains, 72 percent of Britons eligible to vote decided upon the fate of their nation and, perhaps, that of Europe's. A campaign had ended; one of ugly insinuations and mistruths, ratcheted behind the hateful anonymity of social media and much confusion over "the facts" of what the European Union actually can and can't do. The final days were quiet, sobered by the ghastly killing of Jo Cox, Labour's inspiring member of parliament, by a disturbed nationalist, shouting "Britain First". In the early hours of June 24, Britain learned that it had voted to leave the European Union. "Remainers" met the startling result with shocked numbness, as if another atrocity had been committed, this time by an unsuspecting family member. The vote was close, but decisive. Now politicians from both sides long for parliament's upcoming summer recess to re-group and digest what the rupture of a forty year relationship actually means. Both sides are bewildered, and hoping to be wrong -- about the dire economic and international consequences forewarned by the "Remain" campaign and the inability to stem the continuing flow of migrants that "Leave" politicians promised to fix. Even some Brexit politicians looked a little sheepish -- as if they had been careless enough to wish for what they got. Advertisement David Cameron's gracious speech of concession was emotional composure at its British best; appealing for calm amid the momentousness of such a decision. He advised postponing the extrication of this 40 year relationship until the election in October of a new Tory leader. Jean-Claude Juncker, President of the European Commission, was having none of it. Seeking to punish the prime minister for precipitating this potential implosion of the EU, he made it known that the two year countdown should start, let's say, next week; leave is leave, now get on with it. No pussyfooting for a Britain that has been feasting on a cake of concessions within the EU -- lounging outside the Schengen area while tossing its own coinage. The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney's don't-worry-I've-got-your-back press statement ultimately calmed a panicky City of London. But talk of introducing executive powers for the prime minister in order to speed up the convoluted "Article 50" departure, feels like a step closer to the United States of Britain that no one wanted. And the Brexit slogan of "taking back control" was never meant to include the indefinite, day-in-day-out interaction with the 27 other EU countries that will determine Britain's future status. This was a vote of displaced anger at one's lot in life. A street sweeper was asked: What do you think will change now? "Everything! Working conditions!" This might have been UKIP leader Nigel Farage's "Independence Day", but it was also Scotland's. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has made clear that preparations for a second referendum to secede are now "on the table". Young voters have reacted with fury. "I feel I've had a right stripped from me", said a 23-year-old, whose 18-24 demographic voted 75 percent to remain. Incensed at the old who voted for their future, when 61 percent of the over-60s voted to Leave, it is hard for them to listen to former cabinet ministers of the Thatcher era, like Norman Tebbit, Nigel Lawson and Norman Lamont, with a combined age of 250 years, dismiss with a shaky hand the worrying consequences of an isolation the young don't relate to and the wizened will not be alive to enjoy. Advertisement Glancing at Boris the morning after, looking a tad post-coital at his first press conference, my daughter sneered casually : "So is he prime minister yet?" And when he declared that the people of this country had decided, she breathed: "They haven't -- a bunch of old people have". His was a poised speech of nonsense, equating the advantages of a Europe that young Britons enjoy today to the dreams that England would now help them fulfil. This was a vote against the elite -- the bankers, politicians, business leaders, tax-evaders -- and, more worryingly, the elite of critical thinking -- the IMF, the OECD, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, and the President of the United States, among others. Pro-Brexit Justice Minister Michael Gove's words of comfort that this moment will signify, "a new chapter in line with our best traditions" ring true; circa 1972, that is, propped by a tanking pound, a visible British Nationalist Movement and a more prosperous London-centric capital with little regard for the rest of the country, England. Today in Christopher Park in New York City we celebrated the designation of the Stonewall National Monument, the first national monument that honors the history of LGBT community in the United States. These were my remarks. Thank you, Tommy, for such a gracious introduction. It's an incredible privilege to share this historic day with an iconic trailblazer in the fight for LGBT equality, who played such a central role that fateful early morning on June 28, 1969. About four years ago, a young woman on my team had the chance to brief President Obama on an event that was about to begin. After the briefing, they chatted briefly about their upcoming birthday plans that were a day a part. When the President asked Monique what she intended to do to celebrate her birthday, she said her partner was planning a dinner with friends. Without a moment's hesitation, the President said, "What does she do for a living?" Monique often reflects back on that casual, seemingly ordinary conversation as a profoundly meaningful affirmation of her life by the President of the United States. Advertisement To me, it symbolizes the remarkable progress we have made on the path to this day. Secretary Sally Jewell, thank you for your leadership and the important role you've played in making the Stonewall National Monument a reality, and in helping to ensure all of our national parks tell the full, inclusive, story of our Nation's history. And thanks to all those in the Obama Administration who worked hard to make this day happen. Thanks also to Senator Gillibrand and all of our members of Congress who are here with us; as well as to Mayor DeBlasio and leaders from New York City. And to Governor Cuomo and the elected officials in the State of New York who all contributed to make today possible. And of course, thank you to the advocates, activists, and LGBT Americans young and old, who, working over decades, bent that long arc of the moral universe toward justice. I am sure President Obama envisioned this day during his second inaugural address when he said, "We, the people, declare today that the most evident of truths -- that all of us are created equal -- is the star that guides us still; just as it guided our forebears through Seneca Falls, and Selma, and Stonewall." And so today, on behalf of President Obama, I proudly announce his designation of the Stonewall National Monument. Advertisement As I reflect back over just the last seven and a half years since President Obama took office, our progress toward that goal of equality has been tremendous. When the President was sworn in, marriage equality was the law in just two states. And now it is the law of the land nationwide, because the Supreme Court validated what we have known all along. Love is love. Our President signed the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.He signed the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. He lifted the 22-year HIV/AIDS travel ban and hosted the first International AIDS Conference in over a generation. The President extended hospital visitation rights for LGBT Americans. And the Supreme Court upheld the Department of Justice's position that a central provision in the Defense of Marriage Act was unconstitutional. Advertisement The President also prohibited discrimination against LGBT employees by Federal contractors and subcontractors. Right now, his Attorney General is fighting in North Carolina for Transgender rights, and his Department of Education is helping schools across our country protect the rights of transgender students. Of course, while the progress we've made during the Obama Administration seems swift, it stands squarely on the shoulders of decades of work. Of steps forward and back. Of ordinary people who refused to sit down, and who demanded to be heard. Over and over and over again. This moment is a long time in the making. From the early years of Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon of the Daughters of Bilitis, to Audre Lorde, all who dared to tell their stories as lesbian Americans. To the days of Harry Hay and Frank Kameny of the Mattachine Society who defended their rights as gay men to be served a drink, and Frank's work with Barbara Gittings on the protest every Fourth of July in Philadelphia at Independence Hall. To the student activism of Stephen Donaldson, a bisexual man, who founded the first LGBT collegiate organization at Columbia right here in New York. To Compton's Cafeteria, where Felicia Elizondo linked arms with her transgender sisters to fight back against discrimination. And of course, to the event we are here to commemorate today. When, in the early morning hours of June 28th, 1969, a group of LGBT Americans at one of the city's most popular LGBT bars -- the Stonewall Inn -- rose up against a police raid that threatened their sanctuary and equal rights. When Martha Shelley, Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt, Marsha P. Johnson, and many others, refused to back down, and fought for the dignity and equality they knew they deserved. And if not for the courage of those brave Americans, including those who are here with us today, and the many we lost to AIDS, Christopher Park may never have become nationally recognized hallowed ground in the struggle for LGBT rights. Advertisement The Stonewall Uprising awakened our national consciousness to the humanity of LGBT equality, just as previous civil rights battlegrounds had done for the nation, from Seneca Falls to Selma. Stonewall became a profound inflection point in our Nation's history. That's why President Obama designated this special place as the Stonewall National Monument. He believes our National Parks should represent the inclusive mosaic of America's story. And it reflects our continuing work to perfect our union. Two weeks ago, LGBT Americans and many allies congregated in Christopher Park as they have before, to mourn, heal, and stand in unity following the tragic murder of 49 people in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. That night served as an excruciating reminder that though we have made immense progress -- of which we should all be proud -- our work remains to make the United States a more tolerant, safe, and just country for all Americans. Today is a symbol of the strength, determination, and resilience of our character, and the true goodness of our struggle. Advertisement Thank you all for you commitment to help perfect our country that we love. The U.K.'s historic vote to leave the European Union should be a wakeup call to all business owners and leaders. Like the presidential campaign in the U.S., it is a clear signal that workers are fed up with seeing the dreams and visions of the elite in society realized at the expense of their own. They do not feel heard or cared for. And inequality like this never ends well. It inevitably ends in revolution. Brexit happens to be a peaceful one, but that's not always the case. The onus is now on CEOs to pay attention. Individually, we have little control over immigration policy and other issues related to the discontent. But we can control what happens in our own companies. Advertisement Employees' Dreams Matter As business leaders, we have visions we work very hard to achieve. We expect our employees to help us make them come true. Along the way, we tend to forget that those associates have their own dreams, too. Not surprisingly, many employees have started to see themselves as instruments being used to realize one person's vision, as their own is pushed aside. Their perception is accurate. Therefore, to do our part in righting this wrong, one of our most important jobs as CEOs should be to help our employees realize their dreams. It starts with finding out what they are. John Ratliff found a way to do this successfully at Appletree Answers. During an annual off-site meeting his call center company in Delaware decided to tackle turnover among frontline employees. While churn among non-exempt employees was only 3%, turnover was 110% for the employees who answered the phones for clients, matching the industry average. "Clearly, we were doing something right for one group but not the other," says Ratliff, the founder. Out of Touch What Ratliff didn't realize is how painfully out of touch he and his leadership team were with employees' concerns--and how that was contributing to the problem. Just how little he knew about their lives became very clear after Lisa Phillips, the company's director of operations, asked how the company could become more like a Make-A-Wish foundation for employees. Her question was in line with Appletree's core value, "Take care of each other." Advertisement After having a small group of employees flesh out the idea, the company launched an initiative called Dream On. It asked employees to submit a request tied to one thing they would like to happen in their personal lives. There were no restrictions. A secret committee would review the requests. As the responses trickled in, Ratliff got a crash course in the daily realities that his frontline employees faced. Many team members were grappling with health problems or coping with the challenges of caring for elderly parents--factors that affected their ability to juggle their jobs with their lives outside of work. Others were suffering financial problems, having had a period of unemployment before joining Appletree, and they needed a few thousand dollars to get caught up. Seventeen employees simply wished they could own a car, to make it easier to get to work. Charity Starts at Home Some of the stories were heart-wrenching. To help employees turn around the situations that were weighing on them, the company decided to provide grants and other resources through the program. Over time, Appletree Answers used American Express points to send a couple on their honeymoon, flew a mother to see her daughter in the Navy over Christmas, and fulfilled the dream of an employee to take a first family vacation with her disabled daughter. "What CEOs don't realize is the access you have that other people don't, and how you can create opportunities for people you never would have thought of," says Ratliff. The program had a profound effect on morale and turnover, given that call centers are usually run like the sweatshops of the Information Age. Not long after Ratliff and his team launched the Dream On initiative, turnover dropped to 20%. While the initiative cost money, it paid a 20 times return on investment in terms of reduced turnover costs in less than a year. Advertisement Feeling Cared For "The overall sense of belonging, of being part of something bigger than themselves or their individual sites, and part of a community, has been one of the biggest changes I've seen in employees," says Ratliff. "I felt more connected to our entire group, and the company became much more human to people." Although he sold the company in 2012, the Dream On initiative has had a lasting impact on its culture. The Dream On initiative is just one of the many creative ways I've seen leaders show employees that the company cares about them. John Chambers, the recently retired CEO of 75,000-employee Cisco, made it a priority to know about every employee or family member suffering from a serious illness and bringing the full resources of the company to help them--in the process saving many lives. It is up to us as leaders to find the way that works best for our companies. Once employees feel like the company cares about them, they will, in turn, start to care more for the company and its customers. And workers who feel cared about will also care more about themselves, taking steps that will allow them to thrive economically, like committing to learning new skills. This is a critical step in bridging the inequality gap. Rosemerry Guarita, taking off like a Super Girl, La Paz, May 2016 PinchesGringos Rosemerry Guarita lost her dentures during the first protests by people with disabilities in Bolivia in 2012; she was biting a police officer who was trying to hurt her. "Everything we have today is thanks to that fight." During this years protests though, she's changed her strategy. With one hand she pulls the police shields aside, and with the other hand, taking advantage of the height of her wheelchair, she grabs them where it hurts the most. "I was squashing their balls, that's how we pushed the back." She says laughing cheekily. It was thanks to her new technique, that Rosemerry won a battle against the dozens of police officers who wouldn't let her hang herself from the bridge in the center of La Paz. After the wheelchair protestors forced the police back off the bridge, with Rosemerry leading the way, she took off like Super Girl, rolling down at full speed with a lilac cape hanging from her neck to hide the hooks and rope needed to hang herself from the bridge. Once she got to the road, the others dropped down the rope. The police cut the rope three times, but she kept trying. " It's my human right to protest, for 25 years I've lived in this wheelchair without dignity. Now I'll hang myself for all people with disabilities that remain hidden in their homes, I'll hang for all the people who can't be here." Rosemerry, hangs from the footbridge in the center of La Paz, May 2016. PinchesGringos "I ended up full of bruises, but happy, I couldn't imagine in my wildest dreams that I'd spend my 48th birthday hanging 20 metres above the road with the whole country watching." Advertisement Rosemerry was born in El Chapare, her family are coca farmers in a little town called San Jose in the tropics. When she was a girl, she met a young leader who taught her to always fight until the end. "He always wore a white shirt and a towel around his neck," she remembers. "Can you imagine? That leader was Bolivia's first indigenous president, Evo Morales. I've always voted for him, even in the last referendum, I voted yes! How could I possibly imagine what he'd do to us?" Rosemerry's mum died when she was twelve years old, so she had to grow up fast to look after her four younger siblings. Years later she moved to Cochabamba where she met the father of her first son, "I was a single mother by the age of twenty." She says with a little bit of sadness. On one particular trip back to El Chapare, she met Rodolfo, who fell crazily in love with her. "Rodolfo didn't conquer me, he conquered my son Michael" she laughs. A year later, Rosemerry and Rodolfo got married and they had another two children and now they have two grandchildren. Rosemerry in front of the police barricade, where she is camping with her fellow protestors for 60 days, May 2016. PinchesGringos Advertisement Rosemerry opened a corner store and every week she filled it with merchandise she bought in the market. One day she tried to carry a big bag of rice home on the bus, but the driver dropped her a long way from her house, and she carried it on her back. That night, her back began to hurt, but she didn't take much notice until days later when she fainted. The doctors first diagnosed her with rabis, they carried out all sorts of tests, she went from hospital to hospital, until a doctor decided to take liquid from her spine to find out what was wrong. It was at that point it was discovered she had Tubercular Meningitis, " If I didn't hurt my back with the bag of rice, maybe I wouldn't have found out until it was too late." She was in the hospital for a year and everyone believed she was dying. "I don't remember a thing, then one day I woke up thinking about my baby daughter, they told me she'd inherited my illness and was also in hospital." Everything was too expensive and her husband couldn't pay for both of them, so he decided to take the little girl home from hospital. "When I finally got out of hospital, my husband had sold everything and we decided to move back to my house in El Chapare. The day we arrived home, my ten month old daughter died in my hands, simply because we didn't have enough money." Rosemerry couldn't overcome her sadness and they went back to Cochabamba. There, with her crutches, she started to sell plastic bags in the market " I was never embarrased, people bought my bags, because they felt sorry for me." She began making carry bags from potato sacks and a year later she bought her own shop in the market where she sold wallets, belts, underpants, books... She sold everything. "I'm hyperactive, I can't wait for things to happen, I always have to be doing things!" says Rosemerry. Every year, she loses more mobility. One day it was announced in the radio, a meeting for people with disabilities and without thinking she went. She became a leader of the 'Comitee of Protection of People with Disabilities' in Cochabamba. In 2012, a group of people with disabilities decided to take to the streets and protest and Rosemerry was among them. "No-one told me to, it was my decision to join the fight because we can't continue living like this." Advertisement Rossmery and her fellow protestors got naked in the center of La Paz, protesting the police brutality they've endured, May 2016. PinchesGringos After everything that happened Rosemerry severly burned her legs, "Kitchens here aren't made for people in wheelchairs, there was a splash and the hot water spilt all over my legs." In the public hospital, the nurses only gave her painkillers and her sister had to send $10,000 from Spain so she could have a skin graft. "It was hell, what I lived through at that time. How many people suffer in their houses! When the government says, we are living a financial boom, that we have free health, free education for people with disabilities, it's all a lie!" Says Rosemerry, with the conviction of someone who never gives up. Rosemerry is convinced the only way people with disabilities in Bolivia have a chance of survival is by getting a monthly pension of Bs. 500 ($71 USD). The kicks from the police, her fear of heights, her age or her deteriorating health haven't been able to stop her. "I don't know where I get my ideas or the words when I speak to the press, they just come to me," she says inspired. "When there's injustice, I feel I can do anything, I become a lion, but I'm also a very sensitive person. I'm so sad for all the people with disabilities who haven't had a chance." Everyone respects her, including the other leaders in the protest. When they want to give up, they worry that she will think they're cowards "After all this, I've lost all my fear," says Rosemerry, convinced that her fight will end the day people with disabilities can live with dignity in Bolivia. Advertisement Rosemerry and Feliza being attacked by police water cannons, on May 25th in La Paz. PinchesGringos * Part of a series of portraits of a collective of people with disabilities who have been fighting for more than 170 days on the streets of Bolivia. They're asking for a monthly pension of $71 (a quarter of the minimum salary in Bolivia). During confrontations with the police people with disabilities have been gassed, attacked with water cannons, thrown from their wheelchairs and kicked on the ground amongst other violations of their human rights. On June 10th, two people were killed when a drunk driver drove through the middle of their camp while protesting in Cochabamba. Two orphans were left behind, one with a severe autism. Bolivia's minister of communication, Marianela Paco, blamed the wheelchair protestors for the two deaths. Bolivia's President Evo Morales told a news conference on Friday, June 24 "We can not give a pension to the disabled, we have to look after the national economy", however the yearly budget of the ministry of communication for propaganda is 70 million dollars, a third of this budget would be enough to cover the annual pension for the 23,000 people registered with severe disabilities. Heartbreaking. That is how a UN World Food Programme (WFP) officer describes the living conditions of displaced Iraqis who have fled the violence in Fallujah. A major offensive by Iraq's military has reclaimed the city from the ISIS terrorists. But the humanitarian tragedy continues as people have lost their homes, livelihoods and food supplies. Around 85,000 Iraqi civilians have sought refuge in overcrowded camps, schools and mosques. And some are left without shelter in the brutal desert heat. Iraqis fleeing Fallujah amid dust storms. (photo courtesy WFP/Jane Pearce) Nikki Gamer of Catholic Relief Services, whose agency is helping thousands of Iraqi families, says, "With temperatures soaring and families out in the open, there is an urgent need for shelter." Advertisement Iraqi mothers and children are the most vulnerable. WFP Iraq official Maha Ahmed says, "We met a young mother this week who escaped the violence in Fallujah with her new born baby in her arms - he was only 4-days-old when they fled." Saleh and his six children have been waiting for five days under the blazing sun with no shelter. (photo courtesy of the Norwegian Refugee Council) More than 3 million Iraqis have been displaced since ISIS began its assault on the country. Each person has their own story of horror to tell. Even those who have fled the brutality of ISIS cannot escape the hunger and the thirst. The WFP is reporting an urgent shortage of US $34 million in funds for emergency food aid. Even more is needed to help longer-term recovery. Advertisement This is why the United States Food for Peace program is so crucial during time of war. Food for Peace is the biggest supporter of the hunger relief mission by WFP in Iraq. Bur right now much more help is needed. The Congress should double the funding of the Food for Peace program. This is crucial because displacement is at an all time high globally. Iraq is just one of the emergencies. There is also extreme hunger and suffering in Syria, South Sudan, Yemen and countries affected by Boko Haram violence. Many crisis areas don't even make the news. But the hunger is there, silently killing people. With displacement comes food shortages. Whole systems of farming have broken down in these nations. We have to save lives and give war and disaster torn countries a chance at rebuilding. Food is the first of the many necessities. Ahmed says, "The people of Fallujah have been suffering under siege for many months without access to food or medical care. Reaching them now with life-saving food and other humanitarian assistance is the absolute top priority." Advertisement WFP, which relies on voluntary donations, rushes immediate response rations to Iraqis displaced by the ISIS war. They need funding to provide these rations along with their partners including UNICEF, Norwegian Refugee Council, Qatar Red Crescent, Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services and others. This is where Congress can do its part by increasing the Food for Peace funding so more aid can reach Iraqis in need. The U.S. has to show global leadership in responding to this level of humanitarian emergencies, unseen since World War II. The Fallujah offensive may be over. But we should heed this warning from Save the Children's Iraq director Maurizio Crivellaro, who says, "We can expect to see the awful scenes we are witnessing in Fallujah repeated on a much larger scale if, as is expected, there is a military offensive on Mosul. Tens of thousands of children are already crammed in overcrowded camps in the searing summer heat. If and when there is another influx of displaced families from Mosul, the situation could be catastrophic." Perhaps it is not surprising in the present political climate that the deaths of 12 teachers fighting to defend public education in Mexico have gone virtually unnoticed. The presidential hopeful and presumptive Republican Party nominee Donald Trump has built a vast political following railing for the construction of a wall to keep illegal immigrants out of the United States. His rhetoric obscured important events inside Mexico. Last Sunday in the southern state of Oaxaca, demonstrations turned deadly. Government security forces opened fire on a group of teachers engaged in an act of civil disobedience, undertaken to focus attention on government efforts to undermine public education. The protests were not unexpected. A broad coalition of students, teachers and activists have been engaged in a range of non-violent protests since Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto first announced his education plans in 2013. These so-called national education policy reforms promote the typical agenda of Global Corporate Education Reform including the general defunding of public education, the adoption of standardized testing, the evaluation of teachers tied to student test scores and the privatization of schools. While Nieto appears to be the chief proponent of the laws international conglomerates such as The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank are the real driving force behind such neoliberal reforms in Mexico and beyond. Advertisement As in countless communities across the United States, Mexican teachers have revealed the damaging features of these so-called reforms. Such measures further alienate, marginalize, and deny opportunities to low-income students. Teachers also called attention to the failure of politicians to consider the inadequacies of testing in addressing the specialized needs of many students from rural and indigenous communities. The government response in Mexico has been heavy-handed and violent. Thousands of teachers have been fired. Smaller numbers have been detained. In spite of the peaceful nature of the protests, Mexican officials sanctioned the use of what they initially described as "moderate force" against teachers. These supposed "moderate" tactics were used last week against activists occupying a highway in Oaxaca with tragic consequences. Activists and analysts both in Mexico and the United States have read these efforts as an attempt to subvert the democratizing potential of public education. In a recent TeleSUR interview for instance, National Autonomous University of Mexico professor and Legal Scholar John M. Ackerman observed that the government's efforts amount to a concerted effort to "get rid of the revolutionary tradition that has persisted in education since the early 1920s." Teachers in the United States have expressed similar concerns and have been involved in comparable actions aimed at drawing attention to the corrosive impact of corporate education reform and defunding schemes upon public schools. Last Wednesday, Chicago Public School Parents and teachers were barred from entering City Council Chambers at City Hall where they staged a massive protest against budget cuts. Chicago Teachers Union spokesperson Stephanie Gadlin powerfully expressed what might very well be the global call to action that is driving educators to protest. "Teachers are fighting for equitable, progressive revenue solutions so our schools will stay open in the fall and our students will not see further cuts to their education," she explained. The closing of democratic channels in Chicago and the violence in Mexico have unfortunately come to represent a pattern of indifference that mocks the civic virtue once so closely identified with public education. Advertisement A little more than a week before the violence in Oaxaca on June 11, President Nieto announced his administration would meet with teachers but only after they agreed to "comply with two conditions: returning to work in the schools of Chiapas, Guerrero, Michoacan, and Oaxaca, and accepting the Education Reform." The lack of choice is evident in those conditions. Autocratic directives like Nieto's underscore the necessity of educators from around the world to take to the streets as advocates for sane education policies. The situation in Mexico and Chicago signal a crisis on a global scale, the impact of which will determine our children's future. Back in February, Civil Rights activist and former educator Delores Huerta focused in on the crux of the problem in a cease and desist letter directed at Student Matter. This corporate education reform non-profit backed efforts to end teacher tenure in California and falsely attributed statements to her in support of their anti-union and anti-public education stances. Making a clear distinction between her views and those of the so called reformers, Huerta noted "I strongly believe in providing all children with equal access to a quality public education, and that starts with having educators who have the professional rights to stand up and speak out for the students in their classrooms." Refugees welcome as a road sign Refugees are people just like us, students, doctors, artists, business owners, entrepreneurs and teachers. Now what would you do, if overnight you, an American, became a refugee due to war? What would you do if Mexico and Canada put up gates and fences on the border? Your children and parents forced into the ocean to try to make your way to Europe. You would hope that they would treat you with human dignity. You would expect they would provide you safe haven and protection. You would believe they would not turn you back around into the ocean or force you across the border to another country to face a firing border security squad. You would hope they would welcome you, and not attempt to single you out based on the color of your skin, your race/ethnicity or religion. We as Americans should remember this fact. Advertisement We cannot become complacent about the millions of human lives endangered all over the world. There has been plenty of lip service by the White House but little substantive action to provide lifesaving shelter in the World's Largest Refugee Crisis. There are over 65 million people displaced worldwide and over 20 million refugees, 6 million are Syrian Refugees. The White House pledged to raise the ceiling of refugee admittance to 100,000. But this is nothing in comparison to actual hosting of 2.5 million refugees by Turkey, 1.6 million refugees by Pakistan, 1.1 million refugees by Lebanon. 10,000 Syrian refugees are supposed to be admitted in the United States this year, but all the arbitrary and discriminatory Congressional bills continue to attempt to undermine these efforts to the extent that only 1,736 Syrian refugees have been admitted since the fiscal year. This is embarrassing as compared to Canada's resettlement of nearly 26,000 Syrian refugees in 4 months. Millions have fled war, government abuse, and terrorism. The human rights implications are profound and yet refugees still have hope and immense courage. We cannot let discriminatory motivated and hateful rhetoric allow refugees to get caught in the red tape. This is counterproductive to the purpose of the Refugee Program, which is to provide immediate safe haven, not 2-4 years later. History warns us of the tragic denial of refugees fleeing religious persecution from Germany under the same arbitrary and hateful rhetoric. We sent thousands of human beings back to their death. Our government had classified these refugees in the same vain as they do today as at risk and threatened national security based on their identity, being Jewish. Houses in suburban neighborhood with city in background Dear property developer, I am writing to let you know that I am much more than a race, and that I am outraged at the "investor" that you cater to. You came and knocked on my family's home and asked if we would be interested in putting our home up for sale. Um? Did you see a "for sale" sign outside of our home? No. So then why would you think that we would be interested in your offer? But still, you insisted. You came a second time -- this time with a written offer and lengthy explanation of how excited you and your "investor" are at the opportunity to bring development to the "up-and-coming" Pilsen neighborhood in Chicago. Advertisement I am much more than a race. Have you read the news lately? By now, you must know about the gentrification -- and the positive and negative side of the spectrum -- and thus, pushing my neighbors and extended family to leave a familiar neighborhood that they have called home for many years. And although my family is not ready to leave Pilsen or sell our house, we know that gentrification can lead to both positive and negative outcomes. We know that is happening from coast to coast, and we are already reading about its impact in the news. I would like to touch upon the negative effects, seeing as you had very little knowledge of the negative effects that developers bring to neighborhoods. Yes, the people in the neighborhood might start to feel "safe" due to the rise of gentrification. Just take a look at this article that talks about the benefits of gentrification. According to a study from NYU's Furman Center and a study from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank both confirmed earlier research that gentrification is seldom associated with displacement, and that it is frequently associated with higher incomes and better economic results for the longtime residents of gentrifying neighborhoods. But at the same time, it's causing racism, raising a divide between the classes and causing new neighbors to point at their neighbors as a "person of interest." Just take a look at what is happening in the Mission District in San Francisco. A new neighbor who felt unsafe because of his neighbor of color, happens to call the police, and moments later that young man ends up shot to death in the park. Oh, you call it the place where the hipster beard came alive? Or the place where beautiful luxury buildings are being built? I call it the place where a community is being displaced, because they can no longer afford to live in this area or/and are not being treated as people of the community. Something a little too familiar that is happening in the Logan Square community in Chicago. Advertisement [Gentrification is] causing racism, raising a divide between the classes. Initially, you never met me, but the second time that you visited my parents home, I decided to give you call, because I wanted to know why you kept bothering my parents so much. We had a lengthy conversation, about your "investor" being excited for a new project in the Pilsen neighborhood, and you told me that your "investor" had purchased the abandoned building next to my home, to make it into prime renting space for -- wait for it -- "white" people. Not only did you have the audacity to tell me that the new space would be intended for white people -- actually no, I thank you for cutting to the chase. You also continued letting me know that my home would be the perfect additional space that the project needed. I had to take a moment and laugh, because I just couldn't believe that you were flat out telling me that you wanted my family and me to think about the possibility of leaving our home. All because you think that my parents home, my home can be bought, and with it, our whole family having to move out. Thanks for letting me know that you can put a price to your "exciting project" by simply buying out the Latino family next door. My family and I have no intention of letting go of the place that we call home. The conversation went on for another 10 minutes, all while you were picking up your dry cleaning. You later gave me an analysis of the Mexican population that lived in Pilsen. I'm sure you did your homework, which is why you brought up that the family's in this particular community lived in smaller spaces and not all the family members had a room to themselves. I really didn't need you to lecture me on that, but I listened anyway. Our conversation ended with a nice tone, but deep inside I wanted to say that you were insensitive, but decided to stay quiet. I'm happy that your project will not turn into a reality, because after all, my family and I have no intention of letting go of the place that we call home. For the first time in my life, if only for a minute, you made me feel like my family and I did not belong in our home. But I've grown from this experience to know that you and your kind will never make me feel this way again. White people are not the only people that deserve housing. I hope that the next time you visit, email, or call a Latino family, you have a better speech prepared. "White" people are not the only people that deserve housing, and Latinos are not at the very least deserving of your unsolicited dry speech. Advertisement Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - SEPTEMBER 17: Union Minister for Women and Child Development, Maneka Sanjay Gandhi launching a logo for Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign at PIB on September 17, 2014 in New Delhi, India. With many incidents of child abusegoing unreported, a drive will be launched to sensitise children to express if they encounter any inappropriate touch, request or demands, even in writing if they are not comfortable orally. (Photo by Raj K Raj/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) A police officer from Rajasthan has alleged that the central government "stole" from her the phrase for its national campaign to save and educate the girl child in India. Chetna Bhati, the chief of the women's police station in Udaipur, has claimed that the slogan 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao' was first conceived by her in 1999 for a series of poems she wrote. "I do not need money or publicity," she told The Times of India. "I just want to be acknowledged for an idea that has become so popular." Advertisement Bhati has been filing Right To Information (RTI) requests to the Prime Minister's Office to find out how it decided on the phrase. The questions, forwarded to the departments for women and child development and school education and literacy, could not be answered by the government officials, Bhati said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi listening to Madhuri Dixit's speech at launch of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao programme on 22 January, 2015 in Panipat, India. The Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana is one of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pet projects. It was one of the first campaigns announced by the Modi government shortly after it came to power in May 2014. By October that year, Modi announced the campaign to address the skewed sex ratio, with an initial corpus of 100 crore (US$15 million). It identified 100 "gender critical districts" where the child sex ratio showed an alarming decline. Several celebrities have come forward to endorse and support the project, since its inception. Advertisement Bhati, who has postgraduate degrees in History and English, was a school teacher before she decided to join the police force two decades ago, according to the TOI report. She claimed that in 2002, she had sent some posters she had made on the saving the girl child in India to then Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot, but never got a response. Later, in 2005, she publicly recited her poems on 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'. Hindustan Times via Getty Images SRINAGAR, INDIA - JUNE 26: Senior police and paramilitary officers carry the coffins containing the bodies of slain Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) men who had lost their lives in an encounter with Lashkar terrorists in Pampore during a wreath laying ceremony on the outskirts of Srinagar, on June 26, 2016 in Srinagar India. Eight Central Reserve Police Force men were killed and 20 others were injured after militants ambushed a convoy of the security force on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district. Two militants were also killed in the gunfight, the second major attack on a security convoy this month. (Photo by Waseem Andrabi/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) NEW DELHI -- Constable Vir Singh was among the eight men of the Central Reserve Police Force who were killed by militants in Pampore on Saturday, the deadliest attack to hit the state of Jammu and Kashmir in the past three years. Back in his village in the Firozabad district of Uttar Pradesh, upper caste men denied Singh's family just a little bit of public land for his funeral, The Times of India reported today. Advertisement It was only after district officials intervened that the upper caste villagers gave up by a 10 by 10 meter plot for the last rites of the soldier, who belonged to the Nat (acrobat) community, TOI reported. "In the morning, the local villagers had raised objections over martyred soldier's family's demand to cremate his body on public land and then erect a statue of him. But later, after long hours of talk with SDM, the villagers agreed to respect the family demand," Vijay Singh, the Gram Pradhan, told TOI. Singh, who joined the CRPF in 1981, was the sole bread earner for his family, who live in one small room, which has tin shed as a roof, TOI reported. Rajni, his 22-year-old daughter, is pursuing M.Sc, while Ramandeep, his 18-year-old son, is pursuing B.Sc, and Sandeep, his 16-year-old son, recently cleared his Class 12 examinations. Ramsneh, Singh's father, who is a rickshaw puller in Firozabad, said, "My son gave up his life to protect the land of our country, but over here our own people have objections to give a 10-by-10 sq. meter land for his cremation." Advertisement Press Trust of India Bihar's controversial topper in Class XII exams for the Arts stream, Ruby Rai, who wrote a one-line 'essay' on the saint-poet Tulsidas during a re-test, said today that she had "no idea" how she scored such good marks in the exams. According to Hindustan Times, Rai, who was arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) when she emerged from a re-test of the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB), said, "Hum dehaat ki ladki hain, humko nahi pata hum kaise top kar gaye (I am a village girl. I dont know how I topped the examination)." Advertisement "The BSEB took the decision to cancel the result of the Arts topper on the basis of report of experts team on her performance in Saturday's re-test," Anand Kishore, the new chairman of the board, told PTI. "She could not answer many of the questions which had been asked in the examination in which she (Ruby Rai) was declared the topper," he added. Reportedly, Rai also told the police that the principal of the Vishun Roy college in Vaishali, where she was studying, was a distant relative. However, while maintaining that she never had any direct contact with Bachcha Roy, the alleged kingpin of the 'topper' scam, she did not rule out the possibility that her father might have interacted with him, reported HT. Advertisement Rai's dubious distinction first came to light when she told a TV channel that "prodikal science" (political science), a subject she had topped in, was about cooking. Rai's Class XII marks were reportedly the result of a racket in which students paid 15 lakh to have their names declared in the state toppers' list. (With agency inputs) Also On HuffPost: Congress Party leader NEW DELHI -- After facing a huge backlash for choosing Kamal Nath as its general secretary in charge of poll-bound Punjab, the Congress Party has now picked a leader, who was convicted in a land grab case in February, and who happens to be out on bail. Asha Kumari, a lawmaker from Himachal Pradesh, was accused of transferring 60 bighas of government forest land in the name of her husband, Brijender Singh. Advertisement She was found guilty of criminal conspiracy and handed down a jail term of one year and ordered to pay a fine of Rs 8,000 by a court in Chamba, Hindustan Times reported in February. Following the uproar over her appointment, Asha described the matter as a "non-issue" since the "matter is stayed and suspended by High Court." Earlier this month, Nath resigned as the Punjab chief following intense criticism by political rivals of the Congress Party as well as grumblings from inside the Grand Old Party. Many Sikhs believe that he contributed to the bloodshed which claimed the lives of 3,000 members of their community in Delhi after Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards. Nath has never been charged for any crime in connection with the violence in the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, and the Congress Party leader maintains that he played no role in the carnage. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost India: Bloomberg via Getty Images Nexus 5X smartphone, co-developed by LG Electronics Inc. and Google Inc., and manufactured by LG Electronics, sit on display at the NTT Docomo Inc. unveiling in Tokyo, Japan, on Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2015. Docomo, Japans largest mobile-phone carrier by subscribers, introduced 10 smartphone models today. Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg via Getty Images Last year, Google released the Pixel C tablet with their own hardware. Since then rumour mills have been rife with stories about Google's plans to release their own phone. All the speculation received a big boost recently when The Telegraph reported that Google was in talks with carriers about smartphone distribution under its own brand. So far, the proprietor of the Android operating system has been working with smartphone manufacturers to produce Nexus phones which run on the stock Android operating system and come with tightly integrated Google services. Advertisement But now, Google wants more control over the process of making and designing smartphones. One major reason is the fragmentation of the Android versions. Most phones in the Android ecosystem are running very old versions of the operating system because manufacturers haven't bothered to work on software updates for those phones. Rival Apple's approach underscores this. Apple has a greater control over the software updates of iPhone and iPad because of its control over their manufacturing and design. However, Google has to rely on OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to provide Android updates to their various phones. Google releases the Android update code and then the OEM decides which phones the update will be rolled out for. Since Android manufacturers produce many phones in a single year, a lot of phones are left on previous Android versions. Therefore, Google wants an ecosystem where it has more control over updates. Advertisement Google have dropped many hints that it is working on making its own phone this year. It hired Motorola's former president Rick Osterloh to head a new hardware division. While in Motorola, Osterloh had briefly worked with Google, before Google sold Motorola to Lenovo in 2014. Last month, Google CEO Sunder Pichai said that the company is investing more effort into producing smartphones. However, it will also continue to support the Nexus program. The online search giant has already started producing hardware, either with the partners or by themselves. Chromecast, Nexus phones, Nexus tablets, Nexus TV box, OnHub router are a few examples. By the end of the year, Google will also launch a smart speaker under the Google Home brand. How smartphone manufacturers respond to Google's decision to make its own phones, despite Google's claim to continue to support them, remains to be seen. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India ASSOCIATED PRESS India's Foreign Secretary Subrahmanyam Jaishankar speaks during the special event to recognize the International Day of Non-Violence at the United Nations headquarters Friday, Oct. 2, 2015. (AP Photo/Kevin Hagen) NEW DELHI -- India today joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member and said its entry would be mutually beneficial to enhance global non-proliferation norms. Marking India's first entry into any multilateral export control regime, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to MTCR in the presence of France's Ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, The Netherlands' Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourg's Charged'Affaires Laure Huberty. Advertisement Delhi: India formally joins Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) pic.twitter.com/Rkqefs3hYH ANI (@ANI_news) June 27, 2016 "India has joined the MTCR this morning...India's entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives," External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. "India would like to thank each of the thirty-four MTCR Partners for their support for India's membership. We would also like to thank Ambassador Pieter de Klerk of The Netherlands and Mr Robert Steinmetz of Luxembourg, co-Chairs of the MTCR," the statement said. The MTCR Point of Contact in Paris has conveyed the decision regarding India's accession to the regime through the French Embassy in New Delhi as well as the Embassies of The Netherlands and Luxembourg, it said. Advertisement India's entry into MTCR comes days after it failed to get NSG membership due to stiff opposition from China and a few other countries. Significantly, China, which stonewalled India's entry into the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the just- concluded Seoul plenary, is not a member of MTCR. Since its civil nuclear deal with the US, India has been trying to get into export control regimes like NSG, MTCR, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement that regulate the conventional, nuclear, biological and chemicals weapons and technologies. MTCR membership will now enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia. The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kg payload for at least 300 kilometres, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: NEW DELHI -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi rarely does interviews and gets criticised a fair bit for indulging in one-way communication (through social media and his radio programme) and shying away from interviews in which he would have to face questions from journalists. Making an exception, Modi spoke for 85 minutes with Arnab Goswami, the editor in chief of Times Now news channel, which aired the interview on Monday evening. Here are some highlights from the interview: On communalisation of U.P. State Election, Modi said that it was his "conviction" and "commitment" that the upcoming polls would not be communalised, and the focus would be entirely on development. Modi also asked the media not to "make heroes out of those people," who make statements that spark religious tensions. Advertisement "It's my conviction, it's my commitment. You must have seen during the 2014 elections that I fought elections on the issue of development. The new generation of the country only believes in development. I believe that solution to all problems is in development. Development is also the solution to the tension that people talk about." On foreign policy, Modi said that it was important for him to meet world leaders so that they could get to know him, and not rely on the impression of him created by the media because that would be detrimental to the country. "The world didn't know me. The world wants to know who the head of the state is. If someone would want to know Modi through the eyes of the media, then he would be disillusioned on which Modi is the real Modi. If this happens, the country will be at a loss." On the witty bits of his speech which went down so well in U.S. House of Congress, and on humour in politics, Modi said that he is afraid of being funny. Advertisement "I have a humourous side but these days humour can be a risky thing. I am not conscious. I am in fear, there is no humour left in public because of this fear. Everyone is scared. I am in fear. My speeches used to be humourous. I see it in Parliament, that humour is finished there too." On whether India should deepen ties with United States if Washington continues to give military assistance to Pakistan, Modi said that Pakistan cannot be a factor in all of India's foreign policy considerations. "I would especially like to appeal to my country's media that we should stop looking at everything in India from the prism of Pakistan. India is an independent country. It is a country of 125 crore people. Whenever it approaches any country, it will only be concerned about its own interests. It has been our biggest shortcoming and mistake that we have been tagging ourselves with another country and trying to do things". On why he has gone out of his way to engage with Pakistan, Modi said that he wants to make India's position clear to the world that New Delhi is not the "obstacle" to peace, and this puts Pakistan on the back-foot. There is an outcome due to my continuous efforts like my visit to Lahore and my invitation to the Pakistani Prime Minister to come to India. Now I don't have to explain to the world about India's position. The world is unanimously appreciating India's position. And the world is seeing that Pakistan is finding it difficult to respond. If we had become an obstacle, then we would have had to explain to the world that we are not that obstacle. Now we don't have to explain to the world. The world knows our intentions. On the exit of RBI chief Raghuram Rajan, Modi said earlier the debate was on whether his government would let Rajan stay considering he was an appointee of the Congress Party-led United Progressive Alliance government. Modi praised Rajan, wished him well, and dismissed those who had questioned his patriotism. "It will be doing injustice to him if one says that he will serve the country only if he is at a particular post. As much as I know Raghuram Rajan, whatever post he holds, wherever he is, he is someone who will continue to serve the country. He is someone who loves his country." On Subramanian Swamy's attack on Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser to the Modi government, and other bureaucrats, Modi slammed the firebrand lawmaker for making " inappropriate" remarks. "Whether it is someone from my party or not, I believe that such things are inappropriate. The nation won't benefit from such publicity stunts. One should be more responsible while conducting themselves. Anyone who believes he is bigger than the system is wrong." On the Parliament logjam, Modi said that he was not disheartened by the key legislations being stuck in Parliament, but he was disappointed that ruckus was prevailing over "discussion." Advertisement "That's why I say that, those who have been in power for so many years, shouldn't be doing this. If there is a new party in the Opposition, they have a small demand for their state or if an MP has a demand for his/her constituency and does something like this, then we can understand. Ones who have been in power for very long, shouldn't be doing such things." Modi described the Indian voter as "mature." "The Indian voter today is very mature. He votes in one fashion in the Lok Sabha elections, he votes in a different manner in the State Assembly elections. We have seen this. In 2014, the General Elections conincided with the Odisha Assembly elections. The same electorate gave one judgement for Odisha and another judgement for Delhi. So this country's voter is very mature and we should trust his maturity." On whether he is thinking about the 2019 election, Modi said that he only engages in politics at the time of elections, otherwise he is preoccupied with governance. "Governments must not run only for elections. The government should be a bona fide attempt of meeting the demands and expectations of the common people. Elections should just be a bi-product. It is a democracy. Winning and losing is a part of it. It shouldn't be hyped." On what motivates him, Modi gave the example of of Shrimaan Chandrakant ji, a retired teacher with a pension of Rs16,000, who donates Rs 5000 every month for Swachh Abhiyaan. Advertisement Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - JANUARY 15: Smerch Multiple Rocket Launcher System during the Army Day Parade on January 15, 2016 in New Delhi, India. The Army Day is annually celebrated on January 15. It marks the day in 1949 when Lt. Gen. KM Cariappa took over as the first Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army from the last British Commander-in-Chief. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) The Morning Wrap is HuffPost India's selection of interesting news and opinion from the day's newspapers. Subscribe here to receive it in your inbox each weekday morning. Essential HuffPost When Bihar's controversial Humanities topper Ruby Rai, was asked to write an essay about the poet and saint Tulsidas in a re-test, she manage to write just one sentence "Tulsidas ji, pranam". Rai was taking the re-test a month after she told a TV channel that 'prodikal science' (political science), a subject she had topped in, was about cooking. Advertisement In one of the most dramatic entries at an awards show IIFA 2016 hosts Farhan Akhtar and Shahid Kapoor ditched the luxury cars for Spanish donkeys to hit the green carpet. The duo rode in on the donkeys, flanked by Spanish musicians and dancers. After sprinter Dutee Chand on Saturday booked a Rio Games berth at the 26th G Kosanov Memorial Meet in Almaty, Kazakhstan, two more Indian athletes long jump champion Ankit Sharma and sprinter Srabani Nanda hopped onboard. Main News Home Minister Rajnath Singh accused Pakistan of trying to destabilise India, a day after militants ambushed a CRPF convoy in Kashmir killing eight personnel. Singh said while the security forces have 'standing orders' to not fire the first bullet, they were also told 'not to count bullets while retaliating'. As its first entry into a multilateral export control regime, India is set to join the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member, three days after it failed to get NSG membership due to stiff opposition from China and a few other countries. The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles and related technology for systems of mass destruction. Advertisement Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said BJP would be able to retain power in next state assembly polls in 2018 as well as at the Centre in 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Off The Front Page A woman kissed Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on the cheek at a public meeting on Sunday, leaving him visibly embarrassed. The incident happened at a programme to felicitate newly elected members of zilla panchayats and taluk panchayats. Unilever, world's second biggest advertiser and owner of the Axe brand of deodorants, announced last week that it will soon drop sexist stereotypes from its ads, where skimpily-clad women do anything for male attention. The changes will be made on a global level, Unilever added. The police busted a prostitution racket being run under the guise of a production house in Mumbai, where a 24-year-old model lured aspiring models with roles in movies and shot them in the nude. She would then force them into the flesh trade. Opinion If we want a more flexible, borderless, creative world, we need systems to insure the losers from globalisation, writes Tarun Ramadorai in Mint. "In the short run, the UK will inevitably suffer a period of painful adjustment in the aftermath of Brexit. For its leaders, articulating a positive vision of globalisation is now more important than ever. There are two paths possible now, one which leads to a more parochial future, and the other to a model of an open, global and inclusive society," he writes. Advertisement Sadly, however, that is overwhelmingly not the case, with the old English rule of 'man' including 'women' and indeed, all of humankind continuing to remain in currency, writes Richa Roy in The Indian Express. "The ludicrousness of this rule is contained in the State Bank of India Act, 1955, which only has references to a 'chairman' and therefore Arundhati Bhattacharyas business card identifies her as the chairman of the SBI... Linguistic theorists believe the use of the default common pronoun 'he' was justified by 17th and 18th century (mostly male) grammarians on the grounds that language (much like the culture it articulated) was biased in favour of the 'superior' and 'worthier' male gender... Not only does this require updating, as women are more visible and participate in public life (so that language reflects reality), but must also change in order to transform our public imagination (so that language reflects what we want the world to be)," she writes. By committing a set of silly, schoolboyish errors the BJP a battle-hardened outfit helmed by a man of considerable political and administrative experience has played into the hands of Aam Admi Party which depends upon the media as its raison d'etre, writes Sreemoy Talukdar for Firstpost. "As was evident during the furore over PM Modi's degree issue when the BJP fielded no less than party president Amit Shah and Union finance minister Arun Jaitley to counter AAP chief's charges, the BJP seems to have decided that it will take on AAP with all the aggression at its command. There is only one problem with this strategy though. This is exactly what Kejriwal wants," he says. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also On HuffPost: K-State opens competition for kicker Kansas State coach Chris Klieman isn't giving up on kicker Chris Tennant, but he isn't giving him a free pass, either. #GoogleMath: No Idea What YouTube Is Paying You? Despite an oft quoted figure of 3 billions dollars since 2005, it seems YouTube actually has has no idea what it's paying artists, although the evidence seem to be fairly clear that it's not enough, says Ted Kalo. _______________________________ Guest Post by Ted Kalo on Medium For one of the richest, most valuable companies in the world, a few extra or less dollars here or there probably doesnt mean as much as it would to someone else: a working musician, for example. But about a few billion dollars more or less? Because thats what Google recently admitted to the New York Times that it has been misstating its supposed billions of dollars in YouTube payment to music creators for years. Some context: LOTS of music creators are not happy with Google/YouTube.The company games a very old law (dating back to the glory days of AOL) to make tons of cash selling ads around unlicensed copies of music, and then pays pennies (or really fractions thereof) to the people who actually make music. T Bone Burnett and Jonathan Taplin have eloquently taken to editorial pages to denounce this shortsighted and immoral business model, and Mr. Burnett recently spoke out about it in the halls of Congress. When music creators complain about small payments to individual musicians, Google/YouTube does what really big companies usually do: cite a big, aggregate number. Dont Be Evil, Google. Thats right, Google said over and over to media outlets: Google, all of it, paid music creators three billion dollars since 2005. To the Financial Times, Wall Street Journal, the Verge, Google said its entire company, including YouTube has paid music creators three billion dollars since 2005. They even said it in an official government filing (to the U.S. Copyright Office) earlier this year. Youd think they would want to be truthful/accurate in such a filing. There are laws about that kind of thing. And on their own blog. It should be noted that there is absolutely no way of knowing if that $3 billion figure is or was accurate, or vastly inflated. But theyve said it and said it and said it. Thats why the following paragraph in a recent New York Times article is so strange: Now, its $3 billion just from YouTube, not from all of Google? And the precise number from all of Google? The company says its exactly, precisely even more. Doesnt exactly inspire confidence. Youd think a big company, trying to come up with a really big number to justify itself, would use the biggest possible number it could fairly cite. If Google pays music creators even more than $3 billion, why havent they said so? One answer, suggested by the Trichordist blog, is that Google/YouTube is so inconsistent and haphazard in how it pays music creators, it just doesnt know the truth. Maybe the company just doesnt track what music has been played very accurately and so royalty payments to musicians are inaccurate and incomplete. Another of course, is that even more actually means really not very much at all and Google/YouTube is just spinning here trying to artificially inflate what it pays under the onslaught of criticism its receiving about its below market royalties and abuse of the DMCA safe harbors. And theres a third door open as well maybe none of these figures are right. If a Google/YouTube executive can just casually rewrite a long history of claiming three billion dollars in total payments with an aside to the New York Times, whats to stop them from doing so again?. Why on earth should we believe the new $3 billion from YouTube claim? Its just one of many problems that come from the fact that Google/YouTube are not real partners in the music ecosystem. Their Chief Copyright Counsel, Fred Von Lohmann epitomized this let them eat cake attitude toward music creators this weekend when he tweeted a quote that YouTube is a goldmine of found money. Actually, it is. Google/YouTube found money that rightfully belongs to music creators. Its a goldmine of several billion dollars give or take, for Google/YouTube. And thats the textbook definition of a value grab. (Another indicator is their membership with big corporate radio in the anti-artist MIC Coalition.) Now, hot off the presses comes word from Google/YouTube that: The voices of the artists are being heard, and were working through details with the labels and independent music organisations who directly manage the deals with us. As Melvin Gibbs, the President of the Content Creators Coalition, said: None of these companies that are supposedly in the music business are actually in the music business. They are in the data-aggregation business. Theyre in the ad-selling business. The value of music means nothing to them. One wonders whether they truly hear artists or will engage in misdirection and declare the problem solved? Its been tried before. Remember the Pandora petition scandal? The deal might even be off by a billion dollars or three. Google doesnt seem to care. They cant be trusted. Music creators will read the fine print. Thats why we are taking a stand against #GoogleMath. #UpdateDMCA Ted Kalo, Executive Director of musicFIRST, coalition of the music community that supports paying music creators when their work is played on radio platforms. Share on: The UKs historic vote Thursday to leave the European Union prompted several pressing questions for the global insurance industry, which major players are now beginning to answer.In a rush to assure investors and consumers of their stability, companies from Lloyds to XL Catlin have issued statements saying they are fully prepared for the consequences of Brexit, and are equally assured that London will continue as the center for global industry activity.While the long-term effects of the vote are unknown, Lloyds of London Chairman John Nelson stressed that the exit will not take place for two years, and that it is likely to take up to a decade for the UK to repeal all EU legislation and regulations leaving plenty of time for the industry to adapt.For the next two years, our business is unchanged, Nelson said. Lloyds has a well-prepared contingency plan in place and Lloyds will be fully equipped to operate in the new environment.XL Group Chief Executive Mike McGavick made similar comments, saying Brexit is an outcome that we have been preparing for, and the International Underwriting Association of London called the UK market resilient and well-positioned to respond to the [referendum] result.Already, companies are seeking the ability to passport business services in the EU, a great advantage the UK enjoyed under its membership in the body. So if these efforts win out, and the strength of Londons position in the market will remain at least after some initial difficulties how will Brexit change the industry?Several analysts are looking to Solvency II, an EU regulatory regime that exercises risk-based capital requirements over companies doing business in the EU. Meant to protect insurance buyers, the rules manage capital, governance and reporting for insurers.David Snyder, vice president of policy development and research for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), sees Britains break with the EU as promising for US companies in this regard.Theres value in a European common market, in the ability to be admitted once and operate all throughout the EU, Snyder said. On the other hand, Solvency II is creating problems for US insurers [operating] in Europe.Because Solvency II deems the US a non-equivalent regulatory environment, the regime has been an issue for companies operating in London and the UK in general.Solvency II is starting to close markets that have been open to the US, he said.Frank Nutter, president of the Reinsurance Association of America, believes the EU Referendum vote may provide the perfect opportunity to redouble efforts to achieve the free flow of capital and risk transfer in cross-border business, a goal that has been dislodged somewhat by EU regulations.The impact of Solvency II, and now Brexit, has fostered some uncertainty for US-based companies doing business in EU countries, Nutter said in a statement. In light of the Brexit vote, it is important for the covered agreement negotiations between the US and EU to remain a top and immediate priority among all concerned parties. Such an agreement can resolve uncertainty and set a precedent for future regulatory agreements.Yet not everyone agrees that Brexit will mean changes for Solvency II and its application to insurers doing business in the UK. Daniel Bruce, director at Crowe Horwath LLP and co-founder of consulting firm BaxterBruce, expects these requirements to remain, particularly given the UKs role in the drafting process.The UK has been a key player in formulating Solvency II requirement and we expect that the Prudential Regulatory Authority will be keen to proceed on a similar path, Bruce said, adding that he expects requirements to remain both in the two-year negotiating period and in the long term.In fact, he anticipates an increase in oversight from regulatory authorities, both from Prudential and the UKs Financial Conduct Authority.In particular, the PRA will be keen on insurance companies ensuring that their stress and scenario testing is up to date and reflective of the current economic and political environment, Bruce said. They will expect remedial management actions to be taken, as and where necessary, to maintain ongoing solvency. Pittsfield Woman Named 'Unsung Heroine' PITTSFIELD, Mass. Kim Bordon of Pittsfield has been named an "Unsung Heroine of 2016." Bordon was one of 125 women from cities and towns across the state recognized for their outstanding contributions to their organizations and communities. Each year, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women recognizes women who dont always make the news, but truly make the difference. These Unsung Heroines are women who use their time, talent and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others and make a difference in their neighborhoods, cities and towns. In addition to being recognized on June 22 in a ceremony at the State House in Boston, Borden was also recognized by State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier and Mayor Linda Tyer at the Pittsfield City Council meeting on Tuesday, June 14. A reception for her family and friends followed. Bordon serves as a DCF Foster Parent Liaison facilitating the local foster parent support group. She has been a foster parent since 2003, having hosted many placements in her home and ultimately adopted three children, all of whom have special needs. In her role with foster parents she is able to effectively guide other foster parents through the challenges and hurdles associated with being a foster parent. The 16-acre parcel has the highest concentration of pollution at the William Stanley Business Park. Pending EPA Permit Part of Waterstone Pitch For PEDA Parcel PITTSFIELD, Mass. Part of the selling point for the new Walmart at the William Stanley Business Park is that it will ease an environmental regulation expected later this year. Last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a new draft permit for the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority's ability to drain storm water into Silver Lake. That permit called for significantly better water quality than currently being done. PEDA and the city argued against it, saying it doesn't have the money to make the needed improvements to the storm water. Further, General Electric cleaned up the site to the standards outlined in the consent decree and the EPA signed off on the transfer of property from GE to PEDA. Director Corydon Thurston said one suggestion made to EPA was to disconnect storm water from some 90 acres of city property coming through the PEDA site and redirect it to another outfall. That would limit the amount of water going through the system and increase the amount from the site being absorbed naturally. Thurston said even if that happened, polychlorinated biphenyls, a toxic chemical that had been used by GE, would still be washing into the lake but wouldn't be measured. His thoughts are that it would be better to keep the water running through the PEDA land to ensure it is being tested more regularly. "One of the solutions we had suggested if the EPA pushed this permit is that we'd require the city to disconnect from the PEDA system," Thurston said. "The closest system for them to connect to still goes into Silver Lake." Thurston estimates doing that would cost the city upward of $1 million. And that still won't bring the system into compliance and Thurston believes it isn't possible to bring the water quality up to the levels on the draft permit. The city itself has a new permit for its storm water, which David Webster, manager of the water permits branch of the Region 1 EPA, says doesn't require specific numbers of PCB levels but still has a number of requirements including testing to make sure nothing else is getting into the pipes. There are a number of other requirements of the city as well, which in the recent budgeting process the city has prepared for by increasing its contractual services allowances for street cleaning and catch basin maintenance as well as a capital allocation to improve the entire system. "Now Pittsfield has a clear idea what they have to do with the storm water," Webster said. The commercial permit for PEDA, however, does have specific measurements. Thurston says many of the PCBs are coming from elsewhere in the city so that move would make an impact. But not by much because the highest concentration of PCBs remains on the 16-acre parcel known as the "teens." Enter Waterstone Reality. The development company has been waiting years for a chance at the property. Waterstone says it will invest $6 million in renovating the foundation and storm water system. "It's not the whole park but it is the largest portion of contaminated property," Thurston said. "A lot of manufacturing went on there. That area still is the largest concentration of PCBs." Thurston said in that foundation is a series of brick and mortar pipes dating back years. Those have cracks and holes in which soil is infiltrating the system. PCBs travel through dirt, not water. Thurston said any proposed development would have to renovate those pipes. Waterstone's plan includes installing a new storm-water system while increasing the areas for water to be absorbed naturally, instead of filling the basins and being washed into the lake. Waterstone did not return a call in request for more details on the proposed work at the site but on a "fact sheet" issued on the company's Facebook page, it says $12 million of the $30 million project is going toward foundation work, which includes the $6 million for those storm-water pipes. Thurston says that won't solve the entire problem, because the storm-water system goes through the entire PEDA land and not just that one parcel. "Right now the way the water permit is issued, nothing would solve it," Thurston said. "Our intention is to show our best efforts to mitigate it." Webster says the permit does have provisions allowing EPA to consider alternatives and not just stick to the stringent contamination levels. But, he said it is too early to tell what the final permit will say. "It also asked if there was an alternative people would propose to isolate the PCBs," Webster said. "We could go in either direction." Webster says the draft permit, which went through a public comment period including a time for stakeholders to submit written comments, complies with Clean Water Act of 1976, which was amended in 1987 years before the consent decree was signed. Webster says the limits for PCBs are rather low. Thurston says he doesn't know when a new permit will be issued. But, Webster says it could be in the next six months. "We're considering the comments. It will probably be later in the calendar year for a final permit," Webster said. The permit is needed for water to flow into the state-owned Silver Lake. That lake had just gone through a remediation process making it safe for swimming, but not for eating fish. The debate over whether Walmart is the right business to locate on the William Stanley Business Park is expected to unfold. But no matter what happens, GE's history of that land will continue to haunt the city's efforts to develop it. Program graduates include: Erika T. Casas, David DeForest, Randi Disprow, Nicole Giardina, Alexander Giesser, Shawn Gingras, Curt Hill, Roy W. Hoyt, Jr., Killian Leese, Omar Pascual Polanca, Shaun Smith, Marko Toro, Melinda Williamson and James Zigmand. Biz Briefs: Technical Training Program Students Receive Certificate of Completion Congratulations: Fourteen students recently received a certificate for completing the Berkshire Advanced Manufacturing Technical Training Program. The entry level training program, which ran from February to June, provides students with basic manufacturing and workforce readiness skills. Each student received a Certificate of Completion from Berkshire Community College as well as a MACWIC Level 1 credential that verifies mastery of basic manufacturing skills such as math, blueprint reading, metrology, safety and work readiness. The work readiness component was facilitated by Goodwill Industries. The program was offered through a grant from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development and administered by the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board. Partners included: BCC, BerkshireWorks Career Center, Pittsfield Public Schools, McCann Technical School, Goodwill Industries and local manufacturing companies. Sessions were held in both Pittsfield and North Adams. Other components of the training included hoisting licensing, shift work training and welding. A celebration for students and instructors was held June 1 at BCCs Education Center at the Silvio O. Conte Federal Building in downtown Pittsfield. Sara Milano, program coordinator with the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board and William Mulholland, vice president of community education and workforce development for BCC spoke at the celebration. Both speakers emphasized that this entry level training program in advanced manufacturing is a starting point for what will be a pathway of life-long learning. Program graduates include: Erika T. Casas, David DeForest, Randi Disprow, Nicole Giardina, Alexander Giesser, Shawn Gingras, Curt Hill, Roy W. Hoyt, Jr., Killian Leese, Omar Pascual Polanca, Shaun Smith, Marko Toro, Melinda Williamson and James Zigmand. Good news: The 3,000 owners of the Berkshire Co-op Market in Great Barrington will be able to support local charities at the same time as saving on auto and home insurance under a new agreement Whenever a Co-op owner buys a home or auto insurance policy through GoodWorks Insurance, the insurance agency will deposit 20 percent of its commissions to the Berkshire Market Co-op Community Fund. Also, every time an owner refers a business to GoodWorks, all insurance policies written for the business will yield a deposit to the Fund. The Fund will support local charities in healthcare, education and public safety. Recipients will be selected by Berkshire Co-op and GoodWorks Insurance, according to Matt Novik, Berkshire Co-op Market communications manager. North Adams Native Returns to Join Pittsfield Law Firm PITTSFIELD, Mass. - Smith, Green & Gold has welcomed Allyson Holmes as a new associate attorney to the firm. Holmes, who joined the firm this June, concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, elder law and residential and commercial real estate transactions. Before joining Smith, Green & Gold, she represented the city of Boston on various matters related to municipal law ranging from drafting and reviewing contracts, city ordinances, state legislation, license and intergovernmental agreements for city departments, procurement issues to litigating matters relating to zoning and land use issues, construction disputes and appeals of city administrative decisions. Holmes enjoys the challenge of assessing the issues related to a particular matter and advising her clients on the most effective means to accomplish each clients goal. IMF Executive Board Holds Informal Board Briefing on Eritrea On June 24, 2016, the Executive Board of the International Monetary fund (IMF) was briefed on economic developments in Eritrea, whose Article IV consultation is delayed by 64 months. Informal sessions to brief the Board based on information available are held approximately every 12 months for members whose Article IV consultations are delayed by more than 18 months. Governor Brown, Legislators Announce Sweeping Reforms to California Public Utilities Commission Sacramento, California - Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr., Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale) and Senators Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) and Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) today announced a sweeping package of reforms to bolster governance, accountability, transparency and oversight of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). These reforms will change how this commission does business, said Governor Brown. Public access to meetings and records will be expanded, new safety and oversight positions will be created and ex parte communication rules will be strengthened. These reforms mark a new beginning for the CPUC. The commission will become transparent and accountable to Californians and focused on the safety of our communities, said Assemblymember Gatto, chair of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. I want to thank my colleagues in the Legislature and Governor Brown for their support of these key reforms. It's been a long road, and we still have much work to do if we are to build the CPUC that the state deserves, said Senator Hill, whose district includes the City of San Bruno. Today we take a strong step forward with principles that underscore our shared commitment to an organization that will better serve Californians, ensure their safety and merit their trust. The principles are a blueprint for a CPUC that is focused, efficient, working in the public interest, and most notably, transparent and accountable, said Senator Leno. The changes agreed to by the Commission and the Governor in SB 215 apply enhanced ex parte communication rules targeting the abuses of the past and ensure independent prosecution and stiff penalties for those who would violate the public trust. I offer my thanks to Governor Brown, the Commission, my joint author Senator Hueso, all my legislative colleagues and The Utility Reform Network for their commitment to reforming our Public Utilities Commission. The Governor's Office will work closely with the Legislature and impacted entities in the administration to move forward with these reforms in the months ahead. Complete details of the reform package are below. Principles for Reform: Governance, Accountability, Transparency and Oversight of the California Public Utilities Commission Governance Increasing the CPUCs focus and expertise by relocating responsibilities and making logistical changes that improve the commission's ability to function. Transfer the implementation and enforcement of the following CPUC transportation responsibilities to departments within the California State Transportation Agency (e.g., California Department of Motor Vehicles primarily for licensing, registration, evidence of insurance and select investigations and the California Highway Patrol primarily for enforcement and select investigations) through the Governors Reorganization Plan process: Passenger Stage Corporations Charter-Party Carriers (including Transportation Network Companies) Household Goods Carriers Other carriers subject to CPUC registration requirements (for-hire vessel carriers, commercial air operators, private carriers of passengers and interstate carriers) Assess State Telecommunications governance by January 1, 2018. Establish cross-agency secondments (for example, with the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, California Air Resources Board, etc.) to foster coordinated actions and exchange of information and facilitate cultural change. Work with state colleges and universities to develop and offer curricula specific to the regulation and oversight of utilities. Authorize the CPUC to hire and locate employees in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento. Require CPUC voting meetings to be held in various regions of the state. Provide statutory authority to consider outside reports from state, federal and academic sources. Allow a commissioner to issue an Alternate Proposed Decision (APD) at any time before the Commission votes (current law requires issuance of the APD simultaneous to the issuance of the Presiding Administrative Law Judges issuance of their Proposed Decision.). Accountability Enacting reforms to make it easier for the public and watchdog groups to participate in CPUC proceedings. Prohibit former regulated utility executives from serving on the Commission for 2 years. Allow any California agency to participate in CPUC proceedings without official party status. Authorize the California Attorney General to bring an enforcement action in superior court against a decisionmaker or employee of the commission who violates the ex parte communication requirements. Transparency Reforming the ex parte rules to establish a more ethical environment that is fair to all parties, while providing flexibility for entities to contact their appointed officials. Ex Parte: Adjudicatory proceedings: maintain the current prohibition on ex parte communications. Quasi-legislative proceedings: allow commissioners to meet freely, particularly with members of the public, to gain perspective and become more educated on the subject area. Ratesetting proceedings: require commissioners and interested persons to disclose and promptly log and post the content of ex parte communications online. Failure to timely report shall result in penalties enforced by either the CPUC or the California Attorney General. The CPUC may apply additional limits on ex parte communication in ratesetting or quasi-legislative proceedings as circumstances may warrant. Allow intervenor compensation for substantial contribution including when a party does not participate in a settlement. Subject the CPUC to the judicial review provisions of the California Public Records Act and revisions to improve the CPUC public records and confidentiality statute ( 583) to retain confidentiality with a more timely release of public information. Require documents distributed to service lists be docketed. Require transcripts to be made publicly available promptly. Require representatives of organizations that lobby the CPUC to register, much like the rules followed in the Legislature. Allow commissioners to deliberate on ratesetting proceedings if no hearing has been held. Current law allows commissioners to meet and deliberate only when a hearing is required for resolution of the proceeding. Make administrative record more open in quasi-legislative proceeding by not applying the formal rules of evidence. Allow commissioners to discuss administrative and managerial issues in closed meetings. Enter public comments into the record and develop an e-comment system to make commenting more accessible. Establish thresholds for the reasonable and timely resolution of proceedings with enhanced CPUC authority to conclude proceedings in cases exceeding those thresholds. Ensure the CPUC appoints all senior executive staff who report directly to the CPUC, including the Executive Director, the General Counsel, the Internal Auditor and the Chief Administrative Law Judge. Oversight and Safety Enacting sweeping ethics reforms, which have been elusive or are completely unprecedented. Police officers show strong willingness to intervene when other officers commit domestic violence Ann Arbor, Michigan - While much has been made about the "blue wall of silence" among police officers, a new study suggests that officers don't turn a blind eye when other officers perpetrate domestic violence. In such cases, police officers are most inclined to obtain a detailed history of the violence, link victims with domestic violence programs and encourage them to file a formal report, according to researchers at the University of Michigan and Florida State University. "We were encouraged to see that officers made help for the victim their highest priority," said Daniel Saunders, a professor at the U-M School of Social Work and the study's lead author. "We were also encouraged that officers were oriented to the facts of the case rather than being influenced by officers' personal traits." In 1999, as a response to the special safety concerns for victims of officers' abuse, the International Association of Chiefs of Police created a model policy for police departments to follow. However, little research has been done on the topic. Saunders collaborated on the study with doctoral student Stephanie Grace Prost and professor Karen Oehme of Florida State's College of Social Work. They asked more than 1,100 police officers to respond to two case scenarios of police officers stalking or assaulting their spouses. "Arrest became a likely response after officers were asked to imagine they witnessed a victim's injuries and heard the victim say she'd been choked by her partner," Saunders said. Officers' next most common response was to refer the offending officer for help, specifically to an employee assistance program or mental health counselor and, to a lesser extent, to the department chaplain. Prost says that such referrals are useful but raised some concerns. "Employee assistance programs rarely have special services for domestic abuse offenders and chaplains are not usually trained to respond to domestic abuse," she said. "Referrals for couples counseling made by officers are also a concernsevere cases need to be screened out and the focus needs to be on the violence." Professional characteristics, such as being a supervisor, more consistently determined officers' responses than personal characteristics, such as age, race, gender and marital status. "Police supervisors had more responses supporting victims than front-line officers, suggesting to us they may be very qualified to train the front-line officers in their departments," Oehme said. Although officers responded to written case scenarios rather than actual cases, the researchers say that such scenarios are usually good measures of behavioral tendencies. The study was published in the recent issue of the Journal of Family Violence. It is one of a series of studies on the National Toolkit on Prevention of Officer-Involved Domestic Violence sponsored by the Verizon Foundation and located at the Institute for Family Violence Studies at Florida State's College of Social Work. To coincide with World Refugee Day, the RCPI has called on the Government to address the health and social care needs of vulnerable migrants, asylum seekers and refugees in Ireland. A report published last Monday (June 20) by the Faculty of Public Health Medicine specifically called on the Government to provide early screening, immediate access to healthcare and for vaccinations for asylum seekers and refugees. The Irish Government has committed to accepting 4,000 new migrants through resettlement and relocation programmes. Despite economic diff-iculties that include a scarcity of social housing and reduced access to health and social care services for the general population, Ireland must look after the needs of all migrants, including undocumented migrants. Dr Anne Dee, co-author of the paper, has made recommendations to address these needs: We welcome the Governments approach to accepting those fleeing war in the Middle East. However, the complicated physical and mental healthcare needs of these people must be met in an appropriate fashion, with adequate interpretation and social supports to encourage full integration into Irish society in the long-term. The report contains recommendations for the short-, medium- and long-term needs of the migrant population, including early screening for chronic diseases, mental health issues and infectious diseases and the adequate resourcing of medical/nursing and other required services. Immediate access to primary care, sexual health and reproductive health and mental health services is also recommended, as is the ring-fencing of funding for additional vaccinations for asylum seekers and refugees. Prof Elizabeth Keane, Dean of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine, said that this was an opportunity for the policymakers to address and improve migrant health: We hope that this position paper provides inspiration to policy makers to devise policies and provide services that protect human rights and improve the health of both migrants and the communities in which they live. Health status is influenced not just by access to health services but also by housing, education, employment, language support and a safe environment. These social determinants have significant impact on long-term health and well-being, said Prof Keane. The Faculty also wants to see the timely processing of asylum applications and a limit on the time spent in direct provision and other accommodation centres, including Emergency Reception and Orientation Centres (EROCs). Specialised services such as psychotherapy for survivors of torture and other traumas should be available and accessible for those who need them, wherever they are resettled, the paper adds. dara.gantly@imt.ie This Isnt Our Last Love Letter Dear Don Don, Way back in 92 I walked into the room and knew Never felt this way before I shook your hand while gazing into your eyes And the feeling grew As I took a seat I knew A love that would have my heart Forever I knew Way back in 92 They say love at first sight doesnt always last or isnt true We were the exception to that rule Our love had no where to hide A spark set fire As if this is how the universe started I never doubted our love or what we could do Together we grew Forming a bond everlasting That became our glue My euphoria was YOU Im eternally grateful for the love and life we shared For how fortunate we were : to have and to hold through sickness and in health Til death do us part Until we are together again This isnt our last love letter I love you with all my heart and soul Yours forever, Deirdre (Mrs. Hank Snow) Im fortunate to have fallen in love with, marry and make a life with the sharpest, coolest, funniest, most rare, bad ass, tender loving, loyal man on the planet, my husband Don Imus. A True American Hero I dont know why it has been so hard for me to write about my dear friend Don Imus. I certainly know what he meant to me, my family, my charity, my hospital and the millions of fans that listened and loved him for so many years. I keep reading all the beautiful condolences that people are writing about how much a part of their lives were effected by listening to him over the years. But what most people dont talk enough about is what he did for all of us. In every sense of the word, he was an American Hero. His work with children with so many different illnesses and his dedication to their future was unmatched by anyone I have ever known or heard about. Besides raising over $100,000,000 for so many causes, he took care of young people for over 20 years in a state where he could not breathe. Along with his incredible wife Deirdre, he created a world where children were not defined by their disease. That was a miracle! He was a miracle. I will miss him ever day for the rest of my life. I was blessed to be a part of his and Deirdes life. No one will ever do what he did. I love you Don Imus - A TRUE AMERICAN HERO David Jurist IMUS IN THE MORNING FIRST DAY BACK! Watch: Snake Attacks Owner As She Tries To Release It From Cage For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil has been suspended since May 12, awaiting her impeachment trial by the countrys Senate. In the meantime, an interim government has been formed by her vice president Michel Temer. The impeachment process against Ms Rousseff has been branded a coup by her allies, who have pointed out that the charges against her, which focus on claims she violated budget laws, were based on relatively minor misdeeds that were also committed by many of her predecessors without consequences. Ms Rousseff was Brazil's first female president (Agencia Publica) Ms Rousseff, of the Workers Party (Partido dos Trabalhadores or PT) was elected for the second time in 2014 by a small majority. She was Brazils first female president and the impeachment process against her was denounced as sexist political violence by the United Nations office on womens rights. During her time as president, Rousseff endured a wave of street protests in 2013 by Brazilians demanding better public services, and presided over an economy which contracted by 3.8 per cent last year. The Operation Lava Jato, or Operation Car Wash, an investigation into corruption at state oil company Petrobras, has seen many business leaders and politicians arrested under her term, and Rousseff herself has never been directly accused of taking or paying bribes. Last week, a former minister in her government, Paulo Bernardo, was arrested under accusations of leading a R$100 ($29.5m) scheme within the Minister of Planning to illegally support PT's party funds. Defiant and determined, Ms Rousseff spoke to Brazils female-led Agencia Publica about her impending impeachment trial, abortion, deforestation in the Amazon, sexism in Brazil and the lurch to the right in Latin America and beyond. Brazils suspended president Dilma Rousseffs impeachment begins Q: Was it important to you to be the first female President of Brazil? A: Thats clear. As much as it was important to have the first government of a metallurgist, a labourer, a worker [under Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, Rousseffs predecessor and mentor] . Q: Was this argument used by Lula to convince you to do it? A: If it had just been that, that would have been very superficial. It was a mixture of reasons, and this was one of them. Because to have the first government under a woman in Brazil - a country which says it doesnt have any prejudice against women, but is riddled with prejudices - was something very important. There are a series of stereotypes about women. For instance, a woman cant be firm, she is tough. She has to be harsh, she cant just be someone who takes a stance. Women arent accustomed to dealing with public matters - and here is that phrase which is constantly reiterated about me, of my immense difficulty in dealing with politicians, as though they are part of public life, or as if some difficulty in dealing with them is not part of the crisis in values that Brazil is facing at the moment. And other things, such as: a woman is essentially fragile. If she is not fragile, she is either having an attack of craziness, she is not in full excise of her rational mind, or she has become alienated. I started saying I was a tough woman in the middle of meek men, immensely meek, all of them so meek, so sweet... Q: You already had power in Lulas government [as Energy Minister and Chief of Staff]. Were you treated differently by politicians when you became president? A: Back in the period of [the government of] Fernando Henrique Cardoso, I was Secretary of Mining, Energy and Communication in Rio Grande de Sul. I was the only woman. And if these were very technical matters, seen as not being a womans thing. I think there is no area which should be restricted because you are a woman. Being President is one step beyond this, because it is the most unequivocal form of authority, since it is more general. Q: The United Nations released a note repudiating the sexist violence in which you were treated, mainly by the press during the impeachment process. A: I think there was this, but the violence hasnt just started now, and we should not forget the past [Dilma was a guerrilla during Brazils dictatorship years]. The violence is in the fact that I have a story. Once, a reporter asked me if I sleep with my shoes on. You know the stories that they tell about us, in hiding, that we would sleep with our shoes on? We slept with our shoes on to escape [at short notice]. Im the President now, how am I going to sleep with my shoes on? There is stereotype after stereotype. Q: You have said in the past that the protests of June 2013 happened just as you were trying to stabilise the Brazilian economy... A: When you win rights, it doesnt necessarily mean that everyone feels included. On the contrary, the winning of some rights means that it opens up the space for others to be won over. Thats why we always said: beating poverty is only the beginning. And those who we lifted up, in an exclusionary state, as the Brazilian state always was, were an excluded part of society, excluded from the economy. The easiest way is to redistribute wealth. When you redistribute wealth it is a political decision. Now I am not diminishing the previously unseen - revolutionary even - programme that was Bolsa Familia. It was a great achievement, but as soon as you do this people want access to quality services, they want good quality education, they want good quality public safety services. There is a conflict, therefore, between how quickly the redistribution of wealth can happen and the speed of improvement to services. At the same time, I think there is discontent, a general malaise with politics, with political representation. During many of the protests in 2013, when someone did something good, people would say he represents me! I think at that moment, we live in a state of malaise with this system of representation, not just in Brazil, but all over the world. Even when you take into consideration that our government always had an agenda of popular participation. The Brexit, talking about today, explains a bit about whats happening everywhere, from the left to the right spectrum. Q: Do you think the impeachment process against you was orchestrated, starting from the protests of 2013? A: No, I dont think that was a right wing protest. Before the recession, there was a certain opposition to the redistribution of privileges in Brazil. I think this component, combined with the recession, radicalised the middle class. And it made right wing values very dominant. For me who lost out the most was the PSDB party, which lost its character while turning to the right. How could they side with those who defend the military coup? The impeachment was orchestrated, and it was orchestrated soon after I was elected, not in 2013. My election [in 2014] was very [controversial]. There has never been an election in Brazil like it. Afterwards, they asked for the votes to be recounted, something we havent seen in Brazil for centuries. Afterwards, they backed Eduardo Cunha for President of the Chamber of Deputies, who has an eminently right wing agenda, breaking with the centre-democratic tradition in Brazil we have had since we became a democracy. One of the biggest problems with this government [of Michel Temer] is hiding Cunha. Because he is their leader, in every sense. Q: Do you think that the curse of oil-rich nations had something to do with your suspension? A: One of the causes of my impeachment was that our government was in favour, we didnt prevent corruption investigations. But we have always been clear that in combating corruption, you must not destroy companies or jobs. The USA recently, along with the rest of the world, had the biggest corruption case with the banks and their derivatives, which led to astronomical losses in the crisis of 2008. They didnt destroy the banks, they fined them and arrested the bosses, but they didnt destroy the companies. The chain of oil and gas is very important for the Brazils GDP. It creates jobs. So if you shoot down these companies you are attacking the Brazilian GDP. Q: Many on the left believe there were foreign influences in the impeachment process, and this was because of their interest in the valuable pre-salt in Brazil. Do you think this is true? A: In Brazil, we dont need to attribute the coup in Brazil to any other country in the world. Were competent in the art of producing a coup here in Brazil. This coup was endogenous. The responsibility for it lies with local oligarchies. There may be some who were very happy with it - thats another issue. There might have been people who gave it a little hand - that is another thing. But it is irrelevant. Dilma Rousseff said she was the victim of a parliamentary coup (Agencia Publica) Q: During your campaign you visited many evangelical churches in Brazil, but it is this band of politicians [evangelical leaders] who have most blocked PT proposals, including laws which would have criminalised homophobia and proposed advances in womens reproductive rights. Do you think it was worth working with them? A: I think it is of fundamental importance to open this discussion with them. Youre not going to turn your back on 30 per cent of the country. We have to discuss things with them, because I dont believe they are all the same. Its not possible to demonise a religion. Q: But didnt this alliance block certain forms of progress in Brazil? A: I am going to anticipate you. I am going to talk about abortion. There is legalised abortion in this country. The law is clear, the law states the following: you can have an abortion in three cases - when a woman has been raped, when her life is at risk during birth, and in cases of an anencephalic foetus. Q: Are you in favour of the decriminalisation of abortion? A: Personally, I could be in favour of everything. As President, I dont interfere in this. Q: But are you personally in favour? A: Im not going to respond to that. One day, when I am no longer President, I will respond to this question. And they havent taken me out yet. I am still President. If I was out of the government and I was a feminist, I would fight for other things. I have been a feminist. Q: In the past? A: I was a feminist. Now I am President. Q: In Operation Car Wash, Paulo Bernardo has been accused of overbilling by R100 million through a technology company which gave payroll loans, and that this money was used for PT campaigns. Ms Rousseff said it was essential to protect the Amazon while using it to benefit Brazil's economy (Agencia Publica) A: You dont want me to comment on things which are in the process of going through the justice system. I have immense indignation with this type of political use of the Operation Car Wash investigations. The theory was this: that only one party in Brazil was corrupt. But this is not what we are seeing now. Q: Sergio Machado [businessman who gave evidence in Operation Car Wash] said it has gone on in Petrobras since the campaign for its foundation in 1946. A: And he should be an experienced connoisseur of this matter. Q: The Belo Monte dam in the Amazon - is it not old-fashioned to see the Amazon as a frontier for economic development of the country? A: We dont see the Amazon as a frontier for development. We use the resources that we can, maintaining the preservation of the environment. We still have the issue of ending deforestation, how to replant, how to contain agriculture and keep carbon emissions low, etc. To sum up, we have water as a resource, which many countries do not have. I think the vision of dams is completely wrong. Because if you dont have Belo Monte, you have to have the equivalent in something. Solar power it cant be, because the price is absurd. Wind power is unviable. If you dont use hydroelectric power, you have to use nuclear. Q: President, how do you think your impeachment will impact on other Latin American nations? A: This version of a parliamentary coup has already happened before it happened to us. It has happened in Paraguay, in Honduras. I think its a new way of taking out governments which the economic hiearchy is unhappy with. Its not the same as a military coup. It has one distinct characteristic: you take out the government, but preserve the democratic regime. But there is a price for doing that. You compromise your institutions, you create a scar in society. In many cases, you prevent the recomposition of the fabric of democracy. So there are severe consequences. I think it will create instability in Latin America. Q: Do you think this can happen in other countries? A: I think it could. Its not just me who thinks that, all the heads of state in Latin America fear this. Any one of them. Q: Have you received messages of solidarity from other Latin American heads of state? A: I did, but I am not able to say from whom, for obvious reasons. Q: You were an important force behind the creation of the Access to Information Law, and the creation of the Truth Commission [which investigated crimes committed during Brazils dictatorship of 1964-1985]. How was it to see members of the armed forces refuse to hand over files and supply information to the Truth Commission? A: As I remember it, they didnt refuse to hand over the files, they said they no longer existed. They said at a certain moment in the past, the files had been destroyed. Q: To what extent did the Amnesty Law prevent torturers from being brought to justice, as has happened in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay? A: The case was not won in the Supreme Federal Court, and that is that. I think we learn in life that we have our personal indignation and our understanding of reality. You cant make a government without knowing that you will win some things and lose others. We lost that one. Q: If you come back into government, will you change the political system in Brazil, which is based on forming coalitions with other parties? A: I would make basically a transition government. Because the government would only have two more years left, and we would have to guarantee the quality of democracy in Brazil, which would happen in 2018 [when there would be another election]. It fits to have a discussion about political reform in Brazil, no doubt. We tried this in 2013 and were roundly defeated. Q: Would there be support for a referendum about calling new direct elections? A: I dont know. I have no idea. Q: But would you commit to this, to hold a referendum? A: No, it is being discussed, but there is no consensus on this. But I will tell you this, I would not reform a government under the previous terms, under any hypothesis. Q: Are you going to the Senate to defend yourself? A: I am evaluating that. I am the kind of person who evaluates things. * Translated and edited by Beth McLoughlin Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Sir Richard Branson has urged politicians to re-think whether Britain should leave the European Union, despite the results of the referendum. Sir Richard was a prominent supporter of Britain remaining in the EU and, ahead of the referendum, warned a Leave vote could be very damaging to the UK. On Friday, upon hearing 52 per cent has voted to leave the Union, Sir Richard said it was a sad decision that will do enormous damage to both Britains economy and Europes stability. On Monday, the Virgin founder furthered his opposition to leaving the EU in a blog post and encouraged readers to sign the petition calling for a second referendum. In the post, he accused the Leave campaign of "repeatedly" misleading voters which he says, in turn, resulted in Leave voters across the UK realising that they have opened a Pandoras Box of negative consequences. Sir Richard then lists what he determines as those negative consequences, including the pound plummeting to a 31-year low, the admission from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that Scotland may soon seek a second independence referendum and claiming the UK markets lost more money in one day than the country paid into the EU since we joined it many years ago . Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA The 65-year-old also said that in just the few days which have passed since the result, the consequences upon the UK's economy and society are already being felt. The decision over the UKs future was based on false promises that pushed a minority of the UKs total voting population (17 million out of 46 million) to vote the way it did, he wrote. Two years before Brexit will even become a reality, according to EU rules, it is already having massive consequences on the UK economy, and on society. Brexit has fractured the country more than any other event in recent memory. Sir Richard also said the call for a second referendum, which has already amassed over three million signatures since Friday, need to be taken seriously. Based on the misrepresentation made by the Leave campaign, Parliament needs to take the petition of more than three million people to call for a new referendum seriously. The alternative is to watch a rapid decline of Britains health and wellbeing, he wrote. He also reminded readers of Nigel Farage's vow a few months ago that should Remain clinch victory by 52 per cent, he would call for a second referendum as it would be "unfinished business". The vast majority of MPs voted in by the electorate want the UK to stay part of Europe. In light of the misrepresentations of the Leave campaign, Parliament should reject the results of this non-binding referendum as Nicola Sturgeon has announced she will do in Scotland's Parliament," he wrote. "Before the UK government invokes Article 50 of the European Treaty and does irreversible damage to the United Kingdom, the people's elected representatives must decide whether the facts that have emerged really warrant abandoning the EU and whether a second referendum will be needed, he wrote. Earlier on Monday, David Cameron dismissed the suggestion of a second referendum. A spokesperson said holding a referendum was not remotely on the cards despite the petition. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Polish Embassy in London has said it is "shocked and deeply concerned" by reports of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community following the Brexit vote. Multiple incidents of alleged hate crimes have reported since the Brexit result last week, with claims that immigrants and their descendents are being stopped in the street and "ordered to leave Britain". Follow the latest live updates On Sunday, the Polish and Social Cultural Association was vandalised with suspected racist graffiti, prompting an investigation into "racially motivated criminal damage" by the Metropolitan Police. Police have also increased patrols in the area. Other purported incidents include signs reading Leave the EU, no more Polish vermin posted through letter boxes of Polish families and distributed outside primary schools in Cambridgeshire. Cambridgeshire Police urged people to come forward if they have any information about the source of the notices. In a statement, the Embassy of the Republic of Poland urged all nationals who fall victim of xenophobic abuse to report such incidents to the police. "We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community and other UK residents of migrant heritage, the statement read. 'These cards have actually been put through letter boxes of Polish families in Huntingdon today,' posted one Twitter user, 'I could weep' (Twitter @howgilb) "The Polish Embassy is in contact with relevant institutions, and local police are already investigating the two most widely reported cases in Hammersmith, London, and Huntingodon, Cambridgeshire. "We would like to thank for all the messages of support and solidarity with the Polish community expressed by the British public." Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA The alleged hate crimes come amid warnings by politicians who said there could be an increase in racially motivated incidents following the Brexit announcement. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who switched her allegiance to the Remain campaign over "the lies and hate" she accused the Brexit movement of spreading, said the Leave campaign had left behind "hostility and intolerance". "I've spent most of the weekend talking to organisations, individuals and activists who work in the area of race hate crime, who monitor hate crime, and they have shown some really disturbing early results from people being stopped in the street and saying look, we voted Leave, it's time for you to leave," she said in an interview on Sky News. "And they are saying this to individuals and families who have been here for three, four, five generations. The atmosphere on the street is not good." London mayor Sadiq Khan said he had asked police to be extra vigilant for any rise in cases of hate crime, and called on Londoners to pull together and rally behind this great city". "Its really important we stand guard against any rise in hate crimes or abuse by those who might use last weeks referendum as cover to seek to divide us," he said. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Germanys political leaders are furious that nobody in the UK wants to take the responsibility of starting divorce proceedings with the EU. David Cameron, who will continue in office until 2 September but as a temporary Prime Minister keeping the seat warm for his successor - has refused to get involved in the complex Brexit negotiations. Boris Johnson - seen by many as Mr Camerons most likely successor has said that he will not want to start the hard bargaining straight away, if elected. He wants a breathing space in which the UK representatives could sound out their EU counterparts to see where there is room for negotiating over the difficult issues around trade and immigration. What is Article 50? Article 50 of the 2007 Lisbon Treaty, which sets out the procedure for a Brexit, lays down that it is up to the country that is proposing to leave to set the procedure in motion. That means that the UK cannot be forced into negotiations until the prime minister is ready. But once the process begins, both sides will be working to a two year deadline, and on the British side there are fears that being rushed may prevent them getting the best possible deal for the UK. This is likely to make whoever is Prime Minister in September reluctant to start a process from which there will no going back. Other EU leaders want the process completed quickly because they worry about the damage Brexit will do the whole European project. They fear that allowing it to drag on might encourage movements in other EU states in favour of pulling out. There is also simmering anger at the British decision which makes EU opinion leaders want to tell Britain to get lost. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA The German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is personally sympathetic to the British plight, has bowed to domestic pressure and ruled out any negotiations on future deals until Article 50 has been invoked by the UK. Her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, told journalists that Germany will respect the British need for time before formal talks begin, but he added: One thing is clear before Great Britain has sent this notification, there will be no informal preliminary talks about the exit modalities. The French finance minister, Michel Sapin, said the French government agrees with the Germans that the sooner the UK leaves, the better. France, like Germany, thinks that Britain voted for Brexit, and Brexit should be put in place starting now. One well-placed German source said: The political parties, the political leaders, the commentators and a big, big majority of the people want this process to start yesterday. They are absolutely determined you decided to go, now get out. They are absolutely pissed about Cameron. They see him as ego centric and ego manic. He tried to a play a poker game, and lost. The issue wasnt about the EU, it was to save his butt. It was mismanaged and not very clever. They are putting pressure on Angela Merkel, who is a little more understanding of the British position, but she cant afford to be the only supporter of Mr Cameron. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A London imam has sued the BBC for libel over a broadcast which he says meant he was a member of a "rogue's gallery of extremists". Shakeel Begg, chief imam at Lewisham Islamic Centre, has complained about a short segment of an interview on the Sunday Politics show in November 2013 featuring presenter Andrew Neil and Farooq Murad, then head of the Muslim Council of Britain. Mr Neil identified the East London Mosque in Whitechapel as a venue for a number of extremist speakers, and speakers who espoused extremist positions, and said that Mr Begg had spoken there that year and hailed jihad as "the greatest of deeds". Three other unnamed speakers were referred to and their distinct extremist positions identified. Mr Begg claims the words meant that he was a member of a "rogue's gallery of extremists" who actively encouraged the hatred of, violence towards and murder of non-Muslims. He also claims they meant he promoted and encouraged religious violence by telling Muslims that violence in support of Islam would constitute a man's greatest deed. Mr Begg's counsel, William Bennett, told London's High Court on Monday that it was very damaging for such an allegation to be broadcast by an authoritative broadcaster like the BBC. Mr Begg was committed to tackling extremism and actively worked for the Muslim community to engage with non-Muslims. "If he really did support these positions, then he would be out there making his position clear as he speaks in public frequently." UK news in pictures Show all 50 1 /50 UK news in pictures UK news in pictures 26 October 2022 A meerkat explores a pumpkin in the enclosure at Wild Place, Bristol, where some of the animals are having pumpkin treats as part of their environmental enrichment PA UK news in pictures 25 October 2022 King Charles III welcomes Rishi Sunak during an audience at Buckingham Palace, where he invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative Party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA UK news in pictures 24 October 2022 Rishi Sunak celebrates with Tory MPs outside the Conservative Campaign Headquarters after becoming the new leader of the Conservative Party Reuters UK news in pictures 23 October 2022 The Green Man at October Plenty, Borough Market's annual Autumn Harvest festival, in London, which returns for the first time post pandemic PA UK news in pictures 21 October 2022 Sculptor Peter McKenna puts the finishing touches to a pumpkin that will form part of the Planet A Hebden Bridge Pumpkin Trail in the West Yorkshire town PA UK news in pictures 20 October 2022 Britains Prime Minister Liz Truss delivers a speech outside of 10 Downing Street in central London to announce her resignation AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 19 October 2022 Salmon leap up Stainforth Force on the River Ribble in the Yorkshire Dales as they swim upriver to their spawning grounds during the annual Salmon migration PA UK news in pictures 18 October 2022 Just Stop Oil protesters continue their protest for a second day on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which links Kent and Essex and which remains closed for traffic, after it was scaled by two climbers from the group PA UK news in pictures 17 October 2022 Hundreds of students take part in the traditional Raisin Monday foam fight on St Salvator's Lower College Lawn at the University of St Andrews in Fife PA UK news in pictures 16 October 2022 A protester holds a placard during a march into central London at a demonstration by the climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 15 October 2022 A member of the public drags an activist who is blocking the road during a "Just Stop Oil" protest, in London, Britain REUTERS UK news in pictures 14 October 2022 Germanys Womens double skulls during day one of the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals at Saundersfoot beach, Pembrokeshire PA UK news in pictures 13 October 2022 Family and mourners arrive at St Michael's Church, in Creeslough, for the funeral mass of 49-year-old mother of four Martina Martin, who died following an explosion at the Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough in Co Donegal on Friday PA UK news in pictures 12 October 2022 Motorists in Coventry pass trees showing autumnal colour PA UK news in pictures 11 October 2022 A woman and her dog in the the North Sea at Tynemouth Longsands beach before sunrise PA UK news in pictures 10 October 2022 Police officers remove a campaigner from a Just Stop Oil protest on The Mall, near Buckingham Palace, London PA UK news in pictures 9 October 2022 A drummer plays during the Diwali on the Square celebration, in Trafalgar Square, London PA UK news in pictures 8 October 2022 Timothee Chalamet attending the UK premiere of Bones and All during the BFI London Film Festival 2022 at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London PA UK news in pictures 7 October 2022 Two young male fallow deer lock antlers in Dublins Phoenix park as rutting season begins PA UK news in pictures 6 October 2022 The Princess of Wales during a cocktail making competition during a visit to Trademarket, a new outdoor street-food and retail market situated in Belfast city centre, as part of the royal visit to Northern Ireland PA UK news in pictures 5 October 2022 Greenpeace protesters interrupt Prime Minister Liz Truss as she delivers her keynote speech to the Conservative Party annual conference PA UK news in pictures 4 October 2022 Prime Minister Liz Truss and Britains Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng wearing hard hats and hi-vis jackets, visit a construction site for a medical innovation campus in Birmingham AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 3 October 2022 British artist Sam Cox, aka Mr Doodle, reveals the Doodle House, a twelve-room mansion at Tenterden, in Kent, which has been covered, inside and out in the artist's trademark monochrome, cartoonish hand-drawn doodles PA UK news in pictures 2 October 2022 Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring Manchester City's second goal against Manchester United at Etihad Stadium. Haaland went on to score a hattrick, his third of the season in the Premier League. City beat United 6-3. Manchester City FC/Getty UK news in pictures 1 October 2022 Protesters hold up flags and placards at a protest in London. A variety of protest groups including Enough is Enough, Don't Pay and Just Stop Oil all demonstrated on the day AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 30 September 2022 British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who has not been seen in days, leaves the back of Downing Street after a meeting with Office For Budget Responsibility following the release of her governments mini-budget Getty UK news in pictures 29 September 2022 The Virginia creeper foliage on the Tu Hwnt i'r Bont (Beyond the Bridge) Llanwrst, Conwy North Wales, has changed colour from green to red in at the start of Autumn. The building was built in 1480 as a residential dwelling but has been a tearoom for over 50 years PA UK news in pictures 28 September 2022 Criminal barristers from the Criminal Bar Association (CBA), demonstrates outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London, as part of their ongoing pay row with the Government PA UK news in pictures 27 September 2022 David White, Garter King of Arms, poses with an envelope franked with the new cypher of King Charles III 'CIIIR', after it was printed in the Court Post Office at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 26 September 2022 A gallery staff member poses next to a painting by Lucian Freud - Self-portrait (Fragment), 1956 - on show at a photocall for the Credit Suisse exhibition - Lucian Freud: New Perspectives at the National Gallery in London PA UK news in pictures 25 September 2022 Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer is interviewed by Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool before the start of the Labour Party annual Conference which he opened with a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II and sang the national anthem PA UK news in pictures 24 September 2022 Handout photo issued by Buckingham Palace of the ledger stone at the King George VI Memorial Chapel, St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle PA UK news in pictures 23 September 2022 A climate change activist protests against UK private jets while lighting his right arm on fire during the Laver Cup tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London EPA UK news in pictures 22 September 2022 Woody Woodmansey, Lee Bennett, Kevin Armstrong, Nick Moran and Clifford Slapper attend the unveiling of a stone for David Bowie on the Music Walk of Fame at Camden, north London PA UK news in pictures 21 September 2022 A flock of birds in the sky as the sun rises over Dungeness in Kent PA UK news in pictures 20 September 2022 Flowers which were laid by members of the public in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II at Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland are collected by the Hillsborough Gardening Team and volunteers to be replanted for those that can be saved or composted PA UK news in pictures 19 September 2022 The ceremonial procession of the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II travels down the long walk as it arrives at Windsor Castle for the committal service at St Georges Chapel AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 18 September 2022 A man stands among campers on The Mall ahead of the Queens funeral Reuters UK news in pictures 17 September 2022 Wolverhampton Wanderers Nathan Collins fouls Manchester Citys Jack Grealish leading to a red card. City went on to win the match at Molineux Stadium three goals to nil. Action Images/Reuters UK news in pictures 16 September 2022 Members of the public stand in the queue near Tower Bridge, and opposite the Tower of London, as they wait in line to pay their respects to the late Queen Elizabeth II, in London AFP via Getty Images UK news in pictures 15 September 2022 Members of the public in the queue on in Potters Fields Park, central London, as they wait to view Queen Elizabeth II lying in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 14 September 2022 The first members of the public pay their respects as the vigil begins around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II in Westminster Hall, London, where it will lie in state ahead of her funeral on Monday PA UK news in pictures 13 September 2022 Crowds cheer as King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort arrive for a visit to Hillsborough Castle Getty UK news in pictures 12 September 2022 Crowds line the Royal Mile, Edinburgh, as King Charles III joins a procession from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles Cathedral following the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS UK news in pictures 11 September 2022 Members of the Public pay their respects as the hearse carrying the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard of Scotland, is driven through Ballater AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 10 September 2022 Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's Catherine, Princess of Wales, Britain's Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, Britain's Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, wave at well-wishers on the Long walk at Windsor Castle AFP/Getty UK news in pictures 9 September 2022 King Charles III and Camilla, Queen Consort wave after viewing floral tributes to the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Buckingham Palace Getty UK news in pictures 8 September 2022 A screen commemorating Britain's Queen Elizabeth II in Piccadilly Circus, London Britain EPA UK news in pictures 7 September 2022 Police officers stand guard after Animal Rebellion activists threw paint on the walls and road outside the Houses of Parliament in protest, in London, Britain Reuters UK news in pictures 6 September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes Liz Truss during an audience at Balmoral, Scotland, where she invited the newly elected leader of the Conservative party to become Prime Minister and form a new government PA Andrew Caldecott QC, for the BBC, which denies libel and pleads justification, said it was accepted that Mr Begg did not preach jihad as the greatest of deeds at the East London Mosque and did not do so in 2013. But, he told Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, this did not affect the substance of the charge and the sting of the allegation was true. "The basis for calling the claimant an extremist is short and simple. He has preached jihad as the greatest of deeds which in this context clearly means violence in the name of Islam." He added: "We say the meaning is clear beyond any reasonable doubt that Mr Begg has taken the extremist position in preaching that jihad in the sense of violence in the name of Islam is the greatest of deeds. "That's what it says.That's what it means. Either he has preached that or he has not." Mr Caldecott referred to a number of speeches given by Mr Begg and said that his interfaith work in the community and evidence to his character was peripheral to the import of what he had preached to his fellow Muslims. The hearing, which is expected to last four days, was adjourned until Tuesday. PA Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Polish ambassador has called on the government to condemn a series of hate crimes sparked by the EU referendum result, including reports of anti-Polish signs left outside primary schools in Cambridgeshire. Hours after Fridays results were announced, police were called out to investigate reports that signs reading No more Polish vermin had been distributed through peoples doors and posted outside local primary schools. The cards read in full: Leave the EU/No more Polish vermin, with a translation in Polish on the reverse. Police officers in Cambridgeshire said they are working closely with the local community and are doing everything possible to ensure those responsible are caught. A number of the signs were found outside St Peters School in Huntingdon, a student told Cambridge News. Sightings had also been reported at neighbouring schools in the area. The 11-year-old pupil said: The teaching assistants were picking them up and throwing them away because they thought they were racist. The student, who is Polish, said he felt the cards were racist too and that his mother had reported them to the police. I felt really sad, he said. Adriana Chodakowska, editor of UK-based Polish news site Londynek, said the Polish community had received a barrage of abuse since Friday's result. Speaking to The Independent about the "No more Polish vermin" signs, she said: "Of course I don't have to tell you how shocked we are. People are afraid of their future and many Polish families are scared because their children attend British schools. As we know, children may be cruel and they listen what their parents say at home." "We have already some signals from our users that the day after the referendum their child was told by other pupils to get ready to go home. Another one was told not to go back after holidays, 'otherwise we kill you', they said." "It is really hard to calm people down in such circumstances." 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods food and clothes being the most obvious but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images As the biggest Polish website in the UK, Ms Chodakowska said Londynek was in the process of explain the potential effects of Brexit to concerned readers. "We try to explain to our users everything we can - about the European Union, about the complicated process of Brexit - but the atmosphere right now is very tense and we all have to wait until it calms down," she said. "We can't fall into paranoia and give up to negative emotions." Police in London have launched an appeal after offensive graffiti was found scrawled on the front of the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith on Saturday. Officers said the incident was being treated as a hate-crime due to the "racially aggravated nature of the criminal damage". A single male suspect was captured on CCTV at 5.22am on Saturday, seen wearing an orange jacket and grey hoodie. Police have asked for anyone with information concerning the incident to speak to the Ravenscroft Park Safer Neighbourhoods Team or contact Crimestoppers anonymously. Speaking in Parliament on Monday, David Cameron said: I spoke to the Polish Prime Minister this afternoon to say how concerned I was about the terrible attacks that have taken place, and to reassure her we are doing everything we can to protect Polish citizens in our country. Polish ambassador Witold Sobkow posted on Twitter that he expects the British government to condemn the acts and that the matter was due to be discussed in the coming days. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Reports of hate crime have risen 57 per cent in the aftermath of the EU referendum vote, according to the National Police Chiefs Council. There were 85 reports of hate crimes to True Vision, a police-funded reporting website, between Thursday and Sunday compared with 54 reports over the same period four weeks ago. Mark Hamilton, Assistant Chief Constable for the National Police Chiefs Council Lead for Hate Crime, confirmed it is monitoring the situation closely. Mr Hamilton said in a statement: Police forces are working closely with their communities to maintain unity and tolerance and prevent any hate crime or abuse following the EU referendum. At the national level, the vast majority of people are continuing to go about their lives in safety and security and there have been no major spikes in tensions reported. However, we are seeing an increase in reports of hate crime incidents to True Vision, the police online hate crime reporting site. This is similar to the trends following other major national or international events. In previous instances, crime levels returned to normal relatively quickly but we are monitoring the situation closely. Recommended Read more Wave of racial abuse and hate crime reported after EU referendum He added that all forms of hate crime are unacceptable, continuing: Hatred not only has the potential to cause serious physical and emotional harm, it damages communities and undermines the diversity and tolerance we should be instead celebrating. Police forces will respond robustly to any incidents and offenders can expect to receive enhanced sentencing. Everyone has a right to feel safe and confident about who they are. Being yourself is not a crime: hate crime is. Rose Simkins, chief executive for Stop Hate UK, told The Independent the issue "may well get worse". She said: "Hate Crime is generally very underreported but what we are seeing in the last few days is the result of more people being targeted and more people coming forward to report because of fear for their safety. "We are talking to people who have never been targeted before and are now experiencing nasty abuse or people who have been but they have never reported before and are doing so now out of fear and because the frequency or the intensity of the abuse is increasing. "We want all those targeted and all those who witness Hate Crime to report to the Police or to organisations such as Stop Hate UK and not suffer in silence." A spokesperson for telephone helpline SupportLine reiterated the need to report incidents. They told The Independent: "Hate crime is a criminal offence and anyone who has been subjected to a hate crime needs to report it to the Police. Every individual deserves to feel safe in the community." True Vision defines hate crimes as any crimes that are targeted at a person because of hostility or prejudice towards that persons disability, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, transgender identity. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods food and clothes being the most obvious but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images It notes a hate crime can be committed against a person or property. In reference to freedom of expression, the website adds "in particular, a wide degree of tolerance is accorded to political speech and debate during election campaigns or referendums". Since the UK voted to leave the EU, there has been a wave of hate crime and racial abuse. A Facebook album entitled "Worrying Signs" has been created to document alleged incidents in which people have been targeted with xenophobic comments. One video, purportedly filmed in Hackney on the morning after the referendum, shows a man arguing with someone in a car before yelling: Go back to your country. In Huntington, Cambridgeshire, there have been reports of signs saying Leave the EU, no more Polish vermin posted through the letter boxes of Polish families on the day of the referendum result. There were 52,528 hate crimes recorded by forces in England and Wales in 2014-15 an increase of 18% compared with the previous year, according the most recent Home Office statistics. More than 80% were classed as race hate crimes, with others involving religion, disability, sexual orientation and transgender victims. If you have experienced or witnessed hate crime you can report it by calling the police on 101, contacting Crimestoppers or using the True Vision website (www.report-it.org.uk). Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The co-founder of one of the campaigns to leave the European Union has been criticised for describing alleged increases in hate crime after the Brexit vote as "media hysteria". Arron Banks, the businessman who spearheaded Leave.EU, has been denounced on social media by people who believe he was not taking reports of racism seriously. Twitter users have called on Mr Banks to acknowledge the contribution of Polish people to the UK and asked him to condemn the suspected racist vandalism of a Polish cultural cente in west London on Sunday. Mr Banks had written: Whats a [Polish Social and Cultural Centre] when its at home. Pack in the guardian connected outrage. On Sunday, the cultural centre was the target of what the Metropolitan Police has called "racially motivated criminal damage". Guardian journalist Shiv Malik asked Mr Banks: Do you deplore the attack on the Polish Social and Cultural Association earlier today. Or does it please you? Another Twitter user prompted Mr Banks: Are you going to answer the question Do you condemn it[?] Helen Grieve, whose profile says she is from Yorkshire, told the Leave campaigner he had forgotten about the contribution of Polish people to the Allied cause in World War Two: Shame on you. I grew up with the grandchildren of brave Polish servicemen who fought for Britain in WWII. In response to another accusation he was forgetting about the sacrifices of Polish soldiers, Mr Banks wrote that he had a Polish maths teacher once who used to be a Polish fighter pilot and was a lovely chap. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA Since the result of the vote to leave the EU was announced, there has been a surge in purported instances of racism and hate crime. Several of the alleged perpetrators have referenced the Brexit vote directly while carrying out the attacks. Mr Banks has dismissed the alleged rise in race-related crime as simply media hysteria and a whole load of rubbish. The millionaire businessman is a former Tory donor, but he switched to funding Ukip in 2014. He has been the source of controversy after he defended Leave.EUs decision to poll people on whether the killing of MP Jo Cox would affect how they voted in the referendum. The pro-Remain MP was shot following a meeting with her constituency in West Yorkshire. The Independent contacted Leave.EU with the allegations Mr Banks is not taking racism allegations seriously, but the group declined to comment. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A protest against Britains decision to vote to Leave is in disarray after its organisers changed it to give more support to Brexit. The London stays event which was joined by events across the country such as Oxford stays had become far and away the most popular protest against the British vote to leave, with over 50,000 people saying they would go and another 86,000 interested in doing so. But it has now changed its name to Stand Together, and embraced what appears to be a far more accepting approach to those who voted Leave. Organiser Jessica Rodgers posted an updated on the page that said the decision to change the name had been taken because it important to remove the connotation that we thought that the best step forward was to fight for London to become its own state, and attempt to rejoin the European Union. She also said that it was to make it possible to consider how to include all voters opinions in the next steps of the debate. Brexit - Some Leave voters are regretting their vote But the change has enraged many who signed up to the event with the hope of signalling that they think Britain should not have voted to leave the EU. Really don't understand what's the purpose of this very last minute change, wrote one attendee. This is not what I signed up for. We need someone with stronger convictions, I'm afraid. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods food and clothes being the most obvious but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images Another said that organisers should set up a new event if they had changed their mind, rather than altering the name of an event that already had tens of thousands of attendees. Changing the name and sentiment of the event after 50 thousand have signed up is not the right move, said another. If you've changed your opinion, better to start a new event rather than seeking to redefine other people's views. Others said that the change of name seemed to suggest that the event was moving towards Leave, and so left them feeling worried. Recommended Read more Wave of racial abuse and hate crime reported after EU referendum Unfortunately as a EU citizen I no longer feel safe attending this, wrote one person, while others said that they would no longer be going to the event because it appeared to have tricked them. Organisers rejected the claims that some had made that the name had been changed on the request of the police, the Mayor of London or another group. They said that the police had been informed about the event and they were awaiting final sign-off. The London event will be held from 5pm in Parliament Square, on 25 June. Events will also be held in Oxford, Manchester, Cardiff, Liverpool and Cambridge all of which have had their names changed. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} London Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged the Metropolitan Police to be "extra vigilant" of increased hate crime following the result of the EU referendum. Mr Khan was speaking after a number of incidents were reported in London and around the country over the weekend. Poland's Ambassador to the UK, Witold Sobkow, spoke of his shock at "xenophobic abuse" experienced by the Polish community. Mr Khan said: "I take seriously my responsibility to defend London's fantastic mix of diversity and tolerance. "So it's really important we stand guard against any rise in hate crimes or abuse by those who might use last week's referendum as cover to seek to divide us. "I've asked our police to be extra vigilant for any rise in cases of hate crime, and I'm calling on all Londoners to pull together and rally behind this great city." Police are investigating vandalism at a Polish community building in London after images on social media appeared to show graffiti in which the words "F*** you OMP" were smeared in yellow paint across the entrance. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA Declaring that hate crime will be a priority for the Metropolitan Police, the London Mayor said: "We will have a zero-tolerance approach to any attempt to hurt and divide our communities. "It's also crucial that we don't demonise the 1.5 million people in London who voted for Brexit. "While I and millions of others disagreed with their decision, they took it for a variety of reasons and this shouldn't be used to accuse them of being xenophobic or racist. "We must respect their decision and work together now to get the best deal for London." Sadiq Khan: 'Not project fear - project hate' David Cameron told a special meeting of Cabinet in 10 Downing Street that his Government would not "tolerate intolerance" against nationals of other EU states. Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said police would "vigorously" investigate any reports of hate crime. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Pope Francis has said the Roman Catholic Church owes gay people an apology for the way it has treated them. On a flight from Armenia to Rome, the pontiff recalled Christian teaching and said: "I will repeat what the catechism of the Church says, that they [gay people] should not be discriminated against, they should be respected, accompanied pastorally. Pope Francis also told reporters the institution should seek forgiveness from other groups it had discriminated against. Recommended "I think that the Church not only should apologise... to a gay person whom it offended but it must also apologise to the poor as well, to the women who have been exploited, to children who have been exploited by [being forced to] work. It must apologise for having blessed so many weapons." The pope made the remarks after he was asked if he agreed with statements made by a senior cardinal, Reinhard Marx, who said the Church must say sorry to homosexuals Pope Francis has been lauded by the gay community, but also criticised by conservative Roman Catholics, for his tolerance of homosexuality. Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Live and let live.' GETTY IMAGES Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Proceed calmly" in life' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Be giving of yourself to others' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Even though many parents work long hours, they must set aside time to play with their children' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Sunday is for family' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Respect and take care of nature' OSSERVATORE ROMANO/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Stop being negative' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: Respect others' beliefs' AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness Pope Francis: 'Peace sometimes gives the impression of being quiet, but it is never quiet, peace is always proactive' FP/Getty Images Pope Francis gives life advice: in pictures Pope Francis' guide to happiness AFP/Getty Images In 2013, the pontiff said: "If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?" Yet while the leader maintains being gay is not wrong, he has said performing homosexual acts is sinful. On his visit to Armenia, Pope Francis used the word "genocide" to descibe the massacre of Armenians by Turks under the Ottoman Empire. Turkey disagrees with the number of those slaughtered and denies the mass slaughter was a "genocide". The term has significant political and financial implications for the country. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson has said the UK there will be still have access to the single market, despite Britains historic vote to leave the EU. Considered the frontrunner for the Conservative Party leadership, he laid out plans for an intense and intensifying cooperation with Europe. In his column for The Telegraph, Mr Johnson said: I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you EU citizens living in this country will have their rights fully protected, and the same goes for British citizens living in the EU. British people will still be able to go and work in the EU; to live; to travel; to study; to buy homes and to settle down. As the German equivalent of the CBI the BDI has very sensibly reminded us, there will continue to be free trade, and access to the single market. Britain is and always will be a great European power, offering top-table opinions and giving leadership on everything from foreign policy to defence to counter-terrorism and intelligence-sharing all the things we need to do together to make our world safer. Mr Johnson stressed that leave voters must assure those who voted differently in the EU referendum, acknowledging the result 51.9 per cent to 48.1 per cent was not entirely overwhelming. Despite the pound sterling falling to a 30-year low, the largest single-day drop by any currency in history, he said the negative consequences of the vote to leave were being wildly overdone, insisting the public should be incredibly proud and positive. Earlier on Sunday, former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine said Mr Johnson, Michael Gove and UKIP leader Nigel Farage must be in charge of EU negotiations, so that they would have no-one else to blame in the event of an adverse economic outcome for Britain. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods food and clothes being the most obvious but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images He said: "It is essential that the negotiations are conducted by Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Nigel Farage, the architects of this policy. "Any other negotiating team will produce claims that those three would have achieved a better result and during the negotiations they will excuse any deterioration in Britain's position as a failure of the negotiators. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson could become Prime Minister in just nine weeks time after Conservative MPs called for David Cameron to be gone and a new leader in place by September. As MPs returned to Westminster for the first time since the historic Brexit vote, the partys influential 1922 committee said a new Conservative leader should be in place by 2nd September, with nominations set to open on Wednesday. Announcing his resignation last week, Mr Cameron had said a new Prime Minister should be appointed to negotiate the terms of Britains exit from the EU by October. But the shorter timescale, which must be approved by the partys board on Tuesday will favour Mr Johnson, the frontrunner in the race, allowing him to harness the momentum from Leaves referendum victory to garner support among the 125,000 Conservative members who will elect the next leader, and the next PM. Recommended Read more May overtakes Johnson in leadership poll as Osborne rules himself out Addressing MPs in the House of Commons, Mr Cameron said there could be no doubt about the result of the referendum but warned of difficult days ahead. A special Whitehall Brexit unit will be set up to explore the options facing Britain in its new relationship with the EU, he said, admitting that it would be the most complex and most important task the British civil service has undertaken in decades. However all key decisions will wait until the appointment of a new Prime Minister, Mr Cameron said. David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 David Cameron's premiership - in pictures David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greeting David Cameron at Buckingham Palace for an audience to invite him to be the next Prime Minister on 11 May 2010 PA David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha wave from the steps of Number 10 Downing Street on 11 May 2010 Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures On 12 May 2010 Prime Minister David Cameron said in a press conference with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who was then deputy PM, they plan to "take Britain in a historic new direction" and Conservative-led coalition government would be united and provide "strong and stable" leadership Rex David Cameron's premiership - in pictures A decade ago, David Cameron visited the Arctic to witness the effects of climate change. However since coming to power in 2010, his government has gradually dropped down a succession of green policies David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David cameron told the then New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Queen had purred down the line after he told her Scotland had voted against independence in September 2014. He was forced to apologise for breaking constitutional convention Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron greeted soldiers working on flood relief in York city centre after the river Ouse burst its banks, in northern England in December 2015 REUTERS David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Claims that David Cameron performed an obscene act with a dead pig and smoked cannabis during his studies at Oxford University spread around the world in September 2015. The extraordinary allegations were made in an unauthorised biography of the Prime Minister written by Lord Ashcroft David Hartley/REX Shutterstock David Cameron's premiership - in pictures In 2016, Mr Cameron was caught up in a worldwide scandal dubbed the Panama papers Reuters David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha with seven week old Regan as they meet her parents, first time home buyers Robert Arron and Kelly Jeffers at the Heritage Brook housing development in Chorley, Lancashire. David Cameron has joked that he wants "another baby" and said that he feels a "bit broody" every time he sees a newborn on the campaign trail David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David Cameron was criticised for branding refugees in the Calais jungle camp as a bunch of migrants in January 2016 after thousands of refugees died in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean in 2015 Sky News David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during an EU summit meeting on 17 March 2016 at the European Union council in Brussels. Cameron was in Brussels to renegotiate deal of UK membership with other European leaders. The deal, sealed after hours of haggling at a marathon summit, paved the way for a referendum on whether Britain will stay in the EU AFP/Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures President Barack Obama shakes hands with British Prime Minister David Cameron at a meeting at 10 Downing Street in London on 22 April 2016. The President and his wife visited 10 Downing Street where he joined press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron and made his case for the UK to remain inside the European Union Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures After David returned from Brussels claiming victory in his renegotiation with European leaders, Boris Johnson announced that he will not support the Remain campaign. The prime minister said publicly he was "disappointed but Boris remains a friend" PA David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David Cameron makes a joint appearance with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as they launch the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University on 20 May 2016 in London. The 'guarantee card' lists five pledges should Britain remain in the EU, including the protection of workers' rights, full access to the single market and stability for Britain David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks outside 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016. Cameron announced his resignation after Britain voted to leave the European Union after a bitterly divisive referendum campaign AP Boris Johnson, who was not in the House of Commons chamber, is considered the frontrunner to replace Mr Cameron and is expected to announce his candidacy this week. The new leader will come under immediate pressure to call a general election. The former Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, said it would be wrong that only members of the Conservative party should be able to appoint the new Prime Minister of a new government, with new priorities and called for an early general election this year. Alex Salmond asks who is responsible for referendum aftermath - Boris Johnson or David Cameron? Mr Cameron, who will remain as an MP after standing down, will remain neutral during the Conservative leadership contest, Downing Street confirmed. He told MPs it would be for the next Prime Minister to determine whether a general election is called this year. It will also be up to the new Prime Minister to activate Article 50 the formal procedure by which member states can leave the EU and to negotiate the terms of Britains new relationship with the bloc. The key battle-line will centre on Britains access to the European single market. Mr Cameron told MPs that it would be one of the single most important decisions for the government, emphasising the single markets importance for the economy and jobs market. Mr Johnson has claimed the UK could still have access to the single market but to do so would entail adopting a relationship with the EU similar to Norways, and still being bound by freedom of movement rules. After the Leave campaign led by Mr Johnson fought the referendum campaign on a promise to cut immigration, staying in the single market at this cost would be seen as a betrayal of Brexit voters. Andrea Leadsom, the Conservative Brexit campaigner, who has said she is considering a leadership bid, has said blocking freedom of movement should be a red line in the EU negotiations. The decision were going to have to take, and it will be for the next government, about how we get the best possible access to the single market, I think will be one of the single most important decisions that the government must take on, Mr Cameron said. Because we must bear in mind the importance of safeguarding our economy, its trade links and its jobs. German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Francois Hollande and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi insisted there could be no formal or informal talks with Britains new relationship until the Article 50 had been activated. Mr Cameron will meet fellow EU leaders for talks in Brussels tomorrow. Mr Cameron also used his Commons statement to condemn the rise in anti-migrant incidents reported since the Brexit vote, including an incident of racist graffiti daubed on a Polish community centre. A Downing Street spokesperson said that many MPs had received reports from their constituencies and communities of migrants being intimidated or told they need to go home. We are absolutely clear and we need to reassure communities across Britainthis government will not tolerate intolerance, the spokesperson said. Saying that Britain was a tolerant, inclusive nation, the spokesperson added: Those views and that value of our nation existed long before we were members of the EU and we should hold fast to that value and stand up for that value in the days and weeks ahead. Downing Street has also ruled out a second EU referendum, saying it was not remotely on the cards, and said that a second Scottish independence referendum was the last thing Scotland needs, after the Scottish government insisted they would not allow the country to be taken out of the EU. Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter from The Independent's Race Correspondent Nadine White Sign up to our free fortnightly newsletter The Race Report Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the The Race Report email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A BBC journalist has been called a racially abusive term she had "not heard since the 80s" as reseachers warned the EU campaigns have "stoked" Islamophobia in Britain. Sima Kotecha, who is a reporter for Radio Four, expressed her shock after being called a "p**i" in her home town of Basingstoke in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote. "In utter shock: just been called p**i in my home town! Haven't heard that word here since the 80s...!" she wrote. She added several hours later that the outpouring of support from many members of the public in response had made her "SO proud to be British". Her words came as the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) brought together many cases of racial and xenophobic abuse against all those who were seemingly not "English" on social media. Politicians in both the Leave and Remain camps have prompted anti-refugee sentiment which is being felt post-Brexit, researchers at the MCB said. Miqdaad Versi, the assistant secretary general at the MCB, said that he believed most people were against hate crime, but the language used by many politicians had fuelled fear of Muslims. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA He said David Cameron's "swarm of migrant" comments were racially inflammatory, while the Leave campaign's messaging over Turkey's accession to EU membership was directly designed to provoke fear of Islamists. "There has been a simmering of anti-Muslim feeling for a long time, and this has been stoked by the campaigns on the EU," Mr Versi told The Independent. "The leaflets and attitude of the Leave campaign to Turkey said that Syria and Iraq also wanted to join the EU. "They went out of their way to play on the hatred and fear that people have about what's going on in the Middle East." Turkey is in negotiations to join the EU, in return for holding onto refugees that many countries in Europe such as Britain do not want to accept. When Channel Four interviewed members of the public last week about why they had voted for Brexit, several told the broadcaster: "To keep the Muslims out". Britain is already outside the Schengen zone of free movement, and the current government will also not take any of the refugees - some of whom lawyers say have legitimate asylum claims in the UK - waiting in Dunkirk and Calais camps. Just 105 of the abusive messages found by the MCB were compiled into a "collage" which prompted a reaction on Twitter as people expressed their disgust. Some of the 105 incidents collated by the MCB that reported racial and xenophobic abuse Mr Versi said that Islamophobia had not been taken seriously by politicians for some time, with funding for security in mosques not granted where it has been granted to other places of worship. He called for "clear political leadership" to "heal the divisions" highlighted by the EU campaigns. Sadiq Khan, who himself was accused of extremist sympathies by the Conservative Party while campaigning to be Mayor of London, has met with the Metropolitan Police over the rise in racially-aggravated verbal abuse. Boris Johnson, the major leader in the Brexit camp, has denied that immigration was the driving force behind rejecting the EU, saying that it was about "regaining control". Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The next Prime Minister must be a backer of Brexit, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith has said, as a number of leading Conservatives geared up to be the Stop Boris candidate in the leadership election triggered by David Camerons bombshell resignation. As the Tory party wrestled with the implications of the Brexit vote, Boris Johnson and Michael Gove continued to maintain a low profile, amid calls for them to take responsibility and spearhead Britains exit negotiations with the EU. However, one senior Conservative MP and Johnson ally reportedly admitted to Sky News that for Vote Leave there is no plan for managing the aftermath of Brexit, in the expectation that Downing Street would have made a contingency plan. Theresa May, Stephen Crabb, Nicky Morgan and Jeremy Hunt were all reported to be considering leadership challenges. Mr Johnson, who is expected to announce his candidacy later this week, is seen as the favourite, but could face a further challenge from fellow Leave supporters. Ex-Defence Secretary Liam Fox, an ardent Brexit campaigner, became the first to publicly say he was considering a leadership bid and there is also speculation that Mr Gove could challenge for the top job. But there were also calls for the Conservatives not to have a leadership contest at all. International Development Secretary Justine Greening said that Boris Johnson and Theresa May were the obvious frontrunners and should unite in the national interest, with a joint leadership under one or the other. But in an apparent warning to pro-Remain colleagues thinking of running for the leadership, Mr Duncan Smith, the former Work and Pensions Secretary, said that after voting for Brexit, the public would be unlikely to accept a new Prime Minister who had wanted Britain to stay in the EU. Home Secretary Theresa May backed Remain but kept a low profile during the campaign. Meanwhile, George Osborne, who until Thursday was considered a leading contender for the Tory leadership, may still run, but would face an uphill struggle to convince MPs and party members, because of his central role in arguing against Brexit. "Whoever takes up that job... it would be very, very difficult for the public who have voted for leaving the European Union to find that they then had a prime minister who actually was opposed to leaving the European Union, Mr Duncan Smith told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show. "There was a clear decision, and what has to happen is delivery on that, and somebody who has been involved in that clearly has to be the case, because the Government itself had a view... which was to Remain, so now we need to change that position and actually deliver on this very clear mandate form the British people." His comments were at odds with Ms Greenings call for a May-Johnson unity leadership. In an article for ConservativeHome she said: A leadership contest now is not in the interests of our country. It will mean our party focuses inward at the very time our country most needs us to focus outward. Instead of a leadership contest which could take weeks and months, Boris and Theresa should agree to forge a deal which means they are a united leadership, under one or the other: a united leadership that for the sake of unity I hope the rest of our party could support. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods food and clothes being the most obvious but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images Despite their victory Mr Johnson and Mr Gove have made no public statements since their initial response to the referendum result on Friday. With the government under pressure from European leaders to trigger Article 50 immediately placing the UK formally into the two-year process of withdrawing from the EU the leaders of the Brexit campaign faced calls to take responsibility and lead Britains negotiations with Brussels. Former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine, who lamented the Brexit vote, saying the country had been sold a fools promise, said that Mr Johnson, Mr Gove and UKIP leader Nigel Farage must be in charge of negotiations, so that they would have no-one else to blame in the event of an adverse economic outcome for Britain. "It is essential that the negotiations are conducted by Boris Johnson, Michael Gove and Nigel Farage, the architects of this policy, he said. "Any other negotiating team will produce claims that those three would have achieved a better result and during the negotiations they will excuse any deterioration in Britain's position as a failure of the negotiators. "They must be in charge and seen to be in charge. He warned that the situation for industry and commerce was "deteriorating day by day" with investment decisions being postponed because of uncertainty about what kind of settlement Britain will get from the EU. The foreign ministers of the six founding EU member states have said Britain must activate Article 50 urgently to avoid prolonged uncertainty and instability, and to allow the EU to move on with a process of reform. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State John Kerry will come to London for talks with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, and will also visit Brussels. Mr Kerry has urged both sides to handle the negotiations responsibly to minimise the impact on the markets. Mr Hammond said that UK should not bow to pressure to begin formal talks with Brussels right away. But he said that any settlement that included a loss of access to European single market would be catastrophic and said that the government would have to be willing to sacrifice some control over immigration in order to retain access. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} There are a number of examples of referendums in Europe which have been ignored by the government of the day. The most recent and striking example was in July last year when the Greek people voted by about 61 per cent to 39 per cent to reject harsh austerity policies sought by the EU and other global institutions in exchange for a multi-billion-pound bailout. Despite the vote, the left-wing government in Athens, fearing the countrys banks and economy would collapse, agreed shortly afterwards to even tougher austerity measures. In 2008, Ireland threw the EU into chaos when it became the only country to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty and voters rejected it by a majority of 53 per cent. In order for the treaty to become law, it had to be ratified by all member states. Amid concern that attempts to streamline and formalise the workings of the EU were being held up by one relatively small member state, Irish and EU politicians urged people to think again. A new referendum was held in 2009 and this time 67 per cent of voters backed the treaty. The Lisbon Treaty was designed as a replacement for the Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe or TCE, which was rejected in referenda in France and the Netherlands in 2005. Brexit - Some Leave voters are regretting their vote Some view the Lisbon Treaty as much the same kind of deal as the TCE, making it arguable that the French and Dutch governments ignored their TCE referendums. However, the Lisbon Treaty was changed in an attempt to assuage opposition. For example, it removed references to EU symbols such as the flag, anthem, motto, currency and Europe Day that had given rise to fears that a superstate was being created. It was notable that, this time, no other country apart from Ireland held a referendum on ratification. Ireland also voted against the earlier Nice Treaty in a referendum in 2001 but supported it in a second vote the following year, after a number of reassurances including that it would not have to join a common defence policy. The Brexit referendum had no force in law and was purely advisory, but the political consequences of ignoring it might be considerable. Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Show all 30 1 /30 Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? David Beckham (REMAIN) The former captain for the England international football team announced on Instagram that he was voting to Remain. He said: We live in a vibrant and connected world where together as a people we are strong. For our children and their children we should be facing the problems of the world together and not alone. Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Victoria Beckham (REMAIN) 'I believe in my country, I believe in a future for my children where we are stronger together and I support the remain campaign.' Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Daniel Craig (REMAIN) Actor He was pictured wearing a white T-shirt with the slogan: 'No man is an island. No country by itself. Vote Remain on 23rd June.' Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Bob Geldof (REMAIN) Irish singer expresses his support for the Remain vote as he waves from a boat carrying supporters for the 'Remain' campaign in London AFP/Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? John Cleese (LEAVE) The Monty Python star signalled he will vote to leave the EU when he tweeted: "If I thought there was any chance of major reform in the EU, I'd vote to stay in. But there isn't. Sad." Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Daniel Portman (REMAIN) Game of Thrones actor supports Reamin vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Elton John (REMAIN) The singer also announced his intention to vote Remain on Instagram, sharing an image which said Build bridges not walls, along with the caption I'm voting to remain. #StrongerInEurope Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Roger Daltrey (LEAVE) Former frontman of iconic rock band The Who. I am not anti European, but I an anti the present way we are being governed in Europe, he wrote in The Mirror. The whole system has been corrupted by political ego and massive government overreach. The Euro being a perfect example I do not want to be dragged into the kind of Federal State that this present EU is pushing for - with the UK's voice getting smaller and smaller. AFP/Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? JK Rowling (REMAIN) The author of the Harry Potter books has expressed concern that "racists and bigots" are directing parts of the Leave campaign. She added: How can a retreat into selfish and insecure individualism be the right response when Europe faces genuine threats, when the bonds that tie us are so powerful, when we have come so far together? How can we hope to conquer the enormous challenges of terrorism and climate change without cooperation and collaboration? Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Vivienne Westwood (REMAIN) British fashion designer expressed her support for Remain vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Michael Caine (LEAVE) The actor has said he is a reluctant Leaver. He said: "I don't know what to vote for. Both are scary. To me, you've now got in Europe a sort of government-by-proxy of everybody, who has now got carried away. Unless there is some extremely significant changes, we should get out." Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Benedict Cumberbatch (REMAIN) Benedict Cumberbatch and Sir Patrick Stewart led more than 280 figures from the arts world who backed a vote to stay. An open letter pledging support for Remain was also signed by music stars Hot Chip, alt-J and Paloma Faith, authors Dame Hilary Mantel and John le Carre, and fashion designer Dame Vivienne Westwood. Daniel Craig was pictured wearing a vote Remain t-shirt with the words "No man is an island. No country by itself" emblazoned across it in a picture tweeted on the Stronger IN account. Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Patrick Stewart (REMAIN) Actor is a leading supporter of the Remain campaign Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Elizabeth Hurley (LEAVE) The actress said If it means we can go back to using decent lightbulbs and choose high-powered hairdryers and vacuum cleaners if we so wish, I'm joining Brexit for sure. Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Stephen Hawking (REMAIN) The physicist was in favour staying, and said "progress comes from co-operation". He said: "By working together in Europe we make our economy stronger and we give ourselves more influence in the world and we provide future opportunities for young people." Numerous scientists have also voiced their support for Remain, claiming an out vote would badly damage the field. Getty Images for Breakthrough Pr Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Sol Campbell (LEAVE) The former England international football star said he is backing Brexit so that young British sporting talent would be nurtured and given greater opportunities at British clubs. He said: "I'm looking at the sporting side - how youngsters aren't getting the opportunities at some of the big clubs and some of the big clubs are bringing in youngsters from 14, 15, 16 and becoming homegrown, which is pushing some of our youngsters out." Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Hilary Mantel (REMAIN) Author Hilary Mantel announced her support for Remain vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Bear Grylls (REMAIN) The adventurer and TV presenter said he spoke "from the heart" in backing the EU. "At such a time for the UK to retreat, run and cut ourselves loose from Europe, when there are so many challenges on our doorstep, to me just doesn't feel either courageous or kind, he said. Europe has many flaws, but I also believe the way to help resolve many of those tough issues is from within... I have never been a good quitter and I am so proud of the UK and our values: tolerance, kindness, respect, courage and resilience. This is why I want us to stay together and Remain in Europe." Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Billy Bragg (REMAIN) British singer decided to support Remain campaign AFP/Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Ian Botham (LEAVE) The former England Test cricketer and Test team captain supports Brexit Getty/Laureus Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Simon Cowell (REMAIN) Music mogul Simon Cowell announced his support of staying in EU Getty Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? David James (LEAVE) The former England goalkeeper supports Brexit Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Idris Elba (REMAIN) The actor voiced his support for Remain vote Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? John Le Carre (REMAIN) British writer supports Remain campaign Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Paloma Faith (REMAIN) English singer supports Remain campaign Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Perry McCarthy (LEAVE) The racing driver supports Leave campaign Rex Features Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Keira Knightley (REMAIN) The actress intends to vote for Remain campaign Getty Images for Lincoln Center Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? James Cracknell (LEAVE) British athlete and rowing champion decided to vote for Brexit Getty Images Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Florence Welch (REMAIN) British singer supports Remain campaign Getty Images for Gucci Which celebrities support Brexit and which support Remain? Helena Bonham-Carter (REMAIN) The actress expressed her support for Remain vote AFP/Getty Images Top lawyers have said MPs must still vote to pass an act to repeal the legislation that took the UK into the EU in 1972 if Brexit is to happen. This act is unlikely to be introduced until after the Conservative party chooses a new leader, as David Cameron has said he will not trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which would start the process under which Brexit would take place. Pro-EU MPs will then face a decision, possibly in November, as to whether to vote against their consciences for Brexit to respect the referendum vote, or do what they think is best for the UK. This dilemma could be complicated if the UK economy is becoming weaker and polls appear to show most people are now against Brexit. An opinion poll carried out in the wake of referendum suggests 1.1 million people who voted Leave now regret doing so. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Here are the latest updates: Please wait for the live blog to load David Cameron chaired the first session of Cabinet after the Brexit decision today, while the Commons held a special debate on the EU referendum result. The Prime Minister has ruled out a second vote, dismissing a popular petition, saying the wishes of the British people "must be respected". But the headlines were dominated on Monday by mayhem in the Labour ranks which continued today, with one former member of Jeremy Corbyn's top team urging him to quit now rather than "drag this out" as frontbenchers continued to quit. Mr Corbyn lost 12 members of his shadow cabinet on Sunday and further resignations have already taken place on Monday ahead of a crunch meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Shadow foreign minister Diana Johnson, shadow civil society minister Anna Turley and shadow defence minister Toby Perkins all resigned as the protest against Mr Corbyn's leadership continued. Corbyn says he won't resign Former shadow education secretary Lucy Powell, who resigned on Sunday, insisted it was not a "planned coup" against Mr Corbyn but instead a reaction to the "seismic" events which have shaken Westminster in recent days - the EU referendum result and David Cameron's resignation. Mr Corbyn has vowed to fight on as leader, challenging the rebels to put up a candidate to stand against him, but Ms Powell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she hoped he would "not drag this out any longer than necessary". The developments came as George Osborne indicated an emergency budget to deal with the fallout from the referendum vote to leave the EU looks unlikely to take place until the autumn. In an early-morning statement at the Treasury designed to calm market anxieties after the pound fell a further 2 per cent against the US dollar in overnight trading, Mr Osborne insisted that the UK economy is "about as strong as it could be to confront the challenge our country now faces" and said Britain remains "open for business". Following talks over the weekend with Bank of England Governor Mark Carney and fellow finance ministers and international economic organisations, Mr Osborne said that "further well-thought through contingency plans" were ready to be deployed if needed in response to further volatility. Mr Osborne - who has kept a low public profile since the Brexit vote - said it was "inevitable" that the UK economy would face an "adjustment" in the wake of the Brexit vote, though he steered clear of repeating explicit warnings of recession made during the referendum campaign. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Parliament must still vote on a bill to allow the UK to leave the European Union, leading lawyers have said. Geoffrey Robertson QC, who founded the Doughty Street Chambers, said the act which set up the referendum said "nothing" about its impact, meaning it was "purely advisory". Follow the latest live updates A new bill to repeal the 1972 European Communities Act that took Britain into the EU must now be passed by parliament, he said, adding that MPs might not be able to vote until November when the economic effects of Brexit will be clearer. "Under our constitution, speaking as a constitutional lawyer, sovereignty rests in what we call the Queen in parliament," he told The Independent. "It's the right of MPs alone to make or break laws, and the peers to block them. So there's no force whatsoever in the referendum result. It's entirely for MPs to decide. Brexit - Some Leave voters are regretting their vote "The 1972 communities act ... is still good law and remains so until repealed. In November, Prime Minister [Boris] Johnson will have to introduce into parliament the European communities repeal bill," Mr Robertson said. "MPs are entitled to vote against it and are bound to vote against it, if they think it's in Britain's best interest [to vote that way]. It's not over yet. "MPs will have to do their duty to vote according to conscience and vote for what's best for Britain. It's a matter for their consciences. They have got to behave courageously and conscientiously. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods food and clothes being the most obvious but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images "Democracy in Britain doesn't mean majority rule. It's not the tyranny of the majority or the tyranny of the mob ... it's the representatives of the people, not the people themselves, who vote for them." Mr Robertson said there had been "a lot of stupid statements" suggesting Britain could simply send a note to the EU to trigger "Article 50" of the Lisbon Treaty, which lays out the process under which states can leave. The article itself says a state can only leave in accordance with "its own constitutional requirements". "Our most fundamental constitutional requirement is that the decision must be taken by parliament. It will require a bill," he said. "In November, the situation may have totally changed. According to polls, a million vote leavers appear to have changed their mind, that could be five million by the November." In a letter to The Times, another leading QC, Charles Flint, of Blackstone Chambers, also stressed that British law required MPs to vote before Brexit could happen. "Under the European Union Act 2011 ... a change to the treaty on European Union, agreed between member states, would have required approval both by referendum and by act of parliament," he said. The Lisbon Treaty was the first agreement that laid out how member states could leave the EU. What is Article 50? Article 50 of the treaty says: 1. Any Member State may decide to withdraw from the Union in accordance with its own constitutional requirements. 2. A Member State which decides to withdraw shall notify the European Council of its intention. In the light of the guidelines provided by the European Council, the Union shall negotiate and conclude an agreement with that State, setting out the arrangements for its withdrawal, taking account of the framework for its future relationship with the Union. That agreement shall be negotiated in accordance with Article 218(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. It shall be concluded on behalf of the Union by the Council, acting by a qualified majority, after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament. 3. The Treaties shall cease to apply to the State in question from the date of entry into force of the withdrawal agreement or, failing that, two years after the notification referred to in paragraph 2, unless the European Council, in agreement with the Member State concerned, unanimously decides to extend this period. 4. For the purposes of paragraphs 2 and 3, the member of the European Council or of the Council representing the withdrawing Member State shall not participate in the discussions of the European Council or Council or in decisions concerning it. A qualified majority shall be defined in accordance with Article 238(3)(b) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. 5. If a State which has withdrawn from the Union asks to rejoin, its request shall be subject to the procedure referred to in Article 49. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The leader of the SNP in the House of Commons has claimed Scotland voted to stay in the EU because it really matters to Scots that they live in an outward-looking country, not a diminished little Britain. Angus Robertson, MP for Moray, told David Cameron that the Nationalists would not allow Scotland to be taken out of the EU against our will and would hold a second independence referendum if this was the only way to stop this from happening. He pointed also criticised the Government for failing to take enough action in the wake of the Brexit vote, saying Project Fear has turned into Project Farce. In Scotland, 62 per cent of voters backed staying in the EU with a majority in favour in every single council area. Mr Robertson said: Scotland voted to remain because we are a European nation and it really, really matters to us that we live in an outward-looking country, not a diminished little Britain. In Scotland we are now being told from Westminster that despite the majority against Leave, we are going to have to do as were told, were going to be taken out of Europe against our will. We have no intention whatsoever of seeing Scotland taken out of Europe. That would be totally, totally democratically unacceptable. We are a European country and we will stay a European country. If that means we have to have an independence referendum to protect Scotlands place, then so be it. He said the Leave camp had admitted they had no plan for what happened after a Brexit vote and reported that one pro-Leave MP had said Downing Street should have had a plan. UK share prices are so volatile that some stocks have temporarily been suspended and Sterling has hit a 31-year low, Mr Robertson said. The lack of leadership from Whitehall over the last few days has been unprecedented. We recognise that any further drift or vacuum simple exacerbates uncertainty. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA He asked Mr Cameron to give an assurance that his government will finally start to take a firm grip of the situation we all sadly find ourselves in. Mr Cameron responded only briefly. Scotland benefits from being in two single markets the UK and the European single markets, he said, adding that he would endeavour to keep it in both. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Britain has been offered a rather smaller vision of trade than the one it has just opted to exit. One of the leaders of northern Europe has said Britain can join a "triangle" of countries in the northern Atlantic which do not belong to the EU. Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Iceland's president for the past two decades, said he was pleased British businesses could join a "key area in the North" including Greenland, Iceland, Norway and the Faroe Islands. These nations either belong to the European Economic Area (EEA) or are overseas territories whose people have EU citizenship. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Mr Grimsson said that while Britain leaving the EU was a "grim" result for the bloc, it spelled a positive outcome for Iceland. "First and foremost, the outcome [...] is a verdict so grim that it is hard to find words to describe this historic event," he told Iceland Monitor. "Iceland and Norway will now, in a totally new way, become participants in negotiations that must take place between the European Union and the United Kingdom, and the European Union and member states of the European Economic Area (EEA) with this new triangle of countries in the North Atlantic," he said. Mr Grimsson added that Brexit was good for Iceland's status within the international community. "Our significance with regards to relations with our neighbours as well as the member states of the EU has undergone positive changes," he said. But Michael Dougan, professor of EU law at Liverpool University, said that even if such a trade bloc was likely, it was "not nearly as desirable as what we are just giving up." He said that membership of the EEA would require the unanimous consent of all 27 member states, the European Parliament, and the four European Free Trade Association states, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland and Liechtenstein. "That's 32 vetoes," he told The Independent. "And being part of the EEA involves the free movement of people anyway. How Boris Johnson can stand up there and accuse European migrants of bringing problems, and promise free trade... "You can't join the EEA unless you have full freedom of movement. Can these people not read? "They have deliberately set out to terrify people into believing the country had been stolen from them by foreigners." Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA Meanwhile Switzerland, which announced in 2005 it would only accept skilled immigrants, consequently lost some of the benefits of EU membership - including exporting services, which makes up a large part of the British economy. Professor Dougan, who is funded by Liverpool University and works independently of the European Union, said the size of the British economy will not be an automatic bargaining chip with the EU. "Do these people not realise? The Americans can't have access to the single market without freedom of movement, and they're the biggest economy in the world," he said. "So basically, goodbye to the single market, particularly in services. That's a disaster." Joining the EEA or trading within north Atlantic countries would be no real replacement for leaving the EU, added Professor Dougan. Other experts have pointed out the UK had what many regarded as a good deal within the EU. It was already exempt from the euro, the Schengen agreement, "ever closer union" and several justice and home affairs solutions. At the same time it received a large part of its science, development and agricultural funding from the EU. There is no agricultural funding available within the EAA and its terms do not make it part of a customs union. Members of the Leave campaign have said that access to the single market is possible without freedom of movement of immigrants. Its leaders, including Mr Johnson and Michael Gove, have also said there is "no need for haste" in exiiting the political and economic bloc, while EU leaders have said they expect Britain to leave "as soon as possible." Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Chris Bryant, the Labour MP for the Rhondda and shadow Commons leader has resigned, becoming the 12th member of the Shadow Cabinet to leave in 24 hours. In a scathing resignation letter addressed to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, he wrote: "I fear you will go down in history as the man who broke the Labour Party." Mr Bryant said despite misgivings he agreed to serve under the divisive left-wing politician, but that last week everything changed, in reference to the UKs vote to leave the EU. He continued: "A major plank of Labour's longstanding economic and foreign policy was defeated in the referendum and we effectively handed the right in this country their biggest victory in a century. The Prime Minister must take the lions share of the blame for that defeat and he has honourably resigned, but your inability to give a clear, unambiguous message to Labour voters significantly contributed to the result. Mr Bryant's resignation comes after shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn was sacked after telling Mr Corbyn he had lost confidence in him. Speaking to the BBCs Andrew Marr, he said: He is a good and decent man, but he is not a leader. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA A motion of no confidence has been submitted by Labour MPs Dame Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey. It is expected to be considered at the next meeting of Labour MPs on Monday. The Labour Party campaigned for Remain during the EU referendum, which resulted in the UK voting to leave the EU by 52 per cent to 48 per cent. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Corbyn has appointed ten MPs to his shadow cabinet to replace a raft of MPs who resigned over the weekend and on Monday morning. The Labour leader unveiled the appointments at 8.30am and said they would take immediate effect. Emily Thornberry will take over the position of shadow foreign secretary to replace Hilary Benn, whose sacking triggered the rebellion of moderate Labour MPs. Corbyn says he won't resign Diane Abbott takes the post of shadow health secretary while Pat Glass is shadow education secretary. Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald steps into the shadow transport secretary role while former soldier Clive Lewis becomes shadow defence secretary. Other appointments include Rebecca Long-Bailey, Kate Osamor, Rachel Maskell, Cat Smith, and Dave Anderson. Many of the MPs are from the fresh 2015 intake of MPs, who tend to be more supportive of Mr Corbyn than others. A dozen MPs resigned from Mr Corbyn's top team over the weekend, with more following this morning. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Show all 11 1 /11 The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He called Hezbollah and Hamas friends True. In a speech made to the Stop the War Coalition in 2009, Mr Corbyn called representatives from both groups friends after inviting them to Parliament. He later told Channel 4 he wanted both groups, who have factions designated as international terror organisations, to be part of the debate for the Middle East peace process. I use (the word friends) in a collective way, saying our friends are prepared to talk, he added. Does it mean I agree with Hamas and what it does? No. Does it mean I agree with Hezbollah and what they do? No. Reuters The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn thinks the death of Osama bin Laden was a tragedy Partly false. David Cameron used this as a line of attack at the Conservative Party conference but appears to have left out all context from Mr Corbyns original remarks. In an 2011 interview on Iranian television, the then-backbencher said the fact the al-Qaeda leader was not put on trial was the tragedy, continuing: The World Trade Center was a tragedy, the attack on Afghanistan was a tragedy, the war in Iraq was a tragedy. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is haunted by the legacy of his evil great-great-grandfather False. A Daily Express expose revealed that the Labour leaders ancestor, James Sargent, was the despotic master of a Victorian workhouse. Addressing the report at the Labour conference, Mr Corbyn said he had never heard of him before, adding: I want to take this opportunity to apologise for not doing the decent thing and going back in time and having a chat with him about his appalling behaviour. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn raised a motion about pigeon bombs in Parliament This one is true. On 21 May 2004, Mr Corbyn raised an early day motion entitled pigeon bombs, proposing that the House register being appalled but barely surprised that MI5 reportedly proposed to load pigeons with explosives as a weapon. The motion continued: The House believes that humans represent the most obscene, perverted, cruel, uncivilised and lethal species ever to inhabit the planet and looks forward to the day when the inevitable asteroid slams into the earth and wipes them out thus giving nature the opportunity to start again. It was not carried. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He rides a Communist bicycle False. A report in The Times referred to Mr Corbyn, known for his cycling, riding a Chairman Mao-style bicycle earlier this year. Less thorough journalists might have referred to it as just a bicycle, but no, so we have to conclude that whenever we see somebody on a bicycle from now on, there goes another supporter of Chairman Mao, he later joked. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn 'Jeremy Corbyn will appoint a special minister for Jews' False so far. The Sun report in December was allegedly based on a rumour passed to the paper by a Daily Express columnist who has written pieces critical of the Labour leader in the past. The minister did not materialise in his shadow cabinet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn wishes Britain would abolish its Army False. Another gem from The Sun took comments made at a Hiroshima remembrance parade in August 2012 where Mr Corbyn supported Costa Ricas move to abolish it armed forces. Wouldnt it be wonderful if every politician around the worldabolished the army and took pride in the fact that they dont have an army, he added. The caveat that every politician must take the step suggests Mr Corbyn does not support UK disarmament just yet. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn stole sandwiches meant for veterans False. The Guido Fawkes blog claimed that the Labour leader took sandwiches meant for veterans at at Battle of Britain memorial service in September but a photo later emerged showing him being handed one by Costa volunteers, who later confirmed they were given to all guests. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He missed the induction into the Queens privy council True. After much speculation about Mr Corbyns republican views and willingness to bow to the monarch, his office confirmed that he did not attend the official induction to the privy council because of a prior engagement, but did not rule out joining the body. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Corbyn refuses to sing the national anthem. Partly true. The Labour leader was filmed standing in silence as God Save the Queen was sung at a Battle of Britain remembrance service but will reportedly sing it in future. Mr Corbyn was elusive on the issue in an interview, saying he would show memorials respect in the proper way, but sources said he would sing the anthem at future occasions. The most ridiculous claims made about Jeremy Corbyn He is a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Cheese True. The group lists its purpose as the following: To increase awareness of issues surrounding the dairy industry and focus on economic issues affecting the dairy industry and producers. The Labour leader does not appear to have yet filled all positions vacated by the resignations and he may struggled to present a full front bench as many MPs had already ruled themselves out from serving under him. This morning he was hit by the resignation of shadow foreign minister Diana Johnson, shadow civil society minister Anna Turley and shadow defence minister Toby Perkins all resigned first thing this morning as the party crisis continued. The new appointments are an attempt to firefight the challege to his leadership by hostile MPs and demonstrate that he still has support within the parliamentary party. Former shadow education secretary Lucy Powell, who resigned on Sunday, insisted the resignations were not a "planned coup" against Mr Corbyn but instead a reaction to the "seismic" events which have shaken Westminster in recent days - the EU referendum result and David Cameron's resignation. Ms Powell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she hoped Mr Corbyn would "not drag this out any longer than necessary". Mr Corbyn was elected by a landslide during a Labour leadership contest that took place less than a year ago. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Jeremy Corbyn is facing the worst crisis to engulf any Labour leader since the pacifist George Lansbury was forced out of office in 1935. Shockwaves from Thursdays referendum caused Labours front bench team to disintegrate on Sunday, leaving its leader dangerously exposed. Mr Corbyn is accused by critics of being at best half-hearted in his support for the Remain campaign. Labour MPs also fear that after the Conservative Party has chosen a new leader, the incoming prime minister will call a snap general election. One former Labour Cabinet minister forecast yesterday that if the party went into a general election with Mr Corbyn at the helm, they could lose 100 seats. Corbyn says he won't resign Recommended Read more All the MPs who have resigned from the Shadow Cabinet so far Today, the Labour leader is due to have a crisis meeting with his deputy, Tom Watson, who pointedly failed to speak up in support of the leader amid a flood of frontbench resignations, which is expected to continue today. A meeting of Labours shadow cabinet is also in the diary but by last night, there were gaping holes in that committee which Mr Corbyn will have a struggle to fill. The Labour leader may also have to appear in the Commons to hear a statement on the referendum, flanked by a very thin front bench team. Later, he can expect a raucous meeting of Labour MPs and peers, who will discuss the proposed vote of no confidence in his leadership put forward by the Labour MPs Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey. On Tuesday if Mr Corbyn is still in office by that point his MPs will spend the day trooping in and out of a committee room in Parliament to vote on whether they have confidence in him a vote which he has a high chance of losing. If he is still in office by Wednesday, he can expect a direct challenge to his leadership, though there is no agreement among those manoeuvring to bring him down over who will replace him. Yesterday, a defiant Mr Corbyn was insisting that he would fight on, confident that the party members and supporters who voted so heavily for him last year would turn out for him again in a leadership contest. The crisis began in the middle of the night with a telephone conversation between Mr Corbyn and his Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn. The two have clashed publicly before, over Trident nuclear missiles and over intervention in the Syrian conflict. The latest source of tension was the referendum campaign. Mr Corbyn has been opposed to British membership of the EU for most of his political life, but was persuaded by Mr Benn and others to back Labours official line in favour of staying in. His office has now been accused of sabotaging Labour Remain. One MP complained yesterday that Mr Corbyn vacillated and talked out of the corner of his mouth during the campaign. Mr Benn told Mr Corbyn that he no longer had confidence in him, and was promptly sacked. Yesterday, he told the BBC: There was also no confidence that we would be able to win a general election as long as Jeremy remains leader, and I felt it was important to say that. He is a good and decent man, but he is not a leader. Mr Benns sacking set off an unprecedented series of resignations. The revolt against Mr Corbyn has been to a large extent led by women MPs. Six of the 11 shadow cabinet members who resigned in the wake of Mr Benns sacking are women. EU referendum - in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 EU referendum - in pictures EU referendum - in pictures A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox PA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall EPA EU referendum - in pictures A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital PA EU referendum - in pictures A woman wearing an "I'm In" t-shirt, promoting the official "Remain" campaign, leaves a polling station in London AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London PA EU referendum - in pictures Scotland's First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent PA EU referendum - in pictures Justice Secretary and prominent 'Vote Leave' campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington Getty EU referendum - in pictures Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London EPA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A sign on a gable wall in Belfast's, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave PA They were the shadow Health Secretary, Heidi Alexander, the shadow Education Secretary Lucy Powell, the shadow Environment Secretary Kerry McCarthy, the shadow Transport Secretary Lilian Greenwood, the shadow Minister for Young People, Gloria de Piero, and the shadow Treasury minister, Seema Malhotra. The Shadow Scottish Secretary and Scotlands only Labour MP Ian Murray, and the shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, Vernon Coaker, also quit. They were followed by the shadow Justice Secretary, Lord Falconer, the shadow Attorney General, Karl Turner, and the shadow Commons Leader, Chris Bryant. More resignations are expected today. Tom Watson, Labours music-loving deputy leader, was at the Glastonbury festival as the crisis began. He said in a statement: I was disappointed to see Hilary Benn sacked in the early hours, and equally sad that so many talented, able and hard-working colleagues felt they had to leave the shadow cabinet. My single focus is to hold the Labour party together in very turbulent times. The nation needs an effective opposition, particularly as the current leadership of the country is so lamentable. Its very clear to me that we are heading for an early general election and the Labour Party must be ready to form a government. Theres much work to do. I will be meeting Jeremy Corbyn to discuss the way forward. Though Mr Corbyns support within the parliamentary party is at a new low, he can count on the backing of a core of loyal shadow ministers, and from party activists who helped him pull off his extraordinary victory in last years leadership election. The grassroots movement, Momentum, which rose out of Mr Corbyns leadership campaign, is planning a demonstration outside Parliament tonight to coincide with the meeting of MPs where they will discuss the vote of no confidence put forward by the Labour MPs Margaret Hodge and Ann Coffey. Four Shadow Cabinet members came out in support of the leader, including the shadow defence secretary, Emily Thornberry, who said that asking whether Mr Corbyn would stand down was a stupid question. His ally Diane Abbott said scathingly: Some of my colleagues are labouring under the illusion that Jeremy serves as the leader of the opposition at their will and pleasure. If they want a new leader they can set up a new party. The shadow Home Secretary, Andy Burnham, who was Mr Corbyns main rival in the 2015 leadership election, refused to join the rebels. I have never taken part in any coup against any leader of the Labour Party, he said. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Labour frontbenchers and aides have continued to quit the party on Monday, with a string of MPs rounding on Jeremy Corbyn's leadership. Mr Corbyn lost 12 members of his shadow cabinet on Sunday and further resignations have already taken place on Monday ahead of a crucial meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party this evening. Shadow foreign minister Diana Johnson, shadow civil society minister Anna Turley and shadow defence minister Toby Perkins all resigned first thing this morning as the party crisis continued. They were followed by Stephen Kinnock, who served as a parliamentary private secretary on the business team, and Chris Matheson, a PPS on the shadow justice team. Mr Corbyn has vowed to refresh his shadow cabinet within 24 hours. The Labour leader may not be able to fully populate a front bench as so many MPs have declined to serve under him, however. Nevertheless he has said he will fight on and challenged the party rebels to put up a candidate to stand against him. Previous polls suggest Mr Corbyn has strong support amongst Labour members, who would have to be convinced of his departure in any ensuing leadership contest. The plotters however point to polls suggesting that Labour voters at large a wider category have lost faith in his leadership. Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Show all 12 1 /12 Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn's reshuffle Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn and the Syria bombing vote Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn asks questions from the public at PMQs, meanwhile backbenchers plot to oust him Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn is unavailable to attend the Privy Council Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Conference rejects Corbyns call to debate Trident Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn At Labour conference Corbyn and McDonnell press for a Robin Hood tax Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyns hopes for a new politics look optimistic in the face of a media barrage Dave Brown on Jeremy Corbyn Corbyn enters Labour leadership race Former shadow education secretary Lucy Powell, who resigned on Sunday, insisted the resignations were not a "planned coup" against Mr Corbyn but instead a reaction to the "seismic" events which have shaken Westminster in recent days - the EU referendum result and David Cameron's resignation. Ms Powell told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she hoped Mr Corbyn would "not drag this out any longer than necessary". Mr Corbyn was elected by a landslide during a Labour leadership contest that took place less than a year ago. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Nearly 5,000 people have joined the Liberal Democrats since the Brexit vote, party officials said yesterday, as Tim Farron sought to rebuild his partys support base by pledging to fight the next election on a promise to restore the UKs membership of the EU. With Labour in turmoil over Jeremy Corbyns leadership and the Conservatives split between Brexit and Remain supporters, the Lib Dems are hopeful of attracting new support from disaffected pro-EU voters from across the political spectrum. David Camerons resignation means that a new Tory Prime Minister will be in place by October, and may call a general election to cement their authority. Mr Farron said yesterday that while the Lib Dems respected the outcome of the referendum, voters should be offered the choice of a party fully committed to re-entering the EU. Recommended Read more Brexit MP Nigel Evans admits vote will not see big immigration drop Former independent London mayoral candidate Siobhan Benita was among the thousands to join the party in the past four days, saying that they now represented the only true Remain party. Their staunchly pro-EU stance will create allies for the Lib Dems in both the Labour and Conservative parties, holding out the possibility of cross-party collaboration. However, senior Lib Dems are not considering any kind of merger with pro-EU elements of the larger parties. The Lib Dems saw their vote share collapse at the last general election, as supporters deserted the party following its decision to go into coalition with the Conservatives. The party was left with just eight MPs but saw slight gains in English council elections earlier this year. Mr Farron said: We are the only party committed to a future for Britain at the heart of Europe. Naturally we respect the result of the referendum, but Brexit will hit livelihoods, homes and jobs. As the Brexit camp renounce their promises on the NHS and immigration before the slogans have even been peeled off their battle bus, it is now clear that the British people were told lie after lie. We have always believed our economy and place in the world is stronger in Europe and it is only right that we offer that as a choice to people at the next general election whenever that might be. It is also critical that politicians of all parties start addressing the concerns of those who voted to leave, many of whom werent angry about Europe but simply feel that on schools, the NHS and on immigration that Westminster isnt listening. Therese Dickey, of PayneWest Insurance, was awarded the John F. Moore Memorial Award and recognized as the most meaningful and significant individual according to the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers-Montana. Qualifications for the award include current involvement in the insurance industry, current membership in the NAIFA-MT, and a history of accomplishments and service to the association. Dickey has served as the 2010 president of the Montana Association of Insurance and Financial Advisers, and as the key adviser for health-care reform in 2009-2010, working with the Montana insurance commissioner and legislators. Dickey has been a member of the association since 2009 and has served as chair in each leadership position at the local and state level. She may be contacted by calling 238-1954 or emailing tdickey@PayneWest.com. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Thousands of people have marched on Parliament Square to express support for Jeremy Corbyn. The event took place during a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting that included a vote on a no confidence motion against the Labour Party leader. Following the meeting, Mr Corbyn came from inside the Houses of Parliament to address the crowd, which protestors said consisted of up to 10,000 people. Mr Corbyn asked supporters to stay unified amid challenges from inside his party as well as outside, during a speech given from on top of a customised fire engine. But he didnt mention the challenge against his leadership, instead talking in broad terms. "Can we all agree we are going to unite together as one people, one society, one community, to oppose racism? he asked the crowd. "Don't let the people who wish us ill divide us, he said. He spoke about the media and those who wish us ill, urging attendees to stay unified. But he didnt directly address any of the events that have occurred since Friday, which has included the resignation of much of his shadow cabinet and public leadership challenges. "Stay together, strong and united for the kind of world we want to live in, he told attendees. Mr Corbyn was preceded by shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who did address the challenges to the Labour leadership over the weekend. "Let me say this, let me make this absolutely clear to you, Mr McDonnell said. "Jeremy Corbyn was elected only nine months ago with the biggest mandate any elected leader has had from the rank and file membership of their party. The biggest. We call that democracy. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA "What we've seen over the last few days is a small number of MPs seeking to undermine the democratic decisions of the Labour Party members and the Labour and trade union movement. "Let me make it absolutely clear. Jeremy Corbyn is not resigning, he's staying." He praised shadow cabinet members including Diane Abbott, who has remained in the cabinet alongside John McDonnell and others who spoke during the event. Mr Corbyn followed speakers including Dennis Skinner, who spoke to huge cheers having said hed only heard of the meeting five minutes before he arrived. All of those speakers came from a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, inside Westminster. Speakers suggested that those inside the meeting could hear the event outside. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} As the bow of the Titanic slipped below the waves, out came the Labour Party on deckchair duty. It was a long shift too, which came to an abrupt start when Jeremy Corbyn became the first teetotaller to sack someone at 1.30am on a Saturday night. Hed lost confidence in shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn, he said, in the hours after the publication of a Sunday newspaper article claiming Benn was engineering a plot against him. Recommended Read more Jeremy Corbyn refuses to step down as 11 cabinet members resign Ever since Hilary Benn talked the House of Commons into bombing Syria against his leaders wishes, Jeremy Corbyns confidence in him has been of a size that would not be hard to misplace. That it became lost did not come as a surprise to anyone. Apart from Deputy Leader Tom Watson that is, who in the midst of a crisis of leadership of the kind that the nation has arguably never known before, was snapchatting pictures of himself at the silent disco in Glastonbury at 4am. Its arguable this was a mistake. Its arguable he was thinking it was a mistake as he pondered over it all, whilst sitting dishevelled on the platform at Castle Cary station for several hours, waiting for a train back to London. From 7am they came in waves: Gloria de Piero, Heidi Alexander, Ian Murray the partys sole Scottish MP all went. Hilary Benn says he had lost confidence in Jeremy Corbyn as a Labour leader John McDonnell popped up on the BBC to tell Andrew Neil that, Jeremy was going nowhere. He might have meant Tom Watson. A two and a half hour wait. As if missing the Sunday afternoon singalong slot with Jeff Lynnes ELO wasnt bad enough. Was John McDonnell bidding for the leadership? Had his number two Seema Malhotra been ringing round, sounding people out? Rubbish. Absolute rubbish, he said. Within 20 minutes Seema Malhotra had resigned herself. Lilian Greenwood, Lucy Powell and Kerry McCarthy went next. Turning and turning in the widening gyre, warned WB Yeats at the end of the world. The falcon cannot hear the falconer. Charlie Falconer was next. From a dead Irish poet not usually concerned with such matters, thats top political punditry. Then came Watsons grave statement: My single focus is to hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times, he said. Not so turbulent as to not head down to Glasto while things fall apart. The nation needs an effective opposition, particularly as the current leadership of the country is so lamentable, he added. EU referendum - in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 EU referendum - in pictures EU referendum - in pictures A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox PA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall EPA EU referendum - in pictures A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital PA EU referendum - in pictures A woman wearing an "I'm In" t-shirt, promoting the official "Remain" campaign, leaves a polling station in London AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London PA EU referendum - in pictures Scotland's First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent PA EU referendum - in pictures Justice Secretary and prominent 'Vote Leave' campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington Getty EU referendum - in pictures Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London EPA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A sign on a gable wall in Belfast's, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave PA Its very clear to me that we are heading for an early general election and the Labour Party must be ready to form a government. Theres much work to do. I will be meeting Jeremy Corbyn tomorrow morning to discuss the way forward. What way forward is that? Next, here was Len McCluskey of Unite the Union. If Jeremy goes, the party would be broken up he claimed. Of course, it is already being broken up, its core support running for Ukip and the Brexit gates while their leader occasionally told them to think about remaining. The unions are not the only power players though. The Corbynista youth wing have just been un-unionised European Un-unionised. Even some of them have had enough. Things continue to fall apart. But who was behind it all? It would be unkind to draw attention to the tactics of many a serial killer, to idly pop out for milk at the critical hour, making an alibi with a CCTV camera. A silent discos a convenient place for a quiet assassin. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A pro-Leave politician has been criticised for calling a journalist a whiner for expressing concerns about the result of the EU referendum, before dismissing those in denial about the vote. Stewart Jackson, MP for Peterborough, campaigned in support of Brexit and told GQs political correspondent Rupert Myers to suck it up during a brief exchange on Twitter on Sunday evening. Myers had written: I cant get over the fact that the winning side lied about a whole bunch of stuff and yet expect us to live cheerfully with the result. The MP replied: I know youre struggling to cope with representative democracy & the decision of 17m people to disagree with you but chin up. Mr Jacksons comments were spotted and retweeted by author J.K.Rowling, who wrote: Welcome to our post-referendum, anti-elitist, in-touch-with-the-people politicians. In response, Mr Jackson told Peterborough Today: I could not care less what JK Rowling thinks. Its got nothing to do with her. Theres a campaign to de-legitimise the result which is the largest number of people voting for anything in British electoral history. EU referendum - in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 EU referendum - in pictures EU referendum - in pictures A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox PA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall EPA EU referendum - in pictures A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital PA EU referendum - in pictures A woman wearing an "I'm In" t-shirt, promoting the official "Remain" campaign, leaves a polling station in London AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London PA EU referendum - in pictures Scotland's First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent PA EU referendum - in pictures Justice Secretary and prominent 'Vote Leave' campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington Getty EU referendum - in pictures Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London EPA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A sign on a gable wall in Belfast's, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave PA Theres an attempt to say people who voted to leave were stupid and did not understand the issue. Thats nonsense. We need a period of humility from people who are in denial. Mr Jackson also dismissed criticisms aimed at the leave campaign - including suggestions 350 million more a week will not now be spent on the NHS. He added: The point is theres 350 million that has to be allocated to the EU. Its up to the Government now - it might spend it on the NHS, adult social care, school places. We will have that choice to make. The Independent has contacted the office of Stewart Jackson for comment. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The 400 richest people in the world had $127.4 billion wiped from the value of their assets following the announcement of Britains decision to leave the European Union. The billionaires lost 3.2 per cent of their collective net worth, with Britains 15 wealthiest people having $5.5 billion erased from their fortunes. Europes richest man Amancio Ortega lost more than $6 billion after the vote announcement, while the fortunes of Bill Gates and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos both dropped more than $1 billion according to Bloomberg. Stockbroker Peter Hargreaves was the UKs biggest loser on Friday morning after seeing his fortune shrink by 19 per cent. Hargreaves was also the Leave campaigns largest donor, having donated 3.2 million to the cause according to the UK Electoral Commission. Meanwhile billionaire hedge fund manager George Soros, who warned Brexit would cripple the UK economy, appears to have gained hugely from the decision due to his investments in gold. EU referendum - in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 EU referendum - in pictures EU referendum - in pictures A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox PA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall EPA EU referendum - in pictures A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital PA EU referendum - in pictures A woman wearing an "I'm In" t-shirt, promoting the official "Remain" campaign, leaves a polling station in London AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London PA EU referendum - in pictures Scotland's First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent PA EU referendum - in pictures Justice Secretary and prominent 'Vote Leave' campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington Getty EU referendum - in pictures Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London EPA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A sign on a gable wall in Belfast's, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave PA Topshop owner Sir Philip Green lost around 365 million as the value of the pound sunk to a 30-year-low following the result. More than 100 billion was wiped off the FTSE 100 index, the biggest market fall in UK history. The Bank of England has said it will take all steps necessary to ensure financial stability in the UK in the wake of the referendum vote. HSBC and Goldman Sachs both threatened to transfer their operations out of the UK in the event of a vote to leave the EU, but have yet to reiterate or take action on any such plans. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The Waldorf Astoria hotel will be closed next spring for at least three years and will be turned into luxury condominiums by new owners and Chinese insurance group Anbang. Yet only some of the guests and staff may be aware of the mornings headlines as they take their breakfast near the lobby. One guest who is clued up on the development is Joe Wright, who has been coming to the hotel for 20 years. I wasnt at all surprised, he tells The Independent, surveying a window of Rolex watches in the lobby. Its outdated." In his junior suite on the 15th floor, he points out the rose-patterned carpet, the poky storage space and the framed photograph of a Guerlain model, which looks a bit dusty. Its ridiculous, he says. Yet the businessman in his sixties has stayed in this hotel, every year for two decades, for work trips from the UK to New York in the safety and testing industry. Why? Im a creature of habit, he says. Taking the dark elevator back down to the lower floor, it drops and whooshes down the airshaft as if guests are hurtling through a gale in a wooden box. The lobby is more serene, with soft jazz echoing off white marble walls and plush carpets, once tread upon by Frank Sinatra and the Duke of Windsor after he abdicated the throne to marry Wallis Simpson. Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday Show all 6 1 /6 Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday Vana Estate Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday The Post Ranch Inn, Big Sur, California Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday Singita Castleton Lodge Adrian Louw Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday The Pig Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday NoMad Hotel Where the worlds top hoteliers go on holiday Hoshinoya Kyoto The famous clock by the reception strikes nine. A woman in sparkling stilettos is on the phone, sorting through her Burberry handbag. Her shoes look similar to the pair of Manolo Blahniks showcased in the nearby glass cabinet. I dont have an opinion on it, she tells The Independent, referring to the hotels plans. At that moment, a staff member approaches her with a cup of coffee - Just as you like it. Thank you, darling! the woman says, and hurries away. The art deco venue, nearby the Four Seasons hotel which is closed for renovation until later this year, is where every US president since Herbert Hoover has stayed, and where the annual United Nations General Assembly takes place. President Barack Obama decided to stay elsewhere for the last assembly, however, and sources pointed to security concerns under the new ownership. (Getty) But it is both the loyal "creatures of habit" and the first-time guests that say the Waldorf, managed by Hilton Worldwide, is due a renovation. When the Waldorf re-opens, only 300 to 500 of the 1,413 rooms will remain part of the hotel, and many of the 1,500 staff jobs will be let go. Anbang spent $1.95 billion to acquire the property in 2015, setting a new record for the purchase of a hotel, and redevelopment costs are anticipated to amount to at least $1 billion, as reported by the Wall Street Journal. An Anbang spokesman told the publication that the company has "no definitive plans at this time", but will meet with Waldorf representatives within a few weeks to finalise the proposals. On the pavement outside on Park Avenue, a guest called Lisa is ready to travel home to Canada after a 5-day stay at the hotel. Its expensive, and outdated, she says, climbing into her taxi. Rooms start at $389 per night, according to the hotel website, and suites, including the famous Presidential Suite, cost more than $10,000 per night. A couple from Aberdeenshire in Scotland, Cindy and Kenny, says that Anbang's plans for the hotel were sad and surprising. The hotel is a typical, old-fashioned New York landmark, says Kenny. They have also stayed at the Ritz-Carlton, but this 85-year-old institution was their favourite. Various major hotels in New York City have recently been closed or renovated, including the Hotel Chelsea, the Beekman and the Roxy. The famous Plaza hotel was closed between 2005 and 2008 while it underwent a $400 million renovation, turning several floors into 181 condominiums. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Wisconsin couple contacted the emergency services claiming they had been held hostage by their pet cat. On a recording of the 911 call, made Friday 17 June, a woman can be heard speaking to the operator: This is going to sound like a strange question, but we have a cat and its going crazy and its attacked my husband, were kind of hostages in our own house. Were just wondering who we should call to do something, get rid of the cat, or help us. CBS reported that the couple were eventually rescued from their plight: the cat was taken away, and turned over to Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control Commission (MADACC). No one was seriously hurt. In 2014, an Oregon family called 911 requesting assistance, claiming their cat had attacked their 7-month-old baby. A man told the 911 operator the family arent safe around the cat, which had a history of violence. He claimed the cat had trapped them in their bedroom. The 7-month-old did not require any medical attention, and only had small scratches. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Five family members were killed, including three children, as a passenger train struck their people carrier as they were on their way to church in southern Colorado. The Amtrak train collided with the car in Las Animas County at around 9.45am on Sunday morning, after the driver of the people carrier failed to yield right of way to the train, according to a statement by the Colorado State Patrol. Steve Miller his wife Christina were killed, as were their three daughters Abigail, Kathryn and Ellianna, who were six years, two years and eight months old respectively. The only surivior was the couples four-year-old daughter, Heidi, who suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a Childrens Hospital in Denver. She is now reported to be in a stable condition. Authorities said there was no suspicion of drug or alcohol use being involved in the accident. None of the crew of the Chicago to Los Angeles train service or its 286 passengers were injured, Amtrak said. The train suffered minor damage but resumed its journey at around 5pm after making repairs. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} An algorithm that is used across the US to decide how likely prisoners are to reoffend is biased against black people, an investigation by ProPublica has found. The COMPAS tool (Correctional Offender Management Profiling for Alternative Sanctions), created by Northpointe, plays a role across the US in determining when criminal defendants should be released. Northpointes risk assessment score found that black people were almost twice as likely than white people to be assessed as higher risk when it came to the probability that they would commit another crime. The investigative study compared the predictions for 10,000 inmates in Broward County, Florida, with the rate of reoffending that actually occurred over a two-year period. Using questions like: Was one of your parents ever sent to jail or prison? and How often did you get in fights while at school? avoided asking about race outright, but were often related. Other questions assessed education levels and employment. In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 4510050.jpg AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 4608656-low_res-martin-luther-king-and-the-march-on-washington.jpg BBC In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights martin-luther-king-6.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights martin-luther-king-7.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights georgiamlk.jpg In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights malcom-x-and-martin-luther-king.jpg Library of Congress/ Wiki Commons In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights martin-luther-king-8.jpg Getty Images In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 359983.bin AP In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights 4260367.jpg AP In pictures: Martin Luther King Jr's campaign for civil rights MLKAFP.jpg AFP/Getty Images Black people were found to be 77 per cent more likely to commit a violent crime in the future and 45 per cent more likely to commit any kind of crime in the future. ProPublica also found that only 20 per cent of Northpointes predictions on future violent crimes are accurate. Northpointe stated that it does not agree that the results of [their] analysis, or the claims being made based upon that analysis, are correct or that they accurately reflect the outcomes from the application of the model. Northpointes algorithm is just one on the market, but there are dozens of similar tools which are being used increasingly by judges, probation and parole officers, according to ProPublica. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Julie Burkhart was at a meeting in Washington DC when her boss was shot dead in church - assassinated because of his work which included providing abortions to women. Stunned, she flew back to Kansas to offer support the other employees and to continue a service they considered vital. Now, seven years later, Ms Burkhart is poised to open the first abortion clinic in the neighboring state of Oklahoma for 30 years. She is doing to despite laws in many heartland states have made it more difficult for women to access abortion. She has also endured death threats and vitriol. On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled to protect abortion rights I do think its important work. It affects the well being-being of those people who walk through our door, she told The Independent, speaking from Wichita. That is why we keep working and moving forward. Ms Burkhart had worked for Dr George Tiller, who was long a target of anti-abortion activists. In the 1980s his clinic was bombed, in 1993 he was shot in both arms, and in 2009 he was killed when an anti-abortion extremist shot him while in church. The killer, Scott Roeder, was later sentenced to life imprisonment. Meanwhile, Ms Burkhart told Mr Tillers widow that she would ensure his work would continue. Julie Burkhart's clinic in Kansas has been the target of threats and protests (AP) Repeated surveys suggest that a majority of Americans believe women should have access to safe and legal abortion, even if they personally would not wish to avail themselves of the service. Yes, across a swathe of the US, states have introduced laws that limit and restricts womens access to abortion services. In Oklahoma earlier this year, the state legislature passed a bill that would have criminalise abortion procedures in the state. Senate Bill 1552 said that anyone who was found to have performed an abortion - except in instances to save the life of the mother - could face up to three years in jail. The bill was ultimately vetoed by Republican Governor Mary Fallin, not because she wanted to defend abortion rights but because she suspected it was unconstitutional. While I consistently have and continue to support a re-examination of the United States Supreme Courts decision in Roe v Wade, this legislation cannot accomplish that re-examination, she said. Abortion protest in Derry Ms Burkharts comments came as the US Supreme Court issued a landmark decision that upheld access to abortion. It did so in overturning controversial Texas law in a 53 ruling. Ms Burkhart, who heads the South Wind Womens Centre, said: Our elected officials are motivated by fear. They are afraid to stand up for the right of women, because they fear they will be unseated. She said the clinic in Wichita had frequently been the target of threats from those opposed to abortion. There was a flurry of such threats following the attack last November on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A police officer and two civilians were killed. The attacker, Robert Lewis Dear, was this year deemed mentally unfit to stand trial and ordered to be held in a Colorado state mental hospital. As director, I felt helpless that I could not protect my staff against those threats, she said. Ms Burkharts group is set to open next month Oklahoma City, the largest metropolitan area in the United States without an abortion provider. The entire state currently just two clinics and often women are obliged to undertake journeys of up to eight hours, according to Newsok.com. I think what we do is vital, she said. And I think time is on our side. I think that in the future, people will realise this is the right path. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Everyone knows Bud can talk like the parrot that he is. The question for one prosecutor, at least is whether the bird, which may have witnessed a brutal killing, should be allowed to sing like a canary. Only weeks ago, the idea seemed like an absurd plot twist in a bad Jim Carrey flick from the mid-90s. But this week, Newaygo County Prosecuting Attorney Robert Springstead told the Detroit Free Press that authorities are studying the parrots words to determine whether the birds speech can be considered admissible evidence in a court of law. Its an interesting novelty and its been a great opportunity for me to learn about African parrots, he said. It is something we are going to be looking at to determine if its reliable to use or if it is information we need to prosecute this case. Springstead admitted that putting a parrot on the witness stand could get complicated. He told CBS affiliate WWJ-TV last week that he highly doubts there is any precedent for using a birds speech as evidence. When a judge asks someone to raise their right hand, he wondered, to a parrot, are you raising a wing, a foot? The prosecutors question arrives after Glenna Duram, 48, was charged Thursday with first-degree murder in the May 2015 killing of her husband, Martin Duram, according to NBC affiliate WOOD-TV. She is being held in Newaygo County Jail without bond, the station reported. Family members believe Bud, an African gray parrot, may have witnessed the shooting that left Martin Duram dead and his wife severely injured. They believe this because the birds latest phrase the one he wont stop shouting at the top of his lungs mimicking his owners voice is a chilling one: "Dont fing shoot!" Durams body was found near his wife, who suffered a gunshot wound to her head but is alive. Although police initially assumed she was a victim of the shooting, police reports obtained by WOOD-TV revealed that she eventually became a suspect in the slaying. Relatives told the station that they think Martin Durams final moments were imprinted in the birds memory and that he continues to relive the slaying. They noted that Bud mimicked both the victim and his wife. That bird picks up everything and anything, and its got the filthiest mouth around, Durams mom, Lillian Duram, told WOOD-TV. "I personally think he was there, and he remembers it and he was saying it, Durams father, Charles Duram, added. Buds new owner, Durams ex-wife, Christina Keller, agrees, telling the station that the bird has a habit of replaying the voices of a man and a woman locked in a fierce disagreement. Im hearing two people in an intense argument, said Keller, who believes Dont fing shoot! were Durams final words. Two people that I know, voices that I recognize. Its intense, she added. When it happens, my house turns cold. Police reports reveal that investigators have been asked whether the bird could be used as evidence, according to WOOD-TV, but they dont show how police responded. Earlier this month, Springstead told the station that he had heard about the talking parrot but hadnt reviewed any footage of the bird. He said at the time that he was waiting for Michigan State Police to finish the investigation before deciding whether to file charges, noting that theres some evidence to support the idea that Glenna Duram killed her husband. Although the law allows charging on probable cause, I dont like to do that, especially when you have a very serious case, Springstead told the station. When the investigation is done, I like to be satisfied theres proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Duram told police that she remembers nothing of the shooting and regained her memory only once she was in the hospital. She left three suicide notes for relatives before the shooting that she claims she doesnt remember writing, police records reveal. "I know for a fact I didnt kill my husband," police quoted her as saying. Doreen Plotkowski, owner of Casa La Parrot in Grand Rapids, told WABC that African gray parrots typically vocalize phrases theyve heard many times, but the birds also are capable of using words theyve heard on only a few occasions. Presented with video evidence of the bird using the violent language, Plotkowski told the station that she definitely heard the bird mimicking an argument between a man and a woman. She told the station that she also heard the bird say, Dont fing shoot. In my mind, its something that hes heard, definitely heard before, she said. And if its fresh in his mind, he might even say it more now. Michael Walsh, a Muskegon, Mich., lawyer, told WOOD-TV that the bird is inadmissible because theres no way to trace his dirty mouth. How did it get there? Walsh said, referring to Buds words. If theres no reliable way of making that determination, you cant rule out that the bird witnessed a homicide or that the bird witnessed something on TV. Copyright: Washington Post A $9.1 million combination of projects to repair and improve overlooks, trails and parking lots along the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River has started. The work was prompted in part by the 2014 death of an 8-year-old California girl who fell to her death after stepping off the trail to the Brink of the Lower Falls and slipping. In 2012, an 18-year-old Yellowstone concession employee fell to her death near Inspiration Point after walking off the canyons North Rim Trail. As the first part of that work the North Rim Trail has been closed until July 23. Because there are so many projects proposed, the work will take four years to complete. Among the work scheduled is rerouting trails away from dangerous areas with stone barriers; connecting historic overlooks with new walkways; creating safe, accessible viewing areas with new informational signage; and using natural materials to integrate the infrastructure into the canyons spires and cliffs. Current closures include: Inspiration Point is closed until fall 2016. A section of the North Rim Trail between the Brink of Upper Falls and the Brink of Lower Falls is closed until July 23. The Brink of Upper Falls and Brink of Lower Falls are still accessible from the trailheads. Areas impacted over the four-year period include: Brink of Upper Falls; Brink of Lower Falls; Uncle Toms trails and overlooks; Inspiration Point; Red Rock Point; Crystal Falls; and sections of the North Rim Trail that connect these areas. Parking areas at the Brink of Upper Falls and the Uncle Toms area are being reconfigured to increase parking and the flow of pedestrian traffic. Stay informed about current and future area closures at go.nps.gov/canyonprojects. This project will be funded by the Yellowstone Park Foundation through private donations and federal fee dollars. Construction will be managed and contracted by the Federal Highways Administration, with oversight by Yellowstone National Park. A crew of students from the Montana Conservation Corps is assisting the National Park Service trail crew with work on the North Rim Trail. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} In a landmark decision and victory for reproductive rights advocates in the US, the Supreme Court reversed a controversial Texas law in a 53 ruling. Texas lawmakers passed the controversial House Bill 2, which requires doctors performing abortions to be able to admit women patients to a hospital within 30 miles of clinics, in June 2013. Clinics were also required to upgrade to have hospital-like standards. As a result of the law, 19 of 42 abortion facilities in the state were forced to shutter - particularly affecting women in remote areas of the expansive state. If the Court decided in favour of the state, only about 10 clinics would have remained for the entire state. Additionally, the law prohibited abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy. It also requires women to follow FDA regulations when taking the abortion pill, which must be done in the presence of a physician - requiring two visits to the office for each dose of the medication. "We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes," Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in the majority opinon. "Each places a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion, each constitutes an undue burden on abortion access, ... and each violates the Federal Constitution." Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg concurred. [I]t is beyond rational belief that HB2 could genuinely protect the health of women, she wrote, and certain that the law would simply make it more difficult for them to obtain abortions. Amy Hagstrom-Miller (left) and Nancy Northrup walk down Supreme Court steps after monumental ruling (Pete Marovich/Getty) Justices Clarence Thomas expressed his disappointment in the ruling in an embittered dissent, expressing that he felt the valued some Constitutional rights over others. "The Court has simultaneously transformed judicially created rights like the right to abortion into preferred constitutional rights, while disfavoring many of the rights actually enumerated in the Constitution," Mr Thomas said. "A law either infringes a constitutional right, or not; there is no room for the judiciary to invent tolerable degrees of encroachment." "[T]he entire Nation has lost something essential. The majoritys embrace of a jurisprudence of rights-specific exceptions and balancing tests is 'a regrettable concession of defeatan acknowledgement that we have passed the point where law, properly speaking, has any further application'," he added, invoking Justice Antonin Scalia, who died suddenly in February. While Mr Thomas would have upheld the provisions, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito - both George W Bush appointees - would have sent the case to lower courts for further deliberation. In Whole Womans Health v Hellerstedt, opponents of the law argued that the law presented "undue burden" by presenting significant barriers to women. Women on the front line of America's abortion war Show all 3 1 /3 Women on the front line of America's abortion war Women on the front line of America's abortion war IA28-34-Abortion-2.jpg AP Women on the front line of America's abortion war IA34-Janis.jpg Women on the front line of America's abortion war IA28-34-abortion-3.jpg AP "Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what we at Whole Womans Health have known all along - that every woman, no matter where she lives, deserves access to compassionate, respectful, and comprehensive care from a clinic she trusts. Today justice was served," said Amy Hagstrom-Miller, president and CEO of Whole Women's Heath. President and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights Nancy Northrup echoed the victorious sentiment, but stressed the historical impact of the Court's decision. "Without question, today's ruling is a game changer in what has been an unrelenting assault on women's rights across the country," Ms Northrup said. "This tremendous victory renews the promise of Roe v Wade for the next generation. We will not stop fighting until access is restored for all women in the US. The decision comes as a major blow for anti-abortion activists and politicans, who argue that the law was intended to protect the health of women - to the contrary of the Court's opinion. "The decision erodes States lawmaking authority to safeguard the health and safety of women and subjects more innocent life to being lost," said Texas Gov Greg Abbott. "Texas' goal is to protect innocent life, while ensuring the highest health and safety standards for women." Students for Life counter demonstrate outside of the Supreme Court (Pete Marovich/Getty) Jeanne Mancini, president of the anti-abortion group March for Life, said the law was simply meant to serve "women and babies". "The Texas law was in the best interest of womens health," she said in a statement. "Because of the decision today, beauty parlors, veterinarian clinics and public pools will be held to higher sanitary and health standards than abortion clinics. For his part, Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan said he will continue the fight to further regulate abortions in the US. "I'm disappointed in the Courts decision," he tweeted. "But our fight to protect womens health & promote life will not stop here." Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton expressed her delight for the Court's ruling in a statement emailed to press. Still, she warned that there was much more work to be done. "Our fight is far from over. In Texas and across the country, a womans constitutional right to make her own health decisions is under attack," she said. "In the first three months of 2016, states introduced more than 400 measures restricting access to abortion. Weve seen a concerted, persistent attack on womens health and rights at the federal level." She pointed out that her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, had vowed to appoint Supreme Court justices who would overturn Roe v Wade - the historic case that legalised abortion in the US - and pledged to defund Planned Parenthood throughout his campaign. The ruling will come almost three years to the day after former Texas State Sen Wendy Davis embarked on her historical filibuster in an attempt to block the vote on the bill. Ms Davis stood for 11 hours to the roar of thousands of Texas, who showed up to the state capitol to lend their support to the Fort Worth senator. Filibuster, notwithstanding, then-Gov Rick Perry called for a special session of the state legislature to push the bill through - which he signed into law only weeks after the filibuster. After the Monday morning ruling, Ms Davis, who lost to Gov Abbott in the recent gubernatorial election, said the ruling finally validated the filibuster. "Today made that day 3 yrs ago all worth it!" she tweeted. "So grateful to all the women who shared their stories." Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Reproductive rights advocates are celebrating a monumental victory following the Supreme Courts monumental decision to overturn a Texas law that heavily restricted womens access to abortion in the state. Recommended Read more Supreme Court strikes down controversial Texas abortion restrictions While the focus was on the Lone Star state in Whole Womans Health v Hellerstedt, the case could have set a major precedent for reproductive rights throughout the country, effectively rolling back progress made since 1973, when the court decided Roe v Wade. But in the Courts 53 ruling in favour of Whole Womans Health on Monday morning, the prohibitive Texas law was deemed unconstitutional. What is House Bill 2 (HB2)? Signed into law in July 2013, HB2 set forth provisions that would result in the closure of the majority of abortion clinics in the state of Texas. Under the law: - Abortions doctors were required to have admitting privileges to a hospital within 30 miles of their clinic. - All abortions clinics were required to upgrade to become ambulatory surgical centres (ASCs). - Abortions after 20-weeks were prohibited, except in the case of severe fetal abnormalities or to avert the death or substantial and irreversible physical impairment of the pregnant woman. - Women who take abortion-inducing pills, must do so under the supervision of a physician, requiring two trips to the clinic for each dosage. - After the administration of the abortion-inducing pills, a woman must set a follow-up visit with the physician 14-days after the dosage. In addition to the three visits required of those seeking abortions under HB2, Texas passed a law in 2011 requiring women to undergo an ultrasound procedure 24 hours prior to getting an abortion - resulting in a minimum of four visits to the clinic. Were the Supreme Court to uphold HB2, 10 or fewer clinics would have had to serve the women throughout the largest state in the continental US. Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill Show all 7 1 /7 Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill 28-trendinghours-ap.jpg AP Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill wendy2.jpg Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill senate3.jpg Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill wendy-senate.jpg Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill wendy3.jpg Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill wendy4.jpg Senator Wendy Davis putting the time in with 11 hour filibuster to stop anti-abortion bill wendy1.jpg What is Whole Womans Health v Hellerstedt? The Center for Reproductive Health filed a lawsuit in 2014 challenging two of the provisions of HB2 that they said presented an undue burden on Texas women. The lawsuit focused on two specific clinics - Whole Womans Health in McAllen and Reproductive Services in El Paso (both cities are on the Mexico border) - that would be harshly impacted by admitting privileges requirements. The suit also focused on the requirement that abortion clinics upgrade to ASCs - which could have forced the shuttering of many clinics due to prohibitive costs. Plaintiffs argue that HB2 is unconstitutional, citing the 1993 Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood v Casey when the court ruled that states cannot place undue burden on women seeking abortions. The decision also banned unnecessary health regulations that have the purpose or effect of presenting a substantial obstacle to a woman seeking an abortion. How does the Supreme Courts decision impact the rest of the US? In the 53 ruling, Supreme Court justices determined that HB2 was unconstitutional. We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote in the majority opinion. Each places a substantial obstacle in the path of women seeking a previability abortion, each constitutes an undue burden on abortion access, ... and each violates the Federal Constitution. In her concurrence, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg dismissed the notion that Texas lawmakers were interested in protecting the health of women. [I]t is beyond rational belief that HB2 could genuinely protect the health of women, she wrote, and certain that the law would simply make it more difficult for them to obtain abortions. To that end, the ACLU says that the Monday morning ruling sets precedent for similar laws under judicial review in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. Sign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news Sign up to our free US Evening Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Evening Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A community in Texas is reeling after a woman was killed by police after she fatally shot her two daughters after a family argument. Police in Fort Bend County said that 42-year-old Christy Sheats was shot by officers after they arrived at her home in response to a series of 911 calls. When they arrived, they found two women lying in the street, both of the seriously injured from gun shot wounds. Standing next to them - carrying a gun, according to police - was Ms Sheats. Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office said that Ms Sheats was ordered to drop the weapon. When she did not, she was shot and killed by a police officer. Ms Sheats husband, and the father of the two girls, witnessed the entirety of the violence. It was his birthday. One of Ms Sheats daughters died at the scene. The other passed away later in hospital. Ms Sheats husband was not physically injured but was also taken to hospital. Officers said the motive for the shooting on Friday evening was not clear but that they believe it was sparked to an earlier fight involving the three women. It was a family argument that turned into a shooting, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls told the Houston Chronicle. But were still trying to put the pieces together. The police identified Ms Sheats daughters as 22-year-old Taylor, and 17-year-old Madison. Reports said that Taylor seats had graduated from Lone Star College and was a talented artist.She worked as a babysitter and care giver. Madison Sheats worked as a babysitter, according to social media and was due to return to school at Seven Lakes High School in the autumn. Friends and neighbors told reporters at the crime scene they were shocked by the shooting. The Sheats family seemed to be loving and close, and Ms Sheats was a proud mother. This is not the Christy that I know. Its just not, Catherine Knowles, a friend, told KTRK. I thought it was the wrong person. It had to be. Austin Enke said he knew the women slightly and had a couple of classes with at least one of them when they attended Seven Lakes High School. They were always cheerful and never depressed. You never heard anything bad about them, he said. Records show that deputies had been sent to the family home in the past on more than one occasion. But as to why we were called here, I don't know, Mr Nehls said. The officer said the father was at home when the shooting occurred. He was not injured but was distraught and taken to be checked out at a local hospital. It would be too premature to give you a motive as to why something like this took place, Mr Nehls said. The best we can do is pray for the father and husband so he can work through this. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Gibraltar is currently in talks with Scotland to discuss the possibility of remaining part of the EU, following the UKs historic referendum vote to leave the trading bloc. Fabian Picardo, the territory's chief minister, said he has been speaking with Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister, about the potential options for the countries, both of whom voted heavily to remain. Mr Picardo told BBC Newsnight: "I can imagine a situation where some parts of what is today the member state United Kingdom are stripped out and others remain. "That means that we don't have to apply again for access, we simply remain with the access we have today, and those parts that leave are then given a different sort of access, which is negotiated but not necessarily under Article 50." Gibraltar backed remaining part of the EU with a massive 95 per cent mandate (19,322) on a turnout of 84 per cent. All 32 Scottish council areas voted to remain, with a total of 62 per cent (1.6 million) on a turnout of 67 per cent. Mr Picardo continued: "The position of the people of Gibraltar is that we've expressed, perhaps even more clearly than the Scots, what our view is going forward, what should happen - that we should continue to have access to the single market to the European Union. My obligation is to protect and promote the interests of Gibraltar and to find such partners who may be willing to do the same thing within the United Kingdom." Earlier on Monday, Ms Sturgeon said talks with Gibraltar were in order to build a common cause to maintain links with EU. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA Gibraltar, a British Overseas Territory, overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to share sovereignty with Spain in a referendum in 2002. Northern Ireland, which voted to remain with a relatively slim margin of 56 per cent to 44 per cent, could also potentially be part of the talks. Following the referendum result, the UK dispatched HMS Ambush to Gibraltar in order to "protect it from the Spanish". Last month, Mr Picardo has told The Independent that Spain can stick joint-sovereignty "where the sun doesnt shine". Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} European Commission chairman Jean-Claude Juncker is not the right man for the job and should resign, the Czech foreign minister has said. Lubomir Zaoralek said someone in the EU should take responsibility for the vote of British citizens to leave the EU. "Right now I can't see the European Commission chairman as the right man for the job," Mr Zaoralek told Czech television. "I don't want to call on anyone [to resign], but... someone in the EU maybe should contemplate quitting, because [Brexit] is a responsibility someone should have assumed." He also said the EU Commission president did not do enough to prevent the loss of Britain from the EU. Mr Zaoralek said: "I would imagine the Commission is led by an honourable, trustworthy man who, in a situation when we are facing the loss of a leg or arm, might go to the country and tell the Britons: 'We want you to stay'." However, during the bitter referendum campaign, many believed an appeal from the EU elite to Britons would have backfired, particularly in light of the poor response to President Obamas warning the UK would go straight to the back of the queue if it voted for Brexit. 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Show all 6 1 /6 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you More expensive foreign holidays The first practical effect of a vote to Leave is that the pound will be worth less abroad, meaning foreign holidays will cost us more nito100 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you No immediate change in immigration status The Prime Minister will have to address other immediate concerns. He is likely to reassure nationals of other EU countries living in the UK that their status is unchanged. That is what the Leave campaign has said, so, even after the Brexit negotiations are complete, those who are already in the UK would be allowed to stay Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Higher inflation A lower pound means that imports would become more expensive. This is likely to mean the return of inflation a phenomenon with which many of us are unfamiliar because prices have been stable for so long, rising at no more than about 2 per cent a year. The effect may probably not be particularly noticeable in the first few months. At first price rises would be confined to imported goods food and clothes being the most obvious but inflation has a tendency to spread and to gain its own momentum AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Interest rates might rise The trouble with inflation is that the Bank of England has a legal obligation to keep it as close to 2 per cent a year as possible. If a fall in the pound threatens to push prices up faster than this, the Bank will raise interest rates. This acts against inflation in three ways. First, it makes the pound more attractive, because deposits in pounds will earn higher interest. Second, it reduces demand by putting up the cost of borrowing, and especially by taking larger mortgage payments out of the economy. Third, it makes it more expensive for businesses to borrow to expand output Getty 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you Did somebody say recession? Mr Carney, the Treasury and a range of international economists have warned about this. Many Leave voters appear not to have believed them, or to think that they are exaggerating small, long-term effects. But there is no doubt that the Leave vote is a negative shock to the economy. This is because it changes expectations about the economys future performance. Even though Britain is not actually be leaving the EU for at least two years, companies and investors will start to move money out of Britain, or to scale back plans for expansion, because they are less confident about what would happen after 2018 AFP/Getty Images 6 ways Britain leaving the EU will affect you And we wouldnt even get our money back All this will be happening while the Prime Minister, whoever he or she is, is negotiating the terms of our future access to the EU single market. In the meantime, our trade with the EU would be unaffected, except that companies elsewhere in the EU may be less interested in buying from us or selling to us, expecting tariff barriers to go up in two years time. Whoever the Chancellor is, he or she may feel the need to bring in a new Budget Getty Images In addition, the minister said "the problem of European elites is bigger than just Mr Juncker. The Czech Minister was not the only political figure from a European nation to criticise aspects of the EU. "We must put an end to this sad and finicky Europe, French Prime Manuel Valls said at the weekend. Too often it is intrusive on details and desperately absent on what's essential. "We must break away from the dogma of ever more Europe. Europe must act not by principle but when it is useful and pertinent." European leaders have been sending mixed messages about how Brexit must now be implemented, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel stating the EU has "no need to be particularly nasty in any way" and did not need to rush the UK in its departure. A monetary perspective was provided by Guenther Oettinger, the European Union's digital economy commissioner, who said Britain should act quickly to implement its departure from the European Union to limit the uncertainty rattling investors. "The next step must come from London," Mr Oettinger, EU Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society, told the Deutschlandfunk German radio station. Every day of uncertainty was preventing investors from putting their funds into Britain and other European markets, Mr Oettinger said. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} French authorities have not found any evidence that the crash of an EgyptAir flight in May was terror-related. Investigators have launched a manslaughter inquiry into the Flight 804 crash that crashed in the Mediterranean last month, killing all 66 people on board. The Airbus A320 was flying from Paris to Cairo when it crashed into May 19. The reason for the crash is still unclear. The pilots made no distress call and no group claimed responsibility for bringing down the aircraft. Prosecutor's office spokesman Agnes Thibault-Lecuivre said the inquiry into the downed Paris to Cairo flight would be an accident investigation, not a terrorism investigation. She said authorities are "not at all" favouring the theory the plane was downed deliberately, though the status of the inquiry could eventually change if evidence emerges to that effect. Search teams have recovered its two flight recorders, but they suffered damage and Egyptian investigators were unable to download information from the so-called black boxes. In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 Show all 5 1 /5 In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May Egyptian army In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May Egyptian army In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May Egyptian army In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May In pictures: Wreckage from EgyptAir flight 804 EgyptAir wreckage The Egyptian army published photos showing wreckage and debris from EgyptAir flight 804 on 21 May The recorders' memory cards arrived on Monday in Paris, Egyptian investigators said. Technicians at France's air accident investigation agency, the BEA, will attempt to remove salt damage and repair them, and then send them back to Egypt for analysis. While the plane was Egyptian and crashed in Egyptian waters, France can also investigate because the plane was manufactured by France-based Airbus and French citizens were among those killed. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Police armed with machine guns have evacuated thousands of people from a shopping centre in Nice near the stadium where England were due to play Iceland on Monday evening, after a suspicious package was found. French media reported 2,000 people were cleared from the centre after two gas canisters were found. A detonator was also reportedly found in the Lingostiere Centre, which is just 3 km (1.6 miles) away from the Allianz Riviera, where England will play tonight in their Euro 2016 match. The canisters, usually sold for camping, were attached by wires, according to Nice Matin. Frederic Martinez, president of the shopping centre's trades, said the evacuation was done peacefully. He added: "All merchants and customers escaped through emergency exits, ending up at the rallying point. "There were a lot of people there. With the night tonight, they were worried about traffic jams." Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 : An England fan kicks a tear gas canister as fans clash with police ahead of the game against Russia GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 : England fans throw bottles and clash with police ahead of the game against Russia GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Flares are lit on the stands after Russia scored a goal during the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, AP Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Supporters clash at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, AP Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 An England fan is arrested after clashing with police ahead of the game against Russia GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Russian supporters charges at England fans in the stands at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia AP Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Russian fan smashes a chair over an England supporter as another attacks him on the ground as they clash ahead of the game against Russia GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Supporters clash at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, AP Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Fans try and escape at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, AP Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Supporters clash at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, AP Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Flares are lit at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Supporters clash at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Supporters clash at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 Fans try and escape at the end of the Euro 2016 Group B soccer match between England and Russia, GETTY Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 in pictures Russia and England fans clash at Euro 2016 england fans clash with police ahead of the game against Russia GETTY Alpes-Maritimes Police later said the bag contained tools and was therefore a "false alarm". Last week, Nice Airport was evacuated following the discovery of a suspicious package. Hundreds of passengers were evacuated while the terminal building was searched. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A German MP and gay rights activist claims he was violently arrested by Turkish police while attending a protest rally at the close of Gay Pride Week. Volker Beck, a prominent member of Germanys Green Party, says he was shoved by officers and had his passport taken while trying to prevent the arrest of a fellow activist in Istanbul. The gay pride march was banned by the citys governor but organisers decided to go ahead with a public speech, which was strongly critical of the Turkish government according to The Local. Police made 29 arrests in all, including Green party MEP Terry Reintke and speaker Felix Banaszak who were briefly detained before being released on Sunday evening. Beck says he was aggressively hauled away from the scene and blocked off from his fellow protestors. Istanbul's LGBT community Show all 6 1 /6 Istanbul's LGBT community Istanbul's LGBT community Istanbul's LGBT community A giant rainbow flag held during a Trans Pride march in Istanbul, June 2014 Bradley Secker Istanbul's LGBT community Istanbul's LGBT community While Isis hurls gay men to their deaths from the tops of towers, Secker has photographed them on rooftops overlooking their new homes, including the Iraqi Bissam in Damascus before his flight to Turkey to represent their newfound strength Bradley Secker Istanbul's LGBT community Istanbul's LGBT community Like many other Syrian LGBTs, Sami is waiting for his resettlement case to be processed Bradley Secker Istanbul's LGBT community Istanbul's LGBT community Nader, a 25-year-old gay Syrian from Homs, is one of LGBT Arabie's co-founders Bradley Secker Istanbul's LGBT community Istanbul's LGBT community Salah, from Damascus, now lives in Istanbul alongside thousands of displaced Syrians Bradley Secker Istanbul's LGBT community Istanbul's LGBT community Syrian participants at Istanbul Pride, June 2013 AFP/Getty The MP claimed there was no justification for the way the protesters were treated by officers, saying: They ripped my passport away from me and pushed me around. It was a massive and arbitrary police attack that we saw. This is simply not acceptable for a coorperation and for close friendship, he continued, referring to the efforts of the EU to work with Ankara. Police used rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the banned gay rights event, which officials said had been cancelled due to security concerns. Last years scheduled march, which again coincided with Ramadan festival, was also cancelled. In March, Beck was arrested for possession of crystal meth in Berlin, after which he gave up all his senior positions within the Green Party except his seat in the Bundestag. The Independent has contacted Istanbul Police for comment. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The prescription of abortion pills without a special government licence could be made illegal in the Netherlands, in a change to the law which campaigners have called a violation of women's rights. Edith Schippers delivered a letter to the Dutch parliament proposing to restrict the current abortion legislation, by heavily limiting the period of time in which doctors can carry out the medical procedure. Schippers told ministers a pill which triggers miscarriage in the very early stages of pregnancy should be available through family doctors in Holland, according to Dutch News - but only under heavily regulated conditions that would include reporting every prescription to the health ministry. The health minister wrote: An amendment to [the Termination of Pregnancy Act] will be accompanied by intense parliamentary debate. Abortion is a sensitive medical-ethical issue that requires caution. This caution, however, also brings with it that if there are real reasons to change the law, then we should not let shrink by the sensitivity of the subject. Schippers confirmed any regulation of the time window in which pregnancies could be terminated would be monitored and regulated by a health body. The organisation Women on Waves, which provides safe services to women from countries where abortion is illegal, believes the new legislative proposal is a violation of international womens and human rights. Human rights attacks around the world Show all 10 1 /10 Human rights attacks around the world Human rights attacks around the world China Escalating crackdown against human rights activists including mass arrests of lawyers and a series of sweeping laws in the name of national security. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Egypt The arrest of thousands, including peaceful critics, in a ruthless crackdown in the name of national security, the prolonged detention of hundreds without charge or trial and the sentencing of hundreds of others to death. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Gambia Torture, enforced disappearances and the criminalisation of LGBTI people; and utter refusal to co-operate with the UN and regional human rights mechanisms on issues including freedom of expression, enforced disappearance and the death penalty. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Hungary Sealing off its borders to thousands of refugees in dire need; and obstructing collective regional attempts to help them. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Israel Maintaining its military blockade of Gaza and therefore collective punishment of the 1.8 million inhabitants there, as well as failing, like Palestine, to comply with a UN call to conduct credible investigations into war crimes committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Kenya Extrajudicial executions, enforced disappearances and discrimination against refugees in its counter-terrorism operations; and attempts to undermine the International Criminal Court and its ability to pursue justice. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Pakistan The severe human rights failings of its response to the horrific Peshawar school massacre including its relentless use of the death penalty; and its policy on international NGOs giving authorities the power to monitor them and close them down if they are considered to be against the interests of the country. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Russia Repressive use of vague national security and anti-extremism legislation and its concerted attempts to silence civil society in the country; its shameful refusal to acknowledge civilian killings in Syria and its callous moves to block Security Council action on Syria. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Saudi Arabia Brutally cracking down on those who dared to advocate reform or criticise the authorities; and committing war crimes in the bombing campaign it has led in Yemen (pictured) while obstructing the establishment of a UN-led inquiry into violations by all sides in the conflict. Getty Images Human rights attacks around the world Syria Killing thousands of civilians in direct and indiscriminate attacks with barrel bombs and other weaponry and through acts of torture in detention; and enforcing lengthy sieges of civilian areas, blocking international aid from reaching starving civilians. Getty Images A spokeswoman from the charity told The Independent: The proposed law change will mean that doctors will have to apply for a special license to provide the abortion pill for very early abortions (until 16 days after the missed menstrual period) if they do not have this license. At the moment doctors can legally provide very early abortions without a special license which was confirmed by Dutch courts and former governments many times and for the last time in 2006. This is the reason Women on Waves only provides these early abortions on board our ship. Abortion pills are currently available only at hospitals and specialised clinics, and according to Dutch News, Christian bodies are wary of extending that to family doctors. Last year, similar moves were blocked in parliament by the smaller Christian parties, whose support is crucial to pass legislation in the country's upper house. Abortion was fully legalised in the Netherlands on 1 November, 1984, allowing them to be carried out on demand until the 21st week of pregnancy. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A human rights NGO has accused Israel of forcing Palestinians to withstand cruel and inhuman conditions at its borders. The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, also known as B'Tselem, said even those with legitimate work permits were being made to wait for hours in extremely hot weather. B'Tselem posted an image onto its Facebook account and said in a statement: The Palestinians photographed waiting in line have permits that allow them to work in Israel. Such permits are issued only after meticulous security screening. Making people wait in line for hours, in unbearable conditions, highlights the cruel and inhuman aspects of military control over a civilian population. The occupation has now entered its 50th year. This glaring injustice has gone on for nearly a half century, aided by ignorance and indifference. The image purports to show a checkpoint in the West Bank, between Bethlehem and Jerusalem, in the early hours of the morning. It appears to show a crowd of people tightly packed along a fenced pathway, with some finding respite high along the walls. Text accompanying the photo reads: This is what the daily grind of the #occupation looks like: It doesnt necessarily mean the use of weapons or brutality. Just callous and cruel humiliation. For no reason, just because it can be done. A spokesperson for the Embassy of Israel in London told The Independent: People waiting at checkpoints and security screenings are not an Israeli phenomenon. The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Show all 10 1 /10 The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Medics evacuate a wounded man from the scene of an attack in Jerusalem. A Palestinian rammed a vehicle into a bus stop then got out and started stabbing people before he was shot dead AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Israeli ZAKA emergency response members carry the body of an Israeli at the scene of a shooting attack in Jerusalem. A pair of Palestinian men boarded a bus in Jerusalem and began shooting and stabbing passengers, while another assailant rammed a car into a bus station before stabbing bystanders, in near-simultaneous attacks that escalated a month long wave of violence AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Getty Images The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians throw molotov cocktail during clashes with Israeli troops near Ramallah, West Bank. Recent days have seen a series of stabbing attacks in Israel and the West Bank that have wounded several Israelis AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Women cry during the funeral of Palestinian teenager Ahmad Sharaka, 13, who was shot dead by Israeli forces during clashes at a checkpoint near Ramallah, at the family house in the Palestinian West Bank refugee camp of Jalazoun, Ramallah AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A wounded Palestinian boy and his father hold hands at a hospital after their house was brought down by an Israeli air strike in Gaza Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinians look on after a protester is shot by Israelis soldiers during clashes at the Howara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus EPA The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies A lawyer wearing his official robes kicks a tear gas canister back toward Israeli soldiers during a demonstration by scores of Palestinian lawyers called for by the Palestinian Bar Association in solidarity with protesters at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City, near Ramallah, West Bank AP The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Undercover Israeli soldiers detain a Palestinian in Ramallah Reuters The IsraeliPalestinian conflict intensifies Palestinian youth burn tyres during clashes with Israeli soldiers close to the Jewish settlement of Bet El, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, after Israel barred Palestinians from Jerusalem's Old City as tensions mounted following attacks that killed two Israelis and wounded a child They're a response to brutal terrorism against civilian populations, common in every airport and border crossing in the world today. Earlier this year, Israeli agriculture minister Uri Ariele said conditions suffered by Palestinians at Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank are shameful and a disgrace to the State of Israel and to the security establishment". Mr Ariele told Tel Aviv Radio: Go and see how they stand and wait to enter Israel at the checkpoints. Its shameful and a disgrace to the State of Israel and to the security establishment. People stand there in terrible conditions: in the summer heat, in the winter rains. Gov. Steve Bullock and his opponent Greg Gianforte had thrown campaign jabs at each other in stump speeches and on social media, but Sunday morning was the first time they traded barbs face-to-face over issues that ranged from the economy and education to river access and refugees. Neither strayed far from the lines of attack he has been using during the early months of the campaign, and both stayed on message on key areas of difference. Both candidates gamely and competently answered questions posed by a three-member panel of broadcasters during the debate carried live on radio and by some television stations. The question-and-answer format left little opportunity for both candidates to engage aggressively with one another. "There were no knock-out blows," said David Parker, a professor of political science at Montana State University. In his first debate, Gianforte was collected and composed. Bullock was assertive and confident. "Greg Gianforte came in as never having run a race before. So expectations were low, and he came off in the debate as calm and acceptable," Parker said. Bullock's performance Sunday was a marked improvement from four years ago, Parker said, when Bullock seemed less steady. "This time, I think he came across as confident and accomplished." Backlit in red and blue, the incumbent Democrat and challenger Republican stood on a small stage at Big Sky Resort. Bullock highlighted achievements from his first term as governor and work as attorney general before that, centering on his record protecting access to public lands and pitching his pragmatic, diversified goals for energy development. Using the debate to introduce himself to more voters, Gianforte presented a concise, jobs-centric message that rarely strayed from talking points, although thats not surprising for a first-time candidate. Gianforte opened the debate by recounting how he fell in love with Montana on vacation years before moving to Bozeman, where he raised his family and founded a booming tech business. Throughout the event, he addressed average Montanans directly, casting himself as an ally of residents and businesses tired of government interference. He noted that his running mate, Phillips County Commissioner Leslie Robinson, is a rancher and argued that Bullock was a political insider out-of-touch with their needs. Im a businessman, not a career politician, he said. The Big Sky state has so much potential. What she needs and you deserve is effective leadership that can capitalize on that potential. Bullocks first remarks included a childhood memory of Big Sky as the local ski hill and remarked on the areas boom into a tourism mecca, providing a smooth transition to a list of accomplishments as governor and attorney general before that. He highlighted a growing state workforce with rising wages and improved government transparency as well as two policy plans introduced earlier this year: one to create a new office to protect public lands as key to the recreation economy and another to chart a more diverse future for the states natural resource development. Weve made great steps, he said. We have much more to do, and Ill do it the same way I have in the past. Bringing people together with responsible leadership looking toward the future. The most pointed exchange was over a disputed, but long settled, easement on Gianforte's property in Bozeman that Bullock's campaign has seized upon to paint Gianforte as a wealthy property owner who sought to deny public access to a stretch of the East Gallatin River. The lawsuit filed by a Gianforte-owned LLC was never served, although it took about a year for the family to reach an understanding with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Gianforte challenged Bullock's account of the controversy, which dates back to 2009, saying he has never blocked access to the river. He says it was a government mistake about the location of an easement running through his property. "Governor, I invite you to come out and fish, but you haven't come out yet. You're welcomed," Gianforte said. To which Bullock, later responded: "Thanks for the invitation. But the beauty is, that's a public right of way. I don't need your permission." It was one of a few zingers in the hour-long debate. While Bullock took a few verbal swings at Gianforte noting, for instance, his contributions to conservative groups that opposed Medicaid expansion and to legislators who voted against a 2015 bipartisan infrastructure package the Republican did not ad lib attacks on the governor beyond repeatedly emphasizing clear differences between them. The race is expected to garner national attention with large amounts of money including outside money and Gianforte's own flowing into a contest that is already on track to become the state's most expensive gubernatorial contest. The debate was hosted by the Montana Broadcasters Association. More debates are likely, but none is currently scheduled. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Four suicide bombers killed at least five people and wounded 19 more in a series of attacks in a Lebanese Christian village at the border with Syria on Monday, the latest violent spillover of the five-year-old Syrian war into Lebanon. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks after 4 a.m. (0100 GMT) in the village of Qaa. Security sources said they believed Isis was responsible. Lebanon has been repeatedly jolted by militant attacks linked to the war in neighbouring Syria, where the powerful Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah is fighting in support of President Bashar al-Assad. The Lebanese army said four soldiers were among the wounded (Reuters) Witnesses said the first bomber blew himself up after being confronted by a resident, Lebanese media reported. The others blew themselves up one after the other as people arrived at the scene. The fourth bomber detonated himself as the head of the town council opened fire on him. "We saw there was a fourth suicide bomber walking... the head of the municipality shot at him, I did too, and this is when he blew himself up," Dany Awad, the deputy municipality head, told Reuters. The Lebanese army said four soldiers were among the wounded. They were part of a patrol that headed to the location of the first blast. The first of the bombers had blown himself up outside a house, followed by the others in an adjoining street. The army imposed a security cordon in the area and was searching the village and nearby areas for suspects. It is the latest violent spillover of the Syrian war into Lebanon (AP) Lebanese security services have been on heightened alert for militant attacks in recent weeks. Isis had urged its followers to launch attacks on "non-believers" during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which began in early June. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday warned of a threat posed by militants based in the border area between Syria and Lebanon, saying they were still preparing car bombs in the area. Reuters For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Passengers on board a Singapore Airlines aircraft have described the terrifying moment it burst into flames during an emergency landing at Changi Airport. The SQ368 flight to Milan was forced to turn back to after an oil leak was discovered two hours into the journey at around 6.50am local time on Monday. An emergency landing was initiated, but the planes right engine burst into flames soon after the aircraft touched down on the runway at Changi. Lee Bee Yee, 43, who was on board the plane at the time, said in a Facebook post: I just escaped death!!!!. Ms Yee went on to describe how passengers were asked to remain on the plane for a heart-wrenching five minutes as fire-fighters attempted to dampen the flames. They shot foam and water into the fire and eventually it was put out! We were so close to death, she said. I thank God I am alive! I[m[ going home to hug my kids. Airport officials confirmed that the fire was extinguished within minutes once it reached the ground, and all 222 passengers and 19 members of crew were evacuated safely without injury. "The aircraft's right engine caught fire after the aircraft touched down at Changi Airport at around 6:50am,' the airline said in a statement. Passengers disembarked through stairs and were transported to the terminal building by bus. Passengers will be transferred to another aircraft which is expected to depart for Milan later today. Ms Yee said she had smelt what she thought was gasoline on board. Recommended Read more Video evidence emerges of Farage pledging EU millions for NHS We were informed by the pilot that there was a leak, and that the plane would have to return to Changi Airport as it did not have enough fuel for the journey. The blaze was quite fierce and we waited for around two to three minutes before the fire engines arrived,' she said. Singapore Airlines confirmed that an investigation into the fault is underway. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Were out. Gone. Finished. In 1992, Murdochs newspaper read: Its The Sun Wot Won It. Last week, it was immigration. The irony. Great Britain, once the worlds superpower; Britannia rules the waves, is what they said. A country which has historically benefited from the resources of other states. From the Caribbean to India, Britain enjoyed and - to put it bluntly - stole the wealth of other nations. Fast forward to the 21st century and the United Kingdoms privileged, male, wealthy elite, are complaining about the same people who made this country what it is today. Recommended Read more The Brexit result has shown why we need votes at 16 now Their selective memories have damaged this countrys prospects and, most importantly, have hindered the futures of young people and students. Nigel Farage described 23 June as independence day. Hes mistaken. On results day, the world witnessed the triumph of extreme right-wing ideologies. This is not independence. The UK stock market was down, the pound went down, a power struggle between the Conservative government, and a bitter civil war within the Labour Party, all came as a result. Those suffering from economic instability, a lack of job opportunities and hope, were influenced into believing immigrants were responsible. Nevertheless, it is the next generation - young people and students - who will endure the implications of the Brexit result. Universities throughout the UK have expressed their concerns. Higher education is a system where students of all races, ethnicities, religions, and social classes should intertwine, and the EU assisted this. It also assisted academic research which defined our societies, the versatile range of higher education teaching staff and, most importantly, it abetted universities to work in harmony throughout the continent with its primary aim to educate young people. What now? Brexit - Some Leave voters are regretting their vote British universities face uncertainty, in regards to student fees, research funding, and the hiring of employees. A spokesman for the University of Brighton, for instance, described how the result, and the huge political and economic uncertainty it has produced, will create significant challenges for all UK universities, both in terms of what it means for Brightons staff and students, and its ability to access vital EU research funds. The demographic split among Remain and Leave voters is profound. Reports have said the areas with the highest anti-EU vote were also the areas with the largest pensioner population. Young people have been let down. Those who were supposed to safeguard their interests used their political power and emotionally charged, xenophobic rhetoric to win the vote. The argument the economy will flourish is void. The idea immigrants were taking British jobs was a con, and the proposal of Britain governing itself for the greater good was a sham. Boris Johnson, Michael Gove, and Nigel Farage are not Great Britains saviours. Nor is Donald Trump. Nor even was the EU. But the current right-wing government needed a body to account to. Students already have to deal with the rising costs associated with education, the steadily decreasing amount of graduate opportunities, the housing crisis and, now, what is set to be the most right-wing government since Margaret Thatchers. Sure, Farage - independence has been granted. So, whats next? Well, David Cameron will be stepping down in October and Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty will be implemented. Britains exit from the EU will begin and there will be a new Conservative leader, possibly, even a general election. Although 24 June was a day of sadness, there was some positivity. The turnout for the referendum was 72.2per cent, much greater than last years general election. Many young people throughout the nation engaged in politics for the first time, proving they are not politically apathetic, and London showcased its love for migration and diversity. However, 75 per cent of those aged 18 to 24 did vote Remain, making these last few days bitter for those who engaged in politics for the first time. Daniel Khalili-Tari is a second-year journalism student at the University of Westminster Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The European Students Union (ESU) in Brussels has said it will stand together with its UK colleagues from the National Union of Students (NUS), as well as young people from across Britain, in the wake of the shock Brexit result. ESU has expressed concern and disappointment in a decision, it says, will have long-term and irreversible consequences for the younger generation, the majority of whom did not vote to leave. Recommended Read more Brexit result would have been entirely different with votes at 16 ESU president, Fernando Galan, added: We hope the UK Government and the EU institutions will find a deal that wont jeopardize students in UK, and that UK universities wont increase tuition fees to compensate the loss of EU money. The group is the umbrella organisation of 45 national unions of students from 38 countries and represents over 15 million students across the continent. Leave voter didn't want Brexit ESU said it shares the concerns of NUS UK as highlighted by current president, Megan Dunn, in a letter to David Cameron shortly after the result was announced early on 24 June. In the letter, Dunn described how the referendum result raises many critical questions for students, and for their futures. She continued: I am writing to seek your assurance that students and young people will be, not only thoroughly consulted, but to ensure a proactive effort is made to include their voices in decisions that are made. ESU said Brexit risks shutting UK students out of opportunities such as Erasmus, while the diversity of campuses could also be reduced as inward and outward mobility of students is limited. In a collective statement, ESU said: We join NUS UK in calling on the Prime Minister in committing to protecting EU students currently studying in the UK, and UK students studying elsewhere in the EU, and in offering reassurance as to their continued right to study. As well as creating divides between the UK nations, the result has also created a split between young and old. According to YouGov, around 75 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds voted Remain, with just 39 per cent of 65-and-overs doing so. Student leaders in the UK have since questioned why votes at 16 were not permitted in the referendum, with one survey suggesting that, had they been allowed to, the UK would not have opted for Brexit. Current NUS Wales president and newly-elected member of the ESU executive committee, Beth Button, said the ESU believes in cooperation, collectivism and unity. She added: These values are central to our movement of students in Europe, and we believe they should be central to our relationships in Europe. The students of Europe have a responsibility to make [the continent] a fairer place and to unite in the face of hate and division, and I look forward to working through my role in ESU next year to mobilise students to ensure these values are held true as we move into a time of uncertainty. ESU says it seeks to promote the educational, social, economic, and cultural interests of students at the European level towards all relevant bodies and, in particular, the EU. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Breaking News email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The students union at the University of York (YUSU) has become the nations first to issue a public apology and make a payout to a student who complained of receiving anti-Semitic abuse. According to The Sunday Times, 21-year-old law student, Zachary Confino, suffered stress and narrowly missed a first-class degree following comments made to him over a period of two years. The comments reportedly included anonymous messages posted to him on social media app, Yik Yak, as well as face-to-face name-calling. In a statement from the university, a spokesperson confirmed the institution has acted as mediator to resolve a long-running complaint brought by a student against the University of York Students Union. The statement continued: This involved an apology by the students union to the student - the wording of which was agreed by both sides - and a token payment of 1,000. This matter is now resolved. The Sunday Times also reports the apology and payout have come following on from recent intervention from Universities Minister, Jo Johnson, and that the apology is set to be made public later this week. The university spokesperson also said: The university is committed to preserving the right to freedom of expression while also combating anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and any other form of race hate. Anti-Semitism dominates PMQs To this end, we have signed joint statements with both the Jewish Society and the Islamic Society on campus. We welcome students from all backgrounds, faiths, and nationalities in our diverse community. Mr Confino had been taking to his Facebook page in recent months to speak of his experiences. In April, he wrote: Many of you may have seen the battle with which I have become involved during recent weeks. This is owing to rising anti-Semitism at the University of York (and nationwide) as well as the failure of the university and students union staff to provide adequate support. This is a difficult battle, and I very much could not persevere without the support from my friends, family and strangers from the Jewish community. Mr Confino had also recently expressed concern over the ongoing issue of anti-Semitism on university campuses. Writing on Facebook, also in April, he said: When Jewish students raise concerns of anti-Semitism, they are so often excused by providing context, claiming it is part of legitimate political discourse or some other odious justification for racism. The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) - the representative body for over 8,500 Jewish students studying in the UK and Ireland - said it was happy the issues has been resolved having worked closely with both Mr Confino and YUSU in recent months. However, the UJS said this doesnt mask the fact anti-Semitism is still an issue on UK campuses. The student-led group added: What is most worrying is that Zacharys concerns were not considered to be serious and, therefore, dismissed by so many people. This is a problem experienced all too often by Jewish students and is one that needs eradicating. We will continue to support Jewish students in ensuring anti-Semitism is properly reported and dealt with across the UK. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} After decades of prevarication, a decision about where the next runway to serve the London area will be could be made within days. The rival airports, Heathrow and Gatwick, believe that the new post-referendum political landscape means the Government needs to make a quick choice. It would send a signal abroad that the UK is still in business, and shore up confidence among investors. With billions at stake, the public propaganda war and private lobbying by the two airports is reaching a new intensity. Recommended Read more David Cameron rules out second referendum after Brexit Before polling day, Heathrow surveyed MPs about big UK infrastructure projects, and claimed there was overwhelming Parliamentary support for Heathrow expansion. After the EU vote and the resignation of the Prime Minister, Heathrows chief executive, John Holland-Kaye, said the third runway was a private sector infrastructure project that will spread growth across Britain from the moment that we get a green light. Yet an unnamed Government minister told London Evening Standard that the third runway looked "dead in the water", because of the known opposition of the two leading contenders for the Tory leadership: "I cannot see either Boris [Johnson] or Theresa [May] approving it, and it would be difficult to attempt to make a decision until the new leader is elected. Brexit reactions in pictures Show all 10 1 /10 Brexit reactions in pictures Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign look at their phones after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall AP Brexit reactions in pictures Leave supporters cheer results at a Leave.eu party after polling stations closed in the Referendum on the European Union in London Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Mr Cameron announces his resignation to supporters Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Donald Tusk proposes that the 27 remaining EU member states start a wider reflection on the future of our union Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage greets his supporters on College Green in Westminster, after Britain voted to leave the European Union PA Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as referendum results are announced today Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Boris Johnson leaves his home today to discover a crowd of waiting journalists and police officers Getty Brexit reactions in pictures Leave EU supporters celebrate as they watch the British EU Referendum results being televised at Millbank Tower in London Rex Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In Campaign react as results of the EU referendum are announced at the Royal Festival Hall Reuters Brexit reactions in pictures Supporters of the Stronger In campaign react after hearing results in the EU referendum at London's Royal Festival Hall PA In Westminster, though, the possibility of a spectacular Heathrexit being announced by David Cameron and George Osborne is being talked up. One observer said: They will put it to a free vote in the House of Commons, expecting support from Labour under a new leader, as much-needed investment. The SNP will also be on board. Would the new Prime Minister really overturn the will of Parliament and axe a huge infrastructure scheme? Tomorrow Gatwicks chief executive, Stewart Wingate, will tell business leaders at the National Infrastructure Forum annual conference that his airport offers the only deliverable option: Only Gatwick can balance the economy and the environment. In these uncertain times that means Gatwick can give the country certainty of delivery. And Britain cannot afford yet more delay. Disruption continues to affect many thousands of airline passengers. At Heathrow on Monday, British Airways cancelled 24 flights, blaming a shortage of aircraft after an unusually high number of lightning strikes. Hundreds of flights across Europe have been cancelled today because of another strike by French air-traffic controllers. It is their 52nd stoppage since 2009, according to Ryanair which has cancelled 166 flights, affecting 30,000 passengers. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A true public servant. That is a political epitaph most leaders would surely like. Its been said about David Cameron by Conservative allies in recent days. But if this EU referendum has revealed anything, it is a sorry shortage of senior politicians motivated, first and foremost, by that ideal: public service. Looking at it one way, there could be no greater example of public service than to entrust the people with the biggest political decision of a generation, and then faithfully to carry out their wishes. From another point of view and it is hard to argue without sounding undemocratic it could be said that calling this referendum was a disservice to the public of Olympian proportions. If David Cameron had chosen to put our EU membership to public vote because he genuinely believed, in his heart of hearts, that it was what was best for the people, his case might be easier to argue. But he didnt. In the words of his biographers Anthony Seldon and Peter Snowdon, the Prime Minister had three objectives when he called this vote: to pacify Eurosceptic critics, neutralise UKIP, and take the EU off the front pages. Now we are seeing the consequences of the Leave vote: the value of the pound crumbling, political meltdown, the big companies that are the engine of our economy contemplating their flight from these shores. Significant job losses will likely follow. David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Show all 15 1 /15 David Cameron's premiership - in pictures David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greeting David Cameron at Buckingham Palace for an audience to invite him to be the next Prime Minister on 11 May 2010 PA David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha wave from the steps of Number 10 Downing Street on 11 May 2010 Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures On 12 May 2010 Prime Minister David Cameron said in a press conference with Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, who was then deputy PM, they plan to "take Britain in a historic new direction" and Conservative-led coalition government would be united and provide "strong and stable" leadership Rex David Cameron's premiership - in pictures A decade ago, David Cameron visited the Arctic to witness the effects of climate change. However since coming to power in 2010, his government has gradually dropped down a succession of green policies David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David cameron told the then New York mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Queen had purred down the line after he told her Scotland had voted against independence in September 2014. He was forced to apologise for breaking constitutional convention Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron greeted soldiers working on flood relief in York city centre after the river Ouse burst its banks, in northern England in December 2015 REUTERS David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Claims that David Cameron performed an obscene act with a dead pig and smoked cannabis during his studies at Oxford University spread around the world in September 2015. The extraordinary allegations were made in an unauthorised biography of the Prime Minister written by Lord Ashcroft David Hartley/REX Shutterstock David Cameron's premiership - in pictures In 2016, Mr Cameron was caught up in a worldwide scandal dubbed the Panama papers Reuters David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha with seven week old Regan as they meet her parents, first time home buyers Robert Arron and Kelly Jeffers at the Heritage Brook housing development in Chorley, Lancashire. David Cameron has joked that he wants "another baby" and said that he feels a "bit broody" every time he sees a newborn on the campaign trail David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David Cameron was criticised for branding refugees in the Calais jungle camp as a bunch of migrants in January 2016 after thousands of refugees died in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean in 2015 Sky News David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker during an EU summit meeting on 17 March 2016 at the European Union council in Brussels. Cameron was in Brussels to renegotiate deal of UK membership with other European leaders. The deal, sealed after hours of haggling at a marathon summit, paved the way for a referendum on whether Britain will stay in the EU AFP/Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures President Barack Obama shakes hands with British Prime Minister David Cameron at a meeting at 10 Downing Street in London on 22 April 2016. The President and his wife visited 10 Downing Street where he joined press conference with British Prime Minister David Cameron and made his case for the UK to remain inside the European Union Getty Images David Cameron's premiership - in pictures After David returned from Brussels claiming victory in his renegotiation with European leaders, Boris Johnson announced that he will not support the Remain campaign. The prime minister said publicly he was "disappointed but Boris remains a friend" PA David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Prime Minister David Cameron makes a joint appearance with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as they launch the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University on 20 May 2016 in London. The 'guarantee card' lists five pledges should Britain remain in the EU, including the protection of workers' rights, full access to the single market and stability for Britain David Cameron's premiership - in pictures Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks outside 10 Downing Street on 24 June 2016. Cameron announced his resignation after Britain voted to leave the European Union after a bitterly divisive referendum campaign AP This is not to mention the disturbing rise in anti-migrant feeling. Was it an act of public service to expose the public to this level of risk for the sake of an internal party feud, and a medium-sized electoral threat from UKIP? Even if one thinks that, on balance, it was, then wouldnt a true public servant stay on for a year or two to carry out the wishes of the public to whom he has so flippantly delegated responsibility, rather than departing the scene, adding political crisis to our economic one? Cameron was a calm, steady, sensible Prime Minister who almost deserved the mantle of true public servant. But just as Blairs legacy was eclipsed by one issue (Iraq), so is Cameron now condemned to be remembered as a Prime Minister who, when it really counted, put politics above public service. A true public servant would have risked electoral defeat, endured the slings and arrows of his critics, if he knew, as Cameron did, how badly punished the public would be by a Leave vote. Labour, meanwhile, has a leader who believes deeply in the principle of public service and has lived most of his political life by it. But it is hard to deny now that Jeremy Corbyn, in failing to see the writing on the wall, in lacking the self-awareness to know that he cannot command the confidence of a large enough section of the British public to ever deliver a Labour government, is putting ideology and even himself, above public service. MP Jess Phillips letter to the Labour leader on Monday said it well: The Labour Party is not about you, its about us, most of all its about them, the brilliant people in the UK, even the ones who dont agree with us. We need action, we really needed it last week [and] the week before. Who will replace David Cameron? Faced with an historic opportunity to achieve his partys goal of keeping Britain in the European Union, thus preventing the twin crises now unleashed on the country, Corbyn let it be very well known that he was only seven and a half out of 10 in favour of staying in. It is hard to disagree with the conclusion of so many now ex-shadow Cabinet ministers, that he too, on this issue, was guilty of a failure in public service. Finally Boris Johnson; a man whose commitment to the Brexit cause was so absolute that he wrote one article arguing for and another against, before plumping for Leave and spearheading a campaign that used half-truths, distortions and the occasional outright lie to win voters to its cause. In his case the most sobering of all it isnt party politics or ideology that trumps public service, but ambition. Amid this maelstrom, there is one news story which may, understandably, have escaped peoples attention. The Liberal Democrats have signed up thousands of new members since the Brexit vote, pledging to stand on a platform of restoring the UKs EU membership at the next election. This is a party that, it could be argued, almost died for their commitment to public service. Their decision to enter into Coalition in 2010 was taken because, at a time of economic uncertainty, it was the best thing for the stability of the country. Electoral wipe-out followed five years later. But out of the sorry mess of Brexit, they, and their commitment to putting the public above politics, might enjoy something of a resurgence. We can only hope others more powerful follow their example. Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Fancy a terrifying political fault-line with your breakfast? Here, Ive got plenty. Theres age. You know, young people versus old. The older you are, the more inclined youll have been to vote Leave. So among 18-24 year olds, 75 per cent voted Remain; among 25-49 year olds, 56 per cent voted Remain, among 50-64 year-olds, 44 per cent voted Remain, and among those over 65, just 39 per cent voted Remain. Old people said they wanted their country back. So they took it back. From their children. How about geography? Fancy a geographic dividing line? I can give you some. Just take a look at our graphic breakdown of how the different regions voted in todays news run. The colour code is remarkable. London and Scotland vote In, oases of Remainians surrounded by Leavers. Or to put it another way: Wales and England voted Leave, while Northern Ireland and Scotland voted Remain. Whither the misnamed United Kingdom now? And as for the correlation between wealth and which way people voted, we await the specific data. But there is not a shred of doubt that poor people generally voted to leave the EU, and richer people generally voted to stay. A bad education is also a reliable predictor of voting out. All these add up to an extremely divided nation, led by an extremely divided parliament, in which sits an extremely divided governing party. In becoming the third successive Tory Prime Minister to resign over Europe (though John Majors resignation was short-lived), David Cameron has bequeathed his successor a toxic legacy. Boris Johnson is phenomenally charismatic, but healing the wounds on our body politic will stretch his Herculean talent to limits hitherto unknown. Of course, his life is made infinitely easier by the diabolical ineffectiveness of Labour under Jeremy Corbyn. Strap yourselves in for a bumpy ride. Its passed a few people by that we are now entering a very, very complex renegotiation, which will be conducted on our behalf largely by members of the civil and diplomatic services who were implacably opposed to Brexit. Trust me, they wont be relishing fighting in defence of a position they disagree with. The fiendish complexity of it all is where we come in. Over the coming pages of your Daily Edition, youll find the best analysis and writing in one coherent, classy package even if I do say so myself. Our aim, as ever, is to replace heat with light, in the service of that lovely old idea called democracy. We really believe in it as, going by the turnout, do the British people. Though with Donald Trump on our shores, and a nasty whiff in the air, right now the proximity of democracy and demagoguery seems to me more than just semantic. A particular concern for campaigners was a lack of safe accommodation or welfare support for women leaving the sex trade A charity working with women in the sex trade said it had helped 94 women suspected of being trafficked. Ruhama said it had supported 301 woman from 43 countries during 2015 and reiterated its call for new vice laws which decriminalise prostitutes and criminalise the buyer. Chief executive Sarah Benson said: "When we look at prostitution and sex trafficking it is critical that we become more alert to the gendered dimension of migration and the risks to women and girls. "So many women and girls already face exploitation and abuse while in transit, therefore it is truly devastating to know that many reach what they believe to be a safe harbour only to find themselves thrust into brothels to be sold for sex." Ruhama said 66 women were helped through its street outreach service and it dealt with another 12,140 phone calls, 8,146 text contacts and 1,281 direct face-to-face case work meetings with women in the sex trade during 2015. Ms Benson said a particular concern was the lack of safe accommodation or welfare support for women exiting the sex trade. "The terrible irony we experience is that we are facing such challenges to get appropriate housing for the women we help, while at the same time most of the victims of trafficking we support were being kept by organised crime gangs in houses used as brothels in ghost estates, urban apartments and other rented accommodations right across the country," she said. "It is critical that the public are vigilant to the exploitation that is occurring right on our doorsteps. In some cases women have simply fled into the streets to get away from their abusers." Ruhama called on Ireland to follow Sweden and France and criminalise the buying of sex rather than the prostitutes themselves. Its annual report also showed 50 women received specialised housing and welfare support. Three-year-old Rayleigh McCann likes to be active and ham it up a little. She was jumping and dancing around among a small crowd on Monday. "This has been her the whole time," said Mac McCann, Rayleigh's father. "Showing off for everybody." She's kept that temperament through rounds of intense chemotherapy treatment, McCann said. She now faces an uncertain future. On Monday, law enforcement and community members gathered with the McCann family, who are the latest Montana Hope Project recipients. The organization funds wishes for kids facing serious medical issues. Rayleigh was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, which was first found in her jaw. In April, she underwent 13 hours of surgery that removed a portion of the bone and replaced it with a portion of her fibula, a leg bone. McCann said that a scan shortly after surgery revealed that a tumor had spread to her lungs. He said that it hasn't seriously affected her yet, but she is in line for targeted therapy. Dave Evans, Montana Hope Project coordinator, said that Rayleigh's wish was given special consideration and moved up the list. The family will leave for Disney World on Saturday to stay in the Give Kids the World Village, a charity resort set up for kids with life-threatening illnesses. "She wanted to go see Mickey," McCann said. A ceremony was held for the McCann family on Monday at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility. Officials from the sheriff's office and Montana Highway Patrol attended, as well as community and family members. McCann works as a detention officer at the jail. Rayleigh received a Hope Project teddy bear and a camera to document her trip. The family received money for the trip, and Evans gave a "challenge coin" to Rayleigh. "Once you get that, you become part of our family," he said. Sgt. Kevin Cunningham of the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office gave the family monetary gifts from the Montana Violent Crime Investigator Association and the Great Falls Police Protective Association. Mac McCann said that it's been "quite a ride" for Rayleigh and his family. But in his time as an officer, he's had strong support from the department. The Montana Hope Project is organized by the Association of Montana Troopers. The organization holds an annual motorcycle ride, the Ride for Hope, which raises money for future wishes. Jean-Claude Juncker is not in a very forgiving mood with the UK after the shock Brexit vote. Photo: Reuters 'It is not an amicable divorce," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has warned after the United Kingdom unceremoniously decided to walk away from a 43-year relationship. It could get very nasty, and the events of the next 72 hours may determine just how turbulent the coming years will be. The jilted spouses - all 27 of them - are meeting in Brussels tomorrow, where they'll come face to face with British Prime Minister David Cameron for the first time since last Thursday's seismic vote. Mr Cameron wants to delay initiating the formal procedures to leave the EU until his successor is elected - by October, he says. Many in Europe - not least Mr Juncker - have indicated that they want to rip the sticking plaster off straight away. "I do not understand why the British government needs until October to decide whether to send the divorce letter to Brussels," Mr Juncker said over the weekend. "I'd like it immediately. It is not an amicable divorce, but it was also not an intimate love affair." He said the EU will take a reasonable approach, that Brexit was not good for Britain and the European Union, but the remaining member states must move on. Taosiseach Enda Kenny will also be attending the EU Council meeting, with the Irish government already indicating it supports Mr Cameron being given breathing space before his successor begins talks on Brexit. While the Government has oultined some of its contingency plans, Mr Kenny will want to ensure there is time to implement them - and that crucial issues such as the future of the Border with Northern Ireland are given consideration by the EU. Mr Kenny has said what he intends to do this week in Brussels. "I will clearly set out our national position at that meeting, and I will ensure that our particular national interests are fully respected as we prepare to enter the next phase of negotiations," he has vowed. EU leaders had been set to discuss the migrant crisis and European security, but expect those issues to be sidelined in favour of the political consequences of the UK referendum. Meanwhile, the European People's Party (EPP) - of which Mr Kenny's Fine Gael is a member - is holding its own meeting in Brussels this week. The largest party in the European Parliament, it has also said it wants a swift Brexit. The parliament is holding an Extraordinary Plenary Session tomorrow to assess the outcome of the referendum. EPP chairman Manfred Weber is to speak, saying it is his party's position that the exit must happen within the two-year deadline and that there should be no special treatment for the UK. "The British people have expressed their wish to leave the EU - leave means leave," he said. Mr Kenny is in an unenviable position. The Government wants time to be allowed for Mr Cameron's successor to be chosen. However, with both Mr Kenny's European allies, the EPP, and Mr Juncker, one of the EU's most powerful figures, wanting Brexit to take place as soon as possible, that may not happen. It's unfortunate to say it, but to some extent Ireland is like the child of warring parents, begging them to stay together just a little while longer so that everything will be okay. Ireland's future and that of Britain and the rest of the EU are deeply intertwined. Much will depend on what happens over the next three days. The stakes have always been higher for Ireland than any other EU member state in relation to a Brexit, Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said. During an emergency sitting of the Dail to debate the fallout from the UK referendum on EU membership, Mr Kenny described last Thursdays result as a political earthquake. And he said that Ireland will be seeking a special deal when negotiations on Britains new relationship with the EU begin. Mr Kenny will be urging David Camerons successor as British Prime Minister to set realistic and achievable objectives and to build confidence in the UKs good faith. The Taoiseach told the Dail the our national interest will be his key priority at a meeting of EU leaders tomorrow and indicated that he will fight against countries who want to punish Britain by imposing tough trading conditions. Irelands starting point will be straightforward. A stable, prosperous, and outward-looking UK is clearly in our own interests and those of the EU as a whole. The closer the UK is to the EU, the better for all of us, and above all for Ireland. However, it will be up to the UK itself to work out what it wants to achieve, and how it sees its future, he said. Read More Mr Kenny said other European leaders need to understand that Ireland has unique bilateral interests with the UK. The reason for this, he said were: The economy and the relative importance of each others markets for trade; Northern Ireland, the Peace Process and British-Irish Relations; The Common Travel area and our shared land border; The role of the UK within the EU and its strategic value to Ireland in that context. I and my colleagues in Government have been very clear all along that a Leave result in this referendum would have very significant implications at a national, bilateral and international level, Mr Kenny said. He called for a cross-party approach, something that was echoed by Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. While the referendum result is not the outcome we wanted, we always knew this result was possible. And we are ready for the challenges ahead, Mr Kenny said. Let me be absolutely clear: my primary goal is Irelands national interests and that goal will be foremost in any discussions: with the UK; with our EU partners; and between the EU collectively and the UK. Read More Mr Kenny also said there was no threat to Irelands corporation tax rate of 12.5pc. He said references to it being changes are not valid. Weve resisted every attempt on that in the past and will do so again in the future, he said. Earlier Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes told the Irish Independent that Ireland should follow Britain out of the EU if bigger countries sought to push tax harmonisation. Fianna Fails Micheal Martin told the Dail: We all need to be wearing the same jerseys. He called for a cross government taskforce with officials who are seconded full-time to work on the Brexit strategy. It would include representatives of the farming and business bodies. The EU's heavyhitters are being warned any attempt to hit Ireland's low corporation tax will result in our country also leaving the union. The country's 12.5pc tax rate on business profits is under renewed threat in the wake of Britain's decision to leave the European Union. There are fears at Government level that larger EU members will again try to clamp down on our rate, which undercuts them in attracting foreign investment and jobs. Britain has been our strongest ally in the face of perennial demands for more harmonisation of tax across Europe. A senior Fine Gael figure says corporation tax is an "absolute red-line issue". Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes, who ran Taoiseach Enda Kenny's re-election campaign, told the Irish Independent that if corporation tax rates are threatened then Ireland should follow Britain out of the EU. "That is the absolute red line issue. If any attempt is made to cajole us, as far as I'm concerned, we're out the door," he said. Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said Ireland will now look to other countries who have similar tax regimes to our own to fend off any fresh moves from Germany. "Even though the UK will be leaving, the rationale for our corporation tax regime hasn't changed. "We've always been very clear that we have this particular system in place, which is transparent to offset other disadvantages that our economy has, not least of the fact that we are a small, open economy but not part of the continent of Europe," he said. Meanwhile, the fallout from Britain's vote to leave the EU has hit the British Labour Party, which is in revolt against party leader Jeremy Corbyn. More than a quarter of Labour's shadow cabinet has resigned in protest at the party's weak role in the referendum. In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is already planning for a second independence referendum after her country voted to remain in the EU. Taoiseach Enda Kenny will meet with his EU counterparts in Brussels tomorrow to discuss the crisis. With sterling expected to fall this morning, British Chancellor George Osborne will try to calm the markets. European heavy-hitters have been warned not to come after Ireland's low corporation tax or we will leave the EU, too. Our regime is expected to come under renewed scrutiny in the wake of Britain's exit as they were our strongest ally in fending off demands for tax harmonisation. But Fine Gael MEP Brian Hayes told the Irish Independent: "That is the absolute red line issue. Any attempt made to cajole us [on corporation tax], as far as I'm concerned, we're out the door. "We cannot be tied into an anti-business, anti-growth pact while the Brits are allowed to move on. "We have a lot more to lose than anybody else." Ireland holds a veto over any changes to our tax system, but sources said the current turmoil will see everything put on the table as EU leaders struggle to deal with the fallout from a Brexit. Expand Close Click to enlarge / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Click to enlarge Already, Ireland is under increasing pressure to show greater enthusiasm for new disclosure rules which oblige countries to share information about tax rulings with other member states. And a report compiled by the ESRI in advance of Brexit warned that the UK is likely to significantly reduce its 20pc corporation tax rate closer to Ireland's in the wake of leaving the EU to try to attract foreign direct investment. Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said Ireland would now look to other countries that have similar regimes to our own to fight off any potential moves from Germany and other big countries. "Even though the UK will be leaving, the rationale for our corporation tax regime hasn't changed. "We've always been very clear that we have this particular system in place, which is transparent to offset other disadvantages that our economy has, not least the fact that we are a small, open economy but not part of the continent of Europe," he said. It comes as Taoiseach Enda Kenny prepares to travel to Brussels tomorrow for a meeting of EU leaders which will initially include outgoing British Prime Minister David Cameron. There were mixed message from varying leaders over the weekend as to how quickly Britain should invoke Article 50, which requires the formal negotiations for their departure. Our Government is to seek a special deal which will allow Irish nationals to continue to work and travel in Britain without a visa. However, there is no guarantee that other EU countries will agree to this. Initially, the key priorities are maintaining trade with the UK, guaranteeing free movement of people between the UK and Ireland and protecting the relationship between the Dublin and Belfast administrations. One senior Government source said last night that ministers had been warned to put a "positive face" on the Brexit fallout but "a massive task" lies ahead. Behind the scenes, there are serious concerns that it will damage economic growth and reduce the Government's ability to increase investment in housing and health in future budgets. The new Rainy Day Fund, which was expected to accumulate 3bn between 2018 and 2021, is now also in doubt, as is the time frame for the impending sale of AIB. However, one minister last night said Ireland needs to start looking at potential inward investment that could be achieved on the back of Brexit. "The banking and financial sector will see huge benefits in Ireland now. "A lot of companies already have offices here and in London. It's likely that most will keep their London bases but we should be chasing future investment," the minister said. They also noted that Northern Ireland could be the immediate big loser on corporation tax. The NI Executive had set a date of April 2018 for matching the Republic's 12.5pc rate. "Now that they are no longer in the EU, it's a real kick in the teeth for business in the North," the source said. Mr Hayes said the Taoiseach must insist that his European colleagues agree to two deals, one between Ireland and the UK and one between the EU and the UK. "We will need more opt-outs on Europe regulations. We cannot be disadvantaged by this," he said, referring to areas such as agriculture and energy. Calls for Ireland to try to sweep up high value banking jobs from Britain in the wake of the Brexit referendum are well meaning, but are getting ahead of the priority, which is to contain this major new economic threat. The IDA here, and rivals in Frankfurt, Milan, Paris are all intent on attracting big banks that may now leave London if the vote locks them out of EU markets. Our more pressing need, however, is for an EU/UK settlement that works for us - even if it means big banks and their jobs stay in London. What Ireland needs is a deal allowing Britain to stay in the single market, and that retains the common travel area between here and the UK. Read more: Sterling to slide further as political crisis grips Britain after 'Leave' vote Some countries, and the Commission, will be actively hostile to cutting such a deal. It would be seen as too favourable to a Britain that has snubbed its former partners. Some countries won't care much one way or another. The push at the weekend, from Brussels and elsewhere, for a quickie divorce from the UK should be a wake up call. That would be in no way in Irish interests, given the complexity of our political, social and economic ties with our nearest neighbour. Ireland needs to set out a clear set of strategic and tactical goals, articulate them, and pursue them vigorously. The Irish political, diplomatic, business and social communities need to be ubiquitous in Europe as long as the Brexit process is in train. From Brussels to Bratislava and everywhere in between, no meeting of ministers, of bankers, farmers, or artists should not have a vocal presence making the Irish case. Making the case to keep our trade and ties with Britain open is certainly more important than attempting to pick over the debris of the British crisis - especially if that boils down to trying to attract in banks. Read more: Cameron to face EU over Brexit A full banking ecosystem - with technology, legal and accounting support, will take years to develop. Its also not clear that regulators, in our case at the Central Bank of Ireland and at the ECB in Frankfurt, have the appetite or capacity to welcome in City whizz kids. ECB bank supervisors are new and untested. The Irish Central Bank has beefed up since the crisis, but officials will still admit they're stretched. Its possible to foresee Dame Street refusing to licence banks to set up here, if it fears it lacks the capacity to police them, regardless of any pressure from the IDA or Government. The focus right now is to press hard for a deal that keeps City banks in London, if it also keeps Irish stock on British shelves. The initial shock from the UK's Brexit vote has been contained for Ireland, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said. At the opening of the National Economic Dialogue, Mr Noonan said there was "no sense of panic" here. "The NTMA are quite happy that they can fully fund the country," Mr Noonan said. Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he was "saddened and disappointed" by the outcome of the vote, but that he respected it. He said there would be no impact on the available fiscal space for Budget 2017. But he said the outlook for the medium term was more uncertain. Shadow attorney general Karl Turner, who has said he has resigned 'with a very heavy heart'. Photo: PA UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was last night facing a leadership coup as the Left attempted to unite to overturn Britain's exit from the European Union. Eleven members of the Labour shadow cabinet left office yesterday amid a series of staggered resignations and demands that Mr Corbyn make way for a pro-EU candidate who can fight against the British public's demand for Brexit. Tom Watson, the deputy Labour leader, will today hold crisis talks with Mr Corbyn, who is being propped up by the trade unions despite losing the backing of most Labour MPs. Shadow attorney general Karl Turner became the 11th senior figure to announce he could no longer work with the Labour leader following criticism of Mr Corbyn's "lacklustre" anti-Brexit campaign. The party's influential deputy leader Mr Watson said he is to hold emergency talks with Mr Corbyn today to "discuss the way forward" after 11 members of the shadow cabinet announced they were resigning - with more expected to follow. In a statement, Mr Watson said he was "saddened" so many colleagues felt unable to carry on and "deeply disappointed" at the sacking of shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn which triggered the walkout. He said: "My single focus is to hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times. The nation needs an effective opposition, particularly as the current leadership of the country is so lamentable. "It's very clear to me that we are heading for an early general election and the Labour Party must be ready to form a government. There's much work to do. I will be meeting Jeremy Corbyn [this morning] to discuss the way forward." As Mr Watson returned from the Glastonbury Festival to deal with the crisis, allies of the Labour leader insisted he had no intention of quitting - angrily accusing the rebels of plotting for months to get rid of him. A series of senior trade unionists on Labour's ruling national executive committee rallied in support of Mr Corbyn - including Unite leader Len McCluskey and Dave Ward of the Communication Workers Union. There was also support from shadow home secretary Andy Burnham who said he had no intention of taking part in a coup against the Labour leader. However, the rebels warned Mr Corbyn would be unable to form a new shadow team - with Labour MPs unwilling to serve under his leadership - if he tries to struggle on. The Labour shadow cabinet departures began at 1.13am yesterday morning when it emerged Mr Corbyn had sacked his shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn after reports in the media he was leading a coup. Alarmed by Mr Benn's sacking, some of the most senior figures in the party agreed to stagger resignations throughout the day in an attempt to unseat the Labour leader by exposing his lack of support. Before 9am Heidi Alexander, the shadow health secretary, had released a resignation letter saying Mr Corbyn did not have "the capacity to shape the answers our country is demanding". Mr Benn explained his decision shortly afterwards, telling BBC One's 'The Andrew Marr Show': "He's a good and decent man but he is not a leader." By 7.30pm, nine more ministers had resigned, with more expected overnight and today. One former member of Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet who resigned yesterday said the party needed an "avowedly pro-EU" leader who could push to keep Britain as close to Europe as possible during exit negotiations. Sources said that they expect a general election before the end of the year and that they want a leader in place who will stand on a pro-EU manifesto. "People have started to say that we can go into the next election as an avowedly pro-EU party," the former frontbencher told 'The Daily Telegraph'. "I would want someone who is very much-pro European, who has a vision for us being very much engaged in Europe, but addresses concerns that are clearly there such as immigration." Sources said that Mr Corbyn will today refuse to step down and will instead try and make public a planned secret vote on his future so that voters can see which MPs are trying to unseat him. It is thought that the Parliamentary Labour Party is hoping to select a new leader who could seek to negotiate a new British-EU deal in conjunction with sympathetic European leaders and the heads of other UK regions. Tony Blair, the former Labour prime minister, said a second referendum on the UK's membership of the EU should not be ruled out because Britain has become "deeply divided" after Thursday's referendum vote. Across Europe, there were growing signs that a new deal may ultimately be offered. Peter Altmaier, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chief of staff, said that British politicians "should have the possibility to reconsider the consequences of an exit" as these begin to emerge. He later clarified that the validity of the result was not in doubt and said "we respect the decision of the British people". The Czech government called for the removal of Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU President, following another day of aggressive anti-British briefings from the European Commission. The EU met for the first time without Britain yesterday and sources said that no negotiations would take place until Britain had formally requested to leave the bloc. Last night, Mr Corbyn faced accusations that he sabotaged the campaign to keep Britain in the EU after leaked emails revealed Labour frustration with his apparent uninterest. The Labour leader's office deleted lines referring to immigration and the EU in speeches, and attempted to block a letter backed by 200 MPs, according to the messages. Frustration with Mr Corbyn's failure to fully engage in the campaign is also detailed, with one email showing the bemusement of some involved as one asks: "What is going on here?" The emails, which were shown to the BBC, reveal the tensions in Labour's EU campaign as it became clear that chunks of the party's normal support base were backing Brexit. A poll on voting day suggested as many as one in three Labour supporters backed leaving the EU as areas including Hartlepool, Sheffield and Birmingham voted for Brexit. An email from the leader's office reportedly said that Seumas Milne, Mr Corbyn's director of strategy and communications, was believed to be behind the reluctance towards the pro-EU campaign. One message discussing the leader's EU speeches said that changes were made because of the "hand of Seumas", adding: "If he can't kill it, he will water it down so much to hope nobody notices it." The Labour leader's "lacklustre" involvement in the Remain campaign was cited by many who resigned yesterday. During the campaign, Mr Corbyn rated his passion for staying in the EU at "seven, or seven and a half" out of 10. Mr Corbyn and his team repeatedly defended his performance during the referendum campaign, with supporters insisting he had gone through a "journey" to back staying in the EU. He defended his campaign during TV appearances on Friday, saying: "A lot of the message that has come back from this is that many communities are fed up with cuts, they are fed up with economic dislocation and feel very angry at the way they have been betrayed and marginalised by successive governments in very poor areas of the country." ( Daily Telegraph, London) Q&A: Labour rebels plan a party within a party' What is the idea? The priority for Labour rebels is to unseat Jeremy Corbyn, getting someone new in time for a general election that could be called later this year. However, the way they plan to do that with a no confidence vote on Tuesday is not binding, leaving it up to Mr Corbyn to decide whether he will step down. Given Corbyn allies have indicated he will stay put and replace ministers who have resigned, there are now plans for the moderates to effectively create a party within a party. How would it work? The vehicle for the move would be the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP), which is made up only of Labour MPs the vast majority of whom did not vote for Mr Corbyn as leader. The idea is for the PLP to elect a new leader, create its own shadow cabinet and effectively begin operating as a distinct Labour Party totally separate from Mr Corbyn. Crucially, Labour rebels believe they would have control of short money, the public funding given to political parties for organisation. What is in it for the rebels? The move would rob Mr Corbyns team of funds, make clear he lacks the support of MPs and set out a moderate vision that they believe would appeal to floating voters. The possibility of a snap general election after the Tories pick a new leader has focused minds and forced MPs to think about drastic measures to change the party and save their seats. Being able to make absolutely clear to the electorate that Mr Corbyn does not speak for Labour and lay out an alternative prospectus would, some believe, help win voters. The position is to stop the Labour Party collapsing at the next election. That is the only goal. The EU referendum was a game-changer, one MP told The Daily Telegraph. Will it actually happen? For now, the plan is merely a backup and does not have support from all. Many Labour rebels believe it is untenable for Mr Corbyn to stay as leader when a majority of MPs have made clear he does not have their confidence. Should he not go of his own accord, there is another means of triggering a leadership race getting the signatures of 51 Labour MPs and MEPs supporting a single candidate. ( Daily Telegraph, London) Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] The United Kingdom is unlikely to secure full access to the European Union's single market unless it allows unrestricted access to its labour market for EU citizens, Finance Minister Michael Noonan has said. Pro-Brexit British politician Boris Johnson said yesterday that Britain could secure full access without signing up to free movement elements when it leaves the 28-nation EU following last week's referendum. As the only EU country with a land border with the United Kingdom, Ireland is likely to play an important role in negotiations. "From the precedent it doesn't look as if that option is open, but I can see why he is saying it even though the positions are contradictory, that's what he campaigned on" Michael Noonan told journalists at a conference in Dublin this morning. "The precedent in Norway was that when they got access to the full market, they had to pay the levies that countries pay to the European Union and as well as that they had to give free labour market access," he said. The initial shock from the UK's Brexit vote has been contained for Ireland, he said. At the opening of the National Economic Dialogue, Mr Noonan said there was "no sense of panic" here. "The NTMA are quite happy that they can fully fund the country," Mr Noonan said. Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he was "saddened and disappointed" by the outcome of the vote, but that he respected it. He said there would be no impact on the available fiscal space for Budget 2017. But he said the outlook for the medium term was more uncertain. Talk of a special EU support package for Ireland to help cope with the huge fallout from Brexit is totally premature, Irelands EU Commissioner Phil Hogan has said. Mr Hogan will today attend the first meeting of EU agriculture ministers since the Brexit referendum result early last Friday morning. Brexit is not on the formal agenda for todays talks in Luxembourg but it is expected to figure in discussions given the huge implications for farm funding. Agriculture Minister Michael Creed last week said Ireland expected to net 1.2bn in EU farmer grants next year. Britain contributes a net 8.4bn to the EU coffers each year, and a large chunk of this goes to the Common Agriculture Policy (Cap), which still accounts for 37pc of the EUs entire budget. Ireland got special EU aid in 1979, when the government broke the link with sterling and joined the Exchange Rate Mechanism. In the early 1990s an extensive aid package, worth 1.2bn per year in regional and social grants, was paid over a decade to help Ireland cope with the shock of entering the EU border-free single market and the emerging single currency. But in his first public comments since Brexit, Mr Hogan said a special aid package for Ireland or any other member country just does not arise at present. We must await the detailed negotiations of Britains exit terms and the new relationship to be worked out between the EU and the UK for the future. Only then, when all of that is completed, could we look at other issues such as support packages for other member states, Mr Hogan told the Irish Independent. EU agriculture funding has been a consistent source of controversy for Britain on many occasions since it first joined the EU, alongside Ireland and Denmark, in January 1973. Successive British governments have attacked the Cap, which for years was the only fully formulated EU policy, developed in response to extensive food shortages, and even famine, in the immediate wake of World War II. Some of the British agriculture disputes turned on Londons efforts to keep buying food from former colonies like New Zealand, Australia and Canada, as well as other markets in South America. The two fears for Ireland, and other farm economies like France and Germany, is that Britains departure will hit the overall fund and also lead to Britain again sourcing more food outside the EU. Mr Creed will be in Luxembourg today for the crucial farm talks. A spokesman for the minister last night said he would not be commenting in advance of the meeting, pointing to the contingency plan published on Friday, which pledged to defend Irelands trade interests in the wake of Brexit. The chief executive of Deutsche Bank says London will not die as a financial centre but it will become weaker after Britain voted to leave the European Union. John Cryan, a Briton who divides his time between Frankfurt and London, told Germany's Handelsblatt business daily that he expects higher volatility than usual on the financial markets in the coming weeks. "The financial centre won't die but it will get weaker," Cryan said of London. Cryan did not comment on the possible direct impact on Deutsche Bank after the referendum. Deutsche Bank employs at least 11,000 staff in Britain. Cryan is working on a strategic overhaul at Germany's biggest lender, announcing in 2015 that it would cut 9,000 staffpositions, of which 4,000 would be in Germany. Yellowstone Public Radio has selected three finalists for its general manager position. Public forums are planned this week for Rebecca Walz, Terry Green and Anthony Gorman. One of them will be selected to head up the public radio station, whose call sign is KEMC. Walz was introduced on Monday. Her background includes administrative positions at WLTV public television and WDIY public radio in Bethlehem, Penn. Most recently, she was the director of alumni engagement and annual fund at Northampton Community College. Green's appearance is Tuesday. His experience includes lead engineering and programming positions at KZFR radio in Chico, Calif., and at KHSU radio in Arcata, Calif. He was the general manager at KUSP in Santa Cruz, Calif., until 2015. Gorman will speak on Wednesday. He has worked as a news reporter, news director and station manager at multiple radio and newspaper outlets, mostly in Alaska. His most recent position is the news director of KCHU in Valdez, Alaska, where he's worked since April. Before that, he was general manager of KDLL in Kenai, Alaska. The outgoing general manager, Ken Siebert, took the position full time in 2011 after being named interim manager in 2009. He said that he will stay on as program director after the switch. There's no timeline to appoint the new manger, but the station would like to choose someone quickly, Siebert said. His last day as manager is July 1. Bank of Ireland has said its Visa debit cards are "working normally" after an interruption of service today. The banks customers were hit by a technical glitch which meant they were unable to use their debit cards. A spokesperson confrimed this evening: "Visa debit cards are now working normally. We would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience that some debit card customers experienced this afternoon." Earlier today, the bank's helpline on Twitter received a number of queries from customers who said their cards had been declined or that they were unable to withdraw cash from ATMs. Bank customers said their Visa debt cards had been declined in shops, with others saying they were unable to withdraw money from automated teller machines (ATM)s. One customer reported that their card was refused in a shop, but the sum of money for the transaction was debited from her account. Bank of Irelands stock was amongst the worst hit following the UKs decision to leave the EU on Friday, with shares falling 18pc in the morning. Around 30pc of its earnings come from the UK, especially due to a link-up with British post offices. There were also reports of cards issued by other banks being refused, but there is no confirmation of that yet. A Dublin company is targeting further property funds after successfully closing a 1.6m deal with private investors to bankroll housing developments. Foxglove Finance - which was established by accountant Declan de Lacy and chartered surveyor Peter Stapleton - last week completed the 1.6m fundraising which will be used to complete a housing estate in Courtown, Co Wexford. The fundraising was structured by issuing bond-like loan notes to subscribers. Funds will help complete a development of 200 homes in Courtown that includes 29 incomplete houses and an unfinished creche. The project is being taken on by property investors Aidan Farrell and Charles O'Reilly Hyland. They expect to acquire the properties from Nama this week, and complete and sell them within a year. It's understood that while the pair would have been able to finance the development themselves, they opted to use the funding initiative from Foxglove Finance. Speaking to the Irish Independent, Mr De Lacy, a director of accountancy firm PFK O'Connor, Leddy & Holmes, said that the fundraising had been a success and confirmed Foxglove plans to work on more projects with Mr O'Reilly Hyland and Mr Farrell. The banking system remains effectively closed to residential construction, he said. When I was young there was a huge gap between my favourite childhood books and adult novels. There was Enid Blyton or the Brontes and little in between. But Young Adult fiction has recently become big business, with superb writers penning psychologically acute books for teenagers. These books resonate with them and chime with their interests. Galway teenager Eilis Barrett has just had her first book Oasis (Gill & Macmillan 14.99) published and it's already making waves. Set in the future, following a group of teen outcasts turned freedom fighters, it tells the story of Quincy Emerson, a girl on the run because she carries the X gene that nearly wiped out the human race. An amazing achievement for a 16-year-old. Nothing Tastes as Good (Hot Key 10.99) by Irish author Claire Hennessy is a warm and intelligent YA book about an anorexic girl Annabel who is on a mission to save an overweight girl Julia, as a means of getting a message to her family from beyond the grave. An important and refreshing read. Martin Stewart's Riverkeep (Penguin 10.99), about a young boy on a heroic quest to save his father is a stunning debut, while Kim Hood's Plain Jane (O'Brien 8.99), about a 16 year-old who lives in the shadow of her sister's illness, tackles weighty issues with sensitivity and freshness. Frances Hardinge's highly original The Lie Tree (Macmillan 11.70) sees Faith's Victorian family move to a remote island where scandal, murder and lies grow in the darkness. A brilliant heroine, a great plot and beautiful writing - what more could you want? For the older teen comes an astonishing and sometimes harrowing book, Needlework (Little Island 9.99) by Deirdre Sullivan, about a vulnerable young woman, who has escaped an abusive situation and is bravely trying to get her life back on track. Like the tattoos of the title, this book is a painful but powerful read. A work of art in itself. For older teens come Anna Seidl's No Heroes (Little Island 11.35), the story of a school shooting and its aftermath, and The Best Medicine (Little Island 9.99) by Belfast writer Christine Hamill, about a 12-year-old boy whose mother has breast cancer. Recent trends show increasing numbers of established adult fiction writers are attempting the crossover to YA. John Grisham has written a legal thriller for kids Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer (Hodder & Stoughton 16.99), and Kathy Reichs has a fantastic series of novels for teens called Virals (Cornerstone 9.99). Closer to home, Cecelia Ahern, has made her first foray into this burgeoning market with Flawed (Harpercollins 15.99). A tense, action-packed read, it tells the story of Celestine North, a beautiful, intelligent 17 year-old, who lives in a dystopian society where everyone is forced to be perfect, and one morally incorrect decision is punished by branding with the letter 'F' for 'Flawed'. My two favourite YA books this year were One (Bloomsbury 10.99) by Sarah Crossan about conjoined twins, which was awarded Children's Book of the Year 2016 and The Thing about Jellyfish (Macmillan 10.50) by Ali Benjamin, both of which were previously reviewed and lauded in this newspaper. Other teen books to note are Caramel Hearts by ER Murray about a troubled teen who makes a lot of wrong choices and finds solace in baking, Mosquitoland (Headline 10.50) by David Arnold, and the beautiful new edition of Stargirl (Hachette 8.99) by Jerry Spinelli. Pat Kenny is reportedly set to host a current affairs programme on TV3. The Irish Sun reports that TV3 bosses are in talks to create a Prime Time-style show with Kenny as the host. I am always having conversations and I havent signed up for anything but its something I would always look at depending whats on the table, the 68-year-old told the paper. Kenny cut his ties with UTV Ireland last year and currently runs a hit radio show on Newstalk, which it is understood will not to be affected by the new once-weekly programme. I wouldnt be interested in doing any more than that kind of work because I am busy enough as it is, he said. While a deal is yet to be signed, Vincent Brownes debate show on the station is set to continue regardless. Independent.ie is awaiting comment from TV3. Ireland must "pick up the baton" left by Veronica Guerin after her death and tackle corruption and crime, the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said. Archbishop Martin was speaking at an emotional remembrance mass for the 'Sunday Independent' journalist, who was murdered by drug lords 20 years ago. The archbishop said we still live in a time of "questions Veronica would like to have seen properly addressed". "All we can do is to pick up the baton she left us and keep that going with determination, courage, restlessness and integrity," he said. Veronica was driving on the Naas dual carriageway near Newland's Cross when she was fatally shot six times by one of two men on a motorcycle on June 26, 1996. She had already received several threats from gang leaders, who also warned her that they would harm members of her family. Her death sparked an outcry throughout the country, and ultimately led to the formation of the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB). In his homily, Archbishop Martin said Veronica remains someone who showed integrity and courage, two decades after her death. "All of us here todayare proud of what she did, and there are many who over these years have been inspired by Veronica to become themselves ever more people of courage and integrity." He also said that true democracy requires honesty and integrity, and a willingness to speak out against violent gangs. "The corrupt flourish in a society where complacency and turning a blind eye flourish. We vilify democracy when we lack the courage and perseverance to call evil 'evil'," he said. "We vilify the men and women of integrity when we fail to remember and support what they stood for. We honour the men and women of integrity when we show our own mettle." "I have said on many occasions in the face of the current bout of violence in Dublin that the men and women of violence have two weapons in their armoury: their guns and our silence," he added. But he stressed that Veronica Guerin should be remembered "not as a news story of the past, but as an example for today. "We have uncompromisingly to expose and condemn the horrible violence and corruption of those who are involved in the traffic of death and disregard for life which is the drugs trade," he continued. "We have to support the work of the gardai and law enforcement in fighting this traffic of death," he added. "Those who are involved in this disgusting and despicable industry will still attempt to silence anyone who has the courage to call evil 'evil'." "We must not let them overcome," he stressed. The ceremony, in the Church of St Nicholas of Myra in Kinsealy, was attended by Veronica's family, including her husband Graham Turley and son Cathal. Veronica's brother, Cllr Jimmy Guerin, was also among family members. Close family and colleagues paid their respects at the intimate service, which also took time to remember murdered Detective Garda Jerry McCabe, who was killed in June 7, 1996. Those gathered also remembered the words of the late Fr Declan Doyle, who officiated at Veronica's funeral. At the time, Fr Declan said: "Veronica's death is one of those events when a nation stops, when time stands still, when we look at ourselves as a society and ask: 'Where are we going?' This time of questioning is a special moment in history." Concluding his tribute, Archbishop Martin said all who had gathered could be proud of what she did and the "courage and determination she showed". "She paid a high price and her family and friends suffered an unimaginable loss," he said. "Her integrity gives her still today a noble place in our recent history." The ISPCA have called for action against illegal dog breeding after seizing 20 puppies who had been smuggled into Scotland in the boot of a car. The puppies were all aged from four to eight weeks old, and were too young to travel. Those rescued included Shih Tzus, Bichon Frise, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, Pugs and Cocker Spaniels, none of which were accompanied by pet passports. Although they had been microchipped, the puppies were not registered on an approved database, as is required under the regulations for microchipping of dogs. Expand Close Photo: ISPCA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Photo: ISPCA The Scottish SPCA seized the dogs from Cairnryan ferry port and transferred them to the ISPCAs National Animal Centre in Longford, where they have received full veterinary examinations. The Shih Tzu puppies are estimated to be less than six weeks old, and therefore too young to be separated from their mother. The puppies had to be hand-fed by staff at the centre. This was a horrific way to transport these vulnerable puppies and the person they were seized from had no regard for their welfare," said Dr Andrew Kelly, CEO of the ISPCA. "We do not know exactly where these puppies originated from in Ireland but our investigations are continuing. Expand Close Photo: ISPCA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Photo: ISPCA The ISPCA believes it is time for a crackdown on illegal behaviour by dog breeders in Ireland and is calling on all local authorities to enforce the Dog Breeding Establishments (DBE) legislation robustly and to take action where breeders fail to comply. An undercover inspector for the Scottish SPCA added that the puppies were seized as part of Operation Delphin, a joint operation targeting the illegal export of puppies from Ireland to the UK. "Unfortunately the puppy trade is big business in Scotland, with thousands of dogs being brought into the country each year, from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in particular, the inspector said. The ISPCA is looking for new homes for the rescued puppies. More information on rehoming is available at ispca.ie. Next-door neighbour Robert Burke with a Missing flyer for Karen Scott, missing since Friday 24th June, outside Karen's house on Barnamore Grove, Finglas, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn A search party of friends and neighbours with Missing flyers for Karen Scott, missing since Friday 24th June, outside Karen's house on Barnamore Grove, Finglas, Dublin. Picture: Caroline Quinn The family of a Dublin woman who has Down Syndrome and has been missing from her home since Friday are now seriously concerned for her welfare and urging the public to help look for her. Karen Scott (43) left her home on Barnamore Grove, Finglas in north Dublin, at approximately 3.30pm on Friday. However, CCTV footage recorded at a shop near Berkeley Road in Dublin 7 shows she visited there later that evening. There are also unconfirmed reports that she may have looked for money from customers in the nearby Delahuntys Pub and at the Mater Hospital. In the CCTV footage Karen appears to be pulling a small suitcase with a handle and wheels behind her. Karen is very independent and knows her bus routes and everything and she has gone out before on her own but has always come back that night. This time it is different, her worried mother Kathleen told Independent.ie today. She has been away three days now and we are very concerned for her. There have been no sightings since Friday, she added. I had been up in Finglas village with her doing some shopping earlier and when we got home she said she was going upstairs for a lie down. I dozed off on the couch myself for a while and when I woke up she was gone, Kathleen explained. Today a group of friends and neighbours organised a leaflet drop in the area to spread the word that Karen is missing. We need to get her picture out in circulation so that everyone knows what Karen looks like. Everyone is very concerned for her, said one neighbour. Searches are also taking place in the city centre near where Karen was last seen in the hope that she might be found. Gardai in Finglas have renewed their appeal to the public for assistance in tracing the whereabouts of Karen. She is described as approximately 5 4 tall and of medium build with blue eyes and short blonde hair. When last seen she was wearing white runners, a peach coloured hooded top and black jeans. Anyone who has seen Karen or who can assist in locating her is asked to contact Finglas Garda Station on 01 6667500 or any Garda Station. Console, the troubled suicide bereavement organisation, is at risk of being deregistered as a charity, it was learned yesterday. The organisation, which offers counselling services in different centres across the country, is currently under investigation by gardai and the HSE for its use of funds. It is understood charity regulator John Farrelly has summoned Console founder Paul Kelly and other former directors to a meeting early this week. He has the power to strip Console of its charity status if he has evidence that rules have been breached. A HSE audit has claimed that Console paid its directors 215,000 in contravention of the regulations which govern charities. If it loses its charity status, it will be a matter for the Revenue Commissioners to decide if it wants to pursue outstanding financial liabilities. Mr Kelly resigned as chief executive last week. Two directors, his wife Patricia and sister Joan McKenna, also stepped down. An 'RTE Investigates' programme revealed a range of irregularities at the charity which received around 12m in nine years through State grants and public fundraising. As revealed in the Irish Independent, up to 500,000 worth of spending, including trips to New Zealand and Australia, is under scrutiny. Console named a number of people who had no association with the charity as directors. One of those named was Ruairi McKiernan, who founded the young person's support group Spunout.ie. He revealed he was shocked to be told his name was on a list when contacted by a journalist last week. "It is absolutely false and I am looking into the claim further," he said yesterday. He stressed he had no involvement with Console and was disgusted at allegations of malpractice "including the use of people's names without their consent". Mr McKiernan said it is vital that charities act with urgency to ensure they are transparent in terms of their boards, finances and activities. "I would encourage people to be discerning regarding where they offer their support. Most charities should not have a problem answering questions." A garda with early onset dementia who harassed a married female sergeant has been committed to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH). Garda Donal Maguire (40), a married man with two children, was found not guilty by reason of insanity last month. His trial heard he sent the woman a Valentine's Card, numerous emails and a friend request on Facebook despite having been warned by his superiors not to have any contact with her. He had sent the emails via the garda Pulse system leading to him having his access revoked. He continued to try and contact the woman, despite giving an oral undertaking to stop his behaviour and was ultimately transferred to another garda station. Gda Maguire (40) of Bundoran, Co. Donegal had pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court by reason of insanity to two counts of harassing the woman at a location in Dublin on dates between February 18 and March 11, 2012 and between August 1, 2012 and February 4, 2013. The jury of nine men and three women returned a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity following an hour of deliberations. Two forensic psychiatrists told the trial that Gda Maguire was suffering from a mental disorder at the time and lacked the ability to form intent, as set out under the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. The jury heard that Gda Maguire had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, which at his age was considered early onset dementia. The symptoms include erotomania, a delusion in which a person believes that another person, typically of a higher social status, is in love with them. The disorder also meant that Gda Maguire was increasingly inappropriate in his actions, had a loss of empathy, was unable to understand the impact of his behaviour, has a lack of judgement and an inability to inhibit his own actions as well as a lack of interest in his personal hygiene. The court heard that the harassment impacted on the woman's work and family life and caused her great stress. She felt physically sick, annoyed and concerned on receiving the communications from Gda Maguire. She was granted annual leave following the Facebook contact from Gda Maguire because her superiors believed she was not in a fit position to do her work. Today Judge Elma Sheahan heard from Doctor Damian Mohan who has been treating Gda Maguire at the CMH. The judge had ordered that a report be compiled from the CMH when the verdict was delivered by the jury earlier this month. Dr Mohan said he met with Gda Maguire on June 22, 2016 last for assessment. He told Gerardine Small BL, prosecuting that he was satisfied that Gda Maguire continued to suffer from a mental disorder as defined by the act. He said the disorder impaired the man's thinking, perception, emotion and judgement and he had difficulty planning. He said clinically Gda Maguire had an impairment of his frontotemporal lobe which meant he had poor judgement, poor impulse control and a lack of social awareness. He added that there had been some improvement which could be attributed to his treatment at the CMH and his anti-psychotic medication. Dr Mohan concluded that he was satisfied that Gda Maguire was in need of treatment at designated centre such as the CMH. He recommended that he be returned there. The doctor agreed with Ronan Kennedy BL, defending that Gda Maguire was extremely polite and courteous at all times and accepted that he was in need of treatment. He described him as engaging and said he was very keen to work on his rehabilitation. He said Gda Maguire accepted that his judgement was impaired at the time of his offending behaviour. Judge Sheahan said she was satisfied that Gda Maguire was suffering from a mental disorder and that he should be committed to a special designated centre. She ordered that he be detained at the CMH for inpatient care and treatment until further order. Gerardine Small BL, prosecuting, told the jury in opening the case that the fact Gda Maguire harassed the woman was not disputed but rather the jurors had to determine if he was suffering from a mental disorder at the time. The court heard that both Gda Maguire's mother and his wife noticed a change in his behaviour from 2010, shortly after the birth of his first child, when he started making bizarre statements and laughing inappropriately. In his first referral to have it investigated, a psychiatrist noted that Gda Maguire had disorganised thinking and unusual speech. Detective Superintendent Walter O'Sullivan outlined the facts of the harassment to the jury. He agreed with Ronan Kennedy BL, defending that when Gda Maguire was interviewed in June 2013, he said he was infatuated with the woman and this was not reciprocated. He accepted that he had been warned to stop communicating with the sergeant but had continued contact despite this. Det Supt O'Sullivan agreed with Mr Kennedy that Gda Maguire had difficulty understanding what he had been doing was wrong and that he had been causing the woman stress. He accepted that, following the interview, both he and his colleagues had concerns for Gda Maguire's well-being. Det Supt OSullivan said Gda Maguire first met the sergeant at the Dublin Garda Station he was working from in 2011. She believed there was nothing personal in their interaction. He sent the woman a Valentine's Card in February 2012 and she spoke with him privately and told him that his attention to her was inappropriate, unwanted and unwelcome. She believed that this would be the end of the matter but Gda Maguire continued to contact her through email via the garda pulse system. She reported the emails to superior colleagues and Gda Maguire was disciplined and told not to contact her again. The emails continued which resulted in his access to the pulse system being revoked. Gda Maguire then turned up at the garda station where she worked and specifically asked for her. He was again cautioned not to contact the woman. Three weeks later he turned up at a garda 10km race she was running in and was noticed by other colleagues to be staring at her. Again his superiors met with him and he gave an oral undertaking not to have any further contact with the woman. Two weeks later she received a friend request from him on Facebook. This was the final contact before seriousness of the harassment was escalated and investigated as a criminal offence. Both Doctor Brenda Wright, an expert witness for the State and Doctor Conor O'Neill, an expert witness for the defence, met with Gda Maguire at various stages over the last few years. Having considered the book of evidence, various psychologist and medical tests and after speaking to his family they concluded that he had frontotemporal dementia from approximately 2010. Both psychiatrists also said that they were satisfied that at the time of the offence Gda Maguire didn't appreciate what he was doing was wrong and he was unable to refrain from committing the act. Both witnesses drew the jury's attention to the fact that Gda Maguire continued to harass the woman despite being told by her that it was unwanted and unwelcome and being directly warned by his superiors that there would be real consequences should he continue the behaviour. Dr O'Neill said the fact that Gda Maguire persisted in a very obvious way and in a manner that would lead to him being easily detected was consistent with his diagnosis. He said Gda Maguire was currently being treated in the Central Mental Hospital and there were no immediate plans to discharge him as he was suffering from a significant illness. In the schools Nicole Marie Voeller was awarded a doctorate degree in dental surgery from the University of Washington School of Dentistry in Seattle. Voeller graduated from West High in 2007 and Carroll College in Helena, in 2011 with a chemistry degree. Rebeca M. Strong Garcia of Billings, has recently been named to the dean's list at Boston University for the spring semester. To qualify, students must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.5 or be in the top 30 percent of their class, as well as a full course load as a full-time student. Dana Alice Weatherford of Joliet has graduated with honors from North Dakota State University in Fargo, earning a bachelor's degree in architecture. Mercie Hodges, Megan Palaiyan and Harper Swords, all of Billings, were named to the deans list for spring semester 2016 at George Fox University in Newberg, Ore. To qualify, traditional undergraduate students must earn a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on 12 or more hours of graded work. The following area students were named to the spring 2016 deans list at Montana State University-Northern in Havre. Patrick R. Barnett, Zeena J. Fox, Robert P. Gollehon, Shannon M. Olberding and Jedrick D. Schatz, all of Billings; Rachelle L. Bennett of Joliet; Thomas A. Cooper and Brett J. Thompson, both of Laurel; and Courtney R. Cota of Roundup. To qualify, students must carry a minimum of 12 credits and earn a minimum grade point average of 3.25. Eric Michael Flanagan of Billings graduated with honors from Pensacola Christian College in Florida, earning a bachelor of arts degree in Bible with a concentration in pastoral ministries. Flanagan was also named to the presidents list for his achievement of maintaining an "A" grade average. Samuel Urlacher, a 2005 graduate of Skyview High, was awarded a Ph.D. in human evolutionary biology from Harvard University in Cambridge, Mass. He earned his undergraduate degree in physical and biological anthropology at Brown University in Providence, R.I. Urlacher is currently a National Science Foundation-sponsored postdoctoral research fellow in the Human Evolution and Energetics Lab in the Department of Anthropology at the City University of New York-Hunter College in New York City. Aaron Hyams of Laurel has graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wis. Hyams was awarded a doctorate of philosophy, history. Organizations Birdie Real Bird of Crow Agency has been nominated to the advisory board of the Plains Indian Museum in Cody, Wyo., assuming the roll formerly held by Crow Chief Joe Medicine Crow. Real Bird was chosen because of her knowledge and respect of the Crow history and culture. Brianne Malchow and Elizabeth Merritt, both of Shepherd, were named as Gold Award recipients by Girl Scouts of Montana and Wyoming for projects completed in the past year. The award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting and challenges girls ages 14 to 17 years old to initiate meaningful, sustainable change locally, nationally and/or globally through unique Take Action projects of their own creation. The Billings Public Library has named the winners of its inaugural Pie in the Big Sky: Pie Making Contest. The first-place winning recipes will be featured in Bernie Masons Local Flavor column in The Billings Gazette on Wednesday. The following is a list of top-placing winners in each category: Fruit: Linda Prescott , first place, apple pie; Donald Quick, second place, cherry pie; Sandra Schiavon , third place, lemony heaven pie. , first place, apple pie; second place, cherry pie; , third place, lemony heaven pie. Other: Peggy Brown , first place, Pegasus pie; Chrissie Reinhart , second place, buttercup pie; Roger Henry , third place, sour cream raisin pie. , first place, Pegasus pie; , second place, buttercup pie; , third place, sour cream raisin pie. Youth/Teen: Camryn Ruiz, first place, apple pie; Natalie Rehklau, second place, pecan pie; Claire Rehklau, third place, mixed berry pie. A TEENAGER accused of having sex with an underage girl has launched a High Court challenge aimed at preventing his trial from going ahead. The 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified, is facing trial before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charge that he engaged in sexual intercourse with the girl at an address in Dublin in March 2014. He was 15 at the time. He claims that because of a delay in prosecuting his right to fair trial has been prejudiced. The accused is one of several young males charged after a complaint was made to the gardai. He arrested some months after the alleged incident, but was not charged until October 2015. The book of evidence was served earlier this year. When the matter came before Dublin Circuit Court a trial was fixed for December. His lawyers asked the Circuit Court for an earlier trial date because he turns 18 years of age before December meaning certain implications befall him. The DPP, his lawyers say, has indicated it is not possible to have an earlier trial date due to the availability of witnesses. In his challenge, he says the DPP has failed to prosecute the case in a proper or expeditious manner in breach of his constitutional and European Convention rights. It is claimed the length and unexplained the prosecutorial delay disregards the special consideration which ought to be afforded to children in the criminal justice system. Mr Justice Richard Humphreys granted his lawyers leave to bring the action and it will return before the court later this week. A source reported a "loud bang" on the plane this evening. Stock photo: PA Wire A Dublin-bound plane was forced to make an emergency landing in London this evening due to an issue with the planes engine. The problem arose shortly after CityJet flight WZ123 left London City Airport for Dublin at 5.30pm. The pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at Stanstead airport. A source told independent.ie this evening: "There was a loud bang and the wings started shaking. A CityJet spokesperson confirmed: There was an issue with an engine after take-off. A replacement aircraft will take the passengers back to Dublin. A new Educate Together school will open in Dublin in September. The new school is coming about as a result of the process of divesting Catholic schools to new patron bodies in order to offer more choice. The new school, on Limekiln Road, Dublin 12, will move into a premises that has become available because of a school merger. It will be called Riverview Educate Together and its opening follows an intense campaign by parents in the Dublin 6-12 area. The Catholic Church controls about 90pc of the State's primary schools. A man in his 20s has died following an accident on a stud farm in Co.Tipperary last night. The man who is from Newcastle, in the UK, was working on the stud farm near the town of Fethard in Co. Tipperary when he died. The incident occurred when a work vehicle overturned at approximately 5.30pm. Another man in his mid 20s was brought to Cork University Hospital where his injures are believed to be not living threatening. The Health and Safety Authority and gardai are investigating the incident. Scotland should be fast-tracked back into the European Union if it votes for independence, Micheal Martin has said. The Fianna Fail leader believes that while the future of Scotland within the UK is a matter for themselves, Ireland should support them in a bid to re-enter the EU if the situation arises. I and my party believe that it would be unacceptable for Scotland to be treated as a normal candidate country should it seek to remain as a member of the EU. It currently implements all EU laws. It manifestly would not need to be reviewed for its standards of governance and ability to implement EU laws. It has a strong administration, a distinct legal system and an absolute commitment to European ideals, Mr Martin told an emergency Dail debate on the outcome of the EU referendum. Scotland is strong enough to advocate for itself, but Ireland should be its friend and demand fair play should it seek to remain in the EU. Expand Close Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. Picture:Arthur Carron / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin. Picture:Arthur Carron Read More As for whether Scotland could effectively veto Brexit, we have to play this straight leaving this to the administrations concerned. Europe must under no circumstance interfere, he said. However, Mr Martin hit out at Sinn Feins call for a referendum on a united Ireland. He said such a vote should only be held when it has a chance of passing and at the moment there is no evidence of this. If it changes because of forced departure from the EU then it may be the time for such a vote yet this has not yet been demonstrated. The North has had enough of the politics of gestures and votes used to assert difference rather than build consensus. Expand Close Nicola Sturgeon / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Nicola Sturgeon The cynicism of Sinn Fein on this is dramatic even for that party, Mr Martin told the Dail. He added that for four decades Provisional Sinn Fein has opposed Europe in everything. Read More It opposed membership and every referendum. In the European Parliament it spends its time condemning the EU. It shares a group with parties opposed to the existence of the EU. It even refuses to oppose the Russian invasion and partition of European states but supports resolutions blaming the EU for Russian aggression, he said. Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said the Government and Fianna Fail should need to take an all-island approach to the negotiations that will lead to a Brexit. There is no going back on water charges, the EU Commission has said in its clearest statement on the controversy to date. Ireland is breaking EU law if the Dail seeks to abandon charging as is expected after a nine month consultation period agreed in the Programme for Government. In reply to a Parliamentary Question from MEP Marian Harkin, the European Commission said Ireland made a clear commitment to set up water charges and there is no provision whereby it can revert to any previous practice. The statement is the clearest yet on water charges and suggests that Ireland could be left open to significant EU fines unless a billing system is implemented. The Commission said that Ireland is signed up to Article 9(4) of the Framework Directive which sets down strict conditions. It says that a member state wishing to avail for flexibility under this provision needed to take a decision on what constituted an established practice. On the contrary, in the said plans, Ireland made a clear commitment to set up water charges to comply with the provisions of Article 9(1). Ireland subsequently applied water charges and the Commission considers that the Directive does not provide for a situation whereby it can revert to any previous practice, the Commission said. The statement is likely to reignite the war of words over water charges. Fianna Fail has claimed that it has legal advice which says that Ireland can legally scrap water charges. However, Fine Gael continues to say that water charges cannot be reversed and recently Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that despite all the protests people will eventually end up paying for domestic water. Legislation that allows for the suspension of water charges for nine months is to be debated in the Dail later this month. It will allow for the setting up of a Commission which will make recommendations on the future of water charges. Theres a connection between Montanas overflowing state prison population and how county jails handle newly arrested suspects. When local jails take safe, evidenced-based steps to release defendants who dont need to be in jail before trial, theres more space for people who should be incarcerated but otherwise might have been turned away for lack of space. A pilot project that started last summer in Yellowstone County illustrates this point. Since the first of the year, the average daily population of the jail in Billings has ranged between 481 inmates in March and 491 inmates in January. If inmates who were assessed as low-risk and released with various monitoring conditions had still been in jail, the average daily population would have been 551 in January, 547 in February, 561 in March, 581 in April and 567 in May. Justice of the Peace David Carter compiled these numbers to show outcomes from the pretrial assessment pilot. 23,574 jail days saved Between July 1, 2015, and May 17, 2016, the Pretrial Risk Assessment Program completed assessments of 283 inmates booked in on felony offenses. Judges allowed 144 to be released on monitoring. Altogether, releasing those inmates saved 23,574 jail days. Because the program has only one person doing assessments, only 39 percent of all incoming felony inmates were assessed. Usually, when GPS or drug-use monitoring is a condition of pretrial release, the defendant has to pay a daily fee. Some people sit in jail because they have no money, so the pilot project includes limited funds to subsidize monitoring for up to 20 individuals. The subsidies saved 2,916 jail days in the first 10 months. The Yellowstone County Commission is still finalizing its budget for the fiscal year that begins Friday. Commissioners told Carter that they will fund the assessment program at least at status quo. Carter pitched an expansion that would making pretrial assessment available to all felony inmates and add monitoring subsidy slots for indigent defendants. Meanwhile in Helena, the Montana Commission on Sentencing spent two full days last week discussing options for improving the states overloaded criminal justice system. The first of 25 options discussed would encourage counties to adopt pretrial risk assessment. Consultants from the Council of State Governments Justice Center suggested that the state fund a matching grant program that would give counties incentives and technical assistance for a pretrial assessment program. Reducing recidivism Yellowstone County District Judge Ingrid Gustafson, a member of the commission, noted that the Yellowstone County uses a hybrid assessment while some other states have selected a standard assessment that has already been scientifically validated and is used in all counties. Keeping low-risk people in jail pretrial leads to worse outcomes and longer time in the prison system, according to Carl Reynolds of the Justice Center. A study in Kentucky found that 90 percent of low-risk people released were successful, meaning they did not fail to appear in court nor were they re-arrested, Reynolds said. A Pew Center on the States report sums up the reason states are turning to risk assessments: When developed and used correctly, these risk/needs assessment tools can help criminal justice officials appropriately classify offenders and target interventions to reduce recidivism, improve public safety and cut costs. In Yellowstone County, plans are under way to use risk assessments to determine appropriate placement for drug treatment programs, Carter said. That may include the Veterans Treatment Court led by District Judge Mary Jane Knisely and a new program that County Attorney Scott Twito is developing to get first-time drug possession offenders into treatment faster and more effectively. We urge the Yellowstone County Commission to invest enough in the pretrial assessment that the majority of felony inmates can participate. The results from this pilot project must be shared with state lawmakers, particularly Yellowstone County lawmakers. Risk assessment is just one of many tools that Montana will need to safely reverse the trend that has overfilled our jail and all our state prisons. I didn't quite make it as a grown-up in the sixties. I was too young to go to Woodstock. I only read about the 'summer of love' and missed the opportunity to do endless quantities of soft drugs and enjoy free love. By the time I could grow my hair long, it was no longer an act of defiance. Though it did militate against successful hitch-hiking, which was my mode of transport. I know more about John and Yoko now than I did then thanks to Sky Arts. I did see The Beatles record All You Need Is Love on a world television link-up. It was on a screen so snowy it was hard to know which Beatle was which. It all seemed to innocent, but there was an infectious idealism and many people my age still feel the remnants of it. Hippies put flowers in rifle barrels. It wasn't perfect, and Charles Manson was a monster in any age. But there was hope. And idealism. I miss idealism. Apartheid is no more. Segregation in the Southern States is history. The "troubles" started, were horrendous, but have more or less stopped. But the horrors we have to face up to now make all of these look manageable. Horror is the new norm. We have just absorbed Tunisia, Paris, bombs on planes, Orlando, when we have to deal with a new sicko who was so filled with hatred that he brutally murdered Jo Cox. As it happened between Orlando, a place where I have spent more happy hours than just about anywhere on earth, and the murder of the MP, mother, wife, and idealist, I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird. To my shame I had never read it, a victim of the stupid 'I saw the film' mentality. The narrator's voice, Scout, is a young girl who is growing up in the hate-filled racist South. We see her father, Atticus, battling to help her to think for herself and to understand justice, no small task when she attends the trial of a black man accused of raping a white woman where hatred is more important than evidence. Children have to be taught to hate. And adults are very good at it. Just give them a religion or an 'ism' to tag it on to. 'Us' and 'them' are ready to go. I am one of those atheists who knows the Bible reasonably well and there is a lot to think about in the admonition to view things as a child. With each new atrocity Twitter sets ever lower standards in venom, vitriol and hate. It frightens me what people who are capable of doing joined up writing are capable of thinking. I can almost understand why politicians are afraid to address the issue of repealing the Eighth Amendment which should never have been put in in the first place. I want to live in a free society where respect for each other is the norm and where we treat each other as we expect to be treated ourselves. Is that too idealistic ? Imagine. In the months leading up to the birth of his first son, Darren Brooks carefully amassed the holiday time he felt he would need in order to spend the first days and weeks with his newly expanded family. But there were grumblings of discontent from his then employer when it came time to take the leave. "As the birth time was passed due to illness and Dylan kept in the intensive care unit, my dates changed and it was deemed that it was no longer feasible to have flexible dates as his homecoming was unknown," Darren says. "I stood my ground but left six weeks later due to the issues raised and was unhappy at the treatment I received as a new father with a baby in ICU. "Had paternity leave been available then," he adds, "everything would have been so much easier." That was in 2002, and the attitude towards fathers taking time off work to be with their newborns has changed dramatically and now, the new Family Leave Bill, due to come into law on September 30, will make it obligatory for all employers to grant fathers two weeks' paternity leave. New dads will receive 230 in state support per week, and they can take that fortnight's leave at any time in the first six months of their newborn's life. The new benefit is available to all dads, including adoptive parents and men in a same-sex relationship. Self-employed dads will also be entitled to take the paid leave and there will be mechanisms in place to try to prevent people from claiming the payment without taking the time off. The 230 amount is identical to the state maternity benefit and based on the same PRSI contribution requirements. "It is long overdue, but it's an important step forward," Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar said on Monday as he launched the bill. His department is responsible for the payment while the Department of Justice and Equality is ensuring that all employers allow new fathers the time off. "It's been a long time coming, but it's good news from an equality point of view," agrees 42-year-old Darren, who works with Concern International and writes a blog, The Working Dad. "It's a symbolic acceptance of the role of the father and hopefully it will encourage more men to take time off work to be there for their child's earliest days. From a bonding point of view, it's an extremely important time and all that pressure shouldn't be on the mum solely. "My father's generation didn't get to have that opportunity to be with their newborns because there was an expectation that they would just continue to work, so I think it's great that there's been such a change in attitude where it's not seen at all strange that a father would want to take time off work to be with their children. Fathers are a lot more hands-on now. Traditional gender stereotypes have been well and truly broken down, certainly among people of my age and younger." It's a sentiment echoed by 30-year-old Aidan Coughlan, editor of the online lifestyle magazine Lovin Dublin. The Co Wicklow native and his partner, Amy, are expecting their first child in late October and will be eligible for the guaranteed paternity leave and payment. "It's definitely a step in the right direction," he says. "And it's saying, 'We're not in a society any more where mummy is the carer and dad is the one who goes out to work and puts bread on the table'. It's a recognition of gender equality." While Aidan says the law is to be welcomed, it still lags a long way behind the amount of paternity leave enjoyed by fathers in other parts of the EU. "Two weeks will probably seem a little bit light at the time, especially when compared alongside maternity leave," he says. "But I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth and 460 [paid over the two weeks] is certainly not to be sniffed at, especially when you think about the sort of expense that comes with a new baby." Up to now, there has been no compunction on an employer to grant paternity leave - making Ireland one of Europe's most backward countries from a father's recognition point of view. The decision to give time off has been solely at the employers' discretion. Best practice has seen some firms offer up to two weeks' paid leave, but it's not uncommon for others to allow just a day or two - unpaid. While the response from agencies who have lobbied for fairer parental leave has been positive, others believe the new law doesn't go nearly far enough. One soon-to-be-father who works in a middle-ranking banking role in Dublin's IFSC says it's only a "tiny step" towards full equality for dads. "If you have lots of money put to one side, fine - but many professionals in Dublin are living from one week to the next, and from pay cheque to pay cheque, and 230 is a lot less than they would be getting per week, after tax has been deducted," he says. "A female college will have her child around the same time and she will get close to 100pc of her salary for the first six months. That's a hell of a difference. So while I, of course, welcome anything that improves the situation for fathers, we shouldn't get too carried away just yet," he says. "Mark Zuckerberg recently took two months off to be with his child and that's the sort of time that would really make you feel you had proper time off work to be with your child." The Facebook founder claimed that such time away from the demands of work was ideal in helping him to bond with his daughter, Max. The IFSC employee is not sure if he will avail of the leave. "I'm definitely taking two weeks off, but the chances are I will use holiday time that's stored up as I'll receive full pay then. Let's face it: when you become a parent for the first time, you need all the money you can get. That said, the fact that this leave can be taken in the first six months of the birth means I'm not too restricted about when I can take it and it would be nice to receive state money that acknowledges my role as a father." While the paternal leave may pale when compared to the 26 weeks mothers can avail of, the change is likely to bring extra challenges to small businesses, according to its representative body, the Small Firms Association. "They will have to organise cover for that period," says Patricia Callan, "and sometimes it's easier to get cover for six months than two weeks. "And it can be particularly hard for small firms because if you have four staff and one of them has to go, that's 25pc of your workforce down." There will be no obligation on new dads to take the state paternity leave and some may opt to continue working. That has been the case across much of the EU, even in member states where paid paternity leave is the norm. While it is common for men in the EU to take a few days of paternity leave right after the birth of a baby, only the most committed and bravest use their right to longer parental leave, says the OECD. "In many countries, fathers account for less than one in five of those taking parental leave," says the organisation in a report published in April entitled Where are the Fathers? "The share of men among parental-leave users goes up to 40pc or more in some Nordic countries and in Portugal, but is as low as one in 50 in Austria, the Czech Republic and Poland. Paternity leave uptake is growing fastest in countries such as Finland, where the male share of paid parental leave doubled between the 2006 and 2013, while in Belgium it grew by almost 10 percentage points over the same period. The OECD, which is trying to persuade fathers to make more of their allowance, says men often fear the career implications of being away for too long. But the organisation argues that sharing leave can be more beneficial for the family as a whole, as it increases the employment prospects for the mother. For those who long lobbied for Ireland to introduce paid paternity leave, Sweden represents the ideal. It was the first country in the world to introduce paid parental leave that could be used by either or both parents back in 1976, and its rights for fathers make it a global leader. Fathers there can take between 14 days and 10 weeks leave at up to 75pc of their earnings. Ireland has a long way to go to match that, but Darren believe anything is possible after two or three generations. "The ball has started rolling now so as it becomes more normal for fathers to receive paid paternity leave, there's every chance the time period will increase. Dads today have a very different life with their children than my father's generation did." Yet, some perceptions persist longer than others. While the internet is groaning with Irish mothers blogging about parenting, Darren is one of the very few dads putting his thoughts online. "I still get slightly bemused reactions," he says, "from men and women, but more so men. They'd say, 'You're a dad and you're blogging about parenting'. They find it strange that a father would do it, but not a mother." Despite this, he believes attitudes are changing fast. Aidan says there's been a sea-change since the turn of the millennium. "I think men of my generation are very enthusiastic about being fathers," he says. "They want to be involved in all aspects of it and we're not embarrassed to say how openly excited we are at the prospect of being parents. Nobody is sneering at us any more - dads are liberated and I think my generation is very lucky in that regard." Ireland is becoming the sort of egalitarian society that previous generations could only have dreamed about, he adds. "Last year's marriage-equality legislation was a big deal for everyone, and now the official recognition of paternity leave demonstrates that we're seeking a more equal society. "And that, surely, is a good thing - something that benefits us all." What are the entitlements? For many years, Irish mothers have been able to avail of 26 weeks' paid paternity leave - either from their employer or as a state payment - plus the option for a further 26 weeks' unpaid leave, which has to be taken immediately after. From October, Irish fathers will have two weeks' paid paternity leave enshrined in law. At present, in most cases, they have to save up holiday entitlements in order to take leave when their child is born, although more progressive employers have provided both paid and unpaid paternity leave for several years. Furthermore, Irish parents can avail of up to 18 weeks of unpaid parental leave to be taken up to their child's eight birthday. If the child has been adopted between the ages of six and eight, that leave period can be take up to their 10th birthday. In the case of a child with a long-term illness or disability, leave can be taken up to 16 years of age. Both parents have an equal, separate entitlement to parental leave. And so the unthinkable has happened and Britain has left the EU. The whole notion of the Brexit vote seemed nearly incomprehensible to us Irish with almost 100 pc support here for them staying within the union. In fact, beforehand much of the commentary was along the lines of, "Ah sure, I can't really see them going" despite the polls telling us the leave side were ahead of the stay side towards the end. The idea of Ireland leaving Europe has never gained any real traction here, even though the monetary policies of the Bundesbank that we are subjected to are designed to suit Germany's economy - which Ireland's been out of step with for decades. Which in no small part contributed to our recent boom-bust experience. It can, of course, be argued that we in Ireland gain from Europe in other ways. Through investment. Through access to a large trading block. Through access to the European courts. But in part, it seems to me, one of the main reasons we like being part of the EU is a niggling feeling somewhere deep down that we cannot govern ourselves. Yes it is very clear in this centenary year of The Rising that we threw off British imperial rule. Although in some ways it could be argued that that was almost an accident because even though we all like to look back with pride on that now, the rebels at the time were not popular with the Irish people and didn't have anything like majority support for their actions. Yet despite the fact that almost four million of us now claim our Granny fought like a trooper in the GPO - that simply wasn't the case. But even having booted out the British, we quickly embraced if not the rule then the dogma of Rome. So that certainly for women in Ireland 'Independence' was a bit of a misnomer, as our rights post-1916 were far less than our rights pre-1916 under British imperialism - which must have been a bit of a slap on the face to those women who actually did fight like troopers for what they perceived freedom to be. It never materialised. Irish society evolved over the 20th century and the influence the Catholic Church had on us lessened, but over that same period we joined the EU - taking much of our laws and guidelines then from Brussels instead of Rome. The consistent theme being though that at any given time in modern Irish history it has been London, Rome or Brussels - as opposed to Dublin - that has been calling the shots here. My main concern about Britain's relationship with Europe, to be honest, only relates to how it affects us - and I'm not talking economics here. Irish people both through the common travel area arrangements and through the EU have been accessing health care in the UK for years. Irish patients travel in their droves to the UK for treatment. For transplant surgery, for cancer treatments. For specialist care or residential care unavailable anywhere in our country and of course the biggest numbers relate to Irish women travelling to access terminations in crisis pregnancies. Thousands travel every year. In fact, I would go so far as to say if it wasn't for the compassion of the UK health service in treating our sick and our vulnerable - particularly our vulnerable women - the pressure to repeal the Eighth Amendment would have gathered momentum years ago, as the safety net of Britain has allowed us to continue with the grossly hypocritical Irish solution to an Irish problem that we currently enjoy here. Brits out? No thanks. @ciarakellydoc Most of us couldn't imagine only seeing our partner every month, but Marion Walsh-Hedouin (41) and her husband Steve Hedouin (45) make it work with aplomb. Mayo woman Marion lives in Bangkok with their children, Chloe, 3, and Leo, 1, while Steve lives and works in Dubai. Steve and Marion met in August 1997 when both were living in Paris. She answered an ad for a flatmate posted by Steve and his pal Damien. They wanted a foreign girl so they could practise their English on her - well, that was what they claimed anyway! At the time, Steve was working with Volvo in sales and marketing, although he grew up in Le Havre, Normandie. "The interview was very official," Marion recalls. "The two of them sat beside each other and had me on the other side of the room explaining why I would be a good candidate for the room. I moved in and it was an absolute breeze. We shared that apartment for two-and-a-half years and nothing happened between us, and then we all went our separate ways. Steve and Damien moved in with their girlfriends and I moved to New York in 2000." At the time, Marion was working in PR with celebrity chef Alain Ducasse, a job she held for six years that took her to Monaco, Paris and New York. Originally from Mayo, she left Ireland in 1993 and went to the University of West London to do European business studies. She visits the family farm a couple of times a year to see her mum Elizabeth and two older brothers. Sadly, her dad Patrick passed away in 2009. After they stopped being flatmates, Marion and Steve only kept in contact through a mutual friend in New York, although he visited while she was there and she dropped in a couple of times when she was in Paris. She left New York in 2004 and moved to Hong Kong to work with InterContinental Hotels and then to Bangkok, where she is marketing, communications and public relations VP at the Minor Hotel Group. Read More She and Steve connected through Facebook, where Marion learned that his relationship of nine years had ended. She felt sorry for him and invited him to visit in August 2008, as she had bought a house in the south of France with her brother. "When it came nearer to the time, I had actually completely forgotten that I invited him." she laughs. "I almost regretted it because I had so much to do with the house, but I couldn't uninvite him. He drove eleven hours down to us, and as he pulled up in his car, he got out and was all smiling and happy. I remember thinking, 'Isn't he a nice guy?' We got together that weekend." Mind you, Steve confesses that he had a romantic plan in mind around Marion when he made the long journey. They are compatible as they're both driven, love sports, and they go trekking and take off on adventure holidays. "We love to go to different places and to discover the world," says Steve. "Marion is great fun and she has a lot of positivity and energy and enjoys life." Steve left his home in 1995 to go to business school, and after a stint in the UK, he joined the automotive business in Paris. He's the elder of Jocelyne and Philippe's two sons, but his parents are not together any more. He and Marion have always lived in different countries, as she was in Thailand and he was in Paris when they began dating, so they saw each other every six weeks with holidays thrown in. He proposed in February 2010 in Dubai, and they were married in July 2010 in Etretat in Normandie. Steve decided to move to Bangkok in 2011 to be with Marion as they wanted to start a family. The children are the most important things in their lives, they agree. "I wanted to spend time with my wife and start planning a family, so love and family pushed me beyond my boundaries," says Steve. "I had a comfortable life working for a great company, but this was more important." In November 2011, Steve moved to Singapore to work with Volvo, and in 2015, he became VP of Volvo Bus Corporation in Dubai, looking after the Middle East and Africa. He comes back to Bangkok every month and works from home for a few days so he can see the family. Even at that, Marion can be away sometimes, as the Minor Group have 145 hotels in 22 countries. They have a lovely woman who works full-time to help take care of Chloe and Leo. "We're a modern couple, and I know quite a few people with this kind of relationship," says Marion. "When Steve is here, we don't go out that much because we spend quality family time at home together." While both are super busy and successful, Steve says there's a clear willingness from himself and Marion to maintain a strong family bond, and they keep the commitment they made to each other to the forefront of their minds when apart. Good communication is their key to staying connected. They don't plan anything beyond the next two years, although their big goal would be for Steve to work closer to home, as they believe they will probably stay based in Bangkok. "When Steve and I got together, he was like a light at the end of the tunnel," says Marion. "We always just knew, and when you know, you truly know. Steve was the right fit. He was always very driven, which was what I wanted, and he prioritises his family, which is really important." www.minorhotels.com BE PREPARED: Driving abroad is not just for the brave. With just days to go before primary schools shut their doors for the summer holidays, more and more families will be packing up their cars and driving to Europe in search of sun and family fun. We have some tips for safe and happy driving. 1) Before you leave home, notify your insurance company that you are taking your car abroad. Although you should be covered automatically for third-party liability, it may be a condition of your policy that you inform them before going . 2) If you break down abroad it could prove very expensive, so before you go invest in breakdown assistance. If your policy does not extend to leaving the country, you can either extend your policy at an additional cost or you can buy a separate policy. Whichever you choose the important aspects to look for are multilingual 24-hour helpline, car hire and accommodation costs. 3) When you arrive, remember not to drive on the left hand side of the road. This may sound obvious, but it is very easy to forget and revert to your normal driving pattern. 4) Ensure that you have your driving licence and insurance documentation easily to hand. 5) Stay on busy roads for the first few days as you get used to turning left, right and overtaking. It is much easier to drift back to the wrong side of a deserted back road. Also be particularly careful when approaching roundabouts or when merging lanes. 6) Ensure your car is roadworthy to minimise the risk of breakdowns or accidents and check your tyres carefully - including the spare. 7) Familiarise yourself with the rules of the road for any country you plan on driving in. The European Commission has a handy 'Going Abroad' phone app that can be downloaded from the transport section of its website. 8) A first-aid kit is useful to have in the car and is a legal requirement in some countries, so it's a good idea to include visibility vests, replacement bulbs and a warning triangle in case of breakdown. 9) 112 is the European emergency call number you can dial anywhere in the European Union in case of accident, assault or in any other distress situation. Some of the more unusual rules around Europe: If you need to wear glasses while driving you must keep a spare pair in the car with you by law when driving in Spain, Switzerland and Liechtenstein. In Scandinavia, the alcohol limit is so low that effectively you cannot drink for 24 hours before you drive. In France, drivers are required to carry an unused breathalyser kit but the offence carries no penalty or endorsement. Germany is one of the few places in the world where drivers, on certain stretches of the Autobahn, are allowed to decide for themselves how fast to drive, limited only by the car they are driving. Dipped headlights are required by law at all times on all vehicles in Scandinavia. Beam converters for headlights are also necessary when driving in France, Spain, Italy and Germany. In many countries, there are strict laws about using the horn unnecessarily, especially in built-up areas so it's best to resist the urge. In Germany, when traffic is congested, normal right-of-way rules give way to the "zipper rule". It means vehicles from each lane must give way one at a time. In Turkey, you must carry two warning triangles in your car. Trevor White is director of the Little Museum of Dublin on St Stephen's Green, the award-winning museum which tells the story of our capital city. He is also a writer and producer. He is married to cookery writer Susan Jane White, author of The Virtuous Tart. They live in Dublin and have two little boys, Benjamin and Marty. Film: Rushmore Someone once accused me of looking like Wes Anderson. That made my day. Anderson is the genius behind charmers like The Royal Tenenbaums and The Grand Budapest Hotel. But my favourite Wes Anderson movie is his second, a modern classic with Bill Murray and an eccentric teenager (played by Jason Schwartzman) wrestling for the affections of a school teacher. Rushmore is one of those movies that refuses to be neatly pigeonholed as a comedy or a drama, but who cares? Watch. Enjoy. Watch again. Music: Left Behind Simon O'Connor is the most gifted person I know. After leaving one career as an award-winning graphic designer, he now works as our curator at the Little Museum of Dublin. Meanwhile, he's still making music - most recently he composed Left Behind, a suite of songs about the women whose husbands went off to fight in the Easter Rising. When these haunting and intensely personal songs were performed in the National Concert Hall last spring, they were met with a standing ovation. TV: The Seven O'Clock Show I gave up on television ten years ago. But sometimes I am forced to go online and watch my wife, Susan Jane White (right), as she cooks something delicious on TV3's Seven O'Clock Show. It's quite a giddy programme, but the presenters, Martin King and Lucy Kennedy, always seem to be having fun, and Susan insists they're very nice people. "But darling," I say, "you were on live TV. They had to be nice to you." It is clear that I haven't seen Vincent Browne in a while... Art: Gary Coyle's 'At Sea' Gary Coyle is one of those headcases who swims in Dublin Bay every day of the year. His 'At Sea' project consisted of photographs taken while swimming. It's an easy introduction to the work of a great local artist who often subverts our expectations. Book: Brendan Bracken I am fascinated by the story of Brendan Bracken, which is revealed in Charles Lysaght's masterful biography. A politician and publisher, he was one of the most influential Irishmen of the 20th Century, and a Dubliner, he was also a notorious inventor of his own past. Winston Churchill's son, Randolph, once described Bracken as "the fantasist whose dreams came true". Working with Charles Lysaght and Bracken's nephew (who is also called Brendan Bracken), we are telling the story of this extraordinary Irishman in the Little Museum of Dublin in the exhibition 'Churchill & the Irishman'. Churchill & the Irishman opens at the Little Museum of Dublin, 15 St Stephen's Green on July 2. littlemuseum.ie If I have to endure one more shot of too-thin, blank-expressioned, massively conservatively dressed Alexa Chung, I may have to conclude that the world of international fashion editorial and advertising has lost the knowledge of what constitutes fashion and a fashion fix. I counted at least four shots of her in last month's British Vogue. What is the appeal, guys? I am stumped. Fashion is a celebration of change, creativity, innovation. Chung, in her uniform of navy sweaters and navy jeans, is the antithesis of that. Sheesh. On our pages today is a shoot devised by photographer Anita Sadowska and stylist Carmel Daly to celebrate the vibrant and colourful accessories that are such a big trend this season - and as far from Chung-ism as one can get. This, to me, is a treat of a shoot and a proper fashion editorial. Apart from the fact that the parrots are such a novel idea and become characters in the shoot, I love the dynamism of the fashion ideas included, such as the mixing of very bright colours with dark ones. They used a scarf to make a halter-neck top, and then another one is used to convert a simple hat into looking jaunty. "I was really inspired by the collections from this year and into next autumn. There is a lot of ethnic coming in, and there were quite a few looks being brought from this spring/summer into next autumn/winter's looks," stylist Carmel tells me. "Scarves are 'in' in all shapes and sizes, and are being used in all kinds of ways, from just around the neck to creative clothing pieces." I also love that Carmel, in selecting the pieces she wanted to use, favoured Irish talent - not because they were Irish, but because they were the best. "Irish designers are meeting an international standard," Carmel tells me. "They are out there, selling to the world, to some of the biggest retailers, and people don't know it. It isn't often you see Irish accessories designers in one shoot, so Anita and I decided we would do it." As you peruse the shots on our gorgeous pages, you will see original, award-winning jewellery work by Melissa Curry; Capulet & Montague; and Chupi; great headpieces by Margaret O'Connor millinery; quirky bags by Morganna Murphy; and original scarves by Ciara Silke. Carmel also used Irish clothing designers Jill de Burca, Edel Traynor and Jennifer Rothwell. "I wanted to bring Irish design to the fore, and I wanted to use bold colour," Carmel explains. "You can really pop an outfit in a dark colour by adding bright accessories." The Powerscourt Townhouse Centre's second floor houses many Irish designer stores such as Design Centre, Marion Cuddy Irish Designers Emporium, Jennifer Rothwell and Made. One street over, you'll find Om Diva and its new and emerging Irish designer floor, Atelier 27. And not a Chung look in sight . Photography by Anita Sadowska Styling by Carmel Daly Fashion edited by Constance Harris Italy's first capital is less stuffy than Milan, less crowded than Rome, and tastier than both, says an enchanted Isabel Conway. Set the mood Turin, Italy's first capital, is home to Fiat, football, fabulous food, fine art and that most famous and enigmatic Christian relic, the Turin Shroud. As I stroll around this elegant and lively city, however, bordered by the Po and snow-covered Alps, part of the jigsaw is missing. It soon finds me. A rather gorgeous male (aren't all Italians in their own minds irresistible to every woman?) crashes the red light. We eyeball each other. At the wheel of his Alfa Romeo, he is irresistible (regardless of age), so I duly jump back. Turin is one of Italy's great cities - less stuffy and more beautiful than larger Northern rival Milan; less crowded, more foodie friendly and better value than Rome. Add good looks, and what more could you ask for? Guilty pleasure Expand Close Guilty pleasure: Bicercin / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Guilty pleasure: Bicercin The ancient waitress balances a tray laden with glasses of Bicerin (6) at Caffe Cioccolateria Al Bicerin (bicerin.it). Turin's signature drink - an intense, alcohol-free mix of coffee and hot chocolate sipped through a thick layer of cream - was invented in this very spot centuries ago. It's best enjoyed after slogging around museums, browsing chic shopping arcades and traversing Turin's wide boulevards and spider web of narrow streets. Elsewhere, the Piemonte tasting menu (25 for three courses) at Tabernalibraria (tabernalibraria.to.it) is a cosy, authentic experience with memorable food - such as beef braised in Barolo and sea bream in crusted candied orange. Cheap kick The Apericena (numerous appetisers turning into supper) is a Turin institution. Check out Caffe Nazionale (18 Via Po) or chill out inside gorgeous art nouveau Baratti & Milano (barattiemilano.it), just steps from Piazza Castello. Turin's cafes and bars vie to present the most lavish buffets of delicious snacks and antipasti, with all you can eat for around 7-9. We splurged on Piedmont's finest, "the king of wines and wine of kings", Barola. We were saving so much on food, it would have been rude not to. Top Tip Expand Close Italian Scooter / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Italian Scooter Fancy free admission to over 180 cultural sights and museums, with public transport thrown in? The local Torina+Piemonte card, sold in tourist offices (turismotorino.org) costs 25 for two days for one adult and child under 12, and 34 for five days. Insider intel Legend says the Shroud of Turin was used to wrap the body of Christ from the Cross, but it only dates from the 14th century, according to the latest technical research. The cloth is concealed inside a casket deep in Turin's magnificent Duomo Cathedral so you cannot see the real thing. A detailed copy can be scrutinised at the chapel adjacent to the intimate Museo della Sindone Via san Domenico, however. Glitches Time and space seem relative notions in Italy. An airport official guided us to a non-existent train, our tickets were non-transferable, and we ended up shelling out afresh for one of the intermittent Saturday buses to the city. Get me there Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Dublin to Turin direct on Saturdays throughout the winter ski season. Aer Lingus (aerlingus.com) flies to Milan Linate daily (the two-hour train connection to Turin costs around 27). I stayed at the comfortable Best Western Hotel Genio (hotelgenio.it). Housed in an atmospheric, 19th-century palace hotel, Genio is at the heart of the action, with double rooms including a generous breakfast buffet from 80. See also turismotorino.org/en. Things might have been a lot different for Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his fellow U.S. Army soldiers at the Battle of the Little Bighorn 140 years ago if it hadnt have been for a skirmish fought earlier that year along the Powder River in Eastern Montana. Im awfully sympathetic to the Cheyenne here, said author Paul Hedren, a retired National Park Service superintendent whose new book, Powder River: Disastrous Opening of the Great Sioux War, (University of Oklahoma Press, $34.95) was recently published. They were heeding the government call to come in to the reservation. But they got that far and hunkered down to survive a snowstorm. On March 17, 1876, only three months before Custers fateful battle, the group of Cheyenne camped along the Powder River were attacked by U.S. Army forces. Leading the six cavalry companies was Col. Joseph Jones Reynolds, an untested Indian soldier whose missteps eventually led to his court martial, along with two other officers under his command. Just everything happened poorly, Hedren said, from soldiers not being in their proper place prior to the attack to a failure to reconnoiter the camp. There are consequences, dramatic consequences. It was the only battle where accountability was fixed and consequences directly addressed, Hedren wrote. This alone makes the Powder River courts-martial worthy of very careful consideration: they are astonishingly unique to the story of the Great Sioux War. Hedren was in Hardin this week to sign copies of his new book, talk about the era and lead a tour of the battle site on Wednesday. Hes written previously about the era in three other books, including After Custer, Loss and Transformation in Sioux Country and Fort Laramie and the Great Sioux War. His interest in the time period dates back to his days growing up in Minnesota. His initial curiosity about Custer led him to the other battles surrounding the Little Bighorn, including the Battle of Powder River and the later Battle of the Rosebud on June 17, 1876. In fact his next book explores the Rosebud fight, which Hedren called the second bad decision of the Great Sioux War. Often only mentioned in the lead up to a discussion about the more popular Battle of the Little Bighorn, the Battle of Powder River shaped what would come later in a meaningful way for the American Indian and cavalry combatants, Hedren said. Certainly the battle tipped the Northern Cheyenne people fully toward war, Hedren wrote. The brutal reality of that day propelled them instead into an alliance with Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull and further emboldened those already headstrong traditionalists. It steels their willingness to fight as long as they can carry on, Hedren said. On the U.S. Armys side there were other repercussions, Hedren wrote, including a universally exhausted horse stock, some of it beyond recovery. Collectively the nine companies lost seventy horses in this manner (nearly 12 percent of the cavalry stock on the campaign). Another 80 horses were designated unserviceable because of the exhausting trip. Furthermore, Hedren said the fact that Col. Reynolds left some of his dead and one of his injured men on the battlefield was partly responsible for the desertion by 96 out of the 630 enlisted cavalrymen, those who were demoralized enough to leave. Eventually, the U.S. government achieved what it had set out to do, Hedren said: To sweep the landscape of Indians, pushing the great war chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse to the reservations. But it came at a great cost: an estimated 750 deaths spread across eight battles. The Battle of the Somme began 100 years ago this week. Muriel Bolger takes an emotional trip to Flanders. I stand there amid a maze of identical headstones stretching out in every direction. An occasional Star of David breaks the symmetry. The enormity of it is overwhelming. There's a similarity about the war cemeteries that dot the peaceful Flanders landscape, yet each one of the headstones represents a single life - that of a father, a son, a lover, a brother, an uncle, perhaps even all of these. Everyone thought World War I would be over by Christmas 1914. It wasn't. The Battle of the Somme began on July 1, 1916. By the time it had finished, on November 18, the toll was 420,000 British Army casualties, 200,000 French and 500,000 Germans. By the end of the year, Allied Forces had barely advanced along a 30-mile strip. 88,000 men were lost for every mile they had gained. Today, it's not the crows that follow the ploughs in these rolling bucolic settings, but people with metal detectors. There are boxes along the county roads where farmers place the unexploded munitions and shrapnel they habitually uncover. I'm on an escorted tour with Group Tours International (GTI) Ireland, but already it feels deeply personal. The tour brings to life in a very vivid way what it must have been like for the troops who had no choice but to obey the 'Over the top' command when it came. Over 3,500 Irish soldiers from the 32 counties died serving with the British during these events. They are remembered in the Irish Peace Park in Messines, where an unexpected Irish round tower, constructed with stone from a former Tipperary British army barracks and a workhouse in Westmeath, commands the view. Here I read the bold facts. '10th Irish Division 9,363, killed, wounded and missing; 16th Irish Division 28,398, killed, wounded and missing; 36th Ulster Division 32,186.' And so it goes on. Expand Close Bruges, Belgium. Photo: Deposit / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Bruges, Belgium. Photo: Deposit I'm astonished at the ages on the headstones, but shocked by John Condon's. At merely 14, this Cork lad is reputed to be the youngest victim of the war. We see Meath poet Lance Corporal Francis Ledwidge's headstone, too. As with many other Irish soldiers in Flanders, he had been in the Irish National Volunteers before joining the allies at the front. 'And now I'm drinking wine in France / The helpless child of circumstance. / To-morrow will be loud with war, / How will I be accounted for?' Demoted and court-martialed for being drunk in uniform and overstaying his home leave, Ledwidge was reinstated and returned to the Western Front, only to be killed by an exploding shell in 1917. In Ypres, traffic stops every evening while the Last Post echoes out hauntingly from beneath the Menin Gate, bugled by members of the local fire service. This tradition started in 1927 and, apart from a period during German occupancy in WWII, has continued without a break. Every surface of the arch is inscribed with names of fallen soldiers. The Flanders Fields Museum (inflandersfields.be/en) here is the perfect place to start a tour of the battlefields. It provides a rich overview of events and can help you trace family members who may have been involved. To get a sense of what the life of a Tommy (and yes, they called the Irish guys Irish Tommies) was like, don't miss the Memorial Museum at Passchendaele (passchendaele.be/en). Here, I venture six metres deep below ground into the warren of passageways that made up a British bunker. Such burrows were the nerve centres of the front-line defence. English and Welsh coal miners, specialists in tunnelling, were used to construct them. The cells were well thought out, although I'd hate to have been incarcerated in one of them, with shells exploding above. They had sleeping facilities, a rest room for quiet and a row of anything but private privies. Expand Close Ypres / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Ypres I could have spent a whole day dawdling in this museum - a morning was not enough to study the photos, the letters, postcards, posters and exhibits. Outside there was still a network of trenches to experience. Standing in these gave some idea of how exposed these men were, not only to the elements, but to the enemy too. A visit to the German cemetery at Fricourt seemed the right thing to do. Their losses were also horrendous. Only a few weeks before our visit, the remains of 20 soldiers had been interred there. Such is the tragedy of the Great War that remains are still being found in this part of Europe a century later. The Flanders experience is overwhelming, rewarding and very moving. It's a different type of pilgrimage. It crosses and embraces all creeds and those with none. No matter whose enemy or foe these soldiers were, they all had family and friends who were left behind. As poet Laurence Binyon writes in The Fallen: 'They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: / Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. / At the going down of the sun and in the morning / We will remember them. / And 100 years since the Somme, Flanders does this with honour and dignity.' Get there: GTI (01 843-4734; gti-ireland.com) are specialists in WWI Flanders and the Somme tours. Four-day tours including a guide cost from 667pp with flights from Dublin. Available dates include September 6-9 & 19-22 in 2016, and May 12-15 next year. A Cork to Amsterdam trip is scheduled from October 15-18 this year. What to pack Mosquito repellent for evening time, sturdy shoes, a hat and warm clothes. When the wind blows here it's cold - really cold. Be sure to bring every detail you have if you're hoping to trace the grave of a lost relative. More info at visitflanders.com and flandersfields1418.com. 3 must-dos... A good guide Expand Close WW1 museum / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp WW1 museum You dont need to be an expert on WWI history to get the most out of a battlefield tour, and certainly not if you have as passionate and inspiring a guide as we did. Irishman Dermot Curran came with our tour, and he kept us spellbound by imparting boundless knowledge in bite-size portions. Hidden Treasures Expand Close Half Moon Brewery in Bruges / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Half Moon Brewery in Bruges The Flemish love their beer and food, and you can indulge in both at the family-run Half Moon Brewery in Bruges (halvemaan.be), famous for its ales, museum and food. In central Ypres the hot spot is In t Klein Stadhuis (inhetkleinstadhuis.be). It specialises in robust dishes with Belgian beer. Sweet treats Expand Close Chocolate shops, Flanders / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Chocolate shops, Flanders You need a down day after all this history, and we headed to beautiful Bruges, capital of Flanders. It has a canal system worth navigating, as well as Michelangelos Madonna and Child in the Church of Our Lady. And he chocolate shops oh, the chocolate shops! bezoekers.brugge.be/en. A trip to Vietnam is rejuvenating and it's not just because of the hot weather with its injection of sunshine and vitamin D; and the many stimulating visual delights which await the visitor. It's the way the locals greeted us, enthusing about our blonde (let's face it, dyed) hair, our (somewhat tired) skin, our blue eyes. On my recent visit with Wendy Wu Tours, vendors at the Mekong Delta broke off, from selling their delicious coconut toffee, made at the banks of the river, to marvel at our 'beauty' while kids and students clamoured to be photographed with us at Ho Chi Min's tombstone in Hanoi. It's the novelty factor of course - they're black-haired, almond-eyed and sallow skinned, the opposite of us pale Westerners.Even though Vietnam has opened up hugely in the last few years, and Westerners are now exploring this fascinating country with its lush landscape, stunning beaches, ancient pagodas and delicious cuisine, we're still a relatively unfamiliar sight to the locals. Anyway, it's hard not to feel a little tickled by all the attention. We noticed, though, that older people kept a little aloof; and who can blame them? Vietnam has had a troubled history, and many people still bear the scars of the Vietnam War which waged for 20 years - 1955 to 1975 - during which a phenomenal three million Vietnamese men, women and children were slaughtered. Appropriately enough, our tour, after we'd settled into our welcoming hotel in Ho Chi Minh city, started with a visit to the Cu Chi Tunnels, 50 kilometres from the city, which played a huge part in the war. Here the local people built a unique labyrinthine tunnel system. It's like a spider's web, which if laid out in a straight line, would, it's said, comprise 250 kilometers, and yet the tunnels are invisible from above ground with cleverly concealed entrances. These tunnels allowed the Vietnamese communists to mount surprise attacks on the enemy and then disappear into the ground leaving no trace behind. Five minutes crawling through one of the tunnel and I was hit by a wave of claustrophobia, yet the rebels lived and ate and slept in these tunnels for months on end. Expand Close Tourist Boats in Halong in Vietnam / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Tourist Boats in Halong in Vietnam Tunnel rats they were called, and whatever else, they were incredibly enterprising, creating extraordinary traps to ambush the American soldiers and even devising an unusual type of shoe from old tyres to put their enemies off their trail. Later that afternoon, we visited the Remmants Museum back in the centre of Ho Chi Minh city (still called Saigon by many locals) where photographs by many of the most famous photographers of the time starkly expose the terrible injustice done to the people of Vietnam. Also on show were objects which hold horrible significance like a sewer donated by one bereaved family. This enormous pot-like object had been used as a hiding place for their three little ones but the US soldiers found them, stabbed two aged eight and 10 while they disemboweled the third aged six. It was a sobering day, but as our guide Guang reminded us throughout our trip, the Vietnamese are a resilient people currently rebuilding their country. Vietnam is unlike any place in Europe; a visit there is an assault on the senses, in a good way. The country is only five times the size of Ireland yet it has a population of 93 m It's said 90pc of the population have motorbikes and they all seem to be on them all the time. The traffic, particularly at intersections, is chaotic and it requires blind faith to walk across a road. All human and animal life seemed to reside on the back of a motorbike. We saw whole families - parents and their toddlers - on the one bike, we saw bikes with two people and a fridge, we saw a motorbike carrying air conditioning units, a motorbike carrying a pig in a cage, indeed we saw a motorbike on a motorbike. They're an industrious resourceful people and nothing is wasted; the cities are full of shops selling parts of old cars and old bicycles, alongside the swanky new hotels, office blocks and boutiques that are mushrooming throughout. In the country, coconuts are used, not only for oil, coconut milk, candy, and mascara, but even the husks are used for fertiliser. If they're not on the bikes or working, the people are eating. Gr eat restaurants abound too, but the Vietnamese themselves stick with their street food, and everywhere you go, street food cooked in pots on makeshift paint tins/stoves is available at every corner, the locals sitting on tiny plastic chairs tucking into noodles. Expand Close Mary in front of one of the pagodas at Marble Mountain / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Mary in front of one of the pagodas at Marble Mountain Over 12 days, our merry band of 19 - five Brits, two Irish and 12 Aussies, all great fun - crisscrossed the country by bus and by plane. It's a big country, so the tour is called appropriately Vietnam At A Glance.The clever people at Wendy Wu Tours planned the trip really well, and while it was full on, it was varied; a day of culture was always followed by something more activity-based, like a boat trip, a trip to a farm or a cookery lesson, and our intrepid and knowledgeable guide Guang was always on hand to explain the significance of the many delightful places we visited. At the Mekong Delta we piled into little boats and meandered down the Mekong river, its banks shaded by coconut palms and banana trees. Later we lunched under coconut palms while being entertained by local musicians strumming on their unique stringed instruments. We visited the Marble Mountain which is home to a a host of Buddhist temples and shrines, some hidden in caves, some situated at the very top of the mountain where the views are spectacular. There are often seven layers to a Buddhist temple because, according to Guang, Buddha took seven steps the minute he was born. Buddhism is the chief belief system, while ancestor worship is widely practised; Guang told us that most homes would have a shrine to dead parents and ancestors, and we saw many such shrines on our travels, usually piled high with fruit and flowers and even tins of biscuits We visited Hoi An, a wonderful town dating from the 17th century, which miraculously escaped bombing, -unlike a lot of their beautiful buildings elsewhere, which are slowly being restored - and so all its tiny streets, its ancient houses, pagodas and temples remain intact and are full of old world charm. It's faintly reminiscent of the scenes you see on willow pattern plates. The tiny town, which is a Unesco world heritage site, is accessed via a charming 17th century pink Japanese bridge, its arched entrance guarded on one side by monkey gods and on the other by dog gods. The town is famous for its colourful lanterns made of bamboo and silk, and at night the streets are lit by, it seems thousands, while it's also the custom to float candlelit paper lanterns down the Hoai river to pray for good luck, prosperity, and health. It's delightful to see these little lights twinkling in the moonlight, while all around locals and tourists alike are tucking into street food at the night market. Hustle and bustle are the hallmarks of street life in Hoi An - apparently there are 600 tailor shops alone there and several of my fellow tourers were thrilled with the dresses they had made. However, in one of the old houses we found an oasis of calm, in a little cafe called the Reaching Out Teahouse, created because the owners wanted to share authentic Hoi An (which means peaceful meeting) through the tradition of drinking tea and coffee. The coffee house is furnished with authentic carved furniture, and the drinks are served in beautifully crafted pots and cups. The staff are all speech- and hearing-impaired and the whole experience is a celebration of silence. In the bathroom there's a sign saying 'a smile is worth a thousand words', and in the Reaching Out Teahouse, it's absolutely true. Everywhere in the country we glimpsed the old way of life, particularly in an area known as Tra Que, renowned for its agriculture - men and women at work in the rice fields, still wearing the conical hat to protect them from the sun and the yoke straddling their shoulders, holding two buckets or two baskets, one balancing the other. We visited Hue which was the capital of Vietnam during the Minh dynasty rule in the 19th century, and we explored the citadel which was the emperors' base, and is now a Unesco world heritage site. The purple city is located inside the Citadel, it's a forbidden city similar to that in Beijing, just as imposing, just as cleverly constructed,with many outstanding features, and Guang had fascinating stories about its origins and occupants over the years. We also visited the emperor's tomb in Hue and sailed up the Perfumed river, so called because once upon a time its banks were lined with orange and lemon trees; not any more, but it's still a delightful boat ride. Expand Expand Previous Next Close Weasel Coffee Lanterns / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Weasel Coffee A highlight of the tour was an overnight cruise on Halong Bay in the North of the country. Halong Bay is home to over 3,000 rocky outcrops which look for all the world like mountainy sculpture jutting up out of the water. Some are too narrow to be climbed, others are an explorer's delight full of caves complete with extraordinary rock formations and vast stalagmites and stalagtites. We were able to go from our cruise ship into smaller boats and sail among the outcrops. It's an extraordinary, almost eerie sight, particularly as it's so remote and peaceful with the water around like glass - as one of my fellow tourers said, there are more ripples in your average bath Throughout our tour, we stayed in excellent four-star hotels and ate superb food. Sometimes in Asian countries, while the food is good, you could be dying for a bit of bread or a pastry, but happily the Vietnamese are brilliant bakers; the French colonised Vietnam from the mid-19th century until 1950, and one good legacy is the gorgeous selection of croissants, pain au chocolat and baquettes available very morning. Lunch and dinner were gargantuan feasts of noodles, fish, chicken, pork and spicy sauces. A bit like Thai food, the staples of Vietnamese cuisine are fresh herbs - lemon grass, coriander, mint and basil - with plenty of chillis. Other staples include lime juice, fish sauce and, of course, coconut - coconut oil, coconut milk, grated coconut. Lotus flowers, seeds and stems are another delicious ingredient of their cuisine; the lotus features in many of the myths and legends of Vietnam and the designs of many buildings both ancient and modern are based on its shape As I chatted to one chef and told him how much I liked the lotus stems in the deliciously fresh minty salad he had prepared as one of our lunch dishes, he said, "We Vietnamese are like the lotus, we are in the mud but we are determined, like the lotus to emerge from it and grow tall." Go there now, before they grow out of us. Take Three: Top attractions Weasel Coffee While the Wendy Wu Tour people advise travellers to bring teabags if theyre fond of their own particular brew, there are no such fears with the local coffee; its smooth and chocolatey and absolutely delicious. A particular delicacy is the weasel coffee which is made from beans eaten and regurgitated by the Vietnamese weasel. This coffee is surprisingly nice but you wont get it easily as its rare and very expensive. Cooking classes Among the fun things we did on our trip were cookery classes. given at Tra Que Village farm, near Hoi An, by Chef Nguyen Thu Huong. Thu was as entertaining as any TV chef Ive seen. He taught us to make delicious rice flour pancakes and the simple but delicious canapes above of prawn, mint and pork wrapped in the green stem of a spring onion. I bought his book and hope to dazzle guests with his dishes. Expand Close Cooking classes / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Cooking classes Shopping Our tour included visits to a silk factory where we were shown silk worms and the silk-making process. We were brought to a pearl factory and saw how the cultured pearls are cultivated. There are lots of beautiful things to buy silks, lanterns, lacquer ornaments, pearls, jade but its a good idea to have a list and an idea of western prices as its easy to be bamboozled by over-enthusiastic vendors. Getting there The 12-day Vietnam at a Glance trip is available from 2,790pp with Wendy Wu Tours, including all international airfares, domestic transportation, departure taxes, all accommodation, all meals, entrance fees, guides and daily tours and visa fees for UK, Irish & EU passport holders. A free inbound Business Class upgrade is available for travellers who book by July 4, when travelling from Heathrow with Vietnam Airlines. Tour Highlights Experience Saigons edgy and evocative blend of past and present. Discover the legendary Cu Chi tunnel network used by the Viet Cong. Catch a glimpse of rural Vietnam in Tra Que village. Delve into Vietnams dynastic past in imperial Hue Soak up the charms of Vietnams fast-paced yet graceful capital Hanoi. Drift on emerald waters among the picturesque peaks of Halong Bay. For more, see wendywutours.ie or call 0818 776 380. Fionnan Sheahan Ireland Editor at Mediahuis. Fionnan writes news, analysis and comment on current affairs and politics for the Irish Independent and Independent.ie. He is a weekly columnist with the Irish Independent and a presenter of InFocus, the current affairs podcast from Independent.ie. A native of Thurles, Co Tipperary, Fionnan has won several awards for print and digital journalism from Newsbrands Ireland, the Law Society and the National Newspapers of Ireland, including National Journalist of the Year. Prior to his current role, Fionnans positions included Editor and Political Editor of the Irish Independent. He is a regular commentator on TV and radio. Premium John Downing Opinion New British prime minister Rishi Sunaks succession proves an important milestone in British political inclusivity There is an old saying in British politics that goes: The right looks for converts while the left seeks out traitors. It comes to mind when one reflects upon the election of Rishi Sunak as the UKs first non-white prime minister in a party traditionally seen as most opposed to mass immigration and the dilution of national identity via multiculturalism. The supremacy of Ireland's Constitution over our legislation is such that any challenge to the Constitution must be brought to the Supreme Court, where up to seven judges will decide on the issue. For a traumatised pregnant woman to bring a challenge, she would have to appeal a High Court decision against her. When she is no longer pregnant, the issue is moot. You can see the impossibility of that situation. This has now become an even more dangerous situation as, following the British vote to leave the EU, Irish women who are diagnosed with fatal foetal abnormality face the possibility of a controlled border with the UK. Are we going to send them to Paris now? Or Geneva? Can Health Minister Simon Harris provide a travel bursary, given that we refuse to acknowledge they need medical assistance here? Perhaps, the HSE could include them in the Treatment Abroad Scheme (TAS), which provides the cost of approved treatments in another EU/EEA member state or Switzerland? Alternatively, legislation such as Mick Wallace's proposed Private Member's Bill on fatal foetal abnormality, which will be debated on June 30, can be passed and then referred by the President via Article 26 of the Constitution to the Supreme Court to test its constitutionality. Under Wallace's bill, two suitably qualified medical professionals - a perinatologist and an obstetrician - would be asked to, in good faith, certify if the foetus is incompatible with life. I would go further and have the test results confirmed in two separate hospitals. As was done in my own case. In determining the constitutionality of Wallace's bill, the judges of the Supreme Court have diverse means of coming to a decision. They may examine the Eighth Amendment by adopting a literal, purposive, historic or harmonious approach. So far, the State has claimed that it is a complete unknown how the Eighth Amendment would be interpreted until a case is taken by a pregnant woman, in the throes of the traumatic news that her baby will not survive. Only then will several judges interpret whether or not she has the right to treatment by her own medical team, thus removing the criminal penalty of 13 years in prison for her doctor. In the case of fatal foetal abnormality, there is no black and white approach, no literal interpretation is possible, as the woman may miscarry because of the defect. If the unborn cannot engage with life outside the womb, is it a 'born'? The Supreme Court must interpret what the judicial drafters of the 1983 referendum considered an 'unborn', in the context of termination for fatal foetal abnormality coming to public attention since 2002 (Deirdre De Barra). When I took a case against Ireland in the European Court of Human Rights claiming a breach of Article 3 of the ECHR for inhuman and degrading treatment in the case of fatal foetal abnormality, the Government's response was: "the courts were nonetheless unlikely to interpret the provision with remorseless logic particularly when the facts were exceptional. If, therefore, it had been established that there was no realistic prospect of the foetus being born alive, then there was 'at least a tenable' argument which would be seriously considered by the domestic courts to the effect that the foetus was not an "unborn" for the purposes of Article 40.3.3 or that, even if was an "unborn", its right to life was not actually engaged as it had no prospect of life outside the womb. In the absence of a domestic decision, it was impossible to foresee that Article 40.3.3 clearly excluded an abortion in the applicant's situation in Ireland." I have quoted the government's defence many times, so that the Attorney General may note that being 'born' without a prospect of survival is not an issue an Attorney General can solely advise upon - certainly not secret advice to the Taoiseach - in order that the members of the Dail vote down Mr Wallace's bill because of supposed unconstitutionality. The Taoiseach simply cannot try and pull the wool over the eyes of parliamentarians again, with this opaque 'AG secret advice', nor can he continue to defer with the Citizens' Assembly idea. Due to Amanda Mellet's treatment or lack of it under Irish law, the UN Human Rights Committee recently found that Ireland must amend its abortion law, including the Constitution if necessary, to ensure compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), for effective, timely procedures for pregnancy termination in cases of fatal foetal abnormality. Although the UNHRC finding is not technically 'binding', there are legal and policy reasons why Ireland must take good faith steps to implement the findings and comply with its international obligations. In 1989, Ireland ratified the ICCPR. It must comply with the treaty under international law, and cannot invoke its Constitution, or any other domestic law, as rationale for failure to comply (Articles 26 and 27 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties). When Ireland subjected Amanda Mellet to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, it committed an internationally wrongful act. International law requires it to remedy the wrongful act and guarantee non-repetition. If Ireland does not do so, it will place Irish medical professionals in untenable ethical situations, placing them at risk of complicity in inhuman or degrading treatment. If the Government does not take steps, such as passing the Wallace bill, and remedy the harm suffered and guarantee non-repetition, it will be open to repeated litigation against the State before the UN committee and the European Court of Human Rights. It will be perpetuating a deliberate cruelty on parents. With a free vote, all TDs must take into account each parent faced with this cruel situation. 'Geography has made us neighbours. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners, and necessity has made us allies. Those whom God has so joined together, let no man put asunder." It could have been written about Ireland and Britain but that quote is in fact taken from an address by US President John F Kennedy to the Canadian Parliament in May 1961. Within months though, Washington and Ottawa were at loggerheads over the Cuban Missile Crisis, proving that in politics rhetoric is often quickly expunged by reality. Over the weekend ministers, MEPs, Opposition TDs and even cynical economists have stressed the importance of Ireland's 'special' relationship with Britain. The friend we love to hate is in trouble, big trouble, and we want to help. But of course, what we really want is to protect ourselves from their mess. The European Union is now operating on autopilot, fuelled by shock and blinded by disbelief. The 'founding six' - Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands - were quick to demand that Britain pack their bags and leave. It was a classic reaction based on anger rather than necessity. This may not be a time to tell people to 'chill', but neither is it one to create diplomatic wars. Over the coming days, weeks, months and years the Irish Government faces a diplomacy battle like no other we have experienced. Taoiseach Enda Kenny must try to stay in with the black sheep Britain while simultaneously reassuring the rest of the EU family that he's on board with their plans. One wrong step and the economic turmoil of the past few years could be revisited. We must find new allies like Belgium, Sweden and Denmark, who will help us fight the big battles on corporation tax and other policy, while also trying not to fight with those countries unless the battle is totally warranted. "Other EU states are not our enemies, they are our partners. They will be conscious that one member state has just left. They will need to keep the family together, not try to implement polices that have been resisted," MEP Mairead McGuinness said last night. However, her colleague Sean Kelly reckoned that "initially" some countries will struggle to see why Ireland should once again be the 'special case'. "Whatever happens with the mainland and Britain there has to be an understanding for us," Mr Kelly said last night. "There is no point in punishing the UK if that in turn punishes us. "We've just come out of a tough period and we don't want to be in a position where we're put back again, perhaps perpetually," he said. At the EU Council meeting this week Mr Kenny must insist that Ireland is at the centre of the Brexit negotiations. There is no room now for inferiority complexes or underdog status. Britain was our ally through necessity but we must look to life after them, to forging new partnerships and a new place in Europe. Claudine Keane proudly wears her Irish jersey at breakfast this morning. Photo: Twitter/ @ClaudineKeane1 As the country mourns that Irelands Euros journey has come to an end, the teams WAGs are taking to social media to pay tributes to their other halves. Long-term love of qualifying goal scorer Robbie Brady, Kerrie Harris took to Instagram to share a collage of moments from the unforgettable few weeks, including a snap of the kiss that stole the nations heart. Success is a journey, not a destination. Thank you boys for an incredible journey which you have taken the people of Ireland on. Now daddy lets be having you home, the dancer wrote on Instagram. The couple have daughter Halle (2) together, who made her name as Bradys number one fan as she supported her father from the side lines in France. Success is a journey, not a destination. Thank you boys for an incredible journey which you have taken the people of Ireland on. Now Daddy Lets Be Having You Home A photo posted by Kerrie Harris (@kerrie.harris.s2s) on Jun 27, 2016 at 2:33am PDT Kayleah Long posted a touching tribute to her husband Shane following Irelands defeat to France on Sunday saying: So proud of this man today! The whole team worked their socks off just a shame we didnt get the result! These last few weeks we have made many lovely memories and met many lovely fans! Thanks for all ur [sic] lush comments and support. Model Kayleah announced before the Euros that shes expecting her third child with the Ireland striker, who celebrated their three year wedding anniversary last week. Chief Irish WAG Claudine Keane documented her Euros journey on social media as she supported husband Robbie. Despite Irelands loss, Claudine hasnt put her jersey away yet. So proud of this man today! The whole team worked their socks off just a shame we didn't get the result! These last few weeks we have made many lovely memories and met many lovely fans! Thanks for all ur lush comments and support A photo posted by Kayleah Long (@kayleah_long) on Jun 26, 2016 at 10:53am PDT All 4 of us ready to cheer on Daddy tonight! loving my @freddyireland leggings #COYBIG #LONG #9 #daddysgirls #daddysbump A photo posted by Kayleah Long (@kayleah_long) on Jun 22, 2016 at 11:19am PDT Still sporting my Irish jersey at breakfast this morning, what can I say proud, she wrote on Twitter on Monday. Amazing memories so proud of him heart of gold so lucky, said Glenn Whelans other half Karen alongside photos of the pair and their son. Still sporting my Irish jersey at breakfast this morning, what can I say......proud pic.twitter.com/5YIwnCNW9v Claudine Keane (@ClaudineKeane1) June 27, 2016 Video of the Day Following a month-long journey in France, we can imagine that the couples will be overjoyed to be reunited. MISSOULA Gov. Steve Bullock has ordered all flags in Montana to be flown at half-staff Monday to honor one of the last members of the Doolittle Raiders, the airmen who helped change the course of World War II. Retired Staff Sgt. David Jonathan Thatcher died earlier this month in Missoula at age 94. Thatcher was one of 80 airmen whose mission bombing factory areas and military installations in Japan in 1942 lifted American spirits five months after Pearl Harbor. Afterward, their planes headed for airfields in mainland China, realizing they would run out of fuel. Thatcher's death leaves Retired Lt. Col. Richard "Dick" Cole of Comfort, Texas, as the only living member of the Doolittle Raiders. Sile Seoige revealed that yoga has helped her back from a dark place Sile Seoige reveals how yoga helped her during her cancer battle. The RTE star has revealed that yoga helped her immensely during and after her battle with thyroid cancer in 2012. The 37-year-old has since qualified as a yoga teacher, praising the benefits of the exercise. When I got into it, I wasnt in a good place after cancer. I found it so good for the body and mind, the Galway native told the Irish Sun. I bow my head to Western medicine I wouldnt be here without it but I also think we need to look at how the mind and all these other stresses can impact our health. The broadcaster said that she would love to combine her passion for television and yoga and create a programme about holistic healing. Im looking to expand in all things yoga later this year. Id love to do something with TV and yoga. Im the kind of person who would love to watch something like that Id love to do something on health from a holistic point of view. The Gaelgoir also said that life is really good with her boyfriend Cork Garda Damien OFarrell, following her divorce from RTE producer Glen Mulcahy in 2008. Hundreds of thousands of migrants have been arriving in Europe Police in Serbia have found 29 migrants and arrested a suspected people smuggler. Officers discovered the migrants packed into two cars with false number plates in a southern village near the border town of Presevo. The migrants had no documentation. The man caught with them faces charges of illegal crossing of the border and people smuggling. The smuggling of migrants through the Balkans has been on the increase since the nations shut their borders in March, closing the traditional refugee route towards Western Europe. More than one million people entered Europe last year and nations have been shutting down their borders to curb the influx. Several arrived by sea, and efforts are continuing across the Mediterranean to rescue migrants from smugglers' boats, and also recover bodies from vessels which failed to make it. The Italian navy said on Monday that it had brought six migrants' bodies to Sicily that were found near the wreck of a boat that sank on August 5, 2015. When the vessel sank, an Irish naval vessel took on 373 survivors and 26 bodies that were immediately recovered. Palermo-based prosecutors had asked the Italian navy to try to locate the sunken wreck and retrieve any more bodies. In December, a navy minesweeper located the wreck on the seabed, 200ft down. The navy said inspections of the wreck and the surrounding area ascertained the presence of 10 bodies, but, for safety concerns, it was only possible to remove six. AP German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she understands British leaders will need time to analyse the outcome of the Brexit vote (AP) The leaders of Germany, France and Italy have said there can be no negotiations with Britain on its departure from the European Union until it has formally declared its intention to quit. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said "we agree there will be no formal or informal talks" with Britain until Article 50 of the EU treaty has been invoked. She was speaking in Berlin after meeting with French President Francois Hollande and Italian premier Matteo Renzi. Earlier, Ms Merkel said she has a "certain amount of understanding" for the fact that Britain may need "a certain amount of time" to analyse what happens next. But she would not comment on whether it is acceptable for Britain to wait until a new PM is in place, following David Cameron's decision to step down in the wake of the referendum result. Mr Renzi has already warned that Brussels cannot afford to spend a "year on procedures" for Britain's exit. Briefing his country's Senate earlier on Monday, he noted that the EU "spent a year on negotiations" aimed at satisfying Britain ahead of last week's referendum. The EU summit this week on Britain's departure "won't be the last", Mr Renzi said, but he added that those meetings must concentrate on "the relaunching of Europe, not just procedures". He said "pluck, lucidity and intelligence" are needed by European leaders, adding that now is not the time for improvisation. AP George Osborne has been offered the opportunity to be British chancellor or foreign secretary in Boris Johnson and Michael Gove's "dream ticket" leadership plan. In an attempt to form a "unity government" in the wake of the EU referendum, Mr Johnson and Mr Gove have started talks with the current chancellor, trying to secure his support. They believe his backing is essential if the Conservative Party is to come together in the wake of the divisive campaign. However, Mr Osborne is understood to be furious at the pair's behaviour in recent months, and is still contemplating a leadership bid himself. Another option is that Mr Osborne may give his support to a "stop Boris" candidate, most likely to be Theresa May, the Home Secretary. Under Mr Gove's plan, Mr Osborne would have first pick of either continuing in the Treasury or taking the role of foreign secretary, sources have said. Mr Gove himself would then take whichever job Mr Osborne did not choose, allowing him to run the Brexit negotiations with Brussels from either the Treasury or the Foreign Office. Mr Johnson is expected to announce his decision to contest the party leadership within days, backed by Mr Gove. Mr Johnson yesterday held talks in his Oxfordshire home with Mr Gove and a number of other MPs preparing to back his leadership challenge. Meanwhile, British Home Secretary Ms May will announce within days that she is standing for the leadership. Ms May's bid is likely to receive backing from MPs loyal to Prime Minister David Cameron, who are appalled at the way he had to announce he will resign, after losing the EU referendum. One source close to Mr Cameron said at the weekend: "There is a special place in hell reserved for Boris. We need to get behind Theresa. She's the grown-up." Telegraph Media Group Limited [2022] Michelle Obama and her daughters Malia and Sasha are in Africa US First Lady Michelle Obama, her mother and her daughters are set to arrive in Liberia to begin an overseas trip promoting education for girls. Mrs Obama is scheduled to meet with Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected female head of state on the continent. The Obamas will then visit a Peace Corps-sponsored leadership camp for girls in the town of Kakata. "People are going to consider her to be a sister to them," Mayor Eddie Murphy said. "We are overwhelmed." A main topic of their trip will be how to address the barriers facing girls trying to get an education after the recent Ebola epidemic. More than 4,800 people died and children missed many months of school. The Obamas' last stop in Liberia will be at a school in Unification Town, where they will speak with adolescent girls. Founded as part of an effort to resettle freed American slaves, Liberia has deep ties to the United States. The country's oldest technical and vocational high school, located in Kakata, is named after the African-American educator and civil rights activist Booker T Washington. The school suspended mid-term exams scheduled to start on Monday "to allow the students to give Mrs Obama a rousing welcome to appreciate what the United States has done for us", principal Harris Tarnue said. "She will be a real inspiration to the young girls around here," he said. The Obamas are scheduled to leave Liberia on Monday evening for Morocco. AP A YOUNG mother has shot dead a man she discovered hiding in her child's bedroom. The incident occurred in the US state of Oregon yesterday. The 33-year-old mother found the man in the child's bedroom at around 1.30am, where she shot him dead. She then called the police and told them she had shot an intruder in her home. She had been out with her two children, aged 5 and 10, prior to arriving home to discover the man. Police are investigating the incident in which the 59-year-old man died. A spokesperson for Mulnomah County District Attorney's office said the mother has not been arrested and is fully cooperating with the investigation. The autopsy of the intruder is due to be held today. A Texas woman who was killed by police after she shot dead her two daughters at their home was identified as an outspoken gun advocate. Christy Sheats (42) shot and killed her two daughters Taylor (22) and Madison (17) during a family row that spiralled into gun violence. It was a family argument that turned into a shooting, Fort Bend County Sheriff Troy Nehls told the Houston Chronicle. But were still trying to put the pieces together. A witness said the sisters tried escaping with their father, but Taylor collapsed outside the home and Madison was shot in the back, KTRK-TV reported. The girls father Jason Sheats escaped with no injury and alerted the police and had recently reunited with Christy Sheats, a neighbour told the TV station. When police arrived at the scene, the two daughters were lying on the street ion the front of the home. Police shot and killed Christy Sheats who refused to drop her gun. "That armed shooter was also in the street and, after refusing to drop her weapon was shot and killed by a Fulshear officer," the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office said. Taylor died at the scene and her teenage sister, Madison, was airlifted to the Texas Medical Center, where she later died. According to Christy Sheats Facebook page, she was a gun owner and vocal advocate for the second amendment. "It would be horribly tragic if my ability to protect myself or my family were to be taken away," Sheats wrote in March on her Facebook page, "but that's exactly what Democrats are determined to do by banning semi-automatic handguns." In other posts, she showed her affection towards her daughters. "Happy Daughter's Day to my amazing, sweet, kind, beautiful, intelligent girls," she wrote in September 2015. "I love and treasure you both more than you could ever possibly know." Condolences spread across social media for the two daughters. My heart is broken this morning to find that my sweet Madison Sheats lost her life, wrote Whitney Mae Bruce, who identified herself as a former teacher to Madison. Always positive and smiling, Madison quickly became one of my favorite students four years ago while teaching for the first time in Katy. A wonderful student/person/babysitter will be missed enormously. Please pray for her father, Bruce wrote in the post. Taylor Sheats you were a beautiful soul! Always easy going, kind hearted, wonderful and contagious smile, also a great artist. Rest in peace! Travis Reynolds wrote on Facebook. MISSOULA The new fire and aviation manager for U.S. Forest Service Region 1 hasnt even been in office a week and he already has a tactical challenge scheduled on his calendar this summer. Ralph Rau will have to move his command post from the old regional headquarters in downtown Missoula to the new base at Fort Missoula on Aug. 1, the customary start of Montanas active fire season. I havent even unpacked all the boxes, Rau said Wednesday in his sparsely furnished space on Pine Street. But things are already picking up in the eastern part of our zone. We already have all of our Hotshot crews committed. Nevertheless, Raus expecting a slightly better start to the new job than last summer at his post as deputy forest supervisor for the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest across the border in Idaho. That forest logged more than 250 forest fires, including 25 large incidents. There were only two or three communities in there that werent evacuated or under evacuation order last summer, Rau said. That puts communities under a lot of stress. We recognize that. In his new post, Rau will oversee firefighting activity across 25 million acres of Montana, North Dakota and parts of Idaho and South Dakota. He also has a leadership role working with other state and federal land managers who share fire responsibilities. Ralph is very familiar with the role fire plays in the health of national forests, Region 1 Forester Leanne Marten said in an announcement of Raus transfer. His practical experience on several forests made him a very competitive candidate to oversee fire operations in the Northern Region. Rau served four years in the Marine Corps and worked in private timber management before taking on a 33-year career in the Forest Service. His time with the agency included stints as a smokejumper, district ranger and timber management assistant. This summers fire forecast for the northern Rocky Mountains of Montana expects a normal level of activity. While the regions snowpack has melted somewhat sooner than average, late spring rains have helped keep the countryside moist. Rau said he expects some significant fires to appear, but probably not with the intensity of whats going on in New Mexico, California and Arizona now. Southeastern Montana was under a Red Flag weather warning on Tuesday with high fire potential, but conditions had softened by Wednesday. Given the last fire season, I hope folks in Western Montana have paid attention to making their homes safer, Rau said. Its not too late to do some due diligence. Five people were killed and 15 others were injured when a group of suicide bombers detonated their explosives in an eastern Lebanese village near the border with Syria. The National News Agency said the blasts occurred in the predominantly Christian village of Qaa, and four suicide bombers were involved in the rare multiple attack. An eyewitness said residents became suspicious of the men as they were passing through the village at around 4am local time. When civilian security men who guard the village called out to them, they threw a hand grenade before successively blowing themselves up among civilians. A Lebanese military official said one suicide attacker blew himself up in front of a home, while three other attackers followed, detonating their suicide vests one after the other as people gathered in the area. Four members of the military were among the injured. An investigation is under way but n o group has yet said it was behind the attack. Qaa's mayor Bashir Matar described how the fourth attacker was gunned down. Mr Matar said it was unclear what had triggered the first explosion but once people started gathering, another explosion occurred, followed by a third. "As we were treating some of the wounded, I saw the fourth suicide attacker coming toward me. I shouted at him," Mr Matar said. "We opened fire toward him and he blew up." Lebanon has in recent years faced deadly spill-overs from the Syrian civil war next door, and Lebanese authorities have been on high alert, tightening security in recent days. George Kitane, the head of paramedics at the Lebanese Red Cross, confirmed the death toll and said the 15 people injured were rushed to hospitals in nearby areas. Though it was not immediately clear who or what the attackers planned to target, the Lebanese Christians of Qaa have taken up arms, setting up self-defence units to protect against potential attack by Muslim extremists from neighbouring Syria. The explosions occurred about 150 metres from a Lebanese customs border point. Lebanon's Al-Manar TV, which is owned by the militant group Hezbollah, said six people were killed and blamed the attack on the Islamic State group. Hezbollah has been fighting in Syria alongside president Bashar Assad's forces in the Syrian civil war, which has stoked sectarian tensions in Lebanon. Previous attacks in Lebanon have been claimed by the IS group. Islamic State and al-Qaida's branch in Syrian known as the Nusra Front have claimed responsibility for deadly attacks in Lebanon over the past three years that killed and wounded scores of people. The area of Mashrea Qaa - a predominantly Sunni area that is near Qaa - is home to a large number of Syrian refugees who have fled the war in Syria. AP Madagascar president Hery Rajaonarimampianina is believed to have visited some of the injured in hospital (AP) Two people have been killed in an explosion in a stadium in Madagascar which authorities have described as a terrorist attack. Dozens of people were injured in the incident in the Mahamasina stadium, where people had gathered to celebrate the country's 1960 independence from France. The Madagascar Tribune reports that Madagascar's president, Hery Rajaonarimampianina, has visited some of the injured in hospital and expressed his condolences to the families of the dead. The government has promised tough action against those it accuses of using violence for "political reasons". Mr Rajaonarimampianina's election in 2014 came after five years during which Madagascar was led by a regime that seized power in a coup. Despite hopes that his election would bring stability, the president has faced an impeachment attempt in the National Assembly. AP Some 84 people were wounded in the attack, reported L'Express de Madagascar. The Madagascar Tribune described the attack as a "nightmare" and, in an editorial, questioned how an assailant could have smuggled a grenade into the stadium. It noted that emergency services were not widely deployed in the area. Security commanders had addressed the media last week about plans to secure the stadium amid rumours that the celebration might be targeted. NIKIE MAYO/INDEPENDENT MAIL James Littleton, president of the Anderson Radio Club, talks about being an amateur radio operator. The club participated this weekend in Field Day, a nationwide event for amateur radio operators. SHARE By Nikie Mayo of the Independent Mail For a while Sunday, 9-year-old Brendan Healy of Anderson was an amateur radio operator. He sat inside an air-conditioned trailer on the grounds near the Civic Center of Anderson, studying equipment in front of him. He uttered a call sign that was given to him for the afternoon. A few seconds later, he was greeted by someone in Florida who had heard his voice. A grin spread across his face. "This is fun," he said. Brendan was among the crowd of 40 or so who gathered with the Anderson Radio Club this weekend for Field Day. Each year, thousands of affiliates of the American Radio Relay League participate in Field Day events around the nation. For 24 hours, amateur radio operators or "hams" try to reach out to their counterparts in the United States and around the world. This year's event in Anders on began at 2 p.m. Saturday. "It's part fun and part preparation," said James Littleton, president of the Anderson Radio Club. "It gives us a chance to promote good will and fellowship among one another, because we may not know who is going to answer us back on the radio. But it's more than that. It helps us be ready in case there is an emergency that knocks out other forms of communication. When the Internet doesn't work, we still can." Field Day was especially important for hams in Anderson this year, because the club is celebrating its 50th anniversary. "It is wonderful," said Margie Spangenberg, a retiree and amateur radio operator who edits the club's newsletter. "It is a community." For some, amateur radio is a family affair. Littleton has passed the bug along to his family. His son, Matthew Littleton, is Anderson County's deputy director of emergency services and is an amateur radio operator. James Littleton's grandson, Will, is a ham, too. Will, who is 12, has been a licensed amateur radio operator for two years. His longest-distance contact so far is a person from Hawaii. But if he keeps at it, he knows he may be able to be like his grandfather, who has spoken to people as far away as Russia and Japan. "This is something different to do," Will said Sunday. "It is fun and it is challenging, and you never know who you might be talking to." These 5 players could be the Anderson-area football player of the year High School Romando Dixson/The Greenville News Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Easley. By of the rdixson@greenvillenews.com Independent Mail Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting that happened Sunday at a home in Easley, the Pickens County Sheriff's Office said. One person was injured and taken to the hospital, Chief Deputy Creed Hashe said. That person, who authorities have identified as 18-year-old Franklin Reed Styles, is a suspect in a break-in that happened at the home before the shooting, investigators said. A woman who called 911 around 3:20 p.m. Sunday said a suspicious person had forced entry into her home on the 400 block of Latham Road in Easley through a back door, Hashe said. A deputy whose identity has not been disclosed responded to the home. He found evidence of a forced entry, investigators said. The deputy entered and encountered Styles inside. The preliminary investigation indicates that the deputy fired multiple rounds from his service weapon, with at least one round striking Styles. The deputy and the homeowner were not injured, Hashe said. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating, at the request of Sheriff Rick Clark, the case and the deputy's use of force. Styles is being treated at a hospital, and officials expect to charge him once he is released, Hashe said. In accordance with the Sheriff's Office's policy, the deputy is on administrative leave until an internal review is completed, Hashe said. Clark described the deputy as a "very seasoned officer, very calm officer." "I think our officer, from what I know now, did a great job, exactly what he should've done," Clark said. "That's where the training comes in. He knew what he had to do." Romando Dixson of The Greenville News contributed to this report. Man charged with stabbing his father to death DURHAM, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina man has been arrested and charged with stabbing his father to death. Durham police said in a news release that 54-year-old Donald Fields Sr. was stabbed in his home shortly after noon Sunday. He died at a nearby hospital. Twenty-three-year-old Donald Fields Jr. has been arrested and charged with murder. It was not clear if the Fields has an attorney. Police officer rolls a cruiser VASS, N.C. (AP) The North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating after a police officer from the Moore County community of Vass was hurt when his police cruiser rolled over several times while on a call. The patrol tells local media outlets it happened about 11 a.m. Sunday when the officer was rounding a curve on N.C. 690 and the cruiser left the road. The officer was taken to a nearby hospital. His injuries were not life-threatening. 12-year-old killed on go-kart CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) A 12-year-old girl has died in northeast Charlotte after the go-kart she was driving was hit by two cars. Hospital spokesman Kevin McCarthy told news outlets Saturday that Cierra Mitchell died following the accident Thursday night. Police say Cierra was hit by a car after she failed to stop her go-kart at a stop sign. She was not wearing a helmet. By state law, go-karts are not allowed on roads or highways. McCarthy says patient privacy laws prevent him from saying when Cierra died. The car drivers were not injured. Police say speed and alcohol were not contributing factors. Shark bite at Atlantic Beach ATLANTIC BEACH, N.C. (AP) Officials say an 11-year-old boy was bit by a shark off the coast of North Carolina, the second incident in as many weeks. WAVY-TV (http://bit.ly/28XkPoC ) reports that Atlantic Beach fire officials say the shark bit the boy on his left foot Sunday around 2:30 p.m. while he was surfing near the Fort Macon State Park bathhouse. The child reportedly had severe wounds and was taken to a hospital. He is expected to survive. The beach remained open after the incident was reported. Eighteen-year-old Dillon Bowen received 26 stitches in his right wrist after a shark bit him at Atlantic Beach on June 11. 100% FDI Now Allowed in Broadcast Carriage Services New foreign direct investment (FDI) rules, as announced on June 20, will allow 100 percent foreign investment in the broadcast carriage services, benefiting direct-to-home (DTH) operators, cable networks, headend-in-the-sky (HITS) platforms, and mobile TV operators. More importantly, 100 percent FDI in this sector can now be secured via the automatic route without seeking approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB). Previously, the government had raised the FDI limit from 74 percent to 100 percent, but only 49 percent FDI was allowed through the automatic approval route. The new FDI policy will open up fiscal and tax incentives for cable networks who have been bearing the brunt of the costs of digitization as pushed by the government in the last few years. However, the sector has suffered from a negative investment outlook due to many other reasons as well. A number of court cases and stay orders have disrupted the digitization process (or the deployment of set-top boxes) and the broadcast services market continues to be highly fragmented. Moreover, the average revenue per user is also quite low at around US$ 2.57 (Rs 175) per month for a DTH operator, US$ 2.21 (Rs 150) for a digital multi-system operator (MSO), and US$ 1.32 (Rs 90) per month for cable operators in areas without digital addressable systems (DAS). According to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), India has seven DTH firms, two HITS platforms, 700 MSOs and 60,000 cable operators. The government will therefore need to consolidate the sector, and address real operational and regulatory concerns as well as the valuation of cable and DTH to boost FDI inflows. Indian Startups Receive Support from Banking Sector Banks have started to identify Indias startup ecosystem as an important driver of economic growth. India also enjoys the position as having the third most conducive ecosystem to innovate in the world, according to some estimates. Along with a growing number of female founders and co-founders, more than 72 percent of Indias startup founders are less than 35 years old. Responding to the sectors growing needs and in response to the governments pro-startup directive, Indian banks have begun to provide support through technological and financial solutions for budding companies. Banks are now engaging in designing customized schemes, such as offering more flexible loan rates, to cater to the unique business models of startups. Another development in this regard is the API banking platform, which promotes the digitization of business-to-business (B2B) transactions by integrating client and banking systems to make transactions seamless and efficient. Banks have also innovated ways of raising funds for startup businesses. Small savings can now be transmitted to business owners as seed capital. Specialized institutions and schemes also encourage the development of ultra-local and small firms with the help of microfinance. The India Aspiration Fund (IAF), Self-Employment and Talent Utilization (Setu), Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), and the Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Bank (MUDRA Bank) are examples. China and ASEAN Reject Indias Proposed Three-Tier Market Access to RCEP Members The second to last round in the discussions over the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) have been taking place this June, and trade tariffs continue to be a major sticking point for Indian negotiators. The RCEP, with 16 member countries, aims to be the largest free trade association in the world providing equal market access to all within its bloc. This would require aggressive and uniform dismantling of trade tariff barriers that India has persistently opposed. India has instead proposed a differential tariff relaxation framework in negotiations with RCEP members (ASEAN states, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand). This three-tiered system would offer the highest market access to ASEAN (80 percent), followed by free trade agreement partners South Korea and Japan (65 percent), and finally, the lowest relaxation for China, Australia, and New Zealand (42.5 percent) with whom New Delhi has not signed free trade pacts. This differential system, however, goes against the principal objective of the RCEP, i.e. providing equal market access, and has been rejected by China and ASEAN. Time is also running out as the concluding RCEP ministerial meet will be in August where participating countries expect the final offers to be sealed. On the other hand, India is concerned, and with reason, that removal of tariff barriers for China would damage its indigenous industry. Furthermore, while China dominates trade with the ASEAN states, India already has a growing trade deficit with China, which reached US$ 52.65 billion in 2015-2016 (one-third of Indias total trade deficit). About Us Asia Briefing Ltd. is a subsidiary of Dezan Shira & Associates. Dezan Shira is a specialist foreign direct investment practice, providing corporate establishment, business advisory, tax advisory and compliance, accounting, payroll, due diligence and financial review services to multinationals investing in China, Hong Kong, India, Vietnam, Singapore and the rest of ASEAN. For further information, please email india@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com. Stay up to date with the latest business and investment trends in Asia by subscribing to our complimentary update service featuring news, commentary and regulatory insight. Managing Your Accounting and Bookkeeping in India In this issue of India Briefing Magazine, we spotlight three issues that financial management teams for India should monitor. Firstly, we examine the new Indian Accounting Standards (Ind-AS) system, which is expected to be a boon for foreign companies in India. We then highlight common filing dates for most companies with operations in India, and lastly examine procedures and regulations for remitting profits from India. Taking Advantage of Indias FDI Reforms In this edition of India Briefing Magazine, we explore important amendments to Indias foreign investment policy and outline various options for business establishment, including the creation of wholly owned subsidiaries in sectors that permit 100 percent foreign direct investment. We additionally explore several taxes that apply to wholly owned subsidiary companies, and provide an outlook for what investors can expect to see in India this year. An Introduction to Doing Business in India 2015 (Second Edition) Doing Business in India 2015 is designed to introduce the fundamentals of investing in India. As such, this comprehensive guide is ideal not only for businesses looking to enter the Indian market, but also for companies who already have a presence here and want to keep up-to-date with the most recent and relevant policy changes. We discuss a range of pertinent issues for foreign businesses, including Indias most recent FDI caps and restrictions, the key taxes applicable to foreign companies, how to conduct a successful audit, and the procedures for obtaining an employment visa. WILLISTON, N.D. Some oil field companies that laid off workers in the Bakken are hiring again, particularly for jobs related to hydraulic fracturing. The Williston office of Job Service North Dakota is seeing job orders for fracking crews and other openings related to well completion, such as workover rigs and trucking, said manager Cindy Sanford. We are starting to see a definite increase, Sanford said. Its not as crazy as it was before, but were starting to see some activity. In some cases, companies are calling workers who had been let go due to low oil prices and asking them to come back to work, Sanford said. Halliburton, which had laid off workers in the Bakken and elsewhere, is hosting a job fair next week at its Williston offices. JMAC Resources of Williston also is among the companies recruiting oil field workers, with job openings including heavy equipment operators, commercial drivers and diesel mechanics. Workers related to pipeline construction also are in demand, Sanford said. We definitely are starting to see a need for some workers, said Sanford, adding that most employers are seeking at least one year of experience. TrainND Williston, which provides workforce training, has not yet seen much of an uptick, but the center recently provided some refresher training for fracking service companies, said CEO Deanette Piesik. Monte Besler, owner of FRACN8R Consulting in Williston, said hes recently received more inquiries from his oil company clients alerting him to work coming up. Im hearing more chatter, Besler said. I wouldnt say anything real concrete yet. In some cases, companies have told Besler theyre recruiting in Williston to work on fracking crews in other states. They were actually hiring for jobs in Texas or Oklahoma more so than here right now, he said. Besler, who also does some financial consulting, said hes also getting more requests from potential investors interested in investing in technologies and oilfield completions. Thats going to be crucial to activity picking up, Besler said. North Dakota had about 892 wells that were drilled but not fracked at the end of April, according to the Department of Mineral Resources. An increase in fracking would be good news for North Dakota revenues. Every oil well contributes about $300,000 in sales tax revenue, with about two-thirds of that coming from the well completion stage, Lynn Helms, director of the Department of Mineral Resources, has said. Williston collected less than $970,000 in sales taxes in April compared with nearly $2.6 million collected in April 2015, according to figures compiled by Williston Economic Development. While the well completion jobs are picking up, Sanford is not seeing an increase job openings related to drilling. Helms has said he doesnt expect companies to bring idle drilling rigs back until the price of West Texas Intermediate oil is at least $60 for 90 consecutive days. The statewide rig count increased slightly last week to 30 active rigs, up from a recent low of 25. Williams County saw a drilling rig move in last week just outside of Williston. For about a week this month, Williams County had zero drilling rigs operating, a first for the county since October 2008. Most drilling continues to be focused in the core of the Bakken in McKenzie and Dunn counties. Pa. Ranjtih is now the envy of many. This two-films-old director bagged the golden opportunity to direct the legendary Rajinikanth, who liked his film 'Madras' a lot. 'Kabali', the gangster drama, is slated to be released in July. The Telugu version's audio was released in Hyderabad yesterday. In this interview, the budding creator talks about why Rajini chose to work with him, what went into Rajini's characterization, the reference used to design Rajini's looks in the film, his upcoming movie and so on. You are now a popular name even in Tamil Nadu as well as other states because you got to direct Rajinikanth. Tell us how you landed this prestigious offer. Soundarya, Rajini sir's daughter, is my friend. After the release of 'Madras', she called me up and said that her dad wants to work with me. Apparently, Rajini sir had watched 'Madras' twice. Are you saying that it's only because of 'Madras' that you got the opportunity to direct the Superstar? Yes, it's because of that film that I am here. I have directed only two films ('Attakathi' in 2012 and 'Madras' in 2014), but with these films, I have gained the experience of working for ten movies. Did you write the story of 'Kabali' keeping Rajini in mind? I pick my hero based on the story. It's never the other way round. I don't know how to write a story with a hero in mind. You are just two films old. Were you jittery when you first met Rajini? Yes, initially I was scared. But my first meeting with him was a great experience. When he told me, 'I want to work with you. Tell me a story', I narrated two ideas to him. After 'Kabali' was finalized, I started working on the story. Note that Rajini sir always looks for freshness. That's why, he chose a director like me who belongs to the new generation. What thoughts crossed your mind when you started writing the characterization? I worked very hard to sketch his character. I went ahead with the faith that his experience will always be there to rectify me whenever I go wrong. The salt and pepper look has become so popular today. Rajini sir will be seen in the old (80s) look for just about 20 minutes in the film. I fell back on his '80s look for the styling of the young Rajini. His image prompted me to be guarded at all times. What is the story about? Kabaleeshwaran born in a family which migrated to Malaysia during the British rule. Kabali grows up to fight for the cause of the ethnically Indian workers settled down in that country. It's a mafia don's story in the backdrop of Malaysia. Kabali is a term often associated with goons. But in my film, it's all positive. How do the looks of the Superstar fit in this scheme? Rajini sir will be seen in two looks. The looks are there as part of the story. His appearance in the 1978 film 'Mullum Malarum' is the inspiration to one of the looks. Is it an action-oriented film, considering the genre? 'Kabali' is not just about action. More than action, the emotional quotient is very significant. People will definitely connect themselves to those emotions. What is your upcoming movie? I was planning to direct Suriya. I had put the project on hold after 'Kabali' happened. My next film will be with that star. It will be one of the best films in his career. Heroism and action are the most important elements of this film. What does Pa in your name stands for? My father's name is Panduraga. That's what Pa in my name means. Piramal Pharma to invest Rs1,200 in UK over the next 12 to 18 months Through a combination of organic growth and acquisitions in the sectors of contract development & manufacturing services (CDMO) and complicated generics, Piramal Pharma stated that it would... October 25, 2022 | 25-10-2022 3:02 pm Markets trade lower amid volatility; Nifty below 17,700 Domestic benchmark indices trading in the red after a gap-up opening on Tuesday. Both the Sensex and Nifty benchmarks are marginally lower in the afternoon market session. Moreover, with strong... October 25, 2022 | 25-10-2022 2:00 pm SBI hits new 52-week high ahead of earnings release for Q2FY23 In Tuesday's intra-day trade, shares of State Bank of India (SBI) climbed nearly 2% to a record high of Rs580 a piece on the BSE in anticipation of excellent earnings in the September... October 25, 2022 | 25-10-2022 1:43 pm Insolation Energy receives order worth Rs1.38 crore; Stock dives 10% Insolation Energy Limited stock plunges 10% on Tuesday's trading session despite receiving major construction order. As per the filing, the company has received a Letter of Award (LO... October 25, 2022 | 25-10-2022 1:35 pm Embassy REIT to invest Rs 3,200 crore over the next 4 years According to Vikaash Khdloya, CEO of Embassy REIT, who talked to ET, about Rs 3,200 crore will be invested in the development of 7.1 million square feet over the next three to four years. ... October 25, 2022 | 25-10-2022 12:57 pm After finding success with LG's Nexus and Chromebook (made by the likes of Samsung and Acer), Google is set to launch their own phone, with their own hardware. Verge This is relatively new territory for Google, which has only launched one Google-made tablet, the Pixel C last year. According to media reports, Google is hunting for carriers for smartphone distribution. androidpit This takes it beyond the Android + Nexus model, letting Google design and manufacture every bit of their own smartphones, much like Apple. Google had briefly purchased Motorola, before selling to Lenovo, making news of the 2016 Google phone an interesting development. There is possibility that the Google phone is actually the Project Ara The modular Android-powered smartphone will soon be out for developers to build custom applications. The phone provides a frame in which modules such as cameras, speakers, and sensors can be re-arranged by users like game pieces so as to customize handsets. When the first Ara prototype was unveiled early last year at World Mobile Congress in Barcelona, Google expressed hope the approach would provide easier access to smartphones for people in developing countries. The principle is simple: basic structures are designed to hold screen modules, batteries, cameras, sensors, 3G, Wi-fi or other components snapped into place with the help of magnets. If a mobile phone breaks or an updated model is released, instead of buying a new handset a user could simply swap out components. Google had mentioned an entry-level model with a production cost of $50. The world has relied on the need for blood donations to perform different kinds of medical procedures on a human body. But how does one depend on something there is a severe shortage of? A Japanese startup might have the solution With about 35% of its population above the age of 65, Japan heads a list of countries with a population problem. According to a forecast, their population will fall by as much as 83 million by 2100. A shrinking population, among other things, also means an ever-decreasing number of blood donors in the country. The solution might lie in an alternative that a Japanese startup is working on - creating huge amounts of blood in vitro. amazonaws.com Megakaryon Genjiro Miwa, the president of Megakaryon, the startup in question, might have got a breakthrough by producing platelets in vitro from induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. An opaque-clear liquid that can perhaps be the alternative to blood donations in the future. Miwa got the idea of manufacturing artificial blood back in 2008, incidentally enough, at a school reunion when he met childhood friend Hiromistu Nakauchi. Nakauchi, at that point of time, was working on producing platelets from iPS cells along with Koji Eto, a professor at Kyoto University's Center for iPS Cell Research and Application. Nakauchi apparently told Miwa about the need for commercialising their research - Japan could really be lagging behind the rest of the world in the technology which is why it became imperative that they brought someone from the business world on board and Miwa was the man for the job. With the support and connections of another classmate of theirs, Kazuo Matsunaga who was the vice-president of the economy, trade and industry at that point of time, Megakaryon got funding from the Innovation Network Corp. of Japan, a public-private partnership that promotes innovative businesses. In 2011, their company Megakaryon was officially launched. medicaldaily.com The major roadblock The idea, no matter how novel it is, only works when it can provide a solution for the masses. Which is an issue right now because the company can only make a few units of this artificial blood every two weeks. Japan alone requires 800,000 units annually. To make it happen, Megakaryon is working with Japanese drugmakers and manufacturers of materials to create a mass-production system. They aim to start the in vitro production of blood for the masses by 2020. The artificial blood, Miwa believes, will be great for both developing and developed nations as it reduces the risk of spreading infections in places where a proper blood donation and screening system are yet to be established. It will also keep a check on the illegal trading of blood that's become a menace, especially in developing countries. jacobinmag.com Japan's success at paving the way for the rest of the world. Scientists and researchers from around the world are being inspired by Japan's research in regenerative medication. In fact, Nikkei.com also reports that Megakaryon has already agreed for a joint research with the Harvard University about the topic. HELENA The U.S. Supreme Court said Monday it won't hear an appeal challenging a Montana law that limits medical marijuana providers to selling the drug to a maximum of three patients each, dealing a blow to advocates who are attempting to delay enforcement of the law. The nation's high court let stand a Montana Supreme Court ruling that upheld key provisions of a state law passed in 2011 that rolled back much of the 2004 voter-approved initiative legalizing medicinal marijuana. The state Supreme Court ordered those provisions to take effect Aug. 31, more than five years after the Montana Legislature passed the bill. The Montana Cannabis Industry Association, which sued to block the law, said the rollbacks would force the closure of dispensaries and leave patients without a legal way to obtain the drug. "The consequences are serious, particularly for cancer patients and those in hospice care," said the group's spokeswoman, Kate Cholewa. The advocacy organization previously asked District Judge James Reynolds to delay the Aug. 31 enforcement date until either the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether to take up the matter or until the November general election. The organization is proposing a ballot initiative asking voters to lift the three-patient limit for providers and further expand access to medical marijuana. The group's representatives say they have submitted enough signatures to place the measure on the ballot, but those signatures must be certified by the Secretary of State's office. "We feel optimistic of success in November," Cholewa said. "Montanans want an accountable, responsible program for medical marijuana access. It would foolish to shut the program down and make people with debilitating illnesses suffer unnecessarily." The Montana attorney general's office, which defended the 2011 restrictions in court, opposes further delay in enforcing the provisions. State attorneys said in a court filing the only legitimate reason for another delay would be to let the U.S. Supreme Court decide whether to take up the case. Attorney general spokesman John Barnes did not have an immediate comment on the high court's decision Monday. Water resources minister says the state's reservoirs have seen a 60% drop in storage. TOI Mysore The state is staring a massive water crisis, according to the government which has stated that the water-level in reservoirs across Karnataka is so low that drinking water will be available only for the next 15 days. "If it does not rain in the next two weeks only god can save us," water resources minister MB Patil told reporters on Saturday. Though the state has seen the onset of monsoon, rains in catchment areas have not been heavy enough to increase inflow into reservoirs. The situation is grim in Krishna Raja Sagar (KRS) reservoir from where water is pumped to Bengaluru and Mysuru. "We will be constrained to draw water even from the dead storage if there are no adequate rains in the Cauvery river basin in the next two weeks," Patil said and threw up his hands in despair stating, "If it does not rain we do not know what to do." TOI Mysore Karnataka has been reeling under severe drought for the last three years and the reservoirs have seen a 60 per cent drop in storage. Anticipating the situation, the government had banned usage of water for second crop and instead saved for drinking water supply. "We had told that there will be no disruption in water supply till June-end, now we are hoping for nature to show mercy on us," Patil said. The low storage levels are likely to affect power generation as the state is mostly dependent on hydel resources. During summer, when the state was reeling under severe drought, Patil had revealed that the state could manage till June 15 with the available stock of water at all major reservoirs. TOI Mysore The minister had then expressed that monsoon would catch up by first week of June. However, contrary to expectations, monsoon across the state is yet to pick up pace and pour heavily in the catchment areas. The government's crackdown on those stashing undeclared income in overseas bank accounts has started yielding results with the Income Tax authorities having unearthed more than Rs 13,000 crore from just two sets of information received in 2011 and 2013. ET In at least 400 cases of Indians with deposits in HSBC, Geneva, the details of which were received from the French government in 2011, the Income Tax (I-T) authorities have unearthed undisclosed income of Rs 8,186 crore, the highest disclosure ever from offshore bank accounts, and raised a tax demand of about Rs 5,377 crore against such account-holders till March 31, 2016, according to an I-T assessment report. In the HSBC case, the government had received information about 628 bank accounts. Of these, at least 213 were found "not actionable" as they either had no money in them or they belonged to nonresident Indians. Also, in some cases, the entities remained untraceable. "Out of the actionable cases, assessments have been completed in 398 cases, including those settled by the I-T Settlement Commission as well as cases where assessment proceedings have been dropped," according to the I-T report. A HSBC spokesperson declined to comment. Based on another set of information disclosed in 2013 on the website of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), a Washington-based organisation, I-T officials have detected undisclosed income of Rs 5,000 crore in foreign bank accounts allegedly linked to 700 Indians. reuters So far, the I-T department has filed 55 prosecution complaints before criminal courts in the ICIJ cases on charges of wilful attempt to evade tax. The basis has been false statements made by these entities during the verification process. In the HSBC Geneva case, tax authorities have launched prosecution proceedings in 75 cases, a majority for wilful attempt to evade tax. The criminal courts have taken cognisance in most of these prosecution complaint cases, paving the way for the Enforcement Directorate to initiate actions under the stringent Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The recently enacted Black Money Undisclosed Foreign Income and Assets Act has made the "wilful attempt to evade tax"as a predicate offence under the PMLA, giving the ED powers to attach and confiscate properties of an accused equivalent to the amount stashed abroad. ET The I-T report said many Indians whose names appeared in the ICIJ cases had filed declarations under the black money declaration window scheme, which the government had launched for a limited period during 2015. However, those individuals against whom the department had already launched probe were not eligible for any relief. A study by the Centre for Atmospheric Sciences at IIT Delhi, which looked at exposure to PM 2.5 and premature deaths caused by the particulate matter pollution, has revealed that Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh is the cleanest district while Delhi is the dirtiest metropolitan area in the country. iitdelhi According to researchers who relied on satellite-based estimate, PM2.5 in Kinnaur was found to be 3.7+-1 microgram per cubic metre (g/m) annually, which is less than 10% of the national air quality target of 40g/m. youtube Delhi's PM2.5 level, they added, stood at 148+-51g/m annually, which is several times higher than the safe limit. Short-term exposure to PM2.5, a widespread air pollutant, causes bronchitis, allergies, persistent cough and inflammation of airways. But chronic exposure to these fine particles emitted from vehicles could lead to premature deaths as a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke and lung cancer. According to the IIT study, 2.79 lakh Indians die prematurely because of COPD, 1.1 lakh die of IHD, 88,700 of stroke and 14,800 deaths are caused by lung cancer. Many more die because of indoor air pollution that is caused by the burning of biomass fuels in rural areas, Sagnik Dey, one of its authors, told TOI. The study has been published in "Environment International" journal. BCCL He said only coordinated efforts by all states could prevent such deaths. Dey suggested steps such as curbing vehicle emissions, checking the use of biomass fuels and large-scale plantations to tackle the problem of air pollution. "At present, only 0.06% of the population is breathing safe air as defined by WHO," he said. If India manages to achieve an annual target of 40g/m for PM 2.5, almost 45,000 people can be saved from dying prematurely because of illnesses linked to high levels of pollution, researchers claim. The 2010 Global Burden Diseases report by WHO used a common methodology for all countries, but the IIT experts said they used different parameters for different districts to ensure better results. "Delhi, for example, may be the dirtiest metropolitan area in terms of ambient PM2.5 level, but premature deaths are lower in the city because of better health facilities," said Dey. BCCL On the Delhi government's odd-even initiative, the IIT professor said it was too early to deliver any verdict. "At best, it shows the government intends to do something to reduce pollution. But we will have to wait to see whether it works or not," he added. Those who thought that the militant strike at Pompore near Srinagar in which 8 CRPF jawans were martyred must have shook the nation were in for a rude shock. The family of brave Vir Singh, one of the martyred jawans was denied land for cremation by the upper caste people in Nagla Kewal village of Firozabad district in Uttar Pradesh. TOI If a sacrifice as great as Vir Singh's can't bridge the sickening caste prejudices, we don't know what will. Caste bias is a reality faced by people on a daily basis. Here are some instances of caste prejudice that didn't spare anyone - political and economic rise notwithstanding. 1. Dalit sarpanch beaten for sharing dais with CM. On May 1, the sarpanch of Poochikarguan village in MP's Tikamgarh district was allegedly beaten by upper caste men for sharing dais with CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan. BCCL The incident took place during Gram Uday Se Bharat Uday Abhiyan when sarpanch Alakh Prasad Valmiki was allegedly thrashed along with panchayat secretary Brij Kishore Rai by upper caste men and nodal officer Suresh Ahirwar, who was also attending the function at Poochikarguan village, 100 km from Tikamgarh district headquarter. 2. Dalit sarpanch leaves village with family. AFP In beginning of June this year, the Dalit sarpanch of Kirara village in the Agroha block of Hisar district in Haryana reportedly migrated along with his family following threats from dominant families. Sarpanch Ram Kishan was reportedly getting threats from Sainis, the dominant caste in village after he won the election by defeating candidate fielded by Sainis. The sarpanch along with his family, families of two brothers and parents had taken shelter in his relatives home in Rajasthan after threats. 3. Even the CM wasn't spared. BCCL In September 2014, the then Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi alleged that he had been a victim of caste bias against 'mahadalits', claiming that a temple in Madhubani district was washed and purified soon after his visit a couple of months back. "A deep-rooted bias prevails against mahadalits and those from the down-trodden sections of society... I have myself been a victim of caste bias," said Manjhi. 4. Dalit woman sarpanch not allowed to hoist flag. In July 2014, a dalit woman sarpanch was deprived the honour of hoisting the national flag on Republic Day and the Independence Day at her village in Morena district. In fact she hadn't been hoisting the flag for the last four years. Instead the former sarpanch who belonged to the upper caste would hoist the flag. Badami Devi, sarpanch of Puravas Kalan later staged a protest in Bhopal to fight the upper caste lobby domination in the village. 5. MP beaten for entering temple with Dalits. BCCL In May this year, senior BJP MP Tarun Vijay was beaten by a mob of upper-caste villagers in Uttarakhands Chakrata region and some Dalits for allegedly going into a temple where the entry of backward caste people is prohibited. Rajya Sabha member Tarun Vijay, local Dalit activist Daulat Kunwar and other members of the community were hit with stones while coming out of the Silgur Devta temple in the remote Punah village around 180 kilometres from state capital Dehradun. BCCL 6. Dalit sarpanch beaten by upper caste Maratha. Dalit sarpanch Datta Haribhau Kamble, 48, of Umra village in Parbhani district was beaten by upper caste Maratha after he tried to stopped them from diverting water in their fields from the tank meant for cattle. Kamble was beaten so severely that he had to be hospitalised. 7. IAS officers aren't spared either. BCCL In January this year, Rajasthan's senior IAS officer Umrao Salodia, a 1978 batch officer from Dalit community alleged CM Vasundra Raje government of victimising him on the basis of caste. He alleged that he was denied promotion which would have made him States Chief Secretary. In a letter written to CM Raje, the officer requested her to allow him to take voluntary retirement. In a letter addressed to Ms. Raje, Mr. Salodia wrote: "For the first time after independence of the country, myself, an IAS officer from the SC/ST category would have been appointed today [on Thursday] as Chief Secretary [of Rajasthan] on the basis of seniority." He later reportedly converted to Islam. When 51.3 percent of the Brits voted to leave, Brexit became a reality. The decision led to a massive outpouring of reactions online and elsewhere, with some taking to google to find out the meaning of the EU, while others simply regretting their part in the referendum. But one man, an immigrant of the British origin came up with the most innovative idea. He penned a beautiful post on Facebook asking Britain to forget everything and just come to India - and become her Union Territory. The Brit, who stays in Delhi, has the perfect solution for Britain, "Dear Britain, "Should you have voted to leave the EU by the time I wake up - dont worry - I have a solution that should relieve both remainers and leavers equally. A moment comes, which comes but rarely, when we step from the old to the new.Ive cracked the #Brexit conundrum! "Cameron needs to immediately apply for Britain to become a Union Territory of the Republic of India. Reuters "Whilst historically speaking it seems only right and proper to give India a chance to rule Britain for a few hundred years - it actually makes a lot of sense for the British too! "Worried about jobs? Indias economy is growing 4x faster than Europes and will overtake the entire EUs sometime in the 2030s - becoming twice the size of the EU economy by 2050. "In economic terms alone every young Brit should wish to replace their garish red EU passport with a classy blue Indian one ASAP. Facebook/Nick Booker-Soni "Worried about the future of the NHS? India already provides nearly as many Doctors to the NHS as the EU does - and that doesnt even include those of Indian origin, born or educated, in Britain. 25,055 Indian v 30,082 EU. "Worried about diversity? With over 100 different languages spoken everyday and adherents of every religion - even Britains favourite materialist consumption - there truly is something for everyone here! "Worried about being understood? English is one of India's two official languages - which will be a huge relief for all those have struggled to communicate with their continental neighbours for all these years. "Worried about not being part of something bigger? India has more than twice the population of the EU. Half of which are under 35, so the bonus is no more worries about an ageing population! clarkuthingsthatmatter.wordpress.com "Worried about where to go on holiday? The Himalayas are nearly three times the height of the Alps and thousands of miles longer - there are more sandy beaches along Indias coastline than all the Costas you can dream of - and India has tropical rainforests and even a desert too! Plenty of visa free inter-railing adventures as well on the worlds largest railway network. "Worried about not being ruled by an unlected bureaucracy in a far away land? Weve got that covered as well! Nowhere on the planet has perfected the shuffling of paper and writing of rules better than New Delhi - whats more Indias civil servants salaries are more than 10x lower than Brussels. Talk about getting more for less! The Indian Express "British MPs, the whole of Whitehall and even the Royal Family (subject to the return of the Kohinoor) can all be pensioned off at the fast expanding and internationally renowned Best Exotic Marigold Hotel chain in Jaipur. "Which would free up the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and much of Central London to become a permanent Bollywood film set. With more viewers than Hollywood this is sure to help keep Londons tourist economy going - which within a decade or two will be mostly Indians in any case. "Embrace the 21st Century. Swap Brussels for Delhi. Say Goodbye to Little Europe and Namaste to Incredible India! Yours in waiting, An Immigrant of British Origin, New Delhi, India" You can read his entire post here. With Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal waging a twitter war against BJP and PM Narendra Modi in particular, the episodes like Lieutenant Governor (LG) not clearing orders passed by AAP government, and latest arrest of AAP legislator Dinesh Mohaniya are further intensifying the war of words between the two parties. Turning up the heat against the BJP-led Centre and LG after the arrest of its legislator Dinesh Mohaniya, AAP on Monday said the BJP or the L-G keep filing FIRs against AAP leaders - not one but 100 as it is in their control - they will keep challenging them, be it the issue of the murder of NDMC official MM Khan, who was shot dead in Jamia Nagar last month, or institutional killing of University of Hyderabads research scholar Rohit Vemula. Khan was gunned down outside his residence a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on the lease terms of a hotel which was functioning on a property leased out by the civic body. We will keep giving them a tough time, AAP spokesperson Deepak Bajpai told Indiatimes adding that following the dissemination of Congress, the AAP has become the real challenge for the BJP and therefore, we are being targeted. They are disturbed with the way we are gaining ground in Punjab, Goa, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Odisha. We want them (the BJP of the L-G) to register a case against all our MLAs and send them behind bars so that they can be exposed more. We prepared ourselves for such a situation the day we entered politics to weed out corruption from the system, he added referring to the arrest of AAP legislator Dinesh Mohaniya. He alleged the Delhi Police acted so swiftly on false charges of molestation and misbehaviour levelled by non-other than BJP workers against Mohaniya that he was dragged from press conference and arrested, but BJP MLA OP Sharma and lawyers who beat up students, journalists and activists in and outside Patiala House court premise in the court premises in front of media and cameras go scot free. It exposes the police and its political masters, not us. Had any leader of the AAP, said Bajpai, written any such letter as shot off by Mahesh Girri, BJP MP from East Delhi, he or she would have been hanged so far. BJP MP from East Delhi Mahesh Girri had forwarded a letter written by hotelier Ramesh Kakkar, main accused in Khan's murder case, to the L-G which asked for removal of Khan. The L-G then forwarded the letter to the NDMC chairman on the reference of Girri. The lawmaker allegedly accompanied Ramesh Kakkar, main accused in Khan's murder case, to the office of the L-G in connection with the latters hotel lease which was to be decided by Khan. AFP Intensifying the battle, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had tweeted that L-G Najeeb Jung will register an FIR against his deputy Manish Sisodia over some fictitious advertisement scam. Sources - LG getting FIR registered in ACB against Manish Sisodia on some fictitious ad scam. We welcome LG to do that, Kejriwal said in a tweet. Rubbishing the above allegations, the Delhi unit of the BJP said the entire drama staged by the AAP in connection with MM Khan murder case is an attempt to divert attention from water tanker scam. Delhi Police is one of the best and professional police in the country. They (AAP leaders) should first make it clear that if they doubt the competence or fairness of the city police. I guess they would not have any doubt on the competence of the Delhi Police, they doubt its credibility. If this is the case, they should either immediately approach the High Court or pass a resolution in the Assembly for a CBI enquiry into the case the Khans murder case." 'Khans family does not want to go to the HC and the Centre is satisfied with the police investigation. If the AAP is not satisfied with the ongoing investigation and wants the CBI to probe the case, it can bring a resolution in the Assembly and get it passed, Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay told Indiatimes adding that the AAP stands for allegation, agitation and propaganda. He alleged that Kejriwal suppressed for around a year the report of a fact-finding team that probed the alleged irregularities in hiring some 385 stainless steel water tankers by the Delhi Jal Board in 2012 during the tenure of the Congress government headed by Shiela Dikshit. After assuming the office, why did Mr Kejriwal not cancel the license of the company involved in the scam and file and FIR against it? Water Minister Kapil Mishra gave report of the fact-finding committee to Kejriwal, but why there was a delay in sending the report to the L-G and no FIR was registered? Why payments to the private company were carried on for 17 months, instead of cancelling it? he asked. He alleged instead of cancelling tenders issued by the previous government, the AAP government chose to continue with the wrongdoers, thereby perpetuating the crime. The fact-finding report had indicated the Congress government had consistently bypassed laws and rules to cause loss to the DJB while awarding tenders at unjustified and much higher rates. Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra Monday had informed the assembly that he had forwarded the report on the alleged DJB water tanker scam to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the L-G on June 12, asking them to initiate a CBI probe and file an FIR against former chief minister Sheila Dikshit and others. Mishra had said the report included details of persons involved in the alleged scam to the tune of Rs 400 crore. I level an allegation that the commission Mrs Dikshit was taking from the tanker company, the same is being taken by Kejriwal as well and therefore, there is no action, he said, asking AAP to give specific answers to his questions. BCCL Meanwhile, BJP Mahila Morcha workers today staged a protest near the residence of AAP legislator Dinesh Mohaniya who is in jail under charges of molestation and misbehaviour with women in his constituency. The protesters led by Mehrauli district Mahila Morcha president Santosh Goel raised slogans against the Sangam Vihar legislator who was arrested by police yesterday. TOI The protesters were stopped at a police barricade as they tried to reach the residence of Mr Mohaniya. Earlier, 52 legislators of ruling AAP today created high drama in New Delhi as they marched to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's residence to surrender before him but they were detained. The legislators were detained for violating prohibitory orders around the 7 Race Course Road, a high security area. Later they were released. At least 50 clerics have issued a fatwa (religious decree) this Sunday stating that Pakistan has legalised marriage with a transgender person. takepart Clerics affiliated with Tanzeem Ittehad-i-Ummat that said that transgender person with visible signs of being a male can marry a woman or a transgender with visible signs of being a female and vice versa, Dawn reported. However, a transgender person with visible signs of both genders can not marry anyone. Transgender inheritance vice Further, the fatwa addressed robbing transgender people of their share in inheritance, making it unlawful - parents deprive their transgender sons/daughters of inheritance were inviting the wrath of God. The clerics called upon the government to take action against such parents. To make the fatwa socially acceptable, the clerics then termed "haram" (against the word of God) any act intended to humiliate, insult or tease them. Even last rites ceremonies for transgenders would be the same as for any other Muslim man or woman. JACKSON, Wyo. Farms don't happen overnight. Nate Ray and his wife, Ginny Robbins, spent years building their goat cheese farm, Winter Winds Farm near Victor, Idaho, from scratch. Five years ago the couple officially started the farm. They had only four goats, made their cheese in their kitchen and sold it at the Jackson Hole Farmers Market on Town Square. Ray worked nights as a head chef first at Local Restaurant and Bar, then at Trio An American Bistro while he saved money to build his farm. Today the farm has a stand-alone, cheese-making facility with a stainless-steel refrigeration tank, a large vat in a cheese-making room, milking stands for 23 goats and a cheese cave next to pens that house 50 goats. It's safe to say the business is off the ground. "It's hard to start a farm overnight," Ray said. "Since I kind of built this paycheck to paycheck and did a lot of the work myself, it feels great to be set up and actually doing what I've been trying to get to for years, making cheese and producing, instead of just the construction and building phase." He milks the goats twice a day, every day. The milk is stored in a bulk tank, and every three days Ray makes one of his varieties of cheese. There's chevre, a soft, fresh variety with a mild flavor; chevre smoked with applewood; tomme, a semi-hard alpine-style cheese; and crottin, a surface-ripened cheese like brie with a rich, tangy flavor. The soft cheeses must be pasteurized, and the harder cheeses like the tomme must be aged for at least 60 days. While he's making the cheeses he adds bacteria to the vat, which gives the cheese its flavor and hinders bad bacteria, and yeast, which adds flavor and creates a rind. That whole time he's turning the milk into curds and whey, and depending on which cheese he's making that day the curd will differ. The bigger the curd the softer the cheese is, and the smaller the curd the harder the cheese. The curd is separated and pushed into molds, flipped and, eventually, placed in the cheese cave, a cool, dark, humid room where the cheese ages. Refined taste Ray is the only employee, besides his wife helping out with the animals when she's not at her full-time job at Intermountain Aquatics, a habitat restoration company. Ray may not be working in a kitchen anymore, but he's still a chef at heart, and he uses that mindset to help him make his cheese. "I have a good palate, so I know what a good cheese tastes like," he said. "I know what I'm looking for, I know what kind of final product I'm trying to get. I've seen a lot of cheese and tasted a lot of cheese working in kitchens. But it also comes down to I'm still just making a food product. Basically it's all the same, just a little different scale, different medium." Ray aims to make a new variety each season and get the recipe down. He is trying his hand at making goat cheese Gouda this year. "Since I'm using goat milk it's going to be different than the same cheese from cow's milk, so I have to use different amounts of rennin, different culture, until I get on the right track," Ray said. It's all an experiment, but he has to wait two months to try the Gouda to even see if it will turn out right due to the aging process. "You don't really get instant gratification," Ray said. "In the restaurant, 10 minutes later you can have something great, whereas cheese making, it takes a lot more time." 'Small producer' Last year he produced 1,500 pounds of cheese. In comparison the state of Wisconsin made 3 billion pounds of cheese in 2015. Winter Winds Farm will be producing more and more every year because its facilities can accommodate 100 goats, twice as many as it has now. "Needless to say, I'm a small producer," Ray said. While cheese-making brings out the culinary side of Ray, he also has to care for the goats, more of a challenge for him. "Animal husbandry is frustrating and rewarding and easy and hard all at the same time," he said. "There's always something." The goats are fed twice a day, and the kids are bottle-fed twice a day until they can eat solid food. Then there's also hoof trimming, coat brushing and baby-sitting goats that get sick. During the spring the goats are also giving birth; this year 40 kids were born. "I definitely learn something new every day," Ray said. His background in the kitchen, and science, help him along the way. Charting every little detail, Ray keeps meticulous notes so he can look back on batches that turned out well (or badly) and what little variations occurred: how much bacteria and rennet he added, the temperature levels, when the whey was stirred, when it was drained, when it was put in the molds all the way until it's set in the brine, for tomme. "This math is easy," Ray said. "It's knowing what's happening with the bacteria, because you change the temperature or you change the amount of time the curd is in the whey and the bacteria is growing. It's more a chemistry." Hooked Ray originally went to Western Michigan University following in his father's footsteps as an engineer, but he decided to switch gears and go to community college for culinary school. The first few times Ray made cheese he was working in New England restaurants, making mozzarella and ricotta. He was hooked. He visited a few goat cheese farms in Vermont and saw the facilities and how everything was done. He decided to move to Oregon to work at Juniper Grove Farm, a goat cheese farm. He worked at the farm for two years. It is no longer in business because the owner retired after 30 years. "I learned how to raise animals, make cheese and how to run a business," Ray said. He and his wife made the move to the Tetons in 2009. After working in a kitchen for so long he knew he wanted to own his own business. "We were going to start a bowling alley, but that seemed more expensive," he said. So they bought 8 acres between Victor and Driggs on the north end of a field. The property holds the cheese-making facility, their quaint home, three goat pens and barns, all built by the couple and their family. "We can do all the things we love right from our house," Ray said. "I don't have to travel on vacation to do the things I like. I can do them right from my doorstep. "I don't always feel bad that I can't leave the house because I can go mountain biking from here, spend the day boating, ski every day." His cheese can be found during the summers at the Teton Valley Farmers Market in Driggs, the Jackson Hole People's Market and the Jackson Hole Farmers Market. You can also find his cheese in the Aspens Market, Local Butcher, Pearl Street Market. In Idaho it's at Victor Valley Market and Driggs' Barrels and Bins. The cheeses are also used at the restaurants Trio and Local. Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. Why The British Said No To Europe By John Pilger June 26, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - The majority vote by Britons to leave the European Union was an act of raw democracy. Millions of ordinary people refused to be bullied, intimidated and dismissed with open contempt by their presumed betters in the major parties, the leaders of the business and banking oligarchy and the media. This was, in great part, a vote by those angered and demoralised by the sheer arrogance of the apologists for the "remain" campaign and the dismemberment of a socially just civil life in Britain. The last bastion of the historic reforms of 1945, the National Health Service, has been so subverted by Tory and Labour-supported privateers it is fighting for its life. A forewarning came when the Treasurer, George Osborne, the embodiment of both Britain's ancient regime and the banking mafia in Europe, threatened to cut 30 billion from public services if people voted the wrong way; it was blackmail on a shocking scale. Immigration was exploited in the campaign with consummate cynicism, not only by populist politicians from the lunar right, but by Labour politicians drawing on their own venerable tradition of promoting and nurturing racism, a symptom of corruption not at the bottom but at the top. The reason millions of refugees have fled the Middle East - irst Iraq, now Syria - are the invasions and imperial mayhem of Britain, the United States, France, the European Union and Nato. Before that, there was the wilful destruction of Yugoslavia. Before that, there was the theft of Palestine and the imposition of Israel. The pith helmets may have long gone, but the blood has never dried. A nineteenth century contempt for countries and peoples, depending on their degree of colonial usefulness, remains a centrepiece of modern "globalisation", with its perverse socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor: its freedom for capital and denial of freedom to labour; its perfidious politicians and politicised civil servants. All this has now come home to Europe, enriching the likes of Tony Blair and impoverishing and disempowering millions. On 23 June, the British said no more. The most effective propagandists of the "European ideal" have not been the far right, but an insufferably patrician class for whom metropolitan London is the United Kingdom. Its leading members see themselves as liberal, enlightened, cultivated tribunes of the 21st century zeitgeist, even "cool". What they really are is a bourgeoisie with insatiable consumerist tastes and ancient instincts of their own superiority. In their house paper, the Guardian, they have gloated, day after day, at those who would even consider the EU profoundly undemocratic, a source of social injustice and a virulent extremism known as "neoliberalism". The aim of this extremism is to install a permanent, capitalist theocracy that ensures a two-thirds society, with the majority divided and indebted, managed by a corporate class, and a permanent working poor. In Britain today, 63 per cent of poor children grow up in families where one member is working. For them, the trap has closed. More than 600,000 residents of Britain's second city, Greater Manchester, are, reports a study, "experiencing the effects of extreme poverty" and 1.6 million are slipping into penury. Little of this social catastrophe is acknowledged in the bourgeois controlled media, notably the Oxbridge dominated BBC. During the referendum campaign, almost no insightful analysis was allowed to intrude upon the cliched hysteria about "leaving Europe", as if Britain was about to be towed in hostile currents somewhere north of Iceland. On the morning after the vote, a BBC radio reporter welcomed politicians to his studio as old chums. "Well," he said to "Lord" Peter Mandelson, the disgraced architect of Blairism, "why do these people want it so badly?" The "these people" are the majority of Britons. The wealthy war criminal Tony Blair remains a hero of the Mandelson "European" class, though few will say so these days. The Guardian once described Blair as "mystical" and has been true to his "project" of rapacious war. The day after the vote, the columnist Martin Kettle offered a Brechtian solution to the misuse of democracy by the masses. "Now surely we can agree referendums are bad for Britain", said the headline over his full-page piece. The "we" was unexplained but understood - just as "these people" is understood. "The referendum has conferred less legitimacy on politics, not more," wrote Kettle. " ... the verdict on referendums should be a ruthless one. Never again." The kind of ruthlessness Kettle longs for is found in Greece, a country now airbrushed. There, they had a referendum and the result was ignored. Like the Labour Party in Britain, the leaders of the Syriza government in Athens are the products of an affluent, highly privileged, educated middle class, groomed in the fakery and political treachery of post-modernism. The Greek people courageously used the referendum to demand their government sought "better terms" with a venal status quo in Brussels that was crushing the life out of their country. They were betrayed, as the British would have been betrayed. On Friday, the Labour Party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, was asked by the BBC if he would pay tribute to the departed Cameron, his comrade in the "remain" campaign. Corbyn fulsomely praised Cameron's "dignity" and noted his backing for gay marriage and his apology to the Irish families of the dead of Bloody Sunday. He said nothing about Cameron's divisiveness, his brutal austerity policies, his lies about "protecting" the Health Service. Neither did he remind people of the war mongering of the Cameron government: the dispatch of British special forces to Libya and British bomb aimers to Saudi Arabia and, above all, the beckoning of world war three. In the week of the referendum vote, no British politician and, to my knowledge, no journalist referred to Vladimir Putin's speech in St. Petersburg commemorating the seventy-fifth anniversary of Nazi Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union on 22 June, 1941. The Soviet victory - at a cost of 27 million Soviet lives and the majority of all German forces - won the Second World War. Putin likened the current frenzied build up of Nato troops and war material on Russia's western borders to the Third Reich's Operation Barbarossa. Nato's exercises in Poland were the biggest since the Nazi invasion; Operation Anaconda had simulated an attack on Russia, presumably with nuclear weapons. On the eve of the referendum, the quisling secretary-general of Nato, Jens Stoltenberg, warned Britons they would be endangering "peace and security" if they voted to leave the EU. The millions who ignored him and Cameron, Osborne, Corbyn, Obama and the man who runs the Bank of England may, just may, have struck a blow for real peace and democracy in Europe. Follow John Pilger on twitter @johnpilger and on Facebook Revolts of the Debtors: From Socrates to Ibn Khaldun By Michael Hudson June 26, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Counterpunch " - Last week I attended a wonderful conference in the university town of Tubingen, Germany, on Debt: The First 3500 Years, to bring ancient historians together to discuss David Graebers book Debt: The First 5000 Years. I was enlightened by two papers in particular. Doctoral fellow Moritz Hinsch from Berlin collected what Socrates (470-399 BC) and other Athenians wrote about debt, and the conferences organizer, Prof. John Weisweiler, presented the new view of late imperial Rome as being still a long way from outright serfdom. The 99 Percent were squeezed, but the economy grew in a way that concentrated growth in the hands of the One Percent. In due course this bred popular resentment that spread in the form of debtor revolts, not only in the Roman Empire but that of Iran as well, leading to religious reforms to limit the charging of interest and self-indulgent greed in general. I had not been in Tubingen since 1959, and it was my first chance to meet with David Graeber since he moved to England to teach at the London School of Economics after being hounded out of his apartment in New York City in the wake of the police and FBI crackdown against Occupy Wall Street. Our mutual German publisher, Klett-Cotta, sent its senior editor from nearby Stuttgart to discuss their German translation of my Killing the Host, to appear in November, as Der Sektor: Warum die Globale Finanzwirtschaft uns Zerstort. Socrates views on whether bad debts should be paid In Book I of Platos Republic (380 BC), Socrates discusses the morality of repaying debts. Cephalus, a businessman living in the commercial Piraeus district, states the typical ethic that it is fair and just to pay back what one has borrowed or received.[1] Socrates replies that it would not be just to return weapons to a man who has turned into a lunatic. Because of the consequences, paying back the debt would be the wrong thing to do. At issue is not the micro-economic morality of paying a debt, but how this act affects society. If a madman is intent on murder, returning his weapon to him will enable him to commit unjust acts. The morality of paying back all debts is not necessarily justice. We need to take the overall consequences into account. A similar logic may apply to todays debate over whether Greece should pay back the IMF and European Central Bank (ECB) for the money that they have provided since 2010 to save bondholders from losses on loans (largely by French and German banks). The terms oblige the Greek government to pay in full instead of writing down debts to reflect the actual ability to pay. The IMF staff calculated repeatedly that Greece had no way of paying off these debts, so the IMF violated its own articles of agreement (and its No More Argentinas rule) that it should not lend to countries which, in the judgment of its research staff, have no foreseeable means to pay.[2] IMF board members also protested to the bondholder bailout all to no avail. The morality of paying off the IMF and ECB is analogous to paying off the madman discussed by Socrates. At issue is what should be saved: wealthy creditors from loss (and the morality that all debts should be paid), or the overall economy from unemployment and misery leading to emigration, worse health and shorter lifespans. They have used their debt leverage to demand that Greece impose austerity, increase unemployment (now running at an enormous 25 percent for IV-2015 I-2016), scale back pensions to retirees, and privatize public infrastructure to pay creditors while running a budget surplus to suck even more money out of the economy. When the Greek people voted in 2015 to reject these demands, the ECB and European Union insisted that referendums didnt matter. Shifting economic policy from voters to bankers already had led Frank Schirrmacher to write an article in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Democracy is Junk. What really is at issue is the selfish and abusive behavior of creditors. Later in the Republic (Book VIII, 555d-556b), Socrates talks with Glaucon, pointing to the negligence and encouragement of licentiousness in oligarchies. Their greed, Socrates explains, inserts the parasitic sting of their money into any of the remainder who do not resist. The effect is to burden many Athenians with debt, to suffer foreclosure on their land and disenfranchisement, fostering the drone and pauper element in the state. This leaves the people (the demos) to conspire against the acquirers of their estates and the rest of the citizens, and be eager for revolution. The way to quench this disaster in the making, Socrates suggests, is to enact a law prohibiting a man from doing as he likes with his own, or in this way, by a second law that does away with such abuses. What law? asks Glaucon. The law that is next best commanding that most voluntary contracts should be at the contractors risk. The pursuit of wealth would be less shameless in the state and fewer of the evils of which we spoke just now would grow up there. This obligation of creditors to share in the risk of non-payment is precisely what the IMF staff and other critics of the European Central Banks pro-creditor line are now belatedly insisting. It is the principle that American bank reformers urged after the 2008 crash: Banks that made junk mortgage loans beyond the ability of debtors to pay should have their reckless and often fraudulent liars loans downsized to reflect reasonable rental values and real estate prices instead of being allowed to foreclose and push the U.S. economy into debt deflation. Concentration of wealth by Romes One Percent leads debtors to revolt Roman emperors sponsored a market economy that aimed at producing a fiscal surplus, which was used largely to pay mercenaries. Wealth and political power were concentrated in the imperial bureaucracy, army leaders, and their suppliers and provisioners. The tax reform of Diocletian (ruled 284-305), enacted in 297, taxed the hitherto exempt wealthy landowners as well as the rest of the economy. His successor, Constantine (ruled 306-337), enacted a monetary reform in the 310s, basing the military-fiscal state on the gold solidus. The effect was monetary deflation. Like the gold standard of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Prof. Weisweiler explained in his paper on the Late Roman economy, the introduction of the solidus was a golden age for capital-owners but a dark period for lower strata of the population. Yet Medium-sized farms survived without being reduced to serfdom, and wage labor was available for hire at harvest time. The proportion of Italys population enslaved is now deemed to have been around 15 percent. There were no slave revolts, but debtors rebelled or defected to invaders, as they had done earlier in antiquity. Prof. Weisweiler described how, when a Gothic army defeated that of Rome at Adrianople (eastern Turkey) in 378, local guides brought the victors to the villas of great landowners, who were then plundered by a coalition of Gothic soldiers and local residents. When in 408 the Romano-Gothic military leader Alaric for the first time besieged the city of Rome, his forces were swollen by many debtors who left the imperial capital to join his army. Richard Payne of the University of Chicago gave a paper explaining how peasant revolts against Persias Sasanian rulers a century later sought to restore an egalitarian Zoroastrian order as a protest against the extreme polarization that widened the gap between luxury and poverty. The new morality of economic balance rejected silk garments, silver wine vessels and other status symbols of the elites. Interest was condemned, as it had been under Christianity and would be under Islam. All religious urged mutual aid and warned about abusive wealth-seeking by the elites. What occurred culturally was a revulsion against luxury and hubris a Greek word that connoted not only arrogance, but arrogance that took the form of injuring others. Ideology and antiquity Creditors were the typical class singled out as oppressive and destructive of society. Their self-centered wealth addiction was seen as stripping society to serve their own compulsive drives. It was to praise moderation and even to prefer a poverty of equality to indulgence in luxury that Christianity, Islam and other religious movements of the early first millennium AD took root. By the 14th century the great Tunisian Islamic philosopher of history, Ibn Khaldun, described societies gaining prosperity through group feeling, only to lose it within about 120 years as the ruling dynasty succumbed to self-indulgence and greed paving the way for their land to be conquered from without or taken over from within. My own paper for the conference described how Ibn Khalduns rise and fall view of history in The Muqaddimah was echoed in Giambatisto Vicos The New Science (1725), and later by the French and Scottish Enlightenment by writers such as Adam Ferguson, who endorsed Montesquieus statement in Spirit of the Laws (1748): Man is born in society, and there he remains. To survive, people need to cooperate in a system of mutual aid. Man is, by nature, the member of a community; and when considered in this capacity, the individual appears to be no longer made for himself. He must forego his happiness and his freedom, where these interfere with the good of society. [3] All this teaches the opposite of todays two guiding economic premises: Greed is good, and There is no such thing as society. Economics used to be called moral philosophy, but it has succumbed to individualistic extremism. Homo economicus has replaced zoon politikon. Debts are supposed to be paid without concern for how this impoverishes the economy. It was to resist personal gain-seeking at the expense of the body politic and group solidarity that the worlds major philosophies and religions for the past two thousand years urged self-control, generosity, care for the weak and poor, and rules to limit the luxurious self-indulgence and anti-social egotism it bred in ruling elites. Excluding this intellectual legacy from the curriculum has paved the way for inverting todays moral attitude upholding creditor claims against the rest of society. It should not be surprising that modern financial elites are fighting back against democratic moves to limit their wealth, adopt progressive taxation, write down debts by bankruptcy reform, and shift control of government away from landed aristocracies and banking centers. These vested interests are behaving exactly as Ibn Khaldun described the terminal decadent generation of dynasties as acting with anti-social selfishness. Ferguson described how prosperity lay the groundwork for undermining the commercial stage: man is sometimes found a detached and a solitary being: he has found an object which sets him in competition with his fellow creatures, and he deals with them as he does with his cattle and his soil, for the sake of the profits they bring. The mighty engine which we suppose to have formed society, only tends to set its members at variance, or to continue their intercourse after the bonds of affection are broken. [4] The financial takeover of government is not new. Ibn Khaldun described how what today is called the deep state (often run by foreigners or other interlopers) gains control of dynasties. Lacking traditional royal authority, they must work outside or behind the scene of politics, as finance does today: In gaining control, he does not plan to appropriate royal authority for himself openly, but only to appropriate its fruits, that is, the exercise of administrative, executive, and all other power. He gives the people of the dynasty the impression that he merely acts for the ruler and executes the latters decisions from behind the curtain. He carefully refrains from using the attributes, emblems, or titles of royal authority. He avoids throwing any suspicion upon himself in this respect, even though he exercises full control. He disguises his exercise of control under the form of acting as the rulers representative. [5] Todays Treasury Secretaries, central bank heads, IMF economists and client academics serve the worlds cosmopolitan financial ideology that money and credit, debt and taxes are purely technocratic, and hence beyond the sphere of voters or the politicians they elect to interfere with. We are back with the Thatcherite financial Taliban (the Arab word for students): There Is No Alternative. That is the protective myth that elites have wrapped around themselves and their privileges from time immemorial. To succeed, it must erase knowledge of history and live in a highly censored present in which the financial class takes the land, public infrastructure and government into its own hands. It has all happened before and so have revolts by debtors and other exploited victims of such economism. Notes. [1] Plato, Republic, 331c-d. The term for justice is dikaiosyne, meaning right behavior, from dike, cognate to dexterous. I am indebted to Moritz Hinsch of Berlin for drawing my attention to this passage in his paper on Private Debts in Classical Greece, delivered to the international conference on Debt: The First 3500 Years in Tubingen, Germany, June 11, 2016. [2] I review the IMF staff protests and Board complaints about the Greek loan in Killing the Host (2015), pp. 303-306, 310, 319f. and 335f. [3] Adam Ferguson, Essay on the History of Civil Society [1767], 8th ed. (1819), Section IX: Of National Felicity, p. 105. He adds (pp. 4f.): both the earliest and the latest accounts collected from every quarter of the earth, represent mankind as assembled in troops and companies; and the individual always joined by affection to one party, while he is possibly opposed to another. [4] Ferguson, History of Civil Society, p. 34. [5] Ibn Khaldun, Muqaddimah, : An Introduction to History [1377] translated by Franz Rosenthal (Princeton, 1967 [first ed. 1958]), pp. 377-79. Michael Hudsons new book, Killing the Host is published in e-format by CounterPunch Books and in print by Islet. He can be reached via his website, mh@michael-hudson.com Intel Vets Call Dissent Memo on Syria Reckless June 26, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Consortium News " - A group of U.S. intelligence veterans urges President Obama to resist the reckless call for a wider Syrian war from 51 State Department officials in a recent dissent memo. MEMORANDUM FOR: Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs FROM: Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity Subject: Beware Foggy Bottom Dissent Dissent and disagreement within the foreign policy and national security bureaucracy only comes to the publics attention when there are deep and fundamental differences of opinion about the execution and objectives of a U.S. policy. Instances of dissent emerged during the war in Vietnam and have reappeared periodically, e.g., during the Contra War in Central America in the 1980s and the Cold War with the Soviets. We can now add Syria to this list. The latest media buzz came with the leak that 51 State Department Diplomats signed a dissent letter advocating direct U.S. bombing as a tool to force Syria into submission to our governments dictates. U.S. Foreign Service Officers are a unique collection of highly educated people, who take great pride in having passed the Foreign Service Exam. Yet even among such bright people, some succumb to the forces of careerism and the pressures to politicize intelligence. Unfortunately the dissent signers are calling for America to threaten, and if our bluff is called, commit acts of overt, aggressive war against the forces of a sovereign nation on its own territory. One whose supporters include Russia, the worlds other big nuclear power. The line of thought that it is Americas right and duty to employ large-scale death to enforce its leaders will on other peoples adheres to the noxious notion that the U.S.A. enjoys uniquely privileged standing as the sole indispensable country in the world. If this was ever an arguably legitimate position, that time is long gone and today demonstrably blinds its adherents to common sense. Such thinking is not new. Theodore Roosevelt popularized it as we went to war to annex Spanish territories in the Philippines and Caribbean at the cost of over half a million indigenous lives more than a century ago. We saw it, in spades, with the Best and the Brightest those responsible for destroying Vietnam. Three million Vietnamese people died in that war (according to former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara), and another two million or so in its Indochina spin-offs. After this slaughter and the deaths of scores of thousands of its own troops, the U.S. endured a complete and humiliating defeat, one affecting its foreign policy and domestic politics to this day. Their bright successors supported the attack on Iraq in 2003, the catalyst for an outbreak of violence that has brought death reaching into the millions again in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia and other neighboring locales well eventually read about. This aggression has created millions more traumatized refugees. The memo, a draft of which was provided to The New York Times (and Wall Street Journal), presumably by one of the State Department employees who authored it, claims American policy has been overwhelmed by the unrelenting violence in Syria and calls for a judicious use of stand-off and air weapons, which would undergird and drive a more focused and hard-nosed U.S.-led diplomatic process. Furthermore, per the NYT: In the memo, the State Department officials wrote that the Assad governments continuing violations of the partial cease-fire, officially known as a cessation of hostilities, will doom efforts to broker a political settlement because Mr. Assad will feel no pressure to negotiate with the moderate opposition or other factions fighting him. The governments barrel bombing of civilians, it said, is the root cause of the instability that continues to grip Syria and the broader region. The memo acknowledged that military action would have risks, not the least of which would be increased tension with Russia, which intervened in the war on Mr. Assads behalf last fall. Russia subsequently helped negotiate the cease-fire. Those tensions increased on Thursday when, according to a senior Pentagon official, Russia conducted airstrikes in southern Syria against American-backed forces fighting the Islamic State. The dissenters were smart enough to insist they were not advocating for a slippery slope that ends in a military confrontation with Russia, but rather a credible threat of military action to keep Mr. Assad in line. Easier said than done! The 51 are silent on this point of major importance. The foundational premise of their dissent is that Assads barrel bombing (followed by chemical attacks) on civilians provoked civil war in Syria. Its true that the initial phase of the Syrian Spring seems to have been largely spontaneous. Facts show, however, that outside interveners primarily the United States, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Israel and Saudi Arabia cooperated in lighting the match that brought the inferno of civil war. Covert funding and provision of weapons and other material support to opposition groups for strikes against the Syrian Government provoked a military reaction by Assad which created a pretext for our enlarged support to the rebel groups. A large body of evidence also suggests that it was the U.S.-backed rebel forces that employed chemical weapons on civilians, and then blamed Assad, in a propaganda effort to advance international public support for overt American intervention. U.S. actions against Syria have been widely perceived to be part of a broader proxy battle with Iran, being pursued to push back against its expanded influence in the Middle East. But Irans emergence as a regional power was not the result of a magical event. It was a direct consequence of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and our subsequent decision to eradicate every vestige of the Baathist party and to install Iraqi Shia leaders with close ties to Iran in the positions of leadership. We have thus helped start a war and then have the audacity to pretend to be shocked at the consequences of our own action. The State Department dissenters were not the first to land a blow in this new PR battle over the course of U.S. policy in Syria. The Department of Defense and CIA appear to have entered the fray two weeks ago. According to a report in The Daily Beast, DOD and CIA are in a cat fight. Two Department of Defense officials told that media outlet that they are not eager to support rebels fighting in the city of Aleppo because they are believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda in Syria, or Jabhat al Nusra. The CIA, which supports those rebel groups, rejects that claim, saying alliances of convenience in the face of a mounting Russian-led offensive have created marriages of battlefield necessity, not ideology. It is a strange thing that DOD hall chatter mimics Russian propaganda, one U.S. official, who supports the intelligence community position, wryly noted about Pentagon claims that the opposition and Nusra are one in the same. The intelligence community, which backed opposition forces in Aleppo, believes ISIS cannot be defeated as long as Assad is in power. The terror group, they say, thrives in unstable territories. And only local forces like the ones backed by the CIA can mitigate that threat. The status of the opposition is resilient in the face of horrendous attacks by the Syrian and Russian forces, a U.S. intelligence official explained to The Daily Beast. The defeat of Assad is a necessary precondition to ultimately defeat [ISIS]. As long as there is a failed leader in Damascus and a failed state in Syria, [ISIS] will have a place to operate from. You cant deal with ISIS if you have a failed state, the U.S. official observed. This unnamed official conveniently ignores the fact that the U.S. is working aggressively to facilitate Syrias failure. We are astonished. After 15 years of strident rhetoric about waging a war on Al Qaeda, we have now come full circle to witness the CIA and a vocal bloc within the State Department advocate to arm and train an Al Qaeda affiliated group. Its impossible to know whether or not the eruption of this dispute is a slap to the face of President Obama simply because the President appeared to support the overthrow of Assad but then backed away from the precipice of militarily taking him out. The influence of Saudi Arabia in helping push and promote regime change in Syria cannot be underestimated. The Saudis also have reportedly funneled significant money into key sectors of the U.S. foreign policy establishment and, it would appear, have obtained considerable influence over our national security policy. More evidence is coming to light that the Saudis have given significant amounts to the Clinton Foundation. A recent report on the Petra News Agency site (which was subsequently taken down and claimed to have been a hack) raises some important concerns. On Sunday a report appeared on that website that included what were described as exclusive comments from Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The comments included a claim that Riyadh has provided 20 percent of the total funding to the prospective Democratic candidates campaign. Although the report did not remain on the website for long, the Washington-based Institute for Gulf Affairs later re-published an Arabic version of it, which quoted Prince Mohammed as having said Saudi Arabia had provided with full enthusiasm an undisclosed amount of money to Clinton. In light of Hillary Clintons strong advocacy for imposing a No Fly Zone in Syria, which would put us on track for stepped up intervention in Syria and a military confrontation with the Russians, it is natural to wonder if Saudi donations had any influence over the direction of U.S. policy in Syria and support for rebel groups? In sum, the latest memo from the 51 State Department officers is just one more alarming indication of disarray and failure within the U.S. foreign policy establishment. Notably, most of their children and grandchildren will not be in the military ranks of those called on to fight this war. They are too smart and too valuable to engage in such ridiculous endeavors. So something called a Volunteer Army was assembled, populated by volunteers mostly from the inner-cities and the small towns of our country, where jobs and education are elusive. This almost unprecedented dissent letter from 51 emboldened State Department hawks is an alarming new sign of the reckless direction that well-organized elements of the U.S. foreign policy establishment seek to take us. Thus, we appeal to you, as Assistant to the President for National Security, to help President Barack Obama stand firm against such institutional destructiveness and to sort out the disarray and bureaucratic contention among his Team of Rivals. If the 51 are sincere in their advocacy of a lets-try-some-more-of-the-same-but-tougher policy, we would expect them to welcome the personal risks involved in being sent off to bash Bashar with standoff or closer-quarter weapons. This could provide them initially with a sense of affirmation then later, an education. (Also see earlier remarks by individual VIPS members: by Ann Wright, here , by Elizabeth Murray and Ray McGovern here ; by Philip Giraldi, here .) For the Steering Group, Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity (VIPS) William Binney, former Technical Director, World Geopolitical & Military Analysis, NSA; co-founder, SIGINT Automation Research Center (ret.) Philip Giraldi, CIA, Operations Officer (ret.) Matthew Hoh, former Capt., USMC, Iraq & Foreign Service Officer, Afghanistan (associate VIPS) Larry Johnson, CIA & State Department (ret.) Michael S. Kearns, Intelligence Officer, USAF (ret.); former Master SERE Instructor. John Kiriakou, Former CIA Counterterrorism Officer and former Senior Investigator, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Karen Kwiatkowski, former Lt. Col., US Air Force (ret.), at Office of Secretary of Defense watching the manufacture of lies on Iraq, 2001-2003 Edward Loomis, NSA, Cryptologic Computer Scientist (ret.) David MacMichael, National Intelligence Council (ret.) Ray McGovern, former US Army infantry/intelligence officer & CIA analyst (ret.) Elizabeth Murray, Deputy National Intelligence Officer for Near East, CIA and National Intelligence Council (ret.) Todd E. Pierce, MAJ, US Army Judge Advocate (Ret.) Coleen Rowley, FBI Special Agent and former Minneapolis Division Legal Counsel (ret.) Peter Van Buren, U.S. Department of State, Foreign Service Officer (ret.) (associate VIPS) J. Kirk Wiebe, former Senior Analyst, SIGINT Automation Research Center, NSA By Jonathan Cook June 26, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Mondoweiss" - The common wisdom, following Britains referendum result announced on Friday, holds that the narrow vote in favor of leaving the European Union so-called Brexit is evidence of a troubling return across much of Europe to nationalism and isolationism. That wisdom is wrong, or at least far too simplistic. The outcome, which surprised many observers, attests to the deeply flawed nature of the referendum campaign. That, in turn, reflected a key failing of modern politics, not only in Britain but in most of the developed world: the re-emergence of an unaccountable political class. The most distinctive feature of the campaign was the lack of an identifiable ideological battlefield. This was not about a clash of worldviews, values or even arguments. Rather, it was a contest in who could fearmonger most effectively. The Brexit leadership adopted the familiar Little Englander pose: the EUs weak border controls, the influx into the UK of East Europeans driving down wages, and the threat of millions of refugees fleeing crisis-zones like Syria were creating a toxic brew that emptied of all meaning the UKs status as a sceptred isle. The heads of the Remain camp traded in a different kind of fear. Brexit would lead to the flight from the UK of capital and its associated economic elite. Sterlings collapse would bankrupt the country and leave pensions worthless. Britain would stop being a player in the modern global economy. In addition, those favoring the EU had another card up their sleeve. They accused Brexits supporters of being racists and xenophobes who preferred to blame immigrants than admit their own failings for their economic misfortune. Pandoras box Set out like this and it is hard to over-estimate how simplistically confrontational the arguments on both sides were it is easier to understand why the Brexit camp won. The EU referendum opened up a Pandoras box of division rooted in class that many hoped had been closed in the post-war period with the temporary advance of the welfare state and social democratic policies. However inadvertently, the Remain leaders championed the cause of a wealthy elite that included the bankers and hedge fund managers who had until recently been publicly vilified for their role in the financial crash of 2008. That was a slap in the face both to the working class and to much of the middle class who paid the price for the economic elites reckless and self-serving profligacy and its subsequent demands for gargantuan bail-outs. Those favoring the EU who typically suffered least from the 2008 crash only added insult to injury by labeling its victims as racists for demanding reassurances that politicians would again serve them, not an economic elite. Economic pillage There is an argument to be made that the EU is not chiefly responsible for the economic problems faced by British workers. Since the rise of Margaret Thatcher in the late 1970s, British figures from across the political spectrum have grown deeply in thrall to a neoliberal agenda that has clawed back hard-won workers rights. It is revealing that some of the super-rich including media moguls lobbied for an exit. They clearly believe that, outside the EU, they will be able to rape and pillage the British economy at even greater speed, not constrained by EU regulations. Nonetheless, the EU has become the fall guy for popular resentment at the neoliberal consensus and not without good cause. It is seen, correctly, as one of the key transnational institutions facilitating the enrichment of a global elite. And it has become a massive obstacle to member states reforming their economies along lines that do not entail austerity, as the Greeks painfully discovered. This is the deeper cause of the alienation experienced by ordinary Brexiters. Unfortunately, however, no one in the leadership of either the Leave or Remain camps seriously articulated that frustration and anger or offered solutions that addressed such concerns. The Remainers dismissively rejected the other sides fears as manifestations of racism. This played straight into the hands of the Brexit leadership, led by far-right figures in the Conservative party like Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, as well as Nigel Farage of the Ukip party, Britains unwholesome version of Sarah Palin. This millionaires club, of course, was not interested in the troubles of Britains new precariat a working class permanently stuck in precarious economic straits. They only wanted their votes. Stoking fears about migrants was the easiest way to get them and deflect attention from the fact that the millionaires were the real culprits behind ordinary peoples immiseration. No love for EU Support for Brexit was further strengthened by the lackluster performance of the heads of the Remain camp. The truth is that the two main party leaders, who were invested with the task of defending the EU, were barely persuaded of the merits of their own cause. Prime minister David Cameron is a long-time Euro-sceptic who privately shares much of the distrust of the EU espoused by Johnson and Gove. And the recently elected leader of the Labour opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, is no lover of the EU either, though for reasons very different from the rights. Corbyn is part of Labours old guard relics of a democratic socialist wing of the post-war Labour party that was mostly purged under Tony Blairs leadership. Labour under Blair became a lite version of the Conservative party. And here we reach the crux of the problem with the referendum campaign. There was a strong and responsible leftwing case for Brexit, based on social democratic and internationalist principles, that Corbyn was too afraid to espouse in public, fearing that it would tear apart his party. That opened the field to the rightwing Brexit leadership and their ugly fearmongering. Lefts case for Brexit The lefts case against the EU was frequently articulated by Tony Benn, a Labour minister in the 1960s and 1970s. At an Oxford Union debate in 2013, a year before he died, Benn observed: The way that Europe has developed is that the bankers and multi-national corporations have got very powerful positions and, if you come in on their terms, they will tell you what you can and cant do and that is unacceptable. My view about the European Union has always been, not that I am hostile to foreigners but that Im in favor of democracy. I think they are building an empire there. Nearly 40 years earlier, in 1975, during a similar referendum on leaving what was then called the EEC, Benn pointed out that what was at stake was Britains parliamentary democracy. It alone offered us the prospect of peaceful change; reduced the risk of civil strife; and bound us together by creating a national framework of consent for all the laws under which we were governed. His warning about civil strife now sounds eerily prophetic: the referendum campaign descended into the ugliest public political feuding in living memory. For Bennites and the progressive left, internationalism is a vital component of the collective struggle for the rights of workers and the poor. The stronger workers are everywhere, they less easily they can be exploited by the rich through divide-and-rule policies. Globalisation, on the other hand, is premised on a different and very narrow kind of internationalism: one that protects the rights of the super-rich to drive down wages and workers rights by demanding the free movement of labor, while giving this economic elite the freedom to hide away their own profits in remote tax-havens. Globalisation, in other words, switched the battlefield of the class struggle from the nation state to the whole globe. It allowed the trans-national economic elite to stride the world taking advantage of every loophole they could find in the weakest nations laws and forcing other nations to follow suit. Meanwhile, the working and middle classes found themselves defenseless, largely trapped in their national and regional ghettoes, and turned against each other in a global free market. Corbyn played safe Corbyn could not say any of this because the Labour parliamentary party is still stuffed with Blairites who fervently support the EU and are desperate to oust him. Had he come out for Brexit, they would have had the perfect excuse to launch a coup. (Now, paradoxically, the Blairites have found a pretext to stab him in the back over the Remain camps failure.) Instead Corbyn headed for what he thought would be the safe, middle ground: the UK must stay in the EU but try to reform it from within. That was a doubly tragic mistake. First, it meant there was no prominent figure making a progressive case for Brexit. Many ordinary voters know deep in their hearts that there is something profoundly wrong with the neoliberal consensus and global economic order, but it has been left to the far-right to offer them a lens through which to interpret their lived experience. By stepping aside, Corbyn and the real left allowed Johnson and Farage to forge the little Englander case for Brexit unchallenged. Second, voters are ever more distrustful of politicians. Cameron and Corbyns failure to be candid about their views on Europe only underscored the reasons to assume the worst about the political class. In a choice between the uncomfortable and perfunctory posturing of the Remain leaders and the passionate conviction of Johnson and Farage, people preferred fervor. Compromised politics This is a much wider phenomenon. Corbyns appeasement of the Blairites is another example of the deeply tainted, lesser-evilism politics that requires Bernie Sanders to tell his supporters to vote for Hillary Clinton, warmonger-in-chief to the military-industrial complex, to stop a loud-mouth billionaire thug, Donald Trump. Increasingly, people are sick of these endless compromises that perpetuate and intensify, rather than end, inequality and injustice. They simply dont know what levers are left to them to change the ugly reality in front of them. The result is an increasingly febrile and polarised politics. Outcomes are much less certain, whether it is Corbyn becoming Labour leader, Sanders chasing Clinton all the way to the Democratic convention, or Trump being on the cusp of becoming US president. The old order is breaking down because it is so thoroughly discredited, and those who run it a political and economic elite are distrusted and despised like never before. The EU is very much part of the old order. There is a genuine question whether, outside the EU, the UK can be repaired. Its first-past-the-post electoral system is so unrepresentative, it is unclear whether, even if a majority of the public voted for a new kind of politics, it could actually secure a majority of MPs. But what is clear to most voters is that inside the EU it will be even harder to fix the UK. The union simply adds another layer of unaccountable bureaucrats and lobbyists in thrall to faceless billionaires, further distancing ordinary people from the centers of power. Disturbing trend for Israel Finally, it is worth noting that the trends underpinning the Brexit vote should disturb Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, just as they already are troubling the political class in Europe and the US. Like the EU, Israel too is vital pillar of the old global order. A Jewish homeland emerged under British protection while Britain still ran an empire and saw the Middle East as its playground. After the European colonial powers went into abeyance following the Second World War, the role of patron shifted to the new global hegemon in Washington. The US has endlessly indulged Israel, guarded its back at the United Nations, and heavily subsidised Israels powerful military industries. Whereas the US has propped up Israel diplomatically and militarily, the EU has underwritten Israels economic success. It has violated its own constitution to give Israel special trading status and thereby turned Europe into Israels largest export market. It has taken decades for Europe to even acknowledge let alone remedy the problem that it is also trading with illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank. If the EU starts to unravel, and US neoliberal hegemony weakens, Israel will be in trouble. It will be in desperate need of a new guarantor, one prepared to support a country that polls repeatedly show is mistrusted around the world. But more immediately, Israel ought to fear the new climate of polarised, unpredictable politics that is becoming the norm. In the US, in particular, a cross-party consensus about Israel is gradually breaking down. Concerns about local national interests of the kind that exercised the Brexiters are gaining traction in the US too, as illustrated last year by the fallout over Israels stand-off with the White House over its Iran agreement. Distrust of the political class is growing by the day, and Israel is an issue on which US politicians are supremely vulnerable. It is increasingly hard to defend Congress historic rock-solid support for Israel as truly in American interests. In a world of diminishing resources, where the middle class is forever being required to belt-tighten, questions about why the US is planning to dramatically increase its aid to Israel one of the few economies that has done well since the 2008 crash are likely to prove ever-more discomfiting. LARAMIE, Wyo. A legal dispute is simmering between Lake Hattie Reservoir cabin owners and the Pioneer Canal-Lake Hattie Irrigation District over water rights. A judge last week denied a preliminary injunction that would have prevented the district from filling the reservoir to its highest water line as planned. The district's attorney Attorney Greg Weisz said the case will move forward, but the judge expressed concern as to whether it fell under his jurisdiction. Representation for the cabin owners could not be reached for comment. Court records show the owners are concerned about flooding. By Pepe Escobar June 26, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " RT " - As the whole planet attempts to digest the implications of Brexit, the real heart of 21st century action once again shifts to Beijing, where President Vladimir Putin on Saturday pays a visit to Chinese President Xi Jinping. Business will include clinching a $6.2 billion high-speed rail deal; increased supply of Russian wheat to China by building a Trans-Baikal grain terminal; and steps towards deeper military cooperation. They are already cooperating on an engine that will power the new Russia-China airliner. Everything connected to the Russia-China partnership spells out Eurasia integration. It starts with the New Silk Roads, a.k.a. One Belt, One Road (OBOR), which will progressively interplay with the Eurasia Economic Union (EEU), as Putin emphasized at the St. Petersburg forum. It involves the expansion of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); the immediate future of BRICS, including the New Development Bank (NDB); projects to be financed by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); and Russia-China coordination inside the G20. OBOR and the EEU naturally merge as Eurasia will be slowly but surely fashioned into a massive emporium an interlocking trade and infrastructure network stretching from Russias Far East and the Chinese east coast to Western Europe, including the Middle East and Africa on the way. Geopolitically, the expansion of OBOR-EEU is Eurasias response to the lame duck Obama administration-peddled Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which excludes both Russia and China. Xi Jinping has visited Central Asia and Eastern Europe recently from Serbia to Uzbekistan - selling OBOR. Moscow, considering its influence over Balkan states, will add extra support. One just needs to look at some numbers to gauge the power of the multi-pronged Chinese offensive. Beijing is rolling out up to $100 billion to the NDB; between $50 billion and $100 billion to the AIIB; $40 billion to the Silk Road Fund; $40 billion to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). These multilateral financial investments will roll out in stages and can be easily paid out of the yearly surplus in cash of Beijing's myriad current operations. Additionally, Beijing has as much as a $4 trillion pile of cash to be used at the discretion of Xi and the collective leadership. This is the reality not the usual US Think Tankland blabbering about Chinas imminent implosion. Compare it with the Fed printing so many new US dollars, about $60 billion a month, as the US would have a really hard time committing to any possible financial investment (apart from war) in the $100 billion range. Supply chain geopolitics, anyone? Beijing and Moscow inevitably would have come to the conclusion that their strategic partnership creates leverage and thus increases its value as it translates into multi-vector supply chain geopolitics. Pipelineistan with those humongous 2014 Siberian deals is an essential node of the whole package, as Russia will ensure the supply of natural gas to China bypassing the dreaded Strait of Malacca, which Beijing well knows the US Navy could easily block at will. The interpenetration also translates, for instance, into Gazprom offering CNPC a stake in the monster Vankor gas field. Moscow for its part does not need to rely exclusively on the West for foreign investment on top of it controlled/sanctioned by Washington. Chinese investment will be key, as under OBOR-EEU synergy, Russia should be well on its way of developing its full potential as a global supplier of energy and agriculture and a privileged transit corridor across the whole of Eurasia. Russia may even profit from climate change. Few may know that Russia - with permafrost fast retreating - is warming up faster than any other nation. That opens the vista of new fertile soils that could allow poultry and fish to be exported to where else China. Not to mention torrential amounts of freshwater. Chinese companies are buying large stakes in Russian fertilizer companies such as Uralkali as well as becoming partners of Singapore-based companies to go all out into food processing in Russia. Why So Many Mass Killings? Look in a Mirror By Joe Clifford June 27, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - We will never understand the mass killings in Orlando, Aurora, Newtown, or any of the many others, until we take a long hard look at ourselves in a mirror. Why does this happen so frequently, and why is it such a rare occurrence in other industrialized nations? We cannot comprehend this because we fail to come to grips with certain very hard realities about who we are as a nation and a people. There are cries for gun control every time a massacre occurs, and never once has anyone pointed out the hypocrisy of trying to stop the flow of guns to the US public, while the US government floods the entire world with weapons. We are the undisputed leader in selling killing weapons around the world, and no ever questions the hypocrisy of a government trying to take guns from its people, while our government and military industrial complex inundates the world with weapons. Government always sets the model for the people, and here we have a great example. Mass murderers have absolutely no regard or respect for law, and once again it is the US government who sets the example for its people, by defying international law and invading and bombing anyone in callous contempt of the law. Government officials huddle secretly once a week to decide what individuals must be taken out, paying no attention to the legality of murder without charges, evidence, or a trial. Currently, Secretary of State John Kerry, the nations chief diplomat, is calling for regime change in Syria. What gives the US the legal right to decide who will rule Syria? Nothing; there is no legal right that gives the US the power to determine leadership of another nation. The US has sponsored untold numbers of illegal coups of democratically elected leaders, but again, so much for the law. If the US government is so callous about law, and constantly sends the message that we dont care about law, why would it be a surprise when citizens do the same? The government sets the example and the people follow. The hardest thing for citizens to reconcile, is just how violent a nation we are. Our government is a mass killer. The first people to get in our way were exterminated. We ethnically cleansed the American Indian from his own land. We then enslaved a race of people. More recently, we killed 3 million people in southeast Asia. Can you explain why? We have killed about one million over the past 20 years in Iraq. Do you know why? We invaded Iraq based on a series of lies claiming they had WMD; a hoax that led to a needless slaughter. Iraq was a war of choice, which is illegal, but who cares about law? Do you know how many nations the US is currently bombing? We have killed untold innocents in Afghanistan over the last 20 years. Can you explain why? Do you know why we bombed Libya for 7 months, turning it into a completely failed terrorist state? Media, pundits, and presidential candidates, condemn Muslims, but the US government has bombed 14 Muslim nations, and perhaps has killed as many as 4 million Muslims in our never ending wars. War has become the American pastime. We are always looking for new enemies, and when none are around our government creates them up by demonizing leaders who might challenge our authority such as North Korea, Venezuela, Cuba, Russia and China. We are dangerously provoking both Russia and China almost daily. The State Department has been taken over by war crazy neocons who are risking a nuclear holocaust. It is no wonder that in a poll of 68 nations, the US was named the biggest threat to world peace. Weapons of war are the leading export. The military consumes the lions share of the US budget, and everything else is sacrificed to pay for the largest military in the history of the planet. We spend more on security, war, and defense, than the rest of the world put together. There is no money left for anything else, so kids go to college and acquire a mortgage, while college is free in most industrialized nations. We have the worst health care in the industrialized world, paying huge sums for poor health care compared to the rest of the world. Health care is a right in most civilized nations, but they dont have the enormous cost of never ending wars that we do. They have luxuries such as free college, excellent government health care, high speed trains, great airports, and infrastructure. Other nations, because they have better health care, treat mental illness. We cannot afford it, as all money goes to support the military. Just about all of the mass murderers have been emotionally troubled, but because we do not treat mental illness, they take up arms and kill. We give lip service to our veterans, but let them live under bridges as homeless troubled people. Other nations, offer treatment to troubled individuals. The murder rate in this country is light years ahead of other nations. We have an industrialized prison system with more people incarcerated than any other country in the world. War is glorified and neither the military nor the police can do anything wrong. An entire new generation has known only war in their lifetime. African Americans are shot down in cold blood by police, with more than 1000 killed last year, with 50% being unarmed, and none of their killers are held responsible. Without cell phone videos, those deaths would be swept under the proverbial rug. So take a long thoughtful look in a mirror. Government sets the example and we follow. Our governments prime concern is making war on others and killing those who get in the way. We are a cold blooded violent nation led by a cold blooded government, so when all too frequently the blood of our citizens flows in the streets, why are we shocked? What Japanese Media Doesnt Want You To Say! Japan is Part of the Neo-Colonialist Clique By Andre Vltchek June 27, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Write that Japan is part of the neo-colonialist clique, and you will never again be invited to participate in any public debate conducted by Japanese mass media outlets. And that is exactly what I wrote several months ago, after being approached by an important publication based in Okinawa. When my documentary film about the US bases on Okinawan territory was broadcasted by the South American television network TeleSUR in both Spanish and English, there seemed to be at least some appetite to bring my opinions on the subject to the Japanese public. At one point I was asked to write a 1,200 words essay, placing Japan in the world context, whilst also addressing the grievances of Okinawa. I did exactly that. And even as I was writing, I knew that the piece would never get used here, because Japanese publications and television stations (in the past I worked for several major media outlets here) are thoroughly servile to Western interests. They are cowardly and toothless. But I wrote anyway for Okinawan people and to see exactly how my essay would be killed. A reply arrived several months later. There were three major issues that the editor was concerned about. Firstly, the people of Okinawa would surely not like to be considered victims, on par with North Koreans. Second, was I really sure that the Japanese car manufacturers have been corrupting the Indonesian government, paying it not to build public transportation networks, so that cities could be literally flooded with cars and scooters. Lastly, my piece was a few words over the acceptable length. Being well versed in Japanese culture, I knew exactly what I was expected to do. I did exactly the opposite. I insulted the editor, withdrew the piece, and submitted it to NEO. And here it is, below: ***** If someone would bother watching the 9-hours long masterpiece of Masaki Kobayashi The Human Condition, he or she would have no illusions left about the Japanese position in the world. China, Korea and other Asian nations were occupied and plundered, people massacred, tortured, experimented on, and raped. The only thing in defense of Japan that could be said is that, unlike its Western allies, it experienced colonialist amok for a relatively short time, compared to the centuries and millennia-long barbarism and horror with which Europe has been brutalizing the entire Planet. Japan was always impressed by Germany. It was inspired by Western medicine, arts and technology. Japans elites have also been deeply influenced by German perceptions of superiority and exceptionalism. While Germany was committing its first holocausts, those in its colonies of Southwest Africa, Japan was closely watching. In what is now Namibia, the German army exterminated close to 90% percent of the Herero tribes people, as well as other minorities. German doctors openly experimented on the local people. Many were decapitated and their heads shipped to the University of Freiburg and to several Berlin hospitals, to prove that African people were inferior. The same doctors later taught Dr. Mengele and other butchers who were conducting experiments on Jews, Roma and other inferior races during World War II. Japan, impressed by Germans more and more, was making its own plans for Asia. Some time later it began performing medical experiments on the Chinese people. It goes without saying, although it is hardly ever pronounced in the West or in Japan itself, that Japanese imperialist slaughters in Asia were directly influenced and inspired by Western colonialism and racism. Japan is a good student. It loves everything that comes from abroad; or more precisely, from the West. In many ways, it became almost identical to its master. So much so that during the Apartheid era in South Africa and its colonies, the Japanese people were elevated to the status of honorary whites. They were the only non-white people who were allowed to attend functions exclusively reserved for the white minority. They were welcomed to live in housing reserved for the rulers. They were finally accepted. Japan fought the war alongside its fascist allies. It committed crimes against humanity and after it lost, it immediately succumbed to the victors who were, like Germans, mainly white and of European descent. Instead of Germans and Italians, it now looked up to the Brits, French, Australians, but above all North Americans. Japans fascist industrial complex and the governance system were almost fully preserved by the victorious powers. The worst war criminals were allowed to once again manage the system. The Tokyo Trials were just a farce. Whatever Japan does, it does well and with legendary precision. Its collaboration with the West during the Korean War was complete, and the grateful colonizers rewarded it. Unlike most of the other colonies, plundered and humiliated, Japan was elevated, allowed to become rich. Ecstatic, the country began building its capitalist industrial might. There was absolutely no doubt where it had been standing. It joined Western imperialism, first as a junior partner, and later as an equal member of the club; it has been doing all it can to be more Western and more capitalist than its handlers, and ideologically, more dogmatic and fundamentalist. Japan used to frustrate the progressive Indonesian, President Ahmed Sukarno, and the most influential Prime Minister of Malaysia, Mahathir bin Mohamad (who held the post between 1981 and 2003) who often begged Japan to return to Asia. Japan did not want to return anywhere. It has been cozy with what it perceived as its membership of the elite club. Just as it learned from the Europeans, it put its self-interests well above morality, solidarity and humanism. Political pirouettes, Machiavellian manipulation of information related to its past and present, became almost identical to the information control and propaganda practiced in the West. Economic terrorism suddenly had no boundaries. Just to illustrate, the Japanese car industry is directly corrupting the governments of Indonesia, demanding that no public transportation is built in the fourth most populous nation on Earth. As a result, hundreds of millions of people are being paralyzed by traffic jams, and dying from pollution-related illnesses. The infrastructure on Java Island has almost totally collapsed. But as long as people there are forced to buy Japanese cars and scooters, Japan does not even blink. Japan has also turned itself into an indoctrination post for the young and ambitious students from all corners of Asia. Countless Japanese universities have been offering scholarships, effectively brainwashing and neutralizing talented men and women from poor and potentially rebellious nations. Most of them are taught communications, education and development; or basically, how to say nothing and how not to rebel about anything. They are being patiently instructed on how not to stand up against the Empire and savage capitalism, or more precisely, how to behave exactly how Japan does. Join the elites, enjoy a good life and keep philosophy and morals out of this! Japan is hosting some of the deadliest military bases on earth those on Okinawa Island. During my filming there, for the South American television network TeleSUR, I saw, first hand, Japanese imperialism at work: the great Okinawan culture had been restrained, social benefits provided in exchange for obedience, and all ethical and internationalist messages related to the bases were muted. But Okinawans know, and many are horrified by what is going on, but unable to change anything. This is where World War III may start! This is where the West is provoking both China (actually an old historical ally of Okinawa) and North Korea (now Okinawas fellow victim) from. Years ago, I was told by a Chinese diplomat: If the West attacks us, we will not, most likely, retaliate against Washington or London. We will retaliate against Japan, because its territory is where the attack would come from. Most likely but paradoxically, the retaliation would be against the islands of Okinawa that is actually hosting the bases. Many Okinawans understand the danger and, of course, they are totally against the war. But Tokyo ignores their demands to close down the bases. The current administration is becoming increasingly bellicose, anti-Chinese, anti-DPRK and embarrassingly pro-Western. The Prime Minister likes to pose as a Japanese patriot. But Shinzo Abe is actually a collaborator, not a patriot. And it is not because he is a right-winger (Mishima, no matter how controversial his legacy is, was also a right-winger, but without any doubt a true Japanese patriot). He does not serve the interests of Japan, but those of the West, of the Empire that defeated, bombed to the ground, and occupied Japan some 70 years ago; the Empire responsible for tens of millions of lost lives, all over Asia. The recent changes in the law allowing the deployment of Japanese troops from the Self Defense Force abroad, is nothing new. Japan has already been paying for several wars, producing military technology for the Empire, provoking its neighbors; it has been doing it for many years and decades. Just as during WWII, Japan is now once again a greatly trusted and respected member of the Fascist alliance. It is arming itself to the teeth, and it is even considering changing its peaceful constitution. The players have changed, but the essence remains the same. It just feels like Japan is harboring strong and spontaneous dispositions to always be part of Western imperialist pacts. Of course, all is done in the name of self-defense, and with some lofty slogans like freedom, democracy and peace being tossed around. Impulses behind the deeds are much more sinister: racism towards all fellow Asian nations, aggressive exceptionalism (learned and adopted from Europe and North America), as well as submissive servitude towards the West. That is the world in which we are living. To paraphrase the great Indian thinker Arundhati Roy now black is called white and war is called peace. Or at least in the West and in Japan they are! Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. His latest books are: Exposing Lies Of The Empire and Fighting Against Western Imperialism .Discussion with Noam Chomsky: On Western Terrorism . Point of No Return is his critically acclaimed political novel. Oceania a book on Western imperialism in the South Pacific. His provocative book about Indonesia: Indonesia The Archipelago of Fear . Andre is making films for teleSUR and Press TV. After living for many years in Latin America and Oceania, Vltchek presently resides and works in East Asia and the Middle East. He can be reached through his website or his Twitter . Omars Motive By James Bradley June 27, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Counterpunch " - America doesnt understand Orlando shooter Omar Mateens motive. The New York Times speculated that Omar was probably radicalized over the Internet, that he was anti-gay or perhaps a frustrated self-hating gay, finally concluding that we might never know. Many American media outlets reported that Omar was motivated by ISIS propaganda and that he was infected by the virus of radical Islam. Omar was born in the U.S. and never traveled to the birthplace of his parents, Afghanistan, which he called my country. I remember Afghanistan in 1975 as a 20-year-old hitchhiking across Asia with my 19-year-old girlfriend. We roamed that beautiful country, interacting with friendly Afghans. At the time hardly anyone was concerned about radical Islam. Soon afterwards the Soviet empire moved into Afghanistan and attempted to conquer it. When the indomitable Afghans refused to submit, the Soviet empire soon collapsed. In 2001 the American empire moved in and, according to Brown Universitys Watson Institute, almost 100,000 Afghani civilians have been killed, mostly by U.S. bombs. [1] Being bombed is very emotional to those on the receiving end. As humans under attack, youre naturally motivated to retaliate. When I ventured across Vietnam and Laos, survivors of U.S. bombing raids told me of their fellow villagers who, back in the 1960s, did not know anything about a country named America or the war beyond their hills. But these illiterate peasants were instantly radicalized and committed to patriot resistance upon their very first sighting of U.S. warplanes dropping bombs on their homes and families. Look what happened in the wake of the 9-11 attack upon the World Trade Center: thousands of American men and women were radicalizedmoved by murder from the airafter viewing images of their homeland under attack. We Americans honor their reaction as patriotism. Americans will always remember 9-11, but curiously, we dont expect other people to react in a similar, visceral, patriotic way when their homelands are bombed. President Richard Nixon discovered how to make war more palatable to American voters. When he took office in the midst of the quagmire of the Vietnam War, Nixon did something unprecedented in the history of war: he upped the killing of Indochinese, but accomplished the feat with fewer U.S. casualties. As the president withdrew U.S. ground troops from Vietnam, he dramatically increased the ferocity of the air war. As Nixon slaughtered many more people than his predecessor President Lyndon Johnson, the removal of American boots shifted the Vietnam War from the front to the back of the American mind. Maybe we Americans have difficulty understanding the immediate and extreme reactions that dropping U.S. bombs creates because our homeland has never been carpet-bombed. And what American newspaper publishes photos of the dead Muslims killed by Obama? If you google Muslim bombing with the name of your favorite newspaper or news website, the results will show only Muslims reactions in the US. The hundreds of thousands of Muslims the U.S. kills dont register. So we dont see the truth. Is it ignorance, or as Nixon discovered that the American people dont mind others, foreigners, being killed, just so American boys are not dying in great numbers on the ground? Instead of facing Omars true motive, we debate semantics. Its as if we expect that after the left-wing or the right-wing identifies the correct way to depict the menacing mental virus, our national security state will root out the sickness. Omar announced his motive just hours before he died, but U.S. officials and our compliant media wont report the truth. At that moment, Omar was holding about 15 people in the blood-streaked bathroom of the Pulse Orlando nightclub. Near him sat a young African-American woman from PhiladelphiaPatience Carterbleeding from the bullet wounds in each of her legs. Ms. Carter remembered, I could see piles of bodies laying over the toilet seat and slumped over. Omar said to Ms. Carter, You know I dont have a problem with black people, this is about my country, you guys have suffered enough. Then Omar dialed 911 from his cellphone. He spoke loudly and clearly and everyone in that hellish bathroom heard him declare his motive. Ms. Carter wept as she recalled, He wasnt going to stop killing people until he was killed, until he felt like his message got out there. NBC News was the first to break the story that Omar had phoned 911, spinning the scary narrative that Omar had pledged his allegiance to ISIS. Lying near dead people, wondering if she was about to die, Ms. Carter understood Omars real motive. She said, The motive was very clear to us who are laying in our own blood and other peoples blood, who are injured, who were shot. Everybody who was in that bathroom who survived could hear him talking to 911, saying the reason why hes doing this is because he wanted America to stop bombing his country. [2] About ten years ago I wrote a book called Flyboys, about U.S. bombing in World War II. While our German and Japanese enemies considered U.S. ground troops to be normal combatants, Adolf Hitler and Emperor Hirohito reserved special places in hell for the despised American Flyboys who dropped bombs on their homelands. When I was a kid, the U.S. was not bombing Muslims and Muslims were not attacking us. Now we bomb many Muslim countries, with our secret CIA drone assassination campaign. These presidential-sanctioned bombings remain secret only to the American public. The Muslim victims on the receiving end know immediately what happened and who did it. Millions of Muslims become aware of fellow Muslims killed by U.S. bombs via the Internet. We Americans are not allowed to see these images, so we believe the explanation of our leaders when they explain that a shooter was radicalized over the Internet. Our eyes never see the body parts of Muslims weve blown apart. So we experience the effectslike the San Bernardino and Orlando reprisalsbut we are blind to the causes. As blinkered citizens, we buy the U.S. governments obfuscating narrative, while millions of others around the world see the ugly truth. Officials have deftly shifted our attention to the fact that Omar pledged allegiance to ISIS. In his highly emotional last hours Omar did spout a lot of contradictory nonsense, like identifying with Muslim factions who actually oppose one another. So you can pick and choose your version of this story. Many of my American friends believe that the U.S. bombing of Muslims has nothing to do with them attacking us. If theyre right, this would be historys first example where a bombed populace didnt fight back. It seems to me a foregone conclusion that if the U.S. started to bomb Australia tomorrow, wed soon have Australian terrorism in the U.S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch flew to Orlando and told grieving families: I know that the LGBT community in particular has been shaken by this attack. It is indeed a cruel irony that a community defined almost exclusively by whom they love is so often a target of hate . . . Let me say to our LGBT friends and family, . . . . our most effective response to terror and hatred is compassion, unity and love. [3] The idea that loving each other more will solve this problem shows that most of us are unaware of the regular U.S. drone killings of Muslims beyond our borders. Perhaps we need to love more peoples than just ourselves. Instead of debating euphemisms about viruses which well never catch with our security dragnets, why step back, look at our place in the world and face facts: the effect of Muslim retaliation will never go away unless we remove the cause. Its within our power to end this cycle of violence. James Bradley , the author of the bestsellers Flags of Our Fathers, Flyboys: A True Story of Courage and The China Mirage: The Hidden History of American Disaster in Asia. Notes. [1] http://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/costs/human/civilians/afghan [2] Orlando shooting: Omar Matane wanted US to stop bombing Afghanistan, survivor says Orlando shooter said attack was revenge for U.S. bombing of Afghanistan, survivor recalls Orlando Survivor Says Shooter Wanted U.S. to Stop Bombing Afghanistan [3] Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch Delivers Remarks in Orlando, FL, United States ~ Tuesday, June 21, 2016 Remarks as prepared for delivery US Imperialism the BREXIT Culprit By Michael Hudson How Western Military Interventions Shaped the Brexit Vote, TRNN, June 25, 2016. Michael Hudson argues that military interventions in the Middle East created refugee streams to Europe that were in turn used by the anti-immigrant right to stir up xenophobia. Posted June 27, 2016 GREGORY WILPERT, TRNN: Welcome to the Real News Network. Im Gregory Wilpert, coming to you from Quito, Ecuador. Britains referendum in favor of leaving, or exiting, the European Union, the Brexit referendum, as the results are known, won with 52 percent of the vote on Thursday, June 23, stunning Europes political establishment. One of the issues that has raised concern for many is that what does the Brexit mean for Britains and Europes economy and politics. This was one of the main topics leading up to the referendum, but a lot of disinformation [reigned] in the discussion. With us to discuss the economic and political context of the Brexit is Michael Hudson. He is a research professor of economics at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and author of Killing the Host: How Financial Parasites and Debt Destroy the Global Economy. Also, he is an economics adviser to several governments, including Greece, Iceland, Latvia, and China. He joins us right now from New York City. Thanks, Michael, for joining us. MICHAEL HUDSON: Good to be here again. WILPERT: So lets begin with the political context in which the Brexit vote took place. Aside from the right-wing arguments about immigrants, economic concerns, and about Britains ability to control its own economy, what would you saywhat do you see as being the main kind of political background in which this vote took place? HUDSON: Well, almost all the Europeans know where the immigrants are coming from. And the ones that theyre talking about are from the near East. And theyre aware of the fact that most of the immigrants are coming as a result of the NATO policies promoted by Hillary and by the Obama administration. The problem began in Libya. Once Hillary pushed Obama to destroy Libya and wipe out the stable government there, she wiped out the armsand Libya was a very heavily armed country. She turned over the arms to ISIS, to Al-Nusra, and Al-Qaeda. And Al-Qaeda used these arms under U.S. organization to attack Syria and Iraq. Now, the Syrian population, the Iraqi population, have no choice but to either emigrate or get killed. So when people talk about the immigration to Europe, the Europeans, the French, the Dutch, the English, theyre all aware of the fact that this is the fact that Brussels is really NATO, and NATO is really run by Washington, and that its Americas new Cold War against Russia thats been spurring all of this demographic dislocation thats spreading into England, spreading into Europe, and is destabilizing things. So what youre seeing with the Brexit is the result of the Obama administrations pro-war, new Cold War policy. WILPERT: So are you saying that people voted for Brexit because they are reallythat they were concerned about the influence of the U.S.? Or are you saying that its because of the backlash, because of the immigration that happened, and the fact that the right wing took advantage of that [crosstalk]. HUDSON: Its a combination. The right wing was, indeed, pushing the immigrant issue, saying wait a minute, theyre threatening our jobs. But the left wing was just as vocal, and the left wing was saying, why are these immigrants coming here? Theyre coming here because of Europes support of NATO, and NATOs war thats bombing the near East, that is destabilizing the whole Near East, and causing a flight of refugees not only from Syria but also from Ukraine. In England, many of the so-called Polish plumbers that came years ago have now gone back to Poland, because that countrys recovered. But now the worry is that a whole new wave of Ukrainiansand basically the U.S. policy is one of destabilizationso even the right-wing, while they have talked about immigrants, they have also denounced the [inaud.] fact that the European policy is run by the United States, and that you have both Marine Le Pen in France saying, we want to withdraw from NATO; we dont want confrontation with Russia. You have the left wing in England saying, we dont want concentration in Russia. And last week when I was in Germany you had the Social Democratic Party leaders saying that Russia should be invited back into the G8, that NATO was taking a warlike position and was hurting the European economy by breaking its ties with Russia and by forcing other sanctions against Russia. So you have a convergence between the left and the right, and the question is, who is going to determine the terms on which Europe is broken up and put back together? Will it simply be the right wing thats anti-immigrants? Or will it simply be the left saying we want to restructure the economy in a way that essentially avoids the austerity that is coming from Brussels, on the one hand, and from the British Conservative Party on the other. And again, you have Geert Wilders, the leader of the Dutch nationalists, saying, we want Holland to have its own central bank. We want to be in charge of our own money. And under Brussels, we cannot be in charge of our own money. That means we cannot run a budget deficit and spend money into the economy, and recover with a Keynesian-type policy. So the whole withdrawal from Europe means withdrawing from austerity. If you look at the voting pattern in London, in England, you had London to stay in. You had the university centers, Oxford and Cambridge, voting to stay in. You had the working class, the old industrial areas of the north and the south. You had the middle class and the industrial class saying, were getting a really bad deal from Europe. We want to oppose austerity. And we dont want Brussels to give us not only the anti-labor, pro-bank policies, but also the trade policy that Brussels was trying to push onto Europe, the Obama trade agreement that essentially would take national economic policy out of the hands of government and put it into the hands of corporate bureaucracy, corporation courts. And the bureaucracy in Brussels, then, is largely pro-bank, pro-corporate, and anti-labor. WILPERT: That actually brings up the issue of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, or the TTIP. It was one of the things that the Cameron government was really pushing for, this relationship between the European Union and the United States. Now that Britain is presumably going to be leaving the European Union, dont you think that this might open the possibility of just a TTIP between Britain and the United States? In other words, that it willit has been one of the arguments, actually, of those who were opposed to Britain leaving the EU, that it will tie Britain even closer to the United States than it was before, and by virtue of the fact that its leaving Europe. HUDSON: I think just the opposite. Ive gotten phone calls today from Britain, and Ive been on radio with Britain. The whole feeling is that this makes the TTIP impossible, because you cant do a TTIP just with Britain. You have to do it with all of Europe. And this prevents Europe, and I think Britain, too, from making this kind of trade policy. The rejection of eurozone austerity is, essentially, a rejection of the neoliberal plan that the TTIP is supposed to be the capstone of. WILPERT: And what do you think this means, then, in general for Europes future? One of the things thatone of the dangers that many perceive is precisely that Europe, as a European Union, is going to fall apart. Do you think thats the likely scenario here? Or. HUDSON: I watched Marine Le Pen today in France, and you could see from her face that she was overjoyed. She thinks all of a sudden, almost every European interview where the peoplethere was such unleashing of a feeling of freedom, a feeling of yes, we can do it. When Ireland voted not to join the European Union people just ignored the popular vote. But now it cant be ignored anymore. And I think that the British vote is a catalyst for moves in Spain, Italy, the Five Star movement in Italy, the Podemos in Spain, to say, we arewe have an alternative to Europe. Europe is sort of like the Soviet Union in the 30s and 40s. There was an argument, is it reformable or not? There is a feeling, and I think its correct, that the European Union, the eurozone, and the euro, is not reformable, as a result of the Lisbon treaties and the other treaties that have created the euro. Europe has to be taken apart in order to be put together not on a right-wing, neoliberal basis, but on a more social basis. Now, ironically, the parties who call themselves socialists are now moved to the ultra-right, to the neoliberal. The French socialists, the German social democrats. But youre having real radical parties arise in Italy, Spain, Portugal, and potentially in Greece, again, that are going to say, well, the key of any government, of any national government, has to be the ability to issue our own money, to run a deficit, spending into the economy to make the economy recover. We cannot recover under the Lisbon agreements, under the eurozone, where the central bank will only create money to give to banks, not money to spend into the economy, to actually finance new investment and new employment. And we cannot be part of a eurozone that insists that pensions have to be cut back in order to make the banks whole and save the one percent losing money. So for the first time youre having the real left wing in Europe talking about financial issues, not about political philosophy, or the fact that countries are not going to go to war again. Nobody ever believes that France, Germany, and other countries in Europe are going to go to military war again. There is a fear that the countries in Europe may go to war against Russia, pushed by NATO, pushed by adventurism of the U.S. stance towards Russia. And so all of a sudden the eurozone that was supposed to be a bulwark of military peace has become belligerent, and even more so if Hillary would win in the United States. And theres a feeling we do want peace. That means we have to withdraw from the eurozone. And essentially, withdrawing from Brussels means withdrawing from NATO and withdrawing from the United States. So you could say that the vote to withdraw from Europe is, its really a vote of the British middle class, the working class, to withdraw from the U.S. neoliberalism that has been running Europe for the last ten years. WILPERT: Okay. Unfortunately weve run out of time, but thanks so much, Michael, for your insight on this. Im sure well come back to you again, as we always do. So thanks again for joining us. HUDSON: Good to be here. WILPERT: And thank you for watching the Real News Network. A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Abia state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu to vacate his office immediately. The ruling came after the court determined that Governor Ikpeazu falsified information he provided to the his party Peoples Democratic Party during the party primaries in 2014. He reportedly provided a fake tax clearance document to the PDP. The Justice of the High Court, Okon Abang also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to withdraw the certificate of return issues to Ikpeazu. Uche Ogah, the plaintiff who received the second highest number of votes at the primaries will be issues the certificate of return as the Governor of Abia state. Allegations of bribery leveled against soldiers on counter-insurgency operations in the North-East are currently being investigated, the Nigerian Army has said. Some soldiers have been accused of demanding financial gratification from civilians before escorting them on highways in Borno State. During the height of Boko Haram insurgency, the highway leading to Borno State was a deathtrap for travelers, some of whom were killed and dispossessed of their belongings by the insurgents, who disguised as security operatives. Following major successes in recent months in the war against insurgency, some of the highways, which were closed following security concerns, have been re-opened. However, some motorists have alleged extortion by soldiers along these major routes. The Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, who confirmed the allegations while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital yesterday, said the ugly development is being investigated. I wish to use this opportunity to state that we have received reports that some personnel are in the habit of collecting money to escort civilian motorists and goods along the major routes, these allegations are currently being investigated, he said. Maj.-Gen. Irabor, however, advised travelers not to hesitate to report any officer or soldier who is seen collecting money to the Theatre Command. According to the Theatre Commander, The military has a responsibility to Nigerians. We are here to protect and assist Nigerians according to the law of the land. In that regard, all requirements for the task to be performed are being provided. Therefore, please note that you do not have to pay for such escorts and do not be accomplices to the illegal payment. Irabor warned that soldiers found guilty of the acts would be disciplined according to the law. Also, please feel free to report such illegal activities through any of these GSM numbers: 0902-810-1021 and 0808-225-2400. The lines will be available daily between 09:00 am and 07:00 pm, he added. (NAN) Arsenal have agreed personal terms with Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, according to Italian journalist Emanuele Giulianelli. Arsene Wenger recently failed in his attempt to sign Jamie Vardy from Leicester after the England international agreed a new four-year deal at the Premier League champions, and now it seems Wenger will turn his attention to Evertons Lukaku as he looks to bolster his squad. The Gunners are now set submit an offer to the Merseyside club for Lukaku, according to Giulianelli, although Chelsea are also believed to be interested in re-signing the Belgium international. It has been reported that Costa is unsettled in England and is desperate for a move back to Spain, which could ultimately open the door for Lukaku to rejoin Chelsea, although, there is a possibility that Costa will stay at Stamford Bridge with Lukaku returning to partner the Spain international up front. New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte often opts for a formation that uses two centre-forwards and, as a result, could push the hierarchy at the club to make a move for the 23-year-old, who they originally signed for 20m in 2011. However, Arsenal appear to be leading the chase for the Belgian forward after reportedly agreeing personal terms. The reported fee that has been quoted by Everton is 60m; a fee that would smash Arsenals current record transfer of 42.4m for Mesut Ozil. This article originally appeared on 90minutes President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted Nigeria is suffering from the incompetence of the past administration in managing high revenue that accrued from oil. According to a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, the president spoke at the State House, Abuja, on Monday while receiving the Chief Global CEO of Unilever, Mr Paul Polman. President Buhari said his administration was working very hard to change the structure of the Nigerian economy battered by several years of mismanagement. We refused to save for the rainy day. Now the rain is beating us. No money, no savings, nothing. And we are thoroughly wet from the rains, he said. Buhari further said that the country was paying the price for turning itself into a mono economy. However, he assured that the country would soon be able to feed herself, and even export, with the current emphasis placed on agriculture. He said further: We want to create jobs, and supporting manufacturing is one way to do it. As soon as we have stabilized our budget, I would personally be interested in the manufacturing sector, particularly in the generation of essential raw materials. A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on Monday heard how the Plateau State Ecological Fund was provided to fund the re-election campaign of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2003. A defence witness, Mr. Geoffrey Teme, made the disclosure during cross examination by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN). Teme, who was the Majority Leader in the Plateau House of Assembly from 2003 to 2006, said the information was provided by former Plateau State Governor, Joshua Dariye, to the House Committee set up to investigate the petition filed against the governor by the EFCC. According to the defence witness, the then Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu, invited all 24 members of the House to the National Assembly in 2004. We were asked to pass a vote of no-confidence on Dariye. There was a conflict as we did not see anything in the law for us to pass a vote of no-confidence against him. His reason was that there was inefficiency on the part of the governor, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted the witness as saying to the court on Monday. He also told the court that upon their arrival in the state, when they were still deciding on what to do, the whole party structure was dissolved. A state of emergency was declared and an interim government was formed, he added. Teme, who was charged along with Dariye and prosecuted in Lagos with other members of the House, was later discharged. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has filed a money laundering charge against immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu Nunayon (retd.), at the Federal High Court in Lagos. The former CAS was charged along with Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun and Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga. Companies named in the charge are Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil And Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Ltd, Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd, Timsegg Investment Ltd and Solomon Health Care Ltd. The anti-graft agency accused them of converting N21billion from the Nigeria Air Force around March 5, 2014 in Lagos. They were also accused of concealing proceeds of crime and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 17(a). The accused persons were accused of using the aforementioned companies as front to convert and conceal the money. Air Marshal Nunayon and Air Vice Marshal Adigun were said to have, between July 17 and September 16, 2014, allegedly removed over N663.4million from the Nigerian Air Force accounts to purchase properties at 50-52 Tenterden Grove, London (NW4 1TH) and at 93B Shirehall Park, LondonNW4 2QU, United Kingdom. They were accused of buying 40A, Bourdillon, Ikoyi, with N900million, and a property at Sinari Daranijo in Victoria Island with N1.5billion. Furthermore, the EFCC said Nunayon and Adigun bought a property named as Cappadol Mall at Adetokunbo Ademola Street, Wuse II Abuja, for N750million, as well as a property worth over N1.7billion at Agobogba Street, Parkview, Ikoyi Lagos, using the Air Forces money. Other properties the accused allegedly bought using Air Forces funds include one at Salt Lake Street, Maitama, Abuja; one at Agadez Street off Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja; 61A, Lake Chad Street, Maitama, Abuja; and one at 1, River Street, Wuse II Abuja using alleged stolen funds. Between last March 6 and April 30, the accused allegedly used N428,139,539.00 removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force to renovate and purchase medical equipment for Solomon HealthCare Ltd situate at 24th Adeniyi Jones Street, Ikeja Lagos. The EFCC has lined up 42 witnesses to testify against the accused when trial begins, said prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo Isiokuwa, who also signed the charge sheet. Count one read: That You, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu Nunayon (Rtd), Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga, Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil and Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites Bdc, Fonds and Pricey Ltd,Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd, Timsegg Investment Ltd And Solomon Health Care Ltd on or about the 5th day of March, 2014 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court conspired amongst yourselves to commit an offence, to wit: Conversion of the sum of N21,467,634,707.43, property of the Nigerian Air Force, which sum was derived from stealing, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(a) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) (Amendment) Act, 2012 and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act. EFCC said the accused converted and concealed the sums, which they reasonably ought to have known forms part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: stealing. A massive protest led by some youth, including students of tertiary institutions, took place in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital on Monday, in support of embattled Governor Ayodele Fayose. The protesters, who took the streets of the state capital in their numbers, condemned what they described as the rascality and flagrant disrespect for the Rule of Law and disobedience of the constitution by the All Progressives Congress-led federal government. The Special Assistant to the Governor on Communication and New Media, Lere Olayinka, who gave a narrative of what transpired at the rally in a statement to newsmen, said the placard wielding crowd of protesters moved from Fajuyi area of Ado Ekiti through Okesa, Ojumose, Oke Iyinmi, Old Garage, Ijigbo, Irona, Oke Ori-Omi, Old Governors Office and later converged on Fajuyi. According to Mr. Olayinka, the protesters were led by the President of the Federation of Ekiti State Students Union (FESSU), Obayemi Peters; Presidents of the Students Union Governments of the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti (Ibrahim Oladimeji); Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti (Ayegbusi Paul); College of Education, Ikere Ekiti (Onilearo Gbenga) and College of Health Technology, Ijero-Ekiti (Oyebade Adeyemi). The statement quoted Mr. Oladimeji, who spoke with journalists at the rally, as saying students from various institutions joined the protest in solidarity with the government and governor of Ekiti State. It further quoted EKSU SUG leader as saying while students do not support corruption, the fight against the scourge should not be selective. Mr. Olayinka said the protesters urged Nigerians to impress it upon the APC-led federal government to ensure that petitions against the immediate past Governor of the State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, are looked into, especially the N850million SUBEB fund that was allegedly diverted for other purposes other than that for which it was meant. Another student leader who spoke at the rally, Saliu Akeem Dennis, said the fight against corruption should not be sectional. Citing wife of the president, Mrs. Aisha Buharis alleged involvement in the William Jefferson bribery scandal, Saliu hammered that rather than just telling Nigerians that the Aisha Buhari mentioned in the William Jefferson bribery scandal isnt the wife of the president, Nigerian students expect that the Buhari administration will go ahead to fish out and prosecute whoever Aisha Buhari from Daura is, adding that what is good for the goose should be good for the gander, the statement said. Some of the placards bore inscriptions that read, Buhari is a dictator, Buhari, Obey court orders and respect Human Rights, we are in Democracy, Buhari/APC cant take Ekiti by force, its all about 2018, etc. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has reiterated the governments commitment to finding a lasting solution to the housing needs of Nigerians through an affordable housing programme. The government wants estate developers to promote single digit mortgage facility for low and middle income earners. Speaking at a summit on housing in Abuja on Monday, Fashola criticized the practice of landlords who demand for one or two years rent from prospective tenants. The Summit was another effort by the federal government to address the deficit in the housing sector. Estate developers, mortgage firms and development partners and other stakeholders concluded that Nigeria is yet to develop a vibrant affordable housing scheme that helps Nigerians own their own houses without financial stress. Former Super Eagle leftback, Taiye Taiwo and his lovely wife, Nimot are celebrating their 12th year wedding anniversary. The player, who now plies his trade in the Finnish league took to his Instagram page to celebrate their major milestone. He wrote, doesnt matter whether it is our first, fifth,tenth or fifteenth anniversary. What matters is that I Will always love you and will always love me .our house would Never have become a home without you.our kids would never have nuderstood the meaning of family without you.l would have never experienced love without you.if a genie came to me and granted me a Few wishes,it would be a complete Waste . Because with you by my side l already have everything I could ever ask for. We ,ve come a long way Since we met each other for the the first Time. Happy moments,sad times nasty fight and crazy Misunderstanding- we,ve been Through it all. I have no regrets and even if had the chance of doing it all again,Id do it the extra same way and with no one else but you. The gift that l got for you on our anniversary,is insignificant in font of how you have given me a Meaningful life and a loving family Some husbands dedicated songs, Some dedicated a Facebook page and Some dedicated gifts to their wives on a wedding anniversary. I have kept it Simple and dedicated my whole life to you , Sweetheart. Happy anniversary.????????? The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin has condemned the silence of public officials in the present administrations fight against corruption. In throwing his weight behind the Buhari administration, Hon. Jibrin is going against an increasing tide of dissatisfaction among lawmakers with the current administration. More importantly, the member of the House of Reps condemned the proposed immunity clause for some Principal members of the Senate and even called for a deeper probe of the National assembly. Hon. Jibrin shared his opinion in a series of tweets It is embarrassing that Mr. President is gradually becoming the lone voice fighting and condemning corruption in strong terms. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 Its pertinent for NASS to rise up to this challenge.The fight against Corruption is one of the main reasons why we elected president Buhari Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 The NASS must not only be heard but must be seen at the fore front of the fight against corruption. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 I advocate even deeper search light on members of NASS by the anti corruption agencies. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 This will prevent corrupt and incompetent people from aspiring into the NASS. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 The NASS is the heart of the country, the conscience of the nation and an institution that should be our biggest supplier of leaders. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 I will therefore never support immunity for anybody in NASS be he or she a member, senator, principal or presiding officer. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 Every public officer is expected to live a life in a way that clearly shows he or she has nothing to hide. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 For Gods sake why do we need immunity? Why should we even be contemplating such or changing impeachment procedure of presiding officers? Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 In whose interest ? We are elected officials. We must live above board. Abdulmumin Jibrin (@AbdulAbmJ) June 27, 2016 The Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mazi Paul Ibe, has explained the reason behind the setting up of the Atiku Media Office, AMO. Ibe, who is head of the office, said it was established in response to the political travails of the former vice president. Speaking at an occasion to mark the 10th year anniversary of the AMO in Abuja yesterday, the media aide explained that Mr. Atiku became a target of political persecution and media smear propaganda since he declared his opposition to the 2006 third term agenda of his then boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. According to Ibe, the former vice president was cast as corrupt and unreliable because he joined other Nigerians to oppose the elongation plot of the former president, adding that Atiku was indicted and found guilty as charged and sacked as vice president by an administrative panel, which was packed with Atikus opponents and loyalists of his persecutor. However, the media aide said the law courts later declared the actions illegal. Under these difficult circumstances, Atiku needed to tell his own story by countering the false narratives put out by his political opponents that cast him in the image of the most corrupt politician. No smart politician can afford to under-estimate the influence of the media. Faced by this reality, Atiku had no choice but to establish his own media outfit to respond to the stories told against him by his political opponents, said Ibe. The invasion of communities in Ogun and Lagos states in which innocent residents were killed by suspected militants, has been condemned by Ijaw youths. They described the incidents as criminal and barbaric. The youths, who spoke under the aegis of Ijaw Youth Council worldwide (IYC), also dissociated the Ijaw ethnic group from the attacks. The IYC, in a statement by its spokesman, Eric Omare, condemned the attacks, irrespective of who was involved, insisting that the attackers were not Ijaw indigenes. The statement, which was issued in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capita on Sunday, said: We state clearly that the persons carrying out these criminal attacks are not Ijaw and it is absolutely wrong for the media to refer to them as Ijaw militants. The sensational headlines and impression being created is that Ijaw persons or groups were carrying out organised attacks and killing people in some Lagos and Ogun communities. The Ijaw, who are indigenous to and living in the Southwest of Nigeria, are peaceful and law-abiding people and can never be involved in attacking communities and killing people. The Ijaw also have not, at any time, met and agreed to attack communities and kill people in Lagos and Ogun states. We call on the media to accurately report events to avoid unnecessary inter- crisis between ethnic groups whose people were killed and the Ijaw indigenous to and living in Southwest. Any inter-ethnic crisis between Yoruba and Ijaw ethnic groups is not in the interest of Nigeria; the media must guide against it. We also call on security agencies to bring the perpetrators of the Lagos and Ogun killings to justice to serve as deterrent to orders. The chairmen of state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday declared their support for the Ahmed Makarfi Caretaker Committee. The declaration of support for the Makarfi-led caretaker committee will come as a huge blow to the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction, which has continued to parade itself as the authentic leadership of the main opposition party. The chairmen, who paid a solidarity visit to Makarfi in Abuja, said they would continue to respect the decision of the May 21 national convention of the party that dissolved the Sheriff National Working Committee. Leader of the delegation, Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed, said as delegates to the convention, they were bound by its outcome irrespective of whose Ox is gored, adding that doing otherwise would amount to undermining the national leadership of the party. Mohammed, who is the chairman of the Federal Capital Territory chapter of the PDP, therefore, called on the Sheriff faction to respect the decision of the convention in the overall interest of the party. He maintained that the Port Harcourt convention was a product of the partys constitution. In his response, Makarfi said the crisis in the party was evidence that the PDP is worth struggling for and that the committees mandate was to bring everybody on board. The caretaker committee chairman, however, warned that dragging the crisis for too long could be injurious to the health of the party just as he pointed out that the committees mandate did not include dissolution of the existing state executives. At least six people are feared dead following multiple suicide attacks by suicide bombers in a border town in Lebanon. Authorities have said that there were at least four bombers, with the first detonating an explosive device in the village of Qaa at around 4:20 am on Monday. As rescue teams responded to the first bombing, three other bombers detonated their explosive devices as well. The Lebanese Prime minister Tammam Salam decried the attack as he said; The facts revealed by this crime, in terms of number of participants or method of implementation, show the nature of evil harbored for Lebanon and the size of the risks facing the country at this difficult stage both internally and regionally, This terrorist operation proves that our stability is targeted by forces of darkness, and that the only way to protect it is by standing united behind our military institution and security forces in their battle against terrorism, and by promoting national unity and strengthening our internal political scene. John Paul Ojaojogwu Usman has died in the United States. The young Nigerian died on June 25 due to an accident while hiking near Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he was studying civic leadership as a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow. The The U.S. Mission to Nigeria expressed sadness over his death and commiserated with the country. We extend our deepest condolences to John Pauls family and friends over this tragic loss, a statement by the US Diplomatic Mission said. John Paul was a rising star, devoted to the causes of sustainable development, childrens rights, and peacebuilding in Nigeria. His selection to the Mandela Washington Fellowship was a tribute to his drive, talent, and dedication to making his countrys civil society even stronger, the statement said. While his time with us was short, he was well loved, the Diplomatic Mission quoted one of John Pauls professional mentors at Virginia Tech to have said. The Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders, begun in 2014, is the flagship program of President Obamas Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) that empowers young people through academic coursework, leadership training, and networking. Each Mandela Washington Fellow takes part in a six-week academic and leadership Institute at a U.S. university or college in one of three tracks: Business and Entrepreneurship, Civic Leadership, or Public Management. The man accused of threatening people outside U.S. Foods in Bismarck and fleeing to Wahpeton pleaded not guilty to all charges against him on Monday. James Vann, 31, of Bismarck, is charged with four counts of terrorizing relating to threats allegedly made to his girlfriend, police and two bystanders on May 17. But girlfriend Alicia Holen said she wants the charge relating to her dropped. "Nothing happened to me. He never threatened me," she said in an interview. "I know that I wasnt a victim, and supposedly thats where it started." Vann waived his right to a preliminary hearing Monday, essentially conceding that there is enough evidence for him to go to a trial on the charges. According to the testimony of Bismarck Police Officer Mike Renton at a probable cause hearing in May, the incident began as a disagreement between Vann and his girlfriend. Renton said Vann followed her to U.S. Foods as she fled the argument, then threatened people outside the store with a gun. Holen said in the interview that the two had an argument. She walked away to avoid the fight and went into U.S. Foods to use the bathroom, as she is six months pregnant. As he fled to eastern North Dakota, Vann called local police dispatch and threatened to kill the woman and police officers, Renton said. Authorities traced Vann through his cellphone and arrested him without incident in Wahpeton. South Central District Judge Sonna Anderson scheduled a three-day trial for Nov. 30. More than 30 people are listed as potential witnesses, she said. Vann is being held on $200,000 cash bond at the Burleigh County Detention Center. Holen, who was unable to be at the hearing due to work, was surprised to hear the trial would not take place for five months. She said she struggles to manage without her boyfriend at home. "We had a system. One would take care of the kids; the other would be at work," said Holen, whose due date is in October. "What am I supposed to do now?" Vanguard Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, has canvassed for dialogue as the only way out of the recurrent violence in the Niger Delta, saying waging war against the militants would only exacerbate the already volatile situation in the region. Punch The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has seized 29 properties from the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; a former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF, Air Vice Marshal Jacob Adigun (retd.); and a former Director of Finance and Budget, Air Commodore Olugbenga Gbadebo (retd.). Thisday Following the federal governments decision to arraign Senate President, Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, before Justice Yusuf Haliru of an Abuja High Court today for alleged forgery of the Senate Standing Order, 2015, concern has grown over the sanctity of the legislature to run its affairs as an independent arm of government. The Sun BAYELSA State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has advised the Federal Government and militants in the Niger Delta to perish the thought that violence can be used to solve the recurrent issue of resource control in the region. Daily Times Fifteen states of the federation are on the verge of bankruptcy, an analysis of their Internally Generated Revenues (IGRs) against their Federation Account Allocations (FAAs) has indicated. Guardian House of Representatives Committee on Public Accounts has commenced investigation into the N3.201 billion expenditures not captured in the cashbook of Ministry of Defence as at September 2010 as well as N854 million lodged in the bank by the ministry but not reflected in the ministrys cashbook. Daily Trust A group, under the aegis of Bayelsa APC Integrity Group, has expressed displeasure over the statements credited to Bolous Indiamowei insinuating that Bayelsans are on the receiving end of President Muhammadu Buharis federal appointments, particularly the recent ambassadorial recruitments. Leadership President Muhammadu Buhari is keen on actively encouraging private sector initiatives that can build the Nigerian economy, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN said. National Mirror Justice Hussein Baba- Yusuf, of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama yesterday, struck out the names of the immediate past publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party Chief, Olisa Metuh and two others in the suit filed by a faction of the PDP. Justice Baba Tribune TROOPS of 223 Battalion, 1 Brigade, under the auspices of Operation SHARAN DAJI of 1 Division Nigerian Army, on Sunday, carried out fighting patrol to Kabaru village forest, in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State against cattle rustlers and armed bandits. The Nation Some former military chiefs are likely to be invited over some suspicious arms contracts, The Nation learnt yesterday. The ban on road blocks across the country is still in force, the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has said. The Acting IGP pointed out that the ban on road block was not from the police leadership, but a directive from the Federal Government that must be enforced. He also debunked reports in the media that about 30 senior police officers from the rank of AIG and above, would be retired from the Police Force. According to the reports, a letter written by the police chief to the Presidency through the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, has been approved and is just awaiting President Muhammadu Buharis assent. Mr. Idris, an Assistant Inspector General of Police, described the report as mere speculation. The Acting IGP spoke in Abuja during his maiden meeting with senior officers of the Force. Matters that were discussed at the meeting include declaration of assets, withdrawal of Police Mobile Force, (PMF) personnel, restructuring of Special Anti- Robbery Squad, Counter Terrorism Unit, formation of eminent persons forum in each state command and establishment of joint operations centre in each state command. Others were discipline, need to observe chain of command, turnout of personnel, welfare, sustenance of order banning roadblocks, IGPs collaboration with military and other security agencies to ensure safe return of IDPs to their communities and strengthening of security at IDP camps. Speaking on the ban of road blocks, Idris said: I want to say that road blocks remain banned and it is not even a police policy, it is a directive from the federal government and we must abide by it. We are going to reinforce the X-Squad and they will check corruption within the police and at various levels in the civil servants. We are going to set them up at commands and they will be used to check the illegal road blocks and I can assure you that they are going to be effective. A video clip showing how a group of policemen brutalized a man in Rivers state has gone viral on the social media. The clip, shared on instablog9ja on Sunday revealed two policemen torturing a man without his shirt on and uttering Enter this motor while the man refused. While some people tried to intervene, the situation got more unbearable as some officers flogged the man mercilessly with a wood on every part of his body. Reports say it happened at Graceland, Oyigbo, Rivers State. Meanwhile, the Complaints Response Unit, CRU, of the Nigerian Police Force says it had opened investigation into the alleged police brutality at Oyigbo Police Unit. In response to the video, the CRU replied on Instablog9ja: Re: Alleged Police brutality at Graceland, by Oyigbo, Rivers State Police Unit. CRU has reviewed a video in circulation on the social media in respect of subject. Investigation has been initiated. Tracking number is #CRU426427 #NPFcomplaint . Watch video here https://www.instagram.com/p/BHHPSsyglzS/ Source:Dailypost Members of the National Assembly caucus in both the Senate and House of Representatives from Ekiti State have cautioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), against allowing itself to be used to intimidate or harass Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State by the Federal government. The caucus unequivocally condemned the freezing of the bank accounts belonging to Ekiti state Governor by the EFCC, describing it as absolutely illegal, and an affront to the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The release issued on Sunday and signed on behalf of the caucus by the Senate Deputy Minority Whip, Senator Biodun Olujimi reads; our attention has been drawn to the freezing of the bank accounts belonging to Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose by the EFCC and we wish to state that the actions violates the constitution of Nigeria, which conferred immunity on the governor and the EFCC Act, which mandates the Commission to obtain a valid court order before bank accounts of anyone can be frozen. It is trite that the condition precedent to be fulfilled by the EFCC to fully exercise its powers as enshrined in section 34(1) of the EFCC Act, with effect to the freezing order on banks and other financial Institutions was not met. Ditto for the fact that for the court to make such an order, there must be papers (Court Process) filed in court and signed by a Judge. By the provision of section 308(1) (a) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), no suit can be instituted against any sitting Governor in any court in Nigeria. Therefore, no process of the court can be issued, signed or served against Mr. Ayodele Fayose, being a sitting Governor. Knowing fully well that the import of section 308 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), is principally to avert unnecessary distraction of any sitting governor and other beneficiaries of that section. As much as we are not against the anti corruption crusade of the government or the investigation of corruption persons by the EFCC, we urge the anti-corruption agency to carry out its functions without political interference from any quarters, while the Federal government on its part, must eschew all actions capable of destabilizing the peace of any state, or threaten our nascent democracy. Source: Punch Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal at the weekend defended the recent Ambassadorial-nominees list sent by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Senate, saying the president has constitutional powers to nominate envoys anyway he deems fit. Recall that the Senate last week suspended the screening and subsequent confirmation of the 47 nominees by President Buhari due to what they said was non-compliance with Federal Character principle. The senators, therefore, passed a motion to summon the SGF and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama to explain why four states Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ondo and Plateau were not represented in the Ambassadorial list. Justifying the composition of the list, Mr. Lawal, in a chat with newsmen in Abuja, said he was ready to appear before the Upper Chamber, adding that unlike appointment of ministers, which the constitution stipulates each state must be represented by at least one person, the constitution did not specify any criteria for the president to adopt in nominating ambassadors. The SGF regretted that the Senate suspended deliberation on the list saying the controversy over federal character or otherwise would have been laid to rest with just a phone call. He said: Certainly, we will appear, we are law abiding, we respect the National Assembly and we respect the laws of the land. One thing however is clear, the constitution makes it clear that it is the prerogative of the president to nominate Ambassadors and the criteria he will use to do so is also the constitutional right of the President. Whatever criteria he chooses to use is constitutional. We acknowledge also that it is also the prerogative of the Senate to approve or not to approve that nomination. Be that as it may, I must say that we are disappointed that the National Assembly took the decision it did but again we believe that the Senate is made up of very responsible and patriotic Nigerians and the Senate is made up of great people including governors who have governed and known the constitution regarding separation of powers. We believe that the Senate will not do anything that will bring the country to disrepute because right now Nigeria enjoys tremendous goodwill all over the globe. Countries now have high regard and respect for our president, our ministers and all other representatives of government are treated very well and with respect wherever they go. It is important to have ambassadors to sustain this goodwill. Mr. Lawal stressed that having ambassadors in foreign countries will reduce the stress in attracting foreign investment into Nigeria. Again, a lot of the travels by the president and government representatives is to attract direct foreign investment into the country and ambassadors are key to sustaining this and ensuring that the goals for these trips are achieved. A third reason why we think these ambassadors are key is because of the phenomenal of global terrorism; almost every country around the world is facing it and all nations of the world are now collaborating with each other to fight this international terrorism. It is important that Nigerians have representatives on the ground who will represent its interest and defend it, he said. Delaying the screening of ambassadors even by one day, the SGF noted, is not in national interest. We believe that senators being patriotic Nigerians will not want to cause undue hardship and put Nigeria at an undue disadvantage in any regard. While we respect their rights and their views on the issues of ambassadorial nominees, we expect that in coming to whatever decision, they will consider patriotism and put into cognizance the interest of their own country and not probably political considerations or even personal considerations to bring undue hardship and disadvantage to their own country. On the Federal Character principle, he said: Of course we have read in the newspapers some of their concerns such as federal character and so on. At the last count my recollection is that out of the 47 diplomat nominees, out of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, 32 states were represented. While the constitution preaches federal character, it does not say that every state must be represented in any appointment, except of course in the case of ministers. Not in all other appointments, so the spirit of the constitution has been fully satisfied by having 32 ambassadors out of 36 plus one. I believe that every objective analyst will agree with this. Listing some of the criteria adopted in the nomination of the ambassadors, apart from merit and qualifications, the SGF said that it was important not to appoint someone an ambassador that will soon retire. He said: So one of the criteria the person must have is that he must not be less than 30 months to retirement. If you know the processes of nominating and deploying ambassadors you will know that for example, it is highly unlikely that the Senate will be done with it within the next two, three weeks. These ambassadors will need to be presented to the countries where they are going to be posted for checks and confirmation by those countries. We cannot dictate the speed at which they will do it, so it could take in all honesty probably six to seven months for an ambassador to fully be cleared and assume his new post. It will take longer still for him to acclimatize and settle down in his work. There have been a subsisting policy not by this regime alone that it will be good for someone who has 30 months to retire not be posted because then he will just be settling down before retiring, it doesnt make sense. Another criteria considered, according to Lawal, was the accelerating level of the nominee, which must be grade level 16 or 17. Due to no fault of this government, not all states have people in the ministry of foreign affairs, in the foreign service department that met this criteria, he stated. He also said that the criteria included consideration for specialist areas, satisfying requirement of gender sensitivity, while the nominee must also be change compatible. The SGF further explained that other ambassadorial appointments will come from outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or related agencies that will provide opportunity for the states that didnt make the list. The leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis has said that the Church should apologize to gays for all the offences it has committed against them. The Pope said this at a press conference aboard the Papal Plane on his way from Armenia, while responding to a question from a journalist about a German Cardinal who said the Catholic Church should apologize for being very negative about gays. The Pope was also asked whether Christians bear some blame for hatred toward the LGBT community, as horrifically demonstrated in the Orlando massacre at a gay night club that killed 49 people on June 12. Pope Francis said, I repeat what the Catechism of the Catholic Church says: that they must not be discriminated against, that they must be respected and accompanied pastorally, The Church must ask forgiveness for not behaving many times when I say the Church, I mean Christians! The Church is holy, we are sinners! I believe that the church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended, but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons. One can condemn, but not for theological reasons, but for reasons of political behaviorCertain manifestations are a bit too offensive for others, no? But these are things that have nothing to do with the problem. The problem is a person that has a condition, that has good will and who seeks God, who are we to judge? And we must accompany them well. There are traditions in some countries, some cultures, that have a different mentality about this question (homosexuals) and there are some (gay) demonstrations that are too offensive for some. Source: Dailypost On this day in 2014;The governor-elect in Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose received certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. INEC presented the certificates to Fayose and his deputy, Dr Olubunmi Olusola at its headquarters in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, in the presence of a huge crowd of their supporters and party men. The presentation was sequel to his victory over the incumbent governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Saturdays election Also on this day in 2014;Operatives of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Anti-Smuggling Task Force on surveillance activities were ambushed by suspected smugglers at Kishi border town of Oyo State, engaged them in a battle and left them injured. And on this day in 2013; residents and workers at Apapa area of Lagos State were in fear, following a car bomb explosion that killed about four persons and left many others injured at the Folawiyo axis of Creek Road, Apapa. Security operatives shut down business activities between Trebor Roundabout (near A.C. Christlieb) and Alex Junction on Creek Road, areas that were badly affected by the explosion. An investigation by NAIJ.com has revealed that an abattoir in Mararaba, Nasarawa state, is posing a significant danger to the health of people living in the vicinity. The health and quality of life of residents in the town is by pollutants from the abattoir located in their neighbourhood. Like most abattoirs, Mararaba abattoir is located near a body of water because of the high demand for water for the processing of the slaughtered animals. However, blood from the animals and washing water is often released into a flowing stream untreated. Consumable parts of the slaughtered animals are washed with water drawn from the stream or the beef is washed directly in the flowing water. Residents of Mararaba also have to cope with the stench of decaying animal parts emanating from the nearby abattoir. It was noted that there were few outdoor activities in the vicinity. The stench that blights the community, according to reports, emanates from dirty water and animal blood that runs out of the abattoir into a large canal nearby. Research revealed that over 200 animals are slaughtered at the abattoir on a daily basis, and scores of meat sellers could be seen transporting beef to various markets in the metropolis. Some butchers were seen preparing carcasses on the wet, dirty floor outside the abattoir and very close to a pond dug by the abattoir management. Before this stage, and immediately after animals are slaughtered, the fur is burnt off in the open using firewood and lorry tyres. At least five fire points were counted daily over the period of observation, each producing smoke continuously between 7.30am and 11:00am, which according to residents is harmful when inhaled. It was, however, observed that firewood constituted the greater part of the fuel. The use of lorry tyres was relatively minimal compared to other places in the country where they constitute the main energy base. The practice nevertheless produces a huge amount of smoke that pollutes the area and poses a danger to the health of residents. The facility is also generally operating under unhygienic conditions due to a lack of certain basic amenities. Speaking with NAIJ.com, Anuolapo Richards, a resident of the area living close to the abattoir, decried the current state of the community, adding that the foul smell emanating from the abattoir had existed for years, while the government seemed to have forgotten about it. He revealed that residents had been finding it difficult to cope with the stench, while efforts to make government provide a lasting solution had been met with a brick wall. There is hardly any time you come here and there wont be a foul odor. You may have observed that many residents dont usually open their windows; this is because it is quite impossible to do so without inviting the smell of decaying animal parts into our homes. The stench is really sickening, and it is often aggravated by the current art of burning animal horns and hooves almost every morning and late at night by butchers, said Richards, who claimed to have been living in the vicinity for over four years. Andrew James, another resident, said that abattoirs should be prohibited from being located within residential neighbourhoods. They should instead be treated as industrial or agricultural land use. Just like high level industries, abattoir should not be found among residential houses because right now the effect it has on all resident of this area is bad and could lead to outbreak of sickness or disease, he said. Another resident in the area, Mrs Ngozi Hubert, whose shop was also situated close to the abattoir, agreed. She said: Though much has been done by residents to enforce environmental sanitation and proper waste disposal methods, the irritating smell from the abattoir still lingers. She explained that due to the densely populated nature of the community, many residents stood the risk of contracting airborne diseases. She added that it was time for the abattoir to be relocated. Perhaps when the abattoir was created, there were few residential buildings around it, but now things have changed, as thousands of people have moved in here over the last few years. I am not a medical practitioner, but I dont need to be one to know that it is time the government moved in and find a way to save us all from a possible outbreak of an epidemic, she added. Dr James Douglas, a medical specialist at the Kings Care Hospital in Mararaba, speaking on the health implications, explained that abattoirs activities have direct and indirect negative effects on the local environment and on peoples health, especially residents living close to the abattoir. He said the negative effects include the contamination of air and water, the transmission of diseases and the blockages of gutters and drains. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter An unkempt abbatoir He also said that abattoirs management systems should include a waste management plan, and that legislative measures with regard to land use, waste disposal methods, abattoir management, odour control and provision of assessment criteria for all abattoirs should be enforced. He said efforts should be made by all relevant agencies when formulating new policies to increase public awareness of the possible impact of pollution from abattoir waste. Further measures should be provided for better environment secluded from residential area so the lives of people will not be endangered, he said. The chairman of Mararaba Butchers Association, Ndala Zuzu, told NAIJ.com that the association over the years had made several requests to the state government to provide a secluded area for the business to be relocated away from residents. We have made several efforts on our own to make sure our business does not hurt people within the environment. We were able to build a pond where we wash away waste products from the animals we slaughter. Before now, we make use the river close by, but we decided to stop because of the effects it was having on the people who make use of the river water for domestic use. We also make use of chemicals to clean up the places where these animals are killed to eliminate the odor and other jams or bacteria, Zuzu added. He called on the state government to come to their aid by providing more boreholes and other necessary amenities to maintain the abattoir, or by moving the abattoir away from residential areas to a more secluded place. Speaking also, the state coordinator of the butchers association, Yunusa Garba, said that though the association has constructed three boreholes, it is not enough to cater for the water need of the butchers. Our association has always bought chemicals to wash and take care of the abattoir but we are pleading with the government to come in and assist us. The Karu local governments do not put our plight into consideration; we need them to look into our challenges, he said. At the time of filing this report, all efforts to learn the views of the Nasarawa state government on the issue proved unsuccessful as phone calls and text messages made to government representatives were not answered. Source: Naij Microsoft today will release the 1.0 versions of its open source .Net Core and ASP. Net Core technologies, which open up its .Net software development platform and extend it to Linux and popular mobile platforms. The company also is working on a protocol that enables multiple language support in any tool. .Net Core provides a modular subset of the company's .Net Framework programming model and is intended to to promote code reuse and code-sharing. ASP.Net Core is for building cloud-based, internet-connected applications including web apps. These technologies have transformed .Net into a platform for building applications for Windows, Linux, and MacOS, said Joseph Sirosh, corporate vice president of the Microsoft Data Group. [ Free tools! Get the most out of Windows with 15 open source tools for system admins. | Stay up on key Microsoft technologies with InfoWorld's Windows newsletter. ] In addition, .Net Core 1.0 includes the first release of the .Net Standard Library, for developers to reuse code for applications that can run on servers, desktops, the cloud, and devices including Apple's iOS, Google's Android, and Microsoft's Windows Mobile phones. In May, Microsoft pledged to deliver .Net Core 1.0 and ASP.Net Core 1.0 in June. The move has been seen as a bid to entice non-Windows developers into the .Net camp. .Net Core 1.0 is being supported on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux distribution. Microsoft also is working on interoperability between languages and tools. The Eclipse Che team and Red Hat are adopting Visual Studio Code's Language Server Protocol -- an open protocol that "enables some of the rich editing features in VS Code," Sirosh said. On Thursday, the company will demonstrate its SQL Server database running on Red Hat Enterprise Linux. In March the company announced plans for running SQL Server on Linux. Microsoft also is making available an Azure Resource Manager template on GitHub, for deploying the Red Hat OpenShift PaaS on Red Hat Enterprise Linux in Azure. And Microsoft said Samsung is joining the .Net Foundation's Technical Steering Group, which directs the technical process concerning core .Net components. Other participants include JetBrains, Red Hat, and Unity. A former North Dakota man was charged with first degree murder after his wife was found dead of gunshot wounds in their home in Polk City, Fla. An autopsy showed Lisa Zuraff was shot three times in the back, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Lisa and Loren Zuraff moved to Florida from Lincoln in 2014, said Charles Hoppe Jr., the woman's brother. Loren Zuraff, 50, told deputies he and his wife and got into an argument on Wednesday, and she pulled a gun on him while he was in their pool, according to the sheriff's office. He said they struggled over the gun. "She got shot," he told deputies. Lisa Zuraff was pronounced dead on scene, according to the sheriff's office. Police found a black handgun, three casings, two projectiles and a cell phone submerged in the pool. Loren Zuraff is being held without bond, according to the sheriff's office. Lisa Zuraff, 37, grew up in Carrington, and later moved to Lincoln, Hoppe said. In Bismarck, she worked at Front Street Lighting. "My sister just loved it in Florida," Hoppe said. "They decided they were tired of North Dakota winters and they moved there. There was no other family or anything down there." She opened a business in Florida, where she sold kettle corn, hamburgers and tacos in a bag, Hoppe said. "She would give the shirt off of her back to help everybody," Hoppe said, adding that she helped people after the shooting in Orlando. She is survived by two children, her mother and her brother, Hoppe said. "She was killed senselessly," Hoppe said. A funeral is scheduled for Thursday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Carrington. Red Wednesday for Cotton Market Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 4:50PM CDT The cotton weakness continued through the midweek session, as futures ended the day another 35 to 65 points lower. The @USD fell again on Wednesday and is now 5,193 points (5 handles) below the 9/28 high... CTZ22 : 77.82s (-0.83%) CTH23 : 77.38s (-0.72%) CTK23 : 76.75s (-0.53%) Cattle Futures Firm Up on Wednesday Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 4:50PM CDT Live cattle resumed their upward momentum following the turnaround Tuesday. Futures went home 17 to 32 cents higher at the close. October was the outlier with another 22 cent drop by the bell. Feeder cattle... LEV22 : 151.450s (-0.15%) LEZ22 : 153.575s (+0.18%) LEG23 : 157.025s (+0.21%) GFV22 : 176.425s (-0.10%) GFX22 : 178.825s (+0.51%) Hogs Close Off their Highs but Still In Black Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 4:50PM CDT Lean hog prices went home a nickel to 45 cents higher in the front month futures. For the Dec contract, that was a $1.05 drop from the days high. The USDA National Average Base Hog Price for Wednesday... HEZ22 : 88.500s (+0.06%) HEJ23 : 94.175s (+0.24%) KMZ22 : 96.725s (-0.82%) Midweek Loss for Corn Market Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 4:50PM CDT Corn futures ended the midweek session with 1 1/4 to 2 1/4 cent givebacks. December stayed in a tighter 6 1/2 cent range on the day. EIA reported ethanol production averaged 1.033 million barrels per... ZCZ22 : 685-0 (unch) ZCPAUS.CM : 6.7615 (-0.03%) ZCH23 : 690-4 (unch) ZCK23 : 689-4 (unch) Soy Futures Close Mixed with Beans Fractionally Mixed Barchart - Wed Oct 26, 4:50PM CDT Soybean meal prices dropped 0.95% to 1.66% and soybean oil prices strengthened by 0.97% to 1.58% on the day leaving little room for beans through product values. That left soybean futures fractionally... ZSX22 : 1386-0 (+0.31%) ZSPAUS.CM : 13.3751 (+0.12%) ZSF23 : 1397-6 (+0.34%) ZSH23 : 1406-0 (+0.30%) Livestock Report Walsh Trading - Wed Oct 26, 4:02PM CDT Cattle markets bounce back AT&T's Aspire Connect to Success Competition is all about finding programs with track records of success in motivating high school students to persist in school to graduation, preparing them for later success. Recently, AT&T selected 18 organizations to share in $10 million of grant funding for initiatives ranging from peer tutoring to comprehensive student supports and college preparation. This is nice money if you can get it, and it's from a funder that we don't hear about much in the K-12 space. In fact, we've barely noticed any AT&T giving on any issue over recent years. Of course, being one of the largest corporations in the United States, AT&T does engage in quite a bit of philanthropy, with education as a top focus. You can see an overview of its ed initiatives here, although be forewarned: As with many corporate funders, it takes a bit of digging to get a fix on specific grant opportunities from AT&T. As you might expect from a telecom company, AT&T has an interest in supporting STEM education, as well as initiatives related to its expertise in technology. It's given large grants to Girls Who Code, Code.org, and Black Girls Code. It's also big into backing ed tech outfits, and has supported efforts to grant "nanodegrees," which are online certifications for tech jobs. Youth career development overall is a keen interest for this funder, and last year it gave $2.2 million to Road Trip Nation, an organization that creates career exploration resources to help students explore pathways aligned with their interests. In 2015, this funder gave a $1 million grant to Year Up, which moves urban youth from poverty to professional careers in one year. That money is being used to launch the group's Dallas work. Other grant recipients last year included Teach for America. For the Aspire Connect competition, AT&T sifted through applications from hundreds of nonprofits before selecting the 18 recipients. The company funded the grant competition through AT&T Aspire, its signature philanthropic program. AT&T's Social Innovation and Philanthropy division views a high school diploma as a must-have for future success. The Aspire program identifies organizations that demonstrate success in moving the needle on high school graduation rates, especially for disadvantaged students. A 2016 study by the America's Promise Alliance, a partnership backed by AT&T and a range of corporate and philanthropic funders, including State Farm, Boeing, and the Citi and Ford foundations, found that 20 percent of high school students do not graduate high school in four years. Gaps in high school completion rates are especially pronounced among low-income students, English Language Learners, students of color and students with disabilities. Students who take longer than four years to complete high school are far less likely to be college ready or to be prepared for careers. Related: Millions Have Been Given to Boost High School Graduation Rates.... And? Recipients sharing the $10 million from AT&T include the YMCA of Greater New York which received $250,000 to expand Y Scholars, a college access and success program that works with underserved students in New York City. Family Connection-Communities in Schools is another recipient. The Georgia-based organization will receive $1 million to place site coordinators in three high-poverty high schools in Athens, GA, to provide schoolwide interventions, as well as targeted supports to specific student groups to increase achievement and graduation rates. Since 2008, AT&T has put more than $200 million into programs aimed at increasing high school graduation rates. Past funding recipients under the Aspire program have demonstrated success in high school outcomes, according to a news release from the company. AT&T reported that, among 2014 funding recipients, participating students had higher attendance rates than their peers and were more likely to graduate on time. In May, Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines unveiled its intention to wrap up a $5 billion buyback program. Why, in this age of continual buyback announcements, is this surprising? Stock repurchases routinely garner a lot of investor attention when they debut, as companies boast of the return of excess cash to shareholders and the upticks in earnings per share that they believe will result. But share-repurchase initiatives often then fade away, like old soldiers. In fact, many companies never fully spend the cash allocated to buy back shares, rolling it into new programs that they then announce with great fanfare. Buyback Scorecard The S&P 500 as Stock Repurchasers Best & Worst Companies Industry Comparisons Delta management obviously thought that investors would find merit in the actual completion of a share-repurchase program. In the first seven months following the authorization of the initiative, the airline spent $2.2 billion on 48 million shares. Delta intends to repurchase the last shares by May 2017, six months ahead of schedule, including $375 million in accelerated share buybacks in the current quarter. News that Delta will complete the buyback program, in tandem with its third 50 percent dividend hike since 2013, nudged its stock up 5.4 percent before it settled to $43.10 on May 19, a 3.6 percent gain over the last closing price before the buyback and dividend hike were announced. Delta shareholders should applaud, says airlines analyst Duane Pfennigwerth at ISI Evercore in New York. Large airlines competing on the size of their capital-return programs as opposed to the size of their aircraft-order books is a relatively new, very healthy and underappreciated attribute of the U.S. airline industry, he notes. Delta isnt alone. Another company that is now explicitly talking about the completion of its buyback plan: Union, New Jerseys Bed Bath & Beyond. The home-goods chains chief financial officer, Susan Lattmann, said recently that the company intends to complete a $2.5 billion buyback by fiscal 2020, subject to business and market conditions a relatively long, four-year end date, but a firmer commitment than most other companies offer. The kind of emphasis that Delta and Bed Bath & Beyond put on fulfilling their buyback promises quietly suggests that the capital-return strategy is under some stress. Critics have questioned the practice of artificially boosting earning per share by reducing the number of shares; or the effect of buybacks on capital investment, R&D and growth; or the practice of rewarding exiting shareholders with repurchases at the expense of long-term investors. And as investments, buybacks have suffered recently. For the first time since Institutional Investorintroduced its Corporate Buyback Scorecard in November 2012, the overall median return on investment from the strategy what we call buyback ROI has gone negative. The bull market no longer lifts most buybacks, according to the latest Buyback Scorecard, which covers the quarter ended on March 31, 2016, and includes data going back two years. The scorecard was developed and the results calculated for Institutional Investor by New Yorkbased Fortuna Advisors using data from S&P Capital IQ. The Buyback Scorecard provides a framework for analyzing the effectiveness of some of the largest investments many companies make. Were managers sound judges of the outlook for their own companies when they repurchased shares? In the name of returning cash to investors, did long-term shareholders subsidize returns of exiting shareholders? Did managers throw good money after bad in buyback programs, foregoing other, more productive opportunities in the process? Which companies put buybacks to the best possible use? In early 2013 companies with positive buyback ROI outnumbered those with negative returns by a factor of nine to one. On the current scorecard barely 40 percent of companies report positive buyback ROI. Since early 2013 median buyback ROI has fallen from 28.8 percent to 5.3 percent. In other words, buybacks have been money-losing investments for most companies in the scorecard. This performance decline hasnt killed off enthusiasm for buybacks. Capital distributions clearly favor buybacks over dividends. Across all 24 sectors surveyed, median buybacks surpassed median payouts by 2.8 to one a dollar of dividends to three dollars of buybacks. At Delta cash allocated to buybacks exceeded dividends by six to one. Delta continues to have success with its buybacks, delivering a 9 percent return on investment to shareholders over eight quarters through March. The airline outperformed median buyback ROI in the transportation sector by more than 15 percentage points and the median for all scorecard companies by upwards of 14 percentage points. Still, the case for buybacks is often confused. Its pretty simple math to say that EPS will grow when fewer shares have a claim on net income; but its also misleading, notes Tim Koller, a partner in McKinsey & Co.s corporate finance practice in New York. You should not be doing buybacks just to increase earnings per share, he warns. Koller and co-authors Obi Ezekoye and Ankit Mittal spell out their case in a new report, How Share Repurchases Boost Earnings Without Improving Returns. The McKinsey paper argues that since Congress opened the door to buybacks in 1982, companies have increasingly favored repurchases over dividends. Buybacks are more flexible than dividends, which shareholders expect to see in perpetuity. McKinsey also argues that theres little evidence that growth in buybacks is harming overall capital investment, which continues to run just above the growth of gross domestic product. One big reason: The increasing dominance of sectors, like technology and health care, generating profits from intellectual property, which tend to be less capital intensive than the overall corporate sector, and thus generate more free cash flow. Koller wouldnt discard buybacks as a tool for distributing surplus cash, only the misconception that increases to EPS have as much market impact as growth in revenues or profit margins. The market is smart enough to distinguish the difference, Koller says. Investors reward companies for generating EPS not for how they distribute it. Attractive investments eventually return more value than buybacks, he adds, but the effect on financial statements wont show up as fast as the EPS bump that may follow. Share repurchases may boost EPS but that doesnt mean they improve buyback ROI, which is a way of measuring whether or not a company has earned adequate return on its repurchased shares over a specific period of time. The lack of correlation between EPS and buyback ROI is a reason to hold companies that have manufactured EPS through the use of buybacks accountable, says Joseph Theriault, Fortunas vice president of research. Whatever motivated them to repurchase shares, the 305 Standard & Poors 500 companies ranked in the scorecard spent $1.1 trillion over eight quarters through March on share repurchases. After retreating in late 2015, buybacks resumed their robust pace during the brutal start for stocks in 2016. Three full years of Buyback Scorecards allow us to view buyback programs from a variety of perspectives: over time, by varying sectors, volume, percentage of market cap retired, buyback ROI relative to underlying ROI and different quintile groupings. In the current scorecard Cupertino, California, tech giant Apple leads all companies in buyback volume. During the first quarter alone, Apple poured $7 billion into buybacks, capping an unprecedented buyback program. During the past eight quarters, the company repurchases exceeded $70 billion, retiring 12 percent of its market capitalization. Despite the scale of its program, it ranked No. 165 on the scorecard with a buyback ROI of 7.2 percent. Apple appears unfazed. Citing confidence in its outlook, the companys board hiked its repurchase authorization by $35 billion, to $175 billion, in April. Two years ago, when its stock was flying high, the company resisted activist investor Carl Icahns call for big buybacks. Now that it has seen iPhone sales fall for the first time, its pressing ahead. This quarterly Buyback Scorecard includes ten sectors that rack up positive buyback ROI, against 14 that show negative returns. Consumer Services buybacks fare best, led by Orlando, Floridabased Darden Restaurants and Oak Brook, Illinoisbased McDonalds Corp. As a group, this sector enjoyed an 11 percent return on its buyback investments. Consumer Durables and Apparel companies, led by Beaverton, Oregons sports-apparel giant Nike, posted an 8.6 percent buyback ROI. Still, even the best returns look tepid compared to earlier buyback ROIs. Real Estate companies recorded 32.6 percent in buyback ROI in the first quarter of 2013. Behind ten sectors on the latest scorecard, Real Estate, ranked 11th out of 24 sectors, saw buyback returns decline by 0.5 percent. A year ago five sectors boasted median buyback ROI of over 30 percent: Technology Hardware and Equipment, Health Care Equipment and Services, Food and Staples Retailing, Real Estate and Retailing. This time all five fall below top buyback ROI of 11 percent posted by Consumer Services. Of the five only three, Retailing (5.9 percent), Food and Staples Retailing (5.4 percent) and Health Care Equipment and Services (5.2 percent) eked out a positive buyback return. Moreover, weak sectors have drifted further down. Market volatility shredded buyback ROI in Diversified Financials hardest. The groups buyback ROI fell to 18 percent. Energy and Automobiles and Components both declined more than 10 percent. A year ago, energy and utilities recorded positive buyback ROI. As expected, the beleaguered Energy sectors buyback ROI has been pummeled. El Dorado, Arkansas oil exploration and production company Murphy Oil Corp. paid upwards of $50 a share to retire stock, now changing hands closer to $30, leading to a punishing buyback ROI of 58.2 percent, and a ranking just one place above the bottom. Timing is always sort of lacking for E&Ps, says John Herrlin Jr., who heads Societe Generale Corporate & Investment Bankings oil-and-gas research effort in New York. You have to be systematic [about buybacks] rather than episodic, he explains. But in this industry free cash flow is mostly episodic. Refiners have had an easier time. Buybacks at Tesoro Corp., based in San Antonio, produced ROI in excess of 14 percent. Product prices tend to be sticky, Herrlin says. They go down slower than feedstock prices. Sectors alone dont determine buyback ROI. Companies in Semiconductors and Semiconductor Equipment occupy places on the best and worst lists. Santa Clara, Californiabased graphics chips maker Nvidia Corp. delivers the second-best buyback ROI, powered by record revenue in gaming platforms and related sectors. Micron Technology, conversely, is dead last. The Boise, Idaho, memory chip makers management has blamed weakness in the PC market, seasonality and the timing of product launches. A skidding stock price has reduced the value of Micron shares by more than 31 percent. Poor timing caused a further decline of nearly 43 percent in buyback ROI. The disparity highlights what we call buyback effectiveness, which measures buyback ROI relative to underlying total return, labeled buyback strategy on the scorecard. All 24 sectors post negative buyback effectiveness, ranging from 0.3 percent in Telecommunications Services to 16.3 percent for companies in the Technology Hardware and Equipment sector. Only 45 companies delivered positive buyback effectiveness, topped by Springdale, Arkansas-based Tyson Foods 35 percent. The latest scorecard reports that the meat processor spent $1.3 billion on buybacks, reducing market cap by 5.2 percent. Bringing up the rear in buyback effectiveness: New Yorks E*Trade Financial Corp. at 52.1 percent. The median company on the scorecard reduced its market capital by 7.8 percent. At the upper end, Houstons Quanta Services, which provides outsourced services to broadband, electric power, gas pipeline and electric power companies, trimmed market capital by nearly half closely trailed by five companies that shed about one third or more of their market capital. Critics of buybacks continue to hammer aggressive repurchase programs. If you purchase shares and your buyback ROI is negative or below what the equity is delivering, youve rewarded the exiting shareholder financed by the ongoing shareholders, says Jeff McCutcheon, a co-founder of Jacksonville, Florida, consulting firm Board Advisory. In a February report to the United Nations Secretary Generals High-Level Panel on Access to Medicines, a team of researchers led by University of Massachusetts economist William Lazonick, a longtime critic of the strategy, takes aim at a key misconception: that shareholders as the sole risk-takers deserve first claim on all corporate profits allocated to buybacks. Taxpayers, Lazonick says, assume some of the risk, not least by annually funding the National Institutes of Health, which supports life-sciences research, to the tune of $32 billion a year. Workers with employment uncertainty have earned a competing claim on profits. He argues that the first step to restore stable and equitable growth is to ban pharmaceuticals companies from repurchasing stock. Critics like Lazonick face an uphill battle. Both boards and shareholders favor buybacks, which have grown into a flexible and increasingly prominent component of capital strategies. Many more will follow, leaving the question: How many will really be completed? And how will they perform? Get more on corporations. Markets continue to recalibrate as investors consider the eventual impact of the U.K.s decision to depart from the European Union. In comments at a conference in Aspen, Colorado over the weekend, International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde urged policymakers to develop a coordinated response to curb potential damage to global growth from the Brexit. Gold prices again rose on Monday, with bullion prices for immediate delivery up over 1.5 percent in London, a surge in assets flowed into precious metal exchange-traded funds and the pound sterling and British equities continued to slide. As the flight to safety persists, sovereign bond yields continue to fall, with ten-year gilts rising to an implied yield of less than 1 percent for the first time. Bank stocks halted in London. After a 10 percent plunge in early trading on Monday, trading in shares of Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland Group was briefly suspended, before resuming and falling further. The financial sector of the U.K.s equity market is now down nearly 20 percent on a British pound basis following the referendum last week. Spanish vote leaves Rajoy in lead. Results of Sundays election in Spain surprised many analysts as the anti-austerity Podemos Party failed to win as many votes as anticipated, leaving incumbent Prime Minister Mariano Rajoys Peoples Party with 137 out of 350 parliamentary seats. The Spanish Ibex benchmark equity index rose by nearly 3 percent. Rajoy now faces the challenge of negotiating a coalition with other centrist parties. Line delays IPO. In the turbulent wake of the Brexit vote, Japanese messaging app developer Line Corp. has delayed its initial public offering in New York and Tokyo until markets stabilize. According to industry sources, the delay is temporary, with strong interest from institutions in the offering despite a relatively high valuation. Yuan reaches multiyear low. The Peoples Bank of China reduced the yuan reference rate today by nearly 1 percent to reach its lowest point since 2010. Separately, in remarks before the World Economic Forums New Champions meeting in Tianjin, Premier Li Keqiang asserted that the Chinese economy will avoid a hard landing. Private lending expands in euro zone. In a signal that the European Central Banks campaign to encourage banks within the common currency zone to extend more capital to businesses may be working, private-sector lending data for May revealed an expansion of 1.6 percent year-over-year, up from a prior 1.5. Separately, the rate of growth of monetary supply, known as M3, expanded by nearly 5 percent a potentially bullish signal. North Dakota's Republicans are uniting in short order for the general election following a rough-and-tumble gubernatorial primary fight, while Democrats gear up following some successes in local races they consider an important first step in a long-term rebuilding process. Gubernatorial candidates for both parties expect to spend the summer continuing to crisscross the state and fine-tune their messages before the fall campaign push. Fargo businessman Doug Burgum, who snagged the Republican Party gubernatorial nod in a hard battle with Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, said the party is once again positioned for a big November. Obviously, theres a lot of work to do. Weve got a lot of momentum coming out of the primary, Burgum said. Everyones got to put on the same jersey and compete as the same team. He said any hard feelings that developed between supporters of different GOP candidates shouldnt be difficult to address. We started on (June 15). Weve been calling people non-stop, Burgum said of Republican lawmakers, the governor, statewide officeholders and district chairs. The reaching outs been going both ways. People are lining up because we have a common goal. North Dakota Republican Party Chairman Kelly Armstrong agreed. This isnt the first competitive primary; it wont be the last. Well be able to move forward, he said. Sen. Rich Wardner, R-Dickinson, said complacency is one of the few major concerns, with Burgums upset of Stenehjem to be seen as a wake-up call for other Republicans. If it happened to (Stenehjem) ... I better double down and make sure it doesnt happen to me, Wardner said of what candidates should be considering. Armstrong pointed to the large advantage the GOP had in primary votes in statewide races compared with their Democratic-NPL Party counterparts as a positive sign. Nearly 113,500 votes were cast in the three-way GOP gubernatorial race, as opposed to just over 17,000 in the uncontested Democratic-NPL primary. Similar gaps occurred in the other statewide races. To what extent voters crossed over is unclear because theres no voter registration in North Dakota. Burgum said Stenehjem, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., are all recent examples of candidates gaining potential crossover votes. Were going to work hard to get their votes (again) in November, he said. Dem-NPL Party Chairwoman Kylie Oversen dismissed the idea that the vote total is a bad sign for her party. Were not hanging our hats on the vote in the primary, she said. Its certainly still a challenge. Doug Burgum is not someone to take lightly. Oversen said the partys decent showing in several local races across the state was a promising sign. As chairwoman, shes made an effort to begin chipping away at the GOPs dominance in elected offices through the Legislature as well as a new focus on local races. We know that to increase our presence, we need to do that on the local level, she said. For now, a key goal is to help candidates reach voters with their message on issues including improving quality of life for residents and pushing for improvements in mental and behavioral health. The budget will also loom large. Voters will have to access whats happening in the state and determine whether theyre happy, Oversen said. Republicans hold two-thirds majorities in both state legislative chambers. The GOP also holds every statewide elected office in the Capitol building, and two of three seats in the congressional delegation. Burgum said he anticipates spending the summer continuing to meet and greet, with the all-important North Dakota summer parade season to be an uplifting highlight. Dem-NPL gubernatorial candidate Marvin Nelson acknowledged his campaign will be an uphill battle, and he clearly wont be able to go dollar for dollar with Burgum. I hope to put more of a personal touch on things. I think people have seen enough 20-second ads, Nelson said. The second-term Rolla representative said his campaign will center on door knocking, attending gatherings and parades. We really need to be a North Dakota for all North Dakotans, Nelson said, repeating his oft-used campaign mantra. People are really receptive to my message. He said the Republican-run state government has left portions of North Dakota's population behind, a theme hes been pushing on the campaign trail. Nelson said with hard work and rebuilding, its a matter of when -- not if -- the Democrats recover and increase their share of power in state government. He said the partys level of engagement and optimism varies across the state, with a higher level in cities to the east, where local candidates win a solid share of elections. On the flipside, in some places in the west, its tough to get 10 people in a room. We could sit here and run a TV-ad campaign and get 35 percent (of votes), Nelson said. But its about building the base for next time, too. Nelson said the party needs to bring together a wide coalition of voters, and he believes they're out there. He said supporters of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders won the North Dakota caucus over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, for example. Itll have to be like a new NonPartisan League, Nelson said of a winning coalition. The Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance ( ANZIIF ) have announced the finalists of the 2016 Australian Insurance Awards.Now on its 13year, the awards recognise outstanding individuals and businesses in the insurance industry for their excellence and achievement. Prue Willsford , ANZIIF CEO, said: The Australian Insurance Industry Awards are an opportunity to celebrate what is great about Australian insurance: the sense of community, the innovative spirit, and the commitment to excellence. This years awards recognise the highest achievers in the industry, but they also work to highlight the contribution that the industry makes to the community more broadly.For the Small Broking Company of the Year category, the finalists are Austbrokers Coast to Coast, Simplex Insurance Solutions , and Remingtons Insurance Brokers. For the Medium Broking Company of the Year, the finalists are Adroit Insurance Group and GSA Insurance Brokers. Aon and Marsh are the finalists for Large Broking Company of the Year.Competing for Underwriting Agency of the Year are Brooklyn Underwriting , PetSure (Australia) Pty Ltd, Quantum Underwriting Agencies, and Underwriting Agencies of Australia Pty Ltd.For the Small-Medium General Insurance Company of the Year, the contenders are Ansvar Insurance Limited, Hospitality Employers Mutual Limited, and RAA Insurance. In the Large General Insurance Company of the Year category, Allianz Australia Insurance, CGU Insurance, QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited, and Suncorp are the finalists.For the Innovation of the Year category, the finalists are Employers Mutual Limited, Insuret Pty Ltd, MetLife , MLC, and Suncorp.Contenders for the Professional Services Firm of the Year are Barry Nilsson, Ensure Recruitment, Finity, MinterEllison, and Wotton + Kearney. Rivals for the Service Provider to the Industry of the Year are JB Hi-Fi and The Procare Group.AIA Australia, ANZ, IAG , and QBE Insurance (Australia) Limited vie for the Womens Employer of the Year award. Contending for the Youth Development Employer of the Year award are Ansvar Insurance Limited, Gallagher Bassett, and IAG.The finalists for Young Insurance Professional of the Year award are Emma Doney of YDR Chartered Loss Adjusters, Engineers and Surveyors; Adam Hines, Aether Insurance & Risk Pty Ltd; Hayley Oakes, Steadfast Taswide Insurance Brokers; and Jacque Withers, Insuret Pty Ltd.The awards will be held on 31 August 2016 in Sydney. Some leading lights of the Australian insurance industry have had their say on Brexit, what it could mean for both the Australian and global industry and how brokers will be affected.Peter Harris, managing director of CBL Insurance, told Insurance Business that uncertain times could be ahead for insurers domiciled in Britain which could impact Australian brokers.All brokers are going to find that UK insurers and their compliance departments are going to be fully focused and occupied on shifting domiciles, Harris said.Many will not want to shift their UK domicile into an EU domicile, because it could make it non-compliant for its UK business. Splitting its operation and capital base would raise even further complexities.The focus that UK and Gibraltar insurers will have on this domicile issue will make it more difficult for Australian brokers who place cover with UK insurers to get new product and new programs in Australia approved through their UK insurers. NIBA CEO, told Insurance Business that Australian brokers will continue to work as normal in the aftermath of Brexit.Brokers will continue to do what they have done in the past, they will assess the best cover and the best value for the insurance needs of their clients, Booth said.Lloyds of London and the other UK and European insurers, they are and will remain strong and there may well be impacts through exchange rate movements, there may well be impacts on price, nobody seems to be aware of what will happen so brokers will continue to do what they have always done and look at strong security, quality cover and value for their clients.Robert Cooper, director of Cooper Professional Risks, agreed with Booth and told Insurance Business that Brexit may have an impact on price in the long-term.I do not think it will make any difference to Australia or the Australian insurance industry at all, Cooper said.In the short term it will take a while before the divorce is final. Maybe two years or more. They will have to be eased out.The European reinsurers and Lloyds of London will continue to operate like they have but in the long term, there will be an effect, because now they are not working in partnership with Europe, they are actually now competing with them.It perhaps may actually keep premiums steady. It will come down to who is the more important financial capital, Frankfurt or London but Australian insurers should be able to continue to access both markets as before.In a statement release to the ASX, QBE Group noted the referendum result and said that the referendum may require a revised approach, to European business but the insurer expects no day to day changes to their business.The referendum outcome may require a revised approach in relation to approximately GBP500 million of insurance and reinsurance premium that QBE currently sources from member countries that is written via branches of UK regulated entities under current EU passporting rules, the insurer statement said.Should EU passporting rules not be preserved, QBE will be required to renew this business into newly established licensed EU entities.The exit transition timetable is expected to take a minimum of two years. This period provides ample time for any requisite administrative transition and to ensure our service commitments to QBEs European customers are uninterrupted. Thus our ability to source business from EU member countries remains unchanged.Accordingly, QBE does not anticipate any material impact on our day to day insurance operations as a result of the UKs decision to leave the EU. Chris Mackinnon , Lloyds general representative in Australia, told Insurance Business that the marketplace is fully prepared for the outcome of the referendum.Lloyds international trading rights outside of the EU are unaffected by this decision, Mackinnon said of the result.Lloyds has prepared for this outcome, and following Fridays result it will be putting into action a contingency plan to ensure that it can continue to access its European markets.Lloyds will be working closely with the UK Government, European Governments, regulators and the European Union on this transition.Given Lloyds position at the heart of the global insurance and reinsurance sector, and the financial strength, expertise, and innovation of the Lloyds market and its participants, I have every confidence that we will continue to flourish. Campbell Fuller , the ICAs general manager of communications and media relations, noted that the ICA will monitor global developments for potential impacts, on the Australian insurance industry.The Insurance Council of Australia notes the British referendum decision on leaving the European Union, Fuller said in a statement.The ICA will continue to monitor global developments for potential impacts on Australian markets and ICA member companies.Harris stressed that Brexit uncertainty will mean there are going to be some real opportunities arising out of this for some European insurers, as British insurance businesses grapple with changes but the industry in the UK should remain an important part of the global market.London and Lloyd's have played a leading role in the world for over 300 years, Harris continued.They have dealt with many extreme events over this time, and whilst Brexit is a historic event for Britain, I am sure that the London insurance market will cope with this, and retain its leading role in the insurance industry.They may be on the back foot for a little while however. "Your insurer has no part to play other than having your back" A bill that would regulate ride-hailing services like Uber and Lyft, including requiring drivers undergo criminal background checks and mandate they carry insurance policies of at least $1 million, was unveiled last week by Massachusetts Senate leaders. Unlike a House version of the bill, the Senate version would not ban drivers working for ride-hailing companies from picking up passengers at Bostons Logan International Airport, a provision meant to appease the taxi industry, which has struggled against the competition. The Senate bill would also create a trust fund paid for by an assessment on transportation network companies of not more than 10 cents per ride. The money would be distributed to local municipalities based on the proportion of rides originating in a city or town. The bill is part of an ongoing effort at the Statehouse to deal with the surging popularity of ride-hailing companies that has put the traditional taxi industry under pressure. Ride-hailing services also known as transportation network companies allow individuals to use an application on their cellphones to book a ride. The bill would ban drivers for the companies from picking up riders using any other manner, including through street hails, cruising or street solicitations. It would also require the ride hailing company to provide an option for a rider to give a tip to a driver through the app. Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Senate chairman of the Financial Services Committee, said the committee met with ride-hailing companies, taxi owners and municipal leaders while crafting the bill. The Acton Democrat said the bill balances public safety with our flourishing innovation culture by creating a strong regulatory framework and instituting strict background checks while also giving ride hailing companies room to grow. The bill would also: Require decals to be displayed on all cars being used by ride-hailing drivers Require the companies to provide clear and conspicuous transportation fare estimates to riders at all times, including during surge pricing Ensure each driver complete a background check which includes a review of local and national criminal records, sex offender records and driving records Require the company comply with all laws regarding nondiscrimination against riders and accommodate riders with special needs. The House passed its version of the bill on a 139-16 vote in March. The Senate is planning to debate its bill this week. If approved, the Senate bill would have to be reconciled with the House version before being sent to Republican Gov. Charlie Bakers desk for his signature. Baker has filed his own bill which would also require drivers for ride hailing services to undergo state criminal background checks and require the companies to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance for each ride. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Aviation Massachusetts Politics The earnings of French and German insurers during the first half of 2016 will be dampened by flood claims following storms Elvira and Friederike, which pounded the countries in quick succession between late May and early June, according to a briefing published by A.M. Best. However, the ratings agency did not expect any negative rating actions on the insurers it rates because the flood events are not likely to drive a material deterioration in full-year 2016 performance or affect capitalization. A.M. Best notes that insured losses from the floods are estimated at between 900 million euros ($998.9 million) and 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) for the French market and around 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) for German insurers, said the report entitled, French and German Floods to Dampen Insurers H1 2016 Earnings; Negative Rating Actions not Anticipated. Losses will emanate primarily from personal property and motor business, with commercial risks, including business interruption, expected to account for a smaller proportion of claims, the briefing added. Penetration for Flood Cover The disparity between economic and insured losses will be greater in Germany than in France as a result of lower levels of flood insurance penetration, the briefing indicated. Insurance penetration rates for flood cover are high in France, currently estimated at around 90 percent, which should serve to moderate the gap between insured and economic losses arising from these events, A.M. Best said, noting the floods are likely to be the largest insured natural catastrophe loss France has seen since 1982. The high penetration of flood protection in France is largely due to the existence of a natural catastrophe scheme, provided by Frances state-backed reinsurer, Caisse Centrale de Reassurance (CCR), and guaranteed by the government, said the ratings agency. A.M. Best explained that the scheme requires direct insurers to provide their policyholders with natural catastrophe cover, which is bundled with their standard policies and charged at a state-defined flat rate with fixed deductibles. CCR offers insurers reinsurance protection composed of a 50 percent quota share treaty and an unlimited stop-loss treaty backed by an explicit guarantee provided by the French government, the briefing added. Although direct insurers are not required to get their catastrophe cover from CCR, A.M. Best said, the unlimited nature of the cover offered, along with the governments backing, has resulted in CCR holding a market share of approximately 90 percent in this segment. As a result, CCR is expected to incur approximately half of the total insured losses for the floods in France, the briefing confirmed. German Floods Given the low average penetration rate for flood protection in Germany 35 percent for residential buildings economic losses are expected to be significantly higher than insured losses, the report said. With no government-backed or formalized natural catastrophe scheme in place in Germany, flood risk is generally a standard exclusion from industrial, commercial and homeowner policies, the briefing explained. While flood coverage can be added as a policy extension, this additional protection often results in a notable increase in premium, particularly for risks domiciled in flood prone areas of the country, A.M. Best added. Insurers typically retain a larger portion of these risks directly, with reinsurance coverages purchased in open market conditions. Given the localized nature of the German floods, A.M. Best said that small, regional insurers are likely to be disproportionately affected. For most insurers, however, losses are unlikely to be high enough to hit their catastrophe excess of loss programs, although for those with proportional reinsurance coverage, some of the losses will be passed to reinsurers, the report said. Source: A.M. Best Related: Topics Carriers Profit Loss Flood Reinsurance AM Best France China moved closer on Monday to adopting a controversial cyber security law, after parliament held a second reading of the draft rules, which carry significant consequences for domestic and foreign business and threaten greater censorship. China enforces widespread controls over the internet that it has sought to codify in law, and Chinese laws often go through multiple readings and drafts before they are adopted. The draft, presented before the standing committee of the National Peoples Congress, requires network operators to comply with social morals and accept the supervision of the government and public, official news agency Xinhua said. It also reiterated that Chinese citizens personal data, as well as important business data must be stored domestically, adding that those wishing to provide that information overseas faced a government security evaluation. Parliament has not yet published the full second draft of the cyber security law and it is not clear when it may be passed. Cyber security has been a particularly irksome area in Chinas relations with economic partners such as the United States and the European Union, which see many recently proposed rules as unfair to foreign firms. Chinese officials say internet restrictions, including the blocking of popular foreign sites like Google and Facebook, are needed to ensure security against growing threats, such as terrorism. The first draft of the cyber security law, published almost a year ago, stiffened user privacy protection from hackers and data resellers but also boosted the governments powers to access and block dissemination of private information records that Chinese law deems illegal. Chinas broadly-defined regulations have been a source of concern, especially for foreign governments, multinational companies and rights activists, which worry that the government can interpret the law as it sees fit. Chinese companies have also been on the receiving end of government efforts to tighten control of the internet. Regulators last month set limits on the number of lucrative healthcare advertisements carried by Baidu Inc after a student died following an experimental cancer treatment he uncovered by using Chinas biggest internet search engine. (Reporting by Paul Carsten and Michael Martina; editing by Clarence Fernandez) Related: Topics Cyber China Rapides Parish officials are warning a handful of holdouts in south Alexandria, La., subdivisions that they could be isolated if they dont accept federally-financed flood buyouts. Carrie Robinette, grant administrator for the Rapides Area Planning Commission, said officials have purchased 32 of 60 targeted homes so far. But some owners in the Greenway Park area are refusing the voluntary buyout. Some of them have been warned that they may be out there on an island by themselves if they dont agree to sell their house, Overton said. Hes been telling eligible property owners, You need to sell because everything else around you is abandoned. So youre going to be out here by yourself. Overton tells The Town Talk that nearby development along MacArthur Drive has increased flooding in the area after heavy rains. The parish received a $6.1 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to make buyout offers in the area, which is outside the Alexandria city limits. Thomas Johnson Jr. is one of the two property owners on Linwood Lane rejecting a purchase offer. His home was flooded 3 feet deep after 2008s Hurricane Gustav, but he has refurbished the house and says he and his wife are comfortable there. Im staying until they push me out, said Johnson, who has lived in the house for more than 20 years. Overton said he has also talked to drainage district officials about ways to help the subdivision avoid flooding. The project seeks to purchase and then demolish the most flood prone homes, moving residents out of harms way and creating green space to absorb rainfall, cutting other flooding nearby. It has to go back to grass, Robinette said, although a playground or park might be allowed. Its also possible a retention pond might be built there. Fifteen houses have already been demolished, and a new round of about 17 demolitions will begin soon. Around $2.4 million has been spent so far, and if money is left over, purchase offers could be made to owners of a more flood prone homes. Robinette said officials hope to wrap up the buyout next year. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Flood Allied American Underwriters, a division of USG Insurance Services, Inc., has hired Valarie MacDonald as producer/broker, and Denise Brown as production assistant. In addition to these new hires, AAU has promoted Dasha Casey to producer/broker. All three will be based in Jacksonville, Fla. MacDonald brings over 16 years of commercial insurance experience to AAUs Florida team. Most recently, she worked as commercial lines account manager at Cecil W. Powell. Prior to that position, she worked as an underwriter for its premise pollution & commercial storage tank pollution product at US Assure. Brown has 10 years of experience in commercial insurance. She most recently held the position of hazard claims documentation specialist with Mortgage Specialist International in Jacksonville, and previously worked as commercial pollution service rep with US Assure. Casey started her insurance career in 2001 with ZIS Insurance Services, who later became US Assure. She started in policy assembly and worked her way to becoming an underwriter in US Assures Tank Pollution department. Casey joined AAU as Production Assistant when AAU acquired US Assures tanks book of business. AAUs acquisition of the renewal rights on several books of business from Jacksonville-based US Assure in August 2015 included their Commercial Storage Tank and Dealers Tank programs. The Commercial Storage Tanks program is admitted in most states and includes above and underground storage tanks. The Dealer Storage Tanks program is designed specifically for auto dealerships, garages, and similar businesses. Allied American Underwriters (AAU) is a specialty product provider and commercial lines program manager. It currently has four divisions: Workers Compensation, Programs, Garage, and Environmental. AAU is a subsidiary of USG Insurance Services, Inc. USG Insurance Services, Inc. is a national wholesaler and managing general agent (MGA) with 19 offices across the country and access to write in all 50 states. Topics USA Florida Pollution The West Virginia counties of Greenbrier, Kanawha, and Nicholas have been declared federal disaster areas in the wake of severe storms that devastated the state, killing 24 people and destroying more than 100 homes, as of Sunday. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced June 25 that federal disaster assistance is now available to residents and businesses in the state to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by massive flooding, landslides and mudslides. Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin made expedited verbal requests for a major disaster declaration from FEMA on June 25. He had announced a State of Emergency for 44 counties in the state the previous day. The flooding we experienced Thursday and into [Friday] is among the worst in a century for some parts of the state, Tomblin said in a statement. Local media outlets were describing the devastation as a 1,000-year flood event. The National Weather Service said in a statement the cause of the massive floods came from extremely rare amounts of rainfall on June 23most of which occurred in several rounds with high rainfall rates all in a time window of under 12 hours across portions of Greenbrier County, West Virginia and Alleghany County, Virginia. NWS said June 26 that radar and rain gauge measurements showed as much as 8-10 (perhaps higher locally) in a band across the central portions of these counties, qualifying the situation as nearly a 1-in a thousand-year event. NWS said flash flooding and flooding has been historic in the two aforementioned counties, as well as in other counties farther to the northwest in West Virginia, and included major to record flood levels on some rivers, numerous water rescues, power outages, structures damaged, and people temporarily displaced. State Emergency Operations crews worked through the weekend to rescue those trapped by flood waters. Tomblin also authorized the deployment of hundreds of members of the West Virginia National Guard to assist local emergency responders. The Associated Press reported Sunday that 24 people had died statewide as a result of the floods; 16 of those deaths were people in Greenbrier County, at least 15 of them in Ranielle. And Tomblins administration believes people remain missing in the area. It does not appear there are unaccounted for people in other counties, but its still a somewhat fluid situation, said Chris Stadelman, Tomblins chief of staff, told the AP. Media outlets reported 500 people were stranded overnight in a shopping center when a bridge washed out and dozens of other people had to be plucked off rooftops or rescued from their cars. According to AP, The Greenbrier, a luxury resort owned by Jim Justice and home of the PGA Greenbrier Classic, opened its facilities to residents who were displaced by floods or were in need of medical help. All of our focus needs to be on helping all of the people of our great state, Justice said in a news release, as reported by AP. So many have lost loved ones, their homes, and have no place to go. The PGA announced that due to substantial damage to the resort and the impact of the floods on residents, the Greenbrier Classic scheduled for July 7-10 was cancelled. The Old White TPC, host course for the tournament, suffered extensive damage from the flooding and is beyond reasonable repair to conduct the tournament, TOUR officials said. We are heartbroken by the devastation that the residents of West Virginia are experiencing at this time and the reports of lives lost due to the terrible flooding, said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem in a statement on the PGAs website. Cancelling The Greenbrier Classic is certainly the most prudent course of action as our foremost concern is the well-being of those who are having to live through this tragic situation. Our thoughts and prayers are with them. The worst may not be over just yet, either. NWS said flash flood warnings were in effect for Monday as more rain was expected in the state throughout the day and into Tuesday. Topics Flood Virginia A U.S. judge granted preliminary approval to ride service Lyfts $27 million settlement of a class action lawsuit brought by California drivers who claimed they should be deemed employees instead of independent contractors. U.S. District Judge Vince Chhabria in San Francisco had previously rejected a $12.25 million deal as too small. Lyft and larger rival Uber are attempting to resolve lawsuits by drivers who contend they should be classified as employees and therefore be entitled to reimbursement for expenses, including gasoline and vehicle maintenance. Drivers currently pay those costs themselves. The profits and valuations of so-called on-demand technology companies would be affected by a determination that these workers are employees. Chhabria had said the previous Lyft deal short-changed drivers because it represented only 9 percent of the potential value of drivers reimbursement claims. The new deal represents about 17 percent of that amount. In his order on Thursday, Chhabria said the new deal adequately addresses the flaws identified in the Courts prior ruling. Like the previous agreement, drivers would remain independent contractors. In a statement, Lyft said it was pleased with the ruling, adding that the deal will preserve the flexibility of its drivers. Shannon Liss-Riordan, an attorney for drivers, said she was pleased with the order and that it would let drivers avoid the risk of an adverse jury verdict. Chhabria will likely set a hearing for later this year to consider final approval. Uber has agreed to settle a similar lawsuit involving California and Massachusetts drivers in a deal worth up to $100 million. That agreement is under review by a different federal judge in San Francisco. (Reporting by Levine; Editing by Leslie Adler) Related: Topics California Legislation Personal Auto MINOT Georgia Nelson Strand, 68, Minot, died June 25, 2016 at Trinity Hospital, Minot. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, Minot. Interment will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Marys Catholic Cemetery, Courtenay. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot, with a vigil prayer service at 7 p.m. Georgia was born on May 6, 1948, in Jamestown, to George Jr. and Rita (Siebert) Nelson. She was raised in the Courtenay and Jamestown area and graduated from Courtenay High School in 1966 as their salutatorian. Georgia received her bachelors degree from the University of North Dakota in 1970. She started her career as the manager of Bekins Moving Company of Grand Forks. She then accepted her first teaching job in Lignite, where she taught language arts, directed the drama club and made sure that her students could spell. Georgia then moved to Flasher High School from Lignite, and again taught language arts, directed the school plays, and produced the school annuals. She had the opportunity to become the high school principal while teaching in Flasher. Georgia received her masters degree in administration from the University of Mary in Bismarck. In 2003, she had to retire from being a school administrator because of her cancer. While being the principal, she also taught four classes in Flasher, along with doing the school annual. She was a teacher and administrator for 25 years in the public school system. Her true love of being the principal and teaching was making sure her students learned the English language and she inspired her students to be good citizens. Georgia married Wayne Strand, June 10, 1986, on the Burleigh County Courthouse steps, they renewed their vows in Flasher at the St. Theresas Church on Feb. 14, 1988. Georgias loving family includes her mother, Rita Nelson, Jamestown; her husband of 30 years, Wayne, Minot; her step-children, Wade (Sandi) Strand, Adam (fiancee Susan) Strand and Lacey (Kevin) Tuma; her grandchildren, Lexi Reiger, William, Olivia and Phoenix Strand, Aurora White and Dylan and Nellie Tuma; her brother, Albert (Buck) Nelson, Bismarck; and her godmother, Lori Wanzek, Courtney. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive. Georgia was preceded in death by her father Jr. (George) Nelson, Jamestown; and her godfather, Leonard Wanzek, Courtenay. Memorials preferred to the Souris Valley Animal Shelter in Minot. Those wishing to sign the online register and share memories may access the online obituaries section at www.thompsonlarson.com. A federal judge has dismissed a consolidated group of lawsuits brought against the owner of the Colorado movie theater where a gunman killed 12 people and wounded 70 others. Judge R. Brooke Jackson dismissed the lawsuits brought against Cinemark by several victims of the July 20, 2012, attack, according to The Aurora Sentinel. The judge on Friday wrote that even if the lack of security guards and an alarm on the theaters exit door led to some of the injuries or deaths, shooter (James) Holmes premeditated and intentional actions were the predominant cause of plaintiffs losses. Jackson added that any inaction by the theater owner was not a substantial factor in causing this tragedy. The plaintiffs said the theater did not do enough to ensure their safety on the night of the shooting. In May, jurors in a similar lawsuit found that Cinemark was not liable for the rampage, rejecting arguments that the theater should have foreseen the possibility of violence at a crowded midnight premiere. The case was watched closely by theater security consultants, some of whom predicted that a verdict against Cinemark would mean sweeping and costly changes to the way theaters protect customers. In Fridays order, Jackson also cited a lawsuit brought by Sandy Phillips, the mother of theater shooting victim Jessica Ghawi, against the gun shops where Holmes bought ammunition for the massacre. The judge noted the court in that case concluded that meticulous planning on Holmes part was the substantial factor leading to the shooting. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Legislation Colorado The mother of a 3-year-old girl who died after being strangled by a window blinds cord in a Clackamas County, Ore. apartment has filed a $4 million lawsuit. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Sahrye Imani Hardy had been visiting a resident at Pineview Apartments with her mother last year when she became entangled in a dangling cord. The suit alleges the apartment management company allowed cords longer than 7 1/4 inches to hang from the window covering, posing a hazard for children. A lawyer representing Sahryes estate says the cord cuts off a persons ability to speak or cry for help, which is why Sahryes mother didnt notice her daughter was being strangled until it was too late. A representative from the management company said Wednesday they hadnt seen the lawsuit and declined comment. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Lawsuits Oregon The national unemployment rate is defined as the percentage of unemployed workers in the total labor force. It is widely recognized as a key indicator of the performance of a country's labor market. As a closely watched economic indicator, the unemployment rate attracts a lot of media attention, especially during recessions and challenging economic times. This is because the unemployment rate doesn't just impact those individuals who are joblessthe level and persistence of the factors of unemployment have wide-ranging impacts across the broader economy. Key Takeaways The unemployment rate is the proportion of unemployed persons in the labor force. Unemployment adversely affects the disposable income of families, erodes purchasing power, diminishes employee morale, and reduces an economy's output. The Current Population Survey (CPS) evaluates the extent of unemployment in the U.S., with measures ranging from the U-1 measure, the most strict, to the U-6 measure, the most inclusive measure of labor underutilization. The official measure of unemployment in the US is currently the U-3 measure, which defines the unemployed as those who do not have a job, those who have actively searched for work in the prior four weeks, and those who are available for work. Why the Unemployment Rate Matters According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), when workers are unemployed, their families lose wages, and the nation as a whole loses their contribution to the economy in terms of the goods or services that could have been produced. Unemployed workers also lose their purchasing power, which can lead to unemployment for other workers, creating a cascading effect that ripples through the economy. In this way, unemployment even impacts those who are still employed. When companies are trying to cut costs, they often reduce their workforce as one of their cost-saving measures. Those workers who are left to do more work after a company lays off part of their staff are not likely to receive any additional compensation for the extra hours they are working. Unemployment can also have a negative effect on the mental state of those who are still employed. They may become more concerned about losing their jobs or be hesitant to search for other employment because they have a false belief that they "are lucky" to be employed at all. They may even feel guilty about having a job when their co-workers are out of work. More broadly, high unemployment is also problematic for the U.S. economy. Over 70% of what the U.S. economy produces is purchased by domestic consumers through their personal consumption habits. Unemployed workers consume far less than those with a steady income because they have less discretionary income. In order to understand the causes and the remedy for high levels of unemployment, policymakers seek information on different aspects of unemployment. Statistics about the number of unemployed people, the period for which they have been unemployed, their skill levels, the trend in unemployment, and regional disparities in unemployment are periodically made available for policymakers so that they can interpret them and hopefully make better-informed decisions about steering the economy and countering unemployment. Compiling Labor Statistics One misconception about the unemployment rate is that it is derived from the number of people filing claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits. But the number of UI claimants does not provide accurate information on the extent of unemployment. This is because people may still be jobless after their benefits run out, while other applicants for UI benefits may not be eligible for benefits or may not even have applied for them. Tracking every unemployed person monthly would also be very expensive, time-consuming, and impractical. Therefore, the U.S. government conducts a sample surveythe Current Population Survey (CPS)to measure the extent of unemployment in the nation. The U.S. has conducted the CPS monthly since 1940. About 60,000 households, or approximately 110,000 individuals, are in the CPS sample survey, selected to be representative of the entire U.S. population. A typical household included in the sample survey is interviewed monthly for four consecutive months and then again for the same four calendar months a year later. The survey is carried out by trained and experienced Census Bureau employees. They interview persons in the 60,000 sample households for information on both the labor force activities or non-labor force status of all of their household members during the survey reference period (generally the week that includes the twelfth of the month). When a sample survey is used, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the actual population values. According to the BLS, there is a 90% chance that the monthly unemployment estimate change from the sample is within +/- 110,000 of the figure obtainable from a total census of the entire population. Employment vs. Unemployment The basic definitions used by the BLS in compiling labor statistics are quite straightforward: People with jobs are employed. People who are jobless, looking for jobs, and available for work are unemployed. People who are neither employed nor unemployed are not in the labor force. The sum of employed and unemployed people makes up the labor force. The remainder consists of people who have no jobs and are not looking for any. These typically include students, retirees, and homemakers. It's important to note that labor force measures, such as the unemployment rate, are based on the civilian non-institutional U.S. population ages 16 and older. Labor force measures exclude persons who are below age 16, people confined to institutionssuch as nursing homes and prisonsand all personnel on active duty in the Armed Forces. While the basic tenets that determine whether or not an individual is employed are simple, there are numerous situations that can make it difficult to ascertain the correct category to which a person belongs. People are considered employed if they did any work for pay or profit during the survey week. People are also counted as employed if they have a job at which they did not work during the survey week, for reasons such as being on vacation, falling ill, doing some personal work, etc. People are classified as unemployed if they fulfill the following three criteria: Do not have a job Have actively looked for work in the prior four weeks Are currently available for work The official unemployment rate that is widely quoted in the media and other news sources in the U.S. is based on the above definition of unemployment. The criteria for being considered unemployed are rigorous and well-defined. For example, actively looking for work includes measures such as contacting prospective employers, attending job interviews, visiting an employment agency, sending out resumes, and responding to job advertisements. Therefore, this excludes passive methods of job search, such as attending a training course or scanning the job advertisements in newspapers. As such, the total unemployment figure includes people who have lost their jobs, as well as persons who have left their jobs to look for other employment, temporary workers whose jobs have ended, individuals looking for their first jobs, and experienced workers returning to the labor force. Measures of Unemployment The official unemployment rate has often been cited as being too restrictive and not representative of the true breadth of labor market problems. Some analysts contend that the official unemployment measure is too broad, and they would like a more narrowly targeted measure. However, they are the minority. This group is outnumbered by those who believe the unemployment rate is too narrowly defined. In 1976, the BLS, under the direction of Commissioner Julius Shiskin, introduced a range of labor market measures, entitled U-1 through U-7. In 1995, following the redesign of the CPS in the previous year, the BLS introduced a new range of alternative measures of labor underutilization. Regular publication of these measures commenced with the February 1996 Employment Situation report. The measures range from U-1, which is the most restrictive since it only includes those people who were jobless for at least 15 weeks, to U-6, the broadest definition of labor underutilization. The U-3 measure is the official unemployment rate. Measure U-1 and Measure U-2 are more restrictive and therefore lower than U-3, while U-4, U-5, and U-6 are higher than U-3. The U-6 Measure The U-6 measure provides the broadest measure of labor underutilization. The BLS defines it as the "total unemployed, plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force, plus total employed part-time for economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian labor force plus all persons marginally attached to the labor force." Marginally attached workers are defined as persons without jobs who are not currently looking for work (and hence not considered unemployed), but who have demonstrated some degree of labor force attachment. To be included in this category, individuals must indicate they currently want a job, have looked for work in the last 12 months, and are available for work. One subset of the marginally attached group is called discouraged workers. Discouraged workers are those who are not currently looking for work for these reasons: They believe no job is available in their line of work They have been unable to find work They lack the necessary schooling, skills, or experience They face some form of discrimination from employers (for example, being too young or too old) The U-6 measure is sometimes referred to as the "real" unemployment rate. Proponents of this measure claim that it represents the true nature of the unemployment problem because it also includes: People without jobs Those who would like to work but have not actively sought jobs in the past four weeks due to issues such as child care, family obligations, or other temporary problems Discouraged workers who have stopped looking for work because they think it is futile Underemployed people, which include those who are employed but are working fewer hours than they would like The Unemployment Test Consider the following hypothetical cases as examples of how the official unemployment rate (U-3) understates the magnitude of the labor underutilization problem: A single mother who has been unemployed for three months but was unavailable for work for the past two weeks to care for her sick child would be classified as "not in the labor force." She would be excluded from the U-3 measure but would be included in the U-6 measure. A 60-year-old former executive who lost his job in a corporate restructuring a year ago is keen to return to the workforce. However, after sending out more than 100 resumes in the first three months of unemployment, he is discouraged because he has not received an interview call or acknowledgment letter; as a result, he stopped his job-hunting efforts. He would be excluded from the U-3 measure but would be included in the U-6 measure. A sales executive with a family to support and bills to pay has been unable to find full-time work after six months of unemployment. He finally takes up a three-month contract that entails only six hours of work a week. While the U-3 measure would consider him employed, the U-6 measure would consider his obvious degree of underemployment. The Bottom Line While alternative measures of unemployment, such as the U-6 measure, show very similar movements throughout the business cycle, they differ significantly in magnitude from the official unemployment rate. The strict definition of unemployment under the official U-3 measure may result in understating the magnitude of the actual unemployment situation. It is thus advisable to look beyond the headline U-3 unemployment number as it may not convey the whole story. The U-6 measure, by being the least restrictive and therefore the highest unemployment rate, may provide a truer picture of the degree of labor underutilization. As you probably are painfully aware, the majority of sources of your income are taxable by the IRS. Whether you earn it through a salary, hourly wages, tips, commissions, rent from a property that you lease, or via interest and dividends on your investments, Uncle Sam is going to demand his fair share. Even barter income is taxable. Say you exchange your hair-cutting services for lawn-cutting services. Seems like a fair trade, right? According to the IRS, you must pay tax on the fair market value of the mowing services you receive. What if you decide to do something really unsavory and embezzle funds from your boss or your book club? Believe it or not, that income is also taxable. In fact, the IRS specifically spells out that kickbacks and embezzlement proceeds are subject to income tax. Is there any way an income-earning taxpayer can catch a break? As a matter of fact, quite a few kinds of income are deemed tax-free. Here are 18 types of income the IRS cant touch. Key Takeaways The government will demand income tax be paid on a variety of ordinary income sources, from wages and salaries to interest and dividends. Certain forms of income, however, may be tax-exempt, subject to certain limits and qualifications. Examples of nontaxable sources of income include veterans' benefits and life insurance payouts. 1. Veterans' Benefits Benefits paid to veterans and their families are non-taxable. These include: Education, training, and subsistence allowances Disability compensation and pension payments for disabilities Grants for homes designed for wheelchair living Grants for motor vehicles for veterans who lose their sight or use of their limbs Insurance proceeds and dividends paid either to veterans or to their beneficiaries Interest on insurance dividends left on deposit with the Veterans Administration Benefits under a dependent-care assistance program The death gratuity paid to a survivor of a member of the Armed Forces who died after September 10, 2001 Payments made under the compensated work therapy program Any bonus payment by a state or political subdivision because of service in a combat zone 2. Child Support Payments Any money you receive for child support is not taxable. 3. Welfare Benefits Welfare payments such as those provided by SNAP or TANF are not taxed by the IRS. 4. Workers' Compensation If you receive workers compensation for an employment-related illness or injury, this income is exempt from taxes provided that payments are made under a workers compensation act. 5. Foster Care Payments If you are a foster parent receiving foster payments from a child placement agency or the state or local government, this income is not taxable. 6. Casualty Insurance If you have an insurance claim because of a car accident or house fire, casualty insurance payments you receive are tax-free unless the payments exceed your actual loss. 7. Payments From a State Crime Victims' Fund If you receive payments from a state fund for the victims of crime, this is also nontaxable income. 8. Inheritances If you receive an inheritance from a deceased friend, relative, or even an acquaintance, you often do not have to pay federal taxes on it. Thats because the estate of the deceased pays all the taxes, if any are due, before you receive the inheritance. The estate tax will depend on the value of the taxable estate. Some states do impose state taxes on inheritances, so check. 9. Disaster Relief Grants Under the Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, if you receive post-disaster relief grant payments and use the income to meet your necessary expenses or needs for medical, dental, housing, personal property, transportation, or funeral expenses, this income is exempt from taxes. 10. Black Lung Disease Benefits Any federal black lung benefit payments you receive through the Division of Coal Mine Workers Compensation (DCMWC) are considered nontaxable income. 11. Supplemental Security Income This U.S. government program provides monthly benefits to low-income people who are either 65 or older, blind, or disabled. The Social Security Administration administers the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, but the monies for it come from U.S. Treasury general funds, not the Social Security trust fund. SSI payments are not taxable. 12. Interest on Municipal Bonds Interest on certain municipal bonds issued by states, cities, counties, and other government entities to finance their operations are generally exempt from federal income tax. They may also be exempt from state and local taxes, depending on whether you reside where the bond was issued, making them double-, or potentially "triple-exempt." 13. Compensatory Damages Awarded for Physical Injury or Sickness Damages awarded for physical injury, physical illness, or emotional distress due to a physical injury or sickness are typically exempt from taxes. 14. Gambling Income (If It Offsets Losses) Gambling income is non-taxable only if your total losses are greater than your total winnings for the tax year. If, on the other hand, your gambling income exceeds your losses, that income is taxable. You need to report separately on your tax forms winnings as incomeand can deduct losses up to the amount of your winnings, if you itemize your deductions, as "other itemized deductions." 15. Gifts If you receive a monetary gift from a relative or friend, you do not owe taxes on that income. If the gift is more than $15,000 for 2020 or 2021, the giver may owe gift tax, but you do not. 16. Combat Pay The military income you receive while stationed in a combat zone is usually not taxable. 17. Vacation Rental Income (Limited) If you rent your personal home for less than 15 days during the tax year, then this income does not need to be reported to the IRS. 18. Life Insurance Death Benefits Generally speaking, when the beneficiary of a life insurance policy receives the death benefit, this money is not counted as taxable income, and the beneficiary does not have to pay taxes on it. The Bottom Line While it often seems as if the IRS manages to take a bite out of every type of income you could possibly earn, there are quite a few exceptions to that rule. Before you assume any income is taxable or nontaxable, double-check with a tax professional or visit the IRS website. Earlier this month, Pope Francis translated his much-discussed breath of fresh air into action when it comes to cracking down on the sexual abuse crisis that has crippled the church in recent years. The pope changed church law so that bishops who may be looking the other way when it comes to predatory priests can more easily be removed. As The Wall Street Journal noted, The new document, entitled Like a Living Mother, lays out a procedure for Vatican offices to initiate investigations of bishops suspected of negligence. While other sorts of negligence must be deemed very grave by the Vatican to trigger removal, negligence of abuse cases need only meet the standard of grave. This does sound a little technical. Still, at least it can be counted as action taken towards attempting to solve a problem that has ruined so many lives. Closer to home, however, a new front has been opened over fallout from the sex abuse scandals. Thus far, the response by American church authorities has not been encouraging. For months, the New York Daily News has been railing against lawmakers in Albany who refused to pass reforms that would give sex abuse victims more time to identify and help prosecute individuals and institutions that failed to protect them. Currently, New York and other states have statutes of limitations which make it difficult for victims to get justice as the years go on. In the end, state lawmakers protected the predators, the News reported this weekend. The state Legislature ended the 2016 legislative session about 5 a.m. Saturday without acting on legislation to help survivors of child sex abuse. An all-night session to wrap up the legislative year did not lead to a last-minute miracle that victims and advocates were hoping for. This left advocates for reform, such as Irish American state lawmaker Margaret Markey, disappointed. Markey had sponsored a bill that would have extended the statute of limitations, and had even come out and said one top Catholic official attempted to bribe her, in order to get her to withdraw support for reforms. The New York Archdiocese, and other Catholic institutions across the country, oppose extending statutes of limitations for sex abuse victims. They fear their parishes can be bankrupt by such charges, some of which may be hazy give the many years that may have passed between an alleged abuse and the filing of actual charges. There are understandable concerns here. But the staunchness of opposition from Catholic officials is awfully tone-deaf. It is a reminder of the arrogance of the early years of the sex abuse scandals -- captured so alarmingly in the Oscar-winning film Spotlight -- when Catholic power brokers assumed the public would always end up on their side. But that tide appears to have turned long ago. Equally disturbing events are unfolding in the Philadelphia area. A similar bill dealing with extending the statute of limitations for sex abuse victims is up for debate in Pennsylvania. In recent weeks, Catholic lawmakers have said they have been called out from the pulpit or in church bulletins. They have been targeted for their support for extending the measure, and say that priests are urging parishioners to remember this at election time. An interesting wrinkle here is that, in the past, Catholic Democrats have been warned they may be denied sacraments -- and political support from parishioners -- because of their support for abortion. In this case, however, Republicans, such as Irish American state rep John Rafferty, Jr., are facing the churchs wrath. He told Philly.com he attended Mass over the weekend and listened as the congregation was encouraged to contact its senators regarding the statute of limitations bill. Rafferty, a Republican nominee for state attorney general, said, "I was disappointed and discouraged by the church's message." Church officials have come a long way since the arrogance of a decade ago. Nevertheless, they will eventually have to decide if they are part of the problem or part of the solution. Brooke Shields Instagram photos are causing quite a stir with even Kelly Ripa drooling over her trip to Ireland. The star and her husband Chris Henchy spent time in the Emerald Isle and attended a wedding at the 12th century Lismore Castle, in County Waterford. Shields and her screenwriter husband spend a few days around the wedding in Ireland. The high-end wedding took place on Saturday, June 11. Scrolling through the shots you can see why people are obsessed with wedding in an Irish castle. On Instagram Shields posted I cant help myself but keep posting these memories, alongside various photos (see below). Beyond stunning! Lismore castle! A photo posted by Brooke Shields (@brookeshields) on Jun 10, 2016 at 11:45am PDT Lismore Castle is located in the town of Lismore, at the foot of the Knockmealdown Mountains, which border Tipperary and Waterford. . The site was originally occupied by an abbey in the 600s. Dating back to 1185 the present Gothic look of the castle was built and designed by William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Windsor in the 19th century. The Father of Modern Chemistry, Robert Boyle, was born here in 1627. This isnt the first Hollywood star to stay at the castle. Lismore served as the residence to Fred Astaires sister, Adele, who lived there with Lord Charles Cavendish until her death in 1981.The castle still serves as living quarters for the 12th Duke of Cavendish and his son but on June 11th it was filled with what looked like a fun wedding. The fun included an ice-cream truck about which Shields wrote One of the many final touches to the mesmerizing wedding. Chris pushed little kids out of the way to get in line! A photo posted by Brooke Shields (@brookeshields) on Jun 13, 2016 at 4:54am PDT I can't help myself but keep posting these memories. A photo posted by Brooke Shields (@brookeshields) on Jun 13, 2016 at 5:36am PDT Whose wedding this was has not been divulged but man wed have loved to have been there. It looks truly magical. Have you been to a magical Irish wedding? Share you memories with us below. ARE YOU A TOP COMPANY? What it Really Means to be a Top Company! To be a Top Company in Irish Construction Industry Magazines Top Companies listing means far more than just a rank and position in an ordered catalogue of names. To us, it means that your efforts to be the best you can be and to excel in your industry and sector have been effective and have paid dividends. To us, it means that your determination and commitment to develop and instil a positive work culture and environment have brought your business due success plus satisfaction. We see it as you being a supportive and inclusive place in which to work that strives to bring the best out of everyone across every level of the organisation. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE WASHINGTON The Supreme Court struck down Texas' widely replicated regulation of abortion clinics Monday in the court's biggest abortion case in nearly a quarter century. North Dakota has similar regulations, and the ruling has garnered attention from some in the state. North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem said in a phone interview he was not surprised by Mondays ruling. Stenehjem said the North Dakota abortion law differs from Texas in that it didnt lead to the closure of the states lone clinic and the doctors that perform abortions there have admitting privileges. So for now, if they maintain admitting privileges, theyre in compliance with North Dakota law, Stenehjem said. Theres nothing more to do. Stenehjem said, if a challenge to the states law were to be filed, the attorney generals office would likely handle the case in-house. The justices voted 5-3 in favor of Texas clinics that had argued the regulations were a thinly veiled attempt to make it harder for women to get an abortion in the nation's second-most populous state. Justice Stephen Breyer's majority opinion for the court held that the regulations are medically unnecessary and unconstitutionally limit a woman's right to an abortion. Texas had argued that its 2013 law and subsequent regulations were needed to protect women's health. The rules required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery. Texas is among 10 states with similar admitting privileges requirements, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. The requirement is in effect in most of Texas, Missouri, North Dakota and Tennessee. It is on hold in Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The hospital-like outpatient surgery standards are in place in Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and it is blocked in Tennessee and Texas, according to the center, which represented the clinics in the Texas case. The ruling was well received by the North Dakota Women's Network in Bismarck. We are incredibly pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that a woman deserves compassion, respect and dignity in making her own health decisions without political interference," said Renee Stromme, executive director of the North Dakota Women's Network, in a statement. "This ruling impacts North Dakota because similar legislation passed the North Dakota state legislature in 2013 in an attempt to close the one clinic in North Dakota," she said. "With this ruling, the legislative threats to close the one clinic in our state and efforts by politicians to deny women their constitutional right to abortion is reduced. The fight to maintain access goes on and NDWN and our allies will continue to work for womens rights. Breyer wrote that "the surgical-center requirement, like the admitting privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions and constitutes an 'undue burden' on their constitutional right to do so." Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined Breyer. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. The North Dakota Catholic Conference issued a statement today saying the ruling was a setback for women's health, it would have no consequences in North Dakota. "The facts are very different in North Dakota," said Christopher Dodson, executive director of the North Dakota Catholic Conference. "To name just two of the differences: The Texas law purportedly caused many abortion clinics to close. No abortion centers have closed in North Dakota due to this states law. In Texas, some abortion providers could not obtain admitting privileges. All of North Dakotas abortionists have admitting privileges at a local hospital," he said. "North Dakotas law has not placed an 'undue burden' on women seeking abortion and has, if anything, furthered womens health in cases of emergencies," he said. Court opinions Thomas wrote that the decision "exemplifies the court's troubling tendency 'to bend the rules when any effort to limit abortion, or even to speak in opposition to abortion, is at issue.'" Thomas was quoting an earlier abortion dissent from Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. Abortion providers said the rules would have cut the number of abortion clinics in the state by three-fourths if they had been allowed to take full effect. When then-Gov. Rick Perry signed the law in 2013, there were about 40 clinics throughout the state. That number dropped to under 20 and would have been cut in half again if the law had taken full effect, the clinics said. Texas passed a broad bill imposing several abortion restrictions in 2013. Texas clinics sued immediately to block it claiming it impermissibly interfered with a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. The clinics won several favorable rulings in a federal district court in Texas. But each time, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the state, at first allowing challenged provisions to take effect and then upholding the law with only slight exceptions. The Supreme Court allowed the admitting privileges requirement to take effect in most of the state, but put the surgical center provision on hold pending the court's resolution of the case. The justices split largely along liberal-conservative lines in their emergency orders, with the court's conservative justices voting repeatedly to let the law be enforced. Separate lawsuits are pending over admitting-privileges laws in Louisiana and Mississippi, the other states covered by the 5th circuit. The laws are on hold in both states, and a panel of federal appellate judges has concluded the Mississippi law probably is unconstitutional because it would force the only abortion clinic in the state to close. A separate appeal is pending at the Supreme Court from Wisconsin, where federal judges have struck down that state's admitting privileges law. Bismarck Tribune contributed to this report. Emergency crews transported six people who were stabbed outside the California state Capitol building in Sacramento, the city's Fire Department said. Spokesman Chris Harvey said a rally by Ku Klux Klan and other right-wing extremists groups turned violent on Sunday when they were met by counterprotesters. The IFA president, Joe Healy, said Irish farmers were understandably disappointed that British citizens have voted to exit the EU, but also said the Government can take immediate and decisive steps to allay the concerns in farming and the agri-food sector about the implications of this vote. He said: The outcome of the UK vote has major implications for Irish agriculture and the agri-food sector. "The Government must give a clear signal that the issues of importance to this sector, our trading relationship with the UK and Northern Ireland and and the EU budget, will be central to the EU-UK negotiations. "Minimising uncertainty and setting out a clear strategy on the next steps is a priority. ICOS president Martin Keane said agri-food leaders and the Government must work to ensure the sector continues to grow, despite the UK referendum result. We are now facing two challenges. We must deal with immediate uncertainty in currency and other markets, and we must work to securing the best post-Brexit arrangements possible, said Mr Keane. Central banks must bring stability to currency markets, and we all need to work with government and authorities in the transition period, which will last a number of years. The ICSA president, Patrick Kent, has said Europe needs to reflect carefully on what happens next and why it is the EU has failed to win the hearts of so many voters in the UK. The EU needs to reflect carefully on why the European project is out of step with so many citizens, he said. The Irish Government can play a vital role as a broker between the EU and UK to help ensure the single market continues to include the UK, given the huge and unique dependence of Ireland on exports to the UK. Our Government needs to take a strong line with the EU Commission on the need to ensure that this decision does not create chaos for Irish agriculture. "CAP supports are going to be more vital than ever and increasing the CAP budget needs to be considered, regardless of the loss of the UK net contribution. "The negotiating strategy for Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and Mercosur trade deals needs a total reappraisal and probably now needs to take a back seat to getting the terms of trade with the UK right. He said the EU must draw back from any kneejerk move to punish the UK. The process now needs to be cordial and consensual; tariff barriers must not be considered, said he said. The EU should not see punishing the UK as the way to retain the loyalty of the other member states. Instead we need to have an open and honest dialogue about how to make the EU more attractive to all citizens, said Mr Keane. The minister for agriculture, food and marine along with his relevant cabinet colleagues needs to put a clear plan in place to address the many issues that are likely to arise when the Brexit is finally negotiated with the EU. That imperative now becomes the context into which all our planning and projects must fit. Having met the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine last week and having had minister Michael Creed to a national council meeting held in Dublin as recently as last Thursday (for which, much appreciation) ICMSA is satisfied that the department has identified all the issues from farm to processor to trading level that are likely to arise from a Brexit. But theres no room for any degree of complacency from here forwards, not in the context of 5bn in food exports to the UK 1.1bn is beef and 1bn is dairy produce. We need clear and agreed plans. It is important to emphasise that it will be at least two years before any of these issues become a reality, including any possible implications for farmer payments. But we need to be planning at this stage to ensure a smooth transition and, to this end, ICMSA believes that the agriculture minister should establish a co-ordinating group of department officials and industry stakeholders so that clear plans and strategies are identified and agreed at an early stage. In the short term, the implications are likely to focus on exchange-rate movements and the Government and the EU must understand farmers cannot be expected to pay for negative currency movements arising from the Brexit vote. A farm council meeting will take place today and plans need to put in place to protect farmers. In the past, food processors have simply passed back the impact of negative exchange rate movements and our farm council must take measures to protect farmers rather than food processors, who have insulated themselves in the past. Farmers are already in a prolonged income crisis and cannot be expected to take additional punishment. Brexit will have practical implications at farm level, particularly for farmers in border regions, for processors in terms of trade to the UK and also transit of products to continental Europe. It becomes a national priority to ensure that as Brexit negotiations begin and develop that access to the UK market is retained on the basis of current conditions and that Irelands dependence on the UK market is recognised and addressed. Irish farmers have a long history of trading with the UK and I have no doubt that this will continue provided the UK and EU regulators maintain the proper trading environment for it to continue. I turn to last weeks meeting of the Dairy Forum and say, with regret, that the Dairy Forum is failing dairy farmers and the fact is that not a single policy initiative was agreed at the meeting that will lead to an increase in milk price. Official Irish policy on the milk price collapse is one of waiting to see if something turns up and hoping for the best. The processors seem to be focussed on achieving their volume targets and if that meant low milk prices for farmers, then so be it. Certain parties to the Diary Forum are speaking out of both sides of their mouths on the need to support farmers while, at the same time, refusing to support measures to boost milk prices. We need an EU-wide voluntary supply reduction programme that will pay farmers a set amount per litre of milk reduced on 2016 production compared to their 2015 figures. This scheme would be absolutely voluntary and those who wish to maintain or increase current supply will be free to do so. If milk prices are to recover then the supply/demand balance needs to be improved quickly and ICMSA firmly believes that farmers across the EU would reduce supplies if incentivised to do so which would, in turn, lead to improved milk prices. Id caution Mr Creed against getting the interests of the dairy sector mixed up with those of dairy farmers; the links further up the supply chain are doing very well out of the price crisis while the farmers, on whom the whole industry ultimately rested have now gone a year earning no income from their herds. If ever there was a time for the EU to show what it can do when a clear problem has arisen that affects a whole EU-wide sector, then it is in this area of collapsed farmer milk prices. Why not show how the EU can work decisively when the real problem is identified? The Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS) said the move will benefit farmers and the co-operative livestock marts when it takes effect from September 1. Over the past year, ICOS has held extensive meetings with the banks around what it says were prohibitive charges for farmers using business debit cards to buy cattle at marts. Visa business transactions in marts previously attracted a fee of 0.30%, negotiated as a group rate for the marts by ICOS. This is now being reduced to 0.20% until September 1. ICOS said it had learned that the Visa debit card fee will be capped at 1 per transaction for secure payments after that date. Examples of secure payments include those using chip and pin, online security verification or by phone using the three-digit security number. Non-secure transactions will be capped at 2 each. A farmer buying 10,000 worth of stock would mean the mart paying a transaction fee of 30, but this will now be capped at 1 for secure payments. ICOS livestock and environmental executive Ray Doyle said they were very pleased with the proactive approach taken by Visa and the banks. They listened to our concerns and have taken this into account in setting the new rates which will be of benefit to marts, farmers and all Visa business customers, said Mr Doyle. Anything that can reduce costs for farmers is welcome at what is an overall difficult time for agriculture in general, he said. Mr Doyle said this will also help marts to reduce their volume cheque payments, which carry a business processing fee of 1.20 per cheque cashed, running into thousands of euro in costs for marts nationwide. During the boom times, there was much talk about family-friendly policies and the importance of successful integration strategies. Naturally, during the Great Recession and away from the bubble-wrapped world of the technology sector, the talk was all about survival strategies and about making do with a slimmed-down workforce. The mood has shifted once more and the countrys HR managers have picked up on this. The recent conference of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development took as its theme employee engagement and wellbeing. Chief executives and their CFO minders know it does not pay to let skilled people, some of whom they may have trained up, slip through their hands. The direct cost of filling the resulting vacancy can run into many thousands of euro and thats before one takes into account the indirect costs to the organisation resulting from a gap at the heart of the team. High levels of stress, it seems, may be pushing many towards the exit door. The lengthy recession has resulted in an increase in the workloads borne by those who have survived culls of manpower in their companies. According to the leading management expert, Professor Cary Cooper, over the period 2007 to 2012, stress levels in the workplace have risen resulting in a rise in the prevalence of physical and mental illness among employees. Prof Coopers findings are drawn from a study of 39,000 UK workers. Among the key findings were: The cost of mental ill health stands at 70 billion (86.1bn), 4.5% of GDP, or just over 1,000 (1,230) per employee. Just over 15 million sick days are taken due to stress factors. He considers the phenomenon of presenteeism, where insecurity drives people to work excessively long hours, to be of even greater concern than that of absenteeism. Even more striking is the finding that the proportion of employees considering that senior managers were managing change well in their particular company has dropped from 45% to 30% since the onset of the recession. Cooper is particularly scathing about the overuse of emails and social media by employers and the de facto colonisation or infiltration into employee leisure time of work related missives. One startling finding is that 34% of those surveyed send emails through their smart phones the minute they wake up while the last thing 38% did at night was look at their emails. The distinguished labour economist, Richard Layard, has put an even higher estimate on the cost of mental illness among Britons. The London School of Economics professor puts the annual cost alone of physical healthcare for people suffering from mental health issues at 10bn (12.3bn) , or 2,000 (2,460) per person. He puts the overall cost of poor mental health in the population at 4% of gross domestic product. A further 2% in lost production is, he suggests, attributable to crimes committed by the mentally ill. For all that, mental heath services (particularly in Ireland) have suffered from neglect for years. Too many voters just dont want to know. In the words of the comedian Ruby Wax, a sufferer of depression, were trying to hide the mentally ill elephant in the room. Layard, along with other leading economists such as Jeffrey Sachs has helped to produce a World Happiness Report. In 2013, Denmark finished top, with the UK in 22nd place. Both are critical of the current focus on national income and material wealth creation at the expense of consideration of the ongoing wellbeing of the citizenry. He favours the allocation of more resources towards the provision of therapists often in short supply in public health and a reduction in reliance on medication. Cary Cooper has his own suite of solutions which focus on an overhaul of life within the workplace. Top of his list would be a cut in hours worked, allowing people to develop lives that are more in tune with their basic primal needs: companionship, the cherishing of family, development of personal skills, and so on. He notes how productivity in Britain actually reached peak levels during the Three Day week in 1973 when working time was curtailed due to shortages of energy. He cites approvingly the decision of Daimler Benz & Liverpool city council, among others, to restrict the use of emails either within the office and at weekends. Put simply, he concludes, people with the highest level of wellbeing are also the most productive. He even puts an estimate of 1,200 per person as the financial benefit of improved wellbeing. He also expresses the strong view that we need to assess the EQ, or level of emotional awareness of each senior manager. Given that we also know sociopaths appear to fare well in many organisations, in terms of promotions secured, this could turn out to be an interesting exercise. Some companies have already begun to experiment with emerging stress management techniques such as mindfulness and are now making greater use of psychotherapy and other mental health management resources. Larger firms and companies in emerging areas of the economy have long recognised the need to provide their staff with pleasant, well designed physical environments complete with facilities such as gyms and state of the art restaurant and canteens. There is perhaps a belated recognition that similar support for employees psyches is required. However, many companies are struggling to survive, or by reason of their small scale, simply do not have the resources to pour into such areas. Prof Cooper accepts this is a real issue. He suggests that large companies be engaged to serve as mentors to SMEs seeking to boost their employees physical and mental wellbeing. He also believes a sea change in attitudes among the most senior executives is required. Having constantly said that employees are an organisations most valuable resource, the time has come for leaders to start walking the walking rather than just talking the talk, he suggests. National Enterprise Innovation Award winner InvizBox is preparing to go to market with a new device that has been designed to protect online privacy and keep internet traffic and emails safe from hackers and anyone else trying to gain access. Company co-founder Paul Canavan says that Edward Snowdens revelations of global surveillance show that the threat to internet privacy is now very real and should be a cause of concern to everyone everywhere. It is threatened by hackers and also by governments and advertising agencies using traffic analysis to track interests and behavioural patterns. internet privacy is particularly vulnerable to being breached when people use public Wi-Fi, he says. To counter this threat, the company plans to launch the InvizBox Go in mid-July an updated version of a prevous product, released in 2014 which connects to a router and encrypts traffic to protect privacy. Our new product creates a Virtual Private Network and works even faster faster. It is battery charged and portable and can be used with pubic Wi-Fi, [it] can charge devices, extend Wi-Fi and block ads, says Mr Canavan adding that it allows users to stream online content from other regions. With this InvizBox Go, one of only a small number of products of this type on the market, the one-year-old company is aiming to become a well recognized go to company for internet privacy products. It recently raised 100,000 in crowdfunding and has now applied for matching funding from Enterprise Ireland which identified it as a High Potential Start Up (HPSU) at the end of last year. We will start by selling on our website and on Amazon in the UK but are targeting major electronic retailers and aim to get into bricks and mortar stores within 12 months, says co-founder Chris Monks. InvizBox came into being as a part-time venture 2014 when, following Snowdens revelations, the co-founders, including Mr Canavans wife, Elizabeth, identified a gap in the market for internet privacy protection. Developed in their spare time, the InvizBox, went on sale on the internet in late 2014. We sold over 2,500 of these the majority in the US where there is a high level of concern on internet security, says Mr Monks. The success of this part-time venture prompted the three of them to give up their full-time jobs in software engineering to set up a new company in early 2015. InvizBox turned to crowdfunding to get its first product off the ground. All we had at the time was an idea which 580 people liked. We raised $20,000 of which 60% came from the US, Mr Monks explains. The three founders developed the software, had the hardware manufactured in Asia and delivered the pre-orders in March 2015. We have now shipped nearly 2,500 devices to over 60 countries worldwide, he adds. Setting up the company in February last year, the founders began working full-time on the project at an office in Rush in September. Supported by Fingal Local Enterprise Office, which organised a start your own business course, they later participated in a New Frontiers Accelerator programme. At the end of last year, the company raised 102,420 by securing 542 preorders for its new product. Weve used this funding to take on an engineer and our next step will be to employ business development staff. We plan to continue with R&D and aim to increase our staff size to 12 by the end of next year, says Mr Canavan. The founders say that theyre not operating in a very crowded space at present and see huge potential for growth as a result. The key target for InvizBox now is the US where Mr Canavan says there is a high level of concern about internet privacy, while Germany is the companys second largest market. Company: InvizBox Location: Rush, Co Dublin Directors: Paul and Elizabeth Canavan and Chris Monks Product: Internet privacy protection device Staff: 4 Website: www.invizbox.com It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. As Thursday night slipped into the wee hours of Friday morning it was clear that Britain had voted to leave the EU. From the outside looking in, all we could do was rubberneck. Watching to see the damage before moving on to see what it all meant. Within a few more hours France would overtake Britain as the fifth largest economy in the world as Sterling fell off a cliff. Ireland woke in the morning to the realisation that its largest market for trade would no longer be as easy to access as it had been. There are few things more damaging to a business than uncertainty and this has it in spades. Throughout the morning, business leaders reflected on what it might mean for them. No sooner had we all realised what had happened when David Cameron stepped down as Prime Minister. Economic uncertainty was now infused with political uncertainty and all the ingredients of a recession were brewing nicely. Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, made an address to the nation in which he pledged to stump up 250bn to ease concerns. The whole situation has been a demoralising defeat for the EU dream. Amongst it all are the small businesses and startups who keep it propped up. What next for those who depend on the British economy to grow and export? There has been a lot written in the past number days about what it means for Irish business. In the short term, the exchange rate is causing the main concern. Irish goods are now more expensive to bring into Britain. In the long term, that will level out so long as some coherent plan makes itself known. However, where there is doom and gloom there is also an opportunity. Now is the time that Irish companies should be creating even stronger links with their UK counterparts. Irish companies can become the sales platform for UK goods into the continent; partnering with engineering companies to finish off products before being the exporter to the continent, for example. Irish companies should be positioning themselves as the exciting new solution to what will be a UK problem. Like any business that faces problems, Ireland will need to think differently and more creatively as to how they can become essential moving parts in developing trade to the EU zone. There will be opportunities and Irish companies need to be at the forefront of them. The IDA also has a huge chance to entice would-be UK companies into Ireland. Morgan Stanley has already had to quell rumours that it is about to move 2,000 staff to Dublin or Berlin in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. It will need to move quickly to take advantage of the uncertainty within surrounding the UK. Northern Ireland has become a great springboard for companies to move into the bigger UK market. Expect that to become more challenging now. Irish companies have also set up offices in the North in order to benefit from a more favourable tax system and better conditions for investors and venture capital. The North may well find itself in another recession if money forthcoming from Westminister diminishes and jobs leave too. There has even been talk of Game of Thrones leaving the North. However, we could also have an improvement in the tax and incentive offerings for businesses, in which case the North would position itself as a better prospect for companies, meaning the Republic could still lose out. Strangely it could actually be our cousins to the North of Britain that may cause us the biggest concern. Scotland has already announced that a new referendum on the future of it remaining within the UK is likely. Over the past few years, and in particular since Nicola Sturgeon took over as First Minister, there has been a search on to find a more reliable economy for Scotland. At the moment, Scotland is largely at the mercy of energy prices like oil and gas for revenue. The drop in the price of oil has forced it to reassess how it builds and creates a new economy. That will require attracting big companies and startups alike. Scotland going it alone could well be bad news for Ireland as they look to copy our model of recovery by competing for inward investment. They will almost certainly make an application for acceptance to the EU, which may be fast-tracked as sympathy aligns itself with the Scots overwhelming vote to remain in the EU. We almost certainly have both a rural/city divide and an east-west divide within this country. The UK saw old mining towns and steel mill cities vote to leave the EU. There is a lesson in all of this about how you treat businesses, the backbone of local economies. How you encourage communities to support startups or make sure SMEs can be part of the fabric of both rural and city landscapes has a far bigger impact than what it may seem. Those companies play a huge part in giving people not only a sense of economic self-control but also in giving them a sense of identity. In the UK we saw London, Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle all vote to remain. I hope that in the coming weeks Irish SMEs begin to rally for solutions. There are positives to be exploited in Brexit. Finding them will be a challenge but not impossible. Were not talking about a glimmer of hope, were talking about something far bigger; a huge opportunity. Ireland now stands in the middle of a triumvirate of connections. We already act as the connector of Europe to the US and can now do likewise for the UK. We will be sitting in the midst of three of the largest economic zones in the world. This could be something special. We can make this work. A new report by the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) identified 12 breaches of a code relating to the advertising of products and services to children aged 6 years and under by the childrens channel Nickleodeon during spot checks conducted in autumn 2014. The BAI said it will raise the issue with the British TV regulator, Ofcom, because similar breaches were found the previous year. Because of the recurrent nature of the finding, the BAI said it would be asking Ofcom to notify the stations about their non-compliance with the BAIs childrens commercial communications code. Under an EU directive, the BAI is allowed to raise issues of non-compliance of its codes by foreign-based stations with other regulators. Nickelodeon was not in compliance with part of the code requiring onscreen info for products aimed at children under 6 to be provided visually and verbally, for example, the requirement of certain toys to have batteries or that some products are sold separately. Among the advertisers whose commercials were in breach of the code were Smyths Toys, My Little Pony, Hasbro, Fisher-Price, and Flair Emotive Pets. Channels not licenced in Ireland but whose shows are either wholly are partially directed at Irish audiences include Discovery, E4, Nick Jr, Sky News, Sky Sports, Dave, At the Races, MTV, and Channel 4. The BAI examined advertising output of foreign channels targeted at Irish audiences in terms of their compliance with advertising codes both general and relating to children. It said spot checks on ads carried by foreign TV channels for alcohol products had identified no breaches of BAI codes. Assistant Commissioner Michael OSullivan warned the bosses of the Kinahan cartel, who consider themselves untouchable, like the Gilligan gang before them, that nobodys untouchable, however far away they are. Speaking on the 20th anniversary of the murder of Ms Guerin, Mr OSullivan said the success of the investigation into her death showed the benefits of pumping resources into the force, as had the operations into the Kinahan-Hutch feud murders. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, the head of the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau said gangland had become more violent since Ms Guerins murder on June 26, 1996, with increased access to firearms. He said the drugs market had got bigger and the trade had gone global, with Irish gangs boasting contacts with Spanish, Dutch, Eastern European, and South America drugs and firearms networks. Journalist Veronica Guerins car surrounded by gardai on the Naas Road, on the Lucan dual carriageway, in Dublin, after she was shot dead on June 26, 1996 Mr OSullivan said the images transmitted across the world, of two gunmen about to enter the Regency Hotel in north Dublin on February 5, had shocked the nation. It was a Veronica Guerin moment, he said. Its another milestone in criminal history, one that you could look back on and say do you remember that? It was unprecedented to see them do that in the middle of the day. That attack by the Hutch gang, resulting in the murder of Kinahan lieutenant David Byrne, sparked five revenge killings by the Kinahan cartel two of Hutch family members, one of a friend and associate of Gerry The Monk Hutch, one of a suspected Regency logistics man, and a fifth of an innocent passer-by. Journalist Veronica Guerin during a press conference. Her murder intensified the policing of criminal gangs. Mr OSullivan said many gangs who thought themselves untouchable were caught. Nobodys untouchable, however far they are away. Amid the fallout of the referendum result, Taoiseach Enda Kenny looks set to break ranks with his European counterparts this week who want a quick British exit, by insisting London be given more time. When leaders meet on Tuesday, he is set to express Irelands unhappiness at a meeting of six foreign ministers yesterday, as he wants Ireland central to any decision-making. In an interview with the Irish Examiner, Mr Donohoe conceded that Brexit will hit Irish economic growth in the coming years, and insisted Octobers Budget will be unaffected. My expectation is that our fiscal space this year and next year will remain unchanged, he said. Brexit could well have an effect on our resources beyond then but that it is very difficult to quantify at the moment. This is a major re-ordering of the political environment that we are now in, and the economic consequences of that are downside. But they are ones to materialise in the medium term rather than the short term, Mr Donohoe added. It means we need to start planning how we deal with that scenario, he said. Asked if he was ruling out a recession, he said: I cant make a forecast on that at the moment. Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe He added: Our mid-term forecast put growth at 3% per annum after 2017. We have said that across any given two-year period, it [the impact of Brexit] could be between 0.5% and 1% of national growth or GDP. So do I believe we are facing a recession based on the information laid down at the moment? I dont. But it is conceivable that we are facing a period of economic growth that is lower than we are forecasting at the moment, he said candidly. There was turmoil as Scotlands first minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would consider vetoing a UK exit from the EU. Asked on the BBC if she would consider asking the parliament not to back a motion of legislative consent, she replied of course. Her comments came as British Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn saw his front bench implode with the resignation of many of his shadow cabinet. It came came after shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn was fired after he told Mr Corbyn he had lost confidence in him. A scoping report into the abuse allegations relating to the foster home was due back last month, but will not now be delivered until the day after the Dail rises for the summer break in July. Following a series of Irish Examiner reports this year, the previous government announced that a commission would be established to examine allegations. However, it has now emerged that it will be autumn at least before the commission is formally established, as the HSE has sought more time to respond to a preliminary report. The previous government relented to mounting pressure after this newspapers reports, which centred on the neglect and abuse of a woman given the name Grace, revealing that she was left in the home until 2009, 16 years after abuse allegations first surfaced. Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Oireachtas finance committee chairman John McGuinness, who drove the bid to expose the abuse scandal, called on the Taoiseach to intervene to establish the commission as soon as possible. I am amazed, shocked, and disappointed at the news that this is going to be delayed, he said. After so long, it is disappointing that this is being kicked to touch. The Taoiseach now has to do something about this; he has to intervene. At the weekend, former junior health minister and Labour TD Kathleen Lynch expressed her concern at the disturbing delay. Last December, Ms Lynch appointed senior counsel Conor Dignam to conduct a scoping report of available information about the foster home and its relationship with the 47 former residents who were sent there between the early 1980s and 2013. Former junior health minister and Labour TD Kathleen Lynch Among the documents under his consideration are two HSE-sponsored reports the 2012 Conal Devine Report and the 2015 Transparency Ireland Report neither of which have been published. This is because the abuse allegations are under Garda investigation and the HSE has insisted it wants to see the reports in the public domain, but it must adhere to the Garda request. It is understood that Mr Dignam submitted a draft report three weeks ago, but the HSE sought an extension to respond, so the full report is not due back until July 22, the day after the Dail rises for the summer recess. In a statement, the HSE said: We were given a draft report to consider in terms of factual accuracy. This would involve us talking to quite a few staff in different parts of the country. The minister responsible for overseeing this matter, Finian McGrath, was not in a position to comment, but is known to be somewhat frustrated at the lack of progress. The matter will not now go to Cabinet this week. Our reports revealed how, following a letter from the foster father to the minister of health in 1996, a decision to remove Grace from the foster home was overturned and she remained in the home until 2009. Thats despite there being fewer doctors employed here per head of population than the EU norm, and is contrary to the assumption that doctors would have to see a greater than average number of patients as a result. The medical workforce analysis, carried out for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, also suggests the country has too many nurses, noting that the numbers employed here are 25% above the EU average. According to the report, doctors, including GPs and specialists, give an average of 1,224 consultations per year, just 60% of the EU average of 2,037. It says that the number of consultations is just one metric by which productivity might be measured but states the figures would seem to suggest that Irish doctors are not being overworked. One possible explanation offered is the enhanced use of nurses here compared with other countries, with those qualified as advanced nurse practitioners seeing patients who in other countries may have to be seen by doctors. However, it is pointed out that only 4% of the countrys nurses were in an advanced role and they could not be considered the equivalent of doctors, so this could not fully explain why doctors here had such relatively low consultation rates. The figures are all the harder to understand because there are fewer doctors per head of population here than in any other country bar Slovenia and Poland 2.69 per 1,000 people compared to an EU average of 3.33. Those figures are curious given that Ireland produces more doctors than any other EU country, with 20 medical graduates per 100,000 of the population per year, compared to just 13 on average across the EU. Despite the high output of new doctors, Ireland is the most reliant on overseas recruits, 36% of all doctors practicing here having been trained abroad, compared to an EU average of 12%. Meanwhile, a survey is quoted as showing 34% of medical students intended emigrating after graduation and a further 53% contemplating leaving, while only 3% were determined to stay. The report says there might be very little return on our substantial investment in medical training and notes the logical consequence from the perspective of public expenditure is that we should train no doctors whatsoever and recruit exclusively from overseas although it calls that scenario absurd. The report also questions the high number of nurses employed here compared to the rest of the EU 12.64 for every 1,000 of the population compared to 9.62. Even allowing for advanced nursing, we ostensibly appear to be over- resourced in terms of our nurses, it says. Questions about their productivity and the efficient use of resources inevitably arise. The analysis notes that key recommendations of the 2003 report of the national task force on medical staffing, which aimed to reform the make-up of the medical workforce, had not been successfully implemented. Joe Biden was guest of honour at a lunch held by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and his wife Fionnuala at the plush surroundings of Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park. It has been noteworthy to see the genuine warmth between Biden and Kenny during the visit and the vice president made reference to their friendship yesterday, ahead of his journey home. Mr Biden and his family have enjoyed a broad sense of Ireland with visits to counties Louth and Mayo during their stay on top of their demanding schedule in Dublin. At the lunch, the vice president said that friend was a word used cheaply in international diplomacy but he really considered Mr Kenny to be his friend. He paid tribute to the shared values of the two countries, which he said included a belief there was no challenge that could not be overcome by human ingenuity. He said he had heard so much about Ireland when growing up in America that he had wondered how much was fact and how much was fiction but at times during this visit it felt like he was at home. For his part, Mr Kenny said it had been a privilege to welcome his close friend Mr Biden to Ireland. The Taoiseach described the vice president as a man of conscience, a man of courage, a man of conviction. Throughout the visit, Mr Biden and his family traced their family roots while also enjoying the formal hospitality of the Government, which culminated in bilateral meetings with Mr Kenny and President Michael D Higgins. Following the lunch, Mr Biden travelled the short distance to Dublin Airport before boarding Air Force 2 to return home to Washington. The entire visit, its timing and its length, was a timely reminder of the strength of the Irish-American relationship, during the Obama administration, said Mr Kenny. Writing in todays Irish Examiner, Mr Wallace has criticised Government ministers who look set to vote against the bill, based on an opinion from Maire Whelan that it is unconstitutional. Mr Wallaces comments come amid uncertainty as to the intentions of Shane Ross, Finian McGrath, John Halligan, and Sean Canney of the Independent Alliance, who have demanded a free vote on the matter. He says that when the bill was moved last year by Clare Daly, the Government relied on the advice of the Attorney General which suggested that it was unconstitutional as a result of the Eighth Amendment. They are again seeking her opinion, this time round. I want to see that opinion published. It cannot be used as a fig leaf to cover the inaction of politicians. The truth is that all it is an opinion. Actual unconstitutionality can only be determined by the courts. So why not allow the bill to pass, get the President under Article 26 to refer it to the Supreme Court? he says. Because the Constitution allows 60 days to have the matter determined, Mr Wallace says if the courts agree it is compatible with the Constitution, then we can, at least in these circumstances, end the inhumane treatment of Irish women. If they find that it is not constitutional then we will only be in the situation that we are in now, Mr Wallace says. It is not acceptable that any politician would advance the argument that they cannot support my bill because of the Eighth Amendment, and then refuse to call for a repeal of that amendment. Such a stance makes that individual complicit in human rights violations. But it is not either or. We can pass this bill and we should repeal the Eighth. Last week, Health Minister Simon Harris referred the Wallace bill to Ms Whelan for advice and, given it was identical to the Clare Daly bill, she said it fell outside the grounds of the constitution. It was felt this would be sufficient for the alliance members to stay onside, but Mr Halligan and Mr McGrath in particular have strong views about liberalising abortion laws. The alliance were due to decide their course of action at a meeting on Friday, but that meeting was delayed because of the Brexit vote in Britain. They are to meet today instead and some have indicated they might abstain from the vote. Analysis: 11 Stephen Lyne was yards from home when he was killed by a single stab wound to the back. He died on a grass margin at Ross Road, in June, 2009. Nobody was ever charged with his murder. The chief suspect, who was also a teenager, died later in an accident. Now, Stephens mother, Lotte, has launched the Stephen Lyne Foundation to teach children empathy. Empathy is the ability to identify with another persons feelings or difficulties, and Lotte researched programmes suitable for honouring her son, but which would make the community safer. A Hiqa report earlier this month said the 15-bed paediatric ward at South Tipperary General Hospital, in Clonmel, had been identified by the hospital as not fit for purpose and a longstanding issue over a number of years. The HSE said that its estates department and the South/South West Hospital Group recognise that the paediatric unit in Clonmel needs to be replaced, and the ward will be included in the hospitals development control plan, currently being devised. This plan will be forwarded to the capital development committee in the HSEs acute hospital division. Its the hospitals long-term goal to replace the unit. However, when asked for a timescale for the replacement of the ward, which had 3,600 emergency presentations in 2015 and admitted 1,784 paediatric patients, the HSE said: there is no timeframe, or costs, available at this time. The Hiqa report said that the major infrastructural weaknesses in the unit had also been highlighted in 2013, after a visit by the national leads of the national clinical programme for paediatrics and neonatology. The unit comprises 15 inpatient beds in two four-bed rooms, a two-bed room, and five single rooms; an additional two beds for day ward services; a paediatric emergency room and patient waiting area. The infrastructural weaknesses, according to Hiqa, include severe space constraints and lack of both isolation facilities and parent facilities. An inspection, last March, found insufficient spatial separation in multi-bedded rooms, which did not facilitate ease of movement of staff, patients, parents or visitors, while minimal spatial separation between beds was insufficient to enable the carrying out of clinical activities, without compromising infection prevention-and-control practices. Hiqa said that limited accessiblity and space in patient rooms increases the risk of cross-infection and likely contributed to overall, poor environmental hygiene-compliance in the paediatric ward. There was also a lack of en suite isolation rooms, while the design and finish of shared patient toilets and showers did not facilitate effective cleaning. A key barrier to the improvement of the wards infrastructure was the age, and limited footprint, of the hospital building in Clonmel. The current infrastructure and design of the ward is not fit for purpose and does not meet international best practice guidelines, the report said. They claim the supply is regarded as the hardest water in the country and could cost locals a small fortune in replacing washing machines, kettles, backboilers and other appliances. Residents living in the Macroney and Castlecooke areas of Kilworth village are up in arms over the utility companys plans to hook them up to the supply scheme at nearby Downing Bridge. Their concerns were raised by councillors Deirdre OBrien and Frank OFlynn at a meeting of the county councils northern division. The pair claimed there was absolutely nothing wrong with the quality of the present supply to householders in the Macroney and Castlecooke areas. Ms OBrien said she was concerned that Irish Water just wanted to centralise supply systems and the current supply to those townlands was soft water which didnt present any problems when it came to limescale build-up, which causes considerable damage to appliances. Its a question of dont fix it if its not broken, Ms OBrien told the meeting in Mallow. Ms OBrien was co-opted to the council to replace her brother, TD Kevin OKeeffe. She said there had been a big problem with the Downing Bridge supply for many years. When my brother was a councillor he actually proposed a motion that those householders on that water supply line get a special grant to compensate them for buying water-softeners because of the damage being done to appliances by hard water. "Its unfair on people who regularly have to buy new appliances because hard water shortens the life expectancy. It can be expensive. Mr OFlynn said people living in the townlands were very upset by the proposal from Irish Water and could not understand why it was being suggested. Council officials said they would correspond with Irish Water and would deliver a report on the situation at next months northern division meeting. They must be both drained and on an emotional high today following two sold out shows on Friday and Saturday night. And they love Cork so much that they stayed around on Sunday to watch the Ireland vs France match, with droves of fans searching the local bars for them. No wonder Danny OReilly told his fans at The Marquee that the venue is the annual highlight on his touring calendar. This is my favourite place to play, he says to volleys of adoration. Ive said that everywhere Im asked. This has been our favourite gig every year for the past six or seven years. The feeling is clearly mutual. The venue and this audience seem like home and family to the band. Even their mistakes are adored. We havent played this one in a while, says Danny, launching into the aptly titled This Is Not A Test. Something goes wrong. He stops. I told you we hadnt done it in a while. More yelps of approval. Yelps for the old hits: Addicted To Progress; Heroes & Ghosts; Blind Lead The Blind; Closer To You. Yelps for the newer hits: The Long Way; What A Love; and Get Loose. A real encore highlight was a cover of Fleetwood Macs The Chain, with warm-up acts Roisin O (Dannys sister) and The Academic back on stage. This is a very animated young crowd, full of the joys of Euro 2016, singing Ole Ole at every gap. Danny & Co laugh along. Wed like to dedicate this next song to Robbie Brady, says he, and sure why not indeed? Some years ago, the Oles were enough to send Prince home sulking from Pairc Ui Chaoimh. Not these lads; they took it in the fun spirit in which the crowd intended it. Five modest stars delivering a real five-star show. Unbeatable. Up until recently, coffee and the Irish just did not seem to blend. Perhaps it was our love of tea or maybe those pre Bishop Casey Gold Blend adverts were just too darn dangerous and sexy. Whatever it was, we didnt really drink the stuff. But all that has changed utterly and now, on average, an Irish person will consume about 1.4kg of coffee per annum. That still only puts us somewhere in the mid thirties in the ranking of coffee-drinking countries, but we are beginning to percolate through the ranks of coffee consuming nations. According to market research firm Euromonitor, coffee continues to witness a surge in popularity here. In 2015, retail value grew by 18%, reaching sales of 96.5 million. Sales of fresh coffee are driving that growth and, as a result, the modern coffee connoisseur is more discerning. As well as wanting the best coffee, many consumers now want to know where their beans have been and who had to sweat to get it to the high street. With that in mind, the Speciality Coffee Association of Europes World of Coffee forum hopes to highlight the work of Fairtrade coffee farmers from around the globe. Andrew Watson, forum project manager, says, People rightly want to know more about how they can support the welfare of coffee farmers and their communities, so this was an opportunity for Irish coffee lovers to meet some of the extraordinary people who dedicate their lives to producing this labour-intensive agricultural product. Fatima Ismael Espinoza from Nicaragua is one of 20 coffee farmers from Latin America, Asia and Africa who travelled to Dublin for the conference. Fatima is the director of SOPPEXCCA, a co-operative based high in the northern hills of Nicaragua, who have supplied Bewleys since 2006. This is my first visit to Ireland and its exciting to see the coffee market from the other side of the ocean, says Espinoza. Im hoping to raise awareness of the significance of consuming Fairtrade coffee. It has been huge for us. I think its really about the sustainability of rural communities. Fairtrade ensures the stability of sales price of crops and also it means we keep possession of land. Its kept in the hands of small producers. For Jose Omar Rodriguez Romero, a fourth generation coffee producer from Honduras, Fairtrade has allowed his community to plan and grow. Jose has been the leader of COCAFCAL co-op since 2004. Jose Omar Rodriguez Romero from Honduras Fairtrade has changed our lives in a number of ways, he says. It has given us the opportunity to participate in the international market in a fair way. But it has also encouraged us to look forward and to look at ways of diversifying our incomes. Jose explains that as well as coffee beans, the co-op now also produces fruit, vegetables, dried fruit and organic fertiliser. COCAFCAL is fairly typical of how a Fairtrade co-op works. It has a general assembly of 10 members, nine of whom are women. The assembly is charged with making sure that the 12 communities involved in the co-op are given advice on finance, production and marketing as well as technical assistance while making sure that standards of production are kept high and ethical. Their primary objectives are to reduce poverty and to increase the standard of living. Our community has access to simple things we didnt have before like a doctor and medicine and educational changes that give our children choice, he says. But, I think, more importantly it has given a sense of hope and dignity to families. Joses compatriot, Ivan Vasquez, has been involved in the coffee business from childhood and has worked his way up to the rank of cupper, testing the quality of coffee. His RAOS cooperative was founded in 1998. Taking a look in hindsight we recognise and value the positive impact generated by Fairtrade here, he says. In the fields, the producers have learned that it is necessary to ensure food security through diversification of crops. As a cupper I also know how competitive the coffee market is and how important consistency of quality and traceability is. Within all of this, the changing role of women has been extraordinary, new processes incorporating women into decision making has created real gender equality. Fatima Ismael Espinoza from Nicaragua It is a point that is echoed thousands of kilometres away by Bijumon Kurien from Kerala in India. Kurien is the president of the Manarcadu Social Service Society (MASS). In 2009, MASS embarked on their Fairtrade project to help more than 1,000 small-scale farmers. Twenty per cent of the members of our co-operative are women, he says. Women have become stronger and more involved as a result of Fairtrade. The community has benefitted tremendously as their incomes have tripled. But it is not just incomes that have improved. Farmers who were previously engaged in chemical farming have converted to organic farming, Bijumon stresses. So the benefit to the land is immense as the project area which is important to Indias bio-diversity has been cleaned of chemical pollutants. More equality, a cleaner planet and a nicer cup of coffee. Whats not to like? The artifacts were close to the fossils of a stegodon, a dwarf elephant which lived around 800,000 years ago. Verhoeven concluded that early humans were on Flores back then but the scientific community dismissed his claims. Papers appearing in Nature magazine this month, however, show Verhoeven had been right. Only two of our ancient relatives, it was thought, survived into comparatively recent times. The Neanderthals were in Europe and Asia until about 30,000 years ago. Stocky short-limbed cave men with enormous noses, wouldnt be modern womens ideal sexual partners, but our ancestors, it seems, werent so choosy; todays Europeans carry Neanderthal genes. These lost cousins of ours entered popular culture in the 1920s but another ancient relative is less well known. A cave in Siberia bears the name of an 18th-century hermit named Dionisij (Denis) who lived there. In 2008, Russian archaeologists found the finger-bone of a young female in the cave. She had lived around 41,000 years ago. Her DNA survived intact due to the cold climate. Analysis of it showed that she was neither a modern human, nor a Neanderthal. The Denisovans became the third hominid species, or sub-species, known to have survived into comparatively recent times. In 2003, partial skeletons of nine tiny human-like individuals were discovered at Liang Bua cave, 74km away from Mata Menge where Verhoeven had worked. Nicknamed the hobbit, Flores Man had lived 70,000 years ago. Verhoevens claim that the island had ancient inhabitants was vindicated. However, his suggestion that they were there 700,000 years earlier had yet to be proved. The hobbits brain was the size of a chimpanzees. Being only a metre high wouldnt disqualify him membership of our club; some modern humans, such as the pygmies, are small, so was the hobbit a tiny variant of Homo sapiens? No. It would be tens of thousands of years before modern humans reached Indonesia. Could he be related to the famous Lucy, a pre-human primate living in Africa around 3.5m years ago? Impossible. How could an Australopithecus have travelled from Africa to such a remote location? Clearly, the remains unearthed at Liang Bua belonged to a hitherto unknown species. The hobbit was named Homo floresiensis, the designation Homo acknowledging that he was human. The species name floresiensis, rather than sapiens, indicates that Flores Man was not quite one of us. The hobbit discovery led to renewed interest in Verhoevens site at Mata Menge. In October 2014, after years of excavation there, a piece of an adult lower jaw, and five teeth, were found. These have now been extensively studied. A wisdom tooth had erupted, so the jaw belonged to an adult. According to the articles in Nature, the Mata Menge hobbit was even smaller than the Liang Bua ones; he was the size of a modern five-year-old child. The teeth found at Mata Menge are similar to the ones at Liang Bua. The thickness of the jaw links it to Homo erectus, who originated in Africa 1.9m years ago and spread throughout Asia. We too come from Homo erectus. There were several branches among his descendants. The branch that led to the Neanderthals the Denisovans and us, however, was not the one which gave rise to the hobbit. Radioactivity levels of the soil, above and below where the Mata Menge bones were found, show that the hobbit had lived around 700,000 years ago. Verhoefen had been right after all. Erectus descendants seem to have arrived on Flores around a million years ago. Like the stegodon pigmy elephants, they became small because food was scarce. Verhoefen died in 1990. A giant tree rat, which became extinct recently, is named after him. CERTAIN moments, certain images, from gangland, are etched into the nations consciousness. Like Veronica Guerins distinctive red car, marooned on the Naas Road, its windscreen covered with Garda evidence bags, after she was shot dead 20 years ago, on June 26, 1996. Like the two men, dressed as elite gardai, about to enter the Regency Hotel, brandishing military assault rifles, earlier this year. How much has changed; how little has changed. 1996 and 2016 mark dark periods, perhaps the darkest, in gangland in Ireland. There were warnings then, as there are now, of the State being under threat. Its ability to protect communities is in doubt. The summer of 1996 was heady. There was an uprising in working-class communities in Dublin. They had been abandoned by society, as a second heroin epidemic carved through flat complexes and estates. Local organisations, such as the Coalition of Communities Against Drugs and Inner City Organisations Network, took to the streets, and marched on the homes of local dealers. Journalist Veronica Guerins car surrounded by gardai on the Naas Road, on the Lucan dual carriageway, in Dublin, after she was shot dead on June 26, 1996 Then came the outrage in Adare, Co Limerick, on June 7, when the IRA riddled Detective Garda Jerry McCabe with bullets during a robbery. Just weeks later, on June 26, the Gilligan gang executed Guerin. CATALYST They [the two murders] were a catalyst, Assistant Garda Commissioner Michael OSullivan told the Irish Examiner. It was a catalyst for everybody: a catalyst for the public, a catalyst for the politicians. Everybody realised that if the guards are to combat this level of violence and crime, they needed additional resources. But in addition to more resources, the armoury of the State needed to change. The old structures and processes were outdated, said OSullivan. We needed something and it took that [the murders] to bring around the Criminal Assets Bureau, because we had unemployed people living in mansions. Nobody was allowed to ask them, or draw any degree of interference. We had people who never worked a day in their life living lavish lifestyles. People like John Gilligan, who owned Jessbrook, a 90-acre site, with a sprawling equestrian centre, in north Kildare. The head of a massive drug-importation gang, he spent 1.5m on the site between 1994 and 1996 not a high price, given his estimated 20m in profit in that period. In July, 1996, the Dail heard that Veronica Guerin had died in vain if people were allowed to accumulate vast and unexplained wealth. The murder of Guerin resulted in a massive garda investigation and the creation of the Criminal Assets Bureau. These measures seriously disrupted drug (particularly cannabis) distribution and resulted in the exodus of most of the top-level drug dealers, particularly to the Netherlands and Spain. The Criminal Assets Bureau greatly enhanced investigations and the investigative powers of An Garda Siochana and the State, said OSullivan, who heads the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau. It had a huge effect on criminals. They had to work differently and lots of them fled. People who fled were the ones focused on by the guards and the extra resources of the Veronica Guerin investigation and CAB. New laws included the Proceeds of Crime Act, 1996, and the Criminal Assets Bureau, 1996, which operated on a civil standard of proof (balance of probabilities) and not criminal proof (beyond all reasonable doubt). Moreover, the burden shifted onto the individual to demonstrate that his or her assets or income came from legitimate income. That year also saw the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act, which massively extended, to a maximum of seven days, the detention period for trafficking. (Three years later, a ten-year, mandatory minimum sentence for dealing in drugs worth over 13,000 was introduced, attracting some criticism). Not long after Guerins murder, the garda investigation had dismantled the Gilligan gang and the boss man was extradited back from Britain. While Gilligan was not convicted of her murder, he was given a 28-year jail term (reduced to 20 on appeal) for drug trafficking. His right-hand man, Brian Meehan, was sentenced to life for Guerins murder. GANG LANDSCAPE The unintended consequence of the success of CAB and the Guerin investigation was that the major drug dealers who fled set up massive importation networks in Spain and Holland. These criminals created sophisticated contacts with local trafficking gangs, and with drug exporters in Morocco and South America. These included Christopher Kinahan, now a household name, because of the feud with the Hutch gang. The massive expansion on the supply side coincided with a surge in demand for drugs like cocaine, on top of the traditional cannabis, heroin, and ecstasy. Gangs back in Ireland involved in high-risk kidnappings and armed robberies were seduced by the money and lower risk associated with drugs. What you have now, compared to the mid-1990s, is a bigger market and, with the Celtic Tiger, people had money, said Assistant Garda Commissioner OSullivan. The population is bigger and theres a greater consumer base. There are more drug dealers. He said there were a number of big operators abroad. Its gone global. People know people everywhere, he said. They know guys in Columbia, guys in the south of Spain, they know British criminals. When the Iron Curtin came down, they got to know Eastern European criminals, and are getting guns from them. The worlds a smaller place. Theyve contacts everywhere. Back in 2012, then commissioner Martin Callinan estimated that there were 25 major crime gangs, with five that had tentacles to European or international gangs. The Irish Examiner reported last April that garda bosses estimated there were ten top-level Irish gangs dominating the trafficking of drugs from Spain and the Netherlands into Ireland. Four or five of these syndicates have direct connections with exporters in South and Central America. They operate alongside British traffickers, or a wider conglomerate in multi-tonne shipments. This is replicated in Ireland, where major gangs club together to import consignments. The decision by Garda HQ, in 2015, to merge the Garda National Drugs Unit and the Organised Crime Unit reflected how gangs engage in all sorts of criminality from drugs, to armed robberies, to firearms, to cigarette smuggling, to money laundering. An Taoiseach Enda Kenny looking at Veronica Guerins pen at the Journalists Memorial in the Newseum museum of news in Washington And the profits have mushroomed. Back in 2010, Operation Shovel, the European investigation against the Kinahan cartel in Spain, Britain, and Ireland, estimated the assets of the network engaged in drugs and firearms trafficking and global money laundering at 200m, including investment properties across the world. Senior gardai estimate that the Kinahan cartel, directly or indirectly, controls 70% of the Irish drug market. The UN has estimated that the Irish heroin market is worth 600m annually, although Irish experts believe it is half that. Some groups have made a lot of money, but they are in the minority, said OSullivan. Some groupings have lost a lot. GARDA RESPONSE We are constantly undermining, dismantling, and arresting criminal groupings. We are seizing greater quantities of drugs, OSullivan said. UN research, revealed in the Irish Examiner last February, provided grim reading, with estimates that just 3% of heroin being shipped into Ireland is being seized. Irish experts, and internal garda estimates, suggest the percentage is higher than that, between 5% and 8%. But its still just a fraction of the total and a stark reminder of what law enforcement is up against. Not that Ireland is unusual, with the UN report estimating typical interception rates in western Europe being between 2% and 6%. OSullivan said he did not know how these estimates were calculated, given the hidden nature of the market. We are certainly seizing more. I dont know what percentage of the total. We work very hard to seize as much drugs as possible and were very successful. A lot of criminal enterprises have been set up and we have them caught on their first shipment or second, or before they kick off. Huge numbers of people are arrested. He added: There are seizures throughout Europe that we are responsible for. Im not saying we are going to stop the trade. Irish seizure figures fluctuate and depend on various factors, including freak seizures and the amount of resources deployed to the fight. Resources play a significant part in garda work against organised crime, from gathering intelligence to conducting surveillance, from search operations to long-term operations, from murder investigations to mounting armed checkpoints and patrols. OSullivan said the Guerin investigation showed as have the Kinahan-Hutch investigations this year the benefits of pumping resources into the gardai. You put big resources into any investigation, not only will it be more effective, but youll also inflict collateral damage on other criminal organisations. Youll get a lead that one guy is getting drugs from another guy, and another guy youll find out had a bank account. It just spreads out like a web, as long as you keep pumping in resources. Its a bit like what we are doing now, after the Regency [Hotel]. Its the same thing. You starve an organisation of resources and we become less-effective. Its just natural, whether you are talking about the Guards or the HSE. And the force has haemorrhaged its lifeblood under austerity, with a ban on recruitment and the removal of 2,500 gardai from the force, together with a slashing of its overtime budget. The Department of Justice estimates that it will take until 2020 to bring garda numbers to 14,000 (they were 14,500 in 2010). The threat posed by organised crime, in terms of gangland murders and the danger to the State, peaked in the mid- to late 2000s. If one image summed up that threat, it was the two-fingered salute Limerick criminal, Liam Keane, gave outside the courts in 2003, when a murder prosecution against him collapsed after six witnesses recanted statements implicating him. Gangland murders reached 21 in 2006, and 20 in 2010, the two worst years on record. It was a time of the continuing Limerick feud and the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud, and the murderous Eamonn Dunne gang. Just like 1996, the threat then posed by organised crime resulted in a swath of new laws, often attracting criticism, and concern, from legal experts and human rights groups. The measures included: *Criminal Justice Act, 2006 (allowing statements to be used if a witness recants, a new definition of a criminal organisation, a new offence of participation in a gang, and mandatory minimum sentences for firearms) *Criminal Justice Act, 2007 (higher mandatory sentences for repeat offenders; changes in accused right-to-silence; seven-day detention expanded from drugs to include firearms) *Criminal Justice Act, 2009 (organised crime offences automatically referred to Special Criminal Court, new offence of directing a criminal organisation, higher penalties for intimidation of witnesses and jurors, and further extension of seven-day detention) *Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Act, 2009 (legal power to conduct surveillance on permission of court, and, in emergencies, by senior officer). The murders of innocent people by gangs played their part in these new measures. These victims include: Donna Cleary in August, 1996, Baiba Saulite in November, 2006, and Anthony Campbell in December, 2006, all of them in Dublin; and Shane Geoghegan in November, 2008, and Roy Collins in April, 2009, both in Limerick. VIOLENCE Since the mid-1990s, gardai have had to deal with several worsening trends in gangland, both of them often interlinked: violence and feuds. The violence is worse, said assistant garda commissioner OSullivan. If you look at gangland murders in recent years, they have gone up and down, and, at the moment, we have an intensification, but they have access to more weapons. We are seizing more weapons. Guns are coming in with drug shipments. Crime gangs have attempted to import rocket launchers, including foiled separate efforts by gangs in the Limerick feud and the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud. The terrifying reality of the firepower available to gangs became the seminal image of 2016: two men, dressed in false garda riot gear, and brandishing two military assault rifles outside the steps of the Regency Hotel, in north Dublin, on a Friday afternoon in early February. It was a Veronica Guerin moment, said OSullivan. Its another milestone in criminal history, one that you could look back on and say do you remember that. It was unprecedented to see them do that in the middle of the day. Was it unprecedented to have guys with machine guns in the middle of the day going to do some sort of crime? Unfortunately for us, it wasnt. The Chester Beatty Library, in Dublin Castle, to mark this weeks 20th anniversary of Veronica Guerins death, were Miriam OCallaghan,Jimmy Guerin (Veronicas brother) and Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald Indeed, an AK47 was the weapon used on Garda Jerry McCabe, 20 years ago. While one person was shot dead at the Regency Hotel, the toll could have been an awful lot higher. The response to that declaration of war, as some gardai have described it, by the Hutch gang on the Kinahan cartel, could not have been predicted. Within three days, the cartel went into the Hutch heartland, in the north inner city, amidst a high garda presence, and shot dead Eddie Hutch, brother of Gerry The Monk Hutch, an infamous figure from the time of Veronica Guerin. But the murders did not end there: four more were carried out on the orders of the Kinahan cartel. And gardai dont think the onslaught is over. Recently, a suspected hit team was apprehended on its way to kill someone else in the Hutch gang. The intensity of the feud is unprecedented. The two other major feuds, lasting over a decade each, were the Limerick feud, which claimed 12 lives, and the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud, which claimed 16. Feuds are part and parcel of criminal life. Its the nature and mindset of the people you are dealing with, said OSullivan. Criminal groups get together and they implode [like the Crumlin-Drimnagh gang and the Kinahan cartel]. They are friends one minute, then they shoot each other. The thing about feuds is they tend to drag on for a long time and they [the murders] are difficult to solve. These are difficult and dangerous people and it can become generational [like the Limerick feud]. Gardai have gone beyond the call of duty, policing these feuds: having their lives, and their families, threatened; having pipe bombs placed at their homes; having guns pointed at their faces; having shots fired at them and in, some cases, having been killed. Just like Garda McCabe before him (the previous officer to be slain on duty), Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe wasnt given a chance to draw his weapon on the night of January 25, 2013. He was protecting a cash delivery A member of a criminal gang, comprising dangerous young men from both sides of the border, blasted him at close range in the car park of Lordship Credit Union, outside Dundalk. Just a couple of years later, on October 11, 2015, Garda Tony Golden, an unarmed, uniformed member, was shot dead as he intervened in a domestic situation and again was given no chance to protect himself. Its all part of a trend, since the mid-1990s, of violent young men having access to high-powered weapons. One of the difficulties, now, is that they use cocaine when they go and do a shooting and, sometimes, they are just incompetent, said OSullivan. They fire five or six shots at someone and miss them. Mad stuff. Or, worse still, an innocent person is killed, such as homeless man Martin ORourke, who was shot dead last March in a reckless shooting by a gun for hire working for the Kinahan cartel. People got shot in the mid-1990s, but people are more violent now and more ready to shoot than in the mid-1990s, said OSullivan. They have got more guns and they are certainly more violent. The dynamic has changed. And that dynamic has hit the most disadvantaged and troubled communities the hardest, inflicting murderous feuds, drug-related intimidation, and widespread fear among individuals, families, and localities. Attacked, on one side, by gangs and drugs, these communities were attacked, on the other side, by the dismantling of hard-fought structures and funding programmes under austerity. All the while, local gang bosses bought multiple properties, built them into mini-fortresses, purchased top-of-the-range vehicles, holidayed with their families throughout the year, went to foreign sporting events, and sent their children to private schools. Vulnerable young people are brought into a lucrative, but deadly, trade, where the odds of making it into your 40s, even your 30s, sometimes even your 20s, are long. All of this under the noses of community workers. UNTOUCHABLES So, 20 years on, what has changed? What is Veronica Guerins legacy? Its like nothing has changed in 20 years, Graham Turley, Veronicas husband, said recently on the Sean ORourke Show. Crime in Dublin is exactly the same. Nothing has changed, theres a shooting every week. He said the fact that new gardai now start on a salary of 23,000, which is less than people in supermarkets and restaurants, was scandalous. Resources should be limitless for the gardai, he said. He said gardai should have everything they need, and cited the resources given to retired assistant commissioner, Tony Hickey, and the Lucan team investigating his wifes murder. As in 1996, journalists in 2016 are living with threats, this time from Kinahan bosses in Dublin. When the Gilligan gang murdered Veronica Guerin, John Gilligan was considered untouchable. In much of the 2000s, the McCarthy-Dundons thought they were untouchable. And in 2016, the leaders of Kinahan cartel appear to be untouchable, ordering from abroad the most intense murder campaign ever seen in gangland in Ireland. But garda investigations brought down the Gilligan gang and jailed the leadership of the Dundon, Collopy, and Keane gangs. The Criminal Assets Bureau has hit all the bosses of these outfits. Back in 2010, Operation Shovel rattled the Kinahan cartel, including boss, Christopher Kinahan, but has failed to deliver body blows in terms of prosecutions in Spain. Last March, the assets of the gang were hit again, this time the higher echelons of the cartel in Ireland. Some 29 luxury cars and six, high-powered motorbikes, some worth up to 75,000, were taken away from fortified homes and garages linked to the syndicate. The images stunned much of the nation and gave a sharp reminder of the wealth being enjoyed by gang bosses. Since it was set up, in 1996, CAB has seized 50m worth of property from criminals and collected 150m in taxes. Not that CABs task is easy, as Gilligans continuing fight in the courts demonstrates. CABs reach has not satisfied many local communities, who, for decades, have called for mini-CABs to target local bosses who openly display their wealth. A Special Crime Task Force is being set up to target these individuals. And another task force for the north inner city is being set up to address some of the fundamental factors feeding the gang and drug trade. But OSullivan is firm on the supposed invincibility of gang bosses. Nobodys untouchable, however far they are away. People who thought they were untouchable were caught. A lot of people left this country and thought Ill be alright and some people amassed wealth and believed their own propaganda and thought they were invincible. The next thing they realised Jesus, Im not, my empire is falling down around me. So could the leaders of the Kinahan gang face the same fate as Gilligan and Meehan? Absolutely. This idea some guy made a lot of money and is living outside the jurisdiction, and ah hell never be caught, absolutely not. No. No. Perhaps, that is the legacy of Veronica Guerin. NEXT Thursday, the Protection of Life in Pregnancy (Amendment) (Fatal Foetal Abnormalities) Bill 2013, which I introduced during the last Dail, will be discussed in a two-hour private members debate and voted on the following week. It is a piece of legislation to permit pregnancies to be terminated in Ireland in the rare but tragic cases where parents are given the worst news possible, that the foetus has a condition which is incompatible with life. Presently in these situations, the woman can either continue the pregnancy until the foetus dies, or face the expensive and unsupported journey to another jurisdiction to have the pregnancy terminated, often having to smuggle the remains home in the boot of a car, or wait for ashes to arrive in a Jiffy bag from DHL. On June 9, the UN Human Rights Committee found that a woman in Ireland who was forced to make that decision in 2011 was subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment. They said that Ireland is obliged to prevent similar violations of human rights from occurring. Contrary to Taoiseach Enda Kennys statements, this is binding on Ireland. When the country signed up to the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights, we accepted the competence of this independent body to interpret the Convention. The fact that their decisions are not enforceable in Irish courts can never be used as a justification for non-compliance. To be compliant we must ensure effective, timely, and accessible procedures for pregnancy termination in Ireland in cases of fatal foetal abnormalities. It is against this backdrop that I re-entered the bill, which is identical to the bill presented by my colleague Clare Daly last year, who will move my bill next week, and I was delighted that it was selected. These are no longer matters of opinion it is a fact that Irish womens human rights are being violated. Failure to act makes us complicit in this violation. For years, we have heard a litany of Government ministers and TDs offer sympathy to the couples involved, wring their hands, and agree that something must be done. But they have done nothing. Doing nothing is simply not an option anymore. Roughly two diagnoses of fatal foetal abnormality are made in Holles Street alone each week. The Liverpool Womens Hospital sees between two and four Irish women every week, with a five-week waiting list. Each weeks delay is subjecting more and more people to cruel and inhumane treatment. When the bill was moved last year, the Government relied on the advice of the Attorney General, which suggested that it was unconstitutional as a result of the Eighth Amendment. They are again seeking her opinion this time round. Holles Street I want to see that opinion published. It cannot be used as a fig leaf to cover the inaction of politicians. The truth is that all it is an opinion. Actual unconstitutionality can only be determined by the courts. So why not allow the bill to pass, get the President under Article 26 to refer it to the Supreme Court? The Constitution allows 60 days to have the matter determined. If they agree it is compatible with the Constitution, then we can at least in these circumstances end the inhumane treatment of Irish women. If they find it is not constitutional, then we will only be in the situation that we are in now. I am pro-choice, and believe that the decision to terminate a pregnancy is for the woman herself to decide. It is not acceptable that any politician would advance the argument that they cannot support my bill because of the Eighth Amendment, and then refuse to call for a repeal of that amendment. Such a stance makes that individual complicit in human rights violations. But it is not either/or. We can pass this bill, and we should repeal the Eighth. Enda Kenny has talked about new politics and a new democracy. He has talked about a free vote in relation to the issue of abortion. The time for talking is over. In 1983 the whip was not imposed. Why not now? The members of the Independent Alliance who are part of the Government have demanded a free vote. The Fine Gael deputies, many who have made promises to those who have been affected by this issue, have to follow suit. When Clare Daly moved this Bill last year, she received an email from a woman who travelled to England to terminate her pregnancy which would not survive outside the womb. MickWallaceClareDaly2016_large.jpg She said it was the hardest and worst time of her life, and something that she would never forget, but what hurt her most was feeling so let down by her country and its politicians that would allow this cruelty go on. Thats the choice that every TD will have to make on this bill. We cant stop the pain and heartache that women and couples in this situation will experience, but we can ensure that they are supported by medical professionals in their own country, surrounded by family and friends. JUST hours after the shock Brexit result was announced, I find myself in the engine room of Government, waiting to interview Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe. His office on the first floor of the dual Departments of Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform is compact while imposing at the same time. A sci-fi fan and well-read economist, his office is adorned by a collection of mini statues of leading Star Wars characters, while his bookshelves are full with a large collection of top economic, political, and historical tomes. Ushered in to the old office of the secretary general of the Department of Finance before the departments were split, Donohoe now the money man in Government greets me. But there is only one issue dominating the agenda Brexit. Within minutes he is speaking frankly and honestly about the impact Brexit could have on Ireland. With the turmoil of the British decision to leave whirling around the globe, Donohoe concedes that Brexit will hit Irish economic growth, but insists Octobers budget will be unaffected. My expectation is that our fiscal space this year and next year will remain unchanged. Brexit could well have an effect on our resources beyond then but that is very difficult to quantify at this stage, he says. This is a major re-ordering of the political environment that we are now in and the economic consequences of that are downside. But they are ones to materialise in the medium term rather than the short term. Are we facing a recession? I ask him. He doesnt rule it out completely. I cant make a forecast on that. Before Brexit, our mid-term economic forecast put growth in the economy at 3% per annum after 2017. We have said the hit could be as much as 1% of GDP, he says. So, do I believe we are facing a recession based on the information laid down at the moment? I dont, but it is conceivable that we are facing a period of economic growth that is lower than we are forecasting at the moment, he says. Given that deep uncertainty, what can they do as a government to mitigate the impact of the British decision? It gives us a need to plan how to deal with that. Competitiveness will have to come back on the agenda now. We have to now figure out how we ensure we have a competitive economy. Balancing our books nationally in terms of eliminating the deficit, that becomes an urgent priority as well, Donohoe says. So can we afford pay increases to public sector workers up to 2018 as committed to under the Lansdowne Road agreement? He says we can. Lansdowne Road over the period of three years is the equivalent of 840m of pay restoration. It is directed mainly at lower and middle-income earners. We have all of that funded and we are confident we have that funded across the next three years, he says. He warns though that there will be no additional pay increases outside that process, despite loud calls from public sector unions. One of the terrible experiences of the past decade was that the unfunded pay increase of tomorrow is the savagae wage cut of the day after. Responsible wage growth is the way to go, he adds. Donohoe, who is a TD for Dublin Central, says he intends to replace the Lansdowne Road deal with a similar arrangement with unions into the next decade. We will sit down with all stakeholders in the closing phase of Lansdowne Road and it is safe to say we will want to seek agreement again, but it will be after Lansdowne Road, he adds. But what about reform, I ask him, and what does he have to say about such pay increases having to be met with proper accountability? We immediately turn to the health system. Donohoe, a former member of the Public Accounts Committee which examined mis-spending in the pubic sector, says those who fail to manage their budgets properly will lose the right to control their own finances. On taking office, I changed the health estimate for 2016, but one of the reasons behind making that extra funding available was to say we need far greater accountabilty measures in the Department of Health in their relationship with the HSE than we have had before, he says. If we see a hospital group overspending, we will want to send a group in from outside the hospital to look at what steps are needed to maintain services, to deal with the budget overruns and then there will be consequences for that hospital group in terms of how they manage their budget for next year and the people who do it. Sanctions against hospitals will only hurt patient care, we often hear. What is different here? In the second half of this year from the acute hospitals, if they overspend, one of the things it could mean, is that they will not have responsibility for how that budget is managed next year, Donohoe adds. But he says very clearly there is no more money for health this year. What they have, is all they will have. There is no more money. We cant do supplementary estimates anymore. The crucial period is how we look in September. We dont have the mechanism to amend the overall exchequer spend and allocating that to a particular department. That is now gone, he says. As the nice guy of Irish politics, he says he is getting used to being in a constant tension with his party colleagues over spending requests. The reality of this job is that I am always in a state of tension with other colleagues. I always want that to be constructive tension, but every week I have to manage spending requests from colleagues, he says. Now those spending requests come for good reasons but the challenge is the accumulation of the spending requests can turn into huge sums of money. As the existential crisis to the country has changed, the level of the relationship between me and other ministers is going to change. But we still have scarce resources, he warns as we conclude. WHEN Omar Mateen shot dead 49 people in an Orlando nightclub, on June 12, it was the worst mass murder in US history. It seemed unimaginable that one man could hate gay people that much, or that he could destroy so many lives before losing his own. It was horrific and seemed to be without precedent. In fact, there was a precedent, although it has never been officially classified as a mass murder, and has been forgotten. The deadliest fire in the history of New Orleans a fire-prone city killed 32 gay men. Whereas the Orlando shooter was brought down by a SWAT team, whoever set the New Orleans fire was never found, never charged, never convicted, and the event disappeared from public memory. Arguably the second worst mass murder in the United States, certainly the second worst massacre of gay men, the fire at the UpStairs lounge, in 1973, proves the effectiveness of chosen amnesia. In a grim coincidence, one day before the Pride Weekend in Dublin was the 43rd anniversary of the night when, at four minutes to eight, the local fire services were called to a small blaze on the stairs of a first-floor lounge frequented by gay men in New Orleans. Roughly 65 people were in the bar. Someone set fire to something probably a petrol-soaked shirt and threw it on the wooden stairs at the main entrance to the club. People outside noticed the flames, but one of the men inside the club innocently took disastrous action. He opened the door at the top of the stairs, which led to the biggest of the clubs three rooms. As a result, a huge shaft of flames exploded into the room. The heavy fire door was supposed to immediately close again, blocking flames coming from below. On this night, according to Clayto Delery-Edwards, a Louisiana academic who has written the definitive account* of the tragedy, that door malfunctioned, stuck in a half-open position. The stairwell acted as a massive chimney flue, funnelling heat, flames, and combustible gasses into the lounge. "Soon, everything ignited: the carpeting, the wallpaper, the wood panelling on the walls, the velvet drapes at the windows and the large archway, and the posters and holiday decorations hung around the room. Everything was in flames, and the source of the flames was the most obvious way out. One man ran out on to the fire escape. Except it was not a fire escape it didnt have stairs leading to the street. Panicked, he ran up the stairs to the next floor, then ran back and jumped, where passersby quenched the flames on his clothes. Many, if not most, of the buildings on the street had a balcony encircling the first floor. Had a balcony existed outside the UpStairs lounge, it might have saved many lives. No such balcony existed. One couple took their lives in their hands, running down the main stairs directly into, and through, the flames. They survived. The bar had a manager who was trained in fire safety and clear on where the exits were. He calmly created a line of men, each holding the hand of the one in front, leading to the other fire exit, allowing perhaps 20 people to escape. But even with that organised action, many people present simply froze. It didnt help that many of them had been drinking for several hours, their judgement and response-capacity submerged by alcohol. One man, who had reached safety, insisted on going back into the inferno to try to save his partner. Their bodies were later found together in the burned-out building. An ostensible safety feature of the building ended up killing most of the people within it. A former owner, worried by the possibility of people falling out of the floor-to-ceiling windows, had affixed horizontal iron bars to the lower half of them. Those horizontal bars not only prevented the desperate from jumping to safety, but as they broke the windows with chairs, in the belief that it might afford them an escape route their actions allowed massive amounts of oxygen into the room, which lethally fed the flames. One man managed to force his way between the bars. These days, being gay is all about muscles, he said recently. Back then, if you were thin, you were in. And I was thin, thank God. I squeezed between the bars and dropped down to the sidewalk, and a few weeks later I woke up in the hospital. Fire engines arrived within two minutes of the first call, with five or six present by 8 oclock. They trained hoses on the windows, knocking down the few men still standing at that point, and who were to later die in hospital. The fact is that by the time the fire service arrived, even though they were commendably speedy, those within the UpStairs who would escape had escaped and those who would survive were already outside the building. They stood watching 20- foot high flames roaring up through the windows facing the street. One photographer, arriving in response to what his news desk told him was simply a fire, saw the upright figures in the windows and assumed it was a mannequin factory. The manager, who had already proven himself to be a practical hero in helping customers to escape, was among the crowds watching the horror. In those crowds, he spotted a man whod been harassing other men in the toilets. This was frowned upon in the club, and the man had been unceremoniously tossed out. The manager grabbed the man as a likely arsonist, dragging him to a police officer, who seemed to be more interested in crowd control than with who had caused the fire. The manager, with the benefit of training in fire prevention, was convinced that the circumstances and timing indicated arson. He had to watch the man he believed had caused the conflagration recede into the onlookers and disappear from justice. In the aftermath of the UpStairs lounge fire, survivors were horrified that government and religious leaders were either silent or openly contemptuous of the dead and injured. The Catholic families of many of the dead (New Orleans, at the time, held almost 47% Catholics) learned, to their misery, that their archbishop had ordered that none of the victims was to be buried in consecrated ground. Public officials made scandalously defamatory comments about the dead. Then, it was all forgotten as if it had never happened. It was forgotten as if the decent thing to do was to forget it. A few negative comments suggested that this weekends Pride events were unnecessary and that LGBTI people should just get on with life. Which would be to ignore the reality that, within living memory, the right to just get on with life has been taken from gay people in horrific circumstances, not once, but twice. *The Up Stairs Lounge Arson: Thirty-two deaths in a New Orleans Gay Bar June 24, 1973 Clayton Delery-Edwards McFarland publishers, 2014 Norbert Hofer of the anti-immigration Freedom Party narrowly failed to become the European Unions first far-right head of state in Austrias presidential run-off last month. His party has, however, challenged that result and a ruling is pending. Britains Brexit vote last week to leave the European Union has emboldened populist, anti-EU parties across the continent, including the Freedom Party (FPO) and Frances National Front, which called on Friday for a Frexit referendum. FPO leader Heinz-Christian Strache has taken a more cautious view, saying only that an Austrian referendum on the issue might become a party objective in the future. But Hofer went further in an interview published on Sunday. If a course is set within a year further towards centralization instead of taking (the EUs) core values into account, then we must ask Austrians whether they want to be members, he told the tabloid newspaper Oesterreich. Hofer and his allies believe the bloc should be based on economic rather than political union. The founding fathers (of the EU) wanted to ensure closer economic cooperation because states that cooperate economically do not wage war against each other, he said. Austrias Constitutional Court is examining FPO allegations of irregularities in the counting of postal ballots during the election. It is clear that rules on when those ballots should be counted and processed were often broken. But even if the FPOs challenge is successful and the court orders a re-run, which is one possible outcome, the president alone does not have the power to order a referendum. The so-called Erskine fire broke out on Thursday 64km northeast of Bakersfield in Kern County and has already claimed at least two lives, sent three firefighters to hospital and forced thousands to evacuate homes. More than 1,100 firefighters have been deployed to battle the blaze, which has blackened some 35,700 acres. Festival-goers awoke to the news on Friday that the United Kingdom had voted to leave the EU. Eavis told the Glastonbury Free Press: It was a complete shock. But weve got to rally round and stick together. An opinion poll conducted by the Times on site showed 82% of Glastonbury revellers voted to Remain, with three quarters having cast their vote. Eavis added: For voter turnout among people here to be higher than the national average? That really says something about the sort of people who come to the festival. With the referendum taking place on Thursday, after the festival had already begun, the majority of campers arranged postal or proxy votes. In a message to her guests on Worthy Farm, Eavis said: Thank you to everyone for making this such a special year. "Its always so heartening to see the parallel universe people create here, the positivity that people radiate. It brings out the best in people. So lets rally together and not lose hope. Before the referendum, Eavis and her father, festival founder Michael Eavis, had called for festival-goers to vote Remain. At 5pm on Sunday, an EU flashmob took place near the Park Stage, backed by the Eavises and facilitated by Greenpeace. The festival had its finale last night, with headline act Coldplay closing the Pyramid Stage. After performing in 2002, 2005 and 2011, Coldplay will set a new record, becoming the first band to headline the festival four times, while Adele made her debut at the festival. She pulled a 10-year-old girl up on stage for a hug and selfie as Adele began chatting with the crowd. Glastonbury means the world to me, Im not just lying, I have always wanted to do this my whole life. Ive been coming since I was your age, she said as the little girl took to stage and shared a selfie with her. Shadow leader of the Commons Chris Bryant became the latest senior figure to announce he could no longer work with Mr Corbyn, declaring: We need someone new to lead and unite Labour. The partys influential deputy leader Tom Watson is to hold emergency talks with Corbyn today to discuss the way forward after 11 members of the shadow cabinet announced they were resigning with more expected to follow. There was speculation that a full-blown coup was being launched by shadow cabinet ministers after the sacking of foreign secretary Hilary Benn earlier yesterday triggering the walkouts. Asked if there would be further resignations, Benn said: Of course members of the shadow cabinet, as you would expect certainly in the wake of the referendum result have been talking to each other. It is for each individual to make their own decision, I have made mine and I made my views clear to Jeremy. Watson said he was saddened that so many colleagues felt unable to carry on and deeply disappointed at the sacking of Benn, which triggered the walkout. He said: My single focus is to hold the Labour Party together in very turbulent times. The nation needs an effective opposition, particularly as the current leadership of the country is so lamentable. Its very clear to me that we are heading for an early general election and the Labour Party must be ready to form a government. Theres much work to do. I will be meeting Jeremy Corbyn tomorrow morning to discuss the way forward. As Watson returned from the Glastonbury Festival to deal with the crisis, allies of the Labour leader insisted he had no intention of quitting, and angrily accused the rebels of having plotted for months. A series of senior trade unionists on Labours ruling national executive committee rallied in support of Corbyn, including Unite leader, Len McCluskey, and Dave Ward, of the Communication Workers Union. There was also support from shadow home secretary, Andy Burnham, who said he would not take part in a coup. However, the rebels warned that Corbyn would be unable to form a new shadow team, given that Labour MPs were unwilling to serve under his leadership. The revolt of the shadow cabinet was sparked by the dismissal of Benn, following reports that Benn was orchestrating moves to mount a coup against Corbyn. First to go was shadow health secretary, Heidi Alexander, followed by the shadow minister, Gloria De Piero. They were followed, at intervals through the day, by shadow education secretary, Lucy Powell, shadow environment secretary, Kerry McCarthy, shadow transport secretary, Lilian Greenwood, shadow Scottish secretary, Ian Murray, shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Vernon Coaker, shadow justice secretary, Lord Falconer, and shadow Treasury chief secretary, Seema Malhotra. Shadow attorney general Karl Turner also stepped down yesterday. In her resignation letter, Powell said the party was facing an existential threat and she had no confidence in Corbyns ability to lead them to victory, if the Tories were to call a snap general election later this year, in the wake of the Leave vote in the referendum. The task in front of us is immense. We have, over many years, lost the support of our traditional communities, she wrote. While I dont blame you, personally, for that, I do not believe you understand their concerns sufficiently to re-engage with these communities. Benn told BBC Ones The Andrew Marr Show: He (Mr Corbyn) is a good and decent man, but he is not a leader and that is the problem. Shadow chancellor, John McDonnell one of Corbyns closest allies said that he had no intention of quitting. In a thinly veiled warning to rebels, he said that Corbyn still had the backing of the grassroots activists who swept him to the leadership last year, and who will decide the outcome of any new contest. When people go back to their constituencies, the message will be straightforward be loyal to the principles of the Labour Party, he told BBC Radio 5 Lives Pienaars Politics. Support the leader we elected nine months ago. Full stop. Accept the mandate. However, Corbyn now faces a vote of no-confidence that will be discussed at the weekly meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, at Westminster today, with a secret ballot of MPs expected tomorrow. Although the vote has no formal status, rebels hope that a defeat will make Corbyns position untenable. In a letter to Labour MPs, veteran backbencher, Dame Margaret Hodge, who tabled the no-confidence motion, warned that they were facing a disaster at the polls, if they failed to act. If a general election is called later this year, which is a very real prospect, we believe that, under Jeremys leadership, we could be looking at political oblivion, she wrote. Mr Murray told the BBC: Hes a decent human being, a lovely man who I got on incredibly well with, but he just cant lead the Labour Party and I dont think the public think he could be prime minister. Brexit campaign frontman Johnson and the Remain-backing Home Secretary are seen as the two leading candidates to replace David Cameron at the top of the party and take the keys to Number 10. But International Development Secretary Justine Greening said a leadership battle now would not be in the interests of the country and urged the pair to strike a deal to avoid a contest. She said a strong Conservative government should have Johnson at its centre to recognise the outcome of the European Union referendum. But May would also have to be at the heart of the administration as the country works on tackling issues around migration and freedom of movement. Writing on the Conservative Home website Ms Greening said: A leadership contest now is not in the interests of our country. It will mean our party focuses inward - at the very time our country most needs us to focus outward. Instead of a leadership contest which could take weeks and months, Boris Johnson and Theresa May should agree to forge a deal which means they are a united leadership, under one or the other: a united leadership that for the sake of unity I hope the rest of our party could support. She added that if Mr Johnson and Mrs May were unable to agree, another pair of MPs from either side of the referendum divide could step forward to bring Britain back together. Cameron said he would like his successor to be in place by the time of the Tory party conference in October. The first potential contender in the Tory leadership contest has broken cover, with Liam Fox admitting he is thinking about standing to replace Cameron. The Brexit-backing former defence secretary made his comments after former leader Iain Duncan Smith said the new Tory prime minister must come from the Leave camp. Duncan Smiths hard-line stance would rule out May for the top job, as she is positioned as the Stop Boris candidate by MPs loyal to Cameron. Whoever takes up that job... it would be very, very difficult for the public who have voted for leaving the European Union to find that they then had a prime minister who actually was opposed to leaving the European Union, Duncan Smith told BBC Ones Andrew Marr Show. There was a clear decision, and what has to happen is delivery on that, and somebody who has been involved in that clearly has to be the case, because the Government itself had a view... which was to Remain, so now we need to change that position. Broken promise Ian Duncan Smith denied the Leave side had broken promises to switch 350 million a week from Brussels to the NHS as he suggested something like half that amount could go to the health service. It is not a promise broken, I never said that through the course of the election, what I said was we will be able to spend the lions share of that money, he said. The incumbent Popular Party earned 28.5% of the vote, giving it between 117 and 121 seats in the congress of deputies, Spains Parliament, according to the poll by Sigma Dos for broadcaster Radiotelevision Espanola. That meant the party which has governed for the past four years fell short of a majority of 176 needed in the 350-seat parliament and will need to negotiate agreements with rival parties if it wants to return to power. Turkey issued a harsh rebuttal late yesterday to Franciss declaration that the slaughter of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago was planned genocide. Turkish deputy prime minister Nurettin Canikli said the comments bore the hallmarks of the mentality of the Crusades. Turkey rejects the term genocide, saying the 1.5m deaths cited by historians is an inflated figure and that people died on both sides as the Ottoman Empire collapsed amid the First World War. Yesterday, Francis participated in an open-air liturgy at the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral in Etchmiadzin, the seat of the nations Oriental Orthodox church. The landlocked nation of 3m was the first in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion in 301. The Armenian Apostolic church and a few other Oriental Orthodox churches split from the Catholic church in a theological dispute over the divine and human natures of Jesus Christ. While still divided over the primacy of the Pope, the two have friendly relations . That said, there have been tensions: Francis and Karekin were supposed to have signed a joint declaration on their improved ties at the end of the visit, but it was axed at the last minute. Vatican spokesman the Rev Federico Lombardi has said only the time simply was not right to finalise the text. The two men also showed clear political differences during a prayer meeting on Saturday night: While Francis spoke of the need for Armenians to move on to reconcile with Turkey, Karekin insisted in a fiery speech on the need for Turkey to acknowledge its past and for Armenians to find justice for past wrongs. The first minister said if the Scottish Parliament has to give its consent, she would of course consider asking MSPs not to do this. In Scotland 62% of people voted to stay in the EU, a situation in stark contrast with the result of the UK-wide vote, which saw 52% opt to leave. With the UK now in turmoil, the SNP leader said she would find it hard to believe that Holyrood would not be required to back the UK leaving the EU. Scottish secretary David Mundell said he did not think the Scottish parliament would be in a position to block Brexit. Ms Sturgeon, however, stressed that the UK was in uncharted territory in the wake of the referendum result and all of the complexities that have been thrown up by the vote on Thursday. With laws passed by Holyrood required to comply with European legislation on human rights, she was pressed on the issue on BBCs Sunday Politics Scotland. Ms Sturgeon said: The issue youre talking about is whether there would require to be a legislative consent motion, or motions in the Scottish Parliament for the legislation that extricates the UK from the European Union. "Looking at it from a logical perspective I find it hard to believe that there wouldnt be that requirement, I suspect the UK Government will take a very different view on that and well have to see where that discussion ends up. When asked if she would consider asking the Scottish Parliament not to back a motion for legislative consent, she stated: Of course, if the Scottish Parliament was judging this on the basis of whats right for Scotland then the option of saying were not going to vote for something that is against Scotlands interests, of course that is on the table. She continued: I care about the rest of the UK, I care about England, thats why Im so upset at the UK- wide decision thats been taken. But my job as first minister, the Scottish parliaments job, is to judge these things on the basis of whats in the interests of people in Scotland. She said she could imagine the fury such a move could spark in England, but added: It is perhaps similar to the fury of many people in Scotland right now as we face the prospect of being taken out of the European Union against our will. But Mr Mundell insisted: We have to respect the result on Thursday, even if we dont like it. The UK Government minister, who had campaigned for the UK to remain in Europe, added: I personally dont believe the Scottish parliament is in a position to block Brexit. Scottish Conservative MSP and law professor Adam Tomkins also said that MSPs had no such power. Ms Sturgeon also warned David Camerons successor it would be unacceptable for Westminster to veto a second referendum on Scottish independence in the wake of the vote for Brexit. She stressed Scotland had voted overwhelmingly to stay part of the EU and her priority is now to have talks with Brussels with the aim of keeping the country in. No talks have taken place as yet, she said, but added she would be doing so in the next few days. No need to write formal letter of exit, impatient EU tells Cameron Alastair Macdonald Britain need not send a formal letter to the European Union to trigger a two-year countdown to its exit from the bloc, EU officials said, implying British Prime Minister David Cameron could start the process when he speaks at a summit tomorrow. "The British people have made a very clear decision." David Cameron speaks after the #BrexitVote: https://t.co/Lu5hqzSpWP AJ+ (@ajplus) June 26, 2016 Triggering ... could either be a letter to the president of the European Council or an official statement at a meeting of the European Council duly noted in the official records of the meeting, a spokesman for the council of EU leaders said. A second EU official, asked about mounting frustration among leaders with the British prime ministers delay in delivering the formal notification required to launch divorce proceedings, said: It doesnt have to be written. He can just say it. Cameron will brief the other 27 national leaders over dinner at a European Council summit in Brussels on Tuesday on the outcome of Thursdays referendum at which Britons voted to leave the EU, prompting him to announce he will resign. On Friday, he said he would leave it to his successor as Conservative party leader and premier to trigger Article 50 of the EU treaty, which sets out a two-year process to quit the bloc. That appeared to be a reversal of a pledge to launch the process immediately after the vote. It has angered EU leaders who want a quick settlement to limit uncertainty. Some European leaders still expect Cameron himself to start the process in the coming days or weeks, officials said on Saturday. British officials were not immediately available. Some Brexit campaigners have said that Britain should aim to negotiate a comprehensive new relationship with the EU, seeking access to markets without submitting to EU rules or open migration, before binding itself into the two-year timetable that would be fixed for talks if Article 50 is triggered. Such talk worries EU officials and leaders who fear that a prolonged haggling with London will further increase the risk of a domino effect of nationalist-led demands for exit from other states. They do not see a legal way to force Britain to start the process but have piled political pressure on Cameron to honour his pledge to launch Article 50 negotiations and respect the popular vote. The notification of Article 50 is a formal act and has to be done by the British government to the European Council, the spokesman said. It has to be done in an unequivocal manner with the explicit intent to trigger Article 50. Negotiations of leaving and the future relationship can only begin after such a formal notification". Kerry urges responsible management of divorce Bradley Klapper US secretary of state John Kerry has urged Britain and the EU to manage their divorce responsibly for the sake of global markets and citizens, a day before he was to become the first senior American official to visit London and Brussels since the referendum. I will travel to Brussels & London on Monday to reaffirm our unwavering partnership w/ the EU & UK. Will meet w/ @FedericaMog & @PHammondMP John Kerry (@JohnKerry) June 26, 2016 He emphasised the importance of thoughtful co-operation at a time of economic uncertainty and fears about crumbling European unity. He said he would bring a message of US support to both capitals. But he offered no concrete suggestions for how the two sides should make good on the decision by British voters to leave the 28-nation bloc. The most important thing is that all of us, as leaders, work together to provide as much continuity, as much stability, as much certainty as possible, he said as he met in Rome with Italian foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni. Responsible handling of the situation, he said, will help the marketplace understand there are ways to minimise disruption, there are ways to smartly move ahead in order to protect the values and interests that we share. Mr Kerry had scheduled talks in Rome with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu later yesterday. But confronted with the gravity of Britains vote on Thursday, he set up a frantic, four-nation schedule for today. After gathering again with Mr Netanyahu, he planned to fly to Brussels to meet EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. Later, he was to meet foreign secretary Philip Hammond . In London, Mr Kerry intended to echo last weeks immediate US response, which focused on the unchanged nature of the allies special relationship. We will continue, the United States, to have a very close and special relationship with Great Britain, he said on the rooftop of a hotel overlooking the Pantheon. We value that relationship. That does not change because of this vote. In Brussels, Mr Kerry planned to emphasise US backing for the EU amid speculation other countries could follow Britains lead. He stressed the importance of political unity among 27 remaining countries that still represent a market of 450m people, and help the US provide security to unstable places in North Africa and the Middle East, and areas of conflict such as Afghanistan. Burma Anti-Rohingya Nationalist Group Plans Posters, Protests A group of nationalists and Buddhist monks in Arakan State are planning to voice their anger over the governments new term for the Rohingya minority. RANGOON Around 300 Arakanese nationalists, monks and civil society organizations in Sittwe, Arakan State, convened a meeting on Sunday in a monastery leading to a decision to launch a poster campaign for every Arakanese House throughout the state. The campaign intends to air their dissatisfaction with the governments use of the term the Muslim community in Arakan State to refer to the Rohingya minority. Arakan National Party (ANP) Secretary Htun Aung Kyaw confirmed the meeting agenda, which, he said, focused on four things: sending a letter to the union government calling on it to refer to the Rohingya as Bengali, a widely-used term implies that they are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh; using the Arakan Race to refer to themselves instead of Buddhists from Arakan State; creating a poster campaign throughout the entire state, as well as organizing a massive protest. Than Htun, a nationalist who is actively involved in anti-Rohingya campaigns, said the group gathered because they were upset with the governments new terminology, which was used by Burmas representative at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland. Than Htun urged the current government to use the previous governments term Bengali, and said they were preparing to write a letter to State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other lawmakers that will be sent within one week. Of the poster campaign discussed at the meeting, he said, I couldnt say exactly when that will start. Maybe this week. According to another participant, the main outcome of the meeting was to write, We dont accept Muslims from Arakan State on posters and put them up in front of every Buddhist house in Sittwe, the Arakan State capital. He told The Irrawaddy that a recently formed committee held a meeting on Monday and has decided to hold protests in several townships in Arakan State. The Rohingya are a Muslim minority in Arakan State, many of whom have been forced out of their homes due to violence and have been living in camps for internally displaced persons since 2012. Burma Burma Army Files Lawsuit Against Local Media Outlet The military files a case against a local paper for publishing comments from former general Shwe Mann that the army says could lead to its disintegration. RANGOON The Burma Army has filed a lawsuit against local media outlet 7 Day Daily for publishing a story in April which included former general Shwe Manns message to graduates of the Defense Services Academy, claiming the story could lead to the disintegration of the military. The 7 Day Daily newspaper printed comments in which Shwe Mann urged his colleagues to work for the countrys new elected democratic government. Shwe Mann, who served as the third highest-ranking general in the countrys former military regimeand as the joint chief of staff of Burmas army, navy and air forceposted the message on his Facebook page on April 23. The government chosen and entrusted by the people is now serving the duties with responsibility and accountability, wrote Shwe Mann, now a close ally of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and head of the Union Parliaments Legal Affairs and Special Cases Assessment Commission. It is the right time for our brothers to cooperate [with the National League for Democracys 2015 election victory] with much rejoicing. Two days later, the armys information department responded to the statement, calling it an attempt to divide the armed forces and saying that it ignored the fact that the military had repeatedly promisedand fulfilled its pledgeto cooperate with the government both before and after the 2015 general election. The information department said Shwe Manns statement made it appear as though the military had not cooperated. 7 Day Dailys deputy editor-in-chief Ahr Mahn told The Irrawaddy that the military filed the case on Saturday against editor-in-chief Thaung Su Nyein and journalist Min Hein Kyaw, who reported the story. They filed the case under Section 131 of Burmas Penal Code, which punishes anyone who abets mutiny or attempts to seduce an officer from his allegiance or duty, with up to ten years imprisonment. The police have not yet officially informed us. But today, they started questioning us, Ahr Mahn said, adding that the armed forces had opened the case because they claimed the story could destroy military unity. The military issued the critical press release in response to Shwe Manns message, said Myint Kyaw of the Myanmar Journalist Network (MJN). But, they filed the case against the media that reported on what Shwe Mann said. It is not natural. The Myanmar Press Council released a statement on Monday stating that it wanted the case to be settled through negotiations. Burma China Touts New Bank's Greater Understanding of Developing World Chinas leaders plan to bring their own insights on development to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, differentiating it from the World Bank, IMF BEIJING, China The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will be different from institutions like the World Bank because it has a greater understanding of the developing worlds needs, officials said on Sunday at its first annual meeting. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the bank two years ago and it began operations in January, with 57 founding member countries and $100 billion in committed capital, which it plans to invest in projects across the region. The AIIB, which intends to invest $1.2 billion this year, has said it is aiming to meet international standards of governance, though some members say there is still work to be done. Speaking on the final day of the banks inaugural annual meeting, Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei said the AIIB needed to establish its niche. The AIIB needs to establish its comparative advantage relative to existing multilateral development banks like the World Bank, Lou said. Compared with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and other multilateral development banks, the AIIBs advantage lies in its keener understanding of the successful experience and lessons of developing countries years of development. The AIIBs board approved its first four deals worth $509 million on Friday, with three projects co-financed with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the United Kingdom Department for International Development and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The co-financed projects are a slum renovation in Indonesia and highway construction in Pakistan and Tajikistan. A power grid upgrade project in Bangladesh will be solely AIIB financed. AIIB President Jin Liqun said it was the focus on infrastructure that specifically marked out the bank as different and that they were committed to the concept of international best practice. The question is, how do you define international best practice? I will not agree to anything which could be considered international best practice unless this kind best practice incorporates the development experience of China and many countries in Asia and elsewhere over the last three or four decades, Jin said. So our bank would like to have the development experience, the so-called international best practice, reflecting the experience of China, India (and) so many countries in Asia. So we should have a different model of development. The AIIB is also looking to expand its numbers this year and will take applications for new members through the end of September. Burma Confiscated Land Returned To Rightful Owners The new vice president attempts to right the wrongs of businesses and previous governments, which confiscated some 2 million acres of farmers lands. RANGOON More than 6,000 acres of land confiscated over the past decades were returned to their rightful owners on Saturday in Irrawaddy Division, marking the first attempt to do so by the new government after forming a national-level land dispute committee in early May. During a ceremony, 3,166 acres seized by Yuzana Company in Pantanaw Township were returned to 252 farmers while 3,268 acres taken by the Ministry of Industry in Pyapon Township were returned to 72 owners. Yuzana, run by Htay Myint, is a Burmese conglomerate blacklisted by the United States, and has also seized 270,000 acres of farmland in the remote Hukawng region of Kachin State for agriculture ventures, including cassava and sugarcane plantations. In early May, more than 8,000 villagers from the area sent an open letter to the new government calling on it to resolve a massive land confiscation dispute with the company. On Saturday, Vice President Henry Van Thio, who is also the chairman of the Central Review Committee on Confiscated Farm Lands and Other Lands, said during the ceremony that the government was making systematic efforts to ensure transparency in returning confiscated lands to farmers. However, in some cases, farmers should wait a certain amount of time as the work needs to be carried out in conformity with the existing rules and regulations of the land laws, he said. Van Thio added that private companies and government departments had been granted permission to confiscate land, including farmland, under the pretext of urbanization and industrialization. According to findings of the Farmers Affairs Committee in the Upper House of Parliament, as many as 2 million acres of land across Burma could be considered confiscated. In May, Burmas President Htin Kyaw formed the Central Review Committee on Confiscated Farmlands and Other Lands, chaired by Henry Van Thio, an ethnic Chin who is one of Burmas two vice presidents. The committee is couched within the executive branch and is distinct from existing parliamentary committees with similar portfolios. It is tasked with monitoring state and divisional governments handling of land disputes and enabling the return of land to dispossessed farmers from government ministries, state-owned enterprises and private companies. At the time this new executive committee was announced, the Presidents Office urged that further land acquisition be postponed until disputes were settled in accordance with the law. Additional reporting by Salai Thant Zin in Pantanaw. Burma Ethnic Armed Groups To Meet Before Panglong CHIANG MAI, Thailand Ethnic armed organizations plan to hold a summit in mid-July in the conflict-torn region of Mai Ja Yang in Kachin State, near the border with China, in order to discuss the upcoming 21st Century Panglong conference, according to sources close to the groups. Khuensai Jaiyen, an advisor to the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), told The Irrawaddy that RCSS leader Lt-Gen Yawd Serk met Gen Gun Maw of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in early June and that they had agreed to hold an ethnic summit in Mai Ja Yang. They have reportedly invited all ethnic armed organizationsthose that signed Burmas nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) and those that did not. The NCA was signed between eight ethnic armed groups and Thein Seins government in 2015. The RCSS and the KIO are still trying to set a date for the summit. They will invite all ethnic armed groups. In order to make it happen, the Burma Army also needs to give the green light, as well as Chinese authorities, said Jaiyen. The meeting is expected to take place after July 12, according to sources. Jaiyen said the summit would be convened to discuss how a new Panglong Conference should be adjusted under the current political climate in Burma. The first Panglong Conference was held in 1947 and resulted in an agreement among Shan, Kachin, Chin and Burman leaders in preparation for independence from Britain. Ethnic armed groups who have not signed the NCA include members of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC)which the KIO chairsand will be also invited, said Jaiyen. Khun Okkar, a spokesperson for the eight ethnic armed groups who signed the NCA last year, told The Irrawaddy that the RCSS and the KIO are still working to fix a date for the summit. It is confirmed that the summit will happen, said Khun Okkar, without elaborating. The idea for the summit came from ethnic leaders from groups such as the KIO, the RCSS, the Shan State Progress Party (SSPP) and the Chin National Front (CNF)groups that see themselves as successors of the signatories of the 1947's Panglong Agreement, which is why they have agreed to hold the event, explained Jaiyen. The summit will be held in Mai Ja Yang because it is logistically easier for ethnic organizations such as the United Wa State Army (UWSA) and its allies to attend the meeting, he added. Burma Gambira Moved to Insein Prison to Face Additional Charges Former monk and Saffron Revolution leader Gambira was moved to Rangoon to face additional criminal charges, after serving a six-month sentence in Mandalay. MANDALAY Rangoon authorities moved Nyi Nyi Lwin, a former monk better known as U Gambira, from Mandalays Obo prison to Rangoons Insein prison on Sunday to face additional criminal charges. Gambiras family was informed that he now faces charges for allegedly trespassing and breaking into Rangoon monasteries that authorities had sealed after the 2007 Saffron Revolution. He is currently being held at Insein prison and the court date has not been set, said Daw Yae, his mother. A court in Mandalay Divisions Maha Aung Myay Township sentenced the former monk in April to six months in prison with hard labor for allegedly crossing the Thai-Burma border without an official visacharges that human rights groups labeled as politically motivated. While detained, Gambira petitioned unsuccessfully for bail, citing mental health issues that resulted from severe torture while imprisoned by the former military regime for his involvement in the 2007 pro-democracy uprising led by Buddhist clergy. He is still receiving medical care for these issues. We do not understand why authorities still want to keep him in prison and are unearthing cases from 2012 just days before his release, his mother added. His six-month sentence, after time already served while detained and facing charges, would have ended July 1. During the 2007 uprising, local authorities cracked down on thousands of protestors; hundreds of monks were arrested and several monasteries were raided and sealed off. In 2012, shortly after a mass pardon leading to his release, U Gambira allegedly broke into some of these sealed monasteries, attempting to stay in them and stating that Buddhist monks should be permitted to live in their monasteries. This action defames the image of the new government and affects national tranquility because we have doubts now that the police and Ministry of Home Affairs are changing, said lawyer Robert San Aung who will assist Gambira during the upcoming trials. Resurrecting old, unjust cases from the era of the quasi-civilian government is suspicious. We need to ask if the new government has the authority to govern fully under the rule of law, or if the police and home affairs ministry are creating distrust between the government and the people, he added. This resource is no longer available This resource is no longer available. Return to previous page. Burma Muslims Flee Village After Rioting, Perpetrators Remain Free The Pegu Division government has yet to respond as local Muslim women and children flee a village after sectarian rioting. RANGOON About 200 Muslim residents have fled Thuye Thamain village of Waw Township in Pegu Division out of fear for their safety, with only a small number of Muslim men remaining to take care of their property, according to local sources. As was reported by The Irrawaddy, Muslims in the village sought refuge in the local police station after an altercation between a Buddhist and a Muslim resident on Thursday drew a mob that proceeded to destroy a mosque, a storehouse and the home of a Muslim family. Police have yet to take serious action against those said to be involved in the rioting. On Sunday, some locals were brought in but released after some brief questioning. While visiting the village on Friday, Irrawaddy reporters witnessed the alleged perpetrators driving around freely on motorbikes, passing close to police officers and stopping to observe the work of the reporters. The Irrawaddy journalists also saw several men near the villages river jetty brandishing sticks and shouting threats at Muslims who were making their way toward the police station for sanctuary. This has only heightened the insecurity felt by local Muslims, prompting them to flee the village, despite claims made by local police that the situation was now stable. Win Shwe, a Muslim community leader, told The Irrawaddy on Monday that some had left by boat and others by motorbike, beginning on Friday. Many intended to stay with relatives in other villages in Pegu Division. The Muslim community, already small, is now significantly diminished in Thuye Thamaina village formerly of around 1,500 Buddhist households and 37 Muslim households. Only men remained in the village to take care of their property, said Win Shwe. He said that his own family had left already, and only he had stayed behind. I am worried about them [local Buddhists] coming to take my property from my house. Therefore, I have to stay. There are other men similar too me, he said. Ohn Lwin, a police chief for the village, said, The situation is already stable. Violence only happened on Thursday. It has been fine since then. But, there were people who fled from the village. The Pegu Division government has yet to give orders to detain those involved in the rioting, according to the local police. Some police officers were not happy about it, but they said they could not do anything. Officers by the station were heard commenting on how it would have been easy to arrest those responsible. The Irrawaddy attempted to talk to locals from the Buddhist majority about the incident, but they claimed to know nothing or refrained from commenting. Burma Rangoon Authorities Ban Press Conference on Burma Army Torture Hotels have cancelled the launch of a report from an ethnic Taang womens group on torture by the military, allegedly due to local government pressure. RANGOON The Rangoon division government has forced the cancellation of a press conference organized for Monday by the Taang Womens Organization (TWO) for the launch of a report on human rights abuses by the Burma Army in northern Shan State, according to the TWO. The TWO is drawn from the Taang ethnic minority, also known as the Palaung, who are concentrated in northern Shan State. In recent months this area has seen fighting between a Taang ethnic armed group, The Taang National Liberation Army, and the Burma Army along with a Shan ethnic armed group, the Shan State Army-South. The conflict has displaced several thousand people, and all three armies have been accused of rights violations, including abducting, torturing and murdering civilians. The TWO has issued a statement saying this was the second time in the course of a week that they had been forced to cancel a press conference in Rangoon, after local authorities instructed hotels not to let them hold one. The first instance was on Friday at the Orchid Hotel. Mondays conference was to be held at the Excel Treasure Hotel. TWO Joint Secretary De De Poe Jaing told the Irrawaddy, An Orchid Hotel staff member told us that the Rangoon Division government did not allow them to do it. Then, the manager from Excel said the hotel needed permission to hold a conference. We had agreed already with the hotel [Excel] that, if the police came, we would deal with it. But, the hotel manager called me back and told me that we could not hold the press conference, said De De Poe Jaing. De De Poe Jaing said both hotels had been under pressure from the authoritiesthe Excel hotel even said Special Branch, a plain-clothed branch of the police that relies on a network of local informers, had come to the hotel and told them not to allow the conference. TWOs new report, entitled Trained to Torture, compiles accounts from ethnic Palaung victims of torture by the Burma Army from 2012-2016. We collected data about rights abuses and have accused the Burma Army of torturing local people [in Shan State] over the course of five years. The report has targeted the Burma Army directly. This could be why they did not let us hold the press conference, De De Poe Jaing said. TWO said in their statement after the cancellation that there should be no restrictions on freedom of expression and information as the country undergoes political reforms, and people should have the right to report on and expose human rights abuses. These reforms have been unable to touch the Burma Army. We feel the Burma Army still has influence over government, she said. We feel now that the new government is no better than the former government, and may be even worse, she added, suggesting that they would have been able to hold the press conference in Rangoon under the previous administration. Burma Siamese Kings Tomb in Mandalay Sealed, Pending Government Approval of Restoration Work Mandalays municipal department seals the area and cancels a consecration ceremony at a tomb believed to house the remains of an 18th century Thai king. MANDALAY The consecration ceremony planned for a tomb believed to house the remains of 18th century Thai King Uthumphon in Amarapura Township near Mandalay was postponed after the Mandalay City Municipal Department (MCDC) ordered the area sealed on Friday. The Mandalay municipal committee responsible for research on and restoration of the tomb said they sealed it because the workwhich was carried out by a local team and supported by the Thai Royal Treasurywas illegal and broke Burmese archaeological laws. After reviewing the process, we did not find any agreement between the two governments, said Nyo Myint Tun, director general of the Mandalay divisional department of archaeology and museums, at a press conference in Mandalay on Saturday. We told them to halt the restoration work while we verified the remains found in the tomb. But they continued working and broke the law. On top of that, they went forward with planning the re-consecration ceremony without informing MCDC or the regional governmentso we decided to seal the area until further notice, Nyo Myint Tun added. Although the excavation and restoration work at the Lin Zin hill site started in 2013, the committee said they have no records confirming that both the Thai and Burmese governments officially approved it, said MCDC official Thet Naing Tun. According to Mandalay Chief Minister Zaw Myint Maung, the letter of cooperation between the two governments was initially sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Religious Affairs and to the State Counselors Office in Naypyidaw. The ministries will contact the Thai government and in the meantime, the restoration process will stop until the two governments formally agree on it, said the chief minister. If not, there will be many relationship problems between the two countries in future. Concurrently, the influential Burmese abbot Sitagu Sayadaw, who supported and instructed the restoration team, met with high ranking Thai Buddhist monks and officials from the Thai Royal Treasury. He reportedly explained the reasons for the delay and requested that the Thai government help by responding to MCDCs proposal for government cooperation. We dont understand why this restoration project became illegal. We have been working since 2013 with agreement from MCDC and the regional government. However, now that they want us to halt, we will wait for their approval, said Tampawaddy Win Maung, who leads the restoration. Burma Wa National Organization Denies Involvement in Drug Trade After a former leader of the Wa National Organization was arrested with a large cache of drugs in Thailand last week, the WNO denies trafficking links. CHIANG MAI, Thailand The Wa National Organization (WNO), the political wing of an ethnic Wa armed group, has announced that it had no involvement in the actions of one of its former leaders, Ta Ma Ha (also known as Ma Ma) who was arrested in Chiang Mai for drug trafficking last week. Ta Ma Ha, the vice-chairman of the WNO, was arrested in Chiang Mai with 10 kilograms of pure methamphetamine, 7.5 kilograms of raw opium and 26,400 methamphetamine pills on June 21. Thai police officials from the Office of Narcotics Control Board also said they seized 6.8 million baht (nearly US$200,000) in cash during the arrest. In a statement released by the WNO on Sunday, the organization said it has no links with the drug seizure and the drugs did not originate from territories under its control, claiming they came from Chiang Dao town in Chiang Mai Province, northern Thailand. The WNO also said Ta Ma Ha has had no contact with the organization for five months, and due to this they temporarily suspended him from his position of vice chairman during an emergency meeting on May 2-3. Maj Ta Aik Nyunt, general secretary of the WNO, told The Irrawaddy on Monday, We dismissed him [Ta Ma Ha] and removed him from all of his positions because he violated our rules [against drug trafficking]. He often visited Chiang Mai and didnt inform us. He just said he was visiting his relatives. He didnt tell us about his recent trip, said Ta Aik Nyunt. The statement said the WNO enforces a ban on illicit drug trading and has been working on anti-drug trafficking campaigns in its territories with its ethnic allies as well as Thai anti-drug trafficking forces. It also said the WNO has a policy to warn, suspend and dismiss its members who abuse power, violate the ethics of the organization or engage in any activities that would damage their image. The WNO is a member of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), an alliance of nine ethnic armed organizations who are engaging in talks with the Burmese government but have not signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), a peace deal signed last year under the former government of President Thein Sein. The WNOs Ta Aik Nyunt also said he had not received any comments from the UNFC, but his organization plans to apologize for its former vice-chairmans actions. We will apologize to them because [the arrest] also damaged their image. We feel sad and are sorry for what he [Ta Ma Ha] did, said Ta Aik Nyunt. One of the WNOs previous leaders, Mahasang, was also arrested in Chiang Mai for participating in the illicit drug trade and died in prison. The WNOs military wing, the Wa National Army, operates in northern Shan State and near the Thai-Burma border. After more than a year and a half on store shelves, Microsoft will discontinue by December 2016 the production of the Surface 3 low-cost tablet. Critics were not impressed by the Surface 3 low-entry tablet, because its eMMC storage, slower Intel Atom processor and its modest battery life. The hybrid two-in-one could not offer a rich Windows 10 experience, being more suited for light Windows tasks. This might be one of the reasons why the high-tech company has decided to stop producing the tablet. PC Mag reports that Microsoft is officially discontinuing production and sales for its Surface 3 tablet. This is likely not surprising for those customers who, at one point, tried to buy one recently from the Microsoft Store. The only model currently available costs $500 and comes with 2 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage and both 4G LTE and Wi-Fi capabilities. If you're trying to order Surface 3 online, every other version on Microsoft's site is listed as "Email me when available." The website Thurrott.com also reports that Microsoft made a statement announcing that Inventory for the Surface 3 is now limited. The company will no longer manufacture the device by the end of December 2016. ZDNet reports that Microsoft sources suggest that the company is seemingly still trying to figure out whether to release a Surface 3 successor or not. In case that it does, it is likely that the hardware would launch once Windows 10's next major update, "Redstone 2," arrives in spring of 2017. If these devices are meant to combine the usability of a good tablet with the elegance of an Apple product, it is also possible that Microsoft gives up on the notion of an entry-level device for the Surface brand. According to Engadget, there's no doubt that the higher-end Surface Book and Surface Pro 4 are the stars of this hardware generation. There are no signs that Microsoft would plan to launch a Surface 4 or any other entry-level tablet. Earlier this year, the Xiaomi M5 was released and has been successful since. In fact, it may soon be getting a follow up release, which is expected to be called the Xiaomi Mi5S. This is definitely a good call as the next unit will correct all the lacking and lackluster aspects of the original flagship. Android Community clarifies that the Mi5S is still unconfirmed at this point, but may be very timely as Samsung is set to release its Note 7 and S7 Edge+ soon. Here are 5 reasons to hold on for the Xiaomi Mi5s 1. Cheaper Price, High Specs Despite the upcoming competition, the audience of Xiaomi is expected to stay unswayed, as the company will continue to sell at affordable prices - the Mi5S naturally included. Other than this, the upcoming unit is expected to sport its predecessor's 5.15 inch 1080p touchscreen. 2. 6GB of RAM An increase from the current 4GB of RAM from Pro editions and 3GB of RAM in the other editions is definitely a huge leap. It will mean quicker activity and the chance to do more activities without the mobile slowing down significantly. 3. Ultrasonic Fingerprint Reader This rumored new fingerprint reader is meant to be more secure. THe reader should still work despite a thin layer or cover over the actual item. Theoretically, this will eliminate the possibility of others prying on your device in order to open and use it. 4. Pressure-Sensitive Panel As reported by Times Of India, this feature is meant to counter Apple's 3D Touch. Xiaomi's application of a pressure-sensitive panel. This means that even the slightest pressure made on the device's screen will be noticed and acted upon. 5. Dual Camera A relatively new development, a Dual Camera is meant to lessen noise when taking videos. It will also allow optical zooming without the moving parts. Google is working to develop an in-house smartphone that will be launched sometime later this year. According to Android Headlines, it is certain that, among various offerings out there, Google's mobile operating system is at the top. However, when it comes to the actual hardware, Google has next to nothing to offer so far. The Nexus devices are close to a Google smartphone, but they still have little input on the device design. This situation might change soon, according to rumors reported today by the Telegraph. Sometime later this year, Google will be releasing an in-house handset, aiming to rival Apple in the market for a premium device. Even if this is still just a rumor, it is not the first time when it was speculated that Google is looking to gain a little more control of the Android OS. The freedom to do just that would certainly come with a device that is built in-house. More control over the OS might be, in fact, the main reason for Google's willingness to produce their own handset. The company would be able to control all the aspects of the device, much like Apple does with each and every iPhone. According to the 9To5Google, the Mountain View company is already discussing with various mobile operators about launching a smartphone under their own name. However, at this point in time no carriers have been mentioned. Google still plans to work with partners on devices that will launch under the Nexus brand and to continue supporting the efforts of the Nexus program. But the in-house Google smartphone could serve the company's purpose to compete with the iPhone in terms of premium software and hardware with a less fragmented approach. An actual Google handset shouldn't seem too far fetched, considering Google is re-hiring former Motorola President Rick Osterloh. It is also possible that Google could end up pushing HTC made this in-house device. Theres scarcely any new project for the IBM i these days that doesnt involve the Web in some way, shape, or form. Mobile front-ends, application modernization, Web servicesheck, even the lowly terminal emulator has become a Web app these days. One IBM i software vendor that is positioned to capitalize on this trend is Flynet, which sells a single product that can address multiple Web initiatives for IBM i shops. You may have never heard of Flynet, but the company, which is based in the United Kingdom, is by no means new to this sector. In fact, Flynet has been selling IBM i, mainframe, Unix, VMS, and multi-value solutions to big European companies like DHL, BMW, Vodafone, and Tesco since it was founded in 1995. And now, thanks to a new reseller partnership with Atlanta, Georgia-based Onsystex that it announced in April, the company is ready to bolster its presence in the United States. Why should IBM i shops in the U.S. care? According to Flynet COO Christian Rule, its all about simplicity. We have four products and each product builds on the other, Rule tells IT Jungle. The main differentiator between someone like us and Rocket, for example, in the emulator and modernization space is we only have one product stack. They essentially all use the same technology. You install one service, not seven. Flynets flagship product, called Flynet Viewer, encompasses several different products with one code base. This includes a terminal emulator called Flynet Viewer TE; a legacy modernization solution (including mobile apps) called Flynet Viewer Studio UX; a modernization solution for Web services called Flynet Viewer Studio WS; and a business intelligence dashboard creator called Flynet Dashboard Server. Flynet unlocks different parts of the suite depending on what the customer licenses. The core engine was written in C and runs on a Windows server, says Flynet CTO Mark Thomason. We wrote it in C for performance reasons, he says. Its been designed from very beginning to all run on a single stack. Even though we talk about all these different products, they are different classes of the same engine. Flynet says having a single stack proves useful when tackling legacy modernization projects. Customers can target the most heavily used 5250 screens for an overhaul and use the Flynet Viewer Studio UX functions and templates to add modern user experience (UX) elements like drop-down boxes and radio buttons, while leaving the rest of the application to access via a 5250 emulator. Since its all one stack, the handoff between 5250 and GUI screens is smooth, Thomason says. Because everything is written on our stack with the same core server, you can mix and match, he says. You can cherry pick the sessions and leave the rest to emulation. That makes it easier to finish a project. Flynets modernization tools sit squarely in the Microsoft camp, and utilize Microsofts .NET stack. That means customers will need to be somewhat fluent in .NET if they want to go beyond what Flynet offers. Even though most of the momentum in modernization seems to exist in the JavaScript space, the focus on .NET shouldnt be a deal breaker for IBM i shops, which typically are fairly invested in Windows technologies. The fact that Flynets emulator is entirely Web based in HTML5 is another advantage, says Thomason. There are no plug-ins, so its fast and responsive, he says. But just because its in the browser and pure Web it doesnt mean its second best to a desktop emulator. Any features you find in desktop emulator youll find also in our Web-based terminal emulator. That includes features like keyboard mapping, macros, printing, file transfers, and screen resizing. Quite advanced things you wouldnt expect from a pure Web solution, Thomason says. The rapid growth of smartphones and tablets has bolstered the need for pure Web solutions that dont require plug-ins, which can be fickle, especially on iPhones and iPads. What we have now is an emulator that is as feature rich as any headline leading terminal emulator, Rule says. All the functions youd expect to find, youll find in our 100 percent pure HTML browser-based product, with no client-side software whatsoever. The company has been developing its emulator for more than 15 years, and over that time its had to solve some tough problems, like spotty networks and dealing with dropped sessions. The fact that Flynet can count some of the biggest European IBM i and mainframe shops as customers is a testament to its product stability. Speed has got to be one of our biggest advantages, Rule says. But speed doesnt mean weak or unsecure. Were the most secure emulation product you can find. I think were the only one who survived the KPMG penetration test. Weve just been doing it this way for a long time, and it just so happens that a lot of people now want to do it this way. Flynet is now in the midst of a transformation. The company has been quietly serving its customers for years, but is now set to become more aggressive in marketing its products. The company recently hired IT business executives, including Rule, in a bid to boost its presence and make the market more aware of its product. A number of things have happened the last few years, which has created a perfect storm for Flynet, Rule says. Mobile, cloud, big data, and IoT have really start singing the Flynet song sheet. Its less if Flynet can help, and much more how Flynet can help. Cybercriminals are attacking the healthcare industry more than any other. Why? Its a gold mine of privately identifiable information usually running on older, unpatched versions of Windows and ripe for being exploited through ransomware or data breaches. Evidence of this is overwhelming: IBMs 2016 Cyber Security Intelligence Index states healthcare is now the number one target with more than 100 million healthcare records compromised. The SANS Institute said healthcares major weakness was the mishmash of old end-point devices, mixed with IoT (healthcare monitors) all running on reasonably insecure Wi-Fi networks. Exploited medical devices, conferencing systems, web servers, printers and edge security technologies all sending out malicious traffic from medical organisations. Some of these devices and applications were openly exploitable (such as default admin passwords). Ponemon Institute found 94% of medical institutions had either suffered or had an attempted attack. Price Waterhouse Coopers survey showed that Australia had the highest level of detected cybersecurity incidents up 109% In January, the Royal Melbourne Hospital discovered a virus on its Windows XP computers (iTWire report here) interfering with the delivery of meals and pathology results. Its IT team was unable to successfully shut down the virus as it continued to mutate, forcing pathology staff to adopt manual processes. A recent survey by Healthcare IT News and HIMSS Analytics, revealed that more than 50% healthcare organisations said they had been attacked but a further 25% would not know if they were attacked. When asked if they would pay ransomware to get up and running, only 4.9% said no. The global move to digitise health records means the records contain not only medical data but social security numbers, healthcare numbers, addresses, contact details, even financial details I could add numerous reports from all the major antivirus/malware and networking companies, but I think you get the drift. It is a case of physician heal thyself or at least pay experts to do it for you. I spoke to Tim Blombery, chief solutions strategist, ANZ A10 Networks about the issues. He has a 20-year history in networks and security, starting in VMS/NT support at Transfield in the mid 90s and working extensively in Europe and the UK before a stint at Juniper Networks and now A10. There is not much he does not know about networks and their protection. Why is healthcare an attractive target? Patient data is crucial in life-and-death situations; so healthcare organisations dont have the luxury of holding out on paying ransoms. Non-IT healthcare workers may have lower cybersecurity awareness and are less likely to recognise attacks because hospitals focus on protecting patient privacy. Healthcare workers who manage urgent patient care in emergency situations are focusing only on trying to do the job at hand. Those types of employees are not considering if they should click on a link, how strong their password is, or if they are authenticating properly, etc. Because of this, adoption of advanced security controls is significantly lower across in this space. With the mishmash of systems traditional security is no longer the cure Blombery acknowledges that the mishmash of operating systems, IoT devices and networks is par for the course in healthcare so it needs a different solution for endpoint protection. He says the best way is to secure the perimeter of healthcare organisations via SSL traffic inspection. But there are issues with that too. Healthcare security professionals are adopting SSL encryption and agree that it is necessary for patient privacy protection, but hackers are now using it to their advantage. Malware can be easily concealed in encrypted traffic to bypass security controls. Since eight of the top 10 websites use encrypted traffic Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, YouTube it creates a massive vulnerability. Once ransomware gets into a system or network particularly a disparate older networks via malware embedded in email attachments or drive-by download it becomes incredibly difficult to mitigate. The Australian government has addressed this specific problem as part of the prime ministers cyber security strategy. In the cyber defence section, the Australian Signals Directorate describes the third stage of a targeted cyber intrusion: 'Cyber adversaries use available network protocols and ports allowed by an organisations gateway firewall, such as encrypted HTTPS/SSL ...' Blind spots are still evident in most systems Many firewalls are not capable of providing the depth of protection required to mitigate encrypted traffic. Intrusion detection systems (IDS)/intrusion prevention systems (IPS), network monitoring and other traditional defences cant inspect encrypted traffic. Close to 70% of current Web traffic is encrypted. The fact is that 80% of organisations with firewalls, IPS or unified threat management (UTM) appliances do not decrypt SSL traffic. One report showed that when SSL is inspected, the average performance of seven leading next-generation firewalls (NGF) decreased an average of 81% when decrypting SSL traffic with 2048-bit keys. Why is SSL decryption so critical? When ransomware is installed, it reaches out to a command and control server (C&C) to obtain an encryption key. This communication can be hidden in encrypted SSL traffic to avoid detection. However, SSL decryption exposes the communication so security controls can stop ransomware before it can receive the key needed to perform the encryption, pre-emptively stopping the attack. Tips for prevention? The Pharmacy Guild of Australia is actively encouraging their constituency to upgrade security and push encryption as a necessary protocol. While this is a step in the right direction, it fails to address the potential for blind spots created by SSL traffic. This simply underlines the lack of awareness about SSL vulnerabilities. Only SSL inspection can remove blind spots to stop attacks before they begin. SSL inspection is the solution to the next big cybersecurity challenge. Naturally, A10 has SSL inspection on some of its products. The competition watchdog has warned small businesses about the alleged misconduct of the Australian Business Funding Centre also known as Australian Business Financing Centre (ABFC) which operates the government website and data base for government grants and loans. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued a public warning notice alleging that the ABFC website, and its sales representatives, purport to offer access to an online database www.australiangovernmentgrants of the Australian government grants and loans available to small businesses. And, the notice alleges the ABFC has made false or misleading representations about the services capability and quality, and the role the service has played in assisting small businesses gain government grant funding. The watchdog says small businesses that signed up to access the ABFCs data base had advised the ACCC they paid fees ranging from $497 to $701, only to only to find there were no suitable grants, or they were eligibile for grants listed in the database. The ACCC says the website also prominently features a range of success stories from actual Australian small businesses, but when those businesses were contacted by the ACCC, they said the stories were used without their permission and that they had not obtained any government funding via ABFC. The ACCC is issuing a warning in relation to ABFCs conduct including its australiangovernmentgrants.org website. We are very concerned that small businesses are paying ABFC for a service that does not provide the information and assistance they are have paid for, ACCC acting chair Dr Michael Schaper said. Similar websites targeting small businesses in other countries have also come to the attention of regulatory authorities in New Zealand and Canada. Telstras thrust into the Asia Pacific and broader global markets continues with the big telco bringing in former Nokia APAC executive, Paul Tyler, to take up a newly-created role as group managing director international. Tyler has joined Telstra from Nokia where he held various roles over many years, most recently as the companys head of Asia-Pacific and Japan. Underlining the importance of the role to Telstras Asia Pacific and global expansion plans, Tyler will be based in Singapore and is a member of the companys international and new businesses leadership team and its executive committee. A Telstra spokesman said, in the new role, Tyler would be responsible for guiding Telstras international business as we continue to expand the scale and breadth of our activities outside of Australia. Further evidence of the authority of Tylers role in the APAC region and the wider global market for Telstra is evidenced with the companys country managing directors reporting directly to him, as confirmed by the telcos spokesman. Paul brings to us deep understanding of the Asia-Pacific region, which will be extremely valuable as we expand in these markets, the spokesman said. On the appointment, Tyler said: Telstra is well recognised as a leading and innovative player in the telecommunications industry. I am excited to be joining Telstra at this time to help take the companys international business to the next level and take advantage of the exciting opportunities that exist in the Asia-Pacific region. Telstra's enhanced focus on the Asian region was noted by IDC in January, with the global analyst firm naming Testra as the "best performer" of all telcos in the Asia Pacific telecoms market, with its industry specific solutions and cloud services, mainly in Australia, helping in Telstras upward push. On the APAC telecoms market overall, IDC said that BT, Orange, Singtel and AT&T were the leaders of the next-generation telecom service providers in the region, noting there were plenty of challengers in the market, and Telstra was one of the major players and regional and global service providers closely following the pack of leaders, along with NTT Comms, Vodafone and Verizon. And, the telco's aggressive international and Asian expansion strategy was evident just last month when it moved to meet what said was an explosion in data consumption among consumers and businesses and strong demand for international connectivity, through investment in capacity purchases on existing submarine cables and the building of a new overland fibre route. LGs new G5 flagship takes its offerings to a new high it is an amazing piece of kit that any high-end buyer should seriously consider. The year 2016 is one of innovation in Android "glass slabs" and each major brand has showcased its best technology in a bid to win consumers' hearts and minds (called street/brand cred). Invariably the flagship segment represents less than 10% of the overall market share so "first" impressions here equate to sales across the brands entire range. While one brand may have more features over another, in 2016 it is going to be hard to give the ultimate "tick" to any offering. LG has its G5, Samsung has the Galaxy S7/Edge (GS7), Sony its Xperia X Performance, and Huawei has the P9. Even some offerings at around half the cost like OPPOs R9 and Plus are all very good. LG is banking on a dual camera and a removable battery "module" that can be used to dock "friends" external add-ons. Its a 10 out of 10 in the flagship category, and if it suits your needs, then I unreservedly recommend you buy it. Out of the box Lets look at the base specifications: 5.3, IPS LCD, 2560 x 1440, 554 ppi , protected by Gorilla Glass 4 , protected by Gorilla Glass 4 Qualcomm Snapdragon 820, quad core (top of the range) 4GB RAM and 32 GB UFS storage (20GB free) plus microSD up to 2TB (ditto) Dual Rear Camera - 16MP, f/1.8, 1.12 m, 16:9 plus 8MP, f/2.4, 135 wide angle both laser autofocus, 3-axis OIS, single LED flash (ditto) - 16MP, f/1.8, 1.12 m, 16:9 plus 8MP, f/2.4, 135 wide angle both laser autofocus, 3-axis OIS, single LED flash (ditto) Front Camera - 8MP, f/2.0, selfie - 8MP, f/2.0, selfie Wi-Fi AC dual band MIMO, Bluetooth 4.2, NFC, FM Radio, HDMI Out, IR blaster Removable 2800 mAh battery, 65 hours endurance rating, with USB-C and fast charge Cat 9 LTE Bands 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 12, 17, 20, 28, 38, 39, 40 149.4 x 73.9 x 7.7mm x 159g These are all top specifications. Some contenders may additionally offer AMOLED, water resistance or wireless charging but the G5 has more than you could want in an attractive package. Which brings me to the build and looks. The review unit (LG-H850) had an attractive Titan smoky steel finish, rounded corners and chassis, and is very well built, with a reassuring solidity to it. Gone is the leather cladding of the G4 I liked that too. It ships with a USB-C Quick Charger 2.0 (it's Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 compatible if you buy a separate charger), USB-A to USB-C cable, and a set of buds/mic with a fabric-covered lead. Setup is very easy you can avoid Google if you wish and it has a copy feature from your old device (not tested). Modular slot The innovation is that the standard battery can be removed and different modules can be added. This includes a semi-pro camera grip and a Hi-Fi sound amplifier, but who knows what will come later? Strangely, these are not listed on LGs Australian site, but its US site shows the Cam Plus module has a shutter button, record button, zoom wheel and camera on/off switch and provides a thicker shooting grip. I understand that it has a 1200mAh battery as well as the 2800 mAh removable battery module that attaches to it. It has a Hi-Fi Plus module with B&O Play that has a 32-bit Sabre ES9028C2M DAC and Sabre9602c amplifier to natively play 24bit/192kHz hi-res tracks, as well as tracks up-scaled to 32-bit. It has a 3.5mm audio jack to connect to an amp or headphones and USB-C charge/data port. This appears only to be available in Europe for a slightly different G5 model. Other accessories include: 360 Cam a standalone, directional sound, spherical camera and that will be reviewed separately. separately. 360 VR headset that uses the G5 as the screen it also works with the 360 Cam. Tone Platinum harmon / kardon wireless headset. / wireless headset. LG battery charging cradle. Various cases including a Quick Cover with a cut-out window to see the always on display. My take on the modular aspect is that it is not a gimmick especially if LG add to the functionality via other modules but it is not sufficient reason alone to buy. Android and user interface (user experience or UX) The G5 uses Android Marshmallow 6.x, and the LG UX is clean and minimalist. It is secured by fingerprint, double tap on the screen or a secret knock code. Fingerprint was exceptionally accurate and fast. You can customise themes from LGs SmartWorld store and add an extra row of buttons it supports widgets and everything you have come to expect from Android. Some of the icons are a little obscure, but you get used to them. You can change the soft-keys order as well. In all, a clean interface that does not load too much bloatware. Speed The Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 is its fastest flagship CPU and GPU. It is similar in speed to Samsungs Exynos and about 100% faster than the LG G4 (Qualcomm 808), which is no slouch either. The 820 has a reputation for strong graphics and it is about 20% faster than the GS7 or iPhone 6S Plus. The phone remained cool during charging and extended use as an audio recorder or video player. Camera may be reason to buy The rear dual lens camera is centrally located just under the top on the back of the phone. There is a subtle camera bump as it "rises" seamlessly above the back plate. It is just above the circular fingerprint on/off button (and you can double tap the screen for on/off too). Unlike Huaweis P9 dual lens, "closely" coupled camera (which will be tested soon) this offers two separate cameras a 16MP, f/1.8, 1.12 m,75 standard lens and an 8MP, f/2.4, 1.12 m, 135 wide angle. The two lenses can be "loosely" coupled for special effects like a "pop-out" picture and multi-view but for the most part you use them separately. With still shots, it offers 16MP, 8MP, with and without HDR, in 16:9 or 4:3 ratios. With Video it offers 4K UHD, HD, and 720p. I have a series of reference shots tested with flagship cameras including the Lumia 950 XL, Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, iPhone 6S Plus and an ever-growing range of review camera shots on file. Tests are all at default settings and include: Daylight, no flash, with HDR Bright, accurate colours, fine detail, no noise, but perhaps a little too crisp. Autofocus was blazingly quick. As good as any current flagship. Daylight, no flash, without HDR The best way to describe this is what you lose without HDR highlights, shadows and details are slightly less. Use HDR! Indoors, no flash, with HDR Excellent low-light capability from its f/1.8 lens. Lots of detail and bright colours. Autofocus slightly slower as it soaks up the scene and adjusts accordingly. Samsungs larger 1.4 m pixels give it the edge here. Indoors, no flash, without HDR I cannot believe the difference pure whites became off-white, colours became muddier, the detail was lost. Samsungs larger 1.4 m pixels severely show it up here. Use HDR! Indoors, low light, flash, with and without HDR You cannot have HDR and flash on at the same time. HDR does compensate for details, but it takes longer to autofocus and produces better results than flash alone. Its low light capabilities are excellent ,however Samsungs larger 1.4 m pixels edge it ahead here. Speciality shots like panorama, time-lapse , slo-mo, etc. Panorama was good as it stitches the shot together producing an accurate, seamless image of around 5000 pixels high. The 8MP, wide angle lens deserved special mention. It is great for happy snaps and will cover more ground than any other smartphone camera great for taking in those scenic cities and majestic buildings. Video The 4K 2160p x 30fps (about 6MB per second) using optical image and digital image (steady mode) stabilisation are superb. Good quality, good colours, good sound, but huge filesizes. FHD 1080p at 30fps (about2MB/s) is great and will produce more manageable file sizes. It does not shoot 60fps. There are other modes such as pop-out, lens blur, and more. The Pro mode allows you to alter almost every parameter. Selfies The 8MP, F/2.0 selfie was as good as it gets I would have appreciated a screen fill (no flash), but it was fine for selfies and Skype. I loved the auto-shot mode that snaps when you are still. Overall you will be delighted with the quality of the camera. Is it as good as other flagships? In reference shots, it is very close to the GS7 in outdoors and lost some acceptable ground in low light. It is very much ahead of the 6S Plus. Screen I wont hide my preference for an AMOLED screen it is strange that the G5 does not have one as LG make OLED screens. The 5.3, 2560 x 1440 QHD, IPS LCD, RGB, 554 ppi does a very good job. It has very good blacks (.17 cd/m2) but only reasonably average brightness (306 nits). Auto-brightness mode does try to compensate, and there is something called Assertive Display algorithms that selectively brighten parts of the screen as required, making it a credible performer in direct sunlight. It is only when you put it beside the GS7 or the iPhone 6S Plus do you see the difference the GS7 is visibly better in contrast and blacks, and the iPhone is visibly far worse. That makes sense as the G5 has a 1855:1 contrast ratio to the iPhone at 1361:1. Colour accuracy seems fine there is no adjustment. I set the phone to auto-brightness, and it immediately went from 100% to 50%. That makes the screen decidedly dull but improves battery life. Always on Display (AOD) is pretty much a standard feature these days and it shows new emails, SMS, missed calls, etc. For an IPS, LED, LCD, it is as good as it gets. Phone/sound The phone app does all that you expect including unique ringtones for every contact. It performed well in all circumstances/locations holding signals that were lost by the iPhone. I would not be surprised if it gets Telstras Blue Tick (given to phones with the best remote reception). It's hands-free speaker was excellent, if a little too loud, as were the directional mics. However, when playing music, at higher levels the speaker was distorted so use the headphones instead. In Cat 9 LTE data tests it achieved 200/50Mbps in Sydney again, as good as it gets. Battery A flagship with a removable battery yeah!!! Once the elation dies down you, realise that many other flagships dont have this and as a consequence can be thinner, or offer water resistance, etc. I remember buying smartphones because of this feature and buying a spare battery, never to use it. GSMArena tests indicate a 60-hour endurance rating that reduces to 50 hours with the Always on Display. In real-life use, it got well over a full day, and Quick Charge makes it painless to top up. With a 1080p video loop, it got a little over seven hours. The same test on the GS7 Edge is over nine hours. I missed the lack of wireless charging as I have multiple charge pads in the lounge, bedroom, office, etc. Summary Twas but a cigarette paper between them describes the LG G5 and its flagship competitors. The module concept is interesting but not a reason to buy unless you plan to use it. The performance is top-drawer, and battery life is fine. The camera is very good, and the super wide angle lens offers flexibility over all the others. So it gets the unreserved, fully deserved, 10 out of 10 rating. I hate to make comparisons, but if you are a purist then you may want AMOLED, or water resistance or curved edge glass, etc., but in my opinion put the flagship contenders side by side, hold them in your hand, look perhaps at dollar deals and frankly you cannot go wrong with the LG G5 Life is as good as it gets. Speaking of dollar deals, the recommended price is $1099, and it compares favourably with all others in this price bracket. But looking online already shows the phone for a few hundred dollars less (note this appears to be the international H860 model so LTE bands would be different to the H850 for Australia) so do shop around and bargain a little. Every dollar you save makes this an even more superior phone! On that note, the superseded G4 (LGH815), one of the best in 2015, will be an amazing buy especially if you look online and get one for under $500! Microsoft will discontinue its Surface 3 the Intel x7 Atom-based, 10.8, HD touch tablet. Speculation is growing as to whether it will have a similar sized replacement. My wife owns one and is a big fan of the device. It is USB powered (one charger for phone, tablet, headphones, and wireless dongle when travelling); just the right size to put into a handbag; it is a great Kindle reader; plays MP4 videos; when she travels it runs all the Office productivity and remote desktop software she needs; and it can use a PowerBank for recharging. As a bonus, it has a full-sized USB 3.0, micro-DisplayPort, SD slot, Wii-Fi AC, and weights 622g. Not to mention, optional at extra cost, a reasonable magnetic keyboard/cover and Surface Pen completes this. I offered her a Surface Pro 4 or a Samsung Galaxy TabPro S, but the extra 2 of screen simply makes it less convenient for her use and places a stretch on her handbags. Microsoft commentator Paul Thurrott printed Microsofts response Since launching Surface 3 over a year ago, we have seen strong demand and satisfaction amongst our customers. Inventory is now limited and by the end of December 2016, we will no longer manufacture Surface 3 devices. So what will Microsoft come up with? According to a wide variety of reports Microsoft is not sure what, if anything, of the replacement. It may be a space left for OEMs to fill with devices like the interesting models made by Asus, Dell, HP or others. It is interesting to note that the Surface line started life as an ARM-based Surface RT designed to challenge the supremacy of the 9.7 iPad. It failed as It seems that in the smaller 10 market users were more interested in apps and content at which the iPad excels than productivity. One thing is for certain: a future model is likely to use USB-C and lose the extra ports, and that would take away from the Surface 3s appeal. I think any 10 Surface successor needs to be ultra-thin, light, fanless, have great battery life, needs an HD screen, USB-C charging (and preferably a USB 3.0 port and mini-DisplayPort) and must retain the integral flip-out stand. As a Surface user let me tell you the stand is one of the killer features. While Microsoft does not post sales figures advertising trackers like AdDuplex have indicative results (show Windows 10 only). Surface 3 21.5% Surface Pro 3 33.3% 33.3% Surface Pro 4 30.9% 30.9% Surface Book 14.3% These percentages seem reasonable and confirm that the Surface design is growing in popularity. Everything about devops sounds great. It's a practice that emphasizes collaboration and communication between software developers and other IT staffers and management, while automating tasks such as software delivery and infrastructure updates. With devops, the development, testing, and release of software can be accelerated and made more reliable, and that's vital for companies looking to survive in an ultracompetitive market. There are plenty of examples of how devops works well and delivers tangible improvements for companies in a variety of industries. But sometimes it doesn't work well. Things can go wrong with devops just as they can with any other aspect of IT. Following are some examples of devops initiatives that failed on at least some level and what the organizations involved did to address the problems or prevent them from happening again. Lack of a project vision IBM began what would become the company's foray into devops in 2003 -- a few years before the term was even coined -- when it launched an agile software development initiative for one of its new products. The company invested in agile, a set of principles for software development that encourages rapid and flexible response to change, because it wanted to speed up its software releases to customers. It was a less-than-successful endeavor. "The problem with agile is it only takes you so far," says Mustafa Kapadia, North American cloud and devops service line leader for Global Business Services at IBM. "The development side was really fast but operations was slow to respond, so it didn't really matter. Customers didn't get products faster." The company, as part of a move into devops, then decided to automate the deployment of code in addition to adhering to the agile methodology. But that didn't make the software delivery cycle faster either. IBM conducted a "value chain analysis," and found that the biggest impediment wasn't agile or automation, but the overall development and operational environment. Even with these various efforts to speed up development of the product, there was still too much lag time in the completion of the project. Ultimately, IBM's devops debacle was due to a lack of vision by those putting these efforts into place, Kapadia says. "We needed to answer some basic questions and determine the problems we were trying to solve. That's where we failed," he said. "If you don't know how the work is actually done, you don't know which problems are worth solving. We were grasping at [imaginary] problems that came from vendor hype, not from seeing what was really slowing us down." Once managers gained a better understanding of workflows and where processes were being slowed, they were able to make changes and get true value out of devops. Too much accessibility -- not enough education Back in 2006, when professional content sharing website SlideShare (now part of LinkedIn) was a small startup with fewer than 20 employees, it launched a devops model to speed processes and stay ahead of its competition. "The [development] team was actually split between San Francisco and New Delhi, and the infrastructure was quite complicated," says Sylvain Kalache, co-founder of Holberton School, an institution that trains software engineers, who worked at SlideShare at the time. The goals of devops were to achieve maximum efficiency within the engineering team and to spread technical knowledge as much as possible, so that if someone went on vacation or left the company, there would be limited impact. "Working in a devops environment pushes every contributor to work and contribute to different parts of the product," Kalache says. "Having a cohesive team is super important, and this happens by making people interact and help each other." One of the main ideas behind devops is a greater sense of ownership of work responsibilities, "and for that you need to give access to part of the infrastructure that developers do not generally have access to," Kalache says. While working at SlideShare, engineers had access to production servers and production databases. A software engineer was working on a database-related project and trying out a tool that offered the ability to explore a MySQL database graphically. "He decided to reorganize the database columns' order in that tool so that the data would make more sense to him," Kalache says. "What he did not know was that it was also actually changing the columns' order in production on the actual database, locking it, which brought down SlideShare.net." When it happened, the person responsible did not realize that the tool was actually performing actions. It took 15 minutes of collective effort to figure out the source of the problem. "There were two takeaways from this failure," Kalache says. "First, while devops is pushing for everyone to have an impact on any step of the product/service cycle, [it's] good practice to take a step back every time you give access to something and make sure it is actually valuable. In this specific situation of the database outage, we realized that giving access to production data was actually not useful at all and was very dangerous. The developer could have extracted the same exact value by using a staging database, but with a much more minor impact on the company." The second takeaway is to better educate developers on the workings of infrastructure. "Many of them have never been exposed to production infrastructure," Kalache says. "Devops is based on a way of working, which obviously is more about human interaction. You can't expect everyone to naturally know the hidden rules.' That's why onboarding is mandatory and critical." Insufficient devops coverage Sometimes the failure comes from the way devops is applied to a particular project. A company involved in lease originations for vehicles has a large number of partners scattered across the United States. Any customers that enter a partner location and want to lease vehicles will have their information and request processed through a custom application. A large part of this information has to be verified through third-party services, since this is a financial transaction and none of the financial companies involved want to be stuck holding a bad lease. "The devops setup for this software is focused around server metrics, primarily response times and breakdowns for various requests, along with deployment statistics and automation," says Nathaniel Rowe, a software consultant who worked with the lease origination company, which he declined to identify. "A few weeks back, we had what amounted to a total system outage due to a hole in the monitoring," Rowe says. "A necessary third-party validation service had a network outage that brought their entire infrastructure down." This shouldn't have been a problem, Rowe says. But due to the initial subpar construction of the software -- which was offshored for a bargain rate -- all the lease submissions processes were tightly linked to the service that went down. "In a company like this, that means the money stops flowing," he says. The issue was a lack of complete devops coverage, because of a reliance on system metrics rather than adding in active monitoring of outside resources that were necessary for operations to continue. "That was a low-visibility hole in our coverage, which was masked by the fact that 99 percent of issues are explicitly code-based problems rather than due to outside interference," Rowe says. Once the outage became known, the development team jumped in and decoupled the particular validation code and inserted procedures to bypass it, which allowed the company's partners to save the information they had entered into the system. "We identified the root cause by contacting the service provider and receiving the information from them about what happened," Rowe says. "To safeguard against this in the future, any time a network failure like that occurs, a global setting is triggered to reroute the submission process to save successfully and notify partners that the corresponding service is down." A major benefit of this failure was that time and money is now dedicated to patching these holes in monitoring and automatic recovery for other weak spots in the system, Rowe says. Forgetting about people and process When Brian Dawson, now devops evangelist at CloudBees, was working as a process consultant for a vendor on a contract with a U.S. government agency several years ago, he had one of his first experiences with devops. It was not a good one. The agency was launching an important project to build a web application. "As the vendor responsible for the ALM [application lifecycle management] process, we set out to establish tooling and processes covering definition and planning, code and commit, and build and release, all done in a collaborative, open source-inspired manner," Dawson says. The deployment and configuration of the supporting devops tooling was successful, Dawson says. "Unfortunately, devops cannot be implemented strictly with tools alone," he warns. "Devops requires equal attention to people or culture, process, and tools." The project involved multiple teams on a tight, fixed deadline, leading management to seek the quick fix and focus primarily on the tools platform. "We were able to build a platform which included robust agile planning tools, a modern SCM [software configuration management], and Jenkins for continuous integration all deployed on a somewhat elastic, scalable platform." However, the agency largely ignored the people and process portion of devops, and failed to gain the buy-in from developers and other stakeholders that was needed to build a devops strategy that would actually be put to use. "This meant that though we had a devops platform' in place, it was effectively used to support the same old legacy practices," Dawson says. "Developers deferred commits, merges, and integration; automated QA [quality assurance] and release were never fully implemented; broken builds were no big deal, and production loads in production-like environments were never tested." When the client released the web application it immediately experienced critical and very public failures, as it hadn't been regularly tested in a production environment or by real users. In addition, once the problems became apparent, it took the agency multiple, multi-week development cycles to fix the issues and get the site operational. The slow response times served to exaggerate the impact of the initial failures. The technical issues were fixed in a few months, but fixing the root cause -- including bringing in clear owners of the project to ensure that the process and cultural facets of devops were addressed -- was multi-faceted and spanned many more months, Dawson says. Only then was the agency "able to properly and fully implement devops on all the planes of people, process, and tools," Dawson says. Devops no doubt offers great promise in accelerating your software delivery cycles, but it's up to you and your team to deliver on that promise with a cohesive devops culture and sound devops practices. A pack of killer huskies wanted for slaughtering pet cats and rabbits have been seized by police. The pet dogs are being linked to the brutal deaths of cats and rabbits in Kingsbury. They are being held at a secret location by the RSPCA after being seized by Wembley Police who have been investigating the deaths of a number of animals. Charges of criminal damage against the unemployed owner for the death of two cats and a rabbit last year have been dropped and further charges following the death of three cats earlier this year are also likely to be abandoned. PC Juliet White said: nWe are working closely with the RSPCA to ensure the best outcome for the dogs and a prosecution for criminal damage may not be the best way to achieve that. nNobody wants these dogs destroyed but the current owner has failed to keep them muzzled or on a lead so we need to ensure they are relocated to suitable new homes. nThese are gorgeous fluffy animals with great big blue eyes who are harmless to humans. But they are racing dogs whose instinct is to kill small animals if they are not properly trained and handled.i The dogIs owner had been driving them to KingsburyIs Barn Hill Open space and then allowed them off the lead. They would run off into the gardens of nearby homes and attack any pets they found. Police are appealing for people who have seen the dogs attack or whose pets have disappeared or been killed. nCats owners donIt like to think their pet has been ripped apart and sometimes canIt believe it until they see it happen.i said PC White. nOne lady lost her husband in the last year and her cat was her life until it was killed by the huskies.i Witnesses should call Wembley Police station on 8733 3161. U.K. Business Secretary Sajid Javid will be gathering two dozen senior figures from different industries on Tuesday to reassure British businesses. This comes after Britain has left the European Union. The Wall Street Journal reported that Javid will convene a special meeting with several influential people to reassure British businesses over the ramifications of last week's Brexit. The U.K. Business Secretary described the nation's economy as having "strong foundations." He also encouraged businesses to "to take advantage of the opportunities that Brexit brings" in a letter in London's Sunday Times. Businesses are currently assessing the effects of Britain's exit from the E.U. A Confederation of British Industry spokesperson revealed that the trade group is starting a detailed consultation process with its members. "Businesses want to explore how we can retain as much access to the single market as possible, access to skills, and to the 53 EU trade deals," the spokesperson said. On the other hand, the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC) has said that the market stability and political clarity are two of the main things that businesses need right now. They urged the government to create a plan on how it will support the economy. "The health of the economy must be the number one priority-not the Westminster political postmortem," BCC Acting Director General Adam Marshall said. "Firms across the U.K. want an immediate and unambiguous statement from the prime minister on next steps, along with a clear timeline for the U.K.'s exit from the European Union." According to CNN, Britain's Labor Party is currently in turmoil over the Brexit vote results. 11 senior MPs resigned from Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet. Corbyn, meanwhile, has vowed not to step down. "I regret there have been resignations today from my shadow cabinet," Corbyn said in a statement. "But I am not going to betray the trust of those who voted for me - or the millions of supporters across the country who need Labor to represent them." UPDATED: The PA Blood Libel Repeated by President Abbas was Already Debunked with CAMERA's Help | Main | After Mother of Terrorist Says Son "Hero" and "Martyr," NY Times Mistranslates to Hide Her Words (UPDATED) June 27, 2016 CAIR Loses in Court, Media Fails to Notice On June 21, 2016, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), a self-described U.S. civil rights organization with a history of Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas connections, lost an appellate court decision and will now have to stand trial for a massive criminal fraud.? However, this development was not reported by the major U.S. news media that frequently used CAIR as a source. As CAMERAs Special Report The Council on American Islamic Relations: Civil Rights, or Extremism?? (July 2009) has noted, CAIR is an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2009 Holy Land Foundation (HLF) retrialthe largest terrorism financing case in the countrys history. At least five CAIR staff members and lay leaders have been imprisoned, indicted, arrested and/or deported on weapons or terrorism-related charges. As a result, the FBI, in a statement to members of the U.S. Congress, said that it would cease official cooperation with CAIR or its executives until it could resolve whether there continues to be a connection between or its executives and Hamas?a U.S.-designated terror group. As of this writing, the FBIs policy towards CAIR remains in effect. Yet, CAIR is routinely treated as a credible source by news media which, as CAMERA has pointed out (see, for example Washington Post CAIR Cover-Up Fails Readers,? May 3, 2016), often fail to disclose the councils history. For example, according to search engine Lexis-Nexis, The Washington Post alone has cited the group more than 50 times in the last two years. It is surprising, then, that many news outlets did not report that CAIR lost a significant recent legal battle in which it stands accused, among other things, of fraud. A Lexis-Nexis search showed that major U.S. news outlets, including The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today and The Los Angeles Times, among others, did not inform readers about CAIRs recent legal troubles. The Clarion Project, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit organization that monitors Islamic extremism, wrote: The Council on American Islamic Relations will stand trial on charges of fraud and cover up for alleged crimes perpetrated against hundreds of victims, according to a new ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The case against CAIR National was originally dismissed by a federal judge but unanimously overturned by the appellate court. Two cases are involved in the suit, which the appellate court consolidated into one, since both cases involve racketeering, a federal RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) crime. The lawsuits claim that CAIR National was aware that Morris Days, the Resident Attorney and Manager for Civil Rights at the now defunct CAIR-Maryland/Virginia chapter in Herndon, Virginia, was in fact not an attorney and that he failed to provide legal services for clients who came to CAIR for legal representation. Moreover, the suits claim, CAIR knew of this fraud and purposefully conspired with Days to keep the CAIR clients from discovering that their legal matters were being mishandled or not handled at all. In addition, the complaints allege that, according to CAIRs own internal documents, there were hundreds of victims of the fraud scheme.? The senior counsel for the five plaintiffs suing CAIR, David Yerushalmi, called CAIRs actions a massive criminal fraud.? Initially, the original federal judge ruled that Days and CAIRs Virginia chapter were liable for fraud, but that CAIR National could not be held responsible for Days conduct. However, as the Clarion Project pointed out, the appeals court decision found that, upon a review of the evidence, there was a direct relationship between CAIR National and Days.? Summarizing the implication of the appeals court decision, the Middle East Forum, a Philadelphia-based think tank, noted: The [Middle East] Forum-funded fraud lawsuit against CAIRs national office that had been summarily dismissed by a federal district judge in 2010 was unanimously reversedby the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, sending the case back for a full trail.? A self-styled civil liberties? organization and frequent news media source is accused of committing a massive criminal fraud? against Muslim-Americans it claims to represent. Where was the coverage? Posted by SD at June 27, 2016 02:24 PM The public is changing its mind about the relationship between Palestine and Israel. To unthinkingly assume for all time that Palestinians are terrorists is offensive. I don't personally know the full history of Hamas, but I do know about the recent war in Gaza in which perhaps 10 times as many Palestinians died as Israelis. There are hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees living in camps in the Middle East, I've seen photos and video of Lebanese camps in particular. I agree that this judicial decision should have been news, but we all know our mainstream news is based on ratings, not information or relevance. I honestly wonder whether the news organizations who used CAIR as a source are even aware of CAIR's situation? That is how little I believe they are paying attention to what they're doing (although I'm not in journalism). But to sum up my view, Palestine deserves its place in the debate, a debate which has too long labelled anyone even sympathizing with Palestine as anti-Jewish. I'm sorry, but there are pro-Palestinian Jews, in Israel and in the United States. The anti-Palestinian Jews don't deserve to dominate the debate and speak for all the rest. Posted by: Matthew Peterson at July 23, 2016 10:28 PM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Some Cover, Others Cover Up, Abbas Anti-Semitism | Main | UPDATED: The PA Blood Libel Repeated by President Abbas was Already Debunked with CAMERA's Help June 27, 2016 Historical Malfeasance of The Daily Telegraph (Australia) The Daily Telegraph (Australia) headline "Israeli Thunderbolt hostage-rescue raid on Entebbe was a drama worthy of Hollywood blockbusters" is certainly true. Despite the promising headline, the seemingly light "historical" article celebrating 40 years since the daring Entebbe rescue gives credence to a bizarre conspiracy theory from the 1970s. Following an account of the well-known Israeli heroics popularized in various Hollywood movies, Telegraph history writer Marea Donnelly then ventures into less familiar territory. "[I]ntrigue surrounds" the choice of some westerners to join the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terrorists in kidnapping Israelis, the article alleges. "Adding to the confusion," Donnelly continues, was the fact that the hijackers described themselves as belonging to the "Che Guevara Force and the Gaza Commando of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP)". Readers then unexpectedly encounter an ostensible cause to doubt the heroic narrative: Then in 2007 Britians National Archives released a file suggesting Israels Security Service, the Shin Bet, had helped subversive agents in the PFLP stage the hijack. First secretary at the British embassy in Paris, David Colvin, told superiors a contact in the Euro-Arab Parliamentary Association suggested the attack was designed to torpedo the rival Palestine Liberation Organisations standing in France, and prevent a perceived rapprochement between Americans and the PLO. The apparent implication is that the aforementioned "confusion" can be attributed to the alleged Israeli engineering of the hijacking in which three Israeli hostages and one commando were killed. The claim, popular in pro-Palestinian conspiracy sites, is based on a single "report" given to David Colvin, the first secretary at the British embassy in Paris in 1976. Recently released by the British archives, the document begins: "It might be useful to record some of the theories which are circulating about the incident." In other words, this document recounts various rumors or theories. The report notes the "theories," but does not assess them. Here is the relevant section: When the document was first released in 2007, it was widely reported as a curiosity. However, news organizations were careful to note that there was no evidence this "report" was taken seriously. The Telegraph (British) noted: "The message was received without comment." Haaretz added: "The claim is not known to be backed up by corroborating evidence, and the file does not make it clear whether the British government took the claim seriously." To include a baseless conspiracy theory, without clearly noting that it is unfounded, in a short and light historical piece is incredibly misleading. Casting rumors and conspiracy theories as potentially credible is a disservice both to the historical record and to sound journalism. Posted by gs at June 27, 2016 05:00 AM Guidelines for posting This is a moderated blog. We will not post comments that include racism, bigotry, threats, or factually inaccurate material. Post a comment By of the Another odd public records fight percolating through Wisconsins courts is taking a big toll on a small Northwoods school district, according to its administrator. Florence Countys school district nearly went out of business in 2005, when its board voted to dissolve before voters finally approved a referendum to inject more money. Now the tiny district has busted its $7,500 legal budget about five times over responding to requests for public records about Thomas Woznicki. Woznicki was a teacher in New Richmond whose fight to block release of his personnel files in the mid-1990s led to what came to be called the Woznicki rule. He had been charged with having sex with a student 16 or older, but the charges were dismissed three months later. He then sued to block release of his personnel records. The states open records law explicitly provides that people who are denied requested records can sue for judicial review of the custodians decision to withhold records. But in 1996, the state Supreme Court held, in Woznickis case, that the law also implicitly must allow the subject of public records to seek judicial review of a custodians decision to release them. For years after, public officials were deeply bogged down with notifying people mentioned in requested records, hearing their objections and delaying, denying or limiting release of public records. Finally, the Legislature narrowed the rule in what became known as the Woznicki fix. Meanwhile, Woznicki, 56, now of Manitowoc County, went on to continue a career in education, including a stint as the Florence superintendent from June 2009 to February 2013. Last year, Woznicki sued again to block release of his original New Richmond files after Citizens for Responsible Government requested them. A judge ruled the district must turn over the records, but Woznicki appealed and a decision has been pending for 10 months. As it turns out, Citizens for Responsible Government and some other groups are going after Woznickis employment records from other places, like Florence and Boscobel, and even records from places he was almost employed, such as Northern Ozaukee School District. The Florence Mining News reported last week that since June 2015, the school district there has spent about $35,000 in legal fees complying with 21 records requests about Woznicki, and expects to spend thousands more. Superintendent Ben Niehaus told the Mining News he considered the situation nothing short of absolutely appalling. We have to be accountable to taxpayers who support us, he told the paper, but this is not an effective allocation of taxpayers dollars. Citizens for Responsible Governments field operations director, Orville Seymer of Franklin, said he doesnt think Woznicki should ever work in education, citing the original New Richmond incident and an arrogant and controlling management style Seymer says is revealed in other public records. In a letter to the Mining News, he agrees the district finds itself between a rock and a hard place but that, unfortunately, it hired Woznicki and now has his records. He also asked why Woznicki is fighting so hard to prevent release of the New Richmond records from the 1990s. Seymer isnt convinced that finding the emails he requested takes very long. And he said Niehaus could cut the districts legal bill in half or more if he would just set out a guideline for redacting, then leave the task to a lower-level staff person and bring only the questionable calls to the lawyers. The districts outside attorney, Geoff Lacy of Green Bay, said the district is so small about 400 students and a budget of about $7 million that there are only about three administrative staffers and it takes many hours to find and review the thousands of pages of emails that Seymer has requested. There is a huge body of law on what we have to and cant disclose, Lacy said. To do it properly and we know we have a records subject who has sued before its a balancing act. The law allows government entities to charge for finding and copying records but not for redacting costs, so Lacys fees cant be passed through to Citizens for Responsible Government. He said Niehaus and the district believe in the open records law, and will comply, but just want to be careful. But from my perspective, Lacy said, theres a line somewhere between public access to records and a practice that allows the populace to shut down government in the process. SHARE By , Spirit Airlines Inc. is the carrier that leads the pack when it comes to customer gripes. With that in mind, its new boss is trying to repair one crucial aspect of the business: getting to your destination on time. Spirit operated only 68% of its flights on time for the 12 months ended April 2016, as defined by the U.S. metric of a flight that gets to the gate within 14 minutes of scheduled arrival. Chief Executive Officer Bob Fornaro says he's been focused on reliability since his first day on the job six months ago. So has his board: In January, they amended executive compensation plans for 2016 to give on-time rate a 20% weighting in calculating managers' bonuses, up from 10%. "Over the years, we've never put enough emphasis on service," Fornaro said in an interview with Bloomberg editors in New York. Now that's changing. Spirit's official on-time showing improved to 73.8% in April but was still the worst in the U.S. airline industry and almost 11 percentage points below the average, according to the most recent Department of Transportation statistics. Spirit also canceled a higher percentage of its flights in April than any other carrier 1.7%. Amid all these operational fixes, though, Spirit doesn't want to gettoo good at showing up on time: A high on-time percentage can be expensive, especially for an ultra-low-cost operator. Getting closer to the 90th percentile means allotting more time for flights and ensuring everything goes right on the ground. Some airline expertsequate it to "buying" on-time performance. This is why Spirit won't challenge the industry leadersHawaiian Holdings Inc., Alaska Air Group Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc.at 90% and higher. The goal is to find the right balance between cost and punctuality, the kind of calculus every carrier performs when building schedules. "What is the right on-time performance number?" asks Steve Hozdulick, managing director of operational performance at Southwest Airlines Inc., which battled rampant delays in 2013-14. "What's the right number to be competitive?" These are the questions airlines ask themselves. Industrywide reliability shortfalls. This issue has gained new urgency beyond just Spirit. United Continental Holdings Inc. is working to smooth reliability shortfalls that triggered customer defections dating to its 2010 merger, and American Airlines Group Inc. is melding two mainline fleets and schedules while fixing weaknesses in its regional unit. Both labor under the shadow of a widely praised operation at Delta Air Lines Inc., which has begun aggressively marketing its performance and commanding higher fares because of it. At Miramar, Fla.-based Spirit, the lack of emphasis on service, in part, spurred the board to bring in Fornaro, 63. With the airline's cost mandates, the new CEO decided he had to prioritize. Delays tend to have an outsize impact on Spirit because of how its network is configured, with some cities seeing only one flight per day and others a few per week. Stranding passengers and trying to get an 87-jet fleet on track following, say, a big winter storm, can quickly snowball into an expensive mess. "You spend a lot of money on recovery. You're better off spending the money keeping customers happy," by avoiding delays and other service problems when possible, Fornaro said. There's passenger re-accommodation, airport food vouchers, employee overtime, and aircraft that aren't flying and thus not earning. And because Spirit has no agreements to book passengers on other airlines when a Spirit flight has a problem, the carrier has to buy them expensivetickets, priced for same-day travel. "We're going off and buying tickets on the competition and you may get there, but you're still not happy," Fornaro said. A lose-lose for Spirit, in other words. Complaints keep coming That dissatisfaction shows up in complaints: Almost seven out of 100,000 Spirit customers made their displeasure known in April, about three times the numberof complaints at Frontier Airlines Inc., a rival ultra-low-cost carrier (Frontier was No. 2, at almost 3 per 100,000). And those seven complaining Spirit customers are the passengers who sought out the federal complaint formmany, many more complain directly to Spirit. A lousy reputation on reliability can drive customers to choose other, more punctual carriers. Spirit's advantage when it takes on behemoths such as American and Delta isn't chipper staff or fancy snacks but its leaner cost structure.Fornaro said five months of operating data have convinced him that Spirit can boost its on-time performance in a "cost-neutral" manner. The airline's cost per available seat mile, 7.3 in the first quarter, is below all other carriers save for Allegiant Travel Co. Spirit boasts that its cost base is one-third below that of the next lowest, Southwest, on a stage-length-adjusted basis (which allows for Spirit's generally shorter flights compared with the bigger carriers), and 114% below United's. SHARE By of the CompuCom Systems Inc. will close its New Berlin office, eliminating 16 jobs, the company said in a notice to state officials. The firm expects to begin cutting jobs on August 31 and shut down the office, 2473 S. Commerce Dr., on Nov. 30. Based in Dallas, CompuCom is a privately held, 11,500-employee information technology services and consulting firm. It describes itself as "the leading IT outsourcing specialist." Damonta T. Goode is accused of committing 10 felonies while free on a signature bond in an earlier carjacking case. Credit: Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office SHARE By of the A 17-year-old Milwaukee teen free on his signature in a carjacking case faces nine new felony charges after prosecutors say he fled from police two weeks ago in a stolen pickup truck carrying two other teens and two guns. Damonta T. Goode was charged with driving without owner's consent, bail jumping, two counts of being a felon with a gun and five counts of fleeing from officers. He was in Milwaukee County Jail on $10,000 bail on Sunday and is expected in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing on the new charges. The case is the latest example of a person accused of a violent crime being released on bail only to be arrested again. Goode's previous release on a signature bond and subsequent arrest have frustrated the carjacking victim, who said the criminal justice system "doesn't seem very fair." "It was a completely horrible experience," said the woman, who was robbed at gunpoint by two men outside her home in Riverwest in December. She asked not to be named out of concerns for her safety. "It's difficult to walk at night," she said. "I feel like I'm always jumpy and scared." Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn appeared exasperated when asked about the case. "We find him in this stolen car and recovered two firearms and numerous people get hurt and we learn he's on a signature bond for a robbery," Flynn said. "My concern is a couple of judges reviewed his circumstances and insisted on bail, so he was held for four or five months, and while he was held he didn't victimize anybody. One judge with the same information the other judges have releases him on a signature." The first case On Dec. 11, the woman parked her 2008 white BMW on N. Dousman St., causing the doors to automatically unlock. As she leaned over to the passenger side to grab something, she heard her driver side door open. Two men, both armed with guns, stood at each front car door. One shouted to the other, "Tell this (expletive) she needs to get out of this car or you'll blow her brains out," according to the criminal complaint. The woman dropped her keys and ran. She circled her block and climbed her privacy fence, but the back door was locked and the men had her keys. She crawled through the doggy-door. Once inside, she called police. Meanwhile, the two men couldn't figure out how to start her car, so they locked it and fled with the key fob. Officers arrived soon after and processed the car for evidence, including fingerprints. The woman said she called BMW and a technician was scheduled to come out the next morning. But before he could arrive, a neighbor saw two men use a key fob to open the car. "Hey, get away from that car," she shouted out her front door, the complaint says. "That's my neighbor's car!" The men started the car and sped away. The car was found abandoned and disabled in a hospital parking lot about a week later. On Jan. 20, the carjacking victim told police she received a Facebook message from a woman that simply said "call me" with a phone number. She looked at the woman's Facebook profile and a few other related profiles when she saw a photo of a man holding a stack of cash. She was certain the man was the same person who robbed her. She said when she spoke to detectives, they told her not to respond to the Facebook messages because it likely would lead to intimidation. Two suspects Milwaukee police did a formal photo lineup and the woman picked Goode's photo. When police interviewed Goode, he said he bought the car for $150 from a man named "Bucky," who claimed to have taken the vehicle in a robbery on the east side, the complaint says. Goode was charged with armed robbery Jan. 30 and his bail was set at $5,000. The case was assigned to Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Mark Sanders, who lowered it to $4,000 after a bail review hearing. Goode apparently was not able to post it and remained in custody. On April 7, his attorney filed a request for a speedy trial. Then, on April 28, prosecutors charged Devonte M. Wilson with robbery in the same carjacking after matching a fingerprint found on the BMW to him. Wilson told police he participated in the robbery but denied having a gun, according to the criminal complaint. He also said he did not know how to drive the car and did not know who ultimately took it, the complaint says. Goode requested a lower bail at a hearing on May 2. Sanders, the judge, gave him a $4,000 signature bond meaning he signed a piece of paper saying he would appear for future court dates and abide by the terms of his pretrial supervision with the understanding if he did not, he would be on the hook for the $4,000 bail. Prosecutors did not object to the bail reduction because of new evidence that could potentially exonerate, or clear, Goode, and led to charges being filed against Wilson, Chief Deputy District Attorney Kent Lovern has said. Sanders declined to comment on the ongoing case. When setting bail, judges here have said they consider a defendant's background, seriousness of the charge and prior criminal record, ties to the community including family and employment, and a risk assessment. Judges also have pointed out the purpose of bail is not to punish a defendant, who at that point has not been convicted of any wrongdoing, but rather to ensure the person returns to court. Goode did show up for his next court date on May 16 and withdrew the speedy trial demand now that he was out of custody. The case against him is still pending. Wilson requested a competency exam on May 25. A mental health examiner determined he could understand the charges, could assist in his defense and therefore was competent. Judge Jeffrey Conen agreed and ruled Thursday that Wilson was competent to proceed. During the exam, Wilson repeatedly said he was innocent and planned "to fight this case," according to the doctor's report. He remained in jail Saturday on $10,000 bail. Gunfire, chase and crash Police officers spotted a stolen pickup at a red light on W. Hampton Ave. and N. Sherman Blvd. in the early afternoon of June 12. The truck's license plate matched that of a silver Ford F-150 truck whose occupants fired shots earlier that day at an off-duty officer, according to a criminal complaint. The off-duty officer had been on his way home from work when he saw suspects appearing to break into vehicles in the neighborhood of N. 89th and W. Chambers streets, police said. The officer followed the truck as it left the area, and one of the suspects fired several gunshots at the officer as they drove away. No one was struck. Hours later, officers tried to pull over the truck while it was on W. Hampton Ave., but the driver fled and blew through a red light at N. 37th St. and W. Villard Ave., where it struck two cars, a Nissan Sentra and a Chevy Cruz, as well as two parked cars. Three boys, ages 15, 16 and 17, were inside the truck and ran from the accident scene. They were arrested a short time later. The 17-year-old driver was identified as Goode, according to court records. Goode admitted to detectives that he knew he was on bail and running from police but denied any knowledge of the guns and wouldn't discuss the stolen pickup truck, the criminal complaint says. Still, prosecutors charged him with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Goode previously was found delinquent or convicted of burglary in Children's Court in 2011. The woman whose BMW was stolen said she feels some relief that Goode is back behind bars and hopes she'll be able to find closure once her case comes to trial. "In my professional and personal life, Milwaukee has been wonderful until this happened," said the woman, who originally is from Iowa. She said the carjacking not only shifted her perception of Milwaukee, it also has changed her. "Before I'm a very open, giving person," she said. "Now I feel like I'm terrified of everyone. I don't trust people anymore." SHARE By of the Efforts to train underserved young adults for technology jobs will get a $12 million shot in the arm from the federal government, Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced at a news conference Monday. Three organizations UMOS, Employ Milwaukee and the Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington Workforce Development Board will receive $4 million each for the job training effort. The grant comes as employer demand for tech-savvy workers is outpacing the supply of trained job-seekers, Barrett said. "What we're trying to do is we're trying to bring those two ships together," he said. UMOS will work with the College of Menominee Nation technical schools in Keshena and Green Bay to train young adults in computer programming and coding, employment director Leonor Rosas said. Employ Milwaukee will use its $4 million over four years to train 400 people in IT fields, said Peter Coffaro, vice president of business services with the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board. It will also partner with St. Louis and Cincinnati to promote similar training there. The groups will train underserved young adults with a high school education ages 17 to 29 at the city's Housing Authority TechForce Center, according to a news release. Milwaukee Area Technical Colleges will partner with them to help implement the programs. The push for computer and information technology training comes as jobs in Milwaukee's manufacturing industry dwindles, and opportunities in technical fields open up, Barrett said. The funding will help create computer user and support specialists, software developers and web developers. "This is all about getting the workforce... jobs to support their families," he said. SHARE By , A program that put police in Milwaukee Public Schools classrooms has been halted amid complaints that its content was inappropriate and it may have cultivated fear of law enforcement officials exactly the opposite of what was intended. The MPS board paused the Students Talking it Over with Police known as STOP program before the just-completed academic year, and officials with both the district and the Police Department now indicate it will not return. Critics are still wondering why the program got as far as it did. Among the concerns: a classroom skit in which an actual police officer pretends to pull out a gun and threatens to shoot if a student runs away and then repeatedly yells: "Bang, bang, bang." "This was young people being taught to be afraid of the police," said Sharlen Moore, director of the youth organization Urban Underground. "There was no community input when writing this curriculum. It was written by MPD. It could have been a great opportunity to include the community." She also objected to giving students membership cards to show police after they complete the program. She said the card amounted to a "free pass" to children who are stopped on the street by police. "What about the kids who don't go through the program? Are they different?" Moore asked. In a statement released last week, MPS officials said they reviewed the program and concluded it "could be improved." They said the curriculum needed to be more age appropriate, role-playing skits needed to be more sensitive to students who have experienced trauma, and the possibility of police misconduct needed to be addressed. A police spokesman said that rather than reworking the program, the department would be exploring other youth engagement initiatives. Police officials declined to be interviewed further about the program. 'Recipe for disaster' STOP was created in 2010 by the Milwaukee Police Department, and implemented in Milwaukee Public Schools in 2012. The program was originally designed to bring students ages 12 to 17 closer to law enforcement in a positive way and familiarize themselves with police practices. Officers would meet with students selected by their teachers as student leaders in high schools across the city for an hour each week during the seven-week program. By the summer of 2015, a coalition of organizations, parents and teachers persuaded the MPS board to review the program. Lorraine Malcoe, an associate professor at UW-Milwaukee, was part of the committee that did the review in fall 2015. Malcoe said the committee submitted its findings but never received the final report back from MPS, even after she requested it. An MPS spokesman said the report would be released in July or August, when MPS presents the renewal of the intergovernmental agreement with MPD and addresses the findings of the STOP report. Malcoe said the worst aspect of the curriculum was that it taught students that racial profiling is acceptable in their areas. "It teaches students the police are correct and that the problem is really the youth," Malcoe said. "It teaches students not to question authority." The curriculum was designed for middle and high school kids, but an MPS teacher and parent said it was implemented in the fourth and fifth grades. The MPS teacher who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisal on the job also said parents were never notified that their child was participating in the program. Emilio De Torre, director of youth programs at the American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin, called the curriculum "horrible." "Police want to maintain respect and they aren't trained educators. It's a recipe for disaster," De Torre said. Robert Smith, a professor at UW-Milwaukee and an MPS parent, reviewed the curriculum a year ago. Smith was especially bothered by a pledge that students had to sign to complete the STOP program. Smith said some of the pledge was positive, such as: "I pledge to work hard and be the best person I can be." However, he took offense to lines saying: "I pledge to follow curfew laws," "I pledge to carry my STOP membership card at all times to provide to police when stopped and questioned" and "I pledge never to run from the police, fight with police, or argue with the police." "It tells kids to never run from police or stay out past curfew," he said. "Well, what if they are going to harm my son, or he has to be out late that night?" He also took exception to the membership cards. "When I see something like a membership card and you have to give it to police to prove you're a noble citizen, that's unbelievable," Smith said. "It's a violation of basic human rights." STOP was implemented in two Racine high schools in 2015, J.I. Case and Park, but the program was cut after this past school year. The program earned MPD the prestigious Webber Seavey Award from the International Association of Chiefs of Police in 2014. SHARE By of the The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District will pay a Paris-based company at least $500 million over 10 years to operate and maintain its two sewage treatment plants and other wastewater facilities, under a contract extension approved Monday by the district's commission. The 10-year extension for Veolia Water Milwaukee LLC starts March 1, 2018, with an estimated first-year payment of $48 million. The deal was endorsed by the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce as well as the four labor unions representing Veolia employees. "The system here is not broken, and it does not need another fix for the next 10-year period," MMAC President Tim Sheehy said in a statement distributed to commissioners. One benefit of a private operating contract is that it shelters district taxpayers from "the risk of large, and often unanticipated, operational expenditures," Sheehy said. MMSD staff and a consultant had studied whether the district would save money by keeping a private operator or taking back responsibility for the operations and maintenance of the two plants, regional sewers, deep-tunnel system and Milorganite fertilizer factory. Though an analysis found little difference in known costs between the two options, MMSD Executive Director Kevin Shafer recommended a contract extension based on the company's environmental performance in operating the Jones Island and South Shore treatment plants. Veolia Water has met or exceeded all regulatory permit and district contract standards, according to Shafer. MMSD is the largest publicly owned wastewater treatment system under private operating contract in the United States. In March 2008, the company started running MMSD facilities under a 10-year contract valued at an estimated $400 million. At that time, district officials said the agreement would cost $35 million less than returning operating responsibilities to the district. Veolia Water Milwaukee General Manager Scott Royer told commissioners Monday that the company's success in its first eight years at the controls was due to a partnership with district staff. "This really is a team sport," Royer said. "We look forward to the next decade of partnership," and the operating efficiencies that will come out of the contract, Commission Chairman John Hermes said. Apart from the contract, MMSD continues to manage an industrial waste compliance program, laboratory and water quality research, and Milorganite sales and marketing. In 2015, Veolia Water Milwaukee was paid a base fee of $41.3 million, plus $320,000 in three performance bonuses. Such annual bonuses are eliminated in the contract extension. Veolia Water Milwaukee's parent company is Veolia Water North America, a division of Paris-based Veolia Environment. At a June 22 public hearing, only one person spoke against the contract extension. Lloyd Dobrinska of Greenfield said he opposed hiring a foreign-based company to operate MMSD facilities. This photo provided by Rep. Chillie Pingree (D-Maine) shows Democrat members of Congress, including Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), center, and Rep. Elizabeth Esty (D-Conn.) as they participate in sit-down protest seeking a vote on gun control measures last week. Credit: Rep. Chillie Pingree SHARE By Once upon a time, Democrats would sit-in to press for civil rights. Today, they sit-in to take civil rights away. How else to describe the goal of last week's 24-hour sit-in by House Democrats? They took to the floor Wednesday demanding a vote on gun control legislation in the wake of last week's terrorist attack at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Gun ownership is a right. Due process of law is a right. The government needs to meet a very high threshold before denying citizens either one. Rep. John Lewis led the protest, which devolved into screaming matches early Thursday. The Georgia Democrat is an undisputed hero of the Civil Rights movement. He marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and suffered a fractured skull on "Bloody Sunday" on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. "It took us three times to make it all the way from Selma to Montgomery," Lewis told reporters Thursday. "We have other bridges to cross." But the Democrats' gun control efforts aren't about justice. It's a campaign to build a bigger, stronger, less accountable police state in the name of "safety" and "common sense." The Senate last week voted down four bills two Democratic, two Republican to expand background checks and prevent anyone on the government's dozen or so terror watch lists from purchasing a gun. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California argued her bill would have prevented the Orlando shooter from buying his weapons because he had been on the FBI's list not once but twice. Trouble is, Omar Mateen wasn't on the list when he bought his guns. The FBI dropped him in 2014 when it decided he was more of a wannabe than a real risk. Unless Feinstein wants to pass legislation to prevent anyone who ever appeared on a watch list from buying a gun, her bill wouldn't have made a difference. But the bigger problem is the federal watch lists are an opaque mess. By some estimates, more than 1 million people appear on the lists. The government supposedly uses a "reasonable suspicion" standard for adding possible terror suspects. Because the lists are classified, however, official assurances about their reliability are impossible to verify. But the American Civil Liberties Union not ordinarily an ally of the National Rifle Association describes the secret watch list system as "error-prone and unreliable," using "vague and overbroad criteria and secret evidence" or sometimes no evidence at all. If you happen to be on one of the lists by mistake, it's next to impossible to clear your name. A federal judge in 2014 ruled the government's process for hearing challenges "falls far short of satisfying the requirements of due process" and is "wholly ineffective." Oh, and get this: You don't have to be a suspected terrorist to end up on the feds' blacklist. The Guardian reports that the National Counterterrorism Center "permits relatives, including children, of watch-listed persons to be included." This is the system Democrats want to use to stop bad guys from buying guns? Sen. Chris Murphy, the Connecticut Democrat who led a 15-hour filibuster last week to shame Republicans into allowing an up-or-down vote on Feinstein's bill, said: "Republicans have decided to sell weapons to ISIS." No, Republicans have decided to make sure people are not denied the right to keep and bear arms without due process of law. So what would have stopped the Orlando terrorist attack? One Florida gun shop owner could tell something wasn't right with Mateen. He refused to sell the killer a gun and called the FBI. The FBI did nothing. Maybe instead of sitting around and chanting "no bill, no break," Democrats could work with Republicans to give federal law enforcement the resources it needs to follow up next time. Ben Boychuk is associate editor of the Manhattan Institute's City Journal. He can be contacted at bboychuk@city-journal.org Dozens of people rallied in March at Milwaukee City Hall to urge U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson to support confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland. President Barack Obama recommended Garland to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia, but Republicans have said they wont hold a hearing or vote in an election year. Credit: Associated Press SHARE By Members of Congress are elected to go to Washington, D.C., to represent their constituents, attend hearings and hold votes. That's the job, right? The problem is, that doesn't seem to be happening anymore. Just this week, we saw House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) refuse to hold a vote on a basic, responsible piece of gun legislation that would prohibit those suspected of being terrorists from getting guns. Ryan refused to do his job and have a vote on legislation that polls show a widespread majority of Americans, Democrats and Republicans, gun owners and non-gun owners alike, all support. Instead, he refused to take a vote and instead went home for a long vacation. If we can't agree that suspected terrorists shouldn't get guns, what can we agree on? Even more troubling and confusing is the ongoing refusal of Senate Republicans to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson and his Republican colleagues refuse to do the basic function of their job as outlined in the Constitution and hold a hearing for President Barack Obama's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge Merrick Garland. Friday was exactly 100 days since Obama nominated Garland for the position on the Supreme Court to replace a member of the bench who had died. And Friday also was 100 days since Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and his colleagues declared that they would abdicate their duty and declared they wouldn't take a vote. Johnson and his Republican colleagues have been playing politics for far too long, and their blatant obstruction leaving the Supreme Court with just eight justices is unprecedented. How a United States senator such as Johnson can get away without doing his constitutional duty is baffling. In a Fox News Poll conducted in February, 64% of voters said it was the responsibility of Obama and the Senate to fill the Supreme Court vacancy created by Justice Antonin Scalia's death. But it's not just everyday Americans who want to see the seat filled, leading legal voices on both sides of the aisle have called for action as well. Obama put forward a candidate for the Supreme Court that has more federal judicial experience than any other Supreme Court nominee in history. When Garland was confirmed in 1997 for his current position on the Federal Appellate Court, he received overwhelming support from both parties, including the support of seven current Republican who thought he was qualified. There is no question that Garland deserves a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote. Both parties always have provided that courtesy to nominees. This obstruction sets a dangerous precedent for future Congresses no matter who controls the White House. As it stands now, if Senate Republicans follow through with their plan to leave the seat vacant for the next president to nominate, the country will go over a year with an incomplete Supreme Court. And who's to say that they will fill the court then. If the seat can be empty for one year, why not another four years if it doesn't serve their political purposes? How does this end? The Senate never has taken more than 125 days to vote on a successor after a nomination. It's now been 100 days. It's time for Johnson Senate Republicans to stop this unprecedented obstruction and give Garland a fair hearing and an up-or-down vote. Hardworking Americans don't get to choose to stop doing their jobs, why should Johnson get to? Jason Rae s a member of the Democratic National Committee from Wisconsin. British tourists toast the win of Brexit outside a cafe in Benidorm, Alicante, in eastern Spain on Friday. Credit: European Press Agency SHARE By Elites are in trouble. High levels of immigration are destabilizing our democracies. Politicians who put their short-term political interests over their countries' needs reap the whirlwind for themselves but, more important, for their nations. Citizens who live in the economically ailing peripheries of wealthy nations are in revolt against well-off and cosmopolitan metropolitan areas. Older voters lock in decisions that young voters reject. Traditional political parties on the left and right are being torn asunder. One of the few good things about Britain's vote to leave the European Union is the rich curriculum of lessons it offers leaders and electorates in other democracies. History is unlikely to be kind to British Prime Minister David Cameron. Last week's referendum was not the product of broad popular demand. Cameron called it to solve a short-term political problem and get through an election. His Conservative Party was split on Europe and feared hemorrhaging votes to the right-wing, anti-Europe, anti-immigrant UK Independence Party. Cameron figured that kicking his troubles down the road by promising a future plebiscite on Europe could make them go away. Instead, he turned a normal electoral challenge into a profound crisis that could lead to the breakup of his country while threatening Europe's future. The devastating complaint of Martin Schulz, the president of the European parliament: "A whole continent is taken hostage because of an internal fight in the Tory Party." For all the Union Jacks hoisted at "Leave" rallies, the nationalism behind this was English, not British. England voted to get out of the EU, Scotland overwhelmingly to stay. Northern Ireland also favored "Remain," while Wales split narrowly for Leave, its more English parts voting like England. Suddenly, for Scots who want their country to be independent, their nationalism becomes a form of pro-European internationalism. To stay in Europe, they have to escape Britain. Northern Ireland's status is now also in doubt. Don't trash democracy or the voters. Where complicated choices are involved and Brexit defines complexity leaders in representative democracies need the guts to make hard calls and submit themselves to voters afterward. They should not use referendums purely to evade responsibility. In fact, now that this road has been opened, real democrats should demand a second referendum on the terms of an exit deal. On Thursday, voters bet that the unknown would be better than the known. They should get to vote again on the full implications of what they set in motion. The European idea was killed in part by right-wing Tories who think they can turn their island into a free trade, low-regulation paradise. But it also was battered in traditionally Labor-voting industrial areas far away from a happy and generally prosperous London that voted overwhelmingly to stay. A partial tally of the discontent: 68% Leave in Barnsley; 70% in the authority that includes Grimsby; and 62% in South Shields' borough. Emma Lewell-Buck, the Labor parliamentarian who represents South Shields and supported Remain, was right to say that UKIP leader Nigel Farage "whipped everyone up into a frenzy with his hateful language." Ethno-nationalism is on the rise across Europe, and this vote will only intensify the trend. But in so many nations, including our own, technological change, globalization and financialization force the left-out to stare at prosperity from a great distance. In their justified frustration, they often see immigration as of a piece with the other changes in the world that they deplore. Responsible officials always should be ready to denounce racism. But their job description also requires them to provide realistic policy answers to quell the rage. If center-right and center-left politicians fail to do this, their parties will remain suspect. Yet if Britain's vote is understandable, it's also a cause for sadness. It's a vote against a more open world and a rejection of the idea that democracies actually can gain power by pooling sovereignty and seeking goals in common. The Leave campaign used slogans very familiar to Americans, including variations on "Take Our Country Back" and "Britain First." These resonated with older voters who backed Leave by big margins. Younger Britons, who voted strongly to stay in Europe, will be shackled for many years to a result their elders imposed on them. Friends of open societies have been slapped in the face by citizens who are themselves retaliating for having been knocked around and ignored for too long. Across Europe and in the United States, politicians can either respond to these cries of protest or face something worse than Brexit. E.J. Dionne Jr. is a columnist for The Washington Post. Email ejdionne@washpost.com. Twitter: @EJDionne SHARE By I would like to respond to the June 22 Journal Sentinel article, "Graduation rates studied." The study referenced in the article, which was published by the think tank, Third Way, sounds like just another bureaucratic exercise, but it is much more and much less. David Warren, president of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) said the report is "built on faulty premises, with even more flawed research methodologies, give(s) the wrong impression of the higher education landscape and provide(s) misleading information to policy-makers and the public." The report is critical of private, nonprofit colleges' and universities' six-year graduation rates. By excluding certain students from the calculations, the study makes these graduation rates appear worse than they are. So what are the facts (derived from the same data used by Third Way) about graduations in Wisconsin? In 2015, the four-year graduation rate for four-year, public institutions stood at 29%, while the four-year rate for private, nonprofit institutions stood at 48%. The six-year rate for public institutions was 59% and for private, nonprofit universities it was 65%. As stated in the article, all of us are committed to doing better, but the way these data were sliced and diced in the study does not reflect reality and does not justify denigrating a particular sector of higher education. First, in its calculation of graduation rates, the Department of Education considers only full-time students who have enrolled for the first time and remained at the same institution for all four or six years. In today's economy, many more students are part-time and gain their degree by transferring among a number of institutions. These graduates "don't count" under the study's measure. Second, although colleges and universities take responsibility for improving graduation rates, there are other factors not under our control: government mandates for certain professions (e.g. teachers and CPAs). These mandates increase the time to degree. For example, graduates seeking a CPA certificate are required by law to have 150 college credits, instead of the usual 120. In addition, public policy has been to encourage older workers to go back to school. Often, they do so part-time, which results in a longer time to graduation. Approximately 35% of students enrolled in Wisconsin's private, nonprofit colleges are age 25 or over. Of those 25 or older, almost 60% are attending part-time. Third, there has been a longtime stagnation in government-supported student aid. This means students have to borrow more and work more. The impact on graduation rates is obvious. Members of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, on the other hand, have increased private and institutional aid directly to students to keep them on track in their college careers. Third Way calls out private, nonprofit colleges even though they have superior four-year graduation rates, but less attention has been given to the fact that private, nonprofit colleges in Wisconsin enroll a higher percentage of low-income (Pell-eligible) students than do public, four-year universities (31% vs. 28%). If Wisconsin is going to prosper in the knowledge economy, we have to recognize that 62% of the jobs the future will require postsecondary education and here's the nub of the matter not discourage students, as this "study" clearly does, from seeking educational opportunity in the very sector that has done the most for them. Ultimately, this is why the data matter. Rolf Wegenke is president of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities. Brooks guilty on all 76 counts in Waukesha Christmas Parade rampage A jury has convicted Darrell Brooks Jr. of killing six people and injuring dozens of others by driving through the 2021 Christmas parade. By of the Anti-domestic violence organizations cheered a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday that bars people with misdemeanor domestic violence convictions from owning guns, a ruling gun rights groups called unnecessary. The ruling, which came on the last day of the court's session, says the 1996 amendment passed by Congress to ban people convicted of domestic abuse from purchasing or owning firearms does not exclude people who are convicted of "reckless" misdemeanors. "For the vast majority of voters or concerned citizens, it is common sense that someone who has been violent to a spouse or ex-spouse is a dangerous individual and should not possess a gun," said Tony Gibart, public policy director at End Domestic Abuse Wisconsin, which contributed to a brief filed in the case. The petitioners in the case, Voisine vs. United States, were two men from Maine who were charged with violating the federal statute after police discovered they had been convicted of domestic abuse misdemeanors. The men took the conviction to court, arguing that the language of the amendment referred to as the Lautenberg amendment after the bill's sponsor, Sen. Frank Lautenberg only applied to people convicted of felonies and intentional misdemeanors. In a 6-2 decision, with Justice Elena Kagan writing the majority and Justice Clarence Thomas writing the dissent, the court rejected that argument. According to Gibart, if Congress had intended for the ban to exclude people who have been convicted of reckless domestic abuse misdemeanors, legislators would have explicitly written that into the amendment. "That's not what Congress said," Gibart said. "They said that when someone uses force (in domestic abuse incidents), they've demonstrated themselves to be dangerous and they've demonstrated that they're not able to responsibly possess a firearm." But local gun rights groups see the decision as unwarranted. "I think if something wasn't serious enough to warrant a felony charge, it shouldn't be serious enough to warrant losing your gun rights over a misdemeanor conviction," said Nik Clark, chairman and president of Wisconsin Carry. Clark said he's received multiple calls from people with misdemeanor convictions who are no longer able to buy firearms. The Lautenberg amendment, which was tacked onto a 1996 omnibus appropriations bill, is targeted at people convicted of domestic violence crimes. The court, in looking only at that statutory language, did not address what it would think of a law that banned firearms possession for people convicted of reckless misdemeanors unrelated to domestic violence. But Clark took issue with what he thinks is an inconsistency in how domestic violence and non-domestic violence misdemeanors are treated. "If you commit the exact same act (of assaulting someone), and the only difference is the relationship between you and the person shouldn't that be the exact same crime?" Gibart said there is a distinction, saying domestic violence is "a pattern of intentional acts to exert power or control over a victim." According to the FBI's 2010 homicide reports, the presence of a gun in a domestic violence situation increases the risk of homicide for a woman by 500%. 06/27/2016 On Thursday, June 23, Jacksonville State University Police Officer Elizabeth Hill Morrow was honored for her professional and personal accomplishments at the 2015 United States Police and Fire Games in San Diego and the 2015 World Police and Fire Games in Fairfax, Va. Morrows participation in this event generated national and international recognition for the State of Alabama, Jacksonville State University and the University Police Department. She competed in a total of five individual events and received a total of five Gold Medals. In a small ceremony held in the Gold Room in Bibb Graves Hall on the JSU campus, State Rep. K.L. Brown, R-Jacksonville, presented Morrow with a 2016 Alabama House Joint Resolution. This was Morrows second time to receive a House Resolution for her participation in this event. JSU President John Beehler expressed his appreciation for Morrow and upheld her as an ideal employee. University Police Chief Shawn Giddy stated how pleased he was to have someone like Morrow on the force. Among those in attendance at the presentation were Morrows husband, Fred, and her parents, Richard and Mary Hill. Jacksonville State University is proud of Office Morrows accomplishments and wishes her the best in all of her future endeavors! Photo: Dr. John M. Beehler, Officer Morrow, and K.L. Brown (courtesy Matt Reynolds/JSU). Reddit Email 0 Shares By Thomas Buonomo | (Informed Comment) | The conflict in Syria is likely to grow more dangerous for all parties in the near future as Assad refuses to step down and Iran continues to expand its military presence in Syria and Lebanon in pursuit of its decades-long goal of annihilating the state of Israel. Americans can perhaps help prevent this from occurring by changing the dynamics of U.S.-Iran-Israel relations, which up to this point has been dominated by American supporters of the Israeli settler movement. This movement uses the deliberately simplistic term pro-Israel to connote those who support the argument that Israeli territorial expansion strengthens Israels securityand by extension, the USs. Complementing this rhetorical tactic, it cynically wields the term anti-Israel in order to blur the line between those who understand that Israeli territorial expansion is ultimately detrimental to its long term security, in contrast to those who are against peace with Israel on any terms. The settler movement has made it possible for the Israeli government under the self-destructive leadership of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to brazenly spurn > US-brokered peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority yet face no consequences from the US for doing so. The US provides Israel with billions of dollars of aid per year and therefore has significant diplomatic leverage but it has declined to exert that leverage because of the influence of the settler movement over the US political system. Americans must change this by holding US legislators accountable for their unconditional support for Israel and voting out of office those who continue to enable its expansionist policies, which are detrimental to its own security as well as that of the US. Americans must also advocate that the Obama administration and its successor engage directly with Iran in a debate on Irans one-state policy, which its has been attempting to forcibly impose, and the two-state framework the US has been ineffectually attempting to achieve. If Americans took a strong moral stand on this issue, it would demonstrate to Iranian officials that a serious constituency for peace exists in the US and it would enable Iranian advocates for peace to implore Irans foreign policy decision-makers to moderate Irans policy toward Israel, which has for the last 35 years been unconditionally hostile. This is admittedly a long shot given that Irans Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, appears fixated on the annihilation of the state of Israel. If Irans military forces and proxy Hezbollah were not struggling to prop up the Syrian government, they would undoubtedly be devoting their forces toward the organization of another military campaign against Israel under Khameneis orders. Some historical perspective is necessary however. Since Israel was established in 1948, the governments of the region attempted for decades to annihilate it and fought three major wars against it in 1948, 1967, and 1973. The Carter administration, however, succeeded in brokering peace treaties between Egypt and Israel in 1979. In 1993, the Clinton administration succeeded in convincing Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) Chairman Yasser Arafat to recognize Israels right to exist. The following year Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty. In 2002, Saudi Arabia led the Arab-Muslim world in signing the Arab Peace Initiative , which offered Israel normalization of relations if it would conclude a two-state solution with the Palestinians. Despite Israeli intransigence on settlement expansions over the decades, the peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan remain in place, the PLO has maintained its basic recognition of Israel despite periodic flare-ups of violence (even to the extent of warring with Hamas for control of the West Bank in 2006), and the Arab Peace Initiative remains on the table. There is in principle no reason why Irans foreign policy establishment could not prevail upon its ailing Supreme Leader (or perhaps more likely his successor) to align itself with the Arab Peace Initiative, contingent upon Israel concluding a two-state solution to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Khameneis strongly disapproving rhetoric of the terms of the Iran nuclear agreement even in the weeks leading up to its conclusion indicate that he can be persuaded to change his mind even when he communicates no intent to do so publicly. The Iranian governments rhetoric and conduct against Israel and the Syrian people has been reprehensible and more persuasive pressure will ultimately have to be applied to it if it does not change its destructive and hypocritical policies. Yet a review of the history of the region reveals that US-Iran-Israel relations are not a simple matter of good versus evil and continuing to approach this problem from a position of self-righteousness will make it worse. Americans should also consider that however detestable the rhetoric and behavior of Irans Supreme Leader and his ideological adherents are, there are many Iranians who do not support their governments policies or who have been coerced into doing so who will suffer if the US attempts to resolve its differences with Iran through war. Therefore we should do what reasonably should be done to prevent it. The United States should ultimately come to the defense of its ally Israel, including through direct military intervention if necessary. It should not, however, do so without condition or allow Israel to make the probability of US military conflict with Iran more likely by indulging in unnecessarily provocative behavior. Americans must see through the cynical facade of the settler movements simplistic pro/anti-Israel framework and hold US policymakers accountable for setting our country on a course toward self-destructive 21st century holy wars. Thomas Buonomo is a geopolitical risk analyst with expertise in Middle East affairs. His views are his own. Twitter: @thomasbuonomo Related video added by Juan Cole: CNN from March: Israel condemns Iran after missiles are test-fired Reddit Email 0 Shares By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | As Shakir Jawdat, Chief of the Iraqi Federal Police, announced the complete liberation of the last, northern neighborhoods of Fallujah from Daesh (ISIS, ISIL), Prime Minister Haydar al-Abadi came to the city on Sunday to plant the Iraqi flag right downtown. al-Abadi, the commander in chief of the Iraqi armed forces, called on all Iraqis to issue from their homes into the streets and to celebrate the liberation of Fallujah. In televised remarks, al-Abadi said on arriving in the city, This victory in Fallujah is a source of joy to all Iraqis despite the challenges that the city witnessed, referring to the large number of Daesh fighters who were killed by these heroes from the army, the police, the popular mobilization units, and the tribal levies, who fought the war of the brave. The popular mobilization units are the Shiite militias, deadly foes of the hyper-Sunni, Shiite-killing Daesh. The tribal levies are clans of the Dulaym in al-Anbar Province who opposed Daesh just as many of them had opposed al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the predecessor of Daesh that was organized to fight the US military occupation of the country. Tribes are kinship units in rural Iraq, and while they are religiously conservative they typically are not fundamentalists, and they dislike Daesh for condemning their Muslim traditionalism in favor of a hyper-fundamentalism. That al-Abadi and his American allies were able to have Shiite militias and Sunni al-Anbar tribesmen fight on the same side was a substantial victory of its own sort. He called for celebrations in each of Iraqs provinces Sunday. Likewise, the head of the provincial governing council for al-Anbar, chaired by Sabah Karhut al-Halbusi, congratulated the heroes of the army and police for their defeat of the terrorist Daesh organization. He warned, however, that there were cases after liberation of arson, and called on al-Abadi to discipline the persons responsible. Karhut appears to believe that members of Shiite militias from the south were engaging in reprisals via this arson. He has been deeply critical of the Shiite militias in the past. Karhuts implicit note of dissent from al-Abadis optimistic celebration should be a warning to us all. Despite Sunni involvement in liberating Fallujah, it was the Shiite troops of the military counter-terroism unit that spearheaded the campaign, and the regular army is in such disarray that Shiite militias such as the Iran-tied Badr Corps were absolutely key to retaking Fallujah But there are hardly any Shiites in Fallujah, so this was an invasion from the Shiite south. If Iraq cant find a way to get the Iraqi Sunnis to be in the same party with Shiite Iraqis, this sort of unrest could easily recur. In the end, Daesh and other al-Qaeda affiliates in Iraq and Syria can only truly be defeated by inclusive, non-sectarian government. But al-Abadi is the head of a Shiite religious party that no Sunni believes includes them. That has to change if Iraq is to survive. Related video added by Juan Cole CBS: Iraqi military officials say Fallujah fully liberated from ISIS [JURIST] The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) [official website] on Saturday announced that search companies must abide by new internet regulations. The CAC stated [WSJ report] that search companies must produce results in line with national interests and must clearly distinguish normal results from paid ads which may display illegal and misleading information. Search companies are also required to properly report illegal content which may threaten national security or negatively impact public judgment. The new regulations follow an investigation into Chinese search company Baidu Inc. [official website, in Chinese] which began six weeks prior. The investigation was a response to raised national concerns triggered by the death of a cancer-stricken internet user who used Baidu as a source of medical information. Baidu has declared that it will firmly comply with new internet regulations and has promised to provide more reliable search results. The Chinese government has been criticized for passing national security laws that tighten its control of civil society. Last July, China adopted [JURIST report] a new national security law that increased its cyber security powers, allowing authorities to broaden internet oversight and crack down harder against cyber attacks, thefts and the spread of harmful information. UN rights chief Zeid Raad Al Hussein subsequently deplored [JURIST report] the new law, criticizing its extraordinarily broad scope, vague language, and its threat to the freedom of expression. The US Supreme Court [official website] on Monday ruled [opinion, PDF] 6-2 in Voisine v. United States [SCOTUSblog materials] that a state law conviction on reckless domestic assault is sufficient to bar possession of a firearm under federal law. Stephen Voisine and William Armstrong had pleaded guilty to violating a Maine statute [text] that makes it a misdemeanor to intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause[ ] bodily injury or offensive physical contact to another person. When later investigations revealed that both men were in possession of firearms, they were charged and convicted under a federal law [18 U.S.C. 922 text] that prohibits any person convicted of misdemeanor crime of domestic violence from possessing firearms and ammunition. On appeal, the petitioners argued that, because their domestic violence convictions were based on recklessness, and not intentional or knowing conduct, they were insufficient to support the federal charge. Focusing on the meaning of use physical force, the Supreme Court disagreed and upheld the convictions. Writing for the majority, Justice Elena Kagan found that the word use does not demand that the person applying force have the purpose or practical certainty that it will cause harm, as compared with the understanding that it is substantially likely to do so. Or, otherwise said, that word is indifferent as to whether the actor has the mental state of intention, knowledge, or recklessness with respect to the harmful consequences of his volitional conduct. Justice Clarence Thomas filed a dissenting opinion, which Justice Sonia Sotomayor joined in part. The Supreme Court granted certiorari in November and heard oral arguments [JURIST reports] in February. Gun control [JURIST backgrounder] and the Second Amendment continue to be controversial topics across the US. Last week, Hawaii Governor David Ige signed a bill [JURIST report] requiring gun owners to be listed on an FBI database, notifying police if a Hawaii citizen is arrested in another state and providing a continuous criminal record check on those individuals seeking to possess a firearm. In January US President Barack Obama announced executive actions on gun control [JURIST report]. In November an appellate court in Wisconsin ruled that a state law that prohibits possession of certain knives [JURIST report] violates the Second Amendment right to bear arms. NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Drinks Daily News The top stories of the day delivered to you every weekday. Just Drinks Weekly News A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Monday. Just Drinks Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every quarter NEWSLETTER Sign up Tick the boxes of the newsletters you would like to receive. Just Food Weekly Briefing A weekly roundup of the latest news and analysis, sent every Friday. Just Food Magazine The industry's most comprehensive news and information delivered every other month. Dallas, TX, USA, 06/27/2016 /SubmitPressRelease123/ There are four primary ways of getting a sentence reduction in federal drug cases, says Dallas drug possession lawyer John Helms: 1. Cooperate with the government. 2. Negotiate a plea to a charge with a lower mandatory minimum sentence. 3. Negotiate a plea agreement with a maximum sentence cap. 4. Invoke the safety valve provision of 18 USC Section 3553(f). I will do a separate blog entry on each of these with more details. This blog entry will explain why they are the primary options. In the federal criminal justice system, the judge decides what the sentence will be. In many state court systems, including Texas, a defendant can elect to have a jury decide the sentence, but this is not an option in federal courts. In federal drug cases, mandatory minimum sentences and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines are the most influential factors in shaping a sentence. Federal drug distribution charges often carry a minimum sentence for which there are only a few exceptions. For example, possession with intent to distribute 5 kilos or more of cocaine or 1 kilo or more of heroin carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence. The drug amount can include all drug quantities for everyone involved in a conspiracynot just what one individual possessed. Even with the best drug defense attorney, if a person is guilty of this charge, with only a few exceptions, the judge CANNOT sentence a defendant to less than ten years in prison. The Federal Sentencing Guidelines are a set of guidelines that help a judge to determine what the typical range of punishment should be for a particular crime and for a defendant with a particular criminal record. All federal judges are required to consider the Guidelines in deciding a sentence. They are not required to follow them, but most judges follow them in most cases. The idea is to try to make sentences for a given crime and a defendant with a given criminal record similar throughout the federal system, whether the court is in Alabama, Alaska, or anywhere else. In the federal system, it is rare for the prosecutor and the drug defense lawyer to agree on a specific sentence in a plea bargain and to present it to the judge. In fact, federal judges and the Department of Justice discourage this because it tends to tie a judges hands when it comes to sentencing. Because plea bargaining for a specific sentence is rare and discouraged, the 4 methods above are the primary methods of getting a sentence reduction in federal drug cases. Cooperating with the government, a plea agreement to a lesser charge, and the safety valve are ways to avoid mandatory minimum sentences that would otherwise apply. Cooperating with the government and negotiating a maximum sentence cap are ways to reduce or counter the effect of the Sentencing Guidelines. Cooperating can result in a lower recommended sentence range under the Guidelines. A maximum sentence cap can set the maximum sentence a defendant can receive at a level below the recommended Sentencing Guideline range. These four methods are not available in every case, says Dallas drug lawyer John Helms. Additionally, the judge has to approve any reduction due to cooperation and can reject a plea agreement with a maximum cap. Finally, the safety valve applies in limited situations, and the judge must make certain findings before it applies. My separate blog entries will describe each of them in more detail. If you or someone you know has been charged with a federal drug offense or are facing other drug charges, contact Dallas drug possession lawyer John Helms immediately. Call 214-666-8010 source: http://johnhelms.attorney/dallas-drug-possession-lawyer-getting-sentence-reduced-federal-drug-cases/ Newsroom powered by Online Press Release Distribution SubmitMyPressRelease.com Like Us on Facebook It's only fair to share... Pinterest Linkedin email Print PASCAGOULA, Mississippi -- Former state senator Tommy Robertson of Moss Point will spend two years in prison for his guilty plea to embezzling nearly $400,000 from Singing River Federal Credit Union. Robertson was sentenced Monday morning to 10 years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with two to serve in the state penitentiary, eight more on house arrest, as well as a $1,000 fine and $250 to the victim's compensation fund. Robertson was also ordered to pay $60,000 in restitution, of which he has already paid $16,000. The $60,000 represents the amount not covered by the credit union's federal depository insurance. Prosecutors had recommended Robertson serve three years in prison. "The District Attorney's office commends the investigation by the State Auditor's office," said Jackson County District Attorney Tony Lawrence. Robertson served in the Mississippi Senate from 1992 through 2007. He had previously gained a measure of notoriety for three separate DUI arrests -- in Biloxi in 1997, on the Ole Miss campus in 2003 and in Moss Point in 2008. In January 2015, Lawrence and State Auditor Stacey Pickering jointly announced a five-count indictment against Robertson which accused him of using used his position as SRCU's board attorney to embezzle a total of $484,092 -- with $379,592 of that total coming from funds intended for a construction loan for Thomas and Kendra Buck. The five counts of the indictment indicated Robertson took credit union funds for his own use between April 17-23, 2013. Count 1 details the money taken from the Buck's loan proceeds and says Robertson "used said money for his personal benefit." The remaining four counts did not specify where the funds were intended to go, only that Robertson took the money. In December 2015, Robertson pleaded guilty to Count 1 of the indictment -- the embezzlement of the proceeds from the construction loan totaling $379,592. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the remaining four counts. Robertson was originally scheduled to be sentenced in February, but the hearing was postponed due to a "scheduling conflict." This story was updated to reflect the correct amount of restitution Robertson was ordered to pay. he reforms announced by Perdue would improve the lives of roughly 700 million birds it raises and slaughters each year. Photo by Perdue 2.6K shares As we begin our launch of a major campaign to improve the lives of chickens raised for meat, Im happy to report one of the biggest brand names in the world of chicken production is announcing promising reforms. The HSUS has helped set veal crates, gestation crates, and battery cages on a trajectory toward extinction in the United States, through our corporate, legislative, litigation, and investigative efforts (which are partly chronicled in a feature piece this week in CQ Roll Call and also in Sundays column by Rekha Basu in the Des Moines Register). While were keeping the heat on to ensure the finality of outcomes (including through our Massachusetts ballot measure), many are asking, Whats next for corporate animal welfare improvements? The answer is clear: improving the lives of chickens in meat production. And today marks a pivotal moment in the early stages of our making that issue top-of-mind for the food industry: Perdue, the countrys fourth-largest poultry producer, has announced a series of meaningful and precedent-setting reforms to improve the lives of the roughly 700 million birds it raises and slaughters each year. According to its new policy, which came after a series of meetings we had with the company, Perdue will: switch all its slaughterhouses away from shackling live animals and toward controlled atmosphere stunning a method of slaughter long recognized by scientists and advocates alike as being far less cruel; start installing windows to provide birds natural light and add enrichment (like hay bales and perches); start testing slower-growing birds (typical growth occurs so fast that it causes immense suffering); and start providing more space per bird. Well continue to work with Perdue toward ensuring the company adds timelines for accomplishing these important steps. Coupled with Whole Foods and Bon Appetit Management Companys announcements earlier this year on this topic, Perdues decision shows even more clearly that while the poultry industry needs much reform, change on this issue is gathering momentum. It also shows how key actors within animal agriculture and animal protection can join together to make progress on big problemseven when those involved are former foes. The HSUS previously sued Perdue for false labeling around animal welfare claims and yet the company now has positioned itself at the head of the pack on the very issue we battled on. Perdue certainly deserves credit for the being first major company to begin addressing these issues, as do Compassion in World Farming and Mercy For Animals, for their work with us and Perdue on this policy. Were now calling on all other major poultry producersincluding Tyson, Pilgrims Pride, and Sanderson Farmsto follow Perdues lead and take steps to address these key issues. Change for the birds cannot come soon enough. Will other producers try and fight the future? Or will they be proactive in creating policies like Perdues that mirror the broad increase in calls for a more morally alert and improved food system? Whichever path they decide on, well be there to propel and demand change for the better. With nine billion chickens caught up each year in food production in our country, this is perhaps one of the most important things we can do to reduce animal suffering. 2.6K shares Norbert Hofer could be the next president of Austria. He won 36.4% in the first round of presidential elections on 24 April, the largest among the candidates. Hofer is the candidate of the Freedom Party of Austria (FPO), which is considered to be nationalist, far-right and anti-immigration. Green candidate Alexander Van der Belle won 20.4% of the vote and is the only remaining opponent. Up to this point, no Green Party candidate had ever gone to the second round of presidential elections in Austria. As neither of them obtained a majority, the two leading candidates will vie for the presidency on 22 May. The two finalists were followed in votes by Irmgard Griss, a former Supreme Court justice and the only woman candidate. She is an anti-corruption figure and ran as an independent candidate winning 18% of the vote, mostly from the political centre. Among eligible voters the voting age is 16 68.5% cast their vote in the first round. What happened to the governing parties? For the first time since World War II, socialists and liberals will not run in the second round for the presidency in Austria. The near 11% of the vote for each does not allow the socialist candidate and Labour Minister Rudolf Hundstorfer (SPO) and the liberal Andreas Khol (OVP), president of the National Council which is one of the two chambers of the parliament, to continue in the presidential race. Nevertheless, incumbent Chancellor Werner Faymann (SPO) and Vice-Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner (OVP) are not likely to reshuffle the government. Their mandate ends in 2018. The refugee crisis and the terrorist threat played a key role in the success of the FPO candidate in Austria, similar to what happened in other countries in the European East, such as Poland, with the conservative Law and Justice Party or Slovakia, with the Slovak National Party, that are currently in the government. Last year, Austria registered about 95,000 asylum requests. The next presidential round will look like a for-or-against-refugees vote, with Van der Bellen the son of a migrant from Estonia and in favour of welcoming refugees, while Hofer threatens to dissolve the government if the parliament does not follow his lead regarding the migration issue. The president in Austria has primarily a representational role. However, voters seem to have voted for issues that interest them rather than for a person himself or herself. Next months second round of presidential elections offers the Austrian voters only two choicesblue for the Freedom Party FPO and green for the Green Alternative. Will the latter manage to attract a broad enough coalition of voters, from the left to centre right, to win the election and save Austrias honour abroad? If we look at Frances 2002 presidential elections, voters had to choose between far-right Front National leader Jean-Marie Le Pen and centre-right Jacques Chirac from Rassemblement Pour la Republique party. Chirac won with 82% of the vote in the second round. Nevertheless, the climate in France was different at that time than it is in Austria today. A collapse of ethics, jihadist terrorism and the nation-state. A search of a new path towards transnational citizenship? by Evangelos Areteos I have to open my suitcase while a policeman is doing a thorough body search on a man next to me. Around us are policemen with dogs and heavy-armed soldiers with their fingers on the triggers of their guns. I am at the railroad station just below the European Parliament in Brussels, almost twenty-four hours after the terrorist attacks. The big square in front of the Parliament is always full with people. Now its empty. The few people passing by look around them with fear. For some moments I have the feeling that I am in another dimension, that I lose the sense of time and space. The heart of Europe resembled The Waste Land of T.S. Eliot, this complex long poem about the psychological and cultural crisis that came with the loss of moral and cultural identity after World War I. While a helicopter was flying over us in the EU neighborhood in Brussels, I suddenly felt like as if, in the last two weeks before the attacks in Brussels, I had been traveling in a vast waste land, from Turkey to Greece and back to Turkey and then to Brussels. A vast land dominated by deep disillusionment and a dramatic collapse of ethics. My trip in this land started two weeks before the Brussels attacks, on the Greek island of Lesvos next to the Turkish shores. I followed the track of refugees crossing the Aegean Sea and then to Greece, up to its northern border with Macedonia. That first night of my journey I was on the beach next to the airport of Lesvos. At one oclock in the morning, the volunteers whom I was accompanying had spotted a boat with refugees coming from Turkey. It was first a dim light in the darkness of the Aegean Sea, only experienced volunteers saw it first, then the light of the boat grew and, at the end, a voice tore through the air: Boat! Boat! The volunteers were from Greece, other European countries and the US. They were mostly young people, but among them there were also some elders and more professional volunteers like Nasos, a veteran of the Greek Marine, or like Jose, a professional firefighter from Spain who had gone to Lesvos to help refugees, taking a two-week leave from his job. The landing of the rubber dinghies packed with people is very dangerous; the refugees are terrorized, most do not know how to swim and when the boats reach the Greek coast they are exhausted. No representative of the state nor of the EU were around to be found, only volunteers who were there to save lives. When the rubber dinghy approached, volunteer lifeguards entered the water to stabilize it amongst the violent waves and to pull it closer to the beach. Then a human chain formed to bring the refugees from the rubber dinghy to the beach. I was not a volunteer, I was just a journalist who happened to be there. But the power of this human chain was so mesmerizing that I went in the cold waters to become part of it. At first I thought that she was lightweight and I didnt put much strength into lifting her from the rubber dinghy and carrying her to the beach. But once I lifted her and she let herself fall in my arms, I suddenly felt like her weight pulverized me. Her body was petrified, her clothes soaking wet. I put all my strength into it as I began to walk, carrying her through the water to the beach. I repeatedly told her OK, stupidly thinking that this would reassure her. Her eyes were hollow, empty, as if she didnt see what was happening, as if she was not present in all these things happening to her. It was raining heavily that night in Lesvos, loud voices came from everywhere, the faces around me were dancing frantically between the darkness of the night and the violent light of the flashlights. Rain was falling into my eyes and at times obstructed my vision. But now I know that it was not only rain that was preventing me from seeing clearly throughout the night. It was something deep inside me that was resisting the reality and was slyly whispering that all this cannot be real in Greece and in Europe in 2016. The young woman I was trying to carry onto the beach suddenly started shouting at me in a language I couldnt understand persistently pointing to the rubber dinghy. She was shouting and she pinned herself down on the wet sand while I tried to pull her to the point further up the beach where volunteers provided first aid and blankets. Abruptly, a man holding a small child in his arms came towards us and hugged the woman. It was her child that the man was carrying. I went three more times to the boat, once to carry an old woman who seemed to be so incredibly heavy that she required the help of another volunteer to carry her belongings ashore. When the boat was empty and its wreckage was ingloriously lying on the sand, I distanced myself a bit. I fell on my knees and I cried in the darkness out of shame as a human being in front of all this suffering and out of rage as a citizen in front of all this moral breakdown of our Europe. * * * Three days before the terrorist attack in Brussels, the EU had finally reached an agreement with Turkey on the refugee issue. After several hours of haggling and political-diplomatic bargaining, the deal that was decided erected the tombstone of any moral superiority that was left in Europe and our contemporary European civilization. The agreement is ethically disgraceful as it institutionalized a bargain between European member states in order to keep all these people fleeing the horrors of war and extinction away from our Europe. Also, because the EU remains silent in front of the growing authoritarianism under Erdogan, it has shamelessly betrayed all those in Turkey who believed that the EU and its ideals will serve as a beacon for democratic reforms in their own country. The agreement is legally disgraceful because it violates the basic principles and values of human rights and humanity. Last, but not least, the agreement is politically offensive. It promises Turkey certain things that the EU does not want to deliver and it asks that Greece and its failed state build an asylum system from scratch that even the most advanced countries in the Union do not have. It is equally shameless because it turns Greece into a huge refugee camp, contradicting once again the idea of European solidarity. Every political leader had his own agenda, his or her own fears that in their own country they will be threatened by the spectacular rise of nationalist and xenophobic forces as well as the desire to avoid doing anything in order to keep the barbarians at their countrys gates. This agreement should not be a surprise. It is yet another symptom of the ethical decay of our continent and of the tragic dereliction of our human values and principles. But it is not the only one. The decay goes even further, with Donald Tusk begging refugees via his Twitter account to not cross the Aegean Sea because Greeces northern borders have been sealed. After the disreputable management of the economic crisis, the EU took the last steps that separates it from complete delegitimization. Europe has raised new walls at its external borders and institutionalizes them with the vain hope that they would protect its societies and its eroded systems from their contemporary barbarians. We spent five days with these barbarians and with the photographer Eleni Papadopoulou, following them from Lesvos to Piraeus and then from Athens to the hell that is Idomeni, right on Greeces border with Macedonia. There, behind the walls donned with barbed wire, the EU is sinking into a pool of mud and human feces. In Idomeni, when we initially entered while the nightfall was approaching and a light rain was persistently soaking humans and tents, we thought that we were in a science fiction movie, this kind of end-of-the-world expensive Hollywood blockbusters. During these last two weeks that I have been traveling in Greece, Turkey and then ultimately in Brussels, I have often felt like I lose the dimension of time and space. It is as if all that I see around me, in my own country and in the EU I so strongly believed in, reemerge directly from our bloody past or come from a nightmarish future. Idomeni is filled with broken lives and devastated humans, but still enough strength to fight for survival and hope. Volunteers are everywhere, states and institutions represented only by police and about fifteen thousand men, women and children anxiously awaiting the EU Summit on 18 March. Hoping that Europe will open the border and will accept them. That humanity and those ethics are still part of Europe. In vain. Waste Land was also Istanbul the weekend before the attacks in Brussels. On Saturday morning, a suicide bomber from the Islamic State was killed as he was blowing up tourists on the pedestrian avenue of Istiklal, in the heart of Istanbul. This event was yet another terrorist strike in a series of deadly attacks that began last summer. All through the weekend, the center of Istanbul was empty, people were afraid that all this was just the beginning. This same fear, although the immediate reasons may be different, paralyzed Brussels the day I arrived from Istanbul. With thorough security checks everywhere, people were filled with suspicion and fear. The tall buildings of the EU institutions surrounded by policemen and soldiers were almost empty and suddenly looked like wreckages from an unachieved past. * * * From the ashes of this ethical debris of the European civilization and the European project that were born after the Second World War and, in reaction to all the ignominies of that past, the nation-state and its populist hubris are emerging as the big winners. After the shallow euphoria of the fall of the Berlin Wall and the victory of cosmopolitan progressivism, Europe, under the weight of a broader and profound moral crisis, returns to nationalism, xenophobia and same blood, same culture utopias. The nation-state does a violent come-back and is promoted by increasingly larger segments of European societies and elites as a panacea for all problems, legitimizing the corrosion even the blunt violation of human rights and fundamental principles of liberal societies. The nation-state, together with an unbridled populism, sets the pace for political and social life in Europe and its neighbors, ferociously resisting the only common solution we should all push for: more Europe. Tayyip Erdogans Turkey is not an exception, there is no Turkish exception or Turkish specificity. What is happening in Turkey today is the same as what is happening, albeit in different ways and rhythms, in Europe: an extreme strengthening of the nation state and its exclusive idea of community, an extreme cultural introversion that, in Turkey, has taken on a Sunni-Turkish character while in European countries it has gradually taken a Judeo-Christian-national character, and an authoritarianism that has roots in western authoritarian traditions and methods. This cocktail is heavily spiced with rampant populism, not different in its essence from what is happening in Hungary or Poland, these two countries far from being the only European examples. The deep moral decadence plaguing Europe and the world around is deeply rooted in chronic economic and social inequalities, but most of all in the prevalence of a broader culture of populism and fascism, as described by Rob Riemen in The Eternal Return of Fascism, dominating the mass culture and extinguishing any prospect or aspiration to higher values and ethics. However, European leaders and a large part of European society continue to lie and to be blind, always putting the blame elsewhere: Refugees, Islam, integration models While I was opening my suitcase for inspection at the police and army check point at the train station below the European Parliament, I wondered if behind all these terrible attacks in Brussels lies Islam and Islamism and the Belgian integration model. Or I wonder if the horrible dystopia of the Islamic State that attracts many young people from Europe is a drug for people lost in the dominant nihilism and self-destructive egocentrism promoted by the ethical collapse of the European culture that turns them into apocalyptic aggressors of innocent lives. They are disoriented youth, deep in our contemporary culture of violent egocentrism and immediate gain and recognition, marginalized and full of hate for the society. The become easy prey for the messianic message of the Islamic State and its promises of ultra-violence and aggressive lust. Beyond all that, there is also an undeniable factor of individual free will and responsibility, that those people who join the Islamic State are responsible for their awful choice and their dreadful acts and there are absolutely no excuses. The fact that the message has an Islamic cover seems to attract more people who come from Muslim families, but this has little to do with Islam per se. What happens in the case of the Islamic State is not about Islam, but about a universal collapse of ethics and the victory of emptiness. And in that sense, Islams role is not lesser than secular or enlightened Europes not in the sense of what some people wrongly argue as religion of violence and intolerance but as a culture that, despite a deep humanistic tradition, failed to promote a wider ethical superiority, just like the European culture fails to do today. * * * The apocalyptic terrorists of the Islamic State and its ideology are operating in the growing space of darkness created by this universal collapse of ethics. Europe, Turkey, the Balkans we are all on the same course, in the same rubber dinghy crossing dark waters even if we continue to lie to ourselves. But our rubber dinghy is not alone. Somewhere, on a beach through the darkness, there are people trying to help. All these thousands of young people from across Europe and the world increasingly fill the gaps left by the EU and the nation states. There are numerous activists, new generation ideologues who help refugees in Lesvos and Idomeni, who protest in Brussels against the disgraceful agreement, who demonstrate in Cairo and in Tehran and in Istanbul for more democracy These new generations of active and activist transnational citizens are well conversed with social media and the internet and forge on despite the thousands of kilometers separating them, exchanging views and ideas. Of course, all these people are the minority, not all those who ascribe to this new generation are like them, far from it. After all, the modern jihadis are also part of that same new generation and that is the darkest part. But history has taught us that the road towards humanity is forged by enlightened minorities, not from majorities. Along with the universal ethical collapse and its various forms, history gives Nemesis and the return of an extreme nation-state as the new antidote: an innovative form of bottom-up transnational citizenship, a progressive and active citizenship that knows no borders, neither geographically nor culturally. And that has already started to make a small difference. This article by Evangelos Areteos was originally published on 26 March 2016 in Dutch, in the Dutch daily de Volkskrant, and on 27 March 2016 in Greek in the Cypriot daily Politis, as well as on the Roving Correspondents blog. The pictures are courtesy of Eleni Papadopoulou, The article is reproduced here with the authors permission. In this years US presidential election, Europe is sticking to its guns once again favoring a Democrat over a Republican. But, this time, the reasons are quite different. Europes tradition of backing Democrats In this years US presidential elections, Europe is sticking to its guns once again favoring a Democrat, Hillary Clinton, over the presumptive presidential nominee of the Republican Party, Donald Trump. A YouGov poll showed that Ms. Clinton would win 46 per cent of voters support to just six per cent for Trump, if Europeans were the electorate for the 2016 presidential elections in the United States. Historically, Europeans, especially those residing west of the former Iron Curtain, feel closer to the center-left of American politics and the Democratic Party. While Obamacare, contested by Republicans, struggles to survive, universal health care, free education, unemployment benefits, retirement pensions and myriad other welfare programs stand as a source of national pride to many European nations. Europeans have often found themselves rallying behind Democrats, throwing their full support to anyone from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama and now Hillary Clinton. We remember that back in 2008, a Gallup poll had European citizens preferring Barack Obama to John McCain by nearly 3-to-1, with only the Baltic countries rooting for the Republican candidate and his purported stronger stance against Russia. Fear of Trump If ideology and a particular set of policies were what drove Europe into backing Democrats over Republicans in years gone by, the motives this time might be different. When asked how they feel about Donald Trump becoming president, the most common response amongst Europeans is fear (46%). The most common response to Clinton becoming president is relief (40%). Throughout the campaign, Ms. Clinton has indeed painstakingly branded herself as the safe option who can prevent handing the presidency to the GOP (Republican Party) and prevent a political fiasco. With that in mind, its becoming clearer that the new American story will be born out of fear, not hope. At this point, in this two-horse race, Europeans are more concerned with keeping Trump out of the White House than with finding a kindred spirit in Hillary Clinton. Hillary Clinton, Europes pick, has the highest unfavorable rating of any Democratic candidate in the past 30 years, according to the same YouGov poll. Shes a far cry from the glitz and heartfelt enthusiasm that Europeans universally felt for Barack Obama. None of the enthusiasm, hope for change or the frenzy that once turned Europe into Obamaland accompany the current presidential campaign. The two Americans Leadership in the United States is deep in the doldrums. The political offer is scant with candidates on both sides of the aisle turning against each other, wooing voters and swaying in the undecided. Whatever arguments Hillary Clinton strives to bring into the debate, Donald Trump quickly drowns out in a spate of populist messages and tacky remarks. In a year of insurgency, battling a hysterical Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton is the establishment candidate. She is predictable, moderate, and an adherent of political correctness. With her at the helm, continuity is paramount and the Old America, with its principles, policies and promises, will keep the status quo intact. Presiding over a perceived slow decline of American power in the world and a lackluster American dream, Hillary Clintons term in office would be, first of all, business as usual. Hillary, the reactionary candidate? Thus, the Democratic candidate is no longer the symbol of American renewal. For many Europeans, Hillary Clinton is closer to John McCain than to Barack Obama. Fairly or unfairly, her way of doing politics is seen as old, tired and unexciting; she is no longer able to transform the United States and the world. Assuming that she gets elected, Hillary must address the fact that the old liberal-progressive story advertised by Democrats is loosely sutured and coming apart. On the other hand, we have an erratic, brash, assertive and unabashed Republican candidate, who, so far, has ridden the crest of an immensely successful bid to become president of the United States. No one could have imagined Donald Trump clinching the Republican nomination and having a real shot of becoming the 45th American president. Trump is the anti-establishment candidate, the embodiment of an intolerant, aggressive America obsessed with its exceptionalism, looking to close in on itself, determined to become great again. It is this very confusion, frustration and discontent that Mr. Trump takes advantage of, promising Americans a better deal if they put him in the White House. As for the European Union, the best deal it can hope for is a victory of the establishment camp. A win by Hillary Clinton, albeit a tepid one, would ensure that the United States stays on course and keeps populist tendencies at bay. A Donald Trump presidency, on the other hand, with his disdain for the European Union and NATO, while currying favor with Vladimir Putin and picking fights with the mayor of London, will seriously hurt the relationship between the EU and US and endanger Europes security, according to officials in the EU institutions. The destructive power of terrorism lies in its capacity to blow up a hole in the fabric that keeps society together. But todays attacks in Brussels were also, if not primarily, an attempt to jeopardize the rule of law. It is known that the suicidal fundamentalist shahid, or the so-called martyr, is a sort of a saint in the eyes of his supporters. Nevertheless, the terrifying spectacle that he or she creates also helps him or her to acquire a touch of divine (or demonic) nature in the eyes of the Western psyche. A young body is blown to pieces, engulfing innocent bystanders along with it in death, as if not so much by the force of an explosive belt as by the no less explosive force of inner convictions. It is a spectacle as well as a mystery. As an individual, each of us is vulnerable. But as societies, we are stronger than we think, stronger than we feel on a day like this. This is the precise reason behind the terrorists tactics. But clearly, after todays attacks, a shocked resident of Brussels, as well as a consumer of the mass-media news-coverage, would find it difficult to remember that terror is a sign of weakness and not of strength; that its warfare is asymmetric. This is why, at this very moment, the terrorists wilful accomplices, radicals of all kinds, populists and #hellhole prophets gleefully lick their lips in preparation for their own attacks. But whatever we hear from them in the coming days wont be new. They too want to polarize or, even, atomize, and make whole societies act as threatened individuals, succumbing to the deadly charm of their extremist thinking. Hence, now is high time to act as societies. It is the time to uphold the very values that originate in Europe: human rights, equality and the rule of law. In the name of these, we must fight for the inclusion of the disadvantaged in our midst and on our borders, and against bigotry, racism and intolerance. We must do that at least as strongly as we fight terrorism. To put Brussels under lockdown might be comprehensible but, in the long run, it will only maim its very life and contribute nothing to its security, tweeted Eric Corijn, Brussels-based professor and urbanist . Europe as a whole must also put an end to its lockdown-attitude. A Reuters photograph has captured a refugee boy on the Greek-Macedonian border with a handwritten sign in his hands: Sorry for Brussels. The attacks today were a dramatic demonstration that this boy and all Europeans are locked in the very same, bloody struggle. Hence, Europes ethical, symbolic and concrete survival depends not so much on becoming a fortress but on accepting and integrating the refugees. An important way to express solidarity with the victims of terrorism is to show solidarity with the refugees and their plight. Furthermore, I think it would be a simplification to treat the attacks as an act of vengeance for Salah Abdeslams arrest last Friday, as the Belgian intelligence services are reported as suggesting. Suicide also helps terrorists avoid this worlds judicial system. This is an additional efficacy of terrorism since the impossibility to duly process and punish acts of extreme violence leaves the society symbolically traumatized. Thats the reason why Abdeslams arrest was a historic moment: one of the first times if not the first time ever that an Islamist terrorist, a co-organizer of suicide attacks, was taken into custody alive. I was hopeful that the machinery of justice would be able to start its slow rolling. The suspect would appear before judges, the families of the victims, and the general public; he would appear as a human with his story, with all his human ambiguities, secrets and weaknesses. He would have to explain in detail his involvement and, maybe, also why he is still alive after what happened in Paris on November 13. I imagined that, with time, his case would become healthily boring, that the civilizations clumsy, dry-as-dust normality would prevail. That is why, in my opinion, todays violent events were primarily an attack on the rule of law. And thats also why I still hope that the rule of law will be upheld and that Abdeslam will face a fair and just process in court. It seems that todays terrorists, with whom he might have been involved, desperately want to make him a martyr at all cost. I do hope the Belgian or the French courts will remain as emotionally unaffected and as bureaucratic as they possibly can, that they will treat terrorists for what they are criminals. Whenever the nation, Congress, or the President starts a dialogue about gun control, gun sales soar. A percentage of new sales come directly from people who have never owned a gun before, but are afraid their right to bear arms is about to be compromised. However, rights and responsibilities are inextricably entwined. The legal possession of a firearm requires a degree of due diligence and a personal obligation to ensure your own personal safety and limit potential dangers to those you encounter. If you have chosen this particular moment in time to purchase your first firearm, or are thinking about taking the plunge into gun ownership, here is a list of common mistakes new gun owners make and tips for their prevention. MISTAKE #1 - Buying the Wrong Gun A gun qualifies as a major purchase. Do your research. Visit gun stores. Ask questions. Read articles. Visit a range where you can rent equipment. Talk to other gun owners. Do not buy a gun just because it looks cool. Investigate different makes and models until you find the gun that fits your hand, your lifestyle and your needs. You do not want to end up owning a gun with too powerful of recoil, too bulky to carry comfortably, or doesn't have the proper trigger resistance. MISTAKE #2 - Not Understanding the Mechanics Once you've settled on a particular make, caliber and model, learn the mechanics. Before you even take your first shot you should know how to safely load and unload the firearm, how to check the chamber to tell if the gun is loaded or unloaded, how the safety works, how to dissemble and clean your gun, how and where to lube the gun and how to check it is functioning properly. This information can be attained from professionals at your gun store, online videos, the instruction manual and other practiced gun owners. MISTAKE #3 - Improper Storage Guns should never be stored where children or burglars would have easy access. Instead, firearms should be kept locked in a safe, or at the very least somewhere inaccessible to children and difficult to find. Ensuring safety requires safe storage. A trigger lock is also a critical component to gun ownership. At Southwick's, located in Plainwell, Michigan, a trigger lock is included with every gun sale. MISTAKE #4 - Not Educating Your Family A common estimate is one-third of American households have guns. Even if you do not yet have a firearm, it is necessary to educate your children about gun safety. Children's innate curiosity should never be underestimated. There are many worthwhile online articles about how to educate and talk to children about guns. As a parent, you are ultimately responsible for your offspring's actions with guns. MISTAKE #5 - Assuming the Presence of a Gun Makes You Safe A gun is not a magic talisman warding off all evil. Defending yourself with a gun is an inherent trait. It requires both the will and the skill to use a gun in self-defense. You must possess the will to pull the trigger if confronted with a threat. Skill means you must be able to quickly draw or access your firearm, accurately shoot, move while shooting, use cover and concealment, and actually hit your target. These skills can only be accomplished through repetitive movement exercises, a dedication to range time, and possibly self-defense gun classes. For more information about choosing the right firearm, products for proper storage and transport and classes to help improve your proficiency, please visit Southwick's Guns and Ammo in Plainwell, call 269.685.6666 or visit Southwicksguns.com. A 14-year-old girl was shot in the face Saturday night, Des Moines police said. The incident happened around 9:45 p.m. in the 400 block of Orchard Avenue. The victim, Destiny Henderson, was transported to Mercy Medical Center. Her mother told KCCI Destiny is in critical condition in the intensive care unit, though she is expected to survive. "It's really surreal because my family has lived here for over 20 years, and we've never had anything, maybe a high-speed chase through the neighborhood, but nothing this detrimental," neighbor Antoinette Hill said. "It's a little bit scary, especially since you know they have the expression that bullets have no names. But it's one of those situations where it could've happened anywhere." Hill said she feels safe in the neighborhood, though Saturday night's shooting has her on edge. "When it's right next door to your house, you can't believe it," Hill said. "It's different when you hear about it on the news and hear about it in the environment and in the neighborhood, but when it's right next door, it's just very uncomfortable." Des Moines police Sgt. Paul Parizek said a 14-year-old boy has been charged with reckless use of a firearm causing injury, a Class C felony, in the case. The shooting appears to be accidental. Police said they are unsure of the relationship between the victim and the shooter. The face of America is changing very rapidly, and Republicans are reacting with a cynical and insidious attempt to hold back the future. The percentage of white voters continues to drop every election cycle, while the strength of nonwhites rises steadily. As a result, says Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, were in a demographic death spiral as a party one that wont be corrected if the GOP cannot get back in good graces with the Hispanic community. But instead of trying to win over minority voters, the Republicans have been driving them away. Donald Trump makes their problem much worse by denouncing Mexican immigrants, threatening Muslims and endorsing racial profiling. No wonder almost 9 of 10 minority voters view Trump unfavorably in the latest ABC/Washington Post poll. We cannot afford to alienate and demonize the largest growing demographic out there, another Republican senator, Jeff Flake of Arizona, told the Post. Back in the 60s, we Republicans lost the African-American vote that we still havent gained back. Faced with this disastrous trend, Republicans in many states have responded with a nefarious strategy, summarized as: If we cannot get minorities to vote for us, well discourage them from voting at all. That effort takes many forms, from stricter voter ID laws and fewer polling places in minority neighborhoods to purges that simply strike citizens from the rolls. But all these maneuvers have one common goal: making it harder for groups that lean Democratic the young, the poor, the nonwhite to cast their ballots. In a country that has struggled for more than two centuries to expand voting rights, this is a profoundly un-American approach. But if the election is close in a few key states like Ohio, North Carolina and Arizona this campaign of voter suppression could determine the outcome. The Republican effort began after the 2008 election, when Barack Obama lost whites by 12 points yet easily won the popular vote. But it really gained momentum in 2013, after the Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act and eliminated federal supervision over a number of states with past histories of voter discrimination. The Brennan Center for Justice estimates that 22 states have enacted voter suppression laws, 17 of them since the last presidential election. Supporters say they are necessary to prevent voter fraud, but that is an outright lie. It has been demonstrated countless times that voter fraud barely exists, if at all. These laws are a destructive solution to a nonexistent problem, as a New York Times editorial put it. Take Ohio, still the most important state in presidential politics. The top election official, Republican Jon Husted, has instigated an effort to purge voters from the rolls who havent cast ballots in recent elections. On the surface, its an even-handed policy, but an investigation by Reuters revealed that the policy appears to be helping Republicans in the states largest metropolitan areas. Then theres Arizona, which decided to cut back the number of polling stations, ostensibly to save money. As a result, some voters in the March primary waited as long as five hours to cast ballots. Federal judges must stand up to the despicable Republican campaign to undermine that right. The courts should make it easier, not harder, for the citizens of these United States to participate in the democratic process. A freer people are a happier people In the past eight years world history has changed in an unprecedented way. Just this week we learned the UK is leaving the EU and that Venezuelans have experienced prices increase up to 19,000% in the past four years at the hands of its new unified socialist government. Even more the end of globalization seems to be at hand as many other EU countries are also looking to flee the EU and/or euro. In 2009 there was a Persian Awakening which the government responded to with torture and murder of its citizens. Shortly thereafter the Arab Spring shook the middle-east and the Tea Party revolution in the US caused a historic shift in congressional control. There is one common thread. In every case, the people are voting against large centralized governments and are choosing liberty instead. They want their voices heard. Expect to see more of this talk in Venezuela as well. Former director of the CBI, Lord Digby Jones tells BBC Breakfast that the UK has a golden opportunity as it renegotiates its relationship with Europe. Make no mistake this is the exact type of phenomenon which happened in the 1700s leading to democracy in the United States and eventually in France and the rest of Europe Large, centralized governments are failing the people. The view of the EU and the euro from Italy Its Taxation without proper representation. There seem to be two views on what is happening here. The first group sees much of these events as xenophobic and racist typically brought on by an uneducated and unenlightened populace. When these events are seen as a whole though, it is tough to make such a case with a straight face. There are no other races in Iran or the middle-east. The more plausible view in these cases is people want to be in control of their own destiny and have seen firsthand how their leaders have all gotten richer while they have gotten poorer. The Mullahs in Iran are living very well as are the rulers throughout the middle east regardless of how the common person lives. The daughter of Hugo Chavez in Venezula is worth $4.2 billion while the average person in the country cannot get food, medicine or toilet paper. In the US, the top politicians are all millionaires. The average voter who realizes that their salary for nine years is less than Bill Clinton can make in a one-hour speech is likely not only unhappy, they are furious. Politicians on the left continue to make the case for the unfairness of income inequality but the real inequality is the ruling class and their cronies versus the people who put them in power. Is it really unfair to become wealthy when you invent a life-saving drug or a consumer electronics device or app which brings pleasure to millions? Politicians have demonized these groups to distract the electorate while amassing huge fortunes for themselves and families. The Tea Party in the US was fueled by the huge stimulus which went into the pockets of big banks and government cronies who funneled the money back to the politicians come reelection time. Bernie Sanders got it half right. Wall Street does own the US government but this is only the case because the politicians are for sale and in reality, if you dont have a seat at the table, youre on the menu. The common thread in all these cases is the masses are being fleeced by the centralized ruling class. To make matters worse, global central banks are printing money at rates never seen in history, all the while reducing the value of salaries while inflating the values of hard assets such as stocks and real estate. In other words, the ruling class and its policies have hurt workers around the globe and as a result, central banks have responded with stimulus which enriches the wealthy at the expense of workers and savers. This is the true nature of the problem and it dates back to Iran. We are already seeing talk of countries fleeing the euro and EU altogether. Others are predicting that we will definitely see a Trump presidency as this wave spreads. What hasnt been discussed however is the elephant in the room, China. The Chinese people have been censored to the extreme and its getting worse. Yet, they have been poised for an uprising for many years. The great Firewall of China keeps tries to them ignorant of the world around them. This time though the authorities are going to have the challenge of lifetime. Are they going to be able to keep the Chinese from knowing the UK took its country back and so will much of Europe? Will the Chinese people be obvious to the failures of centralized government in Venezuela? Its really tough to spin the reemergence of the French franc. The communist country has been doing everything it can to keep control of its people for many years but there is a global movement afoot here and China will likely be the final domino. China forces US companies to partner with the country to gain access to Chinese markets including signing over valuable technology. Its really extortion which is enforced by the government. You wont hear about this from the media for some reason only from Donald Trump. It is a major problem for western countries. In addition, Chinas cyberhacking and protectionist tariffs are really hurting other countries and their workers. Only one candidate has brought this problem up again, Donald Trump. At some point soon, it seems inevitable that the China domino will drop. The next five to ten years is a probable window when this happens. There will likely be some sort of uprising, reformation or another Tiananmen Square type incident. A more democratic China is a win for global companies and global workers. Much of the activities above will hopefully moderate as a result. In our immediate future however, well have to see how things work out with Brexit and the treaties which follow. There will be some short-term pain and uncertainty but democracy in the form of increased sovereignty is winning and even if some of the results are negative, freer people are a happier people. Gold gained 1% for the week. The stock market wiped out its gains for the year. Funny how freedom confronts the artificiality of financial markets' levels, Gold being at half its currency debasement value and the S&P 500 at double its earnings support. "God save the Queen...". One week ago, Gold having printed its highest weekly close (1302) since that ending 15 August 2014, it appeared for all the world that "no Brexit wrecks it", price careening down to as low as 1253 early on in yesterday's (Friday's session) prior to Britons' votes having been tallied, with UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage even conceding defeat, as 'twas already "priced-in" by the markets and betting parlours 'cross the Isles, (the polls be damned). But then from the once-StateSide colonies came the spectre of the great Lawrence Peter Berra, his uttering "It ain't over 'til it's over." And as the polls-vindicated referendum results officially hailed Brexit, 'twas the Gold Shorts over whom Gold rolled, price swinging 109 points northward to within 15 of Base Camp 1377, (the session's high coming in at 1362). Thank you Yogi, for ' twas Gold's largest grand slam of the millennium-to-date as measured by intra-session points gained from low-to-high for a net "up" day; on a percentage basis, 'twas the millennium's fourth largest intra-session low-to-high move, again for a net "up" day. As the Gold Dust then settled, price parked itself at 1319, one point above the prior week's high of 1318. Here are the weekly bars from one year ago-to-date: Now: from " The Big IF Dept .", should Gold not trade sub-1280 in the new week, we plan to make three technical adjustments: 1) Rename the 1240-1280 resistance zone to the 1280-1240 support zone; 2) Declare that "we now know the bottom is in" (per the 1045 low of last 03 December); and 3) Raise our Gold price target for this year from 1280 up to Base Camp 1377 'Tis a Big IF because Gold's EDTR ("expected daily trading range" between price's high and low) has scooted up to 27 points as next shown, the pictures for which are similar across the BEGOS Markets ( B ond / E uro / G old / O il / S &P); they're all displayed on the website's "Market Ranges" page. In fact, let's pair up Gold's EDTR with that for the S&P: 'twould appear the latter's volatility has room to become quite more raucous, what? Again, these panels are charting expected range, not price direction; thus with Gold presently at 1319, price could easily re-test/penetrate 1280. Gold's EDTR is on the left and that for the S&P's "Spoo" futures is on the right : But specific to price direction, as we turn to the percentage tracks of the last 21 trading days (one month), Gold and the S&P accelerated their present state of negative correlation yesterday, would you not say? Next, from our " Keeping One's Feet on the Ground Dept .", we've this information specific to Brexit's implementation. According to a report by the London-based macroeconomic firm Capital Economics, Brexit now having nonetheless won the vote, that "...the UK would probably remain a member of the EU for several years ... The result of the referendum would only be advisory, the vote alone not being legally binding . Moreover, given the majority of the UK's political leaders desiring to instead stay in the EU suggests the process could well be dragged out to 2020, and the ultimate deal structure -- with the UK no longer in the EU -- quite similar to its still so being. 'Course, if en route we get Frexit, Spexit, Grexit, et Aliexit, one only wonders what to expect. All that said, this initial episode of EU-purgin' sent all of the BEGOS Markets a-lurchin'. Thus in turning to the 21-day linear regression trends (diagonal lines) of all eight components -- our baby blues dots representative of each trend's consistency -- feast your eyes on the rightmost day (Friday) in each of these 21-day panels: How's that motion sickness workin' our for ya? To be sure, prices' great distances of travel really blew out our 10-day Market Profiles, (again, all of which are at the website). Here they are for both Gold ( left ) and Silver ( right ), as Friday's session engulfed the entirety of their 10-day trading ranges, the white bars being their settles for the week: Now let's bring in the Federal Reserve Bank and the friendly folk of its Open Market Committee. In my radio interview which aired this morning on The Real Money Show , (and they'll archive it at their website), I was asked if the Fed would raise rates this year. Pointing out that the Economic Barometer had been on the rise of late, I revisited that of which you may have herein read in recent weeks: 'twas a chance for the FOMC to cast off concerns of their "irrelevancy" and become more assertive in pushing up the FedFunds target rate from 0.50% to 0.75%. But again, given the poor payrolls growth for May, the slowing in sales of new homes -- and now with Brexit winning the vote and our StateSide Leading Economic Indicators having just reverted by -0.2% in May -- no, barring the FOMC being ballsy, they shan't raise rates this year. Here's the Econ Baro (blue), along with the S&P (red): So with both the Baro and S&P kinking down, let's bring up The Gold Stack, "up" being the operative word there as price is no longer dwelling deep down in the stack as has been the case these recent years. Why even this week's high trade for the year at 1362 achieved center-stack status! Here 'tis: The Gold Stack Gold's Value per Dollar Debasement, (from our opening "Scoreboard"): 2595 Gold's All-Time High: 1923 (06 September 2011) The Gateway to 2000: 1900+ Gold's All-Time Closing High: 1900 (22 August 2011) The Final Frontier: 1800-1900 The Northern Front: 1750-1800 On Maneuvers: 1579-1750 The Floor: 1466-1579 Le Sous-sol: Sub-1466 Base Camp: 1377 Year-to-Date High: 1362 (24 June) 10-Session directional range: up to 1362 (from 1253) = +109 points or +9% Trading Resistance: 1322 / 1328 / 1334 Gold Currently: 1319, (expected daily trading range ("EDTR"): 27 points) Trading Support: 1314 / 1297 / 1286 / 1271 / 1268 10-Session "volume-weighted" average price magnet: 1293 Neverland: The Whiny 1290s Resistance Band (becoming support?): up to 1280 (from 1240) The Weekly Parabolic Price to flip Short: 1206 The 300-Day Moving Average: 1170 Year-to-Date Low: 1061 (04 Jan) In wrapping it up here for this week, we've these few views: Speaking of stacks, the Paris-based consulting firm Capgemini has issued their 2016 World Wealth Report, which finds that Asian millionaires now rest atop the world's wealth stack, (heaven forbid our monegasque resident friends find out about this), the Asians now having stacked up more wealth than their millionaire buddies in Europe, StateSide and elsewhere 'round the globe. But is that really saying much? From our observations here in tech-laden San Francisco, I'm reminded of these still very salient lyrics we penned-to-song some years back: "Everybody is a millionaire, Everybody drives a Mercedes-Benz, BMWs are everywhere, Yours and mine and all of those of our friends...". We're thus looking forward to the report on bazillionaires. Keeping it local, great news abounds: the unemployment rate here in California just hit a nine-year low: 5.2% percent, according to Sacramentaxus' Employment Development Department. Ah, the Golden Life here "...in that warm California sun..."--(The Rivieras, '64). Why, I was just in the bank this past Monday and the teller told me she had three jobs: one day, one evening and one night. "When do you sleep?", I asked. The perky reply: "I don't; I just nap." What a way to live, eh? And globally, markets don't return immediately to normal ebb and flow following stark, sudden volatility as has just become the case, the Brexit vote nevertheless now in place. Our commodities broker still has intra-day trading margin requirements set to double the norm for the Precious Metals and U.S. indices, and thrice that for currency pairs and European indices. So please, "Don't let the sun catch you crying..."--(Britain's own Gerry and the Pacemakers, also from '64) because your stops get leapt over by many-a-pip. It ain't worth it. Quite the week 'twas! And in the ensuing one, amongst ongoing volatility and a rash of incoming EconData, we get what is "expected" to be a slowing in the growth of Personal Income/Spending. Hopefully you shan't be slowing your spending on Gold. No. Why would you? Construction is progressing on the Randall Way Storage in Silverdale. Owner James Piper plans to open in December with 721 units on a 3.3-acre hillside site. LARRY STEAGALL / KITSAP SUN By Tad Sooter of the Kitsap Sun SILVERDALE The brick and concrete walls rising above Silverdale's Randall Way could be mistaken for an apartment building under construction. But it's storage units, not apartments, bound for this three-story complex in Silverdale. Randall Way Storage is slated to open in December, squeezing 721 units onto a 3.3-acre hillside site. The county originally approved the property for more than 90 senior apartments, a project that stalled during the recession. As the housing market surged back, veteran developer Jim Piper saw fresh opportunity in the self-storage business. "There's a demand for storage," Piper said. And not just any storage. "People want something higher end." Randall Way Storage will fit that bill, offering heated units spread across three buildings, with elevator access between floors, and a high-tech security system. Like most newer self-storage complexes, Piper is building vertically to make the most of the limited land available. "This is the new concept," he said. "It's all you're going to see anymore." Piper isn't the only developer looking to tap soaring demand for storage. The county recently approved a three-story U-Haul storage center in Gorst, at an existing facility on the triangle of land formed by the interchange of Highway 3 and Highway 16. In Poulsbo, Seattle company Urban Self Storage is considering building a three-story complex across Lincoln Road from Safeway. A little ways north off Highway 305, Pro-Guard Self Storage is preparing for a modest expansion. Pro-Guard owner Byron Harris said the storage industry, like many others, is rebounding from the recession. "We took a dive when the economy crashed just like anything else," Harris said. "People will stop paying their storage fees before they stop making house payments for sure." As the economy recovers, a host of factors are boosting the storage business, he said. More people are renting apartments or buying houses tucked onto smaller lots, with less space to stash their stuff. "Apartments don't have storage, and we benefit from that," Harris said. The fast-paced housing market is good for self-storage as well, said Jim Helfrick, operations manager for Reliable Storage, which boasts seven locations in the county. "Last year was a real good year, but this year is better," Helfrick said. "We've seen a lot of it related to housing buying, selling, moving." Vacancy rates at Reliable Storage complexes are very low, he said. "If I could throw up a couple of more buildings, I could fill them," Helfrick said. See plans for Randall Way Storage at www.randallwaystorage.com. The Herald reports: New Zealands biggest anti-smoking lobby groups face likely closure after a Government decision to slash funding for anti-smoking advocacy. The Smokefree Coalition will close next month, Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) faces closure unless it can find new funding sources, and Smokefree Nurses Aotearoa and Pacific anti-smoking agency Tala Pasifika have all lost their funding from this week. Instead, the Ministry of Health has awarded a single national anti-smoking advocacy contract to West Auckland-based Maori health agency Hapai Te Hauora. Total funding for national advocacy has been cut from $1.7 million to $450,000. There should be no funding for advocacy. It is appropriate to fund research and also good to fund cessation services, but taxpayers should not allow government departments to hand out money to lobby groups, so they can lobby MPs on what the law should be. The role of the public service is to serve, not to fund advocacy. Ministry service commissioning director Jill Lane said the funding cut from advocacy would be redirected into strengthening our frontline cessation services with improved training to get better quit results. The training budget has jumped from $286,000 to $1.6 million, lifting total spending on advocacy and training from $2.26 million to $2.37 million. Ms Lane said the ministrys total spending on tobacco control, including the Quitline service, was $61 million. So more money for cessation services and less money for lobbying. Good. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr The newest Knoxville-area Arby's restaurant opened in Sevierville in December. It's one of 19 that the Knoxville Arby's franchisee, T.G.&J. Co., Inc., sold to the parent company, Atlanta-based Arby's Restaurant Group, Inc., on Monday, June 27, 2016. SUBMITTED PHOTO Source: Arby's SHARE Thomas G. Johnson, Jr., who founded the Knoxville area Arby's restaurants with the opening of the first location on Kingston Pike in 1968, died March 23, 2011. SUBMITTED By Chambers Williams of the Knoxville News Sentinel The Knoxville family that has owned the local Arby's roast beef restaurant franchise since 1968 has sold its 19 stores to the Atlanta-based Arby's parent company, Arby's Restaurant Group Inc., the family said Monday. T.G.J. & Co., Inc., owned by Tom Johnson III and his brother, John Johnson, was founded by their father, Tom Johnson, who opened the first Knoxville Arby's on Kingston Pike at Papermill Road in 1968. The family moved to Knoxville from Akron, Ohio, so the senior Johnson could open his first Arby's. "My brother and I were working in the business before the first even restaurant opened, while we were still in school," Tom Johnson III said Monday. "It's in our blood. As time went on, we took on more responsibility. My kids, Carrie Gandy and Ben Johnson, have been working for us for several years." Johnson said the sale of the stores to the parent company came as something of a surprise. "We had no intention of selling out," he said. "Arby's approached us in September, and we said 'no'; we said no again in January and February, but by March, they had our attention. We finally signed an agreement the first part of this month." The transaction was effective at midnight Monday; no financial details were released, as T.G.J. & Co. is privately held. Johnson said he and his brother are ready to retire. "I have a houseboat, and I'm planning to do some traveling and some volunteer work," he said. But the family has no other business interests, and doesn't plan to get involved in any other businesses, he added. Most of the restaurants' staffs, along with the district managers and maintenance workers, will continue on with the new owner. But the eight members of the T.G.J. & Co. office staff will have to find other jobs, Johnson said. "T.G.J. & Co. and the Johnsons have been outstanding operators and members of the Arby's family for nearly 50 years," Paul Brown, chief executive officer of Arby's Restaurant Group, said in a statement. "We are proud to become the stewards of this great business [that] several generations of the Johnson family have worked so hard to build." T.G.J. & Co.'s headquarters is at 406 Lovell Road, next to the Farragut Arby's. Other T.G.J. & Co. Arby's locations include Kingston Pike/Papermill Road, Chapman Highway, Clinton Highway, Cedar Bluff, Magnolia Avenue, Broadway, Schaad Road, and Emory Road in Knoxville, and stores in Maryville, Clinton/Norris, Lenoir City, Strawberry Plains, Crossville, Dandridge, Oak Ridge, Morristown, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville, said Carrie Gandy, T.G.J. & Co.'s chief financial officer.. "We also have a food truck they are purchasing," she said. "It was the first food truck in the Arby's chain. We take it to places that don't have Arby's. It goes to Madisonville and Sweetwater for one day a week, and also to some events, like Boomsday last year." Jacob Timmy Moore (special to the News Sentinel) SHARE By News Sentinel Staff CLINTON A 34-year-old Briceville man was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday for downloading child pornography onto his computer. Jakob Timmy Moore pleaded guilty in Anderson County Criminal Court to an amended plea of sexual exploitation of a minor. He had been indicted on a charge of aggravated sexual exploitation. Moore came under scrutiny in March 2013 during an online file-sharing probe by Detective Dan Schneider, with the Harriman Police Department, who investigates child pornography cases in the area. Authorities checked the hard drive on Moore's computer and found 18 images and 44 videos that were deemed child pornography, according to court records. Moore has been jailed since April 8, 2014, and was given credit for that time on his prison sentence. SHARE A new mobile application allows hungry Tennesseans to satisfy their appetites while supporting local farmers and restaurateurs. Users of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Pick Tennessee app can search for restaurants committed to serving locally-sourced ingredients and follow GPS maps to their locations. The app is a product of the new Pick Tennessee Farm and Restaurant Alliance, an organization that aims to connect farmers and chefs to put more local food options on restaurant menus. The alliance hopes the arrangement will simultaneously appease customers, increase farm incomes and support the state's growing local foods movement. The Farm and Restaurant Alliance was formed late last year during various workshops held in Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville. During those workshops, farmers and food service professionals came together to discuss the issues each group faces and determine how to cooperate in a way that benefits both parties. Some of the alliance's champions of regional cuisine are widely-recognized chefs and restaurateurs. Chef Tandy Wilson of Nashville's City House restaurant cooked for 150 guests at a Pick Tennessee farm-to-table dinner in 2014, and he was recently named the 2016 James Beard Best Chef in the Southeast. Susan Moses of Chattanooga's 212 Market Restaurant was on the advisory board to form the alliance, and the national publication Travel + Leisure magazine recognized her restaurant as the best farm-to-table establishment in Tennessee. Farmers and chefs interested in joining the Farm and Restaurant Alliance can visit www.PickTnProducts.org. The Pick Tennessee app is available for download on both Apple and Android products. SHARE schools targets Interim Knox County Schools Superintendent Buzz Thomas issued an open letter to parents this past week that outlined his goals for his expected year in the position while a search is on for a permanent schools boss. A few hours after releasing that letter, Thomas appeared before Knox County Commission and reiterate the goals. "A lot of people consider Charlotte, North Carolina to have the best school system in the South," he told Commission in a June 20 work session. "But I can tell you that we have already surpassed them in academic performance, we have a better ACT rate and a better graduation rate." The target has moved elsewhere in the South, he said. "Our sights are set on Austin, Texas," he said. "They are outperforming us, but hopefully not for long." State high court Three of the Tennessee Supreme Court's five justices are on the Aug. 4 ballot for retention elections, and lawyers across the state who participated in a candidate evaluation poll by the Tennessee Bar Association recommended that voters retain all three. Unlike the heated 2014 retention election of three Democratic justices which all three won this year's retention election of Justices Jeffrey S. Bivins, Holly Kirby and Roger A. Page is barely on the political radar. Bivins, Kirby and Page were appointed over the last two years by Republican Gov. Bill Haslam and no organized effort is underway to defeat them. The TBA conducts judicial candidate evaluation surveys of its 13,000 lawyer members asking whether they "highly recommend," "recommend" or "do not recommend" each candidate. For the Supreme Court retention election, 998 members responded. The results: Bivins 94.2 percent highly recommend (68.2 percent) or recommend (26 percent) retention; 5.8 percent do not recommend retention. Kirby 92.3 percent highly recommend (67.8 percent) or recommend (24.5 percent); 7.7 percent do not recommend. Page 93.9 percent highly recommend (64.1 percent) or recommend (29.8 percent); 6.1 percent do not. New TBA President Jason Long, a Knoxville lawyer, said they want "to help the voting public make an informed decision in these retention elections by compiling the views of Tennessee lawyers and presenting them broadly." Former TBA president Bill Harbison of Nashville, said lawyers "are uniquely qualified to provide an informed opinion as to whether a justice should be retained in office. For that reason, it is important that they share this knowledge with voters." Early voting in the Aug. 4 election starts July 15. The deadline for registering to vote in the August election is July 5. Registration applications must be received by 4:30 p.m. that day and mail-in applications must be postmarked by that date. SHARE By News Sentinel Staff After a five-day search, the body of a 74-year-old Florida man was recovered from Douglas Lake on Saturday evening, a spokesman with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency confirmed. The body of John King, 74, of Del Ray Beach, Fla., was recovered at about 5:45 p.m. Saturday by members of the Jefferson County Rescue Squad, Jefferson County Sheriffs Office, and TWRA, Matt Cameron told the News Sentinel in an email. King was aboard a pontoon boat June 21 near Henderson Island at 11:30 a.m. when the wind began to separate the boat and three children who were swimming nearby. King entered the water to assist them and began to struggle. One of the children attempted to help him, but he went under and never resurfaced, according to the release. The children were wearing life jackets and were fine. Cameron said an autopsy is being performed and the incident remains under investigation by TWRA. The East Portal at the Y-12 National Security Complex Wednesday, April 20, 2016. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL) SHARE By Frank Munger of the Knoxville News Sentinel OAK RIDGE Consolidated Nuclear Security, the government's managing contractor at the Y-12 and Pantex nuclear weapons plants, confirmed that it has hired more than 650 employees in Fiscal Year 2016, which began Oct. 1. That's more than halfway to a yearlong hiring goal of 1,150 jobs for the two federal installations. "More than 650 people to date have accepted offers from CNS this fiscal year," spokeswoman Ellen Boatner said via email. "We are continuing hiring efforts in order to have the necessary personnel on board to meet mission requirements." The breakdown of new hires by plant was not immediately available, although CNS earlier said it expected about 500 of the 1,150 jobs would be at Y-12 in Oak Ridge. Pantex, a warhead assembly and dismantlement center, is located about 17 miles east of Amarillo, Texas. Work activities at Y-12 have reportedly been made more difficult because some of the newly hired employees don't have security clearances, and it's taking time up to a year in some cases to go through the clearance process. In order to perform work, uncleared workers at Y-12 have to be escorted by employees with clearances to projects in the plant's high-security Protected Area. That has reportedly required some engineers, industrial hygienists or other employees to leave their normal jobs to accompany uncleared workers on their assignments outdoors or elsewhere in the plant. In response to questions, Boatner said, "We are supplementing our subcontractor escort pool with qualified Y-12 employees in order to accomplish the maximum amount of funded projects possible for this fiscal year." There are apparently concerns that if projects funded by congressional appropriations for FY 2016 don't get done in a timely way, the funds may have to be returned to the Treasury. If so, the projects could be further delayed. Meanwhile, CNS is also working to address a "funding imbalance" issue at the plants. Costs for activities funded by overhead spending accounts such as procurement, human resources, and environment safety and health were exceeding projections. And direct-funded work, including the main production missions, were well below anticipated cost levels. The delay in getting new security clearances was reportedly a factor in the funding imbalance. The National Nuclear Security Administration earlier said it hoped to have the issue resolved by the end of the fiscal year, Sept. 30. Asked for an update on the contractor's progress in addressing the problem, Boatner replied by email, "CNS is executing to the plan that was put in place to address the budget imbalance." SHARE Doug Oliver of Nashville lost his most of his eyesight to a hereditary condition, but stem-cell treatment restored his vision. He's now advising U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander on biomedical legislation that could speed up research into treatments and cures for cancer and other diseases. (DOUG OLIVER/SPECIAL TO THE NEWS SENTINEL) By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel WASHINGTON Doug Oliver knows the power of a personal story. People are clearly moved whenever he tells them he was legally blind for years but can see again, thanks to advances in medical technology. If his story can move people, he figures, maybe it can help move legislation through Congress. "I came here with an agenda," Oliver said last week, ahead of a series of meetings with congressional lawmakers. At the top of that agenda: Make sure lawmakers understand the kinds of treatment that restored his vision are available now and could help other people, if only Congress would remove regulatory barriers standing in the way. Oliver, who lives in Nashville, shared his story with more than two dozen lawmakers in hopes it would encourage them to pass comprehensive biomedical legislation that could come up for a vote in the Senate in a few weeks. The bill, championed by U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, would speed approval of drugs and medical devices and boost funding for medical research into treatments and cures for diseases like cancer and the hereditary condition that robbed Oliver of his eyesight. Alexander, who heads the Senate committee that oversees health issues, was so touched by Oliver's story that he asked for his input on the legislation and arranged for Oliver to meet with other senators. "The more senators of either party hear these stories," Alexander said, "the more eager they will be to resolve any remaining differences we have and finish the bill." Oliver, 54, underwent stem-cell treatment in Florida last August to correct a rare form of macular degeneration, an incurable disease that severely impaired the vision in both his eyes. Oliver regained much of his eyesight after taking part in the Stem Cell Ophthalmology Treatment Study, a privately funded, federally approved trial under way at Retinal Associates of South Florida, a clinic near Fort Lauderdale. Last August, doctors used a needle to extract stem cells from Oliver's hip bone, spun them in a centrifuge, and then injected them into the damaged areas of his eyes. The goal was to see whether the stem cells would grow into healthy cells and restore his vision. Almost immediately, Oliver's eyesight started to improve. He's now able to drive for the first time in a decade. As inspiring as his story is, Oliver recognizes there's even greater power in numbers. So he arranged for four other people who underwent the same treatment to join him on Capitol Hill and share their stories with lawmakers. Vanna Belton, a Baltimore restaurant owner who tried everything from herbs and acupuncture to restore her vision, had the stem-cell surgery two years ago and now sees well enough to read her menus. Jennifer Carden of San Diego was stunned when, after undergoing the treatment two years ago, she looked out her window and could see, in the distance, a bug caught in a spider web. Robin Blum of Washington, D.C., lost her job because of poor vision. It's already started to improve even though she had the procedure done just last May. Nine months after she had the treatment, Theresa Taylor's improvement hasn't been as dramatic. But the Burlington, Wis., mother of two still dreams of watching her kids hit a home run without depending on someone else to tell her when they're at bat. "The worst feeling for a mother," she said, "is to hear somebody else cheer for your kid, and you're like, 'What did they do?' " Oliver believes those stories can make a difference if lawmakers will only listen. For several days last week, they did. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, who lost the vision in his right eye in an exercising accident, met with Oliver for an hour and a half. "We had a very personal conversation," Oliver said, declining to offer details. The meeting ended with Reid giving him a bear hug. Other meetings also left Oliver hopeful that his story and the stories of the four other people provided just the spark needed to get the legislation moving. "This might be a fire catching on," he said. The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) SHARE By Anita Wadhwani, USA TODAY NETWORK, The Tennessean WASHINGTON In a ruling that could have direct implications for Tennessee abortion restrictions, the Supreme Court has struck down Texas' widely replicated regulation of abortion clinics in the court's biggest abortion case in nearly a quarter century. The justices voted 5-3 Monday in favor of Texas clinics that protested the regulations as a thinly veiled attempt to make it harder for women to get an abortion in the nation's second-most populous state. Justice Stephen Breyer's majority opinion for the court held that the regulations are medically unnecessary and unconstitutionally limit a woman's right to an abortion. Texas had argued that its 2013 law and subsequent regulations were needed to protect women's health. The rules required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery. Tennessee has two similar laws. In 2012, state lawmakers enacted a requirement that physician performing abortion in Tennessee must obtain hospital admitting privileges. The law forced the closure of the Volunteer Women's Medical Clinic in Knoxville in 2012 after the retired obstetrician who had performed abortions there could not obtain hospital privileges. In 2014, lawmakers passed a law requiring all abortion clinics providing 50 or more surgical abortions to meet the requirements of ambulatory surgical care centers. Both laws are being challenged in federal court by three Tennessee clinics, but the U.S. District Court in Nashville agreed to stay the case proceedings in the case until the Supreme Court ruled on the Texas challenge. "The standards expected to be addressed by the Supreme Court will be critical for developing and evaluating the relevant evidence in this case," lawyers for the state and clinics noted in their joint request for a temporary halt to the proceedings, which was granted by U.S. District Senior Judge Kevin Sharp. The three clinics are also challenging a 2015 Tennessee law requiring a 48-hour waiting period for women obtaining an abortion. The Supreme Court on Monday did not address waiting periods in its decision. The Tennessean is seeking comment from lawyers for the Tennessee Attorney General, which is defending the laws in federal court, and lawyers representing three clinics who filed suit. The clinics are The Women's Center in Nashville and the Bristol Regional Women's Center both owned by the same physician as well at the CHOICES - Memphis Center for Reproductive Health. There are six abortion providers in Tennessee that are required to meet ambulatory surgery center rules, which include a lengthy list of building, medical, staff and inspection specifications. Four clinics were already licensed as ambulatory surgical treatment centers, or ASTC's, before the law went into effect on July 1, 2015. A seventh abortion provider does not perform surgical abortion, instead providing medication abortions, and is not required to be regulated as an ASTC. The Associated Press contributed to this report. More details as they develop at The Tennessean. U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack talks with former heroin addict Chris Overka at a meeting at the Hillsborough County Superior Court, Monday May 9, 2016, in Nashua, N.H., to hear about its drug court program. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) SHARE By Holly Fletcher, USA TODAY NETWORK, The Tennessean The chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture will meet with state and local leaders in the Tennessee-Virginia border region this week as federal agencies look for local partners to combat opioid abuse in hard-hit rural areas across the nation. "There is no silver bullet. I wish there were," Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack said in an interview with The Tennessean. "If there was, wed obviously be focused on it. Federal officials are pushing a multi-pronged strategy that combines treatment, recovery support, economic development and criminal justice reform. Reducing opioid abuse is challenging to health care, government, law enforcement and community officials because it's a public health crisis that crosses socioeconomic boundaries as well as industry and state lines. The Thursday town hall in Abingdon, Va., is one in a series aimed at raising awareness and spurring "creative partnerships" to tackle not only the epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose deaths in Appalachia, but some of the underlying problems that help fuel drug abuse, Vilsack said. As the number of prescriptions has climbed over the past 20 years, so, too, have the deaths. In 2014 overdose deaths hit record numbers across the country, according to the CDC. There were at least 1,263 people who died from overdoses in Tennessee. Rampant opioid addiction, both from prescription painkillers and heroin, raises concerns about increased rates of Hepatitis B as well as increased HIV and Hepatitis C infections. Tennessee, West Virginia and Kentucky are highlighted in recent studies from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Still, Vilsack said that "there is a time and a place for the appropriate use of opioids," "It just can't be as extensive as it has been recently," he said. Vilsack, whose mother struggled with alcohol and prescription painkiller addiction, is leading an initiative, at the request of President Barack Obama, who has rolled out expanded funding for treatment and recovery in the past few months. The effort includes more than a dozen agencies and departments. Vilsack will hold town halls in other areas hard hit, although locations haven't been announced; the USDA said in March that Vilsack would travel to the Appalachia region as well as Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire and Nevada. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe are expected to attend Thursday. The problem in Appalachia is rooted in a variety of factors more far-reaching than access to prescriptions. Alaska and parts of the Southwest and Northeast have rural communities with similar issues. Selling painkillers on the street can be lucrative in areas that have seen job losses. Oxycodone IR can sell for $30 to $40 per pill and Oxycontin about $80 per pill, making it easy for some to net $30,000 a year and, in many cases, more than that, according to Tommy Farmer, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation special agent-in-charge and director of the Tennessee Methamphetamine and Pharmaceutical Task Force. Going to a pain clinic around the first of the month to stock up on pills to take and sell is a "pretty common tactic," Farmer said. "That's what's so crazy about it," he said. "You don't think about prescription drugs having that much street value." Vilsack said establishing a "new natural resources economy," such as a local and regional food system, in the Tennessee-Virginia border area will help revitalize an economically depressed area. The area has a natural resource advantage that could support a biomass industry or new approaches to conservation that creates new streams of revenue for landowners. The appetite for pills has led to an uptick in crime in some areas. A gas station off Interstate 81 in East Tennessee had signs posted last summer warning travelers about the possibility of theft of prescriptions over the border in Virginia. Vilsack said he wants to see "different ways of approaching folks who get crossed with the law" in addition to more treatment centers both brick-and-mortar and telemedicine locations and community resources. States have an "opportunity and responsibility" to upgrade monitoring databases to work across state lines to help clinicians and law enforcement alike track potential abuse, Vilsack said. Access to treatment also is a problem. There are about 2.2 million people across the country with a prescription painkiller addiction but only about half have access to treatment, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said at Meharry Medical College in Nashville last week. In some cases, opioid use may be more about "experiencing a little bit of euphoria and happiness than treating physical pain," Vilsack said, noting the need to raise awareness about the mental health and substance abuse coverage in insurance plans. "The hope here is that we actually improve health outcomes by enabling physicians to focus on the real genesis of the problem as opposed to treating the symptoms effectively. Lets really focus on getting to the core problem," Vilsack said. "Opioids dont always allow us to get to the core problem." Reach Holly Fletcher at 615-259-8287 or on Twitter: @hollyfletcher. The Henry Family, from left, Jimmy Henry, and parents Pat Henry, and Jim Henry are pictured at their Roane County farm on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013. Pat Henry has died, Jim Henry confirmed Monday. (SAUL YOUNG/NEWS SENTINEL) By Dave Boucher, USA TODAY NETWORK, The Tennessean Only a few weeks after the death of his son, the chief of staff to Gov. Bill Haslam is now mourning the death of his wife. Jim Henry confirmed Monday that his wife, Pat, passed away. Public records indicate Mrs. Henry was 70 years old. "Deputy Governor Jim Henry lost his wife of 48 years, Pat Henry, to cancer this morning. Pat was selfless. She spent her life devoted to her family and others and will be sorely missed. Crissy and I are praying for Jim, the Henry family and their many, many friends across the state," Haslam said in a statement Monday morning. Earlier this month the couple's son Jimmy also died. Jimmy was in his early 40s and died of apparent natural causes. The couple's other son, John, died in 2012. According to a 2013 Associated Press report, Mrs. Henry was a trained beautician who worked for 40 years in her own business before retiring. However, Mrs. Henry spent much of her time working with her son John, who suffered from some developmental and physical issues. While Jim Henry served as commissioner of the state Department of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and later at the Department of Children's Services, Mrs. Henry toured the state talking about the importance of the agencies' mission, according to the AP. In 2013, Jim Henry said the speeches were therapeutic for her, and they helped others who were in similar situations. "Jim Henry is a truly great Tennessean who has given much of his life in public service, and most of the rest of it to a business inspired by his and Pat's son, who suffered for years from a debilitating illness. Jim did all of that with a true partner, who supported him every step of the way, and made it possible for him to contribute all that he has contributed to the state," said Tom Ingram, a longtime Republican operative and friend of the Henrys. "In my book, that would make her contribution every bit equal to his." Funeral arrangements are not yet known. Korea's ICT industry is expected to suffer a limited impact from Britain's departure from the European Union in the short term, given its relatively smaller portion against its overall shipment, a senior government official said Monday. Choi Jae-you, vice minister of science, ICT and future planning, pointed out that Britain accounts for merely 0.7 percent of South Korea's ICT-related exports. ICT is an acronym for information and communication technology. The volume of Korea's direct investment into Britain's ICT sector stood at around $300 million between 2000 and 2015, according to the ministry. "In the short term, Brexit will have a limited impact on South Korea's ICT industry," Choi told reporters. But it may have some negative effect in the long haul if instability in the financial market and weaker investor sentiment are protracted, he added. The government will closely monitor conditions for ICT exports in order to take swift and appropriate measures to minimize Brexit's impact, Choi said. Korea shipped 54 percent of its total ICT export goods to China in 2015, 14 percent to Southeast Asian nations, 10 percent to North America and 5.9 percent to the EU. South Korea's main competitors in the global ICT market are China and the U.S., not European countries. (Yonhap) South Korea's tax revenue from the country's gambling industry expanded 4 percent in 2015 from the previous year due largely to increased sales, data showed Monday. According to the data by the National Gambling Control Commission, taxes collected from gambling-related businesses, including casinos and horse race betting, reached 2.42 trillion won ($2.06 billion) last year, compared with 2.32 trillion won a year earlier. Tax revenue from casinos surged 12.1 percent on-year to 478.8 billion won, while that from horse race betting edged up 1.6 percent to 1.45 trillion won. Taxes collected from betting on bicycle racing rose 5.1 percent on-year, with those from bullfights soaring more than 300 percent. Only tax revenue from betting on motorboat racing dropped 0.9 percent. The commission said tax revenue from the gambling sector increased last year as its sales grew 3.1 percent on-year to 20.5 trillion won. Sales of the gambling industry have been on a steady rise over the past year. Last year's sales grew 1.7 times from those in 2006. Industry experts said tax revenue from the gambling industry may decline this year as the government has announced a series of tax increases on betting on horse racing, bicycle racing and motorboat racing. (Yonhap) By Bahk Eun-ji Investigators seized documents and computer files from eight private institutes, or hagwon, this week, following suspicions that the schools leaked test questions from the U.S. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) to students, prosecutors said. Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office said the raid targeted private academies in Gangnam, southern Seoul, that provide SAT lessons to students whose families pay high tuition fees. One of the eight was established by Jeffery Sohn, 42, a well-known instructor who was indicted in January 2012 for leaking SAT questions in 2007. Sohn obtained a copy of the Jan. 27, 2007, SAT test taken in Thailand and uploaded the questions on a web community page, so that his students could prepare answers prior to taking the same test. By Chung Ah-young A high court in Seoul convicted a man of illegally leaking and distributing questions for the Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs) in 2012-2013, Tuesday. Upholding a lower court ruling, the appeals court ordered the man, surnamed Kim, to pay 4 million won in fines and forfeit an additional 4 million won which he had earned through selling the questions. The SAT is a test taken worldwide for college admissions in the United States, owned and administered by Education Testing Service (ETS) of Princeton, New Jersey. ETS prohibits the sharing of test questions or answers. It provides only part of the questions through its authorized channels but no questions may be distributed or reproduced without consent from ETS. Kim purchased the questions from a broker and sold them to lecturers, cram school operators and other brokers from July 2012 to June 2013, gaining some 4 million won. Later that year, the prosecution indicted 22 people including Kim for leaking the questions. The other 21 defendants have been on trial in the lower court. "The lower court ruling seemed light considering Kim's act caused unfavorable results for many Korean students," the court said. "However, such an act was attributed to social problems that many people want to raise their scores within a short period of time through illegal means. So we have upheld the lower court ruling." In 2007, ETS cancelled the scores of some 900 Korean students who took the test in January after suspicions arose that some had illegal access to the questions in advance. Following the repeated leakage scandals, ETS reduced the number of tests from six to four in 2013. By Kim Jae-kyoung China is on alert over North Korea's attempts to forge its bills, as counterfeit Chinese notes are being circulated among travelers and merchants in some cities on the border between the two countries. Experts speculate that North Korea was in the frame as the counterfeiter, citing Kim Jong-un regime's struggles in the wake of recent economic sanctions supported by its closest ally China. According to sources and reports by multiple Chinese media, Beijing suspects that Pyongyang is the origin of fake new 100-yuan bills that have recently been circulated in several Chinese cities, including Shaoxing in Zhejiang Province. Following the report of the fake bills, Hong Kong-based Phoenix Television raised the possibility that the bills could have been distributed by North Korea. Du Ping, a commentator for Phoenix, said that chances are that the isolated country could carry out "something unimaginable" to overcome challenges triggered by international sanctions. The television network pointed out that counterfeiting is one of North Korea's "three killer weapons" along with drug trafficking and nuclear weapons. In mid November, China introduced a new 100-yuan bill with upgraded security features in a bid to fight counterfeiting. The 100-yuan banknote is the largest denomination of the country's currency. Experts say that there are three reasons why Beijing suspects Pyongyang might be behind the circulation of the counterfeit banknotes. First, the repressive country is equipped with world-class counterfeiting technology to manufacture banknotes of advanced countries, including U.S. dollars and Japanese yen; and has a record of currency forgery. A British institution on higher education has selected the Korean city of Ulsan to play host to a summit of Asian universities in March next year, the city government said Monday. The Ulsan regional government in South Korea's southeastern area said THE Asia Universities Summit to be organized by Times Higher Education (THE) will take place from March 14-16 at the University of Ulsan. The conference will bring together heads of leading universities worldwide, as well as Asian universities, government officials and business leaders, who will discuss ways to nurture global leaders, as well as the roles of higher education and universities in the development of future industries. Ulsan and Japan's Tokyo competed to host the event, but an on-site evaluation revealed that Ulsan was the most optimum model of industry-university cooperation, the South Korean city said. The city government also hopes the event will provide an opportunity to show its potential role as an economic hub in the Northeast Asian region. During this year's summit in Hong Kong from June 19-21, over 260 delegates from over 25 countries came together to discuss, network and discover how Asia's universities are changing the global university landscape. (Yonhap) By Jane Han NEW YORK It's been several weeks since the ACT, the most widely used U.S. college entrance exam, was canceled in Korea over a breach of test materials. But Korean parents here are still sweating over candid questions about the notorious cheating culture of Korean students. "It's embarrassing so embarrassing," said Angela Kim, who heads a local group of Asian-American moms of high school students in Manhattan. "People cautiously and politely ask about the details of the test leak scandal in Korea, but no matter how polite, they're basically asking how in the world Korean students found a way to cheat on such a major exam." On June 10, the Iowa-based exam administrator, ACT Inc., canceled the college entrance test at the last minute for thousands of students in South Korea and Hong Kong. Just hours before some 5,500 students were scheduled to take the test, the company said in an emailed statement that they received "credible evidence that test materials intended for administration in these regions have been compromised." This is the first time the ACT test was canceled for an entire country, just as it was the first time in 2013 that Korea was known to be the first case where the SAT, the best-known U.S. college entrance exam and a competitor of the ACT, was called off for an entire country over allegations of widespread cheating. "This isn't an honorable record our mother country is setting," said Kim, mom to a tenth-grade son who plans to take the ACT next year. "Parents who have college-bound children closely follow news related to the SAT and ACT, so this kind of news spreads unbelievably fast." By Kim Da-hee A foreign housemaid has been jailed for 14 months for fraud and violating immigration laws, court said Monday. Seoul Central District Court said the Filipina, 56, defrauded her employer of 244 million won ($203,000) over163 times from January to October 2014. The housemaid, who started her job in January 2014, told her employer how to earn 10 percent monthly interest by lending money to the housemaid's friends. Promising to take full responsibility for collecting interest and principal, the housemaid introduced her friends and other Filipinos in Korea to the employer. But the housemaid spent the money on herself after using names of her friends without their permission. The housemaid, who entered Korea in December 2004, was also found to be staying illegally, because her visa allowed her to stay only 15 days. "The housemaid denied most of the accusations and showed no repentance during the trial," judge said. "The court decided the sentence after considering various factors, including the housemaid's relationship with the victim and motive for the crime." By Jun Ji-hye A 12-member delegation led by Vice Defense Minister Hwang In-moo will visit Cambodia and Laos this week to discuss defense cooperation, the Ministry of National Defense said Monday. The visit is part of the nation's efforts to bolster diplomacy with countries that have been friendly with North Korea to ensure worldwide implementation of the toughest-ever sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on the reclusive state. The delegation left for Cambodia late Monday for a visit until Wednesday, which will be followed by a trip to Laos from Wednesday to Friday. The two Southeast Asian nations have traditionally maintained close ties with North Korea. "Hwang will meet with Cambodia and Laos's senior defense officials and discuss bilateral defense cooperation," the ministry said in a press release. Hwang is the highest ranking South Korean defense ministry official ever to visit the two countries. The delegation comprises working-level officials from Cheong Wa Dae, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as the Ministry of National Defense. During his visit, Hwang will also make a courtesy call to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. "In the talks with senior officials, Hwang plans to request cooperation in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue, including efforts to push for the implementation of UNSC resolutions," the ministry said. Hwang will also meet with senior defense officials in Laos to discuss a wide range of issues, including cooperation in demining, according to the ministry. The latest visit is in line with the nation's broadening diplomatic foray to win over Pyongyang's allies. In May, President Park Geun-hye became the first South Korean leader to visit Iran and Uganda, which have maintained close military ties with the North. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani vowed to support the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula during his summit with Park, May 2, while Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni promised to "disengage" from military cooperation with the North, May 29. In June, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se held the first-ever foreign ministerial talks with his Cuban counterpart, Bruno Rodriguez, in Havana, where Yun expressed Seoul's willingness to establish diplomatic ties with the Caribbean country. The talks broke a decades-long absence of formal diplomatic exchanges between Seoul and Havana. Ties between the two were severed in 1959 when Communist revolutionary Fidel Castro took power and aligned with North Korea. The government apparently expects that improving ties with countries that maintain close relations with the North will further pressure the repressive state, as its international isolation has already deepened following the sanctions. The UNSC imposed the harshest sanctions yet on the Kim Jong-un regime in early March for its fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch in February. Sanctions from major countries including the United States also followed. But the North is showing few sign of giving up its nuclear and ballistic missile program. The regime launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) last week, which was the latest in a series of provocative actions. "The upcoming visits will add to the efforts made by the government following the North's nuclear test," a defense official said on condition of anonymity. Korean women have world's third-highest life expectancy after Japan and Spain. /Courtesy of tvN By Lee Jin-a Korean women have the world's third-longest life expectancy at birth while Korean men rank 18th, a World Health Organization (WHO) study shows. WHO said Korean women's life expectancy was 85.48 years, behind Japan (86.8) and Spain (85.5). In 2012, Korean women ranked seventh. Korean men's life expectancy was 78.8 years. The difference between the genders was the largest in the top 10 countries where women have the longest life expectancy levels. The Chosun Ilbo reported that Korean women generally lived longer than men because men's death rate from cancer was 1.6 times than that of women, and men's deaths from traffic accidents was 2.8 times that of women. The report said Korean men tended to relieve their stress through drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes rather than through exercise. On the other hand, more Korean women tended to do exercises to maintain their body shapes. By Kim Bo-eun Labor and management remain wide apart over the growth rate for minimum wages for next year with the deadline for negotiations due today. The Minimum Wage Council has held weekly plenary sessions for the past month, with the parties unable to narrow down their differences. Today is the deadline with the last session, but major obstacles remain and the deadline is unlikely to be met. Labor representatives have been calling for the minimum wage per hour to be raised to 10,000 won from this year's 6,030 won, a demand supported by many labor and civic groups as well as part-timers. Officials representing management proposed that the minimum wage be frozen. In a mass rally in Seoul, Saturday, Korean Confederation of Trade Unions Vice Chairman Kim Jong-in said, "The minimum wage indicates that it should be sufficient for workers to earn enough to buy bread for their family, so this needs to be at least 10,000 won." However, employers want to keep the wage at the current level. They say the wage hike will not end up with part-timers getting higher wages, and instead result in employers giving up hiring workers. This will in turn reduce jobs for young people, employer representatives said. "If the hourly wage is raised to 10,000 won, I won't be able to afford to hire part-time workers," said Park Jong-tae, 67, who runs a coffee shop in Seoul. The parties are also clashing on the unit of minimum pay. Workers are demanding that contracts outline minimum monthly wages the same way it states minimum hourly wages. This is because workers are entitled to receive extra pay if they work a minimum of 15 hours a week. According to the law, they are granted one paid holiday for five working days. However, if only the minimum hourly wage is marked on the contract, it is likely that employers would avoid providing the extra pay, workers say. In fact, many employers do not provide the extra pay because many workers are not aware such payments exist. It is estimated that the extra pay would amount to around 200,000 won per month, which is why employers are against the idea. "Stating a monthly minimum wage on the contract will cause confusion. The extra pay issue can be solved through the government's education of employers," an employer representative said. The employer representatives also want different minimum wage levels according to the type of job, saying a third of OECD member states have introduced the system. But labor and public sector representatives are opposed to this. President Park Geun-hye speaks at a meeting with her senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae in Seoul, Monday. / AP-Yonhap By Kang Seung-woo President Park Geun-hye called for comprehensive measures, Monday, to cushion negative effects from Britain's vote to leave the European Union. In her first public statement after the Brexit poll, Park also called on the nation to throw its full support behind the government's restructuring and economic recovery plans. "Amid growing uncertainty in global financial markets, the government needs to maintain a watertight crisis management system against possible fallout," Park said during a meeting with her senior secretaries at Cheong Wa Dae. She also asked the administration to take all necessary measures to help stabilize the fluctuating local stock and foreign currency markets. "To minimize the aftermath of a Brexit-spurred financial crisis, we need to run an around-the-clock monitoring system and strengthen cooperation with the international community to ensure that the global market stabilizes quickly," she said. Along with the call for an aggressive response to Brexit, Park stressed that the nation's financial status is strong enough to cushion the shock on the market from the unexpected move. "Currently, the country's fiscal soundness is strong enough to weather shocks from the outside. We should make active efforts to publicize our country's capabilities to counter the latest economic challenge." Don't follow N. Korea Youre aware that Congress passed a reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, right? Good. Federal lawmakers arent slated to do anything nearly as monumental as the Every Student Succeeds Act when it comes to education before the end of this session of Congress. But that doesnt mean all the other K-12 bills are automatically dead in the water. Were not saying any of the following bills are likely to pass Congress. And were not saying President Barack Obama is likely to sign any of these bills. But according to congressional sources and previous reporting we and others have done, here are a few pieces of legislation related to K-12 that might get a whiff of traction before the 115th session of Congress begins early next year. Career and Technical Education Reauthorization of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act is a clear priority for Secretary of Education John B. King Jr., and the Republican chairmen of both congressional education committees, Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., and Rep. John Kline, R-Minn. Both King and Alexander highlighted it in remarks during a National School Boards Association event earlier this month, and King made a pitch for it in March . Perkins, last reauthorized in 2006, funnels over $1 billion into CTE programs at the middle school, high school, and college levels. President Barack Obamas administration has ideas for how to revamp it, such as including measures of CTE mastery and creating better connections to the job market. Theres at least some interest and energy around Perkins in Congress right nowSen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, for example, recently filed a bill to amend the Perkins Act . But Republicans havent shown a lot of enthusiasm towards the Obama administrations ideas regarding Perkins, particularly making part of the program competitive. You should also remember that Perkins reauthorization got some attention from lawmakers back in 2013 . But it came to nothing in that session of Congress. So well see if that enthusiasm near the top of the Washington food chain leads to any action in Congress. Child Nutrition The House education committee approved the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016 back in May. and sent it to the full House for consideration. And back in January, the Senate agriculture committee OKd its own child nutrition bill that covers the National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs. So theres clearly interest on the Hill in this issue. But its not clear exactly how the two bills would be reconciled, if they even got to that stage of the congressional sausage-making process. The Senate measure focuses on loosening nutritional requirements around things like sodium levels and fruit and vegetable servings. But the House version has a different look. Among other things, the House bill would back away from the school nutritional standards pushed by first lady Michelle Obama. But it would also raise the threshold for which schools could offer free meals to all students (a provision known as community eligibility), and bolster income-verification requirements for students seeking free and reduced-price meals. Republicans say the bill would reduce waste as well as fraud in the current school meal programs. But Democrats were upset that the bill would negatively impact thousands of schools. Education Research Then theres the Strengthening Education Through Research Act, or SETRA. Several months ago, this piece of legislation looked like it had decent momentum in Congress. But it has hit the skids. Why? There are concerns among student data-privacy advocates about SETRAs relationship to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. FERPA should be dealt with first, these advocates say, before Congress turns to SETRA, which mentions FERPA in the proposed bill language. Still, there might be enough residual momentum left over and interest from various parties to push SETRA over the finish line, or at least further along in Congress. (In case youre wondering, aside from a March hearing in the House about privacy issues as they relate to educational data, it doesnt seem that theres been much of a spark around FERPA reauthorization.) Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Most recently reauthorized in 2002, the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act has also gotten a look from lawmakers in this congressional session, and might get more attention down the line. Theres a reauthorization bill from Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, that puts a new emphasis on childhood trauma, addresses the detention of juveniles not charged with crimes, and other matters. But in recent months it hasnt gotten a lot of attention. Theres no GOP bill in the house at the moment to reauthorize the law, although Rep. Bobby Scott, D-Va. and the House education committees ranking member, introduced the Youth Justice Act last year that would amend the act. Other factors might give bills addressing the act a bit of a boost. Criminal justice reform in general has gotten a lot of attention from the Obama administration and members of Congress, such as New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., and Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. In fact, on Thursday, the U.S. Department of Education announced the Second Chance Pell program in which Pell Grants would be made available to 12,000 incarcerated individuals for postsecondary and career and technical education. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . Moon Jae-in By Kim Hyo-jin Moon Jae-in, former chairman of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea (MPK), is drawing criticism from the ruling party after he questioned the country's defense capability in a Facebook post, Friday. Moon wrote, "The military is weak and has to rely on U.S. forces. The defense industry is tainted with corruption. This is the harsh reality of the country's defense system under the Park Geun-hye government." Rep. Chung Jin-suk, floor leader of the Saenuri Party, criticized Moon for discouraging the military amid increasing nuclear threats from North Korea. He also said Moon's comments on the nation's military is of particular concern because it was made ahead of the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, which falls on June 25. "Moon, who once hoped to become the country's commander-in-chief, is only looking down on the military, without commenting on North Korea's nuclear provocations," Chung said during a party meeting, Monday. "Also, it's hard to understand that he belittled the military ahead of the commemoration day for the Korean War where he has to comfort and encourage South Korean soldiers." Criticizing Moon for questioning the wartime control in the hands of the U.S., Chung supported the current defense system operated by the ROK-U.S. Combined Forces Command. "The Combined Forces Command is the most efficient and powerful defense system. If a war breaks out, it will engage in a full-scale war with strengthened armed forces," he said. Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, co-leader of the minor opposition People's Party, speaks about a corruption scandal involving party members during a meeting at the National Assembly, Monday. / Yonhap By Kim Hyo-jin Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, co-leader of the minor opposition People's Party, offered a public apology Monday for the ongoing corruption scandal involving some party members that has triggered public doubt about his ethics as well. Ahn also said he will deal sternly with those lawmakers and a party official being accused of taking kickbacks during the April 13 general election, if they are found to have committed wrongdoing. Many see this as a hint that he will expel them from the party. The comments came as the party is struggling to overcome worsening public sentiment. Ahn, a potential candidate in the 2017 presidential race, has been hit hard by the recent scandal, suffering from his lowest-ever approval rating. Whether he will succeed in overcoming the crisis is likely to influence the public's judgment on his qualifications for a presidential bid, say analysts. "I'm deeply sorry for the scandal. I'm making sure that firm action will be taken according to the results of the prosecution's investigation," Ahn said during a party meeting. In line with Ahn, the party's floor leader Rep. Park Jie-won noted that those involved in the scandal could face exceptional punishment including possible expulsion. "The party's regulations state that those indicted by the prosecution shall be suspended from party membership, but given the public's negative sentiment, we're considering measures the party can take the maximum," he said during a radio interview. The People's Party had kept a distance from the corruption scandal, denying that illicit funds were received by the party. But it made a turn on the scandal Monday when it entered a critical stage with two party officials forced to appear at the Prosecutors' office and also at a court on the same day. The Seoul Western District Court is holding a hearing to determine whether to issue an arrest warrant for Wang Ju-hyeon, the party's ex-deputy secretary-general who is charged with accepting illegal political funds. Rep. Park Sun-sook, the former secretary-general, appeared at the prosecutors' office to go through questioning on whether she was involved in her deputy's alleged scheme. The National Election Commission (NEC) had reported Rep. Kim Su-min to the prosecution in early June, charging her with taking hundreds of millions of won in illegal political funds earlier this year. Kim was leading the publicity unit of the party's campaign team at that time. The NEC found that two advertisement companies, which were in charge of the party's campaign promotion in March, transferred a total of 238.2 million won ($203,000) to bank accounts owned by Kim's design company, called Brand Hotel. Kim argued that the money was a payment for her firm's design work done under a subcontract with the two companies but the watchdog believes it was given in the form of a rebate. Kim, who was questioned by the prosecution last week, reportedly said she was ordered by Wang to make a bogus contract form with the advertising companies after the NEC raised questions about their transactions. The U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues will visit South Korea this week for a conference on Pyongyang's human rights record and meetings with senior officials, the State Department said Sunday. Ambassador Robert King will be in Seoul from Monday to Thursday for "a symposium on North Korean human rights issues and regular consultations with senior Republic of Korea officials on a range of human rights and humanitarian issues," the department said in a release. The United States is trying to increase pressure on the North for forging ahead with its nuclear and missile programs even though the U.N. Security Council adopted the strongest-ever sanctions on the regime for its fourth nuclear test. Last week, Pyongyang claimed success in the test-firing of a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile. Even though it was the sixth attempt after five failures, the test showed the North is making progress in its missile program. Sources have said that the U.S could impose additional sanctions on the North over its human rights abuses. The North Korea Sanctions and Policy Enhancement Act, enacted in February, calls for the government to submit a specific report on Pyongyang's human rights abuses within 120 days. Under the law, the State Department could soon announce sanctions blacklisting about 10 North Korean officials for human rights violations, the sources said. (Yonhap) U.S. House lawmakers have introduced a resolution calling for resuming talks with North Korea to uncover and bring home the remains of thousands of American soldiers who went missing during the Korean War from the communist nation. Three Korean War veterans in the House -- Reps. Charles Rangel (D-NY), John Conyers (D-MI) and Sam Johnson (R-TX) -- introduced the resolution Friday on the eve of the 66th anniversary of the war's outbreak, saying the remains of at least 5,300 Americans are believed to be buried in the North. "The House of Representatives calls upon the United States government to resume talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to make substantial progress in the research, investigation, recovery, and identification of missing and unaccounted members of the United States Armed Forces from the Korean War," the resolution said. Between 1954 and 2005, the remains of thousands of Americans were brought home from the North, but such efforts have been suspended since 2005 "despite the fact that the remains of 5,300 out of the total 8,000 unaccounted Korean War veterans are estimated to be in North Korea," the lawmakers said in a joint statement. In 1996, the U.S. and the North launched joint recovery operations and uncovered hundreds of sets of remains before the operations were suspended in 2005 amid high tensions over Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. "I am grateful to my colleagues and fellow Korean War veterans for working together to ensure that we bring these veterans home. This resolution would ensure that the heroic service members of the Korean War are identified and brought back to their loved ones in the United States, where they belong," Rangel said in the statement. /Courtesy of Twitter By Lee Han-soo North Korea is using young students to collect bracken for food, according to Radio Free Asia (RFA), a U.S. government international broadcaster. "North Korea is mobilizing young students to collect bracken," an unidentified source told RFA. "If they don't meet the quota they have to pay for the shortfall in cash." The military is known to use bracken, a type of fern, for food. "The daily quota is one kilogram of dried bracken," the source said. "But to get this amount of dried bracken, about 10 kilograms of raw bracken is needed. "It is nearly impossible to get that much because the fields and mountains are barren just now." The collection of bracken was initially halted when North Korean leader Kim Jong-un came to power. Resumption of the practice has angered and disappointed many people, according to the RFA. By Yi Whan-woo North Korea is suspected of working with international criminal organizations and terrorist groups to circulate counterfeit American and Chinese currencies, North Korean defectors and analysts in Seoul said Monday. They also said the cash-strapped regime may try to expand trafficking networks in drugs, weapons, cigarettes, and counterfeit luxury goods as alternative means to generate hard currency following a series of sanctions against it. "It will be difficult for North Korea to circulate all its super notes on its own without being undetected after printing them on a large scale," said An Chan-il, a defector who is a researcher in charge of the World Institute for North Korea Studies in Seoul. "Its banks may use fake $100s and $50s in domestic transactions with individual customers. But it certainly would need connections with Chinese criminal organizations and Russian mafia to supply the counterfeit dollars en masse abroad." Park Sang-hak, a defector activist, made a similar claim. "Japanese yakuza and terrorist groups in the Middle East, such as the Islamic State may be among those who are circulating North Korea's fake money," he said. Park ran a publications agency under the United Front Department, which handles inter-Korean issues, responsible for the fake currencies. He said high-quality printing machines at the agency are used for the counterfeits in addition to manufacturing anti-Seoul leaflets. Kim Byeong-uk, left, founder and president of the think tank North Korea Development Institute and founder of the 185 Project, poses in his office in Seoul on June 13. Standing next to him is Park Jung-wook, a non-resident fellow of the institute who declined to show her face out of fear for her safety and that of her family. / Korea Times By Kang Hyun-kyung Some 30 North Korean defectors have rolled up their sleeves to create reconstruction plans for their hometowns and help residents improve their lives post-unification. As part of the launch of the 185 Project, named after the number of counties and towns in the totalitarian North, they have collaborated to produce county-specific development strategies that can be used to reconstruct the North when and if the two Koreas are unified. "While studying the reunification of East and West Germany, I thought there are certainly roles that we defectors could play in the reconstruction of North Korea," said Kim Byeong-uk, the founder and president of Seoul-based think tank North Korea Development Institute and founder of the 185 Project. "West Germany spent a lot after the reunification mainly to fill the development gap with East Germany. I think South Korea can cut unification costs if it narrows the development divide with the North. If concrete, area-specific construction plans are in place, it will be easier for the South to reconstruct the North, and this, consequently, will reduce costs." Kim, a former provincial government employee in the North and a holder of a doctoral degree in North Korean studies, said the reconstruction plans should benefit North Koreans. "We want to give the North Korean residents the hope that just as South Korea rose from the ashes of the Korean War to become a powerful economy, they can, too, if the development plans are implemented after reunification." One of the project's current plans is for North Korea's public markets. By analyzing satellite imagery, the project members obtained related information, such as the number and size of existing markets there and the number of people who make their livings in the markets. "We've found 414 markets all across North Korea, which have become an integral part of the North Korean way of life," Kim said. "The number accounts for only legal markets. Given that there are also illegal markets, the actual figure for markets would be higher." North Korean authorities have allowed the year-round public markets since 2003, collecting taxes from vendors there. The final version of 185 Project's public market overview report will be unveiled in late June. In his preview of the forthcoming report, Kim said thriving markets in the North may indicate where the Hermit Kingdom is headed. "Markets have outgrown the communist state, and even its leader, Kim Jong-un, won't be able to stop them," Kim said. "As long as the North Koreans are allowed to make a living through the markets, they won't care much about politics or nuclear weapons. But they won't sit back if the North Korean authorities attempt to suppress market activities because these are their lifeline," he said. In 2009, during the Kim Jong-il regime, the North adopted a set of measures to suppress market activities out of fear that capitalism will spread. But the restrictions didn't lead to the decline of the markets, according to Benjamin Katzett Silberstein, author of the 2015 report "Growth and Geography of Markets in North Korea." He said satellite images do not reveal corresponding decreases in aggregate market size. By Richard Ruffin Like many other bright people, Morley Safer, of 60 Minutes fame, never finished university. That's because he already knew what he wanted to do. And, he was probably more intelligent than his teachers. Or, in this case, had better questions to ask. Morley Safer died recently. He was 84. This journalist was seemingly everywhere at the same time. His reign was the longest in CBS history: nearly five decades as a broadcast journalist at that company alone, amassing a smorgasbord of awards along the way. During his distinguished journalistic career he received 12 Emmys, two Peabodies, three Overseas Press Awards, and one Paul White award from the Radio-News Directors Association. But what really put this Canadian-American journalist in the crosshairs of the Pentagon and forever endeared him to LBJ (sarcasm) and the US government was his documentation of a bunch of US soldiers burning down 150 grass huts in the Vietnamese village of Cam Ne, circa 1965. Before the operation he remembers one of the troops saying that they would be "punishing" the Vietnamese for things that they had done. When he saw the GI's taking zippo lighters to the dry straw on top of so many homes, he knew those were not empty words. After the film of the burning was released, soldiers were told to stop burning villages. Safer incurred the wrath of millions of Americans along the way, but some say that films such as these eventually helped turn the tide against the war. Safer understood for which reasons the GI's threatened to burn down the village, namely its being ground zero for enemy fire (the villagers had been warned several times of the consequences of what would happen if they continued to take shots at the passing US soldiers). However, when on patrol with the group responsible for torching the huts, Safer noticed that one of the GI's had been hit by a bullet in the back, which made him think friendly fire was the principal cause of the conflict, not Vietcong taking potshots at the marines. He reported on what many claim started the Vietnamese War the Gulf of Tonkin incident and after being shot down in a military helicopter while reporting from Vietnam one US general referred to him "as cool as a pig on ice." In all, Safer covered nine wars as a correspondent. What helped end the Vietnam War were the questions that Safer continually raised with his war reporting, namely: Why is America in this war? What are the reasons for this, and cannot this issue be resolved another way? In 1970 Safer started working for 60 Minutes, which he did so until a week before his death on May 19th, 2016. During his distinguished career on 60 Minutes, Safer reported on everything from the seemingly innocent Finnish proclivity for tango dancing, to the more serious issue of falsely accused Americans who were wasting away in jail for crimes that they had not committed. In this case I am speaking specifically of his 1983 story about Lenell Geter, who saw the light of day only after Mr. Safer's piece on false justice had finally been viewed. All along the way, producers at CBS News credited Safer for having "a great eye for stories." Not only did Morley Safer win practically every award there was to give to broadcast journalists, 60 Minutes, of which he was one of the founding fathers, went on to become the most watched and profitable program in news history. Many other journalism greats, like Safer, boarded the CBS train. They include Walter Cronkite, Diane Sawyer, Mike Wallace, Charles Kuralt, Ed Bradley, Dan Rather and Ed Simon, just to name a few. Unfortunately, like Mr. Safer, many of those greats are no longer with us. Safer said that he wished to be "like Hemingway" in his war correspondence. It turns out that he was much more prolific in his journalism, and one could argue much braver as well. Many of us feel that he was never like Ernest Hemingway. He was much better. Richard Ruffin writes from Taiwan. Write to rick_ruffin@yahoo.com. By Michael Breen Several years ago, I met a Methodist minister, jailed for his religion in the North Korean city of Wonsan, who had survived a massacre of prisoners in the opening weeks of the Korean War. This devout man lived a minimalist life in a dingy apartment down by the Han River, slept on a hard floor with a wooden pillow and passed much of his time reading the Bible. He had even taught himself Hebrew. When he told me his story, in English and in excruciating detail, the innocence of his thinking stood out. He had believed at the time that his jailing had been a misunderstanding that would get sorted out provided that he remained virtuous and did not allow fear and anger to color his outlook. And so, that day when the prisoners were herded into trucks and assembled in a long line at the foot of a hill, roped together in groups of four, he remained positive and chatted amiably with his three partners. They got to know one another as the line shuffled up the hillside, stopped, then shuffled forward again. This went on all afternoon. He even remembered their names all those years later. Finally, they reached the mouth of a cave. As his eyes adapted to the gloom, he saw, deeper in the cave, a pile of bodies. Two guards ordered the line of four men in front of him to kneel on the pile, shot them in the head, then called him and his partners forward. "It was only then that I realized that the communists were not our brothers," he said. "I thought the Japanese were the enemy." One of only six survivors out of around 300, he emerged having learned that civil conflict is the most vicious, and that any brotherly love that may have existed between Koreans was lost. Elsewhere in Korea at that time, the same lesson was becoming apparent. Thousands of well-meaning leftists probably had a similar revelation just before they were shot, in similar fashion, by the police and army in South Korea. These horrors explain why the war generation never seemed as anti-Japanese as the post-war generation which had never experienced occupation. They had been through something far worse after the occupation at the hands of their own people. It also helps explain why that generation never saw a chance for reunification without regime change in North Korea. But to young people _ that is, today's under-60s _ their posture is so old-fashioned. Every few years, it seems, new figures who know better step forward to dedicate themselves to reunification, convinced that, if only we are nice to them, the North Korean leadership will respond in kind. It's an understandable desire but has been proven time and time again to be a delusion. Just as we learned there could be no reunification with the son of Kim Il-sung, so it is with his son. And yet the expectation that reunification could come without change in the North does not go away. Why is that? The problem as I see it is that South Koreans, in a very broad sense, have yet to adjust in an explicit way to _ ie, openly acknowledge _ the actual values that underlie their new democratic state. Rather, there is a peculiar adherence to a nonexistent past, to a romantic ethnic nationalism whose basic story is that we Koreans were divided by foreign powers and must reunite and whose core value starts and ends with ethnic identity. But, truth be told, nobody actually wants that Korea. If it were to be realized, all those people demonstrating every day in downtown Seoul about this, that and the other would be swept away for "reeducation." South Korea today bears no relation to old Korea, which was a backward, unpleasant and oppressive place. Just as Japan today bears no relation to the brutal militaristic state of the 1930s, South Korea is no longer what it once was. It is now one of the world's most impressive democracies and, as such, it shares with other democracies, including Japan but excluding North Korea and China, certain values that it will never surrender, such as liberty, equality, justice and the right to choose its leaders, its newspapers, what music it dances to and what careers it pursues. There can be no unification with a state that does not share these values. So, until North Korea changes, I think we have to engage to stop them from going nuts, say all the right liberal things and tie them up with all kinds of giddy projects, but do so with a wink and a nod and know in our hearts that we are just biding our time. Michael Breen is the CEO of Insight Communications Consultants, a public relations company, and author of "The Koreans" and "Kim Jong-il: North Korea's Dear Leader." By Gwynne Dyer "The EU is dying. I hope we've knocked the first brick out of the wall," exulted Nigel Farage, leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party. He proposed that June 23rd, when the British narrowly voted (51.8 percent of the votes) to leave the European Union, should be a new national holiday called Independence Day. But author J.K. Rowling, who wanted Scotland to remain in the United Kingdom and the UK to remain in the EU, tweeted sadly: "Scotland will seek independence now. Cameron's legacy will be breaking up two unions. Neither needed to happen." Soon-to-be-former Prime Minister David Cameron's decision to hold a referendum on Britain's EU membership has assured the dismantling of the United Kingdom. 58 percent of the English voted "Leave", while 62 percent of Scots voted "Remain". It is "democratically unacceptable" for Scotland to be dragged out of the EU by the English, said First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, and a second independence referendum in Scotland is "highly likely". It remains to be seen whether Cameron's historic blunder will also trigger the disintegration of the EU itself, but there are plenty of right-wing nationalists in other EU countries who hope there will be a domino effect. Marine Le Pen, leader of France's Front National, called the UK referendum "a key moment in European history" and said "I hope the French also have a similar exercise." And "Frexit"is just the start. Geert Wilders, whose anti-Muslim, anti-immigration Freedom Party is predicted to win 46 of the 150 seats in the Dutch parliament in next year's election, promised that if he were elected, the Netherlands will hold its own "Nexit" referendum. Italy's anti-immigrant Northern League and the populist 5-Star Movement both called for a referendum on Italian membership of the EU. Today, Amazon officially announced that it is launching a new platform with thousands of free lesson plans, activities, and other instructional materials for teachers . Weve been hearing about this new website, called Amazon Inspire, for some time. As my colleague Michele Molnar wrote in February for EdWeek Market Brief, the site will have many of the same features as the regular Amazon marketplaceusers will be able to add ratings and reviews, choose categories to filter their searches, and get recommendations based on their previous selections. Teachers will also be able to publish materials theyve developed and curate their own collections of resources to share with others. Weve made a commitment that we will never charge for this, Andrew Joseph, the vice president of strategic relations for Amazon Education, told Molnar. The site is currently in beta stage. Organizations such as the Newseum and the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington have been adding instructional resources to the site, along with educators from districts that have been piloting the program. Open Education Resources on the Rise Teachers have shown growing interest in open education resources , or instructional materials that can be freely copied, adapted, and shared. EngageNY , created by New York state, is among the most widely used K-12 OER platforms, and more groups are getting into that space . According to research from Amazon Education, educators report spending 12 hours a week finding and curating instructional materials, A recent study from the RAND corporation found that nearly all math and language arts teachers using the Common Core State Standards are at least somewhat reliant on materials theyve developed or selected themselves. It also found that teachers who are looking for materials tend to turn to sites like Google and Pinterest, which arent necessarily geared toward their needs. Some experts worry that teachers who grab individual lessons from the internet wont provide students with a coherent progression of skills. Amazon Inspire wont likely serve to reduce that worrythough districts could find ways to pull together a coherent curriculum within the platform and share that with teachers. It will be interesting to see how the platform is usedand whether having the Amazon brand affects its popularity. Related: Rep. Park Sun-sook of the minor opposition People's Party appeared before the prosecution in Seoul Monday for questioning about a political funding scandal. Park, who served as the party's secretary general during the April 13 general election, entered the prosecutors' office without answering reporters' questions. Park was the party's third official summoned by prosecutors over the kickback scandal. She is suspected of having falsified campaign expenditure records submitted to the National Election Commission (NEC). The prosecution last week questioned Rep. Kim Su-min, 30, over allegations that she received more than 200 million won in kickbacks from two advertising companies. During questioning, Kim, the youngest lawmaker in the 20th National Assembly, reportedly said she had been forced by Wang Joo-hyeon, the party's former deputy secretary general, to receive the money. On Friday, prosecutors requested an arrest warrant for Wang on charges of asking the two companies to pay advertising costs to Brand Hotel, a start-up design company founded by Rep. Kim, instead of the People's Party. These two firms allegedly signed fake contracts with Brand Hotel, which was selected to promote the party's campaign during the election. The prosecution's probe of the kickback scandal began at the request of the election watchdog earlier this month. The People's Party has consistently denied that it was aware of the case. It is going to take time before the truth comes to light, but what has been revealed so far is significant enough to disappoint the people who have pinned their hopes on the third-largest party. After the suspicions arose, the People's Party conducted its internal investigation. But it concluded hastily last week that it did not find any signs that money was funneled into the party without questioning the three allegedly involved directly. The party shouldn't have handled the case so loosely though. This is about a possible fraud case targeting tax money as well as the violation of a law governing election funds. If the suspicions prove to be true, supporters for the nascent party cannot help but feel betrayed. The scandal is certain to taint the image of the People's Party, which won 38 seats in the April polls by promising new and clean politics. Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo, the party's co-leader, on Monday offered an apology for the scandal again and vowed to take "strict and stern action." But that's not enough. Even now he should give a full account of what has occurred so far and suggest remedial measures so new politics can be carried out with actions, not words. Seoul shouldn't be meek about dirty proliferation Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se shouldn't have been meek about dirty connections between North Korea and Pakistan for mutually reinforcing their nuclear weapons programs. "The states involved should have to explain what they're doing and why," Yun told the National Assembly last week. "But I believe they will deny any and all allegations." As predicted by Yun, Pakistan denied them. Considering Pakistan's historic ties for proliferation, Seoul should demand Karachi fully explain its deadly trade with the North by calling in its ambassador here as a first step. Also, it should get the United Nations to conduct an investigation, since what they are doing could be a direct and flagrant violation of the current toughest-ever U.N. sanctions against the North for its nuclear and missile tests. For a situation of this gravity, Yun sounded as if he was a bystander in the matter that is directly involved in the nation's top diplomatic priority winding down Pyongyang's nuclear program. If he is overwhelmed by his recent busy schedule, he should think about passing the baton to somebody else, considering the gravity of the affair, or if there are other circumstances that prevent a more forceful reaction, he owes the nation an explanation. According to media outlets in India, Pakistan supplied the North with materials that are connected to the development of nuclear and missile technologies. They included Monel and Inconel, alloys that are critical in the making of nuclear bombs. China's Beijing Suntech Technology had supplied these materials to Pakistan, which sent them to the North by ship. The United States had reportedly tracked the shipments. A forceful reaction by Seoul is called for more urgently than at any other time for a couple of reasons. First, the North is passing the critical stage of "perfecting" its mid- and long-range ballistic missiles with the acquisition of the Pakistani supplies making or breaking its end run to becoming a nuclear state. The North achieved its first successful test of the Musudan missile, renamed "Hwasong 10," after five previous failed attempts. This missile could be developed for mobile and submarine launches to strike not just the South but also U.S. bases in Guam. This comes after the North's attempts to miniaturize nuclear payloads. In other words, the Pakistan-North Korea trade is not just strengthening the North's immediate threat against Seoul but increasing the possibility of turning the Korean Peninsula into an international nuclear battlefield by provoking Washington and provoking Japan into a nuclear arms race. Secondly, allowing this deal to go unpunished means a major setback to the elaborate efforts to isolate the North from the rest of the world, peaking with the U.N. sanctions. Already, there is growing skepticism about the effectiveness of the pressure tactic against Pyongyang, with China and Russia getting on board, if only reluctantly. The Pakistani deal could prove to be the first crack that leads to the debacle of the international effort to stem further progress in the North's nuclear programs. Thirdly, China should be held accountable for its deals with Pakistan, especially whether it used Pakistan as a midpoint for the goods destined for Pyongyang. If so, it would mean Beijing violated the sanctions it signed, risking its reputation as a global power. Now, parties involved Pyongyang, Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow are no doubt looking to Seoul on how it is reacting. Yun's meek reaction can only give them the wrong signal that Seoul couldn't care less. K-water Vice President Lee Hak-soo, fifth from right, poses with the K-water Supporters in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, May 27. A group of 200 K-water Supporters are promoting the state-run firm's water-related campaigns for four months until the end of September. / Courtesy of K-water By Lee Min-hyung The Korea Water Resources Corp. (K-water) is seeking to raise awareness of its water management initiatives through a special internship program for university students. A group of 200 so-called "K-water Supporters" will promote the state-run firm's wide range of water-related campaigns including "smart water management" and "safe tap water," the state-run company said Monday. K-water held an opening ceremony for the program late last month, with the participants set to introduce the firm's major businesses to the public until the end of September, according to the company. "We are going to actively accept their ideas and incorporate them to help deal with climate change," K-water Vice President Lee Hak-soo said in a statement. The annual supporters program started in 2007, with more than 1,600 accumulated students participating as of last year, the company said. For this year, 1,400 students from 118 local universities applied for the K-water Supporters program, 200 of which were selected last month. Those who showed outstanding performance will be given an opportunity to take part in a K-water overseas corporate social responsibility (CSR) program to be held in Mongolia and Laos later this year, according to the company. Kim Yoo-ra, who joined the company after completing the program, said: "I decided to enter the company after becoming more interested in water issues through various experiences I had during the K-water program." By Yoon Sung-won Samsung SDS said Monday it is looking to participate in the Seoul Metropolitan Government's (SMG) cloud data center establishment project. the Samsung affiliate will be competing with LG CNS and SK Holdings C&C, despite undergoing internal disturbance in dividing its key logistics business. Expectations are high as this is the first government project regarding the latest network technologies combining big data, mobile, cloud and the Internet of Things that is accepting bids from conglomerates. "We are reviewing the feasibility and profitability of bidding for the deal," a Samsung SDS spokesman said. SMG has said it will invest 11.5 billion won in building a cloud data center at the S Flex Center in Sangam-dong, western Seoul. In this project, the city administration said it will replace outdated network equipment with new x86 servers and integrate five network offices, which have been separated in Seoul, into one place through cloud technology. It will also establish an integrated security control system. The metropolitan government said it will foster the new cloud data center as a hub to transform its old hardware network infrastructure into x86-based cloud systems by 2020. The city administration said it will close the bidding by the end of this month. The system integration affiliates of Samsung, LG and SK had competed to win the bid for the National Tax Service's 230 billion won project to establish the next-generation system in 2012. Samsung SDS had managed to win a bid for a stake in the project that time. But in 2013, as the government revised the law to limit conglomerates in joining in public IT projects, aiming at promoting smaller businesses in the IT service sector, Samsung SDS has withdrawn from public and financial SI service sectors and did not bid for a non-Samsung project since then. With the company's rare move to bid for a public project, suggestions are that it is mulling over restarting to seek business opportunities in public and financial IT service sectors outside the Samsung group, as a part of the preparations for its restructuring and to compensate for the division of logistics business. Samsung SDS, however, denied that the bidding for the Seoul government's cloud data center project is relevant to its restructuring plans. "We are considering the bidding as a way to make use of our technologies and IT services in the public and financial sectors," the Samsung SDS spokesman said. He also said the company does not plan to expand its SI business. "We are seeking for a part of the project by providing IT solution services," the spokesman said. "We would have not considered the bidding if the project was about establishing a system or infrastructure as a whole." /Courtesy of Twitter By Lee Han-soo After Britons voted to "leave" the European Union on Friday, other nations and states in the U.S. are also planning to leave their unions, according to the Associated Press and other media outlets. The Slovakia National Party (SNS) issued a statement that it would organize a petition seeking a national vote for "Slexit" this week, according to DPA news, a German news agency. The petition needs at least 350,000 signatures. "This is the perfect time to abandon the sinking ship, which is the EU," SNS leader Andrej Danko was quoted as saying by DPA. Prime Minister Robert Fico has asked Slovakians not to sign the petition on the grounds that Slovakia is due to take up the presidency of the EU Council next month. Meanwhile, separatists in the American states of Texas and California are also arguing for a vote to leave the U.S. "Texas separatists welcoming Brexit have requested a vote for Texit to the Texas governor," the Associated Press reported. Separatists say that Texas, which was once independent, has an abundance of natural resources and could thrive outside of the U.S. Louis Marinelli, leader of the "Yes California Independence Campaign," also said he would push ahead with a similar voting procedure as Brexit to make California independent. GOT7's 'Fly Tour' landed in Singapore's Suntec City Convention Centre on 24 June 2016. It is their much-anticipated first full-length concert in Singapore, after visiting Singapore thrice previously for fanmeetings and promotional activities. GOT7 consists of 7 members, leader JB, Junior, Youngjae, Jackson, Mark, BamBam and Yugyeom. GOT7 started the concert with 'Put Your Hands Up', dressed in black and shining silver suits. They hyped up the 4,500 fans with crowd favorites like 'Girls Girls Girls', 'A' and 'Magnetic'. A platform in the middle of the front extension stage rose up during 'This Star', bringing GOT7 closer to the fans who are seated behind. True to their roots as a multi-national boy band, GOT7 interacted with their fans directly by speaking English. BamBam introduced the concept behind their 'Fly Tour', he said "I practiced this (English speech) for two days, the concept is, we are going to fly to all over the world to meet our fans. We have flown to Bangkok, Tokyo, Osaka, today finally we fly to Singapore!" Moving on to the special sub-unit stages, a white piano appears onstage, with Youngjae playing the piano in the beginning of '1:31AM', a duet with JB. This song was named '1:31AM' as it was the time when they composed it. They took turns to hit the long, high notes, which sounded amazing. Junior and Mark performed 'Higher', a song that fits the theme of 'Fly Tour' well. Junior wore a bright blue suit and Mark wore a pink suit, as they sang the lyrics "Take me higher, higher, higher", the fans in the standing pen got more high and danced along. BamBam, Jackson and Yugyeom started their 'We Only Live Once' performance while seated on futuristic throne seats. When the music tempo changed, they started dancing as Jackson rapped in his husky voice. The popular phrase is 'You Only Live Once (YOLO)', Jackson jokingly said the reason they changed it to 'We Only Live Once' is due to copyright. After screening a hilarious video on how GOT7 learnt the essence of girl group dances from Lee Guk Joo, a Korean comedian, the segment on girl group songs begun. Junior, Mark and Youngjae took the stage with 'Me Gustas Tu' (originally by GFriend); they had their own style of dancing, which was a mixture of cuteness and oddness. As they donned wigs and purple dresses, they executed cute dance moves in a strong style, which did not quite fit in with their newly minted "girl" image. This contrast made cross-dressing boy bands fun to watch and fans clearly enjoyed every minute of it. Joining the cross dressing party with 'Dumb Dumb' (originally by Red Velvet), BamBam, Jackson, JB and Yugyeom danced enthusiastically while wearing red-white dresses. They changed part of the lyrics and dance moves. BamBam teased fans by asking "Are we cute? Are we pretty? Are we sexy?" Both girl group teams later combined to perform 'Hooked'. A funny moment arose when the talkative Jackson spoke a little too fast and got their song name wrongly, "My favorite song is 'I Can't'." Mark replied, "Wait, the song is called 'Can't'. Jackson attempted to cover up his mistake, "No no I meant I love 'Can't', so I, paused (silent pause means love) 'Can't'. We trust quick-witted Jackson to come up with brilliant ways to explain himself. GOT7 performed a series of new songs from their recent album 'Flight Log: Departure', 'Fly', 'Home Run' and 'See The Light'. When Mark shared the sad news of 'the show is coming to an end." Fans screamed "NOOOO!" Jackson asked, "Do you want to start from the beginning?" Mark shouted, "Let's rewind!" and started their performance of 'Rewind'. There was an interactive segment called 'Spin The Wheel', the camera will zoom in on enthusiastic fans and the chosen fans were asked to dance along to GOT7's songs. Although GOT7 members were not onstage, they were viewing it backstage and fans could hear their live commentary. Before the encore stage, GOT7 members expressed their heartfelt gratitude in English. Mark said, " Thank you for coming today. Get home safe, guys, until the next time we meet each other, stay healthy and take care of yourselves. We will be back soon!" Jackson continued, "As Mark said we are going to be back soon, maybe for a fanmeeting, maybe for another concert, or maybe for a visit in YOUR HOUSE! Singapore is great, Sentosa, Night Safari (both are tourists attractions in Singapore) are great, but you know what's better than that? It's YOU!" JB said earnestly, "Please always be by my side." BamBam expressed his love for Singapore by saying "I might come back here with my family for a vacation." Junior asked fans, "You guys promise me that you love only GOT7. Promise?" Youngjae tried his best to speak English, "Today is very very funny, I am so very happy and in Singapore so hot. You guys are so hot people. I'll be back." He sang 2PM's 'I'll Be Back', on a whim, while Mark and Jackson started dancing. Not forgetting to promote their K-Live hologram show in Resort World Sentosa, Mark announced, "If you guys want to see us again, you can watch the hologram concert." As GOT7 members gave their word that they will be back, we look forward to seeing them again in Singapore! 'Fly Tour' continues with the North America concerts, which will kickoff in Dallas on 1st July and end in Los Angeles on 11th July 2016. Special thanks to ONE PRODUCTION for inviting KpopStarz.com to cover GOT7 1st Concert Fly in Singapore. Writer: Ashley Ngo | Photo Credits: ONE Production / Marcus Lin Setlist: 1) Hands 2) Turn up the music 3) Girls Girls Girls 4) Back to Me 5) A 6) Magnetic 7) This Star 8) Playground 9) Can't 10) I Like You 11) 1.31am 12) Higher 13) I love it _ Wolo 14) Me Gustas Tu 15) Dumb Dumb 16) Hooked 17) Fly 18) Homerun 19) See the light 20) Just right 21) Rewind 22) Stop stop it 23) If you do 24) Confession 25) If only (JJ Lin) 26) Follow me 27) Bounce 28) Fly (Remix) 29) Before the full moon rises Since taking office, Aung San Suu Kyi, who serves as State Counselor, a newly created position that is considered to be above the president, and her cabinet colleagues have said very little publicly about the drug issue in general or the new governments drug policies. The issue is of major significance as Burma is the worlds second largest producer of opium and also a major producer of methamphetamines (known as Yaba in Thailand or Yama in Burma). Although much of Burmas drug production is exported to the rest of Asia, a large amount is destined for the countrys domestic market, where the devastating results can clearly be seen. Northern Burma, in particular Shan and Kachin States, have for a number year been beset by a serious and widespread drug crisis fueled by an abundance of cheap and readily available heroin and amphetamines. Though hard data remains scarce and unreliable, anecdotal evidence suggests that large numbers of young people in northern Burma, particularly those from ethnic minorities, are dying every year due to drug overdoses and drug related illnesses such as Hepatitis C and HIV. Despite the urgency of the problem, existing treatment programs, particularly in ethnic areas, remain woefully inadequate. A result of years of government inaction and chronic underfunding of the countrys health system. Furthermore the current legal regulations, in particular the 1993 Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Law which heavily penalize users for having small amounts of drugs, are widely considered to have undermined efforts to treat drug users. Leaving many users languishing in decrepit prisons serving long sentences, where drugs can be found in abundance. Opium and its refined form, heroin, have a long history in Burma and in Shan State, which by some estimates is thought to be currently producing 95% of South East Asias opium supply. In 1999, the then ruling military regime declared a 15-year master plan to make Burma opium-free. As many regime critics predicted at the time, this ambitious plan was unsuccessful. Rather than going down over this period overall opium production is widely believed to have increased, perhaps by as much as 50%. According to estimates from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) between the years 2006 and 2013, Burmas share of the world market of illicit opium increased from 5 to 25 percent. In October 2012, the government of then President Thein Sein, announced that it was extending the deadline to eradicate opium to 2019. Whether Aung San Suu Kyis new government will continue to aim for this deadline, or ignore it altogether remains to be seen. The Burmese governments drug policy has for many years been shaped by the military which until very recently dominated the day to day running of the country. These policies have been described by one expert, Tom Kramer, of the Transnational Institute (TNI), an Amsterdam based NGO, as repressive and outdated, with an ineffective focus on arresting drug users and eradicating poppy fields Those like Kramer, who advocate for a change in direction of Burmas policies, have emphasized that the government should prioritize policies aimed at providing more treatment for users and increase harm reduction methods such as needle exchanges that are aimed at reducing the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C amongst intravenous drug users. They have also called for a shift from the poppy eradication efforts to alternative forms of development that would lessen small scale farmers reliance on poppy production over time. Despite the fact that the government is now headed by a civilian government, any proposed change in the countrys drug policy that the NLD may want to bring about will ultimately be heavily determined by the military, whose continued over the Ministry of Home Affairs and thus the police, is enshrined in the constitution. Further complicating matters, the military and many of its militia allies have been themselves repeatedly implicated in the drug trade. As British scholar Patrick Meehan recently wrote, in an essay published by the East Asia Forum, this has been particularly clear in Shan State. Taxing farmers, traders and traffickers became a means through which army units stationed across Shan State financed themselves in accordance with demands from central command that they live off the land, rather than rely on the central supply system. The US State Departments International Narcotics Control Strategy Report signaled out the previous military regime in 2007 for its failure to investigate and prosecute senior military officials for drug-related corruption. Today some nine years later there is little evidence that the governments appetite to probe these kinds of allegations has changed in any meaningful way. Opium poppy cultivation in the Golden Triangle stabilized in 2015 at high levels. Photo: UNODC Opium growers call for change in policy: As Burma has opened politically over the past few years, some opium farmers in Burma have organized to advocate for their rights and joined international efforts at decriminalization. Speaking at a UN summit on the drug issue earlier this year, Dr Nang Pann Ei Kham, a coordinator from the Drug Policy Advocacy Group, read out a statement on behalf of Burmese opium farmers who are calling for a change in Burmas drug policy. The following is an excerpt from Dr Nang Pann Ei Khams speech delivered on behalf of Burmese opium farmers. We grow crops because of financial need, most of us are poor and strive for survival, we are struggling against financial barriers and problems. We use opium as a medicine and it is part of our traditional livelihood. We believe it protects us from evil and brings good luck. We demand respect for our traditional lifestyle and are not criminals. We are now threatened with forced eradication which would cause us to fall into debt as we sell our crops before growing them. We require services that are currently lacking. Very few of us have so far benefited from AD programs [Alternative Development]. These should be designed with our help. We want the UNGASS [UN General Assembly Special Session] to result in an end to the treatment of farmers as criminals. Please improve development programs with our support and to support us. Dr Nang Pann Ei Khams comments were well received by the co-chair of the session she was speaking on Peruvian President Humala who noted the similarities with his own country. Just like coca in our country, opium is not used traditionally only for drugs but for many other purposes, Humala said in response to Dr Nang Pann Ei Khams speech. The current drug situation in Shan state: UN estimates Many in the international community rely on figures provided by the UNODC for opium poppy cultivation in Burma and the media often report on the UNODCs drug estimates figures, though there continues to be questions about how reliable and accurate these figures are. According to the UNODC Burmas opium crop in 2015 remained stable for the third consecutive year. The UNODC estimates that Burma had 55,500 hectares of poppies under cultivation in 2015, most of this is said to be in Shan State. According to the UNODC in 2015 Shan State continued to be the main area for Burmas opium and heroin trade, being host to an estimated 91 per cent of the Golden Triangles opium production[1]. UNODC obtains much of the information needed to make its estimates on opium production and other drug related data from the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), a practice that has its critics who question the reliability of the figures that UNODC cites. For example a 2010 report published by the Palaung Womens Organization (PWO) took the UNODC to task for its data collection methods. PWO assessments have documented that the actual area of opium cultivation in Northern Shan State is much higher than the area given by the UNODC in their recent opium surveys. During the 2008-9 season, the acreage found by PWO for only two townships out of the total of 23 townships in Northern Shan State was nearly three times the total recorded by UNODC for all the 23 townships, reads the PWO report Poisoned Hills. The UNODCs latest report also published figures provided by the Burmese government on the governments poppy eradication efforts and opium seizures, something it does every year. The governments figures claim that 13,450 hectares of poppies were destroyed in the 2015 season. But as UNODC acknowledged in its report the UN agency did not monitor or validate the results of the eradication campaign or seizures carried out by GOUM [Government of the Union of Myanmar]. Leaving many questions about the reliability of the governments self reported figures. Burma Army raided a Shan drug treatment center in Zerngtai village, Muse Township on March 20, 2016. Recent Army raid in Shan State on treatment center: Burma Army raided a Shan drug treatment center in Zerngtai village, Muse Township on March 20, 2016. Just days after the NLD government took office in March, army soldiers in Shan State raided a long running drug rehabilitation center in Muse Township near the Chinese border. The raid on the respected drug treatment center, raises many questions about the ability of such centers to operate independently and give drug addicts the treatment they need. Under the auspice of arresting those involved in the drug trade, soldiers detained 72 people, most of whom were patients at the facility, according to interviews conducted by SHAN. According to a volunteer at the center which is located in Zerngtai village, more than 50 soldiers from the Burma Armys Division 88 were involved in the raid. Those arrested included Sai Chit Ngwe, head of the rehabilitation center who is also the headman of a nearby village known as Village 19. Another person detained at the center was Sai Sarm Bee, the headman of village tract No. 3 and Sai Ai Aung, the headman of Zerngtai village tract. This center is a rehabilitation center. The people living here were brought to treat their illness, said a volunteer at the center. We do not produce any drugs. We only make paper, he said: a reference to Ghost Money used in traditional Chinese funerals. Despite conflict in Shan State drugs readily available and cheap: Drug dealers and users were arrested in northern Shan States Lashio Township on May 4, 2016. People in Shan state report that despite the onset of heavy fighting over the past year, heroin and amphetamines continue to be easily available in much of the state. The fighting between ethnic armed groups and government forces, and also between ethnic armed groups, has displaced thousands of refugees over the past year, and disrupted trade and other economic activities. Despite the upheaval in much of northern Shan State the price of drugs on the street does not appear to have changed significantly and in some areas has in fact decreased in price. Though prices and quality of drugs across the state vary significantly; low quality methamphetamine pills can be usually bought for as little as 1,500 Kyats ($ 1.27) with better quality pills available, at slightly higher prices of between 2,500 to 3,000 Kyats ($2.12- 2.55). Heroin is often easier to obtain in villages and towns than opium which has compelled many long term opium users to switch to heroin. Much of the heroin available in Shan State and northern Burma overall is far from pure and has been diluted by drug sellers with chemicals. Long time heroin users also say that heroin bought on the streets these days is far weaker than in the past, likely a result of dealers and distributors attempts to increase their profits. John Quiggin (previously) delivers some of the most salient commentary on the Brexit vote and how it fits in with Syriza, Podemos, Jeremy Corbyn, Bernie Sanders (etc) as well as Trump, French neo-fascists, and other hypernationalist movements. The core of this analysis is that while neoliberalism(s) (Quiggin argues that US and non-US neoliberalism are different things) has failed the majority of the world, and while things were falling apart after the financial crisis, the left failed to offer real alternatives. The "tribalist" movements Trump, Leave, Golden Dawn, etc are anti-neoliberal, but in the absence of any analysis, have lashed out at immigrants (rather than bankers and financial elites) as the responsible parties for their suffering. The US political system gives us a choice between neoliberals who hate brown people, women, and gay people; and neoliberals who don't. Trump offers an anti-neoliberal choice (and so did the Leave campaign). Bernie also offered an anti-neoliberal platform (one that didn't hate brown people, women, and lgtbq people), but didn't carry the day meaning that the upcoming US election is going to be a choice between neoliberalism (but tolerance) and anti-neoliberalism (and bigotry). This is a dangerous situation, as the UK has discovered. The vote for Britain as a whole was quite close. But a closer look reveals an even bigger win for tribalism than the aggregate results suggest. The version of tribalism offered in the Leave campaign was specifically English. Unsurprisingly, it did not appeal to Scottish or Irish voters who rejected it out of hand. Looking at England alone, however, Leave won comfortably with 53 per cent of the vote and was supported almost everywhere outside London, a city more dependent than any other in the world on the global financial system. Given the framing of the campaign, the choice for the left was, even more than usually, to pick the lesser of very different evils. Voting for Remain involved acquiescence in austerity and an overgrown and bloated financial system, both in the UK and Europe. The Leave campaign relied more and more on coded, and then overt, appeals to racism and bigotry, symbolised by the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox, stabbed to death by a neo-Nazi with ties to extreme tribalist organizations in both the UK and US. The result was a tepid endorsement of Remain, which secured the support of around 70 per cent of Labour voters, but did little to shift the sentiment of the broader public. The big problem for the tribalists is that, although their program has now been endorsed by the voters, it does not offer a solution to the economic decline against which most of their supporters were protesting. Indeed, while the catastrophic scenarios pushed by the Remain campaign are probably overblown, the process of renegotiating economic relationships with the rest of the world will almost certainly involve a substantial period of economic stagnation. The terms offered by the EU for the maintenance of anything like existing market access will almost certainly include maintenance of the status quo on immigration. In the absence of a humiliating capitulation by the new pro-Brexit government, that will mean that Britain (or England) will face a long and painful process of adjustment. Reaping the Whirlwind [John Quiggin/Crooked Timber] (Image: Pete Smith) The Leave campaign's old homepage, which once linked to screen after screen of promises about the UK's bright future out of the EU, is now just a static banner, with no way to navigate to those pages. The old pages are still up though, and there's also a cached copy at the Internet Archive. Immediately after the Brexit results came in, the pro-Leave side began to backtrack on their extravagant promises about social spending, limits on migration, and glitter ponies for everyone. "On 23 June, it's safer to Vote Leave and take back control," the subhead on the website used to say. "We should stop sending 350 million per week to unelected politicians in Brussels, and spend our money on our priorities, like the NHS." This particular claim about using savings made by withdrawing from the EU to fund the UK's health system has been front and centre of team leave's campaign, and was most famously plastered across the official campaign bus. It has also attracted negative attention this weekend, as it became clear that the 350 million reclaimed from the EU would not in fact be spent on the UK's National Health Service. VoteLeaveTakeControl.org [Current site] VoteLeaveTakeControl.org [Archive.org mirror as of May 20, 2016] Brexit 'Leave' campaign wipes website amid accusations of false promises [Cnet] China's Propaganda Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party (in English, "Publicity Department") spends $10B/year only part of its budget getting the official Chinese party line into foreign news outlets, with the rest of its activity directed internally, at government communications discipline and media censorship. However, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection the party's enforcers for loyalty, ideological correctness, and honesty/anti-corruption has publicly denounced the Publicity Department for its lack of "depth in its research into developing contemporary Chinese Marxism," for being "not forceful enough in co-ordinating ideological and political work at universities" and failing "to implement the principle of the party managing the media." The Publicity Department is something of a kingmaker in Chinese politics, and is not customarily the target of this kind of public criticism. It's not clear why the two bodies are at war. The Economist offers a few theories by way of informed speculation: one is that President Xi is unhappy that the Publicity Department is constructing a "personality cult" around him; another is that the leaders of the Publicity Department and the CCDI are playing out an old rivalry dating to their boyhoods in the Communist Youth League, where they battled over their views on "princelings" (children of ranking Communists" versus those who came up through the rank and file. If it's the latter, it's eerily reminiscent of one theory about Brexit: that PM David Cameron and former London Mayor Boris Johnson were fighting an old battle with its origins in their Eton schoolboy days. Leaguers are falling foul of the anti-graft campaign to an extent that can hardly be coincidental. In late May and early June, the CCDI and the country's chief prosecutors placed under investigation or indicted three allies of Vice-President Li Yuanchao, who was once one of the league's most senior figures. Just before that, a court in the northern port city of Tianjin charged Ling Jihua with bribery, after a year-long investigation by the CCDI. Mr Ling had been a senior member of the league, and had served as chief aide to Mr Hu when he was president. The Publicity Department is fighting its corner. Earlier this year it targeted Ren Zhiqiang, an outspoken property magnate and ally of the CCDI's boss, Wang Qishan (who was his tutor in high school). Mr Ren had criticised efforts to tighten control of the media. By denouncing him, the Publicity Department could claim to be carrying out Mr Xi's policies while simultaneously attacking a friend of Mr Wang, whose commission's report was so damning. Who draws the party line? [Economist] (Image: headquarters of Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, N509FZ, CC-BY-SA) The SLFP does not condone the continuation of the Emergency Regulations (The Public Security Ordinance) more than a day necessary Read more Recently in the LA fashion district. Photo: LA Observed. When the San Francisco Bay Area news media flood the zone with homeless coverage on Wednesday, some Los Angeles area media outlets will also join in. I'm told that public radio stations KCRW and KPCC and the Southern California News Group newspapers will all run homeless coverage on Wednesday, June 29. That's the day when about 70 media organizations in the San Francisco area, including TV, radio, web and print, will report on the homeless problem there. In the Los Angeles area, says KCRW program director Gary Scott, "the goal is to concentrate the coverage we all do on a regular basis looking at the problem of homelessness. The project in San Francisco gave us a chance to work together, something we don't often do, to put an exclamation point on the fact that we aren't just covering this stuff to bring people frustrating facts but to truly inform them." I don't know which other LA news orgs were asked to take part. Up north, the SF Homeless Project released a letter to the city informing readers, listeners and watchers about what's up. The effort was led by San Francisco Chronicle editor in chief Audrey Cooper and KQED. When I posted about it in May, the effort had about 30 participants. The list has grown. The 1935 LA Times building is in the foreground, at 1st and Spring. To the rear left, at 2nd and Spring, is the 1948 Mirror building. The 1970s Times Mirror wing, at 1st and Broadway, is what would be demolished. Photo: LA Observed. The pending sale of the Los Angeles Times headquarters at 1st and Spring streets is for about $120 million, the Los Angeles Business Journal reports. The new owner, Canada's Onni Group, intends to demolish the newest and least historically interesting of the major buildings on the site and build residences, the LABJ says based on "sources familiar with its plan." That is the 1970s building on the corner of 1st and Broadway that housed the corporate headquarters of Times Mirror before the LAT's parent company was swallowed up by Tribune around 2000. A Bank of America branch is on the ground floor of this building, which was designed by architect William L. Pereira's firm. The original six-story Times building at 1st and Spring, designed by architect Gordon B. Kaufmann and opened in 1935, would be redeveloped into commercial offices and retail, along with the 10-story, 1948 Rowland H. Crawford structure at the corner of 2nd and Spring that was known as the Mirror building. That name traces to when the building at 2nd Street was the home of the Los Angeles Mirror, before that evening newspaper was killed by the Times in January 1962. A couple of days later, the Hearst Corp. killed its morning paper in Los Angeles, the Examiner, and morphed its evening Herald-Express into the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. The Chandlers who owned the Times got the morning, and Hearst got the afternoon. The Her Ex lasted until 1989 and the Times is still going. The 1st Street facade of the 1935 Times building includes limestone sculptures on a newspaper theme by Robert Merrell Gage. Inside the Times' Globe Lobby are 10-foot high murals by iconic LA muralist Hugo Ballin also portraying newspaper and Los Angeles history scenes. The Ballin murals were once covered by the Times, but were restored by the paper in 1990. I don't believe that any of the Times buildings or artwork are landmarked as city historical-cultural monuments. From the LABJ story: The deal marks the second time the Times building has gone to contract. A previous deal, for about $140 million, was struck in December but came undone about three months later, according to the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Onni, the source said, intends to put up about $50 million in equity and is seeking financing for the balance. Cobbled together over generations, the massive Times complex comprises a moderne-style structure along Spring Street built in 1935; an adjoining tower constructed in 1948; a brown, boxy building on the western side of the property completed in 1973; and an adjoining parking lot. Hopes are high that if Onni closes the deal and proceeds with the redevelopment, the project at the tip of the reviving Historic Core would energize a full block in downtowns Civic Center next to a future light-rail station. Theyre going to reactivate it, said Mark Tarczynski, an executive vice president at Colliers International in downtown who was not involved in the transaction. Its going to become a property that is restored to its former glory. Most of downtowns striking historic buildings have already been picked up for redevelopment as apartments, hotels, or offices. But none can claim the historical significance of Times Mirror Square, as the property at 202 W. First St. is officially dubbed. By the way, if they put retail in the ground floor of the Times building, it would be historically correct. There was a drug store on the ground floor in photos from the World War II era. Here's my KCRW segment on the Times building from last Monday. The segments air on Mondays at 4:44 p.m. Taking pictures can be challenging. There are a million factors that can influence each shot you take and unless you're a trained photographer, you often just focus, clickand cross your fingers. Of course, you can take some of the ambiguity out of your picture-taking with this Hollywood Art Institute Photography Course & Certification package, now only $19.99 in the Boing Boing Store. Across 22 modules, this course will teach you what you need to know and everything you should avoid while snapping photos. Access premium video tutorials, articles, e-books, flashcards, and quizzes to really establish and consolidate your grasp of photography fundamentals. Backed by some of the industry's most experienced shooters and teachers, you'll receive professional certification once the course is finished, plus long-term access to tutors and learning materials beyond your coursework. The Hollywood Art Institute Photography Course & Certification usually runs almost $2,600, so grab access to this course now at over 90% off until the offer expires. Screen grab. Green Dot charter schools founder Steve Barr made it official today: he's in the 2017 race for mayor as a challenger to Eric Garcetti's reelection. "I'm running for mayor of Los Angeles to disrupt the political establishment and turn our city around," Barr says on his campaign website. "Together, we're building a grassroots movement to transform L.A.'s schools, end the homelessness and affordability crisis, and fight for a city where every family can thrive." Barr, who lives in Silver Lake, said back in January that he was thinking about making the run, expressing disappointment in Garcetti's leadership on education. Here's what the Barr website says about the candidate. Steve founded Green Dot Public Schools with a vision to transform public schools and give young people in some of LA's toughest schools more and better opportunities. Today, thousands of students have graduated from the Green Dot schools -- and thousands of students have achieved their dream of college and a better future. In the early 1990s, Steve co-founded Rock the Vote, a groundbreaking effort to use pop culture to encourage young people to vote and to get involved in our democracy. And he led the fight to pass the Motor Voter law, signed by President Clinton in 1994. Today, over 100 million people have registered to vote through Motor Voter. Today, Steve Barr is running for Mayor of Los Angeles because we need a mayor that will fight for every neighborhood and every school. We need a mayor that will lead a grassroots, progressive movement to return power to the rest of us -- not the rich and the powerful. We need a mayor who will fight for a city where every family can thrive. He also gave an interview to LA Times City Hall reporter Peter Jamison. Among those also saying they are in the race against Garcetti is Mitchell Schwartz, the Democratic campaign strategist and environmentalist. PRESS RELEASE As People Rejoiced, the Panama Canal Reopened Wider and Deeper June 26, 2016 (EIRNS)As thousands waved flags and sang along with the band, a Chinese ship carrying 9,000 containers entered the newly expanded locks, that will double the Panama Canals capacity, on the inauguration of an expanded Panama Canal, CBS News reported today. When the $5.4 billion expansion project opened today, it nearly tripled the capacity of the original canal, allowing ships carrying up to 14,000 containers a quicker path between Asia and the U.S.A. CBS News report said. In addition to the widened Panama Canal, another massive canal, the Grand Interoceanic Canal of Nicaragua, is now in the early stages of construction. That waterway will stretch roughly 180 miles across Nicaragua to unite the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, and it will be able to handle ships far larger than even the newly-widened Panama Canal. Giant container ships could begin making the passage by 2019, according to the most optimistic projections. Panama began the expansion nearly a decade ago. Originally planned to open in late 2014 around the waterways centennial, the new locks can accommodate ships that carry up to three times the cargo of those previously able to use the canal. Grupo Unidos por el Canal, the Italian- and Spanish-led consortium that spearheaded construction, handed the project over on June 24. Opening in 1914, the original Panama Canal was a marvel of engineering. It took 44 years to complete, but it transformed global trade by creating a shortcut between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. However, as ships grew in size, the canal faced mounting pressure to expand. The current canal can accommodate ships carrying up to 5,000 containers. "The expansion project, started in 2007, required a third set of locks to raise and lower ships between the varying heights of the Pacific and Atlantic oceans," said Ilya de Marotta, lead manager of the expansion project for the Panama Canal Authority, USA Today reported on June 25. The locks use about 50 million gallons of waterthe average daily consumption of the city of New Orleansto move each ship through. PRESS RELEASE Sweden and Finland Agree: They Are Not Threatened by Russia June 25, 2016 (EIRNS)If NATO has "rediscovered" its core mission because of the supposed threat from Russia, then Sweden and Finland are challenging that notion, even if the language is relatively mild. The upshot of a two-day summit meeting between Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven and Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Finland that ended on June 20, is that the two countries agreed on closer military cooperation, but not on a formal alliance with each other or on NATO membership, reported Defense News, yesterday. "We will continue to improve military cooperation with Finland. We have no ambition that this will result in a defense alliance, and nor are we seeking it," Lofven said. The two leaders generally agreed that, while the security picture in the greater Baltic region is destabilized, Russia does not pose a direct security threat to either Finland or Sweden. "Russia presents no concrete, clearly discernible threat to our security," Niinisto said. This situational appraisal by both Sweden and Finland, said Lofven, contributes to Swedens view that joining NATO is not an option for the unaligned Nordic country at the present time. Just over a year ago, British financial traders were celebrating a landmark court victory over their European rivals. The Luxembourg-based General Court had overturned a demand by the European Central Bank that clearing of trades in euro-denominated assets take place only in countries that use the euro as their currency. British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne hailed the ruling as a major win for Britain that preserved Londons place as Europes dominant financial center. Given that Britain was a member of the 28-nation European Union but not of the Eurozone it retains its own currency, the British pound the ECB ruling could have forced tens of trillions of dollars in currency and securities trading to leave London and move to Ireland or the continent. There will continue to be free trade, and access to the single market. British politician Boris Johnson Today that court victory lies in tatters, and the prospects for the London financial services industry are dire. Last weeks British vote to leave the EU will mean that Britain can no longer claim that the ECBs directive unfairly discriminates among members of the union. Londons financial center, known as the City, will almost certainly lose the right to clear euro trades, but thats only the tip of the iceberg. Hedge funds, asset management, investment banking, OTC derivatives, private equity, and marine insurance are all vulnerable to the flight of business and personnel from London to wannabe major financial hubs such as Dublin, Paris and Frankfurt, says Amin Rajan, chief executive of the British financial consulting firm Create Research. Advertisement The potential economic hit is staggering. Britain has maintained a $26-billion surplus in services trading with the rest of the EU; without that inflow, its overall services trading with the EU would show a $13-billion annual deficit. The sector employs nearly 1.3 million workers at relatively high salaries, an important foundation for the London economy. That may help explain why London delivered a strong pro-EU vote in last weeks referendum, unlike the rest of England. A report prepared for TheCityUK, a trade group for the financial sector, estimated that Brexit would lead to job losses of 100,000 and a shrinking of the sector by as much as 9.5% in value by 2020, relative to business as usual. Although those losses would diminish over time, the sector would still be smaller by about 4% in 2030, according to the report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers. British government leaders have been trying to put the best face on the consequences of withdrawal for the financial markets. Before London securities markets opened Monday, Osborne, the nations senior treasury official, declared that Britain is ready to confront what the future holds for us from a position of strength. Boris Johnson, the Conservative Party politician who became a leader of the Leave campaign the Brexit and is given the best odds to succeed departing Prime Minister David Cameron, wrote in a Sunday Telegraph op-ed that there will continue to be free trade, and access to the single market. We will be able to do free trade deals with the growth economies of the world in a way that is currently forbidden by EU regulations. The saying, If youre not at the table, youre on the menu, comes to mind. Chief economist Megan Greene, Manulife Asset Management Yet other observers see little cause for complacency that Britain will be able to obtain trade terms with the EU anywhere near as favorable as it had as a member. The Citys preeminence as a financial center caused no little resentment among rival European centers outside Britain, and they and their governments are not likely to afford a non-EU Britain any of its former privileges. In general, the rest of Europe has tolerated the City rather than being very comfortable with it, says Samuel Tombs, chief U.K. economist for Pantheon Macroeconomics. Its going to be very hard for us to maintain our dominance. Almost inevitable is the loss of Londons prized passporting rights, which allow financial services located anywhere in the EU to serve clients anywhere else in the union. Passporting justified the domiciling of thousands of professionals by U.S. banks in London, a perch from which they could range freely over the continent. JPMorgan Chase said even before last weeks vote that whole platoons of its 16,000 staff in London might have to relocate if Britain split from the EU. The insurance marketplace Lloyds is bracing for what one insurance partner called seismic losses of business as firms abandon London for cities from which they could still serve EU clients. Not only bankers would go. With Londons dominance has come a vast infrastructure of lawyers, accountants, technology workers and more, which also would have to relocate. That could render the PriceWaterhouseCoopers estimate of 100,000 job losses optimistic, the firm said. It could also have long-term consequences: This loss of critical mass could have an impact on the U.K.s status as an international finance center, the firm said. No one is sure yet what form a refashioned Britain-EU trade relationship would take. With Cameron having announced his plan to resign by October, no one is in place to open negotiations or even start the formalities for Britains withdrawal. Under EU rules, the negotiations must wrap up within two years of Britains formal declaration of its intent to split. The U.K. finance sector is faced with the worst form of political and economic paralysis imaginable, Rajan says. None of the alternative trade arrangements seems especially advantageous. One is the so-called Norway option. Under that scenario, Britain can gain access to the 30-nation European Economic Area, the so-called single market, without being a member of the EU, much as Norway and Iceland do. Among the drawbacks, however, is that it would have to accept some of the same EU laws, including the free movement of people, that have been so controversial in Britain. I cant see that flying, given the weight of immigration as an issue in the referendum debate, Jonathan Hill, who until his resignation Saturday was Britains highest-ranking EU diplomat, told the Financial Times over the weekend. Another problem is that those rules and regulations would be enacted without any input from Britain. The voices that would be present without Britain there the voice of the French financial services industry, German industry, Dutch, Irish, Hill said, will clearly be heard without the British voice in there to balance. Having to apply the rules of the single market without being able to shape them hardly seems like an improvement in terms, Megan Greene, chief economist of Manulife Asset Management, commented just before the vote. The saying, If youre not at the table, youre on the menu comes to mind. Or Britain could choose the WTO scenario, in which it loses the preferential trading rights granted EU countries by 50 outside trading partners at least until it could negotiate replacement agreements with each of the 50. But such bilateral agreements typically cover only the trading of goods, not services. Thats a problem for Britain, where services account for an unusually large share of the economy: 8%, compared with an average of 5% among other EU countries. Until then, Britain would be subject to tariff and other barriers limited only by World Trade Organization rules. But the average tariffs imposed among WTO countries with no special agreements is 9%, a heavy burden in a free-trade world. Keep up to date with Michael Hiltzik. Follow @hiltzikm on Twitter, see his Facebook page, or email michael.hiltzik@latimes.com. Return to Michael Hiltziks blog. ALSO Kerry attempts to soothe Brexit fears in Europe European leaders scramble for a solution to Brexit crisis U.S. markets fall and U.K. credit rating cut; no crisis, Treasury chief says The race is on to save Americans golden years. The aging of baby boomers, the looming funding crisis for Social Security and the meager size of many workers nest eggs if they have one at all have spurred candidates, lawmakers and experts to propose ways to boost retirement savings. Politicians even are talking about making changes to Social Security, long known as the third rail of politics because touching it was thought to be a career-killer. The looming financial train wreck awaiting the popular entitlement program and the increasing number of older Americans who depend on it hasnt left much of an alternative. A consensus has developed that the nearly four-decade-old transition from employer-sponsored pensions to individual 401(k) plans has been a failure for all but the wealthiest Americans and that something needs be done soon. Advertisement The point was driven home Friday when markets convulsed over the U.K.s vote to exit the European Union. Like the financial crisis and Great Recession, which drained 401(k) accounts and pummeled Americans finances, the Brexit stock selloff left retirees shaken. The longer we wait, the more draconian the solutions will have to be, said former Sen. Kent Conrad (D-N.D.), who co-chairs the Commission on Retirement Security and Personal Savings launched by the Bipartisan Policy Center think tank. President Obama has pushed retirement savings initiatives, presidential candidates have talked about Social Security on the campaign trail and several states, including California, are taking their own steps to help workers put away more money. Theres more activity around retirement savings than there has been in 20 years, said Teresa Ghilarducci, an economics professor at the New School in New York and expert on the issue. Statistics illustrate the dire situation facing millions of Americans. About 22% of people ages 45 to 59 said they have no retirement savings or pension, according to a recent Federal Reserve study. And only about half of private-sector workers participate in a retirement savings plan, Bureau of Labor Statistics data show. Many workers are worried about just making it to the next paycheck, let alone saving for retirement, particularly after the financial hit from the Great Recession. About 46% of adults in the Fed survey said they did not have enough saved to cover a $400 emergency expense. Social Security is supposed to be the backstop for such cash-strapped Americans. But that safety net is fraying. The programs trust fund for retiree benefits will run out in 2035, Social Securitys trustees reported Wednesday. The program would keep running, but only with incoming taxes from workers. That would mean it would have to cut benefits by 23% unless Congress and the president agree on a way to pump more money into the system. The two presumptive presidential nominees are promising to deal with the problem but have not released detailed plans. I have said from the very beginning, we are going to protect Social Security, Hillary Clinton said at a Democratic debate this spring. She opposes increasing the retirement age, reducing cost of living adjustments, cutting benefits or privatizing the program. To bolster the system and boost some benefits, Clinton said she is open to raising the $118,500 cap on income that is subject to Social Security taxes so the wealthy would contribute more. Her rival for the Democratic nomination, Bernie Sanders, wants to tax income up to $250,000. Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has been much less specific, saying he would preserve Social Security by increasing economic growth. He criticized his primary opponents for proposing cuts to the program, such as raising the retirement age and reducing benefits for higher-income recipients. Trump also indicated he opposed Democratic plans to increase benefits. Were going to save your Social Security as is, he said at an April town hall meeting in Wisconsin. But a campaign policy advisor recently said Trump was open to enacting bipartisan changes to the program. Ghilarducci, who has spoken with the Clinton campaign on retirement issues, said, Theres been a sea change in the way politicians view Social Security. The reason why were talking about expanding Social Security is precisely because the retirement crisis is bigger than people thought and more immediate than people thought, she said. Social Securitys precarious finances are only part of the problem, experts said. Americans need to save more on their own to supplement Social Security benefits now an average of about $1,200 a month as life expectancy is increasing. Congress created the 401(k) provision of the tax code in 1978 to give workers a tax break on deferred income. In 1979, the year before that took effect, about 38% of private-sector workers participated in a traditional, defined-benefit pension plan, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute. As 401(k) plans became more popular, the number of people with traditional pensions began falling. It was down to 15% last year, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. About 61% of private-sector workers had access to a 401(k) plan last year, but only 43% participated. That highlights a big problem with 401(k)s: People have to elect to contribute. Ghilarducci wants guaranteed retirement accounts funded by mandatory paycheck deductions that would earn a secure, modest, guaranteed rate of return paid out in an annuity for as long as a person lives. The Bipartisan Policy Center commission, on which she served, issued a lengthy report this month proposing a comprehensive plan. It included raising the cap on income subject to the Social Security tax to $195,000 by 2020, gradually increasing the retirement age for full benefits to 69 by 2070 and creating retirement security plans for private-sector workers. Those plans would be run by third-parties, relieving businesses of the administrative burdens and financial liabilitywhile providing new incentives for automatic enrollment, Conrad, the former senator, said. The only thing the employer would need to do is do a payroll deduction, he said. Its critically important you have not only Social Securitys future assured, but you have additional savings vehicles that you take advantage of, especially at work. The Obama administration has tried to boost retirement savings outside of Social Security. Last year, the Treasury Department began offering starter retirement accounts called myRAs. But the administration has been unable to push through a proposal to require businesses who do not offer retirement plans to automatically enroll employees in individual retirement accounts. With federal action stalled, some states are acting on their own. In California, lawmakers are close to creating the first state-run retirement plan for private-sector workers whose employers dont offer one. The proposal, awaiting legislative approval, would enroll workers automatically and let them save 2% to 5% of their wages unless they opt out. Several other states have passed or are considering similar plans requiring employers to automatically enroll workers in some form of retirement savings account. AARP has been pushing for state action on automatic enrollment until it can be done nationwide. Conrad said the state plans are attempts to deal with a very real need, but he believes a national solution is needed. It emphasized to people how critically important Social Security really is because thats the one thing they can really depend on, he said. And I think it told a lot of people youve got to pay more attention to your own situation. You just cant hope that something goods going to happen. Youve got to plan for it, and youve got to work toward it, Conrad said. jim.puzzanghera@latimes.com Follow @JimPuzzanghera on Twitter ALSO What to buy (and skip) in July How to get back on track if youre drowning in debt Here are some tips for divvying up your retirement investments A single students decision to leave an MFA program wouldnt normally cause a ripple in the art world. But HaeAnn Kwon was the lone MFA candidate enrolled in USCs Roski School of Art and Design. Her exit, a year after an entire class of seven studio art MFA students withdrew from Roski to protest curriculum changes and staff defections, is prompting new questions about USCs commitment to the fine arts and renewed accusations that the university cares more about buzzy programs such as the business, design and programming degree funded by music impresario Jimmy Iovine and rapper-entrepreneur Dr. Dre. For the record: An earlier version of this article stated that Barbara Drucker oversaw the visual arts program at UCLA. That position is occupied by Hirsch Perlman. I was participating in a sham. Kwon said in a searing public letter about her experience in USCs art program. As one of USCs International Artist Fellows, Kwon had her tuition and expenses fully covered. She walked away from what was essentially a free graduate degree. Advertisement See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour USC Associate Vice Provost Robin Romans, who along with Provost Michael Quick was addressed in the letter, defended the Roski MFA program. We are fully committed, he said in a telephone interview. The art schools are very important at the university. Roski has a long, rich history. The provost is clear in his commitment and the president is also. Erica Muhl, dean of the Roski School of Art and Design, was not made available to comment. Kwon has kept largely silent since sending the public letter, preferring to let her detailed, 1,300-word statement speak for itself. But in a telephone conversation with The Times, she reaffirmed her critiques: I want to say that this situation was bound to happen. Until the school looks at its past and recognizes its trajectory, its impossible to imagine it improving or even recovering. Artist Frances Stark, a tenured professor who left Roski in 2014 at the Hammer Museum in 2010. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times ) Last years highly publicized student and staff defections have already halted the rise for Roskis MFA program in U.S. News & World Reports rankings, which had gone from No. 54 in 2003 to No. 36 in 2012 among fine arts graduate programs, with up to 600 students applying for one of eight MFA openings. In the fall, only Kwon accepted admission to the MFA program. (Eight incoming students will form a new MFA class in August.) And in spring, Roskis U.S. News & World Report ranking for the MFA program plummeted to No. 69. Kwon, who hails from South Korea, turned down offers from UC Irvine and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago because of the financial benefits of attending USC. She came to regret her decision. Her open letter describes a program lacking in art school basics, such as group critiques and studio reviews. She also alleges that USC awarded her an incomplete then a B for a class that barely met over the course of the semester. How is it that a student could even pass a class that was held on no more than one day? she wrote. Romans says that Kwon misunderstood the mark on her transcript and that the course had never been marked incomplete only MG (Missing Grade), which happens when a faculty member doesnt submit grades on time. Moreover, he stated that she did have multiple meetings for the purpose of her critiques. We had put together groups for her, we had curatorial students, we had several faculty, and [Associate Vice Dean] Nao [Bustamante] set up artists from around Los Angeles to meet with HaeAhn, Romans explained. We tried to set up a group critique culture. But she didnt have a cohort. At least one USC educator, however, says that Kwon was justified in her complaints. Jud Fine, a sculptor who has long served as a tenured professor at Roski, issued a brief statement to The Times in her defense: I agree, to the extent of my knowledge, with everything HaeAhn said in her letter to the provost. David Bunn, an artist and educator who helped build up USCs MFA program in the 1990s and the early 2000s, said, I dont think the university was ever interested in the MFA program that much. They were interested in the numbers. Anyone who didnt have good rankings risked being closed as a school. David Bunn, an artist and educator, now retired, who helped build up USCs MFA program, at his home in 2015. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times ) Some of the turmoil has been attributed to the 2013 arrival of Muhl as dean. Unlike the heads of many other similar programs, she has no visual arts background. Muhl is a composer who had previously taught at USCs Thornton School of Music, and who, for a time, had served as Roskis interim director. (Both UCLA and CalArts art programs are overseen by artists Hirsch Perlman and Thomas Lawson, respectively two figures with extensive exhibition histories.) Moreover, Muhl has other things on her plate. She oversees the Iovine/Dr. Dre academy (formally known as the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy). She also helped launch an online masters degree program with Wired magazine that kicks off in December. Her focus, say critics, is not with the MFA program, but with more industry-friendly courses that echo Silicon Valley agendas. Its a separate entity, Muhl insisted in an L.A. Times interview last year. Its one that were very proud of and we feel is very important. But the philosophy behind Iovine and Young has nothing to do with the philosophy behind the Roski school. Romans, who oversees the universitys arts and humanities initiative, agrees: We had a splash with the Iovine-Young academy, he said. But its important to recognize that something like that doesnt do anything to the original curriculum. I think it would be a mistake to see the admission of the academy at the expense of Roski. They complement each other well. Artist Charlie White, who recently left USC to oversee the art school at Carnegie Mellon University at his Los Angeles home in 2009. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times ) Even so, Frances Stark, an artist who served as a professor at Roski for roughly a decade, resigned from her tenured position in 2014, in part because of what she saw as the universitys disregard for intellectual rigor. The administration is primarily concerned with revenue, she said. They see the students as customers purchasing degrees, never as scholars or practitioners within an evolving field. Less than a year after Starks 2014 resignation, artist and professor Sharon Lockhart decamped to CalArts, blaming the dismantling of the MFA program for her decision to seek another job. And last month, Charlie White left to go run the Carnegie Mellon School of Art in Pittsburgh. Dwayne Moser, who served as Roskis assistant dean and graduate coordinator from 2010 to 2015, sees these exits as a talent drain triggered by changes made after Muhl came aboard. Muhls tenure as dean, he said, has been an unmitigated disaster. Stark believes a change of leadership at Roski is essential. I think that a dean with a deep historical knowledge of the field of art and its complex intersection with design would be ideal, she said. A good dean would understand the role and potential of the faculty and be able to literally design a school that understands, supports and applies the vast expertise of the full faculty, and match that to an actual pedagogical vision for the role of art within the university, within the city, within the culture at large. Romans, though, said Muhl brings other important qualities to the table. Shes someone that I think has amazing academic and artistic credentials, he said. Shes a composer and that is related artistically and some of the new work that is being done now is done across the arts. Shes been at USC for a while, she understands the culture at USC. When she came in as dean a few years ago, Ive never seen someone come in with such an understanding of the university and of her colleagues as well. While Muhl wasnt able to respond to the fallout from Kwons withdrawal, in her 2015 L.A. Times interview, she passionately defended her tenure. Im a classically trained artist, she said. I deeply believe in traditions and depth and what we have created here at Roski. And I am committed to maintain that core. Roskis rocky rise Bunn, who is now retired from teaching, says that some of the issues facing Roski are bigger than any one dean and predate Muhls arrival by at least half a dozen years. The two-year Roski MFA program was never as high-profile as the graduate programs at UCLA or CalArts (which rank among the nations top 10, according to U.S. News & World Report), but over the last couple of decades, its reputation had slowly grown. It had become well regarded for its intimate artist-centric approach and for generous graduate fellowships that left MFA candidates virtually debt-free at a time when many other students are forced to take out loans to complete their educations. Bunn said that when he arrived as a professor in the late 1980s, the program was on auto-pilot. There were students, but there was little funding, he says. And it was not considered important. Bunn took over as director in 1992 and over time was able to attract students and faculty to the studio arts MFA including internationally recognized artists such as Andrea Zittel, Lockhart, White and Stark, who recently headlined a critically acclaimed exhibition at the Hammer Museum. But the administration, he says, had trouble supporting working artists. Its one thing to want the numbers and the prestige, he said of USC. But you have to protect the faculty. They never understood how to handle artists with careers. When I went to CalArts it was like a dream. They expected you to be a practicing artist and travel and do shows. At USC it was never easy. But it wasnt until last years defection of the entire MFA class of 2016 that things came to a head. We are a group of seven artists who made the decision to attend USC Roski School of Art and Designs MFA program based on faculty, curriculum, program structure and funding packages, they wrote in a letter posted to an arts education website. We are a group of seven artists who have been forced by the schools dismantling of each of these elements, to dissolve our MFA candidacies. At issue were changes in the curriculum and the general quality of the coursework. One of the students who withdrew said the program had lost its tone of rigor. That withdrawal was followed by the publication of an open letter signed by 72 Roski alumni including prominent artists such as Amanda Ross-Ho (2006) and Elad Lassry (2007). This was an extraordinary and painful action for these graduate students to have taken, stated the letter, and presents evidence of serious wrongdoing and extensive problems in the school. Alli Miller, who graduated in 2015 (one year ahead of the so-called USC Seven), echoes some of the concerns raised by the withdrawing students. The program I entered in 2013 was radically different from the one I departed in 2015, she stated via email. Without an official program director, my cohort became responsible for negotiating curricular, programming and funding changes directly with the administration on top of existing academic and studio obligations. Kwon, in her letter, describes a fractured, disorganized department. The fall term entirely lacked the studio component of the program, she wrote. In short, it did not exist there was no midterm, no finals, nor any review of any kind for my studio practice. In April, Kwon gave an interview to the Daily Trojan in which she described the MFA program as diminished and stated that any improvements to the program will take a long time, much longer than I will ever be able to witness. Certainly, there are signs that the university is trying to rebuild. In January, performance artist Bustamante joined Roski as vice dean of art, a position from which she oversees the MFA program. Conceptual artist Edgar Arceneaux has joined the university as visiting professor. Moreover, other hires are in the works. We are bringing eight recognizable artists eight new hires, Romans said. We will end up with more faculty than we had. Bustamante, who has the benefit of coming to Roski fresh this year, is optimistic about the future of the MFA program and this falls incoming class. Theyre coming from really diverse traditional and non-traditional backgrounds, she said, adding that they were chosen through a highly competitive process. Artist Nao Bustamante joined Roski as associate vice dean just this year. Shes seen here at her 2015 exhibition at the Vincent Price Museum of Art, Soldadera, inspired by women who fought in the Mexican Revolution. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times ) I can only say that I am bringing my experience to bear, my artistry to bear, and my goodwill and my complete sincerity in wanting to create a program for these students, she said, Im really excited to be in this environment. Its an art school among strong art schools. I mean, we are the art school. But even the most committed individual faculty members will not be able to single-handedly erase the impression that the universitys broader culture may not be conducive to a contemplative liberal arts program. I believed in that place, Bunn said. I worked very hard for it, and Im very saddened to see what has happened. But I am not surprised. MORE: I was participating in a sham: Lone MFA student at USC Roski art school withdraws via searing statement Behind the impasse that led USCs 2016 MFA students to withdraw in protest In quest to raise $6 billion, USC runs a massive fundraising machine Holocaust play causes friction between Santa Monicas City Garage and local Polish officials Find me on Twitter @cmonstah. The list of things youll encounter when watching the BET Awards and no other awards show is a long one, and of course it begins with black people speaking without interference to one another on national television. In the era of #OscarsSoWhite, it was a beautiful thing, indeed, to see actor Jesse Williams accept the cable networks Humanitarian Award on Sunday with a fiery but composed speech about police violence that pointed to this invention called whiteness, then reminded viewers that the burden of the brutalized is not to comfort the bystander. Stop for a second and try to imagine that kind of language even language half as vivid or lucid making it to air on the Grammy Awards, or the Golden Globes, or the American Music Awards. Advertisement Give up yet? Jesse Williams accepts the Humanitarian Award. (Matt Sayles / Invision / AP ) Williams wasnt alone in bringing election-year politics to the 16th annual BET Awards, broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater as the capstone to the weekends BET Experience festival at L.A. Live. Accepting the prize for actress, Empires Taraji P. Henson warned people who dont think he gonna win it was clear she meant presidential candidate Donald Trump to think again. Later, after describing a daily reality too appalling to put into words, BET chief Debra Lee advocated explicitly for gun control, saying, We are tired of the devastating effect that guns have on our community. Even Tracee Ellis Ross, who hosted the show for the second time with her black-ish costar Anthony Anderson, got in the act, urging viewers to register to vote. As usual, though, this years BET telecast distinguished itself from its more frivolous competitors in other ways as well. It offered rare opportunities to watch female artists playing (not just singing) their own music, as in performances by Alicia Keys, who built her song In Common from the ground up using keyboards and a drum machine, and Chloe x Halle, two teenage Beyonce proteges who accompanied themselves on guitar in their spacey pop-soul track Drop. Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar perform on Sundays show. (Matt Sayles / Invision / AP ) Beyonc herself opened the show with an unannounced and characteristically fierce rendition of her song Freedom that featured a guest verse by Kendrick Lamar. More remarkably, the production managed to pay tribute to a recently fallen musical idol with real feeling something any experienced awards-show watcher might have thought impossible. Here the honoree was Prince, whose legacy was handled indelicately only last month on the Billboard Music Awards, where Madonna sang a shaky Nothing Compares 2 U that epitomized the hollow pageantry of its kind. Yet BET got it right in a handful of tributes scattered throughout Sundays nearly four-hour show: Backed by the Roots, Bilal ventured deep inside The Beautiful Ones, taking his time to reach the emotional extremes that Prince famously explored. 1 / 35 Hosts Tracee Ellis Ross and Anthony Anderson perform a skit dressed as characters from the musical Hamilton at the BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 2 / 35 Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Hamilton and Anthony Anderson get into the act, performing a skit dressed as characters from the musical Hamilton. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 3 / 35 Beyonce performs Freedom at the BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 4 / 35 Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar perform. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 5 / 35 Beyonce and Kendrick Lamar onstage at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 6 / 35 Taraji P. Henson presents the award for best group at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 7 / 35 Bibi Bourelly performs Riot at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 8 / 35 Deon Cole and Karrueche Tran present the award for best actor at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 9 / 35 Dave Chappelle speaks at the BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 10 / 35 Bilal, left, and the Roots perform The Beautiful Ones during a tribute to Prince at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 11 / 35 Erykah Badu performs The Ballad of Dorothy Parker during a tribute to Prince at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 12 / 35 Tinashe (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 13 / 35 Bobby Brown, center, and the cast of BETs upcoming biopic New Edition present the award for best actress. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 14 / 35 Taraji P. Henson accepts the award for best actress. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 15 / 35 Fat Joe, left, Remy Ma and French Montana perform All the Way Up at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 16 / 35 Yara Shahidi (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 17 / 35 Morris Chestnut and Regina Hall. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 18 / 35 Tina Knowles accepts the BET award for video of the year on behalf of her daughter, Beyonce, for Formation. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 19 / 35 Stevie Wonder and Tori Kelly perform Take Me With U during a tribute to Prince at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 20 / 35 Alicia Keys performs In Common at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 21 / 35 Future accepts the award for best group at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 22 / 35 Jennifer Hudson performs Purple Rain during a tribute to Prince at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 23 / 35 Jermaine Dupri, left, Snoop Dogg and Birdman present the award for best new artist. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 24 / 35 Chloe Bailey, left, and Halle Bailey, of Chloe X Halle, perform Drop at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 25 / 35 Laila Ali speaks during a tribute to her late father, Muhammad Ali, at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 26 / 35 Tammy Collins, left, and Kirk Franklin accept the Dr. Bobby Jones best gospel/inspirational award. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 27 / 35 Usher performs No Limit. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 28 / 35 During Ushers performance, a subtle, or not, political statement. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 29 / 35 Future performs Wicked (Purple Reign). (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 30 / 35 Maxwell performs at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 31 / 35 During Maxwells performance, a tribute to Prince, a clock displayed how long it has been since Princes death. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 32 / 35 Debra Lee, left, presents the humanitarian award to Jesse Williams at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 33 / 35 Janelle Monae reacts after performing a tribute to Prince at the BET Awards. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 34 / 35 Samuel L. Jackson accepts the lifetime achievement award at the BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 35 / 35 Sheila E. performs a tribute to Prince at the BET Awards at the Microsoft Theater. (Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) Sheila E was as lively as could be in a medley of Housequake, U Got the Look and The Glamorous Life, the hit song Prince wrote for her back when they were musical partners in the mid-1980s. And Jennifer Hudson and Maxwell sang the stuffing out of Purple Rain and Nothing Compares 2 U, respectively the latter even changing some of the songs lyrics to reflect the impact Prince made on his life. Its been seven hours and 66 days since you took your music away, Maxwell sang, referring to the date Prince was found dead. Earlier in the show, comedian Dave Chappelle invoked that day as well as he described the rich legacy of this remarkable genius that we are all so proud of. And that we seemed to have something to do with how warmly the BET Awards celebrated Prince on Sunday. The production wasnt singling him out as some unknowable specimen. It was treating him like family. FULL COVERAGE: BET Awards 2016 Twitter: @mikaelwood The Anaheim Convention Center was packed with Internet video creators, the stars of the online world and the thousands of fans who enjoy watching them this past weekend for the seventh edition of VidCon. In the wake of the killing of YouTube star, The Voice contestant and 2013 VidCon alum Christina Grimmie, as well as the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Fla., security measures at this years event were heightened and access to online stars was limited. Despite the new measures, laughs, shrieks of joy and dance parties could be heard echoing throughout the convention center. (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times) (Test) Internet star Gabrielle Hanna, right, from The Gabbie Show poses for photos with some of her fans. It is not uncommon to see VidCon attendees chattering away to their phone or digital camera while in the Expo Hall, outside by the food trucks or waiting in line for a panel. Yes, these people are at a YouTube convention making a YouTube video. (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times) (Test) A competitor on American Ninja Warrior attempts the obstacle course erected by NBC inside the Expo Hall. The networks display for the reality competition is one example of how Hollywood has begun to invade the VidCon scene. Also staking their claim were the films Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, The Secret Life of Pets and Sing. (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times) (Test) Dancing emojis joined in on the fun at VidCon, where emoji-heavy apps like Snapchat and Instagram now have a prominent place. (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times) (Test) Streaming service Netflix staged an elaborate booth and lounge featuring a Fuller House photo op and a re-creation of Lukes Diner from the upcoming Gilmore Girls reboot. (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times) (Test) Security guards constantly patrolled Expo Hall, the area outside the convention center, in the hotels near the panelist rooms, in the lobbies and everywhere in between. It is a lot more controlled, said second-time VidCon attendee Stephen Hatch, 20, of Washington. Its not work, its pleasure, Bill Cunningham said a few years ago. Thats why I feel so guilty. Everybody else does work I have too much fun. That was typical of the man, one of the greatest and most distinctive fashion journalists of the past 50 years. Cunningham, the longtime New York Times photographer, died over the weekend at the age of 87. Advertisement Cunningham had suffered a stroke in his apartment on Central Park South about two weeks ago, and was hospitalized. Beloved in fashion circles, Cunningham, who is best known for his candid and street-style photography, was a fixture at fashion shows and on the streets of New York where he was often seen riding his bicycle to events. On early mornings, Cunningham, who habitually sported a blue button-down smock, would be spotted snapping photos of fashion-forward passersby on Fifth Avenue near Bergdorf Goodman. His passing was immediately felt in the fashion community. Before his mens show began in Paris Sunday night, Thom Browne spoke on the PA system and said: Good evening everyone. Before we start, I thought it would be appropriate to observe a moment of silence for the incomparable Bill Cunningham. Backstage after the show, Browne told WWD: He was the originalI think he meant so much to people who didnt even realize. Its not just that he was around for so long, he was just the pure version of what is going on today in reverse to people just taking pictures on the streets and bloggers and all of that. He just cared about being behind the camera, not becoming the celebrity himself, which made him even more of a celebrity. Although Cunninghams status had grown in nonfashion circles, following the release of the 2011 documentary Bill Cunningham New York, the photographer generally eschewed the spotlight, preferring to be invisible, as he told WWD in 2008 during a retrospective of his work. That year, Cunningham had been honored with Frances LOrdre National des Arts et des Lettres in Paris where he teared up and spoke about his career and love of fashion, offering: Im not interested in celebrities with their free dresses. Look at the clothes, the cut, the silhouette, the color. Its the clothes. Not the celebrity and not the spectacle. Rick Owens was among designers including Sonia Rykiel and Gareth Pugh who attended Cunninghams Legion of Honor ceremony. I remember tearing up when he spoke about his primary purpose being the pursuit of beauty in a trembling cracking voice, he recalled. And then when Jean-Luce Hure, his French equivalent, embraced him with them both in tears.Well, I am tearing up right now, just thinking about it. He was very popular, just as much in Paris as in New York. He was very modest. He didnt always have the best seat [at fashion shows], but was always in a great mood. He loved fashion in an incredible way until the end. He jumped for joy after a show he liked, said Didier Grumbach, then president of the Federation Francaise de la Couture, du Pret-a-Porter des Couturiers et des Createurs de Mode, who awarded Cunningham the French legion of honor. Its Grumbach who asked the French culture ministry to make Cunningham a knight of the Legion of Honor. He did a lot for Paris. He attended the first Christian Dior show in 1947; he saw the beginning of Yves Saint Laurent, the beginning of ready-to-wear. He was a witness like almost no other. In an industry characterized by extravagance, status and largess of oversize egos, Cunningham, who chronicled the fashion industry for The Times since the late Seventies, was something of an anomaly for his singular, almost monastic focus on the clothing, not the personalities. Karl Lagerfeld remarked on that and Cunningham, the man. Poor Bill. He was such a mysterious person, he said. I met him with Antonio Lopez and Juan Ramos around 1970; I had always the feeling they were his closest friends. Everybody liked him but he was not into social life and had no other close friends. No dinners, nothing. He appeared and disappeared after he had done his job. Not many people knew where and how he lived; he was an extremely discreet person. His presence will be missed. What will happen to his incredible archive? Readers of The Times experienced that passion in Cunninghams columns Evening Hours and On the Street, which included the photographers audio commentary. Born on March 13, 1929 in Boston, Cunningham came to New York after dropping out of Harvard University at the age of 19. He got his start at Bonwits in the advertising department, but soon began designing hats under his label William J. His business, which was located on 52nd between Madison and Park, folded when he was drafted during the Korean War, and served a tour in the U.S. Army. Cunningham, who was the first journalist in America to write about Azzedine Alaia and Jean Paul Gaultier, began his journalism career working for WWD under John B. Fairchild, who had just returned from Paris to New York, and later The Chicago Tribune before joining The Times. His first big break came when he took a chance photo of Greta Garbo, who wore a plain nutria coat that had a silhouette that caught his eye. Cunningham confessed he didnt notice who he was photographing, but his editors at The Times did. He showed his editor Arthur Gelb a trove of similar photos he had snapped, which Cunningham said in a 2002 piece for The Times called Bill on Bill included Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, the king and queen of Spain and a Kennedy in a fox coat. Cornelia Guest, daughter of C.Z. Guest, recalled her first encounter with Cunningham. I was a little girl and I met him for the first time with my mother, she told WWD. We were coming out of FAO Schwartz and he took our picture. I have known him all my life. He was always Mr. Cunningham and he always called me child. He was a true gentleman and he made the world a better place. In a 2002 article, The Picture Subjects Talk Back, by Cathy Horyn, Gelb called the photographs a turning point for Cunningham. It gave him recognition beyond fashion, Gelb said. And his street photography was a breakthrough for The Times, because it was the first time the paper had run pictures of well-known people without getting their permission. The Times had always been prissy about that. In 1978, Cunningham published Facades, a collection of 128 photographs of Editta Sherman in front of well-known Manhattan buildings. Years later, in 2008, he received the LOrdre National des Arts et des Letters and in 2012 he received the Carnegie Hall Medal of Excellence. He had such an eye, said Carine Roitfeld. He paved the way for other photographers. We all dreamt to be featured on his page in The New York Times. It was the page to be on. Roitfeld recalled the photos Cunningham took of her wearing an Azzedine Alaia coat in the snow during New York Fashion Week. They were magnificent, she said. He called me my child. How are you, my child? When youre a grandmother, its nice to be called my child. He was maybe the only person in the fashion world that everyone without exception liked. Hell be greatly missed. Street style photographers outside the Lanvin mens show in Paris on Sunday morning in Paris expressed their sadness about Cunninghams death. Adam Katz Sinding, whose Le 21eme blog counts 446,000 Instagram followers, said: I got to spend a day in New York with him at the Cloisters. I was on a train with my ex-girlfriend and he was there. We walked with him the whole day, and he was telling us about the Rockefeller parties that he used to shoot there. Everything that I said to him, I had to repeat two or three times because he couldnt hear. But it was very cool [to get to spend the day with him]I knew who he was at the time I started this [street style photography]. He created the whole thing. Theres no question. He was wonderful, always smiling, curious about everything, passionate and so humble! said Sarah Andelman, creative director and purchasing manager of Colette, who also praised his unique eye and incredible sense of observation. I asked him to do an exhibition. He would always politely answer yes, but clearly he didnt want to be in the spotlight, she continued. She said she always thought that he should do a book of his photography. When the documentary [Bill Cunningham New York] came out, I saw that everything was organized and archived [] I hope that there will be a book and that the next generations will know his extraordinary work, said Andelman. Theres no one else like Bill, said Tommy Ton, the Canadian photographer behind the Jak & Jil blog. In January, it was pouring rain. The fact that he was willing to stand in the rain while all of us were taking refuge, I thought it was remarkable. Nothing would ever stop Bill. So when I started seeing less of Bill, I was concerned. When the news came, it was very shattering. I dont even know if this new generation of photographers even knows the imprint of Bills work, Ton continued. He loved clothes, thats what mattered. It wasnt about if someone was a celebrity or what they were wearing. He was interested in telling a story with his pictures. He saw things that no one else could see. He was a cultural anthropologist: The fact that he was willing to stand in the cold or ride his bike, the numerous times I heard he was injured he once was hit by a truck, or car rolled over his face, said Ton. What was his famous quote? Money is cheap, freedom is the most expensive luxury. The French fashion and society photographer Jean-Luc Hure called Cunningham an extraordinary man, a little ascetic. He paid for his flights and photo labs to keep his freedom, said longtime friend, Hure. He had an ethic that we shared. He was making no compromises. He was discreet and shy. Hure recalled having lunch with Cunningham, and fans would come to take photos with him. His face would become very red, and he was very embarrassed. He would tell them that I was the real photographer and therefore that I was the one to shoot, said Hure. When he lived in his pocket-sized apartment in Carnegie Hall, he slept on a cot with boxes of negatives underneath and everywhere in the bath, in the fridge. He didnt come to Paris during the last two seasons, because of his eyes. His surgeon told him rightly not to fly. But I was hoping to see him in October, he said. A desk attendant in Cunninghams new building where he moved after Carnegie Hall remembered Cunningham fondly. I used to put eye drops in his eyes, right here in the lobby! he said. Bill didnt care. Others chimed in that they were surprised when people would visit the building to ask if Bill Cunningham lived there. Him? joked one attendant, who remembered a time when Renee Zellweger inhabited the building years earlier. Renee, I would understand. But building staff began reading about Cunningham and some even watched the documentary. Soon, like others in the building, they realized Cunningham was special. They talked about how hed always wheel his large bike in the lobby, and sometimes sport a tuxedo for late-night occasions; how he could get into any fancy party, and how hed just chain up his bike out front before walking in. Above all, they spoke about what a sweet person Cunningham was and how two of his close friends, who moved from the Carnegie apartments to the new building, had recently passed away, which was a tough blow for him. He was so humble, said the doorman, who found Cunningham in his apartment unresponsive on a Monday. It was believed that Cunningham suffered a stroke on a Saturday night, and concerned neighbors alerted the building when the photographers door was left ajar. At The New York Times, where Cunningham spent his days, publisher Arthur Sulzberger Jr. offered: Bill was an extraordinary person with an incredible talent not just for fashion photography but for life. His company was sought after by the fashion worlds rich and powerful yet he remained one of the kindest, most gentle and humble people I have ever met. We have lost a legend and I am personally heartbroken to have lost a friend. Executive editor Dean Baquet praised Cunninghams work ethic and approach to his job, adding: He was a hugely ethical journalist. And he was incredibly open-minded about fashion. To see a Bill Cunningham street spread was to see all of New York. Young people. Brown people. People who spent fortunes on fashion and people who just had a strut and knew how to put an outfit together out of what they had and what they found. Director of photography Michele McNally, who worked closely with Cunningham, said: Bill was an extraordinary man, his commitment and passion unparalleled, his gentleness and humility inspirational. Even though his talents were very well-known, he preferred to be anonymous, something unachievable for such a superstar. I will miss him every day. Despite all the accolades and the minor-celebrity status that he has garnered, Cunningham never let any of it get to his head just the opposite. Im a zero. Im a worker in the factory, he told WWD in 2014, following his conversation with Fern Mallis. Im like you and everybody else. Im still enjoying what I do. Funeral arrangements have yet to be released. This article appears with the permission of Womens Wear Daily. Edward Snowden has taken to Twitter to condemn Russia's proposed "Yarovaya law," which provides prison sentences of 7 years for writing favorably about "extremism" on the Internet, criminalizes failure to report "reliable" information about planned attacks, and requires online providers to retain at least six months' worth of users' communications, 3 years' worth of "metadata" and to provide backdoors to decrypt this material. On Friday, the legislation passed the lower house of parliament in a 325-1 vote; its passage through the upper house and approval by Putin are expected this week. In a series of tweets, Snowden amplified the concerns of Russian civil libertarians, calling it a "Big Brother law an unworkable, unjustifiable violation of rights that should never be signed" and criticizing its technical merit ("'Store 6 months of content' is not just dangerous, it's impractical. What is that, ~100PB of storage for even a tiny 50Gbps ISP?") as well as its philosophical grounding ("Mass surveillance doesn't work. This bill will take money and liberty from every Russian without improving safety. It should not be signed."). Snowden's political enemies in the USA and the UK frequently accused him of being a puppet (witting or unwitting) for Putin, despite the fact that he's frequently expressed a desire to leave Russia and is only prevented from leaving by the US refusal to return his passport, the revocation of which stranded him in Moscow. Snowden's public opposition to a major piece of Kremlin-backed legislation is further evidence that he is independent of Russian political influence and takes principled stands on surveillance and free speech regardless of the countries involved. Russia's new Big Brother law is an unworkable, unjustifiable violation of rights that should never be signed. https://t.co/HNsYmRaxR3 Edward Snowden (@Snowden) June 25, 2016 Tanya Lokshina, the Russia programme director for Human Rights Watch, called it an attack on freedom of expression, freedom of conscience and the right to privacy that gives law enforcement unreasonably broad powers. "It's very infamous provision of Soviet law they're basically re-enacting, and it's problematic because there's no legal clarity," Lokshina said of the requirement to warn authorities of crimes planned by others. "It's clearly designed for selective implementation." A measure allowing Russians to be stripped of their citizenship following a terrorist conviction or membership in a foreign army, court or security service was removed before the vote. Russia passes 'Big Brother' anti-terror laws [Alec Luhn/The Guardian] (Image: Pussy Riot Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, painted portrait IMG_2449, thierry ehrmann, CC-BY) Name: Burgerim, which translates to many burgers in Hebrew. The restaurant is in its soft-open stage with a grand opening scheduled in about two weeks. Concept: This burger chain sells mini burgers, not sliders. The mini burgers are made with 2.8 oz. patties (larger than a typical slider) and have custom sesame-seed, brioche-like buns. There are 10 types of patties including beef, Wagyu, merguez, lamb and a vegetarian option. Optional toppings range from American cheese and avocado to pineapple. The core idea here is variety, and the minimum order is a two-pack of burgers. You can order a flight of two, three, or 16 different burgers. Advertisement Chef/Owner: Burgerims founder is a woman named Donna Tuchner. An Israeli native, she attended culinary school in New York, then returned to Israel to open the first Burgerim in Tel Aviv, which is still there today. Burgerims current owner and president Oren Loni noticed the restaurants unique approach, saw huge potential, then purchased Burgerims name and rights and began to decisively scale the business by franchising all over Israel and beyond. There are currently 168 operating locations worldwide with 30 additional locations slated to open by the end of 2016 in the U.S. In March of 2013, a Burgerim opened in West Hollywood, but shuttered soon after because it was an unauthorized branch. Burgerim has since set up a headquarters in the U.S. and properly launched an official L.A. Burgerim location, the first in the country. What dish represents the restaurant, and why? The lamb burger. The meat is tightly-packed and juicy, and the lamb flavor not too gamy. In fact, most of the meat patties have a unique tightly-packed quality that you may experience in hamburgers in some parts of Asia. Burgerims distinct patties are well-seasoned and flavorful. Runner-up: The veggie patty isnt just an afterthought for the meatless set. Its made with green lentils, carrots, onion, tofu and breadcrumbs for binding. Uh oh...: Basic, free toppings available for each mini burger include lettuce, onion, tomato and house sauce. Any additional toppings are $.50 extra. And the fries are more like discs of potato, and can be on the mushy side. What are you drinking? Beverages include a multitude of carbonated options from a tricked-out Coca-Cola Freestyle dispenser. Beer and wine will be available about a month after the grand opening. Info: 5001 Melrose Ave., Hollywood, (323) 848-4848, burgerim.com ALSO: Where to find aushak, Afghanistans chive-filled dumplings The Cannibal Beer & Butcher, where you can find a $320 rib-eye in Culver City Head to Restaurant Marin in Costa Mesa for giant English muffins and chicken pot pie Through years of Turkish-Israeli estrangement, little love seemed lost between leaders of the two countries. Then-Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan branded Israel a terror state and accused it of carrying out war crimes in the Gaza Strip. In equally caustic terms, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman denounced the Turkish leader as an anti-Semitic neighborhood bully. On Monday, the two eastern Mediterranean powers sought to move past the emotionally charged dispute over Israels blockade of Gaza and Erdogans support for Hamas, as they unveiled a deal to normalize diplomatic relations. The pact arrives six years after nine Turkish activists were killed by Israeli naval forces on the deck of the Mavi Marmara, a boat that challenged Israels blockade of the Palestinian territory. Advertisement The detente could end diplomatic bickering and restore a degree of cooperation between two key U.S. allies in the region. For Erdogan, now Turkeys president, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the deal is aimed at erasing growing international isolation and, perhaps, opening the door to a strategically significant energy alliance between two countries, political experts say. Indeed, within hours of the deals announcement, Turkey and Russia said they had also reached a reconciliation over Ankaras downing of a Russian jet last year. Holding simultaneous press conferences in Rome and Ankara, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim and Netanyahu said that restoring ties would benefit both countries while providing badly needed aid to the Gaza Strip. Still, the separate announcements and the lack of any mutual niceties served as a sign of the enduring tensions between Israels right wing administration and Ankaras Islamist government which seeks to reassert its leadership role in the Muslim world. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Rome on June 27, 2016. (Giuseppe Lami/EPA ) Netanyahu said he was seeking to create centers of stability in the stormy Middle East. Israel and Turkey are two major powers in the region and the break between us is not good for vital interests. Still, he said the deal doesnt represent a honeymoon between the countries. The sides agreed to return their ambassadors and Israel agreed to pay $20 million in compensation to the families of the Mavi Marmara victims on condition that Turkey drop any charges against the soldiers who participated in the raid, Yildirim said. Turkey, meanwhile, dropped a longstanding demand that Israel lift its blockade on the Gaza Strip and Israel agreed to let Turkey ship badly needed building materials for a new hospital and other building projects part of a several-year reconstruction effort following the wars between Hamas and Israel. Netanyahu said that the deal included a commitment from Turkey to prevent militant activities by Hamas on its soil, and to assist in efforts to return the remains of Israeli soldiers held in Gaza since the 2014 war. The Turkish prime minister argued that Turkish aid shipments will mean the de facto lifting of Israels blockade on the Gaza, the impoverished coastal territory that is home to 1.8 million Palestinians. The agreement, he said, will give breathing room for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and demonstrate Ankaras role as a defender of the Palestinians. He said that shipment of 10,000 tons of aid is supposed to depart Turkey later this week. See the most-read stories in World News this hour >> An official from the Western-backed Palestinian government in the West Bank criticized the pact, saying it leaves Israels blockade in place and treats Gaza as a separate political entity . Its not in the interest of Palestine, said Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Its in the interest of Turkey and Israel and maybe Hamas. Hamas expressed disappointment as well, saying the deal is less than expected regarding lifting the siege on Gaza, but we have to thank Turkey for its efforts to ease the siege, said Bassem Naim, a Hamas legislator. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who held a meeting with Netanyahu in Rome on Monday, said he was pleased with the steps toward reconciliation. Since the outbreak of the Arab Spring in 2011, Erdogans ambitious zero problems with neighbors policy has slowly crumbled. Its border with Syria has been destabilized by the civil war, its relations with Egypt have deteriorated and the crackdown on the press and opposition activists have hurt its democratic credentials in Europe and the U.S. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has faced rising criticism in Europe and the U.S. over the stalled peace process with the Palestinians and Israels continued expansion of Jewish settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Both leaders find themselves leading strong countries which are quite isolated. Thats what pushing them into each others arms, said Alon Liel, a former Israeli envoy to Turkey. Still, its not all hugs and kisses. It will be difficult to reach a full recovery because there are a lot of scars and grievances, and its filtered down to the people. Correspondent Glen Johnson reported from Istanbul MORE WORLD NEWS European leaders scramble for a solution to Brexit crisis Heat wave aggravates chronic water problems in occupied West Bank 35 million dead in 35 years and people are still dying from HIV/AIDS Los Angeles County transportation officials are using a scared straight approach to encourage rail safety. In a new series of public safety announcements, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority warns about the danger of being decapitated, dismembered or pulverized. Thankfully it uses a fleshed-out stick figure character to make its case. Metro released the videos on Wednesday that show the gruesome reality albeit in cartoon style of being killed by a train. Advertisement The Safetyville campaign by Metro has received nearly1 million views on Facebook, YouTube and Instagram combined. The Blue Line is one of the deadliest light-rail lines in the country and with the addition of the Gold and Expo lines in Los Angeles, the social media team at Metro wanted to come up with an attention-grabbing way to teach safe practices. We had 19 miles of new Metro line in parts of the country that havent had rail services in decades, said Dave Sotero, communications manager for Metro. The behaviors in the videos are universal. They would apply to any rail services we have. The Metro social media team worked with the safety department to come up with a way to effectively illustrate the many ways passengers could put themselves in danger. Sotero said the videos are inspired by the Metro Trains Melbourne video, Dumb Ways to Die. John Gordon, social media director for Metro, said the reaction to the series has been overwhelmingly positive. I think people get it, he said. We hit the right mix of gruesome and levity. Check them out below theyre like scenes from a Final Destination film. alexia.fernandez@latimes.com Twitter: @alexiafedz ALSO Neo-Nazis didnt start the violence at state Capitol, police say High school football player killed over YouTube music video, mom says In fire-ravaged Kern County, some residents return to evacuated areas to check on homes, pets Seven decades ago, Sylvia Mendezs parents went to court to fight for her right to attend a predominantly white school in her Orange County neighborhood. On a recent evening, she sat in a place of honor on the stage of a Boyle Heights school that bears their name. As student mariachis in royal blue suits and gold tassels played Las Mananitas in celebration of her recent 80th birthday, she beamed and covered her face with her hands, wiping away tears. Advertisement Sylvia Mendez, right, applauds graduates as they receive their diplomas at the Mendez High School graduation in June. (Daniela Gerson/Los Angeles Times ) Her parents, Felicitas and Gonzalo Mendez, won a battle to ensure that she and other children would not be relegated to schools for children of Mexican heritage. Now as Mendez High Schools graduation speaker, she looked out at a sea of Latino faces. My parents thought that everything was going to be integrated forever, Mendez said later from her home. Who would have imagined that we would have this kind of segregation in our schools? Eight years before the Supreme Court took on Brown v. Board of Education, Mendez et al v. Westminster School District laid the groundwork for equal access to education in California and the nation. But it was only in the 1980s that many people heard of it after Felicitas Mendez urged Sylvia and her brothers to get out and share the story of the fight that had been for all children, not just for them. My parents thought that everything was going to be integrated forever. Who would have imagined that we would have this kind of segregation in our schools? Sylvia Mendez After decades as a nurse, Sylvia Mendez began visiting students to talk about segregation. She was appalled by some of what she saw: derelict inner-city schools, isolated minorities. At first, she said, she came out gangbusters, declaring were the same as we were in 1945. But then, in some of those schools, she noticed exceptional teachers and innovative programs. Over time, she began to run into people shed talked to when they were in high school who had gone on to do well in college and now were young professionals. When she received an honor at the White House, she met one whod become a lawyer. They wanted us to leave those schools and be maids for white people. Sylvia Mendez She also noticed that the Latino students she talked to had a pride in their heritage and an interest in their history very different from when she was growing up. She was impressed when they delivered complex speeches in Spanish. Her own parents, eager to raise good Americans, had encouraged English; her father insisted she call him Daddy, not Papi. I have a completely different outlook than when I first went out there, she said. Were not the same as in 1945. When Mendez entered elementary school during World War II, about 80% of Mexican American students in Orange County attended segregated schools where speaking Spanish was prohibited, boys trained for industrial jobs, and girls were taught how to cook and crochet. They wanted us to leave those schools and be maids for white people, she told Mendez High School students for a book they created about the lawsuit with the help of the writing-focused nonprofit group 826LA. Mexican schools would only be half a day so the students would get out at noon and go work on the farms. Her parents, both U.S. citizens, were outraged. They hired a civil rights lawyer who encouraged them to unite with other families from school districts in a lawsuit arguing that the treatment of their children was unconstitutional. The strategy worked. The U.S. District Court ruled in 1946 that forcing students of Mexican ancestry into separate schools violated the 14th Amendments promise of equal protection. NEWSLETTER: Get essential California headlines delivered daily >> After an appeals court upheld the decision, Gov. Earl Warren signed legislation that broadened it, making California the first state to officially ban segregated neighborhood schools. In 1954, as chief justice of the Supreme Court, Warren would apply the argument from Mendez v. Westminster when he wrote the unanimous decision in Brown v. Board of Education, the landmark case that ruled that state laws that segregated schools were unconstitutional. Yet, lifting legal barriers failed to ensure integration. Today, Latino students in California are the most segregated in the nation, and Los Angeles is the epicenter of the phenomenon, according to the Civil Rights Project at UCLA. Its a dramatic shift from the 1970s, when the average Latino student in California attended a school with a white majority and busing was mandatory in some districts. Members of Los Jaguares, the Mendez High School mariachi group, wait to perform at the graduation ceremony. (Daniela Gerson/Los Angeles Times ) Most schools in Los Angeles, including Mendez, are doubly segregated in that the student body is predominantly minority and underprivileged. As these students lack the influence and resources that middle-class families can wield on behalf of their children, social stratification tends to increase. But integration is not a viable solution in Los Angeles. The students at the second largest school district in the nation are about 75% Latino. The battles of desegregation dont exist anymore in the L.A. Unified School District, said Los Angeles Councilman Jose Huizar, who represents Boyle Heights. As a member of the Los Angeles Board of Education, Huizar supported the creation of Mendez High School to relieve chronic overcrowding at Roosevelt High School, as well as to provide an example of how a neighborhood institution can create opportunity. Mendez High School is a symbol of great things when we are willing to dream and fight to make it happen, he said at the graduation. The school, which opened in 2009, appears to be taking steps to live up to the aspirations. Math and reading results have gone from way below district and state averages to above them in five years. It has partnerships with more than a dozen organizations. One called Promesa Boyle Heights strives to give students added community support and teaches parents how to advocate for them. Mendez High School is a symbol of great things when we are willing to dream and fight to make it happen. Los Angeles Councilman JosAS Huizar At the graduation, with most of the presentations in Spanish as well as English, the mood was exuberant and students wore caps emblazoned with messages such as: Brown Pride, Life, liberty & the pursuit of a law degree. Mauro Bautista, the charismatic principal who sends his own children to the school, ticked off the challenges his students had overcome to graduate: one immigrated in ninth grade without his parents, another was homeless, a third started working full-time as a 10th-grader. The schools graduation rate, which started at 50%, now is more than 90%, he said. Mendez embraced the spirit of ethnic pride as she addressed the students: I want you to promise youll never give up your culture, you will never give up your language but continue to cherish it. It was a well-practiced speech. The high school with the Mendez family name was the second almost exclusively Latino school she had spoken to that evening. With high school students, she said, she always likes to bring in the positive and promote perseverance, my favorite word. To college students, whose campuses usually are more integrated, she has a different speech. She tells them, Youre the ones who have to find a way to get rid of de facto segregation. She does not see it happening in her lifetime, but she still hopes it will happen in theirs. daniela.gerson@latimes.com Twitter: @dhgerson ALSO From living in cars to UC Davis one students journey Three things to know about how L.A. schools are using your money How UCLA is boosting campus diversity, despite the ban on affirmative action A man was arrested in Anaheim on Monday morning on suspicion of robbery after he barricaded himself inside a Wells Fargo bank for about 30 minutes, authorities said. Employees inside the bank branch at 1662 N. Raymond Ave. locked themselves inside a backroom away from the suspect and called the police at 9:09 a.m., Anaheim Police Sgt. Daron Wyatt said. Police arrived on the scene and began negotiating with the suspect for about 30 to 40 minutes, trying to persuade him to come out. Advertisement Wyatt said the suspect surrendered without incident. No one was injured and there were no hostages. Wyatt said he was not aware of any weapon found at the scene. The suspects name has not been released yet. He has not been booked and a bail has not yet been set. alexia.fernandez@latimes.com @alexiafedz Charter school founder Steve Barr on Monday filed papers to run for Los Angeles mayor, launching a long-shot candidacy that could reshape the dynamics of incumbent Mayor Eric Garcettis reelection bid by drawing voters attention to the citys struggling school system. Barr, a Silver Lake resident and darling of education-reform advocates who has not previously held elected office, said he has grown impatient with what he sees as Garcettis passivity in the face of a worsening public education crisis. He said Garcetti is a really nice guy who lacks a sense of urgency about solving the citys problems, foremost among them the shortcomings of the nations second-largest school system. The school district and Im saying this as a big fan of the school district, as a parent in the school district in some ways is a little bit like an alcoholic who hasnt bottomed out yet, Barr said. Its getting better, but we cant afford as a city to just let this thing linger out there, because its not just affecting them anymore. Its affecting our city and it has for a long time. Advertisement Barrs entry into the 2017 race comes amid a historic push by local activists to expand charter schools as an answer to problems in the Los Angeles Unified School District, and is likely to revive debate around a recurrent theme in L.A. government: the relationship between LAUSD and City Hall. L.A.s mayor, unlike those in Chicago or New York City, has no formal authority over the school district. That hasnt stopped school quality from periodically dominating city politics. Former Mayor Richard Riordan campaigned aggressively for favored Board of Education candidates, incurring the enmity of the local teachers union. Former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa fueled his winning 2005 campaign against incumbent James Hahn with promises to reform public education. (That goal eluded Villaraigosa once he was in office, as his bid to take over the school district was defeated in court.) In taking on Garcetti, Barr faces long odds against an incumbent who has built a broad base of political support and an impressive fundraising machine and who has made no major missteps during his first three years in office. Jaime Regalado, an emeritus professor of political science at Cal State L.A., said he thought nothing short of a serious scandal or perhaps an abrupt exit by Garcetti to accept an appointment in a Hillary Clinton White House would create any chance at all for Barrs success. Others cautioned against underestimating Barrs appeal to an unpredictable electorate in a city where public school quality still tops most polls as an issue of voter concern. Hes running as an outsider at a time when voters are powerfully suspicious of the political establishment, and hes running on an issue thats close to the hearts of most Angelenos, said Dan Schnur, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics at USC. It will be an uphill fight for him, but this is something that Garcetti and his team would be smart to take very seriously. Garcetti campaign manager Bill Carrick said that though the mayor has not followed in Villaraigosas footsteps by trying to gain new formal powers over the schools, he has implemented a number of programs benefiting students. He pointed to Garcettis expansion of a summer jobs program and his recently announced commitment to help fund a free year of community college for every LAUSD student. Mayor Garcettis focus is on getting things done and on doing things that are going to make a difference in the lives of young people across L.A. and that are real and tangible, Carrick said. He also cautioned against viewing a mayors duties wholly through the prism of education policy, noting that unrelated challenges such as transportation are also among city officials top priorities. Its one thing to be somebody who is focused on education as their issue as an education advocate, Carrick said. Its another thing to be the mayor of a city where you have got a lot of issues. The only other challenger to Garcetti with political or public policy experience who has entered the race is Mitchell Schwartz, a veteran political consultant who directed President Obamas 2008 campaign in California and was communications director at the U.S. Department of State under former President Bill Clinton. Barr, 56, founded Green Dot Public Schools, a nonprofit chain of charter schools that began operation in L.A. He oversaw the companys contentious takeover of Locke High School, marking the first time one of L.A. Unifieds schools was turned over to a charter group. Barr stepped down from Green Dots day-to-day leadership in 2009, but has remained active in education policy at both the state and national level. Barr was raised in Monterey and Cupertino by a single mother who worked as a cocktail waitress and dental assistant. He spent a year in foster care, went to a community college and joined the Teamsters when he worked at United Parcel Service while finishing his degree at UC Santa Barbara. It is a background that differs markedly from that of Garcetti, who grew up in Encino and attended an elite private high school before heading off to Columbia and, eventually, to Oxford through a Rhodes Scholarship. Asked about what some see as the foremost accomplishment of Garcettis first term his role in raising the city-wide minimum wage to $15 Barr demurred. The difference between him and I is Ive actually lived on minimum wage, Barr said. I understand its a great thing to get the minimum wage up to $15 an hour. Thats fantastic. Its not even close to scratching the surface of what this city needs. And it wasnt an incredibly controversial stand when he took it. Barr said he doesnt yet have a full-fledged plan for overhauling the school district, but that two immediate areas for improvement are the resources the district as a whole pours into administrative overhead and the conditions at L.A.s worst-performing schools. He said he would prefer to work cooperatively with school district officials, but would be willing to pursue changes in city or state law to expand the mayors power were he to find his efforts stymied. The proposition for them is, Were going to rally around you, but youve got to change. And mediocrity is no longer an option, Barr said. The viability of Barrs campaign could hinge partly on whether he secures the support of wealthy school-reform advocates in L.A., some of whom are involved in a plan that could dramatically increase the number of charter schools operating in the city. A confidential draft of the plan obtained last year by The Times described raising $490 million to move half of the school districts enrolled students into charters over the next eight years. Reform advocates later backed away from the plan, but critics still worry about a massive charter school expansion that could bankrupt the school district by drawing away students and the state funding that accompanies them. Frank Baxter, a businessman and former U.S. ambassador to Uruguay who has actively supported charter schools, called Barr one of the pioneers in the charter movement in Los Angeles. Baxter declined to say whether he would support Barrs candidacy, though he said Barr had informed him of his decision to run. Billionaire philanthropist Eli Broad, another prominent backer of local school-reform initiatives, was traveling outside the country and could not be reached for comment. MORE LOCAL NEWS Fighting to save hundreds of animals left behind when Border fire swept through region Loaded gun found at neo-Nazi event where seven people are stabbed From living in cars to UC Davis one students journey peter.jamison@latimes.com Twitter: @petejamison howard.blume@latimes.com Twitter: @howardblume UPDATES: 4:38 p.m.: This article was updated with additional information about a plan to expand charter schools in Los Angeles. 2:21 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Bill Carrick, campaign manager for Mayor Eric Garcetti. This article was originally published at 8:27 a.m. The flames may have destroyed Holly Lightners home, but shes grateful that she still has South Lake. The 62-year-old former nurse has lived in the hamlet of retirees and low-income families near the southern shore of Lake Isabella since 1986. South Lake, she said, is the kind of place where the grocer lets those short on cash buy their food with an IOU, not wanting anyone to go hungry. For the record: A headline on an earlier version of this article stated that the Erskine fire was 70% contained. It was 40% contained as of Monday morning. You can only find that in a small town like ours, I guess, she said, chuckling. Thats us, thats South Lake. Advertisement Yet among the tight-knit community, with a few hundred residents just 45 miles northeast of Bakersfield, frustration and anger are flaring as they face the grim reality presented by the Erskine fire, which has killed at least two people. At more than 70 square miles, the blaze is the states largest and it has leveled 200 structures, making it the most destructive wildfire this year. In South Lake, more than 100 trailers and houses were burned in a 1-square-mile area. Convinced that protecting wealthier communities was the priority of first responders, angry South Lake residents pressed officials on Monday to explain at a community meeting why firefighters didnt save more of the town. We dont count because were poor? Janice Ryan asked during a gathering at Kernville Elementary School, the makeshift evacuation center. Why arent we as important as the next town? Why was South Lake bypassed? Kern County Fire Department spokesman Anthony Romero responded into a bullhorn: When you have heavy wind going at 40 to 50 mph, theres not any fire department anywhere in the world that would be able to catch a fire going that fast. No one is less important here. Everybody is important, he said. Unfortunately this fire was too big, too fast for us to get in front of. South Lake resident Lisa Blair searches through the rubble with her boyfriend Joshua Wood after it was burned down in the Erskine Fire. The blaze is the largest of the nine wildfires raging in the state. Fires across California have scorched more than 70,000 acres and drawn more than 5,000 firefighters. Of those, more than 2,000 firefighters have been assigned to the Erskine fire, named for the street near where the blaze broke out Thursday. Officials said late Monday that the fire was 45% contained, and although it did not grow Monday, there is concern that flames may head west toward rugged mountains just below its initial path. The two people killed in the blaze have been identified as Byron and Gladys McKaig. Byron McKaig was an Anglican priest in a Kernville congregation, according to Bishop Eric Menees of the Anglican Diocese of San Joaquin, who issued a statement confirming their deaths. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Evacuations were lifted for the communities of Mountain Mesa, Weldon, Larson Tract, Navajo, Hillview Acres and Bella Vista, but not South Lake. After learning that he could return to his mobile home in Mountain Mesa, Don Jones, 69, got into his car, got some extra water and sped off, eager to get home to his cat. He grew more frustrated as he got caught in traffic, waiting as workers repaired an electric pole. He pulled into his neighborhood, but before he even came to a stop, he began shouting his cats name. Stormy, Stormy! he yelled over and over, putting his hands on his knees and looking wherever he could for the black-and-white cat. He checked his neighbors shady porch, where he knew his cat sometimes hides. He wasnt there. Jones hadnt planned on leaving his home. He had gone to get a drink with a neighbor, and when he tried to return, he was told the road was closed. He tried different ways to get back in but couldnt. At the evacuation center, he thought constantly about Stormy, his companion whom he had gotten as a kitten 10 years ago. Hes all Ive got, Jones said, his voice shaking. Neighbors checked in on him, trying to make conversation. One asked if he was OK. Not yet, he said. Not until I find that cat. His neighbor across the street, Lori Snooks, was having a tough time of her own. Without electricity, she stored her remaining scraps of food -- including some tortillas and eggs -- on her porch, tucked in a cooler with ice. ruben.vives@latimes.com brittny.mejia@latimes.com matt.hamilton@latimes.com Vives and Mejia reported from Lake Isabella, Hamilton from Los Angeles. Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Alexia Fernandez contributed to this report. ALSO Loaded gun found at neo-Nazi event where seven people are stabbed Charter school founder Steve Barr to challenge Garcetti in 2017 Woman who felt slighted at a party orchestrated fatal shooting, police say UPDATES: 4 a.m. June 28: This article has been updated throughout with additional details and editing, including the containment of the fire and its projected path. 6:04 p.m.: This post was updated with the names of the two people killed in the fire. 1:50 p.m.: This post was updated with scenes from the Mountain Mesa neighborhood. 1:08 p.m.: This post was updated with the names of communities that had evacuations lifted. 12:05 p.m.: This post was updated with details from meeting at Kernville Elementary School evacuation center. This story was originally published at 7:14 a.m. The two groups at the center of a violent Sacramento rally that left at least seven people with stab wounds on the Capitol grounds Sunday represent a marriage of the past and future of white supremacist organizations, experts and law enforcement officials said. The Traditionalist Worker Party is a white nationalist group emblematic of a surge in intellectual racism that has pervaded across extremist circles in the last decade. The group they held the rally in conjunction with -- the Golden State Skinheads -- are among Californias oldest, largest, and most violent white supremacist organizations, experts say. For the record: In an earlier version of this story, comments regarding a strategy used by white power groups at public events were mistakenly attributed to Joanna Mendelson. The comments were made by Brian Levin and reiterated by other experts interviewed for this story. Brian Levin, director of Cal State San Bernardinos Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism, said the event seemed to follow a strategy used frequently by white power groups in recent years. The groups will often announce a rally, seemingly bait counter-demonstrators into violence, and then use video footage of the attacks as further evidence of the white genocide they use as a rallying call. Advertisement The pattern was similar to an incident in Anaheim earlier this year, where three people were stabbed after protesters attacked a small band of Ku Klux Klan members. Their biggest kind of whine right now is the idea that white people are being subjected to genocide, Mark Potok, editor of the Southern Poverty Law Centers Intelligence Report magazine, said of the violence in Anaheim. That kind of video simply illustrates how white people and particularly white nationalists are under attack. The Traditionalist Worker Party had obtained a permit for the Sunday event, and the California Highway Patrol said the violence was sparked by counter-protesters. If I had to say who started it and who didnt, Id say the permitted group didnt start it, said CHP Officer George Granada, a spokesman for the agencys Protective Services Division. They came onto the grounds and were met almost instantly with a group of protesters there not to talk. Seven people were stabbed and nine others were injured in Sacramento, according to police, who said that the injured belonged to both the far-right groups and the counter-protesters. Only one of the stabbing victims was among the Traditionalist Worker Party and skinhead groups, according to Matthew Parrott, a spokesman for the party. Antifa Sacramento, the anti-fascist group that organized the counter-protest, said in a statement Monday that eight of its members had been injured in the melee. During the Anaheim rally, police also said the Klansmen who stabbed demonstrators did so in self-defense. The Traditionalist Worker Party bridges the gap between pseudo-intellectuals and racist skinheads and describes itself as a banner organization to unite white supremacists, according to Joanna Mendelson, a researcher with the Anti-Defamation Leagues Center For Extremism in California. The group symbolizes the shift away from organized white extremism, according to Mendelson, who said the party does not have many members. The group may be best known for its chairman, Matthew Heimbach, who is considered the face of a new generation of white nationalists, by the Southern Poverty Law Center. Heimbach, who did not attend the Sacramento event, does have a history of activism in California alongside the Golden State Skinheads group. Heimbach was one of the keynote speakers at a 2015 gathering of white nationalists in Bakersfield known as Camp Comradery, according to Mendelson. Our values are normal, they are not fringe. Right now we are living in an environment where the entire western world is, for better or worse, doped up on Jewish propaganda and on this idea of multiculturalism, Heimbach said, according to a recording of the speech he posted on his YouTube channel. Other speakers at Camp Comradery included William Johnson, a Los Angeles attorney and self-described white separatist who leads the American Freedom Party. This year, Johnson was listed as one of GOP frontrunner Donald Trumps California delegates for the Republican National Convention, though the Trump campaign later claimed his addition to the list was a mistake. Parrott, however, described the Traditionalist Worker Party as a peaceful pro-white advocacy organization and blamed the violence entirely on the counter-protesters, whom he described as a group of stoner college kids cutting loose on our guys. He did not believe the Antifa group, described as skinheads against racial prejudice, incited the violence. Experts say the Golden State Skinheads, however, are more illustrative of the traditional white supremacist image. Generally speaking, skinhead groups in California tend to function like criminal street gangs, with their political ideologies secondary to robbery and drug trafficking, according to San Bernardino County Deputy Dist. Atty. Britt Imes, an expert on white supremacy groups. They tend to be very loosely affiliated outside the prison structure, Imes previously told The Times. Their criminality is based more on associations rather than political ideologies we dont see a lot of running around doing robberies of particular ethnic stores or victims. Groups like the Golden State Skinheads often claim not to be involved in violence or criminality, Mendelson said. But what happens in reality is certainly very different. Parrott denied the skinhead group had been involved in violence in the past, referring to suggestions they had been involved in criminal activity as propaganda. If I did believe they were, our organization wouldnt be affiliated with them, he said. Our relationship is contingent upon them having a positive, nationalist, pro-white message. Parrott said the point of the rally was to protest what his group sees as police indifference toward violence against right-wingers, including the attacks on Klan members in Anaheom and Trump supporters in San Jose and Costa Mesa. His group chose to work alongside the Golden State Skinheads for a simple reason, the need for protection. In California, its got to be a fight to the death with these people, Parrott said. They made it very clear, they were coming there to kill us. But although extremist luminaries like Heimbach prefer to call themselves white nationalists, as opposed to the supremacist term that connotes violence, experts say interactions with skinhead groups might serve to pierce that veil. What Heimbach was trying to do was to sugarcoat his white nationalist message just enough so he could play both sides of the fence, but eventually that log roll tips over, and when youre sharing the stage with the Golden State Skinheads, that tells you a lot, Levin said. If you had to do a hate rally, and you wanted some big people who are capable of punching back, those are the folks youd invite. Levin said the violence in both Anaheim and Sacramento seems to highlight a legitimization of brutality in political discourse, driven by an especially toxic election cycle. Pointing to attacks on protesters at Trump rallies nationwide, as well as protester-incited violence at the candidates events in San Jose and Costa Mesa, Levin said incendiary behavior may be the only common ground shared by groups on either side of the political divide. Risk of violence shouldnt just be viewed as coming from one side of the ideological spectrum, he said. Once the effectiveness of violence is perceived, particularly in the publicity area, it then crosses the fire lines. james.queally@latimes.com Follow @JamesQueallyLAT for crime and police news in California. Times staff writer Joseph Serna contributed to this report. ALSO Run faster to catch the Metro, or else youll be decapitated? High school football player killed over YouTube music video, mom says Former top L.A. County sheriffs official given 5-year sentence for obstructing FBI probe A bicyclist participating in a Critical Mass ride in San Francisco was convicted and awaits sentencing for trying to trap a driver in a Zipcar and bashing her vehicle with a U-lock, officials said Monday. Ian Hespelt, 39, pleaded guilty to felony assault and vandalism Friday in connection with the Aug. 28 incident near the Golden Gate Bridge that was posted to YouTube. Video of the incident showed a group of bicyclists surrounding a woman in a Zipcar and shouting at her and hitting her car. Police think the group was part of a Critical Mass splinter group that peeled off from riders downtown and headed toward the Golden Gate Bridge. Advertisement Critical Mass riders cruise through downtown on the last Friday of every month. The video shows at least a dozen cyclists crossing Marina Boulevard on a marked crosswalk before steering into lanes and toward oncoming, slow-moving traffic. On the video, one cyclist appears to stop directly in front of a Zipcar, which creeps slowly forward and bumps the bikes tire. Hey, stop that! the cyclist yells before he lays down his bike in front of the car and walks to the drivers window. Additional cyclists are seen surrounding the car as other vehicles keep their distance. You aint going nowhere! Put it in park! someone is heard yelling. Youre really going to run me over for stopping for five minutes? another person is heard saying. A cyclist, apparently the one whose bike was bumped, is heard telling the female driver that once police arrive on the scene, Youre done. Others yell that she has nowhere to go as about half a dozen cyclists surround her car. The video shows the driver back up and steer right to go around the group, but they roll in front of her again, trapping her. The driver is heard yelling something to the cyclists about them standing there, then slowly rolls her car forward. One man lifts his bicycle and slams it on top of her car hood. As the car rolls forward, another cyclist Hespelt begins smashing the hood with a U-lock. He also hits the drivers side window and a passenger window as the woman drives off. Hespelt was arrested days after the incident when police recognized him based on a description of the suspect. Hespelt is scheduled to appear in court on July 25 and faces a potential jail sentence or probation, prosecutors said. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. A night of partying took a deadly turn in Glendale when a 25-year-old man was fatally shot over insults directed at an 18-year-old woman hed met hours earlier, police said. Police said they believe the woman, identified as Napa resident Dezerea Lyons, orchestrated the attack through phone calls and text messages to her two male friends who later showed up with guns. Less than 24 hours after the shooting, Glendale police arrested Lyons, as well as the suspected gunmen Suisun City resident Laquan Parker, 24, and Stockton resident Brandon Perkins, 26 on suspicion of murder, said Glendale Police Sgt. Robert William. Advertisement On Friday night, the victim, identified as Phillip Niles Jr., was out with friends in Los Angeles, where he met Lyons and her friend. Eventually, the group moved the party to a Glendale apartment in the 1700 block of North Verdugo Road, where Lyons felt insulted by comments made by Niles, a recent Los Angeles transplant from Daytona Beach, Fla. What he said was not clear. You dont know me, she told him, according to police. You dont know what Im capable of. After Lyons sent some text messages and made phone calls, the two men arrived, and she grabbed her friend and left the apartment. Niles walked them out. Outside, the two gunmen were waiting. Lyons and her friend who investigators say was not involved in the attack climbed into the car, while Perkins and Parker reportedly confronted Niles. Just before 4 a.m. Saturday, neighbors heard the gunfire. Investigators are working to determine who pulled the trigger. With multiple gunshot wounds, Niles ran a short distance before collapsing on the front lawn of a home in the 1600 block of The Midway Street, William said. When police arrived, Niles was dead. His friends, meanwhile, thought hed gone home. Investigators spent hours canvassing the neighborhood, searching for leads. They went from not knowing the victim, to a complete whodunit case, to seriously putting some good work into it, William said. Detectives discovered that the two men jumped in the car and fled to a Comfort Inn in Monrovia, where they had rented a room. Lyons friend had reportedly asked Parker and Perkins to let her go, but they held her against her will. Police also arrested the men on suspicion of false imprisonment. The friend eventually made it home. The trio was arrested Saturday after investigators spotted the friends walking out of the Monrovia hotel. Police reportedly recovered two handguns from the car. Each suspect was being held in lieu of $2-million bail. alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @atchek Tchekmedyian writes for Times Community News. ALSO 7 stabbed at neo-Nazi event outside Capitol in Sacramento Another heat wave expected to hit region, hindering Kern County fire fight Bear injures man in Angeles National Forest; officials order campground closed The Snowbot a $14,000 Beampro telepresence robot that Edward Snowden pilots from Moscow is becoming a fixture at conferences, meetings, and in the halls of power in the USA, where Snowden is a frequent invited guest. Snowden views the Snowbot work as well as his appearances on giant monitors (which he always begins with a Big Brother joke) as a continuation of the step he took when he risked his freedom by coming forward with disclosures about the extent of illegal mass surveillance practiced by the USA and its "Five Eyes" allies in the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia. This is apparently driving America's spooks who have publicly, volubly fantasized about torturing him to death bananas. Snowden, who cut his teeth in online forums and graduated to being a pain-the-ass amateur constitutional scholar/gadfly in at the NSA and CIA, uses the Snowbot to have one-on-one debates with some of America's most powerful apologists for mass surveillance, and consistently trounces them. Then he goes on to have one-on-one interactions with the bot, which he's become an expert in, figuring out how to mimic eye-contact and even respond to hugs. He's working with his ACLU attorney, Ben Wizner, on a clemency campaign that pins its hopes on Obama making a grand gesture this autumn, on his way out of office. But he's also using the robot to consult with some of the world's leading cryptographers and technologists to harden the internet against surveillance, drawing on both his technical skills and his insider knowledge of state-level threats to refine their tools and make them suited for purpose. Snowden believes that officials like Litt are merely trying to scare the public into acquiescence. Last October, the two had a showdown of sorts when they spoke back-to-back at a conference at Bard College. "Each time we have an election, it's like another round of a game," Snowden told the students. Using a livecasting program designed for gamers that allows him to project illustrations, he filled the auditorium screen with an image of George W. Bush shaking hands with Obama. "The policies of one president become the policies of another." Then he played a video clip of the cleric Anwar al-Awlaki's son, a 16-year-old American citizen killed by a drone strike in Yemen. He cited a leaked 2015 email in which Litt addressed the hostile legislative climate, recommending "keeping our options open" for a change "in the event of a terrorist attack or criminal event where strong encryption can be shown to have hindered law enforcement." "Surveillance is ultimately not about safety," Snowden said. "Surveillance is about power. Surveillance is about control." Litt opened his remarks by joking that he could sympathize with the act that went on Ed Sullivan after the Beatles. "I can hear the NSA's opinion any day," one student stage-whispered, as he and many others got up to head for the exits. Litt called after them, saying he was "disappointed" with the disdain "given that this is an academic environment." He then elaborated on the ominous sentiment expressed in his email. Edward Snowden's Strangely Free Life As a Robot [Andrew Rice/New York Magazine] A series of violent clashes this weekend involving neo-Nazis permitted to rally at the state Capitol was initiated not by the white nationalist group but by counter-protesters, a law enforcement official said Monday. If I had to say who started it and who didnt, Id say the permitted group didnt start it, said California Highway Patrol officer George Granada, a spokesman for its Protective Services division. They came onto the grounds and were met almost instantly with a group of protesters there not to talk. The Traditionalist Worker Party had a permit to hold a rally on the Capitol grounds at noon, Granada said. Advertisement Waiting for them were counter-protesters, including members of the anti-fascist organization Antifa Sacramento, which had promoted a Shut Down Nazi Rally event on its website leading up to Sunday. A similar melee broke out in Anaheim earlier this year when members of the Ku Klux Klan announced they were holding a rally at a park. Counter-protesters showed up early and waited. When the first Klansmen arrived, they were set upon by the group. Three people were stabbed at the Anaheim rally. At the Sacramento rally Sunday, seven people were stabbed and nine were hospitalized. Granada said more than 100 CHP and Sacramento police officers were at the park to keep the peace, but the ground spans five city blocks and violence broke out intermittently. Sacramento police found a loaded gun but the CHP didnt recover any knives or other weapons, Granada said. Its not like all that stuff is visible up until its about to be used a lot of that stuff comes out of wherever, he said. We were prepared it couldve been much worse. Luckily there were no injuries to officers, tourists or people of the general public. All the injuries were sustained by white nationalists or counter-protesters though specific totals werent available, Granada said. Join the conversation on Facebook >> The Traditionalist Worker Party said on its website that it had planned a Sunday rally in conjunction with the Golden State Skinheads to make a statement about the precarious situation our race is in after brutal assaults at Donald Trump events in California. When the groups met Sunday on the Capitol grounds, news media were on hand to bear witness and law enforcement was out to maintain control. The violence erupted around 11:45 a.m., when word spread that roughly 30 people had shown up. Counter-protesters swarmed them and a fight immediately broke out, Granada said. Robert Bautista, 65, said he saw a handful of white supremacists and skinheads arrive two or three at a time only to be immediately mobbed and chased away by the counter-protesters, who hurled water bottles and the wooden stakes that bore their signs. They beat the heck out of a couple guys, said Bautista, a retired construction worker who was among the counter-protesters. You could see their adrenaline was running high. Bautista also said he saw one counter-protester, a black man who appeared to be in his late 20s, convulsing on the ground with stab wounds to his chest and abdomen. He was a bloody mess, he said. The Nazis are the violent ones we are acting in self-defense. We need to take them head on, confront them, but with as many people as possible. Yvette Felarca, counter-protester Dozens of counter-protesters remained after the injured had been taken away, watching over the Capitol steps in sweltering heat. On the grounds, a lone white nationalist supporter approached with a cellphone and shouted about his constitutional right to be on site and shoot video. After exchanging heated words with the protesters, people erupted into a chorus of Nazi, go home. For much of the afternoon, the historic domed Capitol was locked down, with staffers and tourists inside. Police swarmed the park-like grounds, but by Monday there had still been no arrests. Police are scanning websites, social media accounts and videos online to find people involved in the violence, Granada said. Many of the counter-protesters wore masks, making them difficult to identify on video by law enforcement. Counter-protester Yvette Felarca, 46, said the marchers had been driven away and had not been able to recruit members. The Nazis are the violent ones we are acting in self-defense, said Felarca, who sustained a bloody blow to the head. We need to take them head on, confront them, but with as many people as possible. The Traditionalist Worker Party vice chairman, Matt Parrott, blamed leftist radicals for instigating the violence. Videos and photos of the rally posted on social media showed the white nationalists vastly outnumbered by protesters from anti-fascist groups. We stood our ground. We will be back, Traditionalist Worker Party Chairman Matthew Heimbach, who was not at the rally, said in a phone interview. Both sides declared victory on their respective websites Monday morning. Staff writers Jazmine Ulloa, John Myers, Emily Alpert Reyes and Victoria Kim contributed to this report. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna on Twitter. ALSO Robbery suspect arrested after barricading himself inside Anaheim bank High school football player killed over YouTube music video, mom says Man accidentally backs over and kills girlfriends child with pickup truck UPDATES: 12:30 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from law enforcement, and more details on the melee. This article originally was published at 6:52 a.m. Illegal street racing may have led to a violent crash on Ventura Boulevard on Saturday that left three people dead and four others injured. Los Angeles police investigators continue to scour evidence taken from the deadly collision that occurred about 9 p.m. in the 20900 block of Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills. So far, they said, it appears as though street racing could have been a factor. It was a really horrific traffic collision, Los Angeles Police Det. Bill Bustos said. A tremendous amount of force was there. Advertisement Although its unclear what led to the crash, Bustos said the driver of a black 2015 Ford Mustang was speeding as he traveled westbound on Ventura Boulevard and collided with a white 2015 Mercedes. After colliding at the intersection of Ventura Boulevard and De Soto Avenue, the Mustang struck a 2015 Chevrolet Malibu traveling eastbound. From there, the Mustang continued west and hit a parked Honda Accord, finally coming to a rest and bursting into flames. Armed with fire extinguishers, witnesses ran to the Mustang and doused the flames. Firefighters used extraction tools in an effort to remove a rear passenger, but all three occupants of the Mustang died. Investigators are working to identify the three dead men and notify their families. At least some of them appeared to be Kuwaiti nationals, authorities said. One of the men was identified as Mubarak Alqashout, 20, of Woodland Hills, according to Ed Winter, spokesman for the Los Angeles County coroners office. The second victim was described as a 21-year-old man. The third victim was described only as male. Based on witness accounts and evidence collected at the crash site, Bustos said the Mustang was driving at freeway speeds, well above the posted 40 mph speed limit. Everybody was put at risk, Bustos said of the drivers high speed. This is an area where businesses are open. People are out walking around. Bustos is looking for a white, four-door sedan and a pickup that were in the area at the time of the crash. Surveillance video shows the vehicles traveling on the wide road before and after the crash. The drivers of those vehicles could provide clues as to what happened, Bustos said. Ventura Boulevard, like several other wide roads in the San Fernando Valley, has been used for street racing in the past. Races can occur suddenly, he said. Its spontaneous, Bustos said. All you need is two drivers to look at each other and decide to race. Saturdays collision could have been avoided if the driver wasnt so reckless, authorities said. Its such a tragic loss of life, Bustos said. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. The police chief of Portland, Ore., has stepped down amid accusations that he tried to cover up the accidental shooting of a friend during a camping trip. Larry ODea, 53, a 30-year veteran of the Police Department, first told an investigator that the friend, Robert Dempsey, had somehow shot himself in the back during the April trip to southeast Oregon. Dempsey, 54, who had to be airlifted to a hospital in Boise, Idaho, was treated and released. Though ODea had denied any responsibility for the shooting in a statement to a local deputy sheriff, the chief later apologized to Dempsey for shooting him. Dempsey told the deputy, and ODea resigned Monday. Advertisement The story that emerged was that the chief had been getting a beer from a cooler when his rifle accidentally went off and wounded Dempsey, who was sitting nearby with others in the hunting and camping party. The campers were arrayed in a line of lawn chairs, drinking beer and using their guns to pick off sage rats running along a dirt bank. Mayor Charlie Hales on Monday named a captain to take over for ODea, rather than one of four assistant chiefs, who are under investigation for not taking internal action, according to the Oregonian newspaper. An investigation of the shooting by state police and the state Justice Department is due to be wrapped up soon, the Oregonian said. Investigators want to know why none of the assistant chiefs called for an internal investigation and why Hales who learned the details from ODea kept them secret. ODea became the citys 10th chief to depart in the last three decades. Some lasted hardly a year. Former Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief Mark Kroeker, appointed to the Portland job in 1999, stayed until 2003. He resigned under pressure from Portlanders opposed to his hard-nosed policies and conservative beliefs, including his view that homosexuality is a perversion. When ODea took over in January 2015, he promised to lead with integrity and to stay in office longer than some predecessors. In the past, he said, changing chiefs has been like, Off with their heads, out the door, whos next? Portland is the second major West Coast city recently to change police chiefs amid charges of misconduct. A scandal in Oakland resulted in the ouster of three police chiefs in nine days after an officers suicide led to accusations of sexual misconduct in the Police Department. Twenty-eight Oakland and suburban police officers have been implicated in the case involving a teenage sex worker. Anderson is a special correspondent based in Seattle. ALSO: Cities watch as Portland allows homeless to sleep on sidewalks and camp in public spaces How new rules in two states could give birth to Big Marijuana Old and poor: An especially bad combination in this Arizona county UPDATES: 9:15 p.m.: This report has been revised throughout for additional details and for clarity. This article originally published at 4:57p.m. The Supreme Court on Monday handed down its most significant abortion ruling since 1992, shielding doctors and clinics from unnecessary health regulations that could force them to stop offering the procedure. The justices, by a 5-3 vote, reaffirmed their view that state lawmakers may not put an undue burden on women who seek an abortion and overturned a Texas law that would have closed three-fourths of the abortion clinics in that state. The courts opinion by Justice Stephen G. Breyer concluded the strict Texas regulations did little to protect the health of women while imposing significant obstacles for those who seek an abortion. Advertisement The ruling is likely to block or void similar laws in about two dozen other states. It was second time in a week that a longstanding conservative social campaign ended in defeat at the high court. Last week, the justices rejected a plea to strike down affirmative action at colleges and universities. In both cases, Justice Anthony M. Kennedy joined with his liberal colleagues to form the majority. Until Monday, it was unclear whether Kennedy, a moderate conservative, would tilt in favor of state regulation or the right to abortion. In 2007, Kennedy led conservatives in upholding a ban on partial-birth abortions and worried liberals by suggesting in his opinion that many women come to regret their decision. Kennedy also cast the crucial fifth vote in Planned Parenthood vs. Casey in 1992, when the justices upheld the right to abortion established in Roe vs. Wade, but gave states more leeway to regulate the procedure as long as they did not impose an undue burden on womens rights. Since that decision did not clearly define what constitutes an undue burden, conservatives have been trying ever since to clarify how far states may go, in Kennedys mind, without crossing the line. Antiabortion lawmakers across the South and the Midwest adopted increasingly strict regulations in recent years which have forced many abortion facilities to close. By siding with liberals Monday, Kennedy, the last sitting justice who signed the Casey decision, put judges on notice that he thinks the bar for undue burden is high. The decision sends a clear warning to Republican-led states hoping to restrict abortion for political or religious reasons that the high court will not blindly accept a state legislatures findings that restrictions are medically necessary without clear evidence. Breyer said the states two major regulations cannot be justified on medical grounds. The 2013 Texas law required doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and clinics to meet the minimum standards of surgical centers. The law forced about half of the states abortion clinics to close, and if fully implemented, would have reduced the number from 40 before 2013 to nine, located only in major metro areas like Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, Houston and San Antonio, abortion-rights groups said. We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes, Breyer wrote in Whole Womans Health vs. Hellderstedt. Each places substantial obstacles in the path of women seeking a pre-viability abortion, each constitutes an undue burden on abortion access, and each violates the federal Constitution. Breyer noted that Texas appeared to be singling out abortions, rather than other procedures with a higher risk rate. Nationwide, childbirth is 14 times more likely than abortion to result in death, Breyer said, but Texas law allows a midwife to oversee childbirth in the patients own home. Colonoscopy, a procedure that typically takes place outside a hospital [or surgical center] setting, has a mortality rate 10 times higher than abortion. Texas would have required all abortions to take place in fully staffed, outpatient surgical centers, including women only seeking medication to end an early pregnancy. Since only nine such facilities are in operation in Texas, women from the western part of the state would have had to travel hundreds of miles to get to such a center. The court also struck down the admitting-privileges provision. Many hospitals refuse to extend privileges to such doctors because of the controversy over abortion. Breyer said the state could not cite a single instance where a doctors admitting privileges at a local hospital would have led to better treatment for an abortion patient. Breyers matter-of-fact opinion did not directly question the motives of Texas lawmakers who adopted House Bill 2. But Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg spoke more directly in a short concurring opinion. It is beyond rational belief that H.B. 2 could genuinely protect the health of women, she said. Women in desperate circumstances may resort to unlicensed rogue practitioners...at great risk to their health and safety. Ginsburg, a longtime champion of abortion rights, said state laws that single out abortions should be invalidated. Targeted-regulation-of-abortion-provider laws like H.B. 2 that do little or nothing for health, but rather strew impediments to abortion cannot survive judicial inspection, she said. Besides Kennedy and Ginsburg, Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined Breyer. The Supreme Court , in a victory for abortion-rights advocates, limited the power of Texas and other states to restrict or effectively shut down clinics that offer the procedure. Abortion-rights advocates said the ruling sends a clear warning to states attempting to restrict abortion. Without question, todays ruling is a game-changer in what has been an unrelenting assault on womens rights across the country, said Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which led the lawsuit on behalf of the clinics. This tremendous victory renews the promise of Roe vs. Wade for the next generation. We will not stop fighting until access is restored for all women in the U.S. President Obama praised the ruling. We remain strongly committed to the protection of womens health, including protecting a womans access to safe, affordable healthcare and her right to determine her own future, he said in a statement. Antiabortion groups voiced outrage. How shabby are these abortion clinics that they cannot meet the minimum standards other outpatient surgical centers are required to meet? said Carol Tobias, president of National Right to Life. She said the courts opinion may mark the return to the period immediately after the Roe vs. Wade decision when the court exhibited extreme hostility to regulation of abortion as a medical procedure. Todays devastating news underscores the incredibly high stakes the Supreme Court vacancy hold for the unborn child, added Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.), who chairs the congressional Pro-Life Caucus. In dissent were Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. Thomas said the majority radically rewrites the 1992 opinion in a way that will encourage judges to strike down reasonable regulations of abortion. Alito said it seems clear that HB 2 was intended to force unsafe facilities to shut down, citing the case of Kermit Gosnell, the Philadelphia abortion doctor who was convicted of murder in the death of three infants. Breyer rebutted that comment, noting that Pennsylvania authorities had not inspected Gosnells shabby clinic for 15 years, while Texas inspects abortion facilities annually. The ruling should allow some of Texas clinics to reopen, especially in rural areas, said Nan Kirkpatrick, executive director of the Dallas-based Texas Equal Access Fund, which helps those who cannot afford abortions. Its vital in West Texas and the Panhandle, where people are hundreds of miles from care, said Kirkpatrick. We are really hoping this decision will reopen providers. Good morning. It is Monday, June 27. Yummy, yummy -- these are the best milkshakes in Los Angeles. Heres what else is happening in the Golden State: TOP STORIES Violent clash Advertisement At least seven people were stabbed Sunday in clashes between white nationalists and counter-protesters in Sacramento. It was unclear which group the victims were from. The Traditionalist Worker Party hosted the march to protest against globalization and in defense of the right to free expression. It was quite a bit of a melee, said a spokesman with the Sacramento Fire Department. Los Angeles Times Destructive fire Dry grass and 60-mph winds drove the massive fire in Kern County. By Saturday afternoon, the fire had killed at least two people and destroyed 35,000 acres. Its the wind. Its the proximity of houses. Its the rapid rate of spread. We just cant keep up, said Joe Appleton, a battalion chief with the Kern County Fire Department. Los Angeles Times Wrongfully convicted At his 2010 sentencing, Raymond Lee Jennings told the court, Im at peace in my life and I laugh and I smile because I hold no remorse. He always maintained that he did not kill college student Michelle OKeefe and now, prosecutors agree with him. How did the case against him unravel? Los Angeles Times DROUGHT AND CLIMATE Nothing like it: Photojournalist Casey Christie has captured wildfires for more than 30 years, but hes never witnessed anything as powerful as the Erskine Fire. Let us reach out to these who will desperately need our help by doing what we can for these friends and neighbors who may have lost a loved one or the home they lived in, he writes. Bakersfield Californian L.A. AT LARGE Art and science: Caltechs glassblower Rick Gerhart, who brings to life the lab-equipment sketches of the universitys scientists, is retiring. There just arent as many scientific glassblowers anymore, and certainly not ones that have Ricks level of experience. Even a fraction of that experience, I think, just isnt out there, said Sarah Reisman. Los Angeles Times Light em up: A bill that would allow giant digital billboards near a downtown building is back. Opponents say the measure would create visual blight and traffic hazards near the $1-billion Metropolis high-rise project. Los Angeles Times Car culture: How did East L.A.s culture get transported to Brazil? Residents of Latin Americas largest city have created a Brazilian version of Eastside car culture, capturing the music, the clothing and, most of all, those gleaming cars. Los Angeles Times School repairs: Marshall High School in Los Feliz will get an $11-million renovation. Work began four years ago when brick and concrete fell off the tower. Now, the school building will get seismic upgrades and a new roof. The beautiful structure is symbolic of the legacy that Marshall has maintained throughout the years and is very dear to our community, said Principal Patricia Heideman. Eastsider LA POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT No experience needed: When Maywood needed a new city manager, Councilman Ramon Medina turned to a customer at his auto repair shop. Reuben Martinez, who spent 30 years at Boeing, was hired despite a total lack of governmental experience. Theres a lot of poor judgment going on in one square mile, said Jessica Levinson, a Loyola Law School professor and president of the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission. Los Angeles Times Future in politics: Will Tom Steyer break the streak of wealthy Californians who try but fail to win elected office? In 2014, he poured $74 million into the campaigns of Democrats. He wont pin a figure on his spending this year, but he expects to spend a lot, in part because of the presence of Donald Trump, whom Steyer considers the antithesis of the values that we hold dear. Los Angeles Times Out of sight, out of mind: Why dont more people in the San Joaquin Valley vote? Fundamental problems of lower education levels, declining job opportunities and economic divide festers as the gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to grow. Fresno Bee CRIME AND COURTS Where did they go?: 944. Thats how many police-issued guns have gone missing in California since 2010. Their guns have been stolen from behind car seats and glove boxes, swiped from gym bags, dresser drawers and under beds. They have been left on tailgates, car roofs and even atop a toilet paper dispenser in a car dealerships bathroom. Mercury News Crash victim: Donna Zurfluh walked 125 miles a week -- a task that required her to get up at 1:30 a.m. On June 18, Zurfluh, who walked in a reflective vest and carried a flashlight, was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver. Police continue to look for the driver. If he doesnt come forward, he can go straight to hell I dont care. You left my wife laying in a ditch. Shes the love of my life, my only love of my life, said Ron Zurfluh. Sacramento Bee CALIFORNIA CULTURE Dangerous waters: A couple had to be rescued at the Wedge Saturday when a 20-foot wave crashed on top of them and their personal watercraft. The watercraft got stuck on the jetty while lifeguards went in after the couple. Apparently, they were just kind of lost or something. He just drove straight in, said Newport Beach Marine Safety Capt. Skeeter Leeper. Orange County Register Hot dog empire: Cindy Galardi Culpepper was once a silent partner, but now shes at the center of the worlds largest hot dog chain, Wienerschnitzel. This is my passion now. I think about it when I go to bed, about how we can make it better, she said. Orange County Register Home repairs: Volunteers came together in Hollywood to fix up the home of actress Lila Waters (the star of Paper Moon.) Its all part of a program to help take care of the industrys aging members. Daily News Evolution of AIDS: When it opened, Project Open Hand was dedicated to feeding young men dying of AIDS. Today its still making meals, but the patients are older and theyre going to live. Our guys are complex now, said Mark Ryle, chief executive of Project Open Hand. San Francisco Chronicle Art scene: Here are four L.A.-based artists you need to know. New York Times Bear attack: A camper in the Angeles National Forest needed 18 stitches after he was scratched by a bear. The Millard Campground will be closed for a few days while authorities search for the bear. The encounter happened as the bear attempted to enter the mans tent. LAist Music repairs: Magdi Hanna is one of the last jukebox repair men around. Thats American history. Jukebox, he says. BBC CALIFORNIA ALMANAC San Diego will have some sun and a high of 80 degrees. Riverside will be sunny and hot at 105 degrees. Los Angeles is expected to have a high of 90 degrees. Sacramento will be sunny and hot at 102 degrees. San Francisco will be sunny and 73. AND FINALLY This weeks birthdays for notable Californians: Rep. Mike Honda (June 27, 1941), Elon Musk (June 28, 1971), Rep. Doug LaMalfa (July 2, 1960), attorney Gloria Allred (July 3, 1941) and former L.A. Mayor James Hahn (July 3, 1950). If you have a memory or story about the Golden State, share it with us. Send us an email to let us know what you love or fondly remember about our state. (Please keep your story to 100 words.) Please let us know what we can do to make this newsletter more useful to you. Send comments, complaints and ideas to Alice Walton or Shelby Grad. There are now 66 million dead trees in Californias forests due to several years of drought and native bark beetles, creating a catastrophic wildfire threator so claims U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. While Vilsacks assertion may resonate with many in the general public because it makes intuitive sense, it simply isnt true. Among scientists, there is an overwhelming consensus that weather (hot, dry, windy conditions) determines how wildland fires behave, not the density of dead trees or snags. Trees larger than just a few inches in diameter are not consumed in fires only the outer bark layer and the needles actually burn up so the great majority of the dead trees in the forest do not significantly influence fire behavior, even if they are dry. Besides, once trees die, the combustible oils in the needles quickly begin to dissipate and the needles fall, making it more not less difficult for flames to spread through the forest canopy. Advertisement As it happens, numerous empirical scientific studies have been conducted on this very issue. Last year, a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that high snag levels had no effect on the rate of fire spread in conifer forests of the Western U.S., including California. In 2016, another group of researchers found that forests with high snag levels actually tend to burn less intensely than other forests. Secretary Vilsack is well aware of this research, but it does not fit with his political and economic objectives. On June 22, he argued that large-scale tree die-offs put property and lives at risk, and urged Congress to act. Specifically, he recommended passage of a bill backed by the timber industry that would fund a large expansion of the federal wildland fire suppression program, and increase commercial logging on federal public lands all in the name of removing supposedly dangerous dead trees. Ignorance and shameless economic opportunism will destroy our forest ecosystems if we are not careful. Notably, the Agriculture Department has a direct financial interest in this legislation. It can sell dead trees, as well as trees the department claims are dying, to private logging companies from our national forests and other federal lands, and keep 100% of the revenue through the Salvage Sale Fund. The more logging Congress allows, the more money the Department makes. Environmental groups and ecologists widely oppose the legislation because it would direct most fire suppression funds to remote, backcountry forests rather than the ones that border human communities. It would also damage these forests health. When trees die naturally due to drought, native beetles or fire, the snags and downed logs contribute to forest rejuvenation and become microhabitats for wildlife. Birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles and fish all use snags and logs for food, nesting or shelter. The logging Vilsack wants to encourage, on the other hand, will leave behind only stumps, which produce none of these benefits. In the long term, then, the proposed legislation will degrade our forests and, in a cruel twist, lead to even more tree deaths. Ignorance and shameless economic opportunism will destroy our forest ecosystems if we are not careful. Chad Hanson is a research ecologist with the John Muir Project and is the co-author and co-editor of the recent book, The Ecological Importance of Mixed-Severity Fires: Natures Phoenix. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Undocumented immigrants were dealt a major setback last week. After a coalition of conservative states sued the Obama administration over its plans to grant deportation relief to the parents of American citizens, the Supreme Court deadlocked on whether or not to lift a lower courts injunction on the program. The case of United States v. Texas will now go back to the lower court, where the fate of Obamas executive action looks unfavorable. Immigration advocates decried the Supreme Courts ruling, pointing to the harm that inaction poses to mixed-status families. Many of them have vowed to continue the fight, pushing to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, elect another Democratic president willing to take further executive action, and perhaps even elect a new Congress willing to pass comprehensive immigration reform. But evidence from the last decade has shown the limits of an immigration reform strategy that is fixated on the federal government. Instead, activists should pay more attention to the states, where policy victories and political momentum are more likely. Advertisement Immigrant advocates did score a major victory in 2012, when the Supreme Court struck down most aspects of Arizonas immigration enforcement law. But federal courts have left intact many other state-level restrictions, such as penalties on businesses that hire workers in the country illegally. And the recent Texas case is likely to embolden conservative governors and attorneys general, who will increasingly look to federal trial courts as a way to fight future presidential action on immigration. Even if executive action succeeds at the federal level, it can only provide limited protection. One of Obamas signature executive actions on immigration, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, gave young undocumented immigrants temporary work permits and relief from deportation. However, DACA recipients need to renew their status every two years, and they are not automatically eligible for important benefits, such as education and health insurance, that are provided at the state level. Evidence from the last decade has shown the limits of an immigration reform strategy that is fixated on the federal government. A legislative strategy wont necessarily work, either. Lets imagine that the Democrats hit the jackpot and win both chambers of Congress in November; they are still unlikely to get a filibuster-proof Senate majority. Recall that comprehensive immigration received bipartisan support in the Senate in summer 2006, but foundered in a Republican-controlled House that year. Democrats won control of both chambers in 2007 and passed immigration reform in the House, but were unable to overcome a Senate filibuster by Republicans. Supporters of immigration reform, from advocacy groups and voters to candidates and contributors, are better off taking the fight to receptive states, at least in the short term. California has done the most to integrate its immigrant population, providing benefits such as access to driver and professional licenses, in-state tuition, financial aid and health insurance. As a package, these laws aim to improve not only the lives of immigrants, but the states economy and society more generally. A few other states, including Connecticut, Illinois, and Washington, also provide several benefits to immigrants that are unavailable at the federal level, such as health benefits for children and pregnant women regardless of when they entered the country. The next task in these states is to deepen the work of immigrant integration by, for instance, making sure that DACA recipients can practice as licensed professionals and gain access to health insurance. Finally, theres a third-tier of immigrant friendly states, including New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey, that have not yet passed major reforms but where coalition-building can help immigrant advocates win support for California-style policies. Not only are there are clear policy benefits to a state-based approach, there are political benefits too. As more and more states consider pro-integration measures, they gradually build support within parties and across a diverse range of constituencies, including not only immigrant voters but also large employers, local chambers of commerce, religious institutions, and law enforcement leaders. These are the kinds of coalitions that will ultimately be necessary for comprehensive immigration reform to succeed at the national level. Indeed, without such broad-based support across many states, the prospects for immigration reform will remain dim, no matter who is elected president this year and no matter who wins control of Congress. Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor at University of California, Riverside and Pratheepan Gulasekaram, associate professor at Santa Clara University, are authors of The New Immigration Federalism. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook Fifty-two percent of voters in the United Kingdom have decided to take a huge risk that may in the end turn Great Britain into Small England and shatter the international consensus that has given Europe more than three generations of peace. Last Thursday, the Brits approved a referendum to take their country out of the 28-member European Union. The day after, European Union became the two most searched-for words on Google in the U.K., suggesting a lot of people were trying to figure out what they had just done. The immediate effect of what they did was to drive the British pound down to a record low against the U.S. dollar and provoke a big drop in the stock market. The long-term effects may prove to be far worse. 1 / 51 la-1491523602-y7ephyarj1-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 2 / 51 la-1491368625-0bgh58ihw8-snap-image (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 3 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 4 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 5 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los angeles Times) 6 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 7 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 8 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 9 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 10 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 11 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 12 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 13 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 14 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 15 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 16 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 17 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 18 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 19 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 20 / 51 Trump inspires millions to take to the streets -- to oppose him. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 21 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 22 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 23 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 24 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 25 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 26 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 27 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 28 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 29 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 30 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 31 / 51 Top of the Ticket cartoon (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 32 / 51 Cartoon caption contest winner at the DENT conference in Sun Valley, Idaho: Jon Duval, executive director of the Ketchum Community Development Corporation. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 33 / 51 Old radicals and big media descend on Selma (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 34 / 51 Horsey imagined the creation of the Ann Coulter phenomenon in this cartoon from 2007. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 35 / 51 This David Horsey drawing is a reconfiguration of a cartoon he first published in 2006. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 36 / 51 Donald Sterling, owner of the L.A. Clippers, should give Cliven Bundy a call. After Sterling loses his NBA franchise and the deadbeat Nevada rancher loses his cattle, the two old racists will both need a buddy. Maybe they can team up together and open an all-white rodeo. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 37 / 51 Besides sending a chill up the spine of the international community, Vladimir Putin has accomplished one other thing by seizing Crimea and threatening the rest of Ukraine: Putin has brought back the bear. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 38 / 51 The right-wing insurrection at the Bundy ranch in Bunkerville, Nev., has taken another weird turn with new revelations about the family history of Cliven Bundy. (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 39 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 40 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 41 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 42 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 43 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 44 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 45 / 51 David Horsey / Los Angeles Times (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 46 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 47 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 48 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 49 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 50 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) 51 / 51 See full story (David Horsey / Los Angeles Times) Advertisement Once the separation between the E.U. and the U.K. is completed in about two years, British businesses will lose insider access to the biggest market in the world, continental Europe, and Europes financial center will move from London to Germany. Before then, the British economy is expected to slip into a recession. Beyond that lie uncharted, dark waters. Those are just the economic costs. There are other outcomes from the vote that may prove even worse. For one thing, there is the stunted future for the 75% of young Britons who voted to remain part of a united Europe. A commentator on the Financial Times website said, The younger generation has lost the right to live and work in 27 other countries. We will never know the full extent of lost opportunities, friendships, marriages and experiences we will be denied. Freedom of movement was taken away by our parents, uncles and grandparents in a parting blow to a generation that was already drowning in the debts of its predecessors. More worrisome, Brexit, as the British exit from the EU has been dubbed, will almost certainly guarantee a second Scottish referendum on independence. The independence push fell short last year, but, with 62% of Scots voting to stick with the EU, the scales may this time tilt toward separation from England and integration with Europe. The preference of voters in Northern Ireland was also pro-Europe, in part because Brexit will end the open border with the Republic of Ireland. If Scotland leaves and the equilibrium in Northern Ireland is shaken, Queen Elizabeths once-united realm will be seriously diminished. Some are already starting to question whether a more isolated, not-so-Great Britain will deserve a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. This is not such good news for the United States. The U.K. has been Americas staunchest ally for generations and a strong voice within European councils for policies and values that reinforce American interests. Now, that voice will be silenced. For Americans, that is not the worst of it, though. The worst would be if Brexit empowers nationalists and immigrant bashers in other European countries to push for dismemberment of the EU. Already, right-wingers in France and the Netherlands are demanding their own referendums on pulling out of Europe. If Europe fractures into a collection of self-interested, mostly small countries, the world economy will suffer and United States will have lost its most powerful partner in the defense of liberal, democratic values in a world riven by ruthless, anti-modern ideologies and powers. Yes, the EU bureaucracy is too elitist and unresponsive. And, yes, there are serious social, economic and security problems caused by the movement of workers within Europe and the influx of immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. Those issues were at the core of the pro-Brexit complaint. But better to face those challenges together than separately. Citizens of the United Kingdom or, more precisely, big majorities of voters outside the cities in England and Wales got it into their heads that their world would be made simpler and better by making it smaller and more separate. Let us hope those beyond British shores do not duplicate their folly. David.Horsey@latimes.com Follow me at @davidhorsey on Twitter As Hillary Clinton emerges from a hard-fought primary into what promises to be a bruising general election fight, her campaign is making a rather frank admission: As familiar as she is to the public, voters know little about her record. Her advisors have grappled with the problem since she launched her run for president more than a year ago. To combat it, Clintons campaign has spent more than $20 million to air new television ads in battleground states to reintroduce her to voters. She would grow up to be one of the most recognizable women in the world. But less well-known are the causes that have been at the center of her life, begins a new 60-second advertisement from the campaign, which then breezes through highlights of Clintons decades of public service as first lady, senator and secretary of State, but begins with her work at the Childrens Defense Fund, helping get disabled kids out of the shadows and into their local schools. Advertisement The strategy represents a Brooklyn twist on what in 1992 was dubbed the Manhattan Project, a research-driven effort to revive then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clintons battered public image as he emerged from his own presidential nomination fight. Election 2016 | Live coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter By the summer before that election, voters knew little about Clinton beyond questions about draft-dodging and infidelity, and the elite education hed received from Georgetown, Yale and Oxford, recalls Paul Begala, a veteran of the 1992 race and who now advises a pro-Hillary Clinton super PAC. People stitched those together and thought he was just a spoiled, rich brat who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and therefore would not care about the plight of poor and working Americans, Begala said. The solution to that was based on what Samuel Popkin, part of the Manhattan Project team, calls the theory of low-information rationality: the answer was not simply to rebut the negative impressions, but to offer more data to help voters form a more complete picture. Popkin, now a professor at the UC San Diego, recalls asking a simple question of his fellow aides: Quit talking about what people are saying. What is it you want people to know about Bill Clinton? That got the campaign focused on what turned out to be The Man from Hope, Popkin says. That was the title of a documentary-style video produced for the Democratic National Convention and shorter television advertisements based on it, in which Clinton talked about his humble roots and what inspired him to get into public service. You have to let people know who you are, for them to be able to identify that you mean it, and that its in you, said Popkin, author of The Candidate: What It Takes to Win and Hold the White House. Bill Clinton, though, was still a relatively unknown governor from a small state in the midst of his first national campaign. Hillary Clinton is running her second presidential race after having been at her husbands side for two more, not to mention another decade-plus as a senator and secretary of State. But the Clinton campaign still wants to fill in gaps in what the public knows about her. Aides began the effort at the very start of her campaign, but it takes on greater importance as a much wider swath of the electorate begins to pay closer attention to the race. Aides point to a second television ad about Clintons work to launch the Childrens Health Insurance Program as an example of what theyre trying to do: offer concrete evidence of her ability to deliver on behalf of the causes she supported. A campaign official said this ad was being aired in heavier rotation than two others that debuted after she became the presumptive nominee this month. Thats really, really important, said Begala, whose work with Clintons super PAC is focused instead on Trumps record. Hillary has a million policy positions. Theyre great. Theyre substantive, theyre important, theyre detailed. Ideas matter. But so does the person, and the biography, and getting behind the public image. And its especially important for someone this famous. The message appeared to be breaking through to voters. Fran Ryan, a former chairwoman of the Franklin County Democratic Party here, recalled meeting Bill Clinton when he was running in 1992. Asked about how voters viewed his wife now, Ryan brought up the ad about the Childrens Health Insurance Program. I think they know her. But I think now these new ads introduce you to her in a different way, she said as she waited for Clinton to take the stage this week at an event in Columbus. Her record, her feelings about children all of that is now combined. While waiting to enter Clintons rally in Raleigh, N.C., a day later, Pam Evans also raised the CHIP ad, also without prompting, as well as another targeting Donald Trump for his comments about a disabled reporter. I like the new TV ads. The ones with children are very heart-gripping, she said. She needs to do more of that. Clinton has also highlighted her biography on the campaign trail. In a major speech in Ohio on Tuesday designed to disqualify Trumps economic vision, Clinton talked about the many lawsuits that small businesses filed against Trump to recover payment for work they had done for his businesses. My late father was a small businessman, she said. If his customers had done what Trump did, my dad would never have made it. So I take this personally. And in North Carolina a day later, the states former governor praised her at length for her work to create what was first called the State Childrens Health Insurance Program. Clinton began her remarks joking that, with a new grandson born this week, she had double the grandmother glow. A child shouldnt have to have grandparents who were former presidents and secretaries of State to have every opportunity to succeed, she added. Every single child deserves the chance to live up to his or her God-given potential, and that has been the cause of my life, she said. Its rooted in the values I learned from my family and my faith. Were all in this together. And we have a responsibility to lift each other up. Times staff writer David Lauter contributed to this report. michael.memoli@latimes.com For more 2016 campaign coverage, follow @mikememoli on Twitter ALSO: Trumps failed Baja condo resort left buyers feeling betrayed, angry Donald Trump praises Britons for taking their country back, but only after he promotes his golf resort Heres what Britains vote to leave the EU tells us about the U.S. presidential election Tech blunder by House Democrats reveals big payout to Clinton friend The Democrats on the House Benghazi committee released their final conclusions from the inquiry into attacks on Americans in that Libyan city in 2012, and in the report they say, once again, that the investigation is a politically motivated sham aimed at damaging the reputation of presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. But the report, which the Democrats published as a preemptive strike before the Republican majority releases findings likely to charge ineptitude and deception by the former secretary of State, also revealed, apparently unintentionally, details about the eye-popping amount of money a close Clinton friend and advisor made in a contract with a pro-Clinton nonprofit. Democrats released but redacted a transcript of Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal answering the committees questions to make the point that Republicans do not want the public to know what went on during his interrogation, during which GOP members arguably used their subpoena power to conduct political opposition research unrelated to Benghazi. But the redaction marks are easily erased by anyone able to use a computers cut-and-paste function. Once the marks are lifted, the transcript portion reveals some unflattering things for any partisans on the committee, Republican or Democrat. It shows that Republicans did, indeed, leverage their subpoena of Blumenthal for political gain, digging into his financial contracts with longtime Clinton loyalist David Brock and forcing him to reveal the details of a lucrative financial arrangement that congressional sources would ultimately leak to Fox News. Read More After Elizabeth Warren accompanied Hillary Clinton today on the campaign trail in Cincinnati, Ohio, former Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown brought up the ol' not-a-Cherokee routine once again. Brown said on a call with the RNC that Warren was not Native American, an accusation he's recycled since 2012, when the two were both vying for the same senator seat. According to Politico: At the height of the 2012 campaign, it was reported that Warren had listed herself as having Native American roots at Harvard University. Soon, there was a "full-blown campaign frenzy," Warren recalls, with Republicans demanding that she prove her Native-American roots and accusing her of getting her job at the elite university by making false claims about her personal background. Today, Brown brought up the tired accusations, once again asking for proof, this time suggesting she take a DNA test. According to the Washington Post: "As you know, she's not Native American," Brown, an early Trump endorser, told reporters on a conference call organized by the Republican National Committee. "She's not 1/32 CherokeeHarvard can release the records, she can authorize the release of those records, or she can take a DNA test" Recently, Trump, never to miss an opportunity to question or make fun of one's race, has repeatedly called her "Pocahontas." Never in recent politics has the topic of heritage played such a prominent role during the presidential campaign cycle, which has only just begun. Pick any scale you like state, national, global and a good argument can be made that this is going to be a fascinating week to watch the intersection of policy and politics in California. Good morning from the state capital, Im Sacramento Bureau Chief John Myers. Advertisement While we could easily begin overseas, lets start here at home as Gov. Jerry Brown prepares to sign into law Californias new state budget. Most of it, at least. LATE ACTION ON STATE BUDGET SIDE DEALS Brown is expected to sign the overarching blueprint of the state budget as soon as today, four days before the start of Californias new fiscal year. But there are unresolved issues, contained in some of the trailer bills that actually implement the budget plan. One issue looks as if it was quietly resolved late last week, with the expansion of a major homeless assistance program to include help for veterans and young people who are on the streets. Assembly GOP Leader Chad Mayes (R-Yucca Valley) on Saturday offered praise for those efforts as well as what he called new accountability mandates in the doling out of proceeds from a $2-billion bond to help the homeless who suffer from mental illness. Even if disagreements over homeless help are over, a few other items remain some of them, like a new statewide ban on keeping orcas in captivity that seemingly have very little connection to the budget. Keep track of this weeks final budget moves on our Essential Politics news feed. CALIFORNIA BRACES FOR BREXIT IMPACT The British bombshell of economic independence last week is being closely examined for its effect on the Golden State. Californias annual exports to Britain add up to about $5 billion not one of the states biggest trade partners, but a relationship thats been growing in recent years. And from technology to tourism, California officials are wondering what happens next. THIS IS THE WEEK TO WATCH NOVEMBERS BALLOT On Thursday, Californias secretary of state will certify the list of Nov. 8 ballot measures. As weve been reporting now for several months, its expected to be the longest list of statewide propositions in 16 years. So far, 10 measures have earned a spot on the ballot, and voter signatures gathered on eight more are expected to receive their final check in the next 96 hours. One proposed initiative ran into trouble last week in a Sacramento courtroom: an effort to cap the salaries of hospital executives, pushed by a healthcare workers union but apparently a no-no under a complicated peace treaty (of sorts) the union and hospitals signed in 2014. TRUMPS BAJA BUST It sounded perfect: A Baja resort with all the amenities, backed by a real estate mogul who promised the ultimate in luxury. It wasnt. Some 250 Southern Californians invested in what they thought were the ocean condo plans of Donald Trump, which were never built. In fact, it turned out to not even be a Trump project. Michael Finnegan takes a closer look at the legal fight that followed and how Trumps political opponents have made it a top talking point when it comes to the GOP candidates business record. CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN MARCHES ON -- WITHOUT MONEY Late last week, the state agency in charge of combating climate change in California passed a $500-million plan to help consumers purchase electric cars and fund other efforts to fight global warming and clean up the air. But as Liam Dillon reports, the approval doesnt actually do anything. Regulators are still waiting on Brown and lawmakers to reach a deal on releasing the money. Until that happens, nothing will get spent. WILL TOM STEYER BREAK THE STREAK? Quick: Can you name the last super-wealthy Californian who won a regularly scheduled election as governor? Neither can we. Tom Steyer could be that guy, should he decide to run in 2018. Cathleen Decker caught up with the billionaire Democratic activist, whos been funding the partys candidates and causes in the past two election cycles. If hes made up his mind about running for governor, hes not saying. (By the way, regularly scheduled election is a nod to the fact that Arnold Schwarzenegger won in the unprecedented recall race in 2003.) TODAYS ESSENTIALS -- The historic domed Capitol in Sacramento was locked down, with staffers and tourists inside, for much of Sunday afternoon after at least seven people were stabbed in clashes between white nationalists, skinheads and hundreds of protesters denouncing Nazi scum. -- With all but a few ballots left uncounted, Rep. Mike Honda (D-San Jose) is trailing behind Democratic challenger Ro Khanna by about 2,200 votes. Its a big reversal from 2014, when Honda beat Khanna by more than 20 points in the primary and went on to defeat him by four points that fall. -- Citing her experience with gun laws, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence endorsed Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris in the U.S. Senate race on Friday. -- State lawmakers have resurrected a controversial bill that could allow developers to erect several giant electronic billboards around the $1-billion Metropolis high-rise project in downtown Los Angeles. -- In a closely watched race for Los Angeles County supervisor, Democrat Darrell Park maintains his thin lead over state Sen. Bob Huff (R-Diamond Bar) for the second and final spot on the November ballot to replace retiring Supervisor Mike Antonovich. LOGISTICS Miss Fridays newsletter? Here you go. Did someone forward you this? Sign up here to get Essential Politics in your inbox daily. And keep an eye on our politics page throughout the day for the latest and greatest. And are you following us on Twitter at @latimespolitics and @LATpoliticsCA? Please send thoughts, concerns and news tips to politics@latimes.com. A makeover of four retail news, gift and specialty shops in Bob Hope Airports terminal building three in Terminal A and one in Terminal B is nearly complete after a new vendor was awarded the concession contract at the airfield last spring and began converting them to Hudson News locations. The Burbank terminals shops, which had been operated by Paradies Shops Inc. from early 1994 until last May, have been remodeled to give them a local feel and a different mix of gifts, books and other products. For example, the Hudson of Hollywood shop near the entrance to the terminal building is decorated with wall graphics of an Oscar statuette, Johnny Depps star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the marquee of the Pantages Theatre. Hudson of Burbank, located near Gate A3, features images of Amelia Earhart as well as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Its stocked with Burbank T-shirts, UCLA and USC sweatshirts and Hollywood ball caps, as well as an expanded book area and an electronics section that includes gift items such as remote-controlled quadcopter drones. Theres so much more product, said Lucy Burghdorf, an airport spokeswoman, during a tour of the stores on Wednesday. Pasadena Marketplace in Terminal B features Rose Bowl-related merchandise, said Rachael Warecki, another airport spokeswoman. A crew was putting the finishing touches on Glendale Crossings, the Hudson shop at the far end of Terminal A, which features images of the Alex Theatre and the Americana at Brands golden statue. The Glendale-themed shop was the last of the stores to be renovated, said Tom Janowicz, manager of landside operations for the airfield. Paradies revenues at Bob Hope Airport had lagged in recent years, airport staff said in late 2014, and officials began seeking proposals for a new concession operator that would bring an infusion of new concepts and refreshed product mixes that officials hoped might yield positive financial results for Bob Hopes concessions. In April, the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority approved a 10-year concession-and-lease agreement with HG Burbank JV, a joint venture between Los Angeles-based Stewart Manhattan Investments Inc. and Hudson Group Retail LLC, which operates more than 700 shops in 70 airports and major transportation centers across North America. The firm is owned by the Swiss travel retailer Dufry AG, which operates nearly 2,200 shops in airports, cruise ships, seaports, railway stations and downtown tourist areas around the world. Stewart Manhattan Investments, which does business as Palazzo Concessions, has partnered with Hudson before on a joint venture at LAX. The HG Burbank partnership ultimately earned the contract to operate the shops with an offer that included an annual guarantee of $925,000 to the airport, plus more than $52,000 in rental fees and a proposed capital investment of more than $1.55 million to improve the stores. Airport staff who evaluated the proposal also noted that Hudson Group generated more than $1 billion in sales in 2014. Burghdorf has in the past noted that airports now offer travelers more shopping and dining options, becoming more like shopping centers. In addition to the Hudson retail shops and eight soon to be nine food and beverage concessions, the Burbank airport has an automated Benefit Cosmetic makeup kiosk. MenEssentials, a mens grooming retailer with a store in Glendale, also recently opened shop its second U.S. location in Terminal A, complete with a barber chair. Walking through the terminal building Wednesday, where at least 11 departures were delayed due to weather throughout the day, Burghdorf noted the shops were active. Pretty busy with the delayed flights, she said. That means people spend more. -- Chad Garland, chad.garland@latimes.com Twitter: @chadgarland In Costa Mesas Eastside, where many homes are kept tidy and tony, theres one thats both, with the added distinction, arguably, of getting more attention than any other. Where Santa Ana Avenue meets Costa Mesa Street stands an unmistakable example of Victorian opulence: a three-story home built in the Queen Anne style that boasts a soaring rotunda, stained glass windows throughout, a wrap-around porch, rooftop turrets and not one, but two brick chimneys one with a swirling, double flue that soars some 45 feet into the sky. The 3,500-square-foot house with three bedrooms, five bathrooms, a basement and attic is for sale. For $1.56 million. And while the home at 1919 Santa Ana Ave. looks historic and feels historic both inside and out it isnt. But that doesnt mean it lacks history. Rather, it may be one of those most well-documented private residences in Costa Mesa. The late Gene Urschel, a bearded hometown eccentric of his day, moved out of a Newport Beach duplex and began building the house with his then-wife, Debbie, in 1977. Throughout the construction period, they lived in a relocated Santa Ana Army Air Base house that was on the property, essentially building their Victorian dream home around it. Newspapers of the time, including the Daily Pilot, chronicled the Urschels progress. In 1979, the Pilot reported that people mistook the unfinished castle on the corner for a car wash because, for a time, only the garage portion of it was finished. Then when a tower went up, they figured it was a church. That same year, Gene Urschel explained to another newspaper why he was doing the work himself. I do it for free. Everyone else charges, he said. If you had to pay someone to sit down and whittle out boards, it would cost you a million. In 1982, five years into its construction, the Pilot described the house as a Victorian wonder [that] rises like a ghost from a bygone era amid smaller, less distinguished homes. The newspaper explained how Urschel had a friendly competition with another Costa Mesa eccentric, legendary boatbuilder Dennis Holland. Holland, who died in 2014, lived several blocks up Santa Ana Avenue at the time. He too was working on a project a replica Revolutionary War-era ship he dubbed the Pilgrim of Newport. In 1985, things took an unexpected turn. The Orange County Register reported that Gene and Debbie Urschel were seeking a divorce. Gene stayed in the home. According to the homes current owners, Dale and Bunni Amburgey, construction at 1919 Santa Ana Ave. had pretty much stopped two years earlier, in 1983. Thats the year the home is considered built. A plaque, dated 1983, thats still in the front yard commemorates Urschels legacy to the property. The Amburgeys Dale is the son of former Costa Mesa Councilman Orville Amburgey, who died in 2012 bought the house from its second owner in 2000, around the time Gene Urschel died. Since then, the Queen Anne still hasnt stopped receiving attention from both curious passersby and the press. Victorian Homes magazine featured it in 2011 and the Register wrote about it in 2013. Orange County Home magazine likened it to the Winchester Mystery House in a 2004 profile. The publication reported that people sometimes come to the wrap-around porch and press their faces against the window to peek inside. It seems that a day doesnt go by that someone stops in front to photograph the home, Bunni told the magazine. There are painting classes held in front and school kids take field trips to march around and sketch or write about the home. In an interview Friday, Bunni, a Costa Mesa native and Realtor, who also acts as the propertys co-listing agent, said her home still garners lots of attention. Its like living in a fish bowl sometimes, she said. People are always very attracted to it. The Amburgeys acquired the home when it wasnt in great shape It was just kind of rotting, Bunni said from the tenure of its second owner, following Gene Urschel leaving it. It was never quite finished appropriately, Bunni said. It really is a special home. This house kind of called out for us. It needed us. The Amburgeys kept much of what the Urschels put in, including Debbies stained glass windows and cherub paintings on the downstairs bathroom sink. They improved the yards fencing and landscaping, and on the inside, they did work on the flooring, fireplaces and bathrooms, among other touches. Large, vintage furniture decorates the rooms. The basement has a tiny spa with a waterfall, making it look like a grotto. The house has two full kitchens, one incorporated into the second-story parlor room which has a pool table that Gene Urschel built himself. The garage fits four cars. The master bedroom has two balconies. The third story has another balcony and access to the attic, which the Amburgeys use as storage space. They say on some days, you can smell the bonfires emanating up the hill from Newports beaches. Though theres been plenty of interest The overwhelming word I hear is love, said co-listing agent Damon Burris, of Old Newport Realty the Queen Anne home has been on the market for about four months. The Amburgeys, who want to semi-retire and relocate to Texas, say theyre looking to find just the right buyers, maybe a couple who will keep the house intact, not change it drastically or turn it into another sober-living home, as has been the fate of many Eastside abodes. Its time, Bunni said, to let somebody else put their mark on this house. After more than 70 years as an independent nonprofit, the Boys and Girls Club of the Harbor Area is considering a merger with its larger counterpart in Santa Ana a move that club leaders hope will create efficiencies and better programming for thousands of children, according to sources involved in the discussions. A special committee, comprised of leaders from both sides, has been studying the possibility for the past several months. The Daily Pilot learned about the merger proposal last week. Votes from the clubs respective boards to combine their resources could come early next year, though Boys and Girls Club executives told the Daily Pilot that the deliberations are very preliminary. So far, a structural picture and even a name a merged Boys and Girls Club would incorporate disparate Orange County neighborhoods, from working-class Santa Ana to white-collar Newport Beach are far from clear. Were trying to put two organizations together so that we can serve our kids better and they can serve their kids better, said Gary McArdell, a merger committee member and the Harbor Areas past board president. Thats all were here for. Were not here for profit or our own glory. Its not a takeover. It truly is a merger of two organizations that are truly in it for the right reasons. Robert Santana, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana, said mergers of clubs are not unprecedented and have occurred locally, in San Diego and Los Angeles counties. Were talking about strengthening ourselves, pooling our talent, pooling our resources, creating efficiencies of scale ... These arent far-fetched ideas, said Santana, who also serves as one of 12 nationwide advisors to the national Boys and Girls Club organization. The consideration to combine the two nonprofits comes after a tumultuous year for the Harbor Area, which, according to several sources, underwent an independent investigation into the actions of its last chief executive, Tammy Walz. Walz joined the Harbor Area in fall 2013 after serving previous leadership positions at Boys and Girls Clubs in Arizona and Oceanside. She left the organization earlier this fall. McArdell said he is precluded from discussing the matter, other than to say that the investigation had no findings. It became clear that we needed to part ways, so we did, he said. And we parted ways on good terms. The Boys and Girls Club of Santa Ana, founded in 1954, has 70 employees and an estimated 300 volunteers. It serves about 5,000 children each year. The nonprofit, which has its own separate foundation, runs on a $3-million annual budget. It maintains a presence in 45 Santa Ana Unified School District campuses, though it is centered around its recently renovated flagship facility, the Joe MacPherson Center for Opportunity, in Santa Anas Pico-Lowell neighborhood. Since its reopening last year, the center, which also has a dedicated teen area, has been toured by more than 40 Boys and Girls Club CEOs as a model facility, Santana said. We create magic here, Santana said. When kids grow up, this means something. The memories were building are going to follow them for the rest of their life. The Harbor Area club, which has four branches two in Costa Mesa, one in Newport Beach and another in Irvine was founded in 1941, making it the oldest Boys and Girls Club in Orange County. It operates on a roughly $1.3-million annual operating budget, with around 35 paid employees and an unspecified amount of volunteers who serve about 3,500 children each year. In November, during a Costa Mesa City Council meeting, a resident erroneously stated that the Harbor Areas Lou Yantorn branch at 2131 Tustin Ave. located on city-owned property next to Jordan Park in Costa Mesas Eastside was closing. This led to some community speculation, and city officials wondered what was happening with the branch, whose leaders had been working with City Hall to renew the clubs 50-year lease that expires in November 2016. City spokesman Tony Dodero said Tuesday that the city did not know about the possible merger and that the renegotiation process is ongoing. The lease is scheduled to go before the City Council in January. McArdell said a merger proposal is not a first for the Harbor Area. It had considered merging with another club they never picked one but leaders ultimately decided against it. In recent years, the club has struggled to find the right leader whos dynamic, understands the business and fundraising sides, and all operational matters, McArdell said. Its a very difficult position to fill. You need to fill those three, he added. Its a secret sauce that we havent been able to find. McArdell said he hopes the Harbor Area community will be open-minded about the merger possibility and give us a chance to go through the process. We can get through it and show them exactly what we think this can be, he said. "[Dont] think of this as anything but what is absolutely right for the children. Thats all we are concerned about. Costa Mesa saw some major brands start new hubs in the city this year, and with that came a surge of people some local, though many not wanting to try them. Those were among the top business-related stories, as was a long-time store deciding to close its doors after many decades. Here are the Daily Pilots picks for top business stories in Costa Mesa in 2015: * Vans coming to Costa Mesa News broke in June that Vans was looking to move into a 15-acre property near South Coast Collection in northwest Costa Mesa. The $2-billion action sportswear brand was seeking to use a commercial building at 1588 South Coast Drive and 3300 Hyland Ave., once the home of ICN Pharmaceuticals. The company has roots in town: it opened its first retail store in Costa Mesa, and Steve Van Doren, Vans president of events and promotions, is an Estancia High School graduate. * Grant Boys call it quits The Grant Boys, a landmark outdoor gear store at 1750 Newport Blvd. that opened in 1949, decided to begin closing its doors in November. As they described it, We are packing it in and going fishing permanently! On the first day of its liquidation sale, the store had its biggest single sales volume day ever. 1 / 5 The Halal Guys in Costa Mesa had an extremely successful grand opening this fall, but that success and noisy patrons led to some tensions with the restaurants neighbors. (SCOTT SMELTZER / Daily Pilot) 2 / 5 South Coast Plazas Christmas tree was destroyed after an apparent electrical fire in December. South Coast Plaza then strung new lights up using the trees trunk, which didnt burn down, as a replacement. (DON LEACH / Daily Pilot) 3 / 5 The Grant Boys in Costa Mesa announced this year that after 66 years, it would be closing. The landmark outdoor gear store opened in 1949. (SCOTT SMELTZER / Daily Pilot) 4 / 5 Raising Canes, the Louisiana-based chicken tenders restaurant, opened its first location in California in Costa Mesa in October. Former Los Angeles Clippers player Glen Davis surprised customers in the drive-thru during the grand opening. (KEVIN CHANG / Daily Pilot) 5 / 5 Vans, the iconic sportswear brand known for its skating shoes, announced earlier this year its intent on moving its corporate headquarters to Costa Mesa to this building near South Coast Collection. (KEVIN CHANG / Daily Pilot) * Christmas tree burns down A staple of the citys Christmas lineup has long been South Coast Plazas Christmas tree, a 34-year tradition. This year, however, things took an unexpected turn after an apparent electrical failure caused the 96-foot white fir, set up outside the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel, to burn down on Dec. 14. South Coast Plaza came up with a quick Plan B, though: arranging light strands around the trees trunk, which didnt burn down. * Halal Guys opens The Halal Guys, at 3033 Bristol St., opened this fall to huge crowds but quickly gained a bad reputation among the neighbors, who complained about noisy patrons spilling into their residential tracts before and after getting their food. So when The Halal Guys asked City Hall to extend its operating hours from 11 p.m. to as late as 3 a.m., tensions arose between the restaurant and residents. In December, city officials gave The Halal Guys a three-month trial period of 1 a.m. closing times. * Chicken comes to Harbor The fast-food scene along Harbor Boulevard got even busier after the October grand opening of Raising Canes, a Louisiana-based chicken fingers restaurant chain. The restaurant, at 3150 Harbor Blvd., was the chains first in California. More than 100 lined up by 9 a.m. for the opening. The site formerly had a Burger King. Russo and Steels fourth annual collector car auction, held June 10-12 in Newport Beach, totaled $6.4 million in sales, according to a news release. The figure was down from last years $7.2 million. The top two sellers were 2006 Ford GTs that went for $292,600 and $275,000. Coming in third was a 2006 Mercedes-Benz SLR at $225,500. Turnip Rose to open cafe in Costa Mesa Costa Mesa-based Turnip Rose Elite Catering will open a stand-alone cafe in town Wednesday. The location is in the Shops at Mesa Verde (formerly known as the Mesa Verde Center) at 2701 Harbor Blvd. Turnip Rose serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, with fare including bagel sandwiches, quiche, salads, grilled paninis, tacos, burgers and hot dogs. For more information, visit turniprosecafe.com. Floyds opening second shop in Costa Mesa Floyds 99 Barbershop plans to open a second location in Costa Mesa in July. The store will be at 124-126 E. 17th St. Floyds other Costa Mesa store is at 2900 Harbor Blvd., near Village Way. It replaced a KFC. Skin care clinic opens in Newport SkinLIV, a skin care clinic owned by licensed esthetician Leslie Joy Dammer, recently opened in Newport Beach. The center near John Wayne Airport is at 4001 Birch St., Suite C. The clinic also features artwork that clients can buy. Astro Pak acquires Florida company Astro Pak Corp., a Costa Mesa-based company that offers precision cleaning services, recently acquired Florida-based Chemko Technical Services Inc. Terms were not disclosed. Chemko, based near Cape Canaveral, provides precision cleaning and testing of components and systems for aerospace, medical and industrial businesses, according to its website. Honey & Butter opens at Irvine Spectrum Center Honey & Butter, which makes macarons with pop culture characters on them, recently opened its first brick-and-mortar store at the Irvine Spectrum Center near Old Navy. Prices start at $2. Our macarons are made with love, experience and great quality ingredients, co-owner Leanne Pietrasinski said in a statement. We use butter cream as opposed to white chocolate in our fillings, and because of that our flavors are less sweet and more pronounced. We also have our own recipe for our macaron shells, which contain less sugar than other recipes. Irvine business leaders earn awards Ernst & Young recently announced the winners of its 2016 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in Orange County and the Inland Empire. Members of the Irvine business community receiving awards were Stuart McClure, president and chief executive of Cylance Inc.; Dr. Andrew Abraham, CEO of Orgain Inc.; and Jerome Fink and David Kim, managing partners of The Bascom Group. 2 honored for charitable works A.G. Kawamura of Irvine-based Orange County Produce and Sarah Middleton of the Newport Beach-based Pimco Foundation were recently recognized by the Community Action Partnership of Orange County during its awards gala in Santa Ana. Kawamura, a former California secretary of agriculture, was noted for his support and donations to the Orange County Food Bank and advocating for low-income families. Middleton, the Pimco Foundations executive director, was credited with developing Pacific Investment Management Co.'s employee volunteer program and related corporate-responsibility initiatives, according to a news release. The foundation was noted for its Share the Harvest event, which gave 16,000 food boxes to families during the holidays. The foundation also received the Community Action Partnerships Impact of the Year Award. A man brandished a handgun during a confrontation in a Costa Mesa neighborhood Sunday night, according to police. The altercation began around 10:20 p.m. when a car stopped at the intersection of Joann and Maple streets, Costa Mesa police Sgt. Matt Selinske said. An argument started between a group of people standing on the corner and two men in the car, Selinske said. Police said they arent sure what the altercation was about, but it ended when one of the men in the car brandished a semiautomatic handgun before the car sped off. Police described the car as a small dark-colored Honda, likely a Civic made in the early 2000s. No description was available of the men inside. -- Jeremiah Dobruck, jeremiah.dobruck2@latimes.com Twitter: @jeremiahdobruck MORE CRIME & PUBLIC SAFETY Witnesses sought in car-to-car shooting in Costa Mesa Son of former Real Housewives star charged with 3 counts of attempted murder in Costa Mesa shooting 19-year-old sentenced to community service and probation for role in leaf blower prank at Newport theater Costa Mesa police are looking for a man who ambushed a pedestrian, slashed his back and disappeared early Saturday, according to authorities. Police said they found out about the crime around 2 a.m. when they got a call from the Hoag Hospital emergency room that a patient had arrived with stab wounds. When officers responded, they discovered the injuries were more like two long cuts across the mans back, Costa Mesa police Sgt. Matt Selinske said. One cut was relatively superficial, but the other required about 10 staples to close, Selinkse said. The pedestrian told police that he was walking near Placentia Avenue and Congress Street when another man came up behind him, Selinske said. Police said the pedestrian felt something on his back, but when he turned around to see what was going on, the attacker was already running away. The man then called a friend for help, according to police. He realized he had been stabbed but he didnt know to what extent, Selinske said. The friend arrived and the two headed to the hospital, according to police. The pedestrian didnt get a good look at the attacker, but he told police he suspects the crime was related to a disagreement he had with another person while the two were staying at a sober living home in Costa Mesa, Selinske said. There is no law outlining the school-to-prison pipeline. You will not find it written down, nor will you find any legal precedents. However, the school-to-prison pipeline is a very real, systemic policy that is hurting the youth of our country. The United States has the largest prison population in the developed world yet only 4.4% of the worlds population. For many, especially Latinos and African-Americans, the road to prison begins as a student as they get caught in the school-to-prison pipeline. This can be attributed to an overall increase in incarceration rates and a decrease in school funding, coupled with policies that emphasize punishment, which set the stage for the development and proliferation of the school-to-prison pipeline. Most analysts credit the gross expansion of zero-tolerance policies as cause of many students being pushed out of classrooms and into the juvenile and criminal justice systems. The zero-tolerance policy was originally enacted as part of the 1994 Gun Free Schools Act. Since then, however, schools have expanded the zero-tolerance policy to include lesser offenses, such as alcohol or tobacco use and swearing. The implication of this policy expansion is that certain infractions mandate suspension and expulsion as punishments, often without consideration of the situation. As such, the excluded student loses educational opportunities and has an increased chance of dropping out of school. Here in Newport Beach, where our high schools boast graduation rates in the mid-90s, the school-to-prison pipeline may not seem like much of a concern. However, I think it should be a concern of all citizens everywhere, because the alternative is large parts of generation after generation excluded from education and thrown into the criminal justice system where recidivism is high. If society as a whole continues to ignore this problem, we are complacent in failing the youth of this country. Newport Beach resident BRYNDIS KLEIN, a 2005 graduate of Newport Harbor High School, is enrolled in the masters of social work progam at USC. Volkswagen AG's settlement with half a million U.S. regulators and diesel vehicle owners over polluting vehicles is valued at more than $15 billion cash, a source briefed on the matter told Reuters Monday. A separate report from AP puts the figure around $14.7 billion. If that's accurate, the settlement will be the largest ever automotive buyback offer in American history, and the most expensive auto industry scandal ever. The historic lawsuit followed the German automaker's admission in September 2015 it lied to regulators and installed secret software that let U.S. cars emit up to 40 times legally permitted pollution levels. The settlement is expected to be announced on Tuesday in Washington. Reports say it includes $10.03 billion to offer buybacks to owners of about 475,000 polluting vehicles and nearly $5 billion in funds to offset excess diesel emissions and boost zero emission vehicles. From Reuters: A separate settlement with nearly all U.S. state attorneys general over excess diesel emissions will be announced on Tuesday and is expected to be more than $500 million and will push the total to over $15 billion, a separate source briefed on the matter said. Spokeswomen for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Volkswagen declined to comment. Speaking on condition of anonymity, due to court-imposed gag rules, the original source said that owners of 2.0 liter diesel VW 2009-2015 cars will receive an average of $5,000 in compensation along with the estimated value of the vehicles as of September 2015, before the scandal erupted. Prior owners will get half of current owners, while people who leased cars will also get compensation, said the original source. Owners would also receive the same compensation if they choose to have the vehicles repaired, assuming U.S. regulators approve a fix at a later date. The settlement includes $2.7 billion in funds to offset excess diesel emissions and $2 billion for green energy and zero emission vehicle efforts, the source said. The diesel offset fund could rise if VW has not fixed or bought back 85 percent of the vehicles by mid-2019, the first source said. Even after the settlment, Volkswagen has a long road ahead. A related piece from Hiroko Tabuchi in the New York Times. After 30 years in La Crescenta, Alicias Formal & Tuxedo Shop will close its doors later this month as the stores namesake, Alicia Fors, is retiring. For decades, the shop has been the only one of its kind in town, where locals take their wedding, debutant or prom gowns for alterations, and its where men have gone to have their tuxedos fitted. She also sells gowns and tuxedos. Panicked, soon-to-be brides rush to the store when the dress they ordered online arrived too big or too small, and Fors said she has never turned anyone away, no matter how last minute. Her dutiful service has calmed many brides nerves, she said. Everybody thinks their wedding is the wedding of the century, she said, jokingly. Then her voice took on a more serious tone. We have to work so hard for each girl. Its so important for them. Fors doesnt know yet how she will occupy her time in retirement because the business has been all-consuming for years. She also doesnt know where her customers will take their formals. Now I dont know what people are going to do, she said. The shop will remain open for at least the next couple of weeks. Fors and her part-time staff need to finish alterations on nearly 20 formal gowns, many of them wedding dresses, and some of them from women she tried to turn away, telling them she is retiring. However, they insisted that she help, Fors said. Shell sell the remaining merchandise, even the handful of sewing machines in the back room, although she did consider keeping one for herself. Now 69 years old, Fors was born and raised near Mexico City, and grew up working in her mothers bridal shop, where she learned how to make wedding gowns and formal dresses. When she was 24, she left Mexico for Los Angeles, first settling in Monrovia and then in Montrose with her late husband, Edward Allan Fors, whom she met in church and went on to marry in 1977. In Montrose, they raised a son, who became a lawyer, and a daughter, who became a teacher, and she has four grandchildren. She opened her first shop on Foothill Boulevard near the La Crescenta-Tujunga border in 1985, and moved into her current shop on the same street near Lauderdale Avenue in La Crescenta in 2000. For decades, she has worked six days each week, with work sometimes spilling into her only day off, particularly during the busy wedding seasons in spring and summer. But she has never dreaded any of it. Im always ready happy to come, she said. When Fors husband passed away this past July, she knew it was time to retire. He used to help her with the shops books and paperwork, and with his passing, some aspects of running the business became overwhelming. I cannot do everything, she said. Its time. I have to retire someday. I know everybodys sad. I know its going to be hard, because Im used to coming in [here] every morning. This past Tuesday morning, the shops first customer of the day was Col. James Anderson, who dropped by to pick up custom-made spats to wear around his boots for his gig as The Dapper Doorman at the Hollywood speakeasy Next Door Lounge. As the bars bouncer, doorman and greeter, he also wears tuxedos tailored to fit him by Fors. In previous executive-protection jobs hes held, Fors fixed his tuxedos to carry bulky radios or guns. Hes been a customer of the shop for over 10 years, and he said hes uncertain where hell turn next. Im going to buy whatever I can before she sells out. I want to get some more tuxes and more gloves so I dont have to worry about it, he said. Shortly after Anderson walked out with his new spats, Fors received her last shipment of tuxedos, which arrived in a tall cardboard box. Before this month came around, she had already told the debutants she couldnt take on their dresses for any upcoming spring formals. That leaves the mens formal wear on display, along with 20 or so dresses and wedding gowns and her final shipment of tuxedos. This is the last one, she said. -- Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com Twitter: @kellymcorrigan A three-story apartment project proposed to replace a former Bobs Big Boy restaurant won a major approval from the city this month toward it being built. The 55-unit project at 1407 W. Glenoaks Blvd. is a scaled-down version of a development that drew significant ire from northwest Glendale residents over its size and the fact that the developer didnt know who the ground-floor retail tenant would be. NEWSLETTER: Stay up to date with whats going on in your neighborhood >> In late 2014, developer American General Design was seeking a series of variances or exceptions to zoning rules in the area to build a four-story, 74-unit condominium structure. The requests were shot down by the City Council in response to residents concerns. However, now the developer has done away with the commercial component. In fact, enough of the projects scope has been removed that council approval is no longer required. Instead, the citys planning department this month signed off on whats known as a density bonus, which is allowing the project to have a setback of only 5 feet from the sidewalk instead of 20. Follow us on Twitter >> In exchange, five of the units will be set aside for very low-income residents, according to the citys decision letter. The requested concessions would allow for larger units to attract longer-term tenants to the project, minimizing unit turnover, and to distinguish the project from the large number of smaller market-rate units within the city, the letter states. But the revised proposal no longer has a street-front courtyard. Councilman Zareh Sinanyan voted in favor of rejecting the original proposal, even though he thought it was a superior design. Aesthetically, it was a better project, he said in a phone interview. It had public space that would have been specifically allocated for that purpose. The revised plan is for a three-story, 32.5-foot-tall building with 33 one-bedroom units and 22 two-bedroom units. Philip Lanzafame, the citys community development director, said that, while his department approved the density bonus, hes unsure how far along the developer is in pulling the permits to begin construction. Patrick Chraghchian, president of the development firm, did not return phone calls for comment. Peter Fuad, president of the Northwest Glendale Homeowners Assn., said he would have to review the citys decision letter before commenting on the project. -- Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com Twitter: @ArinMikailian -- ALSO: Police seek trio caught on camera breaking into, vandalizing Glendale schools Mixed-use Next on Lex project breaks ground Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital receives its largest grant I drove through downtown Glendale for the first time in a few months and took note of the gargantuan amount of development of apartments and condos. Simple question: If we are in the midst of one of the worst droughts in SoCal history, how can we continue to build and build and build? George NeJame Glendale -- Najarian was pro-development In 2013, as a candidate for Glendale City Council and sitting next to incumbent council candidate Ara Najarian, I and many of my supporters were surprised to hear Najarian state going forward he was going to put the brakes on any new development in the Downtown Specific Plan (DSP) zone. But that was only after Najarian had already approved a majority of all new development and the damages of overdevelopment were apparent. He probably was receiving a backlash from his constituents. Councilman Najarian, along with Councilwoman Friedman, in my opinion, have put the taxpayers of Glendale into legal limbo when they approved the Holland Partners mega apartment complex at Wilson Avenue and Orange Street. That building has over-hanging balconies that I believe are dangerous. News-Press reporter Arin Mikailians story, Project receives healthy approval, June 10, stated, in part, that Najarian voted against nearly all major mix-use development projects. Najarian approved this medical building because he thought it would be a good fit in the DSP zone. It seems that the reporter neglected to mention the damages Councilman Najarian and Councilwoman Friedman did before they both decided to seek higher offices. Mike Mohill Glendale -- A suitable use for Rockhaven I read with interest the June 18 editorial in the News-Press, Creative thinking needed for Rockhaven. I have lived in the Montrose/Glendale/La Crescenta area most of my life, and have watched this beautiful property as I drive by regularly, wondering what its fate will be. I propose that the property be rehabilitated for use as a veterans village. Our area has sent many men and women off to war, and is home to many veterans. Los Angeles itself has the greatest population of homeless veterans in the country. Rockhaven, once a tranquil, serene home for convalescing women of a certain age, now sits empty, idle and in disrepair. By rehabilitating it for use by our veterans, we can bring life and a sense of safety and belonging for our vulnerable veterans. This would provide a serene, enjoyable place for healing in a community of like-minded people. Veterans are more than deserving. We can let them know how we are grateful to have a chance to provide a safe place for them here. The Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans Administration have programs that could provide some allocation to this, as it meets a huge need for veterans. This could be maintained as maybe a private-public partnership with New Directions or the VA, with sponsors like USAA. Ideally it would be nice to employ a local labor force, by veterans, for veterans. It could be a collaboration with Habitat for Humanity. It could be presented to Art Center College of Designs Environmental studies class for a real-life project, and as part of their Design Matters program. Veterans could attend the class to discuss with designers what they would like in a veterans community. There are many creative possibilities. I feel that Rockhaven is a suitable place to exhibit our gratitude. Kathleen Boss La Crescenta If youre a white guy on a tourist ferry in New York Harbor, and the Statue of Liberty looms above, its easy to see her as the foremost symbol of immigration in the U.S., perhaps in the world. You look at her face, then you glance at the ferrys next stop Ellis Island, where more than 12 million European immigrants arrived between 1892 and 1924. Without those huddled incoming masses and their sons and daughters, the U.S. wouldnt be what it is. But every year this immigrant history and Americas population drift a little farther apart. These days, about seven Latin Americans and Asians become U.S. citizens for every one European. If you do a Google image search for immigration symbol, youll see the Southern California running-family freeway sign two or three times before the first Lady Liberty. Advertisement Series: Celebrating our national parks Ellis Island, once the arrival station for million of immigrants from Europe, is now the site of a National Park Service museum that tells the story of all U.s. immigrants, before, during and after Ellis Islands busiest days from the 1890s to the 1 But the easiest, most rewarding way to see whats happening with immigration and remind yourself about what was happening 100 years ago may be to get off the ferry at Ellis Island and step into the first big brick building you see. Thats the Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, expanded last year to look more broadly at the peopling of America. The new wing examines immigration since federal officials declared Ellis Island surplus property in 1954. The museum added the national to its name last year too. People were saying, This is a great museum, but my story is not told here, said Peg Zitko, executive vice president of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation, which raised $20 million to pay for the museum revamp. Were really finally telling the entire story. Theres really no other museum in America that does that. These are challenging stories to tell. And as national park units go, Ellis Island is in its infancy. Although the Statue of Liberty National Monument has been run by the National Park Service since 1933, Ellis Island was added to the monument only in 1965. At that point it was a ghostly, deeply deteriorated landscape. For years, few tourists were allowed. Even now, much of the 27-acre island is off-limits unless you sign on for one of the Save Ellis Island organizations hard-hat tours of unrestored buildings, including the infectious and contagious disease ward; the kitchen; and the mortuary and autopsy room. Most visitors, however, head for the islands stately, red-brick Main Building, built in 1900, then reborn as a museum in 1990. On the way in, I did hear one mom warn her young child that this is not as glamorous as the Statue of Liberty. But I also met Robert and Lisa Marie Spillane of Aylesbury, England, who had planned to spend three hours at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Instead, absorbed by the stories of trauma and triumph, theyd spent seven. Wall Street and the Museum of American Finance will have to wait, said Robert. Inside the Main Building, visitors work their way through dozens of galleries filled with historic photos many larger-than-life faces with disarming stares along with artifacts and multimedia displays on topics such as shipboard life, class distinctions and health conditions. Ledgers show how, in the peak years of 1910-1914, as many as 10,000 immigrants a day passed through. Italy sent the most immigrants, followed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Russian Empire and the German Empire. After laws were tightened in 1924, U.S. consulates took over most processing and traffic through Ellis slowed to a trickle. The Baggage Room, where visitors enter, once focused mostly on how immigrants possessions were handled a century ago. Now a talking globe illustrates global migrations and an electronic Flag of Faces highlights American diversity. Tourists roam the Great Hall, also known as the Registry Room, at Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration, part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument, N.Y. (Chris Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Upstairs, the Great Hall feels like a rail station with plenty of people but no trains. You can almost hear the echo of foreign languages from long ago. (Of course, that might be the sound of tourists; audio tours are in nine languages.) The buildings old railroad ticket office now is devoted to pre-1890 Americans, including those whose territory was taken; Africans who were forced into slavery and shipped to North America in the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries; the Irish driven here by famine in the 1840s; and the Chinese who arrived in the 1860s and 1870s. As a white guy with an Asian American family, I paid special attention to the events of 1882. That year, while the Statue of Liberty was still under construction, Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, the first American law to turn immigrants away on the basis of nationality. (White Westerners, tired of competing for jobs with Chinese immigrants, pushed hard for it.) Later, San Francisco Bays Angel Island Immigration Station processed Asian immigrants from 1910 to 1940. Its now Angel Island State Park. The exhibits in the pre-Ellis area are handsome and full of data, but how do you tell all the stories that need telling? Ernest Sims, an African American who was visiting from Pittsburgh, told me he would have liked more attention paid to the slave trade. If you arrived as a slave from Africa, he said, You were here without a choice. As for immigration since 1945, those rooms are toward the end of a hallway that some visitors miss. There are video profiles of five immigrant communities (including the Chinese Americans of Monterey Park). Theres a discussion of the bracero program, which brought Mexican workers north legally from the 1940s through the 1960s, and a section addressing illegal immigration. Though particulars vary, the reason immigrants came here 100 years ago is the reason immigrants come here today, Ellis Island ranger Dave McCutcheon told me. The reason immigrants came here 100 years ago is the reason immigrants come here today. Dave McCutcheon, Ellis Island ranger I was still in the modern immigration wing when I met visitor Armando Marrero, who was frowning. What do Central and South America have to do with Ellis Island? This is not correct at all, said Marrero, a New Jersey resident with Puerto Rican roots. Immigration from Europe and from the Americas are such different subjects, Marrero said, that they require separate treatment. Elsewhere in the post-1945 section was an explanation for what caused immigration demographics to shift so dramatically: the 1965 rewriting of laws that made it easier for non-Europeans to immigrate. As recently as 1960 three of every four (74.5%) of U.S. immigrants had come from Europe. By 2014 that figure had dropped to about one in nine immigrants (11%). By that same year about 50% of the U.S. 42.4 million immigrants had come from Latin America, more than 25% from Asia. Given those numbers, it would seem inevitable that fewer and fewer American families have Ellis Island connections. But the numbers are slippery. For years, many publications and organizations (including the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation and Save Ellis Island) have suggested that 40% or more of American families can be traced through Ellis Island. But Barry Moreno, an Ellis Island NPS historian and librarian, told me that figure was made up years ago by some booster, promoter or publicist. It certainly has no basis in fact, either historical or statistical. If there is a number with solid research behind it, Moreno said, hes never come across it. Then again, I suppose the goal of the Ellis Island museum is to take us beyond numbers, to show us faces instead, to help us see ourselves in the stories of others, no matter who arrived by what means. With that in mind, my last stop in the museum was the American Family Immigration History Center, where $7 buys you 30 minutes of assisted searching through digitized passenger lists from ships arriving at Ellis Island and the Port of New York from 1892 to 1957. (You can also search free from home on the website.) Because my ancestors reached North America before the 1890s, I didnt expect much. But with just a few minutes help from genealogy research assistant Diana Papa, Id found the names of my late parents, returning from their Italian honeymoon in June 1955 aboard the Andrea Doria. And that wasnt all. Next, Papa showed me one of her favorite passenger-manifest pages the cast of Buffalo Bills Wild West show, heading home after a European tour in 1892. Among those aboard: three Indian horsemen named Eagle Bird, Burns Himself and Crazy Bull. In other words, theres no telling whom youll find on Ellis Island now. chris.reynolds@latimes.com Twitter: @mrcsreynolds Follow our adventures: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest MORE NATIONAL PARKS Quiz: How many national parks have you visited? Discover our desert national parks and rediscover yourself. You can start with Joshua Tree Manhattan Project National Historical Park tells how and why the U.S. built and used atomic bombs Her brow is resolute, as if hardened by innumerable Yankee losses. Her right arm is aloft, as if waving for the Uber guy. And her feet theyre a ladies size 879, rangers like to say. Even if youre hazy about who is allowed to go where inside the Statue of Liberty, you know this landmark well. I certainly thought I did. Before my New York trip in May, I was confident that the French government gave her to the U.S. out of respect for our democracy and immigrant beginnings. I was pretty sure that the sculptor always had New York in mind. And I knew nothing about Miss Libertys injuries in World War I. Advertisement Series: Celebrating our national parks So there was plenty for me to learn from the rangers, the exhibits and Elizabeth Mitchells 2014 book Libertys Torch. Basically, Id been half-wrong about how she was built, how she has lasted and what she stands for. Fortunately, getting to Liberty Island is easy. Ferries leave Battery Park, at the southern tip of Manhattan, every 15 to 20 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. While you line up for the airport-style security check, you can eavesdrop on fellow tourists from all over. About 4.3 million people made the trip last year. On the 12 acres of Liberty Island (formerly Bedloes Island), you can roam the museum inside the statues pedestal (which includes facsimiles of her face and feet), ride an elevator (or climb 192 steps) to an observation balcony at the top of Libertys pedestal; or stay below and graze at a cafe and browse in the gift shop. Reaching the crown is a taller order. You must make a reservation months in advance and climb 162 narrow spiral steps (no elevator) from the top of the pedestal. Only 400 visitors per day get to do that. And never mind the torch. Its been off-limits since 1916. In fact, the reason for that closure was the biggest surprise of all the lessons I brought home. But before we get to that, heres what I had wrong about how she was built and why. This video gives you a quick, close look at the Statue of Liberty -- along with an update on what it costs to get out to Liberty Island and what youll see. In 1865 French intellectual Edouard de Laboulaye started promoting a big gift to the U.S. He wanted to honor the coming U.S. centennial, but also was eager to celebrate the abolitionists victory in the just-concluded American Civil War and throw some shade on the repressive practices of Frances ruler, Napoleon III. Immigration? Not on Laboulayes agenda. Laboulaye raised money through private donors and a lottery and commissioned a young sculptor named Auguste Bartholdi, who quickly saw this as a chance to recycle an old idea. On a trip to Egypt years before, Bartholdi had proposed an epic sculpture at Alexandria of a woman holding a lamp, one arm aloft, wearing a sort of toga. Egypt didnt bite. Laboulaye and the Americans did. So began a long, awkward courtship between the sculptor and the U.S. Though he traveled widely in the U.S. and admired much that he saw, Elizabeth Mitchell noted that Bartholdi also once wrote to France that America is an adorable woman chewing tobacco. Today, as you approach the statue, you see how hard it must have been to build. To begin with, it had to be made in 300-plus pieces so that it could be dismantled, shipped, then rebuilt on Bedloes Island, an Army base previously known for public executions. The statue would have to withstand the damp, salty winds of New York Harbor. To be visible from a distance, Lady Liberty would need to be tall about 151 feet from toe to torch, twice that if you count her pedestal. Bartholdi needed the guidance of Alexandre Gustave Eiffel (whose Paris tower was soon to rise) on how to support the statues immense weight. Also, nobody could figure out how to make the torch as bright as Bartholdi wanted it. And there was not nearly enough money. When the American centennial rolled around in 1876, Bartholdi had completed Libertys right hand and torch, but not much else. Still, booster committees in France and the U.S. kept at it. Soon, Libertys hand and torch were on display at the worlds fair in Philadelphia, then at Madison Square Park in New York. The head and shoulders, once Bartholdi had completed them, went to the 1878 Worlds Fair in Paris. New York poet Emma Lazarus pitched in by penning The New Colossus, a poem about your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free but it had little or no short-term effect. So if poetry and previews didnt raise the needed money, what did? Vanity. In 1885 newspaper mogul Joseph Pulitzer joined the fund-raising and promised to print donors names on the front pages of his New York World and St. Louis Post-Dispatch. More than $100,000 flooded in. By 1886 the statue was ready. On Oct. 28 of that year, a grand flotilla filled New York Harbor as President Grover Cleveland and Bartholdi unveiled Miss Liberty. Back then she was a copper-skinned beauty (said to resemble the sculptors mother), who would go green over the next 20 years. Her hardiest visitors could not only climb to the crown, but also scramble up a 42-foot ladder inside Libertys arm, emerge inside the torch and look down on her face. Even without torch access, its still a thrill to ride or climb to the top of the pedestal, about 150 feet up. And once youre there, think about the challenge of keeping this contraption together. The cost of Liberty, you could say, is eternal maintenance. The NPS estimates that it spends $6 million per year maintaining Liberty and Ellis islands. But some years are worse than others. Take 1916. The U.S. hadnt officially entered World War I, but was supplying the British with ammunition, shipping much of it from New Jerseys Black Tom Island, less than a mile from Liberty. So the Germans hatched a plan. In the wee hours of July 30, 1916, German-backed saboteurs sneaked onto Black Tom and set off a massive series of explosions. Seven people were killed. Tremors were felt in Philadelphia. Though she wasnt the target, Miss Liberty suffered more than $100,000 in damage (a CIA historians account mentions shrapnel scars) and the torch was closed a ban thats never been lifted even after the 1980s restoration. And since then, Liberty has been witness to more catastrophes and has been subject to multiple closures. After the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center (about 1 mile northeast of the statue), Liberty Island was closed for 100 days, Libertys pedestal was shut until 2004 and Libertys crown until 2009. Then in late 2011 the NPS closed the statue and pedestal for a year of safety upgrades. And then, on the day after Liberty reopened on Oct. 28, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit, closing the island for about nine months. So heres the good news: Our democracy is challenged at the moment by difficult questions , but after years of troubles, our Liberty is as clean, bright, safe and accessible as shes been in a century. Maybe shes not smiling, but we might as well. In 2015, about 4.3 million tourists visited the Statue of Liberty and the museum at the statues base. (Chris Reynolds / Los Angeles Times ) Emma Lazarus and the huddled masses The words Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free were nowhere to be seen on the Statue of Liberty when it was unveiled in 1886. But theyre forever linked with the landmark and Emma Lazarus, the poet who wrote them. In 1883 Lazarus was 34, an author and wealthy New Yorker from a Russian Jewish family, worried about Eastern European Jews fleeing the Continent. She wrote a poem, called it The New Colossus, and submitted it to be auctioned at an event to raise funds to build the statues pedestal. When the statue was unveiled three years later, Lazarus was in Paris. Before its second anniversary she was dead, apparently from Hodgkins lymphoma. But in 1903, her friend Georgina Schuyler had the poem engraved on a plaque and placed inside the statues pedestal. Few noticed at the time, but by the 1940s, as immigrants came to associate the looming statue with their arrival (and rangers moved the poem to a more prominent spot), The New Colossus took on new life. Its quoted in the films Hold Back the Dawn (1941) and Saboteur, a 1942 Alfred Hitchcock thriller with closing scenes on Libertys torch. For the 1949 Broadway musical Miss Liberty, the poem was set to music by Irving Berlin, who entered the U.S. through Ellis Island in 1893. Tips for visitors Getting there: From Battery Park at the south end of Manhattan, its an $18-per-adult round-trip ferry ride to Liberty and Ellis Islands; or $21 for a crown-access ticket, from National Park Service concessionaire Statue Cruises (www.statuecruises.com). The crown-access reservations are grabbed up months ahead. Accessibility: The Liberty Island grounds and museum are wheelchair-friendly, as is the elevator to the top of the statues pedestal. The outdoor observation deck and balcony on that level are not wheelchair-accessible, nor is the crown. For travelers with limited mobility, wheelchairs can be borrowed at no cost, first-come, first-served, on both Liberty and Ellis islands. Best time to visit: In spring and fall, youll avoid the severe cold and most of the heat and humidity that can plague New York summers. As for photos, the statue faces southeast. I caught nice light on her face about 9 a.m. on a clear morning in late May, but clouds and fog are always a possibility. Eat: For a snack in Battery Park, check out the Table Green Cafe kiosk, which has $7 grass-fed hot dogs, along with vegetable wraps, organic lemonade and local beer. For comfort food in a lively pub setting, Greenwich Street Tavern, 399 Greenwich St.; (212) 334-7827. Sleep: Because Wall Street and the financial district are at the south end of Manhattan, many stylish lodgings in that area (FiDi, theyre calling it) drop prices dramatically on weekends. One such place (with a pleasant Felice restaurant), is Gild Hall, a Thompson Hotel, 22 Platt St.; (212) 232-7700. On summer weekends, rooms for two run $239 and up. More info: Statue of Liberty, www.nps.gov/stli. Ellis Island, www.libertyellisfoundation.org and www.saveellisisland.org. chris.reynolds@latimes.com Twitter: @mrcsreynolds Follow our adventures: Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest MORE NATIONAL PARKS Discover our desert national parks and rediscover yourself. You can start with Joshua Tree Manhattan Project National Historical Park tells how and why the U.S. built and used atomic bombs Olympic and Everglades national parks differ in most ways except one: Their survival affects ours First, the decision; now, the dithering. What seemed at the outset to be a conclusive public directive for Britain to leave the European Union a 52%-48% referendum vote is now being downplayed as almost equivocal by British politicians, including key Brexit proponent Boris Johnson. Johnson, who is thought to have the inside track to succeed David Cameron as prime minister, called the majority verdict not entirely overwhelming in an op-ed in the Sunday Telegraph, his first extended comment on a vote that has come near to propelling him into 10 Downing Street. But he was also cautious the day after the vote, when he said there was no need for haste in following through on it. Nothing will change in the short term, he said. Nor is Germany, the dominant state within the EU, in any rush to enter into what will probably be a tortuous two-year process of severing Britain from the European Union, Chancellor Angela Merkel indicated Monday. Advertisement In my mind there is no way we can start even informal conversations until we get formal notification from Britain that it wants to leave, Merkel said at a news conference in Berlin. Weve got to go about this one step at a time. I wont have my foot on the gas pedal or on the brake pedal. See the most-read stories in World News this hour >> As a result, no public steps have been taken to turn Thursdays referendum results into reality. Yet many in Britain and Europe are also impatient to finish the job seemingly launched by British voters. On Monday, a committee of Britains ruling Conservative Party stepped up the timetable for selecting a new leader to replace Cameron, who announced his resignation in the wake of the referendum and declared that the trigger for departing from Europe would have to be pulled by a new leadership. While the transition initially had been seen as coming as late as the eve of the Conservative Partys conference in October, a key party committee set a timetable of Sept. 2 for declaring a new prime minister. We think the party and the country want certainty, Graham Brady, chair of the partys 1922 Committee, said after their deliberations. He said nominations for the conservative leadership would open Wednesday and close Thursday. There were others in Europe who also appeared impatient to get things moving. Our responsibility is not to lose time in dealing with the question of the U.K.s exit and the questions for the 27 [remaining EU members], said French President Francois Hollande, who met with Merkel and Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi in Berlin. Before flying to the German capital, Renzi gave a speech to Parliament in Rome urging a speedy start to the process. He also said Brexit could be a golden opportunity to create an ever-closer union without Britain, which he said had impeded integration in the past. The EU cant afford a yearlong discussion about the procedures for Brexit, Renzi said. One cannot forget the message from the British referendum. What happened in Britain could be the greatest chance for Europe On the one hand we are sad, but its also the right time to write a new page in European history on what unites us. The battle between the go-slow and get-moving camps may reflect a recognition that either a decisive resolution or a ponderous approach will carry risks and rewards for both sides. For Britain, a prompt invoking of Article 50 of the EUs 2007 Lisbon Treaty would trigger an almost immutable two-year timetable for withdrawal. That would reduce the uncertainty over Britains economic future, which has contributed to a shattering plunge in the pounds value to a 31-year low against the U.S. dollar, steep losses on financial exchanges, and the prospect of an extended slowdown in business investment. But it might intensify the feeling of disenfranchisement among Britains younger voters and those in Scotland, Ireland and London, who voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU. Seams within the United Kingdom have been showing ever since the vote. Scotlands first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has raised the possibility that the Scottish Parliament might try to veto Britains split from the EU. On Monday, Angus Robertson, Scotlands senior member of the British Parliament, declared in the House of Commons, We have no intention whatsoever of seeing Scotland taken out of Europe. If that means we have to have an independence referendum to protect Scotlands place, then so be it. For Europe, a quick resolution of the necessary negotiations over Britains departure especially if on stringent terms would help quell movements in other EU member states, including France, for their own withdrawals. The emerging sentiment in favor of a slow and considered process reflects a sense among many that, for all their differences, both Britain and the EU were better off together than apart and that the search for a formula that might allow Britain to maintain much of its trade relationship with the EU should not be short-circuited. Even if an ultimate British-EU split is inevitable, starting the process now would be truly irreversible. Germany and France are in a Catch-22, said Brian Klaas, a fellow in comparative politics at the London School of Economics. If they dont punish Britain, they face a slate of other exits. But Britain is one-sixth of the European economy and they need it to be prosperous. If they punish Britain, they punish themselves. One reason that the British and EU are moving carefully is that they have no choice. Article 50 lays out the only procedure for an EU member state to split from the union, and it can be invoked only by that member. To enter even informal talks would signal that neither side takes the provision or the word of the voters seriously. The vote itself, however, may have delivered a politically potent statement, but not technically a mandate. It was not binding on Parliament or the government, the only entities that can invoke Article 50. Yet the governmental authority does not even exist at the moment to launch the process. Prime Minister Cameron had pledged during the referendum campaign that the Article 50 process would begin almost immediately after a Leave vote. But thats looking more like a campaign stratagem aimed at scaring undecided voters into opting to remain in the EU. In any case, Cameron announced his resignation the day after the vote, leaving a vacuum in government leadership. The government has said that Article 50 wont be invoked at least until a successor to Cameron is chosen by the Conservative Party. Merkel recognizes that inescapable reality. Well most likely have a new British government sometime in the fall and it will probably be up to that new government to take the next steps, her spokesman, Steffen Seibert, told reporters ahead of Merkels meeting in Berlin with Hollande and Renzi, along with European Council President Donald Tusk. The lack of any strategy for following through on the referendum results suggests that Johnson and his fellow Brexit advocates expected to send a strong signal of discontent with the EU via the vote, but perhaps not actually to win. Chancellor George Osborne, the governments top treasury official, said Monday just before financial markets opened that Britain should wait to trigger Article 50 only when there is a clear view about what arrangements we are seeking with our European neighbors. Now that the financial and political consequences of the vote are coming clear, politicians are experiencing what newspapers here are already calling Bremorse. Its still politically unacceptable to say outright that the referendum shouldnt be honored. Instead, leading politicians are merely suggesting that not much needs to change in Britains relationship with its European neighbors even if it leaves the EU. I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe and will always be, Johnson wrote in the Sunday Telegraph. There will still be intense and intensifying European cooperation and partnership in a huge number of fields. See more of our top stories on Facebook >> Hiltzik reported from London and Kirschbaum from Berlin. ALSO European leaders scramble for a solution to Brexit crisis Heat wave aggravates chronic water problems in occupied West Bank 35 million dead in 35 years and people are still dying from HIV/AIDS UPDATES: 5:33 p.m.: This story was updated with analysis and additional reporting from London. This article was originally published at 8:11 a.m. Americas top diplomat sought to soothe fears Monday on both sides of the Atlantic as aftershocks of Great Britains vote to withdraw from the European Union, the worlds largest trading bloc, continued to rattle markets and governments. The interests and the values which have united us for such a long period of time did not change on the day of that vote, Secretary of State John Kerry said in Brussels, headquarters of the EU bureaucracy that British voters jilted. Kerry seemed to be trying to convince himself as much as the anxious European officials with whom he was meeting. He was scheduled to pay a call on British Prime Minister David Cameron, who announced plans Friday to resign after the Brexit vote. Advertisement While the Obama administration attempts to put on a brave face while confronting the future of its most important transatlantic relationship, the loss of a strong British voice in broader European security, economic and other matters will hurt, analysts agree. The special relationship between Washington and London, an unbreakable bond since the dark days of World War II, is likely to be strained, if not diminished. The White House was caught off guard by the Leave vote, as was the British government. During his most recent visit to London, President Obama had publicly appealed to the British public to stay in the EU. Speaking in Brussels, Kerry said the immediate U.S. priority was to keep channels of communication and cooperation open with a strong EU on terrorism, immigration and trade. He insisted that the special relationship remains, as he put it, as strong and as crucial as ever. I think it is absolutely essential that we stay focused on how, in this transitional period, nobody loses their head, nobody goes off half-cocked, people dont start ginning up scatterbrained or revengeful premises, he said. Kerry also sought to ease concerns that the Brexit vote could undermine confidence in other regional or transatlantic alliances, including the NATO military alliance. Appearing with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Kerry said next months NATO summit in Warsaw will be as important as ever and will not change one iota because of the British vote. Speaking later in London, Kerry praised U.S.-British cooperation on virtually every major political and security issue, including the Iran nuclear-containment deal, the civil war in Syria, the fight against Islamic State and climate change. At this moment of challenge, the United States knows it could not ask for a better friend and ally than the United Kingdom, Kerry said. The economic and political shock waves continued to ripple around the world, however. Financial markets plunged for a second day, and the vote appears to have stoked separatist movements in Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as in Spains Catalonia region and elsewhere. Experts say the United States could play a moderating role in easing the divorce between Great Britain and the other nations in the European Union, where there is deep anger at London. As London gives up its role as a financial and political powerhouse in Europe, Washington is likely to look increasingly to Germany for economic matters and to France for security issues, said Philippe Le Corre, a fellow at the nonpartisan Brookings Institution in Washington. The Brexit vote will have massive consequences on the U.K. role in the world, and that includes ties with the United States, with China, Japan, you name it, he said. The United States will have no alternative but to increasingly turn to and rely on other countries, Richard Haass, president of the Council on Foreign Relations, a nonpartisan think tank, said in a conference call with reporters. The U.K. has been one of this countrys most important partners. It will be less willing and able to play that role. And the net result will be the special relationship will be that much less special. For more on global affairs, follow @TracyKWilkinson on Twitter. MORE ON BREXIT How Brexit impacted Spains election Brexit diminishes Britain and threatens European security Brexit could halt the growth of California trade with Britain Kremlin critics, telecom companies and fugitive whistleblower Edward Snowden have decried a set of new anti-terrorism measures in Russia that they call an Orwellian encroachment on the privacy and civil freedoms of millions that revives the totalitarian control of the Soviet-era. The bill would toughen punishment for acts deemed to be terrorism and for the organization of mass unrest. It would also introduce prison sentences of up to a year for those who fail to report such crimes. Justification of terrorism and extremism a vaguely-defined category that includes making posts online would also be punishable by up to seven years in jail under the new legislation. Courts would be able to charge defendants as young as 14 as adults, and security officers would be entitled without a court ruling to ban individuals from leaving Russia over extremist actions, including Internet posts. Advertisement The bill, championed by the ruling United Russia party, was hastily voted in by the State Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, on June 24, the last day of the legislative season. The measure will take effect after it is approved by the upper chamber and President Vladimir Putin. It will go the upper chamber within weeks and is expected to pass without much opposition. The proposed legislation has been dubbed the Yarovaya law after United Russia lawmaker Irina Yarovaya, who engineered the bill and has tabled a series of restrictive measures against opposition groups and foreign-funded NGOs. It was presented in response to the October bombing of a Russian passenger plane in Egypt that killed 224. Opposition and security experts call it some of the most repressive legislation since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. Vote-rigging and ballot-stuffing during the 2011 election that formed the current Duma prompted massive anti-Kremlin protests that attracted hundreds of thousands. Since then, the Kremlin has taken on a more isolationist, anti-Western and neoconservative tilt. This is an absolutely draconian law, even the Soviet Union did not have such an overwhelmingly repressive legislation, said Gennady Gudkov, an opposition leader and former lawmaker evicted from the Duma for criticizing Putins policies. This is 100% a step toward an Iron Curtain. Edward Snowden, a former NSA contractor who fled to Russia in 2013, lambasted the law as an expensive yet ineffective tool that will do little to protect Russians from terrorism. Russias new Big Brother law is an unworkable, unjustifiable violation of rights that should never be signed, he said in a tweet Friday. This bill will take money and liberty from every Russian without improving safety, he said in another tweet. The Yarovaya law will dramatically expand the Kremlins surveillance capabilities by forcing cellular and Internet service providers to store communication data such as voice mail, text messages and multimedia data for six months. Russian telecom companies say that the law will deprive them of profits and a chance to expand their networks for years to come because of the expense of creating additional data centers. The step may cost up to 6 trillion rubles ($77 billion), according to an estimate by RBC Daily, a business publication. The bills put the industry on the brink of collapse, says Shamil Baigin, a spokesman for MTS, one of Russias largest cellular-service providers. Service providers may face degradation of voicemail quality, interruption of text message delivery or faulty web access, he said. The bills will also force telecom companies to keep metadata such as the locations and dates of phone calls for three years. Providers of email services and encrypted message apps will have to submit decoding keys to Russian authorities. Pavel Durov, the owner of the popular messaging app Telegram who left the country in 2014, has already refused to provide the encryption keys, Russian media reported. It is unclear whether Russian authorities will block Telegram, or how they would go about doing it. The app does not require an Internet connection to transfer messages and multimedia attachments. After being elected president in 2000, Putin has led a crackdown on opposition groups, critics and independent media. His governments have adopted dozens of restrictive measures and continue to expand the list of materials that can be deemed extremist which now includes the Jehovahs Witnesses New World Bible, comments about the Quran and Hindu scriptures, quotes from Adolf Hitlers autobiography, and texts by prominent Kremlin critics. In recent years, hundreds of Russians have been convicted and sentenced to up to 5 years in jail for extremist publications in some cases, for posting pro-Ukrainian, anti-Putin or nationalist messages online, according to Sova, a Moscow-based human rights group. Mirovalev is a special correspondent. Israel has reached a reconciliation deal with Turkey to end a bitter six-year rift between the two nations, an official said Sunday. Relations between the formerly close allies imploded in 2010 after an Israeli naval raid claimed the lives of 10 Turkish activists, including a dual American citizen, who were on a ship trying to breach Israels blockade of the Gaza Strip. After the incident, Turkey withdrew its ambassador from Israel and greatly scaled back military and economic ties. But relations were never broken completely. Advertisement Turkeys move toward rapprochement with Israel comes amid its deepening isolation in the region after a breakdown in ties with Russia and Egypt as well as the turmoil in neighboring Syria. The Israeli official on Sunday confirmed the details of the agreement. He spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on an official visit to Rome, is expected to announce details Monday, and the two sides plan to sign the agreement Tuesday. Turkeys new prime minister, Binali Yildirim, was also scheduled to make an announcement in Ankara. The Israeli official said the impending deal would include $20 million in Israeli compensation for families of those killed in the raid, an end to all Turkish claims against Israeli military personnel and the state of Israel over the raid, and the mutual restoration of ambassadors. A senior Turkish official said that under the agreement, Turkey would deliver humanitarian aid and other nonmilitary products to Gaza and engage in infrastructure investments, including the construction of residential buildings and the completion of a 200-bed hospital. Turkey would also be involved in projects addressing energy and water shortages in Gaza, the official said, adding that the amount of electricity and drinking water to Gaza residents will increase and new power plants will be constructed. The official, who cannot be named because he was not authorized to speak publicly on the deal, said the agreement did not make any reference to Turkeys ties to the Islamic militant group Hamas, saying, Turkey will continue supporting the Palestinian state and the people of Palestine. Hamas controls Gaza. The Israeli official said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed to a separate document instructing all relevant Turkish agencies to help resolve the issue of Israels missing citizens, apparently referring to the remains of two Israeli soldiers killed in the 2014 Gaza war, which are believed to be held by Hamas. An Israeli of Ethiopian descent and a Bedouin from Israels Arab minority are also believed to be held in Gaza. Families of the soldiers had urged the government to hold off on any reconciliation deal until their plight is addressed. Relatives of one of the soldiers, Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, set up a protest tent outside Netanyahus official residence in Jerusalem. A priest says an explosion has gone off outside a church in a Lebanese village near the Syrian border where several suicide bombers attacked earlier in the day. Father Elian Nasrallah says at least one explosion, possibly more, went off near the Saint Elias church in Qaa village Monday night. He told the Associated Press that the explosions were followed by gunfire. Earlier Monday, four suicide bombers killed five people and wounded at least 15 in the mainly Christian village near the Syrian border. Advertisement A security official says at least two explosions took place while families of those killed in the earlier bombings were gathering to prepare for funerals. Qaa Mayor Bashir Matar told the local Lebanese Broadcasting Corp. station that there were more bombings after the morning attacks, including at least one outside the church. He said there were multiple injuries but no deaths. ALSO Turkish president apologizes for downing Russian jet France opens manslaughter inquiry into EgyptAir crash After 6 years of estrangement, Israel and Turkey to normalize ties Turkeys president has apologized to Moscow for the downing of a Russian military jet at the Syrian border, Russian and Turkish officials said Monday, a move that could open the way for easing a bitter strain in Russia-Turkey ties. Recep Tayyip Erdogans move comes seven months after the incident, which has drawn a slew of Russian sanctions that have dealt a severe blow to the Turkish economy. The formal apology, which the Kremlin had requested, would likely allow relations to improve. Erdogan, in his message, expressed sympathy and deep condolences to the family of the killed pilot and apologized, Russian President Vladimir Putins spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Advertisement Erdogan spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said, according to Turkeys state-run Anadolu news agency, that the Turkish leader expressed his deep regret over the downing of the Russian plane: In the letter, the president stated that he would like to inform the family of the deceased Russian pilot that I share their pain and to offer my condolences to them. May they excuse us. Putin denounced the downing of a Russian warplane at the Syrian border on Nov. 24 as a treacherous stab in the back. Russia rejected the Turkish claim that the plane had violated its airspace, and it responded by deploying long-range air defense missiles to its base in Syria, warning that they would destroy any target posing a threat to Russian aircraft. See the most-read stories in World News this hour >> Moscow also moved swiftly to ban the sales of package tours to Turkey, which had depended heavily on the Russian tourist flow; banned most of Turkeys food exports; and introduced restrictions against Turkish construction companies, which had won a sizable niche of the Russian market. Before the planes downing, Russia had been the largest destination for Turkish exports, mostly textile and food, and also the biggest source of Turkish imports. The downing of the plane reflected simmering tensions between Russia and Turkey, which had backed opposing sides in the Syrian conflict. Russias air campaign, which began in September, helped shore up Syrian President Bashar Assad, whose foes have been backed by Turkey. Lifting the crippling restrictions was essential for Erdogan, who has found himself under pressure at home and abroad. Since the incident, Erdogan and his ministers have continuously spoken in favor of normalizing ties with Moscow, but Putin made it clear that he expects a formal apology and compensation for damage. Erdogan has now offered both, according to his letter, the excerpts of which were released by the Kremlin. I would like to express my compassion and deep condolences to the family of the dead Russian pilot and I say Im sorry, the Kremlin statement quoted Erdogans letter as saying. I share their pain with all my heart. We are ready to take any incentive to help ease the pain and the burden of inflicted damage. Erdogans office also said that the Turkish leader called on Putin to restore the traditional friendly relations between Turkey and Russia and work together to address regional crises and jointly combat terrorism We are pleased to announce that Turkey and Russia have agreed to take necessary steps without delay to improve bilateral relations, Erdogan spokesman Kalin said. The Kremlin said the letter added that Turkish authorities were conducting a probe against a Turkish citizen, accused of shooting and killing the planes pilot as he was descending by parachute. The planes co-pilot survived and was rescued, but a Russian marine was killed by militants during a rescue mission near the border. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said earlier Monday that there were beautiful developments concerning Russia but did not provide details. The Turkish people and the Russian people want this crisis to end and believe it is meaningless, Yildirim said. Our duty should be to meet the expectations of the people. MORE WORLD NEWS European leaders scramble for a solution to Brexit crisis Israel and Turkey reconciliation deal ends six-year rift Heat wave aggravates chronic water problems in occupied West Bank Treasury chief George Osborne sought Monday to ease investor concerns about Britains vote to leave the European Union, saying the U.K. economy is as strong as it could be to face the challenge. In his first public appearance since Thursdays referendum, Osborne stressed that Britains economy is in a far better position than it was at the start of the 2008 financial crisis. It will not be plain sailing in the days ahead, he said. But let me be clear. You should not underestimate our resolve. We were prepared for the unexpected. Advertisement However, in the first direct reflection of business confidence, a leading business group says 20 percent of its members plan to move some of their operations outside of the U.K. in light of the countrys decision to leave the EU. The Institute of Directors said Monday that a survey of its 1,000 members showed that three out of four believe that Britains exit from the EU, or Brexit, will be bad for business. The pound had plunged to its lowest level in 30 years on Friday and fell another 1.7% against the U.S. dollar on Monday, to $1.3430. Osborne pledged not to impose a new austerity budget even though he said during the campaign that one would be necessary if voters chose to leave the EU. He said another budget would be the task of the government of Prime Minister David Camerons successor. Osborne also said he had been working closely with Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, fellow finance ministers and international organizations over the weekend. We are prepared for whatever happens, he said. In another move to cushion the market reaction, Osborne stressed that only Britain can invoke Article 50, which triggers the formal process by which the country would leave the bloc. The U.K. should only do that when there is a clear view about what new arrangement we are seeking with our European neighbors, he said. Cameron is expected to chair an emergency Cabinet meeting Monday. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting Brussels and London to address the fallout from the vote. Political turmoil has roiled Britain since the vote as leaders of the government and opposition parties grapple with the question of precisely how the U.K. will separate from the other 27 nations in the bloc. Cameron, who led the campaign to remain in the EU, has announced he will step down by October. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn is also facing upheaval within his Labor Party after about a dozen advisers quit his inner circle. They believe Corbyns lackluster campaign in support of remaining in the EU fatally undermined his ability to lead. The vote is also causing a political schism in the U.K. overall. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would consider advising the Scottish Parliament to try to use its power to prevent Britain from leaving the EU. Some 62 percent of Scots voted to remain in the bloc. Scottish lawmakers might be able to derail Britains departure by withholding legislative consent, she said. ALSO Confusion and division reign as British ponder reality of EU exit Opinion: Brexit is the European Unions chance to clean up its act After Brexit vote, Clinton calls for steady, experienced leadership UPDATES: 1:57 a.m.: This article was updated with more information about the market response and survey results from the Institute of Directors. This article was originally published at 12:26 a.m. A Chinese freighter laden with nearly 9,500 metal cargo containers transited the expanded Panama Canal on Sunday, inaugurating the interoceanic waterway and opening a new era in global trade. As midmorning clouds dissipated over the 50-mile-long canal, the vessel Cosco Shipping Panama began moving through the new Caribbean-facing Agua Clara locks, part of a $5.4-billion expansion to allow for the passage of bigger ships through the historic waterway. The expansion has been nearly a decade in the making. Whereas the original canal opened in 1914 to accommodate ships carrying as many as 5,500 cargo containers, the new locks can handle ships ferrying 13,000 such containers. Operators say the expansion was necessary to keep the historic canal competitive in a global freight market. Advertisement The expansion ostensibly makes the canal a more efficient option for freight companies shipping goods from China to the Eastern Seaboard, which is the canals most important and lucrative commercial route. But trade experts warn that many U.S. ports are still unprepared to handle the larger ships. That fact, combined with the current softness in global freight traffic, means it may take some time before the traffic justifies the investment. Before the first ship was lifted from sea level up to Panamas Gatun Lake, a man-made reservoir that collects water to fill the locks, President Juan Carlos Varela and canal administrator Jorge Luis Quijano welcomed the ship in the Caribbean port city of Colon. Both touted the projects economic effect and paid tribute to the 40,000 workers who built it. What happiness to begin this day and to receive this ship, Varela told a gathering of thousands canal-side after presenting Cosco executives with a commemorative plaque. Referring to Panamas multi-century role as a transit route for interoceanic cargo dating to Spanish colonial times, he added: This is where it all began. Its been 500 years of history no one can change. For centuries, cargo from the Orient or South Americas Pacific coast crossed the Panamanian isthmus by mule, then by train. In 1914, U.S. Army engineers completed the waterway, overcoming disease and significant geological challenges. The canal and the so-called Canal Zone, a five-mile buffer on either side of the waterway, remained U.S. possessions until they were turned over to Panama in 1999. After decades of expansion proposals that went nowhere, Panamas then-president, Martin Torrijos, persuaded voters to authorize the expansion in a 2006 referendum, framing it as a means of safeguarding the canals commercial importance. Competing canal proposals had been floated in Mexico as well as Nicaragua, raising fears of a freight war. On June 26th, the Panama Canal will open new expanded locks. In addition to the Agua Clara locks, a comparable set were built on the Pacific side of the interoceanic canal. The new locks permit the passage of neo-Panamax ships measuring 160 feet wide by 1,200 feet long with drafts of 50 feet. The original canal could not accommodate ships that measured more than 106 feet by 965 feet by 39.5 feet. Although Mexican canal proposals did not advance, Nicaragua in 2014 granted a concession to Chinese businessman Wang Jing to build a $50-billion canal that would compete with Panamas waterway. That project, however, has yet to start construction because of Chinas economic slowdown and Wangs reported financial difficulties. Panama Canal Authority officials say they have 170 reservations for cargo ships to transit the canal using the larger locks. Shipping experts say the expansion should add about 15 daily crossings to the 35 to 40 the canal now sees each day. But transit growth will depend on market conditions and on ports ability to accept larger ships, experts say. Some major U.S. ports, including New York and Tampa, are limited by bridges too low to accommodate the mega-freighters. Tampa is prepared for more cargo and we have ample space, said Evan Cotten, a maritime clerk at the Port of Tampa. The problem Tampa has is we can only take feeder ships because the largest containers and cruise ships cant fit under the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at the mouth of Tampa Bay. In a statement issued last week, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said the expanded Panama Canal would not appreciably change crude oil and petroleum product flows because it is still too small to accommodate the supertankers that petroleum freighters prefer. The agency noted that although the newer lock systems allow for the transit of larger neo-Panamax tanker vessels with capacities for 400,000 to 600,000 barrels of crude, the economics of shipping crude oil and petroleum products call for even larger freighters capable of handling 1 million barrels or more. Kraul is a special correspondent. ALSO 7 people stabbed at neo-Nazi event outside state Capitol in Sacramento Diary of terror: Not a day in April passed without a terror attack President Trump? Among U.S. allies, Japan may be one of the most anxious about that idea All material is subject to strictly enforced copyright terms & conditions and cannot be repurposed or reproduced. 19882022 Latin American Financial Publications Inc. On 21-23 June, the US Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs Amos Hochstein visited Argentina. According to a US State Department press release, Hochstein was there for meetings with Argentine federal and provincial government officials and energy industry leaders to discuss shared energy security interests, ways to support Argentinas commitment to expanding generation with renewable energy, and the responsible and sustainable development of its vast energy resources. The press release also commends Argentina on its support for the 2015 Paris Agreement on dealing with greenhouse gas emissions and vision to increase the use of renewable energy sources, and it notes that the visit underscores the deep engagement between the US Department of State and Argentina on energy issues. End of preview - This article contains approximately 775 words. Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article Not a Subscriber? Choose from one of the following options An honest essay has numerous characteristics: original thinking, a good structure, balanced arguments, and plenty more. But one aspect often overlooked is that an honest essay should be interesting. It should spark the readers curiosity, keep them absorbed, make them want to stay reading and learn more. 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One of the ways ancient orators held the eye of their audiences and increased the dramatic effect of their speeches was by using the statement. A decent place to use a statement is at the top of a paragraph, to steer into the following one, or at the start of a replacement section to introduce a brand new area for exploration. Proofread Finally, you may write the top interesting essay an instructor has ever read. Still, youll undermine your good work if its plagued by errors, which distract the reader from the particular content and can probably annoy them. Lower Saucon Township police have arrested a Bethlehem man they suspect was involved in a violent 2012 home-invasion and robbery at a real estate developer's home in the township. David Ernesto Perez-Rossell David Ernesto Perez-Rossell, 33, of the 900 block of East Fourth Street, is charged with robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and two counts of theft for his alleged role in the crime. He was arraigned Sunday before District Judge Richard Yetter III and sent to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail. The attack occurred July 11, 2012, while developer Dominic Albanese and wife Jodi were in their home in the 2600 block of Woodland Road in Lower Saucon and their four children were sleeping upstairs, authorities said. Authorities said four men wore partial masks and carried guns during the home invasion. Albanese was beaten unconscious and his wife ordered to disrobe, and multiple shots were fired during the incident that ended when the intruders left in the family's minivan with valuables and electronics, authorities said. At the time, Albanese was embroiled in a subdivision dispute over the Lower Saucon property with the land's mortgage-holder Carin Radogna and her husband, Michael Radogna, authorities had said. Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli in January announced charges in the case against David Bermudez, 37, of the 1000 block of Center Street in Bethlehem. While incarcerated, Bermudez told 28-year-old Yessy Rivera, another inmate, he participated in a Lower Saucon Township home invasion to get back at somebody who owed another man money and who "ripped him off" of some property, Morganelli had said. Bermudez at the time named the three other co-conspirators: Perez-Rossell; Juan Fernandez, also known as "Goldo"; and a man named "Chino." He also provided specific information about the location of the home, how the invasion took place and items stolen, Morganelli had said. Perez-Rossell later told another police informant he was approached by Michael Radogna and was paid $5,000 to take part in the home invasion, according to police. Perez-Rossell had been working for Radogna and gathered the other three accomplices to carry out the home invasion, police said. Neither Michael nor Carin Radogna is charged in connection with the home invasion. The Albanese family has since found a new place to live. Bermudez in February was arrested in Bronx, New York, and is awaiting trial on charges of felony burglary, felony aggravated assault, felony robbery, felony theft by unlawful taking and misdemeanor making terroristic threats. Bermudez also faces charges in separate robberies. Fernandez committed suicide in 2015 and "Chino" remains on the lam. Perez-Rossell is tentatively due back in court for a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 8. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Bethlehem police barn rendering This courtesy rendering shows the new barn for the Bethlehem police horses. Now that the Bethlehem police horses finally have an acceptable site to rest their hooves, the nonprofit building the barn are launching a fundraising effort. The nonprofit Friends of the Bethlehem Police Mounted Unit have signed a lease for a 10-acre spot off Langhorne Avenue, near the Holy Saviour Cemetery on Linden Street. The land is owned by the Diocese of Allentown. Construction is scheduled to begin as soon as permits are approved. The nonprofit has raised more than $300,000 of the $475,000 the capital campaign is trying to raise, said Tom Tenges, president of the group's board of directors. The police department's four horses -- Grey, Asa, George and Pharoah -- have lived at the historic Burnside Plantation since the unit relaunched in 2009. But officials said the historic barn can't provide the climate-controlled space needed for the team and its supplies, so officials began lot-hunting. Plans call for constructing a $375,000 three-story stable barn and then spending $100,000 to build an outdoor training area, grazing area and an endowment to maintian the property. The public will be able to see the horses in their stalls through the barn's atrium on the main floor. It will also house meeting and office space for the nonprofit. The ground floor of the barn will include seven horse stalls, a wellness stall, warm water wash stall and climate-controlled storage and tack areas. The third level will be restricted to police and feature a locker room and office area. City officials indicated in March they were considering 5.1 acres north of the city's compost center at Eaton Avenue and Schoenersville Road. Before that, plans to build a stable on Bethlehem's favorite sledding hill were abandoned amid public outcry. The nonprofit's board members and local businesses and foundations have pledged more than $300,000. They include: stable naming sponsor Quadrant Private Wealth, Air Products & Chemicals, Inc., Straight Arrow Inc. makers of the Original Mane 'n Tail and Cowboy Magic, Just Born Quality Confections, the R. K. Laros Foundation, Bethlehem Parking Authority, The Philadelphia Trust Company, and Altronics Security Systems. *** WANT TO HELP? Anyone interested in supporting the campaign can mail a check to: FBMP, P.O. Box 1314, Bethlehem, PA 18018. A Go Fund Me account has been set up. Sara K. Satullo may be reached at ssatullo@lehighvalleylive.com.com. Follow her on Twitter @sarasatullo and on Facebook.. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A blackjack dealer overpaid three gamblers at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem, according to Pennsylvania State Police. Table games supervisors observed that Sergio Sanchez-Roman, 36, of Allentown, incorrectly paid winning wagers, police said. They reviewed surveillance footage from June 12 to 14 and the overpayments and mistreated Toke wagers -- they are separate bets made as tips to the dealer -- caused the casino to lose $2,275, according to state police. Sanchez-Roman was arraigned Monday before Senior District Judge Anthony G. Rapp Jr. on charges of theft and unlawful taking with intent to defraud, according to court records. He was released on $5,000 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is tentatively scheduled Aug. 4. Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Walking down Northampton Street towards the free bridge, there's a small store bearing the name "Eclettica." Inside, it's decorated with various decor: beautiful chandeliers and an eclectic mix of period and modern pieces and art. The new Easton shop had its official ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 11, but owner Lucia Vanin-Agrusa has been preparing the shop at 245 Northampton St. since November. Originally from Italy, Vanin-Agrusa majored in fashion design at E.U. Ruzza Fashion & Design Institute. She later worked on shoe design in Italy, and moved to America 20 years ago and started interior decorating. She said she's good at interior decorating because she's very creative with a distinctive style. Her interior decorating experiences particularly stemmed from her work with her former husband. The two had a partnership in design and remodeling. She says they did everything - from bathroom renovation to lighting. She has been in similar business in New York and Connecticut for the past 20 years, but she snatched up the location because of Easton's creative clientele and continued "up-trend" -- and its proximity to New Jersey and New York. She said she'll run the new store in addition to maintaining relationships with previous clients who live in places such as Connecticut and New York. Her vision for this shop is consistent with the visions she's had for other stores - she wants clients to be satisfied with her services and feel happy about their renovated spaces. She says her work is more important than people might realize. There is always a way to make one's home have both artistic appeal and value down the road. Thus far, Vanin-Agrusa and her assistant, Janis Hadley, have been pleased with Easton's response to the new store. "People have been really intrigued. They find the inside of the store surprising, unique and elegant," Vanin-Agrusa said. Through sitting in spaces and thinking about her vision, Hadley says that is how Vanin-Agrusa decorates and designs so successfully. Vanin-Agrusa feels it's important to get to know her clients' personalities. Inside the shop, there's a wooden bench over 400 years old, which was originally from France. Vanin-Agrusa also likes engaging with her clients through telling stories about that piece of furniture, among many other pieces. "Lucia really can do anything she sets her mind to. Her mind works like a puzzle," Hadley said. "I'm so lucky to have known her for 20 years." Vanin-Agrusa's name Lucia means "bringing light" in Italian. She says that's why she has a passion for lights. Especially since she lived close to Venice, she says, that's the reason for her love of a vintage murano glass lamp. "I can't decorate for myself anymore," Vanin-Agrusa said with a grin. "I have to do it to help other people and give them the right new environment." Eclettica is open Wednesdays and Thursdays noon to 5 p.m. It is open Fridays and Saturdays noon to 6 p.m., or by appointment at 610-829-2640. Visit Eclettica's Facebook page or website for further information. Ashleigh Albert is lehighvalleylive.com's Russell J. Flanagan Memorial news intern. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. As a young moisture farmer once told a couple of droids: If there's a bright center to the universe, Tatooine is the planet that it's farthest from. But Lehigh University professor Joshua Pepper and his crowdsourcing network of astronomers helped find it. The recently discovered world officially dubbed Kepler-1647b captured some social media attention due to a similarity to the home of "Star Wars" hero Luke Skywalker -- it simultaneously orbits two stars. An artist's interpretation of planet Kepler-1647b and the secondary star transiting the primary star. (Lynette Cook | San Diego State University) It's not the first planet found in a binary star system, but it is the largest, according to NASA. Really, it's more like Jupiter than the desert planet in the movies, though it's the right distance away from the suns for its moons to potentially support life, scientists say. Joshua Pepper (Courtesy photo) Its existence was confirmed by the network that Pepper, a physics professor, helped start -- one that involves 40 members including universities and amateurs in four continents, according to the university. "People who are excited about science and really enthusiastic about science ... they usually don't have a chance to contribute to cutting-edge discoveries," Pepper said. How they did it The discovery of Kepler-1647b was announced this month by a team of astronomers from NASA and San Diego State University, whose findings are to be published in the Astrophysical Journal. That team used NASA's Earth-orbiting Kepler Space Telescope to find slight dips in the brightness of the stars, signs of a planet passing in front of them. Pepper's network was used to verify the findings. An artist's impression of the planet Kepler-1647b. (Lynette Cook | San Diego State University) The KELT Follow-up Network was started in 2008 to verify the findings of another planet-finding project called KELT, Pepper said. The network makes confirmations by combining observations from participating astronomers around the world. In this case, an observer from Swarthmore College near Philadelphia and another from Portugal reportedly watched how the two stars eclipsed one another -- an event that takes too long to observe from any single site on Earth, the research paper notes -- for signs of the planet's gravitational interference. "The goal of KELT is to discover more planets that are transiting the brightest stars we can see. In essence, those give us the very rare, very valuable planets," Pepper said. 'Tatooine': By the numbers 3,700: 4.4 billion: 1,107: Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and find him on Facebook. A drunk driver gave new meaning to making terroristic threats when she told a police officer she was "going to send ISIS to kill all of you pigs," according to Slatington police. After Tania Woodward, of Lakeland, Florida, was stopped early Saturday morning on Main Street in the borough, she reportedly told officers she drank two Four Lokos and some shots before getting behind the wheel. The 34-year-old was handcuffed and told she was being charged with driving under the influence, which is when police said she began pushing off a police cruiser and tried slipping off the cuffs. Woodward also tried kicking the windows of the cruiser, police said. At the county's central booking station, Woodward allegedly told an Allentown police officer she hoped he would be raped, and then said, "I am going to send ISIS to kill all of you pigs." Woodward was charged with driving under the influence, making terroristic threats, turning without a signal and driving without a license. As of Monday afternoon she remained in Lehigh County Jail in lieu of $20,000 bail. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A male motorcyclist was killed Sunday afternoon when he lost control of the bike on Route 33 South at the on-ramp from Belfast, Pennsylvania State Police said. State police at the Belfast barracks provided few details about what led to the crash just before 4 p.m. Sunday, but confirmed the male was the sole occupant of the 2009 Yamaha. The crash occurred at mile marker 11.1 in Bushkill Township. State police didn't identify the deceased because they said family members were still being notified. The crash remains under investigation. Police were assisted at the scene by Northampton County Deputy Coroner Madison Maya-Nagai, the Bushkill Township Fire Department and Nazareth Emergency Medical Services. The motorcycle was towed by Ken's Towing. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Joshua Mohlmann leaves district court Joshua A. Mohlmann leaves district court on Monday, June 27, with his attorney Mark Minotti, left. Mohlmann, of Upper Mount Bethel Township, is accused of sexually assaulting a student while he worked as a teacher in the Harmony Township School District in Warren County, N.J. (Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive.com) The case involving a New Jersey teacher charged with sexually assaulting a former student from his seventh grade math class might never get to Northampton County Court. Joshua A. Mohlmann, 40, of the 500 block of Laurel Hill Road in Upper Mount Bethel Township, left district court in Bangor on Monday after a frustrated district judge issued a 10-day continuance. Senior District Judge Sherwood Grigg took issue with Assistant District Attorney Anthony Casola's plan to present hearsay evidence in the case. During a preliminary hearing, Grigg must determine if there is enough evidence to send the case onto county court or possibly throw it out. "Never to my knowledge have I sent a case to county court based on just hearsay ... because the rules prohibit it," Grigg told Casola. Mohlmann is facing felony charges of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse involving a victim younger than 16, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault involving a victim younger than 16 and institutional sexual assault. Additionally, Mohlmann is charged with misdemeanor endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, indecent assault on a victim younger than 16 and furnishing alcoholic beverages to a minor. Mohlmann taught for the Harmony Township School District in Warren County when the alleged sexual relationship began. Dressed in a suit and tie Monday, Mohlmann did not speak during the district court appearance. Police said the relationship began in 2008 when the 14-year-old girl began babysitting for Mohlmann and continued until March 2015 when the victim was 21. Mohlmann engaged in sexual conduct with the victim, now 22, that progressed to intercourse just after her 17th birthday in 2011, police said. He allegedly provided the girl with vodka during this encounter and on multiple occasions prior to her turning 21, police said. Pennsylvania State Police began investigating reports of the sexual assaults in July 2015, picking up an investigation opened by the Warren County Prosecutor's Office. Mohlmann turned himself in to police in May. Defense attorney Mark Minotti raised objections to any hearsay evidence -- the contents of which were not revealed Monday. Minotti said prosecutors couldn't even determine if testimony they would be presenting was from the trooper prosecuting the case or another trooper who interviewed the victim. "The interview that took place with her is (another trooper) not even here today," Minotti said. Grigg asked why the victim wasn't testifying and why Casola planned to only use secondhand testimony. "Do you have a witness here not based on hearsay?" Grigg asked. "I'm going to rule on whether a case can go to court on hearsay alone?" Casola argued a Pennsylvania Superior Court decision in July 2015 ruled hearsay evidence was sufficient to determine probable cause at a preliminary hearing. The magistrate said he still wanted to know why the 22-year-old would not be testifying at the hearing. "It's my understanding, in this particular case, this alleged victim is of age," Grigg said. "Why isn't she testifying?" "Because we don't have to put her on, your honor," Casola replied. "That's your answer?" Grigg asked. "That's my answer," replied Casola. The judge issued a continuance in the case for 10 days and ordered Casola turn over the evidence he wanted to present, as well as a recording of a statement provided by the victim. Casola agreed, but told the judge he would not be presenting the recording at the preliminary hearing. "It's a rare case," Grigg said. "I'm just trying to do it right." Mohlmann was suspended from his teaching position following his arrest, Harmony Township Chief School Administrator Christopher Carrubba said previously. "We are taking this matter very seriously and have been in touch with the prosecutor's office, and our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our students," Carrubba said in an email in May. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. The new project aimed at giving a boost to Rathdowney's economy got off to a progressive start recently. More than 30 people attended an information evening for the Inspire Rathdowney project in the newly refurbished Rathdowney Youth Cafe on May 17. Brian Ogilvie, Head of Research & Commercialisation, Dargan Centre, IT Carlow introduced the concept of the Inspire programme and provided context to the area of innovation to representatives from the main stakeholders, local councillors and potential participants. Fr. Martin Delaney, PP, welcomed people to the newly refurbished Youth Cafe and training room which are based in the Old Convent in Rathdowney. Liz Kennedy, the INSPIRE Rathdowney Project Co-ordinator with Laois County Council gave a brief introduction to the project, provided a summary of the background to the EU initiative REDZ (Rural Economic Development Zone) and the identification of Rathdowney as a REDZ area. Liz highlighted the benefits of INSPIRE Rathdowney to the local area and how participation in the initiative would positively impact on individuals and their business/business concept and on the local area. Denise Rainey is Business Development Officer from Laois County Councils Business Support Unit. Inspire Rathdowney affords the Rathdowney area with the opportunity to invest in themselves, their business and in their local area through idea generation workshops, one-on-one mentoring, and all taking place within Rathdowney, she said. Anne Goodwin CEO of Laois Partnership said the project offers opportunity. This is a once off opportunity not to be missed, with experts from IT Carlow travelling to Rathdowney each time, to provide the support and their expertise on starting a new business or on building on existing ones, she said The Enterprise unit in IT Carlow work with more than 100 start-up/existing companies each year, and are also partners in the project. A good networking session took place and Brian Ogilvie and Ailish Delaney from the Carlow college, along with Anne Goodwin and Denise Rainey, discussed and answered any queries with participants. The event was covered by Irish TV who were also present and who interviewed a number of the project partners and potential participants. All interested potential participants were asked to complete a preliminary application form providing a brief overview of their business, or business concept, and describing how they thought participation in INSPIRE Rathdowney would benefit them or their business. The food for the night was sponsored by Shealagh Maher from Rosemount Catering, based in Ballacolla. The project team are actively seeking people of all ages to participate in the programme so check out the Rathdowney Community page Facebook page or contact Liz Kennedy Project Co-ordinator if you wish to become part of this wonderful initiative. It was anticipated there would be a confirmed list of participants by the end of May in advance of commencing the support early in June. The support will commence with a half day workshop. All support and training will be provided at the Rathdowney Youth Cafe. For an application form or more information on INSPIRE Rathdowney please contact: Liz Kennedy, Project Co-ordinator, Inspire Rathdowney, Laois County Council To find out more on the project check out Laois County Councils and Laois Partnerships Facebook pages Phone: 086 174 6370; Email: lkennedy@laoiscoco.ie. A Portlaoise man who had a negative reaction to cannabis and attacked staff members of a filling station causing wine bottles to be smashed has been given a suspended jail sentence after being found unsuitable for community service. Stephen Dunne (24), 46 Rossvale Court, was charged with criminal damage, assault and public order charges. When the case first came before the court in May, garda evidence outlined that on March 25 this year, the gardai received a report of a man having assaulted a staff member at Max Gym on the Dublin Road, Portlaoise. A further report came from the Applegreen Filling Centre, where the accused was being restrained on the floor by a member of the public and a staff member, with a number of broken bottles on the floor. Dunne was very incoherent and clearly under the influence of an intoxicant. He had been in the store a number of times harassing a female attendee, before he lunged at a male attendee causing him to fall and break the wine bottles. 30 damage was caused. Defence, Ms Josephine Fitzpatrick said Dunne suffers with epilepsy. She said he occasionally used cannabis, but as hes on medication it has a negative effect on him. Defence said that Dunne had 100 compensation. Judge Catherine Staines imposed 100 hours community service in lieu of three months and the matter was put back to June 16. When the case returned to the district court last week, Dunne was found unsuitable for community service due to a medical condition. Ms Fitzpatrick also handed in 55 of the 130 compensation Dunne was ordered to pay over, leaving a balance of 75. Judge Staines imposed a three-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, on the criminal damage charge. On the assault charge, Judge Staines convicted and fined Dunne 10, and imposed a compensation order of 75. A charge of being intoxicated was taken into consideration. As part of the 1916 Commemoration, Laois Libraries will be hosting an exhibition on the 1916 Rising. The exhibition has been researched and developed by library staff and provides an excellent resource and reference for anyone who is interested in 1916 and what happened locally in the county . The exhibition is currently on display in Portlaoise Library and will travel to all library branches in Laois over the coming months. The exhibition explores the background to the 1916 Rising, outlining the important social and political developments in the preceding years, including the growth of cultural nationalism, the rise of militarism and the rejuvenation of the Irish Republican Brotherhood. The exhibition also focuses on events in Laois, providing biographies of the Laois insurgents and a detailed account of activities in Laois in the build up to the 1916 Rising. The exhibition features the story of James Foran, a Laois man who fought in the 1916 Rising in Dublin. James was born in Acragar, Mountmellick, in 1870. He moved to Dublin where he married and had a large family. In 1916 he had a shop and painting business on Charlemont Street. James joined the Irish Volunteers in 1915 and was a member of A Company 4th Battalion, Dublin Brigade. On Easter Monday he carried a message from Cathal Brugha to Eamonn Ceannt and then joined his battalion in the fight for the South Dublin Union. Laois Libraries are collecting information on Laois people who participated in the 1916 Rising. If you have any information please contact Sinead at Laois Local Studies, County Hall. Its been a bruising and disappointing few days for all of us, but two nights sleep, a lot of conversations and some thought have left me impelled to express an opinion in the Voice. I am setting out my contentions, for which I am grateful to the many people I have discussed them with, below. The first point is that the proposal to leave the EU is a major constitutional change and that it is just not apposite to make such changes on the basis of a simple majority in a referendum. That point is reinforced by the fact that this referendum was agreed on the basis that it was an advisory referendum, not a mandatory one. I suspect that had anyone asked the question. Why was there no threshold for the decision to be acted upon?, the answer would have been to reiterate that the referendum was advisory and it was for Parliament to consider it. The second point follows from that. Parliament should consider it. As such the fatalistic acceptance of the result as if it were a final judgement from an all-powerful deity is not an appropriate course of action for our legislative representatives. So this means that people should insist that such consideration takes place. There is a case for the proposition that the invocation of Article 50 without such consideration is illegal. The third point is related to that consideration. We should be pressing for that to be a thorough one, and to take into account not simply the numerical outcome of the vote, but also the following: That much of the thrust of the Leave campaign was to make the referendum an expression of general discontent, which suggests strongly that much of the Leave vote was not based on any analysis of the merits and demerits of remaining in the EU. That lies were told and distortions promoted on both sides, rendering the process of little probative value. Much of the Leave propaganda was, as Professor Michael Dougan succinctly summed it up, dishonesty on an industrial scale That in any event, the margin of victory was insufficient for the result to be clear. Most importantly, that they should be acting in the best interests of the UK and that the economic and political crisis that this referendum has provoked needs to be managed. That is their job! For the first time in living memory our MPs individual contributions to our nation can really count and it is time for them to stand up and be counted. Members of Parliament (of all parties) must be lobbied without delay to take these points, or like ones, on board and to empower them to act for the good of us all. My final point is that the political parties appear to be rudderless or lost in the fog, with the exception of the SNP. I do not except from this condemnation our own party. The rather lame pledge that we would argue for the country to go back into the EU implies that we have accepted that we are leaving, which is a message of surrender. I think there is much more to be done, and we must do it. We should not fall into the trap of believing that the welcome influx of new members indicates that they are contented with inaction now. So The Liberal Democrats need to seize this moment, and become the voice of the 16 million people (a number substantially more than have ever voted for any winning party in any British election). We need to lead an alliance of like-minded people from all parties to make sure we stay in and so that our vacuous pledge becomes redundant. We must get on with it. * Laurence Mann a fairly long standing member (since 1991) of the Liberal Democrats, and has lived for all of that time in Twickenham, where he served as a councillor for 8 years. I think we are agreed now that the EU referendum result was not a vote to leave the EU at all, but a howl of protest from the people of Britain that feel left out of the prosperity that predominately benefits the south east, and fearful of the changes affecting their communities. It feels that we are not a liberal country after all. It makes me extremely sad to realise this, and will lead others to question the relevance of our Party. But if we dig deep into the basic principles and aims of our Party we will see that we are more relevant than we have ever been. It is poverty and lack of opportunity that harnesses swathes of our society to a yoke of resentment and fear ploughing a furrow for lies and misinformation that grow into a forest cutting them off from truth and the liberal world. It is this very poverty and ignorance that our Party seeks to address: no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We are a divided, unequal Britain and the Party aims to deliver equality for all. It is therefore incumbent upon us not just to represent the liberal-thinking 48%, but to take up the fight on behalf of the disenfranchised before UKIP step in to represent them. The difficult question is how do we do that? I do not claim to have the answers, but some thoughts based on local experience (in a strong liberal borough that voted to leave!?) have started to form as I work through the shock of the referendum result. Be of the people It is back to community politics. We need local people working with and on behalf of their communities. As councillors and activists we have that, sadly when we went into coalition it was with a front bench that was indistinguishable from the other Parties. Dont get me wrong, Nick Clegg is my hero for standing on principle above all else, but it reinforced the us and them feeling amongst those who dont feel they have a voice. Our MPs, councillors and PPCs need to have their constituents feel that they are one of them. Give people power Help people to see they have the power to change things. It only needs to be small things, like getting some new play equipment for the local park, campaigning for a zebra crossing, putting on a local event. It shows that by working together people do have the power to make things happen. Be radicals At Party level we need to up our game at challenging those policies that exacerbate and embed poverty. We could have done so much better highlighting the injustices of the Housing and Planning bill. Recent policies are all about the Tories making the poor pay the price for the banks gambling. Our messages need to be harder hitting and emotive. Be clear who the bad guys are in this and be leading the protest against them. Let us be seen as the dissenters and radicals, because we are. Let us allow ourselves to be angry again. Spread the wealth This is harder with a small representation in Parliament, but we need to address those conditions that result in a large percentage of our population not benefitting from Britains prosperity. We need to support policies that spread the wealth more evenly around the country and discourage its concentration in London. Devolution may well be the delivery vehicle for this, so we need to be right at the front championing it. We can also get involved in devolution at a local level, ensuring that the deals that are done result in jobs and opportunities for local people. Promote community cohesion We can help bring people together in our community and give them the opportunity to learn that there is more that unites us than divides us. We must do everything we can to get communities to mix, to share, to have fun together. It doesnt matter how small a group we start with, we must bring people together and avoid the isolationism and segregation that breeds fear and loathing. Whatever we try to do, it may not work, or make a big enough difference, but surely we must try. * Councillor Jayne McCoy is chair of the Housing, Economy and Business Committee of the London Borough of Sutton. So there we are. The deep splits in the Conservative Party and the Labour Party have foreshadowed the division of the British voting public now into two nearly equal halves. There will be plenty of analysis of who the Brexiters are and why they won, but one thing seems clear. The Leave voters rejected the supposed authority figures, the elites of politics and business and finance, all the leaders to whom our forebears looked up. It seemed to be in that respect a genuine revolt of the masses. An almighty wave, worthy of a Japanese painter, has crashed our own tiny ship on a stony shore, called Britain outside the EU. But mighty galleons have crashed with us, some never to float again. We should have more buoyancy than them, and Tim has certainly showed it since the result. Still, as we painfully pick our way over the pebbles, we need to think about why there is this apparent rebellion of the masses against the elites. It seems that people felt powerless and wanted a sense of control. One way we could respond to that is by fighting again for proportional representation, which will make all elections in England and Wales meaningful, restoring democracy without having referendums. But also, we know that ordinary people have been hit hard in the years of austerity, as benefits have been controlled and reduced, as the lower-paid competed for jobs with immigrants, as new jobs tended to be short-term or on zero-hours contracts, and as with the increasing population pressure grew on housing, health services and school places. In the Coalition Government, with our own ministers constantly hampered by the Tory majority, probably there was too little concern about the effects of the welfare cuts on the poor. Universal Credit was a distant dream, and meantime the deserving suffered alongside the less deserving. They saw how wealthy capitalists could pile up the pounds, while they were lucky if they could do it by eating and drinking. It was a time when fortunes were built up by bankers and directors of companies, and rich investors hid money in offshore trusts. So it continued under the present Government, where we now have obscene levels of executive pay, while workers in low-paid jobs with zero-hours contracts have to resort to food banks to feed themselves and their families, because of weeks without either pay or benefits. The poorest have no safety nets, no savings for a rainy day, just the ever-present dread of having no money next week. When articulate leaders then told people who could see inequality and injustice that the problems were caused by excessive immigration and the undemocratic rule of Brussels and the courts of Europe, they were believed. The only way forward for us now to restore our little ship and sail it to safe havens is, surely, to commit our party to look for greater equality and fairness for the majority of our citizens. They dont expect shares and share options, just real sharing of decent jobs, housing and health care. Lets work now with the Left where we can, promote policies that benefit the majority but especially the young who now have fewer prospects than before, aim to reduce the deep divide which has been shown up, and build a better Britain for all. * Katharine Pindar is a long-standing member of the Lib Dems and an activist in the West Cumbrian constituency of Copeland and Workington. Do not support the 48% who voted remain; support the 100% who have the same values as we do. Liberal Willing to respect, accept behaviour or opinions different from your own; open to new ideas Democrat The belief in freedom and equality between people Not my words but dictionary definitions of what Liberal Democrats should stand for. So what does this mean post-Brexit? Let us get rid of the rhetoric and angst among individuals that voted remain or leave. Let us find the good in all individuals whichever way they voted. Those who already agree with our ideals and those who did not want to be ruled by an elite (the perception of being in the EU by most leavers), who want to hold us to account at a national level and more importantly want the government to resolve all the problems we face in housing, the economy, education, health, the environment, defence and security. We need to retain what we are good at: listening to people at a local level, local representation, fighting local injustice that affect communities and leading with policies that will fix local problems by listening to the people. More to the point, we need to adapt this approach to our national politics. The UK is on course towards Federalism. Scotland asking for independence, Wales asking for EU funding to be replaced, Cornwall ditto. We need to start listening to local individuals concerns on national issues; yes, we need to remain internationalist but adapt that to meet the needs of individuals biggest need to feel part of a democracy and feel injustice against them as no one has been listening to them. Liberalism to me is representing the individual, fighting social inequality and listening to individual concerns. We can do that now by listening to everyone whether they voted remain or Brexit. We will challenge discrimination, we will promote diversity and an open and inclusive society. We must lead in forming policies that work for people and creates democracy at local level, national level and international level. Yes, it was disappointing, let us fightback by uniting, stop the social media sniping, stick to those two principles of being Liberal and Democrats. * Dean Crofts is secretary of North Bedfordshire Liberal Democrats LifeStyle The best LifeStyle shows are right here, from Australia and around the world. Catch up with the experts on home design and interiors, food and cooking, the property market, and get fresh ideas with the savviest of renovators. Whether you need inspiration for cooking up a storm, to refresh a tired room, or tips to sell your property, Foxtel LifeStyle will always something new for you to watch. Enjoy your favourite experts like Andrew Winter and Neale Whitaker, or Deb Hutton and Jamie Oliver live or On Demand. Get Foxtel TAX incentives to encourage investors to renovate Limericks historic Georgian quarter have not been working and need to be revamped, a leading city auctioneer has said. Gordon Kearney of Rooney Auctioneers described the current tax incentive schemes, which include the Living Cities Initiative, as not fit for purpose. If you go into Georgian Limerick, there is a multitude of top floor bedsits and flats which are now locked up, he told a recent Construction Industry Federation briefing. He said this was largely due to the high cost of meeting building regulations and the red tape associated with carrying out work on historic buildings. As a result, many landlords were opting to leave the market rather than try to renovate these properties. There is something there that needs to be unlocked from a regulatory point of view or from a tax incentive point of view that would encourage those Georgian building to be brought back to life, he added. Mr Kearney made his comments in the context of a discussion on the shortage of housing in Limerick city. He noted that many amateur investors had exited the market in recent year for a number of reasons, including high taxes, restrictive building regulations and tenancy issues. Speaking at the same event, Kersten Mehl of the KMPM property management agency pointed out that less than 1% of their listed properties in the city were vacant at present. The housing shortage, he said, was the result of failed political policy dating back to the 1980s. It is an accumulation of failed housing policies that we have now ended up with a scenario where one third of private residential rented housing - over 100,000 units - is occupied by tenants who are supported by the State, he said. What has definitely accentuated this mess is the rollout of kick the landlord policies by various governments since the crash, he added. These policies included the abolition of Section 23 tax supports and the introduction of a property tax system that made landlords, rather than tenants, liable for paying. Mr Mehl pointed out that 42,000 landlords nationwide had not paid their mortgages in two years and warned that there would be a wave of repossessions in the sector. THE main ambulance base in Dooradoyle will move to a new location in Mungret, after the National Ambulance Serv-ice secured funding for a relocation, the Limerick Leader has learned. According to the HSE, a site has been identified at Castlemungret and a planning process is currently underway. The current ambulance centre is located across from the University Hospital Limerick, in Dooradoyle. However, mixed views have been expressed, by elected representatives on the regional health forum, in relation to the relocation. Sinn Fein councillor Malachy McCreesh welcomed the new move, but said that local ambulance services need more investment. There is not enough cover throughout the whole country, and in Limerick especially. There have been numerous incidents, at UHL and the rest of the country, where ambulances arrive and they have to sit and wait for hours before they can get admitted. That is also a problem with the A&E services. And from my own time at the forum, I can see that there just isnt enough cover for the whole country, when ambulances are sent to an emergency, he explained. However, Cllr McCreesh said that the new base could create greater accessibility during emergencies. From the point of view of relocating the ambulance service to a new location that is close to highways, that would definitely be beneficial. But it depends by how many ambulances they are going to increase. Are they going to increase the number of ambulances? The Leader put a query to the HSE, concerning the number of staff and ambulance vehicles that will be stationed in Castlemungret, the funding secured for the relocation, and what will happen to the old Dooradoyle base. The HSE, which processes all NAS statements, has yet to issue a response in relation to these queries. Cllr McCreesh said that the current base faces gridlock in Dooradoyle. This is becoming more of a problem, definitely from an emergency point of view. They [the ambulance] are always making their own diversions to try and beat the traffic, from what I can see. But they still have to come back through the same traffic, to get back into the hospital. But I presume, whatever emergencies they are responding to, the motorway would make it more accessible. Fianna Fail councillor Francis Foley, who resides in Abbeyfeale, said that he could not see a reason for the relocation. Back in the west, Dooradoyle has always been the ideal situation. From what I know, in terms of Croom and Newcastle West, Dooradoyle would be the most suitable for us. It is different when it comes from the other side of the city. He added: Communication and accessibility are the most important things here. For me, I cant see why they are changing it. And rather than putting them into new buildings, they should put in more ambulances. More ambulances, I think that would be the way forward, then buildings. TWO Limerick based journalists have been recognised for their work in legal journalism at the 25th annual Justice Media Awards. Speaking at ceremony at Blackhall Place, the president of the Law Society, Simon Murphy said a record number of entries were received this year. We believe it is vitally important to recognise, reward and encourage excellence in legal journalism. The media is crucial in trying to increase the publics understanding of law and the legal system. We must therefore strive for the highest standards possible. The investment of time, energy and resources in producing articles, programmes, investigations and research that help to inform and educate Irish citizens on justice and law is a very valuable investmen," said Mr Murphy. This year two new categories were included to incorporate standalone digital and online works. It was also the first time that two Limerick based journalists were honoured in their respective categories. Merit ceritificates were presented to Anne Sheridan of the Limerick Leader, in the regional print category for her series on family law and childcare cases, entitled: Wholl protect the children?, and to UTV Ireland correspondent Eric Clarke in the TV news category. This is Ms Sheridan's second award in recent weeks. Last month, she won in the News Story of the Year category at the Local Ireland media awards for her coverage of whistleblowers' claims at the University of Limerick, which gave rise to a specially commissioned independent report by the Higher Education Authority. "Taking on the challenge of reporting on court proceedings where tragic and troubling family breakdown, trauma and custody issues are handled; this journalist is to be commended for her contribution to the publics understanding of such cases and the workings of the family law, custody and child care system, said Ken Murphy, director general of the Law Society. ELECTED representatives will be asked to approve of the proposed controversial footbridge project at a meeting next month. However, according to senior Limerick City and County Council officials, if councillors do not give consent to footbridge the project is dead. On Thursday, council economic director, Pat Daly spearheaded numerous briefings on the project for councillors and the media, alongside senior planners, Kieran Reeves and Liam Conneally. Throughout the briefings, the council presented three preliminary proposals for the project, ranging in costs between 8.1m and 17.1m. The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport has ringfenced 6m for the project, which will be complemented by matched funding by an anonymous philanthropic source. Mr Daly said, because the funding has been offered, there is a sense of immediacy to bring the plans forward. When asked what would happen if the councillors reject the plans at a meeting on July 18, he replied: If they reject it, the project is dead and the money is lost. Simple fact. He added that the briefings with the politicians were positive. We have had good feedback and looked at a number of issues, and we will go back then with a formal presentation in answering those remaining questions and then seeking consent on the day. We want people to experience the river, and just to cross it. If you look at the traditional bridges, they are kind of vehicular and less pedestrian. We want to change that a little bit. This is a reimagining of the city. Mr Reeves compared the project to the 14m Derry Peace Bridge and the 22m Gateshead Millennium Bridge in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. He said that the footbridge is part of the Limerick 2030 economic development plan, and that the Shannon and the riverway were seen as integral parts of the city. Mr Conneally said there will be public consultation before the appointment of designer and during the planning process. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page. Quantum mechanics suggest that seemingly empty space is actually filled with ghostly particles that are fluctuating in and out of existence. And now, scientists have for the first time made an advanced machine known as a quantum computer simulate these so-called virtual particles. This research could help shed light on currently hidden aspects of the universe, from the hearts of neutron stars to the very first moments of the universe after the Big Bang, researchers said. Quantum mechanics suggests that the universe is a fuzzy, surreal place at its smallest levels. For instance, atoms and other particles can exist in states of flux known as superpositions, where they can seemingly each spin in opposite directions simultaneously, and they can also get entangled meaning they can influence each other instantaneously no matter how far apart they are separated. Quantum mechanics also suggests that pairs of virtual particles, each consisting of a particle and its antiparticle, can wink in and out of seemingly empty vacuum and influence their surroundings. [Beyond Higgs: 5 Elusive Particles That May Lurk in the Universe] Quantum mechanics underlies the standard model of particle physics, which is currently the best explanation for how all the known elementary particles, such as electrons and protons, behave. However, there are still many open questions regarding the standard model of particle physics, such as whether or not it can help explain cosmic mysteries such as dark matter and dark energy both of which have not been directly detected by astronomers, but are inferred based on their gravitational effects. The interactions between elementary particles are often described with what is known as gauge theories. However, the real-time dynamics of particles in gauge theories are extremely difficult for conventional computers to compute, except in the simplest of cases. As a result, scientists have instead turned to experimental devices known as quantum computers. "Our work is a first step towards developing dedicated tools that can help us to gain a better understanding of the fundamental interactions between the elementary constituents in nature," study co-lead author Christine Muschik told Live Science. Muschik is a theoretical physicist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Innsbruck, Austria. Whereas classical computers represent data as ones and zeroes binary digits known as "bits," symbolized by flicking switch-like transistors either on or off quantum computers use quantum bits, or qubits, that are in superpositions meaning that they are on and off at the same time. This enables a qubit to carry out two calculations simultaneously. In principle, quantum computers could work much faster than regular computers at solving certain problems because the quantum machines can analyze every possible solution at once. In their new study, scientists built a quantum computer using four electromagnetically trapped calcium ions. They controlled and manipulated these four qubits with laser pulses. The researchers had their quantum computer simulate the appearance and disappearance of virtual particles in a vacuum, with pairs of qubits representing pairs of virtual particles specifically, electrons and positrons, the positively charged antimatter counterparts of electrons. Laser pulses helped simulate how powerful electromagnetic fields in a vacuum can generate virtual particles, the scientists said. "This is one of the most complex experiments that has ever been carried out in a trapped-ion quantum computer," study co-author Rainer Blatt, an experimental physicist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Innsbruck, Austria, said in a statement. This work shows that quantum computers can simulate high-energy physics showing how particles might behave at energy levels that are much too high to be easily generated on Earth. "The field of experimental quantum computing is growing very fast, and many people ask the question, What is a small-scale quantum computer good for?" study co-lead author Esteban Martinez, an experimental physicist at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, told Live Science. "Unlike other applications, you don't need millions of quantum bits to do these simulations tens might be enough to tackle problems that we cannot yet attack using classical approaches." [Big Bang to Civilization: 10 Amazing Origin Events] The problem the researchers had their quantum simulator analyze was simple enough for classical computers to compute, which showed that the quantum simulator's results matched predictions with great accuracy. This suggests that quantum simulators could be used on more complex gauge-theory problems in the future, and the machines could even see new phenomena. "Our proof-of-principle experiment represents a first step toward the long-term goal of developing future generations of quantum simulators that will be able to address questions that cannot be answered otherwise," Muschik said. In principle, desktop quantum simulators could help model the kind of extraordinarily high-energy physics currently studied using expensive atom smashers, such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. "These two approaches complement one another perfectly," study co-author Peter Zoller, a theoretical physicist at the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Innsbruck, said in a statement. "We cannot replace the experiments that are done with particle colliders. However, by developing quantum simulators, we may be able to understand these experiments better one day." "Moreover, we can study new processes by using quantum simulation for example, in our experiment, we also investigated particle entanglement produced during pair creation, which is not possible in a particle collider," Blatt said in a statement. Ultimately, quantum simulators may help researchers simulate the dynamics within the dead stars known as neutron stars, or investigate "questions relating to interactions at very high energies and high densities describing early-universe physics," Muschik said. The scientists detailed their findings in the June 23 issue of the journal Nature (opens in new tab). Original article on Live Science. A new study has shown a strange relationship between a butterfly species and the ants it hangs out with. While the larvae and the ants provide mutual benefits to each other, the adult butterflies are freeloaders that steal bamboo sap from the ants. A bizarre Amazonian butterfly is the ultimate freeloader, researchers say. The butterfly species steals and eats gooey bamboo secretions from its ant neighbors, in a relationship known as kleptoparasitism, new research has found. "They're kind of jerks at the adult stage," said study co-author Aaron Pomerantz, a field biologist at thenextgenscientist.com. "They're just stealing a resource, and they're getting away with it for now." Pomerantz and his colleagues have now captured images of the odd behavior the first time that kleptoparasitism has been documented between adult butterflies and ants. [See Gorgeous Images of Butterflies Stealing Ant Goo] Long-standing relationship The goo-stealing butterflies, Adelotypa annulifera, are a wide-ranging species thatlives in a swath of South America from Bolivia to Guyana. In 2013, Pomerantz's colleague Phil Torres was taking photos in the Amazon forest near the Tambopata Research Center in Peru when he noticed the butterflies feeding on bamboo sap where ants were congregating. Torres told Pomerantz about it, and the two soon realized that although the species had been identified a century earlier, almost nothing was known about the life cycle of this butterfly. "We had no idea what the caterpillars looked like; no one had ever seen them before," Pomerantz said. So, upon returning to the site, Pomerantz went on a hunt to find the caterpillars of the species. He spent many weeks looking through the bamboo forest where Torres had originally found the creatures. "Finally, I peeled back this little leaf, and that's when we saw the larvae," Pomerantz said. As they returned over and over again to study the butterflies and ants, they noticed that the two species stuck together through all of the butterflies' life stages, from larvae to adults, the researchers reported in the June issue of the Journal of the Lepidopterists' Society. Still freeloading as adults When the relationship starts out, it seems to be more of a two-way street. Multiple ant species even those known as bullet ants, which deliver the world's most painful sting offer bodyguard duty while the caterpillars give the ants a nutritious "protein shake" of amino acids and sugars through a specialized body part called the tentacle nectary organ. Caterpillars from the same family, called Riodinidae, even lure ants by singing to them with a special vibratory organ. (The caterpillar songs are too quiet for humans to hear them without specialized equipment.) But as adults, the butterflies become freeloaders. The butterflies sport bright-red dots on their wings a pattern that mimics stinging ants allowing them to disguise themselves as ants and avoid predators, Pomerantz said. "The butterflies aren't all that skittish; they just hang out in the open, and that's uncommon for a lot of butterflies," Pomerantz said. Even worse, the butterflies physically block the ants from feeding on the bamboo sap, hoarding all the goo for themselves. Meanwhile, researchers are unsure whether the ants get anything out of the relationship. It's not clear why the adult ants tolerate this thievery, but one possibility is that the ants simply can't figure out what's going on. Ants have poor eyesight and typically communicate with each other via chemicals such as pheromones. "Over evolutionary time, a lot of critters have figured out how to hack their chemistry so they can hang out with them," Pomerantz said, referring to ants. Therefore, it's possible that the caterpillars continue to release "come hither" friendly pheromones even as they mature into adults, tricking the ants into tolerance, the researchers speculated. Original article on Live Science. Scientists have confirmed a "huge" gas field at Rukwa in Tanzania's East African Rift Valley region that could help solve a global shortage of valuable helium gas. A "huge" cache of helium discovered in East Africa could ease a decades-long shortage of the rare and valuable gas. Researchers in the United Kingdom and Norway say the newly discovered helium gas field, found in the East African Rift Valley region of Tanzania, has the potential to ease a critical global shortage of helium, a gas that is vital to many high-tech applications, such as the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners used in many hospitals. The researchers say the discovery is the result of a new approach to searching for helium that combines prospecting methods from the oil industry with scientific research that reveals the role of volcanic heat in the production of pockets of helium gas. [Elementary, My Dear: 8 Elements You Never Heard Of] By one estimate, the newly discovered helium field in the geothermally active East African Rift Valley may contain more helium than the U.S. Federal Helium Reserve near Amarillo, Texas, which holds about 30 percent of the world's helium supply. How much helium? The Tanzania discovery was made by researchers from the University of Oxford and Durham University, both in the U.K., working with Helium One, a helium exploration company headquartered in Norway. "We sampled helium gas (and nitrogen) just bubbling out of the ground in the Tanzanian East African Rift valley," Chris Ballentine, a geochemist in the Department of Earth Sciences at Oxford University, said in a statement. "By combining our understanding of helium geochemistry with seismic images of gas-trapping structures, independent experts have calculated a probable resource of 54 billion cubic feet [1.5 billion cubic meters] in just one part of the rift valley." Pete Barry, a geochemist at the University of Oxford, takes gas samples from a thermal pool at a helium prospecting site in Tanzania operated by Norwegian geoscience company Helium One. (Image credit: Thomas Abraham-James/Helium One) Meanwhile, the Federal Helium Reserve currently holds just 24.2 billion cubic feet, and the total known reserves in the U.S. contain about 153 billion cubic feet (4.3 billion cubic m), Ballentine said, while global consumption of helium is about 8 billion cubic feet (0.23 billion cubic m) per year. The newly discovered gas field in Tanzania holds enough helium "to fill over 1.2 million medical MRI scanners," he said: "This is a game changer for the future security of society's helium needs, and similar finds in the future may not be far away." One of the project leaders, geologist Jon Gluyas of Durham University, told Live Science that although the Tanzania gas field is large, it's only a small part of what the entire Rift Valley area may contain. "So it could be substantially larger," Gluyas said. "We will still have a lot of data to collect to be really confident, but yes this is a globally significant discovery." A new approach Gluyas said the discovery hinged on a new understanding of the very complex and ancient nuclear, chemical and geological mechanisms that create helium in the Earth's crust and transport it into pockets that can be tapped by drilling. "Almost more significant than the volume of helium found is that it was found on purpose," he said. "Every other discovery of helium to date has been found by accident." Helium accumulates inside rock in the Earth's crust over billions of years, from the radioactive decay of the elements uranium and thorium. But the gas remains trapped in the rock until it is freed by very intense volcanic heat, such as that found in geothermally active regions such as the East African Rift Valley, Gluyas said. By studying that process and the geological mechanisms that cause freed helium gas to accumulate in pockets, the researchers were able to identify potential drilling sites, he added. Gluyas said the team took the same protocols and "applied the same sort of thinking you would for finding oil" to finding helium. The fusion of hydrogen atoms produces large amounts of helium in the nuclear processes that power the sun. But here on Earth, helium is hard to find and hard to keep hold of, Gluyas said. Helium atoms are so small that the gas leaks out of almost every sort of container, and once helium escapes into the atmosphere, it's gone for good, he explained. "In a bizarre sort of way, it is the ultimate nonrenewable element, and at the moment, it is not replaceable for many applications, certainly for medical systems such as MRI scanners," Gluyas said. Scientific research associated with the discovery in Tanzania will be presented Tuesday (June 28) at the Goldschmidt Conference, which is being held in Yokohama, Japan, from June 26 to July 1. Original article on Live Science. Damage to global economy from UK decision to leave EU will be prolonged and far-reaching, say analysts at Nomura The damage to the global economy caused by Britains decision last week to leave the European Union will be prolonged and far-reaching, according to analysts at investment bank Nomura. As reported by Lloyds Loading List, the shipping and logistics sector in the UK and beyond has been trying to digest the shock of the Brexit result which has seen sterling tumble and many in the freight industry bracing themselves for years of uncertainty as the UK extricates itself from the EU and negotiates new trade relationships with Europe and the rest of the world. Many are anticipating trade tariffs and supply chains costs will eventually soar and GDP growth will slump. The UK economy, at the epicentre, is of course most negatively affected, and the impact is likely to be prolonged rather than short term, said a note from investment bank Nomura. The IMF recently surveyed nine separate empirical studies that estimated the short-run impact of a Brexit on the UK economy and found that relative to baseline, the fall in real GDP had a wide range of between 1% to 6%, highlighting the high level of uncertainty and significant downside risks over just how bad Brexit could ultimately be for the UK. Philip Rush, Nomuras UK economist, now expects a UK recession with at least a 2% peak-to-trough drop in UK GDP. At this early stage, great uncertainty exists over just what the Brexit will ultimately mean for the UK economy, said Nomura. For example, how soon and how successful will the UK be able to negotiate with the EU the terms of its withdrawal, and renegotiate trade relationships with 60 non-EU economies where trade is currently governed by EU relationships? Will there be constitutional havoc in amending legislation from EU law to UK law? Will Scotland push for another referendum on independence? Nomura said that even though the UKs economy was relatively small it generated just 4% of world GDP and imports in 2015 the global impact of Brexit would be far reaching and long lasting for two key reasons. Firstly, although the value of merchandise exports from the rest of the EU to the UK represents only 3% of the rest of the EUs GDP, the UKs position as a global financial hub for the EU left the EU highly exposed. Brexit could also further inflame anti-EU sentiment in other EU member states, heightening fears of more countries opting to leave the union. It is largely due to these non-trade-related channels that we expect a reduction in euro area GDP growth by 0.5 percentage points, said Nomura. While the UK share of global GDP is less than 4%, the rest of EUs share is 18%, so once second-round effects on Europe are taken into account, the global impact is no longer trivial. In Asia, Nomura has now lowered its 2016 GDP forecasts for Asia ex-Japan from 5.9% to 5.6% with countries with strong global trading links and open economies most exposed to the EUs travails. In terms of our 2016 GDP growth forecasts the percentage point (pp) downgrades are largest for Hong Kong (1.0pp) and Singapore (0.7pp), reflecting their very open economies, status as financial hubs and their managed exchange rates, especially the HKD peg to USD, said Nomura. We have also made relatively large downgrades to our GDP growth forecasts for Thailand (0.5pp) and Malaysia (0.4pp). At the other end of the spectrum, we have lowered our 2016 GDP growth forecast by only 0.2pp for Australia, China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Image: Shutterstock.com Press Releases By Phil Andrews Published: June 27 2016 Partnerships between private sector companies can help strengthen the capacity of Small Business Owners throughout the nation. New York, NY - June 25, 2016 - New York States Regional Chamber of Commerce LIAACC awarded training grant 2nd Year. The Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. looks forward to fulfilling its mission by providing access to technical support, access to capital forums, and capacity building to strengthen small business in the necessary skills to take their businesses to the next level of success. "It is partnerships between private sector companies such as Wells Fargo and the US Blacks Chambers which strengthens the capacity of Small Business Owners throughout the nation and impacts the bottom line of business owners in the US Black Chambers network of chambers". Phil Andrews, President - Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. We want to give business owners the skills and capacity to successfully engage in government contracting on the local stage and national levels, so they cannot only sustain themselves and their employees, but hire folks and create jobs. Charlene Thompson, Esq., Thompson Economic Development Services USBC is an association of over 118 self-sustaining, viable Black Chambers and small business associations nationwide whose collaboration with strategic partners increases their capacity to serve. They serve their members through our 5 pillars of service, Advocacy, Access to Capital, Contracting, Entrepreneurial Training, and Chamber Development. Through the creation of resources and initiatives, they support African American Chambers of Commerce and business organizations in their work of developing and growing Black enterprises. For more information about the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc., please visit here. "Under the leadership of Ron Busby, Sr. President of the US Black Chambers real support is coming down from the National pipeline of the U S Black Chambers to its network of 118 local chambers of commerce throughout the country by giving not only hope to small business owners, but providing practical resources and tools needed for growth and success of its members". Phil Andrews, President About: Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. - The Mission of the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. is to advance and promote economic development for business and to advance responsive government and quality education on the behalf of all small businesses, with emphasis on African Ancestry, while preserving the Long Island community. Long Island means the New York State counties on Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and Kings. A Chamber of Commerce is one of the most well-known and recognizable organizations in the country chartered to stimulate business in local and regional areas where they are designated to serve. To be placed on our email list for upcoming Business Card Exchange & Breakfast Series events, inquire about membership, or corporate sponsor opportunities you may email the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. or call 347-475-7158. Visit the website for more information. Local News, National & World News, Community, Charity & Cause, Travel & Local Attractions, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 27 2016 President Obama was applauded for designating a new national monument commemorating the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. The Stonewall National Monument is the first ever monument to LGBT history in our nation, and will allow visitors and residents to honor the many brave individuals who stood up for their rights then and since. New York, NY - June 24, 2016 - Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer, Congressman Jerrold Nadler, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYS Senator Brad Hoylman, NYS Assemblymember Deborah Glick, Councilmember Corey Johnson, NYC Comptroller Scott Stringer, NYC Public Advocate Letitia James, Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, Manhattan Community Board 2 and NPCA applauded President Obamas designation of a new national monument commemorating the Stonewall Uprising of 1969. The Stonewall National Monument is the first ever monument to LGBT history in our nation, and will allow visitors and residents to honor the many brave individuals who stood up for their rights then and since. Stonewall was a watershed moment in the LGBT civil rights movementrecognized around the world as a clarion call for justice and equality for the LGBT community. President Obamas designation is a long overdue testament to the role of Stonewall in the battle for civil rights for all Americans. The Stonewall National Monument will preserve Christopher Park, located directly across from the Stonewall Inn, and the immediate surrounding area, where the events of the Stonewall Uprising took place in 1969. This is a historic day for the LGBT community and there is no better site to serve as the national epicenter for LGBT equality than the Stonewall Inn. June of 1969 began a long and uphill struggle for LGBT equality, which has made so much progress, but unfortunately still continues today. The Stonewall Uprising was an iconic and pivotal moment in the essential effort to fully realize Americas founding ideal that we are all created equal. Thank you to President Obama for designating the Stonewall Inn a national monument; its the right thing to do and a momentous occasion for the entire country, said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. Stonewall is finally taking its rightful place in American history, and I am proud to have championed this effort, said Congressman Jerrold Nadler. President Obamas designation of the Stonewall National Monument recognizes that the events of Stonewall launched the modern LGBT civil rights movement here and around the world like Selma did for racial justice and Seneca Falls did for womens rights. We are faced with painful reminders daily of how much further we must go to achieve true equality and tolerance for the LGBT community, but honoring and preserving the stories of all of the diverse participants in Stonewall in our National Park System is a clear symbol of how far we have come. Thank you to President Obama for taking this important step and to my colleagues in government, Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, Governor Andrew Cuomo, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYS Senator Brad Hoylman, NYS Assemblymember Deborah Glick, NYC Councilmember Corey Johnson and our community partners for their leadership. "I applaud President Obama for designating the Stonewall Inn as a National Monument. Now, for the first time, when the National Park Service tells the story of the American people - our culture, our history, our diversity - that story will include voices from our LGBT community. This National Monument designation for the Stonewall Inn is extraordinary news for the LGBT community, for our city, and for the entire nation. I am in awe of all the advocates and activists who have raised their voices for so long to help this historic day come, and I will continue to urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass a bill that would make this designation law," said U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. "There is no more fitting location for the first monument to LGBT history than Christopher Park across from the Stonewall Inn. Since 1969, New York has led the nation in the fight for LGBT rights. The Stonewall Uprising sparked a movement that we still feel to this day, and I am proud that we uphold that legacy by continuing to push for equal rights for all New Yorkers. From marriage equality, which I signed into law five years ago today, to groundbreaking hate crimes legislation, to securing and protecting transgender rights, New York is a state of unrelenting progress in the LGBT movement. The Stonewall National Monument will honor that history of progress, and I am proud to have signed legislation to help create a symbol that demonstrates to the world how much we have achieved and how much more we must accomplish for equality for all," said Governor Andrew Cuomo. There is no better time to acknowledge Stonewall as a national monument a place that is central to our history and our values, not only as a city but as a nation, said Mayor Bill de Blasio. When the City of New York gave this historic NYC real estate to the federal government months ago, we couldnt have known how critical this moment would be. Today, the designation of Stonewall Inn serves as both recognition of the bravery of the activists who fought for their right to love, but also as a national embrace of the LGBTQ community after the devastating attack in Orlando. I am proud to stand here today with those who have fought for equality, justice and love at a site that serves as a profound symbol of a painful past, a hopeful future, and the transformative change that happens when New Yorkers take action. "The Stonewall Inn is a living, breathing national treasure, as we saw last week when thousands gathered outside its premises to mourn the Orlando tragedy. In good times and bad, Stonewall is the town square for the LGBT community and an important symbol for human rights. It's fitting that President Obama has taken the powerful step of conferring national monument status to it. As a gay dad, I'm proud to have played a role by passing legislation in the State Senate to help make Stonewall national monument status possible so my daughter's generation will never forget the events of June 29, 1969. I'm grateful to Congressman Nadler and Senator Gillibrand for spearheading this effort, along with the National Parks Service, as well as Gov. Cuomo and Assembly Member Glick for providing critical state support and Council Member Johnson and Community Board 2 for their local support," said New York State Senator Brad Hoylman. I am thrilled that the President has designated the first ever National Monument in honor of gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender Americans here in Greenwich Village, the starting place of the modern LGBT rights movement. June is Pride Month, a time in which the LGBT community celebrates, and this recognition well deserves our celebration. I have worked with my colleagues on the City, State, and Federal levels for over a year, and this is a wonderful culmination of this collaborative effort. I want to particularly thank Congressman Nadler, who has been stalwart leader in Washington which allowed this to come to fruition, said New York State Assemblymember Deborah Glick. This is a profound achievement for the LGBTQ community that will be felt around the world, said Council Member Corey Johnson. Because of this momentous designation, the struggle for equality that our community has waged for generations will be further cemented in our nations history. Christopher Park and the Stonewall Inn are iconic symbols of civil rights, and they have been destined to become part of our National Monument system since 1969. I want to thank President Obama and all who have worked so hard to achieve this designation, particularly Congressman Jerry Nadler, who has been an outstanding leader in this endeavor. The Stonewall Inn is sacred ground in the ongoing fight for freedom, justice, and equality. I am thrilled with President Obamas decision to honor these efforts by naming Christopher Park the first National Monument which recognizes the LGBTQ communitys long struggle for equal rights. Over the last four decades, this site and the surrounding area have served as a gathering place and rallying point for our Citys LGBTQ community. Todays decision elevates the Stonewall Inn into a national beacon of hope, said New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer. New York City has long been the leader in the fight for equal rights for all, and today marks a historic day in the fight for equal rights for the LGBT community, said New York City Public Advocate Letitia James. The uprising at Stonewall Inn marks a pivotal moment in our nations ongoing struggle against prejudice and injustice, and symbolizes the same fight for equal rights that we saw in Selma and Seneca. I want to thank President Obama for his leadership in designating this as a national historic site because the legacy of this struggle and our collective resilience to overcome hate must be preserved for generations to come. The Stonewall Rebellion is a rarity a tipping point in history where we know, with absolute clarity, that everything changed, said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer. This site has a unique place in American history and the struggle for dignity and equal rights in our society. I thank President Obama for making this site the first National Monument dedicated to the LGBT community, and congratulate Congressman Nadler and all of our colleagues who worked together to make this possible. Stonewall has been a beacon for liberation since the events of the Uprising took place, and it is also a gathering place and landmark for our entire community. Todays designation adds official recognition to what we already know in Community Board 2this place is a national treasure, said Manhattan Community Board 2 Chair Tobi Bergman. Thank you to President Obama for designating this monument, to Congressman Nadler for his leadership, and to our local elected officials, State Senator Brad Hoylman, Assemblymember Deborah Glick and Councilman Corey Johnson for their advocacy. There are places in America so powerful, they helped shape our nations history and culture, and must never be forgotten, said Theresa Pierno, President and CEO for National Parks Conservation Association. Stonewall Inn, and the area surrounding this historic site, is one such place. And it deserves national park status to ensure this important story is told and its history preserved for generations to come. We commend U.S. Congressman Nadler for his leadership, determination and tremendous political support in helping to advance the national park for Stonewall campaign. BACKGROUND: The designation of the Stonewall National Monument was carried out by President Obama under his executive authority. Building support for a national monument at Stonewall and making designation possible was a multi-step, multi-level process. Congressman Nadler helped lead the national campaign to create a new unit of the National Park Service at Stonewall and was the author and lead sponsor of H.R. 4230, to establish a national monument at Stonewall. Senators Gillibrand and Schumer sponsored companion legislation in the U.S. Senate, S.2386. In order to make designation of the monument possible, Mayor Bill de Blasio approved the transfer of New York City park land at Christopher Park to the federal government for the purposes of creating a national park, with the support of Councilman Corey Johnson and the New York City Council. Approval of the transfer was made feasible by state legislation sponsored and championed by New York State Senator Brad Hoylman and New York State Assemblymember Deborah Glick and signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo. Crime, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 27 2016 The NCPD reports the arrest of a California man for Driving While Intoxicated/Leandras Law that occurred on Monday, June 27, 2016 at 12:30 am in Lake Success. Gurnam Singh, 43, of California, was placed under arrest and will be arraigned on Monday, June 27, 2016 at First District Court, Hempstead. Lake Success, NY - June 27, 2016 - The Nassau County Police Department reports the arrest of a California man for Driving While Intoxicated/Leandras Law that occurred on Monday, June 27, 2016 at 12:30 am in Lake Success. According to Police, a Third Precinct Police Officer on routine patrol observed a 2011 black Nissan traveling southbound on Lakeville Road failing to maintain a lane, crossing over the yellow center marking. The vehicle came to a stop impeding traffic, forcing automobiles to go around. A Vehicle Traffic Stop was conducted. The officer observed the driver to have a strong odor of alcohol, glassy bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. Defendant Gurnam Singh, 43, of Stockton, California was placed under arrest without incident. A six year old child was seated in the rear passenger seat. Parents of the child were also passengers in the automobile. Defendant Singh is being charged with Driving While Intoxicated, Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated (Child under 15/Leandras Law), Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Failure to Stay in Lane and Minimum Speed Violated/Impeding Traffic. He will be arraigned on Monday, June 27, 2016 at First District Court, Hempstead. Looking to stay up to date about all of the news stories and local headlines that are important to Long Islanders? We've rounded up the top coverage for all of the important topics from multiple sources around Long Island, so you can be sure you've got the most recent update on the top stories for Long Island. Have an idea for a news story? Email us at news@longisland.com Columnists Press Releases Bombing on the Jordanian border outpost as seen in the Islamic State video After being suspected of orchestrating a suicide bombing in Jordan near the border with Syria last week, the Islamic State has now officially claimed the attack. The bombing left six Jordanian border guards dead and 14 others wounded near a refugee camp in a remote part of Jordans Mafraq Governorate. In a short statement released by the Islamic States Amaq News Agency, the jihadist group said that the martyrdom attack which hit the joint US-Jordanian Rukban base inside Jordan was carried out by an Islamic State fighter. In addition to the statement, Amaq released a one-minute video showing the suicide bomber detonating on the remote outpost. The assault marks the first time that the Islamic State has struck inside Jordanian territory. However, in 2014, the Islamic State attempted to seize the Karameh Border Crossing with Jordan near Trebil, Iraq. The jihadist group briefly held the crossing but Iraqi forces quickly recaptured it a day later. In late November of that year, the jihadists again tried to occupy the crossing but were pushed back after killing six Iraqi troops. (See Threat Matrix report, Islamic State attacks Iraqi border crossing with Jordan.) Last January, the Islamic State attempted to invade the Arkaban Iraqi military outpost on the border with Jordan in a coordinated attack. Despite the propaganda released by the jihadist group, only three Iraqi border guards were killed and the outpost repelled the offensive. (See Threat Matrix report, Islamic State assaults Iraqi border post near Jordan.) In 2005, the Islamic States predecessor, al Qaeda in Iraq, launched a series of coordinated suicide bombings in Amman, Jordan, which killed over 60 people. Caleb Weiss is a research analyst at FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa. Are you a dedicated reader of FDD's Long War Journal? Has our research benefitted you or your team over the years? Support our independent reporting and analysis today by considering a one-time or monthly donation. Thanks for reading! You can make a tax-deductible donation here. Kedves Latogato! On egy olyan cimre erkezett, amely a magyarszo.com domain ala tartozik. Ez a cim nem a Magyar Szo napilap tulajdonaban van, de a Szabad Magyar Szo segit Onnek a keresett tartalom elereseben. Kerjuk, valasszon az alabbi lehetosegek kozul: Atiranyitas a Magyar Szo napilap kert tartalmara Magyar Szo Atiranyitas a Szabad Magyar Szo cimlapjara Szabad Magyar Szo Amennyiben nem valaszt, 20 masodperc mulva atiranyitjuk a Szabad Magyar Szo cimlapjara. A Szabad Magyar Szo, a vajdasagi magyar szabad kozbeszed foruma, tiszteletben tartja a szellemi tulajdont, es nem kivan akadalyt gorditeni a napilap elerhetosege, illetve alkalmazottainak munkaja ele. The New Argentine Civil and Commercial Code, in effect as of August 1 2015, includes, when addressing different issues, regulations referred to intellectual property. Several sections referred to IP-related matters in the Argentine New Civil and Commercial Code as explained in previous briefings are among the regulations that govern agreements (franchise, leasing, etc). In a different branch of the Law, there also exist rules related to intellectual property in the regulation of marital community. From a general point of view, Section 463 states that upon failure to opt for a prenuptial agreement, the spouses shall, as from the execution of marriage, be subject to the marital community regime as established by the Code. In this respect, and being of interest in our matter, Section 464, subsection "o" states that the separate property of a husband and wife is intellectual, artistic or industrial property, when the intellectual work has been published or interpreted for the first time, the artistic work has been concluded, or the invention, the trade mark or the industrial design have been patented or registered before the marriage commencement. The moral right over the intellectual work always belongs to the author. Finally, Section 499 refers to the marital community distribution, establishing a preferential right in the assignment to one particular spouse, with respect to such goods covered by intellectual or industrial property, when said goods relate to their professional activity or agricultural, commercial or industrial establishment. Daniel R Zuccherino Obligado & CiaParaguay 610, 17th FloorC1057AAH, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaTel: +54 11 4114 1100Fax: +54 11 4311 5675admin@obligado.com.arwww.obligado.com In this case, the plaintiff has produced since 1989 the well-known TV-series The Simpsons which has been shown in German-speaking countries since mid-1994 and in which beer under the fictitious name Duff is consumed. The producer owns EU trade mark number 8351091 for the word Duff for beer (application date June 9 2009 and registered on March 26 2014). The defendant is a German company selling among other goods beverages and is also the owner of a registered German mark Duff Beer (word) with a priority of January 12 1999 registered for beer on June 8 1999. An Austrian brewery produced the beer for the defendant and filled it in cans with the inscription Duff which were shipped to Germany. An infringement suit against the Austrian producer has already ended with a settlement. The plaintiff had also filed an invalidity action against the owner of the German trade mark, which was finally rejected by the German Supreme Court in December 2012. On November 19 2014 the plaintiff sued the German defendant in Austria (as the place of infringement according to Article 97 (5) CTMR) for infringement since the settlement with the Austrian brewery does not mean that the German company will now refrain from further infringements in Austria. The defendant answered with the filing of a counterclaim for a declaration of invalidity of the plaintiff's EUTM. The plaintiff also asked for a preliminary injunction to stop any further use of signs such as Duff or Duff Beer or similar signs for beer in Austria and any promotion or advertisement for them. The preliminary action went up to the Supreme Court of Austria. In this action the defendant brought forward that in view of its older German trade mark it had the better rights and the plaintiff's EUTM is invalid. The Supreme Court found that although a counterclaim for invalidity is only to be heard in the main infringement action, a defence based on an older right is also possible in an interlocutory injunction proceeding. Whether an older right is present here is to be judged according to the CTMR according to which also a German older right can be cited in proceedings in Austria as possibly invalidating the EUTM giving rights in Austria. That must also be true when the Austrian Community Courts have only territorially limited authority according to Article 97 (5) CTMR. The older German mark has also to be presumed to be valid on the basis of the decision of the German Supreme Court. The plaintiff did want to rely on the fact that even when his EUTM would be declared invalid because of the German older right he would ask for conversion of it into a national mark for Austria and for his claim it does not matter whether the interdiction is based on an EUTM or on an Austrian mark flowing from it with identical priority. The Austrian Supreme Court replied that this idea is false the national mark created by conversion does not retroactively replace the EUTM. The EUTM would be declared invalid ex tunc while a request for conversion leads to a new national trade mark application which yet had to be registered. And any rights given by an Austrian trade mark clearly start only with the registration date: here that means in the future. Therefore, on the basis of this EUTM the request for an interlocutory injunction has to be denied. Apparently The Simpsons could not envisage their Duff beer to be a thing of the real world. When the German company took the opportunity to market real Duff beer about 1999 the producer of The Simpsons started fighting. The German company from the beginning realised that they needed trade mark protection while The Simpsons thought that they could do without. Only 10 years later and having lost their actions in the lower courts in Germany they accepted the necessity of trade mark protection and filed for the then vulnerable EUTM. This not only shows the importance of timely trade mark protection but also that it is unwise to base an infringement action (at least alone) on a trade mark right when one knows that at the end it cannot be upheld. Helmut Sonn SONN & PARTNER PatentanwalteRiemergasse 14A-1010 Vienna, AustriaTel: +43 1 512 84 05Fax: +43 1 512 98 05office@sonn.atwww.sonn.at In a lengthy report, the Australian Productivity Commission has recommended significant curtailment of the rights of IP holders in Australia. Australia is considered a net importer of IP. Apparently utilising this as justification, the Commission seeks to undermine the rights of IP rights holders, and thereby provide the benefits of innovation "free of charge" to Australian society. In so doing, it would, however, impact both Australian and foreign IP rights holders. The suggestion that the system should "enhance the wellbeing of Australians by providing protection to socially valuable innovations that would not have otherwise occurred" is used as justification for the curtailment of the rights of effectively all those seeking to benefit from their own creativity and innovation. The Commission's rationale for scaling back the availability of IP protection ignores the fact that many innovations, for example new remedies for diseases and disorders, would not reach the marketplace without the incentives the IP system provides. Once produced, many innovative products are easily copied. Investors will back a business only when they believe that the innovative products produced by the company can be sold to the public protected from would-be copiers for a limited time by a monopoly. The Commission's reasoning also ignores the fact that it is entrepreneurs and investors, not the government, that commercialise the innovations produced in our universities and institutes. If investors are discouraged from investing in technology because the end product can be freely copied, we will see less, rather than more, new products and ideas being commercialised for the benefit of Australian society. The Commission has suggested a number of anti-IP initiatives, including: the nebulous non-obvious test will be set at a higher level of inventiveness than the highest benchmark the Commission could find in the European obviousness test. IP rights holders should be discouraged by introducing heavier renewal fees and claim fees for patents. The innovation patent system should be abolished. Extension of patent term rights for pharmaceuticals should be curtailed. Patents for software and business methods should be abolished, with the Commission using justifications that have little to do with the need for these patents in the first place. Copyright terms and geoblocking should be curtailed. Mandatory disclaimers for trade mark holders should be introduced. The full ambit of competition law should be applied to IP rights. Australia's entry into international treaties in the IP space should be restricted. Government and university research should be accessible at no cost. While the 600-plus pages of the draft report provide justification for the appropriation of the IP holder's rights, the core suggestion is that Australian society should not have to pay for this annexation. The Productivity Commission's Report, authored by what some describe as economic rationalists, also pays little attention to the core premise of most IP rights, namely that the patent or IP right is a bargain between the holder of the IP rights and the government such that the innovation is revealed to the public in return for a time-limited monopoly (in which the innovator can recuperate costs and make a profit), on the basis that this will encourage the entry of inventive or creative solutions into the public domain. Unfortunately, it is likely that the Productivity Commission has the ear of the government. As such, it would not be surprising if a number of these initiatives are introduced to the detriment of IP holders. Peter Treloar Shelston IPLevel 21, 60 Margaret StreetSydney NSW 2000, AustraliaTel: +61 2 9777 1111Fax: +61 2 9241 4666email@shelstonip.comwww.shelstonip.com On April 5, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) issued Joint Circular 05/2016/TTLT-BKHCN-BKHDT providing details and guidance on the handling of cases where enterprise names infringe IP rights. The new joint circular, which came into effect on May 20, is the first official regulation ever issued on this subject in Vietnam, and is expected to prevent circumstances in which names of companies are identical or confusingly similar to protected IP objects of unassociated IP holders, and aim to take advantage of the IP holders' reputations. Change and removal of infringing elements The joint circular clarifies that enterprises which use names containing elements which infringe other holders' trade marks, geographical indications or trade names, and which use those names on goods, means of business or service, signboards or business transaction papers, will commit industrial property infringement. An infringer will be requested to terminate the use of the name, or conduct procedures to change its name or business lines. If the company does not voluntarily comply, the change can be forced. Further non-compliance can lead to the revocation of the company's business registration certificate. Under the new provisions, whether an enterprise name infringes on IP rights is determined by competent enforcement authorities or individuals empowered to impose administrative sanctions in accordance with the Law on Intellectual Property. This takes the form of a written conclusion on infringement which can be either: (1) the conclusion of an inspection by a competent enforcement authority or (2) a decision on administrative sanctions by a competent individual that requests the enterprise to change its name or remove infringing elements from its name. When a written conclusion on infringement is issued in the form of a conclusion of an inspection, the IP holder and the infringer will have 30 days from the date of the conclusion to negotiate and settle their dispute. If no settlement can be reached through negotiation, the IP holder will be entitled to petition the Business Registration Office (BRO) to demand a change in the infringer's name within two months. After that, if the infringer has not conducted the name-changing procedures, the BRO will be responsible for bringing the case before competent enforcement authorities in the field of planning and investment and competent authorities for examination and inspection in accordance with IP laws. Although this procedure contains some specific steps, it does not completely address how to resolve incidents that have passed the two-month time limit mentioned above. After being informed by the BRO, the competent authorities will examine and inspect the infringer, and are able to issue sanctions with remedies forcing the infringer to change its enterprise name or remove infringing elements from the name. These sanctions then open the case to further possibilities. Revocation of business registration certificates Competent authorities are able to issue sanctions requiring a change in an enterprise's name or the removal of infringing elements from a name with or without a notice from the BRO. Accordingly, infringers will have to change their names within 60 days from the effective date of the sanctions. If the infringers do not comply with the given remedies, the authorities will cooperate with the BRO in order to handle the cases. The BRO will issue a notice to the infringers requesting them to report and explain the case, in accordance with the Enterprise Law. If neither report nor explanation is submitted on time, the competent authorities in the field of planning and investment will be responsible for handling the administrative violations of the infringers. Notably, if the infringer does not respond within six months, the BRO will revoke its business registration certificate. It should be noted, however, that the revocation of a business registration certificate is only permitted under the Enterprise Law if a report is not submitted upon request. It is difficult for the BRO to deal with circumstances in which infringers send back their reports on time, and unclear under the law how such cases should be handled. Faced with such situations, the joint circular still raises concerns in relation to revocation of business registration certificates on the basis of IP infringement alone. In addition to the introduction of detailed procedures with specific timeframes, the Joint Circular sets out the responsibilities of and requires cooperation among competent authorities in the handling of disputes between enterprise names and IP rights. Although it leaves some uncertainty in the process of handling infringing names, Joint Circular 05 is a groundbreaking regulation for the time being. Loc Xuan Le Son Duc Nguyen Tilleke & GibbinsHAREC Building, 4th Floor4A Lang Ha Street, Ba Dinh District, Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: +84 4 3772 6688Fax: +84 4 3772 5568vietnam@tilleke.comwww.tilleke.com On April 23 2016 in celebration of the World IP Day, the Intellectual Property Office (IPOPHL) launched its improved electronic filing system for trade marks called IPOPHL TM eFile. Unlke the previous e-filing system where payment has to be deposited physically to the designated bank, the new TMeFile is linked to three different payment channels, hence, the filer need not go to the IPOPHL office to file trade mark applications. The new system was initiated by newly appointed IPOPHL Director General Josephine Rima-Santiago. The added features of the new system are: 1) It allows the submission of documents such as the special power of attorney, request for priority examination, declaration of actual use, together with the online application. However, if these documents are not submitted with the online application, they would have to be submitted physically to the IPOPHL. 2) Because of its linkage with two other tools such as the ASEAN TM Class and TMview, the classification of goods and services are made easier, and the system can generate preliminary search reports which may be used as reference. The IPOPHL eTMfile was developed in close collaboration with the the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), towards the adaptation of IT tools which can be used not only by The Philippines but also by other ASEAN IP offices. Now being targeted for launching also within the year is the IPOPHL eDOCfile, an advanced electronic filing system allowing the online submission of practically all types of trade mark documents including responses to office actions, powers of attorney, and assignments and allowing for digital signing by both the IPOPHL and the applicant/agent. The IPOPHL is the first office to make available these systems in the ASEAN region. Editha R Hechanova Hechanova & Co., Inc.Salustiana D. Ty Tower104 Paseo de Roxas AvenueMakati City 1229, PhilippinesTel: (63) 2 812-6561Fax: (63) 2 888-4290editharh@hechanova.com.ph www.hechanova.com.ph New Delhi: After the failure of its ambitious bid to become a part of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), India is all set to become a member of the Missile Technology Control Regime. As per the reports, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will sign the documents of accession into MTCR on Monday. India's effort to become a member of the MTCR began after the Indo-US nuclear deal in 2008. Last year India's entry to the group was opposed by Italy who were not happy with New Delhi over the marine dispute. However, after both marines were allowed to return, the Italian had soften their opposition. Admission to MCTR will open the way for India to buy high-end missile technologies. However, China who stonewalled India's entry into the NSG group was not a member of the MTCR. China's application to the group was rejected in 2004, following allegation of supplying missile technology to North Korea. Interview with Eric Kimani and Margaret Munene, General Managers of Palmhouse Dairies What is your assessment of the dairy sector in Kenya? Eric Kimani: I think the sector in Kenya is very vibrant but still highly unexploited. Kenya, outside of South Africa perhaps, remains the largest dairy producer in Africa. However our processing level is still way behind. I think we have not yet met 40% processed milk levels, which means 60% of the milk is still unprocessed. This means there is huge opportunity. We have seen the entry of the French Danone company and yet there are still huge opportunities for anyone who wants to invest in the industry. In my view, there has been too much government protection of inefficient monopolies in the name of KCC [Kenya Co-Operative Creameries] which for the longest time was the sole producer of milk until we and Brookside and others came along. Again, the infrastructure in Kenya was underdeveloped. Now it is opening up and milk can reach the processing units. A lot of milk was produced and wasted in the farms because there were no roads or infrastructure. That is changing and as it changes, more milk is now available. Also, the industrialisation and the economic growth have helped a lot. Ten or twenty years ago, Kenyans earned perhaps half of what they earn today. Therefore today they have a higher purchasing power and so more people can drink processed milk. As those things change the industry will grow. People now have the purchasing power. The middle class in Kenya doubled over the last ten years and if it doubles again, just think what will happen to the milk market! There are huge opportunities to develop and grow. I suppose the idea is to grow as fast as possible because otherwise the other players, international or local, will take up the space. Can you explain your strategy? Eric Kimani: A couple of people have asked us the question If the opportunity is here, why are you not growing? Why dont you want to take that opportunity? We do want to take that opportunity but in my view we do not have the managerial capacity at this time and we do not have the financial capacity. You need the managerial capacity to be able to deal with the increased financial capacity. We need to look for good sources of finance and also good management to manage the growth. My wife and I have many other interests and I guess we are satisfied with what we have, we earn enough for our daily needs, but we could grow three, four or even ten times over if we had people to challenge us and come and take up that challenge with us. Kenya is one of the largest dairy producers in Africa What kind of investor are you looking for? Are you looking for an investor that not only brings in finance but also some technical knowledge? We supply our customers directly which is perhaps the attraction that has meant some of our customers have been with us for twenty years because we give them a first class service and a first class product. Eric Kimani: I dont know if we need people who are already working in this industry because we know the basics of this industry. We would like to see people who want to come and who are prepared to take up the challenge from a technical point of view, a marketing point of view and a managerial point of view. There are many companies where you find that the CEO is there in everything, or there is an entrepreneur there who wants to drive it all; well we dont want to drive it, we want somebody to come and drive it that we can work with. I know it sounds unusual! It is not what happens normally in the market, many people want to grow, grow, grow and take it all on but we have other interests which although they are not money related, are very important in our lives. Here we have a profitable venture, an opportunity which we can see and we would be able to direct any partner who would like to come on board with us and help them with our local knowledge. We are one of the longest surviving dairy companies in this country. We have been here for 20 years and I think only Brookside and KCC can boast that. We know something about this industry that can be very useful but we are tied by the management matter because my wife and I are unable to take it to the next level. Lets talk about the company, what are your strengths? Tell us about your products. Eric Kimani: Basically our dairy is largely white milk. We do about 5000 litres of milk a day, split between the white milk and the by-products. After milk our next biggest product would be cream. We sell a lot of cream, we purchase cream and we sell cream from our own milk. We purchase cream from some of the other dairy manufacturers. We also do yoghurts and other value added products such as buttermilk. Our capacity is about 5000 litres and we supply directly, we do not wholesale. We supply our customers directly which is perhaps the attraction that has meant some of our customers have been with us for twenty years because we give them a first class service and a first class product. What is your customer base? Margaret Munene: We have a niche market in the institutions. All of the milk we produce we sell to institutions. The majority of them are five star hotels and the very high end hospitals in Kenya like Nairobi Hospital. We also supply a few schools. The bulk of our product is milk, I would say 90% of what we produce is milk but we also do yoghurt and buttermilk and we sell a lot of cream. Yoghurt is a relatively new product in Kenya because when we started the dairy twenty years ago, a lot of Kenyans didnt know what yoghurt was, they only knew what buttermilk was. Now, there is a big middle class in Kenya and a lot of people now drink yoghurt. There is a huge market in yoghurt production and recently we have acquired a very good machine to make yoghurt because we want to enter that market in a bigger way than we have been doing. The yoghurt we make we will sell to the institutions but now we will also retail it. "Palmhouse is known for its quality and service", says Margaret Munene Tell us more about the products, why are they so appreciated by the five star hotels? Margaret Munene: Palmhouse is known for its quality and service. Nairobi Hospital for example, which is the high end hospital in Nairobi, has been our customer almost since inception of our company. Our customers stay with us and it is because of the quality and service. Usually we deliver very early in the morning but lets say a hotel runs out, they can just call us and we can send milk to them directly, they dont have to run to the supermarket. We have very good customer service, our customers tell us that. How do you transport the milk? Margaret Munene: We have three trucks. We only deal with about 5000 litres a day so we have three trucks that leave very early in the morning and do all of our supplies. We dont deal with middle men and that is another added advantage because it means we can give very good prices to our customers. So I think the kind of investor you need is someone very specialised in natural products, environmentally friendly products, and niche products... someone that is at a high end level. Margaret Munene: Yes, and someone who can come up with some other products that perhaps we are not doing yet and most importantly which arent yet in Kenya which we could introduce. Something like Greek yoghurt for example is not very common in Kenya but we dont have the capacity to do it at the moment so if we had an investor to help us come up with new products that are not common in Kenya and to help us introduce them and advertise them, that would be great. Another problem that we have actually is advertising; it is one of the reasons that we havent grown very big for example by selling in supermarkets, because to sell in supermarkets you need to do a lot of advertising to compete. We dont want to spend that kind of money in advertising because of our size. It is a chicken and egg kind of thing. Also, you are high end, so you arent competing on the same level as the supermarket products. Margaret Munene: Yes. You are a niche product, so you are talking about quality. Margaret Munene: Yes. There are many high end hotels that have come up in Kenya in the last two or three years so there is a huge market for our kind of product, even in just white milk. I am sure a lot of those high end hotels would want to be supplied by a company like Palmhouse Dairies. You mainly supply Nairobi I believe? Margaret Munene: Yes. So you have the possibility of pushing that to other places, perhaps where the tourists are. What is your development strategy? Eric Kimani: I think the strategy for Palmhouse that would bring a lot of returns and would make a lot of good money, would be to further go into the niche market. I know of a company called Bio Foods, who came and took up the niche and are now the leading yoghurt producer and value added producer, in fact most airlines use their yoghurt. My idea would be to see our yoghurt in almost every airline in Kenya, as well as almost every hotel that is looking for quality service and quality product. Even if we got just half or a quarter of that business that would be good. We are looking for people who can help us and like you said we are not looking for a Managing Director of Danone to come and grow this business, this is not what we are looking for. We are looking for someone who wants to work with a high end product, a concentrated high value product and we would want to change that 90% white milk to 10% value added production ratio to 60% value added and 40% white milk. That would make us ten times the money without even adding volume. There is a huge market in yoghurt production in Kenya Can you tell us about the Palmhouse Foundation? Eric Kimani: The Palmhouse Foundation is something that my wife and I set up thirteen years ago. Being investors in this rural area, a lot of people came to us with requests for support for high school fees for their children. We began by helping one or two but then we decided to structure it and select three students and help them for the four years. Our argument was that because we had invested money here and made money from this farm, we might as well help some people. In our second year of operations I was CEO of some large companies in Nairobi and so then we thought why cant we do this on a national scale? We know so many people and have many friends so we wanted to do it on a country wide scale. We called up a few friends and we formed a board of trustees of ten people and in our third year we went national. For the last ten years we have been going around the whole country selecting needy, deserving, bright students and we pay for their school fees for the four years in a quality high school anywhere in Kenya. We raise money all over the country and most of the medium banks in Kenya work with us, even KCB used to work with us but now they do it on their own. The biggest newspaper Nation Media used to work with us but five years ago they said they wanted to do it on their own and they now do it on a greater scale than we do. We are very well respected as a foundation; I think we are the first and most respected local foundation. We are very small, the most students we have taken on is 85 in one year but those 85 were taken through high school and beyond. We stay with our students; now we have helped just over 600 students through high school and many are now finished and doing phenomenally well, some in America, Russia, and all over the world. In fact some of them have started to sponsor other students within the foundation. It is something we are very proud of and we spend a lot of time on. We are the founding trustees but now it is owned by many more Kenyans. There is a board of trustees, and a board of advisors made up of very high level CEOs in Nairobi and it has done extremely well. It is one of our greatest achievements. We spend a lot of time on it pro bono. It is a calling for us. Margaret Munene: I would really like to emphasise that Palmhouse Foundation is a totally indigenous foundation, started by Kenyans for Kenyans. We dont have any outside help. We dont even like to call Palmhouse Foundation an NGO because a lot of NGOs get funds from outside and we dont get any funds at all from outside Kenya. All of the trustees that work and help with the foundation all work pro bono. When I go to Kitale to look for students, I am not paid, I pay for my air ticket, and I pay for my accommodation. We are twelve trustees and that is what we all do. The board of advisers that help us are all totally pro bono. We started the foundation in 2003 and a lot of other foundations have since come up and they have all copied our model, we are very happy that they have done so. A lot of them come and ask us to give them handouts that we use for mentoring. Some ask us to help them to recruit students. We are very proud of it and we feel that we have really changed the education field in Kenya. A lot of poor students who are bright Kenyans are now able to go to school. It was not the case years ago. These students could go on to invest in your company for example and grow the business. Margaret Munene: We have some students who are already working. We have one that went to study in America and she is now finished and is working and sponsoring a child through us. She got into the University of Duke in America and she intends to come back to Kenya when she finishes. What do you think of the education sector in Kenya? Margaret Munene: I think a lot has improved in the education sector in Kenya in the last ten years. We now have free primary education which was never the case before, so now even very poor children are able to access primary education. People used to have to pay for primary education. Secondary education is still a challenge for the poor. I think five years ago the government started giving bursaries to schools. They have put money into schools so that students dont have to pay as much; I think about ten thousand shillings a year. For university education in Kenya, if you do well students can get loans which they start paying once they start working. So if you are a bright student today it is possible to go through school and university. That is my view. Eric Kimani: I agree. Primary school is free. Secondary school is more expensive than university and that is where the challenge lies. You can get higher education loans for university if you do well and there are many private universities now. If you look at the statistics for the whole of Africa, the education in Kenya is one of the best. If you walk through the village here for example almost everyone can speak to you in English because they are able to have some basic education. There have been questions about whether the quality has deteriorated with all of the universities that have come up and all of the other teaching institutions but I think that is being addressed. I think in the whole of sub-Saharan Africa you will find that Kenya ranks amongst the top three if not the top five. Palmhouse Dairies' vision is to be the leading and preferred provider of dairy products in Kenya That is why Kenya is doing so well in the ICT sector, mobile banking, etc. To conclude, what is your vision for the next few years? Eric Kimani: In the next five years I would want to have reached the goal we have set of raising a million dollars for an endowment from which we can draw in the future to achieve the goals of the Palmhouse Foundation. We have now raised about 20 million shillings but I pray that in the next five years we can bring that up to 1 million dollars. So if you know of a big philanthropist who wants to give money... you can save me the trouble of waiting five years!! In terms of the dairy, if I do not get the investor we were talking about, or anyone else who can give us a push, we will still go for a strategy of moving this dairy from white milk to a value added product dairy. That will improve my bottom line without needing a lot of other investments. I have seen this begin to happen last year and it is happening this year. We are expanding the value added side and shrinking the milk side of our business. I would want to see myself in five years doing 50% value added products and 50% white milk. That would make a lot of money. Once we had a technical adviser from the Netherlands, a retired Dutchman, who came and spent a couple of days with us. He agreed with us, he was the one who solidified our thoughts that this is the way to go. If we can go for this niche of value added products it will be very profitable, therefore my medium and long term vision is to reach that dream, whether we do it with investors or we continue doing it on our own. If we do it on our own we will do less and it will take longer, if we do it with other people we will make more money and we will do it faster. As to whether and when that will happen, that is perhaps why people like you are here to interest people in this discussion. Margaret Munene: I absolutely agree. We would want to have the Palmhouse Foundation reach one million dollars because every year we go around looking for people to donate money to take the children to school. If we get an endowment we would use the proceeds to take the children to school and we wouldnt have to keep on looking for that money. The other thing that I would want to see in the next five or ten years would be many of our beneficiaries coming back into the foundation to move it forward as mentors and trustees of the foundation. They could give feedback and give the students advice. Then we wouldnt have to be so actively involved because that is very important in terms of the legacy of the foundation, because if we arent here we would not want the foundation to die. It is very key to us. In terms of Palmhouse Dairies, we are really working on value addition and with or without a partner that is the way we want to go. We will continually increase value addition and reduce white milk. As my husband said, if we get somebody to come in and work with us, that is good but if we dont, slowly we will still go in that direction. A 599-foot Norway flagged chemical tanker Champion Ebony ran aground near Nunivak Island, Alaska on June 24. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Anchorage watchstanders received a report from the National Response Center that the vessel ran aground carrying approximately 14.2 million gallons of various fuel products. The captain of Champion Ebony reported that no pollution or injuries resulted from the incident. An Air Station Kodiak C-130 Hercules airplane crew conducted an over-flight of the tanker and reported no signs of pollution in the vicinity of the tanker. The Champion Ebony is a double-hulled vessel that had 24 crewmembers aboard at the time of the incident. The ships crew was able to refloat the vessel and make way under its own power to deeper water, where the vesselhas been anchored to assess for damages. Weather on scene is reported as calm winds, overcast with 3-foot seas. The Coast Guard is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the incident. Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Andrew Tan, attended the second Port Authorities Roundtable (PAR) in Rotterdam. Hosted by the Port of Rotterdam Authority (PoR), the closed-door roundtable event brought together port authorities from major ports in Asia, Europe and US to network, exchange views and explore areas of collaboration. Participants included port authorities which attended the inaugural PAR in Singapore such as Ningbo Municipal Port Administration Bureau, Port Klang Authority, and Japan, Bureau of Port and Harbor, as well as new participants such as Port of Hamburg, Port of Los Angeles, Port of Long Beach and Port of Guangzhou. Among the topics discussed at the meeting included recent industry trends and developments, particularly in container shipping, safety and security, efficiency and sustainability. Mr Tan gave an update on Singapore's Next Generation Port & recent initiatives for safe, efficient & sustainable shipping. Dr Bart Kuijpers, Erasmus University was the guest speaker at the event and presented on the global trends in the shipping industry. He shared on how developments such as slowing container trade, near-sourcing, automation, new connectivities such as China's One Belt One Road initiative, disruptive technologies such as 3D-printing and new supply chains could change the industry in future. To address these challenges, ports have to rethink their competitive advantage and be more responsive to their customers needs. Andrew Tan, Chief Executive of MPA, said, We thank Port of Rotterdam for hosting PAR2016 following the successful run of inaugural PAR in Singapore last year. Through this platform, port authorities can engage in frank and open dialogue and address issues of common interest in the areas of efficiency, safety and sustainability. Singapore is also pleased to be designated as the secretariat of this new grouping. The second roundtable follows the inaugural PAR that was organised by MPA in conjunction with the 10th Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) 2015. Attended by 10 ports from Europe, Asia and Oceania region, the inaugural PAR was an initiative by Singapore to foster closer collaboration among ports facing the challenge of mega-vessels and mega-alliances, new international regulations, technological advancements and environmental sustainability. The host of the 3rd PAR will be announced in due course. Danelec Launches ECDIS Computer-based Training Danelec Marine has launched a new computer-based training (CBT) program for its second-generation DM800 ECDIS G2 products. The convenient and user-friendly CBT courseware allows students to download the training curriculum to their own computers or laptops and perform the self-study portion offline, at home or at sea. At the end of each module, the student takes a self-administered test. The student can communicate with an ECDIS instructor at any stage of the self-study portion by email or interactive chat. Upon completion of the 32-module course, the student logs onto the internet for a multiple-choice exam, followed by a live-cam interview with a certified instructor. When the student achieves a passing grade, Danelec Marine issues a certificate of completion. We have designed this training curriculum to make it easy for ships officers to attain the type-specific familiarization certification required by international regulations without the time and expense to travel to a classroom training center, said Hans Ottosen, CEO of Danelec Marine. This is an integral part of our commitment to providing a fully integrated product-service solution second-to-none in the international maritime industry. In addition to the new CBT courseware, Danelec Marine provides classroom training at centers in Greece, Latvia, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Philippines, China and Singapore. The company also provides an in-house and onboard training option for shipping companies with large fleets equipped with the Danelec ECDIS products. Introduced in 2015, the Danelec DM800 ECDIS G2 is a state-of-the-art system that complies with all current IEC and IHO performance standards and is designed with an upgrade pathway to the new standards that come into force in August 2017. Software upgrades can be made by the crew onboard without a service call. Austal Limited (Austal) informed that the U.S. Navy has accepted delivery of USNS Carson City (EPF 7) from Austal USA, during a ceremony held aboard the ship at Austal USAs shipyard in Mobile, Alabama, USA on 24 June. This is the second vessel delivered by Austal USA to the U.S. Navy this month. Austal Chief Executive Officer David Singleton said the delivery of the latest EPF is further evidence of Austal USAs success in efficient, modern shipbuilding and expertise in modular manufacturing. Our hard working, highly skilled workforce continues to deliver on this important program, which is redefining naval capability and exceeding stakeholder expectations around the globe. Three additional EPF remain under construction in Mobile as part of a 10-ship, US$1.6 billion blockbuy contract from the U.S. Navy. The future USNS Yuma (EPF 8) will be christened later this (US) summer and will launch soon after, while modules for the City of Bismarck (EPF 9) are under construction in Austals module manufacturing facility (MMF). The first aluminium was cut for Burlington (EPF 10) earlier this month and module construction has begun in the MMF. Panama opened the long-delayed $5.4 billion expansion of its shipping canal amid cheering crowds on Sunday, despite looming economic uncertainty in the shipping industry and a heated battle over billions in cost overruns. At 7.50 a.m. (1250 GMT), the Chinese container ship "Cosco Shipping Panama" entered the Agua Clara lock on the Atlantic to begin the first crossing of the roughly 50-mile-long (80.45-km-long) waterway and was due to emerge on the Pacific side by 5.00 p.m. (2200 GMT). The expansion, which triples the size of ships that can travel the canal, allows the country to host 98 percent of the world's shipping and is aimed at wresting market share from rival Suez and U.S. land routes made cheaper by low oil prices. By 2021, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is hoping the project will bring in $2.1 billion per year in added revenue, representing 2.8 percent of gross domestic product. "As a Panamanian, I am proud," said Odalis Castillo, an 18-year-old student who attended the launch. "There will be more money to spend on social projects." But the ACP is enmeshed in a $3.587-billion conflict over cost overruns with Spain's Sacyr and Italy's Salini Impreglio, which won the project in 2009 and finished it two years late, amid construction setbacks and strikes. It also faces challenges like the supply of fresh water needed to move the giant locks and safe handling of the huge ships. So far 170 ships have signed up to use the canal in the next three months. If the industry perks up, the ACP already has a $17 billion plan for a fourth set of locks to lure even bigger ships that can now only travel through the Suez Canal. Just a dozen of the 70 heads of state invited to see the debut of the third set of locks attended the ceremony but Panama's Foreign Ministry hailed the event a diplomatic success, with representatives from nearly all the invited countries in attendance. Analysts said the rank of those leading the delegations was affected by the Panama Papers scandal, in which millions of documents were leaked from law firm Mossack Fonseca, revealing how some of the world's richest people use offshore companies to avoid tax and launder money. Jill Biden, the wife of U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, led the delegation from the United States, which finished building the canal in 1914, controlled it until 1999 and is still its biggest user. By Enrique Pretel and Elida Moreno The Red River was closed Sunday from mile marker 40 to mile marker 42, after a barge reportedly ran aground and was protruding into the channel near mile marker 41, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. The river is closed to all vessels, and any request to transit the river prior to reopening shall be directed to Coast Guard Sector Lower Mississippi River on VHF-FM Channel 16 for further information, the Coast Guard said. The Red River Express is en route from Texas and is expected to be on scene late in the evening June 27, 2016 to lighter the barge so it can be safely re-floated. Gerardo Borromeo, Vice Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) took the opportunity today to highlight the courage that is currently being displayed by seafarers, of all nationalities, with respect to the rescue at sea crisis taking place in Europe and in the Mediterranean. Speaking at an event run by the International Seafarers' Welfare and Assistance Network (ISWAN) to celebrate the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Day of the Seafarer on 25th June 2016, he said, Seafarers move the world, and in doing so they also make tremendous sacrifices, staying away from home and family for extended periods of time. But they can also be called upon to take on other extraordinary tasks, beyond the call of normal duty. The shipping industry fully accepts its humanitarian responsibility to come to the assistance of anyone in distress at sea. But one aspect of this terrible situation, which is often overlooked, is the effect that this is having on merchant seafarers. Many seafarers have now been involved in large-scale rescue operations, saving the lives of thousands of people, and witnessing great suffering. It has to be remembered that seafarers are civilians, they are not professional rescue personnel. He emphasised that while the politics surrounding the migrant crisis are hugely complex, ICS will continue to urge governments to do even more. Mr Borromeo concluded, The Day of the Seafarer is a day of celebration. On behalf of ICS, and in co-operation with our colleagues from the seafarers unions, we remain committed to promoting recognition of the extraordinary role of merchant seafarers and the important and vital work that they do for the global community. The celebrations attended by more than 2,000 seafarers and their families were held in Manila at the SMX Conference Centre. The event was addressed by the IMO Secretary-General, Mr Kitack Lim and followed the theme of 'At Sea for All', with music and cultural acts, as well as a health zone for seafarers and a children's activity area. The Chinese giant Cosco Shipping has made the inaugural transit on Sunday June 26, 2016 through the expanded Panama Canal expansion project , event appreciated by thousands of people in Agua Clara lock province of Colon. Spectators watch as the Neopanamax cargo ship, Cosco Shipping Panama, makes its way through the new Agua Clara locks, part of the Panama Canal expansion project, near the port city of Colon, Panama. The container vessel had set sail from the Greek Port of Piraeus today on its way to Panama to make history. The ship carrying more than 9,000 containers entered the newly expanded locks that will double the Panama Canal's capacity in a multibillion-dollar bet on a bright economic future despite tough times for international shipping. The inaugural ship, Cosco Shipping Panama is a 158-foot-wide (48.2 meters), 984-foot-long (300 meters) behemoth that is one of the modern New Panamax class of mega-vessels that are seen as the future of global shipping and will now be able to use the canal. It carried some 9,000 cargo containers during the inaugural voyage and now heads to South Korea. Originally named Andronikos, the vessel was renamed by China COSCO Shipping to pay respect to the people of Panama and for the honor of the inaugural transit. This ship was selected during a draw for the inaugural transit through the expanded waterway. Coincidentally, the ship was built in Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries Co., Ltd, the same company that constructed the valves that control the flow of water through the new locks of the Canal. 1861 - While commanding a gunboat flotilla, Cmdr. James Harmon Ward is mortally wounded by a musket ball while aiming the bow gun of his flagship, USS Thomas Freeborn at Mathias Point, Va. Ward is the first US Naval officer casualty of the Civil War. 1898 - During the Spanish-American War, the 301-ton yacht Hornet captures the Spanish steamer Benito Estenger off Cape Cruz, Cuba. 1916 - At the Battle of Los Trencheros during the Dominican Campaign in the Dominican Republic, the Fourth Marine Regiment withstands an attack by Dominican insurgent forces. 1945 - PV-1 (VPB 142) sinks the Japanese submarine I 165, 450 miles east of Saipan, Mariana Islands. 1945 - USS Blueback (SS 326) sinks Imperial Japanese Navy submarine chaser, (CH 2), north of Lombok, Java Sea. 1950 - President Harry Truman authorizes U.S. Naval and Air operations south of 38th Parallel, Korea, in support of the U.N. call to assist South Korea. (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division) The Coast Guard is responding to a report of a sheen in Lake Ontario near the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant in Scriba, New York, approximately 10 miles northeast of Oswego, New York, Sunday. The cause of the sheen is unknown at this time. The Coast Guard has established a temporary safety zone extending two miles to the north and two miles to the east and west from the Fitzpatrick Nuclear Power Plant. A Coast Guard Auxiliary air crew noticed the sheen during a flight and reported it to Coast Guard Sector Buffalo. A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Oswego launched and took samples of the sheen and is currently enforcing the safety zone. Representatives from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation are on scene. Media with questions can call the Coast Guard Sector Buffalo public affairs officer at 716-843-9529. Mariners with questions regarding the security or safety zones may contact the Coast Guard Sector Buffalo Command Center by calling 716-843-9526. Matsons new South Pacific Express will link Pacific networks via Honolulu U.S. carrier in the Pacific Matson, Inc. has introduced a new containership service between the U.S. West Coast and ports in Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. Starting August 10, 2016, the shippers South Pacific Express (SPX) will for the first time link the its West Coast - Hawaii service with its South Pacific network. Using a dedicated ship to carry West Coast cargo transshipped at Honolulu, SPX will provide reliable, same-day-of-week South Pacific arrivals every 28 days, calling on Apia, Samoa; Pago Pago, American Samoa; Nuku'alofa, Tonga; Suva, Fiji and Lautoka, Fiji before returning to Honolulu. We have sought for some time the right opportunity to link our networks in the northern and South Pacific in a way that enhances both operations, said Matt Cox, president and chief executive officer. While it represents a relatively small addition to our route structure, SPX allows us to leverage existing services to expand Matson's service offerings for West Coast shippers and boost our efforts to build fast, reliable services in the South Pacific. Matson said its South Pacific Express will be the only direct service from Hawaii to the South Pacific and the fastest ocean carrier service between North America and the Samoas, providing new links and associated economic opportunities among the islands it serves. Along with competitive transit times from U.S. ports to the South Pacific, Matson's dedicated terminal operations on the West Coast provide shippers using the new SPX service with superior flexibility in cargo receiving any day of the week, faster truck turn times and Matson's extensive chassis inventory in U.S. ports. Matson will redeploy a vessel in its existing South Pacific fleet, the internationally flagged 510-TEU vessel Liloa, to operate the new service. This isn't the first time Matson has served the South Pacific from the West Coast. Matson Lines passenger cruises plied the route from the 1930s through the 1960s, establishing early tourism in the Territory of Hawaii and islands of the South Pacific. Subscribe for Maritime Reporter E-News Maritime Reporter E-News is the maritime industry's largest circulation and most authoritative ENews Service, delivered to your Email five times per week A 984-foot Chinese container ship was greeted with fireworks and cheers from a crowd that had gathered, when it made an inaugural passage through the newly expanded Panama Canal on Sunday, formally launching the Central American nation's multibillion-dollar newly-enlarged Panama Canal. The countrys president was among the dignitaries present to celebrate the event. The colorful ceremony celebrating the culmination of this $5 billion project has featured dancing flowers, dragons and a marching band. "This is a great day, a day of national unity and a day for Panama," President Juan Carlos Varela said in a speech. "This is the route that unites the world." The effort to expand the 102-year-old canal took nearly 10 years and the sweat from 40,000 workers to complete. The expansion work carried out since 2007 - and finished two years late at a cost of at least $5.5bn - allows a new generation of much larger ships, known as Neopanamax class vessels, to ply the canal. John Feeley, the U.S. ambassador to Panama, lauded Panama for its "wonder of engineering." "This is a grand accomplishment for the people of Panama," he said. "This expansion will reconfigure, permanently, the map of the global shipping industry." By 2021, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) is hoping the project will bring in $2.1 billion per year in added revenue, representing 2.8 percent of gross domestic product. However, the party comes amid a lull in global shipping due to the drop in oil prices, an economic slowdown in China, which is the canal's second-largest customer, and other factors that have hit the waterway's traffic and income. Already the 102-year-old canal carries five percent of the worlds maritime trade, especially between the US and China, Japan and South Korea. The OW saga - UAE Federal Supreme Court decides that physical suppliers of bunkers have no right to recourse against Owners/Charterers. In the first decision on the issue from the most senior court in the country, the UAE Federal Supreme Court has decided that physical suppliers of bunkers have no right of recourse against Owners/Charterers where there is a contractual sale and purchase chain. The Supreme Court has concluded that there are two separate contracts. One contract between Owners/Charterers and the OW entity pursuant to which the Owners/Charterers must make payment and a separate contract between OW and the physical supplier pursuant to which OW must make payment. Where there is such a chain, the Owners/Charterers had no liability to make payment to the physical suppliers directly. The Supreme Court held that the delivery of the bunkers by the physical supplier to the Vessel did not create any obligations between the physical supplier and the Owners/Charterers; whilst it was recognised that the physical supplier delivered the bunkers to the Vessel, it was held that they did so to the order of OW. The ramifications of this Judgment are far reaching for bunker suppliers in the UAE. This judgment is certainly good news for Ship Owners who have found themselves exposed to double or even triple payment following the collapse of OW. If the judgment is followed, ship owners will have good defense to claims in the UAE from physical suppliers where there is a contractual sale and purchase chain. The UAE legal system is a civil law system and accordingly while the Judgment of the UAE Federal Supreme Court is of persuasive value it is not binding. Ince & Co partners Rania Tadros and Mohamed El Hawawy acted for the successful owners in this matter. The port of Antwerp is to collaborate with Dalian Maritime University (DMU) in northern China for the next three academic years. DMU is a prestigious Chinese maritime university whose alumni include many prominent figures in the shipping industry. In order to permit students to gain experience in the port of Antwerp, the second-largest port of Europe, since 2014 Antwerp Port Authority has presented awards to students who write a thesis about the port or a logistics-related subject. The presentation of the Awards will form part of the programme for the next three academic years, as part of the continued collaboration. To symbolise the far-reaching friendship between Antwerp and Dalian, the Port Authority presented a statue to DMU which was officially unveiled on Monday by port alderman Marc Van Peel and chief commercial officer Luc Arnouts during their visit to the university. Collaboration A first Memorandum of Understanding was already signed between Antwerp Port Authority and DMU in 2014. In this way Antwerp sought to raise the ports name recognition among future port professionals in China, while DMU for its part sought wider international recognition. However, relations between the two ports go back much further. APEC, the maritime training subsidiary of the port of Antwerp, has long collaborated with the port of Dalian. Since as far back as 2004 at least one delegation from Dalian attends a tailor-made seminar in Antwerp each year. This year there are two seminars planned for groups from Dalian. On the occasion of the annual Antwerp trade mission to northern China the two parties decided to extend their collaboration agreement. During a ceremony at the university DMU chairman Yuqing Sun, Marc Van Peel and Luc Arnouts all signed the new MoU extending the agreement for a further three academic years. Port of Antwerp Maritime Award Also during the visit by the port of Antwerp to DMU, the Port of Antwerp Maritime Awards were presented. Four students from academic year 2015-2016 were recognised with an Award accompanied in each case by an amount of 500 euros: Zhongbo Liu, Wenwen Guo, Chenrui Qu and Yiwen Dong. All four of them wrote a thesis on a maritime or logistics-related subject. One of the reasons for presenting these Awards is to make students in their home country acquainted with the port of Antwerp and its advantages, explained port alderman Marc Van Peel. At the same time we also support young potentials, which is something we do not only do abroad but also at home. We additionally work closely together in this area with Antwerp institutions such as the Antwerp Management School and the University of Antwerp. Statue A last part of the visit to DMU was the unveiling of a statue which the Port Authority presented to the North Chinese university. The work of art is by Yang Wen, assistant professor at the Construction and Art faculty of the College of Dalian University of Technologies. The statue, entitled Fusion, symbolises harmony and prosperity. Beier Integrated Systems (Beier) informs it has purchased South Coast Electric Systems (SCES) from American Electric Technologies (AETI), expanding the its manufacturing capabilities in the marine market. Beier said it will acquire SCESs operations, including a manufacturing plant and equipment in Bay St. Louis, Miss, and will add 13 employees of the South Coast Electric operation to its team. SCES, a marine and industrial electrical switchgear manufacturer and service provider, has been in business for 14 years. South Coast Electric Systems will now operate under a new name - South Coast Electric, LLC. We are very excited about refitting existing vessels and engineering new vessels with our new power and control products from South Coast Electric,said Beier Integrated Systems President Karl Beier. This acquisition will allow Beier to add the only missing component the switchgear to our fully integrated packages in order to provide a complete turnkey electrical solution to shipyards and ship owners. We are confident this will result in a better engineered and integrated equipment package, reducing cost and eliminating risk for our customers. Marking the Day of the Seafarer, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted the role of the shipping industry in moving forward the international agenda on sustainable development and climate change. The world is now embarking on carrying out twin plans for the future that have the potential to transform our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Both can be advanced through actions of the shipping industry, giving added meaning to this year's commemoration of the Day of the Seafarer, Mr. Ban said in a message to mark the Day, which is commemorated annually on 25 June. The Day of the Seafarer was established in 2010 to recognize the contribution made by seafarers to international seaborne trade, the world economy and global society as a whole. The Secretary-General noted that by helping to keep the world's people clothed, fed and housed, seafarers have the potential to drive economic growth that is socially inclusive and environmentally sound. At the same time, we must ensure that seafarers themselves benefit from the Sustainable Development Goals. Their work can be dangerous and difficult. At sea for up to a year, they may face loneliness, isolation and exploitation. They deserve appreciation for their efforts and compensation for their labour, Mr. Ban emphasized. On this Day of the Seafarer, let us advance the work of those who make shipping possible in a way that promotes our global vision of a life of dignity and opportunity for all, he added. In another message to mark the Day, Kitack Lim, the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), said the Day gives the international community a chance to reflect on how much everyone relies on seafarers for most of the things they take for granted in their everyday lives. Over one million seafarers operate the global fleet yet billions of people depend on them for the essentials and the luxuries of life. Shipping is essential to the world and so are seafarers, he said. So, this year, on 25 June, the Day of the Seafarer, we are once again asking people everywhere to show their appreciation for the seafarers that quietly, mostly unnoticed, keep the wheels of the world in motion, he added. The theme for this year's Day is 'At Sea for All,' which Mr. Lim noted has a clear link with the 2016 World Maritime Day theme, Shipping: indispensable to the world, emphasizing that seafarers serve at sea not just for the shipping industry or for their own career purposes, but for everyone around the world. After 'Brexit,' Can the United States Exit a Few Things Too? Last week's UK vote to leave the EU may have come as a shock to many, but the sentiment that led British voters to reject rule from Brussels is nothing unique. In fact it is growing sentiment worldwide. Frustration with politics as usual, with political parties that really do not differ in philosophy, with an economy that serves the one percent at the expense of the rest of society is a growing phenomenon throughout Europe and in the United States as well. The Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump phenomena are but one example of a frustrated public sensing something is very wrong with society and looking for a way out. What is happening in the UK, in Europe, and in the US, is nothing less than a breakdown of the entire system. The EU was meant to be a customs union where post-World War II Western Europe could rebuild itself through free trade and a reduction in bureaucracy. Through corruption and political ambition it became an unelected bully government in Brussels, where the well-connected were well compensated and insulated from the votes of mere citizens. Whatever happens in the near future - and it is certainly not assured that the vote to "Brexit" will actually end in the UK's departure from the EU - a line has been crossed that supporters of more personal liberty should celebrate. Rule from London is preferable to liberty-minded Britons than rule from Brussels. Just as Texans should prefer rule from Austin to rule from Washington. That doesn't make either option perfect, just more likely to produce more freedom. Is Brexit the first victory in a larger freedom movement? Can we get out of a system that creates money out of thin air to benefit the ruling class while impoverishing the middle class? Can we get out of a central bank that finances the wars that make us less safe? Can we exit Executive Orders? Can we exit the surveillance state? The PATRIOT Act? Can we exit NDAA and indefinite detention? Can we exit the US worldwide drone program, that kills innocents overseas and makes us ever-more hated? Getting out of NATO would be a good first move. This Cold War relic survives only by stirring up conflict and then selling itself as the only option to confront the conflict it churned up. Wouldn't it be better to not go looking for a fight in the first place? Do we really need still another NATO military exercise on the Russian border? It should be no surprise that NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg was fear-mongering on the eve of the Brexit vote, warning UK citizens that if they vote to leave they could face increased terrorism. Likewise, the US would do well to exit the various phony "free trade" agreements that provide advantage to the well-connected elites while harming the rest of us. The act of exit is liberating. We should make a longer list of those things we would like to get out of. I am only getting started. Dr. Ron Paul Project Freedom Congressman Ron Paul of Texas enjoys a national reputation as the premier advocate for liberty in politics today. Dr. Paul is the leading spokesman in Washington for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He is known among both his colleagues in Congress and his constituents for his consistent voting record in the House of Representatives: Dr. Paul never votes for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution. In the words of former Treasury Secretary William Simon, Dr. Paul is the "one exception to the Gang of 535" on Capitol Hill. Dr. Ron Paul Archive 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Martinsville City Council on Tuesday will consider renewing an agreement with the Chambers Partnership for Economic Growth (C-PEG) for help with small business development in the city. C-PEG is an independent affiliate of the Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce that supports and helps fund efforts to boost the local economy. Last year, the council took $60,000 from the citys yearly allocation to the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corp. and redirected it to the chamber and C-PEG. The decision came after council members said the EDC might not have been doing all it could to help the city attract and keep small businesses. Since then, C-PEG has provided one-on-one counseling to small businesses and established Startup Martinsville, Virginia, a boot camp-type program for entrepreneurs. As a result of the program, five new businesses plan to open uptown by the end of September and an existing one aims to expand. Among its other work for the city, C-PEG has developed a strategic marketing plan for entrepreneurial and small business strategies, secured new sponsors for the uptown farmers market and the TGIF and Oktoberfest events and created new activities such as an Easter egg hunt and the recent Spring Fling festival to draw visitors uptown. Council members recently told chamber President and C-PEG Executive Director Amanda Witt they are happy with C-PEGs services and want to renew the agreement. They have indicated that they would be willing to consider a multi-year agreement. However, the proposed one will be just for the new fiscal year that will start July 1. The renewal will be considered when the council meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in its chambers on the second floor of the municipal building uptown. Also Tuesday, the council will: Hear a presentation about potential improvements designed for the citys wastewater treatment plant. Consider scheduling a public hearing pertaining to a rezoning of residential property at 925 Boden St. for commercial use instead. Consider adopting resolutions in support of early childhood education and redistricting reform in Virginia. Recognize William Hooper, a retired assistant chief with the Martinsville Fire Department, for completing the National Fire Academys Executive Fire Officer Program. Hear "business from the floor," an opportunity for residents to bring to the councils attention their concerns about city matters not on the agenda for discussion during Tuesdays meeting. At 7 p.m., the council will meet in closed session to discuss potential appointments to local boards and commissions. The Henry County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will hear an update on activities regarding Interstate 73. Rob Catron with Alcalde and Fay will attend the meeting to provide the update. Catrons firm was hired by several localities, Henry County included, to advocate for I-73. Also at the boards 3 p.m. meeting, the supervisors are scheduled to: Consider an additional appropriation of $3,000 received as part of the New College Institute (NCI) Summer Internship Program to provide a summer intern for Parks and Recreation. The program provides each organization with $3,000 for a first-year intern, which will cover approximately 75 percent of their salary for the summer. The remaining funds are included in the Parks and Recreation budget. Consider an additional appropriation of $12,937 received as a refund for defective tactical sights for the Sheriffs office SWAT Team. Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry wishes to appropriate the funds to the capital improvements account until staff has time to research and develop a plan to replace the equipment. Consider an additional appropriation for the Henry County Sheriffs Office for housing inmates. According to Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry, the cost of housing inmates in other jail facilities has exceeded the fiscal year 2016 budgeted amount. County staff is asking the board to appropriate the additional $50,000 included in the contingency fund designated for housing inmates. Staff anticipates that the actual cost of housing inmates at other facilities in fiscal year 2016 will exceed both budgeted operating funds and contingency funds established for this purpose. Consider an additional appropriation of $16,000 received by the Henry County Sheriffs Office as travel reimbursements for the extradition of wanted suspects. The funds will be used to cover the cost of extraditing wanted suspects back to Henry County. Consider an additional appropriation of $307 from state asset forfeiture funds to cover the cost of a new DVD copier for the Commonwealths Attorneys office. Consider an additional appropriation of $42,776 received from insurance reimbursements to be used to assist in covering the cost of repairing damaged lights at Bassett High School and bus repairs. Henry County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jared Cotton requested the appropriation. Consider an additional appropriation of $4,000 to the Henry County Schools school nutrition budget received from a Summer Meals Program grant. Consider a categorical transfer of funds in the amount of $275,000 from the Henry County Schools operations and maintenance category to the facilities category. The transfer will provide the additional funds needed for the construction of Bengal Tech at Bassett High School. Consider renewing a contract with BMS Direct Inc. of Lynchburg for printing and mailing county forms for personal property, real estate and decal bills and tangible property forms. The contract price is calculated based on the actual number of mailings and billed at an approximate cost of $50,000 annually. The original contract was awarded in 2014 and this is a permitted extension of the contract. Funds are included in the fiscal year 2017 budget for this purpose. Consider awarding a contract in the amount of $75,017.88 to Motorola Solutions Inc. for the purchase of a service and warranty agreement on the countys emergency services radio system. This is a permitted extension of the original contract on the radio system. Funds are included in the fiscal year 2017 county budget. Consider awarding a contract in the amount of $28,922 to Trane Inc. for providing scheduled maintenance services to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems at county facilities during the upcoming fiscal year. This is a permitted extension of the current contract and the price has not changed. Funds for the contract are included in the fiscal year 2017 county budget. Consider awarding a contract to Dan Valley Food Service of Danville to supply food for the Henry County Jail. According to Henry County Sheriff Lane Perry, purchase orders are issued monthly for food, with the amounts needed and the overall price dependent on the number of inmates at a particular time. This contract does not stipulate a total expenditure amount because of the fluctuation in numbers of inmates; however, Perry estimates that the overall contract will be approximately $160,000. Even though there is no set amount, county staff feels that it is a good practice for the board to award the contract because of the size of the potential expenditure. Consider awarding contracts to two contractors as part of the Linden Road Housing Rehabilitation Project. The two contractors are Fairystone Construction of Stuart in the amount of $28,745 for rehabilitation of 35 Linden Road, Bassett, and Kenneth D. Robertson Masonry in Collinsville in the amount of $64,300 for substantial reconstruction of 4 Highland Road, Bassett. Funds for this project were previously appropriated from a Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development grant. Consider awarding a contract to Mark III Brokerage Inc. of Johnson City, Tennessee in the amount of $25,000 for employee benefits brokering services for Henry County and Henry County Public Schools. Mark III will work closely with staff to negotiate rates and fees with companies that offer insurance-related benefits, including health insurance, to county and school employees. Brokering helps ensure the county will receive the best possible rates and services from the vendors. Consider setting a required comment period for a 2016 JAG Grant for the Henry County Sheriffs Office. Sheriff Lane Perry said that his office has been designated to receive $21,741 in funds for the 2016 JAG Grant cycle to pay for overtime for increased enforcement. One requirement of the grant is that the governing body provides a public comment period. The grant will be brought to the board at a future date for acceptance and appropriation. Hear a monthly update from Mark Heath, President and CEO of the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporation. Receive informational items, including the Henry County Administrators report. Hear a monthly update from Henry County Treasurer Scott Grindstaff. Review monthly financial reports. Approve accounts payable. Enter closed session to discuss appointees to the Parks and Recreation Board, Henry-Martinsville Social Services Board and Piedmont Regional Community Services Board; pending legal matters; acquisition/disposal of real estate; and as-yet unannounced industries. Ben R. Williams reports for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at ben.williams@martinsvillebulletin.com. In April, Governor Terry McAuliffe, a Democrat, signed an executive order to restore voting rights to 206,000 felons. As the City of Martinsvilles Vice Mayor, I felt obligated to bring awareness to the voters that there is a movement to block the Governors actions. Opponents contend the Governor exceeded his authority. Proponents state this action helps former felons to reenter society. I support the Governors decision and believe morally it was the right thing to do. Prior to this executive order, one in four African Americans had been denied from voting. Unfortunately, because we are in a presidential election, decisions like this tend to become politicized. Thirty-nine other states and the District of Columbia already allow felons to vote once they have completed their probation period and payment of fines or restitution. The Governor has merely positioned the Commonwealth to do what these 39 states and the District of Columbia have already done. Therefore, I find it disappointing that any elected official would expend public time and resources to oppose this executive order, which seems to be another form of voter repression. In May, Republican leaders filed with the Virginia Supreme Court to block the Governors executive order; and according to recent reports, a ruling will be made on July 29. I believe in second chances. We need to allow people to follow through on their civic duty to vote. Stay informed with what our legislators are doing and join me in letting them know that we believe in second chances, support the Governors executive order and find their recent actions to repress voting disheartening, and possibly unlawful. I am confident the court will rule that the Governor had this authority. On June 26 Spaniards were called to the polls in an atmosphere of polarisation and expectation. These elections came after months of political stalemate, where no party was able to form a government. The polls predicted that the radical left coalition Unidos Podemos (UP) would do well, coming second, and that the parties of the establishment would take a serious hit. However, the unexpected results gave victory to the conservative PP and put the centre-left PSOE slightly ahead of UP. This outcome has caused a certain amount of confusion and pessimism among activists and militants. Our task, however, is neither to laugh nor to cry, as Spinoza said, but to understand. The results were as follows: PP 33.03% - 137 seats (Dec 20, 2015: 28.71 and 123 seats) PSOE 22.66% - 86 seats (22%, 90 seats) Unidos Podemos 21.1% - 71 seats (24.49%, 71 seats) Ciudadanos (centre populists) 13.05% - 32 seats (13.94%, 40 seats) ERC (centre-left Catalan nationalists) 2.63% - 9 seats CDC (right-wing Catalan nationalists) 2.01% - 8 seats PNV (right-wing Basque nationalists) 1.22% - 5 seats Bildu (left-wing Basque nationalists) 0.78% - 2 seats Coalicion Canaria (Canary regionalists) 0.31% - 1 seat Image: Ministerio del Interior - Note: Unidos Podemos is the sum of Podemos-IU-Equo, ECP, Podemos-Compromis-EUPV, Podemos-En Marea-Anova-EU The percentages and shares of seats have not varied fundamentally compared to the December elections. The results of Unidos Podemos are not what was expected according to all opinion polls, retaining the same number of seats but losing over a million votes. Overall participation was down by 3.3 percentage points, about 1.2 million voters less than in December 2015. Unidos Podemos stagnates Unidos Podemos closing rally in Alicante - Photo: Jose CamoA combination of factors explains UPs unimpressive results. The organisation of the campaign was unprofessional, with only a small number of poorly advertised rallies. The general political line of the campaign (particularly at the beginning) was one of appealing to PSOE voters on their own terrain with Pablo Iglesias openly stating that what he wanted was a new social democracy. In the only TV debate between the main leaders, Iglesias focused his intervention on appealing to PSOE leader Sanchez to strike a deal with them. On several occasions, Pablo Iglesias declared that UP was the party of the fatherland, law and order. Of course this was meant as an attack on those who fill their mouths with the word fatherland and then keep their money in offshore accounts in Switzerland or Panama, and the references to law and order were meant as an attack on the rich and powerful who break the law and wreak havoc on working people's lives. Still, this kind of language did not go down well with a layer of left-wing voters and was a reflection of a conscious attempt to tone down the language in order to appeal to more moderate voters, when in reality the opposite is what was required. A layer of UP voters (particularly some coming from United Left - IU) were probably put off by this kind of moderate language. Opinion polls showed that about a third of those who voted IU on December 20 were not sure of voting UP now (that would be 300,000 people). Others could not be convinced to vote this time round. The campaign became more radical in the last few rallies, particularly the closing rally in Madrid, where Pablo Iglesias delivered a very sharp militant left-wing speech and appealed to the traditions of working class struggle. The problem is that what he said did not go much beyond those people who were present at those rallies. In Catalonia, En Comu Podem (the Catalan version of UP) came first, but the results were less than expected, barely maintaining what was won in December in percentage terms and losing about 80,000 votes. Here, Barcelona mayor Ada Colau had made a deal with the PSOE to run the council and has not dealt correctly with the tube and bus workers' strike, in addition to controversies regarding police violence against street vendors. All of this has played a negative role. In December many of the CUP (Catalan pro-independence anti-capitalist party) voted for ECP (UP in Catalonia), but not this time. Moreover, in the days before the elections, a scandal broke out with the revelation that the Minister of the Interior had, in 2014, pressured a senior police official to try to frame the Catalan nationalist parties with spurious evidence. This clearly rallied numerous voters behind the nationalist camp, particularly behind the left-wing ERC. Unlike in December, the campaign was almost completely disconnected from the struggles that Podemos was born out of (15M, anti-austerity and anti-cuts campaigns, the anti-evictions movement). They did not feature in any of the election videos and were seldom mentioned in the debates. Unidos Podemos closing rally in Madrid - Photo: Jose CamoIn short, the campaign and the message were not radical and enthusiastic enough. The election program had been watered down since December. The whole of the activity of Podemos had concentrated on the electoral/parliamentary field. The last big mobilisation was the huge march Podemos called in Madrid in January 2015. It is true that the mood at the rallies, particularly in the last few days of the campaign, was radical and enthusiastic, with many Republican and red flags. But that was not the public profile of UP during the campaign and the mood on the rallies did not percolate sufficiently beyond those who attended the rallies and to the wider public. Other, more accidental factors were probably also at play. The elections took place in late June, in a weekend that is a bank holiday in several Spanish regions. This meant that sections of the electorate were harder to mobilise, particularly the young, urban layers that are the bedrock of UP. The increase in postal voting indicates that many people were away, and some may not have voted at all because of this. It is likely that the youth vote dropped while it was the mobilisation of the elderly and the reactionary layers that propped up participation figures. Many people, especially the least politicised sectors, were tired after months of political deadlock. The sloppiness of the campaign and the triumphalism of the UP leadership, which felt confident it would score a good result, did little to mobilise its less committed voters. It is against the general background of a more vacuous and moderate campaign (with toothless debates in the words of former Podemos leader Monedero) that political attacks against Unidos Podemos had a certain impact amongst some layers. Podemos leaders (though not so much those of IU) were reluctant to explain their position on Venezuela and avoided any questions on Greece and the fate of the Syriza government. Faced with a massive onslaught in the media, it was not enough to say that the right wing was using the issue of Venezuela as a smoke-screen. One should be able to explain the gains of the Bolivarian revolution, why they should be defended and the coup-plotting nature of the opposition. Regarding Greece, the main problem is that the leaders of Podemos have exactly the same program Tsipras had in January 2015 and their only defence against the idea that this inevitably leads to capitulation and cuts is the very weak argument that Spain is bigger and therefore has more leverage vis a vis the Troika in order to renegotiate deficit reduction commitments. In looking at the disappointing results of Unidos Podemos one has to put them in the context of a situation where at no other time in the last 40 years has a party to the left of the PSOE won 5 million votes and 71 seats. The previous best result was that of the Communist Party in 1979, when it got 10% and 21 seats. The PSOE holds on Spanish Congress - Photo: Luis Javier Modino Martinez CC BY 2.0Nonetheless, taken at face value the resilience of the PSOE appears surprising. All polls and commentators were predicting its rapid decay, in line with other European social democratic parties. The word pasokizacion has been heard a lot lately. Still, while losing 120,000 votes and 5 seats, the PSOE managed to hold onto second position with the same percentage, which was in fact its main objective during the campaign. The PSOE continues to hold onto much of its base of support in small towns and rural areas and among the elderly, especially in Andalusia, where it won in the provinces of Seville, Jaen and Huelva. The claim by the PSOE - albeit false - repeated by the media, that Podemos was an obstacle to the formation of a left-wing government after December, also seems to have held sway among a layer of its supporters. It is worth noting that the PP beat the PSOE in Andalucia overall, with the PSOE losing about 80,000 votes and the PP winning 120,000. This defeat in one of the PSOEs last strongholds will certainly damage Susana Diaz, the regional president and figurehead of the partys right wing who is at loggerheads with general secretary Pedro Sanchez. The development of the current political process in Spain has particular features. Despite the sharp social and economic crisis of the past few years, the ruling class had a stable and reliable government under the PP between 2011 and 2015, which enjoyed an absolute majority. This means that other parties, namely the PSOE, have not been decisively put to the test, while discontent has been overwhelmingly directed against the hated PP. The PSOE only carried out austerity for one year under Zapatero in 2010-11. This contrasts with the PASOK in Greece, which implemented austerity for longer and then entered a coalition with the conservatives. The five years of majority PP government have resulted in a combined and uneven development of consciousness. A large sector of the urban youth and working class, steeled in the mass struggles of 2011-14, is very militant and has come to the conclusion that only radical change will solve societys problems, and stands behind UP. However, there is a more conservative layer of the working class that still believes that the fundamental problem is the PP and that a moderate, predictable alternative to the current situation is possible in the form of the PSOE. The panic generated around Brexit increased the conservative outlook of these layers. As we have already noted, Brexit will have reactionary consequences (at least in the short term) not only in Britain but across Europe. The attempts by UP to change the persuasion of these sectors by moving to the centre has not met with any success. On the contrary, it makes UP seem inconsistent and untrustworthy in the eyes of many PSOE voters, and only dampens the enthusiasm of the core of UP supporters. A rapid collapse of the PSOE will only come about if it comes into office, when it will reveal its complete political bankruptcy. Otherwise, in opposition, its decline will be slower and more uneven, and cannot be accelerated by UP with the use of contorted rhetoric. The Catalan question In Catalonia, this result, which pushes away the perspective of a government of change in Spain committed to Catalan self-determination, will strengthen those who advocate that Catalonia should go it alone and that the struggle for a republic and radical change can proceed faster in Catalonia than in the rest of Spain. There has been a clear shift in Catalonia from the bourgeois nationalist CDC to the more radical left-wing nationalist ERC, while En Comu Podem, which defends the right to self-determination (even if that should be implemented unilaterally without an agreement with Madrid) and contains sectors that are close to Catalan independence, is still the largest party in Catalonia. The call for a unilateral process towards independence will gain a lot of traction. Faced with a rabidly chauvinistic PP government, any moves towards independence will find itself on a collision course with the central government. The ECP should challenge the ERC to break its government alliance with the CDC and form a left majority in Catalonia based on an end to austerity and the right to self-determination. The outcome of this is unclear, but it will add to the enormous instability and polarisation that is coming. The victory of the PP and the decline of Ciudadanos The success of the PP, which grew by over 5 percentage points and gained 1,300,000 votes, and the relative decline of Ciudadanos, which lost 400,000 votes and 8 seats, are not hard to explain. The rise of UP, amplified by the opinion polls, threw most conservative and centre voters into the arms of the PP, the most consistent force of reaction in Spain. Spain has not only seen polarisation to the left, but, naturally, also to the right. Despite the absolute corruption of the PP, which is plain for everyone to see, rocked as it is by weekly scandals, it was able to rally behind it all the reactionary layers in society. Ciudadanos attempted to ape the PP as a squarely reactionary party, but is still seen as a less reliable right-wing force, and has lost its appeal among conservative sectors whose main concern is to stop UP. What now? A PP-Ciudadanos government now looks probable. No party wants new elections (neither do the masses) and, however complicated, this time round negotiations will probably result in some form of bourgeois government. The PP and Ciudadanos together have 169 seats. With the backing of the PNV and Coalicion Canaria, plus one abstention, they would have a slim majority to form a government. Such a government will have to carry out brutal cuts from day one and will very quickly attract the hatred of the masses. The EU is asking for 8 billion euros in cuts for this year and the next, plus a possible two-billion euro fine for having breached deficit regulations. Rajoy eased up on austerity in the course of the last year with an eye on the elections, but will now have to redouble cuts and increase attacks on the working class, all in a context of global economic uncertainty. The Spanish bourgeois may have been popping champagne corks last night, but their victory is a poisoned chalice that will pave the way for further radicalisation in the future. Rajoy has immediately said that it will seek the support of the PSOE to form a coalition government. That would give the Spanish ruling class the most stable government possible, with 254 seats if Ciudadanos were to be included, well above the 176 needed for an overall majority. From the point of view of the PP this would be their preferred option as it would mean sharing out the responsibility for implementing brutal cuts. However, it would be the kiss of death for the PSOE which would prefer to abstain in the second vote of government formation, allowing the setting up of a PP-Ciudadanos government, while at the same time staying outside. A grand coalition would be dangerous as it would leave UP as the only opposition party, preparing its rise to power later on. The possibility of a left-wing government headed by the PSOE looks extremely remote. It might still be possible that PP-Ciudadanos may not get the necessary backing from the PNV, or that negotiations between the PP and Ciudadanos might break down, and the PSOE could then take up the gauntlet. UP has shown its commitment to a left-wing government, although they will set conditions that will be hard to stomach for the PSOE. Sanchez, the socialist leader, is kept in check by the powerful regional barons of his party, who are extremely hostile to any pacts with UP and would rather see the conservatives in power. More importantly, if Sanchez attempted to form a government he would need the support of ERC, CDC, the PNV and Bildu, which would in all likelihood demand in exchange a referendum on independence for Catalonia, which is an absolute anathema for the PSOE. With Rajoy back in power and an unprecedented austerity programme, the divide between left and right will deepen. We will likely see new rounds of mass mobilisations and struggles on the streets and in the factories. In this context, UP will have an excellent platform in opposition. If it uses this intelligently, its bumpy ascent towards power is set to continue. Consequences for the left There will be internal consequences for UP from these results. In the previous months there was tension between Inigo Errejon (the political secretary) and Pablo Iglesias (the general secretary) over the alliance with Izquierda Unida. For a long time Podemos had been dominated by the idea, defended by Errejon, that it "is neither left-wing nor right-wing" and that it should water down its rhetoric to bring people together. Errejon bitterly resisted any pact with IU. This wing was effectively defeated in the party after the agreement with IU was reached in the spring. Last night, in a press conference, Iglesias stated categorically that he does not regret the convergence with IU and will continue to defend it. But this morning Errejon's wing had already issued a virulent statement in disagreement with Pablo Iglesias, openly questioning the continuation of the alliance with the United Left and launching a virulent and strongly worded attack against Monedero, who had written an article arguing that the campaign had been toothless, with an empty discourse and complaining that Podemos is lacking popular mobilisation and needs to go back to the streets. On the side of the United Left, those who opposed the agreement will now also feel stronger and vindicated in their criticism. Marxists should defend unity between Podemos and IU, which had nothing to do with the bad results. In fact, Alberto Garzon, the leader of IU, was one of the most popular leaders of this campaign, even outshining Iglesias. The crippling division of the left we have seen in the past and the sectarianism between the activists of the different parties must be avoided at all costs. It is also possible that the underwhelming results could prepare a turn to the centre and further moderation with the excuse that "we were too radical". This would only serve to dishearten UPs most resolute supporters and increase the hesitancy of those layers that are wavering between the PSOE and UP. Instead Unidos Podemos should go back to its roots in terms of both mass participation (which is only possible with democratic structures) and a radical program of opposition to the regime. Under the hammer blows of the crisis and under a new PP government, UP can continue its ascent if it patiently explains that the Establishment parties have no solution to societys problems, and that the only way forward is a root-and-branch transformation of society under a government of the radical left. Furthermore, we as Marxists have argued that such a program cannot be implemented within the limits of capitalism. Today, the implementation of the urgent measures that working people in Spain and across Europe need, can only be carried out through the expropriation of the capitalist class, so that the resources of society can be put under the democratic control of the many, not the few. Chicken will be the best-positioned protein due to its low price position in times of pressure on consumer spending power but rises in production costs and the long-term impact of COVID-19 threaten to disrupt the sector, according to Rabobank. BioVentrix, a company out of San Ramon, California, landed CE Mark approval in the EU for its Revivent TC system that allows for reconstruction of the left ventricule without an open heart surgery. The minimally invasive system can be an option over traditional open-chest surgical ventricular restoration, particularly for fragile patients who would not be good candidates for a more invasive procedure. Heart attacks can kill significant amount of myocardial tissue within the left ventricle, weakening it, and increasing ventricular wall tension if dilation occurs (via LaPlaces Law). Reducing the volume of the ventricle can allow it to be more efficient, but post-myocardial infarction patients can have a hard time making through open heart surgery. The Revivent TC system involves the delivery of pairs of anchors that compress and clamp the left ventricle. This is done through a few ports outside the body via which the tools are delivered to meet up within the heart. Heres a company video explaining the Revivent TC procedure: Product page: Revivent TC Via: BioVentrix by Tanya Gazdik , June 27, 2016 With Independence Day around the corner, Brand Keys is revealing the brands that consumers consider the most patriotic. Disney joins Jeep to lead the parade, followed by Levi Strauss, Ralph Lauren and Ford. Issues regarding patriotism have been raised to even higher levels of debate than usual, partly due to it being an election year, says Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys, Inc., the New York-based brand loyalty and emotional engagement research consultancy. There is a difference between nationalism and patriotism, Passikoff tells Marketing Daily. Patriotism is a pride in ones country and a willingness to defend it, he says. It is courage, it is freedom of speech, it is liberty. It is ultimately a set of values that people admire and that brands can use to better position themselves. But from the perspective of nationalism, which is what I think weve been seeing grow over the past decade, it is a belief in the superiority of one country over another and its usual form is aggressiveness. Its a poor substitute for patriotism. advertisement advertisement Nationalism pits citizen against citizen, he says, while patriotism is rooted in values. Nationalism is rooted in rivalry. I dont see many global brands playing up nationalism, Passikoff says. Heritage perhaps, but only in the most gentle of ways, and even then the focus will usually be on a value -- like German engineering -- that translates to a benefit that is benign as regards country yet leveragable as it regards category. Just wrapping your brand in the flag wont do it anymore, he adds. There has to be a foundation to believe in the value, Passikoff says. Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion. When brands do that we call it promotion, not patriotism. Real patriotism is the quiet and steady dedication of a lifetimes work, whether youre a brand or a person. Election years, and holidays like Independence Day, give marketers opportunities to help citizens celebrate -- and brands leverage -- particular emotional values, he says. In this instance, brand advertising and social outreach typically features patriotic flag-waving and red-white-and-blue motifs, Passikoff says. Marketers cue the Sousa marches and Uncle Sam lookalikes in attempts to leverage patriotic emotions, and as this competition doesnt end at the voting booth but includes the marketplace, all is done in the cause of increased sales. When it comes to engaging consumers, waving an American flag and having an authentic foundation for being able to wave the flag are entirely different things, and the consumer knows it, Passikoff says. More importantly, believability and authenticity are key to emotional engagement, he says. The more engaged a consumer is with a particular emotional value and the associated brand, the more likely theyll act positively on that belief. Where a brand can establish real emotional connections, consumers are six times more likely to believe and behave positively toward the brand. Its not surprising that many brands that consumers put in the top 50 are American icons, Passikoff says, which is confirmed by the movement up the list into the top 50 of modern-day examples including: Starbucks, J. Crew, Kraft, ABC-TV, Nike, and Old Navy. The five brands appearing among 2015s Most Patriotic Brands that showed significant engagement growth this year when it came to the value of patriotism included: Kelloggs (+13), Converse (+11), McDonalds (+10), Sam Adams (+9) and KFC (+5). Brand Keys conducted a national sample of 4,750 consumers ages 16 to 65, who were asked to evaluate which of the 248 brands included this year were most resonant when it comes to patriotism. Consumers identified the following brands. Percentages indicate brands emotional engagement strength for the individual value of patriotism. by Richard Whitman , Columnist, June 26, 2016 This is getting tiresome! First there was that sexist ad. Then there was that book that quoted only men that Cindy Gallop called out. Now Leo Burnett in Malaysia has been accused of copying the work of Malaysian filmmaker Tan Chui Mui and scriptwriter John Cho We Jun. The agency created a 4:58 ad called Rubber Boy, which was created for Petronas's Chinese New Year. The work won a Lion for Best Script in Film Craft. Regarding the plagiarism claim, Kuala Lumpur Screenwriter's Association Chairman Alfie Palermo said: Both Tan Chui Mui and John Cho We Jun were uncredited, and their idea plagiarized and manipulated by Leo Burnett Arc Malaysia without their consent and knowledge. Such blatant plagiarism by an internationally recognized advertising agency such as Leo Burnett is a breach of any writers rights and should not be allowed to persist. We would like to stage our official protest towards this act and implore the officials of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to investigate this matter immediately. advertisement advertisement Tan and John said their Rubber Bot idea was presented to Petronas in December of 2014 but was not selected for use. Tan said the Leo Burnett and Petronas "liked our script very much" and added: And we were fine with that. And we just pat each other's back and say, good job anyway. Let's work together again! Anyway, there was no Petronas CNY Ad in 2015. In January 2016, we were quite shocked to see Rubber Boy. Defending the work in a lengthy Facebook post, Leo Burnett Creative Director James Yap said the idea was inspired by a very personal family story about his grandfather who escaped detection in the 1930's when the Japanese invaded. At the time, Yaps grandfather served in the British Air Force. On why she waited six months to claim the work was plagiarized, Tan added: For many months I was just keeping quiet. As I do not like to waste time complaining. But I can't believe how an ad agency like Leo Burnett can just use the story I had pitched to them without asking my permission. And when my team Bea Meow and We Jun met them, their lawyer told them that Malaysian law does not protect idea. And the creative writer said they had only used two of the major scenes, not the whole story. For an ad agency which makes money from giving idea, that is really shocking. What had happened to our creative industry? Maybe. Just maybe it's possible for two different people to have the very same idea? I mean, really, every concept has already been executed a hundred times over. There's bound to be some repetition after a while, right? by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, June 27, 2016 Samsung has launched an Explorers program that aims to teach advertisers about virtual reality, since many have a limited understanding, according to Tara Kriese, the company's senior director of VR marketing. She said there is also a plan to work with creators to distribute the content built on its platform. "VR is going to change consumer experiences a lot, similar to what the Web did early on," Kriese said. "Shooting in 360 is very new and figuring out best practices isn't easy. By the time these cameras get in consumers' hands, they will know how to use it." Partners participating in the program include Six Flags, with others to be announced soon. For Six Flags, Samsung created an experience for one of the amusement park's roller coasters now available at nine of its theme parks across America. advertisement advertisement The amusement park began handing out Gear VR headsets to riders, changing the experience of an aging ride. "It allows the roller coaster to become a pallet for new experiences," Kriese said. "Six Flags can repaint the story line whenever they choose." Content creators use the Samsung Gear 360 to shoot the digital content that people view through the VR headset. Augmented reality and holographic imagery will come next, Kriese said. It has been a long wait for VR fans to get a glimpse of the camera. Shortly after announcing Gear 360 at Mobile World Congress in February, the company said the U.S. would not be among the first markets to get their hands on the VR camera. VidCon was the first place in the U.S. that advertisers and content creators had a chance to see Gear 360 up close at work. VR has become the next bright shiny object, so introducing the immersive Gear 360 camera in the U.S. at VidCon with creators before it goes on sale to the general public later this year seems part of the plan to build excitement for the hardware. The first introduction of the camera came earlier this year from YouTube star Casey Neistat, when he took a Samsung Gear 360 camera to the Oscars. Then just prior to VidCon, Samsung gave the camera to 10 YouTube creators and held a film premier at the event, allowing creators to start buying the camera before it goes on sale later this year. Samsung Theater, built inside the Creators Lounge, showcased video creator Neistat and a series of 360 films shot using the Gear 360 by a hand-picked group of YouTube artists at VidCon. The biggest challengecreators must use Gear 360 with specific phones. by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, June 27, 2016 According to the annual World Press Trends survey by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, audiences are contributing an increasing share of the total global newspaper revenue. Newspaper circulation revenue represents 53% of the overall industry revenue, underscoring the trend that audiences have become publishers biggest source of revenue. WAN-IFRA CEO Vincent Peyregne presented the survey at the 68th World News Media Congress, 23rd World Editors Forum and 26th World Advertising Forum in Cartagena, Colombia. He also announced the launch of the World News Media Outlook, a very useful step on the way to a new approach of measuring and assessing the performance and priorities of leading news companies worldwide The World Press Trends survey includes data from more than 70 countries, accounting for more than 90% of the global industrys value. The data is compiled by dozens of national newspaper and news media associations and support from global data suppliers: Zenith Optimedia, IPSOS, PwC, ComScore, the Pew Research Center, and the ITU. The survey showed that newspapers generated an estimated US$ 168 billion in circulation and advertising revenue in 2015. 90 billion came from print and digital circulation, while 78 billion came from advertising, says the report. Total global newspaper revenues fell 1.2% in 2015 from a year earlier, and are down 4.3% over the last five years. WAN-IFRA estimates of global industry revenue again include data on non-daily revenue, which is estimated at US$ 8 billion. WPT data indicates that, in most mature newspaper markets, additional revenue brings between 7 and 20% of overall revenue, said Peyregne. More than 2.7 billion adults are reading newspapers in print globally, says the report. Digital newspaper readership is growing, and in some of the most developed economies readership on all digital platforms has surpassed the number of readers in print. World Press Trends analysis estimates that at least 40% of global Internet users read newspapers online. Print Newspaper Circulation and Advertising Trends (2014-2015, % change Y-O-Y) Change In: Region Circulation (2014) Circulation (2015) Ad Revenues (2014) Ad Revenues (2015) Global 6.4% 4.9 -5.2 -7.5 North America -1.3 -2.4 -7.5 -7.2 Europe -4.5 -4.7 -5.0 6.2 Asia 9.8 7.8 -6.5 w/Australia -9.7 Latin America 0.6 -1.5 4.9 0.3 Source: World Assoc. of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) June, 2016 Fast Facts from MarketingCharts show that: Globally, 92% of newspaper revenues are derived from print, down only slightly from 93% in 2014 The largest newspaper markets are the US, Japan, Germany, China, the UK, India and Brazil. Together, these account for a majority of global newspaper revenues and roughly 80% of global daily unit circulation Print unit circulation growth is largely due to increases in Asia. In fact, India and China accounted for an impressive combined 62% of global average daily print unit circulation last year, up from 59% in 2014 While newspapers digital ad revenues arent expected to overtake print ad revenues, they grew by 8.5% in 2015 and by nearly 60% over 5 years Paid digital circulation increased by 30% year-over-year in 2015 (a slower rate than in 2014) and by 547% over the past 5 years (also a slower average than observed in 2014. This growth has been from a small base, though WAN-IFRA says that digital circulation is beginning to offset print circulation revenue losses in many markets, with roughly 1 in 5 online news users paying for content in the countries analyzed Although newspaper ad revenues are on the decline, with print ads having a compound annual growth rate of -9.3% between 2015 and 2020, says MarketingCharts research, print newspaper ads remain effective. In a study on advertising effectiveness, more US adults said they had been influenced to make a purchase from newspaper ads (13.1%) in the previous 6 months than said the same about social networking ads (10.3%), despite social networks having far greater weekly reach than print newspapers (71.1% and 47.1%, respectively). Additionally, the study found that the percentage of adults recalling specific advertisers in print newspaper ads was high relative to the proportion who read newspapers on a weekly basis. Within the US, a new PwC study indicates that advertising continues to account for the majority of newspaper revenues. However, with ad revenues declining and circulation revenues gradually increasing, the gap between the two sources should narrow considerably by 2020, when ad revenues are expected to total $14.9 billion and circulation revenues $12.1 billion. Additional information and detailed regional trends can be found here from MarketingCharts, and here from WAN-IFRA. by Thom Forbes @tforbes, June 27, 2016 The Waldorf-Astoria, the matriarch of the luxury brand that opened on Manhattans Park Ave. in 1931 as the largest hotel in the world and was bought by Chinas Anbang Insurance Group for $1.95 billion in 2014, will close next spring and reopen about three years later with upwards of 1,000 of its 1,413 rooms converted into luxury condominium units. Stories about the plans began to surface in the trades earlier this month but a piece by Craig Karmin in todays Wall Street Journal is attracting wider attention. The changes will radically transform an 85-year-old institution that has played a storied role in American political and cultural life, Karmin writes. Occupying a full city block on Park Avenue, the Waldorf gained worldwide attention for its luxury suites, lavish parties and famous guests. Every president since Herbert Hoover has stayed there, and it has been a New York home to celebrities such as Gen. Douglas MacArthur, Frank Sinatra, and the Duke of Windsor after he abdicated his throne to marry American socialite Wallis Simpson. advertisement advertisement Joe Anuta of Crains New York Businesswrote on June 14 that the conversion would be consistent with a filing Anbang submitted to the city in early 2015, when it subdivided the building into different sections for condos, a hotel and retail. Anbang set aside 1.2 million square feet approximately 75% of the building for residential use, according to the document filed with the city's Department of Finance, though it did not specify how much space would be used for amenities or for hotel ballrooms. Karmin points out that the transition to mostly condominiums units would lead to the elimination of many of the 1,500 jobs at the Waldorf. He reports that Anbang and Hilton Worldwide Holdings, which manages the property, had reached severance agreements with hundreds of workers, according to sources. For its part, Anbang admits something is in the works but says details will have to wait. We are currently developing conceptual plans and will share additional details once those plans are finalized, an Anbang, spokesperson e-mailed Bloomberg after the WSJs story surfaced online. Hui-Yong Yu writes, the scope and details of the renovation, as well as the exact timing and duration of the hotels closure, havent been decided, the company said. The move comes as Chinese regulators question the insurers liquidity and business model and Manhattans $8 billion hotel industry last year showed signs of slowdown. All that piled on top of the core logistical challenges of operating a 1,400-key hotel like the Waldorf, E.B. Solomont wrote in The Real Deal, which covers New York real estate news, on June 20. They cant have a five-star hotel with that many rooms, a source who met with Anbang executives in New York told Solomont. Instead, according to the source, the insurer intends to upgrade the remaining rooms into a high-end, boutique hotel that appeals to international (and Asian) travelers, Solomont wrote. At a speech at Harvard last year, Anbang Chairman Wu Xiaohui said he expected strong returns on the Waldorf investment, and indicated that upgrades would be forthcoming. Meanwhile, the brand has been growing every which way including up. It recently rolled out "Taste of Waldorf Astoria Unforgettable Experiences, a collection of property-specific packages highlighting the high-end gastronomy of each locale, Forrest Cardamenis reported recently in Luxury Daily. The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book by Frank Caiafa, bar manager of the Waldorf chic Peacock Alley watering hole, is not merely a reissue but a celebration of all things imbibable, as well as the iconic hotel itself, Jared Paul Stern writes for Maxim. Its the first update of one of the world's rarest, most classic cocktail books since 1934. And then there are the edifices themselves. Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre is expected to open in Autumn 2017, joining 25 iconic properties in the worlds most sought-after destinations, as a present press release would have it. Those into social media can follow the brand on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, but thats not quite the same as being on the Social Register now, is it (if youll pardon the mention)? by Erik Sass , Staff Writer @eriksass1, June 27, 2016 While social media may seem like a boon to people looking for love, allowing them to meet potential partners based on shared acquaintances and common interests, it may actually be working against users in the long run at least if theyre teenagers. Thats according to a new study by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and NC State University, who found that social media undermines teens ability to manage their relationships with romantic partners. The study, titled Technology-Based Communication and the Development of Interpersonal Competencies Within Adolescent Romantic Relationships: A Preliminary Investigation and published in the Journal of Research on Adolescence, followed 487 adolescent subjects over a year, tracking how much time they spent communicating with romantic partners in person or on the phone, versus via text messages and social media. The researchers found that teens who spent more time communicating with partners via text messages and social media reported lower levels of competence in two key areas of relationship maintenance managing conflict and stating their own needs than did peers who mostly communicated in person or on the phone. These skills cover a number of related activities like defusing arguments before they escalate, understanding their partners perspective, and voicing complaints about aspects of the relationship they dont like. advertisement advertisement While these shortcomings were evident in both male and female subjects, teenage boys were more likely than girls to report lower levels of competence in these areas after relying on texting and social media to communicate with their partners. Lead author Jacqueline Nesi stated: With electronic communications, there are fewer interpersonal cues. Youre not seeing facial expressions or using non-verbal communications. So, the predominant use of social media may limit the opportunity to practice in-person conversations that are crucial for adolescents, particularly boys, to develop important skills. Co-author Mitch Prinstein stated: Social media allows adolescents to be in touch with their peers 24/7. Its a great vehicle to allow adolescents to feel like theyre connected to those who are most important to them in ways that people who grew up before the social media age cant imagine. But in the area of handling some of the tricky parts of relationships, it looks like the more adolescents are using these electronic forms of communication, the worse theyre doing over time in some of these traditional skills. by Philip Rosenstein , Staff Writer, June 27, 2016 Reactions to the Brexit vote varied greatly across the political spectrum in the United States. Donald Trump quickly made the comparison between the success of the Leave vote and support for his campaign, tweeting: Just arrived in Scotland. Place is going wild over the vote. They took their country back, just like we will take America back. No games! Hillary Clinton took the opportunity to confront the populistic rhetoric emanating from the Trump camp, stating that what we need now as a country is steady, experienced leadership, not bombastic comments in turbulent times. Clearly, there are similarities between the Trump vote and the Brexit referendum. Most notably, the high preponderance of older white males and a strong focus on blaming immigration as a source of economic woe. Also central to the similarities is a rejection of the global elite, exemplified by the bureaucrats running the European continent from Brussels and the Washington insiders and legislators seen as out of touch with the ordinary Americans. advertisement advertisement Trump uses this specific language much to the same avail: Come November, the American people will have the chance to re-declare their independence. They will have the chance to reject todays rule by the global elite. The consequences following the Leave vote, however, will likely foreshadow the uncertainty that accompanies rash changes in policy, which have wide-ranging geopolitical ramifications. European financial and diplomatic worries following the Brexit vote pale in comparison to the uncertainty that would follow a Trump win on November 8. The Republican nominees willingness to scrap international deals and completely reevaluate diplomatic and military relationships would likely create an angry response from the global community. Interestingly, after voting Leave, conservative promoters of Brexit have kind of gone into hiding, as David Rennie of The Economist explained on Face the Nation yesterday. He added: They dont know what to do. Theyre the kind of dog that caught the car. And we just dont know what their plan is. The same could be said of Donald Trump, who touts policy prescriptions and diplomatic renegotiations that many experts consider untenable. A roiled United Kingdom, with talk of another Scottish independence vote and a united Ireland, will be an exemplary use case for populism. Many are beginning to realize the results are far from what politicians promised. by Larissa Faw , June 27, 2016 Gerber is introducing a new campaign to help recapture lost share in the baby food category. In recent years, Gerber has battled Earth's Best Organic, Plum Organics and Ell's Kitchen, among others, as moms increasingly focus on using only the healthiest ingredients for their babies. Developed with its agency Terri & Sandy, the campaign -- running through September -- includes a heavy media buy with national TV, national print, digital, and social. The TV buy is targeting moms via A&E, Bravo, E!, The Food Network, HGTV, Lifetime, Ion, Lifetime Movie, Nick at Nite, TBS, TNT, USA, and VH1. The print buy skews heavily female with ads in People, Parents, Fit Pregnancy & Baby and US Weekly. The creative centers around how Gerbers fruits and vegetables are "our babies." And just like mom's little one, Gerber's should be handled with care. The concept contrasts with visual symmetry between babies and Gerber's fruits and vegetables. For instance, one image shows a boy with his wild hair resembling a pineapple. advertisement advertisement Another image juxtaposes a baby with bright blue eyes next to a bowl of blueberries. There's also a long-form Web video to give consumers a more in-depth look into Gerber's process from taking its foods from the farm to homes. The ad buy is on par with prior advertising. Gerber has spent $20 million on advertising during Q1 of this year, on pace with its total annual expenditures of $85 million for the past two years, according to Kantar Media. The emphasis on food production is essential in order to connect with today's families. This effort reintroduces the iconic phrase "Gerber Baby" that taps into Gerbers "commitment to go above and beyond to nourish happy and healthy babies." One in three respondents worldwide (37%) say good nutrition and ingredients/processing (36%) are the most important factors when deciding what baby food products to purchase, according to a recent Nielsen survey. And 18% of North American respondents cite organic as an important consideration. While this percentage may lag behind other countries, North America accounts for 72% of organic baby food sales across 16 countries. "We are excited to launch this campaign that reinforces the precious equity in the Gerber Baby," stated Aileen Stocks, CMO, Nestle Infant Nutrition North America. by Larissa Faw , June 27, 2016 British journalist Caitlin Moran has become a voice for Millennial-aged women with her outspoken frankness about her personal life as well as her provocative thoughts about the current state feminism. Moran was in Cannes last week to discuss her influence, social media and why the Spice Girls are bad for the feminist movement with The&Partnership Founder Johnny Hornby aboard the majestic superyacht Panthalassa. Women were the hot topic during the festival as several agencies and clients have committed to developing positive images. Moran sees both sides of this empowerment issue. Most of her feminist friends think these campaigns like Dove's Campaign for Real Beauty and Always' Like a Girl are "horrific tokenism. Who are they to say what a real woman is?" she asks. "What a horrible phrase that is." advertisement advertisement That said, Moran is okay with this so-called tokenism. "I think it is a step forward. Obviously it is not the ideal, but it's better than what we had before. It is the same as with racism, obviously the worst bit is when people are thinking racist things, and saying racist things. But then if you move on, people are still secretly thinking racist things but they know not to say them anymore and not to shout at people in the street. That's still not ideal but its definitely better than what we had before, and it certainly seems to be moving you to a point where people are both not thinking and saying shitty things." Moran isn't as accepting over the Spice Girls' role in the debate. "When the Spice Girls were asked about how they felt about being a woman, politics and progress and stuff," says Moran, "they went; 'No, we're not feminists but we believe in girl power!' Theres a problem with girl power, Moran proclaims, when compared to feminism. The latter she describes as a legitimate movement with solid aims and legal aims which bring in legislation and history and a way of debating these things which is inclusive and includes everybody and has solid objectives. Girl power on the other hand, just meant being friends with your friends and buying Spice Girls records." Moran's influence spans across both traditional and non-traditional media. She works at the Times and has more than a half of a million followers on social media. "But the key difference between posting stuff on social media and writing for the Times is that you simply have to engage your brain when youre writing for the Times. On Twitter, I don't need to check a fact, you can just say this stuff and get away with it." While cynicism seems to be the dominant thread within the media these days, Moran is optimistic about how social media can serve as a connector. "Without a shadow of a doubt it is the best time to be a human being, but we don't really see that reflected anywhere. It leans against this pessimism and this cynicism and this is why people turn to social media cause they can just go in a little closed group talk to their friends, comfort each other like children sucking their thumbs." She adds, "It's very easy to underestimate just how important it is to just write something that's funny and that cheers people up. I try to do a balance of the two. Half the columns are serious and [the other half is] trying to look at something." There is the need for information curation, she says. The key thing is with social media is it started in the beginning enabling the world to "talk to itself" through universal connection and community, she says. "And then after you spend two years finding out what everyone's thinking, and everyone's saying and infinite opinions, you say, you know what, actually thats not what I wanted. I don't have time to listen to infinite opinions and infinite information. I want to go to some people that I can trust who can tell me what the hell is going on." Still, fragmented information is here to stay, whether it's in advertisements or the media. "You know, we used to sit around and listen to symphonies for nineteen-and-a-half hours," she says. Now singles are three minutes, and you know, that's what we think a song should be. And for kids, its maybe only just kinda the chorus. 'Don't bore us get to the chorus, why not just have the good bit?'" She jokes. An HIV vaccine based on how the adult immune system responds to the virus could take a long time to build protection, say researchers, who after looking at how HIV affects infants, suggest mimicking their immune response may offer a better model. Share on Pinterest The researchers suggest developing HIV vaccines that mimic infant immune responses may lead to faster-acting, effective protection against the virus. In the journal Cell, researchers led by a team from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, describe how broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV can arise in infants within a year after infection much more quickly than in adults. Even though scientists have accumulated mountains of information on HIV, the prospect of a protective vaccine remains elusive. For a vaccine to be effective, it must act relatively quickly to trigger an immune response with the right mix of antibodies to eliminate the virus. Moreover, an effective HIV immune response also adapts to the virus during the infection, and it tweaks its initial antibody response by adding antibodies that have undergone somatic hypermutation. Somatic hypermutated antibodies have enhanced ability to bind to and block the pathogen and form an essential component of a broadly neutralizing response. In the adult immune system, this process can take years even decades to produce an effective, broad immune response that is capable of protection against HIV. A vaccine that mimics the adult immune response would, therefore, take too long to provide protection. Infant antibodies to HIV produced within a year In their study, the team examined samples taken from infants in Nairobi born to HIV-positive mothers in the years before antiretroviral drugs were developed. They found that the infant immune system can produce broadly neutralizing antibodies against many HIV variants within a year after infection and with less fine-tuning than previously thought. Senior author Dr. Julie Overbaugh leads a lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center that investigates mechanisms of HIV transmission and disease development. She says that in contrast to studies of HIV in adults, this study enabled them to document a case in infants where a broadly neutralizing antibody developed in a time frame and in a way that is something that we could consider mimicking with a vaccine. When HIV infects a human, their body cannot control the virus its too late, explains Dr. Overbaugh. Thus, broadly neutralizing antibodies are really a response to the replicating virus and the evolution of the virus. However, to be practical, an HIV vaccine needs to trigger an effective immune response within months not years. The new study builds on previous findings that unexpectedly found broadly neutralizing antibodies can be generated early in life. In that study, the team used blood samples from infants who, with their mothers, took part in a breast-feeding study in the Kenya Research Program. The samples were collected before antiretrovirals were available that can protect infants from becoming HIV-infected through breast milk. Evidence of polyclonal response In the new study, the team took a closer look at the antibodies in the infants blood. They examined the antibody response of one baby in particular the child was HIV-negative at birth but was infected by the age of 4 months. The researchers found the infants blood contained evidence of what is called a polyclonal response. Dr. Overbaugh explains that all adults studied so far have produced immune responses that are dominated by a single, specific antibody. Polyclonal responses are much harder for viruses to elude and much more likely to protect against a wider range of variants. The team also found that broadly neutralizing antibodies in the infant samples had gained their HIV-blocking abilities without exhaustive rounds of somatic hypermutation, which in theory shortens the time it takes to produce a broadly neutralizing response. In another part of the study, the team found that the infant broadly neutralizing antibodies target a different site on HIV to that targeted by adult antibodies again suggesting a different path from infection to protection. People who visit parks for 30 minutes or more each week are much less likely to have high blood pressure or poor mental health than those who don't, according to new research by Australian and UK environmental scientists. A study led by The University of Queensland (UQ) and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED) suggests people might need a minimum "dose of nature". UQ CEED researcher Dr Danielle Shanahan said parks offered health benefits including reduced risks of developing heart disease, stress, anxiety and depression. "If everyone visited their local parks for half an hour each week there would be seven per cent fewer cases of depression and nine percent fewer cases of high blood pressure," she said. "Given that the societal costs of depression alone in Australia are estimated at $A12.6 billion a year, savings to public health budgets across all health outcomes could be immense," she said. UQ CEED researcher Associate Professor Richard Fuller said the research could transform the way people viewed urban parks. "We've known for a long time that visiting parks is good for our health, but we are now beginning to establish exactly how much time we need to spend in parks to gain these benefits," he said. "We have specific evidence that we need regular visits of at least half an hour to ensure we get these benefits." Dr Shanahan said 40 per cent of Brisbane residents did not visit an urban park in a typical week. "So how can we encourage people to spend more time in green space?" she said. "We need more support and encouragement of community activities in natural spaces. "For example, the Nature Play programs in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia provide heaps of ideas for helping kids enjoy the great outdoors. "Our children especially benefit from spending more time outdoors. Kids who grow up experiencing natural environments may benefit developmentally and have a heightened environmental awareness as adults than those who don't." The research is published in Nature Scientific Reports. The research team included scientists from UQ's School of Public Health, the University of Exeter, and CSIRO Land and Water. The Australian Government funds the Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions to inform evidence-based policy and sustainable management of the Australian environment. A new study shows that microRNAs, which are small, noncoding RNA molecules that can silence genes, have an important role in inducing asthma. Regulating the function of specific miRNAs identified in the study could represent a new approach to asthma therapy, according to an article in Stem Cells and Development, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Stem Cells and Development website. In "MicroRNAs Involved in Asthma Following Mesenchymal Stem Cell Treatment," Guan-Nan Tang and coauthors from Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, examined the changing levels of miRNAs in a mouse model of asthma following the induction of asthma and after a transplant of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). The BM-MSCs alleviate asthma-related airway inflammation. The researchers identified a series of miRNAs that had different expression levels after asthma induction and BM-MSC treatment. "This exciting convergent work provides not only a model for revealing novel discoveries in disease pathogenesis, but also proposes the miR21-Acvr2a axis as a critical regulator of the therapeutic effect of MSC in asthma," says Editor-in-Chief Graham C. Parker, PhD, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI. Article: MicroRNAs Involved in Asthma After Mesenchymal Stem Cells Treatment, Tang Guan-Nan, Li Cheng-Lin, Yao Yin, Xu Zhi-Bin, Deng Meng-Xia, Wang Shu-Yue, Sun Yue-Qi, Shi Jian-Bo, and Fu Qing-Ling, Stem Cells and Development, doi:10.1089/scd.2015.0339, published online 3 June 2016. A study published in the journal CELL indicates that two genes associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) are key regulators of the immune system, providing direct evidence linking Parkinson's to autoimmune disease. A team of scientists led by Dr. Michel Desjardins from the University of Montreal and Dr. Heidi McBride from the Montreal Neurological Institute and Hospital (MNI) at McGill University have discovered that two genes associated with Parkinson's disease (PD) are key regulators of the immune system, providing direct evidence linking Parkinson's to autoimmune disease. Using both cellular and mouse models, the team has shown that proteins produced by the two genes, known as PINK1 and Parkin, are required to prevent cells from being detected and attacked by the immune system. When PINK1 and Parkin are dysfunctional, as is the case in a subset of Parkinson's patients, cells display small parts of proteins at their surface, known as antigens, derived from mitochondria. The presence of these antigens at the cell surface causes the activation of immune cells called lymphocyte T cells. These T cells, which can enter the brain, have the ability to destroy any cell displaying the mitochondrial antigens on their surface. Parkinson's is caused by the death of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. An overactive immune system due to dysfunctional PINK1 and Parkin genes could explain why dopaminergic neurons die in Parkinson's patients. This indicates that Parkinson's may be one of many autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. An autoimmune disease is one in which the body's own immune system attacks healthy cells. Researchers suspected that mitochondria, organelles within cells that are responsible for the production of energy and other metabolites, play a role in Parkinson's. It was widely believed that mitochondria become damaged in Parkinson's patients, creating a toxic build-up of broken mitochondria that eventually leads to neuron cell death. However, it has been difficult to provide evidence that this is effectively happening in animal models. The new findings of the Desjardins/McBride teams linking PD to autoimmune mechanisms, published in the prestigious journal Cell on June 23, have been validated in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease where PINK1 or Parkin are absent. "Clinicians have shown that the immune system is activated in the brain of PD patients," says Dr. Diana Matheoud, a postdoctoral fellow from the University of Montreal and the article's first author. "Our study explains how an attack by the immune system may be responsible for the destruction of dopaminergic neurons during the disease. We are currently testing whether autoimmune mechanisms lead to the loss of dopaminergic neurons in mice, and developing systems to extend our study to human neurons." "Antigen presentation was not believed to play a direct role in Parkinson's disease," says McBride. "While most laboratories are following the trail of the 'toxic mitochondria' model, our path led us to observe Parkinson's disease from a different point of view. Our approach, centered on the immune system, led us down a different road where we were able to observe that autoimmunity is likely to play an important role in the progression of the disease." Now that a link has been established between two key genes involved in the pathology of Parkinson's disease and autoimmune mechanisms, the next step is to develop drugs that can limit the presentation of mitochondrial antigens. Remarkably, the mechanism by which mitochondrial antigens are presented involves a process of vesicle formation, originally described by the McBride group, offering molecular targets for the development of new drugs in an effort to block this process. The researchers' findings may also lead to better treatments for other diseases. "We think that our study is paradigm shifting because we have identified a new biological pathway linking mitochondria to immune mechanisms in Parkinson's disease. This opens the possibility to use therapies based on modulation of the immune system, something already done for the treatment of other diseases," says Desjardins. "Interestingly, the role played by PINK1 and Parkin in limiting the presentation of mitochondrial antigens may not only regulate a process that impact Parkinson's disease, but may also affect other autoimmune diseases like diabetes and lupus, and primary biliary cirrhosis, where a link to mitochondrial antigen presentation has been observed." "This paper suggests an entirely novel mechanism by which these recessive, inherited mutations may lead to neurodegeneration," says Jon Stoessl, Professor and Head of Neurology at the University of British Columbia & Vancouver Coastal Health, and former Director of the Pacific Parkinson's Research Centre. "There has been much interest in the potential role of inflammation in PD. Previous studies on Parkin and PINK1 have focused on disruption of mitochondrial housekeeping functions. While the current findings may clearly be related, they suggest an entirely novel approach to the development of targeted therapies. It should be remembered that these are rare causes of Parkinson's disease and the relevance to dominantly inherited and sporadic forms of disease remains to be determined." This research was funded with the help of the Canadian Institute for Health Research and the Canadian Research Chairs program of Canada. Behaviors caused by traumatic experiences in early life are reversible. Researchers from the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich could demonstrate that environmental enrichment allows trauma-related symptoms in mice to be reversed. This is the first evidence that positive environmental factors can correct behavioral alterations which would otherwise be transmitted to the offspring. The symptoms and their reversal are associated with epigenetic regulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene. Traumatic experiences in childhood increase the risk of developing behavioral and psychiatric disorders later in life. It is also known that the consequences of a trauma can likewise be observed in the children of people affected even if those children have themselves not experienced any trauma. However, childhood trauma in some conditions can also help individuals deal better with difficult situations later in life. This ability, too, is passed onto following generations. These findings have recently been uncovered by Isabelle Mansuy, Professor of Neuroepigenetics at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, during investigations carried out in mice. A positive environment reverses behavioral symptoms Mansuy's team of researchers has now demonstrated for the first time that such trauma-related behavioral alterations are reversible in mice. If male mice exposed to trauma in early postnatal life live in pleasant conditions as an adult, their behavior and the behavior of their offspring returns to normal. "Long after the traumatic experiences themselves, living in enriched conditions reverses the behavioral symptoms in adult animals and also prevents the transmission of these symptoms to the progeny", summarizes Isabelle Mansuy the new findings. Lead author Katharina Gapp and her colleagues exposed newborn male mice to traumatic stress by separating them from their mothers at irregular intervals and stressing their mother unpredictably during separation. Subsequently, the male mice and their male offspring behaved significantly differently from the control mice when exposed to challenging situations. Examples related to their natural avoidance of bright light or their behavior when confronted with complex and constantly changing tasks, for example to obtain a water ration when thirsty. Epigenetic dysregulation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene is reversible At the molecular level, these behavioral alterations are associated with an increased level of the glucocorticoid receptor in the hippocampus - a brain area essential for cognitive processes and that contributes to stress responses. This altered expression results from an epigenetic dysregulation of the gene for the receptor that binds stress hormones like cortisone. The activity of this gene is normally reduced by DNA methylation, an epigenetic mark that silences genes. Traumatic experiences lead to the removal of some of these DNA methylation marks which results in an increase in gene activity and an increased production of the glucocorticoid receptor. The epigenetic alterations are not only found in the hippocampus of the offspring of traumatized mice, but also in the germ cells of their fathers. The scientists thus assume that alterations in DNA methylation are transmitted to the progeny through the sperm. Isabelle Mansuy and her team have now shown that the impact of childhood trauma can be corrected by a low-stress and enriched environment in adult life. At the same time, the correction the of DNA methylation pattern prevents the symptoms from being inherited by the offspring. A universal mechanism for transmitting characteristics caused by the environment "Until now, only pharmacological drugs were known to correct epigenetic alterations in a consequential way for behavior. Now we know that this is also possible through environmental manipulations such as enriched conditions", highlights Isabelle Mansuy. The researchers suspect that this reversible epigenetic transmission is an universal mechanism that may also be partially responsible for transmitting other characteristics to the offspring, for example metabolic disorders due to poor nutrition or pathologies induced by endocrine disruptors. Finding suggests novel ways to improve breast cancer care. One of the first clues pathologists look for in tissue from a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient is the estrogen receptor, a nuclear protein that converts hormonal messages in the bloodstream into instructions for the cell about how to behave. They also look for the presence of progesterone receptors, primarily to confirm that the estrogen receptor is active. In the June 24 issue of Science Advances, however, researchers radically upgrade the significance of the progesterone receptor. They show that when exposed to estrogens and progestins, these receptor proteins interact with different sets of binding sites in the cell's chromosomes, with the progesterone receptor dramatically altering how estrogen receptors interact with the cell's DNA. Share on Pinterest Tumor cells in the placebo-treated mice grew rapidly. Tamoxifen prevented the tumors from growing. CDB4124 initially caused the tumors to regress, but after 35 days, the tumors began growing again. The combination of tamoxifen and CDB4124 caused tumors to shrink 70 percent by day 60 Image Credit: The Greene Laboratory "In the last year or two, researchers have tuned into the extensive and previously unrecognized cross talk between the progesterone and estrogen receptors," said study author Geoffrey Greene, PhD, the Virginia and D. K. Ludwig Professor and Chairman of the Ben May Department for Cancer Research at the University of Chicago. "We now know that this relationship can be better understood and potentially exploited." "This observation is important," he added, "because more than two-thirds of breast cancers contain both estrogen and progesterone receptors." Previous studies from many labs, including a group at Cambridge University, showed that when exposed to the primary female sex hormone, estradiol, the estrogen receptor activates genes that encourage tumor cells to grow and divide. "In this setting, the cancer cells grow faster," Greene said. "They divide faster and they live longer, which helps the breast cancer progress to a more advanced state." "Our study, as well as that of the Cambridge group, showed that when progesterone or a progestin is added, it changes the landscape in the nucleus," Greene said. "It opens up a whole new set of binding sites for the estrogen receptor that now work in conjunction with the progesterone receptor." This combination inhibits cellular proliferation, cell survival and pathways involved in metastasis. "Our data further suggest that, despite the historical bias toward the effects of estrogen on the estrogen receptor, it's the progesterone receptor that dominantly controls estrogen receptor activity when both receptors are present and activated." In their Science Advances paper, Greene, lead author Hari Singhal, now a postdoctoral scholar at Harvard University, and colleagues took a step further. Building on the well-established use of tamoxifen, an estrogen antagonist, to treat women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancers, they decided to inhibit the activities of both receptors with antagonists to see if there would be an added benefit of combining two receptor-selective drugs. Using a well-established ER+/PR+ human breast cancer model (T47D) implanted in immune-compromised mice, they tested their theory in four groups of mice. One group received a placebo. A second group received tamoxifen. The third group was treated with a progesterone receptor antagonist, an experimental drug known as CDB4124 (Telapristone). The fourth group was treated with tamoxifen plus CDB4124 to simultaneously block both the estrogen and progesterone receptors. Tumor cells in the placebo-treated mice grew rapidly, to about 200 percent their original size in seven weeks. Tamoxifen, the estrogen antagonist, prevented the tumors from growing but did not cause them to shrink. CDB4124, the progestin antagonist, initially caused the tumors to regress, but after 35 days, the tumors began growing again; by seven weeks they were about 50 percent larger than their original size. Significantly, the combination of tamoxifen and CDB4124 caused tumors to shrink. "Virtually full regression was observed in a subset of mice," Singhal said. By day 60, the average tumor volume in mice treated with tamoxifen plus CDB4124 was 70 percent lower than the original tumors. "These findings," the authors note, "emphasize the clinical value of assessing both progesterone receptor and estrogen receptor expression in breast cancer samples." Not only is the progesterone receptor an "essential modulator of estrogen-receptor-regulated genes," but it also significantly contributes to the "prognostic value of estrogen receptors in ER+/PR+ breast cancers." In addition, it might serve as an important combinatorial target in these breast cancers. Advertisement "Let's keep marching until they don't," tweeted Clinton, joining a slew of elected state and city Democrats who took part in the march exactly a year after the US Supreme Court legalized gay marriage across the country.New York, which prides itself on being one of the most diverse cities on the planet, is the birthplace of the US gay rights movement.Just days before the parade, President Barack Obama designated the country's first LGBT national monument at the city's Stonewall Inn, where protests erupted in 1969 following a police crackdown.Sunday's events, along with marches in Chicago and Seattle, were marked by tributes to the 49 people killed at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12, 2016, which has once again inflamed calls for gun control."We have extraordinary NYPD presence to make sure that this will not only be the biggest but the safest parade we've ever had," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio before a commemorative moment of silence."We will stand up to hatred. We will stand up to those who would try to undermine our values. We believe in a society for everyone. And I have to say the response has been amazing," he added.Scouts carried 49 flags with rainbow stripes to honor the victims, while another group dressed head-to-toe in white and wore veils, the names and photographs of the Orlando dead hanging around their necks.Along the route, the newly created Gays Against Guns (GAG) pressure group staged a die-in, lying down on the hot road in a heap.Despite somber remembrance, the parade was also a giant street party with participants dancing to thumping music, a giant arc of balloons and street vendors doing a brisk trade in all things rainbow.Spectators donned rainbow feather boas and waved rainbow flags. Parents came with young children, tourists from overseas and exhibitionists indulged in show-stopping costumes and glittery catsuits complete with stilettos.Organizers said they did not have final numbers on turnout but that 32,000 marchers and more than 420 groups had been expected.Police lined the route, which started in midtown and culminated in Greenwich Village, home of the Stonewall Inn.Subhi Nahas, a Syrian refugee who has addressed the UN Security Council on the plight of LGBT people in his home country, said the Orlando shooting had jolted gay immigrants' relative sense of security."I felt like the accident shook our sense of safety here in the states profoundly, because we came here for safety," he said."Every parade has its own purpose but this year's purpose has been very profound, I would say, for not only New York City but all of the United States and I really believe the whole world," said retired teacher Pedro Lugo."Tolerance is still a number one priority," added the 56-year-old, wearing a striped rainbow shirt and draped in colored necklaces. "We are all God's children."Davit Chirgadze, a 25-year-old restaurant manager from Tbilisi wearing Mickey Mouse shorts, said he flew all the way to New York just to attend Gay Pride and marry his Georgian husband, calling his country 'very homophobic'."You can live here and have a boyfriend, girlfriend and you can have your own way without any discrimination," he told AFP. "To my country I want to say, 'love each other'."Source: AFP Advertisement Introduction of rapid diagnostic CB-NAAT test in all districts; Daily TB drug regimen for TB/HIV co-infected patients; and Introduction of Bedaquline under conditional access programme. During the conclave, The Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+) raised the issue of non-availability of Rifabutin in Baghpat town of UP for a TB/HIV co-infected patient on 2nd line ART. She was advised by her treating doctor on 5th May to continue ATT with Rifabutin. Despite adequate stock of Rifabutin Capsules available in the state as on 30th April 2016, she could get the medicine only on May 11, 2016 and that too after DNP+ relentlessly followed the matter with Central TB Division for over 3 weeks. An earlier report from Bihar said that patients there have to wait for 3-4 months to get initiated on 2nd line ART, and then collect the drugs from Patna. They have to go to Varanasi to get their viral load testing done as there is reportedly no center in Bihar where this is done free.Acknowledging that these systemic issues need to be addressed, Dr Jagdish Prasad, Director General Health Services, blamed political apathy (in states like UP and Bihar), and lack of monitoring for improper implementation of the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP). He said that one cannot rely wholly on state governments to implement the national program, and CSOs will have to step in to reduce this gap and also help government to reach the unreached and marginalized populations.Prasad also listed some recent policy changes made in the RNTCP:He also mentioned that a robust IT system is now being developed for quality monitoring of the program at district, state and central level. While affirming that civil society and community participation is very important, Dr Sunil Khaparde, Deputy Director General, Central TB treatment, our programme has to be geared to focus on providing financial and nutritional support, especially to socially vulnerable (NACO), shared some data on the scale-up of collaborative TB-HIV TB infected PLHIV are currently receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 15000 TB/HIV co-infected patients have been put on daily TB regimen; there is a single window delivery system for TB/HIV at ART centers; and intensified TB case findings at HIV care settings.Dr Reuben Swamickan, Senior Advisor, Tuberculosis and Infectious Diseases, USAID appealed to the CSOs to not just air the problems, but help in finding solutions as well. Solutions will come from the communities themselves.Access to basic social and health services is very important, said Dr Anurag Bhargava, Professor of Medicine, Yenepoya Medical College, under-nutrition and active TB, nutritional support should be an integral part of TB care in India. One unit increase in BMI (body mass index) leads to a 13.8% decline in TB incidence." Dr Sonia Malik, President, Indian Fertility Society, emphasized that women should be addressed as a special group, as biologically (and socially) women are at a higher risk than men to get active TB. Malik advocated for TB screening in ante natal clinics, just like it is done for anemia, diabetes and HIV.Ms Rosenara Huidrom, Associate Director, India HIV/AIDS Alliance registered at ART centers with care and support services and linked 40% of them with social security schemes. Moreover, over 70000 family members were referred for HIV testing, out of which 5680 tested positive and were linked to ART centers. 174267 lost to follow-up cases were tracked and returned to ART centers. Nearly 26,0000 PLHIV were screened for TB, over 12% of whom tested positive and were linked to TB treatment.A critical missing element is funding. India currently spends only 1.2% of its GDP on health. This is one of the lowest per capita investments by any country in the world. This under-investment in health is clearly reflected in India's TB budget. Ms. Kavita Ayyagari, Project Director- Challenge TB, The Union, said that while India needs $788 million for a full response to TB prevention, current spending is rightly remarked that unless government decisions are translated into timely action at ground level, we cannot end TB. CSOs can assist in early detection, treatment supervision, prevention of TB transmission and addressing social determinants. MDR-TB survivor, Deepti Chavan, shared her tenacious fight against the disease. Coming from a middle-class family of Mumbai, Deepti was diagnosed with MDR-TB at the age of 16 years. After 6 rigorous years of medication and two major surgeries, she finally emerged a winner. From her personal experience, she said that an MDR-TB patient needs not only medicines, but also proper nutrition and constant emotional support from the family/society to be able to complete treatment successfully.While the government can be the enabler of TB services, it cannot be the sole provider. It alone cannot tackle the TB monster. CSOs can act as intermediaries between the government and the beneficiaries. A vibrant CSO network and informed community participation will tremendously improve the reach and quality of services. While we need more powerful TB community voices, the future lies in all stakeholders working together to ensure early and accurate diagnosis, correct treatment, treatment adherence and economic support to affected people. There will have to be a better connect between the corridors of power and ground realities. Alone we can do so little, but together we can do much. TB is a battle we need to fight together.Source: The regular heart rhythm is due to the normal function of the hearts electrical conduction system. The electrical impulses generated from the Sinoatrial Node reach the heart muscle via a proper path. The normal function helps to maintain a regular heartbeat and normal heart muscle contraction. Any disturbance in this path or any other new source of generation of an electrical impulse causes abnormal heart rhythm which is called an arrhythmia . Cardiac Ablation involves identifying and destroying the abnormal rhythm-producing heart tissue. It is a minimally invasive procedure but sometimes it is done through an open heart method.(1 Trusted Source Ablation for Arrhythmias Go to source) Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA): Radiofrequency energy is used to damage the abnormal heart tissue. It is the most frequently used technique. Cryoablation: Cryothermal energy damages the abnormal heart tissue by freezing and forming ice crystals.(2 Trusted Source Catheter Ablation Go to source) The arrhythmias treatable with ablation are: Atrial Fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm disorder arising from the upper chamber of the heart, which leads to the quivering of the upper chambers instead of the normal contraction. There are many complications like clot formation, Stroke, etc. due to improper contraction of the upper heart chamber. It is the most common arrhythmia. Atrial Flutter, an abnormal heart rhythm arising from the upper heart chamber leading to rapid contraction of the atria. Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome is a condition where there is an accessory electrical pathway between the hearts upper and lower chambers. Ventricular Tachycardia, the electrical heart rhythm disorder where impulses are generated from the lower heart chambers and cause rapid heart contractions. It is a life-threatening condition. AV Nodal Re-entrant Tachycardia, in which an accessory path is present adjacent to or within the AV node and leads to a re-entry circuit.( Trusted Source About Catheter Ablation Go to source Trusted Source Advertisement There are many medications to treat arrhythmias but ablation is required when: Medications show no efficiency in controlling the abnormal rhythm. The patients dont tolerate the medication. The patients condition warrants ablation as the best option. (Like in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome). The condition is life-threating or results in a sudden cardiac arrest. This procedure is done in the Electrophysiology laboratory or Catheterization laboratory in the hospital. The procedure usually takes 2-4 hours. The blood pressure, heart rate, Electrocardiogram and oxygen levels are monitored. The procedure is performed under aseptic precautions and conscious sedation. The groin area is disinfected and the local anesthetic agent is given to numb the area in the groin where a tube-like structure called sheath is inserted into the blood vessel. Through the sheath, thin flexible tubes known as catheters are passed into the blood vessel in the groin, then guided till the heart. The doctor may inject the dye through the catheter, which helps in the visualization of blood vessels and the heart. The catheters carry electrodes, which send electrical impulses and stimulate the tissue to help in the detection of abnormal tissue. The catheters are connected to monitors that display electrical activity of the tissue. Once the abnormal loci are found, the catheter can generate radiofrequency energy to burn the abnormal tissue. Pulmonary Vein Isolation Atrial fibrillation arises due to abnormal electrical impulses, generated near the root of the pulmonary veins (blood vessel which carries pure blood from lungs to heart) in the left atrium. Pulmonary vein isolation is a cardiac ablation procedure where the tissue around the 4 pulmonary veins in the left atrium (upper heart chamber) is ablated. This prevents the abnormal impulses from spreading and hence stops the atrial fibrillation.(4 Trusted Source Is Pulmonary Vein Isolation Still the Cornerstone in Atrial Fibrillation Ablation? Go to source) Before the Cardiac Ablation Procedure Fasting for at least 8 hours before the procedure is necessary. Tell your doctor about your health issues like kidney problems, diabetes, etc. and about your medications. Blood tests, an electrocardiogram (ECG) to see the hearts electrical activity and an echocardiogram (ECHO) to determine the size of the heart chambers and their function are recommended. Prothrombin Time and Internal Normalized Ratio to measure the clotting properties of the blood is necessary before the procedure. During the appointment before the procedure, the doctor will suggest you the necessary treatment changes. If you have any health issues like fever, flu, cough, etc. before the procedure, report them to your doctor. Take the suggested medications on the day of the procedure. Advertisement After the Cardiac Ablation Procedure After the procedure, the nurse shall apply pressure at the puncture site to prevent bleeding. You will be asked to lie down for 4-6 hours to prevent bleeding from the puncture site. After a few hours, the nurse will remove the sheath near the groin. You will be allowed to drink clear liquids initially and later progressed to eat semisolids and solids. The nurse will monitor your heart, blood pressure and the puncture site. Discharge is mostly done on the next day. You will be explained about the medications and follow-up visits at the time of discharge. Monitor the puncture site for bleeding once you are at home. A small amount of oozing is normal, apply mild pressure for 5 minutes with a piece of gauze or apply a Band-Aid. Tiredness after the procedure is common but lasts for only a few days. Avoid pulling, pushing and lifting heavy weights. Only light activity is allowed for 2 days, and after a week, the patient can get back to normal activity. Drive after 2 days and only if you are comfortable. Seek medical attention if there is a red lump formation near the puncture site or bleeding that is not controlled. In the case of severe chest discomfort, dizziness, loss of consciousness and fast irregular heartbeat, consult emergency room or your doctor.( Trusted Source Cardiac Ablation Procedures Go to source Trusted Source Trusted Source Surgical Perspectives in the Management of Atrial Fibrillation Go to source Trusted Source Cardiac Ablation Procedure Benefits It is a safe procedure. It is a minimally invasive procedure. The patient can get back to the normal activity within a few days. It is effective and has a huge success rate. Cardiac Catheter Ablation is a safe procedure; though rare, the following are the risks of the procedure: Bleeding or hematoma (blood coagulation in the tissues leading to a lump formation) at the puncture site at the groin. Puncture to the heart leading to cardiac tamponade (blood around the heart, sufficient enough to prevent normal function). Damage to the heart valves. Vagal or Phrenic nerve damage. Pulmonary Vein Stenosis (narrowing) in the case of Pulmonary Vein Isolation. Complete Heart Block (the normal electrical impulses get blocked) or worsening of the arrhythmia. Esophageal Injury and atrio-esophageal fistula (an abnormal communication between hearts upper chamber and food pipe) Damage to the blood vessels. Thromboembolic events (health conditions due to the freely moving blood clot in the blood vessels). Radiation exposure. Damage to the kidney due to the dye used. Heart attack. Death is a rare risk. Stroke (the blood vessels of the brain get blocked leading to decreased brain blood supply).( Trusted Source Risks of Catheter Ablation Go to source Trusted Source Conclusion Cardiac ablation involves identifying and destroying the abnormal impulse generating heart tissue. It is a safe and effective procedure for the treatment of the arrhythmia. It is a minimally invasive procedure; the hospital stay is minimal and the patient can get back to normal activity within a few days. Introduction On June 12, 2016, shortly after 20:00, while Beirut residents were breaking their Ramadan fast, an eight-kilogram bomb went off outside the headquarters of BLOM Bank,[1] one of Lebanon's leading banks, wounding two people and damaging the building. In light of the intensive conflict in the last month between Hizbullah and Lebanon's banking sector - chiefly Lebanon's central bank and several other banks, including BLOM Bank - over the implementation of U.S. sanctions against Hizbullah,[2] suspicion immediately fell upon this organization. Lebanese media and politicians, as well as citizens on social media, claimed that the bombing was a message to BLOM Bank that it must stop implementing the U.S. sanctions, and some - including the Al-Mustaqbal daily[3] and bankers[4] - blamed Hizbullah for it. Many of the comments on social media were posted under the hashtag "Hizbullah is bombing the banks."[5] Criticism was also directed at Hizbullah's supporters, including the pro-Hizbullah Al-Akhbar daily, who were accused of inciting against the banks and against central bank governor Riad Salameh in the days prior to the bombing. Indeed, the days before the bombing saw a harsh campaign, bordering on incitement, against Salameh and against Lebanese banks, especially BLOM Bank, by Lebanese pro-Hizbullah activists and by Al-Akhbar. The latter accused BLOM Bank of being so eager to implement the U.S. sanctions that it exceeded the U.S. requirements. Hizbullah, for its part, did not condemn the bombing and in fact refrained from commenting on it at all. Al-Akhbar, on the other hand, denied that it was inciting against the banks and stated that Hizbullah was not responsible for the bombing. However, even after the bombing the daily continued to publish articles threatening "a further escalation [of the clash] between these banks and Hizbullah" which would impact the country's future as well as foreigners in Lebanon, including the UNIFIL forces stationed there. In a June 24 speech, Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah repeated the accusation that some Lebanese banks were being over-enthusiastic in implementing the sanctions and warned that this could harm Hizbullah members and supporters. In a June 16, 2016 interview on the Lebanese LBC channel, former Lebanese minister Wiam Wahhab, known as a Hizbullah supporter, said that in Lebanon it is Lebanese laws that should apply, not those of the U.S. Congress. This report reviews the incitement against the banks by Hizbullah supporters and by Al-Akhbar both before the bombing and after it. The BLOM Bank headquarters after the bombing (image: albawaba.com, June 16, 2016) 'Al-Akhbar' Article On Day Before Bombing: 'Hizbullah Supporters Demand Taking Punitive Measures Against The Banks' In the two days before the bombing, the pro-Hizbullah daily Al-Akhbar published articles stating that BLOM Bank was being "over-enthusiastic" in implementing the U.S. sanctions.[6] An article by Hassan 'Aliq published the day before the bombing, titled "Hizbullah to Banks and to [Central Bank Governor] Salameh: Stop Conspiring [against Us]," contained implicit threats against Salameh and against various banks, especially BLOM Bank. It said: "Whoever follows politics in our country can hear Hizbullah leaders saying loud and clear that the struggle against America's 'banking mandate' [over Lebanon] is no less important than the struggle against those who wish to harm the resistance and [disarm it of] its weapons. 'Aliq added, "Hizbullah's MPs, ministers and officials refuse to say [how the struggle should be waged], but the people's rage has its consequences. The public of Hizbullah's [supporters] has begun demanding to take punitive measures against the banks that want to implement the hostile American agenda... Some of the [pro-]resistance public is demanding that Hizbullah publish a black list of banks that harbor secret hostility towards the resistance, so that [people] can punish them for their actions [of closing the accounts of Hizbullah members and associates]. Some [people] propose to boycott [the banks] and withdraw deposits [from them], and call to pressure the banks that are conspiring [against Hizbullah]. Others propose more painful measures - from holding demonstrations and sit-ins in front of banks that wish to harm the [pro-]resistance public to holding protests that will keep the banks from opening [for business]... If Hizbullah is forced into an open conflict, there will be no choice but to [voice] these calls, which are [already] widespread on social media, as part of an organized [campaign]." Later in the article 'Aliq quotes sources in the Hizbullah-led March 8 Forces as saying that BLOM Bank is one of the banks that are "going too far in implementing the racist sanctions, [even] exceeding the American requirements." According to these sources, "Hizbullah wants the banks and the central bank governor to stop conspiring [against it] and stop deceiving it." They stressed that Hizbullah is not demanding to take "harmful" measures against the banks, only "measures to protect the social and economic security of the Lebanese people." 'Aliq even called on Hizbullah "to do more than just deter those responsible for the banking sector," saying: "This sector, which is constantly amassing wealth, needs someone to stand up to it, in days of peace just like in days of war, and Hizbullah, which is part of the parliament and the government, must break its silence, starting today."[7] Threats Against Central Bank Governor, BLOM Bank Posted On Social Media In Days Before Bombing A campaign of verbal attacks and even threats against the Lebanese banking sector was also evident on social media in the days before the bombing, especially in the 24 hours that preceded it. Hizbullah supporters on Facebook and Twitter directed harsh words at central bank governor Riad Salameh and various banks, especially BLOM Bank. For example, on the evening before the bombing (June 11), the pro-Hizbullah "Dahiya" website posted on its Facebook page (Facebook.com/da7ye ) a photo of Salameh with the caption: "Your existence is an insult to the homeland." Another post on this Facebook page, from June 12, accused "some banks" of being more radical than the American law itself and blacklisting people not mentioned by the Americans. Yet another post on this Facebook page, which was reposted on the website of the Kataeb party, said: "Beware the BLOM Bank, which bragged about closing [accounts] and restricting [them]!! #[This banks is] more Israeli than Israel."[8] The Al-Mustaqbal daily reported on a threatening tweet posted two days before the bombing by Pro-Hizbullah Journalist Ghassan Jawwad. He wrote: "Hizbullah will soon [say]: A curse upon you, upon America and upon the banks. Beware the anger of patient [men]!"[9] Hizbullah supporters on social media launched a "Riad Salameh Go Away" hashtag, which they appended to many messages against him. One of the posts featured a "list of shame" that included BLOM Bank, Salameh and the Association of Banks in Lebanon.[10] The "list of shame" of banks and bankers 'Al-Akhbar': Hizbullah Not Behind Bombing; We Are Not Inciting Against Banks But Voicing Legitimate Criticism, And Will Continue To Do So Immediately after the bombing, the social networks were flooded with messages blaming Hizbullah for it and accusing Al-Akhbar of causing it through its incitement. The Al-Mustaqbal daily, affiliated with the March 14 Forces, as well as several Lebanese bankers, soon joined this criticism and accusations, while Hizbullah chose to remain silent, ignoring both the bombing and the allegations against it. Al-Akhbar, on the other hand, rushed to defend itself and Hizbullah. On June 13, 2016, the day after the bombing, the daily published two articles, one unsigned and the other by the chairman of its board of directors, Ibrahim Al-Amin, both of which denied the allegations against Hizbullah and the daily. The first article stated that Hizbullah was currently in conflict with several banks that had decided to implement the U.S. sanctions against it in order to "throttle" it and its institutions, but "some [other] element decided to enter the picture by carrying out a bombing against BLOM Bank, in order to implicate the resistance and thereby hobble it." The article suggested that ISIS or Jabhat Al-Nusra (JN) were behind the bombing, since ISIS fighters imprisoned in Lebanon had admitted to planning bombings against "non-military institutions and in crowded areas" in Beirut, and since the Lebanese Military Intelligence had indeed received information several days before the bombing that JN was planning terror attacks in a certain part of the capital. According to the article, this information had led to several foreign embassies, including the Canadian one, as well as the UN headquarters in Lebanon, to warn their staff to take precautions and stay away from that part of Beirut.[11] Al-Akhbar board of directors chairman Ibrahim Al-Amin wrote: "[Those who] jump to conclusions will naturally point the finger at Hizbullah, [just] because Hizbullah accused the [BLOM] bank of excessive enthusiasm in complying with the American demands to implement the economic sanctions on the resistance, and of hastening to implement the American law... There will also be those who accuse other [elements] of being behind the attack, or of paving the way to it - like, for example, the accusations that Al-Akhbar incited against the banks, and particularly against BLOM bank, as part of its criticism of how the government and this bank dealt with the recent American law... "A party like Hizbullah has no interest in doing something [that is, carrying out a terror attack] that would [only] justify the [American] law... Likewise, the organization knows very well that such operations will not stop the implementation of the American law... In this matter, Hizbullah, like the rest of the Lebanese, wants the truth exposed, more than anyone else... "With regard to the accusations of incitement by the press, particularly Al-Akhbar... ever since the daily was founded 10 years ago, we have paid the price for our criticism of the political class and of the destructive policy of the March 14 Forces. They have always accused us of conducting incitement against forces and individuals who were targets of terror attacks. Nevertheless, we do not think that we should stop our mission, that is, of criticizing a mistaken policy... "Al-Akhbar's criticism of the banks does not only stem from [these banks'] attempt to harm Hizbullah on the pretext of implementing the American law. [The paper] has always taken stands disliked by the banks, whether regarding their general policy from which they benefited, or by revealing corruption cases connected to their work. With regard to our criticism of how BLOM Bank is acting in the matter of implementing the American law, this is professional criticism, and includes anyone involved in measures that are ultimately aimed at hobbling the resistance. This criticism will continue, and it is completely uninfluenced by what happened. No attack here or there will stop the necessary argument about the banks' policy and actions concerning the American sanctions - otherwise we [in Al-Akhbar] will yet arrive at the accusation that the [banking] sector is behind the attack, with the aim of shutting people up."[12] Threats Against Banks, Governor, Al-Mustaqbal Stream, And Lebanese Government Continue Even After Bombing Even after the bombing, and after the accusations against Hizbullah, Al-Akhbar continued to publish articles supporting Hizbullah's demands and threatened a harsh response and dangerous escalation from it if it they were not met. Al-Akhbar: BLOM Bank Capitulated, Hizbullah Demands That Banks Circumvent Sanctions The day after the bombing, the Association of Banks in Lebanon met, and later released an announcement condemning the attack on BLOM Bank that stated, inter alia: "The banks operate in a most professional manner and in the framework of the regulations that are common in global markets, and in Lebanon they are subject to the laws of the land and to the directives of the [central] bank of Lebanon, with the aim of preserving the interests of all Lebanese citizens." Al-Akhbar, which in several articles published prior to the bombing had said that BLOM Bank had been quite enthusiastic in its implementation of the sanctions, going beyond what was required by the governor, interpreted this announcement as capitulation on the part of BLOM and other banks, and as a withdrawal from their previous "enthusiasm" in implementing the sanctions, which, according to the paper, had been manifested in the closure of accounts whose owners were not included in the American sanctions list, of their own accord, without waiting for approval by the central bank, as noted in the governor's instructions."[13] At the same time, another Al-Akhbar article stated that even this capitulation on the part of the banks following the bombing - that is, their agreement to wait for the governor's approval before closing the accounts of people who are not on the sanctions list - was not going to satisfy Hizbullah. The organization, it said, was demanding that they circumvent sanctions on bank accounts whose owners actually are on the list. A June 16, 2016 article in the paper quoted sources in the Hizbullah-led March 8 Forces as saying, "Clearly, there is only one door leading to a solution [to the crisis]: The U.S. sanctions list is not sacred and the central bank governor and the banks must find the appropriate ways to circumvent it, where the national need requires it."[14] Even After Bombing, Al-Akhbar Threatens Al-Mustaqbal Stream And The Future Of The Country, Saying: There Will Be Further Escalation On June 14, 2016, two days after the bombing, Al-Akhbar published another article that warned that "if some of the banks do not understand that they must be neutral" in the matter of the U.S. sanctions, then "we will witness a further escalation [of the clash] between these banks and Hizbullah, which considers itself bound to defend the economic security of its public. In this clash, the biggest loser will necessarily be the Lebanese banks."[15] Al-Akhbar Article Warns Al-Mustaqbal Against Supporting Sanctions: It Will Have Repercussions for Lebanon's Future Al-Akhbar's implied threats were also directed at the Al-Mustaqbal faction, Hizbullah's political rival. On June 17, 2016, Al-Akhbar columnist Hiyam Al-Kossayfi wrote about Al-Mustaqbal's "enthusiastic" support for the sanctions against Hizbullah, while warning of the repercussions this could have for the entire country: "Some people are reminded today of the events of 2005 [the assassination of Lebanese prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri], and of what came later, and also [of the events] of May 7 [2008, i.e., Hizbullah's armed takeover of parts of Lebanon],[16] and all the repercussions [of these events], including the bombings and assassinations..." Al-Kossayfi urged the Al-Mustaqbal faction not to delude itself that the U.S. law would harm Hizbullah's status in Lebanon, and warned it of the organization's possible reaction, which would not only affect the relations between Al-Mustaqbal and Hizbullah and "the internal struggle between those who defend the [U.S.] law and those who oppose it," but would impinge on "the future of Lebanon... the regime, and the role and status of the state."[17] Al-Akhbar Board Chairman: Hizbullah Is The Only Force That Can Fill The Vacuum If The State Collapses In his article from June 13, Al-Akhbar board chairman Ibrahim Al-Amin even threatened that Hizbullah might take over most of Lebanon. He speculated that the U.S. is plotting to undermine Lebanon's regime and bring about the collapse of the state, and declared that, in such a situation, Hizbullah - thanks to its military and economic abilities and its strong ties with Iran - would be the only force capable of undertaking the role of the state in large parts of the country. He wrote: "In the current state of affairs, Hizbullah may be the only force capable of best filling the vacuum that would result from the collapse of the state. This organization and the large public that supports it together form a financial force that can provide employment to nearly 1,000,000 Lebanese citizens. [I refer] not only to party members and the employees in [Hizbullah's] institutions, but to people who sell consumer products - from veils, automobiles, phones, milk and flour to weapons. Hizbullah also has close ties with Iran, and within a few months Iran can launch large-scale projects to supply electricity, water and public services to everyone living in Hizbullah's areas of influence. "If the West thinks that the economic crisis will bring about the collapse of the [Lebanese] state and its institutions, Hizbullah is the only force that has the security and military capabilities to take over large parts of Lebanon. Thanks to its alliances [with other forces in the state,] its [area of] influence will expand to include most of Lebanon, except for a few regions..." Asking, "What will be the fate of the banking sector itself?", Al-Amin answered that it will lose its independence and much of the wealth it has amassed. Al-Amin concluded: "Some people need a pinch to the ear, not to the arm, in order to understand that they cannot plunge the entire country into madness... as happened after the assassination of Rafiq Al-Hariri. [These people] will find it difficult to force us to respect them, for they have decided to capitulate to an external [force] that has never brought us anything but trouble." Al-Akhbar Board Chairman Implicitly Threatens UNIFIL, Other Foreigners in Lebanon In this article Al-Amin also directed implicit threats at UNIFIL and at other foreign nationals in the country. He asked: "[After Hizbullah takes over the country], what shall we do with some 14,000 foreigners living in Lebanon, including the soldiers and officers of UNIFIL, diplomatic staff, workers in the business, media and academic sectors, and the workers of international organizations and NGOs? What will the Western [intelligence] apparatuses operating in Lebanon do, not only against Hizbullah but also for their agents in Syria?..."[18] Hassan Nasrallah: We Will Not Let Our Public Be Harmed; Hizbullah's Funds Come From Iran In a June 24, 2016 speech marking 40 days after the death of Hizbullah leader Mustafa Badr Al-Din, Hizbullah secretary-general Hassan Nasrallah reiterated his organization's position on the U.S. sanctions, warning against their implementation and stating that they harm Lebanon's sovereignty and large sectors of the Lebanese public. He also repeated his claim that the sanctions would not harm Hizbullah, admitting for the first time that all of Hizbullah's funds come from Iran and adding that the money, just like the organization's missiles, does not come from the banks and therefore no law can prevent it from being transferred. He stressed that Hizbullah's public is starting to suffer because some Lebanese banks, "more American than the Americans," have exceeded the American requirements by closing accounts of organizations and charities that do not even appear on the U.S. sanctions list, just because figures involved with them have family ties with Hizbullah members. Nasrallah said that this infuriates Hizbullah, and added: "We will not allow any measures that harm our members and our public." He stated that his organization was open to dialogue aimed at finding solutions and admitted that such talks were currently taking place between the sides, but that this did not imply "any consent to the [U.S.] law on our part." He also accused unnamed "Lebanese figures" that they had visited Washington and incited the Americans to pass the sanctions law.[19] Three days after Nasrallah's speech, Al-Akhbar board chairman Ibrahim Al-Amin wrote in an article that former Lebanese prime minister and Al-Mustaqbal faction head Sa'd Al-Hariri had transferred to the Americans, "either directly of via his functionaries in state and private financial institutions," names of figures he wanted added to the sanctions list "on the grounds that they finance Hizbullah's activity."[20] Pro-Hizbullah Former Lebanese Minister Wiam Wahhab: Boycott Banks That Implement Sanctions, Switch To Euros In a June 16, 2016 interview on the Lebanese LBC channel, former Lebanese minister Wiam Wahhab, known for his pro-Hizbullah positions, called on all supporters of the March 8 Forces to boycott the banks that implement that U.S. sanctions and start using euros instead of dollars. He also said that in Lebanon it is Lebanese laws that should apply, not those of the U.S. Congress. For a MEMRI TV clip of excerpts from the interview, click below: * E. B. Picali is a research fellow at MEMRI. Endnotes: Innovation Humans, animals and the environment our health is all connected Why the One Health approach is important now more than ever We express our anger at and abhorrence of todays incident of vandalism of the building of the French Institute in Thessaloniki. It is an irresponsible and incomprehensible action that can in no case damage the deep-rooted friendship between Greece and France or the long tradition of cooperation between the two countries in culture and letters. The competent Greek authorities will not tolerate institutions of friendship and culture becoming victims of barbarity, and they are already taking all necessary actions to identify the culprits and fully elucidate the case. The sect's total current population is about 308,000 and has grown about 18 percent over the past five years, according to an ongoing population survey by the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. The two small South American settlements were both founded last fall after longstanding Mennonite communities in those countries reached out to North American Amish to explore affiliation, said Steven Nolt, a senior scholar at the center who helped coordinate the population survey. Those Old Colony Mennonites, culturally conservative and with roots in a group that emigrated from the old Russian empire to Canada in the 1800s, left Canada in the 1920s over a dispute about teaching their children in English and landed in Mexico and other parts of Latin America, Nolt said. In recent years, their members in Bolivia and Argentina have faced financial problems and isolation, so they wrote to an Amish publisher in Canada and eventually got in touch with a New Order Amish group in Ohio that permits its members, under certain circumstances, to make airplane trips. After ministers with the Ohio Amish visited South America, they sent two families to settle there to create communities the existing Mennonites can join. North American Amish generally do not proselytize or do mission work. They also have sent teams to help with building projects. The Bolivian community, known as Colonia Naranjita, is about 75 miles southwest of Santa Cruz, while the settlement in rural northwestern Argentina is located east of Catamarca. "This is kind of a new and different thing and illustrates (an) unusually even among the New Order Amish Amish approach to taking in new members," Nolt said. He said Mennonite men in those areas have begun to grow Amish-type beards, and an Ohio Amish woman has made bonnet head coverings for the women. Nearly two-thirds of all Amish live in three U.S. states Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana although there are currently settlements in 31 states and three Canadian provinces. Two new settlements with a total of about 30 people were established this year in Prince Edward Island, Canada, a first for that province. The largest settlements are in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Holmes County, Ohio, both with more than 34,000 people and more than 200 congregations, or districts, as they are known. The total Amish population was only 124,000 in 1992. The population study includes horse-and-buggy Amish, but not car-driving groups such as Beachy Amish and Amish Mennonites. The center says Amish typically strike out and establish new communities to find quality and affordable farmland in isolated areas near other Amish, to live where there is work in specialized occupations and to resolve disputes about church leadership. The Amish are Christian followers known for using horses and buggies for transportation, wearing traditional dress, worshipping in homes not church buildings, and speaking a German dialect. Their ranks are composed of dozens of distinct groups with different practices they allow and prohibit. Obama spoke Friday night at a fundraiser for Gov. Jay Inslee of Washington, the first of two events he was headlining for Democratic candidates in the state. Obama hopes to help his party make inroads in state races and in Congress by raising money for their campaigns. Obama also blames setbacks on immigration reform on Republicans and says a 4-4 deadlock by the Supreme Court on his immigration actions stems from Republicans declining to take up the nomination of Judge Merrick Garland. Obama spoke to about 3,000 people at the Washington State Convention Center. These members of the school's Cadet Corps aspire to military service, but their path is blocked. Deaf people are barred from joining the armed services, as corps creator Keith Nolan well knows. He's been told, "No," since 2001, when he tried to enlist in the Navy at age 18. Nolan is determined to change that. "I want to show there are no barriers," he said through an interpreter. His determination has led to passage of a House bill bearing his name the Keith Nolan Air Force Deaf Demonstration Act of 2015, which called for a demonstration program. The Defense Department declared in a report last month it would be "imprudent" to create a program assessing deaf people's fitness for military service. It cited the cost of equipment modifications, security risks from wireless assistive devices and the burden for nondisabled service members if their deaf counterparts can't perform the full range of military tasks. But Nolan, his cadets and his congressional supporters are undeterred. "They're not taking us seriously," said Cadet Jennida Willoughby, 16, through a sign-language interpreter. "We're going to keep fighting back." During after-school and occasional weekend meetings, Cadet Corps members compete as teams in contests of physical strength and brainpower, and take turns leading problem-solving missions around town, said David Alexander, a school audiologist and Army veteran who helps to run the program. They've gone overnight camping, taken a field trip to the U.S. Military Academy and made a presentation to other students and faculty about the West Point visit. The cadet corps is independent, not affiliated with the military's Reserve Officer Training Corps. But Willoughby, an accomplished scuba diver, dreams of becoming a Navy SEAL. She and her fellow cadets, all rising seniors at the school 45 miles west of Baltimore, note along with Nolan that the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has been hiring deaf workers since 1987. The agency, which analyzes aerial and satellite data, sent three deaf analysts to support U.S. military operations in Africa from 2012 to 2014, using only American Sign Language. And the military already has members in jobs that require sound-deadening earphones, such as guiding planes during landings and takeoffs from aircraft carriers. "We can serve our country," said Cadet Blake Brewer, 17, whose older cousin is a Marine. "We can show what we can do." Although firearms training is barred by the school's no-weapons policy, Brewer said he's willing to take up arms for his country. "I'm flexible with where they would need me," he said. Cadet Maverick Obermiller envisions himself as an engineer, one of the "supporting roles," including cybersecurity positions, that Nolan says should be open to deaf people. There's a precedent for deaf people in military service: The Israel Defense Forces have always recruited deaf volunteers and found ways for them to serve in uniform, spokeswoman Libby Weiss said in an email. She said the IDF communicates with deaf or hearing-impaired soldiers through adaptive devices, text messages, emails and lip-reading. In 2012, the IDF announced an Israeli sign-language course to help commanders communicate better with deaf and hearing-impaired soldiers, then numbering more than 100. Weiss said deaf service members are usually exempt from instructing roles, or jobs that would require them to communicate by telephone. Rep. Mark Takano, D-California, cites Israel's experience as one reason he will continue pressing for a U.S. demonstration program. Israel has "the benefit of a more diverse and talented pool of service members," Takano wrote in an email. "Their example shows that this policy can be effective in some of the most tense and dangerous military arenas." Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, said in an email that she, too, will continue pushing the Defense Department to see whether Americans with disabilities can serve and meet required military standards. Nolan, who teaches high-school government and history, said supporting the military in a civilian role isn't the same as serving in uniform, as one of his grandfathers and a great-uncle did. Nolan made it through two years of ROTC at California State University, Northridge, before being told his deafness made him ineligible for advancement. He founded the Maryland School for the Deaf Cadet Corps two years ago to teach skills he deems valuable no matter what career his students choose. "I want to see them pave the way for the future," Nolan said. "I have done my part so far, but I want to see them take it and break through." Despite Flipping in Surf 4 Times in a Year, Marines Say New ACV Is the Future of Amphibious Warfare Some Marine veterans familiar with the vehicle and its operations have worried about the reliability of the ACV. The senior enlisted leader of the Arleigh-Burke class guided-missile destroyer USS Laboon has been removed after an investigation reportedly found multiple problems with his leadership. Command Master Chief James A. Roberts was relieved on Monday by Capt. Derek Granger, the commander of Destroyer Squadron 22 out of Norfolk, Virginia. The firing was the result of findings from an investigation into allegations that Roberts "fostered a toxic work environment and failed to follow Navy regulations and command instructions," according to an announcement from Naval Surface Force Atlantic. He has been temporarily moved to an unspecified position within the force, according to the announcement. Reached for comment by Military.com, Roberts declined to discuss his relief directly. "I have no comment at this time," he said. "However, I have served faithfully for 25 years and the Military is changing rapidly. I can say that I am a Chief Petty Officer and maintain standards." Roberts had served as command master chief for the Laboon since Sept. 26, 2014, Navy officials said. According to an official biography, he enlisted in the Navy in 1991, training as a radioman. He previously served aboard the destroyer USS Arleigh Burke and as staff senior enlisted adviser for Navy Cyber Forces out of Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia. As command master chief of the Laboon, Roberts maintained an official Facebook page on which he posted photos of the crew and documented a 2015 deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and other regions in Europe. His most recent post, on April 27, showed sailors training before enjoying a "steel beach picnic" on the deck of the Laboon. "It is amazing what our Sailors onboard Laboon can accomplish each and everyday in support of our great nation!" he wrote earlier that month. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. A Navy SEAL killed in May in a gunfight with Islamic State militants in northern Iraq had already distinguished himself on the battlefield during that deployment, earning the Silver Star -- the nation's third-highest combat award -- two months before. Petty Officer First Class Charles H. Keating IV, 31, of San Diego, was killed May 3 in Tall Usquf, Iraq, after his team answered a call to support Peshmerga forces engaged with enemy fighters. The Peshmerga are the military forces of Iraqi Kurdistan and have been fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, since 2014. Keating, who would be posthumously promoted to chief petty officer eight days after his death, was the senior enlisted adviser for a SEAL Team One advise-and-assist team supporting these local troops. According to documents obtained by Military.com and first reported by CNN, Keating had played a key role in a March 4 operation that repelled more than 100 enemy fighters as they assaulted the Peshmerga front lines. According to his Silver Star citation, Keating took the lead as the friendly position came under attack, demonstrating "courageous leadership, tactical acumen, and physical courage." After directing the Peshmerga troops as they pushed back against the enemy assault, Keating coordinated with the U.S. quick-reaction force and himself engaged the militants, according to his citation. "[Keating] continually exposed himself to enemy automatic weapon, mortar, and rocket propelled grenade fire as he diligently maneuvered between the front and flanks of the defensive fighting position to stop enemy advances and keep friendly forces accurately informed of the unfolding situation," the document reads. At one point, ISIS fighters attempted to send a vehicle carrying an improvised explosive device alongside Keating's position, according to the citation. The SEAL prevented them from succeeding by directing a team to intercept the vehicle with snipers and accurate rocket fire. "His personal bravery inspired his comrades to vigorously defend their position and repel the enemy assault," the citation reads, adding that Keating continued to train partner forces until he was killed in combat. Keating would be awarded the Silver Star on May 10, seven days after his death. On the same day, he received a Purple Heart in recognition of the fatal combat wounds he received on May 3. That day, ISIS forces breached Peshmerga forward lines at about 7:30 a.m., and the American quick-reaction force responded some 20 minutes later, Pentagon spokesman Army. Col. Steve Warren told reporters in May. Keating, he said, was wounded nearly two hours into the fighting by direct fire. "There were bullets everywhere," Warren said of the firefight. While the enemy assaulted with dozens of vehicles, mortar systems, and even bulldozers, the Peshmerga were able to regain control of Tall Usquf. Although U.S. troops are not formally in a combat role in the coalition fight against ISIS, Keating was the third American service member to die in combat in support of the fight against the militant group. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Related Video: The U.S. and NATO billed the alliance Monday as the bedrock for continued European unity and collective defense following Brexit. Seeking to reassure nervous allies, Secretary of State John Kerry said after hastily-arranged meetings in Brussels with NATO's leadership that the U.S. commitment to the Europe "will not change one iota as a consequence of the vote that has taken place" in Britain last week to leave the European Union. Kerry predicted an "even stronger NATO going forward" in steps to be taken at the NATO summit in Warsaw July 8-9 to be attended by President Barack Obama and other world leaders. "We have high expectations of a very strong NATO meeting and important deliverables" coming out of the summit, he said. Following meetings with Kerry and EU foreign policy chief Frederica Mogherini of Italy, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said of the United Kingdom, "After the UK decided to leave the European Union, I think that NATO has become even more important as a platform for cooperation between Europe and North America but also defense and security cooperation between European NATO allies." The so-called Brexit fallout on the efforts of the U.S. and NATO to counter Russian aggression in Europe were expected to be few, at least in the short term, National Security Adviser Susan Rice said Sunday at an Aspen Institute Forum in Colorado. "The immediate security implications are probably relatively few and certainly we will do all we can to make sure the areas in which we're cooperating -- counterterrorism -- remain solid," she said. However, several European leaders had suggested easing up on sanctions against Russia and cutting back on joint NATO exercises meant to send a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin even before Britain voted to leave the EU. In an analysis, the IHS Jane's market research group projected that the negative impact of Brexit on Britain's economy would force Britain to cut back on defense spending, making it impossible for Britain meet the U.S.-recommended goal of having all NATO allies spend at least two percent of Gross Domestic Product on defense. "Slower economic growth will affect public balances, and the government will be forced to adjust budget projections and calculations," Jane's said. The policy disarray in Europe was typified last week by an outburst from German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He warned against provoking Putin by stationing four battalions of NATO troops in Poland and the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, which was expected to be ratified at the Warsaw NATO summit. Steinmeier said that "saber-rattling and war cries" directed toward Russia were counter-productive. "Anyone who believes that symbolic tank parades on the Alliance's eastern border will increase security is wrong," he said in comments to the weekly newspaper Bild am Sonntag. The counter-argument to Steinmeier was offered Monday by retired Gen. James L. Jones, the former Marine Commandant, National Security Adviser, and Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, and R. Nicholas Burns, the former Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs and U.S. Ambassador to NATO. In a policy paper for the Atlantic Council titled, "Restoring the Power and Purpose of the Atlantic Alliance," Jones and Burns said Obama and allies at the Warsaw summit had to reinforce NATO to confront challenges that included "a revanchist Russia, eroding stability in the greater Middle East, a weakened European Union, and uncertain American and European leadership." In addition to stationing troops in the Baltics and Poland, NATO should also permanently station troops in Romania and Bulgaria, Jones and Burhs said at a forum to discuss their policy paper. Jones called on NATO to become more "proactive" in addressing crises in Europe, Africa and the Mideast and in providing humanitarian disaster relief. "This is not war mongering," as has been charged by Putin, Jones said. In addition, "we need a stronger Germany following Brexit," Burns said. NATO must show "President Putin that we're going to be true to our Article 5 responsibilities," he added, referring to the NATO article providing for the common defense of alliance members. "We need to stand up to Putin and I hope that will be the message from Warsaw." -- Richard Sisk can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com. In his latest rough outing, Red Sox right-hander Clay Buchholz allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and five walks Sunday in a 6-2 loss to the Rangers. Afterward, manager John Farrell was noncommittal about Buchholz making his next start, per Scott Lauber of ESPN.com, though he conceded that the team might not have a better option. As their depth chart shows, Triple-A possibilities include Roenis Elias, Henry Owens and Joe Kelly, though each has fared terribly in the majors this year. Buchholz, who has spent some time in the bullpen this season, has logged a 5.90 ERA, 6.13 K/9, 4.24 BB/9 and 41.2 percent ground-ball rate through 76 1/3 innings. Those numbers are all markedly worse than the 31-year-olds career totals and especially the terrific production he put up in 2015. More from Boston and a couple NL East cities: GRAND RAPIDS, MI - After standing more than 40 years at Woodland Mall, "Split Ring" is back home in downtown Grand Rapids. DP Fox Ventures recently returned the steel sculpture by the late Clement Meadmore to the front of 300 Ottawa Avenue Building as part of an update to the 46-year-old site. The matte black sculpture was originally installed in front the eight-story building in September 1973, as part of a landmark exhibition called "Sculpture Off the Pedestal." The event was sponsored by the Grand Rapids Art Museum Women's Committee. About a year later, "Split Ring" was sold to the Taubman Group, which placed it inside Woodland Mall. An identical version of the 1969 sculpture is on display at the Portland Art Museum in Oregon. Earlier this year, the Frey Foundation presented DP Fox owners Dan and Pamella DeVos with an opportunity to acquire "Split Ring" from Woodland Mall as part of the Frey Foundation's effort to add public art to downtown Grand Rapids. "We are delighted to bring this important sculpture back downtown to the 300 Ottawa Building," said Pamella DeVos in a news release announcing the re-dedication on Tuesday, June 28. "The timing worked out perfectly with the completion of the significant renovations to the building. With the installation of 'Split Ring' on the 300 Ottawa Avenue plaza, the entire community will be able to enjoy Split Ring for many years to come." The sculpture's return completes a makeover that includes a new two-story, open-air main lobby, updated common areas and restrooms, upgraded elevator cabs, integration of technology and updates to entrances, exterior facades and signage. When it was built in 1968 as the Frey Building, the eight-story office building was designed to support its bigger neighbor, the Union Bank building at 200 Ottawa Avenue NW. Today, the building is home to the Grand Rapids Symphony and other business tenants. "The 300 Ottawa Avenue Building is in a prime downtown location, surrounded by some of our city's most recognizable destinations -- Calder Plaza, the Convention Center, Spectrum Health and the MSU College of Human Medicine," said Dan DeVos, DP Fox owner and CEO in a news release. "We set out to bring the building back to being a legitimate 'Class A' address and I believe we accomplished our goal," DeVos said. Jim Harger covers business for Mlive Media Group. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+. UM campus.jpg Pedestrians walk near the cube on University of Michigan's campus. (The Ann Arbor News File Photo) ANN ARBOR, MI - The University of Michigan has reviewed and processed a record 55,500 applications seeking admission as freshmen that will begin classes in the fall of 2016. Applications increased 7 percent compared to last year's figures. As of May, just more than 16,100 students were offered admission to yield a class of approximately 6,600 freshmen for an overall acceptance rate of 29 percent. Based on those figures, 11.9 percent of freshman applicants will attend classes this fall. More detailed enrollment numbers will be available following the official student count in the third week of classes in the fall. This early snapshot of U-M admissions shows that of the 55,500 applications, 10,959 were submitted by in-state students with 4,511 being offered admissions for an acceptance rate of 42.4 percent. From among the 35,783 applications submitted by students living in states other than Michigan and the 8,758 applicants living in other countries, 10,815 were offered admission for an out-of-state acceptance rate of 24.5 percent. This year's total number of applications set a U-M record for the 10th consecutive year. Last year's total of 51,760 applications represented a 4 percent increase over the previous year's record of 49,731 applications. U-M offered admission to 13,577 prospective students last year - or 26 percent of the applicants - and 6,242 people - or 46 percent of those offered admission - paid enrollment deposits. Michigan State also saw a record number of applications this fall, receiving 37,475 submissions. The Office of Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Michigan is beginning to welcome its class of 2020 at summer orientation. Incoming freshman will come to campus throughout the summer for orientation sessions and to register for classes. The fall semester begins Sept. 6 on the Ann Arbor campus. Number of applicants by year: 2016: 55,500 2015: 51,760 2014: 49,731 2013: 46,775 2012: 42,480 2011: 39,570 2010: 31,599 2009: 29,939 Martin Slagter covers higher education for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at mslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter. ANN ARBOR, MI - Firefighters had to lower a man to the ground after he was found unconscious on the roof of an Ann Arbor apartment building Monday, June 27. Authorities were called about 12:15 p.m. Monday to a Wickfield Properties apartment complex in the 400 block of South First Street. The man was part of a group of roofers working on the building and is believed to have had a heart attack, said Ann Arbor Fire Department Capt. Jim Budd. The man stayed behind while the rest of the group went to lunch and was discovered when the group returned. Firefighters used a ladder and Stokes basket to lower the man to the ground. Incidents where those maneuvers are needed only happen a few times a year, Budd said. The man was taken to University of Michigan University Hospital in critical condition, said Chad French of Huron Valley Ambulance. Ann Arbor saw high levels of heat Monday, with temperatures about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Darcie Moran covers cops and courts for MLive and The Ann Arbor News. Email her at dmoran@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter @darciegmoran. Inter-governmental body the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has removed Myanmar from its list of states deemed weak in combating money laundering and terrorist financing, which experts think should make international banks more comfortable doing business with the country. FATF, which counts China, the United States and India as members, released a public statement on June 24 stating that Myanmar had been removed from the list of jurisdictions with strategic weaknesses in their anti-money laundering and counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes. The decision came after an on-site visit from a FATF team to determine whether Myanmar was making sufficient progress with recommended reforms. Those reforms included criminalising terrorist financing, freezing terrorist assets and ensuring Myanmars financial intelligence unit was operationally independent. Freedom from the list should mean other countries and their financial institutions now find it easier to do business with Myanmar. FATF calls on member and non-member states to enforce stronger due diligence and counter-measures when dealing with countries deemed high-risk. High-risk states are those on the strategic weaknesses list also known as the grey list and those on a more serious black list, reserved for countries with no action plan for addressing AML/CFT. Removal from the grey list should help with the process of getting international banks more comfortable with transacting with Myanmar, said Vicky Bowman, director at the Myanmar Centre for Responsible Business. However it wont remove the need for companies to undertake anti-corruption diligence on, and engage with, their business partners, or the need for government to do more to simplify and automate the complex permitting processes that encourage corruption. Myanmar spent almost five years on the black list from June 2011 until it was moved to the grey list on February 19 this year. The countrys graduation to non-high risk comes just a month after the United States amended its sanctions regime against Myanmar. The US removed three state-owned banks from its blacklist of Specially Designated Nationals (SDNs) in May, and added two military-owned lenders to a general licence that allows financial transactions with those banks. Although Myanmar bankers are hopeful that the sanctions amendments will ease barriers to doing business with US firms, some commentators noted that Myanmar is still not exempt from US Patriot Act rules that require US financial institutions to undertake special due diligence when dealing with a jurisdiction where money laundering is a concern. Peter Kuick, a sanctions expert at Inle Advisory Group and former senior sanctions adviser at the US Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), said that in removing Myanmar from the grey list FATF had noted a significant improvement in the countrys AML/CFT framework and supporting laws and regulations. The removal should pave the way for the rescission of the measures imposed against Myanmar under Section 311 of the US Patriot Act, he added. But there is no guarantee Myanmar will remain off the list and the country cannot afford to be complacent. The recent on-site visit to confirm that AML/CFT measures were in place lasted no more than three days, an FATF spokesperson told The Myanmar Times. In 2017, the country faces a more rigorous FATF Mutual Evaluation, during which an assessment team will look at just how effective the measures in place are, and whether they protect the financial system from abuse, the spokesperson said. The IMF is among the agencies providing technical AML/CFT technical assistance in Myanmar, which occurs partly through Japanese-government-funded programs, the IMFs country representative Yasuhisa Ojima told The Myanmar Times in March. The IMF has helped Myanmar draft laws and regulations and, along with others, helped train staff at Myanmars Financial Intelligence Unit, he said. Vietnamese developer Hoang Ang Gia Lai (HAGL) has launched sales in the third and last of its Lake Suites towers part of the firms landmark Myanmar Centre project. The first phase of the US$440 million project included a shopping centre called Myanmar Plaza, which opened at the end of last year, and a hotel operated by Spanish chain Melia, which is due to open this year. HAGL broke ground on the second phase at a ceremony on March 19. This phase includes two office towers, two serviced apartment towers and three residential apartment towers The Lake Suites. The firm has been selling units in the first two Lake Suites towers since last year, and started sales in the third and final tower on June 25, according to Le Thi Kim Hoa, director in the companys sales and marketing department. HAGL has sold all of the units its first Lake Suites tower, around 50 percent of units in the second and launched sales of the third on the back of this strong demand, she said. Most of the buyers are local customers, and although foreigners are interested the countrys condominium law, which was passed in January after years of legislative back-and-forth, has yet to be formally enacted. When we can sell to foreigners depends on when the law says we can, she said. The units vary in size from 68 square metres for a one bedroom apartment to 119 square metres for a three bedroom unit. Prices start range from K300 million to K600 million, with higher prices for higher floors. The first Lake Suites tower is scheduled to be completed in December of next year, and the second and third towers are due to be ready in 2018. The Ho Chi Minh City-listed developer signed a $300 million build- operate-transfer (BOT) contract in 2013 with the government, state media reported at the time. Last year, the project was valued at $550 million during a joint venture bid by Singapores Rowsley, though the deal fell through in April. Rowsley said it had been unable to reach an agreement with HAGL over the details of the investment structure. Telenor Myanmar has tested fourth-generation (4G) mobile services in Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw, Myawady and Muse, a company spokesperson has told The Myanmar Times. The tests come as the Norwegian mobile operator looks to migrate to 4G, a move that rival telco Ooredoo has already started. The Qatari firms website says its fourth-generation rollout has reached several townships in urban hubs Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw and Mandalay. State-owned incumbent Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) said last week that it would launch fourth-generation services as soon as it was ready. Though Telenor head of communications Joachim Rajaram said the telco could not comment on the timing of the 4G launch, Japanese newspaper The Nikkei reported CEO Petter Furberg as saying it could arrive by this summer. Mr Rajaram told The Myanmar Times earlier this year the future of 4G hinges on spectrum a vital resource divided up into bands capable of carrying voice and data communications. A timeline from the governments spectrum roadmap schedules the first auction for the second quarter of 2016. The first spectrum to go on the auction block will be from the 2600 megahertz band, followed by spectrum on the 1800MHz band which operators have said in the past should take precedence. Telenor has been in constant dialogue with [the Posts and Tele-communications Department] to accelerate the ... 1800MHz auction, in order for the industry to deliver a much better 4G network experience in Myanmar, Mr Rajaram said. Both Telenor and MPT said their launches would begin with 4G data services, a strategy pursued by Ooredoo Myanmar as well. Our initial launch will primarily aim to provide 4G internet services, which we feel are most relevant to the Myanmar mass market, based on our observations and current handset capabilities, said Mr Rajaram. Over time, we will introduce other 4G services such as high definition voice and enriched messaging experience. The Southeast Asia and Oceania Ericsson Mobility Report for June 2016 said that at the end of last year, more than 5 percent of the regions mobile subscriptions were LTE (long-term evolution) a technology standard that local telco officials say is synonymous with 4G in Myanmar. The report forecasts that this year, LTE subscriptions in that region will hit the 100 million mark. In the first quarter of 2016, Myanmars mobile subscriber base increased by 5 million on net a figure matched by Indonesia, while only India added more, according to a global Ericsson Mobility Report. Last week Japanese theatre director Hiroshi Koike came to Yangon to bring to life one of the most well-known stories written by his countryman Kenji Miyazawa, an early 20th-century author and poet. The book, The Restaurant of Many Orders, was adapted by Koike into a dance and theatre performance that was presented at the National Theatre in Yangon on June 23, with support from the Japanese embassy and the Japan Foundation. The story follows three young men who travel into the mountains to hunt for animals. When the weather takes a turn for the worse, they seek shelter in the strangely out-of-place Mountain Cat Inn Restaurant. Inside, they learn unforgettable lessons about mans relationship with nature. Koike, in an essay posted on The Restaurant of Many Orders website, said he was inspired to adapt the story while travelling in northern Japan, where he could feel the origin of the depth and the power of the Japanese novelist Kenji Miyazawa in the clear air and the landscape that seems to have something hidden underneath. His aim was to make theatre-goers think about what is human or how we should develop our relationship with nature. The images here capture the three actors performing The Restaurant of Many Orders at Yangons National Theatre last week. A Muslim man is being held in protective custody and more than 44 villagers have reportedly fled after communal violence struck Bago Region over the weekend, the first such outburst under the current government. A Buddhist mob over 200 strong assaulted a Muslim man, ransacked his home, and destroyed a mosque, another building and a Muslim cemetery on June 23, according to local authorities in Thayel Tha Mein village, Waw township. The man who was attacked, Abdul Sharif, was taken to the hospital with injuries on the left side of his head, according to police. He was released from the hospital yesterday and taken to the local police station, where officers said he will be looked after until they determine it is safe for him to return home. Phalanxes of police have also been deployed in response to the attack. According to Bago Region government officials, the quarrel erupted over a construction project near the mosque that was destroyed. Members of the Muslim community said that the building was meant to be a storehouse, while Buddhist villagers claimed another mosque or a Muslim school was being erected. Police are investigating whether it [the new building] was a storehouse or a mosque or something else. The people should know that not every building which is being built by a Muslim is a mosque, said Bago Region Chief Minister U Win Thein. The chief minister visited the village with the security and border affairs minister the day after the violence broke out. Another Buddhist person was injured during the quarrel, but its just a minor injury, he said. He told The Myanmar Times on June 24 that he has instructed the police and regional government officials to find out exactly what happened and hold accountable those responsible for the attack. Police said yesterday that there have been no arrests and no potential suspects yet identified, however. The president hasnt issued any instruction yet and we havent put a curfew in place, U Win Thein added. Anti-Muslim sentiment and deadly sectarian riots have reared since 2012, when violence engulfed Rakhine State and displaced more than 120,000 mostly Muslim residents. Religious tensions again surfaced in Meiktila and parts of Bago Region in 2013, and then hit Mandalay in 2014. Local disputes and accusations of sexual assault have served as catalysts in the previous instances. Local authorities said Thayel Tha Mein village, which sits 120 miles (193 kilometres) north of Yangon, has previously been a peaceful community. Of the 1029 households in the village, around 40 are home to Muslim families. Pictures circulating on Facebook over the weekend which could not be independently confirmed by The Myanmar Times showed a roving mob armed with sticks, and then, after the violence, a damaged building with bits of furniture and belongings strewn across the floor. U Tin Htwe, the Pyithu Hluttaw MP for Waw township, sought to downplay the implications of the violence. I think we shouldnt interpret this quarrel as a religious conflict. Its just a problem between neighbours. The current situation is very silent, he said. U Win Shwe, secretary of the village mosque, told AFP that Muslim residents did not feel they could stay in the township any longer. Our situation is not safe and now we are planning to leave the village ... We still feel afraid, he said. With rumours of further unrest, 44 residents packed their belongings and took boats out of the village, seeking refuge in a town two hours away, according to Police Lieutenant Khine Zin Tun. Muslim families, including children, fled to [another village in] Waw township for fear of their safety. But most people remain in the village, he said. Police torched over US$20 million worth of illegal narcotics in Yangon yesterday in a bonfire, with similar ceremonies held in Nay Pyi Taw, Mandalay and Taunggyi. The burning of seized drugs and precursor chemicals marked the UNs annual anti-drugs day. Speaking at one such ceremony in the capital yesterday, Vice President U Myint Swe said peace is the best way to solve Myanmars drug problem. Myanmars drug control plans will strengthen as the local peace-making process develops and succeeds, he said at a ceremony for the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking held by the Ministry of Information and the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC). We need a new approach toward ending narcotic drug manufacturing, trafficking and use. In implementing it, we need to take action not just against people who have committed drug crimes, but also against the retail and wholesale markets to which young people have access, he said. He added that the nationwide ceasefire agreement, signed with eight non-state armed groups in October 2015, will allow poppy eradication and the suppression of illicit narcotics trafficking. Further extending the peace process would allow greater efforts, he said. Myanmar remains the worlds second-largest producer of opium, feeding a vast market in China, while also manufacturing an ever-increasing number of methamphetamines. U Myint Swe said Myanmar would seek to replace poppy cultivation with other crops and with livestock rearing, while taking account of local culture and employment conditions. According to the UN guidance on alternatives to poppy cultivation, we will pursue this goal under the sector for national economic development and sustainability, he said. According to the 2015 annual report on Myanmars drug control, in accordance with the fourth five-year plan for drug elimination, agricultural centres were opened in six towns in Kayin State, three towns in Kayah State, two towns in Chin State, and 40 towns in Shan State 19 in southern, 12 in northern State nine in eastern to distribute seeds, including for paddy, corn, beans and pulses, oil crops and coffee. About K2.3 billion ($1.9 million) worth of seeds were distributed. We will draw up long-term and short-term plans, said the vice president. The aim is to promote alternative cultivation suitable to the regions needs and to develop markets for their produce, to create other income resources, to boost the capacity of local residents and eventually to transfer ownership to local people. Meanwhile, police in Yangon said they had seized and destroyed about $19 million (K23.39 billion) worth of illegal drugs during 2015. Police Brigadier General Win Naing told participants at an International Day against Drug Abuse event in Yangon that during the new governments 100-days initiative, since May 1, 347 drug users had been arrested, bringing the total in Yangon Region since 2015 to 718. Drugs destroyed included 0.496 kilograms of heroin, 4.12 million amphetamine pills, 53.53kg of hemp, 143.02kg of ice, 1116 capsules of Tramadol and other narcotics. The drugs destroyed on June 26 included narcotics seized from Yangon, Tanintharyi, Bago and Ayeyarwady regions, as well as Rakhine, Mon and Kayin states, by border and highway police. At a ceremony held on Mandalay Hill in Mandalay Region, another pile of $4.6 million worth of narcotics was burned. We can see that people are widely buying and selling drugs. It is very sad. We must try hard to eradicate drugs, said U Hla Moe, an MP for Aung Myay Tharzan township. Mostly, we must educate youths about the disadvantages of drugs. In his address, Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Zaw Myint Maung pledged to make Mandalay a drug-free zone. Additional reporting by Si Thu Lwin, translation by Khine Thazin Han The Thai government has sacked six officials in the town that State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited last week. No official word was given as to the reason for the firings but rights groups speculated that the announcement is related to questionable arrangements that excluded many Myanmar migrant workers from Daw Aung San Suu Kyis event in Mahachai on June 23. Those fired included the local labour department head, a police officer and the district administrator, said U Sein Htay, the country director for the Migrant Workers Rights Network. The official Thai-language statement on the dismissals, shared with The Myanmar Times by U Sein Htay, said that 23 officials were fired, with the others linked to corruption after a police crackdown on a massage parlor in Bangkok that was being used to host a prostitution ring. On the day Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited Mahachais seafood market, Myanmar migrant workers accused local authorities of manipulating the arrangement so that only higher-paid employees in Thai factories were allowed to enter. Despite being previously told that early-comers would be allowed to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, migrant workers were shut out and, as the day progressed, informed that only 500 people would be allowed to enter. Before the event started, migrant workers gathered inside the market compound and protested Thai authorities decision. Because they werent allowed to enter the hall where the meeting was taking place, they gathered in front of the building and waited to see Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. She was supposed to give a public speech after the event but it was cancelled, allegedly due to heavy rain. The six Thai officials werent the only ones fired after Daw Aung San Suu Kyis visit. Aide Alliance Committee for Myanmar Workers, a rights group based in Thailand, whose members met with the state counsellor at the Myanmar embassy in Bangkok on June 25, posted on Facebook that migrant workers were fired for attending the Mahachai event. U Sein Htay, however, said it was difficult to say whether the workers were absolutely in the right, noting that the absence of workers could disrupt the employers productivity. At the same time, he said, according to Thai laws, an employer cannot fire the employees for being absent from work for just one day. It is not fair and the workers may complain to the labour department. Ko Han Win Kyi, a worker in Mahachai who attended the event in the seafood market on June 23, said hed heard about the labourer firings but his employer didnt punish to him for going the event. During Daw Aung San Suu Kyis visit, the labour ministers from both countries signed three memoranda of understanding: one related to border crossing, another focused on employment agreements and a third about labour cooperation. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Thailands Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha held a joint press conference in Bangkok on June 24. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said she would not neglect the migrant workers and refugees in Thailands camps, and that she and her government would take responsibility for the more than 2 million Myanmar citizens living and working in Thailand. Save our mountain, local residents are saying in Pyin Oo Lwin. An environmental conservation group has enlisted villagers and local authorities in a bid to keep Yay Pyan Mountain lush, green and untouched. The Sein Lan Pyin Oo Lwin group wants the Mandalay Region government to declare the area a recognised environmental conservation zone. Its chair U Lay Myint Aung told The Myanmar Times on June 21 that members were surveying the natural wilds of the 3800-foot (1150-metre) mountain with the help of local residents. We have two goals: to preserve the mountain and, to that end, to raise awareness among local people about the need to preserve it. They have been very receptive. We all want to keep the mountain green, he said, adding that part of the work involves cleaning up litter and broken bottles left by increasing numbers of visitors. A spokesperson for the group, Ko Sai Kyaw Kyaw Htun, added, We want to protect the mountain from damage. When crowds of visitors come, we try to get them to dispose of their litter thoughtfully and to avoid throwing away glass and bottles. We expect visitor numbers to increase as Yay Pyan is recognised as a natural conservation zone. Transportation has also become more convenient. On May 5, Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Zaw Myint Maung addressed local residents at a public meeting at Pyin Oo Lwin City Hall, expressing his support for the activities of Sein Lan Pyin Oo Lwin. Departmental staff are working with conservationists on the survey of four sections of the mountain, which features seven levels of waterfalls enclosed within a forest, as well as natural caves and stalagmites. Translation by Emoon The government will push to remove provisions of the countrys anti-narcotics law that require drug users to register with authorities and stipulates prison time for those who fail to do so, according to Colonel Zaw Win Tun of the Myanmar Police Force. The requirement, laid out in the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Law of 1993, has been deemed in violation of Myanmars human rights commitments under the UN charter, and the decision to remove the provisions comes following a review of the legislation conducted jointly with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. The existing law states drug users shall register and if not, they shall be imprisoned. Now we are trying to amend the law and remove the provision [requiring drug users to register], the police colonel told The Myanmar Times. Non-registrants under the current law are subject to a prison term of three to five years. During a ceremony to mark International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking held yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw, Vice President U Myint Swe emphasised that the country would need to consider a more human rights-based approach to dealing with drug users, including greater emphasis on health and rehabilitation programs for users. Article 55 of the UN charter states, in part, that member states are to promote universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. The Ministry of Home Affairs submitted a bill amending the law to parliament under then-president U Thein Seins government, but lawmakers did not bring the proposed legislation to the floor for debate. It still remains as a bill so we will put it forward to parliament again after finalising, Pol Col Zaw Win Tun said. The Pyithu Hluttaw Bill Committees chair U Tun Aung, also known as U Tun Tun Hein, told The Myanmar Times that proposed changes to the law reflected a new tack on fighting the scourge of illicit narcotics. It means that we have to fight illicit drug abuse and at the same time we also need to obey human rights we will see that our concepts are much changed now, he said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released a statement yesterday in support of a human rights-centred approach to narcotics law enforcement. I call on countries and communities to continue to improve the lives of everyone blighted by drug abuse by integrating security and public safety with a heightened focus on health, human rights and sustainable development, he said. The UNODCs executive director, Yury Fedotov, also released a statement urging member states to explore alternative measures for drug users, rather than prison sentences. The UNODCs World Drug Report 2016, released last week, showed a rise in the number of people suffering from drug use disorders for the first time in six years, to 29 million globally. Despite the registration requirement, there are no official data on drug users in Myanmar the worlds second-largest producer of opium but according to the UNODC the number of males estimated to be injecting drugs is approximately 83,000. The UN drugs agency announced earlier this year that it would work with the government to conduct a first-ever survey on drug use in the country. Translation by Zar Zar Soe Starting next week, children under five will be given a new defence mechanism against leading killer pneumonia. The Department of Public Health yesterday introduced the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) into the routine National Immunisation Program. The next round of inoculations will start on July 1. Before July, we had injection vaccines to protect against nine diseases. Now we can protect against 11 diseases because this PCV can count for two diseases for children under five, Dr Tun Tin, director of disaster and epidemiology at the Department of Public Health, said yesterday at a media briefing for the new vaccine. Pneumococcal disease is a leading cause of death case for Myanmar children. The Ministry of Health estimates that around 12 percent of the deaths of children under five are caused by a death that could be prevented by PCV. Pneumococcal disease is any infection caused by the pneumococcal of Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria, including sepsis, ear infections, bacterial meningitis and pneumonia. Dr Htar Htar Line, deputy director of the expanded program on immunisation, said children die of pneumococcal diseases because of high rates of antibiotic drug resistance as well as a lack of access to adequate medical care. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates between 100 and 300 out of every 100,000 children under five suffer pneumococcal disease in Myanmar. Common risk factors include malnutrition, low birth weight, non-exclusive breast feeding for first six months, lack of measles immunisation, indoor air pollution and overcrowding. Dr Htar Htar Line said that over 100,000 children born every are covered by the national vaccine program in Myanmar. She added that the new vaccine will be administered from July 1 to children aged two, four and six months as part of the routine vaccination program based at the Yangon Childrens Hospital and the Yangon Central Womens Hospital, as well as district hospitals. Rural midwives will also be instructed to administer the vaccine. The Ministry of Health estimated administering the measles-rubella vaccine and PVC under a co-financing scheme will cost US$6,490,600 for five years. UNICEF is supporting the cold chain storage of the vaccine, while WHO has provided technology advice, according to the media briefing. The program aimed to protect against pneumonia is funded by the government with the help of GAVI-Vaccine Alliance. The Australian embassy in Yangon will be open this week for its citizens to vote in their countrys upcoming federal election. Ballots can be cast starting from today until July 1, 8:30am to 3:30pm daily; and on July 2 election day from 9am to 2pm. Australians must already be enrolled to vote and need to bring their passport for embassy access. Australian ambassador Nicholas Coppel told The Myanmar Times that this was an important opportunity for Australians to hold elected officials to account and ensure your voice is heard on issues that are important to you. It is a privilege to be able to choose who represents us in parliament a privilege that the Myanmar people exercised in November last year, Mr Coppel said. The election pits the centre-right Coalitions Malcolm Turnbull against the centre-left Labor Partys Bill Shorten. The Coalition has been in office since the 2013 election. Mr Turnbull came to power in September 2015 after he defeated the historically unpopular Tony Abbott in an internal party leadership spill. Mr Shorten, considered very much a retail politician who is infamous for his much-derided zingers, has surprised many by closing recent polls to an almost 50-50 spilt. But for some Australians in Myanmar, an important element of their democratic tradition is missing. Expatriates on Facebook are urging the embassy to honour the tradition of holding a sausage sizzle, or traditional Australian barbeque, on election day like numerous polling places in Australia. Its not an election without a sausage sizzle, pined one Australian Facebook user. The Brexit vote was a triple protest: against surging immigration, City of London bankers and European Union institutions, in that order. It will have major consequences. Donald Trumps campaign for the US presidency will receive a huge boost, as will other anti-immigrant populist politicians. Moreover, leaving the EU will wound the British economy and could well push Scotland to leave the United Kingdom to say nothing of Brexits ramifications for the future of European integration. Brexit is thus a watershed event that signals the need for a new kind of globalisation, one that could be far superior to the status quo that was rejected at the British polls. At its core, Brexit reflects a pervasive phenomenon in the high-income world: rising support for populist parties campaigning for a clampdown on immigration. Roughly half the population in Europe and the United States, generally working-class voters, believes that immigration is out of control, posing a threat to public order and cultural norms. In the middle of the Brexit campaign in May, it was reported that the UK had net immigration of 333,000 people in 2015, more than triple the governments previously announced target of 100,000. That news came on top of the Syrian refugee crisis, terrorist attacks by Syrian migrants and disaffected children of earlier immigrants, and highly publicised reports of assaults on women and girls by migrants in Germany and elsewhere. In the US, Trump backers similarly rail against the countrys estimated 11 million undocumented residents, mainly Hispanic, who overwhelmingly live peaceful and productive lives, but without proper visas or work permits. For many Trump supporters, the crucial fact about the recent attack in Orlando is that the perpetrator was the son of Muslim immigrants from Afghanistan and acted in the name of anti-American sentiment though committing mass murder with automatic weapons is, alas, all too American. Warnings that Brexit would lower income levels were either dismissed outright, wrongly, as mere fearmongering, or weighed against the Leavers greater interest in border control. A major factor, however, was implicit class warfare. Working-class Leave voters reasoned that most or all of the income losses would in any event be borne by the rich, and especially the despised bankers of the City of London. Americans disdain Wall Street and its greedy and often criminal behaviour at least as much as the British working class disdains the City of London. This, too, suggests a campaign advantage for Trump over his opponent in November, Hillary Clinton, whose candidacy is heavily financed by Wall Street. Clinton should take note and distance herself from Wall Street. In the UK, these two powerful political currents rejection of immigration and class warfare were joined by the widespread sentiment that EU institutions are dysfunctional. They surely are. One need only cite the last six years of mismanagement of the Greek crisis by self-serving, shortsighted European politicians. The continuing eurozone turmoil was, understandably, enough to put off millions of UK voters. The short-run consequences of Brexit are already clear: The pound has plummeted to a 31-year low. In the near-term, the City of London will face major uncertainties, job losses and a collapse of bonuses. Property values in London will cool. The possible longer-run knock-on effects in Europe including likely Scottish independence; possible Catalonian independence; a breakdown of free movement of people in the EU; a surge in anti-immigrant politics (including the possible election of Trump and Frances Marine Le Pen) are enormous. Other countries might hold referendums of their own and some may choose to leave. In Europe, the call to punish Britain pour encourager les autres to warn those contemplating the same is already rising. This is European politics at its stupidest (also very much on display vis-a-vis Greece). The remaining EU should, instead, reflect on its obvious failings and fix them. Punishing Britain by, say, denying it access to Europes single market would only lead to the continued unravelling of the EU. So what should be done? I would suggest several measures, both to reduce the risks of catastrophic feedback loops in the short term and to maximise the benefits of reform in the long term. First, stop the refugee surge by ending the Syrian war immediately. This can be accomplished by ending the CIA-Saudi alliance to overthrow Bashar al-Assad, thereby enabling Assad, with Russian and Iranian backing, to defeat the Islamic State and stabilise Syria (with a similar approach in neighbouring Iraq). Americas addiction to regime change, in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria, is the deep cause of Europes refugee crisis. End the addiction and the recent refugees could return home. Second, stop NATOs expansion to Ukraine and Georgia. The new Cold War with Russia is another US-contrived blunder with plenty of European naivete attached. Closing the door on NATO expansion would make it possible to ease tensions and normalise relations with Russia, stabilise Ukraine, and restore focus on the European economy and the European project. Third, dont punish Britain. Instead, police national and EU borders to stop illegal migrants. This is not xenophobia, racism or fanaticism. It is common sense that countries with the worlds most generous social-welfare provisions (Western Europe) must say no to millions (indeed hundreds of millions) of would-be migrants. The same is true for the US. Fourth, restore a sense of fairness and opportunity for the disaffected working class and those whose livelihoods have been undermined by financial crises and the outsourcing of jobs. This means following the social-democratic ethos of pursuing ample social spending for health, education, training, apprenticeships and family support, financed by taxing the rich and closing tax havens, which are gutting public revenues and exacerbating economic injustice. It also means finally giving Greece debt relief, thereby ending the long-running eurozone crisis. Fifth, focus resources, including additional aid, on economic development, rather than war, in low-income countries. Uncontrolled migration from todays poor and conflict-ridden regions will become overwhelming, regardless of migration policies, if climate change, extreme poverty, and lack of skills and education undermine the development potential of Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Central Asia. All of this underscores the need to shift from a strategy of war to one of sustainable development, especially by the US and Europe. Walls and fences wont stop millions of migrants fleeing violence, extreme poverty, hunger, disease, droughts, floods and other ills. Only global cooperation can do that. Project Syndicate Jeffrey D Sachs, professor of sustainable development, professor of health policy and management, and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, is also director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. Eventually, the shockwaves from Britains vote to leave the European Union will ripple into Myanmar affairs. One way or another, we all need to digest the lessons of last weeks historic referendum. Where should we start? Perhaps with a general point: Any political system made up of a loose constellation of peoples tends to struggle, over the long term, with centrifugal forces. In their own style, the people of Myanmar know this story well. It is at the heart of a long history of contention and despair. In Myanmars sad case, claims for independence have made it easier for despots to argue that iron-fisted rule is the only way to preserve national cohesion. When they secured independence from Britain in the 1940s, the countrys leaders had a more open mind about alternative political structures. They even codified a right to secession. Chapter X of then-Burmas 1947 constitution stated every State shall have the right to secede from the Union in accordance with the conditions hereinafter prescribed. The provisions that followed are well known, but the basic idea was that ethnic minorities had to wait 10 years to exercise this right. War and strife followed. Unwilling to accept the possibility of territorial fragmentation, General Ne Win seized control of the government. His unique recipe of isolationism and xenophobia is impossible to forget. Yet the Tatmadaw fought so hard, for so long, that the issue of secession eventually faded from view. Then, under the heading basic principles, Chapter I of the 2008 constitution brought this sensitive matter back to the fore. This new constitution presents a starkly different vision of the prospects for breaking away. It says, No part of the territory constituted in the Union such as Regions, States, Union Territories and Self-Administered Areas shall ever secede from the Union. No wriggle room, no room for negotiation. With that constitution in force, the chance of wide-ranging public debate about secession is minuscule. Indeed, it seems improbable that anyone in Myanmar will put secessionist claims to a popular vote, a la Scotland or the United Kingdom. The Tatmadaw, under its current leadership, would never allow it. Nor would the National League for Democracy government be comfortable with such unpredictable plebiscites. There would be worries, naturally, that the entire national fabric would fray if too many groups were allowed to pull at the margins. However, it is not even clear, to me at least, that secessionists would win such hypothetical votes, including across parts of the country defined by long-running civil wars. One of the reasons for doubting popular endorsement for any full-bodied secessionist claims is that most of the ethnic states now have very significant populations beyond what was once the dominant ethnic group. These shifting demographics also help to explain why the National League for Democracy did so well at last years election in Kachin, Kayin and Mon states. These are parts of the country where narrow claims to ethnic loyalty no longer resonate for large sections of local society. Many minorities feel motivated to secure a genuinely multi-ethnic Union, where the everyday blending of peoples and blurring of boundaries has a high status in political institutions. It is hard, often, for ethnic sub-nationalists most of whom actually no longer campaign for secession to accept these demographic and democratic truths. The weight of numbers, and the coalition of democratic and militarist forces, means that Unionist politics has secured the high ground. It helps that today the NLD is the largest political party that represents ethnic interests. Under its leadership, there is much to be said for creating conditions for a reimagined Union spirit one that can accept the constructive value of local autonomy and devolution. Last weeks British vote also offers a tough tutorial in the power of economic anxiety to drive secessionist impulse. In that case, migration from the rest of Europe motivated fearful voters, including huge numbers of retirees, to reclaim what they feel is sacred sovereignty. Cultural chauvinism and anti-elitism reportedly played a big part too. For Myanmars government, the painful reality is that a significant fraction of the population still feels completely disempowered by Nay Pyi Taw and the triumph of the NLD. They are waiting to see how Daw Aung San Suu Kyis much-anticipated 21st-century Panglong Conference will handle their competing claims. Myanmar, like most political compromises, stays together only by balancing an unruly mix of cultural, financial and security demands. Under the old military regime, we know there was zero tolerance for secessionist alternatives. Next months peace conference will tell us that the 2008 constitutions basic principles are still not up for meaningful debate. New Mandala Nicholas Farrelly is director of the Myanmar Research Centre at the Australian National University and the co-founder of New Mandala, a website on Southeast Asian affairs. His column appears each Monday. 26.06.2016 LISTEN By Kodjo Adams, GNA Accra, June 26, GNA - Mrs Kate Quartey-Papafio, an entrepreneur has call on government agencies to take advantage of technology by utilising its benefits in transacting business across all sector of the economy to save time and cost. She expressed worry about the delay in agencies migrating from analog businesses to online platforms, saying 'the country needs to be more proactive and be abreast of current global synergies for business transactions'. She said the improvement of electronic-commerce has led to the derivation of various internet based activities, such that companies are able to conduct their business activities at all hours, reaching customers in all parts of the world. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mrs Quartey-Papafio said online utility bills payment has become the solution for consumers with busy life-styles, since consumers are able to save time, hassle and make their lives much easier. Mrs Quartey-Papafio, also the Chief Executive Officer of Reroy Cables Limited, a subsidiary of Reroy Group, said although online utility bill payment has become one of the fastest growing trends in the world particularly in the US, the progress of households' adopting to online utility bill payments is rather slothful. She said it is about time for the country to 'walk the talk' by making effective use of these platforms because it has the benefits of avoiding crowds, queuing, parking problems, and cutting their travelling costs and time. She said as fast-growing economies become exporters of capital, talent and innovation, the direction of capital flows is being adjusted in a way that is quite different from the traditional routes from developed-to-emerging and developed-to-developed countries. Mrs Quartey-Papafio was of the view that, the power utility sector has a strong track record of making interconnectivity work within power systems. She said matching internal culture to a new and changing digital customer is key challenge, and the country is filled with engineers but do not necessarily help to orient towards a customer-centric utility mindset. She said digital transformation is top of company agenda, since more than 80 per cent of CEOs view digital technologies such as data mining and mobile customer engagement as important for their companies. 'An effective digital strategy can revolutionize all areas of the power utility business since it is the heart of the energy transformation challenge. Digital is affecting not just the way companies face their customers, but also bringing deep changes in the core operational activities of utilities', she added. Mrs Quartey-Papafio said most companies see smart phones as essential to improve customer relationships while others view it as an opportunity to offer new services beyond the energy spectrum. 'Technology has come to stay, and it behooves companies to take advantage of the opportunity to maximise its potential in improving the effectiveness of businesses.' GNA Antananarivo (AFP) - Two people were killed and more than 80 wounded in a grenade attack in Madagascar's capital Sunday during the country's national day celebrations, in what the president called "an act of terrorism". The blast struck the Mahamasina municipal stadium in Antananarivo at around 1600 GMT, just as a free concert was taking place to mark the nation's 56th anniversary of independence from France. President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, who visited the injured victims in hospital, blamed the attack on tensions with political opponents in the Indian Ocean island nation. "There may be differences of opinion between us, but these acts of destabilisation are unacceptable," he said in a statement broadcast on national television, describing the attack as "not just a destabilising act but an act of terrorism". Pleading for calm, he added: "We will not respond to violence with violence." According to the gendarmerie, the attack killed two teenagers aged 16 and 18, while 84 people were injured. A military parade was held at the stadium earlier in the day. "The explosion was caused by a grenade," general Anthony Rakotoarison, head of security and intelligence with the national gendarmerie, told AFP by phone. "We consider this a terrorist act," he added. The last attack to hit Madagascar was in January 2014 when a grenade blast killed a toddler and injured several other people outside the same stadium targeted on Sunday. No arrests were ever made in connection with that attack and there was no claim of responsibility. Madagascar, one of the world's poorest countries, is slowly getting back on its feet after a lengthy period of political instability triggered by the 2009 ouster of president Marc Ravalomanana by Antananarivo's then-mayor Andry Rajoelina. Rajoelina led a transitional government until late 2013, when a new election that was designed to resolve complex struggles brought Rajaonarimampianina to power. International donors, on which the country relies heavily, only recently returned to Madagascar after withdrawing over the 2009 turmoil, and the economy is starting to show the first signs of recovery. Following intense pressure from the public, the Ghana Police Service has stated that it will not shutdown social media services in the country on election day. The Inspector General of Police, John Kudalor had earlier suggested that a social media blackout on November 7 was being considered as a way to counter the activities of potential troublemakers who might disrupt the election process using these platforms. At one stage I said that if it becomes critical on the eve and also on the election day, we shall block all social media as other countries have done. We're thinking about it, John Kudalor had said. However, speaking at Blogging Ghanas Blog camp on Saturday, the Director of Communications at the Police Service, Cephas Arthur said the IGP made the comments on the spur of the moment and that there were no plans in place to ban social media on November 7. The IGP used the word alternatives but it looks as if nobody heard the other alternatives that he mentioned because nobody is discussing that. This was not part of his speech. It was a kind of off the top of his head answer. Let us not be alarmed. The IGP is not about to block social media on election day and we are going to have our social media, Cephas Arthur said. The IGPs comments had generated widespread criticism from the general public who felt such an action would represent suppression of freedom of speech. Several bodies including the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), the Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) BloggingGhana, and PenPlusBytes have criticised the Police Chiefs words describing the idea as undemocratic. The United Nations (UN) has also waded into the debate , stating that they would oppose any attempt to block social media ahead of the elections. The special representative of the United Nations (UN) Secretary General for West Africa and the Sahel, Mohammed Ibn Chambas said: I should say without hesitation that from a UN point of view, we would be obviously averse to any steps that will amount to restricting the democratic space, particularly any steps that will be taken to restrict the freedom of expression. Cephas Arthur admitted that the Services visibility in terms of the online space was negligible but added that steps had been taken to address the situation. If you went to our site, you'll see some inactive social media outlets. We were present, somehow. With ICT advancements, the administration is putting measures in place to ensure that we are also strongly represented there, he added. It's something that we are working hard at and with the recent issue of abusing social media and having the likelihood of checking out information that could cause problems, the administration is doubling up and a lot is being done to permanently have a very strong presence on the social media front. So I can assure you that we are there, we are working hard and very soon you will see that we are strongly represented and it will be like that forever and we'll keep on improving and changing with changing times. The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has called on the Electoral Commission (EC), to execute its constitutional mandate with integrity for a transparent, credible and more acceptable polls on November 7. According to the Association, the constant and frequent resort to the Supreme Court on electoral issues shows the EC is getting some fundamentals wrong,especially as it is seen as not giving a hearing to certain groups. Mr Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, the Brong-Ahafo Regional President of the GBA made the call when members of the Association joined worshippers at the Elim City Church on Sunday to commemorate the 34th Martyrs Day in Sunyani. Justice Obiri Francis, a Human Right Court Judge in Kumasi and Justice Amos Buertey, a Supervising High Court in Sunyani also attended the service. The GBA observed the solemn religious ceremony annually in memory of the three high court judges as martyrs of the Rule of Law who were abducted and murdered in cold-blood in 1982. Tributes were paid in remembrance of the late Justices Mr Fred Poku Sarkodie, Mrs Cecilia Koranteng-Addow and Mr Kwadwo Agyei Agyapong. Mr Tuah-Yeboah emphasised that the EC must listen to opinions and suggestions without being perceived or seen to be charting the course of one group to the detriment of others, as it prepares to hold another crucial general election. This, he noted would enable the Commission to play its referee role more effectively than before in organising free, fair, transparent, credible and generally- acceptable polls, which would raise the nation's democratic credentials a notch higher. Mr Tuah-Yeboah observed that the African continent is replete with a number of examples of the devastating consequences of electoral malpractices. He expressed the hope that the EC would take a cue from the mistakes its sister-Commissions elsewhere had made in the past with its attendant dangers for their people. We Ghanaians do not want to join that bandwagon of elections, which only make mockery of democracy and put the continent into the spotlight for all the bad reasons, he added. 27.06.2016 LISTEN The best ways to negotiate salary or contract these days are: become arsonists displacing the poor, fire government or parastatals buildings specifically accounting sections; religious fanatics killing and maiming innocent civilians; militia blowing up bridges, pipes to pollutes and degrade environment for the next generations; and political thugs seeking part of the security vote. It is risky to blow up all these, but would rather die faster by bullets than die slowly of hunger. These are bandits who make their living either as politicians or terrorists. There is no difference between them. It shows that crime pays very well, lack of order or lawlessness triumphed. Yet, these criminals are the first to call for the rule of law when caught. The same life and liberty they deny their fellow countrymen, children and environment. Oh my goodness let them hang! We often asked about who will bell the cat. Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die. We knows the the causes of our plight; but none of us is ready to confront them as they split and divide us along ethnic lines as they unite in sharing our commonwealth. Running away into the deserts or seas at the risk of dear lives, has created fake champions of causes used to bargain for their selfish interest. If they are brave enough to risk lives, blow up infrastructures, kill, maim poor people, why then do they run away from oppressors if they are not the same? They are no different from the condemned politicians. On a daily basis, some hustlers looking for ways to make incomes while their colleagues work hard and play by the rules, threaten the whole Country demanding bribes, gratis and special concessions just for their own pockets. As soon as they are settled, they build castles and move their families outside the country. Not a single group of these militias has been able to demonstrate any welfare for the causes claimed. How can any militant claim they are fighting for causes in a country where politicians and their cronies legally award themselves the highest salary in the world taking most of the countrys income with nothing left for workers even before oil income went low? Yet, they still buy luxury foreign cars and travel outside with generous extacodes. Indeed, they are proposing immunities and life pensions for other top politicians like former governors boldly awarded themselves. As foreign income on oil was reduced by less than half, politicians and these arsonists still find ways to pay themselves outrageous salaries and negotiate big ransom in exchange for peace that never materialize because other terrorists see an opportunity to make their own demands. When twenty-seven states out of thirty-six cannot pay workers salary after being bailed out by the Federal Government, it is obvious militias and terrorist are not going after the right target! If you are not cowards and you are ready to die for your causes, go and dispossess oppressors that have diverted most of the incomes your Country made from resources illegally. Politicians pay themselves legally and loot local governments dry in our faces with impunity and without resistance. Helpless folks suffer the consequences of deadly acts as looters that are responsible float majestically. Leave the poor and infrastructures alone. It is easier to destroy than to build. Reasonable people would think this is why militias are springing up every day and would want to destroy politicians. Nope, militias or arsonists want to negotiate their own share of free loot while they leave poor people in whose name they cry in polluted environmental, squalor and degradation hanging dry. They even contributed to the environmental swamp by blowing up raw crude oil to pollute their own environments rendering it useless for the next generation. The poor people arsonist, terrorist and militia claim they are fighting for remain impoverished and destitute in the land flowing with wara, sugarcane and kunu. Our children are watching since their generation has never experienced anything but corruption and violence in high places. Those that are more violent get as much praises as those that are looters. They threaten to bring down heaven and earth but complimented one another after each negotiation. As soon as they spend like drunken sailors and run out of money, they change their names into another terrorist organization pledging support to international terrorists and fanatic religious organizations. Even local militias are pledging to local terrorists. It has now become the best way to source money from the countrys dwindling fortune leaving children, the unemployed and poor uncared for. It is why Nigerians are running to poorer or richer but peaceful countries. Do not be surprised if a little kid aspire to be terrorist when he grows up because he could see them as successful grownups. Militias can now afford to employ the educated and illiterates to do their biddings. They have acquired so much power, they have friends in high places. Some of them even boast that they have removed and elected Presidents. A signal to their political foes and friends is that if they want to be elected into office; they must pay homage. The irony is there are no lawyers, activists and sympathizers for the poor and hungry stealing food, tomatoes, fish or meat in the markets. Before they are afforded the rule of law and due process; tire is swung around their necks and burnt alive. Misplaced anger. No parade of local SAN and foreign Queens Counsel to intimidate the judge in court. Before the police respond, the poor thief is roasting to hell, even if accused by mistake. What if they are hungry? Now you know why it pays to be a politician, arsonist, militia or terrorist. People respect you and worship your feet. If anyone accused you, you can sue them for defamation or even bankrupt daily news papers or internet organizations. Tell them to withdraw the accusation or by the time the case is completed, they must have lost their businesses. It satisfies their pride and send message to others that they are untouchables. When did it get this bad? This is how low we are getting and sinking lower. We have cried out, written in different ways and exposed them only to defend themselves and be defended as victims of political and ethnic biases. Our politicians and terrorists are known worldwide from as a country that is fantastically corrupt, yet we claim we are not the only ones. Actually the only people that claimed they are innocent seeking the rule of law and order with impunity are Nigerian looters and arsonists. Others call us colossal conglomerate of looters in denial. The only country where politicians, looters and terrorist sit at the high tables in any function and even given awards. Chinekeme! 27.06.2016 LISTEN If you smoke theres a very good chance youll get cancer and itll kill you. But yet again so also can your family. Gone are the days when family used to be very close loving one another, looking out for one another and caring for one another. Nowadays, unfortunately, were mostly at each others throat! Our whole family structure has disintegrated over the years into a cesspit of sibling rivalry, jealousy, backstabbing, favouritism and many other bad things too numerous to mention here. There is a common saying that says we have met the enemy and they are us or to translate it into a Yoruba saying of similar meaning the insects that have infested the bitter-leaf plant live on it. Sometimes our own very worst enemies are the same very people we share a blood-line with. They are not foreigners or outsiders but people we often know intimately. Sad? But sometimes this is the actual ugly reality. Rather disturbingly, parents who should be wiser are drawn into this maelstrom of wahala; playing divide and rule games, ostracizing and alienating and encouraging sibling rivalry. In Nigeria today some parents have become Lords favouring only those, siblings, who bring the most Naira home, without questioning the source of their income; and who is prepared to do their bidding, right or wrong. There are even some agbaya-parents out there who pit their siblings against each other and watch them fight, often to the death (- if you throw in some juju and spiritual attacks), like gladiators of the old Roman Empire. Or they use their OWN children for juju stealing their souls to make money or using their body-parts to prolong their own lives. Read any newspaper and they are full of stories of parents who have taken their children down to the local babalawo to be used for one ritual or another. Or some parents who see their siblings as unwanted baggage and pawn them off to the highest bidder. Again, in recent times, how many parents have been caught trying to sell their own children? Countless! And theres the siblings themselves; constantly jealous of each others success enough to warrant spell-casting to wreck their own-bloods life and thats not discounting the antics of the extended family (- we all have them!) jealous that a relatives sibling is doing better than theirs! Interestingly, new statistics in Nigeria suggest you are most likely to die at the hands of a family member, close or distant, than you are at the hands of an armed robber. How many mysterious deaths do we hear about in families day in and day out? And this can either be through black magic or the use of hired assassins. All this wahala for a being part of a family! They say you can choose your friends but not your family youre stuck with them! And this is without talking about our own immediate families the husband, wife and couple of kids setup. In Nigeria today with the economic situation the way it is families have to face additional problems. Poverty and lack of money, poor communication and lack of empathy, insecurity and sometimes infidelity can destroy a family faster than anything else. Peace of mind becomes a luxury as we worry about our lives, our futures and how we are going to carry on living. So if youre a smoker youre must likely will die at the hands of your family than cancer! (-even though thats not an excuse to carry on smoking!) The Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) has issued a release to clean itself from any wrong doing in relation its budget overrun in 2015. In a statement released by the Corporation, it said, GNPC actually underspent its budget for 2015, approved by Parliament. Our forecasted revenue was US$228.05 million and our actual revenue was US$126.86 million. This shortfall was driven by the global fall in crude oil prices, it added. Comparing its budgeted expenditure of $291.90 million, the Corporation said the actual expenditure of $190.01 million represented a 35 percent underspend. This is contrary to 2015 Public Interest and Accountability Committees report which cited the GNPC overspending its annual budget by about US$64 million. The report shows that GNPCs budget allocation for the year under review was a little over US$126 million but the company spent US$190.47 million to pay six month salary arrears of workers of the Saltpond Offshore Petroleum Company. An amount of US$1.81 million was also spent on the maritime boundary dispute between Ghana and Ivory Coast as against US$782,407 spent in 2014 on the international arbitration. The committee in its recommendations cautioned the GNPC to refrain from providing future guarantees to other state owned entities It also asked Parliament to ensure that the practice whereby GNPC will be requested to release parts of its allocations from petroleum receipts to government without prior approval from Parliament is discontinued. GNPC in the release stated, Our forecasted revenue was $228.05m and our actual revenue was $126.86m. This shortfall was driven by the global fall in crude oil prices. Irrespective of this fall in prices, we were contractually obligated to meet our share of costs in the Jubilee Field. Meanwhile, compared to our budgeted expenditure of $291.90 million, our actual expenditure of $190.01m represented a 35% underspend. It is as a result of prudent financial management that we were able to fulfil our contractual obligations despite such a sharp decline in revenue. This is what enabled GNPC to make critical sector interventions, to ensure the smooth movement of gas to power plants, in order to stabilise the supply of power for industrial and domestic use. It further explained, This includes the provision of road infrastructure in the oil and gas enclave in the Western Region, the guarantee that enabled Karpowership to bring in a power plant to alleviate load shedding, and meeting our obligations as a Joint Venture partner in the Saltpond Offshore Producing Company. The issues emanating from the Maritime Boundary dispute with Cote DIvoire could have a major impact on the entire oil and gas industry in Ghana if the eventual judgement is not in Ghanas favour. Ghana has a strong case at the arbitration and so we have to ensure that we make the necessary representations ensure we secure the expected outcome for Ghana. The increases in costs are a result of required increased activity in 2015, the Corporation added in its release. 27.06.2016 LISTEN The word husband comes from some Anglo-Saxon words which meant a house band. This implies a strip of metal {or rope} used to bind houses together. Biblically, a husband is a man in a legal marriage GEN. 3:16; PROV. 12:4; JERE. 3:20; 1 COR. 7:2-3; EPH. 5:33. A husband in such a marriage is scripturally a man who consciously, knowingly and willingly takes a woman for wife. The New Testament allows every husband one wife per time 1 TIM. 3:2; TIT. 1:6. In marriage, two lives are bound together as one. Only a woman legally married to one man was recommended by Paul to be enrolled for relief as a widow 1 TIM. 5:9.The primary duty of a husband is to bind the home together in terms of organization and control 1 TIM. 3:4-5.It is the mans duty to rule his home spiritually because man is first and foremost a spirit being, a God GEN. 1:27; PSA. 82:6; JN. 10:34. His house is a house of Gods! GEN. 3:22; PSA. 82:6. Companionship was the primary purpose of God in instituting marriage GEN. 2:18. God enjoins the husband to love his wife unconditionally. A husband must bind his house in love. Tolerance is required on his part because the wife is a weaker vessel. A husband must bind his house socially; he must determine beneficial relationships that can profit the family spiritually. Every wife must unconditionally recognize and give heed to this covenant assignment of a husband in marriage 1 TIM. 2:14. This was the failure of Adam when Satan through the serpent became Eves closest companion GEN. 3:1-7. Their toxic relationship brought terrible spiritual consequences for humanity 2 COR. 11:3. However, a husband must not be foolish or socially irresponsible like Nabal and jeopardize his family 1 SAM. 25:1-38. A spirit-filled wife must do the needful if faced with such situation. A husband is to observe, plan per time or provide beforehand if he inherited wealth from family - 1 TIM. 5:8. A husband must bind his house financially he must truly husband his earnings and that of his wife to give the family comfort per time 1 TIM. 5:8. This was the error of the prodigal son who consumed his inheritance on riotous living. No husband or wife is permitted to waste his/her earnings on self-aggrandizement. The familys earnings must not be wasted on strange men/women, and strange desires such as pools betting, drinking, drug addiction, and unproductive extended family members PROV. 31:1-5.An aged widowed mother/mother in-law falls under a husbands ambit DT. 14:29; N16:14; 24:19 26:12; 1 TIM. 5:4-5. A husband must not let the family live beyond its means {including the earnings of his wife} at all times ROM. 12:17b; 2 COR. 8:21.To do otherwise will make him an infidel, or an unbeliever, a faithless being. A husband must only use every lawful to provide and prove himself. It will be as God gives him opportunity that he plans and provides for his family GAL. 6:10. The Bible generously praises a dutiful, obedient wife who has lawful independent income that relieves her husband and blesses her family PROV. 31:10-19. Indeed, financial independence that does not threaten a marriage is one of the trademarks of a virtuous wife. The husband has the obligation of taking up duties and responsibilities that are necessary to keep his family going. But the wife has an obligation to support him fully as a help meet GEN. 2:18; 1 COR. 11:9; 1 TIM. 2:13. Adam was to be the head of the family and priest in the home, but Eve usurped that role with terrible consequences for humanity GEN. 3:17-19.Giving to the work of God from the familys earnings that will ensure the future of the family is a demonstration that he has not denied the faith MAL. 3:8-12. The wife who indicts a husband for giving to the work of God will sooner than later bring him out of the faith and in matter of time, he may walk out of the marriage. A husband must bind all members of the household to have respect for authority, self-reliance and teamwork, the ability to do the right thing even in his absence, to obey the parameters that promote the familys wellbeing. He must bind all to conduct themselves with decorum to meet the standards of the familys ethical code of conduct. A husbands honour is his image and goodwill. If he loses his honour, hes out as a husband. In many cultures, the office of a husband differentiates a man from a boy, a duckling from an eagle. Nobility trails all true manhood and husbandry, whether acquired or attained. A general comportment expected to refine his character, appearance and principles ought to make a husband more accountable. Its when he possesses control over his emotions that he can rule his behaviours and bind his household. After he has tamed his tongue and temper, appetite and appearance, his task will be much easier and acceptable. God is the husband of Israel in His covenant relationship with His chosen people ISA. 54:5; JERE. 31:32. A Pastor, historian, and writer, Joseph Emeka Anumbor is the author of THE INTERCOURSE OF TROUBLED THOUGHTS, a critically acclaimed discourse on homosexuality published by AuthorHouse Inc, Indiana, USA. When I hear Kofi Adams, the National Organiser of NDC speak in the media, it really makes me feel like puking. He does not only talk like somebody who has unrestrained authority but also, spews absolute crap. In his little-minds mindedness, he takes most Ghanaians for fools except those who are in the same crappy camp with him. I find him a complete charlatan who will never stop at anything to deceive Ghanaians in his selfish attempts and aspirations to attain illegal wealth and greatness in Ghana. President Mahama is established to have dubiously secretly taken an American Ford Expedition car worth about US$100,000 from a Burkinabe contractor as gift. When another Ghanaian investigative journalist, Mr Azure, emulating Anas Aremeyaw Anas, divulged to the public his shocking discovery of President Mahama accepting a car gift under questionable circumstances, Kofi Adams jumped to the defence of President Mahama. Before President Mahama could come out publicly with any statement regarding the acceptance of the car, Kofi Adams and his bunch of NDC sycophants hastily switched into damage control mode. Some were denying that the President had ever taken the alleged gift. Others were saying although he had taken the car, it was not a bribe but a gift that he in turn donated to the Presidential pool at the Osu Castle or Flagstaff (Jubilee) House. However, Kofi Adams as ignorant and an educated-illiterate as he is, tried to justify the Presidents acceptance of the car even if the majority of Ghanaians saw that as bribery. In his usual frivolous attempts to exonerate the President from any blame or crime, he tried to justify the car gift in terms of a similar car gift to former President Kufuor. He asked, during what I conclude as his absurd submission, that what is the difference between President Mahama accepting a car gift from a Burkinabe and former President Kufuor accepting a similar car gift from the late assassinated Libyan President Colonel Muamar Gaddafi? To him, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. If President Kufuor accepted a car gift from President Gaddafi and it was not considered as bribery, so should President Mahamas acceptance of car gift from the Burkinabe be treated, he says. In order not to allow cunning Kofi Adams, a party to the create, loot and share team governing the nation, to throw dust into innocent Ghanaians eyes with impunity, I have a few questions to ask him. 1. Did former President Kufuor notify his government, or some members of his then NPP government and, or the public, before, during and after accepting the car as gift from President Gaddafi? 2. Was the car gift from President Gaddafi to President Kufuor, for his private use as a person, or it was for helping to protect him as the President of Ghana whose life could be at risk at any time because of his elevated position as the Head of Ghana? 3. Was the car not a bullet-proof car that was immediately donated to the presidential pool at the Osu Castle to serve the very purpose for which it was offered? 4. Did Ghana government not officially acknowledge the receipt of the car and subsequently expressed their gratitude to President Gaddafi and the people of Libya? 5. Could such a bullet-proof car gift, publicly offered to a sitting President of Ghana to guarantee his safety and security by a sitting President of Libya, be a bribe? 6. In case the car gift to the nation via President Kufuor was a bribe, how do we justify such an allegation or accusation? 7. Did President Kufuor offer any contract to President Gaddafi before, during or after the car gift to him? 8. Contrarily, was the public aware of any such presumed car gift to then Vice President Mahama in 2012 before being recently informed by Mr Azure? If the people knew, why are they expressing shock at such an offer following its exposure by Mr Azure? 9. Why were the same members of the Presidents NDC government and party, especially his presidential staffers, expressing various contradictory statements about the car gift? Some were saying the President had not accepted any car gift from any Burkinabe hence the allegation was the figment of NPPs warped imagination. Others were saying the car gift was not a bribe but a gift to the State. Again, others were saying as soon as the President received it, he donated it to the presidential pool although without informing the public. 10. What did President Mahama do for the Burkinabe to merit the car offer from him? 11. Had he offered him a contract to do any work for him as a person, or for Ghana, before, during and after the contract? 12. Why should the Burkinabe offer the President any thank you car gift? What did President Mahama do differently special to warrant such an underhand car gift from the Burkinabe? To the ignorant Kofi Adams, he had better go to learn about Ghana Criminal Code 1960 (Act 29) Sections 239 to 247 on bribery, corruption and extortion. To conclude, Kofi Adams is either ignorant of the circumstances leading to committing acts of bribery, or he is deliberately playing on the intelligence of Ghanaians, having always taken us for fools. President Mahama has committed an act of bribery by secretly accepting the car gift; failing to pay the proper custom duties and lying about the usage of the car. Why should Kofi Adams be comparing apples to oranges? Rockson Adofo The Ghanaian government has aspirations of supporting a national carrier. If this pans out, it will be the third time on the part of the government to run a national airline. But running an airline is serious business, something that will prove rather challenging for the government given its poor track records the first two times around. In the 1960s when Ghana Airways started having problems, it manifested as flight irregularities, lateness, missing flights, stranded passengers amongst others. These were however only the symptoms of the financial rot that was occurring underneath. Ghana Airways commenced operations in 1958, as a 60% and 40% stake partnership between the government of Ghana and a British carrier respectively. Interestingly, 1961, the year that the government bought out the British carrier, was when the first ills of the airline began to manifest. With government having 100% ownership, checks and accountability mechanisms collapsed. One of the first signs were the two Boeing orders which were cancelled due to financing challenges. And then that same year the airline reportedly lost USD 800,000. These occurred because the routing and management of the airline was so heavily politicized that very few fee paying passengers were on a typical flight. An anecdote is told that, one time a plane which was fired up and ready for takeoff was held on the tarmac for over two hours in order to accommodate a minister and his wife who were scheduled to join the flight. These types of practices attracted penalties and incurred losses for the airline. The tipping point was perhaps in 2002 when an airplane was seized at Heathrow as a result of unpaid debts. When all was said and done, the debt of the airline was tallied at USD 160 million[ii]. This was worsened by a ban from operating flights to the US on grounds of technical irregularities, unsafe practices and out of date license. The inevitable collapse of the airline came around 2004. Barely a year later the national carrier was revived as the Ghana International Airlines. This was owned by the Ghanaian government (70%) and a US consortium (GIA-USA) (30%). However, due to high operational costs the airline suspended operations in 2010[iii]. Six years later, the country is once again at this juncture with lofty aspirations to fly a national carrier. It has been repeatedly emphasized that the government wants to support a wholly privately owned national airline. In the 2016 budget and policy statement, it was stated that, based on a feasibility document which has been submitted and discussed by stakeholders, request for proposals were currently being prepared for the selection of a strategic investor. It is important that the government does not directly finance this project to avoid managerial interference amongst others. But it is equally important that the government does not directly bear any financial risks related to the endeavor. This means that, the government should refrain from guaranteeing credit or similar to a private company through this Public Private Partnership. It is only then that the government and ultimately tax payers will be duly insulated from any potential financial malfeasance related to the carrier. Therefore, in line with its plans, on June 1, there was an expression of interest by the government for an airline partner with a global distribution network. The partner will then work with the government of Ghana to establish a new national airline. Critically, the expression of interest indicated that a market exists to profitably support the operation of a new national airline. These market prospects are contained in a feasibility document which was prepared by PwC.. The said feasibility document unfortunately has not been made available to the general public. PwC when contacted for a copy of the feasibility reported indicated the document is the propriety of their client, the Government of Ghana. This pattern of activities does not augur well for transparency and will not convey a positive message to potential genuinely interested parties to enter into an agreement that is shrouded in exclusion and secrecy. Aside potential investors, civil society and the general public also need to access to the document. It doesnt seem logical even to open up an expression of interest based on a document that is not available for scrutiny by all to properly gauge the stakes involved. Admittedly, the document may be available if requested through the Ministry of Transportation. But anyone who has interfaced with the public sector will attest to the numerous hoops and obstacles in the way of acquiring information. Having said that, the 24 days (1June-24June) given for persons to submit their expression of interest is woefully inadequate because as it is, they must first acquire a copy of the feasibility report before preparing a competitive expression of interest document. All these factors notwithstanding, 24 days notice seems rather short for such a massive and capital intensive undertaking. Unless of course the government has targeted and handpicked some specific entities for this endeavor and simply going through the motions with this process. Ghana is also particularly hostile for any beneficial business at the moment. Compared to travel in the East African region, cost of operating an airline in West Africa is twice what it costs in East Africa. And within West Africa, Ghana is particularly hostile. Fuel which is estimated to account for 35-40% of airline costs is estimated at USD 2.30 per liter in Nigeria, USD 2.30 in Benin, USD 1.94 in Cameroon and USD 3.14 per liter in Ghana[iv]. With no financial stake in this arrangement, the government will have to extend non-financial support for the PPP arrangement in order to support its profitability. This could be in the form of tax incentives for example. However, costs of utilities, cost of labor, and other operating costs will still be a challenge. Unbridled support from the government to an airline may be feasible but will also come with its share of consequences. Theres a similar occurrence in the Middle East where airlines Etihad, Emirates and Qatar who benefit from governmental support effectively run losses in order to compete with other carriers[v]. This move will drive the other airlines out of the market, thereby monopolizing a segment of the market and eroding competition. Ultimately, they may fix their prices at whatever charges due to the absence of competition or choice from the consumer. If disproportionate benefits are extended to one carrier in Ghana, they may be able to fix lower prices in the short term which will drive out the competition. But there is a threat of creating a quasi-monopoly whereby competition is eroded which could introduce poor quality of service and higher costs in the longer term. The government has also stated that the desire for the national carrier is strategic to take advantage of trends in the market and to facilitate the agenda of creating an aviation hub in Ghana. To facilitate this agenda would require a holistic development of the aviation industry. Presently, there are about five domestic carriers in Ghana (although not all are currently operational). These airlines might want to take advantage of the development in the industry to also mature into international carriers. However, if one carrier is singled out and given all the benefits, these carriers would be blocked out of the market and will not get a fair shot to competitively grow. The fact is that, there are many moving parts to establishing a national carrier, especially in the PPP form proposed. Maybe one silver lining is the managerial interference the proposed arrangement seeks to eliminate. Research shows that former workers of Ghana airways ranked highly, government interference and poor management practices as contributing to the demise of the airline[vi]. Under this arrangement this abuse might be blocked; But what about public mismanagement? It would make sense that after establishing the airline, all government and publicly funded travel will be transacted through this airline for nationalistic interests. But what if the airline rates are so jacked up that government ends up paying three, four, or ten times what it could get on a competitor carrier? Does the current deal protect Ghanaian tax payers from that potential tax and/or debt burden? This government unfortunately does not offer the best track record in procurement which makes this particular opening for abuse worrying. Lastly, profit margins in the aviation industry are low with an outlook of 5.1% estimated for 2016 by the International Air Transport Association[vii].. But for the Africa region IATA estimates puts it at 1.6% for 2016. Meanwhile according to media reports, the feasibility report prepared by PwC puts the national airlines profit margins at 10.1% for the first year, 10% in the second and 7.5%, 11.6% and 13.8% for the third, fourth and fifth years respectively[viii]. Critics have described these figures as outlandish. It is crucial that the basis for this report is publicly available. All Ghanaians deserve to view this report, because for an open tender anyone could be a potential investor. Furthermore, the government based on its promises of transparency can do better. And in the interest of equal opportunity and fairness the period for submission of expressions of interest must be extended beyond June 24. And while these activities are ongoing, perhaps it might also be important to shift the narrative a bit and ask whether a country so deep in debt, with such unstable macro-economic fundamentals, absolutely needs a national airline at this point in time? Maud Martei is IMANI Africas Deputy Head of Research. President John Mahama says investing in Agriculture and Agri-business within the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority Zone (SADA) is critical for pulling majority of Ghanaians out of poverty. He said the SADA Zone holds the key to eradicating poverty thereby transforming the life of people living in the three Northern Regions of Ghana; therefore govt will not relent on its commitment to see the zone transformed through Agriculture and Agri-business. President Mahama made the assertion during the closing ceremony of a three-day workshop in Accra organized by the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) on Wednesday June 21. The workshop took place at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel from June 21- 23, 2016. It was highly attended by various stakeholders in the Agriculture sector including investors, government officials, Civil Society Groups in Ghana and beyond. The 3-day workshop dubbed The SADA Agriculture Investment Workshop (AIW) was on the theme: Accelerated Transformation of the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone through Agriculture formed part of measures to eradicate poverty within the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone. It also seeks to tackle key issues and challenges confronting agriculture sector in Ghana and attract investors into the SADA Zone through Agriculture-led investment drive capable of bringing positive change within the SADA Zone. Delivering his closing remarks at the workshop, President John Mahama stressed the need for the country to invest more into agriculture as the only way out poverty. We need agriculture to grow more rapidly than we currently are doing. This is critical for pulling the majority of our people out of poverty and indeed logical and make sense because still majority of people are engaged in Agriculture and so increasing investment in Agriculture would only be putting our money where our mouths are. He further explained, When productivity increases, output expands are predictable, we know that this will make processes possible the downstream and upstream value chains become more streamlined, this way we can create the jobs that our young people are looking for and we can also substitute the billions of dollars that we spend importing things that we have a comparative advantage to produce. Receiving the proposed roadmap from a board member of SADA, Naba Sigri Bewong which spelt out specific investment areas for investors to take advantage of in the SADA Zone, President Mahama pledges governments support towards full implementation of the document. He announced setting up a body under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture that will solely handle affairs of the roadmap leading to its implementation to the latter. President Mahama commended the new Management and Board of Directors of SADA including all stakeholders and partners working closely to help eradicate poverty in the Savannah Zone. He expressed profound confidence in the new Management and Board of Directors of SADA, saying hes optimistic that they will deliver satisfactorily towards uplifting and realization of SADAS dreams. Country Director of World Bank, Henry Kerali in his closing remark said, We see the necessary steps as being focused on business oriented Agriculture system for the north where small-medium and large farmers are in it not because handouts from the government but because they see it as a mechanism to make a living, making of it and to realize development and therefore improve income of the people in the North. Mr. Kerali pledges his outfits renewed commitment to fully support government in its quest towards full realization of its goals of eradicating poverty in Ghana through Agriculture and transformation of the SADA Zone to improve Ghana. Your Excellency, weve heard the good work of this workshop and Im sure not going to repeat that except to renew the commitment of the World Bank to supporting the Government and the people of Ghana particularly SADA Zone to improve Ghana. 27.06.2016 LISTEN The late Stephen R. Covey, an American educator, author and businessman, once bemoaned the fact that, "Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important." Yes, many people struggle to grasp how priorities in life function, mainly because they cannot draw a sharp distinction between what is urgent and what is important. They also allow the status quo to largely influence their priorities, and not what their profound convictions tell them. Okay, priorities in one's life are highly subjective, to tell the truth. That is why everyone needs to get their priorities right. Strangely enough, society actually seeks to regulate one's priorities for him or her. If you ask me, the whole thing sucks. For in our Ghanaian society where mediocrity is the order of the day, the system really pressures young people to make schooling their topmost priority. Nonsense! We all have varied ambitions, so that conventional attempt to control our individual priorities is practically erroneous. Interestingly, I defiantly tell people that my passion is my greatest priority and not schooling. Indeed, my inalienable passion, i.e. writing, takes priority over any other thing including schooling, except my salvation in Christ. Moreover, "To succeed today, you have to set priorities, decide what you stand for," Lee Lacocca strongly asserted. Hey, never be afraid to reject any ideological dogma to govern your priorities in life, which will eventually influence your future. Be cautious about joining the bandwagon when forming your priorities in life. Wise up and set your priorities strictly according to your discovered purpose on earth - nothing more, nothing less. However, this requires an obstinate attitude because society will forever want to frame your priorities. Remember, life is all about priorities, and priorities influence one's future. If I give all priority to my gift of writing, I am well convinced that I will surely emerge as a wealthy world champion in the writing fraternity. Oh that is my foremost aspiration. Also, if I give all priority to acquiring several academic qualifications, I believe will end up as a terrific employee among the middle-class in society. Well, this is what I am avoiding in life. Lastly, the bottom line here states that value your present priorities in futuristic terms in order to understand your own path to success. Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com I was in a car going to work this morning, and couldnt help listening to what was on the radio. There was a discussion going on. Had to do with the ruling partys boycott of the IEA debates. It wasnt a discussion per se. The show host was just running on and on about how Kojo Oppong Nkrumah (who was part of the panel that did the questioning in the 2012 debate for the presidential aspirants) was now a known member of the NPP, and thus shows that the IEA as an organization is politically partial and should be ignored by the NDC Government. He then opened the lines for the listening public to air their opinions. Cue 30 plus minutes of absolute political doggerel. What else would you expect? Heres a radio station owned by a top ranking NDC member, right smack in a part of the Volta Region where a majority of the electorate would still shun change and vote NDC if they were starving and near death. What else would you expect? Now, this scenario is not limited to the NDC, and of course there are radio stations also wholly owned by NPP bigwigs and hence as misleading, mischievous, and totally useless as the radio station I was listening to, but that concerns me not. What concerns me is the fact that most of these shows are listened to by people whopardon this expressionare somewhat limited in the thinking department and are easy prey for misinformation, miseducation and a host of political machinations and manipulations. The spoken word is powerful, and I shiver at the damage that radio journalismpolitically biased radio journalism in Ghanacan wrought in our society. Add in the fact that most of these shows are often hosted by people who are not trained as journalists and not even self-tutored in the art of journalism, and you get to know some of the problems we have as a nation. People and the media that to a large extent shapes the political discourse in this country and to a great extent influences what and how the public thinks is biased, corrupt, incompetent, and just plain mediocre and obtuse. Not all, but most of them. Of course, not everybody in this country is gullible enough to be affected and influenced by the doings of such radio stations, but some are, and thats just worrying. Until radio in Ghana becomes more regularized, and political people barred from owning radio stations, the status quo will remain. And its a sad state of affairs. 27.06.2016 LISTEN Corruption in which form ever, private or public, is a society killer. As a social cancer the remedies to make it an issue of the unfortunate past of mankind are available to all societies when they set out to constantly and forcefully address it. Observing the world in the past, present and predicting the future one phenomena is striking seeing corruption from an eagle perspective. In Europe the corruption level in the North of the Continent is low, in countries like Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland and alike, but further down in the South of Europe, in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Albania, and Greece etc. the societies complain about the high rate of corruption. While Canada and USA on the American Continent has a low rate of corruption, below Mexico and further down south in Latin America people suffer too much from the high level of corruption. In the Arab world, and Africa as a whole continent, corruption level is at the extreme high end of what can be possible. The same applies to India. In the parts where Asia is hot, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and alike Corruption is a widespread practice, while in Nepal and Bhutan it is on the low side. The corruption level in Japan is comparable to the North part of Europe, the same applies to Australia and New Zealand. Both Pacific countries were settled by Europeans coming from the North of Europe like England, Ireland, France and Holland implementing their values of correct governance into their hot countries. Russia, the biggest country on earth, is challenged by high level of corruption leaving many people in poverty due to the fact that the enormous size of the country makes it difficult to control every corner of it besides the fast changes in the political and social systems leaving loopholes and open doors for misusing of national assets and lack of honesty in public performances. China has seen in the last years immense political changes with great uncertainties besides the fact that, based in the size of land and population, a central government finds it always difficult to impose its rules over all citizen making corruption in dark corners of the country tempting and possible. Besides the social, moral, traditional and spiritual aspects of a society and the level of corruption, it becomes interesting and obvious to see that there is a tendency in humans from hot countries to engage in corrupt practices, while citizens in colder and cold countries are more law abiding and respectful in this aspect alongside the fact that in large countries corruption is comparable higher than in smaller and very small countries (Lichtenstein, Luxemburg; Malta and Monaco also two hot countries- to name a few). As hot countries produce hot tempers in people, and climate change will increase over the years to come the hot temperatures around the world, the tendency to feel more relaxed in the sun will increase in the mentioned countries and regions. Therefore it seems to be advisable to help those countries with the advice to ensure a political system with tight control of the set standards, effective and progressive punishment when violation of the laws are uncovered and to ensure that political responsibilities are given at a close to the action scene, in other words, as populations are increasing their behavior must be monitored and corrected not from a faraway central Government, but in the area of a possible law violation. The Central Government can only set the rules and monitor their implementation, regulation and performance taking swift and decisive actions once violations of the set standards occur. As the populations in especially Africa are on the constant increase, the call is on for a constant change in the political setting and environment. Constitutions of today are soon outdated tomorrow; for that matter having to find new answers to the increase in citizenship. Observing the political culture in Africa and people working or aspiring to work in it, everyone with a mindset for the next generations to fill the black Continent gets depressed, scared and worried to death spending his life time either constantly in tears for the people or with a whip in his mind to drive the people out from the GOD so wonderful made place for mankind. As the saying goes, bring all Germans to Ghana and Ghana in 5 years will be the Black Paradise GOD had decided Ghana to be, while at the same time bring all Ghanaians to Germany and our country will be destroyed down to its last bones in the same time frame. The current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador has a Father from UK, a Mother from France, was born in UK and left for Ecuador at the age of 18 years fighting as a matured man for his country in Latin America and protecting the interest of Mr. Assange, the WikiLeaks Founder, in their UK Embassy. In the Global Village we live in today national sentiments are no longer the answer to the exciting and upcoming problems societies around the world face but to put people of expertise, heart and determination into the right positions of societies regardless of their national, ethnical, social or spiritual background. Problems are here to solve them and not to discuss them! Author: Dipl.-Pol. Karl-Heinz Heerde, Sakumono Estate, Block D10, Aprt. 9, Tema West, Ghana, phone +233(0)265078287, [email protected] , 25.06.2016 As part of measures to curb the menace of Scoliosis in Ghana, Scoliosis Foundation Ghana, a not-for-profit organization in partnership with the Ministry of Health, FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital and other key stakeholders have organized a sensitization forum in Accra on Saturday, June 25, 2016 to commemorate the International Scoliosis Awareness Day to educate the public and raise awareness on the disease. The International Awareness Day is a day set aside globally to create awareness and sensitize people on the need to prevent Scoliosis, its detection, treatment and cure. The theme for this years event is Early detection, early prevention. The theme for this years event is Early detection, early prevention. The event kick started with a public float through the streets of Accra in the morning. It ended at the Mantse Agbona Park near James Town where speakers took turns to address the participants on the significance of the day, charging every Ghanaian to support the fight against Scoliosis. Minister of Health, Alex Segbefia in a speech read on his behalf by Mr. George Kyeremeh, Director of Nursing and Midwifery at the Ministry of Health appealed to Ghanaians to take advantage of the day and report cases early on the condition at any nearby health facility for management in order to avoid future deformities. Scoliosis is a condition that causes the spine to abnormally curve sideways into an S or C shape which is surprisingly common although many people are unaware of the condition. It is typically classified as either congenital (caused by vertebral anomalies present at birth), idiopathic (cause unknown) or secondary to a primary condition. It is known to affect about 3% of the worlds population: with an onset at a younger age (usually between 10 and 15 years. In most African societies Scoliosis as a whole is seen as a curse and a disease caused by the supernatural. Affected individuals are sometimes stigmatized and discriminated against. According to health experts, the condition can be controlled by early diagnosis which is the first step towards providing treatment that may prevent more serious problems. The Health Ministers statement suggested Scoliosis is manageable depending on the severity of the condition (curvature and skeletal maturity). He indicated although early detection is the key, conventional options for children, adolescents and adults normally include surgery, bracing, physiotherapy and sometimes with pain medication to help relieve pain. He commended Scoliosis Foundation Ghana and its partners for the invaluable services including awareness creation, early detection and treatment of people suffering from the condition within different communities in Ghana over the years. It is heartwarming to note this initiative has in no small way helped to bring hope and care to people living with the condition. This is highly commendable and worthy of emulation and once again say Ayekoo to Scoliosis Foundation Ghana and all its allies said Hon. Alex Segbefia. In his address, Gabriel Ntow Quao, Founder and CEO of Scoliosis Foundation Ghana, noted victims of Scoliosis go through a lot of problems, stemming from their inability to work to social alienation. The condition impacts Ghanas labor force negatively and creates social alienation of its victims he indicated. Mr. Gabriel Quao pledges his outfits unrelenting commitment to vigorously create awareness so as to help people overcome the health challenges posed by Scoliosis in Ghana and encourage all stakeholders to support the initiative. Speaking in an interview with Journalists, Mr. Quao disclosed his predicament as a victim to the condition which has caused him so much discomfort does not deter him the passion of supporting other victims in the same situation. I have chosen to change my pain into passion by helping support other victims in the same situation. I would like to help others in the awareness creation for early detection and treatment and equally seek support for them towards possible surgeries he stressed. When asked how much is needed for his surgery to rectify his condition, Mr. Quao with a sorrowful voice condition said, For now I can only look up to only God above for help since I cannot afford to pay an amount GH 88,000 which doctors are demanding from me to correct my condition. The Founder and CEO of Scoliosis Foundation Ghana is therefore calling on Corporate Ghana, Institutions, Churches and Philanthropic individuals to come to their aid and donate cash or kind to support the organization propagate the message of hope and save the nation from the dangers of Scoliosis. The Foundation can be contacted through the internet www.scoliosisghana.org and on telephone number 0542440967 for support or further information relating concerning the condition. Scoliosis Foundation Ghana has been instrumental in engaging various stakeholders including traditional leaders, schools, various youth groups, and remote communities in different activities all geared towards awareness creation. Some of these activities include education and screening, public video shows, testimonies from victims and drama. The event brought together stakeholders in the health sector including Ministry of Health Chiefs and Queen mothers of Accra, Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Chief Imam and student under one umbrella to support and raise awareness on the condition and the way forward in ending Scoliosis in Ghana. It was organized by Scoliosis Foundation and supported by The Ministry of Health FOCOS Orthopedic Hospital, Kelvins Spines Foundation, Voltic Mineral Water, Paulus Electricals, Maji Water among others. Dentaa Amoateng is a Ghanaian TV personality based in the United Kingdom (UK) who was in June 2016 awarded Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of England . The MBE accolade was bestowed on Dentaa for her contribution to improving UK and African relations in the UK, through her work as CEO of her organization Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Enterprise. The first GUBA Awards ceremony took place in London, England, in October 2010. The GUBA Awards is the first ceremony of its kind to specifically recognize Ghanaian achievement and the only awards to be endorsed by the Ghana High Commission in the UK. In our quest to find out more about Dentaa, her GUBA Foundation and recent MBE status, Oral Ofori of TheAfricanDream.net reached out to her in the UK for a chat, details of which we gladly share with you below: TheAfricanDream.net (TAD): Dentaa how did you find out that you have been made an MBE? Dentaa Amoateng (DA): I received an email informing me of this appointment and I am still in shock till this very moment. This is an incredible honor and I am humbled and grateful. TAD: What are some of the privileges it accords you that you wouldnt mind talking about? DA: MBE stands for the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and it was awarded for my contribution to improving UK and African relations in the UK, through my organization GUBA Enterprise. This appointment will increase our exposure to the African community in the UK, making our efforts to unite and empower our communities more possible. Our connection to notable UK dignitaries will aid in our aim to improve trade relations between Africa and the UK. TAD: How does it extend to your very immediate family? DA: My family are extremely supportive and I am always grateful for them. They have been a rock for me all these years so this is as much an award for them as it is for me. TAD: Talk about how your organization GUBA, what is it and how did it come into being? DA: The Ghana UK Based Achievement (GUBA) Awards is a non-profit organization that focuses on enriching local communities and ensures that it encourages the youth to work and positively impact their communities. I started this organization in 2010 because I felt that there was a need to acknowledge achievers within our community. Since its inception in 2010, GUBA has grown to accommodate various strands and now known as GUBA Enterprise an umbrella organization which holds the GUBA Expo, GUBA Foundation and the GUBA Careers Fair. Under the enterprise, the GUBA Expo was held in May 2016 to equip small and medium African businesses with much needed information and expertise on how to grow and market their businesses internationally. The GUBA Foundation is the charitable branch of GUBA, set up to tackle the prevalent health issues within the African community in the UK. For the last two years, the aim has been to find ways to help autistic families, and to reduce the stigma attached to autism in the African community. The lack of knowledge regarding autism in the African community is a reason why an initiative such as the GUBA Foundation is vital. The current project is on infant mortality; reducing the number of deaths of babies under the age of one in Africa. The GUBA Careers Fair is also scheduled to take place in October 2016 to open the African careers market to interested job seekers in the UK. TAD: How do you intend to use your status as an MBE to advance good causes and could you briefly talk about some of such causes if you dont mind? DA: Our aim from inception has been to advance the African community in the UK, so that will be continued earnestly. Currently, under the GUBA Foundation we are raising funds to end infant mortality in Africa. With my current status, I hope to appeal to a larger audience, those of great influence that can effect change, to get a national dialogue going on the issue. This will get us closer to finding a suitable international solution. We will continue effecting positive change within the UK and Africa and hope that the MBE brings more exposure into underrepresented issues. TAD: You are an African with Ghanaian roots, talk a little bit about what the African dream is for you? The African dream to me is for Africa to be fully self-sufficient and a continent where women are recognized as equal to men and have risen to positions of influence in all areas of life. A continent that demonstrates strength in its diversity, where differences are respected and fuel education, collaboration, and innovation rather than conflict, distrust, and animosity. My dream is to stop the normalization of corruption for law and order respected to be respected. Citizens with an embedded moral compass protected. This is my dream for Africa for the next decade. Find out more about Dentaa and GUBA at www.gubaawards.co.uk The Upper West Regional Nurses and Midwives week celebration commenced on the 22nd of June, 2016 with the theme Nurses and Midwives, a force for change: improving Health Systems Resilience through Safe Staffing. The week celebration was proceeded with a radio discussion. The regional executives took to the radio station to educate the general public on the roles of the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association (GRNMA) and the rationale behind the celebration of nurses week. On the second day that is the 23rd of June, 2016, members went on a float through the principal streets of Jirapa the host district. After the float followed a medical screening opened to the general public. The public were given the opportunity to check their temperature, blood pressure and Body Mass Index. Eyes screening and counselling services were also offered. Those who opted to donate blood voluntarily had their Hepatitis B status checked for them. The days activities were climaxed with a candle light procession in the evening. The third day started with a clean-up campaign in the morning and a symposium/lecture series in the afternoon and fun games in the evening. The principal speaker at the symposium Madam Victoria Dahoro Dangori who also doubles as the regional chairperson for the GRNMA gave lectures on two carefully selected topics. The first presentation was on the topic Ethico-legal issues in Nursing and Midwifery practice. She elaborated a lot on some of the ethics that guide the practice of nursing worldwide. Some of the principles of nursing ethics mentioned included autonomy which has to do with the ability of a patients to decide the type of treatment he/she should be given. Others included veracity (telling g the truth) and accountability. She entreated the nurses and midwives present to take into consideration these ethics in the daily execution of their duties. Madam Victoria presented the second lecture on the topic Career progression in Nursing and Midwifery. She educated members on the need to aspire for higher education. She elaborated on the number of institutions in Ghana that offer degrees in various nursing branches including mental nursing, nurse practitioner and many others. She also encouraged them to consider joining the fellowship in nursing. Nurses and midwives present were given the opportunity to join in the discussion by sharing ideas or asking questions that needed to be clarified. Many nurses present complained of the difficulty they faced in securing study leave to pursue further studies. Other also advocated for the abolishment of the quota system which stipulated that only a specific number of nurses should be granted study leave in each year. In response to the issue of the difficulty in securing study leave, nurses present were entreated to always put up the right behavior or attitude towards work and their senior officers to win their trust. This will make it difficult for them to deny them study leave as and when they put forward their applications. The days activities came to end with fun games at the St. Augustines park. The weeks celebration was climaxed with a grand durbar at the Mcnualty hall on the 25th of June. In attendance were the deputy Upper West Regional minister, the deputy regional coordinating director, the Upper West Regional director for health, the regional chief nursing officer, the DCE for Jirapa and many other dignitaries. The regional chairperson for GRNMA Upper West branch in her opening speech reminded all that the celebration of nurses week is a yearly event which opens on the 6th of May every year which is the official National nurses day and continues through May 12th which coincides with the birthday of Florence Nightingale the founder of modern nursing. Many events are celebrated in honor of the dedication, commitment and devotion to duty of nurses and midwives and their contributions to the health care profession across nations. She emphasized that nurses and midwives constitute the largest number of health care professionals within the health care continuum in all settings reaching at least 68 percent among other valuable professional partners namely, Pharmacist, Doctors, Physiotherapist, Biomedical Scientist and Nutritionist inter alia. She also mentioned some of the challenges that nurses and midwives faced which included lack of adequate accommodation, delays in the payment of salaries of newly recruited nurses and the refusal of the government to employ graduate nurses. She advocated that the National Health Insurance Scheme should be redefined to address the current challenges it is facing. She again called on the government to bring back allowances for student nurses taking into consideration the fact that student nurses now pay close to ghc4000 as school fees per academic year. Other speakers including the regional director for health Dr. Winfred Ofosu, the Regional chief nursing Officer, the Jirapa district director for health and a host of others presents speeches acknowledging the contributions of nurses and midwives towards the effective and efficient delivery of health services in Ghana. They all entreated the nurses and midwives present to follow the examples of their founder Florence Nightingale who showed a lot of dedication in taking care of the sick and the disabled. The occasion was also used to honor the regional best nurse for the year 2016, Madam Olivier Dapilah with a citation. The Deputy Upper West Regional minister reiterated governments commitment to the delivery of quality health services which is exhibited in the building of many hospitals throughout the country. These hospitals he said will also provide ready employment for nurses and midwives. He entreated nurses to patronize the national sanitation day initiated by the NDC government to help ensure cleanliness in our surroundings. He further aided all to preach peace and eschew violence as we draw closer to election 2016. Lastly, he called on nurses to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases that are still recording high numbers in the region. A group of nurses performed a short drama titled the alcoholic nurse. The essence of the drama was to preach against alcoholism in nursing practice and its bad effects on both nurses and their clients. The weeklong celebration came to an end and delegates and invited quest returned to their various destinations after taking their refreshment. Shortly after the Supreme Court directed the Electoral Commission of Ghana to submit to it a comprehensive list of all those who registered as voters in Ghana by using the NHIS cards, by the 29thJune, 2016, A deputy general secretary of the NDC, Koku Anyidohu was in the media exhibiting what can at best be described as high buffoonery about the directive from the apex Court of Ghana. He felt the Supreme Court in exercising its authority in directing the recalcitrant Electoral Commission to submit the list of NHIS registrants to it was an interference in the work of the EC by the Supreme Court. He went ahead to tell the Supreme Court to take over the conduct of election 2016, if it felt the EC of Ghana was inefficient to conduct the polls. Koku Anyidohu must be told that he is not the only most intoxicated character in Ghana. He can't impose his somersaulted thoughts on Ghanaians. He must also be told that the well rehearsed strategy of his underwhelming NDC party to assault legitimate institutions in Ghana in the execution of their jobs just to intimidate them is dead on arrival. The Electoral Commission is not an Island. It is operating in a republic called Ghana. It is not an Electoral Commission for the people of Abyssinia. The Electoral Commission of Ghana can Never be more powerful than the Supreme Court of Ghana. Koku Anyidohu and his NDC led by Japanese Toyota loving President Mahama- must be reminder that the same Supreme Court that gave legitimacy to the Presidency of President Mahama is the same Supreme Court asking for the NHIS list. How can the Supreme Court have the authority to affirm President Mahama as President but can not order the EC to submit to it a comprehensive list of names that the Commission said publicly that they have? The Supreme Court in my view must invite the deputy general secretary of the NDC- Koku Anyidohu to appear before it to explain how the Supreme Court has erred in ordering for the NHIS list or how the SC was interfering with the work of the EC of Ghana,? During the election petition hearing in 2013, Sammy Awuku- the national youth organiser of the NPP and Sir John - the general secretary of the NPP among others were summoned to the Supreme Court for making what I feel were mild comments against the Supreme Court as compared to what Koku said against the SC. The SC must do this to send a strong signal to some confused politicians who are of the erroneous believe that they can make loose talks and go away with it to come to their senses. The EC of Ghana must also come out of its utopian World. The kind of power and Independence that the commission thinks it has is either superfluous, imaginary or both. The current electoral tension in Ghana is the making of the EC, the Commission is behaving as if it is a political party with Charlotte Osei as its Presidential Candidate. If a referee should decide to wear a jersey in a crucial match what will be the action and reaction of the spectators? The peace or instability of Ghana before, during and after the elections of this year will be the work of the Electoral Commission. A word to the wise is enough. Akilu Sayibu Tamale North A former Northern Regional Minister, Prince Imoro Andani has lashed out at the Finance Ministry for granting the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority, (SADA) the go ahead to establish a bank. In Mr. Andani's view, the finance ministry's decision is disappointing and must not be tolerated. Looking at their (SADA's) background that isn't right because if they have not been able to manage issues like simple projects, how will they be able to manage a bank? he queried. SADA late last year, hinted of plans to establish a bank this year for the accelerated growth in the savanna zone with a startup capital of $100 million. The Authority at the time emphasized that the bank, to be known as Savannah Investment and Development Bank, will seek to expand economic activities in the Northern horizon. The present CEO of the SADA, Charles Abugre in an interview following his appearance at the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)'s sitting over the 2013/2014 Auditor General's report, explained that the Ministry of Finance has cleared it to go ahead with the processes to get the bank established. But speaking to Citi Business News on the matter, Prince Andani argued that SADA cannot run a bank with its huge cited debts. How are they going to account for our monies? They will simply give out loans the same way and then come back to tell the good people of Ghana that they have defaulted on the loan. The former Northern regional Minister however advised that the money should rather be channelled into other existing banks rather than be given to SADA knowing too well they will not be able to manage a bank. That will save you another conduit or money to be siphoned because banking is a professional area. We have enough banks so even if government was considering SADA, government could partner or SADA could partner with other existing successful banks within the country and already operational because you just don't expand your scope without the professional capacity to deal with the issue. Prince Imoro Andani further intimated, The mandate of SADA is not to create a bank, the mandate of SADA is to fill in the development gap and the gaps are there so let us maintain a focus and I think that establishing a bank under SADA is wrong by all standards and that should not be tolerated. Finance Ministry clears SADA to establish Bank Chief Executive Officer of SADA, Charles Abugre told Citi Business News the Finance Ministry has permitted it to establish a bank. This was despite the huge misappropriation of money recorded in its operations by the Auditor General's report. Mr. Charles Abugre emphasized that the bank will seek to expand economic activities in the Northern horizon. We are looking at different ways to do this. One way that we have been flagging is the idea of creating financial institution. We call it the Savannah Investment and Development Bank. Fortunately after discussions with the Ministry of Finance, they have given us a no-objection to pursue the idea, meaning all the idea is sensible, he said. PAC summons SADA Meanwhile the Public Accounts Committee summoned SADA to clarify issues of financial impropriety that have saddled the Authority. Some of the Audit findings SADA is being held accountable for include failure to recover a one million dollars advance granted to Human Construction Engineering group, wasteful expenditure of about GHC 18,7000 on a trip to turkey and GHC69,000 on an unapproved trip to Birmingham and Berlin, among others. By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana President John Dramani Mahama in a hand shake with Former president Kufour 27.06.2016 LISTEN Under the stewardship of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama, the government of Ghana has, without doubt, waged war on corruption and created transparency throughout the countrys administrative structure. The commitment of President Mahamas government to make Ghana a corrupt-free society and to expurgate corruptible institutions in accordance with the law has unbendingly remained the rudder steering the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ship. Many were incredulous when the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) tried to portray the present government as being as corrupt as the NPP government led by J.A. Kuffour. As the dust from this political storm cleared, the NDC government was completely vindicated. The essential fact is that President Mahama rejected a Ford Expedition as a personal gift from Burkinabe contractor who won a contract from Ghana. The vehicle was offered as a gift to the presidency through the Ghana Embassy in Burkina Faso. Upon the said vehicles reaching his office, President Mahama declined it as a personal gift and directed that it be Ghanas property. The vehicle was immediately added to the countrys car pool and has since been used by National Security in discharging its official duties. The tracing of this vehicles ownership path was made plain and accessible to the general public. Further investigation revealed that the vehicle was not registered in the Presidents name which would have occurred if he owned it. This is because the car, as part of our national security apparatus, was not permitted to be registered due to operational and security reasons. NPP saw this circumstance as another opportunity to dirty the bribery-free fabric of the NDC and to score cheap political points ahead of the 2016 election. As it turned out, the Presidents actions were impeccable. NPP could not cite evidence of any wrongdoing whatsoever and certainly nothing illegal. So instead, they made vague allegations of bribery, corruption and unethical conduct. We are a country of laws, which is as it should be. The law applies equally to all. Upon which law did the actions of the President infringe? None! Ethics is an individuals comprehension of what is morally good or bad and that is generally affected by ones tribe, upbringing, perceptions, and environment. With that said, I believe that the President displayed the utmost integrity consistent with honorable behavior as seen by Ghanaians throughout the country. A review of some comparable history is instructive: The company that constructed Tema Harbor and Akosombo dam also built Peduase Lodge (known as the Presidential retreat) as a gift to Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Dr. Nkrumah promptly donated it to the country. Former President J.J. Rawlings was awarded a gift of $50.000 USD which he used to upgrade the then agricultural college to a state-owned University of Developmental Studies (UDS) in Tamale with branches in Navrongo and Wa. What a show of patriotism! Did Presidents Nkrumah and Rawlings violate law or ethics, commit an act of bribery or corruption? In addition to Muammar Gaddafis gift of a Benz that Ex-President Kuffuor used and destroyed before leaving office, President Kuffour also received a monetary gift from a farmer which he used to renovate his private home. Kuffour designated that same farmer as the national best farmer the following year. Really? A violation of law or ethics, an act of bribery or corruption? The silence of the NPP was deafening. Former NPP Chairman, Haruna Esseku, told NPP delegates and party faithful that Ex-President Kuffour was the chief collector of 10% kickback from contractors at the Castle. The contractors to whom he awarded contracts paid the money to Kuffour stashed in a brown envelope. Kuffour as a President in office awarded himself State money of over $600.000 USD. Where was his partys concern about a violation of law or ethics, an act of bribery or corruption? I also refer you to the gifts Kuffours Presidency received from companies and individuals during the Ghana @50 celebration for which a proper accounting was not rendered. Hmm . . .! What do you call that conduct? A violation of law or ethics, an act of bribery or corruption? All these were norms under Ex-President Kuffour. TODAY is an egg laid by the past. We cannot ignore what transpired back then. What is good for the goose is good for the gander. Contrast the actions of Presidents Nkrumah, Rawlings, and Mahama with that of Kuffour. I therefore challenge Ex-President J.A. Kuffour to come out of the shadows and unzip his lips on this matter. President Mahamas character is impeccable, his conduct unassailable. He is the President with an unblemished reputation. Long live President John Dramani Mahama. Long live NDC. Eye Zu . . . . . . . . . . . .. The South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Her Excellency Lulama Zingwana has expressed her countrys readiness to partner Ghana as part of efforts to foster socio-economic development between the two countries. Her Excellency Xingwana made these remarks when she paid a working visit to AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine in Tarkwa. She commended AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem mine for the various social investment initiatives rolled out in its host communities. The Managing Director of Iduapriem Mine, Mr. Sicelo Ntuli emphasized that the Mine was committed to developing its host communities through its numerous social investment initiatives to promote development Iduapriem mine will continue to demonstrate its value of leaving its communities better-off he added. Addressing stakeholders and chiefs from the mines host communities at a reception organized in her honor, Her Excellency called on all especially the chiefs to ensure the practice of illegal mining popularly known as galamsey is abolished due to the dangers associated with the trade and dangers it poses to communities. She noted that destruction of water bodies as a result of illegal mining was gradually affecting the countrys vegetation. As part of her visit, the High Commissioner later called on the Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology where interacted with management of the university and visited some laboratories to see at first hand some demonstration and research work of the students. She encouraged the students to eschew all forms of social vices and focus on their education to enable them be responsible persons in the society and the Nelson Mandelas and Kwame Nkrumahs of their generation. MD of Iduapriem Mine, Sicelo Ntuli in a handshake with Her Excellency Lulama Zingwana. Looking on are some Iduapriem management members and employees. The High Commissioner to Ghana Her Excellency Lulama Zingwana in a pose with Chiefs of Iduapriem mine host Communities. MD of Iduapriem Mine, Sicelo Ntuli explaining a point to Her Excellency Lulama Zingwana the High Commissioner of South Africa High Commissioner to Ghana when she paid a working visit to Iduapriem Mine Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. On the 24th of June, Britain took a daring decision to opt out of the European Union. To some, it was the worst decision ever due to its many negative repercussions it will have on the economy, Labour, immigration and etc but some great people including the Queen has backed Britain's exit from the European Union(EU). A referendum of the United kingdom's membership of the EU was conducted and the outcome was, 48.1% which makes up 16,141,241 people voted against their exit whereas 51.9% which makes up 17,410,742 people voted for their exit and this resulted in their exit which the Queen has backed. Let's take a look at some implications or ramifications of BREXIT. 1. EURO currency no longer legal tender in UK 2. Schegen visas to UK not applicable 3. EU court decision no longer applicable in uk 4. House Of Lord becomes UK Supreme Court 5. EU residents in UK need visas to remain in UK 6. UK residents in EU need visas to remain 7. The pound drops in the lowest value since 1985 8. Import/export duties payable by EU and UK on international trade 9. EU privileges revoked 10. Foreigners require two visas to travel to EU 11. NETO to protection to be withdrawn. 12.UK no longer liable to pay 350'000'000 a week to EU. 13. Seperate international negotiations required between EU & UK 14. This revokes UK's decision on EU Rome Treaty in 1975 (43 years ago) to join. 15. Those holding pounds are to register huge financial losses due lose in pound value. 16. Ghanaians with dual citizenship with UK requires visa to travel to EU 17. EU case laws (legal decisions) no longer applicable in UK courts. 18. UK no longer legible to vote in EU elections. 19. UK farmers no longer legible for EU subsidies Considering all these implications, will you consider BREXIT a hit or miss? In an interview with Al Jazeera Englishs current affairs show, UpFront, Getachew Reda, Ethiopias Government Communication Affairs minister and an aide to the Prime Minister, said he welcomes the Oromo Democratic Front (ODF) to come back to the country. I dont see any problem for [ODF] to come here, Reda told UpFront host Mehdi Hasan. Also joining the show was Lencho Bati, a former Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) spokesperson and a current executive committee member of the ODF, who pushed Reda to confirm the governments willingness to negotiate: Do you publicly today declare that the government is ready to welcome ODF to the country to participate in peaceful political struggle? asked Bati. The government is more than ready to welcome ODF, Reda responded. As long as ODF breaks its ties with the terrorist organisation called OLF. Reda, however, went on to express his criticism of Oromo opposition groups. The problem with these people not just ODF, but the OLF They have never done anything for the Oromo people, he said. Reda also responded to a recently released Human Rights Watch report entitled, Such a Brutal Crackdown: Killings and Arrests in Response to Ethiopias Oromo Protests. The report claims at least 400 people have been killed, and thousands detained, since protests broke out across Ethiopia in November 2015. Human Rights Watch is not interested in the reality on the ground, nor does it have any representative here on the ground, Reda said. More often than not, they just pluck their numbers out of thin air. During the debate, Bati warned that the governments failure to address Oromo grievances could be disastrous. They must open the political space, he said. Otherwise Ethiopia is sitting on a time bomb. Watch the interview below 27.06.2016 LISTEN Guwahati: Expressing shocks at the mysterious death of a lady scribe in Punjab, the Journalists Forum Assam (JFA) demands an authentic probe into the incident to find the culprits and book them under the law. Freelance scribe Anshita Bawa (22) died under a strange situation on 22 April 2016 when she went to meet her friends, but she did not reach them. Rather her body and the vehicle, she drove, were found floating in a canal at Bool locality of Sudhar areas. A resident of Dugri Phase-I, the lady journalist was initially thought of either facing a tragic accident or committing suicide, but the postmortem report revealed that Anshita was subjected to severe injuries before her demise. The autopsy report stated that she suffered nearly nine injuries with a fatal one on her head. The local police then registered an FIR suspecting it was a case of murder. Justice must be delivered to the parents, who had lost their only child, said a statement issued by the JFA adding that the journalist fraternity of the country should join the mission to punish the perpetrators. India thus recorded the killing of four journalists in the first half of 2016, where the first incident was reported from Uttar Pradesh (Tarun Mishra). The other victims include Indradev Yadav (also known as Akhilesh Pratap Singh) from Jharkhand and Rajdeo Ranjan from Bihar. Last year the country lost five journalists to assailants. Abdoul Moumouni Ousmane, a social media and civil society activist in Niger, has been given a six month suspended sentence by a High Court in Niamey for criticising the governments response to the Boko Haram insurgency in the country via Facebook. The court also imposed a fine of fifty thousand Francs (about 100 dollars) on Abdoul Moumouni, who is also the President of Cadre dAction pour la Democratie et les Droits Humains, a human rights group. The MFWA correspondent in Niger reports that Abdoul Moumounis conviction on June 23, 2016 followed his forthright criticism of the government after a deadly Boko Haram attack on June 4, 2016, on the town of Bosso in Nigers Lake Chad region. Like most Nigeriens, Moumouni joined the intense debate on social media about the terrorist attack and the governments anti-terror strategies. The activist wrote on his Facebook page that with regard to the war against Boko Haram, the government of President Mahamadou Issoufou had failed woefully. Abdoul Moumouni was subsequently arrested on June 14, 2016 and kept in custody in Niameys remand prison. On June 19, 2016, he appeared in court charged with organising a conspiracy to overthrow a constitutional order. The prosecutors asked for a six-month jail term, but the court eventually pronounced a six-month suspended sentence on June 23. This is the second time in three days that the authorities in Niger have muzzled free speech on the subject of Boko Haram. On June 21, the TV5 correspondent in Niger Nathalie Provost , was banned by the government for making similar observations in her reports about the war. Lawyers for Abdoul Moumouni have indicated that they will appeal the decision which they call excessive and hostile to freedom. The MFWA is alarmed at the Nigerien authorities increasing intolerance of concerns raised by civil society about the Boko Haram phenomenon and the governments handling of the situation. The MFWA finds the prosecution of the civil society activist high-handed. As a citizen, Abdoul Moumouni has a constitutional right to comment on the war against Boko Haram. We therefore call on the authorities to withdraw the charges against the activist and strike out the conviction. 27.06.2016 LISTEN By Mohammed Awal [[email protected]] The government, as part of its continuous quest to resuscitate defunct national assets, last Friday inaugurated the revamped Ayensu Starch Company Limited [ASCO] at Bawjiase in the Central Region. ASCO's re-launching was being implemented under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) scheme with Tiberias Ghana Limited, with the Government of Ghana owning 30% of the revamped factory, and designed to address the ballooning unemployment and poverty levels in the country. Per the PPP scheme, the factory was expected to employ about 60 people, with over 1000 out-growers, who would be the main suppliers of cassava to the factory. But, according to its Managing Director, if need be, the company will buy fresh cassava from third party producers who operate beyond the project coverage area to ensure all year-round supplies of cassava for processing, thus maximising the capacity utilisation of the processing plant. He said the factory's operational strategy would be based on an innovative farmer-ownership scheme called the Corporate Village Enterprises (COVEs) model. He explained that the COVEs are set up as large scale private corporate entities, owned by farmers in rural communities, which are managed by experienced professional managers, recruited on a performance contract basis. The COVE model is intended to bring rural communities into mainstream economic activity, he added. He said twenty-five thousand farmers, under this [COVE] project, had already set up a COVE company, aimed at cultivating 5,000 acres of cassava crop, representing the average two acres per farmer, as each farmer was required to deliver a minimum quantity of fresh cassava to the manufacturing plant for processing. Established in 2002 as a limited liability entity, and commissioned in February 2004 with the capacity to process 22,000 metric tonnes of cassava by the erstwhile New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, the ASCO, despite the laudableness of its objective, ceased operations as a result of challenges, including inadequacy of raw materials, incessant power outages, and lack of working capital among others. The future looks very bright and promising for the company and its partners, said Mr. Shi in a tone that suggested the new management of the revamped factory would do all they could to prevent it from collapsing again. He said ASCO welcomes collaborations with interested partners, in respect of the development of a super sewerage disposal system with a capacity of 15000 m3 methane to reduce the discharge of sewerage, as well as developing the green sustainable production, plus 20,000 metric tonnes of biological energy sources per annum. These, according to Mr. Shi, would go a long way to ensure that, the Ayensu Starch Factory will have an all-year-round production, [positioning] it as the cassava and starch hub for Ghana and beyond. The Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration Minister, Hanna Serwa Tetteh, said of the re-launched factory that the business is indeed back on track. She said the PPP between the Ministry of Trade and Industry and Tiberias Limited would, undoubtedly, inure to the benefit of the factory, because it was through that partnership that this company is going to be recapitalised for it to be able to renew its equipment. She expressed the governments optimism in the success of the factory, saying, going forward, this initiative will not only be in [a] position to supply the breweries, who have become perhaps the first line of customers for your production, but many other industrial establishments in Ghana that also use starch in the course of their industrial process. We believe that once you are able to return to normal, continuous [and] consistent production, they'll also see it possible to include you as part of their supply chainand we certainly wish you all the best in this endeavour, she added. Last week Thursday, the 16th of June 22, 2016, we gathered at the Nima residence of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, to embark on a trip to the Central Region for a 5-day campaign tour. I had arrived at the Nima residence and was sitting in our vehicle waiting for the convoy to set-off, when I was told Nana Addo wanted to see me in his private study. I got out of the car and walked to the door, knocked and I was ushered in.Nana was alone in the office, and characteristic of him, called me by the name with the usual broad smile. One-on-one with Nana Addo I greeted him which he responded and calmly asked Newton, I am aware you are travelling with me and I just want to first of all find out how you are doing because it has been awhile since I last saw you. He continued by saying, please, do well to let me see you often in order to be abreast with how you are getting by, ok? I left the office to the car with the conviction that the man really treasures human-beings, and that, his love for people is very much genuine. Indeed, that was not the first time Nana Addo had exhibited this amazing level of love and care for me; that is the mans true nature and anybody who has ever had the opportunity to meet him one-on-one will testify to this. He had this one-on-one interaction with each member of the entourage before we set off; and during the entire 5days we spent in the central region, he kept asking how I was doing, each he came into contact with me, even on the campaign grounds. Even after the days work when we the supposedly young ones are completely worned out, he will sit down with us for a chat before going to bed. Being around Nana Addo, is just like being with a caring father. The man is genuinely humble, affectionately caring, respects people around him, treasures anyone who believes in him and even has a place in his heart to accommodate his avid detractors. When you are around Nana Addo, he never sees you as a subordinate but rather a fellow human-being and therefore accords you the due respect, shows real love and exhibits heart-felt care. Selfishness is never in the mans genes with arrogance completely alien to his nature. Now, this is the real side of Nana Addo which the people of Ghana, who have not had the opportunity to be close to him are not aware of; and this is why I have always maintained that, indeed, the man is an excellent president the good people of Ghana unfortunately have not had the opportunity to have, but Gods willing, will happen come November 7, this year. The triumphant entry The real work on the trip began at Gomoa-Dewurampong where on our arrival very early in the morning, there was massive crowd of enthusiastic Ghanaians waiting at the outskirts of the town to usher us in.We went to the chiefs palace where proverbially, he told Nana Addo that, a third attempt in every human endeavor signifies a test of ones patience, after which success is often assured. Indeed, a detailed report of what actually transpired at various meetings Nana Addo had with chiefs, opinion leaders and interest groups, have already been well-chronicled and fittingly published in the media, so I do not intend rehashing them. What I therefore intend to lay bare in this write-up is what I personally witnessed, and personal encounters I had with ordinary Ghanaians who turned out at our various points of call. In Central Region, for example, NPP used to have 17 out of 19 constituencies. I am an indigene of the region who critically follow politics of the area, and I can confidently say that the apparent dwindled fortunes of NPP in the region was just skin-deep. First of all, I describe the NPPs low performance in the region as apparent and skin-deep, because, it is neither grounded in truism nor based on any empirical fact. From the Moree junction, between Yamoransa-Cape-Coast section of Mallam-Takoradi highway, to the main town is a distance of not more than 1.5km but it took Nana Addo nearly 3hours to cover this short distance due the sheer thickness of enthusiastic crowd. Apparently, the place is where the sitting-vice president Amissah-Arthur was born. And throughout that massive carnival procession of ordinary Ghanaians desirous of change, Nana Addo was on his feet, while those of us claiming to be relatively youthful were helplessly worn-out and cocooned in our vehicles. Head-pan and sympathy In 2008, for example, the people were deceived by wicked NDC propagandists that, the free SHS policy propounded by Nana Addo, was seen as inferior to ordinary silver head-pans. This is no joke since I personally witnessed many brass-band street processions by my people where they chanted we prefer silver head-pans to free education. Some of us did our possible best to explain the lies being peddled by NDC but we were not understood. In 2012, the mysterious death of Atta-Mills was what did the trick for NDC in Central Region. Firstly, there was a lot of pain in Fante-land which, in reality, should have been directed at those who were present when Atta-Mills met his untimely demise. But as characteristic of Ghanaians, those who called for investigation into mysteries surrounding the mans demise, were rather branded insensitive. In the end, the matter was kept under wraps while peoples emotions were turned into keyboards on which tunes of wicked deception were persistently played just to win sympathy votes. That wicked agenda was fully-cemented with Amissah-Arthur being made the running-mate. In effect, NDC never turned the electoral tables in the Central Region by way of tangible deliverables in government, but rather, through a well-tailored plan of wicked deception and highly uncultured capitalization on misfortune of a sitting-president. 8 years of deception And after 8years in government, the good people of Central Region have clearly seen through this deception and have appropriately decided to go back to the basics; and the reason is very simple: they now have records of both NPP and NDC to guide them in their decisions on 7th November, 2016. In areas around Brofoyedur in the Cape Coast municipality where it used to be a complete no-go area for NPP in Ghanas previous two elections, I actually witnessed an amazing spectacularly spectacular spectacle of residents brandishing receipts of their prohibitive electricity tariffs and literally wailing and gnashing their teeth, right before Nana Addo and calling on him to came and save them. As we go into election-2016, none of these factors that NDC capitalized on to smuggle their way into political office, do exist. The only factor on which they can bank their electoral hopes on is their performance. Unfortunately, for the 8years they have been in power, all the noble achievements of the Kufuor-led NPP administration have been completely obliterated through incompetently incompetent incompetence, while naked looting of state coffers has been their most prominent hall-mark. NDCs only hope Evidently, the NDCs only hope of electoral survival is deploying every rigging skill that can be found on this planet. But strangely enough, the good people of this nation have now become so conversant with this character of NDC,that,wherever we went on our recent visit to the central region, we were advised to be extremely vigilant on the day of elections,because,as for the votes, WE SHALL GIVE IT TO YOU MASSIVELY. Ensuring the sanctity of NPP votes And for the assurance of Ghanaians who are desirous of change and have therefore vowed to massively vote for the NPP in the upcoming 7th November,2016 general electiuons,the party will put inplace every needed mechanism to, effectively and vigilantly, ensure the sanctity of every single vote cast in our favour.The figures will be religiously collated, clinically recorded and safely kept to await what the EC comes up with; and whether we shall declare these figures or not, depending on exigencies of the time,times,timming and timings, is an issue that is being closely kept to our chest. Justice Abeeku Newton-Offei Aide to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo E-mail: [email protected] It is obvious with the events in Nigeria that the nation state is gradually turning fascist, especially the manner some elements within the ruling party is pursuing the fight against corruption, leading one to ask who is misleading President Buhari.? I want to speak out on this emerging fascist state so that when the nation (minus me) is engulfed in another self inflicted problem, my conscience will be very clear. That was how, with over thirty write-ups and expositions on the subject of Boko Haram, since 2011, all I predicted came to pass including massive embezzlement of trillions of naira under the guise of security, wastage of lives of over two thousand gallant rank and file of the armed forces, murder of over 20,000 harmless civilians and displacement of millions of people. The Jonathanian regime for political expediency, allowed Boko Haram to overrun the country. The Buhari regime should not allow fascist mentality to overrun his leadership. I was an avowed supporter of the Change Regime of Buhari, both in Prayers, Public and Private Campaigns and Mobilizations, and it is obvious that somebody somewhere, is misleading President Buhari, and using his goodwill as excuse to silent political opponents. Sambo Dasuki, ex NSA has been detained indefinitely despite court orders for his release. The same with Nnamdi Kanu, Director of Radio Biafra. My friends within the military high command had sworn to me that Dasuki is a huge security risk, and that with available intelligence, if he escapes out of the country, has capabilities of coup plotting. . These revelations from high intelligence community I cannot dispute and as such I grudgingly accept his detention, provided the facilities are comfortable. Olisa Metuh , Chief spokesman of the opposition parry is on trial for graft, denied bail, denied plea bargain, denied return of looted funds, denied medical facilities.. Those who benefitted from the same arms theft lincluding Raymond Dokpesi, Attahiru Bafarawa, Isa Yuguda among others have all gone home after returning some loot. Olisa Metuh is being treated differently because he is an opposition spokesman. This is a descent into fascism Femi Fani Kayode is the Chief Spokesman of Jonathans Campaign Group. He was implicated in the arms deal. He is still being detained despite court orders for his release. Other fellow recipients of another cache of arms funds have all gone home, yet Fani Kayode is being incarcerated ostensibly because he is a spokesman of the opposition. This is another decent into fascism. Ayo Fayose, Governor of Ekiti State, is another Spokesman for the opposition party; This time around he happens to be the most vocal Governor critic of the Buhari Government. The Department of State Services (DSS) and the anti graft commission has been harassing the aides of this Governor including Afolabi Akanni, who spent 18 days in detention without seeing his family members. Akanni, a member of Ekiti House of Assembly claimed that he was asked to implicate the Governor. The Governors bank account has just been frozen because he criticizes the government. This is a step into fascism. Jonathans Cousin, Azibaola Roberts, also under detention for over three months without trial have alleged that he is being intimidated and asked to implicate ex-President Jonathan in the arms deal in order to get freedom. Though the courts have ordered his release, EFCC have flouted it. Roberts counsel Chris Uche (SAN), said the failure of the anti-graft agency to release his clients was a blatant disrespect and disobedience of the courts order. Militant Leader Govermnent Tompolo , after meeting with Buhari in July 2016, was earlier this year declared wanted, allegedly on the prodding of ex Governors Amechi and Sylva over the militants refusal to support the latters governorship bid. Their hatred for the warlord was transferred to the EFCC. In the process of chasing Tompolo over theft of a few billions of naira at the Maritime Agency, the Niger Delta Avengers emerged, and the nation had lost over N200 billion naira in lost revenue from shortages of oil supply occasioned by nefarious activities of the group. Equally opponents of Buhari are converging around the group, as a rallying point. I advised the EFCC publicly to leave Tompolo alone because his boys will create greater economic sabotage for the nation, and also advised the militant to return his loot quietly. Those instigating the fighting Tomplolo, including Amechi , Sylva both former governors and others have superintended over trillions of naira of state funds without proper accountability. The war against corruption is a laudable policy which endeared us to Buhari, especially from 2003 when he first contested for the presidency and was robbed of electoral victory by Obasanjo-Atiku rigging machine. Buhari during his campaign, promised to abide by the rule of law. I cannot see any rule of law in selective trial of Olsa Metuh. I cannot see any rule of law in selective incarceration of Femi Fani Kayode or the continued harassment of Governor Ayo Fayose because they are avowed critics of this administration. There is no rule of law in detaining Jonathans cousin and trying to extract implicating statements from him against Goodluck Jonathan. It is either Buhari is not aware of all these infractions or that somebody is misleading him. Political opponents can misuse power in overzealous show of industry and destroy the good reputation of a principal. Buhari should sack those misleading him that flouting court orders is a way of fighting corruption. Those who stole Nigeria blind should return their loot. It is commendable that Buhari had blocked over N1,3 Trillion naira stolen through the civil service, using TSA. He has also apprehended grossly corrupt military chiefs and they are vomiting their loot apologetically. Over fifty thousand ghost workers, including those who received gratuities, have been discovered, Over a trillion worth of asset forfeited by satanic thieves. I have publicly exposed hoe over $142 billion dollars was stolen in six years, and I commend the regime for pursuing those funds hidden all over the globe. However, this loot recovery can be achieved without a fascist mentality and disregard for extant laws. Olisa Metuh, Fani Kayode, Ayo Fayose and their lots cannot stop the war against corruption, but vendetta motivated trial can stop the war against corruption. It can withdraw public support for a noble cause. Those who shared billions of dollars in spurious oil deals and fictitious contract awards as state chief executives are still walking freely. Olisa Metuh and Fani Kayode and Robert and their lot should not constitute unnecessary distractions. EFCC should follow the rule of law, and those misleading President Buhari should note that a fascist state will break up the nation-state called Nigeria. Obinna Akukwe via [email protected], facebook.com/obinnaakukwe, @ObinnaAkukwe Johannesburg (AFP) - South African President Jacob Zuma should pay back $500,000 of public funds used to upgrade his private residence with facilities including a chicken coop and a swimming pool, the treasury said Monday. In March, the country's highest court found that the president had violated the constitution by defying an order to repay some of the money in one of several scandals that have dominated his presidency. The Constitutional Court asked the national treasury to determine the value of the non-security upgrades installed at Nkandla, Zuma's traditional homestead in the rural eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal. The work included a swimming pool, which was claimed to be a fire-fighting facility, a chicken run, a cattle enclosure, an amphitheatre and a visitors' centre. The treasury said in a statement that Zuma, head of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, should pay back 7,814,155 rand ($509,000). The main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, said the sum was too low but was still a damning indictment of the president. "The president should pay back 100 percent of the non-security upgrades -- previously we determined that amount to be up to 52.9 million rand ($3.4 million)," DA spokesman Mabine Seabe told AFP. "This (the treasury's report) sends out a clear message to those involved in corruption, especially those in the ANC, that you will be held accountable for your actions, even if you are the president." - Election test - After the Constitutional Court ruling in March, Zuma was urged to step down by several senior ANC veterans of the anti-apartheid struggle that brought liberation icon Nelson Mandela to power in 1994. But Zuma retains widespread loyalty in the party, and ANC lawmakers have regularly rallied to his defence. In April, they easily defeated an opposition move to impeach the 74-year-old who has been in power for seven years. He has been wounded by months of scandals, including his sacking of two finance ministers in four days in December which rocked the markets and saw the rand currency plummet. South Africa holds local elections in August and, if the ANC suffers a major drop in support, Zuma could lose backing within the party and not serve out the last three years of his final term. Last week, a high court threw out Zuma's attempt to appeal against a ruling that he should face almost 800 corruption charges that were dropped in 2009 shortly before he came to power. The charges relate to alleged corruption, racketeering, fraud and money laundering over a multi-billion dollar arms deal. Charges Officers Stop Being Armchair Commanders From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi The Chief Fire Officer (CFO), Dr. Albert Brown Gaisie, has charged commanders of the service to adopt proactive measures aimed at combating the menace of fires in the country. Dr. Brown Gaisie emphasised that the era whereby commanders only become active when there is an accident of fire outbreak should be a thing of the past, stressing that there is the need for personnel to intensify education and create awareness amongst Ghanaians, on the need to adopt safety measures that can help prevent fire. The CFO made the call when he interacted with personnel of the service, made up of commanders, as well as the media, in Kumasi last Friday. Dr. Brown Gaisie, who reiterated the concerns of the Interior Ministry and the Ghana National Fire Service Council, as far as recent incidents of fire outbreaks in the Ashanti Region, which have resulted in the deaths of 11 persons, said the service had devised several measures to help tackle the problem. According to him, the rate of fatalities was unacceptable, adding that both the Ministry and the Council could not fathom how innocent lives were being lost on a daily basis through incidents of fire. Your duty is not only to sit in the comfort of your offices and claim to be working, you need to go out there and educate the people, constantly remind them about the need to prevent themselves from fire, he cautioned. The visit by the CFO follows recent fire incidents in the region, particularly, those at Mampong and Santasi, which resulted in the loss of ten lives, with another one losing his life last Thursday at North Suntreso in Kumasi. Dr. Brown Gaisie disclosed that that the service was embarking, first of all, on the reconfiguration of tools and logistics, explaining that equipment were being moved from low risk areas to medium and high risk areas to ensure efficiency. As far as fire is concerned, the country has been zoned into three; Low, Medium and High Risks, but we have come to realise that some equipment may be needed in some areas more than others, so we have identified these priority areas, and are moving tools there, he said. The Chief Fire Officer, for instance, bewailed a situation whereby its personnel at Mampong found it difficult to break a burglar proof door, because there were no tools to do so, adding that the situation was unacceptable, and must not happen again. He also charged personnel to collaborate with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to increase education on the highways. He further intimated that the service would reignite the enforcement of Fire Safety Regulation, 2003 L.I 1725 that requires all households and owners of structures to observe high fire safety standards, failure of which can result in prosecution. According to him, the regulation gives commanders of the service the authority to sue anyone or group of people that fail to adhere to the standards, and mentioned a case in point, where the Bechem Fire Command successfully sued some developers to get the court to stop the construction of some buildings which were not up to standard. He further revealed the immediate introduction of the Home Fire Certificate, explaining that all fire commands will be required to liaise with local assemblies to help assist households to design their apartments to fit modern standards. The CFO emphasised that under the programme, fire personnel would give guidelines on the creation of evacuation centres, points of exit, assembly points, simulation centres and placement of fire extinguishers at all major premises in the country. On causes of fire outbreaks and whether the service suspects arson as a major contributor, Dr. Brown Gaisie said though arson was one of the major causes, its establishment could only be determined by the police, and not personnel of the Fire Service. There are various causes such as ignorance, negligence or carelessness on the part of people, but in the case of arson, we can only leave the police to conclude that after investigations, he observed. The CFO, therefore, charged the personnel to live above reproach, eschew rumours and pull him down attitudes, and work as a family to achieve success. He further hinted that the service was embarking on a performance appraisal to reward hardworking and dedicated staff, whilst announcing further that the government had given the assurance that the service conditions of personnel would soon be improved. Dr. Brown Gaisie further announced the donation of undisclosed packages to families of the recent fire outbreaks at Mampong and Santasi. The Ashanti Regional Commander of the Service, ACFO Fiadjo, expressed gratitude to the Chief Fire Officer and his delegation for the visit, and pledged that the command would intensify its efforts to reduce fire incidents to the barest minimum. By Godfred Pulkoo, GNA Bazua (U/E), June 27, GNA - The Bazua and its Environs Youth Association (BEYA) in the Upper East Region has expressed concern about the deplorable state of the Bazua Roman Catholic cluster of schools which pose a threat to pupils and staff. The primary school has a population of 630 pupils whilst the junior high school has 205 students. Each has seven professional teachers. Mr John Kalifa Akubilla, a past student of the primary school and President of BEYA, said the schools were started in 1961 under trees by the Roman Catholic Missionaries but later in 1964 two classroom blocks were built through the efforts of the community members. He said since then the schools had not been renovated despite efforts by BEYA to get opinion leaders to discuss the situation and find a solution to it. Mr Akubilla said through the efforts of the Parent-Teacher Association a brick structure which was intended to accommodate teachers had been converted into a kitchen and store for onions. When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited the schools, it observed that there were deep cracks in the walls with some roofing sheets falling off and hanging over the heads of pupils in congested classrooms. The building looked weak with the windows without louvre blades. Portions of the primary school block had caved in while an uncompleted head teacher's bungalow with exposed electrical cables was being used as a Kindergarten block for 73 pupils in KG1 and 77 in KG2 with two voluntary teachers. Madam Juliana Atubiga, the Assistant Head Teacher of the primary school, who spoke on behalf of the Kindergarten and Junior High School, said some community members defecated in the classrooms at night. She said teachers had to wash off human excreta from some classrooms on daily basis before academic activities begun, 'meanwhile rain gives us a holiday because the classrooms leak badly'. Madam Atubiga pleaded with the Government, Non-Governmental Organisations, opinion leaders and stakeholders to come to the aid of the schools. Mr Victor Saboc-Moore, the Binduri District Co-ordinating Director, told the GNA in an interview that the assembly was liaising with the District National Disaster Management Organisation to assist the schools. The District Director of Education, Madam Felicia Akaaba, confirmed that the schools were actually in a deplorable state but nobody had sent a formal complaint to the Education Directorate. GNA Foreign Affairs Minister and Member of Parliament for the Awutu Senya West Constituency, Hanna Tetteh, is livid over what she calls unsubstantiated allegations and sometimes 'vicious personal attacks', targeted at the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei. It is unclear what the Minister is irked about, but her comments come barely a day after the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Assin Central; Kennedy Agyapong, launched a scathing attack on Charlotte Osei; alleging that she was appointed in exchange for sex. The loudmouth MP said this while addressing supporters of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) at Asokwa; a suburb of Kumasi. In a quote attributed to him by Kumasi-based Ultimate FM, Mr. Agyapong said some highly placed officials in government told Osei to bring your buttocks in exchange of EC Chair position. He also said; 'if indeed Nana Addo (the party's running mate) wins according to the pink sheets and Charlotte Osei dares to rig the elections by twisting our arms in favour of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), we will not allow it to happen in Ghana. Without making reference to the MP's comment, Madam Hanna Tetteh in a Facebook post on Monday June 27, said Charlotte Osei was appointed based on merit, and that those who have concerns about her activities should speak out but with decorum. The post read, The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission is a qualified lawyer who has worked as a competent professional throughout her legal career and who also is the immediate past Chairperson of the National Commission for Civic education. To suggest that she had no competence to be appointed Electoral Commissioner and to subject her to a vicious personal attack is most unfortunate. She added that, Any citizen can complain about the Electoral Commission, the way they are executing their mandate and preparing towards the upcoming elections. Those are the benefits of living in a democracy, but the personal attacks on the EC Chairperson are uncalled for, and are designed to undermine her credibility and her leadership of the organization. No political party is contesting elections against the electoral commission, we should not undermine the integrity of the organization or the Chairperson on the back of allegations that have not, and most likely cannot be substantiated. Charlotte Osei is the country's first female chair of the Electoral Commission, taking over from its long-serving chairman, Dr. Kwadwo Afari Gyan. She had previously worked as the head of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). She was appointed by President Mahama and sworn in on June 30, 2015. Charlotte Osei's beauty enough to re-brand EC Adu-Asare A former National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for the Adentan Constituency, and now a Presidential staffer, Kojo Adu-Asare, in April 2016 , suggested that, the Electoral Commission does not need any re-branding since the beauty of its chairperson; Charlotte Osei can take care of such issues. This new logo is not necessary, Charlotte, your beauty alone is re-branding, but what will give the EC credibility is your ability to conduct a credible election he added. Mr. Adu-Asare made the comment on Accra based Asempa FM's Ekosii Sen programme, when the issue about the EC logo came up for discussion. His comment was deemed b y critics as sexist and inappropriate. By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AfanyiDadzie The Ministry of Roads and Highways, has rejected claims that there are defects on the ongoing Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange project, which could potentially lead to a collapse of the edifice. Information circulating on social media suggested that, the pillars supporting the flyovers, are sinking hence could crumble down anytime soon. In the information that circulated, it was also stated that workers on the site have been desperately trying to reinforce the pillars to stop them from sinking. But a statement issued by the Roads and Highways Ministry today [Monday], said the project has undergone all the necessary structural integrity tests and has proven to be structurally sound. Again, the so-called cracks on the piers are untrue and that the piers erected for the project are very strong, technically and physically. We wish to assure the general motoring public that, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange is very safe for use and does not pose any danger to its users. The statement further appealed to the public to desist from making such unsubstantiated allegations that has the potential to cause fear and panic to road users and rather seek necessary clarification from the relevant and appropriate quarters when they have concerns. We shall ensure that the Ghanaian tax payer gets value for the investments made in the project. Meanwhile, Citi News Kojo Agyeman, who visited the site on Monday, reported that a portion beneath the pillars, are drains supposed to convey excess water from the flyovers to safely go through the main Odaw storm drain in the area. Kojo Agyeman said engineers on site told him that, the holes along the pillars are just drains. It's supposed to receive water from the flyovers and link them to other Odaw River. Engineers told me that it is not reinforcement and that it is just a construction of drains around the pillars supporting the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange. They told me that it's going to rain, it's a flyover so they have to put in measures to increase friction when it rains and secondly put up drains to collect water from top of the flyovers when it rains. It is a meter deep and 18080 centimeters wide. They have also laid pipelines connecting the flyovers and the drains beneath the pillars. This will collect water from top of the flyover and take it to the drain and the drain will also cede it straight to the Odaw River, Kojo added. The 74.88 million euro project, is being jointly financed with credit from the Brazilian Government and the Ghana Government. By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin 27.06.2016 LISTEN By A.B. Kafui Kanyi, GNA Ho, June 27, GNA - Some public and private basic schools in the Volta Region have resorted to the sieving of pupils for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) towards maintaining a 100 per cent pass record. The schools now register only pupils perceived to be of average academic performance and above as their candidates and refer the pupils perceived to be below that standard to community schools or less popular schools. Investigations by the Ghana News Agency revealed that some of the pupils who could not be registered by the community schools for the examination were left to their fate, with a few of them dropping out of school at that level. About 30 pupils of the Kabore School Complex in Ho, were registered to write this year's BECE with a basic school at Akome in the Ho West District and at Private School in Ho. Mr Kodzo Afake, the Headmaster of the School, who confirmed the practice to the GNA, said they did not meet the standard. He declined to give detailed information on the policy because he said was not permitted by the Ghana Education Service to grant interviews. A parent of a pupil at Kabore, who was registered outside the School, said it was unfair for the child to spend 11 years in Kabore, to be registered with a different school for supposedly not meeting a standard. Checks by the Ghana News Agency revealed that many other schools in the Municipality screened and registered their pupils outside the schools. Some of the pupils were registered with schools in Adaklu, Abutia, Ziope and Sokode. Mrs Vida Aku Sika Tete Dzobo, a retired Educationist, said the practice was 'a cruel damage to the image and identity of children,' and appealed to the Ghana Education Service to intervene and seek the interest and welfare of all children. She said children had different talents and must be helped to identify and develop them and not condemned for being slow learners at the basic level. Mr Felix Ovulley, the Secretary of the Volta Regional Parent Teacher Association (PTA), told the GNA that the situation cut across the Region and said it was wrong for the schools to 'pick some children and leave others out'. He said the schools were to prepare the children and not to 'push them away.' Mr Forgive Agoha, the Regional Public Relations Officer, GES, said the Directorate was not aware of that practice and that it was against GES' policy. Some teachers told the GNA that the yearly grading of basic schools on BECE performance necessitated the sieving of the children. They said in some instances, some teachers and headmasters were transferred for poor performance at the BECE in the Region. GNA Wa, June 27, GNA - The Ministry of Education has donated seven buses and 10 Mahindra Pick-up vehicles to selected senior high schools, teacher training colleges and district directorates of education in the Upper West Region. One thousand cartons of chalk and a number of dual-desks were also donated to the schools as part of government's efforts to equip and facilitate the administrative operations and quality teaching and learning in the schools. Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, the Upper West Regional Minister, said at the handing over ceremony in Wa that the donation formed part of government's policy to resource institutions to ensure that they functioned effectively. 'It is the policy of this government from time to time to resource institutions to make them perform their functions and this is exactly what the government is doing,' he said. He urged the beneficiaries to ensure that they used the vehicles to serve the purpose for which they were bought. Madam Patricia Ayiko, the Upper West Regional Director of Education, who received the vehicles on behalf of the schools, thanked the Government for resourcing the schools to make them efficient. She promised she would take keen interest in monitoring the use of the vehicles and ensure they were maintained to increase their life-span. Mr Gaeten Bayel, the Chairman of Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools, pledged to take good care of the buses and thanked the Government for providing means of transport to the schools. GNA We attempted to send a notification to your email address but we were unable to verify that you provided a valid email address. Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. you are here: business Patanjali in crosshairs of ad regulator; gets one notice a day Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved claims to be receiving one notice a day over misleading ads from ASCI. June 27, 2016 "Jordan Bad," Officials Tell NYT - Pressure For A New Southern Front Attack? U.S. officials called up the New York Times. They requested to send two reporters to take down dictation. The reporters dutifully stenographed what they were told and copied it into some publishable format. The main purpose of the story seems to be to blame the Jordan intelligence service that CIA supplied weapons for "Syrian rebels" are ending up in weapon markets and with the Islamic State. But the officials are also giving a limited hangout, confirming some already known facts to obfuscate and hide others. The reporters never bother to explain that to their readers. They leave all major assertions unchallenged even while those contradict reports already in the public record. "Why confuse the reader with facts?" they might have thought. Thus we now read that Jordanian intelligence people "stole" weapons the CIA intended to deliver to "moderate" Syrian rebels. Jordan intelligence "sold" those on the "black market". Unfortunately some of these weapons have recently been used against U.S. CIA contractors. You see, the always bumbling empire and its incompetent CIA never-ever manage to do something right. They have all these good intentions but always make these stupid mistakes like losing arms that then somehow end up with the Islamic State and other Jihadis. Whatever the U.S. does, any negative consequences are -by definition- unplanned or done by some other bad actors. That weapons for "moderate rebels" end up and are sold to by Jihadis, even on Facebook, was predictable from the get-go and has been known for a long time. It is not a Jordanian problem. Other myth the piece tries to plant include: the CIA only started to train Syrian rebels and to deliver weapon to them in 2013 the weapons all came from eastern Europe via some Gulf countries those U.S. dependent Gulf countries were acting randomly and only since 2013 did the CIA, thankfully, take the lead and set things straight the Jordan state lets the officers who systematically "stole" weapons keep their pensions and the profits from the deal because that's what that weird Jordan state does There has been quite a bit of reporting that contradicts those fairy tales: the international operations rooms to coordinate the Syrian rebels in Turkey and Jordan started in 2012 the CIA supervised smuggling of weapons from Libya to Syria in 2011/12 the Gulf countries depend in the U.S. for their intelligence and defense; they do not "go rogue" unnoticed and unchallenged unless it is in U.S. interests no state, not even Jordan, will pamper officers who "stole" and sold weapons if these deeds were against orders and the interests of the state An open question is why this story was created now. It provides some limited hangouts but its real purpose seems to be to plant the story "Jordan officer stole weapons that killed U.S. people" which makes Jordan look bad. The NYT report was written in collaboration with the Qatari outlet Al Jazeerah. There are doubts in Jordan that continuing the war against Syria is in its interest. A vehicle used in a recent suicide bombing against a Jordanian border station was earlier officially given to "moderate" Syrian rebels. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. Jordan can not expect anything good from a continuing war and wants to wind it down. So was this story planted to put pressure on Jordan to again change its mind? Does it convey U.S. and Qatari pressure to renew a "Southern Front", which has been quiet for a while, and for a new rebel attack from Jordan against Damascus? Don't bet on the NYT stenographers to answer such questions. Posted by b on June 27, 2016 at 12:16 UTC | Permalink Comments After clawing back the losses made during the financial crisis, the outlook for high street banks at the beginning of the year looked brighter, with Lloyds forecasting significant dividend growth and investors benefitting from share price growth in all four major high street banks. But this morning trading has been suspended in Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), Lloyds (LLOY) and Barclays (BARC) following dramatic 10% plus drops in their share prices. RBS has seen shares drop by 15% in mid-day-trading meaning the bank has erased gains made over the five years, to return to levels last seen in 2012. Banking stocks are in turmoil due to the uncertainty surrounding their future; will London continue to be the financial hub of Europe, arguably the world, if the UK is not a member of the European Union? Before Fridays result specialist law firm Ashurst produced a paper entitled Brexit: Potential Impact on the UKs Banking Industry. The report states that Brexit would challenge Londons role as the venue of choice for global firms to conduct their European business One thing is for sure if there is a Brexit, the UKs banking industry will never be the same. Much cross-border banking business within the EU is made possible by EU-level legislation, including, for example, investment services, deposit taking and payment services, the report reads. A primary risk for institutions which access EU markets from the UK is therefore the post-Brexit loss of that access on a short or longer term basis because no equivalence decision has been issued in time. Whether this risk is material depends on the business mix of the institution in question and its current structure. A key challenge in mitigating this risk is that implementation of a solution may be a lengthy process, and the final landscape will only become clear at a relatively late stage in the Brexit process. Brexit could, absent agreements as to equivalence, also affect elements of financial services infrastructure, such as access to clearing houses or payment services, or the provision of custody services to certain clients. Other issues are harder to assess at this stage, for example the effect of Brexit on a highly-skilled and multinational workforce and longer term any effect on Londons esteemed status as a financial and legal centre. Osborne Believes in Banks This morning Chancellor George Osborne pledged that UK banks would work alongside the Government and Bank of England to help control stock market volatility. You should not underestimate our resolve. We were prepared for the unexpected. We are equipped for whatever happens, he said. And we are determined that unlike eight years ago, Britains financial system will help our country deal with any shocks and dampen them not contribute to those shocks or make them worse. Osborne also addressed concerns over the future of The City saying: In the meantime, and during the negotiations that will follow, there will be no change to peoples rights to travel and work, and to the way our goods and services are traded, or to the way our economy and financial system is regulated. Biggest Fallers of the Day The banks are among the top 10 fallers on Monday, joined by EasyJet (EZJ) who has issued a profits warning blaming Brexit and seen shares fall 18% on the announcement. EasyJet have followed International Airlines Group and issued a profit warning for the next three months of the year after operational disruption, caused by strikes and weather events, combined with lower demand in the run up to the EU referendum and following the Egyptair tragedy, explained Nicholas Hyett, Equity Analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown. Also in the red today, are housebuilders Taylor Wimpey (TW.), Barratt Homes (BDEV) and Persimmon (PSN). After the initial panic, themes are emerging in terms of how markets are responding to the UKs unexpected decision to leave the EU, said Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell. Within the UK the best performing sectors are the gold and silver miners, as investors look for havens. The worst are banks, life insurers and housebuilders, owing to fears over what the vote means for the UK economy, demand for UK assets and also the ability to sell financial products into the EU via the passporting mechanism. Take a Long-term View Colin Morton, lead manager of the Franklin UK Equity Income Fund says that long term investors should not lose sight of the outlook for UK companies which he believes is positive. Whether in EU or not, the UK remains a very important market and regardless of what might happen with trade tariffs, there is no reason why, all of a sudden, people wont want to buy products or services from solid, quality companies, he argued. The true impact may not be seen for two to three years, and the market often struggles to see more than six months ahead, but we can be certain that volatility will prevail in the coming months. These are unprecedented times and there are a number of issues to play out in the next few months, but active managers should see various opportunities as over-reactions play out. A third of UK businesses are planning investment and hiring cuts in the wake of a Brexit vote, a new survey from a leading UK commerce organisation has found. The poll from Institute of Directors surveyed more than 1,000 of its members following the Brexit result. The poll found that more than a third of businesses participated in the survey said they will cut investments following the news Britain will leave the European Union, nearly half of them will remain the same investment levels while just 9% of them will increase investment. In terms of employment, a third of companies in the survey will continue hiring at the same pace, but a quarter will put a freeze on recruitment and 5% of them plan to make redundancies. Simon Walker, Director General of the Institute of Directors commented on the report, saying a majority of business leaders think the vote for Brexit is bad for them, and as a result plans for investment and hiring are being put on hold or scaled back. Businesses will be busy working out how they are going to adapt and succeed after the referendum result. But we cant sugar-coat this, many of our members are feeling anxious, Walker said. Richard Marwood, UK equity fund manager at Royal London Asset Management said was expected that businesses would defer some investments until they get a clearer picture of what the rules are following a Brexit vote. He said some investment decisions could not be put hold forever; however companies might take a longer time to decide". There will be pause in investment, Marwood said. And this may lead to speculation about the UKs economic future. More Profit Warnings by Companies On Monday, airline company EasyJet (EZJ) and estate agent Foxtons (FOXT) announced profit warning thanks to Brexit fallout. EasyJet said Brexit would harm their profits as a lot of flight cancellation are expected, and Foxtons said it expected a hiatus in house purchases. Investors should expect more profit warnings by companies in the future according to Marwood. Over the long term however, Marwood thinks that Brexit could be an opportunity for UK businesses to become more competitive, helped by the movement in the UK currency. Companies Will Keep UK Operations Following the Brexit outcome there has been significant news inches regarding the risk of banks relocating staff out of London. While the financial industry faces a unique set of challenges, according to the Institute of Directors poll 71% of companies surveyed said that they would keep all of their present UK operations in the UK. Only 17% of them would consider moving some of the operations out of the UK to elsewhere in the European Union. Business Leaders Worried about Stock Market Business leaders in the survey also expressed their top concerns regarding Brexit with three-quarters of ranking number one the risks to the stock market. There is no point crying over spilled milk. We will not lose our faith in the ability of British firms to overcome these obstacles, but these results highlight the importance of the Bank of England maintaining stability in the financial system. It is crucial that the banks do not starve businesses of cash, Walker said. Doing a Deal with Europe The IoD members, who can be found in 80% of FTSE 100 companies, said that they were unconcerned with how long it took to negotiate new deals with EU member states, only that the arrangement were the best possible for their businesses to do trade. Cool heads will be needed because, at the moment, nearly half of IoD members worry the rest of the EU will react negatively to the UK in negotiations, Walker said. Quentin Fitzsimmons, senior fixed income portfolio manager at T. Rowe Price said that different countries in Europe have varying levels of trade-dependency with the UK. The power of economic self-interest should not be underestimated. France will probably want to make it very difficult for UK financial services firms to operate on the Continent. However, Germany might be inclined to be more flexible because its car industry is heavily reliant on exports to the UK and it would not want to lose that trade, Fitzsimmons said. 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WASHINGTON The leaders of the United States, Canada and Mexico will pledge today to source half their overall electricity with clean power by 2025, according to individuals briefed on the decision. The commitment which will be a joint one, rather than an individual commitment by each nation represents an aggressive target given the current reliance by the United States and Mexico on fossil fuels for much of their electricity supply. Roughly 59 percent of Canada's electricity is generated by hydropower operations, with another 16 percent coming from nuclear plants, so it has already surpassed the targeted benchmark. President Barack Obama will travel to Ottawa today to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto as part of this year's North American Leaders Summit. It is unclear how the leaders will define clean energy. Nuclear energy is carbon free and so sometimes classified as clean power, but it is not considered renewable the way solar, wind and other forms of energy are. The upcoming pledge highlights how collaboration on climate between the United States and Canada has accelerated since Trudeau, leader of his country's Liberal Party, was elected last fall. A new report by environmental experts from the United States, Canada and Mexico last week urged the three countries to work more closely on their climate goals in the wake of the international accord finalized last December in Paris. "For the first time in recent memory, the national governments of the United States, Mexico, and Canada are politically aligned on climate change," the group wrote. "The three countries should take this opportunity to explore and launch coordinated climate initiatives that could propel the shift to clean energy across the continent and-through international leadership-accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas pollution globally." Roughly 13 percent of U.S. electricity comes from hydropower and other renewable sources, according to the Energy Information Administration, with another 20 percent stemming from nuclear power plants. Just 22 percent of Mexico's electricity generation in 2014 came from non-fossil fuels, according to its government, though leaders there have pledged to raise that figure to 34 percent by 2024. CBC News reported Monday that Obama would pledge to generate half of U.S. electricity by clean power by 2025, a report that was incorrect. Asked whether the president was preparing to make an ambitious climate pledge as part of the upcoming summit, White House spokesman Eric Schultz replied, "We do ambitious well at the White House." If theres one thing Texas has a lot of, its pipelines. The energy capital of the U.S. has about 400,000 miles of pipeline delivering energy products throughout the state and into Mexico, which is hungry for more of Texas natural gas as the nations energy demands grow. Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton spoke with the Reporter-Telegram on Thursday to discuss the Trans-Pecos Pipeline and what it will mean for Texas and Mexicos futures. MRT: How important is the states pipeline infrastructure to the economy? Sitton: As all of these markets grow oil and natural gas infrastructure, such as pipelines, are going to be crucial to being able to move that product and get a good market for that product. One of the things that any producer has to be thoughtful about and mindful of is, I can drill a well and produce that oil or natural gas out of that well, and maybe the spot price today says I can command a pretty nice margin unless I cant get it to market. If I have to put it in a truck, thats going to chew up a lot of that margin through shipping it. So, pipelines are really vital, and industry has done a fantastic job in this state in building that infrastructure. Mexico has 120 million people, produces something like 2.5 million barrels of oil and has 6,000 miles of pipeline. The state of Texas has 27 million people, produces around 3 million barrels of oil, and we have 400,000 miles of pipeline. One of our big advantages is our infrastructure. What we need to be doing, from a regulatory perspective, is making sure our environment that we are maintaining really continues to promote that development. We had a case just two days ago that was a somewhat landmark case at the Railroad Commission because it dealt with the rates that pipeline operators can charge. Are we going to use a market-based rate or are we going to use a cost-of-service rate? I was very public about the fact that I thought market-based rates were vital because that allows companies that will invest huge capital to get a return on that capital from those who use these pipelines. MRT: What will the Trans-Pecos Pipeline mean for the Texas and Mexico economies? Sitton: I think its vital to both. Having made a trip to Mexico two months ago, we heard them talking about how one of their top priorities is to expand their electricity production using natural gas. We are, by far, the largest provider of natural gas to Mexico. So, its crucial to them. It will enable them to build a robust energy infrastructure, and its a huge economic opportunity for us to sell that natural gas and gain a trade advantage. In other words, we sell that raw product and bring in those revenues both from a business perspective and a tax perspective right back into the state of Texas. So, its absolutely huge. The Trans-Pecos Pipeline has been met with some fairly public opposition in places like Alpine, and I think that speaks to the fact that the Railroad Commission really has an opportunity to assure residents in areas that havent seen this kind of development before, they need to know were on the job, that we are studying these things, that our rules and regulations are robust. I feel very confident about them, but we are working hard to communicate with those residents so that they feel confident, as well. MRT: A recent Bloomberg article reported that previously undocumented abandoned wells in Pennsylvania have become revitalized by nearby hydraulic fracturing jobs, and thus are contaminating the environment, including water. Have you seen this in Texas? Sitton: Theres a term we have called communication. Thats when one well and it doesnt have to be because of hydraulic fracturing seems to be affected by the service pressure of another well. We do see that in other words, we do hear people talk about that and monitor that. I am not aware of an issue where an old, plugged well was (affected) when someone was putting in a new well and doing a hydraulic fracturing job caused an old well that we didnt know about to have some sort of negative impact on the community. We monitor that pretty closely. At the Railroad Commission, we know where the wells are. Weve tracked them for almost 100 years. Thats not to say were perfect. Im sure there are some out there from a long time ago (we dont know about), but these things are monitored very closely. We see cases all the time where someone wants to put in a disposal well or drill a new well, and our examiners will put specific requirements on them to keep them from potentially impacting or communicating with an old well. We are on top of that and aware of the issue, and, as far as I know, we have never had a problem with contaminating groundwater. MRT: What do you make of the recent federal judges decision to deny the presidents regulation of fracturing on public lands? Sitton: Its a landmark case for a couple of reasons. First of all, the judge that struck it down was an Obama appointee. Thats pretty newsworthy because what weve seen in recent history, especially with Obama appointees, is that more often than not, politics tends to trump good constitutional law decisions. In this case, I really applaud the judge. He seemed to steer very clear of politics in this decision and talked very clearly about what powers were enumerated to the executive branch, that Congress had not given this power to the executive branch. He talked about activities that were going on the states, and I think that this sends a very broad message that states have been regulating this and have a very good track record at regulation. As one of the people running the most comprehensive agency in the country in terms of the breadth of our abilities and the breadth of our expertise, I think this speaks directly to the fact that we should be the ones doing this, not a group of bureaucrats that have no expertise in this. I think that this very much validates that message. MRT: What other federal issues are you looking at or anticipating? Sitton: Were always monitoring (federal actions), such as the new methane rules and the clean power plan. We see some smaller issues that are less public like the issues around Joe Pool Dam and Joe Pool Lake in the Dallas area, where we are engaging in dealing with the Army Corps of Engineers, or (Traffic Incident Management Self-Assessment) rules with the Department of Transportation. There are lots of things that we are monitoring to make sure that we are leading on that regulation, not just representing our state well, but representing best practices well. MRT: Do you have any parting comments? Sitton: There is so much going on right now in the energy industry in this state that were moving very aggressively at the Railroad Commission to stay engaged with the public. One of our big jobs is to be out in the communities, whether its a coal mine, the Trans-Pecos Pipeline, oil wells and seismicity in the D-FW area, theres so much going on that were working very hard to be out around the state and be engaged in those communities. We always ask that people who have questions to reach out to us. We want them to talk to us. Like Trevor on Facebook and follow him on Twitter at @HowdyHawes. Note: This story was edited because a question mistakenly used the word "ban" to describe a federal judge's recent decision concerning hydraulic fracturing and federal lands. It has been replaced with "regulation," which is what the case was about. BARATARIA PRESERVE, La. (AP) In the heyday of oil exploration on Louisianas coast after World War II, companies dug about 10,000 miles of canals as straight as Kansas highways through a natural world thats unraveling today due, in part, to those canals. Soon, about 16.5 miles of canals are to be filled in the Barataria Preserve making a small dent in a massive problem. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell on Monday toured water plant-choked canals in the alligator-and-bird preserve by airboat and called the work crucial; she said filling in open canals can help fend off the Gulf of Mexico and its hurricanes. It can have an impact, not just restoring the National Park site, but also on buffering these communities from the impacts of climate change, sea level rise, of increasing storms. The National Park Service is using $8.7 million from penalties drawn from the catastrophic BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill in 2010 to do the work. The Barataria Preserve, established in 1978, lies about 10 miles southwest of New Orleans. Long ago, oil companies abandoned the canals and spoil banks. Scientists say they have interfered with hydrology trapping water in places and keeping water from flowing properly in others and funneled salt water inland. Also, canals have widened and eroded the landscape. The canals have long been considered a major problem for Louisianas coast, which experiences some of the fastest rates of land loss in the world. The state loses about 17 square miles of land each year an area not that much smaller than Manhattan and has lost about 1,900 square miles since the 1930s, an area the size of Delaware. Restoring hydrology is critical, said Dusty Pate, the National Park Services natural resource program manager on the preserve. Its the action of the river that created this entire landscape, and water movement out across the landscape is very important. The primary thing that youre trying to do is remove barriers to (water) exchange, he said as he surveyed the banks along the Gulf South Pipeline Canal. Its super, super flat and normally the way the water would move is in a big sheet or in a small natural channel. He added: By taking down the spoil banks and shallowing out the canal we cant necessarily restore all of that function, but we can do good things for sure. He said plans call for pushing the trees many of which are invasive Chinese tallow trees and brush along the spoil banks into the canal. Trees with value, such as cypress and oaks, would likely be kept, he said. The canals wont be filled in completely simply because theres not enough dirt in the spoil banks to do that, Pate said. But over time, they are expected to gradually become shallower and shallower. Julie Whitbeck, a National Park Service ecologist, said the work to fill in the canals would be a model for future projects to backfill canals. The preserve has become a leader in filling canals, said Eugene Turner, a Louisiana State University coastal scientist. He was not on the tour, but has studied the canals for a long time. The preserve previously filled in about 5 miles of canals. In all, about 30 miles of canals across the Louisiana coast have been filled in, Turner said. The question whether oil companies should be forced to pay for damage caused by the canals has long been contentious. The oil industry says it was not required to fill in canals, but others argue that they should be forced to pay for that work. Three coastal parishes the equivalent of counties in Louisiana are suing dozens of oil canals over damage by the oil industry to the coast. Recently, Gov. John Bel Edwards got involved in the litigation and has sought to broker a settlement. Odessa police arrested Hector Apolinar Rascon, 41, at approximately 11:05 p.m. on June 23 on a charge of assault by strangulation (family violence), a third-degree felony. Odessa police charged Billy Ray-Don Allen, 26, at approximately 10:25 a.m. on June 23 on a charge of sexual assault, a second-degree felony. Odessa police arrested Bonita Flores, 51, at approximately 8:30 p.m. on June 22 on a charge of possession of cocaine, a state jail felony. Odessa police arrested Agustin Jr. Melendez, 47, at approximately 11:35 p.m. on June 22 on charges of tampering with physical evidence, a third-degree felony and possession of cocain, a state jail felony. Odessa police arrested Alfredo Villalobos Machuca, 52, at approximately 4:30 a.m. on June 23 on a charge of possession of methamphetamine, a state jail felony. Odessa police arrested Francisco Rodriquez, 34, at approximately 9 a.m. on June 22 on charges of possession of cocaine, a state jail felony and possession of marijuana, a state jail felony. Odessa police arrested Anthony Tyrone Pineda, 30, at approximately 1 a.m. on June 24 on a charge of possession of cocaine, a state jail felony. Note: The Reporter-Telegram only included felony arrests. --- Source: Odessa Police Department More than 1,000 retired educational employees in April met in Houston for the 63rd annual Texas Retired Teachers Association (TRTA) Convention. Attendees from all over Texas participated in this years convention, including 8 from the Midland Association of Retired School Personnel (MARSP). Public education retirees discussed the future of their health care and pension, among other issues. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump leads Democratic rival Hillary Clinton by 8 percentage points in Texas, according to a University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll released Monday. Trump is ahead of Clinton 41 percent to 33 percent in a head-to-head matchup, the poll found. Nineteen percent indicated support for someone else, and 8 percent said they havent thought about it enough to have an opinion. Trumps advantage over Clinton narrows to 7 percentage points when Libertarian Party nominee Gary Johnson was added to the choices. He garners 7 percent support, leaving Trump with 39 percent and Clinton with 32 percent. The last two Republican nominees easily won Texas by double digits John McCain by 12 in 2008 and Mitt Romney by 16 in 2012. Asked about their reasoning, 55 percent of the Trump supporters said they dont want Clinton to become president, while 45 percent said they made their choice because they want Trump in the White House. Among Clinton supporters, 57 percent said they want her to be elected, while 43 explained their choice as a vote against Trump. The two candidates remain very unpopular: 56 percent of the poll respondents have an unfavorable opinion of Trump, and 59 percent have an unfavorable impression of Clinton. They arent crazy about the political parties, either: 50 percent have an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party, and 51 percent have an unfavorable view of the Republican Party. The University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll echoes a survey that was commissioned by Texas Democrats and released Wednesday. It found Trump leading Clinton by 7 percentage points in Texas, 37 percent to 30 percent. The University of Texas/Texas Politics Project Poll of 1,200 registered voters was conducted June 10-20 and has an overall margin of error of 2.83 percentage points. Speaker is totally wrong in his ... Twain Harte, CA A man was arrested following an alleged road rage dispute in Twain Harte over the weekend. A witness reported to the Sheriffs Office that a man appeared to be chasing three juveniles in a car while driving his Toyota truck. The suspect in the truck, later identified as 44-year-old David Hammar, told Sheriffs deputies that the group in the car drove by his house and made threatening hand gestures towards him and his wife. The Sheriffs Office reports that Hammar proceeded to intentionally ram the Chevy Cavalier on two separate occasions and it was pushed onto a pedestrian sidewalk, and into a building, near the corner of Joaquin Gully Road and Fuller Road. The three people in the car feared for their safety and took off running. Law enforcement soon arrived and took witness statements. Two males in the vehicle returned and complained of back pain, however they did not seek medical attention. A female passenger did not return to the area. Hammar was booked into Tuolumne County Jail on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. He was later released from custody on $40,000 bail. Britain's Treasury chief sought Monday to ease concerns about the vote to leave the European Union, saying the economy is as strong as it could be to face the uncertainty - even as a survey showed many companies are looking to move business out of the country. UK votes to leave European Union Stocks set to open lower on Monday 3-plus million sign petition for another vote In his first public appearance since Thursday's referendum, George Osborne stressed that Britain's economy is in a far better position than it was at the start of the 2008 financial crisis. "It will not be plain sailing in the days ahead," he said. "But let me be clear. You should not underestimate our resolve. We were prepared for the unexpected." European stocks and the pound fell further on Monday as concern grew over the potential economic costs of Britain's vote to bring its country, the world's fifth-largest economy, out of the European Union. The British pound, which last week plunged to its lowest level since 1985, dropped another 2.4 percent to $1.3352, despite the British Treasury's reassurances that the economy was strong enough to withstand the uncertainty. Wall Street was set to drift lower on the open Monday as well. The leaders of Germany, Italy and France will be huddling in Berlin to discuss the vote, trying to hone a common message that negotiations need to get underway quickly on the exit so as not to continue the uncertainty. Questions remain about exactly how the exit would happen, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Monday that there will be no informal talks on conditions until Britain invokes Article 50 of the EU treaty, which will trigger the process for leaving. Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will resign and his successor, to be chosen by the fall, should be the one to navigate that process. In the first direct reflection of such uncertainty on business confidence, a leading business group says 20 percent of its members plan to move some of their operations outside of the U.K. The Institute of Directors said Monday that a survey of its 1,000 members showed that three out of four believe that Britain's exit from the EU, known as Brexit, will be bad for business. The pound hit a new 31-year record low, dropping another 2.9 percent to $1.3277. Stock markets also declined across Europe. Osborne pledged not to impose a new austerity budget - even though he said during the campaign that one would be necessary if voters chose to leave the EU. He said another budget would be the task of Cameron's successor. Osborne also said he had been working closely with Bank of England Governor Mark Carney, fellow finance ministers and international organizations over the weekend. "We are prepared for whatever happens," he said. In another move to cushion market reaction, Osborne stressed that only Britain can invoke Article 50. The U.K. "should only do that when there is a clear view about what new arrangement we are seeking with our European neighbors," he said. Cameron is expected to chair an emergency Cabinet meeting Monday. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is visiting Brussels and London to address the fallout from the vote. Political turmoil has roiled Britain since the vote as leaders of the government and opposition parties grapple with the question of how precisely the U.K. will separate from the other 27 nations in the bloc. Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn is also facing upheaval within his Labour Party after half a dozen advisers quit his inner circle Monday, joining some 11 others who resigned over the weekend. Corbyn said he will not resign, and has appointed lawmakers loyal to him to fill the vacated posts. He insists he will run in any new leadership contest, and said he has the support of the party's grassroots. Many Labour lawmakers accuse Corbyn of running a lukewarm campaign in support of remaining in the EU. They also fear the left-winger cannot win a general election, which could come well before the scheduled date of 2020, as whoever replaces Cameron may call an early election to solidify a mandate before negotiating Britain's EU exit. The vote is also causing a political schism in the U.K. overall. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would "consider" whether to advise the Scottish Parliament to use its power to try to prevent Britain from leaving the EU. Some 62 percent of Scots voted to remain in the bloc. Scottish lawmakers might be able to derail Britain's departure by withholding "legislative consent," she said. The mother who took a bullet to save her son during the Pulse massacre was remembered during a car show at The Barn in Sanford, as supporters raised funds for the family she left behind. Pulse 'hero mom' of 11 remembered at car show fundraiser Sunday Brenda Lee Marquez McCool, 49, died taking bullets for son, who survived The family of Brenda Lee Marquez McCool is trying to pull together to help while they continue to grieve. Sunday, the Marquez family got a chance to write down their memories of a fearless woman who is now known as a hero after her death. "She was a 'live loud' person, she was always into something and always having fun with her kids," said Jessenia Marquez, Marquez's cousin. Their hearts are still hurting over the loss of McCool, who gave the ultimate sacrifice to save her son as the shooter sprayed bullets throughout the Pulse nightclub. "She was a wonderful lady. She's a hero. She was getting the bullets for her son. It's incredible," said Freddy Colon, Marquez's cousin. It was a heroic act her family said won't be forgotten. "It's caused a lot of pain for a lot of our families in general. Orlando is all under the stress, the pain, the anguish, the unanswered questions," said Marquez. Jessenia Marquezs daughter was also inside Pulse Nightclub when her cousin was killed. "I came that close to losing my daughter," said Marquez. "I'm grateful to God for the angels that were with her. It's painful for her to know that she made it out and my cousin didn't." To honor Marquez, they put her picture on each trophy so the winners of the car show can take home a piece of her memory. ph: Brittany Jones, staff "No one deserves to lose their lives in a situation like what happened, it definitely hurt everybody," said Miguel Mansilla, car show participant. Her name and picture is also on a plaque for her family to keep. ph: Brittany Jones, staff Each dollar raised at the fundraiser will go to help each of the 11 children McCool left behind. "Just the little that we can help and donate, that's what we want to do," said Marquez. Two Central Florida concerts on Sunday dedicated themselves to benefiting the 49 victims at Pulse, and to bringing the "Orlando is love" message to as wide an audience as possible. American Legion Post 19 concert will donate proceeds to the GLBT Center of Orlando Haven Lounge concert proceeds to go to Equality Florida Both charities will direct funds to victims and their families Music and love were what organizers of the Sunday concerts at American Legion Post 19 and Haven Lounge wanted victims, survivors and anyone affected by the tragedy to hear and feel as they attempt to move forward with their lives. What we do here, each and every one of us thats here, what were all about is comraderie, said Wade Foster, Commander for the American Legion Post 19. We may not all have the same job, but what we do is all about each and every one of us thats here. According to Foster, proceeds from the American Legion Post 19 "Orlando Strong" event will go to the GLBT Center of Orlando to help victims and their families. Meanwhile, Billy Meyers III, whose band "Glorious Rebellion" performed along with eight other groups at Haven Lounge's "Orlando Love" benefit, knows that fundraising for the victims and their families is just a start in terms of what can be done to help the community heal. This is going to raise some money, thats not enough. Its not enough, said Meyers. And quite frankly, I dont think theres anybody that could do anything that would be enough, besides inventing a time machine to not have this happen. But its something. Others who performed tonight say theres no better way of healing than music. Whether its hip hop were playing in there or R&B, it doesnt matter," said Randi Stickles of "Blaine the Mono." "Were all here to get by, listen to music and really therapeutically deal with this together. There will be another concert at the Haven Lounge in Winter Park to benefit Pulse victims on Sunday July 17th. Proceeds from the Haven Lounge shows will go to Equality Florida to benefit victims and their families. You dont need a cape or superpowers to be a hero. Sometimes, a bottle and cookies is enough to earn the title. Danae and German Fuentes of Orlando are Everyday Heroes They have taken several children into their home The couple has started a foster-care ministry at their church Danae and German Fuentes have a child of their own 14-year-old Maximiliano but they recently decided to add to the family by fostering. The Orlando couple is making room in their home and their hearts for neglected and abused children. Now, theyre holding on to three little ones. Were managing. Were still somewhat sane. And the idea of course is to help them as much as possible, German Fuentes said. The Fuenteses have gone as far as turning their living room into a playroom so they can take in even more children. Theyre children, and thats what people need to understand. This is about children, this is about helping them in a time of need," German Fuentes said. They are so passionate about caring for children that theyve started a foster-care ministry at their church to aid in recruitment efforts. They have hosted gatherings to answer questions, all in hopes that more people will share their mission of love. A lot of people like the idea of helping. A lot of people want to help, most people dont know how to go about it and thats the biggest problem, so what were trying to do here is get the word out, German Fuentes said. The Fuentes say theyre just parents. But those who have worked with them say theyre much more. Theyre so selfless and inspiring. Theyve changed their home and adapted to these children versus these children adapting to them, said Kyraneshia Coleman of Community Based Care of Central Florida. With Gods help, the Fuenteses say, fostering is something they hope they can continue doing as long as we can, forever. "Its not about us," Danae Fuentes said. Maximiliano, 14, the Fuentes' son, helps care for the couple's foster children. (News 13) Following the Pulse nightclub shooting, Orlandos most historic cemetery is housing a new chapter albeit a painful one of The City Beautifuls history. Orlando offered to inter 49 victims of Pulse shooting Historic cemetery is south of downtown Orlando Cemetery is final resting place of some of Orlando's most iconic people The City Council waived burial fees for victims of the shooting to be interred at Greenwood Cemetery. Four victims were buried, saving families thousands of dollars. "For us as a city, we thought it would be great to give the citizens and families a place to come and grieve, said Don Price, the city's longtime sexton. That's what a cemetery does." The evening after the shooting, Price and his staff were on the phone, making plans. By Monday morning, Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer had called, giving them the green light on the interments. He was really adamant and really passionate about us creating an area that the victims families could come to and remember, Price explained of the private area, tucked along Anderson Street. In addition, the city-owned cemetery is creating a memorial for the 49 victims, installing temporary markers, until they can raise funds for permanent stones. "People that went to work with someone on Friday and never sees them again... They'll have a place to come, Price said. Founded in the 1880s, Greenwood Cemetery is the final resting place for many pioneers of Central Florida, including T.G. Lee, William R. Boone, Joe Tinker and Joseph Bumby. One of Greenwoods first burials, according to Price, was Francis Epps, Thomas Jefferson's grandson and founder of Florida State University. The sexton knows all of their stories, sharing the rich history with visitors each month on free tours. Donations benefit charities of choice, he said. To share the stories about families is amazing, because if not, people forget, said Price, who has worked at Greenwood for 20 years. They wanted to mix archives and the cemetery together. And they wanted to make this a place of history." A staff of four, plus contracted workers, maintain and manage 120 acres of cemetery grounds, which Price described as a utopia amid the bustle of the city. Orlando itseld is very protective of the historic cemetery, allowing only filming and photos in the oldest sections. Price said thats because in the newer areas, memories are too fresh and painful for families. Our job is to honor. Its all a cemetery does, Price said. Everyone who comes in here has a story. Its just up to us to make sure that we honor that story and keep that story. A 4 year old boy who went missing in a Viera neighborhood Monday, prompting a law enforcement search, was found drowned in a pond behind his home, deputies said. Boy found dead in retention pond near Viera home Family member was watching the boy No word on whether deputies will file charges against family member When neighbors heard that a 4-year-old boy had gone missing from his home on Ayrshire Circle in Viera they jumped into action. We were hoping that maybe since he was a little boy, he had wandered over to the ball field or the park. So thats where we were all searching, neighbor Billie Poehailos said. Sheriffs deputies first started searching for the boy around 3:30 p.m. They say a family member was watching him and at some point he had wandered outside. We responded in full force with our aviation team, our dive team, because of the logistics of the area, and our K9 units to help locate the boy, Brevard County Sheriffs Office spokesperson Dave Jacobs said. A dive team found the boy just after 5 p.m. in a retention pond just a few feet from the shore, they say it was not far from where is home was located. No word has yet been released on whether charges will be brought against the family member watching the boy, but the community is grieving for their loss. Your heart just breaks, because as a parent, its the worst thing you can ever possibly imagine, so for another parent to have to go through that, your heart aches for them, Billie said. Brevard County deputies will be investigating this as a death investigation; they hope to have more information on the case in the coming days. Ron Goben, a longtime Bay Area journalist who was a top editor at the Palo Alto Times and Peninsula Times Tribune for more than two decades, seemed to subscribe to every newspaper and magazine ever published. He was passionate about newspapers, reporters and the written word. He was also passionate about dogs, cats, politics and banana cream pie. Mr. Goben died June 20 of cancer at a hospital in Placerville (El Dorado County). He was 88. A native of Rock Island, Ill., Mr. Goben was a graduate of Northwestern University and a U.S. Army veteran. He worked in Tokyo for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes and for the Honolulu Star Bulletin before moving to the Bay Area in 1964. From 1964 to 1988, Mr. Goben was a reporter, assistant city editor, city editor, news editor and editorial writer for the Palo Alto Times and the Peninsula Times Tribune, which was formed when the Times merged with the Redwood City Tribune in 1979. He directed those newspapers local news coverage, calmly mentoring young reporters and inviting staff members children to bang away at the manual typewriters in the hope that they might some day become as hooked on newspapering as he was. He was patient and even-tempered, in a profession that often wasnt, recalled former Chronicle news editor Jay Johnson, who was a cub reporter under Mr. Goben four decades ago. He was a pro and a gentleman. I remember when I was just starting, I was told to watch Mr. Goben and to do what he does. A series of stories by Mr. Goben in the 1970s about dyslexia was among the first to describe in detail the little-known medical condition. After leaving the Times Tribune, Mr. Goben served as a spokesman for Stanford University Medical Center. In 1992, he moved to the Sierra foothill town of Camino (El Dorado County), where he wrote a column for the local paper and served as chairman of the County Democratic Central Committee. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lorraine; his daughter, former Chronicle copy editor Jan Goben of San Francisco; his son, Gregory of Rohnert Park; and two granddaughters. Plans for a memorial celebration later this summer are incomplete. Steve Rubenstein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: srubenstein@sfchronicle.com File photo / San Antonio Express-News Primera Energy LLCs bankruptcy reorganization plan was confirmed by a judge Monday even though theres nothing left of the business to save. The San Antonio company had been headed by Brian K. Alfaro, who has been accused of defrauding investors in the sale of interests in various oil and gas drilling ventures. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Taco Bell plans to bring its alcohol-serving, millennial-luring Cantina concept to a stretch of downtown San Antonio that is drawing increasing interest from developers. RELATED: Downtown deli Delivery Market closes The fast-food chain plans to begin a $200,000 renovation at the building at 517 Houston St. on Aug. 1 for the new restaurant, Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records show. Taco Bell unveiled the Cantina concept in September, a move designed to keep the restaurant chain competitive with other fast-casual Mexican chains like Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. and Qdoba Mexican Eats. Customers can still grab a Doritos cheesy gordita crunch at Cantina restaurants, but they can also order tapas-style dishes, watch employees prep their meal through an open kitchen and eat their food from an open basket while sipping wine. Records don't show an opening date for the restaurant, but construction is scheduled for completion in November. The restaurant will set up shop in an area of downtown experiencing a surge of renewed developer interest. Last week, developer GrayStreet Partners purchased the former Houston Street site of the San Antonio Childrens Museum, which moved to 2800 Broadway in 2015 and became DoSeum. The developer snatched up nine Houston Street properties from Federal Realty Investment Trust of Maryland in spring 2015. RELATED: West Elm to open store in former haunted house near Pearl Here are four other new retail projects slated for construction within the next few months, according to recently filed records at the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation records: San Antonio-based convenience store chain CST Brands Inc. plans to begin construction on a $1.5 million convenience store and gas station at 13794 Potranco Road in December. CST Brands, which operates the Corner Store brand of convenience stores, is currently at the center of a bidding war between Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the parent company for Circle K, and the Japanese parent company of 7-Eleven. Sandwich chain Jimmy John's plans to open its 19th store in the San Antonio area at 8015 Callaghan Road a site formerly occupied by a Subway, now across the street at 8002 Callaghan Road. San Antonio fast-food chain Taco Cabana plans to begin construction on a $500,000 store at 2819 Palo Alto Road on July 1. Cottage Inn Pizza plans to finish out a store at 6851 N. Loop 1604 across from the University of Texas at San Antonio main campus beginning on Aug. 1. San Antonio-based coffee shop chain Local Coffee plans to begin a $376,000 renovation to a suite at 24175 Interstate 10 on July 1. The new store will be the chain's sixth location. Scroll through the slideshow above to see what other retail developments are coming to San Antonio. Have a scoop about local retail or store openings? Questions, complaints, tips? Email me or follow me on Twitter at @JFreports. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate McDonald's has decided on a burger worthy of Texas, discovered through a contest hosted in March. Of more than 25,000 entries submitted and voted on by Texans, the Lone Star Stack took the title from five finalists. The burger, a quarter-pound beef patty, white cheddar, Applewood-smoked bacon, carmelized onions and sweet onion BBQ sauce sandwiched between Texas Toast, was unveiled Monday. RELATED: McDonalds doesn't think this 'McWhataburger' submission for their signature Texas burger is funny "For some time, our group of local owners had been looking for a way to bring a burger to our restaurants that is true to the tastes of Texas, said Ruben Flores, Greater San Antonio area McDonald's Co-op President, in a news release. "I've had the Lone Star Stack, and customers won't be disappointed." RELATED: South Texas trio serenades Whataburger drive-thru with hilarious corrido of their order The Lone Star Stack will be available starting Monday until the first week of September. Prices for the burger varies across the state because of franchises being owned by different people and a spokesperson for McDonald's declined to comment on a price range. According to McDonald's calculations, 497 of the more than 25,000 entries included bacon while 2,522 contest hopefuls put "Texas" in their burger's name. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Less than a week after getting snubbed in the list of America's weirdest cities, masses of folks congregated in Austin on Saturday in their oddest garb to continue to "Keep Austin Weird," celebrating the 14th annual Keep Austin Weird 5K and Festival. RELATED: Austin snubbed from list of America's weirdest cities, two other Texas towns make the cut Donning horse masks, Pac Man suits, neon outfits and gender-defying clothing, attendees came to Veteran's Pocket Park, located near Zilker Park just west of the Mopac Expressway, prepared for the festival that featured live music, unique foods and costume contests, according to photos posted on Instagram. According to the host of images participants posted during the celebration, those in day-to-day clothes were substantially outnumbered by those in head-turning costumes. RELATED: San Antonio makes the list of most normal cities in America The crowd populated Veteran's Park before in their wild outfits before heading downtown for the 5K. A portion of the festival's ticket proceeds benefited the Central Texas Food Bank and It's Time Texas, a health promotion group. Additionally, festival coordinators collected canned food donations. Click through the slideshow above to see some of the wacky outfits people wore for the 5K and festival. MMedina@mySA.com Twitter: @MariahMedinaaa H John Voorhees III / H John Voorhees III A Bethel woman who police say wildly swung a machete during a 2 a.m. tirade faces several charges after she slashed a car and threatened to kill a person. Police on June 19 arrested Maria Medina, 47 of Greenwood Avenue in Bethel, after they said she struck a victim and threatened to kill that person. Police said Medina then got her machete from a car and slashed the vehicle, damaging both the inside and outside. This story originally appeared on Hoodline.com. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate We often report on crime in the northeast neighborhoods, but rarely do we see video footage of street crimes going down, especially in broad daylight. A tipster sent Hoodline a dramatic video over the weekend that showed a robbery in progress on Russian Hill, and a team of police officers apprehending the suspects. The person asked if we had any more information, so we reached out to SFPD Central Station Capt. David Lazar, and he gave us the details. (The action begins around the 0:45 mark in the video.) At 1:10pm June 25th, Capt. Lazar said in an email, "Central Station's Plainclothes Team was conducting surveillance on Russian Hill in an attempt to capture auto burglars and robbery suspects. They observed three suspects in the area who they believed could possibly be casing vehicles to break into one of them. They continued their surveillance when they witnessed three tourists from Argentina being robbed." As seen on the video, the officers immediately took all three suspects into custody, one of whom was armed with a handgun. None are residents of San Francisco, he added, but he didn't provide further information about the suspects. He did add, "This was an incredible arrest and great win for our community." Kordell Jamal Carter, 20, of Santa Rosa, Pravin Kevin Lal, 20, of Marin City, and Lamar Akeli Fontenot, 19, of Antioch, were all charged with robbery, conspiracy, possession of stolen property, and firearms charges. Fontenot was also charged with possession of a burglary tool. Tourists are frequent targets of criminals near the famous crooked part of Lombard Street. Auto break-ins are rampant, and in one particularly heinous incident, in August of 2015, a man from Thailand was shot during a robbery there. This story originally appeared on Hoodline.com. PORT ARANSAS, TX -- Another man has been diagnosed with an infection from a "flesh-eating" bacteria after a trip to a Texas Gulf Coast beach. KXAN-TV reported that 42-year-old Adrian Ruiz became sick after a Father's Day trip to the beach with his family in Port Aransas. The news station reported that he was running a fever within a day and had a rash on his leg. SAN ANTONIO An active-duty airman who committed suicide in the parking lot of a Target store on the far West Side last week has been identified. Ryan Paul Sweeney, 39, died from a gunshot wound to the head around noon on Friday, according to the Bexar County Medical Examiner. CARRIZO SPRINGS Dimmit County commissioners rejected a proposed holding center for immigrant families Monday after vocal opposition during a public meeting. Residents packed the courthouse here to raise concerns about security and the impact on county infrastructure. Dan Stratton, the president of a South Carolina company that wanted to build the facility, said families detained at the center would not be allowed to leave, and it would be operated by a licensed child-care provider. The facility would be designed to not look like a detention center, Stratton said. That concerned residents who filled the courtroom benches and stood in the back, waiting for a chance to voice their opposition. With a line still stretching across the courtroom, County Judge Francisco Ponce asked commissioners if they wanted to vote on the proposed partnership with the federal government. Today, I got it clear, Ponce said afterward. Now I know they still don't like it. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The operators of Turner Hall, a 145-year-old dance hall and social club in Fredricksburg that burned down last week, say they expect police to press "criminal charges" in connection to the fire. However, authorities declined to confirm an arrest, which is expected to be announced Tuesday. Fredericksburg Fire Chief Lynn Bizzell said the case has been turned over the police department and declined further comment. The police department also declined to disclose details on the investigation on Monday. RELATED: Hours-long fire engulfs, destroys historic Turner Hall in Fredericksburg Duane Durst, president of the social club which owned the hall, said he didn't know what discoveries or developments prompted the police to take over the investigation from the fire marshal's office. "All I can tell you is they do have enough evidence to press criminal charges, but the rest of it is under investigation," Durst said. "What they told me is they did have enough evidence to press charges and they would do a full news release Tuesday." RELATED: SAFD mourns the loss of a veteran firefighter who has died from complications of leukemia On June 19, area firefighters responded to a call at 103 West Travis Street and found the "the best dance floor in Gillespie County" already fully engulfed. Crews worked until about 5 a.m. extinguishing the blaze, but the structure was considered a "total loss," the city said in a news release last week. In the hours following the fire, Public Information Officer for the state marshal's office Jerry Hagins told mySA.com the investigation was initially being headed by his department. RELATED: More than 30 people burned in Tony Robbins' hot-coals walk According to Austin-based ABC affiliate, KVUE, no injuries were reported in the fire. The hall was established in 1871 as the "Fredericksburg Social Turnverein." It originally served as a gymnastics school and 9-pin bowling alley. Turner Hall was deemed as one of the only six remaining Turnvereins in Texas, according to the release. Staff writer Zeke MacCormack contributed to this report. mmendoza@mysa.com Twitter: @MaddySkye File photo / San Antonio Express-News IDEA Public Schools, based in the Rio Grande Valley with seven campuses in San Antonio, has been named nation's best charter school network for academic performance while closing achievement gaps and serving a needier student population. The charter network won the 2016 Broad Prize for Public Charter Schools. The award was announced Monday at the National Charter Schools Conference. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO Three people have been taken into custody for questioning in connection with a fatal shooting in the East Side on Monday morning. San Antonio Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jesse Salame said officers received a call for shots fired near Center Street and New Braunfels Avenue around 6:15 a.m. MORE: Man riding bicycle shot to death in San Antonio, second homicide in 12 hours on East Side When they arrived, they found a man lying in the street suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Salame said emergency medical crews treated the man at the scene as best they could, but he died from his injuries shortly after their arrival. RELATED: Far East Side residents find man's body in middle of street during morning walk SAPD Chief William McManus said witnesses reported seeing people run into a nearby home on Center Street just after the shooting, but investigators have not been able to gather any information on a suspect or possible suspect vehicle. Officers took three people who were inside the home into custody for questioning. It is unclear whether they will face any charges. MORE: Police searching for gunman who allegedly shot 2 at East Side food mart Several shootings killed at least two people on the East Side last week and McManus has said lack of cooperation by victims and witnesses has complicated investigations in the area. In 2015, 106 homicides occurred in San Antonio, according to the Express-News' homicide database, an ongoing, searchable resource that tracks every homicide in the city through a combination of news archives and public records. Explore details including cause of death, date, location and victim's name and age from each instance in the Express-News database, which includes an interactive map. Text "NEWS" to 72727 to sign up for breaking news from mySA mdwilson@express-news.net Twitter: @MDWilsonSA Ector County Sheriff's Office A 30-year-old former Odessa firefighter was arrested last Thursday amid accusations he sexually abused a child, now 12, for 6 continuous years. According to an arrest affidavit, Clayton Allen Blount, who resigned from his position with the fire department last week, forced the girl to touch his genitals until he ejaculated on a regular basis for several years, beginning when the child was 6. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 18-year-old D'Anthony Carter was arrested by San Antonio police around 4:30 p.m. Saturday in connection with the fatal shooting of a convenience store clerk during a June 7 robbery at a Diamond Food Mart. RELATED: Two shot, one critical after attempted North Side convenience store robbery Police allege the clerk, Zachary Benavidez, was shot by Carter's companion, 18-year-old Olanda William Taylor. Police also believe Carter shot a customer in the leg during the robbery. Benavidez died at University Hospital the next day. A murder warrant was issued for Carter on June 21, and authorities had previously said he might have fled to Houston. Carter is being charged with capital murder and aggravated robbery. His bail is set at $750,000. The 4-3 Supreme Court ruling recently upholding the use of race in admissions at the University of Texas at Austin brings to an end eight years of expensive litigation. But the national debate is far from over. The scope of the high courts decision is limited by Texas 10 percent rule, which guarantees students who graduate at the top of their class automatic admission to the state university of their choice. That plan accounts for about 75 percent of all incoming freshmen at the University of Texas Systems flagship. That means race is a consideration in only a small percentage of the available slots. Despite its narrow parameters, the ruling means the use of affirmative action on college campuses across the country remains legal. Many colleges across the country use a holistic approach in admissions similar to that at the University of Texas. They consider academic achievement, extracurricular activities and other factors, including race and ethnicity. In Texas, only two public universities consider race in admission; the other is Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls. The courts majority opinion authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy puts colleges and universities on notice that they can continue to use race-conscious approaches to admissions, but only if they are part of a larger plan. Such practices are constitutional if they are limited in use and are only considered as a factor of a factor of a factor. The premise for the UT admissions plan that was challenged in court is rooted in a 2003 ruling, Grutter vs. Bollinger, a case involving the University of Michigan law school. The Supreme Court found in favor of the law school and held that holistic admissions programs could consider race to achieve educational diversity. At that time of the ruling, Justice Sandra Day OConnor wrote that in 25 years the use of racial preferences would no longer be necessary. Thirteen years later, despite best efforts, the country has not achieved that goal. The playing field on college campuses still remains uneven for students of color. There, however, has been an upside to the decadeslong court battles over admissions policies. They have focused much needed attention on the makeup of student populations on the nations campuses. The change of direction prompted by various court decisions have forced college and university administrators to look for innovative solutions. Some schools like Texas A&M at College Station, also a Tier 1 public university, have made great strides to diversify their student population without formally giving applicants race and ethnicity consideration. UT and A&M enrollments show that at both universities, black and Hispanic students make up about 23 percent of their population. Just over 10 years ago, that minority population accounted for only 10.8 percent of the student population at A&M and 16.1 percent at UT. The statistics are not stellar when you consider the ethnic makeup of the state, but they do show progress. There is no fail-proof way of ensuring diversity, but it must remain a constant focus despite threats of continued litigation over the methods employed to achieve it. Allowing schools the option of using race, even as a very small factor, in the admissions process will help make our countrys college campuses more representative of the general population. Re: Legitimate concerns found in cultural case for Brexit, Froma Harrop, Other Views, Wednesday: Thank you, thank you, Froma Harrop. She was the first person to tell the whole truth about immigration. She was talking about Britain, but it applies to the U.S. as well. She wrote, But wanting to control how many ... foreigners enter ones country is not unreasonable. Most of the people who oppose immigration reform are worried about the large number who will be allowed to enter, and how they may increase unemployment and overload hospital, school and welfare services. But all the editorials and letters, in print and TV, that Ive seen paint them as a bunch of racists. Thanks for facts over name-calling. Alvin Ronnfeldt Trashing Trump Re: A foreign correspondents views on Trump, Elaine Ayala, June 13: I was outraged on many levels when I read this column. I believe it is full of innuendo and misstatements, if not by the foreign columnist, Jean-Marc Gonin, then by Elaine Ayala. And it is written as if these statements were facts. One remark that stands out stated the right in this country is overwhelmingly white and undereducated. What a blatant lie! Yes, the economies are depressed here and in Europe, and in this country we have had 7 years of Barack Obama to thank for that. He has done nothing to allay racism, instead stoking it at every opportunity. To trash Donald Trump, as both Ayala and Gonin do in this piece, is unprofessional and dangerous, especially the remark about the David Duke endorsement (does anyone really care about him?) and the repeated references to fascism and Trump. While I am not sold on Trump, I feel he would at least re-establish some much-needed strong national and international leadership, which has been sorely missing during Obamas tenure. And apparently a lot of other people, no matter their race, ethnicity, education or heritage, feel the same. Donna Howington Exploiting tragedy I see our friends on the left have politicized Orlando into an attack on gays, rather than what it really was a terrorist attack on freedom-loving people. Stay focused, people! Jimmie Jones, New Braunfels There are points in the abortion debate on which people can reasonably disagree. But, as long as Roe v. Wade is operative, the U.S. Supreme Courts 5-3 decision on Texass restrictions on the procedure definitively settles one of these. The states mandate that clinics must upgrade to expensive and medically unnecessary ambulatory surgical centers essentially mini hospitals and that clinic doctors acquire difficult-to-get admitting privileges at nearby hospitals constituted undue burdens on women seeking this constitutionally protected procedure. And implicit in the ruling, in which Justice Anthony Kennedy joined the courts liberal wing: These restriction were not about the health of women, as two governors, two attorneys general and state legislators maintain to this day, but about making the procedure so difficult to obtain that women dont get them. In other words, state legislators ignored the science and the lack of medical necessity for these requirements and were simply attempting an end-run around constitutional protections for abortion. The court majority saw through the charade. Unlike the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which upheld the Texas restrictions, the high court majority apparently looked at the actual medical evidence. Writing for the majority, Justice Stephen Breyer wrote, We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes. And, he added, Abortions taking place in an abortion facility are safe indeed, safer than numerous procedures that take place outside hospitals and to which Texas doe not apply its surgical-center requirements. He noted that Texas even allows midwives to oversee childbirths in patients homes. Justice Samuel Alito, in his dissent, wrote that the closures of abortion clinics about half of the states 41, with more slated to close had the court ruled for Texas could not be attributed for a certainty to House Bill 2, the law containing these restrictions. He said withdrawal of state funds, a decline in demand and doctors retirements played a role. However, neither state nor federal funds can be used for abortions. Yes, the state had withdrawn other state funds to a major provider in the state, Planned Parenthood, but separating this from the real motive cannot be done in an intellectually honest manner. This was done to drive Planned Parenthood from the state. And neither can the decline in demand be separated from the decline in access that followed clinic closings. Had the court backed Texas law, the remaining clinics would be concentrated in the states four major urban areas, meaning low-income women with limited means to transportation in other parts of Texas would have had to travel long distances and spend more money to get a constitutionally protected procedure. This is the very definition of undue burden, the standard an earlier court said must be avoided when states enact abortion laws. That case was Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pa. v. Casey. This will not likely end the abortion debate in Texas. We fully expect the Legislature to move on to the next obstructionist law if one exists and to simultaneously claim it isnt about making abortions inaccessible. But the Supreme Court has just said legislators must take into account undue burden. Or, as Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote, So long as the Court adheres to (Roe and Casey), Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers laws like HB2 that do little or nothing for health but rather strew impediments to abortion cannot survive judicial inspection. The charade, for now, is over. An earlier version of this editorial incorrectly stated Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburgs name. Is it us, or did it just get really hot in here? As Texas settles in to a summer that routinely flirts with 100-degree days, Total Wine & More is looking for cocktails to keep us cool and maybe let us be just a little bit lazy in the heat. Thats why we love iced-tea cocktails in the summertime. Icy cold, eye-opening and super simple to mix up, theyre great, easy drinks for hot weekend afternoons and evenings. Here are a few to keep you cool. Posted on 06/27/2016, 9:00 am, by Farmscape.Ca The National Pork Producers Council fears, if allowed to move forward, a proposed ban on packer ownership of livestock could mean producer ownership of packing plants would also be banned. As a means of stimulating competition for livestock thereby raising prices, a ban on the ownership of livestock by packers is being championed by Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley. Dr. Steve Meyer, the Vice President Pork Analysis with EMI Analytics and Consulting Economist with the National Pork Producers Council, says banning packer ownership would mean packers would be competing for all of their hogs but there would be more hogs flooding the market so prices would not likely be affected. We now have a significant portion of our packing industry thats owned by producers. The last major plant built here was owned by producers down in Saint Joseph, Missouri, the two big plants being built right now have producer involvement in those. So, if packers cant own pigs, will producers be allowed to own their packing plants which theyre very interested in doing? Theres a number of problems with this and we dont think theres very much support for it but you dont have to have support for it to do bad things. We need to remember, and your listeners in Canada will love this one, this was actually part of the 2002 Farm Bill. It was dropped out of that in committee before it got to the floor. The kind of consolation prize for the Senator losing his packer ownership ban was Mandatory Country of Origin Labelling so the fact that this was here kind of paved the way for something that caused lots of problems in our industry. ~ Dr. Steve Meyer, National Pork Producers Council Dr. Meyer also fears a clause which bans anything that gives packers managerial control could be used to ban marketing contracts. He says marketing contracts cover 70 percent of the hogs sold and are an important tool for producers, packers and lenders in managing risk and for managing factors like nutrition, genetics and rearing methods. Washington, D.C. Last week Rep. Jeb Hensarling, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, released the draft of a bill that allows price-fixing of debit card swipe fees and includes a full repeal of the Durbin Amendment and debit reform. Although hes recently spoken about his commitment to helping Main Street and ending government bailouts, Hensarlings Financial CHOICE Act is aimed at doing the exact opposite. The bill includes language favoring the interests of fewer than 2% of the nations largest banks and the credit-card brands over the interests of small retailers, their employees and consumers in every congressional district in the country. According to a press release from the Merchants Payments Coalition, a group of retailers, supermarkets, restaurants, drug stores, convenience stores and other businesses advocating for a more competitive and transparent payments system: This bill would turn back reforms that created a freer market and prevented Visa and MasterCard from price-fixing the fees their member banks charge merchants when customers swipe a debit card to buy something. Rep. Hensarling would turn the clock back six years to when financial institutions operated this swipe fee business as a rigged market without competition. Without debit reforms competition-enhancing standards, banks would be free to return to the days of unfettered price fixing, said Mallory Duncan, chairman of the Merchants Payments Coalition and senior vice president and general counsel at the National Retail Federation. Its important to remember that despite the smokescreen the big banks put up, debit reform is an incontrovertible success and should be protected. NACS released a statement earlier this month opposing the Hensarling proposal. To contact your member of Congress today to voice opposition to a repeal of debit swipe fee reform, please click here. WASHINGTON A compromise on a bipartisan bill that would require food companies to disclose on labels the presence of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) was reached last week in the U.S. Senate, reports Law 360. Food manufacturers would have three options to show that their products contain GMOs: text, symbol or scanable codes may all be placed on product labels moving forward. For the first time ever, consumers will have a national, mandatory label for food products that contain genetically modified ingredients, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich) said in a statement. Throughout this process I worked to ensure that any agreement would recognize the scientific consensus that biotechnology is safe, while also making sure consumers have the right to know what is in their food. According to the news source, the bill was announced a week before Vermonts GMO labeling law is set to go into effect, which could preempt state law. The legislationproposed by two members of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Stabenow and Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan)is aimed at preventing what Stabenow called a confusing patchwork of different GMO labeling laws. Connecticut and Maine have also passed similar laws, the news source reported. Stabenow said the bill fixes some loopholes in the Vermont law that would have allowed processed food products such as frozen pizzas to go unlabeled if they contained both meat and GMOs. The proposed bill also ensures that makers of organic foods can put a non-GMO label on their products, she said. The proposal has drawn criticism from food advocates who have pushed for food labeling laws. NACS Daily first reported on Congress 2015 failure to reach agreement on legislation in December. BILLINGS, Okla. Last week Oklahoma compressed natural gas (CNG) retailers gathered at OnCue Express in Billings, Oklahoma, to celebrate a CNG station appearing every 100 miles along Oklahoma interstates, according to a company press release. Representatives from OnCue Express, Loves Travel Stops, Tulsa Gas Technologies, Oklahoma Natural Gas and Sparq Natural Gas were all in attendance. When Oklahomas first comprehensive energy plan was introduced in 2011, it asked for help from companies in building CNG infrastructure along Oklahoma highways. The plan, presented by Governor Mary Fallin, noted the importance of at least one CNG station every 100 miles along Oklahoma interstates by the end of 2015. Although many stations were already in place, a number of serious gaps still required attention, according to the release. Governor Fallin praised the industry at last weeks event for the work it has accomplished so far, adding that Oklahoma has saved more than $1 million in fuel costs since converting much of its fleet to CNG over the last few years. It takes a diverse public and private partnership team all willing to work hard in order to achieve a bold goal like having a CNG station within every 100 miles on Oklahoma interstates, Fallin said. Today is bittersweet for me, said OnCue Express CEO Jim Griffith at the event, reflecting on why the company built its first modern CNG station in 2009. Two people were instrumental in our decision to build our first site. [So today is] bitter because one of those people cant be here, [but sweet] because the second person to impact our direction is sitting here, celebrating with us today. Oklahoma leads the way because of the vision and leadership of our Governor, Mary Fallin. Per capita, Oklahoma has more CNG sites than any other state in the country. With an average price of $1.09/gallon across the state, drivers use a clean fuel while still enjoying a healthy fuel cost savings. Check out more about the event including a video at OnCues Facebook page. Read more about OnCue Express in NACS Magazines Ideas 2 Go. Boris Johnson is now the most hated person in the Western world. He is attempting to do something about that in the UK via an article in the Telegraph that says that Brexit will usher in the best of all possible worlds for the UK. Im not making that up. Johnson says citizens will get to keep all the things they love, like freedom of movement between countries and affordable European products, and get rid of what they dont, meaning those EU nasty rules and courts. This is so far from anything credible that I wonder if part of Johnsons motive for writing it isnt just to reduce his personal risk but to disqualify himself for leadership of the Conservative party. Hes in the position of being the dog that caught the car. And its hard to see how he can be effective with the white-hot anger at him. As one reader said: I have been talking to some of my neighbours in London and am astonished how many are talking about leaving the country. The atmosphere is more febrile by miles than at any time since I arrived here half a century ago. Johnson, once a favourite of the crowds in London, is being booed very aggressively by large crowds when he appears outside his house and clearly requires police protection. He may have to be moved to other accommodation for his safety. And yes there are people now talking openly in the streets that they are going to throw the foreigners out. The mood is very ugly. Remainers are saying that the country have been lied into voting to leave the EU and are openly challenging the vaiidity of the referendum result. This could get very nasty. Johnsons promises now are no more credible than his campaign statements, such as: As Sky News reported a day ago: Brexiteer Iain Duncan Smith has stepped back from his campaigns promise to give the NHS 350m extra per week. But the former secretary of state for work and pensions said: I never said that during the course of the election. It comes as another Conservative MP Leave campaigner, who will back Boris Johnson for leader, said there was no plan for Brexit. But his article, I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe and always will be, Johnson is now a man with a plan. It warrants, if nothing else, as an indicator of how desperate the main actors in the Brexit drama are eager to extricate themselves from the holes theyve dug. Here is the core of his pitch: It is said that those who voted Leave were mainly driven by anxieties about immigration. I do not believe that is so.I can tell you that the number one issue was control a sense that British democracy was being undermined by the EU system We who are part of this narrow majority must do everything we can to reassure the Remainers I cannot stress too much that Britain is part of Europe, and always will be. There will still be intense and intensifying European cooperation and partnership in a huge number of fields: the arts, the sciences, the universities, and on improving the environment. EU citizens living in this country will have their rights fully protected, and the same goes for British citizens living in the EU. British people will still be able to go and work in the EU; to live; to travel; to study; to buy homes and to settle down. As the German equivalent of the CBI the BDI has very sensibly reminded us, there will continue to be free trade, and access to the single market. Yes, there will be a substantial sum of money which we will no longer send to Brussels, but which could be used on priorities such as the NHS The only change and it will not come in any great rush is that the UK will extricate itself from the EUs extraordinary and opaque system of legislation: the vast and growing corpus of law enacted by a European Court of Justice from which there can be no appeal. This will bring not threats, but golden opportunities for this country to pass laws and set taxes according to the needs of the UK. Yes, the Government will be able to take back democratic control of immigration policy, with a balanced and humane points-based system to suit the needs of business and industry. Yes, there will be a substantial sum of money which we will no longer send to Brussels, but which could be used on priorities such as the NHS. Yes, we will be able to do free trade deals with the growth economies of the world in a way that is currently forbidden. So why exactly should the other 27 members of the EU allow the UK to pick and choose what part of the EU arrangement they like and scotch the rest? Remember that Cameron tried getting some small concessions before the Brexit vote and came back virtually emptyhanded? If this were an economic negotiation, as opposed to a politically fraught one, the only way would be to pay the other side to sweeten the deal for you, which is the opposite of one of Johnsons fantastical promises, that the UK will get all of the bennies of membership along with lower payments to the EU. Similarly, why should Europe stand for the UK restricting work opportunities for EU citizens in the UK while allowing Brits to steal jobs from their member nations via letting them work there under more liberal EU rules? Why should they allow free access to the European market when the UK will put EU manufacturers and farmers through the hassle of different consumer safety, labeling, and legal liability regimes? Moreover, Johnson promises more neoliberalism, in the form of reducing those supposedly nasty EU rules. Yet particularly for the Labor voters who were strong supporters of Remain, EU regulations are seen as attractive precisely because the labor, human rights, and environmental protections are stronger than what the UK would put in place. But the biggest lie in the many big lies here is the idea that the UK has any bargaining leverage. It was in a disadvantaged position before. Its counterparties had vowed to make the exit punitive to discourage other separatists-in-waiting. As PlutoniumKun pointed out yesterday, the UK was not well liked on the Continent even before this rupture: The UK is, and has been for years, universally loathed within the corridors of the EU. The failure of UK governments, in particular Conservative governments, to accept that the EU existed for any other purpose than extracting money or blaming for domestic problems has long irritated them. But much worse, the complete refusal of the UK to be part of the team for years has been highly damaging. The UK has long sent second raters and no-hopers to Brussels, has long been obstructive for the sake of being obstructive, and most crucially, has not built up allies within the European parliament (the fact that the Tory party aligns itself with crankish East European parties instead of the mainstream European centre-right speaks volumes). Quite simply, they have no friends there. So I see there as being a lot of potential reasons why Brussels and powerful EU countries may well have a vested interest in creating a short term crisis. In particular, Sterling must be very shaky a rapid fall could provoke panic in London and would allow the EU to not let a good crisis go to waste. This may seem cynical, but seeing what happened to Greece, it would be a mistake to underestimate the cynicism of EU leaders. And old mercantilist habits die hard the Europeans never bought into English liberal ideas that trade was not a zero sum game. And now the European leaders and Eurocrats are justifiably furious for reckless British pols throwing a wrecking ball into the very heart of their fragile system merely to gain some political advantage, with no serious plan on their side. In addition, procedurally, it is virtually impossible to effect such fundamental changes outside of pressing the Article 50 red button. From a very informative article at the Constitution Unit: It is vanishingly unlikely that the UK could withdraw without triggering Article 50 at all. During the campaign, Vote Leave suggested that it might be possible to leave via Article 48 of the Lisbon Treaty, which sets out the procedure for revising EU treaties. But a simple majority of member states could block even a request to consider such a route, and the amendments themselves would require ratification by every member state. Given that the Article 50 process skews the balance of power towards the continuing member states, we can presume they will insist on its use. Leaders of both Vote Leave (including Michael Gove) and Leave.EU (including Nigel Farage) have spoken since the result was announced in terms suggesting that they recognise this. Someone needs to send Johnson the memo. The article also gives a more realistic picture of how the negotiations would go: The process of withdrawal will involve three sets of negotiations: First will be the negotiation of the withdrawal terms themselves. These will likely include, for example, an agreement on the rights of UK citizens already resident in other member states and of EU citizens resident in the UK. As Professor Sionaidh Douglas-Scott has explained, those rights contrary to what some have said are for the most part not protected under existing international law. Second, it will be necessary to negotiate a trade deal with the EU. The official Vote Leave campaign confirmed that it wanted such a deal and correctly pointed out that everyones interests would be served by having one. The content of the deal will, however, be hotly contested. Vote Leave focused on securing free trade in goods and argued that, because the UK imports more goods from the EU than it exports to the EU, we could expect to be offered a good deal. But there will be greater difficulties in services. Open Europe (which campaigns for EU reform and was neutral in the referendum) highlights particular difficulties in financial services, where it rates the chances of maintaining current levels of access to the EU as low. Third, the UK will have to negotiate the terms of its membership of the WTO and will want also to negotiate trade deals with the over 50 countries that currently have such deals with the EU, as the existing arrangements will no longer apply to the UK from the moment of Brexit. The WTO itself has warned that this will not be straightforward: the UK will not be allowed just to cut and paste the terms of WTO membership that it currently has through its EU membership. Similarly, while we might hope that other countries will agree quickly to extend the EU rules to the UK, we cannot presume that all will and the UK itself might want different terms in some cases. These negotiations could run in parallel, or the UK could negotiate withdrawal first and future arrangements later. As Professor Adam Lazowski has pointed out, there are difficulties in both approaches. In the meantime, the pressure for the UK government to get moving is rising. The IMFs Christine Lagarde called for prompt action to keep the Market Gods from killing the Confidence Fairy. However, she did point out the inconsistency in the EU position, and it was probably not referring to Merkel trying to tamp down the nasty remarks from the foreign ministers of the founding EU members. The Europeans are sending conflicted messages. The desire for a speedy exit and punishing the UK (out of their own pique as well as to discourage right wing nationalists) conflicts with the desire to reduce real economy damage. They need to calm down and sort out priorities. In addition, as of this hour, sterling dropped another 2% and the 10 year Gilt yield fell below 1%. The futures market suggests hte US stocks will open down a bit under 1%. The Financial Times ran a story yesterday with the headline, Banks begin moving operations out of UK, which was roundly attacked in the comments section for exaggerating how imminent and large the job shifts would be. As Felix2012 pointed out: The total number of workers in the 14 banks above is 65k and there are 2 million employed in the financial and associated industry across UK (mostly outside London). Lets just say London employs 200k people, we are talking about 1-2% (a few thousands) job loss. It is painful, especially for the people affected, but it is far from close shop and go. But another headline today, Brexit: anxious employers freeze jobs and cut investment plans, has better backup: Britains vote to leave the EU is prompting a sizeable minority of employers in the UK to freeze hiring and cut their investment plans, according to a survey of more than 1,000 business leaders. The poll is an early indication that a British exit from the bloc will hit jobs and investment as employers grapple with volatile markets and political instability. Almost two-thirds of the business leaders surveyed by the Institute of Directors on June 24-26, immediately after the vote, said the referendum result would be negative for them. While a third said they would continue to hire at the same pace, a quarter planned to freeze recruitment and 5 per cent expected to fire staff. More than a third planned to reduce their investment plans and a fifth said they would consider moving some operations abroad. However, its hard to know how big the Brexit uncertainty effect is without a pre-Brexit baseline. A final update: the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is threatening to ask the Scottish parliament to obstruct Brexit. But Scottish secretary David Mundell effectively said Whitehall will ignore the Scots if they fail to consent. Cameron is scheduled to speak today. I doubt he is going to try to upstage Johnson by pulling a rabbit out of a hat. By Lambert Strether of Corrente In this post, we continue our tradition of close reading of primary sources, in this case a third speech by presumptive Republican candidate Donald Trump (previous posts here and here). Today, well look at the speech Trump gave at the Trump SoHo Hotel, a posh high-rise in Lower Manhattan (in which the Trumps invested no capital). This is the speech Trump had planned to give before the Orlando mass shootings, after which he rescheduled. The video follows, and the transcript is here. Heres a word cloud of the speech: As you can see, the speech has one central subject: Hillary Clinton. (My original word cloud had a tiny Libya neatly positioned between the jaws of the large C in Clinton readers, I swear it! but unfortunately Wordles algorithm has some randomness built in, and when I refreshed the page after changing the typeface, the word clouds layout had changed, and I wasnt able to reproduce the effect. Sad!) Whether the cloud of smaller and tiny subjects surrounding Hillary Clinton is the result of a scattershot approach, or of machine gun fire, is yet to be determined. Lets begin by looking at the spin, starting out with the Republicans; from Politico, Is this the new Trump?: You can really see a difference between a Corey and a Manafort approach, said Michael Steele, the former RNC chairman. Corey would say just go for it. Manafort is telling him he has to define a narrative and stick to it; and he clearly is trying to turn some corners. The test is can he sustain that. The next interview he gives, can he stay on message and drive those points home? Of course, the Rice-Davies Rule (They would say that, wouldnt they?) applies, as with all partisan operatives, and we see the bipartisan technical vocabulary (narrative, on message) of the exact sort of Beltway professional Trump scorched in the primaries. Nevertheless, that a fully paid-up member of the Republican establishment says this now is a story in itself, Manafort is stone professional and either an excellent speechwriter himself or made a good hire, and Trump wrangled a teleprompter successfully. So we see some signs of health in the Trump campaign. The Rice-Davies Rule also applies to the Democratic nomenklatura; picking one at random [please give me a moment to throw a dart at the list David Brock keeps for his writers bureau kidding!] we find Brian Beutler, by no means the worse of them, at The New Republic (seemingly unaffected by its latest ownership change). Lets parse this out: Though scripted, Trumps remarks were scattershot and defensive. In that regard, and in the rather inelegant and desperate way they were deployed to change the current narrative of the race, they resemble the disorganized, information-dump-like attacks his primary campaign rivals aimed at him, just as their campaigns were about to falter. Everything all at once, but too little, too late. As for scattershot, I will leave that to you to decide. Defensive? Hardly. And too little, too late is something we really dont know, isnt it? (Democrats, in general, ever since they discovered the word performative in 2003 or so, have had a bad habit of acting as if saying words makes them come true. Pronouncing any campaign over in June, when voters wont be paying attention til after Labor Day, strikes me as premature triumphalism. Just ask President Dukakis.) The defining quality of Donald Trumps bill of particulars against Hillary Clinton, laid out in a bullet-pointed speech Wednesday morning, is that much of it was fabricated or embellished. First, the speech isnt bullet-pointed, literally or metaphorically. Like his style or not, Trump transitions from point to point informally, but smoothly. Second, even I know to look for the weasel words: much of it this of a defining quality! and fabricated or embellished. Or? How much of each? A salesman, especially a successful one, is permitted some puffery, after all. Hillary Clinton, who already has the blood of so many on her hands, is now announcing that she is willing to put each and every one of our lives in harms way. (False.). False, forsooth? Not even half true? Even the New York Times, which endorsed Clinton, says Clinton personally tipped the balance in the adminstration toward intervention in Libya, and so bears responsibility for the subsequent debacle. So: Blood of so many on her hands: True. And: Now announcing that she is willing to put each and every one of our lives in harms way. If not true, 100% plausible, if you think past performance is a good indicator of future results, if your consider that Clintons finger wasnt on the button at State, and if you are worried that a new generation of small, stealthy, and more precise nuclear weapons will make them easier to use, for button-pushers so minded. The 2012 campaign Barack Obama ran against Mitt Romney, to take one contrary example, was much more methodical. Many months before Romney secured the Republican presidential primary, Obama laid the groundwork to run against a heartless plutocrat, proposing a tax reform he called the Buffett Rule, which would ensure that high-income earners and people with large investment incomes (people, in other words, like Mitt Romney) wouldnt pay lower effective tax rates than their employees. Republicans everywhere, including Romney, obligingly inveighed against the proposal. Obamas efforts to define Romney flowed from there: He isolated key aspects of Romneys business record and his political agenda, and held them up through that lens. What Obama didnt do was rattle off all the unlovely Romney facts he thought he knew, without any connective tissue binding them together into an organic whole. Here we have the heart of Beutlers complaint: That Trump unlike Obama didnt organize or present his material in the style that the Acela-riding polical class prefers! Can Beutler really believe that Paul Manafort doesnt know how to organize a speech? What on earth can undergraduate English-minor language like without any connective tissue binding them together into an organic whole possibly mean? For my money, the connective tissue is Crooked Hillary. (One might also consider that Trump doesnt need to lay so much groundwork, given that Clinton, through hubris or incompetence, has done so much of Trumps work for him. Obama couldnt hold up a copy of Rommey Cash and tell voters to read it, because there was no such book.) Now lets look at a source likely to be read outside the Beltway: People magazine: Trumps Turn: GOP Nominee Attacks Hillary Clinton as World-Class Liar in Takedown Speech, Launches LyingCrookedHillary.com Shes a world-class liar. Just look at her pathetic email and server statements, or her phony landing in Bosnia, where she said she was under attack and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers, the billionaire businessman told supporters at Trump Soho in New York Wednesday morning. It was a total and self-serving lie. Trump claimed that Clinton has prioritized making money for special interests and taking money from special interests. They totally own her and that will never, ever change, including if she ever became president, God help us, said Trump, whose children Tiffany, Eric and Ivanka were among the crowd. (Nice touch about Trumps children being in the crowd.) People seems to have picked up and amplified Trumps message just fine. Perhaps there was more organic connective tissue than Beutler thought? With that, Ill look at four themes that should carry Trump through to November, as exemplied by excerpts from the speech: Rigged System Corruption TPP Email The speech is long, and theres a rather a lot of oppo, including a narrative of Benghazi that is, at long last, at least coherent red meat for the base! but these the themes that I think are in NCs wheelhouse, and will resonate most with NC readers. (Ive demoted Clintons warmongering to a footnote, since in my view thats so obvious as not to need discussion.) You can decide for yourselves whether the truth lies closer to Beutlers interpretation, or to Peoples. Im going to take selected portions of Trumps speech, and annotate them, with two streams of notes: The first, numbered ([1), will cover the substance of Trumps speeech. The second, lettered ([A]), will cover the rhetoric. (At some point, I should get out the Magic Markersand look at Trumps rhetoric exclusively, but this post is not that post.) First, the rigged system. 1. Rigged System: Her phony landing in Bosnia [TRUMP:} [I]its not just the political system thats rigged, its the whole economy. (APPLAUSE) Its rigged[A] by big donors who want to keep wages down[1]. Its rigged by big businesses who want to leave our country, fire our workers and sell their products back into the United States with absolutely no consequences for them.[2] Its rigged by bureaucrats who are trapping kids in failing schools[3]. Its rigged against you, the American people. Hillary Clinton, and as you know she most people know shes a world-class liar. Just look at her pathetic e-mail server statements[4] or her phony landing (APPLAUSE) TRUMP: or her phony landing in Bosnia[5], where she said she was under attack, and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers[6], a total and look, this was this was one of the beauts[B], a total and self-serving lie. Brian Williams career was destroyed for saying less, remember that[7]. [1] Keep wages down: The Apple, Google, Intel and Adobe wage-fixing cartel, for example, which involved over a million employees. [2] Leave our country, fire our workers: For example, Carrier. More generally, private equity selling off the Rust Belt for parts. [3] Bureaucrats: Trump probably means unions. Of course, the Obama administrations charter-friendly policies, backed by scab temp agency Teach for America, are also an assault on unions, using the classic neoliberal strategy of starving public services budgets and then introducing a privatized, rent-seeking alternative. Conservatives (Trump) and liberals (Clinton) cant say that, although the left can. [4] Pathetic email statements. There are many, such that only long-form posts can cope with the volume and shifting detail. See here, here, and here. [5] Phony landing in Bosnia. pants on fire. [6] Flowers: true. Also effective because it recalls the pervasive trope that wed be greeted with candy and flowers after invading Iraq. [7] Saying less: Less than, or equal to. * * * [A] Its rigged Its rigged Its rigged. a fine example of anaphora, especially because the repeated word, rigged, is so charged. [B] [O]ne of the beauts: This descent to a low style is very characteristic of Trump. Its a figure of pathos, designed to provoke an emotional response, or even a function of the emotional state of the speaker, but I cant find a precise term for it! (The technique is like bathos, which also a descent in style, but an anti-climatic lapse. Aschematiston is a vice, not a virtue.) Because Trump is disconnecting from his audience in one style, and reconnecting with them by addressing them in a second style, Im going to use apostrophe as a placeholder in this post. 2. Corruption: They totally own her and that will never ever change [TRUMP:] Then when she left, she made $21.6 million giving speeches to Wall Street banks and other special interests[1] and in less than two years[A], secret speeches that she does not want to reveal under any circumstances to the public[2]. I wonder why?[B] Together, she and Bill made $153 million giving speeches to lobbyists, CEOs and foreign governments in the years since 2001[3]. They totally own her[4] and that will never ever change, including if she ever became president, God help us[C]. [1] 21.6 million: true. [2] [D]oes not want to reveal: true (ha). Recalled one attendee: She sounded more like a Goldman Sachs managing director.' [3] $153 million: true. [4] Own her: A pardonable exaggeration; for a typology of corruption in American political life, see at NC here. This is really not hard: Up here in the Great State of Maine, when the managers of the (privatized) landfill give the community a tour, they always make sure to serve free food? Why? Out of the goodness of their hearts? Of course not! They want to influence people to feel good about the landfill and its owners, duh! Doctors can be influenced in their prescriptions by promotional items as small as a coffee mug. Are we really to believe, then, that Clinton wont be influenced by $21.6 million dollars? If your answer is No, or Hell no, then understand the definition of corruption: Its not only leaving an envelope on the dresser with cash in it; corruption is the use of public office for private gain. And in allowing Wall Street to purchase options on her future, public actions, based on her past, public actions as FLOTUS and SoS, that is exactly what Clinton is doing. (Note that when Clinton advocates demand proof of a quid pro quo, theyre accepting the majority doctrine of Citizens United, which in essence sets money in an envelope in exchange for services rendered as the standard. Thats not the case with my landfill example, its not the case with the doctors, and its not the case with Clinton, either. All these relations are still corrupt using Teachouts approach, which is grounded in how the writers of the Federalist papers understood corruption, and not Antonin Scalia. * * * [A] and in less than two years: anastrophe, changing word order for emphasis. Putting this phrase at the end of the sentence (rather than following millions) emphasizes the rapidity with which Clinton made this money, suggesting greed. Anastrophe is another important feature of Trumps style. [B] I wonder why?: rhetorical question. [C] Anastrophe once more. 3. TPP: If she is elected president, she will adopt the Trans-Pacific Partnership [TRUMP:] This is the latest Clinton cover-up and it doesnt change anything. If she is elected president, she will adopt the Trans-Pacific Partnership[1] and we will lose millions of jobs and our economic independence for good[2]. Shell do this, and just as she has betrayed the American worker on trade at every single stage of her career[3], and it will be even worse than the Clintons NAFTA deal, and I never thought it could get worse than that.[A] We will lose jobs, we will lose employment, we will lose taxes, we will lose[B] everything. We will lose our country[4]. I want trade deals, but they have to be great for the United States and for our workers. [1] She will adopt: Likely true. The Democratic National Convention drafting committee defeated a proposal from Rep. Keith Ellison that would have rejected the pact. If you believe that the Clinton campaign has the DNC wired, then you believe Clinton supports the TPP. [2] millions of jobs and our economic independence for good: partly true. On jobs, some estimates say 450K, not millions. If we go by NAFTA, millions would be correct, but the Rust Belt has already been hollowed out; we cant do that twice. On economic independence, thats true if losing our independence means surrendering our national sovereignty to the ISDS system. [3] every single stage of her career: Not true, since Clinton voted against CAFTA. [4] Again, Im surprised Trump doesnt mention ISDS; loss of sovereignty would certainly be red meat for his audience. He should talk to Jeff Sessions, who has actually taken a principled stand on the issue. * * * [A] worse than that: Anastrophe. [B] we will lose: Anaphora 4. Email: Her server was easily hacked by foreign governments [TRUMP:] To cover up her corrupt feelings [sic], Hillary illegally[1] stashed[A] her State Department e-mails on a private server[2]. Shes under investigation, but it seems like nothing is going to happen[3]. Even though other people who have done similar things, but much at a much lower level, their lives have been destroyed[4]. Its a rigged system, folks. Its a rigged system.[B] Her server was easily hacked by foreign governments[4], perhaps even by her financial backers in communist China.[5] Sure they have it.[C] Putting all of America and our citizens in danger, great danger.[D] Then there are the 33,000 e-mails she deleted. Well, we may not know whats in those deleted e-mails, our enemies probably know every single one of them. So they probably now have a blackmail file over someone who wants to be the president of the United States.[6] This fact alone disqualifies her from the presidency. We cant hand over our government to someone whos deepest, darkest secrets[E] may be in the hands of our enemies. Cant do it.[F] [1] illegally: Not yet determined by a court. Again, see here, here, and here, all of which make the case that Clinton committed crimes. [2] e-mails on a private server: Plausible. If you believe that the half of her email Clinton (believed she) destroyed was about Chelseas wedding and yoga lessons, then you reject Trumps thesis. [3] seems like nothing is going to happen: True. Clinton has said that there is absolutely no chance FBI investigation will be problem. Here too the Rice-Davies Rule applies, but still. [4] lives have been destroyed: true. David Petraeus, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for mishandling classified documents, or any number of victims of the administrations campaign against whisteblowers, which are often based on the misuse of confidential information (for example, William Binney). [4] easily hacked by foreign governments: True. AP: In a blistering audit released last month, the State Departments inspector general concluded that Clinton and her team ignored clear internal guidance that her email setup broke federal standards and could leave sensitive material vulnerable to hackers. Her aides twice brushed aside concerns, in one case telling technical staff the matter was not to be discussed further, the report said. [5] communist China: unproven, although note the lawyerly perhaps!s [6] Plausible, especially if you consider an unsecured email server as a phishing equilibrium. * * * [A] Stashed. Ouch! [B] rigged system: conduplicatio, repetition of words in adjacent phrases or clauses, a third key Trump technique. [C] Sure they have it: Anastrophe. [D] danger: conduplicatio. [E] d eepest, d arkest secrets: alliteration, most often repeated initial consonants. [F]. Cant do it: Anastrophe. Conclusion Again as a troll prophylactic, let me say that this post is not an endorsement of any candidate. However, as we know too well with the Clintons. just because its oppo doesnt mean it isnt true! In this speech, Trump opens up four lines of attack: Rigged System Corruption TPP Email Theres a lot of truth on each front, and Trump builds his case using simple, effective language. Of course, theres a million dollar SuperPAC with the billable hours to refute these charges by funding trolls you can go online and meet them! but to me, theyre pounding the table because theyre losing on the facts and (maybe) the law. On corruption, its common sense that taking huge sums of money from Wall Street influences you, just as much as an effing coffee mug can influence your doctor when hes prescribing that. If you agree with that, then you agree that Clinton has used her past public service and prospects for future public service for private gain; theres no way around the influence peddling. Corruption is important, because it means that the calculus for the actual policies that Clinton will deliver as opposed to those she says shell deliver now isnt transparent to voters, although we already know enough to know it will be skewed to donor interests. Many have commented that both the Democrat and Republican candidates have unfavorables that are, historically, uniquely high. At 55%, Trumps unfavorables are, amazingly, 20 points higher than Clintons also amazing unfavorables, at 35%. Short of running into a burning building to save a small child, its doubtful that Trump can reduce his unfavorables. What he can do is drive up Clintons unfavorables so that they are at his level. The series of speeches that weve looked at are, I think, a coordinated effort to do that, and theres good reason to think theyll succeed. To what extent, we dont know. Again, anybody who thinks that Clinton will get a free ride to the Oval Office is delusional. Yves here. Some readers may object to Rose conflating the rejection of the EU with the destructive effects of Thatcherism. This has been an argument made by many commentators, who also happen to be members of the elite: the Leave voters took their desire for revenge on austerity-minded UK politicians out on the wrong object. Im not sure I buy this voters are dumb argument. While Thatcher set the deinstrialiaztion-of-the UK ball rolling in a big way, economic integration with the EU allowed it to be carried further. Moreover, those who argue that the areas that voted Leave benefitted from EU subsidies miss that the factor that best predicted who would vote Leave was not geographic location but educational level. There is a direct and strong correlation: the more highly educated, the more propensity to vote Remain. And why might that be so? Id hazard that not-well-educated workers were most exposed to competition by immmigrants from Eastern Europe. In addition, regarding the EU subsidies, Rose points out by e-mail: One must understand that those who actually receive EU money are not those that need it, but those of the 48% who know how to obtain EU funds it isa terribly bureaucratic process and people have become professional appliers. I have seen them in Germany, much of it is criminal. In one case I contacted the EU, but they kept referring to the German they appointed to secure the integrity of the subsidised projects. The porblem was, he was one of the fraudsters involved. This did not interest them in the least. I shall never forget the incident. I wish I shared Roses hope that the shock of Brexit will serve to purge some of the anti-democratic, ant-worker policies that are seen as necessary and desirable. While Brexit is a desperately-needed wake-up call to the UKs and Europes leadership classes, they are fiercely predisposed to ignore the message or make minimal responses. By Mathew D. Rose, a journalist living in Berlin The vote for Brexit is the best thing that has happened to European society for decades. It has started to clear some of the political, toxic debris that has been poisoning the continent. It is a chance for the traditional left, which has allowed itself to become corrupted by the EU. The question is, if this opportunity will be grasped or squandered? Brexit is not an anomaly. It is a further link in the concatenation of events occurring in Europe. Its causes are so basic and simple, that corporate media has gone over to a carpet bombing of disinformation and dissimulation, feeding the bigotry and self-delusion of the European elite, most of them nothing more than lackeys and henchmen of the one percent. It is no less mendacious than the lies cast about by the leaders of Brexit. What we have learnt through Brexit is that the European problem is not only the EU political elite, but the 48 percent as well. You simply cannot damn an increasingly large portion of society to immiseration, intimidate it with arrogance, and withdraw its right to self-dignity, even worse, deny its existence by banning it from the political discourse, as has been the case in Britain. Let us begin by jettisoning the romantic myth of the European Union. The EU has long ceased to further the interests of the people, who make up its members. Forget Beethovens Ode to Joy and all the noise about peace and prosperity. The EU is an undemocratic organisation that primarily and increasingly furthers the interests of international corporations. Many in Britain do not need an in depth analysis to comprehend this. It determines their life. They know that the EU does nothing for them. Let us give them a name: Losers. I remember a good friend describing the Thatcher years with regards to buying his house: I knew we had to buy one. Society was dividing itself. Those who did not own a house were the losers and most would remain losers. I felt I had to buy a house if I was to have a perspective of becoming a winner. One may well ask since when democracy divided its population into Winners and Losers. I had assumed that a successful democracys goal was to assist its citizens so that everyone had a fair chance to fulfil their potential, as well as a responsibility to protect the welfare of this same citizenry. The UK always had a pronounced class society, but it was once a cohesive society. Thatcher ended that when she declared, there is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women, and there are families. There was a palpable change in Britain: The irrational hate that the British had for the Irish was suddenly expanded to the working class: the Chav-Losers. The Chav-Losers were removed from the political discourse in Britain, while they resigned themselves to their fate, only to occasionally pop up in the headlines as neo-Nazis, bigots and welfare cheats. Well, the Chav-Losers are back and in a big way. We enlightened people ask what is wrong with immigration? To be quite honest, nothing. As an immigrant myself, I find it something very positive. What we however have in Europe is laissez-faire immigration. Like laissez faire financial markets, trade, tax policies or health care, we know open borders will not end well without some sort of regulation. We need governments and laws to make such developments beneficial for the majority of society. Thus it would have been apposite to introduce a robustly enforced minimum wage a living wage appropriate for each individual EU nation, thus stopping the wage race to the bottom. What did the British worker get: the zero-hour contract. We know how these things function among the Winners. The cleaning lady from Latvia charges half as much as her British competitor, as does the Polish plumber. They are thereby earning three of four times as much as they would at home. In the neo-liberal myth that is good. Thanks to free markets soon wages and prosperity throughout Europe will be the same yes, at about the level of the third world. Greece is the writing on the wall. Are wages and prosperity rising there? Then there are the wonderfully cheap products the Winners purchase in the internet. There has been enough exposure by the few remaining investigative journalists in Britain concerning the deplorable pay and working conditions at the online companies. Better yet, most of these companies have been provided by the EU with loopholes to avoid paying taxes on their enormous profits. Let us not forget the budget airlines to fly cheaply to ones summer house in Spain or France. The list goes on and on: Cheap labour means cheap prices, and should you be a winner and have money, you can benefit from all these cheap offers. You can deplore the iniquities of life in the opinion pages of the Guardian while continuing to enjoy the benefits this system provides you. A couple of months ago I met with a young colleague from Britain, a promising investigative journalist. I asked him how he was going to vote in the referendum. His answer was: I shall vote for remain because I cannot stand all the people for Brexit, Nigel Farage and that sort. A very profound political analysis. The Chav Losers may have voted with the demagogues, but they did what everyone in a democracy should do: they voted for what best represented their interest. What did Remain offer them in the way of change? It was this lack of reflection and the internal conflict within the labour Party that caused them to end up on the wrong side of the barricades on this issue. The SNP is no better. I am a great supporter of Scottish independence, but question sacrificing that independence to the EU, which will be more repressive than Westminster. Iceland recently almost went down this path, but wisely withdrew its application. Maybe the EU neo-liberal kleptocracy is simply the crowd the SNP leadership can better identify with, at least more than with the Scottish Chav-Losers. Now much of the English middle class is wringing its hands crying How could the Chav-Losers do this to us? The answer is because you have treated them like rubbish for decades. While you have moaned about all that is wrong in the EU and claimed that Britain had to remain in the EU to reform it, the British Loser-Chavs have recognised political reality. They are the first in Europe to have the courage to take this step. The middle class Syriza demagogues from the left in Greece did exactly what the British middle class has been doing for decades: sold a large portion of its people down the EU river for wealth and political power; in other words, they have become Social Democrats. The Chav-Losers know their politics and their British middle class. Simon Wren-Lewis eloquently decried that the warnings he and 90 percent of British macro-economists had made concerning the damage that Brexit would do to the British economy were being ignored. Despite my highest respect for Wren-Lewis, he left the most important figure out of his calculation: For the increasingly financially squeezed unemployed and receivers of benefits in Britain what does it matter if GDP shrinks after Brexit. Their plight can only become worse, come Brexit or not. It is not that Wren-Lewis figures were unconvincing; they were simply irrelevant for much of the British population. The potential losers of the referendum are not the Chav-Losers, but the 48 %. Before the referendum the enlightened segment of British society, the Winners, claimed they would reform the EU and terminate the Tory reign of neo-liberalism. Thanks to the Chav-Losers they now only have half the work to do. Up to now the only plan of action that seems to be occurring to the Labour old guard is to attack Jeremy Corbyn not a very auspicious beginning. If these reactionary Labour politicians succeed, Labour will end up on the same course as most Social Democrat parties Europe: to oblivion. The rest of Europe should in the meantime emulate Britain and initiate EU exit referenda with the caveat: either throw out the corrupt EU elite and transform yourselves and your laws into a democratic institution or we are putting you to the vote. A water detection technique to shortlist potentially-habitable exoplanets (Nanowerk News) So far, NASAs Kepler has led to the discovery of 2 325 exoplanets. But clearly not all of them are habitable. To help detect suitable candidates, identify the range of atmospheric conditions on planets with water and shed light on how planetary magnetic fields originate and evolve, the HOTMOL project is devising new tools relying on spectro-polarimetry. How do planetary magnetic fields originate and evolve and how efficiently do they shield the atmospheres from dehydration by the stellar wind? Detecting magnetic fields in planetesimals and exoplanets will provide a new dimension in our understanding of habitability. To qualify as an exoplanet, a planetary object needs to meet four criteria: a mass or minimum mass equal to or lighter than 30 Jupiter masses; the presence of a host star; sufficient follow-up observations and validation to rule out the possibility of facing a false positive; and the availability of such information along with other orbital and physical properties in peer-reviewed publications. Identifying an Earth-like planet that can sustain life is, however, a whole other story. Life as we know it notably requires liquid water, an element that current technologies are not capable of detecting. To overcome this problem, the EU-funded HOTMOL (Hot Molecules in Exoplanets and Inner Disks) project uses spectro-polarimetry in the hope of detecting hot molecules water vapour and other volatiles on exoplanets and in the inner part of protoplanetary disks. The HOTMOL project is led by Prof. Dr Svetlana Berdyugina from Albert Ludwigs University of Freiburg in Germany. She outlines how the project will lead to sensitive methods for detecting hot molecules on exoplanets, and how such results are fundamental for advancing current understanding of the star+planet system. How can the presence of hot molecules inform us about the presence of water on specific exoplanets? We find hot water molecules in stars and hot Jupiters, at temperatures of thousands of degrees, and cold water molecules and ice in interstellar clouds and the outskirts of the Solar system, at only a few degrees Kelvin. To create life as we know it, liquid water on the planetary surface is a prerequisite. But detecting liquid water on exoplanet surfaces, and especially on a potentially-habitable Earth-size planet, is not yet possible. However, what we do know is that, if water exists on the surface, it must also be present in the planetary atmosphere in the form of water vapour, evaporating under stellar irradiation together with other related molecules. These hot molecules are key to defining the habitability of planets, and devising sensitive methods to detect them on exoplanets is the first step towards detecting extraterrestrial life. What kind of methods did you come up with to detect these hot molecules? The major problem in studying exoplanetary systems is to separate the planetary light from the outshining stellar light. To achieve this, the HOTMOL team employs a smart double-differential technique called spectro-polarimetry. Firstly, the planet signal is distinguished in spectral lines, because particular molecules may not be present in stellar spectra or can be shifted in velocity with respect to stellar lines. Secondly, planetary spectral lines become conspicuous in polarised light near certain orbital phases. Thus, the lines would appear and disappear in polarised light periodically as the planet orbits the star. This approach increases detection sensitivity by at least an order of magnitude, and it is also a sanity check for the detection of molecules using only spectroscopy. The spectral and polarisation signals combined provide unique information on physical conditions in both exoplanets and near-stellar planetesimals. An unexpected spin-off of this project was employing the same technique for detecting photosynthetic organisms on distant planets. We have measured polarised spectra of terrestrial plants and bacteria and computed spectra of Earth-like planets with photosynthetic biosignatures. We showed that our technique is much more sensitive than others to such biosignatures. It is possible that such signals can be searched for with current large telescopes in a few nearby planetary systems, especially around Alpha Centauri A and B stars, if planets were to be found there one day. How do these techniques compare to current ones? Current observations employ only unpolarised flux and spectra to detect exoplanets. The HOTMOL team leads the effort to power these studies with polarised light. As explained earlier, the sensitivity is already an order of magnitude better in polarised light, but it is still being improved by implementing new optics and electronics technologies. Moreover, polarised flux variations are observable independently of whether the planet transits the star or not, which provides this technique with a potential for application to a much larger sample of exoplanets. A spectral cross-correlation technique employed by others has proven its potential to detect exoplanets. Enhancing it with polarisation measurements will deliver a wealth of information on the physics of their atmospheres. What would be the technical prerequisites to using these tools in exoplanet research? While developing novel techniques is our first challenge, implementing them for a broad usage is our final goal. In particular, having a dedicated observing facility such as a network of telescopes equipped with high-sensitivity polarimeters is an important prerequisite. Together with our collaborators at the University of Turku (Finland) and the University of Hawaii (USA) we have constructed several copies of our high-sensitivity polarimeters which are employed in telescopes around the world: in La Palma and Tenerife (Canarias), Mauna Kea and Haleakala (Hawaii), and at the end of this year also in Tasmania. We are also members of the PLANETS telescope consortium (Polarized Light from Atmospheres of Nearby Extra-Terrestrial Systems) together with the Hawaii (USA) and Tohoku (Japan) Universities. This telescope to be constructed at Haleakala will be one of the dedicated facilities in our network. Unambiguous detection of life on exoplanets requires a much larger facility. The first steps will be perhaps made with the 30m-class telescopes, such as the ESO E-ELT to be built in Chile, but systematic studies of life distribution in the solar neighbourhood will require a 100m-class facility such as the Colossus and Exo-Life Finder (ELF) telescopes to which we contribute science cases. What do you still need to achieve by the end of the project? During the four years of the project we have developed many theoretical tools and obtained and analysed a lot of observational data. The last year of the project is dedicated to finalising many publications which are now being prepared by team members. Towards the end of the fifth year we will organise an international conference and school on hot molecules and biosignatures in exoplanets, where we will present our results and provide the community with tutorials on how to use our tools and data. When and how will these tools be made available to the community? Joan and Christopher Pawlowicz werent especially looking to get a houseful of furniture when they fell in love with a Bonita Springs home two years ago. But the $1.5 million house came turnkey furnished, down to the antique white china, oriental rugs and pots and pans. So they bought it. For us, it has been a blessing, said Joan, 58, a retired corporate finance executive who lives part of the year in Bellevue, Washington. We could just bring our suitcases and start enjoying it. The Pawlowiczes are among thousands of homebuyers who opt for fully furnished Southwest Florida homes, even though the previous owners tastes may not be to their liking, an analysis of local home sales found. And that number has ticked up from 23 percent in 2014 to 25 percent to date this year, said Fort Myers appraiser Matt Simmons, of Maxwell, Hendry & Simmons. A 12-year industry veteran, Simmons is the youngest appraiser ever to be appointed to the Florida Real Estate Appraisal Board a gubernatorial appointment and served as its chairman last year. But because real estate agents and other industry experts dont agree as to whether including furnishings adds or detracts from a homes appeal, the Daily News asked Simmons to analyze sales of furnished homes and comparable unfurnished ones both resale and new for the past two years to see if they made a difference in the prices homes commanded, and how fast they sold. The analysis, done exclusively for the Daily News, excluded distressed properties and examined 5,478 sales in Collier and Lee counties. The properties ranged from a $29,000 condo to a $5.9 million single-family home. Among his findings: Whether a home commanded a premium for being furnished depended on its price and use. Homes targeted to high-end and seasonal buyers drew substantial price premiums if they were furnished. The commonality between those two market segments is convenience, said Simmons. The higher the price bracket, the more likely the home is being sold furnished. Buyers of a $5 million home are not looking for a project, theyre purchasing a lifestyle, Simmons said. And if you can deliver that lifestyle turnkey, theyre willing to pay for it. But the price premium for furnished for non-waterfront, single-family homes was slight or negligible when you adjust for the cost of furnishings, he said. Thats because most families who plan to live in homes year-round have their own furniture. In every price category except the lowest where buyers are often cash-strapped or are using the home as a rental homes sold more quickly if they were unfurnished than if they were furnished. Thats partly because, overall, there are more people looking for unfurnished homes than furnished ones, Simmons said. Moreover, he said, furnishings are a matter of personal taste, and so they may turn off some buyers, particularly if they are dated. From his analysis, Simmons concluded, for the average home, a seller cant expect a premium for selling furnished. Mike Hughes, president of the Naples Area Board of Realtors, said Simmons methodology is logical. Yet while most sellers cant expect a premium for selling turnkey, many real estate brokers say properties with furnishings that are in style and in good condition are appealing to certain kinds of buyers. Theres no question beautiful furnishings can help sell a home, said Judy Green, president and chief executive officer of Premier Sothebys International Realty in Naples. They make a property show better. She said some buyers have trouble visualizing how furniture fits into a room. They may think, for example, that a dining room is too small if the home is vacant, but not if they see a dining room suite in place that fits perfectly. But the little details also matter to buyers especially seasonal ones said Naples real estate agent Jennifer White. They like the fact that they can move right in, have a party and not have to worry about whether or not they have a wine opener, she said. Phil Wood, broker for John R. Wood Properties in Naples, added many of our buyers are only here for a week or two, so it is difficult for them to take the time to do extensive furniture shopping, not to mention he hundreds of other little items that you need to make a home livable. So a turnkey property can be quite appealing. Brenda Fioretti, broker at Berkshire Hathaway Florida in Naples, said thats especially true on the upper end, where sellers and the guests they entertain expect a certain level of sophistication in furnishings which is one reason luxury builders often sell their models furnished. Its a long process to work with designers and decorators, she said. Fioretti said that the large number of consignment shops in the area make it relatively easy to get rid of furnishings if the owners eventually decide to replace them. But she cautions sellers who plan on including furniture in the sale not to expect a buyer to pay more than half of the original cost if the furniture is in excellent condition and relatively new and a fifth if it is older or not in good shape. Moreover, she said, banks do not lend on furnishings only on the value of the property. That can make the transaction a bit tricky for both buyers and sellers, according to Naples real estate attorney Raymond Bowie. Unless sellers declare the furnishings of no value, the lender may deduct the value of the personal property from the contracts sales price, lowering the amount of the loan the buyer may get. Similarly, if furnishings are listed with values or prices in a separate contract in a brokered transaction, the seller will have to pay Florida sales tax for the personal property sold. For brokers, advising sellers as to what their furniture is worth can be problematic, said Glenn Ginsburg, broker with A Delta Realty of Naples. You can do a comparative market value on real estate but you dont have the slightest idea of the value of Drexel versus Flexsteel, he said. Plus, he said, old upholstered furniture can harbor mold, making it more likely that mold tests done during the escrow period will come back positive, even if the home itself is not moldy. John Steinwand, broker with Naples Realty Services, said skillful staging of a home by a qualified professional can enhance it, but selling a home turnkey doesnt turn on the vast majority of homebuyers especially if the sellers are leaving furniture they dragged to Florida from their homes up North. Most buyers who relocate here want to start fresh and switch to Florida style, he said. Larry Baer, vice president and director of West Coast operations of Baers Furniture, agreed. People are looking for a change of pace and lifestyle. They want a casual, tropical look, said Baer, whose company has operated furniture stores throughout Florida since 1945, including one in Collier County and one in Lee County. Although the company does not disclose sales figures, Baer said he absolutely has seen an uptick in furniture sales over the past two years. While he does not track whether buyers are furnishing vacant homes or refreshing ones whose furniture they inherited from a previous owner, he said that the improving economy has given consumers confidence to start switching out outdated pieces. But buying a home turnkey gives both sellers and buyers one advantage that doesnt have a price tag time. Thats why Dick Fawcett recently decided to put his Naples home on the market turnkey for $369,000 and lease a similar turnkey home on the East Coast of Florida until he could find something else to buy. I didnt want to move anything, he said. And thats what Frederic and Jocelyn Greenman discovered when they bought a furnished three-bedroom home in Naples two years ago for $275,000. Most of the formal Williamsburg-style furniture that came with the house didnt really fit their taste or their relaxed Florida lifestyle, said Jocelyn, 76, an interior designer. But having furnishings in place gave her a chance to think about what items she wanted to keep and which to sell. And it allowed her to shop at her leisure for new clean-lined transitional-style furnishings. It was a good deal for the seller, and good for us, she said. --- After looking at sales in all price categories in Lee and Collier counties, and adjusting for the cost of furnishings, Fort Myers-based appraiser Matt Simmons found price and use had a big effect on whether turnkey homes could command a premium. Some highlights: Homes costing more than $2 million sold for $782.84 per square foot furnished, compared with $770.30 unfurnished. But they stayed on the market more than twice as long: 139 versus 63 days, partly because it took longer for furnished homes to find a buyer that shared the sellers tastes, Simmons said. In non-waterfront family-oriented communities, furnished homes sold for $94.91 per square foot, unfurnished ones for $93.92. The negligible premium for furnishings was offset by a longer time on the market: 48 days versus 34 for unfurnished. In communities with similar, low-priced condos, furnished units sold for $104.80 per square foot while unfurnished sold for $98.85. Furnished units also sold more quickly: in 50 days compared with 75 days. --- METHODOLOGY: The study looked at all sales within Lee and Collier counties, but excluded about 4,000 because they lacked statistical relevancy. Thats because some properties did not have enough furnished or unfurnished sales to make a relevant comparison within the time period studied, which was two years. The study examined at least 75 sales in each category of comparable properties, which included high-end single-family homes throughout the region, non-waterfront single-family homes and condos. The median price per square foot of each category was then calculated, and then an appraisers typical market contribution factor for the value of the furnishings was removed from the furnished sales. Furnished and unfurnished properties were then compared to see what, if any, additional value furnishings added to the per-square-foot price. SHARE Maybe it was those college courses on the history of Europe that soured me on the idea of a united continent. How could a conglomeration of nation states noted for invading each other, pillaging and warring against each other form a union? How could a continent with different languages, cultures and money become a united states of Europe modeled after the USA? Unity is not union. As the late British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher observed: "European unity has been tried before, and the outcome was far from happy." The euro, which I also mocked at the time it was introduced on Jan. 1, 1999, replaced the French franc (the Swiss wisely kept their franc), the German mark, the Dutch guilder and most other circulating currencies. Thatcher again: "The European single currency is bound to fail, economically, politically and indeed socially ...." How prescient she was. A majority of British voters literally want their country back. That sentiment was repeated in interviews with average blokes on the BBC and Sky. They are tired of being dictated to by an unelected and unaccountable elite in Brussels. They are tired of the wave of immigrants who do not assimilate and seem uninterested in becoming fully British. And they are tired of being called names for wishing to preserve what was handed down to them by previous generations who fought and died so their descendants might continue to enjoy the British way of life. Even Queen Elizabeth II, who normally remains outwardly neutral on most political issues, appeared to step in on this one. According to Breitbart London reporter Liam Deacon, there are reports that the queen "thinks European courts that protect Islamist hate preachers 'denigrate' Britain and has demanded that her dinner guests 'Give me three good reasons' to remain inside the European Union." Already people are comparing former London Mayor Boris Johnson, who led the exit campaign and wants to succeed departing Prime Minister David Cameron, to Donald Trump. Trump had the good fortune and perfect timing to be in Scotland when the voting results were announced. His news conference was carried live throughout Europe and on U.S. cable news networks. Like so many of the British, Trump supporters are sick of the elites dictating to them. They, too, want their country back and are also weary of the names they are called for wishing to preserve what was handed down to them at the price of blood, sweat and tears (to borrow from Winston Churchill). Scottish separatists vow to hold another vote because their leader, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, wants to remain in the EU. But the die has been cast. I suspect the EU will eventually fall apart and the nations that currently comprise it could return to their previous borders and currencies, but it is to be hoped not their previous feuds. A status quo ante would be good news for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has viewed a united Europe as an impediment to his plan to restore "greater Russia." The main lesson for Britain and the U.S. is that the people, properly informed and engaged, don't have to put up with elitist big government whose leaders think they can run people's lives and who callously "import" immigrants from nations that do not have a democratic history, much less practice religious pluralism. We can take back our countries and make them what the founders intended them to be. Britain is on the way to doing so, though the left will not give up easily, if at all. The other shoe may be about to drop in the U.S. this November. SHARE WASHINGTON It would be a mistake for Hillary Clinton to ask Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts to be her running mate on this fall's Democratic ticket. And Clinton is too savvy to do so, despite a recent poll in which more than a third of Democrats surveyed favored Warren's selection. There are obvious reasons for rejecting Warren, not the least of which is Clinton might then find herself in competition with her vice presidential choice. Warren has a strong following with the far left of the party and apparently is being promoted for the job by Clinton's primary nemesis, Sen. Bernie Sanders, who technically still is in the race for the nomination despite Clinton's status as the presumptive nominee. Warren has been an all-out supporter of Sanders, and the thinking, apparently, goes that Clinton might need her to heal wounds in the wing she represents. While those who supported Sanders, many of them quite young, wouldn't be expected to vote for Donald Trump, they might lose their enthusiasm for voting in general. So why not give them second best with Warren? Clinton already is far ahead in the women's vote. What she really needs is to crack the wall of distrust in the white male electorate. Another woman on the ticket would hardly do that. In fact, it might drive away votes. The elephant (make that a donkey) in the room clearly is the question of whether voters would be comfortable with two women at the very top of the political food chain. After all, Clinton will presumably be the very first female major party nominee. Should she share it with another woman, especially one not closely compatible with her thinking? Probably not any more than Barack Obama should have chosen a fellow African-American as his running mate. Warren is a charismatic figure with a proclivity for upstaging and might be difficult to manage. Her approach to government would hardly be in sync with that of Clinton, who is much closer to the center in her political philosophy. Warren also represents one of the bluer states in the union, and Clinton should be able to carry it without her help. In truth, she and Clinton aren't all that friendly. The Washington Post recently described their relationship as "frosty," citing Warren's book, "The Two Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Mothers and Fathers Are Going Broke," as accusing Clinton, then a U.S. senator from New York, as being owned by Wall Street. While a dozen names have been circulated as potential Clinton running mates, the early betting has focused on two: Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Julian Castro, the secretary of Housing and Urban Development, both of whom strongly appeal to Latino voters, which, considering recent Republican-generated moves against Obama's immigration policy, seems hardly necessary. Kaine, however, would give the ticket balance in a swing state. Others being considered include Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. Brown is also from a highly important swing state, and Booker, as a former mayor of Newark, brings strong understanding of urban problems. Their party prominence and national name recognition, like Kaine's, however, seem lacking. In a recent poll for Bloomberg Politics, only 5 percent favored Kaine and 6 percent Brown as the possible vice president choices. Castro drew 12 percent, and Booker 17 percent. Democratic Party leaders are concerned that picking either Brown or Booker would damage the party's ability to recapture the Senate because the act of replacing them would be left to Republican governors. So where did Warren stand in the Bloomberg survey? She drew a strong 35 percent of the Democrats polled, a result that seemingly emphasizes the problems she might bring to Clinton during the campaign; Warren's just a bit too popular, if one accepts the validity of the Franklin Roosevelt model for selecting a running mate. Harry who? Much of the nation had never heard of Harry S. Truman when the obscure Missouri senator was picked as Roosevelt's running mate in 1944. In four terms, the Depression-era and wartime president never chose a vice president he felt might compete with his own popularity. Obama wisely chose loyal and voter-friendly Joe Biden as his running mate. Clinton is likely to follow those leads.In this Aug. 6, 2014 photo, Naples Police Sgt. Amy Young enters a Collier County courtroom for a restraining order hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, in Naples. (Corey Perrine/File)
SHARE In this Aug. 6, 2014 photo, Naples Police Sgt. Amy Young sits in a Collier County courtroom during a restraining order hearing on Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, in Naples. (Corey Perrine/File) In this July 2014 file photo, members of the Lee County Sheriff's Office work the scene of a double shooting involving Naples Police officers Amy Young and Dave Monroig in the Lakes of Estero neighborhood in Estero. (Scott McIntyre/File) In this July 2014 file photo, Tyler Austin, right, and Danielle Langebeeke walk past the scene where Naples Police officers Amy Young and Dave Monroig were involved in a double shooting in the Lakes of Estero neighborhood in Estero. (Scott McIntyre/File) By Jessica Lipscomb of the Naples Daily News In interviews with detectives, not one friend or relative of Naples police Sgt. Amy Young and her boyfriend Officer Luis Dave Monroig said they were aware of any physical violence between the couple during their three years together. Everyone knew their relationship had started out on rocky terms. Everyone knew they bickered. But even as a criminal investigation played out, no one could say how an argument early one July morning led to a shooting that left Monroig dead and Young badly injured. He never did anything like this ever in his life, Monroigs brother, Armando Monroig, told detectives. So I mean, for me to try and believe that he was involved in any type of incident like this is very hard for me to believe. Last week, the State Attorneys Office issued a memo saying an investigation revealed that Monroig shot Young and then took his own life. On Wednesday, the agency released the full investigative report of more than 500 pages. DOCUMENT: Lee County Sheriff's Office incident report In the hours leading up to the shooting, Young went out to dinner with two friends from the police department, Jennifer Casciano and Helene Sabatino, at a Fifth Avenue restaurant for Cascianos birthday on July 8. Young told Monroig and her daughters she would be back at the familys home in Estero in time to tuck the children in for bed. Young later went to another Fifth Avenue restaurant for drinks after dinner with her two friends and did not return home until around 11:30 p.m. During the time she was out, she exchanged dozens of texts and phone calls with Monroig, who grew increasingly angry. The two had apparently made a pact not to go to bars without each other to avoid conflict, according to reports. After calling Young twice with no answer, Monroig texted her at 10:54 p.m. saying, You better answer your (expletive) phone now!!!! according to the reports. Young and Casciano talked on the phone as they each drove home, and Youngs car pulled into her neighborhood around 11:30. When she got home, Monroig yelled at her to get the (expletive) off the phone, according to Youngs teenage daughter. Having trouble seeing this content? Click here to listen at soundcloud.com. Monroig and Youngs daughter believed she was intoxicated and should not have been driving. As Monroig and Young continued to argue, Youngs daughter drove her two younger sisters to their dads house because they were upset. When the teen returned to the home with Monroigs son, the two found their parents bleeding and two guns in the master bedroom. DOCUMENT: Transcript of the 911 call We came through the back door and my moms boyfriend is on the floor bleeding, and the guns laying by him. And then my mom is laying out front on the porch bleeding, Youngs daughter told a 911 dispatcher. Both are breathing, but barely. Young, who was shot from behind her left ear with the bullet exiting her chin, survived the shooting. Monroig died later that morning. Young and Monroig got together in spring 2011 at a police event in Washington, D.C. Both were married at the time but broke off their marriages to be with each other. According to interviews with police employees, some of the couples co-workers disapproved of the relationship, as Youngs ex-husband, Sgt. Robert Young, also worked for the police department. Naples officers described the relationship between Monroig and Amy Young as hot and cold, saying they often argued at work. Both were described as hotheads. I think shes very dramatic sometimes, especially if shes in the heat of the moment, said Casciano, who described herself as Youngs best friend. I could see him not wanting to live if something happened to her. When interviewed almost immediately after the shooting, Robert Young said he wasnt necessarily shocked by the news. I hate to say it but were like were not surprised, he told a detective. Murder/suicide or a violent outburst, especially between knowing what I know of him, knowing what I know of Amy, yeah, I could see the volatility. You add some alcohol, some rage, you know, and uh, her personality flaws that, I guess we all have different ones, but yeah. I mean I mean, Im shocked but Im one part of me isnt. None of Amy Youngs or Monroigs exes said thered been any history of violence in their prior relationships. Friends of Monroig said hed never shoot his girlfriend; friends of Young said shed never shoot him. A few other factors may have played a role in how the two had been behaving. Helene Sabatino, Youngs friend from the restaurant, said Young was taking antidepressants that may have affected her ability to process the alcohol she was drinking that night. Reports indicate she had a glass of wine and two mojitos. In Monroigs case, co-workers and friends said he had been traumatized after a recent call to assist a suicidal teenager while on duty. Monroig and his partner watched the teen shoot himself as they tried to prevent it. That was the only time Ive ever seen him cry, said Monroigs best friend, William Blair. He came over here and he lost it, you know. Monroig was urged to get professional counseling but refused, saying he would talk to his girlfriend, who had been trained to deal with crisis situations. ? State Attorney: No charges in shooting death of Naples cop ? Naples Sgt. Amy Young a decorated officer with history of scandal ? Sheriff's Office completes Sgt. Amy Young, Officer Dave Monroig shooting investigation ? Collier judge denies restraining order against Amy Young, insufficient evidence ? Officers: Sgt. Amy Young a regular Naples police visitor despite shooting investigation ? Naples Sgt. Amy Young to appear in court, wants gun back ? PHOTOS: Two Naples police officers shot in Estero ? Naples officer killed, another critical after shooting at Estero home Mark Sievers speaks during a custody hearing Wednesday, May 11, 2016. He is trying to transfer temporary custody of his two daughters from Teresa Sievers' mother, Mary Ann Groves to his mother, Bonnie Sievers. Sievers is being held on first degree murder charges in the murder of his wife, Teresa. (Photo by Andrew West/News-Press) SHARE Teresa Sievers. (Submitted photo) By Ben Brasch, The News-Press Defense lawyers representing Mark Sievers, who is accused of scheming to murder his wife, filed a motion Monday, hoping to use a technicality to stop prosecutors from seeking the death penalty. But prosecutors corrected the mistake about two hours later. "It's our position they didn't comply with the time period," said Antonio Faga of the Naples-based Faga Law group. He said when the state attorney's office filed saying it will seek the death penalty Wednesday, prosecutors didn't include the aggravating factors explaining why they argue death penalty is warranted. Sievers, 48, isn't the only one who could face the death penalty. Jimmy Rodgers of Missouri also was indicted on a first-degree murder charge on May 4. Rodgers, 26, is being represented by a public defender, who has not responded to requests for comment. Faga's motion to strike the death penalty was recorded in the clerk of court system as received at 11:40 a.m. Monday. Prosecutors filed an amendment to Rodgers' notice to seek the death penalty with the aggravating factors at 2:15 p.m. Monday. Those five factors include that Rodgers is a felon, was an accomplice, committed the alleged crime for financial gain, it was "especially heinous, atrocious or cruel," and "was committed in a cold, calculated and premeditated manner without any pretense of moral or legal justification." Teresa Sievers was found bludgeoned to death beside a bloody hammer in her Bonita Springs home one year ago Wednesday. Investigators say Mark Sievers hired his best friend Curtis Wayne Wright Jr., 46, to kill his wife. Wright then hired Rodgers, whom he met in a Missouri jail. Wright agreed to testify against his best friend in exchange for a second-degree murder charge and 25 years in prison. iStock By Amy Bennett Williams, The News-Press About 30 spectators, including independent journalist Jane Velez-Mitchell, were at the first day of a trial alleging Hendry County broke Florida's Sunshine Law when it permitted two massive monkey farms without public input. Three plaintiffs, represented by attorneys from the nonprofit Animal Legal Defense Fund, say they had no idea their rural neighborhood would soon house thousands of macaque monkeys. The county maintains that as long as land is zoned for agriculture, any species could be allowed. The public doesn't need to be notified about such facilities because staffers are in charge of their vetting and approval, the county says. At no time did two elected officials meet about the farm, the county contends, so there was no violation of the law. In her opening statements, plaintiffs' attorney Justine Cowan said, "What my clients are seeking is so reasonable: They just want a voice in what is happening in their backyard." But Edward Dion, representing the county, said the Sunshine Law "is supposed to prevent officials from meeting in secret. (It) doesn't require that people be notified of routine decisions by county staff." Plaintiff Billy Stephens lives less than half a mile from one of the sites, on the Lee County border along Bedman Creek, a Caloosahatchee tributary. He spent years pouring money and labor into his 5-acre homestead, which he was counting on for his retirement. He wishes officials had warned him about the monkey farm. "Had I known it was coming, I wouldn't have bought there," Stephens said. "Homes are foreclosing out there now; nobody can sell." Stephens' fellow plaintiffs echoed his dismay. "I put a lot of money into my property," Carol Grey said, "and I'm probably not even going to get my purchase price back." As far as the county is concerned, it has argued there's no difference between cattle and monkeys, so the definition of animal husbandry was a key point: Does it include breeding monkeys for biomedical research? "In my opinion," Dion said, "it doesn't matter what you call it. You can call it animal husbandry; you can call it monkey preschool. It matters what the use is. Unless it's a use specifically prohibited by the code, the county staff has to approve it," he said. Dion argued that a lawsuit like this is not the right way to oppose the farms. "People who are directly affected by this decision have several vehicles they can use in order to challenge (it) but not the Sunshine Law. What the plaintiffs are seeking here is aspirational. We understand what they want, but the way to obtain that is not through the Sunshine Law." Cowan disagreed. "The 'plain meaning rule' (in which words must be interpreted literally) reigns supreme in Florida, and it is the law of the land. ... The bottom line is that (Hendry County) must apply the plain and ordinary meaning of the words," she said. "If the court rules in favor of my clients (the county) won't be able to distort the plain meaning of the code," she said. "Instead, if they wish to change the code, they must go through well-established processes operating in the light of day." Related news: In this Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016 photo, Aedes aegypti mosquitoes sit in a petri dish at the Fiocruz institute in Recife, Pernambuco state, Brazil. The mosquito is a vector for the proliferation of the Zika virus spreading throughout Latin America. New figures from Brazil's Health Ministry show that the Zika virus outbreak has not caused as many confirmed cases of a rare brain defect as first feared. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) SHARE In this file photo, locally-collected mosquitoes are sorted according to their species as they are studied at the Collier Mosquito Control District offices on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, in Naples. (David Albers/Staff) A new case of travel-related Zika has been confirmed in Collier County, increasing to three the county's cases since tracking began in early February. The Collier case is one of three new travel-related Zika cases statewide reported by the state Department of Health on Monday. The other two cases are in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. The statewide volume of travel-related Zika is now 183 cases, and there have been another 40 cases involving pregnant women. Travel related Zika is where an individual was out of the country and became infected and is diagnosed with the mosquito-borne virus after returning to the U.S. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends women who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant should postpone travel to Zika affected areas, such as South America. According to CDC guidance, medical providers should consider testing all pregnant women with a history of travel to Zika affected areas. About one in five people infected become symptomatic, which generally involves a low-grade fever, rash and joint pain. Pregnant women are at risk if their unborn babies are exposed to the virus, which can lead to birth defects. Researchers with the CDC are examining the link between Zika and birth defects. The state health department encourages residents to drain standing water in any containers, which is the breeding source for mosquitoes; cover exposed skin with long-sleeved shirts and pants, and to wear mosquito repellent outdoors. For more information, go to www.FloridaHealth.gov. By Annika Hammerschlag of the Naples Daily News An East Naples man arrested Sunday, June 19 after a Naples fireman said he found him burglarizing his car has been connected to six other auto burglaries. Daniel Haizlip, 20, of the 1400 block of Green Valley Circle, was charged with burglary and grand theft in connection to a break-in on Green Valley Circle, Osprey Avenue, River Point Drive, Davis Boulevard and 5th Avenue South. Haizlip was also charged with burglary and petty theft in connection to a break-in on Pelican Avenue. Police were investigating a string of seven auto burglaries Sunday morning when they received a call about a man, later identified Haizlip, who was caught stealing from Naples fireman Garrett Ocana's Hyundai Elantra and was being detained outside the fire station near City Hall, reports said. In all, more than $11,500 in valuables was reported stolen Sunday from the seven car burglaries. TALLAHASSEE _ When Gov. Rick Scott ran for governor in 2010, the GOP establishment supported former Attorney General Bill McCollum. So, when Scott, a former health care executive, spent nearly $40 million of his own wealth to beat McCollum in the Republican primary, fences needed to be mended between the rookie politician and the party he now led. Enter Adam Hollingsworth. At the time of the 2010 primary, Hollingsworth was making $189,000-per-year as chief of staff to then-Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton. He took a leave of absence, recruited by both the Republican Party of Florida chairman and Scott campaign manager Susie Wiles, to help fix the relationship between Scott and the partys elite. Hollingsworth became one of Scotts most trusted advisers, a position he used to influence the administrations rejection of billions in federal high-speed rail money, then later lobby for a rail project that would benefit his employer, emails, text messages and administration documents obtained by the Scripps/Tribune Capital Bureau show. Hollingsworth, through his office, declined to comment. After the November 2010 election, Hollingsworth was brought on to serve as a transportation adviser to Scotts transition team. His role was not ceremonial. As adviser, Hollingsworth penned a draft letter informing federal administrators Florida was rejecting $2.4 billion in federal money for a high-speed rail line between Orlando and Tampa. Please find attached a draft letter for the governor to send US DOT Secretary Ray LaHood on high-speed rail, Hollingsworth wrote in a Feb. 13, 2011, email to a handful of Scott advisers. Hollingsworths letter included links to a study authored by the Libertarian-leaning Reason Foundation that found cost overruns could cost state taxpayers $3 billion, a number later cited by Scott. After the state rejected the federal money, Hollingsworth became an executive at Parallel Infrastructure, a company owned by Florida East Coast Industries. That company also owns All Aboard Florida, now pushing a Miami to Orlando rail project. Julie Edwards, All Aboard Floridas chief marketing officer, said Hollingsworth working to reject the federal money didnt help All Aboard Florida. It is completely different market, a completely different way to think about transportation, she said of the different route proposals. Because its a small transportation world, employment conversations between Hollingsworth and Parallel Infrastructure were likely occurring while he was advising Scott, Edwards said. She said no one should infer those conversations included talk about the project. After accepting a job with Parallel Infrastructure, Hollingsworths rail advice to Scott changed. Almost immediately, he started lobbying the administration to support his employers new project, which now is being helped by millions in state taxpayer dollars and is expected to generate more than $170 million in revenue annually. Hollingsworths close ties to Scott didnt end when Hollingsworth went to work for the rail company. In May 2012, he became the Naples governors chief of staff, a job he holds today. Picking a secretary Back in 2010 in his advisory role to Scott, Hollingsworth helped assemble the state Department of Transportation that later signed off on the All Aboard Florida project. Hollingsworth vetted candidates for transportation secretary, including current Secretary Ananth Prasad, helped shape policy decisions and received internal assessments of the department shortly after Scott was elected. We will have our DRAFT agency review document to you no later than midnight tonight, wrote Doug Callaway, president of Floridians for Better Transportation, an industry trade group, in a December 2010 email to Hollingsworth and another adviser. That was two weeks before Scott was sworn into office. The Florida Transportation Commission proposes a slate of three secretary candidates for the governor to choose, a process that involved Hollingsworth. The three-name slate, from the Commission, goes to the governor on Monday, he wrote in a Feb. 12, 2011, email to other Scott advisers. From there, I would recommend that: we complete a vet on the three by Tuesday. The Scott administration now says Hollingsworth, 45, had no knowledge of AAF when he worked on transition or when the draft letter was sent. When taking the position as Scotts chief of staff, Hollingsworth signed a fire wall letter agreeing not to participate in any meetings or decision related to companies tied to his former employer. The administration produced the letter after being asked by the Scripps/Tribune Capital Bureau if Hollingsworth had undue influence over the process. All aboard All Aboard Florida had been around for roughly three years when Hollingsworth signed on as a Scott transportation adviser in 2010. The company incorporated with the state in 2007 and almost immediately began signing various right of way agreements with Florida East Coast Railway, according to internal company documents obtained by the Scripps/Tribune Capital Bureau. Hollingsworth spent his roughly one year with the company before becoming Scotts top staffer helping pave the way for All Aboard Florida. He set up meetings between top administration officials, including Scott, and company executives, and helped secure early support for the project in that office. All Aboard Floridas 256-mile rail service has been touted from the beginning as a completely privately financed project that will not cost the state a dime, which is the reason Scott said he supports the plan. At this point, though, the project is seeking $1.5 billion in federal loans that could be key to refinancing its existing debt, and more than $230 million in state dollars have already been set aside for projects that will either directly or indirectly benefit All Aboard Floridas rail line. The biggest portion of that is $213 million for a multi-modal terminal at the Orlando International Airport. The new structure will serve as All Aboard Floridas terminal in that city. Scott administration officials say the money went to the airport, not All Aboard Florida. In addition, internal company bond documents obtained by Scripps/Tribune show the project may seek $44 million in direct state-funded grants for upgrades to tie into a Miami rail system. Its something that was news to us, Prasad said in an interview. Administration access All Aboard Floridas has the financial backing of Fortress Investment Group, a New York-based equity firm with a $26 billion investment portfolio. That company owns the handful of companies developing the project, including Florida East Coast Railway. Three of that companys top executives are also Fortress corporate officers, including Wes Eddens, the firms founder. As a company employee, Hollingsworth helped connect top company executives with the Scott administration. If you have time prior to 10 a.m., perhaps Husein and I could give you an advance look at the deck and provide a fulsome review of the proposal, read a Jan. 5, 2012, text message from Hollingsworth to Carrie ORourke, then a top Scott administration official. Its a reference to Husein Cumber, an executive vice president with All Aboards parent company. The same Jan. 5 message shows Edens, who co-founded Fortress in 1997, had met Scott administration officials at the govs Christmas Party. On Jan. 6, 2012, a day after that text message exchange, Scott was briefed by staff and appeared to support the plan. Meeting went very well today, ORourke said in a text message to Prasad. Gov wants us to get together ... and put a team in this to overview. He is interested. :) Gr8, Prasad shot back less than a minute later. The day after the Scott briefing, Hollingsworth and Greg Turberville, a lobbyist with Tallahassee-based Ballard Partners, held a meeting with Scotts then- Chief of Staff Steve MacNamara, according to administration calendars. Turbervilles firm represented All Aboard Florida related companies. MacNamara said the duo asked for state dollars, but he only offered possible help with eminent domain issues, he wrote in an email. That support from Scott and his top transportation official, who Hollingsworth helped select, came three months before All Aboard Florida was officially unveiled and more than two years before the Scott administration publicly supported the plan. Asked by Scripps-Tribune in June why he waited so long to show public support despite documents showing his administration was supportive much earlier, Scott responded that he asked federal officials for an extended period of time for the public to weigh in on the project. Although Scott remained publicly quiet for years, Hollingsworth kept Scotts administration in the loop. Leading up to the March 2012 announcement of the All Aboard Florida project, Hollingsworth helped Scotts staff prior to a March 14 meeting with Edens. As you know, Wes Edens is meeting with the governor Wednesday, March 14, he wrote in a March 2 text message to ORourke. Do you have time today to discuss a pre-brief with the gov.? In the days leading up to the March 22, 2012, project announcement, text messages show, Hollingsworth also worked with Wiles, by then a Ballard Partner employee tasked with doing public relations for the project, write the press release and coordinate with the state. I am sitting here with Susie working on next weeks announcement, Hollingsworth wrote in a March 15 email to ORourke. Is it likely that the govs comms staff would answer any press calls or would those get kicked to FDOT? Less than a week later, after months of administration involvement, All Aboard Florida was unveiled as a first-of-its kind project free of government help. Florida East Coast Industries, Inc., the owner of Floridas premier passenger rail corridor, is developing a privately owned, operated and maintained passenger rail service, it read. SHARE Michael Hargrave, Naples Original intent While the Second Amendment guarantees U.S. citizens the right to "bear arms," what did our founding fathers know of bombs and semi-automatic assault weapons? The 1994 law banning assault weapons expired in 2004. Efforts to pass a new federal assault weapons ban were made in December 2012 after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. On Jan. 24, 2013, Sen. Dianne Feinstein introduced S.150, the Assault Weapons Ban of 2013 (AWB 2013). The GOP congressional delegation from Texas, along with the NRA, condemned Feinstein's bill. On March 14, 2013, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved a version of the bill along party lines. On April 17, 2013, it failed on a Senate vote of 40 to 60. Legal gun owners insist on their right to defend themselves and their homes. Who needs an assault rifle to spray the area with bullets when they sense an intruder in the middle of the night? Who needs to carry an assault weapon to the theater in self-protection? There are no documented cases of mass murder by strangling, knife or by a single handgun. How is it that the NRA has so much money and so much power that it can sway Congress? The strategy is to change the argument of banning assault weapons into an assault on the Second Amendment. How many children and innocent people need to be killed before we can open our eyes and see that the right to own assault weapons is not what the writers of the Second Amendment had in mind? We, the people, need to band together and demand a common sense law to ban assault guns. SHARE Beth Lee, Naples Self-serving As a taxpayer, it is very disconcerting to see Commissioner Georgia Hiller use her position to acquire support from county staff and colleagues in her race against Clerk of Courts Dwight Brock. Hiller was successful in making former adversary Commissioner Fred Coyle a big supporter by naming the Freedom Memorial Park after Coyle, and using $600,000 of taxpayers' money to complete it. She is trying to replicate her success by advocating naming Big Corkscrew Regional Park after Commissioner Tim Nance at the February 23 commission meeting and again at the June 16 budget workshop. This begs the question of whether a commissioner should advocate naming county properties after another commissioner. At the June 16 budget workshop, Hiller endorsed the budget proposals by all county staff without any questions, and even suggested adding an additional $100,000 to the proposed allocation of $108,000 to the Legal Aid Society. However, when it came to the Clerk of Courts' very conservative proposed budget, Hiller insisted that all budget items must be exact, not just estimates; otherwise, it is not acceptable. After listening to Hiller's interrogation of the clerk's budget, it is clear that Hiller misrepresented state laws that govern operations in the clerk's office. The Clerk of Courts/controller needs to have a proven track record of honesty, integrity and trustworthiness, requirements that Hiller lacks. Hiller volunteered in Brock's office for two years, and found nothing wrong with Brocks' auditing and payment procedures. She also strongly supported Brock in the protracted litigation against the county's attempt to remove the clerk's auditing authority. Now she is accusing Brock of conducting business illegally. The Hartford announced today that it is making its award-winning AARP-branded auto insurance program available through Andis Insurance Agency in Naples. Andis Insurance Agency was chosen after satisfying a number of eligibility requirements, which included: demonstrating a commitment to community service; meeting a high level of business and ethical standards; and completing a training program designed to address the needs of the 50+ population. For more than 25 years, the industry-leading AARP-branded auto insurance program from The Hartford has been extremely popular, said Jim Flynn, vice president, The Hartford. Much of the success of this program is due to innovative product features and a commitment to truly understand and support our customers. We are thrilled to now be able to offer these benefits through our independent agent partners. According to research from The Hartford, the majority of AARP members prefer the advice and counsel of a local agent when making decisions about their insurance. Based on this research and strong customer demand, The Hartford is offering the AARP-branded auto insurance program through select, authorized independent agents. These products were previously only available from The Hartford by phone, the Internet and by mail. The AARP-branded auto insurance program is designed in consultation with The Hartford Advance 50 Team, which helps to tailor products and services specifically to the interests and needs of Boomers and older adults. Other unique hallmarks of the program include: Lifetime Continuation Agreement assures that the customers insurance policy will not be dropped as long as a few simple requirements are met. Standard 12-month rate protection versus the traditional six month policies offered by most companies. Andis Insurance Agencies co-founder & principal agent Rodiana Andis has been in the insurance industry since 2000. Since this time she has spent time in a variety of areas in the field which include managing operations and directing sales. As a general lines and life & health licensed, Rodiana is highly organized and detail focused on operations / sales with an exceptional track record of effectively making sure that each client receives the best option and the best protection. Jason Andis, MDY, jason@andisinsurance.com, 239-529-5566 Akerman LLP, a top 100 U.S. law firm serving clients and communities across the Americas, continues to advance one of the most ambitious philanthropic and pro bono efforts for abused and neglected children in the family court system through its partnership with the National Court Appointed Special Advocates Association (National CASA). CASA is a network of volunteer advocates who ensure the highest quality advocacy on behalf of America's most vulnerable children. The firm today announced important milestones achieved during its third annual Give Back Campaign that have the potential to make a lasting impact on these at-risk youth. During Foster Care Awareness Month, more than 1,200 Akerman lawyers and other professionals and staff participated in nearly 50 Give Back activities over a five day period to promote and support child advocacy for the 600,000 children who enter the overburdened legal and social services system in the United States each year. Since the inception of the Give Back Campaign, Akerman employees across the country have contributed through pro bono legal service, community volunteerism and extensive fundraising efforts. Their contributions to the local CASA/GAL programs in Akerman's markets have helped more than 16,000 foster youth and recruit and train nearly 7,700 volunteers. These Give Back efforts are in addition to the firm's continuing contributions of pro bono legal services and financial support to numerous and varied community organizations across the United States. "National CASA envisions a world where every abused or neglected child is given the opportunity to thrive in a safe, loving and permanent home, says Tara Perry, chief executive officer of the National CASA Association. "Of the over 600,000 children passing through the foster care and court system each year, approximately 400,000 children are without a CASA/GAL volunteer advocate. National CASA continues to work in partnership with its state and local programs in 49 states to close that gap, and Akerman's generosity year-after-year is helping us make a real impact." The annual Akerman Give Back Campaign is a dedicated time of the year to bring collective focus to the firm's philanthropic and pro bono efforts, particularly within the areas of education and youth development. This year, the firm honored Katherinne Peraza from Brownsburg High School in Indiana as the inaugural recipient of the Akerman Academic Excellence Scholarship. The Akerman Scholarship, which awards up to $10,000 for four years of enrollment in higher education, was established in 2015 as part of the firm's historic $1 million pledge to National CASA. Created to reduce the financial burden of higher education for young adults who have spent time in the foster care system, this endowed fund supports those who have demonstrated outstanding academic commitment and readiness for success. "During the National CASA Conference, I invited Katherinne up to the podium to be acknowledged for her outstanding academic achievements and her ability to transcend a life in foster care to pursue a brighter future," said Charles Brumback, chair of Akerman's Philanthropic Initiative. "I am extremely proud that through the Akerman Give Back Campaign we have helped to ensure that Katherinne is celebrated and supported when she attends college in the fall." Peraza will begin her freshman year this fall at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). She aspires to become a pediatric nurse practitioner. Her dream is to travel to different countries, particularly to her home country El Salvador, where she can apply the skills she learns in college to assist sick children and families. Throughout her middle school and high school years, Peraza has been a motivated and accomplished honors student, with sound leadership abilities and a focus on helping others. She serves on the leadership board of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), and is a member of the Latino Youth Leaders of Indiana as well as the Indiana Youth Advisory Board. She also has been involved in the National Honor Society, Best Buddies, and several other academic and volunteer activities. The third annual Give Back Campaign also brought the Akerman and CASA/GAL networks together with members of the higher-education, technology and start-up communities, including LaunchCode, Wyncode Academy and The Idea Center@MDC. During an exclusive workshop in Akerman's Miami office, high school students gained hands-on programming experience, where they learned to write their first line of code. The session taught them the fundamentals of creating computer software, apps and websites and provided them access to resources to pursue a career in coding. Two students also were awarded a seat in Wyncode's three-week Wyncamp program, where they will learn how to master code. Other Akerman offices organized community awareness events, providing a platform for local CASA/GAL representatives, a family court judge and other court officers to discuss the positive impact of a legal advocate on a child's future. Multiple volunteer and fundraising drives were held across all of Akerman's markets and employees shared the experiences with their families, friends and clients, who also gave their support through donations. To provide National CASA greater access to the resources required to serve at-risk youth, Akerman launched a new multi-giving platform called Akerman Gives during the 2016 Give Back Campaign. Akerman Gives is a fully integrated web-based portal designed to help National CASA more effectively collect all forms of giving from Akerman employees across the country, including financial contributions, volunteer commitments and pledges to serve as a guardian ad litem. The new platform streamlines the fundraising process and introduces a centralized system for National CASA and its local GAL programs to communicate and collaborate with contributors in real-time, and move the needle on volunteer engagement and retention. The system is also connected to Akerman's workplace giving program, allowing individuals to make a one-time donation or ongoing contributions to the CASA/GAL program of their choice even after the five-day Give Back Campaign concludes. "Evolving our existing giving platform with Akerman enabled us to expand our fundraising approach, allowing us to create a model that we can replicate with other national partners," said Perry. "Together we have been able to build a partnership that supports local relationships between Akerman offices and local CASA/GAL programs who are providing services to America's most vulnerable children." The Financial Times recently ranked Akerman among the nation's most innovative law firms in the social responsibility - projects category for creating a first-of-its-kind law firm partnership with National CASA during the firm's inaugural Give Back Campaign. In addition to the countless Give Back pledges of time to serve foster youth, firm lawyers and other professionals are also helping National CASA achieve its mission on all fronts by providing pro bono legal services to the organization throughout the year. Akerman LLP is a leading transactions and trial law firm known for its core strengths in middle market M&A, within the financial services and real estate industries, and for a diverse Latin America practice. With more than 600 lawyers and government affairs professionals and a network of 20 offices, it is ranked among the top 100 law firms in the United States by The American Lawyer (2016). Akerman also is ranked among the top 60 law firms for diversity in The American Lawyer's Diversity Scorecard (2016). Akerman has a long history of public service and corporate citizenship that stems from a deep commitment to serve as allies and advocates in the community. The firm's philanthropic and pro bono efforts focus on important, worthwhile and vital causes particularly in the areas of education and youth development. Akerman addresses critical social issues through community and client partnerships, employee volunteerism and pro bono service to expand the reach of shared purpose-driven initiatives. More information can be found at akerman.com or twitter.com/akerman_law. Regional Counsel Ita M. Neymotin, Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Second District Court of Appeal is proud to announce that an unprecedented partnership has been agreed upon and signed between the City of Gomel, in the Asian country of Belarus, and the City of Fort Myers. This historic sister city agreement, signed on Wednesday, June 15 encourages reciprocal business opportunities between Fort Myers and Gomel. The Honorable Mayor Randall P. Henderson, Jr., Fort Myers, and Lee County Board of County Commissioners Chair Frank Mann, along with Ms. Neymotin, hosted the Sister City event. Ms. Neymotin was chosen by Mayor Henderson and the Belarus Delegation to be the intermediary for the creation of the sister city agreement. Having escaped the oppression of the Soviet Regime as a child, Ms. Neymotin has always appreciated the superiority of our justice system and would like to see more countries embrace sister city agreements. In attendance from Belarus were Boleslav Pirshtuk, the Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee of Gomel, Oleg Kravchenko, Director of Americas Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Pavel Shidlovsky, Charge dAffaires, a.i. (Chief of Mission) of the Embassy of Belarus, as well as seven other Belarus Dignitaries at Oscar M. Corbin, Jr. City Hall. Honored speakers at the event were Regional Counsel Ita M. Neymotin, Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Second District Court of Appeal, The Honorable Mayor Randall P. Henderson, Jr., Former Ambassador of The Holy See Francis Rooney, Lee County Board of County Commissioners Chair Frank Mann, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee of Gomel, Boleslav Pirshtuk, The Honorable Florida Senator Lizbeth Benacquisto and Pavel Shidlovsky, Charge dAffaires, a.i. (Chief of Mission) of the Embassy of Belarus. This event was attended by an estimated 50 dignitaries and public officials from Florida. Former Ambassador of the Holy See, Francis Rooney began the event with a prayer for the victims and their families of the Orlando attack. He spoke about the strategic role of commerce in relation to Belarus. The Former Ambassador further emphasized that opportunities for trade between Fort Myers and Belarus will inevitably lead to future benefits. The Former Ambassador thanked Belarus for allowing a United States aircraft to re-fuel on Belarus soil on its way to Afghanistan. Many others in attendance also expressed their sympathies toward the tragic events in Orlando, including: Senator Benacquisto, Commissioner Mann, Belarusian Charge dAffaires Shidlovsky, and Ms. Neymotin. Mayor Henderson, who also spoke at the event, said, The symbolic significance of this meeting was never more important than it is today, while were experiencing global challenges with the recent events in Orlando. He added, Those kinds of activities are not going to stop us from reaching out, and creating a sense of love and camaraderie around the globe. A special thanks to Mayor Randall P. Henderson, Jr., Lee County Commissioner Chair Frank Mann, and Regional Counsel Ita M. Neymotin for implementing the historic partnership of Fort Myers and Gomel. They look forward to building global friendships and increasing international trade and commerce. Ita Neymotin, Regional Counsel was appointed by Governor Rick Scott in 2011 and reappointed March 15, 2016 to lead The Office of Criminal Conflict and Civil Regional Counsel, Second District Court of Appeal (OCCCRC2). It is one of five regional counsel offices created by the legislature in 2007 to provide legal representation to indigent persons in criminal cases in which the court grants the Public Defenders motion to withdraw and appoints the OCCCRC2, in dependency and civil cases, and certain statutorily authorized civil commitment proceedings. OCCCRC2 also handles appeals and post-conviction motions. As noted under Statute 27.511, the Florida Legislature states it is the intent of the Legislature to provide adequate representation in a fiscally sound manner, while safeguarding constitutional principles. Regional Counsel saves millions of taxpayer dollars every year while providing quality representation to its clients. For more information visit www.flrc2.org. Ralph Maccarone: Betty Jane France Humanitarian Award finalist Meet Ralph Maccarone and his cause, Who We Play For. Ralph is one of four finalists chosen for the Betty Jane France Humanitarian award for his dedication to helping children. Gardai and the Health & Safety Authority have launched separate investigations into a farm accident that resulted in the death of a 66 year-old woman in South Tipperary on Monday night. Gardai and the Health & Safety Authority have launched separate investigations into a farm accident that resulted in the death of a 66 year-old woman in South Tipperary on Monday night. The married woman is understood to have been working at a farm yard at Coolmoyne, Fethard helping with the feeding of cattle when she was fatally injured in the accident that occurred around 7pm. Her identity had not yet been released at the time of going to press as some relatives had still to be informed of her death. A garda spokesman said the woman died at the scene of the accident. Her body was taken to Waterford Regional Hospital where a post mortem examination was carried out. He said the Gardai were investigating the accident. A Health & Safety Authority spokesman said one of their inspectors visited the farm yesterday (Tuesday) as part of their investigation into the tragedy. This is the second fatal farm accident in South Tipperary in the space of three months. Last October, 67 years-old Edmond (Eddie) Dillon was killed when he fell through the roof of a shed while working at his farm at Cooleagh, Fethard. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has decided to appoint Rose Gottemoeller from the US as the next Deputy Secretary General. She will replace Ambassador Alexander Vershbow from the US, who took up his position in February 2012. "I am delighted to announce the appointment of Rose Gottemoeller, who will bring to NATO a wealth of experience in international security policy, and in areas such as arms control and relations with Russia. She will also be the first woman to hold this key post, which is a milestone in NATO. I am grateful to Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, who will retire in the autumn after a distinguished career. His commitment and contribution to NATO have been indispensable at a time of unprecedented security challenges. " Rose Gottemoeller is currently serving as US Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security, advising the Secretary of State on arms control, non-proliferation and political-military affairs. She was previously Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, and the chief negotiator of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). She also served, among others, as the Director of the Carnegie Moscow Center. Ms Gottemoeller will take up her post on October 1, 2016. Consuming bleach, ammonia, pesticide, insecticide, fluoride, pharmaceuticals and gluten daily Cows and chickens that eat cows and chickens (NaturalNews) Simply put, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) attempt to regulate and control one's emotions by blocking synapses in the brain's chemistry, but modern scientists are still arrogant to believe that they can balance the brain's normal functions with drugs. Doctors and their patients are engaging a dangerous game of emotional Russian roulette with chemicals, and that's just the beginning.Most conventional food is now genetically modified to contain pest killer and weed killer ingredients, including. This pollutes the central nervous system, the blood and the brain, fostering confusion, memory loss and emotional disorder.and genetically modified viruses now. These toxins are carried with mercury and aluminum to the heart and brain after they shock the system into reaction. Mix all this with SSRIs and what have you got?The reaction from a human being who consumes (that includes vaccines) ALL of these toxins is madness, driven by a conjured-up false reality of violence, mixed with thoughts of homicide and suicide. Young adult males areto this, as is obvious from all the mass shootings of the past decade. Are many Americans also suffering from mad human disease? What is the "lethal" combination of chemicals and human albumin that is leading people off the health and emotional cliffs? ( http://www.psychologytoday.com Long before cancer ever shows up on some X-ray or as a tumor, it infects your body with mutated cells that replicate uncontrollably and begin suffocating your working systems, like organs and the excretive tract. People have no idea, but their body is under attack from millions of disruptive cells that enter the body in "Trojan horses" like artificial sweeteners. Pathogens and carcinogens do their damage, chronic damage, breaking down your immunity, your energy, and the cancer cells are grasping onto the sugar you consume. That is cancer's ultimate fuel -- sugar. ( https://www.youtube.com On top of sugar, the human race consumeseach year -- like white flour, white pasta, white bread and, yes, tap water (chlorine/fluoride/bleach). Humans pour in ammonia and arsenic by consuming conventional chicken, fish and beef. People gobble up pesticide that lurks in seeds and plants now thanks to GMOs and the Biotech Agriculture Industry (Agricultural -Industrial Complex).Then, most people in America turn to MDs for their aches, pains, disorders and what they call "disease." The doctor scribbles out ato reduce the inflammation, the pain, the arthritis, the headaches and even the depression. There's lithium to make you feel like a zombie and aspirin and rat poison to thin your blood. There's cough syrup to ruin your liver and aspartame-loaded, fever-reducing liquids with chemical food coloring for kids. Then there's gluten, for everyone, in pizza, subs and most bread, which is loaded with pesticide that rots in your body for days, weeks, sometimes forever. What now? Don't eat cancer. That's "what now." Don't eat it, don't drink it, don't put it on your skin and certainly never inject it.Mad human disease can come from mad cow disease, or mad chicken disease, which is all basically cannibalism. Animals in CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) have no real life as organic beings, and they eat what is given to them by corporations that run the feed lots. Ground-up animals, mixed with GM corn meal, GM soy meal and GM alfalfa, are loaded with herbicide poison and pathogens. Think about it., so when humans eat them, they are eating cancer. And how do these people fight depression, anxiety and confusion? How do these people deal with stress? They get medicated by doctors who dish out SSRIs that have side effects like anxiety, depression, confusion and thoughts of suicide. Why? Their mental channels for positivity have been disrupted and poisoned, and now it's all going to be "blocked" by Western Medicine.SSRIs are the culprit of so many tragedies. What can we do to change this? First things first: Don't eat conventional food! Buy fresh local and organic. Visit a naturopathic physician who understands the value of nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, superfoods, etc. The public is NOT informed about the true dangers of GMO food, GMO medicine and GMO vaccines and flu shots. The public is NOT informed about the number of deaths that occur every year from people taking prescription medications exactly the way they're instructed to by their allopathic doctors. Why arsenic is a problem in rice cultivation Human health risks of arsenic (NaturalNews) Scientists have discovered an eco-friendly method of reducing arsenic uptake in rice by as much 50 percent, without diminishing yield.A team of researchers at the University of Delaware found that by simply mixing rice husk into the planting soil, levels of arsenic in rice grain were reduced by 25 to 50 percent.The findings could have positive implications for rice cultivation in developing countries, where rice is a staple, and where arsenic contamination is a significant health issue.Although arsenic contamination in soil can be caused by arsenic-based pesticide residues , most inorganic arsenic found in soil is naturally occurring, and varies in concentration from place to place due to geological factors.High levels of naturally occurring inorganic arsenic can be found in the United States, South America and Asia.Problems with arsenic levels in rice arise mainly because the rice plant is particularly efficient at drawing arsenic and other metals from the soil.As reported by"It turns out that the rice plant is a very efficient vacuum for pulling metallic elements out of the soil. The most troubling of these include two well-known trouble-making elements: mercury, cadmium, and arsenic , which is considered a metalloid element. Researchers say the plant is at least ten times as effective as other grains at siphoning up arsenic from soil and water. Further, it has a particular affinity for inorganic arsenic (an arsenic compound that lacks the organic element carbon). Inorganic arsenic compounds are known to be far more poisonous to humans than organic, carbon-based arsenic compounds."The issue of arsenic contamination in rice has received more attention recently, since the FDA announced earlier in 2016 that it is considering new regulatory guidelines for maximum allowable arsenic content in baby rice cereal. The agency also issued recommendations calling for a reduction in rice consumption for babies and pregnant women.The new research could lead to the implementation of an inexpensive and natural solution to the problem in arsenic-contaminated rice growing regions.The implications of previous studies led the researchers to the idea of experimenting with various soil incubations incorporating rice straw, rice husk and rice ash. Rice husk proved to enrich the soil, producing healthier rice plants along with the beneficial effect of reducing arsenic content in the rice grains.Lead researcher Angelia Seyfferth said:"The big finding is that when we grow these plants in the fresh husk amended soil, we see a 25-50 percent decrease in the inorganic arsenic in the grains which is the most toxic form of arsenic. So right away, just by putting this material into soil, we can make the plants healthier and alter the toxic form of arsenic that's in the grain which has direct implications for human health."Scientists have only recently begun to recognize the health implications of arsenic found in our soil, water and food . Even minute concentrations have been shown to cause health problems:"It was only in the late 20th century that scientists began to detect arsenic in soil, water and food not at levels high enough to kill people outright, but at the part-per-billion level. The question was whether even these levels were cause for concern, and in the 1970s and 80s, researchers did begin making links between even tiny levels of arsenic in ground water and a surprising range of illnesses, from cancer to cardiovascular disease. Much of our modern awareness of the issue is tied to studies in Bangladesh, where so many people are exposed to arsenic-contaminated ground water that the World Health Organization describes it as the greatest mass poisoning in human history."It's encouraging to see mainstream scientists researching natural, eco-friendly solutions to such a serious global problem.But for those of us who already believe in and practice organic farming principles , it's not a big surprise to find that Mother Nature held the answer all along. ... Public servants, health professionals and everyday folks agree: fracking is a no-no (NaturalNews) Amidst raging concerns over the environmental ramifications of the controversial oil- and natural gas-harvesting technique, lawmakers in the Bay State have proposed enacting a 10-year moratorium on hydraulic fracturing , or "fracking," opponents of which claim that it is rapidly polluting lakes, rivers and groundwater aquifers throughout the country , which provide clean drinking water for animals and humans.If successful, the effort would add the state of Massachusetts to the growing list of American territories where fracking has already been outlawed, a direct response to mounting evidence showing that fracking chemicals aren't being effectively regulated, and are consequently making their way into our most precious natural resources our food and water supplies and at an increasingly alarming rate.Recognizing that the fracking process involves injecting untold millions of gallons of water, sand and toxic chemicals into the ground in order to break up shale rock and release gas and oil, it isn't difficult to see why the process is highly controversial. All those chemicals have to go somewhere, and that somewhere includes the precious soils and groundwater that abut drilling operations.According to the, the Massachusetts Senate is overwhelmingly in support of the bill, which it approved unanimously following a recent hearing. The measure will now go on to the House, where backers from the group Environment Massachusetts hope it will likewise pass with flying colors."The harm caused by fracking has no place in Massachusetts," stated Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco following the vote. "Fracking releases harmful chemicals into our air while contaminating fresh groundwater, causing seismic events, flaring methane and severely harming public health "Vermont and New York have already banned the practice, while Maryland has enacted a moratorium. It is now Massachusetts' turn. I am pleased to sponsor this bill to protect residents and communities of the Commonwealth."Massachusetts has yet to host even a single fracking operation, which means the measure is more of a precautionary effort than it is a response. But with nearby Pennsylvania already a fracking hotbed, as are many other states throughout the country, Massachusetts environmentalists and everyday citizens alike see the writing on the wall."Across the country, fracking is polluting drinking water and making families sick," said Ben Hellerstein, State Director for Environment Massachusetts, in a recent statement following the Senate vote. "We applaud Senate leaders for taking steps to ensure this dirty drilling never comes to Massachusetts."Of particular concern with the measure is the Connecticut River Valley, which is heavily dependent upon wells for drinking water. Such water resources are irreplaceable, experts admit, and fracking threatens to pollute them, possibly forever. There are also the many reports of health problems arising from methane gas releases, including nausea, rashes, dizziness, nosebleeds and headaches."When an industry group held a seminar a few years back about fracking in the Hartford Basin, I immediately filed a bill to prevent this activity," explained Representative Denise Provost in a statement about why she supports the moratorium. "The Connecticut River Valley is heavily dependent on well water, and its surface waters provide much of the drinking water for Greater Boston. A fracking ban is essential to protect our irreplaceable water resources."State health professionals more than 1,000 of them, to be exact agree with Rep. Provost's sentiments. They've signed onto a petition calling for state and federal officials to intervene on behalf of public health. If projects like Spectra Access Northeast, which would deliver fracked natural gas into Massachusetts, are allowed to proceed, there's no telling what damage would be caused in the long term."Massachusetts has long been a leader when it comes to promoting clean energy and stopping global warming ," said Hellerstein. "A ban on fracking is a great way to continue our record of leadership. Now, it's up to the House and Governor Baker to finish the job." It's reality check time, folks understand what's really happening all around you, and form a line of defense! Conspiracy theory becomes reality (NaturalNews) It's funny how so many people try to discredit natural health enthusiasts when they hear about food or medicine they've been consuming or taking for years mainly because they just don't want to find out that they've been "doing it wrong" for so long. Then, when undeniable proof comes along, they still make a last ditch attempt to deny the truth; however, slowly but surely, they start asking questions, and verifying answers for themselves, and then it happens: Some bad health "event" comes along, and they decide to try to "get healthy" and turn over a "new leaf." In that process, they must face themselves in the mirror and ask the all important question: "Have I been wrong all these years?"What do you say when the head scientist at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Dr. William Thompson , goes public with aconfession about how he can't even look at families anymore who have children with autism, without feeling absolutely horrible about covering up vaccine testing data, carried out by his very own team, that proved, without a shadow of a doubt, that the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine was giving boys under age 3 autism What do you do when an oncologist, Dr. Farid Fata , confesses in court that he poisoned over 500people by giving them overdoses of toxic chemotherapy , and permanently injured thousands of others, including children, because it made him feel powerful, and because he wanted to get rich?What do you think when you see with your own eyes and hear with your own ears (on video) that one of the richest, most powerful men in the world wants to get rid ofof people using toxic food and toxic medicine to do it?And lastly, how will you change your ways and become that ultimately healthy and positive person you want to be, if you live in denial, even when the truth is staring you right in the face?#1.. In Flint, Michigan, water quality scientists have been officially charged with felony conspiracies, altering lead contamination data, and committing scientific fraud that harmed the public.#2. Those long-lastingfrom airplanes contain bio-hazardous, toxic waste from hospitals and cancer-causing glyphosate that poisons organic crops.#3., including the influenza (flu) shot at 51 parts per million, which is 25,000 times the EPA's limit for drinking water contamination.#4.and GMOs (you can listen to him say it himself as captured on video at a T.E.D. conference).#5.who are destroying our health and livelihood with infectious diseases, violence and acts of terror.#6.with deadly chemicals at gunpoint by a rogue government that's pushing for more autism and miscarriages (as taking place in California right now).#7.for cash on the black market via Planned Parenthood's insidious agenda (all to further support biotechnology experimentation on humans).#8. The, and evil oncologists across America are overdosing healthy Americans (some to death) with toxic chemotherapy, while robbing Medicare (taxpayer money) in the process. (The ultimate example is Dr. Farid Fata now serving 45 years in federal prison for mass murder.)#9.like Monsanto, Bayer, Dupont, Dow and Syngenta, are purposely contaminating non-GMO foodswith a deadly herbicide called glyphosate to trick health-conscious Americans into eating cancer-causing foods. (Most grains are heavily coated right before going into the silos.)#10.are the main factor responsible for mass shootings, multiple homicides and coinciding suicides, as witnessed and proven over the past decade in America (the drugs make depression and anxiety worse!) SSRIs are also called "The gateway drugs to mass murder."#11.are a leading cause of sickness and death in America, even when taken as prescribed by the quack doctors in America, called MDs, who go to school for eight years to learn how to juggle experimental, chemical-based drugs, but never learn a single "lick" about nutrition (pun intended).There is a reason so many people turn to holistic, non-invasive medicine, and raw, whole organic food, when chemical medicine and junk science fail them. There's a reason over 7 million people visitevery month to find out the good, the bad and the ugly about so called "conspiracy" theories, ones that not only have come true, but have been true for decades.It's not that every company and corporation is "out to get you," but rather that you must be a defensive consumer, just as you're probably a defensive driver. Think of how many wrecks you would have already experienced if you were not defensive. Health "wrecks" are no different. Some "cars" will simply hit you and hurt you if you don't watch where you're going.For example, In Flint, Michigan, Government officials simply covered up the fact that the tap water had been switched to lead-contaminated pipes and nobody knew. If those residents had top notch water filters in their homes, like the Big Berkey, they would have already had a line of defense for the negligence.According to the: "Schuette's office filed charges against Mike Glasgow, 40, of Flint, the city's laboratory and water quality supervisor; Mike Prysby, 53, of Bath, a Michigan Department of Environmental Quality official; and Stephen Busch, 40, of DeWitt, the Lansing district coordinator for the DEQ's Office of Drinking Water and Municipal Assistance."You see? The conspiracy wasn't on the consumer end. The ones who conspired were the ones who covered up the truth. Get informed daily . Stalk the truth! It could save your health and your life. Cleaning up India's spice industry (NaturalNews) Pesticides are causing serious problems all over the world. Most pesticides and herbicides , once taken up by the body, go to war with the endocrine system, blocking the body's ability to regulate its own hormones. In India, these dangerous pesticides are beginning to contaminate the country's most healthy, top export spices.Countries that import India's spices report rising levels of pesticide residue . Spices adulterated with pesticides include turmeric, cumin, ginger, chili and pepper. This is a huge problem, considering the fact that India has 45 percent of the market share for these and other important spices.Bhaskar Shah, chairman of the Indian Spice and Foodstuff Exporters' Association (ISFEA) has raised the alarm: "If pesticide and adulteration are not tackled by strict action from both government and industry, we will lost [sic] our market."In recent years, importers have begun to reject India's spice lots due to pesticide adulteration. Spices Board India saw a 25 percent export increase for India's spices in 2012 and 2013, but by 2014 and 2015, the increase in exports dropped off by 16 percent.A. Jayathilak of Spices Board India says that their spices have continuously been in demand until recently, when the spices' once superior quality started falling off. "It is true that adulteration and pesticide issues are major aspects governing the food industry and trade market. All importing countries have their own stringent food laws and regulations to ensure the safety and health of their citizens and exporters have to abide by these. The food standards, guidelines and codes of practices on imported items are different for each country. Hence, Indian exporters face an immense challenge." The industry wants to deliver quality spices, but feels that government regulations do nothing to assist in actually fixing the problem.He did add, however, that India has taken the right steps to maintain its image and work to fix the pesticide problem.One of the ways to fix the problem is to implement laboratory validation for pesticide residues , mycotoxins, dyes and potential microbial contamination. Spices Board India has responded to that call by establishing seven laboratories at their largest export locations. More work, resulting in more transparency, lies ahead.Managing director for Spicexim, Yogesh Mehta puts it in perspective: "Adulteration and pesticides are the major concern. So far, importing countries have not taken major steps for India, other than tightening the rules. If we will not deliver quality products, it could be a big threat."Other proposed solutions include sending clean food scientists to farmers to help educate them about pesticide adulteration and mitigating the risk of contamination. These quality improvement training programs could help farmers seek organic certification Traders and exporters are now meeting to form special task forces to educate everyone in the industry about what to look out for to prevent pesticide adulteration. Jayathilak concludes: "The issue has to be communicated to all stakeholders and the reform for production of clean and safe spices has to begin from the basic level of industry."Don't miss Mike Adams, the Health Ranger's, new book Food Forensics , if you are concerned about pesticide residues on the foods you and your family enjoy. A San Diego woman was banned from all national parks in the United States for vandalizing rock formations. Casey Nocket pleaded guilty to seven misdemeanors counts for defiling rock formations with graffiti in national parks. U.S. Magistrate Judge Sheila K. Oberto also sentenced the 23-year-old woman to 200 hours of community work. On 2014, the self-proclaimed hiker traveled to Death Valley and Yosemite National Parks in California, Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, Rocky Mountain National Park and Colorado National Monument in Colorado, Crater Lake National Park in Oregon and Zion National Park in Utah, where she tarnished the rock formations with her artworks. Previous reports said the paintings were made using acrylic paint. As if unaware of the repercussions, she even left her signature "creepytings" on the paintings and documented and posted photos of them on social media, prompting outrage. #NatureIsGay #creepytings #caseynocketart A photo posted by Casey Nocket (@theofficialcreepytings) on Oct 24, 2014 at 12:58pm PDT According to Yahoo News, extreme methods such as sandblasting and chemical stripping were used in some of Nocket's "artwork," resulting to more cleanup problems and severe damage to the irreplaceable natural features. Quoting acting U.S. Atty. Phillip A. Talbert, LA Times wrote, "The defendant's defacement of multiple rock formations showed a lack of respect for the law and our shared national treasures. The National Park Service has worked hard to restore the rock formations to their natural state, completing clean-up efforts in five of the seven national parks." Meanwhile, a hearing to determine the amount of restitution Nocket is required to pay will be held at a later date, KTLA 5 reported. Nocket's social media account has been deleted since the issue. Cleanup efforts are expected to be continued once the weather permits. A tornado accompanied by hailstorms, torrential rains and lightning ripped through eastern China late last week, leaving many dead and injured. According to a BBC report, the winds roared up to 125 kilometers per hour (78 miles per hour), ravaging homes, farms and factories and leaving people trapped under rubbles and dead bodies lying in open. "When the tornado hit, the wind was howling and the sky turned as dark as night," a local villager told CNN by phone on Friday as he described how it was like as the tornado devoured his village. "Almost all the houses here have collapsed," he added. According to The Associated Press, Jiangsu Gov. Shi Taifeng confirmed 98 deaths, with 800 injuries within Yancheng which has more than seven million residents. Xinhua news agency described the tornado, which hit parts of Yancheng City about 2:30 p.m., as the worst disaster to ever hit Jiangsu, a province just a short drive from Shanghai. The disaster was declared a national emergency by Chinese President Xi Jinping while in Uzbekistan on a state visit. Xi immediately ordered "all-out rescue efforts and the prioritization of life-saving measures," according to the Xinhua news agency. Thousands of rescuers were deployed to search through the rubbles. Photos showing how the tornado has devastated the province circulated online--upturned vehicles, broken trees and busted light poles and electrical lines. Independent noted that summers often bring severe weather to China. However, the lack of emergency response teams and awareness on what to do in the face of such calamities made the situation worse. In addition, drainage infrastructures in many cities are poor. Just this week, floods killed more than 20 people in southern China. As of now, survivors in the debris had all been rescued, and the clean-up was now under way. Central government in Beijing has extended their help by providing tents, beds and emergency lights. A few weeks ago, Disney World Resorts in Florida made headlines after a two-year-old boy named Lane Graves was dragged and drowned by an alligator into the Disney World's Seven Seas Lagoon. The incident has resulted to grievances and outrage from people who believe that his parents should have been more attentive to their child and that the resort should have placed warning signs. Lane Graves, 2 Rest In Peace, little man. pic.twitter.com/QgnZkLzHnF Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) June 16, 2016 While the body of the boy had been recovered a few hours after the incident occurred, the alligator has not been found until late last week. On Wednesday, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission released a statement saying that the alligator incident investigation has come into conclusion. "The FWC is confident that the alligator responsible for the attack has been removed. This conclusion is based on expert analyses and observations by staff with extensive experience in investigating fatal alligator bite incidents. The conclusion took into account the proximity to the attack site of removed alligators and witness descriptions," the statement read. It noted that a total of six alligators were humanely removed from the lake. Two of the six alligators, both believed to fit the size range of the predator that captured the boy, were close enough in proximity to the accident location, making the FWC very confident that the alligator responsible to the fatality has been removed. There was no animal DNA found in the boy's wound, so the investigation was based on deduction by experts. According to USA Today, the young Graves was playing at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa on Tuesday night when he was snatched by an alligator. In shock, the father tried to wrestle with the beast but was unsuccessful in retrieving his child. The body of the toddler was later found about six feet below the murky waters and only 15 feet from where he was last seen. Meanwhile, Pix 11 reported that Walt Disney World reopened its beaches to guests on Thursday and added signboards warning visitors about alligators to promote safety within the vicinity. Reading news about the ocean's coral reefs can be quite depressing. Good news about reefs is hard to come by these days. Usually, a search will lead to headlines of coral bleaching, warming oceans, climate change, overfishing, pollution, and the like. According to a new study published in the journal Nature, scientists have discovered 15 regions in the Pacific and Indian oceans where coral reefs previously had a dire future, which are now doing better than predictions through ecological models. The study was held by researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia together with 30 organizations including the National Geographic's Pristine Seas Initiative. They observed 2,500 reefs across 46 countries, and they discovered that areas where humans do not live and fish are doing better than previous predictions. What changed their predictions? Apparently, it was humans who are living near the reefs. They had low overall impact on those reefs as compared to other locations. The study claims that people in the communities living near those 15 coral reef locations have had discussions on how to manage the reefs properly. The locals have reef management plans, wherein local fishermen are the ones who are enforcing the policies. PNR reported that measures to prevent overfishing have proven more effective as opposed to top-down policies from those living outside the communities. What indicated the revival of the health of these coral reefs were the fish populations, as fish depend on these reefs for food and shelter. When the coral reefs suffer from coral bleaching, which takes place due to warming seas, the number of fish drop as well. This has been a growing concern among scientists since healthy corals in places like the Great Barrier Reef, have been dying in large swaths. What does this positive observations prove? "Our results suggest that investments in strengthening fisheries governance, particularly aspects such as participation and property rights, could facilitate innovative conservation actions that help communities defy expectations of global reef degradation," according to the study authors, as published in the journal Nature. This is good news for the future of our dead coral reefs. As these bright spots prove, communities have the power to minimize the threats to the world's coral reefs and keep the corals healthy if they work together. That said, if we truly want to save our reefs, it means regulations are not enough to do that. We must also take action to stop further warming of the oceans. There are hundreds of extra-terrestrial conspiracy theories but the most common ones involve NASA most of the time. The premiere space agency has full access to classified and public data that explains why the agency is prone to be accused of a cover-up. A recent report claims that NASA is covering up an alien city found on Mars. Mars NASA Rover Takes Close Up Photo Of Buildings, June 23, 2016, UFO Sighting News. https://t.co/XycYY0Ml9f pic.twitter.com/78t9gKx63D Scott (@SCWBooks) June 24, 2016 According to a UFO hunter and blogger Scott Waring, NASA's Curiosity Rover photographed a section of what appears to be a Martian city with an apparent apartment building, but that the agency tried to prevent the public from viewing the said photograph. The image in question was published by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in black and while showing a hill on the surface of Mars with the sky as its background, allegedly published in a small "thumbnail" size. Alien chasers commend Waring with his latest "discovery" and evidence of alien life and civilization on Mars calling it a "historic breakthrough." Warring explained his findings in a post on the UFO Sightings Daily blog. Building with windows and doors perched on the hillside were seen according to Waring. UFO hunters said that the structures could be part of a large alien city or industrial buildings, factories or warehouses. What ignited the uproar was the fact the NASA only published the image as a thumbnail and not in a high-resolution format. This is part of NASA's attempt to cover up evidence of extraterrestrial life, according to UFO hunters. "I found a photo on the NASA site, but the original is only 4kb in size," the veteran alien chaser said in a statement. "For those who don't understand digital sizes, this thing is so small that it could be an app icon on your cell phone. Fingernail size..." Waring added. The obviously small photo raised a red flag for conspiracy theorists. While Waring claims to enhance and enlarge the photo to reveal his "discovery." The finding was posted on the blog on June 23. On the enhanced image, Waring asked if what he is seeing is building or "pixelated rocks?" The very small resolution of the photograph makes it really difficult to identify. But for Waring, this just proves that NASA is trying to get away with it by publishing really small image just to say that the agency is not hiding anything. In 2015, a conspiracy theorist also accused NASA of hiding Alien underground bases on Mars, according to TechTimes. However, NASA is very careful when dealing with alien theories and prefers to speak about facts and data gathered by the agency's state-of-the-art equipment. Earlier this year, a former NASA employee James Oberg, who dedicated his life to explaining every UFO sighting on Earth by comparing UFO sighting to NASA mission data, said he had enough experience with real spaceflight to conclude that what people claim as UFOs are nothing beyond the "norm." Oberg added that people have a tendency to misinterpret events that are new to their perception and didn't occur in a normal setting. Health authorities had issued warnings about LED street lighting. Yellow street lights are being replaced by white LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights to save energy. But according to the American Medical Association (AMA), LEDs could be damaging to our health, affecting sleep and vision. In an official statement, which was adopted unanimously at the AMA's annual meeting in Chicago earlier this month, the AMA addressed issues about the new LED street lighting in the country. The group adopted new guidelines, which include the following: Proper conversion to community based LED lighting, which reduces energy consumption and decreases the use of fossil fuels. Minimize and control blue-rich environmental lighting by using the lowest emission of blue light. Use 3000K or lower lighting for outdoor installations All LED lighting should be properly shielded LED lighting should be dimmed during off-peak time periods "Despite the energy efficiency benefits, some LED lights are harmful when used as street lighting," AMA board member Maya Babu said in the AMA press release. Medical experts said that white LEDs may be emitting too much blue light, and this can disrupt sleep by suppressing melatonin and interfering with the body's circadian rhythm - the body's natural 24-hour cycle. LED is also estimated to suppress melatonin five times more than conventional street lights. The AMA also stressed the potential of LED street lights to cause glare and recommended to reduce the blue wavelengths in the lights. According to the AMA, outdoor lighting at night, particularly street lights, should have a color temperature (CT) of not more than 3000 Kelvin (K). A white LEDs at CT 4000K or 5000K have been chosen to be installed in street lights in cities such as Seattle and New York. However, after these installations, many complained about the harshness of the LEDs. In Davis, California, residents demanded a complete replacement of their LED street lights, CNN reported. A recent report from the World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness said that street lighting is a major contributor of light pollution. Moreover, bright lighting is known to have a negative effect on wildlife, disturb the migratory patterns of birds and some aquatic animals nesting on shore. A raging wildfire in Central California has killed two people and is feared to kill more, authorities said. The Erskine Fire, which wreaked havoc in the Lake Isabella area of Kern County north of Los Angeles, California last Thursday, has already threatened over 1,500 lives and burned down about 200 homes. The remains of two elderly people - a man and a woman - were found on Friday, the Kern County Fire Department said. Authorities said that the bodies were discovered outside a burned-down house, and it seemed that the pair were trying to escape the flames when they were overcome. Another set of remains has been found on Saturday, but authorities have not yet confirmed whether they were human. "We've located what we believe are human remains," Ray Pruitt, spokesman for the Kern County Sheriff's Office, told Los Angeles Times. "We are treating it like a crime scene. ... It appears to be one set of human remains, pretty badly burned." Officials told NBC News on Sunday that death toll may continue to rise. Cadaver dogs were also brought in to search for remains. Officials announced that the fire was 40 percent contained on Sunday night. The Erskine Fire had grown from 37,000 acres to 43,360 acres during the day, racing through rural communities and wiping out entire blocks. Authorities said on Sunday that about 2,500 homes remain under threat. Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency and authorized the use of funds and resources to fight the fire, ABC News reported. The cause of the fire is still a subject of criminal investigation. But Kent County Fire Engineer Anthony Romero told NBC that the scorching weather could make it difficult for fire fighters to contain the fire. "That's something we have to keep an eye on," Romero said. "It could spark another disaster." The hot and dry weather have contributed to massive wildfires in Southern California in the past week, including twin fires in the San Gabriel area that burned 5,267 acres and another in San Diego County, which affected 7,609 acres. But according to fire authorities, most were almost 60 percent contained. Care for some Martian salad? A team of Dutch scientists announced that they have grown four types of veggies in soil that's similar on Mars, and they are deemed safe to eat. The scientists from Wagenigen University in Netherlands have successfully cultured radishes, peas, rye and tomatoes on a type of soil developed by NASA containing Martian and Lunar soil simulants. The Guardian reports that the team has been experimenting in growing Martian vegetables since 2013 and has since then raised 10 crops, six of which need further testing to see if they are not dangerous for human consumption. These remarkable results are very promising, said senior ecologist Wieger Wamelink. According to Universe Today, the project, called MarsOne, aims to overcome all challenges in future human colonization on Mars including food. The greenhouse for Martian veggies are located in a glass complex in a town called Nergena. Since MarsOne's inception in 2012, ecologists and crop scientists have been testing various types of seeds to determine which of those will grow best in a Lunar and Martian condition. After successfully harvesting the said four crops, the scientists observed if the seeds from the plants would be able to germinate in the Mars-like soil for re-harvesting. Our expectation were very low. So we were very surprised that on the Mars soil simulant plants grew rather well and even better than on our nutrient poor control earth soil," Wamelink explained. "There were also problems, the biggest that it was very difficult to keep the soil moist and that though on Mars soil simulant there was growth it was not very good, i.e. the amount of biomass formed was low. The Guardian notes that NASA has plans of sending a manned trip to Mars in the near future, and studies that focus on human necessities for Martian colonization is a must. In order to ensure that future human populations on Mars will have a variety of food sources, Wamelink explains that it's vital to test as much veggies and crops as possible. An Oakland police officer was injured Sunday after a pair of police patrol cars were involved in a fiery crash during the pursuit of a suspect, police told the Mercury News. It was the second Oakland police vehicle in as many days to burst into flames after a crash. Sunday's crash occurred in the Fruitvale district at Carrington Street and 38th Avenue, where the pursuing patrol car, an SUV, collided with another patrol car, the Mercury News reported. The police SUV burst into flames, but the officer was able to escape without serious injury, according to witnesses. The officer driving the other patrol car reportedly was taken away in an ambulance. His condition was unknown. The suspect being pursued was detained after reportedly crashing the vehicle he was driving into some parked cars about a mile from the police collision. Sunday's crash came just hours after another Oakland police patrol car was invloved in a fiery crash on Interstate 580. In that collision, police chased a carjacking suspect onto the freeway around 11 p.m. Saturday. During the pursuit, another car stopped in the patrol car's path and the officer swerved, crashing into a pole. The officer's car caught fire, but he was not seriously injured. The suspect in that pursuit was later arrested in San Leandro. A group of Cuban migrants who appeared to be armed with machetes reached the shore Florida's Hollywood Beach on Saturday afternoon, authorities said. According to Hollywood police, 11 Cuban migrants landed on Hollywood Beach near the 6000 block of North Ocean Drive around 6:20 p.m. One of the migrants, Yoandy Alonoso Figueredo, said the trip lasted eight days and the group went without food and water for four. He said the sight of the coastline brought them hope. Coast Guard officials tried to divert the migrants' boat before it reached Hollywood Beach. Officials said the migrants appeared to be armed with machetes and large knives and were threatening to harm themselves if their boat was stopped. When they reached the shore, the migrants ran from the boat toward an approaching crowd of around 200 people, police said. Border Patrol officials said some migrants were shot with Tasers while trying to escape. "I saw this guy come out of the boat. He just ran and then the police officers were chasing him with a Taser," said a man who recorded the migrants' arrival on his cellphone. Two were detained and one was taken to the hospital. The Cuban migrant who was hospitalized hurt himself with a machete when police confronted him, officials said. Hes recovering from his injuries at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. All the migrants were taken to a hospital and transferred to federal custody. Since October, at least 4,643 Cubans have attempted to illegally migrate to the U.S. by boat compared to 4,473 in 2015. In a decisive victory for supporters of abortion rights, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down tough restrictions on abortions in Texas that have halved the number of clinics in the state that provide the procedure. The 5-3 ruling on one of the most divisive issues in the country came at the end of the current term with only eight justices taking part. The challenge to the Texas regulations was one of the most important abortion cases in 25 years. The Texas law requires clinics that provide abortions to meet the same building standards as walk-in surgical centers and doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals. "We conclude that neither of these provisions offers medical benefits sufficient to justify the burdens upon access that each imposes," Justice Stephen G. Breyer wrote for the majority. Each violates the Constitution, he wrote. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More After Texas passed the new regulations in 2013, the number of clinics dropped from 42 to 19 and was predicted to fall further to fewer than 10. Hillary Clinton called the decision a victory for women across America and said, "Safe abortion should be a rightnot just on paper, but in reality." "This fight isn't over: The next president has to protect women's health," the presumptive Democratic nominee for president tweeted. "Women won't be 'punished' for exercising their basic rights." President Barack Obama said that it was clear that the regulations harmed women's health. "We remain strongly committed to the protection of women's health, including protecting a woman's access to safe, affordable health care and her right to determine her own future," he said in a statement. SCOTUS's decision is a victory for women in Texas and across America. Safe abortion should be a rightnot just on paper, but in reality. -H Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 27, 2016 Breyer was joined by Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented. Thomas, citing an earlier abortion case heard by the Supreme Court, wrote that the decision exemplified, "the Court's troubling tendency 'to bend the rules when any effort to limit abortion, or even to speak in opposition to abortion, is at issue.'" Former Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis, who held a filibuster to try to block Republicans from passing it in 2013, said she was overjoyed at the ruling. "It's incredible news for the women of Texas," Davis said on MSNBC. "It's incredible news for the women throughout this country." Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton decried the decision and said that the regulations were an effort to improve minimum safety standards and ensure capable care. "Its exceedingly unfortunate that the court has taken the ability to protect women's health out of the hands of Texas citizens and their duly-elected representatives," he said in a statement. When the court heard the case, Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, in March, Kennedy seemed to want more information about the law's effects on women. Supporters of the restrictions said they were passed to improve the safety of clinics. Opponents said this law and others were intended to block access to abortion. The new requirements will make abortions more expensive but not safer, they said. "The record ... contains evidence indicating that abortions taking place in an abortion facility are safeindeed, safer than numerous procedures that take place outside hospitals and to which Texas does not apply its surgical-center requirements," Breyer wrote in the opinion. The Center for Reproductive Rights said that complications from abortions were unusual and that patients rarely required hospitalization. "We are thrilled that these dangerous provisions have been struck down," Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said in a statement. "This is a win for women. Every person must have the right to make their own personal decisions about abortion, and we will fight like hell to ensure they do." A federal appeals court had upheld the Texas law. A tie would have left it in place. In recent years, the abortion battle has turned to a focus on such requirements as mandatory counseling, waiting periods and ultrasounds. About a dozen other states, including Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi have laws similar to the Texas one, some of which have been on hold pending court challenges. "They're all overturned," said Sara Rosenbaum, a professor of health law and policy at George Washington University. Other states could try to distinguish their laws from the one that got rejected in Texas but the court did not parse the particular standards of surgical centers that it considered burdensome, she said. "So if you have one of these laws, that is a burden because there is no sense in making an abortion clinic doing early abortions to have to meet surgical facility standards," she said. "To the extent that other states try to wiggle out, I think the court's decision basically shuts that door." Drew Halfmann, an associate professor of sociology at the University of California Davis, said the dismantling of those laws will take place piece by piece as abortion-rights advocates sue. He said Monday's decision is indicative of a shift in focus. "There is now this idea that it should be evidence-based when referring to what is good for women's health as opposed to what legislatures think is right," he said. Twenty-five states have other sorts of facilities requirements and what happens to them will be even more interesting, he said. The next battle will come as Democrats try to take control of state governments, he said. Twenty-two states now have a Republican governor and Republicans in charge of both houses of the legislature compared to just eight controlled by Democrats. "That is where these laws are being passed," he said. The Supreme Court in the 1992 case "Planned Parenthood v. Casey" said that state laws could not create an "undue burden" on a woman's right to an abortion before the fetus becomes viable. Laws whose purpose is to place substantial obstacles to a woman's ability to get an abortion impose such a burden. Kennedy helped to craft the opinion in Casey but also wrote the majority opinion in a 2007 case in which the court affirmed Congress right to enact a partial birth abortion ban given "a legitimate interest in regulating the medical profession." The ruling in Casey and the 2007 case, Gonzales v. Carhart, formed the basis of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeal's decision last June that the Texas law was constitutional. The court ruled that the law did not create a substantial obstacle because clinics were given a proper window to comply with the standards and because, in the event certain clinics were forced to close, there were enough other clinics available. The death of Justice Antonin Scalia in February has left his seat empty. The U.S. Senate has refused to act on Obama's nomination of Merrick Garland to replace him. Read the Opinion Here Hillary Clinton will campaign in Chicago Monday as her poll numbers surge. Clinton will be the keynote speaker at an International Womens Luncheon as part of the 50th annual Rainbow PUSH Coalition convention. The event, which will take place at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, will be hosted by Jacqueline Jackson, wife of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. Jackson is the founder and president of Rainbow PUSH Coalition. The luncheons theme is "lifting as we climb." Mrs. Jackson said Clinton was an appropriate speaker because that is exactly what Hillary has done her entire career. Clinton will also hold a fundraiser at The Ivy Room Monday. Hosts for the event, who will receive a VIP reception with Clinton, have to raise $27,000. General admission is $2,700. Members of Clintons National Finance Committee, known as Hillblazers, will host the event. Prior to her scheduled noon arrival to Chicago, Clinton will join Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren for their first joint event at a rally in Cincinnati, Ohio. For Clinton, the visit offers an important opportunity to win back some of the liberal and younger voters she lost to Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the primary. Though Sanders said on Friday that he'd vote for Clinton, he's shied away from offering a full-throated endorsement or urging his supporters to back her. For Warren, the appearance may be more like an audition, closely watched for any sign of chemistry between the two politicians. She's currently being vetted by lawyers involved in Clinton's vice presidential search, and they've asked Warren for documents and to complete a questionnaire. The next step: a private interview with Clinton. It will be a whirlwind couple of days for Clinton as she makes a few stops in the Midwest. On Sunday, Clinton was in Indianapolis. The appearance at the U.S. Conference of Mayors was her first since Britain voted to leave the European Union. Clinton clinched the Democratic presidential nomination earlier this month, becoming the first female in the countrys history to be nominated for president. Thousands of mayflies have taken over a bridge in central Illinois, creating a traffic nightmare for commuters trying to make their way across the city. The Havana Police Department warned drivers of a massive mayfly swarm on its Facebook page Monday morning, posting two photos that showed the bridge over the Illinois River and a local squad car blanketed by the bugs. At one point the mound of insects piled 6 inches high, according to the post, making for slick and dangerous roadways for vehicles trying to make their way through the mess. There were already motorcycle accidents due to this and cars stuck in the center of the bridge, police said. Newly winged mayflies will emerge from the waters where they live until adulthood in droves when triggered by the right temperature, according to The Wall Street Journal. The insects then die within a few days. The City of Havana Street Department and IDOT are working to get the mayflies under control, authorities said. [NATL] Unbelievable Animal Stories: Dog Befriends Abandoned Baby Giraffe Despite two veterinarians declaring him an American Bulldog, the Internet's beloved dog Diggy is still facing eviction from his home over a town law banning pit bulls, his owner said. Detroit musician Dan Tillery, Diggy's owner, said Monday the Waterford Township prosecutor has decided to follow through with a case aiming to remove Diggy from the town after authorities said the dog appeared to be a pit bull. "Don't worry Diggy is safe at home with me and his momma," Tillery wrote on Facebook. "My Lawyer and I are going to do everything possible to make sure Diggy stays in his home with us, his family." Tillery has been fighting to keep his beloved rescue pup after a photo of the two went viral, garnering attention from the Waterford Township Police Department. Tillery adopted Diggy from the Detroit Dog Rescue after he had been at the shelter for nearly 100 days. A photo of Diggy smiling with Tillery at his new home quickly took over the Internet. According to the rescue, animal control and veterinary paperwork classified Diggy as an American bulldog, and the rescue called the township before approving the adoption. But city officials "made a visual identification on Diggy and classified him as a pit bull," the rescue wrote in a Facebook post. Two weeks ago, an independent Waterford veterinarian determined Diggy is an American bulldog and that paperwork was submitted to city officials. On Monday, however, the rescue said "the city is skeptical to believe veterinarians now, because they think any vet would just want Diggy to stay in a good home." "We are extremely disappointed in this decision and feel we have fulfilled every request of the city, even before Diggy's adoption," the post read. The Waterford Township Prosecutor did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the case. The Michigan city has an ordinance banning pit bulls or pit bull terriers. According to the ordinance, that includes "any dog which exhibits those phenotypical characteristics which substantially conform to the breed standards established by the American Kennel Club" for American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers, or American pit bull terriers. Police could not immediately be reached for comment on the matter, but told the Oakland Press they gave Tillery a three-day grace period to remove Diggy from the home. Waterford Police Chief Scott Underwood told the publication "it's a pretty clear case of an ordinance that makes it clear what's permissable and what's not." [NATL] Unbelievable Animal Stories: Dog Befriends Abandoned Baby Giraffe Tillery said he anticipated there may be questions surrounding his beloved new pup after the photo went viral, but what he didn't expect was that his dog's appearance would be enough to cause such a problem. "I thought that because I had two vets' paperwork, I thought thatd be it," he said. "I did not expect for them to say, 'Well he looks like a pit bull to me so hes got to go,' and for the whole world to rally around the dog." A petition looking to keep Diggy at his new home and lift the "pit bull ban" has since received nearly 80,000 signatures. "This ordinance has been in place for many years," the petition says. "Many families have had to give up their family pets due to this law. It is important for all of us to come together and be a voice for not only Diggy the American Bulldog, but all of the pets and people that have suffered heartache in the past years. We must remember, it is not the animal that is the beast, it is man that creates the beast. Aggressive dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and BREEDS. This should be handled on a case by case basis." Tillery said while he appreciates all the support and hopes no other dog gets discriminated against like Diggy, his focus remains on his current battle. "I have no intentions of Diggy going anywhere," he said. "Diggy's my dog." A friend of former New England Patriots star tight end Aaron Hernandez pleaded guilty on Monday to accessory after the fact for helping the NFL player after he shot a man to death in 2013. Hernandez was convicted in Massachusetts last year for the June 17, 2013, killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating his fiance's sister. He is serving life without the possibility of parole, although has said he intends to appeal. The reason for the killing remains unclear. At the time, Hernandez had a $40 million contract with the Patriots. Carlos Ortiz, 30, of Bristol, Connecticut, changed his plea to guilty on Monday in Bristol County Superior Court in Massachusetts as part of a deal with prosecutors, who dropped murder charges against him. He was sentenced to 4 1/2 to 7 years in prison. Ortiz and Ernest Wallace were with Hernandez the night of Lloyd's death. Prosecutors used surveillance video and other evidence to show that the three men traveled to Boston together, picked up Lloyd, and then brought him to a deserted industrial park near Hernandez's home. He was found shot to death at the park hours later. Both Ortiz and Wallace were initially charged with accessory after the fact and later charged with murder. Wallace was tried earlier this year and convicted of the accessory charge, but found not guilty of murder. He also was sentenced to 4 to 7 years in prison. During Monday's hearing, Superior Court Judge Susan Garsh led Ortiz through a series of questions asking whether he understood the changes and understood the consequences of a guilty plea. She explained that prosecutors would have had to prove that Ortiz knew Hernandez killed Lloyd, and she asked him how he knew that. "When we got to the spot, the only two people that got out of the car was Aaron Hernandez and Odin Lloyd," Ortiz told her. He said when he heard the gunshot, he turned around to look. "The only one person that came in was Aaron Hernandez," he said. Later, Ortiz began to cry as he listened to Lloyd's mother speak about how much she missed her son. "My heart aches, for three years of not hearing my son's voice, not seeing his smiling face," Ursula Ward said. The plea brings an end to the criminal case in Lloyd's killing, but Hernandez's legal woes are not over. He has pleaded not guilty to a 2012 double murder in Boston, and is also facing multiple civil lawsuits. A 34-year-old New York man was hospitalized after being attacked with a machete in Waterbury. Waterbury police say Christopher McGorman of Yonkers was walking in the area of 203 Willow Street around 6:15 p.m. Saturday when a man drove up to him in a black Honda or Acura. The man got out of the car and approached McGorman, then began swinging at him with a stick and a machete. McGorman defended himself and the suspect then threw the machete into a nearby yard and fled in his vehicle. McGorman suffered injuries to his back and shoulder from the stick and partial amputations to some of the fingers on his right hand. He was transported to St. Marys Hospital but police say he will likely be transferred due to the severity of the finger injuries. Police responded and located the machete and the attackers ball cap. Anyone with information on this attack is encouraged to contact Waterbury police. Nine protesters were arrested at an immigration rally in Hartford for blocking Main Street, police said. Seven men and two women held a sign spanning across Main Street on Monday, blocking traffic for approximately 45 minutes, Hartford Police said. The protesters face disorderly conduct charges and expected to be released from police custody on a promise to appear in court, Hartford Police Deputy Chief Brian Foley said. "We knew the protest would be here, we didn't know they'd do arranged arrests," Foley said. "We warned them to move, in both English and Spanish." The Connecticut Immigrant Right Alliance gathered in front of Hartford's Federal Immigration Building in response to Supreme Court decision on DAPA, DACA and other immigration programs that was ruled last Thursday. The ruling prevents putting Barack Obama's 2014 immigration policy -- that will shield more than 4 million people from deportation -- from going into effect during the rest of the president's term. Foley said protesters blocking the road put the Hartford Hospital, just down the street, at risk. Hospitals are always notified about protests in order to take alternate routes, he added. AJ Walker contributed to this report. Some visitors to the University of Connecticut Dairy Bar got more than just a dairy treat Sunday afternoon they got the whole dairy cow! Dairy Bar employees tell NBC Connecticut cows from Horsebarn Hill got loose around 1:45 p.m. and began wandering the area. Three Dairy Bar employees and other UConn personnel rounded the cattle up and returned them to the field where they graze. The excitement lasted about 30 minutes. For more information about the UConn Animal Barns visit their website. Glastonbury police have arrested a woman who is accused of keying another womans car during a dance recital at a middle school. Jasmin Ayala, 36, of Manchester, is accused of keying an acquaintances car during a dance recital at Smith Middle School in Glastonbury on June 5 and causing thousands of dollars in damage. "Ribbons of paint were like lying on the top of the car that's how deep she went," Dr. Bridget Cooper said about her car. Police said the two women had a prior argument and happened to be at the same recital. "It was upsetting, felt violating. I felt like I had been attacked," Cooper said. There was surveillance video, according to police, and Ayala is accused of causing $10,700 worth of damage. She was arrested on June 22, charged with first-degree criminal mischief and has been released on a promise to appear, according to online court records. She is due back in court on July 18. In less than three weeks, Texas plans to implement $350 million in planned cuts to an insurance program that pays for speech, physical and occupational therapy for children with disabilities. The cuts, set to go into effect July 15, impact state and federal dollars from Medicaid, a program that provides health coverage to people with low income or disabilities. Children like 7-year-old Macario Chavarria III, of Dallas, could be negatively impacted. Chavarria has autism and takes part in doctor-recommended, twice-weekly speech and occupational therapy at a clinic in Oak Cliff. Just until a couple years ago he was still just saying one to three words, Macario's father said. I was thinking, Well, hes not going to be a normal little boy. Chavarria Jr., a single father raising two children, said he's seen a big improvement in his son's speech and social skills since the therapy sessions at a clinic run by Easter Seals North Texas, a non-profit organization serving children and adults with disabilities and special needs. The Chavarria family uses Medicaid to pay for therapy, as do tens of thousands of families of special needs children. This is a really dangerous situation that our state is getting us into, Therapeutic and Autism Services for Easter Seals North Texas Vice President Jennifer Friesen said. One of the things that Easter Seals is most concerned about is the long-term impact that these cuts will have. Friesen said the Medicaid cuts will result in a decreased reimbursement rate for providers of therapy services, meaning clinics will not be able to cover costs. That will result in a number of unfortunate outcomes, according to Friesen, including some clinics dropping patients who use Medicaid for their insurance. If these cuts go through, there is potential Macario wont be able to access service because the reimbursement rates are so low that there wont be very many therapy providers available to families because many of the therapy providers are not going to be able to accept Medicaid rates only on a limited, with a limited number of clients, Friesen said. Last week, Democrats in the Texas House reached out to the Obama administration to request some form of intervention. In a letter addressed to the Acting Administrator for the United States Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, all 50 Democratic Texas representatives asked help ensuring that medically necessary therapy continue unimpeded. We urge CMS to expeditiously review the State Plan Amendment to ensure that proposed rate reductions do not restrict access to medically necessary therapy services, regardless of the setting, type of therapy, or whether the therapy service is provided in a managed care or fee for service model, the letter notes in its concluding paragraph. The motivation for the cuts was based in the concern by state lawmakers that the Medicaid system was wrought with fraud, and that its ever-increasing budget needed to be brought under control. Macario Chavarria, Jr. said he is not sure what will happen if Medicaid cuts impact his sons access to therapy. But he is concerned that this is something he even needs to worry about. I kind of feel upset about it, because its not hurting us as parents. Its hurting the kids because thats something thats helping them for the future, Chavarria, Jr. said. Something that the need to develop so they wont stay behind. Dallas police say a critical missing man who was reportedly armed with a knife has been found.[[384540331,R]] According to police, Daniel Bocanegra, 33, was reported missing after he was seen driving a 1980-1990's model Lincoln Towncar in the 3700 block of West Davis Street after 7 a.m. Monday morning. Bocanegra is 5-foot-6-inches tall and weighs 200 pounds. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt, khaki shorts and white shoes, police said. Officers originally feared Bocanegra may pose a danger to himself or others. Police said Bocanegra was located after 10 a.m. Monday. In her absence, loved ones of Linda Martin hope her legacy will continue to live on. On May 31, 55-year-old Linda Martin was fatally shot at a busy Southlake intersection. Her estranged husband, 52-year-od Kenneth Martin, is now being held in Tarrant County charged with her murder. The two were going through a divorce and in the process of a dividing up property and businesses. According to Jason Hitt, Linda Martins boyfriend, she left a tense mediation session with her husband moments before the shooting. She tried to get a restraining order, he said. I knew that she knew it was coming." Hitt said he was on the phone with her at the time of the shooting. "I heard what happened," he said. "I heard the gun shots. Hitt is now trying to change the mediation procedures surrounding family law in Texas. Mediation, right now, puts two people in very close proximity in a very fixed time and fixed location," he said. "For someone of domestic violence, that makes no sense. Hitt has reached out to Senator Ellis, in an effort to protect other spouses of domestic violence, who are going through a divorce. I am proposing that someone should have the ability to have tele-conferencing so that someone can be remote," he said. "I am also proposing that there should be armed security to escort people out, and that there are staggered times of release. To extend her legacy, Hitt collected hundreds of signatures in favor of Flowermounds Peacock Park being renamed after Linda Martin, in her honor. She was a great person," he said. "I hope her story can protect other women who may be going through the same situation. [Domestic violence] is an issue that goes unspoken in our community, not just here in Flower Mound, but all over the United States. Women suffer in silence. Fort Worth police asked for help Sunday in identifying a masked bandit who killed a store clerk during a robbery, even though the victim was cooperating. Jimmy Khela, 38, was killed Saturday at about 4:30 p.m. at the Pronto Food Store in the 800 block of East Long Avenue in North Fort Worth. The store has been a fixture on Long Avenue for years. "I know this store since I was a kid, said Tino Yanes, who lives across this street. Yes, it hurts me a lot. Khela, of Euless, was married and had two young children. He emigrated from Egypt several years ago and also had a second job at D/FW International Airport, according to co-workers. Detectives released surveillance pictures of the masked gunman Sunday and asked for the publics help in identifying him. Customers stopped the store, which was temporarily closed, to leave flowers. "My kids would come and he would know them by name, said Janie Montes. And when they didn't have enough change, he would say, 'That's OK, next time you come.'" "He was so cool, said Cathie Montoya. He was so talkative. He would make conversation with everybody." A sign left on the front door spoke for many: "You will be missed. Much love from nearby customer. We will miss you our dear friend." Fort Worth has seen a rash of recent convenience store robberies, but police don't believe what happened here is related to those. Fort Worth firefighters rushed two children to hospitals from apartment complex swimming pools twice Sunday. Firefighters said they responded to the Bridge Hollow Apartments in the 5800 block of Bridge Street just after 6 p.m. and found a 9-year-old boy unresponsive. The boy later identified as 9-year-old Willie Glasper of Vidalia, Louisiana, by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner was transported to Cooks Children's Medical Center where he died. About an hour later, firefighters received another call from the Villas of Oak Hill Apartments in the 2500 block of Via Valencia. Firefighters said a 3-year-old boy was in a hot tub when an adult noticed he was unresponsive. That child was also transported to Cooks Children's Medical Center. His name and condition have also not been made public. A White Settlement firefighter who was struck by a pickup truck while riding his motorcycle Saturday has died. Officers said a black Ford F-150 followed Trevor Gage's motorcycle from westbound Interstate 30 near Montgomery Street to Spur 341 in West Fort Worth, where the truck and bike collided. Gage underwent emergency surgery due to a head injury he suffered. He died Sunday morning, the White Settlement Fire Department said in a Facebook post. "If a firefighter is going to lose his life you would think it would happen while fighting a fire," said White Settlement Mayor Ronald White. "It's a very sad situation. It's a very sad situation for the family." Gage is survived by his wife and three young children. A GoFundMe page has been set up for him and his family. He was a volunteer firefighter for nearly eight years, a fire department spokesman said. Police told NBCDFW's Chris Jose they consider the crash that fatally injured Gage to be a case of road rage. White Settlement police said they are looking for a gloss black Ford F-150 between the years 2010-2014 that may have scrape marks along the passenger side truck bed. They did not offer a detailed description of the driver. The truck likely doesn't have front end damage. Witnesses told police there is a sticker in the bottom left corner of the truck tailgate. If you see a vehicle that may match this description, call White Settlement police at 817-246-7070. The Supreme Court struck down Texas' widely replicated regulations on abortion clinics Monday in the court's biggest abortion case in nearly a quarter century. The justices voted 5-3 in favor of Texas clinics that had argued the regulations were only a veiled attempt to make it harder for women to get abortions in the nation's second-most populous state. Justice Stephen Breyer's majority opinion for the court held that the regulations are medically unnecessary and unconstitutionally limit a woman's right to an abortion. Texas had argued that its 2013 law and subsequent regulations were needed to protect women's health. The rules required doctors who perform abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals and forced clinics to meet hospital-like standards for outpatient surgery. While the landmark ruling echoes across the country, the heart of the case comes back to North Texas and Tarrant County where the petitioners, Whole Woman's Health, have a clinic in Fort Worth. "I'm feeling great. That was a big win, a really big win!" said Amy Hagstrom Miller, founder and CEO of Whole Woman's Health. It's also where one of the first grassroots groups that worked to put the regulations in place is based. "It's just unfortunate that the court didn't put women first today," said Kyleen Wright, President of Texans for Life. The Supreme Court ruling on abortion clinics in Texas has implications far beyond the Lone Star State. The ruling means clinics that were at risk of closing can keep operating, while others that already closed may reopen. The Arlington-based group pushed the hardest for requiring hospital admitting privileges. Wright is surprised that piece was reversed, allowing doctors who'd stopped providing abortions to begin again. But she says this was never about ending abortions entirely. "When women know the truth, women will drive another hour to get a better doctor in a sterile environment, with hallways wide enough to accommodate gurneys," said Wright. "These were common sense reforms that the rest of the medical community understands to be standard of care." But the Supreme Court's majority disagreed, calling the restrictions medically unnecessary and unconstitutional. Their ruling allows Whole Woman's Health in Fort Worth to stay open, it would have closed under the costly surgical building requirements. "We get to call our physicians, our clinics, we get to let them know that their doors get to stay open and then we'll look at what it's going to take us to restore access throughout the state of Texas," said Hagstrom Miller. The Supreme Court issued its strongest defense of abortion rights in a quarter century Monday, striking down Texas widely replicated regulations that sharply reduced the number of abortion clinics in the nations second most populous state. NBC 5s Chris Jose takes a look at whats next. Advocates say that process of reopening clinics will take time. Half the state's clinics already closed when the hospital admitting privileges requirement began. The piece requiring clinics be constructed like hospitals had been put on hold. If the High Court had allowed that piece to go forward, three quarters of clinics around the state were expected to be shut down. In the majority opinion, Justice Breyer wrote that "the surgical-center requirement, like the admitting privileges requirement, provides few, if any, health benefits for women, poses a substantial obstacle to women seeking abortions and constitutes an 'undue burden' on their constitutional right to do so." Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan joined Breyer. Ginsburg wrote a short opinion noting that laws like Texas' "that do little or nothing for health, but rather strew impediments to abortion, cannot survive judicial inspection" under the court's earlier abortion-rights decisions. She pointed specifically to Roe v. Wade in 1973 and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Thomas wrote that the decision "exemplifies the court's troubling tendency 'to bend the rules when any effort to limit abortion, or even to speak in opposition to abortion, is at issue.'" Thomas was quoting an earlier abortion dissent from Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February. Scalia has not yet been replaced, so only eight justices voted. Alito, reading a summary of his dissent in court, said the clinics should have lost on technical, procedural grounds. Alito said the court was adopting a rule of, "If at first you don't succeed, sue, sue again." When then-Gov. Rick Perry signed the law in 2013, there were about 40 clinics throughout the state. That number dropped to under 20 and would have been cut in half again if the law had taken full effect, abortion rights advocates said. Abortion rights advocates spoke in support of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling Monday that struck down Texas abortion clinic laws. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said the law "was an effort to improve minimum safety standards and ensure capable care for Texas women. It's exceedingly unfortunate that the court has taken the ability to protect women's health out of the hands of Texas citizens and their duly elected representatives." Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represented the clinics, said, "The Supreme Court sent a loud and clear message that politicians cannot use deceptive means to shut down abortion clinics." President Barack Obama praised the decision. "We remain strongly committed to the protection of women's health, including protecting a woman's access to safe, affordable health care and her right to determine her own future." Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called the outcome "a victory for women in Texas and across America." Texas is among 10 states with similar admitting-privileges requirements, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. The requirement is in effect in most of Texas, Missouri, North Dakota and Tennessee. It is on hold in Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Wisconsin. The hospital-like outpatient surgery standards are in place in Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Virginia, and it is blocked in Tennessee and Texas, according to the center. Texas passed a broad bill imposing several abortion restrictions in 2013. Texas clinics sued immediately to block it, contending it impermissibly interfered with a woman's constitutional right to an abortion. The clinics won several favorable rulings in a federal district court in Texas. But each time, the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the state, at first allowing challenged provisions to take effect and then upholding the law with only slight exceptions. In a landmark decision Monday the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Texas laws on abortion clinics. The Supreme Court had allowed the admitting-privileges requirement to take effect in most of the state, but put the surgical center provision on hold pending the court's resolution of the case. The justices split largely along liberal-conservative lines in their emergency orders, with the court's conservative justices voting repeatedly to let the law be enforced. Separate lawsuits are pending over admitting-privileges laws in Louisiana and Mississippi, the other states covered by the 5th circuit. The laws are on hold in both states, and a panel of federal appellate judges has concluded the Mississippi law probably is unconstitutional because it would force the only abortion clinic in the state to close. A separate appeal is pending at the Supreme Court from Wisconsin, where federal judges have struck down that state's admitting-privileges law. On the heels of the Supreme Court's decision, Texas lawmakers who supported abortion restrictions, are pushing back. "I think it's a shame all the way around," said State Rep. Matt Krause (R- Fort Worth). "We've made this procedure less safe and we've made it less healthy today because of what the Supreme Court did." The Supreme Court strikes down Texas regulation of abortion clinics in the courts biggest abortion case in nearly a quarter century. Krause is already looking at ways to change or improve abortion laws. He co-sponsored HB-2. "I do know something will happen and a lot of us are motivated to make sure something happens," Krause said. "It was a setback today, but we're undaunted. We'll keep going and we'll get things in place next session." Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas anticipates the push back from conservative lawmakers. "I expect Texas legislators, who are opposed to a woman's ability to make her own health care decisions, will continue to do what they can to put up obstacles to a woman's ability to access that care," said Kelly Hart, Senior Director of Public Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. Hart said Planned Parenthood is assessing its options including the possibility of reopening clinics. "Some of the uncertainty is gone. We now know what the Supreme Court has decided and we can make some decisions," Hart said. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick responds to the U.S. Supreme Court decision that struck down Texas abortion clinic laws. Supreme Court Reaction "The Supreme Courts ruling in Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt is profoundly disappointing. Texas enacted HB 2s commonsense health standards to ensure that women receive safe care. Unfortunately, the Supreme Court sided with abortion extremists who care more about providing abortion-on-demand than they do protecting womens health. This decision will not silence our fight to protect the most helpless and innocent among us, nor will we cease our efforts to protect women from an abortion industry that prioritizes profit margins over improving the safety and health of Texas women. We will continue to stand resolutely to defend unborn life because we know that every life is a gift from God, and without life there is no liberty. U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) The decision erodes States lawmaking authority to safeguard the health and safety of women and subjects more innocent life to being lost. Texas' goal is to protect innocent life, while ensuring the highest health and safety standards for women." Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) "Todays United States Supreme Court ruling striking down House Bill 2 (HB 2) is a devastating blow to the protection of the health and safety of women in Texas. HB 2 was passed during the 83rd Texas legislative session to ensure the health and safety of women by holding abortion clinics to the same standards as ambulatory surgical centers while also requiring practitioners to have admitting privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the facility. Now abortion clinics are free to ignore these basic safety standards and continue practicing under substandard conditions. By its ruling, the Court held that the ability of abortion clinics to remain open even under substandard conditions outweighs the states ability to put womens health and safety first. Despite todays devastating impact on womens health care, and as the proud author of the sonogram bill and co-writer of HB 2, I remain committed to protecting womens health and safety." Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) HB2 was an effort to improve minimum safety standards and ensure capable care for Texas women. Its exceedingly unfortunate that the court has taken the ability to protect womens health out of the hands of Texas citizens and their duly-elected representatives." Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) "I am extremely disappointed with the Supreme Court's ruling today; however, members of the Texas Legislature like myself, who believe deeply in the value of every human life, will not yield in our efforts to provide the highest quality healthcare for women and our continued promotion of a culture of life." State Sen. Konni Burton (R-Dist. 10) Today made that day 3 yrs ago all worth it! So grateful 2 all the women who shared their stories. #WholeWomensHealth" Wendy Davis (D) , former Texas state senator, said on Twitter. She also tweeted that "@elizabethforma is killing right now" and "Fifth circuit is reversed!!!" , former Texas state senator, said on Twitter. She also tweeted that "@elizabethforma is killing right now" and "Fifth circuit is reversed!!!" "Today women across the nation have had their constitutional rights vindicated. The Supreme Court sent a loud and clear message that politicians cannot use deceptive means to shut down abortion clinics." Nancy Northup, president and CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights Today, the Supreme Court affirmed what we at Whole Womans Health have known all alongthat every woman, no matter where she lives, deserves access to compassionate, respectful, and comprehensive care from a clinic she trusts. Today justice was served. Amy Hagstrom-Miller president and CEO of Whole Womans Health and lead plaintiff in the case. Texas Republicans should stop wasting our tax dollars defending disastrous policies and start solving urgent state needs like foster care and public education start improving lives and stop risking them. Thankfully the United States Supreme Court sided with women and families over Texas Republicans in striking down their dangerous and overreaching attack on womens health. Lisa Turner, state director of the Lone Star Project, a Democratic PAC We are extremely pleased with the Supreme Courts decision. But the fight to protect abortion access isnt over. State legislatures around the country have passed hundreds of anti-abortion measures since 1973 and Texas lawmakers have been responsible for more than 18 of those. Theyve forced women to undergo unnecessary ultrasounds, face mandatory delays and make extra, unnecessary visits to medical clinics that in many cases were hundreds of miles away. Theyve even passed legislation that forces doctors to lie to their own patients. There is no reason to believe they will give up trying to deny women access to abortion care now and going forward we will continue the fight to make sure that right is protected. Terri Burke, executive director of the ACLU of Texas This mornings historic ruling constitutes a huge victory not only for the women of Texas but for women all around the country who live in states that have tried to restrict access to safe and legal abortion care. In rejecting HB2, the Supreme Court affirmed what weve been saying since the Texas legislature passed the law in 2013: HB2 imposed an undue and unconstitutional burden on Texas women. This was never about health care. Rebecca L. Robertson, legal and policy director for the ACLU of Texas As it did one year ago in our landmark case that brought marriage equality to the nation, today the United States Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional protections that secure some of the most personal decisions one can makedecisions around family formation. Whether choosing a life partner or determining whether to continue or end a pregnancy, the liberties enshrined in the Fourteenth Amendment are fundamental and cannot be legislated away by politicians. Todays ruling struck down unconstitutional regulations imposed by Texas on abortion clinics. Those clinics can now resume providing essential reproductive health care, as well as care to the LGBT community, which often turns to these providers as vital sources of compassionate and affirming care. Julianna S. Gonen, policy director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights. "This is a sad day for womens health, for the basic right to life and for the right to safe medical procedures. By striking down the Texas law that sets medical standards for abortion clinics in the case of Whole Womans Health v. Hellerstedt, the U.S. Supreme Court today placed financial interests above such basic health and safety standards like adequate staffing and sanitary conditions. Such standards currently are legally regulated for other ambulatory surgical centers. The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, in solidarity with women and with moral support for those who advocate on behalf of women and on behalf of their unborn children, will continue to promote the dignity of every human life from conception until natural death. We will continue to pray for the promotion of a culture of life, including womens safety." Most Rev. Michael F. Olson, Bishop of Fort Worth. Key Events in the Texas Abortion Restriction Law Key events leading up to Monday's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down the strict Texas anti-abortion restriction law known as HB2. Read the Supreme Court Decision It has been one month since 15-year-old Pearl Pinson disappeared and her family is still desperate to find her. They organized a public vigil on Saturday evening, hoping that the gathering would remind the community that Pearl still needs to be found. "I need her home no matter what," said Annie Pinson, Pearl's mother. "I want her to know I love her and I need her home. I need to see her." Police say Pearl was kidnapped as she walked to catch a bus to school near her Vallejo home four weeks ago. But while her alleged abductor, Fernando Castro, was killed during a shootout with police in Santa Barbara County, investigators have found no trace of Pinson. "His family knows where he's at. They have peace," father James Pinson said. "We don't know where our daughter's at, whether she's alive or dead. We just want to bring her home so we can put this all behind us." Solano County Sheriff's investigators say while their tip line has slowed down, the case is still their highest priority. Investigators say the search has had an emotional impact on the entire department. Billboards have gone up across the Bay Area aimed at finding Pearl. Pearl is 5 feet 3 inches tall, 130 pounds with brown hair dyed green and green eyes. She has a metal piercing below her lower lip and was last seen wearing a gray sweater and black leggings. The sheriff's office's tip line is 707-784-1963, and anyone with urgent information should call 707-421-7090 or 911. Some residents will be allowed to return home Monday after a huge wildfire killed two people and destroyed 250 homes as it tore through mountain communities in Kern County, officials said. Evacuations were lifted at noon for communities least affected by flames in the so-called Erskine Fire, which has charred more than 70 square miles northeast of Bakersfield. The blaze was 40 percent contained. Residents living in the ares of Yankee Canyon and Mountain Mesa were alloed to return home but were advised no electrical power was available, authorities said. Those living east of South Lake along Hwy 178, Larson Tract, Navajo, Hillview Acres, Bella Vista, Weldon, can also return to their homes. Houses could be vulnerable if winds blow the fire back toward some of the communities in the popular recreation area, Fire Chief Brian Marshall said. "There's still more threats out there," Marshall said. "This is going to go down as the most destructive wildfire in Kern County history." Cadaver dogs searched through the rubble of devastated neighborhoods for more possible casualties, though remains found over the weekend were identified as an animal, Kern County sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt said. The fire began Thursday and quickly exploded in dry brush and bore down on small communities of houses and mobile homes that surround Lake Isabella, a dammed section of the scenic Kern River popular for fishing, whitewater rafting and other outdoor activities. Terrifying flames arrived with little warning and residents, many elderly, had to flee amid heavy smoke. "People were escaping barely within an inch of their lives," Marshall said. The bodies of an elderly couple, apparently overcome by smoke, were found Friday. Their names have not been released. In addition to the destroyed homes, another 75 were damaged. Evacuations were still in place Monday for the communities of Squirrel Valley and South Lake, authorities said. "Most people here, this is all they had," said Daniel O'Brien, 53, who lost two rental mobile homes. "You have these moments where you just want to break down crying and fall apart." The fire was the most damaging blaze in California, but it is just one of many that have burned large swaths of the arid West during hot weather. Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency to free up funds for firefighting and eventual cleanup. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also authorized funds for firefighting efforts. Shelters were set up by the American Red Cross of Kern County at St. Jude's Catholic Church and Kernville Elementary School. Highway 178 was reopened, however some reads of the highway remained closed. Laguna Canyon Road was closed Sunday by a brush fire that broke out in the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park. Firefighters were dispatched to the fire at 12:57 p.m. inside the park, on the west side of Laguna Canyon Road, according to the Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Tony Bommarito. "The fire is inside the park, so we're having access problems now," Bommarito said. About 50 acres have been burned as of 6:40 p.m. and 120 firefighters are working the scene, he said. The fire was also 60 percent contained, Bommarito said. The blaze isn't threatening any structures and no injuries have been reported. The CHP reported Route 133 was closed between Laguna Beach to the San Diego (405) Freeway. And in the middle of that closure area, the offramps from the Route 73 Toll Road to Laguna Canyon and El Toro Road were also closed. Laguna Canyon Road reopened for outbound traffic only, and was still closed to inbound traffic at El Toro. Coastal Peak Park at Ridge Park Road and east Coastal Peak is closed due to fire helicopters landing there to assist the brush effort, according to Newport Beach Police. Ridge Park Road will be closed at Ziani and at east Coastal Peak, police said. The steep and brushy canyon has been the site of numerous brush fires in past years. A former Indiana University student accused of raping two fellow students has been sentenced to a year of probation after a plea deal. John P. Enochs of Downers Grove, Illinois, had initially been charged with two counts of felony rape in connection with assaults that prosecutors say happened in April 2015 and in 2013. Enochs had denied those charges. In the deal with prosecutors, Enochs agreed to plead guilty to the lessor charge of battery with moderate bodily injury, a misdemeanor. In exchange, the two rape charges were dismissed. According to WXIN-TV, court records show he spent one day in jail. In the April 2015 assault, the victim told police she'd been raped at a fraternity house. Police said security video showed Enochs entering the room with the victim. General Mills is recalling four types of Nature Valley bars as part of a larger recall over listeria in sunflower seeds. The company said it would call back Protein Chewy Bars and Simple Nuts Bars in four flavor combinations: honey, peanut and almond with pumpkin seeds; peanut, almond and dark chocolate; roasted peanut and honey; and almond, cashew and sea salt. General Mills said it has received no reports of illnesses related to the products. Consumers should throw out the recalled bars and call 866-896-4365 for a replacement. The recall applies to the following products: Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bar: Honey, Peanut & Almond with Pumpkin Seeds (five count) with UPC 000-16000-47196 Nature Valley Protein Chewy Bar: Peanut, Almond & Dark Chocolate (five count) with UPC 000-16000-45724 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar: Roasted Peanut & Honey (four count) with UPC 000-16000-46475 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar Roasted Peanut & Honey (16 count) with UPC 000-16000-41308 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar: Almond, Cashew & Sea Salt (four count) with UPC 000-16000-46474 Nature Valley Simple Nut Bar: Almond, Cashew & Sea Salt (25 count) with UPC 000-16000-41301 It stems from a massive recall by SunOpta, a Minnesota-based supplier that found listeria contamination in some of its sunflower seeds in May. Clif bars and Kashi products have also been affected by the SunOpta recall. More information about the Nature Valley recall is availabe through the Food and Drug Administration. What to Know A North Florida woman was arrested after police found her five year old son inside a hot car in a Wal-Mart parking lot. A North Florida woman was arrested after police found her five year old son inside a hot car in a Wal-Mart parking lot. 27 year old Talisha Martin was arrested after she returned to her vehicle and was confronted by officers. Marin reportedly has slurred speech when asked about the situation. Store employees had notified police that there was a young child inside of the car during a routine search of the parking lot. Officers say the car was running, but the air conditioner was blowing hot air. Police took the child inside the store to keep him safe and cool him down while they contacted Martin. After determining the child had been in the car for over 40 minutes, Martin was arrested and taken to the Putnam County Jail, where she was released on $500 bond. The child was turned over to his father after being contacted by police. David Copeland has five family members buried at Dade Memorial Park Cemetery. Hes been regularly going to the cemetery since the early 1960s when his grandfather died. "I try to come here once a month," Copeland says. "When I do, I make an effort to see my parents, grandparents, my brother. I have a lot of people here." About two years ago, Copeland says he started noticing a change in the care and maintenance of the cemetery. "I was seeing complete overgrown grass and weeds on the markers," Copeland says. "I got to the point where I did complain. I went to the office and let them know how I felt and they said they were going to take care of it." When months passed and nothing happened, Copeland says he filed a complaint with the state in 2014 and saw some results. But it wasnt long before he says the problem started creeping up again. "At that point I said, you know, Im not gonna bother again,'" he says. "Ill just take my weed whacker with me, every time I come, I just whack em good and I do." Then he heard about NBC 6 Responds and decided to give us a call. "I got an email from you guys that you actually called them up and spoke to them and someone promised you, from the cemeterys side, that they were going to do something," he said. "I thought, 'Oh, thats good.'" Caballero Rivero Dade Memorial Park sent NBC 6 the following statement: "We are committed to providing all families with a well-maintained environment for visitation and remembrance. An attractive and serene environment is best attained through regular maintenance of the cemetery grounds. With summer season upon us, weve hired new professionals to assist with the task and ensure the grounds are properly maintained for our families. We are happy to report that the grass in the cemetery is now trimmed." During a recent visit, Copeland was pleased to see the grass and weeds trimmed around his family members graves. He hopes the cemetery keeps its word. "They ought to treat the dead right," he said. "When you take their money and promise somebody youre going to perpetually keep their plots up, you would hope they would follow through with that." Floridas Department of Financial Services regulates cemeteries and funeral homes. Since 2013, consumers in our state have filed nearly 200 complaints on cemeteries for a wide variety of issues, including problems with care and maintenance of cemetery grounds. If youd like to file a complaint with the state on an issue with a cemetery or funeral home, you can click here for more information. Members of the LGBT community, along with local and federal officials, gathered at New York City's Stonewall Inn on Monday to dedicate the site as the first national monument to gay rights. The Stonewall National Monument will cover a 7.7-acre swath of Manhattan's Greenwich Village, including the tavern and the adjacent Christopher Park. The neighborhood around the bar was the site of riotous protests in 1969 after gay patrons of the bar fought back against a police raid. "We never could have imagined (we would) see this," said one of the veterans of that struggle, Tommy Lanigan-Schmidt. The standing room only crowd of a few hundred was comprised of activist and community members. Some, like Lanigan-Schmidt, said they had actually been at the Stonewall Inn on the night of the historic raid. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said at the dedication ceremony that the monument reflects that the United States is "a nation that aspires to be as inclusive as it is diverse." President Barack Obama announced the creation of the monument last week. Many speakers touched on the added significance of the dedication given the recent attack at a gay club in Orlando. On the street where the ceremony was held, there was significant security, with police officers armed with automatic rifles watching guard. The annual Pride Parade on Sunday passed between the park and the tavern. What to Know A 56-year-old woman was killed after the SUV she was in with her husband and son was hit by another SUV in Huntington Station, police said. Her husband and son were in stable condition Monday. A woman in a minivan that was hit was not injured. A 34-year-old man was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. He was scheduled to be arraigned Monday. A 34-year-old man was arrested on drunken driving charges after crashing into a family driving on Long Island, killing a mother on her way to visit a son in the military and badly injuring the woman's husband, police said. Karen Holden, 56, was killed in the crash on Jericho Turnpike in Huntington Station less than 10 minutes after she, her husband, adult son and dog left to visit another son serving in the armed forces in Virginia, according to a family friend. Holden was traveling in a Ford Escape when their vehicle was hit by a Ford Explorer driven by Ryan Gurecki at a stoplight Sunday night. Gurecki was allegedly speeding at the time of the crash, prosecutors said. Video from the scene shows the crippled Escape in the middle of the intersection and the Explorer crashed up against a tree. The crash site was less than a 10-minute drive from where the family lived. Holden, her husband and son were all taken to Huntington Hospital after the crash; Holden later died. The family's dog ran off after the crash and is still missing, according to friends. Holden's 57-year-old husband, who was driving, suffered a traumatic brain injury, according to prosecutors. Her 23-year-old son injured his back. They were both listed in stable condition. A Honda Odyssey that was also stopped at the red light was sideswiped by the Explorer. The operator of that vehicle, 59-year-old Hyun Chung, was not injured, authorities said. Gurecki, of Lindenhurst, was charged with DWI. Prosecutors say he allegedly told police that he drank 5 beers at his job earlier in the night and failed a field sobriety test. Prosecutors say a search warrant was obtained for a blood test after he refused to consent. Gurecki was previously arrested for alleged drunken driving in 2006, according to prosecutors. His attorney called the crash an "accident." A judge ordered bail be set at $250,000 cash. A man was arrested after he allegedly shot and killed his wife with a crossbow nine days after they got married. Paul Kuzan, 40, is charged with murder and other related offenses in the death of his wife, 42-year-old Pamela Nightlinger, according to police. The couple had just gotten married on June 17, according to Philly.com. During a domestic incident inside their home on the 3100 block of Willits Road Sunday, Kuzan allegedly shot Nightlinger through the chest with a crossbow. The bolt from the crossbow penetrated Nightlinger's body, then went through the couch and into the wall, said Philadelphia Police Capt. Anthony Ginaldi. Neighbors called 911 after Nightlinger stumbled to their home and collapsed in their doorway, bleeding profusely. Officers arrived to find Nightlinger in a pool of blood. She was rushed to Aria Torresdale hospital where she died a short time later. Kuzan was later arrested in connection to the incident. Officials said there had been several domestic violence calls to their home prior to Nightlinger's death. Residents of the area who knew the couple said that Kuzan had been having issues lately. "Neighbors say things for him appeared to go downhill recently, in the last month or so," Ginaldi said. The crossbow was recovered at the scene. Ginaldi said it appeared children live at the house based on the way some of the rooms are decorated. Investigators believe the kids were at a different location in another part of the state at the time of the incident. A Brooklyn man who police say was defending his wife during an argument with another man was shot and killed early Sunday morning in Crown Heights. Dion James, 30, of Dean Street, confronted the man who was arguing with his wife at about 4 a.m. at the corner of Franklin Avenue and Union Street, investigators said. At one point, the man pulled a gun and shot James twice in the back. James was taken to Kings County Hospital where he was pronounced dead. No arrest has been reported. Orlando's nightclub massacre demonstrates the need to enable 911 emergency call centers to receive text messages, New York's senior senator said Sunday. Moments before the start of New York City's Gay Pride Parade, Sen. Charles Schumer urged the Federal Communications Commission to allow residents to text 911 dispatchers during emergencies. People trapped inside the Pulse nightclub in Orlando on June 12 were unable to text messages to 911 dispatchers. Speaking on the phone risked drawing the attention of the shooter. "This service can provide invaluable help to those with disabilities or to those who are in situations where initiating a voice call may be too dangerous," the senator noted. He is urging the FCC to meet with phone carriers and city officials as soon as possible to enable 911 testing. One of upstate New York's top tourist attractions is the worst place in America to retire, according to one study. Niagara Falls was docked for its high taxes, snowy climate and crime in a Bankrate.com study released Monday on the best and worst places for retirees. The study ranked cities based on nine categories including cost of living, climate, health care, taxes, crime, well-being, walkability and cultural vitality. Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C., was named the top place to retire. Franklin, Tennessee; West Des Moines, Iowa; Sarasota, Florida; and Scottsdale, Arizona, rounded out the top five. Milford, Connecticut; San Bernardino, California; Troy, New york; and Worcester, Massachusetts, were also among the worst places to retire, according to Bankrate. A Jerusalem court on Sunday sentenced a radical ultra-Orthodox Israeli Jew who fatally stabbed a teenage girl at a gay pride parade last year to life in prison plus 31 years, NBC News reported. Yishai Schlissel was already convicted by the citys District Court for the murder of 16-year-old Shira Banki and the attempted murder of seven others. In their rulings, the judges noted he showed no remorse for his actions. Schlissel was released just weeks before the July 30 parade, after he stabbed several people at the pride parade in 2005. A majority of Jerusalem's residents are observant Jews, Muslims or Christians, communities whose members mostly frown on homosexuality. But violent attacks on gay people are rare. The American Red Cross apologized Tuesday amid backlash over a sign it created on swim safety guidelines for children that was perceived as racist, NBCBLK reported. The apology came after a photo circulated of the poster on social media. The poster, which was seen on display at pools in at least two towns in Colorado, read at the top: "Be Cool, Follow the Rules." Below the heading were depictions of children playing. The white children were labeled as behaving "cool" while children of color were depicted as misbehaving, or "not cool," for breaking pool safety rules. The Red Cross said it has discontinued the production of the poster and removed it from its website and Swim App. "We deeply apologize for any misunderstanding, as it was absolutely not our intent to offend anyone," the organization said. "As one of the nation's oldest and largest humanitarian organizations, we are committed to diversity and inclusion in all that we do, every day." A Singapore Airlines flight caught fire after the plane returned to Changi Airport because of an engine warning, according to the airline, which said no injuries were reported. An airline statement said the Boeing 777-300ER was on its way to Milan when it turned back "following an engine oil warning message." The aircraft's right engine caught fire after Flight SQ368 touched down more than four hours after takeoff, according to the airline. AP "The fire was put out by airport emergency services and there were no injuries to the 222 passengers and 19 crew on board," the airline statement said. Airline officials said the passengers were transferred to another aircraft that was set to depart for Milan later Monday. Folcroft police officer Chris Dorman, who was shot seven times Friday while on duty, headed home Monday afternoon after an escorted procession from the hospital to the fire company where he has volunteered for a decade. At the Folcroft Fire Company, he received rousing applause and said only a few words. But one thing was clear when someone asked how he was feeling. "Ready to get back to work," he told those gathered at the station. Police and fire crews escorted the 25-year-old patrolman from Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia, with the motorcade passing under water jets as it rolled by the firehouse. Dorman joined Folcroft's force as a part-time officer last summer and has volunteered with the borough's fire department since he was 16. Dorman was shot in the face, neck and arm while investigating alleged drug activity Friday morning. Police said the gunman was a drug dealer whose parole was supposed to end the following day. Donte Brooks Island surrendered after SWAT officers stormed an apartment building. He was arraigned Friday on attempted murder and related charges. It's tough to imagine a time compressed with more drama for Dorman than the last three days. After Dorman's condition improved from critical to stable condition, Saturday night during his Philadelphia concert, country music star Kenny Chesney mistakenly told fans Dorman had passed away in the hospital. Chesney called the officer at the hospital on Sunday, apologized and said he'd love to catch an Eagles game and a few beers with Dorman soon. Dorman is expected to make a full recovery. A man died late Sunday night when police say he broke into his ex-girlfriend's Philadelphia home and was met by her new boyfriend, who shot him in the head. Police said officers responded to the home on Edgewood Street near Walnut about 11:45 p.m. When they arrived, they found a 24-year-old man shot twice in the head and twice in the arm. Medics pronounced the man dead at the scene just before midnight. Police said a preliminary investigation showed that the man apparently broke into the home, where his ex-girlfriend lived, through a window and that her new boyfriend caught him and shot him. Two children were home at the time, police said, but no other injuries were reported in the incident. Police said the suspected shooter was taken into police custody at the scene, but it was unclear whether charges would be filed against him. Six separate shootings and a domestic killing involving a crossbow left three people dead and four others wounded across Philadelphia in just a few hours overnight. In the earliest killing, police say a woman died after her boyfriend shot her through the chest with a crossbow about 9:20 p.m. inside their home on the 3100 block of Willits Road in Northeast Philadelphia. Police have said they responded to the home several times in the past for domestic issues. In another domestic incident unrelated to that killing, police say a 24-year-old man died in West Philadelphia shortly before midnight after he broke into his ex-girlfriend's home on Edgewood Street near Walnut and came face to face with her new boyfriend, who shot him in the head and arm. Police took the boyfriend into custody and recovered the gun they believe he used, but it was unclear early Monday whether charges would be filed. A violent night in Philadelphia left two people dead and four others, including a teenage boy and a young woman, wounded. Police are investigating. Also in West Philadelphia less than a half-hour later, a 17-year-old boy suffered a wound to his arm after someone shot him on Vine Street near 54th. The teen underwent treatment at Presbyterian Medical Center, where police say he was in stable condition. No arrests were made in that shooting. About the same time in North Philadelphia, a 19-year-old woman sustained a gunshot wound to her thigh when gunfire erupted on Sterner Street near 26th, police said. The woman was taken to Temple University Hospital, where she was in stable condition. Police recovered eight spent shell casings at the scene, but reported no arrests or suspects. In Mill Creek, gunfire wounded a 23-year-old man in his arm and stomach on Creighton Street near Wyalusing Avenue, leaving him in critical condition. That man remained at Presbyterian Medical Center Monday morning, and police did not say why they suspect he was shot or report any arrests. NBC10 Just after 1:30 a.m., another shooting in North Philadelphia, this time on Cleveland Street near Dauphin, left a 36-year-old man dead. Responding officers found the victim lying in the street suffering gunshot wounds to his chest, police said. They took the man to Temple University Hospital, where he died about 15 minutes later. Police said they found drugs and paraphernalia at the scene of the shooting, leading them to suspect drugs at the motive. At least 14 spent shell casings littered the block in the shooting's aftermath as homicide detectives investigated. Elsewhere in North Philadelphia, a 31-year-old man suffered an injury to his leg when police say someone shot him at 6th and Clearfield streets, in the Fairhill neighborhood. That man was stable at Temple University Hospital, and police reported no arrests. Police Commissioner Richard Ross said Monday morning that he doesn't attribute the weekend bloodshed to warmer temperatures, telling reporters there isn't really evidence that shows violence increases with warm weather. "There are more people out, but sometimes we get violent weekends in January, so the bottom line is if it's violent, it's violent, it's something we don't want whether it's 90 degrees or 30 degrees," Ross said. He said the police are out across the city working to keep the streets safe. "To be honest with you, as sad as it may sound, I mean, six people shot is not a lot of people shot in Philadelphia, and that's a sad testament," he said. "Clearly we're never happy with that, but we're out there, and you can't ever, ever overlook the impact that we're having on what you can't measure." Anyone with information in any shooting or homicide may contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477) or text a tip to PPD TIP (773 847). A $20,000 reward for a tip leading to an arrest and conviction is offered in every homicide case. I spent the better part of a day last week attending the annual UCSD Jazz Camp, and, as always, the experience continues to resonate deeply. I started out by auditing Anthony Davis Listening to Jazz course, where the topic of the day was the music of Thelonious Monk. Davis broke several Monk pieces into their essential components -- often demonstrating at the piano what makes them tick. Next up I decided to sit in on Mark Dressers ensemble class -- which was incredibly instructive. Dresser certainly cant be accused of coddling his students -- he chose some incredibly challenging original material, and the initial attempts at playing them had all the red flags of a massive trainwreck. But, over the course of two hours and much gentle encouragement, each piece coalesced into recognizable and successful music. I wish Id caught each of the students' names, but I can say this: 15-year-old vocalist Zion Dyson more than acquitted herself, and I can see big things in her future. What brought me to the camp on this particular day, though, was the rare opportunity to witness a faculty concert by Trio M, the gold-standard improvising ensemble featuring bassist Mark Dresser, Bay Area pianist Myra Melford and New York City drummer Matt Wilson. Wilson kicked off the boisterous opener Al (dedicated to Albert Ayler), teasing the underside of his hi-hat with brushes as Dresser bounced his bow across the strings of his bass and Melford posited pensive arpeggios. Soon, the tune burst open, fueled by the joyful martial cadences of the drums, bowed double stops and streams of thematic information from the piano. Sometimes free players wander far from the tradition, but from the opening chromatic blast of M, these cats proved that they can still swing their butts off. Dresser has a huge personal sound that's bigger than a city bus, and his command of motion allows for refractive gradients of tempo. Dresser's sound was buttressed by Melfords swirling kinetic energy, which careened about like a speedball in a super collider, and the ebullient fusillade of Wilson, who creates rhythms out of everything within reach -- even a music stand or an instrument case. Melford delivered an absolutely astonishing, physical performance on Montevideo, which toggled between soulful versicle and absolute mayhem -- hereupon she pounded the house Steinway into submission with clusters from her elbows, fists and the edges of her hands. Dresser began the closer Ekoneni, alone, swaying in time with his bass as he guided it in a seductive dance between extremes of lyrical grace and brutal counterpunches, while Melford whipped strands of melody over Wilsons gleeful Zimbabwean groove. Jazz education never sounded so good. Robert Bush is a freelance jazz writer who has been exploring the San Diego improvised music scene for more than 30 years. Follow him on Twitter @robertbushjazz. Visit The World According to Rob. It was a better than average week for surfers at San Diegos beaches. Surfers say some sets were between three to five feet at Tourmaline Surfing Park Sunday. Lifeguards say they rescued hundreds of people over the weekend, which is actually average for the summer months when more people are heading to the beach. 259,180 people came to the beach over the weekend, and so far there have been 286 water rescues, lifeguards said. They say the surf was not as high as they predicted on Sunday, but agree beginners should wait until the high surf is gone tomorrow to get into the water. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Beach Hazard Statement for San Diegos beaches Friday, saying waves ranging from six to up to 10 feet were likely, coupled with powerful rip currents. Surfers say the water mellowed out a bit by the end of the weekend, but the NWS Beach Hazard Statement remains in effect through Sunday evening. Those who visit local beaches are advised to heed all posted warning signs and swim close to lifeguard towers. Inexperienced swimmers should stay out of the water. If caught in a rip current, the best thing to do is swim parallel to the coast before attempting to head back onto the beach. Sprouts Farmers Market is opening a new store in the 4S Ranch area and is looking to hire 150 employees. The grocery store chain is holding a job fair on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel San Diego, 11520 W. Bernardo Court in San Diego. Those interested in applying can show up for a walk-in interview. The store is opening Aug. 10 at 16415 Paseo Del Sur and needs a team of cashiers and clerks in the bakery, deli, grocery, meat, produce and vitamin departments. According to Sprouts website, the new store will offer an olive bar, fresh sushi and juice, salad and coffee bars. The new Sprouts would be the 21st location in San Diego County. Traffic on the southbound Interstate 15 in Fallbrook was briefly interrupted Sunday when a pursuit came down the freeway, California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers said. The suspect was taken into custody at 12:58 p.m., officers said. The pursuit had been going on since noon and caused some congestion near Old Highway 395. Andrew J. Carr, 36 of Bonsall, approached an LA County Fire Chief in Long Beach and made threats against his life Sunday morning, CHP said. The Long Beach Police Department pursued Carrs 2016 Ford van after he fled the scene. Carr drove recklessly through Long Beach then onto the freeway where Santa Fe Springs and then Riverside CHP took over the pursuit. He continued down I-15 where Oceanside CHP took over. There were several unsuccessful attempts to spike strip his van, but he finally ran out of gas at Camino Del Rey under 1-15. Carr refused commands to get out of his van, and resisted arrest even when officers broke the drivers side window with a beanbag gun. A San Diego Sheriff K9 was deployed and assisted in taking Carr into custody. He was charged with Felony Evading and resisting arrest, and was booked into the Vista Detention Facility. He may face additional charges pending the outcome of the investigation. The San Diego County Fair will be honoring up to 100 Hometown Heroes on July 4th and want people to submit heroes in their community for consideration. They are looking for active or retired military, first responders, teachers, volunteers or anyone else doing good for the community. Heroes chosen by the fair will receive complimentary tickets to the fair, participate in the fairs Hometown Hero parade at 1 p.m. and receive priority viewing tickets for the fireworks. The nominations are due Wednesday, June 29. [G] Fried Fare at the 2016 San Diego County Fair The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County and one of the 10 largest Fairs in North America, drawing more than 1.5 million visitors annually. This year's theme is "Mad About the Fair", a take of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Former D.C. congressman and civil rights activist Walter Fauntroy was arrested Monday on a charge of passing a bad check for $50,000 when he returned to the United States after years abroad, officials said. Fauntroy, 83, was detained at Washington Dulles International Airport after he arrived from Dubai about 8:15 a.m. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers saw there was an outstanding warrant bearing his name and took him into custody, an agency spokesman said. Fauntroy was accused of fraud, writing a bad check in Prince George's County, Maryland, and failing to appear in court. The former right-hand man to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had been living abroad, and friends and relatives had expressed concerns about his health. He told The Washington Post in a phone interview last week he was coming home and believed the bad-check issue was resolved. The check was written in the amount of $50,000, according to a representative for the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office. It was intended to help pay for a 2009 ball he had organized for President Barack Obama's first inauguration. Attorney Arthur Reynolds, who is representing Fauntroy in the bad-check case, said Monday he had not yet spoken to Fauntroy and could not comment on the case. He previously said Fauntroy had paid back some but not all of the money. Fauntroy is being held for Maryland law enforcement in Loudoun County, where part of Dulles is located. He is expected to appear in court Tuesday morning via closed-circuit television. Fauntroy, who served in Congress for 20 years, helped organize the 1963 March on Washington and founded the Free South Africa movement. News4 reported in January that Fauntroy's family and friends said the former pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Northwest D.C. had gone missing after traveling extensively through Africa and the Middle East. His wife, Dorothy, told News4 she wanted her husband to come home. Barnes and others were trying to find Fauntroy and persuade him to to return home. A small group of loved ones also has been preparing to raise money to help pay Fauntroys debts. According to bankruptcy documents filed in March 2015, Fauntroy had been traveling for years and had little contact with family or friends. Longtime associate Johnny Barnes filed bankruptcy papers on behalf of Fauntroy and his wife to stave off the foreclosure of their home in Northwest D.C.'s Crestwood neighborhood. What to Know The video showed him seconds before entering the home, gun in hand, and then showed him leaving, tucking in the alleged murder weapon. The man stopped at convenience store in Forestville about 30 minutes before the shootings and made a purchase. Carlina Renee Gray, 50, of District Heights, Jan Marie Parks, 55, of Landover, and Allen Rowlett, 60, of Forestville, were killed. Police released surveillance images and video Monday of an unidentified man in the deaths of three people who were shot in a home in District Heights, Maryland. Two other people were injured in the Friday night shooting, police said. The released video showed him seconds before entering the home, gun in hand, and then showed him leaving, tucking the alleged murder weapon in his pants. He has no idea if he has surviving victims or not, so he shot five people and comes around that corner and slowly flees the scene. Its disturbing, said Capt. Brian Reilly, of the Prince Georges County police homicide unit. It seems like he his pretty nonchalant after shooting five people, which is disturbing to say the least. Reilly said the man stopped at convenience store in the 7400 block of Marlboro Pike in Forestville about 30 minutes before the shootings and made a purchase. Police released surveillance footage from the convenience store Tuesday. He is in the liquor store a half hour prior to our murders. He buys some goods, and then a short time later, our triple homicide took place, Reilly said. Distinctive hair, distinctive walk, distinctive clothing on that evening, and we look forward to hearing from the community on this case. The victims were found about 9:35 p.m. Friday, after police responded to a home in the 3100 block of Orleans Avenue. Carlina Renee Gray, 50, of District Heights, Jan Marie Parks, 55, of Landover, and Allen Rowlett, 60, of Forestville, were killed, police said. The two other victims were critically injured and were taken to a hospital, police said. Gray's sister told News4 she was "the friendliest person you'd ever meet" and was the person people depended on for consolation, or a shoulder to cry on. "Her home was always open to anybody who needed somewhere to go or just [if] you needed to vent," she said. Gray lived in the home with her boyfriend, according to her sister. A man who was close to Rowlett said the news was devastating, and that Rowlett was "a great guy." "He was a great, humble guy. Very down to earth," he said. "If he knows you, he'll do all he can for you." Three people were shot and killed at a home in District Heights, Maryland Friday night, police say. News4s Derrick Ward talked to the sister of one woman killed in the shooting. Jan Parks' family released a statement Monday, saying in part, "We are devastated by the loss of Jan Parks. Jan last saw her mother at 8:30 Friday night and an hour later she was gone." Police said the shooting did not appear to be random but have not released information on a possible motive. They believe the man acted alone, they said Monday. Anyone with information is asked to call 866-411-TIPS. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that his nation's agreement with Turkey to normalize ties will have "immense" implications for the Israeli economy. The Israel-Turkey reconciliation deal, which is to be officially announced later in the day, is meant to end a bitter six-year rift between the Mideast powers. News of the deal first emerged on Sunday, and an Israeli official confirmed the details of the deal to The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement. Speaking in Rome during talks with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome, Netanyahu said Monday the agreement is an important step, alluding to the development of Israel's offshore natural gas reserves. "I use that word advisedly, immense implications for the Israeli economy, and I mean positive immense implications," the Israeli prime minister said. As Netanyahu and Kerry met for the second time in as many days, the U.S. top diplomat welcomed the agreement and congratulated Netanyahu. He said the U.S. has been working on the rapprochement for several years, and called it a "positive step." Israel and Turkey were former close allies, but relations imploded in 2010 following an Israeli naval raid that killed nine Turkish activists, including a dual American citizen, who were on a ship trying to breach Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip. Following the incident, Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Israel and greatly scaled back military and economy ties. The move toward rapprochement comes amid Turkey's deepening isolation in the region, following a deterioration of ties with Russia and Egypt as well as the turmoil in neighboring Syria. An Israeli official said the impending deal would include $20 million in Israeli compensation for families of those killed in the raid, an end to all Turkish claims against Israeli military personnel and the state of Israel over the raid, and the mutual restoration of ambassadors. A senior Turkish official said that under the agreement, Turkey would deliver aid to Gaza and engage in infrastructure investments to construct residential buildings and a hospital, and to address energy and water shortages in Gaza. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan briefed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about the deal, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA said on Monday. Officials from Erdogan's office said Abbas expressed his "satisfaction" over the deal. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to speak publicly about the matter. Four people are in police custody after shots were fired outside a Walmart in Augusta, Maine. No one was injured, but police say the people involved all knew each other. Police said the suspects involved were sitting in vehicles parked next to each other when an altercation arose. The occupants of one vehicle fired at the occupants of the other, which resulted in a return in gunfire Two of the people fired guns, according to Augusta Police. Kwiesha "Reggie" McBride of Harlem, New York, was charged with Class C reckless conduct with a firearm and Class B aggravated trafficking in schedule W drugs (heroin). Frankie Dejesus of Rochester, New York, was charged with Class C reckless conduct with a firearm and Class B aggravated assault. Also charged were Diana Davis of Rochester, New York with Class B aggravated assault and Samantha Tupper of Augusta, Maine, with a probation violation and Class B furnishing schedule W drugs (heroin). All are being held at Kennebec County Jail. The investigation is ongoing. Authorities say a body was found on a state forest trail in Lowell, Massachusetts, over the weekend. Crews were called to the Lowell-Dracut-Tyngsboro State Forest around 4:30 p.m. Saturday when a bicyclist reported finding an unresponsive man on the off-road path. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity wasn't released. Middlesex District Attorney's office spokesperson Elizabeth Vlock says the death is not considered suspicious. Authorities are investigating. Nurses and officials at Brigham and Women's Hospital are back at work and celebrating after a weekend accord avoided a one-day strike. Nurses held a "walk in" Monday to start their work day to mark the contract settlement. Hospital leaders and Boston Mayor Marty Walsh spoke Monday about how the contract impasse was resolved as employees are treated to a picnic in the park. The two sides reached a tentative agreement on Saturday. The 3,300-member nurse's union had said the strike would have been the first by nurses in Boston in three decades. Union members must still vote on the contract before it can be finalized. Hospital representatives had previously said among the sticking points in the contract talks were staffing levels and compensation. The Massachusetts state trooper who was injured in a gun battle with a man who shot and killed Auburn Police Officer Ronald Tarentino is speaking out for the first time. Trooper AJ Kardoos addressed the media Monday afternoon after being nearly killed in the May shootout with Jorge Zambrano in Oxford. Zambrano was hiding in a closed in a bedroom of an apartment when he was located by the state police's special tactical operations team. Kardoos was shot, and required surgery. He says he's just looking to get back to work. "I knew I was shot. I'm not going to lie, it was a lot of pain. I knew what was happening," he said. Trooper Kardoos is an 11-year veteran of the Massachusetts State Police force and a former Navy SEAL. Matthew Cody was arrested and is expected to be arraigned on charges of arson and attempted murder. Cody, age 30, of Arlington, Massachusetts, is accused of deliberately setting a fire in the downtown area of 41 West St. that endangered two homeless men sleeping nearby on the night of Oct. 8, 2015. The homeless men were roused by a good samaritan who smelled smoke. Police say a Vermont man's car hit a utility pole, crashed into a barn and burst into flames after he fell asleep at the wheel on state Route 207. State police say 62-year-old Rene Lafromboise lost control and drove off the road just before 3:30 p.m. Sunday in Swanton. Officials say the truck caught on fire and damaged the barn. Police say the Milton man suffered minor injuries and later admitted to falling asleep. He was wearing a seatbelt. The crash knocked out power in the area and shut down the road for about an hour. A man armed with two butcher knives and a bulletproof vest was arrested after threatening a group of people, according to Boston Police. Steven Lacolla, 26, of Boston, was arrested Sunday morning around 3 a.m. Police say they responded to the area of 17 Cooper St. in the North End and found Lacolla yelling at a group of people gathered in the street. They say Lacolla then turned to police as they arrived and began to walk towards them, still armed with the knives. Lacolla eventually placed the knives on the ground after multiple orders to drop the weapons. He will be arraigned in court on charges of Assault by Means of a Dangerous Weapon and Wearing a Bulletproof Vest in the Commission of a Felony. Police in Providence, Rhode Island, are searching for the suspects who caused more than $1,000 worth of damage to five tulip trees at a high school. WJAR-TV reports that the 12-foot-tall trees were planted at Mount Pleasant High School about three weeks ago by the Rhode Island Tree Council. They cost about $250 each. The council's technical adviser, John Campanini, says he discovered the damaged trees Friday when he went to the school to water the plants. He filed a report with police and says they're looking at surveillance video but don't have any suspects at this time. The council plants about 100 trees each year across the state. Campanini says the council is planning on planting new trees at the school. Healthcare is now the most frequently attacked industry, beating out financial services, retail and other industries, according to a new report by TrapX. As a result, healthcare organizations are having trouble keeping pace with the number and sophistication of attacks they have to deal with. The report, entitled MEDJACK 2, details the sheer scale of attacks that hospitals and other medical establishments suffer on a regular basis. It is a follow-up to a similar report TrapX released last year. + Also on Network World: Healthcare needs more IT security pros stat + TrapX, a cybersecurity vendor in the deception space, found an increasing number of attacks targeting the healthcare industry and, worryingly, a number of successful attacks that have penetrated security defenses within hospitals. This is, of course, a huge concern. When a financial institution is breached, people can potentially steal money. But when a hospital is breached, patients lives are on the line. Potentially attackers could get access to medical records and prescription systems and tamper with those. Even more worryingly is that there are now a huge variety of medical devicesfrom pacemakers to life support systemsthat are IP-enabled. The idea of an attacker hacking a medical facility's network and getting access to a patient's pacemaker is a worrying concern. And while that has always been simply a case of scary science fiction, TrapX's research indicates there is much potential there. The report explains how attackers have evolved and are increasingly targeting medical devices that use legacy operating systems that contain known vulnerabilities. By camouflaging old malware with new techniques, the attackers are able to successfully bypass traditional security mechanisms to gain entry into hospital networks and ultimately access sensitive data. One factor that should slightly reduce the panic that this report creates is the finding that mainly these attackers are looking for data that they can sell rather than wanting to create real mayhem. There appears to be a lucrative black market for patient data. Patient data on the black market Greg Enriquez, CEO of TrapX Security, said persistent medical device attacks targeting hospital networks went undetected for months. Over the last year, we saw the compromise of healthcare networks come into the public spotlight, making frequent news headlines, he said. Evidence confirms that sophisticated attackers are going after healthcare institutions, and they are highly motivated to gain access to valuable patient records that can net them high dollars on the black market. MEDJACK 2 shows that MEDJACK 1 was not an anomaly, but the beginning of a growing trenda trend thats become prevalent, Enriquez said. Increasingly attackers use sophisticated attack strategies to steal patient data while remaining undetected, he said. Combatting attacks The findings provide a nice segue into a bit of business development for TrapX, whose co-founder, Moshe Ben Simon, displays impressive chutzpah when his number one suggestion to combat these attacks is for hospitals to review budgets and bring in new technologies. He says hospitals need tools that can "identify attacks within their networks, not just at the perimeter." TrapX says its solutions detect, analyze and defend against real-time cyber attacks. Rather than trying to simply block attacks, TrapX deceives would-be attackers with turnkey decoys (traps) that imitate customers' true assets. Hundreds or thousands of traps can be deployed, creating a virtual minefield for cyber attacks, alerting customers to any malicious activity with actionable intelligence immediately. Like many vendors in the cyber security field, TrapX spends a bunch of time looking at what happens out in the real worldboth to inform its own product development, but also to educate the public about the risks in different sectors. The company produces a series of reports that demonstrate the results of TrapX research into critical infosec issues, hence the latest reporting zeroing into the medical field. Commercial imperatives notwithstanding, this report is a sobering document that should make hospital administrators and IT personnel sit up and think about the attack risks within their organization. By now we all know that IPv6 is a powerful solution to a pressing problem. The world has run out of new IPv4 addressing space, and the internet needs IPv6 to grow. Whats less widely discussedbut potentially more excitingis how the modern version of the internet protocol wont just make the internet bigger, but it will make it smarter. For years, IPv6 was a tough sell. Few organizations were eager to invest in something that just made the addressing space bigger, particularly if IPv4 was already meeting their needs. Now that the pool of IPv4 addresses has run dry, the pace of transition has increased significantly. And it will only accelerate as we start to explore the full potential for network innovation that IPv6 brings to the table. Comcast is a major user of IP addressing space, which led the company to go all-in on IPv6 nearly a decade ago. The company became the first major U.S. ISP to deploy dual-stack IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity throughout 100 percent of its network in 2014. Today, over 80 percent of Comcast's customers are actively provisioned with IPv6 support. Before the end of 2016, the ISP expects more than half of its traffic will use IPv6. By 2017, more than 90 percent of its customers will be provisioned with IPv6. And by 2020, it expects IPv4 traffic growth to all but stop. It wasn't easy. IP addresses permeate everything you do as a network operator, and upgrading can be a time- and resource-intensive process. What I will say is that the commitment and investment Comcast made years ago has opened the floodgates to innovations that are expected to make its network faster, smarter and more efficient. The internet of a trillion, trillion, trillion things One of the easiest ways to think of this is in the context of the Internet of Things. Gartner Research estimates that there will be 6.4 billion things connected to the internet this year. Thats exciting, until you realize there are only 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses in the world, and virtually all of them are already spoken for. Networking technology has evolved over the years to meet this large and growing disparity between the number of connected things and the number of available internet addresses, but the solution has made networking more complex and less efficient. For example, Network Address Translation (NAT) technology allows one dynamically assigned IP address to serve dozens (hundreds or even thousands) of internet-connected things. The cost of that complexity, however, is felt in performance and network flexibility, and it hinders some internet applications. Compare that to IPv6, which supports 340 trillion, trillion, trillion addresses, and you start to see what makes my fellow network engineers so excited. As ISPs, device manufacturers, content creators, consumers and others in the internet ecosystem increasingly transition to IPv6-compatible devices, we have enough addressing space to provision every single thing in a customers house. More than that, one could use an IP address for every component, memory location, software process, disk drive block, etc. Every Comcast IPv6 home has more IP space than the entire IPv4 internet to the power of two. You can virtually name everything that exists, existed or will exist with an IP address. But IPv6 is far more than more addresses. Even today, in a world largely dominated by NAT devices, weve begun to witness measureable speed and performance advantages from IPv6-compatible internet devices. As we begin moving to a world where IPv6 replaces IPv4, we can be even more creative about how the IoT functions and reap even greater performance and functional benefits. For consumers, this will mean better performance and potentially even more pinpoint control over how their connected home devices work. For network operators, it means that even as the ecosystem of connected devices becomes vastly more complex, the network that reaches them can actually get simpler, more lightweight and more efficient. Smarter Packets = Smarter Networks Something network engineers realized early on with IPv6 is that the larger size of IPv6 addresses opens up some interesting possibilities. Compared to an IPv4 header, which is 32 binary numbers, an IPv6 header is 128 binary numbers. That means we can put information into an IPv6 packet in a way that was never before possible with IPv4. Simply put, IPv6 addresses can be made smarter, so that they play a more active role in determining their path through the network. Back to the IoT example, rather than relying on complex network machines to make all the routing decisions associated with a packet, applications themselves will be able to choose paths and services in the network. This conceptcalled IPv6 Segment Routing (IPv6 SR)is the next major frontier in network architecture, and it holds the key to networks keeping pace with ever greater, more complex traffic flows. Supercharging SDN We hear a lot of discussion about software-defined networking (SDN), but whats less widely talked about is how essential IPv6 is to unlocking the true potential of SDN to transform networks. Weve been software-defining core functions of our network for several years, but it is only with tools like IPv6 Segment Routing and service chaining that we begin to really witness the true benefits of a software-first network architecture. Of course you can benefit from SDN in an IPv4 MPLS environment, but youre still software-defining essentially complex, potentially inefficient functions and limiting your capabilities to a single MPLS network vs. cross networks, in the home, data centers, etc. When you overlay powerful SDN orchestration on top of a simplified IPv6-powered core, you begin to recognize the real boosts to efficiency, performance and reliability that SDN can provide. For many years, the narrative about IPv6 was that organizations should upgrade because it was the right thing to do for the internet. Lately, that narrative has shifted to a realization that IPv4 is gone and upgrading is no longer optional. Those two things may be true, but from the perspective of a network engineer, the real reason to act is that IPv6 holds the key to the next step in the evolution of a smarter network. Tech companies have a reputation of being high pressure and fast-paced -- especially startups. That culture can quickly erode morale as employees begin to feel the strain of the long hours and rapid, and sometimes confusing, change. A 2015 study from VitalSmarts, a leadership training company, interviewed 827 tech employees, to look at how culture affects performance in tech companies. The study identified some key ideas around culture and how it can positively or negatively affect the overall performance of the company. David Maxfield, New York Times bestselling author and vice president of research at VitalSmarts, has been conducting social science research around Fortune 500 companies for the past 30 years. Based on his research, he offer these suggestions on what needs to change in the tech world, and how to change it. But if you think improving work-place culture in tech is about building a cutting edge office or offering the best benefits, you're probably wrong. [ Related story: 5 hard truths about employee engagement ] Staying cool The research shows that employees want to work for businesses that are perceived as cool, but that means more than free snacks or a nap room in the office. Rather, your company's status often depends on less tangible benefits, such as innovation, growth and having a positive impact on society, says Maxfield. Employees reported caring less about the perks and more about working for companies or startups that give them a "sense of meaning." And sometimes that sense of meaning can be derived from a sense of urgency to remain innovative or to release a quality product to your customers as soon as possible. Maxfield gives the example of Facebook in early 2012. The company knew it needed to embrace mobile. "The reinvention became both a burning platform and an urgent opportunity. The teams that could contribute to this reinvention quickly became the cool teams," he says. By getting employees excited about a new initiative, and emphasizing its impact, will further encourage productivity and engagement with the project, he says. Businesses can maintain a good image by encouraging growth in the company, and showing employees how a new project can elevate their careers. If there's a new project that will take up much of their time, or require over time, it's important to acknowledge the added burden, and to emphasize how the project will benefit their careers. Maxfield also says the research shows that connecting your projects to social values will be a key factor for keeping your employees happy and productive. Employees want to feel a sense of purpose, and you can create that by encouraging them to work on new projects in meaningful ways. "Make the link between your team or project and the positive impact it has on customers, society, and the world. This strategy has great power. For example, during the Arab Spring, employees within Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube suddenly became agents of social change -- and also cool," he says. [ Related story: How to fix cross-cultural communication issues ] Create consistency Maxfield says that while every tech company wants to say that it's unique, in reality most are driven by the same principals. "Tech's combination of high-velocity competition, complexity, global talent, and interdependence among rivals is unmatched. Dense geographic concentrations in regions such as Silicon Valley, Seattle, Boston, and Bangalore foster even more cultural idiosyncrasies," he says. The culture of the entire industry includes high-stress and fast-paced environment, so businesses need to consider how to avoid burnout, low morale and turnover. Maxfield suggests putting in safeguards to avoid overlapping assignments, unclear ownership and changing priorities. If you can avoid these common traps, it not only means happier employees, but it also makes for less work, wasted time and confusion or frustration. One common thread the researchers discovered was that, especially for the tech industry, businesses need to make efforts to avoid "scope creep." That means, leaders need to consider add-ons or new instructions that might take the team off course. To stay on track, it's important to be realistic about the expectations and delivery on assignments. The biggest problems with scope creep pops up in cultures of silence, where employees aren't comfortable speaking up and voicing their opinion. If employees know they won't be able to deliver a quality product on time with all the add-ons and changes requested, you want them to feel comfortable speaking up. In the end, how you handle scope creep will ultimately affect the quality of your products and customer satisfaction. "To safeguard against this in the inevitable messiness of a fast-paced tech world, tech leaders must create a norm where people speak up about unrealistic deadlines and informal compromises to priorities," he says. He also recommends creating a culture that allows for adjusting priorities, but to avoid relying on another project management system. Instead, work on discovering and eliminating ambiguities through open and honest dialogue in the company. Create a culture that supports employees who find inconsistencies in products and solve problems through constructive dialogue. [ Related story: IT talent biggest roadblock to digital transformation ] Changing the tech world The problems that exist in the tech world -- primarily stressful working environments, ambiguity and fast paced change -- aren't any one person's fault, says Maxfield. And he suggests that businesses avoid viewing these issues as "problems to be fixed," but rather as realities of the industry. They can't necessarily be solved, but with the right manager and employees, you can create a culture that allows them to thrive, and that will help your business grow. The responsibility falls on everyone in the company to help improve the overall culture, not just on upper management or HR. Leaders in the company should focus on fostering innovation, alleviating and acknowledging the pressure employees are under, supporting constructive dialogue and creating a safe environment for employees to speak up. It's about understanding your employees, acknowledging their hard work and creating a sense of purpose, says Maxfield. For employees, alleviating these issues will involve focusing on the best parts of your job and connect it to your values. He also suggests speaking up when your plate is too full, bringing attention to any inconsistencies you find in the workplace and to avoid engaging in a culture of silence. "The best employees and the best leaders find ways to do more than survive these challenges. They figure out how to thrive -- to turn these challenges into advantages for themselves and their teams," says Maxfield. Related Video This story, "Don't let stress and a crazy pace kill your culture" was originally published by CIO . Ask what department is responsible for data security in an organization and the most likely answer is, IT. But some experts are saying it shouldnt be IT alone that better security requires a closer collaboration with Human Resources (HR). One example, they say, is a breach this past Feb. 26 at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), when a departing employee inadvertently downloaded 44,000 customer records, including personally identifiable information (PII), to a USB thumb drive. Fortunately, officials said, there was no apparent harm done. The breach happened on a Friday, the agencys data-loss-protection software detected it the following Monday, the FDIC contacted the ex-employee immediately and she returned it the following day. She also signed an affidavit saying she had not used or shared the information. And the FDIC noted that the former employee was authorized to access the data. She just wasnt supposed to have brought any of it home with her. But this was not the only such incident. The Wall Street Journal reported about a month ago that the FDIC has reported seven such breaches in just the past eight months, all from departing employees taking data with them and potentially compromising the PII of 160,000 Americans. So, could better collaboration between IT and HR have prevented any of those incidents? Expert opinions are mixed. Even though this was very obviously a human problem, and it has been obvious for decades that people are the so-called weakest link in the security chain, most security awareness training is done by IT, not HR. It is also IT that is responsible for protecting data, for knowing where it is and who has access to it when otherwise known as Identity and Access Management (IAM). Even software designed to detect months in advance that an employee is exhibiting behavior that he is likely to leave is managed by IT, not HR. [ RELATED ON CSO: How to prevent data from leaving with a departing employee ] Still, Joseph Loomis, founder and CEO of CyberSponse, said it is, always good practice to have a strong connection between IT and HR. Anytime there is human behavior involved, HR should also be involved. Joseph Loomis, founder and CEO, CyberSponse When there is a failure, he said, it is likely due to bad process. In tracking an organizations, headcount turnover, demands for talent and shifts in culture, all information is often lost with the former IT admin, he said. We call this the House of Cards for IT. Things go up and down every time someone comes and goes. And tracking the coming, going and transitioning of employees, he said, is very much within the purview of HR. Anytime there is human behavior involved, HR should also be involved, he said. Ira Winkler, president of SecureMentum, said it ought to be obvious that, HR should inform IT when people are leaving. HR has very specific purposes in ensuring the appropriate separation of employees. Charles Choe, product marketing manager for Guidance Software, agreed. He said while data loss prevention (DLP) technologies focus on data-in-motion, they are often turned off due to the high rate of false positives that effectively hinder effective business operations. It is HRs responsibility to properly educate employees that any work produced during employment legally belongs to the organization. Charles Choe, product marketing manager, Guidance Software So, he said, it is important for HR to notify IT when employees are leaving, even when the separation is planned and amicable, so the activities of those employees can be more closely monitored. It is also HRs responsibility to properly educate employees that any work produced during employment legally belongs to the organization, and not the individual, at least in the United States, he said. Dana Simberkoff, chief compliance and risk officer at AvePoint, said HR and IT should be joint partners both in training and supervision of employees especially those who are transitioning out of an organization. At a minimum, she said, organizations should enforce policies that require when employees are leaving that, the data they are removing is reviewed and approved before they go, and their access to systems with customer data on them is limited and supervised. Do you need to put the same security protocols around protecting pictures from your company picnic as your employees benefits information? Dana Simberkoff, chief compliance and risk officer, AvePoint Trevor Hawthorn, CTO of Wombat Security Technologies, said HR, needs to closely coordinate with IT to communicate when employees are leaving, if they are a security risk, and ensure that an off-boarding checklist is followed. For employees that are moving within the organization, a strong IAM capability will allow the organization to audit user rights and privileges. And Steve Conrad, managing director at MediaPro, said he thinks many breaches, including those at the FDIC, are a result of multiple problems among them training and data classification. Data of different classifications seemed to have been comingled and the (FDIC) employee didnt readily identify PII was at risk, he said. This breach may have been stopped with a more effective security awareness program. HR could definitely help IT design a better training experience that produces better overall results. Nobody disputes that all departments in an organization need to work together, and that this may be especially true of HR and IT. But some experts say when it comes to breaches like those at the FDIC, the greatest responsibility lies with IT. Yonatan Striem-Amit, cofounder and CTO at Cybereason, said the FDIC was fortunate that the incident involving the ex-employee who took 44,000 customer records, was not intentional and was without malice. But he noted that since she had sufficient permissions to access the data, anyone else could have as well if they simply impersonated her. It is essential for companies to have control both at the data level and endpoint level and with it an improvement of policies overall. Yonatan Striem-Amit, cofounder and CTO, Cybereason And catching an intruder impersonating an actual employee is clearly an IT responsibility. It is essential for companies to have control both at the data level and endpoint level and with it an improvement of policies overall, Striem-Amit said. There is also general agreement that better data governance knowing what and where it is and properly classifying it will help organizations keep track of it and protect it. And that is an IT function. As Simberkoff put it, do you need to put the same security protocols around protecting pictures from your company picnic as your customers critical infrastructure design or build information, credit card information, or your employees benefits information? But she also said she believes, HR should play a critical role in ensuring that employees are not intentionally or inadvertently provided with too much access to data that they should not have. As a general rule, employees should be given the least amount of access/privilege possible to allow them to do their job, she said. Unfortunately, overburdened IT administrators tend to work in the opposite way, giving users excessive access so that they (IT) do not sink under the burden of excessive and sometimes impossible workloads. The bottom line, Conrad said, is that each department can help the other while IAM is nominally a function of IT, HR is more likely to know when an employees privileges or access should change. They need to be closely linked, he said, to ensure privileges and access levels are in sync with the employees position and duties. Many times, once privileges are granted, they never go away. This definitely increases a companys risk profile. Finally, there is broad agreement that employee training should be both a regular event and a cooperative effort. It cant be, a once a year training course, but rather it must be pervasive throughout the culture of your company, Simberkoff said. Conrad said good training should involve the marketing team as well as IT and HR, since the goal is to sell employees on good security practices. IT should partner with marketing to learn how to deliver a message that sticks and gets better results, he said. Most awareness training is of such low quality that its a wonder it works at all. Indeed, the best technology in the world cant trump a careless or clueless employee. If people arent trained, then bad things can happen, Winkler said. This story, "Boost your security: Get IT and HR to collaborate" was originally published by CSO . Kit Malthouse blasts "disgusting" incidents The MP for North West Hampshire has condemned disgusting racist incidents following last weeks EU referendum. Kit Malthouse, who campaigned for a leave vote, was speaking after the nation elected to leave the European Union in an historic referendum on June 23. While market uncertainty and political upheaval continue there have been reports of racist incidents targeting EU migrants across the country in the days that followed. The Tory MP said: Like most people I have been profoundly disturbed by the disgusting racist incidents that have taken place over the weekend. While immigration has undoubtedly been an issue in this campaign, it is a difficult and thorny one, and talk of curbs or controls will always give succour to racists and xenophobes. But people who seek a reasonable debate need to be explicit and unequivocal in their condemnation of those attacks, and that includes the leadership of both sides of the referendum. It is perfectly possible to engage with this question and be positive about immigration at the same time. Immigrants are welcome in the UK, both from within and outside the EU, and we should all value their contribution culturally and economically. What do you think following the referendum result are you elated or devastated? Did you vote one way and wish you hadnt? Have you been victim to racist incidents as a result? Let us know at william.walker@newburynews.co.uk and chris.ord@newburynews.co.uk Spooky events, stomp grapes and the return of the Kings this weekend Its the spookiest time of the year, and there are a few events happening this weekend in Newport County to mark the occasion. Before your family heads to Mexico, Asia or beyond this summer, do a little planning to keep everyone healthy during their journey. Dr. Nava Yeganeh, an assistant professor of pediatric infectious diseases and director of the Pediatric International Travel and Adoption Clinic at Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, explains three important strategies. 1. Avoid infectious diarrhea. Diarrhea is the most common ailment when traveling abroad. You can help prevent diarrhea by: Eating only foods that have been cooked, boiled or peeled. Making sure your child washes his/her hands before eating. NOTE: If your child does develop diarrhea, the most important treatment is to keep him/her hydrated. You can do this by administering oral rehydration salts (purchased at any pharmacy) mixed with either boiled or bottled water or by giving a prepacked rehydration drink suitable for children (such as Pedialyte). Seek medical attention if your child has blood in the stool, has a fever of 101.4 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, is vomiting so often that he/she cannot tolerate drinking or seems dehydrated. 2. Be up-to-date on vaccinations. Many foreign countries recommend, or require, certain vaccinations to prevent local illnesses such as yellow fever or Japanese encephalitis. Visit a health travel specialist 4 to 6 weeks before your trip for guidance on what vaccinations are needed for your travel itinerary. Remember, some vaccinations don't offer full immunity until a few weeks after they're administered. Don't wait until the last minute to be immunized. Make sure your child's regular vaccinations - including those for measles, polio and hepatitis - are up to date. 3. Avoid mosquito-borne illnesses. Zika, dengue, chikungunya and malaria are just some of the diseases transmitted by mosquitos. Protect against mosquito bites by following these tips: Cover skin with long pants, long sleeves and socks. Use insect repellent with DEET. Wash off the repellent before going to bed. At night, use a bed net treated with insecticide. "Traveling abroad with children can be a memorable adventure for the whole family," Yeganeh says. "These strategies can help everyone enjoy the vacation and return home healthy." Leading NYU Lutheran's fight is Marc Bjurlin, DO, the hospital's newly appointed director of urologic oncology and clinical assistant professor of urology at NYU School of Medicine. "Age, race and family history are the top three risk factors for prostate cancer, which annually claims 30,000 lives in the United States," Dr. Bjurlin said. "At NYU Lutheran, patients will find the expertise and the latest in diagnostic and robotic surgery technology for treating prostate cancer." A 2012 report on the latest available data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that black men, particularly African-American and Caribbean men of African ancestry, had the highest rate of getting and dying from prostate cancer. According to Dr. Bjurlin, men from other ethnic groups also are at high risk, particularly if there is a family history of prostate cancer. Additionally, the risk of prostate cancer increases as men grow older. A digital rectal exam, along with a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test, are the first steps a physician can take to determine whether pain in the hip area or urinary changes are signs of disease that may require further tests. To further evaluate for the presence and extent of a possible prostate tumor, urologists for years could only make an educated guess as to where in the prostate to place biopsy needles. Now, with the development of Artemis -- a multifunctional computerized ultrasound system that works in combination with diagnostic magnetic resonance images -- Dr. Bjurlin points out with confidence: "Many high-grade prostate cancers are no longer being missed. Artemis eliminates guesswork and allows precise targeting of suspicious areas of the prostate." The state of the art diagnostic device has been in use at NYU Langone in Manhattan for several years. In conjunction with Dr. Bjurlin's move across the East River, it is now available only in Brooklyn at NYU Lutheran. "Most prostate cancers are slow-growing. Artemis has entirely changed the way we biopsy and actively monitor prostate cancer," added Dr. Bjurlin. "And Artemis's ability to record and store information from previous biopsies greatly aids in the detection of cancer activity." Robot-Assisted Surgery Also Exclusive to NYU Lutheran When prostate cancer is detected, doctors often look for a first option to prolong life without routinely removing a prostate that may never pose a significant problem. This is often referred to as "watchful waiting." However, if a patient is found to have an aggressive type of cancer, treatment could include radiation and/or surgery to remove the prostate and surrounding areas where the disease may have spread. Among surgical options, the da Vinci Xi, also available in Brooklyn only at NYU Lutheran, is the most advanced technology available for robot-assisted surgery. With his extensive experience using the da Vinci robot at NYU Langone in Manhattan, Dr. Bjurlin is building a more comprehensive urologic cancer program at NYU Lutheran. Although traditional open or laparoscopic procedures are indicated for some prostate surgery, the da Vinci has become increasingly the preferred approach for removing prostate cancer because it is less invasive. In addition, the risk of complications, including urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction, can be minimized by careful attention to saving the nerves as the cancer is being removed. The da Vinci system provides a 3-D view, high magnification and precision in instrument movement and adjustment that give a surgeon greater control and ability to preserve tissues and prevent complications. "The greatest advantage of robotic-assisted prostate surgery is more rapid convalescence. There is less blood loss, less pain, shorter hospital stay, little scarring and quicker to return to activities of daily living," remarked Dr. Bjurlin. "Patients often are up and about a few hours after surgery, stay in the hospital overnight, and go home the next day." To patients and their families, Dr. Bjurlin offers this advice, garnered from years of experience treating hundreds of patients. "The most important message is to help men get over the fear of the initial physical exam," he says. "In this respect, they can certainly benefit from the concern and needling of their loved ones!" New Delhi: The government has whittled down its list of candidates to become the next governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to four, three of whom are economists and veterans of the central bank with the other the head of the country's largest bank. A senior government official said the four were: RBI Deputy Governor Urjit Patel; former deputy governors Rakesh Mohan and Subir Gokarn; and State Bank of India Chair Arundhati Bhattacharya. Two government officials also said that outgoing Governor Raghuram Rajan was expected to join the search committee to appoint three external members of a new six-member RBI Monetary Policy Committee. The objective, these officials said on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, was to ensure that the MPC is constituted as soon as possible - probably before the appointment of Rajan's successor. Earlier in June, Rajan had refused to serve as head of the central bank for the second term. He has said that he will be returning to academics after his term ends on September 4. "While I was open to seeing these developments through, on due reflection, and after consultation with the government, I want to share with you that I will be returning to academia when my term as Governor ends on September 4, 2016. I will, of course, always be available to serve my country when needed," Rajan had said in a statement. New York: New York was decked in rainbow colours as thousands marched through the city in a parade marked by gay pride celebrations and mourning for the recent Orlando massacre. According to initial calculations, nearly 30,000 people on Sunday took part in the Gay Pride march in 2016, the largest number recorded in this city where sexual diversity has been celebrated since 1970, EFE news reported. It is a movement of the LGBT community which emerged from protests following a historic raid at the Stonewall Inn gay bar in Greenwich Village in 1969. But this year, the celebration is mixed with pain from the mass shooting of 50 people in the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12. "This one will not only be a celebration of love, it will be a rejection of hate," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters before the start of the parade which lasted several hours and covered a distance of 4 km. "When we talk about New York values, our values are inclusion, tolerance, understanding and diversity," he added. Photos of the victims, some carried by people wearing veils and dressed in white, others by a group of female riders or by various participants in the march, occupied a special place in the parade on Monday. "We want this terrible event remembered," said New York governor Andrew Cuomo, one of the participants in the parade, along with Mayor De Blasio and other representatives of the city. Cuomo had earlier announced that New York will allocate one million dollar to build a monument to commemorate the victims in Orlando and all acts of hatred against the LGBT community, although it has not been specified where it will be placed. Among the participants in the parade was Barbara Poma, owner of the nightclub in Orlando where the mass shooting took place, who had arrived days before to participate in other events. The commemoration of the slaughter began with two minutes of silence in memory of the victims. In 2016, with the massacre in Orlando, police boosted security and reinforced troops, which at first had caused disagreement between a community that for decades had some mistrust towards the security forces. Throughout the march, the rainbow flags representing the LGBT movement were clearly seen between hands, on bicycles and motorcycles as well as on some vehicles carrying the three stars of the parade. One of them was the Syrian refugee Subhi Nahas, one of the LGBT movement founders in his country. "Elsewhere homosexuals are persecuted and assassinated for who they are, that's why it was important to come here," Nahas told reporters. The parade was adorned with multicolored balloons, carriages, many people with flowery costumes carrying banners or posters of pride and rejection of hatred. "We won't live in fear," said one of the messages, surrounded by rainbow colours. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets of London on Saturday for an annual parade celebrating gay and transgender rights, with many expressing concerns as Britain gears up to part ways with the European Union after Thursday's referendum.One of the attendees, Andrew Bailey, said that even though the EU's human rights charter is incorporated into British laws he was worried that a great deal could now change."We are really worried about the future here. We have rights, we have a great celebration here and we have the apparent solidarity of this government. We need to have the EU support as well," he said.Another attendee, Sue Underwood, was more optimistic."I think I am looking at a positive outcome ... It is just going to be a hard few years I think but I am hoping it will be good at the end of it," she said.Britain is under pressure to set out a quick timetable for a divorce from the European Union, with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker saying he wanted to begin negotiating immediately.London's 43rd Pride Festival also saw some attending to show solidarity with the LGBT community in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 in a gay nightclub on June 12, the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Remember the Bihar Humanities topper Rubi Rai who thought Political Science was a subject that taught cooking? She was asked to appear for a re-test which she had initially denied.But on Saturday, Rai appeared for a re-test and on being asked to write an essay on poet and saint Tulsidas, she wrote a one line answer that read Tulsidas ji, Pranaam.Post the re-test, Rai was arrested by a Special Investigation Team.Rai had been summoned to appear for a re-test soon after a video of her describing Political Science subject as Prodikal Science which teaches 'Cooking' went viral.The standard 12th student was declared as the Humanities topper of Bihar board just a month back and had even topped the Political Science subject. Rai was summoned twice before to appear for a re-test and interview with a panel of subject experts.It is only on Saturday that the student of the controversial Vishun Roy College in Vaishali arrived at Bihar School Examination Board for a re-test. According to officials, Rai failed to answers most of the questions that were asked to her.She allegedly told the panel that she had forgotten what she had studied for the examination which took place three months ago.She claimed to have studied for the examination for two years but could not remember anything now, an official told Hindustan Times According to news reports, Rai's Class XII marks were procured via a racket run in Bihar, where students paid Rs 15 lakh to have their names declared in the toppers' list. Bengaluru: A female cab driver working with a private cab aggregator was found dead under suspicious circumstances at her unlocked rented house on Monday evening in Sanjaya Nagar police station limits. The body of Bharati (40), said to be the first female cab driver in the city, was found hanging from the ceiling at her rented house in Nagashetty Halli. The incident came to light when the landlord found the cab abandoned and could not locate her. He immediately went to her house on the third floor and found her body hanging when he looked through the window. The landlord informed the police and police rushed to the spot, but found her dead. Police officials said that the deceased was living alone and wanted to shift to her hometown in Andhra Pradesh. She had also informed her landlord about shifting her gas connection to Andhra Pradesh. Police officials however said it was clear case of suicide but they could not provide convincing explanation about the unlocked door. An officer said the door was unlocked but closed tight, so that no one could enter inside. The victim also did not leave behind any suicide note. A resident of AP, Bharathi had been living in the city for the past 10 years. She worked in an NGO before taking up driving as a profession. India on Monday entered the Missile Technology Control Regime by becoming the 35th member of the elite group. This is India's first ever entry into a multilateral export control regime. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar signed the document of accession into MTCR in the presence of France's Ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, The Netherlands' Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourg's Charg d'Affaires Laure Huberty. "India has joined the MTCR this morning...India's entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives," External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. "India would like to thank each of the thirty-four MTCR Partners for their support for India's membership. We would also like to thank Ambassador Pieter de Klerk of The Netherlands and Mr Robert Steinmetz of Luxembourg, co-Chairs of the MTCR," the statement said. The MTCR Point of Contact in Paris has conveyed the decision regarding India's accession to the regime through the French Embassy in New Delhi as well as the Embassies of The Netherlands and Luxembourg, it said. Since its civil nuclear deal with the US, India has been trying to get into export control regimes like NSG, MTCR, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement that regulate the conventional, nuclear, biological and chemicals weapons and technologies. India's case in MTCR was opposed in 2015 by Italy which is not happy with New Delhi over the marines dispute. However, after both marines, accused of murdering two fishermen off the Kerala coast in 2012, were allowed to return, the Italians have softened their opposition. India's efforts to get into the MTCR also got a boost after it agreed to join the Hague Code of Conduct, dealing with the ballistic missile non-proliferation arrangement, earlier in June. MTCR membership will enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia. The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kilogramme payload for at least 300 kilometres, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Significantly, China, which stonewalled India's entry into the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the just- concluded Seoul plenary, is not a member of 34-nation MTCR. Chennai: The woman Infosys employee Swathi, who was hacked to death on June 24 in Chennai, complained about a youth who used to stalk her every day. The significant input, which may help the local police to crack the case soon, was shared by victims father K Gopalakrishnan on Monday. He said, "On May 10, my daughter complained about a man who used to follow her. She also alerted the local shopkeepers about the stalker. We were concerned and used to drop and receive her (around 7.30 pm) from the railway station." "It is very unfortunate no one came forward to help my daughter. She was lying in a pool of blood for more than 2 hours and no one turned up. Even the policemen reached the spot late. It was shocking for me and raises questions about the security of other woman commuters," he added. Gopalakrishnan said that they are cooperating with Chennai police and showed confident on the investigating team that they will find the culprit very soon. Swathi was hacked to death at Nungambakkam railway station. Around 6 am her father dropped her at the railway station and left. A man approached Swathi and they were heard arguing with each other over some issue. He suddenly pulled out a chopper and hacked her to death in front of other commuters and walked away unchallenged. Meanwhile, with no breakthrough even after 72 hours of the murder, the Madras High Court took a suo moto cognisance of the case and asked the Tamil Nadu government for a report at the earliest. The court has asked the Public Prosecutor (PP) S Shanmuga Velayutham to inform it about the current status of the case. The PP was also asked to clarify on a media report alleging lack of coordination between Railway Police and local police on the probe into the murder case. Taking serious view of the report, a division bench comprising justices S Nagamuthu and V Bharathi Dasan asked the PP to verify from the authorities concerned whether there was non-coordination between departments and give his clarification on the matter by 3 pm. If it was found that there was non-coordination, court will have to suo motu monitor the case, the judge said. The case was later transferred to a special team of the city police. (With PTI inputs) Here is what is making news on a Monday morning Upper caste villagers refuse to give land for Pampore martyr's funeral A display of caste prejudice halted the funeral of constable Vir Singh, one of the eight martyred CRPF jawans, at his village in UP's Shikohabad, report Arvind Chauhan and D M Sharma.Upper caste villagers allegedly refused to allow public land to be used for the cremation of Singh, who was from the Nat (acrobats) community. It was only after the intervention of district officials that a 10x10 metre plot was given for Singh's last rites. (Reported by Times of India) Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana data till april 25: Of 17.58 lakh candidates skilled, 81,978 get placed Kaushal Bharat, Kushal Bharat its with this slogan that the government had launched its ambitious Skill India Mission in July last year, but the transformation from Kaushal to Kushal seems to be faltering at the last mile. While the government claimed to have trained twenty lakh people under its flagship Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY), which works out to an average of about 6,600 persons trained or upskilled every single day over last ten months, peeling off the layers of this success story reveals a less compelling narrative. Only 81,978 of these trained candidates have managed to secure placements since the launch of the scheme in July 2015, according to official data updated till April 25, 2016. The placement to skilling ratio works out to less than 0.5 per cent, if official data for those extended training and placed till that date were to be taken into consideration. (Reported by The Indian Express) Synthetic drugs rule party circles NCB Data Show Heroin & Cocaine Displaced By Crystal Meth, Meow Meow Heroin and cocaine seem passe for the capital's drug market as people are getting high on synthetic drugs. Methamphetamine aka crystal meth and Meow Meow ruled party circles in 2015-16, reveals data released by the Delhi division of Narcotics Control Bureau on International Day against Drug Abuse. The data shows that consumption and seizures of heroin and cocaine dipped drastically by as much as four times this year--from 33kg in 2014-15, seizures came down to 9kg in 2015-16. Cocaine too dropped by half, from 13kg to 7kg. However, seizures of Meow Meow increased from 3kg to 57kg and meth rose to 21kg from 3kg. (Reported by Times of India) Under attack from Subramanian Swamy, Arun Jaitley wants party to act With BJP Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy targeting Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, especially after the latter disapproved of his attacks on Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das, a section in the party believes Jaitleys position is being undermined and action should be taken against Swamy. When he returns from China Monday, Jaitley is likely to intensify efforts to ensure that he and his ministry are not subjected to further attacks from Swamy. One of his confidants told The Indian Express: Swamys threats through tweets cannot be dismissed as an independent voice since he happens to be a party member. (Reported by Times of India) Lutyens' to get 116 cell towers Lutyens' Delhi may not face call drops any more as a Delhi Police panel formed by the MHA has given the nod for installation of 116 mobile towers in the area, including two near the Prime Minister's residence at 7, Race Course Road, subject to security riders. (Reported by Times of India) Beef smugglers forced to eat cow dung A day after two Bajrang Dal activists were shot at on Kundli-Manes ar-Pal w al expressway by alleged cow smugglers, a video has emerged showing cow vigilantes forcing two suspected beef smugglers to eat cow dung and ch ant G au Mata ki Jai and Jai Shri Ram. The accused, identified as Mukhtiar and Rijwan of Nuh area in Mewat district, were beaten up before they were forced to eat cow dung near the Badarpur border on the KMP expressway on June 10. The vigilantes shot the video and handed over the accused to Farida bad police. The duo was sent to judicial custody and the police said the seized meat was beef. (Reported by Hindustan Times) Bisada villagers decide to wait for court order on FIR demand The residents of Bisada village in Gautam Budh Nagar, where Mohammed Ikhlaq was lynched amid allegations of cow slaughter in September 2015, held a second panchayat at a temple complex to discuss their strategy for the future on Sunday evening. The police charge-sheeted 18 people for the lynching on the night of September 28 in Bisada, nearly 50 km from Delhi. Meanwhile, a forensic report from UP governments Mathura forensic laboratory stated that the meat found during the incident was of a cow or its progeny. (Reported by Hindustan Times) Tripura governor tweets his way to another controversy Tripura governor Tathagata Roy again found himself in controversy after a recent tweet in which he congratulated Shyama Prasad Mookherjee for creating West Bengal, due to which he, as a Bengali Hindu, could live with dignity. He tweeted, Before I go to sleep let me thank the great SPM who created West Bengal, becz of whom I as a Bengali Hindu can live with my head held high. (Reported by Hindustan Times) Two Indians bag Queens Award for youth leadership A visually-challenged man with a passion for education and a youth facilitator from Hyderabad are among the 60 people from across the globe who were presented medals for exemplary work in their respective fields by Queen Elizabeth at the Buckingham Palace. The two Indians are Kartik Sawhney, 21, and Neha Swain, 28. Launched in 2014 by the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry, Queens Young Leaders Award are given away to 60 exceptional young people who then become Queens Young Leaders one for every year that she has served as the head of the Commonwealth at the time of her Diamond Jubilee. (Reported by Hindustan Times) Texas mother fatally shoots two daughters, killed by cop A US woman fatally shot her two daughters before officers shot and killed her, police said. The incident happened on Friday in front of a home just outside the Houston, Texas suburb of Fulshear. The Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office identified the mother as 42-year-old Christy Sheats and her daughters as 22-year-old Taylor Sheats and 17-year-old Madison Sheats. Sheriff Troy Nehls said the shooting apparently followed a family argument, but the reason for the argument remained unclear. (Reported by Hindustan Times) Its been more than 72 hours and the killer is still on the run. In the second footage, at 6:43 AM, the suspect is seen fleeing the spot after the crime. She wasnt involved in any love affair. I urge the media to stop defaming her, her uncle said. - A 24-year-old Infosys employee, Swathi S was hacked to death by an unidentified man at Nungambakkam Railway Station in broad daylight.Swathi took the 6:45AM train for work everyday. But on 24th June, an assassin attacked her with a sickle and Swathi bled to death.The onlookers looked away and boarded the 6:45 AM train. No railway police personnel was present in the station and the body was left untouched at the station for at least 2 hours.Meanwhile, Railway police officers have released two CCTV footages, one taken a few metres from the station and the other that was released on 26th June was taken outside the station.The CCTV footage shows a man wearing a checked shirt and black pants with a bag walking towards the railway station at 6:32 AM.Swathi's family, however, say they have never seen the person seen in the CCTV footage.While there have been reports tarnishing Swathi's image, the family said, it is totally unfair to speculate on things.Meanwhile the DMK leader MK Stalin met Swathis parents at her residence.Stalin slammed the AIADMK government for deteriorating law and order in the state.Speaking to media he said after the AIADMK took charge for the second time, there were a number of killings that have taken place at Chennai city itself."When I raised this question in assembly, I got answers like 'everything is perfect'. Swathi's murder is a perfect example that there is no progress in the area of women safety in Chennai. The fear has increased in families of Chennai and Tamil Nadu" Stalin said.Sources from Railway police department told CNN News 18 that the killer could be a stalker. He in fact said that they are monitoring CCTV footages at Infosys campus to see if they can spot the suspect anywhere close to the campus.In the meantime, Madras High Court intervened and asked the State Prosecutor if there are co-ordination issues between the Tamil Nadu police and the Railway police officials.The High Court had asked for a status report from the state prosecutor. The High court also said that it will take suo moto action if the report is not satisfactory. This comes a day after the City Police Commissioner said this murder comes under the GRP and that they would help them if required.Subsequently the probe was transferred to the Tamil Nadu Police Department.The investigation is on but no arrests have yet been made in this case. Meanwhile, the family is hoping that the killer is nabbed very soon and they have urged people to assist the investigators. Madrid: Actress Richa Chadha's much talked about film Cabaret is yet to see the light of day as the film's release date has been pushed again. She says she has no idea about the reason behind the delay. "I have no idea about the date of the film being pushed. I think the producers can give you the right reason behind that," Richa told reporters at the 17th edition of International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards green carpet here on Saturday. Cabaret unfolds the story of a girl who begins her journey from a small village in Jharkhand and wants to make it big in the world of dance. Along with dance, the movie will present a dose of love and romance. The film, directed by Kaustav Narayan Niyogi and co-produced by Pooja Bhatt and Bhushan Kumar under the banner of Fisheye Network Private Limited, was initially scheduled for release in May. It was later postponed to June 10 and now, the film is yet to hit screens. Richa, known for movies like Fukrey, Masaan, Gangs of Wasseypur and Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-Leela, was last seen on the big screen in "Mary Kom" famed director Omung Kumar's biopic Sarbjit. Perfect Selfie with a fan at #iifa2016 A photo posted by Salman khan Fanpage (@salmaniacc) on Jun 25, 2016 at 11:45am PDT He might be referred to as Bollywoods Dabangg, but when it comes to kids, we get to see the man with a golden heart. The star, who has worked with kids in his films, is often seen chilling with them at home, on the film sets, and also at award functions.In the recent video of Salman, which has gone viral on the social media, he is seen saying I Love You to a young fan. The actor, who had recently flown to Madrid to attend IIFA 2016, was leaving from the event venue when he met with this adorable fan. Guarded by bouncers, the actor didnt mind speaking to the little fan and her mother.Watch the adorable video here:In another photo which has been shared on social media is of Salman posing with a young fan. New Delhi: AAP MLA Dinesh Mohaniya, arrested in a case of alleged molestation, was on Monday sent to judicial custody for 14 days by a Delhi court which rejected his bail plea. "There is no change in the circumstances in the last 2 days to interfere with the duty magistrate's June 25 order. This second bail application of accused is dismissed," Metropolitan Magistrate Bhavna Kalia said. The duty magistrate on Saturday had denied him bail and sent him to Tihar jail for two days till Monday. The MLA was booked on June 23 for allegedly misbehaving with a group of women who had approached him with a complaint regarding water crisis in their locality on the previous midnight. An FIR was lodged at South Delhi's Neb Sarai Police Station. Mohaniya has been arrested under the sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 354 C (voyeurism) of the IPC. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday directed the Finance Ministry to implement the 7th Pay Commission recommendations, results of which could be termed as a huge bonanza for lakhs of government employees. The move will be cleared in the Cabinet meeting which will take place on Wednesday. A total of 98 lakh employees -- 47 lakh central government employees and 52 lakh pensioners -- will benefit from the move. The employees are likely to get a hike of 15-20 per cent. The implementation of the new pay scales is estimated to put an additional burden of Rs 1.02 lakh crore on the exchequer in 2016-17. Subject to acceptance by the government, it will take effect from January 1, 2016. The Budget document has stated that "the implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission due from January 1, 2016 is to be implemented during fiscal year 2016-17 as also the revised One Rank One Pension (OROP) scheme for Defence services". The Finance Ministry has provisioned for this in the Demands for Grants for individual departments and ministries. It is built and subsumed into those allocations. In January, the government had set up a high-powered panel headed by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha to process the recommendations of The Empowered Committee of Secretaries which will function as a Screening Committee to process the recommendations with regard to all relevant factors of the Commission in an expeditious detailed and holistic fashion. Faced with the burden of Pay Commission recommendations, there were concerns on whether the government would be able to stick to the fiscal deficit target of 3.9 per cent for 2016-17. Lucknow: A rift is brewing within the Yadav clan in Samajwadi Party. Senior party leader and Mulayam Singh's brother Shivpal Yadav has skipped Uttar Pradesh cabinet expansion on Monday and remained in Etawah instead. Sources said that there are no major events lined up for Shivpal in Etawah, yet he gave the cabinet expansion a miss. SP chief Mulayam Singh's aide Balram Yadav was re-inducted into the cabinet. Similarly, Narad Rai, who was also removed from the post, was administered oath as the cabinet minister. Ziyaudin Rizvi, who was not present in the city, could not be administered oath. Ravidas Mehrotra and Sharda Pratap Shukla were administered oath as Ministers of State (Independent Charge). Portfolios to the newly inducted ministers would be allocated later. Earlier in the day, state Minister Manoj Pandey was also dropped from Akhilesh's cabinet. Earlier this week, Akhilesh had his way after SP called off its merger with Quami Ekta Dal. The event had seen the clear divide between Akhilesh and Shivpal. This is perhaps the last reshuffle of Akhilesh's council of ministers ahead of the Assembly election in early 2017. In the last expansion on October 31, 2015, the Chief Minister had inducted five cabinet ministers, eight ministers of state with independent charge and eight ministers of state. The maximum permissible strength of the ministry, including the chief minister, is 60 in UP. New Delhi: Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Sunday targeted "political bosses" at the Centre, daring them to arrest all AAP MLAs at once. "The attitude of their political bosses is that, somehow put the AAP MLAs in jail. They are making excuses left, right and centre and putting them in jail by any means possible. If you want to arrest, then why don't you arrest everyone together," Sisodia said at an Iftaar party organised in Delhi Assembly premises. In the midst of Delhi government's running battle with the Centre, the deputy CM said, "Why waste Delhi Police resources? Today they told them to arrest us which they did. They could have put us under arrest for more time. They will do so again and we will go again." With a complaint lodged against Sisodia, 52 MLAs of the ruling AAP were detained by police on Sunday while they were on their way to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Race Course Road residence to protest the arrest of party MLA Dinesh Mohaniya. The MLAs were detained for violating prohibitory orders in force around 7 RCR and were later released. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Speaker Ram Niwas Goel, Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla and few other AAP MLAs were also present. London: To leave, or not to leave: that is the question. Still. After Britain's historic vote to leave the European Union, there is no indication that a so-called Brexit will happen soon. It maybe never will. Prime Minister David Cameron, who is resigning, has said he will not take the formal step to an European Union divorce on the grounds that his successor should. Because the referendum is not legally binding, some politicians are suggesting a Parliament vote before formally triggering Brexit. A petition on the United Kingdom government's website on holding a second referendum has gained more than 3 million signatories in just two days. European leaders, facing the biggest threat to European unity since World War two, are divided over how swiftly divorce talks should start. Paris wants haste and German Chancellor Angela Merkel is urging patience. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said he wanted to "start immediately". And on Sunday, Scotland's leader said Scotland may veto Brexit altogether. Under devolution rules, Parliaments of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales are required to consent to any European Union divorce, according to a report by the House of Lords. Most British politicians agree such a decisive 52-48 win for Leave in the referendum means a divorce must happen. Anything less would be a slap in the face of democracy. "The will of the British people is an instruction that must be delivered," a choking Cameron said in his resignation speech, which marked the most tumultuous end to a British premiership since Anthony Eden resigned in 1957 after the Suez crisis. Still, the upswell of chatter #regrexit is trending big on Twitter over whether Britain might be able to reconsider speaks to the disbelief gripping this continent in the wake of a vote that has unleashed financial and political mayhem. Sterling has plunged, and Britain's political parties are both crippled. Cameron is a lameduck leader, and the main opposition Labour party on Sunday attempted a coup against its leader, with nine top officials resigning. "The kaleidoscope has been shaken up not just in terms of our relationship with the European Union but in terms of who runs our parties, who governs the country and what the country is made up of," said Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College London. "It is very hard to see where the pieces are." ARTICLE 50 The law provisioning an EU member country's exit from the union is Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty that is effectively the EU's constitution. It has never been invoked before. Before the vote, Cameron had said Article 50 would be triggered straight away if Britain voted to leave. Over the weekend, several EU officials also said the United Kingdom needed to formally split right away possibly at a Tuesday European Union meeting. But officials of the Leave campaign including former London mayor Boris Johnson are stepping on the brakes. They say they want to negotiate Britain's post-Brexit relationship with the European Union before formally pulling the trigger to divorce. European officials and observers say such a deal is unlikely, especially considering the thorny issues involved. For example, it is unlikely that the European Union would grant Britain access to the single market key to allowing Britain trade goods and services in the European Union without London accepting the free movement of European Union workers. But the biggest issue for those who voted to leave the bloc was limits on immigration something the Leave campaigners promised. DIVIDED UK On Sunday, a petition to call for a second referendum was gaining supporters, reaching 3.3 million signatories by the afternoon. David Lammy, a lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party, said it was within parliament's powers to call a second referendum and urged that it be done. Perhaps the most vocal resistance to a British exit is coming from Scotland. Scotland, a nation of 5 million people, voted to stay in the European Union by 62 to 38%, compared to the 54% in England who voted to leave. Under the United Kingdom's complex arrangements to devolve some powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, legislation generated in London to set off an European Union divorce would have to gain consent from the three devolved parliaments, according to a report by the House of Lords' European Union Committee. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the British Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday that she would consider urging Scottish Parliament to block such a motion. It is not clear, however, whether such a scenario would ever materialize or be binding. Sturgeon's spokesman later said that the British government might not seek consent in the first place. Moreover, Sturgeon is simply laying out the groundwork for a new referendum on Scottish independence from the United Kingdom something the first minister said was "highly likely." WITHDRAWAL While there is no precedent for Article 50, the House of Lords has discussed how any Brexit would work. In May, it published a report after consultations with legal experts. In the report, Derrick Wyatt, one of the professors involved, said that while it would be politically difficult, the law allows the United Kingdom to change its mind after invoking Article 50. "In law, the United Kingdom could change its mind before withdrawal from the European Union and decide to stay in after all," said Wyatt. London: Some British voters were left in a whirl of confusion as to whether they could use a pen to vote in Thursday's EU membership referendum. As Britain decided whether or not to stay in the European Union, some struggled to decide whether to use the traditional pencil or risk a pen, following a tweet from a local authority that triggered a rash of jokes and conspiracy theories online. East Northamptonshire Council tweeted: "Please use a pencil on your ballot paper as ink can smudge when it's folded which could make the paper doubtful and it may not be counted." Soon the hashtags #usepens and #pengate were circulating on Twitter, along with jokey suspicion that spooks could rub out pencilled-in crosses and ink the other box instead. TV astrophysicist Professor Brian Cox quipped: "I voted in pencil just in case MI5 need to change it later." The online confusion caused other local authorities to tweet that pens could be used, while one told voters they could bring a pen but urged them not to ask staff for one. East Northamptonshire Council later clarified its tweet, telling people to "feel free to use a pen but make sure it doesn't smudge when folding so it is clear how you have voted". Pencils are traditionally used in Britain for marking ballot papers. "However, there is nothing to stop a voter from using a pen to mark their vote -- there is no legal requirement for ballot papers to be marked with a pencil," said a spokesman for the Electoral Commission, which oversees elections. He said pencils were historically favoured because there was always a risk that pens could dry out or spill. "Also, ink may cause some transfer of the mark the voter has made on the ballot paper when they fold it, thus potentially leading to a rejection as it may look like they have voted for more options than they are entitled to." Online jesters suggested that the blood of a robin, a needle and thread, woodstain or a mini flame-thrower could be used instead by voters suspicious that their crosses could fall victim to correction fluid and erasers. At one stage in the day, police were called to a polling station in Chichester, southern England, where a woman was distributing pens after a volunteer reported a "disturbance" outside. A local police support officer "went to the scene and spoke with a woman who was handing out pens", Sussex Police said. No offences were committed and the incident was no longer being treated as a police matter. As part of a national trend of economic development, three different localities in the region have developed business basics classes coupled with funding to help launch small businesses. Altavista has retooled its Pop-Up Altavista business launch program with a new curriculum, Lynchburg has adopted the Co.Starters entrepreneurial program and Bedford just has finished up its independently run Bedford Business Bootcamp course. Modeled after the success of the original entrepreneurship start-up program Pop-Up Marion, Altavista successfully launched Pop-Up Altavista last year. Participants went through a six-week business essentials and team-building class and eventually competed for funds provided by a grant from the Virginia Department of Community Development. Now the program has been rebooted into Pop-Up Altavista 2.0, which will be running this fall. Instead of following the curriculum from independent sources and borrowing from the success in Marion, the newly redesigned course will be eight weeks and is based on a program called Growth Wheel. Originally developed for one-on-one counseling with businesses of all sizes, the Virginia Small Business Development Center purchased the license to the program and trained their business counselors across Virginia to use it. The Small Business Development Center office headquartered at Central Virginia Community College then developed it into the newly formatted Pop-Up Altavista program. Rather than us just pull something together, not that there was anything wrong with anything before, but now we have work that we can do together as a group for the entrepreneurship program, Small Business Development Center Program Specialist Stephanie Keener said. Its really just a toolkit to ask you a series of questions and make better decisions so your business process is more focused. While the class will have team-building and networking exercises, the program is focused individually. We will be having teamwork and networking, but this program is very much about how you work with your business, Keener said. Lynchburg has adopted the program Co.Starters. Developed by a company in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Co.Starters is much more peer focused. Originally developed as a small group-led program, the curriculum is based on networking and group discussion. Youre not being taught at, Assistant Director of Lynchburg Economic Development Anna Bentson said. Instead the facilitator takes you through this program, and youre learning from your peers. Instead of focusing on the more technical aspects of how to launch and run a business, the nine-week course is about working with a group to shape your business plan and get to know your customer. It helps people test their idea in a very safe collaborative environment, Bentson said. We consider this a really good place to start before you go get financing or apply for loans. The first cohort of Co.Starters just finished last month with five businesses awarded grants to help them either launch or expand. For the first year, the program was funded by a grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. This enabled Lynchburg Economic Development to award $40,000 in grant money. Moving forward, future cohorts only will compete for $5,000 which has been budgeted for the annual program. Bedford Business Bootcamp also finished its first cohort this month. Also based on the original Pop-Up Marion program, Bedfords course is an independently developed curriculum and is funded by private donations from American National Bank and Union Bank and Trust. Were not in a position to spend money on a curriculum, so we were looking for free resources that have already proven effective in other areas, Bedford Main Street Executive Director Sarah Smith said. Were being serious and intentional. Were not just saying, Hey any business is great. Were being very strategic and making sure those businesses that come in will fit the greater community vision. Bedford is in the process of applying for a grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development to expand its program for next year. Still planning to stick to the independently developed curriculum, it will be adding extra resources and guest speakers. While these programs are new, the Lynchburg Business Development Center has been running business basics classes for years. With a greater emphasis on business management in a traditional classroom setting, this course runs for six weeks and does not provide the potential of competing for money at the end. There are resources readily available for local residents to see if they have what it takes to start a business, Business Development Center Director Byron Steward said. The natural progression is to go from something like Co.Starters and then come get some of the hard skills from us. According to Bentson, these programs are not supposed to be independent of each other. Its just different options for different people, she said. I dont think any of these programs are meant to be the end-all, be-all. They can be used together and layered together. The goal of these programs is to help increase the knowledge business owners have before starting the process, according to Keener. Every business that closes, even if its small, is a drain on our program, she said. Solvent businesses are so important to the backbone of any place. If our businesses dont function correctly then our economy doesnt function correctly. GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Fasting Shakoor forms his own Food for Tomorrow For Sideeq Shakoor, who is a muslim, the holy month of Ramaadan is that time of the year that reminds him of the most fun days growing up as a child. Upon the sighting of the new moon for the start of the month of Ramaadan according to the Islamic calender, Shakoor, 19, recalls the early-morning alarm at dawn, for 29 or 30 consecutive days, to begin the fast. But there is more to not eating and drinking from dawn to sunset that is etched in Shakoors memory of his childhood Ramaadan days in South Trinidad when he was just nine years old. His mother and father would buy groceries, bundle them into packages, and distribute to needy families in the villages of Penal. It was all in a days work for Shakoor and his siblings who, in addition to praying the five daily prayers and reading the Quran in Arabic each day of the month, must find time during the day or night, to deliver those hampers. With each passing Ramaadan, Shakoor told Newsday that his life as a youth, has been one in which his parents instilled Islamic principles. He recall his parents taking him in their van in the days of Ramaadan beyond the villages of Penal. His father had heard from a member of the mosque which the family attends, that a woman with three children living in Moruga, needed a stove. I remember that I was just a young boy and helping my dad lift the stove and carry a mattress. We went to other places where people needed a bed, or clothes. It was nice, but I was just a boy and my other brother, even younger. Shakoor has grown into a young man of 20 years and, upon his entry into Naparima College, he joined the Naparima College Sea Scouts. Last year, he visited Ecuador as a representative of an Inter- American Leadership Training programme designed to train scout leaders of countries in the Inter-American scout regions. Shakoor had the opportunity to work with 60 scouts from Chile, Mexico, Guyana, Brazil, Suriname, Colombia, Ecuador, Grenada, Belize, Jamaica, Curacao, Aruba, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, Bolivia, Argentina, Honduras, Bahamas, Panama, El Salvador, Nicaragua, USA, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Venezuela, Peru, Costa Rica and Paraguay. It involved workshops and conferences aimed at developing ways to spread peace and helping the needy. Upon his return home, Shakoor established his own charitable oneman organisation titled: Food For Tomorrow. The name was borne out of their charitable work in Ecuador. The leaders of each scout group returned to their respective countries and have each formed a Food For Tomorrow group. Shakoor seeks no assistance from anyone. He gathers foodstuff, packages them, and delivers himself. I dont feel compelled to impose what is my duty, on others. In the next couple of Ramaadan days left, Shakoor would be busy packaging special hampers to ensure the needy have a feast, just as he would have his on the feast of Eid-ul-Fitr, to be celebrated most likely on July 6. Thanks to FDA, Women Will Be Told of Their Breast Density (Newser) The mystery holes that plague an Indiana sand duneand triggered its public closure when one in July 2013 swallowed a 6-year-old boy who nearly diedare apparently caused by a "ghost forest" of underground trees and "cement." Per a recent study, buried trees at Mount Baldy dune are decaying in such a way that gives the holesthe former branches and trunksa temporary structure, the AP reports. As for how the hollow shapes hold that structure, scientists point to a "calcium-carbonate-rich cement" found "at the contact between organic material [the decaying trees] and sands." In the sand, parts of "decayed trees progressively collapse and infill, and open holes are temporarily stabilized" by the cement, the researchers wrote in Aeolian Research in December. "Further, holes can exist undetected at the surface, covered by a thin veneer of sand." Lead author Erin Argyilan is working to figure out what's causing the "cement," which may flourish when tree-decaying fungi comes in contact with sand. "Its not in the sand. Is it the tree itself? Is it the fungus? The sediment? What is the key factor that is making this happen? The work we are doing now will show ... how the materials got there," she tells Indiana University Northwest News. She's also involved in a study that will create a map of possibly dangerous areas at the dune using 1930s photos that show where the trees stood before the migrating sandsthe dune moves an average 10 to 13 feet a yearburied them. No one's saying whether Mount Baldy at the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore will reopen, but there may be a bigger question: "There are actually a lot of places around the country ... where dunes are covering trees," says Argyilan, whose findings could be used to assess risk elsewhere. (In California sand dunes, archaeologists found a giant sphinx.) (Newser) There were chaotic and bloody scenes outside California's Capitol building Sunday when a far-right group calling itself the Traditionalist Worker Party tried to hold a rally. Witnesses tell the Los Angeles Times that things turned violent as soon as a few dozen members of the white supremacist group turned up at the Sacramento rally, where they were met by hundreds of anti-Nazi demonstrators. At least nine people were hospitalizedseven of them with stab woundsand many others suffered cuts, scrapes, and bruises. A Sacramento police spokesman tells the AP that the group had a permit to hold the rally and at least 100 police officers had been there to try to keep order. The TWP, formed last year as an offshoot of the Traditionalist Youth Network, another white nationalist group, had said the rally aimed to show the "precarious situation our race is in." But "the purpose of the protest was actually a reaction around the Donald Trump rallies where working-class white Americans were trying to peacefully organize, not on racial terms," group spokesman Matt Parrott tells the Sacramento Bee. Parrott is believed to be the father-in-law of TWP leader Matthew Heimbach, who was described by the Washington Post earlier this year as the "next David Duke" after he was filmed shoving a protester at a Trump rally in Kentucky. Before the rally, Heimbach tweeted a photo of some "brave comrades." (A Jewish man rescued a KKK leader during similar violence at a protest in Anaheim earlier this year.) (Newser) Yet another tragedy has destroyed yet another family after a small child was able to get his hands on a loaded gun. Authorities in New Jersey say 22-year-old Itaniyah Spruill was arrested and charged with a weapons violation and endangering the welfare of a child after her 5-year-old son accidentally shot his 4-year-old brother in the head while he was playing with his mom's gun on Saturday morning, NJ Advance Media reports. The 4-year-old was pronounced dead at University Hospital in Newark hours after the shooting. Prosecutors say the older boy has been released to the custody of a family member. Spruill is being held in Essex County Jail, with bail set at $310,000. Sources tell PIX11 that the shooting took place at the halfway house where Spruill, who was enrolled in a mental health program, was staying, and that the boys' grandmother was the one who usually had custody of them. NJ1015 reports that according to court records, Spruill was charged in 2014 with offenses including unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose. Earlier this month, she spent four days in jail in Newark on charges of promoting prostitution. (In April, a mother in Milwaukee was shot dead while driving after her 2-year-old son found a gun in the backseat.) (Newser) It was quintessential Pope Francis: On a plane journey back from a foreign trip on Sunday, the pontiff made a statement that once would have been considered jaw-droppingly radical. In a response to a reporter's question, Francis said the church should apologize for offending and discriminating against gays over the years, the BBC reports. "I believe that the church not only should apologize to the person who is gay whom it has offended," he said, "but has to apologize to the poor, to exploited women, to children exploited for labor; it has to ask forgiveness for having blessed many weapons." Francis stressed that when he says "the church," he means Christians. "The Church is holy, we are sinners!" he said. Franciswho made waves three years ago when he asked: Who am I to judge gays?has been hailed by gay rights groups for his groundbreaking statements, though he has reaffirmed church policy that actually having gay sex is sinful, the BBC notes. The pope was on his way home from Armenia, where he once again enraged Turkish authorities by describing the mass killing of Armenians a century ago as genocide, reports CNN. He also addressed Britain's vote to leave the EU, saying that while "something ... is not working in that unwieldy union" and EU countries should be given more independence to creatively deal with their problems, "let's not throw the baby out with the bathwater." (Read more Pope Francis stories.) (Newser) New York City Buddhist leaders are sounding the alarm to tourists: Beware the "fake monks." Men in orange robes claiming to be Buddhist monks are approaching visitors to some of the city's most popular attractions, handing them shiny medallions and offering greetings of peace. They then hit them up for donations to help them build a temple in Thailand, and are persistent if their demands are refused. "The problem seems to be increasing," the Rev. TK Nakagaki, president of the Buddhist Council of New York, a group that represents nearly two dozen Buddhist temples, tells the AP. "They are very aggressive and hostile if you don't give them money." Nakagaki's group has taken to the streets and social media to warn people that the men appear to have no affiliation to any Buddhist temple. "Please be aware," read one Facebook post, "this is a scam." The AP spotted men in brightly colored robes harassing tourists in Times Square and along the High Line elevated park. Some of the monks were later seen handing wads of cash to another man waiting nearby. The AP tried to ask several men about their background and the temple they said the donations were being used to support. Each claimed to be a Buddhist monk collecting money for a temple in Thailand, but none could give its name or say where exactly it is located. All the men refused to give their names and took off when pressed for answers. (This real monk took on a thief at a Philadelphia gas station.) (Newser) All 222 passengers and 19 crew from a Singapore Airlines flight are safe and unharmed after a terrifying incident early Monday. The airline says the Boeing 777-3000 was on its way from Singapore to Milan when the pilot decided to turn back after receiving an engine oil warning message, the AP reports. It landed back at Singapore's Changi Airport more then four hours laterand just after it came to a halt, its right engine burst into flames as horrified passengers looked on. "By the time the fire engines reached the plane, the flames were about a meter high," passenger Amit Jain tells Today. "When we could see the flames rising, some people were trying to remove their bags from the overhead compartments, which was crazy," he says. "I heard a few people scream 'Open the doors!' and 'Let us out!'" The airline and the airport say the blaze was extinguished within minutes, CNN reports. The passengers were transferred to another flight to Milan. Passengers say they could smell oil while the plane was in the air, but they didn't realize how close to death they were until afterward, the BBC reports. Analyst Greg Waldron at Flightglobal says it appears the pilots did everything right by turning back when they discovered the problem and dumping fuel along the way. "When the plane slows down as you land, fuel can cling to the wing and surfaces. Sparks from the hot brakes after they landed could have the triggered the fire and it does appear quite dramatic. But they appear to have gotten that under control very quickly," he says, per Reuters. "There don't appear to be any procedural issues here." (Read more Singapore Airlines stories.) (Newser) Officials in Montgomery County, Md., have put up fences and attempted to rearrange habitats, but the goose problem in parks there is so bad that they're now resorting to a last-ditch remedy: killing them and donating what's edible to feed the hungry, NBC News reports. Per a press release, up to 300 geese are to be "humanely euthanized" at both Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park and Rock Creek Regional Park, "processed for human consumption," and the meat given to the Maryland Food Bank, though a Montgomery Parks rep tells Bethesda Magazine the number will probably be more like 100 to 150. "These geese are year-round residents and create multiple issues for park users and staff," David Petersen says. "The excessive feces they leave, up to one pound daily, is not only unsightly but causes unsanitary conditions." He also tells WTOP that geese protective of their offspring have been known to attack people, and that their grazing damages turf and grass. Petersen says that the gathering of the geese, which will run the parks department about $20 per bird, will take place through the end of June and into mid-July and stresses that it wasn't an easy decision to put the geese down, especially after criticism from the Humane Society. "These roundup and killing programs for geese are not effective because they simply leave open empty attractable habitat, and that habitat will be refilled by geese coming in from nearby areas," a Humane Society director tells Bethesda Magazine. Petersen rebuts that, noting to WTOP that the parks department has been tapping into other, nonlethal methods "for a number of years" and that "all these things have been marginally effective." He also points out it's not an unusual method to get rid of pesky fowl, noting everyone from homeowners associations to federal agencies have gone this route. (PETA claims that live geese are being plucked for their feathers.) (Newser) Search Google News for articles on the "Strategic National Stockpile" and you'll get a slim 1,480, a low quantity befitting a program studded with secrets. The SNS falls under the auspices of the CDC, which was in 1999 given congressional funding in order to stockpile what now tallies up to $7 billion in inventory: antibiotics, chemical antidotes, vaccines, antitoxins, and other medical items that would be needed in the event of, say, a pandemic flu or chemical-weapon attack in the United States. As for where the SNS warehouses (there are possibly six) are located, "This is not public information," per a government website, but NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce got a look inside oneafter signing a confidentiality agreement that barred her from saying anything about the exterior. Among the things she noticed inside: A massive American flag; a caged area containing potentially addictive drugs; a huge freezer stocked with items requiring colder temps; rows of ventilators that are charged monthly and serviced annually; shipping containers pre-stocked with 50 tons of goods, ready to be sent to local public health officials if needed; and shelves "so tall that looking up makes me dizzy." One interesting wrinkle: expiration dates. The dates on every item needs to be checked so expired ones can be tossed, meaning vast sums of money are spent on items that will ultimately be discarded. That's not to say the stockpile hasn't been called upon. The first deployment was in June 2001, when 200 ventilators and related supplies were sent to Houston in the wake of Tropical Storm Allison; three months later, SNS provided items following 9/11. (Read more medicine stories.) (Newser) Michael Leming lived his life on the edge. A legend in Portland's mountain-climbing community, Leming was BASE jumping in Norway on Sunday when his parachute failed to open, reports KGW. The circumstances surrounding his death aren't clear, but a text posted to Facebookapparently sent from a man who was jumping with Lemingsuggests others witnessed the accident and the 53-year-old "did not suffer." A former model and lead talent scout for Nike for 15 years, Leming helped save lives as a volunteer mountain climber with the Portland Mountain Rescue. He was generally known for his thrill-seeking adventures and had BASE jumped at locations around the world using both parachutes and wingsuits, per OregonLive. Friend and KGW reporter Joe Donlon says an early death was "probably inevitable ... Michael saved numerous lives, while living his own life on the edge. And his journey on that precarious path finally caught up with him." A few years ago, Leming nearly died during a BASE jump in Kuala Lumpur, Donlon writes on Facebook. "Something had gone wrong with his parachute." Before that, in 2002, he was working to attach a climber to a helicopter cable during a rescue on Mount Hood when the copter spun out of control and crashed right beside him. The whole event was captured on live TV. "He told me he would never forget the smell of jet fuel, and the scene that played out in front of him," says Donlon. Leming kept the cable as "a reminder of the thin linebetween life and deathwhen you climb mountains." (Read more BASE jumping stories.) (Newser) Clarence Thomas broke a decade of silence when the case was being heard, and now, a ruling: The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that even those convicted of reckless, rather than intentional, domestic abuse can be denied gun-ownership rights under a federal ban. The case involved two Maine men who said their guilty pleas for hitting their partners (which led to misdemeanor abuse convictions, per the AP) should not disqualify them from owning a gun. In a 6-2 opinion by Elena Kagan, the justices rejected their claims. The Wall Street Journal reports that the case's notoriety ratcheted up after Thomas' questions, and he issued what USA Today calls a "blistering dissent" (he was joined by Sonia Sotomayor). It reads in part: "In construing the statute before us expansively so that causing a single minor reckless injury or offensive touching can lead someone to lose his right to bear arms forever, the court continues to relegate the Second Amendment to a second-class right." (Read more US Supreme Court stories.) (Newser) Portland's police chief, Larry O'Dea, resigned Monday amid criminal and internal investigations into whether he was forthright after accidentally shooting his friend during a camping trip on the other side of the state. O'Dea, 54, had been chief for little more than a year when he went on the April trip to sparsely populated Harney County in southeast Oregon. He shot his friend, Robert Dempsey, in the lower back with a .22 caliber rifle. The friend was taken to a Boise hospital, but not seriously hurt. O'Dea didn't identify himself as Portland's police chief when deputies spoke with him, and he said it appeared Dempsey shot himself in a mishap. A deputy who interviewed O'Dea at the scene wrote in a report that he smelled of alcohol. O'Dea admitted to Mayor Charlie Hales a few days after the incident that he had fired the shot. Harney County authorities didn't learn the truth until weeks later, when the victim finally spoke with an investigator. Hales, who has repeatedly defended his decision not to make the incident public for weeks, announced O'Dea's resignation at a news conference that had to be shifted to his office because of hecklers. Hales said he's been disappointed by the "trial by media" and asked everyone to await the outcome of the twin investigations before passing judgment. "If the investigations determine that some of what has been printed about Chief O'Dea's conduct turns out to be not true, I would ask you to be as energetic in clearing his name as you have been in smearing him," Hales said. O'Dea has denied being intoxicated during the incident, and his attorney, Derek Ashton, reiterated that contention in a statement to the media on Sunday. "Larry O'Dea did not have alcohol on his breath nor was he impaired or intoxicated," Ashton said. "He did not purposely point his gun at any person and did not knowingly discharge a firearm in the direction of his lifelong friend. O'Dea had already been placed on paid administrative leave. (Read more Portland stories.) Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. New Delhi: India on Monday formally joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) as a full member and said its entry would be mutually beneficial to enhance global non-proliferation norms. Marking Indias first entry into any multilateral export control regime, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar signed the instrument of accession to MTCR in the presence of Frances Ambassador-designate Alexandre Ziegler, The Netherlands Ambassador Alphonsus Stoelinga and Luxembourgs ChargedAffaires Laure Huberty. India has joined the MTCR this morning...Indias entry into the regime as its thirty-fifth member would be mutually beneficial in the furtherance of international non-proliferation objectives, External Affairs Ministry said in a statement. India would like to thank each of the thirty-four MTCR Partners for their support for Indias membership. We would also like to thank Ambassador Pieter de Klerk of The Netherlands and Mr Robert Steinmetz of Luxembourg, co-Chairs of the MTCR, the statement said. The MTCR Point of Contact in Paris has conveyed the decision regarding Indias accession to the regime through the French Embassy in New Delhi as well as the Embassies of The Netherlands and Luxembourg, it said. Indias entry into MTCR comes days after it failed to get NSG membership due to stiff opposition from China and a few other countries. Significantly, China, which stonewalled Indias entry into the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the just-concluded Seoul plenary, is not a member of MTCR. Since its civil nuclear deal with the US, India has been trying to get into export control regimes like NSG, MTCR, the Australia Group and the Wassenaar Arrangement that regulate the conventional, nuclear, biological and chemicals weapons and technologies. MTCR membership will now enable India to buy high-end missile technology and also enhance its joint ventures with Russia. The aim of the MTCR is to restrict the proliferation of missiles, complete rocket systems, unmanned air vehicles and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kilogramme payload for at least 300 kilometres, as well as systems intended for the delivery of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: India will be the only country outside US' formal treaty allies that will gain access to almost 99 per cent of latest America's defence technologies after being recognised as a 'Major Defence Partner', a senior Obama administration official has said. "India (now) enjoys access to (defence) technologies that is on par with our treaty allies. That is a very unique status. India is the only other country that enjoys that status outside our formal treaty allies," the official told PTI explaining what 'Major Defence Partner' status means for India. Early this month, after a meeting between US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the White House, the US, in a joint statement, recognised India as a 'Major Defence Partner'. "We were looking for something unique. This language you would not find in any arms transfer legislation or any of our existing policies. This is new guidance and new language that is intended to reflect the unique things that we have done with India under our defence partnership," the senior administration official said. "This is intended to solidify the India-specific forward leaning policies for approval that the (US) President and (Defense) Secretary (Ashton) Carter...and our export control system have implemented in the last eight years," the official said. Under this recognition India would receive license-free access to a wide range of dual-use technologies in conjunction with steps that New Delhi has committed to take to advance its export control objectives. Acknowledging that the impression in New Delhi is that India is not getting access to the kind of technology it needs from the US, the official said it is a constant source of discussion. "(In reality), less than one per cent of all exports (requests) are denied (to India). They are not denied because of India. They are denied because of global US licensing policies. We do not share certain technologies with anybody in the world," the official asserted. The perception in India that the denial of such technologies is reflective of India-US relationship is farfrom the truth, the official said. According to the official, India being recognised as a "major defence partner puts it on par with our treaty allies". Inside the American bureaucratic system, such a recognition removes a number of major export control hurdles for India. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lucknow: A video of Lucknow policemen has gone viral in social media. Allegedly, the cops started beating each other after a brawl with a homeguard over clearing traffic jam in Itaunja area. Policeman Virendra Yadav has been suspended after he fought with the homeguard over clearing the traffic jam and a letter has been written to Homeguard directorate for seeking action against the homeguard, Superintendent of Police Manjil Saini said. Earlier a video clip went viral on social media in which two policemen were seen fighting with each other. Initially, there were reports that the two policemen clashed with each other over sharing bribe collected from trucks and local vendors. This is not true at all. Moreover the video is nearly two-three days old, Saini said. For all the Latest Viral News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Rome: Pope Francis has said Christians and the Roman Catholic Church should apologise to gay people and seek their forgiveness for the way they have been treated. Speaking to reporters yesterday at he flew back to Rome from Armenia, the pope was asked if he agreed with comments by German Cardinal Reinhard Marx that the Church needed to say sorry for the way it has treated the gay community. We Christians have to apologise for so many things, not just for this (treatment of gay people), but we must ask for forgiveness. Not just apologiseforgiveness, he said. The question is: if a person who has that condition, who has good will, and who looks for God, who are we to judge? the pope added, repeating his famous Who am I to judge? remark about homosexuality made early in his papacy. That comment was one of the first indications that the Vatican under Pope Francis leadership would take a more conciliatory approach to the gay community, but also prompted criticism from the Churchs more conservative members. Francis expanded his apology to also include other people who have faced discrimination. I think that the Church not only should apologise... to a gay person whom it offended but it must also apologise to the poor as well, to the women who have been exploited, to children who have been forced to work. The comments come just two weeks after the Orlando massacre at a gay nightclub in which 49 people were killed.At the time the Holy See condemned the attack as a homicidal folly and senseless hatred. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has cut short his visit to China by a day and returned here in the wake of attacks on him and top officials of his ministry by BJP MP Subramanian Swamy. Jaitley, who began a five-day visit to China on June 24 primarily to attend the first meeting of the Board of Governors of the USD 100-billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), returned here last night. He was to meet Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei today but the meeting took yesterday itself. His other engagements including meetings with National Development and Reform Commission Chairman Xu Shaoshi and Peoples Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan scheduled for today were also advanced to allow him to return to India last night. Officials did not give any reason for Jaitley cutting short his visit by a day. But it came amid reports that he was unhappy with Swamys attacks that had also covered Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das and was keen that the party act to rein him. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Mumbai: She might not be aiming Hollywood anytime soon, but this cant stop Anushka Sharma from feeling proud about the work her co-stars Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone are doing in West. The 28-year-old actress, who has worked with Priyanka in "Dil Dhadakne Do," said she is happy with her achievements. "It's great that both Deepika and Priyanka are doing good work there. Priyanka has achieved so much, she is a known name there. I feel proud of them," Anushka said in an interview. The "NH10" star doesn't have any such dreams and will take things as they come. "There is nothing like a dream as such (doing Hollywood films). I have never planned things in life, I believe in living life or doing things to the moment. "I have never planned my career here in Bollywood, so planning to do Hollywood films is a distant thing. You have to see how things come. There is no active work towards getting there (to West)," she said. Anushka will next be seen in Ali Abbas Zafar-directed "Sultan", which stars Salman Khan in the lead role. The YRF project will hit the theaters this Eid. The actress is currently working on her next production venture "Phillauri". The movie also stars Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh, who recently made his Bollywood debut with "Udta Punjab". For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Chennai: Another CCTV footage of alleged killer in Infosys techie murder case has been released by Chennai Cops. Yet to be identified killer can be seen escaping after committing the crime. On Sunday, GRP officials released fresh footage of the suspected killer from a closed circuit television camera (CCTV) located on Railway Border Road. They have also requested people to share any details regarding the man in the video. We are able to map the route of the murderer from the CCTV footage, but are finding it difficult to sketch the accused because of the poor quality [of the footage], said a senior GRP officer. A team has been assigned to enhance the quality of video with which his face can be identified. Madras High Court has summoned Tamil Nadu Public Prosecutor and directed him to give his clarification on a media report alleging lack of coordination between Railway Police and local police on the probe into the murder of a 24-year-old woman IT professional at a railway station. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his first interview since he took over the office spoke on several issues ranging from India's bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Indo-Pak relations and much talked about Raguram Rajan's exit. Here are the main highlights of PM Modi's exclusive interview so far: Raghuram Rajan's exit (Rexit): "RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan's patriotism is 'no less than any of ours'. He adds in his interview to Times Now, Wherever Rajan is and whatever post he holds he will continue to serve the country. Those who create controversies are being unjust to Rajan,said PM Modi. Firebrand BJP MP Subramanian Swamy "Without taking Swamy's name, he said "If anybody considers himself above the system then it is wrong. Whether it is in my party or not, still I think such things are inappropriate. This fondness for publicity is never going to do any good to the nation. People should conduct themselves with utmost responsibility. If anybody considers himself above the system, it is wrong." Indo-Pak relations "Our continual efforts to have dialogue with Pakistan has played a huge role in the world understanding India's terrorist problem. Because of these efforts the whole world now accepts what India has been saying about terrorism, he said. Pakistan's silence, too, speaks volumes, he added. On Corruption "There are many things which are not visible. One who is working there only knows the amount of dirt when it comes to corruption. I can not deny the Agusta Westland scam, I must say that those who are involved in it must be very experienced. And one can also do this big a scam without any big support, which means that there were big hands behind it". On China "We have an ongoing dialogue with China. Its not necessary that we hold similar views, when it comes to foreign policy. I can say that China has been cooperating with India in finding out solutions. But the important thing is that we can speak to China eye-to-eye. We are a govt that takes care of its interests". What is the lakshman rekha for Pakistan? "India will have to be alert. There can never be laxity in it. But outcome of my continuous efforts is that the world is now recognising our efforts and appreciating it. We have never been obstacle. World knows our intentions." On Black Money "After our govt was formed, the cabinets first decision was to make an SIT, since then there have been continuous efforts to bring back black mney. In G20 summit, I kept this issue before the table on unaccounted money. Switzerland is the place where black money is kept, thirdly Mauritius route. We hold a dialogue with Mauritius govt." On GST: Do you feel optimistic that it will be passed or not? "Not having GST means loss for poors. GST is beneficial for the poor. Because states will benefit from the passing of GST." For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistan will recruit 20,000 policemen, including former armymen, to deal with fragile security situation in Sindh province, a top minister said today, days after renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri was killed by Taliban militants in Karachi. Addressing a press conference here, Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan talked at length about the situation in Karachi after killing of Sabri and kidnapping of Ovais Sajjad Shah, the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice last week. The 20,000 police will be recruited and it will also include 2,000 former army jawans. This police force will be trained by army, Khan said. He said law and order had improved since counter-terrorism operation was launched in Karachi in September 2013 but still a lot of work was needed to be done. Noting that there was no need for the nation to panic as terrorists are on the run, Khan claimed incidents of extortion, terrorism, target killing, and kidnapping for ransom in Karachi have decreased. Popular Qawwali exponent Sabri was killed last Wednesday by Taliban militants in the Liaquatabad area of the city. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Lucknow: In the backdrop of Uttar Pradesh governments allegations against the Centre of non-cooperation in power sector, Union Minister Piyush Goyal today said the central government was providing electricity at a cheaper rate but the state was not ready to purchase it. Cribbing over shortage of power, the UP government is indulging in rostering, while the Centre was providing electricity at the rate of Rs 2.25 per unit, Goyal said during a meeting here. In reality, the state government is not purchasing power and is forcing the people to live in darkness, he said. He said any citizen could check the facts on their official website. Islamabad: Pakistans intensive diplomatic lobbying, including letters written by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to his 17 counterparts, prevented India from gaining entry into the NSG, the countrys top diplomat claimed today. Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said that hectic diplomatic efforts were made to inform the world leaders about Pakistans position on the NSG entry. Prime Minister Sharif personally wrote letters to 17 prime ministers of different countries on the matter, which is on record, Aziz said told journalists here. The Nuclear Supplier Group (NSG) meeting last week failed to achieve consensus over the entry of India as some countries including China objected that the being non-NPT signatory, India was not eligible for the membership. Pakistan has been trumpeting it as success but it at the same time it was seldom mentioned here what happened to its own application for the membership. Pakistan tried to sell the idea that a criteria-based non-discriminatory approach was needed to admit new members. India and Pakistan are the two non-NPT states aspiring for the membership of the 48-member nuclear grouping. Aziz also said that security agencies are in the process of compiling more evidence against arrested alleged Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav. He said that legal proceedings against Jadhav would begin soon. Pakistan claims its security forces had arrested Jadhav from Balochistan in March and alleged that he was a serving officer in the Indian Navy. It accused Jadhav of planning subversive activities in the country. India has acknowledged that Jadhav had served with the navy but denied that he has any connection with the government. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Jaipur: In a shocking incident, a 30-year-old woman was allegedly gangraped by her husband and his two brothers who tattooed expletives on her forehead and hand after her family could not fulfill their dowry demand in Alwar district, police said today. The victim was married to Jagannath in Reni village. She alleged that since her marriage in January last year, her husband and in-laws used to beat her up and demand dowry of Rs 51,000, they said. Her husband and brothers-in-law allegedly raped her and tattooed profanities on her forehead which her parents later made an attempt to get removed, a police official said. She has been living with her parents since then, Mahila police station SHO Abdul Wahid said, adding the woman has still marks on her forehead and hand. An FIR has been registered under sections of 498-A (Protection of Women Against Domestic Violence Act), 376 (punishment for rape)and 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust) of IPC and an investigation in the case has been initiated, he said. The police are yet to make any arrests. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. BOMBSHELL: Glyphosate shown to be powerful endocrine disruptor, promoting infertility, birth defects and more If you were beginning to wonder if your worries about the toxic herbicide known as glyphosate might have been unfounded, new research further indicates just how poisonous this dangerous chemical really is. A new study conducted by researchers from Argentina found that glyphosate altered cellular proliferation or cell growth and incited structural changes to uterine cells in animal models. While animal testing is not something that should be condoned, their research nonetheless showcased that exposure to glyphosate resulted in catastrophic changes to uterine development in newborn, female rats. What is most horrifying about these results is that alterations in development were observed in just seven days of exposure. Based on their findings, the study authors concluded that glyphosate exposure could disrupt female fertility in humans, and may even contribute to the development of uterine cancer. Doctors and scientists from Argentina have reported concerns over the high rates of miscarriages seen in women who live in regions where Roundup Ready soy is grown and sprayed with herbicides containing glyphosate. The Argentinian researchers who conducted the study based their glyphosate dosage for the rats on the current U.S. reference dose and gave the rats approximately 2mg of glyphosate per kilogram of bodyweight. The dose recommended by our regulators is clearly not safe enough, based on their findings. One point of contention some scientists are quick to point out is that these researchers administered the glyphosate by injection, rather than orally. Humans are not likely to be injecting themselves with glyphosate, but this does not change the fact that the U.S. allowable limit of glyphosate in food is 300 times the amount allowed in Taiwan. The permissible amount of glyphosate in the U.S. is 30 ppm. Other countries are far more conservative with their guidelines. Canada, for instance, permits only 15 ppm, and Australia opts for an even more stringent 0.1 ppm. The amount of glyphosate allowed in our food is a grossly exaggerated amount that carries potential health risks. The World Health Organization has already reported on glyphosates potential to cause cancer a fact that the EPA was aware of nearly thirty years ago. Sustainable Pulse reports that an EPA panel classified glyphosate as a Class C carcinogen in 1985, meaning that there is suggestive evidence of carcinogenic potential. Of course, all things are subject to change and this classification was changed in 1991 to a Class E, indicating no evidence of carcinogenicity. Sources: NaturalNews.com GMWatch.org SustainablePulse.com Submit a correction >> Why the federal government WONT legalize marijuana this August 1st Many news outlets have been reporting that the federal government of the United States will legalize medical marijuana on August 1st. Unfortunately, those reports are incorrect. Santa Monica Observer apparently broke the news on June 18th, which prompted more and more news outlets to pick up on the information, but it sadly is not factually accurate. In fact, the only source in the report is an anonymous DEA lawyer who claims to have knowledge of the fact that marijuana will be reclassified as a schedule II drug as opposed to a schedule I. No, it doesnt appear as though the federal government will be legalizing marijuana on August 1st. By now, everyone in America should be aware that the criminalization of marijuana has nothing to do with the potential dangers of smoking cannabis, and everything to do with monetary gain. The reason cannabis is illegal today and has been for decades is because of big business. While certain situations have changed and evolved over time, theres one major constant: the federal government keeps cannabis illegal because it allows them to make more money. Despite the fact that legalization wont happen on August 1st, that doesnt mean that it wont happen eventually. The Daily Chronic reports, In April, the DEA said they were prepared to respond to an administrative petition calling for the reclassification of marijuana, a petition that was launched in 2011. Replying to a July 2015 inquiry by US Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and seven other senators, representatives from the DEA acknowledged that they intend to respond to a five-year-old rescheduling petition, filed by then Governors Christine Gregoire of Washington and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island. The DEAs response is expected by July 1. We can hope but not expect the DEA to take into consideration how valuable it would be to our entire society to legalize marijuana. The fact that its still criminalized is insane. It eventually will be legalized theres no preventing it so heres hoping that day comes unexpectedly soon. Sources: PBS Santa Monica Observer Green Rush Daily The Daily Chronic Submit a correction >> This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate What began with a 911 caller threatening suicide in New Milford on Sunday afternoon escalated to threats of a sniper rifle and booby-trap bombs, gunfire inside a condo and the gunshot wounding of a police officer. Kevin Mohan, 47, a school security guard and part-time magician, called 911 around 2:30 p.m. and threatened to blow his head off, according to court documents. When police arrived, his roommate met them outside and warned them an intoxicated Mohan intended to commit suicide by cop. A neighbor handed officers a bullet casing and told them Mohan had already fired one shot, documents show. Officers surrounded the condo complex and directed neighbors to leave the area. While they waited for backup, they heard two more shots. More News Police officer shot during standoff in New Milford Mohan then told a police dispatcher he had booby-trapped the condos back door with bombs and had a sniper rifle aimed at officers. After a 30-minute standoff, Mohan walked outside in shorts and a T-shirt, carrying a handgun. When he ignored orders to drop the gun, Officer Charles Cochran approached him with a stun gun. Cochran fired, but Mohan managed to get off a shot that grazed one of Cochrans ankles. The officer was not seriously hurt. Mohan was charged Monday in state Superior Court in Bantam with first-degree assault, threatening in the first degree and assault on a police officer. He is being held on $500,000 bond. Mohan, wearing a hospital gown and surgical scrub pants and limping heavily, made a brief court appearance Monday afternoon. He said little, except to answer a judges questions in a low voice, seldom making eye contact. His attorney, Lawrence Peck, said Mohan has had mental health issues, adding he has been sober for six years. Friends who have known Mohan through the Danbury Top Hatters magic club said the Mohan they know would never harm anyone, although he had been going through some difficult times lately. Club member Robert Abel, of Bethel, said it has been nearly a year since Mohan has come to meetings, addinghe has fallen on some hard times lately, with a divorce and an accident resulting in a shattered ankle and several surgeries. I think it was after the accident that things really started to go downhill for him, Abel said, adding Mohan is a wonderful magician. I am just so surprised that he would be involved in something like this. He is a very talented man. Other members of the club said they were surprised Mohan had a gun, given that he holds a black belt in taekwondo. Mohan had several jobs over the years, they said, including selling kitchen cabinets and working as a security guard at Canterbury School. According to Mohans Facebook page, he worked last year as a security guard at New Milford Hospital. His Facebook page stated Mohan had completed the Federal Emergency Management Agencys active-shooter training class. Mohan is due in court July 19. WINNIPEG, June 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Assembly of First Nations (AFN) Regional Chief for Manitoba Kevin Hart congratulated Flying Dust First Nation in Saskatchewan and Habitat for Humanity on the achievement of the First On-reserve Habitat for Humanity build. This 10-unit Elders lodge should open the way for other First Nations to consider working with Habitat for Humanity on similar projects. "On behalf of the AFN, I congratulate Flying Dust First Nation Chief Richard Gladue, the Council members, the citizens and Habitat for Humanity on this achievement. Addressing First Nations housing shortages requires a unified effort by all sectors of the public and all levels of government," said AFN Manitoba Regional Chief Kevin Hart, who holds the AFN portfolio for Water, Housing and Infrastructure. "This is an impressive achievement which had many people working extremely hard. This project has provided invaluable skills and training for many in the community. By working together, we can ensure all First Nations families and children have access to safe, secure and affordable housing." In 2011, AFN signed the Statement of Partnership with Habitat for Humanity to work together to bring the Habitat for Humanity program to a reserve. In 2014, during an AFN Housing and Infrastructure Conference, Flying Dust First Nation leadership approached Habitat for Humanity about a possible partnership. June 24 marked the opening of the Elders lodge and the start of the retrofitting on ten homes. The Elders' lodge has been named "Kikinaw," the Cree word for "Our Home." SOURCE Assembly of First Nations For further information: Kayla Frank, Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs, 204-296-3601, [email protected] Get Outside campaign inspires Canadians to enjoy our nation's great outdoors TORONTO, June 27, 2016 /CNW/ - With Canada Day just around the corner, we're reminded of the many reasons we love our country. Perhaps the most prominent and one we're often revered for, is the vast natural beauty and diversity of the Canadian landscape. Unfortunately, many Canadians are unable to find the time, or lack the ideas, to enjoy our nation's great outdoors. In fact, Coleman Canada discovered that nearly two-thirds of Canadians spend fewer than two hours per week outside doing recreational activities1. This shocking revelation led to the launch of the Get Outside Day movement, to excite and encourage Canadians to get outside and reap the physical and mental benefits of spending time outdoors. Now in its third year, Coleman continues to build a hub for the movement with the support of likeminded partners backing the cause. A dedicated website, www.getoutsidecanada.com, along with a full social media campaign, provide inspiration and ideas for how Canadians can make the most of their time outdoors. Knowing that time is also a barrier, Coleman continues to petition the Canadian government to declare one day this summer National Get Outside Day a day dedicated to spending much-needed time outdoors. The third Friday of July July 15th is the proposed date for 2016, and with over 1,350 signatures received so far, all Canadians are encouraged to support the cause. "As Canadians, we're proud to call this beautiful country home, but it's unfortunate that so many of us are unable to find the time to get outside and enjoy what Canada has to offer," said Ezio Sbrizzi, President, Coleman Canada. "As Canada's leading outdoor company, we needed to do something about it which is why we started the Get Outside campaign. Now more than ever we remain committed to the cause, rallying the Canadian government to allow all of us more time to enjoy our country's great outdoors. We know that's a long shot for this year, but our entire team at Coleman will be taking July 15th off to recognize and celebrate Get Outside Day at Bronte Creek Provincial Park in Oakville, Ontario. We encourage all Canadians to get outside that day to support the cause!" In an effort to provide Canadians with fun and easy ideas to enjoy their time outdoors, Coleman has expanded the Get Outside Day website to include five new pillars focusing on: camping, cooking, fishing, staycation and watersports. If setting up a tent and making your home the woods for a weekend isn't your idea of fun, why not try a picnic in the park, paddling across the water in a canoe, or creating your own summer Olympics in the backyard? There's a little something for everyone, with tons of ideas and inspiration to make the most of their time outside, all summer (and year) long! "There are endless ways Canadians can explore what our country has to offer, and we want to help provide inspiration for those looking for simple ideas, as well as those with a more adventurous spirit," said Sbrizzi. "And we're not alone in this endeavour we are astonished by the number of partners who firmly believe in this cause and have supported it by spreading the word, and contributing their expertise to the www.getoutsidecanada.com hub of inspiration. If we can help inspire people to get outside, not only on July 15th, but all year long in any and all ways possible, we've done our part." To learn more about the petition to make July 15th a national holiday, and for suggestions, inspiration and ideas on how you and your loved ones can #GetOutside this summer season, visit www.getoutsidecanada.com. To share your photos, videos or comments, please visit us on Twitter at @getoutsideday and on Facebook at Coleman Canada and use the #GetOutside hashtag. About Coleman Canada As an international leader in the innovation and marketing of outdoor products, The Coleman Company, Inc., helps people have fun and make memories by providing the gear integral to their favorite outdoor experiences. The company's products include its legendary lanterns and stoves, as well as coolers, tents, sleeping bags, airbeds, backpacks, furniture, and grills under its Coleman, Exponent and Campingaz brands. The company also provides flotation devices, towables, rainwear, waders, hunting and fishing gear, and safety and survival equipment under its Stearns, Sevylor, Sospenders, Nevin, Helium and Mad Dog Gear brands. Founded in 1900 and based in Wichita, Kan., Coleman is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jarden Corporation and can be found online at www.colemancanada.ca. About Newell Brands Newell Brands (NYSE: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Paper Mate, Sharpie, Dymo, EXPO, Parker, Elmer's, Coleman, Jostens, Marmot, Rawlings, Irwin, Lenox, Oster, Sunbeam, FoodSaver, Mr. Coffee, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Graco, Baby Jogger, NUK, Calphalon, Rubbermaid, Contigo, First Alert, Waddington and Yankee Candle. Driven by a sharp focus on the consumer, leading investment in innovation and brands, and a performance-driven culture, Newell Brands helps consumers achieve more where they live, learn, work and play. Additional information about Newell Brands are available on the company's website, www.newellbrands.com. ________________________________ 1 Coleman Canada Outdoor Report, May 2014. SOURCE Coleman Canada Video with caption: "Video: Coleman is calling on the support of all Canadians Canadian media, Canadian officials and Coleman partners to urge the government to declare July 15th National Get Outside Day, because who wouldnt want another day to #GetOutside?". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo_vvhEf6x4 For further information: For more information about Coleman Canada's #GetOutsideDay, please contact: Lauren Harrison, Cohn & Wolfe, [email protected], 647-259-3265; Alyssa Acorn, Cohn & Wolfe, [email protected], 647-259-4041 VANCOUVER, June 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Eureka Resources Inc. ("Eureka" or the "Company") (TSXV: EUK) is pleased to announce that the interpretation of recent geophysical surveys has identified conductive zones interpreted as lithium bearing brine targets at its Gemini Lithium Project ("Gemini"). Gemini is located in Esmeralda County in the western Lida Valley of south central Nevada, approximately 40 kilometres (26 miles) from North America's only producing lithium mine at Silver Peak. Results of the Geophysical Interpretation Time-domain electromagnetic ("TDEM") in-loop sounding data was acquired along four survey lines on the Gemini property in early 2016. Two lines were surveyed by Zonge International Inc. of Tucson, Arizona and two lines were surveyed by SJ Geophysics Ltd. of Vancouver, B.C. A total of 23.3 kilometres (15.1 miles) were surveyed in the four lines. Ten proposed drill sites were selected based on the results of the TDEM surveys. As noted in Eureka's news release dated June 8, 2016 these proposed locations have been submitted to the United States Bureau of Land Management for their approval. The model for lithium bearing brines at Gemini is very similar to the model in the Clayton Valley; lithium occurring in brine within horizontal to shallow dipping porous ash and/or gravel horizons. Three zones based on this model can be identified at Gemini from interpretation of the TDEM surveys: Zone 1 is along the northwest edge of the basement high; Zone 2 is perched on the top of the basement high; and Zone 3 is along the southeast edge of the basement high. All the zones are possibly bounded by cross-cutting faults. To view a map of the 2016 TDEM survey results at Gemini, please visit: https://www.eurekaresourcesinc.com/projects/lida-valley/maps-and-figures Michael Sweatman, President of Eureka stated, "We are pleased that the geophysical surveys have identified potential lithium bearing brine targets in the Gemini basins. We expect to drill test the extent of the interpreted brines in these zones later this summer." Ownership of the Gemini Lithium Project Eureka owns a 50% participating interest in Gemini with Nevada Sunrise Gold Corporation ("Nevada Sunrise") (TSXV: NEV) owning the other 50% participating interest. The Company notes the proposed transaction announced June 20, 2016 between North South Petroleum Corp. ("North South") (TSXV:NAS.H) and Nevada Sunrise in which North South can earn a 50% participating interest in Gemini from Nevada Sunrise. North South has agreed to make exploration expenditures on behalf of Nevada Sunrise in order for Nevada Sunrise to maintain its 50% interest in the Gemini project with Eureka. Provided that North South expends a total of CDN$1.5 million on Gemini and up to four other Nevada Sunrise lithium properties within 2 years from the closing date of the North South Nevada Sunrise transaction and fulfils certain other cash and share payment obligations to Nevada Sunrise, Nevada Sunrise will assign its 50% interest in Gemini to North South in consideration for a 2% gross overriding royalty on the North South 50% participating interest. Upon completion of the earn-in agreement between North South and Nevada Sunrise, Eureka will become the operator of the Gemini Lithium Project. Options Granted The Company has granted 900,000 stock options to directors, officers and consultants. The options entitle the holders to purchase one common share for each option held at a price of $0.10 per share for a period of 5 years. The options were granted pursuant to the Company's 10% rolling stock option plan which was approved at the Company's last Annual General Meeting. About Eureka FG Gold Project Eureka has a 100% interest in the FG Project located 100 kilometres east of Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada. The property has good summer/fall access by provincial highways and secondary roads. The FG Gold Project ("Frasergold Project") was the subject of a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") compliant technical report entitled "NI 43-101 Technical Report Frasergold Exploration Project", dated July 20, 2015 and amended July 27, 2015, authored by K. V. Campbell, Ph.D, P.Geo, and G. H. Giroux, MA.Sc, P.Eng., and filed on SEDAR. Gemini Lithium Project Eureka has a 50% participating interest in the Gemini Project located in the western Lida Valley, Nevada, USA. The Lida Valley is a flat, desert basin with a similar geological setting to the Clayton Valley basin which hosts North America's only producing lithium mine. Gemini currently consists of 247 placer claims totaling 4,940 acres (2,000 hectares). John R. Kerr, P.Eng., is the Company's designated Qualified Person for this news release within the meaning of NI 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information described in this news release. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its regulation services provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information This news release includes certain "forward-looking statements" under applicable Canadian securities legislation that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements involve risks, uncertainties, and other factors that could cause actual results, performance, prospects, and opportunities to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements with respect to the Company's objectives, goals or future exploration plans at the FG Gold Project the Gemini Lithium Project, and the business and operations of the Company. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to: general business, economic and social uncertainties; litigation, legislative, environmental and other judicial, regulatory, political and competitive developments; delay or failure to receive board, shareholder or regulatory approvals; those additional risks set out in the Company's public documents filed on SEDAR at www.sedar.com; and other matters discussed in this news release. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on these statements, which only apply as of the date of this news release, and no assurance can be given that such events will occur in the disclosed time frames or at all. Except where required by law, the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. SOURCE Eureka Resources, Inc. Image with caption: "Eureka Resources, Inc. (CNW Group/Eureka Resources, Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160627_C6110_PHOTO_EN_722181.jpg For further information: Further information on Eureka can be found on the Company's website at www.eurekaresourcesinc.com and at www.sedar.com, or by contacting Michael Sweatman, President and CEO or Bob Ferguson by email at [email protected] or by telephone at (604) 449-2273. TORONTO, June 27, 2016 /CNW/ - All LCBO stores will be closed on Friday, July 1, 2016 to observe the Canada Day statutory holiday. Some agency stores will observe their normal hours of business on July 1. Agency stores are locally-owned retail establishments authorized by the LCBO to sell beverage alcohol, along with other retail products, in communities that are too small to support LCBO stores. Many LCBO stores in cottage and resort areas have extended evening hours on Fridays during the summer. In addition, the LCBO has opened a number of seasonal stores in these areas, which will operate in most cases until Labour Day weekend. Customers should check for individual store hours with their local LCBO store or online at www.lcbo.com using the 'Store Search' feature. They can also contact the toll-free, bilingual helloLCBO at 1-800-ONT-LCBO (668-5226) or online at www.hellolcbo.com. In Toronto, call 416 365-5900. The TTY number for the deaf and hard of hearing is 416 864-6898 or 1-800-361-3291. The helloLCBO Contact Centre, Customer Service Department and Head Office will be closed on Canada Day. Over the summer, the LCBO reminds customers to please drink responsibly and to never consume alcohol when driving or boating. To help you be a responsible host and prevent drinking and driving, visit www.deflatetheelephant.com. This website offers tips, solutions and a variety of refreshing, 0% cocktail recipes to ensure your celebrations with family and friends are memorable for the right reasons. Please bring a reusable bag when shopping at the LCBO and take your empty beverage alcohol containers (large and small glass bottles, PET plastic, Tetra Pak cartons, bag-in-box and cans) to The Beer Store for a full deposit refund. SOURCE LCBO For further information: MEDIA CONTACTS: Genevieve Tomney, LCBO Media Relations Coordinator, Tel. 416 864-6875; Cell: 647-339-5428; E-mail: [email protected]; Christine Bujold, LCBO Media Relations Coordinator, Tel. 416 864-6772; Cell: 416-587-3729; E-mail: [email protected] Bob Hakeem Appointed Chief Operations Officer, Walmart Canada MISSISSAUGA, ON, June 27, 2016 /CNW/ - Walmart Canada today announced the appointment of Lee Tappenden, Chief Operations Officer, Walmart Canada to the position of President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart Canada, effective August 15. Tappenden joined Walmart in 1996 and has held a number of global leadership roles with the company, including Chief Merchandising Officer with Walmart Japan and Vice President of Merchandising for the International Division. After joining the Walmart Canada leadership team in 2010 as Senior Vice President, Merchandise Operations, Tappenden also served as Chief Merchandising Officer. He sits on the Board of Governors for the Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children at 170 hospitals across North America. Tappenden will report to David Cheesewright, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International. "Lee is extremely well poised to lead Walmart Canada and continue the momentum of growth we are seeing in this market," said David Cheesewright, President and Chief Executive Officer, Walmart International. "He has demonstrated outstanding leadership throughout his career with Walmart internationally in both merchandising and operations, but he also brings to the role a real passion and heart for our associates and customers. Lee is the kind of person who genuinely cares about the well-being of the people who work in and shop at our stores every day and that's one of the things that make him an incredibly special leader," he said. "I've had the privilege of getting to know the team at Walmart Canada over the past six years," said Tappenden. "Together, we have seen significant growth of our business, including a focus on fresh food and investments in eCommerce. I look forward to leading the team as we embark on an exciting time for our business and for our customers," he said. With today's announcement, Bob Hakeem, Chief Administrative Officer, Walmart Canada will assume the role of Chief Operations Officer. After joining Walmart Canada in 2008 as Senior Vice President for the Walmart Canada People Division, Hakeem was named Executive Vice President, Human Resources in 2012. He has played an important role in developing talent and bench strength in the organization, while also helping guide the business through the introduction of Supercenters and other major changes in the market. Hakeem brings to the role more than 25 years of business experience and is an executive board member for the Retail Council of Canada. About Walmart Canada Walmart Canada operates a growing chain of more than 400 stores nationwide serving more than 1.2 million customers each day. Walmart Canada's flagship online store, walmart.ca is visited by 600,000 customers daily. With more than 95,000 associates, Walmart Canada is one of Canada's largest employers and is ranked one of the country's top 10 most influential brands. Walmart is committed to generating zero waste, being supplied by 100 per cent renewable energy and offering customers products that are produced responsibly. Walmart Canada's extensive philanthropy program is focused on supporting Canadian families in need, and since 1994 Walmart has raised and donated more than $250 million to Canadian charities. Additional information can be found at walmartcanada.ca. About Walmart: Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better anytime and anywhere in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 260 million customers and members visit our 11,527 stores under 63 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2016 revenue of $482 billion, Walmart employs more than 2.3 million associates worldwide. Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity. Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com and http://www.samsclub.com. SOURCE Walmart Canada Image with caption: "Lee Tappenden Appointed President and CEO, Walmart Canada (CNW Group/Walmart Canada)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160627_C5478_PHOTO_EN_721929.jpg For further information: Anika Malik, [email protected], 416.562.8193, Corporate Affairs, Walmart Canada TORONTO, June 25, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, Deputy Mayor Denzil Minnan-Wong (Ward 34 Don Valley East) received, on behalf of the Mayor and City Council, a new public art sculpture donated by the Italian-Canadian community through the Peace Through Valour committee of Villa Charities. This large, bronze monument, called Peace Through Valour, commemorates the more than 93,000 Canadian soldiers who took part in the Italian campaign of the Second World War. Several veterans of that campaign were at the dedication ceremony today and helped unveil the sculpture. The work was created by internationally known Canadian artist Ken Lum. "The City of Toronto is honoured to receive such a generous and meaningful art work donation," said Deputy Mayor Minnan-Wong. "This work conveys the accomplishments of our Canadian veterans while also creatively illustrating the immense destruction of war." "I have personally travelled to most of the Italian cemeteries where Canadians are buried," said former senator Consiglio Di Nino, who leads the Peace Through Valour committee. "I was struck by their tremendous youth and sacrifices. We must ensure that the Canadian participation and the many who did not return, and their sacrifices, are remembered." Lum's work will be located at Nathan Phillips Square's Sculpture Court, in the northwest corner of the square, behind the statue of Sir Winston Churchill. The sculpture presents a 3D printed bronze topographical map of the town of Ortona, where Canadian soldiers fought the fiercest battle in the Italian Campaign, and achieved one of the greatest victories of the Second World War. Ortona was a beautiful medieval coastal town on the Adriatic Sea that was reduced to ruin and devastation upon the conclusion of the campaign. Renowned Canadian artist Charles Comfort took many photographs and created several paintings of the destroyed town. Lum drew inspiration and developed ideas from Comfort's materials and additional historic photography. At each of the four corners of the map, a slightly less than life-size bronze statue of a Canadian soldier stands vigil. "My idea is for a work which also echoes the expanse of Nathan Phillips Square," said Lum. "It is a work to be looked at with downcast eyes, rather than upward looking eyes. Its presentation is highly depictive but the model-like scale allows for considerable visual play and engagement across a wide range of audience ages, from children to adults." Lum is an internationally acclaimed Canadian mixed media artist, curator and educator. Born in Vancouver, he now resides in Philadelphia, where he is a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. He works in a number of media including painting, sculpture and photography, and has exhibited at major biennales around the world. Lum has been commissioned to create public art projects in Canada, the United States and Europe. Lum's work becomes part of the City's permanent Public Art and Monuments Collection. The City of Toronto has more than 205 public artworks and monuments in its collection, which are located throughout the city. Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms. SOURCE City of Toronto For further information: Media contact: Shane Gerard, Strategic Communications, 416-397-5711, [email protected] MONTREAL, June 27, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - The Schmeelk Canada Foundation announced today the winners of the prestigious Richard J. Schmeelk Canada Fellowship and the newly-established Ken Taylor Fellowship at the University of Calgary. The latter honours the life and work of the late Ken Taylor, Canada's Ambassador to Iran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis. Chosen for their academic excellence and community leadership, Francophone Fellows pursue their graduate studies at the University of Western Ontario or the University of Calgary whereas Anglophone Fellows do so at Universite Laval or Universite de Montreal. The Schmeelk Canada Foundation offers recipients a unique opportunity to expand their network and pursue diverse opportunities country-wide while completing their graduate studies. Every year, the Schmeelk Canada Foundation awards its fellowship recipients $10,000 per term, renewable up to $40,000, to fund their studies, making it one of Canada's most generous academic awards. To date, more than 100 Canadian graduate students have been awarded a Schmeelk Fellowship. They are making significant contributions to Canadian businesses, governments and academic life. The following four graduate students have been awarded the 2016-2017 Richard J. Schmeelk Canada Fellowship and the Ken Taylor Fellowship: Richard J. Schmeelk Canada Fellowships Benoit Talbot of Laval, Quebec will complete his doctorate in Biology at Western University in London, Ontario. Benoit received his Bachelor of Science degree at the Universite de Montreal and his Master's of Science at the Universite de Sherbrooke. His thesis explores the ecology and evolution of Cimicids or bedbugs, and their effects on both humans and bats. Through his leadership at the 2014 Distributed Graduate Workshop in Landscape Genetics, Benoit helped build a collaborative network of academics and students in six countries and five provinces and participates actively at national and international conferences. Leila Pieper of Ottawa, Ontario will complete her Master's degree in Water Engineering at Universite Laval focusing on integrated urban water systems modeling. Leila holds an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from McGill University. Fluent in Hungarian and English, she is the first non-francophone Canadian to undertake studies in the field of Water Engineering at Universite Laval under the tutelage of the Canada Research Chair on Water Quality Modeling. She is the recipient of numerous awards, scholarships and bursaries, including being named McGill's top graduate in Environmental Engineering in 2012. Leila was involved in an Engineers Without Borders volunteer program, having led a development project at a French immersion elementary school, and plans to continue with similar youth-involvement projects. Cathy Pak of Ottawa, Ontario holds an undergraduate degree in Economics and Development from the University of Ottawa. She will undertake her Master of Science degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from HEC Montreal Business School. In 2015, Cathy was part of an HEC team that was victorious over 13 other universities at the national APICS supply chain management competition. Her team will participate in the international APICS competition in Washington, D.C. this autumn. Cathy has also demonstrated her leadership skills as a Trade Commissioner for the Northeast Asia Division of the federal Department of Global Affairs. Ken Taylor Fellowship Lou Dunant-Vincent of Montreal, Quebec will undertake a Master's degree in Music at the University of Calgary. Lou holds an undergraduate degree in Music Performance from the Universite de Montreal. Previously awarded a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council grant, she is a co-founding member of the Quatuor Appache, an award-winning chamber musician at the Concours de Musique du Royaume in 2013, a co-founding member of the Latin-pop inspired Duo Crdoba and a long-time member of Montreal's I Cellisti chamber ensemble. Lou is a volunteer music teacher who she passes on her knowledge of the French language and Quebec culture to her students. About the Schmeelk Foundation The Schmeelk Canada Foundation is a registered charity founded in 1994 and dedicated to the promotion of intercultural awareness and interprovincial studies. The Foundation was founded ten years after the distinguished American investment banker Richard J. Schmeelk created the Schmeelk Fellowship through his own personal contributions. The Fellowship aims to build tolerance and understanding between anglophone and francophone Canadians and to encourage more effective collaboration and trust between Canadian business and government. More than 100 graduate students have been awarded up to $40,000 since the Fellowship's founding. SOURCE Schmeelk Canada Foundation For further information: Adam Daifallah, Vice-President - Communications of the Board, 514.316.7089 [email protected] The outgoing Deputy Consul-General of the United States in Lagos, Ms Dehab Ghebreab, on Monday said that about300,000 Nigerians were curre... The outgoing Deputy Consul-General of the United States in Lagos, Ms Dehab Ghebreab, on Monday said that about300,000 Nigerians were currently living in different parts of the U.S. Ghebreab, who told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the number of Nigerians in America was increasing, also said that about 30,000 Americans were living in Nigeria. It has been estimated that there are currently about 300,000 Nigerians working, studying or doing business in different states of America.We also have about 30,000 Americans living in different parts of Nigeria today. There is a growing increase in the people-to-people relationship between Nigeria and the United States today, she said.Ghebreab noted that after decades of mutual partnership between Nigeria and the U.S., their relationship had grown favourably within the last five years. According to her, both countries will continue to have closer ties in the near future. Ghebreab said that the U.S. government would continue to promote people-to-people relationships between Nigerians and the Americans, to further enhance areas of partnerships between the two countries.The deputy consul-general expressed her governments commitment to strengthening its partnership, as well as facilitating trade and investment with Nigeria in the years ahead. Ghebreab, who also commended the contributions of Nigerian and American citizens to both countries socioeconomic development, announced her governments plan to facilitate the investments of U.S. companies in Nigeria. The United States and Nigerias relationship has been going on for decades, and it has always been a very strong relationship. Both countries will continue to address issues of mutual interest between them. This is what friends and partners do. Edo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, took a swipe at former National Chairman of the Party, Senator Ali Modu Sh... Edo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, took a swipe at former National Chairman of the Party, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, describing him as a bull in a China shop. This came as facts emerged, yesterday, night that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would not monitor Wednesdays governorship primary being organized by Ali Modu Sheriffs faction of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State. The state chapter of the party accused Modu Sheriff of plotting to destabilize the party in the state, which amounted to anti-party activity, and suspended one of the governorship aspirants, Matthew Iduoriyekemwen for one month, over alleged plans to work against the party ahead of the September 10 governorship election. In a statement made available to journalists, yesterday, in Abuja by PDP Edo State Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, the party said: You will recall that Edo PDP had its governorship primary on June 20, 2016, and three aspirants participated.The process, which was adjudged free, fair and transparent was, watched live on national television and chaired by Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State. Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was declared winner with 584 votes, while Matthew Iduoriyekemwen scored 91 and Chief Solomon Edebiri 38 votes. With the successful completion of the primary, the party immediately activated its post primary conflict resolution mechanism by reaching out to the losers of the election in order to assuage their losses in the democratic contest.In as much as we tried, we discovered that one of the aspirants was adamant in working against the tenets of our party. His behaviour and utterances immediately after his loss have become not only embarrassing to the party, but also to the vast majority of Edo people, who are yearning for a change of government and party in Edo State. He has teamed up with the embattled former national chairman of our party and even gone ahead to purchase a kangaroo nomination form for the same governorship slot which he lost just a few days ago.His behaviour is unacceptable, irresponsible and selfish. This conduct is not surprising as the State Working Committee has uncovered his unholy alliance with the Governor Adams Oshiomhole led government of Edo State to destabilize Edo PDP in their desperate attempt to retain power in the forth coming election. At this point, it is pertinent to note that despite this unholy plot, Edo people are wiser and are prepared to effect a change of government by voting in the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu in the September 10 election .At the State Working Committee meeting held on Sunday, June 26, 2016, it was resolved as follows: All members of the party in the state are enjoined to disregard the antics of Alhaji Modu Sheriff and Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen in their desperate attempt to discredit the outcome of the governorship primary held on 20 June, 2016 at which Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu was duly nominated as the candidate of our great party.The conduct of Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen in associating with Alhaji Modu Sheriff with the intention to destabilize the party in the state amounts to anti-party activity. Consequently, Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen is hereby suspended from the party for one month, pending further disciplinary action in accordance with chapter 10 of the Peoples Democratic Party Constitution of 2012 (as amended). For also associating with Alhaji Modu Sheriff with the intention to destabilize the party in the state, Hon Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayima is hereby recommended to be disciplined by the National Caretaker Committee in accordance with chapter 10 of the partys constitution. All party members in the state are enjoined to refrain forthwith from associating or in anyway dealing with Alhaji Modu Sheriff, Hon Matthew Iduoriyekemwen and Hon E.J. Agbonayima pending the conclusion of the disciplinary processes now being undertaken by the party. All those party members said to have been appointed into the kangaroo caretaker committee announced by Alhaji Modu Sheriff are advised to ignore the appointment and stay away from the committee. However, addressing a press conference last Thursday in Abuja, Sheriff had slated his factions governorship primaries for Wednesday June 29, while screening appeal was slated for Friday July 1. He named Hope Uzodinma and Ahmed Gulak as chairman and secretary of the primaries committee respectively.Sheriff had also claimed that INEC never monitored the primary election conducted by the Ahmed Makarfi-led Caretaker committee which produced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its candidate for the September polls. Deputy Director Public Affairs at INEC, Nick Dazang disputed the claim but stated that INEC was awaiting the judgment of the appellate court which is fixed for July 4 to enable it know which of the factions to recognize. He said: Even though INEC monitored the recent PDP Primaries, it is awaiting the judgement of the Appeal Court scheduled for 4th July.The judgement will determine which faction the Commission will recognize. This is even as facts emerged last night that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would not monitor Wednesdays governorship primary elections being organized by the Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the PDP in Edo State. INEC is yet to take a decision on that even though I learned Alhaji Modu Sheriff has written the commission to say that he intended to hold one (primary), Dazang told newsmen, yesterday. He also noted that Section 85 of the Electoral Act provided that any party that wished to hold a convention or primaries shall serve the commission a 21-day notice.However, Dazang recalled that the Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the Edo Governorship provides that primaries are to take place between 2nd June and 4th July. By this design, the Sheriffs faction has fallen short of the requirement for a 21-day notice on INEC. There are strong indications that the federal government might deploy war-tested soldiers from the north-east to the Niger Delta area to c... There are strong indications that the federal government might deploy war-tested soldiers from the north-east to the Niger Delta area to combat militants blowing up oil installations.The soldiers who've been battling the Boko Haram insurgency will be part of the new Operation Delta Safe, which was launched to replace Operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta area.Details of when the soldiers will be deployed aren't available though.There have been several attacks on oil installations in the Niger Delta of recent, cutting the nations revenue severely due to reduced oil output production. A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja on Monday ordered the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, to... A Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja on Monday ordered the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, to vacate office immediately.This order follows allegation that he submitted false information to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the partys governorship primary in December 2014.In his ruling, Justice Okon Abang ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately issue a certificate of return to the complainant, Uche Ogah.Recall that Ogah polled the second highest number of votes in the primary election.More details soon. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki says he is prepared to carry his cross rather than yield to the nefarious agenda of a few individuals... The Senate President, Bukola Saraki says he is prepared to carry his cross rather than yield to the nefarious agenda of a few individuals who are bent in undermining our democracy and destabilising the federal government to satisfy their selfish interests.Saraki, who appeared at the Federal High Court today, described his latest legal battle as proof of the persecution and distraction that have been visited on him.His statement below:"Today we the leaders of the Nigerian Senate reiterate our innocence against the charges filed by the Attorney General of the Federal Government of Nigeria at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on the allegations of forgery of the Senate Standing Rules document.In our view, the charges filed by the Attorney General represent a violation of the principle of the Separation of Powers between the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch as enshrined in our Constitution. Furthermore, it is farcical to allege that a criminal act occurred during Senate procedural actions and the mere suggestion demonstrates a desperate overreach by the office of the Attorney General. These trumped up charges is only another phase in the relentless persecution of the leadership of the SenateThis misguided action by the Attorney General begs the question, how does this promote the public interest and benefit the nation? At a time when the whole of government should be working together to meet Nigerias many challenges, we are once again distracted by the Executive Branchs inability to move beyond a leadership election among Senate peers. It was not an election of Senate peers and Executive Branch participants.Over the past year the Senate has worked to foster good relations with the Executive Branch. It is in all of our collective interests to put aside divisions and get on with the nations business. We risk alienating and losing the support of the very people who have entrusted their national leaders to seek new and creative ways to promote a secure and prosperous Nigeria. As leaders and patriots, it is time to rise above partisanship and to move forward together.However, what has become clear is that there is now a government within the government of President Buhari who have seized the apparatus of Executive powers to pursue their nefarious agenda.This latest onslaught on the Legislature represents a clear and present danger to the democracy Nigerians fought hard to win and preserve. The suit filed on behalf of the Federal government suggests that perhaps some forces in the Federal Republic have not fully embraced the fact that the Senates rules and procedures govern how the legislative body adjudicates and resolves its own disputes.Let it be abundantly clear, both as a citizen and as a foremost Legislator, I will continue to rise above all the persecution and distraction that have been visited on me. In the words of Martin Luther King Junior, the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at a time of challenge and controversy.I will remain true and committed to the responsibilities that my citizenship and my office impose on me. Without doubt, the highest of those responsibilities is the steadfast refusal to surrender to the subversion of our democracy and the desecration of the Senate. This is a cross I am prepared to carry. If yielding to the nefarious agenda of a few individuals who are bent in undermining our democracy and destabilising the Federal government to satisfy their selfish interests is the alternative to losing my personal freedom, let the doors of jails be thrown open and I shall be a happy guest". Defence Minister, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, Monday waded into the controversy surrounding the alleged purchase and ownership of houses in... Defence Minister, Mansur Muhammad Dan-Ali, Monday waded into the controversy surrounding the alleged purchase and ownership of houses in Dubai by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, saying the allegations was part of attempts by unpatriotic and disgruntled elements to distract the leadership of the armed forces from the successes of the war against terrorism.A statement signed on behalf of the Minister by his Principal General Staff Officer (PGSO), Brigadier General MS Ahmed, said, The ministry of Defence has observed with dismay, the media report on involvement of the Chief of Army Staff and his family over ownership of property in Dubai. It is noteworthy that there has been series of concerted efforts in the past by some medium and its cohorts to tarnish the image of the person of Lt. General Tukur Buratai for reasons best known to them which failed to achieve their desired ulterior motives.The ministry of Defence view this as an attempt by some unpatriotic and disgruntled elements to distract the leadership of the Nigerian Armed forces from the successes of the war against terror particularly in the North East.It is on record that Lt. General Buratai has declared his assets as Commander Multi-national Joint Task Force and as Chief of Army Staff to the Code of Conduct Bureau.These facts are verifiable with the Bureau. The ministry of Defence while appreciating the role of the media in nation building wishes to equally advise the media to exhibit high sense of professionalism in the discharge of their duties especially when it comes to security and defence related matters. We assure Nigerians that this government will not habour personalities with dubious character. Therefore, the online media report should be disregarded in its entirety, the minister said. A 30-year-old man, Jimoh Sanni, aka 'Last Born' suspected to be a member of the ruthless band of robbers popularly called Awawa ... A 30-year-old man, Jimoh Sanni, aka 'Last Born' suspected to be a member of the ruthless band of robbers popularly called Awawa in Lagos state, has revealed his involvement in robberies and rapes.The Awawa members, who are usually cultists, are known to unleash mayhem, loot shops, attack residents at gunpoint and specialize in terrorizing and raping young girls in Agege area of the state.Sanni, who was arrested by operatives of the state Task Force alongside 14 others, revealed that he had raped more than five girls, including his sister (unknown to him) around Dopemu area of Agege.Confessing before newsmen at the weekend, Sanni said, I live at 4, Akinlabi Street, Agbotikuyo, in Agege. I am from Okene in Kogi State.I am a sectional head of Awawa Boys and have raped more than five girls around Dopemu area. My gang has burgled many shops at Aluminium Village and sold Indian hemp at beer parlours and night clubs at N100 per wrap before we go for our usual night robbery operations.We collect N2, 000 to N3, 000 every day from individual aluminum shop owners at Dopemu area and we buy Indian hemp from another Awawa Boys kingpin named Olata, at Oloosha area at Mushin.Reacting to the arrest, the Commissioner of Police, CP, Fatai Owoseni, directed that the suspects should all be immediately charged to court.Home / Headlines / Ive raped over 5 girls including my sister Awawa cultistIve raped over 5 girls including my sister Awawa cultistBy Danielle Ogbeche on June 27, 2016CrimestopperslogoA 30-year-old man, Jimoh Sanni, aka Last Born suspected to be a member of the ruthless band of robbers popularly called Awawa in Lagos state, has revealed his involvement in robberies and rapes.The Awawa members, who are usually cultists, are known to unleash mayhem, loot shops, attack residents at gunpoint and specialize in terrorizing and raping young girls in Agege area of the state.Sanni, who was arrested by operatives of the state Task Force alongside 14 others, revealed that he had raped more than five girls, including his sister (unknown to him) around Dopemu area of Agege.Confessing before newsmen at the weekend, Sanni said, I live at 4, Akinlabi Street, Agbotikuyo, in Agege. I am from Okene in Kogi State.I am a sectional head of Awawa Boys and have raped more than five girls around Dopemu area. My gang has burgled many shops at Aluminium Village and sold Indian hemp at beer parlours and night clubs at N100 per wrap before we go for our usual night robbery operations.We collect N2, 000 to N3, 000 every day from individual aluminum shop owners at Dopemu area and we buy Indian hemp from another Awawa Boys kingpin named Olata, at Oloosha area at Mushin.Reacting to the arrest, the Commissioner of Police, CP, Fatai Owoseni, directed that the suspects should all be immediately charged to court.The CP disclosed the names of the other suspects as Olayemi Lasege, 38, Opeyemi Oluwasola, 33, Timothy Ogar, 32, Adebayo Nurudeen, 32, Popoola Fatai, 30, Jimoh Sanni, 30, Ajayi Babatunde Lukumon, 29, Popoola Yakubu, 27, Owolabi Adediran 27, Akerele Sunday, 25, Ajose Anthony, 24, Sanusi Afeez, 23, Adewunmi Oluwatobi, 21, Actor Amechi, 21 and Ajibade Oluwafemi, 20.Operatives of the Lagos State Task Force arrested the cult members at Dopemu area of Agege after they received intelligence report on the disturbing activities of notorious Awawa Boys.During the operation which was carried out at midnight and led by SP Olayinka Egbeyemi, Chairman, Lagos State Task Force, the suspects and other affiliated group leaders fought the officers with dangerous weapons before they were overpowered, the CP stated.Meanwhile, the 66-year-old father of two of the suspects (Popoola Fatai and Popoola Yakubu), Alhaji Musibaudeen Popoola, lamented he had warned his children to stop following these bad gangs around Dopemu area.Alhaji Popoola said, I found it extremely difficult to believe when I was told that two of my sons were among those arrested members of Awawa Boys.I only came, as a disciplined father, to tell them that the end has come. It is going to be a big lesson to other children that they must obey their parents, Popoola added. Some youth in Ekiti State, including students of tertiary institutions, on Monday rallied in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, in support o... Some youth in Ekiti State, including students of tertiary institutions, on Monday rallied in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, in support of embattled Governor Ayodele Fayose.The youth frowned at what they described as the rascality flagrant and disrespect for the Rule of Law and disobedience of the constitution by the All Progressives Congress-led federal government.According to Mr. Olayinka, the protesters were led by the President of the Federation of Ekiti State Students Union (FESSU), Obayemi Peters; Presidents of the Students Union Governments of the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti (Ibrahim Oladimeji); Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti (Ayegbusi Paul); College of Education, Ikere Ekiti (Onilearo Gbenga) and College of Health Technology, Ijero-Ekiti (Oyebade Adeyemi).Mr. Olayinka, quoted Mr. Oladimeji, who he said spoke with journalists at the rally, as saying students from various institutions joined the protest in solidarity with the government and governor of Ekiti State.According to Mr. Olayinka, Mr. Oladimeji said students do not support corruption, but that the fight against the scourge should not be selective.Mr. Olayinka further reported, Adebayo urged Nigerians to impress it upon the APC-led federal government to ensure that petitions against the ousted Kayode Fayemi administration is looked into, especially the N850m SUBEB fund that was diverted for other purposes beside that for which it was meant.Another student leader who spoke at the rally, Saliu Akeem Dennis, said the fight against corruption should not be sectional. Citing wife of the president, Mrs. Aisha Buharis alleged involvement in the William Jefferson bribery scandal, Saliu hammered that rather than just telling Nigerians that the Aisha Buhari mentioned in the William Jefferson bribery scandal isnt the wife of the president, Nigerian students expect that the Buhari administration will go ahead to fish out and prosecute whoever Aisha Buhari from Daura is, adding that what is good for the goose should be good for the gander.The placard wielding crowd of protesters moved from Fajuyi area of Ado Ekiti through Okesa, Ojumose, Oke Iyinmi, Old Garage, Ijigbo, Irona, Oke Ori-Omi, Old Governors Office and later converged on Fajuyi.Some of the inscriptions on the placards read, Buhari is a dictator , Buhari, Obey court orders and respect Human Rights, we are in Democracy, Buhari/APC cant take Ekiti by force, its all about 2018, Under APC government, No money, No job, No single infrastructure, Corruption in EFCC today is worst ever in Nigeria, Probe the $60m Sahara Energy donation to APC campaign, Fayemi/APC ruined Ekiti economy, Diesel/Kerosene now #220/litre. Masses are suffering, Probe Fayemis #1.5b donation to Buharis campaign, Fayose: Voice of the Voiceless, Fayemi diverted SUBEBs #850, probe him, amongst others.See more photos The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has called on Abians not to panic, but remain clam over the judgment of Justice Okon Abang... The Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has called on Abians not to panic, but remain clam over the judgment of Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Abuja delivered Monday in favor of Mr. Uche Oga against him, in the case of alleged falsification of tax receipts.In a release by his chief Press Secretary, Enyinnaya Appolos, Governor Ikpeazu, who said that he has faith in the judiciary and rule of law, added that he will appeal the ruling as he has instructed his lawyers to file an appeal immediately against the said judgment.The Governor noted as an appointee of the Abia State Government from 2011 to 2014, when he served as the General Manager, Abia State Passengers Integrated Manifest and Safety Scheme (ASPIMSS), and first Deputy General Manager, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) Aba and Environs respectively, before his resignation in October 2014 to contest the Governorship election in the state, that within the period his taxes were deducted at source, and when he had need of his tax clearance in 2014, he applied to the Abia State Board of Internal Revenue, and was duly issued with his tax receipts for the period in question.He maintained that he remains the Governor of the state according to law and will await the final determination of the matter by the appellate courts. The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described as false the claim by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff that t... The National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described as false the claim by Senator Ali Modu Sheriff that the Ahmed Makarfi-led committee has preserved the partys presidential ticket for a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC.Sheriff, who has continued to lay claim to the chairmanship of the party, had alleged last week that Makarfi and Senator Ben Obi, secretary of caretaker committee, are preparing ground for an APC chieftain ahead of the 2019 general elections.But the committee in a statement by its spokesman, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, denied the allegation but said the committee is willing to receive any individual or group irrespective of their political dispositions.The statement reads in part, The public is kindly reminded to recall that it was barely two weeks ago the former chairman alleged that Senator Ahmed Makarfi is only pursuing his Presidential ambition and not concerned about the job given the Committee by the National Convention. Now, he has changed the story.The public is also kindly reminded that one of the problems that led to the removal of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was attempting to convert himself from a 3 months chairman to not only a substantive chairman but the partys presidential candidate for 2019. He went further to start offering running mate position to different individuals.It is also a fact that as soon as Senator Ali Modu Sheriff was appointed as chairman, many founding members of the Party left it. On the other hand, as soon as the national caretaker committee was appointed, people started retracing their steps back to the Party. A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, to vacate office immediately for submitting false in... A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, to vacate office immediately for submitting false information to his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, for the partys governorship primary in December 2014.Justice Okon Abang in a judgment on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to immediately issue a certificate of return to the plaintiff, Uche Ogah, who polled the second highest number of votes in the primary.Uchechukwu S. Ogah is a Nigerian oil magnate, entrepreneur, investor and philanthropist. Ogah is the President of Master Energy Group, a conglomerate with over 15 subsidiaries and interests across a variety of industries.In 2014, Dr. Uche Ogah, rejected the outcome of the Abia State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary held in Umuahia.Ogah, who came second in the contest with 103 votes, claimed that the exercise was fraught with fraud.Ogah said there was no credible and proper accreditiation of the delegates who participated in the primary, giving way to admission of non-delegates to vote in the exercise.I know there was no formal accreditation and people were given tags just to go and vote. Everything in Abia is fraud; why? Everything, from beginning to the end, he said. The new Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has recommended no fewer than 30 senior officers for retirement. The new Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has recommended no fewer than 30 senior officers for retirement.This was sequel to a letter written to the presidency by the new acting IGP last week.The officers who are of the rank of Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of police, were said to have been marked out for immediate disengagement for some reasons still unclear.According to reports, efforts by some AIGs to greet the new IGP hit the rocks as they were barred from seeing him.The paper quoted an anonymous source as saying, There is serious tension at the Police Headquarters in Abuja. We have heard that the new acting IG wants to retire both his seniors and coursemates.On Friday, he wrote to the presidency, through the Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, and it was approved and forwarded to the desk of the President for final approval.According to what Idris wrote, his reason why he asked for their retirement is that he cannot work with them. He said he wants to, in all sense of the word, take charge of the police.He said since he has been given the responsibility to provide security, it was imperative that these AIGs be removed because they might be a clog in his wheel of progress.With this move, there is a tendency to make 14 Commissioners of Police AIGs since the available and compulsory vacancy for AIGs is 26.Already before now, 12 AIGs were promoted. From the 12, they will take seven of them to become Deputy Inspector General (DIGs) of Police and then they will be forced to go to the CP rank to fill up the AIG rank of 26.We wonder why they are removing experienced hands that would have helped him steer the police to greater heights.These officers that will be retired, are the last set of senior policemen that were trained abroad, and have gone for short courses.I dont know why we are wasting manpower. By removing these old hands, we will have to expend huge amount. John Usman, one of the 100 Nigerians selected for entrepreneurship and leadership training in the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship in US... John Usman, one of the 100 Nigerians selected for entrepreneurship and leadership training in the 2016 Mandela Washington Fellowship in US, has died.According to US Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Usman died on Saturday after his involvement in a hiking accident.The deceased was said to be hiking near Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, when the incident happened.The US government has expressed sadness over the tragedy, extending its condolences to the family of Usman.The US Mission to Nigeria and our colleagues in the United States were deeply saddened to learn of the death of John Paul Ojaojogwu Usman, read a statement which the mission issued on Monday.On June 25, John Paul died in an accident while hiking near Virginia Polytechnic Institute and the State University, where he was studying civic leadership as a 2016 Mandela Washington Fellow.We extend our deepest condolences to John Pauls family and friends over this tragic loss.The statement described John Paul as a rising star who was devoted to the causes of sustainable development, childrens rights, and peace building in Nigeria.It said that his selection to the Mandela Washington Fellowship programme was because of his drive, talent, and dedication to making his countrys civil society even stronger.One of John Pauls professional mentors at Virginia Tech said: While his time with us was short, he was well-loved.This young man will be remembered fondly as a great citizen ambassador of his country. We mourn his passing. Ibe Kachikwu, minister of state for petroleum resources, says Nigeria is making progress in negotiations with Niger Delta militants, with... Speaking in China on Monday, Kachikwu said Nigeria would hit its budgetary mark of 2.2 million barrels per day by July when the repairs at the Forcados terminal are done.Earlier, Kachikwu said activities of militants had cut Nigerias production by 800,000 barrels to about 1.4 million per day, causing the nation to lose millions of dollars per day but that is history now.All the way from January right through to about April, we were producing an average of 1.9 to 2.2 million barrels, which is basically between the threshold of 2.2 that we budgeted for the year, Kachikwu told Bloomberg.Obviously in May and June, we suffered a lot of militant attacks, which took us down to about 1.3(million). Weve managed to begin to lead conversations with the militants, a lot of engagement is taking place on the authorisation of President Muhammadu Buhari.Weve been able to get production up back to about 1.8/9 million barrels per day as of two days ago. We are continuing those conversations and by the time the Forcados line is repaired in July, we should be able to come back to our production ceiling for this year, of 2.2(million).Things are looking up, engagements are trending positively, weve been able to make in-routes into those conversations, but what is more important is the need to continue that momentum and the need to look to a long term solution to the Niger Delta crisis.Kachikwu said he was in China to get about $40 billion to $50 billion in funding, to close the Nigerian infrastructural gap.The minister is said to have met with the managing directors of Sinopec Group, Sinopec/Addax, Cinda Securities Limited and Jereh Group, at the NNPC-China investors roadshow in Beijing.He said the meetings had begun yielding results, with a deal for $8.5 billion of investment with NORINCO a Chinese company that manufactures vehicles, machinery, optical-electronic products already signed. The chairmen of state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday threw their weight behind the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker... The chairmen of state chapters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday threw their weight behind the Ahmed Makarfi led Caretaker Committee.The chairmen, who paid a solidarity visit to Makarfi in Abuja, said they would continue to respect the decision of the May 21 national convention of the party that set up the Makarfi committee.Leader of the delegation, Alhaji Yahaya Mohammed said as delegates to the convention, they were bound by the outcome of the convention, adding that doing otherwise would amount to undermining the national leadership of the party.Mohammed, who is the chairman of the Federal Capital Territory chapter, urged the factional national chairman, Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff, to respect the decision of the convention in the in the overall interest of the party.He maintained that the Port Harcourt convention was a product of the partys constitution.Responding, Makarfi said the crisis in the party was proof that the PDP is worth struggling for and that the committees mandate was to bring everybody on board.According to him, dragging the crisis for too long could be injurious to the health of the party, adding that the committees mandate did not include dissolution of the existing state executives. Some Assistant Inspectors General of Police are currently holding talks with the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro ove... Some Assistant Inspectors General of Police are currently holding talks with the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Mike Okiro over their impending sack from the Force.It was gathered that the Acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has written to President Muhammadu Buhari demanding the sack of no fewer than 30 senior police officers.Most of them, apart from the Deputy Inspectors General of Police, who are seven in number, are said to be of the rank of AIG.Idris was himself promoted from the rank of AIG to Acting IG.dris is alleged to be demanding the sack of the AIGs because though some of them are his colleagues in terms of course and rank, they are his senior in terms of promotion.Most of them became AIG before Idris did.It was earlier reported that the new Acting Inspector General of Police, may have been given the go-ahead to clean up the top hierarchy of the Police Force by President Muhammadu Buhari.Over 20 senior officers mostly Assistant Inspectors General of Police, AIGs, who enlisted in the Force before the Acting IGP are said to be affected by the imminent shake-up.Seven Deputy Inspectors General, DIGs, have been retired already, following the retirement of former IGP, Solomon Arase, after 35 years in service. The Presidency on Monday challenged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to name the cabals in President Muhammadu Buharis administration... The Presidency on Monday challenged the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to name the cabals in President Muhammadu Buharis administration.Saraki had claimed that there is now a government within the government of President Buhari, which has allegedly seized the apparatus of Executive powers to pursue a nefarious agenda.But a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said that the claim by Senator Saraki would have been more worth the while if it had been backed with more information.It reads: If he had proceeded to identify those who constitute the government within the government, it would have taken the issue beyond the realm of fiction and mere conjecture.But as it stands, the allegation is not even worth the paper on which it was written, as anybody can wake from a troubled sleep, and say anything.The Attorney-General of the Federation is the Chief Law Officer of the state. It is within his constitutional powers to determine who has infringed upon the law, and who has not.Pretending to carry an imaginary cross is mere obfuscation, if, indeed, a criminal act has been committed. But we leave the courts to judge. It statedTo claim that President Muhammadu Buhari is anybodys stooge, the statement said, is not only ridiculous, but also preposterous.It is not in the character of our President. It added The Presidency has reacted to reasons the Nigerian Senate rejected president Muhammadu Buhari's list of nominated ambassadors weeks ag... The Presidency has reacted to reasons the Nigerian Senate rejected president Muhammadu Buhari's list of nominated ambassadors weeks ago.The Senate had suspended the screening and confirmation of the 47 ambassadorial nominees because the list "did not reflect the Federal Character principle" as it had no representation for four states -Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ondo and Plateau.The Senate had thereafter summoned the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama.Reacting at the weekend, SGF, Babachir Lawal, said President Buhari has the constitutional power to nominate ambassadors anyway he deems fit.Certainly, we will appear, we are law abiding, we respect the National Assembly and we respect the laws of the land. One thing however is clear, the constitution makes it clear that it is the prerogative of the president to nominate Ambassadors and the criteria he will use to do so is also the constitutional right of the President. Whatever criteria he chooses to use is constitutional. We acknowledge also that it is also the prerogative of the Senate to approve or not to approve that nomination.Be that as it may, I must say that we are disappointed that the National Assembly took the decision it did but again we believe that the Senate is made up of very responsible and patriotic Nigerians and the Senate is made up of great people including governors who have governed and known the constitution regarding separation of powers.We believe that the Senate will not do anything that will bring the country to disrepute because right now Nigeria enjoys tremendous goodwill all over the globe. Countries now have high regard and respect for our president, our ministers and all other representatives of government are treated very well and with respect wherever they go. It is important to have ambassadors to sustain this goodwill, he added.He also spoke on the Federal Character principle.Of course we have read in the newspapers some of their concerns such as federal character and so on. At the last count my recollection is that out of the 47 diplomat nominees, . Out of 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, 32 states were represented. While the constitution preaches federal character, it does not say that every state must be represented in any appointment, except of course in the case of ministers. Not in all other appointments, so the spirit of the constitution has been fully satisfied by having 32 ambassadors out of 36 plus one. I believe that every objective analyst will agree with this. HACKENSACK -- A judge on Friday sentenced a former Bergen County Academies teacher to four years in prison for having sex with a student, The Record reported. Donald Dewitt, of Warwick, N.Y. (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office) Donald DeWitt, 66, of Warwick, N.Y., pleaded guilty in February to endangering the welfare of a child. DeWitt was among the first teachers hired at the magnet school. He taught biology and human sexuality. The school banned Dewitt from campus after his arrest in April 2015 and fired him after his guilty plea. Dewitt had been free on $300,000 bail before his sentencing. The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office began investigating DeWitt after the sister of the 16-year-old student found sexually explicit emails from the teacher. DeWitt said in court he was "terribly embarrassed and sorry for all the troubles I have caused." Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. MOUNT LAUREL TWP. -- A township police officer was punched and another cut and concussed during a fight involving wedding-goers -- including the groom -- that spilled outside of the Hilton Garden Inn on Sunday night. It was just before 9 p.m. when Mount Laurel police responded to the hotel for a report of a fight in progress. The first officer to respond found a large group outside of the hotel while more people, who were allegedly fighting with each other, exited the building. According to Mount Laurel police Deputy Chief Stephen Riedener, what began as a family fight during a wedding reception at the hotel ended with, four police departments responding, two cops injured and two Philadelphia men charged with aggravated assault on a police officer. "It was just an altercation," hotel general manager Martin Faye said Monday morning, declining to elaborate further on the incident. As the first responding officer attempted to break up the fight that came flowing out of the front of the hotel, another officer was allegedly punched several times. That officer and a suspect fell to the ground and were "kicked by some of the bystanders," Riedener said, adding that the "crowd quickly moved away as other officers arrived." Officers from the nearby Moorestown, Maple Shade and Evesham police departments would eventually respond to the 911 call that also noted a female had passed out at the hotel. Riedener said one Mount Laurel police officer, who had to be treated at a local hospital, sustained "several cuts to his arms and a concussion" and was later released. Police said that an adult female who was part of the wedding party was also transported to the hospital for an unknown medical condition. Joseph E. Mooney, 34, of Philadelphia, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a police officer. His bail was set at $5,000 with 10 percent option, which he posted and was released. Philly.com reports that Mooney was the groom. A 17-year-old male also from Philadelphia was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and released pending a court hearing. Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook. BRIDGETON -- A shooting and a stabbing occurred early-morning Sunday near the Coral Avenue area. Bridgeton police are investigating both incidents and if they are related. There were no reported injuries from the shooting, although gunfire went through the walls of a bedroom where a girl was sleeping. Bridgeton Police Department officers were dispatched Sunday around 3 a.m. for several gunshots in the area of Route 49 and Laurel Street. Moments later, police were called to a house on Coral Avenue for a house struck several times by gunfire. The Coral Avenue resident was in his living room when he heard gunfire. When he went into his daughter's room, he saw the gunshots came through the bedroom wall where she was sleeping. The daughter was not injured. While at the scene, police were called to Inspira Medical Center for a stabbing victim from Coral Avenue. Officers stopped by the stabbing scene on their way to the hospital -- which was close to the house struck by gunfire -- and found a vehicle with blood inside. A witness at the scene told police that a vehicle pulled up and the man inside said he was stabbed and being followed. The stabbed man was then picked up by another vehicle. The witness also told police he saw a blue or black pick-up pass by numerous times before the shooting occurred. Once police arrived at the hospital, the stabbed man told police he was at a party when the incident occurred. The shooting and stabbing are under investigation. Don E. Woods may be reached at dwoods@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @donewoods1. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 12475699_1466952676.0738.jpg The 4-year-old killed in East Orange, June 26, 2016. ( ) EAST ORANGE -- The family of a 4-year-old accidentally shot to death by his older brother Saturday has started a fundraiser to help pay for funeral expenses. Shirele Richardson, who said she was the aunt of the boy, started the GoFundMe page Sunday. "I hope to raise as much as I can to help the family with burial expenses," Richardson said. The boy's older brother, who is 5, was under the care of his grandmother, neighbors said. The 5-year-old was playing with his mother's gun when he accidentally shot his brother in the head, Connie Jackson, a spokeswoman for the city, said. Their mother, Itaniyah Spruill, was with the boys in a Norman Street home at the time. Police arrested the 22-year-old on charges of endangering the welfare of a child and a weapons violation. She was being held Sunday in Essex County Jail on $310,000 bail. An arraignment is pending. The GoFundMe page has a goal of raising $15,000. Authorities have not said how the 5-year-old got a hold of the gun. Neighbors said the family did not live permanently at the Norman Street home. Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- The Comasco and the Lembo families both live in the small town of Bloomfield. Jami Comasco said the two families belong to the same church community. That close proximity, Jami Comasco said, contributed to the pain that resulted when her brother, Nicholas Comasco, sped down a Bloomfield street nearly four years ago and crashed into another car in which then 16-year-old Christina Lembo was riding. The teenager later died of her injuries. On Monday, Superior Court Judge Verna G. Leath sentenced Nicholas Comasco, now 27, to three years in prison for a charge of vehicular homicide stemming from the crash. Leath ordered that Comasco serve 85 percent of the sentence, or more than two years and six months, before he is eligible for parole. Leath imposed the sentenced despite Jami Comasco describing the remorse her brother felt. "We want to express our heart felt sorrow to the Lempo family," Jami Camasco said. She said her brother will have "endless sorrow and remorse," for the accident. "I know my brother will do everything in his power to live his life to honor the memory of (Christina Lembo)," she said. Nicholas Comasco apologized to the Lembo family as well as his own family for the pain he had caused. Christina Lempo was killed in the 2012 crash in Bloomfield. (NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Authorities say that on Sept, 29, 2012, at 11 p.m., Comasco was driving at 80 MPH on Broughton Avenue in Bloomfield, far above the 25 MPH for the street. Comasco's black 2000 Chevy Camaro crashed into the grey 2007 Honda Civic in which Lembo was riding. Comasco's attorney, S. Emile Lisboa, told the judge that his client had no prior criminal record. Lisboa said Lembo was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, and another teenager who was driving the Civic had more passengers than was permitted for a person with a provisional license. Lisboa said the crash was an accident, which drew criticism from Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Eileen O'Connor. "You can't drive that fast at that time in that area and not expect a crash to happen," O'Connor said. She also said Comasco has been drinking before the accident, though he was not legally drunk. Leath describe the crash as an accident of criminal dimensions. She said Lembo had been a sister and a daughter, which brought tears to the victim's mother as she sat in the audience with other family members. Leath noted that prior to the crash, Nicholas Comasco had 10 prior motor vehicle summons. Comasco had pleaded guilty to vehicle homicide in exchange for the prosecutor recommending the three-year prison term. Jami Comasco broke down sobbing when Leath imposed the sentence. "Love you Nick," Jami Comasco and other relatives said at the end of the hearing. "Love you, too," Nicholas Comasco said as sheriff's officers led him away. O'Connor said the Lempo family declined to comment at the sentencing because it would have been too painful for them. The family also declined to comment after the sentencing. Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. MONTCLAIR -- The Montclair spy house, vacated six years ago by its Russian undercover suburban homeowners, may be going back on the market, according to a published report. The house, in the township's Fieldstone neighborhood, was once occupied by Russian spies Vladimir and Lydia Guryev, a.k.a., Richard and Cynthia Murphy, and their pre-teen daughters. Authorities said the adults were part of an East Coast espionage cell, sent deep undercover to pose -- despite their Slavic accents -- as typical American families on a long-term mission to gather whatever useful intelligence they could. She worked for a financial advisor whose clients included Bill and Hillary Clinton. He was a stay-at-home dad. The couple forfeited the house to the U.S. government as part of a plea deal, were deported home to Russia, and the case inspired the FX television series, "The Americans." The U.S. Marshals Service put the house on the market in 2013, at an initial asking price of $444,900, but it never sold. Recently, The New York Times reported, the house had been acquired by Boston-based Santander Bank, with neighbors long tired of the vacant eyesore at 31 Marquette Road now hopeful the bank will fix it up and sell it. The Times said Santander hired Coldwell Banker to list the house, which was built 56 years ago, at the height of the Cold War. "We have been working with the approved brokers and we are ensuring that the property is being maintained in preparation for sale," a Santander spokeswoman told The Times in an email. Zillow recently estimated its worth at $676,913. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. http://www.nj.com/middlesex JERSEY CITY -- A man and woman were shot on Myrtle Avenue near Martin Luther King Drive late last night, authorities said. A 20-year-old woman was shot in the hip and buttocks just before midnight. and a 28-year-old man was shot in the hand, city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said. Both of their injuries are considered non life-threatening, Morrill said. The victims were treated at Jersey City Medical Center and were "uncooperative with police," she said. When asked how many shots were fired, Morrill said the incident remains under investigation. According to police radio transmissions, five shell casings were recovered. Last night's shooting comes less than 24 hours after a 20-year-old man suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to his leg on the same block. City officials could not provide any additional information on the incident. BAYONNE -- A much-anticipated city Zoning Board meeting about a proposed Muslim community center that was scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed again. The meeting, which was originally scheduled for March and has now been postponed three times, is a continuation of a hearing held on Jan. 19. No new date has been set. The meeting was first postponed because Bill Finnerty, the attorney representing the Bayonne Muslim group, had a "serious health issue," city Chief of Staff Andrew Casais said at the time. The meeting was postponed a second time because one of the experts for the Muslim group requested additional time to update a traffic study, Finnerty told The Jersey Journal. The Muslim group said a third postponement is needed because it needs more time to finalize the traffic study, a city official said this morning. Finnerty corroborated that account this afternoon. "We're working on getting more information on the parking and traffic issues," the attorney said. After years of searching for a permanent religious home, the local Muslim community has set its sights on converting a warehouse at 109 E. 24th St. into a community center that would include, among other things, a mosque, classrooms and a soup kitchen. For the past half-dozen years, the group has used the basement of St. Henry's Catholic Church. The community center plan has been met by staunch opposition from a group of residents, some who say they fear increased traffic and loss of parking in the area. The arguments by other critics are tinged with anti-Muslim sentiment and fear-mongering. For example, a recent flier mailed to residents asks "Is there also an underlying plan to turn Bayonne's East Side into a closed Muslim community?" On Jan. 19, the Zoning Board postponed its decision on whether to approve the plan for the Muslim community center after a three-and-a-half hour public hearing, saying there were two expert witnesses who still needed to be heard. The stalled decision came after spirited demonstrations both for and against the center were held earlier that evening in front of City Hall before the meeting. In the week leading up to the meeting, some spoke out against the center, while others spoke in favor of it. Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. MOUNTAIN LAKES -- A portion of Boulevard, a main thoroughfare in Mountain Lakes, remained closed Monday morning following an accident Sunday evening in which a vehicle knocked down a utility pole, police said. No one was injured in the accident that occurred at about 8 p.m., said Mountain Lakes Police Sgt. Rich Geoghegan. Boulevard remained closed between Route 46 and Pocono Road, about a quarter-mile stretch, Geoghegan said. As of 10:30 a.m., Geoghegan said, the pole had been replaced but Jersey Central Power & Light still needed to install a transformer before the road could be safely reopened. The driver, whose name was not released, was charged with reckless driving, Geoghegan said, adding that the driver was not intoxicated and no one else was involved. The accident occurred as the driver was traveling south on Boulevard near St. Catherine's Church, he said. Some 710 customers lost power for about 15 minutes after the accident, and then power was restored, said Ron Morano, a spokesman for JCP&L. He acknowledged that JCP&L continued work in the area on Monday. Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook. ROCKAWAY TOWNSHIP -- A teacher who formerly instructed handicapped middle school students has been terminated by the state education commissioner's office for repeatedly touching two 13-year-old girls in inappropriate ways. The two girls both said the teacher, James Dunckley, 63, of Denville, made them feel uncomfortable when he touched them without their consent. One girl said he touched her on her leg above the knee, on the knee, back and in "the area of her chest," according to the charges filed by the school district. The other girl said he touched her on her arms, shoulders, knees and legs. Dunckley was terminated, with his tenure removed, by the local board of education, and this month, that action was upheld by an arbitrator working for the education commissioner. The action by the arbitrator, finding him guilty of "conduct unbecoming" a teacher and "inappropriate conduct," represents a final decision by the education commissioner, although Dunckley has the option of appealing it in Superior Court, said the school board's attorney, John Geppert. Dunckley and his attorney, Sanford Oxfeld, did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment on Monday. Dunckley did not appear at the hearing with the arbitrator, but in his written response, he denied any wrongdoing and said any touching was a way of praising the students and was "never sexual." Dunckley challenged the credibility of the witnesses, the arbitrator wrote. He contended that the two girls were close friends and "operated as a clique. Dunckley also said there was no corroboration of their version of events from other children in the classroom or from any other adults who had been present in the classroom. Dunckley was not prosecuted criminally in the case. Although information on the case was given to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, the prosecutor determined his behavior "didn't rise to the criminal level" and should best be handled by school authorities, Geppert said. The prosecutor's office declined to comment on the case Monday. Dunckley, who began working for the Rockaway Township schools in 1976, had most recently been working at the Copeland Middle School as an instructor of students with multiple handicaps. In her decision, the arbitrator, Andree McKissick, said an initial complaint was brought to the attention of the district by parents of "various female students" in 2009, when Dunckley was told to "cease and desist from engaging in the offensive behavior." However, Dunckley continued to give "unwanted attention" and "physical contact" to "additional female students," McKissick wrote. The incidents that led to the determination that Dunckley was guilty of "conduct unbecoming a teaching staff member" occurred during the 2014-15 school year and involved two girls. In the first case, Dunckley "more than once" touched the girl on her leg above her knee, back, and in the area above her chest," according to the charges upheld by the arbitrator. The touching made the girl feel "uncomfortable," and Dunckley also told the girl's mother she was his "buddy," was "mature" and was "different" from the other kids, comments that the mother found "very odd," McKissick wrote. In the second case, the arbitrator wrote, Dunckley also "repeatedly touched" a 13-year-old girl without her consent. When they watched movies in class, Dunckley would sometimes sit "really close" to the girl and touch her shoulder, and that made her feel "uncomfortable and weird," according to the charges against him. Dunckley, who has served as an official in the local teachers' union, insisted he had done nothing wrong. "I don't touch kids," he said repeatedly when confronted with the allegations, according to the district. However, the arbitrator cited the written assessment of the school psychologist, who concluded that Dunckley exhibited "abusive behavior" toward the two students, the arbitrator wrote. The psychologist described Dunckley's behavior as "sexualizing the relationship" with the two female students, "imposing a traumatic and damaging experience upon them," the arbitrator wrote. Dunckley chose not to testify in the session with the arbitrator, but in his written response, he admitted "that on one occasion he touched (one of the girls) on the leg when her leg was on a desk," McKissick said. He also admitted he would sometimes "praise" students by touching them on the shoulder, but said it was "never sexual." In her decision, the arbitrator concluded that Dunckley is "hereby terminated with just cause due to the substantial, credible evidence presented against him." Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY_ Hussam Al Roustom and his family have been living in Jersey City for the past year, getting used to a new language, a new climate, a new culture. While that is difficult, Roustom said it's nothing compared to his journey here: After his grocery store was destroyed during the Syrian Civil War, he paid a smuggler to get his family out of the country. The smuggler dropped them off in the desert, where he and his wife carried their two small children over a mountain into Jordan, Roustom said. They lived in a refugee camp until they were approved to come here. In the space of just a year, he said, his life had completely changed. "Here I'm working hard, I have a job, I'm taking care of my children and I'm ready to help and be supportive in the community," he said through an interpreter at a recent Jersey City gathering to mark World Refugee Day. Refugees - particularly those from the Middle East - have become a political hot button in both the United States and Great Britain, with voters voicing concern too many of them are arriving in other countries too quickly. Yet people who are helping refugees resettle here say the United States is accepting too few, too slowly. The most recent numbers show: * In the past eight months, 2,805 Syrian refugees have been admitted into the United States, according to the U.S State Department. * In New Jersey, 24 Syrian refugees have moved here so far this year. That's a drop from the 75 Syrians accepted last year. * Federal records indicate 18 refugees from Iraq have come to New Jersey this year, as well as 53 from Afghanistan. * The Jersey City branch of Church World Service has welcomed 41 people in nine families from Ethiopia, Congo, Afghanistan, Syria, and Pakistan, according to Mahmoud Mahmoud, director of the Immigration and Refugee at the organization. At the World Refugee Day conference in Jersey City recently, refugees expressed their gratitude, and activists bemoaned the slow pace of refugees allowed to settle here. Rep. Bill Pascrell, the Democrat from Paterson, joined with more than six dozen House representatives to criticize the Obama administration for failing to admit refugees from the Syrian civil war at a pace to meet its commitment of accepting 10,000 this year. Canada has taken in 27,000 Syrians during that same period, the letter states. "The slow pace of current Syrian refugee admissions will not help our national security," the letter stated. "In fact, it will only give credence to those who wish to undermine our values." Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has suggested the United States cease accepting refugees - or Muslim immigrants from countries with radical Islamic operatives- until the nation can figure out a way to prevent extremists from infiltrating the ranks of refugees as a way to sneak into the country. In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie recently pulled out of any state participation in refugee resettlement, making good on a campaign promise made during his quest for the Republican presidential nomination. People who help refugees forge a new life in New Jersey report Christie's action has turned out to be mostly symbolic. The resettlement process is governed by federal regulations, and resettled children have an established right to attend local schools. Still, refugees must undergo a 13-step verification process that typically takes several years to win approval, Mahmoud said. "When it comes to our refugees, we know exactly who they are and where they came from," said Assad Akhter, from Pacrell's office. The claim that the United States is admitting people without knowing much about them "is an outright lie," he said. However, Christie's actions did mean state employees would no longer help the non-profit groups that receive federal aid to help new arrivals get acclimated. Resettlement volunteers yesterday said they'd seen little impact of the governor's policy change in their efforts to help new refugees find housing, schooling, and employment. "We've not experienced any effect of the governor's words," said Rev. Seth Kaper-Dale of the Reformed Church of Highland Park, which belongs to an interfaith coalition that has helped 14 refugees so far this year. "We have an irrelevant governor. It's just hot air." Refugees who have settled in Central Jersey with the coalition's help are from Congo, Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria, and Ghana, he said. In Bloomfield, several houses of worship are combining efforts to start sponsoring families there. "Bloomfield is quite diverse, so we think we'll have great success," said Bob Bertrand, who is Methodist. Sponsoring volunteer groups typically help a family find and furnish an apartment, enroll in school, become familiar with the transportation system, and learn English. Bertrand attended the event with Fred Pressman, who was representing a temple in town. "So far, there's enthusiasm," Pressman said. Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at kobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook. chris-christie.jpg Gov. Chris Christie has proposed a school aid formula that would give the same amount o per pupil aid to each district in the state. (NJ Advance Media photo) Robinson vs. Cahill revisited. In 1970, David Robinson, a third-grade pupil in Jersey City, through Jersey City attorney Harold J. Ruvoldt filed suit in Hudson County Superior Court, arguing that the Bateman-Tanzman School Funding Act discriminated against urban districts. The defendant was then-Gov. William Cahill. The Hudson judge ruled the act unconstitutional, a decision upheld by the state Supreme Court. The controversy led to enactment of the state income tax on July 8, 1976. On June 20, Republican Gov. Christie proposed a "fairness" aid formula to redistribute $9.1 billion in annual state aid, allotting each student a flat $6,599. Currently, Asbury Park receives $28,947 per pupil, and Newark, $18,337. They're two of 31 so-called Abbott districts, among the state's poorest. Christie called his plan a "budget allocation proposal," bringing property-tax relief to the suburbs. He argued that extra cash for Abbott districts hasn't done that well -- 27 of the 31 have graduation rates lower than the 90 percent state average, and some who do go to college need remedial classes. "Spending does not equal achievement. It never has and never will," he said. Christie proposed a constitutional ballot amendment for 2017 to achieve the redistribution. That would require three-fifths majority in each legislative house, 28 in the Assembly, 27 in the Senate. Republicans lack the votes, and Democrats derided Christie's plan as unconstitutional. Hudson has five Abbott districts, led by Jersey City, with $418,471,290 in aid; Harrison, $25,383,780; Hoboken, $9,907,427; Union City, $177,818,679; and West New York, $93,312,984. But this help, the formula for which was upheld by the state Supreme Court in 2008, would be drastically reduced by the governor. One observer said Christie is "stiffing" the Abbott districts -- crude but valid. EDITOR'S NOTE:Joseph Albright's column appears every Thursday in The Jersey Journal. PP rally.jpg File photo of a 2015 rally outside the Statehouse in Trenton to build support for legislation that would restore $7.5 million in grants Gov. Chris Christie eliminated in 2010 for family planning health centers. (Susan K. Livio | NJ Advance Media) In 2010, when cuts severely curtailed women's health programming in New Jersey, that funding accounted for less than 0.022 percent of the entire state budget -- a minuscule tab for keeping more than half the state's residents healthy. Since then, according to Planned Parenthood of New Jersey, the number of cases of bacterial sexually transmitted infections has soared more than 27 percent statewide. In one-third of New Jersey counties, the organization says, the increase has been nearly 50 percent or more. You might easily be one of the women whose health has been jeopardized by the misguided fiscal austerity. Or maybe your wife is, or your daughter. With all eyes trained on the June 30 deadline for the Fiscal Year 2017 budget, lawmakers need reminding that when Gov. Chris Christie eliminated that $7.4 million in funding for family planning, he also took away access to cancer screenings, birth control, testing for HIV/AIDS and other vital services. The $34.8 billion state budget passed the Senate on Monday and the Assembly is scheduled to vote on it later the same day. There's hope that the spending plan, which is about $1 billion more than the current fiscal year budget, includes something for women's health clinics. Year after year, the governor has refused to include a dedicated line item to support health clinics for women. Year after year, lawmakers such as Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen County) emphasize that the lost funding -- now totaling $45 million by Planned Parenthood's estimate -- has serious repercussions. Since Christie first slashed funding, half a dozen of the 58 women's clinics in the state have closed. Reasonably priced birth control has become harder for low-income women to obtain. In the first three years of the budget cuts, Planned Parenthood documented that the number of clinical breast exams performed by New Jersey family-planning providers dropped 31 percent -- from 70,506 in 2009 to 48,441 in 2012. We can keep throwing numbers at you until your eyes glaze over -- or ours do. But numbers don't begin to gauge the emotional and economic toll on families as a result of this governor's callous use of women's health to score political points. While the Affordable Care Act has eased the burden for many of New Jersey's women, the erosion of state funding for basic services means many women will continue to fall through the cracks. Black and other minority women are disproportionately affected. In an overview of New Jersey women's reproductive health, Planned Parenthood quoted figures from the Guttmacher Institute that 167,490 African-American women and 232,400 Hispanic/Latina women were in need of contraceptive services and supplies. More numbers. But here's one that really speaks volumes: In the same report, experts noted that every dollar invested in family planning saves $7 in related costs, including unplanned pregnancies, illness and lost work hours. Follow NJ.com/Opinion on Twitter @NJ_Opinion. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Reproductive rights were set in law more than 40 years ago. And when the Supreme Court reaffirmed the constitutional right to legal abortion Monday, it told governors and legislatures - or those who placed themselves in charge at Uterine Control HQ - that they can no longer invent deceptive and unconstitutional restrictions to a woman's right to control her body. It is a reminder of what is at stake in November - when America can elect a Republican president who says women should be "punished" for having abortions, rather than appointing justices who uphold Roe v. Wade as settled law. But one should also ponder what happens in places like Texas, where the law shut down dozens of abortion clinics by imposing regulatory hurdles and leaving the state with only nine facilities. Litigation and legislative attempts to restrict access have persisted since Roe, but this case had no parallel in history: Texas, where there were 73,000 abortions in 2011, effectively erased 80 percent of its clinics. Worse, it was a model for other states from Wisconsin to Alabama - all designed to apply an "undue burden," which the Court ruled unconstitutional in 1992. Many states would have followed the pattern observed in Texas, where a study from Whole Women's Health - the plaintiff in this case - found that 100,000 to 240,000 women self-induced an abortion with no medical supervision after the shutdowns began. Many rely on drugs marketed as ulcer medication that are available without prescription in Mexico. Others tried homeopathic remedies, alcohol, illicit drugs, hormone pills, and - in the 21st century equivalent to coat-hanger horror - getting punched in the stomach. The Court's ruling that Texas applied an unconstitutional obstacle was an easy call, as lawmakers inadvertently conceded the point. Its law required clinics to meet standards of surgical centers - it even required expensive updates on building codes - and mandated doctors to have admitting privileges at local hospitals, which abortion providers rarely have. These were textbook examples of "unnecessary health regulations that have the purpose of presenting a substantial obstacle," as specified in Planned Parenthood v. Casey in 1992. Yet Gov. Rick Perry signed this law in 2013 under the guise of "protecting" women's health, and that was a fib: His lieutenant governor, David Dewhurst, posted a map on his Twitter account that marked clinics forced to close. "We fought to pass SB5 thru the Senate & this is why!" he crowed. Whatever the goal, the effects were seismic. Standards were harsh, and clinics were shuttered. In March, however, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg tore the law to pieces during oral arguments. If Texas maintains the law posed no "undue burden" as long as women could cross state lines for abortions, how can it prioritize health without having the means to control standards practiced in New Mexico? And what about procedures such as tonsillectomies and colonoscopies, which pose a larger risk? By all accounts, the Texas Solicitor General was reduced to a stammering ninny when Ginsburg was done. As Ginsburg wrote in her concurring opinion Monday, "It is beyond rational belief that (the Texas law) could genuinely protect the health of women." This is not the end of the fight, because lawmakers devise creative ways to close clinics. Alabama's strategy is the most creative yet: It wants to regulate clinics like sex offenders, with a law that forbids them from operating within 2,000 feet of a public school. That would shut down two of its five facilities. Hundreds of patchwork measures have been introduced in 2016 alone, even though the zeitgeist has been consistent since 1989: Strong majorities oppose overturning Roe, usually by 2 to 1, according to Gallup. But the attack on reproductive rights has been repelled, for now. And those who virtuously gather under the banner of pro life should not have to rely on subterfuge. More: Recent Star-Ledger editorials. Follow NJ.com Opinion on Twitter@NJ_Opinion. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook. Supporters of gun rights, led by the National Rifle Association, so far have bypassed New Jersey when it come to funding their campaigns this year. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, none of the 14 members of the state's congressional delegation, neither the eight Democrats nor six Republicans, have received any 2016 campaign contributions from gun rights groups. The last time out, only one incumbent received any money from gun rights groups: Rep. Scott Garrett (R-5th Dist.). Republican Tom MacArthur, who won the open seat race in the 3rd District, also received financial help, as did Steve Lonegan, who lost to Democrat Cory Booker in the 2013 special election to succeed the late Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.). House Speaker Paul Ryan, who derided last week's protest by House Democrats as a "publicity stunt," was the eighth biggest recipient of campaign contributions by gun rights groups, according to the Washington-based research group. Ryan (R-Wis.) has taken in $22,205 for his 2016 re-election. His predecessor as House speaker, John Boehner of Ohio, brought in $25,500. The House majority leader, Kevin McCarthy of California, raised $34,000, third most among the 535 members of Congress. The champion fundraiser among gun rights supporters were two U.S. senators who unsuccessfully sought the Republican presidential nomination: Ted Cruz of Texas, who brought in $139,158, and Rand Paul of Kentucky, who received $68,472. As far as presidential candidates go, the donations were sparse. Gov. Chris Christie's presidential campaign, for example, got just $1,500 from gun rights supporters. The six House Democrats from New Jersey joined the sit-in last week to demand votes on legislation to ban suspected terrorists from buying weapons and to require background checks for all gun purchases, including those at gun shows and online. House Republicans adjourned the chamber without votes on those measures and Democrats ended their protest a day later, vowing to keep up the fight. Booker and U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) participated in the Senate Democratic filibuster earlier this month that ended with the promise of votes on the gun bills. Senate Republicans blocked action on both bills. Overall, gun rights supporters contributed $1.8 million for the 2016 elections, 99 percent of that to Republicans. Supporters of gun control spent $52,313, all on behalf of Democrats. None of that money went to New Jersey lawmakers either. TRENTON -- State lawmakers on Monday will take up three measures aiming to tighten New Jersey's gun control laws -- voting at a time when the debate over firearms in the U.S. has once again grown tense. Here's what's on the agenda: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BILL In one vote, both the state Senate and Assembly will decide whether to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of a bill to force those convicted of domestic violence in New Jersey to surrender their guns and their permits to buy new ones. The legislation (S805/A1211), which initially passed with broad bipartisan support, would create a formal process to remove firearms from the hands of domestic abusers in the state, both in cases where a restraining order was in effect and upon conviction of a domestic violence offense. Christie, a Republican, vetoed it in May. 'SMART GUNS' In another vote, the state Assembly will decide whether to give final legislative approval to a bill designed to encourage development of personalized handguns, or "smart guns." The state Senate passed the measure (S816/A1426) in February. The bill would loosen an existing New Jersey law that is said to have actually stifled production of smart guns. CARRY PERMIT REGULATIONS In the third vote, the state Senate will decide whether to give final legislative approval to a bill that would more strictly define the "justifiable need" New Jerseyans must show in order to obtain a permit to carry a handgun in the state. The state Assembly passed the measure (S2165/A3689) two weeks ago. Monday's vote comes after both houses gave final approval to a resolution to block changes the Christie administration unveiled to make it easier for residents to obtain a concealed carry permit. Second Amendment advocates have argued for years that New Jersey's permitting process makes it nearly impossible for anyone who isn't a retired law enforcement officer to get such a permit. THE DEBATE INTENSIFIES The call for more gun control reform has intensified across the country since a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 others at a gay night club in Orlando, Fla. -- the worst shooting in American history. Authorities say the shooter had declared allegiance to terrorist group the Islamic State. Democrats in Congress even staged a 25-hour sit-in to lobby for votes on legislation to prevent people on the terrorist watch list from buying weapons and to expand background checks to purchases at gun shows and over the Internet. But Second Amendment supporters say more gun control will do little to stop criminals and terrorists from obtaining guns, while restricting the rights of law-abiding citizens. Christie also accused Democrats of "exploiting" the Orlando massacre by pushing for more laws. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. NJ STATEHOUSE Dome.jpg.JPG N.J. POLITICS ROUNDUP A collection of political news from the Statehouse and around New Jersey TRENTON -- The state Legislature recently ended about whether to raise New Jersey's minimum wage -- and here are nine things to know about it. A CHRISTIE VETO OVERRIDE? State lawmakers say they expect to finally override a Gov. Chris Christie veto next week. ANOTHER CHRISTIE FOR GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN? Woud Christie ever run for New Jersey governor again? KEAN's ADVICE FOR TRUMP ABOUT CHRISTIE Former Gov. Tom Kean has some advice for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump: Don't pick Christie as your running mate. Meanwhile, is Christie in line to become Trump's chief of staff? DID TRUMP SHIFT ON MUSLIM BAN? Trump appears to have redefined his controversial Muslim ban proposal, but the details aren't clear. TRUMP: NO 'TEXIT' UNDER ME Though the United Kingdom's "Brexit" vote has inspired some to call for Texas to secede from the U.S. -- A.K.A., "Texit" -- Trump said that wouldn't happen if he was president. EDITORIAL: TRUMP CALLING CLINTON A LIAR The Star-Ledger's editorial board writes that it's ironic Trump called presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton a "world-class liar." ELIZABETH WARREN AT RUTGERS Here is a look at how Elizabeth Warren's Rutgers roots helped forge her career. POLLS: CLINTON's V.P. Should presumptive Clinton choose Bernie Sanders as her vice president? Vote in the informal, unscientific poll below. Or should she pick U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.)? Vote in the informal, unscientific poll below. WATERGATE AND BRIDGEGATE Here is a look at how Watergate is playing a role in the Bridgegate scandal. RAY BATEMAN DIES Ray Bateman, the former state senator and Republican powerhouse, has died. FROM THE WEEKEND ... * The fight isn't over for a New Jersey teenager who won the right to consume medical marijuana at school. * Here is a look at famous musicians who endorsed Democrats' call for gun control reform in Congress. * Booker got to help one of his heroes. * Curious what Christie and other New Jersey politicians are reading this summer? * Who is New Jersey's richest member of Congress? NJ Advance Media staff writers Matt Arco, Claude Brodesser-Akner, Susan K. Livio, Samantha Marcus, Kathleen O'Brien, Jonathan D. Salant, Ted Sherman, and MaryAnn Spoto contributed to this report. Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. TRENTON -- Almost from the moment Gov. Chris Christie vetoed a bill last May that would have codified a process to strip domestic abusers of their firearms, Democratic legislators have been itching to override him. That chance was supposed to be Monday, when both the state Senate and Assembly were scheduled to vote on whether to override Gov. Chris Christie's veto of the bill. But the override attempt on the gun legislation (S805/A1211) would have to wait: A family emergency meant that state Sen. Nilsa Cruz-Perez (D-Camden) could not be present to vote for the override, leading Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) to postpone the vote to Thursday. Just as the state Senate vote was being postponed, the U.S. Supreme Court delivered an opinion that was closely related. Federal law already prohibits the ownership of a firearm by those who've received even a misdemeanor conviction for domestic violence. But in considering the case of Stephen L. Voisine and William E. Armstrong III vs. the United States, the nation's highest court ruled that even a misdemeanor conviction for reckless domestic violence was enough to prohibit gun possession. Delivering the opinion of the court, Associate Justice Elena Kagan wrote that "the question presented here is whether misdemeanor assault convictions for reckless (as contrasted to knowing or intentional) conduct trigger the statutory firearms ban. We hold that they do." When Christie vetoed the bill in May, the governor wrote that its flaw was "ignoring the larger problem of domestic violence, which in most cases does not involve a firearm." However, a 2003 multi-state study published in the American Journal of Health found that people with a history of committing domestic violence are five times more likely to subsequently murder an intimate partner when a firearm is in their home. Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook. Press release: The 1999 Nobel Prize in Physics English German French Swedish 12 October 1999 The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has awarded the 1999 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly to Professor Gerardus t Hooft, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands, and Professor Emeritus Martinus J. G. Veltman, University of Michigan, USA, resident in Bilthoven, the Netherlands. The two researchers are being awarded the Nobel Prize for having placed particle physics theory on a firmer mathematical foundation. They have in particular shown how the theory may be used for precise calculations of physical quantities. Experiments at accelerator laboratories in Europe and the USA have recently confirmed many of the calculated results. The Academys citation: for elucidating the quantum structure of electroweak interactions in physics Particle physics theory on firmer mathematical foundation The everyday objects in our surroundings are all built up of atoms, which consist of electrons and atomic nuclei. In the nuclei there are protons and neutrons, which in turn are made up of quarks. To study matter at this innermost level, large accelerators are required. Such machines were first designed in the 1950s, signifying the birth of modern particle physics. For the first time it was possible to study the creation of new particles and the forces that act between them. Around the middle of the 1950s, a first version of the modern theory was also formulated. Many years of work have now resulted in the standard model of particle physics. This model groups all elementary particles into three families of quarks and leptons, which interact with the help of a number of exchange particles for the strong and the electro-weak forces (Fig 1). The theoretical foundation of the standard model was at first incomplete mathematically and in particular it was unclear whether the theory could be used at all for detailed calculations of physical quantities. Gerardus t Hooft and Martinus J. G. Veltman are being awarded this years Nobel Prize for having placed this theory on a firmer mathematical foundation. Their work has given researchers a well functioning theoretical machinery which can be used for, among other things, predicting the properties of new particles. New name for an old theory Modern theories used today in the standard model of particle physics for describing the interactions of particles are all gauge theories. The term gauge relates to a particular feature of these theories, gauge symmetry, viewed by many researchers as one of the most fundamental features of physics. Yet as early as in the 1860s the Scotsman James Clerk Maxwell formulated a theory of electromagnetism which in todays modern terminology is a gauge theory. His theory, which still holds, united electricity with magnetism and predicted, among other things, the existence of radio waves. We can illustrate the concept of gauge symmetry as follows. Electric and magnetic fields can be expressed using potential functions. These can be exchanged (gauge-transformed ) according to a certain rule without changing the fields. The very simplest transformation is to add a constant to the electrical potential. Physically this illustrates the well-known fact that electrical potential can be calculated from an arbitrary zero point, since only the differences in potential are of significance. This is why a squirrel can walk along a high-voltage cable without being injured. That the zero point can be moved in this way is perceived by physicists as a symmetry in the theory, gauge symmetry. The order in which one performs two gauge transformations is immaterial. We normally say that electromagnetism is an abelian gauge theory, after the Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel, who lived between 1802 and 1829. (A simple example of transformations that are abelian are plane rotations. Try this yourself with a pencil, as shown in Figure 2a.) Figure 2a) An example of a group of abelian transformations is rotation in two dimensions. Figure 2b) An example of a group of non-abelian transformations is rotation in three-dimensional space. Quantum mechanics raises problems Directly after quantum mechanics had been formulated around 1925 attempts were made to unify the wave functions of quantum mechanics and the fields of electromagnetism into a quantum field theory. But problems arose. The new quantum electrodynamics became complicated and attempts to perform calculations often gave unreasonable results. One reason was that quantum theory predicts that the electromagnetic fields close to e.g. an electron or a proton can spontaneously generate quantities of very short-lived particles and anti-particles, virtual particles (Fig. 3). A system of only one electron suddenly became a multi-particle problem! The problem was solved in the 1940s by Sin-Itiro Tomonaga, Julian Schwinger and Richard P. Feynman (who shared the 1965 Nobel Prize in physics for their contributions). The method developed by these three is called renormalization and, simply expressed, means that individual particles can be viewed somewhat at a distance. In this way it is unnecessary to consider the virtual particle pairs individually: the cloud of virtual particles can be allowed to obscure the central, original particle. In this way, the original particle gains a new charge and a new mass, among other things. In modern terminology, Tomonaga, Schwinger and Feynman renormalized an abelian gauge theory. Fig. 3 According to quantum field theory a real physical particle consists of a naked central particle dressed in a cloud of very short-lived so called virtual particles. Quantum electrodynamics has been tested with greater accuracy than any other theory in physics. Thus for example Hans Dehmelt (Nobel Prize in Physics 1989) succeeded in measuring electron magnetism in an ion trap with an accuracy of 12 digits. The first 10 digits agreed directly with calculated results. Unified electromagnetic and weak interaction The discovery and study of radioactivity and the subsequent development of atomic physics during the first half of the twentieth century produced the concepts of strong and weak interaction. In simple terms strong interaction holds the atomic nucleus together while weak interaction allows certain nuclei to decay radioactively. As early as the 1930s a first quantum field theory for weak interaction was formulated. This theory suffered from problems that were even worse than those quantum electrodynamics had had and not even the renormalization method of Tomonaga, Schwinger and Feynman could solve them. But in the mid-1950s the researchers Chen Ning Yang and Robert L. Mills found a first example of a quantum field theory with new features, a non-abelian gauge theory. As opposed to the abelian variant, in which gauge transformations can be performed in any order, the result of the non-abelian depends on the order. This gives the theory a more complicated mathematical structure but also opens up new possibilities. (A simple example of non-abelian transformations is rotations in space. Try it yourself with a pencil, as shown in Figure 2b.) The new possibilities of the theory were not fully exploited until the 1960s when a number of researchers collaborated in the development of a non-abelian gauge theory that unites electromagnetism and weak interaction into an electro-weak interaction (Nobel Prize 1979 to Sheldon L. Glashow, Abdus Salam and Steven Weinberg). This quantum field theory predicted the new particles W and Z which were detected in 1983 at the European CERN accelerator laboratory in Geneva (Nobel Prize 1984 to Carlo Rubbia and Simon van der Meer). History repeats itself While the theory of electro-weak interaction developed in the 1960s was a great step forward, the research community at first found it difficult to accept. When they tried to use the theory for calculating in more detail the properties of the new W and Z particles (and many other physical quantities) it gave unreasonable results. The situation resembled that of the 1930s before Tomonaga, Schwinger and Feynman had succeeded in renormalizing quantum electrodynamics. Many researchers were pessimistic about the possibilities of going further with such a theory. One person who had not given up hope of being able to renormalize non-abelian gauge theories was Martinus J. G. Veltman. At the end of the 1960s he was a newly appointed professor at the University of Utrecht. Veltman had developed the Schoonschip computer program which, using symbols, performed algebraic simplifications of the complicated expressions that all quantum field theories result in when quantitative calculations are performed. Twenty years earlier, Feynman had indeed systematised the problem of calculation and introduced Feynman diagrams that were rapidly accepted by researchers. But at that time there were no computers. Veltman believed firmly in the possibility of finding a way of renormalizing the theory and his computer program was the cornerstone of the comprehensive work of testing different ideas. In spring 1969 Veltman was joined by a 22-year-old pupil, Gerardus t Hooft, who had expressed the desire to study high-energy physics. After he had written a first, fairly brief dissertation t Hooft was accepted as a doctoral student that autumn. His task was to help in the search for a method of renormalizing non-abelian gauge theories. t Hooft succeeded beyond all expectation and in 1971 published two articles that represented an important breakthrough in the research programme. With the help of Veltmans computer program t Hoofts partial results were now verified and together they worked out a calculation method in detail. The non-abelian gauge theory of electro-weak interaction had become a functioning theoretic machinery and it was possible, just as it had become for quantum electrodynamics 20 years previously, to start performing precise calculations. The theorys predictions verified As described above, the theory of the electro-weak force predicted the existence of the new W and Z particles right from the start. But it was only through t Hoofts and Veltmans work that more precise prediction of physical quantities involving properties of W and Z could start. Large quantities of W and Z have recently been produced under controlled conditions at the LEP accelerator at CERN. Comparisons between measurements and calculations have all the time showed great agreement, thus supporting the theorys predictions. One particular quantity obtained with t Hoofts and Veltmans calculation method based on CERN results is the mass of the top quark, the heavier of the two quarks included in the third family in the model. This quark was observed directly for the first time in 1995 at the Fermilab in the USA, but its mass had been predicted several years earlier. Here too, agreement between experiment and theory was satisfactory. When can we expect the next great discovery? An important ingredient in the theory t Hooft and Veltman have developed is an as yet undemonstrated particle termed the Higgs particle (Fig. 1). In the same way as other particles have been predicted by theoretical arguments and later demonstrated experimentally, researchers are now awaiting direct observation of the Higgs particle. Using calculations similar to those of the mass of the top quark, there is a chance that one of the existing accelerators can be persuaded to produce some Higgs particles. But the only accelerator now under construction and powerful enough for more detailed study of the new particle is the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. But researchers must contain themselves for a few years to come since it is reckoned that the LHC will not be complete until 2005. Further reading Additional background material on the Nobel Prizes in Physics 1999, by Professor Cecilia Jarlskog, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (pdf). In search of the Ultimate Building Blocks by Gerard t Hooft, Cambridge University Press 1997. The Higgs boson by Martinus J.G. Veltman, Scientific American, November 1986, p.88. An Elementary Primer for Gauge Theory by K. Moriyasu, World Scientific Publishing 1983. Gauge Theories of the Forces between Elementary Particles by Gerard t Hooft, Scientific American, June 1980, p. 90. Gerardus t Hooft born 1946 in Den Helder, the Netherlands. Dutch citizen. Doctoral degree in physics 1972 at University of Utrecht. Professor of Physics at University of Utrecht since 1977. Among other awards t Hooft received the 1979 Dannie Heineman Prize from the American Physical Society and the 1982 Wolf Prize for his work on renormalizing gauge theories. Member of the Dutch Academy of Sciences since 1982. Professor Gerardus t Hooft Spinoza Instituut Leuvenlaan 4 Postbus 80.195 3508 TD Utrecht The Netherlands Martinus J. G. Veltman born 1931 in the Netherlands. Dutch citizen. Doctoral degree in physics 1963 at University of Utrecht. Professor of Physics at University of Utrecht 1966-1981 and at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, from 1981 (now retired). Among other awards Veltman received the 1993 High Energy and Particle Physics Prize from the European Physical Society for his work on renormalizing gauge theories. Member of the Dutch Academy of Sciences since 1981. Professor Martinus J. G. Veltman Schubertlaan 15 3723 LM Bilthoven The Netherlands The amount of the Nobel Prize Award is SEK 7,900,000. To cite this section MLA style: Press release: The 1999 Nobel Prize in Physics. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2022. Thu. 27 Oct 2022.